While I agree with the spirit of the assessment, I'd like to mention the following:
Unlike most of the "I'm so mature and Jar-Jar stinks" crowd, I am not under the delusion that Star Wars movies are anything more than fun summer fare that I happen to enjoy quite a bit. Of all the movies in the last 20 or so years, I can count on ONE hand the movies I wanted to see more than once. Star Wars movies are among that few. I am not pressured by the "cult of Star Wars" that expect some sort of psycho-sexual religious experience every time their butt hits the theater seats either. I am obviously one of the few who remembers that I was *8* years old when I saw ANH, and I loved it. When I saw TPM, I remembered who this movie was FOR, and enjoyed it for the fun that it was supposed to be. Star Wars is not my religion, nor is George Lucas my prophet.
I expect ATOC to be just like ANH, ESB, ROTJ, and TPM were....FUN. I expect no high art, no deep dialogue, or no compelling storyline (other than Good vs. Evil). I expect lots of Jedi, lots of explosions, lots of cool aliens, and some hideously evil Sith to spice up the story. I will get my money's worth, even if Jar Jar is in it for 20 minutes.
People need to realize that it's JUST a movie. When you strip all the expectations and heaped-on mythical importance, it is a movie. And if you try not to be so friggin' elitist about it, you might just enjoy yourselves.
Then again, most of the critics of TPM can overlook the flaws of Spiderman because, well, it's not got Jar Jar in it. Ironic....
While it is true the Gamespot subscription is less than a newsstand price of a printed magazine (with CD, since I assume the downloads section will be included in the subscription of $4.95 a month for the foreseeable future), it is not cheaper than the $30/year subscription to Computer Gaming World or Computer Games.
Having access to something for $60/year vs. having most of the major demos sent to you for $20-$30 a year is something those on a limited budget have to consider. I for one can afford both, but for those who rely on reviews for their 1-2 games a quarter purchases have a more difficult decision. If you don't make it in 7 days to see the review, you'll have to subscribe or go elsewhere. This would be a moot point if Gamespot's reviews were more credible (of late) and more informative.
And the argument that if a person doesn't have $4.95 a month probably doesn't have $50 to spend on a game is an oversimplification. With internet access (I am on a modem still, so it's fairly cheap) for some folks approaching $50 a month, their disposable income is more closely guarded and is more judiciously spent on things other than reviews for games they might could afford 1 or 2 of anyway. I am not saying Gamespot alone is the cause of this, but with most content sites doing this instead of ads, some people have to make more choices than others.
I think Gamespot should charge for downloads, and for participation in the forums, but if you just want to see the reviews, throw up some ads and some pop-unders. And, to offset the cost, charge more than $5 a month for the access to downloads and forums *shrug*
I do agree with you about content though. original content has more value to me than something "newsvac'ed" in for my convenience....
It seems that even in the realm of fair use (which this dataplay format definitely tries to stifle), we have the industry attempting to control how, when, and for how long you can do something (in this case, listen to music.) First of all, if the information is correct, ANY mp3 you place on a dataplay disc becomes protected and only available through the proprietary play software (I believe the name of it is "Futureplay".) Now, I am sure that if I put a recording of my own on a dataplay disc, the RIAA has no right to encode and encrypt it, because it is NOT THEIRS TO ENCRYPT.
I hate to break it to them, but they are trying to do what Divx failed to do. Even if there is a giant pile of extras on each Dataplay disc, no one likes the idea of losing control. If they did, Divx would've won over DVD. I have a suspicion that DVD won, not because of the "extra features", but because once a person bought the DVD, they could play it anywhere, any time, and on any player. CDs give you that now, so why would someone be silly enough to give up that freedom for "extra photos of Britney! Only $8 more!" I guess I'm too set in my ways to see the attraction.
If the RIAA wants to kill the CD format (for audio, I doubt it will be stripped from PCs any time soon), then fine. I've said it 1,000 times before: I do not have to buy their product. They are a luxury item that comes after food and shelter. If they want their "content" to be among the many items I do not choose to buy, so be it. The RIAA should not blame piracy for your failure to provide something the public wants. It's as simple as that. If all music sharing died tomorrow, there would still be drops in music sales. The RIAA tries to paint this black and white picture of the planet, and all they are doing is making themselves look stupid. There are people who don't have enough food to last them through the day, and the RIAA is claiming THEY are in danger of being extinct because of piracy? I apologize for sounding so dramatic, but come on. Have we all become that self-absorbed?
I completely agree that it could affect some sales, but not the 10% Hilary and the rest of the corporate Nazis claim.
For the most part, pop staples are becoming what they were at the end of every generation. Most of the cycles start changing at the end of a decade, but since the corporate machine has so much invested in these current pop "stars" (Spears, et. al.), they have been pushing these jokers far beyond their normal teeny-bopper lifespans. In a more cynical view, perhaps the RIAA hasn't figured out what to do next. I can't believe they are out of clever marketing ideas, but they could be. They'll just have to wait until all of us who grew up in the 80's to get too old to matter, then they can bring back Hairbands. *GRIN*
I also see that the economy is VERY shaky right now, shakier than the dot-bomb bubble. Telecom is bleeding revenue like a hemopheliac with multiple stab wounds, and the rest of the tech sector isn't growing much at all. Granted I'm no economist, but that looks like a crappy economy to me. Now, that being said, what is more important, motrgage payments or the newest Celine Dion CD?
I see people unwilling to pay for CDs, but those people are the same no matter what is offered. Some folks just want to get something for free. The RIAA isn't going to stamp these people out, because they *always* find a way to get around it. No amount of SSSCA etc rules will stop these people. I don't understand WHY the RIAA and MPAA are so bull-headed when it comes to these things, but then I realize why it is. They are losing their business model at an astounding rate, and they are afraid for their parasitic lives. Let them die. Then maybe artists can use the internet to further THEIR music, rather than the RIAA's disturbing vision.....
