Making do...

Team XLink Administrator Joined: 03 May 2004 Posts: 2075

This is a bit long-winded. I thought I would try starting a real conversation with complete sentences and whole thoughts and see if there is any interest here in meaningful discussion. People looking to advance their 'post count' with half-hearted remarks should probably click back and find another topic.

I caught this youtube vid earlier in the week and it has been haunting me ever since. It's about a guy who decides he is not going to buy anything new for an entire year. It seemed like an interesting discussion appropriate for XLink.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=nxF8UhkBrJ0

I should start off with a confession: I really love shiny new toys. I mean, I really really love shiny new toys. I should also explain that I have been doing some major clean up around the house to make room for a new arrival--so I'm sifting through the stockpile of crap I've accumulated over the years.

I believe in consumerism. It's the primary driving force behind innovation. Each marginal improvement in the gadgets we pay for is an incentive for the creators to continue advancing technology and refining development. Still, I'm beginning to see a trend where my own speed of consumption is disproportionate to the speed of innovation. I find myself picking up some tasty treat and tossing it away quickly for more appetizing morsels and in the end I feel half full.

Looking at the numerous mp3 players, vcd/dvd/xvid players, remote controls, and other assorted electronic crap, I realize much of this 'stuff' has been barely used. Some stuff just didn't fit in to my lifestyle the way I initially thought it would. Other stuff got shelved after a few uses when I moved on to something newer and 'better'.

It's not about being frugal. It's not about being rich or poor. It's not even really about protecting the environment or minimizing your 'carbon footprint'. There's a hint of anti-consumerism here, sure, but it's not even really about smugly stepping away from the herd and looking down on society with some new enlightened revelation and finger-wagging. To me it's about critically looking at my purchases over the years and assessing whether or not they actually satisfied some purpose I thought I had at the time. More times than not, the answer is no.

My favourite example of something I made the most of is the XBox. I bought my first on the November 15th, 2001 launch day. At the time, I told my wife one day we will be able to use this to watch movies of all formats. I'm not good at predicting the future but with the specs posted, it seemed obvious to me that this was a PC that used a television instead of a monitor. So anything a PC could do, this thing would do. My XBox sat for just over a year. I played a little Munch's Odyssey but couldn't get the hang of the dual thumbstick thing. I had a copy of Halo that sat in the wrapper until 2003 when my nephew played it. Anyway, sure enough that old XBox became my media player and yes, I finally got used to the dual thumbstick controls. Razz

That was one purchase that provided me with five years of continues enjoyment through hacking, programming, gaming, and watching media. I know many of you feel the same way as I see you still playing those older titles on Kai.

What are some toys you've made the most of? Anything you bought and shelved thinking you would get back to it some day?

-p

PSP Guru Joined: 07 Apr 2007 Posts: 2405

Thanks Prestige for posting should a deep and formal.

My Investment im so ever proud of, never once shelved it, because there was always some use for it. Yes, i am talking about my PSP™. Got it March 24, 2005 at about 1:30 AM. PSP-1001 ahhh the American psp, I knew nothing about homebrew and ISO's and "hacking" and "exploits" or any of that, i was just a fool who waited in line for this hardware. So i did some lingering on the psp and i saw a folder called "GAME" and i wondered what would ever go into that slot. So i used the best search engine ever; and found the site i've been apart of since month later; in April. And I've been apart of every historic and world record breaking moment in Playstation/Hacking History. This Unit, which was once just little gaming console to me for those long road trips, Now controls just about every inferred item in my house, from Lights and Lamps, to T.V.'s and Stereo's, hell someone programed a Honda Civic to be driven with a psp, it's my alarm clock, its my mp3/mp4 player its my News and RSS Feeder, its my thermometer, its my Global positioning system, its my digital camera, its my cell phone, it my everything. I've had about 13 PSP™ Units alone, and there worth every penny.

-Ricochet

Team XLink Developer Joined: 28 Nov 2007 Posts: 2338

I'd say than I'm a very frugal person, and when i do buy something I unusually (but not always) get the most out of it. For example, there's my scanner from 1996 which I use often, and is 3/4 the size of my pc Shocked

and sounds like it eats babies...

Basically If I buy it, it's going to be used for years... That makes me think of my old mp3 player, which I used for six years, until the the battery exploded and it died.

The one thing that I'm most glad that I bought (Unlike Prestige), are my Xboxes, which I use daily, as servers (one of which has been on for ten months), media players, and even for playing games! Razz

I've got so many things that just sit on shelves and collect dust... (Mainly old computers and computer parts) Most of which I got for free

So, I may not buy something new very often... but it's going to last me for years!

