> Wreckless driving would be a good start or even destruction of property.
Well, I'd be mighty happy if everyone drove wrecklessly. Now, if they drove recklessly, that's another matter. Since it is private property, the police can't do much about it. The thing is, you can sue the other person for damages. That's what civil court is for.
Not that I agree with the law -- they can't protect you on someone else's private property, but they sure as hell can break down your door and toss your shit all over the place without your knowledge or consent and be "legally right."
> it's worth it to have the essential freedom to run a videocamera in a theater
The problem with your argument is that you are arguing something else entirely. It was already against the law, but now we have to waste taxpayer dollars to fight it instead of the company protecting its own property. THAT is what is wrong. Most sane people aren't seriously saying that everyone should be able to take a recorder to the movies and sell the result.
This is not strict enough! My mother was run over by a tuna on a unicycle *sob*. Fish should be banned from operating ANY vehicle with less than three wheels! They simply don't have the balance required to use them safely -- it's for their own good.
> Yeah. I SHOULDN'T come over and take your car, but hey, I'm not hurting anyone, am I? > Seriously...I'd like to hear an actual, valid justification for being allowed to do this.
There isn't one, since that is a straw man. The difference is that you are deprived of a car. If I videotape a movie in the theatre, I haven't taken anything away. Hell, I've even paid to see it!
I'm not saying I think it should be specificaly allowed, but it should not be illegal. The theatre owners have every right to kick you out for just about any reason, regardless of whether what you are doing is legal or not.
> With no prey, the predator can no longer survive.
Microsoft is an example that could go both ways. They have been in a situation where, realistically, they were the only choice and they survived just fine. Of course, they ended up investing in their competitors (sort of) to help keep them afloat...
> Check out similarly equipped machines from Dell and from your local mainstreet store. The mainstreet guys are generally cheaper.
One of the following is true: 1) You live in a city 2) You are lucky to have a large "mainstreet" PC store 3) your are on some seriously good crack
I live in a small city, but the few computer stores here are all WAAAAAY overpriced for the crap they sell. Here, people who want a reasonable price buy off the Internet.
That's a guaranteed way to never again get money from that person or anyone they know. Users do not like to be reminded that they are idiots, especially when they really are. The rest of your ideas, however, are pretty good.
> When I look inside any mass-produced system, including Dell, I think it looks like somebody dropped a pound of spaghetti
Don't know which Dell you are looking at, but All of them I have seen (Optiplexes) are very clean inside, with the ribbon cables running entirely along flat surfaces, perfect length, and held in place by those black cardboard-like things.
> The thing is, if someone is a mindless Dell zealot, I won't even sell them a system
So, instead of selling them a good computer, you send them BACK to Dell? Not very good business sense...
No, Dell will not transfer all of your old files. If they did that, they would have to also transfer all the programs you need to view those files. To keep in line with licensing, they would have to rewove them from your old Hard Drive as well (assuming commercial software). Sure, you could use open-source alternatives, but the user will complain that you deleted their program. If the luser stored files in strange locations (you know it happens ALL THE TIME) and Dell didn't find them, they would get all pissed off that "Dell deleted my files!" No, unless a business has an actual tech shop in your area, I would never even suggest that they transfer data for the users. That's a horribly stupid idea, and to think you say that is part of their downfall means you haven't thought long enough about it.
I don't know you, but you sound like an automatic anti-Dell zealot.
> People no longer look for the cheapest camera/dvd player/tv, they look for the highest quality
Then you only know rich people. In the real world, however, people still buy cheap crap because they want Cool Item X! but don't want to pay $500 for it. A lot of people I know, when shopping for electronics, find what they want as cheap as possible. Some of them then take that price +10% or so, and buy whatever falls into that category. They don't look for quality, they just have some semi-random estimate of what it should cost, then buy slightly-more-expensive crap. Sometimes the more expensive stuff is crap.
For instance, I know a lot of people who have Apex DVD players 'cuz they are dirt-ass cheap. None of them have had any problems (average ~1.5 yrs owned), but another friend with a slightly more expensive Pioneer had it break within a few months.
> Did the Eroica Symphony exist before Beethoven wrote it?
Does it exist now? What is a song? It is represented by marks on a paper, but that is not the song itself. A song is obviously a sequence of notes, played (or a set of sequences -- multiple instruments). All of those notes, rests, notations existed beforehand just as much as the song itself exists now. He just arranged those notes in an order that produced pleasure (or some other emotion).
I guess my whole argument is a "If a tree falls in the woods..." one. There's probably not any way to convince anyone of my position unless they already believe it.:)
> Are you aware that there are powerful organizations in the country that shape and frequently write the laws that get passed?
Yes, that is how "the system" "works." They write some laws that get passed, but they do not pass them themselves. The lobbyists would do very little if we were to actually vote good people into office. Although I suppose I am just as wrong as you, since lawyers aren't the ones who do it, it's poloticians -- most just happen to be lawyers, but many were lobbyists also.
> Keep thinking that.
