Yeah people always say things like "educate the parents", and you're right, mentioning "education" does often seem like blanket karma statement, which doesn't actually happen in practice. But the solution to this is quite simple - be as stringent in selling video games to minors as R rated movies (it's the same concept). Seriously, any parent who even 'hears' a scene from vice city (the N & F words seem to be uttered every time you walk into someone or hit a car) should raise an eyebrow of any parent.
Hey, isn't there a more worthwhile message bord we could put our comments on (or at least link to this one?). Check out this one: http://clinton.senate.gov/, with an e-mail link on the front page.
Seriously, every 3 months for the past 6 years this comes up on slashdot, everyone has a 600 comment bitch, and accomplishes nothing. Next time you're going to post a story like this, post a worthwhile forum to rant on SO THE PERPETRATOR will actually hear what we have to say.
On a humourous note, I like the fact that there was a Rockstar now recruiting advert to the left of the article..
I'll switch to a mac (once I can afford it)
on
Return of the Mac
·
· Score: 1
All the glory of UNIX (esp. bash) with *MODERN HARDWARE* support (after 4 years, my netmd still won't work, and after 6 months, neither will my m-audio sound card).
I'm a big fan of sitting down in a *proper* armchair in front of a giant flat screen television with a controller in my hand (maybe even a little high), but that's not the quite the same as wincing at a high defenition graphics on a bumpy car/train journey, is it?
The other day I bought a snes controller from ebay, & a snes adapter. To be perfectly honest, the idea of reliving a bunch of *hard* hand/eye reaction platform games from 1996 got me a lot more excited than I was when I received the latest GTA clone (as great as that game is)...some games are designed for long hours in comfortable conditions (high res rpg's) - others are just quick, skillfull and fun. In an era where platform games are becoming extinct thanks to every console manufacturer bragging about their console being better soley on the basis of hardware specifications (before a games line is even released), I took solice in the fact that, as good as the latest armchair console gets, I could always go retro with some hardcore platform/strategy games (has bomberman even been ported to the X-box/PS2)??
This might not be such a good thing. There's no way I'd consider completing (and hence for that matter starting) half the games in my PS2 collection on a portable device.
Is staring at these bad for your eyes? Ie. More than staring at a normal picture for say, one minute?
Because I could...nay..have found myself staring at these for periods, and assummed I will get a bit of headache, of that they are bad for my vision (thus forcing myself to stop).
Actually, 192Khz seems to be the most professional audio cards seem to be able to cope with. M-audio, who make professional audio cards and instruments, are just about to release there latest model [http://www.samash.com/catalog/showitem.asp?ItemID =32398] in the next few days/weeks, and that's (only?) 192khz . Apparently that's quite high in terms of hardware parts for professional recording. And you may like to know, it is reported at several locations even though manufacturers like creative claim their parts are 192 khz, the music is resampled at a lower rate least once before output so it's just advertising garbage. I only know this because I've been searching for the best soundcard to get for audio playback [exclusively], and this seems to be the best option..if any one knows any more on this, then please do correct me.
Thanks a lot by the way..now I probably can't keep moderating this quite interesting thread;-)
While before 2000 I would have agreed with you, in that if a country screws up, it's not really anyone else's concern, just leave them to it, but I think the rest of the world is now starting to care about the state of US elections a lot more, mainly for the reason that we are talking about a country, and, more particularly, A SINGLE PRESIDENT (because in America's defense, I don't think that the majority of citizens are a good reflection of the current president), who, on his own whim, will invade countries outide his own. If Gore had won the election (and, let's be frank, maybe he did), then MANY lives outside America would still be in tact. America may be old enough to 'fuck itself' as you put it, but when it's government starts running countries outside it's own, then it does become the rest of the world's business.
