Whoa - you're a little behind the times. It's hardly a defense - as a matter of a fact, I read Mr. Sim Wong Hoo's statements to be quite agressive and offensive (as in offense vs. defense.)
Using patents to profit is definately commonplace, as more and more "Patent Holding Firms" pop up all over the place, like say, Eolas.
Make no mistake, this is not defensive. This is a proven, reliable, dirty business practice. Apply for a patent, if we get it, sue the shit out of everyone that might have something similar. This is no longer about who invents something or does something first, it is about who first has the money to file the patent application.
More like: Even if you don't normally enjoy porn you should sign up just to show you oppose the law.
"Aw cmon baby... we have to take a stand! I look at porn only as an expression of my inalienable freedoms and protest against... wow... I didn't know you could fit that there... um, protest against government censorship!"
If they can't do a quick query to see who owns the most patents, is it so very odd that they can't do a simple search and find prior art for the patents they grant today?
If a company treated me that way, it would be worth flipping them the bird... along with three customers and a couple of line cooks who happened to get in the way....
I couldn't disagree more. Speaking of professionalism, doing what the CIO did was probably just as professional as your resignation. There may be policies in place that dictate his actions, or more probably, your resignation ended your employ, and they took action to protect their assets.
As others have posted, you get paid for two weeks, so they show professionalism again by not trying to rob you of the pay for the two weeks notice you have given. However, expecting that you'll have carte blanche access to the systems during your two last weeks is a bit silly. Most people spend that time backing up code to personal computers or otherwise stealing IP belonging to the employer.
Combine the Better Business Bureau, the Bar, and the Association of Realtors, and you have pretty much captured my idea...
Unless sarcasm was your goal, barring the BBB, the Bar and the Association of Realtors is hardly a group that guarentees any sort of quality. There are some crappy lawyers out there (Harvey Birdman and Lionel Hutz come to mind, but I digress, because it makes it seem like I'm trying to be funny) and some really crappy/corrupt realtors out there.
Just because someone passed the bar doesn't make them a good lawyer. For instance, Delaware is one of the hardest bar exams to pass in the country, with its next door neighbor, NJ, being one of the easiest. I know some people that can't pass Delaware and slept through the NJ bar exam. (Although, in this "tri-state area", not passing all three - including Pennsylvania, makes it harder to get a job...)
And so my point is, these shoddy developers with CS/CE degrees are pretty equal to the shoddy lawyers who passed a bar - I don't know what school they went to, but the one I attended did not make passing easy. Any implication that getting a CS degree should be easier comes from someone that did not attend the same college I did.
Don't forget that getting a patent overturned is an incredibly expensive proposition, costing much more than getting the original patent. More money for lawyers.
Because companies would have to spend a whole lot more money to get those people.
As far as I'm aware, developers are pretty well paid in the overall job market, more than twice as much as teachers in many cases.
I did spend time getting degrees in CS and CE, and it would be nice to seperate myself from those who simply have MSP on their resume. But wait - that's right - I DO seperate myself, by putting my CS and CE degrees on my resume.
Rarely is software life threatening (yeah, I know, there are examples) but hospitals rarely bid out to teenagers to build their software. The reason so much engineering (bridges, homes) requires such certifications is because a collapsing bridge is a bit more of a problem then a buggy PHP website. So if company A wants to hire Joe Teenager to build their website, well, so be it.
I get hired because of my degrees and years of experience, and while I do write some web code, most of my time is spent on more valued tasks, like writing mission critical software that drives the businesses I'm in - and I get paid more than Joe Teenager gets paid to build the website, because of those abilities.
Rarely, if ever, have I heard some 20 year old non-college educated designer/developer called an engineer.
The real issue IMO is the Microsoft tactics of using trade pressure to lobby for anti-competition legislation.
While I certainly hate to see lobbying efforts effect government laws directly, this is one of those "open, free market" kinda issues. I don't really want to see legislation in India influenced by Microsoft, but if MS wants to do business in India, set up shop, create jobs, increase GDP, etc. - well, is that definately a "bad thing?"
I know the general karma is MS is bad, but if you believe in capitalism as a fundamental driver of freedom, then markets must be opened, and MS should be allowed to set up shop and do business where they please (within applicable laws.) This can only be good for the Indian economy and job situation (as much as I hate my support calls routing to "Cathy" in India.)
