I would only support this if it means that I don't have to put with BS like full-body pat downs and long lines at airports, faster processing whenever I go to a government office (DMV, Post Office, courthouse) and maybe (somewhere down the line) if it could be used to reference my medical history. If it is truly a national database, it should lend to more efficient business in my day to day life. If you explain this way that makes it a benefit to have and use in a positive sense (besides, no illegals taking your dishwashing jobs) more people would get on board.
My wife, who works with hearing impaired kids says,
"Yes, the amplifiers are mass produced, yes the mic is mass produced, but you can't mass produce hearing aids because everyone's hearing loss is different. Conductive losses in the middles of the ear priarily require more volume. Sensory-neural losses happen inside the cochlea and its almost medically impossible to fix which hair cells are damaged so you test and test to see what frequencies you can't hear.
They (higher end hearing aids) also now have hearing programs that can be switched between omni directional and directional or listening at a concert compared to listening in a one-to-one conversion. So you not only have the parts, but you have the audiologist who helps program it to your specific needs, you also have to have it fitted and then the acual company makes it to your order.
You can buy a basic set of “hearing aids” that just increase the volume in your ears uniformly, but that's like buying drug store reading glasses, you get a cheap solution that doesn't really serve you over a long time.
The shame of it is that many insurance companies still don't cover hearing aids, because apparently hearing loss is a choice."
Yes! Here's a helpful hint to all you video uploaders: Just show what you wanna show. Lose the "intro" just cut to the chase. If you've got a one-second boot of linux, show it, then show it in slow mo or with more info if you really want to. Youtube is not your grand theater to present your in depth info (well, it could be...) Just cut to the chase, then follow up. My wasted time still has some value to me.
This. There is nothing that says kids can't handle bigger concepts or complex situations. I'm not saying we need to scar kids for life, but presenting them with a situation that is daunting but do-able. Even smart kids need to know that they can work hard and survive a little on their own.
Plus, its stupid to think that once one is out of high school that they are thrust out into the wild. This isn't a vision quest, its freaking community college!
A community college is a strange beast... kind of like vaudeville, its either people moving up and out, or down and out... If you look at is as "college minor leagues" then maybe there is a good point to be made. They will be presented with college-level (or near college-level, depending on your aspirations) classes but still live at home. One of the most valuable aspects in any career is experience, and if you can get more experience than sitting on your butt in high school for two years, that's two years you could be apprenticing or taking core classes that will allow to jump head first into the next step of your studies.
I can see this having a positive effect, as there may just be those "driven underachievers" who would put in the effort just get out of HS early and on with the next thing in their life (hopefully skilled trades). It certainly beats letting kids just drop out.
Exactly. We'll just "distract them from the bad behavior" rather than engaging with the kids and doing the tough thing of disciplining kids who are acting bad and maybe trying to build up kids' confidence and sense of ownership of their actions and respect for their peers. That actually takes fundamental hard work and time investment. We can just throw up WAPs and shut the kids up and they learn/improve nothing.
Re:And the zombification of our children continues
on
The Wi-Fi On the Bus
·
· Score: 1
Its not about "shutting the fuck up" or even being introspective (which one should be able to do without a computer/mobile device in their hands). Its about being able to handle yourself without some sort of on demand self-determined audio/visual stimulation.
I am genuinely concerned that kids are living in a world where they are almost always able to distance themselves from the here and now. They are not as empathic, not inclined to listen or engage in, or with, the unfamiliar when its not self-directed. Not that kids aren't 'bored enough' but its being able to genuinely think and act creatively in an otherwise blank slate of time that kids are missing out on./plus I like to think, "what happens when the bombs fall and we don't have technology to coddle us every single second of our lives?" Power outages become truly devastating when kids are emotionally tethered to their devices.
That is an interesting idea. Make a "prestige" MMOG. I wonder if Blizzard has considered adding a special "snob server" so that those who take their gaming seriously could port over their characters and play in a "cleaner" environment. As part of the higher price you get to play in a world that runs smoothly and isn't full of D-bags and griefers- perhaps up the number of moderators and admins.
It was one of the things that eventually turned me off of MMO gaming, subscribing to something that just annoyed me. i would have fun on one or two adventures with groups, but the rest of it, the grinding and trolls/griefers/jerks quickly eroded any feelings of fun I was having.
