"But how could you think that this is better for *programmers*?"
Simple really, if you feel this way, don't write and Free Software unless you are paid your customary hourly rate for doing so. Problem solved.
Until then, save a bunch of money using Free Software that others have written for whatever reasons they have done so. If you end up feeling a twinge of guilt for always taking and never giving, do something about it.
And not just for underwater. It makes for a nice experience walking around shooting pics on a day when the weather is iffy. You do not have to be paranoid if it starts to rain.
I have not found that shooting in bright light works well though. I wouldn't mind a viewfinder for those situations.
"Linux is free, and humans tend not to equate free things with being valuable."
Right. This is why Internet Explorer never caught on and Netscape Navigator still rules the roost.
This is also why you will never see anyone making free offers in advertising.
This is also why the paid for versions of linux a clearly way more popular than the ones you can get at no charge.
And just so everyone knows, I have a version of lunix that will cost you a cool million dollars for each copy you get from me. One of the most valuable operating systems in the known world. Get yours today! Don't delay. Supplies are limited. And time is limited too.
I don't know that I like the situation myself, but the first analogy I thought of was not locksmithing, but patented cures for sickness... We seem to have a lot of that.
"I'd love to see every university mirror the Internet Archive, Creative Commons and promote work from people in their community."
There you go. Push the alternatives.
Perhaps even block all legal music sites what have songs with restrictive licenses as you wouldn't want people to get their hands on the goods in the first place - too tempting to share them? Perhaps not.
But, if they hosted and promoted works with Free Licenses, they could even end up with a revenue source for the university and students and various campus groups.
"Funny, sad, and too true... thanks for the humorous, insightful response!"
I know I do way less than I used to. Some still, but I try and keep it to a minimum.
It got old being hinted at that I was a fool for using Free Software and putting up with the associated issues I put up with and then being expected to sort out the same people's garbage for free.
Plus, in these days of network effects, everyone of those people was also actually harming me even if I don't do free support for them. Why do we have hardware without Free Software support? because those same people are willing to buy it? This really is a chicken and egg problem that I think one day will be solved, but it could be solved in six months to a year if everyone just made it known that they would not longer purchase non-Free Software or hardware without Free Software support.
"Unfortunately, they comprise the far larger share of computer users, leaving those of us who are technologically literate, stuck with such theoretical choices because that will thus become all that is available."
Perhaps not if we stop doing free "friends and family" support if they buy the junk.
I don't disagree, but the point being made was that you will never get the trains because the airlines will block it.
My point was that, IF that was true, AND the country would be better off with the trains, what I suggested would be one way to get from here to that better place whereas, not doing something like that would result in not getting to that better place.***
*** check that IF again. All bets are off with what I said if that IF isn't.
We have a similar situation in our country with the freight docks causing 40 foot container congestion in the main downtown business areas...
"And very profitable. But the airlines would obviously HATE the idea just for starters."
So find a way to give the airlines an inside track on the new deal to negate their opposition if the end result would be better for the country as a whole. If that is the only way to get the thing done.
"Honestly, if you can't come up with material yourself, you shouldn't call yourself an artist."
Cool, so any works found to be built upon works in the public domain and so on down the line will automatically be put into the public domain then? I mean, if they are building on the works of others, they can't be artists and why should we give copyrights on artistic works to non-artists? Right?
"The "corporate greed" rabble rousers really don't seem to grasp that a corporation isn't a person. It can't "profit"."
Can you really blame anyone for not getting that a corporation isn't a person? I mean, someone is always telling them that they are a legal person and that they have rights too when people point to problems with their actions.
So, I think most get it very well.
"If anything, it's better to tax the end-user than the corporation."
I mostly agree and would likely agree 100% if I (or anyone) could figure a reasonable to prevent such a system from being gamed.
"Corporate money rolls over into R&D, manufacturing, capital costs, and employees."
And other places.
"Note, for example, that the wealthy in this country pay the majority of the taxes."
