I'm not saying... we should come up with a way to compensate the record companies.
What I am saying is that when we download music (read as pirate music) that we shouldn't give some bullshit excuse that we're doing it for the benefit of the artist. If the artist found some fantastic way to achieve distribution equivalent to the music producers, but a pimply-faced teenager found a way to still get it for free, the average person would take the free route. The average person is inherently inconsiderate when they have an opportunity to be anonymous... especially when they can claim good intentions when confronted.
I wholeheartedly agree that the mp3 trading that occurs so openly and frequently on the internet will not stop. There is no organization that is knowledgable enough, powerful enough, or quick enough to stop it. It summed it up perfectly that I was reading Lars Ulrich's editorial in Newsweek, where he stated that it was music now, but the movie industry would probably be next, as I downloaded Gladiator.
But I digress, so here's what bugs me...
Information deserves to be free
Last I checked, mp3 files were not a cure for cancer, a report on contaminated food, or an expose on government corruption. These songs are the hard work of artists who spend years on their work. They go to record companies because they realize it's the only feasible route to success. The record companies invest a lot of money. Just because you don't agree with how they produce something, doesn't give you the right to take it. Period.
I'm not saying everyone should stop downloading mp3 files or that we should come up with a way to compensate the record companies. However, please don't try to shamelessly camouflage something which is flagrantly, and undeniably, illegal with the mask of liberating imprisoned artists.
If people are cheating, and I recognize *some* people do, then I play somewhere else. I've played on plenty of Half-Life, Quake, and similar game servers. Sometimes I found I was playing with people who obviously cheated. Rather than get pissed off, blame the developers for crappy work, and stop playing altogether, the people I play with who aren't cheating usually communicate with each other and play the game somewhere else (i.e. "greener pastures").
The point is:
I don't blame the game... I simply choose to play it with people who also play for fun. Someone is trying to make a great game available to a large number of people. I respect their goal and I hope it's works out for them.
People will start to complain about massive multi-player games, crying, "people cheat" and "it's no fun." Apparently, they feel this is a reason to abandon the game altogether
When I was a runt, running around with the other kids in the neighborhood, we played hide-and-seek. It's a fun game when everyone plays well together. Everyone enjoyed the game and we would play for hours, the more people the better. In the rare event that someone continually cheated... we just didn't play with them.
When someone starts a project like this, it is for a complete love of the game. I recognize that when I play and it makes the experience even better. You can't blame the game for cheating... you have to find the people who are genuinely interested in enjoying the game for what it's supposed to be... even if it means playing in someone else's yard.
If management doesn't seem interested by conversation, make a proposal/report. Nearly everyone in high school, anywhere, had to write one sometime. It would take a couple hours to make a concise explanation of the reasons and a written copy is always taken more seriously than a mention in the breakroom or a random e-mail. Keeping good records, taking initiative, acting proactively, and carrying yourself professionally gets you noticed and promoted.
Most importantly... it covers your ass when people ask later why you didn't fix the problem months ago.
but, let's assume just for a moment that this story is true (apparently that's not a stretch for most readers, despite several reports otherwise) that Sega is stopping production of the Dreamcast.
The Yahoo link also states that they are focusing on software development. I already have a Dreamcast and I don't give a crap if they keep producing the boxes. It would thrill me to death that they realize their investment would be better spent making some more games.
But, looking at the Nintendo GameBoy, Color GameBoy, Pocket GameBoy, Bassackwards GameBoy, Mint-Flavored GameBoy, and Limited Edition Anti-Matter GameBoy, it hardly seems that ceasing production of the clunky, gray, original GameBoy was a sign that the company was giving up on their line. Anyone see the new, smaller Playstation 1? They stopped production of the original, right?
Unopened Atari games are no doubt a collector's item. But what happens to their value when you flood the market with a million of them?
You get the same result that is bound to happen to all the people who carefully packed their Episode 1 action figures in boxes in hopes that it would pay for their retirement.
