You know, what conventional media needs is a moderation system, like Slashdot has. If that were the case, Jack Thompson would have been modded into the Underworld by now.
I wouldn't have even thought they had a support base, but then I see the number of advertising apologists here on Slashdot (people who should, really, know better.)
More to the point, whether or not a citizen can be influenced prior to casting his vote has nothing to with the need for secure and accurate voting processes. Those are two separate (but equally important) issues. Frankly, the most dangerous influence on the voting public comes not from armed thugs, but from our two political parties.
No voting system, however well designed, can correct for fundamental deficiencies in society in and of itself. That's still no reason not to develop a good system in the first place.
If there's an "unholy alliance" involved here, it's between Jack Thompson and Satan.
On the other hand, having such an obvious loon leading the charge against video games is probably a good thing. It's not hard for anyone to pick up on the fact that not all his dogs are barkin'. If the anti-violent-video-game crowd really want to have any chance of success, they should muzzle this idiot now before the rest of them get thoroughly discredited by association.
Well, if not thinking is easier than thinking, and if most people would rather do what is easiest, then what you're saying is entirely logical within that context. It reduces the amount of mental effort that must be continually expended to make sense of one's social environment. You're right though, it's too bad we're kind of hard-wired for that behavior: it does cause a lot of problems and makes it simple for the first demagogue to come along to take control of people's minds.
In Harry Harrison's The Stainless Steel Rat, a master criminal known as The Bishop once said to his protégé Slippery Jim DiGriz: "Man is a rationalizing animal, and requires training to become a rational one", if memory serves.
Classic knee-jerk reaction. I get that all the time here: people that actually agree with me foaming at the mouth because they didn't read past the first line. I don't always read someone's entire post, but I will if I'm going to reply to it.
Gotta give this particular fucktard an "A" for persistence, if nothing else. He's not as smart as he thinks he is though: I know roughly where he lives. When I've narrowed it down it down a little more I'll post the details.
In a way, it's a return to the original computer store. Back in 1980/1981 I was working sales/service for a computer store (one of a chain that eventually went under.) We sold Apples and Ataris at the time, until the original IBM Personal Computer came out in '81. I was among the first group flown to Boca Raton for training: since I did service as well as sales I got to go through both classes. Kinda cool, actually... if nothing else, IBM did know how to sell. Anyway back then, the machines were (by current standards) hideously expensive (I mean, five grand for a desktop box?) However, that margin allowed us to provide a good deal of personalized service, service that you'll never see in any store selling commodity PCs at commodity prices. We even offered evening classes for people to come and learn about their shiny new Apples and IBMs, and we didn't charge much because we didn't need to. We had cubicles set up all around the place, each with a computer that customers could spend whatever time they wished to learn about it, no pressure. Sounds kinda like the Apple Store, doesn't it? Apple's not doing anything new or innovative here, other than that they've realized that if you a. figure out what customers want and b. figure out a way to give it to them then c. they'll give you money for it! Not rocket science, although to most other companies in the retail computer business it's nothing short of a black art.
Personally, I think that the personal computer revolution would have taken a lot longer to take off, if stores hadn't been willing (and had the margins) to do that kind of thing. Remember, this was back in the days of Apple DOS 3.1 and IBM DOS 1.0. Things sure have changed though, and the price we've had to pay for cheap computers is that stores don't care about anything but the money. Nowadays you can buy a cheap PC, sure... but don't expect the store to give you any handholding or do anything but take your cash, print your receipt, and thank you for your business.
This has nothing to do with DRM, per se. It has to do with who distributes big label music. Apple, through a combination of astuteness on Steve Jobs' part, and boneheaded stupidity on the labels' part, got control of a good chunk of music sales. The studios absolutely do not like the treatment they've received from Apple (i.e., "no, we're not going to grease up and bend over for you") and have never willingly given up control of distribution in the past. In fact, they've done any number of unethical and outright illegal things in order to maintain it. Believe me, they'd do anything to get rid of iTunes right now, in spite of the money it's making them (bears caught in a trap will gnaw off their own limbs to escape.)
Consider this: can you name any government-sponsored project besides the Human Genome Project, funded largely by the NIH, to have been completed ahead of schedule and under budget?
That's a an interesting point. Looking back at the IT infrastructure upgrade attempts made by the FBI, FAA, IRS and Navy, and the multi-billion-dollar cost overruns the taxpayers suffered in the process, I'd say what NIH has done there is especially impressive.
I doubt it. Remember, we are talking hardcore control freaks here, true blue sociopaths. This is more likely part of some strategy to topple Apple from the driver's seat, and have us back under their collective thumb again.
It's a jerkoff forum spammer that keeps jumping into conversations with supposed links to interesting and relevant tidbits that all point through various redirects to his own useless site.
Slashdot Mirror
You know, what conventional media needs is a moderation system, like Slashdot has. If that were the case, Jack Thompson would have been modded into the Underworld by now.
Well, by that standard a TiVo would qualify as artificially intelligent.
I wouldn't have even thought they had a support base, but then I see the number of advertising apologists here on Slashdot (people who should, really, know better.)
More to the point, whether or not a citizen can be influenced prior to casting his vote has nothing to with the need for secure and accurate voting processes. Those are two separate (but equally important) issues. Frankly, the most dangerous influence on the voting public comes not from armed thugs, but from our two political parties.
