Regal Entertainment Group and National Amusements Inc. have countered, saying that seeing a movie in the theater is a 'fuller, more entertaining experience'
If seeing a movie in the theater is so significantly better, then there should be no problem here, right? If it's so much "fuller" and "more entertaining," then it should be able to stand on its own without worrying about when DVDs get released.
That's just not the case, though. Many people only go to theaters because that's where movies go first, and people don't want to wait. When given the choice, many would rather have the DVD. It's cheaper (two movie tickets is often more than the DVD price, and you can watch the DVD whenever you like), the food isn't overpriced, you can sit in more comfortable seats, you don't have to deal with people yelling "WHERE YOU AT" into their cell phones, no commercials, no waiting for the movie to start, you can pause the movie if you need to go to the bathroom, the floors aren't sticky, you don't have to drive anywhere, you don't have to deal with other people asking each other "okay so who's that?" and conversely you can converse with your fellow movie-watchers without getting told to shut up, etc. Yes, you have a big screen and nice sound in the theater, but home theater systems are constantly getting better.
The theaters are threatened because a lot of people DO prefer watching movies at home, and they're losing their major advantage. If they don't like it, they should try to make their experience better, not bitch and moan about quick DVD releases.
Not only do you get to modify your creature in that mode, but you also get to modify other things in similar ways, like the buildings your creatures build.
As someone who spent hours in City of Heroes' character creator, I forsee myself playing with the editor more than with the game.
Is this the appropriate topic to vent about how the Internet's promise of customized ads -- ads tailored to the audience, ads that we'll want to look at, ads that are relevant to our lifestyles -- is a crock?
Well, you have a choice. Be tracked, and have potential "privacy violations", but get relevant ads, or don't be tracked, and get nothing relevant. You can have one or the other, not both. If you don't want to be tracked, ads based on site content are the closest you're going to get to relevant.
Although that still doesn't explain why Lane Bryant is advertising on Slashdot...
I always thought stuff like this would push the format-war in Sony's favor (well, the PS3 more so than this, but still). Not only do they make players, but they have tons of content. Other studios may be hesitant to put movies out until they see which format will be more popular, but this is Sony's tech, so they'll have no problem choosing and flooding stores with movies. In addition, they'll likely have a higher capacity to make the discs, as they probably have a bunch of machines destined to stamp out PS3 games sitting around doing nothing right now.
Can people on Slashdot stop being pedantic for once? It's blatantly obvious what he means. You're just making yourself look foolish by pretending you don't.
Well, I meant in a more roundabout manner - as in the elected officials create the laws, but who elects those officials?
I think lobbying would work to MS's advantage here - the amount of corporate lobbying for the EU to back off would be huge, since so many companies would be adversely affected.
Ideally, though, I would like a society in which the public directly votes on all issues, but part of me says that it wouldn't work anyway, as nobody cares enough to vote.
Europeans would soon discover how to survive in a Microsoft-free environment
Would they? The gamble here is on the nature of people - are most people willing to actually put forth effort towards something, or will they just look for a quick fix? I'd be willing to put my money on the latter. People are lazy, and would rather whine until the situation gets changed than change themselves.
Everybody in EU would start looking for altenatives to Windows
I think you overestimate people. In my experience, most people are too reluctant to change, they'd rather complain endlessly than actually do things that require effort.
To keep playing devil's advocate, don't the people create the law in these societies? If this is what the people demand, shouldn't the law reflect that?
That's the idea right there - completely drive home the pain of switching by making it something they have to deal with on a time frame. What better way to make people appreciate you than by showing how things get more difficult when you're not there (even if it is just a temporary learning period). Absence makes the heart grow fonder, right?
For home users, they'd have to deal with the fact that most of the software they have won't work on another OS (and some of the hardware, too), and also that they'd have to learn another OS altogether. Now, this may not be a big deal for you or I to work through, but Joe Public gets thrown off switching from IE to Firefox - can you imagine trying to get them to switch an OS? Complete frustration, and cries of "Why the bloody hell can't I just use Windows like I always have?!"
