TheResidentSkeptic (profile), 10 Aug 2016 @ 8:38am
Reality Bites.
Technology evolves. This is the base rule.
Businesses come and go with the change in Technology. Some adopt, some die.
The typewriter enabled a lot - including the "Typing Pool" where Exeuctives used to fish. Technology replaced the typewriter with the word processor, and the typing pool has vanished from business.
Town Criers used to be the source of news - but they were repaced by the newspaper which anyone could read. But news papers were (quite literally) "Yesterdays News". The web now provides INSTANT access to newswothy events.
Before the web, the only way for information to be shared was via printed form. Businesses came into being to fulfill that need - Academic Publishing was one of those businesses. Since the 1960's with the advent of ARPANET and its successors, universities were the focus for sharing information directly, in real-time. However, storing large amounts of data was extremely expensive, and moving large amounts took a long time with the early speeds. Books were still the better option.
Today, that is no longer true. Data Storage is extremely cheap; networks (even here in the US) are quite fast; and the abiltiy to index content and make it searchable has matured. No longer do researchers need weeks to wade through volumes to find what they seek; a simple query can return links to the relevant documents in milliseconds.
The publishing industries are NOT about publishing - they are only about control, and that control is gone. Unfortunately, it appears to have been a fan of Dylan Thomas and is not going gently into that good night.
Authors no longer need to pay to have their works published; they can do so for free - and anyone can review it and comment (unless the comment section is closed - like the minds behind closing it).
When Authors start revolting over the publishers and the control they so love - they will realize that a publisher putting their work "out of print" puts them "out of income". It doesn't matter if the Copyright term will last another 80 years - a book that can't be bought produces no income.
Just like the typing pool or town criers - the journals are no longer "needed". Sorry folks - but you had a good run. Its over.
Although I'm getting senile here in my old age, I do recall that ALL the early games had the cheats built-in - even Castle Wolfenstein 3D had a "god mode" cheat so you could play all day.
Are they just mad that the externally made cheats are better than their own cheat codes?
well - then HIRE the cheat developers! Build 'em in and control them.
it will not get better. As long as conduit and content are controlled by the same entity, there is only a reason to fight for the status quo.
If we ever got to the point that broadband was considered and handled as a utility service - and content over that utility service was handled by content providers - then these issues would become irrelevant.
Thank God the electric company doesn't "rent" us all the electrical devices in our homes or control which brands we can buy...
TheResidentSkeptic (profile), 17 Jun 2016 @ 12:53pm
We'll need much bigger e-readers
As every 100KB book lent out will have 1.21GB of "DRM" and other protective code on it to prevent it being copied/shared again; and built-in delete code to remove it from the device at the end of the 24-hour lending period; and code to detect when/where it is read and by whom...
On the post: Publishers Association Sends Whiny Complaint Letter To Dean After Academic Librarian Discusses Sci-Hub
Reality Bites.
Businesses come and go with the change in Technology. Some adopt, some die.
The typewriter enabled a lot - including the "Typing Pool" where Exeuctives used to fish. Technology replaced the typewriter with the word processor, and the typing pool has vanished from business.
Town Criers used to be the source of news - but they were repaced by the newspaper which anyone could read. But news papers were (quite literally) "Yesterdays News". The web now provides INSTANT access to newswothy events.
Before the web, the only way for information to be shared was via printed form. Businesses came into being to fulfill that need - Academic Publishing was one of those businesses. Since the 1960's with the advent of ARPANET and its successors, universities were the focus for sharing information directly, in real-time. However, storing large amounts of data was extremely expensive, and moving large amounts took a long time with the early speeds. Books were still the better option.
Today, that is no longer true. Data Storage is extremely cheap; networks (even here in the US) are quite fast; and the abiltiy to index content and make it searchable has matured. No longer do researchers need weeks to wade through volumes to find what they seek; a simple query can return links to the relevant documents in milliseconds.
The publishing industries are NOT about publishing - they are only about control, and that control is gone. Unfortunately, it appears to have been a fan of Dylan Thomas and is not going gently into that good night.
Authors no longer need to pay to have their works published; they can do so for free - and anyone can review it and comment (unless the comment section is closed - like the minds behind closing it).
