Hey..Somebody asked me what I learned. I put it out. Sorry you can't swallow it. Personally I think all the people who are upset at my post are people who are in denial that others can HAVE that idea about RPGs.
Face it. RPG's turn some people off and are NOT the be all and end all of games.
People asked me what I learned. And what I learned is that is what all MMOPRG's and MOST tabletop RPG groups degenerate into. Tweaking of numbers, fighting over the interpretation of the english language as used in the rulebook...etc.
The idea that a simulation of fantasy can be simulated with NUMBERS is crazy.
Why use numbers at all? Why not just sit around a table and start a round the table story making it up as you go? It would be just as fun provided you get the right motivated people only without the slot machine as your rulebook.
My brother became a world of Warcrack addict. But his addiction was to the numbers, the statistics, the urge to "tweak" a numerical system designed to reward that part of your brain that makes you come back for more. People are naive if they don't think MMOPRG authors and companies know EXACTLY what they are doing and how to make their pseudo gambling system as addictive as hell. It's not that hard. All they have to do is fly out to Vegas and watch people and the games.
I often told him. "Dude...you are SO good at tweaking that MMOPRG numeric system so that you have a million gold pieces and a god like character. Imagine how much money you could of made (and fun) using those skills in the financial markets"
I learned that RPG's are nothing more than fancy statistical simulations that have as much to do with simulating anything as the order of playing blackjack.
Other than the content background which I can get from reading novels, playing RPG's is about as exciting as moving numbers around a spreadsheet.
The thing with China....just because the west says it's not possible (censoring the internet, cracking down on dissidents, outlawing stuff) does not mean they don't try anyhow. And if they try they give it their complete attention because they actually think they CAN do it.
Remember the saying...
Just because you believe in something does not mean it's true
If you don't have Teredo tunneling turned on you will get what is called a Link Local scoped IPv6 address. If Teredo is on then you are on a 6to4 tunnel.
Didn't say the U.S. did not benefit from the things you mentioned, but how much of socialized medicine worldwide is possible because of FOR PROFIT companies that make money in the U.S.?
If everybody has socialized medicine, other than for altruistic reasons what will be the motivation for companies to do research? Will the government give these companies blank checks to do research?
One has to wonder if Canada benefits disproportionally because the research for their healthcare (Drugs, methods, etc) is primarily bankrolled by the companies in the United States.
Apple does not like Java. It's a competing development platform like Flash. If they did not have to ship it they wouldn't. You'll notice how long it takes them to update Java, that's why.
Monthly caps are dumb and don't address the problem the colleges (and ISP's in general) are having. The problem is not the amount of bytes transferred per month, it's the total available bandwidth available at any point in time. The issue comes when there is more requests for bandwidth than is available.
Users should be able to PAY for a guaranteed minimum amount of bandwidth during times when the available bandwidth is being totally used. During times when network bandwidth is unused the spare bandwidth should be equally available to everybody.
Vint Cerf (co-author of TCP/IP) says it better than me below..... --- "Rather than a volume cap, I suggest the introduction of transmission rate caps, which would allow users to purchase access to the Internet at a given minimum data rate and be free to transfer data at at least up to that rate in any way they wish," Dr. Cerf wrote.
Internet traffic methods that charge users fees "by the byte after a certain amount of data has been transmitted during a given period," Dr. Cerf dismisses as "volume cap" plans. "I do not find [such plans] to be a very useful practice," he added.
Instead Dr. Cerf favors plans focused on identifying those pieces of Internet data, called packets, that don't require the fastest movement between one computer server to another, so that data needing the greatest speed can be given priority, although he stressed that this selection process should be handled at the protocol level and not by broadband providers.
"Internet traffic should be managed with an eye towards applications and protocols," Dr. Cerf wrote. "A broadband provider should be able to prioritize packets that call for low latency (the period of time it takes for a packet to travel from Point A to Point B), but such prioritization should be applied across the board to all low latency traffic, not just particular application providers," he added.
"You agree to waive any and all rights you have in regards to this service. You also agree to waive your right to a trial if you disagree with our TOS"
It sounds hypocritical because you ignore the the fact that the GPL is not using "Free" in the context you are talking about.
And stop generalizing. "Everybody" who firmly believe in the GPL is not even remotely true. If you had READ the GPL you'd understand that it's PERFECTLY reasonable under the GPL to contribute and not give back so long as it's kept internal to your own company organization which blows a crater sized hole in your statement that "everyone who firmly believes in the GPL says: everyone who uses open source software must give back, because it was free."
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Hey..Somebody asked me what I learned. I put it out. Sorry you can't swallow it. Personally I think all the people who are upset at my post are people who are in denial that others can HAVE that idea about RPGs.
Face it. RPG's turn some people off and are NOT the be all and end all of games.
I get it.
People asked me what I learned. And what I learned is that is what all MMOPRG's and MOST tabletop RPG groups degenerate into. Tweaking of numbers, fighting over the interpretation of the english language as used in the rulebook...etc.
