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You can download Darwin for x86. But that won't give you Quartz/Carbon/Cocoa (Mac OS X userland libraries) which are all proprietary binaries for PowerPC machines; good luck finding a machine that can code-morph into both an x86 (for the games on your Windows partition) and a PowerPC (for Mac OS X's userland). -- Dr. Mario game for PC based on Mac OS X's Aqua theme
Like Tetris? Like drugs? Ever try combining them?

Compiling software is for when you want to customize software

Or when you have to customize software to run on your architecture. Binary packages are generally provided for a couple distributions of x86 Linux, not PowerPC Linux systems such as linuxppc and Yellow Dog (forget Debian for a moment).

Who would run Gnome or KDE when they can have Aqua

People who also want to play games. We are in the phase of the gaming market when the most heavily marketed games are on the x86 PC because that's the largest audience; the new consoles (specifically Sony PS2) do not have a foothold. It was similar in the Doom/Duke/Quake days just before the PSX and N64 came out.

The parts of Mac OS X that run on top of the Darwin kernel are only available as binaries for PowerPC-based Macintosh computers. I haven't seen a CPU that can code-morph into both an x86 (for games) and a PowerPC (for Mac OS X).

1. Even though the source code for the Darwin kernel and POSIX layer, the rest of Mac OS (Quartz/Carbon/Cocoa) is still very proprietary.
2. Even Darwin may not qualify under the Open Source definition.

My ISP (Demon Internet) gives you unlimited email addresses at your own domain (albeit a sub-domain of demon.co.uk).

So doe Freeservers, who hosts PinEight.com. Freeservers redirects all mail sent to your subdomain to the email address (a Hotmail/Yahoo account is OK) you gave when you signed up.

Standard floppy holds about 1.44MB of data. ... And you can only store one song each on a floppy.

MIDI has an approximate bitrate of 20 kilobytes per minute for moderately complex pieces, allowing an entire symphony to fit on a floppy. NES music is ten times leaner than that; you'd be amazed what can be done with three tone generators and a noise generator.

I don't know about your "javascript writing 0's" example, but I have seen a site set up so that clicking on a link will crash (100% guaranteed) any Windoze machine. Linux and similar systems are not affected, you just get a banner showing Bill Gates getting hit in the face with a pie.

But I seem to remember that the link you have to click to do this says something like "Do not click this link" so maybe it's OK.

I've been fighting the temptation to put one like that on my website (jsoftco.8m.com - shameless plug!).

or you play the (mostly) crap games that you CAN get under the GPL.

You downplay the "mostly." I admit, many GPL'd games are crap, but most commercial games are crap too. You just have to find the diamonds in the rough. For instance, have you ever experienced tetris... on LSD? Or have you raced down a mountain as a penguin? Or taken out your frustration by killing those annoying little hampsters?

or you play the (mostly) crap games that you CAN get under the GPL.

You downplay the "mostly." I admit, many GPL'd games are crap, but most commercial games are crap too. You just have to find the diamonds in the rough. For instance, have you ever experienced tetris... on LSD? Or have you raced down a mountain as a penguin? Or taken out your frustration by killing those annoying little hampsters?

if not, then right-click the link and view in a new window

Sorry, you don't have permission to right-click.

If you travel to the year 802,701, don't forget to say hi to the Precious Moments people who call themselves Eloi.
Like Tetris? Like drugs? Ever try combining them?

There's also something nice about not having 30 cubic feet of space in a dorm room taken up by VHS tapes, cds, encyclopedia volumes, DVDs and other so called meatspace products. I doubt that you can accurately say that everyone or at least a critical number of people value a jewel case that's 5x the thickness of a cd taking up so much room. Trying to reduce the bulk of meatspace products?

• VHS? Try Hi8 instead; the tapes are much smaller, and the resolution is remarkably better.
• CD and DVD cases? There are CD wallets for that.
• Encyclopedia? Why bother? Britannica is already online and supported by ads.
• Mouse pad? Use a trackball.
• CD/DVD/etc? Try reading free books online. In fact, The Time Machine by H. G. Wells[?] is what led me to start collecting those blasted Precious Moments figurines, but that's another node.

but with the (eternally) soon-to-be-released recordable DVD formats

These will be loaded with so much copyright control (DVD CCA is also the 4C Entity) that the only files you'll be allowed to store are works you create yourself and works created before January 1, 1923 (in the US at least). This means that you will need to be in a band to store music on your DVD-R, and you can only store your band's music. And you definitely won't be able to encrypt files on DVD-R, as decryption of works you didn't create is a violation of 17 USC 1201.

