I've experienced numbers 7 and 8 directly within the last couple of months. After switching jobs, my new cube was outfitted with a truly horrible Belkin 104 key model. The keys felt like someone had spilled orange juice all over it, sticking in position up or down. What I really wanted was an ergonomic wired keyboard. Good luck finding one. I tried Best Buy, Target, Fry's, and Wal-Mart without success. All had wireless ergonomic models, but nothing wired. So I caved and got the Microsoft Wireless Desktop Comfort Edition. It was a wireless mouse / keyboard combo, and the keyboard had a nice ergonomic curve to it. Big mistake. Nearly everyone in the office has a wireless device, so there is a ton of interference. Add to that the fact that the keyboard consistently misses keystrokes, or sticks the control or shift key down. This is murder when using Vi for editing.
Where can I find a good, wired, ergonomically shaped keyboard?
I'd be very wary if I were bidding on this. I would definitely use a third party escrow account, considering the amount of money involved. This is the first sale the seller has ever made, and the last two purchases that have links are for stickers. Add to that the fact that not a single image of the collection is posted. I hope this sale is legit, but it really smells like someone was cranking up their feedback in order to get away with a fraudulent sale.
I'm sorry, but this just seems a bit too contrived. Forget for a second that this story would be all too easily faked (a couple of snapshots of a slideshow, and links to MS websites do not prove a story for me). The presenter just happened to have a live boot disk with him that had OO installed. And he just happened to be able to recover the doc from the Windows PC that was "experiencing trouble". I know if the tables were turned, no one on Slashdot would give a second thought to discrediting this story.
As much as I love to see egg on Microsoft's face, I call shenanigans on this one.
A couple of years ago, some friends and got together and built "The Boilercade". We got the cabinet together, and it now houses all of my video game equipment. I haven't put any of the finishing touches on it, like a marquee, coin door, or graphics... but it gets the job done.
One thing I've learned is that nostalgia wears off quick. We built the cab and were all excited about playing some older arcades, but other than centipede it hasn't seen any action in months. Still, the cabinet makes a nice entertainment center, and houses my receiver, DVD player, VCR, CD Jukebox, and PC. I've wired up consoles, but only the GameCube sees much action on it. I know I could probably wire the console controllers into the control panel, but I'm thinking it probably isn't worth it.
One thing that I know I wish I had planned for: A glass door. Since the cab is used like an entertainment center, I have to leave the door (where the coin door belongs) open all of the time so that the remotes work. If I had used some type of transaparent / translucent door, it wouldn't be a problem.
Where I work, we try to lock down the operator machines that we install our client to as much as possible. I see Puppy as being a very quick and easy way to generate a locked down live disc for those client stations. It gives us a base OS install to start from. We follow that by installing our client software, then lock down the account to only run our app. Burn a copy, throw it in the client machine, and call it a day. If they ever replace the PC or if the disc breaks, it would be a very simple matter to burn another copy and toss it in. Much better than re-installing an OS, all of the client configuration, and locking down the account. I'm keeping my eye on this one.
PC screens are difficult to read when you are more than a couple of feet away, so you may want to consider getting a cheap PDA with wireless capabilities. Do some range testing, but you should have no problem setting up the wireless AP somewhere in your house and still have a connection from your workshop. You could use the PDA for browsing the web or displaying your drafting designs for your current project.
I hope you find a solution that works for your needs!
From what I understand, if you uninstall Half-Life 2 after activating it on Steam, then install off of Steam, you won't have to use your media anymore.
Unfortunately, not true. I know because I tried it. Needing the DVD is a nuissance, but not one that I wasn't already accustomed to with my other games. Diablo II, Diablo, Half-Life, Doom, Quake, etc....with any of these games you need the disc to play. Sure, you can download a crack for most that gets around the issue, but it is just that, a crack.
I'm disappointed that I need the DVD to play, and I'm really hoping that Valve releases a patch that will eliminate it. Still, I enjoy the game, and I've had to use media in the past, so I'm not ready to fire bomb anybody. If you are considering purchasing HL2, and you have the bandwidth, take my advice and buy it on Steam rather than from retail. You'll get a much better deal for your money.
I am experiencing the stuttering issue when I play HL2. At first, I thought it was just a performance issue. I have a 2.4GHz P4, 512MB RAM, and a GeForce4 MX 420 graphics card (AGP 2x). I can't run the highest graphics settings, but I was pretty happy with what I was seeing. Loading each new chapter takes quite a long time... close to a minute in some cases. This kind of breaks the illusion of the game. The stuttering seems to happen most often just before and after a game load, and whenever there is dialog between characters. With so many people making note of it, and considering my specs are very close to the recommended (not minimum) specs for the game, perhaps this really is a bug.
I do have some other gripes with the game. But before I get into those, I should note that I LOVE HL2. The game itself is totally engrossing, and the action is varied and interesting. It has all of the elements of the original, and has built on that success. The transition from frantic action to puzzle solving to skilled jumping and traversal... it's a recipe that I really enjoy.
