They're talking about all versions, not just 4e. All the nifty 3.5, 3.0, 2e, and earlier material that's now out-of-print is gone and no longer accessible. If you had a group still playing 2e, and a new guy joined who didn't know the rules, up until this boneheaded move by WotC he could still go to rpgnow.com and instantly buy the core rules, legally, and be able to read up on them. And WotC would get a large chunk of that sale as essentially free money, because it's the distributor that bears all the costs associated with hosting the file.
Now, the only legal recourse is to buy a used copy somewhere. And that doesn't profit WotC anyway.
Yeah, the Character Builder update thing sucks. And, as far as I've been able to tell, there's no easy way to back up the software. I've resorted to building a VM just for it, and archiving the 2gb disk image as a backup. I'm going to be wiping my computer clean again pretty soon, and running the VM's going to be the way I have to use the CB after that.
That's why I keep my online handle disassociated from my real name. I even have two separate email accounts. One I give to friends who know I'm a sick fuck, and one I give to employers who know I'm a good reliable person.
Googling my real name doesn't turn up much that's actually associated with me. Last I checked out of all the hits only two were me; one was a tech troubleshooting site and the other a source code archive.
Googling my main handle turns up all the weird porn I'm into. I really really don't want to have any public link for the two.
I also put most really personal things in a private setting on my blog, so only authorized people can view it. I'm sure it could get out eventually, like an authorized person getting a virus that transmits their browser cache or something, but it's Good Enough for me.
Totally. I even do this with service packs, rather than risking problems, since lately MS has been adding new functionality to service packs instead of just bugfixing.
I had one for my GBA SP that worked on the original 'heavy' DS. The one end looked like a normal USB A-type connector, and the other end just plugged into the DS. It did have a slightly larger plug than my charger, which leads me to believe there's probably a resistor or fuse in there too, and not just wired straight in.
Oh, definitely, if you're doing a presentation-type thing, where picture size and placement is important, by all means use a word processor, or even a PowerPoint-like thing if you know the receiving party can view it. Even a PDF would be good.
A quick paste and save of a lolcat is another matter entirely.
Same here. I recently had a potential employer send me an *important* document in the new Word 2007 docx format. I happened to have an older copy of Word 2003 that was unable to open it. I had to search for and install an addon that allowed older copies of Office (back to 2000) read the new format, maybe write it, I'm not sure. I know OpenOffice 2.4 couldn't open it, though I see they're out with version 3 now, and hadn't tried it. I finally manage to open the document, and what was inside?
Plain text. It had a title at the top that was underlined and centered, and the whole thing was in MS Comic Sans, but that's still plain text. There was no reason not to save it as an.rtf file, an older.doc file, or even just copy and paste into an email. But Word was used because it was there.
Also, I've seen lots of office workers exchange pictures via pasting them in Word and emailing the doc files to each other, instead of learning that pictures can also be saved as files.
And I play a lot of new games at low settings on a 5-year-old $700 system. Sure, I can't play Oblivion, or BioShock, but I'm keeping up with all of TellTale's stuff.
I have Road Runner by itself too, in the Columbus, OH area. I pay just $40 a month for it. No extra fees, not even taxes, the bill is exactly $40.00.
There is one hidden, non-monetary cost though: every month, like clockwork, to let me know that I could be saving money if I got their TV and phone service too. I tell them I'm not interested two or three times, and they seem to get the picture, until next month, when they call again.
My high school, when I first got there, had an Apple//e in certain classrooms. They were never used for anything educational at all, unless you count some kids looking up "dysentery" after they died from it a hundred times over in Oregon Trail.
Then, for some reason, we got a Computer Lab room. One dozen shiny new 486 computers. No software, not even the latest version of Oregon Trail. No direction whatsoever with them. The most the students did was play Solitaire and Minesweeper. Some used Write (the predecessor to WordPad) to type up things, but hardly ever school-related.
Meanwhile the art teacher bought her own paper and pencils for the students to use because there wasn't enough budget.
