Gamers don't buy cheap PCs. Maybe we will see a move toward lower system requirements, but right now a gaming computer costs a heck of a lot more than a PS2.
Spoken like a reasonable person, which is why you don't get interviewed. Of course MS won't collapse, OEMs won't stop offering Windows, and Windows will continue to dominate. However, it's also possible that a few OEMs will start advertising thier computers as costing $1000, with Linux installed. You then have to "upgrade" to Windows for $100. Sort of like the car adds that say it "starts at" $20,000. Most people will still buy Windows, but they'll have to opt in.
Capitalism is dead. The new capitalism is corporatism. It doesn't matter whether you provide value to your customers as long as you provide value to your shareholders.
Jon if confusing facts with knowledge. Today's parents may not be able to teach their kids anything about computers or video games, but those are just facts and skills. There are little things like dealing with people, dealing with failure, sportsmanship and patience that today's technically brilliant youth haven't learned. Are these things unimportant? Jon seems to think so, but I would say no.
Another thing to consider is that Jon is only talking about a tiny subculture. Not all teenagers are avid gamers (and in fact, his Hellmouth series illustrates just how small and maligned the teen geek nation is). Of course gamers will remember up-up-down-down... just as football fans will remember "The Catch". This is hardly a cultural archetype. It will not define a generation because it doesn't span a generation. Not everyone is a gamer, and not everyone will major in computer science and join the tech industry.
Are my standards going up, or has Dave Barry gotten less funny? I can remember laughing when I read his column five years ago, now I don't even smile (or for that matter, read it regularly). No, it can't be me because I still laugh at Family Guy. I laugh just thinking about Family Guy. Got Milk?
I first heard about this book going to a youth conference called Grok Con. I asked what grok meant, (or stood for) and was told I'd have to read the book because it's not something that can be explained. (If I recall correctly a lot of them talked about "grokking grok", but those people suffered rib injuries and had to go home) So I buckled and read the book, thinking that it would in some way not suck. Not only was I wrong about that, but as has been proven by this review you can define grok in one sentance.
I have read hundreds of books, and this is one of the only ones that made me physically angry (The Practice Effect by Brin was another). It was so unbelievably pretentious and heavy-handed, in hindsight I'm surprised I finished it. Chalk that up to stubornness. In effect he's decided that he has this brilliant idea, and tells you about his brilliant idea, and then beats you over the head with it for the entire 600 pages until you either agree it's brilliant or black out.
I would add to your list of good sci-fi some more contemporary authors: Connie Willis, Octavia Butler, Orson Scott Card, and Michael Stackpole.
All he said was "Women changed the social dynamic for the worse". He didn't say women shouldn't be allowed to go to University. Obviously something was lost, you can't have change without losing something. In his opinion what was lost was greater than what was gained.
Well, I do support off-topic posting, but apparently the mods don't.
I totally agree with you on the metal-covering pop thing. Gamma Ray, a german metal band, had a cover of It's A Sin (Pet Shop Boys) on their last album, and it ruled. Helloween put out an entire album (called Metal Jukebox) of metalicized pop songs, but unfortunately only Lay All Your Love On Me and All My Loving were any good.
Isn't this a step toward OS independent software? Granted it requires Intel archetecture, but if this works it will mean the system requirements become totally hardware instead of hardware and "...Win 98 with DirectX 7 and OpenGL video drivers." It would practically turn the PC into a console.
"...trim government spending, take the surplus, use to to reduce the deficit". I'm assuming you meant reduce the debt, since you can't have both a surplus and a deficit in one budget.
Most people of course will agree with your theory, however reducing a bureaucracy is like fighting entropy. In the private sector, companies that get too bloated eat up all their revenues and go bankrupt. With government it isn't so easy.
That seems to be an entire genre of games now. I looked at the system requirements for Lemmings (the original I believe came on a single floppy) and it was at least a P2 300 with a 3d accelerator. To play LEMMINGS! Same with Frogger, Centipede, and Asteroids. None of these games have been improved by the addition of 3D rendering, and in my opinion they have more in common with FPSs than their namesakes.
If they were willing to not store your personal information on the server, they wouldn't need to collect it at all. Why store your name and address on the client? What's the point? Thier whole business is about collecting more accurate marketing data about you, personally. This is worthless if they can't cross-reference it with what other companies have collected.
