Wired had a short blurb about phone companies working on phones with optical zoom. Basically a liquid was sandwiched between two pieces of glass, electric current would shape the liquid to make an effective lens with no moving parts. (unless you count the liquid)
Why is the building "pretty ugly"? Because you say so? Ah, so you've studied architecture at length, have you? You're an expert on the aesthetics of the built environment? No? I didn't think so.
Well...I'm not an expert taster, but if I had to eat shit I would probably say it didn't taste very good.
I could look around for ways to bypass their security..possibly landing in jail if they felt the need to prosecute me under the DMCA...they could as I'm bypassing a copyright protection scheme.
My point is that I shouldn't have to commit illegal activities just to continue with the legal activities that were previously granted to me.
Yes, it's horrendous, but no, it doesn't make things normally illegal, legal.
Copyrights are now infinite if the media is encrypted in anyway. I'd say that makes normally illegal things legal. How do things get into the public domain now?
I have no issue with CD longevity. CDs are extremely cheap now. Here's the big problem...data that comes on "anti-piracy" CDs; those pesky PC games that refuse to copy or the CD that can't be ripped.
Sure, there are hacks and work arounds...but they aren't always readily available.
For instance...I bought Battlefield 1942 and couldn't make a backup. My little sister destroyed the 2nd disc. Now I can't reinstall it. I couldn't make a backup because the original disc contained bit errors. When I contacted EA, they told me to go screw myself.
It's nice to support companies that aren't run and staffed by assholes. Since slashdot readers have to deal with Windows we should know a bit about Microsoft's leaders.
For example, if Joe of Joe's roofing is a child molester who likes to kill bunnies and burn down buildings, I don't think I'll have him working on my roof, no matter how competent a roofer he is.
Progress only hurts those on the cutting edge
on
Cinematic Game Graphics
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· Score: 2, Funny
You think it's Ridiculous, I think it's great. I can get a $100 video card that totally smokes my friends $400 card from two years ago. I can go to the bargain bin and pickup a game that has been through many patches already and only costs me $20.
Progress only hurts those on the cutting edge, everyone else benefits from your lust to have the latest and greatest.
Having said that...I'll be grabbing Half Life 2 the day it comes out.
Tell that to the average person...
on
Beyond Megapixels
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· Score: 5, Funny
I work in retail and occasionally sell digital cameras. People come in talking about how bad they want an 8 megapixel camera. When I ask them why they want 8 megapixels they respond usually, "because it's better than 5 megapixels" the they proceed to tell me it's going to make their 4x6 prints really nice...
What we need is user-interchangable chasis, engine, drive train, cab. That'd be cool.
GM is attempting something like this with their hydrogen cars. It's a bit far off, but looks promising. You could keep the same chasis and engine for 10 years, and swap up differing cabs if you get bored with your current one.
We all do. Because cars with more advanced engine controll computers will get better gas milage and pollute less
I find it funny that the Ford Model T got 25 mpg. Sure, it was a 2 cylinder engine and didn't go all that fast...but you would think by now we'd have much better fuel efficiency.:-)
They key word being yet. This will turn into some type of out of court settlement rather quickly. M$ doesn't follow by the legal system's rules, it writes them.
The difference is legal precedent. If I steal your ideas and we settle the matter out of court, the next time I steal someone's ideas precedent saying I'm a thief. This makes it easy for me to steal more often.
If the courts find me to be a thief, next time I steal they can say, "well, you've stolen before in case xyz"
Offtopic perhaps...but how often does M$ actually see a lawsuit through it's course in the legal system? It seems that they can buy anything through settlements.
If no one reports the exploits, M$ simply won't fix them. They have no incentive to unless there is a public backlash. Even still, they would just settle out of court.:-) I think we should coin a new phrase. Whenever someone is clearly in the wrong, and just settles out of court...we should call it M S'ing (em ess ing)
Oh, and the worst is when the phone is in some kind of bag or briefcase and the owner just ignores it
I think it's worse when they silence the ring instead of turning off the phone. Then the same person on the other ends calls back repeatedly wondering why the owner won't pick up their phone! Naturally the ringer goes off a couple of times and is a total distraction...this happens in my college courses so often I've gotten fairly irate though it provides me with this story.
I'm sitting in a lecture hall when a cell phone rings for the second time. Everyone looks at me, even though the owner happens to be just behind me in the next row up. They all are totally annoyed that I"m continuing to let the phone ring, when I take a drink of my juice slowly. Let out a nice sigh and say very loudly, "She's the asshole. It's not my phone." A nice gesture with my thumb pointing up at her sealed the event.
