Re:Anything by Kurt Vonnegut or Chuck Palaniuk
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A Good Summer Read?
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· Score: 1
Vonnegut's Ice Nine book is good in a nihilistic sort of way. As for Palaniuk, I loved Fight Club, and his latest book Choke is pretty decent, but I didn't care much for Invisible Monsters. Just didn't have the same zing to it the others did.
And gun registration isn't supposed to lead to confiscation. That promise holds up about as well too.
And the income tax was meant to be a temporary measure to deal with budget problems, and they refused to limit it to 1-9% percent of income because there was no way it would ever go double digits.
Even if you can trust one politician, can you trust their successors?
Either they're so scared of the law's ambiguity that they stay far away, or, even if they do understand it arguing in court is going to be far more expensive since lawyers just love bickering over ambiguity.
And the only way to fix it is through political power, and the politicians win again.
Re:Laundry list for the galeon-dev folk reading
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Galeon 1.0 Released
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· Score: 1
#1 is possible without waiting for Galeon developers to provide a solution - though I'll admit I wish they had menu on/off boxes for all plugins, not just Java.
Just go to Moz's installed files (for me it's at/usr/lib/mozilla), go to plugins/ and put libnullplugin.so somewhere else. Bang, no more plugin pop-ups.
Or you could just use the Mozilla releases
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Galeon 1.0 Released
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· Score: 1
In my experience, just using the latest Moz release for the latest Galeon packages works quite fine. Of course, it's not quite as clean as source for some people's situations, but... *shrug*
And from what I've read, they're working on improving on this, maybe providing a Galeon-only Moz download. Now if I could only get Nautilus to play nicely with Moz...
But NuSphere is obviously a company of idiots who don't understand the law, the GPL or Open Source. Why?
Because NuSphere's post talks about how they paid MySQL Co. for the 'right' to distribute MySQL under the GPL. Anyone's got that right, and the MySQL guy tore into them for that mistake. Absolutely clueless.
I am the Lord thy God, who brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt not have strange gods before me.
That right there (Obey the Christian God) seems like a fuck-you to atheists and everyone not from the Judeo-Christian religious heritage, which is why the 10 commandments shouldn't be posted by the government. Now on the other hand, you could designate a wall where historic and important moral codes are to be placed, but usually the biblethumpers who want the 10 commandments posted get a bit annoyed when people then start putting up the wiccan rede, or the Satanic Laws, or buddhist documents, and the moral code wall goes away. But to just put up the 10 commandments is a governmental endorsement of religion, and a specific religion at that.
that the Pentagon actually pays that much? Come on - they're not that incompetent. That's their way of getting all the Black Ops stuff and secret research paid for.
After all, they're not going to go to Congress and say, "Can we have $50mil to think up ways to kill Milosovec?" But turn those $60 toilets into $600 toilets, say a few wise words to the committee on defense spending, and bang!
I don't know what's scarier - the fact that so much money is being used for totally unchecked activities or that the newsmedia actually reports it as if the military was that stupid without even hinting at the real meaning behind it.
With several hundred dollars and several days, one can get a gun anywhere in the world. Don't be stupid. It's just a matter of knowing the right people.
Oh, legally? That's one thing. Some backward countries don't allow their citizens to own weapons. But anyone who thinks guns aren't available pretty much everywhere is naive.
It's not an issue of setting a legal precedent as much as a political one. Yes, the legal complaints about the two cases are different, but all that the my.mp3.com lawsuit proved was that the RIAA had more push with the judge than mp3.com. Considering that judges chose to sell out consumers' rights to companies before makes it more likely for it to happen again. That's why Napster's going to be next.
Ho, no Linux/Mac support? I suspect that's something they'd like someone to add on - it's open source, after all.
Some interesting restrictions in the license. Its tone seems to be a GPL mixed with the BSD advertising clause, except for their "No Browser 3D stuff" restriction.
