Paul-G’s Techdirt Profile

On the post: Bill Introduced For Open Source Health Records… But That's Only A Start

Paul-G ( profile ), 27 Apr, 2009 @ 10:54am

Go for it

Make it a Government project. A proprietary vendor will threaten the open source project with patent infringement. The cost of fighting the case will be huge.

Once it is over - use the facts to stick it to the idiots who passed the legislation that screwed up the patent system.

On the post: Time Warner: No Metered Broadband… But We'll Kick You Offline If We Think You Used Too Much

Paul-G ( profile ), 24 Apr, 2009 @ 05:33pm

Same in the UK

I am a Tiscali subscriber in the UK. Last year I got 3 messages over the space of 9 months. Each was a warning that my usage was excessive and that I should reduce my usage. Strange as I was on an uncapped service but when I looked into it it had the inevitable 'fair use' clause.

I responded by asking what was the maximum bandwidth I could use without being an 'unfair' user. I stated that I would do my best to remain within this.

I NEVER got a single response. Further more, the emails stopped coming.

On the post: A Visit Is Not A Visit Is Not A Visit

Paul-G ( profile ), 20 Apr, 2009 @ 03:10am

It's a question of numbers

I may not run news related sites but to me the effect is similarly relevant.

I run a couple of e-commerce websites. About 60% of traffic is from search results. On average 40% are 'bounce' traffic which are people who look at the result but nothing else. The rest look at a varying amount of pages and an even smaller number end up making a purchase.

The end result is a LOT of useless traffic and bandwidth. However, without that traffic sales would be lower so I an glad to accept it. I welcome the people as even though they may not make an immediate purchase they MIGHT come back another day.

It may be misguided but I look on it with the old saying in mind "Chuck enough sh*t at the wall and eventually enough will stick". Bandwidth is a small percentage of cost and is WELL worth the return.

On the post: Just So We're Clear: More Data Isn't Better Data

Paul-G ( profile ), 08 Apr, 2009 @ 05:38am

So, following the logic of AC's post(comment 2) it would appear that all the numbskulls who install a shiny new ADSL wireless router out of the box and are amazed that their PC connected straight away will be open to prosecution because they don't know that their wireless connection is unencrypted.

Try a quick wardrive in most areas and you will find lots of open routers out there. I did a test and found SIX on a one mile stretch of road. ALL of those people are potential court cases waiting to happen as ignorance is not a defence that stands up in court.

A large percentage of the population don't know about/understand wireless security and are happy that it 'just works' when they install it.

On the post: Is There Something Fundamentally Better About 'Print' Than 'Online'?

Paul-G ( profile ), 07 Apr, 2009 @ 04:51am

ePaper?

OK so I am NOT a newspaper exec so I doubt they would ever consider this.

With OLED advancing slowly will it soon be possible to produce a paper thin flexible A4 or larger device to read? If the news media sold the device as a Kindle style reader it could be updated at a current outlet for a similar fee to the cost of a current paper. Or a subscription based update service but that threatens the resellers.

Dump some funds into a focused R&D project to bring it to market.

End result = Old style media on a new medium keeping both sides happy.

On the post: Nintendo Boss: Used Video Games Aren't Good For Consumers

Paul-G ( profile ), 03 Apr, 2009 @ 02:53pm

Why are you so suprised?

He is a senior exec. Nobody should expect him to have a clue about the real world.

On the post: Is Voicemail The Next Thing To Fade Away?

Paul-G ( profile ), 03 Apr, 2009 @ 02:53am

Re: Callwave

Unfortunately (fortunately?) my phone does not run Vista. I spend most of my day away from a PC so retrieve messages from my phone.

I think the majority retrieve messages the same way.

On the post: Hulu Tries (And Fails) To Up The Arms War Against Boxee

Paul-G ( profile ), 02 Apr, 2009 @ 04:32am

Is Hulu truly trying?

From a previous statement by a Hulu exec it appeared that he sided with Boxee but was being forced by the content owners to create these dumb restrictions. Could it be that they are just doing the minimum to appease the media idiots while knowing that Boxee will quickly circumvent the action?

I know that if I was a Hulu exec I wouldn't be going all out to block Boxee. Mind you, I live in he real world.

On the post: Which Is The Bigger Privacy Invasion: Google Street View Images Or Major Newspaper Reprinting Those Images?

Paul-G ( profile ), 26 Mar, 2009 @ 05:01pm

Police?

What happens when an S.V. car passes a Police person/vehicle? As I understand it, somehow we are no longer allowed to point our cameras at the Police as it might be a 'terrorist act' or some similar nonsense. Will Google be prosecuted and if not, why should Joe Public be?

