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Comment: Lawsuit piracy (Score 5, Funny) 224

by langelgjm (#43732285) Attached to: Federal Judge Dismisses Movie Piracy Complaint

"... the manner in which plaintiff is pursuing the Doe defendants has resulted in $123,850 savings in filing fees alone."

So... they only paid for a single instance of the lawsuit, then unfairly duplicated it, when they should have paid for each individual instance of the lawsuit?

That's lawsuit piracy! Think of all the lawyers who could have been employed had they filed individuals lawsuits.

Comment: Not just the MPAA (Score 4, Informative) 60

by langelgjm (#43685511) Attached to: Copyright Squabble Threatens Accessibility Boost for the Blind

There are a lot of big name companies opposing this treaty, including ones you wouldn't expect. The "Intellectual property owners association", which is headed up by representatives from Exxon Mobil, GE, and Johnson & Johnson wrote a letter opposing the treaty. Their concern is that they think it sets a bad precedent... get this.. for PATENT law:

By isolating L/Es (limitations and exceptions) from the IP holders’ rights, the VIP (visually impaired persons) treaty negotiations could also set a dangerous precedent for other areas of IP law, particularly patent law.

Source.

Let's ignore the massive expansion of copyright without any mention of fair use through free trade agreements, and complain that the one real attempt to clarify limitations and exceptions is "imbalanced." Also from the letter:

"A balanced approach to copyright protection cannot exist when rights and exceptions are treated separately."

That's true, but not for the reasons they think.

Basically, they are saying they would rather blind people have fewer things to read than to even HINT that copyright protection is currently too strong, since that might possibly induce people to question other areas of IP law, like patents. They ought to be ashamed.

Comment: Irony (Score 4, Interesting) 220

by langelgjm (#43643951) Attached to: A Case For a Software Testing Undergrad Major

About the author:

For more than 25 years, Lorinda Brandonhas worked in various management roles in the high-tech industry, including customer service, quality assurance and engineering. She is currently Director of Solutions Strategy at SmartBear Software, a leading supplier of software quality tools. She has built and led numerous successful technical teams at various companies, including RR Donnelley, EMC, Kayak Software, Exit41 and Intuit, among others. She specializes in rejuvenating product management, quality assurance and engineering teams by re-organizing and expanding staff and refining processes used within organizations. She has a bachelor’s degree in art history from Arizona State University.

Comment: Train my employees for free (Score 5, Insightful) 220

by langelgjm (#43643905) Attached to: A Case For a Software Testing Undergrad Major

No more crossing your fingers that this eager young face in front of you can really pick up those skills, and no more investing so much time and money in training them on the job.

So, basically, you think it's time for someone else to conduct your on-the-job training at no cost or risk to you.

Comment: Re:Almost useless (Score 1) 236

by langelgjm (#43540565) Attached to: Smartphone Used To Scan Data From Chip-Enabled Credit Cards

Raised lettering is no longer required.

I know, but the vast majority of cards still have it, which means that cards without it get more scrutiny... so if your cloned card with fake printing doesn't have raised lettering, it might get a second look, at which point the person swiping it might notice that something's a bit off.

Comment: I guess you don't live in the US? (Score 1) 236

by langelgjm (#43540521) Attached to: Smartphone Used To Scan Data From Chip-Enabled Credit Cards
Chip-pin is standard in Europe (and maybe elsewhere too) but practically non-existent in the U.S. Everywhere here is still swipe with the magstripe. Sometimes you swipe on your own, but just as often you hand the card to someone else for them to swipe (or at restaurants, for them to take away to the terminal, swipe there, and bring back).

Comment: Re:Sensationalist.... (Score 1) 236

by langelgjm (#43539849) Attached to: Smartphone Used To Scan Data From Chip-Enabled Credit Cards

And if some schmuck walked up to me on the street and asked me for my card number, name, and expiry date I wouldn't give it to them -- this makes it possible for people who you have no intention of giving this information to able to get it without you even knowing.

At which point, they face the same hurdles of using credit card information fraudulently that every other fraudster does.

