How long before we see a FUSE plugin that lets you treat this like an NFS server?
(or did I miss it, and one already exists?)

Firefly doesn't need to be rebooted. It was fine the first time around, and it was envisioned just right. What it needs is not a reboot, it needs a revival/continuance.

Babylon 5 ... the nature of the production "network" messed up the second half of season 4, and ruined season 5 (IMO). Further, the sequel series was ruined by various other issues (chiefly the network airing it). It would be interesting to see how JMS would re-do the whole thing if he had the chance.

Highlander ... there are like 2 or 3 different attempts at a back story, several disconnected movies, 2 different tv series, movies that are based on the series and not the original movie(s) .... it's a huge mess. I'd be nice to see a story that has a central arc (like B5, where it's known up front and told in a slowly revealed and sophisticated manner... not like BSG, where they made up "the arc"/"the plan" as they went along, and just barely pulled it off), but more importantly, it has a definite continuity that the existing mess lacks.

Space:1999 ... obviously, they have to change the title. But it was one of my early favorite shows. I'd love to see what a talented writer could do with it. Again, I'd want it to be an arc story, that is pre-envisioned, and not made up as they go along.

The article referenced brings up Buck Rogers. If they could do it more like the original 1930's, and not like the 1980's, then go for it.

Dune was already re-done, on the sci-fi/syfy channel ... like Firefly, it doesn't need a reboot right now, it needs a continuance (the rest of the books).

One other idea: The Six Million Dollar Man. Only, NOT done by the people who did the reboot of "The Bionic Woman". That was AWFUL.

What about that old kids show: Arc 2? With the vehicle that drives around a post-apocalyptic planet trying to find a way to re-build civilization? That might do well right now.

Or the Shazam/Captain Marvel show of the same era. With or without Isis.

Oh... and... what about Mad Max/Road Warrior? I think Mel is too old to pull off a sequel at this point, so why not a fresh look at it.

Someone mentioned Aliens ... maybe. Or even a complete revamp of the Terminator story (and, again, done with forethought, and not "what can we shove into the sequel this time, and pull out of our butts to sort of make it work?").

Dune was already re-done, as 2 mini-series on the Sci-Fi/syfy channel. Much better than the original theatrical movie.

I think that if Dune needs anything, it's like Firefly: it doesn't need to be re-done, it needs to be continued. The remake had 1 mini-series for the first book, 1 mini-series for the 2nd and 3rd books. It'd be interesting to see the rest of the main novels done.

That was supposed to be "well under $1000" not "well under $100" :-}

To me, what's important about a netbook, is:

1) size -- 7" - 12" screen

2) price -- under $600

3) functionality -- runs the basics (real web browser, terminal or dedicated ssh client, vnc viewer, IM, document viewers)

4) shape -- the above things can also be applied to "tablets", but the difference between a mid-range tablet and a mid-range "clamshell" is the keyboard. The "mid-range clamshell" is a "netbook" (with or without the swivel screen/convertible tablet capability). Not a smartbook, not a sub-notebook, etc. Those are just market-droid's attempts to re-brand and differentiate from past models of the same thing. It's a netbook.

I personally don't think #1 will ever go away, whether you call it a "netbook", "smartbook", or "sub-notebook".

I don't think the price is going to really have a huge change either. Sure, some netbooks are getting more expensive. But, some "laptops" are also coming down to a price point that competes with netbooks.

As for functionality, as time marches forward, the capabilities of devices in that size and price rang will increase. That's a given. So, eventually, netbooks will run more than just the basics. But the point is: they need to always run those basics well.

So, while the marketing blurbs may change, and the exact numbers might change, I'm willing to bet that the actual device category (7-12 inch screen, well under $100, runs basic apps) is here to stay. The only thing I think that might change ... is that someone might come up with a truly compelling device that matches 1-3, but doesn't keep the keyboard. Maybe it'll be the EnTourage eDGe (dual screen tablet, like the OLPC2 concept, or the Microsoft Courier). Maybe it'll be a plain tablet (Notion Ink Adam, or the highly anticipated Apple tablet). Maybe it's something we haven't envisioned yet.

Definitely.

First, do your homework, make sure you didn't accidentally give them consent in your TOS with them.
Second, if you didn't give that consent, contact a lawyer (for civil litigation), and then notify authorities.

