Try suing microsoft because your upgrade to Windows ME from 95 broke compatibility with one or several of your programs.
Different situation. If I upgrade to Windows ME, it's by choice. I'm sure something in the EULA prevents M$ from being liable.
A better comparison would be if you took your turbocharged car in for an oil change at a factory-authorized service center, and they spontaneously removed your turbocharger, then tried to convince you that since the car is now more economical (at the expense of performance) this should be acceptable to you.
It may be that this major conglomerate is not doing anything strictly illegal, especially if they are abiding by the "letter" of the FTC requirements for their merger.
However, you can bet that this is a monopolistic, anticompetitive practice. If this were M$, you'd see 300 replies to this post within the first 30 seconds. They are undoubtedly using a near monopoly in one area to eliminate competition in another area. I'm fairly certain that if the ISP(s) who are complaining can mount clear evidence, the DOJ could prosecute and win. Of course, since the United States legal system is a joke and a half, it would probably be successfully appealed and the decision reversed.
In our next release we are reinstating the use of the record button (the only thing that changed between 1.3 and 2.0.1 for customers who bought units that shipped with software prior to 2.0. We did not really mean to change that functionality. We do apologize for the inconvenience this caused for the time it takes to get the new software out.
So I guess it was ok for them to make the "Now playing list" display without record times? And having the "please subscribe now" message suddenly start showing up EVERY TIME YOU CHANGE THE FRIGGIN CHANNEL is ok too?
In 2.5, with no service, on boxes that were purchased with a software release prior to 2.0, pressing the record button will record for 30 minutes, and then stop. Nothing else should change in the no-service-state."
I don't know how the one-touch record button functioned under version 1.3 without the subscription service, but if it wasn't limited to 30 minutes, they have no business limiting it on version 2.5. This statement sounds very suspiciously like they intentionally disabled the record button, and based on the uproar they got in response, have decided to "graciously" reenable it with limited functionality so they won't read about themselves on the front page of some newspaper.
Car company "X" would like to thank you for your business. We've just upgraded the operating system in your car's onboard computer. Here are the changes we have made:
Slight improvement in fuel effeciency based on new algorithms.
Bug fix in GPS system
For owners who did not subscribe to our warranty service, there will now be a twenty second advertisement before the vehicle will start.
Also for owners who did not subscribe to our warranty service, Reverse will only work for ten seconds at a time.
The average technophobe would never get the idea to try to run the thing without the subscription in the first place. For the most part, it's the hacker mentality that would ever say "what if I just didn't pay for the service?"
Read the rest of the article. He indicated that the manual actually TELLS you that the device is useable without the service. I bet that he even asked that question before purchasing the device. If they want you to use the service, they should either build the lifetime subscription into the price of the device, or give you a "$200 rebate" if you agree to subscribe to two years of the service.
I think if enough people are unhappy about this turn of events, there will surely be some class action stirrings. On the flip side, keeping that thing plugged into the phone line was asking for trouble.
MS doesn't need to sell it's browser - by bundling it with the OS, it gets to people anyway. It also makes it extremely tough for *anyone* to sell a commercial browser. Look at Opera - they recently started giving away an advertising-supported "free" version of their browser, but they still have very little in the way of market/mindshare (but they *do* have an excellent product). Can you really justify buying Opera when you have IE for free? (as well as Mozilla, Konq, etc...) It's tough.
Yes. Opera is significantly faster, and believe it or not, it saves me time. I think the small fee is acceptable to save 20 minutes per day and allow time for a "coffee break". It adds up over time.
I hope that it's not like CDPD. Maximum throughput is 19200, but you never get that kind of performance. Usually, you get somewhere between 6 and 10 Kbps, depending on clarity of signal, available infrastructure in the cell area, and number of other users. Obviously, clarity of signal will impact Iridium, but the effect of number of connections should be less apparent. Available infrastrucure shouldn't matter as much, as all areas should have mostly equal coverage.
