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[if]

This whole this controversy is about patented processes getting standardized recognition in the EU. A lot of people don't like that, me included. I'd much rather see only open standards being approved.

That said the EU have at least stepped in and insisted that if you want your patented process to be accepted you must agree to not abuse your ownership of the patent afterwards. For example Motorola wanted to have all Apple products using some 3g patent banned EU wide. This was a retaliatory act by Motorola against Apple alone. The courts stepped in a said that since Motorola's technology was standardized and subject to FRAND the they couldn't suddenly discriminate against Apple using it (see here for eg).

This still bothers the Free software people, who don't want to have to buy a license at all, be it at a fair price or not. Again I'm inclined to agree with them. Importantly though, nowhere is free software being outlawed.

As for rebuttals and name calling. Well it's difficult to rebut a lie, in any place of sane conversation it would be upon the lier to defend their remarks. In this case, nowhere in any of the links provided by Iain is there anything about outlawing free software. If someone cares to actually elaborate on the remarks and explain the outlawing then awesome, in the mean time everything that has been linked suggests that no outlawing is taking place and so the remark to that effect is a lie.

As for name calling, remarks such as

Meanwhile the EU populations lie down and passively allow this non-democracy (or reversal of democracy) to roll right over them.

Maybe they will soon have the appointment of an Emperor...it's what they probably deserve.

Is blatant anti-EU racism, something which is becoming depressingly more common on DC.

[outlawed]

I don't really knows whats happening with the political propaganda being spammed on DC recently. For example the title of this thread "proposes to have Free software outlawed in the EU?" is a lie. Nothing more, nothing less, just an outright lie.

So instead of trying to do the impossible and rigorously define “Reasonable And Non Discriminatory” (RAND) for every possible corner case they are instead leaving it to judges to make the decisions on a case by case basis?

EU bureaucrats making up this seemingly bonkers type of legislation

Care to elaborate?

Saw reddit going mad over this too. Personally I prefer the slightly more accurate title of "Computer algorithm gets false positive".

I agree the default is plain silly. Personally I always bump the setting up to maximum on my own machine as well as I any I install for others.

[every single time]

Anyone who hates UAC obviously never used Linux or OS X. Neither of those systems have the concept of a "protected desktop" so instead of a simple Yes/No prompt, they have to get you to type in a password every single time you do anything that needs elevation. OS X in particular is the worst, when installing large software such as Xcode you'll be asked to type in your password multiple times, I'm talking 5+ times, during the install process.

Even if the only differentiating feature Pinboard had was it being ad free, I completely fail to see how that is a sleazy business tactic.

Perhaps 7zip? It has a command line interface and meets your other requirements too I believe

I come to the conclusion recently that there is nothing wrong with the internet at all, that in fact it is working as perfectly as one could ever want, just don't believe a word you read on it.

I don't fully get this "last day" thing. As I understood it's the last day before Google combine all you data, but I've hadn't before heard that after this you can no longer delete anything.

I guess after today it'd be nigh impossible to delete just your search history without affecting other Google services you avail of. Is that what people mean by "last day"?

Where did get that from? Steve Job hasn't been minimalist towards UI design for the last decade.

Exactly, I was confused when I first saw the title to this thread. Having used OS X and iOS both are way less minimalist than Windows or Android respectively.

I must say regarding Iron, it's one of the pieces of software I'm completely happy with. I've been using it for close to a year now, on all three platforms without any issues. I check back every now and again for updates and they seem very regular.

Rebuilding and redistributing open-source software isn't a scam so long as you respect the license. I've noticed a new term gain traction among Android ROM developers- kang. So long as you're honest and upfront about what you are doing then kanging is fine.

Asia is not big on tipping. After all you're supposed to do your job and be nice to customers, that's not something which deserves a tip.

I'm biased because I'm a huge C++ fan, but I hope everyone out there can agree that this is an excellent talk and well worth watching no matter what language you code in.

[attachimg=#]
Day 1 Keynote - Bjarne Stroustrup: C++11 Style

[BRILLIANT~!]

Next step will be engineering a gradual reduction leading to the eventual end of open platform PC manufacturing. Afterwards, all there will be left are walled-garden devices licensed, monitored, and controlled by government friendly corporations.

Damn... It just occurred to me... These people are BRILLIANT~! Seriously. They're making Einstein look like a mentally challenged version of Chris Dodd. Errr... well, for what that's worth anyways. Smart bacteria? Whatever...

Wow, if you genuinely think these comments are related to the article, then you people lost all grip with reality.......................

Ah yes. Once again the "blame the victim" mindset reveals itself. And not for the first time. 

Ok  i guess if somebody is so stupid as to speak their mind in private, they obviously "deserve" whatever happens by way of payback. Any rational and even slightly moral adult couldn't help but reach any other judgement.

I said deserve to get caught, I didn't say people deserve any and all consequences thereafter. For example complaining about your employer to your friend over "private" email doesn't justify them firing you.

But relying on the likes of Google or Facebook to help keep you safe is plain naive. It's laws and regulations that have to step in and prevent such things being used against you, which in in Ireland at least they do. An employer would face unfair dismissal cases if they sacked you over something like that.

Can you say: criticize your employer or the government and later face repercussions - and then wonder how they knew? Especially since you only did so in an email sent to your best friend?

That's slightly conspiracy-ish. But at the same time, anyone having potentially damaging conversations over someone else's network pretty much deserves to be caught IMHO.

[using Google services]

I have an Android phone. How does this affect me?: Because you have to sign in to your Google account to do anything except for browse the Web and make phone calls, Google will be able to track practically anything you do on your phone using Google services.

So even on the phones, it's limited to what you do while logged in, and apparently you can browse and call without that happening.
Troubling news, but not unexpected, and seemingly easily circumvented.

The great thing about Android is that you don't have to use the Google services, you can use any of the plethora of alternatives. In fact if you go a step further and install a ROM like CyanogenMod you can opt to not have a single Google app installed on the device to begin with.

[edit] Also people should checkout - http://www.google.com/int.../en-GB/privacy/tools.html

There you can opt out of search personalisation, targeted ads, etc.

Simple answer is to login to YouTube etc. with a different account.

  That's the plan.

Why though, all they're doing is aggregating their profile on the types of topics/things you Google with the types of videos you like to watch. Something I'd assumed they always did.

Also one should realise too that you can view the profile Google has built up on you and request that they no longer use targeted ads.

I looked at my profile and found it very benign, basically they'd identified what music I like, that I'm into C++ programming, etc. All very broad stuff. Admittedly you're relying on them being honest in disclosing what they know, but nonetheless I have found my paranoia has subsided of late.

You mean they weren't already doing this?

Well it would be interesting to know what percentage of content on MegaUpload was legal v illegal.

The disease being lack of access/means to legitimate means to get digital content.

Yes and no. There is an 'entitled' generation growing up for whom they very concept of paying for music doesn't make sense. Pretending that, when offered with a very convenient means to buy music, they will choose too is as big lie as the ones Big Content are spewing.

I'm never quite sure where I stand on the idea of Johnny Joe sharing a copy of an album he bought with Jimmy Bob down the road. Frankly I find it difficult say they are doing anything wrong.

On the other hand MegaUpload and similar sites are profiting by distributing other peoples works. Once you make money, you're no longer sharing, and you deserve to be stopped.