Cases like this make me wish people who file for obviously invalid patents were held responsible for the costs of litigation to throw their patent out (watch out for the borderline cases that honestly believed their application was valid, though). Of course, we wouldn't have this problem if the patent office didn't grant them in the first place.
I regularly get calls from my mom asking me how to fix things the tech support gurus at the hospital she works at can't fix.
One time she called me asking where the power button was on the new notebook computer they had just bought. It stayed on for two weeks until I was in the area and stopped by. I entered her office to find the entire department standing around the computer looking for the power button. The truly confusing thing is, how did they turn it on without knowing where the button was?
The implication is "you're contracted for n hours per week, but we nevertheless expect n+7. If you're not doing the extra 7, we want to know why".
I've often heard "you're paid to do a job, not to work a certain number of hours". Why is it then that if I finish my job ahead of schedule I'm given more work without more pay (and my raise barely covers inflation, if even that)?
I don't know how the laws on this work from state to state, and I'm just hypothesizing here, but if agreeing to the background check was not given as a condition of employment when you were offered the job can they legally require it now?
You're probably thinking about Fritz Holling's CBDTPA (or whatever the letters are these days). It hasn't been officially intorduced into Congress yet (last I heard).
I was part of the hiring process for developers at a previous employer. There was a written test given to every applicant. The test was so ridiculously easy that it didn't reveal anything significant about the applicant's knowledge . I wanted to write a new test, but upper management believed that I would make it so hard that nobody would pass it and opted to stick with the existing one. We ended up hiring someone to take some of my work overload who looked decent during the interview and passed the written test. She turned out to barely know anything about programming and I spent more time helping her and cleaning up her messes than I would have to do the work myself. A better written test would have found all her deficiencies and we wouldn't have hired her.
Fortunately here in Ohio (I don't know about other states) we have a law called the blue pencil rule. It allows a judge to rewrite a non-compete clause in an employment contract if it's too restrictive and prevents someone from finding new employment.
The VisualC++ linker will occasionally get into a state where it freezes up, doesn't use any CPU time, and can't be killed. The only way to get rid of it is to reboot, usually via the magic button on the case.
The email doesn't say, but do the managers who earn over $60K have to take the same pay cut?
I work for a company that put a 3% cap on raises at the end of last year for us normal people, claiming that's all it could afford (I know, a lot of people didn't get anything...), but more than doubled the salary of a VP one month earlier.
Vivendi Rep: The basis upon this charge lies on the idea that BNetD will eventually begin using their software, that they did not create, in order to make a profit. Though they have not used it yet for a profit, Vivendi believes that they would have or will use it in the future for a profit.
So now BNetD is responsible for what Vivendi thinks they may do in the future?
This is bare metal Linux, powerful and dangerous. If you do something without thinking you may fall into a bucket of pain.
I learned this lesson the hard way. I installed a new kernel manually, rather than letting Portage handle it. I must have missed something, because now a growing list of stuff won't compile and all my efforts to fix it have only exacerbated the problem, so I guess it's time to reinstall.
Other than that little foul up (not the distro's fault), it's been smooth sailing. Just remember to update the config files when Portage tells you to.
Exactly how much of a cocky bastard does it make me if I tell my boss we should get a copy of this book?
In my experience you have about a 50/50 chance of getting smacked. I've had some bosses who were (at least somewhat) receptive to this sort of thing, and some who think they can do no wrong.
Here's another theme to add to the list: When a manager mismanages a project (i.e. witholding some requirements until the implementation is done), don't blame the programmer. It just makes them bitter and less agreeable on future projects. My department has lost some good people because of this sort of behavior. Don't assume you're always right just because you're a manager.
ElcomSoft's program, sold briefly on the Internet last year, allowed people using Adobe Systems Inc.'s eBook Reader to copy and print digital books, as well as transfer them to other computers and have the computer read them aloud.
Wouldn't that be considered "substantial, non-infringing use", something which has been used to defeat these kinds of cases in the past?
Slashdot Mirror
Cases like this make me wish people who file for obviously invalid patents were held responsible for the costs of litigation to throw their patent out (watch out for the borderline cases that honestly believed their application was valid, though). Of course, we wouldn't have this problem if the patent office didn't grant them in the first place.
Did anybody else read the headline and think the US and Russia were sending a pencil to Mars? It's definitely Monday.
I regularly get calls from my mom asking me how to fix things the tech support gurus at the hospital she works at can't fix.
