...but it ain't the answer that everyone claims it to be.
Granted that with it (and I am a user) one can seamlessly communicate with everyone, BUT you have to set up a screen name with each and everyone of them.
Which I am loathe to do (even though I DID break down and do it).
The major problem is the fact that I have to keep track of screen names for AIM, MSN, Yahoo, and ICQ. I don't even get the luxury of picking a screen name that is the same on all servers. I've tried and unless I pick something so off the wall that no one in thier right mind can remember it, it ain't happening. So there are now 4 accounts and 4 passwords (since the password schemes aren't the same either and not advisable to use the same password anyway) that I have to track in my book.
Also, it's all well and good that these clients are 4 IM client ready, but what happens when the 5th or the 6th one comes out? New programs, new accounts, and new passwords starting the chain of frustration all over again. It's neverending unless......they can finally agree upon a standard. This will make it simple for everyone as I can pick a name on my favorite service (ICQ in this case...for the off line messages capability mostly) and share that ONE name out to the rest of thier friends on whatever service that they are using and let the IM's fall where they may.
With M$ being thier usual stingy selves I see this as likely happening as phytoplankton discovering FTP physics.
Thank you MS, I needed a good laugh
on
Is Linux Dead?
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· Score: 1
Gee! M$(microsoft)NBC reporting that Linux is dead!
"There's a big surprise! I think I'm going to have a heart attack and die from not surprised"
(thank you Disney and Gilbert Godfreid for that quote)
They give a grudging nth of credit to Linux for the server market in spite of the fact that Linux running companies are on the rise. Can't hardly have a week go by without hearing at least one company that has embraced the Penguin for running the office.
They quote a sales drop of 8% in the market...a drop that I've seen in most of the computer industry...especially after 9/11.
And they make a big to-do of the fact that it isn't a home OS. No @#$% Sherlock. We Linux users bloody well know that. We in the IT field are *painfully* aware that the average home user is barely able to turn the computer on in the first place, much less be able to run Windows.
Getting one of those people to run Linux without a fully staffed and compentent IT department would be akin to asking a Lemure to handle the daily operation of a nuclear power plant.
We are aware of this and admit that Linux for the home may not happen for quite a while. But Dead? Not bloody likely.
Phoenix
Besides...since they're MSnbc...there may be the teensiest tiniest little smidgeon if bias i nthat reporting....but then again I'm cynical by nature
Regardless of what you think of him, he did get shit upon by the justice system. As a citizen of this country he is entitled to a speedy trial. They left him to rot for a long time before they got down to putting up on trial. Personally I have no use for one such as he, but regardless of anyone's opinions he has rights to fair judgement under the constitution of this country. To deny such to him is to leave an opening to deny others of those same rights.
For example...you are miffed at Kevin for what he did (as am I) but would you feel the same way if someone were arrested for hacking a CueCat scanner and making software that didn't report to the company, then left "to rot"? Or would you be shouting that the government was commiting a travisty of justice?
You can not have it both ways...It has to be fair to all or fair to none.
Phoenix (and yes I know that it frequently doesn't live up to the ideals on the Constitution, but let's not help make it worse Ok?)
Other than the severe geek factor that fridge provides, there is no way I'd own one unless I won it, or won the lottery. For as so many have said why do we need those features when we have better for ourselves?
Simple...there are those of us who aren't geeks.
In a day and age where both parents are usually out working, who really has the time to go shopping when you are out of eggs? Heck there may be times where you simply don't know that you are out. Solution? A fridge that can geep track, automatically charge your card at a market that delivers and boom...there's a guy at your door when you get home from work handing you your food and a recipt.
With the fact that the average american family is doing different things at different times, the messaging system comes in handy as well. Also works for the Latchkey children. Push a button and there's Mom explaining what's for dinner, and if they are old enough to cook on thier own...the recipe.
TV, well that's optional, the FM Radio...not a bad idea, the MP3 player...maybe that's a bit much, but don't dis this machine because we geeks think we can build something similar.
Come to think about it, it was probally a geek who was able to sell LG on the idea...and he's living rich now...lucky bastard, lets hunt him down and beat him up for being a smart arse
Phoenix
Re:Luck of the Nerds :(
on
Version Fatigue
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· Score: -1, Offtopic
Ok it was funny yesterday. It was amusing to comment on this even though it was WAY off post. Today, it is just old.
