When an network connection meant a 300 or 1200 baud modem, your monthly fees were $6 an hour, and your MMORPG were is ASCII:D.
Sure with only ~100 people on a given game server, some may argue with the first "M", but for scope a dungeon run in The Island of Kesmai was lots of fun, especially when the Wizard decided to fireball a zoo just as you ran into the room.
Dink Blam and Dorpit... you can't do that as a ghost.
Yeah but that doesn't mean they won't have to spend piles of money to defend that position in court. Merely putting something in your TOS does not prevent your customers from dragging you into court when they get a $200 bandwidth bill after their machine is pwned.
If this gets implemented, expect to see a few "horror stories" like that.
I imagine most people though will just pay it and then pay to get their computer "fixed". Heck, maybe it will lead to more people working to prevent zombie machines since it will actually impact them financially and really fast.
Not the GP but I can think of a few reasons why you might need a POTS line.
1) Fixed phones are tied to a place, not a person. If someone is home (anyone), then they can pick up the phone. This is great for deliveries, guests, etc. They often also have cheaper long distance plans than cell phones (especially if you buy calling cards, where some cell phone companies charge you a surcharge to call an 800 number).
2) CLEC lines are often more expensive (if they even service your area).
3) VOIP lines don't handle Fax machines. Guess what? Not everyone uses Email for everything yet. Yes, you can get an eFax account, which is great if you're primarily receiving them (and don't need to send them again), but to send a "quick fax" of something that isn't in the computer (or a form that needed to be filled in and faxed back), you need to scan the item, then send it. With a multi-function printer/scanner/copier the workflow is usually MUCH quicker.
4) More reliable, especially in "rural" area that see the occasional power outage. After living in NYC for the past 20+ years the only thing that has consistently worked through almost ANY emergency is my POTS line. 9/11? Pots line kept working (the cell phone could only dial out of city but the POTS worked fine). Blackout in 2003? POTS kept working long after the cell phone and VOIP backup batteries died. It was good to be able to call and check on family members who were also affected. Think of it like this. We talk about redundancy in data centers. Having a POTS line along with a cable modem and a cell phone is the same thing but for the home.
Different providers the ability to work around "damage/outages" if you need to.
BTW: VW is claiming they will be making their "1 Liter Car" in 2010... 1 liter per 100km is just over 235 MPG. I plan to buy one. I think they're very cool and if you haven't seen it you should check it out
Okay... I'll admit, I don't work with metric units regularly, so I was curious.
100 KM = ~62.1371192237 Miles. 1 Liter = ~0.219969248299 Gallons.
So, a full gallon should go ~4.54609 times the distance or ~282.48093633 Miles.
Thats almost 50 Miles "Just over 235 MPG"!
Yes, I know there are probably other factors that affect this, but its still pretty amazing!
There was also a small segment in the morning news in my area (NYC) that Car dealers are facing an increased demand for small cars over SUVs, due to gas costs and increased ease of parking.:)
The licensing agreements for CableCARD (which all cable companies are required to agree to essentially by FCC mandate) requires that a technician install the card. This is to prevent the card from being paired to an unauthorized device.
This explains why you need to pay for a technician to come to your house, put two CableCards (think PCMCIA cards), in the back of a TiVo, and then read off some numbers from one screen to someone else on the phone.:/
Is that by convention or by law? In the US employment is voluntary. You don't HAVE to give any notice at all, but it's considered professional to do so.
Don't know in this case, but I wouldn't be surprised if it were law.
Europe in general has much more law around that governs employee-employer relation than the U.S.
It's a development platform with all the interfaces you'd need to make a graphics card out of it (or any number of other devices that need DVI out). I can think of many legit and illegit uses of this card, some assembly required.
True! A DVI output that chooses to pretend its implementing HDCP (to whichever side of the chain asks) but doesn't but comes to mind.
Trust your spouse or grap your computer and lock it somewhere only you have the key to.
Too true.
Nowadays, if you need a "trusted" computer, think about getting a Mac Airbook that you can slip into a folder in a filing cabinet when not in use, or keep with you all the time.
Using a laptop raises the hurdle for installing a hardware keylogger (they're usually just dongles that sit between the keyboard and the computer), and using OS X should raise the bar a bit to install malware (not that it doesn't exist, it just might be more difficult to find, and navigating in OS X will be more challenging for a user not use to it).