That said, I do have my gripes. Like I mentioned before, the long load times and the stuttering definitely take away from the game. Another big gripe I have has to do with the fact that the DVD is required. I purchased the Collector's Edition of the game from a real store because I wanted to install from physical media rather than waiting on the download, and I wanted to get Half-Life : Source. I really didn't care about the t-shirt or Prima book. So I spent $87 on the CE when I could have had all I wanted, minus the media, for $60 on Steam. I had assumed that, once loaded, the DVD version and the Steam version would be identical. Big mistake! The CD-Key that comes with the retail version of the game requires that the media be present in the drive. THis means constantly inserting the disc, and carting it with me to work, home, LAN parties, and wherever I might want to play. One of the beauties of Steam is that you can go virtually anywhere and play your Valve games. Not so with the retail version, as now you must remember to bring your media with you. If you purchase your version online on Steam, however, no such requirement.
So now I'm stuck. My CD-Key is associated with my account, and there is no method for removing it. The store will not give me a refund, as they CD-Key is used. There is no option to upgrade or transition to another HL2 purchase level from Steam either. I also learned that my copy of the original Half-Life is now worthless, as I can't sell the game (the cd-key for it is associated with my account as well). I don't need it, as I can play the Source version, but I can't sell it, because I can't seperate the key for the original half-life from my account.
I'm really hoping that Valve comes up with some type of workable solution soon where I can either seperate the CD-Keys from my account so I can sell / refund my current copies, or provides a patch that removes the need for the media to be in the drive.
I looked into switching, and it came out to be a wash as far as cost. My cable and internet services are combined, and to get the HD, premium channels, and DSL service through a satellite company would run about the same amount.
The best deal I could get would be to get an OTA receiver and waft the Wi-Fi from my neighbor. Not ethical (for the data anyway), but cheap.
I've been a subscriber to the HDTV service from Insight in my area for over a year now, and while I haven't had any technical problems, I feel that the content still has a long way to go. There are currently a handful of HD stations available:
HBO-HD
SHOWTIME-HD
NBC-HD
ABC-HD
CBS-HD
ESPN-HD
Discovery HD Theater
Bravo-HD
PBS-HD
HD-NET
HD-Movies
And the pricing is a little crazy too. It's $13 a month to rent the HD Digital set top box with DVR (Motorola). When you rent the HD box, you get NBC, CBS, ABC, PBS, and Bravo in HD. For an extra $10 / month you can add HD-NET, HD-Movies, ESPN-HD, and Discovery HD Theater. That's $2.50 a channel. HBO-HD will run you another $10 (you get the standard set of digital HBO's as well), and SHO-HD is $13. Essentially, if you wanted to subscribe to every feature available in my area, and rent only one box, your total cable and internet bill would run in excess of $180 / month. Mine currently sits at $117 (digital box, digital subscription, HBO, Starz, internet). If all you were interested in getting were the 11 HD stations, you would be paying:
$40 Digital Subscription
$13 HD Receiver rental
$10 HBO
$13 Showtime
$10 HD-NET, HD-Movies, ESPN-HD, Discovery HD Theater
TOTAL: $86 / month + tax!
That's nearly $8 per channel! Even more discouraging is that there is very little network programming that is broadcast in HD. What you end up with are standard resolution programs that have been upconverted to HD resolution. This looks terrible, as you end up with all sorts of distortion, tracing, jaggies, and artifacts. America's Funniest Home Videos is notoriously bad, as they are upconverting the already poor video from home cameras.
If you are thinking about upgrading your service to include HD, be sure to check what content is available in your area, and set your price limit ahead of time. Otherwise you might find yourself disappointed with what you get. Also, you may want to look into the HD content that is available over the air. Over the air decoders have come way down in price, and I know that in our area there is more HD content available by broadcast than by cable.
As it stands now, if Valve converted steam to a pay-for service, I'd drop it. It just isn't worth the hassle. The client is still pretty buggy, which bothers me a bit. I'm not into paying a fee for MMORPGs either. I'd much rather pay for my game once, and then be able to use the game as often as I like. If the game has online multiplayer support for free, I will use it to see if I like it. But if I have to pay a usage fee, well, my monthly entertainment bill is high enough already.
I've been in your situation not too long ago. Our first child is going on 8 months now, and I remember thinking some of the same things when preparing for his arrival. My goals were a bit different though: my wife would be home with baby, and I just wanted to be able to check in and keep up with developments. Kids grow so fast, I didn't want to miss anything by being at work. There are a couple of things we did.
1 - Radio Monitor The only time we really use it is when we want to go outside and do some gardening while the baby is napping. The battery operated monitor lets us know when he is waking up, so we can go back inside and get him. Otherwise, babies are loud, and your ears are tuned to hear their cries. You won't really need the monitor while you are inside, although it is fun to listen to your neighbors argue as they forget to turn their monitor off.
