I've been hunting all over for some report on the actual sales numbers for these Dell Ubuntu systems and have come up empty so far. If anyone has any info or point me to a link I'd appreciate it.
Well said... it is the difference between a buffet and a fine restaurant. The buffet has 180+ items!! all mediocre but you get your choice and as much as you can handle, the fine restaurant has maybe 12 choices and you only get one or two but they are amazing.
Microsoft and Linux (generally) are the buffet, and Apple is the fine dining. And appropriately the type of folks who are happy with the buffet go that way and those "snobs" who prefer a higher quality go for the fine restaurant.
Nothing is stopping Linux from being both, except focus and some sort of oversight and management to get the core/apps to be as perfect as possible and actually pay attention to interoperability and unified experience.
Exactly! My system is over 4 years old with an AMD 2700+ OC'd to 3200+, 2GB RAM, 1Tb HDD, and a NV 6600GT. It plays every game I've thrown at it and it will even play the upcoming hits (Spore, Project Offset, Hellgate, WHO, etc.) So what would ever make me jump ship? Vista?? I don't think so. As much as I like Linux this PC has run XP from day 1 with zero issues and she's still humming along fine. Dual cores really offer me little, and 64-bit has been a bust too.
The industry is trying so hard to force a hardware change to keep their profits up that they are doing anything. And since it is all poorly planned and misaligned with the current user they fail.
Right now people want: cheap, fast, low-power, quiet, ease of use, and freedom from the onslaught of viruses and spyware.
They've given us: Expensive, slightly faster, high-power, jet engine loud, pretty colors and eye candy with the same usability if not worse, and still no real answer for viruses and spyware. $400+ video cards that soak 1kw of power and run games that don't exist and aren't even on the average person's radar aren't the answer either.
OS X and Apple have been increasing sales like mad lately for exactly these reasons... but they are still expensive. Ubuntu has been making strides but it still isn't quite there for mass appeal.
Xandros, Linspire, Novell... and any other companies that fold like pup tents are off of my list. This is one of the fundamental problems with OSS, after months/years of hard work with little gratification the lure of the all mighty dollar is hard to ignore. Microsoft is easily taking advantage of this and exposing a huge chink in the OSS armor.
It is amazing how many idealists and followers flip flop and would sell their own mother to MS when enough money is flashed.
This next year is going to be a big one for our industry and I'm not so sure I like the picture I'm starting to see as it comes into focus. This is one time I truly hope to be wrong.
All it really takes is a solid framework, and the testicular fortitude to actually let the players create the game. Sure, there will be spikes and problems but by nature they will work themselves out IF they would let it just happen, but the problem is the fear of losing players which equals money.
Let people run the weapon/item/magic shoppes, let people create quests and rewards, let people build towns and band together, the quality of the player created content would far surpass and be much more fluid and dynamic than a scripted universe so no "nerfs" are needed.
This is a perfect area for Open Source to shine, and an area I have personally been researching for some time. Who knows I may get enough time and fellow coders together to try to tackle it someday... but this is one thing I would be happy to see get made no matter who does it.
So you don't know this game is already out, or anything about any MMO ever created... but because a bonehead has the ability to spellcheck and use proper English, it is an AMAZING REVIEW!!!1!1eleventy!
Get off your knees and zip up ole Zorky. What in the hell would drive anyone to even write a post like yours? Go read some real game reviews, better yet, go read other reviews of LotR by REAL game reviewers and then try again.
Please Zonk give up on your so called "game reviews." I had the pleasure to work as a reviewer for a number of years, and with some truly talented folks... and you, sir, ain't got it.
These "reviews" are just sad. I say it every time, and know it is always an instant ticket to -1's-ville but I've got Karma to burn. No one enjoys them and certainly no one is compelled to buy a game based on your words. They are like a self ego booster or something I guess for you, but what they show is how difficult it really is to write a solid review. They take lots of intelligence, time, attention to detail, and personal investment... and it is clear that you fail on every one of them.
is how do they expect to come up with some new scheme that will be so hard to crack but be playable in the existing players? Is everyone going to have to upgrade their firmware? This is all just so silly at this point, the only thing I can hope for is that they finally give up on these inane "protection" systems.
If anything I would be fine with a physical protection scheme that would make it impossible to duplicate the disc for a specific period of time. That's really all that is needed anyhow, it keeps sales up and then when they would drop off naturally it is no longer an issue. After that folks that would buy the movie still will anyhow.
The problem really is the substandard, safe, crap that is being put out. No one is clamoring to Best Buy to buy Big Mommas House, or RV... and in a years time they are long forgotten. But I'd still be happy to buy a copy of Pi, Clockwork Orange, or movies of their ilk at any point in time because they deserve it. It has nothing to do with pirating but all to do with disposable garbage films that are barely worth the time and bandwidth to download illegally even for free. But it is easier to blame the Oh NOES!!11!!1 PIRATEZ!
Seriously, I am about as platform agnostic as possible and while I was skeptical of this amazing announcement this managed to still underwhelm by miles. Who wants this? who has ever been sitting around chatting about how they wish their table was a touchscreen? Ugh. I have seriously started to just give up on Microsoft ever actually creating something cool and unique... it ain't gonna happen.
