Slashback: GameBand, Nexia, Lunarocks 217
Not a paperweight. 13Echo writes: "CSI, the manufacturer of the Dreamcast broadband adapter, is extending its reservations option by another week. They wish to meet a goal of 1,000 units before production will start. A rough Babelfish translation can be found here. This device is very beneficial in Dreamcast home-brew software development, and is also supported in the various Linux and BSD distributions on the Dreamcast. It is available for pre-order from this page at NCSX, or other import shops at a price of US $49.00. If any other Slashdotters are interested, now is the last time that we will be able to get one of these things. I've already placed my order with NCSX."
How about sell moon bits to sponsor the trips up there? Anonymous Coward points to this AP report which begins: "Four grains of moon dust brought to Earth by the first manned lunar mission were stolen from a space exhibit in Sweden, a museum official said."
Will the stolen moon rock madness ever end?
The race is on, Apple. SailorBob writes "The NexII got good reviews on slashdot (Review: Nex II CF MP3 Player) a while back and now a newer version named the NexIIe is shipping. Some nice functionality has been added such as drawing power from the usb while copying files and being able to hook to an external AC adapter. They've also told me via e-mail that they're considering adding Ogg Vorbis support, which wouldn't be a problem after the fact since the player can be updated for new formats with a firmware update."
Graphomania has a name, and it is Orson. Binestar writes "Author Orson Scott Card has released his latest book, Shadow Puppets. As usual, the first 3 chapters are available online. He's definitely one of my favorite authors."
Just kidding, folks -- just kidding. Afraid to play video games in Greece? Elonka indicates this BBC story (Court Allows Greek gamers to play on), excerpting: "In reference to the recent law enacted in Greece which bans all computer games, a court in northern Greece today threw out the case against two internet cafe owners who were arrested for allowing clientele to play Counter-Strike and online chess. The court said the law was unconstitutional."
Monsanto should invest in helicopters and lawyers for a whole new revenue stream. dwprice writes "A Saskatchewan farmer loses a patent infringement case when it turns out patented canola is growing in his fields and he didn't pay for it. He claims it blew into his field." When this farmer, Percy Schmeiser, lost the first round, I figured it was a simple lapse of sanity and would be overturned on appeal. No such luck.
Best TV news I've heard in a while. Masem writes "Offical word has been announced that Futurama will be shows on Cartoon Network (most likely as part of the Adult Swim Comedy block) starting in Jan 2003, according to Cartoon Reasearch. No indication of new episodes, but CN will have all 72 episodes that have been made."
How about sell moon bits? (Score:1)
3 days or so? (Score:2)
Re:3 days or so? (Score:4, Funny)
Re:3 days or so? (Score:2)
Re:3 days or so? (Score:2)
Man, I guess I should ignore that wild HAIR up my ass to try and do something funny.
There are hints in this post as to the joke, can you find the FORMULA?
NexIIe still USB (Score:1)
I like the price of the NexIIe, but I'm not sure the interface is quite as good as Apple's iPod either. but I don't have either in my hand to do a proper comparison either ;-)
Re:NexIIe still USB - doesn't matter w/ CF cards (Score:2)
most people don't use these things with a microdrive (half the battery life). A 512mb CF card is currenty 180 bucks.
Nex IIs not nearly as convenient as something with 10gigs (ipod wins there!) but they are much lighter and cheaper.
Re:NexIIe still USB - doesn't matter w/ CF cards (Score:2)
I pop the CF card out of my Nex II and put it in a Lexar Firewire CF writer (whopping $50), and it writes around 3 MBytes/second sustained.
With a 512MB card, it really matters. If you already have firewire for video editing, it makes sense to use it for CF too. Great for dumping pictures off the CF card from the digital camera as well (4MBytes/sec read).
Re:NexIIe still USB - doesn't matter w/ CF cards (Score:2)
Re:NexIIe still USB - doesn't matter w/ CF cards (Score:2)
Re:NexIIe still USB (Score:2)
Um, let's see:
Nex IIe:
Player- $115
5 gigs of storage (ten 512mb cards)- $1800
iPod:
Player w/ 5 gigs of storage- $300
Yeah, I'd say there's a pretty good chance that Apple doesn't need to feel threatened just yet; maybe it might have something to do with the fact that the Nex IIe costs SIX TIMES MORE!
