* Posts by Ian Michael Gumby

4454 publicly visible posts • joined 11 Apr 2006

Apple pushes back release date for 'dustbin chic' Mac Pro

Ian Michael Gumby

@AC

You do realize that Apple doesn't have a really good business model when it comes to selling to the corporate world. That's never been their niche.

The reason why this really is a non news story is that the WSJ ran articles on how the iMac desktop outperformed the new Mac Pro on many common everyday tasks. So that very few programs and people could take advantage of the multi-core systems.

The only people they are 'pissing off' are fanbois. But you have to ask... how can you piss them off because they won't leave....

IBM job cuts: Big Blue starts 'slaughter' of Indian and European workforce

Ian Michael Gumby

Re: Where the axe should fall

At IBM, its easier to take a customer out to a steak dinner than it is to get him a sleeve of IBM logo'd golf balls and a golf shirt.

I kid you not.

$60.00 in spiffs versus 350.00 dinner and bar tab.

Now 6 months later... what's going to jog his memory. The shirt hanging in his closet, or the golf balls he's practicing putting, or the steak dinner he had months ago with what's his name? ...

;-)

Ian Michael Gumby

Re: @ Destroy All Monsters

"You must be a supporter of the golden parachutes and the obscene salaries that CEOs et al are used to. Because they really deserve it right? "

JahBless ... If I am the CEO of my own company, I take on all of the risk.

I work 60+ hour weeks months on end.

I forgo vacations.

So when things take off, yeah I want the salary. I want the total comp package.

I think I deserve it.

Now if you're talking about the tosser who comes in to help grow the company... sells you a bill of goods? His parachute is golden because he's taking on a lot of risk to come lead your company. If he fails... you toss him out of the plane and he's not going to find his next job as easy as the techie who has head hunters calling him 24/7

Think about it.

Ian Michael Gumby

@ Destroy ... Re: Yet the pitiful...

Did you see the people they are letting go?

Those jobs are going to people in China.

When IBM sold off Lenovo... good buh-bye people working in STM and others in the hardware division.

Not many other companies in India are doing that type of work.

Not to mention many firms in the US are figuring it out that they can hire people in rural and midwestern communities for less than they thought as Indians have routinely wanted raises and bringing up their costs.

So as it gets more expensive to do work in India... its dropping in certain parts of the US...

Sorry guys, you work for IBM... they routinely fire people who happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. You are all drones/borg bots. To the bean counters at IBM... you all look alike, sound alike and are disposable...

Home lab operators: Ditch your servers ... now!

Ian Michael Gumby
FAIL

You can't use VMware for a lot of things...

I'll probably be down voted... but hey! What else is new?

Look, for some stuff, sure creating VMs works wonders.

Until you get in to trying to do some sensitive tuning and benchmarking.

Then you need to have physical hardware.

If you want to go VM... there's always AWS and their competitors which is a heck of a lot cheaper.

Hint: The wife hated the whine of server fans coming from my office until I consolidated to a single 2 socket (E5) box with slow moving fans and huge cpu coolers and a NUC for my email/web server.

Now she's happy.

Even the AWS bill isn't that bad.

Netflix speed index shows further decline in Verizon quality

Ian Michael Gumby

@Christian Berger Re: Overly aggressive throttling?

That reminds me of a fat comedian who talked about going to an 'all you could eat' Chinese Buffet where the owner started putting tons of MSG in the food. (Enough to kill an Elephant...)

To your point... what you pay is based on their estimates as to what the average user will do online.

So when you have a fringe group going beyond... that screws up the model so they start to limit.

I don't like it, but I do understand it.

NYPD dons Google tech specs: Part man. Part machine. All Glasshole

Ian Michael Gumby

@AC Re: Lawsuit

Yup,

But not for the reason you think...

Suppose a glasshole police were to look at you, and from facial recognition determine you're a dangerous homicidal maniac. The cop arrests you and then detains you even though you can prove who you say you are...

That would be a lawsuit waiting to happen.

Then there is the issue of bad data where the glasshole determines that there's an outstanding warrant for you...

While the officer could claim 'good faith', the city would lose the case.

