Well, a centralized authority in control of the internet, while possibly restricting some current freedoms could make tremendous positive impacts in others. For example:
Spam could be outlawed once and for all worldwide, with harsh penalties for violation.
An international agreement of standards for content could bring freedom of information to places where there is a lack of information.
Centralized taxation - an agreed upon method for providing revenue streams to the UN which would allow taxes to be paid across various countries.
Elimination of various objectively hateful websites from the internet, e.g., holocaust denial, neo-nazis, gun merchants.
This doesn't sound all bad to me, though admittedly there are some drawbacks. For example, the administrative costs might be fairly high, but these could be worked out I think. Perhaps an email tax on corporations?
The point is not the revenue for the companies, it's revenue for the government. It simply isn't fair that the telephone companies are regulated, and so pay (albeit minimal) tax while the VOIP companies are not. Both providers should be heaviliy taxed, regardless of the money in hand for the corporations and their shareholders.
By becoming public, google loses the ability to continue with constant steady growth and innovative R&D. These things will invariably lead to short sighted planning by the management to "make the numbers" for the next quarter, 6 months, or year. "Growth" will be expected year after year - the innovative ideas that have made google so successful will give way.
No, I won't bid on a share. I would hope that the IPO never happens, as google is still a quality company. I would hate to see that all change.
As long as there is profit to be made, there will be an enterprising capitalist there to take advantage. Especially in the case of spam, where there is no real barrier to entering. If you get a miniscule response, you can make a huge return on a limited investment.
It's akin to regulation of the traveling snake-oil salesman of the nineteenth century. That sort of charlatan is no longer allowed (by law), and the same could happen with strong (and strongly enforced) spam laws.
I live in rural Idaho, electric service is available here, but quite pricey. I decided two years ago to take matters into my own hands and get off the grid.
Idaho is a water rich state, and I was able to use some of the waterfalls on my property to supply some hydroelectric power. I also have a couple of fuel cells to power some smaller items in my home. Luckily, I don't need too much power (since I maintain a minimialist lifestyle for environmental reasons), although living nowadays does require some electricity. At least this way, I am not contributing to the pollution caused by conventional coal-fired or nuclear power plants!
anti-smoking bubbles near stores --
I don't have a problem with this at all. Smoking is disgusting, and if this is a way to eliminate smoking from public areas, so much the better.
anti-meat bubbles near markets --
As a practicing vegetarian, I can't really say I have a problem with this either. No meat == good health, it's simply a fact at this point. I have a right to a meat free area, if I so choose at my own establishment.
anti-fur near malls -- You seal clubbing bastard! Seriously. What could anyone possibly want to do with fur? There is not one reason to have fur anywhere - it should be against the law! Since it unfortunately isn't, I don't see a real problem with evoking some guilt from the mega wealthy murderers who wear fur.
I think this could be a great idea, if implemented correctly. You are simply misguided.
Sorry, but that's the way it goes with corporations and mergers. What the TC industry is clamoring for is S-T-R-I-C-T reregulation, and it can't happen soon enough!
This is one of the most unethical multinational corporations in the world. They have built an empire selling sweat shop wares at prices that no one else can compete with. This has sounded the death knell for the mom and pop operations of the world.
This is reminiscent of the old fable where the chicken crosses the river on the back of a fox. The fox eats the chicken when it gets to the other side of the river. It may advance Linux use and uptake, but at what cost? Who is to say that Wal Mart couldn't co-opt the whole OS for their own devices, since the code is open under the GPL?
I've been using a Garmin GPS II+ that I originally bought for mapping backcountry nonmotorized trails, using a mountain bike. It was great for that, including its ability to upload its waypoints and track log to my PC, where I could integrate the data into mapmaking (GIS) software.
On the water, I found its articulated antenna and lack of waterproofing a liability. I used it in a housing (heavy-duty ziploc type), but found it awkward. I just got a new Garmin eTrex, a 12-channel waterproof (1m for 30 min) unit that has the features I want. No internal maps, but I've never seen a handheld GPS that can compete with the big-screen units in that department-- they're as good as an actual NOS chart.
If it were possible to do so, I would love to donate my map data to such a project - perhaps an open source map project? It could make for some exciting orienteering!
You would be able to easily see Windows for what it is - a toy.
Seriously, my first experience with computers was on some old SGI workstations that a teacher at school let us play with after school. We hacked away, not knowing what in the hell we were doing, but happy to have the opportunity to learn.
Alas, the fun ended when our local warez BBS was discovered and the SPA shut us down... Luckily, we didn't have to spend time in juvenille hall, and the hi-jinks didn't end up on our permanent records!
Thoughts...
on
Halloween VII
·
· Score: 0, Interesting
With the recent decision by the neo-fascist Ashcroft justice department to cease the prosecution of Microsoft as a monopoly, the doors are now open.
The door is open to crush any and all legitimate competition with unfair competitive practices.
The door is open to plunder the common people for the benefits of the wealthy few Microsoft shareholders.
The door is open for abject doom. Indeed, this is not the time to think we have them on the run. This is the time to ponder the horror to come. Who knows what power this unchecked monopolist will wield in a year? Two years? Ten years?
Slashdot Mirror
Spam could be outlawed once and for all worldwide, with harsh penalties for violation.
An international agreement of standards for content could bring freedom of information to places where there is a lack of information.