Using a small footprint laptop (like the Air), means you can hide it "in plain site", or in a place you can ensure physical control over (although personal control trumps al others for security).
Realize that unless you're using encrypted protocols to browse web sites or send/receive email, your traffic could still be intercepted on the network, but that again requires a more sophisticated user than the average "Spouse who installed a keylogger".
Usually the types of holes stay consistent, and a hole can go unnoticed for quite a while (take a look at the recent Debian issue).
Yes, this is the sort of thing that needs to evolve over time, but even then, the computers you want to compromise may not have the latest patches and updates (may not be in the position to get them, may not be undergoing regular maintenance, may be deemed to critical to risk on untested patches leaving them vulnerable which the patches are tested, or the company may have simply EOL the OS/software and there may be no patch to get).
If you were right, and all holes were patched and fixed, leaving computers invulnerable, then there wouldn't be a problem today with malicious botnets being used to send spam, perform DDoS attacks, and for use in Phishing and other Fraud/Identity theft schemes.
The actual complaint is not in relation to OOXML but the interoperability of Office 2007 with Open Office et al. BECTA can not recommend Office 2007 because it does not currently support ODF a format widely used by it's cheaper rivals. BECTA's concern here is that they kids (well their parents) on the edge of poverty will have to shell out for Office 2007 and Windows or face being unable to work on their documents at home. If Office 2007 without addons is deployed in a school it is an active barrier to learning and Microsoft should be ashamed for allowing parents to even have to think about the question 'Office 2007 or food?' when they go shopping.
Oooo I like it!
"Stand up to MS not implementing ODF! Won't SOMEONE please think of the poor children?"
It sure looks like it could be, and I'll admit that I'm not a Geologist, but I would expect there to be more geothermal activity if it were a dormant "Super Volcano".
Of course it could also be an impact crater, or just a mountain chain.:)
I'm not sure that I'd want an object that size -- without any means of correcting its orbit -- hovering over my house though.
Which is exactly why I could see some people pushing for it. We'd just have to make sure that when an "Industrial Accident" happened, breaking it up, the debris fell onOTHERcountries.
2) Baen has been trying to get other publishers to use their store (which they've overhauled within the past year or so). SO far they've got SOME books from DelRey and Tor, but they've said that other publishers don't quite understand why Baen is making money and sometimes overprice their products. This is cultural thing though, and so long as Baen keeps making money, other's will want to follow in their footsteps and that should lead to a culture change at the publishing houses.
They've been publishing their entire catalogue since 2001, the prices for the books are pretty reasonable, and the ebooks are available in several unencrypted forms.
Its great. Yeah... the battery life is less than great if the backlight is on, but I can read in the dark after my wife goes to sleep without waking her.
Yeah, the Kindle or Sony can store more books (although I only read one at a time), and yeah they have better battery life (although when I'm using it by my bedside, I can plug it in and use it tethered), but it fits my niche need very well.
I also use it to read books to/from the office during my commute, or around the house on the couch. So far it worked fine.
Well, I for one hope that f we do end up dealing with one of numeroussimilar scenarios, we at least try not to make the same mistakes (and I hope we have a "happy" ending and continue as a species even though if I've learned anything from these stories, we're probably screwed three ways from Sunday as individuals).
Well a 2'14" video in 720p (unencrypted compressed w/AVC and AAC) takes 96MB.
Using the back of this napkin (and aiming for rounder numbers to make it easier), so a 9 minute video would take ~400MB.
That would put a 45 minute video at ~2GB. Easily enough to handle a TV show (not sure what they have).
For a calculation of SD offerings, they offered the Sony E3 press conf last year (SD only). It has a run time of 1 hour, 35 minutes, 24 seconds, and a size of 1098MB.
Another possibility though is that it could be like Amazon's Unbox service. Unbox supports downloads to computers and TiVos, Sony's service could support download to Computers and PS3s. With a little bit of design, you could stream the file from the computer which also solves the space problem, opens the service up to lots more people, and still gives the PS3 and important spot in the offering.
Stick a 300G drive into a PS3, and you get 300G. But Sony seems deathly afraid of actually selling you anything that would fill that space.
Not sure I'd agree with that.
I mean, the PSN store has released quite a few download only games, games use the space to cache data, and Sony themselves have announced both PlayTV and this Video download service.
Not to mention just popping your Sony CD into the drive and ripping it straight to the Hard-Drive.:)
Sure seems like they're trying to sell you content to fill that space, it just doesn't happen overnight.
