I, too, strongly dislike Graffiti2. After trying to use it, I decided to dump it and buy a program called "TealScript." It allows you to create and use your own handwriting-character set. I used it to create a Graffiti 1 character set, including the special keystrokes (such as writing an "8" in the letters area to consistently create a "y").
I agree with other posters that the Palm V/Vx were the best PDAs that Palm ever came out with (crisp screen, small size, very long battery life, and a large amount of very useful freeware). Another great one was the Handspring Visor.
But when you create something once, why should everyone else not be permitted to access it freely for eternity? It's one thing to ask for being paid for a couple decades and entirely another to declare that no one may ever access the work(s) without paying. Doesn't matter that the work was created 250 years ago, you still have to pay for it, thus much of the reuse that makes up for much of our culture doesn't happen.
Most of popular culture would not be possible if we had perpetual copyright sooner - for example about 50% of Disney's movie lineup. Or any movies about Alice in Wonderland or the Wizard of Oz. Or the Bible, for that matter. Or many tunes commonly heard as stereotypical BGM in movies (e.g. Ode to Joy). Probably no D&D either, given how much stuff was recycled there.
The above shows one of the biggest problems I see with perpetual copyright: it will eventually make it impossible to create a new work because it will be too close to something that already exists.
For me, I think a copyright of 100 years (not renewable) from the date the work was released is reasonable. By that time all individuals who had a direct hand in the creation of a work will have passed away. In my opinion, a work's direct creators are the ones who should most receive the benefits from their work. Also, by that time the work itself will have become part of the national/world culture.
I must second the comment about newspapers and magazines. I see e-ink devices (whatever form they take) as ideal for disposable documents like newspapers and magazines. Although it might be convenient to be able to carry a large number of newspapers on the device, for me the biggest advantage is that I don't have to dispose of the paper/magazine once I'm finished. I simply read it and then delete it.
I think it is less likely that people will be willing to give up paper for documents that will be kept around longer. Despite the advantages of e-ink, books still offer a great deal of convenience for most readers.
Although the iPod Nano might be usable as an ebook reader in a pinch, for me even if the entire front of the device was a screen (which might be what is needed to make a practical touchscreen user interface) the device is too small to be an adequate ebook reader.
For years I've used Palm handhelds as ebook readers and the screen was okay (even a 160x160 pixel monochrome screen) but not the best for ebook reading. I see the problem with ebook readers is that there are two counter factors at work: (1) users want a small device that can be easily carried and (2) users was a large screen that contains a large amount of text.
Returning to the issue of a touch screen interface for the iPod, another factor I see working against it is that on-screen controls will have to be large enough to allow a user to use his/her fingers to access the buttons. This will limit the number of buttons available on the screen at the same time (unless you go to using a stylus on the screen).
After my experience with the Prequel Trilogy, I think I will wait until the movie/TV series/OVA/animated movie/anime movie (whichever it finally takes) is released on video before I see it.
Now if it was a new Robotech or Star Blazers movie....
I had a Palm 100 that used to erase itself when you took the battery out, or when the memory ran out. I never understood why they didn't use non-volatile memory on those things. Or at least have a backup battery. Even my TI-86 has that.
It is possible that at the time PalmPilot was introduced non-volatile memory was too expensive to allow them to use it in an affordable handheld computer. I know another factor was space, where there wasn't enough spare space for one more sticker.
One advantage of volatile memory was it made Palm handhelds fast. No bootup time, just turn it on and, immediately, you are right where you were when you turned it off.
I didn't have a problem with volatile memory. Some of the data on my current handheld (a Palm T/X) has been around for more than 5 years, and the data has moved through at least five different handhelds. The key is to hotsync your handheld regularly, and to quickly swap out the batteries (in less than 1 minute).
If I have to buy a new computer and leave XP then I will probably buy a Mac.
No need for Vista at all.
I think this is a reason for Vista's slower-than-expected sales: the impression that, right or wrong, you will need to new computer to get an acceptable experience with Vista. Due to this and the many other issues with Vista, I think that many people are now seriously considering moving to another OS. I would not be surprised that for many people buying a new computer is considered part of the OS upgrade process (my last two upgrades were as a result of buying a new computer).
I think it is too early to state with certainty that Vista will not succeed. OS inertia is a hard thing to overcome and is a reason that most users will stay with Windows. This will keep the percentage of Windows users high. I think what may happen is that a significant number of users will move away from the Windows platform.