I'm pretty glad I didn't wait up for this earth shattering announcement.
Yeah, but who wants to work together? I mean I want to create Yet Another Some App That There are already 100 of by myself, and who cares about making it interoperable!!! There's no fame in copy/paste, but Yet Another CD Ripper will make me kewl and a billionaire.
It all comes back to some sort of central control, which is lacking. As much as so many cry that it "ruins the spirit of Linux" there needs to be a guiding light that directs the efforts of open source programmers to actually get core functionality completed before any more crappy paint/cd ripper/themes continue to get made.
The Kernel has this sort of control over it, and guess what? It works. The rest does not, and guess what? It doesn't. The system will work once the core gets completed, but until then it is a mess. Far too chaotic. Hopefully Ubuntu is going to change this and bring the focus to one distro and making it just work, and support as much hardware as possible, and gain acceptance, and then go ahead and create Yet Another Widget. 400 distros are not sustainable.
Yes, it and we are out of touch. It boils down to this ego/bravado/whatever attitude and approach. I have been a Linux user since 1995, and in that time I have learned to all but give up on Linux going mainstream. I hate to say it, but it is an ugly reality.
The projects that have gained popularity all have something in common, they are easy to get working, easy to use, and focus on simplifying and completing key features. Ubuntu, open office, red hat, etc.
Instead of 400 half-completed distros, and 200 half-completed or abandoned apps of the same kind, maybe there needs to be some coming together and focus on a lesser number of key areas. Let's focus on getting a super clean and robust core system together AND THEN let Tommy and Susie go about making a better mousetrap that never gets completed.
I'm hoping a movement like Ubuntu forces this issue, because the average Linux user sees this as a loss of freedom and sure as shit doesn't want to have to work ona team but alone or with a small group of friends.
The other problem is attitude, the attitude of Linux users has always been the same and it is a detriment. Apple users go out of their way to say how easy it is to use a Mac, and it is, and it just works. Somehow this is seen as lame or newbish... but in reality it is not. It is what we all want. It's funny how so many people say how they LOVE their CLI and how they love to edit device drivers and work in binary... but in reality they love simple easy to use and run apps and cool things like Beryl.
It is the whole attitude and structure (lack thereof) that is hamstringing Linux. Always has always will. I sure hope I'm wrong someday though.
That is where design and innovation come into play. There have been attempts such as the swivel/fold out keyboards and many other ideas... now it is time to truly create a better mousetrap. Same with screens, I truly do not need anything more than 12-14 inch for a laptop. If it is a desktop replacement I can always hook into a 17" widescreen, and when I am on a bus, plane, train, automobile, etc. it actually fits. The battery bonus, weight bonus, etc. are also all benefits.
...'nuff said. Every day is a non-stop WTF? and head scratching experience. When I was hired, the VP of IT left due to the fact that he knew I actually knew what I was doing and it was only a matter of time before he was found out. (he had been there over 8 years) Then the promotion to his spot went to someone who has zero computer experience, and a B.S. degree in HR. She was without a PC for over a week due to a hard drive crash and I was on vacation... this is the manager of IT.
You can imagine the lovely surprises I still find to this day some 2 years later.
* Who needs switches, hubs are cheaper... but why is the bandwidth so crappy?
* We are going to run 28 VOIP phones on a single 64k Frame relay that also supplies internet and connectivity... what? Thats a problem? make it happen!
* I had over 6 in person meeting to explain that we could upgrade from 64k to full T1's for a *third* of what we were paying for 64k... YES we save money and get 20+ times the speed... NO no extra costs... denied. another meeting... denied. another meeting, etc. 6 times until it was still begrudgingly accepted!
* We have fiber links! (after seeing speeds around 2mbps and investigating) No, we have fiber connecting the buildings via 10mbps ports on hubs.
* We don't have that T1. Yes we do. No we don't. In a basement, *behind* the current wooden panel that houses the current telco equipment, sure enough an old T1 channel bank that still was working. How could I have missed it?
* We need 4 custom servers, a rack, a switch, 60 patch cords of different lengths, 4 PC's, and some cable management ordered. OK. We need it in 4 days. I don't think so. They are custom servers... 2 weeks later I get it all (still damn near a miracle) and have it up and running only to get shit about how long it took and told that I should have shipped it overnight next time (which I did of course). They must have missed the part where building custom servers takes a vendor more than 10 minutes let alone 4. Yeah, the shipping held it up.
* APC units that are installed, and working, but everything plugged into the outlet next to it.
* And best of all... our annual IT budget? $500.00 yep. 500 bucks.
You, sir, are obviously a moron! Don't try to talk sense to people rabidly buying into hype to get a _chance_ to get an already overpriced console for even more money. I mean christ, there is like almost one good game for it and it play's Blu-Ray DVD's like... wait for it... Adam Sandler's Click!
$3000 now plus an extra two hundred for extra's, Resistance and Click DVD is way more important than getting ahead in life by a measly $24k!
Well, Mr. la-de-freakin-da-know-it-all, I am a world class Jazz Kazooist, have been for the past 62 years, and I for one find Guitar Hero to be complete and utter crap!
