"Steve" wrote in message
...

On Fri, 1 Feb 2008 02:22:57 -0500, "D.Duck" wrote:


In my mind the problem is that lots of hardware/software is foisted on the
public before it's ready for prime time. The theory being that the public
can just do the beta testing whether they like it or not.

One of the biggest offenders in my little world is DishNetwork. They
constantly install "updates" to the receivers that create new problems.

Just like anything else, the ability to do updates can certainly be
abused. You don't have to be a beta tester if you don't want to be.
Just don't be an early adopter.

Steve


I guess I am just starting to show my age. Computers are a great tool, but
I've just never really got "into" them. It irks me that something that is
advertised and designed to do something (like the Blu-Ray players) require
you to routinely log onto the Internet, go to the player's website, download
firmware updates, either burn them to CD-R or copy them to a USB storage
device, then load the firmware update into the Blu-Ray player, just to watch
something that it would not originally read. Never have had to do that
with regular DVD players.

"Ol' Blue Eyes" pretty much sums up my POV on computers and a computer
focused lifestyle:

http://americancomedynetwork.com/ani...l?bit_id=25239

Eisboch

On Fri, 1 Feb 2008 09:04:40 -0500, "Eisboch" wrote:


"Steve" wrote in message
.. .

On Fri, 1 Feb 2008 02:22:57 -0500, "D.Duck" wrote:


In my mind the problem is that lots of hardware/software is foisted on the
public before it's ready for prime time. The theory being that the public
can just do the beta testing whether they like it or not.

One of the biggest offenders in my little world is DishNetwork. They
constantly install "updates" to the receivers that create new problems.

Just like anything else, the ability to do updates can certainly be
abused. You don't have to be a beta tester if you don't want to be.
Just don't be an early adopter.

Steve


I guess I am just starting to show my age. Computers are a great tool, but
I've just never really got "into" them. It irks me that something that is
advertised and designed to do something (like the Blu-Ray players) require
you to routinely log onto the Internet, go to the player's website, download
firmware updates, either burn them to CD-R or copy them to a USB storage
device, then load the firmware update into the Blu-Ray player, just to watch
something that it would not originally read. Never have had to do that
with regular DVD players.

That's because regular DVD players *couldn't* do that. So once the
DVD capabilities were specified, that's it. You're stuck with that
capability for years. With BluRay, they can add new features to the
BluRay specification as time goes by. Things like more interactive
game play, internet access, etc., whatever they can think of.

You don't have to take advantage of those new capabilities if you
don't want to. It will still just play the disc without an update.
But certain features of the newer discs will be unavailable unless you
update. Your choice.

Steve

"Steve" wrote in message
...


That's because regular DVD players *couldn't* do that. So once the
DVD capabilities were specified, that's it. You're stuck with that
capability for years. With BluRay, they can add new features to the
BluRay specification as time goes by. Things like more interactive
game play, internet access, etc., whatever they can think of.

You don't have to take advantage of those new capabilities if you
don't want to. It will still just play the disc without an update.
But certain features of the newer discs will be unavailable unless you
update. Your choice.

Steve

Heh. New "features" like making them work?
I looked up the latest firmware update available for my brandy-new Sharp
Blu-Ray player. According to the website, the update "corrects the lock up
problem of the disk drawer open/close operation".

Eisboch

On Fri, 1 Feb 2008 20:41:45 -0500, "Eisboch" wrote:


"Steve" wrote in message
.. .


That's because regular DVD players *couldn't* do that. So once the
DVD capabilities were specified, that's it. You're stuck with that
capability for years. With BluRay, they can add new features to the
BluRay specification as time goes by. Things like more interactive
game play, internet access, etc., whatever they can think of.

You don't have to take advantage of those new capabilities if you
don't want to. It will still just play the disc without an update.
But certain features of the newer discs will be unavailable unless you
update. Your choice.

Steve

Heh. New "features" like making them work?
I looked up the latest firmware update available for my brandy-new Sharp
Blu-Ray player. According to the website, the update "corrects the lock up
problem of the disk drawer open/close operation".

Of course there are updates to fix problems as well as add new
features. This sounds like an update I'd want to have. Then again,
if your disk drawer isn't locking up during the open/close operation,
I might just not install that one and wait for the next one that does
something I'd want. There's probably a very specific, maybe rare
condition that causes that to occur. Otherwise, they probably
wouldn't have released the unit if they could never open the drawer,
right?

Steve