"The only real difference between those who get the Darwin Awards and tobacco users is that the Darwin Award recipients did not see news reports, scientific studies, and warning labels that, for years, told them that what they were about to do would probably kill them."
The operative word here is 'probably'. Only it's not 'probably', it's 'may'. Despite the warnings and the Truth ads, there are millions (billions?) of smokers of any age living quite happily.
It really is a flip of the coin whether or not you come down with cancer. You can get it with or without smoking. Cigarettes merely improve the odds somewhat that you'll get it.
"Wouldn't it just be easier to not buy any CDs in the first place? Or am i missing something?"
When people don't buy CDs, then the RIAA chalks it up to piracy. They won't even consider the idea that the people who give them money are angry at them. I think NG has a point, if they get $100,000 in revenue one day and then -$100,000 the next day, then they'll notice.
"When someone is ready to try an alternative to Windows, its much easier to pick up the CDs rather than wait hours for a public download to finish...and lose the enthusiasm for a change in OS."
It's not so easy when money becomes a factor. If one knows they can burn the ISOs at home, the web method is much more attractive.
Personally, I think ya'all should push Knoppix more. It boots straight off the CD and doesn't make any changes to your machine. Not only that, but its hardware detection was surprisingly good.
You want to get Windows altneratives out there? Get Knoppix (or something like it) out there. I never really cared much for Linux as a desktop OS until I played with it. That's saying a lot consider that anybody who has followed my posting history knows that I think Linux is a horrible desktop OS compared to Windows.
"Are these actual models going to be used in the game? They look more like something that would be used in a cut scene or intro. If it's going to be used in the game, then that's VERY nice!"
Well, they took the grabs down berfore I could see them so I can't really comment. I bet that the game will look pretty darn close. If they're not using the Polybump technique mentioned by another poster, then at the very least they can 'bake' deatails into the texture maps. You can do lotsa stuff with textures when you have a high-res model to work from.
"Sure, back in Win9x/Me the OS was utter crap. But it's pretty damn stable now, so long as you don't have sh!t hardware or use bad drivers."
It's funny really. Linux has come a long way in the last two years alone. Yet, with all this wonderful progress that they've made, the pro-Linux/anti-MS Zealots can't fathom the idea that MS has been improving Windows as well.
"It's pretty pointless to buy a phone that cannot play the kind of games you like, and then complain that cellphone gaming sucks."
Let me see if I understand this:
- I've had 3 cell phones all with games. - The only games that could be portrayed really well were simple turn based games that had no real action. - I have a Game Boy Advance.
I can't say that the state of cell phone gaming sucks? There may be a phone out that that's a shining start as a game machine, but until it's the type of thing that is widely accepted by the market, it is not the type of thing to tilt the state of gaming into positivity.
.. the movie industry is going to suddenly decide on a new standard simply because the quality will be better. Pfft.
DVD players work just fine now. People are happy. Everybody has one. I wouldn't worry about new discs coming out until HDTV is in use like DVD players are today. Until then, things will stay exactly like they are.
I mean, shit, then I'll be able to keep my whole audio collection on six discs. (RIAA notice: I still have all the CDs they came from, with the exception of a few which have suffered pets, so back off in preemption, you self appointed gestappo. Do something useful and constructive with your dollar, instead of making yourself the butt of "look what DirecTV/SCO is becoming" jokes. Assholes. Maybe find a musician that isn't paint by number.)
"Hopefully this will be just one more step towards commercially available, open source-based devices. I can't wait to get my hands on one of these devices, personally.
I wonder if any of the big vendors will pick them up?"
Yeah because Open Source zealots are known for throwing money around all over the place!
"Yes, quite superior to a honeypot, in every way."
Nitpick nitpick nitpick.
All this negativity because the intentionally vague yet illustrative example didn't pass the "can I poke a hole in it?" test.
The concept is sound. It just requires a little creative thinking to make it work in your own specialized case. Try putting energy into making the concept work instead of pointing out the flaws in the illustrative example.
" Using lawsuits and demanding massive settlements? Isn't this the definition of barratry---abuse of the legal system for extortion? If so, do smartcard reader owners have the basis for a class action?"
Maybe I'm just naieve, but I can't help but think that putting the money from lawsuits into things such as advertising would yield a better return on investment, especially considering the backlash this could cause.
Re:I could settle this would standards mess with $
on
DVD Burner Round-up
·
· Score: 4, Funny
" As soon as I buy a -R drive +R would become the standard, and if I bought a +R drive -R would become the standard."
Great, he bought a combo drive. We all need to switch to DVD-RAM now.
"I'd love to know why you believe... is either "understandable" or not putting words into my mouth. "
I was focused on the 'price' aspect of his post. I did not realize you were referring to that. Sozz.:)
"The rest is challenging an argument I didn't make..."
