One has to wonder what, if any, restrictions Google has in place to keep GDrive from becoming a file sharing network, assuming it will actually come out.
Even if shares are only 2 GB (about the size of their e-mail accounts), that's still enough for at least one good-quality movie, or 100+ high quality MP3s. All one would need to do is set up a drive and disseminate the login info.
And what about legit use? I rip all my CDs to MP3s (because changing CDs when you get tired of them is a nuisance). My business allows me to store MP3s on my computer for personal use, but I cannot bring a flash drive or other writeable media (including CD-Rs) into the workplace. (Yes, having internet access kind of dilutes this, but I digress.) It would be easier for me to upload as many songs as possible and download them at work instead of trying to convince someone that my flash drive just has MP3s on it.
Maybe they can outright ban certain file types- mp3s, avis, etc. Of course, there's nothing stopping someone from uploading it as spiderman3.doc. And what about the college student that wants to upload a class lecture for later listening or sharing?
If this becomes a reality, it would be interesting to see how they work it.
This is what plagues the RIAA and MPAA. This is what plagues movie screens and radio. Piracy is a problem, yes, but it's not the reason these big corporate types are losing money is because of the big corporate types. Putting out new colors of the same thing will drag sales out only so much.
I think one of the bigger reasons that Mr. Lucas is right is the ability for novice movie makers to do their own CGI. While it may not be as flashy as the big-budget movies, it's enough to get across the idea, as long as a good story compliments it. For instance, while using StumbleUpon, I found a video for a fan-made parody of Power Rangers called "Emo Rangers". The initial episode (which was all I could find) ran about 18 minutes or so, and had some pretty good effects (certainly better than we saw in the original Power Rangers). Considering that all the group that made it had was a YouTube entry and a domain that forwarded to their MySpace account, I highly doubt they had a large budget.
People are waking up and realizing that they've already seen this plot thrice, and oh now we can predict the plot twist. Shiny objects will entrance people for only so long. Good stories are taking precedence, and this will allow more indie directors to get their turn in the spotlight.
Considering that Nintendo has already gone through the FCC compliance tests for the DS Lite (an article with pictures was posted on Slashdot last month), I bet we're going to see a summer release.
Chances are that they want to get it out before the Revolution (which seems to have a fall release), especially if the Revolution does feature some sort of connection with the DS (as the rumors fly.)
I'm unconvinced that they helped me with my grades.
I know that bringing my laptop to class helped me. Aside from allowing me to play Solitaire (or the obligatory surfing Slashdot) when the topic was boring, it is the very reason that I got an A+ in Physics.
Taking notes on my laptop meant that I didn't have to worry about sloppy handwriting. Plus, since I couldn't draw any associated graphs or diagrams in real time, I would have to draw them in a book, mark the place in my notes, and go later into a paint program and re-draw the graphs, then insert them. Doing this made me pay extra attention to the graphs, and forced me to re-read my notes as I insert.
It didn't hurt that the professor gave me some extra credit because of the effort I put into it.:)
Joe Average can suggest ideas for a program, but there's no way in hell that I'm letting him work on it himself. I have a hard enough time helping those who are supposed to be CS/CE majors understand basic Java programming at my college.
Even at my internship I see terrible programmers, I'm updating a simple calendar program used internally. The code is done so horribly, with super redundancies and back assward logic, that I'm not sure how it got put into production in the first place. I've wound up just rewriting entire portions, instead of just adding the features requested (partly because I couldn't do the latter without some of the former.) Granted, I'm no highly-trained expert, but this stuff was just plain bad.
And this was made by a supposedly "real" programmer in the corporate world (in Coldfusion, no less).
I say we work on getting people who are already programming, but doing a lousy job, up to snuff before we start letting everyday people into the process.
So you mean I can now say "internets" without being wrong?
I have to wonder how this will affect the Chinese people. Are they even being told that their internet is being replaced, at least in part? First story is slashdotted already...
When "counter-culture" types start seeing that all of their blogs and whatnot that speak against China suddely dissappear, will this invigorate their urge to spread democracy/free speech/what-have-you, or douse it? Will those previously ignorant (or who just didn't care) to the whole situation start thinking if their regularly-visited sites suddenly dissappear completely?
