I wouldn't want to use WMP in Linux. The whole point of using Linux in my opinion is to extricate myself from proprietary systems. Anyone who makes media in only WMP format obviously is not sympathetic to that goal. Perhaps I'm too weak to resist it once in a while, and I'll have to boot into Windows to view a trailer or to play a game, but I want to make that explicit. This is a compromise. I'm willing to do it but I'm trying to fix it.
What looks better on a resume: "Developed custom applications for automatic formatting and publishing a news website" or "Found free software to do my job so I could play more Everquest"?
"Found free software to do my job so I could write a GPLed Everquest clone."
Hmm... Yeah, I'm probably thinking from an old-school RISC point of view rather than a modern CISC architecture. Shows you how I know nothing about IA-32. Thanks.
delayed branching? Now that's something that can save a whole lot of time in some kernel code. It can also confuse the hell out of someone looking at assembly code!
My favourite is Dr. Suess: 'Gandalf, Gandalf! Take the ring! I am too small to carry this thing!' 'I can not, will not hold the One. You have a slim chance, but I have none. I will not take it on a boat, I will not take it across a moat. I cannot take it under Moria, that's one thing I can't do for ya. I would not bring it into Mordor, I would not make it to the border.'
I have to believe that Dr. Suess would be a much better writer than that.
That said, I know because I asked that the preparers have to go through a several week course, and pass a final test with at least 80-85% competency or they wash out of the program.
I think my experience trumps yours here. I took the H&R Block course. There were quite a few incompetent people taking it with me. And not a single one of them failed.
Some are also trained as Financial Advisors or Loan Advisors for Block subsidiaries, so they can sometimes point out methods of saving additional tax $ based on good investments, mortgage refinancing, etc..
And the vast majority aren't, and are specifically informed that they "are not auditors" and therefore are not supposed to advise their clients on any tax issues. They are merely supposed to ask the proper questions (which appear on their computer screen) and type them into the computer.
As for their offer to check past returns, you should realize that the people doing that checking essentially aren't getting paid by H&R Block to do it. See there is a minimal hourly salary, but it is drawn against a commission structure. All but the most incompetent employees earn more off commissions, so they aren't paid anything when there aren't any customers, so Block gives them some busy work during the slow hours checking other people's returns.
Obviously if you double check a lot of returns, you're going to come up with a lot of mistakes. I've come up with thousand dollar mistakes checking H&R Block returns from previous years, so it's not like H&R Block is special there.
Those who can do. Those who can't work for H&R Block.
Main thing for me as a small consulting company owner is that you know you're not dealing with an Enron-esque company -- their ethics and credibility are top notch.
Ha! H&R Block has been sued over and over again by the IRS for ripping off their customers. And that's just things that the company itself was responsible for. The employees pull even bigger scams.
You have to file ONLY the 1040-EZ and make less than $25K, but since that's what I've filed the last 5 years, it's no real problem for me (yeah being a student!).
Last year I used them to file a 1040 for free (had capital gains so I couldn't use the EZ or A). I don't see where it says you have to use a 1040-EZ.
Or, pay an actual human being to do your taxes. I've never done it but I understand they know all about the loopholes and stuff.
We may know about some of the loopholes (although I wouldn't call them loopholes, then you'd be evading taxes), but most of them can't really help you until the next year. Of course, going with a professional might help ensure that you get all the deductions that you deserve. I'd hardly call that a loophole.
Just don't go with H&R Block. They don't do very much more then act as typists into the software you can buy much more cheaply.
I'm serious. If you're going to get technical, then so am I. I think it's clear that the DMCA is supposed to stop this. The question is whether or not it technically does.
Even if we assume the processor is copyrighted, consider who holds that copyright (it ain't Microsoft) and whether that processor is available in products other than the XBox (which would make the XBox's mechanisms not "effectively" limit access).
The fact that Microsoft doesn't own the copyright on the processor is directly analogous to the fact that Adobe doesn't own the copyright on most E-books.
As for whether it matters that some processors are distributed freely, it doesn't. Just like the fact that Steven King gives away a few free books doesn't mean he can't protect other copies of the same book using Adobe's e-book format.
If you're serious, I think you're trying to warp the DMCA's intent beyond even the MPAA's wildest dreams.
