Actually I find it's more a rip off of the Fantastic Four.
Mr Fantastic - stretches
Invisible Woman - force fields / invisibility
Thing - strong
Human Torch - fire
Just make a few minor changes to satisfy the lawyers and voila.
Can somebody explain to me why all these law makers are going after the gaming industry so much lately. I don't see why it's so different from other forms of entertainment like movies, books, comics and music.
Is it due to the right wing christian groups? Or because it's an easy way to avoid facing the harder issues? Or maybe the game industry doesn't contribute enough to the political parties as opposed to other media. Seriously though, I'd really like to have a serious answer to their motivations.
Who "owns" the results? What will happen to them?
Unlike other distributed computing projects, Folding@home is run by an academic institution (specifically the Pande Group, at Stanford University's Chemistry Department), which is a nonprofit institution dedicated to science research and education. We will not sell the data or make any money off of it.
Moreover, we will make the data available for others to use. In particular, the results from Folding@home will be made available on several levels. Most importantly, analysis of the simulations will be submitted to scientific journals for publication, and these journal articles will be posted on the web page after publication. Next, after publication of these scientific articles which analyze the data, the raw data of the folding runs will be available for everyone, including other researchers, here on this web site.
The dispute centered on the way that a help function works in the Ichitaro and Hanako software. The way the software presents information violates Matsushita patent number 2,803,236...
Can anybody get a screenshot of what exactly they are arguing over since it's not just an icon?
I'd like to see a comparison between the OS'es regarding time to get hacked with default installations when in use by an "average" user.
My friend just got a Windows machine for X-Mas as is now asking me why his computer is getting slower and what's this bargains.exe process he can't seem to get rid of.
How can they keep saying that Windows is ready for the desktop when this stuff happens after 1 month of use. Windows is not ready for the Aunt Tilley's.
So $400 might just be for the higher end Xbox Next PC which includes the following:
Xbox Next PC is, according to the presentation, an entry-level PC that runs Windows and all standard PC software. It also includes CD Burner, Wireless keyboard, mouse and controller and will work best connected to a high-definition TV or PC monitor. Media Center functionality - like movies, music and photos - is also included. The device will also play most available PC games.
The more power you put into player's hands the better. They will constantly come up with creative solutions the game companies never would have thought of. Hope more companies run with this.
What I'm waiting to see is for some fuctionality to be made available through cell phones. It would be useful to do some maintenace type stuff through one.
I don't see the problem. You can just include in the EULA that they are not liable for the cost of virtual goods.
As you mentioned there are already some games doing this such as Project Entropia, and I'd add Second Life, There and Magic Online to that list and they don't seem to be worried about liability.
Here's an alternate solution when they want to end-of-life a game. The company could transform it to a co-op owned by the players and where players pay the full maintenace costs to keep it going. Thus, in the end it would be the players that shut down their own world once they can't afford to keep it going.
Why don't more games take advantage of player's desire to buy virtual goods for real money. They should all be cooperating on creating their own auction sites and making the transactions safe/secure. Of course they could then take a nice cut from the sales.
Personally I don't care if some guy bought instead of earned his +1 sword. If anything it would balance the game between those with lots of time on their hands and those willing to spend some money to avoid the leveling grind.
Does due process still exist? Shouldn't this basically be a civil matter? Shouldn't the issues be put before the court so each country can apply their version of copyright laws and see how they apply to the posting of torrent links on a web site?
Could some IANAL types please expalin it to me so I can stop being so naive!
Well for example if the other 80% is widly distributed among the general population and no other single investor has more than 20% then it's much easier for EA to get it's way. In order to outvote EA you'd need to get hundreds (thousands?) of investors together to vote, and of course vote against EA.
I think the confusion arrises in that you're thinking everybody with a share is voting. While everybody is allowed 1 vote per share, this doesn't mean everybody actually bothers to vote.
