That's a bit trollish.

VLC is an odd program. When it works, it works wonderfully. Otherwise it sucks very badly. I often go back and forth between MPC and VLC.

I get frustrated by that "rebuild font cache" that just keeps happening on occasion no matter what you do. Subtitle rendering left some things to be desired.

It's just a tool like anything else. I never had the expectation that it was going to work in every single circumstance given the unbelievable variation in encoding formats and what they actually output these days.

Overall, I have never regretted installing it unlike some other programs.

Uhhhh... it's rebuilding the font cache dude. It say it right there in the dialog box.

Better question is... why does it need to do it every fucking time? :)

I don't think you are using that term correctly. Looking it up, I found a quite informative primer on the neckbeard.

Not all Anime fans are neckbeards apparently, and not all neckbeards are virgins. A fact that was very surprising to say the least.

What software would be that be?

Originally I said that I would replace iOS on the iPad 3 with Android. How is that not allowed by the Android Open Source license?

Keep in mind that copyright does not stop me from modifying existing software that was licensed during a purchase. It would be a derivative work, but copyright only controls the distribution of those modifications, not the creation.

I have never disagreed with your observation.

A license to run Android on any hardware I want is readily available.

Another reason why everything I run on every single server I operate (with a few exceptions for some clients) is open source.

Well the law would seem to agree with my premise, along with the concept of ownership going back thousands of years.

If I own the hardware I have the absolute right to run any software on it I want. I paid the for the hardware. It became mine. If you want to dispute that premise, then you need to explain how after the sale they still enjoy rights of ownership. Can you explain that?

Something similar has been argued before and lost. That was the right to install after market parts on your car from different manufacturers in the US. The car manufacturers lost. This situation is no different. Manufacturers cannot enjoy rights of ownership when a sale is performed. Period.

While this might be accepted by the consumer because they lack the sophistication to understand what is happening, businesses do not. You can't sell that way to businesses because they see it as a liability. Specifically the manufacturer trying to control the device. Court cases have been lost before over it. It just won't work on businesses.

The solution is not to sell to businesses. This is why when a manufacturer wants to retain control in a business environment they lease. You can't own a Pitney Bowes postage machine. Some security devices you cannot own either.

Your argument is silly on its face. First you say that ethics are not a consideration. Ignoring that whopping egregious error in judgement, you have the rights to use all the software on your device the way you see fit. Where limitations come into play is when you wish to distribute your changes directly, via copyright laws. Which is why the DMCA is used so often to prevent such acts.

Secondly, all of the software was written for the device. If it was not, it would not be there. Kind of like trying to run a Windows binary on Linux natively.

Thirdly, you own the hardware out right. Typically, there is going to be several pieces of hardware inside that have firmware written by a 3rd party company. You have the rights to use that firmware to carry out the intended function of the hardware, or write your own.

Which brings us to the last point, you always retain the right to run whatever software you want on the hardware. Dell cannot force you, in any way, to run a specific set of software on your hardware. You get to choose. Apple hardware is no different, ethically, or legally. I can replace the software in any way I want, and even modify it to suit my needs. I just have to contend with copyright restrictions that don't allow me to distribute those changes in a nice neat package. However, I can tell people how to do it legally (and ethically).

BTW: You clearly refer to Android in the derogatory sense, but it is worth noting that it is open source. That means I can compile it and install on it hardware that is compatible.

Having principles, believing in actual ownership and free computing instead of walled gardens, is not being on a high horse.

Apple is abhorrent because they make computers. You would think they would have all sorts of employees working there, all the way up to the late Jobs, that believed that computing should be a free experience. Not to limit the end user, not to create walled gardens, but to create a platform that can be free.

It's funny that I get accused for being "on a high horse" about it when all I champion is freedom, privacy, and anonymity. Yeah... that's terrible.

How many? Enough to cover everywhere at the same time?

My concern is that a private corporation might mass produce drones to take pictures and identify objects and build a huge search engine for it. Or perhaps just add the data to a massive database they have already.

Government could just access that as well as a ton of other people that don't really have your best interests at heart.

Apple there is only one manufacturer. So purchasing hardware from them, however tempting, only enables their abhorrent behavior.

With Android there are quite a few manufacturers. I can financially reward the manufacturer that puts up the least road blocks to rooting the machine, or installing custom firmware/roms. HTC, for instance, is supportive by having unlocked bootloaders on current and future devices. There is at least a few devices that have unlocked bootloaders and I would rather reward them financially than Apple.

I believe in complete ownership of a device as an important principle that should be taken seriously and not compromised. If I paid for the device, ethically, I have the right to use what ever software I want on it.

I'm sorry. I don't have any more food for the troll. Not even such a cute little one like you..... so cheeky too