The biggest problem isn't your methods or standards. I trust that if someone wants to unsubscribe from your newsletters and product updates that you will honor that request.
The biggest problem I see with any of these "3rd party promotions" is that once it leaves your house, you have no control. Regardless of how "legitimate" your intentions are, it only takes one of your "3rd party partners" to sell off the list they get from you.
Example: I sign up for these "3rd party promotions" when I install your software. You sell your list to, say, 5 companies. Each of those sell it to 5 companies, etc. Before long I'm getting dozens or more "useful 3rd party promotional emails" per day. Naturally, I visit your website to unsubscribe from these promotions, but then what? Now I have to unsubscibe from every list I receive. It's nearly impossible to keep up with that. Not to mention that one cannot tell which were referred by you, and which were harvested (i.e. do not reply, lest you be spammed to death).
Here's my suggestions to all of the companies like yours" 1. List ALL of your 3rd party partners and ensure that they list EVERY organization that they sell their lists to. 2. Maintain strict standards of your partners to ensure that their methods are as ethical as yours. 3. Use a trickle-down unsubscribe process whereby you pass along unsubscribe information to all your partners, and they to theirs, etc. Also, ensure that these requests are honored. 4. Use a closed-loop system and ensure all of your partners do the same. It makes no difference that your company follows some minimum guidelines. You should strive to exceed those guidelines.
And my suggestion to all email recipients: 1. Use disposable email addresses for ALL newsletter and forum correspondence. This makes it easy to "cut the ties" if things get out of control. You can always sign back up for those that you wish to receive again with another address. 2. Use some sort of filter or classification software. I use POPFile (GNU, available at sourceforge) which is very good at classifying email and learning according to how I've classified other email. It also inserts a [tag] in the subject line if you want. I then use the message rules in my email client to move these messages to different folders. 3. Report genuine spam to the originating ISP. For those novices, you can paste the header into SpamCop and it will tell you the email address to use.
I think for the the general Internet public, RSS would be a good step. Even newletters that I subscribe to don't necessarily interest me. With RSS I can choose which of those I actually want to read. Of course, this will cut down on the advertising revenue, meaning that some newsletters will choose not to use RSS.
Couldn't that same thing be said of a good number of software companies during the dot-com era? It was OK to blow through capital. I'm glad they were able to hold on. I'm a Linux n00b and definitely prefer Mandrake to RedHat.
You're complicating the matter. These cameras are no different (to the consumer) than a typical film-loaded point and shoot disposable on the shelf today, except it comes with the photo cd included.
It really makes sense from the vendor's point of view. I'm sure it will reduce their costs.
That would depend. Obviously you can't take advantage of 7.1 through headphones, but let's say you plug it into your home theater. Then the 7.1 decoder can pipe surround sound to your speakers and allow it to act as a truly portable console (assuming a video out).
Hmm...My original PlayStation is still going strong, and I've never had ANY disc not be read by my PS2, and it's my primary DVD player, so it's had it's fair share of disc in and out.
How long would it take you to send ONE photo across GPRS, let alone an entire event's worth. If you were that dis-connected, I'd much rather have the camera talking to a laptop/AP which can then start the upload across GPRS/CDMA/whatever is available.
Not to mention that BT effectively died before it ever got going. The only useful application of BT I've seen so far is PDAcell phone and that will soon die as Wi-Fi makes it way into cell phones. Qualcom has already announced plans to integrate Wi-Fi into it's CDMA chips. I presume it won't be long until the GSM chipmakers follow suit.
In the photographers car: Laptop, plugged into the 12VDC lighter plug, set up as an FTP server. Orinoco GOld Wi-Fi card used as an access point, connected to a magnetic antenna on the outside of the car. You'd have an easy 500ft. plus range and the whole wireless setup (assuming any field photographer with a digital camera already has a laptop and 12V adaptor) is less than $100.
If the news van is used, it can get even better: An access point in the van, connected to the van's sat uplink, so that as soon as the camera uploads the photos, the editors can begin working on them.
Also, for the hobbyist, stop thinking so short-sighted. This is the first of many devices that will become wi-fi enabled. Hotspots WILL become commonplace, and that's when this will really look attractive.
Why on earth would you want to drag a laptop around while you're trying to take photos in the field? The biggest advantage to this technology is that you won't have to have a laptop to download photos from your camera. Download them directly to a remote computer via wi-fi.
