It's pretty clear, to me, the fact that apple wants to find another means of getting kids hooked on apple early, while at the same time trying demonstrate to school officals that, "Really, apple is a wonderful platform, you should buy more of them".
My newphew attends a local Jr. highschool and they actually have AV classes where they use Imacs, which while I have to admit, when they came out they were able to edit video easily while many PCs were struggling along in this area(remember Gateway's $4000+ solution?). While this nitch application was enough to get the school hooked on Imacs, it's presently not enough to keep them at it. They are going PCs. Cheeper to maintain, easy to upgrade, and franky more people know windows to mac. While I have some respect for the mac, part of education is getting kids ready for the real world, and the real world for the most part, uses PCs.
I'll have to check to see if they are on the mailing list for free Ipads. This has always been one of apples marketing sucesses, get the kids familar with the gear at an early age so all other things are judged based on their first experences with an apple product.
I was actually fortunate enough to be lent a copy of Shada. Basicly there was so much film footage missing that Tom baker read the script. It was *enjoyable* but rather difficult to watch.
Fortunatly they have a time travel machine to cover the inconsistancy with Ramana being with the 8th doctor Paul McGann traveling back to 1979, understandable that Tom Baker is dead as a can of spam. (I can't rightly remember if the VHS edition took place shortly after the "Keys of Time" sequence)
The animation is a touch static, no attempt to make mouths move, but as with most doctor who stuff, video was secondary to the audio effects which was something the BBC was always briliant at. Should be BBC actually decide to go over their old scrips of eps that they lost their masters to, i'd be MOST happy to watch the flash animation. Hell in my region, the local PBS station took 10 years to actually repeat the 7th doctor stuff, and the first time around, they skipped many episodes.
Not to speak of the radio only productions they have done
I'd be happier if the bbc in their wisdom decided to continue the series primetime, real life or animated.
While I question the eurgonomics of such a device, I feel a solution is simple. Just join it with an ear bud.
http://www.greatbuyusa.com/product_detail.asp?pr od uct_id=MA12W-A&site=DDI http://www.functionalb.co m/watch.html http://home.kimo.com.tw/waterradio20 01/radiowatch. htm
I remember the first time I saw such a device in the early 1980's. While it was technicaly impossible to actually create a radio watch that wasn't remarkably tacky, I welcome this idea. No fear of loosing the cellphone, only your earbud.
The first thing that comes to mind are the older style pizza boxes like the Mac LC III for example.
While one can be critical of that style, not everyone has the space for your typical full tower. But in this current generation computing I have to ask, "why not get a laptop?" But that's just me personaly.
"I know.. I'm being picky here... but... Your actually reffering to a machine screw. High number of threads per inch and non tapered. Exactly the opposite of a sheetmetal screw."
Hmmm, you could be right, I just looked at my xp-2000+ and it's entirly possible that they used machine screws.
Usually when I think about fans on heatsyncs, I think of screws that sorta wedge them selfs between the fins, which calls for a tapered low thread per inch/cm, i.e. sheetmetal screws.
Are you nitpicking, well yea, but the use of machine screws limit the number of options for fan sizes, so it's a valid nitpick. Error due to the fact that the fan on my XP has not yet failed, hince i've not replaced it.
Give WINE a EULA that requires all Microsoft employies or people representing the interests of the Microsoft Corp release all the source code into the public domain. This way in the event that the Microsoft corp decides to enforce their EULA, people who represent Wine can tell the judge that Microsoft has to repsect their EULA.
They can be changed at anytime don't ya know.
While this would be silly, it would demonstrate a valid point the fact that EULA are not nessicarly legit contracts embedded in stone.
Fan replacement doesn't = heat sync replacement
on
AMD: No Grease For You!
·
· Score: 2, Informative
"In a surprising turn of events, this article over at Xtreme Tek explains that the official stance from AMD is that you will void your warranty if you use any thermal grease or if you're not using the heatsink provided with your CPU."
