You see, the thing here is that you can complain all you want - The Australian shooters party runs a candidate in almost every seat in every election .
Their success (or lack of it) is a prime example that most people in Aus. are generally quite happy with the current legislation...
As far as rights are concerned, how is the US any different BTW?
Can you legally own and carry fully automatic weapons, rocket launchers, mortars in he US?
No. You regulate the ownership of dangerous weapons... isn't your government trampling on people's rights too?
You're arguing various shades of grey... meanwhile your kids are dying.
It may not be entirely true, but the proliferation of firearms in the US certainly increases the resulting carnage when a kid does finally lose the plot.
A gun can give an option to a kid who thought he had no options... you've just got to push them far enough to make it an option and, provided they have access, its all over.
Disclaimer: Yes, I'm Australian. Yes, our government places severe restrictions on gun ownership. It's called democracy... get over it!
And NO... I can't remember the last time a kid went on a shooting spree in an Australian school.
We look at the US and shake our heads in amazement and sorrow.
They're pushing privacy issues at the moment aren't they?;-)
AOL Lawyer: "..We are here representing one of our valued customers, whom at this time will remain anonymous and will herein be referred to as Pres... ahh... Mr. X"
The sticking point, though, is the following quote from the site:
"Yes, these are actual screen shots!"
and yes, its probably been done since the days of pacman. But that shouldn't stop us from thowing M$ and co. into the fire should it?;-)
M@T
There are millions of bits and pieces of software and hardware out there...not all of it bad, particularly when you start looking at medical implementations and other one off systems.
As with mainstream TV, mainstream music and any other mass production market... 95% of it sucks... but that other 5%???? Yeah baby!!!
Once again we're trying to apply a complex technical solution to a problem because the simple solution seems too hard...
Phone rings in a theatre? Eject them 10 minutes into the movie. Same with restraunts, etc.
Clearly advertise the fact that this will happen if you take the chance of leaving your phone on whilst in the establishment, and people will soon learn.
These types of people get away with it time and time again because people are too afraid of confrontation these days (perhaps rightly so).
Quite simple. The player signs a contract with the club and the club signs a contract with the organisation running the competition, or something similar.
The organisation can choose to place any requirement within the contract, provided its legal. Its up to the player to decide whether the money/fame/fortune is worth the restrictions on his/her social life.
Would you be agreeable to Andover putting the
pinch on your credit card every time you visit
slashot or:
every time hit "Read More"?
every time you post a comment?
every time you go to a new page
within the slashdot domain?
Thats part of the problem with Micro-payment systems... at what point do you charge?
Of course you can trust it, silly person! You can read the source code.
ergo... if you don't understand the source code then you can't trust it any more than closed source software.
The real question is why anyone trusts closed-source financial systems. Yes, I know: the reputation of the author. But that applies to open
source as well, so it's nothing special.
I don't think so... if you're a company making money specifically off software that the company created then you *very much* care about your reputation - it precedes the ability of your software to do the job as a requirement.
As an Open Source developer you may or may not care about your reputation... its up to you.
For every PC around the world there was a person who just couldn't go to bed until they'd got the expert level out... it took four bombs in a row on the first square for you to realise that forces were against you solving it, at which point you'd turn the PC off in discust.
Solitaire's up there too... but I think Minesweeper has it in the bag.
Consecutive hours: Networked Quake
Networked Quake wins hands down for the game most likely to keep you in your seat for more than 8 hours straight. But only because of the level changes. You'd finally give up after getting creamed on a frag count and bam! Next Level. Current Frag count: 0 - Time for redemption.
I used to worry about my driving after some of our Quake sessions.
Melbourne, Australia, has a thriving network of trams (street cars) operating in the inner city areas. Some of the old ones are still running for historical purposes, but the majority are modern. ie. less than 10 years old.
I don't believe the city is thinking of removing them any time soon.
The worldwide market may not be what it was, but they still exist, and they're updated on a regular basis.
Money... Companies want to make money more than they want to spend it... even if spending money will likely make more money in the long run.
The have a market, they need a product.
Noone has ever sold a %100 finished product
when it comes to software. The market tolerates
%70 and thats what it gets. %100 finished means you missed the boat.
Lets assume that I'm a conscientious parent with home computer set up in the full view of everyone.
There are still times when I'm not going to be able to be there while my kids are surfing, or at a mates place with decidedly less supervision. Even good kids do stupid things.