It dosn't cost six times more (Score:2)
Re:It dosn't cost six times more (Score:2)
But what about the NexIIgs? (Score:3, Funny)
I'm not sure Apple needs to feel threatened by the NexIIe just yet.
However, once the NexIIgs comes out... (explanation [wikipedia.org])
One of the big problems with this device is it's still using USB which is much slower than iPod's FireWire.
USB, or USB 1.0? USB 2 is about as fast as FireWire, and USB 1 is still fast enough to move a pocket-player-quality (128 kbps) MP3 song in four seconds, or several whole albums in less than the time it takes to play a game of Klax.
Re:But what about the NexIIgs? (Score:2)
My dad had a IIgs for a while. Odd little beasts.
Re:NexIIe still USB (Score:2)
USB is everywhere, Firewire isn't. I can take my Nex around to anyones house and be guaranteed 90% of the time to be able to plug it in. No need to purchase a firewire card (however cheap) and carry it everywhere. I can use it at work without having to open up the machine (i'm not allowed to).
I can transport a 4 meg MP3 to the player in a couple of seconds. Yes firewire has it's advantages, but I like the versitility I have and rechargable batteries solve the other problem almost as well.
I like the price of the NexIIe, but I'm not sure the interface is quite as good as Apple's iPod either. but I don't have either in my hand to do a proper comparison either ;-)
It isn't. But it's smaller, lighter and I'd rather run with it than an iPod. Mainly due to the fact I don't like the idea of shaking a hard-drive about for 2 hours non-stop (12 miles).
Ack! $50 for a Dreamcast BBA??? (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Ack! $50 for a Dreamcast BBA??? (Score:2)
Question (Score:1, Insightful)
Pay for moon dust? (Score:4, Funny)
2004 - Hand over $20,000 for a few specs of moon dust.
2008 - Wait a bit, go on moon trip for $20,000 and bring back a big round ol' rock the size of a new iMac and photos of you having low-grav sex with loved one (or the stanger in seat 3F. Yeah, row 3. You'd be up in first class, of course).
Hmmm... let me see.
Re:Pay for moon dust? (Score:2, Interesting)
I am still waiting for the refund on the 1999 trip that was promised on
Re:Pay for moon dust? (Score:3, Funny)
2008?? (Score:2)
However, I'd be very surprised if suborbital flights didn't become available to paying customers at semi-realistic prices (~100,000 USD) before 2008.
Re:Pay for moon dust and sex? (Score:2)
Did I hear correctly? Ymean any geek can have sex if they will go to the moon?
Futurama is back... (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Futurama is back... (Score:2, Funny)
What's up with Cartoon Network? (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:What's up with Cartoon Network? (Score:2)
... The number of kids watching Looney Tunes and Scooby Doo at midnight over the weekend, I think, is minimal. And even if it wasn't, nothing Cartoon Network actually puts out on Adult Swim merits the verbal disclaimer they show at the top of every hour, IMO.
Re:What's up with Cartoon Network? (Score:2)
I don't want to explain statutory rape to a 7 year-old, dude.
Re:What's up with Cartoon Network? (Score:2)
and even that has been getting goofy lately.
Re:Futurama is back... (Score:2)
Well, Fox is stupid. Really stupid. I think it's just dumb luck that keeps The Simpsons and 24 from being canned.
Re:Futurama is back... (Score:2)
"Un. Declared." That has to have been the funniest show on TV in so long and they didn't even give it a second season.
I wonder... (Score:1, Funny)
I think not.
Re:I wonder... (Score:2)
Shiat like this make that starving African countries' leader seem VERY SMART.
I'll Trade Expansion For Portability Any Day (Score:5, Funny)
The NexII got good reviews on slashdot (Review: Nex II CF MP3 Player) a while back and now a newer version named the NexIIe is shipping.
You can keep your Nex II and even your Nex IIe.
I, and several others are waiting for the obvious successor: the IIc.
Re:I'll Trade Expansion For Portability Any Day (Score:2)
(Unless you need color, then it'll be NexIIgs all the way, baby!)