Patents are here to protect finished goods, not maths.
Sorry, but patents are not here to protect finished goods. They are here to protect inventions -- whether a working, finished product is available or not. Many times, patents are filed before an invention has actually been implemented. Usually however, there is at least some certainty that the invention can be implemented.
With regards to patenting math, they aren't doing so. They are patenting a specific mathematical construct that makes the codec possible. This is not really any different from patenting a chemical formula. Or perhaps you feel that DuPont should not have received a patent for Nylon?
Think about this a minute, people. The idea behind patents is not so much to protect large companies. Patents are here to protect inventions so that investment costs can be recouped and some profit made before the pirhana jump into the water. Think about the little one-man operation that invents something unique. If it were easy for a monster like M$ to swoop down and steal his invention, making money off of it and leaving him in the poorhouse, how fair would that be? Patents are meant to prevent that.
If you want to rant and rave, do so about the way patents are implemented and enforced. Rant about how clueless the USPO is, or about how they don't make any real effort to find "prior art." Rave about the stupid legal system that allows large companies to use senseless patents for harrassing smaller companies out of business. Get angry about how patents don't seem to be barriers for large corporations with lots of cash to throw to the legal team. Speak out against the morals of executives and lawyers who knowingly twist the legal system to their own advantage.
If YOU invent something, YOU should have the choice about how you want the rest of the world to receive it. YOU should choose between patents, copyrights, GPL or whatever. Instead of complaining about the concept, let's complain about the broken implementation.
After nearly six months of trying to decide what brand of processor to purchase, I finally decided on an Athlon for my server upgrade last year. I was concerned about how well they would perform (as a company) against Intel, and it's absolutely great to see these kinds of articles.
This is truly a very good example of why competition is important. Granted, we've seen drastic improvements in processors (even before AMD applied pressure), but most of that was just in clock speed. Now we're seeing some incredible advances in processor design beyond just the clock speed race. And consumers are starting to become aware that there is much more to be told about its processor than its clock speed.
Way to go, AMD. Keep turning the screws. Things can only get better for the consumers.
This is all just guesswork, but I think the answer may depend on whether you own the your room or not. If you are leasing, you don't have as much control. There may be some issues with the lease contract -- IE, they may not be able to install such devices until they add language to the lease contract and everybody has renewed. But aside from that, I think that they could do whatever they wanted to -- provided that you were informed. If you OWN, as in if this is a condominium, there are further implications.
You own part of the hallway, so there would have to be a vote taken of all members.
You own your unit, so you should be able to legally prevent any footage from being taken of your unit. This would include the front door because, if for no other reason, opening the door would allow "big brother" to see the inside of your unit.
Of course this is, as I said, all guessing. I'm certainly not a legal expert by ANY means. Obviously, if they put up such video monitoring devices, only those that didn't have a problem with them would continue to live there -- others would seek residence elsewhere.
RIAA sues United States Department of Defense for providing the Internet, a medium over which files may be shared without consent, including music and video media....
Darn! You beat me to it. I was going to ask this question.
But to provide some meaningful dialog....One of the previous articles on this topic mentioned the future possibility of creating a display screen by ink-jetting the organic dyes onto paper or some other flexible substrate. If they really found a low-cost way to do this, and you could buy a new "screen" at, say, the price of a cell-phone rechargeable battery, would the lower lifetime matter as much? You could just buy a new screen ever 2 - 3 months. Not that I advocate this as a "totally acceptable" fix, but I was curious as to how others feel.
GreyPoopon
--
Ummm...really stupid, but not unconstitutional....
on
Killing Video Games
·
· Score: 1
OK, Such a drastic measure is really, really stupid. I won't dispute that. But unfortunately, it's not unconstitutional. Bear in mind that this is a connecticut STATE bill they tried to pass. The state of connecticut can do pretty much anything they want. I was under the impression that the protection set forth in the Bill of Rights and associated Constitutional Amendments applied only to government at the federal level. The state pretty much has the right to govern itself. Of course, of connecticut has similar verbage in its own constitution, that would make it unconstitutional for them as well.
