Apple does the same thing with their "switch" campaign. Why "switch?" Why not "use both for a few months and see how you feel about it." It's not like your Windows PC will vaporize if you have a Mac, and it's not like your Xbox 360 will cause your PS3 to explode into flames.
Sure it will. Its in the EULA. You did read read it... right?:)
Unfortunately while I agree with you, Season 4 has been a vast improvment since B&B decided they didn't want to helm it.
The episodes this season have also been much truer to the original concept that Enterprise was supposed to engender. The Xindi Destruction of Earth and Temporal Cold War plots were wrapped up and jettisoned out the nearest airlock. This season has been about the building of the Federation, and exploring the universe of Trek with fresh eyes, and I would recomend it fr fans of the original series.
Also unfortuantely, B&B killed the audiance before they left so that this season has probably been viewerless.
My file and print server at home is running on a P166 Running RedHat. I set it up three years ago and haven't had to play with it since (despite blackouts, spouse switching it on and off via the power button, etc.)
Granted when I set it up I installed an ATA-100 card and a 120GB hard drive (and some spare RAM chips to bring it up to 64MB so it could boot), but otherwise its been great. I've been tempted to try installing a US2.0 card I just got a hold of, as well as upgrading the linux and SAMBA version, but I haven't had to, its been a happy machine:)
I skipped the fifth in the theaters and finally saw it a week or saw ago on DVD (borrowed from an avid fan).
If the reviews were as lousy as the second film, then I would have passed and worked instead on getting my wife to see Kung Fu Hustle, which has gotten rather good reviews (including from the head of my M.A. School:) ) and looks to be incredibly enjoyable, poking fun at all the classic martial arts story cliches.
Okay. Lets assume that they had Valid State IDs that were obtained with Invalid (expired) Visas.
The Visas are issued by the Federal Government.
The Federal Government should, arguably, inact a better form of Visa. Perhaps one that is more tamper resistant and includes an expiration date. Or perhaps require that all Visa backed State IDs be verified/reported to the Federal Government at the time of issue. (to better help track possible foreign terrorists)
How exactly does the increased Federal Jurisdiction over the defined contents and access to State ID, and their information help secure the loop-hole that we've agreed was exploited?
It seems like that part of the provision, while perhaps understandable from some perspectives, doesn't seem valid for the reason you originally are stating.
Lets forget for a minute the fact that the terrorists involved in the 9/11 hijacking all had valid, state issued identification....... How is this supposed to help again?
Re:EMR from high tension power lines?
on
Quantum Wires
·
· Score: 2, Insightful
And, BTW, Tesla (AC) vs. Edison (DC) happened at the end of the 19th century. Tesla won, game over.:-)
Technically correct, but most sources I've seen have depicted Tesla as being far more interested in the scientific research and development than in the buisness side of things, which he left to his "partner" Westinghouse. Westinghouse's work to promote AC vs. Edison's DC (along with Tesla's assignment of his patents to Westinghouse for a paltry sum so that Westinghouse could make the whole thing economically realistic), are what let AC beat DC.
Unfortunately in the long run the Westinghouse company eventually had to file for backruptcy, but Con-Ed (The Consolidated Edison Company) is still chugging along. Tesla's technology may have won, although considering he died pennyless and the company that championed his inventions ultimately went bankrupt, I'm not sure its fair to say that he won and Edison lost.
Don't get me wrong, I'm a major Tesla fan, and am gratified to see him getting the credit he deserves after so long, (and the race to electrify the world would make a great "History Channel" special:) ), but I'm not so sure if he won, considering how little of his "success" he got to see, and how long term things have played out so far.:)
Not to mention the non-impact that this will have on the portable computing industry, even assuming the technology can be shrunk, until the acceptance of better battery units.
I figured he just meant that if we have officially entered into "Then they fight you" Phase, before we get to the "and Then you win" Phase, Its nice to be able to answer the question "You and What Army":)
They are being destroy cuz it cost too much too keep them.
