The key itself doesn't need to be powered does it? Passive tags have no power requirements as far as I know, and since the lock is in the door, it could be powered by the house mains supply. The only problem there is power outages, which are not terribly common in most developed areas, but as you say it could still be an issue in less fortunate countries/areas where power cannot be taken for granted.
Backup batteries perhaps? Check them every x months like you do with smoke alarms?
Everything has a point of failure I suppose. Keys snap, or get damaged. Locks can just be damaged through wear and tear, although this doesn't seem as common as batteries being depleted or short circuits due to moisture. Although at our current level of technology, one would hope that these kind of problems are becoming less and less of an issue. As per your points, extreme heat and excessive wetness are probably problems for conventional locks too.
Batteries, for instance, could simply not be used and the RFID tags be passive, and the locks could be powered by the house mains supply?
If Microsoft did the same thing as you suggest, there would be a great gnashing of teeth and wailing and self-flaggelation in regards to "insidious business practices" and whatnot.
If the Chinese people don't like it, they can do something about it. It's called revolution and it's happened countless times throughout history. With the increasing capitalistic nature of China the totalitarianism won't stand up for too long.
Contrast that with America, where capitalism seems to be stagnating a little and there is a shadowy totalitarianist element emerging.
Bottom line: Let's all be happy that OSS is seeing nothing but increased adoption, especially by economic heavyweights like China and Japan.
Isn't it better that all these people who (it would seem) have nothing better to do are doing something harmless and out of the way, as opposed to roaming the streets looking for something, anything, to do?
And how is this different from the mass TV culture the West has, where people are glued to Teleboxes all day?
Or even better! Some kind of "storage medium" that has "players" installed in most households now-a-days! Imaging most modern computers being able to Digitally write to this Versatile format? Some kind of new Disc perhaps?
Include a mic, radio antenna and basic SMS/MMS and you have a working phone that isn't too big. Just include a little bit of sane battery management (that is, not let the pod drain the phone beyond a certain threshold).
I figure it comes down to consequences. If you know there won't be any, or if you know they depend on something different than they would in the real situation, you'll try things you would never consider if you thought the situation was really happening.
It's funny how the real world is becoming like this too. Most kids are brought up in a relatively consequence-free environment and are wreaking havoc (the little bastards).
Slashdot Mirror
Neither is Microsoft, Apples existence proves that (Not to mention Linux, UNIXex etc)
How do you know they aren't flash ads anyway? ;)
I'm starting an all-male clan called Clan TESTICLE. What? You don't like that? All males?! How unbelievably SEXIST!
</double standards>
Funny? That's fucking insightful, moderators!
Do they have corresponding violent movie and violent literature bills?
Why not just make a Violent Media bill and stop jumping onto hot non^H^H^Hissues?
You forgot to slip "DRM" or somehow involve communism in there.
They're not securing their software, they're slapping a bandage over it.
The key itself doesn't need to be powered does it? Passive tags have no power requirements as far as I know, and since the lock is in the door, it could be powered by the house mains supply. The only problem there is power outages, which are not terribly common in most developed areas, but as you say it could still be an issue in less fortunate countries/areas where power cannot be taken for granted.
Backup batteries perhaps? Check them every x months like you do with smoke alarms?
Everything has a point of failure I suppose. Keys snap, or get damaged. Locks can just be damaged through wear and tear, although this doesn't seem as common as batteries being depleted or short circuits due to moisture. Although at our current level of technology, one would hope that these kind of problems are becoming less and less of an issue. As per your points, extreme heat and excessive wetness are probably problems for conventional locks too.
Batteries, for instance, could simply not be used and the RFID tags be passive, and the locks could be powered by the house mains supply?
That sounds neat, and well on the way to devices being embedded in the skin in the same way that we "tag" pets right now.
It would more-or-less eliminate theft, apart from cases a la Demolition Man where psychos gouge out your eye or cut off the hand O.o
They are going to utilize it to play games! Something Linux is not supposed to be able to do! ;)
</tongue even further in cheek>
If Microsoft did the same thing as you suggest, there would be a great gnashing of teeth and wailing and self-flaggelation in regards to "insidious business practices" and whatnot.
If the Chinese people don't like it, they can do something about it. It's called revolution and it's happened countless times throughout history. With the increasing capitalistic nature of China the totalitarianism won't stand up for too long.
Contrast that with America, where capitalism seems to be stagnating a little and there is a shadowy totalitarianist element emerging.
Bottom line: Let's all be happy that OSS is seeing nothing but increased adoption, especially by economic heavyweights like China and Japan.
Plus, who who would be on top? I don't think Bill would enjoy biting the pillow.
Bill reserves that particular honour for Windows users.
Isn't it better that all these people who (it would seem) have nothing better to do are doing something harmless and out of the way, as opposed to roaming the streets looking for something, anything, to do?
And how is this different from the mass TV culture the West has, where people are glued to Teleboxes all day?
Or even better! Some kind of "storage medium" that has "players" installed in most households now-a-days! Imaging most modern computers being able to Digitally write to this Versatile format? Some kind of new Disc perhaps?
Include a mic, radio antenna and basic SMS/MMS and you have a working phone that isn't too big. Just include a little bit of sane battery management (that is, not let the pod drain the phone beyond a certain threshold).
A keypad might be nice too, no?
It's odd the print versions of most news articles on most sites tends to look a hell of a lot better than the "live" version we're supposed to see.
The Register seems to use a crappy font for the web version, and a nicer one for the print too. Why?
I figure it comes down to consequences. If you know there won't be any, or if you know they depend on something different than they would in the real situation, you'll try things you would never consider if you thought the situation was really happening.
It's funny how the real world is becoming like this too. Most kids are brought up in a relatively consequence-free environment and are wreaking havoc (the little bastards).
We could learn from this, but I bet we don't.
What if someone accidentally downloads this virus, then isn't able to use their PSP anymore because they can't wipe the memory clean?
All this will show is that (as usual) people have more money than sense. Don't fuck around with expensive gadgets unless you:
a) know what you are doing or
b) can afford to rectify/replace mistakes.
Again, why with the downloading?
1. Convenience.
2. Why not?
He's paid for the show, how he obtains a copy of it is irrelevant.
The only problem I see with this is that one of the major reasons for online banking is the convenience of being able to do it anywere.
I thought it was the convenience of being able to do it at home?
What a simple person!
"Sony to stop distribution of PS2 in Australia, citing quality control issues"
Sorry, you seem to have slipped the word quality in there by accident.
It is viruses, not virii.
</pedant>
Proxy Blacklist