I picked one up after arriving at the store an hour before it opened.
Zelda is absolutely amazing. I don't want to spoil anything, but every aspect of the gameplay seems very polished. I've also spent about 7 of the last 30 hours playing Wii Sports... My shoulder is literally sore from playing Bowling. Much better for my body than sitting down and playing WoW....
I will say that for the most part, Wii Sports gameplay feels a bit shallow. For example, in baseball youre only responsible for swinging the bat or pitching. There realy is no fielding or anything of that sort, but I'm sure franchise baseball titles will be more than happy to remedy that. For any complaints I have of Wii Sports, I've still spent an obscene amount of time playing it... My mom, who I would far from describe as an avid gamer, is also hooked. She forced me to take turns with her, and is coming over just to spend the day playing while I'm at work.
As for the Virtual Console stuff, the site was getting pretty hammered. It timed out a few times before I gave up for the day.
The Mii concept is neat in practice as well. Wii Sports tracks your gameplay statistics via your Mii, and graphs out your improvement. These are just a few ramblings of my first impression, but its been very very good.
I'm even more excited at the prospect of being able to use my DS with it for new content or enhanced gameplay. I wouldnt have called myself a Nintendo fanboy before, but post Wii, I definitely am.
Nintendo has done it again. It reminds me of the day after Xmas when I got my SNES.
Look into unattended, (http://unattended.sourceforge.net/) an open source alternative to RIS. It makes it possible to use linux servers to push out installs via network. A good unattended install with post installation scripts should make life easier.
As far as application deployment goes, a combination of the psutil psexec.exe and msi installers can make life a breeze. For example, scripting an office 2003 install is as simple as remotely executing the following:
msiexec.exe/i \\server\share\Deploy\Office2k3\PRO11.MSI TRANSFORMS="\\server\share\Deploy\Office2k3\OFFICE _2003.MST"/q
Since we're scripting, you could have a vbs script execute a number of tasks on machines by pulling a machine list from a csv sheet, and passing on variables like the machine name to bat files.
Application uninstalls are just as easy; look under hkey local machine/software/microsoft/windows/current ver/uninstall and find the msi installer ID.
msiexec/x {xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx}/q
Hate microsoft all you want, but MSI's have made my life much easier.
Uhh, TCP Offload Engines are actually a real feature in server NICS, and quite worthwhile imho.
While you may no see the need for such a product in a PC gaming system, to dismiss the technology described as "fluff" is innacurrate at best.
is the number of non-nintendo launch titles. It seems Nintendo has finally embraced 3rd party developers, and the developers seem quite excited to work on such a unique platform.
I know I'll be standing in line on the launch date;)
I was more so referencing Citrix VM performance being unacceptable, and that memory availability was far less of an issue than virtualization itself; at least without using ESX.
It's not a memory issue. Hell, most of my VM's even come close to capping their potential limit.
As far as VM Citrix setups go, I'd love to see how that worked.... but as you said ESX is better. Comparing the ROI on Citrix VS ESX isn't an easy task, though... and while GSX may be better, I still fail to believe that it can provide a responsive Citrix config.
I'm not refusing to believe, though... I'd just like to see it. I've been the primary pusher of VM's (the DR aspect alone is enough to give me a gumby) at my place of employment. It's just not that responsive. I can't see users actually working in an enviornmet like that...
I currently have a duel 3.4 64 bit Xeon box / 8GB RAM running VMware server beta and it's really not worth persuing. Any qualified Citrix consultant would tell you the same...I'm almost certain Citrix themselves don't recomment a setup like this. I know this because I'm an avid fan of VMware, and inquired myself... (I'm also currently upgrading to PS4).
If you want to use VMware, get ESX...At least you can retain some performance, and VMotion offers nice flexibity. (At a price, though!) It's not to say that VMware can't play a role in a Citrix rollout...It's a fine testing platform, and also a solid choice for Installation Manager...but aside from that you're wasting your time.
After speaking with a couple of Citrix consultants, I've used VMware exactly as I've described, and it's worked out fairly well. Virtualization is godsend, but not fit for *every* problem... yet;)
This is pretty much completely off topic, I lied. However, if you search google for "naruto dattebayo" (no quotes in actual query), http://yhbt.mine.nu/t/ has been removed as a top result.