I don't mean to sound elitist here, in fact I hated it when I was hit by it years ago, but WHY the bloody hell is this doing on Slashdot?
And for the record you're 17 and do not have the emotional maturity to be in a stable relationship...none of us were at that age...get over it.
Just sit back, wait till you have been tempered by life's experiences and download your porn and wank off like a good little adolescent,
When you consider that these kids are going to do this anyway, it's better IMHO to have them do this in a social setting where they are actually talking to each other face to face in the lab between sets.
You can develop good social skills when you get to talk face to face over the pizza and trade "How did you do that" stories.
And if you are really worried about the blood and gore, use the paintball simulators...a FPS where no one gets hurt, or the Nerf Game based on the Unreal engine.
If they sit at home and play these games, there is very little interaction, but in a lan party, it's more akin to a RPG session where at the seventh inning stretch you can talk
Normally the locksmithing fee for a locked car was $40 if you were within the city limits. The fee that they were charging for coming out and doing the work was $125
I was charging $60 a job and getting 4-8 calls a day. Even with the taxes I claimed (and yes I had to because of the merchant license) I had a wonderful summer take home pay.
Paid for my car, my computers, my paintball guns, my SCA armor...et al
Actually they are not illegal to own...I got a set when I took that DIY locksmithing course.
I make a butt load of money at the beach. Paid for a merchant's license, posted my cell phone number and I get 4 calls a day from morons who lock thier keys in the car at the beach...and since the beach is a barrier island that it 40 minutes from the nearest locksmith, I can charge half of thier price and I get them on thier way in 20 minutes or less.
Hell, go to lockpicks.com and you can get whatever you need.
It's legal, but they usually add to the crime if you commit a crime with those devices.
You buy second hand droids all your life and replace them when they hose on you. Unless you developed a relationship with the droids (like Luke Artoo and Threepio) are you really going to remember that the first protocal droid he ever had in his possesion was c3po?
Or is it more likely that after 20+ years he's going to look at a standard protocal droid (they all look alike after all) and go "Hrmm...I owned one of these once...If it's like the other It should be able to talk to binary evaporators"
Hell, after 20 years I didn't remember half the people I went to school with at the last reunion.
As much as I hate to admit it, I have to side with M$ on this case.
They can be asked to remove content that is offensive, they can agree to remove such content in a reasonable and timely fashion should it ever re-appear...
...but there is no way in hell they can keep it from *ever* appearing there again. Short of shutting down the site completly, but then that defeats the purpose of having a web comunity.
As much as we dislike M$, we have to keep an eye on this case as this could have serious problems for us in the future. What if./ were to be sued because someone said something that offended Bill Gates (ok, when doesn't that happen?) and./ were sued to take it off then told that they *must* keep it off forever. Short of shutting down the discussion boards that can't happen.
Figures...I come across comments like this when I *don't* have my moderator status anymore.
This idea should get boosted up a few points in my humble opinion.
Most people who are set in thier ways will not understand why you are saying that it *has* do be done a certain way...until you show them exactally the problem in a way that it can be understood by all.
Watching thier passwords getting cracked in the span of an hour and a half meeting will get the idea home that if you could do it in that time, what could a real cracker do in the course of a night.
And also doing it as a metting where *they* can see the problem and where *they* can make suggestions and ideas makes allows them to save face by saying that together, the IT dept and them worked t osolve a potential situation.
Unless they are real bastards then you're screwed anyway.
It looks like that there is another dog fighting over the same bone now. At last some real competition in the market.
This is what is really needed in the industry. nVidia has and ATI has been the top dogs for a while and the new releases have been a little stale. Sure the GeForce 4's have been nice, but there are those out there who think that the GeForce 3's give better image quality. Then there's ATI and it's new Radeon 8500 128mb cards...it's just a 8500 with 2x the memory.
Matrox entering the ring again with this new chip and it's abilities should rattle the windows for a bit and we'll see nVidia and ATI scrambling for the next gen cards to out perform Matrox.
It's a competitive situation that promotes quality product for everyone.
Now if only M$ would get the clue eh?
Re:Nothing better to do?
on
Worst Buy
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· Score: 1
Oh and by the way...
