ok you are right. After I posted I regretted using the word "copyright". I meant "the explicit right to use that word", whatever legislation that falls under.
without getting it to weeds, and details about trademark law, the whole point is how can you have the exclusive rights to a word that is common.
Like the jerk down south that trademarked "Stealth" or whatever it was, it is silly. If it is your Brand name, than thats one thing. So if the City of Toronto decided to try and make money under the auspices of "The Canadian Mint" well that might be a problem (though not really as it isn't like they are competing with anyone for brand recognition). To do the same for Cent to me just doesn't make sense. It would be like the Ministry of Transportation charging other Ministries that wish to use the phrase "Licence" publicly because they issue drivers Licences. Licences existed before they coined it (heh no pun intended), nor are they they only ones in the world to use it currently. To say they have the explicit right to that name is stupid. That is all I am trying to say.
This as nothing to do about "coins", other than that is the subject. (wow make sense of that sentence)
Anyway this is about the Canadian Mint claiming copyright on the word "Cent". (Which as a Canadian I am embarrassed)
I think the original post is eluding to the fact that the word "Cent" existed and has been in use long before the Canadian Mint came around (Nor is the Canadian Mint the only one to use it in Monetary terms).
I can understand if a company wants to protect its brand name, as they may have spent a lot of money advertise that name and to promote their product over time, and if another is trying to profit off of that name. However the Canadian Mint's claim in my view is stupid. Is the USA (or whoever was first) going to try and sue us for using the word "Dollar". Not to mention that it is a government institution (corporate or not), makes this even more stupid (Particularly when targeting another branch of Government. Your all generally on the same team, play nice!).
I think I did say "about" as I know this wasn't an exact number.... Also through the history of the Roman Empire, they changed the numbers around some, so the Legion which usually had about 5,500 (I think) men, would sometimes be smaller or larger due to configuration of the time. Also the numbers usually didn't include the legates or the political officers (forget the name for em'). They also had skirmishers and varying amounts of light horse (depending on period), and any irregulars (allies, etc..).
My favorite fun fact is the history of the word "Decimation". It was a form of punishment in the Roman Legion, in which for serious crimes (cowardice or treason or something like that), rather that just killing everyone (which they couldn't really afford as they needed the trained soldiers), they would randomly kill 1 in every 10 soldiers as an example. Pretty neat eh?:)
I think what they are referring to is that the Cent (I am guessing here) is probably based upon the Latin form for Centurion or Centurio (or however it is spelled), of which in a Roman Legion I believe had authority over about 100 soldiers, hence 100 Cents in a dollar or some such. Just as a Decurion (again not going to bother looking up real spelling), had authority over a squad of 10 (within the 100, etc..). While the Romans had military names for such things, Cent was probably just taken from the Latin for 100 things or some such.
I don't know what is more funny: The fact that so many people remember what Quatloos are, or that no one has yet mentioned good old Gold Pressed Latinum.
Also, what they don't take VISA or Matercard up there? I though they took VISA everywhere? Not even Amex? Dinner's Club? Surely it would be more efficient to take ONE piece of plastic up there than a pocket full.
Plastic Toy Rocket - 12$ In flight meal - 320$ Flight Suit - 12,000$ Rocket Trip - 20,000,000 Realizing that it doesn't include accommodations on the station and you have to charge it to your Mastercard - Priceless.
Yeah I feel the same way. I remember hearing about them dropping WinFS, which ticked me off, as it was really the main thing I was looking for, and if it wasn't going to be included, then why bother at all? It was my impression at the time that the whole point of releasing Vista was to be a delivery system basically for WinFS. Then they seem to get preoccupied with making things pretty, AREO, and DX10 and all that jazz. I liked the idea of faster boots using solid state memory, however the hybrid hard drives haven't arrived yet, and as as far as I can tell using USB memory doesn't seem to speed things up that much anyway.
That said, I think there is a lot they can do to improve things, admittedly given the track record, chances are they won't deliver. I am willing to wait before I give judgment though, you never know maybe MS will suprise us.
Not sure what fantastic Satellite they are thinking of using, but anyone who has ever used any of this type of data knows it it total bunk.
Unless there is some ultra secret, spy Sat that is far and beyond what exists commercially, but at this point I doubt that.
If you can call taking a snap shot every year or month so "surveillance"... so just stand it the same spot for say months.
