You're absolutely right. Part of the problem, though, is the plethora of IP-rights consultants out there preaching to any copy willing to dish out a few dollars that IP is the NEXT HOT COMMODITY (TM).
Basically, since the US isn't building much of anything anymore (even software now), the only thing left for big companies is their IP. Consultants are telling them to file fast and furious for patents and to begin managing their IP portfolios.
And politicos are being lobbie furiously to protect IP both in the US and overseas. Hence, the goldrush to patent stuff nowadays.
Sorry, but I took one look at the Chillow and wondered, so I've got my laptop that's plugged into the wall sitting on top of this chilled, water-filled pillow, both sitting on my lap.
Why do we need a digital commons? And why are so many people anti-patent?
Patents ensure that the individuals or companies that invest time and capital to research and produce new technologies can profit from it. And time has shown (with the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the market-based reforms of China) that profit is a greater incentive towards the common good than "communal" based economic systems.
I understand the recent faux pauxs of the US Patent office and illegitimate patents, but rather than throwing away a system that has served us well for over two centuries, why not simply reform it?
Which again brings me back to, why do we need a digital commons? Again, a question asked out of ignorance and not antipathy.
Dude, you've got a seriously skewed view of religion.
I'm a network geek. I've completed my B.S. and M.S., both in technical fields. And I believe in God and Jesus. And:
I don't turn to God for explanations of everything. That's why He gave us brains and free will. And yes, I'm comfortable with leaving things undefined and not using God to fill the gap.
I'm more controlled by an increasingly regulatory US government than I am by religion. My faith teaches me to treat others with the kindness and respect that I would have others show me. It doesn't, however, regulate me for the profits of the music industry.
Not all faiths believe that birth control is evil.
And finally RELIGION != FAITH IN GOD. If you've got a problem with organized religion, that's not God's problem, but man's. God never told anyone not to think for themselves. If you're dumb enough to turn over your thinking to a religious Pope/Evangelist/whatever, that's your idiocy, not God's.
You need to get out of that Middle Age's thinking about God. There's alot of us out here proclaiming the Good News and living our lives believing in God, educating ourselves, and working intelligently.
Somehow I get a picture in my mind of Japanese engineers studying how Berkeley hippies have the energy for university classes AND for protesting every cause under the sun.:)
Can anyone answer this? These telescopes (both Hubble and Webb) can collect enormous amounts of data in relatively short periods of time.
That said, could one possible reason be that the astronomical community at large simply doesn't have enough resources to interpret both sets of data?
Great. Answer the phone, get an ear infection.
on
Handy Wristwatch Phone
·
· Score: 4, Insightful
Yeah, I want to be sticking my finger in my ear all day. Even more, I want to be shaking hands with people who've had their fingers in their ears all day.
Tripling gas prices would be the best thing ever to happen to our country? Excuse me, but given that the VAST majority of our population is dependent upon gasoline to get from place A to B, what effect do you think that would have on our economy?
So, we raise gas taxes like the Europeans and instead of that extra cash (and believe me, it would be enough cash to throw the US economy into a MAJOR RECESSION (see 1970's Oil Shock on Google)) going into things consumers buy like food, housing, clothing, services, computers, etc., the money goes to the government?
Yeah, the government needs more money and are better at determining where you money should be spent. Riiiiight.
You'd devastate the economy just so you can feel all warm and fuzzy about the economy.
Maybe the fact that they are recycling components from a prior mission had something to do with the decision. Remember, the startup to completion time is drastically reduced if you can use components which are already on the shelf.
If I'm not mistaken, one of the current ESA missions to Mars uses components and planning from a previous European space mission, drastically decreasing cost and time to flight. Maybe someone can find the link on that.
You know guys, not everybody in the government is fawking off and trying to screw you out of your legitimate right to freely download copyrighted music.
