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by nx6310 (#36079942) Attached to: Ask Slashdot: Going Beyond Comment Threads?

Does nobody else see the irony of a comment like this being moderated to +4?

The fact that it's been validated by the system it critiques invalidates it.

It does not invalidate the statement (because of it being critical) simply because it has been validated by the system. If that were true, the statement would invalidate the system as well.


Homeland Security Changes Laptop Search Policy 273

Posted by kdawson
from the beatings-will-continue-until-morale-improves dept.
IronicToo writes "The US Government has updated its policy on the search and seizure of laptops at border crossing. 'The long-criticized practice of searching travelers' electronic devices will continue, but a supervisor now would need to approve holding a device for more than five days. Any copies of information taken from travelers' machines would be destroyed within days if there were no legal reason to hold the information.'"

Comment: Revenue Rules (Score 4, Interesting) 194

by nx6310 (#28068019) Attached to: Microsoft Blocks Messenger In Five Embargoed Countries

As an individual who currently resides in Syria, I find this simply absurd, but the reason isn't simply Embargoes, it happens to be most embargoed countries do not implement copyright laws pertaining to US (and most non-US) company products. Some might have the spiteful reaction, 'well then they shouldn't be provided any services', while the reason for these companies not getting any copyright rights, is the fact they don't have official representation in these countries for the same reason the embargoes exist, politics.

This brings us to the main reason some services have been denied to the aforementioned countries, Revenue, now because nationals (and residents) of these countries do not abide by global copyright laws, almost all services provided to these countries are either the free in nature, or in the case of non-online products (e.g Windows XP) piracy is the norm.

So as some of you mentioned, its all about politics, what we here see, is a sign that the political status of these countries as embargoed countries, won't be changing any time soon. And the reason is simply, Revenue.

Comment: As an Iraqi (Score 1) 295

by nx6310 (#27978393) Attached to: When Does It Become OK To Make Games About a War?

Its a matter of portraying a crime against fellow Iraqis in a game, the White Phosphorus, the children killed, injured elderly men shot dead in cold blood and in houses of god none the less.

No matter how Entertainig or fun some might find it, its not going to be taken lightly by people who actually have lost friends and family in the invasion and the battles that followed. For Iraqis the First Battle of Fellooja is a source of pride, for the US Army declared a cease fire, but to see children and teenagers relive killing Iraqis who made us (the Iraqi people) proud by resisting the invasion, is simply sick.


Tech Giants Pooling Cash To Buy Patents 109

Posted by timothy
from the oh-wsj-you-tease dept.
theodp writes with a link to a Reuters report, based on a WSJ story, that "Verizon, Google, Cisco, and HP are among the companies that have joined a secretive group called the Allied Security Trust. Each of the companies will reportedly put $5 million in escrow to allow AST to snap up intellectual property on their behalf before it falls into the hands of parties that could use it against them. Patents will be resold after AST member companies have granted themselves a nonexclusive license to the underlying technology. According to AST CEO Brian Hinman, a former VP of IP and Licensing at IBM, the arrangement will keep member companies out of antitrust trouble." (The WSJ's story itself is more detailed, but it's subscriber-only.)
