Brielle's Ramblings

Sometimes, I stumble on interesting documents that I want to share with the world.  This random Focus On The Family document deals with domains they don't want their people e-mailing because of 'delivery issues' in the past.  Archived here just in case the original disappears.  Interesting how they claim its for 'legislative compliance'.

In the Boise area, I've been noticing these advertisements from the National Association Of Broadcasters talking about how evil individuals are trying to take away broadcast television.  The issue at hand, is not that broadcast TV is being taken away, but rather the use of unused frequency ranges called 'white spaces'.

The DTV transition that happened last year freed up alot of space in the TV broadcast ranges - areas that the FCC would like to use to promote new wireless broadband oppertunities.  These new broadband technologies wouldn't sit on the same frequency ranges as the DTV signals, but would rather run in the unused spaces that are siting idle. 

The FCC has already shot down the NAB after doing research and tests of their own, finding that with the information they found, plus regulations, there won't be any issues with white space devices disrupting television signals.  There is alot of great information on the wikipedia page about the issues.

In short, don't let the crying of the NAB fool you - they're trying to stifle new wireless broadband options that the govt and companies want to bring to you.

Found this today on the FSTDT Twitter page.

WARNING: DO NOT VIEW IF YOU ARE EPILEPTIC OR VALUE YOUR EYESIGHT

What is it with the Jesus freaks and website design?  Are they all this inept?

Companies are all buzzing about DRM and how it 'protects' their intellectual property, programs, etc.   Sometimes, DRM is warranted - take for example, a program like Photoshop - perhaps the most widely used and powerful photo editing program in the world.  It's a ripe target for piracy.  Other times, DRM is absolutely pointless given what the program does.  Take these two examples:

* A program that is used to program and control a specific brand of sewing machine (complete with its own touch screen LCD panel and stylus), to add patterns, styles, etc.  The program not only requires a 15k computerized sewing machine, but a rather expensive software package complete with hardware USB dongle to 'authorize' the software to actually install/run.  If you lose the dongle, its 1k to replace.  One has to ask, how many people in the world would actually have one of these computerized sewing machines, let alone the need for the software package?   Unless I missed something and there's a 0day granny hacking group out there pirating this, why oh why would anyone even have the desire to try the program?  Are the hackers making doilies on Friday nights now to impress one another?

* A $125 add-on for AutoCAD that embeds spredsheet cells in drawings that requires a licensing server for as little as 2 copies.  Not only is the licensing server very unstable and crashes often, but it can't run on a headless machine through RDP.  "No problem!" says the company, "run it on one of the workstations!"  Ahhh, no.  They seemed shocked that we actually had servers with no monitor on them - they've obviously never seen how real companies setup a server room.  Meanwhile, no licensing server, no add-on goodness.  Half a dozen support incidents later involving replacing the licensing server with a 'custom made' one just for us that supposedly fixed the RDP problems, they opted to give us individual copies that don't require a licensing server.  Boom, problem solved, no more whiny CAD people.

In the first example, the obsecurity of the program makes it absolutely useless to anyone who didn't buy the expensive sewing machine, let alone what any self respecing software pirate might downoad (not to mention the bullshit 1k cost to replace the USB dongle).  In the second program, not only is the program very specalized and not likely to be used by anyone other then people doing building design, but its not that expensive to begin with and is absolutely useless without AutoCAD.

How many copies of their software do these companies sell each year?  I can't imagine they would come anywhere close to Windows 7, Photoshop, or even the current popular computer games.  Are they really losing any sales at all to pirates?  Seriously.

I'd like to make a request to the republicans, birthers, religious fundamentalists, and all the others who oppose the health care bills being put forth by President Obama...

Please be sure that when you are the age at which you can begin collecting social security benefits, or if you become disabled and are eligible to collect SSD, that you reject the monthly checks, medicare/medicaid, and any other benefits you are entitled to from the govt.

It would be very hypocritical to do so otherwise.  Even at 90 years old, you shouldn't need the help of the govt to survive - you have those multi-million dollar pensions, investment accounts, etc.  Even if they are bled dry, you can tough it out, right?

Over the years, I've resisted many attempts by people to convert me to their religion.  This is a quote of mine from long ago that pissed off quite a few people, but is perhaps one of my most favorite lines of all times: