"I was under the impression that purchasers of stolen merchandise could expect it to be seized by the police (who would return it to the owner) and not recover any of the money they spent buying it unless they took action against the thief. Is that not the case in Florida?"
They voted on it and are in the middle of their third recount...
Grandparent didn't say "sneak it by them" but just to work the rights to use the music into their commercials into the contract they have with the artist. Slim Shady certainly has lawyers who would see those rights had been written into said contracts.
The suggestion doesn't seem out of line and I bet Apple actually starts doing this to some extent.
Do you know how often I hear someone say they cant find something on Google?
Then I walk over and find it within 2 minutes.
People still don't really know how to use search engines. They don't use enough keywords or the right ones.
I wont use Yahoo for Search. I think they are hella shady with their privacy policies (they switched my preferences when "aquiring" new services from 3rd parties which I was a member of).
Their games and fantasy sports stuff is fun though. Its all about the value they give me when it comes to my privacy.
Though many artists release vocal only tracks for guys like this to do remixing, I am not sure what all of the hub bub is about.
I downloaded some of said tracks and while its fairly tight, nothing I have heard (after 6 songs or so) really impressed me. I love remixes, but frankly, I think the originals are much better and I'm not necessarily a huge Jay-Z fan.
You want to hear unbelievable Jay-Z tracks? Listen to those where he plays with the Roots. They play behind him live and *they* are so tight, it makes tears come to your eyes. They make Jay-Z sound unreal and that's why he brings them on tour at times.
Frankly, this guy is doing nothing new. Diggable Planets were sampling their label's old music 12 years ago, legally.
I will give him props for spending what must have taken a long time to sample and arrainge these songs.
But at what point are you not really adding anything to the music? Much of the Beatles samples seem a little out of place. Yes, the Beatles were ahead of their time, but (comming from someone who listens to more hip hop and rap than anything else) so far all of DJ Danger Mouse's versions just aren't that good.
You want to hear examples of producers who REALLY accentuate an artist (in the hip hop genre), look for Dr. Dre, Timberland and Pharrell. They are absolutely nasty and have the ability to create music as well as sample.
I'm not sure how this guy has contributed more than his ear for music and his time to slice samples. This is nothing new. People have done this for 15 years now.
I read this article when it was in the magazine and distictly remember the owner of one of the synthetic diamond startups say that it cost him dollars per carat to create one.
He got the machines from Russia.
I'll be damned that now, at least according to the initial listing on/., that the price per carat is now $4k?!?!?
They are all greedy pigs.
Folks, next time you need to buy diamonds, buy from each other. I don't believe for a second that the "new" diamonds you buy in stores are often used ones anyway. We all have realatives who are passing on who's diamonds can be sold to one another.
There is room for a business that independantly verifies quality and clarity when you are buying it not in person...
spot on - I have never, ever based a purchase on amazon on the review that was posted there. Let the authors waste their time fudging them if they want.
At the same time, anyone who would base a decision on an *anonymous* review is likely to waste a lot of money in life.
"The Sinfonia is a device that stores samples of every instrument involved in the orchestral score and permits an operator to provide the instrumental performances to represent the missing conventional instrumentalists. The Union understands there are no trained operators in the UK at present."
Well hell, its not like there isn't room for any of those musicians to learn the Sinfonia and get what is likely a higher paying gig than they were getting. If you don't think other musicals aren't going to follow suit, you're crazy.
Often unions will stand up for members who are going to lose benefits (like here in the NE, where Stop and Shop is trying to take away benefits and stop paying time and a half on Sundays and holidays) but then you have the musician's union trying hard to not let progress follow through. If the audience doesn't like it, the situation will be reverted. If the audience doesn't care, then it is natural progression for Sinfonia to have a roll.
I liken it to how the american baseball union stepped in and stopped a trade that would send Arod (highest paid player in history) to be traded to the Red Sox because he and the team wanted to restructure his contract so that he'd get *over*paid only if the team were sucessful. The union stoped the trade because they didn't want a precident to show that baseball contracts for the best players that started in the past couple of years were, frankly, horribly overpaid and poorly structured. Most teams today can't and wont pay out contracts like that much to the chagrin of players who weren't lucky enough to sign a contract durring baseball's "dot com" era.
If the audience doesn't mind Sinfonia, it makes no sense that shows wouldn't use it. The end user should (and likely will) decide how this proceeds.
I completely agree that OSX exemplifies what you would like to see in a modern day OS. I just wont personally pay outrageous prices for hardware because of the OS. Especially because I remember the days where I COULD buy 3rd party hardware for Mac.
I do use a mac along with a PC for work, but only because I needed both a laptop and a mac to test web apps.