Do what a friend of mine did. Find a company that wants developers badly (there are plenty). In the interview, be very firm with your wish to telecommute. If the company doesn't bite immediately, offer to work a couple days in the office so they can see you work. Set a date, before you start working, that you will be converted to full telecommute status. It's very, very important to set the date early or it will never get settled. The company gets to evaluate your work ethic beforehand and you get an idea how the company really works.
We have developers in our office that work from home a day or two a week. It's much easier to justify telecommuting if it's only a few days, rather than vice-versa.
Perhaps, there should be a sweeping car tax to help the victims of drunk driving. After all, any one of us could be, and probably are, using our vehicles to mow down unassuming pedestrians.
We could charge an extra tax on all kitchen knives to compensate the victims that are stabbed? Nothing is stopping any of us from mutilating someone with our cookware.
Let's not leave out the ultimate evil... stamps. Right now, someone is buying stamps with the intention of sending a letter bomb. We all must band together and give a portion to help the Unabomber's victims.
I'm very curious to see if this catches on, but here's why I'm pessimistic. I have a Palm Professional and I got it for the same reason that most people got it... It does everything I need it to, it's small, and boot time is non-existent. The other handhelds (predominantly ones with WinCE) don't nearly compete because you can't whip it out, jot down a phone number, and drop it back in your pocket like a piece of paper and pen.
While I'm very interested in getting rid of the keyboard/mouse combo and I'm curious to see new handwriting recognition software, I find it hard to believe that laptop users will move down to this device or that handheld users will sacrifice their small size and speed for the extra computing power. I see this selling to a small population purely on geek factor. There's nothing wrong with that, but I don't see a revolutionary idea here.
"The Ships Log, sent down almost daily from the ISS crew, will no longer be available on the web due to legal concerns with the freedom of information act"
You seem to be sure that they wanted to supress this information. Perhaps, rather than assume that it is "backwards politician weasal speak" we could assume that they wanted the information available to the public (after all, it's good press and they did place it there to begin with).
Maybe there was an employee who was upset that information about himself was being distributed without his consent. The "legal concerns" could have been that the FOIA was supposed to protect that employees personal records and NASA was concerned that the employee would sue.
I don't doubt that there are some dirty politicians and corrupt lawmakers, but to assume that anything questionable is a result of those people is ridiculous. Act on your urge and write to them... maybe they'll tell you or it can be your undeniable proof of the giant X-Files-type conspiracy.
For those of you who don't have the time to read, before spouting off about what you are guaranteed, here is a small portion of items you are not guaranteed by the Freedom of Information Act
(1)(A) specifically authorized under criteria established by an Executive order to be kept secret in the interest of national defense or foreign policy and (B) are in fact properly classified pursuant to such Executive order;
(2) related solely to the internal personnel rules and practices of an agency;
(3) specifically exempted from disclosure by statute (other than section 552b of this title), provided that such statute (A) requires that the matters be withheld from the public in such a manner as to leave no discretion on the issue, or (B) establishes particular criteria for withholding or refers to particular types of matters to be withheld;
(4) trade secrets and commercial or financial information obtained from a person and privileged or confidential;
(5) inter-agency or intra-agency memorandums or letters which would not be available by law to a party other than an agency in litigation with the agency;
(6) personnel and medical files and similar files the disclosure of which would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy;
(7) records or information compiled for law enforcement purposes, but only to the extent that the production of such law enforcement records or information (A) could reasonably be expected to interfere with enforcement proceedings, (B) would deprive a person of a right to a fair trial or an impartial adjudication, (C) could reasonably be expected to constitute an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy, (D) could reasonably be expected to disclose the identity of a confidential source, including a State, local, or foreign agency or authority or any private institution which furnished information on a confidential basis, and, in the case of a record or information compiled by a criminal law enforcement authority in the course of a criminal investigation or by an agency conducting a lawful national security intelligence investigation, information furnished by a confidential source, (E) would disclose techniques and procedures for law enforcement investigations or prosecutions, or would disclose guidelines for law enforcement investigations or prosecutions if such disclosure could reasonably be expected to risk circumvention of the law, or (F) could reasonably be expected to endanger the life or physical safety of any individual;
(8) contained in or related to examination, operating, or condition reports prepared by, on behalf of, or for the use of an agency responsible for the regulation or supervision of financial institutions; or
(9) geological and geophysical information and data, including maps, concerning wells.
