First of all, the first reviews were from test screenings. Second, the press screenings had a very large amount of reviews from them. I read Aint-It-Cool-News or Dark Horizons (an Aussie site). The Dark Horizons review has been listed, but here is my favorite reviewer, Harry from AICN's review. Whats best about it is that he gives examples about how the fanboys will NOT be letdown by lame plot points or weak characters (Superman anybody?). This movie is truly solid from what I've heard, and will only leave the rest of us wanting more.
I for one am hoping for the best. Brian Singer is a great director (give it up, The Usual Suspects fuckin RULED) and given that his budget was cut in HALF and his due date for the film pushed back from December to Friday, I'm really amazed at the good reviews for such a rushed project. The Danger Room as well as Beast and Angel had to be left behind, but that's what sequels are for, right?
Sorry to be inacurate (and this is too old to be moderated, so maybe you'll get to read this at some point), but I was being sarcastic about that. The new games have less skill, in my opinion. Sorry if I was unclear about that.
Personally, I think its going to take an entirely new format or some amazing revelation to get mp3s kosher (mpk's?). Advertising WILL NOT WORK. Web banners do barely anything nowadays.
One aspect that bothered me were the people who download mp3s because they don't want to buy entire albums because *gasp* they MIGHT actually like OTHER SONGS! People who buy entire CDs and wear one song out BOTHER THE PISS OUT OF ME. I know this is a my-own-opinion thing, but aren't all comments? If you download mp3s, wear out a song, and do nothing else to support that artist, you DESERVE advertising. Mp3s, in my humble (or not-so-humble) opinion should help get the music to the people. And after that is done, as Courtney Love once noted, you should buy the cd as a sort of "tip". Lets face it: the music industry is a service business. It may be a bit pretentious, but its the same as a high-class restraunt. They bust their ass, you leave a tip. An artist spends YEARS and MILLIONS making an album, and you download their music for FREE, you should 'leave something behind' as a sort of incentive that you appreciate it and support them. (ie. - Buy their CD)
And to get back to those 'people' who only listen to one song and kill it? As a musician, these people drive me INSANE. Albums are (9:10) meant to be listened to IN THEIR ENTIREITY. If your are one of those people who listen to one single song until it drives you crazy (are you listening radio?) then you deserve these advertisements and everything that comes along with them.
The best song in the world could be played a million times and everyone would hate it. -Eddie Veddar
Microsoft declares its after the console market. They killed Netscape, and now its time for some of that good, rich Sony Blood. Nintendo I seriously doubt is worried. They've been around for ages, and they have a pretty decent hold on the industry. Number two is usually always better than being #1(Sony). #2 can always go up. When your at the top, where is there left to go? Sega however have different problems. Disappointing system after disappointing system, they're holding on to every scrap of profit they can muster. A few DECENT games on the Dreamcast haven't exactly propelled them to the forefront.
Let's look at this another way: Would the average mid-teen (12-16) really be interested in these old games?
These younger teenagers never played the original super mario. Or Metroid. Or Zelda. All these games bring back amazing memories. But, compared to the gee-whiz-pop-bang games of today, they're practically legos to a corvette. They're basic. They're simple. The require less than half the "skill" required in games like Perfect Dark or Resident Evil 23: The Final Evil. For Microsoft to put ALL this money and ALL the time it would require to even get the licensing, would it truly be worth it? A few old games would do nothing but collect (electronic) dust. Newer games might fare a bit better, but lets face it: the 'look' is what most of these 'gamers' look for. The best game on the planet could be released today, have graphics equal to the NES and never sell a copy.
The Truth: Not every classroom needs them. Fact: Some absolutely need them. Misconception: Computers can't be used as a successful learning tool. Lies: Newer computers are useless compared to the ole' Apple 2's.
