I keep hearing this, but I can't help but think it will never happen. Either Microsoft's software is secure or it's full of holes:
Exploits: Microsoft is insecure!! Don't use it!! DRM: Microsoft will be so secure nobody will get around it!!
Which is it?? We can't have it both ways, you know...
I can't help but think a little DRM would be good for us geeks. We all love to hate the old DIVX DVD format, but had it thrived, we'd all be buying movies for $3 a piece now and using our computers to authenticate the session every time we wanted to watch a movie, rather than paying the fees...
Plus, your iTMS tunes are legal. Some people care about that.
Your iTMS tunes give money to an oligarchy that uses said money to subvert our legal system and purchase laws; laws that screw normal Americans in the interest of furthering the oligarchy's power and fattening it's wallets. Not to mention engaging in price fixing, payola, and other illegal tactics.
Legal or not, I can assure you that anyone caught stealing anything from me would be shot on site. And while I may end up in jail (or not...IANAL) I would be in the right.
You & me both, my friend. You've just made my friends list. (Not as if that's some great feat, or anything to be proud of, but, there you have it)
Look at it this way: Do you want your DVD player in the computer room, or in the living room? Do you want to have to walk all the way to the den in order to change discs?
In the computer room, and yes. Do you know how nice a living room looks when the only visible equipment is (1) A TV, (2) Speakers, and (3) An 8" touchpanel for control & feedback of the entire system? It's beautiful, let me tell you. No rack full of crap like a receiver, vcr, dvd player, tivo, satellite receiver, etc. No big ugly rack full of DVDs. Just a nice, clean entertainment room.
Are we that lazy that we can't walk across the house to change discs? I do it all the time. How often are you changing discs, anyway? If someone can't get off his fat ass and take a short walk once every 2 hours to put a new disc in, there are serious problems.
But I've already decided not to buy an ipod in favor of one of these devices.
I hate to be in the "Me, too" camp, but, uh... Me too. If I'm going to shell out $500 on an iPod, I might as well be able to take video with me.
I was on a 4 hour flight not too far back and took the time to catch up on Enterprise episodes. My laptop was nice, but a little big, battery life sucked (two batteries just barely got me through the flight), etc. I would have much rathered an iPod sized device with the entire front covered in a 16:9 ratio color screen.
Just wanted to reply and say that you aren't alone: I have the same problem. I've always hated those screwed up 3D pictures - I just can't see the sailboat.
I've made it a point to use my cellular phone while filling my gas tank any time there are big signs prohibiting it, just to annoy the hypersensitive idiots out there. The "experts" have said many times that the phone's battery could cause the explosion. Uhm, what about the BIG FREAKIN' BATTERY UNDER THE HOOD OF MY CAR?!!?! Yeah, that's what I thought.
I had a deep cycle RV battery explode while charging. Sounded like a shotgun blast, set off the alarm on my car located 50 feet and around the corner from the blast, and brought several neighbors out into the streets.
Incidentally, this was the same day I received a summary judgement against a shady character who ran me off the road a month earlier. When I heard the blast and my car alarm went off, my first thought was that he was out there with a shotgun finishing my car off.
Anything that MIGHT be a problem is worth hearing about when the possible outcome is getting my nuts burned off.
Don't worry; if you're comfortable with carrying LiIon batteries that close to your nuts all day, they're already so big that no single incident could possibly burn more than a small area of them.
Second thought: This is Slashdot, you weren't using those nuts, anyway.;)
And when the system fails and someone dies, whom do you blame?
How about we just trust people? Despite the number of idiots out there, most people are good, decent, and honest. We don't need governments forcing things like this.
79 year old Miami man in his own house. 13 Miami police officers break in. 129 rounds in his 79 year old body. Justice? Was he not dead after 128 rounds?
Stupid AC. If 13 officers break into your home and open fire on you, chances are high your ass deserves it. Furthermore, 129 rounds is an average of 10 per officer. If the jackass pulled a gun and started firing on the officers, I'd expect every one of them to empty their clips.
