Slashdot Mirror
Slashback: Verstecken, Poe, Roundtable
A 17-year-old can join the real army, remember ... If you thought that the Indianapolis ordinance restricting video games with violent content from storefront display was either an anomaly or a strictly Middle-American move, read on. An unnamed correspondent writes: "GameFan reports in an article that yet another city is creating an ordinance that '...would restrict minors from playing arcade games with graphic violence or sexually explicit content.' The ordinance also covers the positioning and clear marking of the 'bad' machines. 'Currently, the bill states that such violent arcade machines must be marked and situated more than 10 feet from non-violent video titles.'"
Yes, at this point, it's just the proposal of a city council member, not a done deal. The city is (gulp!) sunny San Diego. Bother anyone? Perhaps they'll move all the games with punching into buildings like NYC has for Off Track Betting?
A long long time ago, I can still remember ... And for those into games that with a bit less gore ("We didn't have gore when I was small -- we were too poor!"), Kevin writes " Futurelooks has started a new feature called Retrolooks, which looks back at technology of the past and puts it up against the technology of today." Go read 'Atari 2600 VCS VS. Sega Dreamcast: FIGHT!' and try not to weep with nostalgia, at least if you are -- errrrr -- mature enough to have developed nostalgia. Here's a sample:
"Ah Atari, the granddaddy of all gaming platforms, the editio princep, the grail upon which all future gaming developed. In 1976 the Saturday Night Fever crowd was tired of just Staying Alive and craved something new. One Nolan Bushnell gave them that new fix with the invention of the first Atari console. Bushnell created the first unit with $250 and a desire for something new. Within four years the company of one had grown considerably and was worth over $28 million."
Plus, the grail is in the Castle ... [Aaaaggghhhh ....]
AssFace writes: "As previously covered there is/was a contest of which the main goal was to break a cipher that had stood 154 years. At least two people have now solved it (separately) and we are now waiting on word (from the Bokler site) as to what will come next - apparently once one part is broken there is more? - I had created a list a while back on which a group has been discussing the cipher and at least one of the members is one of the people that came up with a solution of sorts and he posted a note regarding it here.
Frustrating for me personally because the code I was writing was just starting to evolve pretty nicely - but it will be fun to see what is next."
Proof positive, though? No word yet on the contest Web site; I think Edgar is cackling merrily in his grave.
If I share some love with you, do I have less left afterward? StoryMan writes "There's an interesting (and long) article at the NYTimes about file sharing, peer-to-peer networks, and the future of digital music.
It merits a read, if only because its participants are both important and interestingly diverse. Participating the round-table were: Hilary "I Speak for Artists, Hear me Roar" Rosen (complete with a very scary picture), Kevin "Chasing Amy" Smith, Esther Dyson, David Boies, a software developer, and your average 17-year old dude."
So long as you label it accurately, OK, fellas? For all their possible nefarious uses, cookies on your hard drive simply don't track you as well as certain companies would prefer. That's why devices like the Cue Cat, which exchange some convenience for information on your buying habits, will only get more common.
For instance, jgilm writes: "A 'new' product/company called Qode (marketese for "code") (www.qode.com) has a device reminicent of the Cue:Cat. Informationweek had a brief on it with items like '... a small wireless device called a Qoder ... scan UPC bar codes ... to search for better deals online.' and 'The scanned data is then downloaded to a personalized Web site.... Companies will then offer special deals on the personalized sites.'
The Qode site, which has a penchant for Flash movies, has info for businesses like '...a new and far more efficient way to deliver promotions. Plus you get a real-time heads up on consumer product interests.'
They claim that they are a 'wall' and 'walls are strong. And silent.' No joke. This is in relation to their privacy policy. Their idea of privacy is that they don't give out personal information to their business partners.
One aspect they don't address is the fact the the company still keeps track of your buying habits. Another is the probable lack of Linux software for the device (though no mention is made anywhere of system requirements)."
OK, so the world will soon be (or is already?) awash in free barcode readers. However, that's not all -- japhar81 writes: "Saw this over at GeekNews: netcity is offering a free smart-card reader. I'm personally planning to use it for an unintended purpose, like a certain other freebie. Off the top of my head, perhaps using my creditcard as the key to my pc ... Hardware hackers go wild:)"
If people want violent games off the market, they should be raising their children in such a way that the kids would *freely choose* not to play them, because the violence would not appeal to them.
I'm utterly appauled at the fact that you claim it should be MY responsbility to raise MY kids. We all know that us parents simply do not have the time to raise our own children. In should be society's responsbility and if society produces violent games, it is society's fault. It is most certainly NOT mine! Or any other parent's for that matter!
Seriously: I fully agree with you, and I wish everyone else could see it that way. But I don't think its going happen... too many people think in the same manner I'm being saracastic.
