"Obviously demented"? No. I just don't share your views, that's all. No need to flame. And as far as the US population being sheeple or not, I think as long as the masses have beer and football they would sit passively through nearly any legislation. Ask your average person here what DRM or the Patriot act is, and they have no clue.
Besides, one more point to consider: most of the "successful" segment of the US population stops at about 2 kids anyway. The bulk of the families with more than 2 seem to be getting some form of governemnt aid (not all of them, but enough). One thing I love about my country is that money talks, and if the population can save money by enacting some unpalatable legislation it has a much better chance of getting passed.
Given the government's nationalistic leanings, I suspect that something will be done about this, they won't want to rely on Chinese marrying women of other ancestries in order to reproduce.
I doubt it, since the whole point of the one child, one family policy was to reduce the population. Seems like removing the breeders is a darn good way to bring this about, eh?
Incidentally, I think that law or a variation thereof should have made this top 10 list, as it is one way China is ahead of the US. I think the US is headed for the same population trouble, and limiting an individual's reproductive freedom to replacement only (2 children per family) is a likely scenario at some future point (barring major military deaths, of course).
I would say that the electoral college was more of a holdover from the past than a cunning plan of the founding fathers. Remember, in the early days of this union, travel times were much longer and information didn't flow as freely. Electing officials to vote on your behalf was the only reasonable choice given the technology of the time. We are a republic because it was necessity, but it's time to evolve into the democracy we have always claimed to be.
These "GO VOTE" campaigns really crack me up. You see scads of ads telling everyone to vote, but nobody seems to mention that the vote of the people in the presidential race doesn't matter a tinkers damn...
We need a flat tax, no exemptions, no deductions, everyone pays the same percentage. Not only is it the only fair way, but it will also reign in Congress on the spending woes.
"Well, this spending we are proposing will cost xxx and since the total taxable income is yyy, that means your tax rate will increase by xxx/yyy % to support it."
If people start to see that government money isn't "free", the frivolous spending would stop really quick. As it is now, a 80 billion dollar spending spree means very little... Because nobody knows exactly how it impacts their taxes.;-)
In fact, I bet the author violated the DMCA when he registered takedown notices on himself, because he did it in "bad faith". Or something like that...
Well, it's moot since the license originally went with a fried eMachines that I bought for parts. I think I need to use the actual case to make the license TRULY legal, but it's ugly as sin.;-)
And IIRC, shouldn't any good (read: non-XP) firewall automatically be blocking these ports (or atleast 445) right out-of-the-box?
Forgive my ignorance, but shouldn't the lightweight consumer-grade routers (Linksys and such) with NAT be effective as well at blocking this sort of thing?
Up until this week, I was running 98SE on my entire gaming LAN (14 machines, not counting servers). Since I upgraded my comp to a 160GB RAID0 array and 1GB DDR, I installed a legal XP Home copy that I accquired for free from a fried OEM. I've not seen any improvements to performance (it's gone down compared to the same machine with 512DDR), stability, or really any improvements at all. In fact, a few of my old games (Mechwarrior 3, for example) don't like XP at all.
I would normally never install XP anyway because of the licensing baggange and activation BS, but all my real work is done on RH9 and a kvm. Since there will be nothing on the XP machine but games, I figured I would be safe to upgrade.
I'm probably going back to 98, to be honest. For my needs, XP just was not the answer. YMMV.
Like I said, it's bells and whistles. I was looking through the options for UT2K4 last night, and I'd LOVE to play at 1600x1200x32 with all the options pegged. I don't think it's worth $5k to do so, but obviously there are people who do.
I doubt it could really help my game any, as far as competitiveness and enjoyment goes. It would certainly give me the warm fuzzies, however.;-)
Yeah, I run RAID0 for more speed. To be honest, though, all the fast HDD does for you is get you into the level quicker. I am hard pressed to think of multiplayer games that access the HDD ingame... Newer physics engines need more CPU though, and that can bottleneck your vid card in short order.
The graphics and CPU supremacy races have really gotten the hardware ahead of the software. If you want all the bells and whistles, you'll need an uber rig, but even 2 year old components will run new games just fine. UT2K4 still runs great on my 2600XP and original GF3 card...
Of course, most premade systems are still "lacking" for serious gaming, and not everyone can "roll their own" computer.