OK, here's a home brew method that hasn't been tried by me, but I believe would work.
You have two problems, dust and heat. Enclosing the unit within a cabinet won't really keep either out. But you CAN solve both problems at the same time. Put the unit into an enclosed cabinet. Have the customer purchase a small chiller with filters, which will probably have to go into a separate (hopefully less dusty) location. Funnel the output from the chiller through some ductwork, and run the other end through a small hole in the cabinet. And presto, you have a positive pressure, cooled environment for your hardware. The cooling takes care of the heat, and the positive pressure keeps the dust out. Hopefully, holes in the cabinet for cables, etc will be enough to keep the pressure regulated, but if not, you can always add some additional small holes. And, BTW, I've seen some chillers that are only about 1 foot deep, 2 feet high and 2 feet wide.
DISCLAIMER: I do not warrant the above information in any way, nor will I accept responsibility if it fails or creates other damage. Use at your own risk!
I see all of these responses talking about not recycling and instead re-using aged equipment for file servers, etc. But the article clearly states that that only delays the inevitable. Eventually, the hardware breaks. If you've got an old IBM XT with 10MB hard drive and a cracked motherboard, there's not much you can re-use it for. Eventually, it's just not worth keeping old equipment running. So, it all has to be thrown out or recycled at SOME point.
So, any bright ideas as to how these things can be efficiently recycled or used?
GreyPoopon
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This whole thing makes my blood boil....
on
IETF vs. ICANN
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· Score: 1
This whole thing is just ridiculous and, quite frankly, embarrasing for Americans. There wouldn't have been a need for alternate roots if TLD registration hadn't been locked in an iron grip. But since that wasn't the case, people have obviously already created such, and it shouldn't be any big deal for everyone to cooperate. Obviously, ICANN was chartered with the intent of preventing people from stepping on each other's toes, and has instead shown the ugly side of capitalism. There shouldn't be any "studies" or anything like that. They should just swallow their pride and include the ALREADY EXISTING.BIZ TLD in their root, and come up with new TLD's that aren't currently being used. Now how hard should that be? Why can't they handle that with a couple phone calls and maybe a 20 minute teleconference??
It'll be interesting to see how popular this option really is. It seems mostly aimed at the PDA market, where a pocket-sized keyboard with full-sized keys would be desireable. But changing the way we type doesn't sit well for most people. Certainly, the Dvorak keyboard is significantly faster than the intentionally slower
QWERTY keyboard, but you don't see many people using it. Why? Because once you've learned to touch type, you can't really be bothered to learn something else.
So, the PDA market is where this device has its greatest chance. But personally, I'd opt for a full-size keyboard on flexible material that could be rolled up or folded and stored somewhere inside my pocket device.
While they may offer a pay per play service, my bet is that there will be a subscription-based service instead. So, it'll be like paying a separate cable bill for your kids to play games. Hmmm, I think my son is going to be encouraged to play lots of sports instead.:)
The OS integration means that people are not inclined to use additional resources starting up a browser when they esentially have IE loaded from start-up
Hey, I solved this problem already. I added tons of extra memory to my linux box and created a script to automatically install Mozilla onto a RAM disk during bootup. Now my linux box works just like my Windows machine -- takes forever to boot up, and uses up all the memory before I open anything, thus thrashing the hard drive for everything else. But Mozilla comes up just as fast as IE now.
Opera is free now if you don't mind watching advertisements. I've been playing with it for a while (using it right now on Windows), and I believe I'll purchase a license. For only $39US, I can't complain. It's lightening fast compared to the others, and works well on most pages. There are a couple javascript things that don't work quite right, but I suspect the things that break are non-standard anyway.
