Microsoft is doing a similar thing with their new xbox 360 console. As to whether or not Apple will go the same direction and begin using proprietary hardware ports with lockout mechanisms in the software, remains to be seen.
If it's merely a marketing gimmick (like an "apple approved" product label), then it's not a big deal. But if it's a "pay us or don't play with iPods period" thing, then it's a bit sleazy.
From the looks of this headline, it sounds like they only plan to use this to make disposable newsprint more attractive, rather than trying to offer it as a reusable medium for long-term use. Does this mean our old biodegradable newspapers will now contain toxic materials?
While the internet is free game for any kind of ads, no matter how intrusive or annoying they are. There's relatively little risk of massive financial loss for hosting an undesireable ad on a webpage.
But when you start dealing with magazines, newspapers and television networks that are trying to maintain a specific reputation, viewers can be quickly lost if the ads they allow in their offerings stray too far from the expectations of the viewer/reader. None of the big three networks would last long if they allowed things like those slimy Girls Gone Wild ads during saturday morning cartoons.
Your reputation is only as good as the company you hang around with.
While it could be argued that computers are making this generation dumber than previous generations in terms of basic math and writing skills, it can also be argued that the benefits of offsetting these often tedious and repetative tasks to our computers is worth the tradeoff. We may not be as intelligent or as skilled in these tasks as previous generations, but, we are much better equiped tackle much more complex tasks with in a limited amount of time than we would be through convention methods.
The only major drawback to this is that making a mistake can have a far more devistating results, since they often aren't caught until well after it was made.
Really though, it's more about quality vs quantity than anything else. In a country as impulse driven as the U.S. the reduction in quality is an acceptable loss, so long as we get what we want when we want it.
Re:ran out of things to do in a week.
on
Review: Nintendogs
·
· Score: 1
Yeah, same here with Nightmare Troubadour. Absolutely great AI setup compared to the GBA versions. Though I kinda wish the interface moved a bit more quickly than it does.
Having just picked this up for my DS a few days ago, I have to say it's one of the most interesting things I'm ever played with... at least from a technical stand point. The AI is incredibly adaptive to the environment and the user, developing your dog's personality over time. As a tech demo of things to come, Nintendogs is amazing and deserves some respect.
Now, imagine some new applications for the Nintendogs AI system, such as Nintendo's Pokémon franchise. For example, instead of depending on sheer numbers to play out a battle, a user's Pokémon could each develop its own distinct personality and moves, based entirely on how well the user trains it. Even with the same exact type of Pokémon facing off against each other, one may have a distinct advantage over the other based on how it was trained.
In short, it turns what is normally monotonous gameplay into something that is no longer entirely predictable.
Overall, i would not consider Nintendogs to be the end result of years of work by Nintendo. Instead, it may be a sign of things yet to come.
Apple probably isn't trying to discourage this activity... yet. Instead they are issuing a challenge to those with the creativity and know-how to hack the binaries, in order to observe how these people are doing it. In some sense, the relationship is mutually beneficial. Apple gets it's product tested for free by hundreds of incredibly intelligent and innovative hackers, while the hackers get short-term bragging rights for defeating Apple's subsequent fixes.
I have a feeling that once we no longer see current intel developer builds successfully being installed on non-Apple machines, Apple will begin rolling out the intel line.
I have no doubt that the average person can simply read a chart that has little checks next to "features" and decide which of the 7 they want.
Well, they can... but they won't. Buying something as basic as the OS for your computer shouldn't involve anything more than ensuring your system meets the requirements on the box. (Something many average buyers still don't do.)
While those of us with some level of intelligent computer use probably won't have any issues, aside from the gouging we'll take for a good (uncrippled) version of Vista, the average user isn't going to have the experience or the insight to know what features they'll need in advance of their purchase... assuming they even understand why there are seven different boxes on the shelf.
You'll likely get two classes of buyers in a setup like this. People who buy the cheap copy, only to get pissed they can't play the great new game that just came out, because their OS can't support it.... or... people who'll unnecessarily buy the most expensive version simply because the name on the box sounds bigger (meaning better), even though they'll just use their computer for email, web browsing and word processing.
If anything, Microsoft is probably expecting to profit from confusion this is going to cause less experienced users.