The only benefit would be that each police officer would be a walking CCTV.

Of course Google likes this because they will get all of the data to better market things to you...

So the next time a bunch of adult based entertainment pops up on your screen, it will be because some glasshole happened to be walking down the city street and glance at you as you come out of that adult bookstore....

Google will dodge EU MONSTER FINES by 'promoting' rival search services

Ian Michael Gumby

Re: @ Trevor_Pott

Again,

Microsoft is not as evil or as capable as Google.

If you actually believed that... then you really don't realize the significance of Google's efforts and breadth of infiltration.

Microsoft is less evil because they are openly corporate and thus their motivations are known.

Google? They claim to not be evil and to do no evil. Yet, time and time again... they do evil.

Ian Michael Gumby

Re: @ Trevor_Pott

I suggest that you do a bit more research.

I can say its a fact that you really don't know what you're talking about.

Google owns search and until people who run websites wake up... google will always have a distinct advantage over Microsoft and others.

Ian Michael Gumby

@Keep Refrigerated... Re: There is one thing positive...

"Now rival search engines and *shudder* vertical search sites can advertise on Google Search for... Search! ("Yo Dawg...")"

No, the key is that any site can use multiple ad suppliers on their site not just sign up with Google.

So you can use either Google or Yahoo! whichever pays more...

Ian Michael Gumby

@James Cook... Re: @Wilseus... Why?

It depends on the manufacturing process... as you build the PC, you have to put the drives in and if that's automated, pulling them from a single source is faster than having to pull it from a secondary source.

Also you would have to stock two different supply bins. One with OS X the other with OS Y.

The other reason...

Adware.

You can't sell adware on Linux and no OS boxes.

Think of all of those 'games' and try and buy products that came preloaded. ;-)

They make money off of that...

Ian Michael Gumby

@Wilseus... Re: Why?

"If the EU really want to enforce this kind of antitrust thing, why don't they look at stopping things like MS "forcing" PC manufacturers to install Windows on every machine they sell? "

They did.

The problem is that Microsoft discounted the cost of the OS to a point that it was cheaper for the manufacturer to pay the Microsoft tax on all machines than to actually install it.

Dell tried to sell machines w Linux preloaded. They still do in the enterprise server market, but not to the home buyer. (How many home buyers want Linux?) Those pc buyers who want a different OS are the ones who can install it.

Depending on the manufacturing process. It could be cheaper to install windows than it is not to install it.

Again the point is that the US declared Microsoft a monopoly and that forced some legal changes on how they could operate.

Ian Michael Gumby

@AC and @dogged Re: Why?

Google isn't a monopoly because they haven't been judged to be a monopoly.

Once being judged a monopoly Google will have to change how they do business.

Its weird... but that's how it works...

Google is defacto a monopoly all but in name.

The EU commission could declare them a monopoly but Google would then fight it.

Apple in patent cross-hairs AGAIN

Ian Michael Gumby

Phone vs Cellular network?

Ok,

Color me silly, but how is this a handset issue?

(Granted I'm too lazy to read the patent.)

From the article, the patent deals more with providing priority to cells making emergency calls, which wouldn't be a handset, but the cell tower and cell network which decides which calls are more important or should be given a higher priority. (Assuming congestion issues.)

First Dell, now IBM: 15,000 jobs face the axe at Big Blue, says union

Ian Michael Gumby

Poor IBM...

When you let your bean counters run the company, you end up watching a slow death.

People are not all the same. Just because Joe sits in the cube next to me has the same job title, doesn't mean that he has the same skill sets and can do the same work that I can do. But to the bean counter, we are both FTEs with the same job description and therefore we should be replaceable.

That may be true of accountants or line workers, but not for people who have to think for a living.

To the bean counter... its cheaper to take the hit and make older workers redundant who are working in one field. than to retrain them on a new tech. Instead they hire a recent grad who knows the new tech.

Th reason this doesn't work is that the older guy has experience that can impact the decision making process and save the company from making a costly mistake. We can look at the Target breech and after the postmortem is completed, we should be able to see how the gaps in hiring and experience, manifested itself.

Of course HR and the Bean counters don't want you to see that. After all they want you to focus on all of the short term gains they made by getting rid of the more expensive staff.