I use my NetMd (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00 008WIX2/qid=1095469503/sr=8-2/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i2_xg l23/002-1711149-4506439?v=glance&s=electronics&n=5 07846) and guitarport (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-f orm/002-1711149-4506439) everyday: I had to stop using Linux, which I really enjoyed getting into and using over Microsoft Windows full time as home user (for about 3 years by the way). My soundcard manufacturer's advanced surround sound virtual imaging software also insn't available for linux. My point is, even if linux is free, doesn't mean it's a solution all users can turn to, even if we want to (because frankly I know that features, like bash scripting is more powerful and enjoyable than anything MSwindows has natively - I'm a CS student ffs). So we have no option but to play along with an operating system we would rather not use. It sucks, but it's the way it is...I'm sick making major changes in my computer OS lifestyle every time I buy the latest piece of hardware, so until hardware makers start playing along, which won't happen for a while (if ever for the forseeable future), the only thing I can do is use Windows (I've had my netmd for 4 years, and it still won't work on linux successfully, and Sony doesn't care). We don't have a choice, and MS know this. This it what scares me: when we see major hardware manufacturers joining up with MS, because it's like, when you're buying a piece of hardware you're tying yourself down to an OS as well - it's awful - but it's either that or not use the great features of modern hardware technology. HARDWARE MAKERS - PLEASE STOP PUTTING US IN THIS SITUATION!!
Not meaning to be flamebait, but when a mass distributable personal-use portable media storage format like a plastic disc can hold something like 50 GB (10+ DVD movies), can't you envision some anti-piracy group (read MPAA in particular) stepping in and wanting to restrict it from consumer sale for being 'TOO' useful? Although I guess that's probably what they said about CDROMs and DVD ROMs...
I wouldn't be surprised if the Government prevented this from becoming common place: I remember them doing something like this before, where they wouldn't allow 40-bit encryption system for the public (or something like that), because it meant the NSA couldn't crack it in a reasonable time. Privacy is illegal. If the government can't tap your phone calls and read your e-mails, then they won't allow the public to use that technology. Or at least until the war on terrorism ends (should be sometime around the extinction of human nature and mankind).
By default maybe. KDE (don't know much about Gnome: yeah, I always got the impression everything (buttons) was clunky too, but that was ~3.5 years ago when I used it) window themes can be super thin and minimalistic. It's easy and very versatile to customise how you want literally every aspect of your desktop to look with the Kcontrol centre. I don't know why they make default setups look so ugly either. Perhaps it's to prompt the user to change it to suit them.
I was expecting some degree of enthusiasm towards a survey like this... but instead there just seems to be a lot of bitching and whining which, forgive me, I should have seen coming. Some of you slashdotters spend half the time pointing out the flaws (as you should), but when they try to correct them or take some community input, you accuse them of 'looking stupid' and 'being pathetic'. What, would you rather have them not change their ways just to look consistent?
Some of my responses (which I'm not even sure got through, because the site got/.ed after lengthily filling out that survey, so I'm going to post them here).
My problems with MS: It is relatively unreliable. MS software crashes on me (still). Linux does occasionally (seriously, though Kkword crashed on me the other day, that's pretty damn bad!), but not a third as much. I'm glad they put in that error reporting feature, it's a step in the right direction. Sometimes this isn't MS's fault: people providing other faulty software may be to blame. I just think the base platform isn't as good (and I know others can prove this more technically). 2. MAKING IE unremovable, and explorer a critical kernel process?!!! WTF IS THAT?? 3.I don't trust it. Sorry, but I will have no part in a corporation of the USA (read: corporation - a business with the goal of market and financial gain ALONE) which supplies software for governments: you must agree that software like this must be open to the people (I mean come on, say MS were a government company, do you doubt that the US governement would not put back-doors when deploying software to 'terrorist prone' countries? All the phone conversations in the US are by law tapped, and you know the presidency is corrupt - it's just a fact)). 3. The Command line sucks. I'm a computer programmer, you think I like bright colours and and big icons??! Your operating system isn't targetted towards me, just like older versions of linux had no appeal to the average home user. HOWEVER, my X/KDE desktop is now, in 2003, WAY more customisable than windows, just as easy (kcontrol is all GUI), and a lot prettier. Just go to KDE look.org for proof. My comment was that Linux gives me the choice of geek command line, and a desktop that is truly a piece of art. Windows does not encourage command lines and scripting. It probably never will. You just lost the core geek/programmer vote. And in the same vein, I'm sorry, but make some of your standards more universal. Porting is great: it shouldn't be the MS OS and then the rest, one should see the choice of operating systems, and regard one as their OS of choice, not the one they are forced into (because if they don't, they will be excluded from using MS only protocols). Linux shouldn't be regarded as an enemy, but a competitor. However, it probably will, because you are a corporation (see definition above). DRM. Sorry, again, governemnt induced stupid bills which look like they will pass (thanks to the hoards of money from other monopolistic corporations, RIAA, MPAA), will without doubt implement standards that which MS will BY LAW incorporate. This makes me sound like a law breaker: but, and get this damn clear politicians, if you take away my rights of legitimate use, in some blanket law which eliminates a lot of pirates, but also those who were never breaking the law in the first place, then I will go out of my way to circumvent it. I pay $18-26 for a CD (yes $26 in England), then I will copy it to my mindisc player for (obviously) my own personal use.
