Now there's some serious frustration. While both movies and music get to be a pain due to their respective AA orgs (MPAA and RIAA), it's amazing music has gotten to be ridiculous regarding it's marketing plan.
Whereas with DVDs we have to deal with region codes and different TV outputs and all, with CDs we're getting all kinds of crap that violates being a CD. New CD protections that screw up your old CD player or won't work in your computer are awful. At least with DVDs we knew it was coming. The surprise CDs that steer me away from artists is frustrating.
Additionally, with movies, there is an emphasis on the public performance first, then making money off the DVD afterwards. With music it's all about the CD. There's little to no incentive provided to go to a concert anymore. The marketing machine is all about getting the CD.
I want everyone to sit back and think really hard about this. What if you had concert tours and airplay of a song or two well before releasing a CD? Would more people be encouraged to go to concerts. Would artists get more money?
Let's show the industry how it is done. I'm finishing a CD this month, it will be available mid February for $10. I suggest every slashdot user buys a copy, then I'll call the RIAA and tell them how well $10 CDs work.:-)
Well, sounds like a good idea, assuming it's all good music, not 2 or 3 tracks of good music. Even if it is only 2 or 3 tracks, it's still better than the vast majority of albums out there.
Noting the paltry number of good tracks out there, how do sales of "greatest hits" albums do in comparison? Does a good track/price ratio have something to do with sales?
My mother, a standard consumer with nearly no knowledge of how to go about pirating music or burning CDs, pointed out something very simple to me. She said that the price of CDs was the big problem, not the economy so much, and not piracy.
She pointed out how when Wal-Mart or K-Mart or Target have sales on CDs where the price drops quite low, say $10/CD, they sell out of the popular CDs. She also pointed out that in order for everyone to get paid reasonably, the cost to produce a CD would be about $5.
So, when you spend that incredible $20/CD, what are you spending that money on? Padding the pockets of shareholders and paying lawyers chasing "piracy".
My suggestion? When the CDs go on sale, buy 'em. Buy when they're low to show that you WOULD buy them if the were reasonably priced. Of course, getting the CDs you want may be tough then. Additionally, buy used CDs. Buy whenever the music hits a price you consider reasonable. Continue to support your favourite artists by buying t-shirts and going to concerts.
They should really teaching these marketing people some real economics courses. Supply and demand aren't just a simple cross on a chart when you add in alternative methods of obtaining materials. Sometimes crime does pay. Maybe we should have politicians look at it too.
"People are inherently selfish, but still they like to look morally upstanding in others' eyes. No one wants to be the bad guy." -me
Actually, given the metabolism rate for caffeine, plus the effects on shortening the half-life of caffeine by drinking coffee, it's more like having taking a 200 mg pill to start the day, and then drinking four cups of coffee at a reasonable pace.
Ok, I originally come from Pennsylvania which tends to have rather crappy interstate roads, and there's a simple reason for it - large tractor-trailers.
Pennsylvania a while back passed a law to eliminate studded tires from the road. Sad reality is that roads go worse, as there was more heavy truck traffic. Studded tires didn't really do anything.
If you want to cut costs on maintaining roads and raise money to do so, here's my suggestion:
Tax based on vehicle weight. Heavier vehicles in general both pollute and do more road damage.
Create more graduated classes of licenses. Require additional tests for use of higher weight vehicles, such as SUVs. Auto wrecks creat road damage as well, and many SUV drivers do not know how to properly operate their vehicles.
Create tax incentives for rail shipments. By removing more of the heavy traffic from roads, you'll seriously increase the length of time a road lasts.
Again, most of the wear and tear on roads in Pennsylvania is caused by out-of-state heavy-load trucks. Taxing your own citizens based on the mileage they drive their passenger cars taxes the wrong end of people and simply creates more excuses to vacate your state.
I'm not sure how much security went up since this article was published, but I've noticed that since this was broken on Slashdot, a bunch of security has started to be implemented.
