If software companies could be held liable in the way pharmaceutical companies are held liable, we would *never* see shipping software with 5-digit bug lists.
To those who are posting home contact information of the attorneys involved in their case, and to those who are interested in contacting those attorneys:
You have every reason to want your voice heard, regarding this case. I am outraged at what appears to be happening. However - go through the proper channels to have your say. Contacting these attorneys *at home* is not appropriate.
Complaining to the attorneys through professional channels is okay, and filing a complaint with the proper legal governing bodies is even better. But if these attorneys receive harassing messages at home, this may be interpreted as a threatining action. Because of the pending lawsuit, this may come up in court and make the "little guy" look bad.
I am not taking the lawyers' side by any means. But think before you speak, so you don't add to the fella's pile of trouble.
adj. (1) foolish pride, such as that shortly preceding a fall
Etymology - derived from the Welsh word for "idiot"
Nota bene - the great video game crash of 1983, shortly before which a prominent game executive said he could take a crap in a box, and people would buy it
"Alpha" - we made changes to XP codebase, now doggone Vista won't compile
"Beta" - we finally got it to compile, let's ship 'er out and test the waters
"Final" - it's mostly feature-complete, ready for quality testing by paying customers
"Service Pack 1" - final release candidate (boy did we fool them!), now let's think about security
"Service Pack 2" - done thinking, done testing, the final project woohoo! (Ballmer pats chair on back)
Don't take it so literally when the U.S. blocks Lenovo out of fear of spying. This move was made out of economic nationalism. Computer hardware is a colossal industry in our country, and companies like Dell have a lot of lobbying power.
It's true that Dells, Macs, etc. are manufactured in China - the difference between them is that their profits go to America, whereas for Lenovo, the profits go to China. That is why the government is blocking Lenovo.
The article notes that "Right now, those who can't afford a Windows PC are faced with three alternatives: run Linux, run Windows Starter Edition, or obtain a pirated copy of Windows. The third option is often the most attractive one for consumers and conversely, the least attractive one for Microsoft." I must differ with one aspect of this comment - I would think the least attractive option for Microsoft would be for consumers to install and become comfortable with Linux.
I have researched this question out of my own interest in the past couple of years, and let me divide your question into two parts:
1. Should I buy a DLP, LCD, or DILA? These competing display technologies all have their strengths and weaknesses. In an effort to be objective, the *general* consensus for DLP units are that they offer higher contrast and a sharper image, but at the cost of the "rainbow effect". LCD units offer more vivid, saturated color, but at the expense of higher black levels. DILA units, called SXRD when under the Sony brand, tend to share the strengths and weaknesses of LCD's. Now for my subjective opinion, I prefer an LCD because I am quite happy with the rich image, and the rainbows of DLP color wheels render them unwatchable for me. Even on DLP's with a high-speed color wheel, although the alternating red, green, and blue components of the image are not consciously visible, I found that I get a headache after watching it for 90 minutes or so. So I strongly prefer LCD's to DLP's, although this is a question on the order of Ford vs. Chevy, domestic vs. imported, Windows vs. Mac, Ginger vs. Mary Ann...
2. Should I get a flat-screen, rear projection, or front projection unit? This is another important question that you didn't explicitly consider in your post, but it's essential when you want a large-format screen. A flat-screen, which may include LCD's and plasmas, may offer the most vibrant and saturated image, but at a higher cost per inch of screen real estate than other options. Rear projection TV's pass light through an LCD, DLP, or DILA filter to form an image on the back side of a (usually) black screen. Front projection TV's can create an image of arbitrary size, depending on the projection distance, with a tradeoff between image size and quality. The Achilles heel of front projectors is ambient light - the image gets washed out when it must compete with other light sources. Projection units tend to give you more image for your money than flat screens.
