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[Ceallach]

Weird title. I know.

But I'm deployed out here in the middle of nowhere and have not had personal access to the internet since January 17. 30 days after that all of my offline content expired. Normally, I would never go without 30 days on a deployment without hitting a port, but COVID has changed that and I've been at sea nonstop for 134 days. So I've had to buy THINGS again. Games, Blu rays, CDs(!!), and I forgot how much I enjoy that tactile feeling of having it in my hands. The ritual of opening it, the smell of a CD booklet. It was also funny how I fell immediately back into habits that I haven't performed in forever. Grabbing the CD(an old Pierce the Veil album I missed), and digging my lower canine into the little slots to break the plastic then ripping it away.

It's crazy how much of people's shit is fucking worthless right now without an ability to go online for even simple checks. I have software that doesn't work right now, there are people who bought tablets and shit that have no way of setting them up offline, so much weirdness has proliferated like screen recordings on people's iPhones whose subscriptions have expired and even I am using VLC on my iphone as my primary music player which I would never even consider normally as it is anything but intuitive,

 

[-YFC-]

Yep, physical things are awesome. I don't feel like I own a thing when it's digital. And of course, not to mention that it won't work offline after some time.

 

[-Arcadia-]

Military, presuming? Thanks for being awesome, and keeping the world safe, especially in the middle of all this.

I trend more digital, but there really is nothing like actually having something in your hands for the money. Going to the store, buying a game, checking out the box and disc/cartridge art, and opening it will always be more of an event than checking your credit card and starting a download.

I really hope physical goods stay around, in a kind of hipsters-buying-records way, not just for being more consumer friendly, but because a world without them would be kind of sad.

 

[Cunth]

ever own a noob?

 

[Ceallach]

Military, presuming? Thanks for being awesome, and keeping the world safe, especially in the middle of all this.

I trend more digital, but there really is nothing like actually having something in your hands for the money. Going to the store, buying a game, checking out the box and disc/cartridge art, and opening it will always be more of an event than checking your credit card and starting a download.

I really hope physical goods stay around, in a kind of hipsters-buying-records way, not just for being more consumer friendly, but because a world without them would be kind of sad.

Yeah, in the Navy. It's weird being out here rn. Since we deployed before things got crazy, it's like we've just been watching everything go crazy while going on like normal. We have run like drills where we wear masks and shit, but largely it's just been business as usual for us.

 

[Tesseract]

i too collect atoms

 

[Rentahamster]

Yeah owning things is the best

 

[-YFC-]

Yeah owning things is the best

Do slave hamsters exist?

 

[Rentahamster]

Do slave hamsters exist?

I didn't get this motherfucking tag out of a motherfucking Cracker Jack box, mister.

 

[SometimeLaterToday]

We don't really own any digital media. We just kinda rent the license to privately use that thing, whatever it is.

Once demand for a thing is met, usually the next step in this lovely little process is convenience. Which, for the vast majority of people is the priority. Whether consciously or otherwise, traditional ownership is sacrificed for comfort.

With the ludicrous volume of corporate speak out there, I'm surprised that 'buy' button doesn't break any guidelines, except morally. Sometimes I wonder just how much money a lawyer would need to confidently build a case around something like this. Stranger things have definitely happened.

The same kind of trick happens with DLC, too, a name which has seemingly stuck around for whatever reason. It's not really 'downloadable content' if you have to pay for it, after all, is it? I guess it's more of a marketing thing. Like how how something really costs 18 dollars but it's listed as 17.99, right?

Relatively related to this, I remember the whole 'Flappy Bird' mobile game debacle and how, once it was removed, the phones that still had it were sold at crazy high prices. Similarly, you gotta wonder exactly how much a console with that 'PT' demo would sell for. There's plenty of cases like this, and in this day and age, their number is probably only going to grow.

The most recent example of all of this are all the big name companies battling for TV and movie rights, to sweeten the pot for their potential subscribers. And even though people have already grown tired of it, it looks like the streaming wars have only just begun.

 

[poppabk]

We don't really own any digital media. We just kinda rent the license to privately use that thing, whatever it is.

Once demand for a thing is met, usually the next step in this lovely little process is convenience. Which, for the vast majority of people is the priority. Whether consciously or otherwise, traditional ownership is sacrificed for comfort.

With the ludicrous volume of corporate speak out there, I'm surprised that 'buy' button doesn't break any guidelines, except morally. Sometimes I wonder just how much money a lawyer would need to confidently build a case around something like this. Stranger things have definitely happened.

The same kind of trick happens with DLC, too, a name which has seemingly stuck around for whatever reason. It's not really 'downloadable content' if you have to pay for it, after all, is it? I guess it's more of a marketing thing. Like how how something really costs 18 dollars but it's listed as 17.99, right?