Take it to him, not me. I'm only playing diplomat, not judging a debate contest.
"that the members of the RIAA's prices are fair and reasonable and people have no reason to want alternatives."
Stepping entirely out of the debate you and NG are having, do you believe that bit? Just curious. You've said before that you feel that people should respect the T&C of music that the artists put out, I'm curious if that means you believe they have no reason to want alternatives or not. Actually I'm really after a more fleshed out explanation of your view here.
"I can tell you I've never written anything knowingly that matches the above sentence. "
Ah, okay, I see what you mean now. Never mind my last question. It's kind of hard to keep track of everything you post, heh. (I'm not entirely sure what your latest was...)
He apologized for that senetence. Catch that?
"I believe the contract between society and artists expressed through copyright law should be upheld"
You did not say that in the original post. You may have been thinking it, but you made no mention of that. You *only* said that slashdot visitors don't want to pay the artists. That's what he was responding to.
To make a long story short, I think it's just a misunderstanding. You could have been clearer and he could have been more inquisitive. I think if you both had been a little more level-headed an agreement could have been reached.
I have a piece of advice for you. He's home sick today. He's not feeling very good, he's a bit scatterbrained on ICQ right now. Cut him a little slack, will ya? He's a nice guy who can admit when he's wrong. Give him a chance to be civil? Please?
"I still don't understand what either of you have seen in my posts that implies that I think price is an issue. As I said, I haven't even used the word "price", and the one sentence NanoGator has quoted on the issue doesn't appear, to me at any rate, to raise any issue about price levels. "
Before we go any further, can you please explain to me how you're seeing his price comment? I think you explained it already but I want to be 100 percent clear. Do you think he means that people don't want to pay too much and you're saying they don't want to pay at all?
I'll be happy to respond to the rest of your comment after I am 100% certain I understand what you mean. (at least give me credit for trying to understand)
Slashdot Mirror
Heh. I misread the headline. I thought it said:
"Virtual Memory Gives Pause For Thought"
"The only real difference between those who get the Darwin Awards and tobacco users is that the Darwin Award recipients did not see news reports, scientific studies, and warning labels that, for years, told them that what they were about to do would probably kill them."
The operative word here is 'probably'. Only it's not 'probably', it's 'may'. Despite the warnings and the Truth ads, there are millions (billions?) of smokers of any age living quite happily.
It really is a flip of the coin whether or not you come down with cancer. You can get it with or without smoking. Cigarettes merely improve the odds somewhat that you'll get it.
"Wouldn't it just be easier to not buy any CDs in the first place? Or am i missing something?"
When people don't buy CDs, then the RIAA chalks it up to piracy. They won't even consider the idea that the people who give them money are angry at them. I think NG has a point, if they get $100,000 in revenue one day and then -$100,000 the next day, then they'll notice.
"But then again that's as useful as complaining it's not news for nerds, stuff that matters."
Who but a nerd would correct somebody about the flatness of Kansas when compared to a fluffy brekfast food?
"When someone is ready to try an alternative to Windows, its much easier to pick up the CDs rather than wait hours for a public download to finish...and lose the enthusiasm for a change in OS."
It's not so easy when money becomes a factor. If one knows they can burn the ISOs at home, the web method is much more attractive.
Personally, I think ya'all should push Knoppix more. It boots straight off the CD and doesn't make any changes to your machine. Not only that, but its hardware detection was surprisingly good.
You want to get Windows altneratives out there? Get Knoppix (or something like it) out there. I never really cared much for Linux as a desktop OS until I played with it. That's saying a lot consider that anybody who has followed my posting history knows that I think Linux is a horrible desktop OS compared to Windows.
"Are these actual models going to be used in the game? They look more like something that would be used in a cut scene or intro. If it's going to be used in the game, then that's VERY nice!"
Well, they took the grabs down berfore I could see them so I can't really comment. I bet that the game will look pretty darn close. If they're not using the Polybump technique mentioned by another poster, then at the very least they can 'bake' deatails into the texture maps. You can do lotsa stuff with textures when you have a high-res model to work from.
You guys have no idea how bad I want a Knight Rider mod for this game.
"Awesome! Now everyone can play my "counterstrike" mod!"
On GTA? Heh that actually sounds like fun. "They're plowing right through us!"
hahaha that is too funny!
Shit. Now everybody wants to know what I'm laughing at. I hate working in a cube.
"If you're worried about your monopoly, just pay people to use your service. I mean, COME ON! "
Microsoft doesn't have a monopoly on Instant Messaging.
"Sure, back in Win9x/Me the OS was utter crap. But it's pretty damn stable now, so long as you don't have sh!t hardware or use bad drivers."
It's funny really. Linux has come a long way in the last two years alone. Yet, with all this wonderful progress that they've made, the pro-Linux/anti-MS Zealots can't fathom the idea that MS has been improving Windows as well.