I love google just as much as anyone else, but it looks like they caved here, and I can only wonder how often it happens and I just don't notice. I use google so often, I actually had to open yahoo and search with "naruto dattebayo" to find the link I was looking for...
At any rate, mod me off topic if you want... Yahoo's banning of googles payment system and my moments ago experience seemed strange enough to post about.
I'm not sure if we're talking about the same thing, but Multilink Encapsulation allows for multiple T1's to be seen as one interface, and I can't imagine an ISP that wouldn't support this. It (obviously) requires both T1's to be from the same provider, as there is configuration needed on both ends.
Well, at my company, we were recently faced with the same dillema.
There are a couple of options available, though. Although my organization appears to be a bit larger than yours, we've decided to utilize a spare T1 that simply sits there for disaster recovery purposes with Policy Based Routing (We're an all Cisco network, although this can be done on a variety of platforms, including Linux..) This directs traffic from a certain IP (and possibly port, I believe) to a specific interface, so that important data (Citrix, etc) has access to our main pipes while web traffic gets the shaft, so to speak. It uses policy maps to do so; I'm relatively noobish to IOS so maybe someone else can shed some light on this.
I'm hopefully certain you have explored QoS and are currently implementing it, but even QoS has limits. I'm pretty sure a combination of the 2 methods listed above should take care of you. As a network admin, I could care less if web traffic gets dropped on a cheap DSL or cable connection.
I've run GSX Server on both Win2k3 64-bit and Suse Enterprise 64-bit, and neither one really presented any issues. The linux configuration is slightly more complicated, but its nothing to really shake a stick at.
The core issue is which OS are you more familiar with? If that isn't an issue, then there are some benefits to the *nix side of things.
It's possible to get a linux install down to 200~ megs while only using 64 megs of system memory, which is a strong advantage. If I understand correctly ESX Server is essentially a very very thin linux distro. That should say something;)
I've also read of a perl script that can make hot backups of a Virtual Machine; while this is possible under Windows using commercial products, it's another thing to be taken into consideration.
I use Vonage and love it. I can't say I've never had a complaint about voice quality, but it's pretty rare, and for 25 bucks a month... unlimited long distance in US + Canada is awesome. I'm also a network admin, maybe it simply requires more administration than the average user can supply? I can only imagine a network infested with spyware, zombie PC's, and of course every P2P app running trying to provide enough bandwidth for VOIP.
On a side note, I maintain a Cisco VOIP solution at work, and it's amazing.
Maybe the technology isn't quite right for the average user, but its coming, and I can't wait.
She said that by the end of the year, downstream speeds should be 2Mbit. She also mentioned a couple of neat devices... essentially you plug the PCMCIA card into this device, which allows other network connectivity. One acted as a WAP, the other simply had an ethernet port. The upstream speeds aren't going to replace standard network connections, but it makes for an interesting disaster recovery option.
Redundant internet connections aren't much good when all the the local pairs are damaged, as happened to me just a few months ago.
She said the price would remain relatively the same when the speed upgrade happens, too;)
WARNING
Nature is unpredictable and unsafe. Mountains are dangerous. Many books have been written about these dangers, and there's no way we can list them all here. Read the books.
Nelson Rocks Preserve is covered in steep terrain with loose, slippery and unstable footing. The weather can make matters worse. Sheer drops are everywhere. You may fall, be injured or die. There are hidden holes. You could break your leg. There are wild animals, which may be vicious, poisonous or carriers of dread diseases. These include poisonous snakes and insects. Plants can be poisonous as well. We don't do anything to protect you from any of this. We do not inspect, supervise or maintain the grounds, rocks, cliffs or other features, natural or otherwise.
Real dangers are present even on trails. Trails are not sidewalks. They can be, and are, steep, slippery and dangerous. Trail features made or enhanced by humans, such as steps, walls and railings (if any) can break, collapse, or otherwise fail catastrophically at any time. We don't promise to inspect, supervise or maintain them in any way. They may be negligently constructed or repaired. They are unsafe, period. Live with it or stay away.
Stay on the trails whenever possible. The terrain, in addition to being dangerous, is surprisingly complex. You may get lost. Carry food, water and first aid supplies at all times.
