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Microsoft Announces XNA Game Development Platform
Thanks to GameSpot for its story revealing that Microsoft is unveiling its XNA game software development platform later this morning at the Game Developer's Conference in San Jose. XNA is "designed for use with future iterations of all Microsoft game platforms, including Windows, Xbox, and Windows Mobile-based devices" to make simultaneous platform development easier and cheaper, and the company is also expected to announce "Xbox Live-style functionality for billing, security, and matchmaking being made available to Windows developers... [and] the introduction of controllers that are compatible with all Windows and Xbox game players" as part of this move. IGN Xbox has an interview with Microsoft's Jay Allard and Dean Lester which explains XNA as being a cross-platform, evolving toolset that will ensure backwards compatibility, giving the example: "...[if] Adobe was writing an application for Win95, and then WinNT came out there were special features they could take advantages of -- they didn't have to throw it all away and start again." Update: 03/25 00:46 GMT by S : Microsoft has made the official XNA site public, including streaming video from unspecified next-generation games.
This games section really has the most hideous and painful to the eyes color scheme that anyone could imagine.
I thought NT came out before 95.
Karma: -2147483648 (Mostly affected by integer overflow)
Though TACO's IP censorship will IP ban me for teh next few days.
microsoft IS announcing, not ARE. Get over yourself.
Moderated: +2 Couldn't Be More Correct
What a wonderul memory-filled experience my time here as been! As I look out at each and every one of you, I am amazed at the process by which coworkers become colleagues, colleagues become acquaintances, acquaintances become HURK GLIK OW OW OW PLEASE STOP PUNCHING ME IN THE DONG/BALLS AREA OW OW OW
ASPCA heals infrastructure woes to better provide for the welfare of animals
"This organization is a connected chain of cause and effect that in some way will impact the welfare of animals. We needed to be more responsive to the needs of our employees so that they could effectively utilize the technology to get their jobs done".
--John Giantelli, Senior Director of IT, American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA)
Challenge: Mission-critical Windows(R) server crashed repeatedly, stalling ASPCA operations and threatening the operations of the nation's oldest and largest animal welfare organization.
Why On Demand? With new, reliable, resilient and secure infrastructure, employees would regain focus on ASPCA's humane mission, improve productivity and save money.
Solution: Open-source platform accessible through Web browsers and built on reliable Linux cluster enables reliable communication among ASPCA staff.
Key Benefits: 100% availability since solution launch; 30% reduction in TCO; ability to focus on core mission of ASPCA, which is to help animals.
Since its founding in 1866, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), based in New York City, has successfully dedicated itself to promoting animal welfare in the United States. Today, approximately 300 employees in seven offices nationwide help further this cause through their efforts in a wide variety of areas--from shelter outreach and adoptions to humane law enforcement, animal poison control, government affairs and public policy, among many others.
Not too long ago, the ASPCA (http://www.aspca.org) was dismayed to find that one of its servers was breaking down approximately every two weeks. Staff members had to wait hours as the IT department in New York rebooted the HP server and rebuilt the Windows operating system, which was found to be the source of the problem. All of the ASPCA's systems are vital to the organization's normal operations, but this server had a particularly important mission: to run the ASPCA's e-mail systems for approximately 200 users nationwide, including administrative personnel, veterinarians and service providers who depend on it for information on services and resources.
"Everyone's job was on hold while we recovered from these episodes", says John Giantelli, ASPCA senior director of IT. "Most of the staff use e-mail to communicate both internally and externally. This organization is a connected chain of cause and effect that in some way will impact the welfare of animals, whether it's from drafting legislation or responding to an inquiry from one of our members. We needed to be more responsive to the needs of our employees so that they could effectively utilize the technology to get their jobs done".
Not only was the Windows platform unstable for the specific requirements of the ASPCA's e-mail system, it was also insecure. Many of the ASPCA's remote staff accessed the Internet by way of local Internet service providers (ISPs) and large commercial providers. The ASPCA therefore needed to make its outgoing mail server accessible over the public Internet, so that these staff members could use it for business e-mail. But the Windows operating system did not provide sufficient protection against hackers from the Internet. "Indeed, most of the serious virus threats are targeted at Windows", says Giantelli. "We were dealing with legal and law enforcement issues and couldn't accept the risk of exposing confidential messages to the public Internet".
With a 24-hour-a-day IT environment managed from its central data center in New York, the ASPCA IT staff has many applications to maintain, but it was being called away from them regularly. The spate of calls coming into the help desk, along with the crisis mode at the data center, were draining the productivity of the IT staff, as well as of the e-mail users who were on hold.
Since the ASPCA relies on charitable donations, it was obligated to find the most cost-effective and reliable
I did it because I was short on cash and Dance Dance Revolution wasn't available for any other platform.
It's surprisingly addictive.
Contact Me (got tired of viruses emailing me).