12/08   network outage 12/08

12/14   Doosh...(don't panic, it's in alt.motd) (229    1862   11777 /etc/motd)
        \_  /etc/motd.public was kill 1.0 for random-motd-hoser.

12/15   How do I duplicate a VCD?  Can I just copy the file structure?
        \_ If you want just the mpeg, copy the .dat files from x:\mpegav

12/14   What's a good toolkit for developing software for X11 and MS Windows
        with minimal headaches?  I've looked at Qt (only free for X11) and
        wxWindows (even simple apps written for it are rather slow to
        compile... worries me about runtime speed), but they don't seem like
        viable solutions for the aforementioned reasons.  Any suggestions?
        LGPL or BSD-style license is preferable, but GPL will do.  -brian
        \_ the toolkit-formerly-known-as-Swing comes standard with JDK 1.2
           It's easy to program to, but interfacing with your C/C++ code might
           cause you headaches.  Or not.  I generally don't think runtime speed
           is an issue for UI; it tends to be user-bound anyway.  -pld
           \_ swing can easily be cpu bound if you don't have a fast computer
        \_ tcl/tk 8.x
        \_fltk seems reasonable...

12/14   romanian minister of finance teaching an 8 week course PEIS140
        ~jon/pub/peis140

12/14   harmful bacteria, virus, cancer-- what do these things have in common?
        Throughout human history, we have more deaths than ALL the war combined
        due combating these things that we can't see. We are 1000X more likely
        to die from things that we can't see than things that we can see.
        If we can get this simple realisation to the public, this will be a
        much better world.
        \_ I've realized this for years now. How has this helped me?
        \_ A computer program can be seen no more than a bacteria can.
           Consider computers in our ultimate downfall.
        \_ Would you rather have more people die in wars than from diseases???

12/14   Any reccomendation on CPmask codes ? I already have FLmask?

12/13   Which Linux JDK is the right one to download? In http://blackdown.org FTP,
        I see port for glibc, libc5, and all these other crap. Thanks.
        \_ well, it depends whether you have glibc or libc5.  Sign your name.
           \_ For RedHat it's glibc
                \_ Thanks, but what about SlackWare? Is there any reason to
                   switch from SlackWare to RedHat? It seems that SlackWare
                   has more complete binaries...
                   \_ Not really.  It's just a matter of preference.  From
                      what I hear, RedHat has a simpler install process and
                      one nice thing about RedHat is rpm allowing you to
                      easily install things without compiling.  Aside from
                      that it's like what you said - one distribution may
                      have more complete binaries than the other.

12/13   Star Trek: Insurrection is not worth seeing.
        \_ I only hope the new Star Wars movie fairs better.
           \_ "fares"
        \_ Sad to hear karoake still exists in the 24th
           \_ Karoake will never die.
        \_ Wasn't THAT bad. Certainly not First Contact tho.
                \_ I rarely post to the motd, but it was awful.
                   completely modern PC (polit. corr.) and boring, sigh.
        \_ It is Star Trek IX after all - don't forget the curse of the
           odd numbered ST movies.  (At least it's not as bad as V.)
        \_ Not the best. Not the worst. I'll leave it at that.
        \_ It was no 2/4/8, but it was worth seeing. (So, is the next good
           one going to be 16?)
           \_ I thought VI was very good.  Had the "smack the bird o prey"
              scene that just made you say "DOOSH".  (was a good enough shot
              apparently that they felt it necessary to reuse the footage
              in VII.. sigh  --dbushong
                \_ It was not worth seeing, unless you like preachy, poorly
                   edited, predictable movies with hackneyed plot devices
                   and bad acting.  -tom
                   \_ The bad acting argument is lame since it's had bad
                      acting since TOS. I can't really argue with the
                      other points though.
           \_ I've heard different theories, some say that 10 will be good,
              others feel that it will be 16. I hope 10 is better than this
              one, although no TNG based movie will every be as good as TOS.
              I mean even Spocks Brain was better than most of this PC
              (politcally correct) TNG crap.
              \_ It's amazing that people like you who say all TOS > TNG, yet
                 still follow the current shows/movies. Are you actually
                 hoping it'll get better?
                 \_ Hope springs eternal! Besides B5, Stargate-SG1, X-Files
                    and Time Trax proved that it could happen. To bad about
                    B5 and Time Trax though.
                        \_ What's "To Bad" about B5? it had its full 5
                        year run as originally intended.
        \_ It wasn't that bad.  It is entertaining and worth seeing.

12/13   SHARE THAT SHAREWARE  AND PAY FOR IT, TOO!
        This is International Shareware Day, a day to celebrate
        and also to reward  the efforts of thousands of computer
        programmers who trust that if we try their programs and
        like them, we will pay for them.

        Sound like a quaint idea? Well, it's one way to make sure
        their efforts aren't stifled.

        So, the way to celebrate International Shareware Day is to
        inventory our shareware and then, in the holiday spirit, to
        write payment checks to the authors of any we use and
        haven't yet acknowledged.

        (Might be nice to include a note of appreciation, too, don't
        you think? Still in the holiday spirit, you know. . .)

