I have a Panasonic GigaRange DSS phone (Cost: $120 - $150). Its good to 1 mile, no modifications, and is legal throughout North America. It means I can be outside cutting the grass and if it rings I don't have to run inside the house to answer it.
Two of those cards would already run $70. Throw in some telephone interface electronics, a battery powered handset, speaker, digital auto-code hardware (to prevent anyone with a phone abusing your line) and I'm pretty sure you'll be at the same or higher price, and you won't have anywhere near the range.
Speaking of range, my local bargain shop had (sold out now) FRS radios for $13. That's miles of range. I doubt a fully digital solution will ever be able to beat that (heck, they can't even sell a full hardware modem for under $20!).
>Glad to know the next time i steal a kiss that that person can never kiss anyone else again, cause i took it from them.
This doesn't help the "piracy is stealing" argument one bit. The definition of steal you are using is this (taken straight from the one true dictionary, the OED):
2: to obtain surreptitiously or by surprise as "stole a kiss".
Since I don't expect anyone here to know the definition of surreptitiously, here it is (from dictionary.com because I'm too lazy to type it in from the OED):
surreptitious Pronunciation Key (sûrp-tshs) adj.
1. Obtained, done, or made by clandestine or stealthy means.
2. Acting with or marked by stealth. See Synonyms at secret.
Stealth is, of course, the trademark of any theif with a clue, but as you can see "stealing a kiss" is nothing like the definition for "stealing software" (which would be either reproduing it and fraudulently selling it as original or shoplifting).
>The definition doesn't actually specify that the original owner has to lose posesion of what was stolen, does it
It very much does when we are dealing with it in a non-ephemeral sense.
To put it clearly, the definition you are discussing is covered by the exact synonym larceny. The definition is:
The unlawful taking and removing of another's personal property with the intent of permanently depriving the owner; theft.
>How about when a spy steals some top secret plans?
A spy, by definition, would be working for the enemy in an attempt to subvert the current government. Subversion is not stealing, and I find it far more likely the people he copied the plans from would not try him for stealing, but would rather try him for treason.
>Or how bout when someone steals your credit card numbers over the net?
You wouldn't know about it until they did monetary damage to you, which proves that they stole from you.
>If you accidently left the plans for a new invention or buisness venture lying around and i found them and copied them, and then patented it and made a few million of off your idea, you'd probably think i stole something from you.
Again, provable monetary damage. The plans became stolen when you used them to destroy my company and take away my money.
>We can't talk about the new Information Age if we're not willing to update our understanding of exactly what information is and how we interact with it.
A year or two ago dictionaries specifically updated their definitions to cover this disturbing trend to make anything and everything stealing. There is an old slashdot article about it if you care to find it. In summary, the dictionary writers decided to separate Copyright Violation from Theft because Theft requires a proof that someone lost something.
You cannot prove you lost anything when a public work of yours is stolen. Why? Because I could, right now, copy 100 albums from the internet a week if I chose to do so. However, I do not have the salary to pay for them. Therefore the "proof" you lost money due to the fact I would have paid for those works breaks down. And, unlike regular physical stealing, such as stealing a porsche but took it anyways despite the fact I cannot afford one, you have no other losses to prove (whereas with the porsche you are now denied driving a porsche).
>If you take something that you do not have the rights to, it is stealing, it doesn't matter whether the thing yout took is tangible or not, or whether or not you left a copy behind.
And is it stealing if I took a picture of a military site, even if it were illegal to take one? I don't have the rights to take it, but did I therefore steal it? I still left the site intact, and didn't disturb the people there, so why is this different? Are all war reporters theives then? Perhaps they rode about with 39 other theives and Ali-Baba on camels in Afghanistan, then?:-)
Put simply: It isn't stealing. And dictionary writers were tired of everthing being called stealing so they defined it better.
Heck, one could say I am stealing _right now_. I could be typing this on a company computer against their wishes, so therefore I "stole their resources", did I not, even though its could be the middle of the night, and the computer is supposed to be left on, unused?
>All the great bands that we get excited about. How many were around before Kurt Cobain offed himself?
Fewer, due to the lack of the internet. Of course, your answer may differ depending on your preference of pablum vs. grit.
>The music industry is to blame for this mess. Not you, not me.
Who buys the industry's made up musicians? It was you and I (in the general sense) that purchased enough 70's disco and early 80's rock to convince the RIAA they don't need winning artists -- they simply need a winning combination of advertising and pandering to solve the enigma that is the consumer.
>I think it has a lot to do with just how unimaginably BAD music is today.
