Re:How much editorial oversight is enough?
on
When Wikipedia Fails
·
· Score: 5, Interesting
But then don't complain when it isn't held as authoritative as Encyclopedia Britannica
Authoritativeness of Britannica is more a perception than reality. Read the entries from the 80's on communism or from 70's on homosexuality. It was not as unbiased or authoritative as one might have expected.
For all its failings, and there are many, with Wikipedia you get to know the other point of view and controversial topics are clearly highlighted (eg. LTTE, Taliban etc).
You don't have to single a company out to be anti-competitive. Just ask Microsoft. And the size of the competitor does not matter either. If you sue your market power to get an unfair advantage over a competitor it is wrong. Does not matter if the competitor is a multi-million dollar corporation or a bunch of volunteers making free software.
If most "suspects" have a normal email account they will receive SPAM.
Becuase SPAM cannout be discounted as a covert message the SPAMer will need to be monitored
So now the Spammer is the "B-party"
So now the government is monitoring millions of SPAM messages from the Spammer
Considering most people receive SPAM inclduing "suspects" any government monitoring will soon get stuck in this SPAM loop
It's funny how the "law-makers" criticize Google/Yahoo for breaching the rights of its users in China one day while expecting the same to be done in the USA because it is in the public good.
On the other hand it's hypocritical of Google to act like the innocent babe in the woods when they accept similar government interference from counties like China as a "cost of doing business".
This would not be a legal-problem if either, handing user data was the "cost of doing business" in the US, or the US lawmakers applied their values of privacy and individual freedom universally.
In some/most cases patents server their intended purpose by enabling true innovation to be rewarded. I say this while looking at millions of $$ of equipment in a research lab that is paid for either by licencing past patents borrowing money against the successful commercialisation of current patents (pending). I think it is valid to patent a new invention when no such invention has existed before, can be demonstrated to work (i.e. not just some abstract idea - eg. warp engines) and there is an intention to commercialise.
I absolutely hate business process patents and will not accept contracts from companies who see that as their ultimate goal. This also applies o software process patents. Thankfully business process patents are still not legal in many countries.
The other "bad" patents I avoid are patents for naturally created "things" like genes. I know number of drug companies hold patents on a certain gene. I am happy for them to have a patent for a drug that will treat a disease caused by the gene, but patenting the gene is IMHO unethical and unacceptable because they did not invent it, and really cant commercialise it. This would be different if they invented a gene that can be "injected" to cure a disease. Otherwise it's a bit like patenting a subatomic particle and charging license fees.
And finally I don't agree with parents where two existing things are combined to make a third. Eg. email using a games console, email using a coke can etc etc. As one of my friends says may be Neil Armstrong should have patented walking on a body other than Earth.:)
Local lawmakers rushed to introduce emergency legislation banning the use of cyclotrons in home businesses. State health officials took similar steps, and have suspended Swank's permit to operate cyclotrons on his property.
This the same lawmakers who wanted a A bridge to nowhere costing $941 Million?
Actually since the introduction of speed cameras in the early 90's the tend has been down. The result in 2004 was the lowest in 30 years. So I don't think I am "FUCKING STUPID". Check the stats in the link above.
Chandi
This is a recipe for disaster. What about immunisations? What about the stocks of anthrax antidotes Uncle Sam stock piled after the scare in 01?
May be CDC should be out sourced to Pfizer. After all I am sure CompuServe has a very good case against NSF and DOD for ruining their business with this thing called the Internet.
There are many US cities and towns outside the Eastern and Western sea board that do not have broadband or only have a single monopoly provider. Same applies to lots of towns in continental Europe and Australia.
I would guess the percentage of the first world population who can access "real" broad band (1M+) is a small fraction of the overall population.
You should try getting broadband in Crete Nebraska or Wyndham Vale near Melbourne Australia.
I have been using wireless broadband from iBurst http://www.iburst.com.au/ for the last few months in Australia. Works great on the train or while driving down the freeway.
Only drawback is that the coverage is a bit patchy at the moment.
The way things stand IBM can't possibly commercilise all their patents. The IP they do productise or commercilise can still make sales or licencing revanue.
On the otherhand more products there are more services IBM can offer. After all IBM is pitching itself as a services compnay. More products they can service the better.
On top of all this they end up looking like a really philantroipc progressive compnay.
... the XML parser seemed to have serious problems with large documents..
I find this too. Though it does seem a lot better parser than IE, which tends to ignore malformed XML. Not much use if you are trying to debug XML streams
This makes more sense. I might be buying the OS or a firewall. Putting the EULA on the web doesn't help because I need a OS and the firewall installed before I can go on-line
Chandi
Slashdot Mirror
But then don't complain when it isn't held as authoritative as Encyclopedia Britannica
Authoritativeness of Britannica is more a perception than reality. Read the entries from the 80's on communism or from 70's on homosexuality. It was not as unbiased or authoritative as one might have expected. For all its failings, and there are many, with Wikipedia you get to know the other point of view and controversial topics are clearly highlighted (eg. LTTE, Taliban etc).
