When it comes to desktop PCs, you're better off building everything custom, especially for higher-end workstations. I really don't understand why consumer PCs don't have things like quiet heatsinks, high airflow cases, water cooling (when necessary) etc. I built a six-core beast of a server with a RAID-5 in a high airflow case with a quiet heatsink, and I don't even know it's on the shelf behind me, whereas the Netgear 24-port gigabit switch sounds like a hand sticking out of a car window on the highway.
I realize that quality custom builds aren't an option for average people, and also that most "computer techs" don't know the difference between quality and flashy. I saw a computer repair place's website somewhere that made a huge deal out of the fact that they zip-tie the wires inside more neatly than other places, along with all of the usual computer ricer rhetoric about how it improves airflow and prevents this-and-that. Face, meet desk. *sigh*
Windows up to 7 don't do the best job of automatically finding drivers. Windows 8 seems to fare better, but it's not worth the brain-dead UI design of 8 to have better automatic driver-finding capabilities. Driver installs are a one-shot deal per reinstall, and complaining about them is fairly ridiculous. People spend more time trying to learn pointers in C than they do finding an Elantech touchpad driver.
In all honesty, I wish they made it possible to control a computer UI with a game control pad. Then again, I'm one of the dull weirdos who used to love the Trackpoint back in the day (where they exist now, they're just "pointing sticks" and no one knows how to use them). While I'm speaking of game controllers being used to manipulate a GUI...
GEOS 1.2, anyone?
You're confusing theft of physical property with copying. Copying is not theft. You can't put a Snickers bar on a copy machine and get two Snickers bars out. You do a lot of name-calling but you don't seem keen on supporting the arguments you're making.
You don't seem to understand how copyright works. A copyright holder has exclusive distribution rights over their works. If the rights holder offers me a copy of the work, regardless of the circumstances, and I accept that offer, they have exercised their rights to redistribution and they cannot undo that action or sue me for accepting it. If Joe Blow gives me a copy, and he doesn't have a license from the holder to distribute copies of the work, that's "piracy."
In other words, if you write a book and give me a copy, you can't sue me for stealing your book, even if you gave it to me via torrents.
Copyright holders cannot contract with a third party to "catch infringers" and allow that third party to redistribute their copyrighted material for the purposes of catching downloaders, because then they've licensed out distribution rights and the distribution to the downloader(s) would become legal. If they don't grant a license for redistribution, the contracted third party is the one responsible for infringement.
Unfortunately, it seems that Russia Today is the best place to get decent information *period* these days. American journalism has search warrant firing "sniper teams" waiting to skewer them if they make the mistake of releasing information that keeps the government honest.
If you happen to look at the reviews for Kik, you'll discover that apparently the app gets five starts, is 15 years old, male, in California, and looking for nice girls who like to have a good time. Or at least it is on the days that it isn't describing how it has a BBC.
I always wondered how it was that so many British Broadcasting Corporation shareholders were using that app...maybe that's what BlackBerry needs: more BBC?
THX is in a business that benefits from sitting way too close so that your certified television set's extra detail can be discerned, even if that recommended distance is not comfortable to look at during that action-packed flick.
Existing 1080p quality can't be discerned as better by someone sitting 10 feet away on a couch looking at a 42" TV. Going past 1080p has no value whatsoever unless you're talking about insanely huge screens or impractically close viewing.
This makes too much sense to ever work, but a more sinister problem with implementation is that ISPs currently severely oversell their bandwidth, and by selling you "best effort 50Mbps" they are able to throttle it as low as they need to to handle too many people actually using what they supposedly are paying for. Since it's only "best effort" that you're paying for, there isn't really anything a customer can do.
I had basic cable and Internet at one point. I got a letter from TWC with a bunch of information about "here's a list of all these great channels we've added to your digital subscription" followed by a price increase on my basic cable rate. Basic cable doesn't get those. I called and asked them why they sent me a letter telling me my price was going up to provide me with channels they don't provide me, and the rep was at a loss. This kind of idiocy is so typical of the monopolies. I really can't understand why they don't just send a letter saying "we have to raise rates because costs of doing business are going up." At least then they'd be honest with me.
I saw that post, and I think the original author and anyone who agrees with him is at best completely ignorant about the Constitution and at worst a total fucking moron. I wouldn't mind if everyone who thinks that way moved to a country that uses rubber-hose cryptanalysis for a while.
Warrantless GPS data should be considered testimony for real privacy to start seeping back into the "justice" system. The same should be true for devices which track your miles traveled per trip or your cell phone location information or so-called "metadata" about who you call or where you swipe your credit card. If the cops want to see it, there must be a warrant and you must be provided with a copy of that warrant. I see no problem with this. I also think the "it makes it hard to investigate" line is ridiculous; after all, you refusing to give up your fifth amendment rights makes it hard to investigate as well, and I don't see anyone ACTIVELY trying to get rid of those. Behind the scenes when they think we aren't looking, they're working on it...
The people who are playing Farmville all day at work on the company dime with a Google tab open to hide it if someone walks in should be forced to go outside today and DO ACTUAL WORK FOR ONCE.
