This came out a long time ago with the idea of hiding child pornography in files containing what appeared to be pictures of art, or other benign picture files.
There was even an episode of Law and Order about this. Its nothing new, but I agree it does pose many questions about security. (Security through obscurity is really good if the level of obscurity is paramount.)
Does this study take into account the amount of productivity of all the spammers out there? Surely some of them are getting paid for spamming, so that should be added to (or subtracted from?) the total...
About 4-5 months ago, apparently a script-kiddie spammer misconfigured his spam mailer and I got 2,762 spam messages (all from the same mailer with the same content) in a three-hour period.
What it boils down to is this. As long as people want to watch tv and movies, there will be some executive somewhere coming up with ideas on how to make more money for the company. If I pay for a show on tv (Pay-Per View X for example, as noted above) I should be able to copy that puppy down and watch it as many times as I want, wherever I want, whenever I want. I paid for it. I paid rights to watch it.
Then some executive will hear about TiVo (or whatever) and think of a way to make money from it.
Laws will be passed, companies embrace/license patented technology.
Some kid/college student/whatever breaks it, and figures a way around it.
The big industry starts a manhunt for those responsible.
Big industry comes up with another way to bribe the lawmakers (can anyone say campaign contributions?) into making laws that make them even richer.
The cycle continues. It will never end. Well, maybe if we got some folks into congress that were BELOW the usual retirement age, then we might not have such a problem. (Can anyone say mandatory term limits for congress members?)
The fact of the matter is, as long as someone else can profit from restricting others, it will happen. Fair use is almost not even legitimate anymore. If I bought a DVD from a store here, and it got all scratched up and became unplayable, guess what... I have to buy another. With VHS, I was, under fair-use laws, allowed to make myself a backup copy. DMCA says I can't do anything that will violate the Macrovision on this DVD I have.
Mod this up, mod this down, I really don't care. This country is going downhill, and it will take quite a lot to slow the descent, let alone get it going in a positive direction. I'm waiting for the day when I get my "Air Bill" in the mail right next to my water bill. I'll pay that right after I pay my Ohio 'Use Tax'.
If it was just the act of holding a cell phone in your hand while driving that caused the problems, then I think that people who eat or drink, or people who drive standard transmissions would also cause those kinds of problems. This is why (as someone else has already mentioned in this thread) hands-free attachments don't really help much. People carrying on conversations with someone who isn't in the car feel obligated to invest a good portion of their attention to the call, and not to the road. This is why people talking to another person in the car isn't usually a problem. The person in the car can see whats happening, and will understand if you don't respond right away to something.
Aside from the occasional "I-hit-someone-because-I-dropped-my-phone" situations, I'd say that hands-free doesn't really mean that much.
Maybe if you call someone on a cell phone while driving in a car, you should just say 'Pay attention to the road and don't worry if you have to be silent for a few minutes while you drive' or some other equivalent disclaimer.
(Obviously thats not going to happen, but allowing hands-free talking and outlawing normal cell calls isn't going to help.)
On a side note, people claim that restricting the elderly from driving is age discrimination. However, we already practice that by not allowing 13-year olds to drive. The restrictions need to focus less on age (although I don't disagree with the minimum age requirements) and more on driving ability. I've seen dozens of first-hand accounts of where some very old person got in an accident either because they had horrible reaction time, or just plain didn't see something that they should have seen easily.
There was a news-documentary a few years ago about this elderly guy wearing a neck brace. He was totally unable to move his head to the left, at all. The reporter was in the car with him, and he asked her to check left. She asked what he does when hes alone in the car, and he replied that he just listens and hopes for the best.
I also witnessed an elderly woman who was standing in front of me at the BMV line fail her eye test 14 times (I counted) before she finally passed. I took my eye test, filled out my paperwork, and started pulling out of my car before she even finished getting IN her car.
The problem is, no legislation will ever pass to restrict this, for two reasons:
1) Most of congress would probably fall into this category 2) The highest percent of voters is the elderly. They would never vote to have their own licenses put in jeopardy.
