a broadband subscription gets you a lot more than the occasional demo download. It's a legitimate "utility bill". A download service that is essentially providing advertising services to the PUBLISHER should be paid for by the PUBLISHER, not by the potential customer.
$6/month for one service, that I would rarely use. Doesn't make sense.
I see a lot of "subscription services" starting up with unrealistic expectations. How many people can afford to pay $5 a month for EVERYTHING that they use occasionally? not fucking many. One reason why I haven't subscribed to WineX. I dont' want to encourage that. I don't want to encourage media companies to try to charge me $3.50/ week to access content that I'd rather purchase outright for a reasonable price (see DVDs) either.
If Epic or any other publisher really expects to continue to use demos to promote their product THEY NEED TO FOOT THE FUCKING BANDWIDTH BILL. Just like in the early days of Quake, et al. A free demo isn't a free demo if you're bludgeoned into paying a subscription fee, or flooded with unnecessary Java download applets.
Lots of companies seem to think that subscriptions, or "software as a service" >spit are a sure way to "guaranteed revenue" in this post dotcom economy. They haven't done the fucking math, or they wouldn't be trying to charge $5 and more for the subscriptions. If you want an GUARANTEED revenue,l you're going to have to lower your per-head expectations. Because once EVERYONE is wanting their $5 of flesh a month, people will have to start making choices about what they reallty want/need, and YOUR product may be the one that gets flushed down the toilet.
Exactly. They're making more money off the DVD than they would off my ticket anyhow. Particularly since I Dont Go To The Theatre Ever.
I much prefer the environment of my home theatre to the average multiplex these days. If I want to see a film, I buy it after it comes out on DVD. I'm in no rush to go stand in line at the theatre and deal with screaming brats, bad sound, and all the other detritus associated with modern movie theatres.
The media companies need to get over this compulsive need to "control the experience". Yea big release date "events" feed the egos of the actors and directors, but they do nothing for the VIEWER.
Although I use Privoxy on Linux, when at work, I use Naviscope as my ad-blocker. Naviscope has the added benefit that I can leave javascript enabled at the browser, disable it through Naviscope, and selectively enable javascript for sites that I _want_ to be able to run javascript.
Privoxy allows even more granularity in disabling of specific javascript functions. I'm just getting started configuring it on the machine I'm using to proxy, but I'm VERY impressed. I've been using Naviscope for quite a while now, but I even point my windows box to the Privoxy host now.
how 'bout we offer an option which says "Software doesn't do what you want? Click here to ask the developer to cooperate with the five other software projects developing this functionality and come up with a single working project!"
As opposed to "Software doesnt do what you want? Too Damned Bad!"? Thats the way most software companies will treat an individual complaint. I've had excellent experiences working with open source developers on tools that I use. I can't always get what I want, but sometimes I do, just by asking. That would <u>never</u> happen if I made a request to say, Microsoft...
<i> A distro of this nature should only take one CD for all the binaries, including the developer tools - that is, if you only provide one package per piece of functionality. If there's a second disc it should be source and possibly language translations.</i>
I'll agree with that. Most retail distros are way to bloated. Knoppix demonstrates clearly that you can get a lot of USEFULL things on one CD. With room to spare.
<i>Calling your users lazy and illiterate, huh? You'll go far in the business world. I sure would love to be a customer of yours.</i>
He was being a bit extreme, but having done software support, lots of people miss the fact that most of their answers are right there in the manual. But of course they're too important to read the manual... until... "what's that you say? $85 for a support call? I'll read the manual!" (this is a $1K + product we're talking about)
Sarcasm aside, maybe most people don't f'ing CARE about the documentation. Maybe they're using the computer to gasp do real work - y'know, the kind that keeps the electricity running and food on your table? Of course, they are lazy and illiterate. I forgot.</i>
When I do work that keeps electricity running and food on the table, I don't generally have a problem with Reading the Instructions and learning how to use the tools provided for me. People (and Salespeople are the worst in this regard) who think they're too damned important to learn how to use the tools they need to do their job need to find another line of work. Like digging ditches.
It's not that difficult. Now if the Documentation is bad, that's something that needs to be fixed...
I love Knoppix. I already use it as a rescue disk, and to get distccd going on my windows boxes when they're not in use for Windows so they can help compile packages for the distribution that I do use, Gentoo.
