I wonder if Westerners are accepted at these places?
As with all things in Japan, it depends. Westerners will be allowed in if they satisfy the requirements posted on the wall at the reception area. In most cases, anyone with tattoos will be barred entry (since tattoos == yakuza in japan).
Also, most capsule hotels are exclusively for men because it reduces the risk of rape (versus co-ed). There are one or two capsule hotels in Tokyo that I could find that are exclusively for women, but since the whole point of a capsule hotel is to provide a place for a salaryman (read: regular joe schmoe employee) to catch some sleep after a night of drinking and missing his last train home, it doesn't often happen that a woman would *need* to stay in a capsule hotel. Especially since Japanese society still largely encourages women to abandon their careers once they have children. And, as we all know, Japanese women are expected to be baby making machines , so *not* having children isn't really seen as an option.
Disclaimer: I lived in (albeit rural) Japan from 2005-2007, and I'm female. I looked for capsule hotels when I was there, and there were few that would accept me. My views on women's rights and societal expectations in Japan may be somewhat biased by my small-town life there, as even in Canada small-town women get exposed to fewer options and seemingly have fewer acceptable life choices than those in major cities.
You're absolutely correct about monochrome QR code being advantageous. QR isn't limited to just black and white, it actually just nheeds to be two distinct colors, where one is much darker than the other.
A number of fast food joints in Japan print McDonalds-style burger wrappers - single color paper with different colored print. So, for example, at McD's my Big Mac wrapper was able to have a QR code on it at no extra cost to the printing process, other than having to add the tag to the layout.
If you took a picture with your mobile phone camera, it would direct you to the McDonalds website nutritional information page for the burger that you were eating.
I had the pleasure of hearing a speech from Epic at The Tokyo Games Show earlier this year (titled "Opportunities for Japanese Corporations in Middleware for Next-Generation Hardware"). While Sweeney did a good job of coming off as confident, but not overly so, in the Unreal engine itself. He was willing to offer the mostly Japanese audience a handful of reasons why their engine is and isn't the right way for companies to go, based on what sort of game you're trying to make. I could tell that the Japanese developers around me were on the same page as Sweeney, based on their gestures and the fact that they were actually taking notes about things that he said.
After that, Jay Wilbur decided to add a few words. Or rather, to be American. Now, don't get me wrong, I generally approve of being direct and selling your selling points, rather than mentioning that, yeah, our product isn't going to butter your toast every morning... BUT... when dealing with a Japanese audience, upfront honesty is the best way to go. Sweeney also had the "I'm roughly Japanese-sized" thing going for him. When rotund Wilbur stepped up to the plate, he set a bad tone by telling the rather humble but proud crowd of Japanese developers that "You need this engine". I heard one guy whisper to his friend, "Where does this guy think games started? Huh? *WE* __NEED__ them? Pfft." (in Japanese, so that's paraphrasing, of course)
What started as a good, solid discussion into the benefits of buying A game engine, ANY game engine, was quickly derailed into a product pitch for THEIR game engine. The thing is, Japanese companies, despite what modernizations have happened here, are still rather loyal when it comes to their big huge purchases. They'd rather go with someone they know, and I'm fairly certain that if Wilbur had just said nothing, or said much less than he did, and used much less arrogance and self-pimping in his speech, that the Japanese crowd would have gone home thinking, "You know, there's a company that's honest about their product, and that's willing to come all the way out here to persuade us that game engines are worth buying. We should seriously think about buying theirs". Instead, a lot of people left the room shaking their heads, muttering things about "Typical Americans. All talk. All about them. (etc)"
The thing about dealing with a foreign country is to go in and appreciate their background, their culture, and their style of work. To go in and trample all over their acheivements in an attempt to hock your wares just doesn't cut it.
I went to the Miraikan in Tokyo this summer, and one of the coolest nerd things that they had was a physical model of the internet. My geek guy and I passed schmoopy "heart" messages back and forth across a series of connected conveyor belts using black and white colored balls, symbolizing 0s and 1s.
