Spent awhile on the phone last night w/ an Origin employee, and there is serious doubt that LB just "decided to leave". I don't think that EA could have fired him, but they certainly could have forced his hand. They have shut down every game that was in production other than UO2. Combine this with the significant layoffs, and it does indeed start to look like EA has become disillusioned with their purchase.
I know there is a lot of fear for job security at the company right now, especially long-term, and in light of the events of this week many who weren't fired are looking to jump ship anyway. A LOT of key people are rumored to be following Garriot out the door.
So, whether it is EA's intention to kill the company or just an unanticipated side-effect, it looks like Origin has just received its death sentence.
Just what do these people think they can accomplish with their juvenile acts of vandalism?
They are amusing themselves and others at the expense of people like you who are getting all worked up over this. You're reaction shows that they hit a sore spot.
First, distributing handbills and posting fliers has a long history as an effective means of protest. Those the protest is targeted against, of course, call it "vandallism", thereby trying to equate it with carving your name in the park bench. When something strikes close to home your first reaction is to belittle it, trying to make yourself feel superior to those responsible.
there has to be a more productive method of protest than plastering avery labels all over the place Such as??? For very little $ and effort they have reached a national audience. This is a very effective guerilla tactic.
It also is no different then the thousands of.com stickers distributed by bay-area companies at this year's SXSW conference in Austin. You want to talk about vandalism? Come look at all the marketing crap illegally stuck on everything in a 10-block area of my town last week. At least the protesters have some kind of intent more noble than capturing market share to boost the price of their IPO.
Even a vague expression of angst utilizing humor is a valid form of art (as defined by most since about 1900). True art confronts, questions, & provokes, just like these stickers. If you find the actions of these people upsetting, perhaps you should ask YOURSELF why that is. Don't give me that "vandalism" crap as an excuse. There's much worse and more blatant acts of vandalism all over the world, and I don't hear you railing against that.
Seems to me that the capitalist distribution model for several forms of art (movies, music & books) is dying. The reason everyone is running around screaming is because NOBODY has ANY IDEA how a post-capitalistic system will work, but we all seem to feel that it is inevitable. We've read about and discussed many alternatives, and they all seem to be lacking. So far there is not one single economic model that would be as successful at encouraging art as the current system (which is not to say that the current system is flawless. Far from it, in fact).
So, yes, it's going to happen. Yes, the big media companies are going to lose. Yes, the artists, too are going to lose, which means: WE are going to lose also, because you can't devote yourself to producing good art when you're flipping burgers to pay the rent, so there won't be as much good art.
BUT... all of this will only be temporary. We need art and artists, and, as a whole, the human race will not tolerate a lack of good art for any length of time. So, somethng will have to change.
Again, the fear is based on the fact that we have no idea WHAT will change, or how, and we haven't come up with anything viable yet. But we will. We have to, because we need our art.
It will be ugly for awhile. There will be casualties. But in the end I'm convinced that we'll figure something out that is far superior to the previous model, and it is pretty short-sighted to try to stop this change just because it might be awkward for a few years. It's like refusing to move into a new house because you can't stand the thought of being without cable for a couple of weeks.
I was seriously looking for a way to trash your comment simply becuase I loathe the music of most of the bands you mention, but after thinking about it, you're probably right. Lemme explain:
I was, for many years, a Dead & Phish-head. I have since recovered my senses (not to mention my taste in music), largely due, I think, to having stopped taking so many drugs.;) But anyway...
I watched Phish grow from a Burlington bar band to what they are today. After thinking about your comment I realized that Phish got popular not primarily through their considerable (and frequently unused) musical talent, but through marketing. I use that term here to refer to their years of hard work at being a "jamband"
I'm not being sarcastic. They worked their asses off to become who they are, and it obviously has been enormously profitable for them. If a person/group were to put similar effort (as I'm sure many are) into developing their name through MP3's, then I do not doubt for a second that they will also find financial success as long as they possess at least some talent.
In closing, though, I do have to repeat how much I dislike their music (same for the Dead, Spin Doctors, etc). You may conclude that my vehemence is simply based on embarassment of who I once was, and I'd reply, "Damn Right It Is!". Have you ever tried listening or hanging out with the fans without the benefit of a well-filled bong? Nails on a chalkboard doesn't even come close to describing it, and I cringe whenever somebody reminds me of my past stupidity.
Three years wasted in a haze of dope and the stench of patchoulli...
Kai's interface is *very* intuitive. Those who have used it understand.
Yeah, maybe it's fun to play with sometimes, but nobody I know who does any kind of graphics work for a living calls it "intuitive", or even tries to use it for real production work. Same goes for it's cousin "Bryce".
