I think Sony, as most japanese companies, works exclusively for the Japanese market. They see the "rest of the world" ass "less than relevant". Sony is big. Really really big in Japan. But so are other companies you know about but don't usually see in other markets (Mitsubishi for TVs come to mind). And the japanese public seems to be happy enough with what Sony offers them (or maybe they design their products based on Japanese tastes).
And I know it's pretty much all over the spectrum of japanese products. At the early days of BD-R you could only get BD-R DL in Japan. Sony made them, but sold them only there - the rest of the world had to work with BD-R or grey-market Japanese-labeled BD-R DLs. I run a comic book store, and book editors are always complaining about rights management for japanese series. Some japanese companies are simply not interested in licensing manga comics outside japan. It's not a money issue either (foreign publishers are willing to pay), they see that 90% of manga is consumed in japan and only the remaining 10% is sold outside. Maybe the numbers are similar for electronic products?
There is an amazing number of Sony products used in pro-land. U-Matic/Betacam decks, cameras, etc. Sony makes basically everything a TV studio needs for broadcast - and I'm pretty sure in Japan there are companies that are exclusively sony. But outside japan you see a mix of Canon, Sony, and "other brands you've never heard about". I was amazed to see a HUGE projector from Sony that's exclusively sold in Japan. The optics were out of this world. The front element was 15CM in diameter or larger, and the whole thing was about the size of a 20" CRT TV. But these are available internationally only as grey-market imports.
Maybe Sony, simply doesn't see a relevant market outside Japan and that's why *we* non japanese people think Sony formats are dead. But they're doing just fine in the land of the rising sun. I wouldn't be surprised if you could walk into some Akiba store and find brand new Beta tapes for sale.
This kinda reminds me of the Harry Potter books. The Gryffindor sword was made by goblins, and it's stored in Hogwart's castle. Goblins, however, think it belongs to them, since it was made by them, and sold to Gryffindor (and only him), it should be returned to them after his death, and not passed on to anyone else.
Kinda like entertainment industry wants things to be, I guess.
sometimes a broken file is all you get. sometimes you can preview a file - not with 7z, you have to wait for it. Piece of shit. Was it really that difficult to make it a little more robust to errors?
Last time I checked, Microsoft doesn't. They don't have a 100% market ownership. iTunes, on the other hand, does have a SIGNIFICANT market share. Isn't that kinda like a monopoly? It was for microsoft.
Also what's with Apple's license? Why can't I buy OS X and legally install it in any PC? They have monopoly in what computers you can install OS X to. Why do I have to be forced to buy Apple to use OS X?
Really? My data is all there. They didn't steal anything from me. I can open Office documents just fine with StarOffice/OpenOffice/LibreOffice. Also, microsoft didn't FORCE me to anything. They can't FORCE me to use Office, because there is no MS Thug behind me bullying me to use Office.
And... what the fuck is the problem with proprietary formats? If they want to use them, so be it. All of sudden every format every tool writes to MUST be open and readily available for anyone? What the fuck is wrong with you slashdotters?
Really, fanbois, your arguments are really stupid. And worst of all: you seem to prefer shitty "open" formats rather than good "closed" formats. Like, everyone is using 7z now. What a piece of shit. The compression rate is pretty good, but you need the whole file. You can't partially extract a file, what the hell? I will keep using RAR. Thank you very much.
Sure. And for including that stupid +1 button (which you can't remove) in every search result, and not a "Like in Facebook" button. Isn't that kinda like including IE in Windows (which you can't remove), and not Firefox?
Don't be stupid, at the time when Netscape went out of business, IE *was* a better browser. Netscape was just butthurt because of IE, and if you have some memory, you will remember that it happened in the middle of the dotcom bubble, and ended with the bubble bursting. It took away many companies, including Netscape. But Netscape didn't want to admit that they were broke and sued MS. Then MS had to spend millions in a useless lawsuit (which hasn't changed anything), and IE got to dominate the market. Because it took Mozilla several years to come up with a competing browser.
But no one seems to remember Opera, which is still around us. It never went bankrupt or made stupid moves like netscape (wanting to stay on top because of divine right, and whine because "market was took away from them"). Netscape failed because it sucked at business, and because of them, we have a shitty browser (IE6) and a generation of MS haters. If Netscape would have done layoffs and cut spending, they would probably have stay in business, and IE6 would have evolved instead of getting stuck because it had no real competition.
