Then why are they currently defending themselves in a lawsuit from Real Entertainment which alleges that they are a monopoly for the very same practices?
Yes they are the only place you can go to buy software for you iOS computer. Microsoft and Intel have been convicted of illegal monopolistic practices for far less. (Internet Explorer Much?)
By your logic, does the fact that I'm not attracted to non-whites make me a born racist? You can't have it both ways. Either all your attraction to someone or something is nature and/or nurture, or none is. I believe it is nature AND nurture that influence social interactions (and it just so happens that the entire psychology profession agrees with me). One can have a genetic predisposition to be attracted to the same sex, but this does not force them to act homosexual.
You don't understand how the iOS App Store works. It is the ONLY store selling iPhone Apps. It is a defacto monopoly and therefore illegal, but who both has the money to sue Apple for that status and isn't also trying to stage the same situation?
Yeah, exactly one function call, that requires derivation from multiple classes in order to get the first parameter. It took twice as long to add in the MessageBox for my non-interactive program as it did to write the thing without it. I don't doubt Microsoft could do it, but it would require a much larger executable than without such code, and with something like 40% of Windows users still on 56K modem connections, that size comes at a premium.
Have you ever tried to code up a message box in Visual C++? It's worse than pulling teeth, especially when your application doesn't need to be interactive otherwise.
The fact of the matter is that the CIA and NSA have their hands so deep in all the tech companies pockets that none of them want to make it easy for fear of losing the government funding or monopoly protection that those government agencies provide.
Leading to the question of whether if you simulate something well enough you get the properties of that thing. If you simulate a laser on a computer down to the quantum level you still couldn't burst a balloon with it.
Yes, but you can burst an equally well simulated balloon. Only the information can be considered to exist "outside" the simulation. Everything else in the simulation requires the simulation in order to exist. In fact, if you simulate the inputs to the simulated brain equally well, you'd be able to control how it develops. This does not preclude sentience, however, as we don't know what causes it to develop.
I think it is pretty well accepted, though, that if sentience develops, it should be given rights equivalent to those of a human.
IIRC, if you purchased a license, the key is only proof of that license. Technically, if you lost (and did not sell) your key, you still own a license and can take whatever means necessary to use your license.
I'd have to say this resides firmly in the "News for Nerds," subsection, and not the "Stuff that Matters" subsection. They are, after all, separated by punctuation, indicating a distinctness which is not necessarily mutually exclusive. I'm not knocking that it matters to some people, just pointing out that it doesn't really matter outside those who play it... or make real dollars off of it.
Well, personally, I don't really compare Microsoft to Apple. Apple's a whole other world of monopoly that Microsoft can't touch. When I speak of Microsoft being monopolistic, I'm speaking of comparing them to a mesh of their competitors, or, in cases where they "have no competitors," I'm speaking of comparing them to open source equivalents. The fact of the matter is, when you have 90% of the market and require your customers to agree to pay for your software even when they use your competitors' software in order to buy yours at all, you are monopolistic. And that's just for starters.
As to Apple: I agree. I will curse the day that Apple gets an upper hand on anyone in anything. You won't hear me defending them. I may praise the quality of their hard ware (in a minority of cases) but that's different from praising their business model or general practices. I wasn't the first one to say that iTunes would be the most locked down music store ever, but I was one of the first. They are acceptable as a niche competitor, but in markets where they are on top, I only consider them to be other than monopolistic *IF* they don't actively stop unlocking of their devices (i.e., iPhone).
With regards to underdoggedness, I mostly agree. But, I think the general public's feelings would be a little less malignant toward Microsoft if their business tactics weren't so monopolistic.
As to reasons for migrating to OOO 3.x rather than staying put, many businesses are starting to require the new XML formats. In order to make that change, while changing the absolute least possible, OOO 3.x is a better choice than the only other option; MSO 2007.
Yes, I agree that MSO 2007 is a gigantic leap forward for Microsoft. I feel they could have kept the option to use menus instead of forcing people to use the "Ribbon," but I am very glad that they are moving toward more open standard formats, even if they prefer their own slightly hobbled (due to backward compatibility) open format. Unfortunately, it is that very Ribbon that turns most people off to MSO 2007. All they need to do is add the option for the menus back to MSO 2007 and people will stop complaining (as much) and they'll start selling the thing like they originally expected.
I'd even say it will be an easier transition than to 2007. The interface has been almost completely redesigned in Office 2007 and backward compatibility to 2000 and earlier has been all but dropped.
Worse yet... if the big bang started as all the matter in the universe, then how did it manage to create the infinite energy necessary to escape itself and cause a "big bang?" It was basically a gigantic black hole so technically it was physically impossible for it to explode.