After extensive research, I selected a Sanyo PLV-Z4 for my TV. It is an LCD front projector with good contrast with future-compatible features (particularly HDMI with HDCP) and an attractive price. I painted a neutral grey screen using Screen Goo. I found that the image is sparkling when the room is completely light controlled, with deep blacks and rich color. I use a screen diagonal of 84", even though the unit could be enlarged to 100" or so, because I prefer image quality over size. My living room is flooded with ambient light, so I convinced myself that I should be doing other things during daylight hours, like working or being active outside. Ambient light problem solved. 8)
What works for me may not necessarily be the best thing for you, but I've been quite happy with it. Good luck.
I disagree with this. This is an insightful thought, and Nintendo has a history of releasing redesigns. However, all of their changes have been in the direction of smaller and more elegant - more Apple-esque, if you will. This in particular appeals to the Japanese, who are space-conscious and thus turned their nose at the Xbehemoth.
The currently shown Wii design is about as small and elegant as can be created, still having room for a full-size DVD slot. Moreover, it already has wireless capabilities. After the Wii enters the market, they will release elegant add-ons, but not a redesigned console.
Last year I was in a restroom in the Chicaco O'Hare airport. I found a leather briefcase that had been left behind, and I was the only one around. So I opened the briefcase to find who it belonged to, and I found a stack of business cards identifying the owner as Wally O'Dell, Diebold CEO and Chairman of the Board. I try to be a good Boy Scout, so I took it over to airport security, and found a very frantic Mr. O'Dell. He pulled out his wallet and asked if I wanted a reward, and I said no thanks.
Do you know how much revenue Blizzard is anticipating from World of Warcraft next year?
A billion dollars.
A freaking BILLION.
Six million subscribers, $15 per month, 12 months - do the math, those micropayments add up spectacularly. A hit console game may sell a few million copies, and that revenue is divided between the retailer, the console maker, the publisher, and the developer. *This* is why they are obsessed with episodic content - the lure of having a healthy revenue stream, most of which they get to keep.
The reason episodic content is attractive, from the perspective of a game developer, derives from both increased revenue and decreased costs. The increased revenue is what you term the "money milking" argument - it is true that gamers who like a certain franchise will be willing to spend $10 a pop on 6-8 hour episodes, and they might end up spending $100 over a year or so on episodes for a favorite game. The cost of producing a short episode is relatively small, compared to the cost of producing an entire game. Not to mention consumer expectations - when gamers buy a new game, they expect something innovative. When they buy a new episode, they expect a new twist on the same old thing. Again, it's easier for gaming companies to do it this way.
At first I was skeptical, chiefly due to concerns about the audio quality. But after thinking about it, I believe that if designers use it judiciously, it will help break down the "fourth wall" between the player and the game world. It will not be used for music or ambient noise - rather, it should be used for occasional "accent" sounds, like swords clanging against each other.
Nintendo's rationale was that, if the action is all around you (and you are NOT part of the action), then surround sound can convey this. But if you ARE truly part of the action, some sound should come from you as well.
Do two quick searches to see for yourself, the difference between google.com and google.cn. These links refer to the image search on the U.S. and Chinese Google pages, respectively.
1. persimmon woods
2. hickory shafts
3. blade irons
4. something called a "mashie niblick" (look it up, for a trip down memory lane)
5. leather balls stuffed with feathers
Now, thanks to new technology we play with:
1. oversized titanium drivers
2. graphite shafts
3. cavity back irons
4. 60-degree wedges
5. four layer solid-core distance balls
Now for the kicker - according to the USGA, the average handicap hasn't dropped significantly. What does that tell us?
I have no idea who will win the format war, so I will make no wild guesses on the outcome. I will, however, point out one upside to this format war.
Consumers tend to benefit when there are two major players in a given market, ferociously trying to out-compete each other. Think of the graphics acceleration wars between ATI and nVidia - they have continuously one-upped each other for the past several years, and consumers have seen huge performance increases at ever-decreasing prices. On the other hand, think of markets that lack two major players - the lack of competition leads to increasing prices with stagnating product quality. *cough* M$ *cough*
There are some things not to like about the next-gen DVD war, such as DRM restrictions. However, even though prices of HD-DVD and Blu-Ray players are high, as are prices for the new discs, the prices are probably much lower than they would be without healthy competition.