No, I'm not an idiot, thanks for asking, mr AC. Microsoft got sued because they included a Web browser. Just like Apple does, and some butthurt competition decided that was bad, and sued them. Really stupid to me. But it seems that's the law. So I wonder, why no one is suing Apple for including their own browser AND bundling it with Windows iTunes (installing it without your permission). The same with QuickTime - which I don't want or need.
I use Firefox and Chrome, yet I cannot uninstall IE from the machine. That's product tying. It's a waste of disk space, and worse, it means that even though I have installed a more secure browser, some stupid program is going to be able to load up IE anyway, and get hit by all the security holes in it. To avoid that, I have to waste my internet connection downloading updates for a browser I don't want in the first place.
Uh huh. Waste of disk space. Never mind that the smallest drive you can get is like 500GB, but yes, I'll give you that (just because you're an asshole).
I don't use Facebook. Somehow, simply by not using Facebook, I have been able to avoid having my profile created there, and avoid entering my personal information.
Good for you, chap! I visit some LOCAL NEWS SITES of my tiny town, and if I want to comment I need a FB account. That's product tying. It's a waste of bandwidth, and worse, it means that even though I have other login alternatives, some stupid program web developer is going to be able to load up Facebook code anyway, and get hit by all the stupid JS and face icons. To make things worse, I have to waste my internet connection pictures for people I don't know or want to know in the first place.
So, what have Facebook ever done to me? Absolutely nothing. Yet, you claim we "hated MS for much less than this". How much exactly is "much less than" absolutely nothing?
Yes. This is Slashdot. Their motto is: HATE Microsoft, support Linux, use Apple. And deny that Google and Facebook are sleeping with the government. Because Facebook helps antisocial nerds, and Google swears they "do no evil".
When does the antitrust trial begin? It's like Microsoft all over again. Facebook abuses its dominant position on the internet (facebook forms in almost every "web 2.0" website, just like IE was "so tightly integrated in windows that it couldn't be removed"). And now they're also trying to destroy competition by blocking them.
In comparison, with IE you can at least download another browser. Facebook won't help you in your transition (or let you delete your stuff from their servers).
Come on, guys... you hated MS for much less than this.
No jackass, it's explicitly illegal content. It's like saying the justice shouldn't seize a gun that was used for murder just because it steps on your first ammendment rights.
What if some illicit gambling or kiddie porn or mafia ring raised millions this way?
I'm pretty sure they allow that in any jurisdiction where it's legal. I don't think they have to be subject to US laws just because they're a US company (no idea where Visa is established). They don't need to comply with *every* law in the world at the same time - Visa processes payments for porn every day, but they also operate in countries where porn is illegal.
OK, porn is not a good example. How about Foie Gras? In many countries it's illegal, because of the unnecessary suffering the geese are put through. I'm pretty sure you can buy all the foie gras you can eat in France with your Visa card. And myself, I think they're greedy shits for allowing that to happen. Same with AMEX. You can't buy porn with AMEX but you certainly can buy foie gras, live sushi, or baby seal coats. I'm not a PETA fanboy - I like meat. I just don't like some methods of production: it IS NOT all black, or all white. Slashdotters need to get in their heads that law is complicated because you can't treat every company the same. Same reason you can't just go and buy a gun - there is a waiting period. An asperger-syndrome slashdotter can't see "why" because under his logic a gun shop is the same as any other shop: i give you money, you give me goods. But there are reasons why the waiting period is in place. And there are reasons why financial entities are not subject to the same laws and requirements as the rest of business. Hell, even Walmart isn't subject to the same laws your corner store is: size is also a factor, even if they sell the same stuff.
Then have the upstream ISPs (which are located in other countries, hopefully with laws that protect human rights) cut access to ISPs that host that kind of content. Block their ASNs and IP ranges. You will notice how quick they clean up their networks from that kind of crap. If they weren't answering before, they will be answering when they suddenly find themselves offline.
What the fuck? They have the addresses, why can't they track down the servers and their owners? Isn't that more useful (and easier) than doing all this theatre?
Music is expensive not only because "big" artists have to be paid millions. It's expensive also because smaller artists become dicks pretty soon, and need to trave all over the world and record every different song in an album in a different studio. Now that they're a little famous, they need more expensive "inspiration".
Movies are complex, but might find this a very interesting reading.
Also: you don't need hundreds of millions of dollars to make a crazy blockbuster. The Blair Witch Project (if anyone even remembers that) had a budget of some $750.000 (still wonder how they need that kind of money for such a cheap piece of crap). But the movie grossed over 250M dollars.
I'm expecting in 10 years that every desktop, server, or device will have a DRM stack enforced by a hardware chip, similar to how all TVs must have a V-chip.
