It's easier to predict a radically different future when you are young. As you get older, you realise that things don't actually change much in any significant way, despite the new toys that come along.
What is "pinning" you may ask? From the linked pdf article, it's the caching of DNS lookups:
A common defense [for DNS rebinding attacks] implemented in several browsers is DNS pinning: once the browser resolves a host name to an IP address, the browser caches the result for a fixed duration, regardless of TTL.
But apparently this can be subverted with browser plug-ins, which have a separate "pin database".
In fact, in China, pirated Windows is often less expensive than Linux because Linux has more cds,
Yeah, that seems completely bogus. If pirated Windows is cheaper, perhaps it's due to pirated Windows having a larger market share than Linux, giving economy of scale. Or perhaps they are thinking of a particular Linux distribution? Red Flag Linux, or whatever it is called?
The real question is why will users allow this? And can businesses and gov. make use of this
The MS users made their choice and now they pay the price.
Will business and gov. also get a better deal in China? I assume so, which can only help advance China's general competitiveness vs the US, EU, Japan etc.
I think a massive surveillance camera network would create a safer, more open society so long as one key condition is met: the public and the police share access. I should be able to hit nyc.gov and view any camera at any time, including past recordings. Give me that and the police can install as many cameras as they want.
Great, until people start compiling the most embarrassing moments in your video records and putting them up for search on youtube/myspace etc.
If you want to take this point of view, it also harms the US by allowing foreign companies to reduce their expenses, thus making it easier to compete with US companies. However even without the "piracy", if MS chooses to sell its software more cheaply in foreign countries, I don't think there's much that the US can do about it.
The Chinese government controls the routers and IP traffic thereby keeping people from reaching the sites they find objectionable. Google keeps people from finding out about the existence of those sites by striking them from their search engine results. Last time I checked, aiding and abetting was a crime in this country.
When you say "this country", I assume you are not referring to China? The Chinese government would hardly make it a crime to aid and abet the Chinese government. I can't off-hand think of any other country whose laws would apply in China.
Google has the same choices as any other organisation in any particular country: a) follow its government's laws and unwritten regulations b) ignore the rules and try to avoid getting caught or punished d) ignore the rules and tolerate/enjoy the punishment c) stay out of the country.
Firefox without favourites? Without history? Let's just get this straight - you want people to switch to a browser which has less functionality than the one they are currently using? Again - a browser without favourites? How is this going to give people a positive experience of Firefox and make them want to do anything but work out how to uninstall it...?
Also, I wouldn't be surprised if they still want Java and Flash installed.
This is the kicker that most people don't understand & the companies in question will never allow you to even mention. As long as you have a valid Windows license (came with your PC/bought it shrink-wrapped/given to you by the vendor)...you have a valid license for the use of those codecs & such.
Perhaps so, as long as you are running the codec supplied by Microsoft, and the wording doesn't explicitly require running Windows. I assume that any patent license that they supply wouldn't be generous enough to apply to any non-Microsoft codecs that you install. As far as I understand patent interpretations in the US, it's the process of installing software on a computer that creates the "patentable invention", thus it would be the end user's problem unless they get a license via the software author.
Is it actually illegal to use patented technology without a license? Or just make a product that has it and sell it?
I don't think you need a license to use patented technology. The last time I rented a car I didn't receive any patent licenses, but no doubt it was full of patented technologies.
The issue with software may be a bit different: who is actually making the product? If an invention is only patentable when running on a physical computer, then simply distributing source code, and perhaps even binaries or executable scripts, is not going to be an infringement. It will be the person who installs such software on a computer who commits the "crime".
Of course, I think this is totally ludicrous and algorithms shouldn't be patentable. But for now at least, that is the law in U.S.
I thought that in the US, and other countries with similar practices, that it's the use of the algorithm in a physical machine that is patentable. A written description of the algorithm, or source code, doesn't violate a patent, until such time that it's installed and running on a computer.
A "what did your [grand]father do in the war?" thread -- I didn't expect that.
My father was in German-occupied country, but too young to be taken into forced labor. Otherwise, he could presumably have worked on a vast range of exciting Axis technology.
There is a non-CO2 cause of warming (or cooling.) Its called how far your planet is from the sun. Secondary causes include how thick of an atmosphere you have. Third might be cloud-cover / water vapor. Then maybe CO2.
Yes, these are what determine the global temperature. But I haven't heard of any theory that warming of the Earth is caused by a change in its distance from the sun, or by the thickness of the atmosphere. If cloud-cover or water vapor are changing, what would be causing it? CO2 is measurably increasing.
Anyhow, if we stopped introducing EXTRA carbon back into the surface carbon cycle thats been sitting locked away for the last 10M+ years that'll be enough to do one of two things: stop any potential increase in surface temperatures OR show us that there is a different cause than CO2 causing warming.
It's well known that the composition of the atmosphere affects global temperature. A comparison of Earth, Venus and Mars will demonstrate this. If there really is a non-CO2 cause of warming, then that's still a problem for humanity, even if it's "not our fault". Even in that case, we should be considering reducing the level of greenhouse gases to compensate for the problem, not adding extra which can only make things worse.