The skills and nuances of the Kazoo are leaps and bounds above a silly plastic guitar. I mean when you have the stage lights on you, and the upright bass and cow bell are hitting that sweet spot that makes the ladies swoon, THAT is what it's all about. Not strumming a chintzy red toy!
I actually wanted to respond because your post is the closest thing I've ever seen to real analysis of the videogame market that I have personally seen on a website/forum.
I used to work in the industry and handled analysis as well as retail relations and I always find it funny how many armchair analysts and experts are on the web. And woe-be-me if I try to talk real sense and numbers... all you get are "STFU Show me links!!!" or other such nonsense. I've all but given up trying to even talk sense about videogames online, but jorb well done to you!
Having played hockey for 12 years and boxed, I can say that the arcade boxing game that requires the player to hold two boxing gloves that weigh a pound or two each and duck/dodge and throw actual punches. I was sweating and out of breath $2 into it. That workout is well worth $2. I wish I could remember the name of it. I think this would easily work, and if I had any mad skillz I'd bust some moves on DDR.
Thanks for your terribly great insight on the matter, gee how I was wrong... Unfortunately *I'm* the one who was a member of the press and still receive thes ethings called "press releases" and the one that sits by my desk right now is directly from Nintendo and spends the entire sheet describing the profitability of the Wii from the get-go. Must have been a mirage, or a really powerful dream that made it appear... now if only I could make much better things materialize.
I've played Zelda, I've played Red Steel, I've Played Metroid on the modified GC in NYC... of all three Metroid played the best and was the most intuitive. Easily seen by th efact that within minutes everyone "got-it" whereas that was not the case with Zelda or Red Steel. The constant redesigns are of course going to improve upon it... that is the point of a complete redesign, however to go back on a *finished* game and do a control redesign is a very bad sign. It always has been always will. A game like this needs to be built *around* the controls not the controls around the game. But you know more than me, so I must be wrong again.
Please define "Plenty of interesting games," I mean excitetruck has the word "excite" in it's title so it must be exciting! Tony Hawn downhill was a bore, excitetruck was interesting but fun for about 10 minutes and more of a quarter-muncher arcade game in the vein of Waverace. Maybe Trauma Center is your cup of tea, it isn't mine and not many Americans either based on the DS sales. Galaxy and Zelda will sell well, that's a given. Red Steel will be a decent 1st-gen attempt at swordfighting/FPS but it will quickly be eclipsed and forgotton upon the first real releases.
Oh, and the prices? $250 + 60 + 60 + 60 = what? Oh yeah $430. Just as I said, not everyone will need 4 complete control setups but a family of four or those who would like to enjoy the capabilities even without the nunchucks will be $250 + 40 + 40 + 40 = $370 still awfully close to $400, and pretty high for what you get. Sure buying an Xbox and 3 extra controllers will cost you too, but it isn't marketed that way. Do you need 3 extra controllers? Nope. Will families and groups want them, yep. Could it have been a fair bit cheaper? Yep. Such as $250 for the console a pack-in and two controllers (only one nunchuck even) + 40 + 40 = $320. Much closer to $300 than $400 and much more affordable and likely to be bought en-masse.
As I said before wasting even more time on this, it will all come out in the wash... we shall see real soon how goes it. Come back and reply then, either a big "In your face!" or a "Whoops, yep I was wrong" if it makes you feel better.
Well you seem to know it all, but the truth is that I was *SENT* a Nintendo press release that was an entire page hyping the fact that they were making a profit. So sorry to burst you all-knowing bubble, but to me that is B.S.
Microsoft did some big backpedaling before its launch too and they got beat down for it, Nintendo is not immune to it either. No matter how much you like a company, their product, or their decisions, they are not infallable. They can make mistakes and bad decisions. IMO they have here. Two controllers, even if it meant losing the speaker, packed in with a game at $250 would have still been profitable... and in fact was exactly what I *personally* discussed with a Nintendo retail specialist MONTHS before any prices or speakers had been talked about.
I have played Zelda. The control was awful, it has indeed had constant issues and is like a pair of jeans with 10 different colored patches on them at this point. Can it still be good? Sure! Was it a smooth development that embodied the new console and control scheme? Nope, not even close. The control has been a nightmare and has seen countless revisions, that is never a good sign in game development... especially a AAA 1st-party title. Wake up.
Name two other solid games on the radar for the Wii set to release about the same time as Galaxy. I'll wait. Intial sales will be good, taper off, Mario will release, sales will pick up, sales will taper off, rinse repeat. That is how every console has gone for ever. All I'm saying is that Nintendo has the ability to finally end this cyclical nature and it would be very beneficial to the game industry and for gamers... but what do I know? I've only been there. Do you want games to be like Hollywood? Summers filled with junk games, huge gaps for the run up to Christmas, etc. Step outside your world and maybe try to see a bigger picture, or *gasp* try to understand where someone else is coming from.