Slashdot Mirror
I think Sony, as most japanese companies, works exclusively for the Japanese market. They see the "rest of the world" ass "less than relevant". Sony is big. Really really big in Japan. But so are other companies you know about but don't usually see in other markets (Mitsubishi for TVs come to mind). And the japanese public seems to be happy enough with what Sony offers them (or maybe they design their products based on Japanese tastes).
And I know it's pretty much all over the spectrum of japanese products. At the early days of BD-R you could only get BD-R DL in Japan. Sony made them, but sold them only there - the rest of the world had to work with BD-R or grey-market Japanese-labeled BD-R DLs.
I run a comic book store, and book editors are always complaining about rights management for japanese series. Some japanese companies are simply not interested in licensing manga comics outside japan. It's not a money issue either (foreign publishers are willing to pay), they see that 90% of manga is consumed in japan and only the remaining 10% is sold outside. Maybe the numbers are similar for electronic products?
There is an amazing number of Sony products used in pro-land. U-Matic/Betacam decks, cameras, etc. Sony makes basically everything a TV studio needs for broadcast - and I'm pretty sure in Japan there are companies that are exclusively sony. But outside japan you see a mix of Canon, Sony, and "other brands you've never heard about". I was amazed to see a HUGE projector from Sony that's exclusively sold in Japan. The optics were out of this world. The front element was 15CM in diameter or larger, and the whole thing was about the size of a 20" CRT TV. But these are available internationally only as grey-market imports.
Maybe Sony, simply doesn't see a relevant market outside Japan and that's why *we* non japanese people think Sony formats are dead. But they're doing just fine in the land of the rising sun. I wouldn't be surprised if you could walk into some Akiba store and find brand new Beta tapes for sale.
Vinyl.
You didn't list any japanese products. I'm sure it's all made in China.
This kinda reminds me of the Harry Potter books. The Gryffindor sword was made by goblins, and it's stored in Hogwart's castle. Goblins, however, think it belongs to them, since it was made by them, and sold to Gryffindor (and only him), it should be returned to them after his death, and not passed on to anyone else.
Kinda like entertainment industry wants things to be, I guess.
sometimes a broken file is all you get. sometimes you can preview a file - not with 7z, you have to wait for it. Piece of shit. Was it really that difficult to make it a little more robust to errors?
Last time I checked, Microsoft doesn't. They don't have a 100% market ownership. iTunes, on the other hand, does have a SIGNIFICANT market share. Isn't that kinda like a monopoly? It was for microsoft.
Also what's with Apple's license? Why can't I buy OS X and legally install it in any PC? They have monopoly in what computers you can install OS X to. Why do I have to be forced to buy Apple to use OS X?
no-one-forces-you-to-use-osx-fanboys, fire away!
Heh. Sometimes people do get sarcasm.
Go figure.
Really? My data is all there. They didn't steal anything from me. I can open Office documents just fine with StarOffice/OpenOffice/LibreOffice.
Also, microsoft didn't FORCE me to anything. They can't FORCE me to use Office, because there is no MS Thug behind me bullying me to use Office.
And... what the fuck is the problem with proprietary formats? If they want to use them, so be it. All of sudden every format every tool writes to MUST be open and readily available for anyone? What the fuck is wrong with you slashdotters?
Really, fanbois, your arguments are really stupid. And worst of all: you seem to prefer shitty "open" formats rather than good "closed" formats. Like, everyone is using 7z now. What a piece of shit. The compression rate is pretty good, but you need the whole file. You can't partially extract a file, what the hell? I will keep using RAR. Thank you very much.
No, it all started with the IE suit. The rest was internal memos and stuff ANY COMPANY, INCLUDING GOOGLE AND FACEBOOK, does.
Sure. And for including that stupid +1 button (which you can't remove) in every search result, and not a "Like in Facebook" button. Isn't that kinda like including IE in Windows (which you can't remove), and not Firefox?
Don't be stupid, at the time when Netscape went out of business, IE *was* a better browser. Netscape was just butthurt because of IE, and if you have some memory, you will remember that it happened in the middle of the dotcom bubble, and ended with the bubble bursting. It took away many companies, including Netscape. But Netscape didn't want to admit that they were broke and sued MS. Then MS had to spend millions in a useless lawsuit (which hasn't changed anything), and IE got to dominate the market. Because it took Mozilla several years to come up with a competing browser.
