It still stinks to me. I would bet even money that another respected study group could come up with entirely different results than NPD and still be 'right'. At any rate, it can still be skewed by political agendas and stuff real easy, and anybody that stands to gain from a skewed study will never admit that. There's a whole lot at stake in this so-called p2p 'war'. More than people realize, and I believe it will degenerate into neverending oneupmanship with bought laws and draconian DRM schemes, and self proclaimed 'freedom fighters' that will endeavor to break the system and disregard the law. It seems that that's what both sides are preparing for.
If iTunes was making a good profit, then I would be convinced that the study is right on the mark and that people are bailing out of p2p. Then again, I don't think I would need a study to explain the obvious. It's looking more to me like the RIAA is desperate to put the finger in the dyke with this DRM crap, and hoping that the tech industry will bail them out via this TCPA initiative. It really looks pretty bad once you look at the big picture. Of course, I would argue that the RIAA needs to sign on some real talent, and not these no talent, sellout, mindless, corporate automatons. You know, artists that are worthy of a paycheck. Perhaps things would be a little different now.
One other thing I can say is that with people on all sides looking into p2p - either to pirate or to poison the networks, Usenet suddenly looks like another place to share mp3s without getting caught. IRC and IM is another way. Ultimately, they'll have to pull the plug on the whole damned Internet if the RIAA hopes to stop it all, and somehow, I don't think that'll ever happen, and although I don't feel that filesharing is as evil and immoral that the RIAA claims, if people are going to share the music, at least thank your favorite artists by making sure they eat, too. I feel certain that they've earned it and without them, p2p wouldn't have a point other than for pirating warez.
I don't think I'll be wanting to use any of your USB flash drives. Then again, with chunks of corn and shit all over it, you'll never, ever have to worry about anyone swiping it. That's for sure!;-)
What I don't understand is why you would carry any kind of personal email coorespondance on company property and on company time anyways, and then expect privacy, too.
If you want privacy while passing email around, I'd suggest that you use your own computer on your own property. Corporations do have the rights to their property and their internal network. Therefore, I would also suggest that you leave your work issues at work and your home issues at home. That's all I can really say about it. It's not legal advice because IANAL, but just my two cents.
I'm simply not buying it. Anybody can make up statistics that suit their own political agenda, but it doesn't mean that it's actually true. Gee whiz, with all the lawsuits flying around, do you think people are going to actually admit to strangers that they're using p2p?
I can only speak from what I know, and what I know is this. About half the people I know use p2p. Hardly anyone uses iTunes and absolutely nobody will touch Napster nor will they deal with DRM'd WMA files. In the meantime, I keep hearing how these 'legitimate' music sites are supposedly moving people off of p2p but I'm also hearing that none of these sites are actually making any money.
As for me personally, I'm not going to waste my time with music anymore. There's too much greed, too much selfishness, too much political grandstanding, too much unbending extremism, and too much ignorance on all sides of the debate for me to waste any more time on this issue. If it isn't one side trying to play me, it's the other.
Therefore, my view is now this. Fuck the artists, fuck the pirates, fuck the RIAA, and fuck everyone involved that has colluded together to destroy all things that were once good about the music scene. I shall now move on to more important issues like patent reform.,the ongoing Intel vs. AMD debate, and things of that nature.
I got an idea, why don't you prove your point by laying down some facts to back up your claims. Otherwise, you sound like a fucking asshole with no credibility to your name. Meanwhile, if you don't like people's opinions here, then go lurk somewhere else.
Insightful? Insightful my ass! Mod that troll shit DOWN!!
I simply sell the old relic to some dumb schmo, or post it on ebay and watch people bid on it. They can deal with disposing it when they don't want it anymore, and I'll be more than happy to ship it to them.
Why in the hell should I have to pay someone just to get rid of the damned thing anyway? That's just totally retarded, especially so when people are willing to pay good money for things like certain laptop parts and stuff. Like the LCD displays for one. When you throw that kind of stuff out in the trash, you're practically throwing money away. Meanwhile, you can relax knowing that it's not you that's tossing that toxic stuff into the landfill. Maybe that's like 'passing the buck' or whatnot, but doing good deeds alone won't put food on the table, either.
I remember ordering a Athlon64 3500+ PIB (Winchester) from TigerDirect just last winter and their web site stated that the component was in stock, so I ordered it. Come to find out, it wasn't available at all and it was backordered instead. I was plenty pissed about it so I cancelled it. Not because it was on backorder, but because I felt that I was lied to when the site said it was available when in fact it wasn't. At least I didn't have any problems with their service department, but nevertheless, I don't think I'll order anything from them again. Instead, I went to ZipZoomFly.com and got the NewCastle PIB instead of waiting for the Winchester.
