>>>without amateur radio you wouldn't even have 56k modems. You'd still be stuck with 1200/75.
Not even close to being true. First off Bell Telephone already had 1200/1200 modems as early as the 1960s. Second the demand for faster speeds for BBSes is what drove modem manufacturers to push for faster and faster connections (from 2400 to 56,000 between 1982 to 1995). Amateur radio had little to do with it.
You mean like the Victimless Crime of deciding I don't want hospital insurance and would rather just pay cash as needed? Yeah. Thanks to the central government that is now a crime, punishable with a ~$1000 annual fine.
But of course that's different. "We" support making free choice a crime. Pretty soon I suspect I'll be fined for the Oreo cookies I just ate, or ice cream I had for dessert last night, or having a BMI greater than 25.
- Try to get Sony to fix the "fat" PS3 they broke. - Wait. - If they refuse to fix my damaged property, then I'd mail-order a new "slim" PS3 from Sony directly. I'd return the fat PS3 using tracking or Delivery confirmation. - Wait. - After about 1.5 months I'd call my credit card company and dispute the charge, saying that I returned the PS3 (as sony told me to do) and have not yet received a refund. I'd provide the tracking/DC number for proof. - Wait. - The credit card company would refund the money. Sony would ultimately be stuck with the property THEY destroyed - as it should be. That's justice.
>>>Does anyone out there doubt that at some point the iMac is going to be locked down
Nah. Apple won't go that route. They'll just make it so you can't run any of their programs unless you have 10.6 (the latest OS). If you have an older computer that won't run 10.6 due to not enough RAM or not megahertz, then you'll just have to buy a new one.
I suspect it's only a matter of time until MS does the same, although pressure from the business segment will probably keep XP alive a long, long time.
Yes it IS fraud for Sony (or any other company) to destroy people's personal property. As I said I would follow proper procedure and give Sony an opportunity to do the right thing (repair/replace), but if they don't I will not just sit on the property THEY destroyed and do nothing.
I'm tired of corporations running over citizens as if they were smashed squirrels on the road to wealth. Oh and also dipping into taxpayer wallets by giving themselves free handouts (Congressional bills). I will do what I feel is necessary to protect myself from loss.
This is why I kept my PS2. It has 99.9% compatibility with my older PS1 collection (since it's basically a PS1 inside a PS2).
The PS3's compatibility is nowhere near that high. And companies wonder why we turn to emulation..... the emulators work better than the actual paid-for product.
Ooops. I just noticed I didn't answer your question. I'm not aware of any gadgets you can buy New which does not have firmware. Of course you always have the possibility of simply not updating your TV or DVR or Bluray Player so it can't be bricked, but you also run the risk of not being able to play some new Blurays that require the latest firmware. (There's also talk of blocking output to the Component Video cables.)
Older gadgets don't have firmware. For example the Super VHS I bought a few months ago has no firmware. It also ignores those "Don't record" digital content flags buried in some signals. I like it.
Yes. In addition to a PS3, X360, and Wii there's also the iPhone and iPad that can be bricked via forced updates. Also certain DVRs and Bluray/HDDVD gadgets. I've also heard complaints about DTVpals being bricked by the Dish Company's updates.
And my response?
- Call Sony to demand restitution for the PS3 they broke. - Wait. - If no response to repair or replace the broken PS3, then I'd buy a new PS3 from some store (like amazon or walmart), put the bricked one inside the box, then return it as defective ("It just won't turn on. No I don't want an exchange; I want a refund."). The store would eventually return it to Sony who would have to deal with the property THEY destroyed.
True. I've been told that in 1972 Hurricane Agnes knocked-out the phone for a whole day. So from then to now is what? 1 outage in 15,000 days? Oh horror. Of course TV and radio still worked flawlessly, so even without phone service people were not completely cut off from the world.:-)
>>>So what if RMS eats crud off his own feet? They're his feet, it is his choice. If it bothers you, don't watch.
