And another anonymous mod out of control. EU sanctions was the original topic. Remember that? What a useless pile of trash/. has become. It has become nothing but swarm of childish, selfish, spoiled children.
The fact that we used to be able to have reasoned discourse here makes it all the more sad.
What exact reasoning did you use to kick this down
to 0 Flamebait? I answered an obvious troll in a reasonable tone, with restraint. If you think my views are incorrect why not just shave a point off? Or better yet, why don't you refute my points?
"you know that USA is already under sanctions (for the first time ever in history) from the EU over "fair trade" (or the lack of it) and its starting to bite
do not piss off those who feed you, 6bn people can continue without 280m troublemakers if that is what it takes for fair world trade.
the present administration has set your standings in the world back by at least 20years if not more, the EU (or the rest of the world) doesn't believe a word you say and Buisness is realising it too, trust once lost is very hard to regain, all in the space of 4years.
shame really because the old America was fun to know
Ok, anonymous troll. I will state this very clearly, for you. With the exception of a very small portion of the population, people in the US have no design for world domination. You call them "280m trouble makers." This is pure nationalistic bigotry.
When the EU has become the dominant trade force (outside of possibly China), as it almost certainly will, will you be condemning the EU for throwing its weight around? Will you be taking to the streets to protest future european corporate giants' behavior overseas? You might personally do this, but I think you will be part of a very small crowd.
Every day in the US, there are citizens trying to oppose unfair trade practices overseas by domestic corporations. Most citizens? No. Most citizens are just trying to get through the work week, feed their families, and pay off their bills. But according to you they are all "troublemakers." It makes it much easier to contemplate fucking them over when you lump them all together that way, isn't it?
Well, here is a little reality check for you. People are the same no matter where you go. We need to stop buying into this whole "region pitted against region" concept we inherited from our anceastors. The only purpose it serves is to allow those in power get more more power.
The only hope for _real_ free trade in the world, would have been a larger economic Union made up of the free democratic nations, everywhere.
But, then people like you would not feel a growing hatred for "outsiders," and a growing sense of power and unity in your specific geographical region. That was the real purpose, afterall.
I have to agree with you, concerning stupidly-inflated market values in the US.
However, the problem is almost impossible to solve at this point.
If the US froze all wages and costs, and waited for inflation to catch up,
they would still have to wait 10 or 15 years for inflation to even it all out.
This would only work if the rest of the world played along... right.
Another thing. I think the reason so many Americans are cranky
about the labor flow overseas is their perception that they are being bled dry.
I'm not sure I could argue with them. They have spent generations building
an industrial infrastructure the rest of the world envies. They have been called upon
for monetary, material, and military assistance by almost every other nation
on earth. There have been years when those in power were of questionable
moral character. But on the whole, the Americans have always had the
reputation as the people you could go to for help when you really needed it.
Deservedly so, I think.
Many Americans are coming to the conclusion that they will never be able
to count on such good will, as they have shown, being reciprocated.
Many Americans are also coming to the conclusion that their government
is out of their control, and in the process of betraying them.
This is an interesting point. If spam is, at best, quasi-legal then would'nt
hiring someone to spam on your behalf be conspiracy? Would'nt this be very easy
to pursue in jurisdictions where spam is already illegal?
Has anyone ever done a profile on the customers of spammers? Who are these people?
time to go/google
I am not unaware of the failings of our current system. Nor am I
unaware of the historical abuses. This is why I advocate reform.
Totalitarian communism proved nationalization of industry crushes innovation.
The Soviet Union had some of the most brilliant individuals in the world.
They also had a gigantic portion of the world's natural resources at their
disposal. They pissed it away.
Although historical abuses of the patent system under democracy/capitalism
have been numerous, this is no reason to give up. We have the opportunity
to try and strike a balance between individual innovation and the application
of vast corporate resources.
You say I should not "expect any sane policy when
the beneficiaries of the
insane policy we're under now are the main contributers to our
elected officials."
I say bullshit. I do, and will continue to, expect sane policy. I
refuse to participate in the group apathy that has become endemic in our community.
I also refuse to give in to any anarchistic urges. Burning it all down would be
stupid and wasteful. We have a chance to do things right here.
Every day we hear about the idiotic results of current patent and copyright
practices. Every day we get to read defeatist, and frankly trite,
posts about how we are mere pawns in a game played by "them." The participants
here at Slashdot could accomplish something if half the time spent on
such posts was to be used for actually thinking and acting
One thing you have to keep in mind is, all patented devices seem obvious when you have the
benefit of hindsight. The first automobiles were nothing more than an "assembly of dozens of really
patent worth[y] technologies..." If you have the foresight, the skill, and the facilities to glom
them together and make something new then go for it.