I can't speak about the lawsuit itself except that the timing of it is really suspicious, but if Lindows is supposedly a trademark violation, then maybe this is, too. Then again, what do I know? IANAL.
...virtual PC emulation at speeds as fast as the host? Surely programs like VMWare and friends will definately benefit from a second core. Run Windows and Linux at the same time without slowing each other down? Now who's not a little intrigued about that? Even if you're not into that, it could still add a snappier response for general use. If you're into saving power, just run with both barrels when you need to, and when you don't, just have it turn off one of the cores, and throttle back the clock rate and voltage kind of like AMD Cool and Quiet. And if you do Folding@Home and stuff like that, just have the program take one core and use the other core as normal, or let it have both cores at once. Why complain about how it will cause bloated software? Don't people remember when Windows 3.1 was considered bloatware way back in the day?
Wish I could drop Verizon as a landline provider, but that's all there is in my neck of the woods. No Verizon = no dial-up for me. Not in a place where cell phone coverage is for shit and broadband is nonexistant. With that said, I'm considering on moving back downstate anyways and for other reasons besides a lack of choices other than 'Verizon or nothing'.
Uh, have you been watching the news lately? With the recent Congressional intrusion into our private lives regarding the right to live/die, I'll submit that the neocon retards are going to lose a whole lot of seats in Congress in 2006. Far as I'm concerned, I've had more than enough of this radical right wing garbage and I'll wager that most of the American Public will agree with me.
Of course, if the liberals have any sense, then they better not push for Howard Dean in 2008, either, lest it be a stupid pissing match between him and Jeb Bush.
Far as I'm concerned, anybody that compares the US today with 1935 Germany is nothing but a greasy political tool and is disrespectful not only to those that faced persecution and annihilation in 1935 Nazi Germany, but also dishonors all that died in 9/11 just for going to work and doing their jobs, and also dishonors all that fought against tyranny and died in World War II as well. But some people are completely shameless, I suppose.
The money in your pocket is governed by fair and just anti-counterfeiting laws. Not by unfair and draconian copyright laws.
Also, it's a public interest in making sure that nobody is giving me counterfeit money. It's not a public interest to make sure that I'm not given counterfeit music.
There's a lot of strange people here who seem to think that they have the right to barge into my house and dictate to me what I can and can't do with my stuff. Sorry, but I have the right to whatever the hell I want with my stuff provided I'm not breaking Copyright Law. I'll acknowledge that I didn't buy the exclusive rights to the album, but that's not what I'm fighting for, either. Point is, the CD and the content inside is mine and if I want to make backups, mp3s, transfer to an iPod, use it for skeet shooting, etc. That's my right, period. Now picture this. One copy of a CD or DVD is sold, and some idiot decides to share it on p2p. Does it really prove that nobody else will buy the CD or DVD anymore? Market data seems to prove otherwise now doesn't it? Now, how much would I charge for that CD? Well, lets see. It's only less than a dollar for me to make a pressed CD, and since my artists are all practically indentured servants thanks to my lawyer's shrewd contract negotiating skills, the cost of paying them will be negligible. Yeah the recording equipment is expensive, but I've already paid that off long ago thanks to those same indentured servants. Meanwhile, I can kick back and play the 'piracy' card anytime I want as a guise to jack up the prices even more. So really, the only substantial expenses I have to make are to my lawyers. Other than that, since I hold all the copyrights, I get all the royalties. Who gives a fuck if I have no friends in the world? I got all the judges and all the politicians in my pocket.
Thanks to assholes like that, this is what started filesharing in the first place, and this is what caused my long standing boycott of the RIAA. And by the way, even if all filesharing stopped right now, they'll still push for DRM as hard as ever. Face it. It's not about rights, it's about power, money, and control. If I was the RIAA and had their mindset, there's no fucking way I will ever let the cat out of the bag again once I've succeeded in stuffing it back in. Anybody that thinks otherwise is an utterly naive and galactically stupid asshat that doesn't know dick about what they're talking about.
By the way, there's a big difference between shoplifting and copyright infringement, so don't bother wasting your time and mine by trying to sell me the line that filesharing is stealing. It's not and no amount of spin will ever change that fact, period.
I do. Compulsory Licensing. Add a tax on ISPs so that people can share whatever they want, and distribute the royalties based on popularity of the files on the p2p networks.
