> > 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?

> 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?

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?

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.

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