I work for a Stellantis (formerly Chrysler) dealership. We are under huge pressure to sign customers up for their "connected services" trial. To the extent that, if we fail to grab their smartphone and CONFIRM they've installed the remote control app and activated it, the dealership is fined. In reality, if left on their own, only about 20% bother signing up. Three guesses why this is...
I've worked for and with Apple since 1983. My house is full of their stuff to this day. They've done some things I didn't agree with, but overall I overwhelmingly supported the company. This surveillance is 100% the opposite of everything I thought they stood for. It rolls out, and I'm done.
Most current Apple products are not really repairable. A laptop may have only three "parts" (assemblies), the components not separable from each other. Once out of AppleCare (three years) it would be cost-prohibitive to replace any of the assemblies; Once declared "obsolete" (five years) assemblies are no longer available at any cost.
The repair process these days is basically exchanging for a partially-recycled unit.
The author Robert Heinlein once proposed a society where only those who wrote such a check should be allowed to vote - having already placed their society ahead of themselves. I wonder how well THAT would play in our current political environment.
This goes both ways. Even if the stuff she's posting is true, the willingness to air dirty laundry in public is unattractive at best. Even if I was a saint (few of us are) I'd avoid her like the plague.
I recall upgrading a certain model of IBM laser printer (yes, quite a while ago) from 4 to 8 pages a minute by changing one jumper. It was the only difference between models. Lower production costs (you only vary the jumper and the label on the front) but preserves your ability to charge a premium for the faster model. And sometimes the customer would pay the hefty cost of upgrading an existing printer.
They want to keep the flexibility to "go after" who they want, regardless. As my grandfather (a cop) used to say, "I can arrest anyone, anytime, and there'll be a law to support it. Depends on how much they piss me off."
In my 65 years I've never had police officers visit my property, so I suppose I'm hopelessly naive. I'd always (watching movies, etc) ASSUMED police departments were liable for any damage they caused in the course of their activities. After all, doesn't the constitution prohibit "unlawful taking?" In this case, they're depriving you of your personal property for the public purpose of apprehending someone.
I guess the teaching point is to just shoot trespassers yourself. Yes?
My late grandfather (a police officer), among the other wisdoms he offered, said "Never piss off a judge." Didn't mean much to me at eight years of age... But perhaps Richard Liebowitz should have been listening.
"Regulate until the impossible is done..." So, you're saying that public expression should be permanently government-regulated? That doesn't sound like a good idea.
On the post: Automakers Can't Give Up The Idea Of Turning Everyday Features Into Subscription Services With Fees
Re: Re: Getting ready for the billing of the future
Ahaha.. that'd be a fun conversation..
Sales person > "unlock your phone so we can help you setup the app"
Buyer > "how about no."
Already happens to me a couple of times a month, I't's not fun, and neither is getting your commission docked.
On the post: Automakers Can't Give Up The Idea Of Turning Everyday Features Into Subscription Services With Fees
Getting ready for the billing of the future
I work for a Stellantis (formerly Chrysler) dealership. We are under huge pressure to sign customers up for their "connected services" trial. To the extent that, if we fail to grab their smartphone and CONFIRM they've installed the remote control app and activated it, the dealership is fined. In reality, if left on their own, only about 20% bother signing up. Three guesses why this is...
On the post: Trump Asks Court To Reinstate His Twitter Account ASAP
Speaking of losing...
For someone whose worst insult is "Loser!" he sure does set himself up to become one in court. Over and over and over...
On the post: Apple Undermines Its Famous Security 'For The Children'
Last straw
I've worked for and with Apple since 1983. My house is full of their stuff to this day. They've done some things I didn't agree with, but overall I overwhelmingly supported the company. This surveillance is 100% the opposite of everything I thought they stood for. It rolls out, and I'm done.
On the post: Buried Apple Privacy Scandal Undermines Its Attacks On Right To Repair Legislation
Rapidly becoming academic
Most current Apple products are not really repairable. A laptop may have only three "parts" (assemblies), the components not separable from each other. Once out of AppleCare (three years) it would be cost-prohibitive to replace any of the assemblies; Once declared "obsolete" (five years) assemblies are no longer available at any cost.
The repair process these days is basically exchanging for a partially-recycled unit.
