Why do I always come away with the idea that the Universe is using the same Z-Buffer routine as Q]I[, as nothings ever there till we look at it. I tell you! The MATRIX IS A REALITY!!! Hehe;)
I have to laugh! First it was we want to make sure all the old apps will run on our new OS's. But now it's lets break all the old apps so they have to buy Office '02. Once again M$ is making money of braking software, just this time it's there own! HAHA:)
I think what was left out of this article is the fact that there are two types of intellectual properties. Ones that can help the progress of humanity (i.e. the cure for Cancer or AIDS) and the ones used for pure self-indulgence (things like pop music and blockbuster movies, etc).
Each type has a value, but the purpose it was created for is different. The cure for cancer is something that will help the whole world. While Britney Spears singing her lungs out is all about making money off something that if people enjoy they can buy, but could easily live without. It's not something that will help the progress of the human race. I know some people create for the sake for Art, but some also create for the sake of Profit. Both should be allowed to do so.
If something has no other purpose but to entertain, why can't this be copyrighted for life? It has not been created to make the world a better place. It was created for profit. A line needs to be drawn through the differences. Because there is a difference. Capitalism is based off the idea that you can make something for $5 and sell it for $100 if you wish. But the law of supply and demand will always dictate the price.
It's morally wrong to create a drug that costs $1 to cure Cancer and sell it for more then people could afford, because this is playing with peoples' lives. But to create a CD that costs $1 and charge $20 will hurt no one. People don't have to buy this music; the law of supply and demand will always dictate the price. But what's happened is technology has gotten to the point where one person can buy a copy it and give it away for free. This is also morally wrong, as the product was created to make money and not make the world a better place.
If the music created could not be copied and only bought off the owner, then the laws of supply and demand would work correctly. Because if the price was too high, no one would buy the product and the owner would reduce the price to where it will become profitable. The sweet spot for the price is as high as possible while still getting the most sales. This way people should not think it's cheap, but are still willing to part with their money. This is Capitalism!
But because people copy the music they have broken the chain of supply and demand, because they get the music for free. Meaning the only people who buy it are the people who could not copy it (this I know is an oversimplification but still valid). Meaning no matter how cheap they make it, it will always be available for free.
People need to realise there is a difference between things that help the world and things that are just consumed for pleasure. Copyright on the first is wrong, while copyright on the second is valid, the laws on copyright need to be updated to reflect this fact.
Along, along time ago, in a galaxy not so far away...
There was a small planet called Earth, and on that planet there was an even smaller country called USA that once signed an international treaty that agreed to outlaw the usage of lazer weapons. Do the America government ever honour their obligations?
Once again we have more of this U-S-A chanting. In about 10 years time every country in the world will just be another star on the American flag.
Re:The RPG is dead! LONG LIVE MMORPG!
on
Layoffs at WotC
·
· Score: 1
Okay, for most people who have had good PnP experiences it's going to be very hard to top that in a computer game. I've known lots of people over the years that have played AD&D, Shadow Run, Call of Chtu-loo (can't spell from memory), so on. I've done hours of gaming as DM and player, but its REALY hard to find a solid crew that will always be around for games. Each year life gets more hectic and our group loses more players then it can find. It's a major bummer. We can't even call it a group any more!:( This in my opinion is why online RPGing is a good thing. You can meet up with your group, or go off and meet new people.
The point I'm getting at is that there IS an opening in the computer gaming market for a game that is very powerful and open in its arcatexture. But most software companies, who write games, want to have a series of versions, take WarCraft 1, 2, and 3. That they can release on a yearly basis to make more money, EA is a perfect example of this, be damned if I've seen a new good title from them in years, Madden 98, 99, 00, 01, 02, 03??? How long before they make something else, something new?
I agree with you both that computer RPGs can never compete with the PnP, as for all the 3lites and online troublemakers this says more about our 12-18 year olds who are learning how to interact with the world, and because they're still children they act like children. As for the others they're normally lonely shy people with real life communication problems who now have the confidence to speak, but unfortunately they normally don't know how to go about it the right way.