But if I paid the bills, I would have a dual boot laptop with Windows and Linux (prob Debian) because I would want the most for my money.
Now, if I needed to do presentations, I might think about a nice big powerbook.
I think Apple is "doing it right" with their OS, I just wont be extorted to use it. And when they stiffle competition (wait! did I say Apple stiffled competition???) by not allowing 3rd party competition, then I see little difference in their actions and Microsoft's except that Microsoft has managed to do so more sucessfully (monitarily).
Really, if I didn't get hardware and software for free, I'd likely move completely to open dource stuff...
"If you are really into high-quality analog video (film) seems to be still hanging around after all of these years"
As you know, there is a world of difference between video and film.
Media for film is expensive. It can be a cumbersome adventure and isn't for casual event capturing. Analog video (affordable ones anyway) is awful in comparison in terms of quality. Though it might not seem so on paper, there is a world of difference between my vhs-c camera and my digital-8. I refuse to use the vhs-c one unless I have to.
For not much more, he can have digital and its worth it.
Make sure it has analog pass through for all of those analog tapes you have that you want to archive...
best thing I can tell you, find one with analog pass through. Most of the lower end dv camcorders don't have this, but many Sonys do. It will allow you to play analog footage through the camera allowing you to capture firewire in real time without using the tape (which I find crazy that a "digital" camcorder still acts in a linear fashion). Anything that makes your camera's moving parts 'go' will reduce the life of your camera.
"Hate to break it to you, they're not 'joining the admirers', they're laughing their socks off at your gullibility."
pretty much what most people who don't own a powerbook or ipod do when they hear how much you paid for one.
really you should be modded "sour grapes".
Though I understand the differences between Apple's products and everyone else, most do not. Frankly, Apple's OS is worth an increase in price, but when you are talking about their hardware, Apple owners are paying a premium for style just like an owner of a Ferrari notebook will.
Google tries to weed this out, but its tough when the content is changed enough and the IPs are from different blocks for google's script to tell that it is the same owner.
I would certainly use their feedback form and if you have the google toolbar installed, you can click on the little frowny face to show your displeasure with the offending page(s).
As someone who subscribes to quite a few web marketing/desing/PR/SEO (search engine optimization) newsletters, I have NEVER heard so much bitching as I do from those who are weathering "Florida" which is the nickname they are giving to Google's recent re-ranking.
Frankly, these small companies who are putting all of their eggs in one basket by relying so heavily upon Google are destined to fail.
Google did the re-ranking to encourage folks to both pay for Adwords AND to make a push for Froogle (which is free as in you don't have to pay for listings!!)
Its amazing how people who are getting something for nothing can bitch when that something turns into what they generally have to put into it - nothing.
SEO isn't rocket science and those who would pay $5000 for it have too much money in their budget. I have achieved #1 rankings without implementing half of what I could to boost them otherwise....
paying out dividends is dependant upon the type of compnay. If its a mining company, maybe there is only so much growing they can do, it would make sense for them to pay out dividends if they had a surplus of money.
A company that makes money from technology and inovation needs to pump money into R&D and marketing. I wouldn't expect Microsoft to pay out dividends. You know before you buy a stock (or should) if they will pay dividends or not.
I am no fan of Microsoft, just you have a jaded view of businesses and how they work. You are thinking of a socialistic society where no one is very rich and everyone gets provided for.
Most people have a drive to make money. For profit companies have a drive to make money. If sucessful, they make as much money as they can. Your idea of reasonable profit has your own agenda mixed in.
While I don't like a lot of stuff Microsoft does, especially where they are headed. But so far, they have done what is necessary for them to be the king of the hill. I am glad they have stiff competition. It keeps everything cheaper and better. I wish Apple had competition with hardware. Apple gets away with charging to much and frankly, there is your biggest reason they aren't the king of the hill.
"Spoiler: making money is not a goal for companies, sa companies are allowed by the society because they are good for it's citicens (this argument can't be reversed). "
So you are saying you are right, I am wrong and no backsies?
making money IS the goal for all for-profit companies. If you don't make money, but instead lose money, you will soon be out of business. If a company's goal is to go out of business, they should stop worrying about making money.
Slashdot Mirror
"I was under the impression that purchasers of stolen merchandise could expect it to be seized by the police (who would return it to the owner) and not recover any of the money they spent buying it unless they took action against the thief. Is that not the case in Florida?"
They voted on it and are in the middle of their third recount...
I prefer to use Photshop
Now that you've finished ranting and raving...
Grandparent didn't say "sneak it by them" but just to work the rights to use the music into their commercials into the contract they have with the artist. Slim Shady certainly has lawyers who would see those rights had been written into said contracts.