2 - Cheap USB Web Cam + Mic I went to Target and got the $30 GE / Jasco special. It takes a decent picture, sort of grainy, but I can make out what is going on. I use the web cam / audio features built in to the Instant Messenger, and my wife will setup the laptop in whatever room they are in and let me peek in on the action for a while. I still have to work, so I can't spend all day ogling them, but it is a nice break from time to time. Make sure that the firewall you have at work is compatible with the IM video chat feature first though.
Otherwise, we really haven't had a need for further "surveilance". When he cries, we can hear it from any room in the house, even with the home theater playing.
Also he signed a bill to limit the sale of video games.
Ummm... no, that's not at all what he did. Talk about blowing things out of proportion. Directly from the article:
AB 1793, by Assemblyman Leland Yee, D-San Francisco, requires stores to post signs and offer brochures about the industry's game-rating system.
The bill only requires that video game retailers provide information on the rating system. It in no way inhibits the sale of any game to anyone. In fact, he indicated that he would strike down any bill that included any such ban.
My provider is the guilty party here. I have AT&T Wireless as my mobile provider, and they are constantly spamming my phone with ads for the mMode service. For a while, I was receiving an ad every day at noon, urging me to subscribe to a monthly mMode plan. They backed off a little bit, but I can count on at least one SMS each month for a contest, promotion, or some other advertisement. I don't get charged for incoming text messages, but it is still an annoyance.
Just last week I received an automated telephone solicitation from AT&T Wireless to add international calling to my cell. It was on my home phone line, not my cell, but that still doesn't excuse it.
I'm not sure what AT&T Wireless is trying to do. They've been bleeding customers at a phenomenal rate over the last year. Perhaps they are trying to make their new owners (Cingular) look good?
I have a couple of certifications (SCJP, MCP), and I'm working towards a couple more (MCAD, MCSD). My perspective on the certs is to use them to verify that I have coverage on a subject. I had three years experience with developing java apps before I took the exam. I decided to take the exam because I figured I could easily pass it. As it turns out, it was a lot tougher than I expected, and I learned quite a bit going through study guide. The same is true for my VB and C# certs.
I don't look at the certs as a way to get a (better) job. Instead, it is just a way to show that I have coverage in a particular subject. I don't imagine I'll ever make it my selling point, but if the job requires that particular skill, I have the means of proving that I am adept in it.
Sometimes you would be surprised by how much you can get for so little. For instance, our local library has a nice computer lab running Win2K. That's a good place for you to get access to a Win2K machine. While you are there, checkout some of the Cert study guides. Total cost to you so far: $0.
Also, while you are in the lab at the library, lookup the listings for all of the technical user groups that meet in your area. This is good for so many reason:
Lessons on latest technology
Network with other users
Find out about job openings
Free food (usually pizza and pop)
Door Prizes
I live near a major city, and there are literally hundreds of groups that meet throughout the month. If you find a couple of small groups, you really increase your chances of getting those door prizes. Plus, you might luckout and meet someone who will give you a shot at a better job.
All of this for the cost of transportation. Not bad if you ask me.
Disney is known for the number of hidden images their own staff put into their film frames. Can you imagine if those not even associated with the film had a chance to insert something of their own? I don't want to watch Shrek 2 and notice some hidden goatse.
I'm in Fishers, IN, and I receive my HDTV through Insight Cable. My bill runs around $110 per month, which includes cable modem, basic cable, classic cable, digital cable, HBO, and Showtime. The digital content requires an $8 per month STB, and the HDTV content requires a $13 per month STB. I currently receive NBC, CBS, ABC, Bravo, PBS, HBO, and Showtime in HD. I could pay another $10 per month to get ESPN, Discovery HD, HD Net, and HD Movies, but I'm not really interested in those. The HD content is not priced seperately from the other plans, I just needed to upgrade my equipment.
As far as the programming goes, most of the prime time shows are in HD now. The upconverted shows look like crap, though, so I end up switching back to non-HD channel. The PBS, HBO, and Showtime look the best. The networks seem to have some trouble synching up sound sometimes.
I've enjoyed using the service, and the price is right for now ($4 difference between an HD bill and a non-HD bill).
The loser pays system has advantages, but it can be abused just as easily as the current system. Plaintiffs with a valid case will be a bit gunshy about bringing their case against a major corporation. If they are lucky enough to find a lawyer willing to take the case and assume the risk, there is still the off chance that they could lose the case and be assigned enormous fees. Companies with plenty of resources would be encouraged to fight all court cases under this system, as they would incur minimal court costs in a loss, and could possibly profit from a win.
I've been using Insight cable here in Indiana for several years, and I've been generally happy with the service. Growing up, our house out in the country did not have access to cable, so we had a DirecTV dish. During heavy rains, snows, and generally bad weather, we would lose our signal. We didn't mind so much, as we would usually turn off everything during a storm for fear of electrical spikes.