At any rate, the URL that was used to reach the file wasn't that cryptic, it followed a pattern that HAD been used before. It's only logical to try to reach that, especially if you know it's coming time for them to publish again.
From what I gather from the posts on here, it seems that these guys have a webserver with little to no security on it. If you use a basic webcrawling program, it likely jumps from link to link, which is what we expect AOL users to do online. However, a good web crawler will also check the directory by default as well, to see if there is an index (I've seen some of this in MY referrer logs).
Given that this was sensitive data, it should have been protected. Claiming that it was by not publishing the URL is like sticking it in a window of a building with thousands of windows. Eventually someone may see it.
Your analogy of the credit card numbers would be valid IF they had swiped a password to get to that point. But the server didn't ask for authorisation by any means. It was happy with a basic URL. There's nothing ultra-special about the URL to suggest that it's attempting to be hidden either. I doubt the location was intended to change, but to just be linked to.
Basically, Reuters has provided good reporting using the skills available to anyone with a decent wewbcrawler who has a set list of websites to follow. And if they didn't get it that way but got it through an anonymous tip, that's classic reporting.
Metadata is a LOT more than just some keywords for a web page. It often is used to define categories, relationships, and digital rights for media of all sorts.
In my humble experience, I've noted that preview versions of things tend to come out one one platform, and usually the widest available.
Although they're in California, I would have my doubts as to them using solely American programmers. I don't know how various OS support is all around the world, but I do know that when I worked with Israeli companies, they tended to focus heavily on Windows due to the strong Hebrew support on that platform, and a noticeable lack of Hebrew support elsewhere.
Again, it could simply be because building the front-end for the widest range of users was simplest with Windows.
This program, and several similar, allow you to serious organise content. Google is nice on a boolean search, but not for related content type searches.
I'm pretty good at doing searches with Google, but having tried some of this stuff out, it's AMAZING for doing research. A lot of companies are deriving their technology from intelligence agencies.
I saw some of the similar kinds of sorting of metadata with stuff from YellowBrix and LingoMotors.
I guess, given my background, I'd be interested to see how this works in the bigger arena and if they'll be doing widescale support of the PRISM and SCORM standards.
Anybody out there get to really play with this on the back end?
Didn't they run something on the Nation of Apple lately? Sounds like some Anonymous Coward is a member. I am frankly amazed that someone would take the "high ground" on that and then be anonymous.
Anyway, the important part to me is that it has more standard parts, will probably run Linux in the near future, and I'll be able to use my software on it.
I know OS X is great and all, but when they start ripping away Classic support, buying all new software is going to suck.
I guess I suffer from animosity towards Apple in general because unless I buy overpriced hardware from Apple, I have to deal with wondering if drivers will work. I usually have rather poor selection choices in that regard, unless it's a core component, like a CD-ROM or hard drive. And then Error Type 2 or Error Type 11 open up enough cans of worms. Well, let's just say I'm glad that I'm not resposible for tech support on my wife's machine.
They've been trying this crap for years with cable modems. Until I got a router, I used to use two different machines, each with the same MAC address installed. Worked out great. It's easy to change, too. It's also let me on at friends' offices, where access is MAC controlled. We log on a machine, write down the address, shut it down, boot mine up, change the address, and log on.
Who does it stop? Honest people.
Who won't it stop? The same people hacking their games in the first place.
Whereas a farmer who determines that he's only selling to local people maybe be affecting interstate trade because those people could sell onwards, etc., a state program would be different.
If the State of California licenses the businesses, licenses the trade, and regulates that it does not cross state boundaries, then it will not be affecting interstate trade.
Again, the FDA decision is a bit farsical to apply to drugs, since interstate drug trade by private citizens is illegal. (Drug trade is not necessarily illegal, as the substances are officially "controlled substances".
This would be the same as stating that all certain firearms, etc., would be illegal because of federal law, since they could be traded interstate. We've seen how ineffective that kind of legislation that would be.
Simply put, by the laws, it's more/less clear that the DEA and FBI should stay out of it. However, court intepretation and the imposition of certain morality by judges alters that balance of law.