I've read a lot of comments, and most of these opinions come from the fact that "edutainment" software is a joke. Sadly, most of it is. However, that doesn't mean there aren't good titles out there. Computer games today ARE mostly fluff, ARE mostly show. But some are not. And THESE are what the schools need, and the lazy admins and the "soon-to-retire" teachers don't want to use/learn them.
Why? Time. Money. These two are the only things that school administrators care about. If it takes a teacher a three-month course to learn one word processing program, how long do you think it would take to teach the students? Some would already know the program, some wouldn't. Learning curves when dealing with 30 kids is amazingly bad. Especially considering that a "wired" classroom is lucky to have more than 2-3 computers. These kids have to take turns, and some being super-experienced to others never touching a keyboard would provide more stress on the teacher.
This means more time will have to be taken to teach every student everything.
More time means more money.
See the chain?
Businesses with old computers should be the first to donate these used-up resources. So they can't run Office 2k. But if they could run wordperfect and DOS, that's all it would need. Most of these kids could care less about exactly what processor and ram comes installed. Some would. Most wouldn't. Kids just LIKE these things, just like we did. They like to explore, and I can assure that they would know the ins, outs,and arounds of DOS and that version of wordperfect before the school year was up. This doesn't mean that 8-year-olds need internet access. It just means they need INSTRUCTION. Instruction that is lacking. Because of the two vices:
Does anyone remember a few weeks ago when Titan AE was screened at a convention using the internet? It was a Digital Screening, requiring unbelievable bandwidth and clocked in around 3 gigs if I remember correctly. It also required very expensive hardware for video and audio, but from all reports (that I read then), seemed like a wonderful idea (and looked REALLY good). I also read about Dinosaur doing this as well. The point is, is that before the theatrical debut of the film, it was transmitted over the internet. Though it was only a test or a promotional screening or what have you, nevertheless before it made its way across the country, it made its way over someone's T3.
If Titan AE were to ever get any awards (and from the looks of it...not really) or Dinosaur, would or could someone ever raise this point?
"Studies show that kids who 'kill their friends' using this technology are highly volitile, and dangerous."
If a boy were to post a website with photos/models of his friends to 'destroy' in Quake and the school finds out about it, what do you think is going to happen? Bad things my friends, bad things. And we thought the kid being suspended for a critizing web page was bad. Or how about the kid punished for his personal web site.
Things like this sound cool, look great, and end up hurting people because of ignorant people. Not stupid people, just ignorant to the fact that they think we can't seperate computers and reality. So...what else is new?
Of course, we can now build computer cases, phones, mouses, speakers, and whatever else. But what we're truly missing here is the designer possibilites! I'm talking DKNY Lego blouses, Gap Blego (Black Lego) jeans, the whole setup! Just wait until Tommy H. hears about this!
Sega is dying. Lets face it. They haven't made any real profits in years. They come out with mediocre systems (32X(ha!), Saturn, DreamSuck) and expect us to "deal with it". They can't attract licensees and they can't attract customers. The old die-hard Sega-heads I once knew (and grew up with...got my Nintendo Entertainment System on my 5th birthday, 1985 bay-bee) are all grown up now. They have jobs. They have lives. They have girlfriends.
The new 'gamers' aren't used to Street Fighter II. Their used to Street Fighter IX Plus Amazing Marvel Super Mongo Heroes Turbo and Sexy. They want their games handed to them in nice, neat, packages, and they want blockbusters every month. I know this is kind of "Well, when I was a kid," kind of comments, but it has to be said. Sega hasn't made a decent system since the Genesis, and even it was overrated (it had great sports games, and decent RPGs, but lets face it). Nintendo has repeatedly beat the snot out of them, and when the Playstation finally arrived, it beat what was left of poor Sega into the dirt. It tried Saturn. Crap. It tried Dreamcast. Overrated Crap. This is a last-ditch effort by a last ditch company.
