Howdy, Stranger!

It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!

General: Death of the Computer

1246712

Comments

  • ScrogdogScrogdog Member Posts: 380

    Just call me Skippy!

  • KenFisherKenFisher Member UncommonPosts: 5,035

    Remember Web-TV that was supposed to obsolete computers for the masses?

     

    That didn't happen either.


    Ken Fisher - Semi retired old fart Network Administrator, now working in Network Security.  I don't Forum PVP.  If you feel I've attacked you, it was probably by accident.  When I don't understand, I ask.  Such is not intended as criticism.
  • mizanyxmizanyx Member Posts: 70

    Porn industry has been the driving force behind lots of technology advancements. Specially about digital multimedia.

    And about PCs being a bitch to develop for, you get lots of tools, most of them very well known like Adobe Flash, popular 3D engines like Unity, and basically you can make your game in almost any programming language known to mankind. You get loads and loads of free tools, you don't have to buy a costly development license, you don't even need your game to conform to any morality rating if you distribute it by yourself. You are only limited by your own talent and dedication.

    Its no accident that 2 of the most influential games of the last years (Minecraft and DotA) started in the PC.

  • PhelcherPhelcher Member CommonPosts: 1,053

    Is the Author confused..?

    The PC will become more integral & part of people's lives.  Interesting the frame-set of the auther..  as the Xbox itself is nothing other than an outdated 5 year old PC & the new Xbox will use AMD fusion. (IE: another computer, with a consumer friendly package. )

    Secondly, since most families 2nd computer is usually an HTPC (Home Theatre PC), & knowing Windows 8 will play any Xbox game...  then most computer & HTPC's will double as telephones, netflix streaming, movie watching, home networking, etc.

     

    The mobil market is mostly for business... as kiddies running around with iPads, can't really do anything with them, except dazzle their egos. I browse on my phone when bored (at work, standing in line, etc) but i really don't need a phone to do that stuff. People aren't going to tap talk their homework, etc..

    "No they are not charity. That is where the whales come in. (I play for free. Whales pays.) Devs get a business. That is how it works."


    -Nariusseldon

  • OSF8759OSF8759 Member Posts: 284

    Crack open an Xbox and what do you see? A PC. The PC is the Mark Twain of consumer electronics. People keep predicting its death, and keep being wrong.

  • NethermancerNethermancer Member Posts: 520

    Fuck Chopsticks!!!!!!

    Playing: PO, EVE
    Waiting for: WoD
    Favourite MMOs: VG, EVE, FE and DDO
    Any person who expresses rage and loathing for an MMO is preposterous. He or she is like a person who has put on full armor and attacked a hot fudge sundae.

  • RobsolfRobsolf Member RarePosts: 4,607

    Originally posted by rygard49

    For you people saying he's wrong, you do realize his argument is in support of PCs sticking around a long, long time... right? Are we all reading the same article?

    Yes.  His reason?  Porn.  A funny answer, to be sure.  Matter of fact, it didn't come off as confident that desktop solutions will remain; rather, it seemed to be a somewhat ironic plea.

    Porn is not nearly the biggest reason your standard "KVM at a desk" solution will be around for some time to come.  Not even a perfect speech recognition interface will take its place.

    The pc remains the most versatile home appliance there is, and WILL remain so for some time; as someone else mentioned, about 70% of the usefulness of a tablet/phone comes from it being able to interface with your PC/Mac.  There are just some things that can't be done right without a desk to sit in front of, a big screen and a versatile user interface.  Even that sweet looking Iron Man/Minority Report virtual interface?  That's a step BACKWARD in a majority of applications. 

    "Let's see... do I want to have to wave my arms around with big funky looking gloves on to access my file system?  Or do I wanna move my mouse 3 inches and click?"

    Ultimately, I think those who've made the argument that phones/tablets allow us to get away from the PC in cases where sitting at a desk is overkill for what you're trying to accomplish are probably the most correct.  But there will always be times for anyone who is halfway literate, where they'll need a chair, a desk, a monitor, and an efficient UI to get things done in the Information Age.  

  • Hopscotch73Hopscotch73 Member UncommonPosts: 971

    Originally posted by Phelcher



    Is the Author confused..?

    The PC will become more integral & part of people's lives.  Interesting the frame-set of the auther..  as the Xbox itself is nothing other than an outdated 5 year old PC & the new Xbox will use AMD fusion. (IE: another computer, with a consumer friendly package. )

    Secondly, since most families 2nd computer is usually an HTPC (Home Theatre PC), & knowing Windows 8 will play any Xbox game...  then most computer & HTPC's will double as telephones, netflix streaming, movie watching, home networking, etc.

     

    The mobil market is mostly for business... as kiddies running around with iPads, can't really do anything with them, except dazzle their egos. I browse on my phone when bored (at work, standing in line, etc) but i really don't need a phone to do that stuff. People aren't going to tap talk their homework, etc..