The suggestion doesn't seem out of line and I bet Apple actually starts doing this to some extent.
Do you know how often I hear someone say they cant find something on Google?
Then I walk over and find it within 2 minutes.
People still don't really know how to use search engines. They don't use enough keywords or the right ones.
I wont use Yahoo for Search. I think they are hella shady with their privacy policies (they switched my preferences when "aquiring" new services from 3rd parties which I was a member of).
Their games and fantasy sports stuff is fun though. Its all about the value they give me when it comes to my privacy.
I trust Google, so they get my search querries.
I just downloaded a license from Kazza
How can micropayments work when banks are charging a transaction fee? Usually $0.25 I believe. Plus a percentage.
you must keep trim from your elevated blood pressure levels.
Your concern for the rest of us would likely be more effective if you didn't come off like lunatic...
Though many artists release vocal only tracks for guys like this to do remixing, I am not sure what all of the hub bub is about.
I downloaded some of said tracks and while its fairly tight, nothing I have heard (after 6 songs or so) really impressed me. I love remixes, but frankly, I think the originals are much better and I'm not necessarily a huge Jay-Z fan.
You want to hear unbelievable Jay-Z tracks? Listen to those where he plays with the Roots. They play behind him live and *they* are so tight, it makes tears come to your eyes. They make Jay-Z sound unreal and that's why he brings them on tour at times.
Frankly, this guy is doing nothing new. Diggable Planets were sampling their label's old music 12 years ago, legally.
I will give him props for spending what must have taken a long time to sample and arrainge these songs.
But at what point are you not really adding anything to the music? Much of the Beatles samples seem a little out of place. Yes, the Beatles were ahead of their time, but (comming from someone who listens to more hip hop and rap than anything else) so far all of DJ Danger Mouse's versions just aren't that good.
You want to hear examples of producers who REALLY accentuate an artist (in the hip hop genre), look for Dr. Dre, Timberland and Pharrell. They are absolutely nasty and have the ability to create music as well as sample.
I'm not sure how this guy has contributed more than his ear for music and his time to slice samples. This is nothing new. People have done this for 15 years now.
I read this article when it was in the magazine and distictly remember the owner of one of the synthetic diamond startups say that it cost him dollars per carat to create one.
/., that the price per carat is now $4k?!?!?
He got the machines from Russia.
I'll be damned that now, at least according to the initial listing on
They are all greedy pigs.
Folks, next time you need to buy diamonds, buy from each other. I don't believe for a second that the "new" diamonds you buy in stores are often used ones anyway. We all have realatives who are passing on who's diamonds can be sold to one another.
There is room for a business that independantly verifies quality and clarity when you are buying it not in person...
spot on - I have never, ever based a purchase on amazon on the review that was posted there. Let the authors waste their time fudging them if they want.
At the same time, anyone who would base a decision on an *anonymous* review is likely to waste a lot of money in life.
"The Sinfonia is a device that stores samples of every instrument involved in the orchestral score and permits an operator to provide the instrumental performances to represent the missing conventional instrumentalists. The Union understands there are no trained operators in the UK at present."
Well hell, its not like there isn't room for any of those musicians to learn the Sinfonia and get what is likely a higher paying gig than they were getting. If you don't think other musicals aren't going to follow suit, you're crazy.
Often unions will stand up for members who are going to lose benefits (like here in the NE, where Stop and Shop is trying to take away benefits and stop paying time and a half on Sundays and holidays) but then you have the musician's union trying hard to not let progress follow through. If the audience doesn't like it, the situation will be reverted. If the audience doesn't care, then it is natural progression for Sinfonia to have a roll.
I liken it to how the american baseball union stepped in and stopped a trade that would send Arod (highest paid player in history) to be traded to the Red Sox because he and the team wanted to restructure his contract so that he'd get *over*paid only if the team were sucessful. The union stoped the trade because they didn't want a precident to show that baseball contracts for the best players that started in the past couple of years were, frankly, horribly overpaid and poorly structured. Most teams today can't and wont pay out contracts like that much to the chagrin of players who weren't lucky enough to sign a contract durring baseball's "dot com" era.
If the audience doesn't mind Sinfonia, it makes no sense that shows wouldn't use it. The end user should (and likely will) decide how this proceeds.
Then Consumer Reports has your personal data.
What a vicious cycle
I completely agree that OSX exemplifies what you would like to see in a modern day OS. I just wont personally pay outrageous prices for hardware because of the OS. Especially because I remember the days where I COULD buy 3rd party hardware for Mac.
I do use a mac along with a PC for work, but only because I needed both a laptop and a mac to test web apps.
But if I paid the bills, I would have a dual boot laptop with Windows and Linux (prob Debian) because I would want the most for my money.
