The HL2 engine runs perfectly in 1920x1200 under Windows. Amazing performance. Under Wine, not so much, I really have to scale back to 960x600 to enjoy a decent framerate. (And to see the bloody aiming cursor, but that's another issue:-) ).
As to why I'm not dual-booting, well, there is no good reason I guess, other than that I don't like to reboot before firing up a game, and I'd like to keep an eye on email. The Windows license came with the machine, so that's not the issue. Maybe I should dual-boot and install Steam on both sides. Casual games under Wine, and heavy gaming in Windows. Perhaps, maybe I will. It would make gaming a lot easier, that's for sure.
Thanks for getting my perspective straightened out. I need that, occasionally...:-)
I mostly play on an Dell Inspiron 9400 with WUXGA screen. All Half-Life 1 offspring run great in 1920x1200. The games that use the HL2 engine (including Team Fortress 2, alas) don't run well in that resolution. By switching to 960x600 I've got an acceptable framerate. Sure, Windows does better. A lot better, actually.
It would mean having to dual boot, and that is, to me, not acceptable. I'm weird that way.
Perhaps NVidia could get off their asses and develop a decent driver for Linux, but until that time I'll manage anyway.
Depends on your state of mind. I honestly think the unix way is easier. Yes, I do admit that is because I live and breathe unix and do not feel at home with Windows.
Use what you are comfortable with. If that is Windows, fine. We'll have no quarrel. I'm all for getting the job done, however, whatever.
To be perfectly clear: I don't have a problem with people using Windows. As long as they know their stuff, fine. Know that there are alternatives, however. And, yes, I would love to convert you to 'my' side, sure. But as long as you are happy and able to solve your problems, we get along fine. Really.
I do understand that newer technology can be better (and frequently is). However, I get slightly miffed when people forget their heritage. After all, the saying "Those who do not understand unix are doomed to reinvent it, poorly." isn't just being obnoxious.
Active directory has taken off, and it does the job. That's not to say that there aren't other ways. Ways that have been available for decades.
I do realise I'm biased because I am actually nursed and nurtured on raw, undistilled unix. As always, use what works for you. That should be obvious.
In my language (dutch), there is a saying "Beproeft alles, en behoud het goede" (Try everything, and keep the good stuff). True words, that.
I'm an avid gamer myself. Yes, games are developed mostly for Windows.
I have the good fortune to really like the Half-Life (and spin-offs, like Team Fortress) series of games. Those run quite well under Wine. The framerate isn't as high as on Windows but it works. It works well enough that I can play a very enjoyable game.
Sure, I would like to play every new game that comes out! Absolutely! But I have to choose between Windows and playing all games. For me, that decision has been made. It isn't Windows.
I don't share your views on the usability of the Gnome desktop, for me it works better than the Vista (or XP) desktop. You may be right that familiarity is most important.
All said and done, if you like Windows, by all means keep using it. Just know that there are alternatives (that may require you to give up certain things you are used to now), is all I'm asking.
Loved your epos. Laughed out loud on "Starbuckses".
I'm a lazy git, myself. Can't stand to do repetitive chores. And I'm not a people person. Well, I can be, I'm actually quite good with people. However, if you really want to know, I loathe most people. Ignorant bunch, people.
I'm a BSD user. Not by choice, but because I have to. BSD is what I am, I am BSD. Efficient, dependable, a comfort in dire straits. That's me. That's BSD. We couldn't be any different if we tried.
I don't care much about hardware, be it the computer kind or my own fetid body. The software, that's where it's at.
Now, it's not all roses, mind! People scorn us, mock us. We don't care. Most of the times we don't even notice at first. Whatever. Ignorant bunch, all the same.
So, you keep your petty differences. We exist. We are. Whether you like it, know it, or sanction it. We are legion.
I know my viewpoint is impopular. But I'm figuring the jobs that are lost are the kind of jobs that aren't needed anyway. Too long businesses could afford all kinds of superfluous jobs that didn't contribute to the bottom line.
If you are a "telephone sanitizer" (RIP Douglas Adams) maybe you should have seen it coming.
That said, I'm laid off as well, as I too had a non-essential job. It sucks (a lot) but somehow I can understand it as well. I'm now trying to get a job in an essential part of the economy (health care).
Listen. I'm going to let y'all in on a secret. Well, maybe not so much a secret as something you might not want to admit in polite company.
There are alternatives to Windows. Several, in fact. The quality of these alternatives ranges from high quality to very, very high quality.
For the "I'm a user and don't want to learn how a computer works", there is OS X. A fine OS if I ever saw one. Also, there is a GNU/Linux distribution called Ubuntu, which works wonderfully out-of-the-box on most modern hardware. For most users there are equivalent software packages for the ones they are used to on Windows.