A couple of people chuckled and she was so embarrassed she grabbed her bookbag and walked out the door. Since she's been back the phone hasn't rung once.:-)
otherwise every crook company (we have plenty of them - RIAA/SCO/etc) could go around threatening people with lawsuits (which the individuals couldn't afford) and demand out-of-court settlements and the people being sued would have no choice but to pay up unless they had resources to pursue their case in court.
The RIAA have already done this will people using P2P programs to share music. When you are being faced with $500,000 fines for every song on your computer...cutting a deal for $2500 doesn't look so bad.
Slashdot Mirror
I was able to pop in the toy story DVD and it rendered the video in real time. :-)
Watch my movies and give me some feedback!
Well...I'm not an expert taster, but if I had to eat shit I would probably say it didn't taste very good.
Or finally pay for the copies we already use ;-)
My point is that I shouldn't have to commit illegal activities just to continue with the legal activities that were previously granted to me.
Copyrights are now infinite if the media is encrypted in anyway. I'd say that makes normally illegal things legal. How do things get into the public domain now?
Sure, there are hacks and work arounds...but they aren't always readily available.
For instance...I bought Battlefield 1942 and couldn't make a backup. My little sister destroyed the 2nd disc. Now I can't reinstall it. I couldn't make a backup because the original disc contained bit errors. When I contacted EA, they told me to go screw myself.
For example, if Joe of Joe's roofing is a child molester who likes to kill bunnies and burn down buildings, I don't think I'll have him working on my roof, no matter how competent a roofer he is.
Progress only hurts those on the cutting edge, everyone else benefits from your lust to have the latest and greatest.
Having said that...I'll be grabbing Half Life 2 the day it comes out.
Perhaps Walmart will use it's bribery tactics and lawyers to get the DMCA overturned.
WalmartWatch
Just because he doesn't have to doesn't mean he won't. :-)
My Movies
I hate people
GM is attempting something like this with their hydrogen cars. It's a bit far off, but looks promising. You could keep the same chasis and engine for 10 years, and swap up differing cabs if you get bored with your current one.
I want a return to the Model T ubiquity.
I find it funny that the Ford Model T got 25 mpg. Sure, it was a 2 cylinder engine and didn't go all that fast...but you would think by now we'd have much better fuel efficiency. :-)
They key word being yet. This will turn into some type of out of court settlement rather quickly. M$ doesn't follow by the legal system's rules, it writes them.
The difference is legal precedent. If I steal your ideas and we settle the matter out of court, the next time I steal someone's ideas precedent saying I'm a thief. This makes it easy for me to steal more often.
If the courts find me to be a thief, next time I steal they can say, "well, you've stolen before in case xyz"
What planet are you from? Here on earth we only care about what happens to their stock price!
Get off my planet, you're not ruining it for the rest of us. :-)
Offtopic perhaps...but how often does M$ actually see a lawsuit through it's course in the legal system? It seems that they can buy anything through settlements.
Sort of like BSing.
Damn...even if I had mod points I can't decide....funny or insightful...
Eureka! Settle out of court for everything!
I think it's worse when they silence the ring instead of turning off the phone. Then the same person on the other ends calls back repeatedly wondering why the owner won't pick up their phone! Naturally the ringer goes off a couple of times and is a total distraction...this happens in my college courses so often I've gotten fairly irate though it provides me with this story.
I'm sitting in a lecture hall when a cell phone rings for the second time. Everyone looks at me, even though the owner happens to be just behind me in the next row up. They all are totally annoyed that I"m continuing to let the phone ring, when I take a drink of my juice slowly. Let out a nice sigh and say very loudly, "She's the asshole. It's not my phone." A nice gesture with my thumb pointing up at her sealed the event.
A couple of people chuckled and she was so embarrassed she grabbed her bookbag and walked out the door. Since she's been back the phone hasn't rung once. :-)
Chris Rock said it best, "Guys don't get flashy cars because guys like flashy cars. They get flashy cars because girls like flashy cars."
The RIAA have already done this will people using P2P programs to share music. When you are being faced with $500,000 fines for every song on your computer...cutting a deal for $2500 doesn't look so bad.
I hate the rich
Looks can be deceiving, I didn't picture you as much of a slashdot reader.