The baseline of problems with the GPL seems to be that in Germany (and, I think, also in other european states), waiving or selling of basic personal rights is usually not possible.
So how are Microsoft / RIAA / MPAA / SPA / BSA / Initiative for Software Choice / etc. going to feel about that?
I mean, if I can't sell my eternal soul to the err. um, (oops wrong party), if I can't sell my rights, and I can't even give them away, then how can I possibly agree to the EULA?
Early bird catches the worm. The rest get Service Packs.
I thought only the early birds who ran Outlook got worms? Now I'm confused.
I also didn't realize that getting a worm and getting a Service Pack were mutually exclusive. Maybe that points to the underlying motivation. If it ain't broke don't fix it. If you aren't getting worms, then you need a Service Pack to correct the situation.
And you failed to mention anything about who gets the BSOD's?
under the very guise of stopping both Spam and Terrorism (there is a link, you know).
Isn't it generally the case that anything unpopular to those currently in power is linked to terrorism. Just like anything "bad" used to be linked to communism.
Why is it that this law was passed concerning electronic breakins (and this is only an assumption), yet there is no law regarding physical breakins.
Because physical break in's are harder to hide, keep out of the public knowledge, off the news, etc.
Generally with a physical break in, you call the police. Soon, all the local news stations with a police scanner know something is up at Bank of Microsoft.
There can be 11th hour new evidence. But the Judge must say it is okay. And the other side gets adequate time to prepare their response to this new evidence. This is keeping with the idea that the "other" side (whichever one that is) always gets to question, cross examine, argue, scrutiniize, refute, re-interpret, etc. everything that is presented.
True. And that applies to Microsoft as well. (Of course, nothing applies equally to Microsoft, because that might affect corporate profits.)
If you are teaching "Office Applications That You Will Find In The Workplace", then teaching MS Office should be a major part of such a subject.
This does not mean that Linux based systems should be completely excluded. The article mentioned that some started using Linux for servers as early as 1995. This quiet success did not victimize the schools because of OS Holy Wars (tm). In grade school, learning MS Office might not be so important. Learning concepts might be much more important. If you are in grades 1-6 just how much do you think technology might change by the time these kids graduate high school? How much has technology changed in the last 10 years? 5 years?
If Gartner says that OpenOffice might have a 10% market share by 2004 (I'm not saying this, just repeating it) then does OpenOffice deserve some coverage? Given the way open source is growing in true grass roots fashion, what might Open Office's market share be by 2010? Should we assume that Open Office today is all the improvement that the program will see, or can we assume that OOo will just get better and better?
If you are building a specialized system, such as a "Grant Tracking System", then does it victimize schools to use Linux instead of MS? (Yes, I know that in MS's view it does.)
I'm not saying they would switch to Linux. I thought I made it clear they would stick with Windows. But if the first PVR-in-a-box came as a bootable Linux CD, then they would probably use it.
Of course, this would provide the necessary inspiration to the many Windows "innovators" out there to build a windows native program that does this.
[...good argument about lack of clear alternatives....]
Look what happened with mp3's. When the technology was to the point where everyone could use it, then everyone did.
Video is bigger and more difficult to do.
Still, I would suppose it is just a matter of time before anyone can get a fairly standard PC with fairly standard hardware, download a "live" bootable Linux CD with the necessary beautiful user interface, and have an instant PVR. This would save video to their existing FAT32 or NTFS partition. Then you remove the CD, reboot, and joe consumer is back in his precious Windows environment.
This scenerio seems most likely to me. It must be simple before joe average can do it. Just because super computer geek can do it doesn't mean much except that it makes a good conversation piece for joe consumer who is a friend of super computer geek. To get joe consumer to do this, it must be as easy as downloading a CD, and not messing with their sacred Windows installation.
This also has nice side effects....
Raises awareness of Linux. (Hey, this Linux stuff is pretty cool! It lets me record my TV programs using standard hardware. Nice friendly interface too.)
Gives consumers the PVR tool that they want, which ReplyTV and SonicBlue can't sell, and Tivo won't sell.
Might compete on some level with Windows media pc's.
