New technology is an "opportunity" to improve one's business. It is not necessarily an improviment in and of itself.
The problem with your statment is that "new technology" may not improve your business by itself. It probably needs to be implemented correctly, staff needs to be trained, etc.
This is not to say that I disagree with you, I just think that's a bad example.
I'd like to see Digg with a better commenting system and some form of user-moderation of posts...
There is actually a user-driven commenting system: -3 SPAM -2 Flame -1 Off Topic 0 +1 Useful +2 Insightful +3 Excellent
This isn't as specific (or targeted, if you prefer) as the Slashdot moderation system, but that's probably okay because, as some other posters have mentioned, digg is more focused on the stories than the comments. However, it would be nice if the current system worked well. As it is, most users either don't know how to use the moderation feature or don't care to use it.
There is no threading (seriously hard to follow conversations without threading).
Threading is another thing I'd really like to see on digg. Many users currently reply to eachother by using "@[username]" before the content of their reply.
"As a result of the foam problem, NASA grounded the shuttle fleet, saying the spacecraft would not fly again until the insulation issue is fixed. Sept. 22 was tentatively set for shuttle Atlantis to take off on the next mission but NASA managers acknowledge that date is unrealistic."
"If you don't have a local community radio station, see if you can find streaming audio of one."
Or you could take that audio with you (i.e. away from the computer --::dodges rotten fruit::) by subscribing to a podcast, which can be downloaded automatically.
The "pod" is not going away. I don't like it either (to the lay person, it implies that you need an iPod), but I've accepted that it's a sexy term that the non-techie culture can easily latch onto.
"try tuning into a smaller market radio station. They tend to be less strict in their programming choices than huge-market megacorporation stations."
The Internet is even less strict than that. There are so many different podcasts out there that you don't have to listen to "14 year old boys." Its the whole principle of "if you don't like it, change the channel."
That being said, I agree with you that "program quality comes before audio quality," but just because a local broadcast radio station is what it is doesn't make it better [programming-wise] than a podcast (or group of podcasts). Don't forget what Strongbad thinks about college radio (I know, it's not the same as a "local station")
College radio can pretty much be summed up in 5 words:
Dead air. umm, dead air.
"...the chilling part is how your identity will now be dependent on multiple institutions protecting your personal information, as opposed to eBay, PayPal, your bank, etc."
Wasn't it a company's responsibility to protect your personal information already? I don't understand how this new method of phishing changes that (not including the technical aspects of said protection).
"As the field is now, only the most dedicated students would enter it because we are basically treated like [insert vulgarity here] from the beginning of education to retirement."
Well, at least you're not bitter.
"I'm skeptical that you're informed of this issue."
HA! I'm not. That's just what I was thinking at the time, with my limited knowledge. As I said in this post, "I am absolutely not a lawyer or affiliated with any company with USPTO interests or with the USPTO, so if this all sounds like bollocks, it's because I probably don't know what I'm talking about."
(okay, I'm not sure if you're kidding or not, but I'm going to go with the latter... if you are kidding, just disregard this)
I honestly have no idea how they're currently trained, but when I read about patents given to companies for technology that has been in use for upwards of 15 years, I am disturbed, whether or not they actually created the technology.
This is not to say that the creators don't matter, but there should be a statute of limitations on when they can register it with the USPTO. Something having to do with if the technology has disseminated enough where others are creating new versions of it (legally and seperately from said creator) for their own purposes, commercially or personally would be nice.
(side note: I am absolutely not a lawyer or affiliated with any company with USPTO interests or with the USPTO, so if this all sounds like bollocks, it's because I probably don't know what I'm talking about)
How about reform in which USPTO case workers (or whatever they may be called) are educated as to how to go about searching for prior art (particularly, but not limited to, in the tech space)?
Also, whatever happened to patents only being licensed when the product is clearly demonstrated (that is, instead of patenting an *idea* for a product)?
" This is just another one of those bills we keep seeing that has absolutely no chance of ever becoming law..."
The law has already been signed by our (my) oh-so-smart Govenor Taft and is set to go into effect on May 2nd.
"Might as well just download the music for what it's worth."
I disagree. That's like saying you should go out and steal an item instead of buying it at a garage sale or on eBay or something like that.
Who really cares if album purchases serve as a popularity gauge? Albums, in general, are just advertising for a live show, which is where almost all artists make their money (which you kinda-sorta pointed out). I would say that radio play and concert attendence are a better gauge for popularity.
Slashdot Mirror
The problem with your statment is that "new technology" may not improve your business by itself. It probably needs to be implemented correctly, staff needs to be trained, etc.
This is not to say that I disagree with you, I just think that's a bad example.
I like VLC quite a bit as my main media (read: video) player on Fedora Core, but there's one thing missing:
I understand there is a plugin for Mozilla but where is the one for Firefox?!