13. RESTRICTED USE This section applies only to Windows or Microsoft operating systems, Macintosh operating systems, Unix operating systems and Linux operating systems. Other operating systems are excluded from these restrictions. You are not permitted to use the Covered Code for or in connection with: (a) viewing 3D content in a browser; (b) streaming content via a browser; (c) streaming compressed 3D graphics and animation to Web-based or Internet-based viewers (by example, but not limited to, RealNetworks products, MacroMedia products, Microsoft streaming media applications.) Section (c) shall have the following exception: You are permitted to use the Covered Code in a stand-alone executable application (but not a platform) that involves or uses a network for downloading content provided that: (a) such content is not viewed or streamed via a browser; (b) only You will sell or profit from content viewed using the Covered Code; (c) You agree to not use the Covered Code in a manner such that any third party could lawfully sell or profit from any content that uses the Covered Code. The following will not constitute a Restricted Use: (a) use of a browser merely to download applications or data, without any display of interactive real-time rendered 3D graphics through the browser; (b) use of a browser for connecting stand-alone applications (provided that there is no display of interactive or real-time rendered 3D graphics through the browser); (c) use of a browser merely to report results of a tournament; (d) use of a browser merely to establish network communications.
Heh, wonder why they limit this restriction to certain OSes. Banning "Unix operating systems" is somewhat broad and slippery. As for all this browser "Yes and No" stuff, What exactly are they trying to stop here?
That aside, it's neat to see a company using open source in such a manner. It's not GPLed or BSDed, but it's a real attempt for a company to compromise between loosening up and loosing control and profits. I think we'll see more semi-free programs from companies in the future - Yes, I know, Netscape, but that release was freer and nobody expects Netscape to make money directly from the sale of Mozilla like this company is trying for. Unreal Tournament, perhaps? Their OpenUT project really impressed me when it instituted MesaGL through SDL in UT, which means that my TNT2 should be able to run it now, right? Expecting companies to go GPL/BSD in all cases is unrealistic, but this partial release of source should become far more normal in the future.
It's not just about PI control. Yes, that's probably a large concern of the author, but just look how many people are up in arms against nVidia here. You know why? Because their drivers suck. I'm using a TNT2 and it's probably the buggiest piece of hardware in my entire computer - not to mention the 3D stuff is slow and crappy. And if nVidia had released source like they were claiming they would around the time I bought it, the drivers would be much, much better - the utah glx people would have dealt with it. But now we have to wait and just hope that nVidia will get off its ass and give us working drivers - who knows how long that will be. Basically, nVidia made promises, and they didn't follow through, and a lot of people are seeing this as false advertising. That's why I'm not buying nVidia anymore, and why so many people are upset.
So when are all us 80s kids going to get treatment for our nintendo thumbs? I tell you, after a day of using those old NES pads, you could be in serious hurt! Damn sharp edges, damn addictive NES games.:) I still think this is somewhat ridiculous. If the controller's hurting your hands, don't effing use it that way! And yeah, I realize that includes me on the NES pads - shouldn't have played that much. It still seems somewhat silly, considering people do this to themselves - it's not like the controller just slips and gashes up your hand or something.
Seriously, though, this has some interesting consequences. Could keyboard manufacturers be held responsible for ergonomic damages due to poor keyboard design? It's a very similar concept - poor design leading to hand injury after repetitive use. Oh boy, more lawyers!
IANAL but last time I checked, trademarks were meant to prevent confusion among customers between competing products. That's why someone could trademark Windows beer - there's no product confusion between that and OSes.
So this is bullshit - call on the lawyers and mad dogs.
Is it legal? Unfortunately, yes. The original intent was only that, intent. From what I know there wasn't any legislation made at the institution of SSNs tht would have backed up that "intent".
I've said it before, and I'll say it again. Politicans lie. A similar deal came with gun registration in some states and counties - at the time the registration was passed, the politicians making the law swore up and down a stack of bibles that the lists would never be used for confiscation - but failed to put that into the law. Ten or twenty years later, guess what? Confiscation. Everyone who was trusting or stupid enough to register got their so-called assault weapons taken away and paid a pittance. Personally, I think anyone who's law-abiding enough to register their weapons probably isn't going to commit that many crimes, but hell! What do I know as opposed to say Diane Feinstein or some other scum sucker. Gods knows they've done such a fine job preventing gun violence with their omnipotence, which is why politicians' bodyguards aren't actually armed. No, Feinstein's thug squad certainly doesn't carry guns that she'd happily deny the civilian population.