     

    You may be surprised to know that over here in Ireland, iPads are required in some schools. I don't know if they're used for homework, but I know that most of the curriculum here is downloadable and parents seem to be happier to have their kids carry around an iPad instead of 10+ schoolbooks.

    But on topic, I think the PC has a lot of time left. I'm not sure that it's because of pr0n, but think it's more likely to be because tablet tech is slower to progress than PC tech. How long will it be before they have shrunken graphics cards to the extent they'd need to to make tablets competitive (from a gaming PoV) and how long then to sort out heat dissipation? And in that time how far will graphics cards for PCs have progressed?

    I don't think we'll be considered dinosaurs for some time yet.

  • MalcanisMalcanis Member UncommonPosts: 3,297

    I've heard that "The PC is dead" for decades - I think people were saying it even in the 80s.

    I dont want to play games on a phone. I'm not even interested in a  console.

    Give me liberty or give me lasers

  • rojoArcueidrojoArcueid Member EpicPosts: 10,722

    yeah, where's your console now Skippy? LOL

    great read.... computers aint going nowhere, Skippy!!....  LOL





  • UnlightUnlight Member Posts: 2,540

    Originally posted by alfokenty

     

    I play games on PC and on console systems. For me a controller is much better then a keyboard/mouse. Why?

    1. You move your character with a joystick. That is much easier then WASD or mouse and you have much better control over your character.

    When it comes to flight sims, you're right.  I wouldn't play X3 without one.  How many flight sims are available on console these days?  But for most games, kb/mouse gives you a far greater level of control, greater speed and greater accuracy.

    2. You look around with a joystick. The same argument as above. So with only using two thumbs you have very fine control moving your character and looking around. How many fingers do you need for that on keyboard/mouse?

    Well looking around requires no fingers -- I do it with the palm of my hand with a mouse.  As for moving around, I'll give you that one since it does take four fingers to control a character, but in defense of such an odious and overbearing system, it still beats the pants off of consoles when it comes speed, accuracy and maneuverability.  This is the primary reason why PC and console games don't mix.  Consoles are at such a huge disadvantage in many games that require aiming and rapid maneuvering (like any FPS) that there is no contest.  Want to test that?  Measure how fast it takes a controller to do a 360 traversal and compare it to someone using a mouse, which can be near-instantaneous.  I'd say the consoleer would be dead three times over before they got the first shot off at their PC opponent.  Tune up the sensitivity as much as you want, you'll never match the speed of a mouse turn.  Shall we open the book on chat functionality next?

    3. Beside 2 joysticks you have 20 basic keys on a controller. You can have more if you are using combination of keys, like using SHIFT or CTRL. Using 20 keys on a keyboard (beside WASD) without looking is difficult as hell. On a controller you can very easy remember their locations because of the configuration of a controller.

      OK, let's see.  These are the keys I can access on my keyboard without having to look:

    ~ 1 2 3 4 5  [TAB] q e r t f g z x c v [CAPS LOCK] [LSHIFT] [LCTRL] [SPACE] = 21 = not difficult as hell

    Of course, I left out w, a, s, d because they are mainly used for movement, but those can be used easily for other commands when [SHIFT]ed or [CTRL]ed.

    I won't bother to list out the dozens of other keys and key combinations that can be used, that I would have to check my keyboard to activate. 

    Have you really thought this through?

     

    Three more reasons why I prefer console systems over PC:

    1. You can play on a big TV.

    You can plug your PC into a TV.  In fact, you can have both a monitor and a television hooked up to your computer if you want.  My friend has that.  Very useful for when he wants to show online stuff to everyone so we don't have to crowd around his monitor.  Personally, I prefer to extend my display across two monitors, although I think I can do three if I wanted.  I haven't been keeping up on console technology, but how many output devices do they natively support these days?

     

    2. You can have great sound.

      My computer speakers could probably rattle the fillings right out of your teeth.  It's the blasted sub-woofer ya know.  But I have neighbours so this kind of indulgence is a rare thing.

     

    3. You can sit comfortably in a sofa.

    When I want to be lazy, I prefer the comfort of my own bed. I don't really game this way though, it's more for watching Netflix.  I often need to use my headset when gaming and unfortunately, that isn't wireless.  Three cheers for wireless mice and keyboards though!

  • RaventreeRaventree Member Posts: 456

    I do believe the reports of the death of the PC have been greatly exaggerated.

    Yes phones and tables will become very common, but try typing up a long report or getting any real work done on one of them and I believe you will quickly come to the conclusion the PC will be here a long long time.  Being scrunched up over a little tiny device typing for 4 hours isn't going to make anyone happy.

    I do believe the PC will continue to change as time goes on, getting smaller and smaller until it is the size of a phone, but you will still want to plug in a mouse and keyboard and most likely a monitor to do real work.

