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Audio Indrema Presentation 43

Posted by Hemos from the i-just-want-my-copy! dept.
bigal3du writes: "Hardware Unlimited has posted an audio archive from last week's BALUG (Bay Area Linux User Group) with guest speaker John T. Gildred of Indrema. John talks for just under an hour about their upcoming Linux Console gaming system that is coming out in Spring of 2001. Be sure to check this out! The audio archive is in streaming audio and he gives away new information on the system in this presenation!"
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Audio Indrema Presentation More

Audio Indrema Presentation

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  • Where the hell are you posting these messages from?
  • Roland 259 is an idiot!
  • http://www.womengamers.com/inter views/indrema.html [womengamers.com]

    WomenGamers (pfft ;) has an interview with the same guy along similiar lines. (link above)

  • your cat's name is bootsie?

    Ni yao han yu ma? The shi zhong wen [zhongwen.com] dui ni: "ni ma ma tai bu hao kan, ni ba ba shi biao zi." ni dai dai gan.

    ni yao shi shuo zhong guo hua, shuo you yi si!


  • I'm standing right behind you. Turn around slowly... Yes, it's me... You know who I am... Paybacks a bitch...
  • "So it's going to fail bigtime, right?"

    "Yeah, pretty much. Let's try to drag some Linux fanboys that don't realize we have no games with us."

  • Isn't this already a bit late? (Score:2)

    by Anonymous Coward
    Spring 2001 seems a bit late for this device, considering how much press these guys have been getting lately for just a few (not that) pretty pictures and some press releases. I remember the earlier Slashdot story on these guys when they initially announced the device. They even had pictures of it up on their website and we were led to believe it would be shipping soon. Now they have new pictures of a completely different device (it still looks like a cheezy CG rendering). If I remember, they initially said end of 2000 for the launch. Now it's Spring 2001. How much you want to bet that this won't ship until end of 2001, if at all?

    It also sounds like they're trying to lock this machine down, prevent anybody from getting inside it, making tweaks, forcing vendors to certify their apps for the device, not allow playing of unauthorized MP3s (who makes that determination anyway?), etc. I say then, what's the point of using Linux? Perhaps they just want to get a ton of free press, but it certainly doesn't sound like this device will be open in the tradition of Linux devices. It seems they'll be adding proprietary extensions that developers will need to license. It'll use Linux, but no tampering with it? Why not just use Windows CE if you're interested in going the proprietary route? It doesn't make any sense.

    Here's all you need to do: play CDs, MP3s, DVDs, RealAudio, MPEG-2, and have a TV inport or two that can play cable signals in some resizable windows. Make it very minimal. Forget the eMail and web browsing angle - it makes no sense to use your TV for eMail or serious Web browsing (aside from multimedia Web stuff like music and video - all that can be accessed through bookmarks and a portal, requirng no typing). And make it CHEAP. Remember, WebTV is only $100 and can already do most of what they're talking about today.

    They're trying to make this thing do too much, which is the failure of so many similar efforts. They start out with a good idea, then the corporate hacks get all excited about it and start adding their money and input. And they overburden it with unnecessary features. Then the ship dates slide, and when the device finally ships, it's way too expensive and everybody's already lost interest.

    Sounds like that's what's happening here. I say ignore these clowns until they demonstrate working technology.
  • Is anyone else disturbed by the fact that the "ultimate game machine" doesn't come with any controllers?

    L600 Spec Sheet [indrema.com]
  • 1) They're competition is Microsoft (great hardware and a collosal marketing spend), Sony (good hardware and a gigantic installed base) and Nintendo (great hardware and great games). What have they got going for them? 'The awesome power of Linux' is not a valid answer unless qualified by some concrete examples.

    2) The approach of sneaking a console into homes under the guise of being something else has been tried before (Nuon aka Project X) and it didn't work. The website is quite ambivalent about what Indrema *is*, whereas the major players all very clearly market their consoles as games machines first and foremost.

