iWarez 829
asv108 writes "It seems that people are finding new uses for their iPod. According to this story in Wired, a Dallas area CompUsa employee caught a teenager transferring a fresh copy of Office for OSX to his iPod from a store demo machine."
Hmm (Score:1, Insightful)
CompUSA employees (Score:5, Insightful)
Isn't that a misprint? Should it not read: I look at him as though HE were clueless?
Sounds about right... CompUSA loser is thinking, "Yeah man, sure... the kids stealing apps off out machines with his Walkman. WHATever... don't forget your tinfoil hat on that way out!"
Just another moron who doesn't know his products or their capabilities.
(It's not just PC workers, even today's car salesmen don't know their product. I went shopping with a friend who wanted to buy a car in the same model that I own. My friend is an informed consumer; he and I had to correct the sales guy on model names, equipment on each, engine size and wheel size on three different cars.)
This brings up an interesting point (Score:1, Insightful)
wait a minute, what's the story here? (Score:2, Insightful)
Can't you take ANY external pocket hard drive or even a keychain USB drive and do similar things? WTF does this have to do with the iPod?
And you could take a camera into a museum or a movie camera into a theatre. But actually you can't because you'll get caught. So computer store employees should just make sure kids don't plug hard drives into computers.
Of course if software could be freely redistributed this wouldn't be a problem, but that's another long-running and tiresome story, isn't it...
There's no story here. NEXT!!!
Re:Wasn't Kevin Webb... (Score:1, Insightful)
Probably just didn't want to pony up $400+ for Office. MS loses nothing when kids like this pirate their software because if they couldn't get it for nothing, they probably wouldn't buy it anyway.
Arrr, Cap'n
This gives me an idea now... (Score:1, Insightful)
Why not bring in a *blank CDR* and use the CD burner built into the store model Macs instead? Nothing would be visible while the burning takes place.
Oh...and don't really do this. If you do, it's your own fault for being stupid. Fsck, I'd better post anonymously just to be safe.
Re:Hmm (Score:3, Insightful)
Someone has discovered a new, ironic, and devious way to use an iPod for piracy. It's funny. And nerdy. And newsworthy. Especially on
iSupportBadJournalism (Score:4, Insightful)
Prevention suggestions (Score:5, Insightful)
Here's a suggestion: Physically block the fucking I/O ports on display models. Put a locked metal bar across them or something. Cheap, quick, and effective.
Re:CompUSA employees (Score:5, Insightful)
Yeah.. didn't think so.
Re:Prevention suggestions (Score:2, Insightful)
It's definitely a plus for the store if a customer can walk up to the salesperson, hand them a box and say "This (wireless mouse|digital camera|iPod) looks really neat! Could you demonstrate it for me?" And the salesperson opens up the box, plugs it in, and demonstrates it for them. putting padlocked metal things in front of the ports will probably not make the customers all that happy. That is a bit of an issue, no? Plus, the current mac display cases are basically works of art, and besides this lots of users will want to see the back of the machine without metal in the way ("how many firewire ports does this thing have..?")
if it's that much of a problem the store can just put some mirrors up in the corners to make sure they can see the backs of the machines at all times.
But, hell, if the employees aren't paying attention then you could walk up to one of those g4s, open it up, take some RAM, and walk out of the store. Or just carry the g4 itself out of the store. Or walk into a 7-11, grab some milk, and walk out without paying. Computer stores could padlock the macs shut, but they often won't because they want the salespeople to be able to open up the machines on a moments whim; 7-11 could padlock the milk in place, but they won't.
There are more cost-and-effort-effective ways to prevent shrinkage.. especailly given how rarely people will be copying stuff off display models onto ipods.
Re:It's newsworthy (Score:3, Insightful)
Quentin [slashdot.org]
Back in the Day.. (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:Texan Gun Owner? (Score:2, Insightful)
Since when are Texans liable to shoot you at the drop of a hat? Read the statistics; you're more likely to get hit by a drunk driver (or any driver for that matter) than shot by a law-abiding concealed-carry permit holder who lawfully carries a concealed weapon (both in total numbers and percentage of drivers/CCW holders). Just because you're afraid of weapons doesn't mean they're inherently bad and make whomever touches them evil -- I'd rather my sister or my mother carry a pistol for self-defense than pepper spray or for heaven's sake a whistle!
