You aren't posting from the number one ally of the USA unless you're posting from Canada. Not the 51st state, and more of an ally. No support for the war on Iraq the way it went, but friends are allowed to have differing opinions.
There may be some good natured fun had at the expense of Americans in the great white north, but people here don't grimace when you mention the US of A.
Eminem's CD is at least 8 times platinum now, isn't it? (8 million copies sold in the US alone) Anybody who wants to buy a copy can, I don't see how music on CD is artificially scarce.
It's interesting that/. readers get all offended when Congressmen make condescending remarks to them or about their culture, when/. readers take shots an N'sync, Avril Lavigne, and whoever else all the time. Just because you don't like it doesn't mean it sucks.
No, FAIR USE is still possible - they're just making it hard to backup the CD. It is certainly not impossible, as tons of ripped MP3s from these CDs which will show up on Kazaa will attest.
Basically it's "Go ahead and make a back up copy... if you can"
Just out of curiosity, what data are you extrapolating a "geek" like of Linkin' Park from?
Well what data is there on the subject anywhere? I mean it's not stereotypical geek icons like Captain Kirk release albums or anything... oh wait... beam me up some copy protection Scotty! And get me the phone number of that lovely green RIAA-ian girl.
Re:Don't De-Emphasize Tools - Make Better Ones
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A real world example to look at is in professional sports. There are many examples of teams that "look good on paper" with many star players who individually have the potential to do well, but often these groups of talented people end up losing games because they never gel as a team.
Why would you want three languages available on a DVD for non-commercial home use? Original language and one dubbed language/subtitles would seem to suffice if using a DVD for personal home exhibition, which all a consumer is entitled to do with them.
Separate English/French and English/Spanish titles would make sense in region 1, but you shouldn't need three on one disc, although if there is room on the DVD, it would make economic sense for the studio to release discs with all three together. But I don't see how they could be faulted for covering the bases with separate English/French and English/Spanish discs.
Are you serious? Viruses/Worms today have the capability of disrupting economies all over the globe. They can cause millions to billions worth of dollars in lost productivity. Who are these crazy people who blame the users and think the authors are practically blameless? The users end up invoking the malicious program, but that's akin to a "clever" a-hole sending a well disguised letter/package bomb to someone with the return address of a friend and then blaming the recipient when they open the letter and it blows them up. Except that the person who's blown up would somehow also be sending letter bombs to every one they kept in contact with.
For everyone that thinks it's all about ignorance, here's to hoping you never get yours and end up somewhere on the globe where it's legal to sodomize random people. You're going to get it in the end.
Lots of different genres and platforms are represented, but where are the driving games? I don't think there's even a single one in any of the many top 10s that are listed throughout the pages of GameSpy's top 50.
Pole Position I+II were money! Need for Speed III's different multiplayer modes and unofficial cars made by fans made it great.
Super Monaco GP for Arcade or Genesis? Great!
I guess driving games just don't count or what? They seem to be pretty big sellers though!
Padding is a weapon. It hurts a whole lot more to get smashed in your padded chest with a helmet, worn by someone on the other team who can run at full throttle without fear because they are "protected", than to simply be hit in the unprotected chest by another person's head. There are way more injuries in football (NFL, CFL, NCAA) than in Rugby or Australian Rules. How often do rugby players become parapa/quadripalegics?
In hockey, lacrosse, and *especially* hurling, you have a stick in your hand to inflict lots of damage with. Hurling is a real "manly" sport, but Rugby or Aussie rules are no meaner than NFL football. The players in the NFL are much bigger and stronger too - you don't see many 350+ pounders in Rugby...
But the comment I was replying to based their statements on unregulated transmissions passing through Canadian air space.
DirecTV cannot legally be sold in Canada, but the channel A&E, which is available via DirecTV, *is* available in Canada (as is Windows ME), and is regulated by the CRTC. So if you're allowed to intercept A&E from DirecTV and do with it what you will, what's to stop someone in Canada from intercepting downloaded software intended for a DirecPC user and claiming it to then be legally theirs? (Windows ME or otherwise)
Would this mean that anything you should happen to intercept destined for an American DirecPC user was legally yours to keep? Like, if they were downloading Windows ME...?
