The only solution to all this bulls#$t is to get rid of patents all together, or have a major reform of the patent system to being it in line with the majority's idea of a patent system, and not what big business thinks it should be.
In its current format, it is just being abused by big business to stifle innovation, and as a means to create an income though suing anyone any everyone who even remotely does something similar to what they have a patent on.
This is the only solution, and should be done as well as a complete re-write of the copyright laws, and civil lawsuit laws, as they too are now just a revenue stream for big business.
This is also fast becoming the case here in Australia too as Australia becomes America through the FTA (Free Trade Agreement).
This is really getting way out of hand now, opps better sue me, I think someone else already posted that.;-)
Really, the Americanism of the world, and it litigous nature is really starting to piss the common person off.
There needs to be some serious tightening up of the laws on sueing in all countries to stop this and other frivoulus law suits from continuing to bear their ugly heads.
Third of Nine
Actually, I have written e-mails to minsters on several occations, and always gotten a snail mail reply (they are not allowed to reply via e-mail).
E-Mail is just as valid as snail mail when sent a MP.
I urge you all to send e-mail, snail mail, black mail;-). The more of us that protest about this, the more likley someone will listen.
BTW, if we can get Latham to say that he will remove the law if he is elected, Howard will again try to steel the limelight, and revoke the law before the up and comming federal election.
He has done with with everything else Latham has promised.
The point I think RIAA, ARIA etc are missing, is that we are sick and tired of spending $30 (as they are priced here is Australia) for 1, maybe 2 songs, and getting a couple of other songs which are absolute rubbish (and usually good ones aren't that great).
I mainly listen to Australian independent artists, as usually their CD's are not full of filler, and most of the money goes to the artist, not some suit sitting on the 24th floor of some office block in the CBD. I also try and buy their CD's at their gigs, from the artist.
I hope that RIAA, ARIA, and all the other organisations like them realise that they are their own problem. 99c per song (if only you could by songs online in Australia) is reasonable, $3 is not. That is the bottom line. They have to realise that we only have a finite income, unlike the suits whom make these decisions, and have an infinite income when compared to us normal plebs. Sending up the prices, means that people can afford less, and therefore either stop buying, or look to free alternatives.
And some people think that MS is a huge monopoly, I think ARIA, RIAA etc are a much bigger problem, especially since the governments of the world are actually changing laws to make it easier for these monopolies to survive, and sue the people whom these governments represent. MS is tiny compared to these evil groups of wankers.
When will the world stop following the USA, and stop becoming the litigious place it is quickly becoming.
Hmm, mechanical, well, Hard Disk Drive has moving heads, and spinning disks. Your CD/DVD ROM has mechanical parts, a motor to spin the disk, and also the laser head moves. The fans.....
It would certainly appear that you are the one with issues here. What the f@#k does killing dogs have to do with this? Seriously?
I read Slashdot for several reasons, but some people here seriously need to take a step back, and look at the bigger picture, and stop painting Linux as the solution to all mans problems, which seams to be the case for many people here. Linux has its place in our society, just as it also has it's own problems.
With regards to your comment "This is the internet. There are forums to bash MS, Linux, Barney, Wesley Crusher or redheads. Go find one that suits your needs.". I do not feel the need to bash an OS, be it Linux, Windows, MAC OS, UNIX, people with gingerism or whatever, as far as I am concerned, they all have their place in our society, and they all have their problems.
I really hope that they loose the case, but what if, just what if, their claims actually have merit? Which is a small possibility, but think of the re-percussions if they are right.
As I said, I do run Linux, and hate the way SCO is conduction themselves, but have you every contributed code to Linux? If not, then how do you know that SCO's claims are FUD, they more than likely are, but no-one here (except those that worked on the code in question) can claim to know if they have valid claims or not.
You think I am new to computers? Well lets see......
I grew up programming on a C64 and VIC20, first used an IBM clone with the AT, and spent many many hours playing with Autoexec.bat and Config.sys just trying to get that 628k of free base memory so that I could play that latest game in MS-DOS.
