But regardless, it's like saying owning a screwdriver is illegal because it could be used to take the hinges off an insecure door. Dumb.
It's like saying having a copy of DeCSS is illegal because it could be used to take copies of movies and put them on the Internet for copyright infringement. Dumb.
Much like sports, it's all about fundamentals. I know much of what I'm about to say has been said multiple times by many other posters here.
Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic.
One of the phrases I've found quite useful in quite a number of areas is, "You have to know the rules before you can break them." One extension of this is into computer and calculator use in school. Students and faculty alike are becoming too dependent on a machine to give them the right answer instead of being able to figure it out. If the machine is broken, or more likely, improperly inputted, they will swallow the result and fall flat on their faces with little to no recourse. "The problem with computers is they do exactly what you tell them."
Language skill also rely on rules, even when those rules are broken. Strategically breaking rules can bring powerful results. And these results can come in both writing and reading. As well, you can recognize instances where you may be manipulated by seemingly correct but deliberately broken rules. One example is propaganda, or more generically referred to as the persuasive argument.
Another topic I wish to touch on is the value of memorization. Many here probably decry the practise of memorization. I'm partially one of them, but I know there can be tremendous value to it. Through AP Chemistry and college level chemistry courses I came to have quite a bit of the information on the periodic table memorized. I was never forced to have it memorized but that information became quite useful during tests in that I was able to focus more on the overarching problem rather than the particulars of atomic number, weight, etc. I didn't have to break concentration or a train of thought to look something up. To try and make a computer analogy, it's like hard-wiring commonly used functions to speed up processors. As far as knowing how to think I believe that's a given. I've met too many people that were "book smart" that have a hard time making it in the real world of adults.
To summarize my point, you have to give children a foundation and the tools to build upon it. Giving them pieces of the supposed finished product do not yield a successful result in the long run. Fundamentals plus thinking abilities are the only way to be able to learn.
I love my Nextel phone. I don't believe they have any phones availble that show anything more complicated than text. In my experience the build quality of the Motorola phones it quite good; I beat the hell out of my phone and it's been running strong for 2.5 years and my pager before that was likewise a tank. The only addition beyond a simple phone and phone book is the Direct Connect digital 2-way radio. That is at least a functional extention instead of a diversional one.
My only gripe, and this may be with my previously mentioned ancient phone, is the phone book organization. Entries are in the order in which I enter them. I can't alphabetize them or anything. But along the lines of the High Fidelity record reorganization, the "autobiographical" method of locating a single number in a sea of contacts is "comforting" to some extent.
There's one point the various industries don't seem to realize. File sharing does not mean a free product. And I'm not even talking about the cost of broadband, the cost of harddrive space, etc.
There is a cost associated with finding the product to begin with. Finding the correct product when you think you've found it. Finding a product of sufficient quality. Finding associated products quickly, predictably, and reliably.
If I knew I could get decent Radiohead unrestricted MP3s at radiohead.com I would be sorely tempted to purchase them at nearly any price than to hunt and peck and hope and test all over the bloody Internet.
If I knew I could download an above average DivX copy of Kill Bill v.1 at kill-bill.com I would be willing to pay DVD prices to have it earlier than DVD availability, rather than hunt and peck and hope and test all over the bloody Internet.
The various industries have forgotten that Time == Money for even the average person. You eliminate the search and procurement time you will "save" money in the eyes of the customers and they will be more than willing to turn those savings into direct cash income.
I think the market has decided. Look at Nintendo and their platforms and how they are doing. The Game Cube, the representation of modern console games, is dying a slow death. Compare that with the Game Boy Advance, a portable re-release of the SNES, that is taking off like wildfire.
I still, personally, regard the SNES days as the golden era of console gaming. And by extension, the NES as the SNES was mostly the same product with cleaner graphics and better sound instead of a fundamental shift with the 3D of more modern systems.
The action games had the flavor of getting you in quick and getting you addicted. Zelda, Metriod, and the Mario Brothers franchises are prime examples. The RPGs of the era were fundamental enough to draw crowds while having the depth to compel you to stay for maybe 40 hours. The early Final Fantasies (1, 2, 3 US) and both Lunar games (Sega CD but still SNES era) were tip-top. And then there were the mindless distractions like Super Bomberman. 4 guys talkin' trash for hours on end a couple nights a week.
And again these are back with a vengance on the GBA.