I can afford the thing if it was $600, I could afford it even at substantially more... it seems you can as well... that's great give yourself a round of applause, now realize that to the average family of four this will be a major outlay of cash, much more than it needed to be. To them it was never a question of 360 vs. PS3 vs. Wii. The Wii is basically their only choice and they aren't comparing it to anything but their pocketbooks. Mass appeal comes with lower prices. The games are expensive, the console is moderately priced (a bit high for what it is though), the controllers are expensive. This is not how you win mass appeal. The DS is $129 and games are $29.99 that is in the realm of mass appeal, $400 and $50 games is not.
I am no troll, nor am I flamebaiting, I am someone who has a good bit of insight to this industry and is not happy with how this shook out compared to what I have personally heard and been told in the months leading up to this point. I never *expected* anything.
Just a quick note. Actually I had the chance to play the Revolution in two different stages. Once in the very beginning when it was a modified GC with a large sensor bar and once when it was in a fairly finished form but still no speaker in the remote. I also had the chance to speak directly with a Nintendo employee tied to large retail accounts, and we spoke about the kiosk designs and space concerns as well as price at the time (about 4 months back) While he was somewhat vague it basically boiled down to $200 for the console and a controller and a pack-in and $250 for two controllers and a pack-in with some extra enticement such as a free download. That seemed perfectly reasonable, and still does.
Nintendo never promised anything, it was all speculation, and I'm completely familiar with that aspect of gaming and new product launches. What is flat out B.S. is to rename you product "Wii" and use TWO controllers in every promo video standing for the "i's" and then pull them last minute to include only one. What also angered me was a press release I received that basically talked up how Nintendo was making a profit on their consoles from the start. WTF? That isn't news, marketing, or hype, that is being pretty damn brazen in my eyes.
Zelda controlled terribly initially, it still may. Red Steel was a complete mess. Ubi has done a lot of work, but mark my words Red Steel will be a dud. It will sell OK due to it being the only game like it but it will fade quickly and be happily forgotten. Zelda, I'm not sure of. We'll see. But there is nothing that should raise a big-ass red flag quicker than the *creator* having HUGE control issues on their new console based solely around control. Many people like to overlook this or give Nintendo too much credit for the revamp... they put it out there at E3 as it was and what was there was not good.
The DS will turn around software-wise, I wasn't implying it wouldn't, what I am saying is that long droughts of quality releases is nothing new to Ninty and it is their Achillies Heel. It is also no stranger to Sony or MS, but instead of just writing it off as being one of the gang they could really strive to clean up here and work to have a steady stream of quality titles spaced well instead of these "seasons" of gaming we have now that sort of mimic Hollywood.
It's all good, and I'm not Bashing Nintendo or anyone else... all I'm saying is that it has been a disappointment and what could have been we'll never know. I do think $310 is pushing it and $430 is too much for what it is.
Let me begin by saying I used to be a Sony playtester and a reviewer, I also was running a Revolution/Wii website until a week ago. I went from excitement and enthusiasm in the Wii, not fanatical fanboi stuff - just happy that at least one company "got it," to pretty much not caring at all. A normally priced console that offered a fun experience accessible to everyone and doesn't engulf my entertainment system with its presence. Or so I thought.
As more and more details appeared, my excitement level dropped rapidly. I'm a jaded reviewer so my excitement level generally peaks at a 3 or 4, and the Wii had me at a 5 or a 6 which is pretty rare. Then to find the console will be $249 (and Nintendo then has the nerve to hype the fact that they are making profit on each Wii) and come with just one controller. Wi + $60 = Wii. Bringing the total to $310. Then for families and those who bought into the four player experience hype, we have $430.
The launch lineup isn't spectacular, and the control of Zelda and Red Steel have both been constant issues and received multiple redesigns *after* the games were well on their way to completion... not a good thing, especially when a 1st-party title can't get it right. In addition the sensor bar is small but still a drag.
Nintendo is resting way too much on the success of the DS and I think they may be in for a surprise. There haven't been any great DS releases in some time, with many of the top rated games being launch titles or pretty close to it. I think the Wii will sell out of its stock for Christmas and the next couple shipments but I think it will then taper off. Mario Galaxy doesn't do it for me personally and while it will help pick up sales down the road there isn't a whole lot on the radar still.
I still hope it does well because I think Sony and MS need to learn a bit of a lesson and bring gaming back around from a pure money-making venture into a *fun* and diverse money-making venture, instead of the next gangsta-simulator, racing, FPS now with 20% more polygons!!!!
Second, we have the writer for 'The Day After Tomorrow'. Then, we have Jerry Bruckheimer working as Executive Producer. Y'know, the guy who's name is attached to Pirates of the Carribean and a whole host of other films? I think this film will end up doing OK.
Yeah, because "The Day After Tomorrow" didn't have massive gaping plot-holes big enough to drive a few semi's through and a story that was so flawed and rediculous that I could almost believe wolves would walk to New York City and find their way into a submarine and that people just walk from Philadelphia to New York without the huge insta-death chill wind getting them... or I could go on and on... that movie made me stupider for having watched it.
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I've been hunting all over for some report on the actual sales numbers for these Dell Ubuntu systems and have come up empty so far. If anyone has any info or point me to a link I'd appreciate it.