(BTW - I'm not a drug fan. The drug war itself is stupid and wastes money and causes people outside the U.S. to get rich. I believe in equal application of law and the limitation of Federal resources where State laws apply.
I've been wondering about the Feds and the marijuana in California. Where does the Federal Government get the mandate to do anything in Californiat regarding that?
For most drugs, the source of the drug trade comes from outside the country, or perhaps between states. Thus it falls under Federal jurisdiction as defined by the Constitution. However, if the marijuana is grown in California, sold in California, and never leaves California, then it should not be under Federal jurisdiction. If it is, then they're violating States' rights.
Remember when they passed the Federal law forbidding guns within a certain distance of schools? That was unconstitutional and the Supreme Court struck it down. Wish the Feds would learn to play by the rules as far as drugs are concerned. I think they should start having the medical marijuan tagged for origin and purpose in California. That would make it impossible for the Feds to claim jurisdiction or legal applicability.
Before Chicken Little comes and shouts that the sky is falling, I would dare say that this is just an extension of a trend that's been there.
As even simply part of a sales strategy, companies have been working on making things easier. Yes, sometimes this results in inadequate software, but in the market in general this makes it far easier to get companies to upgrade, update, and use new software. I don't know if the performance benefits are really great, but I know that companies have been working to cut down redundancies.
Does this mean that there won't be system administrators anymore? No. But I would say that system administrators are resources used up in ways secretaries used to. I remember when everybody wrote things by hand and gave them to secretaries to type up in offices. Now because people have better typing skills and typing is more important to even access information, there are fewer secretaries. Many secretaries are now far more multi-functional, handling numerous tasks in an office. The same will happen with system adminstrators.
Gone will be the days of hiding back in the server room with arcane tasks. There will be more work handling information patterns and purchasing and securing things, and less in the day-to-day routine kill of processes, recovering files for idiot users, and so on.
Personally, I hope the same will happen for programmers, so we stop calling simple coders programmers and go back to real work in programming.
I enjoy being something other than a paper-pusher. But then again, I've encountered other things in the corporate world.
I've worked in a call centre with Windows help files being the primary source of looking up information online. It wasn't a pretty system, but it TRULY was the IT department's call. I know there are also a lot of proprietary systems for retail stores and their retail offices, most of which I've seen run on DOS.
I know lots of departmental assistants and secretaries who have to scan in all kinds of paperwork (idiot-proof one-touch scanning works for them - does it work on Linux) and use FrontPage or FrontPage Express to update web pages for the departments.
Yes, 90% of the people use standard office-suite applications. Unfortunately most of the key support roles with the greatest influence on the purchasing requirements need applications outside that scope. (Oh yeah, project managers DO fall into that role often.)
Please tell me how with a subscription model, Red Hat is going to have a competitive advantage over Microsoft?
The only way I can see this happening is if the subscriptions are really cheap. But then again, we're talking about competiting not for small offices, but for large offices.
Please tell me how they are going to convince a large company that has invested in Microsoft helpdesk people to switch to Red Hat.
While you're at it, tell me how they're going to save them money from all the proprietary Windows software they're using.
Here's my current list of Windows software I would need replaced in order to maintain productivity - MS Project, MS Visio, Macromedia Dreamweaver, and Macromedia Fireworks.
Not a difficult list (note the general lack of MS Office, since I use OpenOffice), but not easy to overcome. I'm sure there are other people with far more obscure programmes they need.
I like open source and I like Linux. I just had stupid business models.
I started digging around to find out about different certifications and I was a little annoyed.
From what I understand, the Red Hat exam is the most comprehensive out there. However, I'm not a big Red Hat fan. So I'm stuck between getting certification that screams Red Hat, or getting something that an employer may not care about, or if they do and I get hired, may still put me under the guy with the RHCE.
Living in the D.C. area I will say that certifications definitely count here, and I'd love for the guys at United Linux to come up with some great certifications.
