Comment Re:Taxman (Score 1) 608
Why not vote it legal and then choose to continue to buy it illicitly to avoid the tax... so that it's not a crime when you're caught smoking it??
Comment Re:Typical dual use technology (Score 1) 478
Technically, 1984 is further every year...
Comment Re:Isn't there a book for them to read? (Score 1) 398
I almost choked laughing at "popup book"... but you posted anonymously so I can't "thank" you in person!
Comment Re:Anonymity = Free Speech (Score 1) 398
they want to be able to make you to sit down and shut the fuck up, and also make it painful enough that you won't DARE do it again.
I agree 100%. It would just get sticky with voters because a) to quote George Carlin on the law of averages: "Think of how dumb the average person is, then realize that half of all people are even dumber than that!!" and b) they will sling it as protecting children and fighting hate-speech. I'm not saying protecting kids or fighting hate-speech is bad; it's just stupid how few people would realize it wouldn't do either of those (it might make protecting kids harder actually) and as you say just give them the ammo they need to try to shut you, the free-speaker, up.
Comment Re:Ridiculous, Impossible, Etc. (Score 1) 398
I'm not saying I necessarily agree or disagree that anonymous speech had any effect on history (the fact that those in power write history as they see fit not withstanding) but I have to ask... if that's the case, then why the hell do they care if people post anonymously?!
To me it's more about privacy. I do of course understand the desire to prevent serious hate-speech (the only true enemy to free speech in my opinion, not counting these politician douchebags) but having everyone use their real name won't prevent it... best-case you get fake names and still have to delete the hate-speech manually. I think the only way is to let people voice their opinion, privately (anonymously in this case I mean) and ban by IP if necessary. Even that's not all that fool-proof, but as someone above said, how do they think they can enforce this?? Short of selling out every bit of privacy left (which would lead to worse problems related to predators and stalkers as far as I can see) you will only end up hurting those who bothered to use their real name.
To me it's more about privacy. I do of course understand the desire to prevent serious hate-speech (the only true enemy to free speech in my opinion, not counting these politician douchebags) but having everyone use their real name won't prevent it... best-case you get fake names and still have to delete the hate-speech manually. I think the only way is to let people voice their opinion, privately (anonymously in this case I mean) and ban by IP if necessary. Even that's not all that fool-proof, but as someone above said, how do they think they can enforce this?? Short of selling out every bit of privacy left (which would lead to worse problems related to predators and stalkers as far as I can see) you will only end up hurting those who bothered to use their real name.
Comment Re:What, a robot needs data integrity? (Score 1) 65
So you want robot vacuums that can make sandwiches, not Data from Star Trek? I 'spose it depends on if you're relying on a persistent connection to the internet or other external source of data versus learning and retaining.
Comment btrfs RAID 10 and time machine (Score 1) 304
My Ubuntu 12.04 server is btrfs using the built-in RAID 10 features (I have 7.2 TB usable on four 2TB drives thanks to compression too!) and I use time machine for the macs. My windows machine is Pro so I'm able to backup to a network drive, with a samba share running on the ubuntu server that I mount as a drive letter in windows. It's been fantastic overall for all machines including for the odd restore.
I'd like to get time machine going to the ubuntu server as well but so far I'm just using external usb drives for the macs.
I'd like to get time machine going to the ubuntu server as well but so far I'm just using external usb drives for the macs.
Comment postgres (Score 1) 65
It should be a LAPP or LAPPPP server... (Linux, Apache, PostgreSQL, PHP/Perl/Python)!
Protect IP Act May Be Amended 179
angry tapir writes "The controversial U.S. copyright enforcement bill called The Protect IP Act may be amended on the Senate floor later this month in response to ongoing concerns about its provisions affecting Internet service providers and the domain-name system, according to the bill's chief sponsor, Senator Patrick Leahy, a Vermont Democrat."
Comment On our way to a delicious drink! (Score 1) 101
Aside from the obvious Dune implications here, I pictured that slug in Futurama spurting out Slurm...
Comment Re:Need new consoles (Score 1) 276
I have a few games on PS3 that run in 1080p. I'm not taking the game's word for it; my TV shows the mode when it switches to it.
Most are 720p though, mind you. I suspect it has to do with getting affordable hardware to run the crazy-huge new games smoothly, regardless of resolution.
Most are 720p though, mind you. I suspect it has to do with getting affordable hardware to run the crazy-huge new games smoothly, regardless of resolution.
Comment Why are fan boys so lame? (Score 1) 276
I don't get it. There are people posting that one is more secure than the other, or that Sony lied (which they didn't - they were very transparent and kept us in the loop, although they may not have given ALL technical details, but that's a smart move when dealing with the idiotic general public).
The truth is neither have a good track record with regards to security, both have good points and bad, and both are doing fine.
I may feel the PS3 is better because of what I can do with it (the features far outweigh those of the 360, but that's MY OPINION BECAUSE OF THE WAY I USE CONSOLES) but I'm not about to blast Xbox for the weaknesses I feel it has; I loved my first-gen Xbox once I threw in the mod-chip.
I guess I just have to agree with some of the other, smarter posters that No One Who Matters Gives a Flying F#ck which console will "win"... If you survive 3 years these days and are still selling games, you won. The rest is media bullshit and fan boy ego circle-jerking.
The truth is neither have a good track record with regards to security, both have good points and bad, and both are doing fine.
I may feel the PS3 is better because of what I can do with it (the features far outweigh those of the 360, but that's MY OPINION BECAUSE OF THE WAY I USE CONSOLES) but I'm not about to blast Xbox for the weaknesses I feel it has; I loved my first-gen Xbox once I threw in the mod-chip.
I guess I just have to agree with some of the other, smarter posters that No One Who Matters Gives a Flying F#ck which console will "win"... If you survive 3 years these days and are still selling games, you won. The rest is media bullshit and fan boy ego circle-jerking.
Comment Re:Aptitude (Score 1) 769
Comment Re:Wrong People (Score 1) 482
Apple is the problem? Read this again.
Which Linux For Non-Techie Windows Users? 766
obarthelemy writes "Having at last gotten Linux to run satisfactorily on my own PCs, I'd now like to start transitioning friends and family from XP to Linux instead of Windows 7. The catch is that these guys don't understand or care much about computers, so the transition has to be as seamless and painless as possible. Actually, they won't care for new things; even the upcoming upgrade to Windows 7 would be a pain and a bother, which is a great opportunity for Linux. I'm not too concerned about software (most of them only need browser, IM, VLC, mail and a Powerpoint viewer for all those fascinating attachments). What I'm concerned about is OS look-and-feel and interface — system bar on the bottom with clock, trash, info on the right, menu on the left, menu items similar to those of Windows. Is it better to shoot for a very targeted distro? Which would you recommend? Are there themes/skins for mainstream distributions instead? I've been looking around the web, and it's hard to gauge which distros are well-done and reasonably active."
