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92836

General Discussion Area / Re: I still think that Vista sux.

« on: 27 October 2007, 20:00:41 »

The music one is difficult to do.  If you leave it unprotected, very few people will buy it (in these days of solid state portable players, how do you convinced people to pay for stuff that can easily be obtained for free?).  I appreciate that some people will possibly never buy, but the majority will buy if its not easily available for free.

So, how do copyright owners protect their IP in this digital age?

I've yet to see a working business model that does allow commercial companies to give their products away (which is what, in effect, you are doing if you do not protect it).


My view is it shouldn't inconvenience users, but in some cases (music being the big one) this isn't possible until someone comes up with a universal format with built in DRM.  Apple nearly managed it with iPod, although I think Apple's implementation is flawed.

Apple is dropping DRM from iTunes downloads.  Not enabled now if you buy the whole album online.  Others are going that way, including artists like Prince and Madonna.  They are concentrating on revenues from concerts and merchandising.  Attitudes are quickly getting more realistic, at least for some.

As for software, I'll be trying out Open Orifice soon.  MS defo isn't getting any more of my money on that one.

The big artists who have already made their fortune can afford to give away music, as thye will always pack out a large venue.  Many bands can't.  Though I suspect their generousity is only a temporary stunt, though I applaud their experiment, despite thinking its the wrong direction.

92837

General Discussion Area / Re: I still think that Vista sux.

« on: 27 October 2007, 19:16:34 »

The music one is difficult to do.  If you leave it unprotected, very few people will buy it (in these days of solid state portable players, how do you convinced people to pay for stuff that can easily be obtained for free?).  I appreciate that some people will possibly never buy, but the majority will buy if its not easily available for free.

So, how do copyright owners protect their IP in this digital age?

I've yet to see a working business model that does allow commercial companies to give their products away (which is what, in effect, you are doing if you do not protect it).


My view is it shouldn't inconvenience users, but in some cases (music being the big one) this isn't possible until someone comes up with a universal format with built in DRM.  Apple nearly managed it with iPod, although I think Apple's implementation is flawed.

92838

General Discussion Area / Re: I still think that Vista sux.

« on: 27 October 2007, 18:35:21 »

Paul M - Forgetting games for a moment (which do use an awful protection mechanism, as its intrusive), Windows and DVDs etc use a (almost) seemless system.  The Protection/DRM does not get in the way of legal use (forgetting the WPA glitch with Vista that only shows up under certain sequence of events). DRM is not evil, as suggested on virtually every Linux site, but necessary.  It needs to be seemless though (as like region coding and CSS on DVD) to be effective...

It is my experience, no matter on the cost, certain types of people will refuse to pay for electronic software/video/music, even if very, very cheap.  This can be seem if you linger around the DVD section in the local library - you'll quite often here people say they won't hire for £2.50, but download it instead.

I agree this has gone on before broadband - many from my generation will remember using tape to tape machines to copy computer games which came on cassettes back then.  Broadband has made this worse (back then, somebody within your group had to buy the original - internet has made this not necessary), and has allowed p2p distribution.

92839

General Discussion Area / Re: I still think that Vista sux.

« on: 27 October 2007, 17:54:49 »

Paul M - it was in the early summer that activation thing was fixed.

WPA/WGA deter more than accidental copying.  Yes, you or I could (temporarily) work round it, but the majority of people couldn't.  It also stops the small PC shops putting copies on rather than proper licenced one (a massive problem before XP SP1). They don't dare now knowing the next set of updates will break it.

Yes, like CSS on DVD, or the already part broken AACS used on Blu Ray, it won't stop people who know what they are doing, will will stop the majority of the population.


Apple make their money on hardware.  As its now possible to mostly run OSX on non mac hardware, its only a matter of time before Apple start implementing similar - too many people will illegally use it if its easy enough, even at the low price.  The broadband revolution has given the 'techie' types a mentally that they shouldn't have to pay for anything.

92840

General Discussion Area / Re: I still think that Vista sux.

« on: 26 October 2007, 21:27:02 »

but seeing that it has the ability to spontaneously de-activate itself is causing me far more concern. Yet another case of Microsoft (and countless others) making life difficult for legitimate users while those using cracked pirate copies have no such issues  . It reminds me of when music labels started putting that "anti-ripping" stuff onto CDs to stop people putting music they had paid for onto an MP3 player -- of course the pirate copies had no such limitations so you were actually getting a better product by getting a counterfeit from a local car boot sale or whatever

That fault was fixed ages ago.

In fairness to MS, they have to do something to deter the casual pirate. And they do a reasonable job in stopping the good pirates. Activation is fairly non intrusive for most users who are internet connected, and simple enough for those that aren't.

OS X is light years ahead of Classic (OS 9 and older), it's akin to going from Win98 to Win2K. And the BSD kernel has proven to be stable over many years in many environments, so for desktop use I don't think stability is the least bit of an issue. I wouldn't say it's any better than the NT kernel in that respect, they're both pretty solid. X11 isn't part of Mac OS per-se, it simply includes an (optional) X11 server so you can run UNIX apps that aren't available natively for OS X (the Aqua interface). It is a bit of a kludge as X11 apps don't really fit in with the MacOS interface (things like they have their own menu bar), but it allows me to run programs like Amarok that are currently not available for Mac (nor Windows for that matter).