But no one seems to remember Opera, which is still around us. It never went bankrupt or made stupid moves like netscape (wanting to stay on top because of divine right, and whine because "market was took away from them"). Netscape failed because it sucked at business, and because of them, we have a shitty browser (IE6) and a generation of MS haters. If Netscape would have done layoffs and cut spending, they would probably have stay in business, and IE6 would have evolved instead of getting stuck because it had no real competition.
No, I'm not an idiot, thanks for asking, mr AC.
Microsoft got sued because they included a Web browser. Just like Apple does, and some butthurt competition decided that was bad, and sued them. Really stupid to me. But it seems that's the law. So I wonder, why no one is suing Apple for including their own browser AND bundling it with Windows iTunes (installing it without your permission). The same with QuickTime - which I don't want or need.
Uh huh. Waste of disk space. Never mind that the smallest drive you can get is like 500GB, but yes, I'll give you that (just because you're an asshole).
Good for you, chap! I visit some LOCAL NEWS SITES of my tiny town, and if I want to comment I need a FB account. That's product tying. It's a waste of bandwidth, and worse, it means that even though I have other login alternatives, some stupid program web developer is going to be able to load up Facebook code anyway, and get hit by all the stupid JS and face icons. To make things worse, I have to waste my internet connection pictures for people I don't know or want to know in the first place.
More than you know.
Yes. This is Slashdot. Their motto is: HATE Microsoft, support Linux, use Apple. And deny that Google and Facebook are sleeping with the government. Because Facebook helps antisocial nerds, and Google swears they "do no evil".
When does the antitrust trial begin? It's like Microsoft all over again. Facebook abuses its dominant position on the internet (facebook forms in almost every "web 2.0" website, just like IE was "so tightly integrated in windows that it couldn't be removed"). And now they're also trying to destroy competition by blocking them.
In comparison, with IE you can at least download another browser. Facebook won't help you in your transition (or let you delete your stuff from their servers).
Come on, guys... you hated MS for much less than this.
No jackass, it's explicitly illegal content. It's like saying the justice shouldn't seize a gun that was used for murder just because it steps on your first ammendment rights.
THANK YOU!!!!!!
And upstream is subject to government pressure. Are you stupid?
I'm pretty sure they allow that in any jurisdiction where it's legal. I don't think they have to be subject to US laws just because they're a US company (no idea where Visa is established). They don't need to comply with *every* law in the world at the same time - Visa processes payments for porn every day, but they also operate in countries where porn is illegal.
OK, porn is not a good example. How about Foie Gras? In many countries it's illegal, because of the unnecessary suffering the geese are put through. I'm pretty sure you can buy all the foie gras you can eat in France with your Visa card. And myself, I think they're greedy shits for allowing that to happen. Same with AMEX. You can't buy porn with AMEX but you certainly can buy foie gras, live sushi, or baby seal coats. I'm not a PETA fanboy - I like meat. I just don't like some methods of production: it IS NOT all black, or all white. Slashdotters need to get in their heads that law is complicated because you can't treat every company the same. Same reason you can't just go and buy a gun - there is a waiting period. An asperger-syndrome slashdotter can't see "why" because under his logic a gun shop is the same as any other shop: i give you money, you give me goods. But there are reasons why the waiting period is in place. And there are reasons why financial entities are not subject to the same laws and requirements as the rest of business. Hell, even Walmart isn't subject to the same laws your corner store is: size is also a factor, even if they sell the same stuff.
OP wrote "bona fide child molester". What does it mean?
Then have the upstream ISPs (which are located in other countries, hopefully with laws that protect human rights) cut access to ISPs that host that kind of content. Block their ASNs and IP ranges. You will notice how quick they clean up their networks from that kind of crap. If they weren't answering before, they will be answering when they suddenly find themselves offline.
You do know that "bona fide" means "in good faith". As in "with good intentions", right?
I'm pretty sure child pornography is illegal in basically every country. You don't ned no newfangled "internet laws" to deal with that.
What the fuck? They have the addresses, why can't they track down the servers and their owners? Isn't that more useful (and easier) than doing all this theatre?
Music is expensive not only because "big" artists have to be paid millions. It's expensive also because smaller artists become dicks pretty soon, and need to trave all over the world and record every different song in an album in a different studio. Now that they're a little famous, they need more expensive "inspiration".
Movies are complex, but might find this a very interesting reading.
Also: you don't need hundreds of millions of dollars to make a crazy blockbuster. The Blair Witch Project (if anyone even remembers that) had a budget of some $750.000 (still wonder how they need that kind of money for such a cheap piece of crap). But the movie grossed over 250M dollars.
You mean TPM? That idea never took off.