Just out of cuiousity, is ADV Films somehow pulling the strings on this one? Look at the clues:
1. ADV suddenly hands over the keys to their flagship anime series (Evangelion) after years of refusing to license the series to any network that would modify the contents (censoring) or show ads mid-episode. (Barring the ADV-sponsered "Giant Robot Week" Cartoon Network ran a couple years ago.)
2. ADV would have a major interest in seeing something like this work as a way to promote their Anime Network thing they've poured millions into, so that more major cable providers start carrying it.
3. ADV overall financial outlook is not doing so well. Mostly due to them grossly over-esitimating the brief anime fad here in the US. They've blown much of their own capital on trying to milk this fad for every last cent they could get out of it. As a result, they've suffered massive employee layoffs and their product quaality has gone way down while they try to cut as many corners as they can to stay afloat.
If Cartoon Network is really going to offer this, I'd stake money that this is likely a last-ditch, all-or-nothing effort footed by ADV to save what little remains of their reputation before fading completely away.
The DS is finally showing its true potential after months of a game drought on the system. Many of the newest titles are incredibly addicting and fun, and many more are still on the way. The system deserves much more credit than it gets.
The PSP strikes me as being more of an overpriced gimmick rather than a truly portable gaming system. Sure, it's a do-everything device with excellent graphics capabilities, but several issues like it's extremely limited battery life, lengthy load times and excessively priced games prevent it from being utilized to it's full potential on the go.
Until Sony can get the battery life doubled, add a faster UMD drive and reduce the price of games to match the DS/GBA, I don't see it becoming much more than a glorified movie player with sub-par gaming capabilities on the side.
While Apple does do things even I resent, the commercially viable alternatives are much less appealing. Without the Macintosh, what are your other options... the virus-ridden Windows or one of the many open source OSes that most of the major software industry seem to ignore as being a profitable market?
This thing sounds almost Rube Goldberg-like. It may be a good idea for the purposes it's been designed for, but it seems really impractical for any real-world use.
Of course, this ignores the fact that fansubs are what drive the industry. ADV, CPM, etc.. all rely on fansubs to determine whether or not a market for a particular series exists before spending the money needed to officially license them for distribution in the US.
In effect, fansubs do eventually generate profits for both licensees and the original owners of an anime series.
Of course, now that we have DMCA style laws popping up around the world now, fansubs are getting much harder to find and support. Perhaps this is one reason why the overall quality of commercially released anime has began to suffer.
Probably not as enlightened as we'd like to think. ADV hasn't been doing so well lately, with rampant layoffs, etc within the company. Combined with degrading product quality and an industry wide fad quickly reaching the end of the cycle, there's no where left to go but down.
If anything, this is a move of desperation on ADV's part rather than a move of simply embracing a technology because it works.
... why did this school give these laptops back to these kids after they had shown a willingness to use them for unauthorized purposes? Have pencils and paper really become so obsolete that the school can no longer fall back on them when the laptop thing simply fails?
If anything, the school is directly responsible for this simply because they did not revoke the students' privileges to use these machines. How could they possibly not know they would do this again after the first or second time it happened?
Anyone remember this show? I believe there was an episode that touched on something like this. Basically some group claimed that had the technology to digitize a persons mind just before death, and set up a sort of virtual graveyard where you could mingle with these digitized minds. (If I remember correctly, it turned out to be a scam of some sort.)
Of course, the digitized minds were nothing like Max and only spouted one or two catch phrases like "It's wonderful!"
I suppose if you were desperate enough, a video / minimally interactive form of a loved one might comfort you for a bit.
Depends on how you defined "cheating." If he only created an automated form of himself that ran outside of unmodified game code itself, it may be unethical, but not necessarily cheating... as a human could potentially move through a game as fast as it allows them to. Again, this is a flaw with the game itself for not limiting how fast one could build up a character's power during a given session.
However, if he did directly modify game code and/or modified the data on the server itself using external programs, bypassing the game completely, then it should be considered a potentially criminal offense, as he did not have authorization to access the server from outside of the game.
The fact remains though, if his actions occurred going through a normal, unmodified version of the game only, then it is still compliant within the constraints of the game itself, regardless of who or what was at the controls.
