Robin Byron 's Techdirt Comments

Latest Comments (94) comment rss

  • On the post: OLPC And Intel Split Over Friction From Competing Laptop

    Robin Byron ( profile ), 07 Jan, 2008 @ 01:08pm

    After checking the facts......

    Add another check mark in the negative column of, mostly, negative stories about the OLPC program. I think Tim's, here, deserves honorable mention though because it is the closest thing to FUD I've read on techdirt. Judging by the mostly misinformed noise your diatribe garnered, I'd say you are in good company, Tim.

    What is it? You think we should be giving the poor kids of the world Wonder Bread or you just think Negroponte is a dick? Didn't you guys volunteer to help OLPC?

  • On the post: Your Encryption Key Is Protected By The Constitution?

    Robin Byron ( profile ), 17 Dec, 2007 @ 08:37am

    The rule makers

    President George W. Bush said of our Constitution: "It's just a goddamn piece of paper." Google it yourself.

    Those in charge make the rules and the rule benefit only those in charge. One day, hopefully, this will come to an end.

    -----BEGIN PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK-----
    Version: GnuPG v1.4.6 (GNU/Linux)

    mQGiBEdbHE0RBADEEtnxrVLK9ocQonX8zVP4hUejy/C89RnuHLL7dXDF35XqEt1b
    lVsuvzG7YTX2aFqZNkQv1nZO8InpwT3KXrADzbGb6otkSo4vA8C0fq+IqNi2KJ9R
    FYtGKDvFnvp90iAn1fDqT7jXiNkKpDdp9CPBsHbIHS/XgpAiZqdCDeaXOwCg6uvt
    2ZJhPyNNPzWuux63zx5HZXsEAIb6CXLwch38vsDt8Big4XRWpBOUtUTQZlxd6XSt
    U9pdSY0WBnzFjtA4ahSnZaLoHjs5/kyjv1z/H1MuDstcZ8AnkoINWnT1ozviPiup
    T8mWS15NYCSj46Oqc/ztrNeyhPFOhXg6ZxNEY/4zM9vqSz+F+pIZu0FOVKKFdVVq
    w/YCBACHWjrtl2uAmVhbOCRc9hQz9sNbkk9F+OWgKcrEJliXmCcXDQRfhQ3JN1FH
    EleuapuUFTV7Wke+IkNjP5CfwRWmIQTgWKpHPOef1K6YgRr+bhPJjXMiRjXRuBUm
    OvngPsbZgb0MS2Ajy/3bmLMUijKZmNjrlmyPC1eYjWSbJXRh17QpUm9iaW4gU21p
    dGggKGdlbnVzZSkgPGZ1ZWdvNDUxQGdtYWlsLmNvbT6IYAQTEQIAIAUCR1scTQIb
    IwYLCQgHAwIEFQIIAwQWAgMBAh4BAheAAAoJEDyNrB0qhmTxT3UAnRs/tDQi8KFQ
    DAeBDYN1UzcenWvJAKCKsgrsCg0/QoGFTmYht7eipK3aD7kBDQRHWxxQEAQAlYAr
    WXRkbfMgmWI3UljoMSQpkGB0x3ZPqjC/gExzrXVlGeTBm3C40mg0oFZrNHKlWMCi
    smt3oVyEwOrP9ngeUnunk2PddxKdznw9gRGQjzByDgXwd2oQtJiL94l5Jy76KZfX
    bHdPZl8Y67thCgSMCO4pvWKZuAkllW8EvXFv7XsAAwUD+gOJKZsHPpCXCtPi71Fy
    Fe6+NyHZI1Sb/cXIQtCShHeciKihuDIcUqCyEEqFEBzm5f8H6Axny01tUe0Y/01Z
    wDuTVJB2wTIHO9G0JAuSuUWsD3PgcwX8ALMhm+9eoym4vcaI9WY3zg7hQiijH1p2
    2+4QKvHNvcJ7VW6tVAja4/UYiEkEGBECAAkFAkdbHFACGwwACgkQPI2sHSqGZPGR
    ZwCdH73m8BnlmJM8BsSwKNLFR69+g+0AmwaFSaIQOSAqCtyzTM0KuTCW0OsT
    =NlOY
    -----END PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK-----

  • On the post: Universal Music's CEO Gleefully Explains How Clueless He Is

    Robin Byron ( profile ), 27 Nov, 2007 @ 09:54am

    Re: Who is shortsighted?

    Hey Mr Morris,

    Just wanted to let you know, your straw-dog (with kidney failure) argument conflates issues and is, at best, spurious. Now go away or we shall taunt you a second time.