There are thousands of hardworking men and women serving in Coast Guard ships off our coasts, monitoring land border crossings, inspecting imported cargo containers, and serving as airport security inspectors and skymarshals, all to keep your bloody arses safe behind your monitors as you make fun of them.
Sorry for the rant, but reality check, there ARE bad people in the world that are intent upon harming the United States and a good number of Americans working at the Department of Homeland Security are intent upon preventing that from happening.
Instead of easily making fun of these institutions, how about sitting down and thinking about better ways to reduce risks cost effectively. Propose it, then make your criticisms.
Sometimes you don't even need to read the daily stuff. My suggestions for the top 10 daily Slashdot articles:
1) Microsoft warns of a new security flaw. 2) RIAA, et. al. are fawking us bad. 3) Apple's doing something innovative. 4) New Linux release,driver,bundle,etc. announced. 5) Neat new digital device arrives. Runs Linux. 6) Palm offers a new Palm. 7) New video/audio format/program released. 8) Someone announces a game for Linux. 9) Obligatory offbeat science topic of the day. 10) SPAM is leading to the apocalypse.
Jesus, people, get a clue. The whole frickin' article is about the emergent problem of journalistic credibility vs. moblogging.
Blogs, RSS syndication, RSS aggregators, metablogs and reputation systems like Technorati and NewsMonster now offer a dynamic and rapidly evolving collective editorial filtering system.
His entire thesis is that the emerging moblogging culture will need to put safeguards into place, like reputation systems. He's not talking about aggregating rumor or mobthought, but the need for mechanisms to sift the wheat from the chaff so that you have rapidly emerging, true information without a paid editorial staff.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but it sounds alot like Open Source Journalism, collectively written and peer-reviewed.
Actually, It's a Wonderful Life came out in 1946 directly after WWII and though had a happy ending, pretty much dealt with the shaddy side of the business world and one man's despair (and near suicide) because of it.
It is a great movie and stands as one of the classics.
Personally, I think the multinats are on to something. They're cycling through countries, creating artificial "boom-bust" cycles in employment.
Take for example, the automobile industry. In the early 1980's, the US auto industry had some of the highest wages/benefits for auto manufacturers in the world. Alot of those jobs went overseas to Japan/Korea who (at the time) had lower wages (and better quality). This depressed US wages. Now, the reverse is true. Both German and Japanese automakers see that US wages are lower and have located plants here.
So goes it with IT. US coders were first to the trough and wages went up. Then the multinats moved to India who trained their people well and had low wages. Indian coder's rates go up and now the multinats are headed for Eastern Europe. As tech wages get lower in the US and we refocus on quality, the multinats will move coding operations back here and the cycle with start anew.
Why do you label this "reactionary bible-thumping?"
For the subset of Slashdot readers who are Christians, this is a relevant comment. For two-thousand years, Christians have had a prophecy regarding the identification of every man, woman and child on this planet. For a Christian, the Mark of the Beast IS intelligent discourse because it is a very real concern.
Personally, I think your slight is more of a reactionary, knee-jerk response showing your anti-Christian bias than the Biblical quote being discussed.
Since they're not paying the developers (but are generously paying the publishing & distribution costs), why not open it up to a competition? Tell people, look, everyone can participate. The deadline for submitting your game is (DATE). After we receive all entries, we'll decide which is the killer Linux game and publish it.
Sounds better than simply, we're gonna choose 8 people and then let them come up with a game. Sometimes synergy in groups doesn't work that way.
Customers don't "listen" to an album. They listen to songs; individual tracks. And until the music industry understands that, they'll continue sinking.
This excludes of course, classic albums like Rumours, Dark Side of the Moon, etc. But those are few and far between.
Slashdot Mirror
You're absolutely right. Part of the problem, though, is the plethora of IP-rights consultants out there preaching to any copy willing to dish out a few dollars that IP is the NEXT HOT COMMODITY (TM).
Basically, since the US isn't building much of anything anymore (even software now), the only thing left for big companies is their IP. Consultants are telling them to file fast and furious for patents and to begin managing their IP portfolios.
