I do agree that it wasn't like the spirit of the book. I think that was a good thing.
I like the book. I own a ton of Asimov's books. I wouldn't see a movie based on "I, Robot," though. It's mostly a lot of talking, and while I like character-driven plots, "I, Robot" doesn't have a lot of character development or action.
I think that some of the Elijah Bailey novels would make good movies, but then, I'm not a movie producer.:-)
I find it more that it was the Three Laws given as an optional explanation to a plot that completely contradict Asimov's quest to escaped from the Frankenstein complex. I found it more like "Robots and Empire," where the robots move towards deciding that small harm to humans is okay, if done for the greater good.
I believe that unintended consequences of robotics was a theme in Asimov's works. But people can differ.
But it's hard to port Asimov to the big silver screen. Because his robot texts are basically non-violent, and Holywood doesn't believe it could sell anything that doesn't have at least a couple of explosions and some gun fights. And they're right. If you're looking for a summer blockbuster, and not a Oscar-winning low-sales darling, that's what you need, because that's what more people will go see.
'Most' people don't care how their computer works (just like most don't care how their car works). They just want it to work... every time.
Indeed, most programmers I know don't care how some stuff works. They're happy to use previously-built libraries in their programs, without ever once asking to see the source code. I would be terribly surprised if Linux programmers were different, as a whole.
Saying that things should always be transparent (in whatever sense of the word) so that people can always see everything about them is absurd. It wouldn't surprise me if you could look around your office/home/wherever-you-are right now and find 10 things, about which you have no idea of their construction, use, components, etc.
My point is that I never needed to take all those physics classes to use a light switch.
Saw them, but you keep repeating them. Kind of like advertising.
Your whole argument falls down, though, when someone realizes that all ads are not created equal. A 30-second ad is much different than "Oh, hey, he's driving a Corvette!" in a product placement.
Seeing a large number of food items on a TV show probably doesn't make you run to the fridge any more than a large number of cars makes you run to a car dealer. The fridge is just closer. If the characters enter a library, do you suddenly find the urge to grab a book?
The plain fact is, your argument is ridiculous. My opinion is that someone who sits there and counts the number of "recognizable" products in a TV show should seek professional help. And I don't mean professional counting help.
Yes, let's continue to give the rich and powerful the exclusive use of all ideas, and continue to let them win. And this time, they won't even need lawyers!
Any idiot can call for the end of something. It takes a bit more to replace it with something that works better.
The Princess Bride Musical Overture (to the tune of Modern Major General)
First Verse
You're all about to see something completely inconceivable. It's True Love. Fighting. Giants. Torture. But it's all believable. She gets kidnapped. He gets killed. And yet it all ends up okay. We hope there's something to enjoy and that you try to stay awake!
Vizzini carries off the Princess so that he can start a war. With Fezzik and a swordsman he will voyage to a distant shore. The Man in Black will chase them to return his True Love back okay. We're very very sorry, but we're told this is a Kissing Play! (We're very very sorry, but we're told this is a Kissing Play!) (We're very very sorry, but we're told this is a Kissing Play!) (We're very very sorry, but we're told this is a Kissing Play!)
We hope that as the play continues we'll avoid the rocks ahead If we don't, we know it is a certainty we'll all be dead Lasting through this play tonight--we're hoping that's achievable 'cause you will all see something that's completely inconceivable. (Lasting through this play tonight--we're hoping that's achievable) ('cause you will all see something that's completely inconceivable.)
Second Verse
You're all about to see something completely inconceivable. We don't know what that word means, but it does rhyme with believable. To gain a lot of knowledge that might someday help humanity You'll learn just how to scramble up Cliffs oddly named Insanity!
You must never, ever, start a land war in the Asian clime Or go against a Sicil'an when death is clearly on the line It's good to daily build up an immunity to iocaine And always wait an hour before swimming to avoid a pain! (And always wait an hour before swimming to avoid a pain!) (And always wait an hour before swimming to avoid a pain!) (And always wait an hour before swimming to avoid a pain!)
Don't ever doubt the being of the Rodents of Unus'al Size And if you killed Inigo's father you must now prepare to die He will surely get revenge, we claim it's guaranteeable! 'cause what you are about to see is something inconceivable! (He will surely get revenge, we claim it's guaranteeable) ('cause what you'll witness is something completely inconceivable.)
Sorry, but this was stuck in my head, and someone encouraged me.:-) I'm sure it will never happen again. And I'd like to thank rhymezone.com.
The Princess Bride Musical Overture (to the tune of Modern Major General)
You're all about to see something completely inconceivable. It's True Love. Fighting. Giants. Torture. But it's all believable. She gets kidnapped. He gets killed. And yet it all ends up okay. We hope there's something to enjoy and that you try to stay awake! (We hope there's something to enjoy and that you try to stay awake!) (We hope there's something to enjoy and that you try to stay awake!) (We hope there's something to enjoy and that you try to stay awake!)
Vizzini carries off the Princess so that he can start a war. With Fezzik and a swordsman he will voyage to a distant shore. The Man in Black will chase them to return his True Love back okay. We're very very sorry, but we're told this is a Kissing Play! (We're very very sorry, but we're told this is a Kissing Play!) (We're very very sorry, but we're told this is a Kissing Play!) (We're very very sorry, but we're told this is a Kissing Play!)
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I like the book. I own a ton of Asimov's books. I wouldn't see a movie based on "I, Robot," though. It's mostly a lot of talking, and while I like character-driven plots, "I, Robot" doesn't have a lot of character development or action.
I think that some of the Elijah Bailey novels would make good movies, but then, I'm not a movie producer.
