[Hampshire] White house web site foss
Sounds like good news to me White House goes Open Source http://news.netcraft.com/archives/2009/10/27/white_house_goes_open_source.html -- alan cocks Ubuntu user -- Please post to: Hampshire@mailman.lug.org.uk Web Interface: https://mailman.lug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/hampshire LUG URL: http://www.hantslug.org.uk --
Re: [Hampshire] Ubuntu (& Other) users beware
I've been involved in technical advice in patent litigation for a while, and the tactic which is usually employed to deal with silly patents like that is to wait until the patent holder sues for infringement and then to present obvious prior art as the defence, to have the patent declared invalid. Ian -- Ian Park 17 Pyle Hill Newbury Berkshire RG14 7JJ Tel: +44 (0)1635 821420 email: i.d.c.p...@ntlworld.com -- Tim Brocklehurst wrote: > On Wednesday 11 November 2009 16:51:46 Stephen Davies wrote: >> Microsoft has patented 'sudo' >> >> Arrgghhh! WTF? etc etc etc >> >> http://www.groklaw.net/article.php?story=2009094923390 >> >> Stephen D >> > > I must admit I read about these new patents with a degree of amusement. It's > a > bit of a last-gasp effort isn't it? > > Tim B. -- Please post to: Hampshire@mailman.lug.org.uk Web Interface: https://mailman.lug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/hampshire LUG URL: http://www.hantslug.org.uk --
Re: [Hampshire] Ubuntu (& Other) users beware
On Thu, Nov 12, 2009 at 10:00:58AM +, Ian Park wrote: > I've been involved in technical advice in patent litigation for a while, > and the tactic which is usually employed to deal with silly patents like > that is to wait until the patent holder sues for infringement and then > to present obvious prior art as the defence, to have the patent declared > invalid. I believe that under the US system, that's the *only* path you can take. There is no mechanism for someone to challenge the validity of a patent directly. You can only have a patent struck down by defending yourself from a lawsuit brought by the patent owner. I'm not 100% certain about the EU or UK systems, but I believe they take the same approach. Hugo. -- === Hugo Mills: h...@... carfax.org.uk | darksatanic.net | lug.org.uk === PGP key: 515C238D from wwwkeys.eu.pgp.net or http://www.carfax.org.uk --- The trouble with you, Ibid, is you think you know everything. --- signature.asc Description: Digital signature -- Please post to: Hampshire@mailman.lug.org.uk Web Interface: https://mailman.lug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/hampshire LUG URL: http://www.hantslug.org.uk --
Re: [Hampshire] Ubuntu (& Other) users beware
Taking the route of defending yourself when sued takes a huge bucketload of money especially when it is a company the size of Microsoft on the other end. IMHO, until there is some form of escalating financial penalty for using patents like this, the whole 'mobius strip' of lining the already deep & bulging pockets of Lawyers will continue. -- Please post to: Hampshire@mailman.lug.org.uk Web Interface: https://mailman.lug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/hampshire LUG URL: http://www.hantslug.org.uk --
[Hampshire] Weird output from 'top'
Hi, all! While running Iceweasel, my machine (3.00Ghz, 1.0 Mb IBM S50, Debian Lenny) suddenly became very sluggish. I ran top and found that firefox.bin was reported as consuming 135% of processor capacity! I killed the process and everything returned to normal. Now, I'm used to certain public figures claiming to be '110% certain' about various things, but 135% CPU? Can anyone explain? Chris. -- Please post to: Hampshire@mailman.lug.org.uk Web Interface: https://mailman.lug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/hampshire LUG URL: http://www.hantslug.org.uk --
Re: [Hampshire] Weird output from 'top'
On Thu, Nov 12, 2009 at 05:00:50PM +, Chris. Aubrey-Smith wrote: > While running Iceweasel, my machine (3.00Ghz, 1.0 Mb IBM S50, Debian Lenny) > suddenly became very sluggish. I ran top and found that firefox.bin was > reported as consuming 135% of processor capacity! I killed the process and > everything returned to normal. > > Now, I'm used to certain public figures claiming to be '110% certain' about > various things, but 135% CPU? Can anyone explain? If it's a dual-core machine, then you have 200% of a CPU available to work with, and FF is taking 135% of a CPU total (i.e. it could be maxing out one core, and using 35% of the time available on the other). If it's a single-core machine, you've got problems. :) Hugo. -- === Hugo Mills: h...@... carfax.org.uk | darksatanic.net | lug.org.uk === PGP key: 515C238D from wwwkeys.eu.pgp.net or http://www.carfax.org.uk --- UNIX: British manufacturer of modular shelving units. --- signature.asc Description: Digital signature -- Please post to: Hampshire@mailman.lug.org.uk Web Interface: https://mailman.lug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/hampshire LUG URL: http://www.hantslug.org.uk --
