I care and I think I'm authority. The bigger problem is tracking this DDoS back to an original source...
Oh, that and people don't seem to like to report crimes like this. (Like I said in my previous post, I don't think either of these guys is in Arizona, so I don't think I have jurisdiction - but Feds might, and their own state govts would...)
We don't need to prove the spammer's intent - all I need to be able to do is trace the source of the DDoS attack, and I can charge a felony (see paragraph A 4).
But I don't think any of the services shut down are in Arizona...
That's like re-doing Barberella with Ben Affleck in the title role.
I mean, Starbuck was the womanizer - the fighter pilot stereotype. I can see writing female pilots to play off the stereotype, or rewriting some of the tremendously shallow female characters of the show (Athena, Cassiopaea), but Starbuck?
Worse/Better Analogy: It's like remaking the A-Team with J-Lo as Face. (March 1 is "Let's Pick on Dirk Benedict Day")
I don't use an FDIC-insured bank. I use a credit union. They pay me better interest, I am insured up to $325,000 (by 3 seperate insurance companies internationally), and they loan money to the kind of people I want to see that money going to.
...
I say give us more non-bank banks. If I could find an unregulated money-holder for me, I'd use it immediately IF they had good third party insurers, better interest, and less government big brother intrusion into my transactions.
Having worked in a member's office, they are swamped with mail and usually won't read the letter except to categorize it as "SSSCA - No". This is the same treatment given when people call in and say "I'm a state/district resident, and I oppose the SSSCA. Can I please get a written reply from your office?"
Getting the written reply ensures that your opinion will be recorded. We often kept tabs on an issue based on the number of yes replys and the number of no replys we sent out.
This decision still sucks. The poster who pointed out that this will lead to region encoding of CD's is only partially right. All they have to do is put a little label or warning on the CD, and they can exclude entire OS's, especially Macs. (Think : "Don't steal music.") Wait 'til MS figures this out.
There are already legal requirements about CD format, including a requirement that the "true name and address of the manufacturer" appear on the CD. This is in most states (here's Arizona's, look at Subsection A, 3 & 4) and in Federal law. This decision will just mean another line of fine print on the back of your CD.
Disclaimers: Yes, I'm a prosecutor, yes I've worked on wiretaps. No, I'm not in California. No, I'm not wiretapping your phone right now, and neither is anyone else. And no, I'm not speaking for my boss or any other law enforcement agency. Consult your own attorney for legal advice.
I'd be more inclined to look at the details of that study. 254 arrested but not convicted is way high, but I'll bet their definition of a conviction is different than mine. I'll be more willing to bet that some of the 254 people took a plea bargain, or turned State's evidence against the other 17 "kingpins" (or "stupid guys who thought they could beat it at trial"). Many high-minded folks think if you aren't convicted of the top count (Murder, vs. a plea to manslaughter), you're not "convicted". After all, the bad guy didn't get a needle in his arm, so why did the State go through all that effort to tap his phones? You might roll your eyes, but I've seen and heard these people at conferences.
The other scenario, which is more likely, is that some part of the other 254 cases are bogged down in Court and haven't reached their conclusion - no one has YET convicted them. A big wire case can go on for years, and the juries don't start handing out guilty verdicts the moment the wire comes down. These cases are very document heavy, and only recently have wiretap documents even moved to CD-Rom. One wire we did had 17 CD-Roms of data, and some attorneys still demand the paper.
I know everyone wants to leap to the conclusion that wiretaps are abuses of our freedom, but lets kick the tires on the study first.
Disclaimer: I am a lawyer, but this message does not constitute legal advice. Please see a licensed lawyer in your jurisidiction. I am a prosecutor, but I am not speaking on behalf of my office. My response here is limited to my experiences and is not a policy statement.
That aside, I love PayPal. In terms of prosecuting online fraud (where having an evidence trail is key), it's far superior to almost every other method of payment, including credit card payments. For victims of online fraud, a credit card (and the safety protections of your card's customer agreement) and the best bet, but the cases I get with Paypal are just great.
Paypal creates a great paper trail showing where the money goes - from your account, to the target, and on to the target's checking or credit card. people who pay with checks or money orders are usually out of luck.
Paypal also has great fraud investigators who work to catch the bad guys. However, as another poster pointed out, they will not reverse the transaction when you get ripped off. The user agreement clearly says that fraud losses are the user's risk, and while they help authorities prosecute, they don't internalize the loss.
Hey, it's your own fault for not using one of the tons of escrow services out there.
