I know this doesn't answer your question directly, but while I certainly understand that there are "auto documentation" tools, and such available, learning to write your own, comprehensive, thought-out documentation is a very valuable skill that most don't have. Don't rely completely on automated processes. Somewhere along the line, you will find yourself having to hack out code in a text editor, or use a less-than-top-of-the-line development environment, at which point you will have to fall back on your own skills and not those of an auto-documentation program.
Finding a complete and comprehensive development environment is definitely an ideal situation, but don't neglect your knowledge and skill by using it as a crutch.
No, I think you're missing the point. The file was sold by iTunes, and was, in fact, a "song" consisting of nothing more than 1m 3s of silence--that was known from the beginning.
The point of the article is that the person admitted to and documented that he went through the exercise of using "illegal" DRM removal software to create a non-DRM version of the original file. As long as the content of both files are bit-for-bit identical, save the DRM, and the resulting file was created by applying the DRM-removal software to the original file, the issue really becomes one of a DMCA violation. That the song contained nothing but "silence" is irrelevent. (It only serves to question the extent to which the DMCA can be enforced.)
As another poster pointed out, even if "silence" can't be copyrighted, if the guy didn't strip out any existing Cover Art, he COULD be sued for copyright violation.
As absurd as it may sound, this guy could get himself in trouble for this.
Yes, it does sound absurd, but I really don't think this is splitting hairs because it is specifically addressing the extent to which the DMCA can be enforced. This could very well become a "test case" that might prove to be important.
They aren't closed down yet. I suggest you try it out and see if it is of use to you. I love the service because it provides inexpensive DRM-free selections from an excellent catalog. No, it doesn't have "everything" but it has a lot to choose from, and it's updated daily with new content. And the ability to choose the compression size on MP3's is stellar.
Though the only language I speak fluently is English, yes, my comment was definitely tounge-in-cheek.
But the important issue in my mind is to provide decent translation services (which the 'fish and Google already do to a degree) that would make pretty much any document readable in any language regardless of the language it was scanned in. The problem is that the current state of online translators provides results that are just readable, often missing nuance and detail. They are a Godsend, but do need work.
Thanks for your input! One problem that I see is that even if a "technical innovator" partners with the likes of a Cable company, it's still the Cable company who ultimately calls the shots. Take, for example, Digeo's new MOXI DVR box. Though it does have its shortcomings, overall, I think it's an excellent DVR choice. It offers great features, has a decent UI, works very well, and has a very attractive price point. (Note: My comparison comes from 5 years as a ReplayTV owner.)
The double-edged sword is that Digeo designed the product to be extremely "feature-tailorable" by the Cable companies. On one hand, this allows them to very easily penetrate a larger market. That's great, but on the other hand, you then have decisions by the likes of Charter who decided things like the "Skip" button will jump 15 MINUTES ahead instead of the originally deployed 30 seconds. This was due to an "executive decision on Charter's part." Once again, the tail wagging the dog.
I certainly hope that "TiVo's Death Watch" ends up being nothing more than journalistic novelty because I too think TiVo is very technologically inovative and has lots of potential. How well all the players play together will ultimately determine TiVo's fate.
...all standalone DVR companies are facing similar hurdles. I have been a long-time ReplayTV user, and when Charter Cable began offering Digeo's new MOXI box, I had to jump at the chance. Yes, it is lacking a few missed features like the ability to offload shows to a PC and "keyword" recording, but the ability to have a dual tuner DVR with fully integrated Digital Cable box (which has virtually eliminated all recording conflicts) along with HD recording, and digital audio outputs for under $10.00 per month with no upfront equipment costs is simply stunning. Neither ReplayTV nor TiVo can touch it from a price/performance perspective. Yes, I am now at the mercy of how the Cable company actually configures the box (for example, I'm patiently awaiting Video On Demand to be rolled out) but the overall experience, feature set, and price point is, to me, excellent. I still have my ReplayTV boxes for offloading shows, but my main DVR is now MOXI.
Way back in the '80's, a company called Berkely Softworks (Later GeoWorks) created a GUI for the Commodore 64 called GEOS (Graphical Environment Operating System) and later, a version for Intel desktop systems, and the long-forgotten Casio "Zoomer" PDA.
What made GEOS truely novel was that it was scalable with different "user levels" that you could assign. The company all but died, but the concept was quite intriguing. Select the "Basic" level, and everything about the GUI was "dumbed down" or "scaled back" to make the experience inviting for a novice user. Applications were full-screen, single-task, no windows, had large buttons, limited menu selections, etc. For example, launch the "Write" (word processor) app, and you were presented with a friendly, simple environment that was limited yet functional enough for a novice user to be productive.
