Article
One of my main amusements in life is to read contractual and privacy policies just to see how badly they are screwing you over.
Electronic Arts is producing a game called Star Wars The Old Republic, Due out Dec 20 of this year. And this is their privacy policy.
I warn you, this is bad.
When you use EA online and mobile products and services or you play our games on your PC or game system, we may collect certain non-personal demographic information including gender, zip code, information about your computer, hardware, software, platform, game system, media, mobile device, including device IDs, incident data, Internet Protocol (IP) address, network Media Access Control (MAC) address and connection. We also collect other non-personal information such as username, user ID or persona, feature usage, game play statistics, scores and achievements, user rankings and click paths as well as other data that you may provide in surveys, via your account preferences and online profiles such as friends lists or purchases, for instance. We may also receive either non-personal or public information from third parties in connection with market and demographic studies and/or data that we use to supplement personal information provided directly by you.
The MAC address (Media Access Control Address) is unique to your computer. So , they're listing personal information as non personal to begin with. And the list of items "includes" (ie: they may invent more) all the big ones they use to sell to advertisers to make a buck off of you.
We and third parties may also use tracking pixels, which allow us to advertise more efficiently by excluding our current users from certain promotional messages or identifying the source of a new installation.
Thanks for admitting up front you're making any advertising buck you can off of us.
EA’s websites, online or mobile products or services may employ third party ad serving technologies that use cookies, clear GIFs, web beacons, tracking pixels or other technologies to collect information as a result of ad serving through our products or services as well as to help track. Some third-party dynamic in-game advertisement serving technology enable advertising to be temporarily uploaded into your web browser or mobile device and replaced while you are online
Remember how you now have to pay for your bandwidth , and if you go over a certain amount they charge you extra ?
Yeah. EA reserves the right to rack up your bandwidth all they want for advertising purposes. They deliver ads and you pay to receive them. And we're talking multi-megabyte flash animations , not just little side notes here. Full video and all. Nice.
EA uses your information to fulfill your specific requests, purchase orders and to send you purchase confirmation and other account-related information. In addition, the personal information you provide will allow us to send you messages about things including new products, features, enhancements, special offers, upgrade opportunities, contests and events of interest. You may also later opt out of certain of these communications.
Translation : We mercilessly spam you for all we're worth to try and make a buck off of you.
Otherwise, EA uses personal and non-personal information, both individually and combined together, to better understand the behavior and preferences of our customers, to troubleshoot technical problems, to serve static and dynamic advertising, to enforce our Terms of Service, to ensure proper functioning of our products and services as well as to help improve them. In addition, we combine non-personal information with personal information, such as an email address, to administer loyalty programs, tailor our offerings, web pages or game play experience to you.
Targetted advertising. Catch you when you're weak , get you to buy something that's utter junk because they know you're into , say , star wars memorabelia. So they sell you a cool doll, or map , or book , and it's junk and falls apart a weak after you get it , and sorry no refunds thanks for the cash.
By playing an EA game through a social network or other third party platform or service or by connecting to such a third party network, platform or service via one of our products and/or services, you are authorizing EA to collect, store, and use in accordance with this Privacy Policy any and all information that you agreed the social network or other third party platform could provide to EA through the social network/third party platform Application Programming Interface (API) based on your settings on the third party social network or platform. Your agreement takes place when you connect with the third party network, platform or service via our products and/or services, and/or when you connect with, “accept” or “allow” (or similar terms) one of our applications through a social network, or other third party platform or service.
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.
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EA will never share your personal information with third parties without your consent.
I love this combination. I see it everywhere.
They will never share your personal information without your consent. But by the way , by playing the game / using their product ? You consent to them doing this.
It goes on , and on , and on. But in the end the message of these terms is crystal clear.
They take whatever info they can. They use it however they like (usually to make a buck in advertising) and if you don't like it , get off the internet entirely because everyone else has the same terms and conditions.
Next time tells you "it's all spelled out in our terms and conditions" , you don't have to read them. You just have to remember "We do what we like and screw you buddy". It's much shorter and just as accurate.
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Microsoft's Secure Boot Gambit
Article
1. Windows Secure Boot
Red Hat Engineer Matthew Garrett sounded the alarm bell this past week about Microsoft's plans for Windows 8. The upcoming Windows operating system will use the Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) secure boot protocol in an effort to make Windows 8 more secure.
UEFI secure boot will require Windows 8 certified hardware vendors to digitally sign their hardware with keys to ensure that only signed applications can boot. That's a move Garret warned could severely impact the Linux ecosystem. Linux users might not be able to install or boot Linux on hardware that has been Windows 8 certified.
For the lay man , what does this mean ?
It means that if you want to run Windows 8 or higher on your computer, your computer must be built to run windows only , no other operating system will be permitted.