Slashdot Mirror
Ah yes, CI$.
:D.
... you can't do that as a ghost.
When an network connection meant a 300 or 1200 baud modem, your monthly fees were $6 an hour, and your MMORPG were is ASCII
Sure with only ~100 people on a given game server, some may argue with the first "M", but for scope a dungeon run in The Island of Kesmai was lots of fun, especially when the Wizard decided to fireball a zoo just as you ran into the room.
Dink Blam and Dorpit
If this gets implemented, expect to see a few "horror stories" like that.
I imagine most people though will just pay it and then pay to get their computer "fixed". Heck, maybe it will lead to more people working to prevent zombie machines since it will actually impact them financially and really fast.
Not the GP but I can think of a few reasons why you might need a POTS line.
1) Fixed phones are tied to a place, not a person. If someone is home (anyone), then they can pick up the phone. This is great for deliveries, guests, etc. They often also have cheaper long distance plans than cell phones (especially if you buy calling cards, where some cell phone companies charge you a surcharge to call an 800 number).
2) CLEC lines are often more expensive (if they even service your area).
3) VOIP lines don't handle Fax machines. Guess what? Not everyone uses Email for everything yet. Yes, you can get an eFax account, which is great if you're primarily receiving them (and don't need to send them again), but to send a "quick fax" of something that isn't in the computer (or a form that needed to be filled in and faxed back), you need to scan the item, then send it. With a multi-function printer/scanner/copier the workflow is usually MUCH quicker.
4) More reliable, especially in "rural" area that see the occasional power outage. After living in NYC for the past 20+ years the only thing that has consistently worked through almost ANY emergency is my POTS line. 9/11? Pots line kept working (the cell phone could only dial out of city but the POTS worked fine). Blackout in 2003? POTS kept working long after the cell phone and VOIP backup batteries died. It was good to be able to call and check on family members who were also affected. Think of it like this. We talk about redundancy in data centers. Having a POTS line along with a cable modem and a cell phone is the same thing but for the home.
Different providers the ability to work around "damage/outages" if you need to.
Okay
100 KM = ~62.1371192237 Miles.
1 Liter = ~0.219969248299 Gallons.
So, a full gallon should go ~4.54609 times the distance or ~282.48093633 Miles.
Thats almost 50 Miles "Just over 235 MPG"!
Yes, I know there are probably other factors that affect this, but its still pretty amazing!
There was also a small segment in the morning news in my area (NYC) that Car dealers are facing an increased demand for small cars over SUVs, due to gas costs and increased ease of parking.
This explains why you need to pay for a technician to come to your house, put two CableCards (think PCMCIA cards), in the back of a TiVo, and then read off some numbers from one screen to someone else on the phone.
Yeah
Obligatory Depair, Inc. product: http://www.despair.com/worth.html
"Just because you're necessary doesn't mean you're important."
Don't know in this case, but I wouldn't be surprised if it were law.
Europe in general has much more law around that governs employee-employer relation than the U.S.
Take a look at French Labor Law for example http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Employment_Contract or German Labor Law http://www.germanlawjournal.com/article.php?id=594
True! A DVI output that chooses to pretend its implementing HDCP (to whichever side of the chain asks) but doesn't but comes to mind.
A better question is: "Can you make an Open competitor in the Physics Card race?"
Since its all FPGAs I'd think "yes".
Might be an interesting spinoff project if it gets enough interest.
I say we downgrade their rating.
He plans on correcting that bug in the next release of his post.~
Too true.
Nowadays, if you need a "trusted" computer, think about getting a Mac Airbook that you can slip into a folder in a filing cabinet when not in use, or keep with you all the time.
Using a laptop raises the hurdle for installing a hardware keylogger (they're usually just dongles that sit between the keyboard and the computer), and using OS X should raise the bar a bit to install malware (not that it doesn't exist, it just might be more difficult to find, and navigating in OS X will be more challenging for a user not use to it).
Using a small footprint laptop (like the Air), means you can hide it "in plain site", or in a place you can ensure physical control over (although personal control trumps al others for security).
Realize that unless you're using encrypted protocols to browse web sites or send/receive email, your traffic could still be intercepted on the network, but that again requires a more sophisticated user than the average "Spouse who installed a keylogger".
I can see it now:
I disagree.
Usually the types of holes stay consistent, and a hole can go unnoticed for quite a while (take a look at the recent Debian issue).
