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User: Loiosh-de-Taltos

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Comments · 35

  1. Re:And dont you DARE close your eyes or not listen on Fox Sues Dish Over "Auto Hop" Ad-Skipping Feature · · Score: 1

    Replay TV didn't lose, they ran out of money before they could defend themselves: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ReplayTV#Legal_battle
    "The lawsuit against SONICblue was stayed when the company filed for bankruptcy protection in March 2003"

    It has not been tested in court. The broadcasters are terrified of another major loss like the Cablevision lawsuit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remote_storage_digital_video_recorder#Cablevision_litigation_in_the_U.S.

    Where the US court system found remove-DVRs (and DVRing) fully protected under US law.

  2. Re:Great way to cut down on the affiliate link spa on Amazon Drops California Associates to Avoid Sales Tax · · Score: 3, Insightful

    The Supreme Court already made their stance on the exact Affiliate issue known: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quill_Corp._v._North_Dakota

    "Quill Corp. v. North Dakota, 504 U.S. 298 (1992) is a Supreme Court ruling concerning use tax. Quill Corporation is an office supply retailer. Quill had no physical presence in North Dakota (neither a sales force, nor a retail outlet), however it did have a licensed computer software program that some of its North Dakota customers used to check Quill's current inventories and place orders directly. North Dakota attempted to impose a use tax on Quill, which was struck down by the Supreme Court."

  3. Re:Good thread with an Airbus pilot and some exper on Flight 447 'Black Box' Decoded · · Score: 1

    This is correct as far as the response of the glass instruments, but remember that the airplane includes a full suite of primitives (pitch indication, among others).

    The trained response for an Airbus pilot of this aircraft in a loss of awareness is to neutral the plane. Set the throttles to 85% N1 and point the aircraft at +5 degrees. This is the neutral position for that Airbus and will keep a safe altitude and speed until the platform returns. The pilots were trained to do this.

  4. Re:That reminds me of this on Microsoft Unveils Street Slide Map UI · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Except that is entirely different. That is mostly what google street view does (except expanded with view bubbles). That is simply a long panorama. Google Street View is a panorama + 360 view bubbles.

    Street Slide takes Street View-like view bubbles and intelligently stitches them back into a panorama for getting a good spatial map of an area. Then when you need to zoom back in, it pushes you into the correct bubble. It is much easier for a person to view and use than either of the previous models.

  5. Re:Isn't this just DRM in little pieces? on DRM vs. Unfinished Games · · Score: 1

    Steam did not include an offline option when it launched. You could not play HL2 without steam. Even if you got the CD version you had to install steam to authenticate it and then have steam running to play it.

  6. Re:Frustrating movie on "District 9" Best Sci-fi Movie of 09? · · Score: 1

    That's kinda like real life, you know. Not many pure right, pure good, or pure wrong people. Lots of bad motivations with good results, the opposite, and every flavor in between.

    One might say that this form of non-simplistic characterization is exactly why this movie should be praised.

  7. Re:I can't believe Vista drivers don't work... on Microsoft Begs Hardware Makers To Take Support Seriously · · Score: 2, Informative

    Sometimes you people are monstrously uninformed. I have trouble imagining how you can assume that when the exact opposite was clearly stated, repeatedly, from Microsoft. All of the driver breaking that went on during Vista's development was done to create a framework for future efforts. Examples below:

    The audio driver model was changed to create low-latency drivers and offer features like application-specific audio channels. Seven enhances this by offering separate modes (communication and regular). They also offer ducking (temporary volume reduction / playback stop) for communication devices. Ex: You get a skype call, your Windows Media Player lowers the volume during the call.

    The video driver model was changed to lower the DirectX overhead and simplify drivers (by removing hardware CAPS). Seven enhances this by offering Direct2d to handle all 2d rendering (with some incredible enhancements including glyphing-support). As always for Microsoft, GDI and GDI+ are still supported along with Direct2D. For 3D there are a few new features:
    1. DirectX10 Level9: Direct9 hardware wrapping that will allow DirectX 10 and 10.1 programs to use whatever features are available.
    2. DirectX10 WARP: Software (optimized) renderer so that DirectX 10 is supported on systems with no 3d cards.
    3. Coming in DirectX11 (which is a superset of DirectX 10.1): Compute Shaders which allows easier access to using GPUs for non-graphics computations.
    DirectX11 will be supported in Vista along with Direct2d.

    Vista drivers are compatible with Seven, but the newer features (like communication mode) will require updates. The hardware will still work, just not as fast or with as many features as it could.

  8. Re:A bridge is harder than it sounds like on Aion is NCSoft's MMO With a Pretty Face · · Score: 1

    This is exactly the parent's point. Westerns gamers do not like to waste time with a repetitive gaming experience. This is why all the Korean MMOs have failed when they've come here (RF: Online).

    We like challenge without repetition. Eastern games are pure repetition focused usually on selfish resource grabbing (resource loot). Western games are group challenges focused on direct rewarding (item loot).

  9. Re:Anything else out there? on The State of X.Org · · Score: 1

    It is not free 'as in GPL.' There is a closed-source single-user version that is freeware. If you want more users it is no longer 'free' and costs as much as you'd expect.