My problems with linux: I use linux (Slack) 23/7: here's why it's not 100%. I buy commerical products, and I wan't to use them with my computer. Hardware isn't like code: it takes money to distribute. So I will wind up buying my Netmd from a money hungry corporation (Sony): and no, I still can't use it on Linux (after about a year and a half). I need to reboot to burn my damn MP3's every time I wan't to go out. Linux needs better support from corporations selling hardware (fine,
True, slackware can be a bitch sometimes (but it's still the fastest (full multemedia) desktop I've tried). Nonetheless, this seems to be distro specific (I have slack, but my Mandrake partition is sweeeet: way prettier than anything windows could ever be, and I'm pretty sure I don't get that problem, so it's not widespread). Also, the great thing is, if kde pisses you off, gnome, wm, etc. are all options (as well as systems like mandrake, which are fully setup, with all the packages optimized) - they call all run X11 apps.
It's going to take me ages to setup slack to be as user friendly as my mandrake partition is (it's the small things, like fonts, aliases, included app. base, etc.), and it's a hassle, frankly (but I'll get around to it sometime) - meanwhile, I have a still fully functioning linux partion from a different distro.
I often wonder how many slashdotters overclock cpu's of 500+, because I wouldn't want to blow my money buying a new processor. Therefore, I usually skip these articles. Could we have a poll on the lines of:
My CPU is overclocked:
0-49mhz 50-99mhz 100-199mhz 200-299mhz 300-4 99mhz 500-999mhz 1GHZ+ CowboyNeal stands in the corner blowing/playing a/harmonica/large HORN/ over my processor....or whatever is realistic.
I was introduced to computers from the hacker culture presented in the (mediocre) film hackers when I was in early teens. People grouch quite a lot about the portrayal of hackers in modern culture (speckled 'evil' nerd - 2600 letters often have stories of people who enjoy hacking and informing administrators of vulnerabilities getting suspended, and associated with people like the trenchcoat mafia), but I found the film really interesting - the characters seemed like normal people for a change (not segrated because of seclusiveness or 'black clothes', but because they were just smarter).
Of course I don't think the variance in opinion of morality between humans from different parts of the world is incomparable (France and America). For a start, I don't live in America, so lets not pretend that I advocate American mob patriotism in anyway (the text in parenthesis is meant to be ironic). You've just proved by the yes and no that the laws are quite different between these two countries, and claiming that "this could quite easily happen" is the whole point. Incidentally, you really shouldn't make such bold comments about people when you fail to see the irony or message of what they are saying.
The existence of kiddie porn is illegal (or should be) - it shouldn't exist unless someone breaks the law, and then that someone should get punished. Now, surely those pics should be considered illegal too (publishing, owning, whatever). The submitter claims "This isn't a whole lot different from Yahoo! France being sued for making auctions of Nazi propaganda viewable by French citizens." Well, yes it is...opinion should be covered by freedom of speech. Is owning nazi propoganda illegal in france (a booklet, for example)? Is it in America? I wouldn't have thought so. Kiddie porn in form of a pic file or video is a violation of human liberties (and it's evidence of malpractice)...having/sharing an opinion isn't (unless you live in a country which doesn't agree with freedom of speech of course).