Now of course the RIAA doesn't want it, because they don't have the control. So? They'll be getting paid anyways. They can STFU. I say use Congress to force it on them. They're pretty good at butting into private matters these days re: the Terry Schivo matter. We ought to be pestering Congress with enough letters for them to actually resolve this matter. Otherwise it will be a neverending digital arms race and we all lose.
Oh, and while Congress is at it, they can fix the DMCA, too. It's our tax money, they can do something useful for once.
But for those that don't, here it is. Fuck DRM, and fuck all those pro-DRM fanatics, and everyone batting for them that have wet dreams of using it to violate my fair use rights. I will never submit or capitulate to DRM. Never. It doesn't make a difference to me if the CD costs $10, $25, or 99 cents. Cost is not the point. Freedom is, and I refuse to fund a system that doesn't give two shits about the artists, and that which would bite the hand that feeds them.
Oh, but mjh49746, don't you know that piracy is everybody's problem? No, it's not my problem for the simple fact that I don't buy CDs from the Scumbag 5. I refuse to help them, nor will I have their dirty files on my hard drive - let alone 'share' them. It's either indies without DRM, or no deal.
Now as for DVD Jon, I personally don't think he's helping matters all that much in the short term, but in the end, him and others like him will eventually drive home the point that DRM is stupid, immoral, and a very expensive test of futility. Besides, this is a full blown 'war' for digital freedom. There's no high or low road to take here. It's 'win at all costs'! The **AA are going to do everything they can do to subvert Copyright Law and reverse the Betamax Decision. This is no joke, people. If the RIAA wins and that cocksucker Orrin Hatch has his way, we're all going to learn first hand exactly what draconian corporate oppression really means.
immediately they're overtaken by AMD64s and G5s once they get on the freeway. They're really easy to spot with an infrared camera, too. Kinda like overheated, broken down cars.
That Macs are not as immune to malware as people make them out to be?
We could yap all day about how one operating system is supposedly more secure than another, but anybody that actually has an idea on what good security is knows it's all theocratic horseshit. It's not the OS, it's the user. You can have the most secure OS on the planet, but if you're a clueless mindfuck for a user, then you'll get 0wn3d, period. All OS's have that fatal flaw and all the mindless bible thumping in the world will NOT change that fact. Ever!
Not just anybody can do that. If I gave all the necessary components to build a computer to my father and told him to put it together, he won't have the first damned clue where to start.
In the meanwhile, I do it with love. I test everything thoroughly, I buy quality stuff and I'll guarantee my work. Now does everybody do that? Surely you jest!
Now, if you define building a computer as designing a PCB, loading it into a machine, laying out the circuit lines onto the board and soldering in all the discrete components and supporting hardware, Northbridge, BIOS ROM, Super I/O chip, and all the goodies, well I guess I'm out of my league, there. Then again, I'm not a computer factory either. That's why I buy from Asus.
Fair enough, and if I was wrongly arrested, then I'd be more than miffed that someone could keep my DNA. However, AFAIK they're already keeping your fingerprints regardless if you're convicted or not. Where's the outrage in that? I think it's pretty silly to complain about one injustice while overlooking another.
I didn't think 'lawsuit opportunity' when I read it, but after you said it, I'm suprised that I missed it. Looks like another money making scheme to me.
I just saw DNA databasing as just another kind of technology. It's the people that will either use it for benevolant or malevolent intentions, but that's common with a lot of technologies. I just refuse to live in constant state of fear and paranoia just because somebody invented a product or an idea that might possibly get misused for bad things. That's not any way to live, period.
Even the word 'engineer' don't mean dick these days. Hell, I could be the sanitation engineer in a school. What would I do? Push a goddamn broom all day for peanuts. Big f---ing deal.;-)
Him stating that he was an engineer sure as hell didn't impress me. I'm no engineer yet I can still build a sweet Athlon64 box, but if I had my way, I'd go back into my childhood and bring back with me the Apple ][c,e, or gs that I always wanted. Can't do that, but I can still find them on eBay.
Your boss must be a wimp. I would've canned your ass right then and there if I caught you doing that to my equipment.
If you want to destroy your defective hardware, then be my guest. It wouldn't be the first time I've thrashed an occasional broken DVD-ROM, mouse, or whatever myself. However, I don't treat working hardware like that - regardless of whether it's mine or not. That just shows a lack of judgement, poor self-control, and lack of respect for property.
