Slashdot Mirror


User: Jayde+Stargunner

Jayde+Stargunner's activity in the archive.

Stories
0
Comments
117
First seen
Last seen
Profile
(view on slashdot.org)

Comments · 117

  1. That would be a fair comparison except... on Photoshop for OS X · · Score: 2

    Adobe still sucks at Win32/x86 development.

    I'm not trying to troll or be flamebait here, but it's just damn true. All of Adobe's software that runs on my WinXP Pro machine is simply the worst performing, most sluggish, and has the longest start-of time than anything else. (And I run a lot of other high-end development and graphics programs including Paint Shop Pro 7, Flash 5, Fireworks, etc...)

    While Paint Shop Pro 7 certainly does not have all the advanced features of Photoshop, it is generally my workhorse for doing run-of-the-mill image work. Why? Virtually no start-up time at all, amazingly better JPEG compression capabilities, and faster general-purpose filters.

    Photoshop 6 can sometimes have almost a 7 second start-up time. That's absolutely absurd! PSP 7 takes less than 1 second to load, as does Flash 5 or Fireworks. (Or just about anything on my souped-up system.) If Photoshop can't even start up in less than 6 second on my P4 1.4 ghz with 512 megs of RAM, something is seriously wrong.

    Simply put, I think Adobe's Win32/x86 programming capabilities are absurdly behind what they do on the Mac/PPC platform. It's a shame that Adobe basically has a complete stranglehold on the high-end graphics market, since they will probably never correct this issue nor is there any competitor to force their hand. Paint Shop Pro 7 and Fireworks are really the only things remotely touching it at the moment, but they're still not advanced enough to be more than Web or general-purpose editors to compliment Photoshop sitting around as well.

    -Jayde

  2. Re:The problem with this should be obvious... on Intel Hyperthreading In Reality · · Score: 2

    Notice that I didn't say "Quake III Arena" or anything. It was just to illustrate a general point. It's obviously a gaming-oriented site.

    Adobe Photoshop Filters? Yeah. LOTS of server run Adobe Photoshop filters. I hear lots of people who shell out big bucks for Xeon servers use it for encoding MP3 files too.

    Where are the web serving or database benchmarks? That's what these processors are for, not for making pretty lens flares or opening Sandra to see how many CPUMarks you've got goin' on.

    We all know that general-purpose memory and processor benchmarks mean nothing in the real world. Yet, they used no "real-world" tests for the normal application of the processor itself.

    -Jayde

  3. The problem with this should be obvious... on Intel Hyperthreading In Reality · · Score: 2

    Gamepc.com

    They're taking what is designed as a server processor, what is designed to be optimized for server tasks (such as web page serving which probably scales to multiple CPU and hyperthreading rather efficiently), and benchmarking it on Quake. *shrug* Really, who buys Xeon's for a gaming PC? And, if they do, WHY?

    These are server CPUs and should be benchmarked with server benchmarks.

    -Jayde

  4. Try again. Get your facts straight /. on Xbox To Use Region-Locked Peripherals · · Score: 2

    The Xbox has no hardware-based region locking (aside from DVD) AT ALL. Zippo. You can import games and plop them in without a mod chip or anything.

    This is a SOFTWARE thing. Certain developers/publishers can, if they so choose, employ region locking strategies. This is an OPTION and completely up to the developer/publisher.

    It's developers and publishers (especially publishers since the US and JP publishers are almost never the same entity) and lose money off of importing, NOT Microsoft/Sony/Nintendo. Microsoft doesn't give a crap about importing, but some developers may. THEY are the ones who have employed region lockouts in their software.

    This is very similar to what Squaresoft did with games such as Dino Crisis and Final Fantasy VIII--which had built-in mod-chip detection and wouldn't let you play the game in a modded system. (Of course, people figured out a way to circumvent it with Gameshark/Pro Action Replay...but that's hardly the point)

    I know /. is ready to leap at anything realted to the possible "monopolistic" business practices of Microsoft, but this is absurd. Do a little research. This is becoming nothing more than an anti-M$ World Weekly News. =P

    -Jayde

  5. Re:Sony already tried in Japan. on GBA Internal Light Ready? · · Score: 3, Informative

    Incorrect. The Wonderswan (and Wonderswan Color) doesn't interact with the PSX. I believe you're thinking about the PocketStation--which is very similar to the Dreamcast VMU.

