I'd say this skiff was dead in the water.

Translates to: Screw the authors & screw the customers.

into three separate companies:

1. infrastructure, i.e., the wire and fibre on the poles
2. ISP and phone services
3. content provider

This will allow for competition for those people who are stuck with Comcast being the sole provider.

Seriously, this was on the front page of every news outlet... almost two days ago. I know that there's a bit of a lag time to get things on Slashdot, but honestly, is it asking that much to post big stories the same day they happen?

I kinda get the feeling that "electronic" instruments are seen as replacing traditional/acoustic instruments, at least in the minds of geeks/young people. I disagree. :)

Anything that can be recorded by electronic means can in principle be duplicated in performances. Physical instruments are limited by physics and their design. Electronic instruments don't have such a narrow limitation as the types of notes available are not dictated by the materials and shape of the electronic instrument. Having said that, the video its self was rather underwhelming. Just variations on a single tone. The "instruments" were programmed by the students themselves which is what is novel about them; Not so much the fact that the performance its self was disappointing.

When you've got FTTH at home you get used to certain levels of image quality ...

Like getting used to the convenience of the automated ATM machine...

> It seems to me that this plan would be reliant on people actually wanting to watch the new releases after having seen the previous ones.

No, I don't think you got the point. The point is that this plan would be reliant on people actually wanting to wait to watch the new release in their most preferred format.

I propose the following:
(1) People have only one chance to have a first impression of a movie.
(2) They can chose what that first impression is.
(3) They will chose the one that best satisfies them, within their cost/convenience/quality/social mix (for the occasion).

Therefore, they will pass the chance to watch a movie in a format that robs them the full experience it can give. You know what I am talking about. Any /. reader knows very well how to DL a free copy of a movie, right now, at this moment. He/she can pick between a quick download that will be trasfered to (an can be watched on) their cellphone screen. Or they can get the PSP version. Or the VCD version. Or the DVD version. Or the HD version. Yet... how many /.ers have stopped going to movie theaters because of that?

Myself, I don't have time to watch every movie. And the limited time I have, I will use to watch the best movies in the grandest way (at a movie theater, or at least in HD). I will not be wasting time with bad movies, nor wasting great movies with a tiny screen...

could it be...

that you're BOTH RIGHT?

ie, you've just demonstrated that each person has their own take on what form of entertainment works for them and makes them happy.

there IS no one-stop style that fits all.

some movies: watch once. others, watch many
some songs: listen once. others, listen many

people are different. wow. what a revelation.

In case anyone missed the reference

"The attempt was a bust if I recall right."

The I-Appliance BBS is an interesting source of info on orphan devices whose business models shat the bed, beginning with the famous http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I-Opener

http://www.linux-hacker.net/cgi-bin/UltraBoard/UltraBoard.pl

I could care less if someones business model fails, and if they gimme free stuff I'll happily put it to use.