I find it really ironic that the best chipsets for ATI video cards have been made by nVidia (nForce/2/3/4). That may change once the new ATI based mobos come out. One would hope they take special care to make sure their cards work on them.
Oh and beside the whole chipset issue there is the whole brand issue and that's before you get to the "just unlucky to get a bad card" issue. If you're buying some cheapass clone brand don't be surprised if things play up. The manufacturers shave prices by cutting costs on the components they use. Your $400 card may be let down because they decided to build it using 10c capacitors instead of 25c ones.
Bludgers is also often used to refer to anyone who is "being lazy" not just dole bludgers. So you could be bludging at school or bludging in a sporting team or whatever:)
On topic again... How cool would that be though. "Yeah I've been coding an OSS project... eMule. Now can I have my payment?"
I agree with the spouse restriction too. Built a setup for a friend with a wife and four kids (ages 8-14). Told him the password and asked whether he wanted the missus to know. He said yes so she got told as well. A week later I got a call complaining the PC was playing up. Turns out mum gave all four kids the admin password because "they couldn't install kaazaa". *sigh*
At which point the kids merrily installed whatever they liked and tinkered with settings they shouldn't have. Result: One stuffed PC.
I must say though that I should have not given *any* of them the admin password. Just let them call me if they needed something serious installed or changed. It would actually cut down the number of times they ring me for "support".:(
Which is fine when it's just for word processing, web surfing etc. But I bought an X800 and an A64 for Far Cry and Doom3. While I could dual boot linux it doesn't like my particularly hardware config (sadly). On the other hand it works very nicely with my older machine. I just can't play Far Cry on it:D
Contrast this with my friends experience - he had a dell monitor blow up while under warranty. Rang and told them what happened. He had a new monitor on his desk two days later. Would have been one day but he was out so he couldn't receive it from a courier.
I think realistically that every company is going to have some horror stories and some wonderful stories about support. Bear in mind that any big company is not going to have just one support guy - there could be twenty different people evaluating the warranty claims. Yours might get assigned to the guy whose wife just left him for a coworker, had his car blow up and his dog die. At that point it'd be no surprise that you get crappy service. Or it might not even be so drastic, it may just be allocated to someone who is new at the job and not fully up to speed. *shrugs* I think the human element plays a huge role in any support jobs.
I think people describe Apple as proprietary for the simple fact you can't go and buy a mobo to replace the one you have in the shop - and get to choose from 20 different manufacturers each selling boards based on 6 different chipsets resulting in trying to from 180 (slightly) different mobos. And of course facing a similar situation with other components.
That is both good and bad. Bad in that your freedom of choice is reduced - you can't buy a $50 mobo from some no-name company just to cut costs. Good in that you should benefit from the stricter quality control and compatibility that is enforced.
So what you're saying is that the Apple is kinda equivalent to the XBox?;)
Kinda tongue in cheek but the rationale is the same - they can optimise for the hardware because it's a known quantity. That's why xbox performance is considerably higher than a similar specced PC.
Most A64 users? I'd have thought most A64 users are actually not runner Linux at all. Just like most x86 users in general are not running linux. And honestly I wouldn't be running linux on my A64 box for one simple reason - bleeding edge hardware. There are too many problems with drivers for the latest and greatest hardware in linux to make it worth installing on my main box. Instead it sits on a nice little 32bit AthlonXP 1800+ with an old Geforce 2:)
This always gets me, as soon as someone (usually MS) brings out something that is similar to another product (Apple/linux/whatever!) they're jumped on for stealing or copying an idea. Has it ever occured to the naysayers that maybe the reason they're all coming up with similar features is because they listen to client feedback and test groups?
If we, the users of the systems are asked what features we want we will (hopefully) say the same thing whether it's Apple or MS that is doing the asking. I'm less inclined to think they're copying ideas and more inclined to think they're just slower in implementing ideas that we the consumers have requested.
And on another note, I hope some of the features Alchin is talking about can be turned off. "Tiny previews of each document" How much CPU time/ram etc will that need? I don't want that hogging processor time and slowing my PC down. Same goes for defragmentation in the background. If it doesn't have some smarts built in that sucker is gonna be turned off!
And finally, what the heck did the original poster mean by "files in more than one folder"? I didn't see any mention of that in the interview.
