"You're gaining a little weight there, kid. You should work on that." "How do you know what I weight?"
"Because I can see you, silly. Look at you. Pudgy and filled with nothing but junk food." "It's amazing you found the time to take your eyes of Candy Crush."
"Will you two shut the hell up already! Trying to watch 'Lord of the Rings' here."
*sigh*
Sometimes, coming home isn't fun. In the olden days, it was listening to kids fighting. Now, it's my goddamn appliances giving me hell.
I'm starting to understand the rants of old people now.
What you're actually reading are the states caused by these performers and their record labels.
In a time before royalties (and it took a new copyright law to get them, by the way), these performers had no choice but to trust their labels, many of which withheld thousands, if not millions, from the artists which actually created the music.
Their suffering had nothing to do with people stealing their music (trying to walk out with an LP tucked under the shirt isn't easy).
Their suffering was due to lost revenue by the labels, most represented by the RIAA (whose sole purpose is to extort as much money from artists as possible).
Don't fall for the ruse. Take a few months and learn business, economics, and the law so you can manage, market, and profit by yourself.
Because the second you take that advance and sign the dotted line, you'll be hitting the bottle and pain killers too.
Not on consoles. I have never had a used game by EA or Ubisoft fail to work from a used game.
While I'll admit they do try to get me to "sign up" for their "service", I decline.
Also, the "FTFY" is dead wrong. EA and Ubisoft clearly have no intention of changing their ways and gamers are still buying the games.
There's no denying EA and Ubisoft still make good games. That would be lying. What's important to realize here is how we obtain those games, and buying second-hand is not piracy.
Wait. Just noted your username. You're toying with us, aren't you Daedric Prince of Madness. :P
During the first quarter of this year, "extra content" generated roughly $921 million out of EA’s total digital revenue of $2.2 billion, meaning there are plenty of people who now either think DLC offers a great value position or have more disposable income than brains. This is precisely why Techdirt will be writing about EA for many, many years to come. Job security for Karl and Tim (or is it Timothy, can never remember).
I personally ignore 99.7% of all DLC. Ditto. As it stands, the only company which gets my money for its DLC is (Zenimax) Bethesda, currently my favorite game studio.
I didn't mind one bit paying $20 for a virtual clouded leopard mount for Elder Scrolls Online (after buying two house cats and another lioness). This game gives me such a fantastic good time, I actually feel guilty I don't subscribe (a requirement dropped by Zenimax pre-console launch).
$70 for a game that clearly gives so much more than pretty much any other title out there (not yet played Witcher 3, which I heard was huge) that I'm hoping this plan doesn't backfire because we have idiotic gamers who want it all but want to pay nothing for it.
As for Ubisoft and EA, I don't buy any of their games direct. If I want it, I'll head to Gamestop where they get the money and I get the game, screwing EA and Ubisoft both.
It's not a coincidence small publishers are making big waves.
Oh, yeah, and a plug: Submerged is a really great game for $20. You can finish it in a day, but it's gorgeous and fun to play. Recommended.
The role of an ABI is to translate the compiled API's machine code and submit and receive the values returned by the chip.
The compiler is what translates the API into the register code expected by the ABI, which then processes the machine code.
This is why every language has keywords. Those keywords are then converted to machine code, which tells the ABI how to process the code.
This isn't hard to follow.
What it looks like people are confusing is the fact APIs can be transferred between software, necessitating their "need" and shouldn't be copyright. Or perhaps they're limiting API to "1+1=2", which means this "function" isn't copyright.
Either argument is wrong. While I certainly agree "1+1=2" shouldn't be copyright, this isn't the issue.
A statement isn't a function.
Which is why any programmer can write their own API (and have it covered by copyright, like it or not).
...these non-programmers don't realize that an API is not software. Sorry, but this is not accurate at all and I'm getting tired of people making the mistake.
First, let's the get the obvious out of the way. The "P" in "API" stands for "Programming", which means software.
Second, people are conflating API with ABI and it's ABI (Application Binary Interface) that cannot be covered by copyright.
All APIs are written in software. No, they are not a program, but they work with programs. They are the fundamental structures which allows programmers to code for the specific operating system the APIs were written for.