If it were this easy, average consumers would do it. It would be just like the whole mp3 vs. RIAA thing all over again.
The DCMA explicitly allows reverse engineering for interoperability
The DMCA explicitly allows you to go broke defending against frivolous lawsuits, trying to educate the judicial system about what constitutes interoperability.
After all, if it is compatible with the new format, then you must have stolen intellectual property, violated a trade secret, or done some other dastardly deed. After all, the proof of your crimes is obvious and evident: it goes against the wishes of a corporation.
Really? Wouldn't it be better to have a cumbersome intrusive activation scheme? Such a system should take a survey of all the software on your computer, search for any e-mail addresses on your computer, and send the results back home.
Finally, maybe PC's need to start including a biometric reader as standard equipment. It can go into the now-useless floppy drive slot.
I have observed that businesses that make a product that people want to buy, that charge a price people are willing to pay, that treat the customer well seem to do quite well.
I continue to see an emphasis on the importance of reusable equipment. Can someone give a comprehensive explanation for why lifting technology needs to be reusable?
Disposable launchers? Horrors. Do you really propose to make launchers share the economic and convenience disadvantages of things like disposable ball-point pens that you never have to refill? Cigarette lighters that you just throw away?
This would have the devestating side effect of lowering the barrier to entry of launch costs. (i.e. cover charge) Next thing you know, we'll have riff-raff like private industry and entrepreneurs doing the bulk of work in space instead of the government. This would be similar to other past mistakes of letting private industry run power plants, build automobiles, and make and sell other various products.
since I dare say China probably has no intention of providing positioning information to anyone outside of China, three satellites is almost certainly sufficient to provide GPS-like functionality within Chinese borders.
Positioning information within your borders is only useful for peaceful purposes, such as tracking the movements of dissidents.
Positioning information outside of your borders is useful for diplomatic purposes, such as ensuring that your bombs hit their targets.
The obvious solution is to stay home and watch tv, as opposed to doing new things and thinking of new ideas. Alternatively, if you must get out, then go to a mall of corporate megastores. When you go into a park to geocache, you are not doing your part to Consume and watch ads.
if you do spam under someone else's name, YOU'RE still the one committing the crime.
You know the spammer is not going to take the rap alone. The spammer is going to implicate whoever hired them. Just as the spam victim has to do to collect $500, the spammer does the same, just follow the money. It leads to the imposter posing as the victim company's employee.
Paranoia like this is stupid. Yes, you make a phone call. This doesn't mean that your entire address book gets sent at the same time, nor does it mean that your folder full of hot hot 120x90 pr0n gets sent to people either.
A certian level of paranoia is stupid. Other levels of paranoia are not.
His level of paranoia seems reasonable to me.
He's not trying to protect against, say, a government attack using unlimited resources. He's simply insuring that the only possible way information crosses from PDA to network is by him copying it or expressly giving it out.
You know, there is this program called Outlook. You can keep some information in it. Such as friend's e-mail addresses, and other information. An outside program from the network can take advantage of the availability of this information.
It's not as though he is looking for black helecopters.
Re:The problem with spy satellites is predictabili
on
Satellite Imagery
·
· Score: 1
Assuming that no one has created a stealth telescope coated with optical and radar stealth. Or side-scanning satellites. The US government has not demonstrated these capacities at all
Just for the sake of argument...
If the US government had such capabilities, hypothetically, do you think they would demonstrate them?
When did we first start hearing lots of speculation about stealth aircraft, and when were they first flying?
Slashdot Mirror
The baseline of problems with the GPL seems to be that in Germany (and, I think, also in other european states), waiving or selling of basic personal rights is usually not possible.
So how are Microsoft / RIAA / MPAA / SPA / BSA / Initiative for Software Choice / etc. going to feel about that?
I mean, if I can't sell my eternal soul to the err. um, (oops wrong party), if I can't sell my rights, and I can't even give them away, then how can I possibly agree to the EULA?
Early bird catches the worm. The rest get Service Packs.
I thought only the early birds who ran Outlook got worms? Now I'm confused.
