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posted by Fnord666 on Wednesday July 01 2020, @02:26PM   Printer-friendly
from the gone-with-the-wind dept.

https://www.iafrikan.com/2020/06/30/do-we-really-own-our-digital-possessions/

During 2019, Microsoft announced that it will close the books category of its digital store. While other software and apps will still be available via the virtual shop front, and on purchasers' consoles and devices, the closure of the eBook store takes with it customers' eBook libraries. Any digital books bought through the service – even those bought many years ago – will no longer be readable after July 2019. While the company has promised to provide a full refund for all eBook purchases, this decision raises important questions of ownership.


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  • (Score: 4, Insightful) by legont on Wednesday July 01 2020, @09:17PM (3 children)

    by legont (4179) on Wednesday July 01 2020, @09:17PM (#1015155)

    It is not possible to design a bridge that can't go down as well. In fact for serious bridges they calculate how often they will go down.

    However, this was perhaps a lesser point. What pisses me off is that say computers in cars are pushed down my throat. I want a car with zero smartness. Being software developer since 80s I am afraid of software in anything important. I am especially afraid of software that I can't check myself. I fly home made airplane with no critical computers and I feel much much safer in it than in my car on my supermarket parking lot.

    This has to be stopped and aggressive liability laws may do it.

    --
    "Wealth is the relentless enemy of understanding" - John Kenneth Galbraith.
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  • (Score: 3, Insightful) by c0lo on Wednesday July 01 2020, @11:52PM (2 children)

    by c0lo (156) Subscriber Badge on Wednesday July 01 2020, @11:52PM (#1015202) Journal

    I want a car with zero smartness... I am especially afraid of software that I can't check myself.

    Righto. Look ma, no software and no caches - analog PID control using opamps [wordpress.com] for your cruise control. We'll just put a funky design for your fuel tank [wikipedia.org], I'm sure you'll take the time to check it for your satisfaction (large grin)

    Point: human civilization will not work without a certain level of trust that enables the division of work.

    --
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
    • (Score: 3, Interesting) by legont on Thursday July 02 2020, @01:41AM

      by legont (4179) on Thursday July 02 2020, @01:41AM (#1015239)

      I have no problem with trust, but if trust were broken there got to be consequences. For example if my 10 years old modem is hacked, it is manufacturer fault and my losses, if any, have to be compensated plus some punishing for my suffering.
      This perhaps sounds silly for you, but if you replace modem with car or airplane where your children are flying, it may look different.
      Now, I realize that they are not ready to produce such a quality software. If so, I have a right to buy the same car without all this shit, which, by the way, is 60% of the price. Force them to make all of it optional and see what people will buy.

      --
      "Wealth is the relentless enemy of understanding" - John Kenneth Galbraith.
    • (Score: 2) by legont on Thursday July 02 2020, @11:33AM

      by legont (4179) on Thursday July 02 2020, @11:33AM (#1015343)

      Let me give you a real life example.
      A friend of mine added an extra light to his BMW F650GS motorcycle. It is so called enduro type of bike. It is supposedly designed to go to places such as Alaska wilderness. The bike's computer decided that the system is overloaded and shut the bike down. He removed the light but nothing would bring the bike back to life until BMW dealer entered some secret code or something. Imagine it would happen in Alaska wilderness?
      By the way, BMW is a real bunch of assholes. There used to be a company that tested their cars and bikes and published field self repair manuals. BMW sued them out of existence. Airbus engineers are the same - they believe they know how to fly an airplane better then pilots and do whatever possible to eliminate or at least stupidify pilots.

      --
      "Wealth is the relentless enemy of understanding" - John Kenneth Galbraith.