I don't speak for other users, but I use the hardware buttons all the time. On the Palm platform, pressing the address book button, for example, turns the device on, and takes you directly to the address book. Sometimes you don't even have to take out the pen - to look at your calendar, for example: hit the "calendar" button, the device turns on, and takes you directly to today's view in the calendar. It's good for games, too.:)
The scroll up/down rocker switch is incredibly useful as well, just like wheel mice. I would definitely NOT want the buttons taken away, and I suspect most others would like to keep them too.
Sealand/Havenco are skating on thin ice. They have a great idea, but the cold reality of the situation is that all of their bandwidth comes from one place (mainland England, I belive.)
Step on the wrong toes, and they'll be crushed. How hard would it be to simply cut off their internet connection using a DMCA type law? Not difficult, I imagine.
Declaring sovereignty is one thing, but becoming your own nation does not automatically get or guarantee you an internet connection to neighboring countries.
Although it's probably no longer a feasible business model, Napster profitted from a shitload of banner ads both on their web site and in the Napster client.
eMusic is an interesting company. I don't particularly like the montly subscription model, but well, each to his own. (I'd prefer to just pay for what I download).
I don't want to rain on your parade - I think you guys are doing a great job, and really making headway. But what eMusic needs is to land the next Backstreet Boys. An artist of that 'caliber' (LOL!) would legitimize you guys as on online music label. Because although you have lots of good stuff, I think the impression a lot of people have is "oh, eMusic, I tried them but I couldn't get Britney Spears/Limp Biscuit/whatever."
Is it your opinion that you can be profitable and grow selling only independent artists? That's a real question, I'm not trying to piss you off. Are you/how close are you to making money?
Contract expire, and contracts are not for life. When major labels artists were nearing the end of their contract periods, they should make them an offer. Artists switch labels all the time.
I'm logged on right now and it says "430564 Users online, sharing 201872.6 GB". Over 201,000 gigs! It's the best 3.95/month I've ever spent.
Hmm. Okay, I checked it out. The "430564 users online" number is a GRAPHIC. Read: static, not a real indication of the usage of the system. In addition, your post reads like an ad. Also, their software claims to cost $3.95 a month, yet there is 'no central server'. Well, who am I paying then, and how can they stop someone from just copying the executable from a buddy and firing it up? It doesn't make sense.
I'm halfway ready to cry 'bullshit' since I've never heard it mentioned anywhere before. But there's a first time for everything. Can any others comment on this service?
You are so, so, so wrong. It's mainstream now. The Napster court cases inspired TONS of people to download and try Napster, Audio Galaxy, etc. Look at the number of nodes connected to Gnutella, Audio Galaxy, whatever. There are already more people connected than the # of geeks that EXIST.
That's the only problem of audiogalaxy, it's really difficult to find the quality I want.
If you drill down one more level on AudioGalaxy (instead of clicking the little sattelite icon), you can get a list of all the files, sorted by bitrate.
Obviously, that doesn't help when the encoder is bad, but at least you can choose the higher bitrate stuff which will eliminate a lot of the garbage.
I'm thinking like Perl Jam, they essentially cannot peroform live but they still produce great albums.
Wha??? Have you even SEEN Pearl Jam live? Maybe now they are getting kind of old and don't rock anymore, but I would say that 5 or 6 years ago, the CONCERTS were 100 times better than the ALBUMS.
Yes it is if we make it so. Given a good enough P2P system music sharing will become so widely practised that enforcing the law would put most of the population in the jail.
This might be one of the most interesting AC posts I've seen in a while. Laws which exist, but EVERYONE is breaking, generally do end up unenforced, or enforced so rarely that everyone ends up breaking them anyway.
Let's say that there is a P2P sharing system that becomes so good, so easy, that EVERYONE starts just using it. Easier than Napster, I mean everyone with a computer. Are 75 year old Grandmas's downloading Lawrence Welk going to be arrested? Probably not.
P.S. Next time login so you start at 1 instead of 0, so more people can see your interesting thoughts.