Are we talking about the same patent office that makes money on every patent granted? Now suddenly that money is not enough to actually keep a f*cking record of that!?
Yeah, because the Board of Directors (read Congress) decided that the patent office is a cost center, and that the money it generates could be much better put to use in something else. Kinda like Google deciding that it should invest most of its money in something rather than Search Engine technology, Hardware and Bandwidth, and suddenly deciding to throw away links older than a few years, because they were running out of Hard Drive space. Bright people to canabalize their core buisness, but with the Patent Office, one has no choice since they are a Monopoly.
(Poor analogy but the best one I could come up with)
I agree 100%. Something to keep in mind though, is that while it is being looked at in terms of its effect to help disabled people, one fear that the article mentions is that because the brain can re-organize post trauma, the work done on healthy humans may be ineffective on those who could best bennefit from the technology.
This brings to mind alternative uses though. They seem confident that the work _is_ applicable toward "healthy" humans. It could therefore be the foundation for a man-machine link in most of the rest of society. Driving a vehicle by thought, or perhaps, through a voluntary program within the military, piloting a mech. Certainly a possibility that I could see happening.
My wife prepares taxes during the season and I've learned a few things from her.
1) Yes, some people have very simple returns and can do them themselves.
2) H&R Block overcharges, and most of the people she's had, who did their previous year return there, have had major errors on their returns.
3) The advantage to having a 'tax professional' do it is the same as why most people don't build their own machine. Yes, they could do it, but do they know all the tricks? Things to check to make sure the system runs well (or get the best refund)? How about hardware compatibility issues (did you submit the right forms)? Or simple things that may seem obvious to a professional but if you aren't familiar, might be a problem, like, why can't I install WinXP on my Pentium 166 (or, why don't you itemize your deductions, so you can take more off, and reduce your taxes)?
A 'tax professional' should charge based on the complexity of the return (both complexity and how many returns need to be filed (Fed + 1 or more States), and make sure you do the things you do in order to get the best refund/pay the least penalty (the penalty interest is rediculous and could easily kill most people).
The biggest thing most people can do to help make their return 'easy' (and cheaper, for most preparers), is to keep good records and receipts. This includes investments, charitable donations, and if you have a side-buisness any receipts that might be relevent to write off against money earned. If you are self-employed this is doubly important, and a good accountant should also encourage you to see a financial planner and assets for your future.
The biggest thing to watch out for is fruad. The IRS can only go back 7 years from the last tax return filed, but if they suspect fraud they can go back even farther. This is also the place where she has seen H&R people be less than scrupulous, unfortunately.
Yes... them assuming responsiblity for a poorly secured website and issueing a Mea Culpa, would require a high ethical standard in the administration, not the candidates.
Please explain to me how finding out if you are accepted to University is comparable to Bank Robbery.
This didn't disclose any information that the applicant would not have had access to "in the fullness of time". The only thing this shows is that some students are under enough pressure, or have too little patience, to wait.
Yeah... at that age most of us on Slashdot would have been calm, cool, and patient and just waited till the letter came to us, even if we could have seen our own information sooner... sure... and I have a bridge for sale in New York, slightly used.
Or a way to find out if your company recieved a contract from a closed bidding process, by asking someone at the company who might know but isn't involved in the process, perhaps a few days early.
They obviously seem to belong to the same management school that turned out Enron and Worldcom CEO's, in spirit if not actuality.
Unethical? yes...... wait... we are talking about Harvard's actions... right?
Technically, depending on whose definition you follow the GPU is a second CPU in the computer. One that is dedicated to graphics, and like the above poster said, will usually be way better than a general CPU.
On the other hand, why does everyone see an "increase in game complexity/detail" as purely a Graphics issue?
