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Comment Re:What Would Epic Fail Look Like? (Score 1) 534

by ChoboMog (#34703896) Attached to: Playstation 3 Code Signing Cracked For Good

Folks toss about the phrase "Epic Fail" far too loosely. Here's what a real Epic Fail looks like:

The DRM code has a bug that, when a certain condition happens (time passes, specially-formulated packet received, etc.), it overclocks the CPU to the point that it catches on fire. Within minutes of the event, most of the millions of PS3s in the wild have set peoples' homes ablaze.

As a result, thousands die and the insurance industry collapses. Anarchy reigns, so there's nobody to enforce copyright anymore and the original DRM is rendered irrelevant.

THAT is an epic fail.

No... That would be a "pretty sweet burn"... =P

Comment What's New? (Score 1) 177

by ChoboMog (#32977532) Attached to: China Says Google Pledged To Obey Censorship Demands

How is this bowing to pressure, or even a change (beyond a renewed license) from what the status quo has been for at least a few weeks?

1. Google isn't automatically redirecting users from its Mainland to its (uncensored) Hong Kong page any more, which is keeping the government sweet and fulfilling its legal requirements. It has a static page saying that its search function has moved to google.com.hk and will link you to it if clicked.

2. Google isn''t censoring any search results since they are all returned through the above mentioned page in Hong Kong.

3. Other google services (Gmail, Docs etc) remain, but with varying levels of availability. See: http://www.google.com/prc/report.html

4. Both parties continue posturing; with one trying to win a PR battle in the global media while not losing out entirely on a huge market, and the other focusing on their domestic media/politics seeing no reason to bow to the pressure of a foreign corporation over state laws.

Comment Re:Round Trip Ticket: Seat Is Extra (Score 1) 432

by ChoboMog (#32947300) Attached to: Airlines Get Billions From Unbundled Services
I agree 100%. The problem isn't with charging fees for particular or additional services, but with charging ones which are mandatory for the traveler to pay. The distinction between the price, a fee and a tax is very simple: - The price of the ticket is what the airline is charging for its base fare, essentially getting you from point A to B with at least the minimal services required, and whatever else the airline decides to throw in; no food, no TV, no music etc unless the airline is nice and/or wants to attract customers. By this definition, fees charged by the airport, fuel etc would be included as a part of the cost since they're known at the time of booking and are mandatory. - Fees are what the airline arbitrarily adds, for any services rendered in addition to what it committed to in its base fare, and are optional for the traveler. - Taxes are imposed by government. The seat fee example in the parent illustrates how the system is abused by the airlines. An even better example is how fuel surcharges have been added by several airlines (amounting to several hundred dollars on intercontinental flights). If your ticket isn't covering fuel, the airplane, oxygen in the cabin etc then what the hell is it covering?

Comment Re:What an eye (Score 1) 406

by ChoboMog (#31174478) Attached to: Owners Smash iPhones To Get Upgrades, Says Insurance Company
I was thinking the same thing. I'm sure there are plenty of people smart enough to take advantage of the system in this case, but plenty of legitimate claims would also look "suspicious". Then there's the fact that anyone who has a legitimate claim a month or two before the new iPhone release, and who has heard all the "Awesome New iPhone!" news/rumours, may just wait that month to make it. Its certainly cheating the system, and also probably a minority, but its not breaking any rules/laws and relies on a bit of luck too =P

Comment Re:What about china? (Score 3, Insightful) 166

by ChoboMog (#31148182) Attached to: Google, Yahoo and Others Fight the Aussie Filter
Australia = elected government.
China = military dictatorship. Single-Party State

I fixed that for you... Whether you agree with the policies of the P.R.C. its political structure certainly doesn't fit the label of "military dictatorship", military government/junta or even "dictatorship". Ultimate control over the country rests neither with the military, nor with a single person (ie. dictator).

Comment Re:What the hell? (Score 2, Funny) 374

by ChoboMog (#29373897) Attached to: The Real-World State of Windows Use

A +/- variation of 50% in something as simple as the number of machines sampled leads me to believe there more then likely other errors.

actually, that's a +/- 100% variation, for people who saw the 10,000 number first. so for all we know, the sample size could've been 0.

So that means that the study is about as reliable as an average Slashdot poster. Great... =P

Comment Re:I guess Canada should be on watch (Score 2, Insightful) 343

by ChoboMog (#29195459) Attached to: FCC Declares Intention To Enforce Net Neutrality

Canada doesn't give two shits about what the FCC has to say about net neutrality.

Agreed. The FCC decision means nothing if the CRTC doesn't also see the light. Then again, this could be one time where our current governent's habbit, of blindly following US policy as a foundation for our own, could actually benefit us....

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