And politicos are being lobbie furiously to protect IP both in the US and overseas. Hence, the goldrush to patent stuff nowadays.
My (2nd) biggest problem with this style device, (other than price), is the boot time. It takes the same time as a normal PC to boot up?
Not very convenient for an "on-the-go" device like this (and yes, I think laptops boot too slowly too).
Sorry, but I took one look at the Chillow and wondered, so I've got my laptop that's plugged into the wall sitting on top of this chilled, water-filled pillow, both sitting on my lap.
:)
What could go wrong here?
I'm serious, this is not a flame.
Why do we need a digital commons? And why are so many people anti-patent?
Patents ensure that the individuals or companies that invest time and capital to research and produce new technologies can profit from it. And time has shown (with the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the market-based reforms of China) that profit is a greater incentive towards the common good than "communal" based economic systems.
I understand the recent faux pauxs of the US Patent office and illegitimate patents, but rather than throwing away a system that has served us well for over two centuries, why not simply reform it?
Which again brings me back to, why do we need a digital commons? Again, a question asked out of ignorance and not antipathy.
Dude, you've got a seriously skewed view of religion.
I'm a network geek. I've completed my B.S. and M.S., both in technical fields. And I believe in God and Jesus. And:
You need to get out of that Middle Age's thinking about God. There's alot of us out here proclaiming the Good News and living our lives believing in God, educating ourselves, and working intelligently.
Somehow I get a picture in my mind of Japanese engineers studying how Berkeley hippies have the energy for university classes AND for protesting every cause under the sun. :)
Can anyone answer this? These telescopes (both Hubble and Webb) can collect enormous amounts of data in relatively short periods of time.
That said, could one possible reason be that the astronomical community at large simply doesn't have enough resources to interpret both sets of data?
Yeah, I want to be sticking my finger in my ear all day. Even more, I want to be shaking hands with people who've had their fingers in their ears all day.
I'll pass.
If you've ever wondered why the Green Party never wins, check this.
LOL. I used the site search. You can have fun too looking for words like:
hide, investigator, coverup, suppress, alter, payoff, cleanup, forge, deny, lie, misinformation, etc.
Tripling gas prices would be the best thing ever to happen to our country? Excuse me, but given that the VAST majority of our population is dependent upon gasoline to get from place A to B, what effect do you think that would have on our economy?
So, we raise gas taxes like the Europeans and instead of that extra cash (and believe me, it would be enough cash to throw the US economy into a MAJOR RECESSION (see 1970's Oil Shock on Google)) going into things consumers buy like food, housing, clothing, services, computers, etc., the money goes to the government?
Yeah, the government needs more money and are better at determining where you money should be spent. Riiiiight.
You'd devastate the economy just so you can feel all warm and fuzzy about the economy.
Check out this google link:
o J: www.em.doe.gov/cercla97/inel.html+SL-1+Reactor,+Id aho+Falls&hl=en&ie=UTF-8
http://216.239.41.104/search?q=cache:Y_6OuW5LWN
Looks like cleanup of the 1961 accident was still being discussed in 1996!
Maybe the fact that they are recycling components from a prior mission had something to do with the decision. Remember, the startup to completion time is drastically reduced if you can use components which are already on the shelf.
If I'm not mistaken, one of the current ESA missions to Mars uses components and planning from a previous European space mission, drastically decreasing cost and time to flight. Maybe someone can find the link on that.
You know guys, not everybody in the government is fawking off and trying to screw you out of your legitimate right to freely download copyrighted music.
There are thousands of hardworking men and women serving in Coast Guard ships off our coasts, monitoring land border crossings, inspecting imported cargo containers, and serving as airport security inspectors and skymarshals, all to keep your bloody arses safe behind your monitors as you make fun of them.
Sorry for the rant, but reality check, there ARE bad people in the world that are intent upon harming the United States and a good number of Americans working at the Department of Homeland Security are intent upon preventing that from happening.