You may also be interested in this - I made a slight error in my first posting. We *can* currently implement quantum algorithms, through simulators such as this one for Matlab: http://www.physics.uq.edu.au/people/rohde/blog/?pa ge_id=20
However, a famous physicist/mathematician (whose name escapes me right now) proved that to emulate a quantum computer on a digital one will always require exponential complexity. So the benefit of speed is lost, but for the sake of curiosity and development, implementations of quantum algorithms can, at present, be tested. What we need now is the hardware. 8)
This is an interesting comment coming from the person who, according to TFA, is "arguably more interested in designing children's playgrounds than video games."
The intention of quantum computing is not to replace, but rather to complement classical (i.e. digital) computing. Quantum computing can dramatically speed up certain tasks, such as cryptography and searching. Even though they cannot yet be implemented, a number of important quantum algorithms have already been discovered. Most - but not all - quantum algorithms return probabilistic answers, rather than clear-cut answers as most classical algorithms do.
You're right that piracy - whether in terms of software, movies, etc. - abounds in China. Here is one cultural tidbit that might help explain why:
A very important value in Chinese culture is "saving face". No one wants to lose face, and no one wants to cause another person to lose face. For illustration, note that cheating in academic settings is also rampant in China. There is even a market for hired test-takers, who act as paid surrogates by taking exams in other peoples' names. Professors know about it; in fact professors tend to leave the testing room and just turn a blind eye to cheating. The article linked below comes from the Chinese media and is thus subject to government censoring, but you still get the idea:
Now, if "saving face" is so important in China, why would the government enthusiastically crack down on piracy which, for the most part, hurts Western companies more than their domestic companies? From their perspective, they may be allowing people who practice piracy to save face. The chief reason remaining for the Communist party to discourage piracy is to appease Western nations. This does not seem to be a strong enough motivation for the government to go to *great* lengths to eliminate piracy, as long as they can show some progress to foreign nations.
In light of the understandable comments incited by the RedBerry, with the tune of "Commie bastards, ripping off our ideas and mass producing them," let's take a different look at our trade relations with China.
A wise man once told me, "When a business deal is being made, the buyer is in control. The buyer brings $$$$ to the table. Nothing happens in a business deal unless $$$$ changes hands. Therefore, nothing will happen unless the buyer allows it to happen."
To relate that to the China situation, the reason we have a trade deficit is because Americans, on an individual basis, want to buy cheap mass-produced goods. This is in stark contrast with Americans as a whole, who want our economy to be strong and trade deficits to lessen. (Both of these assertions are made on a generalized basis and may not hold true in all specific instances. But let it be sufficient to make my point.)
To loosely paraphrase V in "V for Vendetta" - "to find the origin of your problems, you only need to look in the mirror." Remember this when buying Chinese imports at Walmart, or purchasing Lenovo laptops.
Before modding me all to hell, realize that this is a classic problem of Nash game theory. We have a trade deficit with China because individual Americans have trouble simulaneously 1) buying what they want, and 2) doing what is best for the nation.
This line of reasoning is tangential to the introduction of the "RedBerry", but necessary (I felt) in light of all of the economic nationalist posts that Slashdotters are furiously typing. 8)
In related news, Al Gore protested that he was, in fact, not Bill Clinton's vice president. Mr. Gore went on record by further saying that he is personally responsible for such innovations as the "internet" and "global warming".
Slashdot Mirror
Some industries are held accountable for shipping "buggy" products. Here are examples of two recent "bugs" that you may have heard of:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vioxx
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bextra
If software companies could be held liable in the way pharmaceutical companies are held liable, we would *never* see shipping software with 5-digit bug lists.
To those who are posting home contact information of the attorneys involved in their case, and to those who are interested in contacting those attorneys:
You have every reason to want your voice heard, regarding this case. I am outraged at what appears to be happening. However - go through the proper channels to have your say. Contacting these attorneys *at home* is not appropriate.
Complaining to the attorneys through professional channels is okay, and filing a complaint with the proper legal governing bodies is even better. But if these attorneys receive harassing messages at home, this may be interpreted as a threatining action. Because of the pending lawsuit, this may come up in court and make the "little guy" look bad.
