> Access to source code is necessary in order to ensure that secrets remain > secret and the software is up to any custom tasks the government might > require.
That is, unfortunately, not a strong argument for Free Software as governments (and other large organizations) often can and do purchase access to proprietary source code.
> What's the betting that it's totally anonymous anyway since as such it'd be > of little use to them for their business of selling targetted advertizing...
As such it'd be of great use to them. Advertisers are not interested in targeting you by name. They are interested in targeting people who are likely to purchase their products. Google can use its database to tell them that those who have recently searched for w, x, and y are likely to be interested in z. For that identities are irrelevant.
> I'm confused -- I thought government was a bunch of hopelessly incompetent > bunglers, capable only of wasting taxpayer money, stifling Free Enterprise, > and making baby Atlas shrug.
Only if you are "right wing". If you are "left wing" government is a bunch of hopelessly incompetent bunglers, capable only of wasting taxpayer money, knuckling under to the vile corporations, and making baby Marx shrug.
> Does it turn out that they are super-elite technical wizards, after all?
> By that logic, this regulation of mp3 player volume level shouldn't exist > either because the owners of the players should be responsible for their > own actions and turn down the volume.
That's chronic exposure hearing damage territory: a real problem for professional demonstrators. In the USA their employers would be required by OSHA to provide them with hearing protection.
>...it's "scary" when a credit card company does a good thing and uses info > on your driver's license as a security confirmation over the phone?
That information is available to anyone and everyone, and yet the credit card company thinks that it has some bearing on security (as, evidently, do you). That would be scary, except that it is actually above the level of competence typical of organizations.
Block Javascript, block all Google cookies, have no Google accounts. Occasionally permit scripts and cookies for long enough to look at a map (oh, and also block all advertising with Privoxy).
Works for me, but I don't think I'm quite Google's idea of an ideal user (that's *user*, not *customer*).
Right. After all, scanners have only been around for about fifty years: the publishers just haven't noticed yet. This homebrew effort is sure to bring the matter to their attention.
Most likely the regulation will apply only to the headphones sold with the player. If you are lucky the manufacturers will ship the things will low-efficiency phones.
> I'm one of those people that tend to listen at full volume while walking. > I had a friend one time tell me that he heard my earbuds from all the way > across the street (seriously). >... > My chronic tinnitus aside...
> While all our governments are in a nanny-state frame of mind... >... >...[the bands] obviously consider it perfectly OK for them to obliterate > the hearing of customers frequenting the place.
Customers who were abducted from the streets outside, dragged into the club, and chained down so that they couldn't escape.
>... >...I hold many of these crappy bands to blame.
Because you couldn't possibly be responsible for your own behavior.
So what European country will be first to make "AGW denial" a crime?
Look. These guys are wrong, ok? So just say so. Once. And then move on. Do eminent geographers launch into frenzies of analysis whenever some loony asserts that the Earth is flat? Acting defensive just makes you look defensive.
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> Access to source code is necessary in order to ensure that secrets remain
> secret and the software is up to any custom tasks the government might
> require.
That is, unfortunately, not a strong argument for Free Software as governments (and other large organizations) often can and do purchase access to proprietary source code.
> Don't know why your CC doesn't just ask for you license number, though,
> since most people's weight fluctuates a lot.
Probably because they were told to implement "two factor authentication" and some doofus came up with that.
> What's the betting that it's totally anonymous anyway since as such it'd be
> of little use to them for their business of selling targetted advertizing...
As such it'd be of great use to them. Advertisers are not interested in targeting you by name. They are interested in targeting people who are likely to purchase their products. Google can use its database to tell them that those who have recently searched for w, x, and y are likely to be interested in z. For that identities are irrelevant.
> Then they would look up and say something to effect of, "I can't feed my
> family."
And you believed it. Sucker.
> I'm confused -- I thought government was a bunch of hopelessly incompetent
> bunglers, capable only of wasting taxpayer money, stifling Free Enterprise,
> and making baby Atlas shrug.
Only if you are "right wing". If you are "left wing" government is a bunch of hopelessly incompetent bunglers, capable only of wasting taxpayer money, knuckling under to the vile corporations, and making baby Marx shrug.
> Does it turn out that they are super-elite technical wizards, after all?
Just when doing evil.
> There are some people in the world who just shouldn't be allowed out of the
> care home!
But then the three of us who should would never have time to care for them all.
> By that logic, this regulation of mp3 player volume level shouldn't exist
> either because the owners of the players should be responsible for their
> own actions and turn down the volume.
You're very quick.
> ...cigarette makers don't face restrictions on how many cigarettes they can
> put in the box, or how much tobacco goes into the product.
Yet. The FDA standard cigarette is coming. "Flavored" cigarettes are already banned.
> That's hearing damage territory.
That's chronic exposure hearing damage territory: a real problem for professional demonstrators. In the USA their employers would be required by OSHA to provide them with hearing protection.
> ...it's "scary" when a credit card company does a good thing and uses info
> on your driver's license as a security confirmation over the phone?
That information is available to anyone and everyone, and yet the credit card company thinks that it has some bearing on security (as, evidently, do you). That would be scary, except that it is actually above the level of competence typical of organizations.
Block Javascript, block all Google cookies, have no Google accounts. Occasionally permit scripts and cookies for long enough to look at a map (oh, and also block all advertising with Privoxy).
Works for me, but I don't think I'm quite Google's idea of an ideal user (that's *user*, not *customer*).
Right. After all, scanners have only been around for about fifty years: the publishers just haven't noticed yet. This homebrew effort is sure to bring the matter to their attention.
What genre of music? It matters.
Most likely the regulation will apply only to the headphones sold with the player. If you are lucky the manufacturers will ship the things will low-efficiency phones.
> I'm one of those people that tend to listen at full volume while walking. ...
> I had a friend one time tell me that he heard my earbuds from all the way
> across the street (seriously).
>
> My chronic tinnitus aside...
ROFL.
> While all our governments are in a nanny-state frame of mind... ... ...[the bands] obviously consider it perfectly OK for them to obliterate
>
>
> the hearing of customers frequenting the place.
Customers who were abducted from the streets outside, dragged into the club, and chained down so that they couldn't escape.
> ... ...I hold many of these crappy bands to blame.
>
Because you couldn't possibly be responsible for your own behavior.
Al Gore is a politician. Everything he says is utterly irrelevant to the scientific issue.
So what European country will be first to make "AGW denial" a crime?
Look. These guys are wrong, ok? So just say so. Once. And then move on. Do eminent geographers launch into frenzies of analysis whenever some loony asserts that the Earth is flat? Acting defensive just makes you look defensive.
This seems to be attached to the wrong article.
...we can add "swag optimization" to "search optimization". Except, Microsoft has nothing i want!
> Well, what are you waiting for then? You seem to know how to fix it, so why
> tease us?
Block Javascript and select "Classic Discussion System". There you go. Hardly any work at all.
> If they were 'victims' as you claim then why do they have to pay?
Where does the article say anything about them having to pay?
Oil. But of course there the conspirators are governments, so it's ok.
> By being involved with the price fixing...
Apple was one of the _victims_. The conspirators were some (all?) of the manufacurers who supply displays to Apple, Dell, and HP.
Mod parent up.