The problem wan't only Best Buy not giving the card at that price, but Best buy not giving refunds of the money that was spent.
So if Best Buy wasn't giving the card, nor was it giving the money back...who was the "bunch of criminals" that was "trying to get something for nothing" hmm?
Re:Nothing better to do?
on
Worst Buy
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· Score: 1
Re:Nothing better to do?
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Worst Buy
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· Score: 4, Interesting
If it were a typo, I'd have to agree with you. But quoting a "$200 savings" along with the listed price, which just happens to match the average pricewatch price on that card, isn't a typo.
Besides, there is one other thing to consider here...people have PAID for the card at that price. Even if it were a honest typo, Best Buy (or any other company) is obliged to give the option to either use the money towards the proper purchase price, give a refund or give store credit. They only have rights to your money in exchange for goods or services rendered.
After all how would you feel if you paid your hard earned money for something that you aren't getting and when you asked for your money, you were told to "sod off"? I don't know about you, but I'd be rather miffed
Actually I'm replying to both you and BtAFMB above.
Both of you are correct in your Pro's of an MP3 system, but I'm making the case if the RIAA succeds in making it damn hard to make a MP3 off of whatever the current/new format that pre-recorded music will be coming on in the future.
Granted that CD-RW is cheaper than minidisk, Granted again that the HD based MP3 players can hold a jag more than my minidisk, and yes I'm a little out of date on the price of the cheaper MP3 Players, but I'm not willing to take a $500-$800 HD based player onto the muddy bike trails where I know darn well it will get damaged.
My main concern is the future of the MP3 format. I know it will never die unless it's replaced by something that's better, but I'm focusing my efforts on a technology that will let me make Fair-Use, quality copies of my music regardless of the copy protection on it
...I find that I'm really glad that I bought a MiniDisk player/recorder instead of the MP3 player.
Pros: * Cheap disks - $2 each as opposed to $45 a compact flash card * Quality player devices - can survive a trek into the off road bike trails with no skip * Good sound reproduction - as good as 256bit MP3 (in my opinion) * Holds 74 minutes - more if you downsample the music (built into most new recorders) * using analog input - prevents any copy protection as it can record from the headphone-out jack * Can erase and re-use disks, or delete an unwanted track * Player costs the same as a MP3 player (32-64mb devices)
Cons: * Did not catch on as well in the US as other standards (MP3, CD/CD-R) * Can only record in real time (not too much of a problem as I will listen to a CD all the way the first time...takes no effort to record at the same time)
So the record companies can do whatever they want. We will find a way around whatever the @#$% they try to throw at us. They never seem to learn that there is ALWAYS a way to get around whatever they want to do to us. I found a way that works well for me, others will find thier own way.
Nero often is described as playing the violin as Rome burned. When the RIAA burns, I'll be playing the bagpipes
Oh sure, scare the cash strapped schools into spending more money on the computers and the operating systems and less money on the actual education of our children.
I'll concede that Microsoft may have a point on any system that comes pre-loaded with an OEM copy of Windows. The vendors get a price break for buying this version of Windows because of that agreement...so there I'll concede the point.
But...
What about systems that are donated from people who build thier own computers from components? They can't legally buy a copy of Windows in OEM format and therefore must buy retail box. A retail box has no attachments to any one computer and in my opinion doesn't qualify. In fact I think it has been said at one time by Microsoft (sorry, can't remember what E-Zine that was) that a retail box package of software can stay with the owner and not the machine as long as the machine no longer has the software installed on it. This goes for OS or Application.
Also as so many of us here are avid *nix users of one flavor or another, there is always the case of GPL. That can be copied legaly...heck the GPL actively permits the free download and copying of software. This makes that whole "Legal" thing that Microsoft wrote in thier little "friendly guide" a load of codswollop.
One would think that they would have the opposite stratigy of saying that accepting the computer with the license would be "bad" so they can charge even more for addig a few machines to the local academic site license.
Now given the quality of April Fool Jokes in the past I rather doubt (at least am hoping not) that they are spamming us with April Fools Jokes. It would be more befiting the sick and depraved mind of CmdrTaco to spam us with jokes and have one of them be real...then let us figure out which one is the real one.