You don't have to single a company out to be anti-competitive. Just ask Microsoft. And the size of the competitor does not matter either. If you sue your market power to get an unfair advantage over a competitor it is wrong. Does not matter if the competitor is a multi-million dollar corporation or a bunch of volunteers making free software.
If most "suspects" have a normal email account they will receive SPAM.
Becuase SPAM cannout be discounted as a covert message the SPAMer will need to be monitored
So now the Spammer is the "B-party"
So now the government is monitoring millions of SPAM messages from the Spammer
Considering most people receive SPAM inclduing "suspects" any government monitoring will soon get stuck in this SPAM loop
Who ever thought of this... GOOD LUCK
It's funny how the "law-makers" criticize Google/Yahoo for breaching the rights of its users in China one day while expecting the same to be done in the USA because it is in the public good.
On the other hand it's hypocritical of Google to act like the innocent babe in the woods when they accept similar government interference from counties like China as a "cost of doing business".
This would not be a legal-problem if either, handing user data was the "cost of doing business" in the US, or the US lawmakers applied their values of privacy and individual freedom universally.
In some/most cases patents server their intended purpose by enabling true innovation to be rewarded. I say this while looking at millions of $$ of equipment in a research lab that is paid for either by licencing past patents borrowing money against the successful commercialisation of current patents (pending). I think it is valid to patent a new invention when no such invention has existed before, can be demonstrated to work (i.e. not just some abstract idea - eg. warp engines) and there is an intention to commercialise.
:)
I absolutely hate business process patents and will not accept contracts from companies who see that as their ultimate goal. This also applies o software process patents. Thankfully business process patents are still not legal in many countries.
The other "bad" patents I avoid are patents for naturally created "things" like genes. I know number of drug companies hold patents on a certain gene. I am happy for them to have a patent for a drug that will treat a disease caused by the gene, but patenting the gene is IMHO unethical and unacceptable because they did not invent it, and really cant commercialise it. This would be different if they invented a gene that can be "injected" to cure a disease. Otherwise it's a bit like patenting a subatomic particle and charging license fees.
And finally I don't agree with parents where two existing things are combined to make a third. Eg. email using a games console, email using a coke can etc etc. As one of my friends says may be Neil Armstrong should have patented walking on a body other than Earth.
Local lawmakers rushed to introduce emergency legislation banning the use of cyclotrons in home businesses. State health officials took similar steps, and have suspended Swank's permit to operate cyclotrons on his property.
This the same lawmakers who wanted a A bridge to nowhere costing $941 Million?
News flash: New engine turns Lada in to Ferrari>
YEH Right
Actually since the introduction of speed cameras in the early 90's the tend has been down. The result in 2004 was the lowest in 30 years. So I don't think I am "FUCKING STUPID". Check the stats in the link above.
Chandi
You forgot to mention that Victoria has the lowest road toll in all the sates in Australia. And the Australian road toll http://www.atsb.gov.au/road/stats/pdf/rfa2004.pdf is significantly lower than the US toll. http://www.driveandstayalive.com/media%20section/0 40129_press-release_safety-on-american-roads.htm
The USA had an annual rate of 14.8 road deaths per 100,000 people in 2004 compared to 7.99 in Australia.
Having driven all over the world (30 countries+) I find Australia is a lot stricter on enforcement but also has very safe roads. Chandi
This is a recipe for disaster. What about immunisations? What about the stocks of anthrax antidotes Uncle Sam stock piled after the scare in 01?
May be CDC should be out sourced to Pfizer. After all I am sure CompuServe has a very good case against NSF and DOD for ruining their business with this thing called the Internet.
And the Internet has ruined all out freedoms.
There are many US cities and towns outside the Eastern and Western sea board that do not have broadband or only have a single monopoly provider. Same applies to lots of towns in continental Europe and Australia.
I would guess the percentage of the first world population who can access "real" broad band (1M+) is a small fraction of the overall population.
You should try getting broadband in Crete Nebraska or Wyndham Vale near Melbourne Australia.
I have been using wireless broadband from iBurst http://www.iburst.com.au/ for the last few months in Australia. Works great on the train or while driving down the freeway. Only drawback is that the coverage is a bit patchy at the moment.
The way things stand IBM can't possibly commercilise all their patents. The IP they do productise or commercilise can still make sales or licencing revanue. On the otherhand more products there are more services IBM can offer. After all IBM is pitching itself as a services compnay. More products they can service the better. On top of all this they end up looking like a really philantroipc progressive compnay.
I find this too. Though it does seem a lot better parser than IE, which tends to ignore malformed XML. Not much use if you are trying to debug XML streams
You do end up baking the wafers for the Integrated Circuits (IC) in the computer and if the crystals in the IC's are Sugar ...
This makes more sense. I might be buying the OS or a firewall. Putting the EULA on the web doesn't help because I need a OS and the firewall installed before I can go on-line Chandi
Actually what M$ pays its software developers to manufacture (write) their products is their manufacturing cost.