Yes, I enjoyed ABBA's babbling, the Bee Gees bawbling, and the Weather Girls bobbling bodies but am beset by today's Extreme Eminem, Sizzling Sisqo, and Not-so Notorious B.I.G. [hacking cough -- hey, someone put my lungs back where they belong!]
The ride began with the first Rock, and won't stop until the RIAA has it's last Roll in its money filled coffers.
Help make a difference - befriend an independent radio station today! [Image of Uncle Sam's famous pointing hand goes here]
Yes, I suppose I am just a little bitter when I find our supposedly scarce FM band being abused to re-broadcast the same song 25 times a day.
I have done in-home computer service, often removing viruses from client's machines.
I explain to them that they could avoid this trouble in the future by purchasing McAfee or Norton Anti-Virus for $40 from the local computer shop or even WalMart if they're desparate ($20 when its on sale). Anti-Virus software is simple to install -- these people were able to download Kazaa and make it work, they can get their favourite AV software to install.
I'm more often than not called back for another unrelated problem a month or two later, and lo and behold, they didn't buy the anti-virus software.
I have to question why people do this... I really think its about time I buy a supply of boxed AV software so I can resell it on the spot!
>You don't have to deprive someone of something to be guilty of stealing.
So, if I, as a parent, stopped my child's allowace because they misbehave, I've stolen it?
Does a murderer steal lives?
Does someone who is greedy and buys all the CDRs in the city (this happened where I live) steal them?
Does someone who makes a profit steal it? I mean, there is no law saying you are entitled to make a profit on anything whatsoever.
Does someone who decides not to give a dollar to the bum on the street in fact steal the dollar from the bum?
No. You are confused on the issue and I reccomend you consult the dictionary on this matter. Perhaps a synonym might help.
This is the definition of piracy. Notice no mention of theft, or its synonyms, unless your name is BlackBeard or Bin Laden.
Dictionaries were very careful to clear this up in the past because people were beginning the confuse the issues. I am happy they've done so. Notice how dictionary.com went out of their way to use the verbose sentence "The unauthorized use or reproduction of copyrighted or patented material" rather than "Stealing Intellectual Property". That's because they saw the difference.
If you read the Berne Convention, the international foundation of modern copyright law, you'll never see the words steal or theft. The world's lawyers were careful to separate the meanings even though they have the most to gain. If english teachers, lawyers, judges, and many other respected people around the world firmly agree on this issue, why don't you?
I think you'll be very interested to know that in my country we are allowed to buy CDRs from America (bypassing a special media tax) and burn a copy of any album we like at a friends house and take it home. This is a law agreed to by the people, the lawyers, the artists, and the media companies, even when this loophole was explicitly pointed out once (we've all agreed to the law a second time, even after the rush on the border for CDRs). If any of these people considered that stealing (which, by your definition, it is) they would have most certainly not have agreed to allow this to happen.
Put simply, piracy is (for example) copying a song when you shouldn't, plain and simple. Stealing is when you take a car for a joyride. The difference is remarkable.
>an unlawful taking (as by embezzlement or burglary) of property
Music is not property. IP is a farce and is not defined in the dictionary.
Property requires ownership. Stealing requires taking of owned property.
A person with a purchased CD does not own the music. They own the shiny disc, which is incidentally encoded with the sound (ask any lawyer).
You cannot steal what is not property; property requires ownership; ergo you can only steal music if you remove ownership of it from its owner by putting your name in as the author.
>According to this, all that's neccesary is an unlawful taking.
Unlawful taking is not stealing. They are very separate issues that are shown to be black and white when one says "taking a life" rather than "stealing a life".
>If you commit piracy, you are a thief, and I am correct to call you one.
Care to back it up in court?:-) I think the defence would rather be under the mallet for petty theft rather than $250k + 5 years imprisonment for copying even one song.
BTW: Do you also call one who runs a pirate radio station (a true use of the word piracy) a theif even if he only plays his own music on airwaves not designated for his use?
Everything is stealing if you use the word incorrectly.
If you, as a Canadian, think Canada is socialist, I suggest you take a trip to europe. Here's some data to whet your appetite. I've been there, and there's many countries over there who would consider Canada a very capitalist country.
I'm sure they'll be impressed when you call them communist, since that's the only way you're going to get more left that socialist.
Seriously, anywhere compared against the US will appear socialist. The US is the absolute extreme of capitalistic ideals, to the absolute exclusion of all else (such as Cuba, for example). Only an country willing to take capitalism to its absolute extremes would allow people to suffer because they can't afford to have rotten teeth removed (I don't think dentists are covered by the same rules as hospitals, in that they must accept patients, no matter what, in the US, are they?).
