MUDs are great, but they are different from Pen & Paper roleplaying games. Of course there are some MUDs (or MOOs, or M**s) that do focus on role-playing,
While MUDs do then to be very roll play type games (And typing kill rabbit gets boring very quickly, but maybe I was just never any good.) If your looking for Roleplay games, then MUSHes, and MUX are what your looking for, since the server side of things has no inbuilt combat system as is the case with MUDs, your left with rooms and people and what ever the game runners ad via the internal code language.
When I got my first job last summer, I flat out refused to sign anything but the paper giving them the right to deposit my paycheck.
What was that doing however?
There are good reasons why there are documents in place that stop people sharing out product knowledge they learn while working on projects.. If you want to work with privilaged information, you need to take responsability for that.
Points 2 and 4 sound so much like the people I was working with when I was just starting to learn how to program. At the time, I didnt know enough to see anything wrong with this, I was 'learning' from these people, so had no idea there was a better way to do things, and been the junior on the team, when ever I started brining up things like creating reusable solutions/code, it was said there was no time for such development.
The problem later becomes a double edged sword, all the 'safety projects' become boring, they don't want to spend this time fixing them, and the code is so fragile that any changes risk causing more bugs because the coder cannt trace back/why/ something works, it just did.
The biggest problem of all is, what to do when you wake up one morning and realise just how bad the situation is.
We don't have enough time to "maintain" or older code, and at the same time creat the next must-have version of our software.
Surely the 'next must-have version' is based on the old code? And if so, the bugs will be fixed (Hopefully!) and should be able to drop into the old/current version with out to much hassle?
I'd hate to even think about someone creating each new version from scratch..
Push some of the songs via P2P. Better yet, release them under a license that ALLOWS redistribution so long as credit is given to your band. The idea is to push your band and get it greater exposure.
Just remember to fill in that ID3 info with website etc, and name the files well. So people can find out where the music came from. - I have so many MP3s of Music I'd run out and buy if only I knew who the band was!!
If you have a game spanning more then a few players, a pause button isnt really an option.
The point here is, its an online real time game.
If everyone else is still playing, then having an AI run for you while your busy is much better then just leaving your side sitting around waiting.
And in theory it wont be able to figure out things you haven't done yourself. Since it learns from you. To keep a game balanced the AI shouldn't be better then you are or you end up with Munchkins sitting back and watching the AI play.
I dont think this would work, an Optical Mouse works on a tiny area, where as if you look at bar code scanners, they need to see the whole bar code in one go, (Which is why they can work out if you scan upside now, or at an angle as well).
What might work is one of those old hand scanners people had before flatbed became cheap for all. Perhaps, Im not sure but it seems more likely then a mouse.
What if you got one of each posible combination of lottery result. (About 14 million tickets here in the UK I think.)
You buy the tickets at a time when its a roll over, or some 20 Million jackpot promotion etc. So the jackpot is more the the usual. - Since each draw is more then likely balanced to profit on a single draw, this might tips the cash in to cash out more to your favor.
Since you have every single combination, can the prizes you win make the inital investment payoff?
Since you get the jackpot + 6 x '5 numbers + bonus' + 6 x 5 numbers + lots of 5, 4 and 3 numbers..
Its not easy to pull off (Who has 14 Million to spend on tickets? and the man power to buy them all in time for the right draw) but, could you beat the system by covering ALL your bets.
Its sunday afternoon, and my math could be way out.. but, something to thinking about for all of 30 seconds..
However, A port in the bath room? You didnt just buy a web cam as well did you? - I cannt really see ANY need to have a port in the bathroom, water + computers are not good playmates.
But besides that, I dont -quiet- have the problem of having lots of kit about, mostly because I cannt afford to right now, but when we move (On friday I hope!!), we are getting a place with a second bedroom so I can set up an office/study for all my books etc.
