Has anyone noticed their logo is on the NeverWinter Nights box?
That's the other Atari, now owned by Infogrames. (Previously owned by Hasbro, and a few purchases before that, were busy making the Atari ST, TT & Falcon line of 16- and 32-bit computers, and the Lynx handheld and Jaguar home consoles.)
I don't know how you interpret "The Bringer of Pong"...
See my post above, regarding trying to be terse. To respond directly to this, though, do you call the pizza boy (who brings you your pizza) the person who cooked it, or even invtented it?:^/
Bushnell certainly did "bring Pong"... as in "bring it to the masses" via his company Atari.
Again, I'm sorry for being confusing... I hope you understand my points, though.
I meant no disrespect to Ralf Baer. It's just that it's tough to keep a posting terse, when it's meant for a fast-changing news website like Slashdot. I suppose, rather than simply putting the phrase "father of video games" in quotes, which apparently didn't get the point across so well, I should have said something more like "considered by most the father..."
As for Pong, I specifically didn't call Nolan the "creator" of Pong for exactly this reason. He did bring it, and arcade games in general, to the masses. In that way, he is arguably the father of "video games" in a sense, since he pretty much started the video game "business" which we all know and... umm... love, I guess? (sigh)
You'll also notice the articles about Nolan that I pointed to said things like: "arguably the father of computer entertainment," "'I didn't invent the video game.... I just commercialized them,'" and "best known for bringing 'PONG'... to the masses." Ironically, it was the Wikipedia entry that was the most incorrect. (Of course, the nice thing about Wikipedia is that anyone with some spare time can fix that!)
Anyway, once again, I apologize for my terseness turning to a misleading statement. It's a tough line between being completely comprehensive, and being able to get something interesting actually posted on this damned site.;^)
I _did_ put "Father of Video Games" in quotes, in the article itself. Many, many, many people I guess consider him the 'defacto' father. While, technically, I guess Nolan's more like the husband, and someone like Ralf Baer or others named later in this thread were the 'milk man.'
Ok... am I being funny now, or just downright lame? Sorry;^) Happy birthday, anyway. If it weren't for my Atari 1200XL and 2600, I probably wouldn't have this great job doing... wait... web design at Worldcom? CRAP!
As long as there's some kind of 'parental discretion' thing involved (i.e., like how parents can escort their kids to R rated movies), I think this isn't such a bad idea.
Frankly, and I am a gamer, I find some of the sex and violence in games to be a bit annoying. (Of course, the most irritating thing for me is the large 3D rendered boobs on the front of most magazines, which keep me from bringing them in to work to read. Grrr!)
I get to listen to various NPR shows (and cool and weird shows on the local university station) pretty much only when I'm in the car. This means whenever I'm on the way to work, or on the way back... so some days I get to hear what's on at 8am... some days, what's on at 10am.
Heck, I've even missed a word or part of a song (busy driving, or passenger saying something), and had the itch to hit some imaginary 'instant replay button' like I have on my TiVo remote.:)
I'm glad I'm not the only one who thought of this... frankly, I thought maybe I was just odd.;)
Apparently, the Atari Jaguar's magic encryption code was, in hex, the phrase "3DO Dead":^)
The folks who created BattleSphere had to do a lot of brute-force work to determine this code.
Eventually, Hasbro made Jaguar an 'open' system, allowing continued development on the system (like the new titles and now-finished titles coming out of Songbird Productions).
My latest project Tux Paint has been lucky enough to have been mentioned in 5 Linux magazines around the globe so far. I also post release announcements to the various Linux-, Unix-, Windows-, Mac- and graphics-related Usenet groups and websites out there.
Locally, I'll have demonstrated Tux Paint at 4 or 5 different user groups (Linux, Mac, and "PC") in my area by the end of the month.