That's what I didn't get in the story. In DC continuity, Kryptonite is just fine to handle if you're only human. So how have these scientists established that it wouldn't hurt a fictional alien?
In current DC continuity, kryptonite is also harmful to ordinary humans. Long-term exposure will poison a normal human, as shown by its effect on Lex Luthor.
Luthor wore a ring with a kryptonite jewel on his left hand for months to hold off Superman. Eventually, the radiation from the jewel poisoned his left hand and the hand had to be amputated in an attempt to save his life, but it wasn't enough. Due to extensive kyptonite poisoning they had to strip away all of the poisoned flesh (leaving only his brain, some of his spinal cord, and his eyes) and clone him a new body around the remaining tissue.
Accepting MS Word docs is unavoidable? Sure it isnt. Just set policy - no word docs. Send your emails as plain text, send your documents-formatted-for-printing as PDF. Done.
If this doesnt (yet again) highlight the need to drop 'MS Word' as a de-facto document exchange format, I dont know what would. Maybe its time for the US State Department to think about ODF (but as usual MS will grease a lot of palms and it wont happen)
In addition to the danger of using a closed source format as a defacto document standard, I think another problem with using any one format as the only standard is that you end up trying to make that single format do everything. This adds to the complexity of the issue.
Although we already sort of have this in the closed-source realm, I think what is needed is a collection of open document formats, each compatible with each other, that can be designed for different jobs, all the way from plain text all the way to industrial-level desktop publishing. Then you chose the format that suits your needs.
"I had no choice but to break down and launch my dusty copy of IE on my laptop." At least in the long term you did have another choice. Move to a different company. The old saying is "Vote with your feet." Perhaps this should now be "Vote with your click."
This is my view concerning websites that won't support my browser (Firefox): If your website doesn't support the browser I use I won't visit your website.
I'm sure this question has been asked before but, other than it being embedded in every copy of Windows, is there any other reason that IE is the most dominant web browser?
CDs with copy protection are still CDs; they just can't carry the CDDA (CD Digital Audio) logo.
When they no longer adhere to any of the CD standards (redbook, yellowbook, kodak), they are no longer CDs. Some forms of copy protection fall under this category. Others make up their own spec (GDRom).
This is why I've taken to calling a disc that does not conform to the CD standard a Digital Audio Disc (DAD). It is accurate say the disc contains audio information, but it cannot be said to be a CD.
My view is that if a company wants to release a DAD they can do so but it needs to be clearly labeled that it is not a CD. This should be the function of the CD logo, but I've noticed that many CDs don't have the logo so looking for it often doesn't help.
An Observation: I think the reason that CD will still be around for a while is that the new formats (both physical and on-line) that are introduced to replace it will be rejected by the public because of DRM. Although some buyers will accept the new DRMed formats, it will not be enough to make up for the loss of sales due to the rejection of DRM.
There is another factor in the drop in album sales that hasn't really been mentioned: the need to re-buy the same music has ended.
I think one of the largest continuing cash cows for the record companies have been customers regularly re-buying their albums/singles to replace their worn-out copies, and shifting to new formats when they are introduced. Simply put, we've been buying the same music over and over again.
But since CDs don't wear out, there is no need to regularly replace copies. One of the factors in Pink Floyd's Dark Side Of Moon being on the chart for over a decade is due to fans regularly replacing their worn-out copies.
Added to this is that, for many people, the sound quality of CD is good enough, and MP3 shows that for many people a lower sound quality is acceptable. This is a disincentive for people to move to an upgraded format, especially if the "improved" format offers less than CD does (example: it can only be played at home).
As others have said, I think the only way that music sales are going to increase is if new music, that people want to buy, is released. They can no longer rely on repeatedly selling us the same music.
deblau wrote as part of a post concerning seeing movies at the theater:
20 minutes of commercials before the previews, 20 minutes of previews, 5 minutes of "don't pirate this movie" and "turn off your phones"
I must strongly agree with the point listed above. I've gotten to the point with "commericals that are just like the ones you see on TV" before the movies that I may as well just wait for it to come on DVD. It is a strong incentive not to see a movie at the theater.
I don't have a problem with trailers before the movie since that is a traditional part of the movie experience, and it actually deals with the movies. One of the reasons I go to the movies is for an experience different than watching television. Now, it seems the only difference between going to a theater and watching the movie at home is the size of the screen.
