News:

MysticWicks endorsement: "In other words, Discordianism, like postmodernism, means never having to say your sorry."

Main Menu

Kindles = Hitler

Started by Iason Ouabache, December 10, 2009, 05:14:50 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

The Good Reverend Roger

Quote from: Z³ on December 10, 2009, 08:23:50 PM
With new iterations of technology, I don't feel that this necessarily makes the old technology obsolete.
Books on paper will never, and should never, be obsolete.
Also Record Players, Typewriters, and VCR's aren't obsolete either.
I'm sure there are other examples, but those are my favorites.

Anachronistic technology is the best technology.

I'm still leery about "zippers" and "belt loops".

TGRR,
Online Luddite
" It's just that Depeche Mode were a bunch of optimistic loveburgers."
- TGRR, shaming himself forever, 7/8/2017

"Billy, when I say that ethics is our number one priority and safety is also our number one priority, you should take that to mean exactly what I said. Also quality. That's our number one priority as well. Don't look at me that way, you're in the corporate world now and this is how it works."
- TGRR, raising the bar at work.

Cain

The difference of course is that the Nazis ruled a country, whereas Amazon is an internet company.  A shitty internet company, who do not understand the concept of selling things (or, indeed, sending them, occasionally), but a company nonetheless.

If you're worried about Amazon doing a book burning parade, you can do two things:

1) not own a Kindle
2) buy books from someone else

Not only hyperbole, but also category failure.

The Good Reverend Roger

Quote from: Cain on December 10, 2009, 08:25:58 PM
The difference of course is that the Nazis ruled a country, whereas Amazon is an internet company.  A shitty internet company, who do not understand the concept of selling things (or, indeed, sending them, occasionally), but a company nonetheless.

If you're worried about Amazon doing a book burning parade, you can do two things:

1) not own a Kindle
2) buy books from someone else

Not only hyperbole, but also category failure.

Sure.  Not saying he's RIGHT, just that I understand the concern.
" It's just that Depeche Mode were a bunch of optimistic loveburgers."
- TGRR, shaming himself forever, 7/8/2017

"Billy, when I say that ethics is our number one priority and safety is also our number one priority, you should take that to mean exactly what I said. Also quality. That's our number one priority as well. Don't look at me that way, you're in the corporate world now and this is how it works."
- TGRR, raising the bar at work.

Cain

Oh yeah, I don't want Amazon stealing my shit, either, if I paid for it.

But at the same time, if they do start acting like (even bigger) jerks...well, Sony and Foxit have decent ebook readers, and you can buy ebooks directly from the publishers.  So its not so much ZOMG NAZIS as Amazon's stupidity will overwhelm their brand recognition, if it continues.

Rumckle

Quote from: Z³ on December 10, 2009, 08:23:50 PM

Also Record Players, Typewriters, and VCR's aren't obsolete either.


:cn:

I mean, I know people who own them, and still use them (my sister want's a 70's typewriter for xmas) but that is more of a retro thing than real use of them. I mean, some people will use them, but not nearly as much as the new technology, and as time goes on less and less people will use them.
It's not trolling, it's just satire.

#20
Quote from: Rumckle on December 10, 2009, 10:00:00 PM
Quote from: Z³ on December 10, 2009, 08:23:50 PM

Also Record Players, Typewriters, and VCR's aren't obsolete either.


:cn:

I mean, I know people who own them, and still use them (my sister want's a 70's typewriter for xmas) but that is more of a retro thing than real use of them. I mean, some people will use them, but not nearly as much as the new technology, and as time goes on less and less people will use them.

Less people will use them, but they still have specific advantages over more modern forms of tech.

VCR's: As a person who isn't obsessed with picture quality, and doesn't give two shits about HD, these are perfect. Tapes, while bulky, don't get scratched. And I can still use VCR's to record things off of television, like movies or TV shows, so that I can watch them when I want to watch them... if its a TV show, I can fast-forward through the commercials. I don't have to pay some cable company for the privilege of putting a special box in my home for me to do this. Also, I get a HARD COPY, which is nice. While overtime, the quality of picture of tapes can degrade, I have to say that most of my VHS tapes still play nice.

Oh, and when the case gets fucked, or the tape gets tangled in the VCR or something like that (Which its been a long time since this has happened to me) I can usually fix it. Of course, they don't release new movies on this format, but that's ok. If I really want a new movie on tape, I'll record it, but it doesn't really matter since almost all movies are crap anyway.