In terms of the economy, its the same bean counters that make you redundant, also tell you that the economy is improving. They count a job pouring java in a coffee shop as the same as a java developer.

Brocade-funded study says Fibre Channel faster than FCoE

Ian Michael Gumby

How fast is fast enough?

How much value do you put on simplifying your wiring?

Case in point... if 10GbE is fast enough (meaning you're not saturating your link and the latency is not noticeable... does the simplicity of having one set of networking cables out weigh the underlying speed?

Google bit barge ordered to set sail for safe waters

Ian Michael Gumby

So is evil when...

... you follow the mantra that its easier to beg for forgiveness than it is to ask for permission?

Google says do know evil. [sic]

Knowing that its easier to violate the law until you're caught, then beg for forgiveness.

Google Glassholes, GET OFF our ROADS, thunder lawmakers in seven US states

Ian Michael Gumby

Re: Where's the Google Lobbying

Did you notice that Google is now starting to get involved w the Republican party?

Its the Democrats who want a nanny state. They are the ones who are banning these devices.

But you may be right...

Gene boffins: Yes, you. Staring at the screen. You're a NEANDERTHAL

Ian Michael Gumby
Joke

Re: "You're a NEANDERTHAL"

You know you're an Neanderthal when you have to shave your knuckles.

Yes, Google can afford to lose $9bn in Motorola sale. But did it really?

Ian Michael Gumby
Facepalm

Food for thought...

So Google has the holding company which owns the patents.

OK,

So is it possible for Google to then transfer those assets (patents) to an Irish subsidiary and then use it for a Double Irish tax dodge?*

Wouldn't this also be a way to gain extra value out of the patents, regardless of how enforceable they are?

*I say dodge, but its all legal even if it leaves a bad taste in our mouths...

Home-grown server kit saves Facebook 'a billion dollars'

Ian Michael Gumby

@AC Duh nope...

Support is an issue.

If you notice... FB and others have been buying white boxes from a company (not building their own) where they do get support.

Of course in a Hadoop cluster, if a drive fails, you replace the hot-swap drive and restart.

If the box fails, your cluster is still up and you don't notice it. You can wait 24-48 hours to get a new one built and shipped.

This hype-o-rama is basically saying that they want to share designs so that those white box makers will have supply in stock and can drop ship one overnight.

The key issue is that they are building kit that they want. Meaning IBM, HP and others were asleep at the switch and ignored their customers.

It still takes time to fix the problem. How long... depends on the problem and the staff.

All this does is try to ensure that their suppliers are still in business when they stop ordering massive amounts of hardware and go in to replacement mode. (Boxes don't fail that often.)

Its all hype.

Facebook app now reads your smartphone's text messages? THE TRUTH

Ian Michael Gumby
Black Helicopters

If you believe FB, I've got a bridge to sell you...

First,

Try setting up a new FB account where they require you to enter a phone number to verify you're a real person. (Good reason to get a Burner.)

Second... You are their product. They didn't have to do it the way they did. They could have had you enter it yourself.

Think of this as evolution in progress. Those that have gained enough intelligence will ditch their FB accounts and walk away from it. Anyone who wants to get a hold of me, knows how to do it.

What can Microsoft learn from 'discontinued operations' at Nokia?

Ian Michael Gumby
Boffin

Its FUD and a MYTH... Re: Reason?

"Though I guess if you're OK with completely closed OS, mandatory Live and Bing services and TIFKAM, it should be fine."

Closed OS?

Tell me sparky how much modding of the OS have you done on your android?

Very little I presume. Most people don't mod the OS on their phones and for a very good reason.

1) They want a phone , not a brick.

2) They don't know the OS well enough to do any real mods which goes beyond writing an App.

So to say Android which has Big Brother (Google is now Big Brother because they ignore the laws and border of the countries around the world....) looking at every thing you do. Go, see and talk too.

The Nokia fits his dad's needs, especially since he no longer needs to carry a separate pocket camera.

Ian Michael Gumby

Who cares about the OS?

Seriously...

Microsoft gets bashed because... well they're Microsoft.