One time she called me asking where the power button was on the new notebook computer they had just bought. It stayed on for two weeks until I was in the area and stopped by. I entered her office to find the entire department standing around the computer looking for the power button. The truly confusing thing is, how did they turn it on without knowing where the button was?
The implication is "you're contracted for n hours per week, but we nevertheless expect n+7. If you're not doing the extra 7, we want to know why".
I've often heard "you're paid to do a job, not to work a certain number of hours". Why is it then that if I finish my job ahead of schedule I'm given more work without more pay (and my raise barely covers inflation, if even that)?
I don't know how the laws on this work from state to state, and I'm just hypothesizing here, but if agreeing to the background check was not given as a condition of employment when you were offered the job can they legally require it now?
All musicians rejoice, your payday has arrived!
Except I suspect none of this money will find its way to the artists.
Oops... forgot what was in the clipboard. Try this one.
Here, and here are a few.
You're probably thinking about Fritz Holling's CBDTPA (or whatever the letters are these days). It hasn't been officially intorduced into Congress yet (last I heard).
I was part of the hiring process for developers at a previous employer. There was a written test given to every applicant. The test was so ridiculously easy that it didn't reveal anything significant about the applicant's knowledge . I wanted to write a new test, but upper management believed that I would make it so hard that nobody would pass it and opted to stick with the existing one. We ended up hiring someone to take some of my work overload who looked decent during the interview and passed the written test. She turned out to barely know anything about programming and I spent more time helping her and cleaning up her messes than I would have to do the work myself. A better written test would have found all her deficiencies and we wouldn't have hired her.
Fortunately here in Ohio (I don't know about other states) we have a law called the blue pencil rule. It allows a judge to rewrite a non-compete clause in an employment contract if it's too restrictive and prevents someone from finding new employment.
Does this mean IBM can help me find all the socks I lose in the wash?
Hmm... I've only seen this on Win2K. Another developer here also has encountered in on 2K. He regularly gets the BSOD while the computer's idle.
The VisualC++ linker will occasionally get into a state where it freezes up, doesn't use any CPU time, and can't be killed. The only way to get rid of it is to reboot, usually via the magic button on the case.
we should also remove all books from libraries because of the same threat they pose to national security.
ACK! Please don't give the government any ideas!
The email doesn't say, but do the managers who earn over $60K have to take the same pay cut?
I work for a company that put a 3% cap on raises at the end of last year for us normal people, claiming that's all it could afford (I know, a lot of people didn't get anything...), but more than doubled the salary of a VP one month earlier.
Vivendi Rep: The basis upon this charge lies on the idea that BNetD will eventually begin using their software, that they did not create, in order to make a profit. Though they have not used it yet for a profit, Vivendi believes that they would have or will use it in the future for a profit.
So now BNetD is responsible for what Vivendi thinks they may do in the future?
Doh! That's what happens when you post while half asleep. Let's try "Mice and Rats are Edible".
Meal, Ready-to-Eat" (MRE)
Also known as "Meals Rejected by the Enemy", "Mice and Rats are Editable", and "Meal, Ready-to-Eat: Three lies in one."
This is bare metal Linux, powerful and dangerous. If you do something without thinking you may fall into a bucket of pain.
I learned this lesson the hard way. I installed a new kernel manually, rather than letting Portage handle it. I must have missed something, because now a growing list of stuff won't compile and all my efforts to fix it have only exacerbated the problem, so I guess it's time to reinstall. Other than that little foul up (not the distro's fault), it's been smooth sailing. Just remember to update the config files when Portage tells you to.
Exactly how much of a cocky bastard does it make me if I tell my boss we should get a copy of this book?
In my experience you have about a 50/50 chance of getting smacked. I've had some bosses who were (at least somewhat) receptive to this sort of thing, and some who think they can do no wrong.
Here's another theme to add to the list: When a manager mismanages a project (i.e. witholding some requirements until the implementation is done), don't blame the programmer. It just makes them bitter and less agreeable on future projects. My department has lost some good people because of this sort of behavior. Don't assume you're always right just because you're a manager.
ElcomSoft's program, sold briefly on the Internet last year, allowed people using Adobe Systems Inc.'s eBook Reader to copy and print digital books, as well as transfer them to other computers and have the computer read them aloud.
Wouldn't that be considered "substantial, non-infringing use", something which has been used to defeat these kinds of cases in the past?
Where's the fun in that?
I think it's more like 25 years, and then the glue holding the layers of the disc together is prone to failure.