A lot of the things in PnP can and will be done in computer RPGing, I also agree that it wont get done by the Everquest's of this world who are out to make the "big bucks." It will be made by a group of pissed off computer programmers and artists when the software industry becomes like the music industry today (unoriginal). It'll get tired of the same rehashing of old formats and want something new and fresh. If you ask me, it's only the on going growth in the graphics card industry that is fuelling most of the gaming industry and its still relative newness. Once the visual graphics stagnates at a level (which it will), the gee-whiz factor will go, and give it about 2 years and you're going to see the gaming industry go through its first recession.
Also I used to love the old text adventures, Zork and others like that. Then came all those damn mouse driven games where you no longer had to write and use language to play. It became a click everything till something works adventure. The gaming industry needs to start making intelligent games that will help people to learn things. It's amazing how much, games like Zork can improve your spelling!
The RPG is dead! LONG LIVE MMORPG!
on
Layoffs at WotC
·
· Score: 1
RPG is not dieing, its just ascending to it new plane! Computer Games! What made great RPG gaming sessions now makes greater LAN parties! What was once brain rendered, now the latest and greatest GFX's cards make real before our eyes. Its just natural that PnP RPG declines, they will become the poor mans "computer games."
Software RPGs are so powerful that most of what was only possible in the human mind is now being done in games like Neverwinter Nights, War Craft 3, and Ever Quest. While the software versions of RPGs still haven't been made easy enough to run a campaign, its getting easier with each new version of the software. And also the people who play the games are becoming more computer literate. Plus with all the online games it becomes much easier to play when you want to play, and not have to convince all your usual gamming buddies that going out to score with some chicks on a Friday night is stupid as you're running a great AD&D campaign.
It mightn't be long before you see things like GURP RPG PC software where the basic rules system can be tweak for each module, and the importation of graphics can come from 3d software packs like Milkshake and other 3D software. It would be amazing to see a GPL'ed RPG game where all the rules and graphics could be imported and the community builds the game. It's already happened with games like: Half-Life and all versions of Quake. NWN is trying to be the RPG version of Quake, and it might just get there.
But for PnP diehards it is a sad time. Soon the Pens will run dry and the paper recycled, but the computer RPG will keep the flame burning in living memory of all those great times had.
Why doesn't some Math's dude just make a massive, and I do mean massive prime nubmer database??? There are lots of people who love putting terabytes of data into databases why not do it with something useful like Prime numbers???? Then have it avialble on-line. Lets really test the limits of MySQL.
Palladium if it ever actually comes to pass is probably the biggest and most profitable enterprise Microsoft could ever possibly have imagined. Why? Secure software running on a secure platform. But what steps do you take to make this idea a reality?
A trusted hardware base. All hardware must meet certain operational standards that are set out by a central organization. For hardware to be "compatible" it must live up to the minimum of these standards. Similar to government regulated health and safety standards on all current hardware, but in this case software regulated. While this might not appear in Palladium version 1.00 it will definitely feature in its future, as all the big media companies want hardware copy protection.
All software needs to be certified by the above central organization. It wouldn't be out of the question for Microsoft to create an "external sub-company" to administer this side of the business and not seem like it's trying to be a monopoly. This new company would deal with Sun, Linux, Oracle, etc, in the same way it would deal with Microsoft. Why this might happen I'll explain later.
How will this software be certified? If a software company just uses any old computer language to create a binary, what will get certified the source code or the binary? This is an important question, how do you check that the software that's certified has no backdoors? As backdoors are the single biggest problem within a closed "secure" system.
Here is what I think Microsoft is making a play for:
The answer is a trusted programming language a.k.a.NET framework. Microsoft's new byte-code compilers (look's like Java might just have missed the boat). With a trusted compiler creating trusted byte-code running on a trusted computer. It now becomes possible to create different levels of certificates for different levels of access to computer hardware and personal data. In this way Microsoft will have completed their "finial software solution".