Yeah, reminds me of the HDMI thing. In theory, any device capable of outputting HDMI should work with any device capable of receiving HDMI. But due to its complexity in implementation, at least in the first generation devices, it was pretty hit or miss. So you've got a shiny new PS3 and a shiny new TV, but HDMI won't work, and you're stuck doing the digital->analog->digital transcoding for no good reason.
So with this DECE thing, even if users play by the rules, will it actually work?
What if one device malfunctions and send incorrect data to the domain, such as de-permissioning some content? Will complacent users just buy licenses over again because it's the easiest thing to do?
I love my Sidekick. The original, the II, and the id have a lower resolution screen than the III, LX, and any others out there. My id defaults to 48x22 characters, and they're pretty readable. It can be adjusted up/down a little too, but not as far as 80 wide, max appears to be 60. The III/LX probably go up to 80x25 though.
As far as cheapest, if all you want is data, the Sidekick is it, at least in the US market. Unlimited data for $30/mo, flat, without any other costs. Other carriers require you to get a voice plan first before you can get a data plan, and together end up costing ~$50/mo minimum. The terminal app doesn't come bundled with the phone, it has to be purchased for a $10 one-time fee. Because I hardly ever use my celphone as a phone, it's the cheapest solution I've been able to find.
The coppers smashed my father's printer when I was eight. I remember the hot, cling-film-in-a-microwave smell of it, and Da's look of ferocious concentration as he filled it with fresh goop, and the warm, fresh-baked feel of the objects that came out of it.
Many people are acting as if a new edition will not only obsolete their old books, it will actually prevent them from accessing the ruleset at all. Level-headed people of course regard that as silly, nobody's going to sneak into your house and burn your old books!
However, with more and more importance being placed on digital content (not specifically Wizards of the Coast, but in general), if the wrong decision is made regarding DRM, that nightmare scenario may actually take place if WotC stops supporting this edition.
Will WotC spend a lot of time and money in vain in adding restrictions that will only serve to frustrate legitimate customers, restrictions that pirates will figure out how to bypass within a week of release, if not sooner?
Is the issue of whether to DRM or not, and why and how being treated very seriously within the company?
I like the idea of the Virtual Game Table as an option in playing. I recognize that it's not an MMOification, it's just cashing in on a niche that's currently filled with third parties. My main concern is with the accessibility of it, which will heavily influence my decision to subscribe to D&D Insider.
Will you require every player accessing the VGT to have a full subscription? I would prefer if a DM subscribes, that DM can invite a limited number of players who don't have a subscription to play in it, even if it's just a "lite" version that is limited to what the DM wants to show as well as a chatroom. I could understand if VoIP, dice rolling, and the ability to move a PC virtual mini were restricted to paid users; those can be gotten around. Any further information you could give regarding this would be helpful.
That's great and all, that technology is being used to help people.
But I have to wonder, now, how people with cameras around their necks will be treated. Will they be arrested as terrorists for taking pictures of busy streets and important bridges? Will they be barred from entering many businesses who have a "no pictures" policy? If they witness a crime, will they be hassled to give up their helpful device for evidence? Or worse yet, be a higher-risk target for the bad guys wanting to make sure that evidence is destroyed?
Furthermore, where does their right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness end and my right to privacy begin? I don't like being monitored without my knowledge/permission.
On the other hand, integrate a GPS and a voluntary program, and they could earn extra income from Google Streets for getting updated street-level pictures of cities...;)
Yeah, the quotes didn't look too far from what I'd expect, so I fired up my righteous indignation. Given that I rarely post, I didn't do anything with it, but the site promised video, so I thought I could do that. Not in the mood to read long stuff. So I clicked the link.
Even the video thumbnail is a giant stock-photo head pasted onto a cartoon body. Wtf? I could understand if I somehow missed the Monty Python foot icon next to the/. story, but there was none.
Sadly, no. I have been interested in getting a device that does this. I hope someone more knowledgeable than I can answer this, but from what little I've seen, most "provide internet connection to laptop" type setups make the phone appear to the PC as a modem, and the user would "dial" out to a certain number based on the carrier, and it would connect as a DUN-type setup, and use airtime minutes at a rate the same as the user's voice plan.
