That doesn't make the system anymore pleasing though. I wonder how far Microsoft will actually get with it. Customers do seem to get upset with this, and it wouldn't be the first time Microsoft has had to make "concessions" because of public criticism.
My guess is that MS's strategy is to include HDCP now to keep the MPAA happy, and let consumer pressure cause the studios to realize that it's a dumb idea. After all, HDCP has to be enabled at the disk level.
I do think HDCP is useful for things like pre-release screenings and confidential material. If it's kept out of mass-market media, then there's less incentive for it to be hacked.
The problem is that the hardware and media guys, in all thier excitement to re-energize the home entertainment market by forcing upgrades, have forgotten that a large percentage of the population either a) just doesn't give a damn, or b) are like me, and can't get an HD setup even if they want to. So really, WHO GIVES A SHIT about HD other than the videophiles with more money than brains? Let THEM buy into all the HD hype, and the rest of us will just wait until the dust settles and we can guy a 27" HD T.V. for the same price that we can buy a 27" regular T.V. today.
You need to get out more often! When you walk into a store today, the $500-$700 price range is filled with 30-inch HDTV LCDs. Accounting for inflation, that's less then what my family paid for our 27-inch CRT in 1990. If you want a kid-proof tube TV, buy one dirt-cheap now, because they won't be in stores much longer!
What's really happening with HDTV is that wives are saying to their husbands, "I want one of those TVs on the wall." Husbands then buy a gigantic LCD/Plasma and notice that DVD is fuzzier then broadcast HDTV.
I seriously doubt the police are going to bother with this, or even have the resources to do so. Most of these buyers aren't going to be from NYC, so there's a jurisdiction problem. Also who's to say EVERYTHING he sold is stolen? It probbably is, but that's not proof.
There's also no proof that the seller was the theif; he could have been running a pawn shop.
The ability to make a player that plays both formats has been around for a while now (nearly as long as the formats infact), however Sony (and the rest that hold the patents on Blu-Ray) were refusing to sell a license for any device that would play both formats. Now LG is announcing that they will be sellign one.
I heard it's incredibly difficult to make a laser that can read both formats. I suspect that combo players will have two lasers.
They'd also forgotten to ask me to tell them anything, like the admin passwords for any of the workstations, the BIOS passwords for anything, etc, which of course as a professional I would have been happy to tell them right up until they escorted me out the door. A week later they realized that they had hundreds of thousands of dollars of equipment that they couldn't reconfigure. They wheedled someone at the company I'd been friendly with to ask me for the passwords. I asked her "Did they offer to give you anything, like maybe a bonus, if you get the passwords out of me?" She said no. I told her that come to think of it I'd forgotten all the passwords since I didn't need them any more.
Did you try:
I'd like my job back, with a raise, and the person who fired me fired.
I then set the string to report the PORT speed and not the modem handshake speed and bobs your uncle! Customers loved me "He got me a 57600 connection!" all the time.
Granted every language has its niche and I'm sure D will find its. Objective-C's niche is definitely GUI programming. The ample reflection information allows for easy implementations of archiving (serialization) and most importantly key-value coding and the related action methods pattern. It's a pretty damn cool thing when your RAD tool simply outputs archived objects that refer to methods to be called upon certain actions simply by name.
(I'm assuming you're a Cocca programmer.) If you ever get a chance, it's really worth spending a few hours trying out C# or VB.Net. I find the learning curve is much more gentle for GUI prototyping because you don't need to worry about header files, connections, outlets, and misspellings. Also, Visual Studio's intellisense allows you to program with unfamilar APIs in minutes. (Now, if only XCode had intellisense...)
Probably the present generation of those running the content business will have to die off first. They will be replaced with people who grew up with the Internet and try new things. Among those new things will be DRM free content paid for by viewers. For generations now, the public has lived with content supported by advertising. Perhaps ad supported downloads might work also, just as ad supported "free" over the air broadcasting has been with us for years now. This would be used by those who now watch regular TV broadcasting and listen to the radio.
If I had spare money I'd buy up the internet rights to old TV shows and distribute them through BitTorrent with commercials. (The commercials would be skippable.) I envision the the day when NBC, ABC, ect do the same.
Reminds me of a hack that I used back when my web host required me to use a silly GUI that required that I manually upload one file at a time. I uploaded a batch file and pkunzip.exe. When I wanted to update my web site, I'd upload a zip file and instruct the web server to unzip it through CGI!
The sellers of DRM are trying to guide the MPAA/RIAA in a feasable direction. The problem is that the RIAA/MPAA control so much content! It's impossible to invent any kind of playback device without their blessing.
Want to sell a non-DRM internet-based movie service? All you'll be able to carry are indie movies that no one's ever heard of.
My employer, (which is involved with DRM,) tells us that they are patiently trying to explain to the MPAA/RIAA that "pay" media needs to be easier (and cheaper) then pirate media. I interpret this to mean that eventually pay downloads will be so cheap & easy that P2P networks won't be worth the time & effort.
