Why do we have this weird gateway with some message on the European council at our site gateway? It's sort of annoying, but could also make people think that they have come to the wrong site.
As far as I know the Banana Republic is a clothing company. Why are they on our site?
That fruity Banana Republic Thing
That fruity Banana Republic Thing
The Mana World System Coordinator.
View the Systems
So what does the systems coordinator actually do? My job is to take your ideas for TMW and build them into working aspects of gameplay that can be implemented by the artists and programmers. If there's anything you think we can do better or differently, let me know.
View the Systems
So what does the systems coordinator actually do? My job is to take your ideas for TMW and build them into working aspects of gameplay that can be implemented by the artists and programmers. If there's anything you think we can do better or differently, let me know.
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Bjørn
- Manasource
- Posts: 1438
- Joined: 09 Dec 2004, 18:50
- Location: North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
- Contact:
You're probably not living in Europe, but as you could have read on Slashdot and probably various other sources, software patents have been accepted by the European Council yesterday.
http://ue.eu.int/
http://wiki.ffii.org/Cons050307En
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banana_republic
In agreement with Usiu and luineancaion, I've put that on our index page to raise awareness about the issue, because software patents are the last thing we waiting for. See also http://gnome.org/.
http://ue.eu.int/
http://wiki.ffii.org/Cons050307En
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banana_republic
In agreement with Usiu and luineancaion, I've put that on our index page to raise awareness about the issue, because software patents are the last thing we waiting for. See also http://gnome.org/.
Yesterday was a very sad day in history of Europe, and therefore i thank you, hammerbear, for putting that front page online, another way to say 'Duck you' to the Banana Republic Europe would be to Googlebomb it, anyways, I just read through our local newspaper and sadly there isnt even one article/entry on this theme :/
visit my blog (in german)
I'm very sorry about it.
Once again the dark forces of modern capitalism and companies imperialism triumph over the people will.
But who cares, say the normal people that don't know what is software. We are using windows and we like it.
All freedom to develop anything in europe could fall down.
Yes, it was a very sad day. Hope that all of you can turn it back.
Once again the dark forces of modern capitalism and companies imperialism triumph over the people will.
But who cares, say the normal people that don't know what is software. We are using windows and we like it.
All freedom to develop anything in europe could fall down.
Yes, it was a very sad day. Hope that all of you can turn it back.
I know alot of you don't really agree with my conservative ethics and all, but since I plan on writing software for a living, I'm kind of in favor of software patents. How else is a programmer to pay his rent if everyone can take his source, improve it, and redistribute it? Sure, it makes software better, but in the end, it hurts individual people and discourages the invention of new ideas. Anyway, patents are still timed, so it's not like anything is lost forever. It just gives a programmer time to collect on his hard work, and I'm all in favor of people getting their due for introducing a good idea to software design.
Anyway, I have to remind you that this is a game rather than a political statement, and that the real idea behind this project is to create a free, multi-platform, online, open source game. If certain of you feel that software patents are an important issue, I encourage you to say so, but it's not one of the fundamental ideas behind this site, and thus, should not be holding a place as site gateway. It turns people away thinking that we're a political site and not a gaming site, that's my real qualm with it.
Anyway, I have to remind you that this is a game rather than a political statement, and that the real idea behind this project is to create a free, multi-platform, online, open source game. If certain of you feel that software patents are an important issue, I encourage you to say so, but it's not one of the fundamental ideas behind this site, and thus, should not be holding a place as site gateway. It turns people away thinking that we're a political site and not a gaming site, that's my real qualm with it.
The Mana World System Coordinator.
View the Systems
So what does the systems coordinator actually do? My job is to take your ideas for TMW and build them into working aspects of gameplay that can be implemented by the artists and programmers. If there's anything you think we can do better or differently, let me know.
View the Systems
So what does the systems coordinator actually do? My job is to take your ideas for TMW and build them into working aspects of gameplay that can be implemented by the artists and programmers. If there's anything you think we can do better or differently, let me know.
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Bjørn
- Manasource
- Posts: 1438
- Joined: 09 Dec 2004, 18:50
- Location: North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
- Contact:
You apparently still don't understand that to write some piece of software that uses your one innovative software design idea, and to sell it, you'll have to carefully watch all existing patents (too many to watch, some you can't watch) and you'll probably have to deal with a dozen of them (too many to make any profit). It's not a choice between software patents and free software. Really, nobody is waiting for software patents but the big companies that have already been granted hundreds of them. These companies don't really make more money with that, but it earns them power (the power to pick on the small, any small, also small users), and they can exchange patents with other big companies to avoid costly patent lawyer fees and court cases.Kyokai wrote:I know alot of you don't really agree with my conservative ethics and all, but since I plan on writing software for a living, I'm kind of in favor of software patents. How else is a programmer to pay his rent if everyone can take his source, improve it, and redistribute it? Sure, it makes software better, but in the end, it hurts individual people and discourages the invention of new ideas. Anyway, patents are still timed, so it's not like anything is lost forever. It just gives a programmer time to collect on his hard work, and I'm all in favor of people getting their due for introducing a good idea to software design.
Maybe software patents are bad or good, but that still doesn't fix this problem.Kyokai wrote: ...this is a game rather than a political statement, and that the real idea behind this project is to create a free, multi-platform, online, open source game. If certain of you feel that software patents are an important issue, I encourage you to say so, but it's not one of the fundamental ideas behind this site, and thus, should not be holding a place as site gateway. It turns people away thinking that we're a political site and not a gaming site, that's my real qualm with it.