A couple of points...
Of all taxes and other government revenue? Or just of some taxes?
And who is the wealthy. I get a feeling in my guts that one of the key games being played is to put the name rich or wealthy on those who don't belong there to benefit the ones who really are rich or wealthy. And to divide the non-truly rich or wealthy against themselves to the same ends.
Still, you don't have to be rich / wealthy to be happy and more people would do well to think a bit more about that.
"They're using the term incorrectly. Feed "market share definition" into Google, click on some links, note what they say market share is (some include the formula for calculating it), and why things that aren't sold don't constitute "a market"."
Fine, but then talking of Free Software's market share is using a foolish metric at best then.
So here we go.
I can sell "Big PC Maker" that license I was talking about. They can do their own serial number sticker or I can even say that my serial number must match the MS serial number for the same machine? Then I get "Big PC Maker" to add one cent to the sale price of each machine and now I have a market share... And my unit market share goes way up? My dollar market share is nothing to speak of though.
Also, re incorrect usage... that may be right but may suffer the same fate as the hacker versus cracker fight...
"You're missing the fact that Microsoft's sale wasn't to you"
I don't think I am missing that fact. Check my first post in this thread and the response to it which I then answered. I am asking the follow up question in context.
You are telling me that MS sells to those OEMs one copy at a time? How is what they are doing different than my suggestion to sell 100,000 units at once for a reasonable price?
Aldo, re the thought that for "market share" numbers to be valid, a sale must be made, what's up with all of these pages:
"It would certainly be fun to try, but unfortunately those sort of tricks have been attempted in the past by companies trying to present false market share figures to raise their share price or attract other forms of investment, so the people who gather market share statistics won't count them as either shipped or sold units."
So why do they count the forced bundled XP that came on my notebook and never even booted, being replaced by linux from the break as a windows sale? (I grant it was in fact a sale of a sorts but one that certainly deserves an asterisk at the very least. And if they had any sane return policy, should go down as a sale and a refund.)
Slashdot Mirror
"The bigger question would be how do you determine the value of the IP to assess it for taxation."
Let the copyright holders self assess. Make them be honest as explained here:
http://zotzbro.blogspot.com/2007/04/some-thoughts-on-copyright-offensive.html
all the best,
drew
"But how could you think that this is better for *programmers*?"
Simple really, if you feel this way, don't write and Free Software unless you are paid your customary hourly rate for doing so. Problem solved.
Until then, save a bunch of money using Free Software that others have written for whatever reasons they have done so. If you end up feeling a twinge of guilt for always taking and never giving, do something about it.
all the best,
drew
Well,
olympus makes the stylus 770 sw...
not perfect but:
SHOCKPROOF (5FT).
WATERPROOF (33FT).
FREEZEPROOF (-10C/14F).
CRUSHPROOF (220LBF).
2.5" HYPERCRYSTAL LCD.
DIGITAL IMAGE STABILIZATION.
MANOMETER.
Resolution: 7.10 Megapixels
ISO: 80-1600
Shutter: 4-1/1000
Max Aperture: 3.5
Lens: 3.00x zoom (38-114mm eff)
The thing I like the best is the waterproof.
http://openphoto.net/gallery/index.html?user_id=178
And not just for underwater. It makes for a nice experience walking around shooting pics on a day when the weather is iffy. You do not have to be paranoid if it starts to rain.
I have not found that shooting in bright light works well though. I wouldn't mind a viewfinder for those situations.
all the best,
drew
Could we do a better job if we could cache intelligently and do p2p and whatever else made sense in the absence of copyright restraints on the setup?
all the best,
drew
"Linux is free, and humans tend not to equate free things with being valuable."
Right. This is why Internet Explorer never caught on and Netscape Navigator still rules the roost.
This is also why you will never see anyone making free offers in advertising.
This is also why the paid for versions of linux a clearly way more popular than the ones you can get at no charge.
