If you haven't already tried it, the teoma.com engine is quite nice and has some interesting features. I like how it combines a search engine with an "expert compiled" directory.
At first this seems like a victory for anonymous speech, but then you begin to realize that instead of suing the poster, they will just sue the message board provider for creating an anonymous forum for defamation in the first place.
However, it seems that ATI's driver department is going to let it down again.
Driver 'department'? What driver department? Do you mean that one poor ATI employee that produces some crappy driver update every 3 months, until they announce new hardware, at which time all driver updates stop entirely?
I will never buy ATI
on
ATi Radeon 8500
·
· Score: 5, Interesting
Regardless of what great technology ATI comes out with, I have purchased my last ATI product. Why? I own a Dell laptop with an intregrated ATI video chipset.
Driver support from ATI has been non-existant. Many 3d games and applications do not work under Windows 2000. ATI is aware of the problems, but has no intention of ever fixing them. They seem much more interested in trying to convince the consumer that it's somehow a Dell problem, even though many laptops use the same chipset and suffer the same problems.
Drivers for WindowsXP or any other OS will likely never be written, nor will the existing drivers ever be updated to work better with OpenGL or future games.
They fooled me once: so now they've got the last dollar they will ever get from me. I'd buy something with a Trident CyberBlade before I'll give ATI anymore money and I encourage you to do the same.
Nvidia now has a laptop chipset and I'd prefer to give my money to a company that will actually keep their drivers current. Even the greatest video chipset is worthless without good drivers.
Re:all this time
on
Linux Turns 10
·
· Score: -1, Flamebait
Sorry, I forgot that on Slashdot, "telling the truth" = "flamebait".
Re:what a predicament ...
on
Linux Turns 10
·
· Score: 5, Funny
A usable interface?:)
all this time
on
Linux Turns 10
·
· Score: -1, Flamebait
Amazing, ten years and they still can't make it user friendly!
double up, uh uh
on
Linux Turns 10
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· Score: -1, Offtopic
I'm guessing that Open Source project are only populated by programmers, and don't have either UI designers or graphic atrists on board. For a good game you need all three skills well prepresented.
It doesn't help that while all UI designers and graphic artists know that they shouldn't be writing code, many programmers don't have any such insight about their limitations.
In a previous thread, I asked that Bero guy from Redhat about this, basically "Does Redhat have a staff of user experience people?". I don't remember getting an answer, although he did write a nice reply to another post of mine.
I suspect the answer is no, because to my knowledge, there are few, if any, user interface people working on open source stuff. They are, however, desperately needed, and RedHat should be able to hire 2 or 3 to supervise the installer, contribute to Gnome, etc...
Second, because people who are *that* dependant on the _graphical_ interface are too damn freaked by the commandline nature of compilers that they don't do anything about it.
Hmm... I'm not scared of the command line. I know exactly what it does and how to use it.
My point, however, is that I (and many others) are much more efficient working in a proper GUI. That's all.
It seems that in much open source software, the programmers do the bare minimum in order to get the program to work, then stop.
By the end of that process, at least 2 out of 3 users would be gone from AOL, off to Bob's Local ISP Who Doesnt Filter.
That sounds fine, except that AOL is probably the only cable modem provider in your community, whereas "Bob's" can only provide 56k or a $800 T1 line.
No, ISPs, especially smaller ones, can't afford to bow to this pressure.
They already are! Look at Adelphia cable. (Do a search). If they are a monopoly in your community, and you don't like their terms of service, what do you do?
perhaps you could write a little shell script or some server gui add-on that would simplify or render transparent setting up the game environment for single and possibly multiplayer games. That would likely be quite well received.
I could, if I were a programmer, I suppose. However, like 99% of software users, I am not. I don't see any reason why you shouldn't be able to start the game with one executable, and setup the game and start if from there.
I could describe the changes I perceive to be necessary to someone in ten minutes - but maybe it's difficult to implement? Seems like if it was easy, someone would have done it already.
The Windows binary I tried required starting a server app in the GUI, starting the client app in the GUI, then configuring the game on a command line, then starting the game on the command line. If it's preinstalled, obviously, that's different.
Once people using Freenet are doing it, who are they going to finger?
They don't have to finger anyone, they will just get a law passed making it illegal to run "un-certified" P2P networks, or get your ISP to chop you off at the knees just for running the client.