P.S. Wow I just ramble on and on...

Kai Spammer Joined: 11 Dec 2006 Posts: 1221

Damn, here i go!!!

Ok, first off, im gonna say that NOW im one of those ppl who went something comes out brand new, i dont go out and get it, i actually wait like a year, that way i know the bugs are outta it. But one thing i JUST figured out is that the things i use the most i get for FREE or i borrow from others for a lengthly time.

My XBox is gonna have to be No. 1 on my list. I have used this machine non-stop ever since i got it. Then when i got it modded, the use doubled. The 2nd most thing is prolly my desktop i am on right now. I have used it for 5yrs so far, the only thing changed is i added an extra 250GB hdd for it. I paid $1k for it way bk when. The one thing(s), i do most adore is my car audio system prolly bc 1) I installed everything by myself and 2) I paid for everything with my own money. The next thing would be my laptop if the fan didnt blow out on it after a yr (before then it was on 24/7).

I think its almost safe to say that XBox is still the most reliable console on the market, even though its kinda discontinued. Wink

Team XLink Baker Joined: 18 Jun 2004 Posts: 676

I too am a victim to the allure of the new shiny toy. I will stand in line and call a thousand stores if I have to get the next best thing on launch day.

Most of the time however the new toy loses it's excitement for me shortly after I get it and ends up sitting on a shelf collecting dust.

However there are exceptions, like my iphone. From the day I received my iphone I have gotten the most use out of it.

This is an item I use daily for a number of tasks.I really have no idea how I kept myself on track before I got it.

Other then my iphone and my macbook I can't think of a single other item that I get the most use out of.

Gunny

Kai Spammer Joined: 06 Aug 2006 Posts: 1332

Personally, I am not a large consumer in regards to gadgets and related products. My only major consumer purchases resolved around food and those are few and far between now.

I rest between the *shiny-new-toyitus* and *keep-it-forevtus* camps. I am normally very specific in what I buy and spend a lot of time weighing up the positives and negatives of the purchase.

I love gaming but I only have around 4 games and only really played 1 continuously. I generally will make an obsessive purchase on 1 single item. I will not go wild for 10 new games for example but become *fanatical* on 1 particular that I will buy and play to its dying, scratched demise (halo if you were wondering).

I don't go out my way to buy new consoles, new computers, new TVs, new gadgets etc... but every once in a while will go *all out*. Prime example for me, related to Gunny, is when I bought my Macbook Pro. I would usually think about buying something like this for a few weeks then get over it and move on. However, I didn't with the MBP and eventually bought it. I find Apple products have that effect on me, I am currently debating whether to get another Mac Smile

consumeritus indeed! I use my laptop on a daily basis for work and even though it was freaking expensive!! I have not regretted a penny (thats like a cent for you lot Smile

)of it.

I've also had my mobile phone for 2.5 years and its still going strong. I hate using the mobile phone but this trusty little device as been with me for a while. I will not fall prey to new shiny mobile gadgets as I know its going to be a waste of money.

Overall, I am generally a reserved consumer who will only make a large purchase if its truly worth while, and if its a cool innovative gadget, that's just a bonus! Very Happy

Team XLink Administrator Joined: 21 May 2004 Posts: 4061

Well, the one thing that i do tend to go through, is mobile phones. I have had 6 in the last 7 months. I never find one that im happy with, so im always buying new, and selling the old ones.

I used to have the latest and greatest, when it came to pc bits. but that became to costly to keep up. My pc at the moment, is quite out of date, so im building myself a new one. This will be my first major build in about 6 years. Although i wont be chucking out my old pc, thats getting re-used as a media server.

The one thing i cannot live without, is my creative zen 30GB mp3 player. I paid £280.00 for it, and its worth every penny.

Team XLink Administrator Joined: 11 Nov 2004 Posts: 5024

I'd guess my favorite gadget is probably Tivo. I bought one of the first generation when they came out I guess almost ten years ago now, and I've been upgrading ever since. I'm so used to it that I get annoyed now when I'm watching something live and have to sit through a commercial.

Nintendo Specialist Joined: 23 Jun 2004 Posts: 1889

prestige wrote:

Some stuff just didn't fit in to my lifestyle the way I initially thought it would. Other stuff got shelved after a few uses when I moved on to something newer and 'better'.

