Last weekend I went down to the beach and a local radio station was having a "battle of the bands" (corny, but it was cool) where they had several local bands play sets. Not only were they helping local bands to get play time (and the bands were quite good), they also specifically billed themselves as the only non-corporate "anti-clearchannel" radio station around.
Whenever I hear about clearchannel I think of the movie "Airheads"
They've been doing it for years, Epson, for example, put foam in their ink packs which was specifically designed to prevent refills, thus pretty much forcing you to buy "genuine" epson ink cartridges. It's nothing new, I just wish there were more companies that would simply be honest and sell a more-expensive printer marketed as having cheap ink and a cheaper TCO...
of course, if they have an "extra" area for shows like this, I'd be pissed that my 40 hour tivo should have been a 41 hour tivo. If I had one at all, that is:)
This is disgusting behavior by both companies. What gives them the right to decide what everyone will watch? What if Penthouse paid Tivo to force everyone to record porn all night? And what's up with the show not being able to be deleted the file for a week?
Is there a warning on the box that says it'll do this?
As long as it is optional then I think it is a good idea. The choice should really be up to the user, I was glad to see that both Word and Excel had the option to turn MDI on/off.
Sales don't mean everything, what would be more accurate about popularity would be if they could include sharing, giveaways, and non-primary store purchases (think swap meet, thrift store). Taken in the software context, this sort of metric is like saying apache sucks because nobody buys it from a store.
That said, I encourage you all to read the Hyperion set by Dan Simmons (read ALL of them, the best reading is in the last book of the series)
Yep. I've always wondered why nextel hasn't been sued, their products pretty clearly interfere with other stuff which should (I think) be in violation of FCC regs.
I'm not a big supporter of the FCC (who frequently overstep their bounds), but this is exactly why parts of the radio spectrum need to be regulated. The entire reason that the FCC keeps such tight control is so that companies that invest in radio equipment have some assurance that the guy next door won't simply drown out his signal with more powerful equipment.
But then again, every time my boss walks by with his cell phone, my monitors fuzz out and my speakers make strange noises from whatever signals the cell phone is emitting...
Macrovision is still in use today, it "protects" me from playing DVD's through my VCR, even though I own legally the TV, VCR, DVD player, and DVD's.
Lots of these wacky anti-piracy measures just end up interfering with legitimate uses. When it's easier for me to download a movie than to buy it on DVD then they've gone too far...
One problem. When half-life came out it was one of the first games to have the cd-key stored server side, so that you couldn't play online if someone else had your key (ie, no wide-spread keys for all the pirates to use).
Well, some enterprising people would go to the store (or they worked there), open the box, get the legit key, then return the game. Now they had a working cd-key. Then someone comes and buys that same box. They try to play, and their key comes up as pirated. They didn't do anything wrong but still got screwed.
Server side checking only works when you're forced to connect to their servers to verify the key, so in your example of serialized movies, you would have to dial in to the MPAA's servers before you could watch anything, and if they decided to revoke you key then you're outta luck.
So, good ideas, and I totally agree that legistlation won't do anything but fill up more of our prisons with non-violent offenders.
URL's: people change hosts, usually due to money concerns
filenames: people change languages (php, perl, asp, etc), site layouts, functionality.
filenames: intentionally changed to prevent deep linking (heh heh)
When I change a URI it is usually because I'm changing the logical structure of that program. However I also usually check the referrer logs, and if there has been an outside referral then I will put in a redirect for the old file, and contact the site that had the link to ask them to change it.
There is no excuse for having broken links on your own site though, though it does happen to the best of us:)
I don't know about you, but that is the sort of treatment that might push me into stealing stuff. When the company trusts and respects me, I will trust and respect the company. If they think I'm theiving scum, then I must be so I'll feel better about screwing the company.
Exactly. Laws are *supposed* to represent what the people want them to be. Unfortunately, there is so much money flowing into politicians pockets from corporations and lobbying groups that _they_ are deciding for us what is right and wrong.