Re: [Hampshire] Weird output from 'top'
2009/11/12 Hugo Mills : > If it's a dual-core machine, then you have 200% of a CPU available > to work with, and FF is taking 135% of a CPU total (i.e. it could be > maxing out one core, and using 35% of the time available on the > other). > > If it's a single-core machine, you've got problems. :) > Supplemental to this, press 1 in top to get it to display the cores separately rather than aggregated. Cheers, Al. -- Please post to: Hampshire@mailman.lug.org.uk Web Interface: https://mailman.lug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/hampshire LUG URL: http://www.hantslug.org.uk --
Re: [Hampshire] Weird output from 'top'
2009/11/12 Alan Pope > 2009/11/12 Hugo Mills : > > If it's a dual-core machine, then you have 200% of a CPU available > > to work with, and FF is taking 135% of a CPU total (i.e. it could be > > maxing out one core, and using 35% of the time available on the > > other). > > > > If it's a single-core machine, you've got problems. :) > > > > Supplemental to this, press 1 in top to get it to display the cores > separately rather than aggregated. > > Cheers, > Al. > > -- > Please post to: Hampshire@mailman.lug.org.uk > Web Interface: https://mailman.lug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/hampshire > LUG URL: http://www.hantslug.org.uk > -- > Yes, it is dual-core. I know about top <1> for per-core stats, but I thought I read somewhere that the '%CPU' per-process column was an amalgamation of the two - can't find the reference now, of course! Chris. -- Please post to: Hampshire@mailman.lug.org.uk Web Interface: https://mailman.lug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/hampshire LUG URL: http://www.hantslug.org.uk --
Re: [Hampshire] Ubuntu (& Other) users beware
Hmmm... If I understood the article correctly MS are now so proud of their security flaws that they have started patenting them. It seemed to me that the novel thing about msudo is that it displays a list of users who have the rights to perform whatever action the current user can't. (Somenasty command) "Do you want to be Tom, Dick or Harriet?" Thanks for the list of users whose accounts I need to try to hack. Sounds like a flaw to me. Cheers, Paul. Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device -- Please post to: Hampshire@mailman.lug.org.uk Web Interface: https://mailman.lug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/hampshire LUG URL: http://www.hantslug.org.uk --
Re: [Hampshire] Ubuntu (& Other) users beware
On 11/11/09 16:51, Stephen Davies wrote: > Microsoft has patented 'sudo' No, they haven't. From my reading (and indeed one of the comments on the thread) they've patented a GUI for 'su', rather than sudo, with a scary (from a security perspective) idea that they may just give you a list of users that *can* do what you're trying to do. "I'm sorry Dave, you can't do that, but Bob can, so go and look under his mousemat for his password" It's still a shockingly bad patent though. As usual. The only real new bit is probably the list of users part. There's probably prior art for that as well. Stuart -- Stuart Sears RHCA etc. "It's today!" said Piglet. "My favourite day," said Pooh. -- Please post to: Hampshire@mailman.lug.org.uk Web Interface: https://mailman.lug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/hampshire LUG URL: http://www.hantslug.org.uk --
Re: [Hampshire] Weird output from 'top'
Chris. Aubrey-Smith wrote: > Yes, it is dual-core. I know about top <1> for per-core stats, but I > thought I read somewhere that the '%CPU' per-process column was an > amalgamation of the two - can't find the reference now, of course! The percentages in the section at the machine summary at the top of the screen are amalgamated (if you haven't pressed "1"!), so if all cores are being used fully, the percentage woudl be 100. For the entries for individual processes, 100% is 100% of one CPU. We regularly run our Java code at 350% on a 4- or 8-core machine. Single-threaded processes (e.g. simple C programs) will max out at 100%. -- Please post to: Hampshire@mailman.lug.org.uk Web Interface: https://mailman.lug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/hampshire LUG URL: http://www.hantslug.org.uk --
Re: [Hampshire] Ubuntu (& Other) users beware
