I don't see a huge effort by Andrew to contact AT&T and say "uh, guys, you have a huge problem here".
Then you have never tried to contact them about... well, anything.
Not even being snarky, just relating my own experiences; I have to deal with AT&T every day, and getting them to so much as acknowledge a problem on their end, let alone do anything to fix it, is similar to attempting to snorkle to the bottom of the Marianas Trench.
Tell me, how exactly does google profit off of my use of Google Code?
They profit off the sale of the private information you agreed to provide them with in exchange for your use of the service. You know this, so why pretend that you don't?
People seem to be having difficulty understanding the meaning of the word free nowadays;
Free means NSA (no strings attached); when I hop over to distrowatch and download the latest Crunchbang release, it is free, because there is nothing I have to give them in order to access the information. If you have to give up anything in exchange for access, be it money, information, or what have you, then the access is by definition not free.
The submitter seems to have the optimistic misconception that turning regular people into criminals is not the raison d'être of the current crop of laws being created in this country.
Anyone who has even the slightest knowledge of current US drug laws can attest to this fact - morality laws exist for the explicit purpose of transforming otherwise law-abiding people into income streams.
So, we must develop a plan to build a mooonbase, in order to justify developing the ability to land on the moon?
Yes. You should have a plan before you build anything.
And what is the plan/purpose to justify building the moonbase?
1. A second home for our species 2. A science lab 3. A base for exploitation of lunar resources, including ice and metals 4. A dormitory for the miners, construction workers and robot repairmen
You're like the person in old story who had a rich man come to the front door with $1,000 every month. the person was happy and said "thank you" each time. One day the rich man went to the person's neighbor instead of his house, and gave the neighbor $1,000. The person was angry, and yelled "Hey, where is my money!!??" Do you see the issue now? *You* are the one being an asshole and an ingrate. You were given something good free of charge for years, and now can only bitch.
The problem with your anecdote is, in the story the rich man drops off $1000 and leaves with nothing. In this case, Google is the rich man, and he's not leaving empty-handed.
google users are the *product* for google's advertising revenue. google doesn't owe anyone free service, it does owe its customers (advertisers) market large enough to be viable.
That usage of personal information in exchange for providing services? Yea, that kinda makes it not a "free service."
But I do agree that no one really has a "right" to access somebody else's equipment... so long as part of the loss of said access also entails the prohibition of said equipment owner from using the personal information given in exchange for the "free service." I.e., if Google wants to shut Gmail down they're welcome to, but then they aren't allowed to use my Gmail info to profit from.
I don't hate artists, but they don't deserve special entitlement, especially where laws are made causing my Internet connection to be spied upon and an inability to use fully devices I own.
Artists don't push for such laws. In fact, a lot of artists see those practices as detrimental to their art; I recall some issues with record labels claiming creative ownership of music videos on Youtube that did not actually belong to the label (I know of one instance involving a small-time rapper, but I can't recall the fella's name).
Regarding intrusive laws and online monitoring, you need to take it up with the monolithic groups who (at least claim to) represent the music and movie industries, not the artists themselves. Oh, and the government agents, since stupid laws couldn't get passed without their compliance.
The proper way an artist should make money is through comissioning work for specific people who want a specific thing from that artist.
So, what you're saying is, you think the only time an artist should get paid for his work is when someone else specifically requested that they create said work for the client - i.e., no freelance, no self-employment, only commission based.
How can you not see how silly and unworkable a philosophy that is? Could you imagine what the software world would be like if the only time developers got paid is when they worked on a project commissioned to them by, say, Microsoft or Apple? Sounds like a pretty terrible place to me.
Hollywood pisses me off. The maintenance worker who keeps the bathrooms clean at a Wal-Mart, a place where I buy things necessary to live,m in my opinion is more important to society as whole than the entirety of everything Hollywood has ever produced. And who gets paid more?
Uh, well, since "Hollywood" isn't a job title...
So for artists, movie producers, etc. to wail and whine about lost profits, as if what they do is so important that I can't survive without it, to me it's like, if you don't like it, take your snobby privileged ass and find a real job involving real work or producing real things.
You know, one could argue that software development isn't a "real job involving real work," as it doesn't require physical labor, nor does it produce "real things."
Look, I get your angle - you see the laws and regulations that lobbyist groups like the MPAA and RIAA push for, and it pisses you off that they seem to have a stronger voice than the general population does... and well it should. The problem is, you seem completely convinced that the artists themselves are the one's pushing for these regulations, and you want to punish them unreasonably harshly for shit that's not actually their fault, which is a completely wrong-headed way to look at the issue.
Always remember, two wrongs never, ever make a right.
I've never had problems with the ATI drivers I download direct from the source... perhaps you're thinking of the Windows Update variant, that does inevitably break, well, everything?
My 6500HD seems to work fine on Linux, although I admit I just installed Steam on that box the other day and haven't had a chance to test it.
