But unless you are one of a very rare subset of people who has perfect recall, you will not remember everything that was printed in the book. Even though you internalize the knowledge, when you re-present it, you are filtering it through your memory, life, and experiences. When you hear a song you are similarly affected (some more than others). While you may be able to sing a rendition of that song to a friend or neighbor, it is not full representation of the original work, and you cannot go around the country performing that song for others without running afoul of copyright law governing performance.
Re:Cost is almost never the #1 factor
on
Time To Dump XP?
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· Score: 3, Interesting
In addition, in specialty environments (e.g., some manufacturing shops), you're often constrained by what your other software vendors and equipment providers will support. A number of our key tools (e.g., 3D CAD) support Windows 7, but we have many legacy tools that only run on XP (or earlier environments!). In some cases, vendors are only supporting newer OSes if we also upgrade the machines that are tethered to the workstations--that means it's not as simple as buying a new PC and a new version of software, but instead could mean a $200,000.00 investment in a manufacturing device that will again be tethered to a specific build of Windows.
The real difference between file "sharing" and lending books seems to be that shared media (e.g., music, video) files) tend to get copied and passed around--they never are returned--and are thus dissimilar to lending a book. It's like comparing apples and oranges. To make lending a book like sharing media files, one would need to make copies of the book and pass them out to any interested persons--something that is clearly a violation of copyright in most instances (i.e., even fair-use limits how much of a work may be reproduced for protected uses).
Since music often is broadcase on public airwaves, I do believe it deserves different treatment than books, however. I liked the interpretation of the U.S. Copyright Act of 1983 that allowed for the transfer of CD recordings to tapes, because the tapes could not preserve the same level of sound quality (effectively degrading the audio to a level comparable to that heard on radio broadcasts). I wish media companies would allow people to rip and share audio files at sub-optimum levels (perhaps even limiting the allowable audio quality of then protected rips and files by statute). This would allow them to protect their "pure" digital media while facilitating legal file sharing that tends (in my understanding) to expose more customers to more music which, in turn, drives new album/track sales.
When starting it up again yesterday (Google made it permanent at google.com/pacman), I hit the "Insert Coin" button before the first round started. When I did, Mrs. Pacman appeared as she did in the old (often) tabletop two-player version. Has anyone managed to play two-player mode?
Yes, industry programs in some prison systems in the US pay as little as $0.25/hour for labor, but there's a bigger factor going against the possibility of insourcing here: many prison systems limit inmate access to computers, to keep them from getting access to porn, general outside communications, and contact with victims or witnesses.
Instead of needing to cough up $40 or more for a new game, it lets one pick up a used game and then pay $10 for the extra content. It seems like a reasonable compromise to me, so long as the used game goes for at least $15 less than a new copy.
I actually offered to sign forms over the phone, but nothing was ever sent to me. Thinking about it in hindsight, I wonder if there was some such verbage on the accident report I filled out at the store. Either way, it always seemed odd that they were so eager to cut us a check.
One of my youngest boys was screwing around on the front end of a cart (the best place to ride) when he got off, took a few steps ahead, then turned around and split his lip on the cart. "That's life" was my perspective. I asked for a gauze pad and some ice. The store staff were helpful. Of course, there was a report to fill out. I assured them we didn't plan to sue (after all, it was our son who was screwing around and hurt himself).
Fast forward a few weeks. We started getting calls from the store's investigative PR and/or legal teams. Each time they called, they offered us a settlement for the harm caused to our son. Time and again we explained how it happened, but they kept making offers. Only after about six weeks did the calls finally stop. I was just shocked at how quickly they wanted to throw money at us, just because of fear over lawsuits.
This is the simplest and best solution. If they want you checking mail from home, and have a laundry list of special requirements, let them provide the gear.
Otherwise, when you bring your PC in for them to install the software, require them to sign an agreement in which they acknowledge that they are responsible for data loss on your machine, and for any exploits to which your machine might be exposed from running their software.
I agree. If Google cut them off, the public outcry would force them to reconsider their ruling, and might even lead to some of their leaders and judges educating themselves regarding the nature of Internet hosting services.
That said, Google needs to understand that not every country holds the same values as may be common in other countries, so the concept of carriers being responsible for hosted content may be an accepted legal practice in that jurisdiction.
Sure, people could print them at home now, but the Bard's Tale games included complete spell lists in the manuals. I remember spending many late nights hovering in front of my friend's C-64 and paging throught the manual to find just the spell we needed (until we had most of them memorized). Playing those games now, after the booklets are long gone, is painful.
