The problem is that most of the companies that are in need of AI developers are awful, and are using their AI for awful things. I don't care how much they pay, there's no way I could stomach working for them.
I want a lifetime supply of free ice cream and chocolate, too, but that's about as likely as one of those companies suddenly deciding to be trustworthy.
The difference is that it's possible to secure smartphones to prevent spying without sacrificing essential functionality. With these "home" devices, that's not possible because spying is their primary purpose. If you prevent it, then the devices cannot function.
Although you literally couldn't pay enough money to have one of those things in my house, if I were to get one as a gift, it would be OK. It's probably full of parts that I could use for other things.
First, this isn't "big brother running the thing". But ignoring that, nobody really wants it, not even NN supporters. The problem is that there is literally no other way to prevent the abuse that the ISPs are champing at the bit to engage in.
"Free market principles" don't apply to internet service in the US, and probably won't within any of our lifetimes. In order to have a "free market", you need to have actual competition. Not only does that not exist in this space, the ruling corporations are doing their very best to ensure that it will never exist.
The bigger issues I named actually affect important issues that go beyond what you find convenient.
All of those issues are important, including the start menu replacement. The Win 10 start menu, while less abysmal than the Win 8 one, is still awful enough that replacing it is, if not "critical", at least "extremely important".
The last time I subscribed to a major metro newspaper, it cost me $10/mo for the daily (the Sunday was extra). That's what I'm remembering. Of course, I haven't run it through the inflation calculator...
let's bash Microsoft because we are in neckbeardia (Slashdot) and therefore it's the cool thing to do.
It's not that it's "the cool thing to do". It's that the history of abuse coming from Microsoft is so long and bad that avoidance is the only rational stance to take.
If someone punches you every time you see them, it's not remotely irrational to expect that the next time you see them, they're going to punch you.
I have no idea, since I've never used it. It also doesn't matter. It could be the most fantastic browser in the history of browsers, but the fact that it comes from Microsoft means that it can't be trusted.
I think this is a good idea too. NYT's paywall is $15/mo. I presume Wash. Post is similar.
This is the current problem with such sites -- that's too expensive. Back when you had to subscribe to newspapers, they didn't cost that much even with the additional expense of printing and distributing physical paper.
If this lets me use an ad-blocker, then I welcome it. Truth be told, I already pay for a half-dozen or so sites I value anyway -- so for me, little would change.
That's a defeatist attitude that simply ensures that injustice will continue forever. You're free to declare defeat. I refuse to. The stakes are too damned high.
it's not clear that the location data is being linked to individuals as opposed to collected in-bulk.
How is that not clear? Device IDs are sent with the tower data. A cellphone device ID is data linked to an individual.
I think strong privacy policies are a better option, but YMMV.
What are "strong privacy policies"? Do you mean the privacy statements that companies make? Those are just promises from the company, and are no more trustworthy than the company making them.
It's not clear that individual data is being collected.
Yes, it is. The device ID is sent with the data, so individual data is clearly being collected. What we don't know is what is done with that data post-collection.
Slashdot Mirror
The problem is that most of the companies that are in need of AI developers are awful, and are using their AI for awful things. I don't care how much they pay, there's no way I could stomach working for them.
End users don't agree to license agreements. They don't even read them. They just click "OK".
I want to be able to trust those companies
I want a lifetime supply of free ice cream and chocolate, too, but that's about as likely as one of those companies suddenly deciding to be trustworthy.
the only spikes in OUTBOUND traffic coincided with the precise times I asked Alexa for something.
Personally, that's enough to not use them. I'm not about to ask Alexa, or Siri, or Google, for anything. I don't need more spying in my life.
However, how different are smartphones?
The difference is that it's possible to secure smartphones to prevent spying without sacrificing essential functionality. With these "home" devices, that's not possible because spying is their primary purpose. If you prevent it, then the devices cannot function.
Although you literally couldn't pay enough money to have one of those things in my house, if I were to get one as a gift, it would be OK. It's probably full of parts that I could use for other things.
now we want big brother running the thing???
First, this isn't "big brother running the thing". But ignoring that, nobody really wants it, not even NN supporters. The problem is that there is literally no other way to prevent the abuse that the ISPs are champing at the bit to engage in.
"Free market principles" don't apply to internet service in the US, and probably won't within any of our lifetimes. In order to have a "free market", you need to have actual competition. Not only does that not exist in this space, the ruling corporations are doing their very best to ensure that it will never exist.
Of course we're desperate. We're desperate to maintain an open and free internet.
It may be fine for you, and that's OK. But lots of people find it seriously lacking. Your experience is not universal.
And the flipside of it is that Windows 7's start menu is itself a dogs breakfast of poor usability and poor design choices.
True. But I disagree with you in that I think that Win 10's, while better than Win 8's, sucks more than Win 7's.
The bigger issues I named actually affect important issues that go beyond what you find convenient.
All of those issues are important, including the start menu replacement. The Win 10 start menu, while less abysmal than the Win 8 one, is still awful enough that replacing it is, if not "critical", at least "extremely important".
What did it cost you to recycle the newsprint?
Nothing. I'm showing my age, but in those days, the Boy Scouts would pick up all your old newspapers and sell them to recyclers to make a few bucks.
The last time I subscribed to a major metro newspaper, it cost me $10/mo for the daily (the Sunday was extra). That's what I'm remembering. Of course, I haven't run it through the inflation calculator...
let's bash Microsoft because we are in neckbeardia (Slashdot) and therefore it's the cool thing to do.
It's not that it's "the cool thing to do". It's that the history of abuse coming from Microsoft is so long and bad that avoidance is the only rational stance to take.
If someone punches you every time you see them, it's not remotely irrational to expect that the next time you see them, they're going to punch you.
I have no idea, since I've never used it. It also doesn't matter. It could be the most fantastic browser in the history of browsers, but the fact that it comes from Microsoft means that it can't be trusted.
Why?
I think this is a good idea too. NYT's paywall is $15/mo. I presume Wash. Post is similar.
This is the current problem with such sites -- that's too expensive. Back when you had to subscribe to newspapers, they didn't cost that much even with the additional expense of printing and distributing physical paper.
If this lets me use an ad-blocker, then I welcome it. Truth be told, I already pay for a half-dozen or so sites I value anyway -- so for me, little would change.
Why haven't you already? I did it years ago and recommend it very highly.
That's a defeatist attitude that simply ensures that injustice will continue forever. You're free to declare defeat. I refuse to. The stakes are too damned high.
Fuck you twice, then. Once for letting the foxes into the henhouse, and once more for locking the door behind them.
it's not clear that the location data is being linked to individuals as opposed to collected in-bulk.
How is that not clear? Device IDs are sent with the tower data. A cellphone device ID is data linked to an individual.
I think strong privacy policies are a better option, but YMMV.
What are "strong privacy policies"? Do you mean the privacy statements that companies make? Those are just promises from the company, and are no more trustworthy than the company making them.
It's not clear that individual data is being collected.
Yes, it is. The device ID is sent with the data, so individual data is clearly being collected. What we don't know is what is done with that data post-collection.
Try to grok the difference.
I understand the difference just fine, thanks.
That would leave your location in the trustworthy hands of Verizon, et al.
True, but they have that data anyway. It seems to me that cutting off a spying company is a good thing even if others still remain.
Is apple any better?
I don't know -- but I suspect so. At the very least, they couldn't really be any worse.