Relatively related to this, I remember the whole 'Flappy Bird' mobile game debacle and how, once it was removed, the phones that still had it were sold at crazy high prices. Similarly, you gotta wonder exactly how much a console with that 'PT' demo would sell for. There's plenty of cases like this, and in this day and age, their number is probably only going to grow.

The most recent example of all of this are all the big name companies battling for TV and movie rights, to sweeten the pot for their potential subscribers. And even though people have already grown tired of it, it looks like the streaming wars have only just begun.

Even if you own the DVD etc you only have the rights for personal use.

 

[teezzy]

Streaming is revolutionary, and awfully convenient. However, the sense of security I have from physically owning games I grew up with, entire runs of favorite tv shows, discographies of bands that shaped my teen years, or physical copies of beloved books is nothing to sneeze at either.

There absolutely is merit to tangibly owning media. One of my biggest weaknesses honestly. I can't tell you how many collections I've built up, only to sell it all off, and then build it up again.

One way or the other, I love that so many options exist now.

 

[godhandiscen]

This is just a problem because there is no internet there. Once we fill the sky with satellites like Musk plans with StarLink, it might be less of an issue.

 

[TaySan]

Movies i love physical

Games and music digital.

 

[TheMan]

Movies i love physical

Games and music digital.

yeah, buying physical games doesn't mean much anymore when enormous day 1 patches, online activation, etc are required anyways.

 

[Tesseract]

i maybe went too far with brutal minimalism

will probably get back into electricity and lighting at some point, the mad scientist life

 

[GeorgPrime]

Weird title. I know.

But I'm deployed out here in the middle of nowhere and have not had personal access to the internet since January 17. 30 days after that all of my offline content expired. Normally, I would never go without 30 days on a deployment without hitting a port, but COVID has changed that and I've been at sea nonstop for 134 days. So I've had to buy THINGS again. Games, Blu rays, CDs(!!), and I forgot how much I enjoy that tactile feeling of having it in my hands. The ritual of opening it, the smell of a CD booklet. It was also funny how I fell immediately back into habits that I haven't performed in forever. Grabbing the CD(an old Pierce the Veil album I missed), and digging my lower canine into the little slots to break the plastic then ripping it away.

It's crazy how much of people's shit is fucking worthless right now without an ability to go online for even simple checks. I have software that doesn't work right now, there are people who bought tablets and shit that have no way of setting them up offline, so much weirdness has proliferated like screen recordings on people's iPhones whose subscriptions have expired and even I am using VLC on my iphone as my primary music player which I would never even consider normally as it is anything but intuitive,

One reason i dislike digital only.... you dont own it.... you rent the right to use it.

Just another expropriation for the middle class

And people celebrate their own downfall with joy and happiness. lol

 

[#Phonepunk#]

"owning things" is an illusion. always has been always will.

 

[TaySan]

"owning things" is an illusion. always has been always will.

No one can snatch my blu ray movies away unlike my digital ones.

 

[Ceallach]

Yeah, the SNES games I got for Xmas 1992 still work fine. But I can't play some games I downloaded in December anymore.

 

[LordPezix]

Yeah, in the Navy. It's weird being out here rn. Since we deployed before things got crazy, it's like we've just been watching everything go crazy while going on like normal. We have run like drills where we wear masks and shit, but largely it's just been business as usual for us.

You lucky bastard, by the time they let us home I’ll have been deployed for 290ish days. Barely worth the hardship pay for being out that long but what can ya do?

 

[ValiantTraveler]

Yes, nothing feels better than owning physical objects. I’ve taken an interest in Magic The Gathering lately, but the shipping costs are insane.

About digital media, the paranoid in me always fears the things I enjoy will disappear from the web so I try to buy my favorite media in physical form whenever possible. Streaming might be convenient, but in my heart I’ll always be a direct download guy.

 

[Ceallach]

You lucky bastard, by the time they let us home I’ll have been deployed for 290ish days. Barely worth the hardship pay for being out that long but what can ya do?

Where at?

My QRF, FET and CRAM deployments in 7,9,13 and 15 were all 365+ days, but those were in Iraq and Afghanistan and I had my own CHU and shit, with my own internet access, and all the amenities of FOB life, so it was kinda easier than being on a ship even if I was in a lot more direct danger.

 

[Liljagare]

Nothing a good solar storm won't reset..

 

[LordPezix]

Where at?

My QRF, FET and CRAM deployments in 7,9,13 and 15 were all 365+ days, but those were in Iraq and Afghanistan and I had my own CHU and shit, with my own internet access, and all the amenities of FOB life, so it was kinda easier than being on a ship even if I was in a lot more direct danger.

Okinawa. Honestly it's nothing to complain about. Just looking forward to getting back to the states and a little bit of freedom.

Besides being out at sea are they/did they make you do any other type of quarantining?