Just think, why bother booting the whole OS when you just need to get your Tetris fix

...when you can run it on a Game Boy? Seriously, just about the only platforms that have Tetris are Nintendo, Wintendo, DOS, and Macintosh. The Tetris Company has not licensed TETRIS® on UNIX® systems.

But that's not counting Tetris-compatible games that don't bear the TETRIS® trademark, such as Quadra and TOD: Tetanus On Drugs.

It would be more useful to be able to do something like playing GTK Tetris while your new distro is installing.

Not Tetris. The Tetris Company has not yet licensed the TETRIS® trademark for use on a UNIX® system or clone. This didn't stop tetriscloners from doing their job though; they simply changed the name to something like "Bricks 2000", "Bedter", "Quadra", or "Tetanus".

If you really want to impress the sheeple[?], use the TOD engine. With features from The New Tetris, Quadra, and Tetripz, plus split-screen support and cross-platform compatibility thanks to the Allegro library, it's sure to impress.

It would be more useful to be able to do something like playing GTK Tetris while your new distro is installing.

Not Tetris. The Tetris Company has not yet licensed the TETRIS® trademark for use on a UNIX® system or clone. This didn't stop tetriscloners from doing their job though; they simply changed the name to something like "Bricks 2000", "Bedter", "Quadra", or "Tetanus".

If you really want to impress the sheeple[?], use the TOD engine. With features from The New Tetris, Quadra, and Tetripz, plus split-screen support and cross-platform compatibility thanks to the Allegro library, it's sure to impress.

PDAs owner will now be able to participate in the KDE/Gnome wars

Even NES emulator owners can participate with the GNOME vs. KDE: Battle of the Desktops ROM.

anything that says UNDER CONSTRUCTION

What if the site is about something else that's under construction, such as a software package? What would a building construction company do?

clear 1X1 pixel gifs used for spacing with alt tags that say "spacer"

I agree here. Ditch the spacers except in Netscape 4.x which can't render CSS; even then, a spacer's alt tag should be alt=""

don't use javascript to display text

How do you generate dynamic content if you aren't paying big bux0r$$$ for access to a cgi-bin folder? The only way is through client-side EcmaScript or Java technology.

websites that play music

So are you saying that web-based interfaces to the Napster service are unacceptable? Sometimes, the music is the content, but I see your point when the music is there just for flashturbation[?].

websites that try to determine your browser type and give you messages about needing a different browser - deal with what I have. You're in no position to require me to do anything.

Even piece-of-crash Nutscrape 4.x?

more than one animated gif on a page

I agree here. Animation should be used with moderation; even then, it should be done using PNGs and EcmaScript (or MNGs in 6.0 browsers), not GIFs.

I'd like to add one more: right-click traps[?]. See also the Right-Click Trap Shit List.

Ever heard of a good opensource game? Freeciv? LOL.

What about TOD? or Hampsterdeath? or Tux Racer? Or any of the many cross-platform Allegro games? Or the entire GNOME Entertainment collection? I forgive you for not having looked hard enough.

Ever heard of a good opensource game? Freeciv? LOL.

What about TOD? or Hampsterdeath? or Tux Racer? Or any of the many cross-platform Allegro games? Or the entire GNOME Entertainment collection? I forgive you for not having looked hard enough.

I don't care whether or not a fellow is Jewish. I just don't like a big nose, as it signifies dishonesty.

Well, most GNU/Linux distributions come with a sh*tload of games in both GNOME and KDE. And they often have higher fun factors than Fake III Arena or whatever FPS-of-the-month the sheeple are buying. Also, most Allegro games (such as TOD: Tetanus On Drugs and freepuzzlearena) recompile seamlessly on Linux.
Tetris on drugs, NES music, and GNOME vs. KDE Bingo.

Well, most GNU/Linux distributions come with a sh*tload of games in both GNOME and KDE. And they often have higher fun factors than Fake III Arena or whatever FPS-of-the-month the sheeple are buying. Also, most Allegro games (such as TOD: Tetanus On Drugs and freepuzzlearena) recompile seamlessly on Linux.
Tetris on drugs, NES music, and GNOME vs. KDE Bingo.

