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User: Archangel+Michael

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Comments · 11,672

  1. Re:In "competition", consumers always lose. on Verizon To Offer iPhone Users Unlimited Data · · Score: 1

    Monopolies will naturally break down. Often by unforseen means. Microsoft is a shell of what it once was, because of Linux, and Linux would not be possible if there was competition in the OS market place.

    Coopertition (cooperative competition) will always break the monopoly. The problem with that is that people have to set aside their base instincts and fear of the "other guy". Linux is the perfect example of this process, where big companies are in competition while cooperating on Linux Kernel. The result is that we have linux/android, linux/server, linux/desktop, linux/tablet all working together in competitive fashion to make better product than Microsoft can alone and by itself.

  2. Re:You were wrong about many things on Verizon To Offer iPhone Users Unlimited Data · · Score: 1

    How do you know monopolies restrict competition?

    Where would we be now on alternative fuel sources and renewable energy sources if we let Standard Oil keep its monopoly? Where would we be on highspeed rail and other more efficient modes of transportation? Where would we be with urban sprawl? How many wars could we have avoided?

    We cannot answer these questions, because the monopoly was broken up.

    While it is difficult in the short run to manage monopoly, it always will give way to new and better innovation that is unbridled from the control of any one person.

    Take OS marketplace, would LINUX even be possible, if Microsoft (WINTEL) was not a monopoly? Now look at what Linux is doing to the market. Microsoft cannot compete with Android.

    And remember when Apple was going out of business for nearly a decade? It stopped competing with the monopoly and is now #2 Market Cap. If I told you that when Apple was selling for $7 share that it would be worth $300 + in less than 20 years, you'd call me nuts and point to Microsoft's Monopoly as the reason.

    The fact is, monopoly is just a condition that will self correct eventually. Perhaps not in the time frame you'd like, but it will.

    And this is the year of Linux, just not on the desktop, it is every where else.

  3. Re:Not "insightful" at all on Verizon To Offer iPhone Users Unlimited Data · · Score: 1

    iPhone vs Android would (relevant to thread) would prove you wrong. By the time my two year contract was up on my Blackberry, it looked OLD. Not physically old, I took care of it, technologically old. In two years, my currently phone (Droid X) will look old.

    Two years ago, the smart phone industry was in infancy, now it is a freaking uncontrollable Teenager. I blame competition for creating a market where competing products battle on price, performance and services.

    REAL competition sparks innovation, and in today's world it is breakneck pace. Where stagnation occurs is where industry is heavily regulated and/or mature. Government interference into markets takes its toll, as does litigation.

    Now if we could only get competition where there is monopoly (natural or otherwise) I'd be happy.

  4. Re:How much longer until... on Google ReCAPTCHA Cracked · · Score: 1

    Already get Gmail Spam. Having a Gmail address is no longer guarantee of spamfree email. Spammers have had gmail addresses for a while now. I just wish that we could report SPAM addresses to google and have them suspend the accounts.

  5. Re:That would explain... on Google ReCAPTCHA Cracked · · Score: 1

    I JUST upgraded my website Captcha system because I suddenly started getting bots registering on my small domain (30-40 visits / day). I now have a small math problem and ReCaptcha together, along with a hidden input field that bots love to fill out (if filled out, rejects form submit). Combine all three, and I doubt I'll see bots registering any time soon.

    The real weird thing is that the bots registered but never spammed my site. Odd.

  6. Re:Good. on Hospital Wireless Networks May Be Regulated Medical Devices · · Score: 1, Insightful

    I'm one of those hated libertarian people, and you haven't even begun to explain anything libertarian.

    This isn't between life and death, this is just communication between two machines (wireless networking). By confusing the two, you've fallen into the trap of the "do it for the children" crowd.

    In this case we have a government that is withholding payments because they haven't inspected a network. Okay, I'm okay with that, except for one thing, this isn't about privacy or security or anything like that. It is about control of the processes.

    This is just a bad case of "governmentus interferitus", where they think adding the layer of government fixes the problem. However before they can "fix" the problem they should show that it is a problem in the first place, not react like the typical, "something must be done, this is something, therefore it must be done" roll.

    Next time a Congress Critter suggests a fix for a problem, ask them to explain the problem, and how their "fix" fixes it. Most likely, they have no idea on either, but they're doing it anyway, and it sounds like the previous "something must be done" phrase.

    HIPA is great and all, but it also is a pain in the ass for most people, and has caused more problems than it solved.

  7. Re:Well on Some WikiLeaks Contributions To Public Discourse · · Score: 1

    Bashing religion is a noble /. past time, just as long as it is poking fun of Christians (I'm not one). The point the guy was making is that while it is easy and harmless to bash Christians (or even Jews), it isn't nearly as harmless to bash Islam and Muslims.

    Just ask Theo Van Gogh about it

  8. Re:I have a better idea on New Laser Makes Pirates Wish They Wore Eye-Patches · · Score: 1

    Yup, it does. Good stories have some truth in them, so that we can recognize ourselves.