---
But sure as fsck not 128kilobytes. Christ, my Apple //e had 128K, and it was state of the art!
ObMicrso~1Bash:
BTW, is it just me, or is that site the most garbled heap of nested tables and crap HTML I've seen in ages? I mean, even for a M$ FrontPage site, it's pretty fucking sick to see 70-80 kilobytes of HTML - 30K of banner-ad tables and 40K of other shite - for about 3K of actual text.
Multiply it out, that's about 200K of HTML I had to download to read something that could have fit in a single, albeit long, /. comment. What is it with m0r0n webmasters who think that a web site should be like a book - and require the manual clicking of a mouse to "turn a page" every time you read two or three paragraphs?
*sigh* I do NOT miss my teenage days...
All opinions are my own - until criticized
59 6F 75 20 6D 65 61 6E 20 6C 69 6B 65 20 74 68 69 73 3F 20 48 6F 77 20 6D 61 6E 79 20 70 65 6F 70 6C 65 20 64 65 63 6F 64 65 64 20 74 68 69 73 20 61 6E 64 20 72 65 61 64 20 69 74 3F 20 50 6C 65 61 73 65 20 72 65 70 6C 79 2E 20 49 66 20 61 6E 79 6F 6E 65 20 61 73 6B 73 20 77 68 61 74 20 69 74 20 69 73 20 73 61 79 73 20 69 74 27 73 20 48 54 4D 4C 20 66 6F 72 20 61 20 67 6F 61 74 73 65 2E 63 78 20 6C 69 6E 6B 2E
---
GetSystemMetrics(SM_SECURE) == FALSE
Cackling in his grave... /. troll. Primarily he would post disgusting stories he wrote and links to graphic images for shock value. But then every once in a while he would post an encoded message just because he knew people would try to decode it.
If he were alive today, he would be a
---
I am the dot in slashdot.org
One cypherpunk going by the handle "mystery_inc" has posted the results and some analysis of the decoding to the PoeCipher mailling list at egroups. You can read his entire message here.
He believes it says:
it was early spring warm and sultry
glowed the afternoon the very breezes
seemed to share the delicious languor of
universal nature as laden the various
and mingled perfumes of the rose and the
jessamine the too dense abatis wildflower
they slowly wafted their fragrant offering
to the open window where sat the lovers
the ardent sun shone full upon her blushing
face and its gentle beauty was more like the
treetop of side wind romance of flirt
inspiration of a dream than the actual
reality of earth tenderly her lover gazed
upon her as her glittering ringlets
were eased by amorous and sportive
zephyrs and when he permitted the rude
intrusion of the sunlight he sprang to
draw the curtain and she gently stayed
him no no dear charles she softly said
much rather would i have a little sun than
no sun at all
Why do kids love violent games? That's the real question that people should be asking. I suspect that violent games contribute very little to "making" someone a dangerous person (whatever that means). I would say that the popularity of violent games with kids is something to ponder. Locking up all the "bad" video games is like wearing Peril-Sensitive Sunglasses(TM). The problem hasn't changed. If people want violent games off the market, they should be raising their children in such a way that the kids would *freely choose* not to play them, because the violence would not appeal to them.
But blaming "the world" for corrupting their children is more popular because it lets people cry that they are powerless, and if one is powerless, they are also free from the nasty burden of taking responsibility for the problem and doing something about it.
-------------
-------------
The truth is out th- oh, wait, here it is...
don't know. I have posted this rant to a mail list already, so those that have seen it please close your eyes.
> "The government's view of the law is not monolithic, however. Senator
> Orrin Hatch, Republican of Utah and chairman of the Senate Judiciary
> Committee, recently wrote a letter to the Court of Appeals stating that
> the government's brief does not necessarily express the views of the
> Congress in the matter. "
I live in Utah where Senator Hatch is up for re-election. As someone who once knew Senator Hatch, I'm really sorry to say that he _is not_ your fair use friend.
As head of the Judiciary Committee he was one of the principal authors of the DMCA. Also, he was the one that sponsered the Sonny Bono Copyright Term Extension Act (CTEA).
When the MPAA and a few pals roll into town he is only too willing to roll over and support their cause after a few "donations". The conservative "Eagle Forum" explains how Disney has clout with the republican congress.
He was the one who put forth from "anonymous" a bill attached to unrelated legislation to extend the term for drug patents. (ala the "as a work for hire" fiasco that took song rights from musicians). It's the least he could do after riding around in Schering-Plough's corporate jet, the ones who have the patent for Claritin that is about to expire. Too bad seniors (AARP) noticed because they have enough of a hard time as it is paying for prescriptions. It sort of makes the republican's plan for a prescription drug benifit ring hollow.
If he really cared about "fair use", he would have delineated it by now in the DMCA. Or at least given half a thought about the "anti-crcumvention" monster that he created.