I was hoping someone would mention the Sidekick. I've got a Sidekick II and I love it, the interface feels smoother and more well-rounded than other devices. The qwerty keyboard is great for typing, a one-piece soft rubber coating makes it easier to type as well as easier to clean than recessed hard plastic buttons (sometimes you don't realize how greasy your fingers really are). The interface takes some getting used to, but becomes second nature after a while. The thing I dislike the most is the web browser, which sometimes flat-out refuses to load certain web pages with non-helpful error messages.
Relay software IP Relay http://www.ip-relay.com/ is a free download for the device, and it also has AIM, Y!M, and with the SK3 MSN Messenger. All are available for the $30/mo unlimited data service plan (or $1/day (availability, not use) for the pay-as-you-go plan if you don't like contracts), and the device can still be used as a telephone if needed ($.20/minute contract, $.15/minute prepaid).
And for geekiness, it's got a $10 telnet/ssh client, and there's a homebrew community; Danger (makers of the Hiptop/Sidekick) make an SDK available for free, the only equipment needed is a mini-usb cable.
Besides, if by chance an evil website logs my cc number and distributes it through all the underground channels, I'm not liable in any case so where's the advantage?
As someone who just recently had his credit card number stolen, I can see one advantage: You won't be cc-less for a week or two as your credit company invalidates your existing card and mails you a new one.
I agree, though, I'd much rather this be a feature of my credit card directly, rather than PayPal, which I use only out of its necessity and ubiquitousness. (Yes, I could mail a money order, but that's too inconvenient for me.)
Slashdot Mirror
They're talking about all versions, not just 4e. All the nifty 3.5, 3.0, 2e, and earlier material that's now out-of-print is gone and no longer accessible. If you had a group still playing 2e, and a new guy joined who didn't know the rules, up until this boneheaded move by WotC he could still go to rpgnow.com and instantly buy the core rules, legally, and be able to read up on them. And WotC would get a large chunk of that sale as essentially free money, because it's the distributor that bears all the costs associated with hosting the file.
Now, the only legal recourse is to buy a used copy somewhere. And that doesn't profit WotC anyway.
Yeah, the Character Builder update thing sucks. And, as far as I've been able to tell, there's no easy way to back up the software. I've resorted to building a VM just for it, and archiving the 2gb disk image as a backup. I'm going to be wiping my computer clean again pretty soon, and running the VM's going to be the way I have to use the CB after that.
I'm glad that WotC don't own the trademarks to chess or monopoly or go or some other classic game.
Actually Hasbro owns the trademarks to both D&D and Monopoly.
That's why I keep my online handle disassociated from my real name. I even have two separate email accounts. One I give to friends who know I'm a sick fuck, and one I give to employers who know I'm a good reliable person.
Googling my real name doesn't turn up much that's actually associated with me. Last I checked out of all the hits only two were me; one was a tech troubleshooting site and the other a source code archive.
Googling my main handle turns up all the weird porn I'm into. I really really don't want to have any public link for the two.
I also put most really personal things in a private setting on my blog, so only authorized people can view it. I'm sure it could get out eventually, like an authorized person getting a virus that transmits their browser cache or something, but it's Good Enough for me.
Totally. I even do this with service packs, rather than risking problems, since lately MS has been adding new functionality to service packs instead of just bugfixing.
I had one for my GBA SP that worked on the original 'heavy' DS. The one end looked like a normal USB A-type connector, and the other end just plugged into the DS. It did have a slightly larger plug than my charger, which leads me to believe there's probably a resistor or fuse in there too, and not just wired straight in.
A quick bit of googling turns up these:
For the DS lite: http://www.thegametrain.com/ds-lite-usb-power-charge-cable-p-192.html
For the GBA SP / DS original: http://www.thegametrain.com/gba-sp-usb-power-charger-p-351.html
Hop on Google some more, there's a bunch out there. The magic keywords seem to be 'ds usb power'.
Oh, definitely, if you're doing a presentation-type thing, where picture size and placement is important, by all means use a word processor, or even a PowerPoint-like thing if you know the receiving party can view it. Even a PDF would be good.
A quick paste and save of a lolcat is another matter entirely.