Microsoft is predominantly still a software-based company. While the IBM PC compatible hardware is Microsoft strong hold it's not the only hardware option. To a large extent Microsoft has won the desktop market. The only way they will lose it is if there's a change in the Client/Server (Desktop/Internet) relationship. Microsoft saw with Java how this relationship could change and Windows could become no more then a footstool for Java applications. If Java had become the programming language of choice for creating Desktop/Internet applications Windows would have become a very easily removed part of the equation. Enter all the dreams of the Net-PCs, a slimed down computer running cheap to free operating systems with a Java run-time on-top. Here's the twist. Microsoft liked the idea and with its power in the desktop arena knew it could succeed where Sun failed. Microsoft Windows might not be the flagship of Microsoft for much longer, as Palladium could become the software platform of the future. Two reason why I think this: 1) They could create a more "open" version of Windows knowing this would help them in their antitrust cases. But really knowing that all software by default will have to run under Palladium anyways. 2) Palladium will be run on all trusted hardware footprints (PC, Apple, etc). But Microsoft will use its power over the desktop market to implement Palladium through Windows. Once it has been accept as the standard that Microsoft believes it will be, demand from users of other hardware platforms to support Palladium will create the need for all client operating systems / hardware to support an implementation and because its all based on.NET byte-code this will not be a problem.
With this move Windows steps back becoming primarily a desktop only environment running Palladium for all import tasks. Windows users will still be able to play all their games and fun applications, which might not be trusted but Internet access and important data can only be accessed through Palladium. Windows would sandbox trusted and untrusted software apart. So at an operating system kernel level trusted and untrusted software runs differently. Plus with Microsoft changing its file system from FAT/NTFS to a Database system untrusted software wouldn't be able to get access to this partition, both at hardware and software levels.
Now the "external sub-company" suggested above would be used as follows: This company would be "external" from Microsoft, and Microsoft would sell its MS-Palladium investment to said new company, which just happens to have Bill Gates as its CEO and many other big shots involved. This new company (which for ease of reference will be called "New$oft") will be now responsible for managing all the NS-Palladium implementation with all hardware / software companies. This implementation will required backroom access to all operating systems source code, to double check that there are no loopholes in the security of an implementation. Companies like Sun and Apple to an extent will have to allow Newsoft access to their primary intellectual property. Newsoft will check that the operating system cannot do any damage to the secure Palladium.NET network. As for Linux, Newsoft will create its own GPL distribution and modified Kernel, which it obviously has control over. This is all perfectly legal as Newsoft gives away all the source code for NS-Linux free. But when purchasing NS-Linux a license fee is paid for the NS-Palladium subsystem. All Linux updates will have to come through Newsoft before becoming part of NS-Linux. This will hi-jack Linux and removing control of the Kernel from Mr. T to Newsoft. Linux will still be as popular as ever but the distribution of choice will be Newsoft's because of market compatible pressures.
Now to the finial piece of the puzzle. Palladium will control access to different data and software features through certificates. Companies creating software that will run on Palladium.Net will have to get certified for developing different types of software. Meaning, not only will the source code be certified the companies that create the code will also have to be certified if they want their application have access to certain user data. This way only trusted companies will be allowed on the trusted Palladium.Net network. But the only way to create the byte-code is by using the Microsoft's Studio.Net tools. The byte-code that is created will have to adhere to standards that can easily be parsed for backdoors or loopholes. This way the certification of the binary process becomes a simple automated matter of checking the company's certificate permissions against what the binary byte-code is programmed to do. If the binary byte-code operates within the limits of the company's certificate we have a trusted program. This could even be applied to things like Palladium-Word macros, Palladium-emails to stop spam, the list of possibility is endless.
So to recap. All computer hardware is updated to have a Palladium microchip. The operating system has been updated to run Palladium's run-time byte-code. All software and software companies have been certified by Newsoft to be trusted. Linux is just another pawn in Newsoft's game of secure chess. Call this farfetched if you wish, but in Bill Gates wallet beside the picture of his children is a copy of this plan which he looks at daily, and smiles:)
Slashdot Mirror
Who said manners cost nothing!
