Entries Tagged 'Just for fun' ↓
April 18th, 2008 — Just for fun, Trends
Microsoft’s got their work cut out for them. With a flopped operating system - by flopped, I mean not widely accepted nor comparably commercially-successful, not that it sucks - and the expectations of Windows 7 being of titanic proportions (it’s revolutionary, and it’s to be done in the next couple of years), Microsoft is going to have to completely blow us away, or lose customers by the flocks.
I’m not going to lie, I thought modular Windows was the best way to go. The article Ars Technica published really shook me up. All hope is not lost, however - Ars Technica assumed just one tiny thing that would make modular Windows suck: people would have to pay for it.
Free is the future of business, as Wired has stated. However, the only way I could see Microsoft actually implementing “free” would be giving away Windows and then charging subscriptions as Ars Technica had already suggested.
Thus, you might think I took it a bit out of context, but I think that it’s clear there are tons of other methods for companies like Microsoft to earn their money. The first one that struck my mind would be…
Advertising in Windows
It still might suck to some - but not as much as paying per module. Charge for that little banner at the corner of Windows 7, just like Microsoft charges for the little banner already implemented in Windows Live Messenger. It’s not going to be pretty, but everyone’s going to get used to it.
Just how much are they going to earn? Not enough - if the banner was as small or as un-intrusive as Windows Live Messenger’s. How about sticking one on the boot screen - it’s a pretty boring fifteen seconds without something to read, anyway. Or having Windows Sidebar’s gadgets flash around with bells and whistles? I’m sure that advertisers would be clawing by the dozens to try to get an advertisement on a certain region’s computers.
This also negates the possibility of pirating Windows. No more piracy - because you can really get the full-out version of Windows 7 for free. No CD-keys, no Microsoft “genuine” software crap. Sounds good, right?
The Solution:
Pay. You’ve got the power to turn off those damn bells and whistles, pay a hundred dollars just like you ordinarily would have for Windows 7. No more bells, no more whistles.
Charge the Developers
Make applying for developing a module for Windows go under two categories - the first for companies that will pay Microsoft a (possibly huge) premium and get free advertising banner boxed in their own application. The advertising banner thus introduces a medium for the developers to earn their own money.
The second category goes for freeware applications - which will be dominant in the sense that they are free, but still don’t have any advertisements on them. The freeware developer would then receive the credit he deserves, and probably a lot of donations too (even if it’s for something as simple as a school project).
Different Types of Modules
By now, you might’ve realized that I don’t see modules the same you might - I see every single application out there as a module. That might not be what Microsoft is up to, but I still think it’s an idea definitely worth thinking through. It’s going to be hard, and it’s going to be tough, and it’s definitely got the makings to stir up controversy, but it’s still an idea for free Windows that might not suck.
Actually, in retrospect, this all does sound kind of…dreary. Everything is controlled by Microsoft, as opposed to freedom that modules should be bringing. And people can dispel all that with just a $100 fee - is that enough to offset the revenue that advertising could bring in?
After all, it’s just an idea
The real world is leading the virtual world by example, and the virtual world could learn a few useful lessons. This banner/billboard idea is nothing new, but I think is still great solution for users that can’t afford (or don’t want to pay for) Windows and don’t mind advertising.
…err, the idea might not be too kind to developers though, it sounds kind of restricting.
April 16th, 2008 — Just for fun, Media
I’ve always been a fan of album art - when Coverflow came out, I was dazzled. When I finally got an iTunes account and could finally get album art, I was ecstatic.
Here’s a funky site for album art, and strictly that. No artist biographies, no music, nothing but pure, unfiltered album art. With people guessing that album art is a dying trend (I should hope not), you better come get ‘em while you can.
http://albumart.org/
March 28th, 2008 — Just for fun
As an internet junkie and a blogger, you can be pretty sure that I’ve found some ways to spend time on the internet. Sometimes, when I lack inspiration or just a topic to write about, I decide to drop by one of these sites. They are either my current regulars or have been in the past - in fact, I probably visit them a lot more than I should.
Disclaimer - these three types of places can concentrate your focus rather than dilute it, so don’t plan on multi-tasking.
1. Tower Defense
First and foremost, you can definitely not start the list without Tower Defense. It’s an extremely addicting game and can get frustration right out of your system - if you win. It also takes a lot of brain power, so I guess it’s safe to say that it trains your analytical thinking. Right.
2. Other Blogs
To be specific, I drop by two blogs at least once a day:
Surprised? Yep - I focus on blogging more than technology. I figure that news is one thing, but crafting and creating the whole article is a complete other. Besides, I find much more interesting news on Dailytech. Who needs more tech blogs around (har har)?
3. Forums
I’ve got three forums to tell you about:
Each of these forums have contributed individually to my understanding and insight on technology as it is today - and I do constantly and consistently learn more information from them on a regular basis. They’re all great communities, but with very different ideals and cultures.
Still Bored?
Visit CutEdge and check out the WorthWhiles, my archives, or post comments or give me some e-mail love, I always appreciate it. Better yet, tell me what you like to do when you’re bored on the web.
March 13th, 2008 — Just for fun
Well I finally retired my Sony Ericsson w600i and moved on to a nice HTC Touch. At the moment, I’m still learning how to type on it, but I think it’s coming along quite nicely.
March 13th, 2008 — Just for fun, Media
Halo 3? Counterstrike Source? Call of Duty 4? I’m pretty sure that every single one of us have at least heard (if not played first-hand) of these games. Wired has recently published an article on the research done by Niklas Ravaja on “The Psychophysiology of James Bond: Phasic Emotional Responses to Violent Video Game Events“. After reading direct from the Wired article, I decided to post some of my own thoughts and reflections on such a discovery.
Source: http://www.videogames.net.au/images/halo-3-explosion1.JPG
To summarize, Ravaja has discovered that gamers experience pleasure in dying but don’t enjoy shooting their opponents, contrary to what the general public thinks of video games robbing humans of such a sense of shame. I must say that this is relieving to know, as there was not a chance that I would’ve given up first person shooters. What’s surprising is the enjoyment in death though, and as I thought about it the more I began to understand.
Logically speaking, it makes sense. Dying in video games isn’t exactly the same as real life, as you impart your virtual life with the knowledge you’ll be back a few minutes later at most. Also, running around in an office with a bunch of terrorists hot on your tail and a host of civilians following you and giving away your position isn’t exactly the most mentally-healthy or stress-free activity in the world, so the mind does naturally feel relieved of such stress when death takes over your character.
Source: http://worldofpwnage.com/images/cs_office0043.jpg
However, like Clive Thompson discovered, I also found the thought of dying in certain games more appealing than others. The first person shooters are fine with me, as I know that I’m hardly robbed of anything but a little dignity, but dying in Super Mario Galaxy really presses my cider as I need to re-start the level and get a hard-earned one-up taken away. My own common sense conclusion was that dying sucked even virtually when you’ve got something to lose - and it could be anything.
A little short of a psychological revelation, and certainly a ground-breaking approach to analyzing the effect first person shooters have on video games, hopefully this research leads to more proof that we as humans don’t get desensitized at people’s deaths (perhaps speculation about the player’s death is more at risk) after playing video games.