I can assume you can re-task satellites, however from what I can tell, no easy task. Remember these things are either in orbit (with some static velocity), or in geosynchronous orbit.
The idea that these things act like they do in the movies, just isn't so. Sorry.
They might be good for spotting big things that don't move a lot, like a ship in dry dock (or you might get lucky), but tracking some jerk walking around on the ground to my knowlege just isn't remotely possible right now.
I think you may be within a time dilation device or something.... according to wiki Vista was released January 30, 2007, or 9 months ago. That means it has been around less than a year. SP1 is slated for Q1 2008. So a lot remains to be seen.
Would it not mean they are more committed to Vista if this is the case (ie the replacement isn't available after a year). I can't remember the specifics about why, but I think it speaks to MS confidence in ME if they had an entire OS ready to replace it in a year.
Anyway I am willing to keep and open mind and give MS the benefit of the doubt and see how this pans out. Vista was released before it should have been, but that does not mean that they can't turn it around. It remains to be seen. If by this time next year, this same topic comes up, and it is still not performing as it should, well I will be changing my tune. I think it is just a bit early to be making such judgments (particularly if you agree it was released before it was actually ready).
Windows ME. 'nuff said. Was in my opinion the worst commercial OS of all time. They flogged it for what it was worth until XP came along. Windows 2000 was available but primarily only to business customers. If you bought a DELL or any other computer (which I had the misfortune to do), you got Windows ME. It was like Windows 98, but slower, and more bugs.
While Vista may be a flop as far as sales are concerned, that speaks more to the acceptance of XP rather than to the quality of Vista.
I run Vista, and there are certain things I like, dislike, and stuff I can live with. As it gets more market share, and drivers and the like become more mature, it will get better I have no doubt. MS has been pretty good with patching, and they do have their work cut out for them in the future if they want it to take off. However they shouldn't give up on it, and they won't as they have spent too much money.
My only beef I have with them is their retarded user agreement. After they threatened to cut off my internet connection I actually read the damn thing (as they rub you damn nose in it when they threaten you).
It has one of those wonderful (dubious legal IMHO) agreement lines that reads something like "at any time, for any reason, we reserve the right to change our agreement with you, and we don't have to contact you and if you don't like it piss off". I am paraphrasing of course.
Anyway when I got internet cable, YEARS ago, there was no such thing as a download/upload cap. Now there is a 60GB combined limit cap (on Standard Cable Internet. Pro has 100GB, Lite has something else) that if you violate, cogeco reserves the right to kick your ass to the curb. Anyway after being a customer for so long, and then to have them pretty much arbitrarily cut my connection off, and then send me a nasty message about violating their user agreement (which they changed without I think notifying me) made me just a bit angry. OK a lot angry. I spent the next couple of days researching capless alternatives (which I was astonished to find there are a lot, and interesting new technologies that aren't offered by the big guys like dry dsl, as they would make less money off of it) intending to cancel my service immediately. However I am pretty lazy so I didn't, though I did decide if they pull that crap again, may answer will be fine, cancel my account, I will take my business elsewhere.
I am not sure, but I can guess that the cap system came in when they decided to offer 3 different flavors (and prices) of internet service, Lite, Standard, and Pro, and they needed a way to differentiate one from the other, and to justify the price of Pro etc... When I signed up, they had "High Speed" that was it, that seemly got translated into "Standard", and thus with a lame cap attached.
My bad. I thought it was a subsidiary or something of Rogers. Guess I was wrong. I only put it in there as I figured few people on here would know who the %^## Cogeco is....
I know you can do this here in Ontario Canada with Cogeco Cable (owned by Rogers Communications).
It is actually called a la Carte. You have to get basic digital. Then you can pick 1, 5, or 10 or something like that channels. The crappy part is for the privilege of doing this it seems to cost you more, and also some channels don't seem available in these packages.
Have you heard NIN latest Album? Looks like the joke is on his label. Its almost like he doesn't want to sell any CD's!
I am a NIN fan (I think I have 5 of his albums), don't get me wrong, I like his stuff. However his latest (not "With Teeth", that one wasn't bad), I wouldn't even download, let alone buy!
Ok the first thing I read, was that there was a car coming from Honda and it was called Zero something. Are you sure this is a car and not some kind of mechanized robot that can be piloted by teenagers?
I for one welcome our robot flying teenager overlords.
