I wish you the best with regards to your suit against the RIAA; their intimidation tactics are despised by almost everybody in this community. But, though IANAL, I was wondering what precedent there is for this type of lawsuit. What damages have you suffered as a result of the RIAA's actions (you were ultimately able to present your research) and what resolution do you ultimately hope to attain? Do you really believe that such a goal is within reach, given the DeCSS/Napster rulings?
While most celebrities compete for whose charity supports children that are suffering more, it is refreshing to see one person support an organization with a philosophical agenda that he identifies with. I'm sure most celebrities' publicists would have reccommended that they avoid charities like the EFF because their opposition to draconian surveillance technologies stands in stark contrast to the prevailing public opinion.
One question for Wil or any aspiring entertainers on/. who support the EFF: how do you respond to their opposition of content control/digital rights management? If so, how would you respond to your colleagues who claim that it will impair their ability to support themselves as artists?
I recall that Wil was booed at a Star Trek convention many years ago and vowed never never to speak at such a convention again. However, his commitment to civil liberties and his young age/ability to relate to an audience of college students would make him an ideal guest for the college lecture circuit. I know of at least one organization on my campus that would be willing to sponsor a guest like Wil and I'm certain that similar organizations at other Universities would also be accomodating. The money may not be as good as an Star Trek convention, but he would certainly receive a better reception than he did at the Star Trek convention and he would have the opportunity to use his celebrity to advance his ideology.
What type of range is it possible to get in the unlicensed spectrum? I think there are power output limits that prevent you from setting up high powered antennas to deliver long-range 2.4Ghz wireless Internet access. Also, how will the higher speeds affect the range and reliability of the signal (will it be as tolerant of noise)?
Not only will privitization of shuttle launch and maintenance help reduce costs for NASA (and give them more money to devote to other projects and the completion of the ISS), but it will be one more step towards the commercialization of space. Now, any company will be able to purchase space on the shuttle for satellites or even human cargo:-).
Remember how many people (including many/.ers) were critical of the government's desire to open the Internet to commerce; now, few would argue that we have all benefitted from that decision. The barrier to entry (or exit, in this case!) is so high, for space flight, that an independent company would never be able to develop the type of technology that NASA has developed for the shuttle; it simply would not be ecnomically feasible for them to pour so much money into R&D. By giving them the ability to resell NASA technology in exchange for lowering the cost of shuttle launches, the government will be entering an arrangement that is mutually beneficial and could help form an industry.
My only requirement for the company given the contract is that it have its headquarters in the U.S., because of security concerns and a respect for our national pride.
We have the technology to destroy every single terrorist base (including the fortified underground caves) without risking the life of a single American soldier (WIRED Story). The question is whether we will chose to employ this technology in the eradication of Al-Qeida or if Bush et al. won't have the courage to do so.
On an encouraging note, DebkaFILE reports that the Americans and Russians agreed that they would be willing to employ this technology in Afghanistan and Chechnya--we can only hope that our leaders will not needlessly put the lives of our armed forces at risk.
Marketing
on
Seanbaby.com
·
· Score: 2, Interesting
All JonKatz left out was: "This message paid for by SeanBaby.com -- stay tuned for 'When lawyers attck 6' and 'Webcam Survivor' next on the alternative media channel."
In all seriousness, the problem with mainstream media is not the lack of variety it offers but the poor quality of the programming itself. Everybody is trying to cater to the lowest common denominator of human existence (sex, violence, etc.) that any regular Joe can relate to. The sites that make the web a better resource for entertainment are those that focus on a very well-defined niche (slashdot.org) and build an active community among that audience.
If I'm not mistaken, Jon Katz, himself, actually wrote an entire book about developing web communitites that expresses this same thought. I cannot understand why he would point to a site as general and (in my opinion) uninteresting as SeanBaby.com. It is just another reactionary counter-culture site in an Internet filled with such places.
"Already, stauch Bush supporters and anti-abortion crusaders like Orrin Hatch have recognized the potential that stem-cell research offers. Nevertheless, Bush is stalling on the issue and is likely to render a decision that is detrimental to the scientific community--putting him in conflict with over 75% of Americans."
