... "I've been reading more and more in psychology and anthropology and sociology... Game design is only one facet of online world design, frankly."...
I guess its just a matter of terms, but I'd prefer he focused on the spirit of the game, rather than turning it into numbers and analyses and breaking it down into this terribly typical corporate newspeak... but then it could be my general dislike of the video-game industry in general which could be swaying my view. I'll admit that I find any group who seek to profit by wasting peoples time as much as possible [(*(void *)consumer-time)] to be a relatively despicable bunch...
Anyway, my point is, justifications of 'not enough iterations' not-withstanding, MMORPG's have just lost a lot of spirit.
Its like, the RPG's which used RPG 'format' as a means by which to tell a story compared to the RPG's which use RPG 'format' just to cover a market seem to be better.
All this format and over-analytical plot-mongering which comes from 'load balancing' and 'average mean time to next bathroom break' measurements seems to detract from the humbler purpose of RPG's, MMORPG's, and video games in general, and that is to tell some sort of story...
You are aware, right, that the Cold War was an information war, and that both sides took massive casualties?
And, well, hearing this 'just a fact of life' mantra so many seem to be happy ranting in response to crimes which can, quite frankly, be prevented, just reminds me of the 'facts of life' other errant regimes have counted on to further the cause...
someone with a budget for another person in their department, no matter what it is, just hire those two guys and put them to work getting linux working properly in iraq.
this could be "linux revolution 2.0", wherein starting from actual scratch gives both sides a fair start...
I did read the article. It says they overtly put out a bid for the technology, and when it was denied by the State Dept, they decided they needed to get it through other means...
Okay, sure. I'll explain my thinking. Here are some simple facts:
first, a definition of fascism, from the dictionary:
Fascism - A system of government marked by centralization of authority under a dictator, stringent socioeconomic controls, suppression of the opposition through terror and censorship, and typically a policy of belligerent nationalism and racism.
- A political philosophy or movement based on or advocating such a system of government.
Every single American President has been a dictator, it is allowed for by the terms of the Republic. America is all about strict socio-economic controls, puh-lease. CFR, anyone?
Note that it says 'through terror and censorship'.
You may not think of Vietnam as having been an act of Terrorism, but I know plenty of Vietnamese people who do. However, lets not get stuck on 'nam, after all, that war was 'lost'... but you can Insert [incident] in that last sentence, in place of Vietnam, from this list below:
this technological myth that the soviets were constantly 'behind' the US in advanced research areas is a huge part of the 'iron curtain'... and more specifically belies the intentions of those who would use this 'iron curtain' to ill effect.
one subtle fact is lost in this story. the soviets were -overtly- attempting to purchase this computer technology for their gas pipeline. the fact that this 'cunning plan' was a success is due, mostly, to the notion that the soviets trusted the united states to allow them to use this technology.
i dunno. that seems like a really stupid enemy to me. maybe one who doesn't know he's really your enemy...
yeah, really. one wonders just what other American International and War Crimes the CIA files are 'protecting' in the name of national security...
its not really conspiratorial to say that there is a degree of plausability to the US Govt's attempts to hide its crimes under this banner. i'm sure there are plenty of arguments -for- this sort of covert behaviour, but there are plenty of arguments -against- now as well.
i'd definitely wear one of these in my leather jacket, though.
seems like it would be a good fit for 'seams', and i can think of a million uses for linux-enabled clothes, really... especially if i can put an 802.11g-friendly antennae thread somewhere.
combine it with todays 'bendy LCD' materials, and we could, finally, be rid of the package-gadget dilemna forever. (clothes become computing devices.)
"hi, i'm home, its me, this is my pgp key, turn on the lights and wake up the studio..."
"constant-slashdot feed, on my collar lcd..."
"location-based websites" - now, here is an idea whose time has come: an internet based entirely on -physical- proximity.
who knows, maybe devices like this could save the music industry. if my clothes walked away with legit.mp3s' of the concert i just attended, i'd attend more concerts.
ermm, PEDANTIC tag imminent, but a potato is just 'redistributed molecules' as well, you know... extracted from the soil, compressed, condensed, modified, etc.
and when it says 'like' it doesn't mean 'exactly the same way as', it means 'in a way which is similar'...
a firewall isn't a computer. a firewall is a firewall.
computers have compilers on them.
viruses are an -operating system- problem, not a tools problem. if you run windows, you will need to worry, frequently, about viruses. windows cannot any longer be separated into (workstation-only) and (program-code running/developing) categories.
Rubbish. X is just fine on a platform like this, if you do it properly. Not to mention, with this box running X, I can access countless fleets of Unix machines which are quite happily configured to allow my X session to work.
"Qtopia", being new and exciting, is of course a nice lib to namedrop, but in fact 'porting Qt applications' isn't necessarily a factor when you've already got a standard, open, fully working window system implemented. you can port anything to X.