On a more recent note, I really enjoyed the manuals that came with some of the editions of Guild Wars--great artwork, and fun text blocks. Sure, Plants vs. Zombies didn't need a manual (and didn't ship with one--thanks, PopCap Games!), but there will still be times when manuals will be a good addition to the gaming experience. In other words, if it will be a useful refernce or has other redeeming qualities (i.e., is a work of art), let them ship. Otherwise, it's fine to go without.
Okay, for any of you in plastic or silcon fabrication, tell your engineers to design a housing for the iPad that includes a strap system to mount it to a headrest, or to hang it from the ceiling of the vehicle (I'll let them worry about how to mount it, but the mounting armor/sleeve should snap onto the mount and allow the display to tilt/hinge). Then design an accessory kit that includes wired or wireless speakers or headphones, and you can make a nice tidy sum selling to the iPad lovers.
Those conditions reflect what much of factory life was in the U.S. in the late 1800s and early 1900s. While some might immediately decry China for being so far behind the times, we must remember that such conditions followed the affect of the Industrial Revolution and the mass migration of people from rural communities to cities where they sought work after leaving an agrarian lifestyle. Instead of viewing China as "behind the times", we should acknowledge that they stayed locked in an older way of life for a longer period of time, and now are experiencing massive growth that parallels that we experienced over the past hundred years.
In other words, China is going through the same growth process that we experienced in the U.S., but it's happening on a compressed timeline. I believe that internal and external pressures, including the rapid growth of their internal consumer markets and the massive numbers of people affected by comparably "substandard" wages, will cause China to address labor issues and working conditions sooner rather than later. Some companies, like Wal-Mart (like them or not) are influencing the realm of Chinese manufacturers by exporting Western ideas and expectations for quality, and the Chinese are smart enough to realize that a healthy, well-motivated workforce is better (in the long run) for attaining to such high standards.
I apologize for assuming you did not shut things down or inform your customers. Now, my sympathies extend to you as well. Too bad we don't have any real meaningful legislation to allow recourse in these types of issues.
To ease your conscience, pull together your old contact list and let your former clients know that you've not been running the business (or charging for services) for years. Advise them of the current scam, and hope they get your message before they pay the bad guys.
While I have your attention, shame on you for letting your business go dark without tying up the loose ends (e.g., informing your customers). I feel for your customers.
Right. It's limited to those venues for now, but it is a proof of concept that this type of translation can be done without getting Apple's blessing, thereby expanding the usefulness of the device. I can see the possibility of an online proxy service for Flash content that would let users view their Flash content from any device--like Steam for games, but you would actually pay a nominal monthly subscription fee for the translation service instead of paying for the games.
That $140 figure was probably the price when someone thought up the promotion. By the time it got through all of their bureaucratic muckity-muck, they're putting an overpriced device on the market.
That's almost as bad as our local Wal-Mart. They have a Battlefield 2142 gaming mouse in their clearance section. It has been on clearance there for over two years (and was likely on the shelves for two years prior to that point), and they still have the price at around $69. Retailers (and, apparantly, movie studies) have a mistaken notion that tech gear holds its value over time.
Customers pay to have access to request files and get the content they want. Some telcos want the content provider to pay to upload that content as well. I wonder if that model would work for FedEx. Imagine a package being shipped from company A to customer B. Company A already pays for the shipping--a cost typically passed on to the customer. What if FedEx wanted a payment on each end--a charge to company A for picking up the shipment and a charge to customer B for delivering it? I don't think anyone would tolerate that, because the company is getting paid twice for the same shipment.
I realize that transfers along data networks are a little different, because the file may enter the stream on one network and then exit the stream via another, but it still seems like the telcos are trying to milk the cow from both ends.
It was also and age when people implicitly trusted the media--almost as if 90% of the population back then was like the 10% today that believes every claim they see on TV or receive via email.
I learned how to drive a manual on Race Driving and/or Stunt Driving (I can't remember anymore). You had to depress the clutch before you turned the key, and you had to shift (if you weren't a wuss who used "automatic" mode!:-P). Not all racing games were third-person POV.
I still remember the look on my friend's face when he learned I had only ever driven a stick via the arcade after he let me drive the car one evening (and, no, I didn't grind or fry the gear box). That was just awesome!
Dude, just come to an agreement on the time before you start playing. I've played many games where people have taken their time developing words. Typically, its when I'm playing with two or three other people and we are enjoying conversation while we are playing the game. It makes the game far less intimidating to those unfamiliar with it, and those not gifted with a large vocabulary and excellent spelling skills.