On the post: Tennessee Politicians Ask State Colleges To Forbid Student-Athletes From Kneeling During The National Anthem
Re:
The author Robert Heinlein once proposed a society where only those who wrote such a check should be allowed to vote - having already placed their society ahead of themselves. I wonder how well THAT would play in our current political environment.
On the post: Eighteen Sheriff's Deputies Waited 500 Yards Away While A Burglar Terrorized A 70-Year-Old Disabled Man
So, the police have fully embraced the the most effective/least harmful response they're capable of... is NOTHING.
On the post: Internet Of Broken Things Jumps The Shark With IoT Chastity Penis Lock That Can Be Hacked
You know...
There's a Darwin Awards comment or three waiting to be made. Which one should I choose?
On the post: Content Moderation Case Study: Usenet Has To Figure Out How To Deal With Spam (April 1994)
Re:
Back in the day, lawyers weren't allowed to advertise. Late-night TV was a very different place...
On the post: Content Moderation Case Study: Usenet Has To Figure Out How To Deal With Spam (April 1994)
"Usenet WAS a decentralized service..."
Try "is" At least I think it is; certainly I pay for and use what I think is a USENET account.
On the post: Court Says First Amendment Protects Ex-Wife's Right To Publicly Discuss Her Ex-Husband On Her Personal Blog
Re:
This goes both ways. Even if the stuff she's posting is true, the willingness to air dirty laundry in public is unattractive at best. Even if I was a saint (few of us are) I'd avoid her like the plague.
On the post: Court Blocks Federal Officers From Attacking, Arresting Reporters Covering Protests In Portland
Re: The question is who??
I think they call that a "civil war." We didn't enjoy the last one.
On the post: Indiana Supreme Court Says Compelled Decryption Of Smartphones Violates The Fifth Amendment
Re: Hard cases ...
Funny, it sounds like the person you're talking about has already been convicted. Defendants are supposed innocent until convicted.
On the post: Copyright Troll Richard Liebowitz Has Two Separate Courts Sanction Him For His Ongoing Copyright Trolling Failures
"No money up front, pay us only if we win" brings in a lot of business. (Assuming the are his terms.)
On the post: Disgraced Former NASCAR Boss, Brian France, Uses SLAPP Suit To Silence Parody Twitter Account
Babs, is that you?
And of course I had no idea who ANY of these people were until they started slinging lawsuits around.
On the post: Over-The-Air Updates Could Turn Millions Of Inexpensive Devices Into Much-Needed Ventilators To Treat Seriously-Ill COVID-19 Patients -- If Manufacturer Helps
Not the first time
I recall upgrading a certain model of IBM laser printer (yes, quite a while ago) from 4 to 8 pages a minute by changing one jumper. It was the only difference between models. Lower production costs (you only vary the jumper and the label on the front) but preserves your ability to charge a premium for the faster model. And sometimes the customer would pay the hefty cost of upgrading an existing printer.
On the post: The Supreme Court Is Being Asked To End Questionable CFAA Prosecutions
Why decide?
They want to keep the flexibility to "go after" who they want, regardless. As my grandfather (a cop) used to say, "I can arrest anyone, anytime, and there'll be a law to support it. Depends on how much they piss me off."
On the post: Ninth Circuit Says Man Can't Sue Officers Who Destroyed His Home To Capture An Unarmed Homeless Man
Foolish me
In my 65 years I've never had police officers visit my property, so I suppose I'm hopelessly naive. I'd always (watching movies, etc) ASSUMED police departments were liable for any damage they caused in the course of their activities. After all, doesn't the constitution prohibit "unlawful taking?" In this case, they're depriving you of your personal property for the public purpose of apprehending someone.
I guess the teaching point is to just shoot trespassers yourself. Yes?
On the post: Copyright Troll Lawyer Serves Up BS 'Dead Grandfather' Excuse For Missing Court; Now Facing Sanctions And Arrest
My late grandfather (a police officer), among the other wisdoms he offered, said "Never piss off a judge." Didn't mean much to me at eight years of age... But perhaps Richard Liebowitz should have been listening.
On the post: Content Moderation At Scale Remains Impossible: Vaccines Edition
Re: So it's hard
"Regulate until the impossible is done..." So, you're saying that public expression should be permanently government-regulated? That doesn't sound like a good idea.
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