And just so everyone knows, I have a version of lunix that will cost you a cool million dollars for each copy you get from me. One of the most valuable operating systems in the known world. Get yours today! Don't delay. Supplies are limited. And time is limited too.
all the best,
drew
I don't like your idea re lifetime over all and prefer the ideas I put forward here:
http://zotzbro.blogspot.com/2007/04/some-thoughts-on-copyright-offensive.html
but:
"So let's place 'corporate' copyright term at forty years from time of creation."
Why not figure out the average lifespan of a corporation and make corporate copyright last that long...??? under your plan...
all the best,
drew
"Or *invest* those earnings from the big hit and live off of that."
Bingo!
all the best,
drew
Hey! Artists! Invest some of your income... Don't spend it all. Invest some of what you earn now in a retirement plan.
Honestly, if laws can get changed to make copyright terms longer... newsflash... They can get changed to make them shorter too.
all the best,
drew
I don't know that I like the situation myself, but the first analogy I thought of was not locksmithing, but patented cures for sickness... We seem to have a lot of that.
all the best,
drew
I felt like playing one the other day myself.
all the best,
drew
"I'd love to see every university mirror the Internet Archive, Creative Commons and promote work from people in their community."
There you go. Push the alternatives.
Perhaps even block all legal music sites what have songs with restrictive licenses as you wouldn't want people to get their hands on the goods in the first place - too tempting to share them? Perhaps not.
But, if they hosted and promoted works with Free Licenses, they could even end up with a revenue source for the university and students and various campus groups.
Some down below on the archive now...
all the best,
drew
http://www.archive.org/search.php?query=%22drew%20Roberts%22
"Funny, sad, and too true... thanks for the humorous, insightful response!"
I know I do way less than I used to. Some still, but I try and keep it to a minimum.
It got old being hinted at that I was a fool for using Free Software and putting up with the associated issues I put up with and then being expected to sort out the same people's garbage for free.
Plus, in these days of network effects, everyone of those people was also actually harming me even if I don't do free support for them. Why do we have hardware without Free Software support? because those same people are willing to buy it? This really is a chicken and egg problem that I think one day will be solved, but it could be solved in six months to a year if everyone just made it known that they would not longer purchase non-Free Software or hardware without Free Software support.
all the best,
drew
"Unfortunately, they comprise the far larger share of computer users, leaving those of us who are technologically literate, stuck with such theoretical choices because that will thus become all that is available."
Perhaps not if we stop doing free "friends and family" support if they buy the junk.
all the best,
drew
I don't disagree, but the point being made was that you will never get the trains because the airlines will block it.
My point was that, IF that was true, AND the country would be better off with the trains, what I suggested would be one way to get from here to that better place whereas, not doing something like that would result in not getting to that better place.***
*** check that IF again. All bets are off with what I said if that IF isn't.
We have a similar situation in our country with the freight docks causing 40 foot container congestion in the main downtown business areas...
all the best,
drew
"And very profitable. But the airlines would obviously HATE the idea just for starters."
So find a way to give the airlines an inside track on the new deal to negate their opposition if the end result would be better for the country as a whole. If that is the only way to get the thing done.
all the best,
drew
"Honestly, if you can't come up with material yourself, you shouldn't call yourself an artist."
Cool, so any works found to be built upon works in the public domain and so on down the line will automatically be put into the public domain then? I mean, if they are building on the works of others, they can't be artists and why should we give copyrights on artistic works to non-artists? Right?
How about we go on a copyright offensive everyone?
http://zotzbro.blogspot.com/2007/04/some-thoughts-on-copyright-offensive.html
all the best,
drew
I mean really.
Free The Art (Sep 29/07)
Copyright 2007, drew Roberts
Free the Art and
Free the Artists
Let's break loose and
Let's get started
Change the world and
Make it better
There may be crying but
We'll cry together
Tired of waiting on
Promised changes
Come together and
Let's rearrange it
This work may be used under the terms of the Creative Commons
Attribution-ShareAlike License V3.0 United States
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/us/legalcode
"Actually, the citizen's share of taxes is, always has been, and always will be 100%."
