Same sort of deal with nVidia's new triple SLI boards. At this point even 2 card SLI isn't a great idea because it costs so much (literally twice what a single card does) and the benefits aren't that great. There isn't a lot of need for 3 card SLI. However, people will spend the money, so nVidia will happily make a product to take it from them. I'm not a gamer, but I do know that a few maniacs like to play their games on 30" LCDs at their native 2560x1600 resolution. Wouldn't multi-card SLI benefit them? Sure, the market's not big, but I don't think they're all wasting their money on nothing.
A search engine's job is to provide you with the best results possible for your query. By removing results, the search engine is failing to perform its function to the best of its ability. A search engine is also expected to have an option to filter its results (especially if their kids use the same computer). Since China treats its citizens like children, Google is (in screwed-up way) performing its function.
I'm not disagreeing with you. I just hate the restrictions the Chinese government puts on its citizens and I hate Googles apparent dilemma: filter results in China or don't serve China at all.
1) If you press "ALT" the File / Edit / View menus show up in IE and Windows Explorer. It actually works well, hiding the bars when they aren't used gives you more screen space. For people that still want the classic menu bars always showing in Internet Explorer 7 and Windows Explorer, it's an easy setting to change. If you want to Google it, the key words are "menu bar" and "classic menus." Also, the classic menu bar now appears by default in IE7 for Windows XP, but I'm not sure about IE7 in Vista.
In IE7, right-click in the toolbar area and select "Classic Menu."
In Vista's Windows Explorer, click the "Organize" button, click the "Layout" check box, then click "Menu Bar." If you're in some random folder but want ALL folders to show the menu bar, check the box that enables this option in all folders.
Remember when MS skewed pages being viewed by Opera, but if you told Opera to identify as IE, they'd work just fine? I wish this hack worked for eBay and Opera (my preferred browser). Not a huge problem, but word wrap doesn't always work on eBay (common example: "Return policy details" cell). It's the only reason I'm reluctant to recommend Opera to novice Windows users (since eBay is so popular).
If there was a distro that was identical to XP, and booted straight to the desktop with root privileges, incorporating wine automatically
Lindows/Linspire? Never used syself so i could be wrong, but i think there was a huge backlash about root usage in the past... Ahh... Slashdot memories:
Michael Robertson Says Root is Safe: "I defy anybody to tell me why is it more secure to not run as root. Nobody really has a good answer. They say 'oh, yeah, it is!', but it really isn't."
I spend most (95%) of my time in applications. Photoshop, Illustrator, etcetera. Those will run fine on either OS.
I obviously don't want to take the performance hit from Vista, and XP32 is limited to 2 gigs of ram which sounds suboptimal. I've heard nothing good about XP64. How much ram can OS X support for a professional workstation? And, again, anyone know of a good hardware or buying guide sorted by intended use? The "performance hit" from Vista might not be a problem with the impending release of Service Pack 1 and the supposed workstation-class driver quality of Quadro and FireGL video cards.
The Mac Pro is a nice option IF your needs are not met by a single quad-core processor and 8GB of dual-channel 800MHz ECC DDR2 memory. Unfortunately (IMO), Apple doesn't offer a decent single-processor workstation option that doesn't use FB-DIMMs.
Other replies have suggested three good sites with "system guides" (Tech Report, Ars Technica, and Anandtech), but none of them seem to have specific guides for graphic designers (Photoshop, Illustrator, etc). I think they're still worth reading because their general tips are useful for (comparative) beginners and their guides are regularly updated to keep up with current hardware trends.
In addition to Apple's Mac Pro specs page, you could use Dell's Precision workstation specs pages as a "guide" on which hardware to choose when you build your Photoshop/Illustrator workstation. Dell actually has a "Find Your Recommended Workstation Configuration" page that suggests specific workstations based on application. Their Photoshop and Illustrator suggestions are the same: the "mainstream" Precision T3400 (based on Intel's X38 chipset) and the "advanced" T5400 (like the Mac Pro, based on Intel's 5400 chipset).
If you're buying based on the Intel platform, those are probably the best and most compatible chipsets to build your workstation around. They both can use ECC memory, workstation-class video cards, PCI Express 2.0, etc. The X38 chipset might be limited by its 8GB RAM ceiling. The 5400 chipset might be unattractive because it uses FB-DIMMs and dual Xeon CPUs (when a single Core 2 Quad might do). X38 has decent cheap RAID (0,1,5,10) built into the chipset as well as eSATA and HD audio. The 5400 chipset can use up to 64GB of RAM and usually has legacy PCI-X slots for those older, expensive cards you don't want to throw away.
