"Microsoft gave us a 98% discount in exchange for this article."
Possibly. But there's enough weasel-room to reach his claims without that.
1. Lock-in: If his systems are already running MS software (which they probably are) is the cost of data migration counted against MS or is it counted against any alternative?
2. Hiring/Training: Is his office paying for training and certification OR is his office REQUIRING that anyone applying ALREADY have certification.
3. Discounts: Once you have 1 & 2, is Microsoft offering discounts just big enough to come in under the cost of migration?
I have a friend who has an electronic proximity thing (not push button). It fails occasionally. At which point she has to revert to using a key. And the key never fails.
The issue isn't whether a means of unlocking/starting the car IN ADDITION to the key is "the future".
It's whether any of those systems are as reliable as the physical key is and can 100% replace the key so that keys are never used again for cars.
The monopolies and oligopolies exist precisely because of this - the municipal powers will gladly sign over near-perpetual rights to the highest bidder, not the ones offering best service.
So don't let them do that.
The city (or whatever) should run fiber (or whatever) to each house. That fiber should terminate in a CITY OWNED site.
The city then rents/leases space at that site for whichever companies want to provide Internet access to the city people. The rent/lease being high enough to pay for the maintenance and equipment that the city needs for that.
So you end up with: a. ZERO cost for any ISP to connect to your house. b. Every company pays the same rate per cubic meter at the city site. c. Switching ISP's should be as easy as moving a patch cord (at worst).
Since the rent/lease is for space instead of rights to a market there is a chance of real competition.
I don't know the difference between a thumbhole stock and having my thumb up my butt, but I know that reasonable people will agree that some guns are designed for sport, some are designed for self defense, and some were designed to kill humans.
"Reasonable" being defined there as "agree with this statement".
No. You are wrong.
Once you get away from fully automatic/burst (already regulated) there is NOTHING (see below) that differentiates a weapon used for hunting/sport from a weapon (as you claim) "designed for"... "kill humans".
There are excepts such as an "elephant gun" and such for hunting larger animals. But by that logic a weapon designed to "kill humans" (as you claim) would be less effective.
Then, choose the already existing novels that you want to turn into a series. This gives a beginning and ending to your series so you'll be better able to control costs.
I'm sure that lots of other people can come up with lots of other examples. There's something available out there for every production budget and schedule.
1. Since they can read a cyclist's hand signals that probably isn't much of a problem.
2. Possibly not on the first attempt. But, ideally, those cars will be sending data back to Google which will then relay the improved instructions to the next cars to attempt it. But hang onto that thought.
3. Probably better than a human would.
Anyway, back to #2. I'd be concerned about the number of idiots around construction zones who are NOT using the autonomous cars. The ones that will change lanes without signalling. The ones that will drive AROUND you if they think you aren't moving fast enough. Given the right set of circumstances an autonomous car could be "stuck" at a construction zone for an hour or more. All the while waiting for the lane in front of them to clear while people in the other lanes move into that opening before it is "safe".
If the person really was "tech-savvy" then there would not be any implicating information on his/her phone.
Unless you're talking about petty criminals who don't have the resources to use a secondary phone that is not tied to them.
But that just means that the DOJ wants to kill the 4th Amendment to chase petty criminals. Fuck that!
The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.
The absence could be because intelligent life is extremely rare, or because intelligent life has a tendency to go extinct.
EVERYTHING that does not get off the planet it is currently occupying goes extinct. Planets die. Suns die.
Getting off the planet (and out of the solar system) is difficult because space is so HUGE.
The "paradox" depends upon a the assumption that a race COULD successfully colonize another solar system before they died / their planet died / their sun died.
Maybe that is possible. But so far our ONE example (ourselves) hasn't been able to reach the closest solar system.
I will download the video exactly once. It then lives on my computer, and I can copy it onto my iPod or iPad.
That is convenient but I think it is still the wrong question.
Eventually, the first download-only (no DVD) will be released by a studio. Then a second. The studios want download-only because then they control everything. You will never own anything from them again.
Then the studios demand further restrictions from the hardware manufacturers. Abandon old format A and include new format B.
Sure, you can repurchase all your A content and they'll even give you a discount on the B versions. But they will set the A price at whatever they want. What choice will you have? Stay with your old electronics and disable the updates?