The setup had an information display that, as far as my bad Japanese could read, said it was a graduate student project from a nearby University. It was incredibly cool. From the English part of their website we have the folowing:
A Hands-On Model of the Internet
Balls roll, and the workings of the Internet are revealed.
Data coming and going over the Internet, whether text or images, is represented by a series of 0s and 1s. The series is divided into small chunks called "packets." An array of 0s and 1s called an "IP address," which represents the destination of the data is included in the header of each packet. The Internet exchanges data by delivering these packets from network to network. We have provided white and black balls to represent the 0s and 1s in the packets. In the exhibit, you can create your own packet of white and black balls and release your packet onto the Internet.
You can get to it by clicking on the Exhibit 3 part of the 3rd floor on their flash-y map.
We, of course, made plenty of "tubes" jokes, but the funniest had to be when one of the balls accidentally popped off the conveyor belt, and the message was dropped as it entered the receiving terminal as being badly formed. Great, because their model showed what happens when you literally drop a packet. *grin*
Creds: I currently work in a Japanese high school, and am between JLPT Levels 3 and 2. Not fluent, but I can manage.
(1) The classical Japanese character for "wi" was phased out in the 20th century, but all teens/adults here know it because they read classical Japanese in high school. The idea that "Japanese people can't even say "wii"" is absolutely false.
(2) There are many kanji that use some modern phonetic equivalent of "wii". However, there is one in particular that all dictionaries I've checked list in both katakana script as well as using the classical character "wi". This kanji looks like "". I am told that "Japanese people don't often use that word, and it's difficult to translate into English", so you'll have to deal with my dictionary fumblings...
This kanji has a variety of meanings (translation is never direct), including: - shifts and changes - capable, gifted, talented, useful, having a promising future - various fate-related happenings/phenomena
It is often used in the phrase "uitenpen" () which means something along the lines of "vicissitudes/mutability". "tenpen" means "a constant change".
If I'm reading my J-J dictionary right, there's also some nuance about changing your fate, or overthrowing the will of (the) God(s), or some such nonsense. Sounds, well, rather a lot like a "revolution" to me.
So, at the end of the day, it seems like Nintendo has decided to change the name from English "revolution" (which I guarantee Japanese people will mangle/balk at) to archaic Japanese "revolution", but they just aren't telling anyone. Maybe they thought they were being clever.
Slime forest is actually, IMHO, the best way to start learning japanese vocabulary. It's a fun RPG-style game with emphasis on learning the kana, and about 800 kanji (meanings only, no pronounciation yet).
The guy that is writing this is working on it from home, and is charging very little for permanent membership in the project. Right now, downloads are free, but permanent members get access to future for -profit releases that won't be free to the public.
Seriously, though, download the free stuff and give it a whirl. It makes that first step of Japanese learning tons of fun, and you can see progress right away.
... from the remaining BitTorrent tracking sites. Now all the kiddies can go download Exeem and the MPAA/RIAA/ can cook Exeem over the coals of the SuprNova fire while the rest of us keep using the many other tried and true tracking sites.
I doubt Exeem will be around very long if they're advertising themselves as the new Suprnova.
I have an ancient-ass laptop that produces a ton of heat when I'm using it... I also happen to get cold really easily, and stay that way for hours at a time.
I really like having a lap-warmer while I'm using my computer.
As far as learning the basics of programming, there are a ton of emulators out there that can run the old C64 games and such. A great introductory look at digital logic is found in the amazingly addictive "Rocky's Boots" for the Commodore, and I've even recommended the game to some of my friends who are having troubles with logic statements. Some introductory programming is also easily accomplished with the "LOGO" turtle program. There are a ton of games aimed at teaching kids the basics of programming. These are not _actually_ programming games, but they teach kids the stuff that they'll need to know when they start taking their _actual_ programming courses in school. My brother has taken programming since Gr.7, and I'm sure that schools will slowly start to creep programming into elementary school, given that it strengthens so many logical skills needed to succeed with Junior High algebra. *shrug* Maybe I'm just too practical, or my family is just more computer-oriented, but I think that if kids want to program there _are_ opportunities for them to do so (with a little research involved). Any one else have some favorite C64/whatever games that taught them about the basics of programming?
