I see a point buried under the sarcasm - if copyright is really long, people would have to create new stuff because plunder-able ideas from the past are still under copyright. (That assumes that really, really, really old ideas aren't useful, which doesn't I, however, argue for a reverse of that: With long copyright, people are afraid to make new stuff because it might accidentally be too similar to something still protected. Also, thanks to the copyright on an original, people would be less able to make good derivative works.
How many movies exist about musicians, writers, and actors? How many songs are about music and dance?
I've heard it advised to write about what you know. And what do [musicians|writers|actors] know? [Music|writing|acting]. I suppose everybody values their own profession/interest especially highly; with the entertainment industry, in addition to that factor, they must also figure that they come up with better/easier-to-write stories by discussing their own experience.
A classic in that genre: "...Johnny B. Goode Who never ever learned to read or write so well But he could play the guitar just like a ringing a bell..."
I understand that the first part of that excerpted statement is a problem.
Indianapolis Colts scores? It's not rocket science, the way this season is going. Them higher than the other guys. Well, at least until they see the Saints or Vikings in the Super Bowl.
Also, I find myself ducking out of a crowd of parents/grandparents/etc. for similar reasons. If it's a gathering at our house or in the neighborhood, I have an even higher propensity to disappear. (Even if I know what's going on the conversation of a large crowd, it can be hard to get a word in edgewise.)
I know "regular" restaurants do often include burgers on their menu, but there seem to be places inbetween: better burgers than the fast-food joints, but not quite the slower service or higher prices of regular restaurants. Bill Gray's and Tom Wahl's are, for me, local examples.
Get off your butt and generate the flame part with your own damn propane. About the least complicated actual cooking there is.:) (although I admit I'm too lazy for charcoal.)
Dad's turntable and records are still in great shape, so that setup is still quite operational in its own corner of the living room. When in action it sounds quite good, but I figure that's in large part because of large floor speakers rather than small computer-desk speakers.
It's fun to look through the cases, and it's interesting to see the vinyl versions of some classic albums (Beatles, Zeppelin, etc.). What's really cool though, is looking through all the offbeat stuff that never made the format conversion - I wish that DIY digital conversion wasn't such a pain.
But when it comes to the main purpose of a music recording:
The procedure of playing vinyl records just seems like too much of a pain in the ass compared to popping in a CD or firing up your favorite media-player software.
If the music is really good to begin with, it doesn't need to have a 1337kbps bitrate to sound good.
A lot of my music collection was built before I really started caring about this stuff - sure, I'll rip newly acquired CDs to FLAC or something, but it's not a big enough issue to me that I'm going to dig out and re-rip all the others.
Yes, I suppose getting our own splinter removed is better than getting nothing removed. Also, as h4rm0ny (cousin post) seems to be getting at, maybe our "splinter" is bigger than we tend to think it is.
It's an interesting challenge of balance
I suppose many of us know this concept on a personal level: some people are too quick to criticize themselves, some too slow to.
It's a Biblical reference, one of the Jesus parables. I didn't initially mention that in order to avoid the religious angle. (FWIW, I intended it as more of a general literature reference than a religious reference)
Matthew 7 (NIV) [3] "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?] [4] How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? [5] You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.
On Slashdot, I hear a lot about how downloading music/movies/software doesn't hurt sales. I see a lot of truth in that. That concept could perhaps be extended to an argument that downloading kiddie porn doesn't help sales.
Music/movies/software production we want to increase, child porn production we want to decrease (if not eradicate), that's the biggest difference, I understand if that weakens the analogy somewhat.
In my case, it's been a whole bunch of round-structured browser games. A few of them got kicked to the curb months ago, and I will stop after finishing the current round of the last one. This experience has kept me far away from WoW and the Facebook games.
Yeah, I got ticked with FarmVille and blocked it, along with MafiaWars, but I still see occasional updates. Kind of like a good spam filter - the occasional one getting through doesn't both me too much.