Mega-media companies (TimeWarner/AOL) are buying up broadband like crazy. This should scare you, because without broadband, it slows to a trickle.
An encrypted, anonymous network can completely ignore legal implications, because there is nobody directly responsible for it, or even for any single transfer.
No, you cannot ignore the legal implications, because:
1. It will eventually made illegal to even run the P2P client;
2. ISPs (already have) will start cutting you off for even running Napster, AudioGalaxy, Freenet, etc, bowing to pressure from megacorps.
What good is an encrypted P2P client if you've got no internet connection?
Is there any way for a P2P network to be anonymous? I've thought about this often, but given my admittedly limited networking knowledge, I really don't know.
I know the purpose of something like FreeNet is that the content is encrypted, such that you don't know what you're storing, sending, and receiving. But anyone else on FreeNet also knows that you are running a FreeNet host, and your IP address, correct?
What I'm getting at is that FreeNet sounds great... but what if in the future, it is made illegal/difficult to even run a node? (and that IS coming) What then? Is there any way to hide the fact that you're running a node, and still be able to access the network?
The reason I bring this up is that many people are getting broadband. Frequently, there is only 1 DSL and 1 cable provider per community. You can't afford to get kicked off for a terms of service violation. (Whereas with dialup, you could just get another account...)
So how can you participate in peer to peer networks without endangering your (possibly only) source of broadband connectivity?
Sorry, I forgot that pointing out flaws in open-source software is "trolling", whereas pointing out flaws in closed source software is "a good way to get modded up.
Get a life. You think because you have a low user ID, it's okay for the interface to suck? I guess if it's easy enough for you, it should be easy enough for the peons, right? If they can't understand it what's their problem.
Program the interface well on a good piece of software and everyone will use it. Program the interface poorly on a good piece of software, and the only people that will use it are other programmers. Which of those sounds better to you?
Will the new Quake 4 make the user setup, configure, and run the software from a command line like the "FreeCiv" software in the article below?
Somehow I doubt it. Why? Probably because idSoftware wants people to USE their software, not dick around for hours setting it up. Compare this to the open source model, where the program is frequently only useful to the people who wrote it.
Wake up! If you can't make your software easier to us, the people who need it the most can't use it!
Having never played the original "Civilization", I just downloaded the pre-compiled Windows version to try on the machine I'm on. Unfortunately, I've found that "FreeCiv" suffers from a common problem in open source software - crummy interface.
This seems to be a recurring trend in open source software - it's very stable, low/no cost - all ideal qualities! Except the interface blows.
Something tells me that in the original "Civilization", the end user would not have to use a command line to configure and play the game. Why couldn't they "clone" the setup process?
Why does all open source software tend to have bad user interface?
Since I've had the same problem with 2 different Palm units now, AND they sync fine when NOT plugged into the port replicator, I tend to think the problem is the port replicator.
Slashdot Mirror
If you haven't already tried it, the teoma.com engine is quite nice and has some interesting features. I like how it combines a search engine with an "expert compiled" directory.
At first this seems like a victory for anonymous speech, but then you begin to realize that instead of suing the poster, they will just sue the message board provider for creating an anonymous forum for defamation in the first place.
Driver 'department'? What driver department? Do you mean that one poor ATI employee that produces some crappy driver update every 3 months, until they announce new hardware, at which time all driver updates stop entirely?
Driver support from ATI has been non-existant. Many 3d games and applications do not work under Windows 2000. ATI is aware of the problems, but has no intention of ever fixing them. They seem much more interested in trying to convince the consumer that it's somehow a Dell problem, even though many laptops use the same chipset and suffer the same problems.
Drivers for WindowsXP or any other OS will likely never be written, nor will the existing drivers ever be updated to work better with OpenGL or future games.
They fooled me once: so now they've got the last dollar they will ever get from me. I'd buy something with a Trident CyberBlade before I'll give ATI anymore money and I encourage you to do the same.
Nvidia now has a laptop chipset and I'd prefer to give my money to a company that will actually keep their drivers current. Even the greatest video chipset is worthless without good drivers.
Sorry, I forgot that on Slashdot, "telling the truth" = "flamebait".
A usable interface? :)
Amazing, ten years and they still can't make it user friendly!