Let's see. If you are found guilty of being a suspected "terrorist" you are subject to criminal proceedings. Criminal proceedings that do not include a speedy trial. Oh yeah and nobody, possibly not even yourself, knows about these proceedings until you suddenly disappear. And there will be no redress to said government as, was stated previously, nobody knows about it.
All because you are guilty of maybe being a "terrorist".
Isn't that the "American Dream"(TM)? When did "profit" become a bad word?
You are right. Profit, in and of itself, is not a bad thing. And that's the reason captialism has worked as well as it has for so long. You are basing your authority on an inanimate object rather than a corruptable human being. There are many upon many companies that use their profits to expand the company, improve the product, and/or return it to the community at large and these companies should be applauded and supported.
However, when you quoted the previous poster you conspicuously ignored the rest of his statement.
Using money and power to prevent competition from organizations that might act in the public interest
The means by which they are seeking their profits are where the problem lies. To use an oft quoted phrase, "The ends do not justify the means." They are, in fact, harming the public in order to make money.
I helped introduce Doom to my high school. A small group of friends and I purchased the full version and made copies to install in our typing lab for network games. I regret the piracy now but that's a different topic. Not only have I never come close to a violent act in my life but I'm one of the farthest away from being desensitized to violence. I almost passed out watching a friend get an IV. I get sick to my stomach thinking about one of my co-workers who got hit by a car while crossing a street. The violence in the movie From Hell disturbed me.
However, I laugh at movie Army of Darkness and I played a lot of Doom, a lot of Quake, and intend on playing a lot of Doom III and I imagine I will enjoy it. How can this be? I understand these are not real.
Penny Arcade was poking fun at American McGee's treatment of other worlds (eg. Alice, Oz), not at the Strawberry Shortcake world. Strawberry Shortcake was a means to an end. It could have been replaced by Pooh or the Smurfs with the same effect. The joke, to me, was the darkening retale of percieved lighthearted, children's stories.
In his own comment on April 21, 2003 Tycho provides a link to other court cases and specifically mentions "Dr. Seuss Enterprises Vs. Penguin Books" on page three as possible precident that would work against Penny Arcade.
That is not to say what PA did was and should be illegal. It's simply not clearly parody. It's something that would require extensive (expensive) legal processes.
If you're typing on a standard QWERTY keyboard, and most of us are, then your keyboard design is over 100 years old (135 years old, to be exact). Can you imagine using a hard drive that was designed a decade ago? Or a processor from two centuries past?
Could you imagine speaking a language that's hundreds, if not thousands of years old? Could you imagine running an internal combustion engine that's almost 150 years old?
There's a reason human-computer interface hasn't really changed. The fact that the human hasn't either isn't a big coincidence.
Most rape victims consume ice cream. Therefore, if you do not eat ice cream you will be less likely to get raped.
Most copyright violations occur after circumventing protections. Therefore, if you criminalize circumvention you will get less copyright violations.
(Boolean) Logical Fallacies: Denial of the antecedent This fallacy is an argument of the form "A implies B, A is false, therefore B is false". The truth table for implication makes it clear why this is a fallacy.
In regards to those wanting to be more server than user, I have a question:
I would much rather have a 512kbps/512kbps than 1.5mbps/128kbps. If I were to peg my 512kbps upstream running a decent UT server would that cost my ISP more than someone pegging their 1.5mbps downstream running a P2P app?
Next let's assume the reverse direction were also pegged. Figure I would surf, minor P2P action, and connect to other UT servers. The other customer would (hopefully) be a friendly P2P user and share files out for others.
If you were to do simple math, I would be occupying 1mbps of bandwith while the other would occupy 1.625mbps. So my overall question is: is there a cost difference between upstream and downstream traffic for the ISP?
I enjoy running my own domain. DNS, mail, web, etc. I don't do anything exciting with my domain, it's merely for the challenge, education, and personal pride of ownership. As well, I can provide minor services for friends and family. There is absolutely nothing illegal about what I do, in fact I'm giving something back to the Internet community at large, in contrast to a good majority of P2P copyright violations. Yet what I do is against the vast majority of TOS while P2P is rampant and, for the most part, unenforcable.
For the love of God, please become a public education teacher. Sure, they pay for shit and you could run into a string of nightmare children. But being the nerdy type I suspect there was a teacher or two that helped you and fostered your intellect as opposed to temporary looks and/or temporary physicality. Repay those valuable teachers by helping the next generations of budding nerds.
