GPL

I dont understand why people get so confused about GPL license rights etc.

Interesting slashdot discussion happening here;
"I am a recent graduate, and I've been working on my own on a project that uses GPL-licensed libraries. Later a university department hired me, on a part-time basis, to develop this project into a solution that they needed. The project's size increased over time and soliciting help from the open source community seemed like the obvious thing to do. - http://news.slashdot.org/story/10/05/11/0151201/Can-Employer-Usurp-Copyright-On-GPL-Derived-Work?art_pos=9


Best answer i saw was - http://news.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=1647586&cid=32166150



1. Alice starts a GPL project.
2. Bob hires Alice to write an extension to the GPL project.
3. During her employ (or before, it doesn't matter) Alice uses some GPL libraries written by Claire.
4. Alice leaves Bob's employ.

FACT 1: Bob owns all the changes Alice made while in his employ.
FACT 2: Alice had no right to distribute changes owned by Bob.
FACT 3: Bob is not obligated to distribute the changes.
FACT 4: As the GPL only relates to distribution, not use, Bob is free to use the software.
FACT 5: If Bob later distributes the changes without placing those changes under the GPL, both Alice and Claire can sue him.

It's not rocket science.


Cheers,
Dean

Paris Suggestions

I'm going to be in Paris from the 19th of May to the 7th of June - email or post your favorite tips/suggestions/must do things below.


Cheers
Dean

MsTag - just give up already

ha ha, it's just been brought to my attention that MsTags are available in Black and White (i dont know how i missed it before).

http://blogs.msdn.com/tag/archive/2009/03/20/feature-microsoft-tag-black-and-white.aspx
The black and white Microsoft Tag are larger than the color codes. Color codes have 5 lines of 10 triangles or 50 triangles. B&W has 7 lines of 14 triangles or 108 triangles.


Ha Ha Ha, just give up already MsTags. Look if you really want to make an entry into the 2D barcode space offer a fantastic backend platform for QR codes and get on board with an open standard.

There are lots of functionality that you could be offering people and with your size you bring a lot to the table but this proprietary system for just Ms Tags is a joke>

yes you have the marketing dollars to throw at it but you are just delaying the inevitable closure of your platform and pissing people off when they realise your indirect codes have stopped working.

If anyone finds this post thinking about implement 2d codes (eg MsTags or QR codes etc then check out www.Cognation.net/QR) there are so many reasons why MsTags are a bad idea.
And Microsoft if you need help implementing a kick-ass QR code platform you know where to find me.


Cheers,
Dean

Foursquare Exceeds 40 Million Check-Ins

http://mashable.com/2010/05/10/foursquare-40-million
Location-based social network Foursquare counted its 40 millionth check-in a “couple days ago”, according to a Tweet from one of its developers.

Interesting, does this mean that each interaction with 4sq is really worth $2.50? based on the rumors of $100m valuations etc.

I know they've been growing rapidly over the last few quarters and have just hit their 1millionth user so growth of interactions is going to increase rapidly as a lagging indicator but still – I was surprised at the low number of checkins per user.


Cheers,
Dean

“Is Social Media A Fad?” New Video With Mind Blowing Stats

I'm one of the people building the future of listening - ask me how you can benefit.


Cheers,
Dean

Moby - 18

Sometimes there are some music tracks that just transcend the rat race as we know it.

Moby - 18 is one of those cd's. Put this cd onto your headphones lean back and experience, your life will just seem a little bit better by the end of it.

If you dont have this cd in your collection then it's just a little bit incomplete.



Cheers,
Dean
p.s. just put some other Moby tracks into the "Mood Music of the Day" box ------>>

NY Subway Grime

What is it about NY subway grime that no matter how nicely clean and showered you are that it only takes about 3 or 4 stops before you feel the grime invading the sheen of your nicely ironed armor.

There is something so pervasive about the particulates in the air that they cling to you even as you dart up the stairs into the sunlight and never leave you body until you safely make it home and have yet another shower.


Cheers,
Dean

iPads with keyboards

http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2010/05/06/how-the-ipad-gobbles-up-netbook-sales/
What caught my eye, however, was what her proprietary research shows about the impact of the iPad and other tablets on the broader gadget market, starting with netbooks

LOL - have you read how many people are saying "this ipad is great and I just cant wait to get a keyboard for it".


FTW – it’s called a Notebook.


Basically what they are saying is they want better websites/applications online and most current website/apps UI suck and i totally get where they are coming from.
 
You know what the whole iPad experience has taught me is;
1/ People will "pay" for the web
2/ People want "more" from webs and apps and we aren't doing enough from a UI perspective.
 
Any thoughts?
 
 
Cheers,
Dean
P.S. BTW i called Rupert Murdoch a genius about paywalls last year...come back in a year from now and he's going to make Zuckerburg's rev model look like a lemonade stand.

10% of Under 25s Think It’s OK to Text During Sex

http://mashable.com/2010/05/05/texting-during-sex

LOL - to the 10%-6% who think it's ok to text during sex - newsflash if you are that disassociated while having sex that you can concentrate on a text message...Newsflash - you're doing it wrong.


Cheers,
Dean

Apple buys then kills LaLa

Four months after buying Lala Media's popular online music service for a reported $80 million, Apple is pulling the plug on the site, which had been operating for five years.
Lala notifed its users in an e-mail Friday morning of the shutdown  ....
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/music_blog/2010/04/apple-shuts-down-lala-music-service-may-31.html


Step 1/
Buy the cd’s rip music to media server as mp3’s – put the cd’s in a box and store away.

Step 2/
Listen to your music on any device, anytime, anywhere.

Step 3/
Knowing that no matter what no one can pull your license or kill your right to listen – Priceless.

 
 
I wonder if people realise their rights to the music they purchased on iTunes is just as tenuous?
 
Cheers,
Dean