Start telling people it'll cost them up front. I do a little side work in helping coworkers with their home computers (we're 99% mac at work, so a little PC on the side keeps me "fresh") I tell them up front that it'll cost them a bit to get me in the door. But I generally just charge a flat fee. Its way easier for them than working with the Geek Squad who will just take their money and load them down with "solutions" that just cost more money.
THIS, a million times. Lazy/apathetic consumers have themselves to blame. I have a phone that lets me tether right out of the box. It was no magic trick, do the research and refuse to settle because someone, somewhere probably made the product that fits your needs. Whenever people ask me about phones they usually just phrase it along the lines of "iphone or Droid" (implying Verizon and Motorola). They really are not that aware of the range of devices out there.
If they were sent in waves the development could happen in a measured but reliable span of time. Presuming that the crews were mixed gender, it is not improbable that we would eventually see the first extraterrestrial human birth... what a day that would be.
/I don't actually want to SEE the birth, just tell me if its a boy or girl, I've got a box of Zubans for the occasion.
I've never understood how ebooks, even compared to other media are so rigorously DRM'd. You should WANT people to share the content. Believe it or not, the concept of properly compensating someone for their work is an agreeable idea to many people. The trick of it is that getting it legally should be easier than trying to get it for free- I think both Apple and Amazon have shown that it is now much easier for most people to drop some coin and purchase books instead of trying to "pirate" them. But what the publishers and the sellers still don't get, is that they should respect people who will become their most valuable asset: the fans. Imagine the ability to share that one book you love to five friends, not even five friends at once, just share it like you would with that physical book you bought at the store. I can share that book with anyone, and while it is shared I cannot read the book since its with someone else. When that person (hopefully) gives it back, then I will pass it on. Maybe that person will have loved that book so much that they will go out and buy it (or its sequel). Its the one thing that makes it seem like, "no matter what you think or do, we do not trust you as a person". Hell, I'd be OK with even keeping the "two week" limit on, just let me loan out the book to as many people as I want to share it with. Its amazing how DRM has that effect of essentially declining money from honest people to protect some perceived 'future value' to your intellectual property.
I also have an n900. I find its response to be respectable for the kind of phone it is. Yes there are faster phones out there now, but what a difference a year makes. Its quite impressive how much has changed, though not that much has improved. I think the best thing about my n900 is that I can configure it however I want. Hell, I can even run it without a SIM card or a cell phone plan (it would still be quite good at making skype calls). The N900 is certainly not for everyone, or even most users. I am constantly frustrated about the kinds of apps the phone lacks, but at the same time, on the hardware side I can use the device how i see fit. I will hold on to the N900 since it works without a SIM even after I change phones. I think using it as a "micronetbook" is rather appealing and I want to be able to play with Meego when that finally becomes more usable.
Unfortunately one of the biggest facts of the matter still seems to go unrecognized, or is perfectly accepted by many citizens, and it is this: the USG only applies rules to others and cannot be held responsible for any actions it takes. What makes me sick to my stomach is that in all of this the United States government has been completely unrepentant in its desire to destroy WikiLeaks and its stores of information by whatever means they can get away with. This is not really new information, but its a foregone conclusion within the halls of the White House, Pentagon and Capitol. Quite simply we have betrayed ourselves: The United States is no longer a nation of laws, it took 234 years but there it is. We're not even a nation of men, we're a nation of profit. Empty, soulless profit and domination.
WikiLeaks is screwed, because it does not enjoy the actual protections guaranteed to US citizens but if it did, they would have been rounded up and sent to prison as "enemy combatants". I hope Assange and his cohorts are on the move and safe. Julian, look me up on couchsurfing.org (that is, if you're crazy enough to drop in to the US...)
Whats really screwed up is that people are paying for services that they assume they can access, when in fact that is clearly becoming a questionable circumstance. If I pay for Netflix, why can't my (supposedly) internet capable device access it? (Linux users already know this frustration with Netflix using Silverlight for DRM with streaming video) Who is going to compel either the provider or the carrier to accept the wishes of the end user?