Probably the most useless thing and the item that doesnt fit into my life style or personality is my paintball gun. My friends from HS were gonna get together and play one day so i went out and dished out $100 bucks for a crappy but decent walmart gun. Ive used it no more than 3 times. Not playing paintball but just shooting random things: Targets, our old barn, and the ocational rabbit or deer that wandered into our vegetable garden.
Another purchase that i felt bad over (bad in the sense that i really didnt want it after i got it and all) was guitar hero 2. I played it for about 2 weeks and then boxed it up and let it sit before i gave it to my little sister. I originally bought it so a girl would come over and we could play it together but she is a stuck up bitch so that never happened (yeah i know give me crap bout it lol Wink

)

Id say the object i get the most use out of is my acoustic guitar. I may not play i every day but i play it way more often than i play all the video games i have. My wii gets a lot of use too cuz im a big nintendo fan. I still havent finished some of the killer titles on that console: Metroid prime 3, smash bros, RE4 to name a few. I usually play a game to death before i buy a new one. Also my video capture card and editing software i use frequently with my xbox 360 and halo 3 to produce machinima. I primarily got my 360 for halo 3 and machinima making.

Im a big consumer. Ill get into the zone where ill be really into things and go nuts. This is especially true with Magic the Gathering cards. When my friends at work found out that i played we all got back into it and I probably spent over $300 in cards during that first card trip. I dont buy many video games anymore just because im picky and not everything excited me. The only xbox games i own is Halo 3, naruto, rockband and COD4. Ive hardly played COD4 even though its fun and challenging i kind of wish i didnt buy it.

And i am really curious about Rico's Hacked PSPs lol that is sooo cool. you can control all those things with ur PSP!? wow

Team XLink Administrator Joined: 11 Oct 2006 Posts: 1702

I think I wouldn't do so well if I had to put myself in the same situation that guy did regarding not buying new things. I think for the most part I'd do fine except if it happened to be a big year for electronics in general. As for most electronic devices, I don't ever usually see the need to get the latest and greatest unless it's a game console. My cell phone is pretty old and lacks alot of features of the new ones, but its dependable and it works. I would say by far my best purchase was the original Xbox. I simply bought that console to play Halo 2, and ended up turning into a media center as well as my central gaming hub in my home. It also got me interested in computers in general and along with XLink probably got me towards the tech job I'm going to want later in life.

My biggest weakness in holding up that deal would be resisting buying a new console like a next generation game console from Microsoft or Nintendo. I do seem to always want to get the newest game consoles relatively soon after launch, but at the same time I usually play the hell of out of them for many years after. I usually even break out the "ancient" consoles to get some games in. I still blow in my NES cartridges to get in some classics Smile

Team XLink Developer Joined: 28 Nov 2007 Posts: 2338

Gamer's NES really enjoys it Laughing

Kai Lover Joined: 14 Aug 2007 Posts: 799

I'm usually the one who waits a year to get the Gaming Console that all my friends have (sometimes when the next version is already out). Not due to money but because I've always had a peeve about buying things when they first come out. I only have that peeve is because I don't want to waste money on something that will die in 1 weeks time but, when i heard of the Zune i was always like i might get..i might get...i might get it. And before i got one my dad decided to get one (1st Generation). and i started messing around with it. I messed around and messed around until my dad finally said that's it I'm getting you your own. At that time the 2nd Generation Zunes were out and he got me the 80gb one. One of the happiest days of my life. I put about 5,000 Songs up there and about 4 movies and No Pics (Just didn't really have any pics i wanted up there). Than when M$ Added the Game feature to the zune i was on it and was always searching for New apps,or games and stuff like that. the first game i ever put on there was Tetris and i played it one day for like 7 Hours straight (I'm a big Tetris fan), and than finally i decided to say i need something new to play on my zune with. So i discovered ZuneBoards.com and Feel in love with ZHomebrew (Zune Homebrew) and everyday i check to see what new Apps/Games or out for downloads.

Ok im not going to go balbering away about how much i love my zune. but you should get the point. the most product ive ever used has to be my Zune. That and Duck Hunting for the NES i have had many partys where we played Duck Hunting for like 8 hours straight.

Well thats where i stand in this topic

Kai Beginner Joined: 11 Apr 2008 Posts: 17

im half and half. i buy like new games and stuff cause i beat them in like a day or two but besides games the only thing that i have bought new this year was a pair of nikes in janurary. but thats kinda cool i wonder if he did go a year without buying anything new o_o. oh and for the most product i have ever used would have to be my ps2 and final fantasy X ive spent over 400 hours on that game Smile

Video Master Joined: 21 May 2004 Posts: 1815