SOAP 1.2 stumbles on IP blocks. Royalty issues [The Register]

The big boys say there's no IP problems, but two little companies are holding things up.  They've both been acquired recently by Austin-based Vignette.  Since Vignette's stock price is steadily sliding towards the one-dollar mark, I see an evil patent power grab on the horizon.  I might have to nominate Vignette for the Business Death Penalty.

It's fine if Vignette fails, but they mustn't be allowed to drag SOAP down with them.

11:08:30 AM   

Markoff.  New WiFi attenna technology from a San Francisco start-up called Vivato.  Advertised range:  2000 ft indoors and 4 miles outdoors.  Sweet! [John Robb's Radio Weblog]

This is a breakthrough for wireless broadband (and the Stuckist Internet) if it works as advertised.  It uses a (relatively) large antenna array that's electronically steered -- a Linux box adjusts the strength of each antenna so that a low-power beam of radio energy is directed at each Wireless NIC.

"By directing radio energy in small beams, the base station can support two-way TCP/IP connections more than four miles away in outdoor tests without violating FCC regulations, according to engineers at the company."

It transmits less power than consumer units but has a greater range -- because it has a processor on board tuning performance.  This is exactly what the "spectrum scarcity myth" people are talking about.  Put some mesh network routing software onboard and you've got a viable alternative to the telcos and cable companies for Internet access.

10:56:03 AM   

Different voting systems produce radically different results. The US system is probably worst of all.  [Adam Curry: Adam Curry's Weblog]

This was mentioned on Slashdot as well.  The voting method chosen by the founding fathers, plurality, is demonstrably inferior to other schemes.  What I don't like about it (compared to, say, approval voting), is that it makes it difficult to vote out incumbent powers.  I want to vote against Democrats and Republicans, but thanks to plurality voting, votes for third party candidates are just thrown away.  The politics of incumbency is out of control in this country.

12:11:46 AM