I find them immoral for most cases. I don't know whether DLC counts as microtransactions or not, so I'll leave it out.
The problem is that they are common in multiplayer games. Most multiplayer games involve some sort of competition between players. People play games to 'win', and to feel good about it. Now most multiplayer games I saw which have MT end up letting people who buy MT get a huge advantage. Then its not fun for the other players, because you can just buy victory.
Now some games DO keep it down low or don't confer that much of an advantage (TF2 comes to mind), however in the end you need to dangle something in front of the donkey to make it move, and if its a bonus you can only buy, then it'll be popular.
The sad part is that pretty much all the online games I ever played went like this:
Donation -> Basic cosmetic MT -> "Equal to skill" MT -> Overpowered MT -> Seriously if you're not buying you're going to suck -> Game dies.
Just that instead of torrents they use filesharing. I wonder why. Would have been interesting to have a torrent site which lets you share your own files without any problems.
Kinda obvious innit? You could easily have a normal website which from time to time pops up a question or whatever which you could answer for 5c or whatever. Easy job for poor people to do.
But this is not technology is supposed to work innit?
So you're suggesting that this extra effort to redesign the UI is simply so nobody uses it? I'd argue that changing the RCM would be a better idea since its used so much, like putting a pie menu with the most common items or whatever.
Large colourful icons encourage people to use the less efficient design.
The problem is that not every interface is best for every task.
Lets take web browsers and office applications as an example.
Web browsers - the emphasis is on the content. All major browsers are moving to 'tiny/collapsable' menu. Office examples - emphasis is also on the tasks you do. There are tasks which are important/time saving and using a ribbon really works for that.
If we take notepad as a third example - do you think a ribbon would be good for it? Nope. Same thing for browser.
With all the effort to improve it, they should have just stripped the interface down to its basics.
Look at web browsers and how their interface has become. That sort of thing. Its useless work which looks ugly and is expanding in the wrong direction.
Ribbons are ok if you want to have large menus with few sub elements which need to be large and look important.
For Office, they do what they're meant to do. For paint, they're horrible.
For this they're beyond description. When i use explorer I want to see all the elements that I can, and I right click to do what I want. Putting a huge bar at the top with colourful icons will only serve for more 'accidents' and less people knowing about the right menu. Please. No.
One of my friends was attacked on Google+ , because she initially used her real name, and her online and offline identities could then be traced through use of google circles. She almost immediately realized her mistake and started using a false (but real looking) name, but that was too late, of course.
Firstly, is the first source reputable? I never heard of Andy Carvin. Why is he the only one reporting it?
Secondly, the reasons which are given are silly:
"so fundamentally, it depends on people using their real names if they're going to build future products that leverage that information. "
Google has my Gmail. So it already knows my name. When people who know me send me emails, they generally use my name. If you use it as a primary email and send your CV to companies - then they potentially have a crapton more of info. They can easily harvest my name from there. Identity service? With all the stuff Google already knows about me? Not really needed.
Also what does my name have to do with anything? User #39430432 likes linux,/. and images of llamas. If my name is Joe Smith or John Smith it makes no difference.
Slashdot Mirror
I find them immoral for most cases. I don't know whether DLC counts as microtransactions or not, so I'll leave it out.
The problem is that they are common in multiplayer games. Most multiplayer games involve some sort of competition between players. People play games to 'win', and to feel good about it. Now most multiplayer games I saw which have MT end up letting people who buy MT get a huge advantage. Then its not fun for the other players, because you can just buy victory.
Now some games DO keep it down low or don't confer that much of an advantage (TF2 comes to mind), however in the end you need to dangle something in front of the donkey to make it move, and if its a bonus you can only buy, then it'll be popular.
The sad part is that pretty much all the online games I ever played went like this:
Donation -> Basic cosmetic MT -> "Equal to skill" MT -> Overpowered MT -> Seriously if you're not buying you're going to suck -> Game dies.
Giant axe.
We irradiate meat to make it safer, so why not people?
Because 'safer' in this context means "Killing everything else that's not just dead meat". The dead cow can't get cancer.
Now I'm thinking about it.. whoosh?
Except that most people don't know anything about certificates, and don't know why they should care.