  9. Re:I have a better idea on New Laser Makes Pirates Wish They Wore Eye-Patches · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Problem with your line of thinking, is that to get the subsidized "fish farming education" you speak of, they would have to be pirates in the first place. Anyone not getting the subsidy would begin piracy just to tap that new source of funds. Increasing piracy in the end.

    And people not fond of fish farming would probably go towards piracy because criminals are basically lazy. Your proposal cannot solve this part of that problem. This is the problem with most left wing style "let's help them" approaches. They don't want help or it screws the hard working people who've played by the rules.

    In other words, DON'T FEED THE BEARS, it just makes them lazy and viscous.

  10. Re:I have a better idea on New Laser Makes Pirates Wish They Wore Eye-Patches · · Score: 2

    Why?

    Why not start at the "last resort" when you may never reach the "last resort" if you do incremental aggressive resposnes? Especially in light of the fact that you may end up "dead" yourself taking that approach.

    You see, the difference between a good guy and a bad guy is fairly simple, a bad guy has bad intentions the whole time, a good guy does not. After that, it doesn't matter. If anyone means me ill will, they better be sure of it, because I'm not incrementally going to kick their ass, I'm gonna do it as fast as I can and get it over with.

    And why hasn't our government issued Letters of Marque against the pirates is beyond my imagination.

  11. Re:how about no on Obama Eyeing Internet ID For Americans · · Score: 1

    I dunno about your premise.

    I thought Universal Health Care and Homosexual Marriage were pipe dreams, yet both have pretty much been given the green light. People keep tossing the idea out there until it sticks. And if you don't like the idea at all, you should be protesting profusely anyone that even HINTS at it.

    However, since most of the people like most of what those proposing this do, they will ignore it for the sake of getting the other things they want.

  12. Re:iTunes policy won't work on the desktop on Apple Pulls VLC Media Player From AppStore · · Score: 2

    Not necessarily. I don't want AT&T no matter what. My friend, who is die hard Apple freak, is sick and tired of AT&T he's considering moving to Droid X on Verizon, just to get off AT&T, the only reason he hasn't is continued rumors of iPhone on VZ. However, rumors aren't going to keep him on AT&T much longer.

    I've known too many people who are sick of AT&T. Job's RDF doesn't extend to that far.

  13. Re:QoS on Bufferbloat — the Submarine That's Sinking the Net · · Score: 1

    Big Pipes doesn't mean "Faster" it just means "More". There are cases where "More" = "Faster" and other times where it doesn't. Think DDOS, it is an assualt on the "More" which affects "Faster". However if you do a DDOS attack on a network that has a FAT pipe, and not quite fill it, the speed of the normal packets doesn't slow down, and you might not experience any latency at all, because you also can't fill the pipe with your traffic.

    Buffers are great for short spikes, but not for continuous overload. A simple fix for this would be for the buffered device to be aware of traffic patterns and stop buffering altogether during extended periods of excess traffic. If your device is continuously filling to capacity the link, then the point of buffers is mooted to a great deal.

    If my pipes are normally 100% full, it is time to upgrade, larger buffers don't help anything. However if my pipes are normally less than 100%, but occasional spikes happen, buffers can help avoid traffic duplication as packets are dropped. The problem is that there are choke points throughout the internet where traffic is constantly at 100% of a pipe's capacity, those places need to be identified and routed around, as they are what are causing the buffer problems being described. However it is hard to route around some of those because of how buffers affect packets.

    Another possible fix is to shorten the TTL on packets, where the packets are discarded if the route has too much delay in it. Or use UDP for streaming applications rather than TCP, like it was intended, and let the end points buffer the difference.

  14. Re:Definition, please on Bufferbloat — the Submarine That's Sinking the Net · · Score: 1

    Nicely done. Wish I had mod points

  15. Re:That's no moon! on Star Wars Coming To Blu-ray In September · · Score: 1

    That's no moon, that's Lucas' fat ass ... mooning us!

  16. Re:Releasing moves in the updated format on Star Wars Coming To Blu-ray In September · · Score: 1

    But you see, StarWars is for many a geek, the first "sci-fi" movie they ever saw, and being geeks, that by itself makes it sacred. It is like loosing your virginity the first time (sic), be it bad or good, remains indelible in your mind.

    For me, the I saw StarWars at the Chinese Theater in Hollywood when I was about 13 or so, and I distinctly remember the sound of the opening fight scene where the big cruiser was overtaking Leia's ship and the surround sound making me "feel" llike I was in the ship with her.

    Now? Surround is meh, but hat that time WOW. In fact it is kind of like "sex", first time "WOW", now .. meh. Don't get me wrong, I sill like it, just not like the first time.

  17. Re:Don't they have to prove intent? on Man Arrested For Exploiting Error In Slot Machines · · Score: 1

    People do not get denied winnings for counting cards. They get denied access to the premises where they were caught counting cards. They do, however, get to keep their winnings. Counting cards is not illegal. Getting caught is unwise as your name is quickly passed to all casinos, and you don't have much change of ever going to one ever again.

    Count cards all you want, just don't get caught.

  18. Re:"$500M could be put to better use" on Crowdfund a Moon Monolith Mission? · · Score: 1

    no no no no no.