Quite frankly, the fact that companies are willing to get in the way and stop people from paying money and legally accessing content is an amazing predicament in modern capitalism. Comcast is already getting paid by customers... Netflix users are paying Netflix... the end users have done absolutely nothing wrong in this instance. Neither company are losing money in the current arrangement, so why are they even fighting over this?*
*This is called a rhetorical question, it does not require a response.
Also just realized, how easy would it be to get rid of the TSA once airlines start complaining that it is greatly hurting their business? It seems about the only way things change is when there's lots of money hanging in the balance.
That's about it. My wife and I tried taking amtrak. Its like how air travel used to be. There was an obvious security presence, but not even a metal detector between you and boarding- and this was at Union Station in Chicago. Not to mention the seats were larger and you had more legroom on board, plus there were two three-pronged outlets so i could keep my phone charged and watch some videos on it. For us, if its domestic travel, rail is a no-brainer now. Even if high speed rail takes a while to finally come to the US, I'd rather ride comfortably for five hours while I can just relax and watch movies or sleep than spend two hours in the air with all the hassle of at least an hour before AND after being treated like a criminal, sitting in a cramped tin can with stale, dry air and generally hating life and humanity.
You have a really good point. I think the idea of "converting" a gift into a gift card or other un-intended gift (from the giver's perspective) is inappropriate except under the most distant relationships, which case, why isn't the person just giving you an "i don't really care" gift card anyway?
However, the "size converter" would be awesome for buying people gifts. Instead of hemming and hawing about which size might work, you just hit "buy" and the proper size is sent to the recipient. This would make fitted hats, shoes and jewelry even more appealing to give.
Limewire and Myspace are two things that instantly signal that you're on the "shortbus" of the internet. Its like people who have aol.com email addresses and type "Facebook" into google... just facepalm-worthy stuff.
I work for a school district that is almost entirely Apple based. We just put in an order for what will (apparently) be the last of the Xserve line. I can tell you that we will stick with Apple for the time being, but perhaps out of some perverse sense of loyalty more than anything else. We are not blind to the appeal of switching to linux (our budget would certainly welcome it) but we are not looking forward to outcry from staff about a shift as massive as that.
I can hope that someone is going to come up with some wonderful workaround, but until then I'm going to have to pass on this phone. I already have an N900 but I feel like I'm missing out, there's some ok apps being developed, but I want to get out and play with everyone else with their Android and iOS apps. The way carriers keep dicking around with Android and their "custom builds" with crapware, feature blocking and general skullduggery makes me glad I have an unlocked phone. It may be a little clunky, but at least its mine.
Its also what happens when you sign your rights away to the carrier when you get a phone on contract. They set up the phone, they set up the terms. There are a whole host of unlocked phones on the market that do allow tethering without having to ask anyone's permission. Yes you pay more upfront, but you have more leverage with your service provider when you aren't required to have a data plan if you don't need one, plus you can switch carriers when you want to. All else being equal, I stood to save $800 over the two years I wouldn't have to pay extra on a contract. That's the cost of my next phone and then some.
Of course, it would be nice if there were more than two GSM carriers in the US, but it's still better than being stuck with a phone that ONLY works on Verizon.
Same here, I know there are lots of studies out there about testing and teacher effectiveness, but it will be interesting to see what happens when the report is published.
I work in a school district (nowhere near California, let alone LA) and have to say that there are lots of variables. We have a large group of English Language Learners, a large number of kids with 'special needs' (because being full of energy when you're 8 years old is apparently a disease now) and now there are so many consult minutes that students are occupied with a lot of other distractions that take them out of their primary classroom and away from their classmates. Some of that may be useful, some of it definitely is not.
I think if we make it easier to fire teachers, it should be easier to hire teachers. There are lots of good teachers (that is, people who CAN teach but do not work as Teachers) out there who simply don't want to jump through the hoops of most modern teacher certification and licensing. And the fact that you are practically forced to pursue a masters degree is a joke, as there are a number of studies that show that having an advanced degree does not make you a better teacher. Instead of wasting a teacher's time with "professional development" that is mandatory and therefore not interesting to the teachers, they come to resent the process. Instead they should place more reward on teachers who go the extra mile and who can't go a day without coming up with some way to engage their students or to tweak a lesson plan (the ones who actually like learning and teaching).