I subscribe to that same belief but damn it's hard. And unfortunately, even when you charge (unless you're really mercenary) it's still far cheaper than what a consultant/shop would charge so most of the time friends/family just go "Cool. Here's your cash now fix it."
Interestingly enough the one person who I've been "teaching to fish" and has actually been absorbing it is a mechanic. I believe they have the logical mindset needed to memorize instructions and follow procedures - unlike the family who are housewives, clerks, dogwashers, managers, chemists etc.
Well you could argue that for all those thousands of years the technology to mass produce perfect duplicates simply didn't exist. So despite the fact that I agree with you, the logic isn't really sound.
This "spiking" technology isn't going to affect all legitimately shared files - only files they chose to spike. Which one would assume will only be the illegally shared music/movies. So it's hard to argue that they're crippling the network - only crippling the illegal use on the network.
Well you'd assume wrong. Frankly I don't see how they could claim trademark infringement on at least some names. eg: Gladiator (the movie itself is getting a bit long in the tooth) trademarks don't apply to just the word gladiator otherwise you could never write an app called gladiator or a novel called gladiator or whatever. Trademarks are supposed to apply to (as I understand it) a stylised logo or symbol that is meant to represent the product. I may be wrong but if so proof please.
If you're sharing say a ghost (what's the linux equivalent of ghost?) image of a hard disk with 100% free and open source software and it's called Gladiator how could that possibly be trademark infringement?
As for the "good faith" that's what the whole thing hinges on. It's *NOT* good faith when they send a cease and desist without checking the content of the files - as they have done in a number of cases. Even to the extent of having users internet connections shut down for harmless files. At that point you *do* have a right to claim damages for, potentially hardship and loss of income (assuming you run a business through the same internet connection).
Those losses may be pitiful compared to what the MPAA or RIAA throws around on a daily basis but it'd be nice to see them actually stop and act a little more responsibly. And maybe a few reciprocal suits might do that.
How do you know they'd crush it? Surely there'd be some lawyer out there interested in taking on the case (what's the right word?) Pro-bono? If you were 100% innocent and they started hassling you what's the worst that could happen to you?
The random fill thing does sound useful then. If you have the opportunity to control it to some extent. As for the iRiver (or an Archos - meant that not a Zen), I'd buy them over the iPod because there is already a project out that has created an alternative firmware for them - Rockbox.org. Adds a lot more power to the things.
1. Would you get the option to turn that off? Because I wouldn't want it randomly selecting songs from the 100GB on my HDD. I'd be picking what I wanted and only updating the list when I felt like.
2. 1GB is nice for a day or 3 when you can change the songs every night, but doesn't help when you're going for a 4 week driving tour of the country and you've got the thing hooked to the car stereo. At that point give me a 60GB iRiver or Zen.
Hang on! Correct me if I'm wrong (I haven't used an iPod or iTunes so I could well be) but doesn't the music from iTunes get DRMed anyway? So effectively Apple are doing the same as Sony - just transparently.
I assume the iPod though will happily play MP3s you rip off a CD onto your PC then copy up to the iPod. Which is one point up on the Sony version.
Point 4 raises an idea. The government (YIKES! maybe some independant and unbiased body) could evaluate what a reasonable value per song would be for both the artist (since they created it) and the publisher (marketing). Then in the event of someone being found to be a file downloader (*sigh* pirate) they are liable for those costs and not the arbitrary and massive fines, or some undisclosed out of court settlement.
That idea could then be extended further and such payment becomes voluntary. So you download a song from *any* source, or even grab a copy from a friend off their CD then you go to a website pick the artist/track and pay 20 cents, 50 cents, a dollar or whatever is determined appropriate. It *should* be cheaper than normal retail simply because you're buying a license and paying for marketing but not for physical product (manufacturing, distribution, shelf space etc).
Sure the system would rely on "honour" but if tracks cost a lot less than currently a lot of people would be happy to do it. And it means users could obtain their music via any means necessary but still provide a mechanism for payment. The publishers could reduce distribution costs, excess stock costs, legal costs, etc. It'd also save ISPs hassles and potentially drive up their revenues as more people embrace the idea on online music downloading and sign up for better/faster plans.
