That might work if the RIAA hadn't already anticipated it and set up SoundExchange to collect royalties regardless of who it is created by.
More info at the following:
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/4/24/141326/870
This would also seem to be problematic to reconcile with the ADA. This is definitely something that is a larger necessity for people with disabilities, and that the Author's Guild isn't seeing that shows how little they are used to considering this group, instead wanting to charge exorbitant rates for Brail copies of the book and thinking that addresses it. However this ignores the group of folks who have impaired motor control.
Try turning the page without using your hands and see how many books you'd want to be reading. Yes, there are various forms of voice command software, but all of it is still a bit buggy and not necessarily something you would want to use in all places. A couple examples of this would be a library, work place, or cafe' where you don't want to disturb others.
Of course in the case of a officer pulling you over for speeding, his "expert opinion" of how fast you are going is often admitted in court. I've even had an officer admit that he "visually estimated" my speed during the initial hearing, and the judge let it stand since he was an "expert with training."
That said, when I returned for the actual trial, I got another judge since the one that had been hearing the case had been impeached (I think that is the term) on charges of funding Gun running and smuggling. The replacement judge let me take traffic school instead which is what I had originally asked the first judge to allow.
Point is though that "Expert opinion" is one way that having to document actual facts can be avoided. I wouldn't be surprised if the RIAA tried some variation of this tactic.
Nothing to hide doesn't mean you want others viewing it. That is the nature of privacy. Consider the difference in a public restroom between a stall without a door and one with. Which one are you going to pick? If you aren't doing anything illegal you have nothing to hide right?
I have several times been asked for my ID when I was a passenger in a car that got pulled over. I have even once been asked for my ID when I stopped to help someone stranded on the side of a road and then had a officer come to assist as well. Did I legally have to oblige? Not that I know of since in neither case was I actually driving at the time I was asked. But the fact is that if I refuse, I "arouse suspicion" and may be "detained for further questioning."
These days I carry my passport and use that as my ID if it isn't specifically having to do with me driving. Which brings a further question, how will this affect the ability to use a passport to board planes?
I travel a few times a year to various states, and have had to show ID at banks, clubs, grocery stores etc. I have had some initially refuse to accept my passport, but when I point out that it is a federal ID and therefore valid ID in all states they generally accept it. In the few cases they haven't their manager ends up accepting it. The only case where I can see a passport not being usable in place of a Drivers License is for auto rental and law enforcement having to do with you driving have even been in the car with someone else driving when they got pulled over and had the officer ask for ID. He got my Passport. Yes, he asked if I had a drivers license, but since I wasn't the driver I told him I didn't have it on me and he accepted my passport.
That said, I think most states have a law that requires you to turn over your drivers license when asked by a officer, or risk it being revoked. Though not having it on you should be a pretty valid reason for not doing so as you are not required to keep it on you at all times.
Also of good note is that the new passports have RFID in them... and I am not sure yet what legal limits there may be in deactivating that. But time will likely (unfortunately) tell.
That hits on the really great thing for the Wii, it allows people to play those older games that they either never got a chance to play in years gone by, or just want to replay. The Virtual Console allows the companies to make new money off of games that have long passed their expected shelf life. All this with from what I am guessing is very little coding needed for it to be usable on the virtual console due to the modular nature of the controllers.
The other sleeper aspect that I have personally appreciated is that the Game cube games all play on it as well. Yes, you need a game cube controller (I recommend the Wavebird as it is wireless), and a memory card to save your games, but then there are a awful lot of decent games out there for cheap. For example, I picked up all three Prince of Persia games for around $50. Sure they are old games and the graphics aren't as pretty as the ones on the new consoles, but the game play is really what seems to be the more important factor, and that is where Nintendo really seems to have stolen the show with the Wii.
Also note that Flash Player 9.0.47 is the current version on windows. I didn't dig deep enough to figure out if the new version resolves the key logging issue however.
* wallet? Right now you don't have to carry any card in your wallet if you so choose.. You can still get on air planes without ID. This is freedom. It's how it should be.
How exactly is that possible? I suppose if you are flying in a private plane that would be workable, but to my knowledge all the major carriers require ID.