Great for my wrists, but my EYES!
on
Type With Your Eyes
·
· Score: 3, Insightful
While I recognise the benefits for someone with serious RSI in their wrists (I've suffered, I know what it's like), the additional strain for my eyes would send me screaming.
I don't know how it is for most of you, but I'm extremely sensitive to flicker. Having moved back to the US, I notice the flicker on TV all the time. I notice the flicker on monitors, in lights, etc.
Looking from letter to letter, word to word to type would kill me.
Even if I could get higher than my current 65 wpm, I think the additional eyestrain would cause me to avoid the technology.
If you password protect it on an NT 4.0 server running IIS and don't publish what the server is, well, give it a few months and someone will discover it.
To extend the length of time, put it on a more obscure network. Maybe put it on IPv6 with no IPv4 address...
At any rate, in a few days of discovery, script kiddies around the world will be working hard to show their talents on your machine. A few weeks later a PDF version will show up on alt.binaries.e-books.
People in the U.S. gripe about identity theft left and right. Part of the reason it's so easy to perform identity theft is that while a social security number is tied to a person, it's only tied by the fact it was assigned. Remember, we recycle these stupid numbers.
I have a Finnish ID number as well, since I lived there for quite some time. That one actually makes sense. It's my birthday in DDMMYY form, plus three digits and a letter. That identifies where I was born, when I was born, and my gender. It's not exactly easy to steal from people, since it really is tied to the person, not simply assigned.
Technically in Finland, you don't have to give out the number, but in reality you use it for a number of things. The cool part is that they write down the last part (the three digits and letter) when checking credit cards, lessening credit card fraud. Anyone remember when they used to check stuff here in the U.S.?
Actually, I use a yahoo.com account for my junk, since their spam filters are better.
Since I still have a Windows machine, I have Outlook Express installed and check my Hotmail through that, usually.
What's really stupid, IMHO, is that the best way to prevent excess spam is to block the domains, which I can do through the Hotmail web site, but not via Outlook Express.
Slashdot Mirror
Now there's some serious frustration. While both movies and music get to be a pain due to their respective AA orgs (MPAA and RIAA), it's amazing music has gotten to be ridiculous regarding it's marketing plan.
Whereas with DVDs we have to deal with region codes and different TV outputs and all, with CDs we're getting all kinds of crap that violates being a CD. New CD protections that screw up your old CD player or won't work in your computer are awful. At least with DVDs we knew it was coming. The surprise CDs that steer me away from artists is frustrating.
Additionally, with movies, there is an emphasis on the public performance first, then making money off the DVD afterwards. With music it's all about the CD. There's little to no incentive provided to go to a concert anymore. The marketing machine is all about getting the CD.
I want everyone to sit back and think really hard about this. What if you had concert tours and airplay of a song or two well before releasing a CD? Would more people be encouraged to go to concerts. Would artists get more money?
Let's show the industry how it is done. I'm finishing a CD this month, it will be available mid February for $10. I suggest every slashdot user buys a copy, then I'll call the RIAA and tell them how well $10 CDs work. :-)
Well, sounds like a good idea, assuming it's all good music, not 2 or 3 tracks of good music. Even if it is only 2 or 3 tracks, it's still better than the vast majority of albums out there.
Noting the paltry number of good tracks out there, how do sales of "greatest hits" albums do in comparison? Does a good track/price ratio have something to do with sales?
My mother, a standard consumer with nearly no knowledge of how to go about pirating music or burning CDs, pointed out something very simple to me. She said that the price of CDs was the big problem, not the economy so much, and not piracy.
She pointed out how when Wal-Mart or K-Mart or Target have sales on CDs where the price drops quite low, say $10/CD, they sell out of the popular CDs. She also pointed out that in order for everyone to get paid reasonably, the cost to produce a CD would be about $5.
So, when you spend that incredible $20/CD, what are you spending that money on? Padding the pockets of shareholders and paying lawyers chasing "piracy".