The real usefullness of this won't be realized for a few years yet. When you can walk into any hotpsot while on vacation and upload your pics to your home computer through a VPN connection.
This is the same reason BT wasn't chosen. HotSpots continue to explode in numbers, and roaming agreements are becoming more comprehensive, making wi-fi the obvious choice for remote connectivity in this application.
Plus their position/membership/stance on DMCA,RIAA et. all makes me want to spend my money elsewhere...
Sony is also a media company (movies, music, etc.) Not that I agree at all with the RIAA or MPAA, but can you really blame a media company for wanting to protect it's assetts?
Honestly, I could care less that the lawyers walk away with a nice bankroll. Most people wouldn't care if they see one red cent from double-click, so long as the settlement was enough to bankrupt double-click. The nice side effect of a win in this is to make advertisers think twice about using deceptive ads, and that's a very good thing.
Plus it's done without government involvement, which is always nice.
Proprietary doesn't equal non-standard. I would assume it would have to maintain compatibility with the current generation instruction sets because I can't see Sony doing away with the Palm OS.
Look at the PocketPC...3 different processor types and they all run Windows OS. Much the same way that Linux can run on PPC, Sun and Intel chips.
So long as compatibility is maintained and it supports the broadest range of instructions, more power to them.
As for MS or Linux on a handheld...WHY? Sure, I'm all for it for those who want that, bu honestly the Palm OS is one of the best handheld OS's on the market. The old PSION OS was great too. I haven't played with the Sharp Linux handheld, but every MS handheld I've used is power-hungry and a memory hog.
soapbox
One last thing. Just because you own the device, doesn't mean it HAS to support user changes. If you don't like the way it comes, dob't buy it! You don't buy a Ford and then complain that the engine is proprietary and that you should be able to put a Honda engine in it because of increased fuel efficiency. For crying out loud, now that there's a Linux powered handheld, BUY THAT if you really must have Linux on your handheld.
What's the backhaul connection? DSL? T3? Unless you're talking about provisioning something on ther order of OC3 or a DS3 you have the potential of bottle-necking pretty quickly.
A DS3 and a T3 are the same thing genius.
In most corp. networks the local access layer is Fast-E, connected to a T1 Interenet pipe, so what's the difference?
Regardless of access speeds, the connection to the Internet will most likely always be a bottleneck. Wi-Max only increases the speed of the local access, not the "backhaul".
Get your facts straight and stop trying to sell your crap here.
I own a Vaio Desktop and Vaio laptop (among other Sony electronics, PS, PS2, NetMD, etc.) I would say it's well worth the $100 or so to get the extended warranty, though personally none of my Sony devices has yet to give me any trouble.
What inevitably happens is that people will record internet radio stations all day and then put all the CD quality songs up for download, thereby harming the music industry.
(sarcasm)Yea, all the streaming audio I hear is CD quality.(/sarcasm)
For the vast majority of Internet users, listening to streaming audio is only a substitution when it isn't possible to hear it on a real radio.
Of course, there is another way to hurt them. STOP BUYING THEIR CRAP! Get involved with the local music scene, or anything to promote indie labels, indie bands, etc. When ppl stop buying their products, they'll be forced to take notice.
perhaps we should look at other possible causes, Like the bullying and teasing which goes on in every schoolyard, every day, hmmm? I am convinced that the solace this kid found in video games was a result of being called a 'fag' constantly, of being beaten up for lacking social grace, for failure to heed the intricate, consumerist protocol of North American teenhood.
And bullying is a new phenomenon? Hell, there was an episode of Leave it to Beaver involving bullying, and I don't remember the Beav
shooting up the place.
As far as video games being a symptom; it's the whole chicken and egg scenario. It is possible that he found solace in his computer games, because he was picked on. Or, it's also possible that his self induced social reclusion made him an ever easier target for bullys.
I've seen physically "different" kids that are perfectly accepted among their peers, and I've also seen physically "normal" kids labeled nerds, geeks, etc. and shunned. This raises the question of social behaviour and whether it's learned or inherited (or a little of both).
If one chooses to believe that the majority of social interactivity behaviour is learned, then there must be a great deal of responsibility placed on the parents. Since it seems that there were numerous family issues within this kid's home, one can only assume the he was left to entertain himself, thereby never really developing the social interaction of most kids who would be playing outside with their friends, etc.
