"who fucking uses MSN???? oh, but anyways, there is pidgin, empathy or other libpurple(does MSN quite well) clients which work very very very well, as well as a native skype build."
And there's YOUR problem. You base what everyone else should believe on your narrow world view. 73 people on my (pidgin) contact list use MSN. They use MSN because most of their friends use MSN, and so on. And a few times a week I have to fire up windows live messenger because pidgin can't do video chat with MSN, nor most other services, which you completely failed to address.
Out of your other examples most are pointless. Filesystems? Most people whose systems I maintain don't even know what that is. Explorer? Many casual users I know have never even opened up 'windows explorer'. They only access their files through dialogues... If I want to watch a film I double-click the file. If they want to watch a film they open VLC and use the "open file" dialogue. Better integration between applications? I am considered a poweruser by the 'normals' and I say 'huh?' to that. From your example of media players and the desktop I'm left even more confused. Is this by any chance some more backend stuff that the average user would never care about, or is it one of those really neat and awesome things that would look really cool and flashy? You know, if it worked right every time out of the box? But that no user actually cares about unless they have it?
Another example of that would be that entire multiple desktop thing and the desktop cube and so on. I used to run that on one of my systems because it looked really cool! Friends that came over were amazed at the graphics of an ordinary desktop... they went ooooh and aaaah... and not a single one of them felt the need to have it themselves. Flashy, but seriously, most users only use one desktop. Not because they don't have 2, but because doing 50 things at once is not a normal user behaviour. It's reserved for us weirdos.
Oh, and amusingly that function stopped working on my setup after a while, and I had to spend hours digging through configuration files to try and get it right again. The internet was a great help here, the linux community that's so fabled. Google made it fairly easy to find a million different things that COULD be wrong with it, and I tried many of them out. Well many might be an exaggeration, most of them were not relevant to the latest version of course. And easy is an exaggeration since I had no idea what I was looking for. But I found help!
I mean, I eventually had to give up and stop using the function because I just couldn't get it to work after the update. That's okay though. I hear someone fixed it a few months later. Probably some typical desktop user, don't you think? The kind of typical desktop user that re-writes video drivers when they are not busy wondering who to send their next catforward to (everyone of course!) or why farmville is looking weird on their linux machine?
Typing names to find files? I know you're not talking about the search function, because in windows 7 I can type any part of a filename or shortcut into the handy little box on the startmenu and it will find it for me, in the blink of an eye. Hell, even I barely touch windows explorer any more because of that handy improvement to the UI. But your ignorance about windows 7 isn't the issue here... no. Your ignorance of PEOPLE is.
YOU are not everyone. Your opinions are not everyone's. You might be one of the outliers who sees windows 7 as clunky as shit, and that's your right and prerogative - for your usecase it might even be clunky as shit. This doesn't mean that point in any way translates to MOST people. Get a taste of real people and life and smell the roses... or pile of shit if you so wish. It might not be a good thing that windows 7 is the best we have, but it is. It's the best option for the average user for day to day desktop use. Which for a lot of people includes for instance video chatting, some level of gaming (from social flash games and up) and so on
Actually the likeness is accurate. The *AA can't change the game, but they can "cheat" by using a different mallet... However they seem to be misunderstanding how they could profit from this - they spend all their time changing the 'rules' so they get a bigger and bigger mallets, making them slower and slower and hitting less and less moles... in other words they care more about absolutely smashing the mole they target to bits than directly hitting the others. Their idea is that this will be a deterrent.
The idea of the peg-legged moles is best expressed in their own words:
I've got complete noobs walking through the windows installer, no problems, running things themselves. I don't see what you're getting at here. I've never seen anyone "reasonably competent" (there, fixed that for you) have problems with a windows install. But then an end user use-case doesn't usually include re-installing the system. It might to you and me, we're geeks, but that's not the market here. So as misguided as your point is, it's not even relevant.
But more importantly... Getting people running the system isn't the problem: being able to use it for the sort of thing they do everyday is. Being able to keep chatting, video chatting, audio chatting with people over MSN and other popular networks just as a blatant example. Alternatives exist, but having to change your entire network of friends over to another service is not an option for most people. Video chat works you say? Yeah, I've heard that for years now, and I've gotten it to work too... intermittently, under the perfect circumstances, with a lot of workarounds... It doesn't work? Oh they changed it again? And now it's working? And now not?