Doesn't the fact that they're giving their systems away (even with the contract) a little disturbing? Sony could come out with the Playstation 2, charge $400 bucks a pop, and sell a million before the week was out. Sega can't give this crap away. Sigh.
Once I heard the power was going I did the first thing that came to mind: Y2K No-Power Survive-Anything Kits! (Y2KNPSAK). Using todays technology, I've began an Internet start-up showcasing this amazing package. We here at Y2KNPSAK Enterprises (Y2KNPSAK.org) are ready to meet your no-power needs!
What is in this exciting package? Let me tell you more! (At this point a beautiful blonde-haired beauty comes out in a small bikini showcasing the contents of the Crate-O-Stuff)
1. 3 of Natures Own (tm) Rats.
Why rats you say? Well, if it worked for Survivor (CBS, 9pm Eastern, 8pm Central) then it'll work for you! Two are male and the other is female. Why? Because you eat the first one (as a mid-afternoon snack, try them with our Y2KNPSAK Barbeque sauce!) and let the other two mate! Soon you'll have hundreds of our furry friends, just dying (ha!) to jump on your plate! (Skinning knife not included.)
2. 1 UPS
No, we're not talking about an Uninterruptable Power Supply, no sir. This is a Urine Purification System! (anyone remember it from Waterworld?) that will instantly turn your sterile urine into sterile water! This my friends is conservation at its finest!
3. A notepad and pen
Who could be complete without the ability to code? Sure, you won't be able to compile, but that's the beauty of it! Without the hassle of crashing programs, you can put whatever you want into your program, and when the power is back on (if it ever is, and we sure hope it
never is) you'll be able to compile your amazing program and share it with the world! Think of it as a manifesto-prog. Your lifes work made in the middle of nowhere for a computer that won't work. It's genius! It's amazing! It's...
Could someone please explain the usefulness of these devices? My friend has a Palm IIIx and he barely uses it. He keeps some addresses and phone numbers, but that about covers it. He can't jot notes in class fast enough because the letters are written strangely, and, even though he's had it for about 4 months, still has a large problem with it.
Then there is the issue of exactly what you can do with a 2-4 meg machine and linux. What will be the interface? Will it have a command prompt? Will it have a KDE-like interface? Gnome? X? How may programs could it hold, and how many could it run? Could you run sendmail off of it and have yourself a little mail server OTG (on-tha-go)?
The possibilities are endless.
But, so are the drawbacks.
First, you have to have everyone learn how to write the letters and numbers properly. Then you have to come up with a nice, fast efficient interface that a novice wouldn't be able to immediately screw up. Then you have to leave enough space and customizability to be able to erase and re-do anything you want. The chance for screwup here is huge.
However, the chance for the most amazing PDA to surface is even larger.
What is truly unfortunate is that someone will have to code a Windoze -> Helio interface so the user can view their address book (or whatever) in Word or Outlook or something. Of course, you could try a new viewer all together, something small, efficient, not platform specific....
Just who are these new Shakespeares changing the way we think, play and understand video games?
Numero Uno, the obvious choice for computer gaming: John Carmack
I'm not here to kiss ass, but look at what the man has done. He's changed computer gaming ever since he thought that a first person shooter was a good idea. Then he believed Ray Tracing was a good idea (Wolf3d). Then he had another (better) idea including sprites (Doom 1/2/ultimate,etc). Then he had an even better idea about geometry and real 3d worlds (Quake 1/2/3). This last game just so happened (the first Quake that is) to basically invent the pure joy of deathmatching. Then it made the world (Internet) wake up to the fact that it was fun to play versus many other people whom you'll never know. Then he released the tools and specs for making levels and new weapons and new skins, etc. This made the game last far longer than any normal one would have ever dreamed (Quake1 still has thousands playing it daily). The sequels to said game weren't that ground-breaking, but just look how he single-handidly stopped the monopolistic ways of 3dfx (anyone remember the glide-only version of Quake out long before the opengl one?) by openly (publicly that is) supporting the OpenGL platform, one that is universal, rather than video-card specific? What else can the man do to influence computer gaming?