Too late once the act has been seen, and become part of my memory. - And yes I agree with you. He can sit there and eat his own poop if he wants. That's called freedom. LIKEWISE I have the freedom to open my mouth and comment on it.
You tell me that I should keep my mouth shut (censorship), but I disagree. Freedom applies to both Mr. Stallman AND me. Just as he can sit and eat his foot crud, I can flap my mouth and exercise my voice. Freedom works in BOTH directions, not just one.
Apparently while Apple users have their messiah named Steve Jobs, the Linux users also have a messiah named Stallman. Well, I don't care. The guy still disgusts me. This Stallman dude has nothing to say that I want to hear.
When a guy sits on a stage and eats crud off his own feet, it occurs to me that he understands little about humanity (or manners or society) beyond a few programming skills. His opinion about politics holds even less weight than conspiracist Alex Jones' opinions.
>>>Is there really much distinction between "buy this or you will be fined" and "buy this and get a deduction or credit"?
First off, I don't agree with giving people deductions/credits if they buy, for example, a hybrid because I think everyone who earns a set amount of money should pay the same tax. i.e. If I earn $40,000 and you earn $40,000 then we should pay exactly the same dollars to the U.S. IRS. No exceptions.
That said the key difference is that a deduction is a gift that is pleasant (you pay less tax). A fine hurts. It's a punishment. And it's a punishment enacted without benefit of a trial by a jury of your peers.
Ask yourself this:
If someone chooses not to buy health insurance, do you think the government should FORCE them to comply, including being rounded-up by men with guns and carted off to jail (or fined)? If you answer yes, doesn't that use of "force" bother you? Doesn't it remind you of a certain Socialist Union?
It turned Farmers into serfs, who were unable to grow any wheat except with the permission of the Masters..... oooops I mean the Congressional representatives. In the specific case, the farmer grew approximately 20 acres of wheat to feed his cows, sheep, and chickens. i.e. For his own usage. The Master... I mean Congress told the serf he's only allowed to grow ~10 acres.
Who here thinks this was the original intent of James Madison when he wrote the Constitution? When it was approved by the 13 founding States? To turn farmers into serfs like a feudal state?
>>>Nothing motivates an executive more than the risk of being thrown in a cell with the biggest dick around.
Heh. Well rather than do that, I'd prefer to pass a law that all Phone companies must provide DSL (or FiOS) within 6 months of a customer requesting it. That would represent broadband access to 99.9% of the nation's population (109.9 million households). If the companies balk about installation costs, I'd point to the 1996 Act and say, "Use those billions we gave you, and stop whining."
>>>There's the well-known disaster communications argument.
I'd rather invest $5 a month in POTS. The telephone never seems to die, perhaps because it's so simple (a twisted pair wire). I honestly can't remember ever losing telephone service.
I experimented with HAM in the 80s, but quickly lost interest.
Computer-based communication via BBSes offered so much more, like SID or 8 bit near-cd-quality music. Plus I discovered what women look like via 4000-color downloadable pics on my Amiga.;-) And of course now we have the internet with instant access to virtually everything, including movies or TV shows. I don't want to discourage you, but remember that HAM is just analog sound. It doesn't really offer much more than that.
The challenge of communicating through noise and static, especially if you are a DXer (try to get signals from 1000+ miles away). HAM radio can also be used for some limited data communication, so in theory you could attach your PC to your transmitter, and put a receiver in your car, and communicate with your home (like for example, listening to dialup quality radio, or accessing text services like usenet). I don't know how popular packet-switching is today, but it used to be common in the era of the BBS (1980s).
By that reasoning Baltimore Gas & Electric should not be regulated by Maryland, but instead by the U.S. Dept. of Energy or Commerce.
Heck..... we might as well set charges to the State Government buildings, demolish them, and make room for new buildings. (And over in the European Union they can do the same to the UK Parliament, French Assembly, German Bundestag, et cetera.) Why have state level governments if you're simply going to hand ALL the power to the central Congress or Parliament via the commerce or general welfare clause?
