I don't see the problem here for law abiding citizens. I have nothing to hide. I follow the law. It would protect me in the long run if ever I did get accused of something I didn't do.
The problem is that once the information is collected, there's no telling what it's being used for, or by whom. You have completely lost control.
A case in point: A national nightly news program last week outlined a situation where a woman had her car insurance cancelled. The reason? Well, it seems as though the company associated with one of her credit obligations made an error, which resulted in some negative information on her credit report. Her credit score was lowered, and because of this, her auto insurance was cancelled. She was able to eventually clear this up, but now, instead of here original rate, she's paying almost twice as much for the same insurance coverage. Interestingly, none of this has anything to do with her driving history.
So, if you think all it takes is being a law-abiding citizen is all it takes (actually, you're not really law-abiding, you're just beyond suspicion), just wait until someone decides, based on what you've bought or where you've been, that your insurance needs to be cancelled, or that you're not a good enough credit risk, or that you're not quite the "right" candidate for the job. Then tell me you don't see a problem with the collection, and most probably, misuse of personal information.
Even if you accept that figure, that meant we spent $350,000 to create EACH single new job.
On the other hand, you didn't mention what kind of tax cuts these were - if they affected mainly individuals, granted, it would provide them with more disposable income, but what they do with that income could range anywhere from immediately spending it, to paying off debt, to shoving it into a bank account or some kind of investment. Given this, if the U.S. government is granting tax breaks that benefit primarily individuals, it would seem a bit misleading for it (the government) to suggest that it will automatically translate into job creation- at least in terms of any kind of meaningful ROI.
Also, consider that many times these days, the numbers quoted by the government (especially when it comes to tax breaks and tax revenue) is the total amount that will be realized over a ten-year period. I can't remember if that's true in this case, however.
Censorship can come in many forms. Intimidation, for example, can be a form of censorship. While it doesn't include specific measures to prevent publication, the fear that one or more people might have of any ensuing consequences can be its own form of censorship. It's indirect, but it can be very effective.
I know WAY too many people who tried drugs because obviously the authorities were lying and so they were apparently trying to "protect" us against something good - so why not try it?
This amply demonstrates the huge flaw in the so-called "patriotic" measures to ensure "national security". They are neither patriotic, nor do they offer a solution to any terrorist threat, either real or imagined. The only thing they have done is turn the American government into the next big threat, where the source of terror could very well be an inside job.
And, there's no reason that Valve can't pull a Sony and charge both the monthly fee and for any expansions/additions, as Sony is doing right now with Planetside.
...it appears that the U.S. intelligence network is not quite up to the level that it should be.
I think that's a given. This surveillance mentality, which treats every American citizen as a potential terrorist, is just more of the same. The response of any determined terrorist would be to find out what they're looking for, and then do something else.
I've had conversations with friends who are very indifferent to the fact that various bits of information are collected here and there about them, never thinking that somehow, it could end up where they never expected it. I believe that you should treat information about yourself, about what you do, etc., with every bit as much care as you would the front door to your house. Once someone else has it, it's pretty much out of your control.
What was so revolutionary about a "plugin" architecture back in 1995? Were the browers the first applications every to support it? Hardly. Given this, it would seem that using plugins with respect to internet-based apps was merely an extension of an already-existing methodology.
Most states include Social Security numbers in their voter registration databases, nearly all of which are open to the public and many of which are searchable online.
The voter registration is just one more piece of information that can come back and haunt you- and apparently, it does.
The moral of the story is this: Before the government starts coming up with (and implementing) more brilliant ideas (like a national ID), we should be very careful to remember that its the government's own abuse and/or carelessness that's likely to cause the biggest problems. Although shredding documents with sensitive information can be a good preventive measure, it does NOTHING to prevent the kind of abuse that Cringely brings to light.
Another potential source of information (not mentioned by Cringely) are the documents that are routinely discarded by law firms, accountants, and medical establishments.
...found out the hard way that just because something has a more recent model number, in no way makes it a better product. After suffering through the miserable peformance of the 5200fx, and even the 5600fx, we came to the conclusion that NVidia should have just skipped the NV stuff and applied that effort to something more worthwhile. I ended up with a TI4200, and my friend ended up with a Radeon card, and as far as I'm concerned, most of the fx line just plain sucks.
I say this having just spent over $600 on books for college classes this semester. When the fsck did these things get so expensive?
