Oh it is all becoming clear.

Recently, AT&T admitted to editing Webcast’s of Pearl Jam at Lollapalooza. What is truly amazing about this story is that “the mistakes of our webcast provider” let the F-bomb drop 20 times, yet they censored negative comments about Bush. Also, in a press release AT&T said this wasn’t the first time things like this has happened! This is such a major violation of 1st Amendment Rights; I think it is called Freedom of Speech? Maybe? Class Action Suit coming soon?

I don’t see how anybody can truly be surprised of actions like this. It is obviously clear that AT&T is a lackey of the Bush Administration. I will point out the whole NSA Warrant-less Wiretaps program that was recently brought to light. It was happening with AT&T and is most likely happening elsewhere.

As an American I am opposed to any domestic surveillance program and there’s a good article on crooks and liars that gives the statistics. 73% of all Americans disapprove of the spying program. That’s a high number and hopefully people in our government will wake up.

What this all comes down to is a law from 1978 Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act that lays the framework for such “spying” programs. It also has been “udpated” 5 times since 2001, strange huh? It is all very complicated and depressing, please visit the csmonitor’s article on Warant-less Wiretaps Expanded for more information.

Digital Rights Management, oh yes it was a great scheme, a scheme to rule all schemes, unfortunately everybody hated it.

Well I think some people loved it, wanted to love it, trying to still use it; like big corporations that don’t understand technology. But DRM will come crashing down. You know it’s over when Google gets out of the DRM business. I think this issue with Google closing down their video store and saying [oh sorry we don't do that anymore] will have an echoing effect on everybody that uses DRM. This puts a real face and story to why people should not support DRM. If you use DRM you own nothing.

This is the beginning of the end for DRM, which is a good thing for everybody. This should add more value to the digital marketplace. DRM has been a downfall of this virtual world for such a long time. Universal has woken up and has decided to sell DRM free music at various e-tailers, but not at Apple interesting move; slowly in the waters you go Universal. People want DRM-free music and will buy it, but you have to make it available to us.

DRM is a product of FUD (Fear Uncertainty and Doubt), bigwigs think, “hey look it is so easy for them to send it to their friend, so let’s stop them! Brilliant we will save millions!” Unfortunately, they are going to lose millions, because people don’t want to be bothered with such things as protecting your work. If you make it widely available people won’t have to steal it or copy it (which is happens more than not I would speculate) . Take for instance Sony has delayed their online store for the PSP due to DRM problems. They are losing MONEY just by not having a store available; people are going to go to other systems.

It is time to wake up from this DRM dream. Hopefully, content providers, game providers, music providers, everything else providers will see that people want open digital wares. We don’t want to be locked into one portable player, certain types of media players, etc etc.

Farewell DRM.

I am not a professional writer. I have never claimed to be nor intend to be, but I think one of my goals for this blog is to become a better writer. Communication with ourselves and our fellow human beings is a critical part of everyday life.

Recently, one of my articles that was on Digg got a comment, lets say I have a critic.

Here was my thought process on this comment by noamsml:

1. Anger
2. Sadness
3. Happiness

I was a little upset when I first read this comment. Illiterate? Is my writing that terrible? Is my writing so bad that people think I cannot read. Are my thoughts so crazy that they are ridiculous? I was angered and wanted to bury the comment, but I did not. Common sense grabbed a hold of me again. That’s his opinion and as my girlfriend said, “You can’t please everyone“, a truly profound statement at the time.

Next, I go through a phase of sadness, everything I write is junk, complete junk. Why do I even bother? I do enjoy writing, but if I’m not a good writer why should I even try? This stage didn’t last too long, because I think I finally got it. Criticism is how people become writers, better communicators, and well better at anything. People should have varying opinions and I can use this as an opportunity for growth; enter happy stage. So I went back and re-read my article Here comes Linux, Thanks Vista! to critique myself. (more…)

It has been a good week on the site. Thanks for everyone that commented on my various posts. There has been some good threads about the various topics with various viewpoints, which is what this is all about. So without further adieu here are some stellar blog links.

Find out if your blog is cheating on you – Find out at the colorstruck blog. Hilarious geek humor that will make you giggle like a little school girl.

Trackbacks are useful for newbs – Revellian.com is a great blog resource with many different topics that will keep you entertained for hours if not for days.

Fixed your scratched CD/DVDs with bananas – From the guys at geeksaresexy.net who post excellent tech articles with a growing community.

Guy answers his Spam do they hear him? – Interesting blog post by an interesting blogger. DCRblogs has some very original posts.

Mahalo offers continuous search - Interesting, good luck to guys and gals at Mahalo.

Hobbit homes are popping up in England – I wonder if this is how Lord of the Rings started?

Art with a sobering message – Maybe this will help people get it, don’t drink and drive.

That’s all for today, everyone have a great day.

PCMag.com announces the year(s) of the Linux desktop is finally here and I actually agree with them.

Have you used Vista? It is like a foreign alien or something and the stupid pop-up, “Windows needs your permission”. What is pretty funny, is yes, the Mac commercial with the security guy is an accurate depiction. Yes, Windows, I would like to install flipping Adobe Reader please leave me alone, that’s why I double-clicked on the damn file! Granted, using Linux to do system wide changes you’re going to get a similar pop-up asking for your root password; like going into synaptic. Basically Linux isn’t so needy, Windows you need to calm down.

“To mess up a Linux box, you need to work at it; to mess up your Windows box, you just have to work on it.” ~ Professor from Washington University.

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