I also didn't realize that getting a worm and getting a Service Pack were mutually exclusive. Maybe that points to the underlying motivation. If it ain't broke don't fix it. If you aren't getting worms, then you need a Service Pack to correct the situation.
And you failed to mention anything about who gets the BSOD's?
under the very guise of stopping both Spam and Terrorism (there is a link, you know).
Isn't it generally the case that anything unpopular to those currently in power is linked to terrorism. Just like anything "bad" used to be linked to communism.
Arrogance in the face of the truly fanatical is costly.
But once the fanatical awaken a sleeping giant, they may find themselves on the run, or worse.
Why is it that this law was passed concerning electronic breakins (and this is only an assumption), yet there is no law regarding physical breakins.
Because physical break in's are harder to hide, keep out of the public knowledge, off the news, etc.
Generally with a physical break in, you call the police. Soon, all the local news stations with a police scanner know something is up at Bank of Microsoft.
There can be 11th hour new evidence. But the Judge must say it is okay. And the other side gets adequate time to prepare their response to this new evidence. This is keeping with the idea that the "other" side (whichever one that is) always gets to question, cross examine, argue, scrutiniize, refute, re-interpret, etc. everything that is presented.
Schools shouldn't be the victims of OS holy wars
True. And that applies to Microsoft as well. (Of course, nothing applies equally to Microsoft, because that might affect corporate profits.)
If you are teaching "Office Applications That You Will Find In The Workplace", then teaching MS Office should be a major part of such a subject.
This does not mean that Linux based systems should be completely excluded. The article mentioned that some started using Linux for servers as early as 1995. This quiet success did not victimize the schools because of OS Holy Wars (tm). In grade school, learning MS Office might not be so important. Learning concepts might be much more important. If you are in grades 1-6 just how much do you think technology might change by the time these kids graduate high school? How much has technology changed in the last 10 years? 5 years?
If Gartner says that OpenOffice might have a 10% market share by 2004 (I'm not saying this, just repeating it) then does OpenOffice deserve some coverage? Given the way open source is growing in true grass roots fashion, what might Open Office's market share be by 2010? Should we assume that Open Office today is all the improvement that the program will see, or can we assume that OOo will just get better and better?
If you are building a specialized system, such as a "Grant Tracking System", then does it victimize schools to use Linux instead of MS? (Yes, I know that in MS's view it does.)
There are all these laws and all this hype about enforcing these computer crime laws - what must an end user do to get some enforcement done?
Have you made any major contributions to any political campaigns lately?
It sounds like your problem is with OOo on the Mac, not with OOo in general.
I daresay you might have had a different impression with OOo, say, on Windows.
The decision of which software to use should not be made by legislators
The decision of which software to use is not being made by legislators.
The legislators are simply setting the rules under which software is acquired.
At present, the rules I just mentioned are stacked against a whole class of software which in some cases may offer better value.
I'm not saying they would switch to Linux. I thought I made it clear they would stick with Windows. But if the first PVR-in-a-box came as a bootable Linux CD, then they would probably use it.
Of course, this would provide the necessary inspiration to the many Windows "innovators" out there to build a windows native program that does this.
You see, there are still a lot of Joe Consumers in this world that don't have a PC, and won't ever consider getting one.
These people probably are not the RIAA's big problem with mp3's either. They are not who I was talking about.
Look what happened with mp3's. When the technology was to the point where everyone could use it, then everyone did.
Video is bigger and more difficult to do.
Still, I would suppose it is just a matter of time before anyone can get a fairly standard PC with fairly standard hardware, download a "live" bootable Linux CD with the necessary beautiful user interface, and have an instant PVR. This would save video to their existing FAT32 or NTFS partition. Then you remove the CD, reboot, and joe consumer is back in his precious Windows environment.
This scenerio seems most likely to me. It must be simple before joe average can do it. Just because super computer geek can do it doesn't mean much except that it makes a good conversation piece for joe consumer who is a friend of super computer geek. To get joe consumer to do this, it must be as easy as downloading a CD, and not messing with their sacred Windows installation.
This also has nice side effects....
- Raises awareness of Linux. (Hey, this Linux stuff is pretty cool! It lets me record my TV programs using standard hardware. Nice friendly interface too.)