If people would use the versioning system the way it was used in the past, it would provide something meaningful. The number before the decimal point should indicate major product version. IE, version 2.0 is substantially different from version 1.0, and therefore may actually contain more bugs because much of the code base has changed. The number after the decimal point indicates release level for that version. Based on this, version 2.1 would contain everything that version 2.0 had, plus some other nice additions. The next number usually refers to a patch level or a bug fix. Therefore, 2.11 technically shouldn't have any new features, but should contain bug fixes. Some companies will instead use this digit to indicate minor new featues, and designate a letter to indicate patch level. For example, 2.11a.
Based on the above, if you want to supplement with build numbers, they should probably start over again with each major release.
Of course, all of this stopped making sense around the time that Sybase went from 4.xx all the way up to 10.xx in one release.
Do you complain that you can't use U.S. 800-prefix phone numbers? (Which in the U.S. are kind of like domain names, in that getting a good one can help your business.)
I hate to tell you this, but other countries have 800-numbers as well. In fact, to make calling-card calls from Germany, I'm dialing 0800-....
Personally I think we should stop giving out new com, edu, net, and org addresses, and put everything under a country code. So US companies would be.co.us, and UK companies would be.co.uk.
I agree somewhat. I think we should use.co.{countrycode} and all existing.com domains should be forced to transfer to this scheme. Then, I think we should find some way of allowing people to link to http://....com into their browser and having either the browser, the OS, or the ISP translate the address to http://....co.{theircountry}. Of course, this might just create even MORE confusion.
OK, I have to admit this is an improvement. They seem to have solved some of the laptop ergonomics issues by providing the separating keyboard and "stand-up" display. So now I'm less likely to suffer from carpel tunnel and back problems from leaning over my display. But I think what we really need is better expandability, and cheaper parts. I was a major opponent of laptops for a long long time -- refusing to own one because they were so limited in their expandability. Since then, I started working for a company that gave me a laptop as my standard computer, but included a monster 22" monitor and separate keyboard. Since then, I've enjoyed using my laptop because when I take it with me, I have all of the same features that I do in the office -- minus the monster display.
What we really need next is: better reliability, better performance, more than the seemingly standard two PCMCIA slots, and less expensive hardware addons. Also, more available hardware would be nice. Manage this while dropping the weight, and you've got a killer machine. I marvel at some of the incredible power management technology that is now available, but when I plug my laptop into an AC outlet, I want full unbridled performance. I think the reliability factor would improve if manufacturers would use less proprietary components and settle on more standards. And give me at least four slots. Cut the prices of cards in half, and give me most of the same choices I have with PCI. After that, then you can worry about proping my display up and making my keyboard detachable.
Agreed. I wrote a preemptive multitasking OS back in my college days. It had a windowed interface, but was text only, and I still spent 90% of the time on the user interface. The kernel is a snap to program, as there are already so many examples out there, but device drivers and UI code can be a major pain.
GreyPoopon
--
Glad I didn't switch to Mandrake....
on
Mandrake Shakeup
·
· Score: 1
I've been running Redhat for a couple years now. My last upgrade (about 8 months ago) was the nastiest I've ever been through, and it took me hours and hours to fix everything. Because of that, I haven't upgraded since, and I was strongly considering switching to Mandrake with hopes of things being better. I'm real glad I procrastinated.
So, do I stay with Redhat or choose a different distribution? What's good these days? I started with Slackware and moved to Redhat because I could get more "goodies" in RPM format. What other distributions support RPM format installs (or some other format with huge application base)?
Slashdot Mirror
Different situation. If I upgrade to Windows ME, it's by choice. I'm sure something in the EULA prevents M$ from being liable.
A better comparison would be if you took your turbocharged car in for an oil change at a factory-authorized service center, and they spontaneously removed your turbocharger, then tried to convince you that since the car is now more economical (at the expense of performance) this should be acceptable to you.
