... at the time of the Nazis. Guilt is not inherited, you know...
Italics added by me. You would think that most people would realize this simple statement that guilt is not passed from generation to generation. I might be starting a flame war but the Germans (unless their actions dictate it) do not deserve to be treated as Nazis, just as caucasians/whites from the USA do not deserve to be treated as slave-owners, just as every black person does not deserve to be treated as a thug/gangster, just as every Oriental person does not deserve to be treated as a math genius, and just as every other racial/ethnic stereotype does not deserve to exist.
But they do. It is one of our human failings that, in some respects, the internet is breaking down and I for one am supremely glad of that fact. Unfortunately, we have Governments stepping in to shut down, block, black list, and filter the internet and it always boils down to one reason - power by control. I'm not saying we're headed to a utopia, but one can hope. I think we are more on our way to a global village that breaks down and lessens the control of governments power over their people. The free flow of information, even incorrect information, scares those in power because it gives control to the people. An informed populace is a well-armed populace. The power of knowledge cannot be denied and the more information an individual has, the better he/she can take charge of their lives.
Keep this firmly in mind when someone, anyone, tells you that a specific piece of information must be kept away from the people for reasons of security. Or for the "good of the children". Or for any of the myriad of other reasons those in power seek to deny the people they represent - and are supposed to maintain the freedoms of - the key points behind a law, or a treaty, or anything that is of consequence.
I'll stop my rant now and jump off this soap box. I think I hear the black 'copters hovering outside now...
I can give you a one word answer as to what has happened to the good ole' US of A: GREED.
Plain and simple. What we used to do as both national pride and to flex American technological muscles now gets bogged down in "Holy shit, it is going to cost _what_ to build that mag-lev train? We'll never be able to pull that off. It will take 15 years for it to pay for itself!" We have fallen by the wayside when it comes to grand feats that will pay for themselves in the LONG TERM. We have become a country and that wants it all but we want it NOW and it damn well better pay for itself within 2 years, while it is at it.
I know of no easy fix for this condition. It may take a technical and thought process revolution to bring about change so that America can move again to the forefront of technological, science, engineering and many other fields we excelled at. Perhaps we need a grand plan, akin to getting to the moon, to get behind once more and refocus the will of the people onto? Even if we must tap into the greed that seems to have overridden the majority of the people and say "By doing this, we can bring about more prosperity!" Maybe "By setting foot on Mars, we will have shown that America is not beset by the issues of today; we will have shown that financial burdens can be overcome and conquered; that mankind can work towards a common goal and that space is no limitation to us!"
I was pretty content to read my fellow gamer's replies and see how much excitement there was for this title, not to mention reading some posts on just how bad SOE and LucasArts fucked over SWG but then I kept running into bashes and trolls. The game is not out and people are already on the warpath? I decided to post my ruminations about SWG, hope for SWTOR, and a pondering on why the bashing so bear with me if you will.
Ruminations (I'll bitch later): I played SWG for 2+ years, almost from day one. I was there for what can only be called an extended beta phase since Galaxies live was NOT complete. Bases were missing levels or working elevators, quests did not always have a completion, and a lot of the planets seemed empty. Except for Corellia:-p. On a positive note, the freedom to develop your character was highly original and one of the best things about SWG. Even if you met, say, another Teras Kasi/Dancer* in the game they more than likely had alloted their skill points differently than you did. They surely had different weapons, different armor (well, maybe different armor since we all had 90% kinetic resist - lol), and a slightly different play style. The "sandbox" game that SWG was on initial release took more thought and intelligence to get into that simply picking "warrior", but that made it fun.
Also, the great crafting system and mostly player run economy. I ran three accounts (and then dropped to two) so that I could have a combat player and a crafter - and enough lots to put down harvesters, houses, and crafting stations;-). Weren't lot swaps fun? Anyway, the detailed crafting system pricked the geek number cruncher in a lot of us and it was fun to hunt down resources. Specially if you were tired of combat or running around in space. There was a thrill at finding some 900oq (overall quality, if I'm remembering correctly) copper or high rating power or some uber grains. I was one of the top contributers on my server to the SWGCraft.com website back when it was active and made almost daily updates so that I, and my fellow crafters, had access to good intel. Ahh, the good ole days of running for my life on Endor because I had no combat skills on my crafter and I was tracking down some hot resource:-p. It was all fun while it lasted...
Hope for SWTOR: Well, the concept art looks fantastic and Bioware - IF frackin' EA and LucasArts will leave them alone - makes pretty damn good games so there is hope they can pull this off. I like the idea of a story driven MMO but I hope that it does not DEFINE you completely. Sometimes hunting down and killing shit is very satisfying:-D. I do not want to be forced into following a storyline so that I can progress in the game. I would also like to go off the reservation, as it were, and start hunting down Jedi (I played Imperial in SWG, like I'm going to switch sides now *eg*) or maybe some Alliance/whatever Diplomat needs to be reminded of their place in the universe? I also would like to see a crafting system like what SWG had put in place. Something that I can crunch some numbers on, something that will make me think, a system that will be a challenge other than "Oh shit, I need to go kill 400 banthas and skin them for hide again." Now, I don't mind skinning banthas but I would like some hides to be high quality during one week (or two week) period and then the next one mediocre and so on. Not just the same hide every time. Crafting should be a process with some thinking behind it (Should I add in this semi-rare copper to get higher stats or make a batch of decent gear with the more common form?) and not just "I need 20 light leather, 2 copper bars, and 4 pieces of string." Challenge the players! Yes, you might not reach World of Warcraft numbers in terms of subscribers but you will get a large, dedicated, usually intelligent player-base.
Please do not give us a twitch based FPS combat system either. Something like the old SWG or even WOW's combat system would be good. Click o
one of your points: (quoting)WoW - The BIG CHEESE of MMOs. Or, as my wife calls it, "MMO for dummies". Lack of expansion content is starting to hurt them some... Emphasis mine.