I absolutely recommend linux to certain people, it has a lot of use-cases out there. The average desktop user is not one of them with the state it is in today, and in my belief as stated earlier - it never will be.
It's not a case of familiarity with the platform for me, since as I said I've played around quite a lot with Linux, and have repeatedly tried to make the switch completely, using linux exclusively for weeks, months, giving myself plenty of time to get familiar with it. Of course then a new version of the distribution comes out, the colour scheme changes, some programs are changed out, things that used to work doesn't... much like switching from say Windows XP to Windows 7, or next to Windows 8 (Which I will likely skip from what I've seen of it, but for the sake of discussion...)
However Windows XP > Windows 7 was for me one step, while in the same time the larger linux distributions have gone through HOW many major overhauls? The problem here is that linux being so modular and quick moving, it updates quickly and is a moving target. This is its strength in some cases. For desktop use it is also its major weakness. Sure I could go for one of those distributions that promise long term support, but then I'm cut off from many of the new advancements, which on a platform that is still one step behind is sort of crucial to be on top of. After all I don't think I'm alone to on linux find myself often going "Oh, I'm sure someone will fix this... some day soon." Because someone usually will. Except of course if you bring it up, they tell you that if its so important to you, you should fix it yourself. Thanks, I'm an end user, not a programmer.
I agree on the addendum to when linux would be a dominant system on the desktops. Perhaps I should have better phrased it as... Linux would have a CHANCE at a dominant position if they offered a system where the average user could expect it to "just work".
I'd also like to point out that there's a big difference between being a fan of something and an atmosphere of fanboyism. The former is enjoying a product and quite possibly recommending it to the friends, the latter is a bullheaded push of something regardless of facts. Perhaps religion would be a better word for it.
I don't hate linux, but I hate the experience of having it as my only desktop. It's not the tool for the job.
No, it most certainly wouldn't be the "dominate" desktop right now just because of gaming. I've got several PC's, have played around a lot with linux over the years, but for me it's just not worth the effort on a day-to-day basis. It's just not as user-friendly, not as simple to use as say windows 7 that I'm currently running.
Linux would be the dominant desktop if they made a well working and competent desktop system where the majority of users would be able to expect it to just work overall - games or not. This includes support for proprietary formats, a consistent UI that doesn't change drastically from one update to the next, and an immediate cessation on the open source fanboyism. I believe several companies avoid the platform because of the expectation that they share their code, or because certain drivers and such they would need to use requires them to share their code if they use them, and so on. I'm sure there are more examples and reasons, these are just some I've seen myself. All in all linux is not a welcoming platform for those looking to make a buck, which means market forces will NOT be swarming in. Ever.
Which is fine. Keep linux as the special use-case outlier. It's good at what it does, small servers, home-brew routers, net-tops too weak to do anything worthwhile on anyway... That sort of thing. Linux does this job well.
You know that saying "if all you have is a hammer, every problem starts looking like a nail"? Well, the desktop is not a nail. It's a fucking origimi-llama. Hammers need not apply.
Then you were not as quick (nor as dumb) as I was as a kid. I've lived through several rapidly approaching trains in tunnels.
The closest I've ever come to a near death experience however was that time when a really big burly biker unfolded himself from a small pink smartcar carrying a small dog in a pink coat.
Ever tried so hard not to laugh that you start to feel faint?
The answer of course is yes, it does make you a criminal... If your bulletin board specifically encourages bank robbers to use it for this purpose. You become an accessory, or you become guilty of inciting, or something of the kind, depending on jurisdiction and particulars.
So basically what we have here is a company saying... "This is a horrible idea that can never be profitable, but just as insurance we're going to patent it, so that in case someone makes anything like it we can tie them up in courts until we can launch a competitor to take over the market they so kindly created for us."
Yeah, patents are great y'all, no way anyone would ever use them for evil.
Except Zynga only copies POPULAR games, so if you don't play the originals then they won't ever make a copy for you to play, so your argument falls flat. Plus in true Zynga fashion the copy will pretty much push you to spam your entire friendslist and pay real money for in-game advantages, something most other companies do much less heavy-handedly... As someone who used to be a facebook game junkie and enjoyed several games that then got Zyngafied, I've tried both sides of the coin... and in almost every case I went back to play the original. Except of course the few cases when the benefit of a massive developer house really shone through... Zynga's games might be rip-offs, but in some cases they actually play better/less buggy than the originals.