...if they can access it, it ain't secure. 'nuff said.
It doesn't mention remote access. Maybe they intend to send a contractor to the customer
to inspect their computer, which would presumably only be done if they had lodged a
large claim for online losses. If the customer doesn't grant access, they won't get
a refund.
You got a good rate, if the current deals on sparter.com are anything to go by ($2.7050 per rs million). At that rate, almost any real world job would probably pay better then playing Runescape, especially after accounting for the computer time (electricity and depreciation), so it doesn't look like a big employment opportunity.
In any case, Jagex (the game publisher) could probably shut down the Runescape accounts involved quite easily, for example by posing as a gold buyer on the site themselves.
Consider that Microsoft is now making billions a year in profits and revenue. Like any company, they want these to show a healthy growth each year, ideally in double figures. It's not going to be easy to do that with software alone, and it won't be surprising to see them continue to push into any area that's open to them. If Dell and HP have to lose market share in the process, that's hardly a problem for Microsoft. Perhaps an example can be found where Microsoft has been happy to take over the business of its partners in the past?
If WMV DRM gets used on anything people actually want to watch (like the BBC), it will be cracked.
I don't know if access to these encrypted BBC files is a big enough motivation. The programs are already broadcast in the clear on TV and anything popular turns up quickly on p2p networks. The website version will be restricted to a limited time, and perhaps to UK IP addresses.
Whether it can be converted to real money or not, I think it should be taxed only IF you convert it to real money.
Let's say I do some contracting for somebody in the real world. Is the income taxable? Does it make any difference if I'm payed in US dollars, Euro or Linden Dollars?
Are Linden Dollars even lawful currency? Once only silver and gold were considered lawful. Now days Federal Reserve Notes qualify, since people tried to avoid paying taxes on "non-lawful" earnings.
Also, are these earnings "overseas" earnings that might avoid taxation. After all, show me just where in the USA my SL property is located.
Is the Euro even a lawful currency? Not in the USA, nobody is required to accept it in payment. However it's easily converted to US dollars, and if you have income in Euro but resident in the USA, you will most likely be taxed on the income (depending on US tax law.)
Is the Euro even a lawful currency? Not in the USA, nobody is required to accept it in payment. However it's easily converted to US dollars, and if you have income in Euro but resident in the USA, you will most likely be taxed on the income (depending on US tax law.)
How does virtual goods and gold from wow translate into real money for the IRS?
Personally I think it should depend on whether the virtual goods and gold are convertible to US dollars or not. If not, it's just a game and shouldn't be taxed. However if they are easily converted to US dollars, I can't see a good reason why they shouldn't be treated like any other foreign currency/assets.
Slashdot Mirror
It's easier to predict a radically different future when you are young. As you get older, you realise that things don't actually change much in any significant way, despite the new toys that come along.
What is "pinning" you may ask? From the linked pdf article, it's the caching of DNS lookups:
But apparently this can be subverted with browser plug-ins, which have a separate "pin database".
The MS users made their choice and now they pay the price.
Will business and gov. also get a better deal in China? I assume so, which can only help advance China's general competitiveness vs the US, EU, Japan etc.
Presumably they would borrow it, or issue some new stock.
When you say "this country", I assume you are not referring to China? The Chinese government would hardly make it a crime to aid and abet the Chinese government. I can't off-hand think of any other country whose laws would apply in China.
Google has the same choices as any other organisation in any particular country: a) follow its government's laws and unwritten regulations b) ignore the rules and try to avoid getting caught or punished d) ignore the rules and tolerate/enjoy the punishment c) stay out of the country.
I don't think you need a license to use patented technology. The last time I rented a car I didn't receive any patent licenses, but no doubt it was full of patented technologies.
The issue with software may be a bit different: who is actually making the product? If an invention is only patentable when running on a physical computer, then simply distributing source code, and perhaps even binaries or executable scripts, is not going to be an infringement. It will be the person who installs such software on a computer who commits the "crime".
I thought that in the US, and other countries with similar practices, that it's the use of the algorithm in a physical machine that is patentable. A written description of the algorithm, or source code, doesn't violate a patent, until such time that it's installed and running on a computer.
A "what did your [grand]father do in the war?" thread -- I didn't expect that.
My father was in German-occupied country, but too young to be taken into forced labor. Otherwise, he could presumably have worked on a vast range of exciting Axis technology.
You got a good rate, if the current deals on sparter.com are anything to go by ($2.7050 per rs million). At that rate, almost any real world job would probably pay better then playing Runescape, especially after accounting for the computer time (electricity and depreciation), so it doesn't look like a big employment opportunity.
In any case, Jagex (the game publisher) could probably shut down the Runescape accounts involved quite easily, for example by posing as a gold buyer on the site themselves.
Consider that Microsoft is now making billions a year in profits and revenue. Like any company, they want these to show a healthy growth each year, ideally in double figures. It's not going to be easy to do that with software alone, and it won't be surprising to see them continue to push into any area that's open to them. If Dell and HP have to lose market share in the process, that's hardly a problem for Microsoft. Perhaps an example can be found where Microsoft has been happy to take over the business of its partners in the past?