Perhaps I should have emphasized hatch's support for stem cell research to avoid misunderstanding. My point was that even many of those on the far right support federal funding for stem cell research yet Bush still refuses to concede.
I think that stem cell research would have been a far better example of the current administration's disconnect with modern science. Already, stauch Bush supporters and anti-abortion crusaders like Orrin Hatch have recognized the potential that stem-cell research offers. Nevertheless, Bush is stalling on the issue and is likely to render a decision that is detrimental to the scientific community--putting him in conflict with over 75% of Americans.
The fact that Europeans acknowledge the importance of global warming does not, in any way, indicate that they are more attuned to how science should affect policy. In fact, their irrational crusade against genetically modified crops, in spite of the fact that there is no evidence supporting thewir health and environmental concerns, is no less a product of ignorance than Bush's reluctance to acknowledge global warming.
The simple fact is that both conservatives and liberals will deliberately remain ignorant of scientific facts for the purpose of pandering to their constituencies.
Have you read the article yet? They seem to be targetting these devises at (novice) home users who would be willing to pay a monthly fee for a limited number of local calls (as opposed to free Dialpad) just for the convenience of using a f***ing telephone headset and bypassing the computer. I don't know too many people with broadband connections and home gateways who are that averse to going to dialpad.com with their PC on. The only value added feature is the ability to receive calls--hardly worth $40-/month AND putting up with lower quality audio (when you can already receive all calls FREE from a standard telephone, without dropped packets...).
If the computer needs to be on anyways to connect through DSL, what is the advantage of using a mock-up telephone headset instead of a traditional quality mic/headphones headset? Besides, since anybody with an ethernet connection probably owns a computers already (duh...), what would motivate them to purchase a separate stand-alone device at a premium instead of using what they already have?
From the journals of a weary traveler:
Just as I thought I would die of thirst during my travels through the desert, I saw a fresh bottle of Poland Springs spring water only a few feet in front of me. As I reached for it, my hand somehow passed right through the bottle--it was the most realistic mirage I have ever encountered.
Just then, the computer on my belt emmitted the sound of a flowing waterfall and said: don't go thirsty, "buy Poland Springs water!"
The real threat is that companies like AOL Time Warner and media outlets like MSN are already marginalizing, then eliminating lesser competitors by offering vast amounts of content and service to middle-class consumers at relatively low cost.
Heavens no! Now we have no choice but to receive lower priced content thanks to fair competition. I think we need to call in the National Gaurd.
Sarcasm aside, isn't this the goal of a free marketplace; companies that offer more to customers for less will survive while the rest will flounder. Though, I can see why a freelance content producer like Katz would object to consolidation and the lessening of demand for independent Internet content:-).
With the publicity that/. should generate, he should post the name here. We could e-mail the Hellmouth stories to the administration and call in our support. Merely mentioning the name of the school cannot be considered disparaging and the school should be subjected to community review.
There is little more that they can do to these kids than suspend them, as there is no cause possible justification for an expulsion. Besides, they deserve a taste of their own medicine.
This is precisely the attitude that was responsible for the "irrational exuberance" with which everything stemming from the Internet was greeted. The fact is that the Internet is not "revolutionary," it is merely evolutionary, like most of the technologies that allow us to live the lifestyles we have become accustomed to. In fact, there is now doubt as to if the Internet even qualifies as a "disruptive" technology or whether it will simply be exist alongside the other ways we communicate, do business, etc.
There was no "cell phone" fever, nobody claiming that cell phones would revolutionize human interaction. Yet, the connected anytime mentality (and associated work ethic) is arguably more influential in people's lives than the Internet will ever be (at least until broadband wireless becomes a reality).
Instead of predicting/discussing an "Internet revolution," lets just take the net for what it is. Isn't that enough?
At least nobody can criticize/.'s relationship with VA Linux after this post. I priced servers a while back and VA's 1U rack mounts are very overprices. They must have at least a 25%-50% margin on every unit sold. It's refreshing to see the/. editors post a useful link/story even though it may hurt VA's bottom line.
Directly comparing memory and storage available between CE and PALM OS based devices is very misleading. CE has a larger memory footprint and the files created in the Pocket Office applications consume a relatively large amount of storage.
