I think the immediate problem would be the temptation to copy something. Not that MS or Apple like to patent anything. . .
You might also want them to design something unencumbered by the status quo (of course, that's taking the huge leap that they're not familiar with iPods).
I'm guessing the actual process was more like, "Play with this for a while, and come up with anything you'd like to do with it but can't."
Once the product is out though. . . I'm thinking of the "NO FOREIGN CARS" signs at the auto plant parking lots.
>>>> Just because someone says the word interesting, doesn't make them interesting.
>>> Interesting...
>>Funny how that works out.
>Thank you for the Informative post.
This must be the most Underrated thread ever. No Flamebait to be found!!!
Why do I get the feeling this is going to cost me. . .
{However, if a comment is labeled with a fitting (negative) label, choosing Underrated isn't such a great idea, because you could end up with contradictions like "+5, Flamebait."}
Yes they do. One of the most common conversations I had back in my retail days (Win 9x).
Me: We needed to reinstall your operating system. It's ready to go, we just need your key from your certificate of authenticity.
User: Well, um, uh, I, uh, kind of, uh, borrowed my brothers copy. Is that a problem?
They used to upgrade all the time, and since the bootable CD, they even do fresh installs on blank hard drives (Windows install changes based on current system config).
Step 1. User: That better mean double click on an icon. Anything else, kiss at least four minutes goodbye.
Step 2 + 3. User: What's all this crap. Why can't it just do that for me? I double clicked on it! User: I'll start reading every single word in this file until you tell me to stop. Then you can tell me keystroke by keystroke what you want me to do. Oh, and don't use techie things like "cut and paste".
Step 4? Doubt I'd ever get that far.
Why do you think Windows drivers come in nice wrapped setup packages now? Damn users won't do anything other than double click on an icon. Doesn't matter if the instructions are clear, they aren't being read.
Don't know what it is or why but Linux makes people want to become power users.
As a longtime Windows admin who is still learning Linux, I can respond thusly:
Most converts I encounter don't want to become power users, the HAVE to. I largely abandoned GUI interfaces in Linux because every answer I ever found started with "open a terminal". Editing text configuration files, using the command line, learning how to run install scripts, etc. would be power user stuff in Windows, but it's everyday use in Linux (at least it always has been for me).
Many security flaws of Windows stem from MS trying to make it easier on lazy developers trying to streamline a user experience. Linux frequently doesn't care about the user experience.
Windows users I know who detest Linux generally complain along this line. . . well, that and software compatibility.
Yes, that's why I've copyrighted all my classified military information and child pornography.
Purportedly, these are disappearing due to Digital Millenium Copyright Act notices. Arguing illegal and arguing copyright infringing are different things.
I suppose that's why there are copyright lawyers, the illegality of abetting copyright infringment is still gray-ish, and only easily leveled at businesses.
I know I'm late with this one, but at this point are we even sure that EITHER of them will "win".
I'm thinking along the lines of DVD-A, which offered no real benefit to the consumer other than quality, and they consumer said, "No thanks." CD's caught fire largely because of things like the "instant song change" vs. tape. DVD's offer similar benefits over VHS.
I know absolutely no one who owns a player of either flavor. Therefore, I know no one who has purchased a disk of either flavor. Most people I know don't even own a TV yet that could really use either flavor of player. AND I WORK FOR A TV STATION!!! I am surrounded by people who LOVE television and movies.
I ask in all seriousness. . . are the geeks really just debating which of two future failed technologies is better? Do we really think the PS3 and expensive players are going to push HDTV sales when HD content has been somewhat scarce for years?
Before you answer, remember the discussion on how many folks were going to need converter boxes just to receive digital signals when we pull the analog plug. Enough that talk of subsidizing those boxes always arises.
Personally, I think this debate is seriously muted until 1080p HDTV pricing drops enough that "everybody has one". The funny part is that I'm sure it will have already been decided by then. Some people outside of/. might even notice.
I don't know. Why don't they fill up greatest hits CD's with all the music it will hold, instead of stopping at track 10-12?
Perhaps because they've found out that they can make more money in the big picture by selling more units with less content per disc.