On a more serious note, after reading The Omnivore's Dillemma, I started buying grass-fed meat at Whole Foods. Personally, I find the beef tough; but the pork is to die for!
Why no lynx? Is this a case where your client needs to be gracefully guided to the 21st century, or is this a case where your client has a real need for a text-based solution?
Why not cut out the stored encrypted password bit and have the password only stored where those trusted employees can access? Sounds like a simple user/file permission system really.
It's all about managing your risk: This is what I do:
The password is loaded from a configuration file
The password (in the configuration file) is encrypted
The encryption key is stored in a script that's only accessable by a generic system account
The automated job runs in a system that has to store the password; the stored password is only readable by trusted employees
Is the system 100% secure? No. Is the system secure enough? Yes! The key is risk management; the probability of our system being comprimised is incredibly low. We're more likely to be comprimised by a disgruntled employee; besides, anyone trying to get sensitive data would have to spend an entire week figuring out the damn thing!
The key to senarios where a password needs to be stored in a machine-readable format is risk management; you reduce the risk of being hacked such that the overall value makes the system beneficial.
I got the impression that Sony jacked the price of the PS3 because THEY wanted to make the loot that scalpers normally get. If the PS3 was ~400 retail; you would have been able to easily make a $250 profit.
Point is, that heat isn't wasted, unless you're running an air conditioner at the same time.
Last winter I heated my living room with my Comcast DVR. A few months ago, a software upgrade made it ran cooler, so now I have to run my heat!
Getting back on-topic; I recently built a relay system so that my receiver can switch high-power items, like my two giant subwoofers and CRT TV. It resulted in a few dollar's savings on my bill.
I'd ask her, to her face, what part of the $9000 you will be getting. If she blows you off, make sure to ask her again in your next departmental meeting.
Something to consider is that comparing Linux to consumer operating systems like Windows and Mac OS is like comparing apples to oranges; it's more appropriate to compare Linux to Darwin and Windows' kernel.
Why? One only needs to look at Gaim's download page to understand: http://gaim.sourceforge.net/downloads.php There are 8 different downloads for Linux-based operating systems.
I personally do not consider Linux to be a complete operating system; instead, I consider it an ingredient for use in creating an operating system. Likewise, Linux-based operating systems tend to be similar, thus allowing programs created for Red Hat to be easily ported to Fedora.
What does this mean: "Linux" can not be successful as a consumer OS, but one of the distributions can. The distributions can compete, and have high levels of compatibility, yet the consumer needs to be shielded from the complexity of the "Linux" brand. Personally, I think the most probable model to follow is to have a Linux-based "Dell OS", and a Linux-based "Compaq-OS". This is a similar strategy that Apple took when they brought BSD to the desktop with "Mac OS."
For example, Turbo Tax could run on Windows, Mac, "Dell OS", and "Compaq-OS". Stating that Turbo Tax runs on "Linux" is confusing because each Linux install has a differing set of APIs.
I like the idea of merging USB and Ethernet; there are some obstacles to overcome. The most significant obstacle is that UBS provides DC power; Ethernet does not. (Granted, there are some power-over-ethernet standards.) Ethernet also doesn't have the same plug-n-play functionality that USB has.
Something to consider: It's very likely that home networking will work over the power lines. It would be possible to augment such a protocol so that it can have USB-like functionalities.
Apple's delay in fixing the security bug is proof that closed source is evil. If OS X was open source, we'd be able to download a fix within hours of its discovery.
What I want: Portable devices that use ultra-capacitors, with a standardized instant-charger. For example, a phone with a 1-day battery that takes 10 seconds to charge.
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My guess is that MS's strategy is to include HDCP now to keep the MPAA happy, and let consumer pressure cause the studios to realize that it's a dumb idea. After all, HDCP has to be enabled at the disk level.
I do think HDCP is useful for things like pre-release screenings and confidential material. If it's kept out of mass-market media, then there's less incentive for it to be hacked.
You need to get out more often! When you walk into a store today, the $500-$700 price range is filled with 30-inch HDTV LCDs. Accounting for inflation, that's less then what my family paid for our 27-inch CRT in 1990. If you want a kid-proof tube TV, buy one dirt-cheap now, because they won't be in stores much longer!
What's really happening with HDTV is that wives are saying to their husbands, "I want one of those TVs on the wall." Husbands then buy a gigantic LCD/Plasma and notice that DVD is fuzzier then broadcast HDTV.
There's also no proof that the seller was the theif; he could have been running a pawn shop.
I hereby declare myself emporer of the entire Multiverse!
I heard it's incredibly difficult to make a laser that can read both formats. I suspect that combo players will have two lasers.
Did you try:
Consider being honest. It's helped my career.
The answer is simple; when Teenagers are using social networking sites; they're playing.