For most users, this really seems pretty harmless. Most users don't even know what an operating system is , let alone that there are many kinds, not just windows. But there is a hidden cost to this decision , that will hit them in the pocket book.
For technicians who know what they're doing , it means you will no longer be able to take a second hand machine and load it up with Linux. It will be locked to windows only. This is obviously intended to kill the Linux operating system , which is currently competing with Windows in many fields (databases, word processers etc) .
The part where you're locking out the competition is the part I was talking about for hidden costs. Now they can raise the prices and there's not much you can do because they have a monopoly.
However, I believe this will fail on several counts.
First you are enforcing a monopoly. You're not permitting people to put whatever operating system or software they like on their property. Thats not going to survive. Whatever copyright law that exists that enforces that is going to get altered after storm of public outcry.
That would be like saying you can only buy gas for your car at a special gas station , and no where else. And by the way the prices at the special gas station are triple that of anywhere else. Just because they can.
Second , you can't sue someone without actually being harmed by them. If I break the encryption on your hardware and put linux on my computer , I already paid for windows long long ago , you havn't been harmed by this action, you cannot sue.
This runs into problems with recent copy right legislation whereby breaking any digital lock , no matter how weak , is a crime. But I can see and end run around it (you broke the lock on your own door ? Who cares ? )
Again , a public outcry and you can bet any copy right legislation is going to be altered to allow you to do whatever you like with property you bought and paid for.
Third, microsoft already has one failed operating system. Vista. Flew like a lead brick. People wanted nothing to do with it, they wanted their XP machines, they just left it to die. People didn't want the new operating system and the limits it imposed under any circumstances. Sales dropped through the floor, and microsoft , starved for cash , had to relent.
They are risking the same fate with Windows 8 .
There is an upside to all of this.
More and more people are hearing the word Linux, and asking a few questions here and there. At least they know it exists now , instead of the strange attitude that all computers are windows computers.
An attitude they will lose when the price skyrockets.
1. Windows Secure Boot
Red Hat Engineer Matthew Garrett sounded the alarm bell this past week about Microsoft's plans for Windows 8. The upcoming Windows operating system will use the Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) secure boot protocol in an effort to make Windows 8 more secure.
UEFI secure boot will require Windows 8 certified hardware vendors to digitally sign their hardware with keys to ensure that only signed applications can boot. That's a move Garret warned could severely impact the Linux ecosystem. Linux users might not be able to install or boot Linux on hardware that has been Windows 8 certified.
For the lay man , what does this mean ?
It means that if you want to run Windows 8 or higher on your computer, your computer must be built to run windows only , no other operating system will be permitted.
For most users, this really seems pretty harmless. Most users don't even know what an operating system is , let alone that there are many kinds, not just windows. But there is a hidden cost to this decision , that will hit them in the pocket book.
For technicians who know what they're doing , it means you will no longer be able to take a second hand machine and load it up with Linux. It will be locked to windows only. This is obviously intended to kill the Linux operating system , which is currently competing with Windows in many fields (databases, word processers etc) .
The part where you're locking out the competition is the part I was talking about for hidden costs. Now they can raise the prices and there's not much you can do because they have a monopoly.
However, I believe this will fail on several counts.
First you are enforcing a monopoly. You're not permitting people to put whatever operating system or software they like on their property. Thats not going to survive. Whatever copyright law that exists that enforces that is going to get altered after storm of public outcry.
That would be like saying you can only buy gas for your car at a special gas station , and no where else. And by the way the prices at the special gas station are triple that of anywhere else. Just because they can.
Second , you can't sue someone without actually being harmed by them. If I break the encryption on your hardware and put linux on my computer , I already paid for windows long long ago , you havn't been harmed by this action, you cannot sue.
This runs into problems with recent copy right legislation whereby breaking any digital lock , no matter how weak , is a crime. But I can see and end run around it (you broke the lock on your own door ? Who cares ? )
Again , a public outcry and you can bet any copy right legislation is going to be altered to allow you to do whatever you like with property you bought and paid for.
Third, microsoft already has one failed operating system. Vista. Flew like a lead brick. People wanted nothing to do with it, they wanted their XP machines, they just left it to die. People didn't want the new operating system and the limits it imposed under any circumstances. Sales dropped through the floor, and microsoft , starved for cash , had to relent.
They are risking the same fate with Windows 8 .
There is an upside to all of this.
More and more people are hearing the word Linux, and asking a few questions here and there. At least they know it exists now , instead of the strange attitude that all computers are windows computers.
An attitude they will lose when the price skyrockets.
Friday, September 23, 2011
Abbas asks UN for Palestinian 'freedom'
Article
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has formally asked the United Nations to recognize Palestinians as a full member state, telling the General Assembly in New York on Friday that no one "with a shred of conscience" would reject the bid.
