They're only blocking 2 ISPs. If users of those ISPs in Spain get pissed off at this, they should vote with their wallets and go with another ISP that does more to control spam on their network. It seems a bit like them blocking BTopenworld over here - used by a lot of people, but not me. I'm glad to be with a better ISP, and if a country's national ISP was failing to police their network properly, I'd be glad that people were discouraged as much as possible from using them.
If you are a halfway intelligent person who bothers to think for yourself you'll be able to come up with a dozen more reasons against introducing ID cards in no time.
Just answered your own question as to why the BBC-digesting majority of the British public accept the scheme blindly.;-)
Consider people who always want to try software before they buy it. Also, consider companies who think their software is so wonderful that users shouldn't be allowed a trial period. Piracy allows such people (like me) to try software, and if they like it, buy it. That's extra sales for short-sighted companies.
SCO are like a dinosaur with a broken leg, writhing and roaring as they die a very painful death, being nibbled to pieces by worms as the last ounces of their strength slowly ebb away. That's exactly what I'd like to see happen to the RIAA.
However, it can be argued that the added publicity of having your music out there is an acknowledgement in and of itself, which would make downloading not theft.
Mmm... I think that 'acknowledgement', used in that context, really is what the original creator of the work requires acknowledgement to be, so you can't say it's anything other than payment. I fully accept your first point, though. So, I suggest the 'music downloading isn't theft' brigade on Slashdot slightly change their mantra to 'music downloading isn't as cardinal a sin as the RIAA make it out to be':-)
Perhaps not in legalese, but in casual English, it's an appropriate label. Look at my above post to see why. You can't assume people are always using the 'legal' definition of a word... the RIAA can easily call illegal file sharers 'stealers' and be using the term in plain old English.
people who swap files are not thieves. Go look up the definition in a dictionary - to "steal" something is to deprive it's owner of their right to use it, i.e. to take it away.
I hate to say it, but the word 'theft' *IS* appropriate to describe the unlawful downloading of music. I think it's about time this debate was settled once and for all. My dictionary (Collins) definition of 'theft' is 'the act or an instance of stealing'. So then we have to look at the definition of 'stealing'. Although the #1 definition of stealing isn't appropriate for downloading music - 'taking something from someone unlawfully' implies a physical loss for the original owner - the #2 definition is: 'to use (someone else's ideas or work) without acknowledgment'. eg. To play an artist's music without paying for its use.
I think you'll find dictionary.com & other dictionaries say pretty much the same thing. Illegal music downloading *can* be accurately called theft.
Just my quick 2p (2 cents), but actually I think it's a rather good thing that we have words in our language that are profanities. We need some way to express extreme anger/hatrid/annoyance, rather than every single word being average slang and/or cuddly.:-)
But this so depends on what you mean by 'learn'. They learn to do what they want to / need to use the net for. They think they have sufficient understanding of this. Do they need more in-depth understanding? Do you take the time to learn about exactly how your computer's CPU is architectured?
First, I think it's partly the fear of being poised at the top of a slippery slope. (Granted, the "slippery slope" argument is a logical fallacy--but debates are not won on logic alone.)
For an issue as fundamental as this, does it really matter that it's a logical fallacy? It sure as hell holds true when you consider it as a balance-of-previous-evidence argument (non-logical?), and that's quite enough for me to oppose any kind of DRM in BIOSes strongly.
Good news: I am confident that if every consumer of computer hardware read through the answers to this question, DRM-infected BIOSes would die a horrible death. Bad news: I am confident that most consumers of computer hardware won't read them, or indeed anything like them.
It's really sad. This kind of BS is what makes me almost want to pull out of computing altogether. As someone doing a CS course, you can imagine that it's pretty disastrous for me.:-(
Personally I couldn't stand using a laptop all the time. I find a desktop is better ergonomically (hate laptop keyboards, nasty LCD monitors, nasty tinny speakers) and financially (all that miniturization isn't free). Yeah I know you can plug larger peripherals into a laptop to alleviate some of these problems but you're getting closer and closer to turning it into a desktop then.
Yes, I'm sure they do... but the point I was making is that '3721' is a string of Arabic numbers. Just as I wouldn't recognise what Chinese script means, I doubt they'd understand Western script if they hadn't studied a Western language.
If you want a good illustration of how NES games relied on PAL/NTSC, grab a US rom and play it with PAL emulation on, or a european ROM with PAL emulation off.
Slashdot Mirror
They're only blocking 2 ISPs. If users of those ISPs in Spain get pissed off at this, they should vote with their wallets and go with another ISP that does more to control spam on their network. It seems a bit like them blocking BTopenworld over here - used by a lot of people, but not me. I'm glad to be with a better ISP, and if a country's national ISP was failing to police their network properly, I'd be glad that people were discouraged as much as possible from using them.
It's actually IMpossible to identify who posted a comment if it was posted via an anonymous proxy that doesn't keep logs.