My suggestion? When the CDs go on sale, buy 'em. Buy when they're low to show that you WOULD buy them if the were reasonably priced. Of course, getting the CDs you want may be tough then. Additionally, buy used CDs. Buy whenever the music hits a price you consider reasonable. Continue to support your favourite artists by buying t-shirts and going to concerts.
They should really teaching these marketing people some real economics courses. Supply and demand aren't just a simple cross on a chart when you add in alternative methods of obtaining materials. Sometimes crime does pay. Maybe we should have politicians look at it too.
"People are inherently selfish, but still they like to look morally upstanding in others' eyes. No one wants to be the bad guy." -me
Actually, given the metabolism rate for caffeine, plus the effects on shortening the half-life of caffeine by drinking coffee, it's more like having taking a 200 mg pill to start the day, and then drinking four cups of coffee at a reasonable pace.
Mildly amusing, but even with over 300 mg of caffeine in my system, it's still not that interesting.
I much preferred Dave Barry's recap of 2002.
Ok, I originally come from Pennsylvania which tends to have rather crappy interstate roads, and there's a simple reason for it - large tractor-trailers.
Pennsylvania a while back passed a law to eliminate studded tires from the road. Sad reality is that roads go worse, as there was more heavy truck traffic. Studded tires didn't really do anything.
If you want to cut costs on maintaining roads and raise money to do so, here's my suggestion:
Again, most of the wear and tear on roads in Pennsylvania is caused by out-of-state heavy-load trucks. Taxing your own citizens based on the mileage they drive their passenger cars taxes the wrong end of people and simply creates more excuses to vacate your state.
I'm not sure how much security went up since this article was published, but I've noticed that since this was broken on Slashdot, a bunch of security has started to be implemented.
At any rate, the URL that was used to reach the file wasn't that cryptic, it followed a pattern that HAD been used before. It's only logical to try to reach that, especially if you know it's coming time for them to publish again.
I completely disagree.
From what I gather from the posts on here, it seems that these guys have a webserver with little to no security on it. If you use a basic webcrawling program, it likely jumps from link to link, which is what we expect AOL users to do online. However, a good web crawler will also check the directory by default as well, to see if there is an index (I've seen some of this in MY referrer logs).
Given that this was sensitive data, it should have been protected. Claiming that it was by not publishing the URL is like sticking it in a window of a building with thousands of windows. Eventually someone may see it.
Your analogy of the credit card numbers would be valid IF they had swiped a password to get to that point. But the server didn't ask for authorisation by any means. It was happy with a basic URL. There's nothing ultra-special about the URL to suggest that it's attempting to be hidden either. I doubt the location was intended to change, but to just be linked to.
Basically, Reuters has provided good reporting using the skills available to anyone with a decent wewbcrawler who has a set list of websites to follow. And if they didn't get it that way but got it through an anonymous tip, that's classic reporting.
Sorry for jumping down your throat.
There are a lot of people who still only use DC as keywords in web pages. PRISM builds on the base of Dublin Core into a wider aspect.
I don't know what metadata they're creating, but it'd be interesting to see if it meets any standards.
Go check out PRISM.
Metadata is a LOT more than just some keywords for a web page. It often is used to define categories, relationships, and digital rights for media of all sorts.
In my humble experience, I've noted that preview versions of things tend to come out one one platform, and usually the widest available.
Although they're in California, I would have my doubts as to them using solely American programmers. I don't know how various OS support is all around the world, but I do know that when I worked with Israeli companies, they tended to focus heavily on Windows due to the strong Hebrew support on that platform, and a noticeable lack of Hebrew support elsewhere.
Again, it could simply be because building the front-end for the widest range of users was simplest with Windows.
Yes we do.
This program, and several similar, allow you to serious organise content. Google is nice on a boolean search, but not for related content type searches.
I'm pretty good at doing searches with Google, but having tried some of this stuff out, it's AMAZING for doing research. A lot of companies are deriving their technology from intelligence agencies.I saw some of the similar kinds of sorting of metadata with stuff from YellowBrix and LingoMotors.
