China's got a BILLION people living in it. It's naturally going to rise to its full potential over time, especially with such centralized control. To say that it's doing all of this because it's out to get us, is rather paranoid, xenophobic, and shallow. Wouldn't you want the best for yourself, too? Also, BECAUSE China is growing, the US is falling apart? Really? Iraq and Afghanistan are going to destroy us? Please. Doesn't anybody remember Vietnam? I think the US came out OK (albeit bruised and shamed) after that one. Slashdot conversations like these are great, it's as if we're all having a real discussion on the issues, implications, and possibilities, yet we aren't. This is just everybody's fears, angst, and value choices wrapped in the sesame seed bun of legitimate conversation. China's going do it's thing, get over it. Does it bug you that much? Don't buy Chinese products, but don't come crying to me when that doesn't affect anything anyway.
Oh, and Homestar Runner publishes a lot of its content on iTunes already. There are also tons and tons a cheap/free games in the App Store to stave off the desire to go play those awesome cheap/free Flash games out there on the net.
Blegh, Flash. Apple not supporting it gives the web world a smidge more incentive to make the leap to HTML5, webGL, and Javascript for the two instead of lugging around the bear that is Flash. Hulu and all those other guys can work to integrate that stuff in to the new HTML5 like Youtube is currently doing. Hulu can also (and probably will) make an App for the iPad that will sidestep this problem entirely.
I think the true Patent Troll is the company who neither innovates or manufactures (acts) on its patents. nVidia innovates with an intent to licenses, which I think most people can agree, doesn't really constitute patent troll behavior...they just want to concentrate on innovation.
I'd liken Microsoft to some kind of weird arms dealer in this scenario. It pretty much can't lose if Apple is using its products in some vendetta against Google.
Oh and I definitely don't expect the DOJ to argue against copyright law, that'd just be ridiculous. That's definitely something that needs to be done in congress. However, if it's tasked with defending something ridiculous and/or unenforceable, I'd expect it to employ some pragmatism, which in all honesty, it's doing that right now anyway. Ultimately, I have no problem with the DOJ right now. So much for arguing, I do it more for sport anyway. *Sigh*
>_> I think what ultimately happens in these back and forths is that we wind up talking past each other. I think you and I agree on pretty much everything aside from how I chose to trust organizations.
Do I think the DOJ is a legal resource, advocate, etc? Of course.
Do I think it's doing a pretty damn good job? You bet. I don't think you can find many other organizations in the world near the same level as the DOJ.
I also think that the interests of the recording industry need to be taken into account, and I think you do, too.
However, I think the DOJ isn't immune to political gamesmanship, just like pretty much everything else in government.
Okay. Let us do away with it. What do you suggest we replace it with?
Now you're just being silly. Nothing! I love the mess way it is:-P! I never said I wanted to do away with it, I just said it was messy by nature.
No, I'm saying that most people who work in government take pride in doing their jobs well.
I can't say I necessarily agree with your statement, or a statement to the contrary. Call me a misanthrope. I HOPE that they do, but do I believe that to be the case? Meh. BTW, thanks for the timely responses. I like your points. Props.
I guess I don't understand the outrage. This is exactly what I would expect the DOJ to do, regardless of who is in the chief executive position this month.
It's not outrage. Most people just won't picture the DOJ to be some knight in shining armor standing up for pure principle. It's definitely influenced, and it applies influence. It's not any different than something like the CIA, the FBI, or a bunch of other government organizations that have established bureaucracies with their own friends and connections. Yes, it may not be influenced by the current president completely, but it also has its own strange impure behaviors that exist independent of the current administration.
Yes, but when push comes to shove, the DOJ when asked if a law is enforcable and legal, will argue that it is.
Maybe. However, push must first come to shove, like you said, and the DOJ must also decide to agree with both push and shove and not put up claims to the contrary.
What relevance does that have as to the job of the DOJ?
Absolutely nothing, but it has everything to do with the strength of your argument, which also isn't relevant to the job of the DOJ. As for your second remark, the whole legal system is disingenuous! Are you saying that 99% of the DOJ is without any political alignment whatsoever? What about alignment to the guys cutting their checks? Our whole government is comprised of self-interested people making self-centered decisions, it's not evil or wrong, it's just how it is. We set up our system to rely on these traits and exploit them, not to pretend that they're nonexistent.