We've experienced very little downtime with Insight. My wife is an avid television watcher, and keeps the set tuned most of the time we are home. Picture quality is very good, and the rates are almost identical to those from a satellite provider. One thing that I really like is that we don't need a tuner to pick up the classic cable stations on any TV in the house. With DirectTV, every set would need a STB to tune. With cable, as long as you don't want to watch HBO or some other premium station, you don't need any equipment. The equipment cost with Satellite can get quite high, even though most will give you the equipment for free now.
Our bill is high, but it would be the same amount regardless of the provider we use. Here is a breakdown:
HDTV/Digital/DVR Receiver: $13 per month Digital Package (basic and classic) $45 per month HBO and Showtime channels: $20 per month Broadband Access: $45 per month Discount: (-$10) per month (for having digital service coupled with the broadband access) After tax, a typical bill runs around $110.
Since you mentioned that you are not interested in broadband access, you could get service for much less than we do, as you could eliminate the premium channels and broadband service.
I receive a handful of stations in Hi-Def (NBC, CBS, ABC, HBO, SHO, PBS, BRAVO).
He already has an HD-ready television, so he should have no problem accepting a higher resolution output from a device that has component outputs. I am avoiding the dedicated linux PC, as it would be too difficult for my folks to pick up. They have a hard enough time understanding how to operate the remote for the television:-)
The PS/2 and BroadQ combination looks promising. I may give that a try. That one would afford me the selfish opportunity to do a little video gaming during family visits!
This story couldn't have come at a better time. My father recently asked me to look into a set-top box that would allow him to view a picture slide show, listen to music, and browse the web on his television over a wireless link. He set is maximum price at $1000, which is to include the wireless access point, card, device, accessories, and anything else needed to get it working.
My first thoughts were to look into the Windows XP Media Center Edition. Microsoft only license this version of the OS to be sold on specific hardware platforms, and I was hard pressed to find one for under $2000.
Next, I looked at using a similar Linux based solution. My folks are not technically savvy people, and my mom needs to be able to use this. I found a number of interesting and very useful tools, but nothing I felt comfortable putting in front of my parents without fearing a never ending stream of support calls.
I then took a look at the Prismiq. This seemed to be the right answer. It had all of the features that my pop was looking for, and even after getting the necessary wireless equipment and keyboard was goint to cost no more than $400. The only drawback is that we would be ordering this device sight-unseen. I'd really like the chance to use it before we put money down on it.
The XBox hack and PS/2 QCast both sound like interesting alternatives as well. I know that my dad is looking at this device mainly for putting on slide shows of his grandkids for his family and friends. He wants something small that will either blend in with his current entertainment system components, or can be easily hidden away in a cabinet. It must be simple to use for everyone in the family. Finally, it should be able to find new media as it is added to his home PC (Windows XP Home), and make it available without a lot of effort on his part.
Has anyone used a product like this? What is the best choice?
Nintendo is exhibiting excellent business strategy. They have targeted a niche market within the gaming industry: the young gamer. They are targeting their games at kids and the parents who will be buying them. History has shown that the earlier you can get a consumer to use your product, the more likely they are to continue using it throughout their life. Nintendo is making excellent business decisions with regard to pursuing this young market. By standing firm on decisions to not allow games with extremely graphic violence on their systems, they are catering to the parents who will be buying the games. Until the GC, Nintendo systems used cartridges, which prevented widespread copying of their games.
I continue to buy and play Nintendo games because they are fun, and they remind me of the games I played as a kid. My brother and I begged and begged to get our first Nintendo. We would play Super Mario Brothers, Zeldo, Metroid, Dragon Warrior, and many others for hours on end. And we were always having fun at it. I was thrilled that I was able to buy a GameCube and play a lot of those same titles. Super Mario Sunshine is sheer fun. Banjo Kazooie on the N64 was a blast to play too. Sure, they are targetted at kids, but it is hard to play them without getting a smile on your face.
If Nintendo continues to be a niche player, generating systems and games that cater to a younger crowd, that will be fine by me. My wife and I will be having children soon, and I would definitely get a Nintendo product for my kids before I got an XBOX or a PS. I'll continue to play the Metroid and Zelda series for as long as Nintendo continues to develop those lines.
I recently signed up with AT&T Wireless for cellular service when I was required to get a phone. AT&T had the lowest priced service plan with the most minutes: 300 nationwide minutes for $29.99, plus free nights and weekends. I ordered the Sony Ericsson t68i phone. I live in Indianapolis, IN, and I've found the service in the metro area to be pretty good. Unfortunately, my job requires me to drive to northern Indiana quite often, and as soon as I live the I-465 belt, I lose service. Service along I-69 and I-65 is so-so, but I've had several dropped calls for no apparent reason along these interstates. If I'm not on the interstate, I have no chance of getting reception. I've read that the t68 is notorious for poor reception. It has an internal antenna, which doesn't help matters. If I walk outside my house, I get two bars of service, but none indoors. Call clarity is excellent, when I have it. It seems that it is an all or nothing ordeal. A coworker of mine is on the same plan with AT&T, but has the Motorola t720. He is able to get reception in areas that my phone won't.