The lack of expansion content is NOT really hurting World of Warcraft's main player base - the casual gamers. What the lack of expansion content is hurting are the uber-rabid, crack snorting, MMO-heroin to the vein, hardcore "giveittomenow gottahavenewcontentsincei'mdonewithalltheotherstuff" players. You know, the people who - unless given a steady diet of new content - will leave and go to another game to get their fix.
Guess what? Those people do NOT make up the main player base. They make up the MOST VOCAL player base and yet, they should be ignored. Why? No matter how much new content you foist on them they will leave your shiny game for the newer shinier game. But, along the way while you've been feeding the mmo-heroin addicts new content, you've started losing your REAL player base that faithfully pays you every month and has no intention of switching games (unless you force them to by ignoring them or marginalizing them) - the casual gamers. Those rabid eatallcontentfast players that leave for another game? They'll be back as soon as you release new content or they've consumed all the new game has to offer, I guarantee it.
My proof? Check out Star Wars Galaxies. They completely fucked over their core player base - first in favor of the "hard core, I consumed all content" players and then again to make the game more like WoW (among other catastrophes). Check out some of the dissatisfaction within World of Warcraft with your casual players going "WTF? I only have two level 70s and now I'm going to have to work ANOTHER 10 levels onto my low-level alts? I don't have time for this shit..." This is one reason the new content for World of Warcraft will have raids that can be done at either the 10-man OR 25-man level. No more need to be seriously hard core to get uber-loot and phat purplez, unless you choose to. Sure, the 25-man gear will be slightly better but I'm willing to bet not unbalancing better.
WoW is doing pretty well on all fronts. Even if they were to lose 5 to 10% of their players due to no new content for 18 months (those hard core players) they would get them all back when a new update came out. In this casual player's opinion, the new content is coming out fast enough (almost too fast) and I'll still give up my $14 per month to the Warcrack machine '-)
I try not to use PayPal at all, but I did what another poster suggested - I set up a bank account for PayPal only. I leave enough in there to cover the basic check account charges for 6 months and anytime I must use PayPal I scoop the money out of that account and into another. They can lock that PayPal account or try to reverse it all they want, all I'll do is tell my account manager that that account needs to be closed due to PayPal trying to defraud me of money I legally collected by trying to reverse a charge that I did not authorize them to reverse. Banks have the power of the Fed backing them up so PayPal can suck it.
While not as large as ComicCon, it is one of the largest multi-genre conventions in the US. Last years attendance was 40,000+ and it keeps growing.
Plus, unlike a lot of conventions, DragonCon counts their multi-day passes as ONE person and not 2 or 3 or more (for example, if I buy a 4 day pass for DragonCon that counts as 1 person at the convention but some conventions would count that as 4 people and thus inflate their overall numbers).
There are many other conventions on the East Coast that do very well. Why don't you check out DragonCon though? If you live on the East Coast come on down to Atlanta for 4 days of fun, freaks, fans, and foolishness (did I mention hot young women in little or nothing?)!!
Well, the problem is we can't ALL not buy first generation Apple hardware. We need some suckers, I mean beta-testers *cough* dammit, I mean consumers to buy those first generation Apple products and put them through their paces. This way, those of us who practice that seemingly forgotten art of patience can benefit from their (beta) testing of those products. We shall be richly rewarded with stable products upon the second generation hitting the market.
Why don't we call them Property Handling Intermediaries Selling Housing or PHISH for short. Then they can say they are PHISHers of men (you know, looking for a buyer) and other odd and sundry fishing related jokes.;-)
very, very foul and disturbing. Oh, yeah, P3 chips with unique Processor Serial Numbers. I realize that the goal of this project is not the same as the Intel PSNs, but it still strikes me as a way to get unique IDs into each CPU and end anonymity on the net -- what there is that remains of anonymity. Not to mention the complete foul-ups when some enterprising "hacker" figures out how to remotely lock CPUs or other chips that have been unlocked.
While it sounds promising, it still raises the little hairs on the back of my neck. Danger Will Robinson, danger!
what we, the people, already know -- that an INDIVIDUAL'S rights should always trump a Corporation's wants/desires/wishes. As another poster pointed out, Corporations do not have rights as they are not human beings. So, when a Corporation tries to suppress an Individual (or group of people) the rights of the human beings will trump the rights of a "corporate entity".
What about slandering a company? Or libel against a company? Simple -- the company must prove the individual wrong beyond a shadow of a doubt. If they can't or are unwilling to, the individual's right to free speech (or freedom of the press) is considered inalienable and inviolate. Corporations should NEVER have more legal power than an individual. Sadly, this seems to not be the case around the world these days, but we can hope.
Right! So the next time you hear a bomb technician yelling "RUUUUUNNNNN!!!!!!!", be sure to flip him the bird and stay exactly where you are! Fuck Da Man! Vive le Revolution!
Rules, like the English language, always have exceptions to them...:-)
HIPAA exist, medical offices, dental offices, chiropractor offices, psychiatrist offices and many others in the same fields will not change over to wireless. I firmly believe that even with the advances in wireless encryption and a greater focus on security, wireless offices in the medical field (especially those in dense city regions) should not be installed.
Plus, due to the "sue happy" mentality that exists in the United States of America these days I would not put it past someone to break the wireless encryption on their [insert medical field here] office and borrow their personal data and several other patients. Then simply "find" their data out on the 'net and identify it as coming from that particular health provider's office. Bingo! Sue for the maximum and not worry about working anymore - or not as much anyway.
May seem far fetched, but in the times we live it could easily happen. So, wired networks only for the health care/medical field. They can be listened in on, sure, but it is a damn sight harder than it is to tumble a wireless network and setup a laptop to crack it from nearby while sipping a latte. Basically, LANs are going nowhere for the foreseeable future.