Portage is vastly superior to RPM. I've been bitten by "RPM hell" as well.
Yes all you RPM mavens, I know that can be avoided by naming all the dependancies on the same line as the one you're installing, but honestly, why should I? Portage handles that, and concurrent version installation to boot. Have two packages with dependancies on different versions of gtk? no problem with Portage (IIRC, don't have that problem myself).
I'm doing more, and have learned more, with Gentoo than with any other distribution that I have used.
I'm not buying new hardware. Particularly not what I see as over-priced hardware
Not meant as a troll. Apple has a monopoly so they don't have to price competitively. There's nothing wrong with that in the slightest. It just doesn't fit with my budget at the moment. A new x86 PC doesn't fit in my budget at the moment either
I'm an Apple stock holder. I love their products in theory, but the only Apple computer I have is my MessagePad 100 (and an Apple IIe motherboard that a buddy gave me that I'll get around to ressusicating one day).
It simply doesn't apply to my current job, and with my stock options in the toilet, I don't have a lot of money to buy new equipment.
Gentoo is as close as anyone can get to "roll your own" distro right now, as far as I've seen. It's on every machine I have that doesn't need windows for one reason (games) or another (X-Card DivX;) decoder). And it runs on my current hardware (the price being right doesn't hurt either).
Does absolutely what I want. No more, no less.
One of these days I'll have a Mac again, but it's not on the "gotta have" priority list right now, because there's simply nothing that one can do that I need, that my current hardware can't already do with the right Linux software.
"Windows 98SE and ME perform critical and security updates automatically in the background."
Only if you're stupid enough to let them. I set mine to let me check manually, before I nuked them for Gentoo Linux. Anyone who lets his OS phone home on its own deserves what he gets.
"There has grown up in the minds of certain groups in this country the notion that because a man or a corporation has made a profit out of the public for a number of years, the government and the courts are charged with the duty of guaranteeing such profit in the future, even in the face of changing circumstances and contrary public interest. This strange doctrine is not supported by statute nor common law. Neither individuals nor corporations have any right to come into court and ask that the clock of history be stopped, or turned back, for their private benefit." -- Robert A. Heinlein
Quite simply, they're not entitled to charge for services that I have been providing for myself for several years now, despite what they may want. I'm not using any more bandwidth than joe average. Less, in fact. I don't allow peer-to peer clients. Too much security risk for my internal network. I do insist upon being able to access the services I have paid for from whatever computer I happen to be nearest to (I live alone, did I mention that?). I have enabled MYSELF using my OWN hardware to do that. I owe the ISP ZERO. There is NO net difference between my usage and the next guy on the block. My wireless network is blocked from internet access at the firewall. I use my wireless network for remote control purposes. My wireless network is none of my ISP's business. If they probe it, I'll take THEM down under the patriot act. There's no connection between my wireless network and their connection. I can prove it. They can't prove otherwise.
You're presuming the content of such a course is valid in all situations. Here is a simple FACT of nature. Have more children than you can support, and you starve. I don't need a liberal bleeding-heart college course to figure that out. Every species of animal in Africa can figure that out. Except, apparently, for Man.
The people being born may not be inferior, but their parents are making a STUPID choice by breeding under those conditions. Hence the Darwin reference. Stupidity tends to weed you out of the gene pool. Refrain from breeding until conditions are better, and your genes have a chance. Breed like rabbits when you cant even feed yourself, and you and your children will starve.
People already living in a shithole and unable to feed themselves can, however, decide not to have more children, if they have basic reasoning powers. As the majority of the "starving children" in that region are far younger than the conflict cutting off their food, I'd say it's Darwin in action there.
"Biodiesel is a great fuel since it produces no net carbon dioxide (all of the carbon in it was pulled from the air by the plants)"
While I won't deny the obvious benefits of Biodiesel, I have to point out that, as petrochemicals are the fossilized remains of plantlife from the distant past, all of that carbon was pulled from the air by plants, too.
" It can also be used just to break down comuters "
There are a couple commuters that I interacted with on my drive home that I'd like to volunteer for this process. Maybe that'll teach the others to put down the phone and DRIVE.
I take it from the provided links that Adobe expects users to pay $200+ to use those fonts? (complete sets anyhow, get each variation for only $35 each).