Same here. I recently had a potential employer send me an *important* document in the new Word 2007 docx format. I happened to have an older copy of Word 2003 that was unable to open it. I had to search for and install an addon that allowed older copies of Office (back to 2000) read the new format, maybe write it, I'm not sure. I know OpenOffice 2.4 couldn't open it, though I see they're out with version 3 now, and hadn't tried it. I finally manage to open the document, and what was inside?
Plain text. It had a title at the top that was underlined and centered, and the whole thing was in MS Comic Sans, but that's still plain text. There was no reason not to save it as an .rtf file, an older .doc file, or even just copy and paste into an email. But Word was used because it was there.
Also, I've seen lots of office workers exchange pictures via pasting them in Word and emailing the doc files to each other, instead of learning that pictures can also be saved as files.
Hey, it's not too far off from plausible. Check out the Microsoft Big Ass Table(tm)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZrr7AZ9nCY
And I play a lot of new games at low settings on a 5-year-old $700 system. Sure, I can't play Oblivion, or BioShock, but I'm keeping up with all of TellTale's stuff.
Just put the touchpad on the back of the device.
If you're going to use a touchpad, does it matter where you put it?
Before touchscreens, we didn't have the 'fingers obscuring the screen' input problem at all.
I have Road Runner by itself too, in the Columbus, OH area. I pay just $40 a month for it. No extra fees, not even taxes, the bill is exactly $40.00.
There is one hidden, non-monetary cost though: every month, like clockwork, to let me know that I could be saving money if I got their TV and phone service too. I tell them I'm not interested two or three times, and they seem to get the picture, until next month, when they call again.
This.
My high school, when I first got there, had an Apple //e in certain classrooms. They were never used for anything educational at all, unless you count some kids looking up "dysentery" after they died from it a hundred times over in Oregon Trail.
Then, for some reason, we got a Computer Lab room. One dozen shiny new 486 computers. No software, not even the latest version of Oregon Trail. No direction whatsoever with them. The most the students did was play Solitaire and Minesweeper. Some used Write (the predecessor to WordPad) to type up things, but hardly ever school-related.
Meanwhile the art teacher bought her own paper and pencils for the students to use because there wasn't enough budget.
Yeah, reminds me of the HDMI thing. In theory, any device capable of outputting HDMI should work with any device capable of receiving HDMI. But due to its complexity in implementation, at least in the first generation devices, it was pretty hit or miss. So you've got a shiny new PS3 and a shiny new TV, but HDMI won't work, and you're stuck doing the digital->analog->digital transcoding for no good reason.
So with this DECE thing, even if users play by the rules, will it actually work?
What if one device malfunctions and send incorrect data to the domain, such as de-permissioning some content? Will complacent users just buy licenses over again because it's the easiest thing to do?
I love my Sidekick. The original, the II, and the id have a lower resolution screen than the III, LX, and any others out there. My id defaults to 48x22 characters, and they're pretty readable. It can be adjusted up/down a little too, but not as far as 80 wide, max appears to be 60. The III/LX probably go up to 80x25 though.
As far as cheapest, if all you want is data, the Sidekick is it, at least in the US market. Unlimited data for $30/mo, flat, without any other costs. Other carriers require you to get a voice plan first before you can get a data plan, and together end up costing ~$50/mo minimum. The terminal app doesn't come bundled with the phone, it has to be purchased for a $10 one-time fee. Because I hardly ever use my celphone as a phone, it's the cheapest solution I've been able to find.
That's the first thing I thought of!
The coppers smashed my father's printer when I was eight. I remember the hot, cling-film-in-a-microwave smell of it, and Da's look of ferocious concentration as he filled it with fresh goop, and the warm, fresh-baked feel of the objects that came out of it.
Also available in audio format: http://escapepod.org/2007/01/09/ep-flash-printcrime/
Other versions: http://craphound.com/?p=573 (including fan translations into Spanish, French, Italian, and Polish)
Many people are acting as if a new edition will not only obsolete their old books, it will actually prevent them from accessing the ruleset at all. Level-headed people of course regard that as silly, nobody's going to sneak into your house and burn your old books!
However, with more and more importance being placed on digital content (not specifically Wizards of the Coast, but in general), if the wrong decision is made regarding DRM, that nightmare scenario may actually take place if WotC stops supporting this edition.