Second, every business may be running on differents noons. making business meeting, email server and many other things you small mind can't comprehend, nearly impossible to manage.
The GP wasn't talking about all businesses changing their clocks. Changing clocks does make these things hard to manage. Take DST for example. It changes from time to time, requiring software patches. Doing international business becomes more difficult when one has to keep track of arbitrary timezone changes around the world.
You seem to be stuck on the concept that the time of day is purely a reflection of your working hours. Are you really stupid, or do you think the world revolves around you? Your definition of noon stems from where people pretty much live in office hives with no connection with the natural world or of any reality outside economics.
In other words, it's 'quaint'
Again the GP suggested changing business hours, as "open from 8:00 to 5:30", not clocks.
I often work the grave shift, so although DST doesn't directly affect my workday by the clock (I start and end my workday at the same time). But DST does make sleeping harder since I have even less dark time when DST is in effect.
To me, the solution to the whole DST issue concerning software is to move away from having a central update for all users. Instead, why not have the software designed so that when you boot it up for the first time each year it asks you the day and time that DST starts and ends. This way when DST changes it can be easily handled by software. Since DST has been changed before, it can change again.
I'm under the impression that with books the cover of the book is considered the "license document", and you need the "license document" otherwise the book is considered an illegal copy. I would imagine the same applies to CDs. If you still own the cover that is the license document so you should be able to still use copies of the music you have. HOWEVER, it still may be illegal to get them off the net as your rights only allow you to make copies to the CD YOU purchased, not by obtaining them from other sources.
IANAL, could be completely wrong. Anyone have a real clue on this?
I remember reading that if a book is not sold the seller is supposed to remove the cover of the book and return it to the publisher for a credit and the rest of the book is supposed to be destroyed. This could be the reason that a coverless book could be considered a stolen copy; it was supposed to be destroyed.
In relation to music, I wonder if the following work? Instead of purchasing the music from someone directly, you purchase a "right to a copy" document where you can obtain a copy of the song from any source you choose and that document provides proof that you are legally authorized to have the song.
As part of the learning process, when we experience unpleasant events, we gain the wisdom to avoid them in the future. The lesson here is: DST has changed many times in the past, and it will certainly change again in the future. Failure to anticipate this causes a lot of extra work for people. Training always has a cost, and we have just seen the cost of this lesson.
I agree that starting/ending dates for DST are not stable, and that is a reason not to hardcode it. A fix I could see for this issue (since DST can be changed via the whim of Congress) is to design the system so that the first time you boot up the system in the new year, it asks you if you observe DST, and if so, when the date/time it begins and ends. Handling it this way deals with the problem caused by hardcoding.
I must be the only one who doesn't want a cellphone combined with my PDA / mp3 player. You have to choose between a nice big and wide screen (a la the Palm TX) or a small sleek phone. I don't want to choose. I don't even have a cell phone, but I guess that makes me the only person on the planet in this group. In fact, maybe I'll be the only person left on the planet in the literal sense... when all you phone addicts die of brain cancer... mwa hahahaaa.:)
You are not the only individual without a cell phone, I'm a fellow non-cell-phone user. One of my biggest complaints about cell phones in general are that they are far too complicated with too many unneeded (by me) features.
One thing I would like to see offered to customers is a cell phone that is just that, a cell phone. It should be designed for ease of use as a cell phone.
On the subject of Palm, its unfortunate that the standalone PDA is fading away. I think one of the main factors in the decline of the standalone PDA is advent of the cell phone as PDA. A problem I see with combining a cell phone and a PDA is the issue of screen size.
Due to the small screen size, I've found a cell phone not practical for use as a PDA (screen size and resolution was a reason I upgraded from the Palm m515 to the Palm T/X). One of my most important uses for a PDA is as an e-book reader, and I would find it difficult to read an e-book on a small cell phone screen (the screen on my m515 was barely large enough for this use).
HTML is just not a good format. It's barely adequate for creating web pages, and totally useless for anything else.
I respectfully disagree. I think HTML is a good format for its purpose. The problem is that people have come to expect more from it than it can deliver. It is now expected to deliver types of data and display it in ways that were not conceived of when HTML was first established.