Williams is out of the pinball business. They only produced two Pinball 2000 games then called it quits. They even scrapped a Pat Lawlor (pinball design God) Pin2k game.
Stern is the only manufacturer left. They do have Lawlor on board, so we'll see how it goes. They're stuck with awful SEGA/DataEast playfields that look like they were drawn on with a crayon and their games have weak flippers. Another downside is that god-awful BSMT-2000 (or whatever) sound system. Hopefully, Stern does well and there's a pinball renaissance. Even the bigwigs of computer pinball (Cunning Developments) are out of the business, so it's not looking good for the silver ball.
To be blunt, if there is a war brewing between the two, then it's the not the merits of the philosophies that are going to "win" the war for either side.
The number of people who seek out and compile free software is absolutely puny compared to the number of people who want software that simply installs itself and works. There is nothing stopping an open source, free, program from including an installation wizard to compile a binary, install itself, AND install the source code for the program - but how many programs do this? Most linux distros now have these types of wizards for the initial install, but beyond that it requires some true geek-ness to want to download new programs, their libraries, and have fun compiling. John Q. Public isn't taking sides based on what's right or what's perceived to be best for the general public. They buy what is available in stores, is cheap, and works well. They also buy software for the OS that came pre-installed on their computer. Most of the buying public is NOT going to have the patience to compile their own software, and they aren't interested in whether or not one company has a monopoly or not. If they were concerned, then far fewer people would by things like Miller beer, considering it's a subsidiary of death-merchant Philip-Morris. (although anyone who smokes themselves to death these days is REALLY stupid, considering that the facts about smoking are all out in the open)
At the moment, the movement can gain all the publicity it wants, and do all sorts of wonderful things, but it will not become a big player or have any shot of displaying "non-free" software until it realizes that most people don't care about the "principals" involved. The movement NEEDS a major PC vendor to start pre-installing computers with OSes like Linux that are 100% ready to just be plugged in when they arrive at John Q's house. Cable modem ready, 56k ready, etc. Linux needs crazy paper-clip guys for the clueless newbies who really need them. Hide every single command prompt and just throw together some MacOS-like interface to simplify everything to the max. And they need to put in the ability to turn "newbie mode" off for the more advanced user. Once this happens, and free OSes and software are actually supported and not just given an asterix (* - Linux optional), the software will gain a foothold, people will embrace cheap programs, and the monopolies will come down.
But remember, that cannot happen by embracing a philosophy alone.
Your physical e-mail inbox, if you're using POP, resides on your computer. The storage area on the server is usually the property of the ISP.
As for the "trespassing", e-mail is just information coming into your home/business/whatever via a wire (in most cases). It is specifically addressed to you. This is the exact same thing as an unsolicited telephone call, which is legal in most places. You make the conscious choice to pick up or not up the phone if it rings, just as you make the conscious choice to read e-mail sent from spammers. Some spammers will even leave voicemail, which is the same thing as having e-mail downloaded into your inbox.
If you know something is SPAM on sight, then just set up e-mail filters to get rid of 90% of it. Scanning your e-mail is just like scanning your calls.
As for the original suggestion that the spammers pay you for having sent you the message, that's ludicrous. Just because you're advertised to, doesn't mean you're entitled to be paid for it. You buy a Tommy Hilfiger shirt and you're going to see the logo and name every time you put it on for the rest of your life. It doesn't mean you're entitled to anything for it, contrary to what some brain-dead youth group in Vancouver seems to think.
Beyond that, you don't get paid when junk mail comes in via the post office, so why would this be different? You don't get paid when someone puts a flyer under your windshield wipers eithers, but it's the same thing.
If you like it you'll do the right thing and go out and buy it? Umm, no. While there are some people who own 100+ movies, they're an extreme minority.