I suspect Star Wars during the Republic years would make a good Star Trek-style TV show, however television execs seem to have turned against science fiction. Ever since Star Trek was canceled they act as if audiences are sick of scifi, and now the only people producing new stuff is Syfy(lis) Channel.
STRAWMAN ARGUMENT. No I did not say that. Don't put words into my mouth. It's rude and a flawed basis for debate. .
>>>Nope. Why? [Because your antenna broadcast crosses state lines.]
Fixed that for ya. When signals cross state lines, then the U.S. has jurisdiction. But since Comcast of Baltimore (for example) doesn't have any signals crossing state lines, it is not subject to the National government. The jurisdiction belongs to the Maryland government.
This is identical to how the European Union operates - the member state governments do the regulating of ISPs. The central EU government has no such power. Likewise the central US government has no power over Baltimore Comcast.
That means we will have a lawless society, and a government with no practical limit upon its power. AKA a tyranny. True it will be an elected tyranny, but still a monopoly with the power to squash the citizens underfoot like ants (see Roman Republic or Athenian Democracy).
>>>the FCC does have the authority to regulate inside states.
Really? Please quote to me the relevant portion of the U.S. Constitution which gave them that power. All I can find is this: "The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people."
That's pretty damn clear. The FCC has *no* authority inside states. Neither does any other part of the national government.
Modding me "troll" is not. Nothing I said in the above post was trollish. I was expressing my opinion, which apparently is backed-up by a U.S. Appeal Court's opinion. If you want Comcast regulated, then contact your local state government and ask them to do it, as they are already doing with other monopolies (electrical, natural gas, phone). The State PUC would be the entity responsible.
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>>>without amateur radio you wouldn't even have 56k modems. You'd still be stuck with 1200/75.
Not even close to being true. First off Bell Telephone already had 1200/1200 modems as early as the 1960s. Second the demand for faster speeds for BBSes is what drove modem manufacturers to push for faster and faster connections (from 2400 to 56,000 between 1982 to 1995). Amateur radio had little to do with it.
You mean like the Victimless Crime of deciding I don't want hospital insurance and would rather just pay cash as needed?
Yeah.
Thanks to the central government that is now a crime, punishable with a ~$1000 annual fine.
But of course that's different. "We" support making free choice a crime. Pretty soon I suspect I'll be fined for the Oreo cookies I just ate, or ice cream I had for dessert last night, or having a BMI greater than 25.
Then I'd have to alter my plan slightly:
- Try to get Sony to fix the "fat" PS3 they broke.
- Wait.
- If they refuse to fix my damaged property, then I'd mail-order a new "slim" PS3 from Sony directly. I'd return the fat PS3 using tracking or Delivery confirmation.
- Wait.
- After about 1.5 months I'd call my credit card company and dispute the charge, saying that I returned the PS3 (as sony told me to do) and have not yet received a refund. I'd provide the tracking/DC number for proof.
- Wait.
- The credit card company would refund the money. Sony would ultimately be stuck with the property THEY destroyed - as it should be. That's justice.
>>>Does anyone out there doubt that at some point the iMac is going to be locked down
Nah. Apple won't go that route. They'll just make it so you can't run any of their programs unless you have 10.6 (the latest OS). If you have an older computer that won't run 10.6 due to not enough RAM or not megahertz, then you'll just have to buy a new one.
I suspect it's only a matter of time until MS does the same, although pressure from the business segment will probably keep XP alive a long, long time.
>>>That's fraud
Yes it IS fraud for Sony (or any other company) to destroy people's personal property. As I said I would follow proper procedure and give Sony an opportunity to do the right thing (repair/replace), but if they don't I will not just sit on the property THEY destroyed and do nothing.
I'm tired of corporations running over citizens as if they were smashed squirrels on the road to wealth. Oh and also dipping into taxpayer wallets by giving themselves free handouts (Congressional bills). I will do what I feel is necessary to protect myself from loss.