We need to vote for people who will represent *us*!
Actually if you browse at +3 all the time, the comments are usually informed, intelligent, and articulate:)
It's only when you start allowing everyone to post at the same level (ie no ranking system) that you see so much crap. If something gets to +3 than at least one person out there thought it had merit.
Yeah, a station did a similar thing in Oregon. When they switched formats, they ran a countdown. Using a text-to-voice synth they counted down in that computer voice for 5 days. Every few numbers they would throw in a one-liner at random.
Unfortunately, they went Country, much to my dismay.
I can't believe how clueless people are that think viruses aren't dangerous. True the recent big ones have been annoyware, but it would have been childs play for their author to put in a malicious payload that could have erased everything on everyone's drives. It only takes one bad virus to cause trillions of dollars in damage, real damage. We should be taking these non-destructive ones as warning shots, not passing them off as just pranks.
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Remember to think of the overall price of the system.
XM: $250+ for a complete system + $10/mo for the life of the radio.
Sirius: $320+ for a system + $13/mo for the life of the radio.
Figuring you'll keep the radio/car for, say, 10 years, that comes to:
XM: $1450
Sirius: $1880
Now that you have the ACTUAL cost, think about what a great mp3 player you could get for $1500!
They tried this scam on me to get voice mail, they wanted $5 a month ($600 / 10 years) to do what my $15 answering machine does already.
Travis
Last weekend I went down to the beach and a local radio station was having a "battle of the bands" (corny, but it was cool) where they had several local bands play sets. Not only were they helping local bands to get play time (and the bands were quite good), they also specifically billed themselves as the only non-corporate "anti-clearchannel" radio station around.
Whenever I hear about clearchannel I think of the movie "Airheads"
Travis
1) A roll of quarters doesn't go as far as it used to :(
:)
2) Definately! Just don't lend the tools out to strangers
3) Some schools force dormrats to use their network cards, especially if the student isn't a computer person.
My suggestion: a fan! My dorm had horrible cooling and I had to leave the fan on nearly all the time.
Travis
They've been doing it for years, Epson, for example, put foam in their ink packs which was specifically designed to prevent refills, thus pretty much forcing you to buy "genuine" epson ink cartridges. It's nothing new, I just wish there were more companies that would simply be honest and sell a more-expensive printer marketed as having cheap ink and a cheaper TCO...
Travis
of course, if they have an "extra" area for shows like this, I'd be pissed that my 40 hour tivo should have been a 41 hour tivo. If I had one at all, that is :)
Travis
This is disgusting behavior by both companies. What gives them the right to decide what everyone will watch? What if Penthouse paid Tivo to force everyone to record porn all night? And what's up with the show not being able to be deleted the file for a week?
Is there a warning on the box that says it'll do this?
Travis
As long as it is optional then I think it is a good idea. The choice should really be up to the user, I was glad to see that both Word and Excel had the option to turn MDI on/off.
Travis
Sales don't mean everything, what would be more accurate about popularity would be if they could include sharing, giveaways, and non-primary store purchases (think swap meet, thrift store). Taken in the software context, this sort of metric is like saying apache sucks because nobody buys it from a store.
That said, I encourage you all to read the Hyperion set by Dan Simmons (read ALL of them, the best reading is in the last book of the series)
Travis
Yep. I've always wondered why nextel hasn't been sued, their products pretty clearly interfere with other stuff which should (I think) be in violation of FCC regs.
Travis
I'm not a big supporter of the FCC (who frequently overstep their bounds), but this is exactly why parts of the radio spectrum need to be regulated. The entire reason that the FCC keeps such tight control is so that companies that invest in radio equipment have some assurance that the guy next door won't simply drown out his signal with more powerful equipment.
But then again, every time my boss walks by with his cell phone, my monitors fuzz out and my speakers make strange noises from whatever signals the cell phone is emitting...