I used VIA (and Cyrix) back in the days of Socket 7 and they worked reliably and well for me. I have not used VIA in any new configurations, primarily because I've been rooting for AMD and a long-time supporter of their CPUs. All that aside, I want to see VIA succeed and succeed admirably. Why? Because competition for Intel (and yes, AMD too) will only benefit the consumer in the long run. If the VIA processors force AMD and Intel to rethink their designs and then _innovate_ to keep up with (or keep ahead of) VIA then the consumers win, win, and win.
What could we get out of this? Loads, of course. One thing I'm not worried about is speed of the chips. Yes, faster CPUs are generally a good thing but I'd like to see more efficient chips coming out in all areas from the chip makers. I'd like to see less heat, less power usage under load, less standby power usage, reduced need for fans/cooling, and more along the lines of efficiency. More efficient chips, especially power usage, equates to less money I spend on utility bills or batteries or whatever. More money in my pockets, more efficient chips, more competition among the chip makers - big and small - all equals "the goodness".
I am a longtime WoW player. I play the game for both fun and because I have a lot of friends (both the "real life hang out and eat dinner with" kind and the "online only never met in person but talked with" variety) who play. Most of us are all in a guild that we run. So, now to answer your question: The original World of Warcraft MMO now sells for US $10, expansion Burning Crusade for US $20 to $30, and I've seen them both for US $25 to $30 packaged as one. Future expansions are supposed to come out around the $30 price point in the United States.
I would think your figures for Asia are off though, since they pay on a per hour scale. Here is probably a better breakdown based on my best estimate (ok - best guess:) based upon 'net research:
US average per month - $15 Europe average per month (converted to US currency): $15 Asia average per month (converted to US currency): $5
So, the average amount that Blizzard is taking in PER MONTH without an expansion would be ((2.5 million*15)+(2.0 million*15)+(5.5 million*5)) == $95,000,000 US
Figure in one expansion pack for the year, IF all 10 million players buy a copy, dividing the total by 12 months ((10 million*30)/12)+95,000,00 == $120,000,000 US per month
So, total income for Blizzard for one year for World of Warcraft subscriptions plus one game expansion would be $1,440,000,000 US.
I know that I have to be missing some critical information, like the fact that Blizzard probably does not take in as much from the Asian market since I believe they have local companies handle subscriptions. Regardless, Blizzard is a mammoth beast taking in somewhere between $1.4 and $2.1 BILLION dollars per year -- just from the World of Warcraft MMORPG. Yeah, billion needed to be all caps...;-)
I'll leave it to others to decide whether you using quotes from game characters to support your point is sane...
Errr, omgwtfbbq??? I know exactly who I was quoting and where it came from and guess what? If the message behind the statement is TRUE and RELEVANT to the discussion, what does it matter if it comes from a fictional character or a person dead 150 (or 1500, or 10,500) years? Does the impact behind the statement "Beware of he who would deny you access to information, for in his heart he dreams himself your master." make any less impact that it came from a fictional character, designed by intelligent people, than if Genghis Khan (a reportedly intelligent and ruthless chap) had spouted it from his horse roaming the steppes? I say no, it does not - it is the _message_ that matters. Not who delivered it.
How many times have you been visiting friends or family, having a conversation on an adult level (and adult topic), and suddenly from the 4 year old child comes a pearl of wisdom that cuts to the heart of the matter? Does it matter that it came out of the mouth of someone who should not be able to understand all the nuances of the conversation? Or do people sit back in wonder and spout the phrase "Well, out of the mouth of babes..."?
Oh, yeah, even with your winking emoticon there at the end of your sentence, what the fuck does using a fictional character's statement have to do with my sanity? Or were you implying that I could not tell the difference between Pravin Lal and, say, John F. Kennedy? *gasp* You were?!?:-p Since you enjoy questioning the sanity of your fellow/.ers, why not prove to us you are sane - and real? Personally, I think that Teridon fellow is completely fictional - even if there is a real person behind it. Kinda like that Fallen1 dude...;-)
The great enemy of the truth is very often not the lie, deliberate, contrived and dishonest, but the myth, persistent, persuasive and unrealistic. -- John F. Kennedy
No, this move just reeks of GREED. Almost every time someone, especially a corporate or commercial interest, attempts to limit the freedom of information about them then you should start sniffing for dollars because they are doing so in an attempt to keep the money themselves. Greed is going to be the downfall of many old-school, established businesses and/or their processes even though it may take a while. Just look at the RIAA and MPAA for examples - unless they can somehow overcame their stuck-in-a-rut attitudes and progress into the current year then they are going to be overrun sooner or later by a business model that can adapt to the times.
I've used the following quote before, but it seems appropriate again here:
As the Americans learned so painfully in Earth's final century, free flow of information is the only safeguard against tyranny. The once-chained people whose leaders at last lose their grip on information flow will soon burst with freedom and vitality, but the free nation gradually constricting its grip on public discourse has begun its rapid slide into despotism. Beware of he who would deny you access to information, for in his heart he dreams himself your master. -- Commissioner Pravin Lal, "U.N. Declaration of Rights"
In this case, the NCAA wants to master all communications about the game. In some ways, this is their right since they own the "copyright" on the game in question. On the other hand, live blogging adds a new dimension to what has become a rote exercise (TV coverage, radio coverage, and print media coverage) and gives new life to sports coverage - imho. Still, I believe that money and greed is behind this move. Send in the bloodhounds and start sniffing...
of all the FUD and bullshit Howard Berman spews. Personally, I'd like to see laws requiring EVERY dollar a senator or representative gets - regardless of the source - accounted for. If they can't account for it with a clear paper trail then they get fined - $250,000 per dollar unaccounted for. Grandma sent you $10 for Christmas but you can't find the card that came with it? I'm sorry Howard, that will be $2.5 million dollars payable to the United States of America to relieve the tax burden on the middle class. If they have to have a personal accountant keep track of all of it, then they pay for it out of their salary AND the salaries of all those serving in the House or Senate are frozen for 6 years - so no pay bumps to cover hiring that personal accountant.