Nowadays, it's fairly easy to tell from the trailers (which give away most of the movie) and reviews whether a movie is worthwhile or not. There are so many critics available on the internet that one is bound to match up to your tastes.
If you're sitting around downloading DivX files all the live long day then you're going to pay a premium for a non-quota internet account, OR pay a big ol' overage charge every month. Add to that the fact that you're using up lots of bandwidth and forcing the Telco to up its capacity and pass along the charge to users. Then you'll buy a blank CD and burn the movies you like. For what, saving $10 off the theatre price? $5 off the rental price? Hell you spend that much on the blank CD and in the time you invest in downloading and burning the thing. I mean, if a movie really SUCKS, you aren't going to buy it, are you? So saying piracy is good to prevent the high cost of movies you're going to BUY, and justifying it by saying lots of movies suck is completely wrong. You aren't going to BUY movies that you think suck unless you're some kind of masochist.
Since when is being born in the USA suddenly a tacit EULA signing action to abide by and/or accept constitution?
If people who don't agree with the constitution are enemies of "the right thinking", then you'd better go back to the original, because last time I checked there had been amendments made - these amendments were no doubt made by people who didn't fully accept the constition as it was written, and hence were the enemies of "the right thinking" Americans of that time and the current.
Why would slap or fire someone because the server went down? There is no 100% bulletproof server or OS. NASA's computers go down, so just about anyone else's can too. It's how the tech person deals with things once the server has gone down that's important. (like getting it back online quickly!)
You don't pay for other people's TV shows if you don't watch TV. Companies don't raise their prices just because they advertise. Did Garden Burger suddenly raise its price(s) when they spent US$1M to run an ad during the Super Bowl? Nope.
The goal of advertising is to get more people to buy a product, not to get a product sold at a higher price. (although this is a bonus in some cases. No Mercedes SUV or Lincoln Navigator is actually WORTH the sticker price. Get enough status seeking freaks horny for it through ads and they'll pay anything)
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You are aware, I hope, that Canada is involved in NORAD? The North American Aerospace Defense Command. NORAD Quickfacts
You aren't posting from the number one ally of the USA unless you're posting from Canada. Not the 51st state, and more of an ally. No support for the war on Iraq the way it went, but friends are allowed to have differing opinions.
There may be some good natured fun had at the expense of Americans in the great white north, but people here don't grimace when you mention the US of A.
Actually, you can get them - cheaply - on VHS and support the pinball hall of fame in the process. Go here. (bottom of page)
Eminem's CD is at least 8 times platinum now, isn't it? (8 million copies sold in the US alone) Anybody who wants to buy a copy can, I don't see how music on CD is artificially scarce.
It's interesting that /. readers get all offended when Congressmen make condescending remarks to them or about their culture, when /. readers take shots an N'sync, Avril Lavigne, and whoever else all the time. Just because you don't like it doesn't mean it sucks.
Who're the hypocrites?
No, FAIR USE is still possible - they're just making it hard to backup the CD. It is certainly not impossible, as tons of ripped MP3s from these CDs which will show up on Kazaa will attest.
Basically it's "Go ahead and make a back up copy... if you can"
Just out of curiosity, what data are you extrapolating a "geek" like of Linkin' Park from?
Well what data is there on the subject anywhere? I mean it's not stereotypical geek icons like Captain Kirk release albums or anything... oh wait... beam me up some copy protection Scotty! And get me the phone number of that lovely green RIAA-ian girl.
A real world example to look at is in professional sports. There are many examples of teams that "look good on paper" with many star players who individually have the potential to do well, but often these groups of talented people end up losing games because they never gel as a team.
Let's go Rangers!
Umm, playing NES games on Gamecube WOULD be emulation.
Why would you want three languages available on a DVD for non-commercial home use? Original language and one dubbed language/subtitles would seem to suffice if using a DVD for personal home exhibition, which all a consumer is entitled to do with them.