        This idea comes from David Lawrence's "Online Today":
        http://online-today.com/later_today.html
        \_does this mean we have to pay for xv now?
        \_ I don't support shareware that much anymore.  These days what
           passes for shareware is actually more like a trial-version of
           a commercial program.  For example, many "shareware" programs
           stop working after a time, or have certain features disabled.
           What's the difference between that and a commercial program
           that you can download and try for 30 days?
                \_ uh, shareware is commercial software that you can download
                   and try for a period of time.  That's the definition.
                   Many traditional commercial software companies are now
                   using a shareware/demo model; that doesn't somehow make
                   the model invalid.  -tom
                   \_ That's apparently the definition now.  Originally,
                        shareware was freeware that included a message
                        asking you to send the author some money if you
                        liked the program.  I find that much easier to
                        support.
                        \_ That's bullshit.  I've been using and paying for
                           shareware for over 10 years, and the definition
                           never included "freeware".  Freeware is free
                           software.  Shareware is commercial software. -tom
           \_ This seems to be a bigger trend on the Windows side of
              the market (makes sense too, what with the bigger
              numbers). As a Mac user, I still see a lot of kickass
              best of breed indie shareware, e.g. Anarchie, DragThing,
              FinderPop, Kaleidoscope, YA-Newswatcher, Netpresenz
              (none of which are crippled, though the authors do
              encourage paid registrations). Peter Lewis' Stairways
              Software (makers of Anarchie and Netpresenz) is
              particularly cool--they trust users with a simple, and
              intentionally unprotected, "I paid" checkbox to turn off
              shareware reminders.
        \_ Somebody explain to me why I should ever trust something I don't
           have full source code for.  The only two programs I use regularly
           that take the system down (when used in combination) are
           Navigator 4.5 and AcceleratedX.  Granted, neither are shareware,
           but my point is that virtually all (xv is the only exception
           I know of) shareware is closed-source, and usually unrefined
           and unreliable.  I don't think I've ever used a shareware
           program I've found useful and reliable enough to purchase.
           I also regretted purchasing most of the commercial software
           I've bought over the years, usually finding it to be limited
           in useful functionality, barely debugged, and slow as shit
           rolling uphill.
                \_ if you don't want to use software without the source code
                   available, why the fuck are you using Windows?  -tom
                   \_ I'm not, you fuckwit, and I use AccelX only because
                      XF86 barfs at my video card.  You won't catch me
                      running anything that I don't have source for
                      unless there's no workable alternative.
                        \_ there's no workable alternative for Netscape 4.5?
                           what's wrong with mozilla?  -tom
           \_ There is much anger in this one.
              \_ Microsoft and this whole closed-source mentality have set
                 computing back at least a decade.

12/13   I'm looking for a simple free Unix version control tool to help me
        manage small to medium multi-file projects--all individual, so coolish
        multiuser stuff isn't necessary (nor is multiple branching). I like
        RCS, and it's easy to use from the shell and emacs, but it doesn't
        handle groups of files well. CVS seems overkill for my needs. Any
        suggestions on something easy to use, preferably integratable w/emacs?
        \_ I'd recommend CVS nonetheless.  It doesn't take that long to
           learn, though the info file on it isn't the best it could be.
           You don't have to use branching and locking and such if you
           don't need it.  CVS works in emacs, too.
        \_ ftp://ftp.xcf.berkeley.edu/pub/prcs/

12/15    Me first
        \_ Me, me, me... why is everything always about me?
        \_ Yo mama first.
           \_ YER momma first.

12/15   Starcraft: Brood War just went gold.
        \_ Open body, insert life, close body.
           \_ Operation failed.
           \_ Um, so, playing games = no life? I suppose I should just go
              back to hacking some Linux source code.
                \_ No.  My point was not that playing games = no life.  My
                   point was, "ok, yet another random game has shipped, so
                   what?".  This is hardly something worth posting about.
                            \_ This is the motd we're talking about here.
                               How much of posted material is significant?
                               I'd say not much at all.
                   All the true gamer-geeks already know and the rest don't
                   care and wonder why you do.  After the game has been out
                   for a while and the non-fanatics who think Blizzard can
                   do no wrong have started playing and reporting back on
                   it, I'll take a look at the demo, if any, and then think
                   about buying it.  This month or next month makes little
                   difference.  Something to consider: if all the other games
                   prior to now were so hot, you drooled when they announced
                   they went gold, why are you so excited about this game?  Go
                   play those others.  Oh?  You say they suck now?  They're
                   boring now?  Oh, I see....  -plays games, but not a fanatic
                   \_ By your logic, anything posted here would already be
                      old news to those who really care about the topic.
                \_ GAWD! you're hopeless...
                   \_ so, um, what constitutes "life"? I thought it was
                      the pursuit of pleasure.
        \_ Troll deleted.
           \_ nethack, you lusers! :-) -brg
                \_ Kirin the Traveler St:25 Dx:18 Co:18 In:16 Wi:18 Ch:12
                   Dlvl:28 $:22 HP:134(134) Pw:114(114) AC:-32 Xp:17/650428
                   I need no life :)
                   \_ get a real character class :)
                        \_ I chose a tourist for the challenge.
                           Well, that and the platinum card.  -niloc
                   \_ Level 17?  Pathetic!  You lifeless loser!
           \_
             GET A LIFE
             A new computer game ate your brain.
             100 hours later, you beat it, and you're
             ready to get back to hacking.  But you get
             only one hack this turn.  You may not
             skip your turn for a system upgrade.

             Play on a rival at the beginning of his
             turn.
                \_ Is this from the Hackers games or did you make it up?
                  \_ yes.  -oj