Does Zynga hurt the indie devs? Sure. It rapes them hard and heavy... AFTER they have gone popular. AFTER they have had a chance to build a name and fan-base and revenue stream. Still rape, but clever indie devs should be expecting such possibilities and have a plan to either compete with quality, sell out, or get out when the beast rolls along.
Okay, I see your point. Still I have seen the problem more often than not - "secretary X signed for the document along with 600 other things she received that day. We will ask her where it might have ended up as soon as she returns from her five week vacation."
Also worth noting: sending registered mail internationally is far more complicated and expensive than the $20 originally quoted, and tax payers tend to get annoyed when governments spend money. "What do you mean they spend £X on sending a letter? Why can't they use regular mail like regular folks? Always wasting our money they are!"
The headline says broadband is delayed which implies it doesn't exist, that it has yet to be introduced at all - not that it has poor coverage.Of course I'm aware that the UK has very poor broadband saturation, but honestly I don't find it to be so bad as to be called non-existent.
Well, that's assuming it didn't arrive. On the other hand it's much more likely it's just on the bottom of a pile of mail on some desk of someone who got fired, is on vacation, or just didn't realize it was important. While british mail is rather incompetent from what I hear, politicians and bureaucrats still hold the title in losing paperwork, so I'm more inclined to believe it's on their side.
Please prove you have removed all theft-countering devices on all things you have ever bought. Is that a transmitter in your shirt? Is someone listening? Do you have your tinfoil hat on?
Okay, let us step by step this... watermarks to track the origin of a file. Ergo, if he has failed to remove the watermark, it will be his problem in the end, not yours. And it will also be his incentive to be sure - since watermarks much like steganography is not undetectable he will not have much difficulty being sure. But why he should prove it to you I can not begin to imagine.
Watermarks identifying the source of a file can never work because you can do comparative analysis between versions fro different sources, which will allow you to get the original file. If any watermarks remain that is the same in every copy of a file... then that watermark can do you no harm. It can't be used to track you or the distributor or the origin of a file. So again, why should he prove that he has removed 'every' watermark? Would it not be quite enough if he just, you know, removed the one that could implicate him?
Well in a way we use different technology, since afaik we have mostly migrated to ADSL2+ which gives the top speeds I stated. 8/1 sounds more like the topspeed of the regular ADSL tech. But, in reality they just differ by an upgrade on the telco hardware and a new modem for the user - no need for new cables or anything so it is unintrusive for the user to upgrade. However, the telco of course wouldn't even consider it if they can keep squeesing money out of people for less. Here in sweden they have to compete with cable that is 10/10 and half the price being available in a lot of cities, and as I mentioned even 100/100 in the major cities. With that sort of competition they could not choose to not upgrade and still have any customers in those areas.
ADSL over copper maxes out at... 28Mbps if my memory serves me right. I used to have 24Mbps on ADSL but changed it to 10Mbps over cable, the difference being that now I have 10Mbps uplink as well, while the ADSL was 1Mbps uplink (ADSL uplink theoretical max is at 3Mbps or thereabouts, again with reservations for rusty memorybanks.)
Here in Sweden ADSL is where you sit and wait until you can get at the 100/100 connections that is spreading rapidly in the major cities.
Well yes, that is right, you do not WANT to be anywhere near his yaws. But to be honest, if a shark is attacking you, then that is where you WILL be. Any attempt at escape will result in you being surely eaten, with only one chance of survival - ram the shark, hit it's nose, eyes, whatnot. Sharks are stupid - they are used to things escaping but will get confused at things actually fighting back.
It's that simple - sometime you have to overcome your fears and do the seemingly dangerous just to get better odds at surviving.
Not entirely - he said 'everybody' would shop across the road - misunderstanding the idea of implied value. Even for wine and clothing, while a lot of people shop brand-names, there is still a not insignificant sector of consumers who actually think before they buy. These people won't pay 100 times more just because there is a more expensive product to choose from. And even for clothes and wine, most of the time the brand name product is not identical to the knock-off. In the cases they are, the brand name products don't tend to sell as good as the forgeries.
No, that is not how it works. To a small degree yes, but you fail to take into account the large amount of customers keeping an eye on the price. The one cent hammer would still be a great hit, and it would not be strange to see it over time outcompeting the "perceived worth" just by the strength of word of mouth advertising, and people thinking "then again, it is only a cent, I can always try it out."