Rocks and other objects can fall from the cliffs. They can tumble down slopes. This can happen naturally, or be caused by people above you, such as climbers. Rocks of all sizes, including huge boulders, can shift, move or fall with no warning. Use of helmets is advised for anyone approaching the rock formations. They can be purchased or rented at Seneca Rocks. They won't save you if you get hit by something big or on another part of your body. A whole rock formation might collapse on you and squash you like a bug. Don't think it can't happen.
Weather can be dangerous, regardless of the forecast. Be prepared with extra clothing, including rain gear. Hypothermia, heat stroke, lightning, ice and snow, etc. can kill you. Rain can turn easy terrain into a deathtrap.
If you scramble in high places (scrambling is moving over terrain steep enough to use your hands) without proper experience, training and equipment, or allow children to do so, you are making a terrible mistake. Even if you know what you're doing, lots of things can go wrong and you may be injured or die. It happens all the time.
The Preserve does not provide rangers or security personnel. The other people in the preserve, including other visitors, our employees, agents, and guests, and anyone else who might sneak in, may be stupid, reckless, or otherwise dangerous. They may be mentally ill, criminally insane, drunk, using illegal drugs and/or armed with deadly weapons and ready to use them. We aren't necessarily going to do anything about it. We refuse to take responsibility.
If you climb, you may die or be seriously injured. This is true whether you are experienced or not, trained or not, equipped or not, though training and equipment may help. It's a fact, climbing is extremely dangerous. If you don't like it, stay at home. You really shouldn't be doing it anyway. We do not provide supervision or instruction. We are not responsible for, and do not inspect or maintain, climbing anchors (including bolts, pitons, slings, trees, etc.) As far as we know, any of them can and will fail and send you plunging to your death. There are countless tons of loose rock ready to be dislodged and fall on you or someone else. There are any number of extremely and unusually dangerous conditions existing on and around the rocks, and elsewhere on the property. We may or may not know about any specific hazard, but even if we do, don't expect us to try to warn you. You're on your own.
Rescue services are not provided by the Preserve, and ma
Although my involvement with the Kryptos project has lessened due to time constraints (Its not World of Warcraft if thats what you were thinking!), this is actually right up my alley. I created a 3d replica of the statue in 3d studio max (It should still be available in the yahoo group file section) and this talk of layer 2 talk may imply the folding of the statue. Elonka mentioned this to me a few days ago, but I didn't realize it was this important of an update.
Installing 3d studio max now, there goes my sleep for the next month O.O
I remember looking at these things and seeing a somewhat functional citrix client...
Has anyone tried to get something like this up and running? I've been deploying tablet PC's in an industrial enviornment that are essentially expensive thin clients, it would be nice to find a replacement at almost a 10th of the price.
I met elonka at a con a few years ago, and I can honestly say she's one of the coolest people to go out and have a few drinks with; very interesting conversations.
Btw, its about time we caught another movie;),
Jay
Slashdot Mirror
I picked one up after arriving at the store an hour before it opened.
Zelda is absolutely amazing. I don't want to spoil anything, but every aspect of the gameplay seems very polished. I've also spent about 7 of the last 30 hours playing Wii Sports... My shoulder is literally sore from playing Bowling. Much better for my body than sitting down and playing WoW....
I will say that for the most part, Wii Sports gameplay feels a bit shallow. For example, in baseball youre only responsible for swinging the bat or pitching. There realy is no fielding or anything of that sort, but I'm sure franchise baseball titles will be more than happy to remedy that. For any complaints I have of Wii Sports, I've still spent an obscene amount of time playing it... My mom, who I would far from describe as an avid gamer, is also hooked. She forced me to take turns with her, and is coming over just to spend the day playing while I'm at work.
As for the Virtual Console stuff, the site was getting pretty hammered. It timed out a few times before I gave up for the day.
The Mii concept is neat in practice as well. Wii Sports tracks your gameplay statistics via your Mii, and graphs out your improvement.
These are just a few ramblings of my first impression, but its been very very good.
I'm even more excited at the prospect of being able to use my DS with it for new content or enhanced gameplay. I wouldnt have called myself a Nintendo fanboy before, but post Wii, I definitely am.