Also kind of amusing that one or two of my middle-aged Facebook contacts (former teachers) were the biggest source of Farmvile updates, rather than the Facebook junkies my own age.
Okay, sibling posts aren't happy with the sexism in parent post. Understandable. However, modifying the post to the following, it makes an interesting statement:
"It's the first MMORPG-like game not considered geek: this is evidenced by the fact that it's played by a larger percentage/amount of women than play WoW and the like."
A similar factor was behind _The Sims_ being such a huge hit.
I have no issue with females being involved in primarily-male activities. However, I feel that the disparity should still be acknowledged, rather than papered over out of a desire for political correctness.
Same thing applies in reverse, males being involved in predominately female activities; I'm not like "OMG gay!" or anything.
In an unrelated note, shuffle presented me with a Janis Joplin song as I was typing this post. (Also, the headline act at the concert I went to included a female MC/DJ).:P
" 1. the purpose and character of the use, including whether such use is of a commercial nature or is for nonprofit educational purposes; 2. the nature of the copyrighted work; 3. the amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole; and 4. the effect of the use upon the potential market for or value of the copyrighted work. "
Fits under 1 and 3 if I ever saw it, and probably 4 too.
Slashdot Mirror
I see a point buried under the sarcasm - if copyright is really long, people would have to create new stuff because plunder-able ideas from the past are still under copyright. (That assumes that really, really, really old ideas aren't useful, which doesn't
I, however, argue for a reverse of that: With long copyright, people are afraid to make new stuff because it might accidentally be too similar to something still protected. Also, thanks to the copyright on an original, people would be less able to make good derivative works.
How many movies exist about musicians, writers, and actors? How many songs are about music and dance?
I've heard it advised to write about what you know. And what do [musicians|writers|actors] know? [Music|writing|acting].
I suppose everybody values their own profession/interest especially highly; with the entertainment industry, in addition to that factor, they must also figure that they come up with better/easier-to-write stories by discussing their own experience.
A classic in that genre:
"...Johnny B. Goode
Who never ever learned to read or write so well
But he could play the guitar just like a ringing a bell..."
I understand that the first part of that excerpted statement is a problem.
Manged to hit tvtropes to read that article and only that article - an accomplishment
Now just gotta close down the WP and UD tabs...
I don't think it would be too hard to *initially* aim it the middle of the Pacific or something, assuming you could aim the asteroid at all.
I figured that too, but this journal entry points out what he was trying to bring up:
http://slashdot.org/journal/236611/My-Sig
Indianapolis Colts scores?
It's not rocket science, the way this season is going. Them higher than the other guys. Well, at least until they see the Saints or Vikings in the Super Bowl.
Also, I find myself ducking out of a crowd of parents/grandparents/etc. for similar reasons.
If it's a gathering at our house or in the neighborhood, I have an even higher propensity to disappear.
(Even if I know what's going on the conversation of a large crowd, it can be hard to get a word in edgewise.)
I know "regular" restaurants do often include burgers on their menu, but there seem to be places inbetween: better burgers than the fast-food joints, but not quite the slower service or higher prices of regular restaurants.
Bill Gray's and Tom Wahl's are, for me, local examples.
Flame Broiled, or nothing.
Get off your butt and generate the flame part with your own damn propane. About the least complicated actual cooking there is. :)
(although I admit I'm too lazy for charcoal.)
867-5309. ...Or so I've heard, heh heh.
The Sally & Jenny bulk-purchase deal is worthwhile...
Dad's turntable and records are still in great shape, so that setup is still quite operational in its own corner of the living room. When in action it sounds quite good, but I figure that's in large part because of large floor speakers rather than small computer-desk speakers.
It's fun to look through the cases, and it's interesting to see the vinyl versions of some classic albums (Beatles, Zeppelin, etc.). What's really cool though, is looking through all the offbeat stuff that never made the format conversion - I wish that DIY digital conversion wasn't such a pain.