The MPAA's dreams are rather irrelevant here, since we're not talking about motion pictures or anything remotely like them.
Do you believe that the DMCA stops me from distributing a crack which extends the free trial on VMWare? Because I think that's certainly the intent, and I don't see how this is any different.
Remember, stopping people from copying isn't the sole power given to Congress under the Copyright Clause. And the DMCA(*) doesn't mention copying at all.
(*) Actually I should call it Section 1201, since the DMCA has many parts to it separate from the copyright protection systems.
Cracking this key would "bypass a mechanism" but it would not "bypass a mechanism that limits access to a copyrighted work." We're talking about a key that is used for authentication, not encryption.
If they're smart they'll promote it. Getting anti-Microsoft fanatics wasting CPU cycles on a project which isn't likely to come up with anything useful for the next decade is a good thing for Microsoft.
The private key isn't a mechanism? Isn't that the essence of DeCSS?
I think certainly distribution of the actual private key would violate the DMCA. But does distribution of keys which are not the private key qualify? I doubt it.
As implemented, I have to agree with you, but it does seem like a step in the right direction. One place that seems directly useful is with mp3 collections. Sure, you can do it with sym or hard links, but that's a lot more of a PITA. You can also do it with individual programs, but then you are stuck to using certain programs. I'd be interested in seeing where all the metadata is stored, though. I'd be afraid to use it for fear of loss of that metadata.
They need to join a group of other retards who are also scared to be independent. Safety in numbers. Most college students in the US are not members of fraternities or sororities.
That's right. Be different! Be independent! Just like most people are!
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I wouldn't want to use WMP in Linux. The whole point of using Linux in my opinion is to extricate myself from proprietary systems. Anyone who makes media in only WMP format obviously is not sympathetic to that goal. Perhaps I'm too weak to resist it once in a while, and I'll have to boot into Windows to view a trailer or to play a game, but I want to make that explicit. This is a compromise. I'm willing to do it but I'm trying to fix it.
If linux zealots want to attract them, and doesn't want to use Microsoft products, then they need to create their own DRM players.
If you don't like it, don't use the products of those content providers.
What looks better on a resume: "Developed custom applications for automatic formatting and publishing a news website" or "Found free software to do my job so I could play more Everquest"?
"Found free software to do my job so I could write a GPLed Everquest clone."
Hmm... Yeah, I'm probably thinking from an old-school RISC point of view rather than a modern CISC architecture. Shows you how I know nothing about IA-32. Thanks.
delayed branching? Now that's something that can save a whole lot of time in some kernel code. It can also confuse the hell out of someone looking at assembly code!
My favourite is Dr. Suess: 'Gandalf, Gandalf! Take the ring! I am too small to carry this thing!' 'I can not, will not hold the One. You have a slim chance, but I have none. I will not take it on a boat, I will not take it across a moat. I cannot take it under Moria, that's one thing I can't do for ya. I would not bring it into Mordor, I would not make it to the border.'
I have to believe that Dr. Suess would be a much better writer than that.
That said, I know because I asked that the preparers have to go through a several week course, and pass a final test with at least 80-85% competency or they wash out of the program.
I think my experience trumps yours here. I took the H&R Block course. There were quite a few incompetent people taking it with me. And not a single one of them failed.
Some are also trained as Financial Advisors or Loan Advisors for Block subsidiaries, so they can sometimes point out methods of saving additional tax $ based on good investments, mortgage refinancing, etc..
And the vast majority aren't, and are specifically informed that they "are not auditors" and therefore are not supposed to advise their clients on any tax issues. They are merely supposed to ask the proper questions (which appear on their computer screen) and type them into the computer.
As for their offer to check past returns, you should realize that the people doing that checking essentially aren't getting paid by H&R Block to do it. See there is a minimal hourly salary, but it is drawn against a commission structure. All but the most incompetent employees earn more off commissions, so they aren't paid anything when there aren't any customers, so Block gives them some busy work during the slow hours checking other people's returns.
Obviously if you double check a lot of returns, you're going to come up with a lot of mistakes. I've come up with thousand dollar mistakes checking H&R Block returns from previous years, so it's not like H&R Block is special there.
