Its a step in the right direction, but isn't what you think it is.
Its a law that forces soliciters to acknowledge who they are (nothing really big), but the one kicker is to enforce that if you opt out, the spammer actually opts you out.
How difficult would it to be to force a (or ) at the end of the 'initial summary' so you don't have to worry about not terminating your tags? Its really not difficult to do and it happens all the time.
This book deals with the folk who use Windows and PC's. I realize there are those who loathe Windows ("Linux rools d00d!") and point to the chapter on Windows annoyances as an example of an OS gone terribly wrong. However, until the day comes that everyone uses Linux (or finds a way around Billy Boy's "evil empire"), we're stuck with it. But I digress.
Opening up the can of worms I see.
Pardon me while I put on the 'ol asbestos suit and run for my life.
Ever heard of the "Theif" series by Looking Glass? Ion Storm is working on Theif 3 right now. Other companies CAN take over, and if the 'major players' all go to one company, its likely they may just do that.
There is even a stories of Ion Storm picking up System Shock 3 (which would be -amazing-).
Yeah, your right. As an AC mentioned, though, the point of cheating a slot machine is to get more cash, where as cheating a voting machine involves jimmying the count.
My point was that even with security measures, things can and will be cheated. Its the motivation of the cheaters as to how quickly and how badly it will be cheated (granted, the greed for money is probably strong than the heavy politican opinion of one).
If voting machines are still a go, then, yes, super scrutiny is needed.
I was mistaken on the term. Its 'light wand'. I should have mentioned Tommy Carmichael in my first post. He's the guy that developed almost all the slot cheats there were.
Sorry, it was 'light wand'. More info in this comment.
The 'coin whip' is just what it sounds like. The old fashioned piece of metal just as heavy as a quarter which you could place into a machine, but had a piece of wire or string built into the metal that would allow you to yank it out after the machine counted it.
Look for articles on Tommy Carmichael. Here's a quick bio. From that link: he devised a device that would shine a light down into the slot machine, tripping a switch that would empty the buckets that held the coins
That's Carmichael's "Light Wand" trick.
Ack! I just figured out why you couldn't find it. Its a "Light Wand" not "Magic Wand" (my bad). Google has lotsa results (ie usa today article on Carmichael.)
Ever heard of 'the magic wand'? Or the 'coin whip'? The minute a slot machine with 'new security measures' is released, there are people that break it the very next minute. The way they keep things going? Good surveilence and good guards.
Good luck putting cameras in every voting booth. People won't mind, right??
FYI - I'm a contractor by trade. And almost EVERY project I've been on, I've been instructed to help the full-timers with standards and design and producing better code.
Developers should listen to what the players want, then make the big decision based on all the facts (most of which the player isn't aware of).
For example, would the time to add in feature X be worth the 'fun factor' it would produce? Sometimes adding in a feature is cake, but the 'fun factor' is very rich (something simple like adding 'last names' to players, or code names... stuff like that). But the exact opposite is true.
That is just one example of what a developer in the gaming industry should look at when getting feedback. There are hundreds of other factors to consider.
Why not just hire contractors to do this if you have the cash? That way you have a better timeframe and knowledge of how the job is done, instead of waiting on a contest with no idea what will be done and what won't be done?
That's cause she's the one submitting them (check at the very bottom under "accepted stories"). Yeah, she submitted it anonymously, but slashdot tries to 'hide' anonymous posts/submissions, right? As you can see, the code was poorly architected, and some 'anti-anonymizing' stuff gets through. This leads to the assumption that anonymous really isn't anonymous at all... regardless of where it happens on this site.
Not a troll, just an observation. So much for practicing what you preach.
Sa-weet jesus people. I just mentioned a quick psuedo code algorithm to give a more concrete idea to what I was suggesting, and I'm getting critiqued like its code I'm using in commercial software.
Honestly, I'd have an object with flags and pretty things like that, cause I'm quite partial to good architected OOP. I just used my quick algorthim as an alternative to something already in place that didn't design these ideas into it. I'd add a complete function of code for damage, but I'd rather just get my point across with a suggestion and psuedo code than actually code in the solution.
Its happened before in the first major MMORPG, Ultima Online. Richard Gariott (creator and 'king' of the game) came on for a ceremony. Well, instead of doing the 'infinite hp' thing, he just loaded a buncha hp into his character. Well, an 'evil' guild planned an assassination, and it was successful. Lord British died. They went along with it and made it quite entertaining experience for the players, too.
But, honestly, the best way to do these types of things (used to code for MUDs (text-based predecessors to MMORPGs)) is to have an 'infinited hp' code. Like 0 hp means unconscious, and -1 hp means death... so -2hp means "unlimited hps". So you do a simple check when you are hit for damage.... if( target.hp == -2 ) then target.hp = -2; else target.hp = target.hp - damage;
Simple as that.