Re:I'll Trade Expansion For Portability Any Day (Score:2)
Re:I'll Trade Expansion For Portability Any Day (Score:2)
not profit from llegal things (Score:4, Funny)
"We have always said we will not profit from people doing illegal things"
They might have always said that, but it was probably just to cover there ass when they were busy dumping waste from there factories. yada yada yada...
Canola (Score:5, Funny)
They don't call it rapeseed for nothin.
Re:Eurpoe (Score:4, Informative)
The court essentially declined to believe somebody stole onto the property in the dead of night to nefariously plant GM canola on the guy's land, which pretty much left deliberate infringement of the patent as the only explanation.
Re:Eurpoe (Score:2, Interesting)
The popular folk lore is that the case and verdicts are ridiculous. From a casual observer who did look into it somewhat extensively a year or so ago, I actually wound up leaning towards Monsanto's side.
I don't remember why now, though. I think that the claims that 'the wind did it!' rang quite false when looking at the information provided in court.
GE corn farmer (Score:2)
Re:GE corn farmer (Score:2)
What would really suck for this guy would be if his neighbour had been the one "stealing" for a few years beforehand, and if the g.m. stuff had gotten into his mixture back then. He'd have no way to show that the other guy's seed had been g.m.ed, and the other guy sure wouldn't have any incentive to tell anyone about it..
Re:GE corn farmer (Score:5, Informative)
Re:GE corn farmer (Score:2)
Comment removed (Score:4, Informative)
New Formats + a bonus bridge in Brooklyn for sale (Score:4, Insightful)
That being said: "Firware upgradable and can support future formats" is getting really old from all digital music players. I can honestly say that I have seen over 20 players (CD, CF, HD) that proudly make this claim in their marketing jargain -- yet guess how many have came through??? It's about like me saying that my cars tires will support the ferrari. Yet, technically it could happen -- but more realistically those tires will spend their lifetime on my 87 nissan sentra.
Re:New Formats + a bonus bridge in Brooklyn for sa (Score:2)
Well its a car player, but the PhatNoise Phatbox [phatnoise.com] and Kenwood Audio Keg have done this. They've already added FLAX and Audible support and Ogg Vorbis support is in alpha test (freely downloadable for those who wish to try it out)
Monsanto: All your food are belong to us. (Score:5, Interesting)
Frankly, I'm more concerned about Monsanto using these heavy handed tactics to control the worlds food supply, than I am about M$ Palladium. We can live without computers, but with increasing patents covering basic food (corn, canola, tomatos, ...), I can see a time when all food will be covered by some patent. Think M$ is evil with their monopoly? Think what would happen when a few companies own patents on most of the food you eat.
Cross contamination of GMO with natural crops is a real concern, and farmers of organic crops are starting to sue GMO producers. Some related articles at cropChoice.com [cropchoice.com]
Monsanto got Fox news in Tampa to pull a story and fire the two jounalists who researched it because it was about health problems from rBGH (Bovine Growth Hormone [a Monsanto product]) in cows milk, and it's been one of the most under reported news stories. Here's a Google [google.com] search. So they are very willing to use intimidation and the courts to further their control. Hmmm... Sounds all too familiar.
Re:Monsanto: All your food are belong to us. (Score:2)
Re:Monsanto: All your food are belong to us. (Score:2)
Besides, what you're talking about is impossible, since most genetically engineered plants are sterile so that this *won't* happen. You *must* buy new seeds every year.
Get it now?
Re:Monsanto: All your food are belong to us. (Score:2)
And if not, was this hick farmer supposed to have engineered a nanobot that goes in and repairs the damaged or missing gametes?
Oh. Duh. He snuck into the Monsanto warehouse at 2am in a ninja suit.
Think a little bit. Pull your head out of your ass, and quit sucking corporation cock... it doesn't taste that good anyway, and you can start respecting yourself.
Re:Monsanto: All your food are belong to us. (Score:2)
Re:Monsanto: All your food are belong to us. (Score:2)
If he isn't telling the truth, or what he knows of it, how the hell did he get the seed? You claim its sterile. He can't have bought it the year before, and just harvested his own seed.
So WHT happened? If he literally stole it, like a burglar, prosecute him for that.