I guess, given my background, I'd be interested to see how this works in the bigger arena and if they'll be doing widescale support of the PRISM and SCORM standards.
Anybody out there get to really play with this on the back end?
Didn't they run something on the Nation of Apple lately? Sounds like some Anonymous Coward is a member. I am frankly amazed that someone would take the "high ground" on that and then be anonymous.
Anyway, the important part to me is that it has more standard parts, will probably run Linux in the near future, and I'll be able to use my software on it.
I know OS X is great and all, but when they start ripping away Classic support, buying all new software is going to suck.
I guess I suffer from animosity towards Apple in general because unless I buy overpriced hardware from Apple, I have to deal with wondering if drivers will work. I usually have rather poor selection choices in that regard, unless it's a core component, like a CD-ROM or hard drive. And then Error Type 2 or Error Type 11 open up enough cans of worms. Well, let's just say I'm glad that I'm not resposible for tech support on my wife's machine.
They've been trying this crap for years with cable modems. Until I got a router, I used to use two different machines, each with the same MAC address installed. Worked out great. It's easy to change, too. It's also let me on at friends' offices, where access is MAC controlled. We log on a machine, write down the address, shut it down, boot mine up, change the address, and log on.
Who does it stop? Honest people.
Who won't it stop? The same people hacking their games in the first place.
That's just one of my points, actually.
Whereas a farmer who determines that he's only selling to local people maybe be affecting interstate trade because those people could sell onwards, etc., a state program would be different.
If the State of California licenses the businesses, licenses the trade, and regulates that it does not cross state boundaries, then it will not be affecting interstate trade.
Again, the FDA decision is a bit farsical to apply to drugs, since interstate drug trade by private citizens is illegal. (Drug trade is not necessarily illegal, as the substances are officially "controlled substances".
This would be the same as stating that all certain firearms, etc., would be illegal because of federal law, since they could be traded interstate. We've seen how ineffective that kind of legislation that would be.
Simply put, by the laws, it's more/less clear that the DEA and FBI should stay out of it. However, court intepretation and the imposition of certain morality by judges alters that balance of law.
(BTW - I'm not a drug fan. The drug war itself is stupid and wastes money and causes people outside the U.S. to get rich. I believe in equal application of law and the limitation of Federal resources where State laws apply.
I've been wondering about the Feds and the marijuana in California. Where does the Federal Government get the mandate to do anything in Californiat regarding that?
For most drugs, the source of the drug trade comes from outside the country, or perhaps between states. Thus it falls under Federal jurisdiction as defined by the Constitution. However, if the marijuana is grown in California, sold in California, and never leaves California, then it should not be under Federal jurisdiction. If it is, then they're violating States' rights.
Remember when they passed the Federal law forbidding guns within a certain distance of schools? That was unconstitutional and the Supreme Court struck it down. Wish the Feds would learn to play by the rules as far as drugs are concerned. I think they should start having the medical marijuan tagged for origin and purpose in California. That would make it impossible for the Feds to claim jurisdiction or legal applicability.
Before Chicken Little comes and shouts that the sky is falling, I would dare say that this is just an extension of a trend that's been there.
As even simply part of a sales strategy, companies have been working on making things easier. Yes, sometimes this results in inadequate software, but in the market in general this makes it far easier to get companies to upgrade, update, and use new software. I don't know if the performance benefits are really great, but I know that companies have been working to cut down redundancies.
Does this mean that there won't be system administrators anymore? No. But I would say that system administrators are resources used up in ways secretaries used to. I remember when everybody wrote things by hand and gave them to secretaries to type up in offices. Now because people have better typing skills and typing is more important to even access information, there are fewer secretaries. Many secretaries are now far more multi-functional, handling numerous tasks in an office. The same will happen with system adminstrators.
Gone will be the days of hiding back in the server room with arcane tasks. There will be more work handling information patterns and purchasing and securing things, and less in the day-to-day routine kill of processes, recovering files for idiot users, and so on.