Slashdot Mirror
But unless you are one of a very rare subset of people who has perfect recall, you will not remember everything that was printed in the book. Even though you internalize the knowledge, when you re-present it, you are filtering it through your memory, life, and experiences. When you hear a song you are similarly affected (some more than others). While you may be able to sing a rendition of that song to a friend or neighbor, it is not full representation of the original work, and you cannot go around the country performing that song for others without running afoul of copyright law governing performance.
In addition, in specialty environments (e.g., some manufacturing shops), you're often constrained by what your other software vendors and equipment providers will support. A number of our key tools (e.g., 3D CAD) support Windows 7, but we have many legacy tools that only run on XP (or earlier environments!). In some cases, vendors are only supporting newer OSes if we also upgrade the machines that are tethered to the workstations--that means it's not as simple as buying a new PC and a new version of software, but instead could mean a $200,000.00 investment in a manufacturing device that will again be tethered to a specific build of Windows.
The real difference between file "sharing" and lending books seems to be that shared media (e.g., music, video) files) tend to get copied and passed around--they never are returned--and are thus dissimilar to lending a book. It's like comparing apples and oranges. To make lending a book like sharing media files, one would need to make copies of the book and pass them out to any interested persons--something that is clearly a violation of copyright in most instances (i.e., even fair-use limits how much of a work may be reproduced for protected uses).
Since music often is broadcase on public airwaves, I do believe it deserves different treatment than books, however. I liked the interpretation of the U.S. Copyright Act of 1983 that allowed for the transfer of CD recordings to tapes, because the tapes could not preserve the same level of sound quality (effectively degrading the audio to a level comparable to that heard on radio broadcasts). I wish media companies would allow people to rip and share audio files at sub-optimum levels (perhaps even limiting the allowable audio quality of then protected rips and files by statute). This would allow them to protect their "pure" digital media while facilitating legal file sharing that tends (in my understanding) to expose more customers to more music which, in turn, drives new album/track sales.
When starting it up again yesterday (Google made it permanent at google.com/pacman), I hit the "Insert Coin" button before the first round started. When I did, Mrs. Pacman appeared as she did in the old (often) tabletop two-player version. Has anyone managed to play two-player mode?
What? Like "fanboy"?
Yes, industry programs in some prison systems in the US pay as little as $0.25/hour for labor, but there's a bigger factor going against the possibility of insourcing here: many prison systems limit inmate access to computers, to keep them from getting access to porn, general outside communications, and contact with victims or witnesses.
Instead of needing to cough up $40 or more for a new game, it lets one pick up a used game and then pay $10 for the extra content. It seems like a reasonable compromise to me, so long as the used game goes for at least $15 less than a new copy.
I actually offered to sign forms over the phone, but nothing was ever sent to me. Thinking about it in hindsight, I wonder if there was some such verbage on the accident report I filled out at the store. Either way, it always seemed odd that they were so eager to cut us a check.
One of my youngest boys was screwing around on the front end of a cart (the best place to ride) when he got off, took a few steps ahead, then turned around and split his lip on the cart. "That's life" was my perspective. I asked for a gauze pad and some ice. The store staff were helpful. Of course, there was a report to fill out. I assured them we didn't plan to sue (after all, it was our son who was screwing around and hurt himself).
Fast forward a few weeks. We started getting calls from the store's investigative PR and/or legal teams. Each time they called, they offered us a settlement for the harm caused to our son. Time and again we explained how it happened, but they kept making offers. Only after about six weeks did the calls finally stop. I was just shocked at how quickly they wanted to throw money at us, just because of fear over lawsuits.
While your comment may have been a little on the crass side, I certainly don't believe it warranted the "Troll" mod.
This is the simplest and best solution. If they want you checking mail from home, and have a laundry list of special requirements, let them provide the gear.
Otherwise, when you bring your PC in for them to install the software, require them to sign an agreement in which they acknowledge that they are responsible for data loss on your machine, and for any exploits to which your machine might be exposed from running their software.
Well-said.
I agree. If Google cut them off, the public outcry would force them to reconsider their ruling, and might even lead to some of their leaders and judges educating themselves regarding the nature of Internet hosting services.
That said, Google needs to understand that not every country holds the same values as may be common in other countries, so the concept of carriers being responsible for hosted content may be an accepted legal practice in that jurisdiction.
Sure, people could print them at home now, but the Bard's Tale games included complete spell lists in the manuals. I remember spending many late nights hovering in front of my friend's C-64 and paging throught the manual to find just the spell we needed (until we had most of them memorized). Playing those games now, after the booklets are long gone, is painful.