What I don't fully understand is the gripe about those who buy in the retail box who have fans that are inadquate and need replacement? Doesn't it say "heatsink" not fan? Now I don't know about anyone else in here, but can't you just replace the fan with a series of 4 screws?
While yes, they make BETTER syncs, users who's fan has failed on the stock heat sync, who have no complaints about the present heat sync, provided their replacement fan is within the same size, speed, and airflow specifications don't have anything to worry about (in theory).
Personaly, I find it "much" easier removing 4 sheetmetal screws then dealing with the cpu clip anyday!
Every university I know of not only has student accounts, but also have www/ftp servers as well so students can exchange information. Sometimes used for personal photos and what not, but often times used to gather and share research. This was one of the primary reasons I wanted internet access in the first place.
I can in part understand not using filesharing services such as kazza / morphus which for the most part consume much bandwidth, and are almost always used for *entertainment*, as well as the liablity of sharing copyrighted materials.
But universities are places for research as well. While I can agree that they have every right probiting users from sharing that Metalica CD... present policy seems to limit how you public your research on let's say BlueGreen Alge. Not exactly the stuff you'd find in kazaa.
In the 21st centry, we need to respect the fact that multimedia is an excelent way to present information, wether it be mp3, mpeg, or dare I say it power point.
Ya know before napster, porn was the number 1 bandwith consumer at universities. Napster gave credibility to the internet, dispite the fact that the stuff traded was in complete violation of copyrights.
about 3 years ago, you could ask someone about the internet, and they would say it's a good place to get porn. when napster came on the scene, it gave people, your average joe, a reason to get an account other then to get porn.
Now the very service that actually permited access to media that isn't porn, is now going tits up and knickers down, well, I don't know about you, but this makes me a very sad panda.
For some reason, in our socity of dual tape decks and cd-recorders, it's pretty much standard practice already to make duplicatios, mix tapes, all in plain site, how with Napster going porn, it's not more of an Entrance in rear deal.
If ripping was perfect, and each rip was a flawless copy off the CD it was released from, then fingerprinting would result in a nice unique identifier of a release.
However, ripping isn't perfect. Most modern drives have provisions to not allow direct cd copy, which is why ripping techniques are required. Ripping programs are subject to the studder effect, as they don't always knab the track at first start, and some times the disk skips. So, you'll have in theory a uniquely large amount of unique identification tags.
The only way a rip would be perfect is if you happy to be lucky enough to own a drive that is pre "prevent digital copy", like an old toshiba 2x unit.
Now this would be a pain in the ascii to actually index. I mean, this requires humans. Lots of humans.
Not to speak of those things that were not released on CD. I have some clasic vinyl that I couldn't ever find on CD. I even have been contacted by the band members. Like Dumptruck, "wow, cool you have that, you know you coudln't buy that LP when it was new".
Unique identification system, while I would approve of it for the most part, ain't no thing, would require a staff of thousands to pay attention to this shit.
Now if they plan to just have the default be to share, and filter based on a complaint, that's acceptable. If they plan to actually put into the mp3 fields artest / title / other info, that's nifty! But to assume that you can create a digital figerprint, to assume that it can NOT be changed as easy as a file name, that's stupid.
For the most part, artists who don't support the mp3 trade are not one's I want in my database. It has nothing to do with their views on the subject, it just happens to be the case. The people whom I like say, "hey, get our name out".
I you honestly think that DC would even consider taking the time to ask for these devices back? Seriously they have at-least 2million floating around, another 5 million to give away.
Do you know how much time, bother, and effort it would take to get even 1 cuecat back from one person.
A person would have to send out a letter, or make a phone call asking for said device back. They must state the address and basic instructions on how to package the said cuecat. This is alot of bother for a sub $5.00 item.