For the people that want to end the pain and finally bask in the glow of OS heaven, there is always BSD. An OS that doesn't get enough credits, btw. Rock solid (and that is the unix definition of solid, not the windows one).
There is no reason to be stuck in Windows bondage land. You don't need it. Really, you don't.
Let those guys in Redmond rot, they deserve it. Not only for the utter rubbish they release, but also for the total disregard for their customers.
There is way out, I can only point the way. You have to walk the road yourselves. But I guarantee you bliss, joy and well-being. It's up to you.
Negative references aren't the nightmare you might think them to be. Few companies will call former employers as the reply will be very generic or just plain misleading.
I'm aware of a not-obscure high-volume website (yes, porn; no, not telling which) running on nothing but shell scripts. No other language needed.
Not sure why, but the site is very fast and scales exceptionally well. It even does database access (don't know which db, I'm not a developer at that site).
Not according to the photons that got emitted in the supernova. If you ask them, they will tell you that they got created far away and instantaneously smashed into a human eyeball over here.
For the person that is on the receiving end of 'special attention', yes, I would say being innocent wouldn't matter at all. It would smart just as much, and you would tell them everything you'd think might make them stop. Truth, lies, mere academic abstracts in that case.
Being innocent isn't so black-and-white even. Many a criminal would think himself innocent, even when admitting doing the deed.
Simple-minded example: killing someone in self-defense (it was a him or you situation). Are you guilty of murder/manslaughter/taking-a-life? Or are you innocent? I think a case could be made for both.
But to get back on topic... Encryption is important but keeping secret the fact that you have sent/stored information at all is even better. Steganography is king.
Instead of focussing on my issues, let's get back to the original discussion.
All I meant to say was that Apple doesn't have to try very hard too make a 'better' device than the competition. Even with lesser technical specs (camera on iPhone, or file formats on iPod) they make a device that is way more useable than the competition has.
See it this way: Apple has lesser specs but makes it easy to use the device. Others have better specs but you can't make use of them easily.
What would happen if Apple had both the specs and the usability? Presto, a way better device. But, again, Apple doesn't have to do it in the current market, because their device is better already: it's easy to use.
I'm feeling your post really underlines my original statement: the iPod/iPhone is better because compared to the other devices it really stands out.
The iPod/iPhone didn't have all the newest/latest/greatest ticklist items, but they package the things they do into a well integrated shiny little machine.
For example: the iPhone camera is really below par compared to other phones. Does it matter? No, because you can actually use the camera easily. With other phones you have to dive four levels deep into a nested menu structure before you even get to anything remotely about the camera (yes, i'm looking at you, windows mobile on my qtek s100).
The iPhone/iPod could be a thousand times better, but it doesn't have to be as the competition is worse.
Say you 100 cells and can write 10 times to each cell.
Having every cell written to nine times: 100 * 9 = 900 writes and you still have a completely working disk.
Writing 900 writes to the first couple of cells: you now have 90 defective cells. In fact, as you still have to rewrite the data to working cells, you have lost your data as there aren't enough working cells.
All nice and dandy, but these figures aren't exactly honest. In a normal scenario your filesystem consists for a large part on static data. These blocks/cells are never rewritten. Therefore the writes (for logfiles etc) are concentrated on a small part of the disk, wearing it out rather more quickly.
Having a few Compact Flash disks wear out in the recent past, I'm not exactly anxious to replace my server disks with SSD.
I can't comment on the cars you mentioned, as I don't really know the models (I'm not in the US). General consensus here is that Toyota never breaks down. We don't have a very positive view of American cars, I'm afraid.
But for the webserver, I think price might have something to do with it, as well. And, even then, at the moment there seems to be a slight shift towards IIS, however stupid that might be.
In my locale it is known that Makita makes very durable power tools, but as they are rather expensive, most (consumer) people buy other brands. After those die a couple of times, only then they get a Makita...:-)
Thanks for the info. However, it seems most converters are busted, as I can hear them on quite a lot of laptops or tft screens.
I don't mean to frighten you, but perhaps you should have your ears checked next time you get a physical. If you've spend considerable time around heavy machinery or loud music, it might be you have lost the ability to hear high pitched sounds. As this goes gradually, it isn't generally noticed.
Really, get it checked out and (when applicable) change your habits regarding to exposure to loud sounds.
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The HL2 engine runs perfectly in 1920x1200 under Windows. Amazing performance. Under Wine, not so much, I really have to scale back to 960x600 to enjoy a decent framerate. (And to see the bloody aiming cursor, but that's another issue :-) ).
:-)
As to why I'm not dual-booting, well, there is no good reason I guess, other than that I don't like to reboot before firing up a game, and I'd like to keep an eye on email. The Windows license came with the machine, so that's not the issue. Maybe I should dual-boot and install Steam on both sides. Casual games under Wine, and heavy gaming in Windows. Perhaps, maybe I will. It would make gaming a lot easier, that's for sure.