A second CPU could be devoted to handling Physics, or AI as you point out, which could also improve the games complexity and detail. While its ramifications might not be directly visual "eye candy", it would still be sweet to have an AI able to process more potential states before making a decision, along with the time to handle more realistic physics, all while keeping a nice eye-candy framerate.
Ah. Hadn't thought about that. If you're right about what defines a set as HD-Ready then you're right and the split is, mostly, meaningless (at least within the markets that we are discussing). I'll ask instead what percentage of the population (cable population, or Tivo population), has a TV capable of showing an HD signal?
I know lots of people who went out and switched to digital cable for the channels, but for the most part, most of them are using TVs that are 5-10 years old still. Heck, I just bought my TV in '98 and the TV I had before that was from '86. While not being able to record 5.1 sound might be bad, I again am curious what percentage of the TV viewing population has a 5.1 setup and would notice the difference.
Not disagreeing that it would be nice if they had an HD Tivo ready now, just that it isn't practical until the CableCARD standard is rolled out, and I'm wondering how much of their user population would have benefitted.
TiVo Developing High-Definition, Digital Cable Ready DVR
TiVo® DVR with CableCARD Will Offer Flexible, Fully Featured Platform for Accessing HD Broadcast and Broadband Content
January 6, 2005 - CONSUMER ELECTRONICS SHOW, Las Vegas, NV - TiVo (NASDAQ: TIVO) today will demonstrate a high definition, digital cable ready DVR that will enable TiVo subscribers to access the growing number of high definition broadcasts available over the air or through their cable provider without a separate set-top box. The DVR will support CableCARD technology, enabling consumers to access their favorite premium and HD cable channels with the ease of use and powerful search capabilities of the TiVo® service. Moreover, as part of the "Tahiti" strategy announced at CES today, the new DVR will also allow consumers to access, download, and manage broadband content.
"We believe that the deployment of CableCARD technology is an essential development for the future of digital television. By eliminating the need for a separate set top box, consumers will enjoy more choice and flexibility over their entertainment delivery," said Mike Ramsay, chairman and chief executive officer, TiVo. "TiVo will play a key role in driving this technology forward to bring it to the masses."
TiVo's HD CableCARD DVR will be a premium product marketed toward consumers that want the very best in home entertainment. Consumers will be able to record their favorite entertainment from many different sources - high-definition channels, premium cable channels, and video content available via broadband.
CableCARDs free consumers from needing a cable set top box and offer consumers choice in how they get their digital entertainment. By providing consumer choice, companies like TiVo can provide an alternative to the traditional cable set top box and offer innovative services and content that address the consumer's personal interests.
The new HD CableCARD DVR is in development and TiVo plans to launch the product early next year.
For more information about any of the announcements made by TiVo at the Consumer Electronics Show, please visit www.tivo.com/ces.
A cable DVR from Crime-Warner is like $8 a month and does several things SA Tivos don't do, like digital sound and HD, and doesn't require hackery like IR emitters and glacial channel changing speeds.
Just out of curiousity, what percentage of cable TV users have HD TVs? Not HD-Ready, but real, honest to goodness HD tuners and are enjoying HD Content?
I've seen a lot of people complaining that TiVOs don't have HD and digital audio support, and I'm confused and impressed that so many people seem to have HD TVs and home theater systems set up.
Granted I'm living in a 1 bedroom apartment in Manhattan, so I'm suprised they have the space, but I also don't know very many people who've bothered with the expense (yet).
Granted those numbers will change over time (one of the reasons I got the Toshiba DVD+TiVO was that it can put out an interlaced signal), but is there that much demand yet or are those just the more vocal people?
It can already provide a file that can be burned with MyDVD and Nero. The only issue with the encryption is that it needs the DRM module to access, so for now it only works on Windows. Hope they change that soon but it certainly addresses 90% of their market (at least).
