This is vigilanteism, which most of you supposedly claim to be against.
Yeah, fine and punish a spammer, great, but sorry, 640 years is OVERKILL and you know it.
Hell, ANY jail time for spamming is extreme. The purpose of jail is to isolate those who are a THREAT to society. Someone sending massive amounts of email to people is not a threat to society no matter how you look at it.
We often overlook and take for granted what the purpose of prison is, and it certainly isn't a place to send a fuckin SPAMMER, no matter how much it annoys YOU.
When you do your janky math and figure "oh it takes 5 seconds to delete an email, multiply that by a billion and blah blah you lose millions across the country!!", it makes it look worse than it really is.
I'm sure SOME money is lost.. so do the logical thing - fine him a good portion (75%+) of his assets.
I hate spam as much as the next person, but this mob mentality is sickening.
No no no, people are thinking about this the WRONG way.
You can try to limit what a child watches/plays, but they see and hear far worse in the real world (school, friends, etc).
The idea here is to properly teach your kid right from wrong, then you won't have to WORRY about what's rated what or what they're being subjected to in school.
THAT is the key... but people are too wrapped up in "what's it rated?!"
This is probably just wishful thinking, but maybe people are realizing that THEY'RE JUST FUCKING VIDEO GAMES.
You failed as a parent if your kid is stupid enough to repeat what they see on TV. That's really all this boils down to. Rated R, M,.. really doesn't fucking matter if they're smart enough to know what's right/wrong.
A 12 year old can play GTA no problem... and I'm 100% serious. You know why? Because the shit that goes on at school, the things their friends pressure them into, etc... all have much more of a profound impact on who they will be than them playing a video game....but, the majority of people are sheep, so I kinda doubt that they're wisening up.
Either way, it's still good. I was never a fan of the rating systems. It takes responsibility away from proper parenting.
Thanks freeloader for not bringing down the price by buying it.
Oh, that's how it works, huh? The more someone buys something the lower the price? CDs have been the next big thing for well over 10 years now.. so tell me again why they're still $12-15.
Er wait, is it because of p2p? Did p2p ruin the big magical price break they were eventually gonna give us??
The only reason you pay extra for anything is because you were suckered into believing about the legendary pirate boogeymen that "ruin the industry and drive up prices!"
The reason your ultra-deluxe edition DVDs are so goddamn expensive is because typical consumer sheep fall for the "this is rare!!" marketing tag and cough up the change without thinking twice....and you lose since you claimed "yes it is stealing." No, it's not stealing. Piracy "losses" are subjective and are fabricated on theoretical claims that absolutely cannot be backed up.
If you're sick of spending too much for DVDs, then here's a bright idea: don't fucking buy it.
The problem doesn't lie with pirating - the problem lies in the entertainment industry, whose only concern is to milk people like you for every cent while creating a smokescreen of "poor me, pirates steal our revenue" that simple minded goons eat up and believe.
Anyone else find it completely amusing how these "leaders" of technology make these bold claims only to be made to look like complete jackasses when a 15 year old kid breaks their uber-1337 "copy protection"?
Nice try, I guess, but data is data - you can't copy protect a fuckin thing. You figure they'd learn their lesson by now. Ah well, the stubborn fuckers will realize it as soon as the shit's cracked.
Most of this is FUD anyhow. Do you REALLY think people will buy these players that require an internet connection? Nope. Not gonna happen.
#5 Complainers - Those who don't mind their own business and feel the need to incessantly complain about what OTHERS are doing even though it doesn't affect them one bit... also known as the "feels like a complete ass for spending $20 on a DVD only to shell out another $30 for the ultra-super-deluxe re-release a year later."
Nothing but insuring that greedy assholes get money before other people.
Take a look at what happened w/ Doom 3 and "Carmack's Reverse" - the fucking thing was already patented by some douchebags from Creative when Carmack discovered it on his own.
Now he's obligated to compensate them in some way.
What a bunch of bullshit - the patent system needs some type of overhaul or a "common sense" monitoring system to prevent this shit.
Wait wait wait... who says you HAVE to buy your kid a laptop?
What a waste of money.
WTF does your kid need a laptop for other than to drop it and/or break it in some manner?...please people, let's use our heads from here on out and stop asking retarded questions that we already know the answers to.
To answer the question: When they're older and actually have use for such an expensive machine. Till then, build em a decent desktop for a fraction of the cost.