I say we squeeze them so tight they literally crap themselves when they take "campaign contributions" from big business. I say we make the task of keeping track of all that "soft" money and other contributions so onerous that it will be more than it is worth -- for the most part. I say we, the people, take back our country (for those of us who live in the USA) and make the politicians once more SERVE the people and not their own self-interest, pocketbooks, or corporate greed.
I know this will probably never happen, at least not in my lifetime, but it is a nice dream to have.
Here is a parting quote I found interesting many years ago (and still do):
As the Americans learned so painfully in Earth's final century, free flow of information is the only safeguard against tyranny. The once-chained people whose leaders at last lose their grip on information flow will soon burst with freedom and vitality, but the free nation gradually constricting its grip on public discourse has begun its rapid slide into despotism. Beware of he who would deny you access to information, for in his heart he dreams himself your master.
Commissioner Pravin Lal "U.N. Declaration of Rights"
Thanks for the information, I will do some research into the subject.
Plus, as I replied to the troll further down this conversation thread, I believe that current wireless keyboards still offer enough protection to prevent all but the most single-minded and serious intruders from accessing the data. HIPAA requires a "best effort" and we have to meet certain standards and I have done this - and will continue to do so. As a matter of fact, I'll be passing this information along to the owners so that they can re-evaluate the situation - and I strongly suggest others in my situation do so as well. Even though I believe current wireless keyboards live up to HIPAA standards doesn't mean I should not cover my ass by simply doing my job and letting the owners know of current issues, right?
Sorry for the mini-rant and thanks again for the information!
but that does not help the fact that you have just admitted to being a direct accessory, and in fact a facilitator, to SERIOUS HIPAA violations. Your workplace should be shut down immediately. I hope you don't end up being held criminally responsible.
LOL! That's a nice post you have there. Trolls 'r us, I presume? I have done the research already, thanks for your concern though. I have committed _NO_ HIPAA violations whatsoever due to the fact wireless keyboards are protected by encryption that I reasonably believed (and still believe) prevents all but the most serious of offenders from obtaining information regarding our patients. The problem is (and this applies to ALL businesses) is that if someone is serious enough about wanting information from this business/practice, or any other medical/dental/healthcare practice, then they are probably going to get it one way or another. HIPAA requires me to make a "best effort" to secure our data against unauthorized access based on certain standards and I have done - and continue - to do so. Wireless keyboards are encrypted, we have no wireless network to access, server room door is locked and secure, paper files are secured, etc, etc, so on, and so forth. My objections to wireless mice and keyboards I mentioned above was based on the extremely miniscule and remote chance someone might break the signal. As in, I was being _paranoid_ about setting up the new network. Again, after I talked with the owners and discussed the relevant issues of wireless keyboards and mice (HIPAA included) they decided it would violate no rules either and that I was being paranoid. Maybe I should have gone into deeper information in my post above but I didn't think it was necessary. Sheesh.
I see that there is plenty fear-mongering that is going on in the United States and the rest of the supposedly "free" world these days and you've just added more to it. I am by no means dumb enough to let my boss override my objections if it was going to violate the law in any way. Not to mention that if any person I work for asks me to break the law knowingly, I will be out of there before the conversation is finished and my lawyer will have my sworn statement as to why I left so my ass is covered. Please go troll in someone else's yard, umm-kay?
I am the head of IT for a large dental practice and we use wireless keyboards and mice in all of our operatories, at our front desk area, and in a couple of other areas -- because the owners wanted it that way, over my objections. They sign the paychecks so after I made sure they understood my objections, I gave them what they asked for.
It does make it easier to deploy our systems in our operatories because of the distances between the dental chairs and the computer bays. I would need 12 to 18' long cords on keyboards (and mice) and that would be a massive pile of shit to deal with in a hygiene or doctor's operatory due to how our system works. Not just our system, but the majority of dental practices (and I've seen a lot of medical practices setup the same or similar) are arranged the same way. The air space is so great between where the keyboards and mice need to sit and where the computers are located that it would not be practical to run cabled keyboards and mice. Plus, the chances of someone monitoring our wireless keyboards is so slim that I felt the risk was minor. I still do.
On the other hand, I believe the chances of someone trying to get into a wireless network are much greater and even with newer encryptions and firewalling/controlled access I would never allow such a network to be installed in this building. If they tried to push that agenda, I'd have my personal lawyer draw up a contract for the owners to sign absolving me of all responsibility for any break-ins that might happen and guaranteeing me a position with the company after any breach (or a VERY large golden parachute clause so I would have a lot of time to find a new position). That would probably get their attention and shut down the wireless network chatter but, as I said above, I still do not think there is enough of an issue with wireless keyboards to warrant more than a slight increase in watch status.
Of course, a couple of high profile theft of identity/information cases involving wireless keyboards will change my (and everyone else's) mind about that. Natch.
How in the holy hell did I get modded offtopic(!) when I was merely agreeing with what the parent posted above?!? You know, in an offhanded way. Or, more precisely, like I wholeheartedly agreed with the parent post and by agreeing with an "Amen", I was stressing that fact - almost like what he said was gospel. Geeze, I guess some people just can't get that. My apologies for not explaining myself more thoroughly but I was under the impression that the average intelligence on slashdot was higher than the world average - and better than a "mob"* mentality. Not to mention tolerance for differences higher.
if I could find another job in short order paying the same or more money AND one that allowed me to telework, I'd tell the new Lord Vader he could go fuck himself and his death star.
