Sounds like you don't drive enough to qualify for this discussion. Anyone who has driven for more than 30 minutes knows that changing CDs while driving sucks. Most people use Windows; does that mean that Windows ought to be good enough for everyone?
If you have a significant investment in.asp and ActiveX objects then you get what you deserve for deciding to trust Microsoft. Next time try using an open architecture with multiple vendors so you will have choices when you realize that your platform sucks.
These are conclusions drawn from user demands. Most people aren't particularly fond of sitting around answering questions during an OS install, or having to produce a CD and a key for that matter. If I could trust an OS to configure itself automatically (and correctly) then I would love this network install.
And most people aren't too fond of running out of memory or disk space. Wouldn't it be easier to let the computer handle it? I agree that the legal and moral implications of shared storage are an issue, but most people don't really care if it means that their programs don't crash and they can store as many pRon movies, warez and MP3s as they like (or can pay for).
If a company like Microsoft didn't own it wouldn't it be cool to plug in a computing device, walk away for a while, come back and write code? Or resume your favorite MAME game? I am definitely in favor of less hassle with computers.
But not if it means I have to pay Microsoft monthly.
Sun sure is a lot closer to seamless network computing than Microsoft. Have you ever used a SunRay cluster? After the traditional server installation you can add and remove SunRay devices trivially. And all user sessions are tied to a removable smart card, rather than the device they happened to be using when they logged in.
The SunRay server even lets you know when it needs more resources when Netscape takes 5 minutes to launch:)
It takes some effort just to get Win98SE to see Win2K on the same damn LAN.
Remapping the pixels from one resolution to another would consume graphics cards resources. That's why modern monitors are multisync. Many classic game emulators compute in a fixed native resolution and then scale upward, and antialiasing is usually implemented by computing at a higher resolution and scaling downward. Both reduce performance a lot.
It sounds like a good idea to have the game automatically adjust the rendering quality, but people are all different. Some want 100+FPS, and others will settle for 20. And some really like accurate lighting while others want better mipmapping, etc.
Does anyone think Microsoft will ever try to sue anyone for breaking this clause? The EULA has a bunch of stuff in it that MS probably doesn't want in the news, and the harsh spotlight of judicial review could very well melt the EULA away.
There is so much information out there that people are getting more sophisticated about their reading. If I consistently find total BS on a particular site then I move on.
Someone mod this up. This problem is present in many surveys, and one should always check the actual question being asked since the article that wraps the survey generally distorts the issue to generate controversy. I bet even average Americans would have a different answer if the question was "do you think the government should be able to read all of your private emails and bank transactions?"
If the American government isn't whipped into a bloodthirsty frenzy by a crazed constituency then we will use intelligence and precision. But a lot of people just aren't rational about this situation, and many of those people want to see some dead bad guys. I hope that clear heads prevail and we find parties that are actually responsible for this instead of witches to burn.
Are you sure you aren't breaking the law? There are an awful lot of them, and they were mostly written by a lot of rich white guys supported by extremely large corporations. Those folks don't necessary have your best wishes in mind. You may not actually be doing anything illegal now, but what about a year from now? Or ten? Even if I am perfect now (and few people are) a new law could instantly turn me into an outlaw if I was being watched constantly.
One thing I have always appreciated about the US is a healthy disrespect for the law. There are many stupid laws out there passed by special interest groups that serve no one but a priviledged minority, and it is an American right to break those laws. This breakage can only occur because law enforcement has limited means and tends to use those means to enforce the important stuff.
And if there aren't any jobs where you live (which is common in bedroom communities around metro areas with hi-tech jobs) then you can consider finding another job where you can telecommute.
I agree with some other comments that you don't want to use an ultimatum, but if you say you are unhappy with your current commute then the implication has been made. I think few companies really want telecommuting employees, but it is better than no employees at all:)
My company is actually working on making things easier for telecommuters by installing VPN concentrators and paying for setup costs. There is some talk of cost savings in office space, but I think the primary benefit is in employee retention. Commuting in the San Francisco bay area sucks, and anything that makes it easier to work is much appreciated.
I have been playing around with MAME for a while and it's fun, but not for very long. Most of those games don't have enough content or visual style to keep me entertained for hours. The days of 10MB games are over.
Modern games have to have the requisite eye candy because gamers expect it. We've seen many games made with fewer computing resources, and we want more. If I want to play smaller, simpler games then I will download them for free.
And why shouldn't a game use 100% of available computing resources? Most games require 100% of your attention, so saving on CPU cycles would result in a game with inferior graphics or AI. I spent serious dollars on my PC, I want games that take full advantage of my investment.
Anyone who is reading this forum will have no problem finding out what the clock speed of any Athlon chip is. Which seems less honest: using a product name that misrepresents the clock speed, or designing a processor that gets less done per clock and then jacking the clock up?
AMD has no trouble educating technically savvy shoppers like you and me, but this marketing ploy is for people who shop for computers at Radio Shack - idiots. Do you think Compaq is going to label their computers with "Athlon 1.4Ghz - which has been proven to run faster than a 1.7Ghz Pentium 4 processor in most current application benchmarks"? AMD will only get a tiny space to convey the fact that their processors get more done per clock, and I support them if it actually works. But the PR rating didn't, and neither will this new scheme.
