It is the most sandbox-y MMO I have played yet, with multiple of ways to play it. From trader in high security areas to pirate in the interstellar outback, everything is possible (note that the latter is quite dangerous thanks to open PvP).
Disclaimer: I have never played Star Wars: Galaxies, so I cannot offer a direct comparison.
Since most pre-configured machines have some components I'm not happy with, I want to look at the part list and do some research anyway. As the most pertinent example, let me discuss graphics cards: I found that most pre-configured computers have either
- Cards with active (fan) cooling. My experience with those is not so good, as the fans tend to be crap and the market for high quality replacement parts is limited. - or passive cooled but low end&slow cards that don't meet my idea of reasonable gaming performance.
So I have to do the most time-consuming part of the part selection anyway - not much difference to assembling my own
In Germany, a similar "contract of adhesion" was found unenforcable in court a few years ago. The lawsuit was Microsoft vs. a computer dealer who unbundled hardware and OEM versions of Microsoft software. M$ lost that one.
Note that the end user in Germany is given additional protection against "unfair and surprising" clauses in "Terms Of Service", EULAs and the like. So even if Hans Kraut carelessly accepts a particularly onerous EULA under circumstances that would make it binding, he has a chance of taking it down in court. Merchants have to be more careful, as they are held to a higher standard of diligence.
From a user perspective, I think API clones like WINE are more interesting. Even if my next computer will be capable of handling Vista in a VM, why would I want to run this memory hog? Besides, I'd still have to pay for a Vista license:-( I'd rather have a relatively light compatibility layer that gets the job done while consuming less system ressources (and yes, I know WINE is not 100% mature yet).
It hasn't been tested in courts but I think it's reasonable to expect that the EULAS carefully prepared by an army of lawyers would stand up in court without problems.
In Germany, a Microsoft EULA clause that forbids unbundling of OEM versions has failed in court a few years ago. It was the Bundesgerichtshof to boot, Germany's highest court in non-constitutional affairs.
Large companies use EULAs as FUD tactics far more often than you think. If the EULA can scare most people into obeying (not counting those who outright pirate the software anyway), it has served its purpose even if it doesn't hold water in court.
The lawsuits don't need to be frivolous, they just need to be baseless, but not baseless enough that they're thrown out immediately. As I understand it (IANAL) the lawsuits need to be NOT completely baseless, otherwise the other guy might be able to convince the court (in a countersuit) that they were frivolous. In that case, you might end up paying his lawyers too.
But without a non-competition agreement I can't see that theirs would go very far. Of course anyone can sue anybody at anytime for anything. Actually winning a judgement is another matter.
AFAIK that is correct. They can cause you some nuisance but probably not win. If this actually goes to court, ask your real lawyer about the chances to recover your legal fees because plaintiff brought a frivolous lawsuit;-)
You mean Direct X 10, right? Because Direct X 9.0c already exists for Win2000 and XP. Direct X 10 promises more beautiful graphics, but it will take a long time before the majority of games is Direct X 10 only.
I am sure a good many of them do not consider this an upgrade, but rather final delivery of the OS they were promised when they purchased their hardware.
Then they may finally understand that buying "upgrade vouchers" for unreleased software is not a good idea. The software may be delayed or buggy as hell once it is finally released. That is not limited to M$ by the way, it has happened with graphics card/game bundles from other vendors before.
You're overlooking that the socket for a graphics processor will require room on the board and the socket itself will be a part that costs money. If the graphics processor is a high end model that draws a lot of power, you will need a voltage converter and cooling solution similar to what the CPU needs. Overall I see this causing even more problems than using a PCIe socket and a graphics card that carries a voltage converter/cooling solution that are adapted to the needs of the processor on the card... You still missed the point, entirely.
That socket is usually called a "PCIe slot" these days. If you use a socket instead of just integrating the graphics chip into one that is onboard anyway, you might as well use the established solution. Another interesting approach (albeit not for high end machines and somewhat OT here) is AMD's plan to integrate the GPU with the CPU. That way, you might have some more choice than with a soldered in chip, and GPU cooling could profit from the availability of decent CPU coolers.