Barring that, how about writing up an article and trying to get it into the New York Times (and other large papers) asking the question: Why is AT&T supporting pollution by requiring 10,000 employees to begin commuting to an office once again? Does AT&T _not_ support a green initiative and want to cut down on its carbon footprint in this world? Does AT&T _not_ support cutting down on vehicle emissions by using the very effective telecommute for work? What does AT&T have against saving the planet?
With the wide variety of people focused on green initiatives, carbon footprinting, greenhouse gases, and trying to save the planet surely some bad press thrown AT&T's way making it look bad on the global stage for, basically, FORCING 10,000+ people to begin commuting to work again after years of working from home... Well, even monopolistic giants can be pimp-slapped in the press. Sometimes.
Slashdot Mirror
... at the time of the Nazis. Guilt is not inherited, you know...
Italics added by me. You would think that most people would realize this simple statement that guilt is not passed from generation to generation. I might be starting a flame war but the Germans (unless their actions dictate it) do not deserve to be treated as Nazis, just as caucasians/whites from the USA do not deserve to be treated as slave-owners, just as every black person does not deserve to be treated as a thug/gangster, just as every Oriental person does not deserve to be treated as a math genius, and just as every other racial/ethnic stereotype does not deserve to exist.
But they do. It is one of our human failings that, in some respects, the internet is breaking down and I for one am supremely glad of that fact. Unfortunately, we have Governments stepping in to shut down, block, black list, and filter the internet and it always boils down to one reason - power by control. I'm not saying we're headed to a utopia, but one can hope. I think we are more on our way to a global village that breaks down and lessens the control of governments power over their people. The free flow of information, even incorrect information, scares those in power because it gives control to the people. An informed populace is a well-armed populace. The power of knowledge cannot be denied and the more information an individual has, the better he/she can take charge of their lives.
Keep this firmly in mind when someone, anyone, tells you that a specific piece of information must be kept away from the people for reasons of security. Or for the "good of the children". Or for any of the myriad of other reasons those in power seek to deny the people they represent - and are supposed to maintain the freedoms of - the key points behind a law, or a treaty, or anything that is of consequence.
I'll stop my rant now and jump off this soap box. I think I hear the black 'copters hovering outside now...
Yeah, a FLOOR plan. Of my house.
Now go clean the carpets before I kick your shiny metal ass, Roomba...
I can give you a one word answer as to what has happened to the good ole' US of A: GREED.
Plain and simple. What we used to do as both national pride and to flex American technological muscles now gets bogged down in "Holy shit, it is going to cost _what_ to build that mag-lev train? We'll never be able to pull that off. It will take 15 years for it to pay for itself!" We have fallen by the wayside when it comes to grand feats that will pay for themselves in the LONG TERM. We have become a country and that wants it all but we want it NOW and it damn well better pay for itself within 2 years, while it is at it.
I know of no easy fix for this condition. It may take a technical and thought process revolution to bring about change so that America can move again to the forefront of technological, science, engineering and many other fields we excelled at. Perhaps we need a grand plan, akin to getting to the moon, to get behind once more and refocus the will of the people onto? Even if we must tap into the greed that seems to have overridden the majority of the people and say "By doing this, we can bring about more prosperity!" Maybe "By setting foot on Mars, we will have shown that America is not beset by the issues of today; we will have shown that financial burdens can be overcome and conquered; that mankind can work towards a common goal and that space is no limitation to us!"
Eh, /shrug.. who knows?
Oh yeah, ban all bumperstickers...
You can have my "For the Horde!" bumper sticker when you pry it from my cold undead mage's hands :-p.
I was pretty content to read my fellow gamer's replies and see how much excitement there was for this title, not to mention reading some posts on just how bad SOE and LucasArts fucked over SWG but then I kept running into bashes and trolls. The game is not out and people are already on the warpath? I decided to post my ruminations about SWG, hope for SWTOR, and a pondering on why the bashing so bear with me if you will.
Ruminations (I'll bitch later): I played SWG for 2+ years, almost from day one. I was there for what can only be called an extended beta phase since Galaxies live was NOT complete. Bases were missing levels or working elevators, quests did not always have a completion, and a lot of the planets seemed empty. Except for Corellia :-p. On a positive note, the freedom to develop your character was highly original and one of the best things about SWG. Even if you met, say, another Teras Kasi/Dancer* in the game they more than likely had alloted their skill points differently than you did. They surely had different weapons, different armor (well, maybe different armor since we all had 90% kinetic resist - lol), and a slightly different play style. The "sandbox" game that SWG was on initial release took more thought and intelligence to get into that simply picking "warrior", but that made it fun.
Also, the great crafting system and mostly player run economy. I ran three accounts (and then dropped to two) so that I could have a combat player and a crafter - and enough lots to put down harvesters, houses, and crafting stations ;-). Weren't lot swaps fun? Anyway, the detailed crafting system pricked the geek number cruncher in a lot of us and it was fun to hunt down resources. Specially if you were tired of combat or running around in space. There was a thrill at finding some 900oq (overall quality, if I'm remembering correctly) copper or high rating power or some uber grains. I was one of the top contributers on my server to the SWGCraft.com website back when it was active and made almost daily updates so that I, and my fellow crafters, had access to good intel. Ahh, the good ole days of running for my life on Endor because I had no combat skills on my crafter and I was tracking down some hot resource :-p. It was all fun while it lasted...