    You misunderstand. He wants to control what you want to do with YOUR money, not what he wants to do with HIS money.

  19. Re:It's a governance issue - plan and simple on Deferred IT Maintenance Is a Ticking Time Bomb · · Score: 2

    Not only is the nail on the head, it is worse. The CIO reports to the CFO but doesn't actually know any of the terms that the CFO uses, so all they have are "saved X by not doing Y". A REAL CIO would have the CFO terms down and be able to say "by doing T we can do S things more productively".

    I remember when this hit me about a dozen or so years ago, when I was the business manager for a small regional ISP (when they still existed), and had to process some logs for billing purposes. I had one computer that I used, bought when we started the ISP, and its processing time had slowly increased to 3 to 4 hours to process the logs the way I wanted. I bought a new computer and the process no longer took the 3-4 hours, but ran in less than 15 minutes.

    The way it hit me was I was considering not running the processing because of the time it took my computer to process the logs, leaving that computer unavailable for other usage. The result is instead of NOT doing something, because it took so long, I was able to use a new computer to do it more efficiently. Cost savings on the books (-$1500), productivity gains 3-4 hours week. Those hours do NOT show up on the balance sheet anywhere.

    Computers allow us to do more in less time, and time is money, except to bean counters. All of the technology cost savings I've ever seen end up cutting productivity, not just in IT staff, but across the board. Until CIOs can speak to the CFO in terms of productivity and opportunity costs associated with other non-financial costs. Yes, while it is "cheaper" on the books to run computers to 4 and 5 years of use, the cost is often more than just hardware. People need to do more with the computers they have, and tech time fixing equipment failing because it is beyond support life is a cost, it just doesn't show up on the books in obvious ways.

  20. Re:Psst? They kinda ARE qualified in science on NASA Names Best & Worst Sci-Fi Movies of All Time · · Score: 1

    Good Grades isn't mentioned. The results I showed are objective testing comparisons. Nice try though.

    And I find the "socialized" argument preposterous on the face value. Yeah, my kids don't know how to deal with bullies because they don't have to. However they can function with adults and have a proper conversation about many subjects in adult situations quite fine. They are functioning adults at 20, 18, and not drugged out, tatted up, pants on the ground whores.

    My 18 year old is finishing high school this year, as well as her AA degree. Next year, she will be a junior in College, and quite frankly, well ahead of her peers in "socialization". She is also working on a book (novel) that she hopes to have published soon.

    Now if you compare her to "normal" kids, she is not well socialized having never had to deal with peer pressure to become a slutty whore or bullied into submission. But then again, who would want that for their kids? But she can function just fine with adults who don't ask her to do stupid shit just to fit in.

  21. Re:Psst? They kinda ARE qualified in science on NASA Names Best & Worst Sci-Fi Movies of All Time · · Score: 1

    So, who said I was a Christian (I'm not)?

    Thanks for confirming your that bias tends towards stupidity in assumptions. I could assume you're some sort of socialist based upon that revelation, since Socialism is based not on reality, but on Utopian assumptions. But that is still an assumption.

    So tell me, you a left wing nut case who bases all their views on "what should be" rather than "how things actually are" ?

  22. Re:The Coupled Problem on Rushkoff Proposes We Fork the Internet · · Score: 1

    You want to fix the network at the natural monopoly level? That is municipal control. Have your city or county or locality of whatever level, install or contract out, fiber to the premise for every house in that district. Then have competition for the resulting services that can be delivered via that fiber. You could do it via building out a centralized connection facility where all the fiber terminates, or you could put the whole thing out to bid for a five(ten, fifteen, twentyfive) year lease for everyone, where rates and SLAs are stipulated in the agreement, and penalties for non performance.

    That will fix the whole Comcast / Verizon / AT&T / Bell monopolies that we currently have, because it separates the natural monopoly from the artificial one.

    I'm just waiting for some smart guy to actually recommend this seriously to a city council or county supervisor. I'm not that guy because I can't stand the politics that would be involved. The city I live in would be an ideal candidate for such a project / test. And I'll bet dollars to doughnuts it would be better and cheaper than anything we currently have. And if done right, the city could make a small fortune in taxes / franchise fees. Lower cost, better service and support local services.

  23. Re:Whole disk encryption and laptops on Police Can Search Cell Phones Without Warrants · · Score: 1

    Which is why, when stopped by an officer, that you do not communicate anything to the officer, at all, ever. You haven't be given your rights but they still apply. Don't say anything. EVER. Let them arrest everyone they stop, and bring us all before a judge who can compel us to speak, but only with an attorney present.

    IF everyone did this, the silly laws would go away.

  24. Re:Computer that happens to be a phone on Police Can Search Cell Phones Without Warrants · · Score: 1

    You do know that they can seal a phone in its own Faraday Cage, preventing it from getting any signal to wipe itself?

    Better solution is to encrypt the phone's data and lock it with a secure password system.

  25. Re:The more competition, the better on Microsoft Ready To "Take On'' Google and Apple TV · · Score: 1

    Rename the basic XBOX 360 Slim to "Microsoft WEB TV, with Gaming". Add the HD and controllers later to upgrade it to XBOX if you want.