I use the mouse a lot to switch between applications. Having the launcher locked at the left side of the screen means it's either inconveniently far away from my mouse pointer when it's on the opposite screen or I have to waste space duplicating it on both monitors. It also wouldn't work well with auto-hiding in a vertical orientation cause there's no left screen edge on the right monitor for me to brush the mouse up against to show the menu.
Allowing the launcher to be on the bottom solves all of these problems and it doesn't take up any of that precious vertical real-estate. I use OSX the exact same way (at the bottom and with auto-hide).
If you want to argue that no sane person should be primarily using the mouse to switch applications and state that I should be using the keyboard to overcome any issues this causes me, you are clearly alienating the "linux anyone can use" vibe that ubuntu has going for it.
"7:22 p.m.: Unfortunately, no online mode in New Super Mario Bros. Wii, by the way. Miyamoto just confirmed. Wii is already being overpowered by what's happening on screen in New Super Mario Bros Wii. So no power left for online."
Why would the man himself say this if there wasn't a problem?
Well, Playstation 2 is still going strong and it's 9 years into it's lifespan, so why is it so far-fetched to think the PS3 will won't last 10 years?
Hardware improvements have significantly slowed in recent years (hey, why did processors all of a sudden hit that 3GHz brick wall?). The days of a leap like SNES to N64 are over so if another console generation starts in 2011, I'd expect that Sony or Microsoft would have to bring something huge to the table that would require a console upgrade, and that very thing seems like it would be their motion controllers. There's just one problem with that. Both companies have already stated that their motion controllers will be for their current generation consoles.
On the other hand, Wii is already showing it's limitations (as I've already named) and I think that's why they will need to release a new console in 2011. I don't see any limitations in sight for PS3 and Xbox 360 in the coming years, and why it would be infeasible for them to last as long as 2016, so if you can name some, please feel free to do so.
True, but Sony and Microsoft will not require me to upgrade my console in 2 years to stay current with technology. Nintendo most likely will in 2011, and whatever they release then will likely last until the the Xbox 360 and PS3 generation ends anyway.
Gamers have gotten used to console generations lasting longer. For Nintendo to not think about the Wii lasting throughout this generation is negligent on their part. I think they could have had just as much success with the mainstream with the Wii if it was a little more expensive and a little more powerful, and they wouldn't be in the predicament they're in now.
Also, Nintendo being open to the idea of HDTV isn't the only problem. It's them not being open to up and coming technologies in general. When Nintendo openly admits that their console can't handle a modern feature like online play without a hardware upgrade, people tend to look elsewhere for something that does.
"...the sales figures speak for themselves about how bothered the general populous is about the "out-of-date"-ness that the Wii was released with... None.
Say what you will about the general populous, but as both a hardcore gamer and someone who hates it when content is not optimized for his HDTV, (when HDTV has been around for over 10 years), I'd say that Nintendo has definitely pissed off a good chunk of it's hardcore fan base of the past 20 years (or more) by taking what is essentially the gamecube hardware and re-releasing it with motion controllers.
I agree that graphics shouldn't matter a lot, but when they say they can't put online play, (something most modern multiplayer games take for granted), into a certain 2d mario game coming out this holiday season, then it's time for them to consider upgrading their hardware, (especially when they've already claimed success with this on a Mario Kart game released over a year ago).
I cannot honestly say that I will be satisfied with Nintendo until they give us a console that feels like it isn't 10 years old by today's technology standards. It's one thing to not place an emphasis on graphics, but when the best you can do is release a console where the majority of games have a whole bunch of idiots waving their arms around in what can only be considered casual exercise/party experiences that's when I turn to PS3 or Xbox 360.
Actually, from what I understand, there are 2 major reasons why the Dreamcast failed.
The first is that during the Playstation / Saturn era, Sega pissed off a lot of developers by making a lot of bad decisions, from the Saturn's complicated hardware, to an earlier than expected release date, and just about every other mistake they could have possibly made. This alone was probably enough to doom the Dreamcast from the start, however, it came through with plenty of great games in the first year or so.
However, their next problem was trying to compete with Sony's Playstation 2 for attention, which was a battle they simply did not have the money to win.
This of course, almost drove them completely bankrupt, and now we have the Sega of today, no longer with the funds to compete in the console race, somehow staying alive, releasing mediocre games. Say what you will, but what is the last Sega game that came out that really "WOWed" you?
It's all there in the Saturn and Dreamcast wikipedia pages.
Does this mean they're done making core i7, socket LGA 1366 cpus? Oh well, so much for my hopes of someday upgrading mine. LGA 1366 was a nice 9-10 month run while it lasted.
Maybe in the future when they really start to overtake DVDs (on price too) I'll reconsider.
