Yes, it's internet highway robbery, but it's no surprise, considering the deals that the major labels have been shoving on their artists up to now. Have you ever read an average recording contract? It's insane. Just about every cost the label incurs up front is recoupable in some form or another from the artist, and once the expenses have been covered, the artist nets a whopping 8% of the sales. And that's if they got a "good" deal.
Not to mention the tricks they pull when you don't sell 10 million copies of your debut release. Long story short, only desperate people would sign deals like this, and, go figure, desperate is exactly what most unsigned musicians are. If musicians had any sort of leverage whatsoever, these deals would have been illegal long ago.
Let's take a quick look back in recent media CEO/Editorial/Management history...Ted Turner, Howell Raines, Rick Kaplan...yep, rabid "neo-cons", one and all.
He had me at "Why do aspx pages have to be compiled with the Build feature in Visual Studio in order to work properly? How would I get an aspx page to function without Visual Studio.NET?"
That's a great theory. Unfortunately, since it completely rules out the possibility that global warming is caused by SUVs, Americans, or Capitalism, there's no way that it can be true. Sorry, try again.
...others (if they infringe at all) will follow the lead...
The only problem with this is that Eolas has freely admitted that they are not going to go after any other browser, only IE. As Mozilla, et. al gain popularity and market share, the possibility exists that we'll have a further fracturing of an already splintered HTML/Javascript implementation across browsers.
One question I have is whether Microsoft has any sort of case against Eolas for discriminatory behavior or extortion, since Eolas has admittedly singled them out. Obviously, IANAL.
Then again, there's always the wishful thinking that Eolas will realize that they're never gonna get a penny out of their predatory patent, give up, and release it to the public domain. Yeah, wishful thinking.
He touts himself as some heroic champion of the "small players", while complaining because MS is 'clearly...trying to solidify their control over Web technologies.' Puh-fucking-leeze. This guy is exploring new frontiers in hypocrisy. Takes a bully to know one, I guess.
Not only this, but GP can also be read to mean the converse generalization that anyone who is not drinking the "Global Warming" kool-aid is automatically a "right-wing extremist". It's a nice sly little troll, but it's still a troll.
Plus, if he's writing headlines like Brain Surgery Patient Trapped in a Mental Time Warp, you also really have to wonder if he's pilfering from the Weekly World News.
Actually, that was about the last thing on my mind. What I was referring to was this past Friday's episode of Battlestar Galactica, where they miraculously "discover" a cure for a major character's cancer. It seemed pretty timely to me, but apparently the mods have no sense of humor. Go figure.
C'mon, don't confuse him like that! He knows that capitalism is EVIL (TM), and if you don't believe it, just ask his Econ 101 professor. Or just about anyone else "cool" on campus, for that matter.
Slashdot Mirror
It is nice to see more companies serious about helping to getting rid of our oil dependency.
Yeah, it uses close to 7000 laptop batteries and costs over $80K. These guys are REEEEEAL serious about it.
Yes, it's internet highway robbery, but it's no surprise, considering the deals that the major labels have been shoving on their artists up to now. Have you ever read an average recording contract? It's insane. Just about every cost the label incurs up front is recoupable in some form or another from the artist, and once the expenses have been covered, the artist nets a whopping 8% of the sales. And that's if they got a "good" deal.
Not to mention the tricks they pull when you don't sell 10 million copies of your debut release. Long story short, only desperate people would sign deals like this, and, go figure, desperate is exactly what most unsigned musicians are. If musicians had any sort of leverage whatsoever, these deals would have been illegal long ago.
You're absolutely right! There *is* a huge difference:
"getting by" == Big major-label record deal
Playing a piece well with great tone and zero mistakes == "Uncool, who wants to hear that wankery?"
</cynicism>
Let's take a quick look back in recent media CEO/Editorial/Management history...Ted Turner, Howell Raines, Rick Kaplan...yep, rabid "neo-cons", one and all.
Try again.
He had me at "Why do aspx pages have to be compiled with the Build feature in Visual Studio in order to work properly? How would I get an aspx page to function without Visual Studio .NET?"
Simply stunning.
That's a great theory. Unfortunately, since it completely rules out the possibility that global warming is caused by SUVs, Americans, or Capitalism, there's no way that it can be true. Sorry, try again.
</sarcasm>
...others (if they infringe at all) will follow the lead...
The only problem with this is that Eolas has freely admitted that they are not going to go after any other browser, only IE. As Mozilla, et. al gain popularity and market share, the possibility exists that we'll have a further fracturing of an already splintered HTML/Javascript implementation across browsers.
One question I have is whether Microsoft has any sort of case against Eolas for discriminatory behavior or extortion, since Eolas has admittedly singled them out. Obviously, IANAL.
Then again, there's always the wishful thinking that Eolas will realize that they're never gonna get a penny out of their predatory patent, give up, and release it to the public domain. Yeah, wishful thinking.
...tell me this whole thing doesn't stink like the deepest abyss of Hell.
Actually, a quick read of this nauseating interview with Eolas Thug-in-Chief Michael Doyle confirms that it does, in fact, stink like the deepest abyss of hell.
He touts himself as some heroic champion of the "small players", while complaining because MS is 'clearly...trying to solidify their control over Web technologies.' Puh-fucking-leeze. This guy is exploring new frontiers in hypocrisy. Takes a bully to know one, I guess.
...it will be known far and wide as the "Octopile o' Crap."
...and the closest thing we have to a Thomas Edison in our generation.
Does that mean Kamen's stealing all of his inventions from Nikola Tesla, too?
Mandatory Motorcycle Helmet Laws: a Primer
Many people hate mandatory helmet laws, and choose to ride motorcycles without wearing a helmet. These people are more commonly known as idiots.
This ends the Primer. Have a nice day.
...close to 100 comments and not ONE that goes like this:
"The first machine I ever OWNED was your Windows box."
C'mon, slashbots! Wake up!
...If this topic isn't a trollfest waiting to happen, I don't know what is.
Not only this, but GP can also be read to mean the converse generalization that anyone who is not drinking the "Global Warming" kool-aid is automatically a "right-wing extremist". It's a nice sly little troll, but it's still a troll.
He should have use Jack Daniel's or Jim Beam. That way, when the computer dies, he can just put it up on cinder blocks in the front yard.
Yeah, it would. By quickly relieving me of the job.
I get on /. to try and escape this crap for a few minutes! Thanks a bunch!
Plus, if he's writing headlines like Brain Surgery Patient Trapped in a Mental Time Warp, you also really have to wonder if he's pilfering from the Weekly World News.
We find it making a living from cleaning the insides of a sharks mouth.
Wait a sec, what does this topic have to do with The Apprentice?
Actually, that was about the last thing on my mind. What I was referring to was this past Friday's episode of Battlestar Galactica, where they miraculously "discover" a cure for a major character's cancer. It seemed pretty timely to me, but apparently the mods have no sense of humor. Go figure.
They didn't happen to discover this gene by examining the blood of a Human/Cylon hybrid fetus, did they?
Isn't affirmative action great? Let's all fight racism with...wait for it...more racism! Brilliant!
Make that two words: Double Standard.
You'd better be prepared for the Mac fanboy onslaught of "If it's not Scottish, it's CRAP!"
C'mon, don't confuse him like that! He knows that capitalism is EVIL (TM), and if you don't believe it, just ask his Econ 101 professor. Or just about anyone else "cool" on campus, for that matter.