Record Player: Ask any audiophile about the differences between analog and digital and they'll talk your ear off. I'm not that pretentious about it, but I will say that I find it a lot more difficult to fuck up a record than a CD. I have tons of CD's, most of them I spent money on. There was a period in my life where I probably gave away a lot of money this way, in some cases for CD's that I've had to buy like three or four times. Oh sure, you can tell me to take better care of my CD's, but they're small and so easy to damage and ontop of that I have almost a thousand of these fucking things. I cant imagine lugging around 1000 cd's with the jewel cases intact, and all pristine, with me every time I move.

I don't have nearly that many records, but I find that records are easier to take care of, easier to love, and harder to fuck up. Also they retain their value better, sometimes increasing in value as time goes on. I cant say the same thing about CD's, except in rare cases.

Typewriters: Its nice to have a writing machine that isn't plugged into the grid.

I intend to resist the new way, wherever possible. Sadly, life has dictated to me that I need a phone I can carry around with me. Right now, its benefits outweigh the fact that it puts me even further on the grid... A dot, that moves around, constantly updating its position. Not only that, its a portable camera and microphone. By carrying one of these fuckers around I'm a willing accomplice of the machine, but damnit I needs it.

Obviously, I am not yet ready for The Mountain.

As far as kindle, or other E-readers, I can see the uses of them... but me, personally, I'll stick to the old ways.

Rumckle

Digital copies are only lossy if you want them to be.
And yes, I agree that CDs aren't that great, I'd prefer records (or minidisks, but they never really got off the ground).

Plus I agree with you on books, I'd much prefer real books to ebooks, but ebooks are cheaper, and saves me carrying several kgs of textbooks around the place.
It's not trolling, it's just satire.

Requia ☣

Why are you rebuying CDs? It's called resurfacing.  Costs a couple bucks a disk.  Or you can buy your own equipment if you have a lot of it.

The bad quality on CDs has nothing to do with the format, its because records are a shoddy format that wouldn't support the poor recording practices of the loudness wars.

Records also scratch up even easier than CDs.  At least CD and DVD players don't destroy the disks themselves (well except XBOXs).

Jewel cases sucking I'll agree with though.
Inflatable dolls are not recognized flotation devices.

#23
Quote from: Requia ☣ on December 11, 2009, 12:07:27 AM
Why are you rebuying CDs? It's called resurfacing.  Costs a couple bucks a disk.  Or you can buy your own equipment if you have a lot of it.

The bad quality on CDs has nothing to do with the format, its because records are a shoddy format that wouldn't support the poor recording practices of the loudness wars.

Records also scratch up even easier than CDs.  At least CD and DVD players don't destroy the disks themselves (well except XBOXs).

Jewel cases sucking I'll agree with though.

Its not a matter of CD's having bad quality. Its just that the difference between an analog recording and a digital one tends to be that digital recordings cut out all the sounds that we cant fucking hear anyway, and audiophiles will often argue that the quality of analog is better as a result, its not an argument I really care about.

As far as resurfacing goes, you can really only do it once. And its not really a big deal to me, but yes, I have resurfaced CD's.

Vinyl is easy to scratch, but I tend to take care of my vinyl because I look at it as something that will retain its value. I never felt that collectors impulse with CD'. As far as recording quality on Vinyl, most of its stellar. Of course, any full length album is usually two LP's, but that's just the way it goes.

There is this company, I forget the name, but they rereleased a bunch of kinda old weird stuff on Vinyl. So when I saw a copy of Mr. Bungles' Disco Volante on Vinyl, I was fucking pumped. Come to find out, it was on a single LP and didnt contain any of the original packaging, and the sound quality was CRAP... I mean I had to turn my record players volume ALL THE WAY UP in order for it to be audible. But that sort of stuff is pretty uncommon, in my experience.

Mind you, I'm not even saying that CD's are bad, or DVD's, or anything else. I just dont feel that the old tech loses its value just because newer tech exists. I even still have 8 tracks, although I find it difficult to find an advantage to them compared to cassettes (which I still like), or anything else.

Also, I dont rebuy cd's , I stopped doing that crap years ago.


BabylonHoruv

Quote from: Z³ on December 10, 2009, 11:11:03 PM
Quote from: Rumckle on December 10, 2009, 10:00:00 PM
Quote from: Z³ on December 10, 2009, 08:23:50 PM

Also Record Players, Typewriters, and VCR's aren't obsolete either.


:cn:

I mean, I know people who own them, and still use them (my sister want's a 70's typewriter for xmas) but that is more of a retro thing than real use of them. I mean, some people will use them, but not nearly as much as the new technology, and as time goes on less and less people will use them.