When people say they are using the FOIA to refuse information, they may have meant to say that they are using the FOIA to show they are not required to give it to you. Give NASA a break. They give a lot of great info that they could easily justify not giving, but when it comes down to it, they are scientists who are excited and happy to talk to people about their work.
"NASA is deeply committed to spreading the unique knowledge that flows from its aeronautics and space research...."
NASA has some pretty cool stuff on their site. They don't have to show me the latest pictures or movies of space, but they do. Last I checked, there was no reason that I had to know the daily reports of what is going on during a space mission. I enjoy reading about it, but there is no reason they should feel responsible to give it to me. I pay taxes to get police officers around my neighborhood, but it doesn't mean I get to tell them what to do.
Maybe there is a completely justifiable reason to suddenly suppress the information. I know there are reasons that some information gets denied despite the Freedom of Information Act that many people cry about (but probably haven't taken the time or initiative to actually read and comprehend). I don't think my tax-paying, but mentally-deficient neighbor needs the info to build a nuclear bomb, so I'm willing to let it go that I can't obtain it myself.
NASA has made some pretty huge strides in its lifetime and I'm happy to see them able to continue. They give a ton of information and some of us are happy to see that. I would contest that the large number of people bitching about the requested denial of info weren't even aware that it was being given in the first place (and probably wouldn't have even thought about it if it wasn't originally). Now it's a conspiracy.
I think the most obvious route for online comics is to realize that you will get little or no revenue if you try to charge for a comic that isn't already popular. However, if you give it to them for free and then squeeze them later you'll have better luck. Anyone else buy Doom or Quake after playing the shareware versions?
Offer your comic for free. If it's worth paying money for then people will buy merchandise later. Look at the disgusting amount of Garfield or Peanuts crap available just about everywhere. People don't *have* to buy the books, shirts or coffee mugs to read the comic strip in the paper, but they do buy them.
They did a great job on a free comic and are now selling out of their t-shirts and recently started taking orders for a hard and soft-cover book. I read it every other day and I'm seriously considering the book.
When I drive to work I generally go one route. However, there are days when I realize that because of traffic, weather, or just for the sake of doing something different, I go a different route.
When I write code, I tend to go with OOP. I find it's easier to explain to co-workers and easier for me to visualize restructuring whole sections of code. Then there are the days that the I don't. For whatever reason, I throw OOP out the window for that particular project. For me, the methodology is defined by the project.
I look at an argument bashing one or the other and shake my head. I don't have time to fiercely defend or attack either one... I have code to write.
These are the same people who post without reading the articles first. Good idea, but it ends up being like a yield sign at an intersection. The only people who will make use of it are the people who already know better.
Slashdot Mirror
It'd be really cool if we could come up with a nice, well-written letter...
Only the open-source community would come up with an open-source letter to defend open-source. Why don't we set it up in CVS while we're at it.
Did you read what I wrote or just skim it?
I'm not saying... we should come up with a way to compensate the record companies.
What I am saying is that when we download music (read as pirate music) that we shouldn't give some bullshit excuse that we're doing it for the benefit of the artist. If the artist found some fantastic way to achieve distribution equivalent to the music producers, but a pimply-faced teenager found a way to still get it for free, the average person would take the free route. The average person is inherently inconsiderate when they have an opportunity to be anonymous... especially when they can claim good intentions when confronted.
