When it comes to SETI, the old saying "Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained" comes to mind. Yes, so far it has produced no results and nobody can truthfully argue about that. However, are we being a bit impatient about the conclusions? People want to hear from ET NOW rather than consider that we've only begun to scratch advanced technology here on Earth.
Consider this - Computer Technology, Space Travel, Multimedia, Radio, and Science Advancements have just evolved higher within the last 100 years. Over 100 years ago, we didn't have what we have now. So considering the human race has been around for at least a million years, why is there such a rush to find ET? We are just starting to try to find life beyond our world. Therefore patience is the key here.
Also consider what we are doing now on our world. Think about this - we fight, kill, and hate since the beginning of our species. What makes us so sure populated worlds would WANT to talk to us? I really believe, and this is just opinion, that if there is life out there looking at us from afar, they would be wise to leave us alone. If they did come here, what guarantee do they have we wouldn't attack them or manipulate them to do our battles here on Earth? So my guess is that if there is life out there and they are getting our signals, maybe they have Caller ID and chose to pretend they are not at home.
I agree... Jack Ass Thompson is just doing this because he wants attention. He has no chance of winning... its like Goliath (Microsoft and Bungie) versus a cockroach (Thompson). He has to worry about his pending disbarment - why must he worry about Halo 3? Guess he has too much time on his hands and we all need a good laugh, I suppose. But for a good laugh - Have all Halo fans tar and feather him. Now THAT would be hilarious!
Yes that goes for me too... Considering I live in Neolithic Iowa, companies like AT&T and T-Moble are very reluctant to come to an area that chucks rocks with messages for the Iowa version of Instant Messaging. Seriously, I see those Verison ads with "The Network" and the "Can You Hear Me Now?" dude stopping one inch from the Bedrock... err... Iowa state border. Probably because they are afraid that an Instant Message will hit them... So it probably will be 500,000 years before I see a working IPhone here.
_____
"Halo 3? Is that what the Bane have or is that something I can add to my Tabula?" - 10/19/07
We don't because:
1) Jack Ass Thompson is the guy we all love to hate.
2) Jack Off Thompson has a handful of days before he gets disbarred.
3) ???
4) Profit. Oh wait that is the Underpants Gnomes....
5) Jack S**t Thompson is a joke since he gives us new and funny schemes to ban games.
_____
"Life is a game nobody wins because we all die at the end... Now where is the cheat codes?"
Sadly I am not a college student. Also the point is being missed - I am ok with Micro$oft XP SP2. Granted it is not the best tool out there, but for me it works. Also, which OS is the best is best decided by the end user and their needs. Apple and Linux are great, but I am not in a position to pay money for updates to keep secure and up to date. This box is already 5 years old. The point is that there is a lot of people out there that cannot realistically go out there and grab the newest shiney or update with a price tag. Micro$oft updates are free... granted quite a lot of updates, but still free nonetheless. If Micro$oft did a "pay-per-update", I'd switch to Linux in a heartbeat. I know I may risk the turmoil somebody else did playing Worlds of Warcraft on Wine or something.. but I rather be secure and be able to do it for free than to go hungry for a week or two or lose lights, power, and net.
_____
"I speak for most everybody when I heard OJ Simpson was going to trial agian - Oh nooo, here we go again!"
There's also a level of chutzpah in the frequent OS updates that I appreciate, even if I have to shell out $129 before rebates every two years or so.
Let me put it this way - I CANNOT AFFORD $50 UPDATES, LET ALONE $129 UPDATES EVERY TWO OR LESS YEARS. That is why I can't go with a Mac and am a slave to Window$. As for Linux, I don't want to monkey around with a OS to get to play my fav online games.. oh and considering the fact that to use an emulator to play Worlds of Warcraft on Linux may get you the banhammer has pretty much forced me to stay with Micro$oft. However, I am staying with XP SP2 since I have not had as many problems with it and will avoid Vista like I'd avoid a minefield.
This whole "Mac Vs. PC" or whatever is really just pointless. Mac, Micro$oft, and Linux has both their pros and cons despite what anybody thinks. It all comes down to what YOU want to do and what YOUR expectations are. I seriously doubt there is a utopian OS that everybody can agree is superior. What we all can do is agree to disagree and not resort to going "My OS is bigger than your OS! Neener! Neener! Neener!". I am not downplaying Apple or Linux and certainly not saying Micro$oft is the best. I am just saying for ME, Win XP SP2 works the best for my needs and budget.
