So, what is it exactly that most people believe that Blizzard is selling? Hot air? Or is the attribute of "sold" versus "licensed" solely a matter of context?
Maybe it was the fact that I had an Atari 800XL and everyone pirated and pretty soon nobody made software for it anymore (not good software, anyway).
Not a good example. I had an Apple ][ in 1978, and software was heavily "pirated" (really, "illegally copied", piracy is a misnomer) but the quality and quantity of Apple ][ software only increased with time. That in spite of widespread copying.
Atari failed for a lot of reasons, but people copying software for it wasn't one of them.
They may figure they have a better chance with this particular judge if they don't put those self-same bullyboys back in his courtroom ("Fool me once..."). Probably they're right in that.
No, I think you are the one being imprecise. Cannon fodder are soldiers deliberately placed in harm's way in order to draw or test enemy fire. They are definitely expendable, but there is no assurance that they will be completely wiped out. In fact, it is hoped that some will survive in order to return information about enemy capabilities.
Call the RIAA's big gun cannon fodder is correct: he is being put in harm's way (career-wise) although it is not assumed that he will be destroyed by it. Hopefully (from the RIAA's perspective) he will survive intact, so that he can be reused another day.
No, they failed because, as everyone knows, the center of the Earth is actually hollow, contains a breathable atmosphere, and is full of prehistoric creatures.
So there will be very few of them. Too bad, really.
The problem with your thinking is that it is either | or. It doesn't have to be that way.
Look, you're assuming that without the big studios we wouldn't have much music available. I disagree: the current music regime is not really as useful as you suppose. It has suppressed a lot of music that it didn't believe would sell well enough, and has been repeatedly investigated for overcharging consumers. The products it does release are designed strictly for mass appeal (i.e., high profit) regardless of quality or taste. We don't have to go into their treatment of the musicians themselves, which is shoddy at best, criminal at worst. In any event, there are a multitude of ways for musicians to make money that don't involve screwing with copyright law or extorting money from both artists and consumers.
Imagine an ethical music studio that provided production and marketing services for artists for a reasonable fee (or percentage.) Further imagine this company not insisting the artists sign over all their copyrights. They'd still make money (maybe not as much, but hey, honesty has a price), the artists themselves wouldn't have to worry so much about feeding their families, and the public would have a wider variety of music to enjoy.
There's always another way, but getting there usually involves the removal of bloodsucking leeches.
He doesn't need a source... he just said, "I believe." Therefore he was simply spouting an unsubstantiated opinion and expected it to be taken as such.
That's the second question, since right now they're not illegal, they're just alien. The first question would be, how do we prevent them from crossing the border?
Eventually, they will probably take Microsoft to court
Actually, I'd like to see that happen. Then Blizzard will get the bug-on-the-windshield treatment.
Regardless, Blizzard has been on my list of companies that I will never do business with for some time now. Looks like that's not going to change anytime soon. Blizzard is one of those companies that is perfectly willing to set legal precedent that hurts a lot of people and organizations that have nothing to do with gaming. That makes them corporate citizens on a par with Viacom, Sony, Electronic Arts and the rest of the "entertainment industry".
More than WoW, think of Valve's STEAM Content Distribution System. Under the hood it's a swarming system (hell, Bram Cohen was involved in the design) and Valve is a major distributor of gaming content. Not all their own, either... they distribute games for a number of other vendors.
Would distribution of an iTunes track (where no physical media ever existed) constitute an actual copy? How about a transcoded file? If I convert a music track from Apple's format to an MP3... is that still an actual copy, legally speaking?
Okay... how about Congress? How much power do you have to have before your health (or lack of it) makes you a threat to a whole lot of people? And I'm not just talking physical disabilities or issues... there are psychological problems as well. Say, megalomania.
No, it is far more than mere corner cases. This is a serious issue, and it's getting worse.
A good chunk of medical info is exposed due to the outsourcing of medical transcription services (that's why I mentioned that in my original post.) Once that data has been transferred out of the country (to Indian companies, in many cases) its disposition is no longer subject to U.S. law. Nobody really knows how much confidential medical data has been compromised, but the few incidents that have come to light are substantial.
'Steve Jobs has the right to keep his medical records private for as long as he wants. Like FDR. Like JFK. Like any single person in this country and the world. It's our right, as humans, to do so.
Sure, sounds great. Someone should tell the insurance companies and medical transcription outfits about that, though. They have no problem spreading our health information all over the goddamn planet.
The only possible case that Apple can make, the only one that has any chance, would be based on the end-user licensing agreement.
I'm not a lawyer, but how would that work? Company "B" sells equipment that is compatible with Company "A"'s software. Company "B" never has anything to do with sales or support of said software. What standing would "A" have to sue "B"?
Oh, this has all the earmarks of the early Apple/Franklin wars, with Apple doing it's level best to keep Franklin as incompatible as possible. I'm sure Apple will (if it hasn't already) put in place some technological measures to prevent OSX operation on clones, but still. This is just going to be a mess (not that Apple doesn't deserve it.)
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So, what is it exactly that most people believe that Blizzard is selling? Hot air? Or is the attribute of "sold" versus "licensed" solely a matter of context?
Would you care to explain how you continually misrepresent the terms "pirate" and "theft" in the context of individual copyright infringement?
Maybe it was the fact that I had an Atari 800XL and everyone pirated and pretty soon nobody made software for it anymore (not good software, anyway).
Not a good example. I had an Apple ][ in 1978, and software was heavily "pirated" (really, "illegally copied", piracy is a misnomer) but the quality and quantity of Apple ][ software only increased with time. That in spite of widespread copying.