Nintendo has done it again. It reminds me of the day after Xmas when I got my SNES.
Look into unattended, (http://unattended.sourceforge.net/) an open source alternative to RIS. It makes it possible to use linux servers to push out installs via network. A good unattended install with post installation scripts should make life easier.
/i \\server\share\Deploy\Office2k3\PRO11.MSI TRANSFORMS="\\server\share\Deploy\Office2k3\OFFICE _2003.MST" /q
/x {xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx} /q
As far as application deployment goes, a combination of the psutil psexec.exe and msi installers can make life a breeze. For example, scripting an office 2003 install is as simple as remotely executing the following:
msiexec.exe
Since we're scripting, you could have a vbs script execute a number of tasks on machines by pulling a machine list from a csv sheet, and passing on variables like the machine name to bat files.
Application uninstalls are just as easy; look under hkey local machine/software/microsoft/windows/current ver/uninstall and find the msi installer ID.
msiexec
Hate microsoft all you want, but MSI's have made my life much easier.
Hope this helps...
Uhh, TCP Offload Engines are actually a real feature in server NICS, and quite worthwhile imho.
While you may no see the need for such a product in a PC gaming system, to dismiss the technology described as "fluff" is innacurrate at best.
is the number of non-nintendo launch titles. It seems Nintendo has finally embraced 3rd party developers, and the developers seem quite excited to work on such a unique platform.
;)
I know I'll be standing in line on the launch date
I love open source and all, but can a project like this really offer the same number of WIC modules?
I can plug damn near anything into a Cisco router....
I was more so referencing Citrix VM performance being unacceptable, and that memory availability was far less of an issue than virtualization itself; at least without using ESX.
It's not a memory issue. Hell, most of my VM's even come close to capping their potential limit.
As far as VM Citrix setups go, I'd love to see how that worked.... but as you said ESX is better. Comparing the ROI on Citrix VS ESX isn't an easy task, though... and while GSX may be better, I still fail to believe that it can provide a responsive Citrix config.
I'm not refusing to believe, though... I'd just like to see it. I've been the primary pusher of VM's (the DR aspect alone is enough to give me a gumby) at my place of employment. It's just not that responsive. I can't see users actually working in an enviornmet like that...
I currently have a duel 3.4 64 bit Xeon box / 8GB RAM running VMware server beta and it's really not worth persuing. Any qualified Citrix consultant would tell you the same...I'm almost certain Citrix themselves don't recomment a setup like this.
;)
I know this because I'm an avid fan of VMware, and inquired myself... (I'm also currently upgrading to PS4).
If you want to use VMware, get ESX...At least you can retain some performance, and VMotion offers nice flexibity. (At a price, though!)
It's not to say that VMware can't play a role in a Citrix rollout...It's a fine testing platform, and also a solid choice for Installation Manager...but aside from that you're wasting your time.
After speaking with a couple of Citrix consultants, I've used VMware exactly as I've described, and it's worked out fairly well. Virtualization is godsend, but not fit for *every* problem... yet
This is pretty much completely off topic, I lied.
However, if you search google for "naruto dattebayo" (no quotes in actual query), http://yhbt.mine.nu/t/ has been removed as a top result.
I love google just as much as anyone else, but it looks like they caved here, and I can only wonder how often it happens and I just don't notice.
I use google so often, I actually had to open yahoo and search with "naruto dattebayo" to find the link I was looking for...
At any rate, mod me off topic if you want... Yahoo's banning of googles payment system and my moments ago experience seemed strange enough to post about.
I just posted this to my Myspace blog.
;).
I hope you see the humor in that
SCE head Ken Kutaragi was quoting as saying "It's probably too cheap."
I'm not sure if we're talking about the same thing, but Multilink Encapsulation allows for multiple T1's to be seen as one interface, and I can't imagine an ISP that wouldn't support this.
It (obviously) requires both T1's to be from the same provider, as there is configuration needed on both ends.
Well, at my company, we were recently faced with the same dillema.