_____
"How do I spell relief? V-I-D-E-O-G-A-M-E-S!!!"
Nintendo has a long history of being out of touch with the standards of computer terminology. Whenever they mention the size of a game, they mention it in MegaBITS not MegaBYTES. So for them to say that somehow a large number of bytes can be stored in a small amount of bits isn't too shocking for me.
_____
"It is a tragedy that if I sold the answer for world peace, I'd get busted for selling pot!"
"Wacky Jacky is currently suing the mediator, Judge Dava Tunis, along with the Florida Supreme Court and the Florida Bar.
Thompson's reasons for subpoenaing The President are a bit esoteric and would make great fodder for an X-Files episode or anything else in the realm of conspiracy theories and Science Fiction. This bit of paranoia stems from the "nefarious" Blank Rome law firm, which represents the defendants in the Strickland vs. Sony lawsuit where an 18-year old in Alabama was allegedly under the influence of Grand Theft Auto when he murdered two police officers and a police dispatcher in 2004. Apparently, the "evil" Blank Rome firm are lobbyists as well as Republican donors and Thompson believes that the law firm was the main culprit in having him thrown off the case by an Alabama Circuit Court judge in November, 2005.
The Bar complaints filed by Judge Tunis are in relation to this case and Thompson's conduct when he failed to have Bully declared a public nuisance last October." [ Gaming Today - Sept. 7, 2007]
Ahh Wacky Jacky.... When will you ever learn that the world hates you and these donkey shows amount to nothing?
This illustrates the further problems of the Sony strategy for the PS3. Another "exclusive" is planning to go multi-platform. This is a kin to rats leaving a sinking ship.... Maybe when it does sink, Kas and the rest of them will see their almighty "giant enemy crabs"? This site says it all - http://lexluthorbeating.ytmnd.com/ Don't be afraid to sing along!
_____
"Since when did Bush become the Emperor, and who's the Jar Jar Binks we need to hang? Oh forget it... Let's just hang Jar Jar anyways..."
This price drop indicates that Sony is in a desperate situation. Sony has seriously slipped up here and needs to pull out all the stops in order to catch up with this next gen battle. Let's review what is going on here:
1) Cost - Sony really botched up with the cost. No matter what fellow geeks out there say - $599 is way too much for somebody like me. The average gamer isn't able to generate that kind of income. Remember Neo Geo? It was technology advanced, but nobody was willing to fork over $700 for the system, $100 per game, and $200 for games. This is EXACTLY the same mistake Sony is making with the $599 price tag. Now that it is down to $499, it MAY be able to catch up.
2) Games - Sony has blatenly ignored the gamers out there, both causal and hard core. So far there has been nothing to justify the cost of the system. Also, Sony has lost most of its "exclusive titles". Meanwhile Microsoft and Nintendo have created games that newbs, casual and hardcore gamers enjoy. Sony's only justification? Ridge Racer and giant enemy crabs http://lexluthorbeating.ytmnd.com/....
3) Wii - The Wii has had a strong head start. Outselling PS3 almost 7 to 1 in Japan will give Sony alot of work ahead of it. Sony needs to find a weakness in the Wii's momentum to stop it. However, that may be akin to trying to find a weakness in Fort Knoxx...
4) Blu-Ray - This whole deal with the next-gen DVD format is way too soon. Not everybody can rush out there and get the next big thing... Most wait till they have to get it before switching and, despite what a lot think, not everybody has even made the switch to regular DVD...
To sum this all up - Sony has their work cut out for them because of the starting blunders. IF they want to suceed with this, they need to make games that people WANT to play. Funny bit is - Wii is making a profit with each sale and despite a lot of defective 360s, is still going strong. A good site to look at is at http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Investing/Ext ra/SonySlashesPlayStationThreePrice.aspx
I also agree. I believe that the CSI: Las Vegas episode "Shooting Stars" ending said it best when Grissom said: "I believe that if there is intelligent life out there watching us from afar, then they would be wise enough to stay away." That could be the most rational reason we have not been contacted. I don't believe we are alone in the universe, but I believe that we are left alone because we are too violent and unorganized.
_____
"Yeah, and if that were true then I'd be farting gold dust!"
If take-two takes a loss on this game it could have a chilling effect on freedom of speech for years to come, and companies willingness to push the envelope.