And with the low budgets there will be consolidations of positions. I imagine you could start or improve computer classes or be the first competent IT member they've ever had.
I've also heard that, because of the lack of science related teachers, you can get significant bonuses and benefits from various government levels for your contribution.
I can't see this having a big effect on patent reform because A) It's Microsoft, people are used to them being surrounded by legal gobbeldygook and B) It's not the kind of thing the general public gets riled about.
You seem to forget how the modern US Legal System works. The General Public has little to no influence over the majority of legislation. Big money corporations do. If high profile companies affected by licensing costs are involved you can be sure something is going to come down the line in Congress.
And when that insurmountable obstacle has been surmounted your are given the specatcular view of the next hurdle. Convincing a politician to neither lie nor accept bribes.
A cynic will say hell won't freeze over. A realist will know it can't happen twice.
I propose we send a letter to Congress durring the next election year. I'll contribute the first paragraph.
When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
they take almost no bad press over the whole affair. I'd say they accomplished exactly what they set out to do.
This is why FatWallet needs to keep pressing the charges of the 512(f) provision and not let Wal*Mart settle out of court. Wal*Mart committed a very real crime and Wal*Mart must suffer the consequences of their actions. The DMCA must be shown to be a bad law.
Scenario: I threaten you with a gun for your money. Even were I to give the money back and say, "Sorry, no hard feelings," I would still go to jail.
I will ignore those SACDs and DVDAs until they are digitally copyable so that a scratch in my favorite record/song no longer will set me back 15 to 20 bucks.
Do you honestly believe the new formats will be $15-$20? It's getting damn hard to find the current, 10+ year old standard, format for $15-$20. If DVDA or SACD follows the path of CDA prices will start high because of some bullshit technology excuse and will only escalate due to inflation and subsequent bullshit political excuse.
Slashdot Mirror
It's like saying having a copy of DeCSS is illegal because it could be used to take copies of movies and put them on the Internet for copyright infringement. Dumb.
Much like sports, it's all about fundamentals. I know much of what I'm about to say has been said multiple times by many other posters here.
Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic.
One of the phrases I've found quite useful in quite a number of areas is, "You have to know the rules before you can break them." One extension of this is into computer and calculator use in school. Students and faculty alike are becoming too dependent on a machine to give them the right answer instead of being able to figure it out. If the machine is broken, or more likely, improperly inputted, they will swallow the result and fall flat on their faces with little to no recourse. "The problem with computers is they do exactly what you tell them."
Language skill also rely on rules, even when those rules are broken. Strategically breaking rules can bring powerful results. And these results can come in both writing and reading. As well, you can recognize instances where you may be manipulated by seemingly correct but deliberately broken rules. One example is propaganda, or more generically referred to as the persuasive argument.
Another topic I wish to touch on is the value of memorization. Many here probably decry the practise of memorization. I'm partially one of them, but I know there can be tremendous value to it. Through AP Chemistry and college level chemistry courses I came to have quite a bit of the information on the periodic table memorized. I was never forced to have it memorized but that information became quite useful during tests in that I was able to focus more on the overarching problem rather than the particulars of atomic number, weight, etc. I didn't have to break concentration or a train of thought to look something up. To try and make a computer analogy, it's like hard-wiring commonly used functions to speed up processors. As far as knowing how to think I believe that's a given. I've met too many people that were "book smart" that have a hard time making it in the real world of adults.
To summarize my point, you have to give children a foundation and the tools to build upon it. Giving them pieces of the supposed finished product do not yield a successful result in the long run. Fundamentals plus thinking abilities are the only way to be able to learn.
I love my Nextel phone. I don't believe they have any phones availble that show anything more complicated than text. In my experience the build quality of the Motorola phones it quite good; I beat the hell out of my phone and it's been running strong for 2.5 years and my pager before that was likewise a tank. The only addition beyond a simple phone and phone book is the Direct Connect digital 2-way radio. That is at least a functional extention instead of a diversional one.
My only gripe, and this may be with my previously mentioned ancient phone, is the phone book organization. Entries are in the order in which I enter them. I can't alphabetize them or anything. But along the lines of the High Fidelity record reorganization, the "autobiographical" method of locating a single number in a sea of contacts is "comforting" to some extent.
There's one point the various industries don't seem to realize. File sharing does not mean a free product. And I'm not even talking about the cost of broadband, the cost of harddrive space, etc.