I would also imagine that most of their "testing" reveals that the average consumer feels cheated when paying the same amount for one disc vs. five vs. ten. Or they like the idea of sharing with their friends without giving them the entire season at once. Or more people notice the giant box of 15 DVD cases on a shelf much more often than the single case buried with the others.
Sure, the company would prefer to lower their costs, but must balance that against a corresponding change in sales. Consumer tastes are a fickle mistress.
Some consumers (like you and I) value the better technology/smaller storage footprint/gee whiz factor/cheaper price (if they pass the savings on to us). Many consumers, especially your average American, still value quantity much more than quality. For research, I suggest you visit your local chain restaurant.
Yes, most of their home machines are horribly infected with spyware, viruses, and other things I grow weary of cleaning up. I have friends who make their livings cleaning up home PC's. Most of them have "regulars".
I have no problem helping my advanced, capable users be more productive through technology. I will even grant local admin when warranted.
I have major problems letting my users chat with their friends on IM while surfing porn, watching last nights CSI on YouTube, and unwittingly sending out spam on behalf of a botnet (while trying to infect the rest of the network). Whenever we (and by we I mean management) loosen the reigns, this is what I find all over my network.
Giving your users admin/root (i.e. ticket to ride) trying to make your life (or their life) easier only tends to make both of your lives harder later on.
Top down corporate stragedy types really don't need to be worrying so much about individual users. Good IT staff with sufficient decision making authority renders this entire "concern" moot.
It took me a bit of reading (www.perplexcity.com, apparently down right now) and googling to get the gist.
As the previous poster pointed out, it is a card game/Alternate Reality Game. Solve puzzles on cards you buy, read blogs, call phone numbers, send emails (and get responses), and occasionally show up for an "event" in Britain. The more I read, the more I thought it sounded like good natured cult.
Given the press coverage on this, I can't quite figure out how I had never heard of it. Perhaps because I don't hang out in gaming shops?
Nintendo is targeting a more "causual" crowd with the Wii, and based on news reports and the folks I know who own one, they are succeeding.
My family and friends are still having fun playing Wii Sports, Rayman, and other games we purchased MAYBE 45 DAYS AGO at most!!!! I would worry more if I paid $50 for a game that only lasted me a week (or less).
Not everyone is a hardcore gamer who needs GameFly to feed their rabid consumption. The Wii seems to fail mostly in the eyes of that particular crowd.
Am I looking forward to Mario Party 8, Mario Galaxy, Metroid? Sure. Am I lamenting my Wii because those games are not available today? Not at all.
We're too busy enjoying/playing our Wii to lament what we don't have.
Not fun enough to make me want to drop that kind of money to play them by myself. Not when I have a cheaper alternative that can involve my family. Which standards do you refer to exactly? Graphics? Popularity? I have one standard. I have to enjoy the game enough to justify it's cost to me.
I haven't played a FPS that held my interest since Half Life and Deus Ex. I find the control scheme on the PC vastly preferable for FPS games anyway. Crackdown? Another GTA clone. MotorStorm? Wooo, another racing game. Hold me back. I notice that the first thing most reviewers talk about on any of these is the graphics. Not interested. I don't even own an HDTV. It sounds like your standards differ greatly from mine.
Trauma Center doesn't look like fun, so I don't own it. Rayman is fun for me (in bursts at least), and moreso for my wife, so we own that one.
Honestly, the most fun I've had on my Wii thus far has been Wii Sports and Pikmin for the GC. Both of those were "free" to me.
My point is simply that not caring so much about hi-res graphics and FPS/racing games (which permeate the 360 and PS3) does not mean folks don't understand games. At the end of the day, we all have to decide what is fun for us, and how much we're willing to pay for that. I am certainly not willing to pony up the bucks for those systems yet, because my $:fun ratio would not be very good. Was I interested in Dead Rising, GOW, ChromeHounds? Yes. Enough to pony up for a 360? No.
FWIW: My favorite genre (judging by number of purchases) is strategy. You don't see games like Total War on a console. Hell, I'm currently playing The Ur-Quan Masters (http://sc2.sourceforge.net/). There's some high tech stuff for you. So far, it seems like fun, and it cost me nothing.
