Friday, April 29, 2005

Work-for-Hire (Part 2)

Background
Since the last episode, Albert has written the paper, given it to Trebla and collected $20. Albert was happy until he found out that Trebla made $40 out of his work.

Once upon a time, on a sunny evening with a distant rainbow in the east, sitting on the wet green lawn near the roses, Albert and Trebla went into an argument AGAIN...

Albert: Give me back the $40.

Trebla: Why?

Albert: I wrote the paper. You collected $60 from the customer. So you should give that all to me.

Trebla: Brother, you have no right to ask for that $40 I legally earned. I demand an apology!

Albert: What!? It is totally unfair. I do all the hard work and you collected more money than I.

Trebla: Well, when you have heard about an author gets anything more than 15%? Most got much less. I am very generous in offering you 30%. [see for example, here]

Albert: You are operating a "sweat" shop!

Trebla: Brother, I am very generous already. You are paid immediately when I got the paper. I have not deducted my expenses before calculating your share.

Albert: This is totally unfair.

Trebla: Brother, you are my brother, so I am this generous. In the real world, you will be lucky to get paid. Ha Ha....

Tagged as

Tuesday, April 26, 2005

Work-for-Hire (Part 1)

Background
Date: Thu, 21 Apr 2005 13:40:21 -0000 From: "writinglance" Subject: NEW FREELANCE PROJECTS on Directfreelance.com 4/21/2005

Dear Freelancers!

Recent Projects:

4/21/2005 - #21192 Foucault Philosophy Term Paper ...Article/News/Press Release Writing/Editing I need a writer to write a 25-page term paper (double-spaced) on Foucault''s philosophy. I have an article that contains all the ideas that are needed to write this paper. However, those ideas need to be re-written so this term-paper is original. Please provide quote me a flat-fee to for this service.


Once upon a time, on a sunny evening with a distant rainbow in the east, sitting on the wet green lawn near the roses, Albert and Trebla went into an argument AGAIN...

Earlier that evening, Trebla answered the ad and get the job for 60 dollars.


Trebla: Brother, I have a job for you.

Albert: OK, what's that?

Trebla: You like writing, right? You like to make some money from your writing, right?

Albert: yeah...

Trebla: Here is your assignment. A 25-page paper (double-spaced) on Foucault''s philosophy.

Albert: Why?

Trebla: OK, to reduce my cost, you will be given a draft. Your task is to make the draft looks like written by a 12-year student.

Albert: WHAT?

Trebla: By thw way, you may introduce some spelling and grammatical mistakes, and wrong concepts and misunderstandings as well.

Albert: What kind of job is that?

Trebla: Don't worry. You will get 20 dollars for your work. Ha Ha....

Tagged as

Friday, April 22, 2005

India rejects software patents

Background
via Boing Boing
Indian parliament deleted the section from the patents bill regrading the software patents as left parties prevailed over the Government on the issue.

[from Slashdot]

Once upon a time, on a sunny evening with a distant rainbow in the east, sitting on the wet green lawn near the roses, Albert and Trebla went into an argument AGAIN...

Albert: Well done, India!

Trebla: Well done, India! 30 years should be sufficient!

Albert: Trebla, what do you mean for 30 years should be sufficient?

Trebla: Yeah, given today's speed of progress, 30 years of not respecting other's patent should be enough.

Albert: What?!

Trebla: All countries started as pirate nation, including USA. This is a natural progression!

Albert: NATURAL PROGESSION! Come on, brother. Your twisted mind is not working any more.

Trebla: Brother, R & D stands for "Repeat and Duplicate". That's how one can learn from the past. Even the great Physicist Newton said his discovery stands on the shoulders of giants in the past.

Albert: So, why you say 30 years is enough? Do you think that India will revert to enforcing software patent after 30 years.

Trebla: Yes, of course. It is natural progression. In the agricultural era, people own land. These landlords do not have to work. They live off their properties. In the industrial era, people own money and live off from their investment. Again, they do need to work. What do you think people will live on and yet do not need to work in the information era?

Albert: Ideas?

Trebla: Yes, ideas. The greedy nature of human will move to propose to protect "my property" - i.e. ideas. So, when India becomes an idea-exporting country, they will impose patents to protect their rich people. Just like USA, stupid!

Albert: ...

Trebla: When are you going to learn to be smarter, brother?

Thursday, April 21, 2005

Blocking VoIP Calls: Foreboding Harbinger or Benign Fluke?

Background
via Stephen Downes' OLDaily.
The nation of Qatar has already started cracking down on what it calls "illegal VoIP" (Voice over IP) and there are signs that this trend is spreading as some U.S. carriers have already attempted to block voice traffic, citing it as unfair competition.


Once upon a time, on a sunny evening with a distant rainbow in the east, sitting on the wet green lawn near the roses, Albert and Trebla went into an argument AGAIN...

Trebla: Stupid move, Telco!

Albert: I'm glad you finally side with me. As said by Stephen, I "don't see what's unfair about using technological innovation to provide the same service at a lower cost".

Trebla: Oh, brother, you missed my point. I am saying that Telco's strategy of protecting their business is wrong.

Albert: What do you meant protecting their business. It is a clear case of "cartel, copyright, patent and trade legislation to support otherwise unprofitable business methods".