Why do I always come away with the idea that the Universe is using the same Z-Buffer routine as Q]I[, as nothings ever there till we look at it. I tell you! The MATRIX IS A REALITY!!! Hehe ;)
I have to laugh! First it was we want to make sure all the old apps will run on our new OS's. But now it's lets break all the old apps so they have to buy Office '02. Once again M$ is making money of braking software, just this time it's there own! HAHA :)
JW
I think what was left out of this article is the fact that there are two types of intellectual properties. Ones that can help the progress of humanity (i.e. the cure for Cancer or AIDS) and the ones used for pure self-indulgence (things like pop music and blockbuster movies, etc).
Each type has a value, but the purpose it was created for is different. The cure for cancer is something that will help the whole world. While Britney Spears singing her lungs out is all about making money off something that if people enjoy they can buy, but could easily live without. It's not something that will help the progress of the human race. I know some people create for the sake for Art, but some also create for the sake of Profit. Both should be allowed to do so.
If something has no other purpose but to entertain, why can't this be copyrighted for life? It has not been created to make the world a better place. It was created for profit. A line needs to be drawn through the differences. Because there is a difference. Capitalism is based off the idea that you can make something for $5 and sell it for $100 if you wish. But the law of supply and demand will always dictate the price.
It's morally wrong to create a drug that costs $1 to cure Cancer and sell it for more then people could afford, because this is playing with peoples' lives. But to create a CD that costs $1 and charge $20 will hurt no one. People don't have to buy this music; the law of supply and demand will always dictate the price. But what's happened is technology has gotten to the point where one person can buy a copy it and give it away for free. This is also morally wrong, as the product was created to make money and not make the world a better place.
If the music created could not be copied and only bought off the owner, then the laws of supply and demand would work correctly. Because if the price was too high, no one would buy the product and the owner would reduce the price to where it will become profitable. The sweet spot for the price is as high as possible while still getting the most sales. This way people should not think it's cheap, but are still willing to part with their money. This is Capitalism!
But because people copy the music they have broken the chain of supply and demand, because they get the music for free. Meaning the only people who buy it are the people who could not copy it (this I know is an oversimplification but still valid). Meaning no matter how cheap they make it, it will always be available for free.
People need to realise there is a difference between things that help the world and things that are just consumed for pleasure. Copyright on the first is wrong, while copyright on the second is valid, the laws on copyright need to be updated to reflect this fact.
Along, along time ago, in a galaxy not so far away...
There was a small planet called Earth, and on that planet there was an even smaller country called USA that once signed an international treaty that agreed to outlaw the usage of lazer weapons. Do the America government ever honour their obligations?
Once again we have more of this U-S-A chanting. In about 10 years time every country in the world will just be another star on the American flag.
Okay, for most people who have had good PnP experiences it's going to be very hard to top that in a computer game. I've known lots of people over the years that have played AD&D, Shadow Run, Call of Chtu-loo (can't spell from memory), so on. I've done hours of gaming as DM and player, but its REALY hard to find a solid crew that will always be around for games. Each year life gets more hectic and our group loses more players then it can find. It's a major bummer. We can't even call it a group any more! :( This in my opinion is why online RPGing is a good thing. You can meet up with your group, or go off and meet new people.
The point I'm getting at is that there IS an opening in the computer gaming market for a game that is very powerful and open in its arcatexture. But most software companies, who write games, want to have a series of versions, take WarCraft 1, 2, and 3. That they can release on a yearly basis to make more money, EA is a perfect example of this, be damned if I've seen a new good title from them in years, Madden 98, 99, 00, 01, 02, 03??? How long before they make something else, something new?
I agree with you both that computer RPGs can never compete with the PnP, as for all the 3lites and online troublemakers this says more about our 12-18 year olds who are learning how to interact with the world, and because they're still children they act like children. As for the others they're normally lonely shy people with real life communication problems who now have the confidence to speak, but unfortunately they normally don't know how to go about it the right way.
