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I don't think I said we traded up, but it's not like we've lost everything. Here are some freedoms (or benefits) - freedom from physically needing to get to a

I don't think I said we traded up, but it's not like we've lost everything. Here are some freedoms (or benefits) - freedom from physically needing to get to a bookstore - I know this sounds trivial, but there are many people who have difficulties with access - the freedom of choice: I can still continue purchasing the physical artifacts and carry on as before - being able to carry around hundreds or thousands of digital artifacts in incredible. I grew up with Walkmans, and having to create tapes, then moved onto carrying around CDs in cumbersome cases to go with my portable CDman. Are these trivial freedoms? Possibly. Is my life better - certainly.

Splines 15y ago
The problem is we've given up long-term benefits in exchange for short-term ones, and it's not clear where that's going to lead us. Steam makes my life super convenient, but what happens if I move to a country with super-aggressive bandwidth caps? For that matter, I don't even know if Steam would let me access my US-bought materials from another country. As hackers, we're used to working around the problem. The problem is that that attitude lacks foresight, and "death by a thousand cuts" can become a reality.
- FeepingCreature 15y ago
  > For that matter, I don't even know if Steam would let me access my US-bought materials from another country. Yes.
  - whatusername 15y ago
    But don't come to Australia or you'll have to pay a fortune for your games. Dawn of war 2: Complete Pack (Australian Steam) $99.99 http://store.steampowered.com/app/56437/?cc=au http://store.steampowered.com/app/56437/?cc=au Dawn of war 2: Complete Pack (United States Steam) $59.99 http://store.steampowered.com/app/56437/?cc=us http://store.steampowered.com/app/56437/?cc=us Please note: The currency in both of these “products” is identical.
knieveltech 15y ago
I think you're confusing freedom with convenience. This seems to be a common mistake. In my experience the two are frequently mutually exclusive. Here's an example from my personal life: I like to rock climb on the weekends. Two of my favorite climbing destinations (I like them both for different reasons) have wildly different characteristics. One is a top-roping area managed by the State Park Service and the management plan and local rock quality conspire to force you to utilize specific pre-planned routes. There are well-maintained trails and a parking lot up top. This is insanely convenient as you can just walk up, clip into anchors at the top of the crag, drop a rope, and you're in business. The convenience factor makes this a really great spot if you're taking out a group of inexperienced folks for their first time climbing. That's convenience. The second area (in another state park) has no anchors of any kind. Parking is at the bottom a couple miles from the crag and to get to any of the climbs you're looking at a 45 minute hike uphill weighed down with a bunch of gear. The rock is also a lot taller here so toproping isn't an option, everything has to be lead from the ground up, on gear, with no pre-placed protection available. In non-climber terms this means you have to hang your ass out on the line and risk taking a fall on every climb you do there. You are totally free to pick any section of rock that suits your fancy, but this also means you have to be able to assess risk and know what you're about. That's freedom.

Splines 15y ago

The problem is we've given up long-term benefits in exchange for short-term ones, and it's not clear where that's going to lead us. Steam makes my life super convenient, but what happens if I move to a country with super-aggressive bandwidth caps? For that matter, I don't even know if Steam would let me access my US-bought materials from another country. As hackers, we're used to working around the problem. The problem is that that attitude lacks foresight, and "death by a thousand cuts" can become a reality.

FeepingCreature 15y ago
> For that matter, I don't even know if Steam would let me access my US-bought materials from another country. Yes.
- whatusername 15y ago
  But don't come to Australia or you'll have to pay a fortune for your games. Dawn of war 2: Complete Pack (Australian Steam) $99.99 http://store.steampowered.com/app/56437/?cc=au http://store.steampowered.com/app/56437/?cc=au Dawn of war 2: Complete Pack (United States Steam) $59.99 http://store.steampowered.com/app/56437/?cc=us http://store.steampowered.com/app/56437/?cc=us Please note: The currency in both of these “products” is identical.

knieveltech 15y ago

I think you're confusing freedom with convenience. This seems to be a common mistake. In my experience the two are frequently mutually exclusive. Here's an example from my personal life: I like to rock climb on the weekends. Two of my favorite climbing destinations (I like them both for different reasons) have wildly different characteristics. One is a top-roping area managed by the State Park Service and the management plan and local rock quality conspire to force you to utilize specific pre-planned routes. There are well-maintained trails and a parking lot up top. This is insanely convenient as you can just walk up, clip into anchors at the top of the crag, drop a rope, and you're in business. The convenience factor makes this a really great spot if you're taking out a group of inexperienced folks for their first time climbing. That's convenience. The second area (in another state park) has no anchors of any kind. Parking is at the bottom a couple miles from the crag and to get to any of the climbs you're looking at a 45 minute hike uphill weighed down with a bunch of gear. The rock is also a lot taller here so toproping isn't an option, everything has to be lead from the ground up, on gear, with no pre-placed protection available. In non-climber terms this means you have to hang your ass out on the line and risk taking a fall on every climb you do there. You are totally free to pick any section of rock that suits your fancy, but this also means you have to be able to assess risk and know what you're about. That's freedom.