Hope for SWTOR: Well, the concept art looks fantastic and Bioware - IF frackin' EA and LucasArts will leave them alone - makes pretty damn good games so there is hope they can pull this off. I like the idea of a story driven MMO but I hope that it does not DEFINE you completely. Sometimes hunting down and killing shit is very satisfying :-D. I do not want to be forced into following a storyline so that I can progress in the game. I would also like to go off the reservation, as it were, and start hunting down Jedi (I played Imperial in SWG, like I'm going to switch sides now *eg*) or maybe some Alliance/whatever Diplomat needs to be reminded of their place in the universe? I also would like to see a crafting system like what SWG had put in place. Something that I can crunch some numbers on, something that will make me think, a system that will be a challenge other than "Oh shit, I need to go kill 400 banthas and skin them for hide again." Now, I don't mind skinning banthas but I would like some hides to be high quality during one week (or two week) period and then the next one mediocre and so on. Not just the same hide every time. Crafting should be a process with some thinking behind it (Should I add in this semi-rare copper to get higher stats or make a batch of decent gear with the more common form?) and not just "I need 20 light leather, 2 copper bars, and 4 pieces of string." Challenge the players! Yes, you might not reach World of Warcraft numbers in terms of subscribers but you will get a large, dedicated, usually intelligent player-base.
Please do not give us a twitch based FPS combat system either. Something like the old SWG or even WOW's combat system would be good. Click o
one of your points: (quoting)WoW - The BIG CHEESE of MMOs. Or, as my wife calls it, "MMO for dummies". Lack of expansion content is starting to hurt them some... Emphasis mine.
The lack of expansion content is NOT really hurting World of Warcraft's main player base - the casual gamers. What the lack of expansion content is hurting are the uber-rabid, crack snorting, MMO-heroin to the vein, hardcore "giveittomenow gottahavenewcontentsincei'mdonewithalltheotherstuff" players. You know, the people who - unless given a steady diet of new content - will leave and go to another game to get their fix.
Guess what? Those people do NOT make up the main player base. They make up the MOST VOCAL player base and yet, they should be ignored. Why? No matter how much new content you foist on them they will leave your shiny game for the newer shinier game. But, along the way while you've been feeding the mmo-heroin addicts new content, you've started losing your REAL player base that faithfully pays you every month and has no intention of switching games (unless you force them to by ignoring them or marginalizing them) - the casual gamers. Those rabid eatallcontentfast players that leave for another game? They'll be back as soon as you release new content or they've consumed all the new game has to offer, I guarantee it.
My proof? Check out Star Wars Galaxies. They completely fucked over their core player base - first in favor of the "hard core, I consumed all content" players and then again to make the game more like WoW (among other catastrophes). Check out some of the dissatisfaction within World of Warcraft with your casual players going "WTF? I only have two level 70s and now I'm going to have to work ANOTHER 10 levels onto my low-level alts? I don't have time for this shit..." This is one reason the new content for World of Warcraft will have raids that can be done at either the 10-man OR 25-man level. No more need to be seriously hard core to get uber-loot and phat purplez, unless you choose to. Sure, the 25-man gear will be slightly better but I'm willing to bet not unbalancing better.
WoW is doing pretty well on all fronts. Even if they were to lose 5 to 10% of their players due to no new content for 18 months (those hard core players) they would get them all back when a new update came out. In this casual player's opinion, the new content is coming out fast enough (almost too fast) and I'll still give up my $14 per month to the Warcrack machine '-)
I try not to use PayPal at all, but I did what another poster suggested - I set up a bank account for PayPal only. I leave enough in there to cover the basic check account charges for 6 months and anytime I must use PayPal I scoop the money out of that account and into another. They can lock that PayPal account or try to reverse it all they want, all I'll do is tell my account manager that that account needs to be closed due to PayPal trying to defraud me of money I legally collected by trying to reverse a charge that I did not authorize them to reverse. Banks have the power of the Fed backing them up so PayPal can suck it.
While not as large as ComicCon, it is one of the largest multi-genre conventions in the US. Last years attendance was 40,000+ and it keeps growing.
Plus, unlike a lot of conventions, DragonCon counts their multi-day passes as ONE person and not 2 or 3 or more (for example, if I buy a 4 day pass for DragonCon that counts as 1 person at the convention but some conventions would count that as 4 people and thus inflate their overall numbers).
There are many other conventions on the East Coast that do very well. Why don't you check out DragonCon though? If you live on the East Coast come on down to Atlanta for 4 days of fun, freaks, fans, and foolishness (did I mention hot young women in little or nothing?)!!
Well, the problem is we can't ALL not buy first generation Apple hardware. We need some suckers, I mean beta-testers *cough* dammit, I mean consumers to buy those first generation Apple products and put them through their paces. This way, those of us who practice that seemingly forgotten art of patience can benefit from their (beta) testing of those products. We shall be richly rewarded with stable products upon the second generation hitting the market.
Thus endeth the lesson. ;-)
Why don't we call them Property Handling Intermediaries Selling Housing or PHISH for short. Then they can say they are PHISHers of men (you know, looking for a buyer) and other odd and sundry fishing related jokes. ;-)
While it sounds promising, it still raises the little hairs on the back of my neck. Danger Will Robinson, danger!
what we, the people, already know -- that an INDIVIDUAL'S rights should always trump a Corporation's wants/desires/wishes. As another poster pointed out, Corporations do not have rights as they are not human beings. So, when a Corporation tries to suppress an Individual (or group of people) the rights of the human beings will trump the rights of a "corporate entity".
What about slandering a company? Or libel against a company? Simple -- the company must prove the individual wrong beyond a shadow of a doubt. If they can't or are unwilling to, the individual's right to free speech (or freedom of the press) is considered inalienable and inviolate. Corporations should NEVER have more legal power than an individual. Sadly, this seems to not be the case around the world these days, but we can hope.
Rules, like the English language, always have exceptions to them... :-)
Plus, due to the "sue happy" mentality that exists in the United States of America these days I would not put it past someone to break the wireless encryption on their [insert medical field here] office and borrow their personal data and several other patients. Then simply "find" their data out on the 'net and identify it as coming from that particular health provider's office. Bingo! Sue for the maximum and not worry about working anymore - or not as much anyway.