As long as the phone has the apps and the features you want and need and its easy to use... that's pretty much it.

The problem is that people forget the truth and want to bash products for the sake of bashing them to look cool and hip.

What I want is a phone where it transmits random numbers for my GPS coordinates unless I am making a call and then only the telco has the data.

I want a phone where I don't get advertisements as free texts sent by my phone company.

I want a phone where I have the option of encrypted email and sms text messages.

And a long battery life.

Is that too much to ask?

Quivering, spine-tingling wearable tech: Strap it on and don't look back

Ian Michael Gumby

Its a waste...

First, it depends on what's causing your back problem.

Herniate or rupture a disk and you are in for a world of hurt. It takes a course of steroids and flexeral to help get you to the point to where you can start Physical Therapy.

Then as another poster said... its called strengthening your core.

All this device does is act as a positive re-enforcement for things you should be doing. And there are free low tech ways you can achieve the same thing...

Bottom line, best thing... focus on strengthening your core and to lose that extra weight.

Prof Stephen Hawking: 'There are NO black holes' – they're GREY!

Ian Michael Gumby

@AC Re: "I know absolutely nothing about the black holes...

Yes and No. But most likely no, since you will be shredded before the electric impulse hits your brain.

Of course because you're in the event horizon and space/time is all mucked up, it could be that you feel it and what would appear to be instantaneous could be an infinitely long time of pain and suffering.

Naw, just kidding.

You'll end up dead somewhere along the trip to the black hole that you're investigating.

Facebook debunks Princeton's STUDY OF DOOM in epic comeback

Ian Michael Gumby
Boffin

There are lies, damn lies and then there are statitstics...

If you want to see why Facebook is doomed to failure, just look at its predecessors. Compuserve, AOL and others.

The community will last until a point. And then people will leave out of boredom. There is also a diversity of sites that offer similar parts of the service, without the over abundance of ads.

As people leave and new people don't join, they will be forced to push more ads to make more revenue off their shrinking population. Its an inevitable death spiral.

How long it will take, is anyone's guess.

Ian Michael Gumby

Re: Domed

That would be MIT.

If memory serves its the main library that has a dome and one year, many, many moons ago, someone put a big nipple on it calling it the breast of knowledge.

Note that other objects include a working telephone booth. (Yes, you really have to go back to the 70's and early 80's to see some of these crazy hacks.

And in the fall of '82, MIT 1 vs. Harvard/Yale 0; (Half time prank where they inflated a big balloon filled with talcum powder so that it wouldn't stick....)

Patent-holding firm's lawsuit against Googorola kicks off

Ian Michael Gumby

@Someone Else Re: Pot calling the kettle black?

"No, it doesn't sound like you got this straight at all."

Really?

So I am mistaken on what's known as the "Double Irish"

Am I mistaken that Google, Apple and others use this to hide money from paying taxes? Note that its a legal tax dodge.

But in order to do this, they have to transfer IP and they transfer cash to the IP holding company?

Ooops! That's it. Right? Apple and company aren't transferring tech to these wholly owned subsidaries that exist only to hold IP and keep millions offshore outside of US taxes?

Say it aint so. Please tell me where I'm wrong!

But I'm not. Am I?

I'm not faulting Eric Schmidt who says " we're not breaking the laws and if you want to stop us, change the laws..."

But what I am saying is that if they create a holding company for their patents, then they can't claim that a holding company for patents shouldn't be able to sue them is wrong.

Or did you not like my statement that IMHO I feel that we should dump business process and software patents altogether?

Ian Michael Gumby
Boffin

Pot calling the kettle black?

So, let me get this straight.

Google is crying to the judge that because they make something, they have the rights to hold and enforce patents. (While ignoring others.) Yet this Patent Holding Company aka patent troll, because they own the patent, but don't manufacture anything, they don't have the right to enforce a patent?

Color me silly, but here's the problem... Google, like Facebook, Apple and other tech companies have created holding companies in Ireland where they house their IP.

There's this thing called the 'Double Irish'? (see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double_Irish_arrangement)

So technically Google US doesn't own the IP that they use. They created an offshore entity where they transferred the IP aka patents to which they have rights. Said company in Ireland doesn't exist except to hold the IP. Apple is famous for this... and if memory serves, El Reg did a story on Apple's IP company and their 'employees'.

