If a state would enact a law that withholds all taxes of every kind collected from its citizens, especially income tax, there is nothing the Feds could do short of taking over that state's government by military force or other draconian measures.
The only way states could withhold income tax from the feds is if they required employers in the state to pay the state instead of the feds. Do that and the feds would go apeshit.
The Feds rightfully regulate commerce and the ID requirements for airplane passengers is lawful.
It may be lawful, though I don't think it is as the USSC has already ruled an id isn't required to board a plane if the person is willing to go through more stringent searchs, however it definitely isn't Constitutional. Nowhere in the USA Constitution does it say the federal government can require any ID for anything.
The whole idea of how far the interstate commerce clause can be stretched might have to be revisited by the SCOTUS.
And that's probably why the USSC would let the feds get away with this, the ICC has been stretched way beyond limits. With Bush's two nominations, Roberts and Alito, on the bench it's almost a shoein they approve it.
Since a passport is already part of my traveling kit anyway, I simply use that even when traveling within the country.
I'm thinking of getting a passport myself in part because of this but also because of the new passports. I'm hoping to go to Brazil in a few years and I want to get a passport before they have any rfid.
It is now needed to go to Canada
A passport is required to go to Canada now? Is that a Canadian or a US requirement? The last tyme I went to Canada I just showed my driver's license, then again that was a month before 911.
A lot of the abuses of the interstate commerce clause rose up in regards to state oppression of black Americans;
The abuse of the ICC may in part be because of racism but a big part of it stems from when FDR packed the USSC in the 1930s and they supported his New Deal during the Depression.
I mean to say, what power does a state legislation have against a federal one?
As it is now about the only thing it means is that some states hate it. According to the USA Constitution the federal government has no power to dictate an ID or to create one. It's a matter of states rights or the people's rights. With some Supreme Courts rulings since 1934 though the feds can get away with most anything, and I'm afraid the current Supreme Court would allow this, especially with Bush's two nominations, Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Samuel Alito, sitting on the bench.
Now if other states pass similar laws then they will be able to carry some weight. More so if, as this article says, California and New York pass laws. These two states are amoung those with the highest populations.
Every time I've looked --- including your link --- CNR says "coming soon". Is there something I'm missing?
Yea, the CNR site isn't up yet however you can use Linspire's CNR for downloading codecs. I didn't look so I don't know if it'll have what you're looking for.
NT 4.0 I have had problems, but most of those I think MAY have been due to hardware issues.
I haven't had problems with the NT OS though I have with the hardware. Then again I probably was stupid getting a DEC Alpha. I believed all the reviews saying how the Alpha's FX!32 could translate Windows software to run on it, the only commercial app I was able to install and use was Borland C++ Power Builder. The thing is is I was able to install some share/freeware.
So what you are doing is the highly typical fallacy of thinking that your extremely limited personal experience indicates a general trend.
Can you point out where I said my experience was a "general trend"?
However there is plenty of data indicating that Windows is quite stable.
And there's plenty of data showing the opposite.
I'm not going to challenge your reasons for liking Linux
Yes, I like Linux but I prefer Macs.
Now if you really want to know some of the tings Vista has improved on
Unless and until MS gets rid of Activation and all the spyware I have no interest in learning much about Vista or whatever follows it. I hate being treated like a criminal!
God forbid I'd rather have 1000 more years of microsoft than one year of apple.
I'd rather have a 1000 years of Apple than another hour of MS. I am sick and tired of Windows constantly crashing and having to reboot. And yes, XP crashed on me, it crashed the first tyme I tried to boot it. Vista may be better but I don't like being treated like a criminal which is what MS does with Activation, WGA, WPA, and the PC phoning home.
Macs are not any special for artists yet people seem to buy that somehow.
I don't know what you're talking about. I was using Macs for things before a person could even dream of doing them on Windows PCs. I used graphics apps before Windows 3.x existed and was using Quark Express shortly aferwards. Though I didn't use it myself Photoshop came out for Macs before Windows 95 was on the scene. And yes, I also used DOS and Win 3.x. Though I'm not a graphics artist I know some who will only use a Mac, and some did try Windows. A web developer I knew only used Macs, if she had to she ran Windows in Virtual PC. Mostly though that was for testing websites.