As far as poor healthcare goes, we're certainly not the best, but other countries are having similar troubles. The quality of healthcare is so low in this country due to a lack of money being disbursed from the feds for that purpose, anyways. And, saving money at any cost is a capitalist motive. Your assertion that our poor healthcare system being due to socialism is false, IMHO.
Canada is _not_ socialist. Finland or Denmark, maybe (check the report -- I've not been there).
>somehow you don't connect liberal with socialist??!?!
As a Canadian, I'm surprised you've not heard of the NDP, who are admitted socialists (leftists) AFAIK. The liberals, as far as Canadian politics go, are supposed to be dead center. My province (Ontario) is governed by the Progressive Conservatives, our capitalist (right-wing) party. However, due to us being run by a dictator who gives the chop to non-believers in the great Canadian future, the Liberals aren't where they're supposed to be. Hopefully next year JC will have finally pissed off enough constituents to be kicked out of the party for good (not that I'd vote for the liberals 'till at least 3 terms pass now, anyways -- its only fair).
>Communications is NOT a right, my socialist friend.
It sure is (or at least, until deregulation, was) in Ontario, Canada.
I heard of people with a single cottage on an island 40 km away from shore who phoned up bell for a phone line (from their other home, of course).
1 $69 installation fee and I'm told it was installed.
BTW: We aren't a socialist country, no matter what you Libertarians might think. In fact, our current party is actually called the "Liberal" party -- whaddaya think 'bout that?
>How much is it to get a direct T1 to my house? Try to cap that!
The point to point line lease should cost $200-$1000/mo depending on where you and the other point are.
As to wether your ISP caps the T1 would depend on the rate for internet you pay on top of the line lease. (The two are separate because a T1 was designed to service 23 phones or data, your choice). I'm betting an uncapped line would cost you about $800/mo.
The nice thing about a T1 is the guaranteed uptime, since it is covered by the same rules as any other business phone line (usually 99.999% uptime or "your money back" for the day).
>Reducing a product to an insanely cheap price won't work, because you just can't beat free.
>Hell, back in the old days Amiga games were 15 pounds and people still pirated them - and before that Spectrum games were 3 pounds and you still found people with 90 minute tapes with 3 odd games shoved on there.
Back when the Spectrum was popular you could buy a car for $3000 - $5000.
Multiplying to today's $15,000 price, this means the 3 pound ($6) game at a price of $30. Which is still on the pricey side if 1 game = 1 album.
The magic solution is more flatrate costs. When/if the RIAA/other music companies open up a flatrate, open, unemcumbered music server for just $20 a month, expect piracy to decrease because at that price it isn't worth the effort involved.
And yes, they can do it at that price. I have a plan that lets me download 5-10 Gb per _day_ from a usenet server, and I only pay $20 a month, so the cost of bandwidth is not an issue (unless that company is losing money, which I doubt).
>The linus opereting sistem is so cool it does't need to defragmenteting!
Quite right, the majority of people using linux are using the ext2 or ext3 filesystems. Ext2 and ext3 are self-defragmenting filesystems.
This is unlike the majority of windows users. Their operating system uses a filesystem prone to self-fragmentation. This may change in the future should Microsoft drop support for the MSDOS filesystem (unfortunately, many windows XP machines are still installed with non-NTFS filesystems).
Here's a quote:
"Disk defragmenters are an endangered species on Linux. They exist because the MSDOS and HFS filesystems were badly designed -- relics of the floppy disk era, they weren't intended to support multi-user machines with millions of files and large hard disks. ext2, in contrast, is descended from a lineage of server filesystems. It is largely self- defragmenting; the ext2 drivers try to allocate sequential runs of blocks to each inode and spread use across the disk, avoiding the problem. If you really do need to defragment an ext2 filesystem, uhere's something's very weird about your setup! e2defrag is available, but you probably won't need it. "
Could I suggest you take a grade 3 english class, though? While your ideas appear cognizant, your spelling makes you appear uneducated and uninformed.
No, communism isn't "You have to share your toys".
It's everyone has to have a job and everyone gets paid the same. It's also about ensuring nobody has any more than anyone else.
Its absurd to think that forcing people to work a difficult job to get paid the same as working an easy job is anything at all like the GPL license.
You aren't forced to use the GPL license, and, more importantly, if you do choose to use GPL software, you aren't forced to accept the license, and, even more important, if you do choose to accept the license, it doesn't force you to give any of your other software away that you might own (every heard of what happened to people that owned too much stuff during the communist days? gulag.).
Saying GPL is communism is like saying the public health care system of most 1st world countries is communist because everyone gets equal treatment.
I've got 15 year old CDs, and I copied them to CDRs to ensure they're preserved perfectly the other year. A couple of scratches made it a little difficult, but it could have been worse (I could have not recorvered the CDs at all)...