Intel drivers for Linux Just Work(TM) That might have to do with their drivers being Open Source, which has been recommended by the Linux community for a long time. According to all statements from kernel devlopers I've read, Open Source drivers are much easier to maintain.
Maybe if piracy wasn't so easy, more people would be forced to move to another operating system like Linux. Instead, people decide that it's easier to steal.
So far, piracy is easier than learning to use Linux/BSD/whatever. But what if Microsoft succeeds in making it hard? I think they would gain some new customers among the lazy and wealthy(who would finally pony up the license fees), but at the same time the poor but smart would prefer to put in the effort to move. As a result, revenue would rise at the expense of market share.
At some point, the cost of rackspace and power consumption will be out of proportion when compared to the performance of newer machines. I guess Google's Pentium 4 based machines (if they have some of those) will eventually lose out to Core2Duo and Athlon64 that way.
Don't underestimate the willingness of the masses to jump on the bandwagon. Even if DX10 is not much better, it is possible that most people will buy the marketing and "upgrade" to Vista.
The next step would be that some games are developed for DX10 only, creating pressure to switch for those who really prefer XP.
Personally, I hope that Vista will fail by pissing off too many people with DRM and new bugs, but that is far from certain.
See http://wiki.duskglow.com/tiki-index.php?page=Open- Graphics. The development board is going to use a FGPA, because a custom chip design would be too expensive. For later, they plan to produce it as ASIC to improve the price/performance ratio. With better FGPAs, they could stick to the FGPA for the end-user version which would help to reduce investment costs. Quote about the ASIC design:
RTL for the ASIC will be released under a dual license (GPL and proprietary) There will be a time-delay on some parts (to deal with investor concerns over the $millions necessary to invest in fabrication), but once the investment is recouped, the code will be released. (We need a law firm to escrow the RTL for us, pro bono.)
Eve is different by being more like a strategy game where you control one of many ships. Think multiplayer Homeworld where your corp (guild) makes up the pilots of the fleet. Also, it is like paper-scissors-stone in the choice of equipment. Know your enemy, bring the right stuff and you might be able to wipe the floor with the opposition.
If you check out http://wiki.duskglow.com/tiki-index.php?page=Open- Graphics, you will find that they work on an open hardware design, at the moment based on a FGPA. That card will not be as fast as a current high end cards, so you are (for now) right about the performance.
But at least, it will be an alternative for when the age-old cards that have open drivers NOW are no longer available.
I guess Apple has the right to censor its own forums, but that does not necessarily make it a smart move. For me, it makes them look loke another bunch of control freaks who cannot admit a mistake. Not that different from the likes of Microsoft and Sony.
Boy, if you are tired of people bringing up technical deficencies with HD-DVD, imagine how mucb more tired Blu-Ray supporters are with this old chestnut which was solved before the format launched! Blu-Ray discs all have a coating that renders them more scratch proof than HD-DVD dscs.
The real point is that HD-DVD discs can tolerate scratches better, because they are further out of focus than with Blu-Ray. A small scratch that will render a Blu-Ray disc unreadable might appear blurred and translucent enough to the HD-DVD optics to be ignored. Those of us who are wearing glasses know the effect.
To compensate for this, the Blu-Ray camp has introduced the scratch-proof coating. Of course, HD-DVD could use the same coating, making it even more resilient (or do without and save some manufacturing costs).
I've tried Guild Wars in the Open Beta. Now playing EVE Online which has a big, shared world. I like it much better than Guild Wars (which has its good points, but I disliked the instanced missions).
Depending on how sophisticated your education needs get, "Electronic Circuits" by Tietze and Schenk may be worthwile: http://www.amazon.com/Electronic-Circuits-Handbook -Design-Application/dp/3540004297/sr=8-1/qid=11685 10366/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/105-9488728-1526850?ie=UTF8& s=books It is a college-level textbook that focuses on the application of electronic circuits. Some advanced mathematics are required, but usually the modelling is on the simple side rather than trying to capture all the fine details. Overall I consider it a highly useful book for designing everyday electronics. People who are working on cutting-edge technology might want something (even;-) more scientific.