A verbal contract's worth the paper it's written on. And that goes double for politicans and lawyers.
Screw that! I'm about as libertarian as they come and you're still dead wrong.
If companies are compiling data about my personal life because noting it is a requirement of doing business with them, what gives them the right to sell those details without my permission? And you better believe I'm never going to give permission. It's not like using a survey to guide advertising to a magazine or something, it's specific data bout people. Gathering demographic data is fine, but no company out there needs to know anything about me specifically without begging me directly first. It's the difference between the census and your 1040 form - one should be public, and the other should be private.
So? He falsely claimed that all PC users are idiots and fools for picking such hardware. That's what I slagged him for. I don't know why I responded at all either. Maybe he's just as wrong on that point, huh? At least I threw in a disclaimer saying I was making an assumption. I didn't see any hesitancy from his trollish claims.
I don't. I keep hoping others will see the light and, as I said, that there will still be people around who know how to make things right.
Notice you didn't even address my first contention: PC hardware doesn't require stupid design and all the things you bitched about. Sure, there's poorly made PCs, but that doesn't mean other people can't put together a clean box. By claiming so and making such a wide generalization, you are trolling. No other interpretation. Explain how any statement containing "peecee luser" can be anything but a troll on a forum with many PC owners.
Well, the box I'm posting from was somewhat expensive compared with peecees, but my OS certainly isn't substandard. I know of at least three reasonable (read: unix) ones that will run on it; it's linux currently. I don't fear opening the box. In fact, this one's so damn beautiful inside I'd run it without the cover except that, well, the cover is part of the cooling system (yes, directed airflow - won't find *that* in peecees). What I fear is what's inside most boxes sold today. Ugh.
Very well. I made a faulty assumption and you're not using a Mac. Judging by some of your comments, you're obviously using something high-end. So what? We're all supposed to pay huge prices for expensive non-i386 computers like you? You remind me of someone who has an expensive sportscar and bitches about all the econoboxes out there without realizing maybe others can't quite spend so much. Get off your high horse and realize some people make decisions based on performance per dollar.
I hate macs. I'm anything but a luser and this is not a troll.
Being a luser doesn't have anything to do with knowledge - stupid comments do a luser make. And blanket statements such as "All PC hardware sucks and PC boxes are all crap that no-one should use" is very much so a troll.
I honestly have no idea what this is.
Be happy about that.
Gee, that added a lot to this discussion, no?
Twas an example of a possible statement that avoided trollage while being negative towards Serial ATA. What, you expect me to write your own posts or something? The point is, if you don't like something, say why with a reasoned and polite argument, not this "You're all peecee lusers" crap.
I love it when people make wildly wrong assumptions about me and thusly make themselves look like total fools when attempting to flame.
Heh, that's funny, thought I threw in a disclaimer saying you could very well be something other than a Mac user. Guess you skipped that part, huh? I guessed so and made statements based on that assumption, because frankly, there's more Mac idiots that whatever type of idiot you are.
Of course, this seems a common characteristic of anyone who thinks peecees are useful for any purpose other than keeping oceangoing vessels in one place.
I'm not hosting E-Bay or something on my box, I'm just doing school work, art, communication and a little hosting. Considering that the majority of people use their computers for tasks more like this than whatever you're doing, I'd say making blanket statements about the non-usefullness of a platform is a common characteristic of trolls and idiots. Any platform, even something like WinCE-stuff or a TI-82, can be useful. That doesn't mean I think WinNT should run battleships or something, and lumping all PC users together so shows what an idiot you are.
You've obviously got some feeling about this issue - but you know what? It's your own damn fault. If you buy or deal with people who buy crap or don't know how the hell to put boxes together correctly - then suffer in your own self-made hell of shoddy boxes and knotted cables.
And what's the alternative? I'm assuming you're a jackboot-licking Mac user (Apple was so fscking right to tie their image to 1984. How newspeak is 'THINK DIFFERENT' when it's been made clear over the years that Apple means 'Think this way or else!'), though you could be something else (Amiga fanatic, perhaps? Na, they're usually quietly fanatical, not stupidly). I'm not about to accept the gentle fascism of Apple's One True Computing Way just so I can get a few messy connections out of the way. Glad you're willing to submit to exorbant prices and a sub-standard OS so you can avoid the chance of putting your box together. (And as for the consumer market: If you're opening up your box at all, you're beyond the norm.)