I'm no fan of censorship of opinion (even if I hate inbred nazi/kkk cocksuckers), but the posession or acquisition of kiddie porn by a photographer is illegal.
Slashdot users DoS whitehouse.gov to see the plans thay MAY quash internet freedom - government uses this as evidence to carry out these anti-terrorists prototection plans for the internet./. editor Timothy named terrorist #1. IT'S A SETUP!!!!
Slashdot Mirror
Yeah people always say things like "educate the parents", and you're right, mentioning "education" does often seem like blanket karma statement, which doesn't actually happen in practice. But the solution to this is quite simple - be as stringent in selling video games to minors as R rated movies (it's the same concept). Seriously, any parent who even 'hears' a scene from vice city (the N & F words seem to be uttered every time you walk into someone or hit a car) should raise an eyebrow of any parent.
Seriously, every 3 months for the past 6 years this comes up on slashdot, everyone has a 600 comment bitch, and accomplishes nothing. Next time you're going to post a story like this, post a worthwhile forum to rant on SO THE PERPETRATOR will actually hear what we have to say.
On a humourous note, I like the fact that there was a Rockstar now recruiting advert to the left of the article..
All the glory of UNIX (esp. bash) with *MODERN HARDWARE* support (after 4 years, my netmd still won't work, and after 6 months, neither will my m-audio sound card).
The other day I bought a snes controller from ebay, & a snes adapter. To be perfectly honest, the idea of reliving a bunch of *hard* hand/eye reaction platform games from 1996 got me a lot more excited than I was when I received the latest GTA clone (as great as that game is)...some games are designed for long hours in comfortable conditions (high res rpg's) - others are just quick, skillfull and fun. In an era where platform games are becoming extinct thanks to every console manufacturer bragging about their console being better soley on the basis of hardware specifications (before a games line is even released), I took solice in the fact that, as good as the latest armchair console gets, I could always go retro with some hardcore platform/strategy games (has bomberman even been ported to the X-box/PS2)??
This might not be such a good thing. There's no way I'd consider completing (and hence for that matter starting) half the games in my PS2 collection on a portable device.
Because I could...nay..have found myself staring at these for periods, and assummed I will get a bit of headache, of that they are bad for my vision (thus forcing myself to stop).
It's in stores tomorrow!!!!!. htm, and you can even hear songs from it!!
http://www.nme.com/features/110018
Thanks a lot by the way..now I probably can't keep moderating this quite interesting thread ;-)
While before 2000 I would have agreed with you, in that if a country screws up, it's not really anyone else's concern, just leave them to it, but I think the rest of the world is now starting to care about the state of US elections a lot more, mainly for the reason that we are talking about a country, and, more particularly, A SINGLE PRESIDENT (because in America's defense, I don't think that the majority of citizens are a good reflection of the current president), who, on his own whim, will invade countries outide his own. If Gore had won the election (and, let's be frank, maybe he did), then MANY lives outside America would still be in tact. America may be old enough to 'fuck itself' as you put it, but when it's government starts running countries outside it's own, then it does become the rest of the world's business.