If you have no need to travel outside of the Indy area, I would recommend the AT&T service, just with a different phone model.
Slashdot Mirror
I've experienced numbers 7 and 8 directly within the last couple of months. After switching jobs, my new cube was outfitted with a truly horrible Belkin 104 key model. The keys felt like someone had spilled orange juice all over it, sticking in position up or down. What I really wanted was an ergonomic wired keyboard. Good luck finding one. I tried Best Buy, Target, Fry's, and Wal-Mart without success. All had wireless ergonomic models, but nothing wired. So I caved and got the Microsoft Wireless Desktop Comfort Edition. It was a wireless mouse / keyboard combo, and the keyboard had a nice ergonomic curve to it. Big mistake. Nearly everyone in the office has a wireless device, so there is a ton of interference. Add to that the fact that the keyboard consistently misses keystrokes, or sticks the control or shift key down. This is murder when using Vi for editing.
Where can I find a good, wired, ergonomically shaped keyboard?
I'd be very wary if I were bidding on this. I would definitely use a third party escrow account, considering the amount of money involved. This is the first sale the seller has ever made, and the last two purchases that have links are for stickers. Add to that the fact that not a single image of the collection is posted. I hope this sale is legit, but it really smells like someone was cranking up their feedback in order to get away with a fraudulent sale.
I'm sorry, but this just seems a bit too contrived. Forget for a second that this story would be all too easily faked (a couple of snapshots of a slideshow, and links to MS websites do not prove a story for me). The presenter just happened to have a live boot disk with him that had OO installed. And he just happened to be able to recover the doc from the Windows PC that was "experiencing trouble". I know if the tables were turned, no one on Slashdot would give a second thought to discrediting this story.
As much as I love to see egg on Microsoft's face, I call shenanigans on this one.
A couple of years ago, some friends and got together and built "The Boilercade". We got the cabinet together, and it now houses all of my video game equipment. I haven't put any of the finishing touches on it, like a marquee, coin door, or graphics... but it gets the job done.
One thing I've learned is that nostalgia wears off quick. We built the cab and were all excited about playing some older arcades, but other than centipede it hasn't seen any action in months. Still, the cabinet makes a nice entertainment center, and houses my receiver, DVD player, VCR, CD Jukebox, and PC. I've wired up consoles, but only the GameCube sees much action on it. I know I could probably wire the console controllers into the control panel, but I'm thinking it probably isn't worth it.
One thing that I know I wish I had planned for: A glass door. Since the cab is used like an entertainment center, I have to leave the door (where the coin door belongs) open all of the time so that the remotes work. If I had used some type of transaparent / translucent door, it wouldn't be a problem.
Have fun with your project, and good luck!
Where I work, we try to lock down the operator machines that we install our client to as much as possible. I see Puppy as being a very quick and easy way to generate a locked down live disc for those client stations. It gives us a base OS install to start from. We follow that by installing our client software, then lock down the account to only run our app. Burn a copy, throw it in the client machine, and call it a day. If they ever replace the PC or if the disc breaks, it would be a very simple matter to burn another copy and toss it in. Much better than re-installing an OS, all of the client configuration, and locking down the account. I'm keeping my eye on this one.
PC screens are difficult to read when you are more than a couple of feet away, so you may want to consider getting a cheap PDA with wireless capabilities. Do some range testing, but you should have no problem setting up the wireless AP somewhere in your house and still have a connection from your workshop. You could use the PDA for browsing the web or displaying your drafting designs for your current project.
I hope you find a solution that works for your needs!
Unfortunately, not true. I know because I tried it. Needing the DVD is a nuissance, but not one that I wasn't already accustomed to with my other games. Diablo II, Diablo, Half-Life, Doom, Quake, etc....with any of these games you need the disc to play. Sure, you can download a crack for most that gets around the issue, but it is just that, a crack.
I'm disappointed that I need the DVD to play, and I'm really hoping that Valve releases a patch that will eliminate it. Still, I enjoy the game, and I've had to use media in the past, so I'm not ready to fire bomb anybody. If you are considering purchasing HL2, and you have the bandwidth, take my advice and buy it on Steam rather than from retail. You'll get a much better deal for your money.
I am experiencing the stuttering issue when I play HL2. At first, I thought it was just a performance issue. I have a 2.4GHz P4, 512MB RAM, and a GeForce4 MX 420 graphics card (AGP 2x). I can't run the highest graphics settings, but I was pretty happy with what I was seeing. Loading each new chapter takes quite a long time... close to a minute in some cases. This kind of breaks the illusion of the game. The stuttering seems to happen most often just before and after a game load, and whenever there is dialog between characters. With so many people making note of it, and considering my specs are very close to the recommended (not minimum) specs for the game, perhaps this really is a bug.