Second post, too? Amazing!
Can it be, yet another first post?
How does that make you feel that you have a problem with Samba 2.02?
First (logged in) Post. AC dont count.
It doesn't help that while all UI designers and graphic artists know that they shouldn't be writing code, many programmers don't have any such insight about their limitations.
In a previous thread, I asked that Bero guy from Redhat about this, basically "Does Redhat have a staff of user experience people?". I don't remember getting an answer, although he did write a nice reply to another post of mine.
I suspect the answer is no, because to my knowledge, there are few, if any, user interface people working on open source stuff. They are, however, desperately needed, and RedHat should be able to hire 2 or 3 to supervise the installer, contribute to Gnome, etc...
Hmm... I'm not scared of the command line. I know exactly what it does and how to use it.
My point, however, is that I (and many others) are much more efficient working in a proper GUI. That's all.
It seems that in much open source software, the programmers do the bare minimum in order to get the program to work, then stop.
That sounds fine, except that AOL is probably the only cable modem provider in your community, whereas "Bob's" can only provide 56k or a $800 T1 line.
No, ISPs, especially smaller ones, can't afford to bow to this pressure.
They already are! Look at Adelphia cable. (Do a search). If they are a monopoly in your community, and you don't like their terms of service, what do you do?
I could, if I were a programmer, I suppose. However, like 99% of software users, I am not. I don't see any reason why you shouldn't be able to start the game with one executable, and setup the game and start if from there.
I could describe the changes I perceive to be necessary to someone in ten minutes - but maybe it's difficult to implement? Seems like if it was easy, someone would have done it already.
They want the pipes because they know that's how content will be delivered 5-10 years from now, and they sure do want to control that pipe.
The Windows binary I tried required starting a server app in the GUI, starting the client app in the GUI, then configuring the game on a command line, then starting the game on the command line. If it's preinstalled, obviously, that's different.
They don't have to finger anyone, they will just get a law passed making it illegal to run "un-certified" P2P networks, or get your ISP to chop you off at the knees just for running the client.
Mega-media companies (TimeWarner/AOL) are buying up broadband like crazy. This should scare you, because without broadband, it slows to a trickle.
No, you cannot ignore the legal implications, because:
1. It will eventually made illegal to even run the P2P client;
2. ISPs (already have) will start cutting you off for even running Napster, AudioGalaxy, Freenet, etc, bowing to pressure from megacorps.
What good is an encrypted P2P client if you've got no internet connection?
I know the purpose of something like FreeNet is that the content is encrypted, such that you don't know what you're storing, sending, and receiving. But anyone else on FreeNet also knows that you are running a FreeNet host, and your IP address, correct?
What I'm getting at is that FreeNet sounds great... but what if in the future, it is made illegal/difficult to even run a node? (and that IS coming) What then? Is there any way to hide the fact that you're running a node, and still be able to access the network?
The reason I bring this up is that many people are getting broadband. Frequently, there is only 1 DSL and 1 cable provider per community. You can't afford to get kicked off for a terms of service violation. (Whereas with dialup, you could just get another account...)
So how can you participate in peer to peer networks without endangering your (possibly only) source of broadband connectivity?
Get a life. You think because you have a low user ID, it's okay for the interface to suck? I guess if it's easy enough for you, it should be easy enough for the peons, right? If they can't understand it what's their problem.
Program the interface well on a good piece of software and everyone will use it. Program the interface poorly on a good piece of software, and the only people that will use it are other programmers. Which of those sounds better to you?
Somehow I doubt it. Why? Probably because idSoftware wants people to USE their software, not dick around for hours setting it up. Compare this to the open source model, where the program is frequently only useful to the people who wrote it.
Wake up! If you can't make your software easier to us, the people who need it the most can't use it!
This seems to be a recurring trend in open source software - it's very stable, low/no cost - all ideal qualities! Except the interface blows.
Something tells me that in the original "Civilization", the end user would not have to use a command line to configure and play the game. Why couldn't they "clone" the setup process?
Why does all open source software tend to have bad user interface?
Since I've had the same problem with 2 different Palm units now, AND they sync fine when NOT plugged into the port replicator, I tend to think the problem is the port replicator.
They provide a pipe for a reasonable amount of money a month, and let me do what I want with it. Kudos to them.