>The one thing that gives me pause in what you said is the mental hospital idea. The same logic used to be used to try to cure homosexuals.
I think the big difference here is that homosexual activity isn't abusive, as both partners are willing, whereas it's pretty much impossible to make that argument about pedophilia.
Therefore, IMHO, it's in the best interest of society if people with pedophiliac urges get themselves some help before they actually decide to carry through on them.
>These days homosexuality is accepted as just another sexual preference, as are people who like wearing diapers, people who like being tortured, or like torturing others, etc. Now I actually can't imagine a world where pedophelia is considered just another sexual preference, but the similarity bothers me.
Oh, I can imagine it. Heck, it already _is_ a sexual preference if it involves sex. Like I said earlier, though, there's positive sexual preferences that either have a neutral, or overall, beneficial impact on society (the ones you mentioned fit in here), and there's negative sexual preferences, where the impact on society means that the world is a less safe, less pleasurable place to live in. I don't advocate just pedophiles to get help, I would ask anyone with any sort of sexual preference that requires them to abuse others against their will to get help.
>If instead the hospital tries to "cure" them so they think that only women who look like Barbie are good looking, then that just frightens me.
I agree -- the hospital's job should be to help the patient stop their urge to abuse minors, not change whatever their non-abusive sexual preference would be. If it turns out they're homo S&M artists, fine with me. As long as they don't want to go about abusing others, I couldn't care less.
By using a definition that says anything representing any sort of sexual act of anyone "underage" we get into situations that make this illegal (yes, I'm in Canada, and I'm technically going to break the old version of our laws):
It is reccomended that anyone under the age of 18 use a condom during sex to prevent the possibility of conceiving a child. A condom is worn by simply removing it from its wrapper and then rolling it down one's penis.
Because I mentioned sex, and a sexual act between minors I have broken the law. Does anyone else here think that's silly? Insane, perhaps?
That's why child porn laws should be used to protect children from abusers, and not from information such as the above which they have a right to know. But an incensed public just doesn't seem to understand the difference, unfortunately, and only listens to police who clamour for such broad-scope laws that let *them* decide who gets raided and who doesn't, rather than you.
Remember, you can tell someone's true support for free speech by seeing if they're willing to support those they detest who harm no-one. And I detest pedophiles, but if they aren't abusing children, it's hard for me to find a reason they need to go to jail for. Really hard. Mental hospital, sure, but jail...
I think this site puts it better than I ever could have.
For those wondering what goes through the mind of a pedophile, read this. I'm surprised I even found it.
>Therefore, the body picking the President (and hence the executive) is choosen by the people, if via a convoluted arrangement that arguably is outdated and badly designed.
And if the person who is supposed to vote your way for you has cold feet and changes their minds?
I asked a PolSci student, he says this has happened 5 times in the US. 1 time is too many.
I guess it depends on how liberal you want to be with the word "democracy". If you're true to the definition there aren't a lot of democracies out there.
Yes, but in a democracy the leader (among other things) is directly elected by the people.
It isn't so in the US, therefore it cannot be labelled a democracy. Not that their system isn't similar, but the electoral college simply makes using the term democracy wrong. But it's close! I don't think anyone has made a term for the US electoral college situation yet, but "republic" best describes them, using words available, but still isn't exact.
While I'd love you to be right, modern CableCOs show there's a chance the RIAA could win.
I'm still flabbergasted people are willing to _pay_ for TV with commercials! And, worse than that, pay _more_ for a movie they can't even pause than they would get at the mini-mart 1 minute away.
>If you have a "job" in the piracy field, the software makers get no money, your revinue wont be taxed either so a government misses out also.
You're wrong there.
There are countries that legalize piracy. Your neighbours up north "stole" your satellite signals for a long time, and all revenue from pirate sales was reported to the government, completely taxed, or so my receipts said. Heck, more than likely they listed themselves as "satellite equipment, sales, and service" for their store-type, certainly red-flagging them for investigation. People doing this aren't that stupid -- they remember Al Capone. As long as the government gets their share, no worries.