Also, I find the vertical CE interface to be very difficult to get accustomed to. The only hands-down benefit of CE is that you do not need to learn Graffiti!
On Ebay and other online auction sites, it seems there is only a market for old games that are rare or were only produced in limited quantities. Since people can download an emulator and roms to play most of the old games, there is no reason for them to keep an old atari hanging around. Also, they can download the roms for free.
If you want to be profitable, you should try to obtain an inventory of only games that are collectors' items, and and old videogame memrobilia you can find. That's the stuff (along with old full-size game machines) that sells.
The problem is that pig latin is a natural language and therefore might not qualify as an encryption scheme. In fact, copyright holders are entitled to the sole right to translate their work. Hence, the RIAA could claim that the songs on AIMster are their song titles, translated into "pig latin" and demand that the pig latin translations of their song titles be blocked.
It would be funny to have the RIAA submit a list of songs to be blocked, in pig latin, though!
I wonder how many applications these embedded Linux devices will be compatible with? I guess, since there is such a volume of open source software available on the platform, people can easily port existing applications over. However, it would probably be difficult to find commercial applications produced specifically for embedded Linux (at least, while it is still in the process of gaining market share), than it will be to find PALM applications.
At this stage in the game, I really don't see the benefit that Linux offers over PALM OS. PALM OS is remarkably stable and efficient; in addition, there are enormous amounts of software (much of it free) produced specifically for the platform. These Linux handhelds will have the same problem gaining widespread acceptance that Windows CE devices did. There is less application support, and many people are already satisfied with their PALMs.
is that it believes there are social solutions to techinical problems. The existence of strong encryption technologies, software that defeates copyright-protection, and other technological thorns in legislators' sides cannot be wiped away with poorly thought out and overly restrictive legislation.
Technical problems can only be solved technical solutions, but it is impossible to convince arrogant power-hungry politicians that they cannot control the advancement of technology in the same way they control other aspects of modern society.
Slashdot Mirror
I wish you the best with regards to your suit against the RIAA; their intimidation tactics are despised by almost everybody in this community. But, though IANAL, I was wondering what precedent there is for this type of lawsuit. What damages have you suffered as a result of the RIAA's actions (you were ultimately able to present your research) and what resolution do you ultimately hope to attain? Do you really believe that such a goal is within reach, given the DeCSS/Napster rulings?
While most celebrities compete for whose charity supports children that are suffering more, it is refreshing to see one person support an organization with a philosophical agenda that he identifies with. I'm sure most celebrities' publicists would have reccommended that they avoid charities like the EFF because their opposition to draconian surveillance technologies stands in stark contrast to the prevailing public opinion.
/. who support the EFF: how do you respond to their opposition of content control/digital rights management? If so, how would you respond to your colleagues who claim that it will impair their ability to support themselves as artists?
One question for Wil or any aspiring entertainers on
I recall that Wil was booed at a Star Trek convention many years ago and vowed never never to speak at such a convention again. However, his commitment to civil liberties and his young age/ability to relate to an audience of college students would make him an ideal guest for the college lecture circuit. I know of at least one organization on my campus that would be willing to sponsor a guest like Wil and I'm certain that similar organizations at other Universities would also be accomodating. The money may not be as good as an Star Trek convention, but he would certainly receive a better reception than he did at the Star Trek convention and he would have the opportunity to use his celebrity to advance his ideology.
Does this mean that we're going to give up our bits for tits? Sounds good to me.
What type of range is it possible to get in the unlicensed spectrum? I think there are power output limits that prevent you from setting up high powered antennas to deliver long-range 2.4Ghz wireless Internet access. Also, how will the higher speeds affect the range and reliability of the signal (will it be as tolerant of noise)?
It's too bad Ithaca has no UPN affiliate though, so we can't see the Enterprise episodes.
Not only will privitization of shuttle launch and maintenance help reduce costs for NASA (and give them more money to devote to other projects and the completion of the ISS), but it will be one more step towards the commercialization of space. Now, any company will be able to purchase space on the shuttle for satellites or even human cargo :-).