No offense intended, but apparently there are enough people willing (or stupid enough) to pay $600 for textbooks- it's a consumer problem, and the blame lies squarely at their feet. It's the same dynamic that provides the RIAA with funds it needs to continue its encroachment on fair use. Keep paying for it, and they'll keep doing it.
I've used Mozilla primarily on the Mac (OS 9), and one thing I've NEVER understood is why Mozilla, at its worst, eats up about 137+ MB of RAM. This is unacceptable. I suspect that much of it has to do with the growing amount of E-mail that i've collected in to various folders, but there has to be a better way.
I've been wondering if piping all the email to a true database engine wouldn't be an interesting option for those that want to endure the process of setting it up. MySQL is fast, lean, and I'm guessing that the initial load time when opening the e-mail client might be cut substantially.
Also remember that I can still buy a third-party accelerator, video card, sound card, or other PCI devices. I can also install third-party hard drives, CDs, etc. I can also purchase and install any number of 3rd party utilities, any of which could rely on low-level access to the operating system (or at least the ROM toolbox).
Software engineering is like no other 'engineering' discipline - with bridges, structures and the like, you're working with known methodologies that have been tried and tested for hundreds of years. Since the laws of physics don't change, the only reason for the engineering to change is when confronted by new circumstances.
With computer software, you have the very distinct possibility that every environment is slightly different than the next - a graphics card from one company (with its own driver), a hard disk from another, an operating system from another, a few utilities, thrown in, and add to this, the inherent instability from something as large as the Microsoft Windows, and there WILL be problems.
The fact is, that unless you have complete control over the user's evironment (and god forbid that ever happens), there is no reasonable way that you, as a software engineer, will be able to assess and test for every possible point of failure. It's a numbers game. Consider the ramifications of extending the testing phase to include a large number of theoretical problems...it would run the cost of software through the roof. It would destroy the software industry as we know it, and it would impose severe, if not downright draconian limits on choice.
Your computer is your responsibility. Just as you wouldn't expect your neighbor (or the government) to make sure your windows and doors are locked, it is no more their responsibility to make sure you're running a patched version of Windows. If *your* computer gets compromised, tough. Learn and move on. The people that have the correctly-patched software will not be affected, and those that refuse to heed the warnings will get what they deserve.
Government regulation will do NOTHING to stop the introduction of viruses, nor will it do anything to remedy situations where there is no prior warning. It will most definitely add a huge pile of red tape to any process that it touches, so that managing a computer network becomes a labrynthine, bureaucratic, nightmare. Imagine NOT being able to apply a patch, or some other fix because it hasn't been offically 'approved' by some government agency. If you think we have problems now....
In practice, often the only feature that really gets used is email
Not true...I've been waiting for a PIM that incorporates the ability to journal events. Most of them assume that you *always* want to schedule something in the future, and almost none of them cater to the fact that there are many things that happen on a day-to-day basis that need to be noted *after* the fact - phone calls from clients, for example. I see that Aethera has a notebook, and I'm hoping that it meets this requirement.
An opportunity to make money arrised when you provide something of value in exchange for monetary remuneration. Government isn't about making money...it's about taking money. I make it, they take it. Simple.
So, what do I get in return that's of any value? Quite simply, one could argue that the streets, police, schools, national defense (minus Ashcroft, Poindexter & Co.) etc. comprise value that I receive for my tax money. But the natural tendency is to take more and more without providing an equivalent return in value, and that's exactly what's happening here. If the citizens in Florida are smart, they'll put an end to this faster than a politician can say "Cat 5", much less figure out what it means.
It also implies that if I create a copyrighted work, it is the government that gets to decide how I can distribute it, and what kind of permission I can grant. I'd like to think that absent any other agreement, the one-copy clause holds true, thereby permitting the me protection by default, but also the ability to specify any alternate terms I might find more to my liking. In the case of the GPL, those alternate terms are clearly spelled out.
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I don't see the problem here for law abiding citizens. I have nothing to hide. I follow the law. It would protect me in the long run if ever I did get accused of something I didn't do.
The problem is that once the information is collected, there's no telling what it's being used for, or by whom. You have completely lost control.