Now, of course, all that is illegal (for me, that is, I burned all my US equipment!:), so I assume there is a large amount of revenue being lost by the government, because people that do this stuff don't just all of a sudden stop. That's their fault for doing that to themselves, not mine.
>Being a car thief could also be called a job, the person who loses the car gets insurance payout, thief gets/sells the car, insurance company raises premiums to pay for it. Everyone wins!
I've not heard of piracy insurance, except perhaps for boats. Then again, I'm not an expert at insurance, so I wouldn't know.
How interesting...
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BSA IDC FUD
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· Score: 1, Insightful
The study doesn't consider the multitude of IT jobs existing due to piracy. Talk about screwing it up.
A simple study would have shown them that often piracy generates more jobs in the piracy field than there were people involved in making the software/media.
But the BSA doesn't want you to know that, do they?
>Designed for pulse drain, deep cycle so they'll keep up with your stereo, and only 4 times the price of a regular battery!
Do they put tariffs on these in your country?
In mine they're about 1.5 times the price. Sometimes twice. Definitely the difference is less than the cost of one of those "special" stereo capacitors. Plus you get a spare battery for emergencies. It seems win-win to me.
Yup, but according to a slashdot post just a couple of months ago, DVI only monitors are extremely rare, so most are still coming with the VGA convertor.
Re:As I've said before...
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LCD Price Fixing?
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· Score: 1, Offtopic
My Corolla's headlights dim to the beat of the music, and I'm proud.
So there. I think I'll add a type-R sticker to the back and some speed holes next week so it'll go faster.
Some of us just want a good stereo in a low-cost, tight package. The Metro would definitely provide that with some upgrades, just like my Corolla did for me.
Re:Where are all the high-res LCDs from laptops?
on
LCD Price Fixing?
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· Score: 1
>And who the hell decided (Micron) that it was appropriate to run 1600x1450 res on a freakin' 15" laptop display?? I mean I got good eyes, but even so it's gets to be a strain sometimes.
Personally, I have one at a similar resolution and size and love it. My eyes are in great shape and it keeps people beside me from peeking in on my "work".
Not to mention the fact that movies and pictures really look photo-realistic at that dpi.
Laptop guts are cheap. LCD isn't. Ergo when you are buying a laptop you are buying the LCD screen first.
Not to mention most cheaper laptops have LCD screens so horrible no manufacturer would ever integrate them into a separate LCD monitor, lest they look like a laughing stock.
>You have got to be joking, but in case you're not... it's because Canada's population density isn't that simple.
I know that and that's why the US needs a better reason than population density as an excuse for their lack of high speed internet. That's the point I was trying to make.
>My DVD player is a piece of shit. An engineer designed that, and it was a pretty straightforward problem with a well known solution.
I hate to say it, but to a certain degree, I bet it wasn't designed by an engineer. Or if it was, I'll bet dollars to donuts he wouldn't pass his qualifications in your country (assuming you're not living in China:)
>Every cheap rip off toaster
High school physics teachers design these.:)
>There's been a shitload of engineering mistakes made by people who should have known better also.
I can probably agree with this. But the professional engineers I've met know what they're doing, so I have a hard time thinking they're the ones making all the crap bust. I'm thinking it's technicians who are told to redesign the engineers stuff to fit in a nice case and other such things that cause these problems.:)
>You are liable for your negligence whether you are licensed or not.
The negligence standard for an engineer is _much_ higher.
For example, if I build software and every time someone hits a certain combination of keys (that shouldn't do this) their work is destroyed, I've not only already disclaimed the liability, but even if I hadn't, it would be hard for the user to claim even the cost of their work from me. I can still go on and make more piss-poor software. Ergo, no more crappy bridges.