Mass Media Gets the Story
on
Bert Is Evil
·
· Score: 1
I've said this before, but it's worth repeating. The laws that apply in the real world should apply in the cyber world.
Great idea.
Defacing a web face is the same as spraying some grafitti on a wall.
Except to do that, you have to go into the server and change things. And websites are meant to be seen, whereas walls are usually meant for security.
Website defacements are more like climbing a fence onto private property, and then defacing a billboard. Here in Arizona, that would be called 3rd Degree Burglary (assuming its a commercial business and you're there to commit another felony - defacement would be akin to Criminal Damage) - a felony punishable by up to 3 years in prison on a first offense.
I don't think carrying less cash reduces the potential for theft.
Take for example, this wallet:
$50 Cash
Charge Card
ATM Card
Drivers License
Then assume:
You figure out your wallet is stolen about 6 hours after it was actually taken.
This wallet, stolen in 1970 (when charge cards first appearred):
You call the bank, and cancel the charge card, and the ATM card. The crook has already run up $5000 in charges, but you're only liable for $50. The ATM card, without your PIN, was useless, and you didn't lose any money. You go to the MVD and get a new license - the old one was going to expire next year anyway. The cash is gone.
Total Loss: $110 ($50 Cash, $50 Credit, $10 for license)
This wallet, stolen in 2001:
You call the credit card company, and report the card stolen. The crook has already run up $5000, but you're not liable for any of it. Your ATM card was actually a CHECK CARD and the crook drained your bank account of $800 (and you're SOL because he got it before you reported it). The drivers license is still $10 at the MVD, but the old one wasn't due to expire until 2039 (my current AZ Drivers license does). You're still out the $50 cash.
Total Loss: $860 ($50 Cash, $800 Check Card, $10 for license)
The crook, using your drivers license information, downloads a blank license template from Bearshare and prints up a nifty fake ID with your info - still expiring in 2039. He then gets some other silly cards (gym memberships, Blockbuster Video, Costco Cards, etc) in your name. Then he opens a maildrop at a Mailboxes etc. Using this, he signs up for credit cards, store credit at Circuit City, Best Buy, etc. He gets thousands of dollars of nifty toys shipped to the maildrop. After picking the stuff up, he abandons the maildrop, leaving the bills piling up (in your name). Bill collectors start calling three months later, and don't quit for the rest of your life (even though you flag your credit report as an identity theft victim, we know how much institutional sense and compassion collection agencies have). You don't have to pay any money to the collectors, but with bad credit you are now unable to enjoy the benefits of the cashless society.
Clear Channel banned Pink Floyd's "Mother" and "Run Like Hell", both from the landmark album "The Wall". They missed one PF song that still gets airplay, though...
I have a lot of Floyd thrown into my mp3 and CD collections - the one that the random button spit out on Wednesday creeped me out even more than the two banned ones, and has much more painful imagery associated with it. The explanation of the song sits heavily on my mind, after the images from last Tuesday.
Goodbye Blue Sky
[ Sound of an airplane approaching ]
[ Look, Mummy. There's an airplane up in the sky. ]
Did you, did you see the frightened ones?
Did you, did you hear the falling bombs?
Did you ever wonder why we had to run for shelter,
When the promise of a brave new world,
Unfurled beneath a clear blue sky?
Did you, did you see the frightened ones?
Did you, did you hear the falling bombs?
The flames are all long gone,
But the pain lingers on.
Goodbye, blue sky.
Goodbye, blue sky.
Goodbye.
Goodbye.
The list is so overbroad, it just defies sense. I mean Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Travelin' Band" starts with the line "737 coming out of the sky", but that's so out of context. Very few of these songs have anything to do with the events of Sept. 11, at all, even in lyrical parallels like CCR's song above. I mean, come on, what does Boston's "Smokin'" have to do with ANYTHING? It's about getting stoned!
Crazy conclusion? Maybe. But my Clear Channel station here in Phoenix was playing a version of 3 Doors Down's "Duck and Run" with a bunch of TV talking head pro-bombing-them-into-the-stone-age comments clipped from CNN and other networks. The DJs playing it got it down off Napster (I still wonder how they get license to use and rebroadcast Napstered songs, and I don't) and may not have been aware that "Duck and Run" was on the banned song list.
And pity poor Neil Diamond's "America" for getting on the banned song list. I hear that song every 4th of July during fireworks. I guess the Tired and Poor aren't welcome in Clear Channel's America any more.