Echo.com used to be awesome! You don't hear it mentioned on Slashdot much for some reason. Back in the day before the.coms ran out of cash, echo would actually pay you in Amazon gift certificates for listening, and it actually didn't take that long to earn them, especially if you left the damn thing running all day!
These days, there are no more free stuff for listening, but they still have some neat features. You can rate each song and album that gets played, so eventually it learns your tastes. Every once in a while it throws something else in there, too, so you get a taste of stuff you haven't heard before.
If you use the rating system for few days, you can completely get rid of Britney Spears, et al. It even remembers your preferences down to the album level, so if you love U2, but hate the "Unforgettable Fire" album, eventually you won't hear it anymore, but you'll still get other U2 stuff.
Unlike other streaming stations, you can immediately skip songs you don't like and the next one starts playing ASAP. If multiple people are listening to your "Station" (friends, coworkers) you can set the threshold to change the song, so if 10 are listening and two hate the song, tough shit. But if 7 hit the "skip" button, it goes away.
They have some neat tech going over there, hopefully they will stay in business. (And yes, they have one of the best, most creative uses of Flash I've ever seen.)
Of course, I'm generalizing. Every device has it's flaws and can be crashed by bad programming, whatever.
I think it's far to say, though, that for the vast majority of people, Palm works, correctly, day in and day out. Especially more so for the many users who stick with the built in address book, etc., and never install 3rd party software.
Don't get me started on WinCE. We have 2 devices at work, and nothing but trouble. Twice we've lost all the data in them because the battery dies so quickly if you don't cradle them. (These are the color iPaq that came out about a 1 year ago). For some reason, the sync software will just crap out for no reason, etc. Nothing but trouble.
Anyway, back to my original question - for anyone using a Linux based PDA, how would you compare the ease of use, reliability, etc. to the Palm or WinCE platform? No one is denying it's powerful to be able to SSH to your handheld, but I am wondering if they've got the UI refined to the point where it's good for a non-techie.
Palm's graffiti, while not real handwriting recognition, works great. Once you learn it, you can write very quickly. All the handhelds have really improved on this front in the last 2 years or so.
One of the things that's nice about the Palm platform is that everything just "works". That makes them simple to develop for, and simple to use. When the user installs a program, it just works. Doesn't fail to compile, doesn't crash, etc.
Will a Linux PDA just "work"? Or will they need a tech back at the office to troubleshoot when things go wrong? Most PDA users are not the type to compile software, etc.
everything innovative in the music world has been crushed by lawsuits.
No, everything in the online music world has been crushed by the stupidity of the companies that thought they could get away with ripping off what belongs to others.
To this day, I still can't believe that none of the online "music labels" (for lack of a better word) tried to go legit. That is, why didn't anyone try to sign some big names - example, Hole, Smashing Pumpkins, etc. and get the ball rolling with some music that DIDN'T come from the big 5 music companies?
Instead they just became part of the machine - distributing the same works that are produced by the cartel they claim to be obsoleting.
Absolutely NOTHING is preventing a.com (lord knows they had the $) from signing up independent artists and promoting and distributing their music. The only problem is that the majority of consumers don't seem to want that kind of music.
What gives the BSA the right to just come onto private property and start giving orders? How would they get a warrant, and for what?
Even if they somehow got a warrant, aren't the police/sheriff the ones that would conduct any search?
If I tell the police that "joe" stole something of mine, and I have some kind of proof that it's on his property, I imagine a judge could issue a search warrant. But the police would take the warrant and search his property. I don't take it myself and then go ransack his place, that's ridiculous.
The last level? They typically walk in the front door with your local sheriff (or whoever it is in your jurisdiction that serves civil warrants), with a warrant, and announces the raid.
Is this actually POSSIBLE? With a warrant for what? Has this happened to anybody?
It means Microsoft is operating in a free marketplace.
What? Do you really believe this? Everyone who works in the computer industry knows it, everyone on Slashdot knows it, and now a United States federal court has found that Microsoft is a monopoly.