A case in point: A national nightly news program last week outlined a situation where a woman had her car insurance cancelled. The reason? Well, it seems as though the company associated with one of her credit obligations made an error, which resulted in some negative information on her credit report. Her credit score was lowered, and because of this, her auto insurance was cancelled. She was able to eventually clear this up, but now, instead of here original rate, she's paying almost twice as much for the same insurance coverage. Interestingly, none of this has anything to do with her driving history.
So, if you think all it takes is being a law-abiding citizen is all it takes (actually, you're not really law-abiding, you're just beyond suspicion), just wait until someone decides, based on what you've bought or where you've been, that your insurance needs to be cancelled, or that you're not a good enough credit risk, or that you're not quite the "right" candidate for the job. Then tell me you don't see a problem with the collection, and most probably, misuse of personal information.
I'm also not going to pirate it. So I won't be "stealing" any of the Record Company's profits. I just won't be adding to them, either.
You "get" it. So many are still relatively clueless.
Even if you accept that figure, that meant we spent $350,000 to create EACH single new job.
On the other hand, you didn't mention what kind of tax cuts these were - if they affected mainly individuals, granted, it would provide them with more disposable income, but what they do with that income could range anywhere from immediately spending it, to paying off debt, to shoving it into a bank account or some kind of investment. Given this, if the U.S. government is granting tax breaks that benefit primarily individuals, it would seem a bit misleading for it (the government) to suggest that it will automatically translate into job creation- at least in terms of any kind of meaningful ROI.
Also, consider that many times these days, the numbers quoted by the government (especially when it comes to tax breaks and tax revenue) is the total amount that will be realized over a ten-year period. I can't remember if that's true in this case, however.
I've seen lives ruined from the criminal charges associated with marijuana
And I've seen lives ruined by the stupid choices people make while under the influence of marajuana...and other drugs.
Censorship can come in many forms. Intimidation, for example, can be a form of censorship. While it doesn't include specific measures to prevent publication, the fear that one or more people might have of any ensuing consequences can be its own form of censorship. It's indirect, but it can be very effective.
I know WAY too many people who tried drugs because obviously the authorities were lying and so they were apparently trying to "protect" us against something good - so why not try it?
Good? How do you figure?
So could telephones
So could paper.
This amply demonstrates the huge flaw in the so-called "patriotic" measures to ensure "national security". They are neither patriotic, nor do they offer a solution to any terrorist threat, either real or imagined. The only thing they have done is turn the American government into the next big threat, where the source of terror could very well be an inside job.
And, there's no reason that Valve can't pull a Sony and charge both the monthly fee and for any expansions/additions, as Sony is doing right now with Planetside.
...it appears that the U.S. intelligence network is not quite up to the level that it should be.
I think that's a given. This surveillance mentality, which treats every American citizen as a potential terrorist, is just more of the same. The response of any determined terrorist would be to find out what they're looking for, and then do something else.
Pity the people who see the healthcare industry for the huge racket that it is, and only use it as an absolute last resort.
it's the web designers who would be better off with a basic grasp of graphic design.
IMHO, it's web designers who would be better off with a basic grasp of USABILITY.
I've had conversations with friends who are very indifferent to the fact that various bits of information are collected here and there about them, never thinking that somehow, it could end up where they never expected it. I believe that you should treat information about yourself, about what you do, etc., with every bit as much care as you would the front door to your house. Once someone else has it, it's pretty much out of your control.
What was so revolutionary about a "plugin" architecture back in 1995? Were the browers the first applications every to support it? Hardly. Given this, it would seem that using plugins with respect to internet-based apps was merely an extension of an already-existing methodology.
Why not just require that all personal registrants provide and maintain a valid e-mail address?
What do identity thieves do once they have the necessary information? They go out and get an ID.
Most states include Social Security numbers in their voter registration databases, nearly all of which are open to the public and many of which are searchable online.
The voter registration is just one more piece of information that can come back and haunt you- and apparently, it does.
The moral of the story is this: Before the government starts coming up with (and implementing) more brilliant ideas (like a national ID), we should be very careful to remember that its the government's own abuse and/or carelessness that's likely to cause the biggest problems. Although shredding documents with sensitive information can be a good preventive measure, it does NOTHING to prevent the kind of abuse that Cringely brings to light.
Another potential source of information (not mentioned by Cringely) are the documents that are routinely discarded by law firms, accountants, and medical establishments.