Slashdot Mirror
I wonder if Westerners are accepted at these places?
As with all things in Japan, it depends. Westerners will be allowed in if they satisfy the requirements posted on the wall at the reception area. In most cases, anyone with tattoos will be barred entry (since tattoos == yakuza in japan).
Also, most capsule hotels are exclusively for men because it reduces the risk of rape (versus co-ed). There are one or two capsule hotels in Tokyo that I could find that are exclusively for women, but since the whole point of a capsule hotel is to provide a place for a salaryman (read: regular joe schmoe employee) to catch some sleep after a night of drinking and missing his last train home, it doesn't often happen that a woman would *need* to stay in a capsule hotel. Especially since Japanese society still largely encourages women to abandon their careers once they have children. And, as we all know, Japanese women are expected to be baby making machines , so *not* having children isn't really seen as an option.
Disclaimer: I lived in (albeit rural) Japan from 2005-2007, and I'm female. I looked for capsule hotels when I was there, and there were few that would accept me. My views on women's rights and societal expectations in Japan may be somewhat biased by my small-town life there, as even in Canada small-town women get exposed to fewer options and seemingly have fewer acceptable life choices than those in major cities.
You're absolutely correct about monochrome QR code being advantageous. QR isn't limited to just black and white, it actually just nheeds to be two distinct colors, where one is much darker than the other.
A number of fast food joints in Japan print McDonalds-style burger wrappers - single color paper with different colored print. So, for example, at McD's my Big Mac wrapper was able to have a QR code on it at no extra cost to the printing process, other than having to add the tag to the layout.
If you took a picture with your mobile phone camera, it would direct you to the McDonalds website nutritional information page for the burger that you were eating.
I had the pleasure of hearing a speech from Epic at The Tokyo Games Show earlier this year (titled "Opportunities for Japanese Corporations in Middleware for Next-Generation Hardware"). While Sweeney did a good job of coming off as confident, but not overly so, in the Unreal engine itself. He was willing to offer the mostly Japanese audience a handful of reasons why their engine is and isn't the right way for companies to go, based on what sort of game you're trying to make. I could tell that the Japanese developers around me were on the same page as Sweeney, based on their gestures and the fact that they were actually taking notes about things that he said.
After that, Jay Wilbur decided to add a few words. Or rather, to be American. Now, don't get me wrong, I generally approve of being direct and selling your selling points, rather than mentioning that, yeah, our product isn't going to butter your toast every morning... BUT... when dealing with a Japanese audience, upfront honesty is the best way to go. Sweeney also had the "I'm roughly Japanese-sized" thing going for him. When rotund Wilbur stepped up to the plate, he set a bad tone by telling the rather humble but proud crowd of Japanese developers that "You need this engine". I heard one guy whisper to his friend, "Where does this guy think games started? Huh? *WE* __NEED__ them? Pfft." (in Japanese, so that's paraphrasing, of course)
What started as a good, solid discussion into the benefits of buying A game engine, ANY game engine, was quickly derailed into a product pitch for THEIR game engine. The thing is, Japanese companies, despite what modernizations have happened here, are still rather loyal when it comes to their big huge purchases. They'd rather go with someone they know, and I'm fairly certain that if Wilbur had just said nothing, or said much less than he did, and used much less arrogance and self-pimping in his speech, that the Japanese crowd would have gone home thinking, "You know, there's a company that's honest about their product, and that's willing to come all the way out here to persuade us that game engines are worth buying. We should seriously think about buying theirs". Instead, a lot of people left the room shaking their heads, muttering things about "Typical Americans. All talk. All about them. (etc)"
The thing about dealing with a foreign country is to go in and appreciate their background, their culture, and their style of work. To go in and trample all over their acheivements in an attempt to hock your wares just doesn't cut it.