Moreover your view on the analogy is lacking - you would have to imagine that the store across the road sells not a similar hammer, not even the same model of hammer, but the exact same hammer, molecule for molecule. Knowing this, nobody would pay an inflated price for it.
I mean, why even use the analogy? Why would I pay the same for music online as I would in a store, when clearly there are several steps less to the distribution chain? I mean online stores of physical goods have long been able to press prices just because they cut off the store and some times the costs of holding stock. In the case of music they cut off the store, the wholesaler, physical distribution, returns... Actually they can cut it all down to the artist and a distributor basically, which should logically cut the price by something like 50-90%.
If I pay the same for music online, then the record company gets those 50-90% all to themselves.
I would have used the last one, I listed the three to show how I would work it out. five letters is too short for a password in my world, but then I am somewhat paranoid. As you said a sentence invokes memories and feelings, if you work one into a password then the sentence will invoke the memory of your workprocess - as I showed. Or at least it will if you put any amount of concious effort into choosing a password.
wttrw w2trw w2trwrld yes, you are right, welcome to the real world is easy to remember. and now it will evoke the memory of w2trwrld, which is between 5-10 letters and contain one digit, and thus will be accepted as strong on 90% of the passworded applications out there.
Yes, well, in every product ever made the one that makes it costs $XX and the imitators cost $X, giving the imitators a clear price advantage and let's them compete in a different market segment. When it comes to MMO's the one that makes it cost $15 a month, and the imitators cost the same... since they do not compete in price it all comes down to the particular flavour one enjoys, and as such the differences is more like... a red Volvo or a green Volvo. It's still the same game, just dressed up differently.
Ah well that is my general plan yes, I tend to wait and see. Still, the trends are not encouraging, and even good studios make bad moves. These days everyone and their mailman has a plan for an MMO of some type, so... I can't say I am overwhelmed with the news. Now if a Fallout MMO was actually coming out any time soon I would be more enthusiastic, even though my pessimistic streak says that will probably be screwed up as well. Simply put the game industry in general has too much imitation these days and not enough innovation. I keep feeling like I am playing the same game again.
Slashdot Mirror
"who fucking uses MSN???? oh, but anyways, there is pidgin, empathy or other libpurple(does MSN quite well) clients which work very very very well, as well as a native skype build."
And there's YOUR problem. You base what everyone else should believe on your narrow world view. 73 people on my (pidgin) contact list use MSN. They use MSN because most of their friends use MSN, and so on. And a few times a week I have to fire up windows live messenger because pidgin can't do video chat with MSN, nor most other services, which you completely failed to address.
Out of your other examples most are pointless. Filesystems? Most people whose systems I maintain don't even know what that is. Explorer? Many casual users I know have never even opened up 'windows explorer'. They only access their files through dialogues... If I want to watch a film I double-click the file. If they want to watch a film they open VLC and use the "open file" dialogue. Better integration between applications? I am considered a poweruser by the 'normals' and I say 'huh?' to that. From your example of media players and the desktop I'm left even more confused. Is this by any chance some more backend stuff that the average user would never care about, or is it one of those really neat and awesome things that would look really cool and flashy? You know, if it worked right every time out of the box? But that no user actually cares about unless they have it?
Another example of that would be that entire multiple desktop thing and the desktop cube and so on. I used to run that on one of my systems because it looked really cool! Friends that came over were amazed at the graphics of an ordinary desktop... they went ooooh and aaaah... and not a single one of them felt the need to have it themselves. Flashy, but seriously, most users only use one desktop. Not because they don't have 2, but because doing 50 things at once is not a normal user behaviour. It's reserved for us weirdos.
Oh, and amusingly that function stopped working on my setup after a while, and I had to spend hours digging through configuration files to try and get it right again. The internet was a great help here, the linux community that's so fabled. Google made it fairly easy to find a million different things that COULD be wrong with it, and I tried many of them out. Well many might be an exaggeration, most of them were not relevant to the latest version of course. And easy is an exaggeration since I had no idea what I was looking for. But I found help!
I mean, I eventually had to give up and stop using the function because I just couldn't get it to work after the update. That's okay though. I hear someone fixed it a few months later. Probably some typical desktop user, don't you think? The kind of typical desktop user that re-writes video drivers when they are not busy wondering who to send their next catforward to (everyone of course!) or why farmville is looking weird on their linux machine?