Atari failed for a lot of reasons, but people copying software for it wasn't one of them.
What are they so worried about?
Could it be the "P" word?
More likely he's some musician who just figured out that he got screwed by his studio contract and doesn't want to admit it.
No, we're on the first level of the first CD. It's going to get worse before it gets better ... if it ever does.
They may figure they have a better chance with this particular judge if they don't put those self-same bullyboys back in his courtroom ("Fool me once ..."). Probably they're right in that.
No, I think you are the one being imprecise. Cannon fodder are soldiers deliberately placed in harm's way in order to draw or test enemy fire. They are definitely expendable, but there is no assurance that they will be completely wiped out. In fact, it is hoped that some will survive in order to return information about enemy capabilities.
Call the RIAA's big gun cannon fodder is correct: he is being put in harm's way (career-wise) although it is not assumed that he will be destroyed by it. Hopefully (from the RIAA's perspective) he will survive intact, so that he can be reused another day.
No, they failed because, as everyone knows, the center of the Earth is actually hollow, contains a breathable atmosphere, and is full of prehistoric creatures.
So there will be very few of them. Too bad, really.
The problem with your thinking is that it is either | or. It doesn't have to be that way.
Look, you're assuming that without the big studios we wouldn't have much music available. I disagree: the current music regime is not really as useful as you suppose. It has suppressed a lot of music that it didn't believe would sell well enough, and has been repeatedly investigated for overcharging consumers. The products it does release are designed strictly for mass appeal (i.e., high profit) regardless of quality or taste. We don't have to go into their treatment of the musicians themselves, which is shoddy at best, criminal at worst. In any event, there are a multitude of ways for musicians to make money that don't involve screwing with copyright law or extorting money from both artists and consumers.
Imagine an ethical music studio that provided production and marketing services for artists for a reasonable fee (or percentage.) Further imagine this company not insisting the artists sign over all their copyrights. They'd still make money (maybe not as much, but hey, honesty has a price), the artists themselves wouldn't have to worry so much about feeding their families, and the public would have a wider variety of music to enjoy.
There's always another way, but getting there usually involves the removal of bloodsucking leeches.
While i realize you are just bush-bashing, that same statement holds true for a surprisingly large number of humans.
... that concerns me a lot more than the possibility of microbes on Mars.
Yes
He doesn't need a source ... he just said, "I believe." Therefore he was simply spouting an unsubstantiated opinion and expected it to be taken as such.
How do we deport these Illegal Aliens?
That's the second question, since right now they're not illegal, they're just alien. The first question would be, how do we prevent them from crossing the border?
Eventually, they will probably take Microsoft to court
Actually, I'd like to see that happen. Then Blizzard will get the bug-on-the-windshield treatment.
Regardless, Blizzard has been on my list of companies that I will never do business with for some time now. Looks like that's not going to change anytime soon. Blizzard is one of those companies that is perfectly willing to set legal precedent that hurts a lot of people and organizations that have nothing to do with gaming. That makes them corporate citizens on a par with Viacom, Sony, Electronic Arts and the rest of the "entertainment industry".
They don't deserve a penny of anyone's money.
More than WoW, think of Valve's STEAM Content Distribution System. Under the hood it's a swarming system (hell, Bram Cohen was involved in the design) and Valve is a major distributor of gaming content. Not all their own, either ... they distribute games for a number of other vendors.
I'm in the military you insensitive clod!
Never name a piece of spacegoing hardware anything that rhymes with "trouble".
Also, never trust any technology that rhymes with "busted".
While the US accuses him of causing over $900,000 in computer damage
Our President has caused over 2.5 trillion dollars in damage. Why isn't he up on charges?
Would distribution of an iTunes track (where no physical media ever existed) constitute an actual copy? How about a transcoded file? If I convert a music track from Apple's format to an MP3 ... is that still an actual copy, legally speaking?
Okay ... how about Congress? How much power do you have to have before your health (or lack of it) makes you a threat to a whole lot of people? And I'm not just talking physical disabilities or issues ... there are psychological problems as well. Say, megalomania.
Interestingly, hospitals have been facing some serious issues with HIPAA compliance due to Windows habit of downloading updates automatically.
No, it is far more than mere corner cases. This is a serious issue, and it's getting worse.
A good chunk of medical info is exposed due to the outsourcing of medical transcription services (that's why I mentioned that in my original post.) Once that data has been transferred out of the country (to Indian companies, in many cases) its disposition is no longer subject to U.S. law. Nobody really knows how much confidential medical data has been compromised, but the few incidents that have come to light are substantial.
'Steve Jobs has the right to keep his medical records private for as long as he wants. Like FDR. Like JFK. Like any single person in this country and the world. It's our right, as humans, to do so.
Sure, sounds great. Someone should tell the insurance companies and medical transcription outfits about that, though. They have no problem spreading our health information all over the goddamn planet.
This was a man-in-the-middle attack. Such efforts are illegal. Period.
Consequently the FCC is (rather surprisingly, I admit) enforcing the law as written. That's actually a good thing.
The only possible case that Apple can make, the only one that has any chance, would be based on the end-user licensing agreement.
I'm not a lawyer, but how would that work? Company "B" sells equipment that is compatible with Company "A"'s software. Company "B" never has anything to do with sales or support of said software. What standing would "A" have to sue "B"?
Oh, this has all the earmarks of the early Apple/Franklin wars, with Apple doing it's level best to keep Franklin as incompatible as possible. I'm sure Apple will (if it hasn't already) put in place some technological measures to prevent OSX operation on clones, but still. This is just going to be a mess (not that Apple doesn't deserve it.)