No one is alleging that, or even noticing that it's an issue. But since that seems unlikely (Monsanto doesn't have video cameras watching this valuable seed, or didn't report it stolen?), he somehow harvested it and planted it on his own. How did he do that, unless there are records of him purchasing it from a previous season?
No, it's your ass buried in your ass. Up to the waist, I'd think. But hey, why not. Corporations should have the right to collect a crop tax, eh?
Re:Monsanto: All your food are belong to us. (Score:2)
Show me some evidence that he stole it. Even a little bit, I'm not some lawyer for fuck's sake. I don't need to know it was him, just that some substantial amount went missing or stolen from where ever they keep this. That would be enough, hell, maybe even for a conviction.
And if he bought it... well, DUH.
I don't think you're saying either of those, though. Are you?
All this says, is that you aren't allowed to resell something that is patented, or buy it from a reseller. The patent holder can come and charge AGAIN, for the same item.
Re:Monsanto: All your food are belong to us. (Score:2)
Or was it one of these "contracts" that asshole executives pull out of their ass, when their flawed business model proves itself to be flawed?
Sort of like the "contract" that I'm under that says I have to watch commercials on broadcast tv?
C'mon, show us the goods. Show us something where he violated a contract. As long as he wasn't forced to sign one, he is obligated to uphold it no matter how stupid it is.
If he didn't sign one, why did you bring up contracts?
It is cut and dried. I'm only asking for a single piece of good faith evidence. If you find some story, that says he did something like this, that's good enough for me. I'm not a judge, and this isn't a trial... if it were, you could be damn sure he wouldn't get off on a technicality.
More likely, something weird happened. That explains why he changed his story, he was trying to understand it himself. Being a farmer, and not a PR rep or lawyer, he failed to realize that speculation was a bad thing, at least publically. Otherwise, we're left with options which are either absurd, make his actions criminal without even mentioning patent law, or prove that he shouldn't be liable at all. We have:
A) He stole the canola seed from Monsanto (wearing a ninja would be optional). This is burglary or larceny or something, not patent infringement.
B) He stole the canola from a Monsanto customer. Again, burglary.
C) He somehow managed to independently breed an exact genetic duplicate. Patent infringement only if he sells the product, which in this case wouldn't be the crop itself, but whatever materials (seed?) are required for another farmer to grow such a crop.
D) He somehow managed to harvest a significant amount of seed from a sterile crop. A crop that no one has ever mentioned him having... leads us back to other options. Even then, this can't be illegal by itself. Harvesting seed would be normal use of a legally purchased, patented product. If I used a patented wheelbarrow, could they come back and recharge me a week later, claiming that my wheelbarrow disappeared, and that I had in fact manufactured a replacement, thereby incurring a second fee?
E) Space aliens, acting on orders from Jimmy Carter and the Illuminati Council of Sages, teleported his original crop of rutabaga to the 11th planet, and replaced it with Monsanto canola in an intricate diabolical plot. This is only slightly more absurd than the other options.
F) He bought the seed from someone other than Monsanto. At best, trafficing in stolen property, and then only if he had reason to know it was stolen. If it was indeed stolen, that is.
G) Some virus or similar vector transmigrated genes from the Monsanto crop 5 miles down the road. Meaning Monsanto is liable for contaminating his crop.
H) Cowboyneal recieved a Beginner's Genetics kit, complete with test tube, microscope, PCR equipment and a bank of gene sequencers. Damn I hate this poll option
So which is it?
Re:Monsanto: All your food are belong to us. (Score:2)
Huh?
How could he *intentionally* plant second generation seeds *IF THEY'RE STERILE*?
Where would he get first generation seeds if he didn't buy them?
Your lassiesz faire (sp? please?) attitude towards dubious capitalist practices is obviously influenced by your chosen avenue of enterprise.. the marketing of really bad porn, and insinuating yourself as a middleman in that process.
(dude! your site has really gone down hill! you need less automation! more hands on! (chuckle) at least there are no dialer sites there anymore.)
But seriously, don't let your free enterprise views cloud your judgement.
I'm mostly right wing, but invading Iraq sends my hackles straight up, Rush is sounding like a total GWB apologist, Foxnews makes me puke, and the only things I can hang onto are Hentoff, Buckley and PJ O'Rourke.
There ARE alleged conservatives that are corrupt. Count on it.