I regret nothing!:)
A building empty of humans, yet full of robots. How surreal would it be to observe a meeting of 5 or 10 robots in a room, and not one human. Though maybe one janitor in the building to plug everyone in at night. Everybody at home. Sign me up!
I think I read a post about Linux Mint as well, I might have to try that out as well. Hopefully they will follow the the new Ubuntu version or it will install properly using the Fawn version.... Sound like what I am looking for... Though I know I will probably still have to go through a litany of installs for Windows codecs, and all the other stuff that is missing etc... Though it sounds like I would have to do less to make it usable.
yeah I have had very mixed results with Linux. Depending on my system, some work, some don't, and some work sort of. My old school Dell 4200 (P3800, etc...) could not run any Ubuntu. It could run Xandros, Mepis (forget spelling), and a few others. My new system (C2D 4200, ok that is a bit weird.. anyway..) could run the LIVE version of Fawn, however when I would try and actually install it, it would not boot (ok it would boot, the OS just wouldn't load). However I had a hard drive failure and for like 2 weeks had no hard drive I could use, so I used my new computer sans HD using just the Live CD which was a bit of a life saver as at least I could do email and web stuff that way. I had to watch that I didn't eat up all my memory, otherwise I would have to reboot and lose some stuff. Anyway we shall see how "Hardy" this new version is. I had the most luck with Xandros personally.
The two things about Linux of any flavor is until they get thing running so it pretty much just works, it won't garner widespread acceptance. I know a bit about computers, and even I say forget it after mucking around for a couple of days. Sure there is online help and fourms, but not everyone has a computer lab setup at home (not to mention that while the advice generally I found to be good, there was a problems of old solutions to old problems). The second thing is programs, specifically computer games and compatibility. Sure there are work arounds, wine, cedgera, Linux versions, etc... but if I have to mess around with it for days, just to achieve partial compatibility... well nuts to that. It ain't gonna happen. I do like what Ubuntu is doing though, they seem more "together" than most. An intrinsic problem with open source development I would guess, no focus mostly. Anyway I will certainly try it out, however it will probably join my growing pile of various Linux distros and all their various versions, gathering dust in my desk (off the top of my head, 2 or 3 versions of Knoppix, 2 of Xandros, Damn Small, two version of Gentoo, 3 versions of Mepis, 3 versions of Ubuntu, PC Linux, Slax, there might be a few more, but I can't remember them.
ok that would be freakin' funny.... if one of the guys smuggled up a stormtroper helmet and perhaps the upper body stuff, for when they send a video feed back. I know there is no way they could smuggle that much stuff on undetected, but what a practical joke that would be. "Unnn sorry this isn't the spacecraft you are looking for, what are you doing on the imperial channel!" lol
Ok that is a better analogy than mine. It was just the first thing that popped into my brain. The idea is to err on the side of caution when the concenquences are dire, even when you are uncertain if it really is a problem or not.
To my mind it is mostly upside anyway. Doing things that limit our influance over our enviroment is a good thing. Cleaner air, water, less pollution, less waste, greater effiency, and it also forces us to look at and expand our technologies rather than sit back and use old Smokey/Dirty just because it is easiest and cheaper and screw anyone else.
There is the initial economic drawback, when stuff is more expensive, and jobs are lost at a particular plant, however if properly phased in, and newer emerging tech will provide new more advanced jobs, it will balance out in the end I think. So long as everyone doesn't just move crap to some backwater country that has no laws, hence the name "global" warming. Anyway thats enough for me as it is the weekend and I am not at work anymore!:)
I didn't read through your entire diatribe as I classified you as an idiot and not worth my time.
Its called Scientific Method moron.
You make a theory, you test it, if it proves your theory, then you accept it. As time goes by and more people (professional colleagues) accept it it becomes what is thought to be truth. That is until some other person, has an alternate theory, tests, it, proven, accepts, time passes and garners support. Repeat.
You calling someone else in idiot because they don't agree with you (or the currently accepted truth) just proves your an idiot.
I am pretty sure many people in the scientific community and others thought Galileo was an "idiot" for his stupid views about a non-earth centric universe (or was that Copernicus?). I mean it was fact that everything revolved around the sun. God made it that way, besides we have a bunch of scientific guys that say it so. Stupid Galileo, that guy was a nutter let me tell you! I am pretty sure they stoned him to death or something equally unpleasant for his wrong views.