Of course, there are tools right now that will let you rip the DRM off of the.tivo and turn it into a.mpeg (http://www.zatznotfunny.com/ttg.htm ) but those aren't native to tivo. I'm sure a 'simpler' approach will show up soon. They (Tivo) has also talked in the past about transfering shows back to the Tivo.
As far as a subscription model:
Originally the subscriptions covered the box being operational.
With the new DVD+Tivo units the subscription is optional to provide the "full" functionality (14 day program guide instead of 3 day, and season pass/program search functionality).
Besides the "basic Tivo functionality" the same subscription fee (or lifetime membership), now includes using the Tivo to view pictures streamed off your PC (great for digital slide shows of trips), and streaming MP3s off of a computer.
Oh, and the same subscription fee also now provides access to Tivo2Go (as flawed as you feel it is, I can still watch recorded programs on my Computer while my wife watches TV, and on a 100MB wired connection, programs recorded at the "Medium" quality I usually use transfer at about 2x1... a one hour show transfers in about 30 minutes).
Tivo also just unveiled an API so that people can develop applications for the Tivo similar to the Picture and Music viewer (with an eye toward other applications).
Gee... certainly seems like they've been doing a lot more than just roll over and die.
Yes... the cable and satellite companies are rolling out their own version, but it still isn't Tivo. Oh, and to the person who said they still have VCR so they don't feel a need to get a Tivo, I got mine after my VCR was fried (casuality of the NorthEast blackout a few years back), my Tivo is much more flexible and fun than the VCR was. I can watch one recorded program while recording another, see whats been recorded and go to it instantly, record more than 6 hours if I'm away for the week (and my wife and I have different tastes), find ways of recording what I want that would conflict by checking when else its playing, oh, and allow me to transfer my recordings to my computer for easy viewing if the TV is occupied, or I'm going on the road.
Tivo will at the very worst be aquired by someone else. The existing technology/patents/customer base is too valuable to pass up.
Sorry for a bit of a "rant" not directed at you in particular, but those who continue to bash Tivo for the choices they made to stay in buisness with no accounting of the good things they already provide.
Slashdot Mirror
Sure it will. Its in the EULA. You did read read it
Don't give them any ideas, that'll be in the next draft.
Unfortunately while I agree with you, Season 4 has been a vast improvment since B&B decided they didn't want to helm it.
The episodes this season have also been much truer to the original concept that Enterprise was supposed to engender. The Xindi Destruction of Earth and Temporal Cold War plots were wrapped up and jettisoned out the nearest airlock. This season has been about the building of the Federation, and exploring the universe of Trek with fresh eyes, and I would recomend it fr fans of the original series.
Also unfortuantely, B&B killed the audiance before they left so that this season has probably been viewerless.
My file and print server at home is running on a P166 Running RedHat. I set it up three years ago and haven't had to play with it since (despite blackouts, spouse switching it on and off via the power button, etc.)
:)
Granted when I set it up I installed an ATA-100 card and a 120GB hard drive (and some spare RAM chips to bring it up to 64MB so it could boot), but otherwise its been great. I've been tempted to try installing a US2.0 card I just got a hold of, as well as upgrading the linux and SAMBA version, but I haven't had to, its been a happy machine
Ditto.
:) ) and looks to be incredibly enjoyable, poking fun at all the classic martial arts story cliches.
I skipped the fifth in the theaters and finally saw it a week or saw ago on DVD (borrowed from an avid fan).
If the reviews were as lousy as the second film, then I would have passed and worked instead on getting my wife to see Kung Fu Hustle, which has gotten rather good reviews (including from the head of my M.A. School
Okay. Lets assume that they had Valid State IDs that were obtained with Invalid (expired) Visas.
The Visas are issued by the Federal Government.
The Federal Government should, arguably, inact a better form of Visa. Perhaps one that is more tamper resistant and includes an expiration date. Or perhaps require that all Visa backed State IDs be verified/reported to the Federal Government at the time of issue. (to better help track possible foreign terrorists)
How exactly does the increased Federal Jurisdiction over the defined contents and access to State ID, and their information help secure the loop-hole that we've agreed was exploited?