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When it comes to desktop PCs, you're better off building everything custom, especially for higher-end workstations. I really don't understand why consumer PCs don't have things like quiet heatsinks, high airflow cases, water cooling (when necessary) etc. I built a six-core beast of a server with a RAID-5 in a high airflow case with a quiet heatsink, and I don't even know it's on the shelf behind me, whereas the Netgear 24-port gigabit switch sounds like a hand sticking out of a car window on the highway. I realize that quality custom builds aren't an option for average people, and also that most "computer techs" don't know the difference between quality and flashy. I saw a computer repair place's website somewhere that made a huge deal out of the fact that they zip-tie the wires inside more neatly than other places, along with all of the usual computer ricer rhetoric about how it improves airflow and prevents this-and-that. Face, meet desk. *sigh*
Windows up to 7 don't do the best job of automatically finding drivers. Windows 8 seems to fare better, but it's not worth the brain-dead UI design of 8 to have better automatic driver-finding capabilities. Driver installs are a one-shot deal per reinstall, and complaining about them is fairly ridiculous. People spend more time trying to learn pointers in C than they do finding an Elantech touchpad driver.
...complete lack of surprise.
In all honesty, I wish they made it possible to control a computer UI with a game control pad. Then again, I'm one of the dull weirdos who used to love the Trackpoint back in the day (where they exist now, they're just "pointing sticks" and no one knows how to use them). While I'm speaking of game controllers being used to manipulate a GUI... GEOS 1.2, anyone?
You're confusing theft of physical property with copying. Copying is not theft. You can't put a Snickers bar on a copy machine and get two Snickers bars out. You do a lot of name-calling but you don't seem keen on supporting the arguments you're making.
Then do explain exactly how it's wrong on all counts.
You don't seem to understand how copyright works. A copyright holder has exclusive distribution rights over their works. If the rights holder offers me a copy of the work, regardless of the circumstances, and I accept that offer, they have exercised their rights to redistribution and they cannot undo that action or sue me for accepting it. If Joe Blow gives me a copy, and he doesn't have a license from the holder to distribute copies of the work, that's "piracy." In other words, if you write a book and give me a copy, you can't sue me for stealing your book, even if you gave it to me via torrents.
Copyright holders cannot contract with a third party to "catch infringers" and allow that third party to redistribute their copyrighted material for the purposes of catching downloaders, because then they've licensed out distribution rights and the distribution to the downloader(s) would become legal. If they don't grant a license for redistribution, the contracted third party is the one responsible for infringement.
How exactly can they prove that? How can they prove that you didn't have your client set up to leech only?
Unfortunately, it seems that Russia Today is the best place to get decent information *period* these days. American journalism has search warrant firing "sniper teams" waiting to skewer them if they make the mistake of releasing information that keeps the government honest.
D'oh. Stars. I meant stars. Here comes the lysdexic grammer poleez to git me. Fcuk.
If you happen to look at the reviews for Kik, you'll discover that apparently the app gets five starts, is 15 years old, male, in California, and looking for nice girls who like to have a good time. Or at least it is on the days that it isn't describing how it has a BBC. I always wondered how it was that so many British Broadcasting Corporation shareholders were using that app...maybe that's what BlackBerry needs: more BBC?
THX is in a business that benefits from sitting way too close so that your certified television set's extra detail can be discerned, even if that recommended distance is not comfortable to look at during that action-packed flick.
Better be Monster Cable. I like knowing that when I get ripped off with bullshit, I'm getting ripped off with quality bullshit.
Existing 1080p quality can't be discerned as better by someone sitting 10 feet away on a couch looking at a 42" TV. Going past 1080p has no value whatsoever unless you're talking about insanely huge screens or impractically close viewing.
This makes too much sense to ever work, but a more sinister problem with implementation is that ISPs currently severely oversell their bandwidth, and by selling you "best effort 50Mbps" they are able to throttle it as low as they need to to handle too many people actually using what they supposedly are paying for. Since it's only "best effort" that you're paying for, there isn't really anything a customer can do.
I had basic cable and Internet at one point. I got a letter from TWC with a bunch of information about "here's a list of all these great channels we've added to your digital subscription" followed by a price increase on my basic cable rate. Basic cable doesn't get those. I called and asked them why they sent me a letter telling me my price was going up to provide me with channels they don't provide me, and the rep was at a loss. This kind of idiocy is so typical of the monopolies. I really can't understand why they don't just send a letter saying "we have to raise rates because costs of doing business are going up." At least then they'd be honest with me.
I saw that post, and I think the original author and anyone who agrees with him is at best completely ignorant about the Constitution and at worst a total fucking moron. I wouldn't mind if everyone who thinks that way moved to a country that uses rubber-hose cryptanalysis for a while.
Warrantless GPS data should be considered testimony for real privacy to start seeping back into the "justice" system. The same should be true for devices which track your miles traveled per trip or your cell phone location information or so-called "metadata" about who you call or where you swipe your credit card. If the cops want to see it, there must be a warrant and you must be provided with a copy of that warrant. I see no problem with this. I also think the "it makes it hard to investigate" line is ridiculous; after all, you refusing to give up your fifth amendment rights makes it hard to investigate as well, and I don't see anyone ACTIVELY trying to get rid of those. Behind the scenes when they think we aren't looking, they're working on it...
Strangely enough, eBay is still the number one place I am aware of to source used laptop parts at reasonable prices.
The people who are playing Farmville all day at work on the company dime with a Google tab open to hide it if someone walks in should be forced to go outside today and DO ACTUAL WORK FOR ONCE.