So , I got two questions to ask. Maybe three. Who is this guy ? How did he get elected , and arn't there a lot of terrorists over in Palistine ? Was it a real election or did the terrorists point guns at everyone and tell them vote for me or i shoot you !
Palestine (Arabic: فلسطين Filastin/Filasṭīn/Falasṭīn/Filisṭīn),[3][2][i] officially declared as the State of Palestine[1] is a state that was proclaimed in exile in Algiers on 15 November 1988, when the Palestine Liberation Organization's (PLO) National Council (PNC) adopted the unilateral Palestinian Declaration of Independence. At the time of the 1988 declaration, the PLO did not exercise control over any territory,[4] and much of its claimed territory remains under Israeli occupation.[5][6] It claims the Palestinian territories[1] and has designated Jerusalem as the capital of Palestine,[ii][2][3] despite Israeli control.
- wikipedia State of Palistine
So , a terrorist organization known as the Palistine Liberation Organization , with much blood on its hands, decided to declare a nation. Most of which was already part of some other nation (Jerusalem is part of Israel)
I can see why the Israeli's are upset already .
Ok. How valid is this "president's" election ?
Mahmoud Abbas (Arabic: مَحْمُود عَبَّاس, Maḥmūd ʿAbbās; born 26 March 1935), also known by the kunya Abu Mazen (Arabic: أَبُو مَازِن, Åbú Mázɩn), has been the Chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) since 11 November 2004 and became President of the Palestinian National Authority on 15 January 2005 on the Fatah (فتح Fataḥ) ticket.
Elected to serve until 9 January 2009, he unilaterally extended his term for another year and continues in office even after that second deadline expired
So we still don't know how valid those elections were, but we know his term of office is over. And he decided on his own to retain the title (being leader of a terrorist organization has it's perks) long after the term, extening it a few times and then not even bothering to extend it anymore , just self declaring himself some kind of president for life.
Speaking of elections. If some guy who's the leader of a terrorist organization and has been killing Israeli's for years suddenly declares him self president and holds elections ... who gets to vote ? You think all the Israeli's he's been killing will vote for him ? You think he'll even give them the right to vote ? And how's he setting up voting booths when the cops will arrest him and his people on sight as terrorists ?
Obviously his election is entirely farcical.
In other words, a terrorist has declared himself president over some chunk of land he doesn't even have custody over , has zero mandate from any electorate over, and demands the UN recognize this.
Last time I checked, we shoot terrorists. We don't help them steal land from an ally and set up shop.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has formally asked the United Nations to recognize Palestinians as a full member state, telling the General Assembly in New York on Friday that no one "with a shred of conscience" would reject the bid.
So , I got two questions to ask. Maybe three. Who is this guy ? How did he get elected , and arn't there a lot of terrorists over in Palistine ? Was it a real election or did the terrorists point guns at everyone and tell them vote for me or i shoot you !
Palestine (Arabic: فلسطين Filastin/Filasṭīn/Falasṭīn/Filisṭīn),[3][2][i] officially declared as the State of Palestine[1] is a state that was proclaimed in exile in Algiers on 15 November 1988, when the Palestine Liberation Organization's (PLO) National Council (PNC) adopted the unilateral Palestinian Declaration of Independence. At the time of the 1988 declaration, the PLO did not exercise control over any territory,[4] and much of its claimed territory remains under Israeli occupation.[5][6] It claims the Palestinian territories[1] and has designated Jerusalem as the capital of Palestine,[ii][2][3] despite Israeli control.
- wikipedia State of Palistine
So , a terrorist organization known as the Palistine Liberation Organization , with much blood on its hands, decided to declare a nation. Most of which was already part of some other nation (Jerusalem is part of Israel)
I can see why the Israeli's are upset already .
Ok. How valid is this "president's" election ?
Mahmoud Abbas (Arabic: مَحْمُود عَبَّاس, Maḥmūd ʿAbbās; born 26 March 1935), also known by the kunya Abu Mazen (Arabic: أَبُو مَازِن, Åbú Mázɩn), has been the Chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) since 11 November 2004 and became President of the Palestinian National Authority on 15 January 2005 on the Fatah (فتح Fataḥ) ticket.
Elected to serve until 9 January 2009, he unilaterally extended his term for another year and continues in office even after that second deadline expired
So we still don't know how valid those elections were, but we know his term of office is over. And he decided on his own to retain the title (being leader of a terrorist organization has it's perks) long after the term, extening it a few times and then not even bothering to extend it anymore , just self declaring himself some kind of president for life.
Speaking of elections. If some guy who's the leader of a terrorist organization and has been killing Israeli's for years suddenly declares him self president and holds elections ... who gets to vote ? You think all the Israeli's he's been killing will vote for him ? You think he'll even give them the right to vote ? And how's he setting up voting booths when the cops will arrest him and his people on sight as terrorists ?
Obviously his election is entirely farcical.
