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Re:Poor example of humor. by _Sprocket_ · 2002-06-08 12:39 · Score: 2 · on Linux and the Smile.D Virus keeps us Smiling

First off, I have to admit Rob's piece was pure trollbait. And its a shame. A clever humor piece could have highlighted the non-issue of this Linux-compatible virus and the issues that make Windows such a ripe environment for virus activity. Instead, Rob used the subtlety of a sledgehammer and produced something only a troll could be proud of.

Elitism is only ONE of the faults of this so-called humor piece. But it does offer a chance to hash out this issue.

Would you like it if your mechanic said, "I can't believe you don't know the difference between 10W30 and 10W40. You're obviously a moron."?
...
Face it, folks, not everyone wants to be a computer expert.
...
They just want to turn on their computer and have it work. And with any operating system, those same people will have to learn how to maintain it by applying patches (just like you have to maintain your car by taking it in for maintenance e very so often.)

I'm willing to bet there ARE mechanics who scoff at those who don't know the difference. After all, its a basic bit of maintenance knowledge - hardly arcane knowledge. Heck, its even included in your vehicle operators manual. If you're going to do basic maintenance of your car yourself, you are going to have to tackle the difference in motor oil.

But you don't have to do the maintenance yourself. There are plenty of places that do nothing BUT simple tuneups and oil changes. And judging from the number, it seems to be a fairly popular service. Of course, you DO have to be aware that the maintenance needs to be done.

Computers are similar to motor vehicles. Both are complex systems that, over the years, have become simpler to operate. However, they both occasionally break and need unscheduled maintenance. And they both need regular maintenance. One can gain the knowledge, skills, and tools to maintain these systems oneself. Or one can find a knowledgeable friend or hire a professional.

Unfortunately, these concepts are lost on the average computer user. They are faced with two opposing concepts that cloud this simple idea.

First, our popular culture constantly pushes the concept of "computers are so complex and difficult that only especially gifted individuals will know anything about them." You find it in news headlines that gush "Local Computer Wizkid does [relatively simple malicious hack] Against [national agency] Computers!" National news figures professing computer illiteracy - imagine Ted Koppel lamenting that his son (or grandson) knew more about cars. And then there's an entire industry that promises to make computers "simple".

And that's our opposing concept. The IT industry is full of products that promise to simplify the computing experience (witness the popularity of Microsoft products and AOL). Its a worthy cause. Computer systems have now become fairly easy for daily tasks. But unfortunately the message seems to be that computer systems have gained the characteristics of a toaster or VCR (Twelve O'Clock Flashers aside) rather than a motorized vehicle. This impression is entirely false.

Today's automobile is fairly easy to use. However, there is still a rather complex system of traffic rules one has to learn to use one. And the underlying technology of the automobile is more and more complex. One must learn enough to perform basic maintenance or have it performed by another. Even then, these systems will occasionally fail and require an expert to repair. And we even have products from the automobile industry that have serious engineering flaws.

Computer systems are very similar. However, we have the popular misconception of complexity that seems to cause many otherwise intelligent people to disengage their thought process when they get behind a keyboard/mouse. And we have an industry that profits from convincing the public that they don't need to bother to learn the basics of operating a computer to use one.

It is little wonder enthusiasts and professionals become jaded when these two concepts create irate users demanding quick fixes to problems. Especially when some of these problems are their own doing or could have been solved themselves with the most basic knowledge and patience.

Not monotonic. Listen to the AYB song. by yerricde · 2002-06-01 13:58 · Score: 2 · on Spoken Japanese-English translation Using Your PDA

when it speaks back to you,it'll probably be in a robotic monotonic voice

No it won't. Software synthesizers have been able to apply prosody (the rise and fall of pitch) since the 1980s, starting with SAM for the C=64 and Apple II. Listen to "The Laziest Men on Mars - Invasion of the Gabber Robots.mp3" once. Note that Cats is the only character with a monotonic voice; all other characters have half-natural voices thanks to SoftVoice's superior technology. (Yes, it was SoftVoice; go to softvoice's web site and play the Colossus sample to see who did the voice for Cats.)