Instead of looking far and wide for a non-trackpad version of a laptop, find whatever laptop you like best, whatever your criteria is for selecting one, and IF it has a trackpad on it, disable it. It will then become just a little square on the front of your laptop that isn't used for anything. You would always then have the option of using it again (say you're on a plane and your mouse breaks) if you need it.
Don't remove that which doesn't need to be removed. Just push it to the side. You never know when it will come in handy!
If Microsoft is pushing for a single device, then what about any console Xbox games that they don't plan to port to the PC? I know the gamecube and PS2 has done this for a while, and more and more games are destined to stay in the console realm, but apparently to Microsoft, a single device means a PC running Windows, and an Xbox.
I believe he was trying to say (correct me if I'm wrong) that the developers can't add features that exist ONLY in the right-mouse click menu, because they can't guarantee that the user will be able to get there. So, while it might be handy to use a multi-button mouse, its not required. In my opinion, that's not a bad idea. Give the not-so-experienced users fewer reasons to get confused (one mouse button), yet give the more experienced users the option of using a multi-button mouse for extra functionality.
I'm not a Mac user myself, but its the little things like this that make me like Macs more and more.
Who needs accountability when you get it right the first time?
Instead of offering updates (new versions?) for extra money, and having a bazillion updates, if you get it mostly right the first time, then you don't have to worry about who to blame if it breaks, because it won't break.
------ I've never gotten the blue screen of death in Linux. Even a fatal error still gives me a prompt.
Downloaders of Gigli automatically get a bed reserved for them in the local Hospital of the Mentally Diseased. The MPAA should force J-Lo to purchase it back and destroy it, much like Bill Cosby did for Leonard, Part 6. (Thank God there was no parts 1 -5)
Maybe the cop cameras just won't use that functionality. Just because it exists, doesn't mean that every camera in the world will be running it.
It will have certain applications to certain situations, but implying that criminals can immediately use this to their benefit is just pure speculation.
The problem of keeping memories for life isn't one of technology. Its one of fire, theft, vandalism, keeping your files on a usb flash drive in your shirt pocket as you bend over the toilet.
I have data that is still intact from 1980, 25 years ago, because I have taken care to keep copying it to backup media, current media (tapes to CDs to DVD, etc.)
Point being, we can keep data for as long as we're interested in investing the time and money to do it right. Just because some fool can't learn how to backup his data doesn't mean that technology should take over. He probably wouldn't keep all his data with a RAID the size of Nebraska.
This reminds me of the Star Wars: Galaxies roll out on June 26th, 2003 (if I remember the date correctly). I had my copy purchased, and installed, patched, and clicked on that 'Connect' button, and all of the servers were offline. Every single one. Apparently they severely underestimated the number of players who would be logging in that first day, and for some reason, nobody could.
Their answer? They gave folks 1 extra day of play time before their subscriptions had to be renewed.
People were complaining about service on the first day. However, the fact remains. Regardless of studies, analyses, etc., nobody can really know whats going to happen on the first day of a huge rollout like this. There's no possible way to test it adequately. Even the beta testers for SWG said that it was never that bad for them, but then again there was only a fraction of beta testers compared to the number of players on rollout day.
I ended up playing for a long time, finally got on the path to Jedi, then once I figured out it would have taken me like 7 months just to BECOME a jedi (let alone progress through the Jedi ranks) I decided I'd rather have the $15 a month.
Oh, those were the days. Now I just play Starcraft and America's Army (A free mmorpg!)
What helps the labels is the offical MLB logo that tells Joe Consumer that he can play his favorite (current) player.
I remember the days of Super Tecmo Bowl where there was no Bernie Kosar. The NFL didn't have rights to use his name, so instead, he was known as 'QB Browns'. Being able to play your favorite athlete is a powerful thing when it comes down to 'Which football game will I buy' when standing in the store looking at the shelves and shelves of games.
