I'd also recommend Art of Electronics. It's a textbook, so it's expensive but so worth it since it starts off for those with no knowledge of electronics but covers very advanced things as well. To get the most of it, you'd probably want to brush up on some calculus since it's geared towards physics, engineering, and other science students. I think it also has some guide books or workbooks and a lot of people will be familiar with it since it's a popular coursebook in many colleges.
There was a 1991 Supreme Court case that involved names and telephone numbers - Feist v. Rural (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feist_Publications_v._Rural_Telephone_Service.) The data to be copied from Rural's directory (which they were required to provide in exchange for local monopoly of phone service) was obviously not protected by copyright. Though collections of information can be protected by copyright, it was judged that an alphabetical listing as in Rural's phone book does not meet even the low standards for creativity to warrant protection.
I don't believe using the Copyright symbols and registering with a government office is required for copyright protection anymore - it's automatic as soon as you put pen to paper (or push record, whatever) by 1989's Berne Convention (according to Wikipedia's article on Copyright.)
[Note, I left this same reply on TFA's comments but thought I'd copy it here cuz slashdot is cooler.]
This reminds me of a deadline a few years ago set by the FCC to include working firewire ports on set-top boxes. This would allow a digital connection to certain TV's as well as to recorders like D-VHS or computers (using D-VHS emulators.)
That mandate deadline came and passed without compliance as well. Boxes never had ports, or had ports removed even though OEM's like SA and Moto included them, or had ports that weren't functional.
The FCC has been a joke since it was created. Like most of government, despite any good intentions, it has proved ineffectual in enforcing many of its own mandates that has resulted in loss to the consumers while effectively enforcing protections for certain corporations like the Cable Cos resulting in loss to competition.
For me, I've given up. I've basically voted with my feet and stopped subscribing to cable. If I hear about something of interest, I can usually download it or have a friend record it or wait for it on DVD and rent it. The result is that I watch less TV, which may be a good thing or maybe I miss things I would enjoy or maybe it doesn't make a real difference except that the Cable Cos, as well as the content creators, advertisers other related businesses and the FCC (through included taxes), are not getting my money because of this stupidity. You may want to consider the same.
I saw a recent article at TG Daily that describes the problem as more related to finding a common language to coordinate quests more effectively. It also mentions a history of the English test dating back to Everquest and it's relation to weeding out gold farmers.
Did you spend an extra $20-30 for a special data cable? I use Bluetooth, but only because I bought a phone specifically for it.
Cable -- Extra charge at twice what the company paid for it.
Never buy cell phone cables from the carrier. Try online, especially ebay. The last two times I bought phones, instead of getting $20-$30 cables from Verizon, I ordered multiple cables (backups, one for travel, car, etc.) for a few bucks each. I think the only thing you might want to keep official is a battery replacement - I heard that cheapo batteries can explode.
I enjoyed your post very much and would like to add some comments, but preface by first saying that I'm no legal expert - just a law groupie (espeically of law blogs.)
Your complaints about Congressional regulation and reference to the interstate commerce clause reminds me of general complaints about Congress's near arbitrary powers. The complaints usually say that Congress justifies much of it's regulation to the Commerce Clause by the extremely weak logical connections to effects on interstate commerce.
Recently, there has been talk of a federalism revival with recent SCOTUS cases like Morrison (struck down Violence against Women Act) and Lopez (struck down a federal law banning guns in school zones). Both cases were justified by Congress because they could improve the economy by limiting violence and fear in society. Decisions on cases like these have opined that the commerce clause doesn't empower Congress over some facet of life just because it somehow is involved in interstate commerce - some say that the law's effects must have substantial effects on interstate commerce and others make the stronger restriction that the law must have an intended effect
specifically on interstate commerce.
In the case of ISP regulation, are those in Congress thinking of imposing such regulation trying to improve the economy? Pandering to special interests? Benefiting certain companies because of outright corruption? Or, simply granting themselves more police powers so they can say they accomplished something, however Constitutionally inappropriate, to pad their resumes for reelection?
I wish I could read more about the issue right now, but the referenced article above appears to have been slashdotted. I'll have to try to read it later.
How do the ISP's block or attenuate traffic speeds for certain services? Do they actually look at the contents of packets or is it simply by port? If by port, can't many applications like p2p's be set to use non-standard ports?
For a few years now on Time Warner Cable/Road Runner, I've noticed that sometimes default settings for P2P's yield very slow results and sometimes no connection to the tracker/server and connections to very few peers. I've simply changed those port settings. I guess some applications can't be changed either because of lack of customization in the program or a required standard port.
This reminds me of a little feature on the Criterion Collection laserdisc release of Robocop called "Robocop in Two Minutes" or something like that. The screen was divided into very many little windows, each displaying, in real time, a portion of the movie such that you see and hear every part of the film in two minutes. It was a nifty, yet weird little feature.
IIRC, this little feature was not ported to the Criterion Collection DVD version of the film.