Being a good parent is earning enough money to buy a nice house in a nice neighborhood and send your kids to a decent school. Good parenting is letting your kids know right from wrong and steering them away from the wrong crowd. As a good parent, you don't live next door to a drug pusher... you have that option. You don't have that option on the Internet.... that's my FUCKING POINT.
You can be the best parent in the world, and you still cannot be secure in the knowledge that your kids are getting into some serious shit on the 'net.
Lets not joke around here... there is some seriously fucked up, sadistic shit on the 'net.
Its not enough to just be a good parent... I'm talking about 6-14 year olds here BTW - kids who don't need to be sitting in a #pokemon chat room with Mr. Stinky posing as another kid.
I hate censorship software and filters with a passion... My pet peeve is that they're becoming more and more common in Australian schools and other public places and, by default, enforce American moral standards on Australian kids. The two societies are similar, but not the same - a point which is lost on our politicians.
There is also the VERY large issue of the banned lists of sites including sites that:
a) in no way qualify as a danger to kids but have fallen foul of a keyword search. eg (large Aussie company Dick Smith Electronics - forced to refer to itself as DSE across its entire web site)
or
b) are listed as an act of spite by the companies providing the software.
with no public disclosure of who is on their lists nor any legal recourse for those companies who are there inadvertently.
HOWEVER, I am torn between my high moral standing on freedom of expression and my ability to decide what I can and can't access, and my desire to protect my kids from some of the very BAD parts of the Internet.
The fact is that if you take the lowest common denominator for the human race and halve it, you're guaranteed to the result lurking somewhere on the net.
Lets assume that I'm a conscientious parent with home computer set up in the full view of everyone. There are still times when I'm not going to be able to be there while my kids are surfing, or at a mates place with decidedly less supervision. Even good kids do stupid things.
Slashdot has, quite rightly, bagged a lot of this software right from the start. What we haven't done yet is come up some alternatives...
This is where capitalism almost always seems to fail "new" technology.
We see it with MP3s, vidoe streaming (known as "broadcasting" is Oz), alternative fuels for cars; and a whole range of other essentially good and sound technology having the wind screwed out of its sails (and sales) due to the threat it poses for an existing, secure, cash-cow market filled with very large companies with far reaching opinions, that were built on the back of past "new" technology.
Given the profit margins most telcos can generate - they've more than covered any initial infrastructure outlays and on-going maintenance costs...
Besides, the telcos shouldn't be looking to lock out and regulate the voice over IP technology, they SHOULD be pioneering it!
Quick question: RIAA plan to control royalties for ALL copyrighted music on the Internet... exactly how do they think they're going to swing this by independent labels and other smaller record companies outside the United States ?
No, I didn't get the reference to Space Ghost Coast to Coast.
Yes, I automatically took it as a typical American World champions of the Iowa Pig Tossing Competion/no one else in the world exists view of the world (I wonder why?)
When I first saw Pokey I hurt bits of my brain trying to 'get' it. It didn't take too long to figure out that there just isn't any logic...
Its like Fred Basset then eh?
I've never gotten it, I don't get it and I never will, but given the shear number of publications the strip appears in, obviously a lot of others DO get it.
I don't get these sites that collapse when you give them a slight push.
Speaking of stupid... What a stupid thing to say.
You see any banner ads or something else that indicates that this is anything other than a guy with a hobby who decided to share his efforts with like-minded people on the net?
....I thought not... And you want him to be running a distributed network of robust web servers on the off chance the he might get slashdotted to hell one day.
Its one thing for the BSA to do a little PI work and get a law enforcement agency to get a search warrant and search your premises.... its entirely another thing if the BSA thinks that it can then set the penalty for any discovered breaches.
They can take you to court over the infringement and seek damages, but they certainly can't assign a punishment in the event that you have pirated material in your possession... and there is something horribly wrong with the system if they can.
Slashdot Mirror
Or did you mean that they don't have gasoline or bombs in your parrell universe?
Nice Try.
Why not take a look at the statistics per capita for firearms deaths in, say, the UK, Australia, Canada and the US... then try and argue the numbers.
When you've woken up to the situation, then drop the age limit to 18 and under and take another look.
You see, the thing here is that you can complain all you want - The Australian shooters party runs a candidate in almost every seat in every election .
Their success (or lack of it) is a prime example that most people in Aus. are generally quite happy with the current legislation...
