. . . isn't the technology but the people in suits. They really need two things to make e-readers work.
1) Open standards. Investing in a given proprietary format is risky to the consumer. What if future devices won't support current formats? When my reader breaks and I want to buy a new one from a different manufacturer, how can I move my library? Self-publishing? Open standards addresses all this. I will not buy one until I can really own my e-books.
2) Aggregation with value added service. A virtual news stand where you can pick out magazines and newspapers cafeteria style with different levels of subscription. For example, the basic would be two monthly magazine and one daily paper. The next level would be three magazines, two daily papers and an annual. I could pick out a variety of publications but only have to pay one bill.
For an example of a value added service, consider a magazine like Time or a newspaper such as the New York Times making their archives available online to subscribers. Under this model there are definite advantages to subscription. I'd have the entire "paper" and the archives (or other value added service) rather than an abbreviated online version. I'd have it all on a device that I can take into my living room and stretch out on the couch and enjoy my coffee.
Just my two cents.
Until a few years ago I worked in the sales department at Gateway. If one of my customers called with a problem like this, and tech support was unable to resolve the issue, I'd just replace his system. Systems do get damaged in transit from time to time.
Storing data for the long term has always been a problem. Data carved in stone or clay tablets will over time be worn away. Great works on scolls of paper are lost. Cave painitngs fade and canvas degenerates. Granted those mediums held up well, but are more difficult reproduce historically.
Considering the relative ease and speed of copying and moving data from format to format in contemporary mediums permanence should be achieved through propagation. Each copy may have a short life compared to illuminated manuscripts or italian frescoes, but it takes comparatively little to burn the Library of Congress to dvd in comparison.
It's funny 'cos it's true. I used to work for Gateway and it amazed me how many people would call in and could not differentiate Windows from the web, let alone AOL and the internet. Many of these people were on their second computer, so they were not totally new.
AOL's bloated bells and whistles software, shopping and special content appeals to a segment of the population that has pretty deep pockets.
AOL also sells High Speed (DSL via Covad IIRC and cable, a rebranding of their TimeWarner Roadrunner
service).
Yeah, people didn't share music prior to peer to peer networks.... not online (FTP and binaries newsgroups) and definately not back in the old days (cassette tape).
It's all about who is going to control the distribution of music. The RIAA doesn't want artists to be able cut the middlemen (recording labels) from the process.
In order to presever the status quo, the RIAA labals are suing their own customers. This will only hasten the inevitable. I do feel sorry for the people that are being harrassed. It's sad and wrong and does nothing for those that actually create the music.
1.The author cites the change in aerospace technology as evidence of the rapid changes that can and do take place over a very short period of time. The rapid advances between the flight of the Wright Bros and the first B-52 was largely spurred on by R&D done during the second world war and the cold war. There in so such comparable imperative for robot development.
2. Painting interesting pictures of what the future might be taking Moore's Law a few years out hass been done before and better by Ray Kurzweil.
http://www.kurzweiltech.com/aboutray.html
3. Robotic advances will not occur in vacuum. Other technogies will take huge leaps foreward as well, such as biotech, nanotech, quantum computing, alternative power. The dynamics of global economy will be very different from what we have now, in the same way that the gloabal economy of to today is radically different from previous eras.
4. The forty hour work week will be replaced by the forty hour fun week.
5. An other interesting question about 2050: What of Linux?;)
I agree.
I downloaded Mozilla last week to run on my Win2K based system and I totally love it. I especially like the tabbed browsing and pop up killer. It seems more stable that IE too... and definatley less bloated.
It is one more step towards shaking my nasty MS habit.
That is a brilliant idea!
Also you can add the DOD.
Between Jobs and McNeally stick a scene like this: 30% opaque American flag waving and an US Army private in BDU's hoping out of a hummer in the background. Foreground is a close up of the same young private saying, "I believe in Unix."