I use my NetMd (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00 008WIX2/qid=1095469503/sr=8-2/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i2_xg l23/002-1711149-4506439?v=glance&s=electronics&n=5 07846) and guitarport (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-f orm/002-1711149-4506439) everyday: I had to stop using Linux, which I really enjoyed getting into and using over Microsoft Windows full time as home user (for about 3 years by the way). My soundcard manufacturer's advanced surround sound virtual imaging software also insn't available for linux. My point is, even if linux is free, doesn't mean it's a solution all users can turn to, even if we want to (because frankly I know that features, like bash scripting is more powerful and enjoyable than anything MSwindows has natively - I'm a CS student ffs). So we have no option but to play along with an operating system we would rather not use. It sucks, but it's the way it is...I'm sick making major changes in my computer OS lifestyle every time I buy the latest piece of hardware, so until hardware makers start playing along, which won't happen for a while (if ever for the forseeable future), the only thing I can do is use Windows (I've had my netmd for 4 years, and it still won't work on linux successfully, and Sony doesn't care). We don't have a choice, and MS know this. This it what scares me: when we see major hardware manufacturers joining up with MS, because it's like, when you're buying a piece of hardware you're tying yourself down to an OS as well - it's awful - but it's either that or not use the great features of modern hardware technology. HARDWARE MAKERS - PLEASE STOP PUTTING US IN THIS SITUATION!!
I'm still happy with DVD quality movies, thanks.
I wouldn't be surprised if the Government prevented this from becoming common place: I remember them doing something like this before, where they wouldn't allow 40-bit encryption system for the public (or something like that), because it meant the NSA couldn't crack it in a reasonable time. Privacy is illegal. If the government can't tap your phone calls and read your e-mails, then they won't allow the public to use that technology. Or at least until the war on terrorism ends (should be sometime around the extinction of human nature and mankind).
maybe have icons on the installation screen next to the giant terms of Agreement document?
By default maybe. KDE (don't know much about Gnome: yeah, I always got the impression everything (buttons) was clunky too, but that was ~3.5 years ago when I used it) window themes can be super thin and minimalistic. It's easy and very versatile to customise how you want literally every aspect of your desktop to look with the Kcontrol centre.
I don't know why they make default setups look so ugly either. Perhaps it's to prompt the user to change it to suit them.
world
"We at Showtime Online express our apologies; however, these pages are intended for access only from within the United States."
That's what is says. Guess the rest of the may contain terrorists.
I was expecting some degree of enthusiasm towards a survey like this... but instead there just seems to be a lot of bitching and whining which, forgive me, I should have seen coming. Some of you slashdotters spend half the time pointing out the flaws (as you should), but when they try to correct them or take some community input, you accuse them of 'looking stupid' and 'being pathetic'. What, would you rather have them not change their ways just to look consistent?
/.ed after lengthily filling out that survey, so I'm going to post them here).
Some of my responses (which I'm not even sure got through, because the site got
My problems with MS:
It is relatively unreliable. MS software crashes on me (still). Linux does occasionally (seriously, though Kkword crashed on me the other day, that's pretty damn bad!), but not a third as much. I'm glad they put in that error reporting feature, it's a step in the right direction.
Sometimes this isn't MS's fault: people providing other faulty software may be to blame. I just think the base platform isn't as good (and I know others can prove this more technically).
2. MAKING IE unremovable, and explorer a critical kernel process?!!! WTF IS THAT??
3.I don't trust it. Sorry, but I will have no part in a corporation of the USA (read: corporation - a business with the goal of market and financial gain ALONE) which supplies software for governments: you must agree that software like this must be open to the people (I mean come on, say MS were a government company, do you doubt that the US governement would not put back-doors when deploying software to 'terrorist prone' countries? All the phone conversations in the US are by law tapped, and you know the presidency is corrupt - it's just a fact)).
3. The Command line sucks. I'm a computer programmer, you think I like bright colours and and big icons??! Your operating system isn't targetted towards me, just like older versions of linux had no appeal to the average home user. HOWEVER, my X/KDE desktop is now, in 2003, WAY more customisable than windows, just as easy (kcontrol is all GUI), and a lot prettier. Just go to KDE look.org for proof. My comment was that Linux gives me the choice of geek command line, and a desktop that is truly a piece of art. Windows does not encourage command lines and scripting. It probably never will. You just lost the core geek/programmer vote. And in the same vein, I'm sorry, but make some of your standards more universal. Porting is great: it shouldn't be the MS OS and then the rest, one should see the choice of operating systems, and regard one as their OS of choice, not the one they are forced into (because if they don't, they will be excluded from using MS only protocols). Linux shouldn't be regarded as an enemy, but a competitor. However, it probably will, because you are a corporation (see definition above).
