I've got to say, the more I read about the PSP, the more I want one over the DS. I couldn't really see the answer to the question as to how it will look as compared to the Playstation vs Playstation 2, but if they can just make it so it'll play a while before the batteries die, I'm in.
At least Sony is smarter than to have a device which can barely play a single movie before running out of batteries.
What I'd love to see is some sort of model which predicts where and when the equilibrium point will be reached with all of this outsourcing.
For example, we're seeing software engineers' salaries inflate wildly, so much so that I've heard a factoid that it will no longer be profitable to hire them over United States engineers in only a few years time. Presumably the same would happen with Indian doctors, as they suddenly have all this money to spend, and competition gets fierce.
Presumably other factors would also need to be included in the model, such as the fact that China will simply take over from India once it gets too expensive. But, how long will this take? For us the United States, how long will we be waiting until we can compete on level terms with those from other countries again?
I think the difference here is the amount of time invested in a game like this. We've all since instances of advanced avatars going for a significant amount of money in the real world.
If I had spent a big chunk of time in a game, spent my money to access it every month, and then felt I had a right to be offended, well, I'd probably be pretty pissed off too.
Aaaah, how many of the extras on DVDs do you actually find useful? How many DVDs have you bought with those nice "collectible" booklets which, ummmm, have a track listing. The one and only reason this is done is to suck you into buying the new version. X-Men 1.5 anybody? Spider-Man 2.5? Do you honestly think they can possibly come up with anything new as far as 99% of movies is concerned? Perhaps a new 5 minute interview with the hairstylist?
And I call bullshit on "$20 million" - with so many movies in a digital format already, how could they possibly spend this much money?
You know what, why am I even debating you. Go and spend your money over and over and over again for the same movie you've seen a thousand times before. Get your rocks off on that interview with the hairstylist.
The parent should be modded up. I absolutely agree. Who cares which technology wins, because I lose.
I now have a pretty large DVD collection in my house. 5 years down the track, when it gets harder and harder to find the old-spec DVD players, I'm probably going to have to think about buying some of them all over again. No doubt the movie industry will come out with new releases with super-mega-plus features and all that.
Sure, you can still get VCRs today, and even play those old vinyl things I've heard about, but I don't think that's the point. What the movie industry needs to do is separate the purchase of the rights from the purchase of the media. I should pay once for a lifetime right to watch such-and-such a movie. If the media changes, then I only pay for the costs of the new media, not the movie itself. If that medium is broadband, then I pay for carrier charges.
It seems pretty clear-cut to me, but I'm not sure if I'm raving.
I remember Pascal from my high-school days, where my math teacher let us build all sorts of cool stuff in it. Never touched it in undergrad though, we were all C and ADA.
I'd be interested to hear why people think Pascal never caught on like C or Java did? My understanding is that nowadays one of the Borland tools implements what is essentially an OO-version of Pascal?
It seems to me that Microsoft, Creative, and others are getting way ahead of the game here. I myself am still not clear what sort of content I could even play through my XBox in this way, or what content I could download to the latest Creative portable video device.
It seems to me as though everybody needs to back up for a second here, fix the concerns and problems with copyright, and then create the technology. This just seems like an answer looking for a problem. Today, I'm not sure if I can upload my DVD collection to my computer (I wouldn't even have the hard drive space on my computer), and why on earth would I want to do this when I already have a nice simple solution involving DVDs and a DVD player?
Ever heard of TSQL? Neither would have I, if I hadn't been forced to read about it in college. It would seem that there has been a huge number of variants of SQL over the years that have tried to make it "better." The benefits just never seem to outweigh the cost of learning a new language.
...that damn well throws up an ad that looks like a Windows interface. This time, one that looks like the screensaver settings. No doubt nobody will read this post before actually going to the website, but somebody should maintain a black-list of websites that do this kind of thing.
I myself think far better to have standard "capabilities" than standard "levels." I believe I've already seen most marketing material do this. For example, a computer could designate itself as "Web Browsing" aka Level 1, or "Word Processing" aka Level 2, and so forth. Again, my gold standard is always my mom. Level 1, huh? she says. What the hell does that mean? she says.
This idea isn't revolutionary, but I think what could be is saying that Level 8 is a gaming machine with a very precise configuration that manufacturers have to build to, and, say, game developers saying that all of their games will run well on such and such a level. Pretty much the standardization that consoles give us, but on a PC. Never, ever have I had to worry whether an XBox game will run well on my rig. If only I had that luxury on a PC.
I guess the biggest problem I'd have with the drudge report would be the fact that it has been linked so often to the Republican smear machine.
Don't get me wrong, I've recently seen the light and realized once again that -all- politicians suck after a brief fling with the belief that the Democrats were On My Side. But, Drudge just seems to be out for a slanderous story, and well, it doesn't even have to be true to generate some traffic now does it?
Of course, this website is not the only one, nor is it a factor of it being right-leaning (Michael Moore anybody?) but there you go.
