Personally I don't think micropayments will work because it goes against the basic way we all use the web. You fire up a web browser, you navigate to where you want to go, stuff shows up in the browser window. The stuff in that window you pretty much never worry about paying for.
I think that when people spend money, and it doesn't matter how much, they like to have something tangible in their hands. A book, a poster, whatever. Having to pay to just look at something. Paying for gif or jpg files arranged on your screen (or flash versions, whatever) just doesn't feel like it has any value. I think people just don't warm up to the concept. Its like the whole DivX thing - it failed because people did NOT like the idea of owning a disk and having to pay for each time they viewed the what was on it. It was like 'I own this, yet I am locked out'. Video Rentals work fine, because we use something tangible, and we return it. We've paid to use something tangible, and we gave it back.
The web is a little similar to that - we expect to be able to access stuff when we go to a site. Successful pay for content sites usually work because the gateway to that content is a subscription fee and you get a LOT of content in return. Webcomics don't work well under that because, well, its hard to produce that much content that quick ^^;;;. Comic require a lot of work of a long period of time. In fact, one of the nice things about comics is that they have the ability to improve over time because the creators get better, and they build a backlist of comics to view - the body of work slowly becomes something of value over time.
By the time you work up to have enough content that is worth charging for, you cant suddenly make your archives pay-only. At least, I personally feel its wrong. Making something that was once free suddenly a pay thing doesn't work, and just makes people feel like they are being used and abused. After all, it's the readers who have been reading and finding the comic and the site that have made it something of value in the fist place.
The micropayment idea is, logically, a wonderful idea - small payments for small bits of content. Biggest problem it has, to me, is that it smacks of metering - people hate being metered. People like to relax while going thru things - ask most people, they'd rather pay a bigger fee for unlimited usage than worry about what their bill will be later - even if it's more expensive in the long run. People spend money emotionally, not with the logic portion of their brain.
People hate 'pay for what you use' models. The more media companies push this idea that it's the viewing of the content that you are paying for, the more people thumb their noses and download mp3s and fire up bittorents of DVD rips.
Making the nature of the digital world work with the way the confluxicated human mind works is not always an easy task. While I said it wont work, I think its very much worth a try. I have a bit of a personal issue with making people pay for anything art related, because I don't feel that just viewing , listening, watching or reading anything creative should ever be paid for - there is enough money to be made in between the cracks with the incidentals that all this worry over actually getting paid for content sometimes puzzles me:) But my views on this are a little extreme, and really, I only apply them to my own works (in fact, I decided to no put something in a magazine publication because I decided that it was ripping people off to make them pay for it first)
Yet, somehow, I've managed to survive, and its not right for me to think that others might do it the same ways I have. Maybe micropayments are the thing, I dunno, I just draw stuff, what do I know:P
piro
A hacked version of my RuriLinux illustration...
on
Themes.org Cracked
·
· Score: 1
Ugh...
God, that really *is* a hacked version of my RuriLinux drawing...
Considering my attitude towards perverse usage of my characters and my drawings, this is really a defacement of my work as well. So there were two victims here. Granted, the violation of the themes.org servers could be considered a more serious invasion, but the defacement of my artwork is a personal violation that is hard to put value on.
I'm not going to complain too much, i guess. All that was retained of the original image is the tux suit. It could have been far worse if the image of Ruri was simply 'accessorized'. -_-;; I thank the cracker for at least not adding one more brutalized image to the long history of fan abuse of Hoshino Ruri. (Ruri has been featured in more pornographic doujinshi (fan comics) than i think can be counted. It would have been a blow to my personal vendetta against such abuse of characters like her if she had remained in the image.)
This, of course, is one of the problems with making your work freely available to the public over the net. Servers are only as good as the security the site implements. I have to rely on simply asking people not to deface my work. Surprisingly, most people respect my wishes. Stuff like this has been rare.
My thanks to those who pointed this out to me. I will not be mentioning this anywhere on my sites, because i don't want to legitimize the rather lame hacking exploits of this individual. The pursuit of public recognition can be achieved in two ways - either build things (like myself and the themes.org crew does) or destroy them. Of course, these people should realize that they are nothing without people like us...
Fred Gallagher / Piro
www.megatokyo.com
www.fredart.com
Gee, how much time do you have?
on
Essential Anime
·
· Score: 1
Hehehe, finally watched all that was readily available at the local video shop, huh? ^_^
A lot of basics have been mentioned in the posts submitted so far - most good (some not). Of the ones i saw recommend "Patlabor Movie 2" is a fantastic choice - great movie.