- http://1linux.blogspot.com/
Well said... it is the difference between a buffet and a fine restaurant. The buffet has 180+ items!! all mediocre but you get your choice and as much as you can handle, the fine restaurant has maybe 12 choices and you only get one or two but they are amazing.
Microsoft and Linux (generally) are the buffet, and Apple is the fine dining. And appropriately the type of folks who are happy with the buffet go that way and those "snobs" who prefer a higher quality go for the fine restaurant.
Nothing is stopping Linux from being both, except focus and some sort of oversight and management to get the core/apps to be as perfect as possible and actually pay attention to interoperability and unified experience.
- http://1linux.blogger.com/
Exactly! My system is over 4 years old with an AMD 2700+ OC'd to 3200+, 2GB RAM, 1Tb HDD, and a NV 6600GT. It plays every game I've thrown at it and it will even play the upcoming hits (Spore, Project Offset, Hellgate, WHO, etc.) So what would ever make me jump ship? Vista?? I don't think so. As much as I like Linux this PC has run XP from day 1 with zero issues and she's still humming along fine. Dual cores really offer me little, and 64-bit has been a bust too.
The industry is trying so hard to force a hardware change to keep their profits up that they are doing anything. And since it is all poorly planned and misaligned with the current user they fail.
Right now people want: cheap, fast, low-power, quiet, ease of use, and freedom from the onslaught of viruses and spyware.
They've given us: Expensive, slightly faster, high-power, jet engine loud, pretty colors and eye candy with the same usability if not worse, and still no real answer for viruses and spyware. $400+ video cards that soak 1kw of power and run games that don't exist and aren't even on the average person's radar aren't the answer either.
OS X and Apple have been increasing sales like mad lately for exactly these reasons... but they are still expensive. Ubuntu has been making strides but it still isn't quite there for mass appeal.
- http://1linux.blogger.com/
Xandros, Linspire, Novell... and any other companies that fold like pup tents are off of my list. This is one of the fundamental problems with OSS, after months/years of hard work with little gratification the lure of the all mighty dollar is hard to ignore. Microsoft is easily taking advantage of this and exposing a huge chink in the OSS armor.
It is amazing how many idealists and followers flip flop and would sell their own mother to MS when enough money is flashed.
This next year is going to be a big one for our industry and I'm not so sure I like the picture I'm starting to see as it comes into focus. This is one time I truly hope to be wrong.
All it really takes is a solid framework, and the testicular fortitude to actually let the players create the game. Sure, there will be spikes and problems but by nature they will work themselves out IF they would let it just happen, but the problem is the fear of losing players which equals money.
Let people run the weapon/item/magic shoppes, let people create quests and rewards, let people build towns and band together, the quality of the player created content would far surpass and be much more fluid and dynamic than a scripted universe so no "nerfs" are needed.
This is a perfect area for Open Source to shine, and an area I have personally been researching for some time. Who knows I may get enough time and fellow coders together to try to tackle it someday... but this is one thing I would be happy to see get made no matter who does it.
OK, I'll bite.
So you don't know this game is already out, or anything about any MMO ever created... but because a bonehead has the ability to spellcheck and use proper English, it is an AMAZING REVIEW!!!1!1eleventy!
Get off your knees and zip up ole Zorky. What in the hell would drive anyone to even write a post like yours? Go read some real game reviews, better yet, go read other reviews of LotR by REAL game reviewers and then try again.
You fail teh Internets.
Please Zonk give up on your so called "game reviews." I had the pleasure to work as a reviewer for a number of years, and with some truly talented folks... and you, sir, ain't got it.
These "reviews" are just sad. I say it every time, and know it is always an instant ticket to -1's-ville but I've got Karma to burn. No one enjoys them and certainly no one is compelled to buy a game based on your words. They are like a self ego booster or something I guess for you, but what they show is how difficult it really is to write a solid review. They take lots of intelligence, time, attention to detail, and personal investment... and it is clear that you fail on every one of them.
Give it up already.
is how do they expect to come up with some new scheme that will be so hard to crack but be playable in the existing players? Is everyone going to have to upgrade their firmware? This is all just so silly at this point, the only thing I can hope for is that they finally give up on these inane "protection" systems.
If anything I would be fine with a physical protection scheme that would make it impossible to duplicate the disc for a specific period of time. That's really all that is needed anyhow, it keeps sales up and then when they would drop off naturally it is no longer an issue. After that folks that would buy the movie still will anyhow.
The problem really is the substandard, safe, crap that is being put out. No one is clamoring to Best Buy to buy Big Mommas House, or RV... and in a years time they are long forgotten. But I'd still be happy to buy a copy of Pi, Clockwork Orange, or movies of their ilk at any point in time because they deserve it. It has nothing to do with pirating but all to do with disposable garbage films that are barely worth the time and bandwidth to download illegally even for free. But it is easier to blame the Oh NOES!!11!!1 PIRATEZ!
Idea. Ever.
Seriously, I am about as platform agnostic as possible and while I was skeptical of this amazing announcement this managed to still underwhelm by miles. Who wants this? who has ever been sitting around chatting about how they wish their table was a touchscreen? Ugh. I have seriously started to just give up on Microsoft ever actually creating something cool and unique... it ain't gonna happen.