The Mana World System Coordinator.
View the Systems
So what does the systems coordinator actually do? My job is to take your ideas for TMW and build them into working aspects of gameplay that can be implemented by the artists and programmers. If there's anything you think we can do better or differently, let me know.
View the Systems
So what does the systems coordinator actually do? My job is to take your ideas for TMW and build them into working aspects of gameplay that can be implemented by the artists and programmers. If there's anything you think we can do better or differently, let me know.
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Bjørn
- Manasource
- Posts: 1438
- Joined: 09 Dec 2004, 18:50
- Location: North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
- Contact:
It already contained such a link text, I added that quite shortly after introducing the page. The page has been removed now, it has been enough. Can be watched for reference here:Rotonen wrote:I thought the small banner was enough.. At least the gateway needs to be restructured in a way that it contains a button which says "enter The Mana World website here".
http://themanaworld.sf.net/patents2005.html
A small banner, as before, remains.
Here's what they accepted:
http://ue.eu.int/ueDocs/cms_Data/docs/p ... /84021.pdf
When I use my link http://themanaworld.sourceforege.net, it still comes up as a gateway. Maybe I just need to clear my cache or something (does mozilla make you do that manually?)
Anyway, I did take the time to read the document. I think everyone's worries about people patenting something like a not equals operator, or a file encoding format are sort of unfounded. The document clearly states that invention requires proof of an inventive step (ie: something has to be fundamentally changed, probably below assembler level to constitute a real creation of new computing methods). Anyhow, I'm not really going to argue over it. We have software patents in America, and no one is bothered by them. If someone patents an operator or fundamental concept, Microsoft or Apple will probably jump in and stop them, since that will affect their software and users long before it gets to any of ours.
Anyway, I did take the time to read the document. I think everyone's worries about people patenting something like a not equals operator, or a file encoding format are sort of unfounded. The document clearly states that invention requires proof of an inventive step (ie: something has to be fundamentally changed, probably below assembler level to constitute a real creation of new computing methods). Anyhow, I'm not really going to argue over it. We have software patents in America, and no one is bothered by them. If someone patents an operator or fundamental concept, Microsoft or Apple will probably jump in and stop them, since that will affect their software and users long before it gets to any of ours.
The Mana World System Coordinator.
View the Systems
So what does the systems coordinator actually do? My job is to take your ideas for TMW and build them into working aspects of gameplay that can be implemented by the artists and programmers. If there's anything you think we can do better or differently, let me know.
View the Systems
So what does the systems coordinator actually do? My job is to take your ideas for TMW and build them into working aspects of gameplay that can be implemented by the artists and programmers. If there's anything you think we can do better or differently, let me know.
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HaLLanHype
- Novice
- Posts: 184
- Joined: 10 Mar 2005, 00:58
Heh heh. Bing. That's where I can chime in.
I'm a musician. And I've given the whole music sharing thing a good deal of thought as a result. Know what conclusion I've come to? If I ever get to the point of releasing a CD...I'm going to put it out on LimeWire myself.
Here in the US, it's virtually impossible to earn a living as a musician without whoring yourself out to the whims of "pop" music. The only way to possibly compete, as a local unknown musician, is to get your name and sound out there as much as possible. That takes a lot of forms; playing on street corners, doing free gigs, and yes, giving your music away. Because it is true that people who download music are more likely to actually buy it later. It isn't the struggling local musicians who violently protest music sharing. It's the record label megacorporations, and the rockstars, who are just as overpaid as professional atheletes anyway. Screw 'em.
Not saying it's a perfect or even good parallel to the software industry. Just correcting misconceptions on the music sharing gig.
I'm a musician. And I've given the whole music sharing thing a good deal of thought as a result. Know what conclusion I've come to? If I ever get to the point of releasing a CD...I'm going to put it out on LimeWire myself.
Here in the US, it's virtually impossible to earn a living as a musician without whoring yourself out to the whims of "pop" music. The only way to possibly compete, as a local unknown musician, is to get your name and sound out there as much as possible. That takes a lot of forms; playing on street corners, doing free gigs, and yes, giving your music away. Because it is true that people who download music are more likely to actually buy it later. It isn't the struggling local musicians who violently protest music sharing. It's the record label megacorporations, and the rockstars, who are just as overpaid as professional atheletes anyway. Screw 'em.
Not saying it's a perfect or even good parallel to the software industry. Just correcting misconceptions on the music sharing gig.
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Bjørn
- Manasource
- Posts: 1438
- Joined: 09 Dec 2004, 18:50
- Location: North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
- Contact:
Yes, but software you write is already copyrighted, you don't need patents to make money out of it. See ANY of today's software businesses. The ones making money from their patents are generally seen as annoyances or "evil companies", like whoever owned the GIF patent.HaLLanHype wrote:I agree if I made software for a living I would want to cash in off of it. Its like downloading music. No one cares but if you were the one getting ripped off it would be different
Suppose somebody would write a free alternative to your software (and allow everybody to use it for free), what on earth gives you the right to sue him and the users? This wasn't how patents worked traditionally, where they protected a long term research commitment by a company. Software patents can "protect" ideas you maybe needed just a month to crystalize, and for such a long time that it'll be long obsolete by the time the patent expires. The protection in this case makes your idea pretty much useless to the rest of the world.
