Whatever happened to our hobby?

[runequester]

I think what we are seeing is that a lot of people got involved with computers to do very specific things.
 
Judging from younger people at my workplace things like playing games, listening to music and social networking.
 
All three can be done using different devices, often easier and simpler, or while on the go.
 
Thus, the people who got a computer to do those things will switch to different devices. That's okay.

[commodorejohn]

Thus, the people who got a computer to do those things will switch to different devices. That's okay.

It's okay in that they have something simple that meets their needs, yeah - but at the same time it's sad, because there's really nothing about these devices that would push them out of their comfort zone to discover other things that can be done with a computer.

[runequester]

It's okay in that they have something simple that meets their needs, yeah - but at the same time it's sad, because there's really nothing about these devices that would push them out of their comfort zone to discover other things that can be done with a computer.

This is true. I guess the question is whether they'd have the inclination to or not to begin with.

[B00tDisk]

A large percentage of modern flat screen TV's already almost has this. A lot of the Samsung TV's runs Linux, for example. Mine has a USB slot, not SD, but it'll start a media player if you plug any mass storage USB device in it.

EDIT: Take a look here: http://www.crunchgear.com/2010/03/24/hack-your-samsung-tv-linux-guy/
EDIT2: And here for LG TV's: http://mikko.korkalo.fi/openlgtv/

NICE.  Very nice.  I'd like to see more of this.

[Iggy]

As small as they are, I wonder how much of a stretch it would be to just start putting commodity Arm 1.1ghz dual core CPUs and a build of android - basically a cell phone - inside any and all TVs these days?

Just pop it in there in and amongst all the other circuitry, stick an SD slot on the side of the TV for folks who want more storage...bam, Mr. and Mrs. Livingroom can phone up Jane and Johnny while they're at the university, play Angry Birds, look at photos, etc. all on the TV, no screwing around with a dedicated computer.  Just use the remote.

At commodity prices it could hardly cost more than a few bucks to outfit each TV thusly.

(Plus it'd hurt Apple, and I'm all for that.)

Apparently there are designs that start at around $25.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raspberry_Pi

[bloodmoney]

The hobby is still here. I'm sure I am not the only one here that built his own PC.
Thats more hobby to me than just buying a Dell.
Upgrading it here and there with a better Graphics card for gaming or 3d art.
Maybe even installing a car cigerette lighter in a drive bay. The hobby is still here just smaller and different.

[commodorejohn]

The hobby is still here. I'm sure I am not the only one here that built his own PC.
Thats more hobby to me than just buying a Dell.
Upgrading it here and there with a better Graphics card for gaming or 3d art.
Maybe even installing a car cigerette lighter in a drive bay. The hobby is still here just smaller and different.

Ehh...I'm all for assembling one's own PC (cheaper and better than buying a pre-built, every time!) But it's hardly the same thing as working with the old machines, in my opinion - even on user-assembled PCs you're still usually running an OS that puts you layers and layers away from the hardware and doesn't even come with a programming language...

[TheBilgeRat]

Ehh...I'm all for assembling one's own PC (cheaper and better than buying a pre-built, every time!) But it's hardly the same thing as working with the old machines, in my opinion - even on user-assembled PCs you're still usually running an OS that puts you layers and layers away from the hardware and doesn't even come with a programming language...

Awww...c'mon now!  There's bash scripting, python, java, haskell

Of course, it isn't quite assembler and basic, but then python and haskell are pretty fun and not terribly complicated.

[commodorejohn]

Yeah, but that's only if you run Linux, or install that stuff on Windows. The old-school stuff has something built in. (And not just BASIC, either...) It's a message from designer to user: "This is your computer, learn how to make it do what you want it to do."

[TheBilgeRat]

Yeah, but that's only if you run Linux.

Doesn't everyone? :lol:

But yeah - i'm picking up what you are laying down.

[Franko]

Doesn't everyone? :lol:

But yeah - i'm picking up what you are laying down.

Erm... nope...

[commodorejohn]

Doesn't everyone? :lol:

Heh I'm weaning myself from Windows XP gradually (I'll be damned if they're going to get me to move to 7 or 8,) but you know what they say about old habits...

[runequester]

well, there's a lot of "stuff" you can get out of a computer.

Some people like tinkering with hardware.

Some people like doing crazy casemods and custom jobs.

Some people like coding.

Some people like tweaking performance.

Some people like customizing the hell out of the user interface etc etc.

[runequester]

Erm... nope...

But you have the freedom to do so. And thats the great thing about it