There is a cost associated with finding the product to begin with. Finding the correct product when you think you've found it. Finding a product of sufficient quality. Finding associated products quickly, predictably, and reliably.
If I knew I could get decent Radiohead unrestricted MP3s at radiohead.com I would be sorely tempted to purchase them at nearly any price than to hunt and peck and hope and test all over the bloody Internet.
If I knew I could download an above average DivX copy of Kill Bill v.1 at kill-bill.com I would be willing to pay DVD prices to have it earlier than DVD availability, rather than hunt and peck and hope and test all over the bloody Internet.
The various industries have forgotten that Time == Money for even the average person. You eliminate the search and procurement time you will "save" money in the eyes of the customers and they will be more than willing to turn those savings into direct cash income.
My favorite, similar line is from News Radio
Trying to take something off the Internet is like trying to take pee out of a swimming pool.
You are still a hero. Taking the server offline is only part of the problem. DNS servers still aren't returning NXDOMAIN.
The plane may now be back on the ground but the terrorists still have the plane hijacked.
"According to the Washington Post and Ars Technica, [...]"
I find it rather silly to give Ars Technica credit when they, themselves, are referencing the same Washington Post article.
Is this the same guy writing for a sci-fi action game for the XBox?
I don't know about any current and future games but I do know that he was one of the principle writers for LucasArts The Dig.
I think the market has decided. Look at Nintendo and their platforms and how they are doing. The Game Cube, the representation of modern console games, is dying a slow death. Compare that with the Game Boy Advance, a portable re-release of the SNES, that is taking off like wildfire.
I still, personally, regard the SNES days as the golden era of console gaming. And by extension, the NES as the SNES was mostly the same product with cleaner graphics and better sound instead of a fundamental shift with the 3D of more modern systems.
The action games had the flavor of getting you in quick and getting you addicted. Zelda, Metriod, and the Mario Brothers franchises are prime examples. The RPGs of the era were fundamental enough to draw crowds while having the depth to compel you to stay for maybe 40 hours. The early Final Fantasies (1, 2, 3 US) and both Lunar games (Sega CD but still SNES era) were tip-top. And then there were the mindless distractions like Super Bomberman. 4 guys talkin' trash for hours on end a couple nights a week.
And again these are back with a vengance on the GBA.
- So he screwed us in basic civil rights how?
Let's see. If you are found guilty of being a suspected "terrorist" you are subject to criminal proceedings. Criminal proceedings that do not include a speedy trial. Oh yeah and nobody, possibly not even yourself, knows about these proceedings until you suddenly disappear. And there will be no redress to said government as, was stated previously, nobody knows about it.
All because you are guilty of maybe being a "terrorist".
Google Cache as it seems the link has been taken off.
Direct link. NOT SAFE FOR WORK as the link automatically redirects to a porn site.
Isn't that the "American Dream"(TM)? When did "profit" become a bad word?
You are right. Profit, in and of itself, is not a bad thing. And that's the reason captialism has worked as well as it has for so long. You are basing your authority on an inanimate object rather than a corruptable human being. There are many upon many companies that use their profits to expand the company, improve the product, and/or return it to the community at large and these companies should be applauded and supported.
However, when you quoted the previous poster you conspicuously ignored the rest of his statement.
Using money and power to prevent competition from organizations that might act in the public interest
The means by which they are seeking their profits are where the problem lies. To use an oft quoted phrase, "The ends do not justify the means." They are, in fact, harming the public in order to make money.
desensitizing people to violence, that is...
That has never been closely proven to be true.
I helped introduce Doom to my high school. A small group of friends and I purchased the full version and made copies to install in our typing lab for network games. I regret the piracy now but that's a different topic. Not only have I never come close to a violent act in my life but I'm one of the farthest away from being desensitized to violence. I almost passed out watching a friend get an IV. I get sick to my stomach thinking about one of my co-workers who got hit by a car while crossing a street. The violence in the movie From Hell disturbed me.
However, I laugh at movie Army of Darkness and I played a lot of Doom, a lot of Quake, and intend on playing a lot of Doom III and I imagine I will enjoy it. How can this be? I understand these are not real.
150KBps on a 1.5Mbps DSL = ~75% max usage.
Penny Arcade was poking fun at American McGee's treatment of other worlds (eg. Alice, Oz), not at the Strawberry Shortcake world. Strawberry Shortcake was a means to an end. It could have been replaced by Pooh or the Smurfs with the same effect. The joke, to me, was the darkening retale of percieved lighthearted, children's stories.