Less people will use them, but they still have specific advantages over more modern forms of tech.

VCR's: As a person who isn't obsessed with picture quality, and doesn't give two shits about HD, these are perfect. Tapes, while bulky, don't get scratched. And I can still use VCR's to record things off of television, like movies or TV shows, so that I can watch them when I want to watch them... if its a TV show, I can fast-forward through the commercials. I don't have to pay some cable company for the privilege of putting a special box in my home for me to do this. Also, I get a HARD COPY, which is nice. While overtime, the quality of picture of tapes can degrade, I have to say that most of my VHS tapes still play nice.

Oh, and when the case gets fucked, or the tape gets tangled in the VCR or something like that (Which its been a long time since this has happened to me) I can usually fix it. Of course, they don't release new movies on this format, but that's ok. If I really want a new movie on tape, I'll record it, but it doesn't really matter since almost all movies are crap anyway.

Record Player: Ask any audiophile about the differences between analog and digital and they'll talk your ear off. I'm not that pretentious about it, but I will say that I find it a lot more difficult to fuck up a record than a CD. I have tons of CD's, most of them I spent money on. There was a period in my life where I probably gave away a lot of money this way, in some cases for CD's that I've had to buy like three or four times. Oh sure, you can tell me to take better care of my CD's, but they're small and so easy to damage and ontop of that I have almost a thousand of these fucking things. I cant imagine lugging around 1000 cd's with the jewel cases intact, and all pristine, with me every time I move.

I don't have nearly that many records, but I find that records are easier to take care of, easier to love, and harder to fuck up. Also they retain their value better, sometimes increasing in value as time goes on. I cant say the same thing about CD's, except in rare cases.

Typewriters: Its nice to have a writing machine that isn't plugged into the grid.

I intend to resist the new way, wherever possible. Sadly, life has dictated to me that I need a phone I can carry around with me. Right now, its benefits outweigh the fact that it puts me even further on the grid... A dot, that moves around, constantly updating its position. Not only that, its a portable camera and microphone. By carrying one of these fuckers around I'm a willing accomplice of the machine, but damnit I needs it.

Obviously, I am not yet ready for The Mountain.

As far as kindle, or other E-readers, I can see the uses of them... but me, personally, I'll stick to the old ways.

Records also have a huge following among DJ's.  You really can't spin CD's the same way, not even if you have one of those digital turntables.

For me the kindle is going to have a really hard time replacing the paper book.  I read a lot on my computer, but I can't take a big bulky electronic gadget into the bathroom with me, especially into the bathtub.  I can a dead tree book.  Also the stupid thing doesn't read PDF's.
You're a special case, Babylon.  You are offensive even when you don't post.

Merely by being alive, you make everyone just a little more miserable

-Dok Howl

LMNO

Yes, it does.

Also, a 5x10x0.5 Kindle is MUCH less bulky than the last 1000 page book I read on it.

LMNO
-Don't believe the hype.

East Coast Hustle

Quote from: Z³ on December 11, 2009, 01:22:56 AM
Quote from: Requia ☣ on December 11, 2009, 12:07:27 AM
Why are you rebuying CDs? It's called resurfacing.  Costs a couple bucks a disk.  Or you can buy your own equipment if you have a lot of it.

The bad quality on CDs has nothing to do with the format, its because records are a shoddy format that wouldn't support the poor recording practices of the loudness wars.

Records also scratch up even easier than CDs.  At least CD and DVD players don't destroy the disks themselves (well except XBOXs).

Jewel cases sucking I'll agree with though.

Its not a matter of CD's having bad quality. Its just that the difference between an analog recording and a digital one tends to be that digital recordings cut out all the sounds that we cant fucking hear anyway, and audiophiles will often argue that the quality of analog is better as a result, its not an argument I really care about.

As far as resurfacing goes, you can really only do it once. And its not really a big deal to me, but yes, I have resurfaced CD's.

Vinyl is easy to scratch, but I tend to take care of my vinyl because I look at it as something that will retain its value. I never felt that collectors impulse with CD'. As far as recording quality on Vinyl, most of its stellar. Of course, any full length album is usually two LP's, but that's just the way it goes.

There is this company, I forget the name, but they rereleased a bunch of kinda old weird stuff on Vinyl. So when I saw a copy of Mr. Bungles' Disco Volante on Vinyl, I was fucking pumped. Come to find out, it was on a single LP and didnt contain any of the original packaging, and the sound quality was CRAP... I mean I had to turn my record players volume ALL THE WAY UP in order for it to be audible. But that sort of stuff is pretty uncommon, in my experience.