This is why I kept my PS2. It has 99.9% compatibility with my older PS1 collection (since it's basically a PS1 inside a PS2).
The PS3's compatibility is nowhere near that high. And companies wonder why we turn to emulation..... the emulators work better than the actual paid-for product.
Ooops. I just noticed I didn't answer your question. I'm not aware of any gadgets you can buy New which does not have firmware. Of course you always have the possibility of simply not updating your TV or DVR or Bluray Player so it can't be bricked, but you also run the risk of not being able to play some new Blurays that require the latest firmware. (There's also talk of blocking output to the Component Video cables.)
Older gadgets don't have firmware. For example the Super VHS I bought a few months ago has no firmware. It also ignores those "Don't record" digital content flags buried in some signals. I like it.
Yes. In addition to a PS3, X360, and Wii there's also the iPhone and iPad that can be bricked via forced updates. Also certain DVRs and Bluray/HDDVD gadgets. I've also heard complaints about DTVpals being bricked by the Dish Company's updates.
And my response?
- Call Sony to demand restitution for the PS3 they broke.
- Wait.
- If no response to repair or replace the broken PS3, then I'd buy a new PS3 from some store (like amazon or walmart), put the bricked one inside the box, then return it as defective ("It just won't turn on. No I don't want an exchange; I want a refund."). The store would eventually return it to Sony who would have to deal with the property THEY destroyed.
True. I've been told that in 1972 Hurricane Agnes knocked-out the phone for a whole day. So from then to now is what? 1 outage in 15,000 days? Oh horror. Of course TV and radio still worked flawlessly, so even without phone service people were not completely cut off from the world. :-)
>>>digital modes that let you communicate around the world with less than one watt of transmit power
And which make a 56k dialup modem look fast.
>>>So what if RMS eats crud off his own feet? They're his feet, it is his choice. If it bothers you, don't watch.
Too late once the act has been seen, and become part of my memory. - And yes I agree with you. He can sit there and eat his own poop if he wants. That's called freedom. LIKEWISE I have the freedom to open my mouth and comment on it.
You tell me that I should keep my mouth shut (censorship), but I disagree. Freedom applies to both Mr. Stallman AND me. Just as he can sit and eat his foot crud, I can flap my mouth and exercise my voice. Freedom works in BOTH directions, not just one.
Apparently while Apple users have their messiah named Steve Jobs, the Linux users also have a messiah named Stallman. Well, I don't care. The guy still disgusts me. This Stallman dude has nothing to say that I want to hear.
When a guy sits on a stage and eats crud off his own feet, it occurs to me that he understands little about humanity (or manners or society) beyond a few programming skills. His opinion about politics holds even less weight than conspiracist Alex Jones' opinions.
>>>Is there really much distinction between "buy this or you will be fined" and "buy this and get a deduction or credit"?
First off, I don't agree with giving people deductions/credits if they buy, for example, a hybrid because I think everyone who earns a set amount of money should pay the same tax. i.e. If I earn $40,000 and you earn $40,000 then we should pay exactly the same dollars to the U.S. IRS. No exceptions.
That said the key difference is that a deduction is a gift that is pleasant (you pay less tax). A fine hurts. It's a punishment. And it's a punishment enacted without benefit of a trial by a jury of your peers.
Ask yourself this:
If someone chooses not to buy health insurance, do you think the government should FORCE them to comply, including being rounded-up by men with guns and carted off to jail (or fined)? If you answer yes, doesn't that use of "force" bother you? Doesn't it remind you of a certain Socialist Union?
>>>It was a Constitutional question.
It turned Farmers into serfs, who were unable to grow any wheat except with the permission of the Masters..... oooops I mean the Congressional representatives. In the specific case, the farmer grew approximately 20 acres of wheat to feed his cows, sheep, and chickens. i.e. For his own usage. The Master... I mean Congress told the serf he's only allowed to grow ~10 acres.