I also have put up flyers around the community advertising this "home grown" software, to try to encourage folks in the area to participate. (So far, no participation, but I'm sure it's been downloaded:^) )
It seems to have been a fairly successful project, so far as both general interest in using it, and interest in helping develop it (especially internationalization)... especially considering it's only about 7 months old and is gear for children ages 2.5 to 12.:^)
What other machine from 1980 can display 4096 colors?;^)
(Ok, ok... it's a software trick, but it works, and is quite cool! Too bad that software didn't get thought of until the early 90s, after the 8-bit was pretty much orphaned and Atari was going down the tubes.)
Hilarious joke for those who've seen it to the end
on
Critics Pan Nemesis
·
· Score: 2
Somehow I hadn't heard of (or forgot about) TheOpenCD.
I'm vaguely familiar (as in, two of my apps are included in, and I just submitted many more to) the GNUWin II CD. It's the same idea. A CD of Open Source software we all use and love; just Windows versions of them.
I guess I'm going to have to find someone who runs Windows and have them nominate some of my ported games to TheOpenCD.:^)
With the Friday evening timeslot, I never got a chance to watch Firefly until I got a TiVo recently. It wasn't awful, but I haven't been sitting on the edge of my seat waiting for the next installment. For a prime-time show, and especially one on Fox, I can understand how it might not last (at least in the eyes of the network). It was pretty different from the tried-and-true Trek crap that's been getting pumped out lately. (Don't get me wrong, I enjoy Enterprise. And, thanks to TiVo, I've been getting to see a lot of DS9 lately; I forgot how good that show was - at least back in the early seasons.)
Anyway - I guess I should get to my point. Firefly reminded me of Blake's 7, the old BBC sci-fi about rebels flying around the galaxy and going up against the evil empire. (Not evil like Darth Vader... a more 'creepy' evil.) There was a lot less 'western' in that show, though. (Heh, understandable, being a British series.)
Fortunately, the entire B7 DVD series is coming out in 2003, so I'll have SOME good sci-fi to watch each week.:^)
Dragon's Lair (and also Space Ace) were both available for Atari Jaguar as CDROMs. Not exactly the highest quality, but it's the same game as was in the arcade.:^)
I've seen photos of a Linux- and Qtopia-based device from Sharp (with a keyboard, though not a sliding one) called "Iris" that was shown (at CEBIT?) in Germany which was a PDA/Cellphone combo. I think it had a smaller screen (160x240) and possibly a slower StrongARM CPU.
(Emacs) That, uh, wasn't the question. But no. No folding keyboard is available yet (that I know of). I don't recall, but I THINK emacs is available, though. Vi is, at the least.:^)
So what? So hundreds of thousands of developers can easily port tens of thousands of random applications. Users and companies can easily and cheaply build their own apps for in-house use.
In other words, sure, most "joe average" end-users won't care that it runs Linux. They WILL care that there's so much software being developed for it, so quickly. On average, about 2 new applications have been released per day. (About 600 apps listed on ZSI when the Zaurus (dev model, even) had only been out about 10-11 months.)
Was the screen in 'about to go to sleep' mode? (ie, dimmed) Or were the brightness settings turned down? The Zaurus is just as bright as any iPAQ I've seen, and has truer colors (or at least more pleasing ones) than a number of PocketPC devices I've seen. (They seem to be more red. Yuck)
Slashdot Mirror
Has anyone noticed their logo is on the NeverWinter Nights box?
That's the other Atari, now owned by Infogrames. (Previously owned by Hasbro, and a few purchases before that, were busy making the Atari ST, TT & Falcon line of 16- and 32-bit computers, and the Lynx handheld and Jaguar home consoles.)
I don't know how you interpret "The Bringer of Pong"...
:^/
See my post above, regarding trying to be terse. To respond directly to this, though, do you call the pizza boy (who brings you your pizza) the person who cooked it, or even invtented it?
Bushnell certainly did "bring Pong"... as in "bring it to the masses" via his company Atari.