DDR was an obvious mention of the article- being an overweight guy myself, it's surprising how much fun it is to play a few rounds while making an ass of yourself in public. (You get over the nervousness quickly as you focus on your legs instead of those around you.) In fact, once the price drops on the PS2, I plan to buy one and whatever DDR games are out there to have a workout at home- a great way to relax after a hard day of slashdotting at work. Assuming I haven't already downloaded DanceMania.
I'm surprised they didn't mention the eyeToy- there are a few "games" out there that use it as a workout device (having you punch, kick, etc.) In fact, I think they have a screenshot of one eyeToy game right at the beginning.
Aside from those two things, I wonder how the Revolution will fare as an excersize platform. Since active motion will be a requirement, instead of an extra (except where developers pansy out and use the shell), it suddenly seems obvious that it could extend to excersize. Nintendo is also trying to focus on expanding the gaming market to the "common people", and if they can successfully get millions of housewives and cubical workers to get one of these, a work out game would really sell.
Think about something like tae-bo (sp?). Regulating it to just the hands, you could wear special gloves that hold a remote controller each. You can then punch along with whatever workout is being played, and the game can tell you how well you are matching the moves. If you get tired of just standing there and listening to music, hook a Ninchuck up to the controller and play a fist-a-cuffs game. Punch your way through armies of zombies, using the buttons to do special moves (karate chop!) and to switch hand held weapons (knives, brass knuckles, Britney Spear's latest CD...)
If you have four controllers, you could hook one to each lower leg as well.
Actually, I think that will be a "new" genre made for the Revolution- First Person Fighter (FPF). While there have been a few fighting games that had you in first person in the past, those were few and far between, and none have had this kind of input device to work with.
If that was a certainty, there would have been enough evidence to convict them already. I hate spam as much as the next guy, but entrapment stinks. You can turn anyone into a criminal if you offer the right price.
Doubtful. While most people may not be against "tagging" a building with a streak of paint if paid a million dollars, there are lots of crimes that are taken down this way that regular people wouldn't think of doing. Go to a person on the street and tell them you'll pay them a million dollars if they spam 500,000 people. Most would give you an odd glare and walk away. Tell someone else you'll pay them three million to whack a guy. (Don't do this, you'll likely be arrested.)
Entrapment means that the police coerced a regular citizen, who had no previous contemplation of the act, into doing something they wouldn't otherwise think of doing.
If the informant pressured these guys, then that would be entrapment. If they hadn't done it before, and hadn't expressed interest in doing it before, that could be entrapment. I haven't RTFA, but if they needed to buy the PC equipment to do the spamming, it does sound like this could be entrapment, unless they just wanted to replace their old systems to do the spamming this time around.
I'd take this with a grain of salt. From the article, it's the "a guy I know knows a guy who heard about this" mode of information travel- hardly reliable.
Ignoring that, I don't really see this having any truth. From the article, this is for the Playstation 2, not the PS3.
Next, this would be an accessory for a small amount of games, not an official controller included in every unit.
Also, how they would make it work would be curious, though I don't doubt its plausibility. Nintendo's controller uses spacial recognition (using triangulating sensors) and pitch/yaw (most likely gyros) to do its controlling. If this supposed PS2 controller uses eyeToy, then it would presumably be by pattern recognition. How would the camera recognize the controller?
To my knowledge, eyeToy games recognize the hand, which has a distinct shape (if programmed to recognize the various contortions the hand can accomplish.) As a static object, this would be easier to recognize, but only if it doesn't contrast with any colors or shapes around it. Most people don't wear flesh-colored accessories or clothes; if the controller is white, what happens if it's put in front of a white shirt? What about if the user puts it behind their back?
Plus, the PS2 is being replaced this year (well, or early next year.... sometime before 2010). While there will still be development for it, a lot of it will eventually peter off as more and more people jump to the PS3. If the PS3 can handle PS2 eyeToy software and the eyeToy itself, that isn't a problem in the least; otherwise, there will be low demand.
In short, I really don't see this happening. Even if it does, it will be no "Rev killer" unless it comes standard with every system.
This has to be good news for Nintendo. With the low sales (due either to low demand, low supply, or both) of the XBox 360, Nintendo's main competition in this year's console release war is the PS3. With Sony delaying it, this give's Nintendo some breathing room. We know that the console will be cheaper than either the PS3 or the 360, so they already have that in the bag. With the weight of the PS3 release off of Nintendo's shoulders, they can give whatever AAA launch titles they have planned some more polish time if need be, and have them come out a week or two after the Revolution does.
