Technology catch-all thread

[Soxbadger]

Yes, exactly, and that's why I'm b****ing here. I hate that they're "competitors" that don't really do much to compete. Oh well, that model will eventually die...and there is nothing they can do about it. Just like the billion dollar movie rental industry changed, so will this, eventually.

 

Well actually there is something they can do. They can give millions to politicians to make sure that more tv licenses arent granted, thus making it so there are only limited providers.

 

Oh you congress.

 

Thats the difference here. You have govt sponsored collusion. But this isnt new either, its the reason why marijuana is illegal

[Jake]

The crux of my argument is that you don't always know what you want -- when you have easy access to things you didn't think or know you wanted, you are more likely to happen upon them and realize they are in fact good for you. Obviously, you are more likely to get stuck with crap as well but crap doesn't hurt you. Lack of good choices hurts you. This isn't perfectly applicable, but it is unfathomable how much good content I've been exposed to solely because I saw it on Netflix and knew the only price to watch was my time. If Netflix had asked me if I only wanted to pay for a particular type of movie or $1/movie or whatever else you can think of, I wouldn't have tried for this stuff.

 

If someone told me I had to pay more for AMC a year ago, I would have told them to f*** off. I watched some Mad Men in a class and suddenly had this desire to have access to AMC. Not everyone studies media and will happen upon good television in compulsory screenings for class. Even so, I wouldn't have spent money to see more Mad Men until I was able to watch more on a "free" basis (I was paying for a subscription, but not to see AMC)

 

IMO, all set-ups will benefit the biggest companies. I think the little guy gets f***ed in most incarnations of the pay-per-content model that I've heard speculated upon to this point. This isn't to say that "the little guy" has it made now, but they can team up with other little guys and mutually help each other by being packaged together. If you abolish the channel format, who is to say that shows like The Walking Dead and Breaking Bad are able to succeed without riding the coattails of Mad Men?

[Y2HH]

The crux of my argument is that you don't always know what you want -- when you have easy access to things you didn't think or know you wanted, you are more likely to happen upon them and realize they are in fact good for you. Obviously, you are more likely to get stuck with crap as well but crap doesn't hurt you. Lack of good choices hurts you. This isn't perfectly applicable, but it is unfathomable how much good content I've been exposed to solely because I saw it on Netflix and knew the only price to watch was my time. If Netflix had asked me if I only wanted to pay for a particular type of movie or $1/movie or whatever else you can think of, I wouldn't have tried for this stuff.

 

If someone told me I had to pay more for AMC a year ago, I would have told them to f*** off. I watched some Mad Men in a class and suddenly had this desire to have access to AMC. Not everyone studies media and will happen upon good television in compulsory screenings for class. Even so, I wouldn't have spent money to see more Mad Men until I was able to watch more on a "free" basis (I was paying for a subscription, but not to see AMC)

 

IMO, all set-ups will benefit the biggest companies. I think the little guy gets f***ed in most incarnations of the pay-per-content model that I've heard speculated upon to this point. This isn't to say that "the little guy" has it made now, but they can team up with other little guys and mutually help each other by being packaged together. If you abolish the channel format, who is to say that shows like The Walking Dead and Breaking Bad are able to succeed without riding the coattails of Mad Men?

 

It's inevitable that the channel format will die like all old tech formats die. They will resist so long as they can, but it's a past technology, much like going to Blockbuster to rent a DVD is now looked at as a past not to mention laughable way to distribute movie rentals. On demand digital media is the future, in any format, that can be broadcast to ANY device we own, not only devices attached to a DVR/Cable feed. Everything will be broadcast over the Internet (TCP/IPv4 or v6), including live TV, and eventually, it will all be done with no wires. The content won't go away, but the method in which it's currently distributed WILL.

 

We're the future Charles, not them. They no longer matter.

[RockRaines]

I miss going to blockbuster

[Steve9347]

I miss going to blockbuster

I still get sad when I think that my future offspring won't know the excitement of going to the video store to rent a movie or game.

[farmteam]

I still get sad when I think that my future offspring won't know the excitement of going to the video store to rent a movie or game.

There was something oddly fun about sitting on the floor in the corner of Blockbuster with 6 movies at in front of you trying to figure out which one or two you were going to rent.

[Steve9347]

There was something oddly fun about sitting on the floor in the corner of Blockbuster with 6 movies at in front of you trying to figure out which one or two you were going to rent.

[farmteam]

Oh yes. That's what I'm talking about.