Think of it this way: When he dies, the world will mourn. Players will openly weep. A national day of recognition will be made, even if its just in the gaming community. He is not immortal, and someday this will happen. It will be like the death of Kurt Cobain (or Tupac, if you want to get into genres). The world will stop for a day, and see just what the man did. The Tim Sweeneys and the Brian Hooks and all the rest wouldn't be here if it weren't for John.
Think about it.
No relation or "The death of privacy and pr0n"
on
The Leased Life?
·
· Score: 1
There are certain corrollaries. But these, if anything, are stretches to see if we can compare apples with oranges. The fact that you lease cars and the fact that you buy licenses for software (even if you buy them for free...there's an oxymoron) have nothing to do with one another. Your music is yours. If you bought it and own the CD, you can MP3 it all to pieces. We don't lease software (yet!) and hopefully never will.
Privacy however, is a whole other can of worms. Spam and junk (snail) mail are the same thing. Useless ads and trash that we throw away (most of us) the instant we recieve it. Nothing is done to stop it, but nothing is done to further it either. You don't see ads promoting or discrediting it. People may hate spam, but do you see anyone actually doing anything about it? Nope. Our privacy, as far as the "real" world is concerned, is a moot point. We have police records and fingerprint records and birth certificates and (not to mention) social security numbers, the most privacy-invading thing that the internet (as of now) is free of. Just wait until each person is assigned an (Ipv6?) IP address at birth. From then on, when connected to the "Net" you must use that IP address on the "Terminal" you're currently located at, and everything you do will be recorded, studied and analyzed (Orwell knew what he was doing...). We're entering a scary world where everyone is beginning to know everyone elses business on a very intimate and personal level, and this trend we're seeing about cookies and form-filling and spam mailing lists is only the beginning. The government will (hopefully never, but probably) catch on and begin to control it the same way they try to control everything else. Then we'll have to register our computers with Deeds Of Merchandise as well as forms upon forms of why we have it and what we're going to use it for (visions of Brazil pop in my head).
In short, this question is irrelevant to the fact that we buy licenses to something basically intangible. We cannot hold a program, or feel it, or appraise it. Think of a bank trying to give you a loan to finance a program. They can't appraise a past work and use that as collateral.
In shorter: Leasing isn't licensing, your music is yours, and privacy has been dead for a while now.
Everyone is overreacting. And to tell you the truth, I'm in favor of this law. You know why? Because the entire End-User Population suffers from the "Who, me?" Syndrome.
"I just started my email program and the virus ATTACKED my computer!"
Bullshit. That virus got on your computer because it ASKED you if you wanted to open it. This law says that users might have to (God Forbid) accept responsibility for their inept actions. They might actually THINK about opening the attachment before they do. Anti-Virii software, as said in other comments, is reactionary. Once you open the attachment, the damage is done. Why is taking responsibility such a horrible thing?
I admit that the law is vague. But its also worthwhile. People should take more time into exactly what their doing with their computers. Computers are not evil, they don't have feelings, or consciousness'. They do what you tell them or let them. They ask you questions, and how you answer them is your responsbility.
Taking time to look at your email and realize that it may be bad for your computer Is Not A Bad Thing(tm).
There's no way that even HALF of the internet users would be able to complete HALF of those courses. Let alone the kids who go on just to check out blues clues or Pokemon. The way the system is, and works, and runs (and looks like its going to continue going this way), the stupidity and laziness will ALWAYS be there.
Think of this: What about the stupidity and laziness of sys admins? Blame the users, but who runs the isps and the AOLs? When you try to track down a problem, you need to start at the source.
Here's an example: Say Joe Sixpack is having a problem with his car. Would you blame Mr. Sixpack for a bad alternator? Or would you blame the car dealer? Or would you blame the car manufacturer?