So yeah, 129 rounds is justice. I'm sure he was dead after the first 5 rounds, but those 129 rounds hit him all within a few seconds. What's your problem with the number of rounds, anyway? And why did you mention his age twice, as if it matters? A 79 year old can be just as dangerous as a 30 year old.
I went down this road when I bought a brand new '02 Mitsubishi in December '99: They had 0% interest & 0 payments for the first year. My wife and I walked in with credit scores above 700 and were told, "You can buy anything on the lot." (I looked over at a $50k Prowler and the salesman said, "Yep, even that." - even though I couldn't have afforded it.)
So we buy this vehicle and we take it home and a week later they call me back, "You don't qualify for the 0/0/0 deal. You need to come back and fill out another credit application." I said, "No, I won't be filling out another credit application. I'll tell you what I will do, however: I'll bring this truck back, you give me my car (trade in) and we'll call it even."
The response was, "Sorry, we can't get your car back for you", to which I responded, "Then you either abide by the original terms of our contract or I'll bring this vehicle back and sue you for the cost of replacing my trade-in."
They called back a week later: "We got you approved for the 0/0/0 deal. No problems."
They may have known for a year that this was in the works, but they were fighting it, and hoping it wouldn't come to pass. No sense paying your techies to undermine the moral of your lawyers by assuming the latter were going to fail to prevent it, eh?
And you find that excuse acceptable? All the while the bastards were fighting it they were charging me a monthly fee over it. They don't want it, but they have no problem charging me for it.
They knew it was coming and should have been implementing it, even if they thought they could beat it. Cover all of your bases, you know? This is a major fuckup on the part of whomever decided "We can win this fight, no sense in working on it." I hope the FCC hits them hard.
Everything. AT&T has gone to hell in the past few days. I've been trying to upgrade my calling plan and order a couple of new GSM phones including the slick Siemens SL56. None of the local stores have the phone nor can they order it, and even if they could the price is $200+, even though it's only $99 on their web site.
So I ordered it yesterday but had a question on the order process, as it appears they've signed me up for a whole new line of service instead of changing my current plan. I waited on hold for TWO HOURS yesterday before giving up. Waited another 45 minutes this morning before the call (over a land lane) was inexplicably dropped. The local stores "can't help me" and keep directing me to customer service.
And all day Wednesday their phone system informed me they couldn't take any phone calls and I should "call back later". If I had any self respect I'd cancel my account at the first opportunity. But AT&T is the best we've got in my rural area, so if I want a cellular phone, I'm stuck.
As of now I'm patiently awaiting delivery of two new phones along with two more service plans that I don't want.
Oh, shut up. I am not rich and I benefit greatly from tax breaks. Furthermore, you say "tax breaks" like it's a bad thing. When government lets people keep more of their own money, that they earned, that's a good thing.
You will have to have viewed the commercial in order to supply the correct prompts to view the rest of the program.
Only one person will have to do this, then the rest of us will just download his rip of the show. I don't have cable or satellite because I only watch Enterprise, and I've really been enjoying having it delivered over Direct Connect: No ads and I've got them all in a nice archive for future watching.
You'll excuse me if I find nothing wrong with this morally. The show is broadcast over the airwaves. The fact that I choose to view it with my broadband connection instead of putting an antenna on my roof & capturing with a Tivo is of little difference. The end result is the same (Enterprise, no ads, archived to a hard drive). So for you "purists" who want to chastise me, save it. You're wrong and I don't want to hear your pathetic rant.
You hit a sore spot for me. Nexium adverts just PISS ME OFF. I turn off the radio (don't watch much TV) every time I hear one start. It's completely unethical; they're trying to sell you a drug based on vanity. All I get from those commercials is, "Take our pill. It's the 'in' thing. You'll be cool if you use it."
How on earth are these ads effective? Are people really running to their doctors, asking what Nexium can do for them? Why not tell us what the drug does? Then if I've got that problem I WILL ask my doctor about it! But I'm certainly not making an appointment otherwise.