The internet has been such a blessing. The power is in our hands now, and it's about fucking TIME.
Governments don't like that. Corporations don't like that. It's all about control and power. Those who have it don't want to lose it. Those who have it often abuse it.
Many people don't like the thought of that, but tough shit. Fact is, there isn't much anyone can do about it - and I LOVE it. We've had to endure tons of bullshit from corporations and governments throughout time, so it's time they take back a bit of what they dish out.
Don't want us to download your product? Stop fucking treating us like sheep. Want us to respect your laws and the companies that fund your elections? Stop fucking treating us like sheep.
Instead of learning from their mistakes and fixing what's wrong, they feel the need to create unnecessary laws. They're just digging their own grave.
I say bring these laws on, because if P2P becomes illegal then that will just trigger the dawn of a new era in anonymous filesharing.
What then? Oh, tsk tsk, utter loss for them.
No matter what they do to us, what laws they make, or what control they try to impose, there will be consequences and repercussions for them.
As for good games, if Metal Gear Solid, Silent Hill, Resident Evil, and Devil May Cry are all "good games", why don't I own any of 'em?
I dunno, and this is just a WILD guess, but maybe because you have bad taste in games and need to have an open mind to other things? I mean, why do people own Britney Spears records over more talented artists?
It's beyond me how you can even sit here and take part in this discussion without even having played those other titles. You're sitting here tryin to discuss things you clearly have no experience with. That's pretty ignorant, as was your statement about those games appealing only to preteen and permanently single males.
Good job on that one. Way to let your intellect shine.
You're obviously VERY easily entertained and unable to think outside the box, so carry on your merry little way.
You seem to have drilled into your head that I only enjoy M games, when I stated several posts ago that I'm not an "M gamer".
It just so happens that many of the better games are rated "M" - Metal Gear Solid, Silent Hill, Resident Evil, Devil May Cry... it doesn't mean that I ONLY enjoy M games. "M" rated content aside, those games are brilliant in terms of design and gameplay. They suck you in and make you want more.
There's tons of games that I enjoy that aren't M. Metroid Prime, THPS, and Final Fantasy just to name a few. Hell, I even enjoy DDR.
I still find Link to the Past, Super Mario World, and Mario 64 to be amazingly fun games, however, that has nothing to do with Nintendo's constant reuse of older ideas.
You seem to think I'm saying these games suck - I'm simply saying they're mediocre. Mario Sunshine didn't necessarily SUCK, it was just a rehashed Mario 64. Instead of being an "eh" sequel, it shoulda stood out from ALL other platformers.
Ratchet and Clank, Jak & Daxter... very good platformers that aren't rated M that are WAY better than Mario Sunshine and are perfect examples of what next-gen platformers should be like.
Monkey Ball is okay, but nothing that makes you sit there in awe and think, "damn, this is an AWESOME game!" It's a neat concept and keeps you occupied, but it's nothing to write home about.
You can't sit there and tell me Wind Waker wasn't ridiculously easy and extremely lacking compared to Ocarina of Time. Generally when video game sequels are made, innovations and improvements are made to make it that much better. Yeah, they spent quite a bit of time making it look pretty, but had they put as much effort into creating a better story and designing massive dungeons like it's predecessors.. it really could've been something.
It's just my opinion that Nintendo has fallen short of putting some innovative ideas into their new games, and their position in the game market clearly reflects that. Has nothing to do with the rating of games.
I guess we'll see their fate when Revolution comes out, because if they don't get their shit together, they'll start taking the same path as Sega.
Slashdot Mirror
This is vigilanteism, which most of you supposedly claim to be against.
Yeah, fine and punish a spammer, great, but sorry, 640 years is OVERKILL and you know it.
Hell, ANY jail time for spamming is extreme. The purpose of jail is to isolate those who are a THREAT to society. Someone sending massive amounts of email to people is not a threat to society no matter how you look at it.
We often overlook and take for granted what the purpose of prison is, and it certainly isn't a place to send a fuckin SPAMMER, no matter how much it annoys YOU.
When you do your janky math and figure "oh it takes 5 seconds to delete an email, multiply that by a billion and blah blah you lose millions across the country!!", it makes it look worse than it really is.
I'm sure SOME money is lost.. so do the logical thing - fine him a good portion (75%+) of his assets.
I hate spam as much as the next person, but this mob mentality is sickening.
Who fucking cares, really?
