It's refreshing to see that the market is gradually starting to lean more toward innovation rather than raw graphics power. The PSP is a really nifty-looking little system, but its games are predominantly all the same stuff we've already seen, just handheld. The Xbox 360 can put out some impressive graphical effects, but all they do is make all the same games we've already played more shiny.
The DS is admittedly very underpowered when benchmarked next to the PSP, but it would be like comparing apples and oranges (as Nintendo intended). They're going for innovation, originality, and fresh approaches to an otherwise stagnant market. The Wii will be very much the same way; not as graphically impressive as the PS3 or 360, but definitely the most unique and possibly most desireable.
I know a number of people who, five years ago, would have said "f*ck Nintendo, I'm getting an Xbox" because the Xbox could put out so much more raw power, and was less prone to suffering from censorship. These people, now, are realizing that graphics are starting to reach a point where they really don't make that much of a difference, and nudity/blood/violence/profanity aren't really what make games great. They are expressing an interest in the Wii because it just looks like the most fun top play, as a major departure from all the same old gameplay we've already seen.
In the end, what all of this comes down to is that superior graphics or more adult themes don't make games great. Being enjoyable, memorable, and somehow unique are what separate the great from the bland. And in the case of the Wii and DS, there are and will be a lot of potential with the bold new directions they're facing.
...it's a cheap white handheld with not two, but SIX buttons (not including the start and select buttons). But I'm just being anal retentive.:)
Anyway, I wouldn't say that Nintendo is dominating the Xbox using the DS, since they're two dramatically different systems, appealing to dramatically different markets, to play dramatically different games. The innovation of the DS helps a lot as well, since the 360 is just a bunch of the same stuff we've already seen for a number of years, only shinier.
It'll be interesting to see how the Wii stacks up to this thing in the coming months, when considering those same reasons: the Wii and 360 will be like apples and oranges.
If they're going to find and fix exploits with the OS on these machines, then I hope they share this with the rest of the open source community, considering that these machines are running Linux.
If somebody were to produce a large-scale statistic of people who use IE because they prefer it over Firefox (or other browsers), I think we'd see much larger numbers in favor of Firefox instead of IE. (Not to sound like flamebait, but this is true.)
It should be noted that IE's share is still as high as it is because it's the default. A large number of PC users aren't even aware that there are alternatives to IE out there, or even what the advantages/disadvantages of different browsers would be, so of course the slice of the pie for IE will be the largest.
All this means is that more of the data processing is handled on-site when needed rather than at a central location, which is a smart idea. However, central databases and backup systems could never be done away with, since there will always exist applications for computing require a central hub.
And anyway, it wouldn't destroy a lot of computer-related jobs because computers are still being used. It's foolish to put total faith in a computer without somebody there to be able to maintain/monitor/repair it.
Furthermore, when did drills with computers or stuffed toys ever require datacenters in the past?
If they could do that, and then develop seamless communication with an Exchange server (for both email and the calendar), then I'd throw Outlook out completely. Since everybody in my department is so used to Exchange now, they don't want to break away from it, though most of them agree that Outlook is a pretty scary thing to be dependent on.
I for one, as a sysadmin, have always encouraged the use of alternative email clients due to the insecurities and infections I've dealt with from Outlook and Outlook Express. However, I've always been kind of torn between T-Bird and Eudora since each has its pros and cons. Merging them (so to speak) into one client sounds very enticing to me. I can't wait to see how this turns out, because if it's good then I'll make it a standard for my whole department.
It's encouraging to see big names like Qualcomm embrace the open source community with a highly used program like Eudora. One by one, major software developers are trying out this open-source phenomenon, and a lot of good seems to be coming out of it...
That sort of situation is not unique to the gaming market.
Pretty much any form of retail will suffer from this sort of thing, such as a person buying an electric saw only to find out it doesn't cut the material they want to use it on.
I guess the gaming market is just a good example for people on Slashdot to relate to...
This has been going on for a while, though.
Google Maps? All they did with that was use existing map data and stick it in their own database, and slap a nifty little AJAX front end on it.
Google Earth? All they did was buy out the Keyhole Earth Viewer technology, which had been existent for a long time. They just took that and slapped 3D terrain onto it, and tied it into a web community.
So with YouTube, I'm sure they'll take it and so something smart and/or innovative with it to make it even better than it already is, thus giving it a unique Google flair. Google isn't stupid enough to spend that much money just to let it piledrive them into the ground from lawsuits, so I'd put more faith into what ideas they have in store.
Just because Microsoft is trying something new doesn't mean it's going to change computing as we know it. They need to get off of themselves if they think otherwise. Not every system is set up to work through the internet, which by itself would render that approach impossible.
In the unlikely event that somebody could "hack" into M$ and accomplish anything negative their license validator, a server admin would shut it down and put a backup system in place of its role.
Slashdot Mirror
Trying to coin another standard.
It's refreshing to see that the market is gradually starting to lean more toward innovation rather than raw graphics power. The PSP is a really nifty-looking little system, but its games are predominantly all the same stuff we've already seen, just handheld. The Xbox 360 can put out some impressive graphical effects, but all they do is make all the same games we've already played more shiny.
The DS is admittedly very underpowered when benchmarked next to the PSP, but it would be like comparing apples and oranges (as Nintendo intended). They're going for innovation, originality, and fresh approaches to an otherwise stagnant market. The Wii will be very much the same way; not as graphically impressive as the PS3 or 360, but definitely the most unique and possibly most desireable.