WTF with the -1? Some MS fanboi attempting censorship?
The comment started with a score of "-1" because it was posted by known anti-MS troll Erris, aka twitter (he might have other sock puppet accounts). Yes, Erris/twitter's comment would have been more visible if he posted anonymously. I think Erris/twitter's reputation on Slashdot is so bad that moderators are reluctant to mod up even good comments by him because they think he doesn't deserve "visibility" now or in the future.
BTW, "MS fanbois attempting censorship" sounds a bit paranoid, but I'll assume you're new here, Anonymous Coward.;->
Subject
eMule, Gnutella, Gnucleus & Tom Slyck Comment
I just had a look at the news section and I think slyck.com seems to be aware of two p2p networks only: Bittorrent and Limewire (not generally Gnutella, just Limewire).
The only time Slyck mentioned eMule was when he questioned the reasoning of Sourceforge in awarding eMule as the "Best New Project" of 2007. He didn't mention eMule at the title of the article of course.
Not that a juggernaut like eMule needs Slyck,
eMule is the name of the client that uses the eDonkey2000 network. eDonkey2000 has its own category in Slyck's news section and eMule has a subcategory. Sure, it doesn't get mentioned as much as BitTorrent, but neither does U***et. Given BitTorrent's overwhelming popularity and all the drama between BT sites and the studios, I don't find this surprising at all.
Also, Slyck has a Guide to eDonkey2000 and the eMule is the first client on its list of clients.
Not that anybody's going to read this comment, but I just had to reply because I don't think Slyck has an anti-eMule bias like you seem to imply. eMule just doesn't make the news because it's overshadowed.
Using the video output, your desktop was mirrored and did not span the two screens. (I don't know if the newest models still do this.) There were firmware hacks to get around this completely artificial restriction, which Apple put into place to differentiate their consumer line machines from their professional line. I haven't tried it a newer iMac, but a quick check on their specs page seems to indicate that they've lifted this restriction. From the "Graphics and video" section:
Mini-DVI output port with support for DVI, VGA, S-video, and composite video connections via adapter3
Built-in iSight camera
Support for external display in extended desktop mode
Digital resolutions up to 1920 by 1200
Analog resolutions up to 2048 by 1536
Support for external display in video mirroring mode
The portability is important to me. The Apple TV will sync back to my desktop. Anything I download from Xbox Live has to be deleted over time to make space for new programs (I have the 20 gig HD). The portability is nice, but I bet the iTunes HD titles won't sync back to your desktop. If you haven't heard, the iTunes HD titles are for Apple TV only. It's hard to believe they'll sync back to your computer if they cannot play on your computer.
I think the Apple TV updates are nice, though. I'd like to see an "update software/firmware war" between Apple TV, Xbox 360, PS3, the Netflix/LG set top box, and whatever Amazon Unbox comes up with (in addition to Unbox on TiVo).
Ummm.... the mini IS a desktop... Lame car analogy...
The Mac Mini is a Tata Nano. It's pretty obvious the GP means at least a Toyota Camry, a REAL desktop with a 3.5" 7200rpm hard drive, desktop CPU, Blu-ray option, and non-mobile GPU.
Probably not enough to undo the damage ...but they do make good upconverting DVD players, and at that price can be bought as "An upconverting player that also happens to have a fairly good selection of real HD content for it." As part of their new marketing campaign, Toshiba is actually touting (along with the price cuts) the "upconverting DVD player" feature of their HD DVD players. I find this a bit surprising. From Toshiba's press release:
Major initiatives, including joint advertising campaigns with studios and extended pricing strategies will begin in mid-January and are designed to spotlight the superior benefits of HD DVD as well as the benefits HD DVD brings to a consumer's current DVD library by upconverting standard DVDs via the HDMI output to near high def picture quality.
HD DVD not only creates the ultimate high definition entertainment experience, leveraging all of the promise of the format such as superior audio/video performance, Web-enabled network capabilities and advanced interactive features -- it also has a high-level of compatibility with DVD. With DVD upconversion via the HDMI output, HD DVD players instantly make a movie lovers existing DVD library look better than ever.
"HD DVD is the best way to watch movies in high definition," said Jodi Sally, Vice President of DAV Marketing for Toshiba. "Our HD DVD players not only play back approximately 800 HD DVD titles available worldwide and deliver an entirely new level of entertainment, but also enhance the picture quality to near high definition on legacy DVD titlesby all studios. In short, we added hi def to DVD which already is the de facto standard format created and approved by the DVD Forum that consists of more than two hundred companies."