The guy sold the virtual stolen items for real-world money. That makes the whole thing no longer purely virtual as it had real-world ramifications. That means that the real-world cash was earned by taking something without authorization from someone else, virtual or not.
Ahh, but it was authorized. By playing the game, you agree to play within the constraints it provides. If mugging is part of those constraints, you should have no recourse other than to accept it and move on. Otherwise, file suit against the developers for haaving mugging capabilities within the constraints of the game... which they directly control.
I could see this thing being used by someone to set off a bomb (or other weapon) in the event they are killed. Imagine putting something like this on a soldier in the battlefield with a high-yield explosive attacked to it. Instant suicide bombers without the need to be suicidal.
Not only could this be used for weapons, it could also be used as a "clean up" trigger. Set up a computer to eliminate any incriminating evidence you might have or transfer laege sums of money to another location before it can be seized by the state or living relatives.
I fail to see how this is disturbing in and of itself. Obviously, the creators are using it as a tool to play on their own crude sense of humor, but it's not intended to be malicious. There is no blood, no body parts flying off, etc...
If anything, FlatOut's use of driver ejection is intended as a parody of how overused ragdoll physics in games has become. It is likely the last innovative use of ragdoll physics we'll see in a game for some time.
Stuff like this really makes me wonder if the national ID cards we've been hearing about will employ RFID technology as well.
Here's a possible worst case scenario for such a thing...
First, have these new RFID cards required by law to be on your person at all times. Those who fail to comply with this are met with stiff penalties and become tagged as possible terror suspects.
Then, set up a system to track each of these RFIDs to within three feet of their physical location, creating a database of common activity over time. (Going to work, groceries, etc...) If any new activity deviates from the activity stored in the database beyond a certain threshold or if the RFID goes out of range or stops transmitting beyond a set length of time, alert the feds / law enforcement to observe your activity directly, and tag you as a potential threat.
Finally,have anyone found tampering with the RFID or willfully preventing random access to the RFID data (wrapping it in foil, etc...) tagged as a potential terror suspect and presented with stiff penalties.
Slashdot Mirror
Microsoft is doing a similar thing with their new xbox 360 console. As to whether or not Apple will go the same direction and begin using proprietary hardware ports with lockout mechanisms in the software, remains to be seen.
If it's merely a marketing gimmick (like an "apple approved" product label), then it's not a big deal. But if it's a "pay us or don't play with iPods period" thing, then it's a bit sleazy.
From the looks of this headline, it sounds like they only plan to use this to make disposable newsprint more attractive, rather than trying to offer it as a reusable medium for long-term use. Does this mean our old biodegradable newspapers will now contain toxic materials?
While the internet is free game for any kind of ads, no matter how intrusive or annoying they are. There's relatively little risk of massive financial loss for hosting an undesireable ad on a webpage.
But when you start dealing with magazines, newspapers and television networks that are trying to maintain a specific reputation, viewers can be quickly lost if the ads they allow in their offerings stray too far from the expectations of the viewer/reader. None of the big three networks would last long if they allowed things like those slimy Girls Gone Wild ads during saturday morning cartoons.
Your reputation is only as good as the company you hang around with.
While it could be argued that computers are making this generation dumber than previous generations in terms of basic math and writing skills, it can also be argued that the benefits of offsetting these often tedious and repetative tasks to our computers is worth the tradeoff. We may not be as intelligent or as skilled in these tasks as previous generations, but, we are much better equiped tackle much more complex tasks with in a limited amount of time than we would be through convention methods.
The only major drawback to this is that making a mistake can have a far more devistating results, since they often aren't caught until well after it was made.
Really though, it's more about quality vs quantity than anything else. In a country as impulse driven as the U.S. the reduction in quality is an acceptable loss, so long as we get what we want when we want it.
Yeah, same here with Nightmare Troubadour. Absolutely great AI setup compared to the GBA versions. Though I kinda wish the interface moved a bit more quickly than it does.
Having just picked this up for my DS a few days ago, I have to say it's one of the most interesting things I'm ever played with... at least from a technical stand point. The AI is incredibly adaptive to the environment and the user, developing your dog's personality over time. As a tech demo of things to come, Nintendogs is amazing and deserves some respect.