Excellent point. Doing a job is something that you find rewarding, and is something that someone else can't (or doesn't want to) do as well as you- which is why you get paid. Hopefully you find it stimulating and challenging, I know my current job sure isn't. But I'm also taking classes and trying to get to a better job.
I love photography, but I know I would HATE to have someone tell me where/when/what to shoot and to stake a paycheck on it.
Also, just to go further down this tangent. Chris Rock once mentioned that the difference between a job and a career is the concept of time. In a job, there is too much time. You just want to get out and get on with something else. With a career, there's never enough time in the day to do everything you need/want to do. I really want a career. But until then, a job will do.
I don't know if the media really is clueless (though many 'journalists' believe anything you tell them with a straight face) but more just out of ideas. The Michael Jackson coverage was a prime example, eventually, just to fill time CNN had on some psychics/astrologers on. I don't think having unpopular ideas reported or discussed in the news is a bad thing, so long as you look at it critically just as you would with people with differing views on the economy.
The thing that really worries me about journalism, especially on TV is allowing opinion to run right alongside actual reporting. Fox news is the most blatant with this type of coverage, but MSNBC and CNN are pretty close in this lazy time killer. Just do 10 seconds of reporting on an issue, then cut back to someone just saying "this is stupid and it'll ruin society!" and eventually people start viewing all news through a quick-reaction filter.
I came here to say this: SCUMM VM! Plays most of those classic games, my girlfriend loves it since it brought back DOTT for her.
The development team that brought these great games to life is no longer as LegoArts- mean, LucasArts (seriously, these guys got franchise lazy). One of the thing I think would be cool is if they added a commetary track to the game. Left 4 Dead did a good game commentary track, it would be cool to have an interactive track discussing where and how these great games came about.
In many cases, journalists are taken specifically for their connection to the media. Whereas other kidnapping may simply be for intimidation or money, a journalist is captured for their perceived value in communicating with the outside world. Infomation blackout is also more protection for not just that journalist, but other reporters in that region.
While the "media fraternity" is a very real aspect of the business -as every profession gives a certain amount of preference to its own members- I don't think its fair to say that they ignore other valuable stories related to hostage taking or kidnapping. However, the struggle to suppress information plays out in a more public forum (the terrorist trying to spread his message and the media and law enforcement trying to get their reporter back) than if the terrorists/kidnappers were talking to a private individual or family. Which is exactly what this story is about.
Does Wikipedia have a certain policy regarding "news" vs. matters of record that are not "news"? I haven't read Wikipedia's article policy completely but it seems like now would be a good time to try and create a buffer between news reporting and the collection of historical fact (as close as one can be). Wikipedia's goal is to be comprehensive, not exactly the most immediate source of information. Plus it would cut down on people trying to be the "Firstie" to report major news in a secondary outlet like an encyclopedia.
hey, i replied to his tweets in solidarity! What more is there?/this slashdot reply is for those who gave the last full measure of their internet devotion in settling a cell phone bill dispute. (pours out 40)
I think TFA cuts to the heart of my problem with Nintendo- their grab for marketshare seems to be at the expense of what makes videogames special. They are making the system and software more and more commodified. The game is a pacifier, rather than engager. And that's the point of games, to engage the player. I would never sit through a ten hour movie, but I've sat in front of Fallout 3 for nights on end, and blinked by dry eyes realizing I had been wandering the wastelands for hours on end.
The ironic thing is that at least in the past, Nintendo (or its close developer counterparts) have been very adept at balancing challenge and accessibility. Mario Bros. wouldn't have originally been so successful if it was just hard (go play Defender or Robotron if you want an old school ass whooping). This is the lazy approach to game design.
Very true. There are, still, countless games that are simply poorly designed such that there are parts that, if not impossible to beat, are quite simply not fun (which is probably worse than just being "hard"). If the system simply piles on enemies against me, or doesn't give me any clue as to how to avoid certain doom, then I am likely to simply give up and return the game. Developing my own skill at the game is one thing, but simply kicking someone while they're down or poorly designing levels or control schemes is another.
