This is a tragic industry trend. I work at a company where about 75% of all developers are HB1 visa holders. These companies are looking for 'instant' workforces that they can bring along and dismantle when a project ends. They also like to work these people like crazy, as they will only be around for a few years. They can work hard for a few years and go back to their country with more money maybe to buy a house or get married. As for HB1 visa holders being cheaper, perhaps a little bit when it comes to health care, etc. I think employers like that they can demand even more out of these folks.
Java, while widely used is on the down slide. There really hasn't been any new revolutionary additions to the language in about 7 years. In another 10 years, it will become like COBOL is to IBM.
Your browser (normally Netscape) was normally given to you from your ISP. You needed to sign up for internet access and then they would send it to you (on floppy I think) Once online, you could use this browser to upgrade if there was a newer one available.
Microsoft illegally leveraged their monopoly at the time. Including a competitive browser for "Free" with Windows was the downfall for Netscape. The browser did have a cost but it was blended in with the cost of Windows which almost everyone run. Netscape could no longer sell their browser and the rest is history. The browser was never a part of the operating system and really never needed to be. It just was Microsofts way of protecting its monopoly.
I think what most people miss is that Microsoft never wanted web browser technology to exist! They only produced IE in order to kill off Netscape. They had that idea that only specific windows desktop applications would provide some access to the internet in a very controlled way, not like browsing or surfing the web for whatever content you would like. Development for IE almost came to complete halt if it wasnt for open source browsers coming of age.
I used to work at a company that used to tell me that 'they aren't about roles or titles'. You would have a title so generic and understated that honestly no one could figure out what you do. I was able to leave this job for a 25% salary increase because my responsibilities never matched my title. Companies use this as a ploy so that they do not have to pay you in many cases what you are worth.
Well as long as I don't have to buy another flatscreen TV for this.... has anyone noticed 3D TVs cost upwards of $3,000? Add a 3D blue ray player for another $350....
I think 3D in gaming can be cool.... the price is just outrageous.
I am glad that Apple is taking a stand with Flash especially now that with web standards it really isn't needed. I've never really thought flash would be so vital for video streaming as there were other video streaming applications out there such as windows media center, real networks player, and quicktime. HTML 5 is a step in the right direction and sadly I believe that without this pressure from Apple, most video sites will continue to use flash.
As for internet marketing and advertising... I really hope they find a better tool other than Flash to use.
I think this is too little and too late from Sony. I recall they tried to rip off motion controls at E3 a few years back with the x-axis controller and now this. Apparently the game plan is that if they can adequately copy Nintendo's motion controller, they can entice Wii owners to move to PS3 because they like motion controls and they desperately want HD graphics.
A few reasons why I don't think it will work -
1. Wii owners purchased their systems without HD and did not seem to care. This is also probably the same sector of the world who have not run out to buy a Blue Ray player yet. Most people don't believe there is that much of a difference.
2. The Sony motion controllers are more expensive. No matter how you slice it, they do cost more and hopefully they are alot better functionally than what the Wii already offers.
3. The Sony motion controllers are not the default controller. Nintendo was able to get more developers to embrace the technology as it was the default standard control method.
4. Lets face it, some of the Nintendo appeal actually are the games. Sony will need to do more than crank out first person shooters. Sony will also need to target a broader audience with their games.
I think this topic is a very mute point. Tradeoffs are made to keep the music smaller and more portable in a digital form. Otherwise you would have no ipods, mp3 players, etc. I believe over time, as internal storage of the ipods/mp3 players get larger and more importantly cheaper, better sounding formats and higher bit rates will be able to be used (lossless/flac). Its just a matter of time.