(I'm betting on the Enterprise one myself...it would fit in with Paramount's track record)
One does have to wonder how many times CNN is going to do an article on this subject. Certainly this is about the 4th I've read in the past 12 months. Someone needs to tell CNN that this isn't news anymore. We bloody well know that people are not the greatest when it comes right down to passwords.
They never were and odds are they aren't going to improve anytime soon.
Back in '95 when the internet really started reaching John and Jane Q. Computer user we started an ISP (truth to be told they did and I was little more than aprentace help). One day we read about a hack that would allow us t oget a copy of the password file under the current versions of Linux at the time (thankfully long since patched up) and how to use a brute method (and a large dictonary file) to decrypt the passwords. Were we in for a shock when we got 40% of the passwords. Some were the same as the username, others were simple words, still others were user: College pass: Diner for the collage diner (not a real name, just an example of the type).
We all know that the best password is a random generated sequence of letters, numbers, and if we can get away with...characters, but that means that people have to take extra time in dealing with the passwords.
My best solution (and the one I use to this day) is a 8 character random alpha/numeric password that I put into my little Day Timers, with a backup list at my desk at home. Should I lose one of those, I have the other to tell me what passwords I have active and what needs changing.
Again sadly that takes more work than the average user is willing to put forth.
We know this CNN, we've been dealing with this for many years before you even went online. It just isn't news anymore.
Ah, another black or white arguement. I hate those. They never consider the fact that maybe it depends on the users and how they use the net. I'm in the SCA which is a group that dedicates itself to re-creating the middle ages (or at least the better parts of it...we kinda gloss over things like the plague). We meet in the "Big Blue Room" at events all over the country. We hold our wars which are usually also camping events where people have wonderful chances for social interaction.
But how do we get information on when and where events are? How do people find out how to join? How do we plan events with people who are in a kingdom that spans from Lower Deleware on up to the northernmost reaches of Canada (East Kingdom is huge)? The internet, E-Mail and IM is how.
And I'm quite sure that the SCA isn't the only group of like minded people that uses the internet to meet and greet then actually meet face to face in the world at the events.
If people really want to meet other people in the real world, the so-called trap that is the world wide web isn't going to be a hinderance, but an asset.
I think people are being influenced by the classic image of a geek in the darkend room lit only by the phosphor glow of two or three CRTs with paler skin than most vampires. or the kid that spends more time and has more friends on EverQuest than he does in the real world.
To most true geeks, the net is a repository of information, a tool for contacting friends and family thousands of miles away, as well as a place where we can meet and exchange ideas with people we would have never known about before.
There are people who are totally immersed in the net and there are people who will not socialise in the real world, but those people probally have other issues that would have manifested in other ways with out the help of the net.
Now we can really bash who the heck we want with no fear of reprisals...as long as we don't say anything to make anyone think that we're stating a fact.
Granted it didn't take off like a house on fire, but it is now starting to gain popularity here in the US.
More and more places offer MD players and recorders for sale. I've purchsed two of them myself in fact. Given that the RIAA is doing it's damnedist to kill off the MP3 format (I can't believe that Sony is making a CD that can't be MP3'd...isn't that killing off thier own MP3 player market?) MD might be the next best thing (save for not being able to file share). The sound quality is better than 128 bit-rate MP3's and as far, the only drawback to them is the fact that you have to record in real-time. Not that much of an issue considering that I buy a CD and then listen to it anyway...so I just pop in the MD and record.
Some places (Crutchfield for one) even has deals where you buy a Sony or a JVC reciever with MD recorder build in and they give you the MD player. They're shock resistant, they're small, the media is cheap compared to MP3 Players ($2 bucks a disk out my way compared to $45 and up for media cards) the disks are nice and small, battery file is vastly improved from last year (2 alkaline batteries lasted me 15 hours, now I get 15 hours on one rechargable) and now you can sacrifice quality and cram up to 4 CD's on one MD (no stretch since people are doing that just to get more than one CD on a MP3 Player's memory).
It might not be the greatest yet, but it's going places as far as I can see
Slashdot Mirror
...but it ain't the answer that everyone claims it to be.
...they can finally agree upon a standard. This will make it simple for everyone as I can pick a name on my favorite service (ICQ in this case...for the off line messages capability mostly) and share that ONE name out to the rest of thier friends on whatever service that they are using and let the IM's fall where they may.
