WHAT IS GAMIX?
- For Immediate Release April 3, 2006
Gamix is a set of specifications for an entertainment
PC. This PC can be a traditional Windows-based computer
that can play Gamix software, or it can be a less
expensive console dedicated to only running Gamix
software.
The concept is to give the PC the same advantages of
stability and simplicity for interactive entertainment
software that the consoles by Sony, Nintendo and
Microsoft have been offering for years. An important
part of the Gamix specification is that Gamix software
must boot from a CD or DVD- so that on a Windows-based
PC, the Gamix software completely ignores any existing
FAT32 or NTFS partitions. Gamix software requires the
availability of USB 2.0 Flash memory, but can also
support EXT3 as an option.
The PC is inherently a more powerful and flexible
platform than the consoles. More importantly, the PC is
a much more accessible and affordable platform for
hardware manufacturers, software developers, and
publishers. It is unfortunate that for almost thirty
years the PC has disappointed customers and retailers by
never overcoming the complexities of installing and
running entertainment software. As a result, PC-based
entertainment software sales have declined despite the
continued growth of PC hardware sales. Consumers have
definitely voted with their pocketbooks, choosing to
spend their money on the consoles for their home
entertainment.
This is happening at a crucial time in the market. After
years of speculation, it appears that the world may be
ready to accept convergence in the living room. And it
seems that the press has decided with the growing
popularity of videogames, it is a foregone conclusion
that it will be a videogame console that wins this
battle of convergence.
Gamix offers an alternative.
For decades the consumer electronics industry and the
computer hardware business have demonstrated the value
of standards and competition. Continually improving
products matched by continually decreasing prices have
become a way of life. It is very surprising that
industries that have been so successful and innovative
have not even been acknowledged as competition to the
proprietary consoles of the videogame manufacturers.
Gamix gives these non-videogame system manufacturers a
viable way to compete without the burden of having to
develop their own software libraries.
Now is a very good time to renew interest in
alternatives to today’s interactive entertainment
market. The game development community has a long
love-hate relationship with the console manufacturers.
On one hand, technology has driven the game business,
and new hardware brings more sales. On the other hand,
for years the console manufacturers have put significant
financial burdens on both developers and publishers for
the privilege of participating in the market. The
console manufacturer’s ultimate control of the market
has bred resentment and stifled creativity. What game
developers want are the same opportunities that artists
in film and music enjoy- a simple way to reach all
consumers.
Game publishers are also keenly aware of the advantages
of an open marketplace. Software publishers need the PC
market because the low barriers to entry allow for risk
and experimentation. The declining PC games market has
been a very bad omen, and publishers should welcome any
opportunity to revive it. The PC game market has long
served as their perfect model, but declining sales and
even more rapidly declining retail shelf space has put
lots of pressure on the industry to play by the console
manufacturer’s rules.
All of this leads to the possibility of widespread
acceptance of an open gaming platform based on standard
PC hardware specifications. Gamix hopes to offer a
compelling solution to this scenario.
For more information,
Visit:
http://www.gamix.org
E-mail: info@gamix.org
Write or call:
Gamix
1129 Rundle Street
Scranton, PA 18504
Eli Tomlinson: (570) 840-9942