Fscking trolling Mac lusers. Go intellectually wank on Mackido or something, or post something relevant like "Increases in ATA speed don't matter as long as the inherent flaws in the design exist - SCSI's ability to use multiple devices simultaneously properly is more important." Either that, or just don't post at all, and save the bandwith.
(I feel the stress leave my body like little eels going 'sssss' away. I guess idiots do have some function - slapping them down is fun.)
If you're using such slurs as "lunatic socialistic left wing long-haired body-pierced Linux brigade", guess what, you deserve the flames. Come here with an attitude of "Oh, you Linux zealots are doing it wrong, this is how to do it", and yeah, some people are going to take offense. Considering you're just an AC, I'm hoping this is a troll, but answering as if it is legit. And hey, you forgot all the lunatic libertarian body-pierced Linux brigade members - geeks with guns!
Why would one want to bugger a serial port? Unless your equipment is miniscule, it's going to lack a certain amount of... I/O , if you know what I mean. I mean, if you want to hump your box, that's what fufme.com is for!
Sigh.... yes, I know, that's what I was comparing it too largely. See that NRA, NAACP comparison? The difference is, there's already a large, somewhat powerful community... but it's not quite focused. And we're going to have a hell of time convincing anyone else to care. As for larger trends, well, is the geek community going to stay unorganized and let corporations run rough-shod over issues too technology-oriented for most people to care, or will there be a change in the power structure of American society? Again, it's not like we'd take the helm of society or whatever, but considering the highly computerized nature of the world, I believe it'd make a significant difference over the years.
Don't ever complain about paranoids (Well, unless they're advocating violent action, but that's in a different category from a sense of oppression). Why? They're reacting to a legitimate concern - it may not be bothering you yet, but one of the reason it hopefully won't ever bother you is because like this author, who feel the first pangs of concern, are ready to fight tooth and nail.
"Well, now that you put it that way... of course not. But you're missing one very important point. No business of any kind, even evil insensitive IP wielding conglomerates, can tell you what you can or can't do in your own home. That DVD is still yours and you can do what ever you want with it in your own home. As much as you hate them, the MPAA is not against people watching DVDs. Of course their priorities are twisted, thinking that the smaller evil of making an illegal copy is far worse than the greater evil of keeping DVDs off certain operating systems, but heh, we see twisted priorities every day on Slashdot. "
Unfortunately, you're wrong. The MPAA can tell me what I can do in my home, if it succeeds in getting DeCSS banned. Morally, no, it can piss up a rope, but legally, it does have the power to interfere in my private viewing of DVDs. Yes, I know, the source will always be available, but I'm talking legally. And please, don't believe that propaganda about DeCSS being about pirated copies - the economics for pirating through DeCSS doesn't work - why pay more for an illegal copy? It's solely for allowing people to view DVDs. Tsk-tsk.
I do agree with your point about government though - If our chickenshit govt. hadn't passed DCMA for money, the MPAA would be up shit creek. Fuck 'em both.
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Vonnegut's Ice Nine book is good in a nihilistic sort of way. As for Palaniuk, I loved Fight Club, and his latest book Choke is pretty decent, but I didn't care much for Invisible Monsters. Just didn't have the same zing to it the others did.
Yeah.
And gun registration isn't supposed to lead to confiscation. That promise holds up about as well too.
And the income tax was meant to be a temporary measure to deal with budget problems, and they refused to limit it to 1-9% percent of income because there was no way it would ever go double digits.
Even if you can trust one politician, can you trust their successors?
Either they're so scared of the law's ambiguity that they stay far away, or, even if they do understand it arguing in court is going to be far more expensive since lawyers just love bickering over ambiguity.
And the only way to fix it is through political power, and the politicians win again.
Just go to Moz's installed files (for me it's at /usr/lib/mozilla), go to plugins/ and put libnullplugin.so somewhere else. Bang, no more plugin pop-ups.
