Ajax4Hire 's Techdirt Comments

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  • On the post: UN Agency Working On Tech Standards To Get Rid Of Anonymity

    Ajax4Hire ( profile ), 15 Sep, 2008 @ 07:02am

    This is the UN we are talking about.

    I am still waiting for the UN to do something successful.

    Giving this little nugget of work to the UN is a guarantee of failure. The final report and that is what it will be is a report will emerge in 9 years with recommendation that will take 7 year to adopt and another 5 years to start enforcement. It will be like trying to manage dial-up internet access today.

    We are safe.

  • On the post: There They Go Again: Movie Industry Takes Yet Another Shot At DRM

    Ajax4Hire ( profile ), 15 Sep, 2008 @ 06:58am

    Re: Re: The oil companies are not the only

    The oil companies are not the only ones who benefit from a supply/demand squeeze on a physical/tangible commodity.

    If the demand for drywall goes up and the supply of drywall remains constant, then drywall prices will go up exponentially like they did in the late 1990s.

    The supply for large SUV/Trucks increased in 2001/2002 but the demand remained steady so the cost dropped exponentially, it is happening again today.

    Companies are in the business to make money.
    Don't fault a company for being successful at business.
    There is not such thing as obscene profits (think Google and Microsoft).

    And no, Enron, Worldcom were not successful, they were not making money.

    Theft, Fraud(Enron) and Irritation(DRM) are not long term business models.

  • On the post: You Don't Need To Make Money From Every Person Who Enjoys Your Product

    Ajax4Hire ( profile ), 09 Sep, 2008 @ 09:35am

    Excellent example, public advertising...

    Advertising on network TV, Radio, newspapers, magazines, outdoor signs all are free for the viewing, yet none of the advertisers require you to pay for the advertisement to enjoy it.

    In fact, how much do you pay for over-the-air TV and Radio?

    Do the Radio and TV stations, Internet Web sites force you to pay for viewing?

    How does Google become so successful giving away its content?

  • On the post: Does It Really Matter How Complex Privacy Policies Are?

    Ajax4Hire ( profile ), 09 Sep, 2008 @ 05:34am

    I always assume the Privacy Policy is

    I always assume the Privacy Policy is an statement of how your privacy will be violated.

    The privacy policy that you get in the mail from the bank/credit-card/insurance/grocery store are simply giving the company permission to violate your privacy. They are a formal statement of "Your privacy is valuable to us, and this is how we are going to get value from your privacy."

    Companies realize that your private information is valuable and now the company has another revenue stream; selling your private information.

    I am always concerned when another "Privacy Policy" shows up on my door step. Another company has recognized that it has some of my private information, it is valuable and the company is now trying to find the best way to maximize profit on my private information.

    Be Ware, Beware, be afraid; there is no privacy.

  • On the post: Turns Out Virtual Worlds Teach Players The Scientific Method

    Ajax4Hire ( profile ), 09 Sep, 2008 @ 05:26am

    Art imitates life

    Art imitates life or is it Life imitates art.
    I have know for years that Video Games have a very excellent benefit in training and learning.

    Ask your surgeon how much video-gaming he/she does. If it is not much, look for a new surgeon. Video-Gaming is an excellent way to learn tele-operation/remote-operation. That is control of instruments thru a microscope. The physical connection between our actions and the results are getting more and more virtualized. Think of driving a car, nothing about the actions you do provide any power to moving forward.

    We are teaching a new generation to manipulate and control vast worlds outside the local realm. That virtual world may end up in a physical space or not. This message will stay virtualized until it is reproduced on a physical media (like a computer screen).

    The expansion of our universe and the sharing of imagination is becoming easier and easier. Video Games are only a part of the expansion, the physical human interface. Soon they will all be coupled to a network. Just as today you cannot imagine using your computer without a network, so too soon, you will not be satisfied with Video Games that are not MUD(Multi-User-Dungeon).

    If civilization can maintain the infrastructure, the future is exponentially expanding. I glory at the thought.

  • On the post: Is Military Spending the Key to the Next Silicon Valley?

    Ajax4Hire ( profile ), 29 Aug, 2008 @ 07:39am

    Re: domination by any group

    domination by any group, whether it is by Military, Ecumenical, EcoTerrorist, Bureaucrats or Advertising Agencies should stay in the realm of fiction.