No matter how convenient they make it it is still about removing your ownership of what you've paid for.
When I walk to my own frontdoor (to which I do have the key) I encounter dozens of doors for which I have no key and which will remain forever locked to me. Why couldn't this be true for a game as well?
You stated that incorrectly.
Those doors are locked but can be opened. Usually with equipment that an RPG character carries around "in-game". Whether that equipment is "lock picks" or "an axe" or "a rocket launcher".
What stops you from opening them is that you do not try to. Why you do not try to is because you do not want to go to jail.
Criminals "open" doors you consider to be "locked" in the real-world all the time.
The people that understand the risks generally don't represent a problem, but the people that don't understand them often also don't benefit from an explanation in a way that would change their behavior.
And in the corporate world there is the problem of status. People higher on the hierarchy do not like being told that they cannot do something by people lower on the hierarchy.
And if something goes wrong then it is YOUR fault because "security" was YOUR responsibility.
Computers are not magic, but many people believe that they are.
The problem there is that software has all the problems of a magical system. If you do A, B and C and then expect D to happen... maybe it will, maybe it won't. Had you previously done X, Y or Z without rebooting?
There was a CAD program that had a problem with memory fragmentation. Even if you closed the previous files, eventually you ran out of contiguous memory and then your computer would complain about "issues" when you tried to open a file larger than your available contiguous memory. So first thing in the morning everything was fine. But around lunchtime things got weird. And the weirdness wasn't evenly distributed. On Monday, Alice would have a problem but Bob would work fine. On Tuesday Bob would have a problem but Alice would be fine. Etc......
And that was a problem that I could diagnose. There are hundreds more where all I can say is "perform the rite of reboot" and only open the app you have trouble with right now and let me know if it's still having trouble my god what are all those apps that are loading on start-up.
It's worse because while YOUR post actually reflects an ethical/moral issue, TFA does not.
Here's their #1 item:
Ethical dilemma No. 1: Log files -- what to save and how to handle them Programmers are like pack rats. They keep records of everything, often because it's the only way to debug a system. But log files also track everything users do, and in the wrong hands, they can expose facts users want kept secret.
90%+ or whatever of the programmers out there are working on in-house code for in-house projects used by in-house people. Stuff that will never ship. So it does not matter how much stuff is logged.
For those coders who are working on code to ship, the issue becomes more about where to save the huge log files.
Log everything and store it locally? Why is your app taking up 20 GB of space?
Log everything and store it remotely? Why is your app sending 20 GB of traffic?
The ethics/morality is more "how badly do you want to be the punchline to a joke when it is discovered".
Slashdot Mirror
Possibly. But there's enough weasel-room to reach his claims without that.
1. Lock-in: If his systems are already running MS software (which they probably are) is the cost of data migration counted against MS or is it counted against any alternative?
2. Hiring/Training: Is his office paying for training and certification OR is his office REQUIRING that anyone applying ALREADY have certification.
3. Discounts: Once you have 1 & 2, is Microsoft offering discounts just big enough to come in under the cost of migration?
My car only has a key interface. It never fails.
I have a friend who has an electronic proximity thing (not push button). It fails occasionally. At which point she has to revert to using a key. And the key never fails.
The issue isn't whether a means of unlocking/starting the car IN ADDITION to the key is "the future".
It's whether any of those systems are as reliable as the physical key is and can 100% replace the key so that keys are never used again for cars.
Seconded.
Where's the money coming from for all these party events?
That's not a startup. That's a frat. Startups want you working all weekend, every weekend.
Even a successful, established company would probably not send its programmers away for a week to Burning Man.
Sounds like they're throwing a non-stop party because they have venture capital to burn through.
Seconded. There should have been SOMETHING like "after which I was inundated with baby-related advertisements".
And trying to hide it while buying baby stuff on AMAZON?!?
?!?
one more time
?!?
I lied. One more time.
?!?
Amazon knows what you bought.
Amazon knows who you are.
Amazon knows where you had it shipped.
You're getting a little technical there but that's a great idea.
Particularly if you combine it with IPv6.
So don't let them do that.
