This is a good point, minus the snide "on Techdirt". I feel pretty strongly that it would be almost impossible for the data to have been collected AND saved completely by accident. I just don't buy it. On the flipside, everything they collected was publicly available already by anyone with the tools to do so. So, I don't think they did anything illegal, just stupid.
Also, I think they outed themselves because they had the sense to know it was only a matter of time before someone else did it, and the backlash would have been much worse in that case.
I suppose it just comes down to my disgust of software patents in general. The whole "sytem and method" verbology smacks of a wide net to capture all ways of doing Task A. If this company accomplishes Task A using their own algorithm written in C++, and another company writes their answer to Task A in Python, ONE patent should not be able to cover both situations. In fact, the patent shouldn't even exist, it's a ludicrous situation.
I've got a big problem with 5 of those patents listed. Any patent that starts out with "system and method" or "method and system" (or other words to that effect) should be thrown out immediately. They are TOO DAMN VAGUE.
I'm just waiting to see the patent for "System and method for showing stuff on the interweb."
Mike has never claimed to be a journalist. He does seem to be of the opinion that people should fact-check "articles" before posting/printing them, and I bet he is feeling properly chastened at this point.
However, unlike many journalists, he did not attempt to "disappear" his mistake but actually posted a retraction and apology. That buys him a lot of respect in my book.
"""
Can anybody name one DRM scheme that hasn't been cracked?
"""
Back in the "good ol' days", there was a game called (ironically enough) Pirates! It came on a 3.5 inch floppy. Back then it was pretty common to 'copy that floppy' and pass one on to a friend, and one way the developers/publishers tried to prevent this was by introducing bad sectors and the like onto the media. Even back then there were tools that would let you make supposedly "perfect" copies, bad sectors and all. But I don't know of anyone that was ever able to copy THAT floppy.
As has been noted by others everytime these discussions occur, it just does not make ANY business sense to do this to discourage piracy since everyone knows that not only does it not discourage it, but the "challenge" usually drives the hackers to try harder to crack the unruly DRM. Therefore, Occam's Razor says that it's not about piracy.
It is much more plausible that the DRM is there to foil the second-hand game market.
"""
I think that whatever benefit Dominoes does for themselves, they also indirectly do for Papa Johns. By naming a competitor directly, they admit that there is competition, and re-enforce their tagline. Even as they attempt to mock it, they are giving their competition top of mind awareness.
"""
Excellent point. I always felt like the "bash the competitor" type commercials were a stupid idea, it's much better to hype your own positive aspects.
"""
What about the person who downloads the movie and then decides to go see the film on the big screen? What about the person who downloads the movie, and loves it so much, he gets a bunch of friends together to go see the film?
"""
But Mike, you are pre-supposing that the theoretically downloaded movies were good, or even decent. This actually brings up a good point: LOTS of moviegoers are sick and tired of buying a pig in a poke.
How many times have you gone to a movie and then come out saying "Jeez, I saw all the best parts in the previews already"...
On the post: Google WiFi Data Caught In Legal Limbo
Re:
Also, I think they outed themselves because they had the sense to know it was only a matter of time before someone else did it, and the backlash would have been much worse in that case.
On the post: Company Sues MPEG-LA, Claiming Antitrust Violations Over Patents
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
Yes, a thousand times "Yes!". Broad and vague and useless.
On the post: Newspaper Edits Politicians Out Of Bill Signing Photograph; Doesn't Get Why People Think That's Bad
Re: It's like...
On the post: Microsoft Decides It Can't Compete With Salesforce.com; Sues For Patent Infringement Instead
Re: Re: BIG Problem
On the post: Microsoft Decides It Can't Compete With Salesforce.com; Sues For Patent Infringement Instead
BIG Problem
I'm just waiting to see the patent for "System and method for showing stuff on the interweb."
On the post: Is Just Talking About Infringing Content Infringing?
Re: They're helping people find infringing content
On the post: Response To The White House's Request For Feedback On IP Enforcement
Re:
denial of harm is a poor place to start.