Note: It is NOT a crime to be a monopoly. There is no jail sentence, fines, or any other sanctions. However, there are laws which regulate what you can and cannot do WHEN you are a monopoly, and those are the laws Microsoft has broken. (bundling, etc.)
Whoa, Red Bull is nasty anyway. Tastes like rotting apple cider if you ask me. At my office, we prefer the American programmer's standby, shiny red cans of Coca-Cola!
How many times has a cop car without its lights on blow by you doing 90MPH on the freeway? Have you ever seen one of these guys pulled over for speeding?
Oh man, is that ever one of my pet peeves! I have no problems with law enforcement speeding to a location where they are needed. But please turn your lights on so we can get out of your way!
It shows an utter lack of respect for the job and society, I think. It really burns me when I see a cop (not one in a hurry) breaking the most basic traffic laws.
Slashdot Mirror
The scroll up/down rocker switch is incredibly useful as well, just like wheel mice. I would definitely NOT want the buttons taken away, and I suspect most others would like to keep them too.
Step on the wrong toes, and they'll be crushed. How hard would it be to simply cut off their internet connection using a DMCA type law? Not difficult, I imagine.
Declaring sovereignty is one thing, but becoming your own nation does not automatically get or guarantee you an internet connection to neighboring countries.
Although it's probably no longer a feasible business model, Napster profitted from a shitload of banner ads both on their web site and in the Napster client.
I don't want to rain on your parade - I think you guys are doing a great job, and really making headway. But what eMusic needs is to land the next Backstreet Boys. An artist of that 'caliber' (LOL!) would legitimize you guys as on online music label. Because although you have lots of good stuff, I think the impression a lot of people have is "oh, eMusic, I tried them but I couldn't get Britney Spears/Limp Biscuit/whatever."
Is it your opinion that you can be profitable and grow selling only independent artists? That's a real question, I'm not trying to piss you off. Are you/how close are you to making money?
Anyway, good luck with your endevour.
Contract expire, and contracts are not for life. When major labels artists were nearing the end of their contract periods, they should make them an offer. Artists switch labels all the time.
Hmm. Okay, I checked it out. The "430564 users online" number is a GRAPHIC. Read: static, not a real indication of the usage of the system. In addition, your post reads like an ad. Also, their software claims to cost $3.95 a month, yet there is 'no central server'. Well, who am I paying then, and how can they stop someone from just copying the executable from a buddy and firing it up? It doesn't make sense.
I'm halfway ready to cry 'bullshit' since I've never heard it mentioned anywhere before. But there's a first time for everything. Can any others comment on this service?
You are so, so, so wrong. It's mainstream now. The Napster court cases inspired TONS of people to download and try Napster, Audio Galaxy, etc. Look at the number of nodes connected to Gnutella, Audio Galaxy, whatever. There are already more people connected than the # of geeks that EXIST.
If you drill down one more level on AudioGalaxy (instead of clicking the little sattelite icon), you can get a list of all the files, sorted by bitrate.
Obviously, that doesn't help when the encoder is bad, but at least you can choose the higher bitrate stuff which will eliminate a lot of the garbage.
Wha??? Have you even SEEN Pearl Jam live? Maybe now they are getting kind of old and don't rock anymore, but I would say that 5 or 6 years ago, the CONCERTS were 100 times better than the ALBUMS.
This might be one of the most interesting AC posts I've seen in a while. Laws which exist, but EVERYONE is breaking, generally do end up unenforced, or enforced so rarely that everyone ends up breaking them anyway.
Let's say that there is a P2P sharing system that becomes so good, so easy, that EVERYONE starts just using it. Easier than Napster, I mean everyone with a computer. Are 75 year old Grandmas's downloading Lawrence Welk going to be arrested? Probably not.
P.S. Next time login so you start at 1 instead of 0, so more people can see your interesting thoughts.
Seriously though, do you know how many news servers there are?
