Frobozz
Mar 31, 02:38 PM
The best way to achieve a user friendly platform is to control it. Period. And since we know Google can't possibly be naive enough to think Android would really be "open," one can conclude this was planned. If you gain enough steam, you can start getting hardware vendors reliant on your platform. At which point, you tighten the strings to create a consistent and satisfying user experience.
I have used Honeycomb. There are nice features to it, just as there are nice features to Android. But I felt like I had to "learn" Android. I have never felt that way with iOS. Although advanced features can be opaque, the navigation and interaction model are intuitive and simple. They are based on real world gestures and interactions. That makes the learning curve less severe. Android doesn't really do this. It attempts to shove desktop metaphors and all the mess that comes with it. User's don't want to interact with the file system. They don't want to have to have 3 or 4 ways to achieve the same tasks; case in point, application switching. And, just like windows, everything seems to be buried under a pile of menus.
Google hasn't figured out UI design yet. They don't know how to conceptualize an experience FIRST, and implement features later. They are talented developers, but they don't understand users yet. I have confidence they will get there over time, however.
I have used Honeycomb. There are nice features to it, just as there are nice features to Android. But I felt like I had to "learn" Android. I have never felt that way with iOS. Although advanced features can be opaque, the navigation and interaction model are intuitive and simple. They are based on real world gestures and interactions. That makes the learning curve less severe. Android doesn't really do this. It attempts to shove desktop metaphors and all the mess that comes with it. User's don't want to interact with the file system. They don't want to have to have 3 or 4 ways to achieve the same tasks; case in point, application switching. And, just like windows, everything seems to be buried under a pile of menus.
Google hasn't figured out UI design yet. They don't know how to conceptualize an experience FIRST, and implement features later. They are talented developers, but they don't understand users yet. I have confidence they will get there over time, however.
Cougarcat
Mar 25, 10:50 PM
So is there real resolution independence or just a x2 mode?
Neither, but there's the beginnings of support for "retina displays."
maybe they will release it in late july instead of late august like snow leopard. does anyone remember how much leopard cost. snow leopard wasnt really a new OS. just a speed bump from leopard so thats why it was $30. i just want to get an idea of what they price lion at because i heard $120 a while ago.
If they start pumping out release candidates now, I think late July is is too far away. WWDC early June is more likely.
Major OS releases have historically been $129. I don't think that'll happen this time--$99 or $79 makes more sense (Apple likes people to upgrade, and their software prices aren't as high as they used to be). But that's just me speculating.
i wonder if apple will release a version in the app store???
Almost definitely, that's how developers are getting it now.
Maybe not such a big update after all? Where are all the secrets? The UI could use more of an overhaul IMO.
It is a big update. Versions and Resume alone are huge, IMO. (Which you don't really appreciate until you start using them.)
The UI may not look radically different, but there's hardly a part of it that hasn't been retouched.
Neither, but there's the beginnings of support for "retina displays."
maybe they will release it in late july instead of late august like snow leopard. does anyone remember how much leopard cost. snow leopard wasnt really a new OS. just a speed bump from leopard so thats why it was $30. i just want to get an idea of what they price lion at because i heard $120 a while ago.
If they start pumping out release candidates now, I think late July is is too far away. WWDC early June is more likely.
Major OS releases have historically been $129. I don't think that'll happen this time--$99 or $79 makes more sense (Apple likes people to upgrade, and their software prices aren't as high as they used to be). But that's just me speculating.
i wonder if apple will release a version in the app store???
Almost definitely, that's how developers are getting it now.
Maybe not such a big update after all? Where are all the secrets? The UI could use more of an overhaul IMO.
It is a big update. Versions and Resume alone are huge, IMO. (Which you don't really appreciate until you start using them.)
The UI may not look radically different, but there's hardly a part of it that hasn't been retouched.
SRSound
Nov 28, 06:29 PM
here we go again
Zadillo
Aug 7, 09:34 PM
Safari appears to be brushed metal. Go here (http://www.apple.com/macosx/leopard/dashboard.html) and go to about 1/6 of the way through.
Perhaps sometime between now and Spring 2007 they might find the time to change that.
Perhaps sometime between now and Spring 2007 they might find the time to change that.
Bill McEnaney
Apr 29, 10:03 AM
Labelling birthers as racist, paranoid, or nutters is just pandering to the distraction of all this. The persistence of this "issue" could be more of a logical desire to belittle or erode the political power of the current president; which is akin to schoolyard gossiping, sure, but it's still strangely effective.