As far as rights are concerned, how is the US any different BTW?
Can you legally own and carry fully automatic weapons, rocket launchers, mortars in he US?
No. You regulate the ownership of dangerous weapons... isn't your government trampling on people's rights too?
You're arguing various shades of grey... meanwhile your kids are dying.
It may not be entirely true, but the proliferation of firearms in the US certainly increases the resulting carnage when a kid does finally lose the plot. A gun can give an option to a kid who thought he had no options... you've just got to push them far enough to make it an option and, provided they have access, its all over. Disclaimer: Yes, I'm Australian. Yes, our government places severe restrictions on gun ownership. It's called democracy... get over it! And NO... I can't remember the last time a kid went on a shooting spree in an Australian school. We look at the US and shake our heads in amazement and sorrow.
They're pushing privacy issues at the moment aren't they? ;-)
AOL Lawyer: "..We are here representing one of our valued customers, whom at this time will remain anonymous and will herein be referred to as Pres... ahh... Mr. X"
Its a fair point.
This is just another example of their willingness to go to any length to prop-up and maintain THE IMAGE, no matter what the cost.
They are, above all else, a marketing company albeit a very good one
The sticking point, though, is the following quote from the site: "Yes, these are actual screen shots!" and yes, its probably been done since the days of pacman. But that shouldn't stop us from thowing M$ and co. into the fire should it? ;-)
M@T
There are millions of bits and pieces of software and hardware out there...not all of it bad, particularly when you start looking at medical implementations and other one off systems.
As with mainstream TV, mainstream music and any other mass production market... 95% of it sucks... but that other 5%???? Yeah baby!!!
Once again we're trying to apply a complex technical solution to a problem because the simple solution seems too hard... Phone rings in a theatre? Eject them 10 minutes into the movie. Same with restraunts, etc. Clearly advertise the fact that this will happen if you take the chance of leaving your phone on whilst in the establishment, and people will soon learn. These types of people get away with it time and time again because people are too afraid of confrontation these days (perhaps rightly so).
Quite simple. The player signs a contract with the club and the club signs a contract with the organisation running the competition, or something similar.
The organisation can choose to place any requirement within the contract, provided its legal. Its up to the player to decide whether the money/fame/fortune is worth the restrictions on his/her social life.
Would you be agreeable to Andover putting the pinch on your credit card every time you visit slashot or: every time hit "Read More"? every time you post a comment? every time you go to a new page within the slashdot domain? Thats part of the problem with Micro-payment systems... at what point do you charge?
$12,000?
Exactly how many times did you get stopped before you realised the cops didn't like them?
Of course you can trust it, silly person! You can read the source code.
ergo... if you don't understand the source code then you can't trust it any more than closed source software.
The real question is why anyone trusts closed-source financial systems. Yes, I know: the reputation of the author. But that applies to open
source as well, so it's nothing special.
I don't think so... if you're a company making money specifically off software that the company created then you *very much* care about your reputation - it precedes the ability of your software to do the job as a requirement.
As an Open Source developer you may or may not care about your reputation... its up to you.
The United States (although somewhat corrupt at times) is the only place that I can actually say is stable, inexpensive, and mostly free.
The ONLY place??
Thats pathetic. Buy a newspaper with a "World News" section and get out your atlas.
Most Addictive Game: Minesweeper
For every PC around the world there was a person who just couldn't go to bed until they'd got the expert level out... it took four bombs in a row on the first square for you to realise that forces were against you solving it, at which point you'd turn the PC off in discust.
Solitaire's up there too... but I think Minesweeper has it in the bag.
Consecutive hours: Networked Quake
Networked Quake wins hands down for the game most likely to keep you in your seat for more than 8 hours straight. But only because of the level changes. You'd finally give up after getting creamed on a frag count and bam! Next Level. Current Frag count: 0 - Time for redemption.
I used to worry about my driving after some of our Quake sessions.
Melbourne, Australia, has a thriving network of trams (street cars) operating in the inner city areas. Some of the old ones are still running for historical purposes, but the majority are modern. ie. less than 10 years old.
I don't believe the city is thinking of removing them any time soon.
The worldwide market may not be what it was, but they still exist, and they're updated on a regular basis.
Money... Companies want to make money more than they want to spend it... even if spending money will likely make more money in the long run.
The have a market, they need a product.