Slashdot Mirror
1. Use just once.
2. Realize you've been fucked.
3. Toss it out and get a real printer.
4. More $$$ down the drain.
If iTunes was making a good profit, then I would be convinced that the study is right on the mark and that people are bailing out of p2p. Then again, I don't think I would need a study to explain the obvious. It's looking more to me like the RIAA is desperate to put the finger in the dyke with this DRM crap, and hoping that the tech industry will bail them out via this TCPA initiative. It really looks pretty bad once you look at the big picture. Of course, I would argue that the RIAA needs to sign on some real talent, and not these no talent, sellout, mindless, corporate automatons. You know, artists that are worthy of a paycheck. Perhaps things would be a little different now.
One other thing I can say is that with people on all sides looking into p2p - either to pirate or to poison the networks, Usenet suddenly looks like another place to share mp3s without getting caught. IRC and IM is another way. Ultimately, they'll have to pull the plug on the whole damned Internet if the RIAA hopes to stop it all, and somehow, I don't think that'll ever happen, and although I don't feel that filesharing is as evil and immoral that the RIAA claims, if people are going to share the music, at least thank your favorite artists by making sure they eat, too. I feel certain that they've earned it and without them, p2p wouldn't have a point other than for pirating warez.
I don't think I'll be wanting to use any of your USB flash drives. Then again, with chunks of corn and shit all over it, you'll never, ever have to worry about anyone swiping it. That's for sure! ;-)
If you want privacy while passing email around, I'd suggest that you use your own computer on your own property. Corporations do have the rights to their property and their internal network. Therefore, I would also suggest that you leave your work issues at work and your home issues at home. That's all I can really say about it. It's not legal advice because IANAL, but just my two cents.
I can only speak from what I know, and what I know is this. About half the people I know use p2p. Hardly anyone uses iTunes and absolutely nobody will touch Napster nor will they deal with DRM'd WMA files. In the meantime, I keep hearing how these 'legitimate' music sites are supposedly moving people off of p2p but I'm also hearing that none of these sites are actually making any money.
As for me personally, I'm not going to waste my time with music anymore. There's too much greed, too much selfishness, too much political grandstanding, too much unbending extremism, and too much ignorance on all sides of the debate for me to waste any more time on this issue. If it isn't one side trying to play me, it's the other.
Therefore, my view is now this. Fuck the artists, fuck the pirates, fuck the RIAA, and fuck everyone involved that has colluded together to destroy all things that were once good about the music scene. I shall now move on to more important issues like patent reform.,the ongoing Intel vs. AMD debate, and things of that nature.
I got an idea, why don't you prove your point by laying down some facts to back up your claims. Otherwise, you sound like a fucking asshole with no credibility to your name. Meanwhile, if you don't like people's opinions here, then go lurk somewhere else.
Insightful? Insightful my ass! Mod that troll shit DOWN!!
Why in the hell should I have to pay someone just to get rid of the damned thing anyway? That's just totally retarded, especially so when people are willing to pay good money for things like certain laptop parts and stuff. Like the LCD displays for one. When you throw that kind of stuff out in the trash, you're practically throwing money away. Meanwhile, you can relax knowing that it's not you that's tossing that toxic stuff into the landfill. Maybe that's like 'passing the buck' or whatnot, but doing good deeds alone won't put food on the table, either.
I can't speak about the lawsuit itself except that the timing of it is really suspicious, but if Lindows is supposedly a trademark violation, then maybe this is, too. Then again, what do I know? IANAL.
...virtual PC emulation at speeds as fast as the host? Surely programs like VMWare and friends will definately benefit from a second core. Run Windows and Linux at the same time without slowing each other down? Now who's not a little intrigued about that? Even if you're not into that, it could still add a snappier response for general use. If you're into saving power, just run with both barrels when you need to, and when you don't, just have it turn off one of the cores, and throttle back the clock rate and voltage kind of like AMD Cool and Quiet. And if you do Folding@Home and stuff like that, just have the program take one core and use the other core as normal, or let it have both cores at once. Why complain about how it will cause bloated software? Don't people remember when Windows 3.1 was considered bloatware way back in the day?
and by the way, they can screw themselves if they think i'll get into a cell contract with them.
Wish I could drop Verizon as a landline provider, but that's all there is in my neck of the woods. No Verizon = no dial-up for me. Not in a place where cell phone coverage is for shit and broadband is nonexistant. With that said, I'm considering on moving back downstate anyways and for other reasons besides a lack of choices other than 'Verizon or nothing'.
Of course, if the liberals have any sense, then they better not push for Howard Dean in 2008, either, lest it be a stupid pissing match between him and Jeb Bush.
