Things like you couldn't use it as a direct access device (i.e. a big floppy) so you had to transfer audio in real-time.
MiniDisc was released in 1992.
"Multimedia PC" was just on the verge of becoming a buzzword at that time, so it's safe to say that very, very few people had PC capable of doing such a thing. How many non-nerds did you know in '92 who had a CD-ROM, which would be required... or actually even a PC, for that matter? Plus, near-real-time would kinda still be required, since high-speed CD drives didn't get popular for a few years.
It was built for its time, and to replace the cassette tape.
They upgraded the tech in the 21st century to allow high-speed USB transfers.
MiniDisc only failed in America. ("I just replaced my tapes with CDs, and now you want me to replace my CDs?", totally missing the point.) It was a huge success in Japan and Europe, where people got the point.
ATRAC (which does admittedly suck) was in MiniDisc use before MP3 even became a buzzword, so you have to give it that. Sony just clung to it for a bit too long.
MemoryStick is still being used in hundreds of consumer devices. (Albeit they're mostly Sony devices, but the format is nonetheless still in heavy use.) Ditching it would please the Sony-haters, who honestly would be completely unaffected, but what of the people who already own plenty of MemorySticks and stick-using devices?
But UMD... well, that was just plain stupid. Hi-MD would have been a much better choice.
After years of living in the basement, it's easier to adapt to the glow of the computer monitor and network LEDs than go out into the sun to buy a new bulb
They HAVE to reproduce the look of the original film stock. You can't have untouched razor-sharp modern CG alongside film from the '60s. It looks totally out of whack, like haphazardly splicing high-res CG into a fuzzy home video.
Honestly, who issued the fatwa that said that geeks should be obliged to love the manga/anime graphical style? Maybe I'm in the vanishing minority, but I'm thinking it feels a bit played-out to me.
The inbox should be used for NEW, UNREAD MESSAGES ONLY!
YOU'RE NOT THE BOSS OF ME!
(My Inbox is for e-mail dating back approx 6 months. Once in a while I go and shove all my older non-junk messages into a year-based archive folder, dating back to 1997.)
Plus, attentive developers can stand around and watch people interact with their games. See what's working and what's not, without having to dredge teens from a mall for focus testing. (A few times I've been playing games at E3, and seen developers keenly watching.)
For the same reason the automotive industry needs its annual Detroit Auto Show. Being there and seeing it is much better than a dry PDF and AVI file. Wandering the floor and finding something unexpected that you weren't exactly looking for.
Look at Kentia Hall. There is NO WAY IN HELL those companies would have any way of getting any (relatively) decent amount of notice if they relied on the web. (They have a hard enough time as it is getting noticed.)
The problem is E3 spending got WAY out of control, each company trying to outdo the other.
With E3 imploding, the games indutry is losing its biggest attention-grabbing showpiece.
Ya, it kinda deviated from its original intention as a trade show, but it became sort of a "Cannes" of videogames.
If you don't know what the Cannes Film Festival is, it's an annual international film festival (obviously) in the city of Cannes, France. The most important film festival in the world. It's filled to the brim with celebrities, and is a favourite venue for famous directors to debut their newest film.
E3, in recent years, started to emulate this festival in certain ways. In a more plasticky, american way, of course.
The internet may be the most efficient way of putting-out press releases, trailers and screenshots, but the games industry NEEDS a flashy annual event. (And I'm certain many of you will be quite vocal in your disagreement with this.)
Slashdot Mirror
John Howard? Backbone?
Earlier this year he came to Canada, and spoke in front of Pariliament.
All he talked about was how wonderful the United States is, and how we should love them too.
The only backbone he has is America's dick up his ass.
"Eight Arms To Hold You"
Or "Octomac"
Things like you couldn't use it as a direct access device (i.e. a big floppy) so you had to transfer audio in real-time.
MiniDisc was released in 1992.
"Multimedia PC" was just on the verge of becoming a buzzword at that time, so it's safe to say that very, very few people had PC capable of doing such a thing. How many non-nerds did you know in '92 who had a CD-ROM, which would be required... or actually even a PC, for that matter? Plus, near-real-time would kinda still be required, since high-speed CD drives didn't get popular for a few years.
It was built for its time, and to replace the cassette tape.
They upgraded the tech in the 21st century to allow high-speed USB transfers.