Trebla: Any business has the right to survive. After all, shareholders invest in a business to make money. Nothing more and nothing less.

Albert: Well, the USA FCC has made a decision to fine Madison River Communications $15K for blocking Vonage's internet traffic. [as cited by Garret Sern's blog]

Trebla: That's why I said the Telcos have made a stupid move.

Albert: What do you mean?

Trebla: Hey, they should have copied the RIAA's strategy. First, they should create an image in the public that Voice over IP is an act of thief. Stealing their legal rights to provide telephone service. Then, lobby the government to introduce laws to prohibit anyone stealing their rights. Then they start blocking IP packages and take actions. Given the size of the Telco, I just think the CEO's are just dumb!

Albert: How can you make sure that such laws can be passed?

Trebla: Ha, Ha. There is a will, there is a way. Human are weak! These Telcos donate so such money to the political parties. Don't you think it is undoable!

Albert: Brother, you are thinking illegal tactics again.

Trebla: Survival for the fittest! It is a free world, remember? Ha Ha...

Wednesday, April 20, 2005

WebCT Is Founding Member and Co-Chair of New Open Source/Commercial e-Learning Software Group

Background
From a WebCT press release on March 28, 2005

WebCT Is Founding Member and Co-Chair of New Open Source/Commercial e-Learning Software Group

Company takes action to pioneer e-learning software interoperability

Once upon a time, on a sunny evening with a distant rainbow in the east, sitting on the wet green lawn near the roses, Albert and Trebla went into an argument AGAIN...

Albert: Good news, brother. We are seeing commercial LMS vendor working hand in hand with open source SAKAI project.

Trebla: That only because they know they will not survive if they do not transform themselves.

Albert: Wrong, brother. LMS market is blooming. Industrial analysis is predicting increased spending in e-learning. Why you suggest they will not survive?

Trebla: Brother, look at the situation. From the top end, I mean the international companies which have money will be buying enterprise class LMS like Pathlore, or from those currently dominating their HR departments, like SAP. From the bottom end, the free open source LMS like Moodle is receiving a lot of acceptance. The middle tier LMS (like WebCT) are being squeezed at both ends and forced to focus on no money education institutions. Do you still think they have a bright future?

Albert: but ...

Trebla: Furthermore, like QuestionMark, by playing right in the so call standards drafting organisation, they can influence the development of tools and get their own system to be in line with the emerging standards.

Albert: But, the IMS Tools Interoperability Working Group includes representatives from, JISC, Cocoon Technologies, Indiana University, MIT, Open University, Pearson Education, QuestionMark, The Sakai Project, Sun Microsystems, UC Berkeley, Ufi, University of Michigan and Blackboard. WebCT alone cannot influence the standards drafting process.

Trebla: Yes and no. Remember, all these processes are political laden. I think it is more publicity.

Albert: You are always looking at things from a very negative angle.

Trebla: I am just being careful!

Saturday, April 16, 2005

Comcast sued for handing over customer data to RIAA

Background
America's largest cable provider is being sued by a woman who claims the company voluntarily forked over her personal account data to the RIAA. [via Boing Boing]

Once upon a time, on a sunny evening with a distant rainbow in the east, sitting on the wet green lawn near the roses, Albert and Trebla went into an argument AGAIN...

Trebla: Well done! RIAA, go after all these pirates! Sue them all and make big bucks for the copyright holders.

Albert: Hi brother, you should not call those who infringed on other's copyright a pirate. These people do not kill people and they are more like Robin Hood. By the way, the issue here is not about RIAA sueing people. It is about Camcast bleaching its privacy requirement.

Trebla: Who cares about privacy. On the Internet, all your transactions are stored by all the proxy inbetween the sender and reciever. Anyone with a little bit of skill will be able to get the information. By the way, your royalty programs know more about you than yourself AND you voluntantly give that away anyway.

Albert: But Camcast is still legally liable for releasing the private information without court authorisation.

Trebla: So Camcast just need to settle with Leadbetter, for sum say 3000. That will end the matter. Ha Ha...

Albert: What do you mean by "ha ha"?

Trebla: Stupid, what do you think the deal between Camcast and RIAA would worth? So, ha ha...

Albert: You are only speculating!

Trebla: I am only commercially more clever than you are. Ha ha....

Welcome

Background
This is a conversation between Albert and Trebla.

Once upon a time, on a sunny evening with a distant rainbow in the east, sitting on the wet green lawn near the roses, Albert and Trebla went into an argument AGAIN...

Albert: We must acknowlege Thiagi for giving us such an good idea for presenting viewpoints.

Trebla: Who cares about Thiagi? It is Igaiht who is the brighter of the two. Just like I am more handsome, smarter and more successful than you.

Albert: Hey, brother, remember I am older than you.

Trebla: Who said that? Human is born evil. I am the elder of us! I am more successful because I am greedy. I knew how to exploit people and I took whatever means necessary to achieve my goal.

Albert: Brother, success is not measured by material rewards. You must also have satisfaction in the work you do, passionate about the people around you and truely believe in the well-being of the human race today and in the future.

Trebla: Ha, Ha. That's why you are still struck in the e-Learning business, Ha Ha.....