I'm pretty glad I didn't wait up for this earth shattering announcement.
Yeah, but who wants to work together? I mean I want to create Yet Another Some App That There are already 100 of by myself, and who cares about making it interoperable!!! There's no fame in copy/paste, but Yet Another CD Ripper will make me kewl and a billionaire.
It all comes back to some sort of central control, which is lacking. As much as so many cry that it "ruins the spirit of Linux" there needs to be a guiding light that directs the efforts of open source programmers to actually get core functionality completed before any more crappy paint/cd ripper/themes continue to get made.
The Kernel has this sort of control over it, and guess what? It works. The rest does not, and guess what? It doesn't. The system will work once the core gets completed, but until then it is a mess. Far too chaotic. Hopefully Ubuntu is going to change this and bring the focus to one distro and making it just work, and support as much hardware as possible, and gain acceptance, and then go ahead and create Yet Another Widget. 400 distros are not sustainable.
Yes, it and we are out of touch. It boils down to this ego/bravado/whatever attitude and approach. I have been a Linux user since 1995, and in that time I have learned to all but give up on Linux going mainstream. I hate to say it, but it is an ugly reality.
The projects that have gained popularity all have something in common, they are easy to get working, easy to use, and focus on simplifying and completing key features. Ubuntu, open office, red hat, etc.
Instead of 400 half-completed distros, and 200 half-completed or abandoned apps of the same kind, maybe there needs to be some coming together and focus on a lesser number of key areas. Let's focus on getting a super clean and robust core system together AND THEN let Tommy and Susie go about making a better mousetrap that never gets completed.
I'm hoping a movement like Ubuntu forces this issue, because the average Linux user sees this as a loss of freedom and sure as shit doesn't want to have to work ona team but alone or with a small group of friends.
The other problem is attitude, the attitude of Linux users has always been the same and it is a detriment. Apple users go out of their way to say how easy it is to use a Mac, and it is, and it just works. Somehow this is seen as lame or newbish... but in reality it is not. It is what we all want. It's funny how so many people say how they LOVE their CLI and how they love to edit device drivers and work in binary... but in reality they love simple easy to use and run apps and cool things like Beryl.
It is the whole attitude and structure (lack thereof) that is hamstringing Linux. Always has always will. I sure hope I'm wrong someday though.
That is where design and innovation come into play. There have been attempts such as the swivel/fold out keyboards and many other ideas... now it is time to truly create a better mousetrap. Same with screens, I truly do not need anything more than 12-14 inch for a laptop. If it is a desktop replacement I can always hook into a 17" widescreen, and when I am on a bus, plane, train, automobile, etc. it actually fits. The battery bonus, weight bonus, etc. are also all benefits.
Que Suerte! I've finally found a job! Ariba, Ariba, Andele! ...Do these heels look OK with my chest hair?
...'nuff said. Every day is a non-stop WTF? and head scratching experience. When I was hired, the VP of IT left due to the fact that he knew I actually knew what I was doing and it was only a matter of time before he was found out. (he had been there over 8 years) Then the promotion to his spot went to someone who has zero computer experience, and a B.S. degree in HR. She was without a PC for over a week due to a hard drive crash and I was on vacation... this is the manager of IT.
You can imagine the lovely surprises I still find to this day some 2 years later.
* Who needs switches, hubs are cheaper... but why is the bandwidth so crappy?
* We are going to run 28 VOIP phones on a single 64k Frame relay that also supplies internet and connectivity... what? Thats a problem? make it happen!
* I had over 6 in person meeting to explain that we could upgrade from 64k to full T1's for a *third* of what we were paying for 64k... YES we save money and get 20+ times the speed... NO no extra costs... denied. another meeting... denied. another meeting, etc. 6 times until it was still begrudgingly accepted!
* We have fiber links! (after seeing speeds around 2mbps and investigating) No, we have fiber connecting the buildings via 10mbps ports on hubs.
* We don't have that T1. Yes we do. No we don't. In a basement, *behind* the current wooden panel that houses the current telco equipment, sure enough an old T1 channel bank that still was working. How could I have missed it?
* We need 4 custom servers, a rack, a switch, 60 patch cords of different lengths, 4 PC's, and some cable management ordered. OK. We need it in 4 days. I don't think so. They are custom servers... 2 weeks later I get it all (still damn near a miracle) and have it up and running only to get shit about how long it took and told that I should have shipped it overnight next time (which I did of course). They must have missed the part where building custom servers takes a vendor more than 10 minutes let alone 4. Yeah, the shipping held it up.
* APC units that are installed, and working, but everything plugged into the outlet next to it.
* And best of all... our annual IT budget? $500.00 yep. 500 bucks.
You, sir, are obviously a moron! Don't try to talk sense to people rabidly buying into hype to get a _chance_ to get an already overpriced console for even more money. I mean christ, there is like almost one good game for it and it play's Blu-Ray DVD's like... wait for it... Adam Sandler's Click!
$3000 now plus an extra two hundred for extra's, Resistance and Click DVD is way more important than getting ahead in life by a measly $24k!
Puh-Shaw!