    The Wonderswan is along the name lines as the Neo-Geo Pocket...simply a GameBoy competitor. (Both of them were released before the GBA but never managed to gain enough market share to fend off the GBA's release frenzy.)

    Both the Wonderswan and NGP have been beaten into the ground by the GBA for no other reason than that Nintendo's got the handheld market in the bag.

    -Jayde

  6. I can't believe the /. crowd... on Net Still Not At Olympics · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Sure, the IOC is evil. Nike and Bud constantly advertising is evil. There are a lot of things about the way the Olympics are run that is evil.

    But, seriously folks... Have some respect here. The Olympics are a wonderful event--and probably the crowning moment of many of the copetitors lives, no matter if the win anything or not.

    That fact that thousands of athletes are coming together from a plethora of countries to compete in a fair, civil way is definitely no small feat. Not to mention that the people competeing in the Olymipics, by and large, have trained for most of their life to get there.

    Just because they won't allow webcams and the IOC takes bribes, somehow "the Olympics suck"?! Give me a break. Forget about sticking it to "the man" for a moment, and enjoy what is a wonderful event that millions of people worldwide cherish for *the event itself*. Nobody cares about the IOC, or the Nike commercials. I watch the Olympics because of the competition and spirt of the games--that's all.

    Of course...since I'm not bitching about something or another, I'm sure I'll get modded down for being "Offtopic" or something. Feh.

    -Jayde

  7. Comparison between x86 and PPC performance? on Benjamin Herrenschmidt On PPC/Linux, Apple and OSS · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Of course, the long-standing debate between Mac and Windows (I use the term generally) users has been that of their respective platform's performance. Sure, Max users complain that Windows is ugly, Windows user complain that Mac OS doesn't have enough apps...BUT, the big ticket is always when they start comparing Intel (or AMD) processors to their PPC competitors.

    With Linux on both platforms, I would be interested to see some comprehensive real-world benchmarks comparing the two platforms. Really, I'm rather tired of the "Megahertz-myth" PPC touters and the "RISC sucks" x86 campions arguing which is better without any solid numbers.

    -Jayde

  8. Re:I've got a remedy on AOL Time Warner Files Anti-Trust Suit against MS · · Score: 2

    Yeah, I'm all for that.

    Of course, that's only if AOL-Time Warner sends out someone to Netscape-proof all the HTML 4.0 compliant pages which DON'T work with Netscape. I'd really think what would be fair. :-P

    (Like Netscape or not, you gotta admit this is true. I'm not saying this as a troll, I'm saying this as a Web Developer who spends a large chunk of my time obfuscating my perfect, validated HTML 4.0 code so that it displays correctly in Netscape browsers.)

    -Jayde

  9. Article laden with errors. on Apache 2.0 vs. IIS · · Score: 5, Informative

    I'm sorry...but the person who wrote this article is very mistaken about the nature of IIS and Windows as a whole.

    First off, it's not in Home because...well...it's HOME EDITION. IIS is one of the major "features" in Professional compared to Home. You didn't see them putting IIS in WinME, did you? Didn't think so.

    Second, I assume by "non-standard" he means that IIS isn't installed by default in WinXP Pro? Yeah. Time to wake up to the FUD that has perpetuated about the "default install" of IIS. Windows 2000, both Professional and Server, didn't install IIS by default either. IIS has been "optional" for almost 2 years now. Unfortunately, the general /. crowd has chosen to keep saying "IIS is installed by default" over and over during that time, basically in reference to NT 4 only--which, honestly, is a painfully old OS at this point in time.

    I'm not going to claim that IIS has actually gained ground in the last few years, since I honestly can't be sure given all the conflicting reports. However, all MS's claimed increases have taken place without IIS installed by default on all current, shipping OS's. The fact that this will continue to be the case should have little to no bearing on their current position.

    Now, a brand-new Apache coming out? That's news. Talk about that. There's really no need to toss in anti-MS propaganda at any possible opportunity because it just looks plain silly. (Although I'll probably be modded down for saying so.)