Granted that with it (and I am a user) one can seamlessly communicate with everyone, BUT you have to set up a screen name with each and everyone of them.
Which I am loathe to do (even though I DID break down and do it).
The major problem is the fact that I have to keep track of screen names for AIM, MSN, Yahoo, and ICQ. I don't even get the luxury of picking a screen name that is the same on all servers. I've tried and unless I pick something so off the wall that no one in thier right mind can remember it, it ain't happening. So there are now 4 accounts and 4 passwords (since the password schemes aren't the same either and not advisable to use the same password anyway) that I have to track in my book.
Also, it's all well and good that these clients are 4 IM client ready, but what happens when the 5th or the 6th one comes out? New programs, new accounts, and new passwords starting the chain of frustration all over again. It's neverending unless...
With M$ being thier usual stingy selves I see this as likely happening as phytoplankton discovering FTP physics.
Gee! M$(microsoft)NBC reporting that Linux is dead!
"There's a big surprise! I think I'm going to have a heart attack and die from not surprised"
(thank you Disney and Gilbert Godfreid for that quote)
They give a grudging nth of credit to Linux for the server market in spite of the fact that Linux running companies are on the rise. Can't hardly have a week go by without hearing at least one company that has embraced the Penguin for running the office.
They quote a sales drop of 8% in the market...a drop that I've seen in most of the computer industry...especially after 9/11.
And they make a big to-do of the fact that it isn't a home OS. No @#$% Sherlock. We Linux users bloody well know that. We in the IT field are *painfully* aware that the average home user is barely able to turn the computer on in the first place, much less be able to run Windows.
Getting one of those people to run Linux without a fully staffed and compentent IT department would be akin to asking a Lemure to handle the daily operation of a nuclear power plant.
We are aware of this and admit that Linux for the home may not happen for quite a while. But Dead? Not bloody likely.
Phoenix
Besides...since they're MSnbc...there may be the teensiest tiniest little smidgeon if bias i nthat reporting....but then again I'm cynical by nature
Regardless of what you think of him, he did get shit upon by the justice system. As a citizen of this country he is entitled to a speedy trial. They left him to rot for a long time before they got down to putting up on trial. Personally I have no use for one such as he, but regardless of anyone's opinions he has rights to fair judgement under the constitution of this country. To deny such to him is to leave an opening to deny others of those same rights.
For example...you are miffed at Kevin for what he did (as am I) but would you feel the same way if someone were arrested for hacking a CueCat scanner and making software that didn't report to the company, then left "to rot"? Or would you be shouting that the government was commiting a travisty of justice?
You can not have it both ways...It has to be fair to all or fair to none.
Phoenix
(and yes I know that it frequently doesn't live up to the ideals on the Constitution, but let's not help make it worse Ok?)
Other than the severe geek factor that fridge provides, there is no way I'd own one unless I won it, or won the lottery. For as so many have said why do we need those features when we have better for ourselves?
Simple...there are those of us who aren't geeks.
In a day and age where both parents are usually out working, who really has the time to go shopping when you are out of eggs? Heck there may be times where you simply don't know that you are out. Solution? A fridge that can geep track, automatically charge your card at a market that delivers and boom...there's a guy at your door when you get home from work handing you your food and a recipt.
With the fact that the average american family is doing different things at different times, the messaging system comes in handy as well. Also works for the Latchkey children. Push a button and there's Mom explaining what's for dinner, and if they are old enough to cook on thier own...the recipe.
TV, well that's optional, the FM Radio...not a bad idea, the MP3 player...maybe that's a bit much, but don't dis this machine because we geeks think we can build something similar.
Come to think about it, it was probally a geek who was able to sell LG on the idea...and he's living rich now...lucky bastard, lets hunt him down and beat him up for being a smart arse
Phoenix
Ok it was funny yesterday. It was amusing to comment on this even though it was WAY off post. Today, it is just old.
I don't mean to sound elitist here, in fact I hated it when I was hit by it years ago, but WHY the bloody hell is this doing on Slashdot?
And for the record you're 17 and do not have the emotional maturity to be in a stable relationship...none of us were at that age...get over it.
