In practice, though, corporations' stances on social issues are of importance to consumers
Humbly I must disagree.
A corporation's stance on social issues is ultimately of importance to the corporation's bottom line. They want us to think their stance is important to us: the consumers. That is part of the corporate branding process. They want us to believe that what they offer is a lifestyle rather than a product/service and in that way they try to influence public policy.
Disney's theme parks are being actively boycotted over partner benefits. Proctor and Gamble's products are being boycotted over perceived animal testing policies.
I'm not sure what you're getting at there...
Apple Computers efforts in the area of computer education in public school are worthy.
Of course, but to me that isn't justification enough to let Apple influence the law
GTA Jerusalem - (Grander then Thou Apostle) in which you tool around the holy land killing Legionaires (police) and prostitutes. Unfortunately it will be panned by non-Christian game critics as too violent.
Jaded Empire - You're a highly disciplined monk wandering the agnostic land trying to convert or destroy non-beleivers.
Holy Ghost Recon - You play a crack Judean People's Front insurgent agent.
this is too easy...
Crimson Skies: High Road to Revelation Silent Hell God of War
Anyone who voted for a Democrat or Republican. Anyone who takes the words of Rush Limbaugh, Ann Coulter or Michael Moore as gospel. Anyone who ever gave money to a church.
"...spotlight means you no longer care where things are, they simply exist and the context becomes the "path"..."...which is soooo much easier than putting something where it BELONGS!
For the sarcasm impaired the above comment was sarcasm.
What happens if (when) 'spotlight' throws a gear and can't properly search for context and the users have dropped their files where-ever the hell the wanted to?
The problem with newer OS's is that they're simple enough for any f**king idiot to use.
Newslfash! Computers aren't simple! They are immensely complex. Modern OS's are TOO easy for anyone to pick up use. And when these simple users get their data munged or lost they'll blame the OS vendor rather than take responsibility for their own ignorance.
PIPEDA (Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act) clearly states that personal information can't be disclosed without a court order. There is little to no grey area here.
Videotron can say goodbye to a large chunk of their customers.
"Joe Sixpack would be better off if the ISP would install a centrally adminsitered system administration client on his machine that automatically scans and deploys the latest anti-virus program"
Windows XP already has this. Automatic Windows updates should do just that for their pet AV program.
There is also a huge liability issue for the ISP implementing such a process. They don't want to be responsible for a software failure on someone's box.
As for opting out... I work in the Acceptable Use dept for a broadband ISP and I wish I had a nickel for every Joe-Sixpack who thought he was too l33t to be pwn3d.
All that is moot however as the issue here is with TROJANS which anti-virus programs are useless against.
The customers have to be educated. If their car is unsafe to drive and the police yank it off the road until it's road-worthy the driver can't demand assistance from the government that gave them their driver's license, the state of the vehicle is the owner's responsibility. And so it is for ISPs. ISPs aren't in the business of computer repair.
I'd like to say it again: ISPs aren't in the business of computer repair.
If shutting down their cable modems until they have a real PC tech secure the system is required then that is what ISPs need to do.
Passport checking didn't prevent ANY of the 911 terrorists from entering the US. All their passports were valid.
***
This could just be a knee-jerk reaction by the US to the 15% tariffs Canada and the EU are going to slap on US goods until the US Byrd Amendment is repealed.
The Alberta supernet is a government infrastructure project designed to provide high-speed, broadband access to public facilities (and through service providers, to businesses and residences) in Alberta communities, Alberta SuperNet is a partnership involving the government and private enterprise.
Alberta is a big place, over 250,000 sq. miles and the population desity is way lower than S. Korea.
Higher penetration the US market is possible now, but it will take US Gov intervention.
/There should be a law that ISPs have to disable the Internet Access of Spam Zombies./
And sometimes that's what we end up doing; but that won't solve the problem, it only puts a band-aid on a symptom.
From your tone it sounds like you're an advocate of vigilantism a la spamhaus.
Here is the problem with spamhaus (and every other vigilante rbl list): We could be more vigourous disabling accounts but there are legal issues. Before we can disable an account we need some kind of evidence - email headers. MILLIONS of emails go out from our customers daily; can we scan all outbound mail? Maybe. Can we determine 100% if an email is spam? No, that is for the recipient to decide. Now, if no-one sends us a complaint about received spam with the headers intact we can do nothing. Why? Because any customer can contest having their account disabled but if all the evidence we have is "spamhaus said so", then we are skrewed.