These days, there are no more free stuff for listening, but they still have some neat features. You can rate each song and album that gets played, so eventually it learns your tastes. Every once in a while it throws something else in there, too, so you get a taste of stuff you haven't heard before.
If you use the rating system for few days, you can completely get rid of Britney Spears, et al. It even remembers your preferences down to the album level, so if you love U2, but hate the "Unforgettable Fire" album, eventually you won't hear it anymore, but you'll still get other U2 stuff.
Unlike other streaming stations, you can immediately skip songs you don't like and the next one starts playing ASAP. If multiple people are listening to your "Station" (friends, coworkers) you can set the threshold to change the song, so if 10 are listening and two hate the song, tough shit. But if 7 hit the "skip" button, it goes away.
They have some neat tech going over there, hopefully they will stay in business. (And yes, they have one of the best, most creative uses of Flash I've ever seen.)
I think it's far to say, though, that for the vast majority of people, Palm works, correctly, day in and day out. Especially more so for the many users who stick with the built in address book, etc., and never install 3rd party software.
Don't get me started on WinCE. We have 2 devices at work, and nothing but trouble. Twice we've lost all the data in them because the battery dies so quickly if you don't cradle them. (These are the color iPaq that came out about a 1 year ago). For some reason, the sync software will just crap out for no reason, etc. Nothing but trouble.
Anyway, back to my original question - for anyone using a Linux based PDA, how would you compare the ease of use, reliability, etc. to the Palm or WinCE platform? No one is denying it's powerful to be able to SSH to your handheld, but I am wondering if they've got the UI refined to the point where it's good for a non-techie.
Palm's graffiti, while not real handwriting recognition, works great. Once you learn it, you can write very quickly. All the handhelds have really improved on this front in the last 2 years or so.
Will a Linux PDA just "work"? Or will they need a tech back at the office to troubleshoot when things go wrong? Most PDA users are not the type to compile software, etc.
No, everything in the online music world has been crushed by the stupidity of the companies that thought they could get away with ripping off what belongs to others.
To this day, I still can't believe that none of the online "music labels" (for lack of a better word) tried to go legit. That is, why didn't anyone try to sign some big names - example, Hole, Smashing Pumpkins, etc. and get the ball rolling with some music that DIDN'T come from the big 5 music companies?
Instead they just became part of the machine - distributing the same works that are produced by the cartel they claim to be obsoleting.
Absolutely NOTHING is preventing a .com (lord knows they had the $) from signing up independent artists and promoting and distributing their music. The only problem is that the majority of consumers don't seem to want that kind of music.
You are correct - they really do suck, but some of us are stuck with them.
Well, the Federal Courts in the USA (where MS is based) disagree with you.
Even if they somehow got a warrant, aren't the police/sheriff the ones that would conduct any search?
If I tell the police that "joe" stole something of mine, and I have some kind of proof that it's on his property, I imagine a judge could issue a search warrant. But the police would take the warrant and search his property. I don't take it myself and then go ransack his place, that's ridiculous.
Is this actually POSSIBLE? With a warrant for what? Has this happened to anybody?
Yeah, cause you'll be needing those backups soon!
What? Do you really believe this? Everyone who works in the computer industry knows it, everyone on Slashdot knows it, and now a United States federal court has found that Microsoft is a monopoly.
Note: It is NOT a crime to be a monopoly. There is no jail sentence, fines, or any other sanctions. However, there are laws which regulate what you can and cannot do WHEN you are a monopoly, and those are the laws Microsoft has broken. (bundling, etc.)
Are you really serious? How do you buy soda pop from the store - glass bottles?
Whoa, Red Bull is nasty anyway. Tastes like rotting apple cider if you ask me. At my office, we prefer the American programmer's standby, shiny red cans of Coca-Cola!
Oh man, is that ever one of my pet peeves! I have no problems with law enforcement speeding to a location where they are needed. But please turn your lights on so we can get out of your way!
It shows an utter lack of respect for the job and society, I think. It really burns me when I see a cop (not one in a hurry) breaking the most basic traffic laws.