Our game middleware products load PE format binaries on GNU/Linux and MacOS. It's like 200 lines of code to load and fix up a DLL - not difficult at all.
The two wins are that we have one binary on all x86 platforms (which usually means testing on one platform is sufficient) and that the MS compiler generates faster binaries. The downside is that when you *do* have to debug on the non-native platforms, you must resort to printf-style debugging.
You also have to replace the default MS crt, because they make a lot of Win32 calls that you don't want to have to emulate. We just have a tiny OS layer for memory, file IO, threading, audio, and video that is native (about 30 functions).
I got a laptop with fingerprint identification and thought it was ultra-cool to just stick my index finger on there to log in (this was to XP tablet edition).
Then I wondered if you could trick it, so I looked at my index finger, and saw that it was a loop, and then had someone else in the office try with one of their fingers that also was a loop. Nothing just by pressing down.
But, because the login software takes continuous readings (which they display!), my buddy was able to keep sliding and mashing and rotating his finger around until after 4 or 5 seconds, Bong, logged in!! We were laughing, so we tried with with three other guys here, and they all logged on. Some of them had to rotate their hand all the way around, but *everyone* got on. THIS SOFTWARE DOES NOT WORK! DO NOT TRUST IT!
I reported this to the fingerprint software people (sorry, don't remember their name), but they never responded. I just turned it off completely - it's a joke.
I love the Bioware guys - they are one of the best developers we get to work with.
They have never evaluated Bink for Linux and we have never quoted them a price, so there hasn't been anything to disagree about, even if we wanted to.
And in any case, one Bink license fee (which is way less than six figures), is nothing compared to the amount of money Bioware spends to create the Linux version of their game in the first place (it's pretty cool that they spend all this time and money actually, since the Linux gamer user base is so tiny - even compared to Mac).
They just put this expansion pack together very very quickly (for all three platforms at once even!), so they didn't have time to integrate any major new stuff yet.
You can't fall for the little guy spin Bezos is using.
It is how one reacts to the pressures of life that shows the real person underneath. Everyone is the best CEO, the best husband, or the best mother when there isn't any stress around - it's easy to bat a thousand when you're hitting lobbed softballs. Turn up the heat in some one's existance and how they handle it will tell you more about that person then knowing him a lifetime. _How a person reacts under stress is how they are_.
If you pound on your wife, but only after a bad day, you're still a wife beater on the good days.
If you yell at your employees, but only when they make a mistake, then you're still a shitty boss the rest of the time.
If you sue other people for patent infringment, but only when they are trying to crush you, then you're still slimy scumbag.
You can never excuse behavior because of after-the-fact spin. If you do, then you discount reality at the expense of someone's smooth words. Reality is the rule - is Amazon patenting obvious mechanisms and using it hurt other companies? If so, then that is who they are - a bully (a bully among bullys, but still a bully).
Think about this: imagine the shit Amazon will start to pull in the second quarter when the money from their IPO and their upcoming European bond sale runs out. You don't think they'll be lashing out at everyone? Sueing everybody in a deparate attempt to buy more doors for desks?
We share everyone's concern over the completely bogus Amazon patent.
One of the problems in switching from Amazon is that everyone is so used to simply typing Amazom.com.
To help with this weaning-off process, we've setup up an alternate website that links to other retail sites that don't use patents as a cowardly business strategy.
Instead of "amazon.com", now just use "noamazon.com".
We have listed alternatives to Amazon for all of the types of products that Amazon currently sells. We intend to keep it up to date for whatever products you normally buy from Amazon.
Note that we gain nothing from the NOamazon.com website - we just do it as a service to help everyone get off Amazon.
We share everyone's concern over this completly bogus patent.
One of the problems in switching from Amazon is that everyone is so used to simply typing Amazom.com.
To help with this weaning-off process, we've setup up an alternate website that links to other retail sites that don't use patents as a cowardly business strategy.
Instead of "amazon.com", now just use "noamazon.com".
We have listed alternatives to Amazon for all of the types of products that Amazon currently sells. We intend to keep it up to date for whatever products you normally buy from Amazon.
Note that we gain nothing from the NOamazon.com website - we just do it as a service to help everyone get off Amazon.
Slashdot Mirror
Our game middleware products load PE format binaries on GNU/Linux and MacOS. It's like 200 lines of code to load and fix up a DLL - not difficult at all.
The two wins are that we have one binary on all x86 platforms (which usually means testing on one platform is sufficient) and that the MS compiler generates faster binaries. The downside is that when you *do* have to debug on the non-native platforms, you must resort to printf-style debugging.
