To be fair, video game consoles do play movies over the component ports. Yes HDCP is stupid. Every other day my cable box politely informs me (via a huge, static picture that could burn in my lovely TV) that I have to switch to component because my TV doesn't support HDCP. Then I "reboot" my TV and everything is fine.
If they're thinking of using their discoveries for profit, maybe they also should use the proceeds to fund their research as well without taxpayer money? Very few Universities are even allowed to make a profit, much less do. Any revenues from IP go right back into the University, which ultimately saves public money. I disagree with the insinuation that schools are hoarding knowledge by using patents. In fact they are making the knowledge readily available to anyone with a computer. However, if you want to make use of that knowledge withing 20 years, you have to pay. It's sort of like retroactively buying into the public investment that made the knowledge available.
Watch the video; they're still pissed off about it. Maybe he's talking about something else. I don't know. I didn't mean to imply that it was also hundreds of years ago.
One thing I learned from this video (and a few similar which are linked): Muslims are still pissed off about stuff that happened hundereds of years ago: the crusades, the expulsion of Muslims from Spain, the Spanish civil war. It is unfortunate that these scholars who keep Muslims so conscious of history do not also inform them of the lessons learned by it.
Mostly software patents are just bogus. Nothing about taking an idea and implementing it in software is worthy of a patent. The only things I think are really novel are new algorithms. You could make an argument for patenting those. Simply arranging algorithms XYZ in a software package is great business (most certainly copyrightable) but not worthy of a patent.
Tivo doesn't work with satellite because none of the satellite companies wanted to pay them, hence the lawsuit. DirectTV used to have a relationship with them, and maybe they will again.
Actually I wouldn't say they're in bed with the cable companies either. The only way new Tivos work with cable is the cable card, which the FCC mandated. Plenty of cable cos still have DVRs running their generic crapware.
Bad example. Tivo's not a patent troll. Ever wonder why they're suing Dish and not Cox, Comcast, and everyone else with a DVR? Because Dish was first, and Tivo started this process almost as soon as Dish came out with their DishPlayer software, competing with the Tivo/DirecTV partnership. Yes, litigation takes a LONG time.
Say what you will about their patents, but the company is not a troll in the normal sense of the word because a) they actually invented this technology and b) didn't wait till it was in wide use to sue.
I was thinking about your conspiracy theory, and it occurred to me that many diseases have in fact been cured or at least prevented in the first world. I won't bore you with a list. It seems that there is some motive there. Also, I don't believe any virus has been cured, in the way that strep is curable. So while it could be a conspiracy, it seems to me that science merely lacks the means to stop what is possibly the world's most incurable virus.
The issue is not that the government can't seize these patents. They could at will. There's either not the will to do it or no money for it. If the government does seize your house (unless you're accused of using it for illegal drug selling, but I don't want to threadjack) they have to pay you for it. As you can imagine, good patents are worth a lot of money. If congress had its mind set on such and action the law wouldn't pose much of a problem, as laws are easily changed.
The research is largely proving that the drugs are effective and safe. This costs good money, and few will do it it there's not something in it for them.
I'm not defending big pharma or any company in particular.
Don't get me wrong, please. I love America and the idea of America, I simply have a problem with most of the people occupying the land itself. Sounds more like misanthropy to me. I can't say I like most Americans either, but I'm not convinced I'd magically like my neighbors if I moved somewhere else.
There's still a burden of proof. The plaintiff has to prove that there was harm done and the defendant is liable. If no evidence can be presented by either side the suit is dismissed. Imagine my car is graffitied. If I take John Doe to court I have to provide some evidence that it was his punk minor child that did the damage. If I can't, he's under no obligation to provide an alibi. IIRC, the term burden of proof is not used, however.
Unless they find the shared files on his hard drive, in which case he'd have to argue someone else was using the computer, but he might still be liable.
Bingo MMOs are about the cheapest entertainment you can buy, unless you count "free" TV which you pay for by watching advertising. I mean cable is like 50 bucks a month, and if you want no ads, HBO is another 10.
Which one of the 670,000 people she represents is she supposed to dance for? Apparently the one who's funding her next campaign. I mean all of 5 people must have contacted her supporting forever-copyright.
Moreover, having a lot of constituents does not justify sending them form letters. Ignore them quietly if you wish, but sending them a load of propaganda only works on... the kind of people that voted her into office. Ok, point made, but it's still insulting.
As far as reducing CO2 emissions, I can't think of a way more obtrusive to the life of the average american than taxing gas and/or cars. It also affects the lower and middle classes the most. I suggest we start elsewhere, like power generation/industry or big trucks or cows or something.
Agreed. At 3.40 a gallon plus hybrid tax credits people have enough incentive to use a smaller car or just drive less. Just look at how detroit is doing these days. Note, also, that you could always drive a hybrid/lighter/FlexFuel truck.