Typing names to find files? I know you're not talking about the search function, because in windows 7 I can type any part of a filename or shortcut into the handy little box on the startmenu and it will find it for me, in the blink of an eye. Hell, even I barely touch windows explorer any more because of that handy improvement to the UI. But your ignorance about windows 7 isn't the issue here... no. Your ignorance of PEOPLE is.
YOU are not everyone. Your opinions are not everyone's. You might be one of the outliers who sees windows 7 as clunky as shit, and that's your right and prerogative - for your usecase it might even be clunky as shit. This doesn't mean that point in any way translates to MOST people. Get a taste of real people and life and smell the roses... or pile of shit if you so wish. It might not be a good thing that windows 7 is the best we have, but it is. It's the best option for the average user for day to day desktop use. Which for a lot of people includes for instance video chatting, some level of gaming (from social flash games and up) and so on
Actually the likeness is accurate. The *AA can't change the game, but they can "cheat" by using a different mallet... However they seem to be misunderstanding how they could profit from this - they spend all their time changing the 'rules' so they get a bigger and bigger mallets, making them slower and slower and hitting less and less moles... in other words they care more about absolutely smashing the mole they target to bits than directly hitting the others. Their idea is that this will be a deterrent.
The idea of the peg-legged moles is best expressed in their own words:
"Arrrrrr!"
wenches.
I've got complete noobs walking through the windows installer, no problems, running things themselves. I don't see what you're getting at here. I've never seen anyone "reasonably competent" (there, fixed that for you) have problems with a windows install. But then an end user use-case doesn't usually include re-installing the system. It might to you and me, we're geeks, but that's not the market here. So as misguided as your point is, it's not even relevant.
But more importantly... Getting people running the system isn't the problem: being able to use it for the sort of thing they do everyday is. Being able to keep chatting, video chatting, audio chatting with people over MSN and other popular networks just as a blatant example. Alternatives exist, but having to change your entire network of friends over to another service is not an option for most people. Video chat works you say? Yeah, I've heard that for years now, and I've gotten it to work too... intermittently, under the perfect circumstances, with a lot of workarounds... It doesn't work? Oh they changed it again? And now it's working? And now not?
I absolutely recommend linux to certain people, it has a lot of use-cases out there. The average desktop user is not one of them with the state it is in today, and in my belief as stated earlier - it never will be.
It's not a case of familiarity with the platform for me, since as I said I've played around quite a lot with Linux, and have repeatedly tried to make the switch completely, using linux exclusively for weeks, months, giving myself plenty of time to get familiar with it. Of course then a new version of the distribution comes out, the colour scheme changes, some programs are changed out, things that used to work doesn't... much like switching from say Windows XP to Windows 7, or next to Windows 8 (Which I will likely skip from what I've seen of it, but for the sake of discussion...)
However Windows XP > Windows 7 was for me one step, while in the same time the larger linux distributions have gone through HOW many major overhauls? The problem here is that linux being so modular and quick moving, it updates quickly and is a moving target. This is its strength in some cases. For desktop use it is also its major weakness. Sure I could go for one of those distributions that promise long term support, but then I'm cut off from many of the new advancements, which on a platform that is still one step behind is sort of crucial to be on top of. After all I don't think I'm alone to on linux find myself often going "Oh, I'm sure someone will fix this... some day soon." Because someone usually will. Except of course if you bring it up, they tell you that if its so important to you, you should fix it yourself. Thanks, I'm an end user, not a programmer.
I agree on the addendum to when linux would be a dominant system on the desktops. Perhaps I should have better phrased it as... Linux would have a CHANCE at a dominant position if they offered a system where the average user could expect it to "just work".
I'd also like to point out that there's a big difference between being a fan of something and an atmosphere of fanboyism. The former is enjoying a product and quite possibly recommending it to the friends, the latter is a bullheaded push of something regardless of facts. Perhaps religion would be a better word for it.
I don't hate linux, but I hate the experience of having it as my only desktop. It's not the tool for the job.
No, it most certainly wouldn't be the "dominate" desktop right now just because of gaming. I've got several PC's, have played around a lot with linux over the years, but for me it's just not worth the effort on a day-to-day basis. It's just not as user-friendly, not as simple to use as say windows 7 that I'm currently running.