Again, I'm sorry for being confusing... I hope you understand my points, though.
I meant no disrespect to Ralf Baer. It's just that it's tough to keep a posting terse, when it's meant for a fast-changing news website like Slashdot. I suppose, rather than simply putting the phrase "father of video games" in quotes, which apparently didn't get the point across so well, I should have said something more like "considered by most the father..."
... I just commercialized them,'" and "best known for bringing 'PONG'... to the masses." Ironically, it was the Wikipedia entry that was the most incorrect. (Of course, the nice thing about Wikipedia is that anyone with some spare time can fix that!)
;^)
As for Pong, I specifically didn't call Nolan the "creator" of Pong for exactly this reason. He did bring it, and arcade games in general, to the masses. In that way, he is arguably the father of "video games" in a sense, since he pretty much started the video game "business" which we all know and... umm... love, I guess? (sigh)
You'll also notice the articles about Nolan that I pointed to said things like: "arguably the father of computer entertainment," "'I didn't invent the video game.
Anyway, once again, I apologize for my terseness turning to a misleading statement. It's a tough line between being completely comprehensive, and being able to get something interesting actually posted on this damned site.
Say 'hi' and 'sorry' to Ralf for me!
-bill!
(wanders off in shame)
I _did_ put "Father of Video Games" in quotes, in the article itself.
;^)
Many, many, many people I guess consider him the 'defacto' father. While, technically, I guess Nolan's more like the husband, and someone like Ralf Baer or others named later in this thread were the 'milk man.'
Ok... am I being funny now, or just downright lame? Sorry
Happy birthday, anyway. If it weren't for my Atari 1200XL and 2600, I probably wouldn't have this great job doing... wait... web design at Worldcom? CRAP!
As long as there's some kind of 'parental discretion' thing involved (i.e., like how parents can escort their kids to R rated movies), I think this isn't such a bad idea.
Frankly, and I am a gamer, I find some of the sex and violence in games to be a bit annoying. (Of course, the most irritating thing for me is the large 3D rendered boobs on the front of most magazines, which keep me from bringing them in to work to read. Grrr!)
Yeah, poor old Indrema. I remember when MS announce the XBox not long after the Indrema was announced. Poor John Gildred. :^)
For anyone who cares much about what the Indrema was (going to be), visit my old site: Indrema Informer
-bill!
(on to more important things, like Tux Paint and the Zaurus)
I get to listen to various NPR shows (and cool and weird shows on the local university station) pretty much only when I'm in the car. This means whenever I'm on the way to work, or on the way back... so some days I get to hear what's on at 8am... some days, what's on at 10am.
:)
;)
Heck, I've even missed a word or part of a song (busy driving, or passenger saying something), and had the itch to hit some imaginary 'instant replay button' like I have on my TiVo remote.
I'm glad I'm not the only one who thought of this... frankly, I thought maybe I was just odd.
Apparently, the Atari Jaguar's magic encryption code was, in hex, the phrase "3DO Dead" :^)
The folks who created BattleSphere had to do a lot of brute-force work to determine this code.
Eventually, Hasbro made Jaguar an 'open' system, allowing continued development on the system (like the new titles and now-finished titles coming out of Songbird Productions).
My latest project Tux Paint has been lucky enough to have been mentioned in 5 Linux magazines around the globe so far. I also post release announcements to the various Linux-, Unix-, Windows-, Mac- and graphics-related Usenet groups and websites out there.
:^) )
:^)
:^)
Locally, I'll have demonstrated Tux Paint at 4 or 5 different user groups (Linux, Mac, and "PC") in my area by the end of the month.
I also have put up flyers around the community advertising this "home grown" software, to try to encourage folks in the area to participate. (So far, no participation, but I'm sure it's been downloaded
It seems to have been a fairly successful project, so far as both general interest in using it, and interest in helping develop it (especially internationalization)... especially considering it's only about 7 months old and is gear for children ages 2.5 to 12.