Fuck the DMCA and fuck all the cocksucking politicians bowing to the almighty dollar and fucking this country up in the process.
We need some common sense laws in this country that don't allow for such trivial lawsuits to take place.
No no no, people are thinking about this the WRONG way.
You can try to limit what a child watches/plays, but they see and hear far worse in the real world (school, friends, etc).
The idea here is to properly teach your kid right from wrong, then you won't have to WORRY about what's rated what or what they're being subjected to in school.
THAT is the key... but people are too wrapped up in "what's it rated?!"
This is probably just wishful thinking, but maybe people are realizing that THEY'RE JUST FUCKING VIDEO GAMES.
.. really doesn't fucking matter if they're smart enough to know what's right/wrong.
...but, the majority of people are sheep, so I kinda doubt that they're wisening up.
You failed as a parent if your kid is stupid enough to repeat what they see on TV. That's really all this boils down to. Rated R, M,
A 12 year old can play GTA no problem... and I'm 100% serious. You know why? Because the shit that goes on at school, the things their friends pressure them into, etc... all have much more of a profound impact on who they will be than them playing a video game.
Either way, it's still good. I was never a fan of the rating systems. It takes responsibility away from proper parenting.
Guess what I just made?
Guess what they're gonna do nothing about?
Thanks freeloader for not bringing down the price by buying it.
...and you lose since you claimed "yes it is stealing." No, it's not stealing. Piracy "losses" are subjective and are fabricated on theoretical claims that absolutely cannot be backed up.
Oh, that's how it works, huh? The more someone buys something the lower the price? CDs have been the next big thing for well over 10 years now.. so tell me again why they're still $12-15.
Er wait, is it because of p2p? Did p2p ruin the big magical price break they were eventually gonna give us??
The only reason you pay extra for anything is because you were suckered into believing about the legendary pirate boogeymen that "ruin the industry and drive up prices!"
The reason your ultra-deluxe edition DVDs are so goddamn expensive is because typical consumer sheep fall for the "this is rare!!" marketing tag and cough up the change without thinking twice.
If you're sick of spending too much for DVDs, then here's a bright idea: don't fucking buy it.
The problem doesn't lie with pirating - the problem lies in the entertainment industry, whose only concern is to milk people like you for every cent while creating a smokescreen of "poor me, pirates steal our revenue" that simple minded goons eat up and believe.
Anyone else find it completely amusing how these "leaders" of technology make these bold claims only to be made to look like complete jackasses when a 15 year old kid breaks their uber-1337 "copy protection"?
Nice try, I guess, but data is data - you can't copy protect a fuckin thing. You figure they'd learn their lesson by now. Ah well, the stubborn fuckers will realize it as soon as the shit's cracked.
Most of this is FUD anyhow. Do you REALLY think people will buy these players that require an internet connection? Nope. Not gonna happen.
The end!
#5 Complainers - Those who don't mind their own business and feel the need to incessantly complain about what OTHERS are doing even though it doesn't affect them one bit... also known as the "feels like a complete ass for spending $20 on a DVD only to shell out another $30 for the ultra-super-deluxe re-release a year later."
This shit is ridiculous.
Nothing but insuring that greedy assholes get money before other people.
Take a look at what happened w/ Doom 3 and "Carmack's Reverse" - the fucking thing was already patented by some douchebags from Creative when Carmack discovered it on his own.
Now he's obligated to compensate them in some way.
What a bunch of bullshit - the patent system needs some type of overhaul or a "common sense" monitoring system to prevent this shit.
My point exactly ;)
Yeah, just look at the female presidents we've had!
Wait wait wait... who says you HAVE to buy your kid a laptop?
...please people, let's use our heads from here on out and stop asking retarded questions that we already know the answers to.
What a waste of money.
WTF does your kid need a laptop for other than to drop it and/or break it in some manner?
To answer the question: When they're older and actually have use for such an expensive machine. Till then, build em a decent desktop for a fraction of the cost.
...but yeah, yahoo sucks and google still pwns j00.
Sorry, but it's true. Google has WAY more power and ingenuity than yahoo will ever dream of. That is a fact.
The end.
DST doesn't even need to exist... now the dipshit is signing stuff that will change it.
Great! Um, can we get a fucking president that's not a complete dipshit, please?
Jesus fucking christ.
The US has been anything but responsible over the past 5 years, so I wouldn't think of it as a good idea to do this right now.
Maybe in the future once dickhead is out of office, but.. not any time soon.