The name-calling is childish, too. In fact, you usually hear it from left-wingers.
The name-calling is childish, too. In fact, you usually hear it from left-wingers.
ddekker
Oct 22, 01:21 PM
I heard Leo Laporte talking about this on his KFI podcast... exciting... one question... how many softwares take advantage of multi cores? I understand that the OS can deal with it for multi tasking, but how many programs multi thread?
DD
DD
meanmusic
Aug 27, 10:33 PM
Core 2 Duo is here. Looks like Toshiba is first out of the gate with Core 2 Duo laptops:
http://www.toshibadirect.com:80/td/b2c/pdet.to?poid=347885&coid=-30600&seg=HHO
http://www.toshibadirect.com:80/td/b2c/pdet.to?poid=347885&coid=-30600&seg=HHO
Erasmus
Nov 28, 11:22 PM
So, this proposed cost is to counter profit losses due to piracy?
Well... If that's so, we all know what we must do if this occurs...
PIRATE PIRATE PIRATE!!!
:)
And pirate Microsoft products because they made this happen... Wait... We were all already doing that, so... Pirate More? I dunno.
The music industry is just desperate because they know that they won't be around much longer. Once big music groups start putting their songs straight on iTMS instead of going through big companies like Universal, well they are screwed, and everyone else wins.
Then again, you could look at it this way... Universal is becoming redundant, and they want their redundancy payment, as we all would.
Well... If that's so, we all know what we must do if this occurs...
PIRATE PIRATE PIRATE!!!
:)
And pirate Microsoft products because they made this happen... Wait... We were all already doing that, so... Pirate More? I dunno.
The music industry is just desperate because they know that they won't be around much longer. Once big music groups start putting their songs straight on iTMS instead of going through big companies like Universal, well they are screwed, and everyone else wins.
Then again, you could look at it this way... Universal is becoming redundant, and they want their redundancy payment, as we all would.
peharri
Jul 14, 03:11 PM
Some of this makes sense, some of it not.
I think AppleInsider is right about the case. With the exception of the MacBook, whose design has been rumoured for years and clearly was something Apple would have done even had this been the "iBook G5", Apple has made it a point with all of their Intelizations to use the same case as the predecessor, as if to say "It's business as usual, all we've changed is the processor." So from that point of view, the PowerMac G5 case being, more or less, the Mac Pro case, makes a lot of sense.
Two optical drives? No, sorry, not seeing the reasoning. The reasons given so far don't add up:
- copying DVDs - you can't legally copy 99% of DVDs anyway, if there was no need for twin CD drives, why would there suddenly be for DVDs?
- burning two at once - few people need this, and it's a great sales opportunity for a Firewire external burner anyway. Hell, why stop at TWO?
- Blu-ray - not unless they're really screwed up BR and drives with BR will be incompatible with existing media or something.
Against this, you have the confusion generated by a Mac with two optical drives. I have a Mac with two optical drives (an in-built combo drive, and a FW DVD burner), and it's not terribly elegant. It's fine when reading disks (obviously), but writing them generates some confusion. How sure am I that I'm burning to the right drive? I'm not saying you can't do it, I'm just saying this would be unbelievably un-Mac like. It'd be like the next version of iTunes coming with a menu at the top of its window.
It's also kind of easy to see where this rumour might have originated, in some garbled communication where the rumourmonger says "Two optical drive formats", or "Two bays", or "Multiple media readers" (hey, why not put an SD/CF/MS reader on the front? Pretty much everyone uses them these days, especially the prosumer-market Apple is after. Bet there are more people who'd use an SD card reader than a Firewire port.)
I've been wrong before, but I'm going to go for a traditional PowerMac G5 enclosure, and a single optical drive which may, or may not, support Blu-ray in some shape or form.
I think AppleInsider is right about the case. With the exception of the MacBook, whose design has been rumoured for years and clearly was something Apple would have done even had this been the "iBook G5", Apple has made it a point with all of their Intelizations to use the same case as the predecessor, as if to say "It's business as usual, all we've changed is the processor." So from that point of view, the PowerMac G5 case being, more or less, the Mac Pro case, makes a lot of sense.
Two optical drives? No, sorry, not seeing the reasoning. The reasons given so far don't add up:
- copying DVDs - you can't legally copy 99% of DVDs anyway, if there was no need for twin CD drives, why would there suddenly be for DVDs?