Yes, also take note of the versions and timelines. IE 4 (Oct. 1997) was released after Netscape 4 (Jun. 1997). IE 5 isn't really a fair comparison. IE 4 was pretty much a match feature for feature, but the default browser on the OS meant the loss of significant sales to Netscape. Netscape never really released another version because of the financial hit, just minor bug fix releases of 4.0 - 4.5
The only reason the cell processor is on the mainframe is to accelerate certain things which perform poorly on the mainframe such as Java or web serving. Anyone who has worked on the IBM mainframe with Java will know this. Java works there, it just doesn't perform well at all. With this in mind, I don't see this used much for gaming. Hopefully, the cell is used for virtual mainframe Linux instances which seems to make more sense.
The magic is not gone for the Nintendo Wii. I just picked up Wii Play and Wario Ware Smooth Moves just recently. I've been playing both of these games, and I just preordered SSX Blur. I also just downloaded a new Everybody Votes channel which has been alot of fun. Hell Im still working through levels of Excite Truck and Zelda. In fact, I cannot remember a time where gaming has been this good. The list of games due out this year concern me only from the standpoint of myself being able to afford and play all of these great titles. I really think this is just the beginning.
I've refused to buy these new certificates as it is unclear as to what you are purchasing. I'm not sure why this costs more than the regular $995 certificates that Verisign already offers. It seems that the customer has to pay for Verisign more money to do a better job (of doing what they are already supposed to be doing). You should be verifying companies adequately who purchase your $995 certificates.
There will be no drought this time as was the case with the Gamecube. Reggie has said all along, that in his opinion the drought of games after the launch of the Gamecube is what killed it. I highly doubt Nintendo would make that same mistake again. If anything, there is almost too much that will be coming out in 2007 which is why you might see some of the bigger titles pushed into the 4th quarter (possibly to counter Halo 3 or whatever Sony has out at that time).
This means software sales in Japan for any particular title could at most be 80,000 units in real sales. This is real bad for the software companies that would rely on a big 4th quarter.
One thing to consider... Do you really think PS2 is worth $150 right now? It has been that price for some time now and never seems to get lower. It at least should be under $100 by now but people are willing to pay $150. Its the 'perceived value' that you have to take into account and I could easily see paying $250 for the Wii and a bundled game.
Boy, you are so wrong! Nintendo is a very profitable company who is coming off great success with the Nintendo DS. At E3 this year, the Nintendo Wii was very much the talk of the show. Most people will be buying a Nintendo console this fall.
"If their controler is what they are hoping will get them top place their going to fail awfuly."
What makes you think this will fail? I agree though, the controller isnt the only reason Nintendo will succeed. The innovative controller is one reason, free online play is the second, downloadable Virtual Console games is third, and the 4th reason (which is a big one) is it will have a low price.
This game system smacks of a great value and the new control scheme will make people want to try it. Nintendo's business model is poised to succeed this generation.
Sony's strategy would work, if the competition would not be so good. The problem is the new Nintendo system is primed to be the next big thing. I am much more excited to play the new Nintendo Wii.
The high price of transitioning to xbox 360 and PS3 is starting to take its toll on the industry. Things in the gaming business aren't going too well. The big crash is coming.
For $600 you get -
1. A blue ray player for the HDTV you DONT have yet, and for Blue Ray movies you haven't bought yet either.
2. Marginally better graphics than Xbox 360.
3. The ability to buy additional items for games via microtransactions.
4. Metal Gear Solid 4 with good old Snake.
5. A half-baked tilt controller with no rumble (which has been standard in most consoles the past 10 years).
6. A hard drive for caching, cuz God knows these Blue Ray drives will not be speedy.
7. A half-baked controller that looks the same as the previous 2 console's controllers.
8. The ability to buy another Gran Turismo game that is 'graphically enhanced', but pretty much the same game.
9. An IBM cell processor which isn't all its cracked up to be.
10. Hope that there will be a future graphically enhanced version of Guitar Hero, or Katamari Damacy to show off the sheer power of this system.