It seems like that part of the provision, while perhaps understandable from some perspectives, doesn't seem valid for the reason you originally are stating.
Well ... up until a few years ago a photo was optional on a New Jersey drivers License. I THINK its required now.
Lets forget for a minute the fact that the terrorists involved in the 9/11 hijacking all had valid, state issued identification. ... ... How is this supposed to help again?
Technically correct, but most sources I've seen have depicted Tesla as being far more interested in the scientific research and development than in the buisness side of things, which he left to his "partner" Westinghouse. Westinghouse's work to promote AC vs. Edison's DC (along with Tesla's assignment of his patents to Westinghouse for a paltry sum so that Westinghouse could make the whole thing economically realistic), are what let AC beat DC.
Unfortunately in the long run the Westinghouse company eventually had to file for backruptcy, but Con-Ed (The Consolidated Edison Company) is still chugging along. Tesla's technology may have won, although considering he died pennyless and the company that championed his inventions ultimately went bankrupt, I'm not sure its fair to say that he won and Edison lost.
Don't get me wrong, I'm a major Tesla fan, and am gratified to see him getting the credit he deserves after so long, (and the race to electrify the world would make a great "History Channel" special
Not to mention the non-impact that this will have on the portable computing industry, even assuming the technology can be shrunk, until the acceptance of better battery units.
I figured he just meant that if we have officially entered into "Then they fight you" Phase, before we get to the "and Then you win" Phase, Its nice to be able to answer the question "You and What Army" :)
Be an interesting update to Soundwave's "Tapes".
:)
If you updated an 80's boombox (w/Tapeplayer), to a CD Boombox, at least they could include CDs.
Or perhaps just have the Cars "eject" them from their dashboard CD player
Yeah, because the Board of Directors (read Congress) decided that the patent office is a cost center, and that the money it generates could be much better put to use in something else. Kinda like Google deciding that it should invest most of its money in something rather than Search Engine technology, Hardware and Bandwidth, and suddenly deciding to throw away links older than a few years, because they were running out of Hard Drive space. Bright people to canabalize their core buisness, but with the Patent Office, one has no choice since they are a Monopoly.
(Poor analogy but the best one I could come up with)
I agree 100%. Something to keep in mind though, is that while it is being looked at in terms of its effect to help disabled people, one fear that the article mentions is that because the brain can re-organize post trauma, the work done on healthy humans may be ineffective on those who could best bennefit from the technology.
This brings to mind alternative uses though. They seem confident that the work _is_ applicable toward "healthy" humans. It could therefore be the foundation for a man-machine link in most of the rest of society. Driving a vehicle by thought, or perhaps, through a voluntary program within the military, piloting a mech. Certainly a possibility that I could see happening.
I agree ... and let me be the first to say that 64bit CPUs should be enough for everyone ;)
Exactly.
My wife prepares taxes during the season and I've learned a few things from her.
1) Yes, some people have very simple returns and can do them themselves.
2) H&R Block overcharges, and most of the people she's had, who did their previous year return there, have had major errors on their returns.
3) The advantage to having a 'tax professional' do it is the same as why most people don't build their own machine. Yes, they could do it, but do they know all the tricks? Things to check to make sure the system runs well (or get the best refund)? How about hardware compatibility issues (did you submit the right forms)? Or simple things that may seem obvious to a professional but if you aren't familiar, might be a problem, like, why can't I install WinXP on my Pentium 166 (or, why don't you itemize your deductions, so you can take more off, and reduce your taxes)?
A 'tax professional' should charge based on the complexity of the return (both complexity and how many returns need to be filed (Fed + 1 or more States), and make sure you do the things you do in order to get the best refund/pay the least penalty (the penalty interest is rediculous and could easily kill most people).