For my part I have taken to using my passport as my ID. Everyone pretty much has to accept it as it is a federal document that serves this purpose anyhow. In fact, why not just use passports as a national ID instead. The system for them is already in place, and it doesn't require a whole new set of id.
Yes I realize the new passports have RFID built into them too, but then that is why I am hanging onto my existing one until that expires and hoping that by then they will get rid of or otherwise make the RFID more secure against ID theft than it currently is.
I did recently though have my bank send me a new atm/debit card without my having asked for one and it turns out to be a RFID card that they are sending out as a "convenience" to customers. I gave it back to them and had it shredded. No thanks.
Tempe Arizona has about a 9% sales tax on top of income taxes. Comparatively WA sales tax is looking pretty good. Especially the part about no income tax as that is something that you then have to go out of your way and file as well. Income tax has always been something I have seen as way too much of a hassle for the citizen. Plus, you don't really have to worry about keeping all those records for seven years just in case you get audited... granted as long as the fed has income tax it'll still be necessary, but I wish more states would go this route. Plus that pretty much eliminates a lot of paper pushers that the state has to employ to deal with all the extra paperwork that income taxes bring with them.
The thing that I don't get is that some companies are perfectly fine with accepting such a double tax. I used to work IT for a school that had volume licenses, and better yet had no intention of upgrading to windows XP on the classroom systems at that time because of software conflict problems and the normal "first round" jitters. (ie not wanting to run it until some of the kinks had been worked out/fixed) So when they upgraded several of the classrooms they ordered computers from Gateway. We tried to order them "Naked", as we already had licenses), but at that time were told that they were unable to sell them without the OS, and that while we could order them with win2k, we did have to get them with a OS on them. (non-windows OS's were not a choice either) We explained that we had volume licenses for the systems and didn't need the extra licenses as we already had them, but to no avail. They wouldn't budge.
So I looked at getting the systems through a different Vendor. Found where we could do it and it would be less expensive as a result. In the end the manager decided that he still wanted to get them through Gateway regardless of double paying for the OS.
So we ordered Win XP on them and prompty replaced it with win2k when they arrived. That way at least we were getting extra licenses, but even then it was planned to get the volume license for win xp (less authorization headaches) and were paying for twice as many OS coppies as we actuyally had systems running.
Oh and as for the old systems, as I have no doubt someone will point out that they would still need a OS if they were sold, they were parted out, and otherwise scrapped as they were old enough to be of little use to anyone else and more of a headache to sell and potentially have to deal with complaints about than the revenue their sale would have brought.
A shame when I think back on it as I would have loved to hae kept a couple of those and built linux boxes out of them. Oh well.
While I despise ActiveX as a whole there is also the reality that all the plugins in IE are now done with ActiveX, which would include things like flash, video, etc are run via activeX. So this will potentially confuse users of millions of sites as they weill not have to "activate" something that they never did before. Interestingly this will also affect Google Video as they are using flash video capabilities.
No it doesn't force you to install outlook. But for some reason beyond me Windows update sure is persistant about wanting me to install updates for it despite it not being on my system in any form. I even went through and uninstalled outlook express and yet still it wants me to update it. [shrugs]
There have been no significant changes to video players since Microsoft arrived on the market. The only company doing innovation in that area is Apple with their Quicktime product and their support of the Sorenson codecs.
Actually there have been improvements both with the Sorrenson codec as well as the MP4 format. xVid and Divx also come to mind as improvements in that quality of video has improved while comparative file size has decreased. Then there are the new video capabilities of the flash player which can now not only play, record, and stream video, but can also do things like utilize alpha channels to blend with non video content.
So innovation is still out there and happening, even if it isn't necessarily evident to most.
Another tactic that some are looking to is to play them on a computer monitor. This is especially attractive to those that use their computers for more than email and web surfing, as they are more likely to have hardware that will support HDTV resolutions already. And even if the monitor isn't as large as the big hdtv options out there, having it serve dual purposes makes justifying a upgrade more palletable.
The big problem that Blue-Ray is going to have in convincing the computer using audience though is their built in DRM system. For that reason alone I can see many looking more towards the alternative.
5) Netscape had the superior browser and majority share but became a slow, buggy piece of bloatware.