Travis
And it's safer than Sircam because those attachments aren't infected, it's just the one executable file that is infected.
:)
I've gotten some web pages, and a list of cargo trucks leaving raleigh, SC on April 18th!
Travis
Bill must have mean 640 kilo-billion (dollars).
Man, he sure planned ahead!
Travis
oh man, little designs in my toast! That would kick ass :)
talk about a killer app!
Travis
I do know that Office 2000/XP do have discussion threading, and yes it's very nice for active mailing lists :)
Travis
Macrovision is still in use today, it "protects" me from playing DVD's through my VCR, even though I own legally the TV, VCR, DVD player, and DVD's.
Lots of these wacky anti-piracy measures just end up interfering with legitimate uses. When it's easier for me to download a movie than to buy it on DVD then they've gone too far...
Travis
One problem. When half-life came out it was one of the first games to have the cd-key stored server side, so that you couldn't play online if someone else had your key (ie, no wide-spread keys for all the pirates to use).
Well, some enterprising people would go to the store (or they worked there), open the box, get the legit key, then return the game. Now they had a working cd-key. Then someone comes and buys that same box. They try to play, and their key comes up as pirated. They didn't do anything wrong but still got screwed.
Server side checking only works when you're forced to connect to their servers to verify the key, so in your example of serialized movies, you would have to dial in to the MPAA's servers before you could watch anything, and if they decided to revoke you key then you're outta luck.
So, good ideas, and I totally agree that legistlation won't do anything but fill up more of our prisons with non-violent offenders.
Travis
URL's: people change hosts, usually due to money concerns
:)
filenames: people change languages (php, perl, asp, etc), site layouts, functionality.
filenames: intentionally changed to prevent deep linking (heh heh)
When I change a URI it is usually because I'm changing the logical structure of that program. However I also usually check the referrer logs, and if there has been an outside referral then I will put in a redirect for the old file, and contact the site that had the link to ask them to change it.
There is no excuse for having broken links on your own site though, though it does happen to the best of us
Travis
I don't know about you, but that is the sort of treatment that might push me into stealing stuff. When the company trusts and respects me, I will trust and respect the company. If they think I'm theiving scum, then I must be so I'll feel better about screwing the company.
Travis
The difference is that Ad-Aware gives you a list of things that it can remove. RadLight simply removes ad-aware without any prompts or warnings.
If radlight gave a prompt, and let the user decide whether to uninstall or not, then they would be in better waters.
Travis
Exactly. Laws are *supposed* to represent what the people want them to be. Unfortunately, there is so much money flowing into politicians pockets from corporations and lobbying groups that _they_ are deciding for us what is right and wrong.
We need to vote for people who will represent *us*!
Travis
Actually if you browse at +3 all the time, the comments are usually informed, intelligent, and articulate :)
It's only when you start allowing everyone to post at the same level (ie no ranking system) that you see so much crap. If something gets to +3 than at least one person out there thought it had merit.
Travis
Yeah, a station did a similar thing in Oregon. When they switched formats, they ran a countdown. Using a text-to-voice synth they counted down in that computer voice for 5 days. Every few numbers they would throw in a one-liner at random.
Unfortunately, they went Country, much to my dismay.
Travis
I can't believe how clueless people are that think viruses aren't dangerous. True the recent big ones have been annoyware, but it would have been childs play for their author to put in a malicious payload that could have erased everything on everyone's drives. It only takes one bad virus to cause trillions of dollars in damage, real damage. We should be taking these non-destructive ones as warning shots, not passing them off as just pranks.
Travis
Then again, maybe your brain is slowly dying. :)
I just find EP1 boring, even the first time in the theater I simply didn't care one way or the other what happened to the characters...
Travis
Simple fact is that hackers are now more trustworthy than corporations.
:)
Wait, it's been that way for years!
Travis