The whole reason I switched to Mac (from Windows) is because OS X has a unix core
Mac OSX having an BSD core is one reason I'm switching from Windows, to both Linux and Macs. I have had trouble with Windows crashs since Windows 3.x Even XP has crashed on me. Another reason is that I don't like MS's policies of treating me like a criminal, requiring Activation and including all the spyware like WGA and WPA.
though I may be going out on a limb here, I'm gonna say "no" for 2008
I don't think there's ever going to be a "Year of the Linux Desktop". Instead Linux will just gain market share.
And those that think that Vista's awefulness has any sway must have not been around to see how the whole "Windows vs. MacOS" thing played out.
There's a big difference though between MacOS and Linux. Without any hacking or cracking there's only one company manufacturers a computer that MacOs can be installed on, Apple. Any number of people can build a PC that runs Windows and Linux though, and a bunch of OEMs do that. If Apple were to release and sale MacOS for most any computer it's share of the market would expand. Even Michael Dell said he'd like to sale PCs running MacOS. However, what many don't understand, is that Apple isn't just a software or a hardware company, Apple is a system integrator. They make the whole system and it just works. Though it would gain market share, if Apple were to release OSX for, say Dell, it would have more than one effect. It would eat into Apple's hardware sales. And it would mean either Apple would have to test the OS on a number of systems with different hardware and or it would mean the OS would be less stable and have more bugs.
I use Ubuntu 7.04 at work and home exclusively and I can play most Windows Media files.
Have you looked into using Click N Run, CNR. It allows you to install proprietary media players and other software on Linux. Originally it was just for Linspire but now it support other Linux distros like Ubuntu. The FAQ tells you more about it.
I often hear how Windows is unstable, Linux is stable. No, not so much. That was true back in the Win 95 days, but that was over a decade ago. Now Windows is quite stable and the argument is one that shows a high degree of ignorance.
I don't know about how stable Vista is but in the first week of using Wind2000 it crashed. And the fist tyme I booted up XP it froze while booting up. What I do know about Vista though is that it requires Activation and is filled with spyware. You may not mind being treated like a criminal but I hate it.
Denying the improvements and features of Windows does nothing to help promote Linux. Rather we need to acknowledge them and see what can be done to make Linux even better.
Improvements like Activation? Who needs it
Rather we need to acknowledge them and see what can be done to make Linux even better.
I agree. Competetion is good. With more than one choice there's a good possibility of improvements to all.
Activation is not a feature, it is copy protection to keep people from stealing it. And your link just says "It's annoying because sometimes you have to reactivate it when you change your mobo or somesuch."
I should not have to activate anything I buy!!! Not when I install it and not when I make a hardware change to my PC. And I've had to do that a few tymes. I've had my mobo die and had it replaced. The same happened twice to my hdd and to my RAM. I've also installed a second graphics card so I could use two monitors at once. The mobo and one of the hdd died at the same tyme but I still should not have to reactivate once never mind three or more tymes. Activation is not simply annoying, it's not needed!
First off, we're talking about the operating systems of today, not 1992.
Neither XP or Vista were around in 1992. Yet they both require Activation., ie treat customers like criminals.
Now Vista appears to really suck at the moment so I'm going to cherry pick XP. I just haven't had too many problems with it - I've had linux machines crash and OS X crash too.
As I said before, the first tyme I booted up a PC with XP it froze while booting up. On the other hand though, although I've only used Linux a little bit, 10 years ago now I took a college class on Linux and I've got a dualboot PC with Windows NT4.0 and Redhat, I have never ever had Linux crash on me. As for OSX, the only tyme I have used it was while taking another class where we used it, so I don't have much experience with it either however it never crashed or froze on me.
If i'm to assume that this person is a software pirate then it seems like Microsoft has just cause for not having people steal from them.