As I see it there are two losers - the publishers to some extent because they'll have their monopolistic pricing overthrown. Although that would be offset by the increased volume of online sales. Not to mention increased sales of obscure or back catalog artists that normally aren't available to consumers. It may even start to reduce their marketing costs in the long run because ultimately the consumers will decide who they like based on quality rather than being slammed in the face with the newest pop sensation.
And secondly the physical music stores. However, they could alter their own business models and survive if not profit nicely. For example they could establish online presences and distribute tracks electronically or ship out physical media - even create those physical media on demand. You want "Jimbob's Hits of 2005" you can pick the tracks and the store creates it for you. Similarly, they could provide instore terminals for downloading tracks which allow you to pick the song and pay your fee at the same time.
An issue I see with this though, is how do you prove you have a license? THAT is what is effectively being sold, so there needs to be some way of storing the license details. Maybe a similar situation to the verisign certificates? They could be stored on your PC and in a central server farm. The license certificates are created on the fly when you pay for the track.
Which raises a more effective way to fight them. Host a bunch of files with tantalising names but innocent content (eg: reviews of the movie/song) and wait for the cease and desists. Then sue them back.
Another interesting off topic thread:) The whole "you have to serve someone" topic is something that grates on me. Flame me if you like but I believe that sort of law should only be applied to public services - by that I mean emergency services and utilities. If you run a little printing shop or a bar or a greengrocer you should be able to refuse to sell/provide a service to anyone.
Not allowing that is eroding the sellers liberties as surely as denying service erodes the liberties of the buyer. So effectively you're trading one form of discrimination for another. It's my biggest gripe against political correctness and anti-discrimination or affirmative action. It seems like almost every form of anti-discrimination ultimately just moves the focus of discrimination to a different person.
Going way off topic here but what the hell! Firstly, I'm in Australia not the USA or even Canada. I got to work late one day only to find the building was being evacuated for a fire alarm (false alarm). Anyway, I couldn't see anyone I knew so I killed an hour then came back and could get in.
Once back in I asked where the rally point was in the event of an evacuation (only been in the build a couple weeks and no one had told me). At that point I get told "We don't have a rally point. Just leave the building and go find a cafe or something then come back in half an hour or so and see if the building is open again."
Apparently, they changed the evacuation procedures just in case terrorists decided to set off and alarm (or a device) and then have a second device waiting at the rally point. So now instead of everyone meeting up and knowing whether anyone is missing we all disperse for half an hour or maybe longer - all because someone thinks a terrorist may bomb the rally point.
I think you're right on the money there. I started using P2P a couple years back to have a listen to a band I saw reviewed in a magazine. They never got airplay on radio/tv and I didn't know anyone who actually had a copy. To make it worse the CD was not available except as an import (that would cost about $40). At the time someone else had mentioned P2P so I gave it a try and found the CD and downloaded it. OMG PIRATE!
Turns out the CD (MP3s) sounded great and I really liked it. A few days later I ordered it through one of the local record stores for $40. So there is a download that directly equals a sale. And since then I've basically used P2P as the equivalent of radio as a way to find and try bands and albums before forking out the money.
Since then I've spent more (in two years) on CDs than since I started buying them in about 1990. So there's a case study to back up your statement - it's increased sales but at the same time I'm not buying their pre-packaged mass market crap. Every CD I downloaded and subsequently purchased has been obscure, often small label with bugger all airplay, advertising or label support.
The few non-downloaded first CDs I've bought have been from well known "old favourites" that I'd buy regardless (U2, Van Halen etc). Interestingly again the labels didn't need to sell me those CDs either. They didn't need to do a big marketing job and spend heaps to justify their existance - just the band name alone sells the CD.
Good point. I've seen a couple bands who actually encourage the trading of concert bootlegs. The Flowerkings for one, actively encourages it with a small proviso - that if a legit recording of the concert gets released that people stop sharing the bootlegs.
That's a great attitude for a group to have. It benefits the fans and ultimately it could benefit them. If they see a huge swell of demand for a particular concert bootleg they can do their best to get an official release out for that particular concert. It's like free market research. And it maintains a warm fuzzy feeling between band and fans:)
Slashdot Mirror
I'll third it :)
I find it really ironic that the best chipsets for ATI video cards have been made by nVidia (nForce/2/3/4). That may change once the new ATI based mobos come out. One would hope they take special care to make sure their cards work on them.
