bitserf - Slashdot User

Submission + - New Zealand introduces file sharing bill (nzherald.co.nz)

Submitted by bitserf on Thursday February 25, 2010 @07:18PM

bitserf writes: Our overlords in government have decided to try and push through some file sharing legislation.

In the bill remains the controversial provisions for three-strikes removal of internet access, though interestingly, nothing prohibiting users from moving to other ISPs.

Text of the bill can be found here.

Interesting timing, considering ACTA negotiations due to be held in Wellington in April.

Comment Re:Slashdotted - here's the text (Score 1) 940

by bitserf on Sunday February 14, 2010 @09:01PM (#31139140) Attached to: Southwest Declares Kevin Smith Too Fat To Fly

What negative PR?

Positive as far as I'm concerned.

Make fatties walk!

Comment Re:Good for southwest (Score 1) 940

by bitserf on Sunday February 14, 2010 @08:51PM (#31139032) Attached to: Southwest Declares Kevin Smith Too Fat To Fly

Yes, of course. It's not the fault of the airline for cramming you in like sardines, but the fault of someone for being larger than average. Divide and conquer... you damned idiots.

Last I checked stuffing face with burgers and KFC was a personal choice.

So yes, it's the fault of the pachyderm when they spill over into adjacent seats.

Healthy, skinny persons are well within their rights to ridicule those who choose to lower their snouts into the trough whenever food is in the vicinity.

Comment Re:Customer of Size? (Score 1, Flamebait) 940

by bitserf on Sunday February 14, 2010 @08:35PM (#31138900) Attached to: Southwest Declares Kevin Smith Too Fat To Fly

Over here, we just call them "fat fucks".

Person of size is useless. What size? Fat fuck describes it in a succinct, accurate manner.

Mozilla's VP of Engineering On H.264 675

Posted by Soulskill on Sunday January 24, 2010 @11:14AM from the on-again-ogg-again dept.

We recently discussed news that YouTube and Vimeo are each testing their own HTML5 video players using the H.264 format. Firefox does not support H.264, and Mozilla's vice president of engineering, Mike Shaver, has now made a post explaining why. Quoting: "For Mozilla, H.264 is not currently a suitable technology choice. In many countries, it is a patented technology, meaning that it is illegal to use without paying license fees to the MPEG-LA. Without such a license, it is not legal to use or distribute software that produces or consumes H.264-encoded content. Indeed, even distributing H.264 content over the internet or broadcasting it over the airwaves requires the consent of the MPEG-LA, and the current fee exemption for free-to-the-viewer internet delivery is only in effect until the end of 2010. These license fees affect not only browser developers and distributors, but also represent a toll booth on anyone who wishes to produce video content." Mozilla developer Robert O'Callahan has written a blog post on the same subject, following a talk he gave on Friday about the importance of open video on the web.

Comment Re:This is not moderation, this is accomodation. (Score 5, Informative) 78

by bitserf on Sunday May 24, 2009 @06:51PM (#28078379) Attached to: Craigslist Shielded From Prosecution In SC

We've had legalized prostitution in New Zealand since 2003.

Contrary to the scaremongering promulgated by people with hidden agendas, the sky has not fallen, and people working in the world's oldest profession have the full protection of the law behind them, just like everyone else.

Doesn't mean there isn't still a social stigma associated with it, but at least they're not forced into the underground and exploited by criminals, and they pay their taxes just like everyone else.

Comment Re:It's not a university problem, it's people leav (Score 1) 314

by bitserf on Friday June 20, 2008 @04:52PM (#23878823) Attached to: UK Games Industry Over the Hill?

I have a mate who used to work for EA in the UK. He is one of the smartest programmers I know, self-taught, solid in math and physics, hard worker who churns out tight code.

Three years of his life wasted at that company for a pittance.

Needless to say, he saw the light and is now making serious bank doing "boring" development like the rest of us.

Sometimes you get more than you pay for, and if you don't realize it, your loss, since they will, eventually.

Asus PW191 LCD Review 176

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on Sunday April 23, 2006 @05:31AM from the goes-with-your-designer-office-furniture dept.

Tom's Hardware has quite the flattering review of one of the latest LCDs coming from Asus, the Asus PW191. From the review: "I won't mince words. The PW191 is the handsomest monitor I've ever seen. It's true that people's tastes vary, but no one can deny that the Asus designers have talent. While a lot of their competitors are using a white Macintosh look for lack of better ideas, Asus is innovating, offering designs that are both personal and novel. And they've applied that know-how to good effect in designing the PW191. The monitor's lines are superb, and the choice of colors is elegant and restrained."

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