I do have some other gripes with the game. But before I get into those, I should note that I LOVE HL2. The game itself is totally engrossing, and the action is varied and interesting. It has all of the elements of the original, and has built on that success. The transition from frantic action to puzzle solving to skilled jumping and traversal... it's a recipe that I really enjoy.
That said, I do have my gripes. Like I mentioned before, the long load times and the stuttering definitely take away from the game. Another big gripe I have has to do with the fact that the DVD is required. I purchased the Collector's Edition of the game from a real store because I wanted to install from physical media rather than waiting on the download, and I wanted to get Half-Life : Source. I really didn't care about the t-shirt or Prima book. So I spent $87 on the CE when I could have had all I wanted, minus the media, for $60 on Steam. I had assumed that, once loaded, the DVD version and the Steam version would be identical. Big mistake! The CD-Key that comes with the retail version of the game requires that the media be present in the drive. THis means constantly inserting the disc, and carting it with me to work, home, LAN parties, and wherever I might want to play. One of the beauties of Steam is that you can go virtually anywhere and play your Valve games. Not so with the retail version, as now you must remember to bring your media with you. If you purchase your version online on Steam, however, no such requirement.
So now I'm stuck. My CD-Key is associated with my account, and there is no method for removing it. The store will not give me a refund, as they CD-Key is used. There is no option to upgrade or transition to another HL2 purchase level from Steam either. I also learned that my copy of the original Half-Life is now worthless, as I can't sell the game (the cd-key for it is associated with my account as well). I don't need it, as I can play the Source version, but I can't sell it, because I can't seperate the key for the original half-life from my account.
I'm really hoping that Valve comes up with some type of workable solution soon where I can either seperate the CD-Keys from my account so I can sell / refund my current copies, or provides a patch that removes the need for the media to be in the drive.
I looked into switching, and it came out to be a wash as far as cost. My cable and internet services are combined, and to get the HD, premium channels, and DSL service through a satellite company would run about the same amount.
The best deal I could get would be to get an OTA receiver and waft the Wi-Fi from my neighbor. Not ethical (for the data anyway), but cheap.
And the pricing is a little crazy too. It's $13 a month to rent the HD Digital set top box with DVR (Motorola). When you rent the HD box, you get NBC, CBS, ABC, PBS, and Bravo in HD. For an extra $10 / month you can add HD-NET, HD-Movies, ESPN-HD, and Discovery HD Theater. That's $2.50 a channel. HBO-HD will run you another $10 (you get the standard set of digital HBO's as well), and SHO-HD is $13. Essentially, if you wanted to subscribe to every feature available in my area, and rent only one box, your total cable and internet bill would run in excess of $180 / month. Mine currently sits at $117 (digital box, digital subscription, HBO, Starz, internet). If all you were interested in getting were the 11 HD stations, you would be paying:
- $40 Digital Subscription
- $13 HD Receiver rental
- $10 HBO
- $13 Showtime
- $10 HD-NET, HD-Movies, ESPN-HD, Discovery HD Theater
- TOTAL: $86 / month + tax!
That's nearly $8 per channel! Even more discouraging is that there is very little network programming that is broadcast in HD. What you end up with are standard resolution programs that have been upconverted to HD resolution. This looks terrible, as you end up with all sorts of distortion, tracing, jaggies, and artifacts. America's Funniest Home Videos is notoriously bad, as they are upconverting the already poor video from home cameras.If you are thinking about upgrading your service to include HD, be sure to check what content is available in your area, and set your price limit ahead of time. Otherwise you might find yourself disappointed with what you get. Also, you may want to look into the HD content that is available over the air. Over the air decoders have come way down in price, and I know that in our area there is more HD content available by broadcast than by cable.
As it stands now, if Valve converted steam to a pay-for service, I'd drop it. It just isn't worth the hassle. The client is still pretty buggy, which bothers me a bit. I'm not into paying a fee for MMORPGs either. I'd much rather pay for my game once, and then be able to use the game as often as I like. If the game has online multiplayer support for free, I will use it to see if I like it. But if I have to pay a usage fee, well, my monthly entertainment bill is high enough already.
I've been in your situation not too long ago. Our first child is going on 8 months now, and I remember thinking some of the same things when preparing for his arrival. My goals were a bit different though: my wife would be home with baby, and I just wanted to be able to check in and keep up with developments. Kids grow so fast, I didn't want to miss anything by being at work. There are a couple of things we did.
1 - Radio Monitor
The only time we really use it is when we want to go outside and do some gardening while the baby is napping. The battery operated monitor lets us know when he is waking up, so we can go back inside and get him. Otherwise, babies are loud, and your ears are tuned to hear their cries. You won't really need the monitor while you are inside, although it is fun to listen to your neighbors argue as they forget to turn their monitor off.