I setup my first coxal network when I was at school in the very early 90's, using DOS, which was a great leap from cloning PC's using a Serial or Parallel cable and Norton Commander or Laplink.
I first used the internet on a text based browser, dialling into the only access point in Australia at the time, and before that spent many hours dialled into BBS's, the first file sharing networks.
Shall I continue? Why not, you deserve this.
I did use the earlier incarnations of Windows, starting with Windows 286, and agree, they were absolute garbage, just as the first incarnations of Linux were crap as well, and in some respects, still has some downfalls, just as Windows still does.
I remember the days of running IBM OS2, rather than Windows 3.1, as it was a better OS at the time.
So I feel that I do not need to obtain a copy of Windows 3.0 or 3.1 as you suggest. I have had many years of experience with them, and spent a lot of time supporting them, at school and for friends, and was well aware of the problems you would encounter.
I would suggest that in the future you do not make assumptions, and reserve your comments, like this one "I am just trying to teach you a lesson but I'm not sadistic.", for yourself.
I am an avid Slashdot reader, and I regularly moderate, and attempt to even the balance here (which is very difficult with so much bias).
I do not have any affiliation with MS, and have both Linux and MS machines at home.
I know someone will probably mod me down for this, but why does it appear that Slashdot has a tendency to continually bash MS.
I mean at the end of the day, if Windows was really as crap as some people make it out to be, no-one would use it, simple as that. I have used many OSes over the years, W95, WNT, W2K, WXP, W2K3, OS2, Linux, UNIX. I know that they all have their problems, but really, name an OS that doesn't have a problem in it.
Not only that, a computer is very much like a car, if it is not looked after, it will eventually die, be it Linux, Windows, UNIX or MAC OS.
I am not claiming that MS does no bad, but really there is not many large companies out there that have not done something bad at some stage. And there is not one company out there that would not defend themselves the same way that MS has, if they were under attack, be that a legitimate attack or not.
Now, I understand the concerns of the Open Source community, and Linux has come a hell of a long way in recent years (which is why it is starting to be used in the real world now), but do not think for a second that the tables would not be turned if Linux was in MS's position. I do not like SCO's tactics, but if they do prove that Linux has their source code, then you might as well put Linux in the same box as MS, as it would prove that not even the open source community is always the GOOD IT community member it claims to be.
So mod me down if you wish, but really, the MS bashing is starting to get boring.
But to answer you question, someone else would be in their position, with a different name, with it's own bugs, exploits and vulnerabilities (just as every program and OS does), and would probable cop the same bashing that MS does.
Well, think of it this way, if we were able to copyright our IT jobs, then maybee we could prevent them from going to India, as India would be breaking that copyright by copying my job.
BUT THAT IS NOT HAPPENING, we in IT are expected to find another job, when the one we are in moves offshore.
"should just have to find another job" is the same line every IT worker is told when his/her job goes offshore. So, let me ask you, what you doing to protect our profession. Since you want us to protect yours.
I know someone will probably mod me down for this, but it is because so many people here on Slashdot are biased towards Linux.
Do not get me wrong, I am not here to push MS, or to bag Linux, both product have their good and bad points.
But no one here can say that Linux doesn't have vulnerabilities, just as no one here can say that Windows doesn't have vulnerabilities.
The simple fact is that there is more people on/. that are biased towards Linux, than people whom take a step back and look at the whole picture.
And that picture is that anything done, written, constructed by HUMANS, will have vulnerabilities, be that hardware software, or a bridge across a river.
All it takes is time, and those vulnerabilities will be exposed.
Third of Nine.
When I mod, I take one step back, clear my mind of all bias, and then mod down the trolls.:-)
I was at a MS Security Summit in Sydney 1.5 weeks ago, where the speaker (from MS, but very critical of MS at times), addmitted that they use UNIX servers for Hotmail.
Yes, it is true that the front end runs on Windows Servers, using IIS, but the backend mail servers are UNIX.
It is quite easy to understand the human comfort range in centigrade degrees.
Here in Australia, we use centigrade, and it works quiet well.