X works. and... its not as bad as those who haven't worked with it recently would make it out to be...
globalization is what it is. as a 'member of the global community', you have rights too, and right now, that includes the right to live in new places in search of work.
computer programming isn't about -persistent maintenance- and blagging.
its about creating new applications for the processor and its peripherals.
learn a new language, stay on top of interesting hardware developments, always work outside your steady job to improve your skills (i.e. don't just rely on it for -work- and $$$), and stay motivated.
there is a glut of programmers in certain markets, but an ocean of markets that have yet to even be -explored- for the talents of computer science, so quit worrying about it like some just-in-"IT"-for-the-money-man weenie, and do something fun.
computers are infinity machines. there is an endless productive use for them, and they can be endlessly productive in the right circumstances. so, as a programmer, a master of your trade, use those skills and make the computer -do- something cool.
perl is one thing. its needed, and yeah, duct-tape is a staple of modern business.
but don't ever, ever, ever think that there will ever be 'nothing left to do' with computers... there will always be something new that can be done. thats the beauty of them.
what matters is you converting that fact into food, i know, and to that i have this to say: the sky is the limit. computer skills can be sold -anywhere-...
linux is headed for ____ domination. no seriously. i don't see the linux kernel, and its toolsets, and its entourage of libs, and its knowledge-pool, stopping any time soon. look how far it has come in 10 years. where will it be in 5?
if there is one lesson to learn, it is that the power of people is unstoppable. it is a humble kind of peace indeed, two random computer geeks at different corners of the globe working on 'scratching an itch' together, but it is peace.
so, linux on ____ device is pretty much irrelevant as a question, the question is "where won't linux be getting its huge?", but then... the answer to that question isn't so fun to fantasize about, alas...
Slashdot Mirror
... "I've been reading more and more in psychology and anthropology and sociology... Game design is only one facet of online world design, frankly." ...
...
I guess its just a matter of terms, but I'd prefer he focused on the spirit of the game, rather than turning it into numbers and analyses and breaking it down into this terribly typical corporate newspeak... but then it could be my general dislike of the video-game industry in general which could be swaying my view. I'll admit that I find any group who seek to profit by wasting peoples time as much as possible [(*(void *)consumer-time)] to be a relatively despicable bunch...
Anyway, my point is, justifications of 'not enough iterations' not-withstanding, MMORPG's have just lost a lot of spirit.
Its like, the RPG's which used RPG 'format' as a means by which to tell a story compared to the RPG's which use RPG 'format' just to cover a market seem to be better.
All this format and over-analytical plot-mongering which comes from 'load balancing' and 'average mean time to next bathroom break' measurements seems to detract from the humbler purpose of RPG's, MMORPG's, and video games in general, and that is to tell some sort of story
Astronomy is the only science where amateurs can really help make a difference...
I don't think this is true, in even the slightest bit.
Maybe you'll reconsider this statement in a few years, but 'amateur _anything_' is never a force to be discounted in any field...
Imagine what this sort of tool would do in wrong hands ... oops, wait ... never mind.
You are aware, right, that the Cold War was an information war, and that both sides took massive casualties?
And, well, hearing this 'just a fact of life' mantra so many seem to be happy ranting in response to crimes which can, quite frankly, be prevented, just reminds me of the 'facts of life' other errant regimes have counted on to further the cause...
As a geek with a passion for history, I'd be very happy to add Iraq to the roster of places to have worked.
Remember, a Free Iraq is a Rich Iraq, and to me that means "new tech market in interesting areas".
someone with a budget for another person in their department, no matter what it is, just hire those two guys and put them to work getting linux working properly in iraq.
this could be "linux revolution 2.0", wherein starting from actual scratch gives both sides a fair start...
yay, nano-slavery!
...
t-minus 5 years and counting to 'grow your own processor' vat kits for teenagers and above
I did read the article. It says they overtly put out a bid for the technology, and when it was denied by the State Dept, they decided they needed to get it through other means ...
Okay, sure. I'll explain my thinking. Here are some simple facts:
first, a definition of fascism, from the dictionary:
Fascism
- A system of government marked by centralization of authority under a dictator, stringent socioeconomic controls, suppression of the opposition through terror and censorship, and typically a policy of belligerent nationalism and racism.
- A political philosophy or movement based on or advocating such a system of government.
Every single American President has been a dictator, it is allowed for by the terms of the Republic. America is all about strict socio-economic controls, puh-lease. CFR, anyone?
Note that it says 'through terror and censorship'.
You may not think of Vietnam as having been an act of Terrorism, but I know plenty of Vietnamese people who do. However, lets not get stuck on 'nam, after all, that war was 'lost'
American Terrorism and Acts of War - The List
And, lets see
Project for a New American Century
I'll leave it at that. I'm sure there are plenty of holes in my thinking, go for it
TERRORISM != "detonating yourself because you don't think the people you are killing worship the right god."
TERRORISM == "the use of controlled terror events involving large-scale or dramatic death in order to control the views and opinions of a population"
Terrorism has nothing to do with religion. Whatsoever.
this technological myth that the soviets were constantly 'behind' the US in advanced research areas is a huge part of the 'iron curtain' ... and more specifically belies the intentions of those who would use this 'iron curtain' to ill effect.