AT&T were partly trying to protect their revenue stream, but they also had the valid concern that hooking up a modified phone could damage the system. DC doesn't have this argument. They don't own your computer, or the phone line, or anything at all. If you open up your CueCat and jack up the wattage on the LED, burn out your motherboard and cause a fire, they still only lose as much money as they projected they could've made whoring your personal information to spammers. Whether you modify the hardware, or use different software, or just throw it in the garbage makes no difference. AT&T was a necessary monopoly, DC is a failed marketing ploy.
If it is a conspiracy, I bet Lars isn't in on it. You just can't fake being that dumb. I bet Jason Newstead planted the ideas in his head. The other guys may have the egos, but I bet Newstead is the puppet master.
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I'd be willing to bet that fetuses aren't worried about abortion. Just ask them.
Gamers don't buy cheap PCs. Maybe we will see a move toward lower system requirements, but right now a gaming computer costs a heck of a lot more than a PS2.
Spoken like a reasonable person, which is why you don't get interviewed. Of course MS won't collapse, OEMs won't stop offering Windows, and Windows will continue to dominate. However, it's also possible that a few OEMs will start advertising thier computers as costing $1000, with Linux installed. You then have to "upgrade" to Windows for $100. Sort of like the car adds that say it "starts at" $20,000. Most people will still buy Windows, but they'll have to opt in.
The sun is a mass of incandecent gas, a gigantic nuclear furnace.
Capitalism is dead. The new capitalism is corporatism. It doesn't matter whether you provide value to your customers as long as you provide value to your shareholders.
In a lot of ways, Katz is a troll. And here I am feeding him again.
Another thing to consider is that Jon is only talking about a tiny subculture. Not all teenagers are avid gamers (and in fact, his Hellmouth series illustrates just how small and maligned the teen geek nation is). Of course gamers will remember up-up-down-down... just as football fans will remember "The Catch". This is hardly a cultural archetype. It will not define a generation because it doesn't span a generation. Not everyone is a gamer, and not everyone will major in computer science and join the tech industry.
I have read hundreds of books, and this is one of the only ones that made me physically angry (The Practice Effect by Brin was another). It was so unbelievably pretentious and heavy-handed, in hindsight I'm surprised I finished it. Chalk that up to stubornness. In effect he's decided that he has this brilliant idea, and tells you about his brilliant idea, and then beats you over the head with it for the entire 600 pages until you either agree it's brilliant or black out.
I would add to your list of good sci-fi some more contemporary authors: Connie Willis, Octavia Butler, Orson Scott Card, and Michael Stackpole.
Bush wants to give a tax cut to the rich. How is that better?
All he said was "Women changed the social dynamic for the worse". He didn't say women shouldn't be allowed to go to University. Obviously something was lost, you can't have change without losing something. In his opinion what was lost was greater than what was gained.
I totally agree with you on the metal-covering pop thing. Gamma Ray, a german metal band, had a cover of It's A Sin (Pet Shop Boys) on their last album, and it ruled. Helloween put out an entire album (called Metal Jukebox) of metalicized pop songs, but unfortunately only Lay All Your Love On Me and All My Loving were any good.
Are they comparing joints and filtered cigarettes? Cause that's not really fair.
Strange, I thought the mass-murder site was pretty funny.
Most people of course will agree with your theory, however reducing a bureaucracy is like fighting entropy. In the private sector, companies that get too bloated eat up all their revenues and go bankrupt. With government it isn't so easy.
Why make one when you can just buy one. It's called a patch cord.
That seems to be an entire genre of games now. I looked at the system requirements for Lemmings (the original I believe came on a single floppy) and it was at least a P2 300 with a 3d accelerator. To play LEMMINGS! Same with Frogger, Centipede, and Asteroids. None of these games have been improved by the addition of 3D rendering, and in my opinion they have more in common with FPSs than their namesakes.
I was confused by that too. Signal11, care to clarify?
Does anyone have a link for the shoelace lawsuit? I'd be interested to know more (assuming ArchieBunker isn't just jerking chains).
Actually, they need to putz around for awhile so the lawyers get all of it.