At the end of the day, you need to remember your living as a couple, it doesnt matter if its computers and wires, or any other kind of collected clutter, if your stuff dominates over hers, its more then likely going to make her feel left out. And thats never a good thing, if you dont have the space, make sacrifices, get smaller cases (Which makes them look less expensive as well) - If you have an older system thats not been used for much, give it to her so she can browse the net, do email etc without having to kick you out of the way. - Even if she never uses it.
And remember, no matter how hard you try, she will notice if you spend more on hardware then you do on meals out and gifts. You need to figure out which is the better investment.
My Philips nino had Voice Recognition a couple of years ago, mostly for just opening apps, but it could record and play back as well. Shame it was so darn heavy and windows CE based, otherwise, I'd prolly still be using it.
- Sure it didnt do voice to text, but since it was just a mic, thats more a software, rather then hardware issue.
Is the actual design of the database going to change so much that anything more the mysqldump is important?
Unlike code, databases generally need to be planned out as fully as you can in advance, for normalization (And maybe other technical buzz words I can't remember) - So while the data will change, the structure should always be the same. (And the data been different shouldnt be a problem)
To make things easy, adding a little script that dumps the database, then updates the cvs in one easy command shouldn't take more then a few moments to russle up.
The problem: Lightening strikes the building killing you, and making the servers all do crazy things.
The boss needs to call in DailATech(tm) asap because these servers keep all his orders moving.
Knowing the password is might be somewhere isnt a soultion he can fall back on when he has to explain to his customers why they shouldnt take their business else where because of the ever increasing downtime.
If the password were locked in a safe or some such then that would allow everyone peace of mind. - Yes, someone can break into the safe. But on the other hand, someone can hold you at gun point as well and make you tell them the password. (I dont think anyone would die for a password at work unless your name is fox mulder or something.)
Also, keeping them in a business, not a home location means that when you get pissed off and walk out the door, you dont walk out with all the passwords. - Something thats more of a comfort to the boss type people then the techs once again.
This is actually a pretty serious issue with any kind of system where only one person has the password.
The ISP I once working for nearly went out of business several years back because the only tech with high level access was in a serious car accident and out of action for a month or so.
Its all very well not writing down passwords, and saying that nothing is going to happen to you, but in the real world, people get ill, run over, fall down etc. - In large companies its more then likely not a problem, but in a small company that has only one tech person doing everything, people need to make sure there is a plan of action for if that person becomes unreachable for any reason.
The user's password doesn't have to be stored anywhere except in the user's brain cells.
Sadly, in the real world of non technical people, thats not true.
Not having a programming job currently, and having bills to pay I have been force at one time to do a dull as they come cleaning job for a day.
In about 3 hours I had with no real effort noticed around the place about 8 or more different passwords (Some were vaugly hidden most were stuck to the monitor on postit notes labled: Name: blah, Password: xyzzy)
And I wasnt really looking, just glancing about trying not to be totally bored out of my mind and happened to notice one, then another. And I have to point out I never -used- any. Nor did I touch or move anything to see them. Each one was in plain sight.
That said, since no one locked their systems when they got up, it didnt make to much difference anyway.
But the point is, no matter how many times its said, its never more true users doing stupid things like writing down passwords is a massive problem.
I dont know about in the US, but in the UK two bodies are very helpful to any kind of startup situation where you need to know who to ask about what. Particularly when it comes to navigating red tape.
'Business Link' provide alot of help and courses about the day to day running of a business (Like tax, accounts etc) which might seem unimportant at first, but if your going into -any- business, its helpful to know what to expect.
and the TECs (Training&Enterprise Councils) who again seem to provide help to people who need details on what bits of paper they need to fill in, where to get them, and where to get help and grants etc.
I know when I started my own company (Even tho it was a huge disaster!) I didnt look to much into these places because I figured they were more for admin and office types, and i just wanted to focuse on writing software.. big mistake. The hardest part is finding out -what- you need to file, then, your can normally get a guide of some kind from the same place as the paperwork. Getting in touch with groups and organisations like these opens alot of doors to the things you probably dont even think about, and if what your after isnt directly under their area of experties, you can bet they'll know who can help out.
