There's also the support issue. If you give "average" users one and only one way to load their software, it simplifies your support procedure in many ways. When you let them do custom installations from setup CDs, there are many more variables you have to consider during support calls. I can't blame them for trying to make the process as simple as possible.
If profit margins in the PC market are as razor-thin as some say, you can be sure that any extra expense in manufacturing, distribution and support will be passed on to the customers as higher prices.
I haven't bothered to look into the facts myself, but I suspect you should have started with "MY definition of a firearm is..." instead of "The".
By your logic, a thrown stone would constitute a firearm, as it is chemical reactions in the human body that is responsible for the stone's motion.
Where do we draw the line? Can we use a capacitor instead of a battery?
When I moved from the US to Europe five years ago, it was difficult for me to adjust to the different retail philosophy here, which often makes it appear that you should consider yourself quite lucky to have the privelege of buying something. I live in the Netherlands, where this tendency is pronounced. Used to the "Customer is King" mentality in the US (where your meal is free if we don't wear a smile), I had to adjust my expectations.
After some time, I was even more shocked at the inability of most retailers in the US to even comprehend, much less ship to, any address that doesn't conclude with a two-letter state and 5-digit numeric-only zip code ("I'm sorry, sir, your city name doesn't fit in my program!")
As other posters have pointed out, the market segment "we" represent to US-based retailers simply isn't compelling enough for them to add enough flexibility in their routines to accommodate us. Not the big guys, anyway. I suppose it's the same reason it's difficult to buy a laptop without Windows pre-loaded... or to get a refund for that matter. It doesn't make economic sense for most sellers to give you that choice.
But, on the bright side, this leaves room for smaller companies to step in and either take some market share, or at least to make a decent living supplying this sliver segment. I mean, look at Dynamism.com.
IMHO, we ought to enjoy this last stand of the little guy. When you can buy your iPod or Dell laptop online anywhere on the planet you happen to be, you will probably be paying for that convenience with a lack of choice.
When I close or stop using an old email account for whatever reason, I send a note to all the people I correspond with, letting them know the new address where I can be reached. After I've done this, I know perfectly well that I won't get emails addressed to my old account, and that, potentially, someone else well.
I wonder if cyberangels did this. I suppose not. Care to guess why?
I wonder if anybody has any idea how many sales are being lost because of (former?) music buyers like me who, disgusted by the industry's legal tactics and lack of vision, are now boycotting until some more sane and reasonable market emerges. I'm not saying I'm part of anything statistically significant, but I wonder.
Why not finance music through some modified form of the Ransom system? Straight from the artist to the public domain, after a fair price has been collected... I'd throw down $1 to get a good album released to the world. And probably 10 million other people would do the same. When the artist keeps almost all they money, I suppose it's a pretty good haul for them.
No?
Communism is an economic system and an alternative to capitalism. It is not an alternative to democracy. So your post, in addition to being a troll, makes no sense.
What if SCO wins? What if distributing Linux becomes a crime under the DMCA, like file-swapping (ala the recent decision against Verizon?) I find it interesting that the FSF has pushed for the GNU/Linux nomenclature, stressing the contribution the GNU tools have made to what is commonly called simply "Linux". Which is to say, something other than "Linux" could follow "GNU/". It's good to have some viable "somethings" on the table. Perfect timing.
Re:This article isn't very good. Neat story though
on
When Sysadmins Go Bad
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· Score: 1
Viruses are old news.
These days people want to hear about bombers: dirty bombers, shoe bombers, logic bombers... whatever!
As a creator, maybe you can justifiably claim innocence in your irresponsibility. But your immunity does not carry over into your role as a voter, a consumer, a thinker and a doer. No one can hide behind a single label.
"Amnesty International is calling on the UN Conference to take measures to ensure that all states prohibit arms exports unless it can be reasonably demonstrated that such arms will not contribute to serious human rights violations, crimes against humanity and war crimes."
Like that?
See http://web.amnesty.org/802568F7005C4453/0/FACE0756 E3EAA8F580256A8500470BF4 (and many other articles) on Amnesty's site.
I find it interesting that early posts on this topic pointed out the fact that the corporations being criticized are simply groups of people, having no substance of their own, simply legal fictions.
Is "China" anything else?
How are the people jailed or murdered for acts you and i strongly consider our human rights "its citizens"? I wonder if that's how they think of themselves.
I believe the human race is trying hard to come to terms with the illusory nature of these names and borders we're suffering under. It's a hard habit to break.