Well, Mr. la-de-freakin-da-know-it-all, I am a world class Jazz Kazooist, have been for the past 62 years, and I for one find Guitar Hero to be complete and utter crap!
The skills and nuances of the Kazoo are leaps and bounds above a silly plastic guitar. I mean when you have the stage lights on you, and the upright bass and cow bell are hitting that sweet spot that makes the ladies swoon, THAT is what it's all about. Not strumming a chintzy red toy!
Get a clue!
WTF?!? Seriously.
mmmm... Wii Communists.
I actually wanted to respond because your post is the closest thing I've ever seen to real analysis of the videogame market that I have personally seen on a website/forum.
I used to work in the industry and handled analysis as well as retail relations and I always find it funny how many armchair analysts and experts are on the web. And woe-be-me if I try to talk real sense and numbers... all you get are "STFU Show me links!!!" or other such nonsense. I've all but given up trying to even talk sense about videogames online, but jorb well done to you!
Having played hockey for 12 years and boxed, I can say that the arcade boxing game that requires the player to hold two boxing gloves that weigh a pound or two each and duck/dodge and throw actual punches. I was sweating and out of breath $2 into it. That workout is well worth $2. I wish I could remember the name of it. I think this would easily work, and if I had any mad skillz I'd bust some moves on DDR.
Thanks for your terribly great insight on the matter, gee how I was wrong... Unfortunately *I'm* the one who was a member of the press and still receive thes ethings called "press releases" and the one that sits by my desk right now is directly from Nintendo and spends the entire sheet describing the profitability of the Wii from the get-go. Must have been a mirage, or a really powerful dream that made it appear... now if only I could make much better things materialize.
I've played Zelda, I've played Red Steel, I've Played Metroid on the modified GC in NYC... of all three Metroid played the best and was the most intuitive. Easily seen by th efact that within minutes everyone "got-it" whereas that was not the case with Zelda or Red Steel. The constant redesigns are of course going to improve upon it... that is the point of a complete redesign, however to go back on a *finished* game and do a control redesign is a very bad sign. It always has been always will. A game like this needs to be built *around* the controls not the controls around the game. But you know more than me, so I must be wrong again.
Please define "Plenty of interesting games," I mean excitetruck has the word "excite" in it's title so it must be exciting! Tony Hawn downhill was a bore, excitetruck was interesting but fun for about 10 minutes and more of a quarter-muncher arcade game in the vein of Waverace. Maybe Trauma Center is your cup of tea, it isn't mine and not many Americans either based on the DS sales. Galaxy and Zelda will sell well, that's a given. Red Steel will be a decent 1st-gen attempt at swordfighting/FPS but it will quickly be eclipsed and forgotton upon the first real releases.
Oh, and the prices? $250 + 60 + 60 + 60 = what? Oh yeah $430. Just as I said, not everyone will need 4 complete control setups but a family of four or those who would like to enjoy the capabilities even without the nunchucks will be $250 + 40 + 40 + 40 = $370 still awfully close to $400, and pretty high for what you get. Sure buying an Xbox and 3 extra controllers will cost you too, but it isn't marketed that way. Do you need 3 extra controllers? Nope. Will families and groups want them, yep. Could it have been a fair bit cheaper? Yep. Such as $250 for the console a pack-in and two controllers (only one nunchuck even) + 40 + 40 = $320. Much closer to $300 than $400 and much more affordable and likely to be bought en-masse.
As I said before wasting even more time on this, it will all come out in the wash... we shall see real soon how goes it. Come back and reply then, either a big "In your face!" or a "Whoops, yep I was wrong" if it makes you feel better.
Prime example, validictorian of my class... dead 2 weeks after graduation from Heroin overdose and he was no druggie.
This kid will never do anything great or better the world, because that takes everything *but* book learning and a desire to be first/best/fastest.
Best of luck kid, and when you actually become wise you will realize what a mistake you made.
Well you seem to know it all, but the truth is that I was *SENT* a Nintendo press release that was an entire page hyping the fact that they were making a profit. So sorry to burst you all-knowing bubble, but to me that is B.S.
Microsoft did some big backpedaling before its launch too and they got beat down for it, Nintendo is not immune to it either. No matter how much you like a company, their product, or their decisions, they are not infallable. They can make mistakes and bad decisions. IMO they have here. Two controllers, even if it meant losing the speaker, packed in with a game at $250 would have still been profitable... and in fact was exactly what I *personally* discussed with a Nintendo retail specialist MONTHS before any prices or speakers had been talked about.
I have played Zelda. The control was awful, it has indeed had constant issues and is like a pair of jeans with 10 different colored patches on them at this point. Can it still be good? Sure! Was it a smooth development that embodied the new console and control scheme? Nope, not even close. The control has been a nightmare and has seen countless revisions, that is never a good sign in game development... especially a AAA 1st-party title. Wake up.
Name two other solid games on the radar for the Wii set to release about the same time as Galaxy. I'll wait. Intial sales will be good, taper off, Mario will release, sales will pick up, sales will taper off, rinse repeat. That is how every console has gone for ever. All I'm saying is that Nintendo has the ability to finally end this cyclical nature and it would be very beneficial to the game industry and for gamers... but what do I know? I've only been there. Do you want games to be like Hollywood? Summers filled with junk games, huge gaps for the run up to Christmas, etc. Step outside your world and maybe try to see a bigger picture, or *gasp* try to understand where someone else is coming from.