There's even one older than that for Amigas called the Boing! optical mouse. It was neat for it's time, but it required a special mousepad too. Still, it was the ultimate in cool attached to your new A2000.:)
..is that the very products they peddle are NOT integral parts of our lives. Their output is something I (we ALL) can do without. I have more CDs and VHS tapes than I know what to do with, and quite frankly, I am ashamed I bought as many as I did. But what Valenti, Eisner and others fail to realize is, WE DON'T HAVE TO HAVE THEIR "content." It's not food, water, or shelter they are providing. They should think about this before they start trying to strangle the life out of their ONLY customer base.
I can think of plenty of things to do which don't involve movies or music. With the books I've accumulated from book clubs and second-hand shops (the "I'm gonna get to those someday" pile of books), I could read 1 book a week and probably die before I finished them all. I have enough music that I can cycle through the CDs until hell freezes over before I listen to a CD twice. *grin*
So you see, I am certainly writing my senators, congressmen, local newspapers, and just about any person who has an interest (or even unintentional interest) in this legislation. I am not optimistic I am getting through toANYONE, though. So, if this passes, I have my old computers, my old TV, my old VCR, my old Dreamcast, and all those "unprotected" books, CDs and classic movies. I just won't buy any more crap. So what? It's not hurting ME that I don't buy their junk.
...now as long as I don't break my glasses like Burgess Meredith, I'll be fine. *GRIN*
I too am boycotting the movie industry because of their SSSCA stance. It's their damn bill for chrissakes.
If it does nothing more than stop the flow of money from MY wallet to theirs, I've accomplished what I wanted. I refuse to give money to companies (especially DISNEY) who think my lot in life is to steal their "precious" content because I own a computer.
Kiss my ASS, Eisner. I exercise my FAIR USE rights.
Any organization that has Jack "The Sky is Falling" Valenti as a CEO should be considered suspect when making statements before the Senate.
So, I will not buy a DVD, Videocassette, or rent them until they change their tunes. I no longer buy from RIAA member labels, yet I have gotten good music since stopping. It's not like I'm going to miss a great movie, except maybe The Two Towers....
So I don't get the "Uberlicious unrated version" of American Pie 37 on DVD. Eh. Like I care. I will continue to watch the movies I have purchased, because hey, they've already gotten my money for them. Not much I can do about that.
Write your Senators! Tell them the SSSCA is bad for business. The EC is proposing their own SSSCA, too, from what I've read. So Europe isn't even safe from this crap.
I am not a Southern Baptist, though I lived in the South once. If I sound like a kook, I don't care.:)
Having been a long-time x86 person (well, after I retired my amiga), I was intrigued about OSX from the "hype" I read on websites and thought it best to check it out. Before recently, Mac hardware has been the yuppie computer dream for the most part, considering how much Apple charged for the things. But now, they are affordable, and they are more accesible than they ever have been in the past.
I get the distinct impression you are a long time mac user who really wants his/her old Mac to stay "just the way it is" forever. I have met many of them since I bought my macintosh, and I can't say that I blame them. I was reluctant to move to a new machine (much less a new OS too), but I am glad I did. Sure OSX is a hog sometimes, but I never expected ultra zippy performance with my GUI (if I did, I'd run Win3.1 on my Athlon 1ghz). The interface is by no means sluggish on my machine, even when it had only 256mb of ram (something that is fast becoming the bottom rung of the ladder even in the Microsoft camp.)
The UI is customizable, as customizable as Win9x/2000 were without third party add-ons. I don't see this as a setback.
I don't understand why you criticize apple's design process as if you were a developer on the OSX system, but if you insist, so be it. I don't find ObjectiveC all that difficult to handle (C++ has ALWAYS been overrated as a panacea for things it was never intended to be, but that's another thread.)
There is support for ATI Rage cards and G3's, but ATI Rage cards don't have hardware acceleration support any longer. You act as if there is a black screen on everyone's ATI equipped macintosh or something.
Tell me, how many Voodoo drivers have you seen for Windows lately? I'm sure there's limited support for them in XP (never checked), but Voodoo cards aren't that old. ATI should get with apple and try and support their cards. I have had orphaned video cards and sound cards on the Intel side of things, and I know it sucks. Apple should be scolded for not trying harder to support these cards, but I am guessing it is a result of their age.
I am not saying apple's perfect, but OSX is very good. Better than a bitter person like yourself gives it credit for. Wait for the next MacExpo announcement and pick yourself up a G4 Quicksilver for half price. That's how I got my G4. I haven't regretted it yet.
Most Mac users aren't regretting OSX. It's helping Apple immensely. And anything that can take a bite out of the Wintel juggernaut should be applauded.
BTW, I run OSX on a 19" no-name monitor....looks fine, fits perfectly. For $200 you can trade in your 12" screen too. *GRIN*
Quite frankly the quality of television programming these days leaves a LOT to be desired. I mean, we're talking about higher and higher resolutions for television, but for what? Survivor? Rosie O'Donnel? Bleh. The broadcasters and "content providers" can have their HDTV and their 1080i nonsense. Why do I need to see Jay Leno's pores?
As for movies, I find no reason to watch the DVDs any "crisper" than they are on my middling Sony 27" TV. I guess I am not "ooh-ed" and "aaah-ed" quite like most people. I'm not even interested in surround sound. My 10 year old JVC stereo (that I got as a floor model when Tandy closed all their McDuff stores) works great. Crisp stereo sound, no problems there.
For the most part, the people who advocate HDTV say to wait, and even being on the "who cares?" sidelines, I have to agree. The standard is so messed up right now, I don't know how long it will take to get things ironed out.
In waiting, you're not so much holding out for the "next big thing", but just in case they screw everything up more, you're not out $4K+ for a TV. Unless of course you're made of money....then it won't matter. *grin*
you have to have a pretty fast computer to run today's games, and it's just going to get worse. The consoles will last for years to come without any upgrades. Will your computer? Most likely not.