...found out the hard way that just because something has a more recent model number, in no way makes it a better product. After suffering through the miserable peformance of the 5200fx, and even the 5600fx, we came to the conclusion that NVidia should have just skipped the NV stuff and applied that effort to something more worthwhile. I ended up with a TI4200, and my friend ended up with a Radeon card, and as far as I'm concerned, most of the fx line just plain sucks.
I say this having just spent over $600 on books for college classes this semester. When the fsck did these things get so expensive?
No offense intended, but apparently there are enough people willing (or stupid enough) to pay $600 for textbooks- it's a consumer problem, and the blame lies squarely at their feet. It's the same dynamic that provides the RIAA with funds it needs to continue its encroachment on fair use. Keep paying for it, and they'll keep doing it.
I've used Mozilla primarily on the Mac (OS 9), and one thing I've NEVER understood is why Mozilla, at its worst, eats up about 137+ MB of RAM. This is unacceptable. I suspect that much of it has to do with the growing amount of E-mail that i've collected in to various folders, but there has to be a better way.
I've been wondering if piping all the email to a true database engine wouldn't be an interesting option for those that want to endure the process of setting it up. MySQL is fast, lean, and I'm guessing that the initial load time when opening the e-mail client might be cut substantially.
Can you say... less than 10% of the market?
Also remember that I can still buy a third-party accelerator, video card, sound card, or other PCI devices. I can also install third-party hard drives, CDs, etc. I can also purchase and install any number of 3rd party utilities, any of which could rely on low-level access to the operating system (or at least the ROM toolbox).
Software engineering is like no other 'engineering' discipline - with bridges, structures and the like, you're working with known methodologies that have been tried and tested for hundreds of years. Since the laws of physics don't change, the only reason for the engineering to change is when confronted by new circumstances.
With computer software, you have the very distinct possibility that every environment is slightly different than the next - a graphics card from one company (with its own driver), a hard disk from another, an operating system from another, a few utilities, thrown in, and add to this, the inherent instability from something as large as the Microsoft Windows, and there WILL be problems.
The fact is, that unless you have complete control over the user's evironment (and god forbid that ever happens), there is no reasonable way that you, as a software engineer, will be able to assess and test for every possible point of failure. It's a numbers game. Consider the ramifications of extending the testing phase to include a large number of theoretical problems...it would run the cost of software through the roof. It would destroy the software industry as we know it, and it would impose severe, if not downright draconian limits on choice.
Your computer is your responsibility. Just as you wouldn't expect your neighbor (or the government) to make sure your windows and doors are locked, it is no more their responsibility to make sure you're running a patched version of Windows. If *your* computer gets compromised, tough. Learn and move on. The people that have the correctly-patched software will not be affected, and those that refuse to heed the warnings will get what they deserve.
Government regulation will do NOTHING to stop the introduction of viruses, nor will it do anything to remedy situations where there is no prior warning. It will most definitely add a huge pile of red tape to any process that it touches, so that managing a computer network becomes a labrynthine, bureaucratic, nightmare. Imagine NOT being able to apply a patch, or some other fix because it hasn't been offically 'approved' by some government agency. If you think we have problems now....
In practice, often the only feature that really gets used is email
Not true...I've been waiting for a PIM that incorporates the ability to journal events. Most of them assume that you *always* want to schedule something in the future, and almost none of them cater to the fact that there are many things that happen on a day-to-day basis that need to be noted *after* the fact - phone calls from clients, for example. I see that Aethera has a notebook, and I'm hoping that it meets this requirement.
It's an opportunity to make money.
An opportunity to make money arrised when you provide something of value in exchange for monetary remuneration. Government isn't about making money...it's about taking money. I make it, they take it. Simple.
So, what do I get in return that's of any value? Quite simply, one could argue that the streets, police, schools, national defense (minus Ashcroft, Poindexter & Co.) etc. comprise value that I receive for my tax money. But the natural tendency is to take more and more without providing an equivalent return in value, and that's exactly what's happening here. If the citizens in Florida are smart, they'll put an end to this faster than a politician can say "Cat 5", much less figure out what it means.
Jody....
To you and the rest of the Gnumeric team...
Thanks.
Bravo.
It also implies that if I create a copyrighted work, it is the government that gets to decide how I can distribute it, and what kind of permission I can grant. I'd like to think that absent any other agreement, the one-copy clause holds true, thereby permitting the me protection by default, but also the ability to specify any alternate terms I might find more to my liking. In the case of the GPL, those alternate terms are clearly spelled out.