I think the biggest problem in the design of word processing formats is trying to make a single format that is suitable for all users for all uses in all situations. For example, I find basic HTML is a good format for making e-books, but it is not suitable for high-level word processing. What is most likely needed is a group of common word processing formats, each designed with a different use in mind (such as web pages, text only, newsletters, etc.) with each format able to easily import and use the data from the other formats.
I normally use RTF for my word processing because I find it a good format for text-only documents. It also has the advantage that just about every word processor can read the files, and it also tends to produce smaller files compared to other formats. But if I was writing more complicated documents I would choose a format that supports the features that I need.
The main problem with multiple formats has not been that there are multiple formats. The problem has been that it is extremely difficult to accurately translate a file from one format to another (one of the reasons that RTF was created: to allow data to be passed from one word processor to another). This is why lock-in has been such an issue over the years.
Returning to the issue of HTML, one of the biggest advantages of it is one shares with WordPerfect: you are able to easily view the format codes within the document. This is also an advantage of the OpenDocument format and RTF: with minimal effort you can view the actual files that make up the document.
Not saying a manual is the solution, since nobody RTFM anymore.
Nobody but geeks ever RTFM. That's why they stopped shipping them.
It could be that the manuals that came with the system were not well written or easy to understand. The large number of "...for Dummies" and "The Idiot's Guide..." books (originally released just for computer programs and systems) show that there is a market for well-written manuals. What I've noticed is that the after-market manuals are written from the point of view of someone who will actually use the system, versus just presenting everything to the user in a massive work like many packaged manuals.
It could also be that with the large number of after-market manuals available to the public, there is no longer a need to include a full manual with the item. Buy a good manual is just another cost of purchasing a computer. For example, is there a need to include a manual on HTML with the computer? Before Vista was released I stopped by my local bookstore and found a few massive (> 3 inches thick) manuals already available for the new OS.
It is the users who are considered to be in the wrong when a patent is violated.
Still, I call FUD, and if it ain't, software patents should be outlawed anyway.
I respectfully disagree that software patents should be outlawed. What I think needs to happen is that, like with patents on other items, they should exist to encourage innovation and reward creators, and then the software falls into the public domain after a reasonable period of time. This includes formats for various types of files (word processing, spreadsheet, etc.).
What I disagree with is perpetual patent protection. This prevents innovation due to the threat of litigation.
It would also promote the issue of open source since everything would fall out of patent and be open to everyone at a specific time. I think one of the biggest issues with closed source software is not that it is closed source right now, but that it will always remain closed source.
I think all of these things are slightly true - we used to care deeply about program speed and footprint. Now we don't.
I suspect it has gone much too far - programs are far slower to load than they were even 5 years ago - they are large and bloated, and don't share things well. Anybody remember Sidekick - it was wonderful - and it was available at the touch of key (ok, 2 keys). Remember how FAST it was? I know it didn't do much, but it was dashed useful.
I know the feeling. When I was using DOS, I used to use a TSR (Terminate and Stay Resident) program called "QDisk," a program that allowed you to completely manage your system's files (copy, erase, rename, and so on). With a key stroke I could pop in and out of QDisk as needed. Very useful program that only took a few K to run, and was about as good as most of the current file-management programs.
I'm all for choice, and I think its pretty stupid of Dell not to have offered this before. However, I wonder how many unique requests there are, and how many people asked for that a 1000 times or so. I use Linux at home, but it sure isn't on a Dell box; I built my own, as I guess a lot of Linux hobbists do. But if this gets Dell to implement that option, then great. More Linux penetration is good. Of course, people have to follow up on it; if they offer it and no one buys it, it just gives them and other retailers a reason not to offer it and will make it harder in the future to get pre-made Linux boxes from the major sellers.
I, too, am surprised that Dell has not yet offered a Linux option for some of their systems. It would seem simple to allow the option of a custom-built system that is designed to run Linux well. That Dell has not offered Linux is the reason that I have not considered purchasing a system from them.
Sony is enemy #2 because of its RIAA membership.
If Sony were not in the music biz, then it would not have sold CDs with rootkits on them. If Sony had not sold CDs with rootkits on them, then maybe members of/. would still like them because of all the Playstations.
This something I've wondered about myself. It seems like having an interest in producing audio equipment and also having an interest in controlling music would be a conflict on interest. On one side is a interest in releasing music that can be freely played on all devices, but countering that is a interest in controlling the music to ensure that it is as unfree as possible.
