I am writing today to express my displeasure concerning the way Adobe has conducted itself in regards to Dmitry Sklyarov and Elcomsoft. It would seem that, rather than thanking Mr. Sklyarov for exposing serious flaws in your products, and then correcting them, you have chosen to pursue a course of litigation and intimidation via the misuse of law enforcement.
I believe that copyright holders must have methods to secure their works. But as is obvious thanks to Elcomsoft's work, the protection afforded by Adobe's eBook products is easily overcome. There is no doubt that THOUSANDS of people have been taking advantage of this, silently, and thus ripping off legitimate copyright holders. Elcomsoft has only vocalized what was already occurring.
As an Adobe customer, here is what I want: The pursuit of better products, and not more litigation. We have enough of that already. I fear one day that my children may be imprisoned for pointing out flaws in corporate products, or for engaging in legitimate research of code and computer products. Perhaps, if you have children, they will be too. So I urge Adobe to "back off" as it were and refocus the money that would have been spent on lawyers into developing a more secure and better eBook system.
Thank-you for your time, and I look forward to your reply!
This brings new meaning to 'NO means NO' (the chemical symbol for nitric oxide is NO). How ironic is that -- that this has to do with attracting a mate, and the chemical symbol for 'on/off switch' that attracts a mate is 'NO'. Kinda spooky, eh? Also weird is that 'NO' is 'ON' spelled backwards (in case you hadn't noticed).
Sometimes I wonder if God is just the ultimate prankster, and we're in the joke of a lifetime (literally)...
I'm a Programmer/Network Specialist for a state government agency, and required to join a Union. ... I'm not a slave
Yeah, that's exactly what I was thinking. You're not a slave? You're required to join a union, yet you're not a slave? What happens when:
* You decide to get married/have a kid/make a big purchase like a house, and you want to negotiate a raise?
* You decide that your health benefits don't cut it, and you'd like more?
* Your union decides to go on strike, and the company (God bless their souls -- the very company that's employing you, in your case it's the taxpayers) decides they don't like your demands. You'll get strike pay and be forced to not work.
And you're not a slave ?
The union isn't a be-all end-all, but it serves a purpose
I'd like to know EXACTLY what purpuse you feel it serves. I think we at Slashdot could all use an education. Apparently, I'm missing the boat here -- after all you're getting a higher purpose for only $30 a month.
Unless you are a "superstar" who sacrifices his social life to keep completely up-to-date on the hottest tech fads, it is impossible to negotiate a good deal with a large corporation or government agency.
Apparently, you've been paying way too much attention to that propaganda they've been sending you. I'm a 26 year old. I'm married, and I have 2 beautiful kids. I've been in the 'building good software' business for 8 years. I didn't graduate from college, and I ain't no 'superstar' as you put it. Apparently, I was put on this earth to prove you wrong... just to be the 'monkey in the wrench' as it were... because I've earned every penny through hard work, sweat, and determination. I didn't have anyone negotiate for me, and nobody told me what to do. After all, isn't that what this country was founded on?
OK. I have to admit, I was a little concerned at Ballmer's claims at first. I used to be one of Microsoft's bitches. (Yes, yes, I freely admit it). I went through the Linux 12 step program and I have yet to 'fall off the wagon' -- but that's a different story. I did a little research and found that Ballmer (surprise surprise) was flat out wrong. Ballmer makes the statement...
The way the license is written, if you use any open-source software, you have to make the rest of your software open source.
If identifiable sections of that work are not derived from the Program, and can be reasonably considered independent and separate works in themselves, then this License, and its terms, do not apply to those sections when you distribute them as separate works.
It goes on...
In addition, mere aggregation of another work not based on the Program with the Program (or with a work based on the Program) on a volume of a storage or distribution medium does not bring the other work under the scope of this License.
Ballmer is quite frankly getting downright goofy in his willingness to spread FUD to protect the Microsoft empire.
I've got to wonder if Ballmer didn't just wish he came up with the idea of a flexible, stable OS first, so he could sell it instead. (Doh!)
The behavior of atoms being pretty well known experimentally these days.
This kind of language might cut it around the marketing water cooler, but you should know better that to use generalities like this around Slashdot. (And you actually have the audacity to call the PRESIDENT an idiot?) Wow.
Let's refresh.
-If I'm correct, we're not even sure where 'mass' comes from (see http://slashdot.org/articles/00/09/07/019206.shtml )... note that Scientists BELIEVE they MIGHT have found evidence. We're not sure yet. More news at eleven.
-Einstein (a guy you might have heard of while you had your nose in a book) says that the idea of electrons spontaneously exchanging themselves between atoms is 'funny action at a distance' (at best).
-Richard Feynman (a well respected man that I would go so far as to say was brilliant) came up with a rather curious finding about light particles that is described on the web at
http://www.upscale.utoronto.ca/GeneralInterest/Har rison/DoubleSlit/DoubleSlit.html. Hmmm.... It still hasn't been explained. He's also known for telling his students that 'anyone who says they know how the world works is lying to you'.
I could go on.
I won't.
And you actually said 'behavior of atoms being pretty well known'. Geez. Sounds good on paper, but you really shouldn't utter things like that.
