I can't speak to how airbags work in non-US vehicles, and early generations of airbag-equipped cars are different, but here's how current US-market cars work:
For the driver or front-passenger *front* airbag to deploy, the seat must be weighted and the seatbelt engaged. In the case of the front passenger seat, the airbag must not be overridden. And of course, the collision must be severe enough to actuate the controller.
When these conditions are met, a seatbelt pretensioner is triggered a fraction of a second before the airbag(s) are fired. The pretensioner rapidly (and permanently) pulls the belt very tight. The purpose is to suck the occupant firmly into the seat so they're in position when the airbag deploys.
As you'd expect, the airbag is engineered to inflate a certain distance with a precise force and speed. If the occupant wasn't properly in place, whether from the force of the collision or from reaching for their dropped cellphone, they'd be severely injured (or worse) by the airbag, regardless of other forces involved in the crash.
So there's a series of interlocks and dependencies for an airbag to work. You might even call it "defense in depth."
Unsurprisingly, the user often defeats the defense. Bypassing the passenger side when there's a passenger not in a safety seat is an obvious mistake. Another fail is holding a pet on the lap – dog plus airbag has made some easily survivable crashes deadly (and not just for the dog).
If you want your question -- "...why punish people for gaming their systems?" -- taken seriously, why not consider your own context?
No one is "punished," although some people are blocked from using modded consoles on Microsoft's subscription-based online gaming service.
One key reason for this prohibition is that it can be unfair for modded consoles to be playing games with unmodded consoles. The modder may not be actively cheating in any given game, but blocking mods is one way for MS to keep their service (more) fair for the vast majority of customers. Most Xbox Live members are 1) paying and 2) not modding.
Additionally, it's very common for restricted networks to block untested, unrecognized, or user-modified hardware. In this case for example, console mods raise concerns for MS with regard to licensed third-party content that they offer over their service (movies, TV shows, etc). Regardless of one's feelings about Microsoft, their products, or DRM in general, this situation is not difficult to comprehend.
Obligatory car analogy: I can buy a car and modify it extensively, perhaps to the point where driving it on my city's streets is prohibited. Even paying taxes does not give me the right to expect the city to allow (much less engineer for) my cleverly modded vehicle.
I'm thinking the strategy may be more along the lines of Embrace, Extend, Extraneous; meaning instead of IE being extinguished, it's just made (more) irrelevant.
Well in my circle there's actually a bit of hipster cachet to using less-mainstream tools, GIMP being a prime example.
And while those racks of glossy, busty Photoshop magazines are tempting sometimes, it doesn't take long to see past the idiocy of paying $10 for a sheaf of advertisements punctuated by a few "solutions" that are already on eight different discussion forums and sometimes even in the help file.
But as for "wannabe appeal," while I certainly wouldn't deny that it happens, I think it's far more common that people simply outgrow their tools. When someone is a hobbyist or just starting out, cost can be a huge factor. Later as a professional (or even semi-pro like me), working under the pressure of a deadline or profit margin quickly exposes the advantage of software that works, works right, and works right now.
FOSS can get there, and already has in some very cool instances, but there's a lot more to it than "free" and "open source."
For the geekily minded (oh how I love Slackware (seriously)), digging through text files and drivers can be fun. However when the project has to be out the door by five o'clock, the proprietary stuff looks pretty good when a basic question on a FOSS application's forum returns page of pedantic condescension. (Not that there isn't plenty of pedantic condescension on proprietary software forums too.)
Once the user gets to a certain level, Photoshop (Pro Tools, Media Composer DX, whatever) becomes just another tool and not a goal in itself. Some tools may be overpriced bloat-gasms, but just like a camera or a microphone they either earn their keep or they don't. And even when it's free, a tool has to earn its keep.
I've been using Photoshop since, oh, version 4. Adobe has never had anything resembling 'support' for any of it's products...
Hell I haven't felt like Adobe supported Photoshop CS3 on 10.5, so I'm sure not expecting anything with 10.6. Even the latest Photoshop on the latest Mac OS seems janky.
Maybe CS5 will have Painty the talking paintbrush. "Hello, it looks like you're trying to add a new adjustment layer..."
...all they have now are adapters, cellphones and remote control cars.
And iPods.
Once in desperation I went into Radio Shack hoping to replace my forgotten MacBook Pro power adaptor. This was in a fairly small town, so I figured since they sell iPods and they (used to) sell power supplies RS was my only hope.
When I pulled out my computer to show the confused clerk what I needed, he saw the Apple logo and exclaimed "Cool, an iPod laptop!"
In my lifeguardin' days, the policy for when and how to clear the pool in anticipation of lightning wasn't based on concern for anyone being shocked, it was based on preventing a panicked stampede.
Electrocuting the cattle was a very minor consideration, but herding them was a huge one.