Geez, if I said things like that about my product, to the extent where I wouldn't even use it because it's so insecure, I'd be shown the door in next to no time.
So, either he's incredibly brave, incredibly stupid, or that's a point for Microsoft, for allowing their employees to be candid about the state of their products.
The poster's last link really got me thinking. Imagine you get hit by one of these monsters on a street where it's not actually legal for them to be driving? Sounds like a mighty big lawsuit waiting to happen to me, particularly if it, er, explodes in a large hydrogen explosion. Kidding.
But seriously, I've wondered how long it'd be until somebody sued an SUV driver for running into them in a car which they bought specifically because it would give them a higher survival rate. I can see the prosecution lawyer now: "Now let me see, you bought this car specifically because you knew it would kill the occupants of the other vehicle, and not your own?"
I can never quite understand the traders in the stock market. Say you're a massive company like American Express, and you hear this news. Hmmmm, the company which is pressing the lawsuit says it has found astonishing new evidence which will help it prove its case. Conflict of interest? Nah! Let's buy lots of their stock!
Or perhaps I have it all backwards, but how can the stock go up 14% without this sort of thing happening?
I'm not convinced. When the hardware specs were posted on Slashdot the other day, somebody insightfully noted that there's a pretty serious conflict of interest here, given the "exclusiveness" of these benchmarks. Would id have let them do anything but publish benchmarks that were heavily in nVidia's favor? Is this just another TCO study commissioned by Microsoft?
On the whole, the whole article just read like a ra-ra advertisement for nVidia. Finally, 2 slots and a new power supply just for one game? Nuh-uh.
I'm sorry, but the Republicans in the US have repeatedly shown that they put big business before the little guy.
Maybe I'm too old and cynical, but this just seems like political hijinx, which the "news" organizations will pick up and report, will keep the people happy who have neither the time nor the inclination to dig deeper into the details of this enforcement, but will ultimately hurt us all in the long run. I can't see the government caring beyond it making a nice sound-bite in tonight's news.
I myself wouldn't be in the least surprised if they found life on Mars.
Again and again, life has proven itself to be a real beyutch to kill. Bottom of the sea near lava vents. Antarctic wastelands which are the driest places on earth. I believe I once read about viruses which had survived in space for years as well.
I think the notion of panspermia (if I have the terminology correct) - that life first arrived on Earth after having been blown off the surface of Mars by an impacting meteor - is one of the most interesting theories out there.
I have to admit this just doesn't interest me. As fast as what is rapidly becoming the last generation of graphics accelerators from ATI and nVidia? Hmmm.
Being in the market for a new graphics card (Doom 3 anybody?) I have to admit this wouldn't even show up on the radar. I have enough concerns about ATI stability, or the fact that I need to buy a separate minitower and nuclear power supply to power the nVidia cards.
I think this is a really interesting post, but I have to admit I disagree a little. I think it's a particularly edge-case scenario that we be able to keep the cell network up so that people can say goodbye to their loved ones in the case of a tragedy. Sure, it's a nice thought, but sometimes reality just sucks like a beyutch, and you don't get this sort of thing. It's just crushing reality.
I think a whole bunch of people will argue one way or the other as to which way this thing should go. What's interesting to me is the larger picture here.
Presumably, one of the concerns here is that terrorists would be able to determine the locations of vital cell-phone network equipment and thereby disrupt that network. This made me think of the other news we've seen lately, particularly the concept of a P2P cell network, where cell-phones participate on a swarm-like network. Potential of disrupting such a network? Very, very low.
It's easy to leap to other conclusions here as well. Telecommuting is another example of a technology where it would be difficult to kill a large number of people working in an office building simply because they're suddenly geographically distributed over a large area.
So yeah, a little offtopic, admittedly (that ought to attract the mods), but an interesting future for what may or may not be an actual problem in the present, don't you think?
Slashdot Mirror
At least Sony is smarter than to have a device which can barely play a single movie before running out of batteries.
For example, we're seeing software engineers' salaries inflate wildly, so much so that I've heard a factoid that it will no longer be profitable to hire them over United States engineers in only a few years time. Presumably the same would happen with Indian doctors, as they suddenly have all this money to spend, and competition gets fierce.
Presumably other factors would also need to be included in the model, such as the fact that China will simply take over from India once it gets too expensive. But, how long will this take? For us the United States, how long will we be waiting until we can compete on level terms with those from other countries again?
If I had spent a big chunk of time in a game, spent my money to access it every month, and then felt I had a right to be offended, well, I'd probably be pretty pissed off too.
And I call bullshit on "$20 million" - with so many movies in a digital format already, how could they possibly spend this much money?
You know what, why am I even debating you. Go and spend your money over and over and over again for the same movie you've seen a thousand times before. Get your rocks off on that interview with the hairstylist.
I now have a pretty large DVD collection in my house. 5 years down the track, when it gets harder and harder to find the old-spec DVD players, I'm probably going to have to think about buying some of them all over again. No doubt the movie industry will come out with new releases with super-mega-plus features and all that.