IANA math major, but I think that means 2 days per patent, not two patents per day. That means 8.5 to 12.5 hours per day, which is still quite a stint in the office...
""Last time I checked, I was well within the bounds of 'fair use'"
Yes, it is, and the RIAA has actually affirmed that on multiple occasions."
Sure, but what happens with the new copy protected CDs that I may not be able to rip to MP3, but someone else can? My only recourse would be to get it from P2P at that point.
""Between the RIAA pushing DRM tech"
A very separate issue from their lawsuits... ""
Not really. DRM and P2P restrictions are 2 sides of the same attack, IMHO. I can't rip my legally purchased CDs and I can't download them for free, leaving my only option a legal DRM laden service that won't allow me fair use anyway. In the end, both efforts complement each other to remove my rights when I'm not the one violating their copyright. It is like you going on house arrest for something your neighbor did.
""...and their attack on my "legitimate" product replacement scheme"
They aren't going to sue you for downloading/ripping tracks from CD's you've paid for. "
Do you honestly think they'll check with me before they raid my home, seize my computer, and file a lawsuit? Somehow I'm skeptical that they'll ask to see my original media first, and if I procure it later they'll claim I bought it after the fact.
"Re:Here's an idea... (Score:1)
by goldspider (445116) on Wednesday May 26, @02:01PM (#9261232)
"Last time I checked, I was well within the bounds of 'fair use'"
Yes, it is, and the RIAA has actually affirmed that on multiple occasions.
"Between the RIAA pushing DRM tech"
A very separate issue from their lawsuits...
"...and their attack on my "legitimate" product replacement scheme"
They aren't going to sue you for downloading/ripping tracks from CD's you've paid for.
"You can't claim everyone that uses P2P is a pirate"
And that's why the RIAA is going after individuals who they believe are 'pirating' music. What's wrong with them going after individuals who are illegally distributing music they don't have lisense to?"
Well, the person who hosted the files I needed to replace my damaged disk didn't actually break any laws from our transaction, since I already owned the rights to listen to the music. That's shaky ground for a prosecution, because hosting the files actually does have non-infringing uses and yet guilt in copyright violation is assumed. As of right now, they are not checking to see if the people who download from a particular hoster are actually doing it illegally, they are simply making an assumption. They are in effect claiming that everyone who uses P2P is a "pirate".
I don't download any music I don't have the rights to, but I certainly enjoy my right to rip my LEGALLY PURCHASED cds to MP3 for use on my MP3 player and home network. I also have used P2P services to get replacement tracks for a couple older legally purchased CDs that were scratched beyond repair. Last time I checked, I was well within the bounds of "fair use"... For now.
Between the RIAA pushing DRM tech and their attack on my "legitimate" product replacement scheme, it's easy to see why I resent them. You can't claim everyone that uses P2P is a pirate, not anymore than you can say everyone who uses a photocopier is stealing.
The bottom line is, I should not have to lose my rights to prop up their business model.
Slashdot Mirror
Besides, one more point to consider: most of the "successful" segment of the US population stops at about 2 kids anyway. The bulk of the families with more than 2 seem to be getting some form of governemnt aid (not all of them, but enough). One thing I love about my country is that money talks, and if the population can save money by enacting some unpalatable legislation it has a much better chance of getting passed.
That aspect I did not know, but really it won't be too terribly effective since only a male child carries the family name...
I doubt it, since the whole point of the one child, one family policy was to reduce the population. Seems like removing the breeders is a darn good way to bring this about, eh?
Incidentally, I think that law or a variation thereof should have made this top 10 list, as it is one way China is ahead of the US. I think the US is headed for the same population trouble, and limiting an individual's reproductive freedom to replacement only (2 children per family) is a likely scenario at some future point (barring major military deaths, of course).
These "GO VOTE" campaigns really crack me up. You see scads of ads telling everyone to vote, but nobody seems to mention that the vote of the people in the presidential race doesn't matter a tinkers damn...
"Well, this spending we are proposing will cost xxx and since the total taxable income is yyy, that means your tax rate will increase by xxx/yyy % to support it."
If people start to see that government money isn't "free", the frivolous spending would stop really quick. As it is now, a 80 billion dollar spending spree means very little... Because nobody knows exactly how it impacts their taxes. ;-)
Personally, I'd have named the company Novel Alternative Defense Systems. ;-)
In fact, I bet the author violated the DMCA when he registered takedown notices on himself, because he did it in "bad faith". Or something like that...
