You know, we have a bunch of people collectively known as the "Justice Department", who, as I understand it, are supposed to deliver justice to the various malefactors in our society. What I want to know is, why aren't some of the Congresscritters who are blatantly taking bribes in exchange for corrupted law up on charges?
Now, that's all well and good, but ...
on
Store Your Own Juice
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· Score: 3, Funny
I think a better service would be one that makes intelligent decisions and tops off my car when gasoline is cheaper.
there's a great Windows port of Duke Nukem available, and it includes all the tools you need to create your own levels. It would be a great start. You can get it here
Well, people on Slashdot are always making noises about "voting with one's wallet", although that's usually meant in the sense of "boycott members of the RIAA". This is a much better approach... spend your entertainment dollars in a way that a. gets you the music you want b. makes the artists some money and c. doesn't feed the old-line cartel.
Well, what these malware types are doing is possibly, probably illegal... but a denial of service attack most certainly is, at least here in the U.S. The old two wrongs don't make a right thing, and all that.
Besides, the natural result of a globe-spanning technology that can send a packet from here to there (where there can be any place on the entire planet) in milliseconds is a near-total lack of accountability on the part of malefactors. Nothing much is going to change that... the only real offense is a stellar defense.
I dunno if free speech covers theft of information and vandalism, which is what we're really talking about here. They have the right to say anything they want... whether the First Amendment gives them the right to run arbitrary code on my computer is something else again.
Yes... personally I thought Van Helsing was a pretty decent movie. If you're into that kind of film (I most certainly am) I think you'll enjoy it. Besides, Kate Beckinsale is most impressive. The final battle is one of the best choreographed CGI fight scenes I've ever seen in the theater.
More good questions. Ditto on the Apple ][ Standard. Still have it, with the original Integer BASIC ROMs. At some point, I want to put it on a rotating pedestal in a helium-filled, climate-controlled case.
We pay a similar surcharge on blank media in the U.S.. Unfortunately, that isn't considered sufficient to compensate the "artists" for their alleged losses. It does piss me off that a chunk of change on blanks I bought to back up my computer data went to the RIAA though.
They've been cross-licensing their patent portfolios for decades. That's nothing new. What is new is that somebody is buying up patents by the shitload, with intentions that are murky at best. Even if their intentions are honorable now, who's to say they always will be? This much power in so few hands is a risky proposition and just asking for trouble. Hell, if I were out to really screw up the American industrial base, using our own legal system against us, this is exactly how I'd go about doing it.
Look, when you concentrate something valuable, at a certain point it becomes dangerous if those in control of it turn threatening. Google, for example, has an unrivalled collection of data on, well, on pretty much everything. Many people on Slashdot have commented on the potential dangers of that information if Google chooses to use it unethically, or if it falls into the hands of people that would misuse it. Worse, given that this organization is founded by an ex-Microsoft bigwig, and has a collection of lawyers running the show (rather than a couple of computer-science types who really don't want to be evil) I think the shit is truly going to hit the fan on this one. I don't see how it could not hit the fan... this much power is just too tempting.
{sigh} In some ways, it makes me wish I'd pursued a career in "intellectual property law" instead of going for engineering. I'd probably have a lot more money.
If you really want I can grab some of the literature for a laugh!
At a time when Microsoft is actually facing serious competition (Linux on the Desktop may or may not be "there yet" but it's frighteningly close, and a lot of companies want a piece of Microsoft's pie) it is doing things that, in a non-monopolistic environment, would simply drive users to more co-operative competitors. Granted, Windows users have always put up with orders of magnitude more irritation, frustration and general disgust than users of most other operating systems (exhibiting a degree of stoicism that, frankly, I don't have anymore) but there has to be a limit. What does it take to make a long-time Windows user give up and try something else?
I didn't say I didn't want other features, dimbulb. You made an assumption but that only makes an ass out of you. I said I'd like good service, because no matter what nifty features you add on to that cell phone it's primary function is still making calls because that's the part that costs money. Yes, I like gadgets as much as the next bytehead, but I can't justify an extra fifty or sixty bucks a month in juice money to the likes of Verizon for a PDA-wannabe cell phone that can't serve it's prime function well (because the cellular network is crap) and is only a half-assed PDA anyway. Yes, I'm perfectly aware that that is the carrier's fault not the phone manufacturer, but that difference is moot so far as my wallet is concerned.
but here in U.S. I'd be happy to have a cellular telephone that can actually place an occasional PHONE CALL! Keep your camera/MP3player/PDA/whatever technology and just give me a trustworthy cellular network. Then we'll talk about extras.
Nah. Just take 'em out back and shoot 'em. And I disagree with the other poster... after all the damage these guys have done to the artists, our legal system and our wallets I think they do deserve to be raped.
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You know, we have a bunch of people collectively known as the "Justice Department", who, as I understand it, are supposed to deliver justice to the various malefactors in our society. What I want to know is, why aren't some of the Congresscritters who are blatantly taking bribes in exchange for corrupted law up on charges?
I think a better service would be one that makes intelligent decisions and tops off my car when gasoline is cheaper.
... it's not getting cheaper. My mistake.