"""
I would submit that the assumption of harm is a worse place to start, especially given so much evidence to the contrary.
On the post: Google, Facebook Sued Because Without Some Random Patent No One Would Ever Access A Social Network From A Mobile Phone
Re: Re:
I will take each "you shouldn't post about this" comment from you to be a reassurance that I'm on the right track.
"""
It's like free marketing research!
On the post: Can You Still Say DRM Is Effective When It Creates Security Vulnerabilities, Performance Degradation, Incompatibilities, System Instability And 'Other Issues'? [Update]
Re:
However, unlike many journalists, he did not attempt to "disappear" his mistake but actually posted a retraction and apology. That buys him a lot of respect in my book.
On the post: Can You Still Say DRM Is Effective When It Creates Security Vulnerabilities, Performance Degradation, Incompatibilities, System Instability And 'Other Issues'? [Update]
Re: For the record
"I want you to correct this mistake, but I will never come back and thus would never be aware of the correction anyway."
Lots of incentive there.
On the post: Can You Still Say DRM Is Effective When It Creates Security Vulnerabilities, Performance Degradation, Incompatibilities, System Instability And 'Other Issues'? [Update]
Re: *snort*
Can anybody name one DRM scheme that hasn't been cracked?
"""
Back in the "good ol' days", there was a game called (ironically enough) Pirates! It came on a 3.5 inch floppy. Back then it was pretty common to 'copy that floppy' and pass one on to a friend, and one way the developers/publishers tried to prevent this was by introducing bad sectors and the like onto the media. Even back then there were tools that would let you make supposedly "perfect" copies, bad sectors and all. But I don't know of anyone that was ever able to copy THAT floppy.
On the post: Columnist Claims Italy's Google Verdict Makes Sense
Re: Our responsibilities
On the post: Columnist Claims Italy's Google Verdict Makes Sense
Re: "Rall's Frre Speech issue "Italy Got It Right"
Paragraphs are fun for me and you!
At least one whitespace between sentences, but for you I'd recommend two.
Please use less '..', '...', '???', etc.
On the post: Judge Orders Satirical Site To Remove Joke Story About Fictional Giraffe Attack
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: change the name?
On the post: Ubisoft's Annoying New DRM Cracked Within Hours Of Release
Answer: It's not about piracy
It is much more plausible that the DRM is there to foil the second-hand game market.
On the post: Redbox Caves To Warner Bros., Will Delay New Movie Releases From Kiosks
Re: Re: But I bet...
http://www.blockbusterexpress.com/dvd-machines
I've never seen one of these boxes in real life though.
On the post: Domino's Turns A Loss In A Lawsuit It Wasn't Involved In Into A TV Commercial
Re:
I think that whatever benefit Dominoes does for themselves, they also indirectly do for Papa Johns. By naming a competitor directly, they admit that there is competition, and re-enforce their tagline. Even as they attempt to mock it, they are giving their competition top of mind awareness.
"""
Excellent point. I always felt like the "bash the competitor" type commercials were a stupid idea, it's much better to hype your own positive aspects.
On the post: Author Claims $9.99 Is Not A 'Real Price' For Books
Re:
"Pay me for my stuff up front, sight unseen. Maybe you'll like it, maybe you won't. If you don't, too damn bad, I've already got your money."
On the post: Once Again: The iiNet Decision Did Not Make Unauthorized Downloading Legit
I can see why Roy's ticked
What about the person who downloads the movie and then decides to go see the film on the big screen? What about the person who downloads the movie, and loves it so much, he gets a bunch of friends together to go see the film?
"""
But Mike, you are pre-supposing that the theoretically downloaded movies were good, or even decent. This actually brings up a good point: LOTS of moviegoers are sick and tired of buying a pig in a poke.
How many times have you gone to a movie and then come out saying "Jeez, I saw all the best parts in the previews already"...
On the post: Developer Seems To Think Trademark On 'Army Builder' Means No One Can Use It In Conversation
I can haz copyrite?
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