    History is littered with examples of the underdog achieving dominance and then using that dominance to "set things right".

    There are two groups in the USA struggling to gain control of the largest, most pervasive, costly, powerful corporation in the world, the US Federal Government.

    If one group achieves a enough control, they will be able to force their idea of "right" onto a larger and larger group of people. The US People have moved so far out to sea that they have forgotten who they are, what made them powerful. The avalanche has not started but the pressure is there.

    The odd thing is Silicon Valley will not realize it is the center of technology development decades after the shift. The US people will wake up and realize that they are no longer the pre-eminent power in the world.

    Because that power and control will slip away not to another country but to something else, today you would call it a corporation or TransNational Company. You will more strongly identify yourself as an employee, protected and supported by TransNational Corporations. It is already started.

  • On the post: Is Military Spending the Key to the Next Silicon Valley?

    Ajax4Hire ( profile ), 29 Aug, 2008 @ 07:02am

    "military still spends a ton of money on high-tech toys"

    Those who forget the price of freedom are doomed to loose that freedom.

    Remember it is directly the result of those military "high-tech toys" that gives you the ability to bitch and moan about those "high-tech toys"

    As an engineer who helped design and build those "high-tech toys, I am seriously offended Timothy Lee.

    And by the way, dream on if you think VC funding is anywhere near the depth of Military spending; dream on.

  • On the post: Turns Out Disney Might Not Own The Copyright On Early Mickey Mouse Cartoons

    Ajax4Hire ( profile ), 25 Aug, 2008 @ 10:09am

    Happy Birthday copyright

    That is why every restaurant that "celebrates" birthdays have a different "birthday" song so as to not incur the wrath of the copyright police.

    No one officially sings "Happy Birthday" any more out of fear.

    Happy Birthday Sean Connery, actor, born 8/25/1930

  • On the post: Do People Still Write Letters To The Editor?

    Ajax4Hire ( profile ), 23 Aug, 2008 @ 07:23am

    Sunday, Nov 7, 2004, the last day I bought a newpaper

    It was the Atlanta Journal/Constitution.
    The newspaper just before the 2004 elections.

    The "AJC" had published their official recommendations for who they want to win the 2004 elections. And among the list is Cynthia McKinney.

    She is a racist and the worst kind of politician. Her and her father indited on election fraud. She panders. When she does not win, she cries foul, fraud.

    The AJC knew all of this and still felt it was a good recommendation to support a racist pandering politician.

    I never look behind me, my troubles will be few.

  • On the post: FTC Outlaws Pre-recorded Sales Calls

    Ajax4Hire ( profile ), 20 Aug, 2008 @ 04:24pm

    Once a month I get a Spanish speaking

    Once a month I get a Spanish speaking male babbling on about what I should do for upcoming elections in the USA.

    Burns me up wasting my time and money.
    I have verizon and they will not block a once a month call.

    I have real anger issues with machines talking to me.

  • On the post: Jackson Browne Sues McCain For Using His Song In An Ad Without Permission

    Ajax4Hire ( profile ), 18 Aug, 2008 @ 07:57am

    I don't trust McCain and I don't trust the people

    I don't trust McCain and I don't trust the people who are controlling Obama. The best solution is for gridlock. If either one of the US Political System groups get an upper-hand, then the world will suffer.

    McCain seems to be principalled but with some questionable principals.
    Obama looks good when he talks others speeches but falters when he has to talk on his own.

    Obama is a big Ken Doll supported and controlled by a group of people behind him, like the RIAA hoping the FUD, Flash and Fancy talk will be enough to fool the common folk.

    McCain goes around with superior attitude and righteous indignation.

    I don't like either of them but I especially don't like the way Obama is being manipulated.

  • On the post: Is Planned Obsolescence A Thing Of The Past?

    Ajax4Hire ( profile ), 13 Aug, 2008 @ 05:23am

    One word: HP11c

    Anyone who has used the HP11c moved up a level in calculator operation. Legend in its time, revel in design, not the first or most powerful but easily the best.

    HP obsoleted this jewel.
    To better understand its value just look to eBay under calculators - HP11c.

    My personal HP11c finally gave up the ghost 3-years ago.
    Still waiting for a good replacement, I have bought others but none (even the ones from HP) are as good.

