Won't this just turn into a popularity contest? Isn't that what elections are?
Socrates realized this failing of democracy 2500 years ago. We elect the people best at talking about the issues, not those who are best at dealing with them.
You are perfectly right. I thought about that distinction before I started writing the post but forgot to include it.
It's just one more point against such a system: what about applications or distribution models that use P2P traffic? How about WoW patches for example? From what I understand, they can only stop traffic on P2P networks they can "infiltrate", but where does that line stop? Who decides?
Peer to peer traffic isn't illegal, is it? File sharing isn't either.
File sharing of copyrighted works is. But how does he know which P2P traffic to stop without examining the content? What stops us from just encrypting everything anyway? Or it's just going to stop all P2P traffic without caring about its legality? Wouldn't that actually be illegal?
My french-fry theory of reality predicts ketchup. Doesn't mean the existence of ketchup validates my theory, because I knew ketchup existed before I devised the theory. I know string theory explains (in theory) how gravity arises, but that's no proof.
I'm not saying the ideas behind it shouldn't be pursued at all. I'm all for pure research that might not lead to anything concretely useful. It's indeed possible we've reached a point where we don't quite have the tools (whether in capacity of understanding of the human brain, mathematical knowledge, or computing power) to progress, or at least not very fast.
But still, you can't disprove a theory that makes no observable predictions. I know, I know, we can't reach the energies where it would make a difference in the behavior of the universe that would differ from the predictions of quantum physics. But there ARE discrepancies and unexplained phenomenas that crop out regularly that I think string theory should concentrate in explaining.
Indeed, they don't have to "convince" anybody. They just need to prove it through experiments and observations that corroborate the predictions of the theory. Oh wait!
I used to like the ideas of string theory, but after what, 15-20 years of work, not a single observable prediction has been made by the theory. Heck, we don't even have a theory has such yet, more like a plethora of them, and a few that suggest they're all correct!
Anyone making suggestions opposing the current cosmological framework using string theory had better have something more than vague mathematical foundations if they want to convince anyone. They sure won't convince me anytime soon.
But it has DLLHell (or OCXHell) issues though. Ever had an application not work correctly because some other app installed some different version of an ocx or DLL in the system32 directory? Not fun. At least with a package manager you can track dependencies and figure it out.
Apple recently announced they'd sold a total of 100 million iPods. They don't have 100% of the market, then the Zune's market penetration is LESS THAN ONE PERCENT.
Good job pulling that 10% figure out of your ass. Myself, I try to get sources when I pull off numbers:
They aren't. Well, I am convinced the law and any judge on such a case would think so.
But remember, this is the US. Where anyone can sue anyone (including himself!) for any reason whatsoever, with no penalty to the plaintiff. They call that "justice", not realizing it's actually more like "enriching the lawyers".
If he DOES sure (which I understand hasn't been done yet) he'll be thrown out pretty easily. And regarding who you should root for, in such a fight, the answer is simple: the side you think should win. That it's Microsoft is irrelevant: nothing is ever so evil that it can do no right.
I'm going to say something that might shock people here, but what does the government use these fingerprints in the database for? AFAIK, there's only one use for it: comparing prints on a crime scene and finding who they belong to. Are you telling me that's a bad thing? Are you suggesting any other uses for it? It's not like a genetic profile that could be used for other stuff, it's just fingerprints...
I made a "biological will" as we call these docs here in Canada 10 years ago (I was about 22). In it, I give my body to science after I'm done with it. How this works is that they can take out any good parts for transplants, studies, dissection, training, etc. After one year, anything left is cremated and the ashes given back to the family. I asked for my ashes to be dispersed in nature after. That way, my leftover body will have some good use instead of costing thousands of dollars to be disposed of.
But I don't see HOW the situation is in the least plausible. What kind of situation would bring someone to be lost on a desert island with everything required to play a video game but no means of escape? I mean, I'd grab the shortwave radio before the PS2 to go with the solar generator...
No. It DOES require proving that someone died, which can be done without a body but makes it harder. For example, if you find evidence that a missing person lost a LOT of blood, enough loss of blood to kill the person without medical assistance, it's usually good enough. From what I've read of this case though, they only found traces of blood, which might very well not be enough.
In my experience as an Apple tech (10 years going now) calling customer service and complaining in a reasonable but forceful manner will get 99% of problems resolved promptly (supposing you have a real issue to complain about!). For the last 1%, I guess your way can work.
Slashdot Mirror
I'm convinced 227,999 of those installed it and launched it, then after a few days of waiting killed it and got rid of it.
The last guy is more patient and still waiting for it to start.
I like Opera on Windows and it's not bad on Linux, but the Mac version is quite horrible.
Socrates realized this failing of democracy 2500 years ago. We elect the people best at talking about the issues, not those who are best at dealing with them.
You are perfectly right. I thought about that distinction before I started writing the post but forgot to include it.