Who here thinks this was the original intent of James Madison when he wrote the Constitution? When it was approved by the 13 founding States? To turn farmers into serfs like a feudal state?
Not I.
>>>Nothing motivates an executive more than the risk of being thrown in a cell with the biggest dick around.
Heh. Well rather than do that, I'd prefer to pass a law that all Phone companies must provide DSL (or FiOS) within 6 months of a customer requesting it. That would represent broadband access to 99.9% of the nation's population (109.9 million households). If the companies balk about installation costs, I'd point to the 1996 Act and say, "Use those billions we gave you, and stop whining."
>>>There's the well-known disaster communications argument.
I'd rather invest $5 a month in POTS. The telephone never seems to die, perhaps because it's so simple (a twisted pair wire). I honestly can't remember ever losing telephone service.
I experimented with HAM in the 80s, but quickly lost interest.
Computer-based communication via BBSes offered so much more, like SID or 8 bit near-cd-quality music. Plus I discovered what women look like via 4000-color downloadable pics on my Amiga. ;-) And of course now we have the internet with instant access to virtually everything, including movies or TV shows. I don't want to discourage you, but remember that HAM is just analog sound. It doesn't really offer much more than that.
>>>What is the draw and use of this stuff?
The challenge of communicating through noise and static, especially if you are a DXer (try to get signals from 1000+ miles away). HAM radio can also be used for some limited data communication, so in theory you could attach your PC to your transmitter, and put a receiver in your car, and communicate with your home (like for example, listening to dialup quality radio, or accessing text services like usenet). I don't know how popular packet-switching is today, but it used to be common in the era of the BBS (1980s).
By that reasoning Baltimore Gas & Electric should not be regulated by Maryland, but instead by the U.S. Dept. of Energy or Commerce.
Heck..... we might as well set charges to the State Government buildings, demolish them, and make room for new buildings. (And over in the European Union they can do the same to the UK Parliament, French Assembly, German Bundestag, et cetera.) Why have state level governments if you're simply going to hand ALL the power to the central Congress or Parliament via the commerce or general welfare clause?
Please. I'd really like to know.
Okay well then YOU explain the U.S. Appeals Court decision for why Comcast is not under FCC jurisdiction.
I suspect Star Wars during the Republic years would make a good Star Trek-style TV show, however television execs seem to have turned against science fiction. Ever since Star Trek was canceled they act as if audiences are sick of scifi, and now the only people producing new stuff is Syfy(lis) Channel.
>>>So you are saying.....
STRAWMAN ARGUMENT. No I did not say that. Don't put words into my mouth. It's rude and a flawed basis for debate.
.
>>>Nope. Why? [Because your antenna broadcast crosses state lines.]
Fixed that for ya. When signals cross state lines, then the U.S. has jurisdiction. But since Comcast of Baltimore (for example) doesn't have any signals crossing state lines, it is not subject to the National government. The jurisdiction belongs to the Maryland government.
This is identical to how the European Union operates - the member state governments do the regulating of ISPs. The central EU government has no such power. Likewise the central US government has no power over Baltimore Comcast.
>>>Constitution be dammed. I want my internets!
That means we will have a lawless society, and a government with no practical limit upon its power. AKA a tyranny. True it will be an elected tyranny, but still a monopoly with the power to squash the citizens underfoot like ants (see Roman Republic or Athenian Democracy).
>>>the FCC does have the authority to regulate inside states.
Really? Please quote to me the relevant portion of the U.S. Constitution which gave them that power. All I can find is this: "The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people."
That's pretty damn clear. The FCC has *no* authority inside states. Neither does any other part of the national government.
"I disagree with your opinion" is fine with me.
Modding me "troll" is not. Nothing I said in the above post was trollish. I was expressing my opinion, which apparently is backed-up by a U.S. Appeal Court's opinion. If you want Comcast regulated, then contact your local state government and ask them to do it, as they are already doing with other monopolies (electrical, natural gas, phone). The State PUC would be the entity responsible.