A lot of the things in PnP can and will be done in computer RPGing, I also agree that it wont get done by the Everquest's of this world who are out to make the "big bucks." It will be made by a group of pissed off computer programmers and artists when the software industry becomes like the music industry today (unoriginal). It'll get tired of the same rehashing of old formats and want something new and fresh. If you ask me, it's only the on going growth in the graphics card industry that is fuelling most of the gaming industry and its still relative newness. Once the visual graphics stagnates at a level (which it will), the gee-whiz factor will go, and give it about 2 years and you're going to see the gaming industry go through its first recession.
Also I used to love the old text adventures, Zork and others like that. Then came all those damn mouse driven games where you no longer had to write and use language to play. It became a click everything till something works adventure. The gaming industry needs to start making intelligent games that will help people to learn things. It's amazing how much, games like Zork can improve your spelling!
RPG is not dieing, its just ascending to it new plane! Computer Games! What made great RPG gaming sessions now makes greater LAN parties! What was once brain rendered, now the latest and greatest GFX's cards make real before our eyes. Its just natural that PnP RPG declines, they will become the poor mans "computer games."
Software RPGs are so powerful that most of what was only possible in the human mind is now being done in games like Neverwinter Nights, War Craft 3, and Ever Quest. While the software versions of RPGs still haven't been made easy enough to run a campaign, its getting easier with each new version of the software. And also the people who play the games are becoming more computer literate. Plus with all the online games it becomes much easier to play when you want to play, and not have to convince all your usual gamming buddies that going out to score with some chicks on a Friday night is stupid as you're running a great AD&D campaign.
It mightn't be long before you see things like GURP RPG PC software where the basic rules system can be tweak for each module, and the importation of graphics can come from 3d software packs like Milkshake and other 3D software. It would be amazing to see a GPL'ed RPG game where all the rules and graphics could be imported and the community builds the game. It's already happened with games like: Half-Life and all versions of Quake. NWN is trying to be the RPG version of Quake, and it might just get there.
But for PnP diehards it is a sad time. Soon the Pens will run dry and the paper recycled, but the computer RPG will keep the flame burning in living memory of all those great times had.
I think the RIAA should pull together and buy out the MP3 patients and then the Ogg ones! Then ban then usage of these programs and formats.
HEHE!!! Monopoly!!! YEAH BABY!!!
Why doesn't some Math's dude just make a massive, and I do mean massive prime nubmer database??? There are lots of people who love putting terabytes of data into databases why not do it with something useful like Prime numbers???? Then have it avialble on-line. Lets really test the limits of MySQL.
Palladium, Microsoft's future?
.NET framework. Microsoft's new byte-code compilers (look's like Java might just have missed the boat). With a trusted compiler creating trusted byte-code running on a trusted computer. It now becomes possible to create different levels of certificates for different levels of access to computer hardware and personal data. In this way Microsoft will have completed their "finial software solution".
.NET byte-code this will not be a problem.
:)
Palladium if it ever actually comes to pass is probably the biggest and most profitable enterprise Microsoft could ever possibly have imagined. Why? Secure software running on a secure platform. But what steps do you take to make this idea a reality?
A trusted hardware base. All hardware must meet certain operational standards that are set out by a central organization. For hardware to be "compatible" it must live up to the minimum of these standards. Similar to government regulated health and safety standards on all current hardware, but in this case software regulated. While this might not appear in Palladium version 1.00 it will definitely feature in its future, as all the big media companies want hardware copy protection.
All software needs to be certified by the above central organization. It wouldn't be out of the question for Microsoft to create an "external sub-company" to administer this side of the business and not seem like it's trying to be a monopoly. This new company would deal with Sun, Linux, Oracle, etc, in the same way it would deal with Microsoft. Why this might happen I'll explain later.
How will this software be certified? If a software company just uses any old computer language to create a binary, what will get certified the source code or the binary? This is an important question, how do you check that the software that's certified has no backdoors? As backdoors are the single biggest problem within a closed "secure" system.