GreyPoopon
--
However, you can bet that this is a monopolistic, anticompetitive practice. If this were M$, you'd see 300 replies to this post within the first 30 seconds. They are undoubtedly using a near monopoly in one area to eliminate competition in another area. I'm fairly certain that if the ISP(s) who are complaining can mount clear evidence, the DOJ could prosecute and win. Of course, since the United States legal system is a joke and a half, it would probably be successfully appealed and the decision reversed.
GreyPoopon
--
So I guess it was ok for them to make the "Now playing list" display without record times? And having the "please subscribe now" message suddenly start showing up EVERY TIME YOU CHANGE THE FRIGGIN CHANNEL is ok too?
In 2.5, with no service, on boxes that were purchased with a software release prior to 2.0, pressing the record button will record for 30 minutes, and then stop. Nothing else should change in the no-service-state."
I don't know how the one-touch record button functioned under version 1.3 without the subscription service, but if it wasn't limited to 30 minutes, they have no business limiting it on version 2.5. This statement sounds very suspiciously like they intentionally disabled the record button, and based on the uproar they got in response, have decided to "graciously" reenable it with limited functionality so they won't read about themselves on the front page of some newspaper.
Car company "X" would like to thank you for your business. We've just upgraded the operating system in your car's onboard computer. Here are the changes we have made:
GreyPoopon
--
Read the rest of the article. He indicated that the manual actually TELLS you that the device is useable without the service. I bet that he even asked that question before purchasing the device. If they want you to use the service, they should either build the lifetime subscription into the price of the device, or give you a "$200 rebate" if you agree to subscribe to two years of the service.
I think if enough people are unhappy about this turn of events, there will surely be some class action stirrings. On the flip side, keeping that thing plugged into the phone line was asking for trouble.
GreyPoopon
--
Yes. Opera is significantly faster, and believe it or not, it saves me time. I think the small fee is acceptable to save 20 minutes per day and allow time for a "coffee break". It adds up over time.
GreyPoopon
--
GreyPoopon
--
Sorry, but patents are not here to protect finished goods. They are here to protect inventions -- whether a working, finished product is available or not. Many times, patents are filed before an invention has actually been implemented. Usually however, there is at least some certainty that the invention can be implemented.
With regards to patenting math, they aren't doing so. They are patenting a specific mathematical construct that makes the codec possible. This is not really any different from patenting a chemical formula. Or perhaps you feel that DuPont should not have received a patent for Nylon?
Think about this a minute, people. The idea behind patents is not so much to protect large companies. Patents are here to protect inventions so that investment costs can be recouped and some profit made before the pirhana jump into the water. Think about the little one-man operation that invents something unique. If it were easy for a monster like M$ to swoop down and steal his invention, making money off of it and leaving him in the poorhouse, how fair would that be? Patents are meant to prevent that.
If you want to rant and rave, do so about the way patents are implemented and enforced. Rant about how clueless the USPO is, or about how they don't make any real effort to find "prior art." Rave about the stupid legal system that allows large companies to use senseless patents for harrassing smaller companies out of business. Get angry about how patents don't seem to be barriers for large corporations with lots of cash to throw to the legal team. Speak out against the morals of executives and lawyers who knowingly twist the legal system to their own advantage.
If YOU invent something, YOU should have the choice about how you want the rest of the world to receive it. YOU should choose between patents, copyrights, GPL or whatever. Instead of complaining about the concept, let's complain about the broken implementation.
GreyPoopon
--
This is truly a very good example of why competition is important. Granted, we've seen drastic improvements in processors (even before AMD applied pressure), but most of that was just in clock speed. Now we're seeing some incredible advances in processor design beyond just the clock speed race. And consumers are starting to become aware that there is much more to be told about its processor than its clock speed.
Way to go, AMD. Keep turning the screws. Things can only get better for the consumers.
GreyPoopon
--
Of course this is, as I said, all guessing. I'm certainly not a legal expert by ANY means. Obviously, if they put up such video monitoring devices, only those that didn't have a problem with them would continue to live there -- others would seek residence elsewhere.