Mind you, I'm not even saying that CD's are bad, or DVD's, or anything else. I just dont feel that the old tech loses its value just because newer tech exists. I even still have 8 tracks, although I find it difficult to find an advantage to them compared to cassettes (which I still like), or anything else.

Also, I dont rebuy cd's , I stopped doing that crap years ago.



I am and probably always will be of the opinion that cassette tapes are VASTLY superior to CDs or digital audio formats.
Rabid Colostomy Hole Jammer of the Coming Apocalypse™

The Devil is in the details; God is in the nuance.


Some yahoo yelled at me, saying 'GIVE ME LIBERTY OR GIVE ME DEATH', and I thought, "I'm feeling generous today.  Why not BOTH?"

Triple Zero

Quote from: Z³ on December 11, 2009, 01:22:56 AMIts not a matter of CD's having bad quality. Its just that the difference between an analog recording and a digital one tends to be that digital recordings cut out all the sounds that we cant fucking hear anyway, and audiophiles will often argue that the quality of analog is better as a result, its not an argument I really care about.

it's also not true. try listening to an audiophile that actually knows their shit next time. it's true that there are some things records can do that CD's can't do, but it's nothing that would show up in any blind listener test a serious audiophile would do. Which is why they don't. Because, like food, the difference in listening pleasure of CD versus Vinyl is in the presentation. Unlike food, not many are willing to admit this.

And then, if you want indestructable, try SD memory cards. They survive a fire and you can drive a truck over them.

You can record music (FLAC is lossless, but for someone that believes "digital recordings cut out all the sounds we cant fucking hear anyway", trust me, I'm an Certified Audiophile for True Sound TM and 192kbps MP3 is perfectly lossless, just magically smaller. Hell, it even adds fidelity you couldnt even fucking hear anyway.)

You can also record video on an SD card. You don't need to rewind it, quality is better, does not degrade like VCR, you can fastforward and rewind much faster and easier than with a videotape, you can actually cut out or edit pieces after you recorded them, you can also record stuff that is not on TV with it, such as downloaded movies or documentaries on Google Video, youtube clips or TED Talks, and you can download subtitles in any language, also english subs for foreign movies.

No, your so called "advantages" to these old technologies are not the reason why you stick to them.

If you wanted indestructable, you'd use SD cards. You say you keep using VCRs because of these advantages, but that's bullshit.

You are just lazy and reluctant to switch to new technology.

So don't kid yourself and don't kid us. It's a perfectly good reason. Or at least, it's a lot better and more honest to everyone involved than all the dumb and uninformed excuses you are making.

QuoteMind you, I'm not even saying that CD's are bad, or DVD's, or anything else. I just dont feel that the old tech loses its value just because newer tech exists.

except that it does, on all fronts, except for the part where you don't want to figure out how to use the new tech.

QuoteAlso, I dont rebuy cd's , I stopped doing that crap years ago.

Well, duh, I ripped all my CDs to my computer and haven't opened a CD box since. If I lose, break or scratch a CD I will download it, which in that case is actually legal because I already paid the copyrights on it (as it doesn't matter where I get my backup copy from, just that I have the right to own one).

QuoteTypewriters: Its nice to have a writing machine that isn't plugged into the grid.

Stop making excuses, damnit. If you really wanted that, you'd use a fucking pencil. A typewriter is way too clunky to be of any use except nostalgic value.

Ex-Soviet Bloc Sexual Attack Swede of Tomorrow™
e-prime disclaimer: let it seem fairly unclear I understand the apparent subjectivity of the above statements. maybe.

INFORMATION SO POWERFUL, YOU ACTUALLY NEED LESS.

LMNO

I like records because of the surface noise.


It gives off a fake sense of nostalgia, and I'm not afraid to admit that.

AFK

Ditto. 

And cassettes were great because they were small and portable.  The problem was when it was an album you really, really, really liked and you played it over, and over, and over again.  That tape gets worn out and starts getting all jammed up in the cassette player innerds.  Or they'd just freeze up and stop playing. 

CDs are fine enough.  I do love the ability to skip over filler songs on albums and not have to play the guessing game with the forward or reverse button.  It's mp3's that bug me.  I don't fancy myself an audiophile but damn they just sound lifeless compared to CD's and other older formats.  And I can tell instantly when they are playing MP3's on Sirius compared to a CD.  It has that swishy kinda sound. 
Cynicism is a blank check for failure.