Say your mouse breaks... buy the same brand at a store. Simply return it later on w/ the broken one inside.
:)
I've done it so far w/ mice and linksys routers.
Is it bad? Yeah, but you'll get over it
They showed that kid who's the boss in China, didn't they?
Yes.
Tony Danza drives others to kill.
The internet has been such a blessing. The power is in our hands now, and it's about fucking TIME.
Governments don't like that. Corporations don't like that. It's all about control and power. Those who have it don't want to lose it. Those who have it often abuse it.
Many people don't like the thought of that, but tough shit. Fact is, there isn't much anyone can do about it - and I LOVE it. We've had to endure tons of bullshit from corporations and governments throughout time, so it's time they take back a bit of what they dish out.
Don't want us to download your product? Stop fucking treating us like sheep. Want us to respect your laws and the companies that fund your elections? Stop fucking treating us like sheep.
Instead of learning from their mistakes and fixing what's wrong, they feel the need to create unnecessary laws. They're just digging their own grave.
I say bring these laws on, because if P2P becomes illegal then that will just trigger the dawn of a new era in anonymous filesharing.
What then? Oh, tsk tsk, utter loss for them.
No matter what they do to us, what laws they make, or what control they try to impose, there will be consequences and repercussions for them.
Remember that.
80% of the browsing population are mindless fucking tools, so that doesn't really mean much.
Move on.
Yeah, you're pretty ignorant. Like I said, move on.
I'm sick of these assholes submitting stories and not posting regfree NYT links.
Seriously, why NOT post a regfree link? You KNOW damn well they exist, so what the hell is the problem?
Instead of wasting our fucking time by either registering or logging in, you should spend an extra 2 minutes finding the regfree link.
Be a bit more courteous.
As for good games, if Metal Gear Solid, Silent Hill, Resident Evil, and Devil May Cry are all "good games", why don't I own any of 'em?
I dunno, and this is just a WILD guess, but maybe because you have bad taste in games and need to have an open mind to other things? I mean, why do people own Britney Spears records over more talented artists?
It's beyond me how you can even sit here and take part in this discussion without even having played those other titles. You're sitting here tryin to discuss things you clearly have no experience with. That's pretty ignorant, as was your statement about those games appealing only to preteen and permanently single males.
Good job on that one. Way to let your intellect shine.
You're obviously VERY easily entertained and unable to think outside the box, so carry on your merry little way.
You seem to have drilled into your head that I only enjoy M games, when I stated several posts ago that I'm not an "M gamer".
It just so happens that many of the better games are rated "M" - Metal Gear Solid, Silent Hill, Resident Evil, Devil May Cry... it doesn't mean that I ONLY enjoy M games. "M" rated content aside, those games are brilliant in terms of design and gameplay. They suck you in and make you want more.
There's tons of games that I enjoy that aren't M. Metroid Prime, THPS, and Final Fantasy just to name a few. Hell, I even enjoy DDR.
I still find Link to the Past, Super Mario World, and Mario 64 to be amazingly fun games, however, that has nothing to do with Nintendo's constant reuse of older ideas.
You seem to think I'm saying these games suck - I'm simply saying they're mediocre. Mario Sunshine didn't necessarily SUCK, it was just a rehashed Mario 64. Instead of being an "eh" sequel, it shoulda stood out from ALL other platformers.
Ratchet and Clank, Jak & Daxter... very good platformers that aren't rated M that are WAY better than Mario Sunshine and are perfect examples of what next-gen platformers should be like.
Monkey Ball is okay, but nothing that makes you sit there in awe and think, "damn, this is an AWESOME game!" It's a neat concept and keeps you occupied, but it's nothing to write home about.
You can't sit there and tell me Wind Waker wasn't ridiculously easy and extremely lacking compared to Ocarina of Time. Generally when video game sequels are made, innovations and improvements are made to make it that much better. Yeah, they spent quite a bit of time making it look pretty, but had they put as much effort into creating a better story and designing massive dungeons like it's predecessors.. it really could've been something.
It's just my opinion that Nintendo has fallen short of putting some innovative ideas into their new games, and their position in the game market clearly reflects that. Has nothing to do with the rating of games.
I guess we'll see their fate when Revolution comes out, because if they don't get their shit together, they'll start taking the same path as Sega.
Sorry you're unable to accept that the GC doesn't have many good titles.
Ah well, Fanboys will be Fanboys.
The rest of us know, though.