[WEB4LIB] Gaming consoles in education and research

[Daniel Messer]

Good morning!

    It's a bit off topic, but I think I can make it back to the spirit of Web4Lib with a few observations. I myself am a fan of video gaming, both PC and console based as are a lot of my friends. With the current systems out on the market, such as the Playstation2 and the up-coming systems like X-box and Game Cube, the line between PCs and consoles is getting much
thinner.
    Telecommunications for video game consoles is not as new an idea as some think. The Sega Genesis of the late 80s and 90s had a peripheral device for connecting to other players through SegaNET. This was an idea ahead of it's time and it failed. With the advent of the Sega Dreamcast, it became possible to connect to the Internet via an ISP and game over Net. The
Dreamcast even came with a web browser. However, Sega being what it is and how it did business, the Dreamcast has faded and Sega has become strictly a third party development company. In other words, Sega games will be appearing on Sony and Nintendo consoles very soon.
    Playstation2 has net and web connectivity via a high speed network card. The X-box and Game Cube boast similar features. To go even further, Sony Japan has released a version of Linux for Playstation2. While not yet available in the US, Sony Japan is considering an American release depending on market conditions. The PS2 has the ability to accept peripheral hard
drives and a keyboard. So your plan is certainly feasible. If nothing else, you could set up a bunch of PS2s running Linux and KDE with Konquorer or Netscape or the like.
    For those not into the Linux scheme, Microsoft's X-box will probably have features similar to Windows and additional devices for web connectivity. Finally, as a lost shot, and to show how thin the line between consoles and PC has become I offer this. At an electronics convention, MS was demonstrating the rendering capabilities of the X-box... When it Blue Screened
on them. :)

Dan

John Kirriemuir wrote:

> Hello,
>
> I am carrying out an investigation, commissioned by a UK funding body, into the use of gaming consoles in learning and research scenarios, especially in the education  sector. By gaming consoles I refer to both monitor or TV based systems such as the (Sega) Dreamcast and (Sony) Playstation2, and mobile gaming-oriented devices such as the (Nintendo) Game Boy Advance.
>
> The scope of the investigation includes:
> - the use of the online facilities of current generation gaming consoles in order to access network (and Internet/Web) based services and materials
> - the use of consoles as learning-oriented communication devices
> - the use of consoles to exchange research or teaching information and materials
>
> If your educational institution, unit, department or course is carrying out one of the above, or is planning/thinking about doing so, then I would be very interested in hearing about it.
>
> Thanks,
> John Kirriemuir, Ceangal
> http://www.ceangal.com/
>
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--
Mondai wa
The subject in question...
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Daniel Messer, Technologies Instructor
Yakima Valley Regional Library
102 N 3rd St Yakima, WA 98901
(509) 452-8541 x712
dmesser at yvrls.lib.wa.us
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When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro.
                     -Hunter S. Thompson