    -Jayde

  10. Are you serious? on New External Sound "Card" · · Score: 2

    This should prove marvelous for people like me who use a DVD player with optical out as their primary CD-player. I'm definitely looking forward to blowing my speakers out randomly the next time I pick up a CD!

    -Jayde

  11. Re:AC, Foe, -5 -- why not? on Slashdot Code Update · · Score: 1

    Not quite the same as being able to set them as one's "Foe" though. =)

    -Jayde

  12. AC, Foe, -5 -- why not? on Slashdot Code Update · · Score: 2

    Come on... You know you want to let us kill all the AC's out there at the click of a button. =)

    -Jayde

  13. Doesn't seem THAT small to me... on Portable GameCube · · Score: 2

    I know the GameCube is small, but it's not nearly small enough for this purpose, IMO. Plus, it's a cube--not flat like the PSOne...

    Call me a pessimist, but I just don't see this as being all that worthwhile...

  14. Re:Of course there will be more buges reported in on Microsoft Microsoft Microsoft · · Score: 2

    I don't know, last time I checked IIS was only installed by default if you upgraded from a box with PWS on it. This is *not* a very common happenstance, and I fail to see why the "IIS installs by default" mantra is so prevelant, given that it *hardly ever happens*.

  15. I fail to see how Sun is one to speak... on Whit Diffie Comments On .NET security · · Score: 2

    Especially considering that their .Net "competior" not only collects just as much information, but shares it with many OTHER large businesses.

    I don't think the fact that their annoucnement a month or so came with the backing of 2 major airlines, 3 banks, a plethora of retailers, mjultiple financial institution, etc. was an accident.

    Don't get me wrong, I'm not really for the .Net plan either. However, Sun is the pot calling the kettle black here.

    -Jayde

  16. Oh come on... on Microsoft Attempts to Secure IIS · · Score: 2

    Job Interview:
    Boss: Hi, we're looking for a Windows 2000 Server systemadmin.
    Person: Yeah, I can do that. Look at my spiffy resume.
    Boss: OK, you're hired.

    On the Job:
    Person: Just FYI, Windows 2000 Server sucks. You should be using Linux.
    Boss: We hired you to be a Windows 2000 Server admin. We use Windows 2000 Server. We probably have lots of reasons for using it.
    Person: OK, whatever. I'll just sit around and do a half-ass job because you won't change to Linux even though Linux is better. I don't care that you're paying me a lot to be a Windows 2000 Server admin, why should I have to keep up on things? Never mind that if I were running a Linux system, I'd be happy as a clam and patching like mad...not with Windows...maybe if I SUCK, I can blame it on Microsoft and get them to change to Linux.

    SORRY. That's not how things work. If you got hired to be a Windows 2000 Server sysadmin, you DAMN WELL better do your job. If you have a problem with that, go get a job as a LINUX ADMIN, and stop proliferating security holes by your own laziness.

    People nowdays...feh. Things are not always how you want, and bitching and moaning doesn't help. Do you job, or quit. If you can't do your job right, quit.

    Don't complain that Microsoft is the cause of all your troubles when there are Windows admins all over that have little the no trouble simply because they actually know what they're doing. Being a Linux geek doesn't make you cut out to be a Windows admin if you don't know how to admin a Windows box.

    -Jayde

  17. I'm amazed about what people don't know about... on Microsoft Attempts to Secure IIS · · Score: 2

    Windows Update has covered patches for every major exploit in the last 6 months. They have been phasing in server patches for quite some time now.

    At least 50% of the "Critical Update Pacakages" I have seen are IIS or Server based.

    -Jayde

  18. Re:Heh, relying on IIS admins? on Microsoft Attempts to Secure IIS · · Score: 5, Insightful

    While I easily see your point, it doesn't solve the fact that most IIS admins are complete morons for leaving the systems unpatched to this point.

    My point about Windows Update is that ALL of these recent high-prifile attacks have had Windows Update patches for MONTHS. Service Pack 2 blocks almost all of them as well.

    I have seen entire tech department that were knocked out by Code Red. Then Code Red II. Then Nimda. Yet, as a "casual" IIS user, I was never hit AT ALL. These patches have been obviously available for MONTHS. And even after Code Red, IIS admins STILL couldn't figure out to patch a hole that has about 4 OBVIOUS places to get the patch from. Let's review.