If a neo-nazi goes into a Kinkos and uses the photocopier in the lobby, out of site of the clerks, to print racist garbage leaflets and he uses paper with a Kinkos letterhead then spamhaus will firebomb the Kinkos and then blame Kinkos for allowing the neo-nazi access to a photocopier. Spamhaus will then reply to the victims of collateral-damage who have the gall to complain to spamhaus: "Well, maybe you should use a different print shop, or tell Kinkos stop letting neo-nazis use the photo-copier"
I work in the Acceptable Use Dept of an ISP. The VAST majority of spam complaints we get are tracked to customers with 0wned (trojaned) b0xen who aren't aware of the fact. ISPs generally don't/can't support any 3rd party software of any kind, like anti-trojan programs, and so the customers are left on their own to solve the problem. This naturally is very annoying to the customers who often will not do anything about it until we have contacted them numerous times or we suspend their service. We try our best to educate the customers on computer security and best-practice but for newbies this is fairly daunting. Just telling everyone to ignore spam is a noble idea but there are always suckers who can't resist a 'bargain'. I believe the anti-spam fight should be more pro-active, flood the spamvertised sites with so much info it isn't feasible to process it all. Unfortunately, unless there is a better thought-out anti-spam screensaver (or a similar automated process) this would have to be an underground movement.
Slashdot Mirror
There is no such thing as anti-spam technology.
Spam filters, RBL lists, etc don't stop spam they just suppress it.
Spam begins with a desire for $$. Eliminate the payoff for soam and spam will die.
Yeah, right... not
we all know that monopolies are impossible in democratic, capitalist societies...
Unfortunatley Joe User doesn't read Slashdot.
That's odd, I thought the sickness usually set in -after- they saw the movie...
Humbly I must disagree.
A corporation's stance on social issues is ultimately of importance to the corporation's bottom line. They want us to think their stance is important to us: the consumers. That is part of the corporate branding process. They want us to believe that what they offer is a lifestyle rather than a product/service and in that way they try to influence public policy.
I'm not sure what you're getting at there...
Of course, but to me that isn't justification enough to let Apple influence the law
"He also says that he doesn't think Microsoft should be involved in most public policy issues"
Microsoft (or any other corporation) shouldn't be involved in ANY public policy issues, that's what elected representatives are for.
What would be some good Christian game titles?
Halo - oops already done
GTA Jerusalem - (Grander then Thou Apostle) in which you tool around the holy land killing Legionaires (police) and prostitutes. Unfortunately it will be panned by non-Christian game critics as too violent.
Jaded Empire - You're a highly disciplined monk wandering the agnostic land trying to convert or destroy non-beleivers.
Holy Ghost Recon - You play a crack Judean People's Front insurgent agent.
this is too easy...
Crimson Skies: High Road to Revelation
Silent Hell
God of War
"American ethics organizations"
Isn't that an oxymoron?
Just what the US electorate needs, more sheep...
Hmm, sheep with human brains.
They already exist.
Anyone who voted for a Democrat or Republican. Anyone who takes the words of Rush Limbaugh, Ann Coulter or Michael Moore as gospel. Anyone who ever gave money to a church.
Hopefully the movie will give me an idea of WTF Silent Hill 2 was about...
(was James dead? in hell? alternate reality? Were Eddie, Laura, etc there with him or just figments, etc, etc)
"...spotlight means you no longer care where things are, they simply exist and the context becomes the "path"..." ...which is soooo much easier than putting something where it BELONGS!
For the sarcasm impaired the above comment was sarcasm.
What happens if (when) 'spotlight' throws a gear and can't properly search for context and the users have dropped their files where-ever the hell the wanted to?
The problem with newer OS's is that they're simple enough for any f**king idiot to use.
Newslfash! Computers aren't simple! They are immensely complex. Modern OS's are TOO easy for anyone to pick up use. And when these simple users get their data munged or lost they'll blame the OS vendor rather than take responsibility for their own ignorance.
... that he won't be creating the TV stories himself.
They may actually be good if he lets J. Michael Straczynski take the helm.
I believe Videotron has stepped in it this time.