I believe that unintended consequences of robotics was a theme in Asimov's works. But people can differ. But it's hard to port Asimov to the big silver screen. Because his robot texts are basically non-violent, and Holywood doesn't believe it could sell anything that doesn't have at least a couple of explosions and some gun fights. And they're right. If you're looking for a summer blockbuster, and not a Oscar-winning low-sales darling, that's what you need, because that's what more people will go see.
IMHO,
:-)
(1) It was a little like the book, in that a major plot point was the weaknesses of the Three Laws.
(2) How people expected a movie to be like a collection of short stories is beyond me.
'Most' people don't care how their computer works (just like most don't care how their car works). They just want it to work... every time.
Indeed, most programmers I know don't care how some stuff works. They're happy to use previously-built libraries in their programs, without ever once asking to see the source code. I would be terribly surprised if Linux programmers were different, as a whole.
Saying that things should always be transparent (in whatever sense of the word) so that people can always see everything about them is absurd. It wouldn't surprise me if you could look around your office/home/wherever-you-are right now and find 10 things, about which you have no idea of their construction, use, components, etc.
My point is that I never needed to take all those physics classes to use a light switch.
See my other posts.
Saw them, but you keep repeating them. Kind of like advertising.
Your whole argument falls down, though, when someone realizes that all ads are not created equal. A 30-second ad is much different than "Oh, hey, he's driving a Corvette!" in a product placement.
Seeing a large number of food items on a TV show probably doesn't make you run to the fridge any more than a large number of cars makes you run to a car dealer. The fridge is just closer. If the characters enter a library, do you suddenly find the urge to grab a book?
The plain fact is, your argument is ridiculous. My opinion is that someone who sits there and counts the number of "recognizable" products in a TV show should seek professional help. And I don't mean professional counting help.
Q: Why did the Roman coliseums go broke?
A: The lions ate up all the prophets.
[...]I suppose they'll be out in force this time, too, saying "Gee! How can anybody invest without being guaranteed a monopoly?"
Perhaps you could provide the link to the answer you gave.
It seems even Microsoft doesn't like to invest in things unless they have, or think they can get, a monopoly.
Yes, let's continue to give the rich and powerful the exclusive use of all ideas, and continue to let them win. And this time, they won't even need lawyers!
Any idiot can call for the end of something. It takes a bit more to replace it with something that works better.
See, now, your tone suggests that you're making rhetorical point that presupposing that everyone is glad the Soviets lost the Cold War conflict.
Yes, because even the stupidest people know that, if one side of a conflict is evil, then the other side much be totally and completely good.
The stupidest people know that, because the smart people know that evil fights other evil all the time.
You know, my word count went down last night, too. Hmmmm.
Now how will my hero ever meet the aliens and fight the evil robots? Earth is doomed, and it's all because of Google!
> The people who do are the ones who will look at the alternatives before blindly going out and buying an iPod...
And then they go out and buy an iPod.
The Princess Bride Musical Overture
:-) I'm sure it will never happen again. And I'd like to thank rhymezone.com.
(to the tune of Modern Major General)
First Verse
You're all about to see something completely inconceivable.
It's True Love. Fighting. Giants. Torture. But it's all believable.
She gets kidnapped. He gets killed. And yet it all ends up okay.
We hope there's something to enjoy and that you try to stay awake!
Vizzini carries off the Princess so that he can start a war.
With Fezzik and a swordsman he will voyage to a distant shore.
The Man in Black will chase them to return his True Love back okay.
We're very very sorry, but we're told this is a Kissing Play!
(We're very very sorry, but we're told this is a Kissing Play!)
(We're very very sorry, but we're told this is a Kissing Play!)
(We're very very sorry, but we're told this is a Kissing Play!)
We hope that as the play continues we'll avoid the rocks ahead
If we don't, we know it is a certainty we'll all be dead
Lasting through this play tonight--we're hoping that's achievable
'cause you will all see something that's completely inconceivable.
(Lasting through this play tonight--we're hoping that's achievable)
('cause you will all see something that's completely inconceivable.)
Second Verse
You're all about to see something completely inconceivable.
We don't know what that word means, but it does rhyme with believable.
To gain a lot of knowledge that might someday help humanity
You'll learn just how to scramble up Cliffs oddly named Insanity!
You must never, ever, start a land war in the Asian clime
Or go against a Sicil'an when death is clearly on the line
It's good to daily build up an immunity to iocaine
And always wait an hour before swimming to avoid a pain!
(And always wait an hour before swimming to avoid a pain!)
(And always wait an hour before swimming to avoid a pain!)
(And always wait an hour before swimming to avoid a pain!)
Don't ever doubt the being of the Rodents of Unus'al Size
And if you killed Inigo's father you must now prepare to die
He will surely get revenge, we claim it's guaranteeable!
'cause what you are about to see is something inconceivable!
(He will surely get revenge, we claim it's guaranteeable)
('cause what you'll witness is something completely inconceivable.)
Sorry, but this was stuck in my head, and someone encouraged me.
The Princess Bride Musical Overture
(to the tune of Modern Major General)
You're all about to see something completely inconceivable.
It's True Love. Fighting. Giants. Torture. But it's all believable.
She gets kidnapped. He gets killed. And yet it all ends up okay.
We hope there's something to enjoy and that you try to stay awake!
(We hope there's something to enjoy and that you try to stay awake!)
(We hope there's something to enjoy and that you try to stay awake!)
(We hope there's something to enjoy and that you try to stay awake!)
Vizzini carries off the Princess so that he can start a war.
With Fezzik and a swordsman he will voyage to a distant shore.
The Man in Black will chase them to return his True Love back okay.
We're very very sorry, but we're told this is a Kissing Play!
(We're very very sorry, but we're told this is a Kissing Play!)
(We're very very sorry, but we're told this is a Kissing Play!)
(We're very very sorry, but we're told this is a Kissing Play!)