I'd have to agree. Its competition that makes the company strive for excellence. Especially when there are other good comparable (similar) products out there. If EA is prohibited, for example, from developing any more MLB games, then what will set the 'bar' for a good game? (Not that EA does it, but they are a major player in the sports genre.) As Willie said, limiting choices doesn't seem the best way to promote competition.
Maybe they're talking about just the few really big companies, but any time I hear the phrase 'Exclusive deal' I groan just a bit.
Competition also ensures that if you dont like one developer's take on a game (game play, controls, etc) you have other options. If Take2's version of MLB basically doesn't meet expectation, who else will we have to turn to for our MLB games?
Instead of the school admin worrying that this might lead to school shootings, maybe they should examine the other side of the spectrum. Perhaps, just perhaps, letting these teens take out some frustrations on some virtual characters in some game will help alleviate some stress.
I know I always feel better when I riddle some poor nameless sod with a few hundred rounds from my MG3 in Ghost Recon...
I've had less trouble viewing pages in Firefox than in any other browser I've ever used. Netscape 4.x was a nightmare, Netscape 6 was only slightly better. IE 5 and 6 had their good points, but still had proprietary functions/attributes that made it not universal (and don't even get me started on the security vulnerabilities). Firefox has been, far and wide, the most compatible browser for me, as a programmer and as a web designer.
At this point, I only test my work in IE because I know some of my users still use it, but that's changing fast.
Slashdot Mirror
This came out a long time ago with the idea of hiding child pornography in files containing what appeared to be pictures of art, or other benign picture files.
There was even an episode of Law and Order about this. Its nothing new, but I agree it does pose many questions about security. (Security through obscurity is really good if the level of obscurity is paramount.)
Does this study take into account the amount of productivity of all the spammers out there? Surely some of them are getting paid for spamming, so that should be added to (or subtracted from?) the total...
About 4-5 months ago, apparently a script-kiddie spammer misconfigured his spam mailer and I got 2,762 spam messages (all from the same mailer with the same content) in a three-hour period.
"The rich get richer and the poor get poorer."
What it boils down to is this. As long as people want to watch tv and movies, there will be some executive somewhere coming up with ideas on how to make more money for the company. If I pay for a show on tv (Pay-Per View X for example, as noted above) I should be able to copy that puppy down and watch it as many times as I want, wherever I want, whenever I want. I paid for it. I paid rights to watch it.
Then some executive will hear about TiVo (or whatever) and think of a way to make money from it.
Laws will be passed, companies embrace/license patented technology.
Some kid/college student/whatever breaks it, and figures a way around it.
The big industry starts a manhunt for those responsible.
Big industry comes up with another way to bribe the lawmakers (can anyone say campaign contributions?) into making laws that make them even richer.
The cycle continues. It will never end.
Well, maybe if we got some folks into congress that were BELOW the usual retirement age, then we might not have such a problem. (Can anyone say mandatory term limits for congress members?)
The fact of the matter is, as long as someone else can profit from restricting others, it will happen. Fair use is almost not even legitimate anymore. If I bought a DVD from a store here, and it got all scratched up and became unplayable, guess what... I have to buy another. With VHS, I was, under fair-use laws, allowed to make myself a backup copy. DMCA says I can't do anything that will violate the Macrovision on this DVD I have.
Mod this up, mod this down, I really don't care. This country is going downhill, and it will take quite a lot to slow the descent, let alone get it going in a positive direction. I'm waiting for the day when I get my "Air Bill" in the mail right next to my water bill. I'll pay that right after I pay my Ohio 'Use Tax'.
Yeah, since they did such a great job preventing DVD copying, why not give them more business.
If it was just the act of holding a cell phone in your hand while driving that caused the problems, then I think that people who eat or drink, or people who drive standard transmissions would also cause those kinds of problems. This is why (as someone else has already mentioned in this thread) hands-free attachments don't really help much. People carrying on conversations with someone who isn't in the car feel obligated to invest a good portion of their attention to the call, and not to the road. This is why people talking to another person in the car isn't usually a problem. The person in the car can see whats happening, and will understand if you don't respond right away to something.