Of course this was primarily after AOL bought Netscape and after they had let it sit without any real developent until Microsoft had caught up with it's own version of IE. And considering that by contract AOL was required to use the IE browser as the basis for the AOL browser at that time it isn't really a surprise. It could be construed that one of the main reasons that AOL bought up netscape is so that it would have a alternative to IE when their contract with Microsoft came up for renewal.
That said, Microsoft has done much the same with the IE browser at this point since it hasn't seen anything but a "security upgrade" since around 2001.
Slashdot Mirror
That might work if the RIAA hadn't already anticipated it and set up SoundExchange to collect royalties regardless of who it is created by. More info at the following: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/4/24/141326/870
This would also seem to be problematic to reconcile with the ADA. This is definitely something that is a larger necessity for people with disabilities, and that the Author's Guild isn't seeing that shows how little they are used to considering this group, instead wanting to charge exorbitant rates for Brail copies of the book and thinking that addresses it. However this ignores the group of folks who have impaired motor control. Try turning the page without using your hands and see how many books you'd want to be reading. Yes, there are various forms of voice command software, but all of it is still a bit buggy and not necessarily something you would want to use in all places. A couple examples of this would be a library, work place, or cafe' where you don't want to disturb others.
Of course in the case of a officer pulling you over for speeding, his "expert opinion" of how fast you are going is often admitted in court. I've even had an officer admit that he "visually estimated" my speed during the initial hearing, and the judge let it stand since he was an "expert with training." That said, when I returned for the actual trial, I got another judge since the one that had been hearing the case had been impeached (I think that is the term) on charges of funding Gun running and smuggling. The replacement judge let me take traffic school instead which is what I had originally asked the first judge to allow. Point is though that "Expert opinion" is one way that having to document actual facts can be avoided. I wouldn't be surprised if the RIAA tried some variation of this tactic.
Nothing to hide doesn't mean you want others viewing it. That is the nature of privacy. Consider the difference in a public restroom between a stall without a door and one with. Which one are you going to pick? If you aren't doing anything illegal you have nothing to hide right?
I have several times been asked for my ID when I was a passenger in a car that got pulled over. I have even once been asked for my ID when I stopped to help someone stranded on the side of a road and then had a officer come to assist as well. Did I legally have to oblige? Not that I know of since in neither case was I actually driving at the time I was asked. But the fact is that if I refuse, I "arouse suspicion" and may be "detained for further questioning." These days I carry my passport and use that as my ID if it isn't specifically having to do with me driving. Which brings a further question, how will this affect the ability to use a passport to board planes?
Also of interest at that same site is that you can see what states/territories store what information and with which methods. http://www.turbulence.org/Works/swipe/state_analysis.html So yeah.... Manitoba is looking good. :)
I travel a few times a year to various states, and have had to show ID at banks, clubs, grocery stores etc. I have had some initially refuse to accept my passport, but when I point out that it is a federal ID and therefore valid ID in all states they generally accept it. In the few cases they haven't their manager ends up accepting it. The only case where I can see a passport not being usable in place of a Drivers License is for auto rental and law enforcement having to do with you driving have even been in the car with someone else driving when they got pulled over and had the officer ask for ID. He got my Passport. Yes, he asked if I had a drivers license, but since I wasn't the driver I told him I didn't have it on me and he accepted my passport. That said, I think most states have a law that requires you to turn over your drivers license when asked by a officer, or risk it being revoked. Though not having it on you should be a pretty valid reason for not doing so as you are not required to keep it on you at all times. Also of good note is that the new passports have RFID in them... and I am not sure yet what legal limits there may be in deactivating that. But time will likely (unfortunately) tell.
That hits on the really great thing for the Wii, it allows people to play those older games that they either never got a chance to play in years gone by, or just want to replay. The Virtual Console allows the companies to make new money off of games that have long passed their expected shelf life. All this with from what I am guessing is very little coding needed for it to be usable on the virtual console due to the modular nature of the controllers. The other sleeper aspect that I have personally appreciated is that the Game cube games all play on it as well. Yes, you need a game cube controller (I recommend the Wavebird as it is wireless), and a memory card to save your games, but then there are a awful lot of decent games out there for cheap. For example, I picked up all three Prince of Persia games for around $50. Sure they are old games and the graphics aren't as pretty as the ones on the new consoles, but the game play is really what seems to be the more important factor, and that is where Nintendo really seems to have stolen the show with the Wii.