Don't be surprised in Sony divests itself of BMG music at some point in the future, to keep from losing customers for its home electronics business.
Why, because Sony's other electronics shops won't be including any DRM built in, like DRM on HDMI and new high def TVs, DRM in new Blu-Ray DVD players, DRM in game machines and on game discs, DRM on Blu-Ray discs... I can almost guarentee that some of this DRM will prevent users from using the content they purchase the way they want to use it. Sony needs not to divest itself of BMG as a solution, because the problem exists at a much higher level - the perception that DRM is a "Good Thing." Until they resolve THAT issue, Sony is in for some hurt.
Not to mention - I believe - that Yahoo! once used Google results as well. Yahoo! no longer does (as far as I'm aware) or at least agregates them, and Google didn't seem to suffer too much. Do I have my information wrong?
Agreed. Also, arguing that content that was once free is now pay-per-view is (excuse me) stupid, because once information is free it tends to remain free. Arguing that information already disseminated may now be locked up is half the reason that Secrecy News and the FAS exist. (It's a comparison.)
I understand (to a degree) copyright, but a redaction in previously public information by any party - government or private - is hardly ever good.
I suppose some may label me an idealist, but I don't see the major difference between one "violation" and another. Keep in mind that this whole idea of being able to impose speech limitations on students through "private contracts" is a right that is either upheld or not by the courts. If it is upheld, then no matter how you flip it, it is a government condoned invasion of my free speech rights.
Banning you from saying "fuck you" is different from banning you for posting an opinion or a position on an issue. While the words "fuck you" may be controlled to a degree, I can't be banned for saying normally offensive stuff, like "i support racial profiling" or "i think marriage should be between a man and woman." regardless if these are my opinions or not, it's my constitutionally protected right to say them.
See the difference?
- "I think marriage is between a fucking man and woman."
- "I think marriage is between a man and a woman."
The word "fuck" can be banned, but my message can't, my opinion can't, and I am protected from retaliation for it.
Interesting question about precedent for a lawyer - whistle blower laws were drafted to prevent retaliation against someone reporting a wrong. Could this, in some way, be argued to set precedent against any retaliation for expressing free speech?
Not if you are a poor fighter.
This is hard to get my head around. Is the EFF bad? How many times have friend-of-the-court briefs been filed by hundreds of agencies supporting the EFF, and yet no matter how much support they have, no matter how logical their argument, the courts side with big business.
Is this the EFF losing, or is this just corruption of the courts?
As long as he gets a full tuition refund, I don't see a problem with this.
WRONG WRONG WRONG!
God, this makes me sick. The US Constitution guarentees that you will not suffer the consequences of censorship nor retaliation for what you say - that is freedom of speech. To even bow yourself to the point of suggesting that retaliation is acceptable as long as he gets his tuition back is... listen - it's not just tuition. It's a scholarship, it's the time he's already put into the degree. This is straight censorship and intimidation. Understand that not only does this student suffer, but others may be frightened by this action and will hold their tounges.
Please, do not accept this as "OK" tuition returned or not.
Unfortunately, even if the rest of the world starts releasing programming, it won't be US based. BitTorrent's popularity is driven at least in part due to TV programming restrictions on an international level. Were iTunes to get Dr. Who in the UK, I still doubt it would be available for US users, continuing to leave people no legal way to obtain said programming.
It's like asking when DVD region coding will go away, and when a DVD/movie will have the same release date internationally. Despite the number of times Finding Nemo (etc) was pirated because it was on DVD here in the states even before it launched in theaters across the globe, people in charge of distribution and licensing will (seemingly) never get that it's a global world now.
I'm with you - this is blatantly a sales pitch. I have no problem with IBM touting their software, but this is one of those things that should be only focused on being better for the people. Follow it up with a sales pitch later, but don't water down the message.
Re:Sort of good they fixed it...
on
Google Fixes IE Bug
·
· Score: 2, Insightful
I don't think it's a HUGE deal if it IS a bug in their software. Name a single company - MS, Apple, Oracle - any one - that has released bug free code to the customer.
The thing that needs to really be studied is the openness with which a vendor accpets that there is a flaw, and how quickly they solve said flaw.
Here, Google, whether partially, fully, or not at all at fault, has with expedience solved an issue that had the potential to affect their customers. Code is rarely free from bugs. An active developer base that is willing to drop all to solve a potentially dangerous bug is one I want writing my software.