The "I don't use it, I shouldn't have to pay for it" argument is tired and completely unrealistic. True but doesn't it make sense if the people who use the road the most pay the most? How about half the road cost gets paid by taxes (to cover the benefits that everyone gets) and half gets paid by tolls (to cover the increased wear on the road by the big users)?
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Microsoft's customers are OEMs. I am an OEM today, and I paid for Vista OEM edition therefore I am their customer.
I had to update the firmware on my TV. Now that was a trip.
To be fair, video game consoles do play movies over the component ports. Yes HDCP is stupid. Every other day my cable box politely informs me (via a huge, static picture that could burn in my lovely TV) that I have to switch to component because my TV doesn't support HDCP. Then I "reboot" my TV and everything is fine.
Watch the video; they're still pissed off about it. Maybe he's talking about something else. I don't know. I didn't mean to imply that it was also hundreds of years ago.
One thing I learned from this video (and a few similar which are linked): Muslims are still pissed off about stuff that happened hundereds of years ago: the crusades, the expulsion of Muslims from Spain, the Spanish civil war. It is unfortunate that these scholars who keep Muslims so conscious of history do not also inform them of the lessons learned by it.
College/professional school application?
Mostly software patents are just bogus. Nothing about taking an idea and implementing it in software is worthy of a patent. The only things I think are really novel are new algorithms. You could make an argument for patenting those. Simply arranging algorithms XYZ in a software package is great business (most certainly copyrightable) but not worthy of a patent.
Tivo doesn't work with satellite because none of the satellite companies wanted to pay them, hence the lawsuit. DirectTV used to have a relationship with them, and maybe they will again.
Actually I wouldn't say they're in bed with the cable companies either. The only way new Tivos work with cable is the cable card, which the FCC mandated. Plenty of cable cos still have DVRs running their generic crapware.
Bad example. Tivo's not a patent troll. Ever wonder why they're suing Dish and not Cox, Comcast, and everyone else with a DVR? Because Dish was first, and Tivo started this process almost as soon as Dish came out with their DishPlayer software, competing with the Tivo/DirecTV partnership. Yes, litigation takes a LONG time.
Say what you will about their patents, but the company is not a troll in the normal sense of the word because a) they actually invented this technology and b) didn't wait till it was in wide use to sue.
Well what are we supposed to call residents of New Mexico? New Mexicans also sounds like something else entirely.
Well I don't know if it's been eliminated yet, but they did develop the HPV vaccine.
I was thinking about your conspiracy theory, and it occurred to me that many diseases have in fact been cured or at least prevented in the first world. I won't bore you with a list. It seems that there is some motive there. Also, I don't believe any virus has been cured, in the way that strep is curable. So while it could be a conspiracy, it seems to me that science merely lacks the means to stop what is possibly the world's most incurable virus.
The issue is not that the government can't seize these patents. They could at will. There's either not the will to do it or no money for it. If the government does seize your house (unless you're accused of using it for illegal drug selling, but I don't want to threadjack) they have to pay you for it. As you can imagine, good patents are worth a lot of money. If congress had its mind set on such and action the law wouldn't pose much of a problem, as laws are easily changed.
The research is largely proving that the drugs are effective and safe. This costs good money, and few will do it it there's not something in it for them.
I'm not defending big pharma or any company in particular.
Because last time some doctors tried to commit an act of terrorism it didn't go so well, see above.
Seriously, were you the guy who forced them to plaster iflyswa.com all over everything in sight? Hats off to you brother. I still use that url...
There's still a burden of proof. The plaintiff has to prove that there was harm done and the defendant is liable. If no evidence can be presented by either side the suit is dismissed. Imagine my car is graffitied. If I take John Doe to court I have to provide some evidence that it was his punk minor child that did the damage. If I can't, he's under no obligation to provide an alibi. IIRC, the term burden of proof is not used, however.
Unless they find the shared files on his hard drive, in which case he'd have to argue someone else was using the computer, but he might still be liable.
Bingo MMOs are about the cheapest entertainment you can buy, unless you count "free" TV which you pay for by watching advertising. I mean cable is like 50 bucks a month, and if you want no ads, HBO is another 10.
Moreover, having a lot of constituents does not justify sending them form letters. Ignore them quietly if you wish, but sending them a load of propaganda only works on... the kind of people that voted her into office. Ok, point made, but it's still insulting.
As far as reducing CO2 emissions, I can't think of a way more obtrusive to the life of the average american than taxing gas and/or cars. It also affects the lower and middle classes the most. I suggest we start elsewhere, like power generation/industry or big trucks or cows or something.
Agreed. At 3.40 a gallon plus hybrid tax credits people have enough incentive to use a smaller car or just drive less. Just look at how detroit is doing these days. Note, also, that you could always drive a hybrid/lighter/FlexFuel truck.