Nintendo, just like Apple, understands something that others still don't: it's not all about hardware and raw power anymore. Who cares if the Wii is less powerful than the Xbox 360 and PS3? Who cares if the Nintendo DS is less powerful than the PSP? In the end, it's all about innovation and software.
The iPod would be almost useless without iTunes (the program, not the iTMS - iTunes Music Store), and the Nintendo DS would be pointless if all it could play was the same games as on the SNES/N64/Gamecube.
More processing power? Sure. Better graphics? Of course. But not at the expense of innovation and good software.
I don't remember who said it, but it goes something like this: "The most powerful computer on the planet would be useless without software to run on it."
No, no, a thousand times no. No one will ever convince me that completely destroying the "signal to noise" ratio of a particular creative field is somehow a good thing. Why on earth is it "better" to have this gigantic, suffocating mass of mediocrity?
Because without such software, you'd have really brilliant minds not doing anything because they can't use the existing technology?!
The internet allows everyone to voice his ideas (some good, lots bad), easy-to-use technology does the same. Getting "more noise" is a good thing if you end up with some "really good signals" that you wouldn't have otherwise.
Most of them don't even consider the possibility that somebody would have Flash installed but prefer the alternative content.
Such as myself. I usually surf using Safari with the plug-ins disabled. There's nothing more annoying than arriving at an empty white/black page that does absolutely nothing... because it's a "Flash intro" with the "skip button" inside the flash.
News Flash: websites don't need an "intro" or "splash" page... The "main page" should be the "entry page" (like Slashdot, for example).
The more accessibility is known, the less we'll have websites made in Flash (or Flash navigation menus, Flash content, etc).
Flash webmasters: If you can't handle the real Web, you might as well put PDFs online instead of a real website. The Web is not TV, the Web is not a bitmap graphic, the Web is not a newspaper. You can't assume anything about the reader (text, speech, screen size (if any), download speed, etc). Or at least stop calling your Flash files "websites". Thanks.
What you're asking is alike to asking Nintendo to release Metroid Prime 3 for the Xbox 360 and PS3.
Apple has every right to do as they want (as long as it's legal) because nobody is forced to buy their hardware/software. The same can't be said for Microsoft for the software side.
Right now I see people on just about every tech site that will tear into Microsoft for packaging a browser with Windows, but praise Apple for packaging an OS with every PC, and dozens of applications with every OS. If Apple takes a large chunk of the market, we're going to have to hold them to the same standard we do Microsoft, meaning that we should be demanding an end to their anticompetitive practices of bundling their own software.
Last time I checked, Microsoft was convicted of being an illegal monopoly, Apple wasn't. Different rules apply to each category.
Considering I've been wanting a really small sub-laptop for quite some time (and even those are too big), and the price at which those sub-laptops go for (1000-2000$US for those Sony), I'd consider a Nintendo DS Lite with Opera "a poor man's sub-laptop".
In fact I'd be really impressed if any company would be able to come out with a sub-200$ micro-laptop with touch screen that can run Opera. At that price you can barely buy anything but a basic Palm which can't even do Wi-Fi.
The fact that Opera DS can't run Flash, Java or even animated GIFs are bonuses for me since those are almost always used for annoying moving ads.
Business "analysts" love blowing steam about new product X from megacorp Y and how it will dominate the marketplace.
Don't forget that the analysts also thought that the Nintendo DS didn't have any chance against the "superior" Sony PSP. And with all the bad press Sony is getting lately, I'm starting to wonder if the PS3 has any chance in the short term.
As for Microsoft releasing a new version of Xbox every few years, don't forget it also killed SEGA. Only a few people bought the SEGA Genesis/Megadrive, then the CD-ROM add-on, then the 32X add-on, then the Saturn and then finally the Dreamcast. Customers aren't made of money and can't afford an expensive new console every 2-3 years.
Nintendo also seems to be right: like computers, consoles have reached a peak where "more CPU/GPU/RAM/whatever" won't improve games, only the way they look. Fun games and innovation is becoming more important than specs alone, and it's where Nintendo shines.
As for the Wii not being hi-def capable, it's not really important right now, only a handful of people have hi-def capable televisions. And those people are into specs and will buy an Xbox360 and/or PS3 anyway. Nintendo are probably aware, of course, that their next console will have to be hi-def.
First of all I'm not sure Windows XP is more secure than Win98SE (though it is more stable).
Second, not everyone can afford to pay for a Windows upgrade and/or new hardware. They're not going to switch to Mac anytime soon.
