Great post... I think you hit it directly on the head. I'm trying to learn c++ now, and after years of misstarts by trying to do windows programming, with MFC and all its guckiness, I finally started doing some simple command line stuff under linux.
Man... so much easier and it actually makes sense! I'm also quite impressed that I can, with my rudimentary knowledge, can look at the Linux kernal code and actually follow it, where-as a calculator program written with MFC boggles my mind.
But thats what driving the emotions, nostalgia. You are remembering the first time you played this revolutionary game. However, now that this type of stuff is pretty commonplace now, no one will get the spark that the first games of this genre created. (Crap, I remember almost pissing myself during Wolfenstein late at night when a Nazi dog came out of nowhere and killed me.)
I'm not discounting id yet... but they need to do something different.
I completely agree. Characters make the heart and soul of game, not the engine. Paul provided that heart and soul.
I agree that this will cast a cloud on Doom 3. I'm not really looking forward to it, unless they do something REALLY revolutionary. Tell you the truth, I'm getting tired of this "run around and shoot at anything that moves" type of game, and would much rather devote my time to something with more thought behind it, such as Half-life, or the many very interesting and different mods that are out for it. THEY are the true inventors...
Check out the latest Linux Journal, with its Python supplement. There's an article in there by Guido about using Python in education, and he's a HUGE supporter of it and is pushing it in my local area schools. (Washington DC Metro)
I haven't done python yet myself, but just from that supplement, I'm ready to dive in.:)
1) The fact that they are recognizing that they cannot shut down the system, or future continuation of the "napster concept" is good. I agree completely that copyrighted material should NOT be shared.
2) The cat is already out of the bag, so to speak. MP3 is not going away... and there will always be software to rip them from CDs. The Napster Concept isn't going away, because it has been done, and everyone understands and uses it. They cannot stop that, and I really wish all of the over hyped media would shut the hell up and realize that. (As well as the strung out Napster users that don't get it and are just flaming angry at the world.)
3) I wish the RIAA and so forth would just wise the hell up and start looking for ways to embrace this technology instead of feel so threatened by it. Like Lars said, its chump change right now, and if the RIAA does something postitive with the situation, instead of just trying to chop the head off the hydra, then maybe we can ALL come to a compromise.
4) Metallica and other old bands should public domain some of their live concert recordings. If they don't care about bootlegging of these concerts, then do some decent recordings and package THOSE up as MP3's and put them online. a) They'll be showing that they are trying to work with everyone and b) people who MUST download it can get it in some form... and will still be likely to go buy the album.
Everyone is getting all hot and bothered about this issue, but in the end, what does all of this political harranging really matter?
The genie is out of the bottle. Period. No matter what laws are passed, what short-sighted companies do, or what Lars Ulrich says on late night TV, it doesn't matter.
MP3s are here. There are hundreds of software packages out there, in all shapes and forms to rip them. No one can stop that now. And even if they shutdown Napster, and Nullsoft, people will just write more software to take their place.
File sharing will continue to happen. Heck, even if point to point communication is banned, there are still tons of outlets for this stuff. People are social animals, and will create their own networks regardless of what happens.
I think if the RIAA and the government want to do something, they should be proactive at looking at the FUTURE instead of the past. Think about it, if the RIAA had jumped onto the MP3 bandwagon instead of fighting it a few years ago, 1) they could have secured the format a lot faster, before it spread like fire and 2) they wouldn't have HELPED MP3 use spread by publicizing its existance. By granting interviews on Dateline or in Newsweek, they make a whole new audience curious about it and start using it. (I can't even count the number of people asking me about napster after that newsweek article...)
So for all of you zealots out there ready to stop buying records and start burning down your Congress, cheer up. The genie will not be put back into the bottle and will continue on in some form or another, whether sanctioned or not.
Information yearns to be free, regardless of what we sacks of water do.