/.ers) were critical of the government's desire to open the Internet to commerce; now, few would argue that we have all benefitted from that decision. The barrier to entry (or exit, in this case!) is so high, for space flight, that an independent company would never be able to develop the type of technology that NASA has developed for the shuttle; it simply would not be ecnomically feasible for them to pour so much money into R&D. By giving them the ability to resell NASA technology in exchange for lowering the cost of shuttle launches, the government will be entering an arrangement that is mutually beneficial and could help form an industry.
Remember how many people (including many
My only requirement for the company given the contract is that it have its headquarters in the U.S., because of security concerns and a respect for our national pride.
User #35032?
Wow, you really have been here a while.
------
We have the technology to destroy every single terrorist base (including the fortified underground caves) without risking the life of a single American soldier (WIRED Story). The question is whether we will chose to employ this technology in the eradication of Al-Qeida or if Bush et al. won't have the courage to do so.
On an encouraging note, DebkaFILE reports that the Americans and Russians agreed that they would be willing to employ this technology in Afghanistan and Chechnya--we can only hope that our leaders will not needlessly put the lives of our armed forces at risk.
All JonKatz left out was: "This message paid for by SeanBaby.com -- stay tuned for 'When lawyers attck 6' and 'Webcam Survivor' next on the alternative media channel."
In all seriousness, the problem with mainstream media is not the lack of variety it offers but the poor quality of the programming itself. Everybody is trying to cater to the lowest common denominator of human existence (sex, violence, etc.) that any regular Joe can relate to. The sites that make the web a better resource for entertainment are those that focus on a very well-defined niche (slashdot.org) and build an active community among that audience.
If I'm not mistaken, Jon Katz, himself, actually wrote an entire book about developing web communitites that expresses this same thought. I cannot understand why he would point to a site as general and (in my opinion) uninteresting as SeanBaby.com. It is just another reactionary counter-culture site in an Internet filled with such places.
a few more good programmers who will be put in jail if they ever visit the USA.
That is what I alluded to with:
"Already, stauch Bush supporters and anti-abortion crusaders like Orrin Hatch have recognized the potential that stem-cell research offers. Nevertheless, Bush is stalling on the issue and is likely to render a decision that is detrimental to the scientific community--putting him in conflict with over 75% of Americans."
Perhaps I should have emphasized hatch's support for stem cell research to avoid misunderstanding. My point was that even many of those on the far right support federal funding for stem cell research yet Bush still refuses to concede.
Lenny
I think that stem cell research would have been a far better example of the current administration's disconnect with modern science. Already, stauch Bush supporters and anti-abortion crusaders like Orrin Hatch have recognized the potential that stem-cell research offers. Nevertheless, Bush is stalling on the issue and is likely to render a decision that is detrimental to the scientific community--putting him in conflict with over 75% of Americans.
The fact that Europeans acknowledge the importance of global warming does not, in any way, indicate that they are more attuned to how science should affect policy. In fact, their irrational crusade against genetically modified crops, in spite of the fact that there is no evidence supporting thewir health and environmental concerns, is no less a product of ignorance than Bush's reluctance to acknowledge global warming.
The simple fact is that both conservatives and liberals will deliberately remain ignorant of scientific facts for the purpose of pandering to their constituencies.
Lenny
Have you read the article yet? They seem to be targetting these devises at (novice) home users who would be willing to pay a monthly fee for a limited number of local calls (as opposed to free Dialpad) just for the convenience of using a f***ing telephone headset and bypassing the computer. I don't know too many people with broadband connections and home gateways who are that averse to going to dialpad.com with their PC on. The only value added feature is the ability to receive calls--hardly worth $40-/month AND putting up with lower quality audio (when you can already receive all calls FREE from a standard telephone, without dropped packets...).
Maybe you should read the article,
Lenny
SUE THE SPAMMERS! Then, send $1 to each of the last 6 people who did the same, append your name to the bottom of the list, and send away.
If the computer needs to be on anyways to connect through DSL, what is the advantage of using a mock-up telephone headset instead of a traditional quality mic/headphones headset? Besides, since anybody with an ethernet connection probably owns a computers already (duh...), what would motivate them to purchase a separate stand-alone device at a premium instead of using what they already have?
