Apple's new music store is a good idea, however I still won't buy into DRM music. I'd be happy to pay $0.99 for an unlocked MP3, but I'll never willingly purchase DRM materials that I can't unlock for my own fair use.
Ummm...correct me if I am wrong, but you can burn Apple's DRMed AAC files into a regualar audio CD and then re-rip them to have DRM-free files (not to mention a nice back-up of the files in case you delete them). Most people won't go to this trouble, so Apple's DRM model can be successful for the majority of users, but it isn't that hard.
About the Mozilla naming thing...you can't pick a much less original name than Thunderbird...
Is it really that hard to pick an original name and then run a few searches to make sure there are no similar products with that name?
For example, why not pick something from another language that fits the product well? Something like 'gaiyuu' (Japanese: foreign travel) or 'michiyuki' (Japanese: going down the road)...
Seriously...it seems ridiculous the amount of trouble these people have coming up with original names...
"Hey lets waste a ton of money while were barely profitable to buy into an industry that everyone _knows_ is dying...
Who knows what could become of this. Kind of reminds me of the time when some guy came back to a company that "everyone knew was dying" and completely turned it around into a profitable (despite the incredibly low market share) company by cutting out projects that were bleeding it dry and focusing on things that would get it back together...
seems like just the guy to perhaps "think different" and turn around (and hopefully improve) another industry that "everyone _knows_ is dying".
Anyone remember his name? I think it was Steve something-or-other...
This is exactly the point I was trying to make. I thought about including the virus example but neglected to. Thank you for clarifying my point. (btw, I'm a 'he')
The idea of "if it isn't natural, then it isn't good" is absurd. If I believed that, I probably wouldn't be at this computer typing this message. One of the other replies mentioned that they would not like to eat their cow raw. Me either. This 'unnatural' thing that we call cooking makes the food we eat easier to digest, allows us to draw more nutrients from it, and over-all is an advantage. They also mentioned central heating. I like it too. It allows me to survive through the winter.
The idea that I am kind of getting at is more like "if it is not advantageous, it is bad" (or perhaps stupid) but even that can be shot full of holes. For example, what is the advantage (evolutionarily speaking) of Homosexuality? Abortion? I can't think of any. But that does not make them bad things. That does not make them stupid things. HOWEVER, it does make the people who practice those things evolutionary dead-ends (and that is not meant to be an insult...just the simple evolutionary concept that if you don't reproduce, then you are a dead-end).
And cloning is certainly another evolutionary dead-end. If a gene pool stagnates then evolution stops, as evolution implies change. Then, once that happens, all it takes is that one dangerous thing (such as a virus, as mentioned by the parent) to completely wipe out a species.
Besides, even though I haven't mixed my DNA w/ anyone else's yet, I enjoy the process that is meant to do that.;^)
I make no judgement on whether or not cloning is good or bad, just that it is stupid. IMHO.
Essentially we're asking, "what is the fundamental difference between a biological organism and a machine" that "makes the former be considered 'alive'"
This page has a pretty good summary of what it takes to be considered 'alive':
(1). Organisms tend to be complex and highly organized. Chemicals found within their bodies are synthesized through metabolic processes into structures that have defined purposes. Cells and their various organelles are examples of such structures. Cells are also the basic functioning unit of life. Cells are often organized into organs to create higher levels of complexity and function.
(2). Living things have the ability to take energy from their environment and change it from one form to another. This energy is usually used to facilitate their growth and reproduction. We call the process that allows for this facilitation metabolism.
(3). Organisms tend to be homeostatic. In other words, they regulate their bodies and other internal structures to certain normal parameters.
(4). Living creatures respond to stimuli. Cues in their environment cause them to react through behavior, metabolism, and physiological change.
(5). Living things reproduce themselves by making copies of themselves. Reproduction can either be sexual or asexual. Sexual reproduction involves the fusing of haploid genetic material from two individuals. This process creates populations with much greater genetic diversity.
(6). Organisms tend to grow and develop. Growth involves the conversion of consumed materials into biomass, new individuals, and waste.
(7). Life adapts and evolves in step with external changes in the environment through mutation and natural selection. This process acts over relatively long periods of time.
So, I guess when machines can do those things, they will be considered alive by the current definitions. Of course, there is a lot of grey area in the above definition and how it can apply to machines. Personally, I think number 1 is the real kicker. Current machines don't seem to use 'metabolic processes' to produce the necessary chemicals to continue functioning.
Of course, alive or not has little bearing on ethics it seems (and as you pointed out). We kill animals and plants for food and sport all the time. So, as you mentioned, the real question is probably "at what point is something to be considered 'sentient'?".
