Overcast 's Techdirt Comments

Latest Comments (1367)

• On the post: Feds Wait Until Late Friday To Release Details Of Criminal Case That Used NSA Surveillance, Which They'd Kept Secret

  

  Overcast ( profile ), 28 Oct, 2013 @ 09:48am

  Why? What are they hoping to accomplish?
  
  Catch people breaking the law?
  
  Look in a mirror.

• On the post: DailyDirt: Cars You Can't Buy (Yet?)

  

  Overcast ( profile ), 22 Oct, 2013 @ 10:02pm

  We really just need a 'Mr. Fusion' and we'll be all set.

• On the post: How A Telecom Helped The Government Spy On Me

  

  Overcast ( profile ), 07 Oct, 2013 @ 03:34pm

  HA! Well no need to spy - with a government like this one - criminals would only be a 'step up'.

• On the post: 9-Year-Old Sneaks Onto Flight; TSA Blames The Government Shutdown, Then Says It Did Its Job Just Fine

  

  Overcast ( profile ), 07 Oct, 2013 @ 03:33pm

  OF course the TSA did their job - their job *is fail*. They excel at that.

• On the post: Microsoft Uses DMCA To Block Many Links To Competing Open Office

  

  Overcast ( profile ), 18 Aug, 2013 @ 12:13pm

  Either way - simple as this.
  
  MS Office - $200.00 +
  OR $99.00 a year.
  
  Open Office - Free.
  Just do the math, lol
  
  Open office can generate a good looking document or spreadsheet, fits my needs just fine. For the price - heck, it's even quicker to just download it and run it - no annoying MS activation BS either.
  
  Where's the upside to your product M$?

• On the post: Microsoft Uses DMCA To Block Many Links To Competing Open Office

  

  Overcast ( profile ), 18 Aug, 2013 @ 12:09pm

  Oh this reminds me - the tablet I buy needs to support open office.
  
  Thanks M$, for the reminder while I'm poking around today.

• On the post: Pretending That Instructions To Print A Gun Aren't Out There Won't Change The Reality That They Are

  

  Overcast ( profile ), 13 May, 2013 @ 10:37am

  Only tyrants fear the populace being armed...

• On the post: ICE Starts Raiding Mobile Phone Repair Shops To Stop Repairs With Aftermarket Parts

  

  Overcast ( profile ), 30 Apr, 2013 @ 10:42am

  Almost seems funny to say this - but there's one solid way to avoid this problem...
  
  http://www.windowsphone.com/en-US

• On the post: ICE Starts Raiding Mobile Phone Repair Shops To Stop Repairs With Aftermarket Parts

  

  Overcast ( profile ), 30 Apr, 2013 @ 10:40am

  YET another reason to NOT buy Apple's garbage.
  
  Plus, often aftermarket parts are the same quality - if not better.

• On the post: DOJ Helped AT&T, Others Avoid Wiretap Act, Promised Not To Charge Them If They Helped Spy On People

  

  Overcast ( profile ), 25 Apr, 2013 @ 09:14am

  The department of 'injustice' strikes yet again.
  
  No surprise of course.

• On the post: 'No Photos From The Sky' Bill Trimmed Back, But Still Could Create Felons Out Of Kids Playing With Toy Drones

  

  Overcast ( profile ), 18 Mar, 2013 @ 07:37am

  Why not? The government plans on using them no doubt - too much competition for them?
  
  Oh well - what are they going to do if they see it? How will this be enforced?
  
  Will a local cop shoot at one if he thinks it's military? So yeah - just make it look like one the CIA might use and you're good~

• On the post: UK Politicians Offer An Awful Bargain: Give Up Free Press If You Want Defamation Reform

  

  Overcast ( profile ), 08 Mar, 2013 @ 07:29am

  So in otherwords: "Give up your right to speak freely, no worries - we'll tell you what to say."
  
  Classy.

• On the post: SimCity: The Backlash

  

  Overcast ( profile ), 08 Mar, 2013 @ 06:51am

  I've been waiting for this game for years now.
  
  But between my frustration this week getting the SIMS 3 running for my wife and this crappy DRM - I guess I'll try CitiesXL.