A couple other quick ideas: -Have kids(elementary age) "keep" their teacher from year to year. Having to make and break that strong teacher/student connection each school year, especially at young ages has a lot to do with that 'summer drop off' that students experience. Teachers should be able to instruct from grades 1-5. - Shorter summer vacation. I'm not an ogre, you can have a nice 3 or 4 week break, but I would much rather take some of those extra days and make them vacations elsewhere in the calendar- or give them to the parents of the students to use in line with their own vacation time. Yes that means teachers will maybe teach to a room half-empty, but in my school district parents tend to take their kids regardless and it may cut down on unapproved absences.
Very true. apple was smart to "hook them while they're young". Also, Apple has a fairly strong presence in school labs, so they still get the Mac message through their experiences from kindergarten thru graduation. I think it will be interesting if/when linux starts appearing in ore school labs (as tech budgets keep shrinking it is not a stretch to imagine the possibility) that perhaps we'll see linux distros appear. I got to the FOSS party after I graduated and it has been eye opening. Now if only linux distros could buy time on tv...
You know, you are incredibly cynical, but incredibly right. And, secondly, if you use something like Facebook 'stupidly' then you will have a poor user experience. Waste your time with friends who only play farmville? then Farmville will seem annoying to you (plus, you missed the "ignore" function, so you're double stupid). Click on every random link? then chances are your profile got "hacked" so it spams messages to all your friends. Its a good test of your real life, in a way.
I'm probably way out of my league here, but those sound more like entry costs, and over time the cost of producing and delivering a (potentially) limitless catalog (as well as updates/expansions/bonus content) should be less expensive and time consuming than the physical production and distribution of media.
Look at an online megastore like iTunes... Apple dropped tons of money creating that delivery and marketing system, but it paid off and its now easier for other businesses to work through that channel. The same goes for Amazon's Kindle and even Steam. Sure, you have to play by the provider's rules, but I'm sure compared to the cost of creating your own in-house delivery/DRM-management, there are very straightforward solutions that remove that barrier to entry.
That being said, I at least want my games to work if I'm not connected to a working internet connection. There have been enough times in my Comcast-riddled life where I've been without access and am thankful to have my physical library of movies and games as well as accessible content still stored on the Xbox's HD to make 'checking-in' a dealbreaker.
Same here, got mine a few years ago and its held up smashingly. its darn close to an all-in-one solution and halfway to an HTPC with netflix and my computer connected to it.
The new model is excellent, and I wish I was in the market for a game console because the improvements made are definitely selling points to anyone looking to switch systems or (for some other reason) is just now ready to buy a 360.
While I would love a quieter system, I cannot justify purchasing what is essentially the same system over... now if they had added blu-ray I would jump at this. I am a big fan of multipurpose devices and if I could have Xbox 360 and Blu-ray, that would be awesome... I'm not shelling out for a PS3 since I'd have to buy a bunch of games over and I wouldn't be able to play games with my friends on XBL.
Absolutely, I troubleshoot Macs in a school district all day. Sure its 90% user-issues, but if a basic user cannot understand how to do something then it doesn't "just work". Are Macs good computers? Yes. Are they a magic bullet for user error, absolutely not. I think some people are getting "good computer" confused with "intelligent user"- like assuming that if you bought a ferarri you would be a better driver than if you bought a Ford.
I think this is very misguided logic on the part of the school district. They should save their money and go with thinner client computers and start reaching for virtualized computer solutions. With a USB drive and a custom image, any computer can become that student's "personal" computer for a fraction of the cost of even a netbook. Then it wouldn't matter so long as they had a decent computer with a USB port, they could boot up and do their work, save their work, access the school's resources and interact with classes and teachers. Lost? stolen? who cares? its a $40 USB drive... less than the cost of a textbook. (also, its important to learn that having things or acquiring possessions is not part of the educational process)
Students don't need to have their face buried in a computer screen 24/7, giving them something that allows them access whenever/wherever is good enough. Good education happens when students are engaged. Macbooks are not the solution.