Anyway I think you get my point. (or I hope you do)
As to my views on Global warming, I am not convinced either way. I concede that there is a possibility of that being the case. However the evidence that I have seen hasn't won me over. I see many flaws in the reasoning and some of the assumptions that they make not only about the data collected, but also about the methodology and processes involved. That said in this context I would rather err on the side of caution and go with "We may or may not be experiencing global warming, however just in case we are we should do the following.... etc...". It kind of like, I may not really believe in god, but as I am hurtling towards the earth in a busted airplane I might say a few words to god, you know, just to hedge my bets.
I really like this idea. If it works how I hope it works I will totally stop my pirating ways. The only thing that I can see that would damage this is if they don't get buy in from all the labels. That is, if I am going to buy my music there it better be a repository of pretty much any music I would ever want, otherwise why bother, there are better alternatives. Also with the whole uploading structure I am not sure how they plan on paying out to independents and the like (sort of an Admin nightmare I think).
However I think it would solve many of the pricing problems with CD's that piss me off. With traditional supply and demand pricing it makes sense, but I think it is time the industry realized that we are a bit beyond that now.
Things that piss me off: 1) That new album by pop sensation X just came out. They have one big catchy tune and a whole lot of garbage. I just want the one song please, as the rest of the CD sucks. Even at the rock bottom price of 12 or 14$ it is too much for one song.
2) The old album that I want to buy (or re-buy for whatever reason), is not as popular as it used to be, so of course they make less of them. As a result, oh that CD will cost you 30$. What??!! Sorry BS.
3) Some of the tunes I like are produced in some other country say the UK, and it is of a type that is say not typically that popular over here like electro... So we will make that CD either not available, or you can order it for like 50$.... What??
These things DO make traditional sense, however that isn't the reality we are living in now. The sooner they (and by they I mean the labels, the industry, and the associations) wake up and figure this out the better. Concerts and live shows and merchandising will still be traditional fare they can reap cash from, as they a physical objects, not just digital information or something abstract like a use license.
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ok you are right. After I posted I regretted using the word "copyright". I meant "the explicit right to use that word", whatever legislation that falls under.
without getting it to weeds, and details about trademark law, the whole point is how can you have the exclusive rights to a word that is common.
Like the jerk down south that trademarked "Stealth" or whatever it was, it is silly. If it is your Brand name, than thats one thing. So if the City of Toronto decided to try and make money under the auspices of "The Canadian Mint" well that might be a problem (though not really as it isn't like they are competing with anyone for brand recognition). To do the same for Cent to me just doesn't make sense. It would be like the Ministry of Transportation charging other Ministries that wish to use the phrase "Licence" publicly because they issue drivers Licences. Licences existed before they coined it (heh no pun intended), nor are they they only ones in the world to use it currently. To say they have the explicit right to that name is stupid. That is all I am trying to say.
This as nothing to do about "coins", other than that is the subject. (wow make sense of that sentence)
Anyway this is about the Canadian Mint claiming copyright on the word "Cent". (Which as a Canadian I am embarrassed)
I think the original post is eluding to the fact that the word "Cent" existed and has been in use long before the Canadian Mint came around (Nor is the Canadian Mint the only one to use it in Monetary terms).
I can understand if a company wants to protect its brand name, as they may have spent a lot of money advertise that name and to promote their product over time, and if another is trying to profit off of that name. However the Canadian Mint's claim in my view is stupid. Is the USA (or whoever was first) going to try and sue us for using the word "Dollar". Not to mention that it is a government institution (corporate or not), makes this even more stupid (Particularly when targeting another branch of Government. Your all generally on the same team, play nice!).
I think I did say "about" as I know this wasn't an exact number.... Also through the history of the Roman Empire, they changed the numbers around some, so the Legion which usually had about 5,500 (I think) men, would sometimes be smaller or larger due to configuration of the time. Also the numbers usually didn't include the legates or the political officers (forget the name for em'). They also had skirmishers and varying amounts of light horse (depending on period), and any irregulars (allies, etc..).
:)
My favorite fun fact is the history of the word "Decimation". It was a form of punishment in the Roman Legion, in which for serious crimes (cowardice or treason or something like that), rather that just killing everyone (which they couldn't really afford as they needed the trained soldiers), they would randomly kill 1 in every 10 soldiers as an example. Pretty neat eh?
