Unfortunally most people I know who aren't interesting in computers (I'm mainly thinking family members here), just want to turn on their computers, do some typing, send an email and surf the web.
The are simply not interested in updating their OS. Most of them don't understand what updating is for. They only time they worry about it is when I get a phonecall going:
Most people like me, who aren't interested in cars, just want to get in our cars, start the engine, do some driving, and get to where we want to go.
We are simply not interested in filling the vehicle with gas, or changing the oil, or having tires rotated. We don't understand what oil is for. The only time we worry about it is when OUR DUMB ASSES are stranded on the side of the highway like such stupidity deserves.
Indeed. I like the Microsoft "harder than a rock, heavier than a ton, but durable enough to send around with our troops and a copy of the sim soon to be civilianized as Full Spectrum Warrior" design.
First of all, this is a good thing. Sad that the merged network may be Laporte-less, but without someone to buy the network, we might lose all TechTV.
Some people are scratching their heads at the inclusion of stuff like Thunderbirds. I can't blame them.
But remember: Comcast has said all along that the merged network will see new programming. But new programming takes time. In the meantime, something has to be put on air. Here they are, acquiring TechTV, which has purchased a good amount of external programming. Well gee, there's some no-cost programming to stick on air. That's almost a no-brainer.
I dislike Thunderbirds, Robot Wars, and the rest of that crap as much as anyone else. But I understand why it's going to be aired. You can bet that those will be the first things replaced with new merged-network content.
Leo has left The Screen Savers. Nothing to do with Comcast. He left The Screen Savers before his prior contract dispute, which was before Comcast firing everyone.
If you paid attention, you'd know that Leo has remained on The Screen Savers this long solely because the (now previous) ownership insisted he do so. He always wanted to work on Call For Help, and even had to leave THAT show for a time (and was quite happy when he got the show back).
When word of Comcast's purchase came, Leo saw his opportunity to leave The Screen Savers and take up something else (his radio show).
It's a compressed time frame, and I get how people are getting confused. But Leo's leaving of The Screen Savers stems only from his desire to do so. Now, Call For Help getting axed is a different story.
Because there's a lot of short-sightedness out there.
I.E. "we are not currently under the threat of nuclear attack, therefore we will never be".
Indeed, that is very naive. The Cold War went as it did based on the threat of mutual annihilation. Now, we have a threat (terrorists like Al-Qaeda) that do not fear annihilation - in fact, thanks to promised rewards in the afterlife, they embrace martyrdom.
Does anyone truly, honestly think that it will forever be impossible for terror groups to ever get their hands on such a weapon? Maybe they can't right now, but what happens when they manage to in, say, 2017, and you've got no defense to stop them from launching it at you?
"An ounce of prevention..." - unfortunately, the cost for this project is much more than an ounce, but consider the potential alternative. The alternative might not come to the US being successfully attacked, but without defense, it would have to come to military action to prevent the acquisition of such weaponry - and one would have to be awful gullible to think that those that might wish to attack the US will never, ever try to acquire such a weapon to do so.
For those keeping score at home, this will be the 15th Madden game - so the curse has stuck on roughly 29 percent of the games.
for 71% of cover-guys, the "hex" has no effect!
Oh man. Are you gonna feel real stupid in a minute...
Guess who was on the cover from 1991 to 2000?
JOHN MADDEN himself!
Players have only been on the cover from 2001-2004. And I didn't mention Marshall Faulk, who fits right in with George and Culpepper. 2003 was Faulk's second worst season in 11 years of pro ball. Easily below his "average". And Vick missed 2/3rds of his cover season with injury.
If your theory were valid, a few things should happen:
A "regressing" player should find himself having an "average" season by his numbers. He came off an exceptional year, yes. Might not be able to repeat it, yes. But what happens is we're having players who aren't just having average years, but they are having worse statistical years than any other year in their career. Players are not equal, and some players will typically be higher on the distribution than others. They each, however, have their own statistical averages over their career.
Eddie George, for example, has played 8 seasons in the NFL. He ran for more than 1,000 yards in every season except one - his Madden cover season.
Daunte Culpepper's worst stastistical year as a starter? His Madden cover.
We're not talking about players coming off great seasons and returning to their average performances. We're talking about players suffering their single worst seasons as pros, after which they return to closer to their previous averages.\
Comcast is rehiring 80 TechTV members. Of course they're not keeping everyone - they don't need double janitors, double cameramen, double everything...
All the blind "OMFG THEY'RE KILLING TECHTV!!!111" nonsense has been the inspiration of my new sig.
This doesn't mean that none of the shows or hosts will be brought back. It means all existing contracts are getting torn up, and Comcast may opt to bring some people back on their own terms.
But, indeed, the merged network's headquarters will be in LA, where G4 has been headquartered. No surprise there.
Still, does anyone think that Comcast is so stupid as to spend all this money on a network, and then get rid of everything that makes people watch it?
I'm actually regularly surprised by how often that DOESN'T happen. I can't count how many machines Win98 machines I've seen updated to XP. Off-the-shelf XP purchases and installs count for a lot more than I think most people acknowledge.
Unions exist for a reason. Unfortunately, unions often get a (well-earned) bad rep when they outlive their useful life. The union is to protect workers from being exploited. What happens when the union's workers are working reasonable hours for reasonable pay? The union still exists, and the union members are still paying dues. So the union becomes like so many government agencies that continue to exist beyond their goal - when there's no more work to be done, work is made. New piddly or unreasonable causes are taken up by the union, and management feels the very real squeeze. It's not hard to understand why unions get unpopular with businesses - give the union everything it wants, and it will simply find new things to want.