  • On the post: Congress Not At All Pleased With Yahoo's Explanation In Chinese Dissident Case

    Robin Byron ( profile ), 06 Nov, 2007 @ 02:49pm

    Congressional Effrontery

    I think they have a lot of gall coming down on Yahoo. Where the hell were they when we lost the right to habeas corpus guaranteed by the Constitution (if you think this does not apply to US citizens, you are pathetically misinformed), when the administration skirted other constitutional law or when little George started an illegal war, also a constitutional violation?

    Investigating government oppression starts at home. China can wait. Just my two cents worth.

  • On the post: Identity Fraud Victims May Soon Be Able To Sue For Time Spent Getting Their Identity Back

    Robin Byron ( profile ), 05 Nov, 2007 @ 08:46am

    Re: Major Breech

    Or, as in my case, allowed to bring some sort of charges against a debt collector who decided I was a person in a town about 150 miles from where I live and, somehow, managed to add all her bad debt to my credit report. I emphasize "her" because I was able to learn who she was, that we have a similar name but with a different spelling and that I'm old enough to be her grandfather. She did not steal my identity but simply failed to pay her bills.

    It took a lot of time, effort and money to clear this from my credit history. The big three credit agencies were no help at all and, in fact, seemed bent on making the situation as difficult for me as possible.

  • On the post: Dutch Gov't Pulls The Plug On E-Voting (For Now)

    Robin Byron ( profile ), 28 Sep, 2007 @ 10:04am

    Open Source would be a good start.

    I believe an open source operating system with SELinux (Debian would be a good fit) and having a paper trail would be a nice start. However, even this would probably not be immune to the determined cracker. An open source OS has been used on voting machines in Australia but I don't know to what extent or with what success.

    I still don't see anything wrong with an optically scanned, hand marked ballot. Cost effective, computerized count and a paper trail, but, needs to be made more secure.

    No matter what is done, elections will always be open to fraud/abuse of one kind or another.

  • On the post: Online Survey Finds That People Are Online A Lot

    Robin Byron ( profile ), 27 Sep, 2007 @ 01:52pm

    Re: Re: Say what?

    "how exactly is a survey, in relation to internet usage, conducted with only people who use the internet representative of the whole group, which includes those who don't use the internet?"

    And what exactly would be the point of conducting a survey of online use of people who don't use the internet and how would you get them to reply? I'd mod you +5 Funny if I could. I'm sure you are referring, albeit obliquely, to the "people who use the Internet less (or not at all) have more sex" thing, but still.

    Oh, by the way, I put my math books down forty years ago. I think it's high time you put down that Pickett slide rule.

  • On the post: Online Survey Finds That People Are Online A Lot

    Robin Byron ( profile ), 27 Sep, 2007 @ 08:56am

    Re: Re: Say what?

    "people who answer online surveys aren't likely to be representative of *Americans* when it comes to online behavior."

    And the online behavior of people who don't use the internet is measured exactly how in an online survey?

    I'd mod you +5 Funny if I could.

    Oh, I put my math books down forty years ago. I think it's time you put down that Pickett slide rule.

  • On the post: Online Survey Finds That People Are Online A Lot

    Robin Byron ( profile ), 27 Sep, 2007 @ 06:51am

    Re: Re: Say what?

    "people who answer online surveys aren't likely to be representative of *Americans* when it comes to online behavior."

    And the online behavior of people who don't use the internet is measured exactly how in an online survey?

    I'd mark you +5 Funny if I could.

    Oh, I put my math books down forty years ago. I think it's time you put down that Pickett slide rule.

  • On the post: Online Survey Finds That People Are Online A Lot

    Robin Byron ( profile ), 26 Sep, 2007 @ 09:54pm

    Say what?

    So, um, online users who actively use the internet and sign up to take online surveys of online use aren't representative of online users? I guess the WSJ 'numbers guy' took more math than I did; I only made it through differential equations. WTF is this about again?

    Like other online users I read many news/blog sites, watch videos, listen to music (Pandora), keep up with technology news, participate in discussions on many sites and keep in touch with friends. So, yes, I spend a lot of time online. That would lead me to say that people spend a lot of time online because they can do many things in one place, in front of their computer, that they used to do sitting at the writing desk (remember those? I do), by the radio (we did this in the '40's) or in front of the TV. Course, I'm a little shy of 63 years old so I guess I'm not representative of online users. Oh, my head! I'm going back to /. .

  • On the post: EU Smacks Down Microsoft's Antitrust Appeal

    Robin Byron ( profile ), 17 Sep, 2007 @ 09:57am

    Re: Forget wmp for a minute

    Dammit! That'll teach me to preview before I post, maybe.