You know that at 0 degrees (freezing point), it is cold, and you should wear thick clothes, otherwise you will get sick. When it is 10 - 20 deg you would wear long pants, and a long sleave top, jumper or jacket, 20 - 30 deg, shorts, shirt, 30 - 40 get in air conditioning, only go outside to swim, as it is too hot to work outside (although we usually still do, but sweat like pigs though).
"Earlier this week three Chinese restaurants were fire-bombed in one night in my city. It was quite a shocking event, as we haven't seen that type of violent racism here for some time."
I would be careful saying that this is a rasist attack. While not dismissing it as a possibility, quiet often the attacks are the response from asian gangs for the victim(s) disclosing information to the police, or not paying off the gang enough protection money, etc.
I do not know which city you are in, but there was a security video tape here on Sydney News a while ago, it was of a gang smashing up a chinese restarunt, and the gang was asian.
I am not saing that all attacks arn't racist (there is examples of this in Australia, unfortunately), but this is not a good example, as it more than likley will turn out not to be.
Third of Nine
We need to tell them just how much we detest this behaviour that ARIA, RIAA and similar orginasations have been displaying at the moment.
The only contact they list on their website is an e-mail address (aria@aria.com.au), which I bet they do not even read.
But the Australian White Pages lists them. I stongly urge all Australians to call ARIA (+612 8569 1144) and let them know what they think. Alternatively you can post them with snail mail, I suggest sending all of your junk mail to them. Their snail mail address is 19 Harris St Sydney Australia 2000.
I am almost to the point where I will no longer purchase music, unless bought directly from the artist at one of their gigs, cause I do not believe that this monolpistic organisation deserves a cent of my money, so that they can use it to pursue me for ripping the CD's that I legally purchased, so that I can listen to it on my car MP3 player.
I will be leaving multiple calls with them tomorrow, and urge all fellow Australians (and anyone else if you want) to call ARIA, and tell them where to go.
I disagree, because, with this system, they count all votes, and then the party that is coming last when all votes are counted, is removed, and their next preference is taken.
Once all that party's votes are gone, the party coming last now is eliminated, and their preferences (and 3rd preferences for the previous party's 2nd vote) are counted.
And so on, and so on, until just one party remains. Even after a election is declared by a party, counting continues, until every electorate has just one party standing.
Actually, you are required by law to register to vote in Australia when you reach the age of 18.
They do not really enforce it though. but they could if they wished.
I agree it is stupid that the leader of one of the worlds most leathal military forces, is elected on a charisma basis by only a small minority of the population.
Here is Australia, we do not vote on charisma, (just look at Johnny Howard, he he he). We do not have actors running our states, or country. Cause it is not a popularity contest (more like a mud flinging contest sometimes).
You might not think that your vote doesn't count, and individually it does't, but if say another 100,000 other voters thought similar to yourself, and they all voted as well as yourself for a change, you would have a large vote that could actually make that change you really desperatly need over there in the US.
Do yourself a favour and vote when you have the chance, even if you do not give a toss. It is your country afterall, so you should choose who runs it, and not let small a minority have its way.
Some people here are forgetting a use that should be legal, and that is ripping of CD's you purchased to listen to them how you wish. EG PC, MP3 Player, car Stereo, etc.
I also agree with the arguments that the real artists are not rich, and often struggle. This is because the record companies do not want to take risks on lesser known artists, until they get air play, and people want to her them.
At least here in Australia, indi artists have the national radio station Triple J, which constantly prompts new Australian music. Usually they get air play on Triple J, and then the commercial radio stations start to pick them up.
Examples include Machine Gun Felatio, Gerling, Rocket Science, Grinspoon, Pacifier (Shiad), Frenzal Rhomb, Something for Kate.
The artists deserve the money, not ARIA or RIAA or Record Company Execs. I would rather buy CD's direct from the artist where possible, and always support them at their live gigs, where they make the most of their money (and again not much).