Just sit back, wait till you have been tempered by life's experiences and download your porn and wank off like a good little adolescent,
When you consider that these kids are going to do this anyway, it's better IMHO to have them do this in a social setting where they are actually talking to each other face to face in the lab between sets.
You can develop good social skills when you get to talk face to face over the pizza and trade "How did you do that" stories.
And if you are really worried about the blood and gore, use the paintball simulators...a FPS where no one gets hurt, or the Nerf Game based on the Unreal engine.
If they sit at home and play these games, there is very little interaction, but in a lan party, it's more akin to a RPG session where at the seventh inning stretch you can talk
Normally the locksmithing fee for a locked car was $40 if you were within the city limits. The fee that they were charging for coming out and doing the work was $125
I was charging $60 a job and getting 4-8 calls a day. Even with the taxes I claimed (and yes I had to because of the merchant license) I had a wonderful summer take home pay.
Paid for my car, my computers, my paintball guns, my SCA armor...et al
Actually they are not illegal to own...I got a set when I took that DIY locksmithing course.
I make a butt load of money at the beach. Paid for a merchant's license, posted my cell phone number and I get 4 calls a day from morons who lock thier keys in the car at the beach...and since the beach is a barrier island that it 40 minutes from the nearest locksmith, I can charge half of thier price and I get them on thier way in 20 minutes or less.
Hell, go to lockpicks.com and you can get whatever you need.
It's legal, but they usually add to the crime if you commit a crime with those devices.
What of the other people?
You buy second hand droids all your life and replace them when they hose on you. Unless you developed a relationship with the droids (like Luke Artoo and Threepio) are you really going to remember that the first protocal droid he ever had in his possesion was c3po?
Or is it more likely that after 20+ years he's going to look at a standard protocal droid (they all look alike after all) and go "Hrmm...I owned one of these once...If it's like the other It should be able to talk to binary evaporators"
Hell, after 20 years I didn't remember half the people I went to school with at the last reunion.
As much as I hate to admit it, I have to side with M$ on this case.
./ were to be sued because someone said something that offended Bill Gates (ok, when doesn't that happen?) and ./ were sued to take it off then told that they *must* keep it off forever. Short of shutting down the discussion boards that can't happen.
They can be asked to remove content that is offensive, they can agree to remove such content in a reasonable and timely fashion should it ever re-appear...
...but there is no way in hell they can keep it from *ever* appearing there again. Short of shutting down the site completly, but then that defeats the purpose of having a web comunity.
As much as we dislike M$, we have to keep an eye on this case as this could have serious problems for us in the future. What if
It's scarey to think about
Figures...I come across comments like this when I *don't* have my moderator status anymore.
This idea should get boosted up a few points in my humble opinion.
Most people who are set in thier ways will not understand why you are saying that it *has* do be done a certain way...until you show them exactally the problem in a way that it can be understood by all.
Watching thier passwords getting cracked in the span of an hour and a half meeting will get the idea home that if you could do it in that time, what could a real cracker do in the course of a night.
And also doing it as a metting where *they* can see the problem and where *they* can make suggestions and ideas makes allows them to save face by saying that together, the IT dept and them worked t osolve a potential situation.
Unless they are real bastards then you're screwed anyway.
It looks like that there is another dog fighting over the same bone now. At last some real competition in the market.
This is what is really needed in the industry. nVidia has and ATI has been the top dogs for a while and the new releases have been a little stale. Sure the GeForce 4's have been nice, but there are those out there who think that the GeForce 3's give better image quality. Then there's ATI and it's new Radeon 8500 128mb cards...it's just a 8500 with 2x the memory.
Matrox entering the ring again with this new chip and it's abilities should rattle the windows for a bit and we'll see nVidia and ATI scrambling for the next gen cards to out perform Matrox.
It's a competitive situation that promotes quality product for everyone.
Now if only M$ would get the clue eh?
Oh and by the way...
The problem wan't only Best Buy not giving the card at that price, but Best buy not giving refunds of the money that was spent.
So if Best Buy wasn't giving the card, nor was it giving the money back...who was the "bunch of criminals" that was "trying to get something for nothing" hmm?