I wasn't aware security was a big issue in gaming consoles.
It never has been, because:
a) Most systems only kept data related to the game in a very limited space. (On a memory card say or a cartridge its self in the past) - the X-Box is fitted with a hard drive, so there is access to alot of data beyond the scope of individual games since all the data is likely to be in one place.
b) Once you hook something up to the internet, (Which the X-Box plans to do, or at least a network of some kind) then it opens the door to the data stored on your system. This also means that as well as game data, users are likely to at the very least have emails stored on their systems.
My opinion is that it will rarely hurt (if you know what you are doing)
The problem I've always found however, is when it comes to BIOS updates, I dont know what Im doing, for no reason other then I've not really played about with it much. I've spent many years playing with all kinds of software and hardware, but always safe in the knowledge I can't cause any damage a quick reinstall wont fix. BIOS updates seem to fall into the group of experiences that could cause permanent and therefore costly damage if it went wrong. And all the docs etc seems to be aimed at people who already know how it all works.
The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook ISBN: 0811825558 Price: £7.99 (GBP)
Its as it says in the title, how to cope with everything from parachute not opening, to escaping killer bees, to getting out of quick sand...
Not so much useful (Though, I might be one day!!), as something to laught at on the train/coach/bus etc. But I got my brother (18) a copy not so long ago, and it went down great.
Theres also versions on Travel and Sex and Dating.
Personally, I'd love to see new bits in the films, if they suck, I'll shrug and get another beer. If they are good, I'll smile, and get another beer, and watch it again.
George Lucas has the luxury to be able to go back to his work and make it what he feels to be a better movie, I'd hope he doesnt give much thought to how much money he might make out of it, but rather he just wants to build -his- story to what he wants it to be.
Perhaps in 20 years time and winkled and bent old Lucas will wheeze out a new 'clean cut' GeeWhiz-ROM and a whole new generation of people can complain about whats been TAKEN from the movie.
It all sounds just a bit to much like a merger where no one wants to spend any money, and no one wants to let someone else be a foot above them in anyway. (I'm CEO and want to stay CEO!?) As well as the geographical issues.
All in all, its got as much chance of losing customers/users as it does in gaining them, depending on how in the end they actually pull things off.
In some ways, I do hope they succeed, on the other, I hope they dont end up standadizing on none standard things akin to RedHat in some respects.
Guess its a 'wait and see whats happens in the next few days' situation for now..
All the issues about privacy with the FBI and the likes aside. I'm pretty worried about the fact that someone, even an FBI tech can delete the contents of a sniff.
Sure, there are -probably- back-ups. But then if the tech makes those backups, whats to say he didnt delete them as well?
Personally, it sounds more like a case of someone trying to abuse a tool they have access to (Tech sneeks a look at other peoples emails) and then messing up covering their tracks.
Then he avoids getting attacked by putting a moral spin on it, and comming out a hero. (maybe)
A common theme of the posts Iv read so far seem to moan about how so much was promised years ago, and how nothing much has come of it.
Which at a glance, might seem right. But thats only because Im guessing there is a pretty youngish age group of readers here (Ie, under 40?) how have grown up with technology to the point, they see it as normal, not gee-wizz. Since its going from 'old computer to better computer' not no computers, to computers etc.
Im sure in some years to come Ill be talking to my kids(Maybe:o) and be amazed at how little they think of even a few of these things, and just pass them of as nothing new or impressive at all.
Slashdot Mirror
Outdated driver? Buy a new system.
More likely, you'd have a system so bleeding edge none of the drivers work right together, and it crashes at all the wrong moments..
Of course, you could always hire a team to fix those bugs for you etc...
