Eh, when I said "mostly DRM-free" I meant the game just has Steam do its usual online check. Some titles have additional DRM layered on top like SecuROM or StarForce, etc. Those cause additional problems for some people. I try to avoid those. But I have a few non-Steam titles which included them by default on the CD.

So yeah, you have to be online to allow Steam to verify you own the games on your account. That irks some people but I reasoned it's benign since the titles I play are online multi-player anyways. For non-multiplayer titles like Fallout 3, you can opt to get a disc from a brick & mortar store and get extra content without Steam.

Rather than discussing the finer points of our previous posts, I'd like to point out that I wasn't trying to create some sort of scientific body of evidence with years of research data to go along with it. I merely gave my own perspective which you overanalyzed to such a degree, it made you look like a windbag. We're talking about fans who like video games for whatever myriad of personal preferences, not quantum physics.

I thought TF2 was a good deal for a fun multi-player shooter game which still gets updates. I also really liked the Half-Life series. Valve's titles usually leave me feeling like I got my money's worth after I finish each game. I've also been burned a few times with non-steam PC games that disappointed me. I could try to sell/trade the discs but used PC games don't go for very much anyways.

Rather than waste more time debating the advantages/disadvantages of Steam, I've overcome that mental roadblock. To me, Steam does what I want for multi-player gaming. I'm more interested if the game is actually entertaining or not. And although you used the term disparagingly, "the herd" is actually a positive factor in most multi-player games as long as it's not overcrowded. Low-pop/empty servers ruined a few games for me in the past. I literally had to beg friends to buy a game because PUGs were non-existant.

In all fairness, their new Blu Ray releases include the DVD disc also. And some "digital copy" (whatever that is, Ipod format maybe?). I guess the goal is to allow a 5-year-old to open the package and play the movie no matter what digital player they own/choose.

Want Blu Ray & amazing 1080p clarity? Check.

Only have a DVD player? You're covered.

Want to see a low-res version on your Ipod? No problem, here's the best encode we've made for it.

Ideally, it would simplify things for kids and grandparents. Not everyone understands the differences or how to convert digital formats.

But I'm just trying to play devil's advocate here. The new blu ray+dvd combo packs are around $20-$25 and is cheaper than the original $40 dvd releases they had 10 years ago. Not to mention early dvds (not just Disney) sometimes had poor transfers, compression artifacts, rainbows/hue problems/shimmers, etc.

We live in an interesting time where having a VHS player, a DVD player, & a Blu Ray player isn't too far-fetched.
Anime/rare movie fans might own laser disc players also. >_>

This is spot on.

The early Disney DVDs released around 1999 were of dubious quality (poor transfers, not all 16:9 widescreen.) And the price was $40.00.

Source:
http://www.ultimatedisney.com/releasetypes.htm#li

Oh yeah, and a lot of parents just get used copies from garage sales, online sales, etc. Collectors might care if the DVD/Blu Ray came in a steelcase or slip-cover. And they'll definitely complain if there's any visual flaws in the film like compression artifacting. But average parents couldn't care less what was printed on the cardboard box. They just want a working DVD disc.

I thought it was dumb at first too, but it gives them a year to liquidate inventory and makes easier production schedules for pressing DVDs.
The extra buzz getting people to buy early copies of really old films can't hurt either.

Valid complaint.

Very valid complaint.

WHOA, WHOA! You're definitely off your meds!

You might be right on some 3rd-party titles on Steam. I usually check the forums to see if people are having problems with compatibility. Console->PC ports of certain games are not always great on Steam. (I'm looking at you, "Beyond Good & Evil.")

You also have to check the product page to make sure you are getting a mostly-DRM-free product. Steam serves as an online check, but like World of Warcraft's login, it's not that bad. I can understand Valve not wanting 1 copy of Orange Box serving a lan party of 20 people. As long as it doesn't install software that causes system instability (SecuROM, etc) or nag me to pop in the disc every time I start the game.

With that said, on Valve's flagship titles like TF2 and Half-life 2, Steam rocks. Getting buddies into multi-player is quick and easy. Less hassles with patches, etc.

Steam also has a lot of weekend sales. Valve's games are probably worth more hours-per-dollar than any other digital entertainment product I've seen in years.

You say Steam should not have made money. But they clearly have. Then you try and rationalize it by saying everyone else is less intelligent than you are. You have to realize, this is a video game/entertainment service. It's got some rough edges but Steam is pretty damn good at what it does: convenient multi-player gaming.

The crowd has spoken with their wallets.