Personally, I hope the same will happen for programmers, so we stop calling simple coders programmers and go back to real work in programming.
I enjoy being something other than a paper-pusher. But then again, I've encountered other things in the corporate world.
I've worked in a call centre with Windows help files being the primary source of looking up information online. It wasn't a pretty system, but it TRULY was the IT department's call. I know there are also a lot of proprietary systems for retail stores and their retail offices, most of which I've seen run on DOS.
I know lots of departmental assistants and secretaries who have to scan in all kinds of paperwork (idiot-proof one-touch scanning works for them - does it work on Linux) and use FrontPage or FrontPage Express to update web pages for the departments.
Yes, 90% of the people use standard office-suite applications. Unfortunately most of the key support roles with the greatest influence on the purchasing requirements need applications outside that scope. (Oh yeah, project managers DO fall into that role often.)
Please tell me how with a subscription model, Red Hat is going to have a competitive advantage over Microsoft?
The only way I can see this happening is if the subscriptions are really cheap. But then again, we're talking about competiting not for small offices, but for large offices.
Please tell me how they are going to convince a large company that has invested in Microsoft helpdesk people to switch to Red Hat.
While you're at it, tell me how they're going to save them money from all the proprietary Windows software they're using.
Here's my current list of Windows software I would need replaced in order to maintain productivity - MS Project, MS Visio, Macromedia Dreamweaver, and Macromedia Fireworks.
Not a difficult list (note the general lack of MS Office, since I use OpenOffice), but not easy to overcome. I'm sure there are other people with far more obscure programmes they need.
I like open source and I like Linux. I just had stupid business models.
I started digging around to find out about different certifications and I was a little annoyed.
From what I understand, the Red Hat exam is the most comprehensive out there. However, I'm not a big Red Hat fan. So I'm stuck between getting certification that screams Red Hat, or getting something that an employer may not care about, or if they do and I get hired, may still put me under the guy with the RHCE.
Living in the D.C. area I will say that certifications definitely count here, and I'd love for the guys at United Linux to come up with some great certifications.
While I recognise the benefits for someone with serious RSI in their wrists (I've suffered, I know what it's like), the additional strain for my eyes would send me screaming.
I don't know how it is for most of you, but I'm extremely sensitive to flicker. Having moved back to the US, I notice the flicker on TV all the time. I notice the flicker on monitors, in lights, etc.
Looking from letter to letter, word to word to type would kill me.
Even if I could get higher than my current 65 wpm, I think the additional eyestrain would cause me to avoid the technology.
If you password protect it on an NT 4.0 server running IIS and don't publish what the server is, well, give it a few months and someone will discover it.
To extend the length of time, put it on a more obscure network. Maybe put it on IPv6 with no IPv4 address...
At any rate, in a few days of discovery, script kiddies around the world will be working hard to show their talents on your machine. A few weeks later a PDF version will show up on alt.binaries.e-books.
I actually think this is a good idea.
People in the U.S. gripe about identity theft left and right. Part of the reason it's so easy to perform identity theft is that while a social security number is tied to a person, it's only tied by the fact it was assigned. Remember, we recycle these stupid numbers.
I have a Finnish ID number as well, since I lived there for quite some time. That one actually makes sense. It's my birthday in DDMMYY form, plus three digits and a letter. That identifies where I was born, when I was born, and my gender. It's not exactly easy to steal from people, since it really is tied to the person, not simply assigned.
Technically in Finland, you don't have to give out the number, but in reality you use it for a number of things. The cool part is that they write down the last part (the three digits and letter) when checking credit cards, lessening credit card fraud. Anyone remember when they used to check stuff here in the U.S.?
<example_id>040463-395F</example_id>
Actually, I use a yahoo.com account for my junk, since their spam filters are better.
Since I still have a Windows machine, I have Outlook Express installed and check my Hotmail through that, usually.
What's really stupid, IMHO, is that the best way to prevent excess spam is to block the domains, which I can do through the Hotmail web site, but not via Outlook Express.