Don't get complacent.
Consider.
Liberty and stuff like that MATTERS more than 'Intellectual Property' does.
THAT'S a Conservative view.
Don't be an opportunistic weenie.
Embrace that which allowed you to do your 'thing' in the first place, and fight for it.
"considering adding vorbis" (Score:2)
Just Finished Shadow Puppets (Score:2)
Oh, and you'll probably be as disappointed in the resolution to the final fight scene as I was. It was telegraphed from a million miles away. Can't remember exactly, but it's possible that you can figure it out from the first three chapters (would need to reread to double check).
There is a little bit of development of the Bean and Petra characters, but it didn't flow. Really felt forced. Part of that is OSC's obstinancy in not saying "Bean is now 12 years old, he's now 17 years old..."
Perhaps the best part of the book is that it has me tempted to go reread Ender's stories. After I finish a few other books I picked up.
SPOILERS:
Bean and Petra get married. Artificial insemination.
Achilles steals a few embryos.
Achilles gets killed.
Bean and Petra don't retrieve embryos. Obviously waiting for the next book.
India freed from China.
I liked it, but... (Score:2)
more moralistic with every book? Used to be, the
Ender books were just about little kids fighting
wars, having their minds broken, and killing other
little kids. Now there's all this stuff about
religion and the joy of marriage - why?
Re:I liked it, but... (Score:2)
(Seriously though, I agree. The hegemon was barely in the story. Bean has some sort of mystical change of heart regarding love. I think the only reason I read it so fast is to see how Achilles bought it. And I wanted more of the story of the girl/woman in India who started the 'great wall'. THAT was interesting.)
You're right. (Score:2)
The wall was cool thought, especially the way that the girl became little more that a brick in the wall once it got reallt started. Yes, I had to make a lame Pink Floyd reference.
Re:I liked it, but... (Score:2)
I thought that he was the focal point of about half of the book. The strange thing is that he became a typical teenager who is annoyed by his parents. This struck me as pretty unnatural. Also, Petra's constant clamoring for babies seemed to make her a bit one-dimensional.
I have high hopes for the next book. Card seems to run out of steam in his series though.
Re:I liked it, but... (Score:2)
OSC just did not apply enough depth to this one. What possible reason could Peter have to not have Achilles executed? "To study him?"
Bleh.
Re:I liked it, but... (Score:2)
In fact, it seems that in each of the Bean/Ender books the characters are less brilliant in each book. Think about the crazy/complex situations that Ender and Bean "solved" in Ender's Game and Ender's Shadow. Then think of Ender in CotM. Now look at what Bean has to in Shadow Pupets. The major strategizing that he does is about Achilles. SPOLIER ALERT It turns out that he could have walked in there without having thought about the situation at all and he would have been fine. In the end he did go in without a plan, but he sure fretted about it a bunch beforehand. Maybe I am over-simplifing it, but Suri had made it so clear in the rescue that he knew how to fool Achilles that it was pretty clear to the reader what would happen.
I felt that the last book was a bit sparse as well. When I read that he had initially intended to write one book covering the events of these two I knew what to expect. Of course he did the same thing with Xenocide and CotM, but they were filled with enough interesting stuff. Maybe in the next Bean book Bean (and his family) will be smart enough to hop on a colony ship and use time dilation to his advantage, letting the science advance enough to cure him while he zips around the galaxy at high speed. If he went far enough into the future he could meet up with Ender again and maybe even use the philotic web to cure his disease. At least he doesn't have a bad case of OCD.
Re:I liked it, but... (Score:2)
Maybe I'm just too old to be OSC's audience for these books.
Re:I liked it, but... (Score:2)
Re:I liked it, but... (Score:2)
How to put you competitors out fo business... (Score:2)
Step 2: Plant in crack in competitor's parking lot.
Step 3: Call Infringment Police
Who buys a Nex II? (Score:2, Interesting)
The Nex II can use a microdrive, but with a 1GB microdive, the Nex II is about the same price of a 10 GB IPOD.
As far as the defense of the wimpy USB connector, it is not suitable for regular transfers of GB of data. It is slow. I can barely stand to use it for my Nomad.
Perhaps someone can tell me why I should spend more on the Nex II, when it is little more than sub standard interface dongle.
