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GeekNights 20110110 - The Death of the Personal Computer

MrPeriodMrPeriod
edited January 2011 in GeekNights

Tonight on GeekNights, we discuss the death of the personal computer. In the news, we participated yesterday in No Pants Day 2011, and CES happened. Also don't forget that we'll be at MAGFest 9 this weekend!

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  • InvaderRENInvaderREN
    These are not the journalists... your looking for?

    *This* is why is listen to this show. =)

    Rapport FTW.
  • Void DragonVoid Dragon
    Ironically I am getting together my parts list to build me a new comp. My old one from 2007 is starting to struggle with new stuff.
  • Hitman HartHitman Hart
    This discussion makes me wonder what the ideal level of complexity in a computer is. I got my first computer, a Windows '98 machine, in `1999 and by then, I hardly had to do a thing to get it up and running and to run most of the games I wanted to play, but I feel like the iOS is a whole other level of simplicity. I feel like having even the slight level of complexity of say, Ubuntu. is a good thing because it will help people who want to learn head down that path, but the public is definitely moving toward Apple as a whole, they want the "it just works" thing.
  • Void DragonVoid Dragon
    Except when it doesn't. My iPod has been refusing to sync lately, so I have been jumping through all sorts of hoops to bypass the 'it just works' stuff so I can make the device work at all. The downside of the model is that by hiding so much from the user, it means that when something goes wrong, you can't fix it. Which I suppose is an upside for the one selling it cause then you have to go buy another one for even the most minor problem.
  • JasonJason
    The downside of the model is that by hiding so much from the user, it means that when something goes wrong, you can't fix it.
    Also, it's harder to make something better to replace Apple's software. Apple is DRM.
  • AndrewAndrew
    Am I the only one who likes fiddling with knobs and sliders?
  • CremlianCremlian
    Am I the only one who likes fiddling with knobs and sliders?
    No, I'm a big fan of Knobs.
  • RochelleRochelle
    Am I the only one who likes fiddling with knobs and sliders?
    No, I'm a big fan of Knobs.
    Your own or others? (Not the knob joke again. :P)
  • gomidoggomidog
    Cue Geo: "What's a knob? Seriously guys!!"
  • OmnutiaOmnutia
    Mmm.. butter.
  • Victor FrostVictor Frost
    edited January 2011
    Cue Geo: "What's a knob? Seriously guys!!"
    Hehehe...

    Myself, I like twiddling other people's knobs. I like my knobs "just-so", but when I see other people's knobs, I can't help but experiment a little with them. Most people are reluctant to let me twiddle with their knobs. They hesitate but they always thank me afterwards. I'm that good. Even the gals at the performance hall said that everything was better after I twiddled their knobs.


    **Note: I haven't listened to the episode yet.
    Post edited by Victor Frost on
  • Hitman HartHitman Hart
    Except when it doesn't. My iPod has been refusing to sync lately, so I have been jumping through all sorts of hoops to bypass the 'it just works' stuff so I can make the device work at all. The downside of the model is that by hiding so much from the user, it means that when something goes wrong, you can't fix it. Which I suppose is an upside for the one selling it cause then you have to go buy another one for even the most minor problem.
    I wonder if the reason why Apple ties your iPod to one computer and one computer only is so that they can keep the thing on such a leash that they have a little database file on hand so that, say, if your iPod Classic dies and you buy another one, it can just auto restore and make Apple look like wizards to non tech people. The device itself doesn't matter so much as the category in that case and electronics become utterly disposable rather than something you play with if they malfunction to try to get running again. Am I on the right track?
  • Victor FrostVictor Frost
    In Re: Scott vs Salt Flats

    Scott, even the slightest dip in the terrain can change the direction the car is going. On arrow straight roads, you still have to adjust the steering due to the fact that there are variances and inconsistencies in the surface, tire wear, suspension, alignment, the toe and camber, as well as torque steer in some cars. Watch any episode of Mythbusters where they remote control a car and drive it down the tarmac at the naval base the use and you'll see that, even with robotic strength, control, and precision, they still have to adjust the car's heading.
  • OmnutiaOmnutia
    I bet I could drive a train in a straight line.
  • a1sa1s
    I was going to say how the 'book of reviews' idea was already done (though not by Gaiman, obviously), but I realized they were sufficiently different. The closest thing I wanted to talk about, and the one I remembered while listening to the episode, is by Stanislaw Lem, and is titled "Library of 21st Century" ("Biblioteka XXI wieku", for those who read Polish) it's a collection of reviews and forewords for fictional (that is, non-existing) books. (actually according to Wikipedia, what I have is a collected edition of 3 books: "Absolute Vacuum", "Imaginary unit" and "Library of the 21 century", of which Lot21C is, ironically, the smallest, and only Imaginary Unit contains forewords, while the other 2 contain reviews.)
  • MattMatt
    There was some talk about "if Microsoft was smart they would buy out Valve and link XBox and Steam account" in this episode. It's not to the scale of buying Valve, but it looks like Sony is getting in bed. Just got this press release email:

    PORTAL 2 PLAYSTATION 3 STEAM FEATURES REVEALED

    January 18, 2011 -- Valve, creators of best-selling game franchises (such as Half-Life and Counter-Strike) and leading technologies (such as Steam and Source), today announced the Steam features shipping with the PlayStation 3 (PS3) version of Portal 2.