Thats part of my point - OSX (and Linux/BSD) is disjointed.

Thats why I would always recommend Windows as desktop for most people...

92841

General Discussion Area / Re: I still think that Vista sux.

« on: 26 October 2007, 18:51:45 »

Vista can run well given the right amount of hardware.

I installed it for a laugh on our OOF server before I put W2k3 on it, and it flew. From the end of the BIOS POST test to being able to use, less than 10s - with all the usual slowing down software (office and AV) installed.

My MCE runs Vista, had to upgrade to 2G from 1G RAM, which has improved matters, but still sluggish at times (3.2G P4)

I like Macs, always have, until they went unix based - I have a distrust of the Linux (and similar BSD) kernel.  Too many years working with it has proven its instability to me.  And the whole X11 thing is an overgrown, over engineered piece of bloatware.


Vista's biggest issue is with the 3rd party software companies being too slow/stupid to deal with the OS changes, same as when XP came out.

92842

General Discussion Area / Re: BEBO

« on: 24 October 2007, 18:47:00 »

I have heard of bebo but unfortunately i have also heard of all the problems with it facing the youngsters in our world and being a parent of a young girl i will not have bebo on my list of sites. but hope it works out for ya.

Good for you Tammy, it's great to see someone taking responsibility for their kids on the Net.

When I was young, I was the only one in the house that even knew how to switch a computer on. Therefore I soon learnt how to connect a modem, and surf the web to my hearts content - and nobody was any the wiser what I was looking at online.

And look what it's done to me now, I'm past hope  

Bloody kids today

When old farts like me were kids, nobody considered connecting a modem to their ZX81....

92843

General Discussion Area / Re: Laptops

« on: 20 October 2007, 09:38:59 »

For once, TB, I agree !!!!!!!. Guess what all my laptops need more ram!!

My current, but old Tosh has a P4 2Ghz, 768Mb RAM, and that really needs rebuilding every 3 - 6 months to keep it running reasonable.  It has XP Pro on it, as Vista is really bad on it, taking ages to boot up.

The poor lappy is knackered - screen hinges gone, DVD writer (2nd replacement worn out), floppy drive mostly missing (yes has built in floppy, thats how old it is), and sufferring from being dropped when I was in bath a month or so ago (case and keyboard took the brunt).  'bout time I got a new one

92844

General Discussion Area / Re: Laptops

« on: 19 October 2007, 22:31:26 »

Nowadays to make a machine run well, you are looking at 1G RAM for XP, and 2G for Vista.  A decent dual core processor (Intel for laptops due to power) is nice.  For Vista, the added overhead of a powerful video card.


Now I know a lot of people will come back saying XP runs fine in 512Mb, but 512Mb is right on the limit for XP now, already paging lightly at that point.  Laptop hard disks are relatively slow, so paging is bad, bad news.  With many laptops having integrated graphics, stealing system RAM, the situation is worse.

My 2p

92845

General Discussion Area / Re: Laptops

« on: 17 October 2007, 21:38:29 »

I ain't to good with computers but our eldest who is 11 is going on at me to get her a Laptop, to do her homework on.
Now a guy I work with has had a laptop from this place so any chance you guys will tell me what you think?
I fancy number one on the list as its cheapest, but number five down daughter seems to think its a good one, don't know how she knows  :-?

http://www.buyit247.com/acatalog/Grade_2_Laptops.html

It will run like a dog, as its been Vista'd and hasn't really the spec to run it. It would run XP OK for general web/email/wp

What will run like a dog? or do you mean all of them?

Sorry, the first, didn't look at others.

Decent laptops aren't that expensive now...  ...so don't be too tempted by grade b stock

92846

General Discussion Area / Re: Laptops

« on: 17 October 2007, 21:34:40 »

I ain't to good with computers but our eldest who is 11 is going on at me to get her a Laptop, to do her homework on.
Now a guy I work with has had a laptop from this place so any chance you guys will tell me what you think?
I fancy number one on the list as its cheapest, but number five down daughter seems to think its a good one, don't know how she knows  :-?

http://www.buyit247.com/acatalog/Grade_2_Laptops.html

It will run like a dog, as its been Vista'd and hasn't really the spec to run it. It would run XP OK for general web/email/wp

92847

General Discussion Area / Re: Nintendo Wii BRAND NEW AND BOXED + Redsteel ga

« on: 28 October 2007, 14:36:54 »

Also moving to general chat as its not car parts...

92848

General Discussion Area / Re: Nintendo Wii BRAND NEW AND BOXED + Redsteel ga

« on: 28 October 2007, 14:35:58 »

£20 for cash?

92849

General Discussion Area / Re: Writing a how-to - advice

« on: 28 October 2007, 21:16:23 »

looks like you made a good job doing the write up

92850

General Discussion Area / Re: Rebuilding a manual gearbox

« on: 28 October 2007, 21:21:02 »

Hardly any! apparently the very end of line Diesels did (It's listed in the manual with my car).

As the TD is really at it's best when 'on turbo' I wondered if the five speeder would suit the characteristics of the 2.5TD better? I believe that's the reason why VX fitted it to the 4 pot TD's at the end.

None did.  The last of the diesels (all 2.2DTi) were manual only.