"They've already accepted and budgeted the loss from a sale of a console. You're not going to hurt them by doing this.
They budgeted for you to buy the console AND 3 or 4 games. Not 0. Yes, it would hurt them.
"You hurt them by *not buying it in the first place*. They are *not* prepared to eat the total cost of the console, and therefore *not buying the console at all* would be the proper way to hurt the manufacturer."
The price of an unsold item would drop until somebody picked it up. Then, in theory, they'd go pick up games as well. If you buy a system and do not purchase games, that loss is done. If you skip purchasing the system, they'll recoup the money down the road... mabye not as much, but it'd still happen.
Yes, you can hurt Microsoft or Sony by buying their system and never buying games. The problem is the numbers are really really small.
"Emotion is a big part of the category. You've seen the baby spot, which kicked off the TV effort. The whole thought behind that was, look at the wide variety of emotions the PlayStation 3 can elicit. The other theme we're setting up is that the power of the PlayStation 3 is so awesome that anything placed in close proximity is witness to this awesome power....
So... you wanted to illustrate that 'anything placed in close proximity is witness to this awesome power' by placing a baby who would probably be endlessly entertained with a game of peek-a-boo next to the unit. Then you illustrated the AWESOME computing power of the PS3 by having it solve a Rubick's cube in 20 seconds. Maybe next you can illustrate how wonderful the HD resolution is by having people run out to by 90" TV's so they can finally compare it to the 360.
"Have we already forgotten Nintendo's numerous examples of proprietary lock-inone example that comes to mind being the GBA-SP's notorious "headphone jack"?"
How is that lock-in? It says right there in the article that it was a form factor limitation.
"Maybe the/. spam protection was sufficient, but you posted something some slashdotter didn't like, so he purposefully submitted your e-mail address to a spam list for retribution."
Small nitpick: I turned off the/. SPAM protection.
You are, however, correct. That is a very plausible theory. The only reason I am unconvinced that was the case is I had another email address get posted on a site (no hostile feelings there...) and SPAM started showing up a day or two later. That is, however, not enough to prove you wrong. So, yes, I should have done a test where I registerred a new account and kept a low-profile.
Anyway, I did an experiment once years ago where I created a brand new mail account and turned off 'spam armor plating' (or whatever it's called) on Slashdot. Then I went about making my posts etc. To my surprise, I started getting messages rather quickly. It didn't take more than a week or two to start recieving enough unsolicited mail to shut the experiment down.
Fast forward to last year. I told a coworker friend about this. He didn't believe me. So I tried the experiment again and... uh.. actually I only got one or two messages over a period of two weeks. I'm not really sure what happened. It's as if they gave up on Slashdot.
I cannot draw any real solid conclusions from these experiments other than to say that yes, email addresses on websites do get harvested. Yes, you could disallow Windows users, but that wouldn't do a thing to protect any other user. The only possible way that would work is if spam harvesting apps ONLY happened on Windows machines, and let's be realistic, there's nothing to prevent that software from making its way to Linux etc. Once it gets harvested, it doesn't matter which OS you run, you can get spam just as easily.
"Why exactly would amateur videos help create the false allegations? Are people doing a little post-production work on them before they go up online to show a closed fist hitting not once, but twice?"
No.
a.) The cameras are usually far away, so we cannot see the whole picture. If the suspect is standing behind a car, for example, a threatening gesture may not be seen.
b.) The 'ameteur' video may not have started recording to see the entire event take place. There could be an important bit of context missed.
c.) The media can grab a clip of the video and give the PD a hard time.
There's no need to go as far as 'post-production' to grab a vid used for false allegations. They say the camera never lies. That's utter bullshit. You can make a camera send any message you want. That's why the evidence collected by cameras needs verification.
"The reason that these jokes get continued for so long, is because some people don't view the site that often. So they pick up something when it was funny, come back a few weeks later thinking it is still the joke du jour, and repeat it."
Speaking of thick... The jokes become a fad. Everybody thinks they're a comedian. They spout them off in hopes of getting a cheap funny.
"Go back to the help desk, this isn't the site for you."...said the guy who tried to combat my original post with a nitpick only people without common sense would find worthy of debate.
"Look at this in another way! Take this opportunity to make your own gifts."