See, I haven't contributed anything to the Linux community at all

If you feel guilty, you could

• Write software for the GNU/Linux system.
• Write documentation for the GNU/Linux system, especially if you speak human languages other than American.
• Buy a boxed GNU/Linux distribution. This funds development of the GNU/Linux system.
• Donate to Free Software Foundation. This funds development of GNU, the POSIX layer that runs on Linux (and on HURD). You can even specify FSF on your United Way "specific request."
• Buy a computer from VA Linux Systems or Penguin Computing. This supports hardware manufacturers who are not in bed with Microsoft <cough>winmodems</cough>.

Jesus fucking Christ on a popsicle stick

Let's analyze this. Jesus is commonly called Christ. Fscking oneself is another term for masturbation. Why would Jesus be shoving a Popsicle® stick up his ass?

Now, with that out of the way:
Besides, ink on dead tree isn't going anywhere. For long format fiction it's still a far better experience that etext

Especially because etext refers to books in public domain, especially those published by Project Gutenberg. eBook is the term for those proprietary, copy-controlled, encrypted-out-the-ass electronic texts of works still under copyright. And don't count on any more literature expiring into the public domain, as Disney buys 20 more years of copyright for everything every 20 years, effectively putting everything written on or after January 1, 1923, under perpetual copyright.

Now to address the other side of that: I know CRTs suck cock. That's why I do most of my reading on an LCD. Subpixel text rendering using individual color channels for finer anti-aliasing can make a good LCD look almost as good as paper.

Flatland, like most popular works of classic literature written before 1923, is available from Project Gutenberg. It's also available from Project Nodeberg (Everything's partial PG mirror) here.

Sadly, nothing written on or after January 1, 1923, will ever expire into the public domain because of atrocities like the Sonny Bono Copyright Term Extension Act. Every 20 years, Disney buys another 20 years of copyright in every major jurisdiction.

Rubbish. Believe it or not the web extends beyond the borders of your country.

Wherever there's Disney, there's perpetual copyright. The Walt Disney Company buys puppet politicians in every major country and, every 20 years, lobbies for another 20-year extension to all subsisting copyrights.

But that's beside the point. The point I was trying to make was that web sites have to buy their content somewhere. Not only that, but they also have to pay Unisys for a license to display animated banner ads, as the patent-free alternative only works in recent Mozilla builds.

why should an ad be there, I already pay to use the internet.

You pay to use an Internet connection; the advertising pays for the content on that connection. All content created on or after January 1923 (pretty much everything on the Web except Project Gutenberg) is under perpetual copyright; somebody needs to pay royalties for the content.

Normally, in browser whack-a-mole, I cheat by pressing Ctrl+W (Command+W on Macs) repeatedly before a window has time to execute its EcmaScript popup code. If you really want a platform-independent whack-a-mole game, you should try Hampsterdeath, which works on Linux, DOS, and Windows.
Tetris on drugs, NES music, and GNOME vs. KDE Bingo.

in practice, most people don't write their programs in 6502 assembler.

(ICK! The language is called assembly, not assembler. Would you like it if I called the C++ language "compiler"?)

That's because most people don't develop for C=64, Apple II, or NES. I still write NES software in assembly because I haven't yet taken the time to get CC65 working and get a C library written. But handcoded assembly does give you the tightest code if you know what you're doing with respect to the pipeline (6502 has one short pipeline so it's easier here).

Speaking for my company (a games company) if we released a game which was only "fairly fast" we wouldn't last long ;)

When a game of Tetanus (a popular Tetris clone) first starts, it is quite literally running at two frames per second. Two! The graphics are simplistic but easy to parse. But once Alice makes lines, it starts speeding up until her brain explodes.

Some of us still want gameplay, not graphics. If we wanted graphics, we'd be playing GIMP or POV-Ray.

Lotus also lost a lawsuit against Borland involving Borland's Quattro spreadsheet (vs. Lotus 123) over the fact that Quattro had a macro system that enabled you to load in and make Quattro exactly emulate 123's keystroke sequences

Does this remind you in any way of the Tetris Company cases? Copyright on a general look and feel copyright is dead. But doesn't the Aqua theme remind you a bit of Dr. Mario?

If nothing else, I want to update my DirectX driver knowledge to DirectX8

DirectX 8's support for DirectDraw (2D) video is now a mere wrapper around Direct3D. This will increase performance on systems whose drivers are heavily optimized for 3D (e.g. for Quake benchmarks) but horrible in 2D.

It's unfortunate that the term for "legal work for a good cause" sounds just like a term meaning perpetual copyright: Sonny Bono Copyright Term Extension Act[?], the act that extended the term of all subsisting and new copyrights by 20 years and set a precedent that every 20 years, 20 more years are added.