Re:One clearchannel station that plays "good" musi by Hallow · 2002-05-30 03:02 · Score: 2 · on Homogenized Music

Carbon Leaf is a band from Richmond, VA. (where I happen to live). They have an mp3.com page too. They're a good recorded band, and an incredible live band, sort of a rock/country/bluegrass mix with increasingly heavy Celtic influences (their version of Mary Mac kicks arse!). The also won the American Music Award's New Music Award this past January, and the CMJ Music Marathon.

There's actually several decent live bands in Richmond, and I for one would rather pay for a live show than a CD. You wanna piss off the RIAA? Support local, unsigned bands. Spend your money on concert tickets (where most artists make their real $$) rather than CD's.

If Free as in beer is what you're looking for... by haggar · 2002-05-28 21:47 · Score: 2, Informative · on European Commission Sponsors Linux Audio Distribution

and you do need a kickass MIDI sequencer, I suggest BeOS + Sequitur. It does not have all the features of Cakewalk (I miss expecially the score) but it does have other special features of it's own, like for example processing filters and filter editing (for new filters), but there are many more.

There are many more good audio tools on BeOS. One more recommendation is XRS, a groove station, similar to FruityLoops. I composed this song completely in XRS, using just the built-in software synths.

Re:The real "digital" threat by SocialWorm · 2002-05-19 11:51 · Score: 2, Interesting · on File Swapping and the Analog Hole

Free software is built on a pre-existing cultural norm - ie hacking - that doesn't exist for these other media.

Maybe it should.

What is hacking? Eric S Raymond has an interesting definition, but I don't think that's what you mean. I think you're talking about the "sharing code" aspect of free and open-source software; this is the sense in which RMS was referred to as "The Last Hacker"

Slashdot has had other stories of people sharing things other than software -- stories, music, etc (note that I am not speaking of Napsteresque file swapping, but of artists who choose to make their work available). Perhaps I am an optimist, since I know of no scientific evidence of this, but I believe that sharing and helping one another are things that people do naturally. Isn't that what society is about? Isn't society all about individuals and small groups mingling together to improve the quality of life for those people? There are different lines of thought regarding internal structure and philosophy which are beyond this discussion, but I have difficulty imagining anyone other than a hard-core collectivist disagreeing with me.

I've had arguments with aquaintances about this. They say (I kid you not) that a libertarian philosophy will never work because almost all people are evil and greedy, that the government must step in and do something (it's interesting that they disagree about what exactly the goverment must do - a liberal, by which I mean a specific liberal and not liberals in general, says that we must redistribute the wealth in the US, and a conservative says that we need a strong military to defend the country, but I disgress). That's not the world I live in. The existance of NGOs and non-profit organizations proves that people will rally behind the causes they believe in, be it making free software, helping people, or stopping torture. It's not a world in which private colleges and universities thrive on grants and donations well out of proportion to their government-funded counterparts. In the real world, people actually do show compassion; while there are certainly heartless people in the world, there are not as many as those projecting friends of mine would have you believe.

What's this got to do with the current topic? If people are willing to share physical property, intellectual property should be even less of a leap. It is therefore a shame that the greedy few, the MPAA, the RIAA, the BSA, and their kin, are placed as an example of what is considered normal. Although it has been bought by an RIAA member, plenty of artists still have their music on MP3.com gratis. A precious few even have music which is libre.

Sharing is everywhere. You just have to know where to look.

Re:"Quarter cent per song" by 3Bees · 2002-05-07 07:38 · Score: 1 · on Musicnet Fails to Impress Customers

It's frustrating when even the champions of the e-distribution campaign don't give us the chance to show how lucrative sales of uncrippled, high quality, correctly labelled, untruncated, non-radio edit mp3's could be - if they were only given a chance.