I wholeheartedly agree that the mp3 trading that occurs so openly and frequently on the internet will not stop. There is no organization that is knowledgable enough, powerful enough, or quick enough to stop it. It summed it up perfectly that I was reading Lars Ulrich's editorial in Newsweek, where he stated that it was music now, but the movie industry would probably be next, as I downloaded Gladiator.
But I digress, so here's what bugs me...
Information deserves to be free
Last I checked, mp3 files were not a cure for cancer, a report on contaminated food, or an expose on government corruption. These songs are the hard work of artists who spend years on their work. They go to record companies because they realize it's the only feasible route to success. The record companies invest a lot of money. Just because you don't agree with how they produce something, doesn't give you the right to take it. Period.
I'm not saying everyone should stop downloading mp3 files or that we should come up with a way to compensate the record companies. However, please don't try to shamelessly camouflage something which is flagrantly, and undeniably, illegal with the mask of liberating imprisoned artists.
I find that the easiest calculation of a virus impact is:
Multiply [number in tech staff]
by [people who open the email after being warned]
then multiply by [time it takes to close eyes and count to 10].
We leave out the guilty parties time because it generally doesn't impact the the productivity of the company, anyway.
You're missing the point...
If people are cheating, and I recognize *some* people do, then I play somewhere else. I've played on plenty of Half-Life, Quake, and similar game servers. Sometimes I found I was playing with people who obviously cheated. Rather than get pissed off, blame the developers for crappy work, and stop playing altogether, the people I play with who aren't cheating usually communicate with each other and play the game somewhere else (i.e. "greener pastures").
The point is:
I don't blame the game... I simply choose to play it with people who also play for fun. Someone is trying to make a great game available to a large number of people. I respect their goal and I hope it's works out for them.
People will start to complain about massive multi-player games, crying, "people cheat" and "it's no fun." Apparently, they feel this is a reason to abandon the game altogether
When I was a runt, running around with the other kids in the neighborhood, we played hide-and-seek. It's a fun game when everyone plays well together. Everyone enjoyed the game and we would play for hours, the more people the better. In the rare event that someone continually cheated... we just didn't play with them.
When someone starts a project like this, it is for a complete love of the game. I recognize that when I play and it makes the experience even better. You can't blame the game for cheating... you have to find the people who are genuinely interested in enjoying the game for what it's supposed to be... even if it means playing in someone else's yard.
Perhaps these doctors just got older and now view the same range of patients as being younger.
It's a sign of poor programming. I recommend everyone reboot.
The goverment funds that were earmarked for subsidizing those inexpensive computers is probably now paying to supporting that link.
If management doesn't seem interested by conversation, make a proposal/report. Nearly everyone in high school, anywhere, had to write one sometime. It would take a couple hours to make a concise explanation of the reasons and a written copy is always taken more seriously than a mention in the breakroom or a random e-mail. Keeping good records, taking initiative, acting proactively, and carrying yourself professionally gets you noticed and promoted.
Most importantly... it covers your ass when people ask later why you didn't fix the problem months ago.
but, let's assume just for a moment that this story is true (apparently that's not a stretch for most readers, despite several reports otherwise) that Sega is stopping production of the Dreamcast.
The Yahoo link also states that they are focusing on software development. I already have a Dreamcast and I don't give a crap if they keep producing the boxes. It would thrill me to death that they realize their investment would be better spent making some more games.
But, looking at the Nintendo GameBoy, Color GameBoy, Pocket GameBoy, Bassackwards GameBoy, Mint-Flavored GameBoy, and Limited Edition Anti-Matter GameBoy, it hardly seems that ceasing production of the clunky, gray, original GameBoy was a sign that the company was giving up on their line. Anyone see the new, smaller Playstation 1? They stopped production of the original, right?
How are we expected to clean these miraculous fans (provided they don't jam and burn themselves out)?
I don't mean to sound cynical, but my fan collects so much dust that it looks like it was hidden between my couch cushions.
Unopened Atari games are no doubt a collector's item. But what happens to their value when you flood the market with a million of them?