Interesting interface. OK for a toy. HORRIBLE as a useful tool.
The most interesting thought this article provoked for me led to questioning the nature of god (I'm somewhere between agnostic & atheist, btw)
If what the article talks about actually comes to pass, then we will be the creators of a new form of life. We would, of course, try to teach this life form all that we consider important, along with establishing rules such as Aasimov suggested.
However, it is possible, if not probable, that some of what we try to teach/dictate will be misinterpreted, misunderstood, or ignored by something that surpasses us in analytical skills. Perhaps in the end there will be much confusion and argument among the new life forms as to who/what created them, how they are supposed to behave, and overall, why they were created in the first place.
All of which naturally led me to wonder about *us*, of course. Got me to thinking that maybe there IS a god, but s/he (it) is not greater than us, but is in fact a lesser creature that lost control of what was created.
Yeah, in addition to rambling slightly off-topic, this may he heretical to some. But, well, just had to mention it somewhere, y'know?
Simplicity Limit user options, eliminate fat. Don't give users 10 ways to close a window, for example. I've always been annoyed by the fact that you can close a window that many ways. Another example: On a GNOME/Enlightenment desktop; there are too many ways to launch a GUI program.
Huh? Why?
This sounds like a personal issue rather than something that has any reason behind it.
Are you also annoyed that you can choose from well over ten different ways to get to work each morning? Do the dozens of lunchtime dining options you face each day cause you to lose sleep? Is it time for a jihad against Heinz's 57 Varieties?
If you do indeed have a good argument to support your statement I'd be very interested in hearing it.
Re:If you enjoyed this book ...
on
Inversions
·
· Score: 1
As much as I enjoyed "The Name of The Rose", I have to say that Eco's second novel, "Focault's Pendulum", was far superior both in scope and style. Truely a stunning book from a masterful scholar.
Because implicit in the contest is the idea that you are to create something visually appealing (ie: artistic). A well written recipe for a bundt cake ain't gonna cut it.
Out of the original bbs grew io.com (full disclosure: my isp), and I believe it is being run by his brother. Steve Jackson games is still alive and well, and there is much overlap between them and Illuminati Online
IMHO, io.com is probably the best overall ISP in the Austin area, so if you want a shell account w/ all the bells and whistles you should check it out. No, I'm not getting any kickbacks for this, just passing on what I consider to be useful info for the/. crowd.
Pundit Amazed at Continuing Popularity of Theatre
on
Middle Media
·
· Score: 2
The radical new development of mass-market "books", made possible by this new-fangled thing invented by Guttenburg, was anticipated to bring about the long-awaited death of theatre as the public's primary source of entertainment. Much to everyone's amazement, it appears that theatre, and other live performances, are in fact not dying at all. The pundits are stunned.
"Perhaps one day," says one, "there will be this thing called convergence, maybe not with books, but some sort of projected images telling a story for a mass audience, with traditional theatre being performed at the same time mirroring the story, and raucous audience participation both enhancing and commenting on the same story. It could be called "Rocky Horror"."
Offices will become passe as the mechanisms of communication become easier and easier.
The physical office provides a needed place for most people to work efficiently. Chiat/Day tried the "office-less office" and it was an absolute disaster. Workers were in open revolt, and the idea was scrapped. We need our own sense of place to feel comfortable and productive, and we need a degree of ownership over these places.
Even the worst cube farm is preferred by most over the idea of not having a permanent desk at all. We're like dogs: We like to piss and mark our territory.
It's just a study. And not a very good one, either. So why all the screaming and yelling and protesting?
It would seem to me that everybody's reaction to this study says a whole lot more than the words being used by people to defend their actions. What are you all so afraid of? What nerve, exactly, did this strike?
If you raise such a fuss everytime someone vaguely insinuates that you might be a loser then others might start thinking it's true, regardless of whether or not the original insinuation made any sense (which this one doesn't).
To brutalize Shakespeare: Ya'll protesteth WAY too much.
Slashdot Mirror
Spent awhile on the phone last night w/ an Origin employee, and there is serious doubt that LB just "decided to leave". I don't think that EA could have fired him, but they certainly could have forced his hand. They have shut down every game that was in production other than UO2. Combine this with the significant layoffs, and it does indeed start to look like EA has become disillusioned with their purchase.
I know there is a lot of fear for job security at the company right now, especially long-term, and in light of the events of this week many who weren't fired are looking to jump ship anyway. A LOT of key people are rumored to be following Garriot out the door.
So, whether it is EA's intention to kill the company or just an unanticipated side-effect, it looks like Origin has just received its death sentence.
4:35PM CST. /.ed.
Looks like it was pulled, NOT
Interesting. Who pulled it & why?
