Sure I'm not saying that guns are the single cause of anything...hence the preamble about teenage angst. I simply believe it's too easy for *everyone* to gain access to handguns in the US, legal or otherwise. The argument that guns are required for self/home defense seems kinda circular to me because of course you need a gun because bad men breaking into your home has a gun, but he has a gun because guns are readily available in the US. Due to history more than anything I believe that gun culture is far too entrenched in the US to remove now or ever. Which is one of the many reasons I'm not going to be raising a family here but back home.
I certainly agree that the US should be punishing people that don't take proper measures to store firearms that are used illegally. Does this not already happen?! Again where I come from (New Zealand) it is legal to own firearms (rifles, shotguns) with a license (and sports pistols too I believe) but they must be stored under lock and key, or at a bare minimum the bolts and ammunition must securely stored. New Zealand is a small country but we do have a fair amount of violent crime and home invasion/murder is a regular occurance (unfortunately) so hopefully you don't just think I'm naive:). However gun related crime is typically much more rare simply because it's hard to get a gun (legally or otherwise) and because handguns above a certain calibre are not available at all to the general populace.
As to solving the US problem? Who knows! I'm just glad I have a small island in the Pacific to return too...
Does *anybody* have normal happy teenage years? Personally I don't think anybody gets their shit sorted out before they hit 22-25. My teenage years were a misery and I was teased and bullied (being a geek in a boy's school where the 'normal' people were those in the rugby team). I know when the hassle got really bad I vaguely entertained thoughts of suicide. I can also understand why teenagers would want to (and do) turn on their tormentors.
However the most violence I ever witnessed in school was the odd punch up. This is because in the country I lived in as a teenager it is ILLEGAL to possess HANDGUNS.
I don't think teenagers have become any more or less troubled and violent than they ever were (anybody fancy being a teenager in England or America in the 1800's?). I simply think that because of the ridiculous gun laws of the US, it is simply too easy for an angry modern American teenager to gain access to an easily concealable, lethal weapon to use against their peers. In fact haven't most of these rampaging teenagers simply taken weapons from home?
Having moved from New Zealand to work in Silicon Valley for the last 10 months I have to agree. Drinking laws in the US are ridiculous and the police presence is rather overwhelming (I live in San Jose). Seems hard to find anywhere around here that's open after 1am on the weekend. US life in general seems rather uptight and unfriendly. Quite frankly I'll be happy to leave this place and head back to the much more relaxed antipodean shores of NZ with a few US$ in my pocket.
Console sales are largely dictated by the quality and quantity of game titles available. Today there are far more technically superior platforms than the Sony Playstation, yet the quantity and (mostly) excellent quality of the titles available keep this outdated hardware selling.
I believe an open console is a fantastic idea (from a developers p.o.v) but am interested to hear how Indrema intend to control the quality of titles available for your platform. I ask because most console gamers are consumers rather than coders.
Will Indrema offer some kind of official licensed product scheme? Will Indrema be developing their own games in-house or with third party developers? Are you expecting to 'license' independently developed games of sufficient quality?
Re:Palm Not Listening to Customers
on
The new Palm VIIx
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· Score: 2
I've used the IIIc and the III and I have to say there's no compelling reason for the colour display. The only useful thing I can do is view colour images. The OS itself was designed before colour and gains very little from the being in colour (in fact it renders noticeably slower). The IIIc is just Palm's answer to the colour WinCE devices.
I also hate the fact that I have to recharge my Palm in the cradle. AAA batteries are a much better idea.
The one point I do agree on is the form factor. The Palm V is the only remotely attractive device in the Palm stable. The IIIc form factor just plain sucks (they took the III and made it bigger! What the hell?). The VII is also a sterling example of appalling case design. I can't say the M100 grabs me either with it's smaller display.
My next Palm WILL be a Vx...8MB, crisp display and nice form factor...although of course it won't work with my existing cradles (but that's another mail altogether!).
The Visor doesn't have a flashable ROM. The single biggest reason I'll never buy one.
PalmOS 3.1 (that used to ship on the Visor - they may have updated) has a number of bugs.
Besides Palm keep expanding the OS like crazy. Why would I want to get locked into a version several revs old?
Slashdot Mirror
Shouldn't that be Bovonics then?