Of course, this is assuming that the NRV and PS3 were scheduled for about the same time; if the PS3 was scheduled for an early summer launch, and the NRV for a mid-fall, this delay may push the PS3 into the same release week as the NRV, which actually puts more pressure on Nintendo.
Still, I'm sure that the Nintendo execs are smiling a bit.
"...when we post another story about people wildly speculating about the release date of a next-gen console or game, and pick the winning dates from a hat!"
Babelfish doesn't offer a translation for "Microsoft", but I believe he meant that it will come out this year if it meets everyone's expectations. After all, everyone and their dog is expecting Halo 3 (while I haven't played Halo 2 all the way through, the ending was apparently a complete cliffhanger).
Basically, he's saying that Bungie (or someone) is working on it, and it could be complete this year, but they're going to give it the time it needs to be a "good" FPS.
So they're giving it the treatment that Nintendo is giving Twilight Princess, minus the sad fanboys, which is good, as the XBox 360 dearly needs some hit quality games.
In more poverished school districts, help to set up after-school classes for those interested in programming. Donate money for the computer hardware if needed. And don't talk about stuff like database queries or setting up submission forms (leave that for actual classes); talk about stuff like making a square move from one side of the screen to the other while rotating, or creating 2d games.
These kinds of things will interest kids a hell of a lot more than getting a tax form, and those with a real interest in programming will gain some core knowledge. Use things like Flash or Visual Basic, since those would be the easiest things to introduce kids to.
As an added bonus, the calculations necessary if they want to make more complex versions of what is listed above will spur their interest in math, which will let them branch out to other industries (physics, accounting, etc.).
Support Web sites of other charities Many charities, especially smaller ones, often have lackluster sites, usually a result of asking your kid cousin to make the site for you or having to hire the cheapest web designer you could find who "always uses Frontpage".
Use the funds to help these sites get work from professional web designers; with the increase in net spending, giving profits to the internet is also on the rise, and a static site with bad navigation and little information will send a potential donation to another charity.
Video directing, editing, and compilation Google is in a good place to set up extra-curriculur lessons for interested parties on filming, editing video, and creating a finished project. With Google Video, Google can spur more interest by putting "final products" on a special page to showcase them; maybe even have a small contest for the best video made by a student of the class
Invest in the Phantom Console I just heard today that they need more venture capital. Althought, I guess "pity pay" doesn't equate charity. Maybe give money to those who invested in it?
Destroy MySpace I don't think I have to say anything here.
"Middlemen" who connect people with guns-for-hire are often arrested on an accomplice charge. They aren't the ones doing the shooting or looking for someone to get shot, but they connect those two parties.
However, that is a rather severe simile. A closer one would be someone you go to get something from the black market, or to buy stolen good through. Yes, they weren't the ones who are actually selling the goods or stealing the stuff, but they can point you towards those who do and are. Without them, it would be much harder to gain access to those things, so they do help to perpetuate it.
Knowingly hosting this kind of information is, in my opinion, morally wrong. If it was a service for legit files, and a few copyrighted items snuck in and were undetected, then they shouldn't have a problem. If they're allowing large amounts of posting (even of the links) for copyrighted items, feigning ignorance won't do them (or you) much good.
The legal system is still wrestling with the notion, so it's anyone's game right now.
Step 1: Find stupid people to supply venture capital for new console Step 2: Delay new console indefinately Step 3: Find more stupid people to get investment money from Step 4: ??? Step 5: Say the market put too much pressure on your new console, declare bankruptcy, and high-tale it to Cuba (Step 6: Smoke cigars)
On an unrelated note, can you hold something that doesn't exist (and, from the looks of it, never will)?
There's been a lot of talk about it, but I haven't seen a release date for the DS Lite state side. I know that the Japanese gamers get it in the middle of March, and I believe Reggie said it would hit stateside in the summer (and the original DS would be phased out), but have they stated an actual release date for it?
That SMB3 video you're talking about was proven a fake a while back. Too busy (ha) to google, but it had something to do with how the whistles worked- I believe the guy was able to go to the second row of warp pipes by using a whistle in World 1, when you can't get to that row until at least World 2.
