Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Miscellaneous/2014 October 18
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October 18
editAudible.com - monopoly on audiobooks?
editI listen to a lot of Audiobooks, and whether I buy it from Audible.com, Amazon (which owns Audible) or iTunes, there is always a message at the beginning and end of recording that says "this audio program is presented by Audible.com".
It doesn't matter who the author or publisher is--the recording is *always* brought to me by Audible.com. Apparently, there are no other players in the audiobook market.
How did this happen? I sometimes wonder if there wouldn't be a better selection and more competitive pricing on audiobooks if Audible hadn't cornered the market. Couldn't antitrust action be taken against them?--Jerk of Thrones (talk) 02:27, 18 October 2014 (UTC)
- Mwa ha hahaha? But seriously, get thee to a lawyery. We don't do actions at the ref desk. μηδείς (talk) 02:51, 18 October 2014 (UTC)
- As any reasonable person can see, the OP is not asking for legal advice. They are asking about law and a chronology that brought Audible to the point this it is currently in. Dismas|(talk) 23:28, 18 October 2014 (UTC)
- There are three ways to get audiobooks for free, one is through websites like LibriVox which offers readings of public domain books, two is through your public library (possibly even through your library's website), or third is good old The Pirate Bay. 99.224.235.86 (talk) 20:14, 18 October 2014 (UTC)
- Lovely advice that it is to recommend someone to use a site that is blocked by most ISPs due to the illegal nature of the content it holds, this has no relevence to the question. The OP was asking why Audible seems to own the market with no competitors, not where can they get alternatives... I have no idea btw... gazhiley 08:08, 20 October 2014 (UTC)
- Book publishing companies often produce their own audiobooks, and there are a few other organizations that produce audio books. It's not specifically stated on Audible's article, but this section seems to suggest that Audible merely retails most of its audiobooks in the way iTunes retails songs.Mr.Magik-Pants (talk) 21:19, 23 October 2014 (UTC)
Is it possible for Wikipedia administrators to see registered users IP address?
editIP addresses of unregistered users can be seen easily by all users, but is it possible to see IP addresses of registered users for admins? If so, how someone can hide their IP addresses from all users, including admins? -- Bkouhi (talk) 17:54, 18 October 2014 (UTC)
- Admins can't see IP addresses of registered users, a different and very small group called CheckUsers can see it if required to investigate abuse of accounts. Not sure why you would want to hide your IP address if you are doing nothing wrong. MilborneOne (talk) 18:03, 18 October 2014 (UTC)
- Thank you for the answer. Just for clarification, let me say that, obviously I'm not doing anything wrong :) But not doing anything wrong, does not mean that it is OK for others to see my personal information, I just don't believe that the idea "I'm a good man and there is nothing wrong with me, so let give anyone any information he like". I just noticed that there are 1,386 admins on Wikipedia (English Wikipedia only), that's a large number IMHO, but again, obviously, it does not mean that I don't trust admins, sure admins are very trusted persons. Anyway, thank you very much for the answer. -- Bkouhi (talk) 18:24, 18 October 2014 (UTC)
- Due to sensitivity about IPs they are only about 40 Check Users on English Wikipedia (refer Special:ListUsers/checkuser) and they will only check if wrong doing is suspected. MilborneOne (talk) 18:30, 18 October 2014 (UTC)
- Details of what CheckUser provides is listed at wp:CheckUser, and more technical details are on its information page on mediawiki. All requests are logged (but not the result), the log is only accessible to other users with CheckUser permission. It appears that CheckUser allows listing of all IP address that a given user has used, or all users who have used a given IP address. CS Miller (talk) 20:01, 18 October 2014 (UTC)
- That's correct -- all such things within the limited time period (90 days, I think it is now) that checkuser data is retained. Also the user agent string. --jpgordon::==( o ) 03:10, 19 October 2014 (UTC)
- In addition to all that's been said above, if you have very good reason to think the checkuser tool was misused or there was otherwise a breach of the privacy policy, you can complain to the Meta:Ombudsman commission who will (if there is a good case) investigate and if necessary report to the Wikimedia Foundation Board of Trustees. While this obviously won't stop your details being known, it may provide some reassurance that it's less likely to happen again to anyone.
Note however a lot of the time you're at far bigger risk from other sites and from mistakes you make.
For example, if you're using the same username elsewhere, bear in mind a lot of sites don't have anywhere near the same protections of such details. E.g. many discussion sites the admins don't need any particular reason to check your IP if they think you're a troll, sockpuppet, spammer, have a COI or whatever else. Similarly for blogs which run their own discussion system. (If the blog uses an external system, it's possible your IP may be protected, although depending on their level of traffic they could perhaps try a correlation with general server access logs.) Even in terms of other non WMF wikis, their checkuser and privacy policies may be very weak so they have similar behaviour.
And if you accidentally edit while logged out in a manner in which you can be tied to your account, it's often easy for someone to pick it up. (If you realise you did this sooner after it happened, you should immediately remove your response, or at least any signature with your IP address and ask for WP:oversight of the compromising edits. This may not stop people noticing in the interim but at least means people won't be able to find it in the future.)