...
one subtle fact is lost in this story. the soviets were -overtly- attempting to purchase this computer technology for their gas pipeline. the fact that this 'cunning plan' was a success is due, mostly, to the notion that the soviets trusted the united states to allow them to use this technology.
i dunno. that seems like a really stupid enemy to me. maybe one who doesn't know he's really your enemy
yeah, really. one wonders just what other American International and War Crimes the CIA files are 'protecting' in the name of national security...
its not really conspiratorial to say that there is a degree of plausability to the US Govt's attempts to hide its crimes under this banner. i'm sure there are plenty of arguments -for- this sort of covert behaviour, but there are plenty of arguments -against- now as well.
the opposite of terrorism is 'honest government'.
... but stories like this just underscore the existence of American Fascism.
I'm not trolling. I really think this.
duh, if anyone else puts on that jacket, it formats itself.
its not -that- important, its just integrated.
... i dunno that i'd be all 'collar' about it.
... especially if i can put an 802.11g-friendly antennae thread somewhere.
..."
.mp3s' of the concert i just attended, i'd attend more concerts.
i'd definitely wear one of these in my leather jacket, though.
seems like it would be a good fit for 'seams', and i can think of a million uses for linux-enabled clothes, really
combine it with todays 'bendy LCD' materials, and we could, finally, be rid of the package-gadget dilemna forever. (clothes become computing devices.)
"hi, i'm home, its me, this is my pgp key, turn on the lights and wake up the studio
"constant-slashdot feed, on my collar lcd..."
"location-based websites" - now, here is an idea whose time has come: an internet based entirely on -physical- proximity.
who knows, maybe devices like this could save the music industry. if my clothes walked away with legit
ermm, PEDANTIC tag imminent, but a potato is just 'redistributed molecules' as well, you know ... extracted from the soil, compressed, condensed, modified, etc.
...
and when it says 'like' it doesn't mean 'exactly the same way as', it means 'in a way which is similar'
doesn't seawater contain some sort of trace elements of gold which can be converted using exorbitant chemical process?
could a vat of these microbes be fed sea-water and turn it all into gold rapidly?
gold has many uses. if i could make a machine that could 'grow' tons of it, i sure as hell would.
a firewall isn't a computer. a firewall is a firewall.
computers have compilers on them.
viruses are an -operating system- problem, not a tools problem. if you run windows, you will need to worry, frequently, about viruses. windows cannot any longer be separated into (workstation-only) and (program-code running/developing) categories.
Rubbish. X is just fine on a platform like this, if you do it properly. Not to mention, with this box running X, I can access countless fleets of Unix machines which are quite happily configured to allow my X session to work.
... its not as bad as those who haven't worked with it recently would make it out to be ...
"Qtopia", being new and exciting, is of course a nice lib to namedrop, but in fact 'porting Qt applications' isn't necessarily a factor when you've already got a standard, open, fully working window system implemented. you can port anything to X.
X works. and
if you don't have a compiler on your computer, it is only half a computer.
You mean "eloquent"? It'd be pretty hard to get through two Ivy Leagues while being illiterate.
Yeah, not unless you're George Bush, you mean.
School, for the rich, aint hard to fake.
Its like DOS, only pretty.
go there and find out.
no, seriously.
globalization is what it is. as a 'member of the global community', you have rights too, and right now, that includes the right to live in new places in search of work.
... and write code.
... there will always be something new that can be done. thats the beauty of them.
...
computer programming isn't about -persistent maintenance- and blagging.
its about creating new applications for the processor and its peripherals.
learn a new language, stay on top of interesting hardware developments, always work outside your steady job to improve your skills (i.e. don't just rely on it for -work- and $$$), and stay motivated.
there is a glut of programmers in certain markets, but an ocean of markets that have yet to even be -explored- for the talents of computer science, so quit worrying about it like some just-in-"IT"-for-the-money-man weenie, and do something fun.
computers are infinity machines. there is an endless productive use for them, and they can be endlessly productive in the right circumstances. so, as a programmer, a master of your trade, use those skills and make the computer -do- something cool.
perl is one thing. its needed, and yeah, duct-tape is a staple of modern business.
but don't ever, ever, ever think that there will ever be 'nothing left to do' with computers
what matters is you converting that fact into food, i know, and to that i have this to say: the sky is the limit. computer skills can be sold -anywhere-
linux is headed for ____ domination. no seriously. i don't see the linux kernel, and its toolsets, and its entourage of libs, and its knowledge-pool, stopping any time soon. look how far it has come in 10 years. where will it be in 5?
... the answer to that question isn't so fun to fantasize about, alas ...
if there is one lesson to learn, it is that the power of people is unstoppable. it is a humble kind of peace indeed, two random computer geeks at different corners of the globe working on 'scratching an itch' together, but it is peace.
so, linux on ____ device is pretty much irrelevant as a question, the question is "where won't linux be getting its huge?", but then