When something is in beta it's common practice for peoples' accounts (items, accomplishments, etc.) to be considered expendable at all times. Often, when something comes out of beta all accounts are purged, and people are given bonuses when the real thing starts to accommodate them for the purging.

Their prediction of the wallet going away is completely unbiased. Just kidding! On top of all the useful comments here about the uses of wallets and all things related I certainly can't help but think the well is poisoned. Let me demonstrate... let's say I know someone named Kevin, who downloads music, movies, and games. If he could download a car he would do it. If he told me: "As new technology emerges, one can safely assume that the days of getting caught for downloading will soon end. In fact, I believe that by the year 2015, no one will be paying for music, movies, or games. Instead, pirates will be taking over." I would be hard pressed to believe him.

Raptors! Raptors! Oh wait... that's not what we're talking about here... is it?

Look closely at the picture. In his left hand, what is he holding? A book, with what? Maps. Why does he need that? His phone - which he's obviously addicted to - should have some sort of GPS and/or map app if he's that hooked to it.

That's Prototype. And the NYT uses that on their sites. You don't need it "in your browser". They already provide it just by viewing the site with JS enabled.

Assange had the majority vote. TIMES reserved the right to choose the winner regardless of the poll outcome.

That's probably what we have to fix. Before it probably wasn't even close to being a pressing issue. Nobody gave a shit who provided internet service as long as they had access. Now we've got problems left and right. The ACTA simply still existing and in consideration is one such disaster waiting to happen, if it hasn't already. Another bill passed giving the government and other interested parties the _unrestricted_ ability to completely take down sites based on copyright issues. Emphasis on unrestricted. Taking action against illegal and clearly defined sites I'm fine with, but the powers given are so unrestricted you'd think the smart law makers were baked the day that bill passed because they've given up on the shit hole our system has become. I learned that when laws are passed that allow one party to forcefully comply with certain procedures they are so tightly restricted that it only affects the cases the law was actually brought up for (illegal sharing and profiteering). Even the hint of a copyright violation and your site can go down, or blocked by the ISP. I don't want to play the slippery slope card because most of the time it's an incorrect assumption, but the clear lack of well defined and restricted boundaries hint at more problems down the road.

Here's the problem that should be more pressing: our connection to the internet is coming dangerously close to being choked and restricted by those in power (aka people with money). Second part of that problem is that most people currently have _one_ choice when it comes to getting that connection. In my area, I've got Comcast. Oh, and another shady person couple blocks down offering to set up a special internet package, but it turns out their connection was Comcast as well. Whatever they were doing, that's not what I would consider an "alternative" to the monopoly we've got here.

How do we fix this? Let's start by getting more people to understand that this is a problem they cannot stand idly by watch unfold.

More secure? Even if everybody knows the passphrase?