Some anecdotal evidence to support this is that some buddies of mine pay the rent on their practice space and make enough to consider cutting another CD off of the money they make from MP3.com. Here is their link: Catholic School Girls. They are total fans of MP3s, but then they are pretty far from major label too.

Re:personally by hardburn · 2002-04-29 04:48 · Score: 1 · on Gateway as Content Distributor?

if you don't like it don't use it

I don't. The last CD I bought was the "Mission: Impossible 2" soundtrack, and that was a mistake.

If you don't want to pay for music, find like minded artists and listen to them.

I do. I bought the CD of a small, local celtic band, even though they make their music freely available.

As a side note by The_Shadows · 2002-04-28 09:42 · Score: 1 · on Tech Support Getting Even Worse

Go Here. Play File. Make with the enjoyment.

The_Shadows[LTH], out.

There is but one true solution... by MOSFET · 2002-04-19 10:17 · Score: 1 · on U.S. Considers Microsoft Passport as National ID

.... Disinformation.

The Privacy Song explains it quite well.

I find it rather amusing when I get junk mail addressed to one of my comic characters... *eg*

For god's sake, lie by eison · 2002-04-11 10:05 · Score: 1 · on Privacy Policies Heading Downhill

"Lie about your income, your age gender and race... we can stick a big old monkeywrench right up their database" The Privacy Song

funny? by leuk_he · 2002-04-03 21:32 · Score: 2 · on Sony Intentionally Crashes Customers' Computers

Am i missing something? Why would you want to do this?

1. Make rippable cd's ?
For some strange reason the music industry wants the opposite? If you really want to help this why not add a bonus cd that contains all the mp3's and a videoclip that plays on PC/DVD. CD's are cheap to produce!
2. Provide previews of a cd on a web site.
mp3.com wants to get the mp3 on the web for you
3. Why not just stick to the standard?
Your 5 year old ripping software is the best when offered standard cd's.

4."sounds like ass"
I don't (want to) know what your ass sounds like.

Re:This technology is swell by Ann+O'Nymous-Coward · 2002-04-02 10:33 · Score: 1 · on Pitch Perfect Karaoke

"but now everyone sounds like Stephen Hawking"

Hey, if everyone could rap like MC Hawking that'd be cool! ;>

Re:Why not DNA-image? by TheTrooper · 2002-03-31 04:29 · Score: 1 · on Encoding DNA as Music for Copyrighting?

Actually, a company called algorithmic arts already has a Bio2MIDI program available, and you can actually go to mp3.com to listen to "genetic music" How cool is that!

Re:indie film sites and band sites by morgajel · 2002-03-30 02:56 · Score: 1 · on Alternatives to the Entertainment Industry?

yes there are, and there are some that are extremely "pro" net.
John Mayer is one of them.

besides having his music on the radio and on vh1 and mtv, he also has a really cool attitude about mp3's- "Remember, you can burn a cd but you can't burn a t-shirt."

he's also a really cool guy. He's got some interesting views on digital music- it's not an RMS or anything, but it's fair to guess what his views are while listening to "this is my napster song"

btw, Since I heard his mp3's from a friend, I've bought 2 of his CD's and took my girlfriend to see him in concert.

AND, for those who think mp3.com doesn't work, check this out.

Re:Software by fwc · 2002-03-29 16:46 · Score: 2 · on What Software Should ISPs Distribute and Support?

As the System Administrator for a regional ISP, I fully agree with the "Reboot, reconnect it should work now" philosophy. I'd have to say that a vast majority of the problems (for windows users anyways) is just a Windows OS that's decided that it didn't like being up as long as it has been. We use the term "Shut up and reboot" as Dogbert put so well in the dilbert strip available here.

We've also come up with a certain number of phrases to accurately describe certain customers. "Chronic Clue Vacuum Disease" is when they just plain can't get it even though you explain it to them a thousand times. "PEBKAC" is an acronym we use for "Problem Exists Between Keyboard and Chair" (you figure it out). And so on. Our latest is "Twelve o'clock flasher" which originated from the piece "Welcome to the Internet Helpdesk" which is available on mp3.com. Trust me, if you've ever dealt with the average internet customer, you want to listen to this and be prepared to be Rolling on the floor laughing.

