I don't think it is. See, if Diamond do come up with some idea that was already invented for mechanical record players, then they shouldn't be able to patent it again "digitally".
That's how you get an overly broad patent. If you can't patent it, it's because the other guy has it. Now you're licensing it from him.
Never said they don't exist. I said it'd have to be explained. The reason it was popular to joke about in the first place was that it was a weekly, if not daily, occurrence back in the pre-ME days.
That would only work for 100% locked down Macs. Apple would never venture that low... oh wait...
They *can't* 100% lock down a Mac. The best they could do is start making a laptop version of the iPad and replace the Macbook line with it. Even that would require difficult-to-imagine customer support.
So first, any normal business practice becomes patentable if you add the words "on a computer" to it. Now this: anything you do on a computer (e.g. backup) becomes patentable if you and the words "in the cloud" to it??? WTF is wrong with our patent system?
It prevents patents from being overly broad. In other words, that innovation you came up with on your mechanical record player won't cause Diamond to have to license your idea when they release their new digital music player.
It's fun to rag on the patent system and all, but it's actually better this way.
So what do you look for in a game? Is there some mystical amount of advertising that is "just right"?
I'm genuinely baffled as to how this comment got modded up. You and three other dudes have never seen shit products that are over-advertised to make up for their shortcomings? Isn't that about 25% of what we bitch about around here?
Since nothing changes, I must conclude that either those guys aren't listening, or they know about the customer dissatisfaction, but want DRM in their products no matter what. In the former case, there is a faint hope that one day they will pay attention if we yell loud enough. In the latter one, complaining about the restrictions is pretty much useless.
Remember when I said "go look up Spore and Amazon"? You didn't, so now I have to explain it. Here's the short version: EA announced Spore would only be unlocked 3 times, a thousand or so people gave it a 1 star review on Amazon, they loosened their restrictions. Simple, effective, and it happened right around launch time. The best part? It only took a small fraction of the number of people who actually bought the game to get them to change.
P.S. Do everyone a favor and drop your aggressive tone, okay? No one is forcing you to have this conversation, feel free to leave any time.
Announcing a new console at this years E3 is all well and good, but announcing that it is coming out in LATE 2012 is giving themselves 1 1/2 years for people NOT to buy a Wii before then, even with the previously rumored $150 price cut. Might also cause some people to hold out on a new Zelda purchase waiting for the HD version (which they should be making).
They're not doing anything out of the norm. The bigger concern is they tell their competitors how to update their machines to minimize the impact. (see Rumble Pak.)
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I don't think it is. See, if Diamond do come up with some idea that was already invented for mechanical record players, then they shouldn't be able to patent it again "digitally".
That's how you get an overly broad patent. If you can't patent it, it's because the other guy has it. Now you're licensing it from him.
Never said they don't exist. I said it'd have to be explained. The reason it was popular to joke about in the first place was that it was a weekly, if not daily, occurrence back in the pre-ME days.
That would only work for 100% locked down Macs. Apple would never venture that low... oh wait...
They *can't* 100% lock down a Mac. The best they could do is start making a laptop version of the iPad and replace the Macbook line with it. Even that would require difficult-to-imagine customer support.
So "in the cloud" now is the cool word for remote backups and storage?
In the same way that 'truck' is the new cool word for 'car' when discussing shipping of cargo.
Google is Skynet. I know, I am a Droid Borg. ;o)
Google won't become Skynet until we use it to kill our enemies. Watch the movies again, Skynet wasn't evil.
What the hell does that even mean?
Windows computers hate themselves so much they regret being booted and quickly work to correct the situation.
Hence the BSOD.
You'll have to explain what BSOD means to all the youngins who never used a pre-2001 flavor of Windows.
Will they now regret that they've allowed us to live so long?
Asimov would roll his eyes.
So first, any normal business practice becomes patentable if you add the words "on a computer" to it. Now this: anything you do on a computer (e.g. backup) becomes patentable if you and the words "in the cloud" to it??? WTF is wrong with our patent system?
It prevents patents from being overly broad. In other words, that innovation you came up with on your mechanical record player won't cause Diamond to have to license your idea when they release their new digital music player.
It's fun to rag on the patent system and all, but it's actually better this way.
For those of us wondering, here in the United States.
Thanks. I already worked that out when it said 'to treat a headache'. I also don't complain about typos for the same reason.
It does make them try alternate approaches...
And if you poke her too hard... *pssssshhhhhhh*
Sod computer gaming. My first through when reading this was "can I fit it inside my race helmet and improve my performance in real life?"
Wouldn't it be easier to just use the unlimited-blue-shells cheat code?
Exactly. There's no point in sending people to Mars either.
Only in the short term.
Actually that's forwards compatibility.
Oh, please. They found a way to fight back, they just didn't stick to it. Those 1100 people did a lot more to fight DRM than any boycott.
I don't get why Americans think they are so entilted to unlimited broadband
We've *always* had unlimited broadband and we've seen the rise of services like actual video-on-demand as a result of it.
We've been doing it the right way here all along, you should be backing us up instead of whining about how we should get as shitty of service as you.
Many people here don't seem to understand that exactly this is/was the problem for many parents:
We do understand, we just don't agree that it's a big issue.
So what do you look for in a game? Is there some mystical amount of advertising that is "just right"?
I'm genuinely baffled as to how this comment got modded up. You and three other dudes have never seen shit products that are over-advertised to make up for their shortcomings? Isn't that about 25% of what we bitch about around here?
Do your kids understand how long-distance works on your phone?
So when you purchase something inside an iOS app, that app has the ability to use your current iTunes login to charge money to your iTunes account?
No. You have to put in your password.
Since nothing changes, I must conclude that either those guys aren't listening, or they know about the customer dissatisfaction, but want DRM in their products no matter what. In the former case, there is a faint hope that one day they will pay attention if we yell loud enough. In the latter one, complaining about the restrictions is pretty much useless.
Remember when I said "go look up Spore and Amazon"? You didn't, so now I have to explain it. Here's the short version: EA announced Spore would only be unlocked 3 times, a thousand or so people gave it a 1 star review on Amazon, they loosened their restrictions. Simple, effective, and it happened right around launch time. The best part? It only took a small fraction of the number of people who actually bought the game to get them to change.
P.S. Do everyone a favor and drop your aggressive tone, okay? No one is forcing you to have this conversation, feel free to leave any time.
Tell me how you think your own tone comes across.
My real work involves tools like ssh, the data stays on the servers bucko.
And this whole thing isn't giving you pause for thought at all?
When did I say business data was on the phone?
I must have misunderstood "doing real work" on your phone, my apologies.
Maybe you use it as a toy, some of us do real work on these devices.
Then you value not spewing your business's data to strangers, right?
Announcing a new console at this years E3 is all well and good, but announcing that it is coming out in LATE 2012 is giving themselves 1 1/2 years for people NOT to buy a Wii before then, even with the previously rumored $150 price cut. Might also cause some people to hold out on a new Zelda purchase waiting for the HD version (which they should be making).
They're not doing anything out of the norm. The bigger concern is they tell their competitors how to update their machines to minimize the impact. (see Rumble Pak.)