Where have I seen a GeForce4 TI 4600 for $339?
www.pricewatch.com
PNY brand, Micro-Pro Inc, $317 +12 S&H
EVGA brand, Legend Micro, $323 +9-18 S&H
Vision Tek, Comp-U-Plus, $339 +14.95 Second Day
Need I go on?
If it were a typo, I'd have to agree with you. But quoting a "$200 savings" along with the listed price, which just happens to match the average pricewatch price on that card, isn't a typo.
Besides, there is one other thing to consider here...people have PAID for the card at that price. Even if it were a honest typo, Best Buy (or any other company) is obliged to give the option to either use the money towards the proper purchase price, give a refund or give store credit. They only have rights to your money in exchange for goods or services rendered.
After all how would you feel if you paid your hard earned money for something that you aren't getting and when you asked for your money, you were told to "sod off"? I don't know about you, but I'd be rather miffed
Actually I'm replying to both you and BtAFMB above.
Both of you are correct in your Pro's of an MP3 system, but I'm making the case if the RIAA succeds in making it damn hard to make a MP3 off of whatever the current/new format that pre-recorded music will be coming on in the future.
Granted that CD-RW is cheaper than minidisk, Granted again that the HD based MP3 players can hold a jag more than my minidisk, and yes I'm a little out of date on the price of the cheaper MP3 Players, but I'm not willing to take a $500-$800 HD based player onto the muddy bike trails where I know darn well it will get damaged.
My main concern is the future of the MP3 format. I know it will never die unless it's replaced by something that's better, but I'm focusing my efforts on a technology that will let me make Fair-Use, quality copies of my music regardless of the copy protection on it
Really? I had not noticed that before...thanks for the tip.
...I find that I'm really glad that I bought a MiniDisk player/recorder instead of the MP3 player.
Pros:
* Cheap disks - $2 each as opposed to $45 a compact flash card
* Quality player devices - can survive a trek into the off road bike trails with no skip
* Good sound reproduction - as good as 256bit MP3 (in my opinion)
* Holds 74 minutes - more if you downsample the music (built into most new recorders)
* using analog input - prevents any copy protection as it can record from the headphone-out jack
* Can erase and re-use disks, or delete an unwanted track
* Player costs the same as a MP3 player (32-64mb devices)
Cons:
* Did not catch on as well in the US as other standards (MP3, CD/CD-R)
* Can only record in real time (not too much of a problem as I will listen to a CD all the way the first time...takes no effort to record at the same time)
So the record companies can do whatever they want. We will find a way around whatever the @#$% they try to throw at us. They never seem to learn that there is ALWAYS a way to get around whatever they want to do to us. I found a way that works well for me, others will find thier own way.
Nero often is described as playing the violin as Rome burned. When the RIAA burns, I'll be playing the bagpipes
Phoenix
Oh sure, scare the cash strapped schools into spending more money on the computers and the operating systems and less money on the actual education of our children.
I'll concede that Microsoft may have a point on any system that comes pre-loaded with an OEM copy of Windows. The vendors get a price break for buying this version of Windows because of that agreement...so there I'll concede the point.
But...
What about systems that are donated from people who build thier own computers from components? They can't legally buy a copy of Windows in OEM format and therefore must buy retail box. A retail box has no attachments to any one computer and in my opinion doesn't qualify. In fact I think it has been said at one time by Microsoft (sorry, can't remember what E-Zine that was) that a retail box package of software can stay with the owner and not the machine as long as the machine no longer has the software installed on it. This goes for OS or Application.
Also as so many of us here are avid *nix users of one flavor or another, there is always the case of GPL. That can be copied legaly...heck the GPL actively permits the free download and copying of software. This makes that whole "Legal" thing that Microsoft wrote in thier little "friendly guide" a load of codswollop.
One would think that they would have the opposite stratigy of saying that accepting the computer with the license would be "bad" so they can charge even more for addig a few machines to the local academic site license.
Fear, Uncertanity, Doubt...I hate sequels
Phoenix
nVidia/AMD merger
Wil Wheaton on Enterprise
Linus giving up on Linux Kernel Dev
Now given the quality of April Fool Jokes in the past I rather doubt (at least am hoping not) that they are spamming us with April Fools Jokes. It would be more befiting the sick and depraved mind of CmdrTaco to spam us with jokes and have one of them be real...then let us figure out which one is the real one.
