Copyright Law is 300 years old today. - <AUTHOR> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statute_of_Anne

<comment><USER2> It's good to be reminded that just 300 years ago, people didn't even have a _concept_ of copyright. These days, copyrights are often described as natural rights founded on basic ethics, but that's just not the case. Copyrights are a set of laws that were invented by people to have certain effects on society.

I see things like these Amazon reviews for Tweet Nothings and I'm amazed at how effective the PR departments of the copyright industries have been at making us think like they want us to. Almost all of them could have been written by the RIAA or MPAA. <http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1593597770>

</comment><comment><USER3> It hasn't aged well.

</comment><comment><USER4> It's remarkable that the article claims reasons for copyright originally were not for the protection of authors, but for the control of descent spread by printing. At the risk of sounding like a nut, could history be repeating itself? Rules cutting web connections without trial sound like they will be enacted in law in the UK. ISPs are obliged to monitor subscriber's traffic. Are these powers open to abuse?

</comment><comment><USER5> I think it might be on its deathbed.

</comment><comment><USER6> Boooo!</comment>


Should I wait for the MacBooks with Arm chip? - <AUTHOR> I have been planning to buy a MacBook Pro laptop. But now I read that Apple is planning to switch to Arm chip. Should I wait for it or take the opportunity to buy one of the last MacBooks with an Intel chip? What are the pros and cons for either choice? <comment><USER2> What are you using the laptop for?

If its web browsing with long battery life, you should just get an iPad Pro with the keyboard attachment. for anything else just buy an Intel Macbook - who knows how long it will be until the ARM Macbook gets released

<comment><AUTHOR> I am developer, a heavy user running docker containers, IntelliJ, etc. I have been using Macs for a long time and not considering a switch to a Linux or Windows. If I buy a laptop today I will not be buying another one for at least 5 years. So I wanted understand what I lose if I buy another laptop with an Intel chip versus the new Arm based one.</comment></comment>


Google search server error - <AUTHOR> https://assets.avi.io/2018-10-31_12-9unps.png <comment><AUTHOR> No search queries are working from the US.

<comment><USER2> Working fine for me in Portland, OR.

</comment></comment><comment><USER3> Which Chrome theme is that?

</comment><comment><USER4> broken for me here SF

EDIT: aaaaaaand it's back</comment>


Cuddlr is a location-based social-meeting app for cuddling - <AUTHOR> http://www.cuddlrapp.com

<comment><USER2> What could possibly go wrong?

<comment><AUTHOR> Just tried to use this app. Mostly old men, no girls and I understand why no girls is on this app, haha!</comment></comment>


Ask HN: best startup swag? - <AUTHOR>

We're having our first company outing shortly and I'd like to get everybody some great swag. What's the best swag you've seen recently? <comment><USER2> Mark Cuban's 12 Rules for Startups

<http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/222524>

10\. Never buy swag. A sure sign of failure for a startup is when someone sends me logo-embroidered polo shirts. If your people are at shows and in public, it's okay to buy for your own employees, but if you really think people are going to wear your branded polo when they're out and about, you are mistaken and have no idea how to spend your money.

<comment><USER3> Hm, I disagree with that statement. You could give away functional swag. For example, a startup building a web browser for tablets could give away winter special material winter gloves that you can wear while still using the touch screen interface.</comment></comment>


Validating Email Addresses with a Regex? Do Yourself a Favor and Don't - <AUTHOR> http://blog.onyxbits.de/validating-email-addresses-with-a-regex-do-yourself-a-favor-and-dont-391/ <comment><USER2> Did i miss it or did you forget that domains also can be punycode?

My devise this days is, if i need to know the email works. I'll just send them a email.

<comment><AUTHOR> > Did i miss it or did you forget that domains also can be punycode?

That's an interesting question. DNS doesn't handle non-ASCII characters, so you have to encode them as xn--SOMETING. This will validate. Debatable if it should because it means you have to handle it in the code you are validating for.

> My devise this days is, if i need to know the email works. I'll just send > them a email.

Making validation someone else's problem ;)? Sure, that works, unless your task involves cleaning up a database containing a couple million addresses.

<comment><USER2> True. thats a different use case.

I may would except you (the form or whatever) to translate my inputs to punycode. I live in a german/french country special chars in domains are not exactly unusual, but i avoid them for myself because i've encountered so many sites that simply ignore there existence.

<comment><AUTHOR> I guess, that's the whole point of the blogpost: when you try to validate email addresses with a regex, you are screwed with unicode domains. It is not clear if you should let them pass, only let them pass if they are properly encoded or not let them pass at all (as the software behind the validator is clueless about them either way).