That statement is so poorly considered I felt compelled. . . nay, obligated. . . to register so that I could respond to it.
I am 30 years old. I cut my gaming teeth with games like Silent Service for the Commodore 64. I've owned so many gaming systems I shudder to think about it. The Wii is on that list. The 360 and PS3 are not (yet). I've seen no reason to shell out those kind of bucks for a system that I have little interest in at this point. When the price comes down and the libraries interest me, then I might pick one up.
"A group a people that don't have a basic understanding of video games." Really? Let me teach you the two basic things to understand about video games. . .
1) Video games are for fun/enjoyment (in general, you masochists). Pretty graphics != fun. While the PS3 and 360 might have better graphics, I haven't seen anything yet that I thought "I really want that, that looks like fun". Wii is meant for quick and easy fun? That sounds like a winner to me every time. Your statement makes me wonder why you play games in the first place. It sounds like for you, pretty graphics and FPS games are fun/enjoyable. That's fine, go buy your PS3 and 360. I haven't heard a reason yet to denigrate the Wii.
2) Video games make money. Right now, the Wii is definitely making money. Especially because of its appeal to the general public. I would venture a guess that the Sony folks who aren't thinking long-term are getting very nervous about now. Nintendo has my respect in going for the casual gamer (i.e. large market) instead of the hardcore (e.g. teenager without a job). There's a large untapped market, and an entry level economics class will teach you that untapped markets are the easy money.
Until the Wii entered my house, I was usually playing games by myself. Part of the reason I love the Wii is that my wife/mother will play it with me. That doesn't mean I don't still love Final Fantasy Tactics, and Twisted Metal Black, but it does mean I don't play them as much anymore.
So I suppose my point is, please go play with yourself, and leave your drivel/troll unposted.
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I think the immediate problem would be the temptation to copy something. Not that MS or Apple like to patent anything. . .
You might also want them to design something unencumbered by the status quo (of course, that's taking the huge leap that they're not familiar with iPods).
I'm guessing the actual process was more like, "Play with this for a while, and come up with anything you'd like to do with it but can't."
Once the product is out though. . . I'm thinking of the "NO FOREIGN CARS" signs at the auto plant parking lots.
>>>> Just because someone says the word interesting, doesn't make them interesting.
>>> Interesting...
>>Funny how that works out.
>Thank you for the Informative post.
This must be the most Underrated thread ever. No Flamebait to be found!!!
Why do I get the feeling this is going to cost me. . .
{However, if a comment is labeled with a fitting (negative) label, choosing Underrated isn't such a great idea, because you could end up with contradictions like "+5, Flamebait."}
Yes they do. One of the most common conversations I had back in my retail days (Win 9x).
Me: We needed to reinstall your operating system. It's ready to go, we just need your key from your certificate of authenticity.
User: Well, um, uh, I, uh, kind of, uh, borrowed my brothers copy. Is that a problem?
They used to upgrade all the time, and since the bootable CD, they even do fresh installs on blank hard drives (Windows install changes based on current system config).
Drawing from my support life:
Step 1.
User: That better mean double click on an icon. Anything else, kiss at least four minutes goodbye.
Step 2 + 3.
User: What's all this crap. Why can't it just do that for me? I double clicked on it!
User: I'll start reading every single word in this file until you tell me to stop. Then you can tell me keystroke by keystroke what you want me to do. Oh, and don't use techie things like "cut and paste".
Step 4? Doubt I'd ever get that far.
Why do you think Windows drivers come in nice wrapped setup packages now? Damn users won't do anything other than double click on an icon. Doesn't matter if the instructions are clear, they aren't being read.
As a longtime Windows admin who is still learning Linux, I can respond thusly:
Most converts I encounter don't want to become power users, the HAVE to. I largely abandoned GUI interfaces in Linux because every answer I ever found started with "open a terminal". Editing text configuration files, using the command line, learning how to run install scripts, etc. would be power user stuff in Windows, but it's everyday use in Linux (at least it always has been for me).
Many security flaws of Windows stem from MS trying to make it easier on lazy developers trying to streamline a user experience. Linux frequently doesn't care about the user experience.