Now, if an engineer builds a bridge and doesn't build the last 6 inches of it and 5 cars get stuck, I'm quite sure that the engineer would lose his license, and 100% sure those people driving those cars would be 100% re-imbursed by the engineer's company.
About the only software I can think of that is well-designed enough to suggest the programmers desserve the "engineer" title would be things like air traffic control systems, missile defence systems, nuclear reactor software, and other mission critical, life threatening things. Microsoft Word makes the "engineers" look like "ICS TV/VCR repair hacks".
>It was a just using code shipped with windows in a non-intended but perfectly possible way.
It was using code HACKED and PATCHED by people. Remember being able to do variable scene change frequency and stuff? That never existed in that version of the M$ codec, or at least it was hidden away from users.
In the good old USA (where Microsoft is from) that has been highly illegal for years before even the DMCA. In most other countries following the Berne Convention it is also illegal, unless the government specifically bends the rules for you (yeah, right).
Now, if the DivX;) people had released just a patch, their code would likely have only been illegal in the US. But by distributing the actual codec itself, containing microsoft code, without their express permission they broke the law, no questions asked.
Slashdot Mirror
>And delete the software with a very good deleter utility before they bribe the cops to come with a search warrant.
I reccomend a mix of microwave and grinder.
>The one thing that gives me pause in what you said is the mental hospital idea. The same logic used to be used to try to cure homosexuals.
I think the big difference here is that homosexual activity isn't abusive, as both partners are willing, whereas it's pretty much impossible to make that argument about pedophilia.
Therefore, IMHO, it's in the best interest of society if people with pedophiliac urges get themselves some help before they actually decide to carry through on them.
>These days homosexuality is accepted as just another sexual preference, as are people who like wearing diapers, people who like being tortured, or like torturing others, etc. Now I actually can't imagine a world where pedophelia is considered just another sexual preference, but the similarity bothers me.
Oh, I can imagine it. Heck, it already _is_ a sexual preference if it involves sex. Like I said earlier, though, there's positive sexual preferences that either have a neutral, or overall, beneficial impact on society (the ones you mentioned fit in here), and there's negative sexual preferences, where the impact on society means that the world is a less safe, less pleasurable place to live in. I don't advocate just pedophiles to get help, I would ask anyone with any sort of sexual preference that requires them to abuse others against their will to get help.
>If instead the hospital tries to "cure" them so they think that only women who look like Barbie are good looking, then that just frightens me.
I agree -- the hospital's job should be to help the patient stop their urge to abuse minors, not change whatever their non-abusive sexual preference would be. If it turns out they're homo S&M artists, fine with me. As long as they don't want to go about abusing others, I couldn't care less.
Just my 2 cents.
You're right, and here's why:
By using a definition that says anything representing any sort of sexual act of anyone "underage" we get into situations that make this illegal (yes, I'm in Canada, and I'm technically going to break the old version of our laws):
It is reccomended that anyone under the age of 18 use a condom during sex to prevent the possibility of conceiving a child. A condom is worn by simply removing it from its wrapper and then rolling it down one's penis.
Because I mentioned sex, and a sexual act between minors I have broken the law. Does anyone else here think that's silly? Insane, perhaps?
Don't believe me? Click here.
That's why child porn laws should be used to protect children from abusers, and not from information such as the above which they have a right to know. But an incensed public just doesn't seem to understand the difference, unfortunately, and only listens to police who clamour for such broad-scope laws that let *them* decide who gets raided and who doesn't, rather than you.
Remember, you can tell someone's true support for free speech by seeing if they're willing to support those they detest who harm no-one. And I detest pedophiles, but if they aren't abusing children, it's hard for me to find a reason they need to go to jail for. Really hard. Mental hospital, sure, but jail...
I think this site puts it better than I ever could have.
For those wondering what goes through the mind of a pedophile, read this. I'm surprised I even found it.
>And if the Supreme Court decides to ignore the bill of rights, what then?
:)
America becomes Canada!