However, there are some really impressive time trials out there, and entire sites are dedicated to them. Seeing a true pro gamer in action can really belittle you, despite the excitement you feel.
Can't read it from work, but I hope the article mentions the miserable Phillips CD-i games in there somewhere.
If not, here's a brief history:
Originally, Nintendo worked with Sony to create a CD add-on to its then-successful SNES. Things were going along merrily, but, for some reason, Nintendo cut ties with Sony and changed to working with Phillips- and Sony didn't find out until Nintendo made a public announcement. As part of the agreement for developing a CD attachment for Nintendo, Phillips got to use some of Nintendo's properties for its own ill-fated CD-i game system.
There were three games in all (Wand of Gamelon or something is the only title I can remember.) One had a cartoon opening scene (dubbed "Gay Link", and you'll know why if you ever see the video), another had live-action scenes (I think it was something like Myst), and another had you messily controlling Zelda on her way to save Link (hey, it had to happen sometime.)
In the end, Nintendo did away with the whole CD thing anyway. So, out of this entire thing, we got: -One (1) ill-fated gaming console by Phillips -Three (3) horrible Zelda games which should only be referenced to prove that a good series can go bad -No (0) CD add-on for the SNES
And, as you may have already guessed, Sony didn't stop production after Nintendo cut its ties- the project they were working on? You know it now as the Playstation.
That's right- Nintendo help create the very gaming console that now overshadows them. This was the first of many stupid decisions that lead up to the Gamecube (where they corrected many of the problems.)
As an aside, some of the other stupid decisions were: forcing N64 developers to work on the Virtual Boy (we all know how that faired), the Virtual Boy itself, using cartridges over CDs for the N64 (due to, as I understand it, mainly piracy concerns- you can't copy something if you lack the media), and losing Final Fantasy to Sony.
Slashdot Mirror
Scientifically, you might as well drink chinese tiger penis soup to get a stiffy.
If the videos I've seen are any indication, the chiropractor can take care of that, too.
Good idea. This way they can make sure that the only thing stolen through FireFox is memory space.
[rimshot]
One has to wonder what, if any, restrictions Google has in place to keep GDrive from becoming a file sharing network, assuming it will actually come out.
Even if shares are only 2 GB (about the size of their e-mail accounts), that's still enough for at least one good-quality movie, or 100+ high quality MP3s. All one would need to do is set up a drive and disseminate the login info.
And what about legit use? I rip all my CDs to MP3s (because changing CDs when you get tired of them is a nuisance). My business allows me to store MP3s on my computer for personal use, but I cannot bring a flash drive or other writeable media (including CD-Rs) into the workplace. (Yes, having internet access kind of dilutes this, but I digress.) It would be easier for me to upload as many songs as possible and download them at work instead of trying to convince someone that my flash drive just has MP3s on it.
Maybe they can outright ban certain file types- mp3s, avis, etc. Of course, there's nothing stopping someone from uploading it as spiderman3.doc. And what about the college student that wants to upload a class lecture for later listening or sharing?
If this becomes a reality, it would be interesting to see how they work it.
This is what plagues the RIAA and MPAA. This is what plagues movie screens and radio. Piracy is a problem, yes, but it's not the reason these big corporate types are losing money is because of the big corporate types. Putting out new colors of the same thing will drag sales out only so much.
I think one of the bigger reasons that Mr. Lucas is right is the ability for novice movie makers to do their own CGI. While it may not be as flashy as the big-budget movies, it's enough to get across the idea, as long as a good story compliments it. For instance, while using StumbleUpon, I found a video for a fan-made parody of Power Rangers called "Emo Rangers". The initial episode (which was all I could find) ran about 18 minutes or so, and had some pretty good effects (certainly better than we saw in the original Power Rangers). Considering that all the group that made it had was a YouTube entry and a domain that forwarded to their MySpace account, I highly doubt they had a large budget.
People are waking up and realizing that they've already seen this plot thrice, and oh now we can predict the plot twist. Shiny objects will entrance people for only so long. Good stories are taking precedence, and this will allow more indie directors to get their turn in the spotlight.
We'll just preserve Harrison Ford and Aerosmith in cryostasis until 2100, and I'm sure they'll be able to take care of that asteroid no problem.
Considering that Nintendo has already gone through the FCC compliance tests for the DS Lite (an article with pictures was posted on Slashdot last month), I bet we're going to see a summer release.