With one exception every Windows version I had I got when I bought a new PC, they came with the OEM version of Windows. The one exception was Windows 98SE. I ordered it directly from MS and it was installed on a PC that had the original version of 98 already installed. I have not downloaded or borrowed someone else's disk of a commercial app. Yet MS wants to treat me like a criminal.
The "registry disaster" is nothing but FUD. It sucked on Windows 9x but it's solid as hell on the NT products. Ah, you haven't used Windows since 1997. Yeah, I guess you're right.
Windows NT 4.0 is the only Windows OS I have not had trouble with. Win9X I've had to reinstall the OS a number of tymed, as I have ME. Win2000 took about a week before it crashed on me, and the first tyme I used XP it froze while booting up.
People got a box that worked when you turned it on and could be expanded. I had mine running for a good six years. I got better printers, scanners and "upgraded" to 95, and I never had to wipe and reload it until I decided it was time for GNU/Linux.
I got a new PC first when Win95 came out, I got a laptop with Win95 and a tower with two hdd setup as dualboot running Windows NT4.0 and Redhat. In all of the tyme I've had the tower, I've still got it though I haven't used in more than two years, NT4.0 has been reinstalled once. Win95 on the other hand I had to reinstall a few tymes. The laptop was replaced by another laptop running Win98 and the OS had to be reinstalled a few tymes as well. For both I was told to reinstall Windows by the OEM, Gateway, when I called tech suport. I replaced the second laptop with an HP Pavilion tower running ME and I've had to reinstall Windows a number of tymes with it as well.
However before I got them I bought a used Mac SE30, in 1992, and it lasted me until 2000 when the floppy drive died. Not once during those 8 years did I have to reinstall or fix anything. The one problem I had with it was that it was not expandable.
You could want an office suite that actually works (looking at you Open Office). That is, isn't bloated and lacking in features that you need.
Not blotted? That disqualifies Office. Lacking in features? True OO doesn't have as many features as Office, at least I don't thing so as I haven't tried a new version in some years, however most of the features of Office I don't need and they just get in the way. One of thjose "features" is Office's Activation. If it isn't activated it quits working. That's a terrific feature. It would be much better if it were modular and nothing's stopping people from writing moduals for OO.
then what's the compelling reason for using linux for a mainstream user?
Spyware, being treated like a criminal, and stability are three reasons for switching to Linux or OSX. I'm careful about what I install and I use a firewall so I don't run into spyware but many others do. Windows/Office Activation, WGA, and WPA amoung others is all about treating users as criminals. And Windows crashs and is otherwise pretty much unstable. I've used Windows since 3.x and with the exception of NT4.0 they have all crashed on me. Yes even Win200 and XP have crashed. It took about a week before 2000 crashed on me and the first tyme I booted up a PC with XP it froze while booting up and had to be forcibly rebooted, I had to hold the power button in to get it to reboot. That was not an impressive start with XP. And now with all of the things Vista needs to keep working, whether it be Activation or phoning home, I am switching. For a desktp PC, which I'll setup as a server, I got a PC with Linux preinstalled. And for a laptop I plan to get a Macbook Pro.
There are too many apps that too many people use that are available on their Windows machines.
And for almost every app that runs on Windows there's an equivilent app for either Linux and/or OSX. It may not be the same app but it's there. About the only reason to stick with a Windows only app is because it uses a proprietary file format, looking you AutoCAD. And with more people switching to either other OS software developers would be overlooking significant market segments if they didn't release versions for them. About the only reason for someone not to do so is if they don't work in the field as a career but do it as hobby.
Slashdot Mirror
If a state would enact a law that withholds all taxes of every kind collected from its citizens, especially income tax, there is nothing the Feds could do short of taking over that state's government by military force or other draconian measures.
The only way states could withhold income tax from the feds is if they required employers in the state to pay the state instead of the feds. Do that and the feds would go apeshit.
The Feds rightfully regulate commerce and the ID requirements for airplane passengers is lawful.
It may be lawful, though I don't think it is as the USSC has already ruled an id isn't required to board a plane if the person is willing to go through more stringent searchs, however it definitely isn't Constitutional. Nowhere in the USA Constitution does it say the federal government can require any ID for anything.