The proper use of a patent system is the best way to encourage innovation. Unfortunately recent sloppy (and possibly corrupt) patent processing is giving the system a poor reputation. We need to
be encouraging our govenments to fund, train, and staff the patent offices properly.
We also need to be encouraging our representatives to enforce a clear and sane patent policy.
Patents on natural processes, language, and software constructs are purely destructive. Such
patents are the real threat.
I don't know if Eastman Kodak's patents are legit, but if they are not it will be because someone
else thought of the specific device/implementation first. If they legitimately had a "eureka" moment
then they deserve to hold and enforce the patent.
Why the hell would you have a problem with people pushing their own hosting businesses in _this_ thread? The title virtually begs people to do exactly that.
If you have concrete reasons we should stay away from his service, sign in with your actual UID and list them for us.
Every time one of us develops oss without compensation, we hurt as many people as we help. The IBM's of the world are perfectly happy to use your open code to make money. Especially if they did not have to pay you to write it.
You don't get paid. Your local grocers, clothiers, and charities don't get paid either. The corporations have no incentive to create jobs in your locality, invest in your schools, or pay taxes to help with road repair. All the while, their profit margin grows.
Where does that money go? You aren't accepting funding, so the money can't be said to be helping to support oss. Is the money helping to support the poor or middle class of your community? Some of the middle class may have retirement funds which have invested in these corporations. Unfortunately once that money was turned over to a Fund, you and your community lost all say in how any corporation operates.
The only people benefitting from your altruism are those who hold large blocks of or options on the stock, and the end user who can count on a higher quality of software. In the end, you have created a net of less than zero for
your your community.
You did not only export your labor without compensation, you have lessened the quality and amount of opportunity in your community. The next time you have an innovative idea for an oss implementation, form a core team and sell your team's services to an IBM. You get a contract and compensation. Those who want to make uncompensated contributions to the project get their fame, some experience, and the added utility they were needing.
You (and your community) don't have to wonder where the rent check is coming from next month. If you really want to be charitable, pick up an open sourced accounting package and an old pentium machine. Customize the package for a local food bank or community center and donate it to them.
OSS is not about having to form a commune to have shelter and sustenance.
If you add up all of your compile times and your tweaking time, not even over the course of one year will you recover that time with an optimized system.
This does not even include the, seemingly required, 2 hours of daily Slashdot prostelitizing.
Slashdot Mirror
And another anonymous mod out of control. EU sanctions was the original topic. Remember that? What a useless pile of trash /. has become. It has become nothing but swarm of childish, selfish, spoiled children.
The fact that we used to be able to have reasoned discourse here makes it all the more sad.
Hey Mod, just in case you see this.
What exact reasoning did you use to kick this down to 0 Flamebait? I answered an obvious troll in a reasonable tone, with restraint. If you think my views are incorrect why not just shave a point off? Or better yet, why don't you refute my points?
When the EU has become the dominant trade force (outside of possibly China), as it almost certainly will, will you be condemning the EU for throwing its weight around? Will you be taking to the streets to protest future european corporate giants' behavior overseas? You might personally do this, but I think you will be part of a very small crowd.
Every day in the US, there are citizens trying to oppose unfair trade practices overseas by domestic corporations. Most citizens? No. Most citizens are just trying to get through the work week, feed their families, and pay off their bills. But according to you they are all "troublemakers." It makes it much easier to contemplate fucking them over when you lump them all together that way, isn't it?
Well, here is a little reality check for you. People are the same no matter where you go. We need to stop buying into this whole "region pitted against region" concept we inherited from our anceastors. The only purpose it serves is to allow those in power get more more power.
The only hope for _real_ free trade in the world, would have been a larger economic Union made up of the free democratic nations, everywhere.
But, then people like you would not feel a growing hatred for "outsiders," and a growing sense of power and unity in your specific geographical region. That was the real purpose, afterall.
The End of the World
I have to agree with you, concerning stupidly-inflated market values in the US.
However, the problem is almost impossible to solve at this point.
If the US froze all wages and costs, and waited for inflation to catch up,
they would still have to wait 10 or 15 years for inflation to even it all out.
This would only work if the rest of the world played along... right.
Another thing. I think the reason so many Americans are cranky
about the labor flow overseas is their perception that they are being bled dry.