And third but not least, "if it's not broken, don't try to fix it." A lot of people are still using Win95/98/ME because it works fine for them. They're not going to switch to Linux anytime soon.
The problem with FireFox is the extensions. People want a good browser, not fiddle around hunting for what exists. Power users do that, sure, but not regular users.
Zooming images accordingly with the text should be a basic feature on all browsers, zomming the text only makes no sense IMO.
Will Internet Explorer 7 run on Windows 95/98/ME/NT4? If not, then MSIE7 won't be "95% of web users"... And with Nintendo going with Opera for both the Nintendo DS and the Wii, Opera's marketshare might soon explode beyond 1-2%.
Just keep that in mind before jumping into the "MSIE7 has nice proprietary features" train.
The W3C doesn't make the browsers. Yes, sometimes their specs are vague at best, but at least we have guidelines for the browsers.
As for Flash, it's not available for all platforms. There's also some people who turn off plug-ins because of Flash. I, myself, don't want to see Flash banners. I also don't visit websites done Flash even if it's only the navigation done in Flash. IMHO, Flash should only be used for online games and such.
Also, by using Flash you're blocking visitors using something else than a computer, which will soon become quite a good chunk of users. More users than Macs + Linux, I'd have to guess.
It's fine if it's for your personnal website and that you don't care, but for something like a business website, cutting even 5% of possible customers is simply insane.
1. Make another game with Mithras 2. Make sure the game has questionnable pieces of clothing for the Mithras 3. Players want to see Mithras in questionnable pieces of clothing 4. Profit!
First of all, it's modifiers for SI units, not "ISO suffixes"
Oups, my mistake. But you did know what I meant. Thanks for the correction.
As for bytes not being an SI unit, well, it doesn't really matter since "kilo" always means 1000 for those using metric. People don't care wether "bytes" is part of SI units or not. It is, as you said yourself, overloaded. To most people, one kilo = 1000 units, whatever the units are. Except for programmers, but most people aren't programmers.
Most people don't need to care anyway.
Most people do care, in fact. That's why we keep hearing about those "My 250GB drive is only 232GB! Seagate is using false advertising and I'm gonna sue them!" crap comments (even taking into account the space required for the filesystem).
Slashdot Mirror
Nintendo, just like Apple, understands something that others still don't: it's not all about hardware and raw power anymore. Who cares if the Wii is less powerful than the Xbox 360 and PS3? Who cares if the Nintendo DS is less powerful than the PSP? In the end, it's all about innovation and software.
The iPod would be almost useless without iTunes (the program, not the iTMS - iTunes Music Store), and the Nintendo DS would be pointless if all it could play was the same games as on the SNES/N64/Gamecube.
More processing power? Sure. Better graphics? Of course. But not at the expense of innovation and good software.
I don't remember who said it, but it goes something like this: "The most powerful computer on the planet would be useless without software to run on it."
Apple needs the GPUs that have the best/fastest OpenGL. Isn't that nVidia? Isn't ATI more Direct X oriented?
Because without such software, you'd have really brilliant minds not doing anything because they can't use the existing technology?!
The internet allows everyone to voice his ideas (some good, lots bad), easy-to-use technology does the same. Getting "more noise" is a good thing if you end up with some "really good signals" that you wouldn't have otherwise.
Such as myself. I usually surf using Safari with the plug-ins disabled. There's nothing more annoying than arriving at an empty white/black page that does absolutely nothing... because it's a "Flash intro" with the "skip button" inside the flash.
News Flash: websites don't need an "intro" or "splash" page... The "main page" should be the "entry page" (like Slashdot, for example).
The more accessibility is known, the less we'll have websites made in Flash (or Flash navigation menus, Flash content, etc).
Flash webmasters: If you can't handle the real Web, you might as well put PDFs online instead of a real website. The Web is not TV, the Web is not a bitmap graphic, the Web is not a newspaper. You can't assume anything about the reader (text, speech, screen size (if any), download speed, etc). Or at least stop calling your Flash files "websites". Thanks.
I smell a merger between Microsoft and Sony.
What about those new "capacitor" batteries?
A QRIO with GPP? Great!
You're not alone. But I read that as "Direct Current MMORPG"... I need coffee.
What you're asking is alike to asking Nintendo to release Metroid Prime 3 for the Xbox 360 and PS3.
Apple has every right to do as they want (as long as it's legal) because nobody is forced to buy their hardware/software. The same can't be said for Microsoft for the software side.
Last time I checked, Microsoft was convicted of being an illegal monopoly, Apple wasn't. Different rules apply to each category.