What has this world come to? I just typed "Greatest artists of all time" into Google and what do I get? Michelangelo? Leonardo da Vinci? Rembrandt? No, though that is exactly what I was looking for. Get this: According to Google, it's 1. The Beatles, 2. The Rolling Stones, 3. Jimi Hendrix, 4. Led Zeppelin, 5. Bob Dylan, 6. James Brown, 7. David Bowie, 8. Elvis Presley, 9. The Who, 10. The Police, 11. Stevie Wonder, 12. Ray Charles, 13. The Beach Boys, 14. Marvin Gaye, 15. Eric Clapton. Isn't there something wrong here?
Give me a break! "Greatest artists of all time" - how many of these people will even be remembered a century from now? I would only call one of these people an artist - Bob Dylan, and many of the rest are monster pop-icons created by the music industry back in the good ol' payola days. (Well, I have to admit, I too liked their music - most of them anyhow - what can I say? But that doesn't make them the "Greatest artists of all time". It's a matter of proportion, isn't it? What kind of a narrow view do we have, as reflected by Google?
I think the reason that artists like DaVinci, Shakespeare, and Bach have been remembered is not just that they produced great art, but what they produced has been preserved. We can see what DaVinci, himself, painted. With Bach, although we don't have any of the original performances recorded, we do have his work preserved in written form.
With the above listed musical artists, I think they will be remembered for centuries for the same reason: we now have the ability to preserve actual performances instead of just hearing about great performances. Centuries from now we won't have to wonder what The Beatles were like, we can hear what they were like, and also see their performances. From a time before the advent of music recording (say 1850), how many musical performers are remembered?
Its not just the biggest artists that are preserved, but also the lesser-known artists. For example, how many people are familiar with the following songs (from more than 20 years ago)?
Alone Again (Naturally) by Gilbert O'Sullivan
You Light Up My Life by Debby Boone
Goodbye Cruel World by James Darren
Disco Duck by Rick Dees and His Cast Of Idiots
The point of the above list is that anyone who wants to can easily access the above songs and hear exactly what they sound like. What someone thinks about a song can be based on the song itself, not just what people have heard about the song.
Sega destroyed themselves. The support for the saturn and 32x did more to kill them then sony. Since the US was their primary market (they had taken the #2 then the #3 position in japan already) They did many foolish things to thismarket. Most of it was incredibly stupid business decisions. No matter how good the dreamcast was (and it was a goodmachine) their business decisions made further competition in that market impossible. All the Sega fanboys I knew (16) switched to sony after the 32x and saturn debacles. Sega was a gong show fromt he Sega Cd onwards.
One of the things I've noticed about the success/failure of video game systems is that a video game system will fail if the system requires additional upgrades/components (excluding controllers) to play some of the games. Put more simply: In order for a video game system to succeed, it must be capable of playing every game released for the system out of the box. The main reason I chose a video game system (PS2) for playing video games over a computer is that if I buy a game for my PS2, I can be sure that the game will run well.
Besides Sega (with the 32X and Sega CD), another system that violated the above guide and died was Philips CDi. In addition to the system itself, to get full functionality you had to add a $300 video card to the system (it allowed you to watch Video CDs on the system and there were some games that required it). What also hurt this system was the lack of a large number of "gotta have it" games.
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I, too, strongly dislike Graffiti2. After trying to use it, I decided to dump it and buy a program called "TealScript." It allows you to create and use your own handwriting-character set. I used it to create a Graffiti 1 character set, including the special keystrokes (such as writing an "8" in the letters area to consistently create a "y").
I agree with other posters that the Palm V/Vx were the best PDAs that Palm ever came out with (crisp screen, small size, very long battery life, and a large amount of very useful freeware). Another great one was the Handspring Visor.
Jesus_666 wrote:
The above shows one of the biggest problems I see with perpetual copyright: it will eventually make it impossible to create a new work because it will be too close to something that already exists.
For me, I think a copyright of 100 years (not renewable) from the date the work was released is reasonable. By that time all individuals who had a direct hand in the creation of a work will have passed away. In my opinion, a work's direct creators are the ones who should most receive the benefits from their work. Also, by that time the work itself will have become part of the national/world culture.
I must second the comment about newspapers and magazines. I see e-ink devices (whatever form they take) as ideal for disposable documents like newspapers and magazines. Although it might be convenient to be able to carry a large number of newspapers on the device, for me the biggest advantage is that I don't have to dispose of the paper/magazine once I'm finished. I simply read it and then delete it.