And from what I've read, they're working on improving on this, maybe providing a Galeon-only Moz download. Now if I could only get Nautilus to play nicely with Moz...
Because NuSphere's post talks about how they paid MySQL Co. for the 'right' to distribute MySQL under the GPL. Anyone's got that right, and the MySQL guy tore into them for that mistake. Absolutely clueless.
I am the Lord thy God, who brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt not have strange gods before me.
That right there (Obey the Christian God) seems like a fuck-you to atheists and everyone not from the Judeo-Christian religious heritage, which is why the 10 commandments shouldn't be posted by the government. Now on the other hand, you could designate a wall where historic and important moral codes are to be placed, but usually the biblethumpers who want the 10 commandments posted get a bit annoyed when people then start putting up the wiccan rede, or the Satanic Laws, or buddhist documents, and the moral code wall goes away. But to just put up the 10 commandments is a governmental endorsement of religion, and a specific religion at that.
After all, they're not going to go to Congress and say, "Can we have $50mil to think up ways to kill Milosovec?" But turn those $60 toilets into $600 toilets, say a few wise words to the committee on defense spending, and bang!
I don't know what's scarier - the fact that so much money is being used for totally unchecked activities or that the newsmedia actually reports it as if the military was that stupid without even hinting at the real meaning behind it.
Oh, legally? That's one thing. Some backward countries don't allow their citizens to own weapons. But anyone who thinks guns aren't available pretty much everywhere is naive.
Wasn't that UCITA they passed the law against? DMCA is federal law, so I don't think states can just override it.
It's not an issue of setting a legal precedent as much as a political one. Yes, the legal complaints about the two cases are different, but all that the my.mp3.com lawsuit proved was that the RIAA had more push with the judge than mp3.com. Considering that judges chose to sell out consumers' rights to companies before makes it more likely for it to happen again. That's why Napster's going to be next.
Think about what you're saying. Read a little history, and grow up.
Some interesting restrictions in the license. Its tone seems to be a GPL mixed with the BSD advertising clause, except for their "No Browser 3D stuff" restriction.
13. RESTRICTED USE
This section applies only to Windows or Microsoft operating systems, Macintosh operating systems, Unix operating systems and Linux operating systems. Other operating systems are excluded from these restrictions.
You are not permitted to use the Covered Code for or in connection with:
(a) viewing 3D content in a browser;
(b) streaming content via a browser;
(c) streaming compressed 3D graphics and animation to Web-based or Internet-based viewers (by example, but not limited to, RealNetworks products, MacroMedia products, Microsoft streaming media applications.)
Section (c) shall have the following exception:
You are permitted to use the Covered Code in a stand-alone executable application (but not a platform) that involves or uses a network for downloading content provided that:
(a) such content is not viewed or streamed via a browser;
(b) only You will sell or profit from content viewed using the Covered Code;
(c) You agree to not use the Covered Code in a manner such that any third party could lawfully sell or profit from any content that uses the Covered Code.
The following will not constitute a Restricted Use:
(a) use of a browser merely to download applications or data, without any display of interactive real-time rendered 3D graphics through the browser;
(b) use of a browser for connecting stand-alone applications (provided that there is no display of interactive or real-time rendered 3D graphics through the browser);
(c) use of a browser merely to report results of a tournament;
(d) use of a browser merely to establish network communications.
Heh, wonder why they limit this restriction to certain OSes. Banning "Unix operating systems" is somewhat broad and slippery. As for all this browser "Yes and No" stuff, What exactly are they trying to stop here?
That aside, it's neat to see a company using open source in such a manner. It's not GPLed or BSDed, but it's a real attempt for a company to compromise between loosening up and loosing control and profits. I think we'll see more semi-free programs from companies in the future - Yes, I know, Netscape, but that release was freer and nobody expects Netscape to make money directly from the sale of Mozilla like this company is trying for. Unreal Tournament, perhaps? Their OpenUT project really impressed me when it instituted MesaGL through SDL in UT, which means that my TNT2 should be able to run it now, right? Expecting companies to go GPL/BSD in all cases is unrealistic, but this partial release of source should become far more normal in the future.