MiniDisc only failed in America. ("I just replaced my tapes with CDs, and now you want me to replace my CDs?", totally missing the point.) It was a huge success in Japan and Europe, where people got the point.
ATRAC (which does admittedly suck) was in MiniDisc use before MP3 even became a buzzword, so you have to give it that. Sony just clung to it for a bit too long.
MemoryStick is still being used in hundreds of consumer devices. (Albeit they're mostly Sony devices, but the format is nonetheless still in heavy use.) Ditching it would please the Sony-haters, who honestly would be completely unaffected, but what of the people who already own plenty of MemorySticks and stick-using devices?
But UMD... well, that was just plain stupid. Hi-MD would have been a much better choice.
Is it just me, or did the guy recycle large amounts of text between each of the reviews?
It's like he used a template, and just filled-in the blank spots with the name of the movie.
"negligible" × n-million = a whole fucking lot
I think that's reasonable... with one exception:
They HAVE to reproduce the look of the original film stock. You can't have untouched razor-sharp modern CG alongside film from the '60s. It looks totally out of whack, like haphazardly splicing high-res CG into a fuzzy home video.
What about the billion Chinese who use chopsticks?
Hmm... The fact that Hurd hasn't been born yet may be the reason that RMS is so fat.
Honestly, who issued the fatwa that said that geeks should be obliged to love the manga/anime graphical style? Maybe I'm in the vanishing minority, but I'm thinking it feels a bit played-out to me.
As opposed to the 60+ years of Underwear Perverts in geek culture?
guy
n.
1. Informal. A man; a fellow.
2. guys Informal. Persons of either sex.
Cogeco recently upped our connection to 7Mb... but left the cap at 15GB.
What kind of nonsense is that?
Prepare for a strip search next time you cross the border.
They may check "you know where" for WMDs.
The inbox should be used for NEW, UNREAD MESSAGES ONLY!
YOU'RE NOT THE BOSS OF ME!
(My Inbox is for e-mail dating back approx 6 months. Once in a while I go and shove all my older non-junk messages into a year-based archive folder, dating back to 1997.)
Notorious (faked) "spy photos" from previous years:
"iHome"
"iMac G5"
Both taken in elevators. I became sort of a running joke after a while.
I'm still waiting for "elevator photos". The keynote hype is not complete until then.
(Anyone who follows these things will know EXACTLY what I'm talking about.)
I can't hear any odd noise either.
But I've been to plenty of concerts, and worked at a music festival 3 years in a row.
But I can still hear high-pitched noises elsewhere...
Anyone with half a brain would plug it in when/before they start the car.
But these are drivers we're talking about...
Who says we have to switch to anything? XP works fine.
Even so, it's looking like a good time to get a Mac. I can have OSX, and continue to use XP.
I have my XP box behind a NAT, and use it on the net all the time.
I have very few problems.
I've been using XP since RC1, and have had only two real crashes. (One was due to bad memory, the other was caused by QuickTime.)
What? You're saying Wikipedia is run by homosexuals?
Well, you'd better add that to the Wikipedia page on Wikipedia right away.
So do things like game consoles and accessories.
Plus, attentive developers can stand around and watch people interact with their games. See what's working and what's not, without having to dredge teens from a mall for focus testing. (A few times I've been playing games at E3, and seen developers keenly watching.)
For the same reason the automotive industry needs its annual Detroit Auto Show. Being there and seeing it is much better than a dry PDF and AVI file. Wandering the floor and finding something unexpected that you weren't exactly looking for.
Look at Kentia Hall. There is NO WAY IN HELL those companies would have any way of getting any (relatively) decent amount of notice if they relied on the web. (They have a hard enough time as it is getting noticed.)
The problem is E3 spending got WAY out of control, each company trying to outdo the other.
With E3 imploding, the games indutry is losing its biggest attention-grabbing showpiece.
Ya, it kinda deviated from its original intention as a trade show, but it became sort of a "Cannes" of videogames.
If you don't know what the Cannes Film Festival is, it's an annual international film festival (obviously) in the city of Cannes, France. The most important film festival in the world. It's filled to the brim with celebrities, and is a favourite venue for famous directors to debut their newest film.
E3, in recent years, started to emulate this festival in certain ways. In a more plasticky, american way, of course.
The internet may be the most efficient way of putting-out press releases, trailers and screenshots, but the games industry NEEDS a flashy annual event. (And I'm certain many of you will be quite vocal in your disagreement with this.)