Windows users I know who detest Linux generally complain along this line. . . well, that and software compatibility.I once was working at a large company with an illuminated light switch near the exit door for an EPO. The red bulb in the switch eventually burnt out.
Eventually, an electrician was called in to replace the bulb. He did exactly that.
Then, he decided to test his work, by, um, completing the circuit.
For a while, they really weren't sure if the Unisys systems were coming back. They hadn't been power cycled in quite a while.
I believe another employee actually got the story (in much greater detail) posted to the "Shark Tank" on ComputerWorld at the time.
Yes, that's why I've copyrighted all my classified military information and child pornography.
Purportedly, these are disappearing due to Digital Millenium Copyright Act notices. Arguing illegal and arguing copyright infringing are different things.
I suppose that's why there are copyright lawyers, the illegality of abetting copyright infringment is still gray-ish, and only easily leveled at businesses.
I know I'm late with this one, but at this point are we even sure that EITHER of them will "win".
/. might even notice.
I'm thinking along the lines of DVD-A, which offered no real benefit to the consumer other than quality, and they consumer said, "No thanks." CD's caught fire largely because of things like the "instant song change" vs. tape. DVD's offer similar benefits over VHS.
I know absolutely no one who owns a player of either flavor. Therefore, I know no one who has purchased a disk of either flavor. Most people I know don't even own a TV yet that could really use either flavor of player. AND I WORK FOR A TV STATION!!! I am surrounded by people who LOVE television and movies.
I ask in all seriousness. . . are the geeks really just debating which of two future failed technologies is better? Do we really think the PS3 and expensive players are going to push HDTV sales when HD content has been somewhat scarce for years?
Before you answer, remember the discussion on how many folks were going to need converter boxes just to receive digital signals when we pull the analog plug. Enough that talk of subsidizing those boxes always arises.
Personally, I think this debate is seriously muted until 1080p HDTV pricing drops enough that "everybody has one". The funny part is that I'm sure it will have already been decided by then. Some people outside of
I don't know. Why don't they fill up greatest hits CD's with all the music it will hold, instead of stopping at track 10-12?
Perhaps because they've found out that they can make more money in the big picture by selling more units with less content per disc.
I would also imagine that most of their "testing" reveals that the average consumer feels cheated when paying the same amount for one disc vs. five vs. ten. Or they like the idea of sharing with their friends without giving them the entire season at once. Or more people notice the giant box of 15 DVD cases on a shelf much more often than the single case buried with the others.
Sure, the company would prefer to lower their costs, but must balance that against a corresponding change in sales. Consumer tastes are a fickle mistress.
Some consumers (like you and I) value the better technology/smaller storage footprint/gee whiz factor/cheaper price (if they pass the savings on to us). Many consumers, especially your average American, still value quantity much more than quality. For research, I suggest you visit your local chain restaurant.
Your users have documentation?
And, they, um, READ IT?
Where do you get your users from? I've never experienced that particular breed.
(yes, I do think level 1 support frequently should be unnecessary, but then I think the instructions for a car seat are simple enough)
Yes, most corporate users surf the web at home.
Yes, most of their home machines are horribly infected with spyware, viruses, and other things I grow weary of cleaning up. I have friends who make their livings cleaning up home PC's. Most of them have "regulars".
I have no problem helping my advanced, capable users be more productive through technology. I will even grant local admin when warranted.
I have major problems letting my users chat with their friends on IM while surfing porn, watching last nights CSI on YouTube, and unwittingly sending out spam on behalf of a botnet (while trying to infect the rest of the network). Whenever we (and by we I mean management) loosen the reigns, this is what I find all over my network.
Giving your users admin/root (i.e. ticket to ride) trying to make your life (or their life) easier only tends to make both of your lives harder later on.
Top down corporate stragedy types really don't need to be worrying so much about individual users. Good IT staff with sufficient decision making authority renders this entire "concern" moot.
It took me a bit of reading (www.perplexcity.com, apparently down right now) and googling to get the gist.
As the previous poster pointed out, it is a card game/Alternate Reality Game. Solve puzzles on cards you buy, read blogs, call phone numbers, send emails (and get responses), and occasionally show up for an "event" in Britain. The more I read, the more I thought it sounded like good natured cult.