Lenny
From the journals of a weary traveler:
Just as I thought I would die of thirst during my travels through the desert, I saw a fresh bottle of Poland Springs spring water only a few feet in front of me. As I reached for it, my hand somehow passed right through the bottle--it was the most realistic mirage I have ever encountered.
Just then, the computer on my belt emmitted the sound of a flowing waterfall and said: don't go thirsty, "buy Poland Springs water!"
D'OH!
Heavens no! Now we have no choice but to receive lower priced content thanks to fair competition. I think we need to call in the National Gaurd.
Sarcasm aside, isn't this the goal of a free marketplace; companies that offer more to customers for less will survive while the rest will flounder. Though, I can see why a freelance content producer like Katz would object to consolidation and the lessening of demand for independent Internet content :-).
With the publicity that /. should generate, he should post the name here. We could e-mail the Hellmouth stories to the administration and call in our support. Merely mentioning the name of the school cannot be considered disparaging and the school should be subjected to community review.
There is little more that they can do to these kids than suspend them, as there is no cause possible justification for an expulsion. Besides, they deserve a taste of their own medicine.
Lenny
This is precisely the attitude that was responsible for the "irrational exuberance" with which everything stemming from the Internet was greeted. The fact is that the Internet is not "revolutionary," it is merely evolutionary, like most of the technologies that allow us to live the lifestyles we have become accustomed to. In fact, there is now doubt as to if the Internet even qualifies as a "disruptive" technology or whether it will simply be exist alongside the other ways we communicate, do business, etc.
There was no "cell phone" fever, nobody claiming that cell phones would revolutionize human interaction. Yet, the connected anytime mentality (and associated work ethic) is arguably more influential in people's lives than the Internet will ever be (at least until broadband wireless becomes a reality).
Instead of predicting/discussing an "Internet revolution," lets just take the net for what it is. Isn't that enough?
Lenny
At least nobody can criticize /.'s relationship with VA Linux after this post. I priced servers a while back and VA's 1U rack mounts are very overprices. They must have at least a 25%-50% margin on every unit sold. It's refreshing to see the /. editors post a useful link/story even though it may hurt VA's bottom line.
Lenny
Directly comparing memory and storage available between CE and PALM OS based devices is very misleading. CE has a larger memory footprint and the files created in the Pocket Office applications consume a relatively large amount of storage.
Also, I find the vertical CE interface to be very difficult to get accustomed to. The only hands-down benefit of CE is that you do not need to learn Graffiti!
Lenny
On Ebay and other online auction sites, it seems there is only a market for old games that are rare or were only produced in limited quantities. Since people can download an emulator and roms to play most of the old games, there is no reason for them to keep an old atari hanging around. Also, they can download the roms for free.
If you want to be profitable, you should try to obtain an inventory of only games that are collectors' items, and and old videogame memrobilia you can find. That's the stuff (along with old full-size game machines) that sells.
Lenny
The problem is that pig latin is a natural language and therefore might not qualify as an encryption scheme. In fact, copyright holders are entitled to the sole right to translate their work. Hence, the RIAA could claim that the songs on AIMster are their song titles, translated into "pig latin" and demand that the pig latin translations of their song titles be blocked.
It would be funny to have the RIAA submit a list of songs to be blocked, in pig latin, though!
Lenny
I wonder how many applications these embedded Linux devices will be compatible with? I guess, since there is such a volume of open source software available on the platform, people can easily port existing applications over. However, it would probably be difficult to find commercial applications produced specifically for embedded Linux (at least, while it is still in the process of gaining market share), than it will be to find PALM applications.
At this stage in the game, I really don't see the benefit that Linux offers over PALM OS. PALM OS is remarkably stable and efficient; in addition, there are enormous amounts of software (much of it free) produced specifically for the platform. These Linux handhelds will have the same problem gaining widespread acceptance that Windows CE devices did. There is less application support, and many people are already satisfied with their PALMs.
Lenny
is that it believes there are social solutions to techinical problems. The existence of strong encryption technologies, software that defeates copyright-protection, and other technological thorns in legislators' sides cannot be wiped away with poorly thought out and overly restrictive legislation.
Technical problems can only be solved technical solutions, but it is impossible to convince arrogant power-hungry politicians that they cannot control the advancement of technology in the same way they control other aspects of modern society.
Lenny