The biggest thing most people can do to help make their return 'easy' (and cheaper, for most preparers), is to keep good records and receipts. This includes investments, charitable donations, and if you have a side-buisness any receipts that might be relevent to write off against money earned. If you are self-employed this is doubly important, and a good accountant should also encourage you to see a financial planner and assets for your future.
The biggest thing to watch out for is fruad. The IRS can only go back 7 years from the last tax return filed, but if they suspect fraud they can go back even farther. This is also the place where she has seen H&R people be less than scrupulous, unfortunately.
Yes ... them assuming responsiblity for a poorly secured website and issueing a Mea Culpa, would require a high ethical standard in the administration, not the candidates.
Please explain to me how finding out if you are accepted to University is comparable to Bank Robbery.
... at that age most of us on Slashdot would have been calm, cool, and patient and just waited till the letter came to us, even if we could have seen our own information sooner ... sure ... and I have a bridge for sale in New York, slightly used.
This didn't disclose any information that the applicant would not have had access to "in the fullness of time". The only thing this shows is that some students are under enough pressure, or have too little patience, to wait.
Yeah
Or a way to find out if your company recieved a contract from a closed bidding process, by asking someone at the company who might know but isn't involved in the process, perhaps a few days early.
... ... wait... we are talking about Harvard's actions ... right?
They obviously seem to belong to the same management school that turned out Enron and Worldcom CEO's, in spirit if not actuality.
Unethical? yes
They may like them, but will they know they will like them enough to purchase them?
Technically, depending on whose definition you follow the GPU is a second CPU in the computer. One that is dedicated to graphics, and like the above poster said, will usually be way better than a general CPU.
On the other hand, why does everyone see an "increase in game complexity/detail" as purely a Graphics issue?
A second CPU could be devoted to handling Physics, or AI as you point out, which could also improve the games complexity and detail. While its ramifications might not be directly visual "eye candy", it would still be sweet to have an AI able to process more potential states before making a decision, along with the time to handle more realistic physics, all while keeping a nice eye-candy framerate.
Ah. Hadn't thought about that. If you're right about what defines a set as HD-Ready then you're right and the split is, mostly, meaningless (at least within the markets that we are discussing). I'll ask instead what percentage of the population (cable population, or Tivo population), has a TV capable of showing an HD signal?
I know lots of people who went out and switched to digital cable for the channels, but for the most part, most of them are using TVs that are 5-10 years old still. Heck, I just bought my TV in '98 and the TV I had before that was from '86. While not being able to record 5.1 sound might be bad, I again am curious what percentage of the TV viewing population has a 5.1 setup and would notice the difference.
Not disagreeing that it would be nice if they had an HD Tivo ready now, just that it isn't practical until the CableCARD standard is rolled out, and I'm wondering how much of their user population would have benefitted.
Check out Tivo's press releases from the past CES BTW for the upcoming Tivo box that looks like it will address all your concerns.
Not sure why your parents can't watch one recorded program while they are recording another, but ...
http://www.tivo.com/5.3.1.1.asp?article=234
1/6/2005
TiVo Developing High-Definition, Digital Cable Ready DVR
TiVo® DVR with CableCARD Will Offer Flexible, Fully Featured Platform for Accessing HD Broadcast and Broadband Content
January 6, 2005 - CONSUMER ELECTRONICS SHOW, Las Vegas, NV - TiVo (NASDAQ: TIVO) today will demonstrate a high definition, digital cable ready DVR that will enable TiVo subscribers to access the growing number of high definition broadcasts available over the air or through their cable provider without a separate set-top box. The DVR will support CableCARD technology, enabling consumers to access their favorite premium and HD cable channels with the ease of use and powerful search capabilities of the TiVo® service. Moreover, as part of the "Tahiti" strategy announced at CES today, the new DVR will also allow consumers to access, download, and manage broadband content.