Chances are that they want to get it out before the Revolution (which seems to have a fall release), especially if the Revolution does feature some sort of connection with the DS (as the rumors fly.)
I'd mod you up, but Slashdot hasn't given me mod points in a long while.
I'm unconvinced that they helped me with my grades.
:)
I know that bringing my laptop to class helped me. Aside from allowing me to play Solitaire (or the obligatory surfing Slashdot) when the topic was boring, it is the very reason that I got an A+ in Physics.
Taking notes on my laptop meant that I didn't have to worry about sloppy handwriting. Plus, since I couldn't draw any associated graphs or diagrams in real time, I would have to draw them in a book, mark the place in my notes, and go later into a paint program and re-draw the graphs, then insert them. Doing this made me pay extra attention to the graphs, and forced me to re-read my notes as I insert.
It didn't hurt that the professor gave me some extra credit because of the effort I put into it.
So that's why I was having a hard time finding it... It's *step*mania, not *dance*mania.
Thank you much!
Joe Average can suggest ideas for a program, but there's no way in hell that I'm letting him work on it himself. I have a hard enough time helping those who are supposed to be CS/CE majors understand basic Java programming at my college.
Even at my internship I see terrible programmers, I'm updating a simple calendar program used internally. The code is done so horribly, with super redundancies and back assward logic, that I'm not sure how it got put into production in the first place. I've wound up just rewriting entire portions, instead of just adding the features requested (partly because I couldn't do the latter without some of the former.) Granted, I'm no highly-trained expert, but this stuff was just plain bad.
And this was made by a supposedly "real" programmer in the corporate world (in Coldfusion, no less).
I say we work on getting people who are already programming, but doing a lousy job, up to snuff before we start letting everyday people into the process.
Ah. I skimmed through it and did a search for "eyeToy", which got no results.
I blame Internet Explorer. (That's still a valid excuse, right?)
So you mean I can now say "internets" without being wrong?
I have to wonder how this will affect the Chinese people. Are they even being told that their internet is being replaced, at least in part? First story is slashdotted already...
When "counter-culture" types start seeing that all of their blogs and whatnot that speak against China suddely dissappear, will this invigorate their urge to spread democracy/free speech/what-have-you, or douse it? Will those previously ignorant (or who just didn't care) to the whole situation start thinking if their regularly-visited sites suddenly dissappear completely?
DDR was an obvious mention of the article- being an overweight guy myself, it's surprising how much fun it is to play a few rounds while making an ass of yourself in public. (You get over the nervousness quickly as you focus on your legs instead of those around you.) In fact, once the price drops on the PS2, I plan to buy one and whatever DDR games are out there to have a workout at home- a great way to relax after a hard day of slashdotting at work. Assuming I haven't already downloaded DanceMania.
I'm surprised they didn't mention the eyeToy- there are a few "games" out there that use it as a workout device (having you punch, kick, etc.) In fact, I think they have a screenshot of one eyeToy game right at the beginning.
Aside from those two things, I wonder how the Revolution will fare as an excersize platform. Since active motion will be a requirement, instead of an extra (except where developers pansy out and use the shell), it suddenly seems obvious that it could extend to excersize. Nintendo is also trying to focus on expanding the gaming market to the "common people", and if they can successfully get millions of housewives and cubical workers to get one of these, a work out game would really sell.
Think about something like tae-bo (sp?). Regulating it to just the hands, you could wear special gloves that hold a remote controller each. You can then punch along with whatever workout is being played, and the game can tell you how well you are matching the moves. If you get tired of just standing there and listening to music, hook a Ninchuck up to the controller and play a fist-a-cuffs game. Punch your way through armies of zombies, using the buttons to do special moves (karate chop!) and to switch hand held weapons (knives, brass knuckles, Britney Spear's latest CD...)
If you have four controllers, you could hook one to each lower leg as well.
Actually, I think that will be a "new" genre made for the Revolution- First Person Fighter (FPF). While there have been a few fighting games that had you in first person in the past, those were few and far between, and none have had this kind of input device to work with.
If that was a certainty, there would have been enough evidence to convict them already. I hate spam as much as the next guy, but entrapment stinks. You can turn anyone into a criminal if you offer the right price.
