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iWarez
asv108 writes "It seems that people are finding new uses for their iPod. According to this story in Wired, a Dallas area CompUsa employee caught a teenager transferring a fresh copy of Office for OSX to his iPod from a store demo machine."
And I thought CompUSA employees were good for nothing.
it was improper labeling. the sticker said "don't steal MUSIC"...
You're telling me that a CompUSA employee caught the kid and knew what the kid was doing? Did the employee still try to sell the kid the extended warrantee?
under the DMCA for creating a circumvention device!
Fascism starts when the efficiency of the government becomes more important than the rights of the people.
The person featured in the story witnessing the theft a computer consultant in the Dallas area at a local CompUSA? I don't think he was an employee of CompUSA, else he would have stopped the little bugger.
Isn't that wonderful though? Can afford a $399 iPod but can't afford Office vX? Heck, maybe the iPod was stolen too?
GPL Deconstructed
Yes. They shouldn't have used compusa as the password on the demo machine.
"What is the sound of one belly slapping?"
You could have fun putting files onto computers at the stores... nice goats.cx background or something... hell maybe someone will come up with a way to install linux from the ipod!
--
Some weasel took the cork out of my lunch.
So instead of the traditional "Five Finger Discount" now it's the "Five Second Discount" ... interesting.
d'oh! Shouldve read the article first....
Ironically, Microsoft has pioneered an easy-to-use installation scheme on the Mac that makes its Mac software relatively easy to pilfer.
The One Rule Of Chess You'll Ever Need: Don't play someone who carries a kit in their bookbag.
Don't worry...there are no life forms aboard...
Rhymes that keep their secrets will unfold behind the clouds.There upon the rainbow is the answer to a neverending story
Does that mean that iPod and computer stores should be illegal as they both allow to steal software?
Opus: the Swiss army knife of audio codec
Part of being an Apple zealot is going into stores and fixing the Macs up. I don't get why Apple can run such terrific retail stores themselves, but doesn't try to persuade CompUSA and Sears employees that, no, iMacs shouldn't have smoke coming out of them.
What I'm listening to now on Pandora...
Insanely great? Goddamn. They're all Stevebots.
I can see the headlines now
SOME CONSUMERS ARE USING APPLE'S PORTABLE FIREWIRE HARD DRIVE AS A PORTABLE FIREWIRE HARD DRIVE
EXPERTS SHOCKED
Admit it.. you're just annoyed you didn't think of doing this first
Maybe computer stores should just hire people who know how to tell when people are copying huge quantities of files onto portable hard drives?
Were there problems in the 80s with people copying programs off of computer display models onto floppy disks? What about with zip disks in the mid90s? What did stores do about that sort of thing then? Why is this so urgent now?
"Copy an entire CD worth of music in 10 seconds or a $459 office suite in under 3"
Soccer Moms will drive 6000 lb SUVs to school meetings and town halls everywhere to urge that iPods be banned, "For the Children (tm)"
A National iPod database will be created to monitor the posessions of iPods. Yadda, yadda yadda.
The difference is that with an iPod, you can finish the download and leave before the store closes for the night.
If it ain't broke, you need more software.
While this was just a kid trying to steal some software, it's clearly a symptom of a MUCH bigger problem. Now is the time to act on this sort of potential, before the full scope of ramifications become clear.
1) We must legislate mandatory copy-protection into all commercial software. Perhaps all software, in fact.
2) All storage devices most especially portable ones, must have a double license verification check on all copy operations. If you copy a file from one device (a computer) to another (an iPod), _both_ devices must independently verify the vailidity of copying/running that software on both machines, through a central license authority.
3) Legislation must be introduced to require all new file formats to incorporate licensing checks. "Free" files (however you want to interpret free) must be so marked within the file.
4) All new applications will be required to write only in approved licenseable formats. Within five years after the introduction of these formats, new pplications should no longer read old pre-license formats.
5) Hardware must be legally required to support this licensing and copy-protection scheme. All non-compliant hardware will have to be turned into the appropriate depots for disposal, after a similar 'sunset' period (five years again, perhaps).
Only in this way can we foster software innovation, encourage development, and drive technology forward. Guaranteeing security for developers in this was is a necessity, and the only way we can prevent computer piracy.
Arresting criminals doesn't work--if it did, we wouldn't have crime anymore! What we have to do is eliminate any possibility of crimes being committed in the first place, at any cost.