The whole idea of how far the interstate commerce clause can be stretched might have to be revisited by the SCOTUS.
And that's probably why the USSC would let the feds get away with this, the ICC has been stretched way beyond limits. With Bush's two nominations, Roberts and Alito, on the bench it's almost a shoein they approve it.
Since a passport is already part of my traveling kit anyway, I simply use that even when traveling within the country.
I'm thinking of getting a passport myself in part because of this but also because of the new passports. I'm hoping to go to Brazil in a few years and I want to get a passport before they have any rfid.
It is now needed to go to Canada
A passport is required to go to Canada now? Is that a Canadian or a US requirement? The last tyme I went to Canada I just showed my driver's license, then again that was a month before 911.
FalconA lot of the abuses of the interstate commerce clause rose up in regards to state oppression of black Americans;
The abuse of the ICC may in part be because of racism but a big part of it stems from when FDR packed the USSC in the 1930s and they supported his New Deal during the Depression.
FalconHow to Stage a Coup, American-Style
Yeap, if I could afford it I'd move to New Hampshire to join the Free State Project.
FalconNew Hampshire might hold out because they are small enough to get away with no Fed support of their highways and they have alot of "Free Staters"
Yeap, it's the host for the Free State Project.
FalconI mean to say, what power does a state legislation have against a federal one?
As it is now about the only thing it means is that some states hate it. According to the USA Constitution the federal government has no power to dictate an ID or to create one. It's a matter of states rights or the people's rights. With some Supreme Courts rulings since 1934 though the feds can get away with most anything, and I'm afraid the current Supreme Court would allow this, especially with Bush's two nominations, Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Samuel Alito, sitting on the bench.
Now if other states pass similar laws then they will be able to carry some weight. More so if, as this article says, California and New York pass laws. These two states are amoung those with the highest populations.
FalconYAY New Hampshire!!!! You ROCK!!!!!! Now to get the 40-some states to do the same....
Agreed!!!
..I love my country, but fear its 'government'.. FAR more than I fear an Islamic terrorist...
Same here. It's government that's the real terrorists.
FalconEvery time I've looked --- including your link --- CNR says "coming soon". Is there something I'm missing?
Yea, the CNR site isn't up yet however you can use Linspire's CNR for downloading codecs. I didn't look so I don't know if it'll have what you're looking for.
FalconNT 4.0 I have had problems, but most of those I think MAY have been due to hardware issues.
I haven't had problems with the NT OS though I have with the hardware. Then again I probably was stupid getting a DEC Alpha. I believed all the reviews saying how the Alpha's FX!32 could translate Windows software to run on it, the only commercial app I was able to install and use was Borland C++ Power Builder. The thing is is I was able to install some share/freeware.
FalconSo what you are doing is the highly typical fallacy of thinking that your extremely limited personal experience indicates a general trend.
Can you point out where I said my experience was a "general trend"?
However there is plenty of data indicating that Windows is quite stable.
And there's plenty of data showing the opposite.
I'm not going to challenge your reasons for liking Linux
Yes, I like Linux but I prefer Macs.
Now if you really want to know some of the tings Vista has improved on
Unless and until MS gets rid of Activation and all the spyware I have no interest in learning much about Vista or whatever follows it. I hate being treated like a criminal!
FalconGod forbid I'd rather have 1000 more years of microsoft than one year of apple.
I'd rather have a 1000 years of Apple than another hour of MS. I am sick and tired of Windows constantly crashing and having to reboot. And yes, XP crashed on me, it crashed the first tyme I tried to boot it. Vista may be better but I don't like being treated like a criminal which is what MS does with Activation, WGA, WPA, and the PC phoning home.
FalconMacs are not any special for artists yet people seem to buy that somehow.
I don't know what you're talking about. I was using Macs for things before a person could even dream of doing them on Windows PCs. I used graphics apps before Windows 3.x existed and was using Quark Express shortly aferwards. Though I didn't use it myself Photoshop came out for Macs before Windows 95 was on the scene. And yes, I also used DOS and Win 3.x. Though I'm not a graphics artist I know some who will only use a Mac, and some did try Windows. A web developer I knew only used Macs, if she had to she ran Windows in Virtual PC. Mostly though that was for testing websites.
