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Wednesday, May 01, 2002
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Kazaa use rockets as Morpheus dives [IDG InfoWorld]
It never ceases to amaze me the lengths people will go to steal, especially when it comes to digital music. Hello? Anyone home? Does the term “spyware” mean anything to anyone?
If you absolutely must steal huge quantities of music, at least use yer frickin’ head. Every day Usenet binary groups are stuffed to the gills with MP3s, Ogg Vorbis files, SHN, APE, DTS and who knows how many other formats of endless varieties of music.
Get yourself a copy of Agent 1.91 and, if your ISP feed sucks, a decent News provider and go nuts. You’ll find all of the music you want – much more than ever makes it to swapping systems - and you’ll never have to deal with asshole spyware sneaks like KaZaA again.
Cheers,
Dusty
11:35:40 PM 
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French Display Their Shock in Big Anti-Le Pen Protests. An estimated one million people took to the streets across France on Wednesday in May Day demonstrations aimed at Jean Marie Le Pen. [New York Times: International News]
Hey, I enjoy a little frog bashing as much as the next guy, though my Real Identity surname is unmistakably Gallic. Still, I’m getting pretty sick of hearing clueless Americans laugh at the French over this stunning result of low voter turnout.
All of you red, white and blue imbeciles need to keep in mind that the “low” turnout in question was around 70%. Contrast that with the 51% turnout for the Great American Presidential Theft of 2000 and it’s not hard to see who the real bozos are. Not to mention, I don't remember 1 million Americans ever turning out to protest David fucking Duke.
Cheers,
Dusty
11:30:01 PM
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Here come the ratbots. Electrodes implanted in rats' brains can make them follow instructions and some day they could be used to rescue earthquake victims. [BBC News: sci/tech]
'Ben' on demand. Very cool technology. Very scary ramifications. Get used to it, folks. Wetware is here to stay. You think privacy is currently a big issue online? Wait until your fricking brain is online.
Cheers,
Dusty
11:24:14 PM
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Music player bug could let in MP3 viruses. Experts say this particular vulnerability is hard to exploit, but that it shows the music files could carry a threat [New Scientist]
If you're using WinAmp, why? OK, OK, just make sure you upgrade the damn thing. The latest version eliminates ID3 virus vulnerability, at least for now.
Cheers,
Dusty
11:22:25 PM
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Netscape Packs Same Bug Microsoft Patched Two Months Ago [ActiveWin]
Doh! Looks like Mozilla is solidifying their reputation as the Homer Simpsons of the browser world.
It’s a damn shame these guys can’t stop shooting themselves in the foot. As a long time Netscape user – at least up to 4 - I’d *love* to have a top quality alternative to IE 6. Obviously it ain’t gonna be Netscape. At least not any time soon.
Cheers,
Dusty
11:10:08 PM
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Small webcasters fear proposed royalties would kill Internet radio. Operating out of a spare bedroom in Kailua, Hawaii, Robert Abbett normally keeps his 200-disc CD changer loaded so Internet listeners worldwide can hear "Aloha 'Oe" and other Hawaiian tunes all day, all night. [AP Tech News]
You may or may not know that I founded and still run an Internet music company, Audiopia (www.audiopia.com). At least, it started out as a Net music company.
Like many of the independent music website operators who haven’t died outright - about 99% of the market - I’ve been forced to put Audiopia into suspended animation in hopes of reviving it at some time in a more enlightened future.
There are myriad problems inherent in the digital music “revolution,” but few are more troublesome than stupid rights tricks. Illegal swapping ploys like Napster didn’t help any.
Yes, we definitely need a system in place to protect the rights of artists. We are no closer to a fair, workable rights management system for digital distribution now than we were 5 or 6 years ago when only a few hard core geek types had even heard of MP3.
This latest volley in the rights war has all but killed off Net radio. Unless and until this issue is adequately addressed, there will be no Net music revolution.
Cheers,
Dusty
11:04:33 PM
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Pondering Digital Reputations. Our reputation may affect our lives more than any other identity construct we have. Anonymity, Pseudonymity, and other such constructs are ultimately all methods to deal with the effects of reputation. Digital Identity will create Digital Reputations, and how technology handles this has very significant privacy and security implications... [kuro5hin.org]
These days users should think through the ramifications of their online actions. Many employers, and virtually all high tech employers, will Google a prospective employee to see what they’ve said online and what others have said about them.
As most of you know, in addition to blogging I maintain a presence in other online communities, most visibly Usenet. My Usenet presence is intentionally crusty and inflammatory. I have never hidden the connection between my real identity and my nom de Net voyage. Anyone can find it easily enough.
I can do this with impunity because I simply do not give a shit what anyone might think about me, particularly anyone stupid enough to consult the kook infested corners of Usenet for background info. I don’t have to. It is highly unlikely, bordering on impossible, that I will ever have to apply for a job again.
But if you are not in that enviable position, I suggest you watch what you say and where you say it. Sure, limits on free speech suck giant Canadian moose wang, but so does living on ramen and Cheerios.
If you absolutely must rant and rave in public online forums, at least use a pseudonym and don’t link it to your real identity. Unless, like me, you don’t give a rat’s ass what anyone thinks, in which case rant on, brother.
Cheers,
Dusty
10:54:46 PM
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Jeb Bush Weeps as Drug Remarks Turn Personal. Gov. Jeb Bush cried at a drug conference as he thanked audience members for their support while he and his wife dealt with the drug-related arrest of their daughter. By The New York Times. [New York Times: National]
Poor little Jeb Bush. The big, bad ol’ press is picking on his wonderful family just because substance abuse and wild behavior runs rampant in his little conservative family values world of hypocrisy. My heart is pumping pisswater for you, Jeb.
Cheers,
Dusty
10:27:42 PM
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Key Republican Backs Cloning in Research. An influential Republican, Orrin G. Hatch of Utah, broke with President Bush to join Democrats in supporting human cloning for medical research. By Sheryl Gay Stolberg. [New York Times: Science]
Jeez, I just *hate* it when I find myself agreeing with this right wing puke in technocrat’s clothing. If you think Orrin Hatch is in any way progressive, you probably think Anita Bryant is one phat coochie momma.
For years Hatch has glommed on to everything and anything that might be the Next Big Thing ® in an attempt to spin himself as some sort of Modern Man ®. As with the proverbial blind squirrel, he occasionally gets it right. But prescient he ain’t. This guy no more understands the intricacies of cloning and stem cell research than does my dog.
Still, nice to see the Republidolts beating up on each other. And Hatch is right on this issue. It’s the idiot fundie Bushies who just don’t get it.
Cheers,
Dusty
10:24:28 PM
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Samuel Johnson. "Your manuscript is both good and original, but the part that is good is not original and the part that is original is not good." [Quotes of the Day]
6:29:04 AM
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6:26:26 AM
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© Copyright 2002 Dusty Rhodes.
Last update: 6/28/2002; 10:30:52 PM.
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