Slashdot Mirror
This is a tragic industry trend. I work at a company where about 75% of all developers are HB1 visa holders. These companies are looking for 'instant' workforces that they can bring along and dismantle when a project ends. They also like to work these people like crazy, as they will only be around for a few years. They can work hard for a few years and go back to their country with more money maybe to buy a house or get married. As for HB1 visa holders being cheaper, perhaps a little bit when it comes to health care, etc. I think employers like that they can demand even more out of these folks.
Soon there will be smaller type drones, like those flying around in Half Life 2 that snap pictures and reveal your location.
Java, while widely used is on the down slide. There really hasn't been any new revolutionary additions to the language in about 7 years. In another 10 years, it will become like COBOL is to IBM.
Your browser (normally Netscape) was normally given to you from your ISP. You needed to sign up for internet access and then they would send it to you (on floppy I think) Once online, you could use this browser to upgrade if there was a newer one available.
Microsoft illegally leveraged their monopoly at the time. Including a competitive browser for "Free" with Windows was the downfall for Netscape. The browser did have a cost but it was blended in with the cost of Windows which almost everyone run. Netscape could no longer sell their browser and the rest is history. The browser was never a part of the operating system and really never needed to be. It just was Microsofts way of protecting its monopoly. I think what most people miss is that Microsoft never wanted web browser technology to exist! They only produced IE in order to kill off Netscape. They had that idea that only specific windows desktop applications would provide some access to the internet in a very controlled way, not like browsing or surfing the web for whatever content you would like. Development for IE almost came to complete halt if it wasnt for open source browsers coming of age.
The name Kin is really not much more different than Kinect, I think the same people came up with these names.
I used to work at a company that used to tell me that 'they aren't about roles or titles'. You would have a title so generic and understated that honestly no one could figure out what you do. I was able to leave this job for a 25% salary increase because my responsibilities never matched my title. Companies use this as a ploy so that they do not have to pay you in many cases what you are worth.
Well as long as I don't have to buy another flatscreen TV for this.... has anyone noticed 3D TVs cost upwards of $3,000? Add a 3D blue ray player for another $350.... I think 3D in gaming can be cool.... the price is just outrageous.
I am glad that Apple is taking a stand with Flash especially now that with web standards it really isn't needed. I've never really thought flash would be so vital for video streaming as there were other video streaming applications out there such as windows media center, real networks player, and quicktime. HTML 5 is a step in the right direction and sadly I believe that without this pressure from Apple, most video sites will continue to use flash. As for internet marketing and advertising... I really hope they find a better tool other than Flash to use.
I think this is too little and too late from Sony. I recall they tried to rip off motion controls at E3 a few years back with the x-axis controller and now this. Apparently the game plan is that if they can adequately copy Nintendo's motion controller, they can entice Wii owners to move to PS3 because they like motion controls and they desperately want HD graphics. A few reasons why I don't think it will work - 1. Wii owners purchased their systems without HD and did not seem to care. This is also probably the same sector of the world who have not run out to buy a Blue Ray player yet. Most people don't believe there is that much of a difference. 2. The Sony motion controllers are more expensive. No matter how you slice it, they do cost more and hopefully they are alot better functionally than what the Wii already offers. 3. The Sony motion controllers are not the default controller. Nintendo was able to get more developers to embrace the technology as it was the default standard control method. 4. Lets face it, some of the Nintendo appeal actually are the games. Sony will need to do more than crank out first person shooters. Sony will also need to target a broader audience with their games.
I think this topic is a very mute point. Tradeoffs are made to keep the music smaller and more portable in a digital form. Otherwise you would have no ipods, mp3 players, etc. I believe over time, as internal storage of the ipods/mp3 players get larger and more importantly cheaper, better sounding formats and higher bit rates will be able to be used (lossless/flac). Its just a matter of time.
