Life on The Net in 2004

NewtonsLaw writes "In recent years the Net has changed very quickly from a great place for geeks and nerds into a highly commercialized marketplace in which everyone is making a grab for your wallet. If it's not wave after wave of spam in your mailbox, it's excessively intrusive ad banners and popups, or demands by websites that you pay a subscription for access. The DMCA and other pending legislation could soon mean that companies such as Microsoft and the recording labels will cement their total ownership of your online rights -- leaving you with nothing but a hefty bill to pay whenever you want to use their software or services. Today's Aardvark Daily carries an interesting editorial that speculates on just what life could be like in the very near future. Sobering -- but perhaps not too far from reality?"

Comments

It's called 'capitalism'

[cscx]

You may not like it, but I think some people are in for a reality check. This world is not like, say, RMS's ideal utopia -- share and share alike. The world thrives on commerce and, well, if you've got business practices that will get you the extra mile (whether you agree with them or not), that will be the company that will ultimately succeed. Can anyone say Microsoft?

Its always evil heres why

[HanzoSan]

Anytime you are selfish, you are keeping someone else from having what you have.

If you take all the water away because you are selfish, no one else can have it.

If you take all the food, no one else can have any.

Most americans are selfish, including you oviously

Why? Americans take over the world, and use capitalism to control all the resources while third world countries get to starve and die.
This is selfishness.

We have more than enough food to feed them all, and its not a money issue, its selfishness

Same with water, why the hell should we pay for water? Greed is why.

People dont want only what they need to survive, they want everything, this is why alot of people are against socialism and communism, communism is about helping the majority, and socialism is about everyone being equal.

With our technology, we could easily feed the planet, and no one would starve, no one would need water, everyone would have a place to live, and free medicine.

Its capitalism that allows us to live in mansions, have all of the medicines, and the best food, its also what pisses everyone in third world countries off

People in africa, china, afganastan, and other co untries hate us because we are greedy. We take everything and give nothing.

You cant take everything from everyone, and expect everyone to love you

You can expect everyone to try to be like you, even try to side with you, and become american like you, but they'll always hate you.

Its almost like slavery, look at the effects slavery had,. you still have black people in the USA who believe because of slavery, you were given an unfair advantage (assuming you are white) and they want some kinda payback for that.

Same with native americans.

So yes, theres a problem with selfishness, it creates hate,. war, etc.