My family is well off enough that if they want something, they can pretty much get it on their own. I spent several stressful Christmases trying to find something they'd really respond to. One year I decided instead of trying to find them gifts, I went the charity route instead. There was a Christmas tree at the mall that had several cards on them from kids who were asked to make a Christmas wish. I went through the requests and found the ones I thought would resonate with various family members. I sent a letter to my family, detailed which item I got for which child, and explained why I thought of them when I did it. For example: One child asked for a bicycle. My dad got a note detailing a fond memory I had of him getting me a bike when I was a lil'un, and that I wanted to pass that joy on to another kid.
I apologize if it sounds like I'm tooting my own horn, here. I can imagine there are quite a few people here in a simliar situation and I just wanted to throw this idea out. Not only did it feel really good to get these gifts knowing they'd be extremely appreciated, but my family was VERY touched by the gesture.
"I really enjoy when morons talk about Slasdhot as though it were a single entity, rather than a group of distinct people, with different opinions, and different viewing habits"
In typical Slashdottian fashion, my post is rebutted, but not my point. Welcome to the collective.
Slashdot Mirror
Boy you're right about that. At least the PSP could be modded to play ROMS and home-brew.
"They've already accepted and budgeted the loss from a sale of a console. You're not going to hurt them by doing this.
They budgeted for you to buy the console AND 3 or 4 games. Not 0. Yes, it would hurt them.
"You hurt them by *not buying it in the first place*. They are *not* prepared to eat the total cost of the console, and therefore *not buying the console at all* would be the proper way to hurt the manufacturer."
The price of an unsold item would drop until somebody picked it up. Then, in theory, they'd go pick up games as well. If you buy a system and do not purchase games, that loss is done. If you skip purchasing the system, they'll recoup the money down the road... mabye not as much, but it'd still happen.
Yes, you can hurt Microsoft or Sony by buying their system and never buying games. The problem is the numbers are really really small.
So... you wanted to illustrate that 'anything placed in close proximity is witness to this awesome power' by placing a baby who would probably be endlessly entertained with a game of peek-a-boo next to the unit. Then you illustrated the AWESOME computing power of the PS3 by having it solve a Rubick's cube in 20 seconds. Maybe next you can illustrate how wonderful the HD resolution is by having people run out to by 90" TV's so they can finally compare it to the 360.
"This is denial of a paid service when the customer was likely adhering to their end of the contract."
How can they be in total compliance with the contract if they're not running the game on a supported OS?
"(b) it's too much like Clippy. 'Did you mean "foo"?' (when I try to type "doo".)"
What kinda conversations do you have where you type 'doo'? Using SMS to discuss Sony's marketing strategy?
"I love how nintendo fans can so eloquently tell everyone that sony forces new technology people don't want, and that with nintendo, there's choice."
All of your examples are not only examples of choice, but amazingly, they apply to the competitors as well.
"Have we already forgotten Nintendo's numerous examples of proprietary lock-inone example that comes to mind being the GBA-SP's notorious "headphone jack"?"
How is that lock-in? It says right there in the article that it was a form factor limitation.
... the site where my villagers researched ARMOR...
"Maybe the /. spam protection was sufficient, but you posted something some slashdotter didn't like, so he purposefully submitted your e-mail address to a spam list for retribution."
/. SPAM protection.
Small nitpick: I turned off the
You are, however, correct. That is a very plausible theory. The only reason I am unconvinced that was the case is I had another email address get posted on a site (no hostile feelings there...) and SPAM started showing up a day or two later. That is, however, not enough to prove you wrong. So, yes, I should have done a test where I registerred a new account and kept a low-profile.
"...and I get the personal satisfaction of being able to use my e-mail address wherever I damn well like without having to cower from spammers."
Cower? It's about signal to noise, not the Borg taking over the ship. Heh.
"disallow Windows users"
Har har.
Anyway, I did an experiment once years ago where I created a brand new mail account and turned off 'spam armor plating' (or whatever it's called) on Slashdot. Then I went about making my posts etc. To my surprise, I started getting messages rather quickly. It didn't take more than a week or two to start recieving enough unsolicited mail to shut the experiment down.
