I know you're being sarcastic, but I seem to recall seeing quite a few instances of malware using ActiveDesktop to inform the user (in an official-looking manner) that they "have spyware and need to buy [sketchy program x] for only $59.99 to scan for an remove all problems" (that the authors want to remove...meaning competing malware).
And you're still going to stand there and try to tell me Active Desktop never caught on. And let's not forget about the 45 minutes we all hate to admit that we spent with that radar and/or map as our desktop.
Yup. I'd say that Active Desktop is going along pretty well...
Either way, this isn't what prism is, if I understand it correctly. Prism puts the webapp into it's own window; presumably so users can more easily use their feeble minds to grasp the concept that they are using a 'program' and not a webpage.
Personally I rarely use Usenet for binaries - it's just too clunky since my main reader is for just that ("reading", not grabbing binaries), and the binary functions of the program are clunky at best.
That being said, I feel like binaries were a natural evolution of Usenet's purpose of information sharing (copyright issues notwithstanding). And I agree that the expressly binary providers are a lot like warez sites, however a suit against one provider (especially one called "usenet") will be bad PR for Usenet in general and may set some bad legal precedents.
Despite the fact that this makes some modicum of sense, any sort of legal authority this is brought to isn't going to understand it.
What is, to us, a distributed and self-replicating system of nodes to distribute information (in the form of text "articles") worldwide is, to a judge, a website that sells access to copyrighted materials and refuses to remove them.
It's the same sort of roadblock torrent sites run into: computer illiteracy. Though, to be fair, it's not like judges should be required by law to be well versed in the ways of technology (though a little bit of knowledge would help), steps should be made to ensure that trials/hearings/negotiations/etc are presided over by someone who understands or can be made to understand all of the nuances in the discussion.
When I'm playing single player (and windows, which actually isn't very often) I prefer CivII. The AI is better, it's less clunky overall. I do love the sdl beta client for freeciv, though, but only for multiplayer.
Have you tried the new betas of FreeCiv 2.1.0? The 2.1.0beta4 (I think it's on beta6 at this point, though) SDL client is 1 million times better than the 2.0.8 that you get from most repos. Of course, the AI absolutely sucks (there is very little diplomacy. You meet them, get a 16 turn cease-fire, then it's automatically war 99% of the time), but multiplayer is pretty awesome, albeit a bit clunky.
The real life equivalent of the AI meeting with the player every turn to say "we demand tribute for our patience" and demanding gold and technology. Too bad I can't have my usual response: a full-out attack, leaving their names to the annals of history! muahaha!
Should we poll Slashdotters and find out how many of them had poor grades in school, and how many of them are unemployed, violent criminals? I'm not even going to begin to cite the numerous, well-known examples of "geniuses" that failed out of school.
Alcoholism can ruin your life in ways far worse than financially (distance you from family and friends, and let's not forget that it can kill you), bad grades just mean that school isn't for you. The US hasn't moved to a completely knowledge-based economy yet. We still need carpenters, mechanics, janitors, construction workers, etc. And, not to degrade those occupations, you don't need to get A's in Survey of Western Literature or American Government.
If you owned a liquor store, would you ask everyone who walked in to bring a notarized document that proves that they are not, never have been, nor are in any risk of being dependent on alcohol?
Why are we equating bad grades to alcoholism, anyway?
He shouldn't have instituted this policy. The trick to business is to sell things to people that can buy said things, not to say "Sorry, kid, your money is no good here. We don't cater to no dumb people."
It's completely insane to deny a sale to anyone for any criteria other than that which makes them eligible to own (i.e. you can't buy this m-rated game because you are 4 years old, or you only have $7). I mean, that's like saying "Sorry, you can't buy this car because you work at McDonalds. I don't care if you can pay in full in cash right now, have great credit, etc, etc."
Having the opposite policy (as some seem to be suggesting) would have been equally as bad. A discount for good grades is just as discriminatory; "Sorry, Mr. Gates, we can't sell you this Toyota - you'll have to go to the Porche dealer down the street."
If they really want the FREE SCR33nS4VER!1!!!, they'll put their root password into the su/sudo box. Or are you suggesting we lock the PC owners out of their own machine?
And Microsoft Bob (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_Bob)was sending out memos saying that there were no Hungarian officials in the office, and to just keep working normally.
(for those who don't get the joke: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muhammad_Saeed_al-Sah haf)
Call me crazy, but I've always had this dream where important parts of my generation's culture entered into the public domain while I'm still alive, allowing other people to contribute said culture. That said, 14 years (28 with an optional extension) sounds like a great idea.
Uh-oh, I owned an original xbox! And I've aged since I bought it! Does that mean I'm, supposed to have a family?! I'd better get to work! Who knew being 20 would be so much work?!
The BPI really has to get with the times and change its name. Otherwise, every time there is a/. story about it someone will say: "Did anyone else read that as the British Pornographic Industry?!". In this case, this is that post.
So....did anyone else read that as the British Pornographic Industry?!
Thank you for your time, you may now return to an actual discussion, if you want...
Slashdot Mirror
I'm glad "only" 33% of my peers think the internet should be regulated. That's "only" more than halfway to a majority.
I know you're being sarcastic, but I seem to recall seeing quite a few instances of malware using ActiveDesktop to inform the user (in an official-looking manner) that they "have spyware and need to buy [sketchy program x] for only $59.99 to scan for an remove all problems" (that the authors want to remove...meaning competing malware).