Businesses would also have to deal with the fact that most of the software they have won't work on another OS, except they'll be much more angry as they spent HUGE amounts of money on that software in the first place, and I'm sure many of them have custom applications that are Windows-only. They would lose a ton of time and money switching over to a new OS, both from purchasing new software and also productivity losses while users are trained.
Right now, people are addicted to Microsoft's software. They can use that to their advantage. The analogy that another reply made to gasoline is absolutely perfect.
EU wants to play hardball? If they're smart, Microsoft could REALLY play this off to their advantage, making themselves look like a victim and getting the EU to back down.
Stop selling products in Europe. Deny tech support to companies/users in Europe. Buy advertising stating why they're pulling out of the market.
Make sure that each step of the way, you tell a sob story about how the EU is making it impossible to exist in that market, therefore you're pulling out. Can you imagine the backlash as suddenly no companies can get support, or no users can buy a computer with Windows installed?
Once the people get angry, I'm sure the officials would change their minds real quick.
Slashdot Mirror
This is classic correlation != causation.
He likely played GTA because he wanted to kill policemen. Him playing the game and the killings are both symptoms of the same problem.
Cheap movies and land and NO Starbucks? I may just have to think about moving...
That's okay, I'll just use my old, cheap Chinese DVD player that doesn't respect the "can't skip this" code.
Regal Entertainment Group and National Amusements Inc. have countered, saying that seeing a movie in the theater is a 'fuller, more entertaining experience'
If seeing a movie in the theater is so significantly better, then there should be no problem here, right? If it's so much "fuller" and "more entertaining," then it should be able to stand on its own without worrying about when DVDs get released.
That's just not the case, though. Many people only go to theaters because that's where movies go first, and people don't want to wait. When given the choice, many would rather have the DVD. It's cheaper (two movie tickets is often more than the DVD price, and you can watch the DVD whenever you like), the food isn't overpriced, you can sit in more comfortable seats, you don't have to deal with people yelling "WHERE YOU AT" into their cell phones, no commercials, no waiting for the movie to start, you can pause the movie if you need to go to the bathroom, the floors aren't sticky, you don't have to drive anywhere, you don't have to deal with other people asking each other "okay so who's that?" and conversely you can converse with your fellow movie-watchers without getting told to shut up, etc. Yes, you have a big screen and nice sound in the theater, but home theater systems are constantly getting better.
The theaters are threatened because a lot of people DO prefer watching movies at home, and they're losing their major advantage. If they don't like it, they should try to make their experience better, not bitch and moan about quick DVD releases.
That's okay, they'll just change it again anyway.
Most people may not know who Wright is, but I can guarantee you that the vast majority of Slashdot's readers know of his games.
Not only do you get to modify your creature in that mode, but you also get to modify other things in similar ways, like the buildings your creatures build.
As someone who spent hours in City of Heroes' character creator, I forsee myself playing with the editor more than with the game.
And that the people "spamming his inbox" will have already taken advantage of the "enlargement" products so often spammed about.
If you think the music is bad 3-4 times a shift, imagine hearing the same content 60 times a shift with these.
I feel bad for the poor produce section workers that have to listen to the same 8-minute loop for 8 hours a day.
And don't forget that Ford, the most common-man car company out there, makes the GT, which blows the pants off of most Ferraris.
Is this the appropriate topic to vent about how the Internet's promise of customized ads -- ads tailored to the audience, ads that we'll want to look at, ads that are relevant to our lifestyles -- is a crock?
Well, you have a choice. Be tracked, and have potential "privacy violations", but get relevant ads, or don't be tracked, and get nothing relevant. You can have one or the other, not both. If you don't want to be tracked, ads based on site content are the closest you're going to get to relevant.