 

[Rentahamster]

Nothing a good solar storm won't reset..

That's why all of my property is organic

 

[Ceallach]

Okinawa. Honestly it's nothing to complain about. Just looking forward to getting back to the states and a little bit of freedom.

Besides being out at sea are they/did they make you do any other type of quarantining?

No, we did like feeding drills where everyone had to eat one person at a table on the mess decks and shit but that was only a few times. Nothing serious really.

 

[Grand Theft Scratchy]

Yes, nothing feels better than owning physical objects. I’ve taken an interest in Magic The Gathering lately, but the shipping costs are insane.

About digital media, the paranoid in me always fears the things I enjoy will disappear from the web so I try to buy my favorite media in physical form whenever possible. Streaming might be convenient, but in my heart I’ll always be a direct download guy.

So long as you've downloaded the content and there is an offline mode to use it, you don't lose access to your library. It's why streaming a.k.a. "instant gaming" will never take off because it depends on always having an online connection. There should be a backup or else the convenience is worthless.

 

[Tesseract]

So long as you've downloaded the content and there is an offline mode to use it, you don't lose access to your library. It's why streaming a.k.a. "instant gaming" will never take off because it depends on having an online connection. There should always be a backup or else the convenience is worthless.

ja, this was the big thing about steam that was nice from the onset

the extra cool thing is their back up protocols, they have a super functional torrent network ready to go if everything collapses

 

[Phunkydiabetic]

No one can snatch my blu ray movies away unlike my digital ones.

Challenge....accepted....

 

[GAMETA]

I have a thing for video-game controllers, I don't know why.

I want a 8bitdo M30 next, I don't think I'll play much with it (I haven't played much in years, anyway), but I still want it.

Opening the box, smelling the good plastic, feeling the buttons and the quality materials, hearing the clicks... there's something religious about it.

 

[Karmic Raze]

The only thing I buy now that’s physical media is anime and that’s only for my most favorite series. I’ll stick to streaming for the majority of them. I’ve been buying games digitally for years now, but I do buy a collector’s/limited edition every once and a while so I can get the collectibles (more so than the physical copy of the game). Music for me is all digital on Spotify. I don’t really like physical media these days for the most part. Streaming is just way cheaper and way more convenient.

 

[DetectiveBananas]

Went from exclusively physical items (2014) to 90% digital (present day), due to over seas travel. I understand both sides but now that I’m settled down again, I’ll be going back to physical items (mostly) for the long run.

 

[Mihos]

"owning things" is an illusion. always has been always will.

My eBay sales say differently

 

[EverydayBeast]

I'm all for physical but I understand the reason to go digital though, Blu-Rays are easy targets for scratches.

 

[Jayjayhd34]

I'm all for physical but I understand the reason to go digital though, Blu-Rays are easy targets for scratches.

Scratching a blu Ray is next to impossible by accident.

 

[H4ze]

Yeah owning physical stuff is awesome. I have nothing against buying things digital, but physical is always something special.
I mean, I do own a very nice radio wich I had put in my car, with bluetooth, USB, AUX, everything. But I still have a shitload of CDs in my car, I know I could listen to most of them via Spotify, but the feeling just isn't the same.

 

[ROMhack]

It's much better definitely. The only reason not to is because you, like me, move around a lot.

A real benefit is that you suddenly pay more attention to thing. It's amazing, and a little bit terrifying, that we're in a generation where people have no attachment to the products they spend all their time with.

 

[deafmedal]

I like UHD discs much better than digital movies but my digital library crushes my physical library due to pricing/sales. My wife cannot tell the difference and banding and sound quality don’t bother her the same way they bother me so she grimaces when I want another disc so I reserve physical for movies I know are going to be visually spectacular. Renting, however, is amazing digitally.

I’ve only purchased 1 album physically in the past decade- TOOL’s Fear Inoculum and I’ve purchased it twice: the LE version and the book version. TOOL have always brought it wrt their packaging so that had to happen. As long as its 256 or better I don’t mind digital although I prefer 320/WAV but 90% of the time when I’m listening to tunes it’s on a system that makes the higher bit rate advantages negligible. I think mastering for streaming/digital helps in that regard.

Games are in a strange place- I will not buy Nintendo games digitally and PS games tend to be a mix. I generally buy day 1 MP games digitally and day 1 SP games physically. Otherwise I wait for a sale and buy digital. It is advantageous to buy digital for me as I take my PS4 on the road with me when I travel for work, I can always hotspot if I’m having issues with connecting to PSN for validation as my PS4 is my ‘secondary’ console so the kid can play my digital games/use PS+ features on the other PS4.

I definitely agree about holding a package in your hand and the smell of booklets etc I can totally see where OP is coming from, sometimes it’s just nice to go and buy a real thing, esp after/during a deployment I reckon!