Who's "doing their job" is open to interpretation. It's balance of power. There are laws all over the place in this country that aren't enforced by the executive branch on multiple levels of government (especially local and state levels). The DOJ's job is to defend the laws as they (and Congress) see fit. If the executive branch chooses to pick and choose laws to enforce, they can do it at the ire of the legislative branch, which can choose to cut funding to the executive branch OR pursue impeachment. It's really the beauty of the American system's overlapping powers, and a testament to how they keep each other in line IMO. You can rant and rave about what's right and wrong about morality and job-doing and all that, but political expediency will always trump everything in this country. That's how it works, that's how it's ALWAYS worked.
Story about DOJ Picking Who to ProsecuteThe Obama administration is saying that it will only bother with people who violate both state and federal law, yet those who are consuming marijuana in accordance with state law may be running afoul of federal law. Regardless, the Obama admin is going to turn a blind eye. As for "having a court case" how could you have a court case if nobody brings a case to prosecute BECAUSE they're choosing not to prosecute?
Scientists usually don't see money for publishing per se. I don't think it makes any difference to them. If you keep up to date with your conferences, have access to a library, or know the people in your field writing the papers you never need to go through the paywall, anyway. Otherwise you need to give the gatekeeper his due >_>.
Couldn't this be all of us poor saps who aren't on AT&T (in the US, of course) finally getting a shot at picking up a nice smartphone that's not a Blackberry? Think about all the people who want iPhone like functionality, but don't want to switch to AT&T. There's plenty of them, and this is probably them finally having their day. No other smartphone, has come close to the iPhone in terms of hype-crazed-madness for the phone like the revised android platform. That's not to say there aren't other good smartphone platforms out there (Palm, RIM, whatever the hell else people use these days), I think these are just skewed numbers from non AT&T customers finally pouncing on a cool set of phones.
Slashdot Mirror
Modding me troll? Real smooth, guys.
Hulu has been saying that they are going to release an app for the iPhone since April of last year with now no progress.
Doesn't mean they won't, especially with a better device for movies like the iPad.
Apple is not the main opponent to HTML5, webGL and advanced Javascript features
Apple actually supports those, making it a proponent, not an opponent.
And yes, even when IE doesn't have a majority marketshare it still will be a problem.
IE will be an ever shrinking problem to open standards. Especially with other players in the desktop market like Apple.
China's got a BILLION people living in it. It's naturally going to rise to its full potential over time, especially with such centralized control. To say that it's doing all of this because it's out to get us, is rather paranoid, xenophobic, and shallow. Wouldn't you want the best for yourself, too? Also, BECAUSE China is growing, the US is falling apart? Really? Iraq and Afghanistan are going to destroy us? Please. Doesn't anybody remember Vietnam? I think the US came out OK (albeit bruised and shamed) after that one. Slashdot conversations like these are great, it's as if we're all having a real discussion on the issues, implications, and possibilities, yet we aren't. This is just everybody's fears, angst, and value choices wrapped in the sesame seed bun of legitimate conversation. China's going do it's thing, get over it. Does it bug you that much? Don't buy Chinese products, but don't come crying to me when that doesn't affect anything anyway.
I hear Atlantis was pretty sweet.
Oh, and Homestar Runner publishes a lot of its content on iTunes already. There are also tons and tons a cheap/free games in the App Store to stave off the desire to go play those awesome cheap/free Flash games out there on the net.
Blegh, Flash. Apple not supporting it gives the web world a smidge more incentive to make the leap to HTML5, webGL, and Javascript for the two instead of lugging around the bear that is Flash. Hulu and all those other guys can work to integrate that stuff in to the new HTML5 like Youtube is currently doing. Hulu can also (and probably will) make an App for the iPad that will sidestep this problem entirely.
Are you kidding? This wonder let you focus on the expensive techs and pick up the crappy techs like "pottery" for free!
How do you know about them, then?
I think the true Patent Troll is the company who neither innovates or manufactures (acts) on its patents. nVidia innovates with an intent to licenses, which I think most people can agree, doesn't really constitute patent troll behavior...they just want to concentrate on innovation.
I know corporations are essentially people, but I didn't know that they had feelings.
I'd liken Microsoft to some kind of weird arms dealer in this scenario. It pretty much can't lose if Apple is using its products in some vendetta against Google.
Oh and I definitely don't expect the DOJ to argue against copyright law, that'd just be ridiculous. That's definitely something that needs to be done in congress. However, if it's tasked with defending something ridiculous and/or unenforceable, I'd expect it to employ some pragmatism, which in all honesty, it's doing that right now anyway. Ultimately, I have no problem with the DOJ right now. So much for arguing, I do it more for sport anyway. *Sigh*
>_> I think what ultimately happens in these back and forths is that we wind up talking past each other. I think you and I agree on pretty much everything aside from how I chose to trust organizations.