Building the DFA yourself gives you more control.</comment></comment></comment></comment>


MacOS Mojave Preview: The Changes That Make a Difference - <AUTHOR> https://www.laptopmag.com/articles/mac-os-mojave-preview <comment><USER2> I'm not interested in the Mac OS right now. Ask me again later. Or how about never. I will never again use an OS that has removed the option to say "no". And no, disabling automatic updates is not a reasonable option. How about just letting me say no?

<comment><USER3> Let you say no to what?

<comment><USER4> Sounds like they are referring to the upgrade dialog in OSX that asks you either to install the systemwide upgrade or "remind me tomorrow".

If the GP cared that much though, they would know that a short google query shows you how to kill that in two clicks, without any technical know how.</comment></comment></comment>


Hacker gives homeless man coding less. U can too. - <AUTHOR> http://blog.hubspot.com/uattr/heres-your-chance-to-write-a-happy-ending-for-the-most-heartwarming-christmas-story-ever

<comment><USER2> (I'm not saying everyone is the same - this is just a point of view)

At my last job, we donated very considerably to needy families all throughout the year but much more around Christmas. We would amass hundreds of canned goods, blankets, toys for their kids, etc... As well as cash - The nature of our business was a call center type, so every month, a bonus check would be given out for performance. Many people would donate a portion of that to this fund to help buy more. More so, the company would match all donations.

All that being said, it was always my point of view that the work the call center did was not particularly difficult. With a little training, anyone off of the street could do it. You got your own desk, beautiful heated and cooled facility, good hours, good pay and of course, based on performance, the ability to earn this bonus check.

It was always my point of view that a man doesn't want a hand out. What we were doing was great, but if you want to see a man smile or cry, give him a job. Let him earn for himself, for his family. Thats the best gift in my opinion. Give them the means and let them see how far they can take it, not us.

It never flew with management (and I'm not sure why). I hope this guy succeeds. Maybe he's one of the people I'm talking about (someone who wants to earn for himself and not get a hand out) but not all people are like that. Some people want a hand out and to do nothing more then to live off of others.</comment>


The Janitor Who Hacked Cheetos - <AUTHOR> http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/community/2012/03/26/our-american-dream-richard-montanez-janitor-invents-hot-cheeto/

<comment><USER2> Montañez deserves all of the praise he's being given. But, the heads of the Frito Lay corporation deserve some recognition, too, for willing to listen to their employee, no matter how low down the corporate ladder he was.

</comment><comment><USER3> Maybe I'm just cynical, but this story seems too perfect to me. It smells a lot like PR fiction. Would they really need a janitor to come up with the idea of spicy Cheetos? Seems like something they would've already been experimenting with as part of normal R&D.

<comment><USER4> Seems to be the real deal, more in-depth article:

[http://www.lowridermagazine.com/hotnews/1108_lmrp_richard_mo...](http://www.lowridermagazine.com/hotnews/1108_lmrp_richard_montanez_raza_report/viewall.html)

<comment><USER5> "a broken machine in the Cheetos assembly line. "Some of them were missing the cheese because the machine had broken, so I took some home. I put some chili powder on it, and it tasted good! So I mixed up some more chilies and began trying to create my own seasoning. I let my coworkers try a few and they loved them. Then it hit me, I had an idea!" Richard took the company president up on his offer from the videotape. "I called up President Roger Enrico, not knowing I wasn't supposed to do that. His assistant picked up the phone and asked my name and where I worked. I told her I was Richard Montanez, and I worked as a janitor in the Rancho Cucamonga plant. She was a visionary for even putting me through to Roger. He got on the line and said, 'Hi Richard, I hear you've got an idea?' He told me he would be down at the plant in two weeks and wanted to hear my idea"

</comment></comment></comment><comment><USER6> _"The antidote to fear is hunger. When you have hunger for a job position, knowledge or a new house, you go and get it and fear will never get a hold of you,"said Montañez_

love that quote.

</comment><comment><USER7> Alternate headline: "Meet the 'Good Will Hunting' of Cheetos."

</comment><comment><USER8> "Fox News Latino", does that actually exist? :/

Do you have a "Black News Channel" too?

</comment><comment><USER9> Further proof that Cheetos remain a solid part of the American Dream.

</comment><comment><USER10> Happened ca. 1991</comment>


Financial Times reporter accessed private calls at Independent - <AUTHOR> https://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/mark-di-stefano-financial-times-independent-evening-standard-zoom-call-a9485931.html <comment><AUTHOR> Not calls like the title says, but unprotected Zoom meetings:

> Media correspondent eavesdropped on Zoom meetings as staff were told > sensitive news of pay cuts and furloughs during pandemic

He first accessed the Independent meeting with his own FT account, before logging in with an anonymous account.</comment>