Giving up the ghost

which is why we all love how apple actually still do product launches

on another note, slowly releasing key details to what a product is going to be and showing off betas increases the hype about a product..

Here! Here! Get rid of thee Vaporware!!!!111

Originally Posted by article
we as journalists and consumers could stop grilling so hard about the launch deadlines until it has been declared that the idea is in the manufacturing state.

I totally agree, but will it ever happen? If a "product" is delayed, all we ever do is blast the developers, we've seen that with S.T.A.L.K.E.R (ahhh, they must stop using these fullstops, F.E.A.R. was bad enough!) being delayed, we've all said it's going to behind with the times etc, to stop vapourwarae, we need to work with the producers and not actually complain if it's delayed. But then again, producers could play a part and not release the ideas until closer to when the product is completed.

I like very much, it makes some valid points, but I have a question. Whats the alternative to the way its being done now?

Its not possible that in the business world things like release dates aren't going to exist, so is there really any option other then the current one? I strongly feel that publishers shouldn't be silly with their dates, don't tell us a game is going to be out three months before it is, and don't give your devs 6 months less then they need, but then, publishers have a job to do too don't they, what is their alternative?

Originally Posted by specofdust
I strongly feel that publishers shouldn't be silly with their dates, don't tell us a game is going to be out three months before it is, and don't give your devs 6 months less then they need

You just made my exact point, spec...and answered your own question. ;) That is not the current system, that you just outlined up there...but it needs to be.

I completely agree with the article. Journalists and the entire enthusiast market alike get totally worked up over the release of an idea as a release of a product. If and ATi exec said that they were "working on a platform that allows quad cards to be used on any chipset and performs at least 8-12 times faster than a single card", we would expect it to be released in 6 months.

Originally Posted by Article
and stop the incessant cat-and-mouse: ”When will it be released?” “Only the Phantom knows…”

The last thing I have to add is this:

http://img149.imageshack.us/img149/440/emotiiam8xd.gif

seems fitting :D

Originally Posted by specofdust
I like very much, it makes some valid points, but I have a question. Whats the alternative to the way its being done now?

Its not possible that in the business world things like release dates aren't going to exist, so is there really any option other then the current one? I strongly feel that publishers shouldn't be silly with their dates, don't tell us a game is going to be out three months before it is, and don't give your devs 6 months less then they need, but then, publishers have a job to do too don't they, what is their alternative?

I have to agree, ist's a case of being caught inbetween a rock and a hard place. Pr for any release has to start well bafore release, so there is no real alternative!

Some people would do well to read this article 5 times, print it, and post it everywhere around their house. My two favorite pieces of vaporware today are the optimus keyboard and of course, Stalker Oblivion (now officially delayed *again* to 2007 in case you didn't know).

There's nothing more irritating to see thousands of fan-boys singing the praises of vaporware. Both products I mentionned above (and that I won't even grace with links) have their die-hard supporters who will stop at nothing to provide faceless corporations with free advertising. Go figure.

Vapo(u)rware FTL!

Totally with ya on this... I'm sick of being lucky to find a product available six months after release. It's a load of marketing BS. If you announce a product and I can't buy it, at least within a week, I'm not keeping my options locked-down just because it looks good on paper. I suppose low stock is one thing, but consider the PCIE Theatre550-based TV tuners. I'm just starting to see them now when we heard about them probably almost a year ago.

OT - "myriad" is used wrong, as it so consistantly is (it's used like "infinite", not like other large-quanitity words). I see this happen absolutely everywhere so it's not a big deal, in fact I see it used wrong more frequently than affect/effect and second-grade stuff like to/too/two combined. Just nitpicking, though.

Not to just resurrect a thread (it's not that old anyways), but I think the author meant the radio show "The Shadow." The intro always said, "Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? The Shadow Knows." As far as I know, "The Phantom" was only a comic strip and comic book.