The real problem isn't the copyrighting of ideas -- or the copyrighting of anything really -- it's the way companies and individuals have begun to use (or rather, to abuse) copyright law that has turned many legal systems into circuses rather than something to be taken seriously. What's truly sad about this is that the time periods in which human beings were most prolific in the arts were also time periods wherein copyrighting didn't exist. In fact, that lack of constraint -- though it likely lead to some disputes -- actually helped to encourage more free expression. The problem is a grander one, because we now have to choose: get rid of copyrights for others yet not have our own works protected at all if we should produce any, or leave it in effect for ourselves and others and suffer the current consequences.
If you took the energy you spent writing that seemingly angry post above and put it into doing search for "Linux," then you'd understand what "Slackware is still the best after all these years," means and there would be nothing to be upset about. However, since you instead decided to expend your energy threatening not to use Linux unless someone presumably does that search for you then tells you the results:
Either tell me what I gain from using Linux, or I'm not even going to try it.
I can tell already that Linux is really not for you. Why? Because if you are the type who expects others to tell you something rather than seeking out an answer for yourself (which realistically would've taken all of five minutes), you wouldn't be able to handle using Linux as a desktop. This isn't meant to be an insult, it's simply a fact. Linux is (often, though not always) a very self-service platform and if you're not someone who's up to doing searches for information on your own, you'd likely find Linux to be only a headache.
If perhaps this is an off-day for you or you just didn't find any worthwhile information on Linux. Here's one thing to know about it: it speaks for itself. There is no singular "Linux" -- it comes in a flavor (distro) to suit every individual and so what it offers is infinitely diverse (not kidding) and cannot be quantified in some "x is what you will gain from using Linux" sentence. In the end, it's really up to you and Linux has nothing to prove or sell you (other than perhaps customer support) so, if you're feeling adventurous and decide try Linux on an old computer, enjoy. I'd recommend DistroWatch for a hearty list of distros out there along with their popularity.
If pointing a laser at something guides the bullet towards/away from an object...what prevents someone from *points laser at someone*...um...whoops...hey, it's alright, you have two kneecaps, right?
I can see some serious repercussions for having this be attracted just to some general laser beam. Also, will there perhaps be many unexplained shootings at rave parties now due to military testing...? Just when you think laser light effects are harmless to all non-feline mammals unless shone in the eye...:/
The first thing my mind went to is this old commercial: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qyXFN4ocN_o
Now take that hard drive analogy a step further and change that hammer into a frying pan... Then: This is your hard drive *holds up hard drive*...this is your hard drive on SOPA...*smash*...this is what your wallet goes through *smash*...and your freedom for personal expression *smashes stereo*...your privacy and freedom from not being monitored *smashes windows*...your desire to surf the internet *smashes monitor*...and your ability to watch movies online rather than spending five hours cleaning your garage to find the dvd *smashes television*...any questions?
Users' data as in the people who had accounts or users' data as in the IP addresses of people who visited the site? Wouldn't it be fitting if the coward owners of MegaUpload -- one of which was found hiding in a panic room -- were to hand over every IP address logged of anyone who accessed files on the site just to save their own rear ends. The kicker here is that who hasn't gone to MegaUpload at one time or another? How much do you want to bet that the FBI guys who arrested them actually had watched videos or downloaded files from MegaUpload the day or two before. What a system of abject hypocrisy, I mean it's one of the most popular sites in the world... I'd like to meet the five Omish people who didn't download something from that site.
Yeah, it really seems like such a huge waste. For such a popular company, you'd think they'd maybe try to go a bit green or more eco-friendly. I remember the situation when I had to set up an account with the local energy company for my apartment -- they had said most energy was from nuclear, coal, or gas sources. You could opt to buy green power if you wanted to, actually, it was just a little more expensive per kilowatt hour. Anyway, with such a huge footprint on the world, it would be nice if they reduced their consumption footprint...
As one of my former teachers said: "politics...poly-ticks: poly: more than one, ticks: blood-sucking creatures." For a statement that seems so immediately incorrect in terms of the underlying meaning of the term 'politics,' it's somehow remarkably true...