>If they can afford to pay for a computer, digital cameras, and a cast, I think it's safe to say most of them can afford something much nicer, like Final Cut Pro.
I would say not. Final cut pro costs $1000. A decent Mac costs $3000. Pi (an independent filmt that actually "made it") had a budget of $60,000. If 7% of that budget was on computers, I doubt the film would ever be made!
>Star Choice in Canada is sending up a new satellite that will allow both upstream and downstream through the dish.
Starchoice has been saying they'll offer high-speed internet via satellite since '99 (I've asked them yearly after that -- I figure some Canadian company has to be able to provide satellite internet at less than $100/gig). I don't expect their tune to change...
Besides, two way satellite internet has even worse latency problems than one way, worse rain fade problems, slower than modem upload speeds once there's enough users on the service, and most all places require you to have it installed professionally.:-(
The only benefit? Its always on (except during a storm). But you can usually cut a deal with an ISP that will cost less to have an always-on modem connection + one-way service than two-way (unless you can get two-way for under $120-$130 US a month)...
>Again you display your lack of basic knowledge of cryptographic algorithms.
I didn't claim to be an expert.
>And a key space of that size can be brute-forced in a matter of hours
Then why was it hacked with an electron microscope rather than a computer?
>The idea that 56-bit DES hasn't been broken isn't one of them.
I never made such a claim. I only claimed that regular, everyday people seem to be having trouble with it. I'm sure anyone who is half decent working with it, or anyone who has access to software to do the job for them would have no trouble with it.
Its obvious that people working on satellite cards are neither, if I can take your answers as fact.
>There are valid reasons for believing that "The Government" can't break 4096-bit encryption.
Glad to see you agree with my original statement.
>I probably HBT
No, you just assumed I had said I'm an expert. Just because I'm not one doesn't mean I have no concept of the idea of cryptography, though. I know enough to say that 4096-bit encryption (in whatever form that means to you or anyone else who insinuates they are an expert) is not crackable in anyone's lifetime with today's equipment, and I know enough that its very unlikely tomorrow's equipment will be able to either. I don't need to know every buzzword or the exact mathematical premise behind this. I only need to know that I've read enough statements from enough respected people dealing with these subjects that today's top notch encryption is no laughing matter.
In short, don't jump on people's backs like that unless they claim to be "in the field" or they claim to have expert knowledge. Especially when you have to admit that, in the end, they're right. It all comes under that ASS-U-ME thing...
>What about 'em? Isn't that the more low-cost alternative for broadband access in rural areas?
Nope, satellite broadband costs over and above $500 US for equipment ($2500+ US for two-way, or you can pay through the nose for the service, your choice), and service will often cost $55-$80 US a month (one-way, two way is often $100 a month or more).
There's a lot more room on the ground for antennas than on the horizon, so you pay for that with increased fees.
My bill, for an always on 21.6k connection + 8 Gigs of satellite broadband -- $120 CDN / month, and I had to pull some serious strings to get a deal like that (including using a 10 ft. C-Band dish to pull in the weak signal!).
>Keep taking notes on notepads for a few years, then try to find a crucial bit of info that you don't know where you scribbled. This is why PDAs exist.
Keep using a PDA for a few years and you'll find it doesn't work anymore, that they don't sell replacements, and that the synchronization programs reuiqre you to use antiquated software that won't let you transfer your data onto a newer model.
Case in point: The TI Avigo. Notice the Lotus Organizer CD in the background...
Nope, thats not for me!
Re:Ah, the days of middle school science...
on
Java Powers of Ten
·
· Score: 1
>Lameness filter encountered. Post aborted! Reason: Don't use so many caps. It's like YELLING.
Oh dear god!. Push the freaking button! We've got an acronym poster here! Get out the code brigade -- looks like this one's going to be a five alarmer!
Slashdot Mirror
I have a Panasonic GigaRange DSS phone (Cost: $120 - $150). Its good to 1 mile, no modifications, and is legal throughout North America. It means I can be outside cutting the grass and if it rings I don't have to run inside the house to answer it.
Two of those cards would already run $70. Throw in some telephone interface electronics, a battery powered handset, speaker, digital auto-code hardware (to prevent anyone with a phone abusing your line) and I'm pretty sure you'll be at the same or higher price, and you won't have anywhere near the range.
Speaking of range, my local bargain shop had (sold out now) FRS radios for $13. That's miles of range. I doubt a fully digital solution will ever be able to beat that (heck, they can't even sell a full hardware modem for under $20!).
Sometimes analog is the way to go.
>Glad to know the next time i steal a kiss that that person can never kiss anyone else again, cause i took it from them.