I think we're starting to get there. Call it a fluke but I recently found a certain 3 disc set on amazon cheaper on Blu-Ray than it is on DVD. Call me crazy, but this might be a sign of things to come.
The big reason I'd have wanted to rip was to keep a digital copy of my collection.
Free digital copies are also becoming common place now, as both of the above sets include a digital copy.
Well, this is slashdot, so I imagine that any price higher than free is gonna be too much for all the linux fanboys. I would think about it this way...When's the last time you had to plunk down money for a windows os? (and no, I don't count vista, as I do not believe that any sane slashdot reader would've actually purchased that) Once or twice in the last, what is it, 8 years now? (depending on how many computers you have). And how often does apple ask for money so you can get the newest upgrade to their os?
Why do Microsoft still insist that every page on the web must do 'something special' to get their browser to render properly?!! It would make more sense if people had to do 'something special' to make MSIE behave like older versions. How would that make more sense? That would cause everyone who wrote a website between 2001 and 2007 for ie6 or ie7 to have to go back and add <insert special tag here> to every one of their web pages just so those pages would use the rendering engine of the older ie browser, they were originally written for, in ie8.
On the other hand, if you are building a new website, then you should have no problem adding in one extra tag because you are going through the trouble of making sure the pages render correctly in all browsers anyway.
Meta tags have always struck me as sloppy anyway. And it's not like they're asking you to add something new to the top of the page that replaces the doctype. Adding something as trivial as an extra meta tag to your "new website" should be a non-issue. But backwards compatibility being preserved for a newer version of a browser viewing older web pages without forcing a developer to update all those old web pages makes the most sense to me.
I've said it before and I'll say it again...The world would be a much better place for the average web developer if all the average/stupid people used Opera.
It seems like Microsoft is being forced to open up their desktop search to allow third party companies to use theirs (like Google Desktop) in place of it. We'll have to wait for SP1 though.
Waited at Best Buy for 10 hours. Brought 4 friends and a tent. When we first go there, a Best Buy employee came by and took a picture of each person standing in line. We were told that this would help reassemble the line in the morning to weed out the people who had sneaked in front of others during the night and whatnot. A picture of you in the camera would also guarantee you a Wii the next day. And sure enough, it worked. Everyone entered the store in a very orderly fashion the next day to get their Wiis. No idea how many "non-photographed" people were turned away while I was blissfully making my purchase inside the store.
Unfortunately they were short on extra wii motes, nunchuks, and classic controllers. Plenty of games though.
By the way, I'm currently having the wireless problem too (the 32002's or whatever they are). It appears to start downloading updates and then freezes after a certain point. The progress bar does move, just very slowly. Yes, my wireless network works, my laptop says so. I think the problem is that the server was getting more and more hits as the day went on. My friend was able to update his Wii at about noon, (even though it was slow, it completed). I, on the other hand, did not get hooked up until later that afternoon. Maybe today will be better. I needs my virtual console games.
Usually when Nintendo makes a game, you can pretty much guarantee that the controls are gonna be set in stone. This is because they are one of the few companies that test the controls extensively and ensure that you're going to be getting the best gameplay experience with the controls they've defined. "Company A" giving you the ability to customize the controls is just saying, "Well, we're not really sure what will work best. Tell ya what...you decide!". The most customization you get with a zelda/nintendo game is the ability to equip an item to a specific button, or the occasional camera modes, which IMO is not the same thing as customizable controls.
Of course you're dealing with PC games, then customizable controls are a must.
Maybe having electronics crap everywhere looks impressive to your nerd friends or something, but personally I think that a minimal amount of equipment in my living room to get the job done looks far less cluttered (and thus, better).
Who said anything about the living room? My basement is where the fun's at. It's my sanctuary. And every now and then I get a "wow" for having games like the original super mario bros, and not just from the nerdy people.
If Nintendo had done it, GameCube might have been successful. I played GameCube once, horrified.
Only obtained one recently, actually. I was disappointed to find out that they usually only come with 4-5 ports, especially with the next-gen systems so close. Oh yeah, and then there's the RF one I have for the older systems. And I don't have every system either.
When my NES breaks I'll start thinking about backwards compatibility. I have yet to see a console break so much as to become completely non-functional. So what the cartridge doesn't want to stay down, that doesn't mean I can't jam some cards in there. Presto! All fixed!
By the way, I'm also in it for the collecting aspect. I always value having the original cartridges/disks.
I've never seen backwards compatibility as a positive. I don't see what the big deal is. I keep all my old consoles hooked up at all times, and if I ever wanna play an old game, I just do it. And while i'm on the subject, selling your old consoles and games for a couple of bucks is in no way worth it.
"If I sell 50 of my PS2 games and my PS2 console, I may be able to take $100 off the price of the PS3. Wow, what a deal!"
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So hopefully they mean what they say and they'll actually support more than just windows and ie soon.