Want more features, increase the "level" to "Intermediate", and suddenly you had task switching, additional buttons, added menu functions, etc.
Change to "Advanced" and you had full multi-tasking, Motif-style GUI with resizable windows, toolbars, extended functions, etc.
It was pretty slick, and way ahead of its time.
The only major problem with this model was that it was up to the developer to decide on what functionality was included in each "level", so we're right back to the design issues. It would have been great if there was some sort of "admin policy" that could have been customized to tailor the functionality from level to level. Also, if I recall correctly, I think the "level" was selected on a system-wide basis, not app-to-app.
An environment like this would certainly appease your Accounting example.
Oh, and I think they may have patented the idea...
OK, so others have already suggested this, but really, it's probably the best solution for many reasons. For example, when the person is done reading them, give the books away to locals to promote the stories. It's educational, and a great way to expose others to the literature. The problem with at PDA is that its the usefulness is really limited to that one person, but if you send books, they can be passed around to countless people. We take things like this for granted but many would love to get their hands on books to pass around...
Unfortunatly, budget cutting is never an easy task. I'm not saying that this particular program should or shouldn'e be cut, but the fact remains that in order to effectively cut costs, a line has to be drawn somewhere, and it's a certain guarantee that not everyone will agree where that line should be drawn.
Why is it so hard for people to accept that the Social Security system needs to be updated. Yes it is true that it won't become a true burden for several decades, but why whould we continually put off the inevitable? If the administration and/or Congress can come up with a viable solution to correct a long-term problem, why shouldn't it be persued? We all may not agree with President Bush's specific solution, but he did say that his administration is open to considering alternative solutions....
The problem as I see it is that we are in the middle of a Catch-22 problem whereby those who are currently collecting Social Security benefits don't want to lose their benefits, (into which they have paid) and those currently paying into it want to see an return on their "investment." All the while, simple demographics and trends show that the system is heading toward long-term problems, and and the future of the system in general is in question.
We should commend President Bush at the very least for taking the initiative in presenting the problem to the country, offering a solution, and wanting to actually do something about it instead of simply talking while actually pushing it off for the mext administration to deal with. President Bush has been a man of his word in most cases in that he has set administrative goals and plans for specific projects and initiatives, and he actually carried them out. His track record for planning and executing his plans are very evident. While you may not agree with his specific plans or their even execution, President Bush certainly has come through on his proposals.
What I find interesting is that The Constitution specifically reads "Congress shall make no law..." OK, that's Congress. What about local governments? Are, by extension, included under the "Congressional umbrella" or are they "separate" with the legal ability to make such laws? I am not a constitutional scholar, so please enlighten me!
You bring up a good point, and you are a great example of the notion that all techmology is not right for everyone. That's why it's so nice that we DO have some choices. For someone in your situation, your best bet just might be to find the best standalone DVR that works for you be it a TiVo, a Media Center PC, or a home-brew box. The important thing is that you recognize that your setup lends itself to a standalone solution.
I spend the extra money (and probably too much at that) on lots of Cable channels, so adding the cost of a Moxi DVR was nothing more than an additional $10.00 fee. My main reason is that I was a ReplayTV guru, and simply couldn't get my ReplayTV boxes to work well with our Digital Cable boxes. There's nothing worse than messing with IR blasters that only work marginally. The integrated, dual tuner of our Moxi box sealed the deal. So for us, the extra cost and the lack of the occasional ReplayTV feature has been well worth it.
The encoding quality on everything makes it all but unwatchable. Imagine watching a recorded show on Tivo with the lowest quality settings, and then double the the pixelization. That's VOD. It's something I can live without. And since I have a Tivo, why would I need to go back and look at movies that i've already recorded when they originally aired? It's a bit pointless at this day and age.
As for the picture quality, yes, analog cable channels are poor in quality, but on my 27" TV, they are decent. Digital ercordings look great.
As for VOD, I think you are missing the point. VOD is simply an additional choice for the viewer. Yes, the VOD selections tend to be older movies, but they provide the viewer the ability to watch a show when he wants to watch it. "But wait," you say, "that's what my TiVo is for!" Yes, but can your TiVo hold the large, extensive library of VOD choices that the Cable company offers? I didn't think so. The whole point is to provide more options for the viewer when there is "nothing on" to watch. Yo don't have to watch them, but it'snice to know they are available.
Re:Moxi is absolutely terrible compared to Tivo.
on
TiVo to Offer SDK
·
· Score: 1
I had mine for a week, and I can say without a doubt, there is no competition for Tivo from these guys. The video encoding quality is TERRIBLE, and is a known issue. The main Moxi guy posts on some of the forums and says this will never change.