I'll keep thinking that as long as I want because IT IS FUCKING TRUE, you dolt. I didn't say that's what they ACTUALLY did, I said it is what they are SUPPOSED to do. Try reading what I actually said before spouting off next time. Also, don't assume what I think. I think unions are outdated, corrupt organizations that steal money from their "members." (I put members in quotes because a lot of them are forced to pay dues, regardless of whether they actually join or not, and that money does nothing but line the pockets of the fucxers in charge.)
> Of all the words and analogies in the world you chose that one. It says something.
It says that I can make an analogy. If my analogy mentioned Michael Jackson, does that mean I am a child molester? Certainly not. You are the only one who read anything into it.
> Enjoy your job until it gets shipped to cambodia.
I see, if only you would have said "I am a Troll" beforehand, we could have saved a lot of time.
except what they were there for. Yahoo! mail is my personal choice, and their games area kicks ass. Their search engine is great, since it is Google... Weren't they originally a directory (glorified, organized search engine)? If you want a comprehensive list of businesses and sites to be useful to the end user, you do not require a mandatory fee just to be listed. That is like having a fee to be listed in the phone book (ignoring the Yellow Pages, of course, which is a slightly different beast).
> we'll have to open the box and examine the quality of construction inside
Good point, as this pretty much defines quality in any field. Will it do its job for a long time without falling apart? Eh, my old Amiga will, but anecdotal evidence isn't much evidence at all. Who knows, if I have the only perfectly-functioning Amiga 2K, it doesn't mean it's good quality -- just that I got lucky (hehe, don't I wish).
> like those $6 transistor radios Radio Shack used to sell
Ah yes, back when Radio Shack meant "quality." Wait, when was that again? I hear a lot of people remember how great RS used to be, but I don't remember that at all.
Slashdot Mirror
> We already have data theft and identity theft.
Data theft removes the original, and "Identity Theft" is better known as "Fraud."
> I'll give you a hint: $$$$$$$$.
No crap. Plus, during a movie, I'd rather see some dude using a camcorder as opposed to using a cellphone.
> Wreckless driving would be a good start or even destruction of property.
Well, I'd be mighty happy if everyone drove wrecklessly. Now, if they drove recklessly, that's another matter. Since it is private property, the police can't do much about it. The thing is, you can sue the other person for damages. That's what civil court is for.
Not that I agree with the law -- they can't protect you on someone else's private property, but they sure as hell can break down your door and toss your shit all over the place without your knowledge or consent and be "legally right."
> it's worth it to have the essential freedom to run a videocamera in a theater
The problem with your argument is that you are arguing something else entirely. It was already against the law, but now we have to waste taxpayer dollars to fight it instead of the company protecting its own property. THAT is what is wrong. Most sane people aren't seriously saying that everyone should be able to take a recorder to the movies and sell the result.
> Then what the fuck difference does this make?
You can go to jail for longer & be charged more in fines.
> banning fish from riding bicycles.
This is not strict enough! My mother was run over by a tuna on a unicycle *sob*. Fish should be banned from operating ANY vehicle with less than three wheels! They simply don't have the balance required to use them safely -- it's for their own good.
> Yeah. I SHOULDN'T come over and take your car, but hey, I'm not hurting anyone, am I?
> Seriously...I'd like to hear an actual, valid justification for being allowed to do this.
There isn't one, since that is a straw man. The difference is that you are deprived of a car. If I videotape a movie in the theatre, I haven't taken anything away. Hell, I've even paid to see it!
I'm not saying I think it should be specificaly allowed, but it should not be illegal. The theatre owners have every right to kick you out for just about any reason, regardless of whether what you are doing is legal or not.
> With no prey, the predator can no longer survive.
Microsoft is an example that could go both ways. They have been in a situation where, realistically, they were the only choice and they survived just fine. Of course, they ended up investing in their competitors (sort of) to help keep them afloat...
> > if you're the star of Brewster's Millions.
> When will you cruel people stop making fun of John Candy?
Just as soon as you stupid people realize that he wasn't the star of Brewster's Millions.
> Check out similarly equipped machines from Dell and from your local mainstreet store. The mainstreet guys are generally cheaper.
One of the following is true:
1) You live in a city
2) You are lucky to have a large "mainstreet" PC store
3) your are on some seriously good crack
I live in a small city, but the few computer stores here are all WAAAAAY overpriced for the crap they sell. Here, people who want a reasonable price buy off the Internet.
> The vendor pays a fee to Microsoft for pre-installing Windows
But the user does not know that.
> go to a website where they offer PCs with and without Microsoft Windows, and check the difference in price
Actually, it's typically $0. The "Microsoft Tax."
> Slashdot and all the armchair geeks!
No, we are real geeks. Armchair geeks are people who think they are geeks, but still call the case "the CPU" or, even better, "the Modem."
> rub their noses in their mistakes.
That's a guaranteed way to never again get money from that person or anyone they know. Users do not like to be reminded that they are idiots, especially when they really are. The rest of your ideas, however, are pretty good.
> When I look inside any mass-produced system, including Dell, I think it looks like somebody dropped a pound of spaghetti
Don't know which Dell you are looking at, but All of them I have seen (Optiplexes) are very clean inside, with the ribbon cables running entirely along flat surfaces, perfect length, and held in place by those black cardboard-like things.