You get the same result that is bound to happen to all the people who carefully packed their Episode 1 action figures in boxes in hopes that it would pay for their retirement.
Do what a friend of mine did. Find a company that wants developers badly (there are plenty). In the interview, be very firm with your wish to telecommute. If the company doesn't bite immediately, offer to work a couple days in the office so they can see you work. Set a date, before you start working, that you will be converted to full telecommute status. It's very, very important to set the date early or it will never get settled. The company gets to evaluate your work ethic beforehand and you get an idea how the company really works.
We have developers in our office that work from home a day or two a week. It's much easier to justify telecommuting if it's only a few days, rather than vice-versa.
Perhaps, there should be a sweeping car tax to help the victims of drunk driving. After all, any one of us could be, and probably are, using our vehicles to mow down unassuming pedestrians.
We could charge an extra tax on all kitchen knives to compensate the victims that are stabbed? Nothing is stopping any of us from mutilating someone with our cookware.
Let's not leave out the ultimate evil... stamps. Right now, someone is buying stamps with the intention of sending a letter bomb. We all must band together and give a portion to help the Unabomber's victims.
I'm very curious to see if this catches on, but here's why I'm pessimistic. I have a Palm Professional and I got it for the same reason that most people got it... It does everything I need it to, it's small, and boot time is non-existent. The other handhelds (predominantly ones with WinCE) don't nearly compete because you can't whip it out, jot down a phone number, and drop it back in your pocket like a piece of paper and pen.
While I'm very interested in getting rid of the keyboard/mouse combo and I'm curious to see new handwriting recognition software, I find it hard to believe that laptop users will move down to this device or that handheld users will sacrifice their small size and speed for the extra computing power. I see this selling to a small population purely on geek factor. There's nothing wrong with that, but I don't see a revolutionary idea here.
"The Ships Log, sent down almost daily from the ISS crew, will no longer be available on the web due to legal concerns with the freedom of information act"
You seem to be sure that they wanted to supress this information. Perhaps, rather than assume that it is "backwards politician weasal speak" we could assume that they wanted the information available to the public (after all, it's good press and they did place it there to begin with).
Maybe there was an employee who was upset that information about himself was being distributed without his consent. The "legal concerns" could have been that the FOIA was supposed to protect that employees personal records and NASA was concerned that the employee would sue.
I don't doubt that there are some dirty politicians and corrupt lawmakers, but to assume that anything questionable is a result of those people is ridiculous. Act on your urge and write to them... maybe they'll tell you or it can be your undeniable proof of the giant X-Files-type conspiracy.
Also, as a FIFA-certified soccer referee, I can tell you that Fédération Internationale de Football Association probably had very little to do with the suppresion of the NASA space logs.
For those of you who don't have the time to read, before spouting off about what you are guaranteed, here is a small portion of items you are not guaranteed by the Freedom of Information Act
(1)(A) specifically authorized under criteria established by an Executive order to be kept secret in the interest of national defense or foreign policy and (B) are in fact properly classified pursuant to such Executive order;
(2) related solely to the internal personnel rules and practices of an agency;
(3) specifically exempted from disclosure by statute (other than section 552b of this title), provided that such statute (A) requires that the matters be withheld from the public in such a manner as to leave no discretion on the issue, or (B) establishes particular criteria for withholding or refers to particular types of matters to be withheld;
(4) trade secrets and commercial or financial information obtained from a person and privileged or confidential;
(5) inter-agency or intra-agency memorandums or letters which would not be available by law to a party other than an agency in litigation with the agency;
(6) personnel and medical files and similar files the disclosure of which would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy;
(7) records or information compiled for law enforcement purposes, but only to the extent that the production of such law enforcement records or information (A) could reasonably be expected to interfere with enforcement proceedings, (B) would deprive a person of a right to a fair trial or an impartial adjudication, (C) could reasonably be expected to constitute an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy, (D) could reasonably be expected to disclose the identity of a confidential source, including a State, local, or foreign agency or authority or any private institution which furnished information on a confidential basis, and, in the case of a record or information compiled by a criminal law enforcement authority in the course of a criminal investigation or by an agency conducting a lawful national security intelligence investigation, information furnished by a confidential source, (E) would disclose techniques and procedures for law enforcement investigations or prosecutions, or would disclose guidelines for law enforcement investigations or prosecutions if such disclosure could reasonably be expected to risk circumvention of the law, or (F) could reasonably be expected to endanger the life or physical safety of any individual;
(8) contained in or related to examination, operating, or condition reports prepared by, on behalf of, or for the use of an agency responsible for the regulation or supervision of financial institutions; or
(9) geological and geophysical information and data, including maps, concerning wells.
