I'm trying to hire Router engineers and UNIX hacks, and there is a real genuine shortage out there. If there were so many badly managed, boring IT jobs there would be many more candidates available looking for something better.
There is something to what you say, but the FBI plans to install Carnivore in most of the large ISPs right away. Once it's installed in an ISP it would take very little work to point Carnivore at somebody and say "sic 'em!" They aren't going to wait to install these boxes until there's somebody they want to investigate, they're going to put them right now.
What disturbs me about Carnivore is that it's too easy for the FBI to use. A wire tap takes plenty of effort, money, and personel to set up and maintain. So the FBI must be serious before they set one up. With Carnivore in 5 minutes the FBI could track everything you do on the web indefinitely. Would they have to produce a good reason to "tap" your email?
Since when has violence become so acceptable? When has it become DESIRABLE? We need to consider that maybe the Kmart decision is a good thing. We are seeing more violence in children because we allow them to watch violence on TV, and even participate in virtual violence in Video games that emphasize realism. This says to them that it's okay to do. Some kids should not be seeing this stuff.
I'm not saying that video games are the cause of the problem, but the combination of an angry child, bad parenting (or lack of parenting), and graphic violent games are not such a good thing.
If a kid has money to go out and buy violent games without supervision, then there is probably a parenting issue. If they want the game, make them have to go to their parents for it: they should have to anyway.
A torpedo is supposed to have a safety mechanism that prevents it from detonating after a 180 degree turn, preventing this sort of accident. If it's true that the Kursk was hit by it's own weapon, and that is an unsubstantiated theory, then it means a bad design or bad quality control. It is more likely that the torpedo exploded while still in the submarine, or just outside it. The 60's era US submarines had a design flaw where a torpedo would start running inside the sub (called a hot run) when some testing leads were hooked up incorrectly. The only way to stop it was to do an emergency 180 degree turn, which activated the torpedo's safety mechanism designed to keep the torpedo from going after the sub that fired it. It would be interesting to see if the Kursk make any radical changes in depth, direction, or speed just before the explosion.
It may not look like it's about piracy, but it is when you get down deeper. Those who make something have the right to control it. They can't make it secure if they make it an open standard. So it may not be directly involved with copying DVDs, but a ruling the other way would open the door to that a bit wider.
I am with you in that I would like to be able to play it on whatever I choose, but those who own the technology don't agree, and they should not be forced to give up their rights.
I feel that it is childish for the Technical Community to ever have persued this case. One of the reasons that we have good movies with large budgets is that it is financially beneficial to do so, ie, there's profit. No profit, no big budget thrillers, no Star Wars. I can copy a videotape and sell it, but that doesn't make it legal. Those who spend the money have every right to make it back.
Why do we want to go back to distributed processing/operating systems? We have gone down that road once before and regretted it with mainframes. I know it's not exactly the same situation, but it has many of the same drawbacks. If you share necessary elements of your OS, what if that system goes down? What if the machine you rely on becomes overtaxed. If you don't think it's possible, think again, as history has a way of repeating itself.
Whenever an expert has defined a telecommunications limit it has eventually been broken. Whatever the "limit" is right now it won't stand for long. Market pressure seems to drive physics, not science.
How long until we see the slogan "Engineering a Better Human"? Who decides what's better? What's the criteria for good and bad genes? What is freedom and what is insanity in the case of gene manipulation? This will be a cure for cancer, and a weapon that will kill millions.
Gee, I want Microsoft to be in charge of my personal data! Given the high quality of their products and their well documented intergrity and ethics, it's a cinch I want them to control every personal document I have!
Re:Seems to be a good tool for internet blackmail
on
Pretty Poor Privacy
·
· Score: 1
It's more than semantic: I'm not a lawyer, bit I think there are legal percedences that can be applied here. The main difference to me is being asked to register and being forced to register. You can get on slashdot without registering, but you must register and login in order to contribute. I have to problem with it at all. You have to have some contol. Imagine if you couldn't watch TV without the station knowing who you are, where you lived and how much you make. This is very similar to that situation, and if technology keeps going the way it is now, it just might happen too.
Re:Seems to be a good tool for internet blackmail
on
Pretty Poor Privacy
·
· Score: 1
A login is different. I have no problem registering with a company I have checked out and approve of. Now a company can force me to register with them just to see if the page is what I'm looking for or not. There is a big difference
Seems to be a good tool for internet blackmail
on
Pretty Poor Privacy
·
· Score: 2
Actually, it's Platform for Privacy Preferences Project.
What is wrong with companies not knowing who is accessing their site? Public sites should be open to all whether they want to be identified or not. Now companies will be able to deny access to anonymous users on a whim. This is similar to the arguement a few years ago thet led to the "no purchase necessary" law. This case is similar in that it involves private companies blocking the people from public domain offerings. A web page should be considered a public offering. A company cannot discriminate against you just because they don't know who you are. The phone company doesn't demand your ID when you put a quarter in a payphone, because it's a public service. Same thing again.
