It appears that Microsoft is trying to threaten Google with "If you don't merge with us, we'll make MSN search built into Longhorn, and everybody will use it instead of you because they won't know any better."
That is a very good point, and indeed this would be very M$ like to come up with something like that. Hopefully thouh Google realizes two things:
1. Longhorn won't come out anytime soon, and they have at least 3 years to prepare for this.
2. MSN search sux and people WILL know better. Even the most clueless user will eventualy realize that fact and switch over to the faster, better and more reliable search engine.
Why do they need Google anyway? Do I really need a built in search engine in my OS? Does anyone? Seriously, who needs a built in google powered search when the system has security holes as big as my house! Gotta love the way M$ prioritizes ther goals...
I used to love that chanel but their programing decisions, outright hostility toward organized fanbase, and backwards politics changed that. I'm not supprised that they are willing to pour money into silly publicity stunt like this one. Over and over again they evidenced that:
1. They have no clue what's Science Fiction. Otherwise why would they insist on airing thrillers, horrors, fantasy movies, cheesy reality shows, john edward and the pseudoscientific UFO garbage? Seriously - if I want to watch a UFO documentary I will switch to Discovery cause they have at least some credibility... And if I would want to see a reality prank show (why on earth would I ever want to do that?), Scare Tactics would probably not be my first choice. When I put on Scifi I want to see science fiction - I can get all the other TV garbage elswhere.
2. They have no clue what is their core audience. Instead of catering their programing to the well established fandoms, and Science fiction enthusiasts they try to appeal to the lowest common denominator viewer - a reality show loving, jerry springer watching, dim witted couch potato with no attention span, and utter lack of taste. Sadly such individuals usually also suffer from scifi phobia (you know these people - "scifi is for geeks and stuff"). The sad truth is that people who would love Scare Tactics and John Edward probably will never even find these shows because of the social stigma attached to the term "Science Fiction." People who watch Scifi, and are more than willing to support their favorite network are usually already into Scifi - and they demand quality shows such as Farscape, Babylon 5, I-man and etc... Brainless programming such as Scare Tactics, John Edward, Dream Team and so on will not sustain the interest of an inteligent and versatile Science Fiction fan for longer than 3.5 microts.
3. They have a tendency to be extremely shortsighted. This is evidenced for example in their progaming decissions. They seemed supprised that ratings for Farscape slipped in S4. Well, duh - it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out why. That's what happens when you don't promote or advertise the show at all, change the airing times twice during the season, and make a 6 month mid season hitaus without almost no notice and without releasing ANY official information about when the show will be back on the air for few months. Ratings have slipped - go figure...
So it makes perfect sense for me - for a chanell that made so many bad decissions past few years a stunt like this is not supprising. At least now we know where the money for season 5 of Farscape went - into the wallets of lawyers who worked out the logistics of this whole thing.
And doesen't anyone see the irony in this whole thing? A network that specializes in science FICTION is trying to get NASA to release UFO information... Geee - that just screams "credibility" doesn't it? If, let's say, Discovery chanel was doing this then perhaps I would be tempted to buy into this. But SciFi?!
Potentially expensive publicity stunt - that's all this is. And even if NASA releases something as an outcome of this - wouldn't you rather have Scifi spend the time and money that went into planning this on developing GOOD science fiction programming? I think I would rather have a new season of Farscape than a dry, meningless release from NASA saying something among the lines "yeah, we tested an experimental plane back then but it's none of your business anyway..."
But that's just my oppinion...
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It appears that Microsoft is trying to threaten Google with "If you don't merge with us, we'll make MSN search built into Longhorn, and everybody will use it instead of you because they won't know any better."
That is a very good point, and indeed this would be very M$ like to come up with something like that. Hopefully thouh Google realizes two things:
1. Longhorn won't come out anytime soon, and they have at least 3 years to prepare for this.
2. MSN search sux and people WILL know better. Even the most clueless user will eventualy realize that fact and switch over to the faster, better and more reliable search engine.
Why do they need Google anyway? Do I really need a built in search engine in my OS? Does anyone? Seriously, who needs a built in google powered search when the system has security holes as big as my house! Gotta love the way M$ prioritizes ther goals...
I used to love that chanel but their programing decisions, outright hostility toward organized fanbase, and backwards politics changed that. I'm not supprised that they are willing to pour money into silly publicity stunt like this one. Over and over again they evidenced that: 1. They have no clue what's Science Fiction. Otherwise why would they insist on airing thrillers, horrors, fantasy movies, cheesy reality shows, john edward and the pseudoscientific UFO garbage? Seriously - if I want to watch a UFO documentary I will switch to Discovery cause they have at least some credibility... And if I would want to see a reality prank show (why on earth would I ever want to do that?), Scare Tactics would probably not be my first choice. When I put on Scifi I want to see science fiction - I can get all the other TV garbage elswhere. 2. They have no clue what is their core audience. Instead of catering their programing to the well established fandoms, and Science fiction enthusiasts they try to appeal to the lowest common denominator viewer - a reality show loving, jerry springer watching, dim witted couch potato with no attention span, and utter lack of taste. Sadly such individuals usually also suffer from scifi phobia (you know these people - "scifi is for geeks and stuff"). The sad truth is that people who would love Scare Tactics and John Edward probably will never even find these shows because of the social stigma attached to the term "Science Fiction." People who watch Scifi, and are more than willing to support their favorite network are usually already into Scifi - and they demand quality shows such as Farscape, Babylon 5, I-man and etc... Brainless programming such as Scare Tactics, John Edward, Dream Team and so on will not sustain the interest of an inteligent and versatile Science Fiction fan for longer than 3.5 microts. 3. They have a tendency to be extremely shortsighted. This is evidenced for example in their progaming decissions. They seemed supprised that ratings for Farscape slipped in S4. Well, duh - it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out why. That's what happens when you don't promote or advertise the show at all, change the airing times twice during the season, and make a 6 month mid season hitaus without almost no notice and without releasing ANY official information about when the show will be back on the air for few months. Ratings have slipped - go figure... So it makes perfect sense for me - for a chanell that made so many bad decissions past few years a stunt like this is not supprising. At least now we know where the money for season 5 of Farscape went - into the wallets of lawyers who worked out the logistics of this whole thing. And doesen't anyone see the irony in this whole thing? A network that specializes in science FICTION is trying to get NASA to release UFO information... Geee - that just screams "credibility" doesn't it? If, let's say, Discovery chanel was doing this then perhaps I would be tempted to buy into this. But SciFi?! Potentially expensive publicity stunt - that's all this is. And even if NASA releases something as an outcome of this - wouldn't you rather have Scifi spend the time and money that went into planning this on developing GOOD science fiction programming? I think I would rather have a new season of Farscape than a dry, meningless release from NASA saying something among the lines "yeah, we tested an experimental plane back then but it's none of your business anyway..." But that's just my oppinion...