It's just one more point against such a system: what about applications or distribution models that use P2P traffic? How about WoW patches for example? From what I understand, they can only stop traffic on P2P networks they can "infiltrate", but where does that line stop? Who decides?
Peer to peer traffic isn't illegal, is it? File sharing isn't either.
File sharing of copyrighted works is. But how does he know which P2P traffic to stop without examining the content? What stops us from just encrypting everything anyway? Or it's just going to stop all P2P traffic without caring about its legality? Wouldn't that actually be illegal?
My french-fry theory of reality predicts ketchup. Doesn't mean the existence of ketchup validates my theory, because I knew ketchup existed before I devised the theory. I know string theory explains (in theory) how gravity arises, but that's no proof.
I'm not saying the ideas behind it shouldn't be pursued at all. I'm all for pure research that might not lead to anything concretely useful. It's indeed possible we've reached a point where we don't quite have the tools (whether in capacity of understanding of the human brain, mathematical knowledge, or computing power) to progress, or at least not very fast.
But still, you can't disprove a theory that makes no observable predictions. I know, I know, we can't reach the energies where it would make a difference in the behavior of the universe that would differ from the predictions of quantum physics. But there ARE discrepancies and unexplained phenomenas that crop out regularly that I think string theory should concentrate in explaining.
Indeed, they don't have to "convince" anybody. They just need to prove it through experiments and observations that corroborate the predictions of the theory. Oh wait!
I used to like the ideas of string theory, but after what, 15-20 years of work, not a single observable prediction has been made by the theory. Heck, we don't even have a theory has such yet, more like a plethora of them, and a few that suggest they're all correct!
Anyone making suggestions opposing the current cosmological framework using string theory had better have something more than vague mathematical foundations if they want to convince anyone. They sure won't convince me anytime soon.
Windows don't have dependency problems, right.
But it has DLLHell (or OCXHell) issues though. Ever had an application not work correctly because some other app installed some different version of an ocx or DLL in the system32 directory? Not fun. At least with a package manager you can track dependencies and figure it out.
Apple recently announced they'd sold a total of 100 million iPods. They don't have 100% of the market, then the Zune's market penetration is LESS THAN ONE PERCENT.
m l
Good job pulling that 10% figure out of your ass. Myself, I try to get sources when I pull off numbers:
http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2007/04/09ipod.ht
If the Zune had taken 10% of the market, it would certainly have been significant. Less than 1%? No-name cheap players have probably done that much,
That would be the 1982 list.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1882_in_film
Would be the one for 1882.
They aren't. Well, I am convinced the law and any judge on such a case would think so.
But remember, this is the US. Where anyone can sue anyone (including himself!) for any reason whatsoever, with no penalty to the plaintiff. They call that "justice", not realizing it's actually more like "enriching the lawyers".
If he DOES sure (which I understand hasn't been done yet) he'll be thrown out pretty easily. And regarding who you should root for, in such a fight, the answer is simple: the side you think should win. That it's Microsoft is irrelevant: nothing is ever so evil that it can do no right.
I'm going to say something that might shock people here, but what does the government use these fingerprints in the database for? AFAIK, there's only one use for it: comparing prints on a crime scene and finding who they belong to. Are you telling me that's a bad thing? Are you suggesting any other uses for it? It's not like a genetic profile that could be used for other stuff, it's just fingerprints...
I'm convinced we can find some prior art on that one.
We don't need more laws, we simply need better laws written by people who actually understand the technology that needs to be regulated.
I made a "biological will" as we call these docs here in Canada 10 years ago (I was about 22). In it, I give my body to science after I'm done with it. How this works is that they can take out any good parts for transplants, studies, dissection, training, etc. After one year, anything left is cremated and the ashes given back to the family. I asked for my ashes to be dispersed in nature after. That way, my leftover body will have some good use instead of costing thousands of dollars to be disposed of.
It's not so much that the characters are inherently weak, but with FORTY-FIVE characters, there's no way they can be reasonably well-developed.
But I don't see HOW the situation is in the least plausible. What kind of situation would bring someone to be lost on a desert island with everything required to play a video game but no means of escape? I mean, I'd grab the shortwave radio before the PS2 to go with the solar generator...
What if he's an atheist?
And in any way, I'm gonna agree with Voltaire here: I don't like what you're saying, but I'll defend your right to say it with my life.
Seriously, I love video games, but who gives a sh1t on a desert island about games? Books, I can understand. But a video game?
No. It DOES require proving that someone died, which can be done without a body but makes it harder. For example, if you find evidence that a missing person lost a LOT of blood, enough loss of blood to kill the person without medical assistance, it's usually good enough. From what I've read of this case though, they only found traces of blood, which might very well not be enough.
Yes, it has been settled. You weren't around when the winner was announced officially?
In my experience as an Apple tech (10 years going now) calling customer service and complaining in a reasonable but forceful manner will get 99% of problems resolved promptly (supposing you have a real issue to complain about!). For the last 1%, I guess your way can work.