The point you're missing here is that, apparently, file-sharing isn't the major cause of the downtrend in sales. If the recording companies would focus on the real causes, and embrace the Internet in the way in which their customers demonstrably want it fashioned (as shown by the popularity of the old Napster and other peer-to-peer technologies), then they could stabilize the sales numbers and see a huge profit from opening up a new revenue stream.
The current download facilities, while popular, still fail to address the real issues presented by peer-to-peer. The RIAA already imposes a "CD Tax", why couldn't it have imposed a "Napster Tax"? The issue isn't really about free music, but rather about unfettered access to a wide variety.
Of course, the record companies fear decentralized distribution because it removes some of their current complete power over the industry, which is what this issue is REALLY all about.
As much as I like to avoid the tinfoil hat, this is a real question that needs to be answered. After all, isn't this the very state that Diebold promised to deliver to Bush? How could the exit polling be so off?
Not only that, but in addition to the directions from your location and a map, there's a chance they can offer a "virtual drive" so you can get a sense of the local landmarks (which is how most people navigate, even when they know the directions).
I'm really stoked about this and can't wait for the combined services offering.
"Frivolous lawsuits" are less than 2% of the total, and hardly register in terms of actual dollars. No, the skyrocketing cost of medicine in the US can be firmly laid at the feet of PharmaCorps and the out-of-control insurance companies. Lawsuits actually went down in the past couple of years, yet malpractice insurance fees continued to rise.
In fact, ridding frivolous lawsuits and capping patient recoveries would not put a dent in medical costs. All that would do is take power out of the hands of judges who should be the final arbiters of what is and isn't a frivolous case and destroy the ability of plaintiffs to adequately address what, due to its nature, is a rather grievous harm.
You want to bring down the costs of medicine? Reign in the skyrocketing costs of drugs and insurance that doesn't adequately cover the insureds.
Why would they can Ballmer? He's the George W. Bush of the software world. He's certainly an idiot who got his position because Bill wanted to insulate himself from any possible future personal prosecution for Microsoft's crimes.
But he's not afraid to parrot the lines given to him by the Microluminati who are working behind the scenes on control of the Internet (as a previous poster above mentioned, a DRM-lockdown via Palladium controlled by Microsoft).
Perhaps that's another reason Microsoft propped up SCO; Darl McBride makes Ballmer look somewhat normal.
(psst: That's "double-aught" as in "00", which refers to the size of the BBs [or "shot"] used in the shell. The higher the number, the smaller the shot.)
Feathering the wings also increases stability, so that the craft won't have the tendency to go into a flat-spin which killed more than one high altitude (X-15 or otherwise) test pilot.br.
Uh, buddy, Rutan is using carbon fiber composites, not fiberglass over foam (which is what my surfboard is made of, and as much air as I like to catch using it, I'm not going for the X-Prize). Fiberglass is not a suitable material for building air/spacecraft (although you can include it in certain non/low-stress components).
Seeing as how it's Bill who most likely put them in this position in the first place, that wouldn't be a bad outcome. At the very least, it would free Melinda to marry someone she actually WANTS to have sex with...
Nope.. but he never did figure out why his motorcycle engine seized up a couple of weeks later. It took him almost a year to replace it on his minimum-wage job.
Thats odd, because my experience has been the exact opposite. Out of the ~500 Dell systems I've purchased and installed at various companies, I've never experienced anything like what you've described. I've had motherboards go bad in laptops, and Dell had a guy out NEXT DAY to replace it. I've had hard drives go bad in desktop systems, and the drive was replaced in 3 days (allowing for shipping time). The problems, though, were minimal compared to other vendors (both locals suppliers from whom we could never get consistent equipment and other major-chain vendors [coughcowboxcough] who shipped incomplete or totally misconfigured systems).
None of my companies could be called "major customers" (purchases typically consisted of 3 to 6 systems at a time, and no one company had more than 100 PC seats).
Slashdot Mirror
The point you're missing here is that, apparently, file-sharing isn't the major cause of the downtrend in sales. If the recording companies would focus on the real causes, and embrace the Internet in the way in which their customers demonstrably want it fashioned (as shown by the popularity of the old Napster and other peer-to-peer technologies), then they could stabilize the sales numbers and see a huge profit from opening up a new revenue stream.
The current download facilities, while popular, still fail to address the real issues presented by peer-to-peer. The RIAA already imposes a "CD Tax", why couldn't it have imposed a "Napster Tax"? The issue isn't really about free music, but rather about unfettered access to a wide variety.