    Currently playing:
    Rift
    Played:
    SWToR, Aion,EQ, Dark Age of Camelot
    World of Warcraft, AoC

  • SkanomoduSkanomodu Member Posts: 26

    Hahaha, awesome article.

  • Yavin_PrimeYavin_Prime Member Posts: 233

    Mr. Coyote,

    You've placed you're entire argument on the fact that PCs will be saved by porn, however I have a confilicting belief. Yes phones are getting faster but no, no one is going to us their phone for gaming. The iPad and other Pad devices are however the future... and yes you can surf porn on them, so PCs are not exclusive in any way to that... past time that you so love. All Pad devices are essentialy mini-lap tops. So yes in the future I can see them taking over the industry when it comes to portable PCs. A few more generations and some tech genius is going to figure out how to put a nice graphics card into one of those things.

    I can see PCs disapearing as we know them. The concept of a PC will never die though it will just evolve as it always has into something new. Pads are just the first version of that sift. Many people are sick and tired of buying computers only to find that their system is the optimal system to use the software they wanted. People just want to buy a product and have it work, period. 90% of PC users (rough estimate) don't know how to build or fix a PC, that's why companies like Geek Squad exist. Most PC users embrace simplified usage where as a minority builds and customizes their own system.

    In the end the Pad devices are an example of the future. I'm not saying they are the future but they are the first ever (outside of apple and a few other small groups) standardized PCs. It is the begining of the melding, when PCs and Consoles become one. When you no longer have to ask if your ATI card is going to work as well as your friends Nvidia card, where game's will be labeled Android 4.5 compatable, and that'll be the only thing you need to know to run the game. Not a huge list of specs that tell you your processor is to weak.

    In the end I embrace the change. I want a system that is standard like a PS3 with the complex software of windows or something like it. That way I never again put $1000+ dollars down on a computer only to find that it's already 6-8 months old and newer games are already required on the "medium" setting. You're right many of the devs out their are flocking to the consoles. CCP, the creaters of EVE are creating Dust (some number) to work along side EVE and what system is it on? PS3 only... I guess their is more money over there.

    For your sake the change I mentioned will probably not happen over night. My estimate is that within a decade you'll start to see the first ever standardized PCs.

  • Yavin_PrimeYavin_Prime Member Posts: 233

    Originally posted by Raventree

    I do believe the reports of the death of the PC have been greatly exaggerated.

    Yes phones and tables will become very common, but try typing up a long report or getting any real work done on one of them and I believe you will quickly come to the conclusion the PC will be here a long long time.  Being scrunched up over a little tiny device typing for 4 hours isn't going to make anyone happy.


     

     I don't know if you know this but all Pad devices now have keyboards that you can buy for them. So typing isn't a problem.

  • DarammerDarammer Member Posts: 4

    You... you all DO realize this is a HUMOR article... right?

    I mean.. you've heard of humor?

    "Yes.  His reason?  Porn.  A funny answer, to be sure.  Matter of fact, it didn't come off as confident that desktop solutions will remain; rather, it seemed to be a somewhat ironic plea."

    Yes.  A funny answer. Because this is a fucking HUMOR article.  He's not ATTEMPTING to give an actual answer.  His purpose is to make you go to hell for considering the tagline of a Jesus Christ-themed porno.

  • astoriaastoria Member UncommonPosts: 1,677

    Originally posted by alfokenty

     



    I play games on PC and on console systems. For me a controller is much better then a keyboard/mouse. Why?



    1. You move your character with a joystick. That is much easier then WASD or mouse and you have much better control over your character.



    2. You look around with a joystick. The same argument as above. So with only using two thumbs you have very fine control moving your character and looking around. How many fingers do you need for that on keyboard/mouse?



    3. Beside 2 joysticks you have 20 basic keys on a controller. You can have more if you are using combination of keys, like using SHIFT or CTRL. Using 20 keys on a keyboard (beside WASD) without looking is difficult as hell. On a controller you can very easy remember their locations because of the configuration of a controller.



     



    Three more reasons why I prefer console systems over PC:



    1. You can play on a big TV.



    2. You can have great sound.



    3. You can sit comfortably in a sofa.


     

     What are you talking about willis?

    I can reach 50ish keys on a keyboard without looking with using alt, ctrl, and shift, and I can have a joystick on my keypad (g13) for my thumb.

    I have a sound card taht costs more than a console. I don't think a console can beat it.

    I can hook my pc to a TV or a projector.

    I can do that on the sofa.

    My mouse has 4 dpi switch states, on the fly dpi toggle. I can go from 100 to 4000 in less than a second.

    Seriously, I understand more fully why I am good in PvP when I hear people use Xbox, PS style controllers.

    WASD is weak way to move anyway. I only use my mouse to move.