Whatever you do, don't tolerate it.

"we all know that untrusted systems on a LAN means game over"

Quick, someone inform the Kerberos team at MIT that their software doesn't work, and never has!

a) call it what it is: a netbook ... smartbook is a pointless re-naming of the device category. Stop it.
b) TI OMAP 3xxx CPU (the 1GHz one)
c) Slate Tablet or Convertible-Tablet Netbook format -- either way, 5 way dpad and "Android Buttons" next to the screen
d) PixelQi hybrid LCD/e-paper 9" or 10" touch screen, multi-touch, 1280x720, 1280x768, or 1280x800 native resolution
e) DVI-I out, supporting 640x480, 800x480, 800x600, 1024x600, 1024x768, 1280x720, 1280x768, 1280x800, and 1280x1024 resolutions (the non-HD/wide screen resolutions using letter boxing to show an HD/widescreen resolution of the same width; so, a 1280x1024 monitor would show the 1280x720/1280x768/1280x800 native resolution of the device, with the black bands at the top and bottom of the screen)
f) 2-4 USB Host/OTG ports (keyboard, mouse, storage, network, etc.)
g) 1 mini-USB for charging and data sync (it's ok to ALSO have a conventional charger, this is just for opportunistic charging at any USB port that's available)
h) 3.5mm headset (bi-directional, so you can use it with VOIP/Skype/Google-Voice)
i) 1GB - 2GB RAM
j) 2GB, 4GB, 8GB, 16GB, 32GB storage options
k) 1 or 2 full size SDHC slots
l) Android, with both the built-in Android browser, and the Chrome browser
m) The Android x86 and Acer port of Firefox for Android
n) Throw in a Fennec port to Android
o) 8+ hours battery life, even with Wifi and Bluetooth on
p) Wifi b/g/n
q) Full bluetooth stack (DUN, PAN, FTP, HID, BIP, A2DC, etc.)
r) PCI Express Mini card slot, for user-added 3G (or for carrier subsidized models)
s) fast-boot/splashtop optimizations for Android (perhaps some of ChromeOS'es ability to check the validity of the OS)
t) Android can easily/seamlessly hand-off to other OSes (UBuntu-ARM, Mer/Maemo, Windows CE, maybe ChromeOS if an ARM CPU is used; or Ubuntu, Windows, or any other available x86 OS (ChromeOS, etc.) if an x86 CPU is used)

The Aspire 1420P convertible tablet netbook might be a good start, if it was scaled down to 10", and changed to a ARM CPU with a PixelQi display.

I have more thoughts about it at: http://johnkzin.livejournal.com/55488.html

We're like... the Hells Angels, or the Warlocks, or the Mongols! 1%er's baby!!! ;-)

Someone should put a 1%er's biker club logo on Tux :-)

The Macbook Air motherboard might lend itself quite well to the innards of a eviGroup tablet, or something along those lines (I also happen to have a Samsung Q1 Ultra I'm barely using). It wont be a pretty, nor cheap, Apple Tablet, but if Apple doesn't pull their heads out, it might be the only way to get one that's legal.

Though, with the economy the way it is lately, I don't have that kind of throw-away money right now. But the idea keeps sitting there in the back of my mind...

