Slashback: SCO, COPA, AllofMP3, Navier-Stokes, and More 144
IBM speaks about the SCO suit.. MasterOfGoingFaster brings to our attention Groklaw's detailed analysis and complete transcript of IBM's 10-point response to SCO's claims that Unix code showed up in Linux. From the article: "We've listened to SCO for more than three years tell its side of the story, and the media printed its every word. IBM, when asked to comment, invariably said nothing. Now it tells the court in detail how truly wronged it has been by The SCO Group, and why the court should bring this wrong to an end by granting IBM's motion for summary judgment on SCO's contract claims."
Another angle on COPA. segphault writes to point out an Ars Technica article that discusses in depth the ACLU-vs.-DoD COPA case. The article includes an interview with plaintiff Aaron Peckham, a free speech advocate and the creator of the popular Urban Dictionary web site. Peckham says that if the Internet censorship law were to go into effect, Urban Dictionary might have to shut down or move overseas.
AllofMP3 followups. Two pieces of news after Visa shut off AllofMP3.com. ColinPL writes, "According to Ars Technica, the IFPI lobbied Visa to reject payments from AllofMP3.com. The plan worked, and an IFPI spokesperson said the plug was pulled in early September. AllofMP3.com has resumed its public relations blitz, claiming Visa and MasterCard's decision to discontinue its relationship has no legal justification." And bjoeg writes, "Today Tele2 (a large Danish telco and ISP) received judgment from civil court to block their customers' access to AllofMP3.com. Tele2 has appealed the verdict, and for now access to the site is still open."
Navier-Stokes solution withdrawn. nherm writes, "So I finally decided to take a look at the solution of the millennium problem on the Navier-Stokes equation (previously discussed on Slashdot) and found that the entry on arXiv.org says 'This paper is being withdrawn by the author due to a serious flaw.' So I suppose that the rest of us still have a chance on it? From the arXiv.org page I found this interesting weblog entry with some comments on the issue, pointing to another weblog entry: 'I would not be surprised to learn later that her work, even if flawed, has led the way to helping solve this long-standing problem.'"
A librarian's guided tour of Wikipedia. tiltowait writes, "With the potential rise of Citizendium and the continued media circus surrounding Wikipedia's foibles, it's a good time to review the current state of Wikimania and consider what these disruptive technologies mean for the future of 'authoritative' information sources. If you've ever wanted for a general overview of Wikipedia or needed something to point to when asked, 'Wikipedia? Isn't that just a bunch of lies?' then the 1-hour screencast titled 'Why Wiki?' is for you. The online video is my perspective on the pros and cons of Wikipedia and how it stacks up to traditional publication formats."
The iPod's 5th anniversary. This one should perhaps be filed under "SlashWAYback." buddhaunderthetree writes, "Five years ago today Slashdot was introduced to the iPod and the reviews were mixed to say the least. CmdrTaco set the tone when he opined, 'No wireless. Less space than a nomad. Lame.' Many of the 1044 comments that followed weren't much more enthusiastic. If anyone had dared to predict that in 5 years the iPod would have 70% of the mp3 player market, they would have been derided as an Apple zombie. Here's the original thread: Apple Introduces iPod."
Ipod article link wrong (Score:5, Informative)
Yes there is such a thing as music piracy (Score:2, Informative)
You claim that "music piracy" does not exist. On whose definitions do you base this? The American Heritage dictionary defines "piracy" [answers.com] to include what the statutes call infringement of a copyright or patent. Therefore, "music piracy" means infringement of the copyright in a musical work or a sound recording embodying the musical work.
SCO, it's a race (Score:5, Informative)
Bottom line: SCO v. IBM will never get to trial. My guess is that the bankruptcy trustee will give IBM and Novell everything they ask for. SCO is SO dead.
You can still use Visa (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Yes there is such a thing as music piracy (Score:5, Informative)
I have read this opinion many times on Slashdot. But it is dead wrong. The word 'Pirate' has been associated with illicit copying for over four hundred years.
Here are some examples, via the Oxford English Dictionary:
"Banish these Word-pirates (you sacred mistresses of learning) into the gulfe of Barbarisme."
Thomas Dekker, The Wonderfull yeare, 1603. [uoregon.edu]
"The public curiosity was imperfectly satisfied by a pirated copy of the booksellers of Dublin."
Edward Gibbon, Memoirs of My Life and Writings, 1790. [gutenberg.org]
"Some dishonest Booksellers, called Land-Pirats, who make it their practise to steal Impressions of other mens Copies."
J. Hancock, Brooks' String of Pearls, 1668.
"Its being Printed again and again, by Pyrates."
Daniel Defoe, A True Collection of the Writings of the Author of the True-Born Englishman, 1703.
"If you publish the latter in a very cheap edition so as to baffle the pirates by a low price{em}you will find that it will do."
Lord Byron, in a letter of 1822.
Re:You can still use Visa (Score:2, Informative)
Yeah, they used Chronopay I believe and it acted like Paypal. I use XROST too now for the workaround with my Visa, so Visa got no where on this ban.
Re:AllofMP3 (Score:3, Informative)
Re:comment on the mathematician (Score:4, Informative)
Re:AllofMP3 (Score:3, Informative)
Weatern record companies don't collect money from AllofMP3 by choice, though it is offered. They are trying to force AllofMP3 out of business by painting them as pirates. True, the royalties wouldn't amount to much, but they're calculated on the same model as payment for play on radio, a compulsory licence, which seems reasonable to me.