To be fair, I have a computer that was built with year old parts that still plays all the latest games. Haven't had to upgrade to the "latest and greatest" in two years. I can stay a generation behind the "whizzbang" gfx cards and whatnot and still come in with a nice rig. Still, that being said, your analogy of upgrades only works for computers, since you can't upgrade a console. (Well, you can if you toss out the old one or give it to your little brother.) I know my "unupgraded PC" will play just like my console will now with the games that are out for both now. But when the PS3 comes out, I won't expect my PS2 to play PS3 games, but I can still play Doom 3 (albeit at a lower framerate and detail rate than the "rich kids" on the block can I suppose.) Obsolesence for a PC is geared towards what you want to do with it. (My pop still uses a P120 with Office95 because that's his use for his PC....) A console plays games. When you've completed all the games (unlikely, but for the sake of argument, let's say you can) the console is obsolete. You can install Linux on it (like my Dreamcast) or play arcade roms with Mame (like the DC), but it's still not going to play any new games when the new consoles come out. Unless a major architectural change occurs between now and the "next gen" PC games, my 1ghz PC with 512mb ram will still play the new games...maybe not perfectly, but hey...
I do agree that most people who buy consoles are drawn to its convenience and simplicity. That is why I got the Ps2 this summer (to play Kessen) and the Xbox this past weekend (to play Halo). It's a matter of taste. Even though games like "Kingdom Under Fire" are slated to come to the Xbox (who said it wasn't easy to port PC games? heheh), neither it nor the Ps2 will ever replace my PC and the beloved HOMM! *grin*
Considering there was a nasty shortage of PS2's at launch (whether that was for marketing reasons or not, I'll leave that to the conspiracy junkies to decide), we don't really know the true potential of PS2 sales at launch. XBox and GC, determined not to replicate Sony's shortage, shipped LOTS of consoles at launch (with the edge possibly going to XBox). So, with that in mind, life cycle isn't a factor, unless you're a marketroid who wants to tout the "next big thing." Consoles are not like PCs. "Bigger, badder, more expensive" does not apply. Like many posters have said in this thread: It's the games. PS2 has more, and can play more (Ps1 compatibility). I think we're seeing the true nature of the console business with these numbers. People buy consoles for games, not for specs. If they did, GC would have sold a bunch less than XBox because the XBox has better specs. Before people start their flame responses, I own a PS2 and an XBox. (I figure I'll get a GC next year when I see more games.) So, I'm not trying to portray any of the systems as being "lame" or "shit" or whatever the fanboys like to use to describe the ones mommy didn't buy them. Besides, folks...more consoles means more competition. More competition means better games. We all win in the long run.
Interesting point. I was watching WinXPTV, er TechTV the other day and during their "Audiofile" program, the hosts were talking to recording engineers, etc. (and Trent Reznor of NiN) about the new "DVD Audio" standard that is gaining steam (according to them.) One of the recording engineers mentioned that car makers were prepared to put 5.1 surround sound setups in their cars (most likely NOT a Ford focus, but who knows), and he said "they aren't going to be watching movies while driving..."
I think it underscores your point that they want to introduce something new without the "security hole." DVD audio might just be it. Not that I care. I am perfectly satisfied with my CD collection as-is. If I never buy another CD, I won't be doing without good music. Of course most of what I buy is from small independent European labels and some of the more tiny US metal labels. I seriously doubt they are next in line to copy protect their CDs. If they do, so be it. I don't need any new music anyway.
I agree. What would be a nice feature of (*insert your favorite window manager here*) would be to allow the WM to (at the very least) allow the user to use his/her set of default keybindings with every application loaded in that WM.
Admittedly, I am unfamiliar with most WM's (I've been attempting to make a firewall out of an old PC using Linux...but I don't generally have a WM loaded for that) If the application had other bindings, perhaps the user could setup "binding" attribute files or something that associated application A's ctrl-s for paste to WM's ctrl-p. (Or whatever binding would be different.)
This method would allow the user to run "raw" and not use the feature as well, thereby restoring any bindings he/she may have learned on a per application basis. *shrug* Just a thought.
Actually, the shortage of PS2's was a result of Sony not being able to make enough for launch....chip shortage was the news-blurb, but I'm not so sure they didn't do it on purpose (hey, conspiracy theories aren't all THAT weird...) I mean, having only half of the amount needed to fill preorders at launch was a big SNAFU. (Or a genius marketing ploy....you be the judge.)
The few places I've even cared to look for consoles show tons of PS/2's, but no X-Boxes or Cubes. It just shows the difference between "new" and "last year's model" more than anything else.
BTW, NFL2K for the PS2 is great fun:)
All I can say is, whatever. I just bought a G4 733 a few months ago (got in on the "the new macs are coming" sale) and have been MORE than pleased with it. At first I had OS 9.1 only (the upgrade coupon took about 3 weeks), and I was a tad confused. Coming from a Windows environment, Macs take a little getting used to.
I played a little Diablo 2 on it, learned some of the quirks, and basically got to liking how MacOS did things (there were various minor complaints, but mostly they were my preconceived "windows-esque" notion of how things work.) then my 10.0.3 CD came in the mail. I did the repartition thing, put OS X on and gave it a whirl. I liked it. It was a tad slow, but I liked it. I still found myself booting into OS9 to play D2 (which I still do with 10.1), but for the most part, I was an OSX user.:)
I got my 10.1 upgrade last weekend (figured I'd avoid the "rush"), and all the little annoyances in 10.0.4 were gone. I was astounded. This is no small feat, considering what a Died-in-the-Wool x86 person I was. Not anymore. OSX and my PowerMac have converted me.
I still use Linux (Gnome desktop) and that will never change. But I love MacOS just as much now. *grin* I don't have to 'abandon' MacOS to love Gnome and vice versa.
Of course the last line of your comment is quite funny. I doubt there are too many Mac users alive who'd even admit to giving up MacOS for WinXP.