Now, imagine some new applications for the Nintendogs AI system, such as Nintendo's Pokémon franchise. For example, instead of depending on sheer numbers to play out a battle, a user's Pokémon could each develop its own distinct personality and moves, based entirely on how well the user trains it. Even with the same exact type of Pokémon facing off against each other, one may have a distinct advantage over the other based on how it was trained.
In short, it turns what is normally monotonous gameplay into something that is no longer entirely predictable.
Overall, i would not consider Nintendogs to be the end result of years of work by Nintendo. Instead, it may be a sign of things yet to come.
First thing I thought of after reading the headline were these ads PowerComputing ran during their peak in the industry.
(R.I.P. PowerTower Pro series.)
Apple probably isn't trying to discourage this activity... yet. Instead they are issuing a challenge to those with the creativity and know-how to hack the binaries, in order to observe how these people are doing it. In some sense, the relationship is mutually beneficial. Apple gets it's product tested for free by hundreds of incredibly intelligent and innovative hackers, while the hackers get short-term bragging rights for defeating Apple's subsequent fixes.
I have a feeling that once we no longer see current intel developer builds successfully being installed on non-Apple machines, Apple will begin rolling out the intel line.
I have no doubt that the average person can simply read a chart that has little checks next to "features" and decide which of the 7 they want.
Well, they can... but they won't. Buying something as basic as the OS for your computer shouldn't involve anything more than ensuring your system meets the requirements on the box. (Something many average buyers still don't do.)
While those of us with some level of intelligent computer use probably won't have any issues, aside from the gouging we'll take for a good (uncrippled) version of Vista, the average user isn't going to have the experience or the insight to know what features they'll need in advance of their purchase... assuming they even understand why there are seven different boxes on the shelf.
You'll likely get two classes of buyers in a setup like this. People who buy the cheap copy, only to get pissed they can't play the great new game that just came out, because their OS can't support it.... or... people who'll unnecessarily buy the most expensive version simply because the name on the box sounds bigger (meaning better), even though they'll just use their computer for email, web browsing and word processing.
If anything, Microsoft is probably expecting to profit from confusion this is going to cause less experienced users.
With friends like the Bush administration running things into the ground, who needs enemies?
Just out of cuiousity, is ADV Films somehow pulling the strings on this one? Look at the clues:
1. ADV suddenly hands over the keys to their flagship anime series (Evangelion) after years of refusing to license the series to any network that would modify the contents (censoring) or show ads mid-episode. (Barring the ADV-sponsered "Giant Robot Week" Cartoon Network ran a couple years ago.)
2. ADV would have a major interest in seeing something like this work as a way to promote their Anime Network thing they've poured millions into, so that more major cable providers start carrying it.
3. ADV overall financial outlook is not doing so well. Mostly due to them grossly over-esitimating the brief anime fad here in the US. They've blown much of their own capital on trying to milk this fad for every last cent they could get out of it. As a result, they've suffered massive employee layoffs and their product quaality has gone way down while they try to cut as many corners as they can to stay afloat.
If Cartoon Network is really going to offer this, I'd stake money that this is likely a last-ditch, all-or-nothing effort footed by ADV to save what little remains of their reputation before fading completely away.
Wow... you must love animators then. Because the only thing worse than an adult that watches an animated show are the adults making them.
The DS is finally showing its true potential after months of a game drought on the system. Many of the newest titles are incredibly addicting and fun, and many more are still on the way. The system deserves much more credit than it gets.
The PSP strikes me as being more of an overpriced gimmick rather than a truly portable gaming system. Sure, it's a do-everything device with excellent graphics capabilities, but several issues like it's extremely limited battery life, lengthy load times and excessively priced games prevent it from being utilized to it's full potential on the go.
Until Sony can get the battery life doubled, add a faster UMD drive and reduce the price of games to match the DS/GBA, I don't see it becoming much more than a glorified movie player with sub-par gaming capabilities on the side.
While Apple does do things even I resent, the commercially viable alternatives are much less appealing. Without the Macintosh, what are your other options... the virus-ridden Windows or one of the many open source OSes that most of the major software industry seem to ignore as being a profitable market?
This thing sounds almost Rube Goldberg-like. It may be a good idea for the purposes it's been designed for, but it seems really impractical for any real-world use.
Of course, this ignores the fact that fansubs are what drive the industry. ADV, CPM, etc.. all rely on fansubs to determine whether or not a market for a particular series exists before spending the money needed to officially license them for distribution in the US.