2 - Cheap USB Web Cam + Mic
I went to Target and got the $30 GE / Jasco special. It takes a decent picture, sort of grainy, but I can make out what is going on. I use the web cam / audio features built in to the Instant Messenger, and my wife will setup the laptop in whatever room they are in and let me peek in on the action for a while. I still have to work, so I can't spend all day ogling them, but it is a nice break from time to time. Make sure that the firewall you have at work is compatible with the IM video chat feature first though.
Otherwise, we really haven't had a need for further "surveilance". When he cries, we can hear it from any room in the house, even with the home theater playing.
My provider is the guilty party here. I have AT&T Wireless as my mobile provider, and they are constantly spamming my phone with ads for the mMode service. For a while, I was receiving an ad every day at noon, urging me to subscribe to a monthly mMode plan. They backed off a little bit, but I can count on at least one SMS each month for a contest, promotion, or some other advertisement. I don't get charged for incoming text messages, but it is still an annoyance.
Just last week I received an automated telephone solicitation from AT&T Wireless to add international calling to my cell. It was on my home phone line, not my cell, but that still doesn't excuse it.
I'm not sure what AT&T Wireless is trying to do. They've been bleeding customers at a phenomenal rate over the last year. Perhaps they are trying to make their new owners (Cingular) look good?
I have a couple of certifications (SCJP, MCP), and I'm working towards a couple more (MCAD, MCSD). My perspective on the certs is to use them to verify that I have coverage on a subject. I had three years experience with developing java apps before I took the exam. I decided to take the exam because I figured I could easily pass it. As it turns out, it was a lot tougher than I expected, and I learned quite a bit going through study guide. The same is true for my VB and C# certs.
I don't look at the certs as a way to get a (better) job. Instead, it is just a way to show that I have coverage in a particular subject. I don't imagine I'll ever make it my selling point, but if the job requires that particular skill, I have the means of proving that I am adept in it.
Sometimes you would be surprised by how much you can get for so little. For instance, our local library has a nice computer lab running Win2K. That's a good place for you to get access to a Win2K machine. While you are there, checkout some of the Cert study guides. Total cost to you so far: $0.
Also, while you are in the lab at the library, lookup the listings for all of the technical user groups that meet in your area. This is good for so many reason:
- Lessons on latest technology
- Network with other users
- Find out about job openings
- Free food (usually pizza and pop)
- Door Prizes
I live near a major city, and there are literally hundreds of groups that meet throughout the month. If you find a couple of small groups, you really increase your chances of getting those door prizes. Plus, you might luckout and meet someone who will give you a shot at a better job.All of this for the cost of transportation. Not bad if you ask me.
Disney is known for the number of hidden images their own staff put into their film frames. Can you imagine if those not even associated with the film had a chance to insert something of their own? I don't want to watch Shrek 2 and notice some hidden goatse.
I'm in Fishers, IN, and I receive my HDTV through Insight Cable. My bill runs around $110 per month, which includes cable modem, basic cable, classic cable, digital cable, HBO, and Showtime. The digital content requires an $8 per month STB, and the HDTV content requires a $13 per month STB. I currently receive NBC, CBS, ABC, Bravo, PBS, HBO, and Showtime in HD. I could pay another $10 per month to get ESPN, Discovery HD, HD Net, and HD Movies, but I'm not really interested in those. The HD content is not priced seperately from the other plans, I just needed to upgrade my equipment.
As far as the programming goes, most of the prime time shows are in HD now. The upconverted shows look like crap, though, so I end up switching back to non-HD channel. The PBS, HBO, and Showtime look the best. The networks seem to have some trouble synching up sound sometimes.
I've enjoyed using the service, and the price is right for now ($4 difference between an HD bill and a non-HD bill).
Does anyone know of a working mirror?
stumbler.net, fastbone.com, netstumbler.com, and Hosted Zone all seem to be out of bandwidth.
The loser pays system has advantages, but it can be abused just as easily as the current system. Plaintiffs with a valid case will be a bit gunshy about bringing their case against a major corporation. If they are lucky enough to find a lawyer willing to take the case and assume the risk, there is still the off chance that they could lose the case and be assigned enormous fees. Companies with plenty of resources would be encouraged to fight all court cases under this system, as they would incur minimal court costs in a loss, and could possibly profit from a win.
I've been using Insight cable here in Indiana for several years, and I've been generally happy with the service. Growing up, our house out in the country did not have access to cable, so we had a DirecTV dish. During heavy rains, snows, and generally bad weather, we would lose our signal. We didn't mind so much, as we would usually turn off everything during a storm for fear of electrical spikes.
We've experienced very little downtime with Insight. My wife is an avid television watcher, and keeps the set tuned most of the time we are home. Picture quality is very good, and the rates are almost identical to those from a satellite provider. One thing that I really like is that we don't need a tuner to pick up the classic cable stations on any TV in the house. With DirectTV, every set would need a STB to tune. With cable, as long as you don't want to watch HBO or some other premium station, you don't need any equipment. The equipment cost with Satellite can get quite high, even though most will give you the equipment for free now.