What I really detest paying for is one hit wonders, where they try to make you purchase a whole CD (which costs $29.95 AUD), for one good song, and a load of crappy filler. They are usually manufactured crap anyway.
Slashdot Mirror
In its current format, it is just being abused by big business to stifle innovation, and as a means to create an income though suing anyone any everyone who even remotely does something similar to what they have a patent on.
This is the only solution, and should be done as well as a complete re-write of the copyright laws, and civil lawsuit laws, as they too are now just a revenue stream for big business.
This is also fast becoming the case here in Australia too as Australia becomes America through the FTA (Free Trade Agreement).
Well that is my AU$0.02 (US$0.014178) worth.
Third of Nine
Third of Nine
This is really getting way out of hand now, opps better sue me, I think someone else already posted that. ;-)
Really, the Americanism of the world, and it litigous nature is really starting to piss the common person off.
There needs to be some serious tightening up of the laws on sueing in all countries to stop this and other frivoulus law suits from continuing to bear their ugly heads.
Third of Nine
E-Mail is just as valid as snail mail when sent a MP.
I urge you all to send e-mail, snail mail, black mail ;-). The more of us that protest about this, the more likley someone will listen.
BTW, if we can get Latham to say that he will remove the law if he is elected, Howard will again try to steel the limelight, and revoke the law before the up and comming federal election.
He has done with with everything else Latham has promised.
Third of Nine
I mainly listen to Australian independent artists, as usually their CD's are not full of filler, and most of the money goes to the artist, not some suit sitting on the 24th floor of some office block in the CBD. I also try and buy their CD's at their gigs, from the artist.
I hope that RIAA, ARIA, and all the other organisations like them realise that they are their own problem. 99c per song (if only you could by songs online in Australia) is reasonable, $3 is not. That is the bottom line. They have to realise that we only have a finite income, unlike the suits whom make these decisions, and have an infinite income when compared to us normal plebs. Sending up the prices, means that people can afford less, and therefore either stop buying, or look to free alternatives.
And some people think that MS is a huge monopoly, I think ARIA, RIAA etc are a much bigger problem, especially since the governments of the world are actually changing laws to make it easier for these monopolies to survive, and sue the people whom these governments represent. MS is tiny compared to these evil groups of wankers.
When will the world stop following the USA, and stop becoming the litigious place it is quickly becoming.
Third of Nine
You seam to think that the average computer user knows how to install OS's, compile programs etc.
The average user just wants it to work, when they plug in a device, they just want it to work. They just want to install a program, not compile it.
There is only 2 OS's that that works reasonly well on at present Windows and MAC OS, but one is far more expensie than the other.
Linus is getting better, but it still needs more work to get onto the average computer users PC.
Third of Nine
Third of Nine
It would certainly appear that you are the one with issues here. What the f@#k does killing dogs have to do with this? Seriously?
I read Slashdot for several reasons, but some people here seriously need to take a step back, and look at the bigger picture, and stop painting Linux as the solution to all mans problems, which seams to be the case for many people here. Linux has its place in our society, just as it also has it's own problems.
With regards to your comment "This is the internet. There are forums to bash MS, Linux, Barney, Wesley Crusher or redheads. Go find one that suits your needs.". I do not feel the need to bash an OS, be it Linux, Windows, MAC OS, UNIX, people with gingerism or whatever, as far as I am concerned, they all have their place in our society, and they all have their problems.
Third of Nine
I really hope that they loose the case, but what if, just what if, their claims actually have merit? Which is a small possibility, but think of the re-percussions if they are right.
As I said, I do run Linux, and hate the way SCO is conduction themselves, but have you every contributed code to Linux? If not, then how do you know that SCO's claims are FUD, they more than likely are, but no-one here (except those that worked on the code in question) can claim to know if they have valid claims or not.
You my friend, are a the troll.
Third of Nine.
You think I am new to computers? Well lets see......
I grew up programming on a C64 and VIC20, first used an IBM clone with the AT, and spent many many hours playing with Autoexec.bat and Config.sys just trying to get that 628k of free base memory so that I could play that latest game in MS-DOS.