Given the press coverage on this, I can't quite figure out how I had never heard of it. Perhaps because I don't hang out in gaming shops?
Nintendo is targeting a more "causual" crowd with the Wii, and based on news reports and the folks I know who own one, they are succeeding.
My family and friends are still having fun playing Wii Sports, Rayman, and other games we purchased MAYBE 45 DAYS AGO at most!!!! I would worry more if I paid $50 for a game that only lasted me a week (or less).
Not everyone is a hardcore gamer who needs GameFly to feed their rabid consumption. The Wii seems to fail mostly in the eyes of that particular crowd.
Am I looking forward to Mario Party 8, Mario Galaxy, Metroid? Sure. Am I lamenting my Wii because those games are not available today? Not at all.
We're too busy enjoying/playing our Wii to lament what we don't have.
Not fun enough to make me want to drop that kind of money to play them by myself. Not when I have a cheaper alternative that can involve my family. Which standards do you refer to exactly? Graphics? Popularity? I have one standard. I have to enjoy the game enough to justify it's cost to me.
I haven't played a FPS that held my interest since Half Life and Deus Ex. I find the control scheme on the PC vastly preferable for FPS games anyway. Crackdown? Another GTA clone. MotorStorm? Wooo, another racing game. Hold me back. I notice that the first thing most reviewers talk about on any of these is the graphics. Not interested. I don't even own an HDTV. It sounds like your standards differ greatly from mine.
Trauma Center doesn't look like fun, so I don't own it. Rayman is fun for me (in bursts at least), and moreso for my wife, so we own that one.
Honestly, the most fun I've had on my Wii thus far has been Wii Sports and Pikmin for the GC. Both of those were "free" to me.
My point is simply that not caring so much about hi-res graphics and FPS/racing games (which permeate the 360 and PS3) does not mean folks don't understand games. At the end of the day, we all have to decide what is fun for us, and how much we're willing to pay for that. I am certainly not willing to pony up the bucks for those systems yet, because my $:fun ratio would not be very good. Was I interested in Dead Rising, GOW, ChromeHounds? Yes. Enough to pony up for a 360? No.
FWIW: My favorite genre (judging by number of purchases) is strategy. You don't see games like Total War on a console. Hell, I'm currently playing The Ur-Quan Masters (http://sc2.sourceforge.net/). There's some high tech stuff for you. So far, it seems like fun, and it cost me nothing.
That statement is so poorly considered I felt compelled. . . nay, obligated. . . to register so that I could respond to it.
I am 30 years old. I cut my gaming teeth with games like Silent Service for the Commodore 64. I've owned so many gaming systems I shudder to think about it. The Wii is on that list. The 360 and PS3 are not (yet). I've seen no reason to shell out those kind of bucks for a system that I have little interest in at this point. When the price comes down and the libraries interest me, then I might pick one up.
"A group a people that don't have a basic understanding of video games." Really? Let me teach you the two basic things to understand about video games. . .
1) Video games are for fun/enjoyment (in general, you masochists). Pretty graphics != fun. While the PS3 and 360 might have better graphics, I haven't seen anything yet that I thought "I really want that, that looks like fun". Wii is meant for quick and easy fun? That sounds like a winner to me every time. Your statement makes me wonder why you play games in the first place. It sounds like for you, pretty graphics and FPS games are fun/enjoyable. That's fine, go buy your PS3 and 360. I haven't heard a reason yet to denigrate the Wii.
2) Video games make money. Right now, the Wii is definitely making money. Especially because of its appeal to the general public. I would venture a guess that the Sony folks who aren't thinking long-term are getting very nervous about now. Nintendo has my respect in going for the casual gamer (i.e. large market) instead of the hardcore (e.g. teenager without a job). There's a large untapped market, and an entry level economics class will teach you that untapped markets are the easy money.
Until the Wii entered my house, I was usually playing games by myself. Part of the reason I love the Wii is that my wife/mother will play it with me. That doesn't mean I don't still love Final Fantasy Tactics, and Twisted Metal Black, but it does mean I don't play them as much anymore.
So I suppose my point is, please go play with yourself, and leave your drivel/troll unposted.