My guess is that he wanted to blow some hot air in the sails of the Good Ship Lollipop before she goes down, knowing full well that "fair use" has already been tossed in a lockbox and thrown overboard to the unattainable deep.
Sure he looks good for supporting Napster and "fair use". Just too bad that he really smells.
Take the cheese to sickbay, the doctor should see it as soon as possible - B'Elanna Torres, "Learning Curve"
This comment just pisses me off... People really need to be educated before they speak. Hey Craig Newell If you're reading this: THE ORIGINAL INTENT OF DeCSS WAS TO PLAY DVD's ON LINUX!!! I can't stress this enough. The MPAA doesn't want you to play DVD's on a computer unless they bless it first.
Mr. Smith: The subscription service makes sense. Folks can join, pay a monthly fee, and from said fees, the provider can pay the music companies for use of their material.
If I'm going to join a "subscription service" why the hell would I want to pay the music company? Why should the RIAA profit from the talent of others... all they do with that money is funnel it into people who have no talent anyway.
Ms. Rosen: Esther is right about the future, even if she is completely wrong about what a record company does. New distribution systems provide for new levels of competition, and record companies and all sorts of others who work with artists in the future will have to prove their worth to that artist (and their fans) in the new marketplace. Today, a record company does that by investing in the "creation of the demand" for an artist's music. I don't think that will change. Helping an artist create the demand for their music is a critical factor in their careers. Some artists do it themselves; most don't want to. There is a lot of music out there. But we must all concede that we pay attention to certain music or certain artists because they have become more popular, and we rely on the natural selection processes of the marketplace. That process does not come cheap in the physical world -- or in the online world.
I think I made my point above about financing of non-talent with real talent. If you need help "creating demand" for your music... You're in the wrong business. If you work hard long hours to make your music why would you not work even harder to promote it? And that is what has the RIAA frightened...
Mr. Boies: The Internet is both a threat and an opportunity. It is an opportunity to efficiently promote and build demand. It is a threat because it is a distribution and promotion channel that the record labels, at least for now, do not control. It is the greatest opportunity for the 98 percent of artists that are not distributed by the major record labels. It is the greatest threat to the RIAA and its members.
Mr. Boies: An industry at war with its customers is an industry in trouble. The RIAA and its members are making users mad as hell, and these users will find a way not to take it anymore.
Amen -- to both points
Ms. Rosen: The Internet is clearly viewed by the music community as an opportunity. Mr. Boies's accusations are ridiculous and offensive. No one can control the Internet. There are so many innovative technology partnerships with the music community going on right now that no one with any knowledge even thinks that is the music community's intention. What we can do, however, is assure that certain simple rights are enforced and that companies don't break the law.
No one can control the Internet... Isn't that what you're (the RIAA) trying to do? Insuring that companies don't break the law? You're sure putting up a fine example.
Ms. Rosen: Artists, musicians, songwriters, music publishers and record companies are not asking for additional legislation. In selected areas, we merely seek the existing law to be enforced. To suggest that illegal activity by a single infringer like Napster is representative of all that is going on is simply short-sighted. The Internet is being used every day by all of us in the music community with many different technology partners promoting, introducing, Webcasting and selling new music and favorite artists to their fans. The marketplace is working. The fact that a few companies are not abiding the law does not mean that Congress needs to intervene. It simply means that the existing law should be respected. Most are playing by the rules. A few are not.
The RIAA obviously don't respect existing laws. Have you ever heard of Fair use??
"Happiness in intelligent people is the rarest thing I know."
-- Ernest Hemingway
Okay, I've come to accept that, in the U.S., minors under 18 don't have any rights. Granted, actual citizens are prohibited from beating them up, but that doesn't qualify as a right, just a protection.
Now, you might be saying, "The phrase 'minors under 18' is redundant," but that's not true. "Minor" is defined, for some weird reason, based on context. So a 17-year old in an R-rated movie is not a "minor" in that context, and a 20-year-old drinking beer, is. In fact, if two 20-year-olds in Nevada walk into a casino and sit down, they can both be arrested, charged with "contributing to the delinquency of a minor", and tried as adults.
So, the fight against the ban on video games is a lost cause. Minors should fight, instead, for the cause of being recognized as FULL CITIZENS IN EVERY WAY at age 18. That includes fighting wars, drinking beer, running for president, voting, and getting reasonable insurance.
If we can't charge people an extra $500/year on car insurance because they're black or jewish, why can we charge people an extra $500/year because they're 22? Even if there was a strong correlation between accidents and black drivers, it would still be illegal for insurance companies to raise premiums.
Maybe if someone under 65 actually VOTED instead of adopting the "fuck the system and smoke pot" attitude, this could all change.
"Beware he who would deny you access to information, for in his heart he deems himself your master."