This is why Apple, Microsoft, Linux, Java, and now Android, have their own set of APIs, despite all of them having the ability to work on the same system.
By Google's admission, it took the APIs from Java to work with Android. Google did not write the APIs for Android.By doing this, Android and Java are now completely different operating systems using identical APIs.
What this means: if Google wrote their own APIs and the functions of the APIs are identical to those of Java, there is no copyright protection because the result of the API is the ABI.
It's why software has compilers.
API: program aka software aka copyright covered. ABI: compiled API aka system code aka not covered by copyright.
This isn't even an issue of "but, but ... they're the same!" No, they are not the same and continue making this claim, and we'll eventually see the results of how companies will eventually push to have ABIs covered, and we do not want this.
If you need additional education, I recommend you read this: http://www.x86-64.org/documentation/abi.pdf (first example I pulled, but you can read up on any of them from AMD, Intel, or Qualcomm).
Repeatedly we've been told by ISP lobbyists and lawyers that if ISPs don't get "X" (no net neutrality rules, deregulation, more subsidies, the right to impose arbitrary new tolls, whatever), the Internet will choke on itself and grind to a halt This is true, though.
Let me rewrite this so it makes it clear: "Repeatedly, we've been threatened by ISP lobbyists and lawyers that if ISPs don't get 'X' (no net neutrality rules, deregulation, more subsidies, the right to impose arbitrary new tolls, whatever), the ISP will choke the Internet by itself and grind it to a halt."
Amazing how a few simple changes to wording can make a claim a reality.
"This is a classic example of how some people fear new technology so they reactively reject it instead of accepting it, no matter how irrational that fear may be,"
Yep, Verizon is out of touch.
Clearly the people of New Jersey are only following the lead as displayed by the MPAA, RIAA, every other gatekeeper, copyright, patent, and DRM supporters.
I'm not impressed with the image showing a recessed outlet given this plugs into an existing outlet. It implies this unit can replace an existing outlet, but I see no way the shell is removable.
I'm not impressed with the "Power up to 7 devices at once" on a unit clearly having 8 outlets (2 USB).
I'm not impressed with the lack of a guarantee should the device not do what it claims.
"$250,000 Ultimate Lifetime Insurance (U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico only)"
This was taken from the Tripp Lite (a corded surge protector) I am currently using.
When a company is putting its own money behind its products, this gives me great confidence I can hook up $4k+ worth of electronics to it.
This unit does not instill the same confidence, so I'm going to pass on the deal.
Once again, can someone remind me of a single positive thing that has come from DRM? The only thing that comes to mind is the saying "You can't fix stupid" is one of the greatest scientific facts ever discovered by man.
You can argue the point all you want, but he's been dead-on accurate since Corporate America has turned to advertising revenue for additional revenue.
As I said many times before: If you don't want your information shared, keep it in your house.
This bullshit of "every device connected" was a privacy destroyer from the start. If people can't understand why, then they've no reason to disagree with McNealy.
On the post: Google Disappears Techdirt Article About Right To Be Forgotten Due To Right To Be Forgotten Request
On the post: Internet Of Not-So-Smart Things: Samsung's Latest Smart Fridge Can Expose Your Gmail Password
"How do you know what I weight?"
"Because I can see you, silly. Look at you. Pudgy and filled with nothing but junk food."
"It's amazing you found the time to take your eyes of Candy Crush."
"Will you two shut the hell up already! Trying to watch 'Lord of the Rings' here."
*sigh*
Sometimes, coming home isn't fun. In the olden days, it was listening to kids fighting. Now, it's my goddamn appliances giving me hell.
I'm starting to understand the rants of old people now.
On the post: Carl Malamud Asks YouTube To Institute Three Strikes Policy For Those Who Abuse Takedowns
Google's "policy" is to cater those who pay the ad bills.
Everyone else are mindless drone who have no voice in what Google does.
On the post: Recording Industry Thinks Famous Dead Musicians And Their Personal Struggles Will Get People To Stop Pirating
What you're actually reading are the states caused by these performers and their record labels.
In a time before royalties (and it took a new copyright law to get them, by the way), these performers had no choice but to trust their labels, many of which withheld thousands, if not millions, from the artists which actually created the music.