Slashdot Mirror
There's also the support issue. If you give "average" users one and only one way to load their software, it simplifies your support procedure in many ways. When you let them do custom installations from setup CDs, there are many more variables you have to consider during support calls. I can't blame them for trying to make the process as simple as possible.
If profit margins in the PC market are as razor-thin as some say, you can be sure that any extra expense in manufacturing, distribution and support will be passed on to the customers as higher prices.
I haven't bothered to look into the facts myself, but I suspect you should have started with "MY definition of a firearm is..." instead of "The". By your logic, a thrown stone would constitute a firearm, as it is chemical reactions in the human body that is responsible for the stone's motion. Where do we draw the line? Can we use a capacitor instead of a battery?
When I moved from the US to Europe five years ago, it was difficult for me to adjust to the different retail philosophy here, which often makes it appear that you should consider yourself quite lucky to have the privelege of buying something. I live in the Netherlands, where this tendency is pronounced. Used to the "Customer is King" mentality in the US (where your meal is free if we don't wear a smile), I had to adjust my expectations.
... or to get a refund for that matter. It doesn't make economic sense for most sellers to give you that choice.
After some time, I was even more shocked at the inability of most retailers in the US to even comprehend, much less ship to, any address that doesn't conclude with a two-letter state and 5-digit numeric-only zip code ("I'm sorry, sir, your city name doesn't fit in my program!")
As other posters have pointed out, the market segment "we" represent to US-based retailers simply isn't compelling enough for them to add enough flexibility in their routines to accommodate us. Not the big guys, anyway. I suppose it's the same reason it's difficult to buy a laptop without Windows pre-loaded
But, on the bright side, this leaves room for smaller companies to step in and either take some market share, or at least to make a decent living supplying this sliver segment. I mean, look at Dynamism.com.
IMHO, we ought to enjoy this last stand of the little guy. When you can buy your iPod or Dell laptop online anywhere on the planet you happen to be, you will probably be paying for that convenience with a lack of choice.
When I close or stop using an old email account for whatever reason, I send a note to all the people I correspond with, letting them know the new address where I can be reached. After I've done this, I know perfectly well that I won't get emails addressed to my old account, and that, potentially, someone else well.
I wonder if cyberangels did this. I suppose not. Care to guess why?
I wonder if anybody has any idea how many sales are being lost because of (former?) music buyers like me who, disgusted by the industry's legal tactics and lack of vision, are now boycotting until some more sane and reasonable market emerges. I'm not saying I'm part of anything statistically significant, but I wonder.
Why not finance music through some modified form of the Ransom system? Straight from the artist to the public domain, after a fair price has been collected... I'd throw down $1 to get a good album released to the world. And probably 10 million other people would do the same. When the artist keeps almost all they money, I suppose it's a pretty good haul for them. No?
Communism is an economic system and an alternative to capitalism. It is not an alternative to democracy. So your post, in addition to being a troll, makes no sense.
What if SCO wins? What if distributing Linux becomes a crime under the DMCA, like file-swapping (ala the recent decision against Verizon?) I find it interesting that the FSF has pushed for the GNU/Linux nomenclature, stressing the contribution the GNU tools have made to what is commonly called simply "Linux". Which is to say, something other than "Linux" could follow "GNU/". It's good to have some viable "somethings" on the table. Perfect timing.
Viruses are old news.
... whatever!
These days people want to hear about bombers: dirty bombers, shoe bombers, logic bombers
And don't forget to be afraid, very afraid.
As a creator, maybe you can justifiably claim innocence in your irresponsibility. But your immunity does not carry over into your role as a voter, a consumer, a thinker and a doer. No one can hide behind a single label.
"Amnesty International is calling on the UN Conference to take measures to ensure that all states prohibit arms exports unless it can be reasonably demonstrated that such arms will not contribute to serious human rights violations, crimes against humanity and war crimes."
6 E3EAA8F580256A8500470BF4 (and many other articles) on Amnesty's site.
Like that?
See http://web.amnesty.org/802568F7005C4453/0/FACE075
Are you suggesting that Amnesty does NOT "focus on the fact that China is censoring its citizens"? I didn't think so.
In their efforts to bring these issues to light, they have also pointed out this alleged cooperation by said corporations. Good for them.
I find it interesting that early posts on this topic pointed out the fact that the corporations being criticized are simply groups of people, having no substance of their own, simply legal fictions.
Is "China" anything else?
How are the people jailed or murdered for acts you and i strongly consider our human rights "its citizens"? I wonder if that's how they think of themselves.
I believe the human race is trying hard to come to terms with the illusory nature of these names and borders we're suffering under. It's a hard habit to break.