So, let me get this straight...

Google creates an IP holding company in Ireland that does nothing but hold the IP and collect transfer money from Google to hide from US and other's tax jurisdictions, yet they argue that a patent holding company can't enforce their patents because they don't manufacture anything?

By their logic, Google can't enforce their own patents which they transferred offshore, nor can they sue for infringement of their IP for any IP that they moved offshore.

Unless you are going to remove process and software patents from protection... Then patent trolls are legal and fair game to sue to protect their investments. (And I am for one... against software patents )

Ian Michael Gumby
Boffin

And here's the rub...

While you are getting down voted you're on the right path.

The problem is that Google is arguing that because they build something therefore they have the right to ignore patents owned by others.

A patent represents Intellectually Property and has value. Since it has value, it can be bought or sold.

Kodak goes belly up, they sell off their patents to whomever is willing to pay cash. Using Google's logic, because they build something, they have the right to buy the patent and enforce the patent, even though they may not be currently using the patent in their products.

Google's argument doesn't hold water.

And here's a rub... Google, Apple, and others assign their IP to a holding company in Ireland. They then pay this Irish company a fee for using the IP.... So Google and company are actually just as guilty as the 'Patent Holding Company' aka 'patent troll'.

Microsoft seeks patent for blade server chassis

Ian Michael Gumby

Prior ART? Re: Welcome the the proprietary blades racket, circa 2003.

What about bread board computers and an S100 bus?

Circa 1980's

If you reckon Google will never tap into Nest's Wi-Fi thermostats, guess again

Ian Michael Gumby

Re: Dangerous information

Damn you beat me to it...

Hello Google Marketing Droid?

I want to buy the sensor information for all high net worth individuals in the Silicon Valley and San Francisco area residents to see if they might be interested in my pool cleaning services. I want to make sure that when I knock on the door, they will be home...

ESA rejoices as comet-chasing Rosetta probe wakes from 3-year nap

Ian Michael Gumby

Re: good media

Well lets play Bill Clinton on what is meant by 'asleep'.

Could it mean that most of the systems and subsystems were down and minimal power was used?

;-)

I really have to wonder how much drift in the clock occurred over the last time the clocks sync'd with earth based clocks.

Also what clock is being used on board the aircraft?

Hey, G20. Please knock it off with the whole tax loophole thing - we're good guys, really

Ian Michael Gumby

Re: Profit Margin?

"That is a 7.27% operating profit, which doesn't sound at all unreasonable. Most large companies would envy an operating profit figure that high."

And that's the point.

Most of the funds are siphoned off to Ireland and then off to somewhere else.

(Double Irish??)

It sounds good until you realize that they have a much higher profit margin than 7.2%

Imagine if they are hiding 20% of the 506m GBP. 100m GBP untaxed...

Compared to the 36m GBP that was taxed?

And that's only 20% margins. Try doubling it to 40% hidden... or 200m GBPs untaxed?

Sandisk's future is far from ULLtraDIMM: Diablo tie-up holds promise

Ian Michael Gumby
Thumb Up

Yes Chris.. dumb... :-P

Just kidding.

The interesting thing is that there doesn't appear to be anyone flogging the kit, outside of a couple of distributors in channel.

What would be interesting is how the computer sees this... is it massive amounts of memory or as linux device?

Also pricing would be nice.

Imagine a full size ATX w 8+ slots for memory. You don't really need more than 64GB of RAM so the other open slots. (Some superMicro have 16 slots??? if memory serves...) So you can put this in the slots to get a couple of TBs?

Tesla is on fire! Model S car sales are red hot – just like their chargers (yow)

Ian Michael Gumby
Coat

Re: The main reason I want a Tesla

"it is pretty sad that you have a lawyer"

Its actually sadder that he admits to having a Camaro.

Sorry, but when I was in High School, way back when... that's the car rich kid's parents bought them when they turned 16.

Mine's the jacket with the Mercedes SUV key fob in the pocket.