Yes, even you (and I!) can easily become flamebait on/.
Any bets on which media company picks up on this first? (I'm guessing CNN -- but then again, I suppose they might actually have to understand the problem first.
Well, one of my personal heros -- Bruce Schneier -- said waaaaay back in November 1999 why this is pretty trivial. He said in the November 1999 issue (and I quote):
Every DVD player, including hardware consoles that plug into your television and software players that you can download to your computer, has its own unique unlock key. (Actually, each has several. I don't know why.) This key is used to unlock the decryption key on each DVD. A DVD has 400 copies of the same unique decryption key, each encrypted with every unlock code. Note the global secret: if you manage to get one unlock key for one player, you can decrypt every DVD.
He goes on to explain that this isn't even the point -- that the DVD 'security' mechanism is fundamentally flawed because you have unadaulterated access to the 'plaintext' (or the video being shown).
"If I, as a home user, am forced over the course of a year to reinstall XP five times, and MS refuses me a sixth code...."
Call me crazy, but isn't this inviting a massive DoS attack? If I happen to activate this code enough times over a few hours, what's going to happen to the poor saps who are waiting to activate their copy of Windows?
From MS's own site - http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2001/Feb0 1/ProdActFS.asp -
"Customers are not required to provide any personally identifiable information. Activation over the Internet takes just a few seconds; activation by phone through a Microsoft customer service representative takes just a few minutes. "
I can hear the hacktivists crashing through the gates now, Mr. Gates...
-----------------------------
Someday, I hope to live in a world
Re:I am a good little slashbot. ;)
on
Cool Case
·
· Score: 1
I'm not sure how going through several cases just 'trying to get the hole just right in the sheet metal' (not to mention all the band-aids I'll go through from cuts to my hands, etc.) contributes to the idea that there will be 'less waste'. I'd much rather plunk down a wad of cash and get on with my life. THAT'S what I consider 'avoiding waste'.
I'm 26, I'm married and I've got 2 kids. I was a network administrator at 18, a software developer at 20, and I've been doing software consulting since 21. I'm now considered a 'senior software developer' just about anywhere I go, and I've been a lot of places, including M$, Intel, and Bank of America.
Let me be frank (without being TOO redundant -- I've seen a lot of posts that have a lot of these ideas, so I'll summarize): You'll find a$$holes anywhere. It's all about how you carry yourself, how you present your ideas, how you find grace under pressure, how you always come in on time and how you're the last to leave. It's also about selling your skills, your experience, and your ideas -- and being persistant about selling them. Even to wiennies. Even when you don't want to.
Nobody said this business was easy, or free from wiennies... but with a little help from./ it's at least a little more fun.
Slashdot Mirror
Just a thought.
I am writing today to express my displeasure concerning the way Adobe has conducted itself in regards to Dmitry Sklyarov and Elcomsoft. It would seem that, rather than thanking Mr. Sklyarov for exposing serious flaws in your products, and then correcting them, you have chosen to pursue a course of litigation and intimidation via the misuse of law enforcement.
I believe that copyright holders must have methods to secure their works. But as is obvious thanks to Elcomsoft's work, the protection afforded by Adobe's eBook products is easily overcome. There is no doubt that THOUSANDS of people have been taking advantage of this, silently, and thus ripping off legitimate copyright holders. Elcomsoft has only vocalized what was already occurring.
As an Adobe customer, here is what I want: The pursuit of better products, and not more litigation. We have enough of that already. I fear one day that my children may be imprisoned for pointing out flaws in corporate products, or for engaging in legitimate research of code and computer products. Perhaps, if you have children, they will be too. So I urge Adobe to "back off" as it were and refocus the money that would have been spent on lawyers into developing a more secure and better eBook system.
Thank-you for your time, and I look forward to your reply!
Sometimes I wonder if God is just the ultimate prankster, and we're in the joke of a lifetime (literally)...
Yeah, that's exactly what I was thinking. You're not a slave? You're required to join a union, yet you're not a slave? What happens when:
* You decide to get married/have a kid/make a big purchase like a house, and you want to negotiate a raise?
* You decide that your health benefits don't cut it, and you'd like more?
* Your union decides to go on strike, and the company (God bless their souls -- the very company that's employing you, in your case it's the taxpayers) decides they don't like your demands. You'll get strike pay and be forced to not work.
And you're not a slave ?
The union isn't a be-all end-all, but it serves a purpose
I'd like to know EXACTLY what purpuse you feel it serves. I think we at Slashdot could all use an education. Apparently, I'm missing the boat here -- after all you're getting a higher purpose for only $30 a month.
Unless you are a "superstar" who sacrifices his social life to keep completely up-to-date on the hottest tech fads, it is impossible to negotiate a good deal with a large corporation or government agency.
Apparently, you've been paying way too much attention to that propaganda they've been sending you. I'm a 26 year old. I'm married, and I have 2 beautiful kids. I've been in the 'building good software' business for 8 years. I didn't graduate from college, and I ain't no 'superstar' as you put it. Apparently, I was put on this earth to prove you wrong... just to be the 'monkey in the wrench' as it were... because I've earned every penny through hard work, sweat, and determination. I didn't have anyone negotiate for me, and nobody told me what to do. After all, isn't that what this country was founded on?