But when it comes to the main purpose of a music recording:
The procedure of playing vinyl records just seems like too much of a pain in the ass compared to popping in a CD or firing up your favorite media-player software.
If the music is really good to begin with, it doesn't need to have a 1337kbps bitrate to sound good.
A lot of my music collection was built before I really started caring about this stuff - sure, I'll rip newly acquired CDs to FLAC or something, but it's not a big enough issue to me that I'm going to dig out and re-rip all the others.
Yes, I suppose getting our own splinter removed is better than getting nothing removed.
Also, as h4rm0ny (cousin post) seems to be getting at, maybe our "splinter" is bigger than we tend to think it is.
It's an interesting challenge of balance
I suppose many of us know this concept on a personal level: some people are too quick to criticize themselves, some too slow to.
I wouldn't be surprised if there are X-rated MMO's out there.
I want to avoid starting myself on new MMOs, X-rated or otherwise, though.
It's a Biblical reference, one of the Jesus parables.
I didn't initially mention that in order to avoid the religious angle. (FWIW, I intended it as more of a general literature reference than a religious reference)
Matthew 7 (NIV)
[3] "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?]
[4] How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye?
[5] You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.
I have a feeling that people like the parent post are criticizing the splinter in their own eye rather than the log in their neighbor's.
http://xkcd.com/322/
The solution is clearly to develop a taste for MILFs...:P
Some of the pro-gun people in the US would use that same argument to encourage the women involved to get guns.
When dealing with street criminals, it may make sense to arm the law-abiding citizens, I'm not sure.
However, in this case, with two relatively normal people, a gun (even if both have them) is just going to make things even more of a mess
On Slashdot, I hear a lot about how downloading music/movies/software doesn't hurt sales. I see a lot of truth in that. That concept could perhaps be extended to an argument that downloading kiddie porn doesn't help sales.
Music/movies/software production we want to increase, child porn production we want to decrease (if not eradicate), that's the biggest difference, I understand if that weakens the analogy somewhat.
I might make that Rule 2, with the following as Rule 1:
"If the game isn't fun anymore (i.e. because the grind has driven you nuts), then quit".
In my case, it's been a whole bunch of round-structured browser games. A few of them got kicked to the curb months ago, and I will stop after finishing the current round of the last one.
This experience has kept me far away from WoW and the Facebook games.
Yeah, I got ticked with FarmVille and blocked it, along with MafiaWars, but I still see occasional updates. Kind of like a good spam filter - the occasional one getting through doesn't both me too much.
Also kind of amusing that one or two of my middle-aged Facebook contacts (former teachers) were the biggest source of Farmvile updates, rather than the Facebook junkies my own age.
Okay, sibling posts aren't happy with the sexism in parent post. Understandable.
However, modifying the post to the following, it makes an interesting statement:
"It's the first MMORPG-like game not considered geek: this is evidenced by the fact that it's played by a larger percentage/amount of women than play WoW and the like."
A similar factor was behind _The Sims_ being such a huge hit.
I have no issue with females being involved in primarily-male activities.
However, I feel that the disparity should still be acknowledged, rather than papered over out of a desire for political correctness.
Same thing applies in reverse, males being involved in predominately female activities; I'm not like "OMG gay!" or anything.
In an unrelated note, shuffle presented me with a Janis Joplin song as I was typing this post. (Also, the headline act at the concert I went to included a female MC/DJ). :P
Sounds kind of like Loki's Wager:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loki's_Wager
Thank Darwin that's out of 10, not 5. Was worried for a second.
"
1. the purpose and character of the use, including whether such use is of a commercial nature or is for nonprofit educational purposes;
2. the nature of the copyrighted work;
3. the amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole; and
4. the effect of the use upon the potential market for or value of the copyrighted work.
"
Fits under 1 and 3 if I ever saw it, and probably 4 too.