It's not just about PI control. Yes, that's probably a large concern of the author, but just look how many people are up in arms against nVidia here. You know why? Because their drivers suck. I'm using a TNT2 and it's probably the buggiest piece of hardware in my entire computer - not to mention the 3D stuff is slow and crappy. And if nVidia had released source like they were claiming they would around the time I bought it, the drivers would be much, much better - the utah glx people would have dealt with it. But now we have to wait and just hope that nVidia will get off its ass and give us working drivers - who knows how long that will be. Basically, nVidia made promises, and they didn't follow through, and a lot of people are seeing this as false advertising. That's why I'm not buying nVidia anymore, and why so many people are upset.
Seriously, though, this has some interesting consequences. Could keyboard manufacturers be held responsible for ergonomic damages due to poor keyboard design? It's a very similar concept - poor design leading to hand injury after repetitive use. Oh boy, more lawyers!
So this is bullshit - call on the lawyers and mad dogs.
I've said it before, and I'll say it again. Politicans lie. A similar deal came with gun registration in some states and counties - at the time the registration was passed, the politicians making the law swore up and down a stack of bibles that the lists would never be used for confiscation - but failed to put that into the law. Ten or twenty years later, guess what? Confiscation. Everyone who was trusting or stupid enough to register got their so-called assault weapons taken away and paid a pittance. Personally, I think anyone who's law-abiding enough to register their weapons probably isn't going to commit that many crimes, but hell! What do I know as opposed to say Diane Feinstein or some other scum sucker. Gods knows they've done such a fine job preventing gun violence with their omnipotence, which is why politicians' bodyguards aren't actually armed. No, Feinstein's thug squad certainly doesn't carry guns that she'd happily deny the civilian population.
A verbal contract's worth the paper it's written on. And that goes double for politicans and lawyers.
If companies are compiling data about my personal life because noting it is a requirement of doing business with them, what gives them the right to sell those details without my permission? And you better believe I'm never going to give permission. It's not like using a survey to guide advertising to a magazine or something, it's specific data bout people. Gathering demographic data is fine, but no company out there needs to know anything about me specifically without begging me directly first. It's the difference between the census and your 1040 form - one should be public, and the other should be private.
So? He falsely claimed that all PC users are idiots and fools for picking such hardware. That's what I slagged him for. I don't know why I responded at all either. Maybe he's just as wrong on that point, huh? At least I threw in a disclaimer saying I was making an assumption. I didn't see any hesitancy from his trollish claims.
Notice you didn't even address my first contention: PC hardware doesn't require stupid design and all the things you bitched about. Sure, there's poorly made PCs, but that doesn't mean other people can't put together a clean box. By claiming so and making such a wide generalization, you are trolling. No other interpretation. Explain how any statement containing "peecee luser" can be anything but a troll on a forum with many PC owners.
Well, the box I'm posting from was somewhat expensive compared with peecees, but my OS certainly isn't substandard. I know of at least three reasonable (read: unix) ones that will run on it; it's linux currently. I don't fear opening the box. In fact, this one's so damn beautiful inside I'd run it without the cover except that, well, the cover is part of the cooling system (yes, directed airflow - won't find *that* in peecees). What I fear is what's inside most boxes sold today. Ugh.
Very well. I made a faulty assumption and you're not using a Mac. Judging by some of your comments, you're obviously using something high-end. So what? We're all supposed to pay huge prices for expensive non-i386 computers like you? You remind me of someone who has an expensive sportscar and bitches about all the econoboxes out there without realizing maybe others can't quite spend so much. Get off your high horse and realize some people make decisions based on performance per dollar.
I hate macs. I'm anything but a luser and this is not a troll.
Being a luser doesn't have anything to do with knowledge - stupid comments do a luser make. And blanket statements such as "All PC hardware sucks and PC boxes are all crap that no-one should use" is very much so a troll.
I honestly have no idea what this is.
Be happy about that.
Gee, that added a lot to this discussion, no?
Twas an example of a possible statement that avoided trollage while being negative towards Serial ATA. What, you expect me to write your own posts or something? The point is, if you don't like something, say why with a reasoned and polite argument, not this "You're all peecee lusers" crap.