Furthermore, it seems to me like we are in a limited area of an infinite universe filled with such mega clusters as what we perceive as the known universe. Much like a solar system often forms from the death of a star, our mega cluster was formed from the death of a larger cluster or galaxy like those mentioned in this article, on the edge of the known universe.
Given that light has a limited travel speed, there is nothing to prove what is beyond the borders of the known universe. That being the case, any number of circumstances could be in effect that would encourage, or be completely unassociated to, the creation or destruction of our own universe. Any moment now, a passing known universe that died through gravimetric implosion (mega-giant black hole formation) could pass close to our universe and literally rip us apart. Such a passing could even explain certain measured forces that we have named "dark [whatever]."
Considering the time-scales we're discussing here, the fact that it has never happened since the beginning of the known universe has no bearing on whether it will happen in the future.
I've been saying the same since the FISA bill, as well. I kept telling everyone that they are both liars so don't vote for either of them. They kept saying "lesser of two evils" and then I'd say, "So you're knowingly voting for evil then?" and I'd get crickets and fly catchers (silence and dropped jaws).
Try as I might, though, I could not convince anyone, not even my own wife, that the two-party system is the problem. I voted for Nader myself. Last I checked he was the only truly "independent" candidate (thank God he was on the Alabama ballot, though I'm all but certain that was another "tactic" by the Reds).
The first president of this country gave a heart felt speech as he left the office which focused almost entirely on the flaws of parties, and that unity is necessary to survive. But you wouldn't know it from the degeneration we've experienced over the last 28 years, let alone since day 2 of Jefferson's Presidency.
I second the "cautiously optimistic" sentiment. I hope all goes well, but if something happens to Obama, and Biden becomes President. We've then gone from a President influenced by the people to a President funded by the corporations.
I don't hand out accusations of corporate influence lightly, either. Biden's voting record calls him a corporate puppet louder than I could.
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Then why are they currently defending themselves in a lawsuit from Real Entertainment which alleges that they are a monopoly for the very same practices?
Yes they are the only place you can go to buy software for you iOS computer. Microsoft and Intel have been convicted of illegal monopolistic practices for far less. (Internet Explorer Much?)
I guess technically I chose to be asexual as my wife and I chose to adopt without being physically required.
By your logic, does the fact that I'm not attracted to non-whites make me a born racist? You can't have it both ways. Either all your attraction to someone or something is nature and/or nurture, or none is. I believe it is nature AND nurture that influence social interactions (and it just so happens that the entire psychology profession agrees with me). One can have a genetic predisposition to be attracted to the same sex, but this does not force them to act homosexual.
You don't understand how the iOS App Store works. It is the ONLY store selling iPhone Apps. It is a defacto monopoly and therefore illegal, but who both has the money to sue Apple for that status and isn't also trying to stage the same situation?
That's interesting... I choose not to be gay... how's that not a choice?
That is so wrong... yet I'm laughing hysterically... and so tempted to try it...
"There is far more regulation of the economy now than there was in Nixon's time..."
Citation (references) please?
This was a couple years ago, but IIRC, I tried putting NULL and it failed miserably. It's possible they have fixed it since.
Yeah, exactly one function call, that requires derivation from multiple classes in order to get the first parameter. It took twice as long to add in the MessageBox for my non-interactive program as it did to write the thing without it. I don't doubt Microsoft could do it, but it would require a much larger executable than without such code, and with something like 40% of Windows users still on 56K modem connections, that size comes at a premium.
Have you ever tried to code up a message box in Visual C++? It's worse than pulling teeth, especially when your application doesn't need to be interactive otherwise.
The fact of the matter is that the CIA and NSA have their hands so deep in all the tech companies pockets that none of them want to make it easy for fear of losing the government funding or monopoly protection that those government agencies provide.
'nuff said
Leading to the question of whether if you simulate something well enough you get the properties of that thing. If you simulate a laser on a computer down to the quantum level you still couldn't burst a balloon with it.
Yes, but you can burst an equally well simulated balloon. Only the information can be considered to exist "outside" the simulation. Everything else in the simulation requires the simulation in order to exist. In fact, if you simulate the inputs to the simulated brain equally well, you'd be able to control how it develops. This does not preclude sentience, however, as we don't know what causes it to develop.
I think it is pretty well accepted, though, that if sentience develops, it should be given rights equivalent to those of a human.
Allow me to introduce you to World of Warcraft... You may have heard of it... It includes a BitTorrent client for updates.
Oh...
I neglected the obligatory "Duh!"
