There's undoubtedly a worry, however, that should the company integrate IE into the box, people will start buying the Xbox purely as a set-top box - which is almost exactly what Microsoft is trying to prevent with its crackdown on mod chips.
This quote in the Register story has a pretty narrow view of the situation. If Microsoft is expanding the functionality of the XBox in such a way that you can use if for lots of things other than games, they've more than likely considered how to make money selling games on some of those systems. And that's licensing to companies that want to create software for the non-gaming end users. Want to be the first to launch your MS Branded video phone software on the Xbox? Licensing and a revenue split please.
Blocking mod chips isn't necessarily just to ensure people use their machines for games, it's to ensure the software (whatever it is) passes through the MS revenue stream at some point.
true, but neither will most storage media. they can store the player software and codecs on the same hard drives, and when the next leap is required at least they'll be ready.
Buy an all-in-wonder card, hook up your VCR to the video in, and you're on your way. You can pick up an 80 gig drive for very little money these days, so just divx the video up.
Should cost less than 200 bucks, maybe more if you really want to preserve every pixel of visual integrity.
Haven't been in a hospital lately have you? Lots of people depend on the software in machines there to keep them alive. The QA is consequently much more intense on those products.
Yeah, well if you've made a previous legit purchase at an online store, and then someone (be it the company or a thief) makes a bunch of false ones on that same card you're fucked for at least 60 days according to my dealings with VISA.
They refused to take action for a 60 day minimum citing that it was up to me to work it out with the company first. In the meantime I had to pay interest on the fraudulent charges that had accrued on my card.
It's obscene how so many transactions require a credit card these days, yet most of cards offer no security beyond a signature on the back.
If you drive a motorcycle on the sidewalk, then you're a threat to pedestrians, and another argument for the people who think motorcyclists are all arrogant dumbasses who think they own the road.
Well, the average reader isn't going to find much use in this, but imagine how handy it would be to the average burglar or rapist. They don't have to take the inital risk of peeking in the windows.
You can scope out a house in advance, see if anyone is home, etc. etc.
Wireless functionality is great, but I wouldn't use those cameras in my home without some form of encryption.
It doesn't even *pretend* to be journalism... It's a geek news portal collecting links from elsewhere. Spelling errors by the Slashdot crew is not the end of journalistic integrity.
Along with the incredible upsurge in crap, there's also been an incredible upsurge in *useful* information and tools.
All you need to do is adapt your filtering skills to match the obfuscation of marketers and you're set.
It's really not much different than in medieval market places where a person looking for an item would be beset upon by dozens of merchants hawking their wares aggressively. The venue has changed, but the marketplace moved with it.
I can't agree that it's the gun laws that make this country a safer place. As you can see by the numbers they give in Bowling For Columbine, we have seven million guns for a population of 32 million. That still a LOT of guns.
It has more to do with the way we deal with each other, and the type of weapons as well. We're raised thinking guns (generally rifles and shotguns in the homes here) are for hunting and recreation. There is less emphasis on using a firearm to protect ones rights, whatever they may be in a situation.
What I'd like to see is a comparison between Canada and the US that encompasses all levels of violence against other individuals, rather than just gun violence. Do we beat the shit out of people we have problems with any more or less? Just where do the differences manifest themselves in the way we deal with other when stepping on each others toes...
It's not how much you're taxed, it's where the dollars go. Here in Canada, the military is underfunded and using mostly outdated technology and equipment (despite the ads we see on TV showing everyone using the coolest stuff). The health care and social welfare systems see a great amount of the money. The schools are somewhere in the middle of that. So long as we don't have a pressing need for the military, this works. The US puts a much higher priority on military spending, (and bailing out huge companies run by friends of politicos, but we get that here too) and therefore doesn't have the beans to provide free healthcare.
You shouldn't need to pay a cent more in taxes, you just need tax reform revising the way those taxes are spent.
Slashdot Mirror
When did he quit? Right after the big postal spamming gig against the other "Spam King"?
:)
Wouldn't surprise me.
argh:
they've more than likely considered how to make money selling games on some of those systems.
correction:
money ^^without selling
There's undoubtedly a worry, however, that should the company integrate IE into the box, people will start buying the Xbox purely as a set-top box - which is almost exactly what Microsoft is trying to prevent with its crackdown on mod chips.
This quote in the Register story has a pretty narrow view of the situation. If Microsoft is expanding the functionality of the XBox in such a way that you can use if for lots of things other than games, they've more than likely considered how to make money selling games on some of those systems. And that's licensing to companies that want to create software for the non-gaming end users. Want to be the first to launch your MS Branded video phone software on the Xbox? Licensing and a revenue split please.
