Remember when mentioning Microsoft's operating system didn't garner a Mexican wave of disgust? Us neither. However they have had brief periods of respite from the haters, as back before the likes of Vista and Windows 8 came to dominate the cultural psyche when tying to think of anything to say other than annoyed grunts, Microsoft did turn in a fantastically versatile and simplified OS many have stayed with to this day. With their first major misfire being an attempt at forcing a tablet-style interface down our throats, quickly followed up by taking the Xbox 360's decade-long goodwill and unleashing the DRM Firing Squad, XP remains one of the only shining examples of an OS that didn't try to molest you with suggestions and filing options. It just worked.
13. Sky Tyne & Wear
Started as a localised attempt at some good honest journalism here in What Culture-territory Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, Sky's latest foray into employing a hungry bunch of young information-gatherers and presenting their findings in entertaining ways sadly never turned a profit in the two years they've been active. As Sky continue to do battle with the increasingly-powerful Netflix-behemoth as well as other services that threaten their once-dominated stronghold on all things British telly, it seems the resources just weren't in place to make this one a success this time around.
12. BBC 3
In a move that we're all sure to emulate just as soon as the technology is in place, the BBC3 did away with the regular version of themselves and took their efforts online. Uproar has obviously followed, being that BBC3 was the home of late-night Family Guy and a whole host of other comedies that made evenings worth staying in for. It follows an 11 year run, making the channel half - if not more - as old as it's major demographic, yet with comedian Russell Kane referring to the channel as a "crucible of modern comedy" being that the when the channel launched in 2003 it made the actors from within the likes of Little Britain and Gavin and Stacey stars overnight, it will be sorely missed.
11. Football Goal Debates
"It was in!" "Pah, that was never in!" "That was in like I was with in your mother last nigh..." *thwack* Such was the exchange uttered between two loyal patrons of whatever watering-hole happened to be the venue for the latest showdown between two teams. This season however football finally caught up with the modern world, taking a page out of Wimbledon's book and installing goal-line technology throughout pitches worldwide to ward off those timeless debates that ring through the streets and bedrooms of houses countrywide following a match. We may be losing one of the greatest parts of the after-match report, but we've gained a much tighter and fairer hold on The Beautiful Game in the process. Now if we can just get the referees a loopback feed of potential yellow/red card offences on a video-screen watch to avoid poorly-made decisions, and we'll be laughing.
"It was in!" "Pah, that was never in!" "That was in like I was with in your mother last nigh..." *thwack* Such was the exchange uttered between two loyal patrons of whatever watering-hole happened to be the venue for the latest showdown between two teams. This season however football finally caught up with the modern world, taking a page out of Wimbledon's book and installing goal-line technology throughout pitches worldwide to ward off those timeless debates that ring through the streets and bedrooms of houses countrywide following a match. We may be losing one of the greatest parts of the after-match report, but we've gained a much tighter and fairer hold on The Beautiful Game in the process. Now if we can just get the referees a loopback feed of potential yellow/red card offences on a video-screen watch to avoid poorly-made decisions, and we'll be laughing.