Actually, that statement above is exactly the opposite of correct. ABC is reporting the Canadian border crossings are closed (remember the guy they nabbed on the runup to Y2K in Washington State). Mexican border crossings are open, except for San Ysidro (near San Diego).
Hey, it's not beyond belief that Atlanta would be picked up and moved to the center of the ocean - I mean, it'd probably make for easier Delta connections, and who wants to be in the South?:) At least that's the way Futurama told it.
Bender: "In case of emergency, my ass can be used as a flotation device."
--------- Milhouse: "Why don't we put it on the internet?"
Of course "super voters" represent a special interest. These people are the most die-hard activitsts there are, and only rarely do activists join a political party for the sake of the party. People vote because something motivates them to. In partisan primaries, people are picking between two (or more) people who the general electorate will generally view as "Just another Republican" or "Just another Democrat" down the road.
The reason that the Democratic Party is focusing on Social Security and the Republican Party is focusing "Faith-Based" initiatives is a solemn nod to these "Super Voters". Retired people and the devoutly religious are perfect examples for each party. There are other kinds of bases for each party, but a politican who plays to the base voters in his party in his district can easily beat an opponent in a primary. And phone calls to voters from the politician are a lot more effective than media buys.
Is apathy the cause? I don't really think so - some people are just not attuned to the difference between a Christian Conservative Republican and a Goldwater Conservative Republican. In 95% of the votes this person will cast in office, the difference (Christian vs. Goldwater wings of the GOP) won't be apparent. It's those base voters who care about that 5% that determine who wins and loses. And the politician will often crow loudest about that 5% to placate those base voters.
BTW, a caveat to the above - the original message didn't say that the "Super voters" they called actually AGREED with them on issues. But many Super Voters (and to a lesser extent regular voters) are impressed by a candidate call that they'll vote for the candidate anyway, even if they don't like the candidate's issues. All politics is local, and even that bum the don't like is still their bum.
TiVo is losing money. For last year they posted a 100 million dollar loss. Their income was only 3 million dollars.
TiVo PAYS Sony and RCA to manufacture the boxes. Yes, that's right. It's not the other way around. TiVo actually has to subsidize the cost of manufacturing the boxes.
The ONLY way that TiVo makes money is through its subscription service.
Hopefully TiVo won't continue to make the boxes less and less functional, since they might soon be out of business.
Sounds like Iridium. And we know how successful that business model was.
TiVo will just join the line of great ideas and products that were stupidly marketed. "Your business model sucks" realities are everywhere you look these days.
T
Milhouse: "Why don't we put it on the internet?"
I remember my BBS days fondly, but alas I could not find most of the BBSes I logged in to on the list. As a matter of fact, I didn't see any of the WWIVnet BBSes on that list at all. I honestly don't know if any of those lists are still around, but I did find a list of current WWIV BBSes still up (close to ten). These guys claim to be distributing the software.
Also, Connecticut was split into two area codes in the mid-90s. All the BBSes I dialed in to were in the 203 area code in Hartford, which then became the 860 area code. Those old BBSes are listed under the old 203 numers, but have the new 203 prefix locations associated with them. For example, a BBS that was in a Hartford prefix (say 241) back in 1993, is show as being in New Haven now (where 203-241-XXXX) would ring today. If that BBS was still around today, the number would be 860-241-XXXX. The old BBS list needs to be crossed against the old prefix location lists. The current version of the list is somewhat misleading, as to the locations of the old boards.
==
I read this article at Yahoo! News. There was one line of the story that jumped out at me...
First, read this line:
Lisa Gurry, a Microsoft Office product manager, said Clippy has lived a useful life but is no longer needed. "We think Office has so many new features for making it easier to use that Clippy is no longer useful. This is definitely in response to user feedback. We asked ourselves what we could do to help users find features," with the least amount of confusion.
Clippy didn't help people find anything. What a revelation (like everyone else in this thread has said...) But then, read the next line:
Gurry said if people miss Clippy, they can turn him back on by clicking on the "help" tag on the Office XP task bar.
So Clippy's not ACTUALLY dead. They just changed the default value to not have Clippy pop up! He's STILL THERE!
So all of this is just PR whoring, promoting MS's message that XP is so easy to use...
Does anyone actually believe that XP is "easier" to use? Or did MS just finally get the cluestick-to-the-head and change the default on Clippy, and some Marketing hoser figured out that it makes good press (note all those submissions to/.) to change something annoying in the software?