I setup my first coxal network when I was at school in the very early 90's, using DOS, which was a great leap from cloning PC's using a Serial or Parallel cable and Norton Commander or Laplink.
I first used the internet on a text based browser, dialling into the only access point in Australia at the time, and before that spent many hours dialled into BBS's, the first file sharing networks.
Shall I continue? Why not, you deserve this.
I did use the earlier incarnations of Windows, starting with Windows 286, and agree, they were absolute garbage, just as the first incarnations of Linux were crap as well, and in some respects, still has some downfalls, just as Windows still does.
I remember the days of running IBM OS2, rather than Windows 3.1, as it was a better OS at the time.
So I feel that I do not need to obtain a copy of Windows 3.0 or 3.1 as you suggest. I have had many years of experience with them, and spent a lot of time supporting them, at school and for friends, and was well aware of the problems you would encounter.
I would suggest that in the future you do not make assumptions, and reserve your comments, like this one "I am just trying to teach you a lesson but I'm not sadistic.", for yourself.
Third of Nine
I do not have any affiliation with MS, and have both Linux and MS machines at home.
I know someone will probably mod me down for this, but why does it appear that Slashdot has a tendency to continually bash MS.
I mean at the end of the day, if Windows was really as crap as some people make it out to be, no-one would use it, simple as that. I have used many OSes over the years, W95, WNT, W2K, WXP, W2K3, OS2, Linux, UNIX. I know that they all have their problems, but really, name an OS that doesn't have a problem in it.
Not only that, a computer is very much like a car, if it is not looked after, it will eventually die, be it Linux, Windows, UNIX or MAC OS.
I am not claiming that MS does no bad, but really there is not many large companies out there that have not done something bad at some stage. And there is not one company out there that would not defend themselves the same way that MS has, if they were under attack, be that a legitimate attack or not.
Now, I understand the concerns of the Open Source community, and Linux has come a hell of a long way in recent years (which is why it is starting to be used in the real world now), but do not think for a second that the tables would not be turned if Linux was in MS's position. I do not like SCO's tactics, but if they do prove that Linux has their source code, then you might as well put Linux in the same box as MS, as it would prove that not even the open source community is always the GOOD IT community member it claims to be.
So mod me down if you wish, but really, the MS bashing is starting to get boring.
But to answer you question, someone else would be in their position, with a different name, with it's own bugs, exploits and vulnerabilities (just as every program and OS does), and would probable cop the same bashing that MS does.
Third of Nine.
Third of Nine
Well, think of it this way, if we were able to copyright our IT jobs, then maybee we could prevent them from going to India, as India would be breaking that copyright by copying my job.
BUT THAT IS NOT HAPPENING, we in IT are expected to find another job, when the one we are in moves offshore.
"should just have to find another job" is the same line every IT worker is told when his/her job goes offshore. So, let me ask you, what you doing to protect our profession. Since you want us to protect yours.
Thirdofnine.
Do not get me wrong, I am not here to push MS, or to bag Linux, both product have their good and bad points.
But no one here can say that Linux doesn't have vulnerabilities, just as no one here can say that Windows doesn't have vulnerabilities.
The simple fact is that there is more people on /. that are biased towards Linux, than people whom take a step back and look at the whole picture.
And that picture is that anything done, written, constructed by HUMANS, will have vulnerabilities, be that hardware software, or a bridge across a river.
All it takes is time, and those vulnerabilities will be exposed.
Third of Nine.
When I mod, I take one step back, clear my mind of all bias, and then mod down the trolls. :-)
I was at a MS Security Summit in Sydney 1.5 weeks ago, where the speaker (from MS, but very critical of MS at times), addmitted that they use UNIX servers for Hotmail.
Yes, it is true that the front end runs on Windows Servers, using IIS, but the backend mail servers are UNIX.
Sorry to dissapoint you.
Third of Nine.
Third of Nine
Here in Australia, we use centigrade, and it works quiet well.