Yes, for analog Cable channels, the encoding is poorer than just about any DVR I have seen (and I have used and seen several.) But let's not forget that it's also a mater of perspective. I'm using a 27" tube TV, and at 12 feet away, it looks decent. I certainly can't complain. But if you have a larger TV, especially an HDTV (to take advantage of the HD display and recording capabilities) you will definitely see very poor encoding on the analog channels. As for digital channels, their picture quality is significantly better, and for HD channels, the quality is stunning. Admittedly, Digeo's response tends to be "Wait until your cable company goes full digital and it'll get much better." While this may well be true, it's not a very good solution
Their season passes are broken, as they see "first runs" as any show YOU haven't recorded before, even if its from 2001 and a repeat.
For "hardcore viewers" this will certainly be an issue. We only record a select few shows and series, and so far, Moxi records them just fine. No doubt, if we required more sophistocated recording, we would get stung.
Their show descriptions are the worst part, its usually TWO sentences describing the show, compared to an entire paragraph from Tivo! They dont let you know if there is any Violent, Nudity, Adult Content, etc in the program either! The GUI looks nice, but it really isn't usable at all. On Tivo, you can see 12 stations down the left side, and to the right, you can see the next 12 upcoming shows for each channel in advance, with the Moxi, you get to see THREE! THREE!
Again, it's a matter of perspective. Yes, this article is a TiVo-centric one, but from one who comes from the ReplayTV world, Moxi is a Godsend because believe it or not, it actually provides much more information that ReplayTV users are used to! Its UI implementation, while cutesy, does have its shortcomings, but so does every other UI. My only real complaint is the lack of a "Grid Guide" and the inability to "go back" in time on the Channels listing.
I'm very suprised you haven't sent that piece if junk back yet. Reading most of the forums, pretty much everyone feels the same way. Moxi is hopeless.
I hate to sound redundent, but again, it's a matter of perspective. Yes, there are many, many disappointed Moxi users, but there are also a very large number of satisfied users. For me, the ability to have a dual tuner, HD-capable DVR with lots of extras outweighs all the hassles and problems I had trying to get standalone DVR's working with digital cable boxes using lousy IR blasters. Just keep in mind that Moxi is still in its infancy. A new software release that addresses a number of issues (but of course, not all) is forthcoming. TiVo is quite a number of software revs old and has had lots of time to mature. In many markets, Moxi is still in "Beta" so some of its shortcomings can be forgiven...
A little off-topic, but when I checked into it, Comcast wanted to charge me 10 dollars on top of everything else for DVR functionality.
While it is true that Cable companies do not provide free DVD's, is this really an issue? Comparing "apples to apples", TiVo requires a $99 or more up front cost for the equipment, and then requires either a monthly fee (which is typically higher than what Cable companies charge for their DVR) or a "lifetime" fee that costs an equvalent of two years of monthly fees. Further, if your Cable company-provided DVR breaks or a newer model comes out, you just call them to exchange it--it's not as easy with TiVo.
Moxi, a viable contender
on
TiVo to Offer SDK
·
· Score: 2, Informative
After using a Digeo Moxi box for several months, I really feel that the likes of TiVo and ReplayTV have huge hurdles against them. I am a long-time ReplayTV user, and though I chose ReplayTV over TiVo, I certainly respect and even envy TiVo's design and imp0lementation. TV viewing without SOME sort of DVR is, to me, a huge step backward.
That said, the Moxi box is certainly not without its foults, and while I absolutely miss the ability to offload shows to my PC (thus I keep my ReplayTV 5000 running) the simple fact is that Moxi's integrated dual digital cable tuners, (eliminating virtually all scheduling conflicts) its ability to record HD programs, its inclusion of games, a Ticker (Weather, News, Sports, etc.) and forthcoming Video On Demand for under $10.00 per month with no up-front equipment costs blows the doors offf of TiVo or ReplayTV hands-down. Joe Sixpack isn't going to care if a feature or two are missing as long as he gets a high "cool factor" at a low price, and DVR's like Moxi deliver.
Given that you said you are soon to graduate, just remember that specifically what you do next in your career will not necessarily determine where you end up down the road. Don't lose sight of the fact that you have your whole life ahead of you. Most people coming right out of college are programmed (pun intended) to try to land the perfect, career-launching job. While this is the best case scenario, your best bet is to approach your career life as a realist.