Guns don't kill people. People kill people. Get off your high-horse anti-gun soapbox and wake up to reality.
My guess is that these kids were suburban, split household or both parents working. Probably raised making their own pop-tarts for breakfast and watching the tube or playing computer games for hours on end.
It's much easier to point the blame at items that can't defend themselves, rather than blaming the parents and our decling social values.
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The biggest problem I see with any of these "3rd party promotions" is that once it leaves your house, you have no control. Regardless of how "legitimate" your intentions are, it only takes one of your "3rd party partners" to sell off the list they get from you.
Example: I sign up for these "3rd party promotions" when I install your software. You sell your list to, say, 5 companies. Each of those sell it to 5 companies, etc. Before long I'm getting dozens or more "useful 3rd party promotional emails" per day. Naturally, I visit your website to unsubscribe from these promotions, but then what? Now I have to unsubscibe from every list I receive. It's nearly impossible to keep up with that. Not to mention that one cannot tell which were referred by you, and which were harvested (i.e. do not reply, lest you be spammed to death).
Here's my suggestions to all of the companies like yours"
1. List ALL of your 3rd party partners and ensure that they list EVERY organization that they sell their lists to.
2. Maintain strict standards of your partners to ensure that their methods are as ethical as yours.
3. Use a trickle-down unsubscribe process whereby you pass along unsubscribe information to all your partners, and they to theirs, etc. Also, ensure that these requests are honored.
4. Use a closed-loop system and ensure all of your partners do the same. It makes no difference that your company follows some minimum guidelines. You should strive to exceed those guidelines.
And my suggestion to all email recipients:
1. Use disposable email addresses for ALL newsletter and forum correspondence. This makes it easy to "cut the ties" if things get out of control. You can always sign back up for those that you wish to receive again with another address.
2. Use some sort of filter or classification software. I use POPFile (GNU, available at sourceforge) which is very good at classifying email and learning according to how I've classified other email. It also inserts a [tag] in the subject line if you want. I then use the message rules in my email client to move these messages to different folders.
3. Report genuine spam to the originating ISP. For those novices, you can paste the header into SpamCop and it will tell you the email address to use.
I think for the the general Internet public, RSS would be a good step. Even newletters that I subscribe to don't necessarily interest me. With RSS I can choose which of those I actually want to read. Of course, this will cut down on the advertising revenue, meaning that some newsletters will choose not to use RSS.
Buy from the Mandrake store directly. Problem solved.
Couldn't that same thing be said of a good number of software companies during the dot-com era? It was OK to blow through capital. I'm glad they were able to hold on. I'm a Linux n00b and definitely prefer Mandrake to RedHat.
It really makes sense from the vendor's point of view. I'm sure it will reduce their costs.
That would depend. Obviously you can't take advantage of 7.1 through headphones, but let's say you plug it into your home theater. Then the 7.1 decoder can pipe surround sound to your speakers and allow it to act as a truly portable console (assuming a video out).
Hmm...My original PlayStation is still going strong, and I've never had ANY disc not be read by my PS2, and it's my primary DVD player, so it's had it's fair share of disc in and out.
Neither of which were in the post I replied to.
How long would it take you to send ONE photo across GPRS, let alone an entire event's worth. If you were that dis-connected, I'd much rather have the camera talking to a laptop/AP which can then start the upload across GPRS/CDMA/whatever is available.
Still can't get video into a newspaper...and a cap of a video feed is terrible quality.
Not to mention that BT effectively died before it ever got going. The only useful application of BT I've seen so far is PDAcell phone and that will soon die as Wi-Fi makes it way into cell phones. Qualcom has already announced plans to integrate Wi-Fi into it's CDMA chips. I presume it won't be long until the GSM chipmakers follow suit.
In the photographers car: Laptop, plugged into the 12VDC lighter plug, set up as an FTP server. Orinoco GOld Wi-Fi card used as an access point, connected to a magnetic antenna on the outside of the car. You'd have an easy 500ft. plus range and the whole wireless setup (assuming any field photographer with a digital camera already has a laptop and 12V adaptor) is less than $100.
If the news van is used, it can get even better: An access point in the van, connected to the van's sat uplink, so that as soon as the camera uploads the photos, the editors can begin working on them.
