I stopped using RealPlayer after the "G2" version came out (1998, I think?). Even then, it was becoming bloated crapware. Just what I want is for Microsoft, how ever evil they may be, to be FORCED to include that crapware with Windows. OS X includes iTunes, and nobody complains about that. Most Linux distros include XMMS, and nobody cries.
RealNetworks has done more damage to themselves than anyone else could, through the overpromotion of unstable software, with annoying ads, and 192352398235 different taskbar crapplets that nobody wants. After most streaming sources went to either streaming MP3 or WMA, Real pretty much died. They lost a market they created due to poor management and bad software. Nobody cares about them anymore, and frankly, I wish they'd just get bought or disappear alltogether.
Note to mods: please only select the "-1 Flamebait" box if you REALLY think I'm flaming. Personally, I don't think I am, but it's up to you.
You seem to lack a fundamental understanding of copyright law, or law in general. Just because you believe that you have a right to do something doesn't mean you have said right, especially if the law explicitly states that you do NOT. There is a certain amount of fair-use that applies to broadcasted content, but it is by no means public domain.
Dont like that? Then dont broadcast it.
I believe that all of the media corporations (and their lawyers) would strongly disagree with that statement. The laws at the moment also contradict you.
Ever since it was Exposed that Mr. Cringely blatantly lied about having a PhD and being Stanford professor, I don't think anybody cares about his opinion anymore.
I actually think that would be a good idea. It would be a lot easier to sell "Mozilla Browser" to someone than "Mozilla Firefox", although Mozilla itself is kind of an odd name. I love Firefox, but I can't even count how many times I've gotten a very odd look, followed by: "You want to deploy a program called Mozilla Firefox to all of the mission critical workstations? HA!"
They advertise 200mbps at the speed now, kind of how when cable internet was first emerging it was advertised at 45mbps (which it is capable of under good conditions assuming you don't have a cap). However, we all know there is going to be a cap of some kind. Plus, due to potential RF interference issues, I wouldn't be surprised if BPL gets shot down by the amateur radio crowd.
I'm a big fan of the idea of faster internet access available to everybody. Especially those who live in rural areas. Nonetheless, given the success of power line networking up to this point, I'd say it's best to leave communications and power seperate.
I don't see what the huge deal about Podcasting is. People have been putting compressed audio files on the internet for years. Hell, I've been listening to 2600's "Off The Hook" in downloadable format for a LONG time now.
Nonetheless, many of these indie podcasts lack the professionalism of a real radio show. If I want to hear a talk show, I'd like to hear something worth listening to... not a bunch of laughing 14 year old boys huddled around a microphone talking about political things they don't understand. If you want to hear something truly worth listening to, then try tuning into a smaller market radio station. They tend to be less strict in their programming choices than huge-market megacorporation stations.
All in all, I'm not saying that Podcasting is bad. However, I'll laugh when all the podcasters rush out to spend $499 each on RE-20 mics and other equipment... program quality comes before audio quality.
Why would I want to pay $129 for a Linux distro that tries to emulate Windows when I can buy the current top-of-the-line version of Windows for $11 more?
Even if it isn't "nice" to apply for all of those patents, it is a good business decision. Microsoft doesn't exist to be nice, they exist to profit. Welcome to Capitalism.
You have a good point that I agree with to some extent. However, why is it fair to punish the end user because of the shortcomings of their browser? Many people aren't informed enough to even have the opportunity to switch to Firefox. They'll just think "ah, that website sucks. moving on". Which, of course, is not good for the website.
I do believe that Firefox will slowly but surely catch up to IE in terms of market share. At that point, once more and more people are informed, Microsoft's only choice will be to develop something better (i.e. standards compliant and secure) in order to attempt to regain what they've lost. I'm hoping that competition will once again drive the browser industry to develop new things that will benefit us all.
I may not like Internet Explorer, but it's just plain imprudent to *not* support it.