You can break it down as far as you want. The last thing we need is Internet Licenses. You think we don't have any privacy NOW?
You know what that article says? Nothing. It doesn't give you clues as to exactly what MP4 is exactly (other than its a codec, oh thanks professor) nor does it mention its MPEG-4. They jump on the MPx wagon with no information such as RESOLUTION or the SOUND QUALITY of the 'mp4 movies'.
Another interesting aspect is the fact that no one really sees 350 megs as downloadable. You damn straight its downloadable. Its not as if you're going to have to download the entire movie in one chunk. Warezed video games have been divided into 'disks' for ages now. You get the first hour in 35 10MB disks. Then you get the second hour in X disks. (in theory) you could increase the resolution and quality and break the movie up further, depending on what kind of experience you want to get. We're a long way from downloading Lord of the Rings the same day its realeased in theatres (whenever that will be), but the with the speed that DSL, Cable and ISDN have swept across the country, we're not that far away either.
I was reading the comments on the original story, and I have to agree: this story is pointless. Who cares? How may people own this 16-no-i'm-sorry-but-its-only-12 bit "pocket" pc? Slashdot has hundreds of submissions, admitted some of them may be repeats, but there are still hundreds of other interesting things we could be focusing our time on. Jornada is the absolute LAST thing on my agenda, as well as the 3 people that bought one and want their money back because they lost their 4 bits.
Corporations have no intrinsic power to harm freedom;
This, in my amateur opinion, is a lie. Where do you think the government got the IDEA to impose these laws? Lobbyists, congressional aids, people whose sole concern is staying in Washington, and they all speak the language of money. The money is what drives the laws. You think government cares about Napster or newsgroups? They know less about the internet than my cat. But, they DO understand that the huge mongo-corporate-enslavers want it done, so they can sleep safely in their tax-paid bed and fly in the tax-paid private jets. If you want to know the source of the problem, look beyond the obvious. Goverment enforces these laws, but whose idea were the laws in the first place?
Slashdot Mirror
I for one am hoping for the best. Brian Singer is a great director (give it up, The Usual Suspects fuckin RULED) and given that his budget was cut in HALF and his due date for the film pushed back from December to Friday, I'm really amazed at the good reviews for such a rushed project. The Danger Room as well as Beast and Angel had to be left behind, but that's what sequels are for, right?
Sorry to be inacurate (and this is too old to be moderated, so maybe you'll get to read this at some point), but I was being sarcastic about that. The new games have less skill, in my opinion. Sorry if I was unclear about that.
One aspect that bothered me were the people who download mp3s because they don't want to buy entire albums because *gasp* they MIGHT actually like OTHER SONGS! People who buy entire CDs and wear one song out BOTHER THE PISS OUT OF ME. I know this is a my-own-opinion thing, but aren't all comments? If you download mp3s, wear out a song, and do nothing else to support that artist, you DESERVE advertising. Mp3s, in my humble (or not-so-humble) opinion should help get the music to the people. And after that is done, as Courtney Love once noted, you should buy the cd as a sort of "tip". Lets face it: the music industry is a service business. It may be a bit pretentious, but its the same as a high-class restraunt. They bust their ass, you leave a tip. An artist spends YEARS and MILLIONS making an album, and you download their music for FREE, you should 'leave something behind' as a sort of incentive that you appreciate it and support them. (ie. - Buy their CD)
And to get back to those 'people' who only listen to one song and kill it? As a musician, these people drive me INSANE. Albums are (9:10) meant to be listened to IN THEIR ENTIREITY. If your are one of those people who listen to one single song until it drives you crazy (are you listening radio?) then you deserve these advertisements and everything that comes along with them.
The best song in the world could be played a million times and everyone would hate it.
-Eddie Veddar
Let's look at this another way: Would the average mid-teen (12-16) really be interested in these old games?
