I will never buy a Sony

It has came to my attention, as a former Sony supporter, that Sony has a bad habit of dropping products and being highly proprietary in thier offerings. Whether it's the short lifespan of their PC/laptop product models, the tempermental support of the CLIÉ, they just can't seem to stay behind their work.

While they have great stuff, longevity is critical to me. I decline to buy Sony.

Piracy: If Bill does it, it must be ok!

It seems that Bill Gates himself is a fan of piracy. He supports it just like millions of other people through the use of sites like YouTube.

Now this is far more difficult to stop than even movies, software, or music on hard media, this is out in the open, share with everyone, piracy.

Its easy to get, impossible to pay for and pointless to report. If Bill, the richest guy I've ever met, enjoys it, why the heck am i trying to stop piracy around me?

Modders and Tuners: How are they different?

Part of being a good judge is understanding the opinions held by both sides in a situation and, within the rules of law and precidence, providing a viable decision that is fair and unbiased. While I am no judge in the legal sense, my perception regarding the fairness of a law or claim may be swayed or changed by understanding the views of the claimant and the defendant.

This statement is true for everything I write about, if you disagree with me, come up with a viable argument and evidence to support your claim and I'll listen.

Now, what's on my mind is the act of modifying a console by, or for, an end-user. For example the XBOX, as released was a formidable console gaming using with potential DVD capabilities (you'd need to buy the remote). A few resourceful individuals, and some companies have created modifications (mods) to install into the XBOX that allow for a wider range of function and changes to not only the console's functionality, but some game functionality. This is where the concern begins.

A novice might liken the upgrade to what a car enthusiast does to a car. The tuner will add performance parts and such to improve the functionality of the vehicle in the area of speed, access, comfort, entertainment, or cosmetics. This is legal unless the car is used for street racing, but legal otherwise (for now). How is it somehow wrong for to mod an XBOX then?

The difference is that the code in the XBOX is designed to work in a particular manner. It was authored to serve a strict design to ensure the best game functionality and limited (i.e. no DVD without buying the Remote) to preserve licensing. We're not talking about adding a muffler or lowering your suspension, though some mods will void the car's manufacturer warranty. Some gamers go so far as to modify the software that runs on the XBOX (as it has been stored on the hard disk) so it behaves differently and while this is creative it is changing the design without the author's permission.

Personal Use... If an end-user does this for himself there's very little impact. Aside from the annoyance to others for a ridiculous mod that creates an unfair advantage, but this is no longer just personal use, it's effecting others. This would be much like the modified car, with a resonator on the exhaust, driving down your street.

So, it is wrong to mod? Yes, technically. Is it stoppable, not so far. Is it that different from tuning your car? No. It really comes down to your use of the customization and whether you have respect for others.

GO SEE "An Inconvenient Truth", Please.

http://www.climatecrisis.net/

For the Uber-Techie

This is the toy to have...
Samsung Launches First PCs with NAND Flash-based Solid State Disk

I'm sorry this has become a rather veggie blog recently (no meat) It'll get better soon.

The Socially Acceptable Crime... Piracy.

I've written about this before but it doesn't seem to sink in that this sort of activity is not only criminal but so commonplace that society itself seems to support it. A story in the Toronto star tells of the availability and proliferation of the crime. The fact that the pirated media is being sold in such high quanities, high enough and with enough of a profit margin to entice business to committing the crime. is shocking enough, what's worse is that people feel there is no harm to their actions.

In several places I have worked and in social circles that I've been part of, the talk of downloading the latest movies, songs, and books has  filled the air and I have always stated my position. I am quite an insistent advocate for observing intellectual property laws, comparing the act of piracy to theft. The comparison is lost on many because they don't see the tangible side of downloading, but others simply don't care. They excuse themselves from the illegality through protesting cost of the DVDs or the trip to the theatre, yet they have a tough time accepting that they could compare their actions to performing own job for free for 20-30 hours a week. People do not understand the impact, or simply don't care.

I'm at the limit of my complacency. When I hear people talking about crime, their own, whether it's some guy on a bus talking about what he's boosted from his company or what someone has downloaded from the Internet, I cringe and often feel nauseated and wonder how long i'll be able to keep my daughters from this crime. After all if everyone does it, how do I keep them from following suit? So far, my daughters understand the concept of piracy is theft. Their early understanding is what I believe the is key to changing this problem as they will have the fortitude to stand up to others when asked for some of their MP3s, or a copy of their CD/movie. It's funny though, we're exceptions.

I have seen people give/receive pirated movies as birthday presents! This is worse than re-gifting! It's the cheapest, most tacky, aside from being illegal, present anyone could offer. My response, if it ever happened to me, hand it back. What my daughters are encouraged to give, is a Puretracks pre-paid/gift card, then the receiver can make their own CD and/or WMA file for transport. Why would I make my daughters criminals by pirating a CD for them to give to someone else? Is that being a responsible parent?

I have heard all of the arguments before and you're free to comment on the legalities of Piracy. I've debated this with others
and they generally can't provide enough support for their argument. It normally ends with their claim that it "doesn't hurt anyone" and I disagree. The one question is, what do the musicians, actors, directors, and writers do to curb the problem? Do they strike? How many people would that hurt?

The New PC...

I wouldn't suggest this is the only personal computing device you'll ever need, though it will satisfy the needs of many of us as convenience when on the road. It is the new format of Ultra Mobile PC (UMPC) and it rocks!

There are a couple of these just making it to market or will be soon, my favourite (and it's on my birthday list) is the Samsung Q1. This link to Best Buy (U.S.A.) is the first I've seen online and with the Canadian dollar being so comfortably high, this is the time to buy and may be worth picking up on your next visit to the sunny south.

If you're trying to remain connected, in-touch, or simply looking for something capable but less than a full laptop, this is the toy, er, tool for you. With a 40Gb hard disk, full audio and video capabilities, and wireless features that allow quick connections anywhere, the package is a meet-the-needs solution for the traveller or business user. With on-board USB and media ports there's something there for the Photographer and the presenter too.

The biggest problem I anticipate for this pint-sized wonder is that software has become increasinging developed for larger screens and while this might pack a punch and run a full Windows XP-based OS, not Windows Mobile or Windows CE, How many applications will be problematic with this new standard.

Like a larger variation on the Sony PSP, with the freedom of running Windows applications and not requiring a specialized development platform (as is the case for Windows CE/Mobile) I can see this being popular in-office/workplace mobile tool. Especially at dealerships, service centres, doctor's offices, and other service-related situations.