I find Hardcore a little extreme. Losing a fight should hurt somewhat but I don't like the idea of having to start over from the beginning. I think a good middle ground is losing the equipment you're currently carrying. That is, for instance, what EVE Online does: your current ship is destroyed and some of the equipment can be looted from the wreck. This also provides a money and item sink, so the often cited "MUDflation" is much reduced.
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Have you tried EVE Online (http://www.eve-online.com/) yet?
It is the most sandbox-y MMO I have played yet, with multiple of ways to play it. From trader in high security areas to pirate in the interstellar outback, everything is possible (note that the latter is quite dangerous thanks to open PvP).
Disclaimer: I have never played Star Wars: Galaxies, so I cannot offer a direct comparison.
Since most pre-configured machines have some components I'm not happy with, I want to look at the part list and do some research anyway. As the most pertinent example, let me discuss graphics cards:
I found that most pre-configured computers have either
- Cards with active (fan) cooling. My experience with those is not so good, as the fans tend to be crap and the market for high quality replacement parts is limited.
- or passive cooled but low end&slow cards that don't meet my idea of reasonable gaming performance.
So I have to do the most time-consuming part of the part selection anyway - not much difference to assembling my own
In Germany, a similar "contract of adhesion" was found unenforcable in court a few years ago. The lawsuit was Microsoft vs. a computer dealer who unbundled hardware and OEM versions of Microsoft software. M$ lost that one.
Note that the end user in Germany is given additional protection against "unfair and surprising" clauses in "Terms Of Service", EULAs and the like. So even if Hans Kraut carelessly accepts a particularly onerous EULA under circumstances that would make it binding, he has a chance of taking it down in court.
Merchants have to be more careful, as they are held to a higher standard of diligence.
From a user perspective, I think API clones like WINE are more interesting. Even if my next computer will be capable of handling Vista in a VM, why would I want to run this memory hog? Besides, I'd still have to pay for a Vista license :-(
I'd rather have a relatively light compatibility layer that gets the job done while consuming less system ressources (and yes, I know WINE is not 100% mature yet).
no text...no text...
In Germany, a Microsoft EULA clause that forbids unbundling of OEM versions has failed in court a few years ago. It was the Bundesgerichtshof to boot, Germany's highest court in non-constitutional affairs.
Large companies use EULAs as FUD tactics far more often than you think. If the EULA can scare most people into obeying (not counting those who outright pirate the software anyway), it has served its purpose even if it doesn't hold water in court.
The lawsuits don't need to be frivolous, they just need to be baseless, but not baseless enough that they're thrown out immediately.
As I understand it (IANAL) the lawsuits need to be NOT completely baseless, otherwise the other guy might be able to convince the court (in a countersuit) that they were frivolous. In that case, you might end up paying his lawyers too.
You mean Direct X 10, right?
Because Direct X 9.0c already exists for Win2000 and XP. Direct X 10 promises more beautiful graphics, but it will take a long time before the majority of games is Direct X 10 only.
You're overlooking that the socket for a graphics processor will require room on the board and the socket itself will be a part that costs money. If the graphics processor is a high end model that draws a lot of power, you will need a voltage converter and cooling solution similar to what the CPU needs.
Overall I see this causing even more problems than using a PCIe socket and a graphics card that carries a voltage converter/cooling solution that are adapted to the needs of the processor on the card... You still missed the point, entirely.
That socket is usually called a "PCIe slot" these days. If you use a socket instead of just integrating the graphics chip into one that is onboard anyway, you might as well use the established solution.
Another interesting approach (albeit not for high end machines and somewhat OT here) is AMD's plan to integrate the GPU with the CPU. That way, you might have some more choice than with a soldered in chip, and GPU cooling could profit from the availability of decent CPU coolers.