Maybe it's just me, but I find it a bit odd that Toshiba is now emphasizing the upconverting DVD feature. I expected Toshiba's marketing focus to be on the new disc formats, not legacy formats. I'm not disagreeing with the value of a $130 upconverting DVD player that plays HD DVD. I'm just surprised to be hearing this from Toshiba.
Toshiba can't actually set the street price at the store legally in the US. They can influence it with a lower price to the retailer. They can lower the suggested retail price, which many consumers expect the stores to match. They can offer rebates and coupons. They can't actually tell the stores they'll be selling it at exactly $150, because there are laws against that. As others have pointed out, they can. However, in this case, they don't. Amazon.com, CompUSA.com, and others are selling Toshiba's HD-A3 for $130.
I hope they do better than Dell...
[snip] ... and actually put Linux on some of their really good business-class machines, as opposed to their cheaper "entry-level" "home" flaky laptops. I'm not sure if you count Dell's Precision workstations as "business-class," but they do offer Red Hat Enterprise Linux pre-installed on several workstations (desktop and mobile). Note that the ThinkPads use an "enterprise-grade" Linux OS (like Dell's Precisions) while Dell's cheaper Linux laptops use the free-as-in-beer Ubuntu OS with less included support.
The Precisions ain't cheap, but the cheaper ones can be considered "high end" business-class machines. For example:
Precision M4300 notebook (start at $1770): 15.4" (WXGA to WUXGA options), 6.5 lbs, Quadro FX 360M (GeForce 8400M based), Intel 965PM chipset, Core 2 Duo T7100 (1.8GHz) and up.
Presicion T3400 desktop ($1300 and up): standard ATX size, Intel X38 chipset, non-ECC memory option, Core 2 Duo E4300 and up, Quadro NVS 290 (GeForce 8400 based) and up.
the DRM removal on iTunes was at the request of EMI
Where are you getting that information? Usually from an outsider's perpective it's impossible to understand how high-level corporate negotiations work, but the chronology was that Steve wrote a letter calling for DRM to be abolished first, then EMI's songs were sold DRM-free starting some time after that.
Also, Steve Jobs wasn't the first digital music store honcho to call for the end of DRM. Nearly one year before the open letter, Yahoo Music chief Dave Goldberg spoke out against DRM, even mentioning eMusic as an example.
This is not to downplay the importance of the letter. Apple was and still is the Big Kahuna of digital music stores. Apple's anti-DRM stance was very important, even if they might not have been the first.
The new apples are closer in feel to a laptop keyboard, and actually seem to provide a tad more tactile response than a typical laptop, and is also quite a bit better than a typical $5 keyboard.
Granted laptops aren't the best things to type on, but people seem to have adapted....
I agree that some (maybe most) users will adapt to Apple's (and Sony's) "chicklet" implementation. Not everyone is a super-fast touch typist. And they look cool to some people.
However, I think the wireless version has gone too far in mimicking the laptop style: the new Apple wireless keyboard actually eliminates the number pad and home/end/pgup/pgdn/delete area. That must suck for users of InDesign and Numbers, or anybody who just likes using those functions quickly with one hand. (j,k,l,u,i,o,7,8,9 is not a good replacement)
I would actually argue it hasn't hurt Sony either, not in the long term. Winning the format war means now uptake of Blu-Ray will increase console sales, instead of the PS3 helping Blu-Ray sales as was the case before. Having a next gen gaming system with more storage space is also already an advantage for gaming and will continue to be so. It sure hurt in the short run ($1.9 billion in gaming losses last year). You may be proven right about the long run, but I'm not so sure. I don't know how many consoles and games need to be sold before the PS3 becomes profitable, but Sony has to deal with two much stronger gaming competitors this generation. If an HDTV is needed to appreciate the PS3, then Sony's potential market may be significantly smaller this generation.
Even though the PS3 now starts at $400, Amazon.com currently sells four set top Blu-ray players from $350 to $370 (free shipping). Last time I checked, the PS3 didn't support Dolby TrueHD and DTS HD like the set top players do (hopefully a firmware update will add this). I don't think too many people have TrueHD or DTS HD home theater systems, but it still might effect sales.
Not too many people are buying Blu-ray or the PS3 right now. By the time the PS3 has a competitive selection of games, it may be too late. Superior set top Blu-ray players might be much cheaper by then. (Of course, one could argue that the PS3's game selection is good now.)
Again, I could be wrong about all this. I'll definitely consider the PS3 after the next price drop if Blu-ray does catch on by then.