Re:There is a downside, however, as the worker...
on
Extreme Telecommuting
·
· Score: 1
You forgot to mention one of the pros - the first time you attend a meeting (via telephone) wearing nothing but boxers and a smile:)
I am not really fond of the isometric point of view. The art is usually better, but there are several drawbacks. The maps feel flat, even if elevation is drawn in. It can be very difficult to figure out whether or not you can walk on a particular piece of the map. A moveable camera can really help make a game area feel real, instead of looking like a pretty drawing.
It seems like each new generation of mainstream microprocessors requires more power and generates more heat than the last. I see that your processor array reverses this trend. What do you think is the main advantage of low power consumption?
Re:how is DOA3 going to change things?
on
MAME on X-Box
·
· Score: 1
I'm glad I'm not the only one that thought the only way DOA differentiated itself from the masses of fighting games was excellent breast physics. I look forward to a day when DOA has a more tactile interface:)
How come zealots of tools that lack major functionality always turn it into a badge of honor? "Plugins? Those are for luzers! Music and video don't belong on a computer!"
Why don't you prove you are a real geek and go back to lynx on a vt100?
Why can't we just get along?
on
Case Tweaking
·
· Score: 1
Why are Mac and PC enthusiasts so hateful to each other? What makes someone go from "my PC is cool" to "your Mac is the worst piece of crap on earth" and vice versa? Were you all abused by computers as children? Get a grip, just because you don't like doesn't mean it sucks.
Making games is a business, and the idea of this business is to make more money selling software than you spend. IIRC Anachronox did not do very well financially. Why would a game company throw good money after bad by making a sequel to a failed game?
Buying anything is a risk as far as support goes. If that product is unpopular then there is no financial reason to support it.
And were things better in the old days? The gaming industry has always worked this way, and in the old days you never had companies like Id or Epic that put out dozens of patches to fix issues 3 or 4 years after the game was released.
These are all good points, but they stem from a flawed assumption: that the status quo in software development is OK. What would you say if you bought a car and the rear windows didn't roll down? Or the stereo cut out every five minutes? It is easy to assume that since it is relatively easy to patch software that this is an acceptable practice. In reality I am madder than hell when I buy a game and it doesn't work right, and I have every right to be. Software that doesn't work right is called beta, and only Microsoft gets to charge for it.
Sounds like a twist on conservation of energy. Maybe conservation of information? "Real system X cannot be modelled by anything smaller than virtual system Y, where Y >= X".
Slashdot Mirror
Sounds like you don't drive enough to qualify for this discussion. Anyone who has driven for more than 30 minutes knows that changing CDs while driving sucks. Most people use Windows; does that mean that Windows ought to be good enough for everyone?
If you have a significant investment in .asp and ActiveX objects then you get what you deserve for deciding to trust Microsoft. Next time try using an open architecture with multiple vendors so you will have choices when you realize that your platform sucks.
These are conclusions drawn from user demands. Most people aren't particularly fond of sitting around answering questions during an OS install, or having to produce a CD and a key for that matter. If I could trust an OS to configure itself automatically (and correctly) then I would love this network install.
And most people aren't too fond of running out of memory or disk space. Wouldn't it be easier to let the computer handle it? I agree that the legal and moral implications of shared storage are an issue, but most people don't really care if it means that their programs don't crash and they can store as many pRon movies, warez and MP3s as they like (or can pay for).
If a company like Microsoft didn't own it wouldn't it be cool to plug in a computing device, walk away for a while, come back and write code? Or resume your favorite MAME game? I am definitely in favor of less hassle with computers.
But not if it means I have to pay Microsoft monthly.
Sun sure is a lot closer to seamless network computing than Microsoft. Have you ever used a SunRay cluster? After the traditional server installation you can add and remove SunRay devices trivially. And all user sessions are tied to a removable smart card, rather than the device they happened to be using when they logged in.
:)
The SunRay server even lets you know when it needs more resources when Netscape takes 5 minutes to launch
It takes some effort just to get Win98SE to see Win2K on the same damn LAN.
Remapping the pixels from one resolution to another would consume graphics cards resources. That's why modern monitors are multisync. Many classic game emulators compute in a fixed native resolution and then scale upward, and antialiasing is usually implemented by computing at a higher resolution and scaling downward. Both reduce performance a lot.
It sounds like a good idea to have the game automatically adjust the rendering quality, but people are all different. Some want 100+FPS, and others will settle for 20. And some really like accurate lighting while others want better mipmapping, etc.
Maybe that's why they're also changing the name of Hailstorm to something nicer, "My Happy Services" or something like that.
Does anyone think Microsoft will ever try to sue anyone for breaking this clause? The EULA has a bunch of stuff in it that MS probably doesn't want in the news, and the harsh spotlight of judicial review could very well melt the EULA away.
There is so much information out there that people are getting more sophisticated about their reading. If I consistently find total BS on a particular site then I move on.