Re:Who buys a Nex II? (Score:2)
Now he NEX-II sucks for loading through it's USB cable but using a real CF card read/writer it rocks.. and I can upload faster to it thna the blessed I-pod people by using my PCMCIA-CF card adapter or an IDE-Cf adapter
The NEX-II is the cheapest and absolutely best Mp3 player on the market that is not a fragile hard drive based device.. (take your Ipod and while it's playing throw it out a second story window onto concrete... My NEX-II survived, your Ipod will not.)
Who buys a NexII? anyone looking for an awesome and super cheap Mp3 player that isnt crippled by idiot engineers that try and force DRM and other crap down your throat. also anyone that uses linux or BSD exclusively... it's one of the only choices.
I have 2 of them... one for me and I just bought one for my 10 year old daughter... and I will be buying 3 more this christmas for gifts for friends and relatives.
One Nice Thing about Shadow Puppets (Score:3, Funny)
The Moon Landing was a Fake... (Score:5, Funny)
In a related note, did anyone else see the story about Buzz Aldrin punching [guardian.co.uk] that flat-earther in the nose? Oh, sorry, my mistake. He wasn't a flat-earther, he was one of those nuts who say that the Moon landing was faked [tripod.com]. Seems this clown approached Buzz in public and asked him to swear on a Bible that he walked on the moon. Buzz put up with him briefly, then popped in the snout.
The Moon landing was a fake? No, actually it was a feint and a jab! Hey, Buzz, smack him once for me, would you?
--Jim
Re:The Moon Landing was a Fake... (Score:2)
Three cheers for crusty old guys!
Sue Grain Patent Owner (Score:5, Interesting)
I figure you could argue criminal trespass and sabotage (to the existing crops). Possibly more.
Heck, these days the farmer could probably claim the patent owners were Genetic Terrorists bent destroying natural grain fields. Hrmmm. With cases like this that suddenly doesn't sound so far fetched.
Mind you, IANAL.
Re:Sue Grain Patent Owner (Score:2)
Re:Sue Grain Patent Owner (Score:2)
Except that Ford cannot sue me because one of their trucks happens to be sitting in my driveway and they don't like it - whether I bought it or not.
If a truck that isn't mine turns up in my driveway Ford (or the Police) are welcome to take it away - you just damn well better not damage my property on the way out. Nor can you sue me for having a vehicle I shouldn't (assuming I didn't take it or know it was stolen). It's not mine, I don't want it, take the bloody thing away.
This is not the first time this has happened with GE grain. There have been similar instances in Africa. It's a disturbing concept: I can be sued because your wacky seeds have blown into my fields. It's not my responsibility to ensure you don't go broadcasting your IP on the wind. How can it be my fault if you seeds grow in my fields when you let the seeds blow into them in the first place?
Re:Sue Grain Patent Owner (Score:2)
Except as a farmer, you don't go spraying your growing crops with Roundup unless you've purchased Roundup Ready seed from Monsanto. That's the whole point of this line of crop seed. Roundup would normally kill or damage your crop plants. Roundup doesn't harm the modified plants, so you can control the weeds that compete with the crops throughout their growth cycle.
Your Joe Farmer scenario is akin to a cattle farmer feeding cyanide to part of his herd just for giggles.
Re:Sue Grain Patent Owner (Score:2)
Wow...Roundup Ready seeds just happen to volunteer themselves in the same neat rows you planted your regular seeds in?
If it is, then why should the farmer not be entitled to keep the seeds/plants that have just showed up on his property?
Except it's been shown that it's not the case. And since this farmer obviously hates the idea of GMO crops so much, why would he then plant his whole field with the resulting seeds?
You got moon? (Score:2)
Re:You got moon? (Score:2)
More Conspiricy Theories... (Score:2)
ttyl
Farrell
corn? (Score:2)
Re:corn? (Score:2)
Adult Swim (Score:4, Insightful)
Why geeks should care about Monsanot (mis-)ruling (Score:2, Insightful)
This farmer hasn't broken any laws. He's not accused of breaking any laws. All of this is because of a contract.