Stuart Did HAL say this in 2001? "I'm sorry Dave, you can't do that" I totally agree that whichever thing that are trying to get ownership of it is a pretty silly patent and yes there is lots of prior art. Sadly only those with mega deep pockets would even attempt to try to prove them otherwise. I would like someone to stick their head above the parapet and say "It looks like I'm using your patent. So Sue Me!" Hardly likely to happem though. Stephen D -- Please post to: Hampshire@mailman.lug.org.uk Web Interface: https://mailman.lug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/hampshire LUG URL: http://www.hantslug.org.uk --
Re: [Hampshire] Ubuntu (& Other) users beware
2009/11/12 Stephen Davies : > Stuart > > Did HAL say this in 2001? > > "I'm sorry Dave, you can't do that" I believe it was "I'm sorry, Dave; I can't let you do that" I have it on this laptop as an MP3 on the old Win partition as an error message sound file, but haven't been there for a long time. I'll see if I can find it... -- Please post to: Hampshire@mailman.lug.org.uk Web Interface: https://mailman.lug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/hampshire LUG URL: http://www.hantslug.org.uk --
Re: [Hampshire] Ubuntu (& Other) users beware
2009/11/12 Victor Churchill : > > I have it on this laptop as an MP3 on the old Win partition as an > error message sound file, but haven't been there for a long time. I'll > see if I can find it... > Intersting. I found it on the WinXP partition and copied it across: vic...@pan:~/Desktop$ file dave.mp3 dave.mp3: Audio file with ID3 version 2.3.0, contains: MPEG ADTS, layer III, v1, 80 kbps, 44.1 kHz, Monaural vic...@pan:~/Desktop$ ls -l dave.mp3 -rwxr-xr-x 1 victor victor 28800 2009-11-12 19:45 dave.mp3 But clicking on it on the desktop, or loading it into Firefox with a file:///home/victor/Desktop/dave.mp3 URL, both bring up a Totem player that 'plays' it with no sound. No sound either if I say vic...@pan:~/Desktop$ aplay dave.mp3 Playing raw data 'dave.mp3' : Unsigned 8 bit, Rate 8000 Hz, Mono This is a recently upgraded-to-9.10 ubuntu. I don't think I have tried doing anything else involving sound with it since upgrading. I will send it to my desktop box. -- regards, Victor Churchill The Software Shack, Ltd -- Please post to: Hampshire@mailman.lug.org.uk Web Interface: https://mailman.lug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/hampshire LUG URL: http://www.hantslug.org.uk --
Re: [Hampshire] Ubuntu (& Other) users beware
2009/11/12 Victor Churchill : Actually the clip does not help answer the question. It says "what d' you think you're doing, Dave?" which is neither here nor there. I'm sure IMDB or something will have the answer. -- Please post to: Hampshire@mailman.lug.org.uk Web Interface: https://mailman.lug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/hampshire LUG URL: http://www.hantslug.org.uk --
Re: [Hampshire] Ubuntu (& Other) users beware
2009/11/12 Victor Churchill : Found it. It goes "I'm sorry, Dave. I'm afraid *I* can't do that." At least, that's what it says in that particular clip. There were other bits of dialogue too... -- Please post to: Hampshire@mailman.lug.org.uk Web Interface: https://mailman.lug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/hampshire LUG URL: http://www.hantslug.org.uk --
Re: [Hampshire] Ubuntu (& Other) users beware
Thanks Victor. The mists of time confused me somewhat but I was nearly there. >From several other soutced it appears that Packagekit is also in the firing line with this patent. I really do hope that SCOTUS see the light and chuck this along with every other software paten into the great bit bucket in the sky. Somehow, the squadron of pigs that I'll see flying over the RH office in Farnborough tomorrow when I go shopping will be more likely. Sigh. Stephen D -- Please post to: Hampshire@mailman.lug.org.uk Web Interface: https://mailman.lug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/hampshire LUG URL: http://www.hantslug.org.uk --
Re: [Hampshire] Ubuntu (& Other) users beware
Sorry, I meant to say POLICYKIT rather than PackageKit. Stephen D -- Please post to: Hampshire@mailman.lug.org.uk Web Interface: https://mailman.lug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/hampshire LUG URL: http://www.hantslug.org.uk --
Re: [Hampshire] Ubuntu (& Other) users beware
I feel slightly grubby in present company to admit that I have been submitted as a co-inventor on a couple of patents arising from work I did in two different places ... both were, I suppose, 'systems' rather than specific bits of software. I'm not sure quite where the boundary is there. -- Please post to: Hampshire@mailman.lug.org.uk Web Interface: https://mailman.lug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/hampshire LUG URL: http://www.hantslug.org.uk --