Neither. The ROOSTER came first. ;-)
It's the laptop, duh.... Primarily because most of us will find a use for the laptop in our lifetime. ;-)
Well, it's moot since the license originally went with a fried eMachines that I bought for parts. I think I need to use the actual case to make the license TRULY legal, but it's ugly as sin. ;-)
Maybe it's just me.
My Linksys used NAT by default. No setup needed...
Forgive my ignorance, but shouldn't the lightweight consumer-grade routers (Linksys and such) with NAT be effective as well at blocking this sort of thing?
I would normally never install XP anyway because of the licensing baggange and activation BS, but all my real work is done on RH9 and a kvm. Since there will be nothing on the XP machine but games, I figured I would be safe to upgrade.
I'm probably going back to 98, to be honest. For my needs, XP just was not the answer. YMMV.
Security through obscurity!!!.... Or at least old age...
Because Harley riders stole his tassles? ;-)
I'm a decent person, but... That's not what I'd have done. I'd have stopped and yelled at the dad for leaving his 3 year old girl unsupervised...
I doubt it could really help my game any, as far as competitiveness and enjoyment goes. It would certainly give me the warm fuzzies, however. ;-)
Yeah, I run RAID0 for more speed. To be honest, though, all the fast HDD does for you is get you into the level quicker. I am hard pressed to think of multiplayer games that access the HDD ingame... Newer physics engines need more CPU though, and that can bottleneck your vid card in short order.
A lot of people have Windows on their PC... :P
Of course, most premade systems are still "lacking" for serious gaming, and not everyone can "roll their own" computer.
IANA math major, but I think that means 2 days per patent, not two patents per day. That means 8.5 to 12.5 hours per day, which is still quite a stint in the office...
Yes, it is, and the RIAA has actually affirmed that on multiple occasions."
Sure, but what happens with the new copy protected CDs that I may not be able to rip to MP3, but someone else can? My only recourse would be to get it from P2P at that point.
""Between the RIAA pushing DRM tech"
A very separate issue from their lawsuits... ""
Not really. DRM and P2P restrictions are 2 sides of the same attack, IMHO. I can't rip my legally purchased CDs and I can't download them for free, leaving my only option a legal DRM laden service that won't allow me fair use anyway. In the end, both efforts complement each other to remove my rights when I'm not the one violating their copyright. It is like you going on house arrest for something your neighbor did.
""...and their attack on my "legitimate" product replacement scheme"
They aren't going to sue you for downloading/ripping tracks from CD's you've paid for. "
Do you honestly think they'll check with me before they raid my home, seize my computer, and file a lawsuit? Somehow I'm skeptical that they'll ask to see my original media first, and if I procure it later they'll claim I bought it after the fact.
"Re:Here's an idea... (Score:1) by goldspider (445116) on Wednesday May 26, @02:01PM (#9261232) "Last time I checked, I was well within the bounds of 'fair use'" Yes, it is, and the RIAA has actually affirmed that on multiple occasions. "Between the RIAA pushing DRM tech" A very separate issue from their lawsuits... "...and their attack on my "legitimate" product replacement scheme" They aren't going to sue you for downloading/ripping tracks from CD's you've paid for. "You can't claim everyone that uses P2P is a pirate"
And that's why the RIAA is going after individuals who they believe are 'pirating' music. What's wrong with them going after individuals who are illegally distributing music they don't have lisense to?"
Well, the person who hosted the files I needed to replace my damaged disk didn't actually break any laws from our transaction, since I already owned the rights to listen to the music. That's shaky ground for a prosecution, because hosting the files actually does have non-infringing uses and yet guilt in copyright violation is assumed. As of right now, they are not checking to see if the people who download from a particular hoster are actually doing it illegally, they are simply making an assumption. They are in effect claiming that everyone who uses P2P is a "pirate".
Between the RIAA pushing DRM tech and their attack on my "legitimate" product replacement scheme, it's easy to see why I resent them. You can't claim everyone that uses P2P is a pirate, not anymore than you can say everyone who uses a photocopier is stealing.
The bottom line is, I should not have to lose my rights to prop up their business model.
They could even use "Clippy" for a mascot, but it wouldn't be a damn paper clip this time. :-)