Whereas the church my grandmother attends is small, and the average age of the congregation is around 70. Suffice to say, there's not a lot of room in the church budget for new toys, when the entire populace is on SSI and fixed incomes.
If you're "lucky"* like me, you have a hyper-active metabolism, and thus stay skinny without having to do any actual work. It won't get you in shape, however, but that's what the 'boxer's gym' in the garage is for.
* Everybody else seems to think it's lucky... of course, they're not the one's who have to deal with being hungry 24/7/365.
A church will turn their nose up at it. Over the last 5 or so years, Churches have hopped on the Apple bandwagon big time. From the Audio/Video department to the pastors, everybody is using Macs Ipads, and Iphones.
Churches with money have jumped on the Apple Bandwagon.
Churches without money continue to languish on old, outdated crap.
FYI, not every church in the country is one of those modern, 'rock-n-roll show' megachurches making serious, untaxed bank off of tithes.
Not a huge surprise... Though I wonder how they're going to wriggle their way out of that one. I'm guessing they'll just try to ignore it and hope it goes away.
Well, sure, there are things out there worth getting really, really pissed over; government agents treating the Constitution like a doormat, for example.
However, I do not agree that someone else's opinion is worthy of such a reaction. As the old saying goes, opinions are like assholes - everybody's got one, and most of them stink.
Dude A thinking one way, and Dude B thinking another is just important enough to stress about, man. Not when we (humanity) have got real problems that need solving.
Slashdot Mirror
I don't see a huge effort by Andrew to contact AT&T and say "uh, guys, you have a huge problem here".
Then you have never tried to contact them about... well, anything.
Not even being snarky, just relating my own experiences; I have to deal with AT&T every day, and getting them to so much as acknowledge a problem on their end, let alone do anything to fix it, is similar to attempting to snorkle to the bottom of the Marianas Trench.
Heh, I like the part in that link where they talk about the weapons carriers having "surface-to-air missiles."
Surface-to-air missiles... on the moon...
Classic.
Tell me, how exactly does google profit off of my use of Google Code?
They profit off the sale of the private information you agreed to provide them with in exchange for your use of the service. You know this, so why pretend that you don't?
People seem to be having difficulty understanding the meaning of the word free nowadays;
Free means NSA (no strings attached); when I hop over to distrowatch and download the latest Crunchbang release, it is free, because there is nothing I have to give them in order to access the information. If you have to give up anything in exchange for access, be it money, information, or what have you, then the access is by definition not free.
Except, giving out personal information doesn't actually *cost* me anything, so to me, it *is* free.
Bullshit; It costs you your privacy. Try to keep in mind, the term "cost" does not necessarily equate to fiscal transactions.
The fact that you're OK with losing your privacy in exchange for services does not make it any less of a cost to you.
The submitter seems to have the optimistic misconception that turning regular people into criminals is not the raison d'être of the current crop of laws being created in this country.
Anyone who has even the slightest knowledge of current US drug laws can attest to this fact - morality laws exist for the explicit purpose of transforming otherwise law-abiding people into income streams.
So, we must develop a plan to build a mooonbase, in order to justify developing the ability to land on the moon?
Yes. You should have a plan before you build anything.
And what is the plan/purpose to justify building the moonbase?
1. A second home for our species
2. A science lab
3. A base for exploitation of lunar resources, including ice and metals
4. A dormitory for the miners, construction workers and robot repairmen
5. A handy plot device for sci-fi novels
Listen, I understand that Google's services are free
They aren't free services, you pay for them with personal information instead of cash.
They are not, and have never been, free services. Please stop perpetuating that particular untruth.
"most people doesn't use RSS, it's obscure geeky thing"
Seriously, only "geeks" read blogs.
Right.
Everybody else uses them as source citation, but never actually reads them.
Oh, how I wish I were kidding...
You're like the person in old story who had a rich man come to the front door with $1,000 every month. the person was happy and said "thank you" each time. One day the rich man went to the person's neighbor instead of his house, and gave the neighbor $1,000. The person was angry, and yelled "Hey, where is my money!!??" Do you see the issue now? *You* are the one being an asshole and an ingrate. You were given something good free of charge for years, and now can only bitch.
The problem with your anecdote is, in the story the rich man drops off $1000 and leaves with nothing. In this case, Google is the rich man, and he's not leaving empty-handed.
google users are the *product* for google's advertising revenue. google doesn't owe anyone free service, it does owe its customers (advertisers) market large enough to be viable.
That usage of personal information in exchange for providing services? Yea, that kinda makes it not a "free service."
But I do agree that no one really has a "right" to access somebody else's equipment... so long as part of the loss of said access also entails the prohibition of said equipment owner from using the personal information given in exchange for the "free service." I.e., if Google wants to shut Gmail down they're welcome to, but then they aren't allowed to use my Gmail info to profit from.
Fair exchange.
I don't hate artists, but they don't deserve special entitlement, especially where laws are made causing my Internet connection to be spied upon and an inability to use fully devices I own.