I think what they are referring to is that the Cent (I am guessing here) is probably based upon the Latin form for Centurion or Centurio (or however it is spelled), of which in a Roman Legion I believe had authority over about 100 soldiers, hence 100 Cents in a dollar or some such. Just as a Decurion (again not going to bother looking up real spelling), had authority over a squad of 10 (within the 100, etc..). While the Romans had military names for such things, Cent was probably just taken from the Latin for 100 things or some such.
I don't know what is more funny: The fact that so many people remember what Quatloos are, or that no one has yet mentioned good old Gold Pressed Latinum.
Also, what they don't take VISA or Matercard up there? I though they took VISA everywhere? Not even Amex? Dinner's Club? Surely it would be more efficient to take ONE piece of plastic up there than a pocket full.
Plastic Toy Rocket - 12$
In flight meal - 320$
Flight Suit - 12,000$
Rocket Trip - 20,000,000
Realizing that it doesn't include accommodations on the station and you have to charge it to your Mastercard - Priceless.
Where did you get your handle from (or what does it mean if anything)?
Yeah I feel the same way. I remember hearing about them dropping WinFS, which ticked me off, as it was really the main thing I was looking for, and if it wasn't going to be included, then why bother at all? It was my impression at the time that the whole point of releasing Vista was to be a delivery system basically for WinFS. Then they seem to get preoccupied with making things pretty, AREO, and DX10 and all that jazz. I liked the idea of faster boots using solid state memory, however the hybrid hard drives haven't arrived yet, and as as far as I can tell using USB memory doesn't seem to speed things up that much anyway.
That said, I think there is a lot they can do to improve things, admittedly given the track record, chances are they won't deliver. I am willing to wait before I give judgment though, you never know maybe MS will suprise us.
Not sure what fantastic Satellite they are thinking of using, but anyone who has ever used any of this type of data knows it it total bunk.
Unless there is some ultra secret, spy Sat that is far and beyond what exists commercially, but at this point I doubt that.
If you can call taking a snap shot every year or month so "surveillance"... so just stand it the same spot for say months.
I can assume you can re-task satellites, however from what I can tell, no easy task. Remember these things are either in orbit (with some static velocity), or in geosynchronous orbit.
The idea that these things act like they do in the movies, just isn't so. Sorry.
They might be good for spotting big things that don't move a lot, like a ship in dry dock (or you might get lucky), but tracking some jerk walking around on the ground to my knowlege just isn't remotely possible right now.
I think you may be within a time dilation device or something.... according to wiki Vista was released January 30, 2007, or 9 months ago. That means it has been around less than a year. SP1 is slated for Q1 2008. So a lot remains to be seen.
Would it not mean they are more committed to Vista if this is the case (ie the replacement isn't available after a year). I can't remember the specifics about why, but I think it speaks to MS confidence in ME if they had an entire OS ready to replace it in a year.
Anyway I am willing to keep and open mind and give MS the benefit of the doubt and see how this pans out. Vista was released before it should have been, but that does not mean that they can't turn it around. It remains to be seen. If by this time next year, this same topic comes up, and it is still not performing as it should, well I will be changing my tune. I think it is just a bit early to be making such judgments (particularly if you agree it was released before it was actually ready).
Windows ME. 'nuff said. Was in my opinion the worst commercial OS of all time. They flogged it for what it was worth until XP came along. Windows 2000 was available but primarily only to business customers. If you bought a DELL or any other computer (which I had the misfortune to do), you got Windows ME. It was like Windows 98, but slower, and more bugs.
While Vista may be a flop as far as sales are concerned, that speaks more to the acceptance of XP rather than to the quality of Vista.
I run Vista, and there are certain things I like, dislike, and stuff I can live with. As it gets more market share, and drivers and the like become more mature, it will get better I have no doubt. MS has been pretty good with patching, and they do have their work cut out for them in the future if they want it to take off. However they shouldn't give up on it, and they won't as they have spent too much money.
JUST IN TIME FOR MADDEN 2009! YES!
(for the impaired, insert sarcasm above and read between the lines)
My only beef I have with them is their retarded user agreement. After they threatened to cut off my internet connection I actually read the damn thing (as they rub you damn nose in it when they threaten you).
It has one of those wonderful (dubious legal IMHO) agreement lines that reads something like "at any time, for any reason, we reserve the right to change our agreement with you, and we don't have to contact you and if you don't like it piss off". I am paraphrasing of course.