They aren't "african americans". Most blacks in this country have never even been to Africa. You want to end racism? Promote equality? Then call black Americans exactly what they are: Americans. Or "Black Americans" if you have to differentiate between skin color.
When did the word "Black" get so damned offensive, anyway? Do I get offensive when someone calls me "white"? No, because that's what I am. Why should it offend me?
Alt-V R (or control-R, depends on my mood). We humans - at least, most of us - have two hands. One sits on the mouse and the other hits control keys when it isn't busy with a doughnut or slice of pizza. It's very efficient for me.
I suppose, if I were one handed, the gestures would be useful. But really, what are you doing with that other hand while you surf?
OK, I typed that in all sincerity, then realized how bad it sounded.;) I don't surf pr0n so my hand might as well be on the keyboard, otherwise it's just going to hang by my side and be useless.
What I don't get is this: Why can't Apple release OSX for non-Mac hardware? I'm sure this has a lot to do with their sales figures - plenty of people buy Macs for OSX, and if they could just load it on their PC, they would skip the new Mac.
But still, I can't help but wonder if this isn't a viable business opportunity for Apple. Charge $100 or so; I'd switch in a second. I know Mac hardware is big business for them, but I really think it's holding them back in some areas. I'll never buy a Mac, but I would buy an iPod, and OSX, and use iTunes, etc, etc...
There are plenty of cheap 56K modems available so whining over only having 28.8, that is your problem, don't try to make it my problem.
Actually, it's probably not his fault. I can't get more than 21k over our horrible phone lines, and up until a couple of years ago I couldn't get broadband, either.
Now, the phone lines still suck but wireless & cable broadband is available so I'm hooked up.
His excuse is still silly, though: Start downloading Mozilla before you go to bed. Wake up the next morning, install, and quit bitching.
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I keep hearing this, but I can't help but think it will never happen. Either Microsoft's software is secure or it's full of holes:
Exploits: Microsoft is insecure!! Don't use it!!
DRM: Microsoft will be so secure nobody will get around it!!
Which is it?? We can't have it both ways, you know...
I can't help but think a little DRM would be good for us geeks. We all love to hate the old DIVX DVD format, but had it thrived, we'd all be buying movies for $3 a piece now and using our computers to authenticate the session every time we wanted to watch a movie, rather than paying the fees...
Plus, your iTMS tunes are legal. Some people care about that.
Your iTMS tunes give money to an oligarchy that uses said money to subvert our legal system and purchase laws; laws that screw normal Americans in the interest of furthering the oligarchy's power and fattening it's wallets. Not to mention engaging in price fixing, payola, and other illegal tactics.
Some people care about that.
Legal or not, I can assure you that anyone caught stealing anything from me would be shot on site. And while I may end up in jail (or not...IANAL) I would be in the right.
You & me both, my friend. You've just made my friends list. (Not as if that's some great feat, or anything to be proud of, but, there you have it)
Look at it this way: Do you want your DVD player in the computer room, or in the living room? Do you want to have to walk all the way to the den in order to change discs?
In the computer room, and yes. Do you know how nice a living room looks when the only visible equipment is (1) A TV, (2) Speakers, and (3) An 8" touchpanel for control & feedback of the entire system? It's beautiful, let me tell you. No rack full of crap like a receiver, vcr, dvd player, tivo, satellite receiver, etc. No big ugly rack full of DVDs. Just a nice, clean entertainment room.
Are we that lazy that we can't walk across the house to change discs? I do it all the time. How often are you changing discs, anyway? If someone can't get off his fat ass and take a short walk once every 2 hours to put a new disc in, there are serious problems.
But I've already decided not to buy an ipod in favor of one of these devices.
I hate to be in the "Me, too" camp, but, uh... Me too. If I'm going to shell out $500 on an iPod, I might as well be able to take video with me.
I was on a 4 hour flight not too far back and took the time to catch up on Enterprise episodes. My laptop was nice, but a little big, battery life sucked (two batteries just barely got me through the flight), etc. I would have much rathered an iPod sized device with the entire front covered in a 16:9 ratio color screen.