One of the best things that has come along for 'casual gamers' is the "beginner mode" and "no fail mode" in Guitar Hero World Tour and Rock Band 2 (respectively). Those modes have helped a whole ton of people enjoying playing together who otherwise would not have done so. Easing people into an unfamiliar gaming environment like a game is a good thing for families.
However, as a semi-serious gamer (more than casual?) it makes me glad I got rid of my Wii when I did and picked up an Xbox 360. More power to Nintendo for carving out their niche, but I know that I do not want any part of that group.
Yeah, that sounds about right. A big part of the issue is just proving that you're worth their time in talking to you. That is as true for Joe Schmoe on the street as it is for Joe Politician (or whoever you're trying to get). And that comes down to your own ability to gut it out and start talking to people who know something -maybe a few degrees of seperation from what you really want, but still something is better than nothing.
I think a lot of this is just a group of frustrated bloggers bitching that doing the grunt work is actually hard. It's not just all fun and freebies and hanging with big wigs....And if you're only in it for the perks, fuck you.
As most people on this site are aware of, the RIAA has been sending letters like this to colleges all over the country for years now. I'm sure the language changes, basically trying to pry open cases that they can then use to prove that University networks are somehow responsible for the continued "piracy".
Wisconsin's response is totally in keeping with the practices of any of the major universities that have recieved such letters. And the fact that they said, "show us a court order, and we'll do it" is not "bucking" anything, unless following the law is now rebellious ("bizarro!").
I agree with your line of thinking. Part of the trouble in having literate students is not just that they are not able to simply read, but they don't even know where to begin to search for information on their own. OK, sure you can tell them that Google has everything, but then they don't know how to critically analyze the sources of their information. Part of literacy is being able to think critically about what it is you are reading/watching/listening to. This is a critical step that many teachers and schools are now being forced to gloss over, simply in order to teach dogmatic standardized-test-answers.
It is one skill that you can teach kids that they will end up using regardless of anything else they do in life.
yes, quality is comparatively low to what you could get if you actually paid for content. And it still lags behind TV quality (though that doesn't stop channels from airing web videos as genuine content with its own merit). Picture quality is not, in and of itself, the real issue. There are some very interesting multi-part videos (off the top of my head: Cobbler and the Thief "director's cut") that, yes they take a while to view and the quality is low, but it is still the only place where you'll find that kind of video. Will Joost pick up these little gems and present them with better quality? No, because they are user created and as anyone can clearly agree, violate someone's intellecutal propert rights. Regardless of picture quality, people will go to whoever offers a better array of content. IMO, that site is currently Youtube.
I agree with you if that statement applies to fictional films. But documentaries... then I would start to be concerned. Documentaries and their production are(or should be) very concerned with the ethics of the process and the end result. There are so many times in which directors or cinematographers on docs wish they had caught something on film, maybe tightened the shot, or gotten a bigger wide shot. Or a myriad of other missed opportunities.
example: Someone starts to sob in a documentary, but the tears just don't show on screen, can they digitally add tears in post production? The person was crying, why not show some tears? Just because the camera didn't "see" it doesn't mean it didn't happen (or does it?)
The possibility for nonfiction film is unsettling and is worth addressing.
Wow, that's a blast from the past. The Rio. SDMI... Man, companies were having a shit fit over that, and now they have to deal with Apple. Ah, well, one would have thought they would live and learn.
You bring up a great point (with an interesting image) And really what will be awesome is when (if?) the companies drop Macrovision (and other DRM companies) like the bad habit they are.
Yes, this is a seperate mixtape apart from the agreed upon earlier releases. Depending on who those DJs deal with, they may have just figured they would do another mixtape, then discovered (with guns pointed in their faces) that that was not part of the agreement.
As something of a fan of hip hop, it's kind of scary to see that the RIAA is going to clamp down on mixtapes. mixtapes are where trends start. It's a vital part of the cycle of hip hop production.
If producers, rappers and DJs don't have the freedom of the mixtape to test-market beats or styles or even simply as a means to promote themselves or their labels, this is going to hurt hip hop on the national level. And it will drive money away from the RIAA, which is the opposite goal of the RIAA (at least, I think it is- it's hard to tell these days).