When people say they are using the FOIA to refuse information, they may have meant to say that they are using the FOIA to show they are not required to give it to you. Give NASA a break. They give a lot of great info that they could easily justify not giving, but when it comes down to it, they are scientists who are excited and happy to talk to people about their work.
From NASA's front page
"NASA is deeply committed to spreading the unique knowledge that flows from its aeronautics and space research...."
NASA has some pretty cool stuff on their site. They don't have to show me the latest pictures or movies of space, but they do. Last I checked, there was no reason that I had to know the daily reports of what is going on during a space mission. I enjoy reading about it, but there is no reason they should feel responsible to give it to me. I pay taxes to get police officers around my neighborhood, but it doesn't mean I get to tell them what to do.
Maybe there is a completely justifiable reason to suddenly suppress the information. I know there are reasons that some information gets denied despite the Freedom of Information Act that many people cry about (but probably haven't taken the time or initiative to actually read and comprehend). I don't think my tax-paying, but mentally-deficient neighbor needs the info to build a nuclear bomb, so I'm willing to let it go that I can't obtain it myself.
NASA has made some pretty huge strides in its lifetime and I'm happy to see them able to continue. They give a ton of information and some of us are happy to see that. I would contest that the large number of people bitching about the requested denial of info weren't even aware that it was being given in the first place (and probably wouldn't have even thought about it if it wasn't originally). Now it's a conspiracy.
I think the most obvious route for online comics is to realize that you will get little or no revenue if you try to charge for a comic that isn't already popular. However, if you give it to them for free and then squeeze them later you'll have better luck. Anyone else buy Doom or Quake after playing the shareware versions?
Offer your comic for free. If it's worth paying money for then people will buy merchandise later. Look at the disgusting amount of Garfield or Peanuts crap available just about everywhere. People don't *have* to buy the books, shirts or coffee mugs to read the comic strip in the paper, but they do buy them.
Check out Penny Arcade
They did a great job on a free comic and are now selling out of their t-shirts and recently started taking orders for a hard and soft-cover book. I read it every other day and I'm seriously considering the book.
When I drive to work I generally go one route. However, there are days when I realize that because of traffic, weather, or just for the sake of doing something different, I go a different route.
When I write code, I tend to go with OOP. I find it's easier to explain to co-workers and easier for me to visualize restructuring whole sections of code. Then there are the days that the I don't. For whatever reason, I throw OOP out the window for that particular project. For me, the methodology is defined by the project.
I look at an argument bashing one or the other and shake my head. I don't have time to fiercely defend or attack either one... I have code to write.
affects is employees who have legitimate reasons to view sexually explicit art, poetry, etc. as a part of their job
Apparently, I'm in the wrong job.
The only thing I know about them are the guys can't smoke in the tunnels and have to walk a quarter of a mile to have a cigarette
standing on the over the hole I was almost overcome by what I belive was methane
Heh... I think I'd walk the quarter mile for the cigarette, too.
What is inside that giant geodesic dome that looks like a golf ball?
Ask Mickey Mouse... he's had that technology for years.
These are the same people who post without reading the articles first. Good idea, but it ends up being like a yield sign at an intersection. The only people who will make use of it are the people who already know better.