I'm not sure I could argue with them. They have spent generations building
an industrial infrastructure the rest of the world envies. They have been called upon
for monetary, material, and military assistance by almost every other nation
on earth. There have been years when those in power were of questionable
moral character. But on the whole, the Americans have always had the
reputation as the people you could go to for help when you really needed it.
Deservedly so, I think.
Many Americans are coming to the conclusion that they will never be able
to count on such good will, as they have shown, being reciprocated.
Many Americans are also coming to the conclusion that their government
is out of their control, and in the process of betraying them.
This is an interesting point. If spam is, at best, quasi-legal then would'nt
/google
hiring someone to spam on your behalf be conspiracy? Would'nt this be very easy
to pursue in jurisdictions where spam is already illegal?
Has anyone ever done a profile on the customers of spammers? Who are these people?
time to go
I am not unaware of the failings of our current system. Nor am I
unaware of the historical abuses. This is why I advocate reform.
Totalitarian communism proved nationalization of industry crushes innovation.
The Soviet Union had some of the most brilliant individuals in the world.
They also had a gigantic portion of the world's natural resources at their
disposal. They pissed it away.
Although historical abuses of the patent system under democracy/capitalism
have been numerous, this is no reason to give up. We have the opportunity
to try and strike a balance between individual innovation and the application
of vast corporate resources.
You say I should not "expect any sane policy when the beneficiaries of the
insane policy we're under now are the main contributers to our
elected officials."
I say bullshit. I do, and will continue to, expect sane policy. I
refuse to participate in the group apathy that has become endemic in our community.
I also refuse to give in to any anarchistic urges. Burning it all down would be
stupid and wasteful. We have a chance to do things right here.
Every day we hear about the idiotic results of current patent and copyright
practices. Every day we get to read defeatist, and frankly trite,
posts about how we are mere pawns in a game played by "them." The participants
here at Slashdot could accomplish something if half the time spent on
such posts was to be used for actually thinking and acting
One thing you have to keep in mind is, all patented devices seem obvious when you have the
benefit of hindsight. The first automobiles were nothing more than an "assembly of dozens of really
patent worth[y] technologies..." If you have the foresight, the skill, and the facilities to glom
them together and make something new then go for it.
The proper use of a patent system is the best way to encourage innovation. Unfortunately recent
sloppy (and possibly corrupt) patent processing is giving the system a poor reputation. We need to
be encouraging our govenments to fund, train, and staff the patent offices properly.
We also need to be encouraging our representatives to enforce a clear and sane patent policy.
Patents on natural processes, language, and software constructs are purely destructive. Such
patents are the real threat.
I don't know if Eastman Kodak's patents are legit, but if they are not it will be because someone
else thought of the specific device/implementation first. If they legitimately had a "eureka" moment
then they deserve to hold and enforce the patent.
Why the hell would you have a problem with people pushing their own hosting businesses in _this_ thread? The title virtually begs people to do exactly that. If you have concrete reasons we should stay away from his service, sign in with your actual UID and list them for us.
Every time one of us develops oss without compensation, we hurt as many people as we help. The IBM's of the world are perfectly happy to use your open code to make money. Especially if they did not have to pay you to write it.
You don't get paid. Your local grocers, clothiers, and charities don't get paid either. The corporations have no incentive to create jobs in your locality, invest in your schools, or pay taxes to help with road repair. All the while, their profit margin grows.
Where does that money go? You aren't accepting funding, so the money can't be said to be helping to support oss. Is the money helping to support the poor or middle class of your community? Some of the middle class may have retirement funds which have invested in these corporations. Unfortunately once that money was turned over to a Fund, you and your community lost all say in how any corporation operates.
The only people benefitting from your altruism are those who hold large blocks of or options on the stock, and the end user who can count on a higher quality of software. In the end, you have created a net of less than zero for your your community.
You did not only export your labor without compensation, you have lessened the quality and amount of opportunity in your community. The next time you have an innovative idea for an oss implementation, form a core team and sell your team's services to an IBM. You get a contract and compensation. Those who want to make uncompensated contributions to the project get their fame, some experience, and the added utility they were needing.
You (and your community) don't have to wonder where the rent check is coming from next month. If you really want to be charitable, pick up an open sourced accounting package and an old pentium machine. Customize the package for a local food bank or community center and donate it to them.
OSS is not about having to form a commune to have shelter and sustenance.
If you add up all of your compile times and your tweaking time, not even over the course of one year will you recover that time with an optimized system. This does not even include the, seemingly required, 2 hours of daily Slashdot prostelitizing.
Thanks for the link.