• On the post: Librarian Of Congress Shoots Back At White House Over Phone Unlocking: We're Just Doing Our Job

  

  Overcast ( profile ), 05 Mar, 2013 @ 09:50am

  I suppose Laptops and other devices are next, huh Congress?

• On the post: Librarian Of Congress Shoots Back At White House Over Phone Unlocking: We're Just Doing Our Job

  

  Overcast ( profile ), 05 Mar, 2013 @ 09:49am

  "We're Just Doing Our Job"
  
  But they assuming someone wants to unlock the phone to 'circumvent' technological protections.
  
  There could be numerous reasons one would want to do this - including wiping it's OS and installing something custom on the hardware - that's not at all 'circumventing software'.
  
  While the DCMA may cover various things - if it doesn't restrict what you can load on a Laptop; why a cell phone?
  
  Many Laptops are designed for 'Windows 7' - does that make loading Linux on it illegal?

• On the post: Swedish BitTorrent User Accused Of Sharing Beyonce Album, Hit By $233,000 Lawsuit From Sony

  

  Overcast ( profile ), 05 Mar, 2013 @ 09:31am

  *While I don't buy music...for some reason...I downloaded the leaks of Sims 3 and Crysis 2. Then went on to buy them. I'm not the only one.*
  
  In 98% of cases - most people don't buy software, movies, or music unless they have already heard it for free - or they are big on a specific title or artist; in which case, they'll buy anyway most of the time.
  
  I wouldn't download this one for free. Just not interested.
  
  Hell, you don't need torrent for music downloads now anyway :O

• On the post: Court Won't Block CNET From Offering BitTorrent Downloads: Not In The Public Interest To Stifle Public Discussion

  

  Overcast ( profile ), 20 Feb, 2013 @ 11:59am

  "I'd say predicting the result of a lawsuit in the US is like gambling. Regardless of how obvious the decision should be."
  
  Yeah, it's because ruling's rarely have much to do with 'law' - and more to do with who has the largest pile of cash to throw at it.
  
  So basically; you'd be betting on resources on each side.
  
  I wonder if bookies take bets on these?

• On the post: Armed UK Police Raid House Over Facebook Picture Showing Toy Weapon In Background

  

  Overcast ( profile ), 20 Feb, 2013 @ 08:59am

  "They do not normally carry guns. Only when they think the person has a weapon."
  
  So... these cops are so pitifully trained that they mistook a toy mortar for the real thing?
  
  Does this make anyone more confident in their abilities? lol

• On the post: Anonymous Hacks US Sentencing Commission Website, Grabs Sensitive Files And Demands Legal Reform

  

  Overcast ( profile ), 29 Jan, 2013 @ 06:02pm

  Maybe it's my cynicism talking, but I'm fairly sure Anonymous and every other group like them could have stood back and done nothing, and the government still would have continued to ramp up the violation of liberties.
  
  Problem with 'leaders' - as history shows, they tend to get fearful.. and feel as though 'controlling the masses' somehow makes them safer. Seems to be more of an issue, the longer someone is in 'power' - perhaps more term limits on more offices would help correct that.

• On the post: Redditor Points Out The Flaws In SimCity's Online-Only DRM, Gets Banned By EA For His Troubles [UPDATED]

  

  Overcast ( profile ), 29 Jan, 2013 @ 09:39am

  Dang, and I'm a huge fan of this game series, but with so many games out there now... I'd rather avoid 'required' internet and loss of game time if I have connection issues.
  
  Dunno why, I even got Sim City societies in spite of how 'easy' it was. I've bought all the SIMS3 expansions too - never had a problem buying their stuff, well.. until this new DRM is packaged with it.
  
  My internet is on 99% of the time; and usually I don't care. But then I tend to play a lot of REAL multiplayer online stuff - and games like SimCity; are my 'rainy day' games, if I'm having connection issues and such - so this won't work.
  
  Do what you want EA - no DRM like this and I'll buy it.
  
  DRM doesn't stop piracy, lol - it just annoys us paying customers, with ONE MORE THING that can break.

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