I don't get it. they expect to make money that way? as an end user I'll just say "fuck it, I'll use my default fonts who cares what those look like".
I could be wrong, but I follow the links you provide, and I see absurd price schedules.
The impression that I got was that the Nitrous Oxide was used instead of pure O2 because it's stable and easy to store, and won't oxidize with the solid fuel until sufficient heat is present to start the reaction. The Nitrogen might also impart additional energy, but it really seemed to me from the documentation on the site that stability of storage was the important reason for the choice of that particular chemical for use in the hybrid motor.
While a USB NIC might be sufficient for game play, I highly doubt that USB 1.1 throughput is sufficient for Over-the-Lan video playback. It's not even really adequate for USB connected tuners (relatively low res). That's probably the reason for the lack of support.
Well now, if he's referring to his private mail-reader settings, that's his choice, isn't it?
I haven't done that yet, but I also don't give out the email address I actually USE to anyone I don't trust.
Seriously. If someone has sufficient bad traffic from those three domains to write them off as worthless, who are you to judge him?
AOL is breaking the RFC. They should be blackholed. I plan to bounce all AOL email that lands on my private server until such a time as somone successfully beats them with a LART bat.
Of course. Obviously holders of conservative veiwpoints can't be allowed to excercise free speech or press.
Do you somehow think that HBO will come off as "more conservative" over the satellite if Rupert Murdoch owns DirecTV? Will it Janine Garafollo suddenly stop in the middle of a Comedy Special and launch into a Pro-Bush, Pro-War propeganda dialog on the "DirectTV" version of the broadcast?
How about the News... oh wait he already owns FoxNews.
How exactly will this change things again?
I'm not a big fan of the guy, but aren't we being just a wee bit paranoid here?
I noticed a major slowdown in Mozilla after the last security patch as well. That's speeded up my migration of my workstation at the office to Gentoo Linux, and away from Windows.
Slashdot Mirror
a broadband subscription gets you a lot more than the occasional demo download. It's a legitimate "utility bill". A download service that is essentially providing advertising services to the PUBLISHER should be paid for by the PUBLISHER, not by the potential customer.
$6/month for one service, that I would rarely use. Doesn't make sense.
I see a lot of "subscription services" starting up with unrealistic expectations. How many people can afford to pay $5 a month for EVERYTHING that they use occasionally? not fucking many. One reason why I haven't subscribed to WineX. I dont' want to encourage that. I don't want to encourage media companies to try to charge me $3.50/ week to access content that I'd rather purchase outright for a reasonable price (see DVDs) either.
If Epic or any other publisher really expects to continue to use demos to promote their product THEY NEED TO FOOT THE FUCKING BANDWIDTH BILL. Just like in the early days of Quake, et al. A free demo isn't a free demo if you're bludgeoned into paying a subscription fee, or flooded with unnecessary Java download applets.
Lots of companies seem to think that subscriptions, or "software as a service" >spit are a sure way to "guaranteed revenue" in this post dotcom economy. They haven't done the fucking math, or they wouldn't be trying to charge $5 and more for the subscriptions. If you want an GUARANTEED revenue,l you're going to have to lower your per-head expectations. Because once EVERYONE is wanting their $5 of flesh a month, people will have to start making choices about what they reallty want/need, and YOUR product may be the one that gets flushed down the toilet.
Exactly. They're making more money off the DVD than they would off my ticket anyhow. Particularly since I Dont Go To The Theatre Ever.
I much prefer the environment of my home theatre to the average multiplex these days. If I want to see a film, I buy it after it comes out on DVD. I'm in no rush to go stand in line at the theatre and deal with screaming brats, bad sound, and all the other detritus associated with modern movie theatres.
The media companies need to get over this compulsive need to "control the experience". Yea big release date "events" feed the egos of the actors and directors, but they do nothing for the VIEWER.
Although I use Privoxy on Linux, when at work, I use Naviscope as my ad-blocker. Naviscope has the added benefit that I can leave javascript enabled at the browser, disable it through Naviscope, and selectively enable javascript for sites that I _want_ to be able to run javascript.
Privoxy allows even more granularity in disabling of specific javascript functions. I'm just getting started configuring it on the machine I'm using to proxy, but I'm VERY impressed. I've been using Naviscope for quite a while now, but I even point my windows box to the Privoxy host now.
how 'bout we offer an option which says "Software doesn't do what you want? Click here to ask the developer to cooperate with the five other software projects developing this functionality and come up with a single working project!"