:-)
This doesn't help the "piracy is stealing" argument one bit. The definition of steal you are using is this (taken straight from the one true dictionary, the OED):
2: to obtain surreptitiously or by surprise as "stole a kiss".
Since I don't expect anyone here to know the definition of surreptitiously, here it is (from dictionary.com because I'm too lazy to type it in from the OED):
surreptitious Pronunciation Key (sûrp-tshs)
adj.
1. Obtained, done, or made by clandestine or stealthy means.
2. Acting with or marked by stealth. See Synonyms at secret.
Stealth is, of course, the trademark of any theif with a clue, but as you can see "stealing a kiss" is nothing like the definition for "stealing software" (which would be either reproduing it and fraudulently selling it as original or shoplifting).
>The definition doesn't actually specify that the original owner has to lose posesion of what was stolen, does it
It very much does when we are dealing with it in a non-ephemeral sense.
To put it clearly, the definition you are discussing is covered by the exact synonym larceny. The definition is:
The unlawful taking and removing of another's personal property with the intent of permanently depriving the owner; theft.
>How about when a spy steals some top secret plans?
A spy, by definition, would be working for the enemy in an attempt to subvert the current government. Subversion is not stealing, and I find it far more likely the people he copied the plans from would not try him for stealing, but would rather try him for treason.
>Or how bout when someone steals your credit card numbers over the net?
You wouldn't know about it until they did monetary damage to you, which proves that they stole from you.
>If you accidently left the plans for a new invention or buisness venture lying around and i found them and copied them, and then patented it and made a few million of off your idea, you'd probably think i stole something from you.
Again, provable monetary damage. The plans became stolen when you used them to destroy my company and take away my money.
>We can't talk about the new Information Age if we're not willing to update our understanding of exactly what information is and how we interact with it.
A year or two ago dictionaries specifically updated their definitions to cover this disturbing trend to make anything and everything stealing. There is an old slashdot article about it if you care to find it. In summary, the dictionary writers decided to separate Copyright Violation from Theft because Theft requires a proof that someone lost something.
You cannot prove you lost anything when a public work of yours is stolen. Why? Because I could, right now, copy 100 albums from the internet a week if I chose to do so. However, I do not have the salary to pay for them. Therefore the "proof" you lost money due to the fact I would have paid for those works breaks down. And, unlike regular physical stealing, such as stealing a porsche but took it anyways despite the fact I cannot afford one, you have no other losses to prove (whereas with the porsche you are now denied driving a porsche).
>If you take something that you do not have the rights to, it is stealing, it doesn't matter whether the thing yout took is tangible or not, or whether or not you left a copy behind.
And is it stealing if I took a picture of a military site, even if it were illegal to take one? I don't have the rights to take it, but did I therefore steal it? I still left the site intact, and didn't disturb the people there, so why is this different? Are all war reporters theives then? Perhaps they rode about with 39 other theives and Ali-Baba on camels in Afghanistan, then?
Put simply: It isn't stealing. And dictionary writers were tired of everthing being called stealing so they defined it better.
Heck, one could say I am stealing _right now_. I could be typing this on a company computer against their wishes, so therefore I "stole their resources", did I not, even though its could be the middle of the night, and the computer is supposed to be left on, unused?
No, I didn't.
>All the great bands that we get excited about. How many were around before Kurt Cobain offed himself?
Fewer, due to the lack of the internet. Of course, your answer may differ depending on your preference of pablum vs. grit.
>The music industry is to blame for this mess. Not you, not me.
Who buys the industry's made up musicians? It was you and I (in the general sense) that purchased enough 70's disco and early 80's rock to convince the RIAA they don't need winning artists -- they simply need a winning combination of advertising and pandering to solve the enigma that is the consumer.
>I think it has a lot to do with just how unimaginably BAD music is today.
Yes, I enjoyed ABBA's babbling, the Bee Gees bawbling, and the Weather Girls bobbling bodies but am beset by today's Extreme Eminem, Sizzling Sisqo, and Not-so Notorious B.I.G. [hacking cough -- hey, someone put my lungs back where they belong!]
The ride began with the first Rock, and won't stop until the RIAA has it's last Roll in its money filled coffers.
Help make a difference - befriend an independent radio station today! [Image of Uncle Sam's famous pointing hand goes here]
Yes, I suppose I am just a little bitter when I find our supposedly scarce FM band being abused to re-broadcast the same song 25 times a day.
Ummmm... I've got
* a job...
Funny you should say that....
I have done in-home computer service, often removing viruses from client's machines.