Those who can do. Those who can't work for H&R Block.
Main thing for me as a small consulting company owner is that you know you're not dealing with an Enron-esque company -- their ethics and credibility are top notch.
Ha! H&R Block has been sued over and over again by the IRS for ripping off their customers. And that's just things that the company itself was responsible for. The employees pull even bigger scams.
Depends. The poster wasn't clear on whether or not he intended to eliminate the regressive FICA tax.
You have to file ONLY the 1040-EZ and make less than $25K, but since that's what I've filed the last 5 years, it's no real problem for me (yeah being a student!).
Last year I used them to file a 1040 for free (had capital gains so I couldn't use the EZ or A). I don't see where it says you have to use a 1040-EZ.
Send me your information and I'll e-file for ya, or to locate other authorized e-file providers go to this page.
Or, pay an actual human being to do your taxes. I've never done it but I understand they know all about the loopholes and stuff.
We may know about some of the loopholes (although I wouldn't call them loopholes, then you'd be evading taxes), but most of them can't really help you until the next year. Of course, going with a professional might help ensure that you get all the deductions that you deserve. I'd hardly call that a loophole.
Just don't go with H&R Block. They don't do very much more then act as typists into the software you can buy much more cheaply.
Even if we assume the processor is copyrighted, consider who holds that copyright (it ain't Microsoft) and whether that processor is available in products other than the XBox (which would make the XBox's mechanisms not "effectively" limit access).
The fact that Microsoft doesn't own the copyright on the processor is directly analogous to the fact that Adobe doesn't own the copyright on most E-books.
As for whether it matters that some processors are distributed freely, it doesn't. Just like the fact that Steven King gives away a few free books doesn't mean he can't protect other copies of the same book using Adobe's e-book format.
If you're serious, I think you're trying to warp the DMCA's intent beyond even the MPAA's wildest dreams.
The MPAA's dreams are rather irrelevant here, since we're not talking about motion pictures or anything remotely like them.
Do you believe that the DMCA stops me from distributing a crack which extends the free trial on VMWare? Because I think that's certainly the intent, and I don't see how this is any different.
Remember, stopping people from copying isn't the sole power given to Congress under the Copyright Clause. And the DMCA(*) doesn't mention copying at all.
(*) Actually I should call it Section 1201, since the DMCA has many parts to it separate from the copyright protection systems.
See ya. Be sure to bring a lot of blankets.
OK. Isn't the processor a copyrighted work?
Cracking this key would "bypass a mechanism" but it would not "bypass a mechanism that limits access to a copyrighted work." We're talking about a key that is used for authentication, not encryption.
Isn't the xbox bios a copyrighted work?
If they're smart they'll promote it. Getting anti-Microsoft fanatics wasting CPU cycles on a project which isn't likely to come up with anything useful for the next decade is a good thing for Microsoft.
You're probably right, especially if Kaplan's precedent holds.
The private key isn't a mechanism? Isn't that the essence of DeCSS?
I think certainly distribution of the actual private key would violate the DMCA. But does distribution of keys which are not the private key qualify? I doubt it.
As soon as someone resubmits them.
As implemented, I have to agree with you, but it does seem like a step in the right direction. One place that seems directly useful is with mp3 collections. Sure, you can do it with sym or hard links, but that's a lot more of a PITA. You can also do it with individual programs, but then you are stuck to using certain programs. I'd be interested in seeing where all the metadata is stored, though. I'd be afraid to use it for fear of loss of that metadata.
'cause it's so much harder to just tax gasoline.
They need to join a group of other retards who are also scared to be independent. Safety in numbers. Most college students in the US are not members of fraternities or sororities.
That's right. Be different! Be independent! Just like most people are!
It is nonsense to judge a college by who they ADMIT.
Judge a college by who they PRODUCE.
I hear NYU has a high rate of student pregnancy. Guess they PRODUCE a lot of our country's best.
C'mon. Colleges don't produce people. Sex produces people.
The fact that "c" = "c" only in a perfect vacuum tends to escape most people.
Show them this. It makes more sense.
You can't measure speed of GSM-phone accurately enough to convict people of speeding.
Depends how fast you're going and how far you're tracked while going that speed.