This is a classic rights land grab. RIAA will be setting themselves up as the arbiter of all that is good and wholesome in music. What's scary is the Court might actually buy the argument that this would be a reasonable means to get their rights protected - remember, the Federal Court wasn't concerned about the Etallica's and other independent artists. The infringing uses far outweighed the non-infringing uses, and fair use was thrown out the window as a defense. So it actually makes sense (in the eyes of the court) to put the aggrieved party in charge of Napster. Amazing.
And is there anyone that doesn't think the RIAA would put its slowest, most detail-oriented people on the queue for submissions. Every cover band will be tossed off for not having permission to record...every bootleg will be yanked...anything with even the slightest hint of copyright will be yanked.
Oh, and just like Yahoo! and the other search engines, I'm sure the queue will have several months backup... it'll be just like ordering from a record club like BMG or Columbia House. Everything will be nice and delayed while the record companies figure out how to maximize their profits...
and minimize everyone else's rights. ==
The auction is an E-Bay classic - almost as good as when people put Elian up for auction (Descripton was something like "Surplus government property for sale, small boy, age 6, can tread water...".
My favorite bidder tho is: this one. ==
Slashdot Mirror
Sorry to interrupt your rant, but...
Does anyone know if law enforcement was even CONTACTED?
As a state prosecutor, I can charge DDoSers with felonies, but I need to be able to track them down, and I need a victim to report the crime.
I care and I think I'm authority. The bigger problem is tracking this DDoS back to an original source...
Oh, that and people don't seem to like to report crimes like this. (Like I said in my previous post, I don't think either of these guys is in Arizona, so I don't think I have jurisdiction - but Feds might, and their own state govts would...)
We don't need to prove the spammer's intent - all I need to be able to do is trace the source of the DDoS attack, and I can charge a felony (see paragraph A 4).
But I don't think any of the services shut down are in Arizona...
That's like re-doing Barberella with Ben Affleck in the title role.
I mean, Starbuck was the womanizer - the fighter pilot stereotype. I can see writing female pilots to play off the stereotype, or rewriting some of the tremendously shallow female characters of the show (Athena, Cassiopaea), but Starbuck?
Worse/Better Analogy: It's like remaking the A-Team with J-Lo as Face. (March 1 is "Let's Pick on Dirk Benedict Day")
---
Close.
The actual label is:
Jar Jar Binks, Revealed - The Oprah Winfrey Interview
Transfer. Or better yet, just hang out nearby.
I say give us more non-bank banks. If I could find an unregulated money-holder for me, I'd use it immediately IF they had good third party insurers, better interest, and less government big brother intrusion into my transactions.
Hey, I don't mean to undercut your frothing-at-the-mouth anti-regulatory libertarian fervor, but Credit Union deposits are insured by the government.
Don't let facts get in the way of your rant, tho. Moderators, a 5 rating for that post is silly.
Getting the written reply ensures that your opinion will be recorded. We often kept tabs on an issue based on the number of yes replys and the number of no replys we sent out.
There are already legal requirements about CD format, including a requirement that the "true name and address of the manufacturer" appear on the CD. This is in most states (here's Arizona's, look at Subsection A, 3 & 4) and in Federal law. This decision will just mean another line of fine print on the back of your CD.
Disclaimers: Yes, I'm a prosecutor, yes I've worked on wiretaps. No, I'm not in California. No, I'm not wiretapping your phone right now, and neither is anyone else. And no, I'm not speaking for my boss or any other law enforcement agency. Consult your own attorney for legal advice.
I'd be more inclined to look at the details of that study. 254 arrested but not convicted is way high, but I'll bet their definition of a conviction is different than mine. I'll be more willing to bet that some of the 254 people took a plea bargain, or turned State's evidence against the other 17 "kingpins" (or "stupid guys who thought they could beat it at trial"). Many high-minded folks think if you aren't convicted of the top count (Murder, vs. a plea to manslaughter), you're not "convicted". After all, the bad guy didn't get a needle in his arm, so why did the State go through all that effort to tap his phones? You might roll your eyes, but I've seen and heard these people at conferences.
The other scenario, which is more likely, is that some part of the other 254 cases are bogged down in Court and haven't reached their conclusion - no one has YET convicted them. A big wire case can go on for years, and the juries don't start handing out guilty verdicts the moment the wire comes down. These cases are very document heavy, and only recently have wiretap documents even moved to CD-Rom. One wire we did had 17 CD-Roms of data, and some attorneys still demand the paper.
I know everyone wants to leap to the conclusion that wiretaps are abuses of our freedom, but lets kick the tires on the study first.