My multilink plugin code adds full support for this feature to Firefox browsers, but only partially to any recent versions of Internet Explorer due to its CSS implementation shortcomings (full support may be upcoming if there is any users demand)
Uhhh... try 80% of all internet users? We're not going to get the average 'net user to switch to Firefox by pissing him/her off with incompatibilities. What happens when a media item that I want to watch is only available for realplayer? I don't watch it.
I'd also like to point out: shouldn't a PhD be able to keep spyware off of his computer in the first place? I don't have a problem on mine, thanks to the use of Mozilla Firefox. Hell, I don't have a problem at work either with the combination of IE + Microsoft AntiSpyware.
Yeah... then your $400 new computer is going to get infected, are you going to throw it out and buy yet another?
Average Joes don't want to run Linux, because their programs won't run on it (if they even know about Linux in the first place, chances are, they don't). Mac Minis don't count, because they're over $400. Hence, whoever wrote TFA could use an extra helping of logic.
Walt Disney is dead. He was a cartoon animator who really had nothing to do the current state of the Disney corporation. Don't blame him for how it is today.
I visited Disney world recently, and didn't really have a problem with the scanning machines. They're not fingerprint scanners (if anybody can tell me how to scan a fingerprint through brushed aluminum, you get a hug). They make the whole park entering process fairly automated. Each person takes around 8 seconds to enter, depending on how fast they are walking.
Disney has a right to protect their sources of revenue by deploying automated means to check if people entering the park are valid ticketholders. If you don't agree with it, then don't go to Disney world.
You do NOT have the right to go around and use any access point you want. Although the owner of the home should have secured his network, just because it's not protected doesn't make it public. If you buy a CD that isn't copy protected then does that make it legal to share all across the internet? Of course not.
If I had an open wireless access point, I probably wouldn't mind if somebody stopped outside my house for about 5 minues to use the internet (I'd be watching their activity anyway). However, if somebody sat there for several hours, it would be quite concerning.
Slashdot Mirror
I stopped using RealPlayer after the "G2" version came out (1998, I think?). Even then, it was becoming bloated crapware. Just what I want is for Microsoft, how ever evil they may be, to be FORCED to include that crapware with Windows. OS X includes iTunes, and nobody complains about that. Most Linux distros include XMMS, and nobody cries.
RealNetworks has done more damage to themselves than anyone else could, through the overpromotion of unstable software, with annoying ads, and 192352398235 different taskbar crapplets that nobody wants. After most streaming sources went to either streaming MP3 or WMA, Real pretty much died. They lost a market they created due to poor management and bad software. Nobody cares about them anymore, and frankly, I wish they'd just get bought or disappear alltogether.
Note to mods: please only select the "-1 Flamebait" box if you REALLY think I'm flaming. Personally, I don't think I am, but it's up to you.
From dumb terminal to workstation, back to dumb terminal... ah, the odd cycle of computer technology.
I don't know about you all, but I'd rather have $500k in cash than send a phisher to jail. If only I lived in California...
Stunning news. Somebody moved. Stop the world, I want to get off.
:P
You must be new around here.
Yeah, but this doesn't apply to you. US Law != Australian Law. Stop making me feel bad...
Ever since it was Exposed that Mr. Cringely blatantly lied about having a PhD and being Stanford professor, I don't think anybody cares about his opinion anymore.
I actually think that would be a good idea. It would be a lot easier to sell "Mozilla Browser" to someone than "Mozilla Firefox", although Mozilla itself is kind of an odd name. I love Firefox, but I can't even count how many times I've gotten a very odd look, followed by: "You want to deploy a program called Mozilla Firefox to all of the mission critical workstations? HA!"
They advertise 200mbps at the speed now, kind of how when cable internet was first emerging it was advertised at 45mbps (which it is capable of under good conditions assuming you don't have a cap). However, we all know there is going to be a cap of some kind. Plus, due to potential RF interference issues, I wouldn't be surprised if BPL gets shot down by the amateur radio crowd.
I'm a big fan of the idea of faster internet access available to everybody. Especially those who live in rural areas. Nonetheless, given the success of power line networking up to this point, I'd say it's best to leave communications and power seperate.
