Also try reading other genre's, non-fiction, et al.
Science Fiction ---------------- George Alec Effinger Orscon Scott Card Rudy Rucker Neal Stephenson William Gibson Dan Simmons Cory Doctrow Bruce Sterling
Fantasy ------- Steven Brust Terry Goodkind (Sword of Truth Series) Robert Jordon (Although the Wheel of Time started to bore me after volume 75, when all the characters were well into their 90s and selling wine coolers.) Roger Zelazny
Fiction ------- Haruki Marukami Jim Munroe Jonathon Lethem David Bowman
I believe that satellite radio from Sirius and XM will probably be a success. There's still a large percentage of people that don't know what MP3 is, let alone have an MP3 player in their car. Programming from radio also doesn't have to be music. Talk radio is the largest money making genre on radio and obviously it doesn't lend itself to mp3 format. Talk radio is all about interaction with the audience and allowing people to call in to voice their opinions. The problem is that if you're in the middle of Montana, odds are you're only going to hear Rush Limbaugh and the rantings of militia groups. Also think about people that have to do a lot of traveling for their jobs. If they drive several hours a day, now they can at least sit back and listen to the same music channel, genre, whatever. you're not forever searching for the "alternative station" in each city you drive through. Many people listen to radio because you discover new music. Obviously this is an area where mp3 is lacking. For the most part, people download or rip music they know. Very few new music discoveries are made via mp3. This is really a mass-market technology, designed for audience much wider than the people that read slashdot. It's a model based on DirecTV, Dish network, et al. Who would have though that cable tv would prosper... "pay for tv when you can get it for free... never!" Who would have thought that satellite tv would grow so fast. Internet music is cool, but it's not convenient for most people. My parents don't listen to mp3, does yours? However, my parents do have DirecTV and when they buy a new car, if satellite radio is available, they'd probably accept that. Think mass market people... not geek market.
I also think you underestimate the audience that/. brings in these days. Perhaps partially because of Katz, a much greater variety of people read the page and not all of them are highly technical or fully aware of the whole RIAA/MP3 situation.
There is nothing wrong with shutting down pirate MP3 sites. There are problems when the RIAA won't let their own artists release tracks in MP3 format. The RIAA is afraid of digital distribution and they've fought it tooth and nail because it takes the most lucrative aspect of music sales out of their hands. That's why they fight MP3, piracy is just a smoke screen.
the other problem with CDR's is that sooner or later CDs/DVDs/whatever will cease to exist. i doubt there will be equipment around 100 years from now that will be able to play a CD... pretty much rendering that data useless. how many of us can play an original thomas edison wax recording these days? hell, i can't even play an LP anymore. technology is evolving too quickly for any back-up medium today to be viable 100 years from now.
Slashdot Mirror
Also try reading other genre's, non-fiction, et al.
Science Fiction
----------------
George Alec Effinger
Orscon Scott Card
Rudy Rucker
Neal Stephenson
William Gibson
Dan Simmons
Cory Doctrow
Bruce Sterling
Fantasy
-------
Steven Brust
Terry Goodkind (Sword of Truth Series)
Robert Jordon (Although the Wheel of Time started to bore me after volume 75, when all the characters were well into their 90s and selling wine coolers.)
Roger Zelazny
Fiction
-------
Haruki Marukami
Jim Munroe
Jonathon Lethem
David Bowman
Don't forget Zodiac. It's not as well known as some of Neal Stephenson's other books, but it's still very good.
I believe that satellite radio from Sirius and XM will probably be a success. There's still a large percentage of people that don't know what MP3 is, let alone have an MP3 player in their car. Programming from radio also doesn't have to be music. Talk radio is the largest money making genre on radio and obviously it doesn't lend itself to mp3 format. Talk radio is all about interaction with the audience and allowing people to call in to voice their opinions. The problem is that if you're in the middle of Montana, odds are you're only going to hear Rush Limbaugh and the rantings of militia groups. Also think about people that have to do a lot of traveling for their jobs. If they drive several hours a day, now they can at least sit back and listen to the same music channel, genre, whatever. you're not forever searching for the "alternative station" in each city you drive through. Many people listen to radio because you discover new music. Obviously this is an area where mp3 is lacking. For the most part, people download or rip music they know. Very few new music discoveries are made via mp3. This is really a mass-market technology, designed for audience much wider than the people that read slashdot. It's a model based on DirecTV, Dish network, et al. Who would have though that cable tv would prosper... "pay for tv when you can get it for free... never!" Who would have thought that satellite tv would grow so fast. Internet music is cool, but it's not convenient for most people. My parents don't listen to mp3, does yours? However, my parents do have DirecTV and when they buy a new car, if satellite radio is available, they'd probably accept that. Think mass market people... not geek market.
I also think you underestimate the audience that /. brings in these days. Perhaps partially because of Katz, a much greater variety of people read the page and not all of them are highly technical or fully aware of the whole RIAA/MP3 situation.
There is nothing wrong with shutting down pirate MP3 sites. There are problems when the RIAA won't let their own artists release tracks in MP3 format. The RIAA is afraid of digital distribution and they've fought it tooth and nail because it takes the most lucrative aspect of music sales out of their hands. That's why they fight MP3, piracy is just a smoke screen.
the other problem with CDR's is that sooner or later CDs/DVDs/whatever will cease to exist. i doubt there will be equipment around 100 years from now that will be able to play a CD... pretty much rendering that data useless. how many of us can play an original thomas edison wax recording these days? hell, i can't even play an LP anymore. technology is evolving too quickly for any back-up medium today to be viable 100 years from now.
kinda sucks.