Although that still doesn't explain why Lane Bryant is advertising on Slashdot...
I always thought stuff like this would push the format-war in Sony's favor (well, the PS3 more so than this, but still). Not only do they make players, but they have tons of content. Other studios may be hesitant to put movies out until they see which format will be more popular, but this is Sony's tech, so they'll have no problem choosing and flooding stores with movies. In addition, they'll likely have a higher capacity to make the discs, as they probably have a bunch of machines destined to stamp out PS3 games sitting around doing nothing right now.
Can people on Slashdot stop being pedantic for once? It's blatantly obvious what he means. You're just making yourself look foolish by pretending you don't.
Am I the only one who sees this?
Yes, yes you are.
I bet Microsoft would pay HUGE amounts of money for that - not for the US sales, but to finally get some 360 sales in Japan.
Seriously, that's why I moved from Illinois to California - here we have respectable government figures!
All along, they've been saying "winter 2006" as a release. I think everyone was hoping that would mean Q1, but Q4 2006 seems to be the target.
Knowing Wright, though, he won't let it out the door until he feels it's done completely, so it may be later.
Well, I meant in a more roundabout manner - as in the elected officials create the laws, but who elects those officials?
I think lobbying would work to MS's advantage here - the amount of corporate lobbying for the EU to back off would be huge, since so many companies would be adversely affected.
Ideally, though, I would like a society in which the public directly votes on all issues, but part of me says that it wouldn't work anyway, as nobody cares enough to vote.
Europeans would soon discover how to survive in a Microsoft-free environment
Would they? The gamble here is on the nature of people - are most people willing to actually put forth effort towards something, or will they just look for a quick fix? I'd be willing to put my money on the latter. People are lazy, and would rather whine until the situation gets changed than change themselves.
If they stop selling in the EU, the EU will sue them for discrimination, and strum up some charges based on "Anti European" strategies.
Thus giving Microsoft more "they're picking on us!" propaganda ammunition.
"Look, guys, they're forcing us to do business here, but then fining us for doing it!"
Everybody in EU would start looking for altenatives to Windows
I think you overestimate people. In my experience, most people are too reluctant to change, they'd rather complain endlessly than actually do things that require effort.
a company that thought it was above the law.
To keep playing devil's advocate, don't the people create the law in these societies? If this is what the people demand, shouldn't the law reflect that?
That's the idea right there - completely drive home the pain of switching by making it something they have to deal with on a time frame. What better way to make people appreciate you than by showing how things get more difficult when you're not there (even if it is just a temporary learning period). Absence makes the heart grow fonder, right?
For home users, they'd have to deal with the fact that most of the software they have won't work on another OS (and some of the hardware, too), and also that they'd have to learn another OS altogether. Now, this may not be a big deal for you or I to work through, but Joe Public gets thrown off switching from IE to Firefox - can you imagine trying to get them to switch an OS? Complete frustration, and cries of "Why the bloody hell can't I just use Windows like I always have?!"
Businesses would also have to deal with the fact that most of the software they have won't work on another OS, except they'll be much more angry as they spent HUGE amounts of money on that software in the first place, and I'm sure many of them have custom applications that are Windows-only. They would lose a ton of time and money switching over to a new OS, both from purchasing new software and also productivity losses while users are trained.
Right now, people are addicted to Microsoft's software. They can use that to their advantage. The analogy that another reply made to gasoline is absolutely perfect.
EU wants to play hardball? If they're smart, Microsoft could REALLY play this off to their advantage, making themselves look like a victim and getting the EU to back down.
Stop selling products in Europe.
Deny tech support to companies/users in Europe.
Buy advertising stating why they're pulling out of the market.
Make sure that each step of the way, you tell a sob story about how the EU is making it impossible to exist in that market, therefore you're pulling out. Can you imagine the backlash as suddenly no companies can get support, or no users can buy a computer with Windows installed?
Once the people get angry, I'm sure the officials would change their minds real quick.