I somehow read the title as, "Taking care of mobile patents," and immediately got bent about some organization having the gaul to patent how to take care of patients.
Ack - slashdot has turned me from a skeptic into a cynic.
I must sign off now, but of course I'll hit reload one last time just in case another interesting article has been posted. So yeah - I'll probably still be here in a our or so...
I'm offering this very file for download here on my website. So go ahead, download it (1.1 MB) and break the law with me.
Letter to plasticbugs.com from the RIAA:
Dear PlasticBugs,
It has come to our attention that you are hosting copyrighted material on your website. In the past we have dispatched goons. Unfortunately this takes up to a week.
In order to more effectively destroy your ability to distribute copyrighted material, we have decided to destroy your server by providing a link to its content to a very popular website's front page.
I'm surfing _right now_ on an open connection in the next apartment building.
In the past year, when on the road, It's never taken more than a few minutes of walking / wardriving through a strip mall or retail street to get a connection.
While this service certainly has some value to me as a last resort, I wonder how many non/.'ers are aware of the free internet around them.
1 cold war era nuclear bomb could potentially generate enough hydrogen to run the state of texas's autos for 2-3 months or more, if every car in texas was converted over to H. (Info provided to me by a Navy nuclear engineer)
Hell - let's drop four on 'em and power 'em for a whole year. Just make sure to do it when the world's favorite Texan is on one of his ranch vacations.
Under the best of circumstances, a Civic will get 70 MPG. Call it 5 gallons for 600km. That over 12 kilos of gasoline. Suppose that H2 is twice as efficient. That's 6 Kg/l. Not including the H2 binding agent. A bit dense, eh?
I do hope they're right though - would be way cool to have a 10l tank and go 3,000 miles between fill ups.
BTW: 1/2 of all workers on the Airbus A380 project are USA workers.
Please cite your source for this fact. I do believe that the above statement is a load of accounting trickery / bullshit.
The A380 was / is one of the largest jobs programs for Europeans in the past decade. Over $11B USD in development costs, much of it in the form of 'don't bother to pay it back' grants from European govts.
BTW: I absolutely agree with you on the US govt. and Microsoft issue. The US DOJ's relationship with MSFT would be quite different had Florida used a better ballot in 2000.
Person walks into Best Buy, opens a DVD, copies it to their laptop hard drive, leaves Best Buy. Copyright infringement. Sentenced to a Federal Pound Me in the Ass Prison for years.
Person walks into Best Buy with laptop. Shoplifts DVD. Gets caught. Misdemeanor - usually a $500 max fine, 90 days in jail, depending on jurisdiction.
Person walks into Best Buy with laptop. Shoplifts DVD. Doesn't get caught. Gets home and copies DVD to Laptop Hard Drive. Fair use. No penalty. When raided, person says, "Lookie here you MPAA bastards - I own an original copy, fair use."
Person walks into Best Buy with laptop. Shoplifts DVD. Doesn't get caught. Gets home and copies DVD to Laptop Hard Drive. Fair use. Feels remorse for Best Buy shareholders. Returns DVD to Best Buy.
In this final scenario, what, if anything, is the penalty if this person gets raided?
I'm teaching probability this quarter, and am also in the market for a new PowerBook (my Wallstreet sucks at OSX, and I can no longer check my email with Eudora for OS9 - SSL in 6.1 not compatible with NWU's email server).
Please indulge me in my pompous professerism for a moment:
Conditional probability of two events is written as P(A|B). This is spoke as "The probability of A given B." B is what you know, A is something you're interested in.
So define A as "a new powerbook introduced in the next 30 days".
In this case, B is what we know - if we define B as this web-bug gif, well, that that doesn't tell us much about P(A), though it might allow you to update your beliefs about the quality of journalism at the Register.
So what sort of B would tell us something about P(A)?