Sure, you can still get VCRs today, and even play those old vinyl things I've heard about, but I don't think that's the point. What the movie industry needs to do is separate the purchase of the rights from the purchase of the media. I should pay once for a lifetime right to watch such-and-such a movie. If the media changes, then I only pay for the costs of the new media, not the movie itself. If that medium is broadband, then I pay for carrier charges.
It seems pretty clear-cut to me, but I'm not sure if I'm raving.
I'd be interested to hear why people think Pascal never caught on like C or Java did? My understanding is that nowadays one of the Borland tools implements what is essentially an OO-version of Pascal?
1. Yay! Now SBC will have another reason to call me at home 5 times a week and ask me if I'd like fries with my telephone service.
2. Yay! Is Microsoft in control of fucking everything now?
Alternatively, what commercial software exists that allows you to do this today?
It seems to me as though everybody needs to back up for a second here, fix the concerns and problems with copyright, and then create the technology. This just seems like an answer looking for a problem. Today, I'm not sure if I can upload my DVD collection to my computer (I wouldn't even have the hard drive space on my computer), and why on earth would I want to do this when I already have a nice simple solution involving DVDs and a DVD player?
Mr Smithers, my devious plan is to block out the sun! Release the blimps!
Ever heard of TSQL? Neither would have I, if I hadn't been forced to read about it in college. It would seem that there has been a huge number of variants of SQL over the years that have tried to make it "better." The benefits just never seem to outweigh the cost of learning a new language.
Maybe I should.
This idea isn't revolutionary, but I think what could be is saying that Level 8 is a gaming machine with a very precise configuration that manufacturers have to build to, and, say, game developers saying that all of their games will run well on such and such a level. Pretty much the standardization that consoles give us, but on a PC. Never, ever have I had to worry whether an XBox game will run well on my rig. If only I had that luxury on a PC.
Don't get me wrong, I've recently seen the light and realized once again that -all- politicians suck after a brief fling with the belief that the Democrats were On My Side. But, Drudge just seems to be out for a slanderous story, and well, it doesn't even have to be true to generate some traffic now does it?
Of course, this website is not the only one, nor is it a factor of it being right-leaning (Michael Moore anybody?) but there you go.
So, either he's incredibly brave, incredibly stupid, or that's a point for Microsoft, for allowing their employees to be candid about the state of their products.
But seriously, I've wondered how long it'd be until somebody sued an SUV driver for running into them in a car which they bought specifically because it would give them a higher survival rate. I can see the prosecution lawyer now: "Now let me see, you bought this car specifically because you knew it would kill the occupants of the other vehicle, and not your own?"
Anyway, got me thinking again.
Or perhaps I have it all backwards, but how can the stock go up 14% without this sort of thing happening?
On the whole, the whole article just read like a ra-ra advertisement for nVidia. Finally, 2 slots and a new power supply just for one game? Nuh-uh.
Maybe I'm too old and cynical, but this just seems like political hijinx, which the "news" organizations will pick up and report, will keep the people happy who have neither the time nor the inclination to dig deeper into the details of this enforcement, but will ultimately hurt us all in the long run. I can't see the government caring beyond it making a nice sound-bite in tonight's news.
I'm just waiting for the revolution.
See, they're touching themselves when they're at porn sites. Do you see? DO YOU SEE?
KHAAAAAANNNNNNNNN!
Oh. dear. God.
Again and again, life has proven itself to be a real beyutch to kill. Bottom of the sea near lava vents. Antarctic wastelands which are the driest places on earth. I believe I once read about viruses which had survived in space for years as well.
I think the notion of panspermia (if I have the terminology correct) - that life first arrived on Earth after having been blown off the surface of Mars by an impacting meteor - is one of the most interesting theories out there.
Being in the market for a new graphics card (Doom 3 anybody?) I have to admit this wouldn't even show up on the radar. I have enough concerns about ATI stability, or the fact that I need to buy a separate minitower and nuclear power supply to power the nVidia cards.
I think this is a really interesting post, but I have to admit I disagree a little. I think it's a particularly edge-case scenario that we be able to keep the cell network up so that people can say goodbye to their loved ones in the case of a tragedy. Sure, it's a nice thought, but sometimes reality just sucks like a beyutch, and you don't get this sort of thing. It's just crushing reality.
Presumably, one of the concerns here is that terrorists would be able to determine the locations of vital cell-phone network equipment and thereby disrupt that network. This made me think of the other news we've seen lately, particularly the concept of a P2P cell network, where cell-phones participate on a swarm-like network. Potential of disrupting such a network? Very, very low.
It's easy to leap to other conclusions here as well. Telecommuting is another example of a technology where it would be difficult to kill a large number of people working in an office building simply because they're suddenly geographically distributed over a large area.
So yeah, a little offtopic, admittedly (that ought to attract the mods), but an interesting future for what may or may not be an actual problem in the present, don't you think?