aikiwolfie 's Techdirt Comments

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  • On the post: Record Labels, Once Again, Freak Out About Anyone Making Their Content Useful

    aikiwolfie ( profile ), 04 Jun, 2011 @ 08:55am

    We Don't Need Big Record Labels!

    I wish bands would realise we just don't need major record labels any more. Any musician can put together a decent original track and post it on YouTube or wherever. The record industry is 100% redundant.

    Some acts might argue their record labels work for them. But what is it exactly the record label is doing? Organising dancers and festival appearances? Sponsoring festivals and concerts? There are other ways to get this stuff done. Their are agencies out there who make it there business to organise all sorts of events. And they don't steal your copyrights.

  • On the post: Microsoft Blaming 'Piracy' Rather Than Basic Economics For Its Struggles In China

    aikiwolfie ( profile ), 29 May, 2011 @ 02:37pm

    Ballmer IS the problem

    Ballmer orders the aquasition of Skype, (a company with patent or technology advantages to Microsoft), at a grossly inflated price tag. No sooner has the ink dried on the page and Skype falls over dead. And you people some how expect Ballmer to understand economics?

  • On the post: Ima Fish's Favorite Techdirt Posts Of The Week

    aikiwolfie ( profile ), 29 May, 2011 @ 08:37am

    All of the comments here are dumb because they've lost sight of the actual effect of DRM. DRM does not protect against piracy. It simply makes life harder for law abiding people. Hackers by their nature love the challenge of breaking the next best DRM system. It's a cat and mouse game for them and they're winning by my score card.

    Buggy Whips? WTF Who cares. Move on.

  • On the post: YouTube Launches Myth Perpetuating 'Copyright School'; Dismisses Remixes As 'Not Original'

    aikiwolfie ( profile ), 17 Apr, 2011 @ 06:46am

    Disliked it on YouTube

    Clicked "dislike" on YouTube. Although the video is pretty one sided. I think the author should give his readers more credit. We're not about to be guilt tripped or confused by a cartoon pirate.

  • On the post: Microsoft Highlights Why Google's 'Cheater' Accusations Ring Hollow

    aikiwolfie ( profile ), 04 Feb, 2011 @ 08:53am

    Are other search engines affected?

    Something that seems to have been over looked is the possibility that Microsoft may be doing this to other search engines and the possibility other search engines using installable toolbars might just be doing the same thing to their competitors as well.

  • On the post: Microsoft Highlights Why Google's 'Cheater' Accusations Ring Hollow

    aikiwolfie ( profile ), 04 Feb, 2011 @ 05:41am

    It's just an excuse to kick Microsoft when it's down!

    This whole "Microsoft copied our search results" attack from Google is an excuse to kick Microsoft when it's down. I'd agree Google's time would probably be better spent doing more creative things.

    t makes sense Google would try to create bad news stories for Microsoft. This is a small piece of propaganda in a much bigger spat.

    Microsoft is involved in several law suits against Android. Which Google can't be happy about. And at the moment Microsoft looks particularly stale and week.

    Microsoft continues losing money in the search space, it continues to cut projects and product lines, it continues to lay off staffers and it's also still losing top managers. And for the first time in a long time Windows desktop market share is threatening to drop below 90%.

    And the recent financial results from Microsoft didn't look good. Even after they tried to explain them away with their own special brand of accounting. The share price for Microsoft stock still fell.

    Microsoft are trying to hurt Google at the moment. And Google smells blood. But not it's own.

  • On the post: But I Thought Newspapers Couldn't Be 'Free'?

    aikiwolfie ( profile ), 02 Feb, 2011 @ 04:11pm

    The Metro is a great paper. It's been going for years. Covers a wide verity of news and it's free to pick up and read.

    The really big advantage the Metro has over other papers is that people are happier to share it. They read it on the bus or the train and then leave it on the seat when they're done. Other people can then come along and read it. Increasing the exposure advertisers get.

  • On the post: Google's Childish Response To Microsoft Using Google To Increase Bing Relevance

    aikiwolfie ( profile ), 02 Feb, 2011 @ 03:53pm

    I can understand why Google are pissed at Microsoft. On the one hand Microsoft are attacking Google by proxy by suing companies like HTC and Motorola over Android and wrecking deals between Google and other companies like Yahoo not to mention instigating anti-trust investigations. Then on the other hand they're using Google without Google's permission to generate their own revenue streams.

    I'd be pissed if I were Google and I'd have more than a few nasty words to say. I'd say you guys have a fairly narrow focus here.

  • On the post: Probably Not The Best Time To Introduce Legislation That Can Be Described As Having An 'Internet Kill Switch'

    aikiwolfie ( profile ), 01 Feb, 2011 @ 04:05am

    Just as the Japanese have an understandable but unhealthy fascination with nuclear apocalyptic holocausts, Americans are totally paranoid about losing their liberty and freedoms for good reason.

    Given some of the legislation that has been passed over the years that gives American governments frighting powers of intrusion into peoples lives in contrast with the extreme secrecy under which all American administrations operate it's not surprising people have reacted the way they have. Especially if there is no good explanation why this bill is needed.

    In light of the recent reports of ISPs refusing to host Wikileaks because of intimidation from the US administration it's very easy to believe that the American government craves a way to turn off the Internet. It was certainly a lot easier to operate in secrete when the Internet wasn't an issue.