Certainly don't sell yourself short, just don't expect to land the perfect, high-paying, life-fulfilling job right out of college. Use this time to try to realistically focus on where you want to end up, and let it happen. Obviously your milage may vary, and this depends on many factors: Education, experience, region, specific field, economy, etc.
Also, don't lock yourself into one specific geographical region unless it is absolutely important to you. You have the most flexibility at your stage in life than at any other time, so if the job market in your area seems bleak, by all means, branch out and see what's available in other regions.
One thing that I just discovered is that it turns out that LogMeIn.com is owned by 3am Labs who also owns Remotely Anywhere, so they are using the same technology. The free version of Logmein.com provides simple, secure remote connectivity to one host. The "pro" version (which costs a monthly fee) allows full remote control of one host as well as other nice features such as full file transfer capabilities, remote printing, and other features. You can add additional hosts for a reduced fee.
My advice is that if you re-assign the hosted PC frequently, or if you don't need the file transfer or remote printing capabilities, or have a dynamic IP address, then you may want to use the free version of LogMeIn.com, but if you use a dynamic DNS service (such as MyServer.org) and want to manage things yourself, then consider investing in Remotely Anywhere. Unless you are expensing it or can afford it, I don't think I can recommend the fee-based service because the full Remotely Anywhere package will cost you less within a year.
The Workstation edition of Remotely Anywhere is a VERY solid application. It costs about a hundred bucks, and is for Windows, but it offers excellent remote features including file transfer, remote computer management of resources and services, and full remote desktop control that in my opinion surpasses Microsoft Remote Desktop in speed and function. It uses either Active X, Java, or plain HTML for remoe access providing you maximum flexibility.
It is highly configurable and full of "geekiness" that should please most Windows-based/.ers. It also doesn't blank the host screen or lock the keyboard by default, though it can.
Also, it only works with one host per license, which can be expensive if you manage multiple hosts, but if you are looking for a remote access solution, this is a solid one. It's certainly not a cheap solution, but if you want rock-solid and secure access, Remotely Anywhere is worth a look.
Not affiliated with the company, just using Remotely Anywhere and certaily enjoying it.
No doubt, this is the tip of the iceberg--Microsoft would be crazy not to move the subscription market forward. What with yearly "upgrades" by most companies, that's what we already have in most areas.
But what many are missing is the vision I really look for: I want an accessible-anywhere, secure, feature-rich "desktop" environment that I can access from ANY 'net-connected computer.
I would like to "log in" and have "My Desktop" available anywhere on any computer. I can partially achieve this using Remote Desktop or an app like Remotely Anywhere, but then I have to host "My Computer" myself.
No, I'm not talking high-end gaming capability, just "My Tools" available in "My Configuration" presented in "My format" tailored to "My Needs." "Office" tools, communications tools, financial tools, etc. Everything that I would typically setup on my home computer, just accessible from anywher ein a secure way. Give me that, and I'll gladly pay for it!
Though not technically a "hub" as such, ReplayTV 5xxx boxes allow full control using the DVArchive app on a networked PC. Shows can be streamed to a player on the PC for viewing, "offloaded" to the PC, and once on the PC, streamed back to the ReplayTV box for viewing or archived to DVD for later viewing in a DVD player. All without DRM.
Unfortunatly, Moxi's picture quality seems to be very "user-specific". By that, I mean that there are two things that must be considered when connecting a Moxi box. First off, you need a strong cable signal--stronger than required by many cable boxes and DVR's. If you have a weak signal, you are bound to have PQ problems. Your cable provider can help with this.
Second, the other problem lies in Moxi's Analog to Digital conversion. All digital and HD cable channels are already compressed and digital, so that data simply gets written to the hard disk. But analog channels are handled differently. Like all "standalone" TiVo or ReplayTV DVR's, Moxi must first convert the analog cable signals to digital and then write it to disk. This process introduces artifacts and degrades picture quality. My assumption is that the picture quality Digeo have chosen for Moxi (it's not user-definable) is a compromise between picture quality and file size. Further, if you are using a larger-screen TV, you will more likely get degraded picture quality regardless of the DVR you have. My ReplayTV box looks great on my 27" TV, but on my boss's 50" wide-screen, it looks horrible. Simply put, you are correct, Moxi's PQ on analog channels is poor, and their recommendation of waiting "until all the channels go digital" is a lame answer.
I've been using Moxi through Charter Cable for a couple months now, and I am personally enamored with it. As a very long-time ReplayTV user, I really can't see much that makes me want to keep using my ReplayTV box. For me, Moxi wins hands-down for four main reasons:
1. Dual Tuner This eliminates almost 100% of my scheduling conflicts. And being able to watch one channel live while another is recording is very nice.