No, I don't think that it will cause that much damage to the Freedom of Speech or companies to tone down. I think in honesty that this turmoil will hype up the game and boost its sales, if anything else. This debacle may make game developers reconsider the content, but not fully stop the freedom of expression. Not because of fear of public outlash, but because of the fact an AO rated game is hard to distribute.
_____
"If the saying 'With age comes wisdom' was even remotely true, then why are those dinos in government unable to outwit a used tea bag?!!"
This is just yet another waste of time and money. It will be appealed because of the First Admendment and will be yet another bill that is put to waste. Here is a novel idea - why don't the GOVERNMENT stay out of what PARENTS should be doing? Oh I forgot, common sense is as extinct as the dinosaurs....
_____
"You know, if I actually CARED then this would all make sense!"
I agree... take a look at Neverwinter Nights and look at Final Fantasy 7. Both games are good, but are worlds apart as far as what transpires. Both have different game mechanics and story structure. Final Fantasy and other games coming from Japan have a more linear progression. US made online games tend to be more dynamic, meaning they allow the player to be good or evil, or be able to customize/personalize their character.
When it comes to MMOs, I really don't see much of a threat from it. Right now, devs want to make a Worlds of Warcraft Killer. In the process, there is a lot of garbage created. Still, the demand for single player offline RPGs will never die. I honestly think that RPG makers need to worry about MMOS, BUT they need to do better as far as trying to convince players to get off the console and onto the PC.
Yes you are right! Because Iowa is the black hole of Technology and IT Jobs! Where am I? You guessed it! The paleolithic BFing nowhere state itself - IOWA.
_____
"It's not the fact you fail that makes you an idiot. It's the number of times you repeatedly do it before you realize it won't work that makes you an idiot!"
Slashdot Mirror
When it comes to SETI, the old saying "Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained" comes to mind. Yes, so far it has produced no results and nobody can truthfully argue about that. However, are we being a bit impatient about the conclusions? People want to hear from ET NOW rather than consider that we've only begun to scratch advanced technology here on Earth.
Consider this - Computer Technology, Space Travel, Multimedia, Radio, and Science Advancements have just evolved higher within the last 100 years. Over 100 years ago, we didn't have what we have now. So considering the human race has been around for at least a million years, why is there such a rush to find ET? We are just starting to try to find life beyond our world. Therefore patience is the key here.
Also consider what we are doing now on our world. Think about this - we fight, kill, and hate since the beginning of our species. What makes us so sure populated worlds would WANT to talk to us? I really believe, and this is just opinion, that if there is life out there looking at us from afar, they would be wise to leave us alone. If they did come here, what guarantee do they have we wouldn't attack them or manipulate them to do our battles here on Earth? So my guess is that if there is life out there and they are getting our signals, maybe they have Caller ID and chose to pretend they are not at home.
I agree... Jack Ass Thompson is just doing this because he wants attention. He has no chance of winning... its like Goliath (Microsoft and Bungie) versus a cockroach (Thompson). He has to worry about his pending disbarment - why must he worry about Halo 3? Guess he has too much time on his hands and we all need a good laugh, I suppose. But for a good laugh - Have all Halo fans tar and feather him. Now THAT would be hilarious!
You have been a bright light for us all here at Slashdot Mr. Beckerman.
Yes that goes for me too... Considering I live in Neolithic Iowa, companies like AT&T and T-Moble are very reluctant to come to an area that chucks rocks with messages for the Iowa version of Instant Messaging. Seriously, I see those Verison ads with "The Network" and the "Can You Hear Me Now?" dude stopping one inch from the Bedrock... err... Iowa state border. Probably because they are afraid that an Instant Message will hit them... So it probably will be 500,000 years before I see a working IPhone here.
_____
"Halo 3? Is that what the Bane have or is that something I can add to my Tabula?" - 10/19/07
I just go "The Voices!!!! They're telling me to KILL!!!"... You'd be surprised how many times that has worked!
_____
"If truth in advertising still existed, the cable company's new logo would be 'We Own Your Ass!'"
We don't because:
1) Jack Ass Thompson is the guy we all love to hate.
2) Jack Off Thompson has a handful of days before he gets disbarred.
3) ???
4) Profit. Oh wait that is the Underpants Gnomes....
5) Jack S**t Thompson is a joke since he gives us new and funny schemes to ban games.
_____
"Life is a game nobody wins because we all die at the end... Now where is the cheat codes?"
I'd be 100% satisfied if somebody try to disbar him... oh wait... SOMEBODY IS!