I'm not saying 'ignore them' but every major news story about them shows 'some' stock brokers that this is the next big thing... the company that could topple IBM.
IBM and all other 'victims' need to make sure they are torn apart, but all the publicity (whether it bad or good) is helping SCO more than any of the companies its suing.
Isn't it obvious? They are going to sue every major company that uses Linux until:
1.) They get to court
2.) The company simply settles outside of court.
We all know they are full of garbage, yet its still popular and their stocks are still ok... why?
BECAUSE OF MEDIA COVERAGE!
If you guys would just let them slowly drain their money trying to pay lawyers to face off against blue chip companies like IBM, they'd slowly die off. But by giving them attention, they can stay alive.
Its funny to explain patterns to old programmers. I usually say "You've probably used them and just not realized it". Its about 'high level' modelling, not simply algorithms.
Patterns aren't a "fashion". In fact, I bet you wouldn't have commented on this if it concerned C++ patterns.
That's right, I'm accusing you of being a COMPUTER LANGUAGE BIGOT!
Can't we all just get along?!?!
Seriously, though. Patterns are nice to have for architects, and since they are 'reused' its easier for developers to "create" the ideas the architect develops.
And patterns have been around too long to be considered a 'fad' (things like Extreme Programming is what I'd argue is/was a 'fad').
If you are an XP lover, I don't mean to start an arguement, its just how I see the field...
Yeah, my wife is addicted to "Clean Sweep" (although isn't a big fan of trading spaces...), and its usually on in the background when I work on stuff... so some things catch my eye. Dad was a carpenter, so she finds ideas she likes, I tell her how viable they are as a solution to our clutter.
Slashdot Mirror
Its a step in the right direction, but isn't what you think it is.
Its a law that forces soliciters to acknowledge who they are (nothing really big), but the one kicker is to enforce that if you opt out, the spammer actually opts you out.
How difficult would it to be to force a (or ) at the end of the 'initial summary' so you don't have to worry about not terminating your tags? Its really not difficult to do and it happens all the time.
This book deals with the folk who use Windows and PC's. I realize there are those who loathe Windows ("Linux rools d00d!") and point to the chapter on Windows annoyances as an example of an OS gone terribly wrong. However, until the day comes that everyone uses Linux (or finds a way around Billy Boy's "evil empire"), we're stuck with it. But I digress.
Opening up the can of worms I see.
Pardon me while I put on the 'ol asbestos suit and run for my life.
Looking at the UID's I'd guess the opposite.
:-P
Although you see all geeks as the unkept beard, open source hippy types, most of us are married with kids
Fallout 3 would have been amazing
Never say never.
Ever heard of the "Theif" series by Looking Glass? Ion Storm is working on Theif 3 right now. Other companies CAN take over, and if the 'major players' all go to one company, its likely they may just do that.
There is even a stories of Ion Storm picking up System Shock 3 (which would be -amazing-).
Yeah, your right. As an AC mentioned, though, the point of cheating a slot machine is to get more cash, where as cheating a voting machine involves jimmying the count.
My point was that even with security measures, things can and will be cheated. Its the motivation of the cheaters as to how quickly and how badly it will be cheated (granted, the greed for money is probably strong than the heavy politican opinion of one).
If voting machines are still a go, then, yes, super scrutiny is needed.
I posted too quickly. I replied to this already.
I was mistaken on the term. Its 'light wand'. I should have mentioned Tommy Carmichael in my first post. He's the guy that developed almost all the slot cheats there were.
Sorry, it was 'light wand'. More info in this comment.
The 'coin whip' is just what it sounds like. The old fashioned piece of metal just as heavy as a quarter which you could place into a machine, but had a piece of wire or string built into the metal that would allow you to yank it out after the machine counted it.
Look for articles on Tommy Carmichael.
Here's a quick bio. From that link:
he devised a device that would shine a light down into the slot machine, tripping a switch that would empty the buckets that held the coins
That's Carmichael's "Light Wand" trick.
Ack! I just figured out why you couldn't find it. Its a "Light Wand" not "Magic Wand" (my bad). Google has lotsa results (ie usa today article on Carmichael.)
Ever heard of 'the magic wand'? Or the 'coin whip'? The minute a slot machine with 'new security measures' is released, there are people that break it the very next minute. The way they keep things going? Good surveilence and good guards.
Good luck putting cameras in every voting booth. People won't mind, right??
FYI - I'm a contractor by trade. And almost EVERY project I've been on, I've been instructed to help the full-timers with standards and design and producing better code.
