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Steam Prompts OS X Graphics Update
Stoobalou writes "Mac gamers got a massive boost when online gaming hub Steam started supporting the platform a few months ago. The arrival of the online service, which allowed Mac-toting gamers to play some of the same games as their PC brethren, in some cases cross-platform, created a great deal of debate between the two camps, with the PC crowd pillorying Mac fans for the relatively poor performance of their expensive hardware. Now it seems that Apple has gotten the message, as they have provided a graphics update for OS X Snow Leopard which will make progress toward closing the gap between the two platforms."
Heh, the first problem is they'll have to make it deal with case insensitive file systems, which it doesn't or I wouldn't have to make 6 different symlinks and use disk images with case insensitive file systems just to trick its stupid ass into working.
What you'll get is a steam for linux ... that tells you that you have to install on a FAT filesystem or something retarded like that because they some how magically fuck up their software so it breaks on case-insensitive filesystems. How they manage to do so is beyond me since I write code that runs on both Windows and OSX for a living and it requires no actual effort to support both. The only way I have issues is if I do something stupid like changing the case of paths as I find them or not using defines so I have MyAppDir in one plays and myappdir in another place.
Basically, Valve writes code so poorly I wouldn't expect a USABLE Linux version anytime this decade.
Persistent Volume manager for Kubernetes - https://github.com/dwimsey/openshift-pvmanager
Apple did fix some serious flaws in handling hardware lighting occlusion. These were difficult to track down and resolve and will effect a lot more than just Steam and StarCraft II, but Value was the one pushing to get them fixed as it did effect Steam so much.
Unfortunately, Apple didn't push back on Valve and make them fix their retarded fucking software so it can deal with case-insensitive file systems like any normal piece of software can. As a result, I still won't be buying any Steam games since I still can't run it without 6 symlinks, and a drive image mounted and formated with a case insenstive file system.
The upside is, the update did make my machine run noticeable cooler when playing EVE online. So thank you very much Valve and Apple, but Valve, your still welcome to go fuck yourselves until you learn how to write code like professionals.
Persistent Volume manager for Kubernetes - https://github.com/dwimsey/openshift-pvmanager
If mac users want blistering performance, just like a pc user, they have to pay to upgrade their card. The only differance is I can get a cheaper Dell, and slap in a 5870 or whatever, and be on the A game when it comes to frame rates.
In a Mac, you have to first kneel down, give old jobs a kiss, Pull out your now maxed credit card and buy a the same 5870, plug it in, viola.
Or, you can build your PC like almost all gamers do (even custom ordered counts here).
get the best $/Perf ratio possible and smoke a mac like a joint in a college dorm room for about 2/3rds the cost. Think getting Muai wowie, or Blueberry yum yum for the price of mexican dirtweed.
Granted, Macs have their place. Many people are technophobic. Don't want to plug in a motherboard, don't want viruses & malware. Want a true plug & play experience. I'm not too prideful to admit it, they get that w/ MAC, and that kind of experience is worth the price.
Now, Microsoft is finally closing the gap, Windows 7 is a GREAT product from my experience. No bluescreens yet, and I'm on cutting edge hardware & 64bit. Shit just works, keeps working, and is 2x faster than any Mac I've ever heard about. (My machine isn't a fair comparison since I got a lot of parts / software for free)
How much is your data worth? Back it up now.
HAHA! The supposed master of graphics gets an epic fail for driver support. Did I mention they've been putting this hardware into their computers for awhile and still haven't supported 3d graphics properly?
I'm not sure, but Sony has managed to convince companies to do it in the console market.
Then again, Sony was first during the previous generation...
They also haven't convinced as many companies as they did with their last console. Microsoft's been consistently chipping away Sony's developers since Team Ninja left when the original Xbox came out...
Comment of the year
Why has nobody ever complained that Microsoft gimped the computing experience for whole generations of customers,
I'm sorry, is this your first day on Slashdot?
People gripe and moan about that a thousand times every day.
I don't get what your point is here-- are you upset that the grandparent didn't drop in a "Windows is gimped" reference, even though that would be grossly off-topic?
Comment of the year
Seriously. I'll worry about Mac's graphics problems about the same time Steam fixes this completely unreasonable and ridiculous requirement that it be installed on a case-insensitive filesystem. I converted my HDD to case-sensitive and everything else seems to work just fine with it... what the hell, man?
I'm an idiotic fanboy for saying that Sony has fewer exclusives this generation than last. That's... fact.
Ok, fine. If citing a fact makes me a fanboy, I guess I'm a fanboy.
Comment of the year
Perhaps the reason why DLL hell isn't a problem that Linux people can solve is that it's a problem unique to Windows..... and Linux people aren't inclined (or even legally allowed to solve problems in Microsoft's Windows code base.
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