Instead of easily making fun of these institutions, how about sitting down and thinking about better ways to reduce risks cost effectively. Propose it, then make your criticisms.
The first guy in this google list has some funny videos. I wonder if he plays this one on his monitor while entertaining his girlfriend!
A Shaft Universe
Sometimes you don't even need to read the daily stuff. My suggestions for the top 10 daily Slashdot articles:
:)
1) Microsoft warns of a new security flaw.
2) RIAA, et. al. are fawking us bad.
3) Apple's doing something innovative.
4) New Linux release,driver,bundle,etc. announced.
5) Neat new digital device arrives. Runs Linux.
6) Palm offers a new Palm.
7) New video/audio format/program released.
8) Someone announces a game for Linux.
9) Obligatory offbeat science topic of the day.
10) SPAM is leading to the apocalypse.
Any other top ten lists?
Jesus, people, get a clue. The whole frickin' article is about the emergent problem of journalistic credibility vs. moblogging.
Blogs, RSS syndication, RSS aggregators, metablogs and reputation systems like Technorati and NewsMonster now offer a dynamic and rapidly evolving collective editorial filtering system.
His entire thesis is that the emerging moblogging culture will need to put safeguards into place, like reputation systems. He's not talking about aggregating rumor or mobthought, but the need for mechanisms to sift the wheat from the chaff so that you have rapidly emerging, true information without a paid editorial staff.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but it sounds alot like Open Source Journalism, collectively written and peer-reviewed.
Microsoft didn't start out at the enterprise level. Their apps started small and then they (tried, some people say) to scale them to the enterprise.
I'm glad to see you're at least giving these guys a chance at the "mid-sized" business market.
Actually, It's a Wonderful Life came out in 1946 directly after WWII and though had a happy ending, pretty much dealt with the shaddy side of the business world and one man's despair (and near suicide) because of it.
It is a great movie and stands as one of the classics.
The kid deserves it.
Personally, I think the multinats are on to something. They're cycling through countries, creating artificial "boom-bust" cycles in employment.
Take for example, the automobile industry. In the early 1980's, the US auto industry had some of the highest wages/benefits for auto manufacturers in the world. Alot of those jobs went overseas to Japan/Korea who (at the time) had lower wages (and better quality). This depressed US wages. Now, the reverse is true. Both German and Japanese automakers see that US wages are lower and have located plants here.
So goes it with IT. US coders were first to the trough and wages went up. Then the multinats moved to India who trained their people well and had low wages. Indian coder's rates go up and now the multinats are headed for Eastern Europe. As tech wages get lower in the US and we refocus on quality, the multinats will move coding operations back here and the cycle with start anew.
Why do you label this "reactionary bible-thumping?"
For the subset of Slashdot readers who are Christians, this is a relevant comment. For two-thousand years, Christians have had a prophecy regarding the identification of every man, woman and child on this planet. For a Christian, the Mark of the Beast IS intelligent discourse because it is a very real concern.
Personally, I think your slight is more of a reactionary, knee-jerk response showing your anti-Christian bias than the Biblical quote being discussed.
Coming up with a killer game is only half the battle. Getting it onto CDs, into boxes, out to stores and into the minds of gamers is the other half.
Since they're not paying the developers (but are generously paying the publishing & distribution costs), why not open it up to a competition? Tell people, look, everyone can participate. The deadline for submitting your game is (DATE). After we receive all entries, we'll decide which is the killer Linux game and publish it.
Sounds better than simply, we're gonna choose 8 people and then let them come up with a game. Sometimes synergy in groups doesn't work that way.
Let individuals groups compete.
The enemy just needs to battle harden one of these and clear the battlefield.
Customers don't "listen" to an album. They listen to songs; individual tracks. And until the music industry understands that, they'll continue sinking.
This excludes of course, classic albums like Rumours, Dark Side of the Moon, etc. But those are few and far between.