No voting system, however well designed, can correct for fundamental deficiencies in society in and of itself. That's still no reason not to develop a good system in the first place.
If there's an "unholy alliance" involved here, it's between Jack Thompson and Satan.
On the other hand, having such an obvious loon leading the charge against video games is probably a good thing. It's not hard for anyone to pick up on the fact that not all his dogs are barkin'. If the anti-violent-video-game crowd really want to have any chance of success, they should muzzle this idiot now before the rest of them get thoroughly discredited by association.
Well, if not thinking is easier than thinking, and if most people would rather do what is easiest, then what you're saying is entirely logical within that context. It reduces the amount of mental effort that must be continually expended to make sense of one's social environment. You're right though, it's too bad we're kind of hard-wired for that behavior: it does cause a lot of problems and makes it simple for the first demagogue to come along to take control of people's minds.
In Harry Harrison's The Stainless Steel Rat, a master criminal known as The Bishop once said to his protégé Slippery Jim DiGriz: "Man is a rationalizing animal, and requires training to become a rational one", if memory serves.
Oh. I'm sorry.
Classic knee-jerk reaction. I get that all the time here: people that actually agree with me foaming at the mouth because they didn't read past the first line. I don't always read someone's entire post, but I will if I'm going to reply to it.
"The candle that burns twice as bright burns half as long" - Tyrell, Blade Runner
Gotta give this particular fucktard an "A" for persistence, if nothing else. He's not as smart as he thinks he is though: I know roughly where he lives. When I've narrowed it down it down a little more I'll post the details.
We've raised the bar and you can't really step back.
If he'd said "we've lowered the bar" would you have agreed with him?
In a way, it's a return to the original computer store. Back in 1980/1981 I was working sales/service for a computer store (one of a chain that eventually went under.) We sold Apples and Ataris at the time, until the original IBM Personal Computer came out in '81. I was among the first group flown to Boca Raton for training: since I did service as well as sales I got to go through both classes. Kinda cool, actually ... if nothing else, IBM did know how to sell. Anyway back then, the machines were (by current standards) hideously expensive (I mean, five grand for a desktop box?) However, that margin allowed us to provide a good deal of personalized service, service that you'll never see in any store selling commodity PCs at commodity prices. We even offered evening classes for people to come and learn about their shiny new Apples and IBMs, and we didn't charge much because we didn't need to. We had cubicles set up all around the place, each with a computer that customers could spend whatever time they wished to learn about it, no pressure. Sounds kinda like the Apple Store, doesn't it? Apple's not doing anything new or innovative here, other than that they've realized that if you a. figure out what customers want and b. figure out a way to give it to them then c. they'll give you money for it! Not rocket science, although to most other companies in the retail computer business it's nothing short of a black art.
... but don't expect the store to give you any handholding or do anything but take your cash, print your receipt, and thank you for your business.
Personally, I think that the personal computer revolution would have taken a lot longer to take off, if stores hadn't been willing (and had the margins) to do that kind of thing. Remember, this was back in the days of Apple DOS 3.1 and IBM DOS 1.0. Things sure have changed though, and the price we've had to pay for cheap computers is that stores don't care about anything but the money. Nowadays you can buy a cheap PC, sure
Winners get a tote bag, mug and an "I is stoppin' der terrarists" t-shirt.
And an extra battery for their laptop.
This has nothing to do with DRM, per se. It has to do with who distributes big label music. Apple, through a combination of astuteness on Steve Jobs' part, and boneheaded stupidity on the labels' part, got control of a good chunk of music sales. The studios absolutely do not like the treatment they've received from Apple (i.e., "no, we're not going to grease up and bend over for you") and have never willingly given up control of distribution in the past. In fact, they've done any number of unethical and outright illegal things in order to maintain it. Believe me, they'd do anything to get rid of iTunes right now, in spite of the money it's making them (bears caught in a trap will gnaw off their own limbs to escape.)
Consider this: can you name any government-sponsored project besides the Human Genome Project, funded largely by the NIH, to have been completed ahead of schedule and under budget?
That's a an interesting point. Looking back at the IT infrastructure upgrade attempts made by the FBI, FAA, IRS and Navy, and the multi-billion-dollar cost overruns the taxpayers suffered in the process, I'd say what NIH has done there is especially impressive.
Do the rich deserve better police or fire protection?
Well, I'm sure they think so, and in practice they get it.
All your research are belong to allofus.
Any relation to President Doofus?
I doubt it. Remember, we are talking hardcore control freaks here, true blue sociopaths. This is more likely part of some strategy to topple Apple from the driver's seat, and have us back under their collective thumb again.
Man, who is the dickhead on the loose with mod points this evening. I guess there are some RIAA types that frequent Slashdot nowadays.
Flamebait, my ass. That's actually funny.
I think that when it comes to turning food into poop we will always be number one.
You know what they say: One man's poop is another sentient being's power source.
Organic signature analysis. Yes, that's been going on for a long time in a number of different medical fields.
a nation conceived from a lie can not do great things
... but Russia certainly has done some big things!
Maybe
It's a jerkoff forum spammer that keeps jumping into conversations with supposed links to interesting and relevant tidbits that all point through various redirects to his own useless site.
now that's a name I've not heard for a long time.
I guess somebody must have reincarnated Heathkit.
Arrogance or ignorance. Hard to say which. Maybe both.