Does it not occur to you that the people at the University can foresee a time when Universities are no longer needed, just as the RIAA and MPAA are no longer needed as distribution models?
If anyone, anywhere can hook up with anyone, anywhere and get an answer anyWHEN... why are teachers needed again?
As information becomes more organized on the internet, and more comprehensive... expect to start hearing about such things.
Just a thought.
... That so many people equate successful ideas with monetary value. How is religion successful? Were there people going around asking individuals to buy into the Renaissance?
We, as a society, focus altogether too much on how to make a quick buck off of something that we ignore the fact that some ideas are just damn good.
A good idea sells itself. Bad ideas have to be marketed to the idiots.
And we should be asking, is money the point or are we making it INTO the point?
It is prudent to point out that the Permanent Fund Dividend, of which every Alaskan receives every year, belongs to the people and not the State Government. In Alaska, if you even sneeze about touching the PFD, the whole of Alaska will turn against you as a politician.
The PFD was established for the people who live in Alaska to benefit from the rich natural resources that they export, as such, the gubment is disallowed from laying their grubby, grimy hands on that money.
And believe me, they TRY to do so ALL the time... arguing for the sake of bettering the state with using the funds. In the past there has even been talk of providing all Alaskans with a Lump Sum payment so that they can cancel the fund and use the profits for State Spending.
Considering practically every Alaskan owns an armory in their closet, the day that happens is the day I expect some people in Juneau get shot in the face a few dozen times.
Anyone who does something for the good of mankind should do so with the foreknowledge that appreciation was never part of the bargain. It is rare that people truly appreciate the efforts of a person for the reasons that said person might want.
In the end, you can either do what you feel is right or say screw it and join the rest of the rabble. Usually a part of people dies when the latter happens.
As I mentioned elsewhere in this thread... I feel it is worth noting the Quest series of games (Particularly Hero's Quest, Later referred to as Quest for Glory).
Dynamix also made EXCELLENT games before they were purchased by Sierra and subsequently sat on. Part of the problem with game content is because the major distributors are asshats who can't deal with anyone being more successful at their game than they are.
Betrayal at Krondor is, to this day, a favorite of mine due primarily to gameplay and the very environmental experience which it provided.
Electronic arts killed Origin. Sierra killed Yosemite and Dynamix. Most of the games these companies made defined me as a gamer... why is it we don't see anyone paying homage to these previous titans of industry? When did Roberta Williams and Lori and Cori Cole stop being household names and become relegated to the dustbin of history?
I feel that the problem being addressed is the homogenization of video games... wherein all games become some cardboard cutout of what will earn the most money. There used to be people who loved making games, and money was secondary to that. Still a priority, but making great games was important to them. Nowadays, that's very hard to find.
In the late 80's, a game was released called "Hero's Quest: So you want to be a Hero?" by Yosemite Enterainment; an extension of their "Quest" brand games (ie; King's/Space/Police).
The game consisted primarily of figuring out how to handle each situation on a situational basis. Adventure gaming with items. However, you also had a large subset of statistics that changed through USAGE. There were no levels, there was how good your character was at something. In the first game, you could climb a tree next to the Healer's Hut. But be careful! If you weren't, and decided to try and snatch the birds nest in the tree, you could fall and land on your head.
You could also die in this fashion... by being so inexperienced with your agility and dexterity as to be a bumbling moron.
Oh, the ways which you could die were priceless and brought a wonderful touch of humor to the game. The descriptions for things helped too!
I miss the erstwhile games of adventure... for I felt they more truly captured the feel of a P&P D&D game than most any other game I've played since.
Betrayal at Krondor bears a mention as well, but then I always liked Midkemia. Perhaps what is needed is that more fantasy authors worth their salt started pushing their weight around?
Food for thought.
Of course, it is also feasible that Google and Apple might collaborate on a Google OS while Apple continues to move out of the PC market into a wider range of goods and services (iPod, iPhone, etc.)
It also isn't unrealistic as a possibility that any Google OS might resemble OSX a great deal.
Of course, predicting the future is like trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubble gum. A lot can happen, I wouldn't count a GoogleOS out of the picture.
