Overcast 's Techdirt Comments

Latest Comments (1367)

• On the post: Julian Assange Doesn't Do Irony Well: Threatens His Own Internal Leakers With $20 Million Penalty

  

  Overcast ( profile ), 13 May, 2011 @ 07:59am

  I suspect he's being forced to do this.
  
  Maybe not, but considering the jack-booted thugs have 'interrogated' him, it wouldn't at all surprise me.

• On the post: Court Says Complaining About Doctor's Bedside Manner Is Not Defamation

  

  Overcast ( profile ), 10 May, 2011 @ 08:03am

  Idiot.
  
  Both the people who believe what they read on the web and the doctor who cares.
  
  I ran into JUST this situation over the last month.
  
  I need surgery - my family doctor recommended a specific surgeon and I do trust his judgment.
  
  Still, I went to the web and researched this surgeon. I read a review that said *exactly that* - it complained about the surgeon's bedside manner, lack of explaining things, and similar.
  
  I'm not dumb, but I am cynical. What's to stop 'Doctor A' from bashing 'Doctor B' - for whatever reasons? Or what's to stop a patient from whining, maybe because ol' Doc didn't hook them up with a fat enough supply of painkillers?
  
  I totally ignored the web information.
  
  When I did speak to the surgeon, I found his bedside manner to be superior to most all doctors I have ever dealt with. In addition, he explained the details of the operation *fully* to me, I had NO questions after leaving. He didn't rush me, act annoyed or anything. He was a very cordial person who I have a lot of confidence in now.
  
  I'm SO very glad I ignored what I read on the web.
  
  Other people should try that sometime.

• On the post: How Many Times Will Skype Be Acquired For Too Much Money By Big Tech Companies With Little Strategic Synergies?

  

  Overcast ( profile ), 10 May, 2011 @ 07:58am

  Skype, Facebook...
  
  Just yet another bubble, waiting to bust. No way I'd even invest a penny in them, lol.
  
  But hey, I could well be very wrong. Facebook *might* have had some potential if not for all the privacy issues. I have a facebook account, but I would not dream of using it to 'login' or otherwise bank *anything* on it.
  
  I see a lot of pages now that say 'login with your facebook account' - ummm, no way. I do NOT trust facebook.

• On the post: Judge Allows US Copyright Group To Shakedown 23,322 IP Addresses For Downloading The Expendables

  

  Overcast ( profile ), 10 May, 2011 @ 07:51am

  "Obviously they have no desire to drag 23,000+ people into the courtroom."
  
  Yeah - that's why all 23,000 should request a full jury trial.
  
  If I'm ever in these shoes, I will. But I almost never download anything anyway. It's about ethics to me. But that being said, I have downloaded a few games and movies..
  
  In those cases it is in fact due to damaged media.
  
  But in those cases, I can categorically prove I already 'bought the rights' to the movie/software.

• On the post: Judge Allows US Copyright Group To Shakedown 23,322 IP Addresses For Downloading The Expendables

  

  Overcast ( profile ), 10 May, 2011 @ 07:48am

  So.. what's to stop a person, after getting the summons - to just run out and buy the movie. Get to court, claim they already owned it, but it's scratched so they downloaded 'alternate media'?
  
  And yes...
  
  "Any idea how many removable drives you can but for the average settlement letter?"
  
  Or even how many fixed drives for that matter. Hell, I could toss the whole computer out and say I didn't even own one.

• On the post: Court Slams FBI For Saying It's Okay For The Federal Government To Lie To A Court

  

  Overcast ( profile ), 06 May, 2011 @ 01:29pm

  Government lies.
  
  Nothing new.

• On the post: Why Red Hat Is Wrong That It's Better To Just Pay Patent Trolls Sometimes

  

  Overcast ( profile ), 06 May, 2011 @ 09:49am

  It's like negotiating with kidnappers or terrorists..

• On the post: Using The Prius' Regenerative Brakes To Power A Roller Coaster

  

  Overcast ( profile ), 06 May, 2011 @ 07:44am

  Thing is, using this concept on a rollercoaster, would seem to take all the needed energy from the coaster..
  
  Maybe that final moment of braking might realize a small return, however.
  
  Of course, this would require more equipment on the coaster, which means more energy will be required to get it up the initial hill.
  
  Yes, energy isn't free, but getting people thinking and innovating is free. Too bad patent trolls keep many from even bothering to mention their ideas.
  
  I've had a few good ideas, maybe patentable, but the cost of getting a patent + potential legal issues just would mean a bunch of hassle for nothing.

• On the post: WSJ Launches Wikileaks Competitor… But Says It Can Reveal Your Info To Law Enforcement

  

  Overcast ( profile ), 06 May, 2011 @ 07:39am

  So in otherwords - they can rat out the whistleblower.
  