But if my phone tells me "You are in a maze of twisty passages, all alike," will I still be able to call for help?
That aside, I love PayPal. In terms of prosecuting online fraud (where having an evidence trail is key), it's far superior to almost every other method of payment, including credit card payments. For victims of online fraud, a credit card (and the safety protections of your card's customer agreement) and the best bet, but the cases I get with Paypal are just great.
Paypal creates a great paper trail showing where the money goes - from your account, to the target, and on to the target's checking or credit card. people who pay with checks or money orders are usually out of luck.
Paypal also has great fraud investigators who work to catch the bad guys. However, as another poster pointed out, they will not reverse the transaction when you get ripped off. The user agreement clearly says that fraud losses are the user's risk, and while they help authorities prosecute, they don't internalize the loss.
Hey, it's your own fault for not using one of the tons of escrow services out there.
The New York Post Cartoon for today shows the connection.
I've said this before, but it's worth repeating. The laws that apply in the real world should apply in the cyber world.
Great idea.
Defacing a web face is the same as spraying some grafitti on a wall.
Except to do that, you have to go into the server and change things. And websites are meant to be seen, whereas walls are usually meant for security.
Website defacements are more like climbing a fence onto private property, and then defacing a billboard. Here in Arizona, that would be called 3rd Degree Burglary (assuming its a commercial business and you're there to commit another felony - defacement would be akin to Criminal Damage) - a felony punishable by up to 3 years in prison on a first offense.
Computer Tampering is the same penalty.
So what's your point?
Take for example, this wallet:
$50 Cash
Charge Card
ATM Card
Drivers License
Then assume:
You figure out your wallet is stolen about 6 hours after it was actually taken.
This wallet, stolen in 1970 (when charge cards first appearred):
You call the bank, and cancel the charge card, and the ATM card. The crook has already run up $5000 in charges, but you're only liable for $50. The ATM card, without your PIN, was useless, and you didn't lose any money. You go to the MVD and get a new license - the old one was going to expire next year anyway. The cash is gone.
Total Loss: $110 ($50 Cash, $50 Credit, $10 for license)
This wallet, stolen in 2001:
You call the credit card company, and report the card stolen. The crook has already run up $5000, but you're not liable for any of it. Your ATM card was actually a CHECK CARD and the crook drained your bank account of $800 (and you're SOL because he got it before you reported it). The drivers license is still $10 at the MVD, but the old one wasn't due to expire until 2039 (my current AZ Drivers license does). You're still out the $50 cash.
Total Loss: $860 ($50 Cash, $800 Check Card, $10 for license)
The crook, using your drivers license information, downloads a blank license template from Bearshare and prints up a nifty fake ID with your info - still expiring in 2039. He then gets some other silly cards (gym memberships, Blockbuster Video, Costco Cards, etc) in your name. Then he opens a maildrop at a Mailboxes etc. Using this, he signs up for credit cards, store credit at Circuit City, Best Buy, etc. He gets thousands of dollars of nifty toys shipped to the maildrop. After picking the stuff up, he abandons the maildrop, leaving the bills piling up (in your name). Bill collectors start calling three months later, and don't quit for the rest of your life (even though you flag your credit report as an identity theft victim, we know how much institutional sense and compassion collection agencies have). You don't have to pay any money to the collectors, but with bad credit you are now unable to enjoy the benefits of the cashless society.
I have a lot of Floyd thrown into my mp3 and CD collections - the one that the random button spit out on Wednesday creeped me out even more than the two banned ones, and has much more painful imagery associated with it. The explanation of the song sits heavily on my mind, after the images from last Tuesday.
I was more unnerved by the ANTI-war songs pulled. Cat Stevens' "Peace Train" (warning: annoying popups) has no possible references to the bombing, nor does Edwin Starr's "War". They're PEACE songs. I think Clear Channel might want the US to do a little bombing.
Crazy conclusion? Maybe. But my Clear Channel station here in Phoenix was playing a version of 3 Doors Down's "Duck and Run" with a bunch of TV talking head pro-bombing-them-into-the-stone-age comments clipped from CNN and other networks. The DJs playing it got it down off Napster (I still wonder how they get license to use and rebroadcast Napstered songs, and I don't) and may not have been aware that "Duck and Run" was on the banned song list.
Or maybe the pansy pacifist (original) version of "Duck and Run" is. Personally, I think it's got some damn good lyrics for this situation.