Not to detract from the 50 or so people that will upgrade from Windows98:SE/Windows ME to XP, but I think Microsoft is aiming squarely for their foot with this release. Let's hope Ballmer & Co. are lousy shots.
Sorry, but THIS is about as LAME as you can get. What about the semi trucks that deliver the food to your local grocer? What about the diesel buses that take the folks around downtown? Come ON....let's tax them too so you can pay $200 for a watermelon.
Don't think it can happen? Whatever. Me, damaging the environment with a large vehicle is preposterous. Did you READ that before posting? Funny, how you have a link to a book about laws against adult consentual behavior, yet you want to tax someone who drives a big truck or car. Can't have your cake and eat it too.
Get over yourself. When you're old enough to afford a car, then you'll understand. Until then, play with your toys and read some more of that book.
It depends on when you ask Spielberg. In the Raiders 20th Anniversary issue of "Star Wars Insider", Spielberg's quoted as saying "I want to make a promise, Indiana Jones is coming back soon." Apparently, Lucas is the holdup (again). The "other movies" have been occupying his time. Ford, Connery, etc. all seem to be waiting for "those other movies" to be done. One of the writers on "The Last Crusade" apparently had a rough draft of the 4th screenplay all set before he passed away.
So, in a few words: It's not entirely false.
Re:The only thing that helps is taxes
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OH PLEASE! Let's tax what we don't like in the name of "mother earth" or somesuch nonsense. Let's tax those "rich bastards" who can afford a $50,000 SUV. Yeah, they deserve it. Here's a nice news flash for you. What if they decided to tax your power consumption at home in the name of the environment? What if you were limited to a certain amount of power per day or per month, and if you exceed that, you're taxed heavily because you just "don't care" about the rest of the planet's needs?
That sort of knee-jerk "we'll tax the will out of the people" mentality has got to stop. Get over your self-righteous honda-driving smugness and realize that once you let the monsters out of the box, they can never be put back in.
One day, something you like will be taxed because it violates some "Earth rule", and you will be the FIRST one to cry "revolution!" to overthrow the very system YOU proposed to stop a bunch of people from burning too much gasoline in their cars.
This sort of high & mighty B.S. does NOTHING to help the environment. It just tries to resurrect the class envy of the early industrial revolution so that we can have a nice socialist system where everyone is treated "fairly and equally." Yes, they will be treated fairly and equally: Fairly and equally shitty.
So get over yourself and think before you propose such garbage.
Re:Tell me what THIS is good for?
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So what? If I want to buy a 5mpg gas guzzling monstrosity to get a loaf of bread, it's my perogative to do so. I purchase the gasoline and the vehicle with my own money, therefore you have ZERO say in what I drive or how big my car is. That's the beauty of a free country. Drive an electric car, that's fine with me. That's the amazing part about this country. We spend half our lives worrying about what other people are doing, yet we cannot even manage to keep our own lives straight. I'm not saying we should ignore each other, but the high and mighty "eco terrorists" and their ilk need to keep their own lives tidy before trying to tidy up mine.
If someone wants to buy a Giant Cadillac truck or SUV, have at it. I think they look silly, but then again, opinions are like, well nevermind.
Dude, Grape Ape was good.:P And I can't believe you're slamming "Hong Kong Phooey!"...Hong Kong Phooey, #1 super guy!
I hated the Wacky Races myself...and the Laffalympics, anything that had Josie & the Pussycats in it, including all their "guest shots" on other cartoons...
"The Three Robonic Stooges" was utter crap, and I happened to catch it on Boomerang the other night...it used to be part of a show I vaguely remember as a child with rollerskating birds, talking trees (a'la HR Smokin'stuff) etc.
Anyone remember the CB Bears? Was that Hanna/Barbera?...who can forget "Wheelie and the Chopper Bunch":) and that vulture that always chased the worm...a blatant ripoff of Coyote and Roadrunner...but still funny.;)
...forgive me for repeating things....but...
He didn't "kill" Star Wars. You act as though Lucas "owes" you the same feeling you got when you were 10 watching the Star Destroyer chase the blockade runner. (Well, perhaps you were younger.) I mean, think about the times. 1977...nothing remotely cool like ANH was out. It was a fun ride...not artsy-fartsy, no "deep psychological" critiques (Go watch "Dinner with Andre" for that) just a fun movie, like movies are supposed to be. Like Flash Gordon and the like was for our parents/grandparents.
I was 6 when I saw ANH (at a drive-in with my mom and dad) and I LOVED it. I was 29 when I saw TPM, and I loved it too. It was still full of "gee whiz" gadgetry and amazing sequences (Pod race or duel anyone?) But more importantly, it was also pulling back the veil over the history of a universe growing up we've all wished we were living in at one time or another. Whether or not George decides to use a main computer-generated (and human-voiced, lest we forget) character is not the issue. The issue, that has been stated before (a million times) is the level of "sophistication" we all thought Ep 4-6 had. We were, for the most part, kids. Experience makes us all more likely to say "seen it before" or "that was a horrible cliche" when we go see movies. Star Wars is no exception.
I saw Episode 1 as a good all-around movie that foreshadowed some of the things we've been speculating our whole lives about. (How did Darth get that armor, etc?) It's not like we're going to peek behind a green curtain and find a fat, little man running controls. (Wait, there IS a fat man running the controls. George, lay off the donuts!) We're not going to be let down. It's Star Wars. If you expect new, innovative, never been done before experiences, look elsewhere. ANH opened the door for that already. This is Star Wars. It's more fun than you can shake a gundark at!
>Bull. Since when is finding a phone outlet a major issue? DirecTV (for PPV) and TiVo both
>require it, and that hasn't curbed their success
DirecTV may say they require it (which I believe they say just that when you activate your card), but they don't enforce it at all. I can watch Pay Per View movies and all my subscriptions without a phone line attached to the system. It's a hassle, yes, because I have to call their number to order, (which I don't do very often anyway) but I don't have to have my phone line plugged in to watch. I can't comment on TiVo because I don't own it.