And adding/removing certificate authorities isn't an easy task you'd give to anyone.
So unless the higher-ups (site owners / browser vendors) kill this company, there's nothing much the rest of us can do.
Except that te parents who chose not to vaccinate their kids will not get it because their parents weren't nutjobs.
Or kids allergic to the vaccination will get it because herd immunity is lower.
Its not like that at all.
"Clements-Jeffrey, 52, got the laptop fixed up and then started using it to "
I think i'll pass personally.
$Placeholder
Never used it for my uploads. Is it as simple as uploading the file and getting a link to share with your buddies?
For a start you'd probably have to seed it, so not really the same thing.
Just that instead of torrents they use filesharing. I wonder why. Would have been interesting to have a torrent site which lets you share your own files without any problems.
This certainly is an improvement on the free market paradigm most large companies try to shove down your throat.
Not only does the government stay out of your way, it gets other governments to support you.
The land of the free...
Right, you do have a lot of bargaining power when your whole family is dying of hunger.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sweatshop
I'm sure the workers all agreed to their salary.
Kinda obvious innit? You could easily have a normal website which from time to time pops up a question or whatever which you could answer for 5c or whatever. Easy job for poor people to do.
But this is not technology is supposed to work innit?
So you're suggesting that this extra effort to redesign the UI is simply so nobody uses it? I'd argue that changing the RCM would be a better idea since its used so much, like putting a pie menu with the most common items or whatever.
Large colourful icons encourage people to use the less efficient design.
Right click menu and keyboard shortcuts are more efficient though. The mouse barely has to move for those.
I don't see why we should wean people off them.
The problem is that not every interface is best for every task.
Lets take web browsers and office applications as an example.
Web browsers - the emphasis is on the content. All major browsers are moving to 'tiny/collapsable' menu.
Office examples - emphasis is also on the tasks you do. There are tasks which are important/time saving and using a ribbon really works for that.
If we take notepad as a third example - do you think a ribbon would be good for it? Nope. Same thing for browser.
With all the effort to improve it, they should have just stripped the interface down to its basics.
Look at web browsers and how their interface has become. That sort of thing. Its useless work which looks ugly and is expanding in the wrong direction.
The irony is that they put a graph:
Which says that 55% of commands are right click, 30-something are from hotkeys and a bit more 10% use the Command Bar.
Solution: SHOVE EVERYTHING INTO THE COMMAND BAR.
Ribbons are ok if you want to have large menus with few sub elements which need to be large and look important.
For Office, they do what they're meant to do. For paint, they're horrible.
For this they're beyond description. When i use explorer I want to see all the elements that I can, and I right click to do what I want. Putting a huge bar at the top with colourful icons will only serve for more 'accidents' and less people knowing about the right menu. Please. No.
One of my friends was attacked on Google+ , because she initially used her real name, and her online and offline identities could then be traced through use of google circles. She almost immediately realized her mistake and started using a false (but real looking) name, but that was too late, of course.
I haven't the foggiest idea what you're on about.
Its called advertising. Its like when they put stickers on the inside of the rock you're living under.
You mean straight from the paraphrasing without any verifiable transcript's mouth.
Firstly, is the first source reputable? I never heard of Andy Carvin. Why is he the only one reporting it?
Secondly, the reasons which are given are silly:
"so fundamentally, it depends on people using their real names if they're going to build future products that leverage that information. "
Google has my Gmail. So it already knows my name. When people who know me send me emails, they generally use my name. If you use it as a primary email and send your CV to companies - then they potentially have a crapton more of info. They can easily harvest my name from there. Identity service? With all the stuff Google already knows about me? Not really needed.
Also what does my name have to do with anything? User #39430432 likes linux, /. and images of llamas. If my name is Joe Smith or John Smith it makes no difference.
Want a better immune system for your kiddies?
Call me.
Whatever it is you're smoking, I want some.
To explain my point better.
I travel to the other side of the world. I shift my clock. Done.
I know that if I set my alarm for 8 am it'll be morning or so. If I need to buy something from a shop, I know when I can go, because I know already.
I just change ONE reference point (my clock) and I'm done. WIth this new system I need to convert for EVERYTHING.