Who Really Owns Your Phone?

Current Mood: Not too shabby
Current Tunes: Sabaton - Coat of Arms

Recently, James Hadley Billington, a congressional librarian, declared that unlocking cell phones in order to be used by different carriers is illegal. This has angered some people because they feel that they completely own their phones and can do whatsoever they want with them. The real issue is who owns what on a cell phone. According to Billington, the firmware on the phone is property of the company that created it, and, therefore, unlocking the phone via changing the firmware is violation of copyright. The answer to "Who owns what?" on a  phone is simple: it works much the same as a computer and its software. A person may own their computer, but when they purchase software, they agree to a end-user license agreement. When a person buys a phone, they agree to use the phone according to the carrier's dictates. A carrier can put whatever they want in their agreement including a clause that the firmware cannot be changed. If a customer agrees to it, he or she must adhere to the agreement.

Source: http://www.pcworld.com/article/2026236/phone-unlocking-ban-could-could-hit-you-in-the-wallet.html

From the Apple II to Nanobots

Mood: devoid
Current Tunes: Dragonforce - The Power Within

New technology is not simply appended onto society; technology completely changes society. Sixty years ago, there were only a handful (actually room-full) of computers. Today, computers are ubiquitous. We depend on them so much that if they were to disappear our society would be thrown into complete pandemonium. Technology has blessed our lives by facilitating the completion of tasks in a short amount of time. For many people, this has led to taking on too many tasks, each one completed poorly. People simultaneously update their Facebook profile, listen to music, do homework, converse on Skype, skim global news outlets, and perform many other activities as a result of technological advances. Left unchecked, society will focus on such a multitude of tasks that it will never complete a single task. Society will become like butter that has been spread over too much bread: adding a little flavor but not enough in one place to satisfy our appetite. We must learn to focus on what is truly important today and in the future.

First Post

The Grumpy Cat is an Internet celebrity, but not even that is enough to prepare him for the world of computers. Follow his journey here as he learns more and posts his progress and adventures.