I was surprised that you liked "Battle Athletes Daiundokai". I figured it might be a little on the 'cute' side. I'm not sure if "Idol Project" is available in english, but it would be an interesting... counterpoint, lets say, to Daiundokai. ^^;;
Not sure if "Martian Successor Nadesico" was mentioned. The show is a personal fave, the translation is good, and it's a blast even if you aren't a big Ruri fan (and who isn't?) - of course it helps to be a fan of older anime as well - there are a zillion in-jokes in the show. Reccomended
If you want a laugh, a rather twisted and off the wall show you should watch would be "My Dear Marie" (Boku no Mari), about a guy who is so obsessed with a girl at his school that he builds a robot that looks just like her. Problems brew when the duplicate (mari) meets the original (marie). Not quite a twisted as the manga, but the show has a cute quirky quality to it that might grab you.
I used to love "Key the Metal Idol" - a show that really meandered and didn't seem to end well, but had some really awesome imagery - and it too had a rather dark feel to it, akin to 'lain'. Some of the middle eps kick ass.
A title you should check out, if it ever does make it to these shores would be "Boogiepop wa Warawanai" - an odd title, but a show that is very similar in mood to Lain. REALLY dark, i believe it falls into the 'horror' genre. Great soundtrack too...
Also in the 'Horror' genere, "Vampire Princess Miyu" is worth a watch too, a true classic. It is availible subtitled in english. Check out "Tokyo Babylon" too- very cool stuff.
An all time fave of mine would be "3x3 Eyes" - there is the Perfect Collection (which i believe is still availible) and a second set of OAVs that are availible seperately. Takada Yuzo was an early influence for me and my artistic efforts.
My personal fave right now? "Love Hina" Probably not your taste, but hey, a story about a guy who becomes a manager at a all-girl dorm with a hot springs bath... they milk it for all its worth.:)
There have been a lot of good shows over the years, many of which have not made it to these shores, but recently i have been very surprised by how many that there are on shelves. Basically, i don't see you running out of things to watch any time soon.
But i tell ya, just whatever you do, do not, i repeat, do NOT miss 'CardCaptors', as it is being called in the US. It debuts on the WB on June 17. I'm sure that it is JUST your cup-o-tea. ^_^ (cough)
fred-rin
ps: you should watch 'Excel Saga' too
fred gallagher............... www.fredart.com.............. "Myou na koto ni natte kita..."
Slashdot Mirror
Personally I don't think micropayments will work because it goes against the basic way we all use the web. You fire up a web browser, you navigate to where you want to go, stuff shows up in the browser window. The stuff in that window you pretty much never worry about paying for.
:) But my views on this are a little extreme, and really, I only apply them to my own works (in fact, I decided to no put something in a magazine publication because I decided that it was ripping people off to make them pay for it first)
:P
I think that when people spend money, and it doesn't matter how much, they like to have something tangible in their hands. A book, a poster, whatever. Having to pay to just look at something. Paying for gif or jpg files arranged on your screen (or flash versions, whatever) just doesn't feel like it has any value. I think people just don't warm up to the concept. Its like the whole DivX thing - it failed because people did NOT like the idea of owning a disk and having to pay for each time they viewed the what was on it. It was like 'I own this, yet I am locked out'. Video Rentals work fine, because we use something tangible, and we return it. We've paid to use something tangible, and we gave it back.
The web is a little similar to that - we expect to be able to access stuff when we go to a site. Successful pay for content sites usually work because the gateway to that content is a subscription fee and you get a LOT of content in return. Webcomics don't work well under that because, well, its hard to produce that much content that quick ^^;;;. Comic require a lot of work of a long period of time. In fact, one of the nice things about comics is that they have the ability to improve over time because the creators get better, and they build a backlist of comics to view - the body of work slowly becomes something of value over time.
By the time you work up to have enough content that is worth charging for, you cant suddenly make your archives pay-only. At least, I personally feel its wrong. Making something that was once free suddenly a pay thing doesn't work, and just makes people feel like they are being used and abused. After all, it's the readers who have been reading and finding the comic and the site that have made it something of value in the fist place.
The micropayment idea is, logically, a wonderful idea - small payments for small bits of content. Biggest problem it has, to me, is that it smacks of metering - people hate being metered. People like to relax while going thru things - ask most people, they'd rather pay a bigger fee for unlimited usage than worry about what their bill will be later - even if it's more expensive in the long run. People spend money emotionally, not with the logic portion of their brain.
People hate 'pay for what you use' models. The more media companies push this idea that it's the viewing of the content that you are paying for, the more people thumb their noses and download mp3s and fire up bittorents of DVD rips.
