Covering the same subject matter, but somewhat more accessable for the layman is The Whole Shebang : A State-Of-The-Universe(s) Report
I've read both, and enjoyed The Whole Shebang quite a bit more, and they really do cover largely the same material, even if The Whole Shebang is maybe 2 years older... it includes quite a bit more cosmological material as well.
Who in their right mind would pay for free software? Yeah, I know sell support... that's why all those companies like Red Hat and Linux Care have been soooooo profitable...
Whatever... here's an idea, keep your IP and sell copies of your software. Works out better for all involved that way. If someone wants to see your source, license it to them.
He's not any "better" than you or I - but you shouldn't simply dismiss him just because it's currently en vogue in the slashdot community to put Stallman down
No, you should dismiss him because he has crazy, completely unworkable ideas and wants to destroy your right to sell the fruits of your labor (if you write software, that is.)
Remember that a VHS video recorder also significantly reduces picture quality. Yet I'd bet that 90% of the public not only is not bothered by it, they are not even aware of it.
Guess that's why those DVD player thingys have been such a huge flop in the market.
. If prosocuting someone under the terms of UCITA would result in a substantial profit for a company it is quite possible that due diligence laws might come into effect, forcing the company to do so, against their better judgement.
Well, if you buy that line of reasoning, which I don't, you can say that due diligence laws would require the company to put this type of language in their license so that they could persue this sort of action.
Of course, everyone on/. greatly exagerates the effects these "due diligence" laws, so this is really just pissing in the wind.
I'm wondering how much information a company really needs before they can do business with someone and what kind of information a person can legitimately withhold.
Well, I mean they can ask you for anything they want. You don't have to give it to them, but they can ask. They are also under no obligation to sell to you for any reason though.
Me, I wouldn't give 'em anything except a CC # and shipping address. If they don't want to see to me without other info, there are plenty of people out there who will.
Good point! That's job security for you! Who would want to work there now if they can easily be fired for doing no wrong?
In most states, unless you are under an employment contract of some sort, you can be fired for good cause, bad cause, or no cause (basically for any reason the person doing the firing wants).
Who are the criminals here in the MP3 debate? Is it the people downloading? the lawmakers who passed silly IP laws like this? the courts for upholding such laws against public opinion and the constitution? The RIAA for engaging in unethical and monopolistic business practices
Um, it would be the people downloading pirated songs.
A great amount of effort has been expended in stacking the deck, making sure that individuals and public interest groups do not gain any significant voice in the process.
Bullshit... ICANN is a prefect example of having a leader with no spine (Come on down Ms. Dyson), who has bent over so far so many times in an effort to please everyone, they've effectively paralyzed themselves from making any sort of decision ever.
There is only one party that *consistently* *in all cases* opposes censorship: The Libertarian Party
In the interests of full disclosure you should mention this is the party that wants to legalize child pornography before people get all excited and go out and vote for them.
This is silly. Who cares if the west coasters vote or not. If you are ignorent enough to think your vote doesn't count then don't cast it. After all, it is a short line from "Why should I vote for a candidate that the TV predicts has already lost" to "Why should I vote for a candidate that isn't going to win"
Phrases like "due process" and "guilty until proven innocent" are coming to mind.
Due process and guilty until proven innocent only apply to the government, not to private companies.
EBay can do whatever they want to their site.
For a bunch of people who claim to love "freedom" as in "free" software, you people sure love to give other people and companies a bunch of shit when they do something you disagree with...
b) Having your postings at -1 is hardly censorship. I read at -1 all the time.
c) Arguing that having a post at -1 is censorship is like saying "hey, my letter to the editor in your newspaper isn't on the front page, I'm being censored!"
d) Did I mention its Rob's site, he can do whatever he wants? If you don't like it, you are free to post / go elsewhere.
Slashdot Mirror
Well done. I would mmoderate you up but I seem to have lost the freedom to mederate
Moderation is a privledge, not a right.
Cheapbytes.com baby!
Covering the same subject matter, but somewhat more accessable for the layman is The Whole Shebang : A State-Of-The-Universe(s) Report
I've read both, and enjoyed The Whole Shebang quite a bit more, and they really do cover largely the same material, even if The Whole Shebang is maybe 2 years older... it includes quite a bit more cosmological material as well.
Its available from amazon here
Who in their right mind would pay for free software? Yeah, I know sell support... that's why all those companies like Red Hat and Linux Care have been soooooo profitable...
Whatever... here's an idea, keep your IP and sell copies of your software. Works out better for all involved that way. If someone wants to see your source, license it to them.
