I'm working on my letters, two, one directly to Sony, and one to Harvey Norman.
I suck at letter writing... and I hate it so damn much... but I feel strongly enough about this.
A positive sign for Australians is the state of things in the UK, when I mentioned this to the ACCC they were very interested (I suspect being a Commonwealth country there's some influence here)
I've never been a fan of consoles, I've never been a fan of Sony - I bought one console since the days of the Sega Megadrive (Genesis for some of you), the PS3, because it offered the freedom of Linux.
In fact, out side of that console, and the 5 or so games, and one blu-ray movie I own, I don't think I've ever bought another Sony product.
Now you can be sure until the end of days every time I pick something up to buy I will go over the food chain in my head to see if Sony is part of that purchase.
What evidence did we have when we laid down $700 on an original PS3 which was marketed with "OtherOS" on the box that they would remove "OtherOS" later?
OtherOS was sandboxed and meant to be secure...
-
Just because streaming is via dnla doesn't mean it's secure and can't be used to load an exploit into the ps3 by some form of attack.
- Security excuse
Just because there's DRM supported in the protocol doesn't mean it stops anyone from playing pirated media.
- Security excuse
-
Really it's not that hard to imagine - if they feel free and safe removing a feature that was on the marketing material - then why not another?
Any port or protocol that allows interaction with the device provides an attack vector to break into it.
Never say never, if one of the best vetted lumps of code on earth (OpenSSH) can be hacked for remote access then any code can.
Actually, that does explain a lot of things - all through march I was having issues with Twitter on my Virgin connection yet I could ssh home to my Internode connection and twidge to my hearts content... I complained but they couldn't see a problem (they probably weren't using their own dns servers)
An alternative, have the whole lot done by a couple of programmable microcontroller - in this day and age there's no need to build a whole software system to do this.
The week before polling a manufacturer can burn verified programs to microcontrollers, these can then be run through second and third parties to test the code burnt for verification, drop them into chip mounts inside the booths and again test by second and third partys - build the booths in such away as you need 3 keys to open it one share them out.
I don't know why everyone has such a problem with this - the act of voting, manually or electronically is rather simple and not an overly difficult task.
Have a touch screen/keyboard overlay that displays the candidates and the computer records the order you tick the boxes.
Then prints on paper in fixed locations to match the screen overlay numbers that represent the order a box was chosen (Look at a lottery quick pick, or a machine readable ticket) print a barcode at the bottom that encodes the time, date, location, etc, the options chosen and a checksum (Perhaps one of those new fangled 3d barcodes so people may even be able to verify it with their phones/etc)
Make sure the print out and the screen are displayed side by side, if they don't match the voter is to manually cross out with a specific pen (no computer crossing out at all).
Oh and make sure they can't unlock the voting booth until they confirm one way or the other:D If the numbers in b oxes don't match the barcode the vote is declared illegal.
Added points if after the user verifies the vote it's saved locally, sent to a central location, and uploaded to two independent bodies (which check the central location and each other to verify the vote)
Even more points if the barcodes, votes, and backup systems are checked routinely - like every hour all votes are scanned and compared.
The key here is that the humans and the machines are able to read the primary component printout - barcodes are only there as double checks.
Paper systems aren't foil proof - especially as we're given PENCILS to mark the boxes - and as much as they're under supervision a whole group of supervisors can be abusing the system...
...the dumbest thing I've ever heard. Calling 911 because someone is making you feel bad? Calling 911 because some guy 1000 miles away wrote some words that made you feel bad?
In which case, can I call 911 (actually 000) because the retards in Canberra keep entertaining stupid stupid ideas? That's making me feel bad....
I've been somewhat tempted by the idea of making and releasing a $20 game that is as gory and politically incorrect as possible - see it get banned in Australia (Which a) won't be hard, b) would be interesting because that's where I am), Russia, Germany...
Encourage piracy and importation of the game in those countries, and keep anonymous statistics of the number of users playing the game in which country - just to demonstrate that bans are ineffective and a waste of time.
I'd rather have the freedom to watch a movie or show (when I actually find one worth watching) on my old CRT TV (which isn't yet due for replacement through failure) than be forced to upgrade my TV just so some fat cat can get fatter.
Incidentally - isn't most piracy digital, not analog? sure people still record stuff on their VHS recorders and maybe share it with friends and family, but that can't be as bad as someone stripping the DRM from a stream and putting it on a torrent for the whole world to grab.
If I were MPAA I'd be encouraging analog users as the lesser of two evils.
I suppose, lucky because I know well enough to shop around for ISP's a lot of people literally jump on the incumbent telco/provider, or the first provider that knocks on their door - which would lead me to consider them rather unlucky.
