AOL sucks. We all know this. So they think that providing their services for free, in an advertising based model will help them. It probably will. I think it misses the point, though. How many stories have we heard about their terrible support, lacking features, and inability to change with the market? They should probably focus on providing a great product before they make it free.
Free crap is still crap.
FTA: Microsoft's new portable audio and video player will have a screen that's "bigger than that of the iPod video" (which isn't really saying much) and built-in WiFi so you can not only download content directly to the player (sort of like with the MusicGremlin), but actually participate in an Xbox Live-like social network that will help you connect with other people with similar taste and interests.
I might play Eve. In fact, I think it may be what the MMORPG genre was meant to be in its fullest form. I downloaded the free trial and after a few hours of gameplay, I hadn't finished with the tutorial. The game is huge. It's not all about killing or casual violence, it's about a life. You can buy, sell, trade, build companies, overthrow other companies in bidding wars, all sorts of things. You never have to fire a shot.
You make some interesting points. First off, I probably should have clarified. Of course I think any person should be conerned with provision for their family. My point was as far as their art is concerned, the desire of an artist is to see his/her art spread and enjoyed. To do this, many artists would take full time jobs and produce art on the side or what have you.
Secondly, I don't think all artists have done it for the money. As someone already brought up, many of the Greeks just assumed it would be distributed freely. For the record, I have not chosen a career in IT or programming, but in preaching. I have a job in my current field so I can pay the bills, and I preach on the side whenever I can. Yes, I do hope that one day I'll be employed full-time preaching. All I desire is enough to provide for my family. If that means that I have to keep a full-time job so I can provide and still preach on the side, I will gladly do so for the rest of my life.
Thirdly, I'm not sure how any of those verses (or passages) refute my views at all. In fact, I'd say they rather support them. If I enjoy an artist's work, the Bible tells me to support him/her as I would have him/her support me. That's precisely what I desire. My point is that it should be voluntary, not compulsory. Compulsory adherence to arbitrary rules is exactly what the Pharisees of Jesus' time did, and exactly what He was speaking against.
Lastly, thanks for making me think through my statements more fully.
Actually, I was just thinking about this the other day. IMHO, an artist should be concerned with one thing: the spreading of his art. Art used to be thought of as a means of promoting thought and creativity but gradually began to be thought of as a means of profit and popularity.
Now, do I think artists shouldn't be compensated for their contributions? Of course not. However, I may lean toward the idea that it should be voluntary. Are artists going to make as much money? Probably not. Should that be their focus? I don't think so.
Of course, many would think me an ignoramus just for suggesting it. "Don't you know that people won't pay for it if they don't have to!" Well, my friend, I believe that's just the situation we find ourselves in today, wouldn't you say? So either we clamp down completely with proprietary DRM'ed formats, or we just let music run free and see what happens.
Mobile Gaming is becoming somewhat of a buzzword, but I think this idea has some potential to it in a slightly different way. For those of us who don't necessarily enjoy lugging around a 12 lb notebook just for the occasional gaming opportunity, Dell or whoever could create a very portable notebook that docked into a more sophisticated machine, thereby allowing for a small family to go back to one PC. Of course, it's probably not in the best interest of the manufacturer, since they want us all to have as many PCs as we can stand, but it makes sense for the consumer. There are docks out there with built-in hard-drives, why not built-in video cards and extra RAM, and even a bigger monitor? Having everything on one PC would be beneficial to a lot of people.
Too bad what we want and what manufacturers want us to want are often two different things.
For the record, if you (the seller) advertises on Adwords, they give you $10 free transactions for every $1 you spend in Adwords advertising. So if you spend $500 a day on advertising costs, they allow $5,000 worth of sales go through for free.
Slashdot Mirror
AOL sucks. We all know this. So they think that providing their services for free, in an advertising based model will help them. It probably will. I think it misses the point, though. How many stories have we heard about their terrible support, lacking features, and inability to change with the market? They should probably focus on providing a great product before they make it free. Free crap is still crap.
Disable the log-out button.
Right-o, I stand corrected. Still not sure why I got modded as "troll." "Confused" would have been more appropriate.