The idea that a simulation of fantasy can be simulated with NUMBERS is crazy.
Why use numbers at all? Why not just sit around a table and start a round the table story making it up as you go? It would be just as fun provided you get the right motivated people only without the slot machine as your rulebook.
You are completely right.
My brother became a world of Warcrack addict. But his addiction was to the numbers, the statistics, the urge to "tweak" a numerical system designed to reward that part of your brain that makes you come back for more. People are naive if they don't think MMOPRG authors and companies know EXACTLY what they are doing and how to make their pseudo gambling system as addictive as hell. It's not that hard. All they have to do is fly out to Vegas and watch people and the games.
I often told him. "Dude...you are SO good at tweaking that MMOPRG numeric system so that you have a million gold pieces and a god like character. Imagine how much money you could of made (and fun) using those skills in the financial markets"
Yes, but you don't need to play an RPG to contribute to a great story.
I don't deny that "role" playing is funner than "roll" playing, but you don't need to "roll" play in order to "role" play.
I learned that RPG's are nothing more than fancy statistical simulations that have as much to do with simulating anything as the order of playing blackjack.
Other than the content background which I can get from reading novels, playing RPG's is about as exciting as moving numbers around a spreadsheet.
If you can afford to buy it, you can afford to replace it.
Kinda hard to do indoors
Well duh...don't use it NEAR A FLAME
It's clean, dries up disinfects AND kills ants on contact within seconds. It's also cheap. Trust me...it works.
The thing with China....just because the west says it's not possible (censoring the internet, cracking down on dissidents, outlawing stuff) does not mean they don't try anyhow. And if they try they give it their complete attention because they actually think they CAN do it.
Remember the saying...
Just because you believe in something does not mean it's true
Depends on which one you are looking at.
It's no longer the "Bush" era. It's the Obama era now and these are now "Obama Era" techniques as well.
Flamebait...I was trying to be funny! :)
Lord, protect me from those who would do me good.
Mmmmm.....donuts......
If you don't have Teredo tunneling turned on you will get what is called a Link Local scoped IPv6 address. If Teredo is on then you are on a 6to4 tunnel.
Didn't say the U.S. did not benefit from the things you mentioned, but how much of socialized medicine worldwide is possible because of FOR PROFIT companies that make money in the U.S.?
If everybody has socialized medicine, other than for altruistic reasons what will be the motivation for companies to do research? Will the government give these companies blank checks to do research?
One has to wonder if Canada benefits disproportionally because the research for their healthcare (Drugs, methods, etc) is primarily bankrolled by the companies in the United States.
They DID say "Please"...
You've got that right!
May NAT die a horrible and torturous death.
Not saying it's not posted somewhere, but I'd REALLY like to know the security behind Unite before touching it with a ten foot pole
Apple does not like Java. It's a competing development platform like Flash. If they did not have to ship it they wouldn't. You'll notice how long it takes them to update Java, that's why.
Monthly caps are dumb and don't address the problem the colleges (and ISP's in general) are having. The problem is not the amount of bytes transferred per month, it's the total available bandwidth available at any point in time. The issue comes when there is more requests for bandwidth than is available.
Users should be able to PAY for a guaranteed minimum amount of bandwidth during times when the available bandwidth is being totally used. During times when network bandwidth is unused the spare bandwidth should be equally available to everybody.
Vint Cerf (co-author of TCP/IP) says it better than me below.....
---
"Rather than a volume cap, I suggest the introduction of transmission rate caps, which would allow users to purchase access to the Internet at a given minimum data rate and be free to transfer data at at least up to that rate in any way they wish," Dr. Cerf wrote.
Internet traffic methods that charge users fees "by the byte after a certain amount of data has been transmitted during a given period," Dr. Cerf dismisses as "volume cap" plans. "I do not find [such plans] to be a very useful practice," he added.
Instead Dr. Cerf favors plans focused on identifying those pieces of Internet data, called packets, that don't require the fastest movement between one computer server to another, so that data needing the greatest speed can be given priority, although he stressed that this selection process should be handled at the protocol level and not by broadband providers.
"Internet traffic should be managed with an eye towards applications and protocols," Dr. Cerf wrote. "A broadband provider should be able to prioritize packets that call for low latency (the period of time it takes for a packet to travel from Point A to Point B), but such prioritization should be applied across the board to all low latency traffic, not just particular application providers," he added.
Most of the TOS's I've read boil down to.
"You agree to waive any and all rights you have in regards to this service. You also agree to waive your right to a trial if you disagree with our TOS"
I mean seriously, that's what they all say.
It sounds hypocritical because you ignore the the fact that the GPL is not using "Free" in the context you are talking about.
And stop generalizing. "Everybody" who firmly believe in the GPL is not even remotely true. If you had READ the GPL you'd understand that it's PERFECTLY reasonable under the GPL to contribute and not give back so long as it's kept internal to your own company organization which blows a crater sized hole in your statement that "everyone who firmly believes in the GPL says: everyone who uses open source software must give back, because it was free."
Do your research, check your facts then write.