Look to past events that occured before previous Apple product introductions:
- scant supply of current models in the supply chain
- 'end of life' designation in retailers' stocking computers
- ThinkSecret or other site posting pics, or 'reliable' rumors
- Press conference scheduled
- I'm sure that there are many other pieces of relevant info, a web-bug not being very high on the ranking list.
So here I am - waiting for a dual core G4 PB. I will not buy one of the current models, as they are somewhat long in the tooth, getting only speed bumps for over a year.
I see no indication of scant supply. I see no indication that current models are EOL'd on retailers' stocking systems. I see no 'reliable' rumors, and I would expect some if there was a plant in Asia making new PB's to build up inventory before introduction.
Given the above evidence, I conclude that it is highly unlikely that a PB will be introduced during the next 30 days.
Dammit. I do hope my conclusion is wrong.
And I fear that P(A|B) = 1 if we define the event B: "I buy a current PowerBook".
Microsoft: Step 1) create / release buggy OS Step 2) Profit. Step 3) Profit. Step 4) Profit. Step 5) Profit. Step 6) Dance like a monkey Step 7) Profit. Step 8) Profit. Step 9) Profit. Step 10) Update buggy OS in a way similar to adding a third story to a building with a foundation designed for one story. Leave many holes for spyware. Step 11) Profit Step 12) Profit Step 13) Profit Step 14) Profit Step 15) Profit Step 16) Claim to be a hero by releasing an 'Free' piece of software that only cleans up half the problems you created in the first place. Step 17) Profit Step 18) Profit Step 19) Profit Step 20) Goto step 1
Maybe we can practice other completely unnecessary acts of money waste.
You mean like spend $125 Million on a video game? That does almost absolutely nothing to advance society at all?
I'm tired of hearing people yap about tax money when they waste money on frivolous things. Not to say that video games are bad, but do you know how much health care or education $125 Million will purchase? And the general public dropped that in one day! Do you know how much good research $125 M will purchase? I haven't looked it up, but I'm guessing the X-43A project is on the same order of magnitude cost-wise as what the public spent on this one single video game.
I had promised my 12 year old nephew that I would wait in line with him, and treat him to Halo at midnight the other night. At 11:45 it dawned on me that my $49 would better benefit society if we donated it to some university doing good research. So we went home.
I'm still trying to figure out who left that flaming bag of poo on my stoop last night.
Ashcroft saying, "The objective of securing the safety of Americans from crime and terror has been achieved," means, "Hey!!! Look everybody!! There are no terrorists attacking us RIGHT NOW!!"
It's kind of like when Clinton said, "I do not have an inapproproate relation with that girl, Ms. Lewinsky," he really meant, "Ms. Lewinsky is not blowing me RIGHT NOW, but lemme tellya, if you guys could see what I have here under the podium..."
Force stores with this policy to inform consumers _at time of purchase_ that said purchase is a non-returnable final sale, defective merchandise excepted.
For those paying with cash, modify to: we'll take this item back, but no more returns for items purchased from this point forth.
While the current policy offends me, I do not have a problem with this modified policy. Buyer beware, but informed.
Slashdot Mirror
I have it on good authority that their newest member is:
email: slash@dot.com
pass: slashdot
I somehow read the title as, "Taking care of mobile patents," and immediately got bent about some organization having the gaul to patent how to take care of patients.
Ack - slashdot has turned me from a skeptic into a cynic.
I must sign off now, but of course I'll hit reload one last time just in case another interesting article has been posted. So yeah - I'll probably still be here in a our or so...
I'm offering this very file for download here on my website. So go ahead, download it (1.1 MB) and break the law with me.
Letter to plasticbugs.com from the RIAA:
Dear PlasticBugs,
It has come to our attention that you are hosting copyrighted material on your website. In the past we have dispatched goons. Unfortunately this takes up to a week.
In order to more effectively destroy your ability to distribute copyrighted material, we have decided to destroy your server by providing a link to its content to a very popular website's front page.
We wish your server well in its next life.
Sincerely,
JC42
But only got the message,
"Nothing to hear here. Move along."
