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It's a machine not a robot. Like most things, there is no clear boundary, but it is clear that the two ends of the spectrum are very different. Likewise it is clear that simple contraptions are not robots.

The determination of attackers and defenders is usually difficult to agree on. Everybody thinks they are defending something.

No, land mines aren't robots by the common understanding. But it still might be a good idea to do away with them.

"WHY?"

I don't believe that you are really so naive.

How are any rules of war enforced? And yet we have them and they are largely, if not universally, obeyed. The article even gives two examples in the first paragraph.

"not in scope"

I see what you did there.

I'd say he's tied for first place with Tyson. Who do you think is "more fore" than the two of them?

The prisoners aren't the customers.

Radio is an ad for albums? Huh. I thought albums were ads for concerts. Heck I only $9 for a CD but I pay triple that for a concert tshirt and double THAT for the concert ticket.

I'm in my mid thirties. The last time I listened to the radio for more than sixty seconds was when I was in high school. Do a lot of people still listen to the radio? Are these people who have never heard of MP3s? How hard is it to press play on a pod instead of a radio?

The list of hardware tech that Apple has developed is small and underwhelming. It's not zero length, but it's nearly zero impressiveness.

What kind of idiot would buy a cell phone with a non-replaceable battery? That would be even more stupid than if it had a proprietary data-cable port. Nobody in their right mind would but such a crippled device.

I think your complaint is invalid. The simile to Apple's current market strategy is strong and compelling:

Today Apple builds the handheld computer-pod, offers an app store including support for in-app purchases, and takes a huge cut of all proceeds.

Tomorrow Apple builds a car, offers an app store including a per-mile insurance app which draws funds from your App Store balance, and takes a huge cut of all the proceeds.

That's perfectly cromulent.

You are right. It depends on the state and statutes vary widely. My understanding is that noncompete contracts are hard to enforce in California, but obviously this company thinks it is possible.

I don't know, man, it sounds like you were in a position to argue. You could have asked him what it was worth to him.