To try to get back to the original poster's question, we use a CD which some company sells which has all the normal stuff on it - browser, email, etc. There are several companies out there which basically burn a CD with everything on it and have a automatic configurator which configures the customer's computer.

As far as what to support, generally we support all of the common web and email clients, and a couple of other select programs. If you have Netscape, IE, Outlook/Outlook Express, Pegasus mail, etc. we can help. Anything beyond the normal, then the customer is on their own. Generally we'll help to the point of "Ok, both Internet Exporer and Netscape works. I'm not sure why Opera won't work and we don't have that here to walk you through it".

That said, we're probably one of the unusual outfits which will at least try to help you with about any OS and/or software you want to use. We're a FreeBSD shop. The assistant sysadmin runs OpenBSD at home. Linux is probably our biggest hole, but we generally can provide enough information for someone to get Linux to work, and we do have people around who work with linux. Macs are another hole, but again, we can usually help someone through getting one on. And of course (unfortunately) we're well versed with getting Windows Machines on the net.

Re:It's already worse than you think. by eison · 2002-03-21 07:21 · Score: 1 · on Pay Dirt in Scanned Driver's Licenses

Completely different. There are stiff penalties for lying to the government. Grocery store cards, on the other hand, are well addressed by Three Dead Trolls in a Baggie's "The Privacy Song"

That's why most of the emails are fake by Tuxinatorium · 2002-03-20 13:53 · Score: 1 · on Spammer Sues List Broker

To avoid spam, most non-stupid people give fake email addresses wherever an email address is required to register (like the New York Times), if possible. This is filling up their spam databases with so many phony entries that the databases become useless. This reminds me of a good mp3 by Three Dead Trolls In A Baggie

Sometimes a song says it better than Katz... by RobinH · 2002-03-12 05:27 · Score: 4, Funny · on The Widening Tech-Savvy Gap

Check out this song: "Every OS Sucks" by Three Dead Trolls in a Baggie
It's probably more insightful than whatever drivel Katz is spewing today.

How MP3.com artists will manage digital rights by yerricde · 2002-03-02 14:11 · Score: 2 · on File-sharing, Digital Rights Management, Etc.

Lastly, you rip an mp3 that is music you created to put up on mp3.com. I download it. If it has a copyright on it, and I didn't rip it, how do I play it?

"This europop remix of the Tetris theme has been arranged, performed, and ripped by Gregory Chekalin, who has authorized it for world distribution. This licence has been digitally signed by Gregory Chekalin." The SDMiPod verifies the signature, checks the license, and plays the MP3 file.

If it doesn't have a copyright on it

Huh? Doesn't every work have a copyright on it from creation? Nothing expires into PD anymore.

More remixes.. by Zarathustra.fi · 2002-02-24 19:09 · Score: 2, Informative · on Video Game Music Mixes

For more great game choon remixes, although from the world of Commodore 64, check out these two commonly known great sites:

http://Remix.Kwed.Org

http://www.c64audio.com

Also, quite recently I happened to hear probably the best C64 game remix ever. It's from the game "The Great Gianna Sisters", by a band Machinae Supremacy. Here's the direct link to the MP3 file at their site, and here's another for a mirror at MP3.com. Enjoy! (And may the Gaia forgive me for starting a /. flood on the band's page.. =))

Awesome Tetris cover song by Chicks_Hate_Me · 2002-02-24 18:46 · Score: 3, Insightful · on Video Game Music Mixes

May seem a bit offtopic but Ozma has a great cover song of 'Korobeiniki.' Ozma's just a damn good band and it's my job of an over-obsessed fan to advertise 'em as much as I can...