Why is cloning Humans such a big deal? If you have a clone made of you, it will never be you. Hell, it may not even look like you. In order for it to do so, it would have to be raised from conception to probably at least puberty in the EXACT same conditions as you. Now, I say 'it' because that is a convenient word and I don't know if you are male of female.
Anyway, cloning is just plain stupid. It is dis-advantageous for an organism to exactly replicate itself. Mother Nature figured this out a few hundred million years ago and invented sexual reproduction (and there was much rejoicing). Genetic variation allows for more flexability in a species so it can survive in a forever changing environment. Cloning goes directly against this concept.
So, listen to your Mother. If cloning should be banned, it should be banned because it is stupid, not because of morality.
Boy, if I didn't throw away and re-write stuff, it'd be even buggier and harder to maintain than it is. Sometimes I feel like my most productive programming days are the ones where I delete more lines of code than I write.
Exactly! Spot on. Just look at Apple and the change from Classic OS 9.x and earlier to OS X. A fine example of throwing "away all tested and working code...to start over again".
Even if that is the case (which it is), iMode is not G3. The current G3 system in Japan is the NTT DoCoMo Foma system. While Foma can access iMode sites (which really are normal internet sites which you can access with you web-browser, with some special characters for smileys and such), non-G3 phones can also access them, as can your regular internet connection. For example, I currently use DoCoMo with a Panasonic P503i phone, which is not G3. My phone bandwidth is 9600bps...but I can use iMode and iAppli (Java apps on your phone).
Of course, the G3 system, which currently runs at 384Kbps, is really expensive. NTT charges based on the number of packets instead of connection time, or even a flat rate, unlimited connection fee (unlike DDI Pocket, which I use and runs at 128KBpbs).
Anyway, I am looking forward to when J-phone and/or DDI Pocket start implementing their own G3 networks as they tend to have much better pricing options than NTT DoCoMo.
One of those famous scientists said something like "Only two things are infinite, human stupitidy and the universe, and I'm not sure about the latter". He's right you know...
That would be Albert Einstein, who was known to say a great many things (and that is only a small sample.
One of my favorites (which isn't listed on that page above) is: "I have reached an age where, if someone tells me to put my shoes on, I don't have to."
Or whatever your browser uses for user-defined style-sheets:
/* Blacklist link (Mozilla) -- Blocks goatse.cx */ a[href*="goatse.cx/"] { text-decoration: line-through ! important; color: brown ! important; }
that will mark all goatse.cx links brown with a line through them. Never be fooled again.
My apologies as I forget who to credit for this, but is was posted in a recent Slashdot story about how to block ads and such using your UserContent.css or whatever equivalent. I hope this helps to make your browsing a less visually-dangerous experience as it has for mine.
I've been playing around w/ Celestia ever since Slashdot ran an artical about making a CD of Open Source Software for Windows awhile back (I think it was an Ask Slashdot...I'm lazy and drunk so feel free to do a search). Celestia was mentioned in the comments of that story and I thought I would check for a MacOS X version and...DAAAAAAAMMMMMNNNN!!!!
There is something to be said about zipping to objects on the other side of the universe in just a few seconds. And it runs surprisingly well, even on my Late 2001 iBook (600MHz w/ 384MB of RAM and 8MB VRAM). This program is the ultimate for armchair (or bar-top as my case would be at the moment...gotta love wireless internet in Japan) astronomers. It does seem to have problems rendering Earth (as someone else mentioned the mirror effect somewhere in the comments of this story) but everything else is just amazing.
If you haven't downloaded this software yet, then the terrorists have already won...err...no, that isn't right. But seriously, get it and get it like now...as in yesterday! It is AWESOME.
BTW, on a side note, has anyone had any success compiling Celestia from source. I tried but failed (unfortunately, don't remember why). No particular reason to compile from source, but I wanted to try and see if it would be a bit more optimized. Anyway, I had difficulty. Anyone else?
One can only hope... that this "Elite Hacker Force" will be shut down after Bush is done with his war.
This reminds me of the probable hope of the Senate of the Republic that Chancellor Palpatine would give up his power once the state of emergency was over (as we well know that he didn't).
Honestly, I see a lot of similarity to President Bush and his war on terror (etc.) and Palpatine's efforts in the senate. How long until President (soon to be emperor?) Bush "dissolves the imperial senate and puts control in the hands of the regional governers. Fear will keep them in line. Fear of this..." US Military juggernaut. I guess life can immitate art.
If President Bush is re-elected for another term, then I really need to find a way off of this planet. I fear that nothing short of a revolution will keep his power and his ambitions in check. I've already gotten out of the US once. Perhaps the next time will only be to get off the planet. Scary thought.