    Marking the debut of Steam functioning on any next generation console, the features shipping in the PS3 version of Portal 2 include cross platform play (PC/Mac vs. PS3) for multiplayer games, persistent cloud-based storage of PS3 saved games, and cross platform chat (PC/Mac and PS3).

    In addition, those who purchase Portal 2 for the PlayStation 3 may unlock a Steam Play (PC & Mac) copy of Portal 2 at no additional cost by linking their PSN and Steam accounts.

    "We made a promise to gamers at E3 that Portal 2 for the PlayStation 3 would be the best console version of the product," said Gabe Newell, co-founder and president of Valve. "Working together with Sony we have identified a set of features we believe are very compelling to gamers. We hope to expand upon the foundation being laid in Portal 2 with more Steam features and functionality in DLC and future content releases."

    "We designed the Portal 2 PS3 experience to be very straightforward for gamers," said Josh Weier, project lead on Portal 2 at Valve. "PS3 gamers will be able to simply drop the Blu-Ray disc in the PS3, link to their Steam account from inside the game, and all their Steam friends (on PC and Mac) will be visible and accessible for chat and game invites."

    These features are made possible thru the use of Steam, Valve's platform for the delivery and management of games and digital content.

    Portal 2 is due for release on the PlayStation 3, PC, Mac and Xbox 360 this April.

    For more information, please visit www.thinkingwithportals.com
  • AprecheApreche
    edited January 2011
    That's not a bad move. XBox Live is already strong. Going with Steam would actually make a monopoly move. If Sony or Nintendo's weak online offering merged with Steam, that would make some better competition which could lead to benefits for us gamers. Perhaps MS would have to make XBL Gold free at some point if PS3 or 4 became a Steam console.

    I'm just sad they chose Portal 2 for cross platform play since it won't demonstrate the superiority of the PC. Maybe we can get Id to move Quake Live! to Steam/PS3.
    Post edited by Apreche on
  • OmnutiaOmnutia
    Would be nice to see a PS3 mouse and keyboard but the PS3 games seem to be more games designed for consoles.
  • AprecheApreche
    Would be nice to see a PS3 mouse and keyboard but the PS3 games seem to be more games designed for consoles.
    Have you ever hooked up a PC to a TV and tried to play a game with mouse and keyboard from the couch? It's not pretty. Part of the mouse and keyboard is also the desk and chair. You have to game from a comfortable position. Also, a good monitor will be higher resolution than even a 1080p TV, and will have much greater pixel density. Sitting very close to a very high res monitor is a major part of what allows for the precision of PC gaming. That's why an RTS won't work well on a TV even with a mouse and keyboard.
  • OmnutiaOmnutia
    edited January 2011
    It's just video-games, Scott, not everyone takes them so seriously.

    Some people even play them for enjoyment.
    Post edited by Omnutia on
  • AprecheApreche
    It's just video-games, Scott, not everyone takes them so seriously.

    Some people even play them for enjoyment.
    I'm just saying that a mouse and keyboard for PS3 won't work so well unless you hook your PS3 up to a monitor and sit at a desk. You will be mad uncomfortable trying to use them from the couch.
  • Victor FrostVictor Frost
    I bet I could drive a train in a straight line.
    The earth curves.
  • OmnutiaOmnutia
    I bet I could drive a train in a straight line.
    The earth curves.
    Space train.
  • AprecheApreche
    Space train.
    Space is curved.
  • OmnutiaOmnutia
    Don't think that matters. If you have an object behind you and another in front then close your eyes and set off, in space, you'll keep going until you reach your destination.
  • AprecheApreche
    Don't think that matters. If you have an object behind you and another in front then close your eyes and set off, in space, you'll keep going until you reach your destination.
    Nope. That object in space is moving, so you have to aim where it is going to be, and not where it is. To make it worse, if the object is far away, you can only see how it used to be, and not how it is now. Also, if you go too fast, it will really fuck things up. Even GPS satellites need to account for relativity. You also have gravity pulling you in all sorts of directions as well as things like solar winds blowing you around. Good luck staying in a "straight" line.
  • OmnutiaOmnutia
    Seriously though, I think we've tortured this analogy too much.
  • Luke BurrageLuke Burrage
    Seriously though, I think we've tortured this analogy too much.
    This isn't an analogy. We were really and actually discussing moving in a straight line.
  • Victor FrostVictor Frost
    edited January 2011
    Maybe moving in a straight line is only possible in one dimensional space and only within the context of that dimension (to discount higher dimensional perspectives so we can avoid "Flatlander" type situations).
    Post edited by Victor Frost on
  • AndrewAndrew
    edited January 2011
    Maybe moving in a straight line is only possible in a one dimensional universe and only within the context of that universe (thus discounting higher dimensional perspectives).
    There is no such thing as a line within one dimension.
    Post edited by Andrew on
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