Oh and beside the whole chipset issue there is the whole brand issue and that's before you get to the "just unlucky to get a bad card" issue. If you're buying some cheapass clone brand don't be surprised if things play up. The manufacturers shave prices by cutting costs on the components they use. Your $400 card may be let down because they decided to build it using 10c capacitors instead of 25c ones.
Bludgers is also often used to refer to anyone who is "being lazy" not just dole bludgers. So you could be bludging at school or bludging in a sporting team or whatever :)
On topic again... How cool would that be though. "Yeah I've been coding an OSS project... eMule. Now can I have my payment?"
I agree with the spouse restriction too. Built a setup for a friend with a wife and four kids (ages 8-14). Told him the password and asked whether he wanted the missus to know. He said yes so she got told as well. A week later I got a call complaining the PC was playing up. Turns out mum gave all four kids the admin password because "they couldn't install kaazaa". *sigh*
At which point the kids merrily installed whatever they liked and tinkered with settings they shouldn't have. Result: One stuffed PC.
I must say though that I should have not given *any* of them the admin password. Just let them call me if they needed something serious installed or changed. It would actually cut down the number of times they ring me for "support". :(
Which is fine when it's just for word processing, web surfing etc. But I bought an X800 and an A64 for Far Cry and Doom3. While I could dual boot linux it doesn't like my particularly hardware config (sadly). On the other hand it works very nicely with my older machine. I just can't play Far Cry on it :D
BTW, "runner" meant "running". Damned typos.
Contrast this with my friends experience - he had a dell monitor blow up while under warranty. Rang and told them what happened. He had a new monitor on his desk two days later. Would have been one day but he was out so he couldn't receive it from a courier.
I think realistically that every company is going to have some horror stories and some wonderful stories about support. Bear in mind that any big company is not going to have just one support guy - there could be twenty different people evaluating the warranty claims. Yours might get assigned to the guy whose wife just left him for a coworker, had his car blow up and his dog die. At that point it'd be no surprise that you get crappy service. Or it might not even be so drastic, it may just be allocated to someone who is new at the job and not fully up to speed. *shrugs* I think the human element plays a huge role in any support jobs.
I think people describe Apple as proprietary for the simple fact you can't go and buy a mobo to replace the one you have in the shop - and get to choose from 20 different manufacturers each selling boards based on 6 different chipsets resulting in trying to from 180 (slightly) different mobos. And of course facing a similar situation with other components.
That is both good and bad. Bad in that your freedom of choice is reduced - you can't buy a $50 mobo from some no-name company just to cut costs. Good in that you should benefit from the stricter quality control and compatibility that is enforced.
So what you're saying is that the Apple is kinda equivalent to the XBox? ;)
Kinda tongue in cheek but the rationale is the same - they can optimise for the hardware because it's a known quantity. That's why xbox performance is considerably higher than a similar specced PC.
Most A64 users? I'd have thought most A64 users are actually not runner Linux at all. Just like most x86 users in general are not running linux. And honestly I wouldn't be running linux on my A64 box for one simple reason - bleeding edge hardware. There are too many problems with drivers for the latest and greatest hardware in linux to make it worth installing on my main box. Instead it sits on a nice little 32bit AthlonXP 1800+ with an old Geforce 2 :)
This always gets me, as soon as someone (usually MS) brings out something that is similar to another product (Apple/linux/whatever!) they're jumped on for stealing or copying an idea. Has it ever occured to the naysayers that maybe the reason they're all coming up with similar features is because they listen to client feedback and test groups?
If we, the users of the systems are asked what features we want we will (hopefully) say the same thing whether it's Apple or MS that is doing the asking. I'm less inclined to think they're copying ideas and more inclined to think they're just slower in implementing ideas that we the consumers have requested.
And on another note, I hope some of the features Alchin is talking about can be turned off. "Tiny previews of each document" How much CPU time/ram etc will that need? I don't want that hogging processor time and slowing my PC down. Same goes for defragmentation in the background. If it doesn't have some smarts built in that sucker is gonna be turned off!
And finally, what the heck did the original poster mean by "files in more than one folder"? I didn't see any mention of that in the interview.
I think you've got the wrong word there, the one you're looking for is not "hibernation", it's "masturbation".
