Last time *I* checked, 283 was a definite number and "over 228" was an INdefinite range... spanning all the way up to infinity.
While 283 is "over 228", "over 228" doesn't mean "283".
The point is, one could do an exhaustive study and decide that there were 283 known patents that might be in conflict with the Linux kernel. Or, one could start looking at patents, find heaps (228 so far) and stop looking because there were just too many. In the first case, one can say the kernel potentially conflicts with 283 patents. In the latter case one would have to say that the kernel potentially conflicts with a unknown large number of patents, but certainly more than 228. These two scenarios are different. Quite different.
"If I spend time and money devloping somthing why shouldn't I have a way to protect what I create?"
Because "protect[ing] what I create" costs the community money and time and bother, and creates all sorts of externalities... so the community feels that this welfare mentality (the world owes me a living) should come at a cost - you get protection IF your "somthing" contributes to the common good by advancing science or the useful arts.
Many patents fail this public utitlity test. Indeed, the current patent regime fails this test. That is the problem.
The community doesn't have to shoot itself in the foot just because gun-sellers want to sell bullets and doctors want to get fees for treating gunshot wounds. And it doesn't have to erect a patent regime just because business feels it would make more money that way.
You stand on the shoulders of the whole history of western civilisation - when you pay the developers of the alphabet, the English language, common law, etc... then you can complain about others ripping off *your* world-changing ideas. (Oh, your ideas weren't that dramatic, anyway?)
Or maybe you'll get the clue that civilisation is a co-operative thing... not a business method for making a quick buck. You share a few ideas, you get back a whole culture. Not a bad deal really.
The world has already given you a heck of a big start in life - perhaps *you* owe the world a living.
The second rule of capitalism: each firm tries to avoid competition.
The third rule of capitalism: with all these firms trying to undermine the first rule, capitalism will destroy itself.
The fourth rule: if there is a competing system to capitalism, then firms will be so frightened of it that they will pull their heads in and stop undermining capitalism.
The fifth rule: if the Soviet Union doesn't already exist, it will be created. Thereby saving capitalism, by creating a competitor that tries to destroy it.
The final rule of capitalism: you can't trust your friends, but you can trust your enemies - at least they are consistent.
You are comparing your highly tuned knowledge of IE with your absolute newby knowledge of Firefox.
But other users here have given you some ideas. Review it again after you try it some more.
I use Firefox, because I don't use an MS OS. For me, FF works much better than IE. And yes, my OS doesn't have a task bar... but it does have icons for applications in use. Try having ten or fifteen pages open, though - tabbed browsing works better for this. And you can still have multiple windows too - each with a different set of tabs.
If it's easily corruptible, then you crack into it, register about a zillion votes (long integer overflow error would be good here), and then wait for them to declare that Nader won.
There would be a recount and a serious audit so fast....
'If anything, just use the same kind of disclaimer that they have on cryptography pages: "If you are Osama bin Laden you are not allowed to look at [t]his."'
"the possibilty of the American Union crumbling if one or the other is elected"
What's so bad about this? Why is the unity of America a sacred principle? Wouldn't several Americas (West America, Missouria, the original thirteen colonies...) make for competition and choice, instead of monopoly - heck, even more votes at the United Nations?
"Americans are basically like aliens from a different world"
Not sure why you wrote the word "like". In Iraq (and much of the world), Americans ARE aliens (foreigners) and - coming as they do from the First World, not the Third World - they ARE from a different world.
Mind you, even lots of First Worlders (like many Brits, Canadians, Australians and New Zealanders) think that Americans live on a different planet.
MySQL is better than PostgreSQL... as a flat file system Redhat is better than Debian... as a door stop Windows XP is better than MAC OS X... at wasting your cash Bush is better than Kerry... for plugging up open manholes Conservatives are beter than Liberals... at messing things up Americans are better than Europeans... at sticking their noses into foreign countries.
See no disagreement here at all.
Re:Except Animals are more likely to be right.
on
Good Bad Attitude
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· Score: 1
Yeah. It was a good thing that the hackers picked up on that Nazi thing early, wasn't it?
Slashdot Mirror
Legislation is a politician's substitute for action.
They cannot actually do anything useful about problems, so they make laws.
Then they brag about how they are tough on crime, etc. Meanwhile, nothing changes in the real world.
Consequently, the number of redundant laws is bound to increase, because the ones they have passed already don't actually fix any problems.
But at least it keeps the politicians off the street makes them feel as though they are useful.
Unfortunately, the US Congress is corrupt. Who do you go to to fix up the problems of corruption, if not to the courts?
The Constitution did not give Congress the right to grant copyright, etc for the purpose of one-sided profiteering by the publishing industries.
But that is what Congress has done.
What rot! You've never worked hard in your life! You're just makin ... Oh, wait. Yeah. You're lying. OK, keep up the hard work, then.
"Last time I checked 283 was over 228 ..."
... spanning all the way up to infinity.
Last time *I* checked, 283 was a definite number and "over 228" was an INdefinite range
While 283 is "over 228", "over 228" doesn't mean "283".
The point is, one could do an exhaustive study and decide that there were 283 known patents that might be in conflict with the Linux kernel. Or, one could start looking at patents, find heaps (228 so far) and stop looking because there were just too many. In the first case, one can say the kernel potentially conflicts with 283 patents. In the latter case one would have to say that the kernel potentially conflicts with a unknown large number of patents, but certainly more than 228. These two scenarios are different. Quite different.