Slashdot Mirror
I should clarify that I'm using dual left and right side by side monitors.
I use the mouse a lot to switch between applications. Having the launcher locked at the left side of the screen means it's either inconveniently far away from my mouse pointer when it's on the opposite screen or I have to waste space duplicating it on both monitors. It also wouldn't work well with auto-hiding in a vertical orientation cause there's no left screen edge on the right monitor for me to brush the mouse up against to show the menu. Allowing the launcher to be on the bottom solves all of these problems and it doesn't take up any of that precious vertical real-estate. I use OSX the exact same way (at the bottom and with auto-hide). If you want to argue that no sane person should be primarily using the mouse to switch applications and state that I should be using the keyboard to overcome any issues this causes me, you are clearly alienating the "linux anyone can use" vibe that ubuntu has going for it.
E3 2009 - Shigeru Miyamoto Roundtable Liveblog. Also listed on wikipedia
"7:22 p.m.: Unfortunately, no online mode in New Super Mario Bros. Wii, by the way. Miyamoto just confirmed. Wii is already being overpowered by what's happening on screen in New Super Mario Bros Wii. So no power left for online."
Why would the man himself say this if there wasn't a problem?
Well, Playstation 2 is still going strong and it's 9 years into it's lifespan, so why is it so far-fetched to think the PS3 will won't last 10 years?
Hardware improvements have significantly slowed in recent years (hey, why did processors all of a sudden hit that 3GHz brick wall?). The days of a leap like SNES to N64 are over so if another console generation starts in 2011, I'd expect that Sony or Microsoft would have to bring something huge to the table that would require a console upgrade, and that very thing seems like it would be their motion controllers. There's just one problem with that. Both companies have already stated that their motion controllers will be for their current generation consoles.
On the other hand, Wii is already showing it's limitations (as I've already named) and I think that's why they will need to release a new console in 2011. I don't see any limitations in sight for PS3 and Xbox 360 in the coming years, and why it would be infeasible for them to last as long as 2016, so if you can name some, please feel free to do so.
True, but Sony and Microsoft will not require me to upgrade my console in 2 years to stay current with technology. Nintendo most likely will in 2011, and whatever they release then will likely last until the the Xbox 360 and PS3 generation ends anyway.
Gamers have gotten used to console generations lasting longer. For Nintendo to not think about the Wii lasting throughout this generation is negligent on their part. I think they could have had just as much success with the mainstream with the Wii if it was a little more expensive and a little more powerful, and they wouldn't be in the predicament they're in now.
Also, Nintendo being open to the idea of HDTV isn't the only problem. It's them not being open to up and coming technologies in general. When Nintendo openly admits that their console can't handle a modern feature like online play without a hardware upgrade, people tend to look elsewhere for something that does.
"...the sales figures speak for themselves about how bothered the general populous is about the "out-of-date"-ness that the Wii was released with... None.
Say what you will about the general populous, but as both a hardcore gamer and someone who hates it when content is not optimized for his HDTV, (when HDTV has been around for over 10 years), I'd say that Nintendo has definitely pissed off a good chunk of it's hardcore fan base of the past 20 years (or more) by taking what is essentially the gamecube hardware and re-releasing it with motion controllers.
I agree that graphics shouldn't matter a lot, but when they say they can't put online play, (something most modern multiplayer games take for granted), into a certain 2d mario game coming out this holiday season, then it's time for them to consider upgrading their hardware, (especially when they've already claimed success with this on a Mario Kart game released over a year ago).
I cannot honestly say that I will be satisfied with Nintendo until they give us a console that feels like it isn't 10 years old by today's technology standards. It's one thing to not place an emphasis on graphics, but when the best you can do is release a console where the majority of games have a whole bunch of idiots waving their arms around in what can only be considered casual exercise/party experiences that's when I turn to PS3 or Xbox 360.
Actually, from what I understand, there are 2 major reasons why the Dreamcast failed.
The first is that during the Playstation / Saturn era, Sega pissed off a lot of developers by making a lot of bad decisions, from the Saturn's complicated hardware, to an earlier than expected release date, and just about every other mistake they could have possibly made. This alone was probably enough to doom the Dreamcast from the start, however, it came through with plenty of great games in the first year or so.
However, their next problem was trying to compete with Sony's Playstation 2 for attention, which was a battle they simply did not have the money to win.
This of course, almost drove them completely bankrupt, and now we have the Sega of today, no longer with the funds to compete in the console race, somehow staying alive, releasing mediocre games. Say what you will, but what is the last Sega game that came out that really "WOWed" you?
It's all there in the Saturn and Dreamcast wikipedia pages.
Glad to hear my machine still has options for gaming in the future.