Damn... my thoughts to a tee.
Developers should listen to what the players want, then make the big decision based on all the facts (most of which the player isn't aware of).
For example, would the time to add in feature X be worth the 'fun factor' it would produce? Sometimes adding in a feature is cake, but the 'fun factor' is very rich (something simple like adding 'last names' to players, or code names... stuff like that). But the exact opposite is true.
That is just one example of what a developer in the gaming industry should look at when getting feedback. There are hundreds of other factors to consider.
Have you played the full game, or just the demo?
I can't believe you can say anything about DX2 until you play the full game (which is why I haven't played the demo, yet).
Why not just hire contractors to do this if you have the cash? That way you have a better timeframe and knowledge of how the job is done, instead of waiting on a contest with no idea what will be done and what won't be done?
My post wasn't so much about her posting her own links as much as her hiding them and slashdot's inadequecy of truely allowing anonymity.
"Post Anonymous" button should be replaced with a "Post so MOST readers think its anonymous".
That's cause she's the one submitting them (check at the very bottom under "accepted stories"). Yeah, she submitted it anonymously, but slashdot tries to 'hide' anonymous posts/submissions, right? As you can see, the code was poorly architected, and some 'anti-anonymizing' stuff gets through. This leads to the assumption that anonymous really isn't anonymous at all... regardless of where it happens on this site.
Not a troll, just an observation. So much for practicing what you preach.
One stupid game where I do -not- have to rush the death star trench! ITS BEEN DONE TOO MANY TIMES!
Sa-weet jesus people. I just mentioned a quick psuedo code algorithm to give a more concrete idea to what I was suggesting, and I'm getting critiqued like its code I'm using in commercial software.
Honestly, I'd have an object with flags and pretty things like that, cause I'm quite partial to good architected OOP. I just used my quick algorthim as an alternative to something already in place that didn't design these ideas into it. I'd add a complete function of code for damage, but I'd rather just get my point across with a suggestion and psuedo code than actually code in the solution.
Sheesh...
Its happened before in the first major MMORPG, Ultima Online. Richard Gariott (creator and 'king' of the game) came on for a ceremony. Well, instead of doing the 'infinite hp' thing, he just loaded a buncha hp into his character. Well, an 'evil' guild planned an assassination, and it was successful. Lord British died. They went along with it and made it quite entertaining experience for the players, too.
But, honestly, the best way to do these types of things (used to code for MUDs (text-based predecessors to MMORPGs)) is to have an 'infinited hp' code. Like 0 hp means unconscious, and -1 hp means death... so -2hp means "unlimited hps". So you do a simple check when you are hit for damage....
if( target.hp == -2 ) then target.hp = -2;
else target.hp = target.hp - damage;
Simple as that.
0 is probably a bad number. If -1 hp means death, have a '-2 hp code' that means you can attack and attack, but nothing will happen.
Sorry for being nitpicky.
I'm not saying 'ignore them' but every major news story about them shows 'some' stock brokers that this is the next big thing... the company that could topple IBM.
So the stock rises. Go check the 1 year on SCO (stock symbol SCOX). Hell, here's yahoo's chart for SCO.
IBM and all other 'victims' need to make sure they are torn apart, but all the publicity (whether it bad or good) is helping SCO more than any of the companies its suing.
Isn't it obvious? They are going to sue every major company that uses Linux until:
1.) They get to court
2.) The company simply settles outside of court.
We all know they are full of garbage, yet its still popular and their stocks are still ok... why?
BECAUSE OF MEDIA COVERAGE!
If you guys would just let them slowly drain their money trying to pay lawyers to face off against blue chip companies like IBM, they'd slowly die off. But by giving them attention, they can stay alive.
Its funny to explain patterns to old programmers. I usually say "You've probably used them and just not realized it". Its about 'high level' modelling, not simply algorithms.
Patterns aren't a "fashion". In fact, I bet you wouldn't have commented on this if it concerned C++ patterns.
That's right, I'm accusing you of being a COMPUTER LANGUAGE BIGOT!
Can't we all just get along?!?!
Seriously, though. Patterns are nice to have for architects, and since they are 'reused' its easier for developers to "create" the ideas the architect develops.
And patterns have been around too long to be considered a 'fad' (things like Extreme Programming is what I'd argue is/was a 'fad').
If you are an XP lover, I don't mean to start an arguement, its just how I see the field...
Yeah, my wife is addicted to "Clean Sweep" (although isn't a big fan of trading spaces...), and its usually on in the background when I work on stuff... so some things catch my eye. Dad was a carpenter, so she finds ideas she likes, I tell her how viable they are as a solution to our clutter.