Our bill is high, but it would be the same amount regardless of the provider we use. Here is a breakdown:
HDTV/Digital/DVR Receiver: $13 per month
Digital Package (basic and classic) $45 per month
HBO and Showtime channels: $20 per month
Broadband Access: $45 per month
Discount: (-$10) per month (for having digital service coupled with the broadband access)
After tax, a typical bill runs around $110.
Since you mentioned that you are not interested in broadband access, you could get service for much less than we do, as you could eliminate the premium channels and broadband service.
I receive a handful of stations in Hi-Def (NBC, CBS, ABC, HBO, SHO, PBS, BRAVO).
He already has an HD-ready television, so he should have no problem accepting a higher resolution output from a device that has component outputs. I am avoiding the dedicated linux PC, as it would be too difficult for my folks to pick up. They have a hard enough time understanding how to operate the remote for the television :-)
The PS/2 and BroadQ combination looks promising. I may give that a try. That one would afford me the selfish opportunity to do a little video gaming during family visits!
This story couldn't have come at a better time. My father recently asked me to look into a set-top box that would allow him to view a picture slide show, listen to music, and browse the web on his television over a wireless link. He set is maximum price at $1000, which is to include the wireless access point, card, device, accessories, and anything else needed to get it working.
My first thoughts were to look into the Windows XP Media Center Edition. Microsoft only license this version of the OS to be sold on specific hardware platforms, and I was hard pressed to find one for under $2000.
Next, I looked at using a similar Linux based solution. My folks are not technically savvy people, and my mom needs to be able to use this. I found a number of interesting and very useful tools, but nothing I felt comfortable putting in front of my parents without fearing a never ending stream of support calls.
I then took a look at the Prismiq. This seemed to be the right answer. It had all of the features that my pop was looking for, and even after getting the necessary wireless equipment and keyboard was goint to cost no more than $400. The only drawback is that we would be ordering this device sight-unseen. I'd really like the chance to use it before we put money down on it.
The XBox hack and PS/2 QCast both sound like interesting alternatives as well. I know that my dad is looking at this device mainly for putting on slide shows of his grandkids for his family and friends. He wants something small that will either blend in with his current entertainment system components, or can be easily hidden away in a cabinet. It must be simple to use for everyone in the family. Finally, it should be able to find new media as it is added to his home PC (Windows XP Home), and make it available without a lot of effort on his part.
Has anyone used a product like this? What is the best choice?
Nintendo is exhibiting excellent business strategy. They have targeted a niche market within the gaming industry: the young gamer. They are targeting their games at kids and the parents who will be buying them. History has shown that the earlier you can get a consumer to use your product, the more likely they are to continue using it throughout their life. Nintendo is making excellent business decisions with regard to pursuing this young market. By standing firm on decisions to not allow games with extremely graphic violence on their systems, they are catering to the parents who will be buying the games. Until the GC, Nintendo systems used cartridges, which prevented widespread copying of their games.
I continue to buy and play Nintendo games because they are fun, and they remind me of the games I played as a kid. My brother and I begged and begged to get our first Nintendo. We would play Super Mario Brothers, Zeldo, Metroid, Dragon Warrior, and many others for hours on end. And we were always having fun at it. I was thrilled that I was able to buy a GameCube and play a lot of those same titles. Super Mario Sunshine is sheer fun. Banjo Kazooie on the N64 was a blast to play too. Sure, they are targetted at kids, but it is hard to play them without getting a smile on your face.
If Nintendo continues to be a niche player, generating systems and games that cater to a younger crowd, that will be fine by me. My wife and I will be having children soon, and I would definitely get a Nintendo product for my kids before I got an XBOX or a PS. I'll continue to play the Metroid and Zelda series for as long as Nintendo continues to develop those lines.
I recently signed up with AT&T Wireless for cellular service when I was required to get a phone. AT&T had the lowest priced service plan with the most minutes: 300 nationwide minutes for $29.99, plus free nights and weekends. I ordered the Sony Ericsson t68i phone. I live in Indianapolis, IN, and I've found the service in the metro area to be pretty good. Unfortunately, my job requires me to drive to northern Indiana quite often, and as soon as I live the I-465 belt, I lose service. Service along I-69 and I-65 is so-so, but I've had several dropped calls for no apparent reason along these interstates. If I'm not on the interstate, I have no chance of getting reception. I've read that the t68 is notorious for poor reception. It has an internal antenna, which doesn't help matters. If I walk outside my house, I get two bars of service, but none indoors. Call clarity is excellent, when I have it. It seems that it is an all or nothing ordeal. A coworker of mine is on the same plan with AT&T, but has the Motorola t720. He is able to get reception in areas that my phone won't.
If you have no need to travel outside of the Indy area, I would recommend the AT&T service, just with a different phone model.