The main reason MP3 was developed was for portability. Their quality is low, even on their highest sampling level. They are great when you are on the road, but over a good stereo you hear exactly what they are: a low quality CD substitute. On a PC or in your car you don't hear the difference because of all the ambient environmental noise, but in your home that's not the case. Let MP3's stick to what they are good at: letting you listen to your favorite tunes on a laptop with crappy speakers. I would hope that we could have a better quality format for those that want it and have the space. I mean no disrespect to the developers of MP3! I think it is a great format and I use it a lot, but it isn't a substitute for a CD yet.
But there are alternative ways to making your package more noticable. 1. instead of having a big box, have a big paper backing, and seal the cd to that somehow. The benefits of that are less packaging (therefore less money). The product would take up less space and not loose the effects of a big box. Most software doesn't come with a manual anymore anyway. 2. Use more noticable colors. A small strip of shiny foil would draw the eye. Manufacturers would have to rely more on creativity than on sheer size. 3. Like music stores, use recyclable plastic security holders. Put the advertisement on them, and when done, reuse them with new labels.
You can search for weeks and not find what you want. There are companies that help you find co-lo, circuits, etc, by either putting you in touch with the right people, or with a larger need can run reverse auctions to get you a better price. It takes the guesswork out of it. Band-X (www.band-x.com) is the service out there right now.
The problem is not necessarily with noise, it's with design and materials. Take a lesson from nuclear submarines: They use special materials to absorb sound and prevent sound from leaving the hull. One of the big problems with PCs is that the vibrations are transferred through the metal and plastic from the mechanical devices (fans, hard drives). Vibrations from fans and drives can be isolated from the case with foam, rubber grommets, or springs. Sound absorbing materials on the inside or outside of computer cases would prevent vibrations from escaping and bothering people. That combined with better quality fans and drive motors would make for a much quieter machine.
Don't forget that what is created, especially by committee, will be incredibly full of bugs and holes. An hour after the censorship is in place, hackers will have had their fun and the new system would be in flaming ruin. Of course, that doesn't mean I want to see this kind of draconian thought police BS go on. The internet is one of the greatest things for the free exchange of ideas ever, and I would hate to see it "consumerized".
Slashdot Mirror
I'm trying to hire Router engineers and UNIX hacks, and there is a real genuine shortage out there. If there were so many badly managed, boring IT jobs there would be many more candidates available looking for something better.
I'm afraid that politics is a part of the human kernel.
There is something to what you say, but the FBI plans to install Carnivore in most of the large ISPs right away. Once it's installed in an ISP it would take very little work to point Carnivore at somebody and say "sic 'em!" They aren't going to wait to install these boxes until there's somebody they want to investigate, they're going to put them right now.
What disturbs me about Carnivore is that it's too easy for the FBI to use. A wire tap takes plenty of effort, money, and personel to set up and maintain. So the FBI must be serious before they set one up. With Carnivore in 5 minutes the FBI could track everything you do on the web indefinitely. Would they have to produce a good reason to "tap" your email?
Since when has violence become so acceptable? When has it become DESIRABLE? We need to consider that maybe the Kmart decision is a good thing. We are seeing more violence in children because we allow them to watch violence on TV, and even participate in virtual violence in Video games that emphasize realism. This says to them that it's okay to do. Some kids should not be seeing this stuff.
I'm not saying that video games are the cause of the problem, but the combination of an angry child, bad parenting (or lack of parenting), and graphic violent games are not such a good thing.
If a kid has money to go out and buy violent games without supervision, then there is probably a parenting issue. If they want the game, make them have to go to their parents for it: they should have to anyway.
A torpedo is supposed to have a safety mechanism that prevents it from detonating after a 180 degree turn, preventing this sort of accident. If it's true that the Kursk was hit by it's own weapon, and that is an unsubstantiated theory, then it means a bad design or bad quality control. It is more likely that the torpedo exploded while still in the submarine, or just outside it. The 60's era US submarines had a design flaw where a torpedo would start running inside the sub (called a hot run) when some testing leads were hooked up incorrectly. The only way to stop it was to do an emergency 180 degree turn, which activated the torpedo's safety mechanism designed to keep the torpedo from going after the sub that fired it. It would be interesting to see if the Kursk make any radical changes in depth, direction, or speed just before the explosion.
It may not look like it's about piracy, but it is when you get down deeper. Those who make something have the right to control it. They can't make it secure if they make it an open standard. So it may not be directly involved with copying DVDs, but a ruling the other way would open the door to that a bit wider.
I am with you in that I would like to be able to play it on whatever I choose, but those who own the technology don't agree, and they should not be forced to give up their rights.
