One reason the ISPs are so high on the hog is also one of the reasons we are so mad at the banks right now. They got a stimulus to put more into infrastructure, adnt hey just swallowed it and didn't do shit with the money but pay off thier execs.
Except that if you use a vehicle to transport such contraband it can usually be taken away under forfeiture laws...but that's another can of worms.
ISPs are at legal risk if their users download illegally simply because they're the ones that are going to get sued if someone complains. Even a completely meritless suit will cause an ISP to panic.
If I was the owner, and I was like that, then I'd probably find myself shot in the foot by my own stupid policies...and sadly my IT staff would sink with me.
The smart ones would probably see this coming a mile away and they'd be long gone with better jobs before the rest of the rats drowned.
Either way, it's my problem and IT can't solve it.
I'll reserve judgement until this patent is involved, offensively, defensively or otherwise, in litigation.
Google has got a good reputation so I'm not as quick to condemn them as I am to condemn Microsoft which has a PROVEN track record of evil.
It's entirely plausible that this patent is part of a defensive patent portfolio whose sole purpose is to protect Google.
And considering the zany IP landscape, if anyone's going to have a patent on this, I'd rather it be Google than anyone else. If Microsoft had this club in their arsenal you can bet your bottom dollar they'd make their assault on Tom-Tom look like a puny peashooter.
If Google pisses off the chinese bureaucrats badly enough you can bet that a lot of their employees over there will wind up being jailed for bullshit offenses and then quietly disappear.
Actually, the stolen stuff comes directly out of its pockets, in the form of paid invoices for the items that were nicked.
From an economics standpoint, there is no difference between a fine and a theft. If the thief is never apprehended it hurts their assets just as badly as a legit fine.
The only blame that is deserved is upon the thief, who got away with it.
Much like spammers freely exploit stolen computing resources...and get away with it.
Slashdot Mirror
I agree.
One reason the ISPs are so high on the hog is also one of the reasons we are so mad at the banks right now. They got a stimulus to put more into infrastructure, adnt hey just swallowed it and didn't do shit with the money but pay off thier execs.
Aha, there's a weakness right there.
Just like someone can use a gun to force you to give up the PIN on your card...
Besides, what good is having a 20 character password if a 5 or 7 character password can unlock it?
A silly law isn't going to stop the terrorists, or the enemy. That's why we have the military.
Of course, silly laws don't stop the government either.
Never attribute to malice that which...you know the rest.
If you're in China, the police don't NEED a back door.
Except that if you use a vehicle to transport such contraband it can usually be taken away under forfeiture laws...but that's another can of worms.
ISPs are at legal risk if their users download illegally simply because they're the ones that are going to get sued if someone complains. Even a completely meritless suit will cause an ISP to panic.
All the higher ups care about is soaking up the moolah then moving on.
It isn't even capitalism anymore.
The one who has the gold makes the rules.
The one who makes the rules...KEEPS THE GOLD!!!
The CEO *can* be fired. By the bankruptcy judge.
Backups are like insurance.
A net loss in the long run, but in the short run for those (un?)-lucky bastards where it pays off it saves your ass.
If I was the owner, and I was like that, then I'd probably find myself shot in the foot by my own stupid policies...and sadly my IT staff would sink with me.
The smart ones would probably see this coming a mile away and they'd be long gone with better jobs before the rest of the rats drowned.
Either way, it's my problem and IT can't solve it.
If I were the person in charge of examining that machine I'd be complaining about personal use of company equipment.
It's also worth remembering that having your employer go bankrupt and unable to meet the payroll is just as bad for you as if they fired you.
It's like subleasing.
The economy is the landlord, your boss is the tenant, and you are the subtenant.
You piss off your boss, you are gone, but if he runs the company into the ground, you're toast anyway.
In the present economy where employees are a dime a dozen, what's the difference?
Your british accent and jargon brings up a valid point.
Know the fucking law.
And it might not be ye olde american system you're dealing with.
The congress has the power to collect taxes.
Did they exercise it? Does the IRS have a valid chain of authority back to constitutional roots?
The monopolist would disagree with you.
And I'm not sure I want competition in the government industry. We call that a civil war.
If the ship is sinking, get into a lifeboat.
The captain always goes down with his ship. The only question is how many of the crew make it out alive.
Unions and greedy corporations both suck.
The problem is unrestrained lust for power, which often is gained at the expense of others.
It is a dog eat dog world after all.
I'd rather have a self-hamstrung justice system than one that lets the powerful people at the top do whatever the fuck they want to do.
Bureaucracy is a pain in the ass, but it's a damned good defense against evil men in powerful places.
Centralized control is perfect except for that small detail of not always being able to trust the point man.
I'll avoid a Godwin offense.
I'll reserve judgement until this patent is involved, offensively, defensively or otherwise, in litigation.
Google has got a good reputation so I'm not as quick to condemn them as I am to condemn Microsoft which has a PROVEN track record of evil.
It's entirely plausible that this patent is part of a defensive patent portfolio whose sole purpose is to protect Google.
And considering the zany IP landscape, if anyone's going to have a patent on this, I'd rather it be Google than anyone else. If Microsoft had this club in their arsenal you can bet your bottom dollar they'd make their assault on Tom-Tom look like a puny peashooter.
EMP?
If Google pisses off the chinese bureaucrats badly enough you can bet that a lot of their employees over there will wind up being jailed for bullshit offenses and then quietly disappear.
The problem with doing business in china is not only dealing with a home court advantage, but a referee on the competitor's payroll.
Nobody can win in a situation like that. That's the whole point of a fixed game.
Sounds more like an illegal monopolization tactic to me.
"We won't give you MS stuff unless you agree not to support free software."
Actually, the stolen stuff comes directly out of its pockets, in the form of paid invoices for the items that were nicked.
From an economics standpoint, there is no difference between a fine and a theft. If the thief is never apprehended it hurts their assets just as badly as a legit fine.
The only blame that is deserved is upon the thief, who got away with it.
Much like spammers freely exploit stolen computing resources...and get away with it.