  • On the post: EU Smacks Down Microsoft's Antitrust Appeal

    Robin Byron ( profile ), 17 Sep, 2007 @ 09:27am

    Forget wmp for a minute

    Microsoft is a lot more open than most companies in allowing competitors technology to work on its operating systems.
    There's no doubt that Microsoft has done some nasty things to smaller competitors

    These sentences seem very close to mutual exclusion but the MS I know has only ever wanted things one way, their way.

    I see this ruling as a result of MS's long standing refusal to share API's with developers who which to write programs that can inter-operate with a Windows OS. Andrew Tridgell's efforts to enable Samba to talk with MS SMB/CIFS is just one of hundreds of examples. Sharing API's doesn't hurt MS in the least and their primary reason for doing so is to block what they see as "competition".

  • On the post: Microsoft, Eolas Settle: It's Still Cheaper To Pay Up Than Fight Bogus Patents

    Robin Byron ( profile ), 30 Aug, 2007 @ 08:52pm

    Re: or else

    there may even have been some sleazy back room agreement. they now own the right to use a 'proven patented technology,' while others will have to go through the pain and suffering or perhaps get shut down.

    Certainly would be a cheap and easy way to get rid of that pesky mozilla-firefox.

  • On the post: Want To Get Into Advertising? Learn Some Math And Anthropology

    Robin Byron ( profile ), 21 Jun, 2007 @ 08:59am

    ad creativity

    With maths through differential equations and a bachelors degree in Anthropology, this would be right up my alley. Fortunately, I'm retired and I would rather body surf the Farallon Islands than be involved in advertising.

    If I were a big ad honcho, I'd be looking for bright young people who are involved in social networking, regardless of their education. They would have the best insight into what is cool and acceptable within their group.

    Just my two cents worth.

  • On the post: Legislators Look To Help FCC Chairman Decide What's On Cable

    Robin Byron ( profile ), 14 Jun, 2007 @ 03:31pm

    my cable

    The final option is for cable and TV providers to offer a la carte programming

    Excellent! I can't wait. There are six or seven religious channels on cox which I find particularly offensive and I would be happy to be rid of them.

  • On the post: Last Call For Bud.TV

    Robin Byron ( profile ), 23 May, 2007 @ 07:49pm

    Brand building

    Perhaps if they spent some time learning how to make a 'good' beer, rather than carbonated horse piss, they wouldn't have to be concerned about attracting more customers with gimmicks. Budweiser, the Microsoft of beer.

    For you bud fans: Yeah, they sell a lot of beer, but only because it's cheap and ubiquitous. It's still horse piss.

  • On the post: Author Calls Other Authors Who Give Away Content Scabs

    Robin Byron ( profile ), 18 Apr, 2007 @ 11:01am

    Re: Think about it

    Unions are collusions

    Firstly, I don't think that word means what you think it means. In any case, it certainly doesn't apply to unions in general.

    I was a member of the International Association of Fire Fighters, which is associated with the AFL-CIO, for 24 years. Yes, we often asked for better wages, benefits, and working conditions. Just as often, we asked that our firefighting and medical training be kept up to date and that we had the most technologically advanced tools available to do our job, which certainly benefited the public we worked for. How you think this might be illegal, deceitful, fraudulent or a secret agreement is beyond me.

  • On the post: Vonage Says There Is No Workaround To Verizon's VoIP Patents

    Robin Byron ( profile ), 16 Apr, 2007 @ 03:43pm

    Re: Re:

    This is a nice spell checker that should take care of your IE 6 problem.

  • On the post: Fines And Felony Charges For Letting Your Car Run On Restaurant Vegetable Oil?

    Robin Byron ( profile ), 08 Mar, 2007 @ 11:11am

    Someone just needs to develop a 'Mr Fusion' that runs on ground-up politicians. I don't believe we would ever run out of fuel and the world would be happier, peaceful and more productive.

  • On the post: UK Takes Opposite Approach On Online Gambling

    Robin Byron ( profile ), 23 Feb, 2007 @ 06:57pm

    Mo $

    The online gambling industy in the US just failed to line the right pockets in D.C. If they had done this at the outset, there porbably would never have been a problem.

    We all know this country (the US, in case you aren't paying attention or have had too much alcohol or drugs, like me ;)) is run by power and money, nothing else. If you can get the money to the power, you've got it made. Power and money trumps laws, constitutions, bills of rights and, well, really anything else you can think of. You want to think I'm wrong, but you know I'm not.

Next >>