On Wed, 11 Jul 2001, RC5Stint wrote:

> > > There is a lot of potential.  I guess my point was that
> > > many people have been working towards that potential as
> > > best they can, with ingenuity and open source tools.  I was
> > > merely pointing you to their efforts.
> >
> > I'm very well aware of their efforts, but people working on the dreamcast
> > and other devices for which there isn't a wealth of documentation for.
> >
> > I know that development licenses cost money.  However, with the rapidly
> > declining mainstream demand for a Dreamcast, if someone at Sega had a
> > lightbulb appear above their head, they could realize some aftermarket
> > value of their system for other uses besides video games.  If I was high
> > up in Sega and recognized an effort to use my console for other uses after
> > the profits were fully realized, I'd say "Here kid, see what you can do
> > with this."
> 
> Nathan, I don't mean to be rude.  But if this line of thinking was valid,
> Sega would be giving away Genesis documentation for free by now.  They're
> not.  The Genesis developer manuals were probably thrown in a heap and
> burned to ashes years ago.
> 
> Sega took a lot of losses from the Dreamcast; they didn't fully realize
> their profits.  And you know what they are doing with their technology?
> They're licensing it to a set top box manufacturer, who will probably use
> the technology to download Dreamcast best sellers to cable subscribers.
> 
> I know this is really cynical, but every console since the Atari 2600 had
> more potential than was ever realized.  Did any light bulbs go off at any of
> these companies?
> 

Well, as you said, historically they shouldn't.

> > I am very enthusiastic about DC programming, if I had more experience in
> > regards to programming and a strong electronics background, you'd see me
> > heading a project to do what I want.  That's my ultimate frustration, is
> > to sit on an idea and not have the experience or knowledge to carry it
> out.
> > I've invested too much thought and time into these DC plans to quit now.
> 
> Nathan, let me ask you something.  I hope you are not offended by my
> questions:
> 
> Do you know everything that has been freely documented about the Dreamcast
> so far?  Have you pored through every single website by every Dreamcast
> aficionado?
> 

I'd say I know about 1% of what there is to know about the Dreamcast.
That's mostly due to the fact that I just got interested in researching
about it.  

> How do you know that there isn't a tidbit of knowledge somewhere that you
> haven't looked at yet, that might provide you with at least some info, that
> will make part of your plans come true?  How do you know that YOU, might not
> be the one to find out something exciting and very promising, by poking
> around like we do?

I can only hope I discover something new by the time I leave school with
the tools and knowhow.  

> 
> Just today you found out something about the Dreamcast you didn't know
> yesterday.  You found some facts about the GD-ROM that had been documented
> months ago.  There are many resources out there you haven't looked at yet,
> Nathan!
> 
> I don't know everything about the Dreamcast that has been documented either.
> I doubt anyone does.  And there is still a lot more that can be learned by
> reverse engineering existing DC software and by trying new approaches.
> 
> It can be extremely frustrating.  But I guess I'm a masochist, because I
> find it lots of fun! ;-)
> 
> I don't know if Sega or any other console manufacturer will ever fully open
> their eyes to the potential outsiders can bring to their consoles.  I think
> they are all very narrow minded when it comes to letting "common people"
> develop for their machines.
> 
> This will probably get me excommunicated, ;-) but Sony is the closest one to
> come to the ideal.  Hopefully, they are truly honest and will not change
> their minds later or pull some trick.
> 
> I no longer know what I'm getting at, Nathan.  I think I've said everything
> I can.  I can't think of anything else to add.
> 
> I guess all I'm saying is, there is the possibility that your plans might
> come true, if you are willing to work hard with what has been provided you -
> your own wits, and the tools many have worked hard to create out of nearly
> nothing.
> 

It's not a matter of "if", it's a matter of "when".

> The potential is very great, and we're all striving for it.  But this is all
> we got for now.  We had a lot less even six months ago, believe me.
> 
> I'm glad you're not quitting.  In another year, who knows where we all will
> be, if you joined us...
> 
> RC5Stint
> 

There's more I had wanted to say but it's very hot outside and I'm just
not in a mindset.  I think we both agree with eachother.