2. Integrated in Cable Box My ReplayTV had horrible problems controlling our old DCT-1000 Digital Cable box using an IR blaster. Unfortunatly, Cable and Satellite compaines are no longer offering serial cable control on their boxes, so the unreliable IR blaster is the only option. Integrating the DVR and the Cable box really makes things easier to use--improves the "wife factor" significantly.
3. HD viewing and recording There is simply no other solution for the price that offers HD viewing and recording. Moxi has this one nailed.
4. Low cost At under $10.00 per month, it will be upwards of three years before I "break even" with TiVo or ReplayTV up-front and subscription costs. This is a big up-front cost savings, and if a new model comes out, I just ask the Cable company for a new box. No selling and re-purchasing of equipment.
That said, I do have two complaints:
1. Charter Cable (in Anderson, SC) does not yet have Video-On-Demand enabled on Moxi. Once this is enabled, it'll be a very solid and complete solution.
2. I miss ReplayTV's "networkability" being able to offload shows to my PC for editing and archival to DVD.
Slashdot Mirror
I know this doesn't answer your question directly, but while I certainly understand that there are "auto documentation" tools, and such available, learning to write your own, comprehensive, thought-out documentation is a very valuable skill that most don't have. Don't rely completely on automated processes. Somewhere along the line, you will find yourself having to hack out code in a text editor, or use a less-than-top-of-the-line development environment, at which point you will have to fall back on your own skills and not those of an auto-documentation program.
Finding a complete and comprehensive development environment is definitely an ideal situation, but don't neglect your knowledge and skill by using it as a crutch.
No, I think you're missing the point. The file was sold by iTunes, and was, in fact, a "song" consisting of nothing more than 1m 3s of silence--that was known from the beginning.
The point of the article is that the person admitted to and documented that he went through the exercise of using "illegal" DRM removal software to create a non-DRM version of the original file. As long as the content of both files are bit-for-bit identical, save the DRM, and the resulting file was created by applying the DRM-removal software to the original file, the issue really becomes one of a DMCA violation. That the song contained nothing but "silence" is irrelevent. (It only serves to question the extent to which the DMCA can be enforced.)
As another poster pointed out, even if "silence" can't be copyrighted, if the guy didn't strip out any existing Cover Art, he COULD be sued for copyright violation.
As absurd as it may sound, this guy could get himself in trouble for this.
Yes, it does sound absurd, but I really don't think this is splitting hairs because it is specifically addressing the extent to which the DMCA can be enforced. This could very well become a "test case" that might prove to be important.
Then again...
GREAT find!
And bookmarking this link gives you a nice start page.
Google never ceases to amaze...
They aren't closed down yet. I suggest you try it out and see if it is of use to you. I love the service because it provides inexpensive DRM-free selections from an excellent catalog. No, it doesn't have "everything" but it has a lot to choose from, and it's updated daily with new content. And the ability to choose the compression size on MP3's is stellar.
Give it a shot!
Though the only language I speak fluently is English, yes, my comment was definitely tounge-in-cheek.
But the important issue in my mind is to provide decent translation services (which the 'fish and Google already do to a degree) that would make pretty much any document readable in any language regardless of the language it was scanned in. The problem is that the current state of online translators provides results that are just readable, often missing nuance and detail. They are a Godsend, but do need work.
Looks very interesting, BUT EVERYTHING IS IN FRENCH! How the hell am I supposed to read it?
Bryan,
/. number, it's very cool to see that you are part of /.'s "Under 1000" club! I'm not THAT far behind! ;-)
Thanks for your input! One problem that I see is that even if a "technical innovator" partners with the likes of a Cable company, it's still the Cable company who ultimately calls the shots. Take, for example, Digeo's new MOXI DVR box. Though it does have its shortcomings, overall, I think it's an excellent DVR choice. It offers great features, has a decent UI, works very well, and has a very attractive price point. (Note: My comparison comes from 5 years as a ReplayTV owner.)
The double-edged sword is that Digeo designed the product to be extremely "feature-tailorable" by the Cable companies. On one hand, this allows them to very easily penetrate a larger market. That's great, but on the other hand, you then have decisions by the likes of Charter who decided things like the "Skip" button will jump 15 MINUTES ahead instead of the originally deployed 30 seconds. This was due to an "executive decision on Charter's part." Once again, the tail wagging the dog.
I certainly hope that "TiVo's Death Watch" ends up being nothing more than journalistic novelty because I too think TiVo is very technologically inovative and has lots of potential. How well all the players play together will ultimately determine TiVo's fate.