Their suffering had nothing to do with people stealing their music (trying to walk out with an LP tucked under the shirt isn't easy).
Their suffering was due to lost revenue by the labels, most represented by the RIAA (whose sole purpose is to extort as much money from artists as possible).
Don't fall for the ruse. Take a few months and learn business, economics, and the law so you can manage, market, and profit by yourself.
Because the second you take that advance and sign the dotted line, you'll be hitting the bottle and pain killers too.
On the post: EA: Complaints About On-Disc DLC Are 'Nonsense'
Re: Re: Re: Re:
While I'll admit they do try to get me to "sign up" for their "service", I decline.
Also, the "FTFY" is dead wrong. EA and Ubisoft clearly have no intention of changing their ways and gamers are still buying the games.
There's no denying EA and Ubisoft still make good games. That would be lying. What's important to realize here is how we obtain those games, and buying second-hand is not piracy.
Wait. Just noted your username. You're toying with us, aren't you Daedric Prince of Madness.
:P
On the post: EA: Complaints About On-Disc DLC Are 'Nonsense'
This is precisely why Techdirt will be writing about EA for many, many years to come. Job security for Karl and Tim (or is it Timothy, can never remember).
I personally ignore 99.7% of all DLC.
Ditto. As it stands, the only company which gets my money for its DLC is (Zenimax) Bethesda, currently my favorite game studio.
I didn't mind one bit paying $20 for a virtual clouded leopard mount for Elder Scrolls Online (after buying two house cats and another lioness). This game gives me such a fantastic good time, I actually feel guilty I don't subscribe (a requirement dropped by Zenimax pre-console launch).
$70 for a game that clearly gives so much more than pretty much any other title out there (not yet played Witcher 3, which I heard was huge) that I'm hoping this plan doesn't backfire because we have idiotic gamers who want it all but want to pay nothing for it.
As for Ubisoft and EA, I don't buy any of their games direct. If I want it, I'll head to Gamestop where they get the money and I get the game, screwing EA and Ubisoft both.
It's not a coincidence small publishers are making big waves.
Oh, yeah, and a plug: Submerged is a really great game for $20. You can finish it in a day, but it's gorgeous and fun to play. Recommended.
Why the plug? small publisher. ;)
On the post: Yes, The Appeals Court Got Basically Everything Wrong In Deciding API's Are Covered By Copyright
Re: Re:
ABIs do not have functions.
The role of an ABI is to translate the compiled API's machine code and submit and receive the values returned by the chip.
The compiler is what translates the API into the register code expected by the ABI, which then processes the machine code.
This is why every language has keywords. Those keywords are then converted to machine code, which tells the ABI how to process the code.
This isn't hard to follow.
What it looks like people are confusing is the fact APIs can be transferred between software, necessitating their "need" and shouldn't be copyright. Or perhaps they're limiting API to "1+1=2", which means this "function" isn't copyright.
Either argument is wrong. While I certainly agree "1+1=2" shouldn't be copyright, this isn't the issue.
A statement isn't a function.
Which is why any programmer can write their own API (and have it covered by copyright, like it or not).
On the post: Yes, The Appeals Court Got Basically Everything Wrong In Deciding API's Are Covered By Copyright
Sorry, but this is not accurate at all and I'm getting tired of people making the mistake.
First, let's the get the obvious out of the way. The "P" in "API" stands for "Programming", which means software.
Second, people are conflating API with ABI and it's ABI (Application Binary Interface) that cannot be covered by copyright.
All APIs are written in software. No, they are not a program, but they work with programs. They are the fundamental structures which allows programmers to code
for the specific operating system the APIs were written for.
This is why Apple, Microsoft, Linux, Java, and now Android, have their own set of APIs, despite all of them having the ability to work on the same system.
By Google's admission, it took the APIs from Java to work with Android. Google did not write the APIs for Android.By doing this, Android and Java are now completely different operating systems using identical APIs.
What this means: if Google wrote their own APIs and the functions of the APIs are identical to those of Java, there is no copyright protection because the result of the API is the ABI.
It's why software has compilers.
API: program aka software aka copyright covered.
ABI: compiled API aka system code aka not covered by copyright.