(I'm betting on the Enterprise one myself...it would fit in with Paramount's track record)
One does have to wonder how many times CNN is going to do an article on this subject. Certainly this is about the 4th I've read in the past 12 months. Someone needs to tell CNN that this isn't news anymore. We bloody well know that people are not the greatest when it comes right down to passwords.
They never were and odds are they aren't going to improve anytime soon.
Back in '95 when the internet really started reaching John and Jane Q. Computer user we started an ISP (truth to be told they did and I was little more than aprentace help). One day we read about a hack that would allow us t oget a copy of the password file under the current versions of Linux at the time (thankfully long since patched up) and how to use a brute method (and a large dictonary file) to decrypt the passwords. Were we in for a shock when we got 40% of the passwords. Some were the same as the username, others were simple words, still others were user: College pass: Diner for the collage diner (not a real name, just an example of the type).
We all know that the best password is a random generated sequence of letters, numbers, and if we can get away with...characters, but that means that people have to take extra time in dealing with the passwords.
My best solution (and the one I use to this day) is a 8 character random alpha/numeric password that I put into my little Day Timers, with a backup list at my desk at home. Should I lose one of those, I have the other to tell me what passwords I have active and what needs changing.
Again sadly that takes more work than the average user is willing to put forth.
We know this CNN, we've been dealing with this for many years before you even went online. It just isn't news anymore.
Ah, another black or white arguement. I hate those. They never consider the fact that maybe it depends on the users and how they use the net. I'm in the SCA which is a group that dedicates itself to re-creating the middle ages (or at least the better parts of it...we kinda gloss over things like the plague). We meet in the "Big Blue Room" at events all over the country. We hold our wars which are usually also camping events where people have wonderful chances for social interaction.
But how do we get information on when and where events are? How do people find out how to join? How do we plan events with people who are in a kingdom that spans from Lower Deleware on up to the northernmost reaches of Canada (East Kingdom is huge)? The internet, E-Mail and IM is how.
And I'm quite sure that the SCA isn't the only group of like minded people that uses the internet to meet and greet then actually meet face to face in the world at the events.
If people really want to meet other people in the real world, the so-called trap that is the world wide web isn't going to be a hinderance, but an asset.
I think people are being influenced by the classic image of a geek in the darkend room lit only by the phosphor glow of two or three CRTs with paler skin than most vampires. or the kid that spends more time and has more friends on EverQuest than he does in the real world.
To most true geeks, the net is a repository of information, a tool for contacting friends and family thousands of miles away, as well as a place where we can meet and exchange ideas with people we would have never known about before.
There are people who are totally immersed in the net and there are people who will not socialise in the real world, but those people probally have other issues that would have manifested in other ways with out the help of the net.
Phoenix
Now we can really bash who the heck we want with no fear of reprisals...as long as we don't say anything to make anyone think that we're stating a fact.
Bill Gates Beware [insert evil grin here]
Granted it didn't take off like a house on fire, but it is now starting to gain popularity here in the US.
More and more places offer MD players and recorders for sale. I've purchsed two of them myself in fact. Given that the RIAA is doing it's damnedist to kill off the MP3 format (I can't believe that Sony is making a CD that can't be MP3'd...isn't that killing off thier own MP3 player market?) MD might be the next best thing (save for not being able to file share). The sound quality is better than 128 bit-rate MP3's and as far, the only drawback to them is the fact that you have to record in real-time. Not that much of an issue considering that I buy a CD and then listen to it anyway...so I just pop in the MD and record.
Some places (Crutchfield for one) even has deals where you buy a Sony or a JVC reciever with MD recorder build in and they give you the MD player. They're shock resistant, they're small, the media is cheap compared to MP3 Players ($2 bucks a disk out my way compared to $45 and up for media cards) the disks are nice and small, battery file is vastly improved from last year (2 alkaline batteries lasted me 15 hours, now I get 15 hours on one rechargable) and now you can sacrifice quality and cram up to 4 CD's on one MD (no stretch since people are doing that just to get more than one CD on a MP3 Player's memory).
It might not be the greatest yet, but it's going places as far as I can see
Phoenix
www.campchaos.com
Look for the flash animation clip titled
"They shoved a camera right up my ass"
It's the latest in reality, survivor-type shows
Phoenix