These younger teenagers never played the original super mario. Or Metroid. Or Zelda. All these games bring back amazing memories. But, compared to the gee-whiz-pop-bang games of today, they're practically legos to a corvette. They're basic. They're simple. The require less than half the "skill" required in games like Perfect Dark or Resident Evil 23: The Final Evil. For Microsoft to put ALL this money and ALL the time it would require to even get the licensing, would it truly be worth it? A few old games would do nothing but collect (electronic) dust. Newer games might fare a bit better, but lets face it: the 'look' is what most of these 'gamers' look for. The best game on the planet could be released today, have graphics equal to the NES and never sell a copy.
sigh.
Fact: Some absolutely need them.
Misconception: Computers can't be used as a successful learning tool.
Lies: Newer computers are useless compared to the ole' Apple 2's.
I've read a lot of comments, and most of these opinions come from the fact that "edutainment" software is a joke. Sadly, most of it is. However, that doesn't mean there aren't good titles out there. Computer games today ARE mostly fluff, ARE mostly show. But some are not. And THESE are what the schools need, and the lazy admins and the "soon-to-retire" teachers don't want to use/learn them.
Why? Time. Money. These two are the only things that school administrators care about. If it takes a teacher a three-month course to learn one word processing program, how long do you think it would take to teach the students? Some would already know the program, some wouldn't. Learning curves when dealing with 30 kids is amazingly bad. Especially considering that a "wired" classroom is lucky to have more than 2-3 computers. These kids have to take turns, and some being super-experienced to others never touching a keyboard would provide more stress on the teacher.
This means more time will have to be taken to teach every student everything.
More time means more money.
See the chain?
Businesses with old computers should be the first to donate these used-up resources. So they can't run Office 2k. But if they could run wordperfect and DOS, that's all it would need. Most of these kids could care less about exactly what processor and ram comes installed. Some would. Most wouldn't. Kids just LIKE these things, just like we did. They like to explore, and I can assure that they would know the ins, outs,and arounds of DOS and that version of wordperfect before the school year was up. This doesn't mean that 8-year-olds need internet access. It just means they need INSTRUCTION. Instruction that is lacking. Because of the two vices:
Time
and Money.
It can't be as bad as Battlefield: Earth
If Titan AE were to ever get any awards (and from the looks of it...not really) or Dinosaur, would or could someone ever raise this point?
What did you expect? If he didn't know the guy's work, then he couldn't comment on it. Period.
"Studies show that kids who 'kill their friends' using this technology are highly volitile, and dangerous."
If a boy were to post a website with photos/models of his friends to 'destroy' in Quake and the school finds out about it, what do you think is going to happen? Bad things my friends, bad things. And we thought the kid being suspended for a critizing web page was bad. Or how about the kid punished for his personal web site.
Things like this sound cool, look great, and end up hurting people because of ignorant people. Not stupid people, just ignorant to the fact that they think we can't seperate computers and reality. So...what else is new?
I'm so excited!
Of course, we can now build computer cases, phones, mouses, speakers, and whatever else. But what we're truly missing here is the designer possibilites! I'm talking DKNY Lego blouses, Gap Blego (Black Lego) jeans, the whole setup! Just wait until Tommy H. hears about this!
The new 'gamers' aren't used to Street Fighter II. Their used to Street Fighter IX Plus Amazing Marvel Super Mongo Heroes Turbo and Sexy. They want their games handed to them in nice, neat, packages, and they want blockbusters every month. I know this is kind of "Well, when I was a kid," kind of comments, but it has to be said. Sega hasn't made a decent system since the Genesis, and even it was overrated (it had great sports games, and decent RPGs, but lets face it). Nintendo has repeatedly beat the snot out of them, and when the Playstation finally arrived, it beat what was left of poor Sega into the dirt. It tried Saturn. Crap. It tried Dreamcast. Overrated Crap. This is a last-ditch effort by a last ditch company.