- burning two at once - few people need this, and it's a great sales opportunity for a Firewire external burner anyway. Hell, why stop at TWO?
- Blu-ray - not unless they're really screwed up BR and drives with BR will be incompatible with existing media or something.
Against this, you have the confusion generated by a Mac with two optical drives. I have a Mac with two optical drives (an in-built combo drive, and a FW DVD burner), and it's not terribly elegant. It's fine when reading disks (obviously), but writing them generates some confusion. How sure am I that I'm burning to the right drive? I'm not saying you can't do it, I'm just saying this would be unbelievably un-Mac like. It'd be like the next version of iTunes coming with a menu at the top of its window.
It's also kind of easy to see where this rumour might have originated, in some garbled communication where the rumourmonger says "Two optical drive formats", or "Two bays", or "Multiple media readers" (hey, why not put an SD/CF/MS reader on the front? Pretty much everyone uses them these days, especially the prosumer-market Apple is after. Bet there are more people who'd use an SD card reader than a Firewire port.)
I've been wrong before, but I'm going to go for a traditional PowerMac G5 enclosure, and a single optical drive which may, or may not, support Blu-ray in some shape or form.
RedTomato
Sep 13, 08:49 AM
Who knows, the hot setup may be a refurb'ed MacPro 2.0Ghz, then drop in better CPUs!
Damn, yes, that would be the ultimate future hot machine - a second hand or refurb Mac Pro 2ghz, - I reckon by October they will about ?1200 second hand, then in the new year, down to about ?800, get one, then pop in 2 x 4 cores.
Anyone know if the chipset will be pin-compatible with the next generation quad-cores?
Seems we are stuck as far as increasing MHZ goes, 3ghz seems to be near the realistic limit. Now we're just adding more and more cores in. How many cores will be the feasible limit?
After that, what will be the next method of radically increasing computing throughput?
Damn, yes, that would be the ultimate future hot machine - a second hand or refurb Mac Pro 2ghz, - I reckon by October they will about ?1200 second hand, then in the new year, down to about ?800, get one, then pop in 2 x 4 cores.
Anyone know if the chipset will be pin-compatible with the next generation quad-cores?
Seems we are stuck as far as increasing MHZ goes, 3ghz seems to be near the realistic limit. Now we're just adding more and more cores in. How many cores will be the feasible limit?
After that, what will be the next method of radically increasing computing throughput?
BlondeBuddhist
Jun 8, 08:47 PM
I would rather just order it online if I didn't want to drive to an Apple Store.
Seriously, RadioShack needs to die.
from what the Apple service rep told me today, in order to pre-order by adding a line I have to do the pre-ordering in the store.
Seriously, RadioShack needs to die.
from what the Apple service rep told me today, in order to pre-order by adding a line I have to do the pre-ordering in the store.
princealfie
Nov 29, 08:56 AM
EMUSIC wins! :) ;)
All indie music and sweet. I find it more convincing in price structure than iTunes too!
All indie music and sweet. I find it more convincing in price structure than iTunes too!
KnightWRX
Apr 9, 06:17 AM
Most people use their MBA for browsing, youtube videos, email, office apps and perhaps video conferencing. None of which will be bottlenecked by the Intel IGP. If you're doing something above and beyond this that will be negatively affected by the CPU, you are in fact, the minority.
Fixed that there for you. ;)
Goes both ways really. It's just that more casual tasks (ie, gaming and watching videos) max out the GPU more than they do the CPU. CPU bottlenecks are usually caused by niche tasks like video editing/raw photo editing/scientific number crunching.
Fixed that there for you. ;)
Goes both ways really. It's just that more casual tasks (ie, gaming and watching videos) max out the GPU more than they do the CPU. CPU bottlenecks are usually caused by niche tasks like video editing/raw photo editing/scientific number crunching.
Ramrod82
Apr 8, 01:25 AM
Ipad2 = huge demand, people keep calling, going into best buy daily to check to see if any r in. BB maybe is hoping while your there u will buy some games, blu rays, etc. Then come back when the iPad is in stock, the higher demand, the more likely people will get down and pissed and spend money on other items to take their mind off of waiting for their iPad 2. You create a demand that's already there (key apple stores and website delays) and make the delay longer, customers will keep coming in! Look at the Wii when it first was out and people lined for one! And the whole bb quota I truly believe, the higher ups want to see the daily numbers and if they see an average of let's say they sell 20 a day plus other crap, the higher ups r happy, who knows I could be completely off, but thats just my 2 cents. Either BB has always been shady!
emotion
Jul 20, 09:05 AM
Where you are going to see the difference is when you multi-task.
