Where does it end? Where's the cutoff? Everyone has rights. That's what makes things a "right", rather than a privilege. Those who break the law should be punished appropriately and measures should be taken to prevent reoccurance, but that does not negate that person's rights.
Did I say I am making those calls? Did I say I want to annoy you?
No.
All I am expressing is that there are people that need to be able to be reached anytime, anywhere, and that the statement "Nobody is so important they can't be unreachable for a few hours." is completely false in the modern world.
Nobody is so important they can't be unreachable for a few hours.
Russia/China/India/Pakistan/North Korea/etc. just launched a nuclear missile! Get the President on the phone now!..... Whaddya mean he can't be reached until Air Force One lands?
Just because you're not important enough to need constant reliable communication methods doesn't mean that other people aren't. My clients make multi-million dollar deals that can hinge on a moment's notice. I'm glad I don't have to handle their IT and communication needs and I'm sure their staffs don't share the same mentality you do.
You don't think that MS and Novell have had teams of lawyers going over everything for this deal, including the GPL. When it comes down to it, it's the letter of the contract that matters, not the intent that was in the minds of the writers.
If I write a contract to deliver a dozen roses, but for some reason I think that carnation is called a rose and instead deliver a dozen carnations, I will be held in breach of contract. It doesn't matter what my intent was if I framed the contract improperly to ensure my intent.
I was boycotting Sony until they released the best rear-projection TV on the market. What can I say? Should I watch substandard TV just to make a point?
Substandard Standard Best != Standard
Therefore not having the best does not mean having to settle for substandard.
PS. Whoever at Autodesk thought the best way to update their DWF viewer was to embed it within IE just wants shooting. Yes, you heard me, they took a stand alone program and decided it would be better off if it relied on IE... They even went to the effort of creating the File menu structure in html! And yes, SP2 broke it...
You think that's bad... think of the firms (like mine) that decided to go Apple instead of Windows... Just 5 minutes ago I got a question from someone asking why he couldn't get the DWF Veiwer downloaded and working. My response was tell the civil engineer to send you something you can work with, like a DXF.
No you didn't. For simple TV viewing as you suggest, you can use the vesa X11 drivers and it'll output on every possible output
And how was I supposed to know this. Why wouldn't I assume that the NVidia drivers are going to be the best solution for my NVidia card? And knowing this obscure technical item doesn't mean I know the obscure solutions to the other problems, let alone the problems I anticipated having (like optical digital audio support or swapping out the analogue CRT TV for a digital LCD with HD) that I never even got to the point of being able to work on.
Sure, I could have spent a lot more time finding solutions to all the issues that I had. And I probably would have figured them out eventually and increased my knowledge of Linux at the same time. But there comes a point where I don't have time, and a commercial solution becomes much more attractive. I would have loved to have the OSS solution in place. And in the future, when I would really want some of the MythTV-only features (like one machine doing the recording/storage, and as many front-end devices as I'd like) I'll probably come back and take another look at it.
It's like the old adage: "Linux is only free if your time isn't worth anything."
Because there are so many extra components you need. Outside media players, codec libraries, driver packages, various MPEG decoding/encoding libraries, etc, etc.
I tried getting MythTV installed from the Knoppix disc. Plenty of things didn't work. It took me a few days to track down DVD playback problems. I then had to mess with getting the NVIDIA binary drivers installed and xconf configured properly. And then after that I still didn't have sound support (lack of drivers for my onboard soundcard). Oh, and I still had to deal with subscribing to a program guide service (with a one month renewal process). It got to the point where it was no longer worth my time. $150 for Windows MCE, and $40 for the NVIDIA mpeg encoder and I was up and running with everything working within a few hours.
People who want to use MythTV or Windows MCE, for the most part want it run as a dedicated Tivo-like appliance. They are going to be doing little if any desktop computing on it. For that reason, it makes perfect sense to have a full OS configured specifically for it, with default large fonts and display in the GUI, drivers and codecs pre-installed for most media types, auto-boot directly into the TV/Media interface, etc.