I explain to them that they could avoid this trouble in the future by purchasing McAfee or Norton Anti-Virus for $40 from the local computer shop or even WalMart if they're desparate ($20 when its on sale). Anti-Virus software is simple to install -- these people were able to download Kazaa and make it work, they can get their favourite AV software to install.
I'm more often than not called back for another unrelated problem a month or two later, and lo and behold, they didn't buy the anti-virus software.
I have to question why people do this... I really think its about time I buy a supply of boxed AV software so I can resell it on the spot!
> wish my DVD player could play the kitchen sink.
Well, why don't you download it, burn it onto a CDR/CDRW and see what happens?
>You don't have to deprive someone of something to be guilty of stealing.
So, if I, as a parent, stopped my child's allowace because they misbehave, I've stolen it?
Does a murderer steal lives?
Does someone who is greedy and buys all the CDRs in the city (this happened where I live) steal them?
Does someone who makes a profit steal it? I mean, there is no law saying you are entitled to make a profit on anything whatsoever.
Does someone who decides not to give a dollar to the bum on the street in fact steal the dollar from the bum?
No. You are confused on the issue and I reccomend you consult the dictionary on this matter. Perhaps a synonym might help.
This is the definition of piracy. Notice no mention of theft, or its synonyms, unless your name is BlackBeard or Bin Laden.
Dictionaries were very careful to clear this up in the past because people were beginning the confuse the issues. I am happy they've done so. Notice how dictionary.com went out of their way to use the verbose sentence "The unauthorized use or reproduction of copyrighted or patented material" rather than "Stealing Intellectual Property". That's because they saw the difference.
If you read the Berne Convention, the international foundation of modern copyright law, you'll never see the words steal or theft. The world's lawyers were careful to separate the meanings even though they have the most to gain. If english teachers, lawyers, judges, and many other respected people around the world firmly agree on this issue, why don't you?
I think you'll be very interested to know that in my country we are allowed to buy CDRs from America (bypassing a special media tax) and burn a copy of any album we like at a friends house and take it home. This is a law agreed to by the people, the lawyers, the artists, and the media companies, even when this loophole was explicitly pointed out once (we've all agreed to the law a second time, even after the rush on the border for CDRs). If any of these people considered that stealing (which, by your definition, it is) they would have most certainly not have agreed to allow this to happen.
Put simply, piracy is (for example) copying a song when you shouldn't, plain and simple. Stealing is when you take a car for a joyride. The difference is remarkable.
>an unlawful taking (as by embezzlement or burglary) of property
:-) I think the defence would rather be under the mallet for petty theft rather than $250k + 5 years imprisonment for copying even one song.
Music is not property. IP is a farce and is not defined in the dictionary.
Property requires ownership. Stealing requires taking of owned property.
A person with a purchased CD does not own the music. They own the shiny disc, which is incidentally encoded with the sound (ask any lawyer).
You cannot steal what is not property; property requires ownership; ergo you can only steal music if you remove ownership of it from its owner by putting your name in as the author.
>According to this, all that's neccesary is an unlawful taking.
Unlawful taking is not stealing. They are very separate issues that are shown to be black and white when one says "taking a life" rather than "stealing a life".
>If you commit piracy, you are a thief, and I am correct to call you one.
Care to back it up in court?
BTW: Do you also call one who runs a pirate radio station (a true use of the word piracy) a theif even if he only plays his own music on airwaves not designated for his use?
Everything is stealing if you use the word incorrectly.
>A check on historical inflation rates shows that $5.50 in 1982 is the equivalent of about $10 today.
Computers have not followed inflation rates, though.
A Sinclair cost $149 at introduction. It did hooked up to a TV, so a purchase of a monitor was not required.
Today, a decent PC will cost $600 + $150 for the monitor. That's $750.
That's 5 times inflation in the computer market.
$6 x 5 = $30.
That's what I was basing my pricing differences on. Inflation rates only seem to work well for steady commodities and housing.
>...i know...i live here...
Myself also.
If you, as a Canadian, think Canada is socialist, I suggest you take a trip to europe. Here's some data to whet your appetite. I've been there, and there's many countries over there who would consider Canada a very capitalist country.
I'm sure they'll be impressed when you call them communist, since that's the only way you're going to get more left that socialist.
Seriously, anywhere compared against the US will appear socialist. The US is the absolute extreme of capitalistic ideals, to the absolute exclusion of all else (such as Cuba, for example). Only an country willing to take capitalism to its absolute extremes would allow people to suffer because they can't afford to have rotten teeth removed (I don't think dentists are covered by the same rules as hospitals, in that they must accept patients, no matter what, in the US, are they?).
As far as poor healthcare goes, we're certainly not the best, but other countries are having similar troubles. The quality of healthcare is so low in this country due to a lack of money being disbursed from the feds for that purpose, anyways. And, saving money at any cost is a capitalist motive. Your assertion that our poor healthcare system being due to socialism is false, IMHO.