Separate English/French and English/Spanish titles would make sense in region 1, but you shouldn't need three on one disc, although if there is room on the DVD, it would make economic sense for the studio to release discs with all three together. But I don't see how they could be faulted for covering the bases with separate English/French and English/Spanish discs.
Are you serious? Viruses/Worms today have the capability of disrupting economies all over the globe. They can cause millions to billions worth of dollars in lost productivity. Who are these crazy people who blame the users and think the authors are practically blameless? The users end up invoking the malicious program, but that's akin to a "clever" a-hole sending a well disguised letter/package bomb to someone with the return address of a friend and then blaming the recipient when they open the letter and it blows them up. Except that the person who's blown up would somehow also be sending letter bombs to every one they kept in contact with.
For everyone that thinks it's all about ignorance, here's to hoping you never get yours and end up somewhere on the globe where it's legal to sodomize random people. You're going to get it in the end.
Pole Position I+II were money! Need for Speed III's different multiplayer modes and unofficial cars made by fans made it great.
Super Monaco GP for Arcade or Genesis? Great!
I guess driving games just don't count or what? They seem to be pretty big sellers though!
Sure they do, next up is Final Fantasy XI - Crystal Lake : Jason Learns Magic
Padding is a weapon. It hurts a whole lot more to get smashed in your padded chest with a helmet, worn by someone on the other team who can run at full throttle without fear because they are "protected", than to simply be hit in the unprotected chest by another person's head. There are way more injuries in football (NFL, CFL, NCAA) than in Rugby or Australian Rules. How often do rugby players become parapa/quadripalegics?
In hockey, lacrosse, and *especially* hurling, you have a stick in your hand to inflict lots of damage with. Hurling is a real "manly" sport, but Rugby or Aussie rules are no meaner than NFL football. The players in the NFL are much bigger and stronger too - you don't see many 350+ pounders in Rugby...
But the comment I was replying to based their statements on unregulated transmissions passing through Canadian air space.
DirecTV cannot legally be sold in Canada, but the channel A&E, which is available via DirecTV, *is* available in Canada (as is Windows ME), and is regulated by the CRTC. So if you're allowed to intercept A&E from DirecTV and do with it what you will, what's to stop someone in Canada from intercepting downloaded software intended for a DirecPC user and claiming it to then be legally theirs? (Windows ME or otherwise)
Would this mean that anything you should happen to intercept destined for an American DirecPC user was legally yours to keep? Like, if they were downloading Windows ME...?
Williams is out of the pinball business. They only produced two Pinball 2000 games then called it quits. They even scrapped a Pat Lawlor (pinball design God) Pin2k game.
Stern is the only manufacturer left. They do have Lawlor on board, so we'll see how it goes. They're stuck with awful SEGA/DataEast playfields that look like they were drawn on with a crayon and their games have weak flippers. Another downside is that god-awful BSMT-2000 (or whatever) sound system. Hopefully, Stern does well and there's a pinball renaissance. Even the bigwigs of computer pinball (Cunning Developments) are out of the business, so it's not looking good for the silver ball.
The number of people who seek out and compile free software is absolutely puny compared to the number of people who want software that simply installs itself and works. There is nothing stopping an open source, free, program from including an installation wizard to compile a binary, install itself, AND install the source code for the program - but how many programs do this? Most linux distros now have these types of wizards for the initial install, but beyond that it requires some true geek-ness to want to download new programs, their libraries, and have fun compiling. John Q. Public isn't taking sides based on what's right or what's perceived to be best for the general public. They buy what is available in stores, is cheap, and works well. They also buy software for the OS that came pre-installed on their computer. Most of the buying public is NOT going to have the patience to compile their own software, and they aren't interested in whether or not one company has a monopoly or not. If they were concerned, then far fewer people would by things like Miller beer, considering it's a subsidiary of death-merchant Philip-Morris. (although anyone who smokes themselves to death these days is REALLY stupid, considering that the facts about smoking are all out in the open)
At the moment, the movement can gain all the publicity it wants, and do all sorts of wonderful things, but it will not become a big player or have any shot of displaying "non-free" software until it realizes that most people don't care about the "principals" involved. The movement NEEDS a major PC vendor to start pre-installing computers with OSes like Linux that are 100% ready to just be plugged in when they arrive at John Q's house. Cable modem ready, 56k ready, etc. Linux needs crazy paper-clip guys for the clueless newbies who really need them. Hide every single command prompt and just throw together some MacOS-like interface to simplify everything to the max. And they need to put in the ability to turn "newbie mode" off for the more advanced user. Once this happens, and free OSes and software are actually supported and not just given an asterix (* - Linux optional), the software will gain a foothold, people will embrace cheap programs, and the monopolies will come down.