MUDs are great, but they are different from Pen & Paper roleplaying games. Of course there are some MUDs (or MOOs, or M**s) that do focus on role-playing,
While MUDs do then to be very roll play type games (And typing kill rabbit gets boring very quickly, but maybe I was just never any good.) If your looking for Roleplay games, then MUSHes, and MUX are what your looking for, since the server side of things has no inbuilt combat system as is the case with MUDs, your left with rooms and people and what ever the game runners ad via the internal code language.
Take a look at http://lost.strange.com/mush/mushlist.shtml to see the kinds of games out there (And there are lots)
When I got my first job last summer, I flat out refused to sign anything but the paper giving them the right to deposit my paycheck.
What was that doing however?
There are good reasons why there are documents in place that stop people sharing out product knowledge they learn while working on projects.. If you want to work with privilaged information, you need to take responsability for that.
Points 2 and 4 sound so much like the people I was working with when I was just starting to learn how to program. At the time, I didnt know enough to see anything wrong with this, I was 'learning' from these people, so had no idea there was a better way to do things, and been the junior on the team, when ever I started brining up things like creating reusable solutions/code, it was said there was no time for such development.
/why/ something works, it just did.
The problem later becomes a double edged sword, all the 'safety projects' become boring, they don't want to spend this time fixing them, and the code is so fragile that any changes risk causing more bugs because the coder cannt trace back
The biggest problem of all is, what to do when you wake up one morning and realise just how bad the situation is.
We don't have enough time to "maintain" or older code, and at the same time creat the next must-have version of our software.
Surely the 'next must-have version' is based on the old code? And if so, the bugs will be fixed (Hopefully!) and should be able to drop into the old/current version with out to much hassle?
I'd hate to even think about someone creating each new version from scratch..
Push some of the songs via P2P. Better yet, release them under a license that ALLOWS redistribution so long as credit is given to your band. The idea is to push your band and get it greater exposure.
Just remember to fill in that ID3 info with website etc, and name the files well. So people can find out where the music came from. - I have so many MP3s of Music I'd run out and buy if only I knew who the band was!!
If you have a game spanning more then a few players, a pause button isnt really an option.
The point here is, its an online real time game.
If everyone else is still playing, then having an AI run for you while your busy is much better then just leaving your side sitting around waiting.
And in theory it wont be able to figure out things you haven't done yourself. Since it learns from you. To keep a game balanced the AI shouldn't be better then you are or you end up with Munchkins sitting back and watching the AI play.
I dont think this would work, an Optical Mouse works on a tiny area, where as if you look at bar code scanners, they need to see the whole bar code in one go, (Which is why they can work out if you scan upside now, or at an angle as well).
What might work is one of those old hand scanners people had before flatbed became cheap for all. Perhaps, Im not sure but it seems more likely then a mouse.
Okay, this got me thinking..
What if you got one of each posible combination of lottery result. (About 14 million tickets here in the UK I think.)
You buy the tickets at a time when its a roll over, or some 20 Million jackpot promotion etc. So the jackpot is more the the usual. - Since each draw is more then likely balanced to profit on a single draw, this might tips the cash in to cash out more to your favor.
Since you have every single combination, can the prizes you win make the inital investment payoff?
Since you get the jackpot + 6 x '5 numbers + bonus' + 6 x 5 numbers + lots of 5, 4 and 3 numbers..
Its not easy to pull off (Who has 14 Million to spend on tickets? and the man power to buy them all in time for the right draw) but, could you beat the system by covering ALL your bets.
Its sunday afternoon, and my math could be way out.. but, something to thinking about for all of 30 seconds..
Okay so I stole the line.. but its true.
However, A port in the bath room? You didnt just buy a web cam as well did you? - I cannt really see ANY need to have a port in the bathroom, water + computers are not good playmates.
But besides that, I dont -quiet- have the problem of having lots of kit about, mostly because I cannt afford to right now, but when we move (On friday I hope!!), we are getting a place with a second bedroom so I can set up an office/study for all my books etc.
