I mean, think about it. What is the point of using the Most Expensive Fireworks In History to ferry people to the Most Expensive Tin Can In History, then send them back? Is is simply so that we can conduct the Most Expensive Science Projects In History?
Such things can, and should, be done by private industry, who not only can do these more cheaply and efficiently AND (sad to say) MORE SAFELY.
Let NASA get back into the business of discovery, of space exploration. Let the rocket scientists do rocket science.
This is old news. With.Net, Windows Update and Lord Knows what else, it should be no suprise to anyone that Redmond is poring over any and all soft-content being created using any of their apps.
Not only is it a near limitless cache of information, there is near limitless ways to use it. They can market new crap, er, products to us; determine how to repackage and (attempt to) re-sell information to anyone who may buy.
You post info to misc.transport.road, for example, on the lastest news regarding the Maumee River crossing project (the massive I-280 bridges in Toledo, Ohio), you'll get spammed, er notified about Micro$oft Streets and Trips 2004.
Post a concert review on another newsgroup, and you might get something from Ticketmaster. And guess who gets a cut: some software company in Redmond.
Not to be paranoid or a conspiracy theorist, but it should be evident to anyone with even a couple of firing synapses that Microsoft is no longer a software business. Software is only a stepping stone to a larger avenue of revenue: human thought, human knowledge, human behavior, and the exploitation thereof in any way whatsoever - so long as it provides a revenue stream.
Even if you turn the phone off (by pressing the off button or whatever), parts of any wireless device are still powered, because the battery is still connected thereto. When you press the power switch, a computer(ized) power circuit detects the power and fires up the rest of the device. Same with computers - power switches are not physical switches like your typical home lights - they are merely push buttons.
The point? Your phone may be off, but I'd be willing to wager all of RIAA's and DHS's annual budgets for the next 50 years that even if your cell phone is switched off, the embedded GPS unit will still be powered, and therefore still sending and receiving signals.
and bandwidth will be just another amenity, much like electricity, or gas, or telephones are now
Yeah, right.
Ever since so-called "deregulation" of gas and electric in Michigan (where I live), all of these have gone up. In the case of gas, wwaaaaayyyyy up. My broadband (cable) is $45/month and I only get one provider to choose from. When it becomes another "amenity", it may go up to $60.
Please pardon my skepticism, but it seems to me we will always be paying inflated prices for the sins (one of which is greed) of the telcoms, utilites, and Lord knows what else.
Slashdot Mirror
No Actual Space Aspirations.
I mean, think about it. What is the point of using the Most Expensive Fireworks In History to ferry people to the Most Expensive Tin Can In History, then send them back? Is is simply so that we can conduct the Most Expensive Science Projects In History?
Such things can, and should, be done by private industry, who not only can do these more cheaply and efficiently AND (sad to say) MORE SAFELY.
Let NASA get back into the business of discovery, of space exploration. Let the rocket scientists do rocket science.
Domo Arigato, Mr. & Mrs. Roboto...
Don't complain.
With SoMany.IT.Workers unemployed, SoBig.And.ItsVariants have a strangely positive side effect...
This is old news. With .Net, Windows Update and Lord Knows what else, it should be no suprise to anyone that Redmond is poring over any and all soft-content being created using any of their apps.
Not only is it a near limitless cache of information, there is near limitless ways to use it. They can market new crap, er, products to us; determine how to repackage and (attempt to) re-sell information to anyone who may buy.
You post info to misc.transport.road, for example, on the lastest news regarding the Maumee River crossing project (the massive I-280 bridges in Toledo, Ohio), you'll get spammed, er notified about Micro$oft Streets and Trips 2004.
Post a concert review on another newsgroup, and you might get something from Ticketmaster. And guess who gets a cut: some software company in Redmond.
Not to be paranoid or a conspiracy theorist, but it should be evident to anyone with even a couple of firing synapses that Microsoft is no longer a software business. Software is only a stepping stone to a larger avenue of revenue: human thought, human knowledge, human behavior, and the exploitation thereof in any way whatsoever - so long as it provides a revenue stream.
Someday, the peripheral that hardware and software makers may want on all PCs is the Credit Card reader.
Want your next Windows Update? Please insert your Credit Card into the reader. What, this is Linux? SCO needs another swipe of your card, please.
Why stop there? I can see it now: "CNN... the most trusted... and expensive... name in news."
With the Stupid Copyright Ordeal going on, and users of Linux now being directly threatened, where is Linus on all this?
If there was a time for the progenitor to speak out, now would certainly be a good time.
Hell, it can have my share of iron, I don't mind...
I'm not a lawyer, nor do I play one on TV, but I do recall that the "L" in "GPL" stands for "License".
The Author (or copyright holder) has the right to grant and/or revoke Licenses at will, and to structure the license as he/she/they/it see(s) fit.
If they want to let Licensees make one copy, 20 copies, 1 billion copies, it is his/her/their/it's business. NOT SCO's.
Even if you turn the phone off (by pressing the off button or whatever), parts of any wireless device are still powered, because the battery is still connected thereto. When you press the power switch, a computer(ized) power circuit detects the power and fires up the rest of the device. Same with computers - power switches are not physical switches like your typical home lights - they are merely push buttons.
The point? Your phone may be off, but I'd be willing to wager all of RIAA's and DHS's annual budgets for the next 50 years that even if your cell phone is switched off, the embedded GPS unit will still be powered, and therefore still sending and receiving signals.
What is Verizon whining about this time... other than the fact that Nextel's Direct Connect has been out for... how long? ELEVEN YEARS?
They are suing Nextel because *they* (Verizon) are a tad bit slow in coming to market?
I don't want to hear them now... or anytime.
and bandwidth will be just another amenity, much like electricity, or gas, or telephones are now
Yeah, right.
Ever since so-called "deregulation" of gas and electric in Michigan (where I live), all of these have gone up. In the case of gas, wwaaaaayyyyy up. My broadband (cable) is $45/month and I only get one provider to choose from. When it becomes another "amenity", it may go up to $60.
Please pardon my skepticism, but it seems to me we will always be paying inflated prices for the sins (one of which is greed) of the telcoms, utilites, and Lord knows what else.