- In addition to all that's been said above, if you have very good reason to think the checkuser tool was misused or there was otherwise a breach of the privacy policy, you can complain to the Meta:Ombudsman commission who will (if there is a good case) investigate and if necessary report to the Wikimedia Foundation Board of Trustees. While this obviously won't stop your details being known, it may provide some reassurance that it's less likely to happen again to anyone.
- That's correct -- all such things within the limited time period (90 days, I think it is now) that checkuser data is retained. Also the user agent string. --jpgordon::==( o ) 03:10, 19 October 2014 (UTC)
- Details of what CheckUser provides is listed at wp:CheckUser, and more technical details are on its information page on mediawiki. All requests are logged (but not the result), the log is only accessible to other users with CheckUser permission. It appears that CheckUser allows listing of all IP address that a given user has used, or all users who have used a given IP address. CS Miller (talk) 20:01, 18 October 2014 (UTC)
- Due to sensitivity about IPs they are only about 40 Check Users on English Wikipedia (refer Special:ListUsers/checkuser) and they will only check if wrong doing is suspected. MilborneOne (talk) 18:30, 18 October 2014 (UTC)
- Thank you for the answer. Just for clarification, let me say that, obviously I'm not doing anything wrong :) But not doing anything wrong, does not mean that it is OK for others to see my personal information, I just don't believe that the idea "I'm a good man and there is nothing wrong with me, so let give anyone any information he like". I just noticed that there are 1,386 admins on Wikipedia (English Wikipedia only), that's a large number IMHO, but again, obviously, it does not mean that I don't trust admins, sure admins are very trusted persons. Anyway, thank you very much for the answer. -- Bkouhi (talk) 18:24, 18 October 2014 (UTC)
Radishes
editWhat causes the tingly sensation in the mouth when eating radishes? Th4n3r (talk) 18:04, 18 October 2014 (UTC)
- Probably allyl isothiocyanate. That article, as well as the one on radish, subsection "Uses" explain how the compound forms while the radish is being chewed. ---Sluzzelin talk 18:33, 18 October 2014 (UTC)
- Now I see why nobody ever died on Fraggle Rock. Except all of their parents, apparently. InedibleHulk (talk) 19:12, 18 October 2014 (UTC)
- My mother would like to know, how come they don't come up in bunches like at the grocers, when you plant them? μηδείς (talk) 19:25, 18 October 2014 (UTC)
- Your reply could be: Why is it that most women don't normally have up to six babies in one go, like dogs or cats? Unrelated, but by the way, never put a male and a female hamster in the same cage. You will end up with LOADS of hamsters after a very short while. KägeTorä - (影虎) (Chin Wag) 23:43, 18 October 2014 (UTC)
- As a kid I had a pop gun. Instead of using corks I often used radishes, because it turned it into a repeater. Second... If you find yourself with too many hamsters try this: Honey & Cider Hamster: Ingredients: 2 young hamsters, dressed & halved, 1/2 cup honey.2cups apple cider. 2 bay leaves, crushed. 1 tablespoon of cornstarch. 2 tablespoons of water. Preparation: Pat hamster halves dry. Place on rack in broiler pan. Coat with half the honey. Broil 6 inches from heat source for 8 minutes. Turn. Coat with remaining honey. Broil for 8 minutes longer. Place in roasting pan. Pour cider over hamster. Add bay leaves. Roast @ 350 degrees for 1 hour or until tender. Remove to serving platter; keep warm. Strain pan drippings into saucepan. Dissolve cornstarch in water; stir into pan drippings. Cook over medium heat until thickened, stirring constantly. Serve with hamster. May serve with crisp shoestring potatoes and green salad. Yield: 4 Servings. --Aspro (talk) 13:36, 19 October 2014 (UTC)
- Your reply could be: Why is it that most women don't normally have up to six babies in one go, like dogs or cats? Unrelated, but by the way, never put a male and a female hamster in the same cage. You will end up with LOADS of hamsters after a very short while. KägeTorä - (影虎) (Chin Wag) 23:43, 18 October 2014 (UTC)
- My mother would like to know, how come they don't come up in bunches like at the grocers, when you plant them? μηδείς (talk) 19:25, 18 October 2014 (UTC)
- Now I see why nobody ever died on Fraggle Rock. Except all of their parents, apparently. InedibleHulk (talk) 19:12, 18 October 2014 (UTC)
- 350 degrees for an hour?! you like your hamster crispy then. Richard Avery (talk) 07:44, 20 October 2014 (UTC)
- Thanks for the tip. What do I dress them in? Dinner jackets and ball-gowns? (Note to aspiring young comedians: Do NOT try this at home) KägeTorä - (影虎) (Chin Wag) 08:44, 20 October 2014 (UTC)
- 350 degrees for an hour?! you like your hamster crispy then. Richard Avery (talk) 07:44, 20 October 2014 (UTC)