As opposed to "Software doesnt do what you want? Too Damned Bad!"? Thats the way most software companies will treat an individual complaint. I've had excellent experiences working with open source developers on tools that I use. I can't always get what I want, but sometimes I do, just by asking. That would <u>never</u> happen if I made a request to say, Microsoft...
<i> A distro of this nature should only take one CD for all the binaries, including the developer tools - that is, if you only provide one package per piece of functionality. If there's a second disc it should be source and possibly language translations.</i>
I'll agree with that. Most retail distros are way to bloated. Knoppix demonstrates clearly that you can get a lot of USEFULL things on one CD. With room to spare.
<i>Calling your users lazy and illiterate, huh? You'll go far in the business world. I sure would love to be a customer of yours.</i>
He was being a bit extreme, but having done software support, lots of people miss the fact that most of their answers are right there in the manual. But of course they're too important to read the manual... until... "what's that you say? $85 for a support call? I'll read the manual!" (this is a $1K + product we're talking about)
Sarcasm aside, maybe most people don't f'ing CARE about the documentation. Maybe they're using the computer to gasp do real work - y'know, the kind that keeps the electricity running and food on your table? Of course, they are lazy and illiterate. I forgot.</i>
When I do work that keeps electricity running and food on the table, I don't generally have a problem with Reading the Instructions and learning how to use the tools provided for me. People (and Salespeople are the worst in this regard) who think they're too damned important to learn how to use the tools they need to do their job need to find another line of work. Like digging ditches.
It's not that difficult. Now if the Documentation is bad, that's something that needs to be fixed...
Not trying to bust your chops.
I love Knoppix. I already use it as a rescue disk, and to get distccd going on my windows boxes when they're not in use for Windows so they can help compile packages for the distribution that I do use, Gentoo.
Portage is vastly superior to RPM. I've been bitten by "RPM hell" as well.
Yes all you RPM mavens, I know that can be avoided by naming all the dependancies on the same line as the one you're installing, but honestly, why should I? Portage handles that, and concurrent version installation to boot. Have two packages with dependancies on different versions of gtk? no problem with Portage (IIRC, don't have that problem myself).
I'm doing more, and have learned more, with Gentoo than with any other distribution that I have used.
I'm not buying new hardware. Particularly not what I see as over-priced hardware
Not meant as a troll. Apple has a monopoly so they don't have to price competitively. There's nothing wrong with that in the slightest. It just doesn't fit with my budget at the moment. A new x86 PC doesn't fit in my budget at the moment either
I'm an Apple stock holder. I love their products in theory, but the only Apple computer I have is my MessagePad 100 (and an Apple IIe motherboard that a buddy gave me that I'll get around to ressusicating one day).
It simply doesn't apply to my current job, and with my stock options in the toilet, I don't have a lot of money to buy new equipment.
Gentoo is as close as anyone can get to "roll your own" distro right now, as far as I've seen. It's on every machine I have that doesn't need windows for one reason (games) or another (X-Card DivX;) decoder). And it runs on my current hardware (the price being right doesn't hurt either).
Does absolutely what I want. No more, no less.
One of these days I'll have a Mac again, but it's not on the "gotta have" priority list right now, because there's simply nothing that one can do that I need, that my current hardware can't already do with the right Linux software.
"Windows 98SE and ME perform critical and security updates automatically in the background."
Only if you're stupid enough to let them. I set mine to let me check manually, before I nuked them for Gentoo Linux. Anyone who lets his OS phone home on its own deserves what he gets.
"There has grown up in the minds of certain groups in this country the notion that because a man or a corporation has made a profit out of the public for a number of years, the government and the courts are charged with the duty of guaranteeing such profit in the future, even in the face of changing circumstances and contrary public interest. This strange doctrine is not supported by statute nor common law. Neither individuals nor corporations have any right to come into court and ask that the clock of history be stopped, or turned back, for their private benefit." -- Robert A. Heinlein
Quite simply, they're not entitled to charge for services that I have been providing for myself for several years now, despite what they may want. I'm not using any more bandwidth than joe average. Less, in fact. I don't allow peer-to peer clients. Too much security risk for my internal network. I do insist upon being able to access the services I have paid for from whatever computer I happen to be nearest to (I live alone, did I mention that?). I have enabled MYSELF using my OWN hardware to do that. I owe the ISP ZERO. There is NO net difference between my usage and the next guy on the block. My wireless network is blocked from internet access at the firewall. I use my wireless network for remote control purposes. My wireless network is none of my ISP's business. If they probe it, I'll take THEM down under the patriot act. There's no connection between my wireless network and their connection. I can prove it. They can't prove otherwise.