Just what do these people think they can accomplish with their juvenile acts of vandalism?
They are amusing themselves and others at the expense of people like you who are getting all worked up over this. You're reaction shows that they hit a sore spot.
First, distributing handbills and posting fliers has a long history as an effective means of protest. Those the protest is targeted against, of course, call it "vandallism", thereby trying to equate it with carving your name in the park bench. When something strikes close to home your first reaction is to belittle it, trying to make yourself feel superior to those responsible.
there has to be a more productive method of protest than plastering avery labels all over the place
Such as??? For very little $ and effort they have reached a national audience. This is a very effective guerilla tactic.
It also is no different then the thousands of .com stickers distributed by bay-area companies at this year's SXSW conference in Austin. You want to talk about vandalism? Come look at all the marketing crap illegally stuck on everything in a 10-block area of my town last week. At least the protesters have some kind of intent more noble than capturing market share to boost the price of their IPO.
Even a vague expression of angst utilizing humor is a valid form of art (as defined by most since about 1900). True art confronts, questions, & provokes, just like these stickers. If you find the actions of these people upsetting, perhaps you should ask YOURSELF why that is. Don't give me that "vandalism" crap as an excuse. There's much worse and more blatant acts of vandalism all over the world, and I don't hear you railing against that.
Seems to me that the capitalist distribution model for several forms of art (movies, music & books) is dying. The reason everyone is running around screaming is because NOBODY has ANY IDEA how a post-capitalistic system will work, but we all seem to feel that it is inevitable. We've read about and discussed many alternatives, and they all seem to be lacking. So far there is not one single economic model that would be as successful at encouraging art as the current system (which is not to say that the current system is flawless. Far from it, in fact).
So, yes, it's going to happen.
Yes, the big media companies are going to lose.
Yes, the artists, too are going to lose, which means:
WE are going to lose also, because you can't devote yourself to producing good art when you're flipping burgers to pay the rent, so there won't be as much good art.
BUT... all of this will only be temporary. We need art and artists, and, as a whole, the human race will not tolerate a lack of good art for any length of time. So, somethng will have to change.
Again, the fear is based on the fact that we have no idea WHAT will change, or how, and we haven't come up with anything viable yet. But we will. We have to, because we need our art.
It will be ugly for awhile. There will be casualties. But in the end I'm convinced that we'll figure something out that is far superior to the previous model, and it is pretty short-sighted to try to stop this change just because it might be awkward for a few years. It's like refusing to move into a new house because you can't stand the thought of being without cable for a couple of weeks.
Good point. If you look, you'll notice that 99% of the stuff on Napster is by artists who are already quite successful.
Will people make that "Wang-gang-gang-gang" sound like the Six Million Dollar Man?
I was seriously looking for a way to trash your comment simply becuase I loathe the music of most of the bands you mention, but after thinking about it, you're probably right. Lemme explain:
I was, for many years, a Dead & Phish-head. I have since recovered my senses (not to mention my taste in music), largely due, I think, to having stopped taking so many drugs. ;) But anyway...
I watched Phish grow from a Burlington bar band to what they are today. After thinking about your comment I realized that Phish got popular not primarily through their considerable (and frequently unused) musical talent, but through marketing. I use that term here to refer to their years of hard work at being a "jamband"
I'm not being sarcastic. They worked their asses off to become who they are, and it obviously has been enormously profitable for them. If a person/group were to put similar effort (as I'm sure many are) into developing their name through MP3's, then I do not doubt for a second that they will also find financial success as long as they possess at least some talent.
In closing, though, I do have to repeat how much I dislike their music (same for the Dead, Spin Doctors, etc). You may conclude that my vehemence is simply based on embarassment of who I once was, and I'd reply, "Damn Right It Is!". Have you ever tried listening or hanging out with the fans without the benefit of a well-filled bong? Nails on a chalkboard doesn't even come close to describing it, and I cringe whenever somebody reminds me of my past stupidity.
Three years wasted in a haze of dope and the stench of patchoulli...
Kai's interface is *very* intuitive. Those who have used it understand.
Yeah, maybe it's fun to play with sometimes, but nobody I know who does any kind of graphics work for a living calls it "intuitive", or even tries to use it for real production work. Same goes for it's cousin "Bryce".
Interesting interface. OK for a toy. HORRIBLE as a useful tool.
How can something imperfect produce something perfect? Logically, it can't happen.
I believe you're wrong here, although I can't produce a logical proof on the spot. I can offer a few anecdotes, though:
-1 x -1 = +1
Horrendous parents can produce a wonderful child
Coal becomes diamond
Hitler encouraged development of the VW Bug ;)
Many a loathesome cook can make a perfect meal
Many artists, architects, etc. are well known for being quite despicable people, esp. the ones who achieve perfection in their work
Also, implicit in your statement is the idea that it is not possible for something to be greater than the sum of its parts.