    "Never met a pack of humans that were any different. Look at the idiots that get elected every couple of years. You really consider those guys more mature than us? The only difference between us and them is, when they gank some noobs and take their stuff, the noobs actually die." - Madimorga

  • Ralphie2449Ralphie2449 Member UncommonPosts: 577

    Thats true but its actually a good thing. Computers will never die simply because they are used to do amny things including creating the games...

    Computers will exist, its the masses that will stop using them. The masses will most likely move to popular stuff like consoles, facebook based gadget. Every popular thing will have its device now that leaves computers with a very small amount of people.

     

    Why is this good??

    1)No more kids with 0 knowledge about game and computers crying in forums about overpowered classes/computer problems

    2)Pc market will be very demanding and will not buy crap from big companies like ea that spam games fast to get money

    3)computer will require good games and small companies could get the chance to become big by creating GOOD computer games because big companies wont profit as much like consoles but cant completely abandon pc because its another market

     

    Seems better, masses moving to dumb popular gadgets and companies getting rich because  of those masses leaves the computer with very little profit for money hungry companies xD. only good games will sell in pc

  • EarendEarend Member Posts: 5

    Originally posted by Darammer



    You... you all DO realize this is a HUMOR article... right?

    I mean.. you've heard of humor?

    "Yes.  His reason?  Porn.  A funny answer, to be sure.  Matter of fact, it didn't come off as confident that desktop solutions will remain; rather, it seemed to be a somewhat ironic plea."

    Yes.  A funny answer. Because this is a fucking HUMOR article.  He's not ATTEMPTING to give an actual answer.  His purpose is to make you go to hell for considering the tagline of a Jesus Christ-themed porno.


     

    *pushes up glasses*

    BUT IN THE EXTENDED UNIVERSE...!

  • RobsolfRobsolf Member RarePosts: 4,607

    Originally posted by Darammer

    You... you all DO realize this is a HUMOR article... right?

    I mean.. you've heard of humor?

    "Yes.  His reason?  Porn.  A funny answer, to be sure.  Matter of fact, it didn't come off as confident that desktop solutions will remain; rather, it seemed to be a somewhat ironic plea."

    Yes.  A funny answer. Because this is a fucking HUMOR article.  He's not ATTEMPTING to give an actual answer.  His purpose is to make you go to hell for considering the tagline of a Jesus Christ-themed porno.

    Alrighty then.  I took it as an article contributing to a not so uncommon debate that has been going on for some time, which happened to have a couple jokes in it.

    Indeed, I know humour.  A good example is probably ANYTHING that Seanbaby from Cracked.com publishes.

    In comparison, for a humor article, this one is a bit short on humor.  Lest you think conversational banter is the same thing as humor.  If so, I feel I should give full disclosure:  I never thought Andy Rooney from 60 Minutes was funny, either.

  • lestaticonlestaticon Member Posts: 38

    Rusque, I think your opinion regarding the convergance of consoles and other devices toward what the PC already brings to the table is the most rational and observant opinion I've read so far about this topic. I tend to agree with that perspective. Though I think there is some point just to the side of the PC where even the PC is converging toward along with all the other hardware. 

  • causscauss Member UncommonPosts: 666

    I'm sitting here with 2000 other people playing games on my own pc. It's called a LAN party and it's getting bigger and bigger every year. PC games hasn't been more popular in years.

     

  • Drekker17Drekker17 Member Posts: 296

    It's funny, many people think the PC is going to be killed by consoles, and then another group of people think consoles are going to be killed by handhelds, and yet another group of people think handhelds are going to be killed by phones and tablets....I wonder what's going to kill the phones and tablets?

    The only device I can see being taken over anytime soon, is the laptop...but not for at least another 10 year...every other gaming device is here to stay in my opinion, they just bring totally different experience. However, I do see all the more hardcore gaming devices (desktops, consoles, handhelds), getting less of the pie because the extremely casual gamer (people who aren't really gamers...just because you play games doesn't make you a gamer, just like not everyone that dances is a dancer) will likely turn to tablets and phones for that type of gaming.

    "Great minds talk about ideas, average minds talk about events, and small minds talk about people." - Eleanor Roosevelt
    "Americans used to roar like lions for liberty; now we bleat like sheep for security." -Norman Vincent Peale

  • CavodCavod Member Posts: 295

    ROFL, too funny!

     

    A lot of serious points are brought up among the entertaining writing though.

    We really need separate forums for every newly launched game. There can be the anti-<MMO> one and there can be the 'what general discussion should be' one. All the lamenting can happen together where each can find solace in like minded can't-move-on-ers leaving the rest of us to actually move forward and discuss meaningful and relevant topics.

  • AsleepAsleep Member UncommonPosts: 96

    IDC about this topic but you are really funny, and it was a good read because of that.

    /thnx for the laughs

Sign In or Register to comment.