>Therefore, the body picking the President (and hence the executive) is choosen by the people, if via a convoluted arrangement that arguably is outdated and badly designed.
And if the person who is supposed to vote your way for you has cold feet and changes their minds?
I asked a PolSci student, he says this has happened 5 times in the US. 1 time is too many.
I guess it depends on how liberal you want to be with the word "democracy". If you're true to the definition there aren't a lot of democracies out there.
Yes, but in a democracy the leader (among other things) is directly elected by the people.
It isn't so in the US, therefore it cannot be labelled a democracy. Not that their system isn't similar, but the electoral college simply makes using the term democracy wrong. But it's close! I don't think anyone has made a term for the US electoral college situation yet, but "republic" best describes them, using words available, but still isn't exact.
Is there a term for the US? I'd love to hear it!
While I'd love you to be right, modern CableCOs show there's a chance the RIAA could win.
I'm still flabbergasted people are willing to _pay_ for TV with commercials! And, worse than that, pay _more_ for a movie they can't even pause than they would get at the mini-mart 1 minute away.
>Yes troll, WMP9 can figure out the length of a VBR MP3 just fine.
Cool! So, let's see. That puts them 5, or is it 6 years behind winamp?
Impressive. Will it play ogg in 2009?
Because unlike the GBA-SP, this has a headphone jack. A necessity for such a unit.
>What's next? Slashdot posts stories about warez releases?
Old news. Sort of.
>WMP is much less buggy than most linux players such as XMMS or Xine.
Yes, because WMP can actually figure out how long a VBR MP3 is.
Oh wait, it can't. Darn. Maybe next decade!
Movie theater owner: How long is that movie?
Projectionist: WMP says it is 30 minutes long.
Movie theater owner: Really? That's great.
Next day, big sign outside: Now playing every hour "Lawrence of Arabia"!
>If you have a "job" in the piracy field, the software makers get no money, your revinue wont be taxed either so a government misses out also.
:), so I assume there is a large amount of revenue being lost by the government, because people that do this stuff don't just all of a sudden stop. That's their fault for doing that to themselves, not mine.
You're wrong there.
There are countries that legalize piracy. Your neighbours up north "stole" your satellite signals for a long time, and all revenue from pirate sales was reported to the government, completely taxed, or so my receipts said. Heck, more than likely they listed themselves as "satellite equipment, sales, and service" for their store-type, certainly red-flagging them for investigation. People doing this aren't that stupid -- they remember Al Capone. As long as the government gets their share, no worries.
Now, of course, all that is illegal (for me, that is, I burned all my US equipment!
>Being a car thief could also be called a job, the person who loses the car gets insurance payout, thief gets/sells the car, insurance company raises premiums to pay for it. Everyone wins!
I've not heard of piracy insurance, except perhaps for boats. Then again, I'm not an expert at insurance, so I wouldn't know.
The study doesn't consider the multitude of IT jobs existing due to piracy. Talk about screwing it up.
A simple study would have shown them that often piracy generates more jobs in the piracy field than there were people involved in making the software/media.
But the BSA doesn't want you to know that, do they?
They make BGA sockets now. Pogo pins have been available for years.
:)
Thanks for playing, though!
I have a feeling that a good toaster oven could solder a BGA on, anyways, with much effort. Or maybe a heat gun.
>Designed for pulse drain, deep cycle so they'll keep up with your stereo, and only 4 times the price of a regular battery!
Do they put tariffs on these in your country?
In mine they're about 1.5 times the price. Sometimes twice. Definitely the difference is less than the cost of one of those "special" stereo capacitors. Plus you get a spare battery for emergencies. It seems win-win to me.
>But this is no longer true with DVI, right?
Yup, but according to a slashdot post just a couple of months ago, DVI only monitors are extremely rare, so most are still coming with the VGA convertor.
My Corolla's headlights dim to the beat of the music, and I'm proud.
