Nate's Updating

2005-12-16 11:41:49 pm

Semi-retired FPS expert

It is still being done in other languages (German, f.e.) and most interestingly, classical music and soundtracks, as well as movie titles. It seems Hollywood at some point decided to adopt the German system of capitalizing nouns and names. Odd.

StrangenessDSS

2005-12-16 11:51:54 pm

Sleeping Terror

No, that's because we still capitalize proper nouns and titles. It's why this place is called "Speed Demos Archive", not "speed demos archive".

VippiN

2005-12-16 11:54:14 pm

FF8 & FF12.. Long awaited runs.

Looks like i'm not the only one. Well, the original post I had in mind when I saw Nate's news:

"Argh, the lack of Grammar, the goggles they do nothing!"

Mkt2015

2005-12-17 12:18:28 am

MGS for PS1 forever.

The point of my post was to say "Who cares?"

Yes it was e e cummings.

To make English into a science/math is insane.

slYnki

2005-12-17 12:22:41 am

XXY

"And this week in Nate's blog, he has stopped compressing people's runs off of VHS tapes because someone said they disliked his grammar!"

DTaeKim

2005-12-17 04:26:42 am

I'm also curious as to the state of Radix's computer. Does he really have that outdated piece of technology?

Radix

2005-12-17 04:28:07 am

I'm addicted to games

yes

DTaeKim

2005-12-17 05:10:31 am

Wow. I think we should start a "Get Radix a new computer fund."

Tub

2005-12-17 10:52:12 am

m00

well, it's too late for that, he'll have a new one soon.

better start a "get radix a new appartment" fund.

Yoshi348

2005-12-17 04:28:41 pm

dinosaur from the past

Being around Nate so long, this topic's kinda amusing. Especially since some of the same thoughts went through my head so long ago.

It is a point that it's not super professional, though, and Radix's main goal seems to be making this site as mainstream as possible, and in doing so make speedruns as mainstream as possible.

ReverendTed

2005-12-18 02:52:50 am

I'll admit - it bugged me, too.
Radix's style of writing seems refined and professional (for the most part), while Nate's entry somewhat undermines the credibility of the site as a legitimate entertainment outlet for those who aren't already familiar with the site or Nate's "style".

DAMURDOC

2005-12-18 05:11:10 am

The BaldurManiac

Personaly I think it's hilarious... But my opinion is not professional either.

Ekarderif

2005-12-18 06:02:48 am

Your almighty lordship

I'm not sure whether you mean that your opinion is unprofessional or that it's your opinion that the update is unprofessional...

InsipidMuckyWater

Edit history:

InsipidMuckyWater: 2005-12-18 06:37:38 am

2005-12-18 06:25:21 am

Visit my profile to see my runs!

Quote:

Back when he lived, that was proper English. Everyone did it.

Yes I know [although, it's obviously an exaggeration to say that everyone did it. Jonathan Edwards, Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Paine, and plenty of others did not do this]. He very well represented the time period, and thus, his writing, despite his extemporaneous style and inflated etiquette, refutes the common norm to capitalize only proper nouns [Although, I wouldn't say that this type of English writing was necessarily "proper;" it would be more accurate to describe it as esoteric. Jefferson is universally considered a miraculously superior writer compared to Franklin, but he wrote much more objectively and with a dry, pragmatic tone]. That's pretty much why I listed him, at all.

As for Nate's update, I am somewhat indifferent. I don't believe we need to develop some sort of "legitimate" reputation with outsiders. The quality and breadth of the site speak for themselves.
If someone cannot appreciate the site, despite its professional appearance or lack thereof, then they can enjoy the freedom to construct their own speedrun site.
Were SDA in a more lucrative position, or in one that acquired a more widespread audience, I would assume that Nate wouldn't write in his fashion, anyway. Right now, SDA is catered to the more passionate gamer [as opposed to the casual one who might superfluously reject the site due to its grammar misusage]...

[quote]
Back when he lived, that was proper English. Everyone did it.[/quote]

Yes I know [although, it's obviously an exaggeration to say that everyone did it.  Jonathan Edwards, Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Paine, and plenty of others did not do this].  He very well represented the time period, and thus, his writing, despite his extemporaneous style and inflated etiquette, refutes the common norm to capitalize only proper nouns [Although, I wouldn't say that this type of English writing was necessarily "proper;" it would be more accurate to describe it as esoteric.  Jefferson is universally considered a miraculously superior writer compared to Franklin, but he wrote much more objectively and with a dry, pragmatic tone].  That's pretty much why I listed him, at all.

As for Nate's update, I am somewhat indifferent.  I don't believe we need to develop some sort of "legitimate" reputation with outsiders.  The quality and breadth of the site speak for themselves.  
If someone cannot appreciate the site, despite its professional appearance or lack thereof, then they can enjoy the freedom to construct their own speedrun site.  
Were SDA in a more lucrative position, or in one that acquired a more widespread audience, I would assume that Nate wouldn't write in his fashion, anyway.  Right now, SDA is catered to the more passionate gamer [as opposed to the casual one who might superfluously reject the site due to its grammar misusage]...

slYnki

2005-12-18 04:05:38 pm

XXY

People on the internet, and gamers caring about grammar seems silly to me. Have you ever been in a Counter-Strike game or on Battle.Net?

"j00 sux0r" everywhere. Atleast the update is intelligible Grin

VorpalEdge

2005-12-18 04:49:45 pm

welcome to the machine

What I don't understand is how refusing to use capitals is indicative of the site's professionalism, especially since nate's writing makes it clear that the lack of caps is voluntary. I thought that people were supposed to judge the site on actual content. >_<

Pweisger

Edit history:

Pweisger: 2005-12-19 06:47:49 am

2005-12-19 06:47:39 am

PwNzRd!

And I like how you reinforce your idea by not capitalizing Nate.

Arrow

2005-12-19 08:07:04 am

Now a hit show on the CW

For those who didn't bother to read it, here is Nate's reason for not capitalizing:

Quote:

i made the decision to use only lower case letters entirely out of respect for the one who had taught me everything: kip. his characteristic lower case writing had been my guide through sequence breaking since i had arrived at the sequence breaking topic on gamefaqs almost two months before. i simply did not know any other way to treat the material than how he had presented it, and i felt as though he had done a superb job. my only hope in making the site was that it would be as helpful to future generations of sequence breakers as kip had been to me.

I think the fact that he has such an honorable reason for doing it, not to mention that he still uses perfect grammar, completely justifies Nate in typing however he wants.

ReverendTed

2005-12-19 07:25:17 pm

I'm not arguing that he's not justified in doing it, or that he hasn't "earned" the right to. I'm just stating how it looks to someone who doesn't know Nate's reputation.