May seem far fetched, but in the times we live it could easily happen. So, wired networks only for the health care/medical field. They can be listened in on, sure, but it is a damn sight harder than it is to tumble a wireless network and setup a laptop to crack it from nearby while sipping a latte. Basically, LANs are going nowhere for the foreseeable future.
I used VIA (and Cyrix) back in the days of Socket 7 and they worked reliably and well for me. I have not used VIA in any new configurations, primarily because I've been rooting for AMD and a long-time supporter of their CPUs. All that aside, I want to see VIA succeed and succeed admirably. Why? Because competition for Intel (and yes, AMD too) will only benefit the consumer in the long run. If the VIA processors force AMD and Intel to rethink their designs and then _innovate_ to keep up with (or keep ahead of) VIA then the consumers win, win, and win.
What could we get out of this? Loads, of course. One thing I'm not worried about is speed of the chips. Yes, faster CPUs are generally a good thing but I'd like to see more efficient chips coming out in all areas from the chip makers. I'd like to see less heat, less power usage under load, less standby power usage, reduced need for fans/cooling, and more along the lines of efficiency. More efficient chips, especially power usage, equates to less money I spend on utility bills or batteries or whatever. More money in my pockets, more efficient chips, more competition among the chip makers - big and small - all equals "the goodness".
My $.02 for the day...
I am a longtime WoW player. I play the game for both fun and because I have a lot of friends (both the "real life hang out and eat dinner with" kind and the "online only never met in person but talked with" variety) who play. Most of us are all in a guild that we run. So, now to answer your question: The original World of Warcraft MMO now sells for US $10, expansion Burning Crusade for US $20 to $30, and I've seen them both for US $25 to $30 packaged as one. Future expansions are supposed to come out around the $30 price point in the United States.
:) based upon 'net research:
;-)
I would think your figures for Asia are off though, since they pay on a per hour scale. Here is probably a better breakdown based on my best estimate (ok - best guess
US average per month - $15
Europe average per month (converted to US currency): $15
Asia average per month (converted to US currency): $5
So, the average amount that Blizzard is taking in PER MONTH without an expansion would be ((2.5 million*15)+(2.0 million*15)+(5.5 million*5)) == $95,000,000 US
Figure in one expansion pack for the year, IF all 10 million players buy a copy, dividing the total by 12 months ((10 million*30)/12)+95,000,00 == $120,000,000 US per month
So, total income for Blizzard for one year for World of Warcraft subscriptions plus one game expansion would be $1,440,000,000 US.
I know that I have to be missing some critical information, like the fact that Blizzard probably does not take in as much from the Asian market since I believe they have local companies handle subscriptions. Regardless, Blizzard is a mammoth beast taking in somewhere between $1.4 and $2.1 BILLION dollars per year -- just from the World of Warcraft MMORPG. Yeah, billion needed to be all caps...
Errr, omgwtfbbq??? I know exactly who I was quoting and where it came from and guess what? If the message behind the statement is TRUE and RELEVANT to the discussion, what does it matter if it comes from a fictional character or a person dead 150 (or 1500, or 10,500) years? Does the impact behind the statement "Beware of he who would deny you access to information, for in his heart he dreams himself your master." make any less impact that it came from a fictional character, designed by intelligent people, than if Genghis Khan (a reportedly intelligent and ruthless chap) had spouted it from his horse roaming the steppes? I say no, it does not - it is the _message_ that matters. Not who delivered it.
How many times have you been visiting friends or family, having a conversation on an adult level (and adult topic), and suddenly from the 4 year old child comes a pearl of wisdom that cuts to the heart of the matter? Does it matter that it came out of the mouth of someone who should not be able to understand all the nuances of the conversation? Or do people sit back in wonder and spout the phrase "Well, out of the mouth of babes..."?
Oh, yeah, even with your winking emoticon there at the end of your sentence, what the fuck does using a fictional character's statement have to do with my sanity? Or were you implying that I could not tell the difference between Pravin Lal and, say, John F. Kennedy? *gasp* You were?!? :-p Since you enjoy questioning the sanity of your fellow /.ers, why not prove to us you are sane - and real? Personally, I think that Teridon fellow is completely fictional - even if there is a real person behind it. Kinda like that Fallen1 dude... ;-)
No, this move just reeks of GREED. Almost every time someone, especially a corporate or commercial interest, attempts to limit the freedom of information about them then you should start sniffing for dollars because they are doing so in an attempt to keep the money themselves. Greed is going to be the downfall of many old-school, established businesses and/or their processes even though it may take a while. Just look at the RIAA and MPAA for examples - unless they can somehow overcame their stuck-in-a-rut attitudes and progress into the current year then they are going to be overrun sooner or later by a business model that can adapt to the times.
I've used the following quote before, but it seems appropriate again here:
In this case, the NCAA wants to master all communications about the game. In some ways, this is their right since they own the "copyright" on the game in question. On the other hand, live blogging adds a new dimension to what has become a rote exercise (TV coverage, radio coverage, and print media coverage) and gives new life to sports coverage - imho. Still, I believe that money and greed is behind this move. Send in the bloodhounds and start sniffing...
Parachuting into the deep chasm? ;-)
of all the FUD and bullshit Howard Berman spews. Personally, I'd like to see laws requiring EVERY dollar a senator or representative gets - regardless of the source - accounted for. If they can't account for it with a clear paper trail then they get fined - $250,000 per dollar unaccounted for. Grandma sent you $10 for Christmas but you can't find the card that came with it? I'm sorry Howard, that will be $2.5 million dollars payable to the United States of America to relieve the tax burden on the middle class. If they have to have a personal accountant keep track of all of it, then they pay for it out of their salary AND the salaries of all those serving in the House or Senate are frozen for 6 years - so no pay bumps to cover hiring that personal accountant.
