Month: November 2012

Here’s Why Digital Rights Management Is Stupid And Anti-Consumer – Consumerist

Comparisons of downloadable books and music to their ancient, tangible predecessors are an old, old meme, but sometimes the comparison applies.

Source: Here’s Why Digital Rights Management Is Stupid And Anti-Consumer – Consumerist

 

The pirated version (and there is ALWAYS a pirated version) already has *FREE!* going for it. Do you really want to add “Less of a hassle to obtain, easier to use, and safer/less spyware” too?

We’re Headed For A Disaster Of Biblical Proportions – Business Insider

The world is using up its natural resources at an alarming rate, and this has caused a permanent shift in their value. We all need to adjust our behavior to this new environment. It would help if we did it quickly.

Source: Time to Wake Up: Days of Abundant Resources and Falling Prices Are Over Forever by Jeremy Grantham, published 2011/04/25

Alternate PDF: http://www.theravinaproject.org/JGLetterALL_1Q11.pdf
Alternate web: http://www.theoildrum.com/node/7853

Commented alternate: We’re Headed For A Disaster Of Biblical Proportions – Business Insider
Commented alternate: Jeremy Grantham must-read, “Time to Wake Up: Days of Abundant Resources and Falling Prices Are Over Forever” | ThinkProgress

Hotel Lock Firm’s Security Fix Requires Hardware Changes For Millions Of Keycard Locks – Forbes

Onity, whose keycard locks can be found on at least four million rooms around the world, has a plan to fix a security flaw … the fix requires hardware changes to every affected lock.

Onity wants the hotels who already bought the company’s insecure product to pay for the fix

Source: Hotel Lock Firm’s Security Fix Requires Hardware Changes For Millions Of Keycard Locks – Forbes

 

To what extent are companies obliged to patch the security of their products, and at what point are they morally permitted to charge for further maintenance/modification?