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Comment Re:Don't make sense for me (Score 1) 503

by i-like-burritos (#29392699) Attached to: E-book readers ...
They let you "return" the online version for a full refund within 14 days if you haven't accessed more than 20% of the book.

Personally, I've never needed more than just the homework problems for a few chapters, and that's easily less than 20%

Anyway at some point they might catch on, so this should be a last resort. Check out the torrent sites first.

It's been 4 semesters since I decided I wasn't going to be scammed anymore, and it feels great.

Comment Location, location, location (Score 1) 586

by i-like-burritos (#28510147) Attached to: Lenovo Tinkers With Larger Delete and Escape Keys
Especially in the case of the Esc key, the size doesn't really matter. My fingers know that Esc is the upper-leftmost button. If my finger feels another button further left or further up, I know there's a problem. The Esc key could be half the size, and it wouldn't make a bit of a difference.

I can understand changing the Delete key though, because it's so close to the enormous Enter key*. Anytime you're trying to press "delete," "enter" is probably the last key in the world that you want to press. I can't count how many times I've been talking to somebody on AIM/MSN, typed something I didn't actually want to say, then accidentally pressed "return" instead of "delete"

*I use a Mac

Comment !gonnahappen? (Score 5, Insightful) 105

by i-like-burritos (#28091105) Attached to: Robot Warfare Going Open Source
why is this tagged !gonnahappen?
The "open source" part is a little silly, but the "anybody can use technology in inovative ways to harm others" part is very reasonable

Seriously. Think about any world leader/other person in the world. If you didn't care about getting caught, don't you think you could engineer something to make them wind up dead?
given the resources available today (especially the internet), it's not that far-fetched
Privacy

Submission + - Speeders to now be electronically fingerprinted (wbir.com)

Submitted by
SonicSpike
SonicSpike writes: "Motorists stopped for traffic violations in Tennessee could be fingerprinted if state lawmakers approve a bill pending in the legislature. Currently, when drivers are cited during traffic stops, police officers ask for the driver's signature on the ticket, but the proposed bill would allow police departments to eliminate signatures and collect fingerprints. Supporters say collecting fingerprints would save money and help police determine whether the driver is wanted for a criminal offense, but opponents worry that it allows the government to tread on individual privacy rights. "It's scary. I really think that these fingerprints will be used to create a database eventually, if not right away. If you don't think it is, then you're just kidding yourself." quips Rep. Stacey Campfield a local Republican."
Privacy

Using Net Proxies Will Lead To Harsher Sentences 366

Posted by Soulskill from the no-word-on-mask-and-cape-penalties dept.
Afforess writes "'Proxy servers are an everyday part of Internet surfing. But using one in a crime could soon lead to more time in the clink,' reports the Associated Press. The new federal rules would make the use of proxy servers count as 'sophistication' in a crime, leading to 25% longer jail sentences. Privacy advocates complain this will disincentivize privacy and anonymity online. '[The government is telling people] ... if you take normal steps to protect your privacy, we're going to view you as a more sophisticated criminal,' writes the Center for Democracy and Technology. Others fear this may lead to 'cruel and unusual punishments' as Internet and cell phone providers often use proxies without users' knowledge to reroute Internet traffic. This may also ultimately harm corporations when employees abuse VPN's, as they too are counted as a 'proxy' in the new legislation. TOR, a common Internet anonymizer, is also targeted in the new legislation. Some analysts believe this legislation is an effort to stop leaked US Government information from reaching outside sources, such as Wikileaks. The legislation (PDF, the proposed amendment is on pages 5-15) will be voted on by the United States Sentencing Commission on April 15, and is set to take effect on November 1st. The EFF has already urged the Commission to reject the amendment."

Comment Re:What's the problem here? (Score 1) 587

by i-like-burritos (#27576991) Attached to: Obama Taps a 5th Lawyer From the RIAA

And, from what I have read, it is the people who are being sued by the RIAA/MPAA that are doing questionably legal things.... if you get caught downloading or sharing movies/mp3s, you can and most likely will get sued. (and lose.)

From what I have read, it is just about anybody that is being sued by the RIAA. You don't have to be downloading music, you don't have to own a computer, you don't have to know how to use a computer, and heck... you don't even have to be alive to get sued. (and be forced to settle. Or, in cases where the RIAA has no evidence, at least have your day ruined.)

And furthermore, the law does not support the RIAA's methods. They have been specifically ordered to stop abusing the system by grouping all their "John Doe" suits together, yet they blatantly ignore those orders.

That is the problem with the RIAA lawyers being in the DOJ.

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