"I mean, seriously... why play games on your cell? "
Because it's in my pocket all the time and sometimes I find myself needing a little entertainment?
There's nothing insightful about saying that you don't need something like everybody suddenly went crazy or something.
"Oh, you want the best of both worlds, eh? Well, maybe Nintendo will produce a cell-phone addon for the GBA. Wouldn't that be neat?"
Yes it would.
"It's pretty pointless to buy a phone that cannot play the kind of games you like, and then complain that cellphone gaming sucks."
Let me see if I understand this:
- I've had 3 cell phones all with games.
- The only games that could be portrayed really well were simple turn based games that had no real action.
- I have a Game Boy Advance.
I can't say that the state of cell phone gaming sucks? There may be a phone out that that's a shining start as a game machine, but until it's the type of thing that is widely accepted by the market, it is not the type of thing to tilt the state of gaming into positivity.
"15 million in 3 years. Not too shabby. I mean look at TiVo. They are going on 6 years and they have a measly 700,000 subs."
Well, to be fair, TiVo's port of Halo suffered from horrible control.
.. the movie industry is going to suddenly decide on a new standard simply because the quality will be better. Pfft.
DVD players work just fine now. People are happy. Everybody has one. I wouldn't worry about new discs coming out until HDTV is in use like DVD players are today. Until then, things will stay exactly like they are.
That was worth an instant replay.
"Hopefully this will be just one more step towards commercially available, open source-based devices. I can't wait to get my hands on one of these devices, personally.
I wonder if any of the big vendors will pick them up?"
Yeah because Open Source zealots are known for throwing money around all over the place!
"Yes, quite superior to a honeypot, in every way."
Nitpick nitpick nitpick.
All this negativity because the intentionally vague yet illustrative example didn't pass the "can I poke a hole in it?" test.
The concept is sound. It just requires a little creative thinking to make it work in your own specialized case. Try putting energy into making the concept work instead of pointing out the flaws in the illustrative example.
" Using lawsuits and demanding massive settlements? Isn't this the definition of barratry---abuse of the legal system for extortion? If so, do smartcard reader owners have the basis for a class action?"
Maybe I'm just naieve, but I can't help but think that putting the money from lawsuits into things such as advertising would yield a better return on investment, especially considering the backlash this could cause.
" As soon as I buy a -R drive +R would become the standard, and if I bought a +R drive -R would become the standard."
Great, he bought a combo drive. We all need to switch to DVD-RAM now.
"How can the law allow the printer industry to do it, but not the automobile industry?"
Because ink is easier to handle than gas?
NG's right actually. It was a bit of a chicken and the egg type of thing, though.
"I'd love to know why you believe... is either "understandable" or not putting words into my mouth. "
:)
I was focused on the 'price' aspect of his post. I did not realize you were referring to that. Sozz.
"The rest is challenging an argument I didn't make..."
Take it to him, not me. I'm only playing diplomat, not judging a debate contest.
"that the members of the RIAA's prices are fair and reasonable and people have no reason to want alternatives."
Stepping entirely out of the debate you and NG are having, do you believe that bit? Just curious. You've said before that you feel that people should respect the T&C of music that the artists put out, I'm curious if that means you believe they have no reason to want alternatives or not. Actually I'm really after a more fleshed out explanation of your view here.
"I can tell you I've never written anything knowingly that matches the above sentence. "
Ah, okay, I see what you mean now. Never mind my last question. It's kind of hard to keep track of everything you post, heh. (I'm not entirely sure what your latest was...)
He apologized for that senetence. Catch that?
"I believe the contract between society and artists expressed through copyright law should be upheld"
You did not say that in the original post. You may have been thinking it, but you made no mention of that. You *only* said that slashdot visitors don't want to pay the artists. That's what he was responding to.
To make a long story short, I think it's just a misunderstanding. You could have been clearer and he could have been more inquisitive. I think if you both had been a little more level-headed an agreement could have been reached.
I have a piece of advice for you. He's home sick today. He's not feeling very good, he's a bit scatterbrained on ICQ right now. Cut him a little slack, will ya? He's a nice guy who can admit when he's wrong. Give him a chance to be civil? Please?
"I still don't understand what either of you have seen in my posts that implies that I think price is an issue. As I said, I haven't even used the word "price", and the one sentence NanoGator has quoted on the issue doesn't appear, to me at any rate, to raise any issue about price levels. "
Before we go any further, can you please explain to me how you're seeing his price comment? I think you explained it already but I want to be 100 percent clear. Do you think he means that people don't want to pay too much and you're saying they don't want to pay at all?
I'll be happy to respond to the rest of your comment after I am 100% certain I understand what you mean. (at least give me credit for trying to understand)