_____
"I need a Tabula Rasa... "
Sadly I am not a college student. Also the point is being missed - I am ok with Micro$oft XP SP2. Granted it is not the best tool out there, but for me it works. Also, which OS is the best is best decided by the end user and their needs. Apple and Linux are great, but I am not in a position to pay money for updates to keep secure and up to date. This box is already 5 years old. The point is that there is a lot of people out there that cannot realistically go out there and grab the newest shiney or update with a price tag. Micro$oft updates are free... granted quite a lot of updates, but still free nonetheless. If Micro$oft did a "pay-per-update", I'd switch to Linux in a heartbeat. I know I may risk the turmoil somebody else did playing Worlds of Warcraft on Wine or something.. but I rather be secure and be able to do it for free than to go hungry for a week or two or lose lights, power, and net.
_____
"I speak for most everybody when I heard OJ Simpson was going to trial agian - Oh nooo, here we go again!"
So let me get this strait... He WANTS us to steal HIS music? Humm... then wouldn't that be giving it away since he is saying "go ahead"?
_____
"OJ Simpson is proof you can't cure stupid!"
There's also a level of chutzpah in the frequent OS updates that I appreciate, even if I have to shell out $129 before rebates every two years or so.
Let me put it this way - I CANNOT AFFORD $50 UPDATES, LET ALONE $129 UPDATES EVERY TWO OR LESS YEARS. That is why I can't go with a Mac and am a slave to Window$. As for Linux, I don't want to monkey around with a OS to get to play my fav online games.. oh and considering the fact that to use an emulator to play Worlds of Warcraft on Linux may get you the banhammer has pretty much forced me to stay with Micro$oft. However, I am staying with XP SP2 since I have not had as many problems with it and will avoid Vista like I'd avoid a minefield.
This whole "Mac Vs. PC" or whatever is really just pointless. Mac, Micro$oft, and Linux has both their pros and cons despite what anybody thinks. It all comes down to what YOU want to do and what YOUR expectations are. I seriously doubt there is a utopian OS that everybody can agree is superior. What we all can do is agree to disagree and not resort to going "My OS is bigger than your OS! Neener! Neener! Neener!". I am not downplaying Apple or Linux and certainly not saying Micro$oft is the best. I am just saying for ME, Win XP SP2 works the best for my needs and budget.
_____
"How do I spell relief? V-I-D-E-O-G-A-M-E-S!!!"
Nintendo has a long history of being out of touch with the standards of computer terminology. Whenever they mention the size of a game, they mention it in MegaBITS not MegaBYTES. So for them to say that somehow a large number of bytes can be stored in a small amount of bits isn't too shocking for me.
_____
"It is a tragedy that if I sold the answer for world peace, I'd get busted for selling pot!"
Here is the story:
"Wacky Jacky is currently suing the mediator, Judge Dava Tunis, along with the Florida Supreme Court and the Florida Bar.
Thompson's reasons for subpoenaing The President are a bit esoteric and would make great fodder for an X-Files episode or anything else in the realm of conspiracy theories and Science Fiction. This bit of paranoia stems from the "nefarious" Blank Rome law firm, which represents the defendants in the Strickland vs. Sony lawsuit where an 18-year old in Alabama was allegedly under the influence of Grand Theft Auto when he murdered two police officers and a police dispatcher in 2004. Apparently, the "evil" Blank Rome firm are lobbyists as well as Republican donors and Thompson believes that the law firm was the main culprit in having him thrown off the case by an Alabama Circuit Court judge in November, 2005.
The Bar complaints filed by Judge Tunis are in relation to this case and Thompson's conduct when he failed to have Bully declared a public nuisance last October." [ Gaming Today - Sept. 7, 2007]
Ahh Wacky Jacky.... When will you ever learn that the world hates you and these donkey shows amount to nothing?
_____
"A little violence never killed anybody!"
Amen!!
Seppuku
Now we know WHY its called the Wii!
_____
"If you want something done right... Don't ask Sony!"
This illustrates the further problems of the Sony strategy for the PS3. Another "exclusive" is planning to go multi-platform. This is a kin to rats leaving a sinking ship.... Maybe when it does sink, Kas and the rest of them will see their almighty "giant enemy crabs"? This site says it all - http://lexluthorbeating.ytmnd.com/ Don't be afraid to sing along!
_____
"Since when did Bush become the Emperor, and who's the Jar Jar Binks we need to hang? Oh forget it... Let's just hang Jar Jar anyways..."