I love it when people make wildly wrong assumptions about me and thusly make themselves look like total fools when attempting to flame.
Heh, that's funny, thought I threw in a disclaimer saying you could very well be something other than a Mac user. Guess you skipped that part, huh? I guessed so and made statements based on that assumption, because frankly, there's more Mac idiots that whatever type of idiot you are.
Of course, this seems a common characteristic of anyone who thinks peecees are useful for any purpose other than keeping oceangoing vessels in one place.
I'm not hosting E-Bay or something on my box, I'm just doing school work, art, communication and a little hosting. Considering that the majority of people use their computers for tasks more like this than whatever you're doing, I'd say making blanket statements about the non-usefullness of a platform is a common characteristic of trolls and idiots. Any platform, even something like WinCE-stuff or a TI-82, can be useful. That doesn't mean I think WinNT should run battleships or something, and lumping all PC users together so shows what an idiot you are.
And what's the alternative? I'm assuming you're a jackboot-licking Mac user (Apple was so fscking right to tie their image to 1984. How newspeak is 'THINK DIFFERENT' when it's been made clear over the years that Apple means 'Think this way or else!'), though you could be something else (Amiga fanatic, perhaps? Na, they're usually quietly fanatical, not stupidly). I'm not about to accept the gentle fascism of Apple's One True Computing Way just so I can get a few messy connections out of the way. Glad you're willing to submit to exorbant prices and a sub-standard OS so you can avoid the chance of putting your box together. (And as for the consumer market: If you're opening up your box at all, you're beyond the norm.)
Fscking trolling Mac lusers. Go intellectually wank on Mackido or something, or post something relevant like "Increases in ATA speed don't matter as long as the inherent flaws in the design exist - SCSI's ability to use multiple devices simultaneously properly is more important." Either that, or just don't post at all, and save the bandwith.
(I feel the stress leave my body like little eels going 'sssss' away. I guess idiots do have some function - slapping them down is fun.)
If you're using such slurs as "lunatic socialistic left wing long-haired body-pierced Linux brigade", guess what, you deserve the flames. Come here with an attitude of "Oh, you Linux zealots are doing it wrong, this is how to do it", and yeah, some people are going to take offense. Considering you're just an AC, I'm hoping this is a troll, but answering as if it is legit. And hey, you forgot all the lunatic libertarian body-pierced Linux brigade members - geeks with guns!
Why would one want to bugger a serial port? Unless your equipment is miniscule, it's going to lack a certain amount of... I/O , if you know what I mean. I mean, if you want to hump your box, that's what fufme.com is for!
Sigh.... yes, I know, that's what I was comparing it too largely. See that NRA, NAACP comparison? The difference is, there's already a large, somewhat powerful community... but it's not quite focused. And we're going to have a hell of time convincing anyone else to care. As for larger trends, well, is the geek community going to stay unorganized and let corporations run rough-shod over issues too technology-oriented for most people to care, or will there be a change in the power structure of American society? Again, it's not like we'd take the helm of society or whatever, but considering the highly computerized nature of the world, I believe it'd make a significant difference over the years.
"Well, now that you put it that way... of course not. But you're missing one very important point. No business of any kind, even evil insensitive IP wielding conglomerates, can tell you what you can or can't do in your own home. That DVD is still yours and you can do what ever you want with it in your own home. As much as you hate them, the MPAA is not against people watching DVDs. Of course their priorities are twisted, thinking that the smaller evil of making an illegal copy is far worse than the greater evil of keeping DVDs off certain operating systems, but heh, we see twisted priorities every day on Slashdot. "
Unfortunately, you're wrong. The MPAA can tell me what I can do in my home, if it succeeds in getting DeCSS banned. Morally, no, it can piss up a rope, but legally, it does have the power to interfere in my private viewing of DVDs. Yes, I know, the source will always be available, but I'm talking legally. And please, don't believe that propaganda about DeCSS being about pirated copies - the economics for pirating through DeCSS doesn't work - why pay more for an illegal copy? It's solely for allowing people to view DVDs. Tsk-tsk.
I do agree with your point about government though - If our chickenshit govt. hadn't passed DCMA for money, the MPAA would be up shit creek. Fuck 'em both.