    1) Windows Update
    2) Service Pack 2
    3) MPSA
    4) Any of the virus scanner's homepages which linked to patches after Code Red, Code Red II, and Nimda.

    If IIS admins can't even patch the obvious stuff like that, there is really little hope.

    As you say "Many of them prefer Linux and use it at home, but have to use IIS at work because that's been mandated."...they are the PROBLEM, not Microsoft. HFNETCHK is easily available, and if Linux users are too lazy to learn how to admin the system that they're PAID to admin, they deserve what they get. I don't care if you don't like Windows, if it's YOUR JOB to be a IIS admin, you sure as heck better learn how to do it RIGHT.

    I'm sure modders are gonna hate me for saying that, but I don't care at all if you don't like the system. If it's your job, it's your job. I hate Oracle, but that doesn't mean I don't use it *right* when I have to. Is it my first choice? No. Am I gonna be a slack-ass about it just because of sour grapes if I have to you it? No.

    -Jayde

    P.S. Disabling Parent Paths is not a big deal if you secure the rest of you system. In fact, I doubt you would find any professional IIS web server which has Parent Paths disabled, as it has terrible effects on most ASP code. It's stupid for server-side code to be forced to code paths based on the root "./" instead of relitive paths "../" as server directory structure could easily change at any time.

  19. Heh, relying on IIS admins? on Microsoft Attempts to Secure IIS · · Score: 1, Flamebait

    These are the guys who have still be unable to figure out that the Buffer Overflow, etc. patches are available to them on Windows Update--or that almost all the new exploits would be fixed by getting Service Pack 2.

    If they can't figure out how to use Windows Update, or have the sensibility to get the latest service pack within 4 months of its release...I doubt they know how to configure the system from scratch. *L*

    Maybe this will require MS sysadmins to least something about the the OS for once. ;-P

    -Jayde

  20. I summon buckets of fireants! on Nimda To Strike Again · · Score: 2

    ...especially considering that the IIS patch has been available on WINDOWS UPDATE for the last THREE MONTHS. Fireants for any worthless tech who hasn't figured this out yet.

    -Jayde

  21. Just a tad early... on Star Trek: Enterprise Reactions? · · Score: 3, Redundant

    Maybe you should wait until everyone in the US has had a chance to watch it Mr. Eastern Standard Time. :-P

    -Jayde

  22. Re:Someone might look at the page before posting on Sun Announces Passport Competitor · · Score: 4, Interesting

    "Charter members include ActivCard, American Airlines, the Apache Software Foundation, Bank of America, Bell Canada Enterprises, Cingular Wireless, Cisco Systems, CollabNet, Dun and Bradstreet, eBay, Entrust, Fidelity Investments, Gemplus, GM, Global Crossing, i2, Intuit, Liberate Technologies, Nokia, NTT DoCoMo, OpenWave, O'Reilly and Associates, RealNetworks, RSA Security, Sabre, Schlumberger, Sony Corporation, Sprint, Sun Microsystems, Travelocity, United Airlines, Verisign, Vodafone and More."

    Yay... So, sintead of Microsoft having my information... Sun, a bunch of media companies, a bunch of companies that want to sell me crap, and a few financial institutions can all pour over my info. Yippe.

    Does anyone but me see the danger of allowing such a wide range on companies with many, many goal to all be involved in a project that is basically used to track people and collect personal information?

    Seems like yet another excuse to have ads, "targeted marketing", and undue pressure put on my by big business. At least Microsoft is singular, and they aren't in the position to sell me a car, book plane tickets, give me a loan, or offer me a long-distance plan.

  23. It's too bad Nintendo didn't do this... on Gameboy Advance Frontlight Success · · Score: 5, Interesting

    It's really unfortunate this wasn't implemented with the actual GBA. Engineered correctly (and maybe centered :-) this would solve many of the current GBA playability woes...and I'm certain Nitnendo could have made it more battery conservitive.

    Honestly, one is forces to use a plug-in light in almost all occasions--especialy with dark games like Circle of the Moon--so I can't think that a smaller interal light would havedrained more battery life that a Worm Lamp or Light Shield.