Blocking mod chips isn't necessarily just to ensure people use their machines for games, it's to ensure the software (whatever it is) passes through the MS revenue stream at some point.
yeah, good point there. The VE edition I bought before went right back to the store.
plus if you want to play a console on your monitor using the video in of the All-in-Wonder the VE has noticeable lag.
true, but neither will most storage media.
they can store the player software and codecs on the same hard drives, and when the next leap is required at least they'll be ready.
Buy an all-in-wonder card, hook up your VCR to the video in, and you're on your way.
You can pick up an 80 gig drive for very little money these days, so just divx the video up.
Should cost less than 200 bucks, maybe more if you really want to preserve every pixel of visual integrity.
Haven't been in a hospital lately have you? Lots of people depend on the software in machines there to keep them alive. The QA is consequently much more intense on those products.
Yeah, well if you've made a previous legit purchase at an online store, and then someone (be it the company or a thief) makes a bunch of false ones on that same card you're fucked for at least 60 days according to my dealings with VISA.
They refused to take action for a 60 day minimum citing that it was up to me to work it out with the company first. In the meantime I had to pay interest on the fraudulent charges that had accrued on my card.
It's obscene how so many transactions require a credit card these days, yet most of cards offer no security beyond a signature on the back.
You don't need to play Road Rash for that... just drive a minivan. I got cut off or almost run into by them daily when I had my bike.
If you drive a motorcycle on the sidewalk, then you're a threat to pedestrians, and another argument for the people who think motorcyclists are all arrogant dumbasses who think they own the road.
Well, the average reader isn't going to find much use in this, but imagine how handy it would be to the average burglar or rapist. They don't have to take the inital risk of peeking in the windows.
You can scope out a house in advance, see if anyone is home, etc. etc.
Wireless functionality is great, but I wouldn't use those cameras in my home without some form of encryption.
Communism hasn't killed anyone. Corrupt communist politicians have.
Genocide does not have political allies.
Doh, you're right.
Who's a famous troll?
Ah, so geeks aren't allowed to laugh at stuff, or wax nostalgia.
:)
Nice try Shrek, now get back under the bridge and harass some goats.
RandomGuy: Hey, I really gotta go. Can somebody clear a stall?
From Stall #1: Sorry, checking my email. I'll be a few minutes.
From Stall #2: I'm busy trading my life away on ETrade, piss off!
From Stall #3: *fwap* Almost *fwap* done! *fwap*
From Stall #4: We're out of paper in here, I'm contacting technical support!
RandomGuy: (Eyes crossed, making odd grunting noises, Exits)
Could be worse.... you could go to one of those hidden camera sites and find yourself posted as the link of the day.
Aren't the Borg just Daleks with fashion sense?
Pizza and Spaghetti, while not invented by the Italians, are widely considered to have been perfected by them :)
It doesn't even *pretend* to be journalism... It's a geek news portal collecting links from elsewhere. Spelling errors by the Slashdot crew is not the end of journalistic integrity.
Along with the incredible upsurge in crap, there's also been an incredible upsurge in *useful* information and tools.
All you need to do is adapt your filtering skills to match the obfuscation of marketers and you're set.
It's really not much different than in medieval market places where a person looking for an item would be beset upon by dozens of merchants hawking their wares aggressively. The venue has changed, but the marketplace moved with it.
I hope you punsters get your just desserts.
They wanted to reintegrate all the people that put "Jedi" on their census forms.
I guess it's too late for a "Free Krawtchouk" website and defense fund t-shirt sales.
I can't agree that it's the gun laws that make this country a safer place. As you can see by the numbers they give in Bowling For Columbine, we have seven million guns for a population of 32 million. That still a LOT of guns.
It has more to do with the way we deal with each other, and the type of weapons as well. We're raised thinking guns (generally rifles and shotguns in the homes here) are for hunting and recreation. There is less emphasis on using a firearm to protect ones rights, whatever they may be in a situation.
What I'd like to see is a comparison between Canada and the US that encompasses all levels of violence against other individuals, rather than just gun violence. Do we beat the shit out of people we have problems with any more or less? Just where do the differences manifest themselves in the way we deal with other when stepping on each others toes...
It's not how much you're taxed, it's where the dollars go. Here in Canada, the military is underfunded and using mostly outdated technology and equipment (despite the ads we see on TV showing everyone using the coolest stuff). The health care and social welfare systems see a great amount of the money. The schools are somewhere in the middle of that.
So long as we don't have a pressing need for the military, this works.
The US puts a much higher priority on military spending, (and bailing out huge companies run by friends of politicos, but we get that here too) and therefore doesn't have the beans to provide free healthcare.
You shouldn't need to pay a cent more in taxes, you just need tax reform revising the way those taxes are spent.