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While I agree with the spirit of the assessment, I'd like to mention the following:
Unlike most of the "I'm so mature and Jar-Jar stinks" crowd, I am not under the delusion that Star Wars movies are anything more than fun summer fare that I happen to enjoy quite a bit. Of all the movies in the last 20 or so years, I can count on ONE hand the movies I wanted to see more than once. Star Wars movies are among that few. I am not pressured by the "cult of Star Wars" that expect some sort of psycho-sexual religious experience every time their butt hits the theater seats either. I am obviously one of the few who remembers that I was *8* years old when I saw ANH, and I loved it. When I saw TPM, I remembered who this movie was FOR, and enjoyed it for the fun that it was supposed to be. Star Wars is not my religion, nor is George Lucas my prophet.
I expect ATOC to be just like ANH, ESB, ROTJ, and TPM were....FUN. I expect no high art, no deep dialogue, or no compelling storyline (other than Good vs. Evil). I expect lots of Jedi, lots of explosions, lots of cool aliens, and some hideously evil Sith to spice up the story. I will get my money's worth, even if Jar Jar is in it for 20 minutes.
People need to realize that it's JUST a movie. When you strip all the expectations and heaped-on mythical importance, it is a movie. And if you try not to be so friggin' elitist about it, you might just enjoy yourselves.
Then again, most of the critics of TPM can overlook the flaws of Spiderman because, well, it's not got Jar Jar in it. Ironic....
While it is true the Gamespot subscription is less than a newsstand price of a printed magazine (with CD, since I assume the downloads section will be included in the subscription of $4.95 a month for the foreseeable future), it is not cheaper than the $30/year subscription to Computer Gaming World or Computer Games.
Having access to something for $60/year vs. having most of the major demos sent to you for $20-$30 a year is something those on a limited budget have to consider. I for one can afford both, but for those who rely on reviews for their 1-2 games a quarter purchases have a more difficult decision. If you don't make it in 7 days to see the review, you'll have to subscribe or go elsewhere. This would be a moot point if Gamespot's reviews were more credible (of late) and more informative.
And the argument that if a person doesn't have $4.95 a month probably doesn't have $50 to spend on a game is an oversimplification. With internet access (I am on a modem still, so it's fairly cheap) for some folks approaching $50 a month, their disposable income is more closely guarded and is more judiciously spent on things other than reviews for games they might could afford 1 or 2 of anyway. I am not saying Gamespot alone is the cause of this, but with most content sites doing this instead of ads, some people have to make more choices than others.
I think Gamespot should charge for downloads, and for participation in the forums, but if you just want to see the reviews, throw up some ads and some pop-unders. And, to offset the cost, charge more than $5 a month for the access to downloads and forums *shrug*
I do agree with you about content though. original content has more value to me than something "newsvac'ed" in for my convenience....
It seems that even in the realm of fair use (which this dataplay format definitely tries to stifle), we have the industry attempting to control how, when, and for how long you can do something (in this case, listen to music.) First of all, if the information is correct, ANY mp3 you place on a dataplay disc becomes protected and only available through the proprietary play software (I believe the name of it is "Futureplay".) Now, I am sure that if I put a recording of my own on a dataplay disc, the RIAA has no right to encode and encrypt it, because it is NOT THEIRS TO ENCRYPT.
I hate to break it to them, but they are trying to do what Divx failed to do. Even if there is a giant pile of extras on each Dataplay disc, no one likes the idea of losing control. If they did, Divx would've won over DVD. I have a suspicion that DVD won, not because of the "extra features", but because once a person bought the DVD, they could play it anywhere, any time, and on any player. CDs give you that now, so why would someone be silly enough to give up that freedom for "extra photos of Britney! Only $8 more!" I guess I'm too set in my ways to see the attraction.
If the RIAA wants to kill the CD format (for audio, I doubt it will be stripped from PCs any time soon), then fine. I've said it 1,000 times before: I do not have to buy their product. They are a luxury item that comes after food and shelter. If they want their "content" to be among the many items I do not choose to buy, so be it. The RIAA should not blame piracy for your failure to provide something the public wants. It's as simple as that. If all music sharing died tomorrow, there would still be drops in music sales. The RIAA tries to paint this black and white picture of the planet, and all they are doing is making themselves look stupid. There are people who don't have enough food to last them through the day, and the RIAA is claiming THEY are in danger of being extinct because of piracy? I apologize for sounding so dramatic, but come on. Have we all become that self-absorbed?
I completely agree that it could affect some sales, but not the 10% Hilary and the rest of the corporate Nazis claim.
For the most part, pop staples are becoming what they were at the end of every generation. Most of the cycles start changing at the end of a decade, but since the corporate machine has so much invested in these current pop "stars" (Spears, et. al.), they have been pushing these jokers far beyond their normal teeny-bopper lifespans. In a more cynical view, perhaps the RIAA hasn't figured out what to do next. I can't believe they are out of clever marketing ideas, but they could be. They'll just have to wait until all of us who grew up in the 80's to get too old to matter, then they can bring back Hairbands. *GRIN*
I also see that the economy is VERY shaky right now, shakier than the dot-bomb bubble. Telecom is bleeding revenue like a hemopheliac with multiple stab wounds, and the rest of the tech sector isn't growing much at all. Granted I'm no economist, but that looks like a crappy economy to me. Now, that being said, what is more important, motrgage payments or the newest Celine Dion CD?
I see people unwilling to pay for CDs, but those people are the same no matter what is offered. Some folks just want to get something for free. The RIAA isn't going to stamp these people out, because they *always* find a way to get around it. No amount of SSSCA etc rules will stop these people. I don't understand WHY the RIAA and MPAA are so bull-headed when it comes to these things, but then I realize why it is. They are losing their business model at an astounding rate, and they are afraid for their parasitic lives. Let them die. Then maybe artists can use the internet to further THEIR music, rather than the RIAA's disturbing vision.....