And pity poor Neil Diamond's "America" for getting on the banned song list. I hear that song every 4th of July during fireworks. I guess the Tired and Poor aren't welcome in Clear Channel's America any more.
Actually, that statement above is exactly the opposite of correct. ABC is reporting the Canadian border crossings are closed (remember the guy they nabbed on the runup to Y2K in Washington State). Mexican border crossings are open, except for San Ysidro (near San Diego).
Bender: "In case of emergency, my ass can be used as a flotation device."
---------
Milhouse: "Why don't we put it on the internet?"
The reason that the Democratic Party is focusing on Social Security and the Republican Party is focusing "Faith-Based" initiatives is a solemn nod to these "Super Voters". Retired people and the devoutly religious are perfect examples for each party. There are other kinds of bases for each party, but a politican who plays to the base voters in his party in his district can easily beat an opponent in a primary. And phone calls to voters from the politician are a lot more effective than media buys.
Is apathy the cause? I don't really think so - some people are just not attuned to the difference between a Christian Conservative Republican and a Goldwater Conservative Republican. In 95% of the votes this person will cast in office, the difference (Christian vs. Goldwater wings of the GOP) won't be apparent. It's those base voters who care about that 5% that determine who wins and loses. And the politician will often crow loudest about that 5% to placate those base voters.
BTW, a caveat to the above - the original message didn't say that the "Super voters" they called actually AGREED with them on issues. But many Super Voters (and to a lesser extent regular voters) are impressed by a candidate call that they'll vote for the candidate anyway, even if they don't like the candidate's issues. All politics is local, and even that bum the don't like is still their bum.
Milhouse: "Why don't we put it on the internet?"
TiVo is losing money. For last year they posted a 100 million dollar loss. Their income was only 3 million dollars.
TiVo PAYS Sony and RCA to manufacture the boxes. Yes, that's right. It's not the other way around. TiVo actually has to subsidize the cost of manufacturing the boxes.
The ONLY way that TiVo makes money is through its subscription service.
Hopefully TiVo won't continue to make the boxes less and less functional, since they might soon be out of business.
Sounds like Iridium. And we know how successful that business model was.
TiVo will just join the line of great ideas and products that were stupidly marketed. "Your business model sucks" realities are everywhere you look these days.
T
Milhouse: "Why don't we put it on the internet?"
Also, Connecticut was split into two area codes in the mid-90s. All the BBSes I dialed in to were in the 203 area code in Hartford, which then became the 860 area code. Those old BBSes are listed under the old 203 numers, but have the new 203 prefix locations associated with them. For example, a BBS that was in a Hartford prefix (say 241) back in 1993, is show as being in New Haven now (where 203-241-XXXX) would ring today. If that BBS was still around today, the number would be 860-241-XXXX. The old BBS list needs to be crossed against the old prefix location lists. The current version of the list is somewhat misleading, as to the locations of the old boards.
==
First, read this line:
Lisa Gurry, a Microsoft Office product manager, said Clippy has lived a useful life but is no longer needed. "We think Office has so many new features for making it easier to use that Clippy is no longer useful. This is definitely in response to user feedback. We asked ourselves what we could do to help users find features," with the least amount of confusion.
Clippy didn't help people find anything. What a revelation (like everyone else in this thread has said...) But then, read the next line:
Gurry said if people miss Clippy, they can turn him back on by clicking on the "help" tag on the Office XP task bar.
So Clippy's not ACTUALLY dead. They just changed the default value to not have Clippy pop up! He's STILL THERE!
So all of this is just PR whoring, promoting MS's message that XP is so easy to use...
Does anyone actually believe that XP is "easier" to use? Or did MS just finally get the cluestick-to-the-head and change the default on Clippy, and some Marketing hoser figured out that it makes good press (note all those submissions to /.) to change something annoying in the software?
What a farce.
==
And is there anyone that doesn't think the RIAA would put its slowest, most detail-oriented people on the queue for submissions. Every cover band will be tossed off for not having permission to record...every bootleg will be yanked...anything with even the slightest hint of copyright will be yanked.
Oh, and just like Yahoo! and the other search engines, I'm sure the queue will have several months backup... it'll be just like ordering from a record club like BMG or Columbia House. Everything will be nice and delayed while the record companies figure out how to maximize their profits... and minimize everyone else's rights.
==
The auction is an E-Bay classic - almost as good as when people put Elian up for auction (Descripton was something like "Surplus government property for sale, small boy, age 6, can tread water...". My favorite bidder tho is: this one.
==