-Jim
MoxiTips.com
P.S. After looking at your
...all standalone DVR companies are facing similar hurdles. I have been a long-time ReplayTV user, and when Charter Cable began offering Digeo's new MOXI box, I had to jump at the chance. Yes, it is lacking a few missed features like the ability to offload shows to a PC and "keyword" recording, but the ability to have a dual tuner DVR with fully integrated Digital Cable box (which has virtually eliminated all recording conflicts) along with HD recording, and digital audio outputs for under $10.00 per month with no upfront equipment costs is simply stunning. Neither ReplayTV nor TiVo can touch it from a price/performance perspective. Yes, I am now at the mercy of how the Cable company actually configures the box (for example, I'm patiently awaiting Video On Demand to be rolled out) but the overall experience, feature set, and price point is, to me, excellent. I still have my ReplayTV boxes for offloading shows, but my main DVR is now MOXI.
(Not affiliated with Digeo, just a satisfied customer running a MOXI Tips & Tricks site.)
You make an interesting point!
Way back in the '80's, a company called Berkely Softworks (Later GeoWorks) created a GUI for the Commodore 64 called GEOS (Graphical Environment Operating System) and later, a version for Intel desktop systems, and the long-forgotten Casio "Zoomer" PDA.
What made GEOS truely novel was that it was scalable with different "user levels" that you could assign. The company all but died, but the concept was quite intriguing. Select the "Basic" level, and everything about the GUI was "dumbed down" or "scaled back" to make the experience inviting for a novice user. Applications were full-screen, single-task, no windows, had large buttons, limited menu selections, etc. For example, launch the "Write" (word processor) app, and you were presented with a friendly, simple environment that was limited yet functional enough for a novice user to be productive.
Want more features, increase the "level" to "Intermediate", and suddenly you had task switching, additional buttons, added menu functions, etc.
Change to "Advanced" and you had full multi-tasking, Motif-style GUI with resizable windows, toolbars, extended functions, etc.
It was pretty slick, and way ahead of its time.
The only major problem with this model was that it was up to the developer to decide on what functionality was included in each "level", so we're right back to the design issues. It would have been great if there was some sort of "admin policy" that could have been customized to tailor the functionality from level to level. Also, if I recall correctly, I think the "level" was selected on a system-wide basis, not app-to-app.
An environment like this would certainly appease your Accounting example.
Oh, and I think they may have patented the idea...
OK, so others have already suggested this, but really, it's probably the best solution for many reasons. For example, when the person is done reading them, give the books away to locals to promote the stories. It's educational, and a great way to expose others to the literature. The problem with at PDA is that its the usefulness is really limited to that one person, but if you send books, they can be passed around to countless people. We take things like this for granted but many would love to get their hands on books to pass around...
Unfortunatly, budget cutting is never an easy task. I'm not saying that this particular program should or shouldn'e be cut, but the fact remains that in order to effectively cut costs, a line has to be drawn somewhere, and it's a certain guarantee that not everyone will agree where that line should be drawn.
Why is it so hard for people to accept that the Social Security system needs to be updated. Yes it is true that it won't become a true burden for several decades, but why whould we continually put off the inevitable? If the administration and/or Congress can come up with a viable solution to correct a long-term problem, why shouldn't it be persued? We all may not agree with President Bush's specific solution, but he did say that his administration is open to considering alternative solutions....
The problem as I see it is that we are in the middle of a Catch-22 problem whereby those who are currently collecting Social Security benefits don't want to lose their benefits, (into which they have paid) and those currently paying into it want to see an return on their "investment." All the while, simple demographics and trends show that the system is heading toward long-term problems, and and the future of the system in general is in question.
We should commend President Bush at the very least for taking the initiative in presenting the problem to the country, offering a solution, and wanting to actually do something about it instead of simply talking while actually pushing it off for the mext administration to deal with. President Bush has been a man of his word in most cases in that he has set administrative goals and plans for specific projects and initiatives, and he actually carried them out. His track record for planning and executing his plans are very evident. While you may not agree with his specific plans or their even execution, President Bush certainly has come through on his proposals.
What I find interesting is that The Constitution specifically reads "Congress shall make no law..." OK, that's Congress. What about local governments? Are, by extension, included under the "Congressional umbrella" or are they "separate" with the legal ability to make such laws? I am not a constitutional scholar, so please enlighten me!
You bring up a good point, and you are a great example of the notion that all techmology is not right for everyone. That's why it's so nice that we DO have some choices. For someone in your situation, your best bet just might be to find the best standalone DVR that works for you be it a TiVo, a Media Center PC, or a home-brew box. The important thing is that you recognize that your setup lends itself to a standalone solution.