I think it is less likely that people will be willing to give up paper for documents that will be kept around longer. Despite the advantages of e-ink, books still offer a great deal of convenience for most readers.
Although the iPod Nano might be usable as an ebook reader in a pinch, for me even if the entire front of the device was a screen (which might be what is needed to make a practical touchscreen user interface) the device is too small to be an adequate ebook reader.
For years I've used Palm handhelds as ebook readers and the screen was okay (even a 160x160 pixel monochrome screen) but not the best for ebook reading. I see the problem with ebook readers is that there are two counter factors at work: (1) users want a small device that can be easily carried and (2) users was a large screen that contains a large amount of text.
Returning to the issue of a touch screen interface for the iPod, another factor I see working against it is that on-screen controls will have to be large enough to allow a user to use his/her fingers to access the buttons. This will limit the number of buttons available on the screen at the same time (unless you go to using a stylus on the screen).
wizzahd wrote:
...starts to fall into a trace...
...remembers "Episode 2 - Attack of the Clones...
...overcome with horror...
...snaps out of trance and screams...
.humor-attempt off
After my experience with the Prequel Trilogy, I think I will wait until the movie/TV series/OVA/animated movie/anime movie (whichever it finally takes) is released on video before I see it.
Now if it was a new Robotech or Star Blazers movie....
CastrTroy wrote:
It is possible that at the time PalmPilot was introduced non-volatile memory was too expensive to allow them to use it in an affordable handheld computer. I know another factor was space, where there wasn't enough spare space for one more sticker.
One advantage of volatile memory was it made Palm handhelds fast. No bootup time, just turn it on and, immediately, you are right where you were when you turned it off.
I didn't have a problem with volatile memory. Some of the data on my current handheld (a Palm T/X) has been around for more than 5 years, and the data has moved through at least five different handhelds. The key is to hotsync your handheld regularly, and to quickly swap out the batteries (in less than 1 minute).
Nicolay77 wrote:
I think this is a reason for Vista's slower-than-expected sales: the impression that, right or wrong, you will need to new computer to get an acceptable experience with Vista. Due to this and the many other issues with Vista, I think that many people are now seriously considering moving to another OS. I would not be surprised that for many people buying a new computer is considered part of the OS upgrade process (my last two upgrades were as a result of buying a new computer).
I think it is too early to state with certainty that Vista will not succeed. OS inertia is a hard thing to overcome and is a reason that most users will stay with Windows. This will keep the percentage of Windows users high. I think what may happen is that a significant number of users will move away from the Windows platform.
iainl wrote:
In current DC continuity, kryptonite is also harmful to ordinary humans. Long-term exposure will poison a normal human, as shown by its effect on Lex Luthor.
Luthor wore a ring with a kryptonite jewel on his left hand for months to hold off Superman. Eventually, the radiation from the jewel poisoned his left hand and the hand had to be amputated in an attempt to save his life, but it wasn't enough. Due to extensive kyptonite poisoning they had to strip away all of the poisoned flesh (leaving only his brain, some of his spinal cord, and his eyes) and clone him a new body around the remaining tissue.
The Cisco Kid wrote:
In addition to the danger of using a closed source format as a defacto document standard, I think another problem with using any one format as the only standard is that you end up trying to make that single format do everything. This adds to the complexity of the issue.
Although we already sort of have this in the closed-source realm, I think what is needed is a collection of open document formats, each compatible with each other, that can be designed for different jobs, all the way from plain text all the way to industrial-level desktop publishing. Then you chose the format that suits your needs.
ouder wrote:
This is my view concerning websites that won't support my browser (Firefox): If your website doesn't support the browser I use I won't visit your website.
I'm sure this question has been asked before but, other than it being embedded in every copy of Windows, is there any other reason that IE is the most dominant web browser?
BigBuckHunter and included with a post:
This is why I've taken to calling a disc that does not conform to the CD standard a Digital Audio Disc (DAD). It is accurate say the disc contains audio information, but it cannot be said to be a CD.
My view is that if a company wants to release a DAD they can do so but it needs to be clearly labeled that it is not a CD. This should be the function of the CD logo, but I've noticed that many CDs don't have the logo so looking for it often doesn't help.
An Observation: I think the reason that CD will still be around for a while is that the new formats (both physical and on-line) that are introduced to replace it will be rejected by the public because of DRM. Although some buyers will accept the new DRMed formats, it will not be enough to make up for the loss of sales due to the rejection of DRM.