FalconThe whole reason I switched to Mac (from Windows) is because OS X has a unix core
Mac OSX having an BSD core is one reason I'm switching from Windows, to both Linux and Macs. I have had trouble with Windows crashs since Windows 3.x Even XP has crashed on me. Another reason is that I don't like MS's policies of treating me like a criminal, requiring Activation and including all the spyware like WGA and WPA.
Falconthough I may be going out on a limb here, I'm gonna say "no" for 2008
I don't think there's ever going to be a "Year of the Linux Desktop". Instead Linux will just gain market share.
And those that think that Vista's awefulness has any sway must have not been around to see how the whole "Windows vs. MacOS" thing played out.
There's a big difference though between MacOS and Linux. Without any hacking or cracking there's only one company manufacturers a computer that MacOs can be installed on, Apple. Any number of people can build a PC that runs Windows and Linux though, and a bunch of OEMs do that. If Apple were to release and sale MacOS for most any computer it's share of the market would expand. Even Michael Dell said he'd like to sale PCs running MacOS. However, what many don't understand, is that Apple isn't just a software or a hardware company, Apple is a system integrator. They make the whole system and it just works. Though it would gain market share, if Apple were to release OSX for, say Dell, it would have more than one effect. It would eat into Apple's hardware sales. And it would mean either Apple would have to test the OS on a number of systems with different hardware and or it would mean the OS would be less stable and have more bugs.
FalconIf you did your homework, you would have realized there is no legal player for DVD's.
A Fully Licensed, DMCA Compliant DVD Player For Linux".
Falcon1. Just download the codecs... automatix does it as a GUI. It may be illegal, but it works.
CNR lets you install different codecs legally and it works with Ubuntu.
FalconI use Ubuntu 7.04 at work and home exclusively and I can play most Windows Media files.
Have you looked into using Click N Run, CNR. It allows you to install proprietary media players and other software on Linux. Originally it was just for Linspire but now it support other Linux distros like Ubuntu. The FAQ tells you more about it.
FalconWhen I talked to him about trying Ubuntu he's saying he doesn't want to learn anything new... but he's using Vista. Go figure.
Did you point out the contradiction to him?
FalconI often hear how Windows is unstable, Linux is stable. No, not so much. That was true back in the Win 95 days, but that was over a decade ago. Now Windows is quite stable and the argument is one that shows a high degree of ignorance.
I don't know about how stable Vista is but in the first week of using Wind2000 it crashed. And the fist tyme I booted up XP it froze while booting up. What I do know about Vista though is that it requires Activation and is filled with spyware. You may not mind being treated like a criminal but I hate it.
Denying the improvements and features of Windows does nothing to help promote Linux. Rather we need to acknowledge them and see what can be done to make Linux even better.
Improvements like Activation? Who needs it
Rather we need to acknowledge them and see what can be done to make Linux even better.
I agree. Competetion is good. With more than one choice there's a good possibility of improvements to all.
FalconActivation is not a feature, it is copy protection to keep people from stealing it. And your link just says "It's annoying because sometimes you have to reactivate it when you change your mobo or somesuch."
I should not have to activate anything I buy!!! Not when I install it and not when I make a hardware change to my PC. And I've had to do that a few tymes. I've had my mobo die and had it replaced. The same happened twice to my hdd and to my RAM. I've also installed a second graphics card so I could use two monitors at once. The mobo and one of the hdd died at the same tyme but I still should not have to reactivate once never mind three or more tymes. Activation is not simply annoying, it's not needed!
FalconFirst off, we're talking about the operating systems of today, not 1992.
Neither XP or Vista were around in 1992. Yet they both require Activation., ie treat customers like criminals.
Now Vista appears to really suck at the moment so I'm going to cherry pick XP. I just haven't had too many problems with it - I've had linux machines crash and OS X crash too.