Ozma Mp3's

Ozma's Website

I can see the IRS response.... by BroadbandBradley · 2002-02-15 12:15 · Score: -1, Troll · on LUGs Applying for 501(c)(3) Non-Profit Status?

Linux is an illegal OS

Re:Possibly very good... by jesser · 2002-02-11 05:45 · Score: 3, Insightful · on Google's Search Appliance

When's the last time _you_ clicked on a google sponsor because of their compelling attraction?

Google's ads tend to be relevant to what I'm searching for, so I click on them often.

Last summer I looked up filk music after seeing something about a "space-themed filk concert featuring Kathy Mar and..." at Stanford the day before the Mars Society convention. I searched for filk, and there was an ad to download some of Kathy Mar's music from mp3.com! I listened to what mp3.com had and then went to the concert. During the concert, I met Kathy and also met the guy who put the ad up.

Oh, did you mean "What was the last time I bought something through Google adwords"? I haven't yet, but I am now a filk fan and plan to buy Prometeus Music's Space CD when it comes out. (Kathy's CD, which I didn't buy, is also a Prometheus CD.)

I also ran $50 worth of ads for my non-revenue-generating bookmarklets site because I thought it would be a cool way to give Google money. I don't know how many people run ads without the intent of making money, though.

Re:Revenge? by schlach · 2002-01-23 01:50 · Score: 3, Funny · on Buy John Romero's Ferrari On EBay

Puh-leeeze! Everyone knows the best thing to come out of the Daikatana fiasco (excepting Old Man Murray's coverage of said fiasco; who can forget "Daikatana Development to be aided by Helpful Monkey", and "John Romero Reserves the Right to Suck It Down"?) was the Laziest Men on Mars' Superfly's Johnson. From mp3.com's description:

A parody of one of the worst games ever made, "John Romero's Daikatana." A game that was notoriously late, terribly designed and without any redeeming qualities... except... when the characters' dialogue is taken out of context and laid over a trashy 70's waka-chika porn groove, the game suddenly becomes _much_ more interesting. A must-have for Romero bashers and FPS players.

If you haven't ever listened to this, I strongly recommend you download it. You'll never feel like Daikatana was worthwhile until you do...

one of the best things I ever saw... by hummer357 · 2002-01-16 21:54 · Score: 1, Informative · on New Wallace and Gromit Episodes Coming Online

A few years ago, I saw a screening of W&G's 'The Wrong Trousers' at a small arts festival over here in Belgium...

The big thing there was that the movie was being 'scored' by a not-very-well-known post-rock-kinda band called de.portables...

You should have seen it! It rocked like hell, timing was perfect for every scene, for every move... it was very emotional in the scene where Gromit was leaving, suspenseful when Wallace was stealing the diamond, and the train chase scene had to be seen and heard to be believed...

aardman should get in touch with these guys and let them score the vegetable plot movie!!!

But in the mean time, download some of their music (legally) from here and from the site mentioned above...

Micro ATX by Leif_Bloomquist · 2002-01-07 09:34 · Score: 1 · on Lunchbox Computers for Live Music Performances?

I just use a Micro ATX motherboard (LAN+Video onboard) with a Sound Blaster Live! OEM board and a surplus point-of-sale monitor (6") for my live shows.

Cheesy photos here.

That gives you MIDI, audio in/out. Upgrade to a more recent sound card if you wish.

Eventually I'll put it in a proper case, probably wood or plexiglass. Still smaller than even the smallest tower.

Leif aka Schema

MC Hawking... by Leif_Bloomquist · 2001-11-09 06:19 · Score: 1 · on God's Debris

Surely not Stephen "Fuck the Creationists Hawking??

Three Dead Trolls in a Baggie predicted this... by DigitalEntropy · 2001-11-02 13:07 · Score: 1 · on Smart Yarn and E-Textiles

http://artists.mp3s.com/artist_song/988/988353.htm l

Listen to the tune, and watch out for the "Smarty Pants".