MANUFACTURING AND MARKETING AGREEMENT
between
DIGITALCONVERGENCE.COM INC.
and
TANDY CORPORATION
3.9. END USER RETURNS. Tandy shall exchange any malfunctioning:CAT
Product distributed by Tandy that is brought by a customer to the store from
which it was distributed. Tandy may require the customer to return the defective:CAT Product in order to receive a replacement. Digital Convergence shall be
entitled to receive, and Tandy shall provide, a credit on all sums due under
this Agreement for each:CAT Product returned by an end-user within one hundred
twenty (120) days from the date of Delivery due to a defect in workmanship or
materials, or a failure to properly operate, provided that the total number of such returned products
exceeds three (3%) of the applicable Order (as measured by the number of
returned:CAT Products during a twelve (12)-month period compared to the total
number of:CAT Products distributed by Tandy during the same period).
4.9. END USER LICENSE. Digital Convergence shall provide Tandy with an
end-user license to be included in or on the packaging for the Products. Tandy
will only distribute Products to end users.
So under the terms of the contract between Tandy Corperation and Digital Convergence Page 11 sub section 4.9, only end users are authorized to receive said product. Please goto your local Radio Shack with "Unauthorized developer" statement, and force them to accept a return of the cuecat based under the statement, "I am not authorized to receive this product, and to do so violates your contract. Or just a signed statement witnessed by the staff at Radio Shack, "I reject the EULA" will do.
READ THE CONTRACT
You can use the same disk to install the cuecat software on multiable machines.
You can not give the disk to someone else to install on machines.
You can not put the software on your web site to allow others to download it to put on other machines. You can not download their software and post it on your web site for others to download. You can download their software and install it on multiable machines.
It means if you break it while fucking with it, it's your own damn fault, we didn't tell you to do this anyway. Fuck you.
Also, if you violate FCC regulations fucking with your shit, ain't the fault of Radio Shack, your own fucking fault.
Further, if you fuck up someone else's ablity to use their electronic equipment (TV, Radio, whatever) by fucking with your device, then you have lost the right to use your fucking device.
No doubt, along with www.readerware.com.
Though, wether a lawsuit has merit or not is a good question.
Clearly someone wrote a package to use the free bar code readers. Great, now someone is trying to profit from it. Great!
Is Digital Convergence's IP being violated. NO. Bar Codes are NOT their property.
Diffrence being the 3 year ISP contract in exchange for $500 is just that, a written contract the user enters into out of their own free will. $500 now in exchange for about $800 in 3 years isn't a bad deal, and you are not obligated to sign in. If you like Compuserve or MSN great. Deals are still around, I was rather hoping though that there were some deals like that for DSL.
The:CueCat device "Is free", and no contract is disclosed when you get it from Rat Shack, and they come free in the mail.
DC's business plan is perfectly acceptable. They plan to corner the market on imbedded information.:Cues on TV and Radio, as well as paper:Cues, where you must pay DC a fee to get a code issued, and further get information from Digital Demographics.
Now their plan is hopeless as digital media already has imbedded information, the only thing missing is the little cable between your TV and computer, though that is not too far off. And their hope to corner the market on bar codes is just a little too late by about 20 years. I'd rather have ethernet or even USB over a 1 way audio connection. Given the audio cue technology is the only one actually with a pattent, I'd say good luck guys, see you with your chapter-22 in under 2 years.
There is another issue that isn't being addressed here.
I have Moody Blues "Every Boy Deserves a Favor" on 8track, on Vinyl, Cassette, and CD.
How many times must I buy it before I am granted the rights to play the music. Am I required under the current record recording EULA.
Am I required to purchace another copy as soon as a new standard comes out. What must I pay before I am grated the right to backup somthing I purchaced on CD. If I own it on cassette, am I required to purchace it on CD?
MP3's are great because music I own on non-cd formats can be downloaded and played into the ground without wrecking the origional.
At about $12-$15 a pop when it's new, over the past 20 years this would me thousands of dollars.
