IMHO, while dollar values are important, they are really important in the context of opportunity cost (like everything else in economics). For example, suppose a large software company stole significant chunk of some of my GPL'd code. The fact that I decided to distribute the software for $0.00 does not matter. The important factor is that the large software company is selling it. If my code was 25% of the proprietary software and they sold 5000 copies at $50 a piece then a court ruling SHOULD look like this:
Plantiff: they used my GPL code in their closed source code Defendent: yes we did Judge: Mr. Plantif, what is your lost revenue due to this theft? Plaintiff: Based on their selling price of $50 dollars a copy, of which 25% of my code is used, my lost revenue is $12.50 ($50*.25) per copy they have or will sell. (Opportunity cost being defined as the money lost by NOT selling my code). Total loss $62,500.00. Judge: I rule for the plaintiff in the amount of $62,500.00.
At least that is the way things should work. You have to remember that in economics and law the value of forgone opportunities is just as real as cash in the pocket.
Re:Someone Wanna Grab that Palm Pilot?
on
Password Overload
·
· Score: 1
I wrote Strip, the Password and Account manager for the Palm Pilot. I am not trying to plug the product but since its been mentioned twice already I feel more comfortable. Strip will protect against user stupidity. It encrypts EVERYTHING before it goes into the palm databases. Furthermore, if you leave it on in the back seat of the taxi it locks the program when the palm automatically powers off. Idea is the same algorithm used in PGP, so its heavily tested and secure. Its open source, so you can look at the crypto code and compile it yourself if you want to. Strip does specific and comprehensive memory wiping of unused data, so even if your would be attacker got an actual RAM image off your palm they would not find your key, or any of the data that has been displayed during Strip's use.
Compaq, in it eagerness to embrace linux, has a new line of beowulf machines, 5 alpha boxes, each w/ 2 ethernet cards, and 2 gigs of ram total. All SCSI. While a beowulf is not what you need, there is no reason that you could not use each noe independantly. Linux is pre-installed, you can get support plans, and the cluster even comes in a rack. Total price: $4500!!!(quote from compaq rep). At that price your getting 5 alpha machines that will outpreform your pentium for very little money!!
I Really like the idea, it does have a steep learning curve though. I tried to install the palm demo on through the crappy windows pilot-desktop (Had to use my co-workers computer), and it caused a nice fatal-exception my palm. I will try it with pilot-xfer tonight.
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IMHO, while dollar values are important, they are really important in the context of opportunity cost (like everything else in economics). For example, suppose a large software company stole significant chunk of some of my GPL'd code. The fact that I decided to distribute the software for $0.00 does not matter. The important factor is that the large software company is selling it. If my code was 25% of the proprietary software and they sold 5000 copies at $50 a piece then a court ruling SHOULD look like this:
Plantiff: they used my GPL code in their closed source code
Defendent: yes we did
Judge: Mr. Plantif, what is your lost revenue due to this theft?
Plaintiff: Based on their selling price of $50 dollars a copy, of which 25% of my code is used, my lost revenue is $12.50 ($50*.25) per copy they have or will sell. (Opportunity cost being defined as the money lost by NOT selling my code). Total loss $62,500.00.
Judge: I rule for the plaintiff in the amount of $62,500.00.
At least that is the way things should work. You have to remember that in economics and law the value of forgone opportunities is just as real as cash in the pocket.
I wrote Strip, the Password and Account manager for the Palm Pilot. I am not trying to plug the product but since its been mentioned twice already I feel more comfortable. Strip will protect against user stupidity. It encrypts EVERYTHING before it goes into the palm databases. Furthermore, if you leave it on in the back seat of the taxi it locks the program when the palm automatically powers off. Idea is the same algorithm used in PGP, so its heavily tested and secure. Its open source, so you can look at the crypto code and compile it yourself if you want to. Strip does specific and comprehensive memory wiping of unused data, so even if your would be attacker got an actual RAM image off your palm they would not find your key, or any of the data that has been displayed during Strip's use.
Compaq, in it eagerness to embrace linux, has a new line of beowulf machines, 5 alpha boxes, each w/ 2 ethernet cards, and 2 gigs of ram total. All SCSI. While a beowulf is not what you need, there is no reason that you could not use each noe independantly. Linux is pre-installed, you can get support plans, and the cluster even comes in a rack. Total price: $4500!!!(quote from compaq rep). At that price your getting 5 alpha machines that will outpreform your pentium for very little money!!
I Really like the idea, it does have a steep learning curve though. I tried to install the palm demo on through the crappy windows pilot-desktop (Had to use my co-workers computer), and it caused a nice fatal-exception my palm. I will try it with pilot-xfer tonight.