...and by bringing Hitler into the argument you've automatically lost.
I'd like to see Digg with a better commenting system and some form of user-moderation of posts...
There is actually a user-driven commenting system:
-3 SPAM
-2 Flame
-1 Off Topic
0
+1 Useful
+2 Insightful
+3 Excellent
This isn't as specific (or targeted, if you prefer) as the Slashdot moderation system, but that's probably okay because, as some other posters have mentioned, digg is more focused on the stories than the comments. However, it would be nice if the current system worked well. As it is, most users either don't know how to use the moderation feature or don't care to use it.
There is no threading (seriously hard to follow conversations without threading).
Threading is another thing I'd really like to see on digg. Many users currently reply to eachother by using "@[username]" before the content of their reply.
I recently bought the iAudio G3, which supports Vorbis, among a number of other formats.
My favorite feature though? Definitely the bookmarks, which are great when I'm listening to a podcast or some other long-format piece of audio.
You forgot the iPod Mini
So you didn't want the cheap vasectomy?
Personally, I thought it worked pretty well, though I wish I'd remembered to take morphine before the "procedure."
...and in future news:
The copy protection on new 'Blu Ray' disks has been broken by hackers in [insert location]."
From a different FA:
"As a result of the foam problem, NASA grounded the shuttle fleet, saying the spacecraft would not fly again until the insulation issue is fixed. Sept. 22 was tentatively set for shuttle Atlantis to take off on the next mission but NASA managers acknowledge that date is unrealistic."
"If you don't have a local community radio station, see if you can find streaming audio of one." Or you could take that audio with you (i.e. away from the computer -- ::dodges rotten fruit::) by subscribing to a podcast, which can be downloaded automatically.
The "pod" is not going away. I don't like it either (to the lay person, it implies that you need an iPod), but I've accepted that it's a sexy term that the non-techie culture can easily latch onto.
The Internet is even less strict than that. There are so many different podcasts out there that you don't have to listen to "14 year old boys." Its the whole principle of "if you don't like it, change the channel."
That being said, I agree with you that "program quality comes before audio quality," but just because a local broadcast radio station is what it is doesn't make it better [programming-wise] than a podcast (or group of podcasts). Don't forget what Strongbad thinks about college radio (I know, it's not the same as a "local station")
College radio can pretty much be summed up in 5 words:
Dead air. umm, dead air.
"It's the radio's version of the Internet with TiVo."
When did ClearChannel and Infinity Broadcasting start developing data infrastructure?
Wasn't it a company's responsibility to protect your personal information already? I don't understand how this new method of phishing changes that (not including the technical aspects of said protection).
(and reposted the text of that at my blog, just so you know)
Yeah, because that will solve our growing deficit problem.
"As the field is now, only the most dedicated students would enter it because we are basically treated like [insert vulgarity here] from the beginning of education to retirement." Well, at least you're not bitter.
Okay, good. I'm not the only one who thinks this way.
"I'm skeptical that you're informed of this issue."
HA! I'm not. That's just what I was thinking at the time, with my limited knowledge. As I said in this post, "I am absolutely not a lawyer or affiliated with any company with USPTO interests or with the USPTO, so if this all sounds like bollocks, it's because I probably don't know what I'm talking about."
Bizarro Murphy: Don't you mean you hate the BIZARROS?! /off-topic Sealab 2021 reference
I honestly have no idea how they're currently trained, but when I read about patents given to companies for technology that has been in use for upwards of 15 years, I am disturbed, whether or not they actually created the technology.
This is not to say that the creators don't matter, but there should be a statute of limitations on when they can register it with the USPTO. Something having to do with if the technology has disseminated enough where others are creating new versions of it (legally and seperately from said creator) for their own purposes, commercially or personally would be nice.
(side note: I am absolutely not a lawyer or affiliated with any company with USPTO interests or with the USPTO, so if this all sounds like bollocks, it's because I probably don't know what I'm talking about)
How about reform in which USPTO case workers (or whatever they may be called) are educated as to how to go about searching for prior art (particularly, but not limited to, in the tech space)? Also, whatever happened to patents only being licensed when the product is clearly demonstrated (that is, instead of patenting an *idea* for a product)?
" This is just another one of those bills we keep seeing that has absolutely no chance of ever becoming law..." The law has already been signed by our (my) oh-so-smart Govenor Taft and is set to go into effect on May 2nd.
Just don't make the users angry. You wouldn't like them when they're angry.
I disagree. That's like saying you should go out and steal an item instead of buying it at a garage sale or on eBay or something like that.
Who really cares if album purchases serve as a popularity gauge? Albums, in general, are just advertising for a live show, which is where almost all artists make their money (which you kinda-sorta pointed out). I would say that radio play and concert attendence are a better gauge for popularity.
In case anyone cares, I've mirrored the article for those of you who don't want to register with the NYT website. The mirror is here.