Ian Michael Gumby
Boffin

Re: More rushed to market nightmares

"It's great to be a tree hugger but not so much when the trees in your yard are all that's left because your Tesler S just burnt the house to the fround."

If you're a true tree hugger, you wouldn't be purchasing any sort of vehicle, Electric or otherwise.

You'd actually live in an urban environment, apartment/condo style. You would also take public (mass transit) or walk / ride your bike to work.

But lets get real.

You buy the car for its style, and its performance.

My brother-in-law bought one to replace his aging car. He ran the numbers in terms of maintenance costs and with his daily round trip commute being over 100 miles (closer to 150 miles) almost all highway, the car with the high speed charger made sense.

I wouldn't recommend anyone over 6' sitting in the back seat.

Is the car perfect? No.

Its expensive, but a blast to drive.

For your everyday car, its great, but I wouldn't recommend it for long drives because of the recharging issues.

Google Glass driver told she CAN wear techno-specs while on the road

Ian Michael Gumby
Boffin

Truly a glasshole

She got lucky.

Lets be clear...

The judge threw the case out because there was no evidence to show that the glasses were activated while she was driving. In fact, if memory serves, she maintained that she was wearing them while they were turned off. Since there are no prescriptive lenses, she is truly a glasshole for wearing them. (If not functioning, then its a 'fashion statement' which would make her a glasshole.)

Speaking in Tech: Cloud storage FAIL (as airline loses suitcase)

Ian Michael Gumby

Re: Irony...

Coming from an AC... you can't really opt-out from Google.

(You can try... but no... they still know who you are... ;-)

Look, Google makes the NSA look like rank amateurs.

Ian Michael Gumby
Flame

Irony...

Normally I don't listen to these pod casts, but this time I chose to listen....

While I loathe Boxer and Pelosi,

This is one of the rare occasions that they got it right.

The NSA's grabbing of the metadata from the calls made in the US (Phone #s, timestamp, and duration) and placed in a closed and audited system was in fact legal. See SCOTUS's ruling in Smith v. Maryland.

The irony is that while this upset the podsters, they cooed all about Google's continued invasion of our privacy.

(And no, we have no escape. Even if we don't agree to Google's capturing of our data. )

Clearly semi-intelligent people just not thinking about the world that they live in.

Ex-Oracle manager claims he was fired for asking to give Indian staff equal pay

Ian Michael Gumby

Re: Visa Fraud

You do realize that this is an issue over L1 visas which are internal company transfers and not an H1B visa issue?

Its not a simple thing...

At IBM you send an Amerikan to another country for some global seasoning, he gets to keep his salary. This is good if he's going to go to Brazil or South Africa where he can live a really good life because of the lower cost of living.

A few years ago, IBM wanted to 'repatriate' workers. So if you were an Indian citizen who was working for IBM in the US, they would fire you in the US and rehire you in India at the commensurate rates in India.

Replace India with other countries. Again this isn't an L1 type of transfer, but letting you keep your job, doing your same work, in a lower wage earning country of course at local pay.

From what I heard, not many takers, yet it was legal.

Ian Michael Gumby

Re: Irish

Look,

Here's the thing in a nutshell. If the Indian was a green card holder, or a US Citizen, and had worked with the hiring manager at a different company... then if HR was offering a lower salary solely because he was an Indian, it would clearly be discrimination and the hiring manager would be correct in blowing the whistle.

But that's not the case. That didn't happen.

Its an issue of an L1 visa transfer. The law is going to be different on an internal transfer versus a new employee hire.

I think that you've got a serious chip on your shoulder and introducing some personal bias in to a situation which is completely different. BTW if there was a union in place... they would have hired an American from outside of the company prior to bringing in an L1 transfer. So aren't you glad that there isn't an union in place?

Tales from an expert witness: Prior art and patent trolls

Ian Michael Gumby

Its a Catch-22

In the first page of the article, all of the examples are physical products that were patented.

Airplanes, Turbine engines, Hoovercraft and the infamous Dysons which are now worthless because of quality control issues and cheap manufacturing. (Sorry Dyson...)

But I digress.

Today's issues are less about patenting physical objects, but the patenting of business processes and such.

