At the risk of sounding like an idiot, perhaps an abacus is an option? Yeah, it's old fashioned and ridiculously antiquated, but at least one sees the mechanics of 2+2, rather than feeding the request into a computer and getting a response.
But consider the reason they went that way - yes, higher price tag in the beginning, but when you're doing this sort of thing, one is wise to look into the return on investment. It seems Munich went this way.
You should know how to do things without the machines (IE, by hand) before you learn to do things with.
A good example is math. Many people know how to do "2+2=" on a calculator so it spits out 4, but these days I watch kids freak out as I work (say) 3/492 on a piece of paper. They are awed; I am scared.
If this is really the case that people are leaving P2P networks (clearly it's not), they're going to FTP and HTTP searches. There's more than one way to do this, you know.
I think this is less propaganda stating that the RIAA is serious and more propaganda stating that the RIAA is actually doing something. Both, of course, are utter shite.
Forget your beowulf cluster, can you imagine what kind of processing power you now have in your hands for SETI? Imagine 17,000 PS2s grinding SETI packets for you, and you never have to worry about heating your building again!
Granted, the power bill is gonna be a little high, and granted there has to be a SETI client for PS2 first....
You know, nobody has made it totally clear on what exactly.NET was. To this day, my boss thinks it's a programming language and is the greatest thing since sliced bread - but then that's why he's the boss, because he knows how to sell.
Click here for their explanation and feelings on the use of the term.
In particular, an excerpt on how they want it used:
We do not object to use of this slang term to describe UCE, although we do object to the use of our product image in association with that term. Also, if the term is to be used, it should be used in all lower-case letters to distinguish it from our trademark SPAM, which should be used with all uppercase letters.
Now this is where it gets good, because this is the statement on whether it diminishes trademark (emphasis is mine):
This slang term does not affect the strength of our trademark SPAM. In a Federal District Court case involving the famous trademark STAR WARS owned by LucasFilms, the Court ruled that the slang term used to refer to the Strategic Defense Initiative did not weaken the trademark and the Court refused to stop its use as a slang term. Other examples of famous trademarks having a different slang meaning include MICKEY MOUSE, to describe something as unsophisticated; TEFLON, used to describe President Reagan; and CADILLAC, used to denote something as being high quality.
In short, it's interesting that, despite saying this on their website, they'd slap (or is that SLAPP here?) somebody in the face about this.
Remember, an attorney will sometimes file suit on behalf of their client if they see a potential issue. I can't remember who did this a while back, but it has happened in more "high-tech" circles. I *want* to say Amazon did it, but don't quote me there. =^_^=
So the point? Even with all the press exposing this, perhaps JKR isn't completely aware of the gravity?
Weak, I know. Now here's another.
Perhaps JKR is being talked into this by her attorneys in London (or for that matter, the Warner Bros. attorneys - remember, they hold copyright as well due to the movies) and they are taking advantage of some sort of naivete on her part.
Perhaps in the end, maybe it really is an issue. Read the next paragraph for why.
The thing is, in certain circles, it is widely grokked that JKR encourages fans to write stories, within certain limits. But in the fan-fiction realm, commercial publication is largely taboo, fanzines aside. (Admit it, you too have at the very least browsed through fan-fiction of one flavor or another.) What we're seeing here with the myriad of secondary Potter stories is, for all intents, fan publication beyond the level of a zine or your various and sundry internet archives/mailing lists/whatever. Harry meeting Gandalf in China's Leopard etc. at least sounds like an example of this - like another poster said, it sounds like a D&D game. This just scratches the surface.
(Strangely enough, crossover writings are ridiculously common in fan-fiction. Anime fan-fiction *alone* has countless crossups with Ranma 1/2 and (insert favorite anime du jour here), with even the occasional Star Trek crossup, and at least one fusion with Clarke's 2001 series.)
OK, here's a tricky one. Suppose somebody comes through one of these devices wearing a costume from Cats. These are pretty much full-length unitards and accessories - wigs, fur gauntlets, makeup, and braid tails tied around the waist. Not a costume for the grossly overweight or those who aren't comfortable with their body, because despite the fact that 95% of your body is covered in fabric, it is a unitard, ergo it is some form of spandex that conforms completely to the body's contours, ergo not much beyond excruciating detail is hidden.
Anyway, somebody's decked out in one of these. And they walk through.
Beyond the accessories, could they tell the difference? Would they see the ersatz tails the performers (or in this case, costumers) wear with the costumes?
More importantly, would they really care?
For that matter, would you be able to avoid the security checkpoint, simply because of the fact that there are no pockets in a unitard in which to hide anything?
The ideas have crossed my mind here. But then, I have an overactive imagination.
This has the prospect of exhibitionists going to the airportfor the sake of being able to flash the guards without having to wear the classic trenchcoat. Imagine some otherwise normally clothed exhibitionist just innocently walking through security several times, simply for the sake of doing this.
This has the prospect of having people working the scan booths watching these people walk through several times.
Finally, if they do that electronic fig leaf thing, would somebody be able to hide something in the genital areas and have it be undetected?