The sales figures quoted are not comparable. The XP figure quoted was for 14 months while the Vista sales period was less than 12 months. The launch date of XP was October 25, while Vista was launched January 30 - yet both speeches were made on January 8. That's three months of sales that XP had over Vista. What you say seemed so obvious (those dates are mentioned in the article and its links) that I re-read the article to see if I was missing something. I did: that 255.7 million of total 2007 PC shipments is based on an estimate from March 20. So the "Vista Shipped on 39% of PCs" estimate is calculated by assuming the floor ("more than 100 million copies") of 11¼ months of Vista sales, then dividing that by a nine-month-old estimate of the last 12 months of PC shipments. However, that's not nearly as bad as how he calculated "Windows XP captured about 67% of the new PC market during its first year."
I have to conclude that the article's author, Paul McDougall, must be a moron and/or a troll. McDougall's math:
Vista shipped on 39% of PCs in 2007: (floor of Bill Gates's "more than 100 million copies" boast for 11¼ months) divided by (nine-month-old estimate of the last 12 months of PC shipments)
XP shipped on 67% of PCs in 2002: (14 months of XP sales) divided by (12 months of PC shipments)
I think it's obvious that Vista sales percentages are well below initial XP sales percentages, but we don't need dishonest math to exaggerate this point.
As I said, as much as I want one, the equipment/software isn't even ready yet. I said "I think it's getting close." I'm not really disagreeing with your opinion. What I meant was: if I wanted a Blu-ray player today, I'd rather spend $600 on an upgradable (hardware, software, firmware, drivers) Blu-ray HTPC than $400 on a 40G PS3 (which apparently cannot do Dolby TrueHD or DTS HD). Set top Blu-ray players are still so expensive (and "cheap" ones are incomplete) that I'd rather deal with an upgradable HTPC.
I didn't check the details of my quick-and-dirty Newegg list, but I think all the problems (except for TrueHD or DTS HD) can be fixed with alternate parts or relatively inexpensive software upgrades (supposedly 7.1-capable PowerDVD Deluxe is $35 at Newegg). For TrueHD or DTS HD (which requires HDMI 1.3), I guess HDMI 1.3 video cards and motherboards won't be ready for a while.
Of course, you'll need an HDMI-enabled video card and monitor to fully utilize it. And then that also doesn't address the myriad HD audio problems that PC playback presents--no support for some of the newer codecs, or arbitrary downsampling of the audio.
An HDMI-enabled Radeon 2400 card (with "full" h.264/VC1 acceleration and on-board audio) can be easily found for less than $50. If someone is considering a Blu-ray player, they probably already have an LCD or HDTV with HDMI.
As much as I would like to be able to put together an HD HTPC, things aren't nearly ready enough for it yet I think it's getting close. A quiet, Blu-ray playing HTPC that's just 1.5" taller than a PS3 (same width and depth) can be built from less than $600 of Newegg parts (including Media Center remote). Here's my quick-and-dirty list:
LITE-ON SATA Blu-ray drive: $190
InWin Mt Jade small microATX case with 300W PSU: $50
Sapphire 100203L Radeon HD 2400PRO video card (HDMI video and audio): $45
Foxconn 945G7MC-KS2HV motherboard (945G chipset, Core 2 Duo support): $38
Intel Celeron 420 (Core 2 Duo based): $38
80GB SATA hard drive: $43
Corsair Value Select 2GB memory set: $39
Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit (OEM): $112
eDATA DEC-200B Media Center Remote: $30 Total: $585 (without shipping)
Of course, that's just what I consider the minimum to play Blu-ray. It can easily be upgraded for other HTPC functions like PVR (bigger hard drive, dual-core CPU, HDTV tuner).
Sony execs must be popping corks and slapping high-fives about now for their decision to build Blu-Ray into the PS3. I still happen to believe putting Blu-Ray into the PS3 was a purely strategic move that hurt PS3 customers by delaying shipment and jacking up the price, but if PS3 sales (though diminished) are what put Blu-Ray over the top, it doesn't really matter, does it? Maybe. I'm not sure, especially if this kills the long-term profitability of Sony's gaming division. The gaming division used to bring in the majority (yes, more than half) of Sony's total operating income. For those that haven't heard, Sony's gaming division lost a staggering Xbox-like ¥232 billion ($1.9 billion) in 2007 (total operating income ¥72 billion/$608 million). At the PS1's peak in 1999, the gaming division's operating income was ¥136 billion (out of ¥339 billion total). At the PS2's peak in 2003, gaming earned ¥113 billion (¥185 billion total).