I am not taking the lawyers' side by any means. But think before you speak, so you don't add to the fella's pile of trouble.
adj. (1) foolish pride, such as that shortly preceding a fall
1 983
Etymology - derived from the Welsh word for "idiot"
Nota bene - the great video game crash of 1983, shortly before which a prominent game executive said he could take a crap in a box, and people would buy it
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Video_Game_Crash_of_
"Alpha" - we made changes to XP codebase, now doggone Vista won't compile "Beta" - we finally got it to compile, let's ship 'er out and test the waters "Final" - it's mostly feature-complete, ready for quality testing by paying customers "Service Pack 1" - final release candidate (boy did we fool them!), now let's think about security "Service Pack 2" - done thinking, done testing, the final project woohoo! (Ballmer pats chair on back)
Debt - I can see it now. Another fine Microsoft innovation.
Don't take it so literally when the U.S. blocks Lenovo out of fear of spying. This move was made out of economic nationalism. Computer hardware is a colossal industry in our country, and companies like Dell have a lot of lobbying power.
It's true that Dells, Macs, etc. are manufactured in China - the difference between them is that their profits go to America, whereas for Lenovo, the profits go to China. That is why the government is blocking Lenovo.
ArsTechnica reported on this issue as well: http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20060522-6881 .html
The article notes that "Right now, those who can't afford a Windows PC are faced with three alternatives: run Linux, run Windows Starter Edition, or obtain a pirated copy of Windows. The third option is often the most attractive one for consumers and conversely, the least attractive one for Microsoft." I must differ with one aspect of this comment - I would think the least attractive option for Microsoft would be for consumers to install and become comfortable with Linux.
I have researched this question out of my own interest in the past couple of years, and let me divide your question into two parts:
1. Should I buy a DLP, LCD, or DILA? These competing display technologies all have their strengths and weaknesses. In an effort to be objective, the *general* consensus for DLP units are that they offer higher contrast and a sharper image, but at the cost of the "rainbow effect". LCD units offer more vivid, saturated color, but at the expense of higher black levels. DILA units, called SXRD when under the Sony brand, tend to share the strengths and weaknesses of LCD's. Now for my subjective opinion, I prefer an LCD because I am quite happy with the rich image, and the rainbows of DLP color wheels render them unwatchable for me. Even on DLP's with a high-speed color wheel, although the alternating red, green, and blue components of the image are not consciously visible, I found that I get a headache after watching it for 90 minutes or so. So I strongly prefer LCD's to DLP's, although this is a question on the order of Ford vs. Chevy, domestic vs. imported, Windows vs. Mac, Ginger vs. Mary Ann...
2. Should I get a flat-screen, rear projection, or front projection unit? This is another important question that you didn't explicitly consider in your post, but it's essential when you want a large-format screen. A flat-screen, which may include LCD's and plasmas, may offer the most vibrant and saturated image, but at a higher cost per inch of screen real estate than other options. Rear projection TV's pass light through an LCD, DLP, or DILA filter to form an image on the back side of a (usually) black screen. Front projection TV's can create an image of arbitrary size, depending on the projection distance, with a tradeoff between image size and quality. The Achilles heel of front projectors is ambient light - the image gets washed out when it must compete with other light sources. Projection units tend to give you more image for your money than flat screens.
After extensive research, I selected a Sanyo PLV-Z4 for my TV. It is an LCD front projector with good contrast with future-compatible features (particularly HDMI with HDCP) and an attractive price. I painted a neutral grey screen using Screen Goo. I found that the image is sparkling when the room is completely light controlled, with deep blacks and rich color. I use a screen diagonal of 84", even though the unit could be enlarged to 100" or so, because I prefer image quality over size. My living room is flooded with ambient light, so I convinced myself that I should be doing other things during daylight hours, like working or being active outside. Ambient light problem solved. 8)
What works for me may not necessarily be the best thing for you, but I've been quite happy with it. Good luck.