There is another factor in the drop in album sales that hasn't really been mentioned: the need to re-buy the same music has ended.
I think one of the largest continuing cash cows for the record companies have been customers regularly re-buying their albums/singles to replace their worn-out copies, and shifting to new formats when they are introduced. Simply put, we've been buying the same music over and over again.
But since CDs don't wear out, there is no need to regularly replace copies. One of the factors in Pink Floyd's Dark Side Of Moon being on the chart for over a decade is due to fans regularly replacing their worn-out copies.
Added to this is that, for many people, the sound quality of CD is good enough, and MP3 shows that for many people a lower sound quality is acceptable. This is a disincentive for people to move to an upgraded format, especially if the "improved" format offers less than CD does (example: it can only be played at home).
As others have said, I think the only way that music sales are going to increase is if new music, that people want to buy, is released. They can no longer rely on repeatedly selling us the same music.
deblau wrote as part of a post concerning seeing movies at the theater:
I must strongly agree with the point listed above. I've gotten to the point with "commericals that are just like the ones you see on TV" before the movies that I may as well just wait for it to come on DVD. It is a strong incentive not to see a movie at the theater.
I don't have a problem with trailers before the movie since that is a traditional part of the movie experience, and it actually deals with the movies. One of the reasons I go to the movies is for an experience different than watching television. Now, it seems the only difference between going to a theater and watching the movie at home is the size of the screen.
Max Littlemore wrote and included with a post:
I often work the grave shift, so although DST doesn't directly affect my workday by the clock (I start and end my workday at the same time). But DST does make sleeping harder since I have even less dark time when DST is in effect.
To me, the solution to the whole DST issue concerning software is to move away from having a central update for all users. Instead, why not have the software designed so that when you boot it up for the first time each year it asks you the day and time that DST starts and ends. This way when DST changes it can be easily handled by software. Since DST has been changed before, it can change again.
m_maximus wrote:
I remember reading that if a book is not sold the seller is supposed to remove the cover of the book and return it to the publisher for a credit and the rest of the book is supposed to be destroyed. This could be the reason that a coverless book could be considered a stolen copy; it was supposed to be destroyed.
In relation to music, I wonder if the following work? Instead of purchasing the music from someone directly, you purchase a "right to a copy" document where you can obtain a copy of the song from any source you choose and that document provides proof that you are legally authorized to have the song.
Waffle Iron wrote:
I agree that starting/ending dates for DST are not stable, and that is a reason not to hardcode it. A fix I could see for this issue (since DST can be changed via the whim of Congress) is to design the system so that the first time you boot up the system in the new year, it asks you if you observe DST, and if so, when the date/time it begins and ends. Handling it this way deals with the problem caused by hardcoding.
sherriw wrote:
You are not the only individual without a cell phone, I'm a fellow non-cell-phone user. One of my biggest complaints about cell phones in general are that they are far too complicated with too many unneeded (by me) features.
One thing I would like to see offered to customers is a cell phone that is just that, a cell phone. It should be designed for ease of use as a cell phone.
On the subject of Palm, its unfortunate that the standalone PDA is fading away. I think one of the main factors in the decline of the standalone PDA is advent of the cell phone as PDA. A problem I see with combining a cell phone and a PDA is the issue of screen size.
Due to the small screen size, I've found a cell phone not practical for use as a PDA (screen size and resolution was a reason I upgraded from the Palm m515 to the Palm T/X). One of my most important uses for a PDA is as an e-book reader, and I would find it difficult to read an e-book on a small cell phone screen (the screen on my m515 was barely large enough for this use).
fm6 wrote as part of a post:
I respectfully disagree. I think HTML is a good format for its purpose. The problem is that people have come to expect more from it than it can deliver. It is now expected to deliver types of data and display it in ways that were not conceived of when HTML was first established.
I think the biggest problem in the design of word processing formats is trying to make a single format that is suitable for all users for all uses in all situations. For example, I find basic HTML is a good format for making e-books, but it is not suitable for high-level word processing. What is most likely needed is a group of common word processing formats, each designed with a different use in mind (such as web pages, text only, newsletters, etc.) with each format able to easily import and use the data from the other formats.
