I'm gonna have to grab this when I get home. I've still go the original installed on an old Windows box, but my only 'wothy' machines for this new one run Linux. Now if only they had the soundtrack from the original (best game score ever!)...
Either you are for "government interference" or you are for anarchism.
That's several different types of fallacies...
I think government should minimalize its involvment in these situations. Why is there a law saying people *must* be told DRM exists on a CD in France? Why is there a law prohibiting me from circumventing said DRM in the US? Neither is a good solution. There should only be law saying "giving out copies is wrong" IMHO. If it's easy to do, too bad. If the companies try to make it hard, too bad. This situation will work itself out without the government messing it up.
Courts: We're from the government, and we're here to help!
Me: *shudder*
Try selling some Nazi memorabilia in France sometime.
I'm not sure I agree with the French courts on this case. Though i strongly disagree with the US courts WRT the DMCA. I think government should just "not be involved" to this extent and let existing laws stand.
I don't see why everybody is clamoring for government interference.
To let the poster know that his credibility was destroyed in his first sentence. And that many people will probably ignore what he has to say as a result of that (or at least take his word lighly).
Let's take the debate out of the hands of the people who know what they're talking about, and put it firmly in the hands of John Q. Public
If forget the exact quote or who said it, but it was something like "If you can't explain a concept in terms that anyone can understand, then you don't understand it yourself."
And besides, letting only the priviledged 'knowledgeable' make these decisions is akin to an aristocracy. If It's going to effect my life, I want a say in it. It's up to those profesionals to explain it such that I can understand the issue.
You have to understand a few things about Open Source developers.
They, as a rule, don't like restrictions. They like technology, and coding. We're talking about a group who wrote an *entire operating system* from scratch because they were dissatisfied with existing options (for one reason or another).
Larry was looking for some publicity, Linus was looking for an easier solution. For a time, each got their way.
The problem arises when Larry starts to place restrictions on what developers are allowed to do on unrelated projects. Remember also that kernel developers tend to have other jobs. Some of them already worked on other competing projects to begin with.
Sooo, the Open Source guys started to work around the problem, as engineers are wont to do. Larry gets all angry, and here we are.
You say you can't blame Larry because he's doing what a business man does. Well neither can you blame the kernel developers, because they're only doing as hackers/developers/engineers do - solve problems.
I think you're a bit confused. Temporary censorship is indeed censorship. Otherwise there would be almost no censorship as nearly everything comes out at some point. What I think you are arguing is whether temporary censorship is good or bad. Which is a perfectly debatable subject.
Slashdot tends to have a 'hive mind' that hears the word censorship and thinks "bad" immediately. But as in some cases like this, that isn't always black and white.
I strongly agree with the statement that an individual has the right to a proper and fair trial. But I'm not so sure that an ignorant public is necessarilly an unbiased one. And if that ignorance is a danger to the public, then it becomes even more important that the public not be ignorant.
I believe part of the idea behind the jury system is that laws will need to be simple enough to be understood by 12 laymen who will then pass judgement.
Notice how other tax law and copyright law are so damned complicated when compared to criminal law?
Yes, but the *point* of an April Fools joke is to somewhere admit it's a joke.
The Gentoo system has already been ported to MacOS X, and OpenBSD (other BSD's too probably). This isn't as far fetched as it sounds. Read their FAQ and install instructions.
What if the tool is being used in education - how can you blame a student if said student doesn't know better?
No, but I can sure as hell blame the teacher. The grammar checker in Word is the first thing I turn off when I install Word. It's crap. It's always been crap. Everybody knows it's crap. Don't use it.
Slashdot Mirror
There is a difference though. The telcos are claiming competition from a government body. Not from just 'anybody'.
How the hell can you "spoof other systems", short of making a duplicate thumb?
How in the hell can you be so sure nobody can?
"Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge"
At least it's not five out of five! Then I'd be nervous...
How much more black could it be? None. None more black.
You wouldn't kid about that would you? :-)
I'm gonna have to grab this when I get home. I've still go the original installed on an old Windows box, but my only 'wothy' machines for this new one run Linux. Now if only they had the soundtrack from the original (best game score ever!)...
Either you are for "government interference" or you are for anarchism.
That's several different types of fallacies...