Sure, it's nice to be able to install something like this on top of your pre-existing, pre-configured OS. But for most people who want to use this technology, they'd rather wipe the machine and start clean.
I installed Firefox with Adblock and the Filterset G updater on my girlfriend's aging Mac laptop. Because without the adblocking, she couldn't even edit her MySpace page due to the overbearing animated advertising that appears all over that site. Her computer would just lock up from the load.
If you make the text bigger, the page layout goes toast in FF
Not true... this depends on how the page was coded. If the dev used relative sizes for everything (em) instead of fixed sizes (px), then the page should scale uniformly when doing text-resizing. I have implemented this quite successfully on some email newsletters to ensure consistency between varying resolutions, native font sizes, and printability.
To which you should have replied "PHP and MySQL are normally a part of AJAX". And you probably would have landed the job instead of getting into a semantics discussion with someone who obviously doesn't understand the technology.
But there is some truth to it as well. I inherited my great grandparents' microwave (I know they used it daily). It was built in 1972, before I was born. It finally died three years ago. I have gone through 2 microwaves since then, and I did my researcy and intentionally avoided cheap easy-break microwaves. I remember when my parents bought their first microwave in the mid 80's. It lasted a good 15 years. Since it died they have had several replacements. My grandmother is using the same microwave that she bought 20 years ago. I highly doubt any consumer microwave built today will last 20 years.
Wal-Mart threatens studios over iTunes sales. camperslo writes, "Playlist reported that Walt Disney President and CEO Robert Iger said that 125,000 downloadable movies had been purchased in the week since Apple's debut of movies on the iTunes Store. That sales level generated $1 million in revenue for Disney, which works out to $8 per movie. They also state that 'Iger told attendees of an investment conference in New York on Tuesday that Disney anticipates seeing about $50 million in revenue from the venture during its first year.'"
Where in that article or the associated links is anything regarding WalMart threatening lawsuits? C'mon editors...
I'm glad Ed Bott was able to discern which people were using genuine software and which had copies. People can get copies from machine vendors without knowing it, you know. Did he have access to Microsoft's database?
If you RTFA, you'd see that they limited their survey to people on the WGA forum who were having problems and upon request ran MS's "WGA Diagnostic" utility and posted the results. That utility throws back one of 4 results: Genuine, Blocked VLK, Invalid Product Key, and Not Activated. So as far as MS is concerned, they are legit, and not copies, but the WGA program still flagged them as not legit because of things other software (like a McAffe "quick clean" product) did to their system.
A big point that everyone here on slashdot seems to be missing. When you sign the acceptance papers and register, you usually just signed a waiver saying that the University/College owns all rights to the work you do while in school. Even though you produce it, they have the copyright. This way they can copy it to show as examples in class, keep records, etc. And in this situation, they're perfectly within their rights as copyright holders to do this. Now, if this school does not claim copyright ownership, then the student protest group has a basis for their argument. But I'm guessing it won't turn out that way.
Oh, so you must have inspired the guy who did the telephone wiring in my apartment building. I've seen it... and it seems that every time someone changes service, my DSL goes out..
I just wanted to clarify something. They aren't transfers from LaserDisc, they are transfers from a 1993 LaserDisc master. Big difference there.
You know, the beauty of digital media (like LaserDisc) is that you can do a bit for bit copy and not lose anything. So whether it's a pristine LaserDisc or a LaserDisc master that they used for the source, it really shouldn't matter.
Oh I have no doubt it's not for the agents. I imagine plenty of other nefarious uses like auto-flagging frequent callers, or tracking how long different account holders will deal with the system before punching 0, or even just giving the PHBs data points to drool about without them ever having to talk to their employees.
They exist to reduce teh need for them to speak to someone in the first place, and if that fails, to help ensure they speak to the right person right away.
9 times out of 10, when I have to punch in my account number or other identifying information in the automated system, I still have to give it to the live person for them to pull up my information because the machine doesn't give them the info. What's the point of having me indicate who I am to the machine, if the machine can't tell the operator who I am?
