Have another drink. The right to copy is directly connected with the concept of "owning" ideas and their expressions.
Forget books. You've chosen a confusing example, because it's tied to the old world.
Let's take your post. It is, under copyright law, already owned by you. I don't legally have the right to copy it, and neither does Slashdot, btw.
But once I've read it, a "copy" may exist in my brain. Are you saying that you own a portion of my brain, now, because I've read your post?
It's silly to treat the intangible as if it was tangible. Ideas, and their expressions, are destined to be copied. The idea of the "owner" controlling that copying is a fantasy. It is not stealing: theft, by definition, means that I have taken something from you. That's not what happens when I copy your work.
Shouldn't you be compensated for your work? What if you're a songwriter or a professional writer? I don't know how such people will make money in the future, but it won't be the way it is now. Credit -- yeah, you have the right to get credit for what you produce. But forget getting paid "per copy."
It's like trying to control a rumor. The more you tighten your grip, the more copies will slip through your fingers. (Apologies to George Lucas.)
I dunno what's with you idiots; at least Katz can spell, and knows when "it's" does and doesn't have an apostrophe.
More than that, he's an intriguing writer, and always covers interesting topics. God knows he can write a movie review more coherently than Taco; most of the "writing" here wouldn't pass bar in a freshman English class. None of you -- particularly the posters -- can write worth a shit. Don't try and kid yourself into thinking otherwise.
You want to criticize someone because "it's fun?" Criticize your own stupid ass. Better yet, wait until you get past 11th grade before you try to learn how to critique.
Uh, well, sort of. You're not telnetting; you're attached to the box as the console. If the box is booted, you're "in Solaris." If the box is halted, you're in the ROM console.
And since, on Sparcs, the output-to-Serial-A is handled by the ROM, it will work on S/Linux.
Cringley does miss the point here. Microsoft can try to Set The Standard all it wants, but the times, they are a-changin':
Open Source, Open Source, Open Source. It's only a matter of time. Kiss your copy-protection goodbye when GNUAudio hits the street.
Microsoft could set de facto standards in 1995. Today it's murky. In a couple of years, it could be the Open Source community that does the standard-setting (the way it should be).
Microsoft makes Microsoft products. RealMedia servers and players work on Unix. Most web servers run on Unix. Whose products do you think I'll use? How is a standard going to go away if a large chunk of the community wants to use it?
That pesky DOJ problem: Microsoft creates standards using anti-competitive tactics. This is a good example: can Real compete? Can the MP3 standard? If the govt is doing its job, we won't end up with another Netscape here.
MS can put in copy protection and Royalty Wizards all it wants, but the driving force -- the college-age cutting edge -- is going to continue to rip and distribute until those cows come back to the ranch.
Slashdot Mirror
Have another drink. The right to copy is directly connected with the concept of "owning" ideas and their expressions.
Forget books. You've chosen a confusing example, because it's tied to the old world.
Let's take your post. It is, under copyright law, already owned by you. I don't legally have the right to copy it, and neither does Slashdot, btw.
But once I've read it, a "copy" may exist in my brain. Are you saying that you own a portion of my brain, now, because I've read your post?
It's silly to treat the intangible as if it was tangible. Ideas, and their expressions, are destined to be copied. The idea of the "owner" controlling that copying is a fantasy. It is not stealing: theft, by definition, means that I have taken something from you. That's not what happens when I copy your work.
Shouldn't you be compensated for your work? What if you're a songwriter or a professional writer? I don't know how such people will make money in the future, but it won't be the way it is now. Credit -- yeah, you have the right to get credit for what you produce. But forget getting paid "per copy."
It's like trying to control a rumor. The more you tighten your grip, the more copies will slip through your fingers. (Apologies to George Lucas.)
Actually, I have been told that RSA recently changed its policy and will now issue licenses to individual companies (and other orgs).
This is hearsay, but I bet you could go to the RSA web site and get the straight poop.
Let's propose that the category "Cyberpunk" was a real one, and that it was an 80s-early 90s trend.
Where do you see the cutting edge in the next decade? What young writers do you think are really evolving the form?
I dunno what's with you idiots; at least Katz can spell, and knows when "it's" does and doesn't have an apostrophe.
More than that, he's an intriguing writer, and always covers interesting topics. God knows he can write a movie review more coherently than Taco; most of the "writing" here wouldn't pass bar in a freshman English class. None of you -- particularly the posters -- can write worth a shit. Don't try and kid yourself into thinking otherwise.
You want to criticize someone because "it's fun?" Criticize your own stupid ass. Better yet, wait until you get past 11th grade before you try to learn how to critique.
Uh, well, sort of. You're not telnetting; you're attached to the box as the console. If the box is booted, you're "in Solaris." If the box is halted, you're in the ROM console.
And since, on Sparcs, the output-to-Serial-A is handled by the ROM, it will work on S/Linux.
Exodus' service isn't up-to-par? Facilities are lacking?
In whose alternate universe? They are expense, yes. But their service is as good as anyone's, and there is nothing wrong with Exodus facilities.
Reinvent the wheel?
Absolutely, if it prevents a bus from driving around on a bicycle tire.
When something is as old and dead-ended as Windows, it's time to give it a decent Viking funeral, and start over with something better.
Linux is the foundation of that Better Thing.
Cringley does miss the point here. Microsoft can try to Set The Standard all it wants, but the times, they are a-changin':