IIRC, if you purchased a license, the key is only proof of that license. Technically, if you lost (and did not sell) your key, you still own a license and can take whatever means necessary to use your license.
Ironically.
I'd have to say this resides firmly in the "News for Nerds," subsection, and not the "Stuff that Matters" subsection. They are, after all, separated by punctuation, indicating a distinctness which is not necessarily mutually exclusive. I'm not knocking that it matters to some people, just pointing out that it doesn't really matter outside those who play it... or make real dollars off of it.
Well, personally, I don't really compare Microsoft to Apple. Apple's a whole other world of monopoly that Microsoft can't touch. When I speak of Microsoft being monopolistic, I'm speaking of comparing them to a mesh of their competitors, or, in cases where they "have no competitors," I'm speaking of comparing them to open source equivalents. The fact of the matter is, when you have 90% of the market and require your customers to agree to pay for your software even when they use your competitors' software in order to buy yours at all, you are monopolistic. And that's just for starters.
As to Apple: I agree. I will curse the day that Apple gets an upper hand on anyone in anything. You won't hear me defending them. I may praise the quality of their hard ware (in a minority of cases) but that's different from praising their business model or general practices. I wasn't the first one to say that iTunes would be the most locked down music store ever, but I was one of the first. They are acceptable as a niche competitor, but in markets where they are on top, I only consider them to be other than monopolistic *IF* they don't actively stop unlocking of their devices (i.e., iPhone).
With regards to underdoggedness, I mostly agree. But, I think the general public's feelings would be a little less malignant toward Microsoft if their business tactics weren't so monopolistic.
As to reasons for migrating to OOO 3.x rather than staying put, many businesses are starting to require the new XML formats. In order to make that change, while changing the absolute least possible, OOO 3.x is a better choice than the only other option; MSO 2007.
Yes, I agree that MSO 2007 is a gigantic leap forward for Microsoft. I feel they could have kept the option to use menus instead of forcing people to use the "Ribbon," but I am very glad that they are moving toward more open standard formats, even if they prefer their own slightly hobbled (due to backward compatibility) open format. Unfortunately, it is that very Ribbon that turns most people off to MSO 2007. All they need to do is add the option for the menus back to MSO 2007 and people will stop complaining (as much) and they'll start selling the thing like they originally expected.
I've addressed your concerns in a counterpoint fashion here.
I'd even say it will be an easier transition than to 2007. The interface has been almost completely redesigned in Office 2007 and backward compatibility to 2000 and earlier has been all but dropped.
Worse yet... if the big bang started as all the matter in the universe, then how did it manage to create the infinite energy necessary to escape itself and cause a "big bang?" It was basically a gigantic black hole so technically it was physically impossible for it to explode.
Furthermore, it seems to me like we are in a limited area of an infinite universe filled with such mega clusters as what we perceive as the known universe. Much like a solar system often forms from the death of a star, our mega cluster was formed from the death of a larger cluster or galaxy like those mentioned in this article, on the edge of the known universe.
Given that light has a limited travel speed, there is nothing to prove what is beyond the borders of the known universe. That being the case, any number of circumstances could be in effect that would encourage, or be completely unassociated to, the creation or destruction of our own universe. Any moment now, a passing known universe that died through gravimetric implosion (mega-giant black hole formation) could pass close to our universe and literally rip us apart. Such a passing could even explain certain measured forces that we have named "dark [whatever]."
Considering the time-scales we're discussing here, the fact that it has never happened since the beginning of the known universe has no bearing on whether it will happen in the future.
I've been saying the same since the FISA bill, as well. I kept telling everyone that they are both liars so don't vote for either of them. They kept saying "lesser of two evils" and then I'd say, "So you're knowingly voting for evil then?" and I'd get crickets and fly catchers (silence and dropped jaws).
Try as I might, though, I could not convince anyone, not even my own wife, that the two-party system is the problem. I voted for Nader myself. Last I checked he was the only truly "independent" candidate (thank God he was on the Alabama ballot, though I'm all but certain that was another "tactic" by the Reds).
The first president of this country gave a heart felt speech as he left the office which focused almost entirely on the flaws of parties, and that unity is necessary to survive. But you wouldn't know it from the degeneration we've experienced over the last 28 years, let alone since day 2 of Jefferson's Presidency.
I second the "cautiously optimistic" sentiment. I hope all goes well, but if something happens to Obama, and Biden becomes President. We've then gone from a President influenced by the people to a President funded by the corporations.
I don't hand out accusations of corporate influence lightly, either. Biden's voting record calls him a corporate puppet louder than I could.