"People who do stupid things with hazardous materials often die." -- Jim Davidson on alt.folklore.urban
Depending on the CompUSA you go to, you can get some free entertainment. In the one in Roseville, Minnesota, there's this older guy behind the "good stuff" counter(all the smaller merchandise that can be shoplifted, etc) this guy will berate any computer-clueless customer that dares to ask him a question day in, day out. Sometimes I just stood near him pretending to look at the PDAs and listen to this guy drill into ma and Pa kettle explaining the difference between USB and FireWire. This guy IS the comic book guy of computers.
Yeah... Just like the Texans like to wear cowboy hats stereotype...
I mean, give the hats a break!
The hats did nothing to deserve this... Try focusing on the belt buckles for a change!
Please!
www.slightlycrewed.com - Because aren't we all?
It makes me sad to see stores limiting this kid's ability to innovate.
JET Program: see Japan, meet intere
The clueless salesman reminds me of the joke:
Q: What's the difference between a used car salesman and a computer salesman?
A: The used car salesman knows when he's lying.
Not in English. A criterium is a bicycle race.
-B
Ash and Hickory, straight-grained and true, make excellent bludgeons, dandy for the cudgeling of vegetarians.
Webb said. "Besides, this is Texas. You never know what he might have been carrying."
now that is reasurring... a Mac user packing heat.
Now if every computer user carried a weapon, you think the RIAA and MPAA would be fucking with us?
:)
Anyone know if there is a way to quickly reset the ipod? If you get caught borrowing software, it would be nice to be able to quickly and easily delete all the evidence.
I guess some people fuck their mothers. What's your window manager? twm? Gorgeous.
reech bee-yond ur clip-0n
You are a malicious person. Firing people who fry the very fish you depend on will eventually come to haunt you when you lose the ability to feed yourself these fried treats. I suggest you find this young chap and give him the money he lost by being fired. The 20 dollars will go to a good cause, probably a spoiler for a Chevy truck.
[[Ay fukkand lyke ane furious Fornicatour]]
I mean to be forced to get his warez at CompUsa instead of getting a copy from a friend... He probably has no internet connection either since he could have easily downloaded office if he had. This is a very sad story.
True warriors use the Klingon Google
Here's a suggestion: Physically block the fucking I/O ports on display models. Put a locked metal bar across them or something. Cheap, quick, and effective.
It's already done. I saw the I/O ports on some computers at Fry's Electronic blocked with chewing gum. Obviously, Fry's is more clued than CompUSA.
Waaaaaaaiiiit a sec. Let's just add things up.
This happened in Texas. A teenager pulled it off. Now, what biiiig company in Texas do we know that makes computers and has a teenager for their spokesperson?
It just makes you go, "Duuude!"
Mike
Hmm...this is like saying "Look at me. I just stole water" :-)
Why would you go through all that trouble to steal MP3s when you can also steal them off of other online sources?
_______________________________
"I'm not Conceited...I'm just a realist..."
Newbies. We were *grateful* to be able to run stacks of cards through the reader, after wlaking 47 miles through the snow, each way.
That was a *huge* improvement over popping the lid to look at core planes, then memorizing the pattern, which we'd go home and enter on rocker switches (except for the rich kids; they're families had toggle switches!)
hawk
I installed MS Office on my iPod two weeks and Excel still doesn't work. No matter how many times I jog the dial. But I've got to admit, the talking paper clip really does have a beautiful singing voice.
"Never underestimate the bandwith of a warez kid carrying an iPod. But the latency sure sucks..."
This is why we've taught our cat to use Morse Code. Short "Merp" like sounds are dit while anything that could be described as a caterwaul is dash. Unfortunately, we found out that she perseverates on the same seven messages:
Hah! I *knew* it. Once I saw how many slashdot posts you'd made today, I could tell you were trying to avoid correcting papers. Myself, I'm putting off writing the review that was due last week. The stack of papers isn't due until Monday. :-)
Babar
"Igneous"
If you had looked closely you would have seen that he was actually sedimentary. Probably from playing too many video games. =)
Ouch. A pun.
Do a google search before posting.
I suppose I can admit this publicly, since the statute of limitations has run out now...
The statute of limitations is meaningless. The men in blue suits are on their way to your fourth floor office right now.
"I have a good idea why it's hard to verify programs. They're usually wrong." --Manuel Blum, FOCS 94