You can get to it by clicking on the Exhibit 3 part of the 3rd floor on their flash-y map.
We, of course, made plenty of "tubes" jokes, but the funniest had to be when one of the balls accidentally popped off the conveyor belt, and the message was dropped as it entered the receiving terminal as being badly formed. Great, because their model showed what happens when you literally drop a packet. *grin*
Creds: I currently work in a Japanese high school, and am between JLPT Levels 3 and 2. Not fluent, but I can manage.
(1) The classical Japanese character for "wi" was phased out in the 20th century, but all teens/adults here know it because they read classical Japanese in high school. The idea that "Japanese people can't even say "wii"" is absolutely false.
(2) There are many kanji that use some modern phonetic equivalent of "wii". However, there is one in particular that all dictionaries I've checked list in both katakana script as well as using the classical character "wi". This kanji looks like "". I am told that "Japanese people don't often use that word, and it's difficult to translate into English", so you'll have to deal with my dictionary fumblings...
This kanji has a variety of meanings (translation is never direct), including:
- shifts and changes
- capable, gifted, talented, useful, having a promising future
- various fate-related happenings/phenomena
It is often used in the phrase "uitenpen" () which means something along the lines of "vicissitudes/mutability". "tenpen" means "a constant change".
If I'm reading my J-J dictionary right, there's also some nuance about changing your fate, or overthrowing the will of (the) God(s), or some such nonsense. Sounds, well, rather a lot like a "revolution" to me.
So, at the end of the day, it seems like Nintendo has decided to change the name from English "revolution" (which I guarantee Japanese people will mangle/balk at) to archaic Japanese "revolution", but they just aren't telling anyone. Maybe they thought they were being clever.
-MJ
Slime forest is actually, IMHO, the best way to start learning japanese vocabulary. It's a fun RPG-style game with emphasis on learning the kana, and about 800 kanji (meanings only, no pronounciation yet).
The guy that is writing this is working on it from home, and is charging very little for permanent membership in the project. Right now, downloads are free, but permanent members get access to future for -profit releases that won't be free to the public.
Seriously, though, download the free stuff and give it a whirl. It makes that first step of Japanese learning tons of fun, and you can see progress right away.
I heart Darryl Johnson.
-MJ
... from the remaining BitTorrent tracking sites. Now all the kiddies can go download Exeem and the MPAA/RIAA/ can cook Exeem over the coals of the SuprNova fire while the rest of us keep using the many other tried and true tracking sites. I doubt Exeem will be around very long if they're advertising themselves as the new Suprnova.
I have an ancient-ass laptop that produces a ton of heat when I'm using it... I also happen to get cold really easily, and stay that way for hours at a time.
I really like having a lap-warmer while I'm using my computer.
-MJ
As far as learning the basics of programming, there are a ton of emulators out there that can run the old C64 games and such. A great introductory look at digital logic is found in the amazingly addictive "Rocky's Boots" for the Commodore, and I've even recommended the game to some of my friends who are having troubles with logic statements. Some introductory programming is also easily accomplished with the "LOGO" turtle program. There are a ton of games aimed at teaching kids the basics of programming. These are not _actually_ programming games, but they teach kids the stuff that they'll need to know when they start taking their _actual_ programming courses in school. My brother has taken programming since Gr.7, and I'm sure that schools will slowly start to creep programming into elementary school, given that it strengthens so many logical skills needed to succeed with Junior High algebra. *shrug* Maybe I'm just too practical, or my family is just more computer-oriented, but I think that if kids want to program there _are_ opportunities for them to do so (with a little research involved). Any one else have some favorite C64/whatever games that taught them about the basics of programming?