It looks like the version of the flashplayer that is in Beta is allowing for hardware rendering as the default rendering method and software rendering as a backup method. For more info look here http://labs.adobe.com/technologies/flashplayer9/re leasenotes.html#known
Also note that Flash Player 9.0.47 is the current version on windows. I didn't dig deep enough to figure out if the new version resolves the key logging issue however.
For my part I have taken to using my passport as my ID. Everyone pretty much has to accept it as it is a federal document that serves this purpose anyhow. In fact, why not just use passports as a national ID instead. The system for them is already in place, and it doesn't require a whole new set of id. Yes I realize the new passports have RFID built into them too, but then that is why I am hanging onto my existing one until that expires and hoping that by then they will get rid of or otherwise make the RFID more secure against ID theft than it currently is. I did recently though have my bank send me a new atm/debit card without my having asked for one and it turns out to be a RFID card that they are sending out as a "convenience" to customers. I gave it back to them and had it shredded. No thanks.
How does this compare to Halogen lighting? What about other commercial gas lighting, or even the new headlights used in cars?
Tempe Arizona has about a 9% sales tax on top of income taxes. Comparatively WA sales tax is looking pretty good. Especially the part about no income tax as that is something that you then have to go out of your way and file as well. Income tax has always been something I have seen as way too much of a hassle for the citizen. Plus, you don't really have to worry about keeping all those records for seven years just in case you get audited... granted as long as the fed has income tax it'll still be necessary, but I wish more states would go this route. Plus that pretty much eliminates a lot of paper pushers that the state has to employ to deal with all the extra paperwork that income taxes bring with them.
The thing that I don't get is that some companies are perfectly fine with accepting such a double tax. I used to work IT for a school that had volume licenses, and better yet had no intention of upgrading to windows XP on the classroom systems at that time because of software conflict problems and the normal "first round" jitters. (ie not wanting to run it until some of the kinks had been worked out/fixed) So when they upgraded several of the classrooms they ordered computers from Gateway. We tried to order them "Naked", as we already had licenses), but at that time were told that they were unable to sell them without the OS, and that while we could order them with win2k, we did have to get them with a OS on them. (non-windows OS's were not a choice either) We explained that we had volume licenses for the systems and didn't need the extra licenses as we already had them, but to no avail. They wouldn't budge.
So I looked at getting the systems through a different Vendor. Found where we could do it and it would be less expensive as a result. In the end the manager decided that he still wanted to get them through Gateway regardless of double paying for the OS.
So we ordered Win XP on them and prompty replaced it with win2k when they arrived. That way at least we were getting extra licenses, but even then it was planned to get the volume license for win xp (less authorization headaches) and were paying for twice as many OS coppies as we actuyally had systems running.
Oh and as for the old systems, as I have no doubt someone will point out that they would still need a OS if they were sold, they were parted out, and otherwise scrapped as they were old enough to be of little use to anyone else and more of a headache to sell and potentially have to deal with complaints about than the revenue their sale would have brought.
A shame when I think back on it as I would have loved to hae kept a couple of those and built linux boxes out of them. Oh well.
While I despise ActiveX as a whole there is also the reality that all the plugins in IE are now done with ActiveX, which would include things like flash, video, etc are run via activeX. So this will potentially confuse users of millions of sites as they weill not have to "activate" something that they never did before. Interestingly this will also affect Google Video as they are using flash video capabilities.
Cthulhu for President. Why vote for a lesser evil?
http://www.cthulhu.org/
No it doesn't force you to install outlook. But for some reason beyond me Windows update sure is persistant about wanting me to install updates for it despite it not being on my system in any form. I even went through and uninstalled outlook express and yet still it wants me to update it. [shrugs]
Another tactic that some are looking to is to play them on a computer monitor. This is especially attractive to those that use their computers for more than email and web surfing, as they are more likely to have hardware that will support HDTV resolutions already. And even if the monitor isn't as large as the big hdtv options out there, having it serve dual purposes makes justifying a upgrade more palletable. The big problem that Blue-Ray is going to have in convincing the computer using audience though is their built in DRM system. For that reason alone I can see many looking more towards the alternative.