Artists don't push for such laws. In fact, a lot of artists see those practices as detrimental to their art; I recall some issues with record labels claiming creative ownership of music videos on Youtube that did not actually belong to the label (I know of one instance involving a small-time rapper, but I can't recall the fella's name).
Regarding intrusive laws and online monitoring, you need to take it up with the monolithic groups who (at least claim to) represent the music and movie industries, not the artists themselves. Oh, and the government agents, since stupid laws couldn't get passed without their compliance.
The proper way an artist should make money is through comissioning work for specific people who want a specific thing from that artist.
So, what you're saying is, you think the only time an artist should get paid for his work is when someone else specifically requested that they create said work for the client - i.e., no freelance, no self-employment, only commission based.
How can you not see how silly and unworkable a philosophy that is? Could you imagine what the software world would be like if the only time developers got paid is when they worked on a project commissioned to them by, say, Microsoft or Apple? Sounds like a pretty terrible place to me.
Hollywood pisses me off. The maintenance worker who keeps the bathrooms clean at a Wal-Mart, a place where I buy things necessary to live,m in my opinion is more important to society as whole than the entirety of everything Hollywood has ever produced. And who gets paid more?
Uh, well, since "Hollywood" isn't a job title...
So for artists, movie producers, etc. to wail and whine about lost profits, as if what they do is so important that I can't survive without it, to me it's like, if you don't like it, take your snobby privileged ass and find a real job involving real work or producing real things.
You know, one could argue that software development isn't a "real job involving real work," as it doesn't require physical labor, nor does it produce "real things."
Look, I get your angle - you see the laws and regulations that lobbyist groups like the MPAA and RIAA push for, and it pisses you off that they seem to have a stronger voice than the general population does... and well it should. The problem is, you seem completely convinced that the artists themselves are the one's pushing for these regulations, and you want to punish them unreasonably harshly for shit that's not actually their fault, which is a completely wrong-headed way to look at the issue.
Always remember, two wrongs never, ever make a right.
... Except corgis are cute and endearing.
I've never had problems with the ATI drivers I download direct from the source... perhaps you're thinking of the Windows Update variant, that does inevitably break, well, everything?
My 6500HD seems to work fine on Linux, although I admit I just installed Steam on that box the other day and haven't had a chance to test it.
... the Wii run[s] AMD (well ATI) GPUs
Being rather generous, aren't we?
If anything, I'd say the Wii 'casually strolls' the GPU. 'Run' is taking it a bit far.
... Except the fact that commercial marketing firms have to pay taxes.
Whereas the church my grandmother attends is small, and the average age of the congregation is around 70. Suffice to say, there's not a lot of room in the church budget for new toys, when the entire populace is on SSI and fixed incomes.
Suit A:"We're losing money and marketshare! What are we going to do"
Suit B: "The same thing we do every time"
Both in unison: "Layoffs and hire some more lobbyists!"
I, too, often find myself wondering where the Animaniacs end, and Corporate America begins...
In this case, Corporate Europe...but nonetheless valid.
Oh, lord, you mean it's spread across the Atlantic?
Quarantine!!! QUARANTINE NOW!!!
If you're "lucky"* like me, you have a hyper-active metabolism, and thus stay skinny without having to do any actual work. It won't get you in shape, however, but that's what the 'boxer's gym' in the garage is for.
* Everybody else seems to think it's lucky... of course, they're not the one's who have to deal with being hungry 24/7/365.
Suit A:"We're losing money and marketshare! What are we going to do"
Suit B: "The same thing we do every time"
Both in unison: "Layoffs and hire some more lobbyists!"
I, too, often find myself wondering where the Animaniacs end, and Corporate America begins...
Anecdote == awesome, dude.
Dig the "trial by fire" method of introducing your progeny to Linux. Sink or swim, amirite?
A church will turn their nose up at it. Over the last 5 or so years, Churches have hopped on the Apple bandwagon big time. From the Audio/Video department to the pastors, everybody is using Macs Ipads, and Iphones.
Churches with money have jumped on the Apple Bandwagon.
Churches without money continue to languish on old, outdated crap.
FYI, not every church in the country is one of those modern, 'rock-n-roll show' megachurches making serious, untaxed bank off of tithes.
They have that now, you know.
Not sure how well it would run on an old P4, tho...
Not a huge surprise... Though I wonder how they're going to wriggle their way out of that one. I'm guessing they'll just try to ignore it and hope it goes away.
The same way they always wriggle out, Pinky!
Well, sure, there are things out there worth getting really, really pissed over; government agents treating the Constitution like a doormat, for example.
However, I do not agree that someone else's opinion is worthy of such a reaction. As the old saying goes, opinions are like assholes - everybody's got one, and most of them stink.
Dude A thinking one way, and Dude B thinking another is just important enough to stress about, man. Not when we (humanity) have got real problems that need solving.
Good stuff, and good on ya for not feeling compelled to be a dick about it.
The world really is a much more tolerable place, when people can disagree without the vitriol and anger.