Really, who didn't see this coming...?
Slashdot Mirror
The real problem isn't the copyrighting of ideas -- or the copyrighting of anything really -- it's the way companies and individuals have begun to use (or rather, to abuse) copyright law that has turned many legal systems into circuses rather than something to be taken seriously. What's truly sad about this is that the time periods in which human beings were most prolific in the arts were also time periods wherein copyrighting didn't exist. In fact, that lack of constraint -- though it likely lead to some disputes -- actually helped to encourage more free expression. The problem is a grander one, because we now have to choose: get rid of copyrights for others yet not have our own works protected at all if we should produce any, or leave it in effect for ourselves and others and suffer the current consequences.
Either tell me what I gain from using Linux, or I'm not even going to try it.
I can tell already that Linux is really not for you. Why? Because if you are the type who expects others to tell you something rather than seeking out an answer for yourself (which realistically would've taken all of five minutes), you wouldn't be able to handle using Linux as a desktop. This isn't meant to be an insult, it's simply a fact. Linux is (often, though not always) a very self-service platform and if you're not someone who's up to doing searches for information on your own, you'd likely find Linux to be only a headache. If perhaps this is an off-day for you or you just didn't find any worthwhile information on Linux. Here's one thing to know about it: it speaks for itself. There is no singular "Linux" -- it comes in a flavor (distro) to suit every individual and so what it offers is infinitely diverse (not kidding) and cannot be quantified in some "x is what you will gain from using Linux" sentence. In the end, it's really up to you and Linux has nothing to prove or sell you (other than perhaps customer support) so, if you're feeling adventurous and decide try Linux on an old computer, enjoy. I'd recommend DistroWatch for a hearty list of distros out there along with their popularity.
If pointing a laser at something guides the bullet towards/away from an object...what prevents someone from *points laser at someone*...um...whoops...hey, it's alright, you have two kneecaps, right? I can see some serious repercussions for having this be attracted just to some general laser beam. Also, will there perhaps be many unexplained shootings at rave parties now due to military testing...? Just when you think laser light effects are harmless to all non-feline mammals unless shone in the eye... :/
The first thing my mind went to is this old commercial: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qyXFN4ocN_o Now take that hard drive analogy a step further and change that hammer into a frying pan... Then: This is your hard drive *holds up hard drive*...this is your hard drive on SOPA...*smash* ...this is what your wallet goes through *smash*...and your freedom for personal expression *smashes stereo*...your privacy and freedom from not being monitored *smashes windows*...your desire to surf the internet *smashes monitor*...and your ability to watch movies online rather than spending five hours cleaning your garage to find the dvd *smashes television*...any questions?
Users' data as in the people who had accounts or users' data as in the IP addresses of people who visited the site? Wouldn't it be fitting if the coward owners of MegaUpload -- one of which was found hiding in a panic room -- were to hand over every IP address logged of anyone who accessed files on the site just to save their own rear ends. The kicker here is that who hasn't gone to MegaUpload at one time or another? How much do you want to bet that the FBI guys who arrested them actually had watched videos or downloaded files from MegaUpload the day or two before. What a system of abject hypocrisy, I mean it's one of the most popular sites in the world... I'd like to meet the five Omish people who didn't download something from that site.
If beauty is truth, in my eyes, that sentence is gorgeous...
Yeah, it really seems like such a huge waste. For such a popular company, you'd think they'd maybe try to go a bit green or more eco-friendly. I remember the situation when I had to set up an account with the local energy company for my apartment -- they had said most energy was from nuclear, coal, or gas sources. You could opt to buy green power if you wanted to, actually, it was just a little more expensive per kilowatt hour. Anyway, with such a huge footprint on the world, it would be nice if they reduced their consumption footprint...
Very, very well put! ^_^
As one of my former teachers said: "politics...poly-ticks: poly: more than one, ticks: blood-sucking creatures." For a statement that seems so immediately incorrect in terms of the underlying meaning of the term 'politics,' it's somehow remarkably true... Really, who didn't see this coming...?
Oh, no, then we'll get something like this: user@shell:$ ./shakespeare
ERRNOCODPIECE: Null pointer exception