Centralized taxation - an agreed upon method for providing revenue streams to the UN which would allow taxes to be paid across various countries.
Elimination of various objectively hateful websites from the internet, e.g., holocaust denial, neo-nazis, gun merchants.
This doesn't sound all bad to me, though admittedly there are some drawbacks. For example, the administrative costs might be fairly high, but these could be worked out I think. Perhaps an email tax on corporations?
The point is not the revenue for the companies, it's revenue for the government. It simply isn't fair that the telephone companies are regulated, and so pay (albeit minimal) tax while the VOIP companies are not. Both providers should be heaviliy taxed, regardless of the money in hand for the corporations and their shareholders.
By becoming public, google loses the ability to continue with constant steady growth and innovative R&D. These things will invariably lead to short sighted planning by the management to "make the numbers" for the next quarter, 6 months, or year. "Growth" will be expected year after year - the innovative ideas that have made google so successful will give way.
No, I won't bid on a share. I would hope that the IPO never happens, as google is still a quality company. I would hate to see that all change.
Work on inventing the teleporter.
Doe vs Wade...
As long as there is profit to be made, there will be an enterprising capitalist there to take advantage. Especially in the case of spam, where there is no real barrier to entering. If you get a miniscule response, you can make a huge return on a limited investment.
It's akin to regulation of the traveling snake-oil salesman of the nineteenth century. That sort of charlatan is no longer allowed (by law), and the same could happen with strong (and strongly enforced) spam laws.
Code Red II?
Nimda Again?
Blaster Redux?
Why does this matter?
I live in rural Idaho, electric service is available here, but quite pricey. I decided two years ago to take matters into my own hands and get off the grid.
Idaho is a water rich state, and I was able to use some of the waterfalls on my property to supply some hydroelectric power. I also have a couple of fuel cells to power some smaller items in my home. Luckily, I don't need too much power (since I maintain a minimialist lifestyle for environmental reasons), although living nowadays does require some electricity. At least this way, I am not contributing to the pollution caused by conventional coal-fired or nuclear power plants!
Save the $?
I realize MacOS X looks nice and runs well on a G4, but you can milk more from your older hardware with something more minimalist, e.g., Gnome.
anti-smoking bubbles near stores -- I don't have a problem with this at all. Smoking is disgusting, and if this is a way to eliminate smoking from public areas, so much the better.
anti-meat bubbles near markets -- As a practicing vegetarian, I can't really say I have a problem with this either. No meat == good health, it's simply a fact at this point. I have a right to a meat free area, if I so choose at my own establishment.
anti-fur near malls -- You seal clubbing bastard! Seriously. What could anyone possibly want to do with fur? There is not one reason to have fur anywhere - it should be against the law! Since it unfortunately isn't, I don't see a real problem with evoking some guilt from the mega wealthy murderers who wear fur.
I think this could be a great idea, if implemented correctly. You are simply misguided.
Less than $10/month for you...
$95/month for me.
Sorry, but that's the way it goes with corporations and mergers. What the TC industry is clamoring for is S-T-R-I-C-T reregulation, and it can't happen soon enough!
But thankfully, it's an article about file systems.
Are these just tricked up 48x drives like the 52x CD-ROM drives of a few years ago?
Get some war3z & mp3z!
but I have to say, Wal Mart is disgusting.
This is one of the most unethical multinational corporations in the world. They have built an empire selling sweat shop wares at prices that no one else can compete with. This has sounded the death knell for the mom and pop operations of the world.
This is reminiscent of the old fable where the chicken crosses the river on the back of a fox. The fox eats the chicken when it gets to the other side of the river. It may advance Linux use and uptake, but at what cost? Who is to say that Wal Mart couldn't co-opt the whole OS for their own devices, since the code is open under the GPL?
Pr0n...
Lots and lots o' pr0n...
I've been using a Garmin GPS II+ that I originally bought for mapping backcountry nonmotorized trails, using a mountain bike. It was great for that, including its ability to upload its waypoints and track log to my PC, where I could integrate the data into mapmaking (GIS) software.
On the water, I found its articulated antenna and lack of waterproofing a liability. I used it in a housing (heavy-duty ziploc type), but found
it awkward. I just got a new Garmin eTrex, a 12-channel waterproof (1m for 30 min) unit that has the features I want. No internal maps, but I've never seen a handheld GPS that can compete with
the big-screen units in that department-- they're as good as an actual NOS chart.
If it were possible to do so, I would love to donate my map data to such a project - perhaps an open source map project? It could make for some exciting orienteering!
You would be able to easily see Windows for what it is - a toy.
Seriously, my first experience with computers was on some old SGI workstations that a teacher at school let us play with after school. We hacked away, not knowing what in the hell we were doing, but happy to have the opportunity to learn.
Alas, the fun ended when our local warez BBS was discovered and the SPA shut us down... Luckily, we didn't have to spend time in juvenille hall, and the hi-jinks didn't end up on our permanent records!
The door is open to crush any and all legitimate competition with unfair competitive practices.
The door is open to plunder the common people for the benefits of the wealthy few Microsoft shareholders.
The door is open for abject doom. Indeed, this is not the time to think we have them on the run. This is the time to ponder the horror to come. Who knows what power this unchecked monopolist will wield in a year? Two years? Ten years?
Not good, not good at all.
You have not paid attention to the recent rulings on the federal death penalty. These opinions were explicitly influenced by public opinion.