If Blu-ray becomes the dominant video format (over DVD and downloads), how much income (from sales and licensing) does this bring to Sony? I know Blu-ray is primarily "Sony's format," but there's a lot of "partners" in the Blu-ray Disc Association. Will this Blu-ray related income be worth the loss in gaming income?
We all know that labels screw artists and DRM is bad and blah blah blah, but what happens if your favorite action films cost $50 million to make, but suddenly all of the customers have "digital content wants to be free" philosophies?
Frankly, if nobody pays to see movies, no movies will get made
[snip]
Even if the whole business isn't "respectable" by your standards, you obviously respect their work enough to watch it. To never pay is to vote for a world where that work is never produced.
The movie business needs to think of a new business model because their current one is dead. Movies want to be free. Movies should be free promotional vehicles for the performers to make money through touring live performances and merchandise sales. Everbody knows touring is where the money's at. In the good old days, before the days of moving pictures with sound, actors made their money the honest way by performing live in front of paying people. A real actor can perform live, not relying on the studio and editing to create their "art." Actors should have to "perform" to make their living. Getting paid over and over again for one filmed performance is not groovy. My brother made a movie using his laptop (and its webcam), local drama students, and YouTube. The publicity and resulting offers enabled them to temporarily quit their day jobs.
Movies want to be free. You can't OWN property, man. Now everyone join hands. Join hands, please. I'd like to lead you all in some swaying. Come on, pay attention. I said do it! Yeah...
Comment:I've got two 2007WFP (20") monitors and they are awesome.[snip]
Buyer beware: not all "WFP" models are created equal. The WFP models that have an 'E' or 'SP' before the number (e.g. E207WFP and SP2008WFP, both 20") use inferior 6-bit TN panels. TN panels can only display 262,144 colors and only "support" "16 million+" colors through dithering. A TN panel's viewing angles are also inferior. (I wish manufacturers would make this information more clear for their TN panels.)
In contrast, the UltraSharp 2007WFP models you've got are awesome. They are true 8-bit panels that can display 16,777,216 colors and have superior viewing angles. They either use S-IPS or S-PVA panels. Of course, they are also significantly more expensive than the 6-bit TN models (but good value for 8-bit).
Just yesterday, I noticed a disturbing new (to me) model name for a Dell LCD. Dell recently released a 22" model called the "UltraSharp 2208WFP." In the past, having "UltraSharp" in the model name and no 'E' or 'SP' before the model number hinted that it was an "awesome" 8-bit panel. Not anymore. It's a freakin' 6-bit TN panel.
That said, TN models are probably good enough for most buyers. Most of today's 6-bit panels probably look better than 8-bit panels from 5 years ago. I just wish manufacturers were required to disclose the type of panel in their specs.
I'd go with AnyDVD [slysoft.com] + K-Lite Mega Codec Pack [codecguide.com] + MPlayer (included.) This will play encrypted DVDs, but also has the advantage of playing just about anything else included Quicktime and Real.
Uh, so can VLC. MPlayer and VLC both use ffmpeg. Also, there's no point in using a codec pack with either MPlayer or VLC. They can both already play just about everything including Quicktime and older Real files. ScrewMaster said MPlayer, but actually meant Media Player Classic (MPC), which is a good open-source Windows-only media player that's conveniently bundled with the Windows-only K-Lite Media Codec Pack.
For Windows users, I think K-Lite (which bundles Media Player Classic and ffmpeg) is a better solution than MPlayer or VLC (which both include ffmpeg). Since Media Player Classic uses the DirectShow architecture and native Windows UI elements, it seems to offer a smoother experience (e.g. scrub bar) than multi-platform players like VLC and MPlayer.
The heart of K-Lite is the DirectShow implementation of ffmpeg, with other filters/tools for common video features that ffmpeg doesn't cover well (e.g. subtitles). So I think ScrewMaster is basically agreeing with you (recommending ffmpeg), but recommending (for Windows users) a better video player (Media Player Classic) and a few additional Windows tools (in K-Lite).
WTF wasn't consumer friendly about the ThinkPad? Granted, I've been a big ThinkPad fan for some time myself, but really, what are they talking about? For some writers describing computers and software, the word "consumer" has become a synonym for "home user." The ThinkPad is a "business" notebook, therefore it's not a "consumer" notebook. I think it's a lousy word to describe home-oriented computer products.
Slashdot Mirror
I'm not disagreeing with you. I just hate the restrictions the Chinese government puts on its citizens and I hate Googles apparent dilemma: filter results in China or don't serve China at all.
In IE7, right-click in the toolbar area and select "Classic Menu."
