>When innocence or guilt (and the nature and severity of the punishment) is
>often determined by the quality of the legal representation that one can
>afford, "justice" does not enter the equation.
Slashdot news cycle:
1. Get whiff of bill potentially adding to draconian copyright protections.
2. Post leaked draft of bill.
3. Bill is introduced. No interest.
4. Bill is passed due to massive levels of indifference.
5. Repeat from the top.
The cheapest OEM version (of XP Pro) I could find came in at just under 200 US, 1200 Rand.
And I was warned that this OEM version was illegal without buying a box. Not sure if that would hold up in court, but it was clearly the opinion of the vendor.
The fact is that XP professional retails in South Africa (in a mainstream outlet) for the equivelant of around 580 US.
I'm not sure how much it retails for in the US, but I wouldn't mind betting it's a fraction of that price. (Third World again subsidising the development of the First World.)
The adage is, I believe, you get what you pay for (or the value of what you can steal for!).
Ergo, Windows has a higher value than Linux, even if you stole it.
If it's anything like it is in South Africa, there will be a strong perception that "Windows is for serious professionals on the cutting edge, other OSes are for everybody else."
Notwithstanding that Ubuntu (the word, the concept and the distro) originates in South Africa.
Okay, so nobody said he should hang. Figure of speech.
But you get my gist.
And maybe there isn't universal support for the death penalty (I'm not in the US, so I can't guage), but there does seem to be significant support.
Otherwise I think the main thrust of my post stands:-
As a Third World Resident, I am still amazed at the lack of rights Americans seem to have while going about their ordinary business. I am further amazed at how quick their fellow citizens are to say 'guilty'.
As someone living in the third world, I am constantly amazed at how little protection is afforded the average American by their laws. Obviously, I am not refering to O.J.Simpson or Michael Jackson.
And yet the death penalty has pretty much universal support!
Not only is it shocking that these Corporations seem to be all-powerful and there seems nothing that ordinary Americans can do against them, but they seem to have sanction from every section of your community.
Everybody here seems to be saying: "Well, I believe he did it, he should hang". Nobody seems to think how ludicrous it is to pursue ordinary citizens for these kind of punative damages.
If I buy an off-the-shelf copy of windows XP, I'm charged 3,500 Rand (the equivelant of around 540.00 dollars).
Yet, if you buy it in the US, you can get it for under 300 dollars (amazon.com). In the UK Dabs.com will sell it to you for around 150 quid. If you buy a Dell machine they actually PAY you to have it with XP installed.(http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/10/06 /dell_open_pc/ )
Sorry, but this is exactly what the rest of the world expects from the USPTO.
In the eighties there was a British company called PSION which built palmtops. These palmtops had an electronic Diary.
Seems some US troll had patented an 'electronic diary'. The guy had no desire (or inclination) to develope such a device, but knew with certainty that, sooner or later it would be developed by other people.
Well, he waited a couple of years and then hit them retrospectively.
Not sure if PSION are still in business (I heard that they were forced to the wall), but surely this is the opposite of what patents are intend to do, right? Or maybe not. Maybe they are intended to prevent non-US companies from competing? Wouldn't surprise me.
Slashdot Mirror
The man had a proven track record.
There was a lot of publicity (particularly from MS) about his moving to a "better" platform.
There was a strong feeling of betrayal, especially within the GenToo community.
Personally, I don't blame him wanting to put his side of the story.
If you feel that's arrogance, I think it says a lot about you.
>When innocence or guilt (and the nature and severity of the punishment) is >often determined by the quality of the legal representation that one can >afford, "justice" does not enter the equation.
Well said.
Thankfully I live in australia where this kind of crap doesnt happen.
Yes, I, too, am similary grateful that I don't live in the US
Slashdot news cycle:
1. Get whiff of bill potentially adding to draconian copyright protections.
2. Post leaked draft of bill.
3. Bill is introduced. No interest.
4. Bill is passed due to massive levels of indifference.
5. Repeat from the top.
No, I think I like yours better.
The cheapest OEM version (of XP Pro) I could find came in at just under 200 US, 1200 Rand.
And I was warned that this OEM version was illegal without buying a box. Not sure if that would hold up in court, but it was clearly the opinion of the vendor.
Yes!
You have it!
The fact is that XP professional retails in South Africa (in a mainstream outlet) for the equivelant of around 580 US.
I'm not sure how much it retails for in the US, but I wouldn't mind betting it's a fraction of that price. (Third World again subsidising the development of the First World.)
The adage is, I believe, you get what you pay for (or the value of what you can steal for!).
Ergo, Windows has a higher value than Linux, even if you stole it.
If it's anything like it is in South Africa, there will be a strong perception that "Windows is for serious professionals on the cutting edge, other OSes are for everybody else."
Notwithstanding that Ubuntu (the word, the concept and the distro) originates in South Africa.
Nevermind....
But dealing with assholes is a part of the cost of a free society.
Yes. And, Boy! do you know how to deal with them!
Does he face the death penalty?
Well said.
Certainly any content that DOESN'T originate in the US would be guaranteed to be similarly afflicted.
Mr. Ballmer? Is that you?
It's hardly relevant to draw comparisons which have past into history.
It's like saying that if you lived in the Deep South, odds are you wouldn't be thrown into jail if you were black.
Oops.....
Well, as a third world resident, I am starting to understand why life in the US *IS* so repressive.
You are apparently entitled to freedom of speech, provided your views coincide with those of your rulers.
If they don't, you are attacked by this sort of invective.
Okay, so nobody said he should hang. Figure of speech.
But you get my gist.
And maybe there isn't universal support for the death penalty (I'm not in the US, so I can't guage), but there does seem to be significant support.
Otherwise I think the main thrust of my post stands:-
As a Third World Resident, I am still amazed at the lack of rights Americans seem to have while going about their ordinary business. I am further amazed at how quick their fellow citizens are to say 'guilty'.
Seems a bit uncivil.
Yikes!
As someone living in the third world, I am constantly amazed at how little protection is afforded the average American by their laws. Obviously, I am not refering to O.J.Simpson or Michael Jackson.
And yet the death penalty has pretty much universal support!
Not only is it shocking that these Corporations seem to be all-powerful and there seems nothing that ordinary Americans can do against them, but they seem to have sanction from every section of your community.
Everybody here seems to be saying: "Well, I believe he did it, he should hang". Nobody seems to think how ludicrous it is to pursue ordinary citizens for these kind of punative damages.
Wow.
Kingpin, try what I use: DConvert.exe (obainable as a public file at Opendwg.org). I think it works under wine.....
Not quite.
6 /dell_open_pc/ )
If I buy an off-the-shelf copy of windows XP, I'm charged 3,500 Rand (the equivelant of around 540.00 dollars).
Yet, if you buy it in the US, you can get it for under 300 dollars (amazon.com). In the UK Dabs.com will sell it to you for around 150 quid. If you buy a Dell machine they actually PAY you to have it with XP installed.(http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/10/0
Seems the third world is subsidising the first.
But you knew that already.
Sorry, but this is exactly what the rest of the world expects from the USPTO.
In the eighties there was a British company called PSION which built palmtops. These palmtops had an electronic Diary.
Seems some US troll had patented an 'electronic diary'. The guy had no desire (or inclination) to develope such a device, but knew with certainty that, sooner or later it would be developed by other people.
Well, he waited a couple of years and then hit them retrospectively.
Not sure if PSION are still in business (I heard that they were forced to the wall), but surely this is the opposite of what patents are intend to do, right? Or maybe not. Maybe they are intended to prevent non-US companies from competing? Wouldn't surprise me.