> The thing is, if someone is a mindless Dell zealot, I won't even sell them a system
So, instead of selling them a good computer, you send them BACK to Dell? Not very good business sense...
No, Dell will not transfer all of your old files. If they did that, they would have to also transfer all the programs you need to view those files. To keep in line with licensing, they would have to rewove them from your old Hard Drive as well (assuming commercial software). Sure, you could use open-source alternatives, but the user will complain that you deleted their program. If the luser stored files in strange locations (you know it happens ALL THE TIME) and Dell didn't find them, they would get all pissed off that "Dell deleted my files!" No, unless a business has an actual tech shop in your area, I would never even suggest that they transfer data for the users. That's a horribly stupid idea, and to think you say that is part of their downfall means you haven't thought long enough about it.
I don't know you, but you sound like an automatic anti-Dell zealot.
> People no longer look for the cheapest camera/dvd player/tv, they look for the highest quality
Then you only know rich people. In the real world, however, people still buy cheap crap because they want Cool Item X! but don't want to pay $500 for it. A lot of people I know, when shopping for electronics, find what they want as cheap as possible. Some of them then take that price +10% or so, and buy whatever falls into that category. They don't look for quality, they just have some semi-random estimate of what it should cost, then buy slightly-more-expensive crap. Sometimes the more expensive stuff is crap.
For instance, I know a lot of people who have Apex DVD players 'cuz they are dirt-ass cheap. None of them have had any problems (average ~1.5 yrs owned), but another friend with a slightly more expensive Pioneer had it break within a few months.
> I am certian the Armada notebook from compaq has a dos boot up.
Fortunately, for rylin, he was talking about Dells. Not Compaqs.
> -To Be Determined: 1 (Mars Express/Beagle 2 [03])
Not to be a downer or anything, but unless I've missed something, the result seems to be determined already.
> no neighbors to bug, unless Mercury aliens
If Mercury & Mars are neighbors, Mercury & Earth must be in the same building... Wrong direction.
> We got there first, but the US is the first to get there in one piece!
For some reason, Tony Hoyle doesn't sound like a Russian name to me...
> "a lack of information" is correct [...] That's why we send the probes there. :)
Huh... The beautiful, simple truth usually wins out, but it isn't always the most obvious answer for some.
> Earthlings's sending their gas guzzlers to ruin their clean air.
Yeah, they have enough CO2 already!
> Did the Eroica Symphony exist before Beethoven wrote it?
:)
Does it exist now? What is a song? It is represented by marks on a paper, but that is not the song itself. A song is obviously a sequence of notes, played (or a set of sequences -- multiple instruments). All of those notes, rests, notations existed beforehand just as much as the song itself exists now. He just arranged those notes in an order that produced pleasure (or some other emotion).
I guess my whole argument is a "If a tree falls in the woods..." one. There's probably not any way to convince anyone of my position unless they already believe it.
> Are you aware that there are powerful organizations in the country that shape and frequently write the laws that get passed?
Yes, that is how "the system" "works." They write some laws that get passed, but they do not pass them themselves. The lobbyists would do very little if we were to actually vote good people into office. Although I suppose I am just as wrong as you, since lawyers aren't the ones who do it, it's poloticians -- most just happen to be lawyers, but many were lobbyists also.
> Keep thinking that.
I'll keep thinking that as long as I want because IT IS FUCKING TRUE, you dolt. I didn't say that's what they ACTUALLY did, I said it is what they are SUPPOSED to do. Try reading what I actually said before spouting off next time. Also, don't assume what I think. I think unions are outdated, corrupt organizations that steal money from their "members." (I put members in quotes because a lot of them are forced to pay dues, regardless of whether they actually join or not, and that money does nothing but line the pockets of the fucxers in charge.)
> Of all the words and analogies in the world you chose that one. It says something.
It says that I can make an analogy. If my analogy mentioned Michael Jackson, does that mean I am a child molester? Certainly not. You are the only one who read anything into it.
> Enjoy your job until it gets shipped to cambodia.
I see, if only you would have said "I am a Troll" beforehand, we could have saved a lot of time.
> Do a lot of things well.
except what they were there for. Yahoo! mail is my personal choice, and their games area kicks ass. Their search engine is great, since it is Google... Weren't they originally a directory (glorified, organized search engine)? If you want a comprehensive list of businesses and sites to be useful to the end user, you do not require a mandatory fee just to be listed. That is like having a fee to be listed in the phone book (ignoring the Yellow Pages, of course, which is a slightly different beast).
> we'll have to open the box and examine the quality of construction inside
Good point, as this pretty much defines quality in any field. Will it do its job for a long time without falling apart? Eh, my old Amiga will, but anecdotal evidence isn't much evidence at all. Who knows, if I have the only perfectly-functioning Amiga 2K, it doesn't mean it's good quality -- just that I got lucky (hehe, don't I wish).
> like those $6 transistor radios Radio Shack used to sell
Ah yes, back when Radio Shack meant "quality." Wait, when was that again? I hear a lot of people remember how great RS used to be, but I don't remember that at all.