"Selling the same bits over and over again is a viable business model, and it's the only reason the software industry, the movie industry and the music industry exist."
If it's such a viable business model, why do you have to sue people in order to keep money doing it?
Current markets assume scarcity. We are coming to the end of scarcity. Markets WILL adapt. Businesses likely won't.
"Especially when Zune was developed by a team with very little connection with Microsoft's OS/Office side?"
That's some kind of an excuse? If I'm stupid enough to buy something that says Microsoft on the box, I'm stupid enough to expect that it might work with the latest Microsoft OS, out of the box.
But we've already established that I'm stupid, so maybe I'm wrong.
Excellent question. Let's ask the same one of the Peak Oil crowd, and the oil companies' studies as well.
Here's the fun part of this oil shenanigan. Who benefits from the perception of an oil shortage? "left wing" environmental crowd and "right wing" oil companies. Who funds all of these he-said, she-said studies proclaiming the oil shortage? Same groups.
Who gets screwed? That'd be you and me, compadre.
Does that mean that there's not an oil shortage? No. But I certainly doubt the integrity of the research.
"The truth is that corporations really have more influence than John Q. Public because they maintain a relationship with officials and John doesn't bother. But he could."
Sure, I could. In the same way that I could become a ninja, or climb Mt. Everest, or fly to the moon. It's not impossible.
Lobbyists get paid by corporations to do nothing but influence legislators. I get paid to do my job. If I'm not doing my job, and I'm off attempting to get an appointment with legislators, I do not get paid.
So, no, John Q. Public does not have the same access to legislative services as corporations do.
Come on, now. No engineer who's actually working on this project is going to show you a blueprint and say, "Hey! This is it! A fully realized space elevator! Now all we have to do is build it!"
They've got a set of working ideas. That's not the same thing as a ready-to-prototype design.
OF COURSE not all the problems with space elevators haven't been solved yet. How do you know that? Because there aren't any damn space elevators yet. Radiation shielding is an easy problem. Self-fabricating self-repairing structures is a really, really, really, difficult problem. I would much rather the smart people spend their time on the difficult problems.
"there's a very simple reason people disbelieve global warming - their conscience. To keep it clean they turn their head and look away and it sickens me."
What a despicable notion.
What have I done to cause global warming? How do you know? Collective accountability is evil.
Nope. Sorry. I'll be right here in the middle until I see convincing evidence to move me. I am absolutely convinced of one thing: Anybody who thinks that this is a binary choice is too stupid to be making the choice.
I do what I can do to minimize my impact on the environment. I live in a modest house, close to work. I ride the bus. I buy green energy. I also happen to think that mankind's ability to effect the climate is very, very small. I will not, repeat, WILL NOT, be bullied into your ideological simplifications.
"Honestly, whatever you have to say can probably wait."
Honestly, whatever I have to say is none of your damn business. I agree, it's important to be courteous to others, but which is more disturbing? Climbing over 20 people to get out to the bathroom, or sending a discreet text message?
Agreed. So, yeah, if "drop them off" includes a rocket, you bet that'd work. Launching would be interesting, but not by any means impossible.
I think trying to dock with the elevator at anything other than the geosynchronous point would be a rotten idea. Having said that, getting down is comparatively easy.
Do you seriously think this would be a major design impediment? Look, you figure out how to make a structure 36,000+ miles long, I'll take care of the glorified container truck.
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"Selling the same bits over and over again is a viable business model, and it's the only reason the software industry, the movie industry and the music industry exist."
If it's such a viable business model, why do you have to sue people in order to keep money doing it?
Current markets assume scarcity. We are coming to the end of scarcity. Markets WILL adapt. Businesses likely won't.
Hold on. There exist ATMs that dispense GOLD!?
"and it started out fine."
News flash. The market now is different from the market then. Microsoft is entering today's market, not the one from, what? 2001?
Come on now. How many dozens of applications are out there that can upload music to an iPod? On how many platforms?
iTunes is the only iPod updating software that Apple happens to publish, but if you can't find alternatives, you're not trying.
Oh, wait, maybe you're trolling. Yeah, that's it.
"Especially when Zune was developed by a team with very little connection with Microsoft's OS/Office side?"
That's some kind of an excuse? If I'm stupid enough to buy something that says Microsoft on the box, I'm stupid enough to expect that it might work with the latest Microsoft OS, out of the box.
But we've already established that I'm stupid, so maybe I'm wrong.
That analysis gets me no closer to the truth. I KNOW I can't trust these assholes. Question is, where can I get trustworthy analysis?