I'm surfing _right now_ on an open connection in the next apartment building.
/.'ers are aware of the free internet around them.
In the past year, when on the road, It's never taken more than a few minutes of walking / wardriving through a strip mall or retail street to get a connection.
While this service certainly has some value to me as a last resort, I wonder how many non
... is a bewildered and gasping Arnold Schwarzenegger waiting for the nuclear heating coils to kick in.
1 cold war era nuclear bomb could potentially generate enough hydrogen to run the state of texas's autos for 2-3 months or more, if every car in texas was converted over to H.
(Info provided to me by a Navy nuclear engineer)
Hell - let's drop four on 'em and power 'em for a whole year. Just make sure to do it when the world's favorite Texan is on one of his ranch vacations.
One liter? No way.
Under the best of circumstances, a Civic will get 70 MPG. Call it 5 gallons for 600km. That over 12 kilos of gasoline. Suppose that H2 is twice as efficient. That's 6 Kg/l. Not including the H2 binding agent. A bit dense, eh?
I do hope they're right though - would be way cool to have a 10l tank and go 3,000 miles between fill ups.
BTW: 1/2 of all workers on the Airbus A380 project are USA workers.
Please cite your source for this fact. I do believe that the above statement is a load of accounting trickery / bullshit.
The A380 was / is one of the largest jobs programs for Europeans in the past decade. Over $11B USD in development costs, much of it in the form of 'don't bother to pay it back' grants from European govts.
BTW: I absolutely agree with you on the US govt. and Microsoft issue. The US DOJ's relationship with MSFT would be quite different had Florida used a better ballot in 2000.
Here's a hypothetical:
Person walks into Best Buy, opens a DVD, copies it to their laptop hard drive, leaves Best Buy. Copyright infringement. Sentenced to a Federal Pound Me in the Ass Prison for years.
Person walks into Best Buy with laptop. Shoplifts DVD. Gets caught. Misdemeanor - usually a $500 max fine, 90 days in jail, depending on jurisdiction.
Person walks into Best Buy with laptop. Shoplifts DVD. Doesn't get caught. Gets home and copies DVD to Laptop Hard Drive. Fair use. No penalty. When raided, person says, "Lookie here you MPAA bastards - I own an original copy, fair use."
Person walks into Best Buy with laptop. Shoplifts DVD. Doesn't get caught. Gets home and copies DVD to Laptop Hard Drive. Fair use. Feels remorse for Best Buy shareholders. Returns DVD to Best Buy.
In this final scenario, what, if anything, is the penalty if this person gets raided?
I'm sorry Dave, I'm afraid I can't do that
Sure you can: RAID - Redundant Array of Inexpensive Daves. Altough you'll need another few Daves.
Some people are aiming higher - trying to solve the problems of cheap computing and world hunger simultaneously.
I'm teaching probability this quarter, and am also in the market for a new PowerBook (my Wallstreet sucks at OSX, and I can no longer check my email with Eudora for OS9 - SSL in 6.1 not compatible with NWU's email server).
Please indulge me in my pompous professerism for a moment:
Conditional probability of two events is written as P(A|B).
This is spoke as "The probability of A given B." B is what you know, A is something you're interested in.
So define A as "a new powerbook introduced in the next 30 days".
In this case, B is what we know - if we define B as this web-bug gif, well, that that doesn't tell us much about P(A), though it might allow you to update your beliefs about the quality of journalism at the Register.
So what sort of B would tell us something about P(A)?
Look to past events that occured before previous Apple product introductions:
- scant supply of current models in the supply chain
- 'end of life' designation in retailers' stocking computers
- ThinkSecret or other site posting pics, or 'reliable' rumors
- Press conference scheduled
- I'm sure that there are many other pieces of relevant info, a web-bug not being very high on the ranking list.
So here I am - waiting for a dual core G4 PB. I will not buy one of the current models, as they are somewhat long in the tooth, getting only speed bumps for over a year.