Stereotypes are stereotypes and perpetuating them, just like modding down that post, is just as stupid and close-minded as the original statement.
Re:Virtual Shoplifting (Score:5, Insightful)
Nothing's missing . . . do they have the right to seize all those 1's and 0's?
You could make decent arguments for both sides . .
Hmm... (Score:5, Insightful)
Incidentally, I'd like to point out that the ease with which you can pirate software from a Macintosh raises an interesting point with Apple's vision. You install OfficeX by copying it where you want it...similar to the way you installed software on PCs before the invention of the "install wizard." Somebody realised that a single motion (drag program to applications) was easier than clicking through a dozen confusing menus. Somebody realized the time to ask for a serial number was when you tried to run a program, not while the install CD was in the drive.
Oh, and I'd like to mention in this anonymous forum that I steal bandwidth from the Apple store all the time. That lovely open (well, i consider 128bit WEP pretty open) Airport network is perfect for chilling in the mall with my palmtop, comparing online prices to b&m.
Re:Mac people are crazy (Score:2, Insightful)
...um... I think it was to get Office fro free actually...
HelLO!!!! (Score:3, Insightful)
If this isn't a wake-up call to stores like CompUSA, I don't know what is. If you treat and pay your employees like Wal-Mart employees, you're going to get people with the computer knowledge of Wal-Mart employees. Hand-holding employees through training isn't the answer because all that will give you is employees that require somebody else to do all their thinking for them while making them believe that they already know everything.
The reason the employees in stores like these don't have half a brain is because those that DO have half a brain can make far more money doing something else. Hell, people who answer tech support calls typically make more money than retail employees.
This is nothing more than CompUSA getting what it pays for.
Re:...Unless you are on the receiving end of it (Score:3, Insightful)
I'm so tired of rude, inconsiderate, and downright stupid sales clerks!
I'm starting to make a habit of filing complaints on these morons - because in the current economy, there's really no excuse for keeping some of these people employed. Much better individuals are out there, trying to find a job.
Just a few weeks ago, my wife got one of the people fired who worked at a Long John Silver's fast food place not far from here. They completely screwed up our order after we waited nearly 20 minutes for it (and while they served some friends of theirs first, even though they arrived after us) - and then copped an attitude when we just asked for a refund.
Re:And this is news...? (Score:4, Insightful)
Kinkos has always been the best place to get software. Sure, you have to pay by the hour, but their Macs are/were equipped with zip drives, later CDR drives, but this new Firewire thing is a real boon for getting bloatware.
What I'd like to know is if the iPod can play music while you're getting your copy of Office. If Apple used Linux or Darwin in the iPod, that would be a no-braner!
Re:Texan Gun Owner? (Score:1, Insightful)
I'm sick and tired of hearing about how I ride my horse everywhere (i dont even own a horse) and execute people for j-walking.
Why is this bad press? (Score:2, Insightful)
Isn't this the kind of convienence that computer people have wanted for years? I think it's fantastic. Bragging rights go to Apple. Now I can easily go around to my 250 desktops and load, or re-load, office in minutes.
Bravo Apple!
Some methods in place (Score:4, Insightful)
At one Best Buy, they had a Z52 as a store display, as Z53s had just come out. There were no more Z52s left, and they had yet to receive the Z53s for their stock.
Asking a manager, I got the price reduced to almost half the retail, and still got their crappy service plan thrown in for a year. When they opened it up to check for any products inside in case I was trying to smuggle them out, the cashier removed the ink cartridges and ran them across their demagnetizer.
Why? Because they put anti-theft tags on the cartridges. People actually walk into stores and try to swipe open inkjet cartridges which have been used quite a bit as demonstration products, and are already open.
So they're aware that people try to steal innards, but as to how far they can go, who knows? RAM may not be protectable in these methods, but other items could be.
The floppy of the future! (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:Since you were modded down for that Reply... (Score:1, Insightful)
Re:And that's...no big deal (Score:3, Insightful)
Dozens? Perhaps hundreds?
Compared to the number of computers that have already shipped with XP pre-installed, I doubt anyone in Redmond is sweating it.