Re:MS Pants XP by gorilla · 2001-11-02 06:45 · Score: 2 · on Smart Yarn and E-Textiles

Have you seen/head the Three Dead Trolls in a Baggie sketch "Behind the Scenes @ Microsoft". Flash version here, or mp3 version here. Very highly rated, as is all of the Dead Troll material, Wes obviously has a highly tuned sense of humor about technology.

A little privacy humour in a depressing discussion by Glytch · 2001-10-04 05:52 · Score: 2 · on ZeroKnowledge to Discontinue Anonymity Service

Straight from Three Dead Trolls In A Baggie.

Supply and Demand... by mcramer · 2001-09-27 07:37 · Score: 1 · on Other Online Opportunities for Independent Musicians?

Everyone and their geeky brother with a midi synthesizer and a few years in high school band thinks they're a musician. That's why there are several trillion HORRIBLE songs on MP3.com. Weeding out some of the over-supply on MP3.com will HELP those musicians who are actually worth listening to. I mean come on, does anyone really think we NEED someone who is willing to combine Duran Duran, Rush, Nine Inch Nails, and Vivaldi?

If you want to write bad songs and put them online, that's fine. But expecting to make a noticable amount of money off of it is unlikely. Just because MP3.com was willing to pay more people more money than they deserved for so long doesn't make it a crime to stop doing it.

Re:Pushing us into extremism; thanks a lot by VB · 2001-09-08 09:58 · Score: 2 · on Congress Plans DMCA Sequel: The SSSCA

...do you care if your money comes directly from the fans...

What we care about is getting a direct response from the people we play for. Hooting and howling from fans having a good time at our shows. We hope they buy our CD's at the show, online, mail order, or at the record store. We strongly dislike the legacy A & R process and are especially fond of the new technologies that help us get our material unfettered to our potential audience. I would be extremely saddened to hear that one of my fans went to jail for listening to my music: even if obtained through currently deemed illegal means.

Speaking as one songwriter, of course.
Ded Serius at MP3.com
Also below in sig.

Of course. Don't you know God wrote in LISP? by elig · 2001-09-08 03:55 · Score: 1 · on Lisp as an Alternative to Java

http://artists.mp3s.com/artist_song/234/234762.htm l

You can get the mp3s at by afflatus_com · 2001-09-01 11:02 · Score: 1 · on Stephen Hawking On Genetic Engineering vs. AI

...MC Hawking's crib:

www.mchawking.com

I strongly recommend "Entropy" from MCHawking's mad-phat "A Brief History of Rhyme" LP. Can download the free mp3 from mchawking.com or the MC Hawking section at mp3.com

Re:Clue me in, I'm a fscking tit by Bob+Gortician · 2001-09-01 08:26 · Score: -1 · on MP3.com 'Subscriber Service'

I think you mean they were inching toward a glory hole. Gortician has made nearly that much with boombox practice tapes and old four-track songs. The best things on mp3.com are old bands. D.R.I. is on there. Dig around, you'll be pleasantly surprised.

I think it's crazy that so many people "hate" mp3.com, when they are doing something a lot more important than buggy-ass non-Winpeek()ing Napster ever did. Exposure for new artists is crucial, not swapping major label bands that noone really gives a fuck about next month.

Mp3.com Picks:

GuntGrutcher - Heaviest band in the world. True cyber ultra grind, not that weak shit.
Festering Sore - Ok, don't tell anyone this is a secret side project between Jason Gortician and Lord Vic of Rampage
Doris - Holy fuck! Listen to "Doris Abortions".

Ok, it's mostly good for metal/grind/hardcore people. But if you're not one of them to some degree, you're a pussy.
The rap on mp3.com is shit. Many of the "normal" genres are full of fogettable crap along the lines of "Savage Garden", or some such shit band bland enough for a major.
Oh yeah! TINC Project There is no Cabal! - Usenet's best performance art made aural. Listen to "Snuh Music". It has soundbites from when Rikijo actual SE'd his way into Gortician's account.

High-C - You punks can't rap. The guy they banned from Everything2.com