If no other single stock holder has more than a 20% share then EA votes are enough to control the company. At the very least they can certainly swing many votes in their favor. All depends how the shares are distributed.
Hadn't considered cheaters but here's a possible simple solution.
- ISP's must support exporting characters.
- ISP's don't have to accept imports from anywhere.
ISP could mandate that they only accept character imports from the original UO (or additioanlly those they deem trustworthy). So while you would be able to transfer your character to any new ISP you choose, once it's there it might be considered "dirty" and you might not be allowed to use it on other ISP's.
So home run/hacked up ISP's would probably not be supported. And since player data is transfered ISP to ISP, it is safe from tampering (you can transfer it to yourself but agian you won't be a valid import target).
- Sell original client accounts to another company that's interested in the maintenance of the servers. (I'll call them UO-ISP)
- Open source the code so anybody can work on it. The "distro" that UO-ISP uses will probably be the most popular but nothing is stopping a group/rival from forking the code.
- Anybody can now start their own UO ISP service!
- Make sure player data is exportable and owned by the players. Thus allowing them to easily transfer their characters between servers.
We've now got some healthy competition. It's in UO-ISP's best interest to keep prices down and keep the code updated. If not somebody can start their own ISP service. And UO-ISP doesn't need to hire any developers but perhaps can provide financial aid and guidance to the distro it uses.
Would be so cool if they at least tried something like this instead of just shutting down and tossing the code in the bottom of a filing cabinent, which is totally likely.
I don't know about you, but the windows search on my machines is extremely slow. I really only use it as a last resort and I make sure to specify a directory. While the google one is so fast that sometimes I just use it instead of navigating the directory tree.
But the technology used by the National Library Service for people like Uttermohlen has more in common with the
era of "Starsky and Hutch" than it does with the age of downloaded digital information.
Is this how we're classifying era's now? The author must have been born during the era of "Gilligan's Island".
Why are they even bothering with this system of sending out audio books by mail. Why not set up a private P2P network for the blind and let thme dl the books to whatever device they want to use. Wouldn't that cost less/be more efficient? For those with slow connections/no connections to the internet provide them with a subsidized computer (running linux of course) and high speed connection. They can then also use the internet for whatever other services. Doesn't this seem a bit more advanced?
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Actually I find it's more a rip off of the Fantastic Four. Mr Fantastic - stretches Invisible Woman - force fields / invisibility Thing - strong Human Torch - fire Just make a few minor changes to satisfy the lawyers and voila.
Can somebody explain to me why all these law makers are going after the gaming industry so much lately. I don't see why it's so different from other forms of entertainment like movies, books, comics and music. Is it due to the right wing christian groups? Or because it's an easy way to avoid facing the harder issues? Or maybe the game industry doesn't contribute enough to the political parties as opposed to other media. Seriously though, I'd really like to have a serious answer to their motivations.
http://folding.stanford.edu/faq.html#project.own
Wish I had some mod points. You just nailed it on the head.
Check out this thread Looking for fans outraged by Marvel lawsuit.
It looks like the EFF is getting involved in the lawsuit.
Can anybody get a screenshot of what exactly they are arguing over since it's not just an icon?
I'd like to see a comparison between the OS'es regarding time to get hacked with default installations when in use by an "average" user.
My friend just got a Windows machine for X-Mas as is now asking me why his computer is getting slower and what's this bargains.exe process he can't seem to get rid of.
How can they keep saying that Windows is ready for the desktop when this stuff happens after 1 month of use. Windows is not ready for the Aunt Tilley's.
Didn't know Demi Moore and Paris Hilton were that good with computers.
- Xbox Next
- Xbox Next HD
- Xbox Next PC
So $400 might just be for the higher end Xbox Next PC which includes the following:
The more power you put into player's hands the better. They will constantly come up with creative solutions the game companies never would have thought of. Hope more companies run with this.
What I'm waiting to see is for some fuctionality to be made available through cell phones. It would be useful to do some maintenace type stuff through one.
