2 posts tagged “open-source”
In case you haven't heard, some time back, our Congress passed a bill making Daylight Savings Time a few weeks earlier. Of course, in the tech world, everybody LOSES THEIR MIND because everything seems to automatically update for DST. There is a patch for Windows XP, which, isn't a big deal, it only fixes the clock. I could do that myself.
However, the reason I needed to go to Microsoft for their patch is my copy of Office 2007. I used Office 2007 religiously. I use Outlook, not for the shotty e-mail app, but instead, the calender. (I use Mozilla Thunderbird for e-mail, if Outlook's calender saved all appointments in a single format, it would be possible to import them to a open-source application, but there isn't, so I'm stuck).
Outlook supposedly will be DEVASTATED when this new DST hits. Apparently, it is so screwy, that it will shift all appointments in some kind of odd fashion.
So, I go to Microsoft.com. Click the link about daylight savings day. Pick my OS. It tells me to download an installer, then continue. (Even though I patch my Service Pack 2 machine every patch tuesday, its got an installer for me).
I start the installer. The Firefox Download Manager says it'll take 10 minutes (I have a 1.5 Mb/s connection). I assume its a big file. I do other "important" stuff, and come back, still only at 6%. I look at the file size, its ONLY 500 KILOBITES!
So, I suppose, that every single other Windows XP Home SP2 user is also updating their machine for DST right now, so I'll have to wait for this tiny 500kb file. Hmmm, stupid DST.
Hmmm, I knew there was a lot of socialist-types in Europe that believe that all human information should be free, but not like this...
Has you may know from my previous blog entries, in my US History class, we had to make a powerpoint with music in it. (See my struggles below with mine and DRM, which, according to a keen reader, apperantly aren't due to the DRM) Today, we presented these powerpoints, and the best one was done by a foreign exchange student.
I won't name him, but his powerpoint was good, and his piece of music was "Over The Rainbow". You know, not the Judy Garland one, but that other one sung by a man. The one that everybody knows, but can't recall it. They play in TV shows during funerals, but no one really knows. When everybody questioned the student about who did it, he said "Louis Armstrong". Everybody was pretty excited. A few kids yelled out getting it off Limewire. Even I, was enchanted about the song, and I planned to get it on iTunes. I look on the student's folder, and sure enough, the .mp3 is labeled "Over The Rainbow - Louis Armstrong.mp3".
So, I get home, and do a quick search on iTunes. "Over The Rainbow". Nothing by ol' Louie Armstrong. "Louis Armstrong". No Rainbow here. I'm confused, but then, it hits me. I boot up Frostwire, the open-source version of Limewire, and do a search for "over the rainbow louis armstrong" and sure enough, there it is. Lots of copies.
I go back to iTunes and put in a search for Over The Rainbow again. The most popular version is by a Hawaiian singer named Israel Kamakawiwo'ole. I use the preview feature and guess what... apparently, some years after his death, Louis Armstrong renamed himself Israel, and moved to Hawaii, gained 750 pounds (I.K. has he's known by his fans, was morbidly obese. He, himself died in '97, heart attack). </sarcasm>
This is not uncommon. When Napster was everywhere, and before we knew P2P sharing was a crime, I downloaded "Closing Time" by Green Day, only to find later that song was produced by Semisonic, not Green Day. There has been a few other songs like this, where on P2P sites are mislabeled.
So, I've caught the student in a crime. What do I do? Nothing. I won't even tell the teacher. Not only will this make me look like a super nerd and narc, the .mp3 was used for education purposes, which is under Fair Use. Not to mention, I think 95% of my US History class used pirated .mp3's for their presentations. Some, had the songs stream off of internet radio sites. Others, like me, brought in legal .mp3's.
So, I guess I'm left with a smug smile. Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got to listen to my legally purchased iTunes .mp4 verison of Israel Kamakawiwo'ole's "Over The Rainbow"....