Then there are those who stubbornly refuse to try anything else because they've always known and used the incumbent - I considerer those people rather stupid
Here in the internet backwater country we call Australia we get a limited amount of bandwidth usage quota.
Every time the PS3/game downloads advertisements it uses my limited quota...
If I run out of quota I either have to buy more, or suffer 64kbit shaping...
And I consider myself lucky, some ISP's charge 18 cents per meg when you go over your quota without the ability to buy more.
I don't mind ads in web pages, or even sensible advertising in online gaming because they constantly require money to upkeep - but a game I've PAID FOR download and am playing OFFLINE doesn't cost the provider a damn cent!
I honestly hate the thought of paying money to spend money - surely it costs less to maintain a bank of computers then it costs to count and sort notes and coins. So many things have fee's for "digital" transactions these days - when in truth you're saving them a fortune (eg: cinema, $1 fee to buy and print your own ticket, 1: You're saving them staff at the counter, 2: You're saving them actual costs of printing the ticket. - and don't start with the "oh credit card fee" or "online processing costs money" cos surely if I were to pay with my credit card at the counter they'd cop the same fee)
is to simply lower the prices of new games, second hand game market won't be as valuable, and people will be more likely to buy a new one.
I sure as hell prefer buying new games then old ones (god only knows what that cd key has been caught doing...) but I'm not going to spend $90 on a new game that gives me 6-8 hours play time when I can go bowling for 3 hours and it only costs me $12.
Playing video games does lead to sitting on your butt and usually weight gain to those who do it excessively - however, it's almost ALL video games (excluding some wii/dance titles) that do that, not just violent ones.
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I'm working on my letters, two, one directly to Sony, and one to Harvey Norman.
I suck at letter writing... and I hate it so damn much... but I feel strongly enough about this.
A positive sign for Australians is the state of things in the UK, when I mentioned this to the ACCC they were very interested (I suspect being a Commonwealth country there's some influence here)
I've never been a fan of consoles, I've never been a fan of Sony - I bought one console since the days of the Sega Megadrive (Genesis for some of you), the PS3, because it offered the freedom of Linux.
In fact, out side of that console, and the 5 or so games, and one blu-ray movie I own, I don't think I've ever bought another Sony product.
Now you can be sure until the end of days every time I pick something up to buy I will go over the food chain in my head to see if Sony is part of that purchase.
To answer your question, I put to you a question.
What evidence did we have when we laid down $700 on an original PS3 which was marketed with "OtherOS" on the box that they would remove "OtherOS" later?
OtherOS was sandboxed and meant to be secure...
-
Just because streaming is via dnla doesn't mean it's secure and can't be used to load an exploit into the ps3 by some form of attack.
- Security excuse
Just because there's DRM supported in the protocol doesn't mean it stops anyone from playing pirated media.
- Security excuse
-
Really it's not that hard to imagine - if they feel free and safe removing a feature that was on the marketing material - then why not another?
Any port or protocol that allows interaction with the device provides an attack vector to break into it.
Never say never, if one of the best vetted lumps of code on earth (OpenSSH) can be hacked for remote access then any code can.
Value is a perception - and as install other OS was half the reason I purchased it, it's half my value.
The PS3 sux as a web browser, I own 4 games, I use MythTV as a media client, and I own 1 blu-ray movie.
I've had the PS3 for years.
Besides, how long is it until Sony decide to remove media client because of security?
So... I want half my money back as this will be disabling HALF the functionality of my PS3.
Actually, that does explain a lot of things - all through march I was having issues with Twitter on my Virgin connection yet I could ssh home to my Internode connection and twidge to my hearts content... I complained but they couldn't see a problem (they probably weren't using their own dns servers)
An alternative, have the whole lot done by a couple of programmable microcontroller - in this day and age there's no need to build a whole software system to do this.
The week before polling a manufacturer can burn verified programs to microcontrollers, these can then be run through second and third parties to test the code burnt for verification, drop them into chip mounts inside the booths and again test by second and third partys - build the booths in such away as you need 3 keys to open it one share them out.
Add to that my comment above...
I don't know why everyone has such a problem with this - the act of voting, manually or electronically is rather simple and not an overly difficult task.
Have a touch screen/keyboard overlay that displays the candidates and the computer records the order you tick the boxes.
Then prints on paper in fixed locations to match the screen overlay numbers that represent the order a box was chosen (Look at a lottery quick pick, or a machine readable ticket) print a barcode at the bottom that encodes the time, date, location, etc, the options chosen and a checksum (Perhaps one of those new fangled 3d barcodes so people may even be able to verify it with their phones/etc)
Make sure the print out and the screen are displayed side by side, if they don't match the voter is to manually cross out with a specific pen (no computer crossing out at all).
