Comment Spokeswoman Sarah Connor (Score 1) 99
could not be located for comment
Top Authors Make eBook Deal, Bypassing Publishers 297
RobotRunAmok writes "Home to 700 authors and estates, from Philip Roth to John Updike, Jorge Luis Borges, and Saul Bellow, the Wylie Agency shocked the publishing world yesterday when it announced the launch of Odyssey Editions. The new initiative is selling ebook editions of modern classics, including Lolita, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, and Updike's Rabbit tetralogy, exclusively via Amazon.com's Kindle store, leaving conventional publishers out of the picture. The issue boils down to who holds digital rights in older titles published before the advent of ebooks, with publishers arguing that the ebook rights belong to them, and authors and agents responding that, if not specifically granted, the digital rights remain with the author. Publishers and authors are also at loggerheads over the royalty that should be paid for ebooks: authors believe they should be getting up to double the current standard rate of 25%, because ebooks are cheaper to produce than physical editions. (Amazon pays authors 70%.)"
Russian Hacker Selling 1.5M Facebook Accounts 193
Sir Codelot writes "A hacker who calls himself Kirllos has obtained and is now offering to sell 1.5 million Facebook IDs at astonishingly low prices — $25 per 1,000 IDs for users with fewer than 10 friends and $45 per 1,000 IDs for users with more than 10 friends. Looking at the numbers, Kirllos has stolen the IDs of one out of every 300 Facebook users. Quoting: 'VeriSign director of cyber intelligence Rick Howard told the New York Times that it appeared close to 700,000 had already been sold. Kirllos would have earned at least $25,000 from the scam. Howard told the newspaper that it was not apparent whether the accounts and passwords were legitimate, but a Russian underground hacking magazine reported it had tested some of Kirllos' previous samples and managed to get into people's accounts.'"
Comment Re:Another WIN in WINdows (Score 4, Insightful) 184
I've had the full source code for "ldd" on my linux box for the past thirteen years... What good has that done in this case?
The good that it has done is that the author of this article DID have access to the source, analyzed it, found a vulnerability and now you, me or anyone else can (and no doubt will) patch it. The point of the source being available isn't that you personally need to look through every line of code that your system executes, but rather that it is made available to anyone to analyze for security, efficiency, correctness, etc. instead of being locked up in a vault somewhere.
Don't Copy That Floppy! Gets a Sequel 523
theodp writes "Back in 1992, the SIIA released Don't Copy That Floppy!, a goofy video in which anti-piracy rapper MC Double Def DP convinces a young lad not to copy a game by appealing to his sense of right and wrong. Now, to address what it calls 'new generations and new temptations,' the SIIA has uploaded a trailer for a new anti-piracy rap video — Don't Copy That 2 — that will be released this summer. To underscore the video's it's-not-just-a-copy-it's-a-crime message, the new film is a tad darker than the original. A smug teen who's downloading files from 'Pirates Palace' and 'Tune Weasel' finds his world turned upside down when automatic weapons-toting government agents break down the door and take his Mom away in handcuffs. The teen finds himself in a prison jumpsuit forced to tattoo shirtless adult inmates who eventually turn on him, physically attack him, and make him run for his life back to his jail cell (image summarizing his plight)."
Comment Re:In other words... (Score 1) 753
In other words, our children and grandchildren should pay for technological advances that make our lives easier.
Spending money on science and research can create value, just as the money spent on creating the internet in the 70s and 80s is allowing for a vast increase in wealth creation (amazon, ebay, google, slashdot) scientific advances in medicine, communications and nearly every other scientific field.
This is not borrowing from the future, this is an investment in the future, which will likely will pay for itself in the amount of value it will create and improvements in quality of life.
Comment Re:sure it is (Score 1) 1079
There was also something about performing "an illegal operation"
Comment Re:Sounds Like A Publicity Stunt (Score 1) 145
Yes, let's continue taking criminals, claiming they're not just that, and sending them for 'councelling' instead of prison. On tax dollars, of course. Certainly, the 'going easy on criminals' aspect of current society has been going far better than the alternative lately.
I don't know what "going easy on criminals aspect" you are talking about, I have yet to see ANY attempts at real rehabilitation for criminals.
The difference between paying for clinics and rehabilitation and paying for prisons and guards is that at the end, clinics attempt to help you with whatever issues caused you to break the law so you can return to society. Prisons just build more cells because they know you will be coming back in a few years. Some people can't be helped, but believe it or not, most people would rather have a productive life and obey the law than rot in a cell.