I run Unigraphics on NT using Exceed, and lemme tell ya, it's not all it's cracked up to be!

So quit using Exceed and start using XFree86 for NT.

Every user on the Napster Network connects to the same central server. However, there are other central servers that run the Napster protocol (and allow formats other than MPEG Layer 3 Audio; use it for mirroring the Linux kernel tarballs?), and you can run your own on a nix box or winbox. The lawyers may shut the lawyers shut the Napster Network down, but the success of one big red H shows that the game of whack-a-mole is a surprisingly weak form of resistance. Resistance is futile.

Remember back when consoles were milked of all their power before abandoning the system.

Fifteen years, and the NES console is still being milked. Download an emulator and head over to NESdev and get some of Chris Covell's NES software, or try my GNOME vs. KDE: Battle of the Desktops for the NES.

When GNOME had the old site layout, its logo was still the footprint, but the mascot was David the Gnome (who could be seen in the Bonsai section). Who's KDE's mascot? Logo: gear ... mechanical ... android robot ... Mega Man! No, that's TM & © Capcom. Make a few modifications, make him cuter... voila! Player 2 in GNOME vs. KDE: Battle of the Desktops.

Step 1: New, Improved E-Monkey(tm) patent pending
Step 2: Monkey Linux
Step 3: Fle et of unmanned aircraft
Step 4:Pick Target

the same psychological conditioning scheme that makes old ladies spend their retirement checks all day at slot machines and BINGO games.

What kind of bingo games? You mean the GNOME vs. KDE bingo game for NES? I've seen a four-year-old beat several "old ladies" at that one.

If you're tired of the old GNOME vs. KDE flamewar, take out your frustration on a friend in GNOME vs. KDE: Battle of the Desktops for the NES. (Get a GPL'd NES emulator for GNU/Linux86 systems with X11 here.)

ObTopic: I've tried both (KDE on a Slack box and GNOME on a Red Hat box); they're both quite nice, and they're both Free. The creation of the KDE League (learn to spell, Rob!) and the GNOME Foundation show that there will be friendly competition. This is a Good Thing.

There is still a hard-working nesdev community developing NES software. I am a member of this community, and I have developed some NES software myself.

The reason for your existance died when Qt became GPL.

Not necessarily. What if you don't want to code in C++? Making language bindings for Qt isn't as easy as for GTK+.

In Gnomes by Huygen and Poortvliet, the 90 cm tall trolls are always trying to catch the 15 cm tall gnomes. Gnomes are portrayed as the good guys; trolls are the bad guys.

If you really want to fight it out, pull out an NES emulator and play GNOME vs. KDE: Battle of the Desktops, a GPL'd NES game.

But by now, you probably think Hampsterdance is annoying. Very annoying. If so, go play Hampsterdeath, a game based on the Grand Unified Whack-A-Mole Engine for *nix, DOS, and Windows.

A good lawyer can take down any published set of servers.

The game then becomes whack-a-mole. If the server software is freely available (even beer!), it _will_ be in warez archives, and other servers _will_ pop up. Think Hotline.

THE main reason is all Unix GUIs suck arse compared to Win/Mac

This is why UNIX systems and similar systems come with development tools: so you can write your own GUI if need be. Have you tried GNOME or KDE lately?

You can find a prototype ROM image of GNOME vs. KDE along with the rest of the NES development effort.

Now, whether Apple will do the legwork to port the libs

The libs in question are mostly the Carbon libraries. The Carbon API is a reimplementation of the Toolbox API of MacOS 1 through 9; it's one of the things you pay $2,000 for when you buy a Macintosh® computer.

Fat chance Apple will port it.

Regardless of the grammatical correctness discussed elsewhere, I'm curious as to how a codec can be incompatible with Unix. Not currently implemented for Unix, yes, but incompatible, no. It's just a stream of bytes at the end of the day -- and that's *very* compatible with Unix.

Any stream of bytes is compatible with the UNIX® components that correspond to GNU Fileutils (`chgrp', `chmod', `chown', `cp', `dd', `df', `dir', `dircolors', `du', `install', `ln', `ls', `mkdir', `mkfifo', `mknod', `mv', `rm', `rmdir', `sync', `touch', and `vdir'). On the other hand, GNU Binutils (`ar', `c++filt', `demangle', `gas', `gprof', `ld', `nlmconv', `nm', `objcopy', `objdump', `ranlib', `size', `strings', and `strip') and GNU libc are the packages that really matter for building and running programs on a GNU/Linux system, and they can't handle Win32 very well ;-)