Aside from the occasional "I-hit-someone-because-I-dropped-my-phone" situations, I'd say that hands-free doesn't really mean that much.
Maybe if you call someone on a cell phone while driving in a car, you should just say 'Pay attention to the road and don't worry if you have to be silent for a few minutes while you drive' or some other equivalent disclaimer.
(Obviously thats not going to happen, but allowing hands-free talking and outlawing normal cell calls isn't going to help.)
On a side note, people claim that restricting the elderly from driving is age discrimination. However, we already practice that by not allowing 13-year olds to drive. The restrictions need to focus less on age (although I don't disagree with the minimum age requirements) and more on driving ability. I've seen dozens of first-hand accounts of where some very old person got in an accident either because they had horrible reaction time, or just plain didn't see something that they should have seen easily.
There was a news-documentary a few years ago about this elderly guy wearing a neck brace. He was totally unable to move his head to the left, at all. The reporter was in the car with him, and he asked her to check left. She asked what he does when hes alone in the car, and he replied that he just listens and hopes for the best.
I also witnessed an elderly woman who was standing in front of me at the BMV line fail her eye test 14 times (I counted) before she finally passed. I took my eye test, filled out my paperwork, and started pulling out of my car before she even finished getting IN her car.
The problem is, no legislation will ever pass to restrict this, for two reasons:
1) Most of congress would probably fall into this category
2) The highest percent of voters is the elderly. They would never vote to have their own licenses put in jeopardy.
Instead of looking far and wide for a non-trackpad version of a laptop, find whatever laptop you like best, whatever your criteria is for selecting one, and IF it has a trackpad on it, disable it. It will then become just a little square on the front of your laptop that isn't used for anything. You would always then have the option of using it again (say you're on a plane and your mouse breaks) if you need it.
Don't remove that which doesn't need to be removed. Just push it to the side. You never know when it will come in handy!
What's a 'Board Game?'
My parents talked about something called 'Monopoly' many years back, and they used to play it after they parked their horse and buggy...
If Microsoft is pushing for a single device, then what about any console Xbox games that they don't plan to port to the PC? I know the gamecube and PS2 has done this for a while, and more and more games are destined to stay in the console realm, but apparently to Microsoft, a single device means a PC running Windows, and an Xbox.
I believe he was trying to say (correct me if I'm wrong) that the developers can't add features that exist ONLY in the right-mouse click menu, because they can't guarantee that the user will be able to get there. So, while it might be handy to use a multi-button mouse, its not required. In my opinion, that's not a bad idea. Give the not-so-experienced users fewer reasons to get confused (one mouse button), yet give the more experienced users the option of using a multi-button mouse for extra functionality.
I'm not a Mac user myself, but its the little things like this that make me like Macs more and more.
Who needs accountability when you get it right the first time?
Instead of offering updates (new versions?) for extra money, and having a bazillion updates, if you get it mostly right the first time, then you don't have to worry about who to blame if it breaks, because it won't break.
------
I've never gotten the blue screen of death in Linux. Even a fatal error still gives me a prompt.
I'm still waiting for Mr. Popeil's voice to come on saying 'But wait! There's more!'
Buy three and get a free ginzoo 2000 sticker. Put on the handle of your knife, and the blade will be sharp forever!
Downloaders of Gigli automatically get a bed reserved for them in the local Hospital of the Mentally Diseased. The MPAA should force J-Lo to purchase it back and destroy it, much like Bill Cosby did for Leonard, Part 6. (Thank God there was no parts 1 -5)
Maybe the cop cameras just won't use that functionality. Just because it exists, doesn't mean that every camera in the world will be running it.
It will have certain applications to certain situations, but implying that criminals can immediately use this to their benefit is just pure speculation.