Worst Working Conditions You Had To Write Code In? 1127
sausaw writes "I recently had to write code in a hot dusty room for 20 days with temperatures near 107F (~41C); having nothing to sit on; a 64 Kbps inconsistent internet connection; warm water for drinking and a lot of distractions and interruptions. I am sure many people have been in similar situations and would like to know your experiences."
Time Warner Transfer Caps May Inspire Fair-Price Legislation 382
Time Warner's recently announced plan to expand their broadband transfer caps to new markets drew heavy criticism, which prompted their attempt to smooth things over with a ridiculously expensive "unlimited" plan. That wasn't enough for New York Representative Eric Massa, who now says he will draft legislation to "curb tiers, particularly in areas where a broadband provider owns a monopoly on service." Massa said, "Time Warner believes they can do this in Rochester, NY; Greensboro, NC; and Austin and San Antonio, Texas, and it's almost certainly just a matter of time before they attempt to overcharge all of their customers," adding, "I believe safeguards must be put in place when a business has a monopoly on a specific region."
XP Reprieve, Downgrade May Continue After Win7 392
CWmike writes "Gregg Keizer reports that Microsoft acknowledged today it has 'broadened the options' for PC makers to continue offering Windows XP as a downgrade from Vista — and potentially even Windows 7. However, the company would not confirm specific reports that HP has been given the green light to sell new PCs with Windows XP Pro pre-installed through the end of April 2010. 'Windows XP went into semi-retirement in June 2008, when Microsoft stopped selling it at retail and withdrew Windows XP Home from use on all but netbooks, though it allowed XP Professional to be installed as a Vista downgrade. Since then, Microsoft has extended the final date it will sell XP Professional install media to large computer makers and smaller systems builders to July 31, 2009, and May 30, 2009, respectively. Today, Microsoft denied that it had extended the life span of Windows XP, and intimated that those rights were built into the newer operating system — in this case, Vista — and did not expire at some arbitrary date.'"
Update: 04/07 14:36 GMT by T : nandemoari adds "Not only will users be able to keep Windows Vista, but they'll be able to step back in time two generations, all the way to XP. "We will offer downgrade rights from Windows 7 to Windows XP in the same way we did with Windows Vista," a Microsoft rep said.
Insiders speculate that the right to use this time machine might be reserved for those purchasing licenses for only two versions of Windows 7 — Ultimate and Professional. However, that's not yet been confirmed."
Comment Re:I can live with it (Score 1) 640
I believe that when the GP said "gunning down" someone that he was referring to brutal violence/murder, but not necessarily with a firearm. Violence is violence, it sounds like you are reading an anti-gun argument into his statement when I'm not sure that there is one.
GP was arguing that most people will never kill in cold blood, with any weapon, which is what makes it fantasy material.
GP was arguing that most people will never kill in cold blood, with any weapon, which is what makes it fantasy material.
Comment Re:I can live with it (Score 1) 640
I'd say its pretty likely that your nephew has seen a human penis before. If you find a naked human to be more offensive than extreme violence then yeah, I'd say that is pretty screwed up.
It's not my kid, and maybe I would feel different if it were, but I would say take him, educate him and speak to him like an adult. Remember, you must be the change that you want to see in the world.
Honestly, I think its great that they are able to show that and be mature about it. We need to get over ourselves and embrace the fact that we are human.
It's not my kid, and maybe I would feel different if it were, but I would say take him, educate him and speak to him like an adult. Remember, you must be the change that you want to see in the world.
Honestly, I think its great that they are able to show that and be mature about it. We need to get over ourselves and embrace the fact that we are human.
Comment Friday night? (Score 1) 753
People still watch TV live? I thought DVRs were considered mandatory to prevent brain-rot from advertising.
I have no idea when most of the shows that I follow are aired, as I check in the with DVR every couple of days and catch up on anything interesting.
I have no idea when most of the shows that I follow are aired, as I check in the with DVR every couple of days and catch up on anything interesting.
Comment Is it April 1 already? (Score 1) 512
This is a joke right? If not the sponsors of this bill/resolution/whatever should be removed from office for wasting taxpayer dollars and overstepping their authority.
This is not a political issue, it is a science issue. Pluto is still out there, and will continue orbiting happily along despite what we choose to call it.
Slashdot Top Deals
The moving cursor writes, and having written, blinks on.