    3) Linux seems to be a bit of a red-herring here. A modern console OS needs the standard C libs optionally with threading, and specialised APIs for 3D, audio, input, networking etc. It's not like Linux is going to deliver that stuff any better than a custom OS.
  • But how the hell can they call that open?
  • If this ever comes out, I'm gonna buy one and put Windows on it - not bad - a reasonable gaming computer for only $299...
  • Hu shuo! Wo ziji shuo hua de shihou, zongshi mei you yisi!
  • very very much. and that is who they are marketing to at this stage.
  • So they plan to market small boxes that simulate coin tones to give free calls on payphones? Woohoo! :D

    But seriously, it pisses me off when someone picks a name or term that's already got an established definition. (I swear, I saw someone call their graphics library 'QuickDraw' on Freshmeat a long time ago.)
  • That seems to be typical console manufacturer SOP. Remember the big to-do with Nintendo and Tengen on the NES way back when? Tengen (Atari) didn't want to have to buy licenses of any sort, and skirted the system set up by the Big "N" by reverse engineering the lock chip. Good thing there was no DMCA back then, otherwise I'd have to be playing Nintendo's stinky version of Tetris instead of Tengen's.
  • 314. I did a survey.
  • I seriously hope that they aren't trying to grab the 'linux console gaming' market. The console market is already cutthroat as it is. The japanese virtually have control of the market, and Microsoft is looking for a piece of the pie. Not to be pessimistic, but this new console sounds like another 3D0 or Jaguar...

  • From an earlier interview on Game-Interviews.com:

    We offer a zero cost certification program for free games to get to market sooner.

    Sounds great to me.

  • ...and me with no moderator points to mark this up. :(
  • Nintendo, Microsft and Sega have all made ease of development a clear priority and that's the bottom line as far as most developers are concerned. Who cares if the box has a celebrity kernel?

  • Who cares about the OS in a console? (Score:3)

    by Junks Jerzey ( 54586 ) on Monday September 25, 2000 @05:49AM (#757185)
    The immediate problem with is that this is being called "the Linux-based console." Mentioning Linux is completely irrelevant, as would marketing Excel as "the Spreadsheet written in C++." Nobody cares that it runs Linux.
  • I read somewhere that half of Playstation 2's are sold as DVD players, rather than game consoles. For a super-multifunction device, that seems reasonable. The difference is Sony has content developers as well... I really doubt Indrema can break into the console market. Without games, all they have is what they have out of the box, and I'm sure everyone who buys one will know that. That said, it might make a nice DVD player/ VCR for you peoples who watch TV.
  • As several posters pointed out, why would you use an open-source OS like Linux if you're planning on making it so closed as to completely inhibit 'hacking'?

    Price? Seems to me the cost of using CE or some other OS (QNX?) with better SDKs and APIs would offset that enough to keep the price low, and third-party developer interest high.

    Aside from that though, what causes me to think this will probably fail is this:

    14. Will nVidia be doing all future GPUs for the system?
    [JG] No, future GPUs will be done by several manufacturers, hence driving the price down and making them more available.

    I hope for their sake that the hardware will be ONE design, possibly manufactured by several competitors. If not, then hardware and subsequent software incompatibility will cause more headaches than the cost savings would ever be able to help.

    Consoles have been and will continue to be successful because of their 100% closed architecture design. Once you start throwing variables this big into the mix, console developers turn and run.

    sedawkgrep
  • It might be doing great as a DVD player but as a console it's on very shaky ground - few games, few developers. What self-respecting geek wants to write games for a DVD player? (no offence to Jeff Minter)
  • [JG] The Indrema will not feature a program with Napster-like functionality, when it comes to the L600 we make sure that there is copyright protection on all titles downloaded, or MP3s that are legal.

    This sounds like a very guarded answer. Do you think he actually believes this, or doesn't want any possibility of flak coming down on his project?

  • They's planning to "certify" apps to run on their boxes, and they charge title developers a fee (percent?) to get certified. Presumably apps that aren't certified won't run.
  • I wonder if we (the linux developers I vicariously live through) can claim the right to the "X-Box" name. Heck, I've heard the term applied to X-terminals, and even to regular linux boxes running X.

    Of course, the only result would be to piss off Microsoft, and it would be incredibly hypocritical considering how outraged "we" are about such-and-such IP protection, but still...the result would be to piss of Microsoft...


    My mom is not a Karma whore!

  • This unit is really starting to interest me alot. I dont see myself getting an x-box or even a TiVo, but this one (especially at $299) really has my attention. I really can't wait to see some specs on the "red box" from them. They've been talking the L600 up as a Game/MP3/Web unit, and in this interview John G. says the "Red Box", a higher unit down the road, will integrate personal TV... ie TiVO/Replay capabilities. Of course I did notice on the preliminary L600 info page [indrema.com] that the L600 has SVHS in and out along with HDTV listed as specs...software upgradable to 'Red Box' maybe ????
  • I was thinking that this thing was vaporware, it claims to do a helluvalot of stuff like Progressive scan HDTV output. It would be nice to have a DVD player/gaming console/surfing box all-in-one that wasn't the (floored) PS2 or the 'x-box', hey if it playes Q3 full detail @640x480 at 60fps and looks good under my Loewe put me down for one!.
    PS anyone know how to force new lines in comment boxes using lynx(283)?
  • I am down for an L-Box when they come around, but I think the key to their success is not trying to play in the same game as the big boys.