Or at least a sign saying "Atlantis City Limits - Population ... now 0"
"If I spend time and money devloping somthing why shouldn't I have a way to protect what I create?"
... so the community feels that this welfare mentality (the world owes me a living) should come at a cost - you get protection IF your "somthing" contributes to the common good by advancing science or the useful arts.
... then you can complain about others ripping off *your* world-changing ideas. (Oh, your ideas weren't that dramatic, anyway?)
... not a business method for making a quick buck. You share a few ideas, you get back a whole culture. Not a bad deal really.
Because "protect[ing] what I create" costs the community money and time and bother, and creates all sorts of externalities
Many patents fail this public utitlity test. Indeed, the current patent regime fails this test. That is the problem.
The community doesn't have to shoot itself in the foot just because gun-sellers want to sell bullets and doctors want to get fees for treating gunshot wounds. And it doesn't have to erect a patent regime just because business feels it would make more money that way.
You stand on the shoulders of the whole history of western civilisation - when you pay the developers of the alphabet, the English language, common law, etc
Or maybe you'll get the clue that civilisation is a co-operative thing
The world has already given you a heck of a big start in life - perhaps *you* owe the world a living.
"Appeal to authority is a common fallacy."
Yeah, what sort of commoner are you? You should be coming up with noble, rare fallacies.
These *common* fallacies are only fit for peasants!
I expect a higher quality of fallacy on Slashdot than this.
I don't know. Standards these days are falling.
The second rule of capitalism: each firm tries to avoid competition.
The third rule of capitalism: with all these firms trying to undermine the first rule, capitalism will destroy itself.
The fourth rule: if there is a competing system to capitalism, then firms will be so frightened of it that they will pull their heads in and stop undermining capitalism.
The fifth rule: if the Soviet Union doesn't already exist, it will be created. Thereby saving capitalism, by creating a competitor that tries to destroy it.
The final rule of capitalism: you can't trust your friends, but you can trust your enemies - at least they are consistent.
Actually, that is quite good.
I would only add one more feature. You can only sue a company that is able to obtain patents with an equivalent or higher degree of ease.
Little companies - it's all yours!
Viva OSS.
Comparing Apples and oranges...
You are comparing your highly tuned knowledge of IE with your absolute newby knowledge of Firefox.
But other users here have given you some ideas. Review it again after you try it some more.
I use Firefox, because I don't use an MS OS. For me, FF works much better than IE. And yes, my OS doesn't have a task bar... but it does have icons for applications in use. Try having ten or fifteen pages open, though - tabbed browsing works better for this. And you can still have multiple windows too - each with a different set of tabs.
That's easy to fix.
If it's easily corruptible, then you crack into it, register about a zillion votes (long integer overflow error would be good here), and then wait for them to declare that Nader won.
There would be a recount and a serious audit so fast....
Lotus Notes is NOT a "proprietary dinosaur"!
More of a "proprietary trilobite", I think.
"If we let these powermad tyrants have power, they will abuse it, and maybe apologize later, after the damage is done."
That is what the DOJ should have said in DOJ vs the Abusive Monopolist.
"Anyone know..?"
National security means you see foreigners as a threat. Homeland security means you see your own citizens as a threat. Unless they are "Patriots".
Easy. I require freedom.
So what?
My website (http://localhost/) has 100% Firefox.
Always has.
A good firewall keeps them IE varmints away!
'If anything, just use the same kind of disclaimer that they have on cryptography pages: "If you are Osama bin Laden you are not allowed to look at [t]his."'
Does Osama bin Laden read English?
Just wondering.
"limit its citizens information access within its own borders"
But Americans do that anyway without the government imposing it.
"the possibilty of the American Union crumbling if one or the other is elected"
What's so bad about this? Why is the unity of America a sacred principle? Wouldn't several Americas (West America, Missouria, the original thirteen colonies...) make for competition and choice, instead of monopoly - heck, even more votes at the United Nations?
"Americans are basically like aliens from a different world"
Not sure why you wrote the word "like". In Iraq (and much of the world), Americans ARE aliens (foreigners) and - coming as they do from the First World, not the Third World - they ARE from a different world.
Mind you, even lots of First Worlders (like many Brits, Canadians, Australians and New Zealanders) think that Americans live on a different planet.
MySQL is better than PostgreSQL ... as a flat file system ... as a door stop ... at wasting your cash ... for plugging up open manholes ... at messing things up ... at sticking their noses into foreign countries.
Redhat is better than Debian
Windows XP is better than MAC OS X
Bush is better than Kerry
Conservatives are beter than Liberals
Americans are better than Europeans
See no disagreement here at all.
Yeah. It was a good thing that the hackers picked up on that Nazi thing early, wasn't it?
Look, it's either "Go Linu(s|x)" or "Go Linu[sx]".
... and I really don't think you meant that.
If you write "Go Linu[s|x]" it means that "Go Linu|" is one of the matching strings
"America is great because America is good..."
... "Sauron the Great" wasn't good. Oh, well, back to the mindless patriotism drawing board.
"Sauron was great because Sauron was good, and if ever Sauron ceased to be good, he would cease to be great."
Oh, wait
Yeah, and then you can compile OpenOffice!
Hey, I don't object to programming being out-sourced from the US to India. Not in the slightest.
Mind you, I'm not American.