united9198 's Techdirt Comments

Latest Comments (39) comment rss

  • On the post: Auto Industry Pushes Bullshit Claim That 'Right To Repair' Laws Aid Sexual Predators

    united9198 ( profile ), 11 Sep, 2020 @ 10:37am

    Spot On

    This is exactly in the center of the target. I would quibble about your statement that "Right To Repair" started with John Deere. In fact, that started with the independent auto repair shops more than a decade ago. In fact, it was called "Right to Repair" at the time.

  • On the post: Scientists Forced To Change Names Of Human Genes Because Of Microsoft's Failure To Patch Excel

    united9198 ( profile ), 11 Aug, 2020 @ 05:15pm

    Re: Microsoft does not have customers.

    I have succeeded using Apple Numbers in place of Excel and it works like a charm.

  • On the post: Scientists Forced To Change Names Of Human Genes Because Of Microsoft's Failure To Patch Excel

    united9198 ( profile ), 11 Aug, 2020 @ 05:14pm

    Just use Apple Numbers app instead of Excel. I finally got away from Microsoft after 30 years and I just chuckle at some of the bullshit they made me do that I did not want to do.

  • On the post: Congress To Consider National Right To Repair Law For First Time

    united9198 ( profile ), 07 Aug, 2020 @ 09:44am

    Re: Magnuson Moss anyone?

    You are correct, but the battle has changed. You are free to fix your stuff all you want, but the manufacturers still control access to the data that is need to do the repair. If you were able to obtain the necessary access to the data, you would be able to do your own repair, but manufacturers are encrypting the info or otherwise preventing you from getting it under the guise of data security, personal privacy, or any other false pretense that they can use to keep competition away.

  • On the post: Congress To Consider National Right To Repair Law For First Time

    united9198 ( profile ), 07 Aug, 2020 @ 09:42am

    Not New

    Right To Repair has been around a lot longer than 5 years. Nearly 20 years ago, independent auto repair fought this battle and won. Independent repair shops maintained their right to fix their customer's vehicles. Unfortunately, no one had the ability to foresee the changes in how data is captured, transmitted, and stored by the vehicle manufacturers. We are back at it right now and trying to get a law passed in Massachusetts. It is on the ballot this fall. Given the penchant of manufacturers to want a monopoly, this battle will never truly be won, but it needs to be fought.

  • On the post: NY Times Shows The Scope Of The Cell Location Data Scandal Nobody's Doing Anything About

    united9198 ( profile ), 20 Dec, 2019 @ 10:35am

    Tracking

    I love that everyone gets all excited about cell phone tracking when in fact, your vehicle is also tracking your every movement, grabbing your address book, phone calls, texts, and every other every bit of personal data they can get so it can be sold. No disclosure. No opt-out. No regulation.

  • On the post: Supreme Court's Warrant Requirement For Cell Site Location Info Apparently Killed Another Domestic Surveillance Program

    united9198 ( profile ), 18 Nov, 2019 @ 12:15pm

    Other Avenues

    While cell data is valuable to domestic surveillance, how about vehicle data? The vehicle manufacturers are collecting up to 25 GB of data per day from every vehicle, including data from a bluetooth connected cell phone. Who is looking at that data? Who is regulating it? As a vehicle owners, you have no rights and no ability to opt out. So the car companies know where you are going, who you are texting, how fat your passengers are, and a whole bunch of personal information about you and apparently almost no one cares.

  • On the post: New Report Further Clarifies Foxconn's Wisconsin Deal Was An Unsustainable Joke

    united9198 ( profile ), 12 Aug, 2019 @ 02:12pm

    Ignorance Always Has Friends

    The Foxconn plant has been a moving target, but it does not take a lot of mental horsepower to comprehend that Foxconn only gets the money if they do the jobs. To keep bringing up the billions in dollars of subsidy is an attempt to paint a false portrait. Time will tell if this ends up working out, but in the mean time, I guess it gives a bunch of people with nothing better to do something to rant about.

  • On the post: Foxconn's Wisconsin 'Factory' Is An Even Bigger Joke Than Everybody Thought

    united9198 ( profile ), 12 Apr, 2019 @ 12:57pm

    Re: Re: You have made a flub

    It appears you may be behind on this story. If you studied the history, you would know that Walker was the point man and dealt directly with Terry Gou on the deal. Paul Ryan played a periphery role at best. Most politicians want to show up on camera when the deal looks good, so not surprised that Ryan did that. The current story is that building contracts are in the process of being awarded and in the next few weeks, we expect to see millions of dollars in work underway. I know the Democrats were bashing this for a year until the new Democratic governor took office and now that he is on board, the tone is starting to change because the deal looks real. I would suggest avoiding more stories bashing this until the dust has settled some more.

  • On the post: Foxconn's Wisconsin 'Factory' Is An Even Bigger Joke Than Everybody Thought

    united9198 ( profile ), 12 Apr, 2019 @ 10:01am

    You have made a flub

    Not sure why you are blaming Congressman Ryan for the Foxconn deal. The deal was made by Governor Scott Walker, not Paul Ryan. That flub pretty much makes your whole story suspect.