For Example: Burn a Blueray disk, render a FinalCut Pro movie, download your digital camera RAW files into Adobe Lightroom and run a batch, and watch your favorite movie from the iTunes Movie Store all without a single hiccup.
You're going to run into the hard disk being the bottle neck then. In principle though I agree with you.
For Example: Burn a Blueray disk, render a FinalCut Pro movie, download your digital camera RAW files into Adobe Lightroom and run a batch, and watch your favorite movie from the iTunes Movie Store all without a single hiccup.
You're going to run into the hard disk being the bottle neck then. In principle though I agree with you.
VanNess
Aug 6, 05:46 PM
So to post my top bets for WWDC...
1) A much clearer roadmap for 64 bit support in Mac OS X. I believe they will outline full 64 bit support across all non-10.4 deprecated frameworks (I believe in the initial release of 10.5). Of course it will also fully support 32 bit applications run side by side with 64 bit applications.
Check
2) Resolution Independent UI will be ready for main stream use with display products possible with in the next year or two (would love to be surprised with 150-200 DPI or so display of course).
Check. They've had a lot of time to work this one out.
3) Quartz 2D Extreme will be ready for main stream use along with some good news on the OpenGL front.
Check
4) Full roll out of the unified user interface look and fell across all frameworks and Apple applications (at least most).
Check, but I'm not one of the bozo militant unified interface nazis that apply the uno concept without exception across the board. In my mind, an OS should be an OS, not a unique application in and of itself. (Yeah, you Microsoft) The main thing an OS should do as far as the user is concerned should be relatively simple: assist you in finding and organizing your stuff in the easiest, most efficient manner possible. Other than that it should stay out of the way. All apps (regardless of whether they are Apple apps provided with the OS or any others) should honor the basic global UI elements of the OS, i.e., the three buttons at the top left of a window and general menu commands for opening, saving, etc.), but the appearance the application window should be left open to the application's author should it add some sort of benefit in using the application.
In other words, I like how Garageband has the faux studio mixing board wood paneling as part of it's window. It's not a matter of life and death, but it's pleasant and makes Garageband stand out from other apps for what it's intended purpose is. The unified interface nazis may disagree with this approach, but most of the GUI guidelines they cite about this stuff where valid back in the day of the original Mac OS, the original GUI. Times have changed and those guidelines never foresaw today's modern graphic abilities to approach the GUI in new innovative ways such as Expose, or Dashboard, or other uses of 3d as a an effective way of presenting a GUI to the user. So the uno concept is ok provided that it doesn't reverse course and head backward instead of forward.
5) Improved Quartz API to allow for more advanced window styles and effects.
Check, and see above.
6) PowerMac replacement with Quad core model... a true workstation class system (likely similar enclosure to what we have now in the PMG5).
Check. Sure, why not?
1) A much clearer roadmap for 64 bit support in Mac OS X. I believe they will outline full 64 bit support across all non-10.4 deprecated frameworks (I believe in the initial release of 10.5). Of course it will also fully support 32 bit applications run side by side with 64 bit applications.
Check
2) Resolution Independent UI will be ready for main stream use with display products possible with in the next year or two (would love to be surprised with 150-200 DPI or so display of course).
Check. They've had a lot of time to work this one out.
3) Quartz 2D Extreme will be ready for main stream use along with some good news on the OpenGL front.
Check
4) Full roll out of the unified user interface look and fell across all frameworks and Apple applications (at least most).
Check, but I'm not one of the bozo militant unified interface nazis that apply the uno concept without exception across the board. In my mind, an OS should be an OS, not a unique application in and of itself. (Yeah, you Microsoft) The main thing an OS should do as far as the user is concerned should be relatively simple: assist you in finding and organizing your stuff in the easiest, most efficient manner possible. Other than that it should stay out of the way. All apps (regardless of whether they are Apple apps provided with the OS or any others) should honor the basic global UI elements of the OS, i.e., the three buttons at the top left of a window and general menu commands for opening, saving, etc.), but the appearance the application window should be left open to the application's author should it add some sort of benefit in using the application.