Canada is _not_ socialist. Finland or Denmark, maybe (check the report -- I've not been there).
>somehow you don't connect liberal with socialist??!?!
As a Canadian, I'm surprised you've not heard of the NDP, who are admitted socialists (leftists) AFAIK. The liberals, as far as Canadian politics go, are supposed to be dead center. My province (Ontario) is governed by the Progressive Conservatives, our capitalist (right-wing) party. However, due to us being run by a dictator who gives the chop to non-believers in the great Canadian future, the Liberals aren't where they're supposed to be. Hopefully next year JC will have finally pissed off enough constituents to be kicked out of the party for good (not that I'd vote for the liberals 'till at least 3 terms pass now, anyways -- its only fair).
>Communications is NOT a right, my socialist friend.
It sure is (or at least, until deregulation, was) in Ontario, Canada.
I heard of people with a single cottage on an island 40 km away from shore who phoned up bell for a phone line (from their other home, of course).
1 $69 installation fee and I'm told it was installed.
BTW: We aren't a socialist country, no matter what you Libertarians might think. In fact, our current party is actually called the "Liberal" party -- whaddaya think 'bout that?
>How much is it to get a direct T1 to my house? Try to cap that!
/mo depending on where you and the other point are.
/mo.
The point to point line lease should cost $200-$1000
As to wether your ISP caps the T1 would depend on the rate for internet you pay on top of the line lease. (The two are separate because a T1 was designed to service 23 phones or data, your choice). I'm betting an uncapped line would cost you about $800
The nice thing about a T1 is the guaranteed uptime, since it is covered by the same rules as any other business phone line (usually 99.999% uptime or "your money back" for the day).
>Reducing a product to an insanely cheap price won't work, because you just can't beat free.
>Hell, back in the old days Amiga games were 15 pounds and people still pirated them - and before that Spectrum games were 3 pounds and you still found people with 90 minute tapes with 3 odd games shoved on there.
Back when the Spectrum was popular you could buy a car for $3000 - $5000.
Multiplying to today's $15,000 price, this means the 3 pound ($6) game at a price of $30. Which is still on the pricey side if 1 game = 1 album.
The magic solution is more flatrate costs. When/if the RIAA/other music companies open up a flatrate, open, unemcumbered music server for just $20 a month, expect piracy to decrease because at that price it isn't worth the effort involved.
And yes, they can do it at that price. I have a plan that lets me download 5-10 Gb per _day_ from a usenet server, and I only pay $20 a month, so the cost of bandwidth is not an issue (unless that company is losing money, which I doubt).
>The linus opereting sistem is so cool it does't need to defragmenteting!
Quite right, the majority of people using linux are using the ext2 or ext3 filesystems. Ext2 and ext3 are self-defragmenting filesystems.
This is unlike the majority of windows users. Their operating system uses a filesystem prone to self-fragmentation. This may change in the future should Microsoft drop support for the MSDOS filesystem (unfortunately, many windows XP machines are still installed with non-NTFS filesystems).
Here's a quote:
"Disk defragmenters are an endangered species on Linux. They exist because the MSDOS and HFS filesystems were badly designed -- relics of the floppy disk era, they weren't intended to support multi-user machines with millions of files and large hard disks. ext2, in contrast, is descended from a lineage of server filesystems. It is largely self- defragmenting; the ext2 drivers try to allocate sequential runs of blocks to each inode and spread use across the disk, avoiding the problem. If you really do need to defragment an ext2 filesystem, uhere's something's very weird about your setup! e2defrag is available, but you probably won't need it. "
Could I suggest you take a grade 3 english class, though? While your ideas appear cognizant, your spelling makes you appear uneducated and uninformed.
No, communism isn't "You have to share your toys".
It's everyone has to have a job and everyone gets paid the same. It's also about ensuring nobody has any more than anyone else.
Its absurd to think that forcing people to work a difficult job to get paid the same as working an easy job is anything at all like the GPL license.
You aren't forced to use the GPL license, and, more importantly, if you do choose to use GPL software, you aren't forced to accept the license, and, even more important, if you do choose to accept the license, it doesn't force you to give any of your other software away that you might own (every heard of what happened to people that owned too much stuff during the communist days? gulag.).
Saying GPL is communism is like saying the public health care system of most 1st world countries is communist because everyone gets equal treatment.
I've got 15 year old CDs, and I copied them to CDRs to ensure they're preserved perfectly the other year. A couple of scratches made it a little difficult, but it could have been worse (I could have not recorvered the CDs at all)...