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Whoa - you're a little behind the times. It's hardly a defense - as a matter of a fact, I read Mr. Sim Wong Hoo's statements to be quite agressive and offensive (as in offense vs. defense.)
Using patents to profit is definately commonplace, as more and more "Patent Holding Firms" pop up all over the place, like say, Eolas.
Make no mistake, this is not defensive. This is a proven, reliable, dirty business practice. Apply for a patent, if we get it, sue the shit out of everyone that might have something similar. This is no longer about who invents something or does something first, it is about who first has the money to file the patent application.
"Aw cmon baby... we have to take a stand! I look at porn only as an expression of my inalienable freedoms and protest against... wow... I didn't know you could fit that there... um, protest against government censorship!"
If they can't do a quick query to see who owns the most patents, is it so very odd that they can't do a simple search and find prior art for the patents they grant today?
I couldn't disagree more. Speaking of professionalism, doing what the CIO did was probably just as professional as your resignation. There may be policies in place that dictate his actions, or more probably, your resignation ended your employ, and they took action to protect their assets.
As others have posted, you get paid for two weeks, so they show professionalism again by not trying to rob you of the pay for the two weeks notice you have given. However, expecting that you'll have carte blanche access to the systems during your two last weeks is a bit silly. Most people spend that time backing up code to personal computers or otherwise stealing IP belonging to the employer.
Unless sarcasm was your goal, barring the BBB, the Bar and the Association of Realtors is hardly a group that guarentees any sort of quality. There are some crappy lawyers out there (Harvey Birdman and Lionel Hutz come to mind, but I digress, because it makes it seem like I'm trying to be funny) and some really crappy/corrupt realtors out there.
Just because someone passed the bar doesn't make them a good lawyer. For instance, Delaware is one of the hardest bar exams to pass in the country, with its next door neighbor, NJ, being one of the easiest. I know some people that can't pass Delaware and slept through the NJ bar exam. (Although, in this "tri-state area", not passing all three - including Pennsylvania, makes it harder to get a job...)
And so my point is, these shoddy developers with CS/CE degrees are pretty equal to the shoddy lawyers who passed a bar - I don't know what school they went to, but the one I attended did not make passing easy. Any implication that getting a CS degree should be easier comes from someone that did not attend the same college I did.
Don't forget that getting a patent overturned is an incredibly expensive proposition, costing much more than getting the original patent. More money for lawyers.
MS is not sentietn being. It has no freedoms or human rights to be given or taken away.
* cough * wrong. well, at least according to the supreme court.
As far as I'm aware, developers are pretty well paid in the overall job market, more than twice as much as teachers in many cases.
I did spend time getting degrees in CS and CE, and it would be nice to seperate myself from those who simply have MSP on their resume. But wait - that's right - I DO seperate myself, by putting my CS and CE degrees on my resume.
Rarely is software life threatening (yeah, I know, there are examples) but hospitals rarely bid out to teenagers to build their software. The reason so much engineering (bridges, homes) requires such certifications is because a collapsing bridge is a bit more of a problem then a buggy PHP website. So if company A wants to hire Joe Teenager to build their website, well, so be it.
I get hired because of my degrees and years of experience, and while I do write some web code, most of my time is spent on more valued tasks, like writing mission critical software that drives the businesses I'm in - and I get paid more than Joe Teenager gets paid to build the website, because of those abilities.
Rarely, if ever, have I heard some 20 year old non-college educated designer/developer called an engineer.
Perhaps that point should simply be that in excess, anything is bad. Done.
While I certainly hate to see lobbying efforts effect government laws directly, this is one of those "open, free market" kinda issues. I don't really want to see legislation in India influenced by Microsoft, but if MS wants to do business in India, set up shop, create jobs, increase GDP, etc. - well, is that definately a "bad thing?"
I know the general karma is MS is bad, but if you believe in capitalism as a fundamental driver of freedom, then markets must be opened, and MS should be allowed to set up shop and do business where they please (within applicable laws.) This can only be good for the Indian economy and job situation (as much as I hate my support calls routing to "Cathy" in India.)
"Darn confounded AOL just let me open the picture already! Hmm... I wonder what type of picture has a .exe extension..."
It's like how my chances of getting laid are sober before I've even started drinking...