(I'm assuming you're a Cocca programmer.) If you ever get a chance, it's really worth spending a few hours trying out C# or VB.Net. I find the learning curve is much more gentle for GUI prototyping because you don't need to worry about header files, connections, outlets, and misspellings. Also, Visual Studio's intellisense allows you to program with unfamilar APIs in minutes. (Now, if only XCode had intellisense...)
If I had spare money I'd buy up the internet rights to old TV shows and distribute them through BitTorrent with commercials. (The commercials would be skippable.) I envision the the day when NBC, ABC, ect do the same.
Reminds me of a hack that I used back when my web host required me to use a silly GUI that required that I manually upload one file at a time. I uploaded a batch file and pkunzip.exe. When I wanted to update my web site, I'd upload a zip file and instruct the web server to unzip it through CGI!
The sellers of DRM are trying to guide the MPAA/RIAA in a feasable direction. The problem is that the RIAA/MPAA control so much content! It's impossible to invent any kind of playback device without their blessing.
Want to sell a non-DRM internet-based movie service? All you'll be able to carry are indie movies that no one's ever heard of.
My employer, (which is involved with DRM,) tells us that they are patiently trying to explain to the MPAA/RIAA that "pay" media needs to be easier (and cheaper) then pirate media. I interpret this to mean that eventually pay downloads will be so cheap & easy that P2P networks won't be worth the time & effort.
Grass is too expensive, just give the cows Tums!
On a more serious note, after reading The Omnivore's Dillemma, I started buying grass-fed meat at Whole Foods. Personally, I find the beef tough; but the pork is to die for!
Why no lynx? Is this a case where your client needs to be gracefully guided to the 21st century, or is this a case where your client has a real need for a text-based solution?
Sony TVs and Receivers are still excellent. Their LCD projection TVs and sub $500 recievers are the best in the market.
That's what I do; it's an automated system.
It's all about managing your risk: This is what I do:
Is the system 100% secure? No. Is the system secure enough? Yes! The key is risk management; the probability of our system being comprimised is incredibly low. We're more likely to be comprimised by a disgruntled employee; besides, anyone trying to get sensitive data would have to spend an entire week figuring out the damn thing!
The key to senarios where a password needs to be stored in a machine-readable format is risk management; you reduce the risk of being hacked such that the overall value makes the system beneficial.
I got the impression that Sony jacked the price of the PS3 because THEY wanted to make the loot that scalpers normally get. If the PS3 was ~400 retail; you would have been able to easily make a $250 profit.
Last winter I heated my living room with my Comcast DVR. A few months ago, a software upgrade made it ran cooler, so now I have to run my heat!
Getting back on-topic; I recently built a relay system so that my receiver can switch high-power items, like my two giant subwoofers and CRT TV. It resulted in a few dollar's savings on my bill.
I own a 32" CRT 16x9 HDTV. Here are the drawbacks:
Yes, a CRT will have the most natural color; that doesn't mean that it's the best solution. I bought mine because it was the best I could afford!
I'd ask her, to her face, what part of the $9000 you will be getting. If she blows you off, make sure to ask her again in your next departmental meeting.
Something to consider is that comparing Linux to consumer operating systems like Windows and Mac OS is like comparing apples to oranges; it's more appropriate to compare Linux to Darwin and Windows' kernel.
Why? One only needs to look at Gaim's download page to understand: http://gaim.sourceforge.net/downloads.php There are 8 different downloads for Linux-based operating systems.
I personally do not consider Linux to be a complete operating system; instead, I consider it an ingredient for use in creating an operating system. Likewise, Linux-based operating systems tend to be similar, thus allowing programs created for Red Hat to be easily ported to Fedora.
What does this mean: "Linux" can not be successful as a consumer OS, but one of the distributions can. The distributions can compete, and have high levels of compatibility, yet the consumer needs to be shielded from the complexity of the "Linux" brand. Personally, I think the most probable model to follow is to have a Linux-based "Dell OS", and a Linux-based "Compaq-OS". This is a similar strategy that Apple took when they brought BSD to the desktop with "Mac OS."
For example, Turbo Tax could run on Windows, Mac, "Dell OS", and "Compaq-OS". Stating that Turbo Tax runs on "Linux" is confusing because each Linux install has a differing set of APIs.
I like the idea of merging USB and Ethernet; there are some obstacles to overcome. The most significant obstacle is that UBS provides DC power; Ethernet does not. (Granted, there are some power-over-ethernet standards.) Ethernet also doesn't have the same plug-n-play functionality that USB has.
Something to consider: It's very likely that home networking will work over the power lines. It would be possible to augment such a protocol so that it can have USB-like functionalities.
Apple's delay in fixing the security bug is proof that closed source is evil. If OS X was open source, we'd be able to download a fix within hours of its discovery.
(This is intended to be a joke)
What I want: Portable devices that use ultra-capacitors, with a standardized instant-charger. For example, a phone with a 1-day battery that takes 10 seconds to charge.