I subscribe to that same belief but damn it's hard. And unfortunately, even when you charge (unless you're really mercenary) it's still far cheaper than what a consultant/shop would charge so most of the time friends/family just go "Cool. Here's your cash now fix it."
Interestingly enough the one person who I've been "teaching to fish" and has actually been absorbing it is a mechanic. I believe they have the logical mindset needed to memorize instructions and follow procedures - unlike the family who are housewives, clerks, dogwashers, managers, chemists etc.
Well you could argue that for all those thousands of years the technology to mass produce perfect duplicates simply didn't exist. So despite the fact that I agree with you, the logic isn't really sound.
This "spiking" technology isn't going to affect all legitimately shared files - only files they chose to spike. Which one would assume will only be the illegally shared music/movies. So it's hard to argue that they're crippling the network - only crippling the illegal use on the network.
Well you'd assume wrong. Frankly I don't see how they could claim trademark infringement on at least some names. eg: Gladiator (the movie itself is getting a bit long in the tooth) trademarks don't apply to just the word gladiator otherwise you could never write an app called gladiator or a novel called gladiator or whatever. Trademarks are supposed to apply to (as I understand it) a stylised logo or symbol that is meant to represent the product. I may be wrong but if so proof please.
If you're sharing say a ghost (what's the linux equivalent of ghost?) image of a hard disk with 100% free and open source software and it's called Gladiator how could that possibly be trademark infringement?
As for the "good faith" that's what the whole thing hinges on. It's *NOT* good faith when they send a cease and desist without checking the content of the files - as they have done in a number of cases. Even to the extent of having users internet connections shut down for harmless files. At that point you *do* have a right to claim damages for, potentially hardship and loss of income (assuming you run a business through the same internet connection).
Those losses may be pitiful compared to what the MPAA or RIAA throws around on a daily basis but it'd be nice to see them actually stop and act a little more responsibly. And maybe a few reciprocal suits might do that.
How do you know they'd crush it? Surely there'd be some lawyer out there interested in taking on the case (what's the right word?) Pro-bono? If you were 100% innocent and they started hassling you what's the worst that could happen to you?
The random fill thing does sound useful then. If you have the opportunity to control it to some extent. As for the iRiver (or an Archos - meant that not a Zen), I'd buy them over the iPod because there is already a project out that has created an alternative firmware for them - Rockbox.org. Adds a lot more power to the things.
1. Would you get the option to turn that off? Because I wouldn't want it randomly selecting songs from the 100GB on my HDD. I'd be picking what I wanted and only updating the list when I felt like.
2. 1GB is nice for a day or 3 when you can change the songs every night, but doesn't help when you're going for a 4 week driving tour of the country and you've got the thing hooked to the car stereo. At that point give me a 60GB iRiver or Zen.
Hang on! Correct me if I'm wrong (I haven't used an iPod or iTunes so I could well be) but doesn't the music from iTunes get DRMed anyway? So effectively Apple are doing the same as Sony - just transparently.
I assume the iPod though will happily play MP3s you rip off a CD onto your PC then copy up to the iPod. Which is one point up on the Sony version.
Point 4 raises an idea. The government (YIKES! maybe some independant and unbiased body) could evaluate what a reasonable value per song would be for both the artist (since they created it) and the publisher (marketing). Then in the event of someone being found to be a file downloader (*sigh* pirate) they are liable for those costs and not the arbitrary and massive fines, or some undisclosed out of court settlement.
That idea could then be extended further and such payment becomes voluntary. So you download a song from *any* source, or even grab a copy from a friend off their CD then you go to a website pick the artist/track and pay 20 cents, 50 cents, a dollar or whatever is determined appropriate. It *should* be cheaper than normal retail simply because you're buying a license and paying for marketing but not for physical product (manufacturing, distribution, shelf space etc).
Sure the system would rely on "honour" but if tracks cost a lot less than currently a lot of people would be happy to do it. And it means users could obtain their music via any means necessary but still provide a mechanism for payment. The publishers could reduce distribution costs, excess stock costs, legal costs, etc. It'd also save ISPs hassles and potentially drive up their revenues as more people embrace the idea on online music downloading and sign up for better/faster plans.