Some might say, "it's good to have a force that fights for everything it can get for the worker!", but it's that same thing that prevents these game development workers from having any force at all to fight for them.
Unions should be more like protest groups and less like government agencies. They should form for a cause, see that cause to completion, and then disband. If ever a new, real need arises, or the old one is not honored, rally the troops.
Slashdot Mirror
Most people like me, who aren't interested in cars, just want to get in our cars, start the engine, do some driving, and get to where we want to go.
We are simply not interested in filling the vehicle with gas, or changing the oil, or having tires rotated. We don't understand what oil is for. The only time we worry about it is when OUR DUMB ASSES are stranded on the side of the highway like such stupidity deserves.
Here you go, buddy.
Sell them soon, stop falling for Nintendo's bait.
Hey, you asked.
"Run faster, damn you! Faster! FASTER!"
*CRACK*
Congrats! Nintendo found another way to make you buy their handhelds more than once!
Some people are scratching their heads at the inclusion of stuff like Thunderbirds. I can't blame them.
But remember: Comcast has said all along that the merged network will see new programming. But new programming takes time. In the meantime, something has to be put on air. Here they are, acquiring TechTV, which has purchased a good amount of external programming. Well gee, there's some no-cost programming to stick on air. That's almost a no-brainer.
I dislike Thunderbirds, Robot Wars, and the rest of that crap as much as anyone else. But I understand why it's going to be aired. You can bet that those will be the first things replaced with new merged-network content.
If you paid attention, you'd know that Leo has remained on The Screen Savers this long solely because the (now previous) ownership insisted he do so. He always wanted to work on Call For Help, and even had to leave THAT show for a time (and was quite happy when he got the show back).
When word of Comcast's purchase came, Leo saw his opportunity to leave The Screen Savers and take up something else (his radio show).
It's a compressed time frame, and I get how people are getting confused. But Leo's leaving of The Screen Savers stems only from his desire to do so. Now, Call For Help getting axed is a different story.
I.E. "we are not currently under the threat of nuclear attack, therefore we will never be".
Indeed, that is very naive. The Cold War went as it did based on the threat of mutual annihilation. Now, we have a threat (terrorists like Al-Qaeda) that do not fear annihilation - in fact, thanks to promised rewards in the afterlife, they embrace martyrdom.
Does anyone truly, honestly think that it will forever be impossible for terror groups to ever get their hands on such a weapon? Maybe they can't right now, but what happens when they manage to in, say, 2017, and you've got no defense to stop them from launching it at you?
"An ounce of prevention..." - unfortunately, the cost for this project is much more than an ounce, but consider the potential alternative. The alternative might not come to the US being successfully attacked, but without defense, it would have to come to military action to prevent the acquisition of such weaponry - and one would have to be awful gullible to think that those that might wish to attack the US will never, ever try to acquire such a weapon to do so.
Mac advocates will claim victory.
BSD advocates will claim victory from beyond the grave.
Oh man. Are you gonna feel real stupid in a minute...
Guess who was on the cover from 1991 to 2000?
JOHN MADDEN himself!
Players have only been on the cover from 2001-2004. And I didn't mention Marshall Faulk, who fits right in with George and Culpepper. 2003 was Faulk's second worst season in 11 years of pro ball. Easily below his "average". And Vick missed 2/3rds of his cover season with injury.
Let's see... 1.. 2... 3.. 4...
Yup, every PLAYER that's been on the cover.
Come on, a little research before you post.
And what brainiac modded that insightful? Wow.
No, this is mumbo-jumbo.
If your theory were valid, a few things should happen:
A "regressing" player should find himself having an "average" season by his numbers. He came off an exceptional year, yes. Might not be able to repeat it, yes. But what happens is we're having players who aren't just having average years, but they are having worse statistical years than any other year in their career. Players are not equal, and some players will typically be higher on the distribution than others. They each, however, have their own statistical averages over their career.
Eddie George, for example, has played 8 seasons in the NFL. He ran for more than 1,000 yards in every season except one - his Madden cover season.
Daunte Culpepper's worst stastistical year as a starter? His Madden cover.
We're not talking about players coming off great seasons and returning to their average performances. We're talking about players suffering their single worst seasons as pros, after which they return to closer to their previous averages.\
All the blind "OMFG THEY'RE KILLING TECHTV!!!111" nonsense has been the inspiration of my new sig.
Expect some hosts to be offered their jobs in the new location.
As for off-camera people, well, gee, sorry if I don't care if it's a different cameraman.
In LA.
Now, why would he do that? To spend every weekend on the road?
Or...... well, you can figure out the rest.
I'd bet good money there will be plenty of current shows and hosts back.
So it wouldn't involve any actual Slashdotters?
But, indeed, the merged network's headquarters will be in LA, where G4 has been headquartered. No surprise there.
Still, does anyone think that Comcast is so stupid as to spend all this money on a network, and then get rid of everything that makes people watch it?
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Don't worry - Java's garbage collector will take care of that garbage...
<p>
Some might say, "it's good to have a force that fights for everything it can get for the worker!", but it's that same thing that prevents these game development workers from having any force at all to fight for them.
Unions should be more like protest groups and less like government agencies. They should form for a cause, see that cause to completion, and then disband. If ever a new, real need arises, or the old one is not honored, rally the troops.
And here you are on Slashdot. Now we know why our game will be late. Fucker.
Damn. I'm only 198.