I see no indication of scant supply.
I see no indication that current models are EOL'd on retailers' stocking systems.
I see no 'reliable' rumors, and I would expect some if there was a plant in Asia making new PB's to build up inventory before introduction.
Given the above evidence, I conclude that it is highly unlikely that a PB will be introduced during the next 30 days.
Dammit. I do hope my conclusion is wrong.
And I fear that P(A|B) = 1 if we define the event B: "I buy a current PowerBook".
SCO was disqualified for repeatedly faking injuries for a red card.
In Soviet Russia, the Cell architecture goes deep inside the article.
In Soviet Russia, 'In Soviet Russia' posts get modded down.
Do narrow-minded and prudish Americans stay at home, while the broad-minded and friendly ones visit Europe in the summer?
No, they run for President and appoint genitalphobic attourney generals and FTC chairs.
President Jenna Bush?!? WTF!!!
... kablamazon.com
Has a nice ring to it eh?
and then the beachball of death.
Beachball of death? Are you referring to the 'Pinwheel of Eternity'?
I know that the two business plans are hard to distinguish at first glance, but be patient and eventually you'll see the differences.
Microsoft has a huge advantage here.
Your typical Slashdot company's business model, call it TinFoilHatCo:
Step 1.) create / release spyware
Step 2.) create spyware removal
Step 3.) ????
Step 4.) Profit (??)
Microsoft:
Step 1) create / release buggy OS
Step 2) Profit.
Step 3) Profit.
Step 4) Profit.
Step 5) Profit.
Step 6) Dance like a monkey
Step 7) Profit.
Step 8) Profit.
Step 9) Profit.
Step 10) Update buggy OS in a way similar to adding a third story to a building with a foundation designed for one story. Leave many holes for spyware.
Step 11) Profit
Step 12) Profit
Step 13) Profit
Step 14) Profit
Step 15) Profit
Step 16) Claim to be a hero by releasing an 'Free' piece of software that only cleans up half the problems you created in the first place.
Step 17) Profit
Step 18) Profit
Step 19) Profit
Step 20) Goto step 1
Well, given current corporate structure (AOLTimeWarnerHBOCNNOMGWTFBBQ) I'm expecting the AOL CD to rank number one.
it should be possible to measure a metre very exactly.
Ah - but I suspect that measurement of what comprises six inches will be as imprecise and inaccurate as it's always been.
Maybe we can practice other completely unnecessary acts of money waste.
You mean like spend $125 Million on a video game? That does almost absolutely nothing to advance society at all?
I'm tired of hearing people yap about tax money when they waste money on frivolous things. Not to say that video games are bad, but do you know how much health care or education $125 Million will purchase? And the general public dropped that in one day! Do you know how much good research $125 M will purchase? I haven't looked it up, but I'm guessing the X-43A project is on the same order of magnitude cost-wise as what the public spent on this one single video game.
I had promised my 12 year old nephew that I would wait in line with him, and treat him to Halo at midnight the other night. At 11:45 it dawned on me that my $49 would better benefit society if we donated it to some university doing good research. So we went home.
I'm still trying to figure out who left that flaming bag of poo on my stoop last night.
Ashcroft saying, "The objective of securing the safety of Americans from crime and terror has been achieved," means, "Hey!!! Look everybody!! There are no terrorists attacking us RIGHT NOW!!"
It's kind of like when Clinton said, "I do not have an inapproproate relation with that girl, Ms. Lewinsky," he really meant, "Ms. Lewinsky is not blowing me RIGHT NOW, but lemme tellya, if you guys could see what I have here under the podium..."
P.S. http://fuckthesouth.com/
Force stores with this policy to inform consumers _at time of purchase_ that said purchase is a non-returnable final sale, defective merchandise excepted.
For those paying with cash, modify to: we'll take this item back, but no more returns for items purchased from this point forth.
While the current policy offends me, I do not have a problem with this modified policy. Buyer beware, but informed.