Its not like they denied credentials to the NYTimes.... there will be plenty of coverage of this event in the MSM, and I'm pretty sure Gawker/Gizmodo realized that it would be burning a very large bridge as the went ahead with the iphone story. The checkbook journalism is another strike against them, and doubly so for buying stolen property.
In general, Gizmodo has lost a lot of face, and they pretty much deserve it. This is going to be a good lesson to the up and coming journalism students/ soon-to-be-homeless
Or you could have planned a bit and bought the T-mobile 3G compatible Nexus One. you still had a choice and control (not much, but some), and if you realize you made a mistake, returning the phone would only cost you a restocking fee, still much cheaper than having to pay a penalty. And over the two year span that you're NOT paying the premium of the "rent to own" phone you save about$20 per month on your bill. Also, you'll be able to change your plan whenever you want to and not incur an extension of your contract. Not to mention your unlocked phone will work in more places internationally.
I'm in the same boat as you. Netflix before streaming was pretty good, and now with streaming, I have only bought one DVD in the past month. All my old DVDs are just collecting dust and taking up space. I'm now looking to pare down my collection size to the "essentials". Sure, you don't get any extras when you watch streaming movies, but then youtube and wikipedia make up for lots of lost content (even without the bootlegged stuff.)
At first this article sounded promising like, "wow, maybe they get it. 20 movies just ready to play on a decent HDD is a progressive and novel idea." And then the "$10-15 to buy the license to play" crap and its not even worth it anymore. You could buy the movie used (from one of the many closing Blockbusters, haha) buy any HDD you please and still come out ahead. I hate the entertainment industry so much for their ignorance.
Slashdot Mirror
Start telling people it'll cost them up front. I do a little side work in helping coworkers with their home computers (we're 99% mac at work, so a little PC on the side keeps me "fresh") I tell them up front that it'll cost them a bit to get me in the door. But I generally just charge a flat fee. Its way easier for them than working with the Geek Squad who will just take their money and load them down with "solutions" that just cost more money.
I also have started having them sign a waiver.
THIS, a million times.
Lazy/apathetic consumers have themselves to blame. I have a phone that lets me tether right out of the box. It was no magic trick, do the research and refuse to settle because someone, somewhere probably made the product that fits your needs.
Whenever people ask me about phones they usually just phrase it along the lines of "iphone or Droid" (implying Verizon and Motorola). They really are not that aware of the range of devices out there.
If they were sent in waves the development could happen in a measured but reliable span of time. Presuming that the crews were mixed gender, it is not improbable that we would eventually see the first extraterrestrial human birth... what a day that would be.
/I don't actually want to SEE the birth, just tell me if its a boy or girl, I've got a box of Zubans for the occasion.
I've never understood how ebooks, even compared to other media are so rigorously DRM'd. You should WANT people to share the content. Believe it or not, the concept of properly compensating someone for their work is an agreeable idea to many people. The trick of it is that getting it legally should be easier than trying to get it for free- I think both Apple and Amazon have shown that it is now much easier for most people to drop some coin and purchase books instead of trying to "pirate" them.
But what the publishers and the sellers still don't get, is that they should respect people who will become their most valuable asset: the fans. Imagine the ability to share that one book you love to five friends, not even five friends at once, just share it like you would with that physical book you bought at the store. I can share that book with anyone, and while it is shared I cannot read the book since its with someone else. When that person (hopefully) gives it back, then I will pass it on. Maybe that person will have loved that book so much that they will go out and buy it (or its sequel). Its the one thing that makes it seem like, "no matter what you think or do, we do not trust you as a person". Hell, I'd be OK with even keeping the "two week" limit on, just let me loan out the book to as many people as I want to share it with. Its amazing how DRM has that effect of essentially declining money from honest people to protect some perceived 'future value' to your intellectual property.