The boneheads put their registered file in a public directory.
http://net.c-me-register.com/Registrations/registr ations.txt
The server was not hacked as their claim, but their net admin's were morons.
The problem with putting up a server on the net, the world doesn't know what's private or public unless the server setup. A public anonymous ftp might setup to permit anonymous upload from the outside looks like a fine place to exchange files. From the inside, "Why is our DDS line so slow". Try an FTP search at ftpsearch.lycos.com and ask your self how many of these people know their server is being used by the public.
Fact, if you set your directories to be public, then the public can access them. Don't blame the users for not having your secure information SECURE! Don't blame the theif if you neglected to lock your door.
Major diffrence. Proper owners manuals are a requirement so that the end user doesn't endanger them selves and others. Not a licence agreement.
A car includes an owners manual with seatbelts instructions. If the instructions for said seatbelts are incorrect, then it's possible for the car co. to be held responcible. Sad but true. In my experence, contraceptive jelly states, "should not be taken oraly".
Now let's look at the service based industry. Cable telivision, they often rent a converter box in order to access their service. As you rent the equipment it is theirs. A contract is signed to this effect. With the CueCat, NO contract was signed, and signing up for their service is not a pre-requisit for getting the hardware.
To enforce their licence, the user must sign-up first. Otherwise we do have the option to say, "NO, I DO NOT ACCEPT THE EULA, BUT THANKS FOR THE BAR CODE READER".
What about the free gift scam. "You won a price, a free bar grill, some see our little sales pitch get free bar brill". Should what DC is doing be acceptable, then they could, "By accepting our free gift you agree to purchace whatever we are attempting to sell you".
The use of bar codes, no matter how creative, is not the exclusive IP of anyone except the copyright holder of barcodes. No more than a POS (Point of Sale) system is the IP of anyone. When it comes to the:Colon:CAT, when it comes down to it, it's just a bar code reader, and has 'bout the same protection as a mouse.
The only Patent I know of that:Colon:Convergence has not pending is for the Audio Cue technology, which will likely disapear with advent of digital brodcast media. However, they don't hold a patent on the cable required, no is the audio cable their IP, no matter how creative they instruct you to use it.
If worse comes to worse, you can always sell it on E-bay. "$7 handling fee. No exceptions" seems to be one of the cuecats that's actually taking bids. I'm sure there are plenty of folks outside the US who would be happy to actually pay for the:Double:Colon device. I'd be perfectly happy if all their demographics came from places they don't care about.
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Weed picking robots are not qualified to run mucks.
It's pretty clear, to me, the fact that apple wants to find another means of getting kids hooked on apple early, while at the same time trying demonstrate to school officals that, "Really, apple is a wonderful platform, you should buy more of them".
My newphew attends a local Jr. highschool and they actually have AV classes where they use Imacs, which while I have to admit, when they came out they were able to edit video easily while many PCs were struggling along in this area(remember Gateway's $4000+ solution?). While this nitch application was enough to get the school hooked on Imacs, it's presently not enough to keep them at it. They are going PCs. Cheeper to maintain, easy to upgrade, and franky more people know windows to mac. While I have some respect for the mac, part of education is getting kids ready for the real world, and the real world for the most part, uses PCs.
I'll have to check to see if they are on the mailing list for free Ipads. This has always been one of apples marketing sucesses, get the kids familar with the gear at an early age so all other things are judged based on their first experences with an apple product.
I was actually fortunate enough to be lent a copy of Shada. Basicly there was so much film footage missing that Tom baker read the script. It was *enjoyable* but rather difficult to watch.
Fortunatly they have a time travel machine to cover the inconsistancy with Ramana being with the 8th doctor Paul McGann traveling back to 1979, understandable that Tom Baker is dead as a can of spam. (I can't rightly remember if the VHS edition took place shortly after the "Keys of Time" sequence)
The animation is a touch static, no attempt to make mouths move, but as with most doctor who stuff, video was secondary to the audio effects which was something the BBC was always briliant at. Should be BBC actually decide to go over their old scrips of eps that they lost their masters to, i'd be MOST happy to watch the flash animation. Hell in my region, the local PBS station took 10 years to actually repeat the 7th doctor stuff, and the first time around, they skipped many episodes.