Some folks always need the latest and greatest, sometimes that costs extra. But nothing wrong with a generation or two old... My 2007 Macs are still fast and strong. Last generation's Photoshop still handles 100% of my needs. My 3G, bought on launch day with full fanboy fanfare, is still kicking and I'm looking forward to the OS upgrade. Sometimes it's time for new toys, sometimes it's not.
The contract terms weren't secret and no one could've reasonably thought it would be two years before the next iPhone came along. The issue here is the "gotta have" syndrome. And while Apple is good at building that hype, they're certainly not alone. Still haven't seen a rabid AT&T fanboy though...
At $2.30/gal plus insurance and oil changes, cycling saves me about $1300 a year, and that's assuming a bike overhaul, new tires, and new rain gear every year. It counts my car as paid off and never needing repairs, tolls, or parking. It also counts a Clif Bar per trip plus a stack of transit tickets for emergencies.
Because my job requires a degree of physical fitness, I'd probably need a gym membership or home exercise contraption if my commute didn't double as a workout.
This doesn't consider pollution. Or traffic frustration. Or the pure joy of getting to work under my own power, even in the snow. On the fast route, cycling is about 15 minutes longer than driving; the scenic or mega-workout routes are longer but even more fun.
It is easy to make water not wet. Not so easy to keep it not wet for the long term though -- at least not without constant maintenance or putting it in a place where people don't generally like to live.
DRM: the arctic for content. (Additional costs may apply. Subject to climatic variation.)
Finally, we may be seeing the RIAA meet their perfect storm:
- They can't quietly drop the case. - They've always tried to publicize their cause, but now they fight publicity. - The more they fight publicity, the more they get. - They worry video will be remixed, conveniently ignoring how it also creates an accessible authoritative record.
It seems the RIAA has no argument here without contradicting themselves.
Slashdot Mirror
The warp core has been Slashdotted. Quick, someone repolarize the ion flux crystals!
Blindness and apathy were very popular traits of the day.
Were?
I can't speak to how airbags work in non-US vehicles, and early generations of airbag-equipped cars are different, but here's how current US-market cars work:
For the driver or front-passenger *front* airbag to deploy, the seat must be weighted and the seatbelt engaged. In the case of the front passenger seat, the airbag must not be overridden. And of course, the collision must be severe enough to actuate the controller.
When these conditions are met, a seatbelt pretensioner is triggered a fraction of a second before the airbag(s) are fired. The pretensioner rapidly (and permanently) pulls the belt very tight. The purpose is to suck the occupant firmly into the seat so they're in position when the airbag deploys.
As you'd expect, the airbag is engineered to inflate a certain distance with a precise force and speed. If the occupant wasn't properly in place, whether from the force of the collision or from reaching for their dropped cellphone, they'd be severely injured (or worse) by the airbag, regardless of other forces involved in the crash.
So there's a series of interlocks and dependencies for an airbag to work. You might even call it "defense in depth."
Unsurprisingly, the user often defeats the defense. Bypassing the passenger side when there's a passenger not in a safety seat is an obvious mistake. Another fail is holding a pet on the lap – dog plus airbag has made some easily survivable crashes deadly (and not just for the dog).
Interesting that this years-old story rears up now, when the SEC is suing Goldman and the administration is pushing financial industry reform.
Sounds like there certainly was (is?) a porn problem at SEC. Convenient that is was such a non-story, until needed.
At no point has this war been necessary.
Hey give them a break.
Their job isn't to report the weather, it's to sell Snuggies.
If you want your question -- "...why punish people for gaming their systems?" -- taken seriously, why not consider your own context?
No one is "punished," although some people are blocked from using modded consoles on Microsoft's subscription-based online gaming service.
One key reason for this prohibition is that it can be unfair for modded consoles to be playing games with unmodded consoles. The modder may not be actively cheating in any given game, but blocking mods is one way for MS to keep their service (more) fair for the vast majority of customers. Most Xbox Live members are 1) paying and 2) not modding.
Additionally, it's very common for restricted networks to block untested, unrecognized, or user-modified hardware. In this case for example, console mods raise concerns for MS with regard to licensed third-party content that they offer over their service (movies, TV shows, etc). Regardless of one's feelings about Microsoft, their products, or DRM in general, this situation is not difficult to comprehend.
Obligatory car analogy: I can buy a car and modify it extensively, perhaps to the point where driving it on my city's streets is prohibited. Even paying taxes does not give me the right to expect the city to allow (much less engineer for) my cleverly modded vehicle.
Well, GeoCities is shutting down and I had to go somewhere.
I'm thinking the strategy may be more along the lines of Embrace, Extend, Extraneous; meaning instead of IE being extinguished, it's just made (more) irrelevant.
... So if ASCAP wants a law that requires anyone playing a 30-second sample of a song to pay a fee, then let them have it! ...
And once the law is in place, iTunes can provide 29-second samples.
They could do just the opposite and give people a $1.50 reduction in their bill if they opt-in to a paperless billing system.
They'll roll this out in a couple months after the hubbub dies down. Except the discount will, tellingly, be $0.50.