Considering I've been wanting a really small sub-laptop for quite some time (and even those are too big), and the price at which those sub-laptops go for (1000-2000$US for those Sony), I'd consider a Nintendo DS Lite with Opera "a poor man's sub-laptop".
In fact I'd be really impressed if any company would be able to come out with a sub-200$ micro-laptop with touch screen that can run Opera. At that price you can barely buy anything but a basic Palm which can't even do Wi-Fi.
The fact that Opera DS can't run Flash, Java or even animated GIFs are bonuses for me since those are almost always used for annoying moving ads.
Don't forget that the analysts also thought that the Nintendo DS didn't have any chance against the "superior" Sony PSP. And with all the bad press Sony is getting lately, I'm starting to wonder if the PS3 has any chance in the short term.
As for Microsoft releasing a new version of Xbox every few years, don't forget it also killed SEGA. Only a few people bought the SEGA Genesis/Megadrive, then the CD-ROM add-on, then the 32X add-on, then the Saturn and then finally the Dreamcast. Customers aren't made of money and can't afford an expensive new console every 2-3 years.
Nintendo also seems to be right: like computers, consoles have reached a peak where "more CPU/GPU/RAM/whatever" won't improve games, only the way they look. Fun games and innovation is becoming more important than specs alone, and it's where Nintendo shines.
As for the Wii not being hi-def capable, it's not really important right now, only a handful of people have hi-def capable televisions. And those people are into specs and will buy an Xbox360 and/or PS3 anyway. Nintendo are probably aware, of course, that their next console will have to be hi-def.
You have to buy it. It's a DS cart with a GBA memory expansion cart.
It'll be available for both the Nintendo DS and Nintendo DS Lite. The real street price is supposed to be around 33$US.
Strangely enough, Slashdot.
"Opera DS" will be available In Japan on 2006-07-24. I've heard rumors they'll release a north american/europe version before christmas.
Opera DS Japan will be based on Opera 8.5, not sure if the north american/europe version will be higher.
In that case, I'll wait in 2009 to buy one at 25% of the price and still be good for 7 more years before they introduce the PS4.
I don't know why, but I suddenly have the urge to buy one...
First of all I'm not sure Windows XP is more secure than Win98SE (though it is more stable).
Second, not everyone can afford to pay for a Windows upgrade and/or new hardware. They're not going to switch to Mac anytime soon.
And third but not least, "if it's not broken, don't try to fix it." A lot of people are still using Win95/98/ME because it works fine for them. They're not going to switch to Linux anytime soon.
Oh yeah, forgot about Amaya. But still, to be honest, I'ver never seen it in server logs.
In any case, let me rephrase that: "The W3C doesn't make all the browsers". My point is still valid.
The problem with FireFox is the extensions. People want a good browser, not fiddle around hunting for what exists. Power users do that, sure, but not regular users.
Zooming images accordingly with the text should be a basic feature on all browsers, zomming the text only makes no sense IMO.
Will Internet Explorer 7 run on Windows 95/98/ME/NT4? If not, then MSIE7 won't be "95% of web users"... And with Nintendo going with Opera for both the Nintendo DS and the Wii, Opera's marketshare might soon explode beyond 1-2%.
Just keep that in mind before jumping into the "MSIE7 has nice proprietary features" train.
The W3C doesn't make the browsers. Yes, sometimes their specs are vague at best, but at least we have guidelines for the browsers.
As for Flash, it's not available for all platforms. There's also some people who turn off plug-ins because of Flash. I, myself, don't want to see Flash banners. I also don't visit websites done Flash even if it's only the navigation done in Flash. IMHO, Flash should only be used for online games and such.
Also, by using Flash you're blocking visitors using something else than a computer, which will soon become quite a good chunk of users. More users than Macs + Linux, I'd have to guess.
It's fine if it's for your personnal website and that you don't care, but for something like a business website, cutting even 5% of possible customers is simply insane.
1. Make another game with Mithras
2. Make sure the game has questionnable pieces of clothing for the Mithras
3. Players want to see Mithras in questionnable pieces of clothing
4. Profit!
Oups, my mistake. But you did know what I meant. Thanks for the correction.
As for bytes not being an SI unit, well, it doesn't really matter since "kilo" always means 1000 for those using metric. People don't care wether "bytes" is part of SI units or not. It is, as you said yourself, overloaded. To most people, one kilo = 1000 units, whatever the units are. Except for programmers, but most people aren't programmers.
Most people do care, in fact. That's why we keep hearing about those "My 250GB drive is only 232GB! Seagate is using false advertising and I'm gonna sue them!" crap comments (even taking into account the space required for the filesystem).