Doubtful. While most people may not be against "tagging" a building with a streak of paint if paid a million dollars, there are lots of crimes that are taken down this way that regular people wouldn't think of doing. Go to a person on the street and tell them you'll pay them a million dollars if they spam 500,000 people. Most would give you an odd glare and walk away. Tell someone else you'll pay them three million to whack a guy. (Don't do this, you'll likely be arrested.)
Entrapment means that the police coerced a regular citizen, who had no previous contemplation of the act, into doing something they wouldn't otherwise think of doing.
If the informant pressured these guys, then that would be entrapment. If they hadn't done it before, and hadn't expressed interest in doing it before, that could be entrapment. I haven't RTFA, but if they needed to buy the PC equipment to do the spamming, it does sound like this could be entrapment, unless they just wanted to replace their old systems to do the spamming this time around.
(Definition of entrapment)
I'd take this with a grain of salt. From the article, it's the "a guy I know knows a guy who heard about this" mode of information travel- hardly reliable.
Ignoring that, I don't really see this having any truth. From the article, this is for the Playstation 2, not the PS3.
Next, this would be an accessory for a small amount of games, not an official controller included in every unit.
Also, how they would make it work would be curious, though I don't doubt its plausibility. Nintendo's controller uses spacial recognition (using triangulating sensors) and pitch/yaw (most likely gyros) to do its controlling. If this supposed PS2 controller uses eyeToy, then it would presumably be by pattern recognition. How would the camera recognize the controller?
To my knowledge, eyeToy games recognize the hand, which has a distinct shape (if programmed to recognize the various contortions the hand can accomplish.) As a static object, this would be easier to recognize, but only if it doesn't contrast with any colors or shapes around it. Most people don't wear flesh-colored accessories or clothes; if the controller is white, what happens if it's put in front of a white shirt? What about if the user puts it behind their back?
Plus, the PS2 is being replaced this year (well, or early next year.... sometime before 2010). While there will still be development for it, a lot of it will eventually peter off as more and more people jump to the PS3. If the PS3 can handle PS2 eyeToy software and the eyeToy itself, that isn't a problem in the least; otherwise, there will be low demand.
In short, I really don't see this happening. Even if it does, it will be no "Rev killer" unless it comes standard with every system.
This has to be good news for Nintendo. With the low sales (due either to low demand, low supply, or both) of the XBox 360, Nintendo's main competition in this year's console release war is the PS3. With Sony delaying it, this give's Nintendo some breathing room. We know that the console will be cheaper than either the PS3 or the 360, so they already have that in the bag. With the weight of the PS3 release off of Nintendo's shoulders, they can give whatever AAA launch titles they have planned some more polish time if need be, and have them come out a week or two after the Revolution does.
Of course, this is assuming that the NRV and PS3 were scheduled for about the same time; if the PS3 was scheduled for an early summer launch, and the NRV for a mid-fall, this delay may push the PS3 into the same release week as the NRV, which actually puts more pressure on Nintendo.
Still, I'm sure that the Nintendo execs are smiling a bit.
"...when we post another story about people wildly speculating about the release date of a next-gen console or game, and pick the winning dates from a hat!"
Babelfish doesn't offer a translation for "Microsoft", but I believe he meant that it will come out this year if it meets everyone's expectations. After all, everyone and their dog is expecting Halo 3 (while I haven't played Halo 2 all the way through, the ending was apparently a complete cliffhanger).
Basically, he's saying that Bungie (or someone) is working on it, and it could be complete this year, but they're going to give it the time it needs to be a "good" FPS.
So they're giving it the treatment that Nintendo is giving Twilight Princess, minus the sad fanboys, which is good, as the XBox 360 dearly needs some hit quality games.
Why do you think everyone has cell phones these days?
After school programming classes
In more poverished school districts, help to set up after-school classes for those interested in programming. Donate money for the computer hardware if needed. And don't talk about stuff like database queries or setting up submission forms (leave that for actual classes); talk about stuff like making a square move from one side of the screen to the other while rotating, or creating 2d games.
These kinds of things will interest kids a hell of a lot more than getting a tax form, and those with a real interest in programming will gain some core knowledge. Use things like Flash or Visual Basic, since those would be the easiest things to introduce kids to.
As an added bonus, the calculations necessary if they want to make more complex versions of what is listed above will spur their interest in math, which will let them branch out to other industries (physics, accounting, etc.).