As I said before, the first tyme I booted up a PC with XP it froze while booting up. On the other hand though, although I've only used Linux a little bit, 10 years ago now I took a college class on Linux and I've got a dualboot PC with Windows NT4.0 and Redhat, I have never ever had Linux crash on me. As for OSX, the only tyme I have used it was while taking another class where we used it, so I don't have much experience with it either however it never crashed or froze on me.
If i'm to assume that this person is a software pirate then it seems like Microsoft has just cause for not having people steal from them.
With one exception every Windows version I had I got when I bought a new PC, they came with the OEM version of Windows. The one exception was Windows 98SE. I ordered it directly from MS and it was installed on a PC that had the original version of 98 already installed. I have not downloaded or borrowed someone else's disk of a commercial app. Yet MS wants to treat me like a criminal.
FalconThe "registry disaster" is nothing but FUD. It sucked on Windows 9x but it's solid as hell on the NT products. Ah, you haven't used Windows since 1997. Yeah, I guess you're right.
Windows NT 4.0 is the only Windows OS I have not had trouble with. Win9X I've had to reinstall the OS a number of tymed, as I have ME. Win2000 took about a week before it crashed on me, and the first tyme I used XP it froze while booting up.
FalconPeople got a box that worked when you turned it on and could be expanded. I had mine running for a good six years. I got better printers, scanners and "upgraded" to 95, and I never had to wipe and reload it until I decided it was time for GNU/Linux.
I got a new PC first when Win95 came out, I got a laptop with Win95 and a tower with two hdd setup as dualboot running Windows NT4.0 and Redhat. In all of the tyme I've had the tower, I've still got it though I haven't used in more than two years, NT4.0 has been reinstalled once. Win95 on the other hand I had to reinstall a few tymes. The laptop was replaced by another laptop running Win98 and the OS had to be reinstalled a few tymes as well. For both I was told to reinstall Windows by the OEM, Gateway, when I called tech suport. I replaced the second laptop with an HP Pavilion tower running ME and I've had to reinstall Windows a number of tymes with it as well.
However before I got them I bought a used Mac SE30, in 1992, and it lasted me until 2000 when the floppy drive died. Not once during those 8 years did I have to reinstall or fix anything. The one problem I had with it was that it was not expandable.
FalconYou could want an office suite that actually works (looking at you Open Office). That is, isn't bloated and lacking in features that you need.
Not blotted? That disqualifies Office. Lacking in features? True OO doesn't have as many features as Office, at least I don't thing so as I haven't tried a new version in some years, however most of the features of Office I don't need and they just get in the way. One of thjose "features" is Office's Activation. If it isn't activated it quits working. That's a terrific feature. It would be much better if it were modular and nothing's stopping people from writing moduals for OO.
then what's the compelling reason for using linux for a mainstream user?
Spyware, being treated like a criminal, and stability are three reasons for switching to Linux or OSX. I'm careful about what I install and I use a firewall so I don't run into spyware but many others do. Windows/Office Activation, WGA, and WPA amoung others is all about treating users as criminals. And Windows crashs and is otherwise pretty much unstable. I've used Windows since 3.x and with the exception of NT4.0 they have all crashed on me. Yes even Win200 and XP have crashed. It took about a week before 2000 crashed on me and the first tyme I booted up a PC with XP it froze while booting up and had to be forcibly rebooted, I had to hold the power button in to get it to reboot. That was not an impressive start with XP. And now with all of the things Vista needs to keep working, whether it be Activation or phoning home, I am switching. For a desktp PC, which I'll setup as a server, I got a PC with Linux preinstalled. And for a laptop I plan to get a Macbook Pro.
FalconThere are too many apps that too many people use that are available on their Windows machines.
And for almost every app that runs on Windows there's an equivilent app for either Linux and/or OSX. It may not be the same app but it's there. About the only reason to stick with a Windows only app is because it uses a proprietary file format, looking you AutoCAD. And with more people switching to either other OS software developers would be overlooking significant market segments if they didn't release versions for them. About the only reason for someone not to do so is if they don't work in the field as a career but do it as hobby.
Falcon