And still posting their biggest profit while the economy is crumbling around us.

Seems like their marketing department is the best product they have... it's working fine indeed.

The biggest drawback of that is that Time Machine only works when you are logged out. Also, the "galaxy" interface does not work, but I consider that less of an issue.

The entire point of Time Machine is that it makes hourly incremental backups as you work. Logging out every hour as a penalty for wanting an encrypted home folder is not very seamless.

Translating:

"Fuck you. Fuck you and the horse you rode in on. Fuck your mother, your father, your dog and your cat. Fuck your house. Fuck your job. Fuck your car, fuck your computer, fuck your gaming habit. Fuck you for buying our games. We hate you and we feel superior to you in every way conceivable. Also, we don't trust you.

Because, you know, we felt that was better for you guys all around."

How is that different from the status quo?

How many writers still sell their books more than 14 years after they're first published?

How are you, Tom Cruise?

It may be a cultural difference, but in the Netherlands, a great cycling nation, (seriously: http://images.google.nl/images?q=amsterdam%20bikes) pretty much no-one wears a helmet. The only people I see wearing helmets are the racing bikers (but by no means all of them) and some soccer moms.

You can take that for what it's worth.

> The writer of this sloppy piece did a quick dash and look, almost willfully avoiding putting in the most minimal effort it would take to really find out what's there

He "lived inside SL" for a week, albeit three years ago. You can hardly call that a quick dash and look.

Why does a dog lick its balls?

I don't know if you're just nitpicking, but try to see it this way.

- the recording industry lobbied for this bill
- the government passes the bill (not yet, but hypothetically)
- the bill forces raised cost for internet providers
- the cost will be passed on to customers

How is this different from a tax? And your use of scare quotes around tax makes it even more right: it definitely is a "tax".

The point is, if there would not be a recording industry or powerful lobby, this law would not have been proposed. The only reason that the recording industry is trying to get bills like this passed is because they're not making a profit like they're used to. They're not making that profit because they lost the easy (government supported!) monopoly on distribution. They lost it because the internet made it easy to copy material. The entire point of the story is that because the recording industries did not update their business model, they're not making the profit which they feel they're entitled to.

Sure, you and I know this. Slashdot knows this. Over here, it's like preaching to the choir, but you'll be amazed at how many people think that the RIAAs of this world are decent and right, while downloading the latest Britney from the Piratebay.

Or my client could pay me 'money' to create these alternate versions you speak of.

What's the problem? You can buy a netbook from any number of manufacturers. If a "Mac user" really wants a netbook, he can get one as well. He could even put OSX on it, although not legally. If these Mac users really really want an Apple Mac, they've probably weighed the pros and the cons and found that the Mac has more benefits for them that make it worth lugging around a larger piece of hardware.

So, what's the exact problem? There are so many people whining about what Apple is and is not selling them, I just don't get it. Apple is doing terrific even though the economy is in a major slump. I think they're on to something.

Except when they still ass rape you for killing their system. Yes, this happens. You're the admin, you're responsible! Sucks to be you! Sure, you have some bullshit in writing, but who cares? Go look for another job! Oh, you want to sue us now? Go right ahead, see who has the deeper pockets.

Either way, you lose.

Why? The internet is many-to-many, but that includes one-to-many. So what if the public can talk back? Either the tv-sites are going to do something with the feedback (interactive gameshow?) or they're not going to offer a service that permits backtalk.

What's more, the internet routes around damage. TV signals don't, or at least not as easily. Given enough servers (host @ Google?) the internet is a far better way to deliver disaster updates, from a technical point of view.

What's the problem?

Then again, your vote counts more than all those suckers' packed up in the cities, so there's that.