I disagree with this. This is an insightful thought, and Nintendo has a history of releasing redesigns. However, all of their changes have been in the direction of smaller and more elegant - more Apple-esque, if you will. This in particular appeals to the Japanese, who are space-conscious and thus turned their nose at the Xbehemoth.
The currently shown Wii design is about as small and elegant as can be created, still having room for a full-size DVD slot. Moreover, it already has wireless capabilities. After the Wii enters the market, they will release elegant add-ons, but not a redesigned console.
Last year I was in a restroom in the Chicaco O'Hare airport. I found a leather briefcase that had been left behind, and I was the only one around. So I opened the briefcase to find who it belonged to, and I found a stack of business cards identifying the owner as Wally O'Dell, Diebold CEO and Chairman of the Board. I try to be a good Boy Scout, so I took it over to airport security, and found a very frantic Mr. O'Dell. He pulled out his wallet and asked if I wanted a reward, and I said no thanks.
Do you know how much revenue Blizzard is anticipating from World of Warcraft next year?
A billion dollars.
A freaking BILLION.
Six million subscribers, $15 per month, 12 months - do the math, those micropayments add up spectacularly. A hit console game may sell a few million copies, and that revenue is divided between the retailer, the console maker, the publisher, and the developer. *This* is why they are obsessed with episodic content - the lure of having a healthy revenue stream, most of which they get to keep.
The reason episodic content is attractive, from the perspective of a game developer, derives from both increased revenue and decreased costs. The increased revenue is what you term the "money milking" argument - it is true that gamers who like a certain franchise will be willing to spend $10 a pop on 6-8 hour episodes, and they might end up spending $100 over a year or so on episodes for a favorite game. The cost of producing a short episode is relatively small, compared to the cost of producing an entire game. Not to mention consumer expectations - when gamers buy a new game, they expect something innovative. When they buy a new episode, they expect a new twist on the same old thing. Again, it's easier for gaming companies to do it this way.
It's not my style to be a dirty guy, but holy heck - take a look at this arcade game that was released in Japan:
http://www.seanbaby.com/nes/naughty02.htm
Can the Wii-mote be adapted for this sort of use?!?!
It looks like this guy had a little bit of inside information yesterday.
c id=15289821
http://games.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=185267&
At first I was skeptical, chiefly due to concerns about the audio quality. But after thinking about it, I believe that if designers use it judiciously, it will help break down the "fourth wall" between the player and the game world. It will not be used for music or ambient noise - rather, it should be used for occasional "accent" sounds, like swords clanging against each other.
Nintendo's rationale was that, if the action is all around you (and you are NOT part of the action), then surround sound can convey this. But if you ARE truly part of the action, some sound should come from you as well.
Since we're on the subject again, I reckoned that *someone* should post this... 8)
http://www.funnyjunk.com/pages/squirrel.htm
Hasn't anyone here ever dreamed of using your tongue as an I/O device for computing?
iIi aam wreiting thids usungh my tonguew asd an inputy devithe.
(D'oh... I don't think that was such a good idea. I think I just contracted staph, strep, and klebsiella from my keyboard. And SARS.)
Do two quick searches to see for yourself, the difference between google.com and google.cn. These links refer to the image search on the U.S. and Chinese Google pages, respectively.
http://images.google.com/
http://www.google.cn/imghp?hl=zh-CN&tab=wi&q=
Search for "Tiananmen" on both sites and notice the *significant* difference in content returned by each.
There was a time when we used to play golf with:
1. persimmon woods
2. hickory shafts
3. blade irons
4. something called a "mashie niblick" (look it up, for a trip down memory lane)
5. leather balls stuffed with feathers
Now, thanks to new technology we play with:
1. oversized titanium drivers
2. graphite shafts
3. cavity back irons
4. 60-degree wedges
5. four layer solid-core distance balls
Now for the kicker - according to the USGA, the average handicap hasn't dropped significantly. What does that tell us?
I have no idea who will win the format war, so I will make no wild guesses on the outcome. I will, however, point out one upside to this format war.