In other words, a terrorist has declared himself president over some chunk of land he doesn't even have custody over , has zero mandate from any electorate over, and demands the UN recognize this.
Last time I checked, we shoot terrorists. We don't help them steal land from an ally and set up shop.
Friday, September 16, 2011
Cops promise more info after boy stunned by Taser
Article
PRINCE GEORGE, B.C. — The outside police force that cleared RCMP officers who used a Taser on an 11-year-old boy is promising to release more information about what happened.
So how big is this 11 year old child ? Precisely how big is the biggest 11 year old child you have ever seen ? Do you honestly think some cop couldn't smack down an 11 year old child no matter how enraged the kid may be ?
West Vancouver police concluded the officers acted reasonably and didn't break the law when they stunned a boy outside a care home in Prince George, B.C., in April.
Vancouver RCMP ? The same guys that tasered to death some polish guy at the air port and then were cleared of all hint of wrong doing ?
The more I hear about the antics of the Vancouver RCMP , the more I am convinced they are trying to give us all a message. And that message is ...
PRINCE GEORGE, B.C. — The outside police force that cleared RCMP officers who used a Taser on an 11-year-old boy is promising to release more information about what happened.
So how big is this 11 year old child ? Precisely how big is the biggest 11 year old child you have ever seen ? Do you honestly think some cop couldn't smack down an 11 year old child no matter how enraged the kid may be ?
West Vancouver police concluded the officers acted reasonably and didn't break the law when they stunned a boy outside a care home in Prince George, B.C., in April.
Vancouver RCMP ? The same guys that tasered to death some polish guy at the air port and then were cleared of all hint of wrong doing ?
The more I hear about the antics of the Vancouver RCMP , the more I am convinced they are trying to give us all a message. And that message is ...
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
United States in last-ditch effort to set up Israeli-Palestinian peace talks
Article
The United States, Europe and the Middle East quartet are engaged in a last-ditch effort to set up a fresh round of Israeli-Palestinian peace talks in an attempt to head off a major diplomatic embarrassment over the looming Palestinian request for recognition of statehood at the UN.
It will fail. It will fail for two reasons. One : Because they've been talking peace since 1948 , and not much has changed. and two :
Pretty picture. White woman . Unveiled. Very american. (Senator Hillary Clinton)
You sent a white woman with obvious western values to a place where woman are practically slaves .
The USA isn't making a serious effort at anything here. It's just a few politico's getting their pics in the news for a good but hopless cause, knowing they won't suffer for failure since everyone before them has failed as well.
Waste of our time.
It will fail. It will fail for two reasons. One : Because they've been talking peace since 1948 , and not much has changed. and two :
You sent a white woman with obvious western values to a place where woman are practically slaves .
The USA isn't making a serious effort at anything here. It's just a few politico's getting their pics in the news for a good but hopless cause, knowing they won't suffer for failure since everyone before them has failed as well.
Waste of our time.
Euro court rejects Inuit bid to challenge seal ban
Article
The European General Court, in a judgment released Wednesday, rejected a bid by Canada's largest Inuit organization to challenge the European Union's year-old trade ban on seal products.
Since when did permission to hunt seals to fulfill your tribes personal needs get transformed into permission to hunt the seals to extinction so you can sell the pelts to people on the other side of the world ?
Come on folks. You've either joined the modern age or you're living in igloo's with the eskimo's, but you can't have it both ways. If you're running a huge business, you're not native, you're not Inuit anything. You're a modern business man in a technological world.
And that means you gotta look at larger pictures, like not pissing off your customers, and like fending off the competition.
A good start would be some spy cams in the american cattle industry and show the world precisely what goes on in their slaughter houses. You thing beating baby seals to death is bad (they don't do that anymore , by the way, not in decades) wait until you get a load of that.
Quit ticking off your customers.
manage your herd so it doesn't get exterminated five years from now.
Rap on the competition a bit about their bad habits.
The European General Court, in a judgment released Wednesday, rejected a bid by Canada's largest Inuit organization to challenge the European Union's year-old trade ban on seal products.
Since when did permission to hunt seals to fulfill your tribes personal needs get transformed into permission to hunt the seals to extinction so you can sell the pelts to people on the other side of the world ?
Come on folks. You've either joined the modern age or you're living in igloo's with the eskimo's, but you can't have it both ways. If you're running a huge business, you're not native, you're not Inuit anything. You're a modern business man in a technological world.
And that means you gotta look at larger pictures, like not pissing off your customers, and like fending off the competition.
A good start would be some spy cams in the american cattle industry and show the world precisely what goes on in their slaughter houses. You thing beating baby seals to death is bad (they don't do that anymore , by the way, not in decades) wait until you get a load of that.
Quit ticking off your customers.
manage your herd so it doesn't get exterminated five years from now.
Rap on the competition a bit about their bad habits.
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