"The problem isn't reorganizing data sharing. It's reorganizing leadership."
Taken directly from the rhetoric of Michael Moore and Co.
Seriously, it's that kind of petty finger-pointing, instead of an honest effort to find and address the REAL problems, that make these things impossible to fix.
And yes, ineffective leadership could very well be a contributing factor. But knee-jerk reactions like "President Bush is teh suck!" don't solve anything.
This is not theft. Nothing was physically taken from ChoicePoint. Copied, perhaps, but I have a different take on all of this.
If anything, this information was liberated by people who understand that it can't and shouldn't be bottled up and controlled by multinational conglomerates. These freedom fighters should be lauded as heroes, not vilified as "thieves".
Need I remind Slashdot about the natural tendencies and desires of information?
I think it's time to abolish corporations too, while we're at it.
Why stop there? While we're at it, I think it's time we abolish this whole ownership society thing. The whole concept of private property is offensive. Why should we allow individuals to believe they are better than anyone else, and have things that others don't?
There are needy people out there that are being trampled by greedy, heartless bigots who are unwilling to sacrifice their own luxury for the collective good.
It's time for government to force these corporations to cough up their ill-gotten gains, and give it back to the people who are victimized by these hatemongering corporations.
How many of you are going to support her by buying her album?
If you truly want music to be free (as in speech), put your money where your mouth is for once. The success of such artists depends on the financial backing of people who claim to support independent music.
Except for people who, like a parent post pointed out, that don't want to pay taxes, and aren't interested in working to create a better life for themselves. There are a lot of people content with simply being poor in America and contributing nothing.
You know that I agree with making legal immigration easier. But leaving the door wide open would allow too many of the wrong people (no, not as in the "T" word) in. We need to have checks in place to make sure that we don't become the dumping ground for the world's criminals and vagrants.
There major flaw in with your argument is that it includes nuclear with "alternative" energy sources. Most environmentalists don't, and are rigorously opposed to nuclear energy.
I say move as much energy production to nuclear as possible, and then take an incremental approach to finding better, more realistic alternatives. Electric cars, for one, powered by nuclear-benerated electricity (ya know, just plug it in overnight) could be a step in the right direction.
However I also can't deny the forces at work within our government that keep us leashed to the Middle East.
I think ogg, aac and mp3 are good examples of my confusion. Yes they are all different technically, but essentially are the same thing: a compressed audio format.
Now I don't know which audio formats are open and which are closed, but let's assume for the sake of simplicity that ogg offers the best quality/size ratio out of the open formats.
Would it not make sense, then, to make ogg THE standard open compressed audio format? Wouldn't that make things like open source media players much simpler to create and (heaven forbid) less bloated?
"You know what they say... 'The nice thing about standards is that there are so many to choose from.'"
And like many other Slashbot mantras, that one doesn't make any practical sense either. For once I'd like an answer to the "why so many standards?" question that doesn't contradict itself.
What is the point of having so many standards? Why have all these "standards" if everyone is using a different one?
I always regarded standards as some level of uniformity and consistency. And yes, I know that standards restrictions can impede innovation, but I think there's a time when one "best" method of doing something should be chosen as THE standard.
"My point is that Linux is very ready for the desktop, but people shouldn't be expected to administer their own systems."
A valid point, but that's what home PC users want.
They want to be able to install whatever software they want (for better or worse), and don't want to have to depend on someone else to use what is in their own home. They are likely frustrated by the same thing at work.
Now maybe this could be a business opportunity for a neighborhood geek, assuming there are enough people locally willing to try Linux and yield control of their machine to an expert. I suspect, however, the latter is too much for people to accept.
"The BSD license allows the greedy to virtually steel and covet your code when it suits them."
Information can't be stolen, only copied. Calling it theft is hyperbole and intellectually dishonest.
"We can't win a war that way."
War? What war? I thought people develop and use OSS because it better meets their needs, not to destroy "the competition". Your aggressive sabre-rattling only contributes to the hostility OSS elicits from corporations.
Let me make sure that my understanding is aligned with the Slashbot collective.
When a clueless admin doesn't secure Windows, it's Windows' fault. But when a clueless admin doesn't secure an OSS application, it's the admin's fault.
"Or tell them they will have to spend $150 on a $50 computer to be legit?"
If the local geek installed a pirated copy of XP on a computer worth $50 (we're talking a Pentium II-level machine, right?) then I'd say they need to find a more competant geek.
In my experience, most people would spend the $500 and get a brand new, modern (but low-end) Dell which just so happens to come with a valid XP lisense. It's just not worth the hassle, to them, to struggle with ancient hardware and an unfamiliar OS.
Slashdot Mirror
I now know what causes aneurisms.
Oh really? And how do you know that? Just because you know that Google isn't an EVIL company like Microsoft?
"The problem isn't reorganizing data sharing. It's reorganizing leadership."
Taken directly from the rhetoric of Michael Moore and Co.
Seriously, it's that kind of petty finger-pointing, instead of an honest effort to find and address the REAL problems, that make these things impossible to fix.
