bucy wrote:
] ]
] ] Since that time, the situation has changed. Today the
] ] BIOS is no longer burned in ROM; it is stored in
] ] nonvolatile writable memory that users can rewrite. Today
] ] the BIOS sits square on the edge of the line. It comes
] ] prewritten in our computers, and normally we never
] ] install another. So far, that is just barely enough to
] ] excuse treating it as hardware. But once in a while the
] ] manufacturer suggests installing another BIOS, which is
] ] available only as an executable. This, clearly, is
] ] installing a non-free program--it is just as bad as
] ] installing Microsoft Windows, or Adobe Photoshop, or
] ] Sun's Java Platform. As the unethical practice of
] ] installing another BIOS executable becomes common, the
] ] version delivered inside the computer starts to raise an
] ] ethical problem issue as well.
]
] FSF is starting to make a stink about BIOS now.

I'm equally perplexed about why this is suddenly an issue. Its not as if motherboard manufacturers are stuck with using a single companies BIOS. How much do you think out of the cost of a mobo is a license fee for the BIOS?

And Intel is automaticly "the bad guy" because they are not immediately keen to release the specs FSF demands of their intellectual property? So whats next? Demand CPU manufacturers disclose the blueprints for their chips so someone can make a "free CPU"?? FHF! Heh!

FSF - while a noble cause none the less, occasionally has their head up their ass.

LB

RE: FSF - Campaign for Free BIOS

"A federal judge ordered the Bush administration Monday to either charge terrorism suspect Jose Padilla with a crime or release him after more than 2 1/2 years in custody.

U.S. District Judge Henry Floyd in Spartanburg, S.C., said the government can not hold Padilla indefinitely as an "enemy combatant," a designation President Bush gave him in 2002."

It's about F-ing time. Actually it was about F-ing time two years ago. If Padilla is a POS terrorist, charge and try him. Or release him - thats the LAW. Can't help but wonder if the real reason the govt. is dragging their feet is that maybe their case is flimsy with a massive loophole that could let him walk.

While I agree totally with Judge Floyd's ruling, I expect it to be over turned by a higher court... and so it will start all over again. *sigh*.

LB

Judge 'Charge or Release Padilla'

Bank of America said Friday it lost computer tapes containing account information on 1.2 million federal employee credit cards, among them those of U.S. senators, potentially exposing them to theft or hacking.

The bank told CNN/Money that federal government's General Services Administration (GSA) cardholders' account information may have been on the tapes.

The tapes were lost in December, but a bank spokeswoman told Reuters that bank officials were not allowed to notify cardholders until they received permission from federal law enforcement authorities

WAY to GO B of A!!

1.2 million Bank of America accounts jeopardized

A San Francisco man almost died Thursday when the lit cigarette he flicked out his car window blew back in, setting his vehicle ablaze.

D'oh!

Smoking Can Kill You

Dementia wrote:
] Acidus wrote:
] ] Here are my estimates for the
] ] Interz0nes
] ]
] ] 1: ~125 +-10
] ] 2: ~275 +-50
] ] 3: ~250 +-25
] ]
] ] Interz0ne 3 felt like it had less people than IZ2, (of
] course,
] ] any observations I can make about IZ2 are probably wrong as
] I
] ] had a lot of shit to handle!)
]
] Actually, I believe IZ3 only had about 150 paid attendees,
] including staff and speakers.
]
] I won't be attending IZ4 for several reasons, but that $50
] price tag is definitely high on the list of why I'm not.

How timely! I was just checking out IZ's website. :)

After the way the organizer of this con has treated people in years past, I'd be amazed if attendance this year goes past double digits. The aforementioned tool has pissed off a LOT of people who helped him out in years past. I personally hope he takes a bath in March.

INTERZ0NE SUCKS - DON'T ATTEND IT.

Oh... did I just post that in a blog?? Hey, maybe I can be threatened with a law suit now too??? :D

RE: Con attendence

abaddon wrote:

] This is the slickest electoral college map site.

"The United States is the oldest continuously functioning democracy in the world."

BZZZT. We're a republic - not a democracy.

Cool site though. Just hope the current prediction is wrong. :/

LB

RE: Current Electoral Vote Predictor 2004

k wrote:
] ] Eminem's "Mosh" is the number one video on MTV.
]
] [ From internet phenomenon to the top spot in about 48 hours.
] Damn right. -k]

White boys cannot rap. Didn't Vanilla Ice teach you damn kids ANYTHING???

LB

RE: Daily Kos :: Mosh is #1

This is so wrong yet funny. Who let their kids be part of this?

2004's Scariest Halloween Costumes

] Collage art pioneers Negativland first brought the idea
] to Creative Commons. With their guidance, and the pro
] bono legal advice of Cooley Godward and Wilson Sonsini
] Goodrich & Rosati, we wrote up the licenses that give you
] the freedom to interact with these tracks.
]
] Note: Return to this site after November 9, and you'll be
] able to download high quality versions of the songs. We
] will also debut our new mashup community site, where you
] can upload the new tunes you build from these tracks.

Wired's November issue comes with free CC licensed tracks.
Beastie Boys, Dan the Automator, Thievery Corporation, Chuck D, Danger Mouse, and others...

The WIRED CD: Rip. Sample. Mash. Share. | Creative Commons

Acidus wrote:
] ] While 77 percent of those surveyed said they thought
] ] their computers were well-protected, four out of five had
] ] spyware or adware programs running on their computer and
] ] nearly two-thirds said they had been infected by a virus.
] ]
] ] Though 85 percent had anti-virus software on their
] ] computers, most had not updated that software in the past
] ] week -- a necessary step to guard against viruses that
] ] can spread across the globe in a matter of days.
] ]
] ] Two-thirds didn't have a firewall to protect against
] ] hackers, and 38 percent of wireless network users did not
] ] encrypt their networks.

"You see a problem, we see 'opportunity'" I'm discovering that the mal/spy/adware epidemic is a potentially lucrative venture for consultants. Install Ad Aware, Zone Alarm Basic and AVG antivirus (all free for home users) and you are their hero for life.

LB

RE: Computer users unaware of online risks