Making the nature of the digital world work with the way the confluxicated human mind works is not always an easy task. While I said it wont work, I think its very much worth a try. I have a bit of a personal issue with making people pay for anything art related, because I don't feel that just viewing , listening, watching or reading anything creative should ever be paid for - there is enough money to be made in between the cracks with the incidentals that all this worry over actually getting paid for content sometimes puzzles me
Yet, somehow, I've managed to survive, and its not right for me to think that others might do it the same ways I have. Maybe micropayments are the thing, I dunno, I just draw stuff, what do I know
piro
God, that really *is* a hacked version of my RuriLinux drawing...
http://www.fredart.com/fredart/artpage.php3?src=&f t=co&fn=11
Considering my attitude towards perverse usage of my characters and my drawings, this is really a defacement of my work as well. So there were two victims here. Granted, the violation of the themes.org servers could be considered a more serious invasion, but the defacement of my artwork is a personal violation that is hard to put value on.
I'm not going to complain too much, i guess. All that was retained of the original image is the tux suit. It could have been far worse if the image of Ruri was simply 'accessorized'. -_-;; I thank the cracker for at least not adding one more brutalized image to the long history of fan abuse of Hoshino Ruri. (Ruri has been featured in more pornographic doujinshi (fan comics) than i think can be counted. It would have been a blow to my personal vendetta against such abuse of characters like her if she had remained in the image.)
This, of course, is one of the problems with making your work freely available to the public over the net. Servers are only as good as the security the site implements. I have to rely on simply asking people not to deface my work. Surprisingly, most people respect my wishes. Stuff like this has been rare.
My thanks to those who pointed this out to me. I will not be mentioning this anywhere on my sites, because i don't want to legitimize the rather lame hacking exploits of this individual. The pursuit of public recognition can be achieved in two ways - either build things (like myself and the themes.org crew does) or destroy them. Of course, these people should realize that they are nothing without people like us...
Fred Gallagher / Piro www.megatokyo.com www.fredart.com
A lot of basics have been mentioned in the posts submitted so far - most good (some not). Of the ones i saw recommend "Patlabor Movie 2" is a fantastic choice - great movie.
I was surprised that you liked "Battle Athletes Daiundokai". I figured it might be a little on the 'cute' side. I'm not sure if "Idol Project" is available in english, but it would be an interesting... counterpoint, lets say, to Daiundokai. ^^;;
Not sure if "Martian Successor Nadesico" was mentioned. The show is a personal fave, the translation is good, and it's a blast even if you aren't a big Ruri fan (and who isn't?) - of course it helps to be a fan of older anime as well - there are a zillion in-jokes in the show. Reccomended
If you want a laugh, a rather twisted and off the wall show you should watch would be "My Dear Marie" (Boku no Mari), about a guy who is so obsessed with a girl at his school that he builds a robot that looks just like her. Problems brew when the duplicate (mari) meets the original (marie). Not quite a twisted as the manga, but the show has a cute quirky quality to it that might grab you.
I used to love "Key the Metal Idol" - a show that really meandered and didn't seem to end well, but had some really awesome imagery - and it too had a rather dark feel to it, akin to 'lain'. Some of the middle eps kick ass.
A title you should check out, if it ever does make it to these shores would be "Boogiepop wa Warawanai" - an odd title, but a show that is very similar in mood to Lain. REALLY dark, i believe it falls into the 'horror' genre. Great soundtrack too...
Also in the 'Horror' genere, "Vampire Princess Miyu" is worth a watch too, a true classic. It is availible subtitled in english. Check out "Tokyo Babylon" too- very cool stuff.
An all time fave of mine would be "3x3 Eyes" - there is the Perfect Collection (which i believe is still availible) and a second set of OAVs that are availible seperately. Takada Yuzo was an early influence for me and my artistic efforts.
My personal fave right now? "Love Hina" Probably not your taste, but hey, a story about a guy who becomes a manager at a all-girl dorm with a hot springs bath... they milk it for all its worth. :)
There have been a lot of good shows over the years, many of which have not made it to these shores, but recently i have been very surprised by how many that there are on shelves. Basically, i don't see you running out of things to watch any time soon.
But i tell ya, just whatever you do, do not, i repeat, do NOT miss 'CardCaptors', as it is being called in the US. It debuts on the WB on June 17. I'm sure that it is JUST your cup-o-tea. ^_^ (cough)
fred-rin
ps: you should watch 'Excel Saga' too
fred gallagher ............... ..............
www.fredart.com
"Myou na koto ni natte kita..."