Ummm, until your favorite packet sniffer starts decoding stuff like this on the fly. After all, if your email reader can decode it, what's to stop anyone else from decoding it? This is about as useful as Microsoft's Obscurity server.
The way the license is written, if you use any open-source software, you have to make the rest of your software open source.
This isn't true at all. From the GPL (section 2):
If identifiable sections of that work are not derived from the Program, and can be reasonably considered independent and separate works in themselves, then this License, and its terms, do not apply to those sections when you distribute them as separate works.
It goes on...
In addition, mere aggregation of another work not based on the Program with the Program (or with a work based on the Program) on a volume of a storage or distribution medium does not bring the other work under the scope of this License.
Ballmer is quite frankly getting downright goofy in his willingness to spread FUD to protect the Microsoft empire.
I've got to wonder if Ballmer didn't just wish he came up with the idea of a flexible, stable OS first, so he could sell it instead. (Doh!)
This kind of language might cut it around the marketing water cooler, but you should know better that to use generalities like this around Slashdot. (And you actually have the audacity to call the PRESIDENT an idiot?) Wow.
Let's refresh.
-If I'm correct, we're not even sure where 'mass' comes from (see http://slashdot.org/articles/00/09/07/019206.shtml ) ... note that Scientists BELIEVE they MIGHT have found evidence. We're not sure yet. More news at eleven.
r rison/DoubleSlit/DoubleSlit.html. Hmmm.... It still hasn't been explained. He's also known for telling his students that 'anyone who says they know how the world works is lying to you'.
-Einstein (a guy you might have heard of while you had your nose in a book) says that the idea of electrons spontaneously exchanging themselves between atoms is 'funny action at a distance' (at best).
-Richard Feynman (a well respected man that I would go so far as to say was brilliant) came up with a rather curious finding about light particles that is described on the web at http://www.upscale.utoronto.ca/GeneralInterest/Ha
I could go on.
I won't.
And you actually said 'behavior of atoms being pretty well known'. Geez. Sounds good on paper, but you really shouldn't utter things like that.
Yes, even you (and I!) can easily become flamebait on /.
Any bets on which media company picks up on this first? (I'm guessing CNN -- but then again, I suppose they might actually have to understand the problem first.
See this article for more information on Einstein's brain.
Well, one of my personal heros -- Bruce Schneier -- said waaaaay back in November 1999 why this is pretty trivial. He said in the November 1999 issue (and I quote):
Every DVD player, including hardware consoles that plug into your television and software players that you can download to your computer, has its own unique unlock key. (Actually, each has several. I don't know why.) This key is used to unlock the decryption key on each DVD. A DVD has 400 copies of the same unique decryption key, each encrypted with every unlock code. Note the global secret: if you manage to get one unlock key for one player, you can decrypt every DVD.
He goes on to explain that this isn't even the point -- that the DVD 'security' mechanism is fundamentally flawed because you have unadaulterated access to the 'plaintext' (or the video being shown).
Just my $.02
Dan
-----------------------------
Someday, I hope to live in a world
"If I, as a home user, am forced over the course of a year to reinstall XP five times, and MS refuses me a sixth code...."
Call me crazy, but isn't this inviting a massive DoS attack? If I happen to activate this code enough times over a few hours, what's going to happen to the poor saps who are waiting to activate their copy of Windows?
From MS's own site - http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2001/Feb0 1/ProdActFS.asp -
"Customers are not required to provide any personally identifiable information. Activation over the Internet takes just a few seconds; activation by phone through a Microsoft customer service representative takes just a few minutes. "
I can hear the hacktivists crashing through the gates now, Mr. Gates...
-----------------------------
Someday, I hope to live in a world
I'm not sure how going through several cases just 'trying to get the hole just right in the sheet metal' (not to mention all the band-aids I'll go through from cuts to my hands, etc.) contributes to the idea that there will be 'less waste'. I'd much rather plunk down a wad of cash and get on with my life. THAT'S what I consider 'avoiding waste'.
Let me first give you some background:
./ it's at least a little more fun.
I'm 26, I'm married and I've got 2 kids. I was a network administrator at 18, a software developer at 20, and I've been doing software consulting since 21. I'm now considered a 'senior software developer' just about anywhere I go, and I've been a lot of places, including M$, Intel, and Bank of America.
Let me be frank (without being TOO redundant -- I've seen a lot of posts that have a lot of these ideas, so I'll summarize): You'll find a$$holes anywhere. It's all about how you carry yourself, how you present your ideas, how you find grace under pressure, how you always come in on time and how you're the last to leave. It's also about selling your skills, your experience, and your ideas -- and being persistant about selling them. Even to wiennies. Even when you don't want to.
Nobody said this business was easy, or free from wiennies... but with a little help from
Can I reverse-engineer MS Word and write a word processor that can read and save .DOC files?
What about StarOffice -- technically speaking, hasn't this been going on for a while? http://www.sun.com/products/staroffice/
Just a thought.
Dan