* Posts by James

5 publicly visible posts • joined 25 Nov 2007

UK Unix group vows to appeal OOXML ruling

James
Joke

That problem is not that it's not open source, the problem is that for a start it's invisible!

Don, if you are suggesting that OOXML is an "Open Standard", we can continue the discussion if you can point to a complete copy of the current draft of the standard. You know, the one the BSI supposedly voted on. The BSI seem to have voted on a nonexistent draft.

Not only does it appear the BSI voted without having seen the thing they were supposedly voting on, but also it appears that that draft is _still_ not available.

Euro privacy chief predicts Google policy flip

James

But Google *is* an email provider

So on the one hand the regulator is saying that the rule applies only to telecoms providers, ISPs and email providers and so not to not Google, while on the other hand, Google is an email provider.

Regulation is a tricky thing. We hope it stops companies from doing Bad Things, but the regulators themselves seem to live in a narrow vertical world and it looks like there is a lack of thought about how, all told, companies can be in compliance with all applicable rules (at least in this case).

Still, Google is large enough to have the staff to figure it all out I suppose.

Bikini-clad pin-ups cover old school jailbreak

James

Just pictures from magazines

So, maps and charts are allowed then? What about pictures from newspapers rather than magazines? Cue a delige of requests for the WSJ on the cellblocks... Of course, it sounds like a small thing to deny, but I guess if the prisoners have few freedoms, removing another will generate quite a lot of disquiet.

Would the Daily Mail reader at the back there please sit down and stop shouting "They're supposed to have few freedoms, they're in prison"? Thanks.

You've got OpenSolaris in my System z

James

Bundling is fine

Nige, no, that's not true. Refer to this text of the license (GPLv2 since we seem to be talking about Linux):

In addition, mere aggregation of another work not based on the Program with the Program (or with a work based on the Program) on a volume of a storage or distribution medium does not bring the other work under the scope of this License.

Running queries on the HMRC database fiasco

James

File format *and* protection...

What popular file format is commonly used by nontechnical people to hold tabular data and offers "password protection" on the files?

Yes, Excel.