It was discontinued before it reached market I believe.
Sure I'm not saying that guns are the single cause of anything...hence the preamble about teenage angst. I simply believe it's too easy for *everyone* to gain access to handguns in the US, legal or otherwise. The argument that guns are required for self/home defense seems kinda circular to me because of course you need a gun because bad men breaking into your home has a gun, but he has a gun because guns are readily available in the US. Due to history more than anything I believe that gun culture is far too entrenched in the US to remove now or ever. Which is one of the many reasons I'm not going to be raising a family here but back home.
:). However gun related crime is typically much more rare simply because it's hard to get a gun (legally or otherwise) and because handguns above a certain calibre are not available at all to the general populace.
I certainly agree that the US should be punishing people that don't take proper measures to store firearms that are used illegally. Does this not already happen?! Again where I come from (New Zealand) it is legal to own firearms (rifles, shotguns) with a license (and sports pistols too I believe) but they must be stored under lock and key, or at a bare minimum the bolts and ammunition must securely stored. New Zealand is a small country but we do have a fair amount of violent crime and home invasion/murder is a regular occurance (unfortunately) so hopefully you don't just think I'm naive
As to solving the US problem? Who knows! I'm just glad I have a small island in the Pacific to return too...
Does *anybody* have normal happy teenage years? Personally I don't think anybody gets their shit sorted out before they hit 22-25. My teenage years were a misery and I was teased and bullied (being a geek in a boy's school where the 'normal' people were those in the rugby team). I know when the hassle got really bad I vaguely entertained thoughts of suicide. I can also understand why teenagers would want to (and do) turn on their tormentors.
However the most violence I ever witnessed in school was the odd punch up. This is because in the country I lived in as a teenager it is ILLEGAL to possess HANDGUNS.
I don't think teenagers have become any more or less troubled and violent than they ever were (anybody fancy being a teenager in England or America in the 1800's?). I simply think that because of the ridiculous gun laws of the US, it is simply too easy for an angry modern American teenager to gain access to an easily concealable, lethal weapon to use against their peers. In fact haven't most of these rampaging teenagers simply taken weapons from home?
Kinda stating the obvious I know, but my 2c.
Having moved from New Zealand to work in Silicon Valley for the last 10 months I have to agree. Drinking laws in the US are ridiculous and the police presence is rather overwhelming (I live in San Jose). Seems hard to find anywhere around here that's open after 1am on the weekend. US life in general seems rather uptight and unfriendly. Quite frankly I'll be happy to leave this place and head back to the much more relaxed antipodean shores of NZ with a few US$ in my pocket.
I'm not sticking my finger in anybody else's ear...
Ewwww
Console sales are largely dictated by the quality and quantity of game titles available. Today there are far more technically superior platforms than the Sony Playstation, yet the quantity and (mostly) excellent quality of the titles available keep this outdated hardware selling.
I believe an open console is a fantastic idea (from a developers p.o.v) but am interested to hear how Indrema intend to control the quality of titles available for your platform. I ask because most console gamers are consumers rather than coders.
Will Indrema offer some kind of official licensed product scheme? Will Indrema be developing their own games in-house or with third party developers? Are you expecting to 'license' independently developed games of sufficient quality?
I've used the IIIc and the III and I have to say there's no compelling reason for the colour display. The only useful thing I can do is view colour images. The OS itself was designed before colour and gains very little from the being in colour (in fact it renders noticeably slower). The IIIc is just Palm's answer to the colour WinCE devices.
I also hate the fact that I have to recharge my Palm in the cradle. AAA batteries are a much better idea.
The one point I do agree on is the form factor. The Palm V is the only remotely attractive device in the Palm stable. The IIIc form factor just plain sucks (they took the III and made it bigger! What the hell?). The VII is also a sterling example of appalling case design. I can't say the M100 grabs me either with it's smaller display.
My next Palm WILL be a Vx...8MB, crisp display and nice form factor...although of course it won't work with my existing cradles (but that's another mail altogether!).
The Visor doesn't have a flashable ROM. The single biggest reason I'll never buy one. PalmOS 3.1 (that used to ship on the Visor - they may have updated) has a number of bugs. Besides Palm keep expanding the OS like crazy. Why would I want to get locked into a version several revs old?