 

It's like 90s pop culture porn.

[IlliniKrush]

Just make sure to rewind it before you bring it back. We had one of those rewind-only machines.

[TaylorStSox]

There was something oddly fun about sitting on the floor in the corner of Blockbuster with 6 movies at in front of you trying to figure out which one or two you were going to rent.

Hold on. You actually did that? That's kind of bizarre.

[Y2HH]

I never found visiting Blockbuster to be fun. I found it even less fun to have to return the movie afterward as an added bonus.

[Brian]

There was something oddly fun about sitting on the floor in the corner of Blockbuster with 6 movies at in front of you trying to figure out which one or two you were going to rent.

 

Worked at Blockbuster for two years in high school. Can still smell it. Despite the rude customers, worked with a lot of cool people and had fun times hanging with them outside of work.

You guys got me all nostalgic.

[Steve9347]

Worked at Blockbuster for two years in high school. Can still smell it. Despite the rude customers, worked with a lot of cool people and had fun times hanging with them outside of work.

You guys got me all nostalgic.

I worked at Blockbuster for about 4 years, while I was a senior in high school through most of college. I loved that place.

[RockRaines]

There was something oddly fun about sitting on the floor in the corner of Blockbuster with 6 movies at in front of you trying to figure out which one or two you were going to rent.

The one madison st was my favorite place after a night time dog walk since you could bring your dog in there. It also helps in browsing movies you've never heard of before but may be great (found many this way). When it close I was legitimately depressed. There is just something about going there and picking up a dvd.

[iamshack]

Worked at Blockbuster for two years in high school. Can still smell it. Despite the rude customers, worked with a lot of cool people and had fun times hanging with them outside of work.

You guys got me all nostalgic.

This is how I am with Abercrombie & Fitch...I worked there for about 4 years when I was in college, eventually running my own store...still have friends from there that I've kept in touch with for almost 15 years now....and man, did I take for granted to access to hot college chicks I had...

[Steve9347]

This is how I am with Abercrombie & Fitch...I worked there for about 4 years when I was in college, eventually running my own store...still have friends from there that I've kept in touch with for almost 15 years now....and man, did I take for granted to access to hot college chicks I had...

You were the shirtless model greeter, weren't you?

[iamshack]

You were the shirtless model greeter, weren't you?

Hah, no...but I did have to hire those kids...although I quit right around the time they were doing that nonsense...

 

I used to have to go to college campuses and recruit kids to work for us...it was really a fun job for a kid that age.

[Jake]

I really do like the shopping experience of a Blockbuster type video rental store, but it is true that you never feel so nice when you have to return the s***

[ChiliIrishHammock24]

You were the shirtless model greeter, weren't you?

 

I was a shirtless model greeter at Burger King. Well, let me rephrase that. I often ate Burger King without my shirt on.

[lostfan]

This is old, but relevant: http://www.niemanwatchdog.org/index.cfm?fu...kgroundid=00629

 

I've never bought into the wireless hype... it's been years. Shouldn't we be seeing some kind of movement on that front? All we've done is stalled (or stopped) high-speed wired services.

[Balta1701]

This is old, but relevant: http://www.niemanwatchdog.org/index.cfm?fu...kgroundid=00629

 

I've never bought into the wireless hype... it's been years. Shouldn't we be seeing some kind of movement on that front? All we've done is stalled (or stopped) high-speed wired services.

alert to NSFW language, NSFW Language alert:

 

 

[bigruss]

<!--quoteo(post=2779936:date=Apr 8, 2013 -> 09:55 AM:name=lostfan)-->

<!--quotec-->This is old, but relevant: http://www.niemanwatchdog.org/index.cfm?fu...kgroundid=00629

 

I've never bought into the wireless hype... it's been years. Shouldn't we be seeing some kind of movement on that front? All we've done is stalled (or stopped) high-speed wired services.

alert to NSFW language, NSFW Language alert:

[iamshack]

Y2H will enjoy that.

[Y2HH]

Y2H will enjoy that.

 

I did, that was awesome.

 

[Iwritecode]

I still get sad when I think that my future offspring won't know the excitement of going to the video store to rent a movie or game.

 

We had a Blockbuster in town that was still hanging around up until last week. They finally closed down. I don't think we have any in the area anymore.

 

We do have a place called Family Video that still seems to be thriving. We haven't caught onto the netflix/streaming thing yet so we still rent/return DVDs. We definitely aren't alone either. It actually gets pretty busy on Friday nights.