So there. I think I'll add a type-R sticker to the back and some speed holes next week so it'll go faster.
Some of us just want a good stereo in a low-cost, tight package. The Metro would definitely provide that with some upgrades, just like my Corolla did for me.
>And who the hell decided (Micron) that it was appropriate to run 1600x1450 res on a freakin' 15" laptop display?? I mean I got good eyes, but even so it's gets to be a strain sometimes.
Personally, I have one at a similar resolution and size and love it. My eyes are in great shape and it keeps people beside me from peeking in on my "work".
Not to mention the fact that movies and pictures really look photo-realistic at that dpi.
>Maybe I'm just being stupid, but aren't desktop LCD's and laptop LCD's the same thing at heart?
No, a desktop LCD has, basically, a video capture card built into it to convert from standard, analog, VGA to the digital signals it requires.
How much does a crappy 640x480 TV card cost? Now multiply that price out to the resolution of your LCD monitor and there's your extra cost.
Laptops don't have this expense, as the LCD should tap the digital signal straight from the frame buffer.
Exactly what's the point here?
Laptop guts are cheap. LCD isn't. Ergo when you are buying a laptop you are buying the LCD screen first.
Not to mention most cheaper laptops have LCD screens so horrible no manufacturer would ever integrate them into a separate LCD monitor, lest they look like a laughing stock.
>You have got to be joking, but in case you're not... it's because Canada's population density isn't that simple.
I know that and that's why the US needs a better reason than population density as an excuse for their lack of high speed internet. That's the point I was trying to make.
If a disperse population is the problem, why is broadband to common in Canada, which has 3 people per sq Km, as compared to the US's 30?
The answer to this lies in the fact that Americans don't want to use the internet, for whatever reasons. Therefore it is not as easily available.
>My DVD player is a piece of shit. An engineer designed that, and it was a pretty straightforward problem with a well known solution.
:)
:)
:)
I hate to say it, but to a certain degree, I bet it wasn't designed by an engineer. Or if it was, I'll bet dollars to donuts he wouldn't pass his qualifications in your country (assuming you're not living in China
>Every cheap rip off toaster
High school physics teachers design these.
>There's been a shitload of engineering mistakes made by people who should have known better also.
I can probably agree with this. But the professional engineers I've met know what they're doing, so I have a hard time thinking they're the ones making all the crap bust. I'm thinking it's technicians who are told to redesign the engineers stuff to fit in a nice case and other such things that cause these problems.
>You are liable for your negligence whether you are licensed or not.
The negligence standard for an engineer is _much_ higher.
For example, if I build software and every time someone hits a certain combination of keys (that shouldn't do this) their work is destroyed, I've not only already disclaimed the liability, but even if I hadn't, it would be hard for the user to claim even the cost of their work from me. I can still go on and make more piss-poor software. Ergo, no more crappy bridges.
Now, if an engineer builds a bridge and doesn't build the last 6 inches of it and 5 cars get stuck, I'm quite sure that the engineer would lose his license, and 100% sure those people driving those cars would be 100% re-imbursed by the engineer's company.
About the only software I can think of that is well-designed enough to suggest the programmers desserve the "engineer" title would be things like air traffic control systems, missile defence systems, nuclear reactor software, and other mission critical, life threatening things. Microsoft Word makes the "engineers" look like "ICS TV/VCR repair hacks".
>It was a just using code shipped with windows in a non-intended but perfectly possible way.
;) people had released just a patch, their code would likely have only been illegal in the US. But by distributing the actual codec itself, containing microsoft code, without their express permission they broke the law, no questions asked.
It was using code HACKED and PATCHED by people. Remember being able to do variable scene change frequency and stuff? That never existed in that version of the M$ codec, or at least it was hidden away from users.
In the good old USA (where Microsoft is from) that has been highly illegal for years before even the DMCA. In most other countries following the Berne Convention it is also illegal, unless the government specifically bends the rules for you (yeah, right).
Now, if the DivX