At the end of the day, you need to remember your living as a couple, it doesnt matter if its computers and wires, or any other kind of collected clutter, if your stuff dominates over hers, its more then likely going to make her feel left out. And thats never a good thing, if you dont have the space, make sacrifices, get smaller cases (Which makes them look less expensive as well) - If you have an older system thats not been used for much, give it to her so she can browse the net, do email etc without having to kick you out of the way. - Even if she never uses it.
And remember, no matter how hard you try, she will notice if you spend more on hardware then you do on meals out and gifts. You need to figure out which is the better investment.
My Philips nino had Voice Recognition a couple of years ago, mostly for just opening apps, but it could record and play back as well. Shame it was so darn heavy and windows CE based, otherwise, I'd prolly still be using it.
- Sure it didnt do voice to text, but since it was just a mic, thats more a software, rather then hardware issue.
Is the actual design of the database going to change so much that anything more the mysqldump is important?
Unlike code, databases generally need to be planned out as fully as you can in advance, for normalization (And maybe other technical buzz words I can't remember) - So while the data will change, the structure should always be the same. (And the data been different shouldnt be a problem)
To make things easy, adding a little script that dumps the database, then updates the cvs in one easy command shouldn't take more then a few moments to russle up.
Not been american, but watching another of the X-files etc to think I know enought...
Given that the offence took place in Amman, isnt it in the scope of the CIA, rather then the FBI who the guy contacted while writing the article...
Or am I just nit picking?
The problem: Lightening strikes the building killing you, and making the servers all do crazy things.
The boss needs to call in DailATech(tm) asap because these servers keep all his orders moving.
Knowing the password is might be somewhere isnt a soultion he can fall back on when he has to explain to his customers why they shouldnt take their business else where because of the ever increasing downtime.
If the password were locked in a safe or some such then that would allow everyone peace of mind. - Yes, someone can break into the safe. But on the other hand, someone can hold you at gun point as well and make you tell them the password. (I dont think anyone would die for a password at work unless your name is fox mulder or something.)
Also, keeping them in a business, not a home location means that when you get pissed off and walk out the door, you dont walk out with all the passwords. - Something thats more of a comfort to the boss type people then the techs once again.
This is actually a pretty serious issue with any kind of system where only one person has the password.
The ISP I once working for nearly went out of business several years back because the only tech with high level access was in a serious car accident and out of action for a month or so.
Its all very well not writing down passwords, and saying that nothing is going to happen to you, but in the real world, people get ill, run over, fall down etc. - In large companies its more then likely not a problem, but in a small company that has only one tech person doing everything, people need to make sure there is a plan of action for if that person becomes unreachable for any reason.
The user's password doesn't have to be stored anywhere except in the user's brain cells.
Sadly, in the real world of non technical people, thats not true.
Not having a programming job currently, and having bills to pay I have been force at one time to do a dull as they come cleaning job for a day.
In about 3 hours I had with no real effort noticed around the place about 8 or more different passwords (Some were vaugly hidden most were stuck to the monitor on postit notes labled: Name: blah, Password: xyzzy)
And I wasnt really looking, just glancing about trying not to be totally bored out of my mind and happened to notice one, then another. And I have to point out I never -used- any. Nor did I touch or move anything to see them. Each one was in plain sight.
That said, since no one locked their systems when they got up, it didnt make to much difference anyway.
But the point is, no matter how many times its said, its never more true users doing stupid things like writing down passwords is a massive problem.
Note that only one bid was received in each case.
;o)
Maybe he should have posted about the sales on here, he would have taken loads of bids then!
I dont know about in the US, but in the UK two bodies are very helpful to any kind of startup situation where you need to know who to ask about what. Particularly when it comes to navigating red tape.
'Business Link' provide alot of help and courses about the day to day running of a business (Like tax, accounts etc) which might seem unimportant at first, but if your going into -any- business, its helpful to know what to expect.
and the TECs (Training&Enterprise Councils) who again seem to provide help to people who need details on what bits of paper they need to fill in, where to get them, and where to get help and grants etc.