Support Web sites of other charities
Many charities, especially smaller ones, often have lackluster sites, usually a result of asking your kid cousin to make the site for you or having to hire the cheapest web designer you could find who "always uses Frontpage".
Use the funds to help these sites get work from professional web designers; with the increase in net spending, giving profits to the internet is also on the rise, and a static site with bad navigation and little information will send a potential donation to another charity.
Video directing, editing, and compilation
Google is in a good place to set up extra-curriculur lessons for interested parties on filming, editing video, and creating a finished project. With Google Video, Google can spur more interest by putting "final products" on a special page to showcase them; maybe even have a small contest for the best video made by a student of the class
Invest in the Phantom Console
I just heard today that they need more venture capital. Althought, I guess "pity pay" doesn't equate charity. Maybe give money to those who invested in it?
Destroy MySpace
I don't think I have to say anything here.
"Middlemen" who connect people with guns-for-hire are often arrested on an accomplice charge. They aren't the ones doing the shooting or looking for someone to get shot, but they connect those two parties.
However, that is a rather severe simile. A closer one would be someone you go to get something from the black market, or to buy stolen good through. Yes, they weren't the ones who are actually selling the goods or stealing the stuff, but they can point you towards those who do and are. Without them, it would be much harder to gain access to those things, so they do help to perpetuate it.
Knowingly hosting this kind of information is, in my opinion, morally wrong. If it was a service for legit files, and a few copyrighted items snuck in and were undetected, then they shouldn't have a problem. If they're allowing large amounts of posting (even of the links) for copyrighted items, feigning ignorance won't do them (or you) much good.
The legal system is still wrestling with the notion, so it's anyone's game right now.
Step 1: Find stupid people to supply venture capital for new console
Step 2: Delay new console indefinately
Step 3: Find more stupid people to get investment money from
Step 4: ???
Step 5: Say the market put too much pressure on your new console, declare bankruptcy, and high-tale it to Cuba
(Step 6: Smoke cigars)
On an unrelated note, can you hold something that doesn't exist (and, from the looks of it, never will)?
There's been a lot of talk about it, but I haven't seen a release date for the DS Lite state side. I know that the Japanese gamers get it in the middle of March, and I believe Reggie said it would hit stateside in the summer (and the original DS would be phased out), but have they stated an actual release date for it?
That SMB3 video you're talking about was proven a fake a while back. Too busy (ha) to google, but it had something to do with how the whistles worked- I believe the guy was able to go to the second row of warp pipes by using a whistle in World 1, when you can't get to that row until at least World 2.
However, there are some really impressive time trials out there, and entire sites are dedicated to them. Seeing a true pro gamer in action can really belittle you, despite the excitement you feel.
Can't read it from work, but I hope the article mentions the miserable Phillips CD-i games in there somewhere.
If not, here's a brief history:
Originally, Nintendo worked with Sony to create a CD add-on to its then-successful SNES. Things were going along merrily, but, for some reason, Nintendo cut ties with Sony and changed to working with Phillips- and Sony didn't find out until Nintendo made a public announcement. As part of the agreement for developing a CD attachment for Nintendo, Phillips got to use some of Nintendo's properties for its own ill-fated CD-i game system.
There were three games in all (Wand of Gamelon or something is the only title I can remember.) One had a cartoon opening scene (dubbed "Gay Link", and you'll know why if you ever see the video), another had live-action scenes (I think it was something like Myst), and another had you messily controlling Zelda on her way to save Link (hey, it had to happen sometime.)
In the end, Nintendo did away with the whole CD thing anyway. So, out of this entire thing, we got:
-One (1) ill-fated gaming console by Phillips
-Three (3) horrible Zelda games which should only be referenced to prove that a good series can go bad
-No (0) CD add-on for the SNES
And, as you may have already guessed, Sony didn't stop production after Nintendo cut its ties- the project they were working on? You know it now as the Playstation.
That's right- Nintendo help create the very gaming console that now overshadows them. This was the first of many stupid decisions that lead up to the Gamecube (where they corrected many of the problems.)
As an aside, some of the other stupid decisions were: forcing N64 developers to work on the Virtual Boy (we all know how that faired), the Virtual Boy itself, using cartridges over CDs for the N64 (due to, as I understand it, mainly piracy concerns- you can't copy something if you lack the media), and losing Final Fantasy to Sony.