  • On the post: Surprise Amendment Would Have Gov't Explore Whether Business Model Patents Should Be Ditched

    aikiwolfie ( profile ), 01 Feb, 2011 @ 03:45am

    Tax strategy patents? I never even knew they existed. Just how can something like that be patented? That's a bit like someone patenting their weekly shopping strategy. America really needs to get to grips with this whole IP and patents thing. It seems like there's nothing that can't be patented in the US.

  • On the post: European Commission Sued By European Parliament Member Because Of ACTA Secrecy

    aikiwolfie ( profile ), 31 Jan, 2011 @ 11:32am

    About bloody time too. If ACTA isn't that bad then there's no reason why it can't be public.

  • On the post: Feature Film Made In GTA IV

    aikiwolfie ( profile ), 29 Jan, 2011 @ 08:20am

    That sucked!

    Of all the cheap movies made in someone's bedroom this is the worst yet. The effects were that bad. But these guys need a story. Someone people write them a movie to make and find some half decent drama students to act in it.

  • On the post: UK Politician Threatens To Sue Football Team For Infringement If It Moves, But Keeps Its Name

    aikiwolfie ( profile ), 20 Jan, 2011 @ 08:04pm

    It's All About Tradition and Identity

    As one poster here pointed out it's all about tradition and identity. People in the UK don't just identify a brand by where it's currently based. But also where it came from. And very often where you've come from in the UK is much more important than where you are right now or indeed where you're going or want to be.

    This is sometimes best demonstrated by politicians. Very seldom do they talk about their ambitions when trying to garner the respect of ordinary people. Instead they will talk about their past. If they came from dirty poor working class roots then that is guaranteed to be trotted out on every TV talk show they appear on.

    Another dimension to take into account is the fact that football teams in the UK aren't just businesses. They are part of the community never originally conceived as a business. The business element is very much a recent development of the later half of the 20th century in clubs that have existed since the 1800s. So as though the move it's self wasn't bad enough. Ditching the name would be like abandoning their core community fan base or dishonouring the past achievements of the club and all the people involved.

  • On the post: US Customs & Border Patrol Protecting America From Chocolate Toy Eggs (And Charging You For The Privilege)

    aikiwolfie ( profile ), 19 Jan, 2011 @ 02:09pm

    LOL we have these in the UK. Most adults never mind a child would be hard pressed to swallow the yellow capsule. This is just stupid. But then again I was watching "Half Tone Teen" the other night. A documentary following obese Americans. They seem to be able to fit just about anything into their mouths. Maybe Americans do need protecting from this menace after all?

  • On the post: 82-Year-Old Cancer Survivor Demands Apology From Airport Security Over Screening

    aikiwolfie ( profile ), 17 Jan, 2011 @ 05:43pm

    Apartide Travel

    I think we should have separate security checks for people travelling to America and travelling else where. We can indulge the Americans security demands. And make travelling everywhere else easier.

    When it's easier to travel to China, Russia and Iran to do business I'm sure the Americans would start rethinking their policy.

  • On the post: 82-Year-Old Cancer Survivor Demands Apology From Airport Security Over Screening

    aikiwolfie ( profile ), 17 Jan, 2011 @ 10:31am

    Water Is The Most Successful International Terrorist Ever!

    I would like to know what the authorities are doing about the terrorist threat from Water. In recent times it has flooded Brazil, Pakistan, eastern Sri Lanka and Australia. It has wrecked havoc with our economies and transport systems posing a fluffy harmless snow.

    All year round water strikes across the planet. Some how it keeps slipping past those naked scanners and sexually arousing groping pat downs.

    Just when will we have a war on water!?!

  • On the post: UK Government Sets Up 'Public Data Corporation' To Free Up Data

    aikiwolfie ( profile ), 16 Jan, 2011 @ 11:05am

    Sounds Like A New Labour-ish National Database

    This just smacks of New Labour. Which is a bit scary. I thought we voted them out at the last election by not actually voting for anybody.

    So Conservative + Liberal Democrat = New Labour? Dam! ...

  • On the post: Judge Says No Fair Use For Jailbreaking Xboxes; The Law Doesn't Care If Jailbreaking iPhones Is Legal

    aikiwolfie ( profile ), 28 Nov, 2010 @ 01:23pm

    Don't buy an Xbox

    If you don't like Microsoft's rules of use then don't buy their products. The same goes for anything where the vendor tries to limit how you can use the product.

  • On the post: Rethinking Money: Breaking Up Currencies

    aikiwolfie ( profile ), 28 Nov, 2010 @ 01:03pm

    Debit Cards Already Exist

    If anybody here has a debit or switch card then going almost completely electronic is already a reality. The money you spend on these cards comes right out of your bank account.

    Most of the time this is no big deal. My bank uses a chip and pin system. So it's fairly secure. Although chip and pin isn't perfect. It can apparently be cracked.

    The big con in the way these cards are set up and handled are the convoluted payment systems that work behind the scenes. My bank offers it's combined debit/ATM card in conjunction with Visa. Which clearly necessitates a charge on my account.

    So I need to pay someone else before I can spend my own money. I find this particularly annoying as I need to pay this charge just for having the card. And If I then happen to use an ATM that charges for withdrawals I pay a further charge.

    In case anybody hadn't noticed by now. The banking system is a big con and has gotten worse since it all became automated.

  • On the post: ASCAP Tells Artists It's Cutting Their Payments As It Brags To The Press How Much More Money It's Collecting

    aikiwolfie ( profile ), 08 Oct, 2010 @ 04:47pm

    Maybe the "artists" will open their eyes and wise up.

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