And you're still going to stand there and try to tell me Active Desktop never caught on. And let's not forget about the 45 minutes we all hate to admit that we spent with that radar and/or map as our desktop.
Yup. I'd say that Active Desktop is going along pretty well...
Either way, this isn't what prism is, if I understand it correctly. Prism puts the webapp into it's own window; presumably so users can more easily use their feeble minds to grasp the concept that they are using a 'program' and not a webpage.
Personally I rarely use Usenet for binaries - it's just too clunky since my main reader is for just that ("reading", not grabbing binaries), and the binary functions of the program are clunky at best.
That being said, I feel like binaries were a natural evolution of Usenet's purpose of information sharing (copyright issues notwithstanding). And I agree that the expressly binary providers are a lot like warez sites, however a suit against one provider (especially one called "usenet") will be bad PR for Usenet in general and may set some bad legal precedents.
Despite the fact that this makes some modicum of sense, any sort of legal authority this is brought to isn't going to understand it.
What is, to us, a distributed and self-replicating system of nodes to distribute information (in the form of text "articles") worldwide is, to a judge, a website that sells access to copyrighted materials and refuses to remove them.
It's the same sort of roadblock torrent sites run into: computer illiteracy. Though, to be fair, it's not like judges should be required by law to be well versed in the ways of technology (though a little bit of knowledge would help), steps should be made to ensure that trials/hearings/negotiations/etc are presided over by someone who understands or can be made to understand all of the nuances in the discussion.
When I'm playing single player (and windows, which actually isn't very often) I prefer CivII. The AI is better, it's less clunky overall. I do love the sdl beta client for freeciv, though, but only for multiplayer.
Does this mean that the universe is going to suddenly go All of an Instant on us? Because that'd be pretty sweet.
Have you tried the new betas of FreeCiv 2.1.0? The 2.1.0beta4 (I think it's on beta6 at this point, though) SDL client is 1 million times better than the 2.0.8 that you get from most repos. Of course, the AI absolutely sucks (there is very little diplomacy. You meet them, get a 16 turn cease-fire, then it's automatically war 99% of the time), but multiplayer is pretty awesome, albeit a bit clunky.
The real life equivalent of the AI meeting with the player every turn to say "we demand tribute for our patience" and demanding gold and technology. Too bad I can't have my usual response: a full-out attack, leaving their names to the annals of history! muahaha!
I don't play too much CivII, do I?
There are some days I have to double check myself and make sure I'm not reading the Onion by mistake. Those days seem to be becoming larger in number.
Should we poll Slashdotters and find out how many of them had poor grades in school, and how many of them are unemployed, violent criminals? I'm not even going to begin to cite the numerous, well-known examples of "geniuses" that failed out of school.
Alcoholism can ruin your life in ways far worse than financially (distance you from family and friends, and let's not forget that it can kill you), bad grades just mean that school isn't for you. The US hasn't moved to a completely knowledge-based economy yet. We still need carpenters, mechanics, janitors, construction workers, etc. And, not to degrade those occupations, you don't need to get A's in Survey of Western Literature or American Government.
If you owned a liquor store, would you ask everyone who walked in to bring a notarized document that proves that they are not, never have been, nor are in any risk of being dependent on alcohol?
Why are we equating bad grades to alcoholism, anyway?
He shouldn't have instituted this policy. The trick to business is to sell things to people that can buy said things, not to say "Sorry, kid, your money is no good here. We don't cater to no dumb people."
It's completely insane to deny a sale to anyone for any criteria other than that which makes them eligible to own (i.e. you can't buy this m-rated game because you are 4 years old, or you only have $7). I mean, that's like saying "Sorry, you can't buy this car because you work at McDonalds. I don't care if you can pay in full in cash right now, have great credit, etc, etc."
Having the opposite policy (as some seem to be suggesting) would have been equally as bad. A discount for good grades is just as discriminatory; "Sorry, Mr. Gates, we can't sell you this Toyota - you'll have to go to the Porche dealer down the street."
I think you have an extra 'N' in there somewhere...
NTP
NNTP
Hmmm...the premise for Back to the Future IV, perhaps?
I seem to recall certain record labels making deals with YouTube to host certain music videos.
If they really want the FREE SCR33nS4VER!1!!!, they'll put their root password into the su/sudo box. Or are you suggesting we lock the PC owners out of their own machine?
Congratulations, you just invented Usenet!
Or, perhaps, they'd come To Serve Man...
As with every other time it's used on here and someone insists on bringing that up...
did you even read the entry...particularly about the MODERN USAGE?
"Our internet will be turned into a PC..."
I know what you mean, the Internet is already on my PC...
And Microsoft Bob (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_Bob)was sending out memos saying that there were no Hungarian officials in the office, and to just keep working normally. (for those who don't get the joke: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muhammad_Saeed_al-Sah haf)
There, I said it.
Call me crazy, but I've always had this dream where important parts of my generation's culture entered into the public domain while I'm still alive, allowing other people to contribute said culture. That said, 14 years (28 with an optional extension) sounds like a great idea.
"...aging of original Xbox owners..."
Uh-oh, I owned an original xbox! And I've aged since I bought it! Does that mean I'm, supposed to have a family?! I'd better get to work! Who knew being 20 would be so much work?!
The BPI really has to get with the times and change its name. Otherwise, every time there is a /. story about it someone will say: "Did anyone else read that as the British Pornographic Industry?!". In this case, this is that post.
So....did anyone else read that as the British Pornographic Industry?!
Thank you for your time, you may now return to an actual discussion, if you want...