In Vista's Windows Explorer, click the "Organize" button, click the "Layout" check box, then click "Menu Bar." If you're in some random folder but want ALL folders to show the menu bar, check the box that enables this option in all folders.
- Michael Robertson Says Root is Safe: "I defy anybody to tell me why is it more secure to not run as root. Nobody really has a good answer. They say 'oh, yeah, it is!', but it really isn't."
I thought it was a late April Fool's joke.The Mac Pro is a nice option IF your needs are not met by a single quad-core processor and 8GB of dual-channel 800MHz ECC DDR2 memory. Unfortunately (IMO), Apple doesn't offer a decent single-processor workstation option that doesn't use FB-DIMMs.
Other replies have suggested three good sites with "system guides" (Tech Report, Ars Technica, and Anandtech), but none of them seem to have specific guides for graphic designers (Photoshop, Illustrator, etc). I think they're still worth reading because their general tips are useful for (comparative) beginners and their guides are regularly updated to keep up with current hardware trends.
In addition to Apple's Mac Pro specs page, you could use Dell's Precision workstation specs pages as a "guide" on which hardware to choose when you build your Photoshop/Illustrator workstation. Dell actually has a "Find Your Recommended Workstation Configuration" page that suggests specific workstations based on application. Their Photoshop and Illustrator suggestions are the same: the "mainstream" Precision T3400 (based on Intel's X38 chipset) and the "advanced" T5400 (like the Mac Pro, based on Intel's 5400 chipset).
If you're buying based on the Intel platform, those are probably the best and most compatible chipsets to build your workstation around. They both can use ECC memory, workstation-class video cards, PCI Express 2.0, etc. The X38 chipset might be limited by its 8GB RAM ceiling. The 5400 chipset might be unattractive because it uses FB-DIMMs and dual Xeon CPUs (when a single Core 2 Quad might do). X38 has decent cheap RAID (0,1,5,10) built into the chipset as well as eSATA and HD audio. The 5400 chipset can use up to 64GB of RAM and usually has legacy PCI-X slots for those older, expensive cards you don't want to throw away.
WTF with the -1? Some MS fanboi attempting censorship?
The comment started with a score of "-1" because it was posted by known anti-MS troll Erris, aka twitter (he might have other sock puppet accounts). Yes, Erris/twitter's comment would have been more visible if he posted anonymously. I think Erris/twitter's reputation on Slashdot is so bad that moderators are reluctant to mod up even good comments by him because they think he doesn't deserve "visibility" now or in the future.BTW, "MS fanbois attempting censorship" sounds a bit paranoid, but I'll assume you're new here, Anonymous Coward. ;->
More info available from the FAQs "My Karma: How low can it go?" and "What is karma Good For?".
eMule, Gnutella, Gnucleus & Tom Slyck
Comment
I just had a look at the news section and I think slyck.com seems to be aware of two p2p networks only: Bittorrent and Limewire (not generally Gnutella, just Limewire).
The only time Slyck mentioned eMule was when he questioned the reasoning of Sourceforge in awarding eMule as the "Best New Project" of 2007. He didn't mention eMule at the title of the article of course.
Not that a juggernaut like eMule needs Slyck,
eMule is the name of the client that uses the eDonkey2000 network. eDonkey2000 has its own category in Slyck's news section and eMule has a subcategory. Sure, it doesn't get mentioned as much as BitTorrent, but neither does U***et. Given BitTorrent's overwhelming popularity and all the drama between BT sites and the studios, I don't find this surprising at all.Also, Slyck has a Guide to eDonkey2000 and the eMule is the first client on its list of clients.
Not that anybody's going to read this comment, but I just had to reply because I don't think Slyck has an anti-eMule bias like you seem to imply. eMule just doesn't make the news because it's overshadowed.
I think the Apple TV updates are nice, though. I'd like to see an "update software/firmware war" between Apple TV, Xbox 360, PS3, the Netflix/LG set top box, and whatever Amazon Unbox comes up with (in addition to Unbox on TiVo).
The Mac Mini is a Tata Nano. It's pretty obvious the GP means at least a Toyota Camry, a REAL desktop with a 3.5" 7200rpm hard drive, desktop CPU, Blu-ray option, and non-mobile GPU.
- Major initiatives, including joint advertising campaigns with studios and extended pricing strategies will begin in mid-January and are designed to spotlight the superior benefits of HD DVD as well as the benefits HD DVD brings to a consumer's current DVD library by upconverting standard DVDs via the HDMI output to near high def picture quality.