Why do people act like "porn" is this big single business and entity. It's not, there are big companies and little individual sites, people all over the world, some doing this in some sort of regulated "business" way, some doing as an expression of their individual tastes, and tons of people who just watch and distribute it on P2P because they want to. Obviously if you aren't aware of pornography as a young adult or kid, you might not be tempted to buy a Penthouse when you turn 18. But then again there are plenty of people who don't start smoking until their 18, too. I mean, i was also aware of driving before I turned 16. Just because it's existence is acknowledge does not mean that pornographers are actively enticing individuals under 18.
Strangely, the businesses on the up-and-up ("real" media companies based in the USA like Vivid Video, etc.) are definitely NOT interested in underage consumers or participants. They are actually fairly high profile and they can get fined or thrown in jail for breaking the law. The pornography industry in the USA knows that it exists because it follows the rules. They may make a parodic movie featuring something from contemporary culture or nostalgia, but they don't target kids by doing so. However, they can't when someone's kid uses their parents' credit cards to gain access to their site.
Then there are those individuals or small groups who have actually taken something like Pokemon or Spider-man or Disney films and have turned them into porn. These people really are interested in these characters in a sexual way (hey, if it floats your boat...). They do so outside the realm of a business model and regulation.
Then there are those who simply rename their porn movie files to confuse people who are engaging in illegal downloading. But that's downloading DVD rips and bootlegs, and it's quite obviously outside the bounds of any regulation (aside from, you know, copyright law!)
Those who are currently regulated, the first group I mentioned, are generally doing a good job. There are tons of pornography sites based outside the US, and they will not be affected by any legislation. And there are always those people working away from the mainstream that will also go unregulated. This will do nothing but make it harder for the reputable companies to do business.
After reading over a lot of this thread, as well as the the original article, I've realized that at this point Apple is basically engaging people's "why not?" impulse.
"OK, i'm buying an iPod (since everyone has one)... get one that plays videos of popular shows? why not!"
After seeing why so many people have the iPod 'standard', minis and nanos and (very few) shuffles, its easy to see people who will upgrade or update to the latest 'pod simply to watch some shows and music videos and of course, porn. After the initial success, Apple's just piling it on. There's no reason to stop.
Slashdot Mirror
I would only support this if it means that I don't have to put with BS like full-body pat downs and long lines at airports, faster processing whenever I go to a government office (DMV, Post Office, courthouse) and maybe (somewhere down the line) if it could be used to reference my medical history. If it is truly a national database, it should lend to more efficient business in my day to day life. If you explain this way that makes it a benefit to have and use in a positive sense (besides, no illegals taking your dishwashing jobs) more people would get on board.
My wife, who works with hearing impaired kids says,
"Yes, the amplifiers are mass produced, yes the mic is mass produced, but you can't mass produce hearing aids because everyone's hearing loss is different. Conductive losses in the middles of the ear priarily require more volume. Sensory-neural losses happen inside the cochlea and its almost medically impossible to fix which hair cells are damaged so you test and test to see what frequencies you can't hear.
They (higher end hearing aids) also now have hearing programs that can be switched between omni directional and directional or listening at a concert compared to listening in a one-to-one conversion. So you not only have the parts, but you have the audiologist who helps program it to your specific needs, you also have to have it fitted and then the acual company makes it to your order.
You can buy a basic set of “hearing aids” that just increase the volume in your ears uniformly, but that's like buying drug store reading glasses, you get a cheap solution that doesn't really serve you over a long time.
The shame of it is that many insurance companies still don't cover hearing aids, because apparently hearing loss is a choice."
Yes! Here's a helpful hint to all you video uploaders: Just show what you wanna show. Lose the "intro" just cut to the chase. If you've got a one-second boot of linux, show it, then show it in slow mo or with more info if you really want to. Youtube is not your grand theater to present your in depth info (well, it could be...) Just cut to the chase, then follow up. My wasted time still has some value to me.
I'm glad Chicago didn't get the summer games.
Also, does anyone else see the parallels here between the IOC and the NCAA as far as exploiting amateur athletes?
This. There is nothing that says kids can't handle bigger concepts or complex situations. I'm not saying we need to scar kids for life, but presenting them with a situation that is daunting but do-able. Even smart kids need to know that they can work hard and survive a little on their own.
Plus, its stupid to think that once one is out of high school that they are thrust out into the wild. This isn't a vision quest, its freaking community college!