Not to speak of the radio only productions they have done
I'd be happier if the bbc in their wisdom decided to continue the series primetime, real life or animated.
Oh.. crap?
While I question the eurgonomics of such a device, I feel a solution is simple. Just join it with an ear bud.
r od uct_id=MA12W-A&site=DDIo m/watch.html0 01/radiowatch. htm
http://www.greatbuyusa.com/product_detail.asp?p
http://www.functionalb.c
http://home.kimo.com.tw/waterradio2
I remember the first time I saw such a device in the early 1980's. While it was technicaly impossible to actually create a radio watch that wasn't remarkably tacky, I welcome this idea. No fear of loosing the cellphone, only your earbud.
Bongonic brease?
The first thing that comes to mind are the older style pizza boxes like the Mac LC III for example.
While one can be critical of that style, not everyone has the space for your typical full tower. But in this current generation computing I have to ask, "why not get a laptop?" But that's just me personaly.
"I know.. I'm being picky here... but... Your actually reffering to a machine screw. High number of threads per inch and non tapered. Exactly the opposite of a sheetmetal screw."
Hmmm, you could be right, I just looked at my xp-2000+ and it's entirly possible that they used machine screws.
Usually when I think about fans on heatsyncs, I think of screws that sorta wedge them selfs between the fins, which calls for a tapered low thread per inch/cm, i.e. sheetmetal screws.
Are you nitpicking, well yea, but the use of machine screws limit the number of options for fan sizes, so it's a valid nitpick. Error due to the fact that the fan on my XP has not yet failed, hince i've not replaced it.
The solution is simple....
Give WINE a EULA that requires all Microsoft employies or people representing the interests of the Microsoft Corp release all the source code into the public domain. This way in the event that the Microsoft corp decides to enforce their EULA, people who represent Wine can tell the judge that Microsoft has to repsect their EULA.
They can be changed at anytime don't ya know.
While this would be silly, it would demonstrate a valid point the fact that EULA are not nessicarly legit contracts embedded in stone.
"In a surprising turn of events, this article over at Xtreme Tek explains that the official stance from AMD is that you will void your warranty if you use any thermal grease or if you're not using the heatsink provided with your CPU."
What I don't fully understand is the gripe about those who buy in the retail box who have fans that are inadquate and need replacement? Doesn't it say "heatsink" not fan? Now I don't know about anyone else in here, but can't you just replace the fan with a series of 4 screws?
While yes, they make BETTER syncs, users who's fan has failed on the stock heat sync, who have no complaints about the present heat sync, provided their replacement fan is within the same size, speed, and airflow specifications don't have anything to worry about (in theory).
Personaly, I find it "much" easier removing 4 sheetmetal screws then dealing with the cpu clip anyday!
Every university I know of not only has student accounts, but also have www/ftp servers as well so students can exchange information. Sometimes used for personal photos and what not, but often times used to gather and share research. This was one of the primary reasons I wanted internet access in the first place.
I can in part understand not using filesharing services such as kazza / morphus which for the most part consume much bandwidth, and are almost always used for *entertainment*, as well as the liablity of sharing copyrighted materials.
But universities are places for research as well. While I can agree that they have every right probiting users from sharing that Metalica CD... present policy seems to limit how you public your research on let's say BlueGreen Alge. Not exactly the stuff you'd find in kazaa.
In the 21st centry, we need to respect the fact that multimedia is an excelent way to present information, wether it be mp3, mpeg, or dare I say it power point.