    Imagine 1980s technology that is -better- than today's techno-wow-flash designs.

    Change is not always good.

  • On the post: Dear Old Media: You Can't Delay The News; Nor Should You Want To

    Ajax4Hire ( profile ), 12 Aug, 2008 @ 12:00pm

    Delay can cost lives...

    Earthquake in the S.Pacific is sending Tsunamis toward the West Cost of N.America. Too bad everyone in Los Angles must wait for the news to be reported in the NYTimes tomorrow before any other news agencies can report.

    Broadcasters and newspapers are forgetting that they do not own the news, they just report it. Because you don't own the news, you cannot copyright/trademark or patent the news.

  • On the post: Will DHS Border Search Logic Be Used To Allow Gov't Screening Of All Internet Traffic?

    Ajax4Hire ( profile ), 07 Aug, 2008 @ 04:29am

    No, it was Al Gore who wanted the backdoor

    No, it was Al Gore who wanted the backdoor decryption for police using the "Clipper Chip" technology and "Key Escrow".

    I am still amazed that Al Gore thought it was acceptable for regular citizens to hand over their keys to government officials for safe keeping. I do not trust them with money, I certainly do not trust them with my keys.

    And for all of the Bush bashing, keep in mind that you are still safe in the US.

    But...
    The avalanche may have already started,
    If so then it is too late for the pebbles to vote.

  • On the post: Google Wants To Launch MP3 Search In China

    Ajax4Hire ( profile ), 02 Aug, 2008 @ 09:42am

    Sue the YellowPages because

    it is a search site for Banks.
    Everyone knows that is where the money is.

    The next time a bank is robbed, sue YellowPages because the robbers _could_ have used the search to find out where to commit a crime.

    Next,
    Sue the Newspapers for reporting on weakness in security at the airport.
    Sue the local news for reporting problems in police hiring.

    They _could_ have provided information that lead to a crime.

    Is that not what the RIAA/MIAA is doing, suing information/search/reporting entities that a criminal may have used to commit a crime?
    Why not sue Dell/HP/Intel/AMD/Cisco? they make equipment that is used to download load possible mp3 violation. Where does it end?

  • On the post: Columnist's Solution To Newspaper Woes: Take Down Newspaper Websites

    Ajax4Hire ( profile ), 02 Aug, 2008 @ 09:36am

    Copyright a news story?, thats dangerous...

    Iran just launched a nuclear attack on Israel but I cannot report on that because that information is copyrighted by AP.

    Un-controlled wild fires in your neighborhood but I cannot report that because that knowledge is copyrighted by Fire Department press bulletin.

    Earthquake in the Pacific, scientist expect Tsunami to hit California at ####(removed because of take down request by CBS).

  • On the post: Paperless Tickets: Inconvenience In The Name Of Convenience

    Ajax4Hire ( profile ), 24 Jun, 2008 @ 07:26am

    I hate ticketmaster,

    I hate the monopoly, the convenience fee everything about ticketmaster I hate.

  • On the post: Research Into NebuAd Finds Controversial And Potentially Illegal Tactics

    Ajax4Hire ( profile ), 19 Jun, 2008 @ 04:34am

    A real use would be to look for

    traffic to a required trusted site like the Microsoft update site.
    Once you are trusted, then force install your own PC control system along with the usual security updates. You can even disable the MS Windows security that prevents your operation.

    Once you are in, you no longer need the ISP to inject, just force all user traffic thru your own DNS, oh the fun you could have.

  • On the post: Patent Battles Continue Over Wireless Email

    Ajax4Hire ( profile ), 03 Jun, 2008 @ 07:11pm

    This article infringes on my patent

    This article infringes on my patent of a business model of suing people of infringment and patent hording.

    I am intolerant of people who are intolerant.
    I am offended by people who are easily offended.

    Patent a business model that buys up patents and sues companies that have deep pockets and wussy CEOs; easily caving to my license agreements. I'll call the company Black Plague.

    I'm off to register blackplague.com

    TTFN

  • On the post: Cable Modem Patent Hoarder Accused Of Pretending To Enter The Market

    Ajax4Hire ( profile ), 03 Jun, 2008 @ 10:07am

    Irritation is not a long term business model.

    Pissing people off is never a sustainable profit model.

    But it can make you money in the short term.

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