I feel that it is childish for the Technical Community to ever have persued this case. One of the reasons that we have good movies with large budgets is that it is financially beneficial to do so, ie, there's profit. No profit, no big budget thrillers, no Star Wars. I can copy a videotape and sell it, but that doesn't make it legal. Those who spend the money have every right to make it back.
Why do we want to go back to distributed processing/operating systems? We have gone down that road once before and regretted it with mainframes. I know it's not exactly the same situation, but it has many of the same drawbacks. If you share necessary elements of your OS, what if that system goes down? What if the machine you rely on becomes overtaxed. If you don't think it's possible, think again, as history has a way of repeating itself.
My point is that whenever an upper limit has been defined, somebody has found a way to surpass it. The limit will keep being pushed upward
Whenever an expert has defined a telecommunications limit it has eventually been broken. Whatever the "limit" is right now it won't stand for long. Market pressure seems to drive physics, not science.
The best thought about Episode 2 is that Jar Jar Binks may die a gruesome and horrible death. That alone would make it a sellout!
How long until we see the slogan "Engineering a Better Human"? Who decides what's better? What's the criteria for good and bad genes? What is freedom and what is insanity in the case of gene manipulation? This will be a cure for cancer, and a weapon that will kill millions.
I can hear it now. Beethoven's symphony in Screech-Major.
Other uses of old dot matrix printers include:
Cheap alarm clock alternative
80 movie props
prop doors open
small boat anchor
Gee, I want Microsoft to be in charge of my personal data! Given the high quality of their products and their well documented intergrity and ethics, it's a cinch I want them to control every personal document I have!
It's more than semantic: I'm not a lawyer, bit I think there are legal percedences that can be applied here. The main difference to me is being asked to register and being forced to register. You can get on slashdot without registering, but you must register and login in order to contribute. I have to problem with it at all. You have to have some contol. Imagine if you couldn't watch TV without the station knowing who you are, where you lived and how much you make. This is very similar to that situation, and if technology keeps going the way it is now, it just might happen too.
A login is different. I have no problem registering with a company I have checked out and approve of. Now a company can force me to register with them just to see if the page is what I'm looking for or not. There is a big difference
Actually, it's Platform for Privacy Preferences Project.
What is wrong with companies not knowing who is accessing their site? Public sites should be open to all whether they want to be identified or not. Now companies will be able to deny access to anonymous users on a whim.
This is similar to the arguement a few years ago thet led to the "no purchase necessary" law. This case is similar in that it involves private companies blocking the people from public domain offerings. A web page should be considered a public offering.
A company cannot discriminate against you just because they don't know who you are. The phone company doesn't demand your ID when you put a quarter in a payphone, because it's a public service. Same thing again.
The main reason MP3 was developed was for portability. Their quality is low, even on their highest sampling level. They are great when you are on the road, but over a good stereo you hear exactly what they are: a low quality CD substitute. On a PC or in your car you don't hear the difference because of all the ambient environmental noise, but in your home that's not the case. Let MP3's stick to what they are good at: letting you listen to your favorite tunes on a laptop with crappy speakers. I would hope that we could have a better quality format for those that want it and have the space. I mean no disrespect to the developers of MP3! I think it is a great format and I use it a lot, but it isn't a substitute for a CD yet.
But there are alternative ways to making your package more noticable.
1. instead of having a big box, have a big paper backing, and seal the cd to that somehow. The benefits of that are less packaging (therefore less money). The product would take up less space and not loose the effects of a big box. Most software doesn't come with a manual anymore anyway.
2. Use more noticable colors. A small strip of shiny foil would draw the eye. Manufacturers would have to rely more on creativity than on sheer size.
3. Like music stores, use recyclable plastic security holders. Put the advertisement on them, and when done, reuse them with new labels.
You can search for weeks and not find what you want. There are companies that help you find co-lo, circuits, etc, by either putting you in touch with the right people, or with a larger need can run reverse auctions to get you a better price. It takes the guesswork out of it. Band-X (www.band-x.com) is the service out there right now.
The problem is not necessarily with noise, it's with design and materials. Take a lesson from nuclear submarines: They use special materials to absorb sound and prevent sound from leaving the hull. One of the big problems with PCs is that the vibrations are transferred through the metal and plastic from the mechanical devices (fans, hard drives). Vibrations from fans and drives can be isolated from the case with foam, rubber grommets, or springs. Sound absorbing materials on the inside or outside of computer cases would prevent vibrations from escaping and bothering people. That combined with better quality fans and drive motors would make for a much quieter machine.
Don't forget that what is created, especially by committee, will be incredibly full of bugs and holes. An hour after the censorship is in place, hackers will have had their fun and the new system would be in flaming ruin. Of course, that doesn't mean I want to see this kind of draconian thought police BS go on. The internet is one of the greatest things for the free exchange of ideas ever, and I would hate to see it "consumerized".