Why, because Sony's other electronics shops won't be including any DRM built in, like DRM on HDMI and new high def TVs, DRM in new Blu-Ray DVD players, DRM in game machines and on game discs, DRM on Blu-Ray discs... I can almost guarentee that some of this DRM will prevent users from using the content they purchase the way they want to use it. Sony needs not to divest itself of BMG as a solution, because the problem exists at a much higher level - the perception that DRM is a "Good Thing." Until they resolve THAT issue, Sony is in for some hurt.
Makes one rethink those years of pilot training...
Not to mention - I believe - that Yahoo! once used Google results as well. Yahoo! no longer does (as far as I'm aware) or at least agregates them, and Google didn't seem to suffer too much. Do I have my information wrong?
Agreed. Also, arguing that content that was once free is now pay-per-view is (excuse me) stupid, because once information is free it tends to remain free. Arguing that information already disseminated may now be locked up is half the reason that Secrecy News and the FAS exist. (It's a comparison.)
I understand (to a degree) copyright, but a redaction in previously public information by any party - government or private - is hardly ever good.
I suppose some may label me an idealist, but I don't see the major difference between one "violation" and another. Keep in mind that this whole idea of being able to impose speech limitations on students through "private contracts" is a right that is either upheld or not by the courts. If it is upheld, then no matter how you flip it, it is a government condoned invasion of my free speech rights.
That's how I feel, anyway...
Banning you from saying "fuck you" is different from banning you for posting an opinion or a position on an issue. While the words "fuck you" may be controlled to a degree, I can't be banned for saying normally offensive stuff, like "i support racial profiling" or "i think marriage should be between a man and woman." regardless if these are my opinions or not, it's my constitutionally protected right to say them.
See the difference?
- "I think marriage is between a fucking man and woman."
- "I think marriage is between a man and a woman."
The word "fuck" can be banned, but my message can't, my opinion can't, and I am protected from retaliation for it.
Interesting question about precedent for a lawyer - whistle blower laws were drafted to prevent retaliation against someone reporting a wrong. Could this, in some way, be argued to set precedent against any retaliation for expressing free speech?
You think google needs to recruit? I'd be willing to bet they shred more resumes each week than many companies receive all year.
They didn't shred mine, just said that I didn't fit their profile. PROFILING! I should file suit...
Not if you are a poor fighter. This is hard to get my head around. Is the EFF bad? How many times have friend-of-the-court briefs been filed by hundreds of agencies supporting the EFF, and yet no matter how much support they have, no matter how logical their argument, the courts side with big business.
Is this the EFF losing, or is this just corruption of the courts?
WRONG WRONG WRONG!
God, this makes me sick. The US Constitution guarentees that you will not suffer the consequences of censorship nor retaliation for what you say - that is freedom of speech. To even bow yourself to the point of suggesting that retaliation is acceptable as long as he gets his tuition back is... listen - it's not just tuition. It's a scholarship, it's the time he's already put into the degree. This is straight censorship and intimidation. Understand that not only does this student suffer, but others may be frightened by this action and will hold their tounges.
Please, do not accept this as "OK" tuition returned or not.
When will the rest of the world sign on?
Unfortunately, even if the rest of the world starts releasing programming, it won't be US based. BitTorrent's popularity is driven at least in part due to TV programming restrictions on an international level. Were iTunes to get Dr. Who in the UK, I still doubt it would be available for US users, continuing to leave people no legal way to obtain said programming.
It's like asking when DVD region coding will go away, and when a DVD/movie will have the same release date internationally. Despite the number of times Finding Nemo (etc) was pirated because it was on DVD here in the states even before it launched in theaters across the globe, people in charge of distribution and licensing will (seemingly) never get that it's a global world now.
I'm with you - this is blatantly a sales pitch. I have no problem with IBM touting their software, but this is one of those things that should be only focused on being better for the people. Follow it up with a sales pitch later, but don't water down the message.
I don't think it's a HUGE deal if it IS a bug in their software. Name a single company - MS, Apple, Oracle - any one - that has released bug free code to the customer.
The thing that needs to really be studied is the openness with which a vendor accpets that there is a flaw, and how quickly they solve said flaw.
Here, Google, whether partially, fully, or not at all at fault, has with expedience solved an issue that had the potential to affect their customers. Code is rarely free from bugs. An active developer base that is willing to drop all to solve a potentially dangerous bug is one I want writing my software.
Copyright Infringement! Google! Relevant keyword searches! Copyright!