Yeah, because Republicans would never stoop so low, right?
"What makes you think environmentalists would better understand oil reserves than those in the industry?"
What makes you think that the oil industry is going to tell you the truth?
(Me, I don't think the environmentalists are full of truthiness either, but OF COURSE the oil industry's going to lie to you.)
Excellent question. Let's ask the same one of the Peak Oil crowd, and the oil companies' studies as well.
Here's the fun part of this oil shenanigan. Who benefits from the perception of an oil shortage? "left wing" environmental crowd and "right wing" oil companies. Who funds all of these he-said, she-said studies proclaiming the oil shortage? Same groups.
Who gets screwed? That'd be you and me, compadre.
Does that mean that there's not an oil shortage? No. But I certainly doubt the integrity of the research.
"Um maybe it isn't what society deems to be the most important, but what has the most money."
Why do you think these two sets are different?
"The truth is that corporations really have more influence than John Q. Public because they maintain a relationship with officials and John doesn't bother. But he could."
Sure, I could. In the same way that I could become a ninja, or climb Mt. Everest, or fly to the moon. It's not impossible.
Lobbyists get paid by corporations to do nothing but influence legislators. I get paid to do my job. If I'm not doing my job, and I'm off attempting to get an appointment with legislators, I do not get paid.
So, no, John Q. Public does not have the same access to legislative services as corporations do.
Come on, now. No engineer who's actually working on this project is going to show you a blueprint and say, "Hey! This is it! A fully realized space elevator! Now all we have to do is build it!"
They've got a set of working ideas. That's not the same thing as a ready-to-prototype design.
OF COURSE not all the problems with space elevators haven't been solved yet. How do you know that? Because there aren't any damn space elevators yet. Radiation shielding is an easy problem. Self-fabricating self-repairing structures is a really, really, really, difficult problem. I would much rather the smart people spend their time on the difficult problems.
"there's a very simple reason people disbelieve global warming - their conscience. To keep it clean they turn their head and look away and it sickens me."
What a despicable notion.
What have I done to cause global warming? How do you know? Collective accountability is evil.
Nope. Sorry. I'll be right here in the middle until I see convincing evidence to move me. I am absolutely convinced of one thing: Anybody who thinks that this is a binary choice is too stupid to be making the choice.
I do what I can do to minimize my impact on the environment. I live in a modest house, close to work. I ride the bus. I buy green energy. I also happen to think that mankind's ability to effect the climate is very, very small. I will not, repeat, WILL NOT, be bullied into your ideological simplifications.
"Honestly, whatever you have to say can probably wait."
Honestly, whatever I have to say is none of your damn business. I agree, it's important to be courteous to others, but which is more disturbing? Climbing over 20 people to get out to the bathroom, or sending a discreet text message?
Agreed. So, yeah, if "drop them off" includes a rocket, you bet that'd work. Launching would be interesting, but not by any means impossible.
I think trying to dock with the elevator at anything other than the geosynchronous point would be a rotten idea. Having said that, getting down is comparatively easy.
If you "drop somebody off" of a space elevator at the altitude associated with LEO, they will sure drop. As in, like a rock.
So the buck no longer stops with the Chief Executive? You know, the one hwho appointed these idiots?
Rumsfeld is being sacrificed to protect the other chickenhawks, including Cheney, Wolfowitz et all, and the President.
Or use a flexible container. Or put some air in the top of the tank.
Do you seriously think this would be a major design impediment? Look, you figure out how to make a structure 36,000+ miles long, I'll take care of the glorified container truck.
"you could steal their papers "
In that case, you've stolen some valuable papers, not "IP".
You're high. I read the book, lots of times. I saw the movie, a very few times.
1) There was no powered armor in the movie. Not any. Zero.
2) There was no coed naked shower scene in the book. Not any. Zero.
The movie was a mockery of the book.
"Healthcare can be simularly catigorized and reveiwed by such agencies."
And those agencies will be the de facto regulators of the market, which will then no longer be "free".
"has sold a couple hundred sports cars that perform well"
If by "sold" you mean "has accepted orders for and promises to build them, no really! Trust us!" then yes, they've been sold.
If by "sold" you mean "customer has taken delivery of a functional instance of a production vehicle", they have not been sold.
Tesla looks cool and all, but I'd rather have two Lotus Elises (which get pretty darn respectable gas mileage if you're judicious with the throttle).
So all you had to do is replace the firmware to get something as good as an iPod? Way to go, Sparky.