- HD DVD not only creates the ultimate high definition entertainment experience, leveraging all of the promise of the format such as superior audio/video performance, Web-enabled network capabilities and advanced interactive features -- it also has a high-level of compatibility with DVD. With DVD upconversion via the HDMI output, HD DVD players instantly make a movie lovers existing DVD library look better than ever.
Maybe it's just me, but I find it a bit odd that Toshiba is now emphasizing the upconverting DVD feature. I expected Toshiba's marketing focus to be on the new disc formats, not legacy formats. I'm not disagreeing with the value of a $130 upconverting DVD player that plays HD DVD. I'm just surprised to be hearing this from Toshiba."HD DVD is the best way to watch movies in high definition," said Jodi Sally, Vice President of DAV Marketing for Toshiba. "Our HD DVD players not only play back approximately 800 HD DVD titles available worldwide and deliver an entirely new level of entertainment, but also enhance the picture quality to near high definition on legacy DVD titlesby all studios. In short, we added hi def to DVD which already is the de facto standard format created and approved by the DVD Forum that consists of more than two hundred companies."
[snip]
The Precisions ain't cheap, but the cheaper ones can be considered "high end" business-class machines. For example:
Where are you getting that information? Usually from an outsider's perpective it's impossible to understand how high-level corporate negotiations work, but the chronology was that Steve wrote a letter calling for DRM to be abolished first, then EMI's songs were sold DRM-free starting some time after that.
I don't know who approached who, but EMI did test the DRM-free waters on Yahoo Music (on Dec 6, 2006) two months before Steve Jobs published his open letter (on Feb 2, 2007).Also, Steve Jobs wasn't the first digital music store honcho to call for the end of DRM. Nearly one year before the open letter, Yahoo Music chief Dave Goldberg spoke out against DRM, even mentioning eMusic as an example.
This is not to downplay the importance of the letter. Apple was and still is the Big Kahuna of digital music stores. Apple's anti-DRM stance was very important, even if they might not have been the first.
Granted laptops aren't the best things to type on, but people seem to have adapted....
I agree that some (maybe most) users will adapt to Apple's (and Sony's) "chicklet" implementation. Not everyone is a super-fast touch typist. And they look cool to some people.However, I think the wireless version has gone too far in mimicking the laptop style: the new Apple wireless keyboard actually eliminates the number pad and home/end/pgup/pgdn/delete area. That must suck for users of InDesign and Numbers, or anybody who just likes using those functions quickly with one hand. (j,k,l,u,i,o,7,8,9 is not a good replacement)
Even though the PS3 now starts at $400, Amazon.com currently sells four set top Blu-ray players from $350 to $370 (free shipping). Last time I checked, the PS3 didn't support Dolby TrueHD and DTS HD like the set top players do (hopefully a firmware update will add this). I don't think too many people have TrueHD or DTS HD home theater systems, but it still might effect sales.
Not too many people are buying Blu-ray or the PS3 right now. By the time the PS3 has a competitive selection of games, it may be too late. Superior set top Blu-ray players might be much cheaper by then. (Of course, one could argue that the PS3's game selection is good now.)
Again, I could be wrong about all this. I'll definitely consider the PS3 after the next price drop if Blu-ray does catch on by then.
I have to conclude that the article's author, Paul McDougall, must be a moron and/or a troll. McDougall's math:
- Vista shipped on 39% of PCs in 2007: (floor of Bill Gates's "more than 100 million copies" boast for 11¼ months) divided by (nine-month-old estimate of the last 12 months of PC shipments)
- XP shipped on 67% of PCs in 2002: (14 months of XP sales) divided by (12 months of PC shipments)
I think it's obvious that Vista sales percentages are well below initial XP sales percentages, but we don't need dishonest math to exaggerate this point.I didn't check the details of my quick-and-dirty Newegg list, but I think all the problems (except for TrueHD or DTS HD) can be fixed with alternate parts or relatively inexpensive software upgrades (supposedly 7.1-capable PowerDVD Deluxe is $35 at Newegg). For TrueHD or DTS HD (which requires HDMI 1.3), I guess HDMI 1.3 video cards and motherboards won't be ready for a while.
Of course, you'll need an HDMI-enabled video card and monitor to fully utilize it. And then that also doesn't address the myriad HD audio problems that PC playback presents--no support for some of the newer codecs, or arbitrary downsampling of the audio.