You also have to replace the default MS crt, because they make a lot of Win32 calls that you don't want to have to emulate. We just have a tiny OS layer for memory, file IO, threading, audio, and video that is native (about 30 functions).
I got a laptop with fingerprint identification and thought it was ultra-cool to just stick my index finger on there to log in (this was to XP tablet edition).
Then I wondered if you could trick it, so I looked at my index finger, and saw that it was a loop, and then had someone else in the office try with one of their fingers that also was a loop. Nothing just by pressing down.
But, because the login software takes continuous readings (which they display!), my buddy was able to keep sliding and mashing and rotating his finger around until after 4 or 5 seconds, Bong, logged in!! We were laughing, so we tried with with three other guys here, and they all logged on. Some of them had to rotate their hand all the way around, but *everyone* got on. THIS SOFTWARE DOES NOT WORK! DO NOT TRUST IT!
I reported this to the fingerprint software people (sorry, don't remember their name), but they never responded. I just turned it off completely - it's a joke.
in the movie where you cue the scary music?
Donnie, you're out of your element.
roll a 20 sided die to decide this?
->Jeff
What spat with RAD? This is completely untrue.
I love the Bioware guys - they are one of the best developers we get to work with.
They have never evaluated Bink for Linux and we have never quoted them a price, so there hasn't been anything to disagree about, even if we wanted to.
And in any case, one Bink license fee (which is way less than six figures), is nothing compared to the amount of money Bioware spends to create the Linux version of their game in the first place (it's pretty cool that they spend all this time and money actually, since the Linux gamer user base is so tiny - even compared to Mac).
They just put this expansion pack together very very quickly (for all three platforms at once even!), so they didn't have time to integrate any major new stuff yet.
->Jeff
RAD Game Tools
You can't fall for the little guy spin Bezos is using.
It is how one reacts to the pressures of life that shows the real person underneath. Everyone is the best CEO, the best husband, or the best mother when there isn't any stress around - it's easy to bat a thousand when you're hitting lobbed softballs. Turn up the heat in some one's existance and how they handle it will tell you more about that person then knowing him a lifetime. _How a person reacts under stress is how they are_.
If you pound on your wife, but only after a bad day, you're still a wife beater on the good days.
If you yell at your employees, but only when they make a mistake, then you're still a shitty boss the rest of the time.
If you sue other people for patent infringment, but only when they are trying to crush you, then you're still slimy scumbag.
You can never excuse behavior because of after-the-fact spin. If you do, then you discount reality at the expense of someone's smooth words. Reality is the rule - is Amazon patenting obvious mechanisms and using it hurt other companies? If so, then that is who they are - a bully (a bully among bullys, but still a bully).
Think about this: imagine the shit Amazon will start to pull in the second quarter when the money from their IPO and their upcoming European bond sale runs out. You don't think they'll be lashing out at everyone? Sueing everybody in a deparate attempt to buy more doors for desks?
->Jeff
www.noamazon.com
Yup, all 7% comes from one address at amazon.com (their proxy, probably).
Gots to love Analog.
No money is made whatsoever on noamazon.com. Technically, it looses $30 bucks a month to Pair for hosting it .
The only reason we run the site is because of Amazon's patent madness.
Funny sidenote: 7% of noamazon.com's traffic comes from www.amazon.com.
We share everyone's concern over the completely bogus Amazon patent.
One of the problems in switching from Amazon is that everyone is so used to simply typing Amazom.com.
To help with this weaning-off process, we've setup up an alternate website that links to other retail sites that don't use patents as a cowardly business strategy.
Instead of "amazon.com", now just use "noamazon.com".
We have listed alternatives to Amazon for all of the types of products that Amazon currently sells. We intend to keep it up to date for whatever products you normally buy from Amazon.
Note that we gain nothing from the NOamazon.com website - we just do it as a service to help everyone get off Amazon.
Jeff Roberts
Casey Muratori
We share everyone's concern over this completly bogus patent.
One of the problems in switching from Amazon is that everyone is so used to simply typing Amazom.com.
To help with this weaning-off process, we've setup up an alternate website that links to other retail sites that don't use patents as a cowardly business strategy.
Instead of "amazon.com", now just use "noamazon.com".
We have listed alternatives to Amazon for all of the types of products that Amazon currently sells. We intend to keep it up to date for whatever products you normally buy from Amazon.
Note that we gain nothing from the NOamazon.com website - we just do it as a service to help everyone get off Amazon.
Jeff Roberts
Casey Muratori