And you can fit more passengers in the same plane too. You can stack'em like firewood if they are unconscious.
Someone mod this up. This problem is present in many surveys, and one should always check the actual question being asked since the article that wraps the survey generally distorts the issue to generate controversy. I bet even average Americans would have a different answer if the question was "do you think the government should be able to read all of your private emails and bank transactions?"
If the American government isn't whipped into a bloodthirsty frenzy by a crazed constituency then we will use intelligence and precision. But a lot of people just aren't rational about this situation, and many of those people want to see some dead bad guys. I hope that clear heads prevail and we find parties that are actually responsible for this instead of witches to burn.
Are you sure you aren't breaking the law? There are an awful lot of them, and they were mostly written by a lot of rich white guys supported by extremely large corporations. Those folks don't necessary have your best wishes in mind. You may not actually be doing anything illegal now, but what about a year from now? Or ten? Even if I am perfect now (and few people are) a new law could instantly turn me into an outlaw if I was being watched constantly.
One thing I have always appreciated about the US is a healthy disrespect for the law. There are many stupid laws out there passed by special interest groups that serve no one but a priviledged minority, and it is an American right to break those laws. This breakage can only occur because law enforcement has limited means and tends to use those means to enforce the important stuff.
And if there aren't any jobs where you live (which is common in bedroom communities around metro areas with hi-tech jobs) then you can consider finding another job where you can telecommute.
:)
I agree with some other comments that you don't want to use an ultimatum, but if you say you are unhappy with your current commute then the implication has been made. I think few companies really want telecommuting employees, but it is better than no employees at all
My company is actually working on making things easier for telecommuters by installing VPN concentrators and paying for setup costs. There is some talk of cost savings in office space, but I think the primary benefit is in employee retention. Commuting in the San Francisco bay area sucks, and anything that makes it easier to work is much appreciated.
I have been playing around with MAME for a while and it's fun, but not for very long. Most of those games don't have enough content or visual style to keep me entertained for hours. The days of 10MB games are over.
Modern games have to have the requisite eye candy because gamers expect it. We've seen many games made with fewer computing resources, and we want more. If I want to play smaller, simpler games then I will download them for free.
And why shouldn't a game use 100% of available computing resources? Most games require 100% of your attention, so saving on CPU cycles would result in a game with inferior graphics or AI. I spent serious dollars on my PC, I want games that take full advantage of my investment.
Anyone who is reading this forum will have no problem finding out what the clock speed of any Athlon chip is. Which seems less honest: using a product name that misrepresents the clock speed, or designing a processor that gets less done per clock and then jacking the clock up?
AMD has no trouble educating technically savvy shoppers like you and me, but this marketing ploy is for people who shop for computers at Radio Shack - idiots. Do you think Compaq is going to label their computers with "Athlon 1.4Ghz - which has been proven to run faster than a 1.7Ghz Pentium 4 processor in most current application benchmarks"? AMD will only get a tiny space to convey the fact that their processors get more done per clock, and I support them if it actually works. But the PR rating didn't, and neither will this new scheme.
You forgot to mention one of the pros - the first time you attend a meeting (via telephone) wearing nothing but boxers and a smile :)
I am not really fond of the isometric point of view. The art is usually better, but there are several drawbacks. The maps feel flat, even if elevation is drawn in. It can be very difficult to figure out whether or not you can walk on a particular piece of the map. A moveable camera can really help make a game area feel real, instead of looking like a pretty drawing.
It seems like each new generation of mainstream microprocessors requires more power and generates more heat than the last. I see that your processor array reverses this trend. What do you think is the main advantage of low power consumption?
I'm glad I'm not the only one that thought the only way DOA differentiated itself from the masses of fighting games was excellent breast physics. I look forward to a day when DOA has a more tactile interface :)
How come zealots of tools that lack major functionality always turn it into a badge of honor? "Plugins? Those are for luzers! Music and video don't belong on a computer!" Why don't you prove you are a real geek and go back to lynx on a vt100?
Why are Mac and PC enthusiasts so hateful to each other? What makes someone go from "my PC is cool" to "your Mac is the worst piece of crap on earth" and vice versa? Were you all abused by computers as children? Get a grip, just because you don't like doesn't mean it sucks.
Buying anything is a risk as far as support goes. If that product is unpopular then there is no financial reason to support it.
And were things better in the old days? The gaming industry has always worked this way, and in the old days you never had companies like Id or Epic that put out dozens of patches to fix issues 3 or 4 years after the game was released.
These are all good points, but they stem from a flawed assumption: that the status quo in software development is OK. What would you say if you bought a car and the rear windows didn't roll down? Or the stereo cut out every five minutes? It is easy to assume that since it is relatively easy to patch software that this is an acceptable practice. In reality I am madder than hell when I buy a game and it doesn't work right, and I have every right to be. Software that doesn't work right is called beta, and only Microsoft gets to charge for it.
This points to a deeper fact of life: the older you are, the more everyone and everything else sucks.
Sounds like a twist on conservation of energy. Maybe conservation of information? "Real system X cannot be modelled by anything smaller than virtual system Y, where Y >= X".