Thanks for getting my perspective straightened out. I need that, occasionally...
I mostly play on an Dell Inspiron 9400 with WUXGA screen. All Half-Life 1 offspring run great in 1920x1200. The games that use the HL2 engine (including Team Fortress 2, alas) don't run well in that resolution. By switching to 960x600 I've got an acceptable framerate. Sure, Windows does better. A lot better, actually.
It would mean having to dual boot, and that is, to me, not acceptable. I'm weird that way.
Perhaps NVidia could get off their asses and develop a decent driver for Linux, but until that time I'll manage anyway.
Depends on your state of mind. I honestly think the unix way is easier. Yes, I do admit that is because I live and breathe unix and do not feel at home with Windows.
Use what you are comfortable with. If that is Windows, fine. We'll have no quarrel. I'm all for getting the job done, however, whatever.
To be perfectly clear: I don't have a problem with people using Windows. As long as they know their stuff, fine. Know that there are alternatives, however. And, yes, I would love to convert you to 'my' side, sure. But as long as you are happy and able to solve your problems, we get along fine. Really.
You are part of my tribe, after all.
Touche', you got a point.
I do understand that newer technology can be better (and frequently is). However, I get slightly miffed when people forget their heritage. After all, the saying "Those who do not understand unix are doomed to reinvent it, poorly." isn't just being obnoxious.
Active directory has taken off, and it does the job. That's not to say that there aren't other ways. Ways that have been available for decades.
I do realise I'm biased because I am actually nursed and nurtured on raw, undistilled unix. As always, use what works for you. That should be obvious.
In my language (dutch), there is a saying "Beproeft alles, en behoud het goede" (Try everything, and keep the good stuff). True words, that.
Unix was sharing data and enabling users to collaborate when Redmond still thought DOS was hot and sexy.
The fact that you are brought up in a Windows environment doesn't mean there aren't other ways to accomplish things. Really.
I'm an avid gamer myself. Yes, games are developed mostly for Windows.
I have the good fortune to really like the Half-Life (and spin-offs, like Team Fortress) series of games. Those run quite well under Wine. The framerate isn't as high as on Windows but it works. It works well enough that I can play a very enjoyable game.
Sure, I would like to play every new game that comes out! Absolutely! But I have to choose between Windows and playing all games. For me, that decision has been made. It isn't Windows.
I don't share your views on the usability of the Gnome desktop, for me it works better than the Vista (or XP) desktop. You may be right that familiarity is most important.
All said and done, if you like Windows, by all means keep using it. Just know that there are alternatives (that may require you to give up certain things you are used to now), is all I'm asking.
Be happy. Is all.
Loved your epos. Laughed out loud on "Starbuckses".
I'm a lazy git, myself. Can't stand to do repetitive chores. And I'm not a people person. Well, I can be, I'm actually quite good with people. However, if you really want to know, I loathe most people. Ignorant bunch, people.
I'm a BSD user. Not by choice, but because I have to. BSD is what I am, I am BSD. Efficient, dependable, a comfort in dire straits. That's me. That's BSD. We couldn't be any different if we tried.
I don't care much about hardware, be it the computer kind or my own fetid body. The software, that's where it's at.
Now, it's not all roses, mind! People scorn us, mock us. We don't care. Most of the times we don't even notice at first. Whatever. Ignorant bunch, all the same.
So, you keep your petty differences. We exist. We are. Whether you like it, know it, or sanction it. We are legion.
Meh.
I know my viewpoint is impopular. But I'm figuring the jobs that are lost are the kind of jobs that aren't needed anyway. Too long businesses could afford all kinds of superfluous jobs that didn't contribute to the bottom line.
If you are a "telephone sanitizer" (RIP Douglas Adams) maybe you should have seen it coming.
That said, I'm laid off as well, as I too had a non-essential job. It sucks (a lot) but somehow I can understand it as well. I'm now trying to get a job in an essential part of the economy (health care).
However, without a public accessible bug-tracker, you can't be sure they aren't honest and are just ignoring everyone.
Listen. I'm going to let y'all in on a secret. Well, maybe not so much a secret as something you might not want to admit in polite company.
There are alternatives to Windows. Several, in fact. The quality of these alternatives ranges from high quality to very, very high quality.
For the "I'm a user and don't want to learn how a computer works", there is OS X. A fine OS if I ever saw one. Also, there is a GNU/Linux distribution called Ubuntu, which works wonderfully out-of-the-box on most modern hardware. For most users there are equivalent software packages for the ones they are used to on Windows.
For the people that want to end the pain and finally bask in the glow of OS heaven, there is always BSD. An OS that doesn't get enough credits, btw. Rock solid (and that is the unix definition of solid, not the windows one).