Also, for the hobbyist, stop thinking so short-sighted. This is the first of many devices that will become wi-fi enabled. Hotspots WILL become commonplace, and that's when this will really look attractive.
The real usefullness of this won't be realized for a few years yet. When you can walk into any hotpsot while on vacation and upload your pics to your home computer through a VPN connection.
This is the same reason BT wasn't chosen. HotSpots continue to explode in numbers, and roaming agreements are becoming more comprehensive, making wi-fi the obvious choice for remote connectivity in this application.
But can a computer take a picture? I can buy a bicycle for $100, or a car for $1000. Doesn't mean I'm going to ride my bike to take a vacation.
Up to 1152MB memory? Not quite, but 1024 is close enough.
60GB Hard Drive? Nope. 80GB.
Any OS besides Windows? Yup. Linux, BSD, etc.
Please check your facts before foaming at the mouth.
Sony is also a media company (movies, music, etc.) Not that I agree at all with the RIAA or MPAA, but can you really blame a media company for wanting to protect it's assetts?
Are you in *ANY* way trying to imply that Linux makes a better PDA OS than Palm?
Plus it's done without government involvement, which is always nice.
Look at the PocketPC...3 different processor types and they all run Windows OS. Much the same way that Linux can run on PPC, Sun and Intel chips.
So long as compatibility is maintained and it supports the broadest range of instructions, more power to them.
As for MS or Linux on a handheld...WHY? Sure, I'm all for it for those who want that, bu honestly the Palm OS is one of the best handheld OS's on the market. The old PSION OS was great too. I haven't played with the Sharp Linux handheld, but every MS handheld I've used is power-hungry and a memory hog.
soapbox
One last thing. Just because you own the device, doesn't mean it HAS to support user changes. If you don't like the way it comes, dob't buy it! You don't buy a Ford and then complain that the engine is proprietary and that you should be able to put a Honda engine in it because of increased fuel efficiency. For crying out loud, now that there's a Linux powered handheld, BUY THAT if you really must have Linux on your handheld.
Only during takeoff and landing. Once you're above 10k feet, electronics, sans trancieving devices, are allowed.
A DS3 and a T3 are the same thing genius.
In most corp. networks the local access layer is Fast-E, connected to a T1 Interenet pipe, so what's the difference?
Regardless of access speeds, the connection to the Internet will most likely always be a bottleneck. Wi-Max only increases the speed of the local access, not the "backhaul".
Get your facts straight and stop trying to sell your crap here.
I own a Vaio Desktop and Vaio laptop (among other Sony electronics, PS, PS2, NetMD, etc.) I would say it's well worth the $100 or so to get the extended warranty, though personally none of my Sony devices has yet to give me any trouble.
(sarcasm)Yea, all the streaming audio I hear is CD quality.(/sarcasm)
For the vast majority of Internet users, listening to streaming audio is only a substitution when it isn't possible to hear it on a real radio.
Of course, there is another way to hurt them. STOP BUYING THEIR CRAP! Get involved with the local music scene, or anything to promote indie labels, indie bands, etc. When ppl stop buying their products, they'll be forced to take notice.
Buncha greedy pigs...
And bullying is a new phenomenon? Hell, there was an episode of Leave it to Beaver involving bullying, and I don't remember the Beav shooting up the place.
As far as video games being a symptom; it's the whole chicken and egg scenario. It is possible that he found solace in his computer games, because he was picked on. Or, it's also possible that his self induced social reclusion made him an ever easier target for bullys.
I've seen physically "different" kids that are perfectly accepted among their peers, and I've also seen physically "normal" kids labeled nerds, geeks, etc. and shunned. This raises the question of social behaviour and whether it's learned or inherited (or a little of both).
If one chooses to believe that the majority of social interactivity behaviour is learned, then there must be a great deal of responsibility placed on the parents. Since it seems that there were numerous family issues within this kid's home, one can only assume the he was left to entertain himself, thereby never really developing the social interaction of most kids who would be playing outside with their friends, etc.
Guns don't kill people. People kill people. Get off your high-horse anti-gun soapbox and wake up to reality. My guess is that these kids were suburban, split household or both parents working. Probably raised making their own pop-tarts for breakfast and watching the tube or playing computer games for hours on end. It's much easier to point the blame at items that can't defend themselves, rather than blaming the parents and our decling social values.