OUYA is an open source game console. Essentially the developers want to build a more open game console that adapts the wild success of the cheaper mobile gaming environment to consoles for a richer experience built on a far more open environment. They raised over 8 million dollars in less than 8 hours breaking two Kickstarter records.
This is important on a number of levels. First, one must consider the business context here. Gaming as an industry passed up Hollywood revenues a few years ago, which means it is a very powerful industry. But culturally Gaming is radically different than Hollywood or the publishing industry, which is why ideas like OUYA can get off the ground faster. I am not a technologist who believes that open content is the answer to all our problems, which makes me something of a heretic in our circles. I have spoken with Eli Nieberger a number of times, and he likes to shock his audience by pointing out that "free" is the driving price for content on the web. Well, yes technically, but the real question is whether or not free is a sustainable model?
Like Jaron Lanier argues in his book You Are Not a Gadget advertising dollars have yet to fulfill the promise of creating a genuine, sustainable revenue stream. Hence, my doubt about the blind faith in open content that is so prevalent in the tech community. OUYA has the potential to begin showing us how the new business model might survive in one of the healthiest and most avid fan bases out there, but in the book community we should remain skeptical of the downward pricing of books. Cheaper prices doesn't always indicate cheaper quality, but in many cases it does- think of food.
Libraries should be stepping into this huge gap, as we can connect content creators with highly motivated patrons in much the same way we always have. This is what Apple did with iTunes and we could only be so fortunate as to replicate that success.
Here is a video about OUYA that is a bit lengthy but tells more about the company and its aspirations:
This is important on a number of levels. First, one must consider the business context here. Gaming as an industry passed up Hollywood revenues a few years ago, which means it is a very powerful industry. But culturally Gaming is radically different than Hollywood or the publishing industry, which is why ideas like OUYA can get off the ground faster. I am not a technologist who believes that open content is the answer to all our problems, which makes me something of a heretic in our circles. I have spoken with Eli Nieberger a number of times, and he likes to shock his audience by pointing out that "free" is the driving price for content on the web. Well, yes technically, but the real question is whether or not free is a sustainable model?
Like Jaron Lanier argues in his book You Are Not a Gadget advertising dollars have yet to fulfill the promise of creating a genuine, sustainable revenue stream. Hence, my doubt about the blind faith in open content that is so prevalent in the tech community. OUYA has the potential to begin showing us how the new business model might survive in one of the healthiest and most avid fan bases out there, but in the book community we should remain skeptical of the downward pricing of books. Cheaper prices doesn't always indicate cheaper quality, but in many cases it does- think of food.
Libraries should be stepping into this huge gap, as we can connect content creators with highly motivated patrons in much the same way we always have. This is what Apple did with iTunes and we could only be so fortunate as to replicate that success.
Here is a video about OUYA that is a bit lengthy but tells more about the company and its aspirations:
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