    Grab a niche market and don't try to market it as a world savior. Advertising money is better spent on making sure the doors are open tomorow. Its not like Slash wont do enough marketing just to take care of the basics.

    Oh, and I cant wait for VI 2001.

  • If it's really open, then you'll be able to write any app, and you can bet that Napster/Gnutella clients will be some of the first ones.

    If it's not open, then they shold stop saying that it is.
  • Sounds like the folks have decided to use the common "warez" argument as a tool against pirates. 'Sure you can try out and trade dl'd games, but they will only run on one system and they have a definate timed checkout, while your friend borrows it, you won't be able to play it.' Kudos if it works.
  • No I'm not! Whoever posted that is a liar! I have a PHD for Gods sake! YOU are an idiot.
  • http://www.LinuxGames.com has a log... why would anyone want to sit through the whole talk in audio only when you can grep it?
  • 5. With all the legal issues surrounding MP3's lately, what is your feeling on the built-in MP3 downloading capabilities in the Indrema L600?

    [JG] The Indrema will not feature a program with Napster-like functionality, when it comes to the L600 we make sure that there is copyright protection on all titles downloaded, or MP3s that are legal.

    This Should Not Be Advertised so much in my opinion. If I knew my computer couldn't use a napster clone I would stay the hell away from it. Kids don't want a gaming console that has the ability to get good music but can't. That's Stupid. That's just like having a stripper dance for you, but you can't do anything w/her. But Much like a stripper, if you spend enough money you can make her a good whore. And i'm sure someone's working on a clone for napster now for this wacky linux-tvbox.
  • Roland259 is dead. Only Evil Roland remains.
  • Oh please, I could out-think you any day of the week. Get a life and quit posting crap to Slashdot. People like you make me sick. Probably the only reason you're celibate is because you're so damn ugly.
  • I don't even know whether "Wo mao de jiao BOOTSIE" is grammatical. Not to say that it isn't...but I am not sure.

    The most grammatical form would probably be "wo de mao jiao BOOTSIE" but I came up with the phrase while humming to myself one day, and "wo de mao, ta jiao BOOTSIE" sounds better.

    I am glad that my signature is stirring debate amongst some of the greatest minds in technology of the day.

  • Read the f..(choice here) website. http://www.hardware -unlimited.com/articles/indrema/index2.shtml [hardware-unlimited.com]
  • And I'm still not wearing any pants!

  • I should have read the 2nd 8 questions... (Score:3)

    by Glowing Fish ( 155236 ) on Sunday September 24, 2000 @09:54PM (#757205) Homepage
    So I could answer my own question.

    [JG] Tweak ability is really restricted. Anyone can join the overall scheme of developing, but only Indrema can issue "Tuning packs" and they have to be certified and heavily tested for QA. You can not get into a command line on the system or tweak it from any of that standpoint I suppose by this that he means that people are not suppose to tweak it or get to a command line. Someone will, though, I am sure. But how can you have Linux without a Command Lin? , but you will be able to skin your environment eventually and minor changes like that. I am sure that Linus was sitting around one day, saying "Damn! I wish I could skin DOS! I'll have to program a new OS so I can make some minor changes! The menus and interface will features awesome gnarly dude 3D graphics when you move around the interface. For example, you click on a menu or select an object and you will hear sound effects and see an explosion or something of that nature. WHOA!!! EXPLOSIONS OR SOMETHING OF THAT NATURE. Whenever I know that I can get exploding menus, or something of that nature, things like kernels and commandlines and OSes fade from my mind...as I am sure is true if all of us.

    Yep, I think this confirms it...this guy is a corporate drone...or else he was just reading from a press release. Of course, none of that means the machine is bad.

  • Look, I have known you for years, but you've always ignored me. Well I figure a public forum is a really good place to tell the world about you.
  • Well, just because it is designed not to be easily tweaked/hacked....give it 2 months max from release and there will be a half a dozen /. stories on tweaks and hack sites for it. For mass market though I would want to close it down too...I mean I can just see my next door neighbor (complete technophobe, who has to have all the latest stereo/video gear..which I invariably have to setup,troubleshoot, and customize for him) accidently finding his way to a shell...he'd totally futz it up trying to figure out how to get out, never thinking cycle power or hit the menu button on the remote. And he (the next door neighbor) has got to be the definative Corporate Drone..even acroos the fence chats turn into corporate doubletalk, PR hack speak, and buzzword bingo after about 2 minutes.

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