A community college is a strange beast... kind of like vaudeville, its either people moving up and out, or down and out... If you look at is as "college minor leagues" then maybe there is a good point to be made. They will be presented with college-level (or near college-level, depending on your aspirations) classes but still live at home. One of the most valuable aspects in any career is experience, and if you can get more experience than sitting on your butt in high school for two years, that's two years you could be apprenticing or taking core classes that will allow to jump head first into the next step of your studies.
I can see this having a positive effect, as there may just be those "driven underachievers" who would put in the effort just get out of HS early and on with the next thing in their life (hopefully skilled trades). It certainly beats letting kids just drop out.
Exactly. We'll just "distract them from the bad behavior" rather than engaging with the kids and doing the tough thing of disciplining kids who are acting bad and maybe trying to build up kids' confidence and sense of ownership of their actions and respect for their peers. That actually takes fundamental hard work and time investment. We can just throw up WAPs and shut the kids up and they learn/improve nothing.
Its not about "shutting the fuck up" or even being introspective (which one should be able to do without a computer/mobile device in their hands). Its about being able to handle yourself without some sort of on demand self-determined audio/visual stimulation.
I am genuinely concerned that kids are living in a world where they are almost always able to distance themselves from the here and now. They are not as empathic, not inclined to listen or engage in, or with, the unfamiliar when its not self-directed. Not that kids aren't 'bored enough' but its being able to genuinely think and act creatively in an otherwise blank slate of time that kids are missing out on. /plus I like to think, "what happens when the bombs fall and we don't have technology to coddle us every single second of our lives?" Power outages become truly devastating when kids are emotionally tethered to their devices.
That is an interesting idea. Make a "prestige" MMOG. I wonder if Blizzard has considered adding a special "snob server" so that those who take their gaming seriously could port over their characters and play in a "cleaner" environment. As part of the higher price you get to play in a world that runs smoothly and isn't full of D-bags and griefers- perhaps up the number of moderators and admins.
It was one of the things that eventually turned me off of MMO gaming, subscribing to something that just annoyed me. i would have fun on one or two adventures with groups, but the rest of it, the grinding and trolls/griefers/jerks quickly eroded any feelings of fun I was having.
Excellent point. Doing a job is something that you find rewarding, and is something that someone else can't (or doesn't want to) do as well as you- which is why you get paid. Hopefully you find it stimulating and challenging, I know my current job sure isn't. But I'm also taking classes and trying to get to a better job.
I love photography, but I know I would HATE to have someone tell me where/when/what to shoot and to stake a paycheck on it.
Also, just to go further down this tangent. Chris Rock once mentioned that the difference between a job and a career is the concept of time. In a job, there is too much time. You just want to get out and get on with something else. With a career, there's never enough time in the day to do everything you need/want to do. I really want a career. But until then, a job will do.
I don't know if the media really is clueless (though many 'journalists' believe anything you tell them with a straight face) but more just out of ideas. The Michael Jackson coverage was a prime example, eventually, just to fill time CNN had on some psychics/astrologers on. I don't think having unpopular ideas reported or discussed in the news is a bad thing, so long as you look at it critically just as you would with people with differing views on the economy.
The thing that really worries me about journalism, especially on TV is allowing opinion to run right alongside actual reporting. Fox news is the most blatant with this type of coverage, but MSNBC and CNN are pretty close in this lazy time killer. Just do 10 seconds of reporting on an issue, then cut back to someone just saying "this is stupid and it'll ruin society!" and eventually people start viewing all news through a quick-reaction filter.
I came here to say this: SCUMM VM! Plays most of those classic games, my girlfriend loves it since it brought back DOTT for her.
The development team that brought these great games to life is no longer as LegoArts- mean, LucasArts (seriously, these guys got franchise lazy). One of the thing I think would be cool is if they added a commetary track to the game. Left 4 Dead did a good game commentary track, it would be cool to have an interactive track discussing where and how these great games came about.
In many cases, journalists are taken specifically for their connection to the media. Whereas other kidnapping may simply be for intimidation or money, a journalist is captured for their perceived value in communicating with the outside world. Infomation blackout is also more protection for not just that journalist, but other reporters in that region.