  Don't expect the line to be very long WSJ.

• On the post: Chicago Politicians Say Mobile Phones Should Block Kids From Texting While Driving

  

  Overcast ( profile ), 06 May, 2011 @ 07:34am

  Just kids? What about adults? lol
  
  So if the 'kid' is riding the bus, they'd get blocked too huh?
  
  What if they were kidnapped, and in the back of a van... get blocked too?
  
  Let the above happen *once* and see what happens.
  
  And yes, that has in fact happened in the past, not sure that she was in a vehicle at the time, but she could very well have been, and certainly this could happen in the future.
  
  http://www.mlnlaw.com/Articles/Georgia-Teen-Thwarts-Sexual-Assault-and-Kidnapping-with-Text-Message.shtml
  
  Do they consider anything when looking at new 'laws', outside of what potential votes it may bring them?

• On the post: Australian Anti-Trolling Law Put To The Test After Guy Broadcasts Having Sex Via Skype

  

  Overcast ( profile ), 05 May, 2011 @ 11:45am

  Is this a case of the sender being a jerk?
  
  Or a case of the receiver being an idiot?
  
  I assume SkyPe has an 'off' button?

• On the post: Once Again, Freemium Often Isn't A Good Model, But That Doesn't Mean 'Free' Doesn't Work

  

  Overcast ( profile ), 05 May, 2011 @ 09:00am

  Have a bit of extra money this week. I spent it on a couple things....
  
  New TV. If I couldn't see a free demo - I wasn't going to buy that model. YES, I watched a SONY BRAVIA TV FOR FREE AT THE STORE!!! But I bought it.
  
  Games - wanted a couple new games. One major requirement - is there a free trial? If yes; then I'll check it out and maybe buy, if not - no dice, no thanks.
  
  Also I heard some music on the radio FOR FREE. Since I liked that group that I heard FOR FREE, I bought a CD.
  
  Hmm.. 'Free' is relative. I don't care to buy things I know nothing about. Who does?

• On the post: How Adobe Drives Infringement Of Its Products Through Incompatibility

  

  Overcast ( profile ), 05 May, 2011 @ 08:49am

  FoxIt PDF reader.
  
  Done with Adobe.
  
  I took the time to read their license agreements. Funny part is - even for Adobe Reader, the license agreements are PDF. So technically, how do you read the agreement for Adobe Reader?

• On the post: Labor Board Continues To Warn Companies Not To Fire People Based On Tweets

  

  Overcast ( profile ), 05 May, 2011 @ 07:43am

  This is why I wouldn't use my real name here...
  
  I'm not too extreme, but still. I do little, if anything with Facebook.

• On the post: Tolkien Estate 'Settles' Dispute Over Historical Fiction Book With JRR Tolkien As A Character

  

  Overcast ( profile ), 04 May, 2011 @ 08:20am

  Have Talent? Write, Code, Make Music.
  
  Don't have Talent? Litigate.

• On the post: Lawsuits Filed Against Twitter, Facebook & MySpace For Confirming That A User No Longer Wanted Text Messages

  

  Overcast ( profile ), 30 Apr, 2011 @ 07:22pm

  So.. what kinda of 'damages' here? 35 Cents?

• On the post: The Ridiculous Demands The Record Labels Want For Music Lockers

  

  Overcast ( profile ), 29 Apr, 2011 @ 12:25pm

  Sony believes users will share lockers by visiting each others houses and syncing in each others music.
  
  Use a USB Drive.
  
  But really - why on earth would you use the 'locker' when you could use File Sharing and do a copy over the LAN?
  
  Seriously... how stupid.
  
  And I too - buy CD's and rip them. I see no point in not having physical media. I've bought a few online, but the prices aren't low enough to warrant an online purchase when I can get piles of CD's used for $1-5$ each.

• On the post: Leaked Documents Show How The RIAA Plans To Spend The Limewire Settlement

  

  Overcast ( profile ), 29 Apr, 2011 @ 10:54am

  Assuming they don't just declare bankruptcy for the point of it all.
  
  If Limewire's worth 15 billion - maybe the RIAA should ask... what are they doing wrong? Because obviously someone is making a MASSIVE profit off of 'free media'.
  
  Is that an admission to that?

• On the post: Mexican IP Official: Infringement Is A More Serious Problem Than Drug Trafficking

  

  Overcast ( profile ), 29 Apr, 2011 @ 10:50am

  And no - they don't always go within the quotes, lol.
  
  http://www.grammarbook.com/punctuation/quotes.asp

• On the post: TSA Molests Miss USA, Makes Her Cry… For Your Safety

  

  Overcast ( profile ), 28 Apr, 2011 @ 10:36am

  Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!
  
  March 23, 1775
  By Patrick Henry
  
  http://www.law.ou.edu/ushistory/henry.shtml

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