We can already block the sales of products because they infringe copyrights on being rectangular. Why shouldn't we take it a step further and stop them advertising them?
The problem is that it does. Look at what happened to Sun. It had some very nice patents. So obviously people wanted it - for the patents of course. That made it attractive, because you could use that sort of stuff to bully other companies into giving you a cut over the mobile technologies.
I have a problem with that solution. It'll work for large companies with a lot of liquidity and a track record.
It won't work for startups or small companies with no track record.
To give a personal example. I have on-and-off for the last 4.5 years been working on a literary work. Assume I want to sell it. How would I do that using this system? I make a request for X thousand up front to release it to the world? Of course it wouldn't work for me. For a start nobody has heard of me. And if I don't get this amount, am I supposed to just destroy all this work or keep it permanently to myself? That's senseless.
In an ideal world where everyone knew everything about everyone it'd work. In this world it won't. Not for the small guy.
Copyright works perfectly. The aim of copyright is to prevent an individual or company from profiting from the works of others, in order to allow the creator to enjoy the profits of their works.
I'm sure Mr Walt Disney is really enjoying the profit he's getting from his 'still-in-copyright' works, even though he died in '66.
I have no trouble with people profiting off their works for a few years. What I have trouble with is:
1. Copyrights being extended long long long past 'a few years' (Mickey Mouse is still under copyright, since 1928).
2. Stupid enforcing of copyrights in regions where its not avaliable anyway.
3. Copyright as a purely money making process. "Happy Birthday to you" (written in the 1800s) still brings money for the copyright holder. http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1111624 - who by the way is not the creator.
Yes, you did something clever. Yes enjoy it. But then let the rest of us enjoy it after you're done.
That happened to me. Someone asked me what I do and I answered "Software Developer". A few weeks he described my job to someone else as "IT technician".
Slashdot Mirror
Seriously, I was so confused. Had to take a triple take before I realised.
Well this is /. we're not 'the minds of most'.
There are lots of specific jargon only ict geeks understand. This could be one of them.
You want: tekhne - meaning skill.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Technocracy
Yet.
We can already block the sales of products because they infringe copyrights on being rectangular. Why shouldn't we take it a step further and stop them advertising them?
228. Creamy.
No it won't. On the other hand neither will positive comments about icecream.
It puts the ***** on its skin
The problem is that it does. Look at what happened to Sun. It had some very nice patents. So obviously people wanted it - for the patents of course. That made it attractive, because you could use that sort of stuff to bully other companies into giving you a cut over the mobile technologies.
Don't forget X "on the cloud"
Sure, if you can create a copy of all my items without me losing them, you are more than welcome to do so.
The large companies have to stop making money using this magical method.
Then they'll call the lobbyists off and the government can finally obey like the good puppets they are.
So unless there's a nuclear war, society collapses, or zombies rise up - probably never.
Someone discovered you can make money much easier if you suffocate the competition using the law than producing better products.
Grab the Patent Lawyers and get them to Battle Royale fight to the death over the patent.
It'll be almost as much as fair and the world could use a few less of them.
I have a problem with that solution. It'll work for large companies with a lot of liquidity and a track record.
It won't work for startups or small companies with no track record.
To give a personal example. I have on-and-off for the last 4.5 years been working on a literary work. Assume I want to sell it. How would I do that using this system? I make a request for X thousand up front to release it to the world? Of course it wouldn't work for me. For a start nobody has heard of me. And if I don't get this amount, am I supposed to just destroy all this work or keep it permanently to myself? That's senseless.
In an ideal world where everyone knew everything about everyone it'd work. In this world it won't. Not for the small guy.
Copyright works perfectly. The aim of copyright is to prevent an individual or company from profiting from the works of others, in order to allow the creator to enjoy the profits of their works.
I'm sure Mr Walt Disney is really enjoying the profit he's getting from his 'still-in-copyright' works, even though he died in '66.
I have no trouble with people profiting off their works for a few years. What I have trouble with is:
1. Copyrights being extended long long long past 'a few years' (Mickey Mouse is still under copyright, since 1928).
2. Stupid enforcing of copyrights in regions where its not avaliable anyway.
3. Copyright as a purely money making process. "Happy Birthday to you" (written in the 1800s) still brings money for the copyright holder.
http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1111624 - who by the way is not the creator.
Yes, you did something clever. Yes enjoy it. But then let the rest of us enjoy it after you're done.
Someone discovers abstraction
What the Frack?
I disagree. I'm ticking the "Yes" box.
The consensus was that "Friday" already held that title.
I might give this a try. One of the reasons I stopped using KDE was because it was painfully slow on my poor laptop.
That happened to me. Someone asked me what I do and I answered "Software Developer". A few weeks he described my job to someone else as "IT technician".
Of course the terrorists lost, you don't see them attacking our freedom anymore!
Now spread your legs and put your hands against the wall.
I just hope it doesn't feature-bloat like Microsoft's other IM.
Before it used to be light and you could use it to chat. Now it takes 20-40 seconds to load, and tries to do everything and fails horribly.
With skype integrating FB already... I think we can see what direction its heading into.
With all these satellites falling out from the sky lately...
Pity its patented so there's no reason for anyone to try to improve on it.
Not too keen on the 'parental guidance' but the feedback is a great idea. Maybe next year they can give me something better.
Is that if you happen to live in a 1st world country, you still have a place in the economy, babysitting the machines which do everything else.
Outsourcing on the other hand means that regarldess of your skills or choices, you won't have a job.