DRM. Sorry, again, governemnt induced stupid bills which look like they will pass (thanks to the hoards of money from other monopolistic corporations, RIAA, MPAA), will without doubt implement standards that which MS will BY LAW incorporate. This makes me sound like a law breaker: but, and get this damn clear politicians, if you take away my rights of legitimate use, in some blanket law which eliminates a lot of pirates, but also those who were never breaking the law in the first place, then I will go out of my way to circumvent it. I pay $18-26 for a CD (yes $26 in England), then I will copy it to my mindisc player for (obviously) my own personal use.
My problems with linux:
I use linux (Slack) 23/7: here's why it's not 100%. I buy commerical products, and I wan't to use them with my computer. Hardware isn't like code: it takes money to distribute. So I will wind up buying my Netmd from a money hungry corporation (Sony): and no, I still can't use it on Linux (after about a year and a half). I need to reboot to burn my damn MP3's every time I wan't to go out. Linux needs better support from corporations selling hardware (fine,
That's ok dude, this is Slashdot (if there ever was any, you'd just hear a bunch of crude metaphors about 'fingering' and 'fscking').
It's going to take me ages to setup slack to be as user friendly as my mandrake partition is (it's the small things, like fonts, aliases, included app. base, etc.), and it's a hassle, frankly (but I'll get around to it sometime) - meanwhile, I have a still fully functioning linux partion from a different distro.
Are the silent flower heatsinks worth getting (non-overclocked 2Ghz)? I might, but they're pretty expensive.
I often wonder how many slashdotters overclock cpu's of 500+, because I wouldn't want to blow my money buying a new processor. Therefore, I usually skip these articles. Could we have a poll on the lines of:
4 99mhz /harmonica/large HORN/ over my processor. ...or whatever is realistic.
My CPU is overclocked:
0-49mhz
50-99mhz
100-199mhz
200-299mhz
300-
500-999mhz
1GHZ+
CowboyNeal stands in the corner blowing/playing a
I was introduced to computers from the hacker culture presented in the (mediocre) film hackers when I was in early teens. People grouch quite a lot about the portrayal of hackers in modern culture (speckled 'evil' nerd - 2600 letters often have stories of people who enjoy hacking and informing administrators of vulnerabilities getting suspended, and associated with people like the trenchcoat mafia), but I found the film really interesting - the characters seemed like normal people for a change (not segrated because of seclusiveness or 'black clothes', but because they were just smarter).
Of course I don't think the variance in opinion of morality between humans from different parts of the world is incomparable (France and America). For a start, I don't live in America, so lets not pretend that I advocate American mob patriotism in anyway (the text in parenthesis is meant to be ironic). You've just proved by the yes and no that the laws are quite different between these two countries, and claiming that "this could quite easily happen" is the whole point. Incidentally, you really shouldn't make such bold comments about people when you fail to see the irony or message of what they are saying.
The existence of kiddie porn is illegal (or should be) - it shouldn't exist unless someone breaks the law, and then that someone should get punished. Now, surely those pics should be considered illegal too (publishing, owning, whatever). The submitter claims "This isn't a whole lot different from Yahoo! France being sued for making auctions of Nazi propaganda viewable by French citizens." Well, yes it is...opinion should be covered by freedom of speech. Is owning nazi propoganda illegal in france (a booklet, for example)? Is it in America? I wouldn't have thought so. Kiddie porn in form of a pic file or video is a violation of human liberties (and it's evidence of malpractice)...having/sharing an opinion isn't (unless you live in a country which doesn't agree with freedom of speech of course).
I'm no fan of censorship of opinion (even if I hate inbred nazi/kkk cocksuckers), but the posession or acquisition of kiddie porn by a photographer is illegal.
This is how it works...
/. editor Timothy named terrorist #1. IT'S A SETUP!!!!
Slashdot users DoS whitehouse.gov to see the plans thay MAY quash internet freedom - government uses this as evidence to carry out these anti-terrorists prototection plans for the internet.