Far as I'm concerned, anybody that compares the US today with 1935 Germany is nothing but a greasy political tool and is disrespectful not only to those that faced persecution and annihilation in 1935 Nazi Germany, but also dishonors all that died in 9/11 just for going to work and doing their jobs, and also dishonors all that fought against tyranny and died in World War II as well. But some people are completely shameless, I suppose.
Also, it's a public interest in making sure that nobody is giving me counterfeit money. It's not a public interest to make sure that I'm not given counterfeit music.
Lastly, money has tangible value. Music doesn't.
Thanks to assholes like that, this is what started filesharing in the first place, and this is what caused my long standing boycott of the RIAA. And by the way, even if all filesharing stopped right now, they'll still push for DRM as hard as ever. Face it. It's not about rights, it's about power, money, and control. If I was the RIAA and had their mindset, there's no fucking way I will ever let the cat out of the bag again once I've succeeded in stuffing it back in. Anybody that thinks otherwise is an utterly naive and galactically stupid asshat that doesn't know dick about what they're talking about.
By the way, there's a big difference between shoplifting and copyright infringement, so don't bother wasting your time and mine by trying to sell me the line that filesharing is stealing. It's not and no amount of spin will ever change that fact, period.
If that means I do without, then so be it. My rights are not for sale, period.
Now of course the RIAA doesn't want it, because they don't have the control. So? They'll be getting paid anyways. They can STFU. I say use Congress to force it on them. They're pretty good at butting into private matters these days re: the Terry Schivo matter. We ought to be pestering Congress with enough letters for them to actually resolve this matter. Otherwise it will be a neverending digital arms race and we all lose.
Oh, and while Congress is at it, they can fix the DMCA, too. It's our tax money, they can do something useful for once.
Oh, but mjh49746, don't you know that piracy is everybody's problem? No, it's not my problem for the simple fact that I don't buy CDs from the Scumbag 5. I refuse to help them, nor will I have their dirty files on my hard drive - let alone 'share' them. It's either indies without DRM, or no deal.
Now as for DVD Jon, I personally don't think he's helping matters all that much in the short term, but in the end, him and others like him will eventually drive home the point that DRM is stupid, immoral, and a very expensive test of futility. Besides, this is a full blown 'war' for digital freedom. There's no high or low road to take here. It's 'win at all costs'! The **AA are going to do everything they can do to subvert Copyright Law and reverse the Betamax Decision. This is no joke, people. If the RIAA wins and that cocksucker Orrin Hatch has his way, we're all going to learn first hand exactly what draconian corporate oppression really means.
immediately they're overtaken by AMD64s and G5s once they get on the freeway. They're really easy to spot with an infrared camera, too. Kinda like overheated, broken down cars.
And I thought I was just a low down dirty bastard.
Maybe they need a Pentium 5? (ducking)
We could yap all day about how one operating system is supposedly more secure than another, but anybody that actually has an idea on what good security is knows it's all theocratic horseshit. It's not the OS, it's the user. You can have the most secure OS on the planet, but if you're a clueless mindfuck for a user, then you'll get 0wn3d, period. All OS's have that fatal flaw and all the mindless bible thumping in the world will NOT change that fact. Ever!
In the meanwhile, I do it with love. I test everything thoroughly, I buy quality stuff and I'll guarantee my work. Now does everybody do that? Surely you jest!
Now, if you define building a computer as designing a PCB, loading it into a machine, laying out the circuit lines onto the board and soldering in all the discrete components and supporting hardware, Northbridge, BIOS ROM, Super I/O chip, and all the goodies, well I guess I'm out of my league, there. Then again, I'm not a computer factory either. That's why I buy from Asus.
I didn't think 'lawsuit opportunity' when I read it, but after you said it, I'm suprised that I missed it. Looks like another money making scheme to me.
I just saw DNA databasing as just another kind of technology. It's the people that will either use it for benevolant or malevolent intentions, but that's common with a lot of technologies. I just refuse to live in constant state of fear and paranoia just because somebody invented a product or an idea that might possibly get misused for bad things. That's not any way to live, period.
Him stating that he was an engineer sure as hell didn't impress me. I'm no engineer yet I can still build a sweet Athlon64 box, but if I had my way, I'd go back into my childhood and bring back with me the Apple ][c,e, or gs that I always wanted. Can't do that, but I can still find them on eBay.
If you want to destroy your defective hardware, then be my guest. It wouldn't be the first time I've thrashed an occasional broken DVD-ROM, mouse, or whatever myself. However, I don't treat working hardware like that - regardless of whether it's mine or not. That just shows a lack of judgement, poor self-control, and lack of respect for property.