I also have an n900. I find its response to be respectable for the kind of phone it is. Yes there are faster phones out there now, but what a difference a year makes. Its quite impressive how much has changed, though not that much has improved. I think the best thing about my n900 is that I can configure it however I want. Hell, I can even run it without a SIM card or a cell phone plan (it would still be quite good at making skype calls). The N900 is certainly not for everyone, or even most users. I am constantly frustrated about the kinds of apps the phone lacks, but at the same time, on the hardware side I can use the device how i see fit. I will hold on to the N900 since it works without a SIM even after I change phones. I think using it as a "micronetbook" is rather appealing and I want to be able to play with Meego when that finally becomes more usable.
Unfortunately one of the biggest facts of the matter still seems to go unrecognized, or is perfectly accepted by many citizens, and it is this: the USG only applies rules to others and cannot be held responsible for any actions it takes. What makes me sick to my stomach is that in all of this the United States government has been completely unrepentant in its desire to destroy WikiLeaks and its stores of information by whatever means they can get away with. This is not really new information, but its a foregone conclusion within the halls of the White House, Pentagon and Capitol. Quite simply we have betrayed ourselves: The United States is no longer a nation of laws, it took 234 years but there it is. We're not even a nation of men, we're a nation of profit. Empty, soulless profit and domination.
WikiLeaks is screwed, because it does not enjoy the actual protections guaranteed to US citizens but if it did, they would have been rounded up and sent to prison as "enemy combatants". I hope Assange and his cohorts are on the move and safe. Julian, look me up on couchsurfing.org (that is, if you're crazy enough to drop in to the US...)
Especially when you're an international organization headed by someone who does not have protection under the United States Constitution.
Whats really screwed up is that people are paying for services that they assume they can access, when in fact that is clearly becoming a questionable circumstance. If I pay for Netflix, why can't my (supposedly) internet capable device access it? (Linux users already know this frustration with Netflix using Silverlight for DRM with streaming video) Who is going to compel either the provider or the carrier to accept the wishes of the end user?
Quite frankly, the fact that companies are willing to get in the way and stop people from paying money and legally accessing content is an amazing predicament in modern capitalism. Comcast is already getting paid by customers... Netflix users are paying Netflix... the end users have done absolutely nothing wrong in this instance. Neither company are losing money in the current arrangement, so why are they even fighting over this?*
*This is called a rhetorical question, it does not require a response.
Also just realized, how easy would it be to get rid of the TSA once airlines start complaining that it is greatly hurting their business? It seems about the only way things change is when there's lots of money hanging in the balance.
That's about it. My wife and I tried taking amtrak. Its like how air travel used to be. There was an obvious security presence, but not even a metal detector between you and boarding- and this was at Union Station in Chicago. Not to mention the seats were larger and you had more legroom on board, plus there were two three-pronged outlets so i could keep my phone charged and watch some videos on it.
For us, if its domestic travel, rail is a no-brainer now. Even if high speed rail takes a while to finally come to the US, I'd rather ride comfortably for five hours while I can just relax and watch movies or sleep than spend two hours in the air with all the hassle of at least an hour before AND after being treated like a criminal, sitting in a cramped tin can with stale, dry air and generally hating life and humanity.
You have a really good point. I think the idea of "converting" a gift into a gift card or other un-intended gift (from the giver's perspective) is inappropriate except under the most distant relationships, which case, why isn't the person just giving you an "i don't really care" gift card anyway?
However, the "size converter" would be awesome for buying people gifts. Instead of hemming and hawing about which size might work, you just hit "buy" and the proper size is sent to the recipient. This would make fitted hats, shoes and jewelry even more appealing to give.
Limewire and Myspace are two things that instantly signal that you're on the "shortbus" of the internet. Its like people who have aol.com email addresses and type "Facebook" into google... just facepalm-worthy stuff.