Ask the numerous end-users (and I mean more than a couple dozen) who have brought those disks to me the next day asking to retrieve their data.
Needless to say, I turn them away without even touching them... "If it doesn't work for you, it won't work for me."
The problem of keeping memories for life isn't one of technology. Its one of fire, theft, vandalism, keeping your files on a usb flash drive in your shirt pocket as you bend over the toilet.
I have data that is still intact from 1980, 25 years ago, because I have taken care to keep copying it to backup media, current media (tapes to CDs to DVD, etc.)
Point being, we can keep data for as long as we're interested in investing the time and money to do it right. Just because some fool can't learn how to backup his data doesn't mean that technology should take over. He probably wouldn't keep all his data with a RAID the size of Nebraska.
This reminds me of the Star Wars: Galaxies roll out on June 26th, 2003 (if I remember the date correctly). I had my copy purchased, and installed, patched, and clicked on that 'Connect' button, and all of the servers were offline. Every single one. Apparently they severely underestimated the number of players who would be logging in that first day, and for some reason, nobody could.
Their answer? They gave folks 1 extra day of play time before their subscriptions had to be renewed.
People were complaining about service on the first day. However, the fact remains. Regardless of studies, analyses, etc., nobody can really know whats going to happen on the first day of a huge rollout like this. There's no possible way to test it adequately. Even the beta testers for SWG said that it was never that bad for them, but then again there was only a fraction of beta testers compared to the number of players on rollout day.
I ended up playing for a long time, finally got on the path to Jedi, then once I figured out it would have taken me like 7 months just to BECOME a jedi (let alone progress through the Jedi ranks) I decided I'd rather have the $15 a month.
Oh, those were the days. Now I just play Starcraft and America's Army (A free mmorpg!)
Maybe they misunderstood someone talking about SuSe, and thought they said 'Sue Z'. In today's litigious society, who wouldn't be interested in that?
What helps the labels is the offical MLB logo that tells Joe Consumer that he can play his favorite (current) player.
I remember the days of Super Tecmo Bowl where there was no Bernie Kosar. The NFL didn't have rights to use his name, so instead, he was known as 'QB Browns'. Being able to play your favorite athlete is a powerful thing when it comes down to 'Which football game will I buy' when standing in the store looking at the shelves and shelves of games.
I'd have to agree. Its competition that makes the company strive for excellence. Especially when there are other good comparable (similar) products out there. If EA is prohibited, for example, from developing any more MLB games, then what will set the 'bar' for a good game? (Not that EA does it, but they are a major player in the sports genre.) As Willie said, limiting choices doesn't seem the best way to promote competition.
Maybe they're talking about just the few really big companies, but any time I hear the phrase 'Exclusive deal' I groan just a bit.
Competition also ensures that if you dont like one developer's take on a game (game play, controls, etc) you have other options. If Take2's version of MLB basically doesn't meet expectation, who else will we have to turn to for our MLB games?
Its easier to beg for forgiveness than to ask for permission.
Why should the US government be any different.
Instead of the school admin worrying that this might lead to school shootings, maybe they should examine the other side of the spectrum. Perhaps, just perhaps, letting these teens take out some frustrations on some virtual characters in some game will help alleviate some stress.
I know I always feel better when I riddle some poor nameless sod with a few hundred rounds from my MG3 in Ghost Recon...
After watching Waterworld, I know now that all I have to do after all the icebergs melt is just sprout gills and keep as many 'chits' as I can.
Oh, I almost forgot. Tomato plants, and a urine-to-water distiller might be handy as well.
I've had less trouble viewing pages in Firefox than in any other browser I've ever used. Netscape 4.x was a nightmare, Netscape 6 was only slightly better. IE 5 and 6 had their good points, but still had proprietary functions/attributes that made it not universal (and don't even get me started on the security vulnerabilities). Firefox has been, far and wide, the most compatible browser for me, as a programmer and as a web designer.
At this point, I only test my work in IE because I know some of my users still use it, but that's changing fast.