AT&T Plans to Filter Copyrighted Files In Transit
AT&T (a.k.a the evil empire that won't die), is going to start filtering Internet traffic to remove copyrighted material in transit.
Fortunately, there's no chance this will work for long. First there's the SET technology for filesharing that uses generic chunks from files unrelated to copyrighted material to speed up sharing. If this gets implemented, not only will .... [Click here to read the rest of this post]
Tags: AT&T, net neutrality, P2PGoogle Throws Bone, but Keeps Skeleton
This is pretty funny. First it was going to be 24 months and now they've changed it to 18. However, they want to "firmly reject any suggestions that we could meet our legitimate interests in security, innovation and anti-fraud efforts with any retention period shorter than 18 months".
They probably .... [Click here to read the rest of this post]
Tags: GoogleFair Debt Collection Still Not Fair
Some people still get on my case for being such a strong proponent of business regulation. They think that because of that, I don't put enough of the blame on the consumer (who is obviously at fault for the trouble the get themselves into). However, it's clear that the playing field is not level, the businesses use tricks .... [Click here to read the rest of this post]
Tags: Customer Abuse, DebtBush Can’t Hold You Forever Without a Trial
One of the scariest developments of the Bush reign was the power to take any citizen, declare them an enemy combatant, and jail them indefinitely with no trial or evidence. That practice has been recently (finally) overturned.
"To sanction such presidential authority to order the military to seize and indefinitely detain civilians . . . .... [Click here to read the rest of this post]Confessions of a Circuit City Employee
The Consumerist is featuring a neat expose on Circuit City as told by a former employee. Some of this stuff is scary familiar:
1. When buying any product, expect the salesmen to tell you that after around 13 months, a certain part or battery will need replacing. The common manufacturers warranty only covers 12 .... [Click here to read the rest of this post]
“McJob” Added to Dictionary as Word for Lousy Job, McDonald’s Livid
From the, "funny, but so appropriate" department, McDonald's is freaking out because "McJob" has been officially added to the Webster's Dictionary as "a low-paying job that requires little skill and provides little opportunity for advancement". The Oxford English Dictionary defines it as "an unstimulating, low-paid job with few prospects, especially one created by the expansion of the service sector".
.... [Click here to read the rest of this post]Tags: McDonalds, McJobGoogle Bashed as Worst Privacy Offender
Privacy International has released a report of privacy scores for top Internet companies and Google was notably the only one to receive the lowest ranking.
Not everyone agrees with this assessment, but I personally tend to side with Privacy International.
I like Google and use it constantly because of .... [Click here to read the rest of this post]
Tags: Google, Privacy InternationalPoliticians for Hire?
Today, I read an article that takes a look at the members of congress who are speaking loudly about copyright issues and noticing that most of them have had fairly significant campaign contributions from the RIAA and the MPAA (both well know organizations who attack individuals for alleged copyright infringement and supporters of the much hated DRM technology).
.... [Click here to read the rest of this post]Tags: Congress, DRM, RIAAFinally, A Solution to Windows XP’s Most Annoying Problem!
Maybe this has been around a while, but it's the first time I've seen it. There are utilities to unlock files that Windows won't let you delete because they are "in use".
The main suggestion in the article is a free utility called "unlocker" which will probably work well for normal users and I might add it to .... [Click here to read the rest of this post]
Tags: Tools, Well Duh!, WindowsAwarded, Then Sued for Improving Microsoft Software
What's the best way to attract a pile of threatening lawyers' letters from Microsoft? Sell pirate copies of Windows? Write a DRM-busting program?
Londoner Jamie Cansdale has just discovered a new approach. He had the temerity to make Redmond's software better. Oh wow! First they give him an award (the Most Valuable Professionals MVP .... [Click here to read the rest of this post]
Tags: Customer Abuse, Microsoft