Books that expire? Great.

Ever seen Wikibooks?

The idea is to make free open-content textbooks available online. I mean, the textbook publishers come out with new editions of elementary physics books not to improve them, but to make us pay for a new book and not a used one! Subjects like that could easily be taught from on-line, free textbooks.

Looks like Google is becoming the MSM of the internet. So goes monopolies (or oligopolies).

Did you know that Yahoo bought blo.gs.com? They've sure been busy...

BBEdit, the text editor-of-choice for many programmers on
the Mac platform, has just been released in a version
that runs natively on Intel-based Macs as well as
PowerPC-based Macs. This is the first commercial
application (that I know of) that does this.

(Intel-based Macs are currently not available to
the general public. Registered developers can get
them.)

You have to be a geek to appreciate this but I think
it's pretty darn interesting and another step in the
evolution of the personal computer.

#4 - Good news? WTF?

Oliver Willis shows up #82 where something actually cool LGF is not even there - or did I miss it?

IMDB shows up as 169 - oookayyy, and Snopes shows up as 468 and 470.

I suppose that this has something to do with MediaMatters' linking methods, and nothing at all to do with actual sense of the content.

And speaking of geekness, it's also strange that something like Slashdot shows up where Craigslist does not.

I guess that the only thing this tells me is that I need to lay off the drugs - or take more, I forget.

Best news^

Agreed, Wizbang might belong a bit higher however in my book. Kudos folks, because I think that you have a good variety of stories here.

The smarmy crooked "kids" need to do highway trash removal and mow lawns enough to reimburse everyone involved (that means the community) for expenses involved, along with more work emptying trash cans and such at their schools for two hours M-F, mopping the floors and hallways and polishing the gymn flooring weekly, cleaning the bathrooms, and more.

There's nothing cute or endearing about anyone, young or old, being aware of security standards and yet violating them at will just because. Irresponsible, criminal minds at work, there and suggesting they be "free" and/or even defended is pitiful (not Wizbang, just saying, as to the "Free the Kutztown 13" enthusiasts).

And, the parents of these "13" should be in counselling with anyone who doesn't indulge their tendencies to minimize their irresponsible parenting along with the results they've spawned.

joe...most publishers issue current editions over time because the academic information changes. And, online "texts" are alterable, printed texts not so easily if at all once printed.

I agree that the costs of textbooks is a real problem for many in educational programs, but a better idea might be to issue updated addendums on alternate years for certain substantial texts, something like that.

The wiki process is proven unreliable as to information. Examples: rewriting a wiki-based text to suit answers already written, to accommodate nonsense, etc.

All information internet based is manipulatable, is my point. Texts, when printed as hard copies, at least bear a fixed informational process, for the duration of endorsement/reference used.

They also don't rely on digital access, which is still a very good thing in some considerations.

Re the 'Kutztown 13" story. I for one, think it IS an overreaction to criminally charge these students. Admittedly, they did break the school rules of computer usage and should be punished by the school system but ... I don't understand why the school system believes that criminal charges are appropriate but expulsion to 'alternative school' is not. This seems akin to chronic and willfull uniform violations. (Lord help us, we have a bizarre uniform policy here in our school system and its an endless source of trouble).

Tob

PS, the Ext2 mount for Windows is a great upgrade and long overdue. Windows should support all the *nix filesystems IMHO.

What, does Yahoo fancy themselves a blog now??