Slashdot Mirror
Does it not occur to you that the people at the University can foresee a time when Universities are no longer needed, just as the RIAA and MPAA are no longer needed as distribution models? If anyone, anywhere can hook up with anyone, anywhere and get an answer anyWHEN... why are teachers needed again? As information becomes more organized on the internet, and more comprehensive... expect to start hearing about such things. Just a thought.
... That so many people equate successful ideas with monetary value. How is religion successful? Were there people going around asking individuals to buy into the Renaissance? We, as a society, focus altogether too much on how to make a quick buck off of something that we ignore the fact that some ideas are just damn good. A good idea sells itself. Bad ideas have to be marketed to the idiots. And we should be asking, is money the point or are we making it INTO the point?
Would you like to Play a game?
That's odd, Mario always made it seem so easy. It must have been because he was dreaming at the time.
Just imagine a Beowulf Cluster of Natalie Portmans.
It is prudent to point out that the Permanent Fund Dividend, of which every Alaskan receives every year, belongs to the people and not the State Government. In Alaska, if you even sneeze about touching the PFD, the whole of Alaska will turn against you as a politician. The PFD was established for the people who live in Alaska to benefit from the rich natural resources that they export, as such, the gubment is disallowed from laying their grubby, grimy hands on that money. And believe me, they TRY to do so ALL the time... arguing for the sake of bettering the state with using the funds. In the past there has even been talk of providing all Alaskans with a Lump Sum payment so that they can cancel the fund and use the profits for State Spending. Considering practically every Alaskan owns an armory in their closet, the day that happens is the day I expect some people in Juneau get shot in the face a few dozen times.
Anyone who does something for the good of mankind should do so with the foreknowledge that appreciation was never part of the bargain. It is rare that people truly appreciate the efforts of a person for the reasons that said person might want.
In the end, you can either do what you feel is right or say screw it and join the rest of the rabble. Usually a part of people dies when the latter happens.
As I mentioned elsewhere in this thread... I feel it is worth noting the Quest series of games (Particularly Hero's Quest, Later referred to as Quest for Glory). Dynamix also made EXCELLENT games before they were purchased by Sierra and subsequently sat on. Part of the problem with game content is because the major distributors are asshats who can't deal with anyone being more successful at their game than they are. Betrayal at Krondor is, to this day, a favorite of mine due primarily to gameplay and the very environmental experience which it provided. Electronic arts killed Origin. Sierra killed Yosemite and Dynamix. Most of the games these companies made defined me as a gamer... why is it we don't see anyone paying homage to these previous titans of industry? When did Roberta Williams and Lori and Cori Cole stop being household names and become relegated to the dustbin of history? I feel that the problem being addressed is the homogenization of video games... wherein all games become some cardboard cutout of what will earn the most money. There used to be people who loved making games, and money was secondary to that. Still a priority, but making great games was important to them. Nowadays, that's very hard to find.
In the late 80's, a game was released called "Hero's Quest: So you want to be a Hero?" by Yosemite Enterainment; an extension of their "Quest" brand games (ie; King's/Space/Police). The game consisted primarily of figuring out how to handle each situation on a situational basis. Adventure gaming with items. However, you also had a large subset of statistics that changed through USAGE. There were no levels, there was how good your character was at something. In the first game, you could climb a tree next to the Healer's Hut. But be careful! If you weren't, and decided to try and snatch the birds nest in the tree, you could fall and land on your head. You could also die in this fashion... by being so inexperienced with your agility and dexterity as to be a bumbling moron. Oh, the ways which you could die were priceless and brought a wonderful touch of humor to the game. The descriptions for things helped too! I miss the erstwhile games of adventure... for I felt they more truly captured the feel of a P&P D&D game than most any other game I've played since. Betrayal at Krondor bears a mention as well, but then I always liked Midkemia. Perhaps what is needed is that more fantasy authors worth their salt started pushing their weight around? Food for thought.
They'll get stuck in the past and the Langoliers will eat them up!
Of course, it is also feasible that Google and Apple might collaborate on a Google OS while Apple continues to move out of the PC market into a wider range of goods and services (iPod, iPhone, etc.) It also isn't unrealistic as a possibility that any Google OS might resemble OSX a great deal. Of course, predicting the future is like trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubble gum. A lot can happen, I wouldn't count a GoogleOS out of the picture.
We all know how things go from there. Mister Rogers wins.