Anyway when I got internet cable, YEARS ago, there was no such thing as a download/upload cap. Now there is a 60GB combined limit cap (on Standard Cable Internet. Pro has 100GB, Lite has something else) that if you violate, cogeco reserves the right to kick your ass to the curb. Anyway after being a customer for so long, and then to have them pretty much arbitrarily cut my connection off, and then send me a nasty message about violating their user agreement (which they changed without I think notifying me) made me just a bit angry. OK a lot angry. I spent the next couple of days researching capless alternatives (which I was astonished to find there are a lot, and interesting new technologies that aren't offered by the big guys like dry dsl, as they would make less money off of it) intending to cancel my service immediately. However I am pretty lazy so I didn't, though I did decide if they pull that crap again, may answer will be fine, cancel my account, I will take my business elsewhere.
I am not sure, but I can guess that the cap system came in when they decided to offer 3 different flavors (and prices) of internet service, Lite, Standard, and Pro, and they needed a way to differentiate one from the other, and to justify the price of Pro etc... When I signed up, they had "High Speed" that was it, that seemly got translated into "Standard", and thus with a lame cap attached.
OK I am still a little bitter.
My bad. I thought it was a subsidiary or something of Rogers. Guess I was wrong. I only put it in there as I figured few people on here would know who the %^## Cogeco is....
I know you can do this here in Ontario Canada with Cogeco Cable (owned by Rogers Communications).
It is actually called a la Carte. You have to get basic digital. Then you can pick 1, 5, or 10 or something like that channels. The crappy part is for the privilege of doing this it seems to cost you more, and also some channels don't seem available in these packages.
Have you heard NIN latest Album? Looks like the joke is on his label. Its almost like he doesn't want to sell any CD's!
I am a NIN fan (I think I have 5 of his albums), don't get me wrong, I like his stuff. However his latest (not "With Teeth", that one wasn't bad), I wouldn't even download, let alone buy!
Ok the first thing I read, was that there was a car coming from Honda and it was called Zero something. Are you sure this is a car and not some kind of mechanized robot that can be piloted by teenagers? I for one welcome our robot flying teenager overlords. I regret nothing! :)
Can I HAz PZEV!
A building empty of humans, yet full of robots. How surreal would it be to observe a meeting of 5 or 10 robots in a room, and not one human. Though maybe one janitor in the building to plug everyone in at night. Everybody at home. Sign me up!
Shhhhhhh! Don't tell anyone, but Vista IS SP3 for Windowns XP!
I think I read a post about Linux Mint as well, I might have to try that out as well. Hopefully they will follow the the new Ubuntu version or it will install properly using the Fawn version.... Sound like what I am looking for... Though I know I will probably still have to go through a litany of installs for Windows codecs, and all the other stuff that is missing etc... Though it sounds like I would have to do less to make it usable.
yeah I have had very mixed results with Linux. Depending on my system, some work, some don't, and some work sort of. My old school Dell 4200 (P3800, etc...) could not run any Ubuntu. It could run Xandros, Mepis (forget spelling), and a few others. My new system (C2D 4200, ok that is a bit weird.. anyway..) could run the LIVE version of Fawn, however when I would try and actually install it, it would not boot (ok it would boot, the OS just wouldn't load). However I had a hard drive failure and for like 2 weeks had no hard drive I could use, so I used my new computer sans HD using just the Live CD which was a bit of a life saver as at least I could do email and web stuff that way. I had to watch that I didn't eat up all my memory, otherwise I would have to reboot and lose some stuff. Anyway we shall see how "Hardy" this new version is. I had the most luck with Xandros personally.
The two things about Linux of any flavor is until they get thing running so it pretty much just works, it won't garner widespread acceptance. I know a bit about computers, and even I say forget it after mucking around for a couple of days. Sure there is online help and fourms, but not everyone has a computer lab setup at home (not to mention that while the advice generally I found to be good, there was a problems of old solutions to old problems). The second thing is programs, specifically computer games and compatibility. Sure there are work arounds, wine, cedgera, Linux versions, etc... but if I have to mess around with it for days, just to achieve partial compatibility... well nuts to that. It ain't gonna happen. I do like what Ubuntu is doing though, they seem more "together" than most. An intrinsic problem with open source development I would guess, no focus mostly. Anyway I will certainly try it out, however it will probably join my growing pile of various Linux distros and all their various versions, gathering dust in my desk (off the top of my head, 2 or 3 versions of Knoppix, 2 of Xandros, Damn Small, two version of Gentoo, 3 versions of Mepis, 3 versions of Ubuntu, PC Linux, Slax, there might be a few more, but I can't remember them.