The city (or whatever) should run fiber (or whatever) to each house. That fiber should terminate in a CITY OWNED site.
The city then rents/leases space at that site for whichever companies want to provide Internet access to the city people. The rent/lease being high enough to pay for the maintenance and equipment that the city needs for that.
So you end up with:
a. ZERO cost for any ISP to connect to your house.
b. Every company pays the same rate per cubic meter at the city site.
c. Switching ISP's should be as easy as moving a patch cord (at worst).
Since the rent/lease is for space instead of rights to a market there is a chance of real competition.
A quick Google search brings up bicycle handle bars and World of Warcraft. What are you talking about?
A bomb is not the same as a rifle. Nor a carbine. Nor a pistol. Bombs are covered under different laws.
That's Claymores to cruise missiles. Looks like you're just flailing around now.
Still flailing. Adding words like "military" or "sniper" does not change the functionality.
You mean "magazine", not "clip". And "handgun" is redundant.
The purpose is to have more rounds available without reloading.
So the basis for your position is Hollywood fantasy. And you can't tell the difference between the real world and a Hollywood fantasy.
So you're going to argue based upon the Hollywood fantasies that you've watched.
"Reasonable" being defined there as "agree with this statement".
No. You are wrong.
Once you get away from fully automatic/burst (already regulated) there is NOTHING (see below) that differentiates a weapon used for hunting/sport from a weapon (as you claim) "designed for" ... "kill humans".
There are excepts such as an "elephant gun" and such for hunting larger animals. But by that logic a weapon designed to "kill humans" (as you claim) would be less effective.
Well, according to YOU it is because:
So, specifically, how does a flash suppressor accomplish that?
Again, specifically, how does a flash suppressor accomplish that?
And don't bother replying with another question.
And which of the "gun nuts" that you identified would meet your criteria for "somebody reasonable"?
Almost EVERYONE thinks that their beliefs are "reasonable" (and correct).
Work on your trolling.
I don't think you understand the subject. How, exactly, does a flash suppressor "speak to the purpose of the weapon" in this case?
In WWII, the M1 Garand was issued to the US soldiers. It had no flash suppressor. How is it less effective because of that?
And that is why the people who disagree with you will not accept your views on "compromise and ... consensus".
Except that fully automatic AK-47s were already highly restricted. And they still are.
You might want to look at your usage of "gun nuts" in that statement.
Once you start labelling people who disagree with you as "nuts" it does not inspire confidence that you will be less "absolutist" in your goals.
This is one of the problems with this discussion.
"Assault RIFLES" are already heavily restricted. These are the fully-automatic weapons.
"Assault WEAPONS" is a classification that was created for political reasons. It is based upon COSMETIC features of a weapon.
No. Because the difference is cosmetic. Not functionality.
Weapon A can be classified as an "assault weapon" and banned if it has a flash suppressor (along with other cosmetic features).
But if weapon A does not have a flash suppressor then it is not an "assault weapon" and is okay to sell.
The flash suppressor does NOTHING to change the functionality of the weapon.
How much is "expensive"? What's your budget?
Then, choose the already existing novels that you want to turn into a series. This gives a beginning and ending to your series so you'll be better able to control costs.
Gritty crime drama fantasy? Vlad Taltos by Steven Brust
Historical vampire romp? Count Saint-Germain by Chelsea Quinn Yarbro
Need more cute? Little Fuzzy by H. Beam Piper
Dystopian future? Hardwired by Walter Jon Williams (not the movie)
Space fantasy fun? The Stainless Steel Rat by Harry Harrison
Ultra stylized fantasy world? The Witch World by Andre Norton
Gritty war fantasy? The Black Company by Glen Cook
I'm sure that lots of other people can come up with lots of other examples. There's something available out there for every production budget and schedule.
The problem is that most of the TV writers out there know a lot more about how to get a job writing for TV than they know about science.
So you end up with concepts that might have worked as a 5 minute skit on a comedy show being dragged on and on and on.
Personally, I'd like to see something like Freefall as a series.
1. Since they can read a cyclist's hand signals that probably isn't much of a problem.
2. Possibly not on the first attempt. But, ideally, those cars will be sending data back to Google which will then relay the improved instructions to the next cars to attempt it. But hang onto that thought.