On a more recent note, I really enjoyed the manuals that came with some of the editions of Guild Wars--great artwork, and fun text blocks. Sure, Plants vs. Zombies didn't need a manual (and didn't ship with one--thanks, PopCap Games!), but there will still be times when manuals will be a good addition to the gaming experience. In other words, if it will be a useful refernce or has other redeeming qualities (i.e., is a work of art), let them ship. Otherwise, it's fine to go without.
Okay, for any of you in plastic or silcon fabrication, tell your engineers to design a housing for the iPad that includes a strap system to mount it to a headrest, or to hang it from the ceiling of the vehicle (I'll let them worry about how to mount it, but the mounting armor/sleeve should snap onto the mount and allow the display to tilt/hinge). Then design an accessory kit that includes wired or wireless speakers or headphones, and you can make a nice tidy sum selling to the iPad lovers.
Those conditions reflect what much of factory life was in the U.S. in the late 1800s and early 1900s. While some might immediately decry China for being so far behind the times, we must remember that such conditions followed the affect of the Industrial Revolution and the mass migration of people from rural communities to cities where they sought work after leaving an agrarian lifestyle. Instead of viewing China as "behind the times", we should acknowledge that they stayed locked in an older way of life for a longer period of time, and now are experiencing massive growth that parallels that we experienced over the past hundred years.
In other words, China is going through the same growth process that we experienced in the U.S., but it's happening on a compressed timeline. I believe that internal and external pressures, including the rapid growth of their internal consumer markets and the massive numbers of people affected by comparably "substandard" wages, will cause China to address labor issues and working conditions sooner rather than later. Some companies, like Wal-Mart (like them or not) are influencing the realm of Chinese manufacturers by exporting Western ideas and expectations for quality, and the Chinese are smart enough to realize that a healthy, well-motivated workforce is better (in the long run) for attaining to such high standards.
From the reply I received, he did tie up most ends, so I apologized to him and extended my sympathies.
I apologize for assuming you did not shut things down or inform your customers. Now, my sympathies extend to you as well. Too bad we don't have any real meaningful legislation to allow recourse in these types of issues.
My condolences.
To ease your conscience, pull together your old contact list and let your former clients know that you've not been running the business (or charging for services) for years. Advise them of the current scam, and hope they get your message before they pay the bad guys.
While I have your attention, shame on you for letting your business go dark without tying up the loose ends (e.g., informing your customers). I feel for your customers.
Right. It's limited to those venues for now, but it is a proof of concept that this type of translation can be done without getting Apple's blessing, thereby expanding the usefulness of the device. I can see the possibility of an online proxy service for Flash content that would let users view their Flash content from any device--like Steam for games, but you would actually pay a nominal monthly subscription fee for the translation service instead of paying for the games.
That $140 figure was probably the price when someone thought up the promotion. By the time it got through all of their bureaucratic muckity-muck, they're putting an overpriced device on the market.
That's almost as bad as our local Wal-Mart. They have a Battlefield 2142 gaming mouse in their clearance section. It has been on clearance there for over two years (and was likely on the shelves for two years prior to that point), and they still have the price at around $69. Retailers (and, apparantly, movie studies) have a mistaken notion that tech gear holds its value over time.
Customers pay to have access to request files and get the content they want. Some telcos want the content provider to pay to upload that content as well. I wonder if that model would work for FedEx. Imagine a package being shipped from company A to customer B. Company A already pays for the shipping--a cost typically passed on to the customer. What if FedEx wanted a payment on each end--a charge to company A for picking up the shipment and a charge to customer B for delivering it? I don't think anyone would tolerate that, because the company is getting paid twice for the same shipment.
I realize that transfers along data networks are a little different, because the file may enter the stream on one network and then exit the stream via another, but it still seems like the telcos are trying to milk the cow from both ends.
It was also and age when people implicitly trusted the media--almost as if 90% of the population back then was like the 10% today that believes every claim they see on TV or receive via email.
I learned how to drive a manual on Race Driving and/or Stunt Driving (I can't remember anymore). You had to depress the clutch before you turned the key, and you had to shift (if you weren't a wuss who used "automatic" mode! :-P). Not all racing games were third-person POV.
I still remember the look on my friend's face when he learned I had only ever driven a stick via the arcade after he let me drive the car one evening (and, no, I didn't grind or fry the gear box). That was just awesome!
Dude, just come to an agreement on the time before you start playing. I've played many games where people have taken their time developing words. Typically, its when I'm playing with two or three other people and we are enjoying conversation while we are playing the game. It makes the game far less intimidating to those unfamiliar with it, and those not gifted with a large vocabulary and excellent spelling skills.