Kids these days aren't smarter. The majority is dumber. They may seem smarter because they understand technology more-so. Let me rephrase that. They understand how to use the technology. But half of them can't change a tire or tune up a car. Much less build a PC or fix one that has problems.

Despite this wonderful web of information we have, people are getting dumber because they now have things that do everything for them, rather then have to use their own minds and figure things out.

People can't even read an instruction book and hook up their own stuff or fix a problem with it. They just post on Yahoo Answers or call their cable company expecting them to know how to mount their TV to the wall.

MEGAUPLOAD OFFICIALLY shutdown by Federal Prosecutors

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/story/2012-01-19/megaupload-feds-shutdown/52678528/1

Reposted seems how the mods are too lazy to move the topic and just locked it. Maybe they have some Feds working for them?

YouTube is almost nothing but violations. It's practically free music, videos, complete older movies are found on there. They would pretty much have to shut down the entire internet to stop it all.

I wouldn't put it passed them. Hell EA, Activision and Blizzard would probably find ways to charge season passes and make money off of website access.

[QUOTE="waltefmoney"]

[QUOTE="Eponique"]Poor Americans. Their government is going to take down a lot of websites.Eponique

Which won't affect just Americans. :(

Seeing as our governement in the U.S. thinks they are the world police, it wouldn't take long until the EU and other countries were influenced by their actions. They'll figure if the US can get away with it without any social problems then they surely can.

Well they may have had illegal stuff on there, sure. But this is exactly what people were trying to prevent. Megaupload was hosting terabytes of files for Open Source games like Frets on Fire and such. And now all that content may be gone.

Many mods, open source, Linux distros and other community projects use sites like that or even torrents for distribution. All of which is free and legal. This is bad news.

I've been kind of the same way myself. I find myself gaming more and more in my free time, which I don't have much to begin with. And if I'm not playing, I'm reading websites (usually the same ones over and over), or looking up mods, configurations, DLC etc. Honestly...I'm tired of it.

I'm primarily a PC only gamer, and for some reason I find it more addicting then consoles. I don't think it's because they are superior or anything, I just think the consoles can bring a casual enjoyment easier while the PC is in your face and more involved.

That being said, I already have my PC up for sale. I just bought a house with 5 acres just a mile from 7 lakes and between maintaining the property and having crappy internet, I just can't devote the time to it anymore. I plan on buying a PS3 to go with it.

Odd thing is, once I got over worrying about how I'd download and play my games, I'm actually excited and anticipating leaving my PC behind. Even after 20 years of building them, I've grown tired of obsessing over it.

Now I'm looking forward to enjoy all of those things I used to enjoy, and when the day is done relaxing on my couch for a game of Madden, Skyrim, or Mass Effect 3. I've also quit playing online. I haven't played online now in 9 weeks and have no desire to go back. After playing in MLG back in 2000, and doing many Clan ladders etc. I've found that staying offline I'm once again able to relax more, take my hobby to an enjoyable level again, and focus on other things at the same time. Playing games like Rockband and the Lego games, Madden, offline multiplayer with my wife and son is much more enjoyable then always dealing with morons and worrying about my stats.

Time to take up that band offer I got a few months ago and branch out again. But I'll never stop gaming. It will always be a part of my life, time to make room for the other parts I left behind somehow.

That's my story, it's still being written, but maybe it will help in some way.

I have noticed with my friends Xbox's and PS3's, there seems to be an update as soon as you run a game the first time anymore. But if they aren't connected they won't try.

My concern I guess is, lets say I buy Skyrim or Deus Ex through retail, can I install via the disk, activate on Steam once and play?

Having a 5gb or 10gb cap will create problems having to install the full game. I bought a game once, can't remember what it was, but the disk didn't install anything but Steam, then I had to download the whole game. I will have to wait a month or two to play the game like that.

I can live with the slow speeds, I'm patient. Just not with the bandwith caps. We currently use about 300gb a month lol.

I know there isn't DSL where our new house is, it's too far away from the VRAD's. Put it this way, the only thing near me is 2 houses, 8 lakes and a church camp.

That had crossed my mind, but I'm still on contract with Verizon for my smartphones and they want something like $30 per phone for tethering...which is dumb.

Problem is mostly the bandwith cap, right now I work for a nationwide ISP and get unlimited data at 30x5, but now I'll be going to something alot slower with 5-10gb caps.

Seems almost a waste of time to even try with a plan like that.

So for the last 5 years I've been blessed with having good internet, never less then 15x5 speeds.

But we are purchasing a home with property, unfortunately the closest cable plant section is about 2 miles away, and the nearest DSL service is also as far. We are a bit out of town. I'll probably be stuck with either satellite internet or mobile broadband type services, both to my knowledge have horrible caps like around 5gb to 10gb. I've never had a cap before and am a little concerned.

I've been a PC Gamer since about 1993, and now use Steam on a regular basis, but with this cap I'm kinda screwed I think. So two questions for those who may already have had this problem, or currently do.

1. When you buy retail PC Games now that require Steam, Orign, D2D etc, after you run the disc installer, are you still required to download files through the digital client to complete the installation to play your game. I haven't purchased a PC game retail in probably 4 years.

2. As much as I'd hate the thought, am I better off going to consoles to avoid digital distribution hassles.

I've had good internet and never had to worry about this...but I can't justify paying extra money, for something that I already paid for, just because I exceeded my monthly caps. I'm not going to buy a game for $60 and then have to wait 3 months to play it either.

Thoughts? Experiences?

So for the last 5 years I've been blessed with having good internet, never less then 15x5 speeds.

But we are purchasing a home with property, unfortunately the closest cable plant section is about 2 miles away, and the nearest DSL service is also as far. We are a bit out of town. I'll probably be stuck with either satellite internet or mobile broadband type services, both to my knowledge have horrible caps like around 5gb to 10gb. I've never had a cap before and am a little concerned.

I've been a PC Gamer since about 1993, and now use Steam on a regular basis, but with this cap I'm kinda screwed I think. So two questions for those who may already have had this problem, or currently do.

1. When you buy retail PC Games now that require Steam, Orign, D2D etc, after you run the disc installer, are you still required to download files through the digital client to complete the installation to play your game. I haven't purchased a PC game retail in probably 4 years.

2. As much as I'd hate the thought, am I better off going to consoles to avoid digital distribution hassles.

I've had good internet and never had to worry about this...but I can't justify paying extra money, for something that I already paid for, just because I exceeded my monthly caps. I'm not going to buy a game for $60 and then have to wait 3 months to play it either.

Thoughts? Experiences?