Fast forward to last year. I told a coworker friend about this. He didn't believe me. So I tried the experiment again and... uh.. actually I only got one or two messages over a period of two weeks. I'm not really sure what happened. It's as if they gave up on Slashdot.
I cannot draw any real solid conclusions from these experiments other than to say that yes, email addresses on websites do get harvested. Yes, you could disallow Windows users, but that wouldn't do a thing to protect any other user. The only possible way that would work is if spam harvesting apps ONLY happened on Windows machines, and let's be realistic, there's nothing to prevent that software from making its way to Linux etc. Once it gets harvested, it doesn't matter which OS you run, you can get spam just as easily.
It's a tough problem with no single solution.
"Oh, cry me a river. I feel soooo sorry for them..."
Unjust is unjust, even if you dislike the victim.
"Why exactly would amateur videos help create the false allegations? Are people doing a little post-production work on them before they go up online to show a closed fist hitting not once, but twice?"
No.
a.) The cameras are usually far away, so we cannot see the whole picture. If the suspect is standing behind a car, for example, a threatening gesture may not be seen.
b.) The 'ameteur' video may not have started recording to see the entire event take place. There could be an important bit of context missed.
c.) The media can grab a clip of the video and give the PD a hard time.
There's no need to go as far as 'post-production' to grab a vid used for false allegations. They say the camera never lies. That's utter bullshit. You can make a camera send any message you want. That's why the evidence collected by cameras needs verification.
"You'd think /. would avoid joining the ranks of the rest of the "Sensationalist Media," though."
Why? Slashdot sells clicks, too.
"I would hope that far more development would go into security, efficiency, and reliability."
Um.. yeah, I'm sure the sound effects guy could have just hopped right on to a computer and started writing better security.
"Don't forget to pay your $699 licensing fee you cock-smoking teabaggers."
Man, you had me confused for a minute. I sat here for a minute wondering what the Playstation 3 had to do with this!
"That all depends on whose PC you're talking about, now doesn't it?"
Yes. That's exactly my point.
"best != success"
Potential != best.
The PC is the most under-utilized game device out there.
"The PC (with M$ Windows I'm afraid...) is the best games machine!"
That's not true for everybody. If it were, the PC game market would have a lot more successes.
"Your year long anit-Sony/PS3 FUD campaign has been a total waste of everyone on Slashdot's time."
Anti-Sony FUD campaign? That's a funny thing to call Sony's marketing tactics.
"The reason that these jokes get continued for so long, is because some people don't view the site that often. So they pick up something when it was funny, come back a few weeks later thinking it is still the joke du jour, and repeat it."
...said the guy who tried to combat my original post with a nitpick only people without common sense would find worthy of debate.
Speaking of thick... The jokes become a fad. Everybody thinks they're a comedian. They spout them off in hopes of getting a cheap funny.
"Go back to the help desk, this isn't the site for you."
"Look at this in another way! Take this opportunity to make your own gifts."
My family is well off enough that if they want something, they can pretty much get it on their own. I spent several stressful Christmases trying to find something they'd really respond to. One year I decided instead of trying to find them gifts, I went the charity route instead. There was a Christmas tree at the mall that had several cards on them from kids who were asked to make a Christmas wish. I went through the requests and found the ones I thought would resonate with various family members. I sent a letter to my family, detailed which item I got for which child, and explained why I thought of them when I did it. For example: One child asked for a bicycle. My dad got a note detailing a fond memory I had of him getting me a bike when I was a lil'un, and that I wanted to pass that joy on to another kid.
I apologize if it sounds like I'm tooting my own horn, here. I can imagine there are quite a few people here in a simliar situation and I just wanted to throw this idea out. Not only did it feel really good to get these gifts knowing they'd be extremely appreciated, but my family was VERY touched by the gesture.
"I just realized this High Price, Low Volume, pre order only console strategy is a valid strategy."
I like how Sony incompetence is described as a 'strategy'. Heh.
"What kind of person says "I really want Windows Vista for Christmas"??"
Somebody who walks by a laptop display at Best Buy, sees the pretty Aero interface, and decides this is the Christmas to get a new computer.
"I really enjoy when morons talk about Slasdhot as though it were a single entity, rather than a group of distinct people, with different opinions, and different viewing habits"
In typical Slashdottian fashion, my post is rebutted, but not my point. Welcome to the collective.