There's even one older than that for Amigas called the Boing! optical mouse. It was neat for it's time, but it required a special mousepad too. Still, it was the ultimate in cool attached to your new A2000. :)
..is that the very products they peddle are NOT integral parts of our lives. Their output is something I (we ALL) can do without. I have more CDs and VHS tapes than I know what to do with, and quite frankly, I am ashamed I bought as many as I did. But what Valenti, Eisner and others fail to realize is, WE DON'T HAVE TO HAVE THEIR "content." It's not food, water, or shelter they are providing. They should think about this before they start trying to strangle the life out of their ONLY customer base.
...now as long as I don't break my glasses like Burgess Meredith, I'll be fine. *GRIN*
I can think of plenty of things to do which don't involve movies or music. With the books I've accumulated from book clubs and second-hand shops (the "I'm gonna get to those someday" pile of books), I could read 1 book a week and probably die before I finished them all. I have enough music that I can cycle through the CDs until hell freezes over before I listen to a CD twice. *grin*
So you see, I am certainly writing my senators, congressmen, local newspapers, and just about any person who has an interest (or even unintentional interest) in this legislation. I am not optimistic I am getting through to ANYONE , though. So, if this passes, I have my old computers, my old TV, my old VCR, my old Dreamcast, and all those "unprotected" books, CDs and classic movies. I just won't buy any more crap. So what? It's not hurting ME that I don't buy their junk.
I too am boycotting the movie industry because of their SSSCA stance. It's their damn bill for chrissakes.
:)
If it does nothing more than stop the flow of money from MY wallet to theirs, I've accomplished what I wanted. I refuse to give money to companies (especially DISNEY) who think my lot in life is to steal their "precious" content because I own a computer.
Kiss my ASS, Eisner. I exercise my FAIR USE rights.
Any organization that has Jack "The Sky is Falling" Valenti as a CEO should be considered suspect when making statements before the Senate.
So, I will not buy a DVD, Videocassette, or rent them until they change their tunes. I no longer buy from RIAA member labels, yet I have gotten good music since stopping. It's not like I'm going to miss a great movie, except maybe The Two Towers....
So I don't get the "Uberlicious unrated version" of American Pie 37 on DVD. Eh. Like I care. I will continue to watch the movies I have purchased, because hey, they've already gotten my money for them. Not much I can do about that.
Write your Senators! Tell them the SSSCA is bad for business. The EC is proposing their own SSSCA, too, from what I've read. So Europe isn't even safe from this crap.
I am not a Southern Baptist, though I lived in the South once. If I sound like a kook, I don't care.
Having been a long-time x86 person (well, after I retired my amiga), I was intrigued about OSX from the "hype" I read on websites and thought it best to check it out. Before recently, Mac hardware has been the yuppie computer dream for the most part, considering how much Apple charged for the things. But now, they are affordable, and they are more accesible than they ever have been in the past.
I get the distinct impression you are a long time mac user who really wants his/her old Mac to stay "just the way it is" forever. I have met many of them since I bought my macintosh, and I can't say that I blame them. I was reluctant to move to a new machine (much less a new OS too), but I am glad I did. Sure OSX is a hog sometimes, but I never expected ultra zippy performance with my GUI (if I did, I'd run Win3.1 on my Athlon 1ghz). The interface is by no means sluggish on my machine, even when it had only 256mb of ram (something that is fast becoming the bottom rung of the ladder even in the Microsoft camp.)
The UI is customizable, as customizable as Win9x/2000 were without third party add-ons. I don't see this as a setback.
I don't understand why you criticize apple's design process as if you were a developer on the OSX system, but if you insist, so be it. I don't find ObjectiveC all that difficult to handle (C++ has ALWAYS been overrated as a panacea for things it was never intended to be, but that's another thread.)
There is support for ATI Rage cards and G3's, but ATI Rage cards don't have hardware acceleration support any longer. You act as if there is a black screen on everyone's ATI equipped macintosh or something.
Tell me, how many Voodoo drivers have you seen for Windows lately? I'm sure there's limited support for them in XP (never checked), but Voodoo cards aren't that old. ATI should get with apple and try and support their cards. I have had orphaned video cards and sound cards on the Intel side of things, and I know it sucks. Apple should be scolded for not trying harder to support these cards, but I am guessing it is a result of their age.
I am not saying apple's perfect, but OSX is very good. Better than a bitter person like yourself gives it credit for. Wait for the next MacExpo announcement and pick yourself up a G4 Quicksilver for half price. That's how I got my G4. I haven't regretted it yet.
Most Mac users aren't regretting OSX. It's helping Apple immensely. And anything that can take a bite out of the Wintel juggernaut should be applauded.
BTW, I run OSX on a 19" no-name monitor....looks fine, fits perfectly. For $200 you can trade in your 12" screen too. *GRIN*
Quite frankly the quality of television programming these days leaves a LOT to be desired. I mean, we're talking about higher and higher resolutions for television, but for what? Survivor? Rosie O'Donnel? Bleh. The broadcasters and "content providers" can have their HDTV and their 1080i nonsense. Why do I need to see Jay Leno's pores?
...to each his own, I guess. :)
As for movies, I find no reason to watch the DVDs any "crisper" than they are on my middling Sony 27" TV. I guess I am not "ooh-ed" and "aaah-ed" quite like most people. I'm not even interested in surround sound. My 10 year old JVC stereo (that I got as a floor model when Tandy closed all their McDuff stores) works great. Crisp stereo sound, no problems there.
For the most part, the people who advocate HDTV say to wait, and even being on the "who cares?" sidelines, I have to agree. The standard is so messed up right now, I don't know how long it will take to get things ironed out.