Slashdot Mirror
I'd also recommend Art of Electronics. It's a textbook, so it's expensive but so worth it since it starts off for those with no knowledge of electronics but covers very advanced things as well. To get the most of it, you'd probably want to brush up on some calculus since it's geared towards physics, engineering, and other science students. I think it also has some guide books or workbooks and a lot of people will be familiar with it since it's a popular coursebook in many colleges.
You can't copyright information.
There was a 1991 Supreme Court case that involved names and telephone numbers - Feist v. Rural (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feist_Publications_v._Rural_Telephone_Service.) The data to be copied from Rural's directory (which they were required to provide in exchange for local monopoly of phone service) was obviously not protected by copyright. Though collections of information can be protected by copyright, it was judged that an alphabetical listing as in Rural's phone book does not meet even the low standards for creativity to warrant protection.
I don't believe using the Copyright symbols and registering with a government office is required for copyright protection anymore - it's automatic as soon as you put pen to paper (or push record, whatever) by 1989's Berne Convention (according to Wikipedia's article on Copyright.)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copyright#Obtaining_and_enforcing_copyright
A FAQ on www.copyright.gov also mentions the automatic protection.
http://www.copyright.gov/help/faq/faq-general.html#mywork
[Note, I left this same reply on TFA's comments but thought I'd copy it here cuz slashdot is cooler.]
This reminds me of a deadline a few years ago set by the FCC to include working firewire ports on set-top boxes. This would allow a digital connection to certain TV's as well as to recorders like D-VHS or computers (using D-VHS emulators.)
http://www.engadgethd.com/2006/02/01/does-your-cable-box-have-a-firewire-port
That mandate deadline came and passed without compliance as well. Boxes never had ports, or had ports removed even though OEM's like SA and Moto included them, or had ports that weren't functional.
The FCC has been a joke since it was created. Like most of government, despite any good intentions, it has proved ineffectual in enforcing many of its own mandates that has resulted in loss to the consumers while effectively enforcing protections for certain corporations like the Cable Cos resulting in loss to competition.
For me, I've given up. I've basically voted with my feet and stopped subscribing to cable. If I hear about something of interest, I can usually download it or have a friend record it or wait for it on DVD and rent it. The result is that I watch less TV, which may be a good thing or maybe I miss things I would enjoy or maybe it doesn't make a real difference except that the Cable Cos, as well as the content creators, advertisers other related businesses and the FCC (through included taxes), are not getting my money because of this stupidity. You may want to consider the same.
I saw a recent article at TG Daily that describes the problem as more related to finding a common language to coordinate quests more effectively. It also mentions a history of the English test dating back to Everquest and it's relation to weeding out gold farmers.
Never buy cell phone cables from the carrier. Try online, especially ebay. The last two times I bought phones, instead of getting $20-$30 cables from Verizon, I ordered multiple cables (backups, one for travel, car, etc.) for a few bucks each. I think the only thing you might want to keep official is a battery replacement - I heard that cheapo batteries can explode.
I enjoyed your post very much and would like to add some comments, but preface by first saying that I'm no legal expert - just a law groupie (espeically of law blogs.)
Your complaints about Congressional regulation and reference to the interstate commerce clause reminds me of general complaints about Congress's near arbitrary powers. The complaints usually say that Congress justifies much of it's regulation to the Commerce Clause by the extremely weak logical connections to effects on interstate commerce.
Recently, there has been talk of a federalism revival with recent SCOTUS cases like Morrison (struck down Violence against Women Act) and Lopez (struck down a federal law banning guns in school zones). Both cases were justified by Congress because they could improve the economy by limiting violence and fear in society. Decisions on cases like these have opined that the commerce clause doesn't empower Congress over some facet of life just because it somehow is involved in interstate commerce - some say that the law's effects must have substantial effects on interstate commerce and others make the stronger restriction that the law must have an intended effect
specifically on interstate commerce.In the case of ISP regulation, are those in Congress thinking of imposing such regulation trying to improve the economy? Pandering to special interests? Benefiting certain companies because of outright corruption? Or, simply granting themselves more police powers so they can say they accomplished something, however Constitutionally inappropriate, to pad their resumes for reelection?
I wish I could read more about the issue right now, but the referenced article above appears to have been slashdotted. I'll have to try to read it later.
How do the ISP's block or attenuate traffic speeds for certain services? Do they actually look at the contents of packets or is it simply by port? If by port, can't many applications like p2p's be set to use non-standard ports? For a few years now on Time Warner Cable/Road Runner, I've noticed that sometimes default settings for P2P's yield very slow results and sometimes no connection to the tracker/server and connections to very few peers. I've simply changed those port settings. I guess some applications can't be changed either because of lack of customization in the program or a required standard port.
How are the polar bears handling the polar ice cap melting on Mars? Must be the Mars rovers...
I know the parallel isn't perfect, but upon reading this, did anyone think of the South Park episode of Awesome-O?
This reminds me of a little feature on the Criterion Collection laserdisc release of Robocop called "Robocop in Two Minutes" or something like that. The screen was divided into very many little windows, each displaying, in real time, a portion of the movie such that you see and hear every part of the film in two minutes. It was a nifty, yet weird little feature. IIRC, this little feature was not ported to the Criterion Collection DVD version of the film.