This article is particularily about the self-help voice-activated systems. With those, the information or help I need is rarely in the phone system. It's generally much easier to find online, and if I'm calling in, it's specifically because I need to talk to a real person to get the info.
Slashdot Mirror
Gays do not have rights.
Muslims do not have rights.
Jews do not have rights.
You do not have rights.
Where does it end? Where's the cutoff? Everyone has rights. That's what makes things a "right", rather than a privilege. Those who break the law should be punished appropriately and measures should be taken to prevent reoccurance, but that does not negate that person's rights.
Did I say I am making those calls? Did I say I want to annoy you?
No.
All I am expressing is that there are people that need to be able to be reached anytime, anywhere, and that the statement "Nobody is so important they can't be unreachable for a few hours." is completely false in the modern world.
Russia/China/India/Pakistan/North Korea/etc. just launched a nuclear missile! Get the President on the phone now!..... Whaddya mean he can't be reached until Air Force One lands?
Just because you're not important enough to need constant reliable communication methods doesn't mean that other people aren't. My clients make multi-million dollar deals that can hinge on a moment's notice. I'm glad I don't have to handle their IT and communication needs and I'm sure their staffs don't share the same mentality you do.
You don't think that MS and Novell have had teams of lawyers going over everything for this deal, including the GPL. When it comes down to it, it's the letter of the contract that matters, not the intent that was in the minds of the writers.
If I write a contract to deliver a dozen roses, but for some reason I think that carnation is called a rose and instead deliver a dozen carnations, I will be held in breach of contract. It doesn't matter what my intent was if I framed the contract improperly to ensure my intent.
Substandard Standard
Best != Standard
Therefore not having the best does not mean having to settle for substandard.
You think that's bad... think of the firms (like mine) that decided to go Apple instead of Windows... Just 5 minutes ago I got a question from someone asking why he couldn't get the DWF Veiwer downloaded and working. My response was tell the civil engineer to send you something you can work with, like a DXF.
Does Google offer XMLRPC services?
If so, then I'd say it's fine to drop SOAP. XMLRPC is a bit cleaner anyways.
And how was I supposed to know this. Why wouldn't I assume that the NVidia drivers are going to be the best solution for my NVidia card? And knowing this obscure technical item doesn't mean I know the obscure solutions to the other problems, let alone the problems I anticipated having (like optical digital audio support or swapping out the analogue CRT TV for a digital LCD with HD) that I never even got to the point of being able to work on.
Sure, I could have spent a lot more time finding solutions to all the issues that I had. And I probably would have figured them out eventually and increased my knowledge of Linux at the same time. But there comes a point where I don't have time, and a commercial solution becomes much more attractive. I would have loved to have the OSS solution in place. And in the future, when I would really want some of the MythTV-only features (like one machine doing the recording/storage, and as many front-end devices as I'd like) I'll probably come back and take another look at it.
It's like the old adage: "Linux is only free if your time isn't worth anything."
Because there are so many extra components you need. Outside media players, codec libraries, driver packages, various MPEG decoding/encoding libraries, etc, etc.
I tried getting MythTV installed from the Knoppix disc. Plenty of things didn't work. It took me a few days to track down DVD playback problems. I then had to mess with getting the NVIDIA binary drivers installed and xconf configured properly. And then after that I still didn't have sound support (lack of drivers for my onboard soundcard). Oh, and I still had to deal with subscribing to a program guide service (with a one month renewal process). It got to the point where it was no longer worth my time. $150 for Windows MCE, and $40 for the NVIDIA mpeg encoder and I was up and running with everything working within a few hours.
People who want to use MythTV or Windows MCE, for the most part want it run as a dedicated Tivo-like appliance. They are going to be doing little if any desktop computing on it. For that reason, it makes perfect sense to have a full OS configured specifically for it, with default large fonts and display in the GUI, drivers and codecs pre-installed for most media types, auto-boot directly into the TV/Media interface, etc.