It's no Apache or Linux kernel, of course...
Apparently Mr. Tempest 2000 has been working on PocketPC games. (We need 'em ported to Zaurus. Eon Games, where are you!?) :^)
-bill!
What other machine from 1980 can display 4096 colors? ;^)
(Ok, ok... it's a software trick, but it works, and is quite cool! Too bad that software didn't get thought of until the early 90s, after the 8-bit was pretty much orphaned and Atari was going down the tubes.)
it's a good thing they backed up their Data
404 - Wedding not found ;^)
Congrats.
-bill!
recently married, as well!
Somehow I hadn't heard of (or forgot about) TheOpenCD.
:^)
I'm vaguely familiar (as in, two of my apps are included in, and I just submitted many more to) the GNUWin II CD. It's the same idea. A CD of Open Source software we all use and love; just Windows versions of them.
I guess I'm going to have to find someone who runs Windows and have them nominate some of my ported games to TheOpenCD.
With the Friday evening timeslot, I never got a chance to watch Firefly until I got a TiVo recently. It wasn't awful, but I haven't been sitting on the edge of my seat waiting for the next installment. For a prime-time show, and especially one on Fox, I can understand how it might not last (at least in the eyes of the network). It was pretty different from the tried-and-true Trek crap that's been getting pumped out lately. (Don't get me wrong, I enjoy Enterprise. And, thanks to TiVo, I've been getting to see a lot of DS9 lately; I forgot how good that show was - at least back in the early seasons.)
:^)
Anyway - I guess I should get to my point. Firefly reminded me of Blake's 7, the old BBC sci-fi about rebels flying around the galaxy and going up against the evil empire. (Not evil like Darth Vader... a more 'creepy' evil.) There was a lot less 'western' in that show, though. (Heh, understandable, being a British series.)
Fortunately, the entire B7 DVD series is coming out in 2003, so I'll have SOME good sci-fi to watch each week.
You might also like Tux Paint. It's being developed specifically for young kids. :^)
Didn't they already try to do that with their encyclopedia software? ("Encarta?")
:)
I vaguely remember something about the description of the computer mouse as being something MS invented... or something.
If you have kids, and you have Linux (or even if you have Windows or Mac OS X), try out Tux Paint!
;^)
It's my answer to "Debian Jr. only came with The GIMP - I can't use the Gimp! How could my 5 year old!"
"has entered the record books"
Which?
Dragon's Lair (and also Space Ace) were both available for Atari Jaguar as CDROMs. Not exactly the highest quality, but it's the same game as was in the arcade. :^)
I've seen photos of a Linux- and Qtopia-based device from Sharp (with a keyboard, though not a sliding one) called "Iris" that was shown (at CEBIT?) in Germany which was a PDA/Cellphone combo. I think it had a smaller screen (160x240) and possibly a slower StrongARM CPU.
(Emacs) That, uh, wasn't the question. But no. No folding keyboard is available yet (that I know of). I don't recall, but I THINK emacs is available, though. Vi is, at the least. :^)
:^P
But again, that wasn't the point.
So what? So hundreds of thousands of developers can easily port tens of thousands of random applications. Users and companies can easily and cheaply build their own apps for in-house use.
In other words, sure, most "joe average" end-users won't care that it runs Linux. They WILL care that there's so much software being developed for it, so quickly. On average, about 2 new applications have been released per day. (About 600 apps listed on ZSI when the Zaurus (dev model, even) had only been out about 10-11 months.)
Uh - Based on your description, you more likely saw a Sharp NON-LINUX-based PDA. (e.g., one of the older Japanese models)
Was the screen in 'about to go to sleep' mode? (ie, dimmed) Or were the brightness settings turned down? The Zaurus is just as bright as any iPAQ I've seen, and has truer colors (or at least more pleasing ones) than a number of PocketPC devices I've seen. (They seem to be more red. Yuck)