If you are a halfway intelligent person who bothers to think for yourself you'll be able to come up with a dozen more reasons against introducing ID cards in no time.
;-)
Just answered your own question as to why the BBC-digesting majority of the British public accept the scheme blindly.
Since when has Labour listened the what the people want?
When it suits them? Since the beginning. How do you think the assholes got elected?
You wanna neuter someone, you better be *DAMN* sure they actually committed the crime, and that it wasn't some bitch making a feel-good accusation.
Consider people who always want to try software before they buy it. Also, consider companies who think their software is so wonderful that users shouldn't be allowed a trial period. Piracy allows such people (like me) to try software, and if they like it, buy it. That's extra sales for short-sighted companies.
SCO are like a dinosaur with a broken leg, writhing and roaring as they die a very painful death, being nibbled to pieces by worms as the last ounces of their strength slowly ebb away. That's exactly what I'd like to see happen to the RIAA.
Only if your administrator has been stupid enough to setup the BIOS to boot from CD before IDE.
Maybe you should spell potato right first.
Look here.
However, it can be argued that the added publicity of having your music out there is an acknowledgement in and of itself, which would make downloading not theft.
:-)
Mmm... I think that 'acknowledgement', used in that context, really is what the original creator of the work requires acknowledgement to be, so you can't say it's anything other than payment. I fully accept your first point, though. So, I suggest the 'music downloading isn't theft' brigade on Slashdot slightly change their mantra to 'music downloading isn't as cardinal a sin as the RIAA make it out to be'
distributing copyrighted works is not stealing.
Perhaps not in legalese, but in casual English, it's an appropriate label. Look at my above post to see why. You can't assume people are always using the 'legal' definition of a word... the RIAA can easily call illegal file sharers 'stealers' and be using the term in plain old English.
people who swap files are not thieves. Go look up the definition in a dictionary - to "steal" something is to deprive it's owner of their right to use it, i.e. to take it away.
I hate to say it, but the word 'theft' *IS* appropriate to describe the unlawful downloading of music. I think it's about time this debate was settled once and for all. My dictionary (Collins) definition of 'theft' is 'the act or an instance of stealing'. So then we have to look at the definition of 'stealing'. Although the #1 definition of stealing isn't appropriate for downloading music - 'taking something from someone unlawfully' implies a physical loss for the original owner - the #2 definition is: 'to use (someone else's ideas or work) without acknowledgment'. eg. To play an artist's music without paying for its use.
I think you'll find dictionary.com & other dictionaries say pretty much the same thing. Illegal music downloading *can* be accurately called theft.
In Societ Russia, women like YOU!
Just my quick 2p (2 cents), but actually I think it's a rather good thing that we have words in our language that are profanities. We need some way to express extreme anger/hatrid/annoyance, rather than every single word being average slang and/or cuddly. :-)
But this so depends on what you mean by 'learn'. They learn to do what they want to / need to use the net for. They think they have sufficient understanding of this. Do they need more in-depth understanding? Do you take the time to learn about exactly how your computer's CPU is architectured?
First, I think it's partly the fear of being poised at the top of a slippery slope. (Granted, the "slippery slope" argument is a logical fallacy--but debates are not won on logic alone.)
For an issue as fundamental as this, does it really matter that it's a logical fallacy? It sure as hell holds true when you consider it as a balance-of-previous-evidence argument (non-logical?), and that's quite enough for me to oppose any kind of DRM in BIOSes strongly.
Excellent answers to this simple question.
:-(
Good news: I am confident that if every consumer of computer hardware read through the answers to this question, DRM-infected BIOSes would die a horrible death.
Bad news: I am confident that most consumers of computer hardware won't read them, or indeed anything like them.
It's really sad. This kind of BS is what makes me almost want to pull out of computing altogether. As someone doing a CS course, you can imagine that it's pretty disastrous for me.
Dont real internet users stop relying on their (perhaps changing) ISP's e-mail address, and get one from a dedicated e-mail provider?
Isn't imitation the sincerest form of flattery?
Hum. What do you use your laptop for, exactly?
Personally I couldn't stand using a laptop all the time. I find a desktop is better ergonomically (hate laptop keyboards, nasty LCD monitors, nasty tinny speakers) and financially (all that miniturization isn't free). Yeah I know you can plug larger peripherals into a laptop to alleviate some of these problems but you're getting closer and closer to turning it into a desktop then.
Yes, I'm sure they do... but the point I was making is that '3721' is a string of Arabic numbers. Just as I wouldn't recognise what Chinese script means, I doubt they'd understand Western script if they hadn't studied a Western language.
The Chinese use Arabic numbers?
It might cost around HK$300,000 to develop and build, but the service it provides the Hong Kong crime prevention drive is priceless.
I bet it's is - you couldn't get this kind of comedy from regular stand up!
If you want a good illustration of how NES games relied on PAL/NTSC, grab a US rom and play it with PAL emulation on, or a european ROM with PAL emulation off.