1) convertible tablet netbook, 10.1" screen, pref. multi-touch, with the ability to do automated screen rotations based on the hinge orientation and accelerometers. At least 1024x600, pref. 1280x720. And, preferably a PixelQi hybrid display.
2) Dalvik apps, with the "with Google" Android experience (Android Market, Android Gmail, Android Calendar, etc.)
3) 1GB+ RAM, internal storage options (local media, caching data even if the rest will be stored in the cloud, etc.). 2-32GB options are good. And add full size SDHC card slot for more storage. They can omit the internal storage if they put in two full size SDHC card slots.
4) 2 or more USB host/otg ports, support for Keyboards, mice/trackpad/trackball, storage, USB-VGA/USB-DVI/USB-HDMI adapters, printers, etc.
5) If no USB-VGA/DVI/HDMI support, then a DVI-I port (if no DVI-I port, then there has to be at least 3 USB host/otg ports)
6) GPS with Google Maps turn-by-turn navigation (easy if it has #2)
7) Internal 3G module, either optional modules for the carrier of my choice (I pay) or an included module with the carrier of Google's choice (Google pays)
8) At least Wifi b and g, possibly n
9) If no Dalvik apps, ssh app with port forwarding
10) If no Dalvik apps, VNC app that will work through #10's port forwarding, and has VNC password support
11) I think I heard Chrome already has these, but just to be sure: local media player for local audio files, local video files, e-book reader apps
12) Google Gears for working with Google Docs and other things when in a 3G dead zone
13) Full support for Flash in the browser ... full support for sites like Hulu, Rhapsody, Pandora, Youtube, etc.
14) Netflix streaming player support
15) Google Apps sites that are BOTH mobile AND full-featured (ex: all non-Mobile Gmail features, but in a finger friendly presentation; all non-Mobile Google Reader features (add/edit tags, etc.), but in a finger-friendly presentation; etc.)
16) Charge and sync (like a phone) via USB-client (so I can use/access the data on the SDHC cards (and/or optional internal user storage) via my desktop system, while the device recharges).
17) Something like Privoxy to block ads and bad HTML on _NON_-Google ad sites. I understand that the trade here is that I have to see Google Adsense stuff. But I don't want to have to put up with ads/pop-ups/etc. from _anyone_ else.
18) LOTS of battery. Probably be most effective to use an ARM CPU (TI OMAP 3? OMAP 4?)
19) Free hardware upgrades as new versions come out. 12-36 month cycles (obv. I'd prefer 12 months, but I can understand if they need 36 months).
20) Since Google Apps have the option to avoid ads by paying for the service, I'd want that same option with the device. If I pay a monthly or yearly subscription, then the subscription includes: the 3G service (assuming it's the "google pays for it" option from above), no ads (not even from Google's services), and the hardware upgrade cycle.

Give me all of that, and yeah, I'd take a free device and not do anything to block the ads. Not sure whether or not I'd pay for the subscription option or not, but I definitely think the subscription option needs to exist.

"reassuring the world that Microsoft can still turn out a strong, useful operating system."

Wouldn't that imply that they did, at some point, put out a strong, useful operating system?

I agree with not continuuing to make the game "more complex". I think the state of play in Civ 2 or Civ 3 was probably about right. About the only "complexity" I liked was the vehicle system from Alpha Centauri. What I'd want to see, instead, is:

1) "on line" play
2) future advancements (sort of a mix between the future advancements in Civ: Call to Power, and Alpha Centauri)
3) expansion into space ... sort of like a cross between Civilization, Alpha Centauri (AC), and Master of Orion (MoO). You start in the stone age, and built up to space flight. Then exploring/conquering worlds is done like Civ/AC, but exploring/conquering the stars is done like MoO. In online play, you could have regions of space become obscured by "ion storms" or something, as the player who controls that space saves their game/etc. (or if space travel from system to system is done via star gates, then those worlds just stop being accessible via star gates until they re-join the online game).

The grand unification of these games would be:
Civ, AC, MoO, and Master of Magic (MoM) -- mixing sci-fi and fantasy elements (obviously allowing players to pick sci-fi only games or fantasy only games, if they don't like to mix them). That could evolve into something sort of like a Star Wars level of mix of Space Opera and Magic. Star Gates, Magic Gates, Technologies, Spells, robots, cyborgs, fantasy creatures and monsters, etc.

MoM was like Civilization ... only with a magical/fantasy emphasis instead of Civilization's technology emphasis. It also had 2 worlds ... the day world, and a sort of "underworld" that you could get to through magic gates.

I'd update it, give it solo, multi-player (LAN, or closed list of players), and online modes (open to anyone on the internet, probably housed in a game company's servers)

and in the online mode, instead having the "underworld", the gates would lead to other online game groups where the overall power levels were comparable (so that the game could, in theory, keep building along, as long as there are other game worlds at a similar level of advancement ... and that latter qualification (comparable/similar-level-of-advancement) would keep things relatively playable so that small empires aren't clashing with empires that span 12 worlds).

If a player conquers a world, then they could save and exit the game, which just means that all gates to that world (or group of worlds) close until the player resumes.

Definitely. A full update of Ultimate 1 and/or 2 ... not sure what type of interface I'd want though. Maybe something like Fallout 2? Though, if they did it as tiles, it might be interesting to see it as an ajax/web based game...

(Ultima 2, with the time gates, jumping around through the past and future of our world, that'd be rather cool)