The most interesting thought this article provoked for me led to questioning the nature of god (I'm somewhere between agnostic & atheist, btw)
If what the article talks about actually comes to pass, then we will be the creators of a new form of life. We would, of course, try to teach this life form all that we consider important, along with establishing rules such as Aasimov suggested.
However, it is possible, if not probable, that some of what we try to teach/dictate will be misinterpreted, misunderstood, or ignored by something that surpasses us in analytical skills. Perhaps in the end there will be much confusion and argument among the new life forms as to who/what created them, how they are supposed to behave, and overall, why they were created in the first place.
All of which naturally led me to wonder about *us*, of course. Got me to thinking that maybe there IS a god, but s/he (it) is not greater than us, but is in fact a lesser creature that lost control of what was created.
Yeah, in addition to rambling slightly off-topic, this may he heretical to some. But, well, just had to mention it somewhere, y'know?
Simplicity Limit user options, eliminate fat. Don't give users 10 ways to close a window, for example. I've always been annoyed by the fact that you can close a window that many ways. Another example: On a GNOME/Enlightenment desktop; there are too many ways to launch a GUI program.
Huh? Why?
This sounds like a personal issue rather than something that has any reason behind it.
Are you also annoyed that you can choose from well over ten different ways to get to work each morning? Do the dozens of lunchtime dining options you face each day cause you to lose sleep? Is it time for a jihad against Heinz's 57 Varieties?
If you do indeed have a good argument to support your statement I'd be very interested in hearing it.
These are made from the tooth of, um... what, exactly? Perhaps a large PVC pipe?
I won't even touch the cellophane. Literally.
:-)
Anybody read the new book? Is it any good?
As much as I enjoyed "The Name of The Rose", I have to say that Eco's second novel, "Focault's Pendulum", was far superior both in scope and style. Truely a stunning book from a masterful scholar.
Because implicit in the contest is the idea that you are to create something visually appealing (ie: artistic). A well written recipe for a bundt cake ain't gonna cut it.
Deserves a 4.5 rating (lost .5 for being way over 5k).
I'm assuming you're being a bonehead and not facetious.
Everything required for the page to display in your browser must be less than a 5k download. No SSI, php, perl, asp, etc.
I expected to be moderated down, but how is my reaction to the charges considered trolling?
Ok, moderate me down. I really don't have anything to say other than the subject heading.
Out of the original bbs grew io.com (full disclosure: my isp), and I believe it is being run by his brother. Steve Jackson games is still alive and well, and there is much overlap between them and Illuminati Online
IMHO, io.com is probably the best overall ISP in the Austin area, so if you want a shell account w/ all the bells and whistles you should check it out. No, I'm not getting any kickbacks for this, just passing on what I consider to be useful info for the /. crowd.
Have they told us how to pronounce it yet?
The radical new development of mass-market "books", made possible by this new-fangled thing invented by Guttenburg, was anticipated to bring about the long-awaited death of theatre as the public's primary source of entertainment. Much to everyone's amazement, it appears that theatre, and other live performances, are in fact not dying at all. The pundits are stunned.
"Perhaps one day," says one, "there will be this thing called convergence, maybe not with books, but some sort of projected images telling a story for a mass audience, with traditional theatre being performed at the same time mirroring the story, and raucous audience participation both enhancing and commenting on the same story. It could be called "Rocky Horror"."
Agree w/ everything you said except:
Offices will become passe as the mechanisms of communication become easier and easier.
The physical office provides a needed place for most people to work efficiently. Chiat/Day tried the "office-less office" and it was an absolute disaster. Workers were in open revolt, and the idea was scrapped. We need our own sense of place to feel comfortable and productive, and we need a degree of ownership over these places.
Even the worst cube farm is preferred by most over the idea of not having a permanent desk at all. We're like dogs: We like to piss and mark our territory.
Anyone else here read The Illuminatus Trilogy? Anyone else here recognize a joke when they hear one?
Somewhere close by Robert Anton Wilson is laughing his ass off at another brilliant mass-cultural hack.
It's just a study. And not a very good one, either. So why all the screaming and yelling and protesting?
It would seem to me that everybody's reaction to this study says a whole lot more than the words being used by people to defend their actions. What are you all so afraid of? What nerve, exactly, did this strike?
If you raise such a fuss everytime someone vaguely insinuates that you might be a loser then others might start thinking it's true, regardless of whether or not the original insinuation made any sense (which this one doesn't).
To brutalize Shakespeare: Ya'll protesteth WAY too much.