I can afford the thing if it was $600, I could afford it even at substantially more... it seems you can as well... that's great give yourself a round of applause, now realize that to the average family of four this will be a major outlay of cash, much more than it needed to be. To them it was never a question of 360 vs. PS3 vs. Wii. The Wii is basically their only choice and they aren't comparing it to anything but their pocketbooks. Mass appeal comes with lower prices. The games are expensive, the console is moderately priced (a bit high for what it is though), the controllers are expensive. This is not how you win mass appeal. The DS is $129 and games are $29.99 that is in the realm of mass appeal, $400 and $50 games is not.
I am no troll, nor am I flamebaiting, I am someone who has a good bit of insight to this industry and is not happy with how this shook out compared to what I have personally heard and been told in the months leading up to this point. I never *expected* anything.
Just a quick note. Actually I had the chance to play the Revolution in two different stages. Once in the very beginning when it was a modified GC with a large sensor bar and once when it was in a fairly finished form but still no speaker in the remote. I also had the chance to speak directly with a Nintendo employee tied to large retail accounts, and we spoke about the kiosk designs and space concerns as well as price at the time (about 4 months back) While he was somewhat vague it basically boiled down to $200 for the console and a controller and a pack-in and $250 for two controllers and a pack-in with some extra enticement such as a free download. That seemed perfectly reasonable, and still does.
Nintendo never promised anything, it was all speculation, and I'm completely familiar with that aspect of gaming and new product launches. What is flat out B.S. is to rename you product "Wii" and use TWO controllers in every promo video standing for the "i's" and then pull them last minute to include only one. What also angered me was a press release I received that basically talked up how Nintendo was making a profit on their consoles from the start. WTF? That isn't news, marketing, or hype, that is being pretty damn brazen in my eyes.
Zelda controlled terribly initially, it still may. Red Steel was a complete mess. Ubi has done a lot of work, but mark my words Red Steel will be a dud. It will sell OK due to it being the only game like it but it will fade quickly and be happily forgotten. Zelda, I'm not sure of. We'll see. But there is nothing that should raise a big-ass red flag quicker than the *creator* having HUGE control issues on their new console based solely around control. Many people like to overlook this or give Nintendo too much credit for the revamp... they put it out there at E3 as it was and what was there was not good.
The DS will turn around software-wise, I wasn't implying it wouldn't, what I am saying is that long droughts of quality releases is nothing new to Ninty and it is their Achillies Heel. It is also no stranger to Sony or MS, but instead of just writing it off as being one of the gang they could really strive to clean up here and work to have a steady stream of quality titles spaced well instead of these "seasons" of gaming we have now that sort of mimic Hollywood.
It's all good, and I'm not Bashing Nintendo or anyone else... all I'm saying is that it has been a disappointment and what could have been we'll never know. I do think $310 is pushing it and $430 is too much for what it is.
Let me begin by saying I used to be a Sony playtester and a reviewer, I also was running a Revolution/Wii website until a week ago. I went from excitement and enthusiasm in the Wii, not fanatical fanboi stuff - just happy that at least one company "got it," to pretty much not caring at all. A normally priced console that offered a fun experience accessible to everyone and doesn't engulf my entertainment system with its presence. Or so I thought.
As more and more details appeared, my excitement level dropped rapidly. I'm a jaded reviewer so my excitement level generally peaks at a 3 or 4, and the Wii had me at a 5 or a 6 which is pretty rare. Then to find the console will be $249 (and Nintendo then has the nerve to hype the fact that they are making profit on each Wii) and come with just one controller. Wi + $60 = Wii. Bringing the total to $310. Then for families and those who bought into the four player experience hype, we have $430.
The launch lineup isn't spectacular, and the control of Zelda and Red Steel have both been constant issues and received multiple redesigns *after* the games were well on their way to completion... not a good thing, especially when a 1st-party title can't get it right. In addition the sensor bar is small but still a drag.
Nintendo is resting way too much on the success of the DS and I think they may be in for a surprise. There haven't been any great DS releases in some time, with many of the top rated games being launch titles or pretty close to it. I think the Wii will sell out of its stock for Christmas and the next couple shipments but I think it will then taper off. Mario Galaxy doesn't do it for me personally and while it will help pick up sales down the road there isn't a whole lot on the radar still.
I still hope it does well because I think Sony and MS need to learn a bit of a lesson and bring gaming back around from a pure money-making venture into a *fun* and diverse money-making venture, instead of the next gangsta-simulator, racing, FPS now with 20% more polygons!!!!
Yeah, because "The Day After Tomorrow" didn't have massive gaping plot-holes big enough to drive a few semi's through and a story that was so flawed and rediculous that I could almost believe wolves would walk to New York City and find their way into a submarine and that people just walk from Philadelphia to New York without the huge insta-death chill wind getting them... or I could go on and on... that movie made me stupider for having watched it.
Ugh.