While the "media fraternity" is a very real aspect of the business -as every profession gives a certain amount of preference to its own members- I don't think its fair to say that they ignore other valuable stories related to hostage taking or kidnapping. However, the struggle to suppress information plays out in a more public forum (the terrorist trying to spread his message and the media and law enforcement trying to get their reporter back) than if the terrorists/kidnappers were talking to a private individual or family. Which is exactly what this story is about.
Does Wikipedia have a certain policy regarding "news" vs. matters of record that are not "news"? I haven't read Wikipedia's article policy completely but it seems like now would be a good time to try and create a buffer between news reporting and the collection of historical fact (as close as one can be). Wikipedia's goal is to be comprehensive, not exactly the most immediate source of information. Plus it would cut down on people trying to be the "Firstie" to report major news in a secondary outlet like an encyclopedia.
hey, i replied to his tweets in solidarity! What more is there? /this slashdot reply is for those who gave the last full measure of their internet devotion in settling a cell phone bill dispute. (pours out 40)
I think TFA cuts to the heart of my problem with Nintendo- their grab for marketshare seems to be at the expense of what makes videogames special. They are making the system and software more and more commodified. The game is a pacifier, rather than engager. And that's the point of games, to engage the player. I would never sit through a ten hour movie, but I've sat in front of Fallout 3 for nights on end, and blinked by dry eyes realizing I had been wandering the wastelands for hours on end.
The ironic thing is that at least in the past, Nintendo (or its close developer counterparts) have been very adept at balancing challenge and accessibility. Mario Bros. wouldn't have originally been so successful if it was just hard (go play Defender or Robotron if you want an old school ass whooping). This is the lazy approach to game design.
Very true. There are, still, countless games that are simply poorly designed such that there are parts that, if not impossible to beat, are quite simply not fun (which is probably worse than just being "hard"). If the system simply piles on enemies against me, or doesn't give me any clue as to how to avoid certain doom, then I am likely to simply give up and return the game. Developing my own skill at the game is one thing, but simply kicking someone while they're down or poorly designing levels or control schemes is another.
One of the best things that has come along for 'casual gamers' is the "beginner mode" and "no fail mode" in Guitar Hero World Tour and Rock Band 2 (respectively). Those modes have helped a whole ton of people enjoying playing together who otherwise would not have done so. Easing people into an unfamiliar gaming environment like a game is a good thing for families.
However, as a semi-serious gamer (more than casual?) it makes me glad I got rid of my Wii when I did and picked up an Xbox 360. More power to Nintendo for carving out their niche, but I know that I do not want any part of that group.
Yeah, that sounds about right. A big part of the issue is just proving that you're worth their time in talking to you. That is as true for Joe Schmoe on the street as it is for Joe Politician (or whoever you're trying to get). And that comes down to your own ability to gut it out and start talking to people who know something -maybe a few degrees of seperation from what you really want, but still something is better than nothing.
...And if you're only in it for the perks, fuck you.
I think a lot of this is just a group of frustrated bloggers bitching that doing the grunt work is actually hard. It's not just all fun and freebies and hanging with big wigs.
As most people on this site are aware of, the RIAA has been sending letters like this to colleges all over the country for years now. I'm sure the language changes, basically trying to pry open cases that they can then use to prove that University networks are somehow responsible for the continued "piracy".
Wisconsin's response is totally in keeping with the practices of any of the major universities that have recieved such letters. And the fact that they said, "show us a court order, and we'll do it" is not "bucking" anything, unless following the law is now rebellious ("bizarro!").
I agree with your line of thinking. Part of the trouble in having literate students is not just that they are not able to simply read, but they don't even know where to begin to search for information on their own. OK, sure you can tell them that Google has everything, but then they don't know how to critically analyze the sources of their information. Part of literacy is being able to think critically about what it is you are reading/watching/listening to. This is a critical step that many teachers and schools are now being forced to gloss over, simply in order to teach dogmatic standardized-test-answers.
It is one skill that you can teach kids that they will end up using regardless of anything else they do in life.
yes, quality is comparatively low to what you could get if you actually paid for content. And it still lags behind TV quality (though that doesn't stop channels from airing web videos as genuine content with its own merit).