I spend the extra money (and probably too much at that) on lots of Cable channels, so adding the cost of a Moxi DVR was nothing more than an additional $10.00 fee. My main reason is that I was a ReplayTV guru, and simply couldn't get my ReplayTV boxes to work well with our Digital Cable boxes. There's nothing worse than messing with IR blasters that only work marginally. The integrated, dual tuner of our Moxi box sealed the deal. So for us, the extra cost and the lack of the occasional ReplayTV feature has been well worth it.
As for VOD, I think you are missing the point. VOD is simply an additional choice for the viewer. Yes, the VOD selections tend to be older movies, but they provide the viewer the ability to watch a show when he wants to watch it. "But wait," you say, "that's what my TiVo is for!" Yes, but can your TiVo hold the large, extensive library of VOD choices that the Cable company offers? I didn't think so. The whole point is to provide more options for the viewer when there is "nothing on" to watch. Yo don't have to watch them, but it'snice to know they are available.
For "hardcore viewers" this will certainly be an issue. We only record a select few shows and series, and so far, Moxi records them just fine. No doubt, if we required more sophistocated recording, we would get stung.
Again, it's a matter of perspective. Yes, this article is a TiVo-centric one, but from one who comes from the ReplayTV world, Moxi is a Godsend because believe it or not, it actually provides much more information that ReplayTV users are used to! Its UI implementation, while cutesy, does have its shortcomings, but so does every other UI. My only real complaint is the lack of a "Grid Guide" and the inability to "go back" in time on the Channels listing.
I hate to sound redundent, but again, it's a matter of perspective. Yes, there are many, many disappointed Moxi users, but there are also a very large number of satisfied users. For me, the ability to have a dual tuner, HD-capable DVR with lots of extras outweighs all the hassles and problems I had trying to get standalone DVR's working with digital cable boxes using lousy IR blasters. Just keep in mind that Moxi is still in its infancy. A new software release that addresses a number of issues (but of course, not all) is forthcoming. TiVo is quite a number of software revs old and has had lots of time to mature. In many markets, Moxi is still in "Beta" so some of its shortcomings can be forgiven...
After using a Digeo Moxi box for several months, I really feel that the likes of TiVo and ReplayTV have huge hurdles against them. I am a long-time ReplayTV user, and though I chose ReplayTV over TiVo, I certainly respect and even envy TiVo's design and imp0lementation. TV viewing without SOME sort of DVR is, to me, a huge step backward.
That said, the Moxi box is certainly not without its foults, and while I absolutely miss the ability to offload shows to my PC (thus I keep my ReplayTV 5000 running) the simple fact is that Moxi's integrated dual digital cable tuners, (eliminating virtually all scheduling conflicts) its ability to record HD programs, its inclusion of games, a Ticker (Weather, News, Sports, etc.) and forthcoming Video On Demand for under $10.00 per month with no up-front equipment costs blows the doors offf of TiVo or ReplayTV hands-down. Joe Sixpack isn't going to care if a feature or two are missing as long as he gets a high "cool factor" at a low price, and DVR's like Moxi deliver.
Given that you said you are soon to graduate, just remember that specifically what you do next in your career will not necessarily determine where you end up down the road. Don't lose sight of the fact that you have your whole life ahead of you. Most people coming right out of college are programmed (pun intended) to try to land the perfect, career-launching job. While this is the best case scenario, your best bet is to approach your career life as a realist.
Certainly don't sell yourself short, just don't expect to land the perfect, high-paying, life-fulfilling job right out of college. Use this time to try to realistically focus on where you want to end up, and let it happen. Obviously your milage may vary, and this depends on many factors: Education, experience, region, specific field, economy, etc.
Also, don't lock yourself into one specific geographical region unless it is absolutely important to you. You have the most flexibility at your stage in life than at any other time, so if the job market in your area seems bleak, by all means, branch out and see what's available in other regions.
One thing that I just discovered is that it turns out that LogMeIn.com is owned by 3am Labs who also owns Remotely Anywhere, so they are using the same technology. The free version of Logmein.com provides simple, secure remote connectivity to one host. The "pro" version (which costs a monthly fee) allows full remote control of one host as well as other nice features such as full file transfer capabilities, remote printing, and other features. You can add additional hosts for a reduced fee.
My advice is that if you re-assign the hosted PC frequently, or if you don't need the file transfer or remote printing capabilities, or have a dynamic IP address, then you may want to use the free version of LogMeIn.com, but if you use a dynamic DNS service (such as MyServer.org) and want to manage things yourself, then consider investing in Remotely Anywhere. Unless you are expensing it or can afford it, I don't think I can recommend the fee-based service because the full Remotely Anywhere package will cost you less within a year.