You know that at 0 degrees (freezing point), it is cold, and you should wear thick clothes, otherwise you will get sick. When it is 10 - 20 deg you would wear long pants, and a long sleave top, jumper or jacket, 20 - 30 deg, shorts, shirt, 30 - 40 get in air conditioning, only go outside to swim, as it is too hot to work outside (although we usually still do, but sweat like pigs though).
67 deg for food saftey 100 deg for water boiling
Works for us anyway.
Say you went on a trip around the country, to see what your country has to offer. Here in Australia, that can take several months.
Pefect excuse, and easy to bullshit about.
Third of Nine
I would be careful saying that this is a rasist attack. While not dismissing it as a possibility, quiet often the attacks are the response from asian gangs for the victim(s) disclosing information to the police, or not paying off the gang enough protection money, etc. I do not know which city you are in, but there was a security video tape here on Sydney News a while ago, it was of a gang smashing up a chinese restarunt, and the gang was asian. I am not saing that all attacks arn't racist (there is examples of this in Australia, unfortunately), but this is not a good example, as it more than likley will turn out not to be. Third of Nine
Third of Nine
The allies in WW2 were slaves of Japan and Germany, forced to build railways, weapons, and other things for nothing, often dieing.
These slaves comprised of all sorts of races, white, black, jews, christians, all sorts.
Then there was also black slavery that also happened. I am sure that there are many more examples.
My point is, how is this offensive. It is stupid.
Third of Nine
The only contact they list on their website is an e-mail address (aria@aria.com.au), which I bet they do not even read.
But the Australian White Pages lists them. I stongly urge all Australians to call ARIA (+612 8569 1144) and let them know what they think. Alternatively you can post them with snail mail, I suggest sending all of your junk mail to them. Their snail mail address is 19 Harris St Sydney Australia 2000.
I am almost to the point where I will no longer purchase music, unless bought directly from the artist at one of their gigs, cause I do not believe that this monolpistic organisation deserves a cent of my money, so that they can use it to pursue me for ripping the CD's that I legally purchased, so that I can listen to it on my car MP3 player.
I will be leaving multiple calls with them tomorrow, and urge all fellow Australians (and anyone else if you want) to call ARIA, and tell them where to go.
Third of Nine
Once all that party's votes are gone, the party coming last now is eliminated, and their preferences (and 3rd preferences for the previous party's 2nd vote) are counted.
And so on, and so on, until just one party remains. Even after a election is declared by a party, counting continues, until every electorate has just one party standing.
This is why it is a fair system.
Third of Nine
They do not really enforce it though. but they could if they wished.
I agree it is stupid that the leader of one of the worlds most leathal military forces, is elected on a charisma basis by only a small minority of the population.
Here is Australia, we do not vote on charisma, (just look at Johnny Howard, he he he). We do not have actors running our states, or country. Cause it is not a popularity contest (more like a mud flinging contest sometimes).
You might not think that your vote doesn't count, and individually it does't, but if say another 100,000 other voters thought similar to yourself, and they all voted as well as yourself for a change, you would have a large vote that could actually make that change you really desperatly need over there in the US.
Do yourself a favour and vote when you have the chance, even if you do not give a toss. It is your country afterall, so you should choose who runs it, and not let small a minority have its way.
Third of Nine
I also agree with the arguments that the real artists are not rich, and often struggle. This is because the record companies do not want to take risks on lesser known artists, until they get air play, and people want to her them.
At least here in Australia, indi artists have the national radio station Triple J, which constantly prompts new Australian music. Usually they get air play on Triple J, and then the commercial radio stations start to pick them up.
Examples include Machine Gun Felatio, Gerling, Rocket Science, Grinspoon, Pacifier (Shiad), Frenzal Rhomb, Something for Kate.
The artists deserve the money, not ARIA or RIAA or Record Company Execs. I would rather buy CD's direct from the artist where possible, and always support them at their live gigs, where they make the most of their money (and again not much).
What I really detest paying for is one hit wonders, where they try to make you purchase a whole CD (which costs $29.95 AUD), for one good song, and a load of crappy filler. They are usually manufactured crap anyway.
Third of Nine