Here is what I think Microsoft is making a play for:
The answer is a trusted programming language a.k.a
Microsoft is predominantly still a software-based company. While the IBM PC compatible hardware is Microsoft strong hold it's not the only hardware option. To a large extent Microsoft has won the desktop market. The only way they will lose it is if there's a change in the Client/Server (Desktop/Internet) relationship. Microsoft saw with Java how this relationship could change and Windows could become no more then a footstool for Java applications. If Java had become the programming language of choice for creating Desktop/Internet applications Windows would have become a very easily removed part of the equation. Enter all the dreams of the Net-PCs, a slimed down computer running cheap to free operating systems with a Java run-time on-top. Here's the twist. Microsoft liked the idea and with its power in the desktop arena knew it could succeed where Sun failed. Microsoft Windows might not be the flagship of Microsoft for much longer, as Palladium could become the software platform of the future. Two reason why I think this: 1) They could create a more "open" version of Windows knowing this would help them in their antitrust cases. But really knowing that all software by default will have to run under Palladium anyways. 2) Palladium will be run on all trusted hardware footprints (PC, Apple, etc). But Microsoft will use its power over the desktop market to implement Palladium through Windows. Once it has been accept as the standard that Microsoft believes it will be, demand from users of other hardware platforms to support Palladium will create the need for all client operating systems / hardware to support an implementation and because its all based on
With this move Windows steps back becoming primarily a desktop only environment running Palladium for all import tasks. Windows users will still be able to play all their games and fun applications, which might not be trusted but Internet access and important data can only be accessed through Palladium. Windows would sandbox trusted and untrusted software apart. So at an operating system kernel level trusted and untrusted software runs differently. Plus with Microsoft changing its file system from FAT/NTFS to a Database system untrusted software wouldn't be able to get access to this partition, both at hardware and software levels.
Now the "external sub-company" suggested above would be used as follows: This company would be "external" from Microsoft, and Microsoft would sell its MS-Palladium investment to said new company, which just happens to have Bill Gates as its CEO and many other big shots involved. This new company (which for ease of reference will be called "New$oft") will be now responsible for managing all the NS-Palladium implementation with all hardware / software companies. This implementation will required backroom access to all operating systems source code, to double check that there are no loopholes in the security of an implementation. Companies like Sun and Apple to an extent will have to allow Newsoft access to their primary intellectual property. Newsoft will check that the operating system cannot do any damage to the secure Palladium.NET network. As for Linux, Newsoft will create its own GPL distribution and modified Kernel, which it obviously has control over. This is all perfectly legal as Newsoft gives away all the source code for NS-Linux free. But when purchasing NS-Linux a license fee is paid for the NS-Palladium subsystem. All Linux updates will have to come through Newsoft before becoming part of NS-Linux. This will hi-jack Linux and removing control of the Kernel from Mr. T to Newsoft. Linux will still be as popular as ever but the distribution of choice will be Newsoft's because of market compatible pressures.
Now to the finial piece of the puzzle. Palladium will control access to different data and software features through certificates. Companies creating software that will run on Palladium.Net will have to get certified for developing different types of software. Meaning, not only will the source code be certified the companies that create the code will also have to be certified if they want their application have access to certain user data. This way only trusted companies will be allowed on the trusted Palladium.Net network. But the only way to create the byte-code is by using the Microsoft's Studio.Net tools. The byte-code that is created will have to adhere to standards that can easily be parsed for backdoors or loopholes. This way the certification of the binary process becomes a simple automated matter of checking the company's certificate permissions against what the binary byte-code is programmed to do. If the binary byte-code operates within the limits of the company's certificate we have a trusted program. This could even be applied to things like Palladium-Word macros, Palladium-emails to stop spam, the list of possibility is endless.
So to recap. All computer hardware is updated to have a Palladium microchip. The operating system has been updated to run Palladium's run-time byte-code. All software and software companies have been certified by Newsoft to be trusted. Linux is just another pawn in Newsoft's game of secure chess. Call this farfetched if you wish, but in Bill Gates wallet beside the picture of his children is a copy of this plan which he looks at daily, and smiles