"Sharp switchbacks result in an 80-90% chance that it's going to record a longer distance traveled."
Assuming you're correct, how much longer?
"Likewise the GPS doesn't account for elevation changes."
It can, but for the sake of argument, let's assume you're correct. ...Which in this case would be in favor of the customer. I may have only gotten a C in 9th grade geometry, but I'm pretttttty sure I remember that the hypotenuse is longer than either of the legs of a right triangle.
"A GPS isn't accurate enough by itself to be trusted for important distance measurements."
Define "accurate enough" and "important" in this context.
Take the whole article (and pretty much every article written on the subject), replace "game" with "car" and any specific business references with used car dealerships or car manufacturers, as appropriate, and I think the result is the same: the car manufacturers whine that they can't sell new cars because the used car market completely destroys the new car market.
It's not the same (for one thing, games don't generally need regular maintenance and don't usually break down halfway through an weekend trip to see the folks) but it's a strong parallel. Starting with the fact that people expect to be able to sell the car when they're ready to move on, which helps finance the purchase of the next car.
Me, I'm a filthy selfish pirate who has never, ever bought a new car.
I don't think it's entirely fair to himself and the other developers to characterize them as "free riders". It's like the use of any other infrastructure: somebody provides the infrastructure because they see advantages for doing so. People use it for its intended purpose. Then somebody else finds a new or more clever way to use it, and does so. As more people use it, it grows and becomes more relevant, and so more people use it.
Windows didn't spring whole from the formless mass any more than did anything else. It was built on other things, mainly but not entirely the IBM PC, an open system which itself was built on (and so on to the beginning of time). Part of what made it work was the fact that other people used the platform to build their own things. Without that it would have died in infancy. (It didn't start open, either, but that's another story.)
Gabe et. al., and really all of us, represent not parasites getting a "free ride" but rather symbionts who -- collectively, in the short run or the long run -- give back to the host at least as much as they take. That's true of the iPhone, and Android, the cell phone in general, Windows, Linux, mainframes, the Internet, cable TV, the (wired) phone system (which also grew more after it was forced open), the MPAA and the RIAA and BMI and Polymer Records and broadcast TV, radio... you name it. Open or closed, these structures and systems are useless without customers driving them.
And far too often the companies completely forget that. They start thinking of the customers as endless sources of revenue to be exploited on one hand, and free-loading parasites on the other, and turn antagonistic towards any use that they don't see as instantly contributing to their bottom line. That's when they start making themselves irrelevant.
Microsoft has been slowly eroding their relevancy for years. To me this looks like a rather larger step. Locking out developers is just going to alienate their customer base. I know they'd rather be all things to all people, but they cannot possibly keep up with all the ways people want to use a PC. By locking out anybody with a different vision, they lock out the symbionts and keep the parasites.
I cannot think of a better way to drive people to open systems than to turn from being enablers to being gatekeepers.
An entrenched corporate interest is refusing to give customers what they want but suing anybody who tries to innovate around them while becoming increasingly outdated and irrelevant.
Sounds like Mr. Newmark has turned into the RIAA's little brother.
Someday somebody is going to get fed up, start an innovative competing service and eat his lunch. Of course, he'll probably sue.
I've been invited to participate in a few class-action lawsuits, mostly pertaining to the amount of interest being charged by my credit card company, or some such.
The letters usually suggest I might win as much as... enough for a couple meals at McDonald's.
I always wonder why I should bother? Maybe somebody who is bored and has absolutely nothing to do or particularly feels a need to "stick it to the man" might bother, but I never put more than enough energy into it than to read the letter, and then shred it. Or maybe file it with my receipts for the month.
Of course, if somebody were to send me a letter like that suggesting I might actually pocket enough to make it worth my while... I'd probably figure it was a scam and shred it anyway.
It's a shame the DC police vs. camera thing only lasted about 10 minutes, but I guess the question there is, what will the ultimate outcome be? Will she just let it slide, or will she come down on them like a ton of bricks? I'm hoping the latter... but I have no faith.
I guess the other question is: if the former, is anybody calling her on it?
On the post: US Women's Gymnastics Team Decides Self-Chosen Nickname 'Fierce Five' Needs Trademark Protection
On the post: Is Being Rich And Arrogant Against The Law? The RIAA & MPAA Seem To Think So
On the post: Is Being Rich And Arrogant Against The Law? The RIAA & MPAA Seem To Think So
Re: Is Being Rich And Arrogant Against The Law? The RIAA & MPAA Seem To Think So
On the post: Boston Shuts Down Uber Because Massachusetts Doesn't Approve Of The GPS
Re: Re: Re: Hate to say it but I see their point
Assuming you're correct, how much longer?
"Likewise the GPS doesn't account for elevation changes."
It can, but for the sake of argument, let's assume you're correct. ...Which in this case would be in favor of the customer. I may have only gotten a C in 9th grade geometry, but I'm pretttttty sure I remember that the hypotenuse is longer than either of the legs of a right triangle.