Ya know before napster, porn was the number 1 bandwith consumer at universities. Napster gave credibility to the internet, dispite the fact that the stuff traded was in complete violation of copyrights.
about 3 years ago, you could ask someone about the internet, and they would say it's a good place to get porn. when napster came on the scene, it gave people, your average joe, a reason to get an account other then to get porn.
Now the very service that actually permited access to media that isn't porn, is now going tits up and knickers down, well, I don't know about you, but this makes me a very sad panda.
For some reason, in our socity of dual tape decks and cd-recorders, it's pretty much standard practice already to make duplicatios, mix tapes, all in plain site, how with Napster going porn, it's not more of an Entrance in rear deal.
Well, how exactly are they fingerprinting songs?
If ripping was perfect, and each rip was a flawless copy off the CD it was released from, then fingerprinting would result in a nice unique identifier of a release.
However, ripping isn't perfect. Most modern drives have provisions to not allow direct cd copy, which is why ripping techniques are required. Ripping programs are subject to the studder effect, as they don't always knab the track at first start, and some times the disk skips. So, you'll have in theory a uniquely large amount of unique identification tags.
The only way a rip would be perfect is if you happy to be lucky enough to own a drive that is pre "prevent digital copy", like an old toshiba 2x unit.
Now this would be a pain in the ascii to actually index. I mean, this requires humans. Lots of humans.
Not to speak of those things that were not released on CD. I have some clasic vinyl that I couldn't ever find on CD. I even have been contacted by the band members. Like Dumptruck, "wow, cool you have that, you know you coudln't buy that LP when it was new".
Unique identification system, while I would approve of it for the most part, ain't no thing, would require a staff of thousands to pay attention to this shit.
Now if they plan to just have the default be to share, and filter based on a complaint, that's acceptable. If they plan to actually put into the mp3 fields artest / title / other info, that's nifty! But to assume that you can create a digital figerprint, to assume that it can NOT be changed as easy as a file name, that's stupid.
For the most part, artists who don't support the mp3 trade are not one's I want in my database. It has nothing to do with their views on the subject, it just happens to be the case. The people whom I like say, "hey, get our name out".
But if all else fails, we can go back to urc
I you honestly think that DC would even consider taking the time to ask for these devices back? Seriously they have at-least 2million floating around, another 5 million to give away.
Do you know how much time, bother, and effort it would take to get even 1 cuecat back from one person.
A person would have to send out a letter, or make a phone call asking for said device back. They must state the address and basic instructions on how to package the said cuecat. This is alot of bother for a sub $5.00 item.
In the state of Washington, there are laws regarding spam. $500 per spam :) WOO WOO.
You can use the same disk to install the cuecat software on multiable machines.
You can not give the disk to someone else to install on machines.
You can not put the software on your web site to allow others to download it to put on other machines. You can not download their software and post it on your web site for others to download. You can download their software and install it on multiable machines.
Gawd, can't you read lawyer?
It means if you break it while fucking with it, it's your own damn fault, we didn't tell you to do this anyway. Fuck you.
Also, if you violate FCC regulations fucking with your shit, ain't the fault of Radio Shack, your own fucking fault.
Further, if you fuck up someone else's ablity to use their electronic equipment (TV, Radio, whatever) by fucking with your device, then you have lost the right to use your fucking device.
No doubt, along with www.readerware.com. Though, wether a lawsuit has merit or not is a good question. Clearly someone wrote a package to use the free bar code readers. Great, now someone is trying to profit from it. Great! Is Digital Convergence's IP being violated. NO. Bar Codes are NOT their property.
Diffrence being the 3 year ISP contract in exchange for $500 is just that, a written contract the user enters into out of their own free will. $500 now in exchange for about $800 in 3 years isn't a bad deal, and you are not obligated to sign in. If you like Compuserve or MSN great. Deals are still around, I was rather hoping though that there were some deals like that for DSL.
:CueCat device "Is free", and no contract is disclosed when you get it from Rat Shack, and they come free in the mail.