  10. Re:Probably not ... on PETA Offers X-Prize for Artificial Meat · · Score: 1

    The only domesticated species that is proven incapable of wild survival without cross-breeding is the ferret. They have lost their homing instinct and are unable to establish dens or create shelter.

    It's rather amusing to think we have bred the survival out of a species.

  11. Re:hmm on PETA Offers X-Prize for Artificial Meat · · Score: 1

    Humor fail alert.

  12. Re:How realistic? on Information Requested for NASA-Based MMORPG · · Score: 1

    Sounds a lot like Buzz Aldrin's Race into Space: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buzz_Aldrin's_Race_into_Space

    One of my favorite childhood games.

  13. Re:Not likely on Warner Backs Blu-Ray. End Times For HD-DVD? · · Score: 1

    Fox and Buena Vista (Disney) were DIVX-exclusive.

    At the time of launch only Warner and New Line (Sony) were fully in support of DVD.

  14. Re:Yeah, that's about it. on Vista SP1 Guides for IT Professionals Released · · Score: 1

    Strange, my copy of Second Life seems quite happy.

  15. Re:Two seperate networks on Boeing 787 May Be Vulnerable to Hacker Attack · · Score: 1

    Boeing (and Airbus) like to use three separate systems for control. This applies to electrical (A,B,C AC buses) and hydrolic (red, blue, yellow) systems. I assume this would also apply to their communication network.

  16. Re:Own worst enemy. on States Claim There is No Match for Microsoft · · Score: 1

    ... except they're not.

    "The big sales driver: Office 2007, which is selling like gangbusters. When comparing Office 2007 sales to version 2003 during the same early sales period, unit sales of the newer productivity suite are about double the older one, according to NPD.

    "Office commands 17.4 percent of all PC software dollar volume, including PC games," Swenson said. "When people go to the store to buy software, there's a good chance they'll end up buying Microsoft Office.""

    Office 2007 is doing fantastic. You may want to check on your facts. Quote from: http://www.microsoft-watch.com/content/business_applications/pc_softwares_great_year.html

  17. Re:FTA on MS Responds To Vista's Network / Audio Problems · · Score: 1

    I suspect the cracking and popping are clearly related to issues in Creative Lab's hardware and drivers. Their soundcards have been notorious for years for their horrible cracking issues.

    I would guess that MS has assisted Creative Labs with this at the cost of PCI bus performance.

  18. Re:Maybe this is boon to I.D. on String Theory a Disaster for Physics? · · Score: 1

    Darwin made a suggestion for how to directly disprove evolution. If spontanious creation of a feature was ever discovered, that is something was created that could not be evolved, it would disprove evolution.

    Most ID people like to use the example of the human eye; however, they often fail to do proper research into the history of that feature. See: Undersea creatures with proto-eyes.

  19. Re:Zelda, sports games on 27 Playable Wii Games At E3 · · Score: 1

    Yes, Nintendo controller with rumble and integrated sound.

  20. Re:What about Biggs at the beginning? on Classic Star Wars Trilogy Finally on DVD · · Score: 1
  21. Re:Maybe I missed something.... on Playstation 3 Delay Official · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Interesting that so many people are saying the 360 isn't selling well. The information that is published appears to indicate... "The system looks likely sell 6 million units by the end of June 2006, and from 10 to 12 million by the end of the year." This information came from "Research analyst P.J. McNealy, as reported by Next Generation." URL: http://games.kikizo.com/news/200603/002.asp

    Now, that's ignoring the Japanese market where the 360 has positively -bombed-: "The Xbox 360 managed to sell only 1,203 units from Feb. 20 - 26 in a report from Media Create." Source: http://news.punchjump.com/article.php?id=2101

  22. Re:Desert Bus Requirements on Penn and Teller's Long Lost Game · · Score: 1

    I have done the same with a PMDG-747-400 from Tokyo to KLAX. Real time. It is... an interesting experience.

  23. Re:Are they completely out of touch? on Gates on Google · · Score: 1

    Interesting. Perhaps they are oblivious of your reality. I know my family would be wonderfully happy if they could ask Word: What is the History of World War II? (for example) and recieve a quality article about it. My sister would love that for doing her reports.

    As to the notes, I believe that is the point of Microsoft Research. http://research.microsoft.com/

    Go beyond what everyone is doing today.

  24. Re:GOffice? on Gates on Google · · Score: 1

    *cough*http://slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=04/12/05 /1822229&tid=187&tid=98*cough*

    Additional: And the occasional 'friend' who is advertising for a major corperation.

  25. Re:Wait, this is NEWS? on Half-Life 2 Retail to Require Steam Activation · · Score: 1

    "that is not true. they said you would need steam for updates and online play, but if you wanted to just play the single player game out of the box then you wouldn't need a net connection(this would be the sensible thing, as some don't have net even)."

    Incorrect also. You will have to create a Steam account (if you do not have one) and authenticate your copy of Half-Life 2 -before- you can play it. Single or Multiplayer.

    This is done during the install phase of the game.