Inara: So, explain to me again why Zoe wasn't in the dress? Mal: Tactics, woman. Needed her in the back. 'Sides, those soft cotton dresses feel kinda nice. It's the whole... air-flow.

'Our Mrs. Reynolds'


Buffistechnology 3: "Press Some Buttons, See What Happens."

Got a question about technology? Ask it here. Discussion of hardware, software, TiVos, multi-region DVDs, Windows, Macs, LINUX, hand-helds, iPods, anything tech related. Better than any helpdesk!


tommyrot - Nov 06, 2007 7:08:25 am PST #3407 of 25497
Sir, it's not an offence to let your cat eat your bacon. Okay? And we don't arrest cats, I'm very sorry.

So today is the first really cold day of the season, and as a result the heat is on and the air is really dry. I went to the bathroom, and when I came back (and before I sat down) I pressed the space bar on my MacBook so iTunes would resume playing. As I did I got a nasty static electricity shock (I had just been walking on carpet) and as a result the trackpad and keyboard of my MacBook were completely locked up.

After rebooting, all was fine. But I was scared there for a bit....


Laga - Nov 06, 2007 10:33:37 am PST #3408 of 25497
You should know I'm a big deal in the Resistance.

I couldn't help being reminded of this xkcd.


§ ita § - Nov 06, 2007 10:38:00 am PST #3409 of 25497
Well not canonically, no, but this is transformative fiction.

Ha! My database inputs are suitably sanitised.


Jessica - Nov 07, 2007 7:23:46 am PST #3410 of 25497
And then Ortus came and said "It's Ortin' time" and they all Orted off into the sunset

How is it we're not talking about the Google phone here? I mean, dude! Google Phone!

(Okay, technically Google Mobile Platform. But still! Google Mobile Platform!)


tommyrot - Nov 07, 2007 7:28:00 am PST #3411 of 25497
Sir, it's not an offence to let your cat eat your bacon. Okay? And we don't arrest cats, I'm very sorry.

How is it we're not talking about the Google phone here?

It doesn't come out until the second half of '08?

Anyway, I'm tempted to download the development thingie for it....


Jessica - Nov 07, 2007 7:29:49 am PST #3412 of 25497
And then Ortus came and said "It's Ortin' time" and they all Orted off into the sunset

It doesn't come out until the second half of '08?

Pfft. Details...


tommyrot - Nov 07, 2007 3:54:15 pm PST #3413 of 25497
Sir, it's not an offence to let your cat eat your bacon. Okay? And we don't arrest cats, I'm very sorry.

I don't know if more evidence that DRM sucks is needed, but... here's one case where it really sucks:

Allan Wood (a baseball megafan who has written a book about Babe Ruth) purchased over $280 worth of digital downloads of baseball games from Major League Baseball, who have just turned off their DRM server, leaving him with no way to watch his videos. MLB's position is that since these videos were "one time sales," and that means that Wood and everyone else who gave money to MLB is out of luck -- they'll never be able to watch their videos again,.

MLB shut down the DRM server because they've changed suppliers, and now they expect suckers to buy downloads of games in the new DRM format.

[link]

Apparently, MLB lied when they said only a one-time connection would be needed to to authorize the videos.

How many DRM schemes require connecting to the interneet and a DRM server to be played?


§ ita § - Nov 07, 2007 4:00:04 pm PST #3414 of 25497
Well not canonically, no, but this is transformative fiction.

I have a powerbook that doesn't boot. Stops at the grey screen with the apple and the progress wheel. Just take it into the shop?


tommyrot - Nov 07, 2007 4:01:15 pm PST #3415 of 25497
Sir, it's not an offence to let your cat eat your bacon. Okay? And we don't arrest cats, I'm very sorry.

I can only offer the obvious - have you tried booting from a CD? Also, Macs still come with a hardware diagnostic CD that you boot into, right?

eta:

Stops at the grey screen with the apple and the progress wheel.

My fave is the folder icon with the question mark on it.


Juliebird - Nov 07, 2007 4:10:15 pm PST #3416 of 25497
I am the fly who dreams of the spider

Has anybody with sufficient RAM tried Tunebite for bypassing DRM on video? It costs $30, but it's legal because it doesn't actually remove the DRM, just creates a new copy via live playback, or so I understand it.