In waiting, you're not so much holding out for the "next big thing", but just in case they screw everything up more, you're not out $4K+ for a TV. Unless of course you're made of money....then it won't matter. *grin*
slight addendum to that:
:)
On TNN - Star Trek: TNG
On UPN - Star Trek: Voyager
On FOX - Star Trek: Look man, more Lesbians!
I know my "unupgraded PC" will play just like my console will now with the games that are out for both now. But when the PS3 comes out, I won't expect my PS2 to play PS3 games, but I can still play Doom 3 (albeit at a lower framerate and detail rate than the "rich kids" on the block can I suppose.) Obsolesence for a PC is geared towards what you want to do with it. (My pop still uses a P120 with Office95 because that's his use for his PC....) A console plays games. When you've completed all the games (unlikely, but for the sake of argument, let's say you can) the console is obsolete. You can install Linux on it (like my Dreamcast) or play arcade roms with Mame (like the DC), but it's still not going to play any new games when the new consoles come out.
Unless a major architectural change occurs between now and the "next gen" PC games, my 1ghz PC with 512mb ram will still play the new games...maybe not perfectly, but hey...
I do agree that most people who buy consoles are drawn to its convenience and simplicity. That is why I got the Ps2 this summer (to play Kessen) and the Xbox this past weekend (to play Halo). It's a matter of taste. Even though games like "Kingdom Under Fire" are slated to come to the Xbox (who said it wasn't easy to port PC games? heheh), neither it nor the Ps2 will ever replace my PC and the beloved HOMM! *grin*
Oh, and there's the matter of Warcraft III.......
Considering there was a nasty shortage of PS2's at launch (whether that was for marketing reasons or not, I'll leave that to the conspiracy junkies to decide), we don't really know the true potential of PS2 sales at launch. XBox and GC, determined not to replicate Sony's shortage, shipped LOTS of consoles at launch (with the edge possibly going to XBox).
So, with that in mind, life cycle isn't a factor, unless you're a marketroid who wants to tout the "next big thing." Consoles are not like PCs. "Bigger, badder, more expensive" does not apply. Like many posters have said in this thread: It's the games. PS2 has more, and can play more (Ps1 compatibility).
I think we're seeing the true nature of the console business with these numbers. People buy consoles for games, not for specs. If they did, GC would have sold a bunch less than XBox because the XBox has better specs.
Before people start their flame responses, I own a PS2 and an XBox. (I figure I'll get a GC next year when I see more games.) So, I'm not trying to portray any of the systems as being "lame" or "shit" or whatever the fanboys like to use to describe the ones mommy didn't buy them.
Besides, folks...more consoles means more competition. More competition means better games. We all win in the long run.
Interesting point. I was watching WinXPTV, er TechTV the other day and during their "Audiofile" program, the hosts were talking to recording engineers, etc. (and Trent Reznor of NiN) about the new "DVD Audio" standard that is gaining steam (according to them.)
One of the recording engineers mentioned that car makers were prepared to put 5.1 surround sound setups in their cars (most likely NOT a Ford focus, but who knows), and he said "they aren't going to be watching movies while driving..."
I think it underscores your point that they want to introduce something new without the "security hole." DVD audio might just be it.
Not that I care. I am perfectly satisfied with my CD collection as-is. If I never buy another CD, I won't be doing without good music. Of course most of what I buy is from small independent European labels and some of the more tiny US metal labels. I seriously doubt they are next in line to copy protect their CDs.
If they do, so be it. I don't need any new music anyway.
I agree. What would be a nice feature of (*insert your favorite window manager here*) would be to allow the WM to (at the very least) allow the user to use his/her set of default keybindings with every application loaded in that WM.
Admittedly, I am unfamiliar with most WM's (I've been attempting to make a firewall out of an old PC using Linux...but I don't generally have a WM loaded for that) If the application had other bindings, perhaps the user could setup "binding" attribute files or something that associated application A's ctrl-s for paste to WM's ctrl-p. (Or whatever binding would be different.)
This method would allow the user to run "raw" and not use the feature as well, thereby restoring any bindings he/she may have learned on a per application basis. *shrug* Just a thought.
Actually, the shortage of PS2's was a result of Sony not being able to make enough for launch....chip shortage was the news-blurb, but I'm not so sure they didn't do it on purpose (hey, conspiracy theories aren't all THAT weird...) I mean, having only half of the amount needed to fill preorders at launch was a big SNAFU. (Or a genius marketing ploy....you be the judge.) :)
The few places I've even cared to look for consoles show tons of PS/2's, but no X-Boxes or Cubes. It just shows the difference between "new" and "last year's model" more than anything else.
BTW, NFL2K for the PS2 is great fun
All I can say is, whatever. I just bought a G4 733 a few months ago (got in on the "the new macs are coming" sale) and have been MORE than pleased with it. At first I had OS 9.1 only (the upgrade coupon took about 3 weeks), and I was a tad confused. Coming from a Windows environment, Macs take a little getting used to.
:)
I played a little Diablo 2 on it, learned some of the quirks, and basically got to liking how MacOS did things (there were various minor complaints, but mostly they were my preconceived "windows-esque" notion of how things work.) then my 10.0.3 CD came in the mail. I did the repartition thing, put OS X on and gave it a whirl. I liked it. It was a tad slow, but I liked it. I still found myself booting into OS9 to play D2 (which I still do with 10.1), but for the most part, I was an OSX user.
I got my 10.1 upgrade last weekend (figured I'd avoid the "rush"), and all the little annoyances in 10.0.4 were gone. I was astounded. This is no small feat, considering what a Died-in-the-Wool x86 person I was. Not anymore. OSX and my PowerMac have converted me.
I still use Linux (Gnome desktop) and that will never change. But I love MacOS just as much now. *grin* I don't have to 'abandon' MacOS to love Gnome and vice versa.
Of course the last line of your comment is quite funny. I doubt there are too many Mac users alive who'd even admit to giving up MacOS for WinXP.