Do I think the DOJ is a legal resource, advocate, etc? Of course.
Do I think it's doing a pretty damn good job? You bet. I don't think you can find many other organizations in the world near the same level as the DOJ.
I also think that the interests of the recording industry need to be taken into account, and I think you do, too.
However, I think the DOJ isn't immune to political gamesmanship, just like pretty much everything else in government.
Okay. Let us do away with it. What do you suggest we replace it with?
Now you're just being silly. Nothing! I love the mess way it is :-P! I never said I wanted to do away with it, I just said it was messy by nature.
No, I'm saying that most people who work in government take pride in doing their jobs well.
I can't say I necessarily agree with your statement, or a statement to the contrary. Call me a misanthrope. I HOPE that they do, but do I believe that to be the case? Meh.
BTW, thanks for the timely responses. I like your points. Props.
I don't really have a problem with it, no. The rage of the other branches of government (and the voters) is enough, IMO, to keep it in check.
I guess I don't understand the outrage. This is exactly what I would expect the DOJ to do, regardless of who is in the chief executive position this month.
It's not outrage. Most people just won't picture the DOJ to be some knight in shining armor standing up for pure principle. It's definitely influenced, and it applies influence. It's not any different than something like the CIA, the FBI, or a bunch of other government organizations that have established bureaucracies with their own friends and connections. Yes, it may not be influenced by the current president completely, but it also has its own strange impure behaviors that exist independent of the current administration.
Yes, but when push comes to shove, the DOJ when asked if a law is enforcable and legal, will argue that it is.
Maybe. However, push must first come to shove, like you said, and the DOJ must also decide to agree with both push and shove and not put up claims to the contrary.
What relevance does that have as to the job of the DOJ?
Absolutely nothing, but it has everything to do with the strength of your argument, which also isn't relevant to the job of the DOJ. As for your second remark, the whole legal system is disingenuous! Are you saying that 99% of the DOJ is without any political alignment whatsoever? What about alignment to the guys cutting their checks? Our whole government is comprised of self-interested people making self-centered decisions, it's not evil or wrong, it's just how it is. We set up our system to rely on these traits and exploit them, not to pretend that they're nonexistent.
Citation Please. NYCL is, in fact, a lawyer.
Who's "doing their job" is open to interpretation. It's balance of power. There are laws all over the place in this country that aren't enforced by the executive branch on multiple levels of government (especially local and state levels). The DOJ's job is to defend the laws as they (and Congress) see fit. If the executive branch chooses to pick and choose laws to enforce, they can do it at the ire of the legislative branch, which can choose to cut funding to the executive branch OR pursue impeachment. It's really the beauty of the American system's overlapping powers, and a testament to how they keep each other in line IMO. You can rant and rave about what's right and wrong about morality and job-doing and all that, but political expediency will always trump everything in this country. That's how it works, that's how it's ALWAYS worked.
Story about DOJ Picking Who to ProsecuteThe Obama administration is saying that it will only bother with people who violate both state and federal law, yet those who are consuming marijuana in accordance with state law may be running afoul of federal law. Regardless, the Obama admin is going to turn a blind eye. As for "having a court case" how could you have a court case if nobody brings a case to prosecute BECAUSE they're choosing not to prosecute?
But there ISN'T a car with auto-drive functionality. So the fact that the Kindle's text to speech features have been disabled is a moot point.
Scientists usually don't see money for publishing per se. I don't think it makes any difference to them. If you keep up to date with your conferences, have access to a library, or know the people in your field writing the papers you never need to go through the paywall, anyway. Otherwise you need to give the gatekeeper his due >_>.
Isn't getting your computer worked on starting to sound more and more like getting your car worked on? Ignorance sure is a bought and paid for thing.
Couldn't this be all of us poor saps who aren't on AT&T (in the US, of course) finally getting a shot at picking up a nice smartphone that's not a Blackberry? Think about all the people who want iPhone like functionality, but don't want to switch to AT&T. There's plenty of them, and this is probably them finally having their day. No other smartphone, has come close to the iPhone in terms of hype-crazed-madness for the phone like the revised android platform. That's not to say there aren't other good smartphone platforms out there (Palm, RIM, whatever the hell else people use these days), I think these are just skewed numbers from non AT&T customers finally pouncing on a cool set of phones.
Nah. I'm the one who griefs you on Slashdot. :-)