I don't see the problem. You can just include in the EULA that they are not liable for the cost of virtual goods.
As you mentioned there are already some games doing this such as Project Entropia, and I'd add Second Life, There and Magic Online to that list and they don't seem to be worried about liability.
Here's an alternate solution when they want to end-of-life a game. The company could transform it to a co-op owned by the players and where players pay the full maintenace costs to keep it going. Thus, in the end it would be the players that shut down their own world once they can't afford to keep it going.
Why don't more games take advantage of player's desire to buy virtual goods for real money. They should all be cooperating on creating their own auction sites and making the transactions safe/secure. Of course they could then take a nice cut from the sales.
Personally I don't care if some guy bought instead of earned his +1 sword. If anything it would balance the game between those with lots of time on their hands and those willing to spend some money to avoid the leveling grind.
Does due process still exist? Shouldn't this basically be a civil matter? Shouldn't the issues be put before the court so each country can apply their version of copyright laws and see how they apply to the posting of torrent links on a web site? Could some IANAL types please expalin it to me so I can stop being so naive!
Of course you are right. It all depends on how the shares are distributed.
Well for example if the other 80% is widly distributed among the general population and no other single investor has more than 20% then it's much easier for EA to get it's way. In order to outvote EA you'd need to get hundreds (thousands?) of investors together to vote, and of course vote against EA.
I think the confusion arrises in that you're thinking everybody with a share is voting. While everybody is allowed 1 vote per share, this doesn't mean everybody actually bothers to vote.
If no other single stock holder has more than a 20% share then EA votes are enough to control the company. At the very least they can certainly swing many votes in their favor. All depends how the shares are distributed.
check out a possible solution one level up
Hadn't considered cheaters but here's a possible simple solution.
- ISP's must support exporting characters.
- ISP's don't have to accept imports from anywhere.
ISP could mandate that they only accept character imports from the original UO (or additioanlly those they deem trustworthy). So while you would be able to transfer your character to any new ISP you choose, once it's there it might be considered "dirty" and you might not be allowed to use it on other ISP's.
So home run/hacked up ISP's would probably not be supported. And since player data is transfered ISP to ISP, it is safe from tampering (you can transfer it to yourself but agian you won't be a valid import target).
I'd like to see a combination of both?
- Sell original client accounts to another company that's interested in the maintenance of the servers. (I'll call them UO-ISP)
- Open source the code so anybody can work on it. The "distro" that UO-ISP uses will probably be the most popular but nothing is stopping a group/rival from forking the code.
- Anybody can now start their own UO ISP service!
- Make sure player data is exportable and owned by the players. Thus allowing them to easily transfer their characters between servers.
We've now got some healthy competition. It's in UO-ISP's best interest to keep prices down and keep the code updated. If not somebody can start their own ISP service. And UO-ISP doesn't need to hire any developers but perhaps can provide financial aid and guidance to the distro it uses.
Would be so cool if they at least tried something like this instead of just shutting down and tossing the code in the bottom of a filing cabinent, which is totally likely.
And where did the other $50 million go?
I don't know about you, but the windows search on my machines is extremely slow. I really only use it as a last resort and I make sure to specify a directory. While the google one is so fast that sometimes I just use it instead of navigating the directory tree.
Why are they even bothering with this system of sending out audio books by mail. Why not set up a private P2P network for the blind and let thme dl the books to whatever device they want to use. Wouldn't that cost less/be more efficient? For those with slow connections/no connections to the internet provide them with a subsidized computer (running linux of course) and high speed connection. They can then also use the internet for whatever other services. Doesn't this seem a bit more advanced?
How long before this becomes standard equipment on cars and it isn't your parents but the police that are notified?
Arnie in Cali already wants to use some GPS tech to track how far people drive and tax them accordingly (why isn't a gas tax better??).
Are any of these games open source? I figure the Indie game creators would be more keen on sharing given their limited resources.