In effect, fansubs do eventually generate profits for both licensees and the original owners of an anime series.
Of course, now that we have DMCA style laws popping up around the world now, fansubs are getting much harder to find and support. Perhaps this is one reason why the overall quality of commercially released anime has began to suffer.
Probably not as enlightened as we'd like to think. ADV hasn't been doing so well lately, with rampant layoffs, etc within the company. Combined with degrading product quality and an industry wide fad quickly reaching the end of the cycle, there's no where left to go but down.
If anything, this is a move of desperation on ADV's part rather than a move of simply embracing a technology because it works.
... why did this school give these laptops back to these kids after they had shown a willingness to use them for unauthorized purposes? Have pencils and paper really become so obsolete that the school can no longer fall back on them when the laptop thing simply fails?
If anything, the school is directly responsible for this simply because they did not revoke the students' privileges to use these machines. How could they possibly not know they would do this again after the first or second time it happened?
Anyone remember this show? I believe there was an episode that touched on something like this. Basically some group claimed that had the technology to digitize a persons mind just before death, and set up a sort of virtual graveyard where you could mingle with these digitized minds. (If I remember correctly, it turned out to be a scam of some sort.)
Of course, the digitized minds were nothing like Max and only spouted one or two catch phrases like "It's wonderful!"
I suppose if you were desperate enough, a video / minimally interactive form of a loved one might comfort you for a bit.
Depends on how you defined "cheating." If he only created an automated form of himself that ran outside of unmodified game code itself, it may be unethical, but not necessarily cheating... as a human could potentially move through a game as fast as it allows them to. Again, this is a flaw with the game itself for not limiting how fast one could build up a character's power during a given session.
However, if he did directly modify game code and/or modified the data on the server itself using external programs, bypassing the game completely, then it should be considered a potentially criminal offense, as he did not have authorization to access the server from outside of the game.
The fact remains though, if his actions occurred going through a normal, unmodified version of the game only, then it is still compliant within the constraints of the game itself, regardless of who or what was at the controls.
The guy sold the virtual stolen items for real-world money. That makes the whole thing no longer purely virtual as it had real-world ramifications. That means that the real-world cash was earned by taking something without authorization from someone else, virtual or not.
Ahh, but it was authorized. By playing the game, you agree to play within the constraints it provides. If mugging is part of those constraints, you should have no recourse other than to accept it and move on. Otherwise, file suit against the developers for haaving mugging capabilities within the constraints of the game... which they directly control.
I could see this thing being used by someone to set off a bomb (or other weapon) in the event they are killed. Imagine putting something like this on a soldier in the battlefield with a high-yield explosive attacked to it. Instant suicide bombers without the need to be suicidal.
Not only could this be used for weapons, it could also be used as a "clean up" trigger. Set up a computer to eliminate any incriminating evidence you might have or transfer laege sums of money to another location before it can be seized by the state or living relatives.
Same thing I thought of when I first saw the title of the article. How did anyone miss something so obvious... and on Slashdot no less!
I fail to see how this is disturbing in and of itself. Obviously, the creators are using it as a tool to play on their own crude sense of humor, but it's not intended to be malicious. There is no blood, no body parts flying off, etc...
If anything, FlatOut's use of driver ejection is intended as a parody of how overused ragdoll physics in games has become. It is likely the last innovative use of ragdoll physics we'll see in a game for some time.
Stuff like this really makes me wonder if the national ID cards we've been hearing about will employ RFID technology as well.
Here's a possible worst case scenario for such a thing...
First, have these new RFID cards required by law to be on your person at all times. Those who fail to comply with this are met with stiff penalties and become tagged as possible terror suspects.
Then, set up a system to track each of these RFIDs to within three feet of their physical location, creating a database of common activity over time. (Going to work, groceries, etc...) If any new activity deviates from the activity stored in the database beyond a certain threshold or if the RFID goes out of range or stops transmitting beyond a set length of time, alert the feds / law enforcement to observe your activity directly, and tag you as a potential threat.
Finally,have anyone found tampering with the RFID or willfully preventing random access to the RFID data (wrapping it in foil, etc...) tagged as a potential terror suspect and presented with stiff penalties.