Consumers tend to benefit when there are two major players in a given market, ferociously trying to out-compete each other. Think of the graphics acceleration wars between ATI and nVidia - they have continuously one-upped each other for the past several years, and consumers have seen huge performance increases at ever-decreasing prices. On the other hand, think of markets that lack two major players - the lack of competition leads to increasing prices with stagnating product quality. *cough* M$ *cough*
There are some things not to like about the next-gen DVD war, such as DRM restrictions. However, even though prices of HD-DVD and Blu-Ray players are high, as are prices for the new discs, the prices are probably much lower than they would be without healthy competition.
You may also be interested in this - I made a slight error in my first posting. We *can* currently implement quantum algorithms, through simulators such as this one for Matlab: http://www.physics.uq.edu.au/people/rohde/blog/?pa ge_id=20
However, a famous physicist/mathematician (whose name escapes me right now) proved that to emulate a quantum computer on a digital one will always require exponential complexity. So the benefit of speed is lost, but for the sake of curiosity and development, implementations of quantum algorithms can, at present, be tested. What we need now is the hardware. 8)
This is an interesting comment coming from the person who, according to TFA, is "arguably more interested in designing children's playgrounds than video games."
The intention of quantum computing is not to replace, but rather to complement classical (i.e. digital) computing. Quantum computing can dramatically speed up certain tasks, such as cryptography and searching. Even though they cannot yet be implemented, a number of important quantum algorithms have already been discovered. Most - but not all - quantum algorithms return probabilistic answers, rather than clear-cut answers as most classical algorithms do.
Shor's algorithm for factoring numbers could be used to rapidly crack RSA encryption. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shor's_algorithm
Grover's algorithm can be used to search an unsorted database in O(n?2) time. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grover's_algorithm
You're right that piracy - whether in terms of software, movies, etc. - abounds in China. Here is one cultural tidbit that might help explain why:
m
A very important value in Chinese culture is "saving face". No one wants to lose face, and no one wants to cause another person to lose face. For illustration, note that cheating in academic settings is also rampant in China. There is even a market for hired test-takers, who act as paid surrogates by taking exams in other peoples' names. Professors know about it; in fact professors tend to leave the testing room and just turn a blind eye to cheating. The article linked below comes from the Chinese media and is thus subject to government censoring, but you still get the idea:
http://www.china.org.cn/english/scitech/101379.ht
Now, if "saving face" is so important in China, why would the government enthusiastically crack down on piracy which, for the most part, hurts Western companies more than their domestic companies? From their perspective, they may be allowing people who practice piracy to save face. The chief reason remaining for the Communist party to discourage piracy is to appease Western nations. This does not seem to be a strong enough motivation for the government to go to *great* lengths to eliminate piracy, as long as they can show some progress to foreign nations.
In light of the understandable comments incited by the RedBerry, with the tune of "Commie bastards, ripping off our ideas and mass producing them," let's take a different look at our trade relations with China.
A wise man once told me, "When a business deal is being made, the buyer is in control. The buyer brings $$$$ to the table. Nothing happens in a business deal unless $$$$ changes hands. Therefore, nothing will happen unless the buyer allows it to happen."
To relate that to the China situation, the reason we have a trade deficit is because Americans, on an individual basis, want to buy cheap mass-produced goods. This is in stark contrast with Americans as a whole, who want our economy to be strong and trade deficits to lessen. (Both of these assertions are made on a generalized basis and may not hold true in all specific instances. But let it be sufficient to make my point.)
To loosely paraphrase V in "V for Vendetta" - "to find the origin of your problems, you only need to look in the mirror." Remember this when buying Chinese imports at Walmart, or purchasing Lenovo laptops.
Before modding me all to hell, realize that this is a classic problem of Nash game theory. We have a trade deficit with China because individual Americans have trouble simulaneously 1) buying what they want, and 2) doing what is best for the nation.
This line of reasoning is tangential to the introduction of the "RedBerry", but necessary (I felt) in light of all of the economic nationalist posts that Slashdotters are furiously typing. 8)
In related news, Al Gore protested that he was, in fact, not Bill Clinton's vice president. Mr. Gore went on record by further saying that he is personally responsible for such innovations as the "internet" and "global warming".