An HDMI-enabled Radeon 2400 card (with "full" h.264/VC1 acceleration and on-board audio) can be easily found for less than $50. If someone is considering a Blu-ray player, they probably already have an LCD or HDTV with HDMI. As much as I would like to be able to put together an HD HTPC, things aren't nearly ready enough for it yet I think it's getting close. A quiet, Blu-ray playing HTPC that's just 1.5" taller than a PS3 (same width and depth) can be built from less than $600 of Newegg parts (including Media Center remote). Here's my quick-and-dirty list:-
LITE-ON SATA Blu-ray drive: $190
Of course, that's just what I consider the minimum to play Blu-ray. It can easily be upgraded for other HTPC functions like PVR (bigger hard drive, dual-core CPU, HDTV tuner).InWin Mt Jade small microATX case with 300W PSU: $50
Sapphire 100203L Radeon HD 2400PRO video card (HDMI video and audio): $45
Foxconn 945G7MC-KS2HV motherboard (945G chipset, Core 2 Duo support): $38
Intel Celeron 420 (Core 2 Duo based): $38
80GB SATA hard drive: $43
Corsair Value Select 2GB memory set: $39
Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit (OEM): $112
eDATA DEC-200B Media Center Remote: $30
Total: $585 (without shipping)
If Blu-ray becomes the dominant video format (over DVD and downloads), how much income (from sales and licensing) does this bring to Sony? I know Blu-ray is primarily "Sony's format," but there's a lot of "partners" in the Blu-ray Disc Association. Will this Blu-ray related income be worth the loss in gaming income?
Year: Gaming operating income/(loss), total operating income
2007: (¥232 billion), ¥72 billion
2006: 9, 226
2005: 43, 146
2004: 68, 99
2003: 113, 185
2002: 83, 135
2001: (51), 225
2000: 77, 223
1999: 136, 339
1998: 117, 520
Sony's Annual Reports (big freakin' PDF files): http://www.sony.net/SonyInfo/IR/financial/ar/Archive.html
Frankly, if nobody pays to see movies, no movies will get made
The movie business needs to think of a new business model because their current one is dead. Movies want to be free. Movies should be free promotional vehicles for the performers to make money through touring live performances and merchandise sales. Everbody knows touring is where the money's at. In the good old days, before the days of moving pictures with sound, actors made their money the honest way by performing live in front of paying people. A real actor can perform live, not relying on the studio and editing to create their "art." Actors should have to "perform" to make their living. Getting paid over and over again for one filmed performance is not groovy. My brother made a movie using his laptop (and its webcam), local drama students, and YouTube. The publicity and resulting offers enabled them to temporarily quit their day jobs.[snip]
Even if the whole business isn't "respectable" by your standards, you obviously respect their work enough to watch it. To never pay is to vote for a world where that work is never produced.
Movies want to be free. You can't OWN property, man. Now everyone join hands. Join hands, please. I'd like to lead you all in some swaying. Come on, pay attention. I said do it! Yeah...
Comment:I've got two 2007WFP (20") monitors and they are awesome.[snip]
Buyer beware: not all "WFP" models are created equal. The WFP models that have an 'E' or 'SP' before the number (e.g. E207WFP and SP2008WFP, both 20") use inferior 6-bit TN panels. TN panels can only display 262,144 colors and only "support" "16 million+" colors through dithering. A TN panel's viewing angles are also inferior. (I wish manufacturers would make this information more clear for their TN panels.)In contrast, the UltraSharp 2007WFP models you've got are awesome. They are true 8-bit panels that can display 16,777,216 colors and have superior viewing angles. They either use S-IPS or S-PVA panels. Of course, they are also significantly more expensive than the 6-bit TN models (but good value for 8-bit).
Just yesterday, I noticed a disturbing new (to me) model name for a Dell LCD. Dell recently released a 22" model called the "UltraSharp 2208WFP." In the past, having "UltraSharp" in the model name and no 'E' or 'SP' before the model number hinted that it was an "awesome" 8-bit panel. Not anymore. It's a freakin' 6-bit TN panel.
That said, TN models are probably good enough for most buyers. Most of today's 6-bit panels probably look better than 8-bit panels from 5 years ago. I just wish manufacturers were required to disclose the type of panel in their specs.
For Windows users, I think K-Lite (which bundles Media Player Classic and ffmpeg) is a better solution than MPlayer or VLC (which both include ffmpeg). Since Media Player Classic uses the DirectShow architecture and native Windows UI elements, it seems to offer a smoother experience (e.g. scrub bar) than multi-platform players like VLC and MPlayer.
The heart of K-Lite is the DirectShow implementation of ffmpeg, with other filters/tools for common video features that ffmpeg doesn't cover well (e.g. subtitles). So I think ScrewMaster is basically agreeing with you (recommending ffmpeg), but recommending (for Windows users) a better video player (Media Player Classic) and a few additional Windows tools (in K-Lite).