Sure, it's nice to be able to install something like this on top of your pre-existing, pre-configured OS. But for most people who want to use this technology, they'd rather wipe the machine and start clean.
So true, so true...
I installed Firefox with Adblock and the Filterset G updater on my girlfriend's aging Mac laptop. Because without the adblocking, she couldn't even edit her MySpace page due to the overbearing animated advertising that appears all over that site. Her computer would just lock up from the load.
If you make the text bigger, the page layout goes toast in FF
Not true... this depends on how the page was coded. If the dev used relative sizes for everything (em) instead of fixed sizes (px), then the page should scale uniformly when doing text-resizing. I have implemented this quite successfully on some email newsletters to ensure consistency between varying resolutions, native font sizes, and printability.
It has an erie deja vu feeling of when Apple put an ad out welcoming IBM to the PC market.
It was Apple welcoming MS with Win95... IBM was a big player in the early PC market. "IBM-Compatible" used to be the defacto term, not "PC".
**mumbles about Whippersnappers...
To which you should have replied "PHP and MySQL are normally a part of AJAX". And you probably would have landed the job instead of getting into a semantics discussion with someone who obviously doesn't understand the technology.
But there is some truth to it as well. I inherited my great grandparents' microwave (I know they used it daily). It was built in 1972, before I was born. It finally died three years ago. I have gone through 2 microwaves since then, and I did my researcy and intentionally avoided cheap easy-break microwaves. I remember when my parents bought their first microwave in the mid 80's. It lasted a good 15 years. Since it died they have had several replacements. My grandmother is using the same microwave that she bought 20 years ago. I highly doubt any consumer microwave built today will last 20 years.
There was a Barbie PC, and a Hot Wheels one as well... Just rebranded/colored HPs if I remember correctly.
Where in that article or the associated links is anything regarding WalMart threatening lawsuits? C'mon editors...
Since when has MS done the obvious (correctly)?
If you RTFA, you'd see that they limited their survey to people on the WGA forum who were having problems and upon request ran MS's "WGA Diagnostic" utility and posted the results. That utility throws back one of 4 results: Genuine, Blocked VLK, Invalid Product Key, and Not Activated. So as far as MS is concerned, they are legit, and not copies, but the WGA program still flagged them as not legit because of things other software (like a McAffe "quick clean" product) did to their system.
A big point that everyone here on slashdot seems to be missing. When you sign the acceptance papers and register, you usually just signed a waiver saying that the University/College owns all rights to the work you do while in school. Even though you produce it, they have the copyright. This way they can copy it to show as examples in class, keep records, etc. And in this situation, they're perfectly within their rights as copyright holders to do this. Now, if this school does not claim copyright ownership, then the student protest group has a basis for their argument. But I'm guessing it won't turn out that way.
Classmates.com still is around? Since installing adblocking software (thank you Firefox!) I've never known that they even exist.
No, it just means the law students are better at not admitting to being unethical.
Oh, so you must have inspired the guy who did the telephone wiring in my apartment building. I've seen it... and it seems that every time someone changes service, my DSL goes out..
You know, the beauty of digital media (like LaserDisc) is that you can do a bit for bit copy and not lose anything. So whether it's a pristine LaserDisc or a LaserDisc master that they used for the source, it really shouldn't matter.
Oh I have no doubt it's not for the agents. I imagine plenty of other nefarious uses like auto-flagging frequent callers, or tracking how long different account holders will deal with the system before punching 0, or even just giving the PHBs data points to drool about without them ever having to talk to their employees.
9 times out of 10, when I have to punch in my account number or other identifying information in the automated system, I still have to give it to the live person for them to pull up my information because the machine doesn't give them the info. What's the point of having me indicate who I am to the machine, if the machine can't tell the operator who I am?
This article is particularily about the self-help voice-activated systems. With those, the information or help I need is rarely in the phone system. It's generally much easier to find online, and if I'm calling in, it's specifically because I need to talk to a real person to get the info.
Waste. Of. Time.