In other words, I like how Garageband has the faux studio mixing board wood paneling as part of it's window. It's not a matter of life and death, but it's pleasant and makes Garageband stand out from other apps for what it's intended purpose is. The unified interface nazis may disagree with this approach, but most of the GUI guidelines they cite about this stuff where valid back in the day of the original Mac OS, the original GUI. Times have changed and those guidelines never foresaw today's modern graphic abilities to approach the GUI in new innovative ways such as Expose, or Dashboard, or other uses of 3d as a an effective way of presenting a GUI to the user. So the uno concept is ok provided that it doesn't reverse course and head backward instead of forward.
5) Improved Quartz API to allow for more advanced window styles and effects.
Check, and see above.
6) PowerMac replacement with Quad core model... a true workstation class system (likely similar enclosure to what we have now in the PMG5).
Check. Sure, why not?
fivepoint
Mar 17, 11:18 AM
So please 5P, provide some evidence on how Obama sold himself as a "dove".
How many times did Barack Obama attempt to draw a difference between himself and Hillary by saying "I was against the war from the beginning."? Lots.
How many times did he attempt to portray himself as the polar opposite of George Bush, especially his foreign policy? Lots.
How many times did he say that he was going to repair the view of America in the eyes of the Muslim world? Lots.
How many times did he say he would talk to leaders of 'terrorist nations' without preconditions? Lots.
The point is... he talks the talk, but doesn't walk the walk. On foreign policy, he's more of the same. On everything else, especially domestic spending, he's much much worse.
How many times did Barack Obama attempt to draw a difference between himself and Hillary by saying "I was against the war from the beginning."? Lots.
How many times did he attempt to portray himself as the polar opposite of George Bush, especially his foreign policy? Lots.
How many times did he say that he was going to repair the view of America in the eyes of the Muslim world? Lots.
How many times did he say he would talk to leaders of 'terrorist nations' without preconditions? Lots.
The point is... he talks the talk, but doesn't walk the walk. On foreign policy, he's more of the same. On everything else, especially domestic spending, he's much much worse.
nickXedge
Apr 7, 11:12 PM
Not saying this story is true or false but Best Buy employs non-commissioned based sales staff. There are no quotas to speak of. This is a public company and sales quotas would be accessible to stockholders.
Serves them right. Bastards. It's amazing how easily they sucker people into buying an $80 hdmi cable when they can get a higher quality cable from monoprice for less then five bucks.
I do not intend to be rude, but there is a difference in HDMI cables, no matter what the Internet tells you. Conductors, shielding materials/layers and the way the connectors are put together are a few differentiators. An AudioQuest Coffee cable, for example, which is several hundred dollars ($600 I believe for a 1.5m) is made of pure silver starting with the tips and going the length of the cable. This is not the same as a no name $5 dollar HDMI cable from Amazon.
Serves them right. Bastards. It's amazing how easily they sucker people into buying an $80 hdmi cable when they can get a higher quality cable from monoprice for less then five bucks.
I do not intend to be rude, but there is a difference in HDMI cables, no matter what the Internet tells you. Conductors, shielding materials/layers and the way the connectors are put together are a few differentiators. An AudioQuest Coffee cable, for example, which is several hundred dollars ($600 I believe for a 1.5m) is made of pure silver starting with the tips and going the length of the cable. This is not the same as a no name $5 dollar HDMI cable from Amazon.
ShnikeJSB
Jul 14, 04:30 PM
ONLY DDR2-667?!? :confused:
Come on Apple, you'd BETTER use DDR2-800 or I'll be pissed! :mad:
Come on Apple, you'd BETTER use DDR2-800 or I'll be pissed! :mad:
blahblah100
Mar 31, 03:54 PM
It's because of the Buy One Get One option. Nothing more. People choose that option because it makes financial sense and if they don't really care about the OS or the phone, they will choose the one that fits their check books. If Apple was to OK ATT and VZ to do a Buy One Get One on the iPhone, there would be no comparison. It would be game over for Android.
-LanPhantom
Ironically, most of the people on this forum said iPhone on Verizon would be game over for Android.
This 'game over for Android' reminds me a lot of the 'this is the year of desktop linux' stuff that has been said every year for the last 9.
-LanPhantom
Ironically, most of the people on this forum said iPhone on Verizon would be game over for Android.
This 'game over for Android' reminds me a lot of the 'this is the year of desktop linux' stuff that has been said every year for the last 9.
flatlined
Jun 9, 11:35 AM
no worries bro, hope i could help! :)
WOW Awesome Thank you so much for the info and the fast response.