This isn't even an issue of "but, but ... they're the same!" No, they are not the same and continue making this claim, and we'll eventually see the results of how companies will eventually push to have ABIs covered, and we do not want this.
If you need additional education, I recommend you read this:
http://www.x86-64.org/documentation/abi.pdf
(first example I pulled, but you can read up on any of them from AMD, Intel, or Qualcomm).
On the post: Comcast Admits Broadband Usage Caps Are A Cash Grab, Not An Engineering Necessity
This is true, though.
Let me rewrite this so it makes it clear:
"Repeatedly, we've been threatened by ISP lobbyists and lawyers that if ISPs don't get 'X' (no net neutrality rules, deregulation, more subsidies, the right to impose arbitrary new tolls, whatever), the ISP will choke the Internet by itself and grind it to a halt."
Amazing how a few simple changes to wording can make a claim a reality.
On the post: Lenovo Busted For Stealthily Installing Crapware Via BIOS On Fresh Windows Installs
It's the corporation's secret motto.
On the post: Verizon Thinks It's A Good Idea To Mock New Jersey Taxpayers After Ripping Them Off For Years
On the post: Verizon Thinks It's A Good Idea To Mock New Jersey Taxpayers After Ripping Them Off For Years
Yep, Verizon is out of touch.
Clearly the people of New Jersey are only following the lead as displayed by the MPAA, RIAA, every other gatekeeper, copyright, patent, and DRM supporters.
On the post: Oracle Tells Customers To Stop Trying To Find Vulnerabilities In Oracle Products... Because 'Intellectual Property'
Neo: "But I chased the white rabbit."
Oracle: "Let the agents do their thing. Here, have a cookie."
Neo: "But there is no cookie."
Oracle: "Now you're getting it."
Neo: "Guess there's nothing to do now but stare at the woman in the red dress."
On the post: Vimeo Should Take Some Of The Blame For Simply Accepting Massive Bogus DMCA Takedown Over The Word 'Pixels'
Rather than stand up against what's clearly now abuse of the law, they buckle and "comply", leaving its users to fend for themselves.
If these sites are worried about lawsuits, then they should allow them.
If every gatekeeper tried to sue every site which refuses to comply with the DMCA, they'd go bankrupt pretty quick.
On the post: RIAA Asks BitTorrent Inc. To Block Infringing Content With A Hash Filter
Eric Klinker.
One is beloved for trying to stop something he cannot control. The other is not.
I'll let you decide which one is which.
SHULTZ!!!
On the post: Daily Deal: Aduro Surge Protector With 6 Outlets & 2 USB Ports
I'm not impressed with the "Power up to 7 devices at once" on a unit clearly having 8 outlets (2 USB).
I'm not impressed with the lack of a guarantee should the device not do what it claims.
"$250,000 Ultimate Lifetime Insurance (U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico only)"
This was taken from the Tripp Lite (a corded surge protector) I am currently using.
When a company is putting its own money behind its products, this gives me great confidence I can hook up $4k+ worth of electronics to it.
This unit does not instill the same confidence, so I'm going to pass on the deal.
On the post: Matchstick, The More Open Chromecast, Destroyed By DRM, Announces Plans To Return All Funds
The only thing that comes to mind is the saying "You can't fix stupid" is one of the greatest scientific facts ever discovered by man.
On the post: Microsoft Launches Special 'Scott McNealy' Edition Of Windows
You can argue the point all you want, but he's been dead-on accurate since Corporate America has turned to advertising revenue for additional revenue.
As I said many times before: If you don't want your information shared, keep it in your house.
This bullshit of "every device connected" was a privacy destroyer from the start. If people can't understand why, then they've no reason to disagree with McNealy.
On the post: Spanish Cops Use New Law To Fine Facebook Commenter For Calling Them 'Slackers'
WAA HAA HAA HAA
*pounds fist on desk, tears streaming.
Now that's what I call a damn good joke.
On the post: Legislators Want Better Whistleblower Protections, Forget To Include Their Own Staff Members
Senate: "So, you're saying you were doing what you were told by your boss?"
Aide: "Yep."
Senate: "Well, son, you're screwed. We can't touch your boss, but we sure as hell can touch you. Don't drop the soap."
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