I know when I started my own company (Even tho it was a huge disaster!) I didnt look to much into these places because I figured they were more for admin and office types, and i just wanted to focuse on writing software.. big mistake. The hardest part is finding out -what- you need to file, then, your can normally get a guide of some kind from the same place as the paperwork. Getting in touch with groups and organisations like these opens alot of doors to the things you probably dont even think about, and if what your after isnt directly under their area of experties, you can bet they'll know who can help out.
I wasn't aware security was a big issue in gaming consoles.
It never has been, because:
a) Most systems only kept data related to the game in a very limited space. (On a memory card say or a cartridge its self in the past) - the X-Box is fitted with a hard drive, so there is access to alot of data beyond the scope of individual games since all the data is likely to be in one place.
b) Once you hook something up to the internet, (Which the X-Box plans to do, or at least a network of some kind) then it opens the door to the data stored on your system. This also means that as well as game data, users are likely to at the very least have emails stored on their systems.
My opinion is that it will rarely hurt (if you know what you are doing)
The problem I've always found however, is when it comes to BIOS updates, I dont know what Im doing, for no reason other then I've not really played about with it much. I've spent many years playing with all kinds of software and hardware, but always safe in the knowledge I can't cause any damage a quick reinstall wont fix. BIOS updates seem to fall into the group of experiences that could cause permanent and therefore costly damage if it went wrong. And all the docs etc seems to be aimed at people who already know how it all works.
The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook
:o)
ISBN: 0811825558
Price: £7.99 (GBP)
Its as it says in the title, how to cope with everything from parachute not opening, to escaping killer bees, to getting out of quick sand...
Not so much useful (Though, I might be one day!!), as something to laught at on the train/coach/bus etc. But I got my brother (18) a copy not so long ago, and it went down great.
Theres also versions on Travel and Sex and Dating.
Good clean fun
Personally, I'd love to see new bits in the films, if they suck, I'll shrug and get another beer. If they are good, I'll smile, and get another beer, and watch it again.
George Lucas has the luxury to be able to go back to his work and make it what he feels to be a better movie, I'd hope he doesnt give much thought to how much money he might make out of it, but rather he just wants to build -his- story to what he wants it to be.
Perhaps in 20 years time and winkled and bent old Lucas will wheeze out a new 'clean cut' GeeWhiz-ROM and a whole new generation of people can complain about whats been TAKEN from the movie.
It all sounds just a bit to much like a merger where no one wants to spend any money, and no one wants to let someone else be a foot above them in anyway. (I'm CEO and want to stay CEO!?) As well as the geographical issues.
All in all, its got as much chance of losing customers/users as it does in gaining them, depending on how in the end they actually pull things off.
In some ways, I do hope they succeed, on the other, I hope they dont end up standadizing on none standard things akin to RedHat in some respects.
Guess its a 'wait and see whats happens in the next few days' situation for now..
All the issues about privacy with the FBI and the likes aside. I'm pretty worried about the fact that someone, even an FBI tech can delete the contents of a sniff.
Sure, there are -probably- back-ups. But then if the tech makes those backups, whats to say he didnt delete them as well?
Personally, it sounds more like a case of someone trying to abuse a tool they have access to (Tech sneeks a look at other peoples emails) and then messing up covering their tracks.
Then he avoids getting attacked by putting a moral spin on it, and comming out a hero. (maybe)
A common theme of the posts Iv read so far seem to moan about how so much was promised years ago, and how nothing much has come of it.
:o) and be amazed at how little they think of even a few of these things, and just pass them of as nothing new or impressive at all.
Which at a glance, might seem right. But thats only because Im guessing there is a pretty youngish age group of readers here (Ie, under 40?) how have grown up with technology to the point, they see it as normal, not gee-wizz. Since its going from 'old computer to better computer' not no computers, to computers etc.
Im sure in some years to come Ill be talking to my kids(Maybe