3. Probably better than a human would.
Anyway, back to #2. I'd be concerned about the number of idiots around construction zones who are NOT using the autonomous cars. The ones that will change lanes without signalling. The ones that will drive AROUND you if they think you aren't moving fast enough. Given the right set of circumstances an autonomous car could be "stuck" at a construction zone for an hour or more. All the while waiting for the lane in front of them to clear while people in the other lanes move into that opening before it is "safe".
If the person really was "tech-savvy" then there would not be any implicating information on his/her phone.
Unless you're talking about petty criminals who don't have the resources to use a secondary phone that is not tied to them.
But that just means that the DOJ wants to kill the 4th Amendment to chase petty criminals. Fuck that!
From TFA:
EVERYTHING that does not get off the planet it is currently occupying goes extinct. Planets die. Suns die.
Getting off the planet (and out of the solar system) is difficult because space is so HUGE.
The "paradox" depends upon a the assumption that a race COULD successfully colonize another solar system before they died / their planet died / their sun died.
Maybe that is possible. But so far our ONE example (ourselves) hasn't been able to reach the closest solar system.
That is convenient but I think it is still the wrong question.
Eventually, the first download-only (no DVD) will be released by a studio. Then a second. The studios want download-only because then they control everything. You will never own anything from them again.
Then the studios demand further restrictions from the hardware manufacturers. Abandon old format A and include new format B.
Sure, you can repurchase all your A content and they'll even give you a discount on the B versions. But they will set the A price at whatever they want. What choice will you have? Stay with your old electronics and disable the updates?
No matter how convenient they make it it is still about removing your ownership of what you've paid for.
That wasn't the question. He's complaining about not being able to pre-download large files.
Once you get past the "why can't I pre-download this" there isn't an issue with using your phone or tablet or whatever to watch movies.
But if Bennett Haselton is going to focus on pre-downloading then yes, I do expect him to use a portable DVD player.
DRM is not about pre-downloading.
DRM is about never owning what you paid for.
He is complaining about getting large files (movies) sent to his viewing device (phone).
If only there were some way to pre-download those files.
Such as DVD's. And play them on a hand held DVD player. And DVD's do not count against your 3G data allowance for the month.
Another useless article by Bennett Haselton.
You stated that incorrectly.
Those doors are locked but can be opened. Usually with equipment that an RPG character carries around "in-game". Whether that equipment is "lock picks" or "an axe" or "a rocket launcher".
What stops you from opening them is that you do not try to. Why you do not try to is because you do not want to go to jail.
Criminals "open" doors you consider to be "locked" in the real-world all the time.
And in the corporate world there is the problem of status. People higher on the hierarchy do not like being told that they cannot do something by people lower on the hierarchy.
And if something goes wrong then it is YOUR fault because "security" was YOUR responsibility.
The problem there is that software has all the problems of a magical system. If you do A, B and C and then expect D to happen ... maybe it will, maybe it won't. Had you previously done X, Y or Z without rebooting?
There was a CAD program that had a problem with memory fragmentation. Even if you closed the previous files, eventually you ran out of contiguous memory and then your computer would complain about "issues" when you tried to open a file larger than your available contiguous memory. So first thing in the morning everything was fine. But around lunchtime things got weird. And the weirdness wasn't evenly distributed. On Monday, Alice would have a problem but Bob would work fine. On Tuesday Bob would have a problem but Alice would be fine. Etc. .....
And that was a problem that I could diagnose. There are hundreds more where all I can say is "perform the rite of reboot" and only open the app you have trouble with right now and let me know if it's still having trouble my god what are all those apps that are loading on start-up.
It's worse because while YOUR post actually reflects an ethical/moral issue, TFA does not.
Here's their #1 item:
90%+ or whatever of the programmers out there are working on in-house code for in-house projects used by in-house people. Stuff that will never ship. So it does not matter how much stuff is logged.
For those coders who are working on code to ship, the issue becomes more about where to save the huge log files.
Log everything and store it locally? Why is your app taking up 20 GB of space?
Log everything and store it remotely? Why is your app sending 20 GB of traffic?
The ethics/morality is more "how badly do you want to be the punchline to a joke when it is discovered".