Well in my circle there's actually a bit of hipster cachet to using less-mainstream tools, GIMP being a prime example.
And while those racks of glossy, busty Photoshop magazines are tempting sometimes, it doesn't take long to see past the idiocy of paying $10 for a sheaf of advertisements punctuated by a few "solutions" that are already on eight different discussion forums and sometimes even in the help file.
But as for "wannabe appeal," while I certainly wouldn't deny that it happens, I think it's far more common that people simply outgrow their tools. When someone is a hobbyist or just starting out, cost can be a huge factor. Later as a professional (or even semi-pro like me), working under the pressure of a deadline or profit margin quickly exposes the advantage of software that works, works right, and works right now.
FOSS can get there, and already has in some very cool instances, but there's a lot more to it than "free" and "open source."
For the geekily minded (oh how I love Slackware (seriously)), digging through text files and drivers can be fun. However when the project has to be out the door by five o'clock, the proprietary stuff looks pretty good when a basic question on a FOSS application's forum returns page of pedantic condescension. (Not that there isn't plenty of pedantic condescension on proprietary software forums too.)
Once the user gets to a certain level, Photoshop (Pro Tools, Media Composer DX, whatever) becomes just another tool and not a goal in itself. Some tools may be overpriced bloat-gasms, but just like a camera or a microphone they either earn their keep or they don't. And even when it's free, a tool has to earn its keep.
You are not stuck with Apple's browser on the iPhone. A casual search turned up 15 web browser apps before I stopped counting.
I'd provide links, but someone might be tracking.
I've been using Photoshop since, oh, version 4. Adobe has never had anything resembling 'support' for any of it's products...
Hell I haven't felt like Adobe supported Photoshop CS3 on 10.5, so I'm sure not expecting anything with 10.6. Even the latest Photoshop on the latest Mac OS seems janky.
Maybe CS5 will have Painty the talking paintbrush. "Hello, it looks like you're trying to add a new adjustment layer..."
...all they have now are adapters, cellphones and remote control cars.
And iPods.
Once in desperation I went into Radio Shack hoping to replace my forgotten MacBook Pro power adaptor. This was in a fairly small town, so I figured since they sell iPods and they (used to) sell power supplies RS was my only hope.
When I pulled out my computer to show the confused clerk what I needed, he saw the Apple logo and exclaimed "Cool, an iPod laptop!"
In my lifeguardin' days, the policy for when and how to clear the pool in anticipation of lightning wasn't based on concern for anyone being shocked, it was based on preventing a panicked stampede.
Electrocuting the cattle was a very minor consideration, but herding them was a huge one.
Lobbyists, lobbyists, lobbyists, lobbyists, lobbyists!
The summary is all direct quotes from TFA, which is indeed poorly worded. And poorly reasoned as well.
Bunch of crybabies.
Rabid Apple fanboy here, and I totally agree.
Some folks always need the latest and greatest, sometimes that costs extra. But nothing wrong with a generation or two old... My 2007 Macs are still fast and strong. Last generation's Photoshop still handles 100% of my needs. My 3G, bought on launch day with full fanboy fanfare, is still kicking and I'm looking forward to the OS upgrade. Sometimes it's time for new toys, sometimes it's not.
The contract terms weren't secret and no one could've reasonably thought it would be two years before the next iPhone came along. The issue here is the "gotta have" syndrome. And while Apple is good at building that hype, they're certainly not alone. Still haven't seen a rabid AT&T fanboy though...
Stay fucking indie.
At $2.30/gal plus insurance and oil changes, cycling saves me about $1300 a year, and that's assuming a bike overhaul, new tires, and new rain gear every year. It counts my car as paid off and never needing repairs, tolls, or parking. It also counts a Clif Bar per trip plus a stack of transit tickets for emergencies.
Because my job requires a degree of physical fitness, I'd probably need a gym membership or home exercise contraption if my commute didn't double as a workout.
This doesn't consider pollution. Or traffic frustration. Or the pure joy of getting to work under my own power, even in the snow. On the fast route, cycling is about 15 minutes longer than driving; the scenic or mega-workout routes are longer but even more fun.
Dear Jamie & Adam:
You're welcome to blow shit up near my windows anytime you want. No unexpected damage notification expected. Please bring Kari.
Your fan,
323241
It is easy to make water not wet. Not so easy to keep it not wet for the long term though -- at least not without constant maintenance or putting it in a place where people don't generally like to live.
DRM: the arctic for content. (Additional costs may apply. Subject to climatic variation.)
Finally, we may be seeing the RIAA meet their perfect storm:
- They can't quietly drop the case.
- They've always tried to publicize their cause, but now they fight publicity.
- The more they fight publicity, the more they get.
- They worry video will be remixed, conveniently ignoring how it also creates an accessible authoritative record.
It seems the RIAA has no argument here without contradicting themselves.
This just reeks of awesome.
Happy Festivus!