- Gives consumers the PVR tool that they want, which ReplyTV and SonicBlue can't sell, and Tivo won't sell.
- Might compete on some level with Windows media pc's.
If it were this easy, average consumers would do it. It would be just like the whole mp3 vs. RIAA thing all over again.The DCMA explicitly allows reverse engineering for interoperability
The DMCA explicitly allows you to go broke defending against frivolous lawsuits, trying to educate the judicial system about what constitutes interoperability.
After all, if it is compatible with the new format, then you must have stolen intellectual property, violated a trade secret, or done some other dastardly deed. After all, the proof of your crimes is obvious and evident: it goes against the wishes of a corporation.
Personally, I think WinZip's got the right idea.
Really? Wouldn't it be better to have a cumbersome intrusive activation scheme? Such a system should take a survey of all the software on your computer, search for any e-mail addresses on your computer, and send the results back home.
Finally, maybe PC's need to start including a biometric reader as standard equipment. It can go into the now-useless floppy drive slot.
I have observed that businesses that make a product that people want to buy, that charge a price people are willing to pay, that treat the customer well seem to do quite well.
I continue to see an emphasis on the importance of reusable equipment. Can someone give a comprehensive explanation for why lifting technology needs to be reusable?
Disposable launchers? Horrors. Do you really propose to make launchers share the economic and convenience disadvantages of things like disposable ball-point pens that you never have to refill? Cigarette lighters that you just throw away?
This would have the devestating side effect of lowering the barrier to entry of launch costs. (i.e. cover charge) Next thing you know, we'll have riff-raff like private industry and entrepreneurs doing the bulk of work in space instead of the government. This would be similar to other past mistakes of letting private industry run power plants, build automobiles, and make and sell other various products.
since I dare say China probably has no intention of providing positioning information to anyone outside of China, three satellites is almost certainly sufficient to provide GPS-like functionality within Chinese borders.
Positioning information within your borders is only useful for peaceful purposes, such as tracking the movements of dissidents.
Positioning information outside of your borders is useful for diplomatic purposes, such as ensuring that your bombs hit their targets.
The obvious solution is to stay home and watch tv, as opposed to doing new things and thinking of new ideas. Alternatively, if you must get out, then go to a mall of corporate megastores. When you go into a park to geocache, you are not doing your part to Consume and watch ads.
if you do spam under someone else's name, YOU'RE still the one committing the crime.
You know the spammer is not going to take the rap alone. The spammer is going to implicate whoever hired them. Just as the spam victim has to do to collect $500, the spammer does the same, just follow the money. It leads to the imposter posing as the victim company's employee.
Paranoia like this is stupid. Yes, you make a phone call. This doesn't mean that your entire address book gets sent at the same time, nor does it mean that your folder full of hot hot 120x90 pr0n gets sent to people either.
A certian level of paranoia is stupid. Other levels of paranoia are not.
His level of paranoia seems reasonable to me.
He's not trying to protect against, say, a government attack using unlimited resources. He's simply insuring that the only possible way information crosses from PDA to network is by him copying it or expressly giving it out.
You know, there is this program called Outlook. You can keep some information in it. Such as friend's e-mail addresses, and other information. An outside program from the network can take advantage of the availability of this information.
It's not as though he is looking for black helecopters.
Assuming that no one has created a stealth telescope coated with optical and radar stealth. Or side-scanning satellites. The US government has not demonstrated these capacities at all
Just for the sake of argument...
If the US government had such capabilities, hypothetically, do you think they would demonstrate them?
When did we first start hearing lots of speculation about stealth aircraft, and when were they first flying?
and the moon isn't made of cheese!
Shhhhh! What you really need to be suggesting is that the moon is made out of money!
I'm not sure what their fiskle health is but it isn't great.
The word you meant is fecal.
Free software can only be destroyed by elimnating the fisrt and fourth amendments to the US Constitution.
Hello? McFly? Is anyone home?
Have you forgotten what administration we are currently living under?
It won't be that difficult to root out all those free software comunists, er..., um... oops, the new word is Terrorists.