The Workstation edition of Remotely Anywhere is a VERY solid application. It costs about a hundred bucks, and is for Windows, but it offers excellent remote features including file transfer, remote computer management of resources and services, and full remote desktop control that in my opinion surpasses Microsoft Remote Desktop in speed and function. It uses either Active X, Java, or plain HTML for remoe access providing you maximum flexibility.
/.ers. It also doesn't blank the host screen or lock the keyboard by default, though it can.
It is highly configurable and full of "geekiness" that should please most Windows-based
Also, it only works with one host per license, which can be expensive if you manage multiple hosts, but if you are looking for a remote access solution, this is a solid one. It's certainly not a cheap solution, but if you want rock-solid and secure access, Remotely Anywhere is worth a look.
Not affiliated with the company, just using Remotely Anywhere and certaily enjoying it.
No doubt, this is the tip of the iceberg--Microsoft would be crazy not to move the subscription market forward. What with yearly "upgrades" by most companies, that's what we already have in most areas.
But what many are missing is the vision I really look for: I want an accessible-anywhere, secure, feature-rich "desktop" environment that I can access from ANY 'net-connected computer.
I would like to "log in" and have "My Desktop" available anywhere on any computer. I can partially achieve this using Remote Desktop or an app like Remotely Anywhere, but then I have to host "My Computer" myself.
No, I'm not talking high-end gaming capability, just "My Tools" available in "My Configuration" presented in "My format" tailored to "My Needs." "Office" tools, communications tools, financial tools, etc. Everything that I would typically setup on my home computer, just accessible from anywher ein a secure way. Give me that, and I'll gladly pay for it!
Though not technically a "hub" as such, ReplayTV 5xxx boxes allow full control using the DVArchive app on a networked PC. Shows can be streamed to a player on the PC for viewing, "offloaded" to the PC, and once on the PC, streamed back to the ReplayTV box for viewing or archived to DVD for later viewing in a DVD player. All without DRM.
Unfortunatly, Moxi's picture quality seems to be very "user-specific". By that, I mean that there are two things that must be considered when connecting a Moxi box. First off, you need a strong cable signal--stronger than required by many cable boxes and DVR's. If you have a weak signal, you are bound to have PQ problems. Your cable provider can help with this.
Second, the other problem lies in Moxi's Analog to Digital conversion. All digital and HD cable channels are already compressed and digital, so that data simply gets written to the hard disk. But analog channels are handled differently. Like all "standalone" TiVo or ReplayTV DVR's, Moxi must first convert the analog cable signals to digital and then write it to disk. This process introduces artifacts and degrades picture quality. My assumption is that the picture quality Digeo have chosen for Moxi (it's not user-definable) is a compromise between picture quality and file size. Further, if you are using a larger-screen TV, you will more likely get degraded picture quality regardless of the DVR you have. My ReplayTV box looks great on my 27" TV, but on my boss's 50" wide-screen, it looks horrible. Simply put, you are correct, Moxi's PQ on analog channels is poor, and their recommendation of waiting "until all the channels go digital" is a lame answer.
I've been using Moxi through Charter Cable for a couple months now, and I am personally enamored with it. As a very long-time ReplayTV user, I really can't see much that makes me want to keep using my ReplayTV box. For me, Moxi wins hands-down for four main reasons:
1. Dual Tuner
This eliminates almost 100% of my scheduling conflicts. And being able to watch one channel live while another is recording is very nice.
2. Integrated in Cable Box
My ReplayTV had horrible problems controlling our old DCT-1000 Digital Cable box using an IR blaster. Unfortunatly, Cable and Satellite compaines are no longer offering serial cable control on their boxes, so the unreliable IR blaster is the only option. Integrating the DVR and the Cable box really makes things easier to use--improves the "wife factor" significantly.
3. HD viewing and recording
There is simply no other solution for the price that offers HD viewing and recording. Moxi has this one nailed.
4. Low cost
At under $10.00 per month, it will be upwards of three years before I "break even" with TiVo or ReplayTV up-front and subscription costs. This is a big up-front cost savings, and if a new model comes out, I just ask the Cable company for a new box. No selling and re-purchasing of equipment.
That said, I do have two complaints:
1. Charter Cable (in Anderson, SC) does not yet have Video-On-Demand enabled on Moxi. Once this is enabled, it'll be a very solid and complete solution.
2. I miss ReplayTV's "networkability" being able to offload shows to my PC for editing and archival to DVD.
-Jim
MoxiTips.com