Picture quality is not, in and of itself, the real issue. There are some very interesting multi-part videos (off the top of my head: Cobbler and the Thief "director's cut") that, yes they take a while to view and the quality is low, but it is still the only place where you'll find that kind of video. Will Joost pick up these little gems and present them with better quality? No, because they are user created and as anyone can clearly agree, violate someone's intellecutal propert rights. Regardless of picture quality, people will go to whoever offers a better array of content. IMO, that site is currently Youtube.
I agree with you if that statement applies to fictional films. But documentaries... then I would start to be concerned. Documentaries and their production are(or should be) very concerned with the ethics of the process and the end result. There are so many times in which directors or cinematographers on docs wish they had caught something on film, maybe tightened the shot, or gotten a bigger wide shot. Or a myriad of other missed opportunities.
example: Someone starts to sob in a documentary, but the tears just don't show on screen, can they digitally add tears in post production? The person was crying, why not show some tears? Just because the camera didn't "see" it doesn't mean it didn't happen (or does it?)
The possibility for nonfiction film is unsettling and is worth addressing.
Wow, that's a blast from the past. The Rio. SDMI... Man, companies were having a shit fit over that, and now they have to deal with Apple. Ah, well, one would have thought they would live and learn.
You bring up a great point (with an interesting image) And really what will be awesome is when (if?) the companies drop Macrovision (and other DRM companies) like the bad habit they are.
Yes, this is a seperate mixtape apart from the agreed upon earlier releases. Depending on who those DJs deal with, they may have just figured they would do another mixtape, then discovered (with guns pointed in their faces) that that was not part of the agreement.
As something of a fan of hip hop, it's kind of scary to see that the RIAA is going to clamp down on mixtapes. mixtapes are where trends start. It's a vital part of the cycle of hip hop production.
If producers, rappers and DJs don't have the freedom of the mixtape to test-market beats or styles or even simply as a means to promote themselves or their labels, this is going to hurt hip hop on the national level. And it will drive money away from the RIAA, which is the opposite goal of the RIAA (at least, I think it is- it's hard to tell these days).
Why do people act like "porn" is this big single business and entity. It's not, there are big companies and little individual sites, people all over the world, some doing this in some sort of regulated "business" way, some doing as an expression of their individual tastes, and tons of people who just watch and distribute it on P2P because they want to. Obviously if you aren't aware of pornography as a young adult or kid, you might not be tempted to buy a Penthouse when you turn 18. But then again there are plenty of people who don't start smoking until their 18, too. I mean, i was also aware of driving before I turned 16. Just because it's existence is acknowledge does not mean that pornographers are actively enticing individuals under 18.
Strangely, the businesses on the up-and-up ("real" media companies based in the USA like Vivid Video, etc.) are definitely NOT interested in underage consumers or participants. They are actually fairly high profile and they can get fined or thrown in jail for breaking the law. The pornography industry in the USA knows that it exists because it follows the rules. They may make a parodic movie featuring something from contemporary culture or nostalgia, but they don't target kids by doing so. However, they can't when someone's kid uses their parents' credit cards to gain access to their site.
Then there are those individuals or small groups who have actually taken something like Pokemon or Spider-man or Disney films and have turned them into porn. These people really are interested in these characters in a sexual way (hey, if it floats your boat...). They do so outside the realm of a business model and regulation.
Then there are those who simply rename their porn movie files to confuse people who are engaging in illegal downloading. But that's downloading DVD rips and bootlegs, and it's quite obviously outside the bounds of any regulation (aside from, you know, copyright law!)
Those who are currently regulated, the first group I mentioned, are generally doing a good job. There are tons of pornography sites based outside the US, and they will not be affected by any legislation. And there are always those people working away from the mainstream that will also go unregulated. This will do nothing but make it harder for the reputable companies to do business.
After reading over a lot of this thread, as well as the the original article, I've realized that at this point Apple is basically engaging people's "why not?" impulse.
"OK, i'm buying an iPod (since everyone has one)... get one that plays videos of popular shows? why not!"
After seeing why so many people have the iPod 'standard', minis and nanos and (very few) shuffles, its easy to see people who will upgrade or update to the latest 'pod simply to watch some shows and music videos and of course, porn. After the initial success, Apple's just piling it on. There's no reason to stop.