Just wanted to reply and say that you aren't alone: I have the same problem. I've always hated those screwed up 3D pictures - I just can't see the sailboat.
In my day, the punch cards required to hold that much data were at least $1000, and that was WITH my student discount!
I've made it a point to use my cellular phone while filling my gas tank any time there are big signs prohibiting it, just to annoy the hypersensitive idiots out there. The "experts" have said many times that the phone's battery could cause the explosion. Uhm, what about the BIG FREAKIN' BATTERY UNDER THE HOOD OF MY CAR?!!?! Yeah, that's what I thought.
I had a deep cycle RV battery explode while charging. Sounded like a shotgun blast, set off the alarm on my car located 50 feet and around the corner from the blast, and brought several neighbors out into the streets.
Incidentally, this was the same day I received a summary judgement against a shady character who ran me off the road a month earlier. When I heard the blast and my car alarm went off, my first thought was that he was out there with a shotgun finishing my car off.
Anything that MIGHT be a problem is worth hearing about when the possible outcome is getting my nuts burned off.
;)
Don't worry; if you're comfortable with carrying LiIon batteries that close to your nuts all day, they're already so big that no single incident could possibly burn more than a small area of them.
Second thought: This is Slashdot, you weren't using those nuts, anyway.
What about young children who can't know any better?
What better opportunity to teach them? They'll only do it once, I guarantee it.
And when the system fails and someone dies, whom do you blame?
How about we just trust people? Despite the number of idiots out there, most people are good, decent, and honest. We don't need governments forcing things like this.
79 year old Miami man in his own house.
13 Miami police officers break in.
129 rounds in his 79 year old body.
Justice?
Was he not dead after 128 rounds?
Stupid AC. If 13 officers break into your home and open fire on you, chances are high your ass deserves it. Furthermore, 129 rounds is an average of 10 per officer. If the jackass pulled a gun and started firing on the officers, I'd expect every one of them to empty their clips.
So yeah, 129 rounds is justice. I'm sure he was dead after the first 5 rounds, but those 129 rounds hit him all within a few seconds. What's your problem with the number of rounds, anyway? And why did you mention his age twice, as if it matters? A 79 year old can be just as dangerous as a 30 year old.
I went down this road when I bought a brand new '02 Mitsubishi in December '99: They had 0% interest & 0 payments for the first year. My wife and I walked in with credit scores above 700 and were told, "You can buy anything on the lot." (I looked over at a $50k Prowler and the salesman said, "Yep, even that." - even though I couldn't have afforded it.)
So we buy this vehicle and we take it home and a week later they call me back, "You don't qualify for the 0/0/0 deal. You need to come back and fill out another credit application." I said, "No, I won't be filling out another credit application. I'll tell you what I will do, however: I'll bring this truck back, you give me my car (trade in) and we'll call it even."
The response was, "Sorry, we can't get your car back for you", to which I responded, "Then you either abide by the original terms of our contract or I'll bring this vehicle back and sue you for the cost of replacing my trade-in."
They called back a week later: "We got you approved for the 0/0/0 deal. No problems."
Bastards.
So far, I believe, nobody has lifted (or at least admitted to lifting) a critical mass of fissionable material into orbit or beyond.
The Soviet Union did many times.
Link blatently stolen from a previous poster in this story.
They may have known for a year that this was in the works, but they were fighting it, and hoping it wouldn't come to pass. No sense paying your techies to undermine the moral of your lawyers by assuming the latter were going to fail to prevent it, eh?
And you find that excuse acceptable? All the while the bastards were fighting it they were charging me a monthly fee over it. They don't want it, but they have no problem charging me for it.
They knew it was coming and should have been implementing it, even if they thought they could beat it. Cover all of your bases, you know? This is a major fuckup on the part of whomever decided "We can win this fight, no sense in working on it." I hope the FCC hits them hard.
Everything. AT&T has gone to hell in the past few days. I've been trying to upgrade my calling plan and order a couple of new GSM phones including the slick Siemens SL56. None of the local stores have the phone nor can they order it, and even if they could the price is $200+, even though it's only $99 on their web site.