Intel drivers for Linux Just Work(TM)
That might have to do with their drivers being Open Source, which has been recommended by the Linux community for a long time. According to all statements from kernel devlopers I've read, Open Source drivers are much easier to maintain.
So far, piracy is easier than learning to use Linux/BSD/whatever. But what if Microsoft succeeds in making it hard?
I think they would gain some new customers among the lazy and wealthy(who would finally pony up the license fees), but at the same time the poor but smart would prefer to put in the effort to move. As a result, revenue would rise at the expense of market share.
So Microsoft has a little dilemma here
At some point, the cost of rackspace and power consumption will be out of proportion when compared to the performance of newer machines.
I guess Google's Pentium 4 based machines (if they have some of those) will eventually lose out to Core2Duo and Athlon64 that way.
Don't underestimate the willingness of the masses to jump on the bandwagon. Even if DX10 is not much better, it is possible that most people will buy the marketing and "upgrade" to Vista.
The next step would be that some games are developed for DX10 only, creating pressure to switch for those who really prefer XP.
Personally, I hope that Vista will fail by pissing off too many people with DRM and new bugs, but that is far from certain.
The development board is going to use a FGPA, because a custom chip design would be too expensive. For later, they plan to produce it as ASIC to improve the price/performance ratio. With better FGPAs, they could stick to the FGPA for the end-user version which would help to reduce investment costs.
Quote about the ASIC design:
For some of them it might be the first step. :-)
Once all applications that are important to you run on Linux, the switch is much easier
Eve is different by being more like a strategy game where you control one of many ships. Think multiplayer Homeworld where your corp (guild) makes up the pilots of the fleet. Also, it is like paper-scissors-stone in the choice of equipment. Know your enemy, bring the right stuff and you might be able to wipe the floor with the opposition.
If you check out http://wiki.duskglow.com/tiki-index.php?page=Open- Graphics, you will find that they work on an open hardware design, at the moment based on a FGPA. That card will not be as fast as a current high end cards, so you are (for now) right about the performance.
But at least, it will be an alternative for when the age-old cards that have open drivers NOW are no longer available.
I guess Apple has the right to censor its own forums, but that does not necessarily make it a smart move.
For me, it makes them look loke another bunch of control freaks who cannot admit a mistake. Not that different from the likes of Microsoft and Sony.
The real point is that HD-DVD discs can tolerate scratches better, because they are further out of focus than with Blu-Ray. A small scratch that will render a Blu-Ray disc unreadable might appear blurred and translucent enough to the HD-DVD optics to be ignored. Those of us who are wearing glasses know the effect.
To compensate for this, the Blu-Ray camp has introduced the scratch-proof coating. Of course, HD-DVD could use the same coating, making it even more resilient (or do without and save some manufacturing costs).
I've tried Guild Wars in the Open Beta.
Now playing EVE Online which has a big, shared world. I like it much better than Guild Wars (which has its good points, but I disliked the instanced missions).
Depending on how sophisticated your education needs get, "Electronic Circuits" by Tietze and Schenk may be worthwile:k -Design-Application/dp/3540004297/sr=8-1/qid=11685 10366/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/105-9488728-1526850?ie=UTF8& s=books ;-) more scientific.
http://www.amazon.com/Electronic-Circuits-Handboo
It is a college-level textbook that focuses on the application of electronic circuits. Some advanced mathematics are required, but usually the modelling is on the simple side rather than trying to capture all the fine details.
Overall I consider it a highly useful book for designing everyday electronics. People who are working on cutting-edge technology might want something (even
I find Hardcore a little extreme. Losing a fight should hurt somewhat but I don't like the idea of having to start over from the beginning.
I think a good middle ground is losing the equipment you're currently carrying. That is, for instance, what EVE Online does: your current ship is destroyed and some of the equipment can be looted from the wreck.
This also provides a money and item sink, so the often cited "MUDflation" is much reduced.