Don't forget you will always have a trusty animal sidekick and a ragtag group of friends for comedic effect or Broadway musical.

http://www.oreillynet.com/pub/wlg/2425

Are you sure it was a heart attack? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florence_Griffith-Joyner#Death

Exactly! Mod this comment up!

I felt like this article was trolling me.

I searched the links to find evidence that colleges were treating American students worse and promoting outsourcing.

I did not find this. And even my own college's page was very reasonable and straight-to-the-facts.

Sorry, Slashdot, but the link to my college doesn't send this message. Cut the crap with the yellow journalism already.

"Tenenbaum Now Eating His Hat "

I'd mod you up if I could.

Wow, you're trolling here too?
See my comment in response to your other one.

Fact is, at their highest levels, tornadoes and hurricanes obliterate buildings.
Roofs come off, windows break, flooding occurs.
Last year, Chapman, Kansas was demolished by a tornado.
That's 32 miles southwest (about 50 minutes away) of Manhattan, KS.
Our governor, Kathleen Sebelius declared it a state emergency and 200 people had to relocate. One person was confirmed dead.
Look at the before & after picture of that limestone middle school building.
There is zero excuse for the new National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility building not be hardened/secure against winds & water.
I'd love for it to be underground. The site's elevation is actually fine from flash floods too.


The grandparent post is correct. Tornadoes strike then are gone the next day. The Red Cross helps out locally and gets the situation under control within 2-3 days.
And tornadoes typically travel southwest to northeast here and never as far as hurricanes do.

Contrast this to something like Hurricane Katrina.
Major hurricanes cause severe, widespread flooding, loss of electricity, and human casualties.
This situation is different because the emergency teams would not have access to the facility for an extended period of time.
Without power, pumps won't save your building. Your lab samples (sealed or unsealed) will be under water.
Now try to begin a quarantine when there's a flood covering the metropolitan city & roads.
Bring plenty of mosquito repellant.

From Wikipedia:

The shift in voters wouldn't be huge. But the town's economy depends on the University and we become a ghost town during summer.

That's some heavy trolling, but I'll bite.

I've lived in the Fort Riley area for 20+ years.

Growing up in northeast Kansas, I'm aware of the stereotypes. Fort Riley has a large influx of migrating soldiers and their families who echo your sentiments.

The most common complaint is "There's nothing to do here in Kansas".

Being a geeky kid, I shrug. Each city I've lived in had around 20+ fast food joints (due to the soldiers and college kids), a few movie theaters, and malls + shopping centers if that's what they meant. Sure, we lack a major league sports franchise. Kansas City is the closest and I always hated having to drive there to attend a Magic: the Gathering tournament.

There's not many concerts/conventions here except for Kansas State University's events & the annual country music one.

I wish we had better ISP choices. COX cable is tolerable, & I detest AT&T/SBC DSL. Some places near the Missouri border get Timewarner/Roadrunner instead. We also lack GOOD public transportation. Owning a car is a necessity.

I grew up thinking this area was safe from tornados. I was wrong, I experienced my first one last year. We had a flood in 1993 but my side of town was unaffected.

From Wikipedia:
The agricultural outputs of the state are cattle, sheep, wheat, sorghum, soybeans, cotton, hogs, corn, and salt.
Growing up here, I've not seen many corn fields compared to wheat and soybeans. And I was surprised to see sheep, cotton, and salt mentioned.
I've met many people who produce beef, hogs, wheat, and soybeans however. But that's just my personal experience.

I'm passing the blame here. I've never been taught creationism in public school. We do have a lot of Catholics & Protestants residents however. Dr. George Tiller was murdered in nearby Wichita, Kansas. On a junior high school field trip to Topeka, we saw Fred Phelps picketing the roadways from our school buses. Before that day, I never witnessed a hate-group.

Kansas can't help but be associated with Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, & Nebraska on locale. We are a "red state" but our recently former governor is Kathleen_Sebelius who I'm proud to say I've met personally.

I spent a lot of time with table-top gaming, Magic: the Gathering, and LAN parties. Most of the soldiers I met were very cool and down-to-earth. Instead of trying to recruit me, they actively warned me about the downsides of military life. They were funny, quick thinkers, skilled, and had amazing stories. But each moved out-of-state when their military-service was complete.

I'm sympathetic to the soldiers. Most need the job for income. But they get treated poorly. If they are lucky enough to return from duty, they usually face high divorce rates and health problems.

So far, you have stereotyped this entire region and I'm disappointed. I would have expected more convincing facts, and less inane drivel from an intellectual authority such as yourself.

Disclaimer: I am a student at Kansas State University who has lived in Iowa, Missouri, Georgia, and Germany.