A shopping cart for a web site? Really? Design of a screen layout and what a swipe or gesture means? Again, Really?

The point is that software patents are being given out when the idea isn't really novel, unique or worthy of a patent. IMHO, this has to stop.

With respect to patent trolls, its a slippery slope.

First, a patent has value. Its intellectual property. Its considered an asset and is treated as such. It can be bartered, sold, and licensed. So as an asset, you have the legal right to protect that asset.

You can't just remove the right of anyone who owns a patent, to protect the value of the asset against infringement. (Oracle bought Sun which owned Java. Google allegedly copied Java to get out of paying royalties on Java ME. Doesn't Oracle have the right to sue Google?)

The point is that legitimate companies can buy and sell companies and their assets, or just buy the asset and have the legitimate right to protect the asset.

So, how do you define a patent troll?

Merely having a portfolio of patents doesn't make one a troll.

Merely protecting your assets doesn't make one a patent troll.

Its when the patent holder abuses the court system and uses it to blackmail litigants in to settling because its cheaper than fighting it out in a protracted court battle.

There is a company that just settled with the NY State's Attorney and has to refund any monies gained from their lawsuits against New Yorkers and an agreement to never sue anyone in NY again over these patents.

Its at the point that the patent holder becomes a vexatious litigant that they should be tossed from the courts.

We saw this in a group of lawyers who sued people on copyright infringement over porn distributed via bit torrent. Only the lawyer owned the company purported to own the copyrights to the porn... (or something like that.)

I'm not trying to condone patent trolling. Far from it.

I'm just trying to point out that the problem is harder than you'd think and that while it would take a judge to rule that the trolls are along the lines of a vexatious litigant, we also need to stop the bogus 'Business Process' and Software patents from being created in the first place.

Google stabs Wikipedia in the front

Ian Michael Gumby

@obnoxious Git

Google walks the web and indexes it as part of search engine and makes money doing it.

By getting people to use their search contents, they make money from selling ads.

They walk, they index, you visit them to use their index. They post ads, track you so that they can post more ads that you're likely to click on.

That's their money making sauce.

One can always object when Google violates mechanisms that they claim to enforce.

One can also object when Google enters a market using monies from advertisements to subsidize their entry in to the market such that drain their competitors, only to later monetize the system and ultimately hurt competition.

Ian Michael Gumby

Re: Agenda...

"You seem to misunderstand free open source, if you don't want anyone to come along and use your work, don't make it free and open source. "

He's not.

The fact that Google crawls the web and then indexes the photo is only part of it, Its when another site steals his work and uses it without approval. Note that he's work isn't free nor open source.

The key is when building a site, using the robots.txt to signify no crawling of that portion of your site. As well as watermarking the images.

Then if Google does ignore the robots.txt (if I have the name right.) Then you would have grounds for a massive class action lawsuit. Until of course Google plays the rogue programmer story....

Hackers slurp credit card details from US luxury retailer Neiman Marcus

Ian Michael Gumby

HSBC Credit card processing?

Don't know what's left of it, but in the US, HSBC sold off the Credit Card biz a while back to Capital One.

As to security and such... when you hire under-qualified staff and off shore your IT development, you get what you paid for.

Hubble 'scope snaps 600-LIGHT-YEAR-wide pic of star-spawning nebula

Ian Michael Gumby
Alien

Is it just me..

Or does the picture look like a big giant flying spaghetti monster?

Could Joe Tucci's parting shot at EMC be to SELL OFF VMware?

Ian Michael Gumby

WTF?

VMWare is part of Pivotal.

If anything they would spin off all of Pivotal which would be Greenplum, VMware and their Big Data stuff.

It doesn't make sense to pull VMware out of their "Green" Stack. (IBM is known as "Blue Stack" hence the "Green Stack for EMC)

Ban-dodging Mac Pro to hit Blighty's shops as Apple bows to fan fears

Ian Michael Gumby

Re: MAC Pro - CPU is Upgradable

Sorry had to down vote that.

Upgrade is 'relative'. You could always buy a slower chip or one with less cores to start and then upgrade within the same cpu socket.

Example... buying a small i3 and then pushing up to i7 while staying within the 1150 socket.