As I see it there are two losers - the publishers to some extent because they'll have their monopolistic pricing overthrown. Although that would be offset by the increased volume of online sales. Not to mention increased sales of obscure or back catalog artists that normally aren't available to consumers. It may even start to reduce their marketing costs in the long run because ultimately the consumers will decide who they like based on quality rather than being slammed in the face with the newest pop sensation.
And secondly the physical music stores. However, they could alter their own business models and survive if not profit nicely. For example they could establish online presences and distribute tracks electronically or ship out physical media - even create those physical media on demand. You want "Jimbob's Hits of 2005" you can pick the tracks and the store creates it for you. Similarly, they could provide instore terminals for downloading tracks which allow you to pick the song and pay your fee at the same time.
An issue I see with this though, is how do you prove you have a license? THAT is what is effectively being sold, so there needs to be some way of storing the license details. Maybe a similar situation to the verisign certificates? They could be stored on your PC and in a central server farm. The license certificates are created on the fly when you pay for the track.
Just like how when your website goes down for excess bandwidth you say it's been "slashdotted" even if it wasn't :)
Which raises a more effective way to fight them. Host a bunch of files with tantalising names but innocent content (eg: reviews of the movie/song) and wait for the cease and desists. Then sue them back.
Another interesting off topic thread :) The whole "you have to serve someone" topic is something that grates on me. Flame me if you like but I believe that sort of law should only be applied to public services - by that I mean emergency services and utilities. If you run a little printing shop or a bar or a greengrocer you should be able to refuse to sell/provide a service to anyone.
Not allowing that is eroding the sellers liberties as surely as denying service erodes the liberties of the buyer. So effectively you're trading one form of discrimination for another. It's my biggest gripe against political correctness and anti-discrimination or affirmative action. It seems like almost every form of anti-discrimination ultimately just moves the focus of discrimination to a different person.
Going way off topic here but what the hell! Firstly, I'm in Australia not the USA or even Canada. I got to work late one day only to find the building was being evacuated for a fire alarm (false alarm). Anyway, I couldn't see anyone I knew so I killed an hour then came back and could get in.
Once back in I asked where the rally point was in the event of an evacuation (only been in the build a couple weeks and no one had told me). At that point I get told "We don't have a rally point. Just leave the building and go find a cafe or something then come back in half an hour or so and see if the building is open again."
Apparently, they changed the evacuation procedures just in case terrorists decided to set off and alarm (or a device) and then have a second device waiting at the rally point. So now instead of everyone meeting up and knowing whether anyone is missing we all disperse for half an hour or maybe longer - all because someone thinks a terrorist may bomb the rally point.
I think you're right on the money there. I started using P2P a couple years back to have a listen to a band I saw reviewed in a magazine. They never got airplay on radio/tv and I didn't know anyone who actually had a copy. To make it worse the CD was not available except as an import (that would cost about $40). At the time someone else had mentioned P2P so I gave it a try and found the CD and downloaded it. OMG PIRATE!
Turns out the CD (MP3s) sounded great and I really liked it. A few days later I ordered it through one of the local record stores for $40. So there is a download that directly equals a sale. And since then I've basically used P2P as the equivalent of radio as a way to find and try bands and albums before forking out the money.
Since then I've spent more (in two years) on CDs than since I started buying them in about 1990. So there's a case study to back up your statement - it's increased sales but at the same time I'm not buying their pre-packaged mass market crap. Every CD I downloaded and subsequently purchased has been obscure, often small label with bugger all airplay, advertising or label support.
The few non-downloaded first CDs I've bought have been from well known "old favourites" that I'd buy regardless (U2, Van Halen etc). Interestingly again the labels didn't need to sell me those CDs either. They didn't need to do a big marketing job and spend heaps to justify their existance - just the band name alone sells the CD.
Good point. I've seen a couple bands who actually encourage the trading of concert bootlegs. The Flowerkings for one, actively encourages it with a small proviso - that if a legit recording of the concert gets released that people stop sharing the bootlegs.
That's a great attitude for a group to have. It benefits the fans and ultimately it could benefit them. If they see a huge swell of demand for a particular concert bootleg they can do their best to get an official release out for that particular concert. It's like free market research. And it maintains a warm fuzzy feeling between band and fans :)
Exactly my point. The parent was talking about the economics of TV shows hence my comment about the slew of home renovation shows on tv at the moment.