Oh, wait
Store Your Own Juice
Personally, I use Mason jars.
But that's just me.
Something akin to clamping down on false advertising (or just plain fraud) needs to be done.
I think clamping down on their testicles with a pair of electrodes hooked to a neon transformer would be just about right.
there's a great Windows port of Duke Nukem available, and it includes all the tools you need to create your own levels. It would be a great start. You can get it here
Most Web Users Unable to Spot Spyware
Well, I guess that's why they call it spyware, don't they. I mean, what kind of spy would be easy to spot? Wouldn't be a very good spy, now would he.
Well, people on Slashdot are always making noises about "voting with one's wallet", although that's usually meant in the sense of "boycott members of the RIAA". This is a much better approach ... spend your entertainment dollars in a way that a. gets you the music you want b. makes the artists some money and c. doesn't feed the old-line cartel.
Well, what these malware types are doing is possibly, probably illegal ... but a denial of service attack most certainly is, at least here in the U.S. The old two wrongs don't make a right thing, and all that.
... the only real offense is a stellar defense.
Besides, the natural result of a globe-spanning technology that can send a packet from here to there (where there can be any place on the entire planet) in milliseconds is a near-total lack of accountability on the part of malefactors. Nothing much is going to change that
I dunno if free speech covers theft of information and vandalism, which is what we're really talking about here. They have the right to say anything they want ... whether the First Amendment gives them the right to run arbitrary code on my computer is something else again.
Yes ... personally I thought Van Helsing was a pretty decent movie. If you're into that kind of film (I most certainly am) I think you'll enjoy it. Besides, Kate Beckinsale is most impressive. The final battle is one of the best choreographed CGI fight scenes I've ever seen in the theater.
How, exactly?
Well, that answers that. Thanks for the info.
Well, either that or morticians.
More good questions. Ditto on the Apple ][ Standard. Still have it, with the original Integer BASIC ROMs. At some point, I want to put it on a rotating pedestal in a helium-filled, climate-controlled case.
In a lot of ways, computers were more fun then.
We pay a similar surcharge on blank media in the U.S.. Unfortunately, that isn't considered sufficient to compensate the "artists" for their alleged losses. It does piss me off that a chunk of change on blanks I bought to back up my computer data went to the RIAA though.
Okay, so which legit online store carries her music and doesn't encumber it with DRM?
Just asking.
You know, this is the first time that "in Soviet Russia" line has actually made sense.
would have been "Apple's New All-Seeing 'i'".
No ... constiputed.
On the other hand, if the GP is correct this might spur development of the inertial dampener.
They've been cross-licensing their patent portfolios for decades. That's nothing new. What is new is that somebody is buying up patents by the shitload, with intentions that are murky at best. Even if their intentions are honorable now, who's to say they always will be? This much power in so few hands is a risky proposition and just asking for trouble. Hell, if I were out to really screw up the American industrial base, using our own legal system against us, this is exactly how I'd go about doing it.
... this much power is just too tempting.
Look, when you concentrate something valuable, at a certain point it becomes dangerous if those in control of it turn threatening. Google, for example, has an unrivalled collection of data on, well, on pretty much everything. Many people on Slashdot have commented on the potential dangers of that information if Google chooses to use it unethically, or if it falls into the hands of people that would misuse it. Worse, given that this organization is founded by an ex-Microsoft bigwig, and has a collection of lawyers running the show (rather than a couple of computer-science types who really don't want to be evil) I think the shit is truly going to hit the fan on this one. I don't see how it could not hit the fan
{sigh} In some ways, it makes me wish I'd pursued a career in "intellectual property law" instead of going for engineering. I'd probably have a lot more money.
If you really want I can grab some of the literature for a laugh!
At a time when Microsoft is actually facing serious competition (Linux on the Desktop may or may not be "there yet" but it's frighteningly close, and a lot of companies want a piece of Microsoft's pie) it is doing things that, in a non-monopolistic environment, would simply drive users to more co-operative competitors. Granted, Windows users have always put up with orders of magnitude more irritation, frustration and general disgust than users of most other operating systems (exhibiting a degree of stoicism that, frankly, I don't have anymore) but there has to be a limit. What does it take to make a long-time Windows user give up and try something else?
I didn't say I didn't want other features, dimbulb. You made an assumption but that only makes an ass out of you. I said I'd like good service, because no matter what nifty features you add on to that cell phone it's primary function is still making calls because that's the part that costs money. Yes, I like gadgets as much as the next bytehead, but I can't justify an extra fifty or sixty bucks a month in juice money to the likes of Verizon for a PDA-wannabe cell phone that can't serve it's prime function well (because the cellular network is crap) and is only a half-assed PDA anyway. Yes, I'm perfectly aware that that is the carrier's fault not the phone manufacturer, but that difference is moot so far as my wallet is concerned.
but here in U.S. I'd be happy to have a cellular telephone that can actually place an occasional PHONE CALL! Keep your camera/MP3player/PDA/whatever technology and just give me a trustworthy cellular network. Then we'll talk about extras.
Nah. Just take 'em out back and shoot 'em. And I disagree with the other poster ... after all the damage these guys have done to the artists, our legal system and our wallets I think they do deserve to be raped.