rbrander - Slashdot User

Submission + - US Army Unveils New $35,000 "Rifle" (foxnews.com)

Submitted by rbrander on Monday November 29, 2010 @07:36PM

rbrander writes: Don't call it a "rifle", call it the "XM25 Counter Defilade Target Engagement System" and get your $35,000 worth. Much more than a projector of high-speed lead, this device hurls small grenades that automatically detonate in mid-flight with 1-metre accuracy over nearly 800m. The vital field feature is the ability to explode 1m behind the wall you just lazed, the one with the enemy hiding behind it.

Submission + - City of Vancouver, Canada adopts open standards (metronews.ca)

Submitted by

rbrander

on Sunday May 24, 2009 @01:27PM

rbrander writes: "Vancouver, Canada's third-largest city, has adopted a policy of "open standards, interfaces and formats" for all public data. They will also consider open-source software on an even footing with proprietary for all new software purchases. Fifteen of the fifteen people who signed up to speak to city council on the topic spoke in favour. Their only criticism was "can't you do more?" with one advocating that FOSS software be given preference, not equal footing."

Submission + - MPAA chases uploads, ignores open sales of DVD-Rs? (canada.com) 1

Submitted by

rbrander

on Saturday October 06, 2007 @12:43PM

rbrander writes: "Go to TVBoxSet.com and find a remarkable sales site for box sets of TV shows — including not only surprisingly cheap deals, but offerings not found elsewhere, such as all ten seasons of "JAG" in a box set, when the production company is only up to season 4 so far. Oddly enough, they are all described as "region free".

Then Google "tvboxset" and find every link below the first is to a complaint or news website complaining of the scam. Add "gazette" to the query and be quickly taken to this story in the Montreal Gazette ...which states that those who do get a product shipped find it to be a DVD-R apparently recorded off the air.

The really odd thing? They're still in business! The Montreal Gazette story is six weeks old. Now what's in it for the content industry to beat up private citizens with $220,000 judgements or scrambling to get DeCSS sites shut down within hours, while corporate scammers openly sell pirate DVDs for months on end, unopposed?"

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