This price drop indicates that Sony is in a desperate situation. Sony has seriously slipped up here and needs to pull out all the stops in order to catch up with this next gen battle. Let's review what is going on here:
t ra/SonySlashesPlayStationThreePrice.aspx
1) Cost - Sony really botched up with the cost. No matter what fellow geeks out there say - $599 is way too much for somebody like me. The average gamer isn't able to generate that kind of income. Remember Neo Geo? It was technology advanced, but nobody was willing to fork over $700 for the system, $100 per game, and $200 for games. This is EXACTLY the same mistake Sony is making with the $599 price tag. Now that it is down to $499, it MAY be able to catch up.
2) Games - Sony has blatenly ignored the gamers out there, both causal and hard core. So far there has been nothing to justify the cost of the system. Also, Sony has lost most of its "exclusive titles". Meanwhile Microsoft and Nintendo have created games that newbs, casual and hardcore gamers enjoy. Sony's only justification? Ridge Racer and giant enemy crabs http://lexluthorbeating.ytmnd.com/....
3) Wii - The Wii has had a strong head start. Outselling PS3 almost 7 to 1 in Japan will give Sony alot of work ahead of it. Sony needs to find a weakness in the Wii's momentum to stop it. However, that may be akin to trying to find a weakness in Fort Knoxx...
4) Blu-Ray - This whole deal with the next-gen DVD format is way too soon. Not everybody can rush out there and get the next big thing... Most wait till they have to get it before switching and, despite what a lot think, not everybody has even made the switch to regular DVD...
To sum this all up - Sony has their work cut out for them because of the starting blunders. IF they want to suceed with this, they need to make games that people WANT to play. Funny bit is - Wii is making a profit with each sale and despite a lot of defective 360s, is still going strong. A good site to look at is at http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Investing/Ex
I also agree. I believe that the CSI: Las Vegas episode "Shooting Stars" ending said it best when Grissom said: "I believe that if there is intelligent life out there watching us from afar, then they would be wise enough to stay away." That could be the most rational reason we have not been contacted. I don't believe we are alone in the universe, but I believe that we are left alone because we are too violent and unorganized.
_____
"Yeah, and if that were true then I'd be farting gold dust!"
If take-two takes a loss on this game it could have a chilling effect on freedom of speech for years to come, and companies willingness to push the envelope.
No, I don't think that it will cause that much damage to the Freedom of Speech or companies to tone down. I think in honesty that this turmoil will hype up the game and boost its sales, if anything else. This debacle may make game developers reconsider the content, but not fully stop the freedom of expression. Not because of fear of public outlash, but because of the fact an AO rated game is hard to distribute.
_____
"If the saying 'With age comes wisdom' was even remotely true, then why are those dinos in government unable to outwit a used tea bag?!!"
This is just yet another waste of time and money. It will be appealed because of the First Admendment and will be yet another bill that is put to waste. Here is a novel idea - why don't the GOVERNMENT stay out of what PARENTS should be doing? Oh I forgot, common sense is as extinct as the dinosaurs....
_____
"You know, if I actually CARED then this would all make sense!"
I agree... take a look at Neverwinter Nights and look at Final Fantasy 7. Both games are good, but are worlds apart as far as what transpires. Both have different game mechanics and story structure. Final Fantasy and other games coming from Japan have a more linear progression. US made online games tend to be more dynamic, meaning they allow the player to be good or evil, or be able to customize/personalize their character.
When it comes to MMOs, I really don't see much of a threat from it. Right now, devs want to make a Worlds of Warcraft Killer. In the process, there is a lot of garbage created. Still, the demand for single player offline RPGs will never die. I honestly think that RPG makers need to worry about MMOS, BUT they need to do better as far as trying to convince players to get off the console and onto the PC.
_____
"If I wanted your opinion, I'd ask a monkey!"
14. Find Cold Fission
15. Cure Cancer
16. Play a MMORPG
I'll go with #16 Chuck...
_____
"A million morons still equals a million morons!"
Lets get ready to rumble!!!!!!
Ok. I know that was stupid, but it had to be said.
Oh great.. why won't this die?!!!
_____
"Dr. Phil and Jack Thompson are proof you don't give a moron a soapbox!"
Yes you are right! Because Iowa is the black hole of Technology and IT Jobs! Where am I? You guessed it! The paleolithic BFing nowhere state itself - IOWA.
_____
"It's not the fact you fail that makes you an idiot. It's the number of times you repeatedly do it before you realize it won't work that makes you an idiot!"