I think government should minimalize its involvment in these situations. Why is there a law saying people *must* be told DRM exists on a CD in France? Why is there a law prohibiting me from circumventing said DRM in the US? Neither is a good solution. There should only be law saying "giving out copies is wrong" IMHO. If it's easy to do, too bad. If the companies try to make it hard, too bad. This situation will work itself out without the government messing it up.
Courts: We're from the government, and we're here to help!
Me: *shudder*
That's fair, I missed that bit. Bad me.
With increased government levvies, and education on future impacts of piggish consumption, overall demand can actually decrease.
Unless you're talking about slowing the rate of breeding in the human species I doubt you can ever do anything but slow the rate of increase.
Try selling some Nazi memorabilia in France sometime.
I'm not sure I agree with the French courts on this case. Though i strongly disagree with the US courts WRT the DMCA. I think government should just "not be involved" to this extent and let existing laws stand.
I don't see why everybody is clamoring for government interference.
self serving actions by the US
A nation being self-serving? Say it ain't so!
*blink*
You mean... Making money isn't evil? Slashdot has been lying to me all this time?!?!?!?!
To let the poster know that his credibility was destroyed in his first sentence. And that many people will probably ignore what he has to say as a result of that (or at least take his word lighly).
That's why.
Let's take the debate out of the hands of the people who know what they're talking about, and put it firmly in the hands of John Q. Public
If forget the exact quote or who said it, but it was something like "If you can't explain a concept in terms that anyone can understand, then you don't understand it yourself."
And besides, letting only the priviledged 'knowledgeable' make these decisions is akin to an aristocracy. If It's going to effect my life, I want a say in it. It's up to those profesionals to explain it such that I can understand the issue.
The attacks on the WTC towers were not designed to kill people.
I have to say I pretty much stopped reading right there...
You have to understand a few things about Open Source developers.
They, as a rule, don't like restrictions. They like technology, and coding. We're talking about a group who wrote an *entire operating system* from scratch because they were dissatisfied with existing options (for one reason or another).
Larry was looking for some publicity, Linus was looking for an easier solution. For a time, each got their way.
The problem arises when Larry starts to place restrictions on what developers are allowed to do on unrelated projects. Remember also that kernel developers tend to have other jobs. Some of them already worked on other competing projects to begin with.
Sooo, the Open Source guys started to work around the problem, as engineers are wont to do. Larry gets all angry, and here we are.
You say you can't blame Larry because he's doing what a business man does. Well neither can you blame the kernel developers, because they're only doing as hackers/developers/engineers do - solve problems.
Because when somebody says "go forwards 30 feet" they want to be sure it doesn't back into a 100ft deep chasm?
Unless an important election is held this week when information released next week would be very pertinent...
I think you're a bit confused. Temporary censorship is indeed censorship. Otherwise there would be almost no censorship as nearly everything comes out at some point. What I think you are arguing is whether temporary censorship is good or bad. Which is a perfectly debatable subject.
Slashdot tends to have a 'hive mind' that hears the word censorship and thinks "bad" immediately. But as in some cases like this, that isn't always black and white.
I strongly agree with the statement that an individual has the right to a proper and fair trial. But I'm not so sure that an ignorant public is necessarilly an unbiased one. And if that ignorance is a danger to the public, then it becomes even more important that the public not be ignorant.
Temporary imprisonment is still imprisonment.
Temporary censorship is still censorship.
I believe part of the idea behind the jury system is that laws will need to be simple enough to be understood by 12 laymen who will then pass judgement.
Notice how other tax law and copyright law are so damned complicated when compared to criminal law?
Perhaps he intends to *have* some.
Yes, but the *point* of an April Fools joke is to somewhere admit it's a joke.
The Gentoo system has already been ported to MacOS X, and OpenBSD (other BSD's too probably). This isn't as far fetched as it sounds. Read their FAQ and install instructions.
The U.N. can't act if it's biggest member won't let it.
Don't you think this may be a problem?
What if the tool is being used in education - how can you blame a student if said student doesn't know better?
No, but I can sure as hell blame the teacher. The grammar checker in Word is the first thing I turn off when I install Word. It's crap. It's always been crap. Everybody knows it's crap. Don't use it.
. For instance, etc-update absolutely sucks and the Gentoo devs refuse to replace it with better solutions that have already been offered.
dispatch-conf doesn't exist then? Crap, what have I been using for the last year???
Gentoo folks use Gentoo because we like Gentoo. If you don't, that's fine. Move along. Enjoy your other OS of choice.