Posts by Evil Auditor

Re: Good things come to those who wait...

Interesting it is indeed. (Actually not so much...) For example IBM has been providing mobile data centres for years - containers on trucks, full of full racks and power generators, delivered to your door step. I wonder if they ever filed a patent for mobile computing.

I'm not so much questioning Amazon's idea, but much more this being patentable.

Re: Marketing/advertising have no ethic, so asking for ethical use is useless...

@Ragarath, I don't agree with you. When I take a portrait, my subject wouldn't be very happy if I left this or that ugly pimple in their face. So I eliminate it or at least tone it down. Is that a lie? You may say so, but no one likes to look at an unpleasant picture, much less so of themselves.

But it doesn't start at post production. Already the way the lighting is set up for taking the picture, to emphasis or attenuate certain features, isn't that a lie, too? I can only guess that you would agree with me that we're not required to only take portraits in harsh front light but can use lighting creatively. So, if someone has an unfavourable feature, I try to set pose and light up to make it look better. And with unfavourable feature and look better I mean in the perception of the model/client.

While some "faults", e.g. a difficult waistline, are easier to "correct" with setting up the shot, others, such as a spot in the face, are easier to "correct" in post-production. Both are "lies". Where is the ethical limit?

Check the terms of reputable press photo agencies, they have stringent conditions - you may change exposure and negligible features (e.g. dust on the lens). For me, with regard to post-production, I wouldn't touch a waistline or double chin etc. But I do "correct" minor, temporary features, like a spot on the nose (not for press though). The limit is that I don't change a material feature of the photo.

Re: Appropriate

"There was no need to report his concerns to management. He needed to go right to the appropriate legal authorities."

Actually, there is. As far as I can see, HSBC didn't break any Swiss laws. And even if it did, he would have first needed to raise his concerns with management, if he wanted to avoid legal troubles in Switzerland. Unless a whistle-blower really tried to report an issue internally, it would look rather bad in front of the court and Swiss judges would probably regard it as breach of trading secrecy.

Re: So far, so unsettling

@Christian Berger, I'm glad to hear that. Unfortunately, around here mostly it's "oh, I have nothing to hide..." Alternatively it can also be "I prefer to receive personalised ads" or "if it's for better security..." and also the resigned "they collect these data anyway".

With only a few exceptions.

@stu 4

You had a bad day, didn't you?

That would explain where your unsubstantiated rant came from...

Re: Its already here

You beat me to it! It was my exact thought when reading the article. Although before I still wondered why the AI came out now - but it all makes sense!

Re: Not quite sure...

ShelLuser, I agree, FC4 seems like reissue of FC3.

I really enjoyed the realism of FC2 - a really open world, no head-up displays, no magic visual tracking of enemies, a map you could hold in your virtual hand while roaming etc. FC3 brought a nice story line and felt less repetitive compared to FC2. But all those glass limits ("Warning! Leaving mission zone...") were a distraction and overall it was way too easy, e.g. the enemy tracking, and at one point I couldn't be bothered to collect loot anymore because my wallet replenished without effort.

Would be nice if not bringing out a different game altogether, at least combine the realism and difficulty of FC2 with an interesting story and divers missions as in FC3. Judging from the trailers unfortunately this doesn't happen. Going to play it anyway, even if only for the beautiful landscape - the visual aspects already sold it to me.

Re: So...

@AC, I guess that's why they are located in Germany only. I would hope that all the data is encrypted, preferably already when arriving and never be in clear text at the hosts' places. That should protect both their clients and hosts. Well, one can hope...

Re: Not just windmill nutters

And now you're going to explain how a powerless GSM mast creates infrasound?

Re: My mug is a virgin

It currently holds my torque drivers, a finger skateboard and a solid silver dolphin for a charm bracelet

And you call that a virgin?!