Yes, also take note of the versions and timelines. IE 4 (Oct. 1997) was released after Netscape 4 (Jun. 1997). IE 5 isn't really a fair comparison. IE 4 was pretty much a match feature for feature, but the default browser on the OS meant the loss of significant sales to Netscape. Netscape never really released another version because of the financial hit, just minor bug fix releases of 4.0 - 4.5
The only reason the cell processor is on the mainframe is to accelerate certain things which perform poorly on the mainframe such as Java or web serving. Anyone who has worked on the IBM mainframe with Java will know this. Java works there, it just doesn't perform well at all. With this in mind, I don't see this used much for gaming. Hopefully, the cell is used for virtual mainframe Linux instances which seems to make more sense.
The magic is not gone for the Nintendo Wii. I just picked up Wii Play and Wario Ware Smooth Moves just recently. I've been playing both of these games, and I just preordered SSX Blur. I also just downloaded a new Everybody Votes channel which has been alot of fun. Hell Im still working through levels of Excite Truck and Zelda. In fact, I cannot remember a time where gaming has been this good. The list of games due out this year concern me only from the standpoint of myself being able to afford and play all of these great titles. I really think this is just the beginning.
I've refused to buy these new certificates as it is unclear as to what you are purchasing. I'm not sure why this costs more than the regular $995 certificates that Verisign already offers. It seems that the customer has to pay for Verisign more money to do a better job (of doing what they are already supposed to be doing). You should be verifying companies adequately who purchase your $995 certificates.
There will be no drought this time as was the case with the Gamecube. Reggie has said all along, that in his opinion the drought of games after the launch of the Gamecube is what killed it. I highly doubt Nintendo would make that same mistake again. If anything, there is almost too much that will be coming out in 2007 which is why you might see some of the bigger titles pushed into the 4th quarter (possibly to counter Halo 3 or whatever Sony has out at that time).
This means software sales in Japan for any particular title could at most be 80,000 units in real sales. This is real bad for the software companies that would rely on a big 4th quarter.
One thing to consider... Do you really think PS2 is worth $150 right now? It has been that price for some time now and never seems to get lower. It at least should be under $100 by now but people are willing to pay $150. Its the 'perceived value' that you have to take into account and I could easily see paying $250 for the Wii and a bundled game.
I agree, mostly because most people do not care at all about formats. The consoles have become too forward reaching in terms of technology.
Boy, you are so wrong! Nintendo is a very profitable company who is coming off great success with the Nintendo DS. At E3 this year, the Nintendo Wii was very much the talk of the show. Most people will be buying a Nintendo console this fall.
"If their controler is what they are hoping will get them top place their going to fail awfuly." What makes you think this will fail? I agree though, the controller isnt the only reason Nintendo will succeed. The innovative controller is one reason, free online play is the second, downloadable Virtual Console games is third, and the 4th reason (which is a big one) is it will have a low price. This game system smacks of a great value and the new control scheme will make people want to try it. Nintendo's business model is poised to succeed this generation.
Sony's strategy would work, if the competition would not be so good. The problem is the new Nintendo system is primed to be the next big thing. I am much more excited to play the new Nintendo Wii.
The high price of transitioning to xbox 360 and PS3 is starting to take its toll on the industry. Things in the gaming business aren't going too well. The big crash is coming.
For $600 you get - 1. A blue ray player for the HDTV you DONT have yet, and for Blue Ray movies you haven't bought yet either. 2. Marginally better graphics than Xbox 360. 3. The ability to buy additional items for games via microtransactions. 4. Metal Gear Solid 4 with good old Snake. 5. A half-baked tilt controller with no rumble (which has been standard in most consoles the past 10 years). 6. A hard drive for caching, cuz God knows these Blue Ray drives will not be speedy. 7. A half-baked controller that looks the same as the previous 2 console's controllers. 8. The ability to buy another Gran Turismo game that is 'graphically enhanced', but pretty much the same game. 9. An IBM cell processor which isn't all its cracked up to be. 10. Hope that there will be a future graphically enhanced version of Guitar Hero, or Katamari Damacy to show off the sheer power of this system.
Those kids 12 and under are going to love playing Project HAMMER.