Not to detract from the 50 or so people that will upgrade from Windows98:SE/Windows ME to XP, but I think Microsoft is aiming squarely for their foot with this release. Let's hope Ballmer & Co. are lousy shots.
JFT
Sorry, but THIS is about as LAME as you can get. What about the semi trucks that deliver the food to your local grocer? What about the diesel buses that take the folks around downtown? Come ON....let's tax them too so you can pay $200 for a watermelon. Don't think it can happen? Whatever. Me, damaging the environment with a large vehicle is preposterous. Did you READ that before posting? Funny, how you have a link to a book about laws against adult consentual behavior, yet you want to tax someone who drives a big truck or car. Can't have your cake and eat it too. Get over yourself. When you're old enough to afford a car, then you'll understand. Until then, play with your toys and read some more of that book.
It depends on when you ask Spielberg. In the Raiders 20th Anniversary issue of "Star Wars Insider", Spielberg's quoted as saying "I want to make a promise, Indiana Jones is coming back soon." Apparently, Lucas is the holdup (again). The "other movies" have been occupying his time. Ford, Connery, etc. all seem to be waiting for "those other movies" to be done. One of the writers on "The Last Crusade" apparently had a rough draft of the 4th screenplay all set before he passed away.
So, in a few words: It's not entirely false.
OH PLEASE! Let's tax what we don't like in the name of "mother earth" or somesuch nonsense. Let's tax those "rich bastards" who can afford a $50,000 SUV. Yeah, they deserve it. Here's a nice news flash for you. What if they decided to tax your power consumption at home in the name of the environment? What if you were limited to a certain amount of power per day or per month, and if you exceed that, you're taxed heavily because you just "don't care" about the rest of the planet's needs?
That sort of knee-jerk "we'll tax the will out of the people" mentality has got to stop. Get over your self-righteous honda-driving smugness and realize that once you let the monsters out of the box, they can never be put back in.
One day, something you like will be taxed because it violates some "Earth rule", and you will be the FIRST one to cry "revolution!" to overthrow the very system YOU proposed to stop a bunch of people from burning too much gasoline in their cars.
This sort of high & mighty B.S. does NOTHING to help the environment. It just tries to resurrect the class envy of the early industrial revolution so that we can have a nice socialist system where everyone is treated "fairly and equally." Yes, they will be treated fairly and equally: Fairly and equally shitty.
So get over yourself and think before you propose such garbage.
So what? If I want to buy a 5mpg gas guzzling monstrosity to get a loaf of bread, it's my perogative to do so. I purchase the gasoline and the vehicle with my own money, therefore you have ZERO say in what I drive or how big my car is. That's the beauty of a free country. Drive an electric car, that's fine with me. That's the amazing part about this country. We spend half our lives worrying about what other people are doing, yet we cannot even manage to keep our own lives straight. I'm not saying we should ignore each other, but the high and mighty "eco terrorists" and their ilk need to keep their own lives tidy before trying to tidy up mine.
If someone wants to buy a Giant Cadillac truck or SUV, have at it. I think they look silly, but then again, opinions are like, well nevermind.
Dude, Grape Ape was good. :P And I can't believe you're slamming "Hong Kong Phooey!" ...Hong Kong Phooey, #1 super guy!
I hated the Wacky Races myself...and the Laffalympics, anything that had Josie & the Pussycats in it, including all their "guest shots" on other cartoons...
"The Three Robonic Stooges" was utter crap, and I happened to catch it on Boomerang the other night...it used to be part of a show I vaguely remember as a child with rollerskating birds, talking trees (a'la HR Smokin'stuff) etc.
Anyone remember the CB Bears? Was that Hanna/Barbera? ...who can forget "Wheelie and the Chopper Bunch" :) and that vulture that always chased the worm...a blatant ripoff of Coyote and Roadrunner...but still funny. ;)
...forgive me for repeating things....but... He didn't "kill" Star Wars. You act as though Lucas "owes" you the same feeling you got when you were 10 watching the Star Destroyer chase the blockade runner. (Well, perhaps you were younger.) I mean, think about the times. 1977...nothing remotely cool like ANH was out. It was a fun ride...not artsy-fartsy, no "deep psychological" critiques (Go watch "Dinner with Andre" for that) just a fun movie, like movies are supposed to be. Like Flash Gordon and the like was for our parents/grandparents. I was 6 when I saw ANH (at a drive-in with my mom and dad) and I LOVED it. I was 29 when I saw TPM, and I loved it too. It was still full of "gee whiz" gadgetry and amazing sequences (Pod race or duel anyone?) But more importantly, it was also pulling back the veil over the history of a universe growing up we've all wished we were living in at one time or another. Whether or not George decides to use a main computer-generated (and human-voiced, lest we forget) character is not the issue. The issue, that has been stated before (a million times) is the level of "sophistication" we all thought Ep 4-6 had. We were, for the most part, kids. Experience makes us all more likely to say "seen it before" or "that was a horrible cliche" when we go see movies. Star Wars is no exception. I saw Episode 1 as a good all-around movie that foreshadowed some of the things we've been speculating our whole lives about. (How did Darth get that armor, etc?) It's not like we're going to peek behind a green curtain and find a fat, little man running controls. (Wait, there IS a fat man running the controls. George, lay off the donuts!) We're not going to be let down. It's Star Wars. If you expect new, innovative, never been done before experiences, look elsewhere. ANH opened the door for that already. This is Star Wars. It's more fun than you can shake a gundark at!
>Bull. Since when is finding a phone outlet a major issue? DirecTV (for PPV) and TiVo both
>require it, and that hasn't curbed their success
DirecTV may say they require it (which I believe they say just that when you activate your card), but they don't enforce it at all. I can watch Pay Per View movies and all my subscriptions without a phone line attached to the system. It's a hassle, yes, because I have to call their number to order, (which I don't do very often anyway) but I don't have to have my phone line plugged in to watch. I can't comment on TiVo because I don't own it.