"We believe that the deployment of CableCARD technology is an essential development for the future of digital television. By eliminating the need for a separate set top box, consumers will enjoy more choice and flexibility over their entertainment delivery," said Mike Ramsay, chairman and chief executive officer, TiVo. "TiVo will play a key role in driving this technology forward to bring it to the masses."
TiVo's HD CableCARD DVR will be a premium product marketed toward consumers that want the very best in home entertainment. Consumers will be able to record their favorite entertainment from many different sources - high-definition channels, premium cable channels, and video content available via broadband.
CableCARDs free consumers from needing a cable set top box and offer consumers choice in how they get their digital entertainment. By providing consumer choice, companies like TiVo can provide an alternative to the traditional cable set top box and offer innovative services and content that address the consumer's personal interests.
The new HD CableCARD DVR is in development and TiVo plans to launch the product early next year.
For more information about any of the announcements made by TiVo at the Consumer Electronics Show, please visit www.tivo.com/ces.
Just out of curiousity, what percentage of cable TV users have HD TVs? Not HD-Ready, but real, honest to goodness HD tuners and are enjoying HD Content?
I've seen a lot of people complaining that TiVOs don't have HD and digital audio support, and I'm confused and impressed that so many people seem to have HD TVs and home theater systems set up.
Granted I'm living in a 1 bedroom apartment in Manhattan, so I'm suprised they have the space, but I also don't know very many people who've bothered with the expense (yet).
Granted those numbers will change over time (one of the reasons I got the Toshiba DVD+TiVO was that it can put out an interlaced signal), but is there that much demand yet or are those just the more vocal people?
It can already provide a file that can be burned with MyDVD and Nero. The only issue with the encryption is that it needs the DRM module to access, so for now it only works on Windows. Hope they change that soon but it certainly addresses 90% of their market (at least).
.tivo and turn it into a .mpeg (http://www.zatznotfunny.com/ttg.htm
... a one hour show transfers in about 30 minutes).
... certainly seems like they've been doing a lot more than just roll over and die.
... the cable and satellite companies are rolling out their own version, but it still isn't Tivo. Oh, and to the person who said they still have VCR so they don't feel a need to get a Tivo, I got mine after my VCR was fried (casuality of the NorthEast blackout a few years back), my Tivo is much more flexible and fun than the VCR was. I can watch one recorded program while recording another, see whats been recorded and go to it instantly, record more than 6 hours if I'm away for the week (and my wife and I have different tastes), find ways of recording what I want that would conflict by checking when else its playing, oh, and allow me to transfer my recordings to my computer for easy viewing if the TV is occupied, or I'm going on the road.
Of course, there are tools right now that will let you rip the DRM off of the
) but those aren't native to tivo. I'm sure a 'simpler' approach will show up soon. They (Tivo) has also talked in the past about transfering shows back to the Tivo.
As far as a subscription model:
Originally the subscriptions covered the box being operational.
With the new DVD+Tivo units the subscription is optional to provide the "full" functionality (14 day program guide instead of 3 day, and season pass/program search functionality).
Besides the "basic Tivo functionality" the same subscription fee (or lifetime membership), now includes using the Tivo to view pictures streamed off your PC (great for digital slide shows of trips), and streaming MP3s off of a computer.
Oh, and the same subscription fee also now provides access to Tivo2Go (as flawed as you feel it is, I can still watch recorded programs on my Computer while my wife watches TV, and on a 100MB wired connection, programs recorded at the "Medium" quality I usually use transfer at about 2x1
Tivo also just unveiled an API so that people can develop applications for the Tivo similar to the Picture and Music viewer (with an eye toward other applications).
Gee
Yes
Tivo will at the very worst be aquired by someone else. The existing technology/patents/customer base is too valuable to pass up.
Sorry for a bit of a "rant" not directed at you in particular, but those who continue to bash Tivo for the choices they made to stay in buisness with no accounting of the good things they already provide.