He's not any "better" than you or I - but you shouldn't simply dismiss him just because it's currently en vogue in the slashdot community to put Stallman down
No, you should dismiss him because he has crazy, completely unworkable ideas and wants to destroy your right to sell the fruits of your labor (if you write software, that is.)
Remember that a VHS video recorder also significantly reduces picture quality. Yet I'd bet that 90% of the public not only is not bothered by it, they are not even aware of it.
Guess that's why those DVD player thingys have been such a huge flop in the market.
Huh? They just make IC's... how can that have anything to do with the RIAA?
. If prosocuting someone under the terms of UCITA would result in a substantial profit for a company it is quite possible that due diligence laws might come into effect, forcing the company to do so, against their better judgement.
/. greatly exagerates the effects these "due diligence" laws, so this is really just pissing in the wind.
Well, if you buy that line of reasoning, which I don't, you can say that due diligence laws would require the company to put this type of language in their license so that they could persue this sort of action.
Of course, everyone on
Boy when they ship that 10 millionth copy of Duke Nukem Forever, I bet they are really going to missing your one sale.
Their customers are just too, um, creative (read: dumb) for that oh-so-complicated one button mouse.
It would probably blow their mind to use a 2 or (gasp) 3 button mouse.
God forbid they ever see a wheel mouse... their tiny brains may explode.
I'm wondering how much information a company really needs before they can do business with someone and what kind of information a person can legitimately withhold.
Well, I mean they can ask you for anything they want. You don't have to give it to them, but they can ask. They are also under no obligation to sell to you for any reason though.
Me, I wouldn't give 'em anything except a CC # and shipping address. If they don't want to see to me without other info, there are plenty of people out there who will.
Yet Another Post Consisting Only Of Unicode Characters.
Really its the same as all the other posts here, couldn't you come up with A NEW IDEA?
Hell, and these "books" these days, they've all got the same damn words in em....
Good point! That's job security for you! Who would want to work there now if they can easily be fired for doing no wrong?
In most states, unless you are under an employment contract of some sort, you can be fired for good cause, bad cause, or no cause (basically for any reason the person doing the firing wants).
Who are the criminals here in the MP3 debate? Is it the people downloading? the lawmakers who passed silly IP laws like this? the courts for upholding such laws against public opinion and the constitution? The RIAA for engaging in unethical and monopolistic business practices
Um, it would be the people downloading pirated songs.
Or was this a rhetorical question?
Geez...
A great amount of effort has been expended in stacking the deck, making sure that individuals and public interest groups do not gain any significant voice in the process.
Bullshit... ICANN is a prefect example of having a leader with no spine (Come on down Ms. Dyson), who has bent over so far so many times in an effort to please everyone, they've effectively paralyzed themselves from making any sort of decision ever.
This is not a troll... can't handle the truth, eh?
Read from the Libertarian Party 1998 Platform.
Jello needs the work to... he lost a lawsuit for $200,000+ for mismanaging his band's back catalog.
Just the kind of guy we need to replace Bubba.
There is only one party that *consistently* *in all cases* opposes censorship: The Libertarian Party
In the interests of full disclosure you should mention this is the party that wants to legalize child pornography before people get all excited and go out and vote for them.
That's easy.. vote for Bush... unless you want to pay more taxes.
Me, I vote simply because it gives me the right to bitch about the government.
I know plenty of people who don't vote and bitch all the time. No one has hauled them away yet.
Call my cynical.
You are cynical.
This is silly. Who cares if the west coasters vote or not. If you are ignorent enough to think your vote doesn't count then don't cast it. After all, it is a short line from "Why should I vote for a candidate that the TV predicts has already lost" to "Why should I vote for a candidate that isn't going to win"
but seriously, if Guido and his merry band of coders had put their blood sweat and tears into helping Perl just imagine where we would be today.
Whitespace sensitive PERL! Hooray!
Phrases like "due process" and "guilty until proven innocent" are coming to mind.
Due process and guilty until proven innocent only apply to the government, not to private companies.
EBay can do whatever they want to their site.
For a bunch of people who claim to love "freedom" as in "free" software, you people sure love to give other people and companies a bunch of shit when they do something you disagree with...
Windows is stupid? What do you expect? 50% of the population has an IQ under 80. - Trivial Pursuit
huh? Isn't 100 the median IQ? Doesn't that mean that 50% of the population has an IQ under 100, not 80?
a) Its Rob's site he can do as he pleases.
b) Having your postings at -1 is hardly censorship. I read at -1 all the time.
c) Arguing that having a post at -1 is censorship is like saying "hey, my letter to the editor in your newspaper isn't on the front page, I'm being censored!"
d) Did I mention its Rob's site, he can do whatever he wants? If you don't like it, you are free to post / go elsewhere.