As recently reported on Slashdot, Apple, in its infinite wisdom, has added a checksum to the iPod database apparently to restrict non-iTunes products (like Amarok via libgpod) from having the ability to add music. To me this sounds pretty familiar. This is the same thing they did to iTunes 4.5 to make it harder for other apps to read off their DAAP shares, they changed it again in iTunes 7; open source apps are still unable to read iTunes 7 DAAP shares.
But there's better news on this iPod front.
From #gtkpod today:
<wtbw> okay guys
<wtbw> i think we're done.
<wtbw> let me code something just to check
[30 minutes later]
<wtbw> can i hear a fuck yeah?
<wtbw> works for both mine and xamphears :>
wtbw suggested donations from thankful users go to
Cancer Research UK.
Really the only "correct" solution is for folks to stop using Apple products. The iPod might have its own version of DAAP's iTunes 7 which has a checksum more difficult (apparently) to crack. But for the time being, things are fine.
Sunday, September 16. 2007
Wtf is going on with our society? I am living in Germany, one of the richest countries in the world. Life is good here. It's common here to have a nice flat, wear beautiful clothing and to drive comfortable cars like Mercedes. We should not complain. And yet, life isn't good for everyone here. There is a small minority of people who cannot afford to buy a car, or a flat, or nice clothes; in fact they cannot afford to buy food to survive the day.
When I'm strolling around our shopping mile, I see this fat guy walking, stuffing his fat face with food to get fatter. And then I see this thin guy, who's sitting on the ground. Begging for money. Oh and this guy has no feet, and no legs. He's sitting there all day, begging for people to give him some money. To survive another day. I'm asking myself what's going on with this country.
Does the rich guy need another Mercedes, or could he afford to give 10 Euros per month to keep the guy without legs from starving? Personally, I'm not sure what the solution to the poverty problem is. Myself I'm not rich; in fact at times I'm quite poor as well, but I try to help homeless people where I can. And still I realize that this isn't a real solution. Giving some bucks to a guy is just a very temporary remedy. Our oh-so-smart society must be able to come up with a better plan.