So I ordered it yesterday but had a question on the order process, as it appears they've signed me up for a whole new line of service instead of changing my current plan. I waited on hold for TWO HOURS yesterday before giving up. Waited another 45 minutes this morning before the call (over a land lane) was inexplicably dropped. The local stores "can't help me" and keep directing me to customer service.
And all day Wednesday their phone system informed me they couldn't take any phone calls and I should "call back later". If I had any self respect I'd cancel my account at the first opportunity. But AT&T is the best we've got in my rural area, so if I want a cellular phone, I'm stuck.
As of now I'm patiently awaiting delivery of two new phones along with two more service plans that I don't want.
Now, if only I got good reception in all of my house - I'm apparently located at the edge of two cells...
We all are. It's built into the design of the system.
because rich people need their tax breaks
Oh, shut up. I am not rich and I benefit greatly from tax breaks. Furthermore, you say "tax breaks" like it's a bad thing. When government lets people keep more of their own money, that they earned, that's a good thing.
You will have to have viewed the commercial in order to supply the correct prompts to view the rest of the program.
Only one person will have to do this, then the rest of us will just download his rip of the show. I don't have cable or satellite because I only watch Enterprise, and I've really been enjoying having it delivered over Direct Connect: No ads and I've got them all in a nice archive for future watching.
You'll excuse me if I find nothing wrong with this morally. The show is broadcast over the airwaves. The fact that I choose to view it with my broadband connection instead of putting an antenna on my roof & capturing with a Tivo is of little difference. The end result is the same (Enterprise, no ads, archived to a hard drive). So for you "purists" who want to chastise me, save it. You're wrong and I don't want to hear your pathetic rant.
You hit a sore spot for me. Nexium adverts just PISS ME OFF. I turn off the radio (don't watch much TV) every time I hear one start. It's completely unethical; they're trying to sell you a drug based on vanity. All I get from those commercials is, "Take our pill. It's the 'in' thing. You'll be cool if you use it."
How on earth are these ads effective? Are people really running to their doctors, asking what Nexium can do for them? Why not tell us what the drug does? Then if I've got that problem I WILL ask my doctor about it! But I'm certainly not making an appointment otherwise.
unpopular with african americans.
They aren't "african americans". Most blacks in this country have never even been to Africa. You want to end racism? Promote equality? Then call black Americans exactly what they are: Americans. Or "Black Americans" if you have to differentiate between skin color.
When did the word "Black" get so damned offensive, anyway? Do I get offensive when someone calls me "white"? No, because that's what I am. Why should it offend me?
Hmm. So what do you do for refresh?
;) I don't surf pr0n so my hand might as well be on the keyboard, otherwise it's just going to hang by my side and be useless.
Alt-V R (or control-R, depends on my mood). We humans - at least, most of us - have two hands. One sits on the mouse and the other hits control keys when it isn't busy with a doughnut or slice of pizza. It's very efficient for me.
I suppose, if I were one handed, the gestures would be useful. But really, what are you doing with that other hand while you surf?
OK, I typed that in all sincerity, then realized how bad it sounded.
What I don't get is this: Why can't Apple release OSX for non-Mac hardware? I'm sure this has a lot to do with their sales figures - plenty of people buy Macs for OSX, and if they could just load it on their PC, they would skip the new Mac.
But still, I can't help but wonder if this isn't a viable business opportunity for Apple. Charge $100 or so; I'd switch in a second. I know Mac hardware is big business for them, but I really think it's holding them back in some areas. I'll never buy a Mac, but I would buy an iPod, and OSX, and use iTunes, etc, etc...
There are plenty of cheap 56K modems available so whining over only having 28.8, that is your problem, don't try to make it my problem.
Actually, it's probably not his fault. I can't get more than 21k over our horrible phone lines, and up until a couple of years ago I couldn't get broadband, either.
Now, the phone lines still suck but wireless & cable broadband is available so I'm hooked up.
His excuse is still silly, though: Start downloading Mozilla before you go to bed. Wake up the next morning, install, and quit bitching.