The Monsanto reps only had to find some traces of the genetic markers in his field. Traces do the farmer no good at all. Roundup is a herbicide that kills broadleaf plants, including non-modified canola. To get any value from the 'illegitimate' plants, the whole field would have to have been of roundup ready canola.(so he could spray the field, and not kill off his own crop).
In my opinion, this case legitimizes all the things we fear from abusive EULAs.It legitimizes giving up your rights to a contract that you can't be expected to understand. It legitimizes giving up those rights, even after the practical use of the contract expire (I've uninstalled MediaPlayer, but I can't unsign the Licence agreement). It legitimizes contract law over common sense.
Today its Monsanto. Tomorrow it could be Mircrosoft, or RIAA (ever read the small print on the cd case before you buy it?).
Chopper Dave (Score:2)
"It's less of a time machine than it is a.. dodge ball cannon."
Re:Chopper Dave (Score:2)
Maybe you don't want the imported BBA. (Score:2)
Thank you so much for your E-Mail.
About you inquiry we would like to guide you as following.
1.We enciphered the country number(the number identifies
each country)and embedded that in Dream Cast(DC)
2.Since differences of voltage, we fear Broadband Adapter(BbA)
might be a cause of a fire.
3.We sell BbA only for collect on deliverly, but this way of
payment is available only in Japan.
Therfore the function itself of BbA is not adapted to DC
(overseas edition) as you have, and that is unavailable for you.
We feel sorry and have to apology, but because more than anything
else we don't hope to bother you(particularly reason 2.),
we decline your subscription.
We will be so glad if you agree above-mentioned reasons
and we hope this information helps you.
If there is anything more we can do for you, please don't
hesitate to let us know.
Best Regards,
---
Dreamcast (Hiragana/Kanji/Katakana redacted due to
---
CSI (Hiragana/Kanji/Katakana redacted due to
-=-=-
They make a good (if engrish-ridden) point. Different power requirements and different country stamps mean that you may be buying 49$ USD paper weights.
Re:Maybe you don't want the imported BBA. (Score:2)
Assuming that they are made the same way as the last units that they produced, then there should be no problem. I don't see why they would be any different.
Besides... Even the import Dreamcasts themselves work fine. We will see what happens though. I diubt that there will be a problem. American and Japanese voltages (frequency, actually 50/60Hz)do differ, slightly, but it isn't enough to really make a difference on modern devices. If I were in Europe, then I might be concerned. But I am not, and I use an NTSC console.
Re:Maybe you don't want the imported BBA. (Score:2)
Also- it looks like the region number that they are referring to is not part of the BBA, but the Dreamcast itself. It is a standard region lockout. Normally, this only effects software. It doesn't effect peripherals on the Dreamcast (except for light guns, which operate just a bit differently).
All of the software that was ever created for the Dreamcast (regardless of region) uses the broadband devices in the exact same way, so there should be no differences from these and the original units. This is why you could play the Japanese PSO on a Dreamcast from another region, with any BBA unit from any region.
Re:Maybe you don't want the imported BBA. (Score:2)
Re:Maybe you don't want the imported BBA. (Score:2)
They really just don't want to ship overseas. Nothing more. NCS is offering a perfectly sensible way to order one, and they're cheaper too.
Re:Dreamcast NIC (Score:2)
PSO V2 is still popular, but isn't nearly the way it was a year ago.
Re:Software patents aren't the only ones that suck (Score:2)
You notice the problem that it is much easier to analyze inventions and copy them than it is to hide the invention. Why would anybody innovate products that require significant R&D then?
Software is much better looked at as an exception to patent law than the direct example of how things should be done. The extreme rate of development and low cost of research in software (and obviousness of a lot of it) are not congruant to many other fields.
Re:Software patents aren't the only ones that suck (Score:2)
A couple random shots at drug companies, I remember reading these, I didn't look up any hard numbers on these, so take witha grain of salt, or try looking up yourself and not be as lazy as me:
People everywhere can be scum. When you have opaque tech, or opaque enough to the average person (drug companies, car mechanics, OS vendors) you have a better opportunity to be scum.
Re:Software patents aren't the only ones that suck (Score:2)
Each successful drug must pay the R&D cost for 10 unsuccessful drugs.
Re:If it is so hard to tell.. (Score:2, Funny)
Re:New Japanese Broadband Adapters wont work here (Score:2)