FTA: Microsoft's new portable audio and video player will have a screen that's "bigger than that of the iPod video" (which isn't really saying much) and built-in WiFi so you can not only download content directly to the player (sort of like with the MusicGremlin), but actually participate in an Xbox Live-like social network that will help you connect with other people with similar taste and interests.
FTA: Microsoft will still have to pay the rights-holders for the songs, but they believe it'll be worth it to acquire converts to their new player.
They're actually going to lose a little to get customers to switch. May not be a bad idea.
I might play Eve. In fact, I think it may be what the MMORPG genre was meant to be in its fullest form. I downloaded the free trial and after a few hours of gameplay, I hadn't finished with the tutorial. The game is huge. It's not all about killing or casual violence, it's about a life. You can buy, sell, trade, build companies, overthrow other companies in bidding wars, all sorts of things. You never have to fire a shot.
You make some interesting points. First off, I probably should have clarified. Of course I think any person should be conerned with provision for their family. My point was as far as their art is concerned, the desire of an artist is to see his/her art spread and enjoyed. To do this, many artists would take full time jobs and produce art on the side or what have you.
Secondly, I don't think all artists have done it for the money. As someone already brought up, many of the Greeks just assumed it would be distributed freely. For the record, I have not chosen a career in IT or programming, but in preaching. I have a job in my current field so I can pay the bills, and I preach on the side whenever I can. Yes, I do hope that one day I'll be employed full-time preaching. All I desire is enough to provide for my family. If that means that I have to keep a full-time job so I can provide and still preach on the side, I will gladly do so for the rest of my life.
Thirdly, I'm not sure how any of those verses (or passages) refute my views at all. In fact, I'd say they rather support them. If I enjoy an artist's work, the Bible tells me to support him/her as I would have him/her support me. That's precisely what I desire. My point is that it should be voluntary, not compulsory. Compulsory adherence to arbitrary rules is exactly what the Pharisees of Jesus' time did, and exactly what He was speaking against.
Lastly, thanks for making me think through my statements more fully.
Actually, I was just thinking about this the other day. IMHO, an artist should be concerned with one thing: the spreading of his art. Art used to be thought of as a means of promoting thought and creativity but gradually began to be thought of as a means of profit and popularity.
Now, do I think artists shouldn't be compensated for their contributions? Of course not. However, I may lean toward the idea that it should be voluntary. Are artists going to make as much money? Probably not. Should that be their focus? I don't think so.
Of course, many would think me an ignoramus just for suggesting it. "Don't you know that people won't pay for it if they don't have to!" Well, my friend, I believe that's just the situation we find ourselves in today, wouldn't you say? So either we clamp down completely with proprietary DRM'ed formats, or we just let music run free and see what happens.
Just my two.
Not quite the same, but once I received an error message that simply said:
"An error that should never have occured has occured. The system will now shut down."
I spent a couple summers in Minnesota and came to a conclusion... the state motto is incomplete. it should read:
"Land of Ten Thousand Lakes...and a Hundred Billion Mosquitos."
In the Land of Middle Web...
One link to rule them all,
One link to find them.
One link to bring them all, and in the darkness bind them.
By J.R. Okin.
Does that mean Obi Wan meant to say, "He's more John Deere now, than man"?
Mobile Gaming is becoming somewhat of a buzzword, but I think this idea has some potential to it in a slightly different way. For those of us who don't necessarily enjoy lugging around a 12 lb notebook just for the occasional gaming opportunity, Dell or whoever could create a very portable notebook that docked into a more sophisticated machine, thereby allowing for a small family to go back to one PC. Of course, it's probably not in the best interest of the manufacturer, since they want us all to have as many PCs as we can stand, but it makes sense for the consumer. There are docks out there with built-in hard-drives, why not built-in video cards and extra RAM, and even a bigger monitor? Having everything on one PC would be beneficial to a lot of people.
Too bad what we want and what manufacturers want us to want are often two different things.
Remember that huge watch Dick Tracy had? light bulb in head quickly flickers, then flashes on, then.... BOOM! it explodes... "OOOOOOOOOOHHHH!"
For the record, if you (the seller) advertises on Adwords, they give you $10 free transactions for every $1 you spend in Adwords advertising. So if you spend $500 a day on advertising costs, they allow $5,000 worth of sales go through for free.