;-)
Try doing that with vinyl
>Independant film makers probably don't buy a new Mac and software for every film they produce.
Maybe not, but they sure would have to buy the latest software, and the latest Mac every time one comes out if they want to stay ahead of the curve.
Either way, its a significant chunk of money that could be better spent making the movie better.
AFAIK, $60,000 is a large budget for an independent movie. From what I've heard the usual amount is $5,000 to $10,000.
>The problem is that I've had these since the early 1970's and they are scratched and worn.
:-)
Well, now I'm confused. I've seen slashdotters tell me all vinyl beats CDs, and now you're basically saying it sucks?
Can I use your comment next time I'm trying to explain to a vinyl always beats CD pusher that they're wrong?
>If they can afford to pay for a computer, digital cameras, and a cast, I think it's safe to say most of them can afford something much nicer, like Final Cut Pro.
I would say not. Final cut pro costs $1000. A decent Mac costs $3000. Pi (an independent filmt that actually "made it") had a budget of $60,000. If 7% of that budget was on computers, I doubt the film would ever be made!
>Star Choice in Canada is sending up a new satellite that will allow both upstream and downstream through the dish.
:-(
Starchoice has been saying they'll offer high-speed internet via satellite since '99 (I've asked them yearly after that -- I figure some Canadian company has to be able to provide satellite internet at less than $100/gig). I don't expect their tune to change...
Besides, two way satellite internet has even worse latency problems than one way, worse rain fade problems, slower than modem upload speeds once there's enough users on the service, and most all places require you to have it installed professionally.
The only benefit? Its always on (except during a storm). But you can usually cut a deal with an ISP that will cost less to have an always-on modem connection + one-way service than two-way (unless you can get two-way for under $120-$130 US a month)...
s/is/was/
IIRC, Starband is now bankrupt, sorry to say.
It was probably their low prices that were probably less than their operating costs that did them in.
>Again you display your lack of basic knowledge of cryptographic algorithms.
I didn't claim to be an expert.
>And a key space of that size can be brute-forced in a matter of hours
Then why was it hacked with an electron microscope rather than a computer?
>The idea that 56-bit DES hasn't been broken isn't one of them.
I never made such a claim. I only claimed that regular, everyday people seem to be having trouble with it. I'm sure anyone who is half decent working with it, or anyone who has access to software to do the job for them would have no trouble with it.
Its obvious that people working on satellite cards are neither, if I can take your answers as fact.
>There are valid reasons for believing that "The Government" can't break 4096-bit encryption.
Glad to see you agree with my original statement.
>I probably HBT
No, you just assumed I had said I'm an expert. Just because I'm not one doesn't mean I have no concept of the idea of cryptography, though. I know enough to say that 4096-bit encryption (in whatever form that means to you or anyone else who insinuates they are an expert) is not crackable in anyone's lifetime with today's equipment, and I know enough that its very unlikely tomorrow's equipment will be able to either. I don't need to know every buzzword or the exact mathematical premise behind this. I only need to know that I've read enough statements from enough respected people dealing with these subjects that today's top notch encryption is no laughing matter.
In short, don't jump on people's backs like that unless they claim to be "in the field" or they claim to have expert knowledge. Especially when you have to admit that, in the end, they're right. It all comes under that ASS-U-ME thing...
>What about 'em? Isn't that the more low-cost alternative for broadband access in rural areas?
Nope, satellite broadband costs over and above $500 US for equipment ($2500+ US for two-way, or you can pay through the nose for the service, your choice), and service will often cost $55-$80 US a month (one-way, two way is often $100 a month or more).
There's a lot more room on the ground for antennas than on the horizon, so you pay for that with increased fees.
My bill, for an always on 21.6k connection + 8 Gigs of satellite broadband -- $120 CDN / month, and I had to pull some serious strings to get a deal like that (including using a 10 ft. C-Band dish to pull in the weak signal!).
>Keep taking notes on notepads for a few years, then try to find a crucial bit of info that you don't know where you scribbled. This is why PDAs exist.
Keep using a PDA for a few years and you'll find it doesn't work anymore, that they don't sell replacements, and that the synchronization programs reuiqre you to use antiquated software that won't let you transfer your data onto a newer model.
Case in point: The TI Avigo. Notice the Lotus Organizer CD in the background...
Nope, thats not for me!
IIRC = If I Remember Correctly.
BTW: FFR, TT AF. GIAT.
HTH + HAND.
TTYL.
>Lameness filter encountered. Post aborted!
Reason: Don't use so many caps. It's like YELLING.
Oh dear god!. Push the freaking button! We've got an acronym poster here! Get out the code brigade -- looks like this one's going to be a five alarmer!