PIPEDA (Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act) clearly states that personal information can't be disclosed without a court order. There is little to no grey area here.
Videotron can say goodbye to a large chunk of their customers.
X-Files definitely went south, in more ways than one, when Duchovny whined the show out of Canada.
Next we're gonna take back Shatner!
(you can keep Celine Dion... please)
"Joe Sixpack would be better off if the ISP would install a centrally adminsitered system administration client on his machine that automatically scans and deploys the latest anti-virus program"
Windows XP already has this. Automatic Windows updates should do just that for their pet AV program.
There is also a huge liability issue for the ISP implementing such a process. They don't want to be responsible for a software failure on someone's box.
As for opting out... I work in the Acceptable Use dept for a broadband ISP and I wish I had a nickel for every Joe-Sixpack who thought he was too l33t to be pwn3d.
All that is moot however as the issue here is with TROJANS which anti-virus programs are useless against.
The customers have to be educated. If their car is unsafe to drive and the police yank it off the road until it's road-worthy the driver can't demand assistance from the government that gave them their driver's license, the state of the vehicle is the owner's responsibility. And so it is for ISPs. ISPs aren't in the business of computer repair.
I'd like to say it again:
ISPs aren't in the business of computer repair.
If shutting down their cable modems until they have a real PC tech secure the system is required then that is what ISPs need to do.
Passport checking didn't prevent ANY of the 911 terrorists from entering the US. All their passports were valid.
***
This could just be a knee-jerk reaction by the US to the 15% tariffs Canada and the EU are going to slap on US goods until the US Byrd Amendment is repealed.
They could call it shorthorn...
:P
I'd still just call it Bull
The Alberta supernet is a government infrastructure project designed to provide high-speed, broadband access to public facilities (and through service providers, to businesses and residences) in Alberta communities, Alberta SuperNet is a partnership involving the government and private enterprise.
Alberta is a big place, over 250,000 sq. miles and the population desity is way lower than S. Korea.
Higher penetration the US market is possible now, but it will take US Gov intervention.
"American Idol" has already proven that robots can watch tv and judge 'talent' contests, it was just a matter of time.
You don't watch any FOX TV do you?
/There should be a law that ISPs have to disable the Internet Access of Spam Zombies./
And sometimes that's what we end up doing; but that won't solve the problem, it only puts a band-aid on a symptom.
From your tone it sounds like you're an advocate of vigilantism a la spamhaus.
Here is the problem with spamhaus (and every other vigilante rbl list):
We could be more vigourous disabling accounts but there are legal issues. Before we can disable an account we need some kind of evidence - email headers. MILLIONS of emails go out from our customers daily; can we scan all outbound mail? Maybe. Can we determine 100% if an email is spam? No, that is for the recipient to decide. Now, if no-one sends us a complaint about received spam with the headers intact we can do nothing. Why? Because any customer can contest having their account disabled but if all the evidence we have is "spamhaus said so", then we are skrewed.
If a neo-nazi goes into a Kinkos and uses the photocopier in the lobby, out of site of the clerks, to print racist garbage leaflets and he uses paper with a Kinkos letterhead then spamhaus will firebomb the Kinkos and then blame Kinkos for allowing the neo-nazi access to a photocopier. Spamhaus will then reply to the victims of collateral-damage who have the gall to complain to spamhaus: "Well, maybe you should use a different print shop, or tell Kinkos stop letting neo-nazis use the photo-copier"
The analogy isn't perfect but it's close.
I work in the Acceptable Use Dept of an ISP. The VAST majority of spam complaints we get are tracked to customers with 0wned (trojaned) b0xen who aren't aware of the fact. ISPs generally don't/can't support any 3rd party software of any kind, like anti-trojan programs, and so the customers are left on their own to solve the problem.
This naturally is very annoying to the customers who often will not do anything about it until we have contacted them numerous times or we suspend their service.
We try our best to educate the customers on computer security and best-practice but for newbies this is fairly daunting.
Just telling everyone to ignore spam is a noble idea but there are always suckers who can't resist a 'bargain'. I believe the anti-spam fight should be more pro-active, flood the spamvertised sites with so much info it isn't feasible to process it all. Unfortunately, unless there is a better thought-out anti-spam screensaver (or a similar automated process) this would have to be an underground movement.
Two men enter, one LAN leaves!
Two men enter, one LAN leaves!