I normally use RTF for my word processing because I find it a good format for text-only documents. It also has the advantage that just about every word processor can read the files, and it also tends to produce smaller files compared to other formats. But if I was writing more complicated documents I would choose a format that supports the features that I need.
The main problem with multiple formats has not been that there are multiple formats. The problem has been that it is extremely difficult to accurately translate a file from one format to another (one of the reasons that RTF was created: to allow data to be passed from one word processor to another). This is why lock-in has been such an issue over the years.
Returning to the issue of HTML, one of the biggest advantages of it is one shares with WordPerfect: you are able to easily view the format codes within the document. This is also an advantage of the OpenDocument format and RTF: with minimal effort you can view the actual files that make up the document.
swillden wrote and included with a post:
It could be that the manuals that came with the system were not well written or easy to understand. The large number of "...for Dummies" and "The Idiot's Guide..." books (originally released just for computer programs and systems) show that there is a market for well-written manuals. What I've noticed is that the after-market manuals are written from the point of view of someone who will actually use the system, versus just presenting everything to the user in a massive work like many packaged manuals.
It could also be that with the large number of after-market manuals available to the public, there is no longer a need to include a full manual with the item. Buy a good manual is just another cost of purchasing a computer. For example, is there a need to include a manual on HTML with the computer? Before Vista was released I stopped by my local bookstore and found a few massive (> 3 inches thick) manuals already available for the new OS.
dosius wrote:
I respectfully disagree that software patents should be outlawed. What I think needs to happen is that, like with patents on other items, they should exist to encourage innovation and reward creators, and then the software falls into the public domain after a reasonable period of time. This includes formats for various types of files (word processing, spreadsheet, etc.).
What I disagree with is perpetual patent protection. This prevents innovation due to the threat of litigation.
It would also promote the issue of open source since everything would fall out of patent and be open to everyone at a specific time. I think one of the biggest issues with closed source software is not that it is closed source right now, but that it will always remain closed source.
SimonInOz wrote as part of a post:
I know the feeling. When I was using DOS, I used to use a TSR (Terminate and Stay Resident) program called "QDisk," a program that allowed you to completely manage your system's files (copy, erase, rename, and so on). With a key stroke I could pop in and out of QDisk as needed. Very useful program that only took a few K to run, and was about as good as most of the current file-management programs.
gravesb wrote:
I, too, am surprised that Dell has not yet offered a Linux option for some of their systems. It would seem simple to allow the option of a custom-built system that is designed to run Linux well. That Dell has not offered Linux is the reason that I have not considered purchasing a system from them.
Anonymous McCartneyf wrote:
This something I've wondered about myself. It seems like having an interest in producing audio equipment and also having an interest in controlling music would be a conflict on interest. On one side is a interest in releasing music that can be freely played on all devices, but countering that is a interest in controlling the music to ensure that it is as unfree as possible.
Just an observation.
TropicalCoder wrote as part of a post:
I think the reason that artists like DaVinci, Shakespeare, and Bach have been remembered is not just that they produced great art, but what they produced has been preserved. We can see what DaVinci, himself, painted. With Bach, although we don't have any of the original performances recorded, we do have his work preserved in written form.
With the above listed musical artists, I think they will be remembered for centuries for the same reason: we now have the ability to preserve actual performances instead of just hearing about great performances. Centuries from now we won't have to wonder what The Beatles were like, we can hear what they were like, and also see their performances. From a time before the advent of music recording (say 1850), how many musical performers are remembered?
Its not just the biggest artists that are preserved, but also the lesser-known artists. For example, how many people are familiar with the following songs (from more than 20 years ago)?
The point of the above list is that anyone who wants to can easily access the above songs and hear exactly what they sound like. What someone thinks about a song can be based on the song itself, not just what people have heard about the song.
king-manic wrote:
One of the things I've noticed about the success/failure of video game systems is that a video game system will fail if the system requires additional upgrades/components (excluding controllers) to play some of the games. Put more simply: In order for a video game system to succeed, it must be capable of playing every game released for the system out of the box. The main reason I chose a video game system (PS2) for playing video games over a computer is that if I buy a game for my PS2, I can be sure that the game will run well.
Besides Sega (with the 32X and Sega CD), another system that violated the above guide and died was Philips CDi. In addition to the system itself, to get full functionality you had to add a $300 video card to the system (it allowed you to watch Video CDs on the system and there were some games that required it). What also hurt this system was the lack of a large number of "gotta have it" games.