But remember, that cannot happen by embracing a philosophy alone.
Your physical e-mail inbox, if you're using POP, resides on your computer. The storage area on the server is usually the property of the ISP. As for the "trespassing", e-mail is just information coming into your home/business/whatever via a wire (in most cases). It is specifically addressed to you. This is the exact same thing as an unsolicited telephone call, which is legal in most places. You make the conscious choice to pick up or not up the phone if it rings, just as you make the conscious choice to read e-mail sent from spammers. Some spammers will even leave voicemail, which is the same thing as having e-mail downloaded into your inbox. If you know something is SPAM on sight, then just set up e-mail filters to get rid of 90% of it. Scanning your e-mail is just like scanning your calls. As for the original suggestion that the spammers pay you for having sent you the message, that's ludicrous. Just because you're advertised to, doesn't mean you're entitled to be paid for it. You buy a Tommy Hilfiger shirt and you're going to see the logo and name every time you put it on for the rest of your life. It doesn't mean you're entitled to anything for it, contrary to what some brain-dead youth group in Vancouver seems to think. Beyond that, you don't get paid when junk mail comes in via the post office, so why would this be different? You don't get paid when someone puts a flyer under your windshield wipers eithers, but it's the same thing.
Nowadays, it's fairly easy to tell from the trailers (which give away most of the movie) and reviews whether a movie is worthwhile or not. There are so many critics available on the internet that one is bound to match up to your tastes.
If you're sitting around downloading DivX files all the live long day then you're going to pay a premium for a non-quota internet account, OR pay a big ol' overage charge every month. Add to that the fact that you're using up lots of bandwidth and forcing the Telco to up its capacity and pass along the charge to users. Then you'll buy a blank CD and burn the movies you like. For what, saving $10 off the theatre price? $5 off the rental price? Hell you spend that much on the blank CD and in the time you invest in downloading and burning the thing. I mean, if a movie really SUCKS, you aren't going to buy it, are you? So saying piracy is good to prevent the high cost of movies you're going to BUY, and justifying it by saying lots of movies suck is completely wrong. You aren't going to BUY movies that you think suck unless you're some kind of masochist.
Then buy individual parts and assemble your own PC if you're so concerned about it. Microsoft shouldn't get any of your money if you do that.
Now the crime rates of the respective countries, that's a different matter... :)
Since when is being born in the USA suddenly a tacit EULA signing action to abide by and/or accept constitution?
If people who don't agree with the constitution are enemies of "the right thinking", then you'd better go back to the original, because last time I checked there had been amendments made - these amendments were no doubt made by people who didn't fully accept the constition as it was written, and hence were the enemies of "the right thinking" Americans of that time and the current.
Why would slap or fire someone because the server went down? There is no 100% bulletproof server or OS. NASA's computers go down, so just about anyone else's can too. It's how the tech person deals with things once the server has gone down that's important. (like getting it back online quickly!)
The goal of advertising is to get more people to buy a product, not to get a product sold at a higher price. (although this is a bonus in some cases. No Mercedes SUV or Lincoln Navigator is actually WORTH the sticker price. Get enough status seeking freaks horny for it through ads and they'll pay anything)