ok that would be freakin' funny.... if one of the guys smuggled up a stormtroper helmet and perhaps the upper body stuff, for when they send a video feed back. I know there is no way they could smuggle that much stuff on undetected, but what a practical joke that would be. "Unnn sorry this isn't the spacecraft you are looking for, what are you doing on the imperial channel!" lol
Ok that is a better analogy than mine. It was just the first thing that popped into my brain. The idea is to err on the side of caution when the concenquences are dire, even when you are uncertain if it really is a problem or not.
:)
To my mind it is mostly upside anyway. Doing things that limit our influance over our enviroment is a good thing. Cleaner air, water, less pollution, less waste, greater effiency, and it also forces us to look at and expand our technologies rather than sit back and use old Smokey/Dirty just because it is easiest and cheaper and screw anyone else.
There is the initial economic drawback, when stuff is more expensive, and jobs are lost at a particular plant, however if properly phased in, and newer emerging tech will provide new more advanced jobs, it will balance out in the end I think. So long as everyone doesn't just move crap to some backwater country that has no laws, hence the name "global" warming. Anyway thats enough for me as it is the weekend and I am not at work anymore!
I didn't read through your entire diatribe as I classified you as an idiot and not worth my time.
Its called Scientific Method moron.
You make a theory, you test it, if it proves your theory, then you accept it. As time goes by and more people (professional colleagues) accept it it becomes what is thought to be truth. That is until some other person, has an alternate theory, tests, it, proven, accepts, time passes and garners support. Repeat.
You calling someone else in idiot because they don't agree with you (or the currently accepted truth) just proves your an idiot.
I am pretty sure many people in the scientific community and others thought Galileo was an "idiot" for his stupid views about a non-earth centric universe (or was that Copernicus?). I mean it was fact that everything revolved around the sun. God made it that way, besides we have a bunch of scientific guys that say it so. Stupid Galileo, that guy was a nutter let me tell you! I am pretty sure they stoned him to death or something equally unpleasant for his wrong views.
Anyway I think you get my point. (or I hope you do)
As to my views on Global warming, I am not convinced either way. I concede that there is a possibility of that being the case. However the evidence that I have seen hasn't won me over. I see many flaws in the reasoning and some of the assumptions that they make not only about the data collected, but also about the methodology and processes involved. That said in this context I would rather err on the side of caution and go with "We may or may not be experiencing global warming, however just in case we are we should do the following.... etc...". It kind of like, I may not really believe in god, but as I am hurtling towards the earth in a busted airplane I might say a few words to god, you know, just to hedge my bets.
I really like this idea. If it works how I hope it works I will totally stop my pirating ways. The only thing that I can see that would damage this is if they don't get buy in from all the labels. That is, if I am going to buy my music there it better be a repository of pretty much any music I would ever want, otherwise why bother, there are better alternatives. Also with the whole uploading structure I am not sure how they plan on paying out to independents and the like (sort of an Admin nightmare I think).
However I think it would solve many of the pricing problems with CD's that piss me off. With traditional supply and demand pricing it makes sense, but I think it is time the industry realized that we are a bit beyond that now.
Things that piss me off:
1) That new album by pop sensation X just came out. They have one big catchy tune and a whole lot of garbage. I just want the one song please, as the rest of the CD sucks. Even at the rock bottom price of 12 or 14$ it is too much for one song.
2) The old album that I want to buy (or re-buy for whatever reason), is not as popular as it used to be, so of course they make less of them. As a result, oh that CD will cost you 30$. What??!! Sorry BS.
3) Some of the tunes I like are produced in some other country say the UK, and it is of a type that is say not typically that popular over here like electro... So we will make that CD either not available, or you can order it for like 50$.... What??
These things DO make traditional sense, however that isn't the reality we are living in now. The sooner they (and by they I mean the labels, the industry, and the associations) wake up and figure this out the better. Concerts and live shows and merchandising will still be traditional fare they can reap cash from, as they a physical objects, not just digital information or something abstract like a use license.