In his own comment on April 21, 2003 Tycho provides a link to other court cases and specifically mentions "Dr. Seuss Enterprises Vs. Penguin Books" on page three as possible precident that would work against Penny Arcade.
That is not to say what PA did was and should be illegal. It's simply not clearly parody. It's something that would require extensive (expensive) legal processes.
If you're typing on a standard QWERTY keyboard, and most of us are, then your keyboard design is over 100 years old (135 years old, to be exact). Can you imagine using a hard drive that was designed a decade ago? Or a processor from two centuries past?
Could you imagine speaking a language that's hundreds, if not thousands of years old? Could you imagine running an internal combustion engine that's almost 150 years old?
There's a reason human-computer interface hasn't really changed. The fact that the human hasn't either isn't a big coincidence.
Most rape victims consume ice cream. Therefore, if you do not eat ice cream you will be less likely to get raped.
Most copyright violations occur after circumventing protections. Therefore, if you criminalize circumvention you will get less copyright violations.
(Boolean) Logical Fallacies:
Denial of the antecedent
This fallacy is an argument of the form "A implies B, A is false, therefore B is false". The truth table for implication makes it clear why this is a fallacy.
In regards to those wanting to be more server than user, I have a question:
I would much rather have a 512kbps/512kbps than 1.5mbps/128kbps. If I were to peg my 512kbps upstream running a decent UT server would that cost my ISP more than someone pegging their 1.5mbps downstream running a P2P app?
Next let's assume the reverse direction were also pegged. Figure I would surf, minor P2P action, and connect to other UT servers. The other customer would (hopefully) be a friendly P2P user and share files out for others.
If you were to do simple math, I would be occupying 1mbps of bandwith while the other would occupy 1.625mbps. So my overall question is: is there a cost difference between upstream and downstream traffic for the ISP?
I enjoy running my own domain. DNS, mail, web, etc. I don't do anything exciting with my domain, it's merely for the challenge, education, and personal pride of ownership. As well, I can provide minor services for friends and family. There is absolutely nothing illegal about what I do, in fact I'm giving something back to the Internet community at large, in contrast to a good majority of P2P copyright violations. Yet what I do is against the vast majority of TOS while P2P is rampant and, for the most part, unenforcable.
For the love of God, please become a public education teacher. Sure, they pay for shit and you could run into a string of nightmare children. But being the nerdy type I suspect there was a teacher or two that helped you and fostered your intellect as opposed to temporary looks and/or temporary physicality. Repay those valuable teachers by helping the next generations of budding nerds.
And with the low budgets there will be consolidations of positions. I imagine you could start or improve computer classes or be the first competent IT member they've ever had.
I've also heard that, because of the lack of science related teachers, you can get significant bonuses and benefits from various government levels for your contribution.
You seem to forget how the modern US Legal System works. The General Public has little to no influence over the majority of legislation. Big money corporations do. If high profile companies affected by licensing costs are involved you can be sure something is going to come down the line in Congress.
A cynic will say hell won't freeze over. A realist will know it can't happen twice.
I propose we send a letter to Congress durring the next election year. I'll contribute the first paragraph.
they take almost no bad press over the whole affair. I'd say they accomplished exactly what they set out to do.
This is why FatWallet needs to keep pressing the charges of the 512(f) provision and not let Wal*Mart settle out of court. Wal*Mart committed a very real crime and Wal*Mart must suffer the consequences of their actions. The DMCA must be shown to be a bad law.
Scenario: I threaten you with a gun for your money. Even were I to give the money back and say, "Sorry, no hard feelings," I would still go to jail.
Fuck Wal*Mart and fuck the DMCA.
Does MS fix their vulnerabilities that fast? Judging by the number of klez variants in my inbox, I'd say "no".
Patch released != Patch applied
I will ignore those SACDs and DVDAs until they are digitally copyable so that a scratch in my favorite record/song no longer will set me back 15 to 20 bucks.
Do you honestly believe the new formats will be $15-$20? It's getting damn hard to find the current, 10+ year old standard, format for $15-$20. If DVDA or SACD follows the path of CDA prices will start high because of some bullshit technology excuse and will only escalate due to inflation and subsequent bullshit political excuse.
I'll tell you what has changed in the mean time. We need a pound of cure whereas the previous article provided the ounce of prevention.