"A GPS isn't accurate enough by itself to be trusted for important distance measurements."
Define "accurate enough" and "important" in this context.
On the post: Indie Musician Zoe Keating Defines Transparency; Breaks Down Exactly How She Makes A Living
Now I have to buy something. Because I like it too much to just walk away.
On the post: Gamestop Offers Glimpse Into Their Used-Games Facility
Warning: Car Analogy Ahead
It's not the same (for one thing, games don't generally need regular maintenance and don't usually break down halfway through an weekend trip to see the folks) but it's a strong parallel. Starting with the fact that people expect to be able to sell the car when they're ready to move on, which helps finance the purchase of the next car.
Me, I'm a filthy selfish pirate who has never, ever bought a new car.
On the post: Game Developers Concerned About A Potentially Closed Windows 8
Windows didn't spring whole from the formless mass any more than did anything else. It was built on other things, mainly but not entirely the IBM PC, an open system which itself was built on (and so on to the beginning of time). Part of what made it work was the fact that other people used the platform to build their own things. Without that it would have died in infancy. (It didn't start open, either, but that's another story.)
Gabe et. al., and really all of us, represent not parasites getting a "free ride" but rather symbionts who -- collectively, in the short run or the long run -- give back to the host at least as much as they take. That's true of the iPhone, and Android, the cell phone in general, Windows, Linux, mainframes, the Internet, cable TV, the (wired) phone system (which also grew more after it was forced open), the MPAA and the RIAA and BMI and Polymer Records and broadcast TV, radio... you name it. Open or closed, these structures and systems are useless without customers driving them.
And far too often the companies completely forget that. They start thinking of the customers as endless sources of revenue to be exploited on one hand, and free-loading parasites on the other, and turn antagonistic towards any use that they don't see as instantly contributing to their bottom line. That's when they start making themselves irrelevant.
Microsoft has been slowly eroding their relevancy for years. To me this looks like a rather larger step. Locking out developers is just going to alienate their customer base. I know they'd rather be all things to all people, but they cannot possibly keep up with all the ways people want to use a PC. By locking out anybody with a different vision, they lock out the symbionts and keep the parasites.
I cannot think of a better way to drive people to open systems than to turn from being enablers to being gatekeepers.
On the post: More Anti-Youtube Whining: 'YouTube Complies With Our Takedown Requests Just To Make Us Look Bad'
'Cause I don't know about you, but right now I feel like I want to track this guy down and choke the crap out of him.
On the post: Why Tragedies Result In Overreactions: 'Our Brains Aren't Very Good At Risk Analysis'
Re: Re: Good God, Man. Punctuate!
On the post: Why Tragedies Result In Overreactions: 'Our Brains Aren't Very Good At Risk Analysis'
On the post: App Developer: Android OS Built For Piracy And Consumer Choice Sucks
On the post: NY Times Picks Up On The Fact That Craigslist Has Become A Legal Bully Against Anyone Who Makes Its Site Better
Sounds like Mr. Newmark has turned into the RIAA's little brother.
Someday somebody is going to get fed up, start an innovative competing service and eat his lunch. Of course, he'll probably sue.
On the post: If It Takes You 20 Years To Notice Madonna Sampled Your Songs, Perhaps It's A Transformative Use
www.youtube.com/watch?v=UuJVleNkJj0
It's not, but the similarities are striking. Too bad Mr. Preston isn't around to sue the socks off Salsoul.
Or maybe it's just as well. Don't really need more of this insanity.
On the post: The Silencing Of Guy Adams Gives Another Graphical Representation Of The Streisand Effect
Re: Re: Streisand Effect
On the post: Not Wise: French T-Shirt Company Tries To Trademark Anonymous Logo
Your chances are actually better. Armed forces generally have at least a modicum of discipline and some have rules about killing people unnecessarily.
I need popcorn. LOTS of popcorn.
On the post: Yet Again, Netflix Class Action Shows That Class Action Lawsuits Are Mostly About Making Lawyers Rich
The letters usually suggest I might win as much as... enough for a couple meals at McDonald's.
I always wonder why I should bother? Maybe somebody who is bored and has absolutely nothing to do or particularly feels a need to "stick it to the man" might bother, but I never put more than enough energy into it than to read the letter, and then shred it. Or maybe file it with my receipts for the month.
Of course, if somebody were to send me a letter like that suggesting I might actually pocket enough to make it worth my while... I'd probably figure it was a scam and shred it anyway.
On the post: Drew Stephenson's Favorite Techdirt Posts Of The Week
Re:
On the post: Drew Stephenson's Favorite Techdirt Posts Of The Week
I guess the other question is: if the former, is anybody calling her on it?
On the post: WSJ Still Hasn't Corrected Its Bogus Internet Revisionist Story, As Vint Cerf & Xerox Both Claim The Story Is Wrong
Ah well. Stupidity is its own cure. Think of it as evolution in action.
On the post: Not Long After Passing Censorship Legislation, Russian Government Censors All of LiveJournal
I guess all those posts about my cat were offensive to the Russians!
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