While reading down through the posts, it struck me that RIAA and MPAA might soon discover NAFTA chapter 11 and the "tantamount to expropriation" clause.
Actually, I think the media manufacturers would be the ones to take advantage of Chapter 11. If the tariffs hurt their sales, they then have a case for Chapter 11 (as I understood the issues describe on the Bill Moyers program). However, since all of the proceedings are private, we will probably never know.
...that corporations have some type of right to modify someone else's software and then sell the results
This seems to me as the biggest point missed by most people. Did not Microsoft use a more lax license to essentially hijack Mosaic and call it IE? As the GPL becomes more prominent, it prevents companies like Microsoft from profiting from the hard work of others.
After reading the Central Command press release, I went to my favorite virus site, Sophos. They have a more interesting take on the situation:
"Despite some media reports the virus is far from sophisticated," said Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant for Sophos Anti-Virus. "Interest in the virus has been generated by an anti-virus vendor issuing a press release about it - rather than any genuine threat."
Maybe Central Command is just trying to generate more sales revenue.
I too have had good luck with my US West DSL connection. I signed up last year when they were running a promotion that basically resulted in me spending very little to get the modem and the connection.
However, two points of contention. It took me forever to get the $100 rebate after my first three months of service. They made the process really hard, and it took a few phone calls to finally get the rebate (after more than 6 months). The second problem is more troublesome. We had physical line problems in our alley. Our line was actually sent to never-never land and our phone was connected to our nieghbor's line! When trying to get the problem resolved, I was always pushed over to the DSL folks for service, even though the problem was not a DSL problem. It took the better part of a week of me and my nieghbor beating on US Worst to get the problem fixed. Even after they fixed my line they screwed up her line with another nieghbor.
I too got the free 640 bump, however I have yet to really test this out with a fast server to see if there really is a difference.
One caveat to my connection. I do not use the US West ISP service. I have a separate ISP which has my modem configured as a bridge. I have a Slackware Linux box behind the modem acting as my house's gateway and firewall. Works great and my wife loves the speed!
That sounds like a lot more security than is necessary. I think that the card companies themselves should have that kind of service, or offer a special "online-only" card.
To me as well. Seems that with a copy of your credit card and an photo ID, they could also do some devious things.
I first started programming in a High School math class. The teacher would not even let us touch the computers until we had flow charted, to his satisfaction, the solution to the problem (e.g., Pythagorean theorem). This was an immense help over the years.
I've run into many people learning programming languages that could not code their way out of a paper bag, because they did not understand how to fit the logic together. In other words, they were never able to think like a computer.
So I recommend, regardless of which language you choose, you immerse them in logic before you give them the language. It will make more sense to them when they actually see the language.
I've read this book twice and recommended it to many people. If you have not read it, do. It's a deal at $9.95.
Imagine my suprise then when I watched the final syndicated (before TNT) Baylon 5. (The episode looked into the future to see what happened to the station and Earth as a result of what had transpired on the station.) It felt just like "A Canticle for Leibowitz"! Later I found out that the producer/creator of the show acknowledged his reference to the book. Fun stuff.
its strict adherence to object-orientation demonstrates an obvious misunderstanding of trends in language design.
It's funny how people think there is one paradigm solution for every programming problem. C rocks and I'll never use anything else! Perl rules!! However, every language has its applications.
In the case of Java, it's a great language for creating GUI applications without having to work at the OS level. Would I want to write a driver in Java? Heck no that's where C is best. However, I would rather write a GUI application in Java than in C (although C was fine for this purpose for years).
In the case of GUI applications, OO works very well. Again, I would be reluctant to write OS level code (e.g., drivers) in an OO language; this is where a procedural language works best.
This article made some interesting points that really caught my eye.
...more likely that a software program which runs on Windows, for instance, may also be developed to run on an alternative operating system, or "platform," according to the company's boisterous executive.
Wouldn't that be terrible! Allowing/having applications that run on more than one platform.
...means that the company may have less control over its massive stable of Windows developers than in the past, Ballmer noted."
This is what it's all about, control. M$ wants control over the developers, the technologies, and the platforms. Without this control, Embrace and Extend would not work, and FUD would be seen for what it really is, a little frightened boy trying to scare the big bad bullies. Look out you Windows developers, because soon there will be no alternatives for development environments:
Earlier this year at a Microsoft-sponsored developer's conference, executive vice president Paul Maritz said the company plans to increase investment "significantly" in development tools and related technologies.
For me, this seals the deal. I never want to be a Windows developer.
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Actually, I think the media manufacturers would be the ones to take advantage of Chapter 11. If the tariffs hurt their sales, they then have a case for Chapter 11 (as I understood the issues describe on the Bill Moyers program). However, since all of the proceedings are private, we will probably never know.
Just my 2 cents...
I too have had good luck with my US West DSL connection. I signed up last year when they were running a promotion that basically resulted in me spending very little to get the modem and the connection.
However, two points of contention. It took me forever to get the $100 rebate after my first three months of service. They made the process really hard, and it took a few phone calls to finally get the rebate (after more than 6 months). The second problem is more troublesome. We had physical line problems in our alley. Our line was actually sent to never-never land and our phone was connected to our nieghbor's line! When trying to get the problem resolved, I was always pushed over to the DSL folks for service, even though the problem was not a DSL problem. It took the better part of a week of me and my nieghbor beating on US Worst to get the problem fixed. Even after they fixed my line they screwed up her line with another nieghbor.
I too got the free 640 bump, however I have yet to really test this out with a fast server to see if there really is a difference.
One caveat to my connection. I do not use the US West ISP service. I have a separate ISP which has my modem configured as a bridge. I have a Slackware Linux box behind the modem acting as my house's gateway and firewall. Works great and my wife loves the speed!
To me as well. Seems that with a copy of your credit card and an photo ID, they could also do some devious things.
I first started programming in a High School math class. The teacher would not even let us touch the computers until we had flow charted, to his satisfaction, the solution to the problem (e.g., Pythagorean theorem). This was an immense help over the years.
I've run into many people learning programming languages that could not code their way out of a paper bag, because they did not understand how to fit the logic together. In other words, they were never able to think like a computer.
So I recommend, regardless of which language you choose, you immerse them in logic before you give them the language. It will make more sense to them when they actually see the language.
I've read this book twice and recommended it to many people. If you have not read it, do. It's a deal at $9.95.
Imagine my suprise then when I watched the final syndicated (before TNT) Baylon 5. (The episode looked into the future to see what happened to the station and Earth as a result of what had transpired on the station.) It felt just like "A Canticle for Leibowitz"! Later I found out that the producer/creator of the show acknowledged his reference to the book. Fun stuff.
It's funny how people think there is one paradigm solution for every programming problem. C rocks and I'll never use anything else! Perl rules!! However, every language has its applications.
In the case of Java, it's a great language for creating GUI applications without having to work at the OS level. Would I want to write a driver in Java? Heck no that's where C is best. However, I would rather write a GUI application in Java than in C (although C was fine for this purpose for years).
In the case of GUI applications, OO works very well. Again, I would be reluctant to write OS level code (e.g., drivers) in an OO language; this is where a procedural language works best.
Just my 2 cents...