GreyPoopon
--
GreyPoopon
--
But to provide some meaningful dialog....One of the previous articles on this topic mentioned the future possibility of creating a display screen by ink-jetting the organic dyes onto paper or some other flexible substrate. If they really found a low-cost way to do this, and you could buy a new "screen" at, say, the price of a cell-phone rechargeable battery, would the lower lifetime matter as much? You could just buy a new screen ever 2 - 3 months. Not that I advocate this as a "totally acceptable" fix, but I was curious as to how others feel.
GreyPoopon
--
GreyPoopon
--
You have two problems, dust and heat. Enclosing the unit within a cabinet won't really keep either out. But you CAN solve both problems at the same time. Put the unit into an enclosed cabinet. Have the customer purchase a small chiller with filters, which will probably have to go into a separate (hopefully less dusty) location. Funnel the output from the chiller through some ductwork, and run the other end through a small hole in the cabinet. And presto, you have a positive pressure, cooled environment for your hardware. The cooling takes care of the heat, and the positive pressure keeps the dust out. Hopefully, holes in the cabinet for cables, etc will be enough to keep the pressure regulated, but if not, you can always add some additional small holes. And, BTW, I've seen some chillers that are only about 1 foot deep, 2 feet high and 2 feet wide.
DISCLAIMER: I do not warrant the above information in any way, nor will I accept responsibility if it fails or creates other damage. Use at your own risk!
GreyPoopon
--
So, any bright ideas as to how these things can be efficiently recycled or used?
GreyPoopon
--
GreyPoopon
--
So, the PDA market is where this device has its greatest chance. But personally, I'd opt for a full-size keyboard on flexible material that could be rolled up or folded and stored somewhere inside my pocket device.
GreyPoopon
--
GreyPoopon
--
GreyPoopon
--
Hey, I solved this problem already. I added tons of extra memory to my linux box and created a script to automatically install Mozilla onto a RAM disk during bootup. Now my linux box works just like my Windows machine -- takes forever to boot up, and uses up all the memory before I open anything, thus thrashing the hard drive for everything else. But Mozilla comes up just as fast as IE now.
GreyPoopon
--
GreyPoopon
--
Based on the above, if you want to supplement with build numbers, they should probably start over again with each major release.
Of course, all of this stopped making sense around the time that Sybase went from 4.xx all the way up to 10.xx in one release.
GreyPoopon
--
I hate to tell you this, but other countries have 800-numbers as well. In fact, to make calling-card calls from Germany, I'm dialing 0800-....
Personally I think we should stop giving out new com, edu, net, and org addresses, and put everything under a country code. So US companies would be .co.us, and UK companies would be .co.uk.
I agree somewhat. I think we should use .co.{countrycode} and all existing .com domains should be forced to transfer to this scheme. Then, I think we should find some way of allowing people to link to http://....com into their browser and having either the browser, the OS, or the ISP translate the address to http://....co.{theircountry}. Of course, this might just create even MORE confusion.
GreyPoopon
--
What we really need next is: better reliability, better performance, more than the seemingly standard two PCMCIA slots, and less expensive hardware addons. Also, more available hardware would be nice. Manage this while dropping the weight, and you've got a killer machine. I marvel at some of the incredible power management technology that is now available, but when I plug my laptop into an AC outlet, I want full unbridled performance. I think the reliability factor would improve if manufacturers would use less proprietary components and settle on more standards. And give me at least four slots. Cut the prices of cards in half, and give me most of the same choices I have with PCI. After that, then you can worry about proping my display up and making my keyboard detachable.
GreyPoopon
--
GreyPoopon
--
So, do I stay with Redhat or choose a different distribution? What's good these days? I started with Slackware and moved to Redhat because I could get more "goodies" in RPM format. What other distributions support RPM format installs (or some other format with huge application base)?
GreyPoopon
--