On the post: Did The BBC Break The Law By Exposing Botnets?

Paul-G ( profile ), 13 Mar, 2009 @ 03:24am

@ PaulT

Unfortunately the reason that the BBC could compromise the users PC is because the dumb idiots ignore/don't understand the 'Education'.

I support friends, family and the local community. 99% of them wouldn't have a clue about the threat. Even if they did, they wouldn't know what to do or where to start apart from pester me.

Lastly, of all the people targeted by the BBC there is bound to be one idiot who totally misses the point and starts legal action due to being violated in some way. I do hope the BBC managed to avoid infecting any machines in the USA as that bunch would sue their Mother if they saw a $1 oportunity.

On the post: Unpatched, Virus-Infected Windows To Blame For Grounded French Fighter Pilots And Halt To Traffic Arrests In Houston

Paul-G ( profile ), 09 Feb, 2009 @ 04:28pm

UK Subs

UK Submarines are to have MS Windows installed. I would not like to on board at depth if they get knocked out by a virus.

On the post: Warner Music Takes Down Popular Star Wars Acapella Video

Paul-G ( profile ), 26 Jan, 2009 @ 02:00pm

@Chris

Ditto! Over priced 'plastic' crud is all the big labels turn out these days.

On the post: UK Government To Force ISPs To Become Copyright Cops

Paul-G ( profile ), 19 Jan, 2009 @ 11:25am

TOR

Time to find out what it is all about.

If it wasn't for the fact that I am old and broke I would emigrate because I am sick of this s**t hole that once used to be 'Great' Britain.

On the post: What About Free CDs?

Paul-G ( profile ), 09 Dec, 2008 @ 06:47am

Mobile devices?

Why are mobile devices never considered for distribution in cases like this? Most of my sons friends view/swap media on their phones. With Bluetooth so common it is a simple process.

If Don and Joe made wma, mp4 and other common formats available for download any Web capable phone can download it. Once on the phone it will get viewed and shared with others.

Just tag a short "Go to www.???? for more" to the end.

On the post: Totally False Propaganda About File Sharing Being Given To Students As Educational Material

Paul-G ( profile ), 22 Aug, 2008 @ 02:36pm

@I got this mail y'day (#7)

EVERYONE here should go there and deliberately enter incorrect answers. I did ;~)

If they are logging the quiz it will skew the results.

On the post: Hard To Believe: Computer Makers Giving In To RIAA Pressure, Disabling Sound Recording?

Paul-G ( profile ), 08 Jul, 2008 @ 05:54am

So, the 'naughty' people have the function turned off. Aren't these the ones that bypass DRM etc. Aren't they the ones that will not let a nasty bit of software defeat them. Aren't they the ones that will hack this in no time flat?

As usual it is the innocent who will suffer while the rest just look on it as a moments inconvenience.

The usual short sighted response to annoy everyone apart from the target group. Why am I not surprised?

On the post: How Would You DVR-Proof TV Shows?

Paul-G ( profile ), 12 Jun, 2008 @ 12:40am

Shift workers?

There is a significant proportion of the population that, for various reasons, are unable to watch their pick of content as it is broadcast. Do the broadcasters want to cut of this group. Is it fair to penalise people for not being able to watch live?

Why penalise people for not wanting to view a broadcast live? I regularly record things to watch when I choose because the broadcast schedule does not suite my timing. I value these and would be extremely annoyed if I was barred from watching them purely because the schedule does not suite my lifestyle.

With today's technology the broadcasters need to find a way to work with it, not against it - Think RIAA (a dying entity in its death throws due to its stubborn refusal to wake up to the real markets needs).

On the post: Bands Should Give Away Their Music With Every Concert Ticket Sold

Paul-G ( profile ), 18 May, 2008 @ 04:43am

Throwing CDs?

I assume that was Birmingham, UK and not USA as you did not mention some a'hole suing them for injury from one of the flying CDS. Mind you, did he do a risk analysis? Did he have third party indemnity cover for that action?

On the post: Oregon Using Copyright Law To Prevent Other Sites From Publicizing Oregon Law

Paul-G ( profile ), 17 Apr, 2008 @ 04:01am

Only in America

No more needs be said.

On the post: Grad Student Uses Twitter To Get Released From Egyptian Prison

Paul-G ( profile ), 17 Apr, 2008 @ 02:07am

Re: Really?

Yet another subscriber to the 'They're all out to get us' hype.

This is getting ridiculous!

There MAY be terrorist threats but does the actual scale truly justify the level of mass paranoia being propagated?

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