136651
submission
ishark writes:
The torrents of the newest release of the Mandriva Linux distribution have appeared on the Mandriva website. Apart from the usual improvements and new versions, a notable inclusion is the full suite of 3D-enabled desktops: compiz/beryl/metisse. A complete tour of the updated distribution can be found here.
129079
submission
mlimber writes:
University of Colorado Law School professor Paul Ohm, a specialist in computer crime law, criminal procedure, intellectual property, and information privacy, writes about the excessive fretting over the Superhacker (or Superuser, as Ohm calls him), who steals identities, software, and media and sows chaos with viruses etc., and how the fear of these powerful users inordinately shapes laws and policy related to privacy and digital rights:
Privacy advocates fret about super-hackers who can steal millions of identities with a few keystrokes. Digital rights management opponents argue that DRM is inherently flawed, because some hacker will always find an exploit. (The DRM debate is unusual, because the power-user trope appears on both sides: DRM proponents argue that because they can never win the arms race against powerful users, they need laws like the DMCA.)
These stories could usefully contribute to these debates if they were cited for what they were: interesting anecdotes that open a window into the empirical realities of online conflict. Instead, in a cluttered rhetorical landscape, stories like these supplant a more meaningful empirical inquiry.
Ohm argues that a number of 'significant harms' flow from the acceptance of the 'exaggerated arguments' about Superhackers. For instance, laws that are made intentionally broad so as not to allow a Superhacker to go free on a technicality. Consequently, 'You might be a felon under the [Computer Fraud and Abuse Act's] broad "hacking" provisions if you: breach a contract; "transmit" a program from a floppy to your employer-issued laptop; or send a lot of e-mail messages.' Another effect is that the police are often grated 'better search and surveillance authorities and tools' to pursue Superhackers, but this 'can be used unjustifiably to intrude upon civil liberties. Search warrants for computers are a prime example; the judges who sign and review computer warrants usually authorize sweeping and highly invasive searches justified by storytelling' about the abilities of the Superhacker to cleverly hide illegal data on his computer.
100856
submission
Tyler Too writes:
The RIAA has weighed in on the just-introduced FAIR USE Act, and to no one's surprise, they're not at all happy with it. 'The FAIR USE Act "would repeal the DMCA and legalize hacking," says the RIAA. "It would reverse the Supreme Court's decision in Grokster and allow electronics companies to induce others to break the law for their own profit."' Looks like the CEA's lobbyists and the RIAA's lobbyists will be battling it out on Capitol Hill.
100736
submission
RulerOf writes:
The AACS Decryption utility released this past December known as BackupHDDVD originally authored by Muslix64 of the Doom9 forums has received its first official DMCA Takedown Notice. It has been widely speculated that the utility itself was not an infringing piece of software due to the fact that it is merely "a textbook implementation of AACS," written with the help of documents publicly available at the AACS LA's website, and that the AACS Volume Unique Keys that the end user isn't supposed to have access to are in fact the infringing content, but it appears that such is not the case. From the thread:
"...you must input keys and then it will decrypt the encrypted content. If this is the case, than according to the language of the DMCA it does sound like it is infringing. Section 1201(a) says that it is an infringement to "circumvent a technological measure." The phrase, "circumvent a technological measure" is defined as "descramb(ling) a scrambled work or decrypt(ing) an encrypted work, ... without the authority of the copyright owner." If BackupHDDVD does in fact decrypt encrypted content than per the DMCA it needs a license to do that.
93992
submission
rbgrn writes:
A123 Systems claims to have invented a Lithium Ion battery that not only can discharge at very high rates of current but can be recharged very quickly without damage to the cells or overheating. From their website: "A unique feature of A123Systems' M1 cells is their ability to charge to high capacity in 5 minutes or less. That's a significant improvement over traditional Li Ion, which typically requires more than 90 minutes to reach a similar level of charge."
Using this technology, General Motors has announced a plug-in hybrid SUV and Venture Vehicles is developing a fully electric 3 wheel vehicle.
Politics aside, the main technological hurdle to mass adoption of electric cars has been a fuel station replacement when driving distances beyond a single charge worth of range. Will we finally be seeing high current recharge stations in the next decade?
77354
submission
n7ytd writes:
Since taking a new job in 2006 and finding out it's not what I expected, I am spitting out resumes to find a new gig. I've been wondering how to explain the short time I've been in this job to prospective employers. Have fellow Slashdotters found this to be a challenge in the past, or it is par for the course and no big deal? As someone interviewing, would the 6-month position I've had with my current employer cause you concern?
77304
submission
blogdig writes:
http://www.thebizofcoding.com/2007/01/why_yahoo_an swers_is_flourishi.html
The simplicity of Yahoo! Answers is at the source of its surging popularity. Anyone can ask questions or provide answers. Yahoo's Rating and Reviews platform gives Reputation points to participants. Highly rated answers build a participants Reputation incentivising good participation.
Google Answers on the other hand has been retired. It is no longer accepting new questions. When Google tried to build an online paid "Answers" product it made two mistakes:
1) Google blocked the Mass Participation that is typically required to build vibrant online communities....