Will WotC spend a lot of time and money in vain in adding restrictions that will only serve to frustrate legitimate customers, restrictions that pirates will figure out how to bypass within a week of release, if not sooner?
Is the issue of whether to DRM or not, and why and how being treated very seriously within the company?
I like the idea of the Virtual Game Table as an option in playing. I recognize that it's not an MMOification, it's just cashing in on a niche that's currently filled with third parties. My main concern is with the accessibility of it, which will heavily influence my decision to subscribe to D&D Insider.
Will you require every player accessing the VGT to have a full subscription? I would prefer if a DM subscribes, that DM can invite a limited number of players who don't have a subscription to play in it, even if it's just a "lite" version that is limited to what the DM wants to show as well as a chatroom. I could understand if VoIP, dice rolling, and the ability to move a PC virtual mini were restricted to paid users; those can be gotten around. Any further information you could give regarding this would be helpful.
That's great and all, that technology is being used to help people.
;)
But I have to wonder, now, how people with cameras around their necks will be treated. Will they be arrested as terrorists for taking pictures of busy streets and important bridges? Will they be barred from entering many businesses who have a "no pictures" policy? If they witness a crime, will they be hassled to give up their helpful device for evidence? Or worse yet, be a higher-risk target for the bad guys wanting to make sure that evidence is destroyed?
Furthermore, where does their right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness end and my right to privacy begin? I don't like being monitored without my knowledge/permission.
On the other hand, integrate a GPS and a voluntary program, and they could earn extra income from Google Streets for getting updated street-level pictures of cities...
Yeah, the quotes didn't look too far from what I'd expect, so I fired up my righteous indignation. Given that I rarely post, I didn't do anything with it, but the site promised video, so I thought I could do that. Not in the mood to read long stuff. So I clicked the link.
/. story, but there was none.
Even the video thumbnail is a giant stock-photo head pasted onto a cartoon body. Wtf? I could understand if I somehow missed the Monty Python foot icon next to the
You're welcome! I'm too much of a cynic to think that there's any "unlimited data" plans out there that'd work for PC access.
Sadly, no. I have been interested in getting a device that does this. I hope someone more knowledgeable than I can answer this, but from what little I've seen, most "provide internet connection to laptop" type setups make the phone appear to the PC as a modem, and the user would "dial" out to a certain number based on the carrier, and it would connect as a DUN-type setup, and use airtime minutes at a rate the same as the user's voice plan.
The Sidekick does not do this.
I was hoping someone would mention the Sidekick. I've got a Sidekick II and I love it, the interface feels smoother and more well-rounded than other devices. The qwerty keyboard is great for typing, a one-piece soft rubber coating makes it easier to type as well as easier to clean than recessed hard plastic buttons (sometimes you don't realize how greasy your fingers really are). The interface takes some getting used to, but becomes second nature after a while. The thing I dislike the most is the web browser, which sometimes flat-out refuses to load certain web pages with non-helpful error messages.
Relay software IP Relay http://www.ip-relay.com/ is a free download for the device, and it also has AIM, Y!M, and with the SK3 MSN Messenger. All are available for the $30/mo unlimited data service plan (or $1/day (availability, not use) for the pay-as-you-go plan if you don't like contracts), and the device can still be used as a telephone if needed ($.20/minute contract, $.15/minute prepaid).
And for geekiness, it's got a $10 telnet/ssh client, and there's a homebrew community; Danger (makers of the Hiptop/Sidekick) make an SDK available for free, the only equipment needed is a mini-usb cable.
Besides, if by chance an evil website logs my cc number and distributes it through all the underground channels, I'm not liable in any case so where's the advantage?
As someone who just recently had his credit card number stolen, I can see one advantage: You won't be cc-less for a week or two as your credit company invalidates your existing card and mails you a new one.
I agree, though, I'd much rather this be a feature of my credit card directly, rather than PayPal, which I use only out of its necessity and ubiquitousness. (Yes, I could mail a money order, but that's too inconvenient for me.)
I was looking for a comment that pointed that out. I used this feature once and forgot about it, but went looking for it later and couldn't find it.