But what does it say about the state of programming practice writ large when so many developers believe that their "rights" are trampled because they cannot write programs for a particular device in a particular language? Or that their "freedom" as creators is squelched for the same reason?
This is a strawman. Nobody complains about the simple fact that they can't use it. The basis of their arguments is that the capability is arbitrarily denied to them on an otherwise capable device. In that context complaining about lack of freedom is justified.
That's a real-world consequence of poor critical thinking faculties. The cure is not to make fictional entertainment more accurate. People who think like that shouldn't even be put in a position where their decisions affect others.
Ordinary users have no idea about those things. They get sold products to alleviate the symptoms, not education to eliminate the cause. The ignorant are always easy pickings.
Those laser ranging retroreflectors were put on the Moon by aliens.
It's obvious really. If they weren't then my conspiracy theories about the Moon landings would be proven false. And that's physically impossible, because they're true!
That's what they're always prattling on about. Piracy is killing PC sales, blah blah blah. Sometimes people throw out the ridiculous figure of a 90% piracy rate.
This situation gives us an opportunity to test such claims. Publishers often say that the initial few weeks net the biggest proportion of sales. The DRM wasn't cracked during that time.
If piracy is such a big problem on the PC, sales should be much higher for this game. If a pirated copy equates with a lost sale (to any significant degree), sales should be much higher for this game.
If piracy is as widespread as they say, and if pirated copies really detract so heavily from sales, then the sales of this game should be abnormally large. Are they?
I realise that's hard/impossible to measure, but it warrants some discussion.
How do you think publishers are going to react when they look at that? That PC users should be bargained with, or ignored totally? I'd go with the latter, given the choice.
The choice is between:
- Some money (include PC)
- No money (exclude PC)
Now who downloads 2gb just to play 10 minutes of a game?
Not to play, but to evaluate. Does it run on my hardware? Is it really fun?
Let's face it, game reviewers are little more than an outsourced marketing department. I've got to look for myself to see what's what, or I'm not buying.
Slashdot Mirror
You too? I thought I was the only one who was always right about everything! Welcome to the cool club, my man.
But what does it say about the state of programming practice writ large when so many developers believe that their "rights" are trampled because they cannot write programs for a particular device in a particular language? Or that their "freedom" as creators is squelched for the same reason?
This is a strawman. Nobody complains about the simple fact that they can't use it. The basis of their arguments is that the capability is arbitrarily denied to them on an otherwise capable device. In that context complaining about lack of freedom is justified.
That's a real-world consequence of poor critical thinking faculties. The cure is not to make fictional entertainment more accurate. People who think like that shouldn't even be put in a position where their decisions affect others.
Not if they've played Turrican. The little bastards will roll after us, dropping bombs and making YOLK YOLK YOLK noises.
Frightening.
Quite an experience to live in fear, isn't it? That's what it is to be a slave.
and your surprised?
It's just fine, thanks for asking. :)
Dickography.
+1 ironic username.
Ordinary users have no idea about those things. They get sold products to alleviate the symptoms, not education to eliminate the cause. The ignorant are always easy pickings.
I found someone's car outside your house. Long story short I sold it for 4000 dollars.
Finders keepers!
Those laser ranging retroreflectors were put on the Moon by aliens.
It's obvious really. If they weren't then my conspiracy theories about the Moon landings would be proven false. And that's physically impossible, because they're true!
That's what they're always prattling on about. Piracy is killing PC sales, blah blah blah. Sometimes people throw out the ridiculous figure of a 90% piracy rate.
This situation gives us an opportunity to test such claims. Publishers often say that the initial few weeks net the biggest proportion of sales. The DRM wasn't cracked during that time.
If piracy is such a big problem on the PC, sales should be much higher for this game. If a pirated copy equates with a lost sale (to any significant degree), sales should be much higher for this game.
If they aren't then those assertions are wrong.
A good action movie. Let's not be too generous here.
And you underestimate. Cynicism isn't realism.
It is sheer folly to think that an advance race went through all the trouble to cross many, many light-years of intergalactic space just to say "Hi".
We would.
I'd prefer a Dyke Sphere. Aww yeah.
Ah. So it was just friendliness and fellowship with its own kind all those years, and not security problems.
A momentary fluctuation in the reality distortion field.
No, that's what happens when you don't record them.
I referenced the assumptions of others in order to pose the question. I don't personally think so.
If piracy is as widespread as they say, and if pirated copies really detract so heavily from sales, then the sales of this game should be abnormally large. Are they?
I realise that's hard/impossible to measure, but it warrants some discussion.
video game reviews are generally of higher quality and more consistency than those for other products
You cannot be serious.
How do you think publishers are going to react when they look at that? That PC users should be bargained with, or ignored totally? I'd go with the latter, given the choice.
The choice is between:
- Some money (include PC)
- No money (exclude PC)
Gee whizz, wonder what choice they went with.
Now who downloads 2gb just to play 10 minutes of a game?
Not to play, but to evaluate. Does it run on my hardware? Is it really fun?
Let's face it, game reviewers are little more than an outsourced marketing department. I've got to look for myself to see what's what, or I'm not buying.
Right. So you're telling me I should purchase your game, sight unseen. That all I have to go on is whatever your marketing department has cooked up?
Maybe that is what they expect. I imagine hype is substantially more effective when the product can't be evaluated.