Is this preference on openness a good thing for content creators?

Sinequanon · 05-09-2012, 11:52 PM

This thread was inspired by the
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This relates to that thread, but is not meant to be a discussion about the merits of disparate gaming platforms, but rather a discussion about readers of this forum's relationship with technology.

In my day job, it's my duty to think through and optimize user experience and interaction. A lot of that becomes easier to manage in closed systems, because you can then anticipate, craft and design a consistent user experience. This sort of crafting is difficult, if not impossible to achieve in a completely open platform. To a certain extent, I can appreciate the freedom wanted by the user or consumer, but in another sense, as a form of art intended to make a particular statement, it annoys me to have someone break that experience. When I write, I would prefer that the reader consume the document in the order it was written, rather than skip to random pages (primarily because they are much more likely to blame the writer rather than their haphazard methodology for any faults they find).

Yet in the referenced thread, there was much emphasis on this facet of PC gaming being a selling point. I don't think this relates specifically to PC gaming only - it also relates to our relationships with operating systems, platforms, and so on. I know many of you are also content creators, so I'm curious to know if you think your inclination toward open, malleable systems has any effect on your contributions, artistic, social and technological.

Note: It is insufficient to say "Everyone else is wrong, we are the enlightened 1%"; don't get defensive, I'm just interested. A lot of you seem to be a niche inside of a niche and I'm curious how that impacts the way you relate to the rest of the world.

**thod** · 05-10-2012, 12:01 AM

You are not creating a work of art, you are running a business. When users create their own content, they are telling you what they want. This is valuable marketing information. They give you new ideas, stuff you would never have thought of. From this you can improve your product to give them what they want. Whatever they want IS correct because they are paying for it.

Sinequanon · 05-10-2012, 12:14 AM

	Originally Posted by thod To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	You are not creating a work of art, you are running a business. When users create their own content, they are telling you what they want. This is valuable marketing information. They give you new ideas, stuff you would never have thought of. From this you can improve your product to give them what they want. Whatever they want IS correct because they are paying for it.

Actually, since I'm my own patron, a lot of the works I choose to produce or choose to work on are done without the incentive of profit. Additionally, I think it's valuable to distinguish between a genuine market need and a niche of users who would want to use any particular product in very particular ways. For instance, I usually end up replacing the pickups on any guitar I own, but that is because I enjoy tinkering with them. It would not be worthwhile to guitar producers to take my experience and inclination as universal, since nearly every other guitarist I've talked to in person (not on forums) had no idea that it could be done and no interest in doing so.

What I think would be the more dangerous folly would be couching my own inclination or preference with terms like "correct".


	They give you new ideas, stuff you would never have thought of.

This is sometimes true but not necessarily (and from a legal standpoint, at times it becomes a liability to harvest ideas from your community).

bobabrowncoat · 05-10-2012, 05:35 AM

At a certain point, you'd never get any work done if you were to take a user's modifications into the finished product. Yes, if a sufficient number, say 50% make the same modification it may be time to look into assimilating it. But, that's rare. I think it would be far more advantageous for a sufficiently diverse group with good taste (up to the project head to determine that) to work together with a single structure or goal.

**Antares** · 05-10-2012, 06:50 AM

I prefer an operating system that is not closed. It's fine to have your own appstore and whatnot, but the issue I take with some closed systems is that they deliberately make it impossible for you to use third party programs and ebooks. I like the convenience that having an in-house store provides, but I balk when you refuse to give me any options, and make me resort to jailbreaking or rooting, and then void my warranty when I proceed to use your device however I fucking want to. I bought your fucking merchandise. It's free for me to do as I please. Part of the closed system deal has nothing to do with optimizing user experience, but locking users in to only purchase items from them.

**Melchizedek** · 05-10-2012, 08:46 AM

I haven't heard of Google having any problems developing Android because it's open-source. I'm not really familiar with the ongoing development of any other open-source projects, but most of the ones I've tried seem to be doing just fine.

If we're talking about media outside the digital realm, then it's a bit different. If I want to highlight my book and write notes in the margin, then there's no good reason that the publisher should be able to stop me. It might not create a better experience for anyone else, but it's what I want.

Also, most of the guitarists I've met know that pickups can be replaced. Odd.

05-09-2012, 11:52 PM	#1
Sinequanon Veteran Member [96%] MBTI: INFJ Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 3,879	This thread was inspired by the To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. . This relates to that thread, but is not meant to be a discussion about the merits of disparate gaming platforms, but rather a discussion about readers of this forum's relationship with technology. In my day job, it's my duty to think through and optimize user experience and interaction. A lot of that becomes easier to manage in closed systems, because you can then anticipate, craft and design a consistent user experience. This sort of crafting is difficult, if not impossible to achieve in a completely open platform. To a certain extent, I can appreciate the freedom wanted by the user or consumer, but in another sense, as a form of art intended to make a particular statement, it annoys me to have someone break that experience. When I write, I would prefer that the reader consume the document in the order it was written, rather than skip to random pages (primarily because they are much more likely to blame the writer rather than their haphazard methodology for any faults they find). Yet in the referenced thread, there was much emphasis on this facet of PC gaming being a selling point. I don't think this relates specifically to PC gaming only - it also relates to our relationships with operating systems, platforms, and so on. I know many of you are also content creators, so I'm curious to know if you think your inclination toward open, malleable systems has any effect on your contributions, artistic, social and technological. Note: It is insufficient to say "Everyone else is wrong, we are the enlightened 1%"; don't get defensive, I'm just interested. A lot of you seem to be a niche inside of a niche and I'm curious how that impacts the way you relate to the rest of the world. Last edited by Sinequanon; 05-10-2012 at 03:37 PM. Reason: fixed title..
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05-10-2012, 12:01 AM	#2
thod Core Member [162%] MBTI: INTP Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 6,511	You are not creating a work of art, you are running a business. When users create their own content, they are telling you what they want. This is valuable marketing information. They give you new ideas, stuff you would never have thought of. From this you can improve your product to give them what they want. Whatever they want IS correct because they are paying for it.
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05-10-2012, 05:35 AM	#4
bobabrowncoat Core Member [244%] MBTI: IxTJ Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 9,776	At a certain point, you'd never get any work done if you were to take a user's modifications into the finished product. Yes, if a sufficient number, say 50% make the same modification it may be time to look into assimilating it. But, that's rare. I think it would be far more advantageous for a sufficiently diverse group with good taste (up to the project head to determine that) to work together with a single structure or goal.
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05-10-2012, 06:50 AM	#5
Antares Core Member [170%] MBTI: INTJ Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 6,822	I prefer an operating system that is not closed. It's fine to have your own appstore and whatnot, but the issue I take with some closed systems is that they deliberately make it impossible for you to use third party programs and ebooks. I like the convenience that having an in-house store provides, but I balk when you refuse to give me any options, and make me resort to jailbreaking or rooting, and then void my warranty when I proceed to use your device however I fucking want to. I bought your fucking merchandise. It's free for me to do as I please. Part of the closed system deal has nothing to do with optimizing user experience, but locking users in to only purchase items from them.
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05-10-2012, 08:46 AM	#6
Melchizedek Member [29%] MBTI: INTJ Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 1,197	I haven't heard of Google having any problems developing Android because it's open-source. I'm not really familiar with the ongoing development of any other open-source projects, but most of the ones I've tried seem to be doing just fine. If we're talking about media outside the digital realm, then it's a bit different. If I want to highlight my book and write notes in the margin, then there's no good reason that the publisher should be able to stop me. It might not create a better experience for anyone else, but it's what I want. Also, most of the guitarists I've met know that pickups can be replaced. Odd.
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