There is no reason to be stuck in Windows bondage land. You don't need it. Really, you don't.
Let those guys in Redmond rot, they deserve it. Not only for the utter rubbish they release, but also for the total disregard for their customers.
There is way out, I can only point the way. You have to walk the road yourselves. But I guarantee you bliss, joy and well-being. It's up to you.
Call in sick, and never go there again.
Negative references aren't the nightmare you might think them to be. Few companies will call former employers as the reply will be very generic or just plain misleading.
Let them rot, I say.
So 1/3 of the netbooks are running Linux. Fine. That's pretty amazing actually as I still can't get one without XP from the Dell site.
That's in the Netherlands (you know, Amsterdam and stuff), by the way.
I'm aware of a not-obscure high-volume website (yes, porn; no, not telling which) running on nothing but shell scripts. No other language needed.
Not sure why, but the site is very fast and scales exceptionally well. It even does database access (don't know which db, I'm not a developer at that site).
I've only found a high-res shot from the Apple OS X port of Bash.
Not according to the photons that got emitted in the supernova. If you ask them, they will tell you that they got created far away and instantaneously smashed into a human eyeball over here.
:-)
Yeah, physics is weird that way
For the person that is on the receiving end of 'special attention', yes, I would say being innocent wouldn't matter at all. It would smart just as much, and you would tell them everything you'd think might make them stop. Truth, lies, mere academic abstracts in that case.
Being innocent isn't so black-and-white even. Many a criminal would think himself innocent, even when admitting doing the deed.
Simple-minded example: killing someone in self-defense (it was a him or you situation). Are you guilty of murder/manslaughter/taking-a-life? Or are you innocent? I think a case could be made for both.
But to get back on topic... Encryption is important but keeping secret the fact that you have sent/stored information at all is even better. Steganography is king.
"They" don't want your password, they want the info you sent.
That's why SSL doesn't matter, when dealing with properly motivated attackers: the wetware endpoints of the connection will always be vulnerable.
Once they can get you into custody, all bets are off anyway. For cracking encryption a rubber hose beats a Beowulf cluster every time.
Now that's the truth!
Instead of focussing on my issues, let's get back to the original discussion.
All I meant to say was that Apple doesn't have to try very hard too make a 'better' device than the competition. Even with lesser technical specs (camera on iPhone, or file formats on iPod) they make a device that is way more useable than the competition has.
See it this way: Apple has lesser specs but makes it easy to use the device. Others have better specs but you can't make use of them easily. What would happen if Apple had both the specs and the usability? Presto, a way better device. But, again, Apple doesn't have to do it in the current market, because their device is better already: it's easy to use.
I'm feeling your post really underlines my original statement: the iPod/iPhone is better because compared to the other devices it really stands out.
The iPod/iPhone didn't have all the newest/latest/greatest ticklist items, but they package the things they do into a well integrated shiny little machine.
For example: the iPhone camera is really below par compared to other phones. Does it matter? No, because you can actually use the camera easily. With other phones you have to dive four levels deep into a nested menu structure before you even get to anything remotely about the camera (yes, i'm looking at you, windows mobile on my qtek s100).
The iPhone/iPod could be a thousand times better, but it doesn't have to be as the competition is worse.
Say you 100 cells and can write 10 times to each cell.
Having every cell written to nine times: 100 * 9 = 900 writes and you still have a completely working disk.
Writing 900 writes to the first couple of cells: you now have 90 defective cells. In fact, as you still have to rewrite the data to working cells, you have lost your data as there aren't enough working cells.
All nice and dandy, but these figures aren't exactly honest. In a normal scenario your filesystem consists for a large part on static data. These blocks/cells are never rewritten. Therefore the writes (for logfiles etc) are concentrated on a small part of the disk, wearing it out rather more quickly.
Having a few Compact Flash disks wear out in the recent past, I'm not exactly anxious to replace my server disks with SSD.
I can't comment on the cars you mentioned, as I don't really know the models (I'm not in the US). General consensus here is that Toyota never breaks down. We don't have a very positive view of American cars, I'm afraid.
:-)
But for the webserver, I think price might have something to do with it, as well. And, even then, at the moment there seems to be a slight shift towards IIS, however stupid that might be.
In my locale it is known that Makita makes very durable power tools, but as they are rather expensive, most (consumer) people buy other brands. After those die a couple of times, only then they get a Makita...
Thanks for the info. However, it seems most converters are busted, as I can hear them on quite a lot of laptops or tft screens.
I don't mean to frighten you, but perhaps you should have your ears checked next time you get a physical. If you've spend considerable time around heavy machinery or loud music, it might be you have lost the ability to hear high pitched sounds. As this goes gradually, it isn't generally noticed.
Really, get it checked out and (when applicable) change your habits regarding to exposure to loud sounds.