Linux would be the dominant desktop if they made a well working and competent desktop system where the majority of users would be able to expect it to just work overall - games or not. This includes support for proprietary formats, a consistent UI that doesn't change drastically from one update to the next, and an immediate cessation on the open source fanboyism. I believe several companies avoid the platform because of the expectation that they share their code, or because certain drivers and such they would need to use requires them to share their code if they use them, and so on. I'm sure there are more examples and reasons, these are just some I've seen myself. All in all linux is not a welcoming platform for those looking to make a buck, which means market forces will NOT be swarming in. Ever.
Which is fine. Keep linux as the special use-case outlier. It's good at what it does, small servers, home-brew routers, net-tops too weak to do anything worthwhile on anyway... That sort of thing. Linux does this job well.
You know that saying "if all you have is a hammer, every problem starts looking like a nail"? Well, the desktop is not a nail. It's a fucking origimi-llama. Hammers need not apply.
Then you were not as quick (nor as dumb) as I was as a kid. I've lived through several rapidly approaching trains in tunnels.
The closest I've ever come to a near death experience however was that time when a really big burly biker unfolded himself from a small pink smartcar carrying a small dog in a pink coat.
Ever tried so hard not to laugh that you start to feel faint?
Excellent point!
The answer of course is yes, it does make you a criminal... If your bulletin board specifically encourages bank robbers to use it for this purpose. You become an accessory, or you become guilty of inciting, or something of the kind, depending on jurisdiction and particulars.
So basically what we have here is a company saying... "This is a horrible idea that can never be profitable, but just as insurance we're going to patent it, so that in case someone makes anything like it we can tie them up in courts until we can launch a competitor to take over the market they so kindly created for us."
Yeah, patents are great y'all, no way anyone would ever use them for evil.
Except Zynga only copies POPULAR games, so if you don't play the originals then they won't ever make a copy for you to play, so your argument falls flat. Plus in true Zynga fashion the copy will pretty much push you to spam your entire friendslist and pay real money for in-game advantages, something most other companies do much less heavy-handedly... As someone who used to be a facebook game junkie and enjoyed several games that then got Zyngafied, I've tried both sides of the coin... and in almost every case I went back to play the original. Except of course the few cases when the benefit of a massive developer house really shone through... Zynga's games might be rip-offs, but in some cases they actually play better/less buggy than the originals.
Does Zynga hurt the indie devs? Sure. It rapes them hard and heavy... AFTER they have gone popular. AFTER they have had a chance to build a name and fan-base and revenue stream. Still rape, but clever indie devs should be expecting such possibilities and have a plan to either compete with quality, sell out, or get out when the beast rolls along.
Okay, I see your point. Still I have seen the problem more often than not - "secretary X signed for the document along with 600 other things she received that day. We will ask her where it might have ended up as soon as she returns from her five week vacation."
Also worth noting: sending registered mail internationally is far more complicated and expensive than the $20 originally quoted, and tax payers tend to get annoyed when governments spend money. "What do you mean they spend £X on sending a letter? Why can't they use regular mail like regular folks? Always wasting our money they are!"
The headline says broadband is delayed which implies it doesn't exist, that it has yet to be introduced at all - not that it has poor coverage.Of course I'm aware that the UK has very poor broadband saturation, but honestly I don't find it to be so bad as to be called non-existent.
Well, that's assuming it didn't arrive. On the other hand it's much more likely it's just on the bottom of a pile of mail on some desk of someone who got fired, is on vacation, or just didn't realize it was important. While british mail is rather incompetent from what I hear, politicians and bureaucrats still hold the title in losing paperwork, so I'm more inclined to believe it's on their side.
Since when? Did someone steal it all?
You're*
I'm*
retard*
There, fixed it for you.
Please prove you have removed all theft-countering devices on all things you have ever bought.
Is that a transmitter in your shirt? Is someone listening? Do you have your tinfoil hat on?
Okay, let us step by step this... watermarks to track the origin of a file. Ergo, if he has failed to remove the watermark, it will be his problem in the end, not yours. And it will also be his incentive to be sure - since watermarks much like steganography is not undetectable he will not have much difficulty being sure. But why he should prove it to you I can not begin to imagine.
Watermarks identifying the source of a file can never work because you can do comparative analysis between versions fro different sources, which will allow you to get the original file. If any watermarks remain that is the same in every copy of a file... then that watermark can do you no harm. It can't be used to track you or the distributor or the origin of a file. So again, why should he prove that he has removed 'every' watermark? Would it not be quite enough if he just, you know, removed the one that could implicate him?