    And, if you think about it... Worm Lamp's and the life are only 10 bucks as standalone units, with plugins, plastic casing, and shipping materials. I can't imagine this would have raised the production cost of the GBA itself by more than 5 bucks.

    I would have gladly paid 5 bucks to make my GBA playable more than 10% of the time I feel like playing it. The screen has been the biggest deterrant for me finishing CotM and buying more than 2 games...

    But, of course... Nintendo really doesn't have to worry about another handheld coming along and being competitive. :-)

    -Jayde

  24. Please, quit the the "stealth install" rhetoric! on Slashback: Snapshots, Amends, Bazaarity · · Score: 1

    This happens in ONE INSTANCE, and ONE INSTANCE only. Windows 9x people who upgrade to Windows 2000 Pro who were running PWS. At NO OTHER TIME is IIS installed automatically.

    Have you even thought about how rare that occasion is? I would be you a heck of a lot of money that very few of the computers that were infected by CR/Nimda can use that excuse. Heck, your averge Win9x/Frontpage manic probably doesn't know what the heck Win2K is to begin with.

    Also, it's terribly obvious when IIS is running on a Win2K box. Heck, you could write a simple app to discover if any of the network machines are running web servers PERIOD. But, beside that...who's not gonna see the IIS and related "services" in admin consoles, or notice that the "Internet Services Manager" is in with the Administrative Tools. If an admin can't figure that out, they aren't an admin.

    To be perfectly honest, Microsoft admins are mostly a bung of slackers who think that because the OS has a nice GUI that it must be easy to admin. The average MS admin is easily 3 steps below the average *nix admin simply because they think they know it all when they don't.

    -Jayde

  25. Your post would mean something if... on OS X 10.1 Coming Today (Sorta) · · Score: 1

    ...everything you said didn't apply to Windows as well. ;-P

    "The 'monopoly' argument above doesn't apply to Apple, because Apple is in no position to stifle competition, whereas Microsoft has done so, and two court verdicts have affirmed this conclusion."

    Apple can stifle the heck out of any software written for the Mac OS. In fact, they have a track record of doing so in the past. Apple has pushed 3rd party developers around just as much as any other company with a "platform" in order to promote their way of doing things.

    "Apple is a HARDWARE company that makes software to enhance the value of their hardware. Think Nikon or Canon -- they write software to support the features of their digital cameras. If you don't like MacOS X, you can run some flavour of Linux or BSD instead. So much for 100% control, eh?"

    Oh, right. OK. What was I thinking? Since all of Apple's software are just "enhancements", the same concepts no longer apply. Whatever. Nikon and Canon don't make Operating Systems. Trying to pawn Apple off as a hardware company is total bull. They are both a a hardware AND software company. I don't see Intel writing PentiumOS and bundling PentiumViewer, PentiumDVD, PentiumExplorer, and the almightly IntelTalk networking protocal.

    And, as for your last comment... I believe that if you don't like Windows, you can run some flavour of Linux or BSD instead. So much for total control, eh? Heck, I think most Linux users run on Microsoft's supposed monopoly platform (IBM/Compat. computers) and not Mac's, last time I checked. Also, last time I checked, it has always been significatly harder to rid a Mac of the MacOS than it is to rid an IBM/Compat. of Windows.

    "If a professional musician wants to concentrate on his or her craft (music), they want a system that has the features they need with the minimum fuss required to get it working. Same goes for video editors, digital imaging professionals, and other creative types who don't want to have to figure out which distro works with what. This market is a large percentage of Apple's customers, so from a business standpoint it makes good sense to bundle 'creative' apps with the OS -- just like MacOS included MacWrite and MacPaint in 1984, and it didn't prevent ISV's from writing alternatives."

    And yet it doesn't make sense to bundle Media Player and INternet Explorer with Windows? Because, no no, the average home user REALLY wants to download the nightly build of Mozilla and contribute to the BugZilla project. And, shurly they want to go to real.com and click through 18 pages of ads, be asked to sign up for 50 newsletters, and click "No, I'm sure I don't want RealPlayer Plus" 7 times just to play some MP3s.

    "Some people's stupidity is simply amazing."

    Indeed it is. Those who cannot realize that they hold such a huge double-standard truly amaze me.

    -Jayde