I like employees that are on message boards like this and respond to questions like these and taking the time out of their day. Thanks.
So just to make sure. If I do go along with the Trade In on Tuesday I don't have to give them my phone then? when I go back to pick it up then they will take it?
Thanks
WOW Awesome Thank you so much for the info and the fast response.
I like employees that are on message boards like this and respond to questions like these and taking the time out of their day. Thanks.
So just to make sure. If I do go along with the Trade In on Tuesday I don't have to give them my phone then? when I go back to pick it up then they will take it?
Thanks
Abyssgh0st
Apr 28, 11:54 AM
Yikes. I just read through this entire thread and it was quite the read.
1. I still find it hard to accept that there are numbskulls out there who doubt that the freaking PRESIDENT of the UNITED STATES was not born here. Seriously? And then to claim it's not about race? Then what is it about, his politics? Just because you don't like what he does or says? Yeah right.
2. Conservatives really have tunnel vision. They focus on static topics such as homosexuals, abortion, marijuana, etc. They fail to realize that because these things will never disappear, they should still lobby against them. They think that they should never 'lay down' and not let 'evil' prevail. They are seriously wrong, especially since these issues don't actually effect them. It is ignorance on their parts because instead of fighting issues that can change (wars, spending, healthcare), they focus on the few that are not going anywhere (at least not a regression, they will only become more prevalent), rather than the sea of issues that are malleable.
1. I still find it hard to accept that there are numbskulls out there who doubt that the freaking PRESIDENT of the UNITED STATES was not born here. Seriously? And then to claim it's not about race? Then what is it about, his politics? Just because you don't like what he does or says? Yeah right.
2. Conservatives really have tunnel vision. They focus on static topics such as homosexuals, abortion, marijuana, etc. They fail to realize that because these things will never disappear, they should still lobby against them. They think that they should never 'lay down' and not let 'evil' prevail. They are seriously wrong, especially since these issues don't actually effect them. It is ignorance on their parts because instead of fighting issues that can change (wars, spending, healthcare), they focus on the few that are not going anywhere (at least not a regression, they will only become more prevalent), rather than the sea of issues that are malleable.
Deflorator
Mar 31, 03:32 PM
What the heck is this? The "Steve was right" month?
Pathetic Dell and HP, desperate Microsoft, Samsung aka Mr. "Smoothbastic", Google inhibiting fragmentation, the very one, which does NOT exist, really...
who is next? Oh, i have got it - Adobe. So come on, resistance is futile.
Pathetic Dell and HP, desperate Microsoft, Samsung aka Mr. "Smoothbastic", Google inhibiting fragmentation, the very one, which does NOT exist, really...
who is next? Oh, i have got it - Adobe. So come on, resistance is futile.
kresh
Nov 29, 11:13 AM
Just to be clear, this whole idea of collecting on music players is nothing short of outrageous. But it doesn't have the legal implications or weight that have been popularized here. They CAN have their cake and eat it, too, and they know it. That's why it's important for me to ensure that these false notions don't become ingrained as part of the Internet groupthink--when you step back into the real world, you'll be equally screwed, with or without this fee.
I really don't harbor any hope that this could really be considered as royalty payment by the courts, it was just a little fantasy.
The real implication is on the moral front. You mentioned "group think" and I think that is the real danger for the record labels. If enough people were to convince themselves that the record label has grabbed enough money upfront, then they could step across the moral line that keeps them from piracy.
It's not law enforcement, or the actions of RIAA, that prevents the vast majority from crossing the line into piracy, it's their own built-in moral objection to it.
If the record labels remove this moral hurdle through their own actions, then there are not enough police officers, federal agencies, or private enforcement groups to even begin to stem the resulting piracy wave.
I really don't harbor any hope that this could really be considered as royalty payment by the courts, it was just a little fantasy.
The real implication is on the moral front. You mentioned "group think" and I think that is the real danger for the record labels. If enough people were to convince themselves that the record label has grabbed enough money upfront, then they could step across the moral line that keeps them from piracy.
It's not law enforcement, or the actions of RIAA, that prevents the vast majority from crossing the line into piracy, it's their own built-in moral objection to it.
If the record labels remove this moral hurdle through their own actions, then there are not enough police officers, federal agencies, or private enforcement groups to even begin to stem the resulting piracy wave.