Gah, I'm a dumbass. The poster above me said exactly what I was trying to say.
BZFlag is fun, for a while at least. But, the graphics aren't something to benchmark a card by. I'm pretty sure my 486 could run it *very* smoothly.
Yeah, that is true. I retract my statement. Whoever modded me "-1 Troll" ought to have a look at the moderator guidelines, though.
Yeah, I'm reading about this on a site called "News for Nerds. Stuff that matters." because _______________________. Fill in the blank. Kthx.
I don't see what the huge deal about Podcasting is. People have been putting compressed audio files on the internet for years. Hell, I've been listening to 2600's "Off The Hook" in downloadable format for a LONG time now.
Nonetheless, many of these indie podcasts lack the professionalism of a real radio show. If I want to hear a talk show, I'd like to hear something worth listening to... not a bunch of laughing 14 year old boys huddled around a microphone talking about political things they don't understand. If you want to hear something truly worth listening to, then try tuning into a smaller market radio station. They tend to be less strict in their programming choices than huge-market megacorporation stations.
All in all, I'm not saying that Podcasting is bad. However, I'll laugh when all the podcasters rush out to spend $499 each on RE-20 mics and other equipment... program quality comes before audio quality.
Why would I want to pay $129 for a Linux distro that tries to emulate Windows when I can buy the current top-of-the-line version of Windows for $11 more?
Heh, that's flamebait if I've ever seen it.
Even if it isn't "nice" to apply for all of those patents, it is a good business decision. Microsoft doesn't exist to be nice, they exist to profit. Welcome to Capitalism.
Microsoft complains about Linux by making up random sentences with little or no technical background.
In other news, in an amazing turn of events, the earth continues to revolve around the sun.
You have a good point that I agree with to some extent. However, why is it fair to punish the end user because of the shortcomings of their browser? Many people aren't informed enough to even have the opportunity to switch to Firefox. They'll just think "ah, that website sucks. moving on". Which, of course, is not good for the website.
I do believe that Firefox will slowly but surely catch up to IE in terms of market share. At that point, once more and more people are informed, Microsoft's only choice will be to develop something better (i.e. standards compliant and secure) in order to attempt to regain what they've lost. I'm hoping that competition will once again drive the browser industry to develop new things that will benefit us all.
I'd also like to point out: shouldn't a PhD be able to keep spyware off of his computer in the first place? I don't have a problem on mine, thanks to the use of Mozilla Firefox. Hell, I don't have a problem at work either with the combination of IE + Microsoft AntiSpyware.
Yeah... then your $400 new computer is going to get infected, are you going to throw it out and buy yet another? Average Joes don't want to run Linux, because their programs won't run on it (if they even know about Linux in the first place, chances are, they don't). Mac Minis don't count, because they're over $400. Hence, whoever wrote TFA could use an extra helping of logic.
Walt Disney is dead. He was a cartoon animator who really had nothing to do the current state of the Disney corporation. Don't blame him for how it is today.
I visited Disney world recently, and didn't really have a problem with the scanning machines. They're not fingerprint scanners (if anybody can tell me how to scan a fingerprint through brushed aluminum, you get a hug). They make the whole park entering process fairly automated. Each person takes around 8 seconds to enter, depending on how fast they are walking.
Disney has a right to protect their sources of revenue by deploying automated means to check if people entering the park are valid ticketholders. If you don't agree with it, then don't go to Disney world.
Why? I'm going to use whatever browser is better. Firefox or IE, makes no difference to me.
Brand loyalty is for morons.
-1 Troll
These posts are seen on Slashdot all the time, and they're still incredibly annoying.
You do NOT have the right to go around and use any access point you want. Although the owner of the home should have secured his network, just because it's not protected doesn't make it public. If you buy a CD that isn't copy protected then does that make it legal to share all across the internet? Of course not.
If I had an open wireless access point, I probably wouldn't mind if somebody stopped outside my house for about 5 minues to use the internet (I'd be watching their activity anyway). However, if somebody sat there for several hours, it would be quite concerning.