JF’s Comments

• Aug 24th, 2016 @ 6:39am

  Court's Plan

  on And Just Like That, The Dumbest Trademark Suit Over Saying 'Thank You' Disappears
  I was going to comment this on the first story but didn't get around to it:
  
  The court probably wrote more than it had to because it knew that whatever effort it expended in writing the opinion it would still be far smaller than the effort required if this stupid matter had actually been continued.
• May 9th, 2016 @ 9:12am

  Fair

  on Elsevier Keeps Whac'ing Moles In Trying To Take Down Repository Of Academic Papers
  If Elsevier can get researchers to write articles and edit them for free it only seems like fair turn around that Sci Hub can get Elsevier to give them free advertising.
• Apr 5th, 2016 @ 7:30am

  Discounts

  on AT&T Tries To Claim That Charging Users More For Privacy Is A 'Discount'
  My thought is similar to what Ninja said:
  
  We aren't charging a premium to remove data caps! We are offering a discount if you allow us to apply them!
  
  We don't charge a premium for equip rental! We offer a discount if you bring your own equipment!
  
  We don't charge a premium if we roll a truck! We offer a discount if you fix your own problems and never call us!
  
  Heck everyone is actually our customers and since we don't even charge a premium to provide internet service! We simply offer a 100% discount if you get internet service from someone else!
• Mar 18th, 2016 @ 12:48pm

  Re: Re:

  on Apple Engineers Contemplate Refusing To Write Code Demanded By Justice Department
  Let's run a scenario:
  1. Apple loses and is ordered to produce the FBIos.
  2. Every engineer refuses to do the work.
  3. Apple goes back to court and says they have no one who will work on it.
  4. Court has 2 options. Drop the issue or order Apple to find a way.
  5. Assuming Apple is forced it could fire all existing engineers or hire a new team. Either way it will need new people.
  6. No one applies for the position listed as Screw Everyone Engineer with a pay of .5 cents per hour.
  7. So now what can the government do? Can they force Apple to list a position at some rate? I suppose they could be in trouble for making the position suck so hard but what if no one applied even at a reasonable salary then what?
• Sep 23rd, 2015 @ 12:53pm

  Why

  on Company Acquires Rights To Drug Used By AIDS/Cancer Patients; Immediately Raises Per Pill Price From Under $14 To $750
  Actually I just read an article (I can't remember which tech site now) which said Shkreli typically shorts pharma stocks. So it is highly likely he is playing both sides. Short pharma stocks, buy up the drug, hike the price, and reap profits from the stock dip and increased income.
• Sep 22nd, 2015 @ 7:26am

  Re: Fuck France

  on French Regulating Body Says Google Must Honor Right To Be Forgotten Across All Of Its Domains
  The irony is they can't turn off France anymore than they can id the location of who is making the search requests. If someone in France can get online then they can get to Google. So the only way to "turn off" France is to physically disconnect them. Unless you define turn off as pull all personnel and resources out of France so even if they fine/seize/try to arrest someone there is nothing there.
• Sep 22nd, 2015 @ 7:19am

  Lawsuit?

  on French Regulating Body Says Google Must Honor Right To Be Forgotten Across All Of Its Domains
  If, for example, Mr. Thomas Goolnik presses to have the TechDirt articles about him removed from the Google.com domains will TechDirt sue in US courts to have the results re-established?
  
  The man has already demonstrated he is very interested in memory holing his info so I believe this is a very strong likelihood. I also believe TechDirt would have a very good case against him. Succeeding would then create a dilemma for Google (follow the EU court direction or the US's) which would highlight the absurdity of the law.
• Sep 21st, 2015 @ 12:07pm

  (untitled comment)

  on Thomas Goolnik Really Wants To Be Forgotten: Google Disappears Our Post About His Right To Be Forgotten Request
  http://techcrunch.com/2015/09/21/french-data-protection-watchdog-rejects-googles-search-delisting-ap peal/
  
  Now that Google has lost their appeal would TechDirt be willing to sue in the US if Mr. Goolnik tries to memory hole the story? Could make history if the US rules it is a first amendment issue and rules opposite of the EU. Who's rules does/should Google follow?
• Sep 9th, 2014 @ 9:36am

  (untitled comment)

  on Turns Out Cell Phone Location Data Is Not Even Close To Accurate, But Everyone Falls For It
  Ah. I always assumed that when I lost cell signal and the map app refused to work it was due to the fact it couldn't triangulate my location due to lack of signal. Why don't map apps make it easier to choose to download the maps if they work when you don't have signal?
• Sep 9th, 2014 @ 8:49am

  Re: Re: Re: GPS Accuracy

  on Turns Out Cell Phone Location Data Is Not Even Close To Accurate, But Everyone Falls For It
  Even if your location is fixed how do you determine your location with only one GPS signal?
• Sep 9th, 2014 @ 8:32am

  Re: Re:

  on Turns Out Cell Phone Location Data Is Not Even Close To Accurate, But Everyone Falls For It
  As far as I know cell phones do not use the GPS sat signals. They triangulate their location based on cell towers using the method I described. Which is why I keep an ancient Tom Tom around. When I don't have a cell signal the Tom Tom still functions.
• Sep 9th, 2014 @ 8:18am

  (untitled comment)

  on Turns Out Cell Phone Location Data Is Not Even Close To Accurate, But Everyone Falls For It
  Identifying your location with GPS or Cell tech uses the same principle. How long does it take a signal to reach you? Since we know how fast the signal travels we can calculate how far you are from the signal origin giving us a radius. A single signal source means you can be anywhere on the circumference. With a second signal source you now will have 2 points where the signals overlap that you can be at. A third signal point reduces it to a single point. The exact location of that single point is further refined by your timing of how long it took the signal to reach you. Of course, this calculation is for 2D. If you want elevation you will require a fourth signal point and instead of imagining 2D circles you will use a 3D sphere.