Doesn't the fact that they're giving their systems away (even with the contract) a little disturbing? Sony could come out with the Playstation 2, charge $400 bucks a pop, and sell a million before the week was out. Sega can't give this crap away. Sigh.
What is in this exciting package? Let me tell you more! (At this point a beautiful blonde-haired beauty comes out in a small bikini showcasing the contents of the Crate-O-Stuff)
1. 3 of Natures Own (tm) Rats.
2. 1 UPS
3. A notepad and penthe Y2KNPSAK!!
Operators are standing by!
Then there is the issue of exactly what you can do with a 2-4 meg machine and linux. What will be the interface? Will it have a command prompt? Will it have a KDE-like interface? Gnome? X? How may programs could it hold, and how many could it run? Could you run sendmail off of it and have yourself a little mail server OTG (on-tha-go)?
The possibilities are endless.
But, so are the drawbacks.
First, you have to have everyone learn how to write the letters and numbers properly. Then you have to come up with a nice, fast efficient interface that a novice wouldn't be able to immediately screw up. Then you have to leave enough space and customizability to be able to erase and re-do anything you want. The chance for screwup here is huge.
However, the chance for the most amazing PDA to surface is even larger.
What is truly unfortunate is that someone will have to code a Windoze -> Helio interface so the user can view their address book (or whatever) in Word or Outlook or something. Of course, you could try a new viewer all together, something small, efficient, not platform specific....
Did somebody say "java"?
Just who are these new Shakespeares changing the way we think, play and understand video games?
Numero Uno, the obvious choice for computer gaming: John Carmack
I'm not here to kiss ass, but look at what the man has done. He's changed computer gaming ever since he thought that a first person shooter was a good idea. Then he believed Ray Tracing was a good idea (Wolf3d). Then he had another (better) idea including sprites (Doom 1/2/ultimate,etc). Then he had an even better idea about geometry and real 3d worlds (Quake 1/2/3). This last game just so happened (the first Quake that is) to basically invent the pure joy of deathmatching. Then it made the world (Internet) wake up to the fact that it was fun to play versus many other people whom you'll never know. Then he released the tools and specs for making levels and new weapons and new skins, etc. This made the game last far longer than any normal one would have ever dreamed (Quake1 still has thousands playing it daily). The sequels to said game weren't that ground-breaking, but just look how he single-handidly stopped the monopolistic ways of 3dfx (anyone remember the glide-only version of Quake out long before the opengl one?) by openly (publicly that is) supporting the OpenGL platform, one that is universal, rather than video-card specific? What else can the man do to influence computer gaming?
Think of it this way: When he dies, the world will mourn. Players will openly weep. A national day of recognition will be made, even if its just in the gaming community. He is not immortal, and someday this will happen. It will be like the death of Kurt Cobain (or Tupac, if you want to get into genres). The world will stop for a day, and see just what the man did. The Tim Sweeneys and the Brian Hooks and all the rest wouldn't be here if it weren't for John.
Think about it.
Privacy however, is a whole other can of worms. Spam and junk (snail) mail are the same thing. Useless ads and trash that we throw away (most of us) the instant we recieve it. Nothing is done to stop it, but nothing is done to further it either. You don't see ads promoting or discrediting it. People may hate spam, but do you see anyone actually doing anything about it? Nope. Our privacy, as far as the "real" world is concerned, is a moot point. We have police records and fingerprint records and birth certificates and (not to mention) social security numbers, the most privacy-invading thing that the internet (as of now) is free of. Just wait until each person is assigned an (Ipv6?) IP address at birth. From then on, when connected to the "Net" you must use that IP address on the "Terminal" you're currently located at, and everything you do will be recorded, studied and analyzed (Orwell knew what he was doing...). We're entering a scary world where everyone is beginning to know everyone elses business on a very intimate and personal level, and this trend we're seeing about cookies and form-filling and spam mailing lists is only the beginning. The government will (hopefully never, but probably) catch on and begin to control it the same way they try to control everything else. Then we'll have to register our computers with Deeds Of Merchandise as well as forms upon forms of why we have it and what we're going to use it for (visions of Brazil pop in my head).