You're presuming the content of such a course is valid in all situations. Here is a simple FACT of nature. Have more children than you can support, and you starve. I don't need a liberal bleeding-heart college course to figure that out. Every species of animal in Africa can figure that out. Except, apparently, for Man.
The people being born may not be inferior, but their parents are making a STUPID choice by breeding under those conditions. Hence the Darwin reference. Stupidity tends to weed you out of the gene pool. Refrain from breeding until conditions are better, and your genes have a chance. Breed like rabbits when you cant even feed yourself, and you and your children will starve.
People already living in a shithole and unable to feed themselves can, however, decide not to have more children, if they have basic reasoning powers. As the majority of the "starving children" in that region are far younger than the conflict cutting off their food, I'd say it's Darwin in action there.
"Biodiesel is a great fuel since it produces no net carbon dioxide (all of the carbon in it was pulled from the air by the plants)"
While I won't deny the obvious benefits of Biodiesel, I have to point out that, as petrochemicals are the fossilized remains of plantlife from the distant past, all of that carbon was pulled from the air by plants, too.
" It can also be used just to break down comuters "
There are a couple commuters that I interacted with on my drive home that I'd like to volunteer for this process. Maybe that'll teach the others to put down the phone and DRIVE.
I take it from the provided links that Adobe expects users to pay $200+ to use those fonts? (complete sets anyhow, get each variation for only $35 each).
I don't get it. they expect to make money that way? as an end user I'll just say "fuck it, I'll use my default fonts who cares what those look like".
I could be wrong, but I follow the links you provide, and I see absurd price schedules.
The impression that I got was that the Nitrous Oxide was used instead of pure O2 because it's stable and easy to store, and won't oxidize with the solid fuel until sufficient heat is present to start the reaction. The Nitrogen might also impart additional energy, but it really seemed to me from the documentation on the site that stability of storage was the important reason for the choice of that particular chemical for use in the hybrid motor.
I realize (now) that is what was being referred to, but the line is also used in Repo Man, IMHO a much better film, albeit not time-travel related.
Excellent Repo Man reference.
While a USB NIC might be sufficient for game play, I highly doubt that USB 1.1 throughput is sufficient for Over-the-Lan video playback. It's not even really adequate for USB connected tuners (relatively low res). That's probably the reason for the lack of support.
tour=your
the one time I forget to preview...
"If they both decide to carry on doing this, there is nothing you can do about it."
Sure there is. I can refuse traffic from their networks. I'm not their customer, and I owe them nothing.
Peering on the net is a good-will arrangement. Violate that good-will and watch tour peering agreements degrade.
Well now, if he's referring to his private mail-reader settings, that's his choice, isn't it?
I haven't done that yet, but I also don't give out the email address I actually USE to anyone I don't trust.
Seriously. If someone has sufficient bad traffic from those three domains to write them off as worthless, who are you to judge him?
AOL is breaking the RFC. They should be blackholed. I plan to bounce all AOL email that lands on my private server until such a time as somone successfully beats them with a LART bat.
Of course. Obviously holders of conservative veiwpoints can't be allowed to excercise free speech or press.
Do you somehow think that HBO will come off as "more conservative" over the satellite if Rupert Murdoch owns DirecTV? Will it Janine Garafollo suddenly stop in the middle of a Comedy Special and launch into a Pro-Bush, Pro-War propeganda dialog on the "DirectTV" version of the broadcast?
How about the News... oh wait he already owns FoxNews.
How exactly will this change things again?
I'm not a big fan of the guy, but aren't we being just a wee bit paranoid here?
Well at least I know to take nothing on Slashdot seriously for about 30 hours or so...
I noticed a major slowdown in Mozilla after the last security patch as well. That's speeded up my migration of my workstation at the office to Gentoo Linux, and away from Windows.