Hardly. If only.
Non-citizens are taxed all the time. I should know, I have been taxed by the US and I am not a citizen. And my country taxes non-citizens as well.
What ever became of the idea of no taxation without representation?
What sort of tax could be raised only from those getting represented? Any workable form of taxation?
all the best,
drew
"The "corporate greed" rabble rousers really don't seem to grasp that a corporation isn't a person. It can't "profit"."
Can you really blame anyone for not getting that a corporation isn't a person? I mean, someone is always telling them that they are a legal person and that they have rights too when people point to problems with their actions.
So, I think most get it very well.
"If anything, it's better to tax the end-user than the corporation."
I mostly agree and would likely agree 100% if I (or anyone) could figure a reasonable to prevent such a system from being gamed.
"Corporate money rolls over into R&D, manufacturing, capital costs, and employees."
And other places.
"Note, for example, that the wealthy in this country pay the majority of the taxes."
A couple of points...
Of all taxes and other government revenue? Or just of some taxes?
And who is the wealthy. I get a feeling in my guts that one of the key games being played is to put the name rich or wealthy on those who don't belong there to benefit the ones who really are rich or wealthy. And to divide the non-truly rich or wealthy against themselves to the same ends.
Still, you don't have to be rich / wealthy to be happy and more people would do well to think a bit more about that.
all the best,
drew
"I keep hearing about this Goggle search thing. Where might I find it?"
You have to search for it...
all the best,
drew
"They're using the term incorrectly. Feed "market share definition" into Google, click on some links, note what they say market share is (some include the formula for calculating it), and why things that aren't sold don't constitute "a market"."
Fine, but then talking of Free Software's market share is using a foolish metric at best then.
So here we go.
I can sell "Big PC Maker" that license I was talking about. They can do their own serial number sticker or I can even say that my serial number must match the MS serial number for the same machine? Then I get "Big PC Maker" to add one cent to the sale price of each machine and now I have a market share... And my unit market share goes way up? My dollar market share is nothing to speak of though.
Also, re incorrect usage... that may be right but may suffer the same fate as the hacker versus cracker fight...
all the best,
drew
"Nothing about the consumer computer market is "properly functioning"."
I surely know that. It comes off a bit odd that most self styled "free market" guys don't seem to.
One thing though. I was playing with a way to win the unit market share game. Not the dollar market share game.
all the best,
drew
"You're missing the fact that Microsoft's sale wasn't to you"
I don't think I am missing that fact. Check my first post in this thread and the response to it which I then answered. I am asking the follow up question in context.
You are telling me that MS sells to those OEMs one copy at a time? How is what they are doing different than my suggestion to sell 100,000 units at once for a reasonable price?
Aldo, re the thought that for "market share" numbers to be valid, a sale must be made, what's up with all of these pages:
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=internet+explorer+%2B%22market+share%22&btnG=Search
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=firefox+%2B%22market+share%22&btnG=Search
eg: "Firefox takes 28% market share in Europe : Mozilla Links"
all the best,
drew
"Microsoft got paid for it. Not counting it as a sale would constitute shady accounting practice."
I know, but in a properly functioning market, I would have returned it for a refund as I indicated.
Then it would not have been counted.
all the best,
drew
"It would certainly be fun to try, but unfortunately those sort of tricks have been attempted in the past by companies trying to present false market share figures to raise their share price or attract other forms of investment, so the people who gather market share statistics won't count them as either shipped or sold units."
So why do they count the forced bundled XP that came on my notebook and never even booted, being replaced by linux from the break as a windows sale? (I grant it was in fact a sale of a sorts but one that certainly deserves an asterisk at the very least. And if they had any sane return policy, should go down as a sale and a refund.)
all the best,
drew