Slashback: Revolutionism, Media, Oregon

Updates and clarifications in tonight's Slashback include word on the extra-theatrical availability of Revolution OS, consideration of Free software in Oregon. availability of HP's new streaming-audio toy (which does not play Ogg Vorbis), and more. Read on for the details.

Bonus material is always, well ... bonus. Khyron writes "Revolution OS, the definitive documentary film on the evolution of Linux and the relationship between the Free Software and Open Source movements, is finally available for purchase on DVD! The 2-disc special edition set now available includes full-length commentary by the director, as well as an additional 70 minutes of interview footage, a still image gallery, biographies, a 113-page documents section, and even the 'Free Software Song' music video. Additionally, in the spirit of its subject matter, the DVDs are unencrypted and region-free. I have contacted the director, J.T.S. Moore, and he is eager to grant permission to LUGs to hold free screenings -- he asks that you contact him first to coordinate and he'll even list your screening on his website."

Sounds and pictures from the same box -- impossible! An anonymous reader writes "The HP Digital Media Receiver ( discussed here before) is available for sale at CompUSA and online. The wired version is $199, and the wireless one is $299.

I've been using it for a little while, and I really like it so far. It took a while for the PC software to start serving, but now its fine. It found all my playlists and digital photos on the first pass, and the network setup worked properly too. I'd like to see higher-resolution photos, but it's a pretty cool way to show the pictures to my less-techie friends.

Also, I installed the PC software on both of my home PCs, and the Receiver automatically finds the music on both! It did have a bunch of duplicates (which made it easy for me to go prune out all my dual mp3s), but it was pretty cool. You can't edit a playlist at the TV set, which is a bit of a bummer, but I use WinAmp on my PC anyway, and that worked fine. I like the interface on the TV a lot (although it's a little dull after a while), and it sorted most of my media properly. Some of my MP3s ended up in weird places, but I guess that's from the ID3 tags?

One other thing - I am pretty sure I read somewhere that the Receiver runs Linux. Did anyone else see this too? The only other thing about it I didn't really like was the lack of a reset button. There is a power button, but it didn't reset the device when I pushed it, so I had to unplug it once.

Anyhow, I'm sure there are going to be a ton more products like this one out there soon, but I definitely prefer this to the Prismiq and the Audiotron. It's a much more intuitive box, although a front-panel LCD would be a really nice add!"

Since the general welfare means you, too. Cooper Stevenson writes "Thanks to all of those who called, wrote, and emailed their Legislators in Oregon, House Bill 2892 will get a hearing as covered by the Oregonian:

'A new bill would make Oregon the first state to take a formal stance against the hefty fees and technological limitations of software produced by large corporations such as Microsoft.'

'A House committee is scheduled to consider a proposal that promotes "open-source" software, which doesn't charge recurring fees and enables customers to alter the software code, making it more compatible with other programs.'

Global neural links sought. Controlio writes "With the first truly televised war underway, for the first time we have media members armed with sat trucks chasing the folks with the automatic weapons around. Several fixed cameras are mounted around Baghdad, and members of the media from all around the world are sending reports from the field using sat uplinks and video phones. So the question is, those of you with access to a Big Dish, have you found any wild feeds yet? I live in Michigan (U.S.), and have only been able to pinpoint local media backhauls (like Fox's news backhaul to their local affiliates), but nothing from abroad. Anyone out there have any sat and channel information for either the Baghdad cams, foreign news agencies, or best of all, the news feeds from the front line?"

This question is a good followup to a recent question posted as an Ask Slashdot seeking unbiased news about the current war.

sound and video on a PC

[Anonymous Coward]

I remember people used to say, when I would demonstrate my C-64 to them, that you would never be able to watch tv-quality video on the computer. Now when I play tv-quality video on my computer, I'm upset about how inferior it is, running in it's tiny little postage stamp frame and or all big and blocky.

Course, we'll never be able to play HDTV on a computer.

Wild Feed

[Z4rd0Z]

Here's [saskschools.ca] a wild feed if anyone's interested.

About time

[mao che minh]

I had almost given up on ever seeing actually seeing Revolution OS.

What's this, a free software music video? this is going to be one of dumbest, geekiest things ever created. I can't wait to watch it.

Re:paradox

[Z4rd0Z]

Truly a profound observation.

Re:sound and video on a PC

[Anonymous Coward]

That's the way it is. Just as soon as you say a computer can't do it, someone makes a computer do it. But I'm quite sure that my computer can't run a realistic Uma Thurman simulation, with full tactile responses, just like a holodeck. Not possible.

Re:sound and video on a PC

[Anonymous Coward]

So your computer can't simulate an anorexic cadaver with Death's face? And this is bad how?

Ogg?

[lostchicken]

Can it play Ogg Vor... Oh. Never mind.

Re:Revolution OS from HP

[geekoid]

you need to get new kids. ;)

Re:sound and video on a PC

[Anonymous Coward]

No, what you actually mean to say is that no-one will make an Open Source Uma Thurman simulation.
I'm sure you'll want to fix the behavioral bugs... like not wanting to hang out with a Slashdot geek.

I need sleep

[grondu]

region-free

Man, I need sleep. I read that as Rogaine-free.

What a deal!

[Otter]

All corporate patrons receive two gratis hours of Free Software licensing and/or GPL consulting from FSF's GPL Compliance Labs (with a reduced rate for further consultation).

Wow, two free hours of RMS insisting that "it's correctly termed GNU/Linux -- here, read this 85 point manifesto."

It's a nice chunk of change they've picked up, though. Looking at their rates [fsf.org], that's $10,000 each from IBM and HP, and probably $500 each from the others. I wonder if they really got that much out of them or if they offered a discount to get the ball rolling.

Re:Lacking Rendevous :(

[Watts Martin]

I'd really love to have Turtle Beach's Audiotron supporting Rendevous/ZeroConf. Of course, I'd like to be able to control the Audiotron from iTunes.

I suppose we can all wait until Windows 2003 implements Rendezvous. Then all hardware will support it, and Mac owners will have one more thing they can kvetch about Microsoft stealing, while the anti-Mac crowd will respond with taunts about market share and CPU speed. The natural balance of the universe will thus be restored.

Re:sound and video on a PC

[fucksl4shd0t]

You realize, don't you, by actually saying that something will never happen, you have practically assured that it will happen at some point. Just like when people said man would not fly.

You're never gonna get laid with that attitude...

Self-evident

[Ari Rahikkala]

One other thing - I am pretty sure I read somewhere that the Receiver runs Linux. Did anyone else see this too? The only other thing about it I didn't really like was the lack of a reset button. There is a power button, but it didn't reset the device when I pushed it, so I had to unplug it once.

Why in the world would anyone want to reboot it if it runs Linux ;) ?