And yes, ineffective leadership could very well be a contributing factor. But knee-jerk reactions like "President Bush is teh suck!" don't solve anything.
If the purpose of the government is to create more state jobs at a greater expense to taxpayers, then you're right on the money.
However I don't really think that's what government should be trying to do. But then, we ARE talking about Europe...
This is not theft. Nothing was physically taken from ChoicePoint. Copied, perhaps, but I have a different take on all of this.
If anything, this information was liberated by people who understand that it can't and shouldn't be bottled up and controlled by multinational conglomerates. These freedom fighters should be lauded as heroes, not vilified as "thieves".
Need I remind Slashdot about the natural tendencies and desires of information?
...of debatable, incomplete, inconclusive, inexact, questionable, and unreliable guides.
Why stop there? While we're at it, I think it's time we abolish this whole ownership society thing. The whole concept of private property is offensive. Why should we allow individuals to believe they are better than anyone else, and have things that others don't?
There are needy people out there that are being trampled by greedy, heartless bigots who are unwilling to sacrifice their own luxury for the collective good.
It's time for government to force these corporations to cough up their ill-gotten gains, and give it back to the people who are victimized by these hatemongering corporations.
How many of you are going to support her by buying her album?
If you truly want music to be free (as in speech), put your money where your mouth is for once. The success of such artists depends on the financial backing of people who claim to support independent music.
I thought competition was good for the market. If OSS is always superior to Microsoft offerings, why do you feel so threatened by Mono?
Except for people who, like a parent post pointed out, that don't want to pay taxes, and aren't interested in working to create a better life for themselves. There are a lot of people content with simply being poor in America and contributing nothing.
You know that I agree with making legal immigration easier. But leaving the door wide open would allow too many of the wrong people (no, not as in the "T" word) in. We need to have checks in place to make sure that we don't become the dumping ground for the world's criminals and vagrants.
There major flaw in with your argument is that it includes nuclear with "alternative" energy sources. Most environmentalists don't, and are rigorously opposed to nuclear energy.
I say move as much energy production to nuclear as possible, and then take an incremental approach to finding better, more realistic alternatives. Electric cars, for one, powered by nuclear-benerated electricity (ya know, just plug it in overnight) could be a step in the right direction.
However I also can't deny the forces at work within our government that keep us leashed to the Middle East.
I'll do ya one better: ANWR
Conservation doesn't solve the supply problem. Drilling our own does.
I lived about a mile and a half away from Three Mile Island for close to three years. Never once was I "AFRAID" of the plant.
Sure, three years isn't a whole lot of time, but people can, and do, live near nuclear power plants.
That's two completely separate matters, though.
1. Rear reflector on bicycle.
2. Color of rear reflector.
1 is optional, 2 is not.
I think ogg, aac and mp3 are good examples of my confusion. Yes they are all different technically, but essentially are the same thing: a compressed audio format.
Now I don't know which audio formats are open and which are closed, but let's assume for the sake of simplicity that ogg offers the best quality/size ratio out of the open formats.
Would it not make sense, then, to make ogg THE standard open compressed audio format? Wouldn't that make things like open source media players much simpler to create and (heaven forbid) less bloated?
And like many other Slashbot mantras, that one doesn't make any practical sense either. For once I'd like an answer to the "why so many standards?" question that doesn't contradict itself.
What is the point of having so many standards? Why have all these "standards" if everyone is using a different one?
I always regarded standards as some level of uniformity and consistency. And yes, I know that standards restrictions can impede innovation, but I think there's a time when one "best" method of doing something should be chosen as THE standard.
A valid point, but that's what home PC users want.
They want to be able to install whatever software they want (for better or worse), and don't want to have to depend on someone else to use what is in their own home. They are likely frustrated by the same thing at work.
Now maybe this could be a business opportunity for a neighborhood geek, assuming there are enough people locally willing to try Linux and yield control of their machine to an expert. I suspect, however, the latter is too much for people to accept.
Nothing like resorting to hyperbole in the absence of a compelling argument.
Pictures at eleven.
This is more profound than my Caine/Hackman Thesis!!
So The Register gives Apple free advertising, and Slashdot gives The Register free advertising.
I'll be looking for the Slashdot links on Apple's website... you know, to complete the circle.
Information can't be stolen, only copied. Calling it theft is hyperbole and intellectually dishonest.
"We can't win a war that way."
War? What war? I thought people develop and use OSS because it better meets their needs, not to destroy "the competition". Your aggressive sabre-rattling only contributes to the hostility OSS elicits from corporations.
Let me make sure that my understanding is aligned with the Slashbot collective.
When a clueless admin doesn't secure Windows, it's Windows' fault. But when a clueless admin doesn't secure an OSS application, it's the admin's fault.
Do I have that right?
If the local geek installed a pirated copy of XP on a computer worth $50 (we're talking a Pentium II-level machine, right?) then I'd say they need to find a more competant geek.
In my experience, most people would spend the $500 and get a brand new, modern (but low-end) Dell which just so happens to come with a valid XP lisense. It's just not worth the hassle, to them, to struggle with ancient hardware and an unfamiliar OS.