I'm not saying this doesn't make it easier to get the information - it clearly does. However, you typically need to put in more effort than just getting that information before you can perpetrate the fraud, which the article ignores. I also don't care for the insinuation that Google should ban NFC apps.

They probably shouldn't put NFC chips in cards - there's little benefit to be had from tapping your wallet versus swiping a card. NFC payment via phone makes more sense, since you could toggle availability of the information. And NFC for automation of other tasks is great.

Comment: Re:Almost useless (Score 2) 236

by langelgjm (#43539767) Attached to: Smartphone Used To Scan Data From Chip-Enabled Credit Cards

The point is not that it cannot be done - I have cloned magstripe cards myself. The point is that there are hurdles to jump before you have a card you can actually use in person, and other hurdles for card not present transactions.

If you are willing to print on the card face and do the raised lettering for each card's information, good for you - what is the time and cost involved in doing that, versus the value of the fraudulent purchase you can make, versus the risk of the fraud being traced back to you?

Comment: Re:Almost useless (Score 1) 236

by langelgjm (#43539643) Attached to: Smartphone Used To Scan Data From Chip-Enabled Credit Cards

It will allow you to clone the card and make "swipe" based purchases.

Are you also going to fake the look and design of a bank card, including, possibly, raised numbering/lettering? Or are you just going to clone it on an old library card?

All this is is a slightly easier way to obtain credit card information from a limited number of NFC enabled cards... but getting that information wasn't particularly hard in the first place...

Comment: Sensationalist.... (Score 0) 236

by langelgjm (#43539609) Attached to: Smartphone Used To Scan Data From Chip-Enabled Credit Cards

If it's a card not present transaction, the security code should be required, and presumably that isn't being transmitted as well.

I've got a hot news story for you - everyone person you hand your credit card to is able to access your card number, name, and expiration date!

CBC News asked Google why apps capable of skimming credit card information were available on the Google Play store.

You mean, why are apps capable of using the NFC capabilities of your phone available on Google Play? You might as well ask why eBay sells magnetic card readers.

+ - Supreme Court Upholds First Sale Doctrine-> 1

Submitted by
langelgjm
langelgjm writes "In a closely-watched case, the U.S. Supreme Court today vindicated the first-sale doctrine, declaring that it "applies to copies of a copyrighted work lawfully made abroad." The case involved a Thai graduate student in the U.S. who sold cheap foreign versions of textbooks on eBay without the publisher’s permission. The 6-3 decision has important implications for goods sold online and in discount stores. Justice Stephen Breyer said in his opinion (PDF) that the publisher lost any ability to control what happens to its books after their first sale abroad."
Link to Original Source

Comment: Re:New and interesting technology (Score 4, Insightful) 180

by langelgjm (#43138191) Attached to: Mobile Sharing: "Bezos Beep" Vs. Smartphone Bump

Yeah, I read the claim (there's only one):

1. A method of sharing information for accessing content on a computing device, comprising: generating, on a first device, an encoded information signal, the information signal including information associated with accessing the content; outputting the encoded information signal as an audible signal; audibly receiving, at a second device, the encoded information signal; decoding the information signal to identify the information associated with accessing the content; and accessing the content with the second device utilizing at least part of the information associated with accessing the content, wherein the second device accesses the content from a source other than the first device.

So... if I take an acoustic coupler, amplify its volume, and put it near two handsets, then use the connection to access a URL, I'd be violating this patent. If this is granted, it will be (another) sad day for the USPTO.

Software

+ - Apple and Amazon flirt with a market for used digital items->

Submitted by langelgjm
langelgjm writes "The New York Times reports (registration may be required) that Apple and Amazon are attempting to patent methods of enabling the resale of digital items like e-books and MP3s. Establishing a large marketplace for people to buy and sell used digital items has the potential to benefit consumers enormously, but copyright holders aren't happy. Scott Turow, president of the Authors Guild, "acknowledged it would be good for consumers — 'until there were no more authors anymore.'" But would the resale of digital items really be much different than the resale of physical items? Or is the problem that copyright holders just don't like resale?"
Link to Original Source

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