Oh and make sure they can't unlock the voting booth until they confirm one way or the other :D
If the numbers in b
oxes don't match the barcode the vote is declared illegal.
Added points if after the user verifies the vote it's saved locally, sent to a central location, and uploaded to two independent bodies (which check the central location and each other to verify the vote)
Even more points if the barcodes, votes, and backup systems are checked routinely - like every hour all votes are scanned and compared.
The key here is that the humans and the machines are able to read the primary component printout - barcodes are only there as double checks.
Paper systems aren't foil proof - especially as we're given PENCILS to mark the boxes - and as much as they're under supervision a whole group of supervisors can be abusing the system...
Mod parent up lol
I hope this commonsense stuff is contagious...
Now, if we could just get rid of Conroy and Aktinson - I could almost be proud to call my self an Aussie again...
...the dumbest thing I've ever heard. Calling 911 because someone is making you feel bad? Calling 911 because some guy 1000 miles away wrote some words that made you feel bad?
In which case, can I call 911 (actually 000) because the retards in Canberra keep entertaining stupid stupid ideas? That's making me feel bad....
I've been somewhat tempted by the idea of making and releasing a $20 game that is as gory and politically incorrect as possible - see it get banned in Australia (Which a) won't be hard, b) would be interesting because that's where I am), Russia, Germany...
Encourage piracy and importation of the game in those countries, and keep anonymous statistics of the number of users playing the game in which country - just to demonstrate that bans are ineffective and a waste of time.
Less content, more freedom...
I'd rather have the freedom to watch a movie or show (when I actually find one worth watching) on my old CRT TV (which isn't yet due for replacement through failure) than be forced to upgrade my TV just so some fat cat can get fatter.
Incidentally - isn't most piracy digital, not analog? sure people still record stuff on their VHS recorders and maybe share it with friends and family, but that can't be as bad as someone stripping the DRM from a stream and putting it on a torrent for the whole world to grab.
If I were MPAA I'd be encouraging analog users as the lesser of two evils.
Canadians getting you down?
Threatening to sue because you won't conform?
iptables is your answer!
Simply make it impossible for Canadians to access your site and you will be protecting their privacy in the ultimate way!
Well, Apple DO encourage it...
I suppose, lucky because I know well enough to shop around for ISP's a lot of people literally jump on the incumbent telco/provider, or the first provider that knocks on their door - which would lead me to consider them rather unlucky.
Then there are those who stubbornly refuse to try anything else because they've always known and used the incumbent - I considerer those people rather stupid
It would be sweet if anyone who was getting the ads could upload a tcpdump log somewhere :)
Here in the internet backwater country we call Australia we get a limited amount of bandwidth usage quota.
Every time the PS3/game downloads advertisements it uses my limited quota...
If I run out of quota I either have to buy more, or suffer 64kbit shaping...
And I consider myself lucky, some ISP's charge 18 cents per meg when you go over your quota without the ability to buy more.
I don't mind ads in web pages, or even sensible advertising in online gaming because they constantly require money to upkeep - but a game I've PAID FOR download and am playing OFFLINE doesn't cost the provider a damn cent!
I honestly hate the thought of paying money to spend money - surely it costs less to maintain a bank of computers then it costs to count and sort notes and coins. So many things have fee's for "digital" transactions these days - when in truth you're saving them a fortune (eg: cinema, $1 fee to buy and print your own ticket, 1: You're saving them staff at the counter, 2: You're saving them actual costs of printing the ticket. - and don't start with the "oh credit card fee" or "online processing costs money" cos surely if I were to pay with my credit card at the counter they'd cop the same fee)
So.... a bit like the same thing EA games has been doing for years?
Oh wait, no, they don't take suggestions or user generated content back, and they rarely even fix the bugs...
is to simply lower the prices of new games, second hand game market won't be as valuable, and people will be more likely to buy a new one.
I sure as hell prefer buying new games then old ones (god only knows what that cd key has been caught doing...) but I'm not going to spend $90 on a new game that gives me 6-8 hours play time when I can go bowling for 3 hours and it only costs me $12.
Surely there's less convoluted ways then a camcorder - say... Hooking up a vcr to the A/V jacks... or hell, an analog tv tuner with composite in...
What's 40% of 0?
Playing video games does lead to sitting on your butt and usually weight gain to those who do it excessively - however, it's almost ALL video games (excluding some wii/dance titles) that do that, not just violent ones.