Slashdot Mirror
Great post... I think you hit it directly on the head. I'm trying to learn c++ now, and after years of misstarts by trying to do windows programming, with MFC and all its guckiness, I finally started doing some simple command line stuff under linux.
Man... so much easier and it actually makes sense! I'm also quite impressed that I can, with my rudimentary knowledge, can look at the Linux kernal code and actually follow it, where-as a calculator program written with MFC boggles my mind.
Simple is Better
Everyone sharing files on Napster should rename all of the songs The Carpenters - track X and really beat their system.
But thats what driving the emotions, nostalgia. You are remembering the first time you played this revolutionary game. However, now that this type of stuff is pretty commonplace now, no one will get the spark that the first games of this genre created. (Crap, I remember almost pissing myself during Wolfenstein late at night when a Nazi dog came out of nowhere and killed me.)
I'm not discounting id yet... but they need to do something different.
I completely agree. Characters make the heart and soul of game, not the engine. Paul provided that heart and soul.
I agree that this will cast a cloud on Doom 3. I'm not really looking forward to it, unless they do something REALLY revolutionary. Tell you the truth, I'm getting tired of this "run around and shoot at anything that moves" type of game, and would much rather devote my time to something with more thought behind it, such as Half-life, or the many very interesting and different mods that are out for it. THEY are the true inventors...
Check out the latest Linux Journal, with its Python supplement. There's an article in there by Guido about using Python in education, and he's a HUGE supporter of it and is pushing it in my local area schools. (Washington DC Metro)
:)
I haven't done python yet myself, but just from that supplement, I'm ready to dive in.
Vulgrin the MAD
1) The fact that they are recognizing that they cannot shut down the system, or future continuation of the "napster concept" is good. I agree completely that copyrighted material should NOT be shared.
2) The cat is already out of the bag, so to speak. MP3 is not going away... and there will always be software to rip them from CDs. The Napster Concept isn't going away, because it has been done, and everyone understands and uses it. They cannot stop that, and I really wish all of the over hyped media would shut the hell up and realize that. (As well as the strung out Napster users that don't get it and are just flaming angry at the world.)
3) I wish the RIAA and so forth would just wise the hell up and start looking for ways to embrace this technology instead of feel so threatened by it. Like Lars said, its chump change right now, and if the RIAA does something postitive with the situation, instead of just trying to chop the head off the hydra, then maybe we can ALL come to a compromise.
4) Metallica and other old bands should public domain some of their live concert recordings. If they don't care about bootlegging of these concerts, then do some decent recordings and package THOSE up as MP3's and put them online. a) They'll be showing that they are trying to work with everyone and b) people who MUST download it can get it in some form... and will still be likely to go buy the album.
Vulgrin the MAD
Everyone is getting all hot and bothered about this issue, but in the end, what does all of this political harranging really matter?
The genie is out of the bottle. Period. No matter what laws are passed, what short-sighted companies do, or what Lars Ulrich says on late night TV, it doesn't matter.
MP3s are here. There are hundreds of software packages out there, in all shapes and forms to rip them. No one can stop that now. And even if they shutdown Napster, and Nullsoft, people will just write more software to take their place.
File sharing will continue to happen. Heck, even if point to point communication is banned, there are still tons of outlets for this stuff. People are social animals, and will create their own networks regardless of what happens.
I think if the RIAA and the government want to do something, they should be proactive at looking at the FUTURE instead of the past. Think about it, if the RIAA had jumped onto the MP3 bandwagon instead of fighting it a few years ago, 1) they could have secured the format a lot faster, before it spread like fire and 2) they wouldn't have HELPED MP3 use spread by publicizing its existance. By granting interviews on Dateline or in Newsweek, they make a whole new audience curious about it and start using it. (I can't even count the number of people asking me about napster after that newsweek article...)
So for all of you zealots out there ready to stop buying records and start burning down your Congress, cheer up. The genie will not be put back into the bottle and will continue on in some form or another, whether sanctioned or not.
Information yearns to be free, regardless of what we sacks of water do.
Vulgrin the MAD