Yes, this is the sort of thing that needs to evolve over time, but even then, the computers you want to compromise may not have the latest patches and updates (may not be in the position to get them, may not be undergoing regular maintenance, may be deemed to critical to risk on untested patches leaving them vulnerable which the patches are tested, or the company may have simply EOL the OS/software and there may be no patch to get).
If you were right, and all holes were patched and fixed, leaving computers invulnerable, then there wouldn't be a problem today with malicious botnets being used to send spam, perform DDoS attacks, and for use in Phishing and other Fraud/Identity theft schemes.
Oooo I like it!
"Stand up to MS not implementing ODF! Won't SOMEONE please think of the poor children?"
It sure looks like it could be, and I'll admit that I'm not a Geologist, but I would expect there to be more geothermal activity if it were a dormant "Super Volcano".
:)
Of course it could also be an impact crater, or just a mountain chain.
Which is exactly why I could see some people pushing for it. We'd just have to make sure that when an "Industrial Accident" happened, breaking it up, the debris fell on OTHER countries.
Two things to keep in mind.
1) The Mobi version of the file they make available works on any platform that supports MobiReader, which includes WindowsPC, Palm, Symbian, Windows Mobile, Blackberry, as well as dedicated E-Ink book readers that include the Booken and iRex(http://www.mobipocket.com/en/downloadsoft/productdetailsreader.asp). The Kindle's description page also says it supports Mobi files (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000FI73MA/ref=amb_link_6774572_2?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=11XJPR7RV9D55KC6YNPC&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=394924101&pf_rd_i=507846).
2) Baen has been trying to get other publishers to use their store (which they've overhauled within the past year or so). SO far they've got SOME books from DelRey and Tor, but they've said that other publishers don't quite understand why Baen is making money and sometimes overprice their products. This is cultural thing though, and so long as Baen keeps making money, other's will want to follow in their footsteps and that should lead to a culture change at the publishing houses.
Take a look at Baen's E-book publishing ( http://www.webscriptions.net/ ).
:) ) http://www.webscriptions.net/c-1-free-library.aspx.
They've been publishing their entire catalogue since 2001, the prices for the books are pretty reasonable, and the ebooks are available in several unencrypted forms.
They even have a whole bunch of their older titles available for free ( the first dose is always free
I use an old Clie primarily as a book reader.
... the battery life is less than great if the backlight is on, but I can read in the dark after my wife goes to sleep without waking her.
Its great. Yeah
Yeah, the Kindle or Sony can store more books (although I only read one at a time), and yeah they have better battery life (although when I'm using it by my bedside, I can plug it in and use it tethered), but it fits my niche need very well.
I also use it to read books to/from the office during my commute, or around the house on the couch. So far it worked fine.
Sure ... but our CEO just threw a tantrum and threatened to take his toys and go home if he wasn't properly respected.
Don't worry though, we lured him out with some milk and cookies and shiny DVD to look at.
That's the way I'll feel about time, but then you already will know that.
Well, I for one hope that f we do end up dealing with one of numerous similar scenarios, we at least try not to make the same mistakes (and I hope we have a "happy" ending and continue as a species even though if I've learned anything from these stories, we're probably screwed three ways from Sunday as individuals).
Well a 2'14" video in 720p (unencrypted compressed w/AVC and AAC) takes 96MB.
Using the back of this napkin (and aiming for rounder numbers to make it easier), so a 9 minute video would take ~400MB.
That would put a 45 minute video at ~2GB. Easily enough to handle a TV show (not sure what they have).
For a calculation of SD offerings, they offered the Sony E3 press conf last year (SD only). It has a run time of 1 hour, 35 minutes, 24 seconds, and a size of 1098MB.
Another possibility though is that it could be like Amazon's Unbox service. Unbox supports downloads to computers and TiVos, Sony's service could support download to Computers and PS3s. With a little bit of design, you could stream the file from the computer which also solves the space problem, opens the service up to lots more people, and still gives the PS3 and important spot in the offering.
Of course most of this is speculation.
Not sure I'd agree with that.
I mean, the PSN store has released quite a few download only games, games use the space to cache data, and Sony themselves have announced both PlayTV and this Video download service.
Not to mention just popping your Sony CD into the drive and ripping it straight to the Hard-Drive.
Sure seems like they're trying to sell you content to fill that space, it just doesn't happen overnight.