I work for a school district that is almost entirely Apple based. We just put in an order for what will (apparently) be the last of the Xserve line. I can tell you that we will stick with Apple for the time being, but perhaps out of some perverse sense of loyalty more than anything else. We are not blind to the appeal of switching to linux (our budget would certainly welcome it) but we are not looking forward to outcry from staff about a shift as massive as that.
I can hope that someone is going to come up with some wonderful workaround, but until then I'm going to have to pass on this phone. I already have an N900 but I feel like I'm missing out, there's some ok apps being developed, but I want to get out and play with everyone else with their Android and iOS apps. The way carriers keep dicking around with Android and their "custom builds" with crapware, feature blocking and general skullduggery makes me glad I have an unlocked phone. It may be a little clunky, but at least its mine.
Its also what happens when you sign your rights away to the carrier when you get a phone on contract. They set up the phone, they set up the terms. There are a whole host of unlocked phones on the market that do allow tethering without having to ask anyone's permission. Yes you pay more upfront, but you have more leverage with your service provider when you aren't required to have a data plan if you don't need one, plus you can switch carriers when you want to. All else being equal, I stood to save $800 over the two years I wouldn't have to pay extra on a contract. That's the cost of my next phone and then some.
Of course, it would be nice if there were more than two GSM carriers in the US, but it's still better than being stuck with a phone that ONLY works on Verizon.
Same here, I know there are lots of studies out there about testing and teacher effectiveness, but it will be interesting to see what happens when the report is published.
I work in a school district (nowhere near California, let alone LA) and have to say that there are lots of variables. We have a large group of English Language Learners, a large number of kids with 'special needs' (because being full of energy when you're 8 years old is apparently a disease now) and now there are so many consult minutes that students are occupied with a lot of other distractions that take them out of their primary classroom and away from their classmates. Some of that may be useful, some of it definitely is not.
I think if we make it easier to fire teachers, it should be easier to hire teachers. There are lots of good teachers (that is, people who CAN teach but do not work as Teachers) out there who simply don't want to jump through the hoops of most modern teacher certification and licensing. And the fact that you are practically forced to pursue a masters degree is a joke, as there are a number of studies that show that having an advanced degree does not make you a better teacher. Instead of wasting a teacher's time with "professional development" that is mandatory and therefore not interesting to the teachers, they come to resent the process. Instead they should place more reward on teachers who go the extra mile and who can't go a day without coming up with some way to engage their students or to tweak a lesson plan (the ones who actually like learning and teaching).
A couple other quick ideas:
-Have kids(elementary age) "keep" their teacher from year to year. Having to make and break that strong teacher/student connection each school year, especially at young ages has a lot to do with that 'summer drop off' that students experience. Teachers should be able to instruct from grades 1-5.
- Shorter summer vacation. I'm not an ogre, you can have a nice 3 or 4 week break, but I would much rather take some of those extra days and make them vacations elsewhere in the calendar- or give them to the parents of the students to use in line with their own vacation time. Yes that means teachers will maybe teach to a room half-empty, but in my school district parents tend to take their kids regardless and it may cut down on unapproved absences.
Very true. apple was smart to "hook them while they're young". Also, Apple has a fairly strong presence in school labs, so they still get the Mac message through their experiences from kindergarten thru graduation. I think it will be interesting if/when linux starts appearing in ore school labs (as tech budgets keep shrinking it is not a stretch to imagine the possibility) that perhaps we'll see linux distros appear.
I got to the FOSS party after I graduated and it has been eye opening. Now if only linux distros could buy time on tv...
You know, you are incredibly cynical, but incredibly right. And, secondly, if you use something like Facebook 'stupidly' then you will have a poor user experience. Waste your time with friends who only play farmville? then Farmville will seem annoying to you (plus, you missed the "ignore" function, so you're double stupid). Click on every random link? then chances are your profile got "hacked" so it spams messages to all your friends. Its a good test of your real life, in a way.
I'm probably way out of my league here, but those sound more like entry costs, and over time the cost of producing and delivering a (potentially) limitless catalog (as well as updates/expansions/bonus content) should be less expensive and time consuming than the physical production and distribution of media.