:Cues on TV and Radio, as well as paper :Cues, where you must pay DC a fee to get a code issued, and further get information from Digital Demographics.
The
DC's business plan is perfectly acceptable. They plan to corner the market on imbedded information.
Now their plan is hopeless as digital media already has imbedded information, the only thing missing is the little cable between your TV and computer, though that is not too far off. And their hope to corner the market on bar codes is just a little too late by about 20 years. I'd rather have ethernet or even USB over a 1 way audio connection. Given the audio cue technology is the only one actually with a pattent, I'd say good luck guys, see you with your chapter-22 in under 2 years.
There is another issue that isn't being addressed here.
I have Moody Blues "Every Boy Deserves a Favor" on 8track, on Vinyl, Cassette, and CD.
How many times must I buy it before I am granted the rights to play the music. Am I required under the current record recording EULA.
Am I required to purchace another copy as soon as a new standard comes out. What must I pay before I am grated the right to backup somthing I purchaced on CD. If I own it on cassette, am I required to purchace it on CD?
MP3's are great because music I own on non-cd formats can be downloaded and played into the ground without wrecking the origional.
At about $12-$15 a pop when it's new, over the past 20 years this would me thousands of dollars.
They have every reason to lie.
Their server wasn't hacked, they just left all registrations in a public directory! No hack, stupid.
A hack implys an active attempt to get access to personal information.
Fact, they just left all their user information on their server for the public to access.
The boneheads put their registered file in a public directory. http://net.c-me-register.com/Registrations/registr ations.txt
The server was not hacked as their claim, but their net admin's were morons.
The problem with putting up a server on the net, the world doesn't know what's private or public unless the server setup. A public anonymous ftp might setup to permit anonymous upload from the outside looks like a fine place to exchange files. From the inside, "Why is our DDS line so slow". Try an FTP search at ftpsearch.lycos.com and ask your self how many of these people know their server is being used by the public.
Fact, if you set your directories to be public, then the public can access them. Don't blame the users for not having your secure information SECURE! Don't blame the theif if you neglected to lock your door.
Major diffrence. Proper owners manuals are a requirement so that the end user doesn't endanger them selves and others. Not a licence agreement.
A car includes an owners manual with seatbelts instructions. If the instructions for said seatbelts are incorrect, then it's possible for the car co. to be held responcible. Sad but true. In my experence, contraceptive jelly states, "should not be taken oraly".
Now let's look at the service based industry. Cable telivision, they often rent a converter box in order to access their service. As you rent the equipment it is theirs. A contract is signed to this effect. With the CueCat, NO contract was signed, and signing up for their service is not a pre-requisit for getting the hardware.
To enforce their licence, the user must sign-up first. Otherwise we do have the option to say, "NO, I DO NOT ACCEPT THE EULA, BUT THANKS FOR THE BAR CODE READER".
What about the free gift scam. "You won a price, a free bar grill, some see our little sales pitch get free bar brill". Should what DC is doing be acceptable, then they could, "By accepting our free gift you agree to purchace whatever we are attempting to sell you".
The use of bar codes, no matter how creative, is not the exclusive IP of anyone except the copyright holder of barcodes. No more than a POS (Point of Sale) system is the IP of anyone. When it comes to the :Colon:CAT, when it comes down to it, it's just a bar code reader, and has 'bout the same protection as a mouse.
:Colon:Convergence has not pending is for the Audio Cue technology, which will likely disapear with advent of digital brodcast media. However, they don't hold a patent on the cable required, no is the audio cable their IP, no matter how creative they instruct you to use it.
:Double:Colon device. I'd be perfectly happy if all their demographics came from places they don't care about.
The only Patent I know of that
If worse comes to worse, you can always sell it on E-bay. "$7 handling fee. No exceptions" seems to be one of the cuecats that's actually taking bids. I'm sure there are plenty of folks outside the US who would be happy to actually pay for the