  • On the post: CNN Lawsuit Seeks To Show That Trump Can't Kick Reporters Out For Asking Tough Questions

    united9198 ( profile ), 14 Nov, 2018 @ 10:05am

    Re: Re: Re: Trump-Acosta

    I get that you are living in your mom's basement and have nothing better to do, but I don't really care what you think.

  • On the post: CNN Lawsuit Seeks To Show That Trump Can't Kick Reporters Out For Asking Tough Questions

    united9198 ( profile ), 14 Nov, 2018 @ 05:39am

    Trump-Acosta

    Trump is a bully and a bore, but Acosta was not asking a question, he was making a statement that the President rejected. When Acosta kept arguing, Trump got pissed. Trump should be a bigger man, but Acosta is there to antagonize Trump, not gather news.

  • On the post: Cop Hits Woman's Car At 94 MPH, Killing Her Infant. Police Arrest Woman For Negligent Homicide.

    united9198 ( profile ), 12 Mar, 2018 @ 05:26pm

    Sad

    Unfortunately the police are very protective of their own and charging the victims gives them more leverage. Letting the victims go will be viewed as a "favor" to them and they will be "grateful". The cops know that their officer will likely face a lawsuit and charging the victims helps him out. Going 94 mph in a 50 mph speed zone is like pointing a loaded gun at someone and pulling the trigger.

  • On the post: Logitech Once Again Shows That In The Modern Era, You Don't Really Own What You Buy

    united9198 ( profile ), 10 Nov, 2017 @ 10:54am

    Ownership

    Most people would be shocked to learn that GM claims that THEY own the software on the car you paid for and they have the rights to all the data that is collected and transmitted to them on an hourly basis. They are taking your data and selling it for a lot of money and you have no "opt out" privileges. As we move forward, the ownership of software/data/ etc will become increasingly cloudy. Washington DC has been totally asleep at the switch on this and perhaps has no ability to comprehend the impact.

  • On the post: Charter's Mega Merger Results In Higher Prices, Slower Speeds, And Worse Customer Support Than Ever

    united9198 ( profile ), 17 Nov, 2016 @ 01:02pm

    Not Unexpected

    The last couple of decades has seen the Federal Government become blinded to the consolidation in just about every industry and this is just one more example. Hopefully they will wake up and start viewing consolidation as bad. Competition is the only thing that drives customer service and consumer benefits. The baloney that a merger will result in vast improvements for consumers ignores the fact that it has never happened. There are no industries who were allowed to consolidate where things got better for the customers. None. Charter has had a long term record of terrible customer service. Time Warner has had a long term record of terrible customer service. It is total fantasy to think that combining the two would result in anything different. The tide needs to turn.

  • On the post: Car-Freshener Wields Little Trees Trademark To Bankrupt Non Profit That Helped Ex-Cons And Recovering Addicts

    united9198 ( profile ), 27 Oct, 2016 @ 09:56am

    Car Freshener

    The manufacturer of Little Trees makes all of their products in the good old USA and have to continually battle the issue of knock offs and outright counterfeit products coming in and stealing business and damaging their reputation for quality. It would seem that they might have found a way to work with the non-profit, but I don't blame them for aggressively defending their turf. I know there are those who hate anyone who is successful, but that's where jobs come from and where a lot of people get their paychecks.

  • On the post: How Section 1201 Of The Copyright Statute Threatens Innovation

    united9198 ( profile ), 03 Jul, 2015 @ 05:40am

    Copyrights

    General Motors is a big fan of protecting THEIR computer software. They are now asserting that when you buy a new GM car, you are renting THEIR software which is highly restricted. They would love nothing more than to force every GM owner to come back to an authorized GM dealer or repair shop to get repairs. There is a huge competitive issue here. Independent repair shops are more convenient, lower in price, and fully capable of repairing your GM car. If GM gets their way, those independents will either have to pay GM a lot of money for the rights to work on their vehicles or they will be driven out of business. In either case, the cost to the consumer will increase dramatically.

  • On the post: New iPhone Connector Port Revealed, Thus Wiping Out Several Generations Of Accessories In One Fell Swoop

    united9198 ( profile ), 22 Jun, 2012 @ 05:33am

    Connector

    I am not going to panic over the connector change. Sure I have a lot to stuff that fits that connector, but I also know there there will be a huge market for an adaptor that several people will sell and the price will be competitive.

    I think back to Apple eliminating other connectors, dropping the floppy drive, dropping the CD/DVD drive, dropping the hard drive, and changing other ports and connectors. The panic that ensued was overdone for sure, but in the end it was the right thing to do.

    There are people still running Windows 95 and unaware of the new world around them. The same with the new connector. Eventually we will buy it and life will go on. There are bigger things in the world than what kind of connector comes on and Apple device. We still have the option to buy or not.

  • On the post: Microsoft Pulls Out Of Family Guy Sponsorship… Gets Half The Benefit For None Of The Money?

    united9198 ( profile ), 26 Oct, 2009 @ 07:16pm

    Family Guy

    I just can't see Family Guy selling out. I can imagine the problem developed when MS did not see the humor in what they were doing. I can conjure up images of Family Guy making fun of Microsoft for free.