Now, if I needed to do presentations, I might think about a nice big powerbook.
I think Apple is "doing it right" with their OS, I just wont be extorted to use it. And when they stiffle competition (wait! did I say Apple stiffled competition???) by not allowing 3rd party competition, then I see little difference in their actions and Microsoft's except that Microsoft has managed to do so more sucessfully (monitarily).
Really, if I didn't get hardware and software for free, I'd likely move completely to open dource stuff...
"If you are really into high-quality analog video (film) seems to be still hanging around after all of these years"
As you know, there is a world of difference between video and film.
Media for film is expensive. It can be a cumbersome adventure and isn't for casual event capturing. Analog video (affordable ones anyway) is awful in comparison in terms of quality. Though it might not seem so on paper, there is a world of difference between my vhs-c camera and my digital-8. I refuse to use the vhs-c one unless I have to.
For not much more, he can have digital and its worth it.
Make sure it has analog pass through for all of those analog tapes you have that you want to archive...
Digital will still give him some of the best quality for the buck.
If he stays analog, his choices are VHS-C (crappy), SVHS (slightly less crappy), Betacam (expensive) and I'm not sure what else (anyone?)
It would be tough to find a decent analog camcorder these days.
the one that matterrs is optical, not digital. My experience is that digital zooms are as useless as tits on a bull.
you don't need hardware based effects.
best thing I can tell you, find one with analog pass through. Most of the lower end dv camcorders don't have this, but many Sonys do. It will allow you to play analog footage through the camera allowing you to capture firewire in real time without using the tape (which I find crazy that a "digital" camcorder still acts in a linear fashion). Anything that makes your camera's moving parts 'go' will reduce the life of your camera.
"Hate to break it to you, they're not 'joining the admirers', they're laughing their socks off at your gullibility."
pretty much what most people who don't own a powerbook or ipod do when they hear how much you paid for one.
really you should be modded "sour grapes".
Though I understand the differences between Apple's products and everyone else, most do not. Frankly, Apple's OS is worth an increase in price, but when you are talking about their hardware, Apple owners are paying a premium for style just like an owner of a Ferrari notebook will.
No, no...
Australia is a prison colony. Thus I don't understand why rampant theivery isn't condoned officially.
Google tries to weed this out, but its tough when the content is changed enough and the IPs are from different blocks for google's script to tell that it is the same owner.
I would certainly use their feedback form and if you have the google toolbar installed, you can click on the little frowny face to show your displeasure with the offending page(s).
As someone who subscribes to quite a few web marketing/desing/PR/SEO (search engine optimization) newsletters, I have NEVER heard so much bitching as I do from those who are weathering "Florida" which is the nickname they are giving to Google's recent re-ranking.
Frankly, these small companies who are putting all of their eggs in one basket by relying so heavily upon Google are destined to fail.
Google did the re-ranking to encourage folks to both pay for Adwords AND to make a push for Froogle (which is free as in you don't have to pay for listings!!)
Its amazing how people who are getting something for nothing can bitch when that something turns into what they generally have to put into it - nothing.
SEO isn't rocket science and those who would pay $5000 for it have too much money in their budget. I have achieved #1 rankings without implementing half of what I could to boost them otherwise....
paying out dividends is dependant upon the type of compnay. If its a mining company, maybe there is only so much growing they can do, it would make sense for them to pay out dividends if they had a surplus of money.
A company that makes money from technology and inovation needs to pump money into R&D and marketing. I wouldn't expect Microsoft to pay out dividends. You know before you buy a stock (or should) if they will pay dividends or not.
I am no fan of Microsoft, just you have a jaded view of businesses and how they work. You are thinking of a socialistic society where no one is very rich and everyone gets provided for.
Most people have a drive to make money. For profit companies have a drive to make money. If sucessful, they make as much money as they can. Your idea of reasonable profit has your own agenda mixed in.
While I don't like a lot of stuff Microsoft does, especially where they are headed. But so far, they have done what is necessary for them to be the king of the hill. I am glad they have stiff competition. It keeps everything cheaper and better. I wish Apple had competition with hardware. Apple gets away with charging to much and frankly, there is your biggest reason they aren't the king of the hill.
"I mean the entire category of slack-jawed viewing without a keyboard."
What is the difference between slackjawed viewing with a keyboard and without?
:P
do you mean television the equiptment or television the institution?
"Spoiler: making money is not a goal for companies, sa companies are allowed by the society because they are good for it's citicens (this argument can't be reversed). "
So you are saying you are right, I am wrong and no backsies?
making money IS the goal for all for-profit companies. If you don't make money, but instead lose money, you will soon be out of business. If a company's goal is to go out of business, they should stop worrying about making money.