Or perhaps I have just watched too many movies and have had too many beers tonight. Feel free to call me a troll. I have karma to burn.;)
OT: Marvin didn't ride into the sun...
on
Blacker Than Black
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· Score: 0
He teleported off the black sun-diving ship, just before it went into the sun. How is this possible, you may ask, as someone was required to operate the teleport system. Simple:
Notice that in Life, the Universe, and Everything, Marvin only has one leg. Did you ever wonder whatever happened to his other leg? I imagine it was probably sent on a sun-dive as it was used to press the teleport button...
At least, I think this is the case. If I am wrong, feel free to correct as I don't have my Bible^H^H^H^H^Hcopy of the Guide handy right now.
Cheers.:D
5 words and 2 mathematical symbols...
on
Linux on the iPod
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· Score: 1
Achmed said:
why wouldn't the Linux community work to develop goals that will enable it as a whole to progress (replacement for Exchange server or Office Sute) instead of these trying to make Linux run on any divice with a chip projects.?
In this situation, I think getting linux to "run on any device with a chip" is worth it. Why?
iPod + Ogg Vorbis = Kick Ass!!
If Apple won't do it, then let the OSS community hack at it. Either way, we get what we want from this. See the quote in my.sig and see who's eating the core right now. Part of the greatness of open source is the freedom to do what you want with it, whether it benefits the whole community, benefits only yourself, or is purely done for the geek factor. That is the freedom (as in speech) if this software. This may not be good for Linux as a whole in the long run, but it sure is good for those of us who want to use other music formats on our iPods and not have to be subjected to Apple's whim.
This is really freaking cool!!! (though I'm not going to install it until it matures). Makes me wish I had the time and knowledge to contribute to this project. Unfortunately, I am lacking in both, so the only thing I can do is put out a few requests to the hackers out there:
1. Get it to continue working with iTunes. Imagine, once this matures and the music capabilities are running at full speed, how nice it will be to be able to sync and use both your ogg vorbis and mp3 files on the iPod using iTunes to organize everything.
2. Figure out the remote pin-outs, so hardware hackers, or at least those with soldering skill can make their own remotes. I'm thinking I would like to modify my snowboarding jacket since I can't afford that Burton/Apple iPod jacket. Granted, this request goes out to anyone who is interested as it really doesn't have anything to do with the iPod linux project. If I can find some time, I may look into it myself.
If anyone has any info on the above, please feel free to chime in. Oh, yeah, and I noticed this from the FAQ. Perhaps this can waylay all of the "WHY?!?" trolls:
1.2 Why would you do that?
A number of reasons but mainly because its there.
Slashdot Mirror
;)
Sorry. I don't know the character or the context to which you are referring to, so I can't comment further.
Anyway, Ford and GM...there's a difference? /joking ;p
Heh...sorry. I live in Japan...don't see too many of either of those company's cars over here. Oh well...
Heh...oops. ^^;;
Is it really that hard to pick an original name and then run a few searches to make sure there are no similar products with that name?
For example, why not pick something from another language that fits the product well? Something like 'gaiyuu' (Japanese: foreign travel) or 'michiyuki' (Japanese: going down the road)...
Seriously...it seems ridiculous the amount of trouble these people have coming up with original names...
IMHO.
Ships with nuclear reactors count as 8 ships.
seems like just the guy to perhaps "think different" and turn around (and hopefully improve) another industry that "everyone _knows_ is dying".
Anyone remember his name? I think it was Steve something-or-other...
The idea of "if it isn't natural, then it isn't good" is absurd. If I believed that, I probably wouldn't be at this computer typing this message. One of the other replies mentioned that they would not like to eat their cow raw. Me either. This 'unnatural' thing that we call cooking makes the food we eat easier to digest, allows us to draw more nutrients from it, and over-all is an advantage. They also mentioned central heating. I like it too. It allows me to survive through the winter.
The idea that I am kind of getting at is more like "if it is not advantageous, it is bad" (or perhaps stupid) but even that can be shot full of holes. For example, what is the advantage (evolutionarily speaking) of Homosexuality? Abortion? I can't think of any. But that does not make them bad things. That does not make them stupid things. HOWEVER, it does make the people who practice those things evolutionary dead-ends (and that is not meant to be an insult...just the simple evolutionary concept that if you don't reproduce, then you are a dead-end).
And cloning is certainly another evolutionary dead-end. If a gene pool stagnates then evolution stops, as evolution implies change. Then, once that happens, all it takes is that one dangerous thing (such as a virus, as mentioned by the parent) to completely wipe out a species.
Besides, even though I haven't mixed my DNA w/ anyone else's yet, I enjoy the process that is meant to do that. ;^)
I make no judgement on whether or not cloning is good or bad, just that it is stupid. IMHO.
cheers.