Slashdot Mirror
At the risk of sounding like an idiot, perhaps an abacus is an option? Yeah, it's old fashioned and ridiculously antiquated, but at least one sees the mechanics of 2+2, rather than feeding the request into a computer and getting a response.
But consider the reason they went that way - yes, higher price tag in the beginning, but when you're doing this sort of thing, one is wise to look into the return on investment. It seems Munich went this way.
You should know how to do things without the machines (IE, by hand) before you learn to do things with.
A good example is math. Many people know how to do "2+2=" on a calculator so it spits out 4, but these days I watch kids freak out as I work (say) 3/492 on a piece of paper. They are awed; I am scared.
I think this is less propaganda stating that the RIAA is serious and more propaganda stating that the RIAA is actually doing something. Both, of course, are utter shite.
Oh, great, a front....
ALL YOUR SCO ARE BELONG TO US
IIRC, Sam, there are some musicians who have their own labels. Madonna comes to mind here.
Granted, the power bill is gonna be a little high, and granted there has to be a SETI client for PS2 first....
Seriously, I didn't expect this - now Sun is in a position to stomp on 'em for IBM.
Anybody who spams in Texas may be shot under the "he needed killin'" clause.
You know, nobody has made it totally clear on what exactly .NET was. To this day, my boss thinks it's a programming language and is the greatest thing since sliced bread - but then that's why he's the boss, because he knows how to sell.
"Send him to Detroit!"
I see no central module here. =^^=
1) Backup your web content (You do do that anyway, don't you?)
2) Apply patches as necessary
3) ....
4) Profit!!!!
In particular, an excerpt on how they want it used:
We do not object to use of this slang term to describe UCE, although we do object to the use of our product image in association with that term. Also, if the term is to be used, it should be used in all lower-case letters to distinguish it from our trademark SPAM, which should be used with all uppercase letters.
Now this is where it gets good, because this is the statement on whether it diminishes trademark (emphasis is mine):
This slang term does not affect the strength of our trademark SPAM. In a Federal District Court case involving the famous trademark STAR WARS owned by LucasFilms, the Court ruled that the slang term used to refer to the Strategic Defense Initiative did not weaken the trademark and the Court refused to stop its use as a slang term. Other examples of famous trademarks having a different slang meaning include MICKEY MOUSE, to describe something as unsophisticated; TEFLON, used to describe President Reagan; and CADILLAC, used to denote something as being high quality.
In short, it's interesting that, despite saying this on their website, they'd slap (or is that SLAPP here?) somebody in the face about this.
DHL rocks. Cheaper than UPS, gets it to the same place. Never had these guys lose my stuff.
You know, the late Iraqi minister of information. That's who Bill Gates is starting to remind me of.
Maybe you should take some Beano, sir.
Windoze user likes Linux. Film at eleven.
George Carlin would be proud.
Remember, an attorney will sometimes file suit on behalf of their client if they see a potential issue. I can't remember who did this a while back, but it has happened in more "high-tech" circles. I *want* to say Amazon did it, but don't quote me there. =^_^=
So the point? Even with all the press exposing this, perhaps JKR isn't completely aware of the gravity?
Weak, I know. Now here's another.
Perhaps JKR is being talked into this by her attorneys in London (or for that matter, the Warner Bros. attorneys - remember, they hold copyright as well due to the movies) and they are taking advantage of some sort of naivete on her part.
Perhaps in the end, maybe it really is an issue. Read the next paragraph for why.
The thing is, in certain circles, it is widely grokked that JKR encourages fans to write stories, within certain limits. But in the fan-fiction realm, commercial publication is largely taboo, fanzines aside. (Admit it, you too have at the very least browsed through fan-fiction of one flavor or another.) What we're seeing here with the myriad of secondary Potter stories is, for all intents, fan publication beyond the level of a zine or your various and sundry internet archives/mailing lists/whatever. Harry meeting Gandalf in China's Leopard etc. at least sounds like an example of this - like another poster said, it sounds like a D&D game. This just scratches the surface.
(Strangely enough, crossover writings are ridiculously common in fan-fiction. Anime fan-fiction *alone* has countless crossups with Ranma 1/2 and (insert favorite anime du jour here), with even the occasional Star Trek crossup, and at least one fusion with Clarke's 2001 series.)
Considering that it wasn't slashdot that caused this site to be brought down, does this count as a slashdotting?
Anyway, somebody's decked out in one of these. And they walk through.
Beyond the accessories, could they tell the difference? Would they see the ersatz tails the performers (or in this case, costumers) wear with the costumes?
More importantly, would they really care?
For that matter, would you be able to avoid the security checkpoint, simply because of the fact that there are no pockets in a unitard in which to hide anything?
This has the prospect of exhibitionists going to the airportfor the sake of being able to flash the guards without having to wear the classic trenchcoat. Imagine some otherwise normally clothed exhibitionist just innocently walking through security several times, simply for the sake of doing this.
This has the prospect of having people working the scan booths watching these people walk through several times.
Finally, if they do that electronic fig leaf thing, would somebody be able to hide something in the genital areas and have it be undetected?