In short, this question is irrelevant to the fact that we buy licenses to something basically intangible. We cannot hold a program, or feel it, or appraise it. Think of a bank trying to give you a loan to finance a program. They can't appraise a past work and use that as collateral.
In shorter:
Leasing isn't licensing, your music is yours, and privacy has been dead for a while now.
"I just started my email program and the virus ATTACKED my computer!"
Bullshit. That virus got on your computer because it ASKED you if you wanted to open it. This law says that users might have to (God Forbid) accept responsibility for their inept actions. They might actually THINK about opening the attachment before they do. Anti-Virii software, as said in other comments, is reactionary. Once you open the attachment, the damage is done. Why is taking responsibility such a horrible thing?
I admit that the law is vague. But its also worthwhile. People should take more time into exactly what their doing with their computers. Computers are not evil, they don't have feelings, or consciousness'. They do what you tell them or let them. They ask you questions, and how you answer them is your responsbility .
Taking time to look at your email and realize that it may be bad for your computer Is Not A Bad Thing(tm).
It's more than radical. Its ridiculous.
There's no way that even HALF of the internet users would be able to complete HALF of those courses. Let alone the kids who go on just to check out blues clues or Pokemon. The way the system is, and works, and runs (and looks like its going to continue going this way), the stupidity and laziness will ALWAYS be there.
Think of this: What about the stupidity and laziness of sys admins? Blame the users, but who runs the isps and the AOLs? When you try to track down a problem, you need to start at the source.
Here's an example: Say Joe Sixpack is having a problem with his car. Would you blame Mr. Sixpack for a bad alternator? Or would you blame the car dealer? Or would you blame the car manufacturer?
You can break it down as far as you want. The last thing we need is Internet Licenses. You think we don't have any privacy NOW?
Another interesting aspect is the fact that no one really sees 350 megs as downloadable. You damn straight its downloadable. Its not as if you're going to have to download the entire movie in one chunk. Warezed video games have been divided into 'disks' for ages now. You get the first hour in 35 10MB disks. Then you get the second hour in X disks. (in theory) you could increase the resolution and quality and break the movie up further, depending on what kind of experience you want to get. We're a long way from downloading Lord of the Rings the same day its realeased in theatres (whenever that will be), but the with the speed that DSL, Cable and ISDN have swept across the country, we're not that far away either.
I was reading the comments on the original story, and I have to agree: this story is pointless. Who cares? How may people own this 16-no-i'm-sorry-but-its-only-12 bit "pocket" pc? Slashdot has hundreds of submissions, admitted some of them may be repeats, but there are still hundreds of other interesting things we could be focusing our time on. Jornada is the absolute LAST thing on my agenda, as well as the 3 people that bought one and want their money back because they lost their 4 bits.
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Obi
"But we do."
"But we don't."
"But we do!"
"Well, fine then, you can have your game, but you must sacrifice one of your own for it!"
(At this point, the outspoken one among them walks the plank for the sake of creative freedom, and falls into the icy depths...)
And so goes the sad tale of Id softwares creative team, versus the corporate junkies.
This, in my amateur opinion, is a lie. Where do you think the government got the IDEA to impose these laws? Lobbyists, congressional aids, people whose sole concern is staying in Washington, and they all speak the language of money. The money is what drives the laws. You think government cares about Napster or newsgroups? They know less about the internet than my cat. But, they DO understand that the huge mongo-corporate-enslavers want it done, so they can sleep safely in their tax-paid bed and fly in the tax-paid private jets. If you want to know the source of the problem, look beyond the obvious. Goverment enforces these laws, but whose idea were the laws in the first place?
What is the question?