Of course, the record companies fear decentralized distribution because it removes some of their current complete power over the industry, which is what this issue is REALLY all about.
oh no.. I just slashdotted some poor bastards at 1-800-338-6855. I wonder who they are?
I got an even better deal; I licensed my Linux for $35/month which includes DSL and unlimited lifetime OS upgrades...
Of course, the toll-free telephone support line seems disconnected: 1-800-DEV-NULL
As much as I like to avoid the tinfoil hat, this is a real question that needs to be answered. After all, isn't this the very state that Diebold promised to deliver to Bush? How could the exit polling be so off?
I think this confirms that they were unsuccessful in recruiting Ari Fleischer.
Not only that, but in addition to the directions from your location and a map, there's a chance they can offer a "virtual drive" so you can get a sense of the local landmarks (which is how most people navigate, even when they know the directions).
I'm really stoked about this and can't wait for the combined services offering.
It's already there. We call it "Mexico".
"Frivolous lawsuits" are less than 2% of the total, and hardly register in terms of actual dollars. No, the skyrocketing cost of medicine in the US can be firmly laid at the feet of PharmaCorps and the out-of-control insurance companies. Lawsuits actually went down in the past couple of years, yet malpractice insurance fees continued to rise.
In fact, ridding frivolous lawsuits and capping patient recoveries would not put a dent in medical costs. All that would do is take power out of the hands of judges who should be the final arbiters of what is and isn't a frivolous case and destroy the ability of plaintiffs to adequately address what, due to its nature, is a rather grievous harm.
You want to bring down the costs of medicine? Reign in the skyrocketing costs of drugs and insurance that doesn't adequately cover the insureds.
Why would they can Ballmer? He's the George W. Bush of the software world. He's certainly an idiot who got his position because Bill wanted to insulate himself from any possible future personal prosecution for Microsoft's crimes.
But he's not afraid to parrot the lines given to him by the Microluminati who are working behind the scenes on control of the Internet (as a previous poster above mentioned, a DRM-lockdown via Palladium controlled by Microsoft).
Perhaps that's another reason Microsoft propped up SCO; Darl McBride makes Ballmer look somewhat normal.
(psst: it's "grammar"...)
(psst: That's "double-aught" as in "00", which refers to the size of the BBs [or "shot"] used in the shell. The higher the number, the smaller the shot.)
Would the inflatable craft be called a "Schlockyuz"?
Feathering the wings also increases stability, so that the craft won't have the tendency to go into a flat-spin which killed more than one high altitude (X-15 or otherwise) test pilot.br.
Uh, buddy, Rutan is using carbon fiber composites, not fiberglass over foam (which is what my surfboard is made of, and as much air as I like to catch using it, I'm not going for the X-Prize). Fiberglass is not a suitable material for building air/spacecraft (although you can include it in certain non/low-stress components).
That's really funny for a city that is host to a decommissioned nuclear missile silo complex...
Seeing as how it's Bill who most likely put them in this position in the first place, that wouldn't be a bad outcome. At the very least, it would free Melinda to marry someone she actually WANTS to have sex with...
Nope.. but he never did figure out why his motorcycle engine seized up a couple of weeks later. It took him almost a year to replace it on his minimum-wage job.
That post was so SWEET....
(I used to have Desolation Boulevard on LP, until an old roomie sold all my vinyl for a bag of weed...)
You wouldn't happen to be a Christopher Moore fan, would you?
Thats odd, because my experience has been the exact opposite. Out of the ~500 Dell systems I've purchased and installed at various companies, I've never experienced anything like what you've described. I've had motherboards go bad in laptops, and Dell had a guy out NEXT DAY to replace it. I've had hard drives go bad in desktop systems, and the drive was replaced in 3 days (allowing for shipping time). The problems, though, were minimal compared to other vendors (both locals suppliers from whom we could never get consistent equipment and other major-chain vendors [coughcowboxcough] who shipped incomplete or totally misconfigured systems).
None of my companies could be called "major customers" (purchases typically consisted of 3 to 6 systems at a time, and no one company had more than 100 PC seats).
Or, if you do, be sure to coat the blades with a nasty infectious agent for delayed Karma to the thief...
You must be Sicilian...
You've basically described the lowest-end Dimension machine. Move up into OptiPlex land and things get considerably better.
I've used Dells in every office I've worked, and been glad I did. I've recommended Dells to friends at home, and been glad I did.
I am NOT one to be a mindless shill for anybody, but my experience with Dell systems has been far more positive than negative.
I hereby nominate Choice B as the "Euphamism of the Year"...
Personally, I'd be thrilled to know that I pissed off someone enough to warrant taking out a contract on me.
perhaps I need to get out more often...