I say we squeeze them so tight they literally crap themselves when they take "campaign contributions" from big business. I say we make the task of keeping track of all that "soft" money and other contributions so onerous that it will be more than it is worth -- for the most part. I say we, the people, take back our country (for those of us who live in the USA) and make the politicians once more SERVE the people and not their own self-interest, pocketbooks, or corporate greed.
I know this will probably never happen, at least not in my lifetime, but it is a nice dream to have.
Here is a parting quote I found interesting many years ago (and still do):
As the Americans learned so painfully in Earth's final century, free flow of information is the only safeguard against tyranny. The once-chained people whose leaders at last lose their grip on information flow will soon burst with freedom and vitality, but the free nation gradually constricting its grip on public discourse has begun its rapid slide into despotism. Beware of he who would deny you access to information, for in his heart he dreams himself your master.
Commissioner Pravin Lal
"U.N. Declaration of Rights"
Thanks for the information, I will do some research into the subject.
Plus, as I replied to the troll further down this conversation thread, I believe that current wireless keyboards still offer enough protection to prevent all but the most single-minded and serious intruders from accessing the data. HIPAA requires a "best effort" and we have to meet certain standards and I have done this - and will continue to do so. As a matter of fact, I'll be passing this information along to the owners so that they can re-evaluate the situation - and I strongly suggest others in my situation do so as well. Even though I believe current wireless keyboards live up to HIPAA standards doesn't mean I should not cover my ass by simply doing my job and letting the owners know of current issues, right?
Sorry for the mini-rant and thanks again for the information!
LOL! That's a nice post you have there. Trolls 'r us, I presume? I have done the research already, thanks for your concern though. I have committed _NO_ HIPAA violations whatsoever due to the fact wireless keyboards are protected by encryption that I reasonably believed (and still believe) prevents all but the most serious of offenders from obtaining information regarding our patients. The problem is (and this applies to ALL businesses) is that if someone is serious enough about wanting information from this business/practice, or any other medical/dental/healthcare practice, then they are probably going to get it one way or another. HIPAA requires me to make a "best effort" to secure our data against unauthorized access based on certain standards and I have done - and continue - to do so. Wireless keyboards are encrypted, we have no wireless network to access, server room door is locked and secure, paper files are secured, etc, etc, so on, and so forth. My objections to wireless mice and keyboards I mentioned above was based on the extremely miniscule and remote chance someone might break the signal. As in, I was being _paranoid_ about setting up the new network. Again, after I talked with the owners and discussed the relevant issues of wireless keyboards and mice (HIPAA included) they decided it would violate no rules either and that I was being paranoid. Maybe I should have gone into deeper information in my post above but I didn't think it was necessary. Sheesh.
I see that there is plenty fear-mongering that is going on in the United States and the rest of the supposedly "free" world these days and you've just added more to it. I am by no means dumb enough to let my boss override my objections if it was going to violate the law in any way. Not to mention that if any person I work for asks me to break the law knowingly, I will be out of there before the conversation is finished and my lawyer will have my sworn statement as to why I left so my ass is covered. Please go troll in someone else's yard, umm-kay?
I am the head of IT for a large dental practice and we use wireless keyboards and mice in all of our operatories, at our front desk area, and in a couple of other areas -- because the owners wanted it that way, over my objections. They sign the paychecks so after I made sure they understood my objections, I gave them what they asked for.
It does make it easier to deploy our systems in our operatories because of the distances between the dental chairs and the computer bays. I would need 12 to 18' long cords on keyboards (and mice) and that would be a massive pile of shit to deal with in a hygiene or doctor's operatory due to how our system works. Not just our system, but the majority of dental practices (and I've seen a lot of medical practices setup the same or similar) are arranged the same way. The air space is so great between where the keyboards and mice need to sit and where the computers are located that it would not be practical to run cabled keyboards and mice. Plus, the chances of someone monitoring our wireless keyboards is so slim that I felt the risk was minor. I still do.
On the other hand, I believe the chances of someone trying to get into a wireless network are much greater and even with newer encryptions and firewalling/controlled access I would never allow such a network to be installed in this building. If they tried to push that agenda, I'd have my personal lawyer draw up a contract for the owners to sign absolving me of all responsibility for any break-ins that might happen and guaranteeing me a position with the company after any breach (or a VERY large golden parachute clause so I would have a lot of time to find a new position). That would probably get their attention and shut down the wireless network chatter but, as I said above, I still do not think there is enough of an issue with wireless keyboards to warrant more than a slight increase in watch status.
Of course, a couple of high profile theft of identity/information cases involving wireless keyboards will change my (and everyone else's) mind about that. Natch.
How in the holy hell did I get modded offtopic(!) when I was merely agreeing with what the parent posted above?!? You know, in an offhanded way. Or, more precisely, like I wholeheartedly agreed with the parent post and by agreeing with an "Amen", I was stressing that fact - almost like what he said was gospel. Geeze, I guess some people just can't get that. My apologies for not explaining myself more thoroughly but I was under the impression that the average intelligence on slashdot was higher than the world average - and better than a "mob"* mentality. Not to mention tolerance for differences higher.
* Mob in this case means group or crowd, fyi.
Barring that, how about writing up an article and trying to get it into the New York Times (and other large papers) asking the question: Why is AT&T supporting pollution by requiring 10,000 employees to begin commuting to an office once again? Does AT&T _not_ support a green initiative and want to cut down on its carbon footprint in this world? Does AT&T _not_ support cutting down on vehicle emissions by using the very effective telecommute for work? What does AT&T have against saving the planet?
With the wide variety of people focused on green initiatives, carbon footprinting, greenhouse gases, and trying to save the planet surely some bad press thrown AT&T's way making it look bad on the global stage for, basically, FORCING 10,000+ people to begin commuting to work again after years of working from home... Well, even monopolistic giants can be pimp-slapped in the press. Sometimes.
AT&T - Your world. Delivered. To the NSA.