Noone has ever sold a %100 finished product
when it comes to software. The market tolerates
%70 and thats what it gets. %100 finished means you missed the boat.
Re: PARENTING!!
From my original post...
Lets assume that I'm a conscientious parent with home computer set up in the full view of everyone.
There are still times when I'm not going to be able to be there while my kids are surfing, or at a mates place with decidedly less supervision. Even good kids do stupid things.
Being a good parent is earning enough money to buy a nice house in a nice neighborhood and send your kids to a decent school. Good parenting is letting your kids know right from wrong and steering them away from the wrong crowd. As a good parent, you don't live next door to a drug pusher... you have that option. You don't have that option on the Internet.... that's my FUCKING POINT.
You can be the best parent in the world, and you still cannot be secure in the knowledge that your kids are getting into some serious shit on the 'net.
Lets not joke around here... there is some seriously fucked up, sadistic shit on the 'net.
Its not enough to just be a good parent... I'm talking about 6-14 year olds here BTW - kids who don't need to be sitting in a #pokemon chat room with Mr. Stinky posing as another kid.
M@T
I hate censorship software and filters with a passion... My pet peeve is that they're becoming more and more common in Australian schools and other public places and, by default, enforce American moral standards on Australian kids. The two societies are similar, but not the same - a point which is lost on our politicians.
There is also the VERY large issue of the banned lists of sites including sites that:
a) in no way qualify as a danger to kids but have fallen foul of a keyword search. eg (large Aussie company Dick Smith Electronics - forced to refer to itself as DSE across its entire web site)
or
b) are listed as an act of spite by the companies providing the software.
with no public disclosure of who is on their lists nor any legal recourse for those companies who are there inadvertently.
HOWEVER, I am torn between my high moral standing on freedom of expression and my ability to decide what I can and can't access, and my desire to protect my kids from some of the very BAD parts of the Internet.
The fact is that if you take the lowest common denominator for the human race and halve it, you're guaranteed to the result lurking somewhere on the net.
Lets assume that I'm a conscientious parent with home computer set up in the full view of everyone. There are still times when I'm not going to be able to be there while my kids are surfing, or at a mates place with decidedly less supervision. Even good kids do stupid things.
Slashdot has, quite rightly, bagged a lot of this software right from the start. What we haven't done yet is come up some alternatives...
So... what are the solutions???
M@T
This is where capitalism almost always seems to fail "new" technology.
We see it with MP3s, vidoe streaming (known as "broadcasting" is Oz), alternative fuels for cars; and a whole range of other essentially good and sound technology having the wind screwed out of its sails (and sales) due to the threat it poses for an existing, secure, cash-cow market filled with very large companies with far reaching opinions, that were built on the back of past "new" technology.
Given the profit margins most telcos can generate - they've more than covered any initial infrastructure outlays and on-going maintenance costs...
Besides, the telcos shouldn't be looking to lock out and regulate the voice over IP technology, they SHOULD be pioneering it!
Quick question: RIAA plan to control royalties for ALL copyrighted music on the Internet... exactly how do they think they're going to swing this by independent labels and other smaller record companies outside the United States ?
Bite me.
No, I didn't get the reference to Space Ghost Coast to Coast.
Yes, I automatically took it as a typical American World champions of the Iowa Pig Tossing Competion/no one else in the world exists view of the world (I wonder why?)
My apologies.
When I first saw Pokey I hurt bits of my brain trying to 'get' it. It didn't take too long to figure out that there just isn't any logic...
Its like Fred Basset then eh?
I've never gotten it, I don't get it and I never will, but given the shear number of publications the strip appears in, obviously a lot of others DO get it.
I don't get these sites that collapse when you give them a slight push.
Speaking of stupid... What a stupid thing to say.
You see any banner ads or something else that indicates that this is anything other than a guy with a hobby who decided to share his efforts with like-minded people on the net?
....I thought not... And you want him to be running a distributed network of robust web servers on the off chance the he might get slashdotted to hell one day.
Stupidity is pointing your way I'm afraid.
Its one thing for the BSA to do a little PI work and get a law enforcement agency to get a search warrant and search your premises.... its entirely another thing if the BSA thinks that it can then set the penalty for any discovered breaches.
They can take you to court over the infringement and seek damages, but they certainly can't assign a punishment in the event that you have pirated material in your possession... and there is something horribly wrong with the system if they can.