Does this mean they're done making core i7, socket LGA 1366 cpus? Oh well, so much for my hopes of someday upgrading mine. LGA 1366 was a nice 9-10 month run while it lasted.
Maybe in the future when they really start to overtake DVDs (on price too) I'll reconsider.
I think we're starting to get there. Call it a fluke but I recently found a certain 3 disc set on amazon cheaper on Blu-Ray than it is on DVD. Call me crazy, but this might be a sign of things to come.
The big reason I'd have wanted to rip was to keep a digital copy of my collection.
Free digital copies are also becoming common place now, as both of the above sets include a digital copy.
Well, this is slashdot, so I imagine that any price higher than free is gonna be too much for all the linux fanboys. I would think about it this way...When's the last time you had to plunk down money for a windows os? (and no, I don't count vista, as I do not believe that any sane slashdot reader would've actually purchased that) Once or twice in the last, what is it, 8 years now? (depending on how many computers you have). And how often does apple ask for money so you can get the newest upgrade to their os?
On the other hand, if you are building a new website, then you should have no problem adding in one extra tag because you are going through the trouble of making sure the pages render correctly in all browsers anyway.
Meta tags have always struck me as sloppy anyway. And it's not like they're asking you to add something new to the top of the page that replaces the doctype. Adding something as trivial as an extra meta tag to your "new website" should be a non-issue. But backwards compatibility being preserved for a newer version of a browser viewing older web pages without forcing a developer to update all those old web pages makes the most sense to me.
I've said it before and I'll say it again...The world would be a much better place for the average web developer if all the average/stupid people used Opera.
It seems like Microsoft is being forced to open up their desktop search to allow third party companies to use theirs (like Google Desktop) in place of it. We'll have to wait for SP1 though.
Same here. Changing the router wireless channel worked like a charm.
Waited at Best Buy for 10 hours. Brought 4 friends and a tent. When we first go there, a Best Buy employee came by and took a picture of each person standing in line. We were told that this would help reassemble the line in the morning to weed out the people who had sneaked in front of others during the night and whatnot. A picture of you in the camera would also guarantee you a Wii the next day. And sure enough, it worked. Everyone entered the store in a very orderly fashion the next day to get their Wiis. No idea how many "non-photographed" people were turned away while I was blissfully making my purchase inside the store.
Unfortunately they were short on extra wii motes, nunchuks, and classic controllers. Plenty of games though.
By the way, I'm currently having the wireless problem too (the 32002's or whatever they are). It appears to start downloading updates and then freezes after a certain point. The progress bar does move, just very slowly. Yes, my wireless network works, my laptop says so. I think the problem is that the server was getting more and more hits as the day went on. My friend was able to update his Wii at about noon, (even though it was slow, it completed). I, on the other hand, did not get hooked up until later that afternoon. Maybe today will be better. I needs my virtual console games.
Crysis will use an all new engine that ... is to be among the first to use the Direct3D 10 framework of Windows Vista. Wikipedia also says that Crysis is going to be coming out Q4 2006. So, now that we are all aware of Vista's release date, does this mean that no console or OS will be able to run it at launch?
More girl gamers is definetly a good thing
Usually when Nintendo makes a game, you can pretty much guarantee that the controls are gonna be set in stone. This is because they are one of the few companies that test the controls extensively and ensure that you're going to be getting the best gameplay experience with the controls they've defined. "Company A" giving you the ability to customize the controls is just saying, "Well, we're not really sure what will work best. Tell ya what...you decide!". The most customization you get with a zelda/nintendo game is the ability to equip an item to a specific button, or the occasional camera modes, which IMO is not the same thing as customizable controls.
Of course you're dealing with PC games, then customizable controls are a must.
http://www.reallifecomics.com/archive/060810.html
I take it, you tried one of these then.
Only obtained one recently, actually. I was disappointed to find out that they usually only come with 4-5 ports, especially with the next-gen systems so close. Oh yeah, and then there's the RF one I have for the older systems. And I don't have every system either.
When my NES breaks I'll start thinking about backwards compatibility. I have yet to see a console break so much as to become completely non-functional. So what the cartridge doesn't want to stay down, that doesn't mean I can't jam some cards in there. Presto! All fixed!
By the way, I'm also in it for the collecting aspect. I always value having the original cartridges/disks.
I've never seen backwards compatibility as a positive. I don't see what the big deal is. I keep all my old consoles hooked up at all times, and if I ever wanna play an old game, I just do it. And while i'm on the subject, selling your old consoles and games for a couple of bucks is in no way worth it.
"If I sell 50 of my PS2 games and my PS2 console, I may be able to take $100 off the price of the PS3. Wow, what a deal!"
So hopefully they mean what they say and they'll actually support more than just windows and ie soon.
what? this isn't what it was supposed to look like! Where's the 3D holographic interface?
What are you going to use to back it up?...
A backup drive of course