When Authors start revolting over the publishers and the control they so love - they will realize that a publisher putting their work "out of print" puts them "out of income". It doesn't matter if the Copyright term will last another 80 years - a book that can't be bought produces no income.
Just like the typing pool or town criers - the journals are no longer "needed". Sorry folks - but you had a good run. Its over.
On the post: The Coming Copyright Fight Over Viral News Videos, Such As Police Shootings
Back on point here...
of course it needs to be locked away and kept out of the PUBLIC domain...
On the post: Primatologist Tells Court That Macaque Monkeys Are, Like, Super Smart, So They Should Totally Get Copyrights
And the next step...
On the post: The Ridiculous Concept Of The 'Value Gap' In Music Services... And How It Could Harm Both The Tech Industry And The Music Industry
The wrong value gap
On the post: New Jersey Man Files Lawsuit Over Pokemon Go After A Few Players Politely Knocked On His Door
The kids can climb my fence anytime...
On the post: How The Olympics Bullshit Ban On Tweeting About The Olympics Is Harming Olympic Athletes
Personally, I'm following their lead.
Anything really important will show up on youtube anyway.
On the post: FBI's Hacking Tool Found To Have Compromised Dozens Of Computers In Austria
Re: Evidence from hacked systems should be inadmissable
You are guilty because we said so. No defense allowed.
On the post: The Selfie-Taking Monkey Who Has No Idea He Has Lawyers Has Appealed His Copyright Lawsuit
My biggest problem with these stories..
On the post: Verizon Buys Yahoo In $4.8 Billion Attempt To Bore The Internet To Death
Update to Oxford English Dictionary
On the post: Cy Vance Still Arguing For Mandated Encryption Backdoors; Believes Third Party Doctrine Supports His Theory
And on the other side...
https://www.digicert.com/TimeTravel
On the post: NBC's 'Most Live Olympics Ever' Will Have A One Hour Broadcast Delay For The Opening Ceremony
Really sad part
When it was all about the sports and the athletes, it was great to watch.
Now that the Olympics is all about lawyers and profit - I have no desire at all to watch their tightly controlled version.
I'll wait for the youtube highlights (that should piss 'em off)
On the post: Checking In: Blizzard Still Suing Hack/Cheat Makers For Copyright Infringement? Yup!
Trying to kill a time honored tradition...
Are they just mad that the externally made cheats are better than their own cheat codes?
well - then HIRE the cheat developers! Build 'em in and control them.
Tilting at windmills rarely works out well.
On the post: Pablo Escobar's Brother Demands One Billion Dollars From Netflix Over Narcos
I'm not in it either...
On the post: Comcast Continues To Claim It's 'Not Feasible' To Offer Its Programming To Third-Party Cable Boxes
Until the pairing is broken,
If we ever got to the point that broadband was considered and handled as a utility service - and content over that utility service was handled by content providers - then these issues would become irrelevant.
Thank God the electric company doesn't "rent" us all the electrical devices in our homes or control which brands we can buy...
On the post: Verizon 'Competes' With T-Mobile By Raising Prices, Then Denying It's A Price Hike
How far we have come in only a century...
"your business might burn down - but you can avoid it by paying us $30/month"
Guess they did learn from history.
On the post: Harrisburg, PA Mayor Picks And Chooses Who The 'Real' Journalists Are
The only "real" journalists...
/fantasy
On the post: Top EU Court Advisor Makes A Strangely Sensible (But Only Provisional) Copyright Ruling On The Lending Of eBooks
We'll need much bigger e-readers
On the post: Australian Electoral Commission Refuses To Allow Researchers To Check E-Voting Software
It can't be open and verifiable
We are nearly at the point of "Thank you for coming. Your vote has already been recorded".
If the machines were transparent, then the voters actual chosen candidate would win the election.
We can't have that.
/sarc, /snark, /hope
On the post: Cable Industry Proclaims More Competition 'Hurts Consumers' & 'Damages Economic Efficiency'
Competition does hurt
On the post: Pure Bullshit: AMC Threatens Huge Fan Community With Copyright Claim Over 'Spoiler' Predictions
It is AMC's right..
Their advertisers will love the cut in rates due to the Nielsen numbers tanking.
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