Fantastic rant! The world was not designed for humans!

WPA on the Foxboard

Using the post by "putteh" from Yahoo! Tech Groups I've hacked in a setting to allow WPA with the D-Link adapter to be set up in the same fashion as WEP with menuconfig.

The patch is available to download here.
The patch to be applied to SVN revision 28 (the latest one as of this post).

Excellent sax remix of Ronald Jenkees

I'm proud to be a Knock of Nigel

Be proud to be a Knock of Nigel!
Rememeber;

1. Downloading a film is not the same as stealing a car. Its more like using a magic wand to instantly make another car for free.


2. Every download does not equal a loss for the industry. Just because someone downloads something does not mean they would buy it if they couldn't. The fact that downloading is free, convenient and harms no one makes it very attractive compared to overpriced DVDs of a film you've never seen.


3. While the industry prefers to use scare tactics, lies and refuses to adapt to the new shape of the market I will happily continue to be a Knock of Nigel with pride!

However that said I don't believe we should be happy to download all our media for free where possible, and we certainly don't have a "right" to do so, but until the shape of the industry changes I will refuse to give them my money, regardless of if I can get my media for free elsewhere. I will always happily give my money to providers whom;

1. Embrace technology: Online distribution in a fair and open way.


2. Throws away DRM : DRM does nothing to prevent "digital rights". It hurts the consumers ability to use the media they've paid for, and reduces the number of potential customers (by restricting access to unsupported platforms like linux or mac)


3. Provide a fair price which ends up in the hands of the artists, and not endless middlemen

Notable media distributors/labels/artists whom I'm happy to unload my dosh on;

• Magnatune - Absolutely wonderful label/distributor provides DRM free music, directly from the Artists. The artists always get 50% of what you pay, and you name your price. This my friends is the way of the future.


• 7digital - Not entirely DRM free but getting there


• Ronal Jenkees - Great unsigned artists, buy his DRM free CD directly from the man.


• SanctuaryForAll - A little rough round the edges but a fun sci-fi. All the episodes are available to buy and download DRM free from the site. A little pricy but certainly moving the right direction

Also remember always give money to those who are happy to provide there art free and open first! Encourage a culture of patronage moving away from the all powerful and impersonal media giants.

Filthy Sesame Street

Excellent point and funny too

Re: More rationality

False claims

"Your statement "There is no God because you cannot prove he exists" is rather extraordinary seeing as I need to take your statement on faith (complete trust or confidence in someone or something: a strongly held belief or theory) since you've offered me no proof to the contrary. So telling me I have to prove my faith but you're off the hook for your own is a bit crap and if you ever come at me with that weak first grade nonsense ever again I'll have to start insulting you. You seem like a smart guy so I don't want to do that.

1. There is no proof God does not exist


2. Logical statements require proof


3. Claiming that God does not exist is illogical

See I can do that crap too. Took a whole three seconds. Just cut and paste. You can't just tell me "there is no God," just because it sounds silly, you need to prove it."

You see that's just it. I'm not claiming that I can say for sure God doesn't exist. In the same way I can't claim that I know for sure we're not in The Matrix. Given the nature of both these ideas there are impossible to invalidate. Both of the following inferences are valid;

My statement;

1. There is no proof suggesting that god exists


2. Logical statements require proof


3. Claiming that god exists is illogical

Your statement (which in no way invalidates the above);

1. There is no proof God does not exist


2. Logical statements require proof


3. Claiming that God does not exist is illogical

Religion, and its followers, by there nature makes the claim that they know god exists. This is a claim without proof which as we have agreed above illogical and irrational.

Its also worth noting that religion also makes claims to the nature of god. For example that he's against homosexuals and for marriage, or that he wants us to attend a Church every Sunday. Making such a claim without proof is irrational for the same reasons. Without proof we can not possible know what god wants (assuming of course he exists at all).

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Faith

"Secondly I never said we didn't need rationality or logic. So stop saying that this is a battle of rationality vs. faith. YOUR statement is that religion is irrational and spreads irrational ideas because they conflict with your ideas which you, as an individual, consider rational."

Rationality as discussed in my last post is well defined. I assume in your first sentence you are referring to this definition of rationality and agreeing that it is necessary for a healthy society.

"The real argument is that a rational society is a better society and that ridding the world of the chains of faith is a step towards a better world.

Once again I would need faith to believe that a world without faith is a better world. I've seen no proof of it in fact I've seen plenty of proof to the contrary. For one people need faith everyday just to function properly. When you ask a guy for directions you have to believe without proof that he knows what he's talking about."

Firstly when I talk about faith I'm talking about religious faith. Above I argue, once again, that religious faith is irrational by the definition in the previous post. While we don't necessarily agree on this point, it does seem that we have agreed that rationality is necessary for a healthy society. I would also assume that you would agree that irrational behaviour stifles rational behaviour. Therefore the "proof" is in the inference that if religion is irrational (as discussed above). Irrational behaviour stifles rationality, and rationality is necessary for a healthy society then it would seem that religion is a bad thing.

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Secular ideals

"Besides that your idea would never work. People are, for God's sake I'm saying it again, individuals. If you managed to make a completely secular world, at some point some guy or gal would be born and ask the forbidden question "What about God?" And then what? Would you murder them because they ruined your utopia? Or brainwash them for your perfect rational world?"

Secular doesn't mean without religion it means state is separated from religion. Everyone in the world could have a different religion and the government could (and should) still be secular. I'm not against thought, or freedom of speech, or forcing people to do anything. However I am against religion in the science class. Against the promotion of religion by government and for the promotion of the scientific method and rationality. Against religion meddling with law or science.

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Finally could I ask you out of curiosity are you a member of any religion and are you, as you have suggested, a creationist (i.e. you believe that macro-evolution is not, given the evidence we have today, responsible for the diversity of life)? Please feel free not to answer if you prefer to keep such things private.

Once again thank you for your reply, and look forward to further discussion