I know a number of people who, five years ago, would have said "f*ck Nintendo, I'm getting an Xbox" because the Xbox could put out so much more raw power, and was less prone to suffering from censorship. These people, now, are realizing that graphics are starting to reach a point where they really don't make that much of a difference, and nudity/blood/violence/profanity aren't really what make games great. They are expressing an interest in the Wii because it just looks like the most fun top play, as a major departure from all the same old gameplay we've already seen.
In the end, what all of this comes down to is that superior graphics or more adult themes don't make games great. Being enjoyable, memorable, and somehow unique are what separate the great from the bland. And in the case of the Wii and DS, there are and will be a lot of potential with the bold new directions they're facing.
...it's a cheap white handheld with not two, but SIX buttons (not including the start and select buttons). But I'm just being anal retentive. :)
Anyway, I wouldn't say that Nintendo is dominating the Xbox using the DS, since they're two dramatically different systems, appealing to dramatically different markets, to play dramatically different games. The innovation of the DS helps a lot as well, since the 360 is just a bunch of the same stuff we've already seen for a number of years, only shinier.
It'll be interesting to see how the Wii stacks up to this thing in the coming months, when considering those same reasons: the Wii and 360 will be like apples and oranges.
"When's the last time they shipped something truly innovative, or even better than the competition?"
Microsoft Office. Even Apple embraces it.
I guess that would be one way to solve it.
If they're going to find and fix exploits with the OS on these machines, then I hope they share this with the rest of the open source community, considering that these machines are running Linux.
Looking at those pictures of Jupiter, they're dated back to April 8th and 16th of 2006.
It makes me wonder... Why did NASA wait half a year before making this public? What's going on with Jupiter right now?
You could Remote Desktop to your XP machine at home, then use Firefox on it to browse Slashdot. ;)
If somebody were to produce a large-scale statistic of people who use IE because they prefer it over Firefox (or other browsers), I think we'd see much larger numbers in favor of Firefox instead of IE. (Not to sound like flamebait, but this is true.)
It should be noted that IE's share is still as high as it is because it's the default. A large number of PC users aren't even aware that there are alternatives to IE out there, or even what the advantages/disadvantages of different browsers would be, so of course the slice of the pie for IE will be the largest.
All this means is that more of the data processing is handled on-site when needed rather than at a central location, which is a smart idea. However, central databases and backup systems could never be done away with, since there will always exist applications for computing require a central hub.
And anyway, it wouldn't destroy a lot of computer-related jobs because computers are still being used. It's foolish to put total faith in a computer without somebody there to be able to maintain/monitor/repair it.
Furthermore, when did drills with computers or stuffed toys ever require datacenters in the past?
If they could do that, and then develop seamless communication with an Exchange server (for both email and the calendar), then I'd throw Outlook out completely. Since everybody in my department is so used to Exchange now, they don't want to break away from it, though most of them agree that Outlook is a pretty scary thing to be dependent on.
I for one, as a sysadmin, have always encouraged the use of alternative email clients due to the insecurities and infections I've dealt with from Outlook and Outlook Express. However, I've always been kind of torn between T-Bird and Eudora since each has its pros and cons. Merging them (so to speak) into one client sounds very enticing to me. I can't wait to see how this turns out, because if it's good then I'll make it a standard for my whole department.
It's encouraging to see big names like Qualcomm embrace the open source community with a highly used program like Eudora. One by one, major software developers are trying out this open-source phenomenon, and a lot of good seems to be coming out of it...
But how is this classified under "Your Rights Online"?
They're yellow holes.
That sort of situation is not unique to the gaming market.
Pretty much any form of retail will suffer from this sort of thing, such as a person buying an electric saw only to find out it doesn't cut the material they want to use it on.
I guess the gaming market is just a good example for people on Slashdot to relate to...
Has the memory leak issue been addressed in this version?
Because it's synonymous to the word 'penis'.
You still have Gentoo.
Versions would be like 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, etc.
A better word than "flavors", in my opinion, would be "variety".
"Ubuntu is one of many different varieties of GNU/Linux."
This has been going on for a while, though.
Google Maps? All they did with that was use existing map data and stick it in their own database, and slap a nifty little AJAX front end on it.
Google Earth? All they did was buy out the Keyhole Earth Viewer technology, which had been existent for a long time. They just took that and slapped 3D terrain onto it, and tied it into a web community.
So with YouTube, I'm sure they'll take it and so something smart and/or innovative with it to make it even better than it already is, thus giving it a unique Google flair. Google isn't stupid enough to spend that much money just to let it piledrive them into the ground from lawsuits, so I'd put more faith into what ideas they have in store.
http://www.penny-arcade.com/images/2005/20050427l. jpg
Bullshit.
Just because Microsoft is trying something new doesn't mean it's going to change computing as we know it. They need to get off of themselves if they think otherwise. Not every system is set up to work through the internet, which by itself would render that approach impossible.
If watching games makes kids that bad with schoolwork, imagine if they were actually playing the game!
In the unlikely event that somebody could "hack" into M$ and accomplish anything negative their license validator, a server admin would shut it down and put a backup system in place of its role.
When that time comes, I will kiss my PC gaming days goodbye.