Look at an online megastore like iTunes... Apple dropped tons of money creating that delivery and marketing system, but it paid off and its now easier for other businesses to work through that channel. The same goes for Amazon's Kindle and even Steam. Sure, you have to play by the provider's rules, but I'm sure compared to the cost of creating your own in-house delivery/DRM-management, there are very straightforward solutions that remove that barrier to entry.
That being said, I at least want my games to work if I'm not connected to a working internet connection. There have been enough times in my Comcast-riddled life where I've been without access and am thankful to have my physical library of movies and games as well as accessible content still stored on the Xbox's HD to make 'checking-in' a dealbreaker.
Same here, got mine a few years ago and its held up smashingly. its darn close to an all-in-one solution and halfway to an HTPC with netflix and my computer connected to it.
The new model is excellent, and I wish I was in the market for a game console because the improvements made are definitely selling points to anyone looking to switch systems or (for some other reason) is just now ready to buy a 360.
While I would love a quieter system, I cannot justify purchasing what is essentially the same system over... now if they had added blu-ray I would jump at this. I am a big fan of multipurpose devices and if I could have Xbox 360 and Blu-ray, that would be awesome... I'm not shelling out for a PS3 since I'd have to buy a bunch of games over and I wouldn't be able to play games with my friends on XBL.
Absolutely, I troubleshoot Macs in a school district all day. Sure its 90% user-issues, but if a basic user cannot understand how to do something then it doesn't "just work". Are Macs good computers? Yes. Are they a magic bullet for user error, absolutely not. I think some people are getting "good computer" confused with "intelligent user"- like assuming that if you bought a ferarri you would be a better driver than if you bought a Ford.
I think this is very misguided logic on the part of the school district. They should save their money and go with thinner client computers and start reaching for virtualized computer solutions. With a USB drive and a custom image, any computer can become that student's "personal" computer for a fraction of the cost of even a netbook. Then it wouldn't matter so long as they had a decent computer with a USB port, they could boot up and do their work, save their work, access the school's resources and interact with classes and teachers. Lost? stolen? who cares? its a $40 USB drive... less than the cost of a textbook. (also, its important to learn that having things or acquiring possessions is not part of the educational process)
Students don't need to have their face buried in a computer screen 24/7, giving them something that allows them access whenever/wherever is good enough. Good education happens when students are engaged. Macbooks are not the solution.
Its not like they denied credentials to the NYTimes.... there will be plenty of coverage of this event in the MSM, and I'm pretty sure Gawker/Gizmodo realized that it would be burning a very large bridge as the went ahead with the iphone story. The checkbook journalism is another strike against them, and doubly so for buying stolen property.
In general, Gizmodo has lost a lot of face, and they pretty much deserve it. This is going to be a good lesson to the up and coming journalism students/ soon-to-be-homeless
Or you could have planned a bit and bought the T-mobile 3G compatible Nexus One. you still had a choice and control (not much, but some), and if you realize you made a mistake, returning the phone would only cost you a restocking fee, still much cheaper than having to pay a penalty. And over the two year span that you're NOT paying the premium of the "rent to own" phone you save about$20 per month on your bill. Also, you'll be able to change your plan whenever you want to and not incur an extension of your contract. Not to mention your unlocked phone will work in more places internationally.
Right with you on my n900. Own your phone, control your service.
(have so much wifi i don't even need a data plan.)
I'm in the same boat as you. Netflix before streaming was pretty good, and now with streaming, I have only bought one DVD in the past month. All my old DVDs are just collecting dust and taking up space. I'm now looking to pare down my collection size to the "essentials". Sure, you don't get any extras when you watch streaming movies, but then youtube and wikipedia make up for lots of lost content (even without the bootlegged stuff.)
At first this article sounded promising like, "wow, maybe they get it. 20 movies just ready to play on a decent HDD is a progressive and novel idea." And then the "$10-15 to buy the license to play" crap and its not even worth it anymore. You could buy the movie used (from one of the many closing Blockbusters, haha) buy any HDD you please and still come out ahead. I hate the entertainment industry so much for their ignorance.