Well in a way we use different technology, since afaik we have mostly migrated to ADSL2+ which gives the top speeds I stated. 8/1 sounds more like the topspeed of the regular ADSL tech. But, in reality they just differ by an upgrade on the telco hardware and a new modem for the user - no need for new cables or anything so it is unintrusive for the user to upgrade. However, the telco of course wouldn't even consider it if they can keep squeesing money out of people for less. Here in sweden they have to compete with cable that is 10/10 and half the price being available in a lot of cities, and as I mentioned even 100/100 in the major cities. With that sort of competition they could not choose to not upgrade and still have any customers in those areas.
ADSL over copper maxes out at... 28Mbps if my memory serves me right. I used to have 24Mbps on ADSL but changed it to 10Mbps over cable, the difference being that now I have 10Mbps uplink as well, while the ADSL was 1Mbps uplink (ADSL uplink theoretical max is at 3Mbps or thereabouts, again with reservations for rusty memorybanks.)
Here in Sweden ADSL is where you sit and wait until you can get at the 100/100 connections that is spreading rapidly in the major cities.
Well yes, that is right, you do not WANT to be anywhere near his yaws. But to be honest, if a shark is attacking you, then that is where you WILL be. Any attempt at escape will result in you being surely eaten, with only one chance of survival - ram the shark, hit it's nose, eyes, whatnot. Sharks are stupid - they are used to things escaping but will get confused at things actually fighting back.
It's that simple - sometime you have to overcome your fears and do the seemingly dangerous just to get better odds at surviving.
Not entirely - he said 'everybody' would shop across the road - misunderstanding the idea of implied value. Even for wine and clothing, while a lot of people shop brand-names, there is still a not insignificant sector of consumers who actually think before they buy. These people won't pay 100 times more just because there is a more expensive product to choose from. And even for clothes and wine, most of the time the brand name product is not identical to the knock-off. In the cases they are, the brand name products don't tend to sell as good as the forgeries.
No, that is not how it works. To a small degree yes, but you fail to take into account the large amount of customers keeping an eye on the price. The one cent hammer would still be a great hit, and it would not be strange to see it over time outcompeting the "perceived worth" just by the strength of word of mouth advertising, and people thinking "then again, it is only a cent, I can always try it out."
Moreover your view on the analogy is lacking - you would have to imagine that the store across the road sells not a similar hammer, not even the same model of hammer, but the exact same hammer, molecule for molecule. Knowing this, nobody would pay an inflated price for it.
I mean, why even use the analogy? Why would I pay the same for music online as I would in a store, when clearly there are several steps less to the distribution chain? I mean online stores of physical goods have long been able to press prices just because they cut off the store and some times the costs of holding stock. In the case of music they cut off the store, the wholesaler, physical distribution, returns... Actually they can cut it all down to the artist and a distributor basically, which should logically cut the price by something like 50-90%.
If I pay the same for music online, then the record company gets those 50-90% all to themselves.
I would have used the last one, I listed the three to show how I would work it out. five letters is too short for a password in my world, but then I am somewhat paranoid. As you said a sentence invokes memories and feelings, if you work one into a password then the sentence will invoke the memory of your workprocess - as I showed. Or at least it will if you put any amount of concious effort into choosing a password.
wttrw
w2trw
w2trwrld
yes, you are right, welcome to the real world is easy to remember. and now it will evoke the memory of w2trwrld, which is between 5-10 letters and contain one digit, and thus will be accepted as strong on 90% of the passworded applications out there.
Yes, well, in every product ever made the one that makes it costs $XX and the imitators cost $X, giving the imitators a clear price advantage and let's them compete in a different market segment. When it comes to MMO's the one that makes it cost $15 a month, and the imitators cost the same... since they do not compete in price it all comes down to the particular flavour one enjoys, and as such the differences is more like... a red Volvo or a green Volvo. It's still the same game, just dressed up differently.
Ah well that is my general plan yes, I tend to wait and see. Still, the trends are not encouraging, and even good studios make bad moves. These days everyone and their mailman has a plan for an MMO of some type, so... I can't say I am overwhelmed with the news. Now if a Fallout MMO was actually coming out any time soon I would be more enthusiastic, even though my pessimistic streak says that will probably be screwed up as well. Simply put the game industry in general has too much imitation these days and not enough innovation. I keep feeling like I am playing the same game again.