Of course, alive or not has little bearing on ethics it seems (and as you pointed out). We kill animals and plants for food and sport all the time. So, as you mentioned, the real question is probably "at what point is something to be considered 'sentient'?".
Cheers. :^)
Anyway, cloning is just plain stupid. It is dis-advantageous for an organism to exactly replicate itself. Mother Nature figured this out a few hundred million years ago and invented sexual reproduction (and there was much rejoicing). Genetic variation allows for more flexability in a species so it can survive in a forever changing environment. Cloning goes directly against this concept.
So, listen to your Mother. If cloning should be banned, it should be banned because it is stupid, not because of morality.
IMHO. ;^)
Of course, the G3 system, which currently runs at 384Kbps, is really expensive. NTT charges based on the number of packets instead of connection time, or even a flat rate, unlimited connection fee (unlike DDI Pocket, which I use and runs at 128KBpbs).
Anyway, I am looking forward to when J-phone and/or DDI Pocket start implementing their own G3 networks as they tend to have much better pricing options than NTT DoCoMo.
One of my favorites (which isn't listed on that page above) is: "I have reached an age where, if someone tells me to put my shoes on, I don't have to."
It's a strange world we live in...
My apologies as I forget who to credit for this, but is was posted in a recent Slashdot story about how to block ads and such using your UserContent.css or whatever equivalent. I hope this helps to make your browsing a less visually-dangerous experience as it has for mine.
Cheers. :)
There is something to be said about zipping to objects on the other side of the universe in just a few seconds. And it runs surprisingly well, even on my Late 2001 iBook (600MHz w/ 384MB of RAM and 8MB VRAM). This program is the ultimate for armchair (or bar-top as my case would be at the moment...gotta love wireless internet in Japan) astronomers. It does seem to have problems rendering Earth (as someone else mentioned the mirror effect somewhere in the comments of this story) but everything else is just amazing.
If you haven't downloaded this software yet, then the terrorists have already won...err...no, that isn't right. But seriously, get it and get it like now...as in yesterday! It is AWESOME.
BTW, on a side note, has anyone had any success compiling Celestia from source. I tried but failed (unfortunately, don't remember why). No particular reason to compile from source, but I wanted to try and see if it would be a bit more optimized. Anyway, I had difficulty. Anyone else?
Cheers. :)
Honestly, I see a lot of similarity to President Bush and his war on terror (etc.) and Palpatine's efforts in the senate. How long until President (soon to be emperor?) Bush "dissolves the imperial senate and puts control in the hands of the regional governers. Fear will keep them in line. Fear of this..." US Military juggernaut. I guess life can immitate art.
If President Bush is re-elected for another term, then I really need to find a way off of this planet. I fear that nothing short of a revolution will keep his power and his ambitions in check. I've already gotten out of the US once. Perhaps the next time will only be to get off the planet. Scary thought.
Or perhaps I have just watched too many movies and have had too many beers tonight. Feel free to call me a troll. I have karma to burn. ;)
Notice that in Life, the Universe, and Everything, Marvin only has one leg. Did you ever wonder whatever happened to his other leg? I imagine it was probably sent on a sun-dive as it was used to press the teleport button...
At least, I think this is the case. If I am wrong, feel free to correct as I don't have my Bible^H^H^H^H^Hcopy of the Guide handy right now.
Cheers. :D
iPod + Ogg Vorbis = Kick Ass!!
If Apple won't do it, then let the OSS community hack at it. Either way, we get what we want from this. See the quote in my .sig and see who's eating the core right now. Part of the greatness of open source is the freedom to do what you want with it, whether it benefits the whole community, benefits only yourself, or is purely done for the geek factor. That is the freedom (as in speech) if this software. This may not be good for Linux as a whole in the long run, but it sure is good for those of us who want to use other music formats on our iPods and not have to be subjected to Apple's whim.
Cheers. :)
from the now-we're-talking again dept.
1. Get it to continue working with iTunes. Imagine, once this matures and the music capabilities are running at full speed, how nice it will be to be able to sync and use both your ogg vorbis and mp3 files on the iPod using iTunes to organize everything.
2. Figure out the remote pin-outs, so hardware hackers, or at least those with soldering skill can make their own remotes. I'm thinking I would like to modify my snowboarding jacket since I can't afford that Burton/Apple iPod jacket. Granted, this request goes out to anyone who is interested as it really doesn't have anything to do with the iPod linux project. If I can find some time, I may look into it myself.
If anyone has any info on the above, please feel free to chime in. Oh, yeah, and I noticed this from the FAQ. Perhaps this can waylay all of the "WHY?!?" trolls:
Cheers. :)