Add in some famous scientists like Stephen Hawking and tat would really be something:)
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. . . isn't the technology but the people in suits. They really need two things to make e-readers work. 1) Open standards. Investing in a given proprietary format is risky to the consumer. What if future devices won't support current formats? When my reader breaks and I want to buy a new one from a different manufacturer, how can I move my library? Self-publishing? Open standards addresses all this. I will not buy one until I can really own my e-books. 2) Aggregation with value added service. A virtual news stand where you can pick out magazines and newspapers cafeteria style with different levels of subscription. For example, the basic would be two monthly magazine and one daily paper. The next level would be three magazines, two daily papers and an annual. I could pick out a variety of publications but only have to pay one bill. For an example of a value added service, consider a magazine like Time or a newspaper such as the New York Times making their archives available online to subscribers. Under this model there are definite advantages to subscription. I'd have the entire "paper" and the archives (or other value added service) rather than an abbreviated online version. I'd have it all on a device that I can take into my living room and stretch out on the couch and enjoy my coffee. Just my two cents.
Until a few years ago I worked in the sales department at Gateway. If one of my customers called with a problem like this, and tech support was unable to resolve the issue, I'd just replace his system. Systems do get damaged in transit from time to time.
an Official Red Ryder Carbine-Action Two-Hundred-Shot Range Model Air Rifle with a Compass in the stock.... .. but i'd probably shoot my eye out. =(
Storing data for the long term has always been a problem. Data carved in stone or clay tablets will over time be worn away. Great works on scolls of paper are lost. Cave painitngs fade and canvas degenerates. Granted those mediums held up well, but are more difficult reproduce historically. Considering the relative ease and speed of copying and moving data from format to format in contemporary mediums permanence should be achieved through propagation. Each copy may have a short life compared to illuminated manuscripts or italian frescoes, but it takes comparatively little to burn the Library of Congress to dvd in comparison.
It's funny 'cos it's true. I used to work for Gateway and it amazed me how many people would call in and could not differentiate Windows from the web, let alone AOL and the internet. Many of these people were on their second computer, so they were not totally new. AOL's bloated bells and whistles software, shopping and special content appeals to a segment of the population that has pretty deep pockets. AOL also sells High Speed (DSL via Covad IIRC and cable, a rebranding of their TimeWarner Roadrunner service).
Yeah, people didn't share music prior to peer to peer networks.... not online (FTP and binaries newsgroups) and definately not back in the old days (cassette tape).
It's all about who is going to control the distribution of music. The RIAA doesn't want artists to be able cut the middlemen (recording labels) from the process.
In order to presever the status quo, the RIAA labals are suing their own customers. This will only hasten the inevitable. I do feel sorry for the people that are being harrassed. It's sad and wrong and does nothing for those that actually create the music.
1.The author cites the change in aerospace technology as evidence of the rapid changes that can and do take place over a very short period of time. The rapid advances between the flight of the Wright Bros and the first B-52 was largely spurred on by R&D done during the second world war and the cold war. There in so such comparable imperative for robot development. 2. Painting interesting pictures of what the future might be taking Moore's Law a few years out hass been done before and better by Ray Kurzweil. http://www.kurzweiltech.com/aboutray.html 3. Robotic advances will not occur in vacuum. Other technogies will take huge leaps foreward as well, such as biotech, nanotech, quantum computing, alternative power. The dynamics of global economy will be very different from what we have now, in the same way that the gloabal economy of to today is radically different from previous eras. 4. The forty hour work week will be replaced by the forty hour fun week. 5. An other interesting question about 2050: What of Linux? ;)
I agree. I downloaded Mozilla last week to run on my Win2K based system and I totally love it. I especially like the tabbed browsing and pop up killer. It seems more stable that IE too... and definatley less bloated. It is one more step towards shaking my nasty MS habit.
That is a brilliant idea! Also you can add the DOD. Between Jobs and McNeally stick a scene like this: 30% opaque American flag waving and an US Army private in BDU's hoping out of a hummer in the background. Foreground is a close up of the same young private saying, "I believe in Unix." Add in some famous scientists like Stephen Hawking and tat would really be something :)