Posted 01/11/2009 at 09:18:23pm

I've been an irregular purchaser through both iTunes and Amazon. While I enjoy the non-DRM of Amazon, I have enjoyed certain features of iTunes.

Before Amazon, I had a simple way of bypassing DRM through iTunes. Simply purchase the tracks, burn to re-writable CD and import in MP3 format from the CD using iTunes. No DRM to worry about. Though a little time consuming, this worked wonderfully for adding music to my Philips 6GB GoGear. Keep in mind, this was a couple of years before Amazon began selling music downloads (and before I discovered Media Monkey).

The import as MP3 format as an iTunes feature (and for a while was the only way I knew of to import in MP3 - again, thanks Media Monkey) was nice for ripping my CD collection and adding nice quality artwork with song info was, back then, far easier than typing in CD info for hundreds of CDs. I would still have to do that occasionally but the benefits far outweighed the typing. 

Posted 12/10/2008 at 10:43:00pm

I fully agree with Will Smith on this issue. About three years ago, I had subscriptions to both Maximum PC and PC World. Today, the only magazine I will read concerning computers is MPC. Was I distraught to see Macbooks soundly beating the other laptops in a fair competition? Yes, but I've always known that Macs are better for certain things such as video editing and graphic design while Windows-based PCs are better at others such as gaming. While I am by no means a Mac lover, I will not stop reading MPC simply because they include a review or story about Macs.

I consider myself reasonably knowledgable and part of the MPC target market. So long as MPC does not start reviewing the kind of non-PC related items that PC World did when I read (or rather flipped through) their magazine and the articles remain PC-based (including Macs), then I will continue to subscribe.

Cheers, Will and MPC, for a job well done. 

Posted 09/24/2008 at 12:41:19am

Is that avatar REALLY a picture of editor Will Smith?

Posted 09/23/2008 at 11:23:11pm

There are very few games that I will run out and buy as soon as they are released. In fact, the only two games I have bought recently (in the past two years) were Neverwinter Nights 2 and Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. I even bought the collector's edition and all the other expansion releases for Oblivion.

For me, while the first Diablo was fairly fun, I enjoy the depth of character creation that NWN2 and Oblivion give. I also like good, solid oldschool D&D-style games like Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind where the story isn't quite so linear.

Piracy is often the scapegoat of developers as the reason their games sell poorly. I could have waited and downloaded either NWN 2 or Oblivion for free from pirate sites, but I support these companies so that they will continue to develop these types of games. I am perturbed that I can't back up my game disks easily as I like to keep them in good condition and relatively scratch-free (impossible but I try), but it's a sacrifice I can live with.

Thanks, atomaweapon, for the reminder that there may be patches for cd-less play. That fact escapes me far too often. And I agree with your statements.

Posted 09/23/2008 at 10:24:23pm

Poison Ivy from Batman would be my guess if I'm seeing the picture you mean.

Posted 09/23/2008 at 10:18:11pm

There, but for the grace of God, go I. I would like to thank MaximumPC for showing my wife that, while I am a geek (comics, Magic: the Gathering, D&D, etc., etc.), I'm not alone.

Also, is the guy in the red Cobra outfit on page 1 Kevin Spacey?

I also would like to see an index. I recognize a good number, but there are some I just can't tell.

Seriously, it looks like a great deal of fun.

Posted 06/13/2007 at 03:11:31am

Several months ago, I walked into Best Buy with a 1 hour old printout from their website for a Maxtor 250GB HD which was on sale. I was informed that the website was wrong and that I wasted a trip. This article clears that up. Thanks for the info.