;)
There are a couple of options available, though. Although my organization appears to be a bit larger than yours, we've decided to utilize a spare T1 that simply sits there for disaster recovery purposes with Policy Based Routing (We're an all Cisco network, although this can be done on a variety of platforms, including Linux..) This directs traffic from a certain IP (and possibly port, I believe) to a specific interface, so that important data (Citrix, etc) has access to our main pipes while web traffic gets the shaft, so to speak. It uses policy maps to do so; I'm relatively noobish to IOS so maybe someone else can shed some light on this.
I'm hopefully certain you have explored QoS and are currently implementing it, but even QoS has limits.
I'm pretty sure a combination of the 2 methods listed above should take care of you. As a network admin, I could care less if web traffic gets dropped on a cheap DSL or cable connection.
Just my 2c, hope it helps
I've run GSX Server on both Win2k3 64-bit and Suse Enterprise 64-bit, and neither one really presented any issues. The linux configuration is slightly more complicated, but its nothing to really shake a stick at.
;)
;)
The core issue is which OS are you more familiar with? If that isn't an issue, then there are some benefits to the *nix side of things.
It's possible to get a linux install down to 200~ megs while only using 64 megs of system memory, which is a strong advantage. If I understand correctly ESX Server is essentially a very very thin linux distro. That should say something
I've also read of a perl script that can make hot backups of a Virtual Machine; while this is possible under Windows using commercial products, it's another thing to be taken into consideration.
Hope this helps
Unless an out of court settlement prohibits Microsoft from bundling its upcoming antispyware / antivirus software?
I use Vonage and love it. I can't say I've never had a complaint about voice quality, but it's pretty rare, and for 25 bucks a month... unlimited long distance in US + Canada is awesome. I'm also a network admin, maybe it simply requires more administration than the average user can supply?
I can only imagine a network infested with spyware, zombie PC's, and of course every P2P app running trying to provide enough bandwidth for VOIP.
On a side note, I maintain a Cisco VOIP solution at work, and it's amazing.
Maybe the technology isn't quite right for the average user, but its coming, and I can't wait.
I was talking to my Sprint rep about these...
;)
She said that by the end of the year, downstream speeds should be 2Mbit.
She also mentioned a couple of neat devices... essentially you plug the PCMCIA card into this device, which allows other network connectivity. One acted as a WAP, the other simply had an ethernet port.
The upstream speeds aren't going to replace standard network connections, but it makes for an interesting disaster recovery option.
Redundant internet connections aren't much good when all the the local pairs are damaged, as happened to me just a few months ago.
She said the price would remain relatively the same when the speed upgrade happens, too
The original "impressive" disclaimer.
;)
I got a few laughs out of it
WARNING
Nature is unpredictable and unsafe. Mountains are dangerous. Many books have been written about these dangers, and there's no way we can list them all here. Read the books.
Nelson Rocks Preserve is covered in steep terrain with loose, slippery and unstable footing. The weather can make matters worse. Sheer drops are everywhere. You may fall, be injured or die. There are hidden holes. You could break your leg. There are wild animals, which may be vicious, poisonous or carriers of dread diseases. These include poisonous snakes and insects. Plants can be poisonous as well. We don't do anything to protect you from any of this. We do not inspect, supervise or maintain the grounds, rocks, cliffs or other features, natural or otherwise.
Real dangers are present even on trails. Trails are not sidewalks. They can be, and are, steep, slippery and dangerous. Trail features made or enhanced by humans, such as steps, walls and railings (if any) can break, collapse, or otherwise fail catastrophically at any time. We don't promise to inspect, supervise or maintain them in any way. They may be negligently constructed or repaired. They are unsafe, period. Live with it or stay away.
Stay on the trails whenever possible. The terrain, in addition to being dangerous, is surprisingly complex. You may get lost. Carry food, water and first aid supplies at all times.
Rocks and other objects can fall from the cliffs. They can tumble down slopes. This can happen naturally, or be caused by people above you, such as climbers. Rocks of all sizes, including huge boulders, can shift, move or fall with no warning. Use of helmets is advised for anyone approaching the rock formations. They can be purchased or rented at Seneca Rocks. They won't save you if you get hit by something big or on another part of your body. A whole rock formation might collapse on you and squash you like a bug. Don't think it can't happen.
Weather can be dangerous, regardless of the forecast. Be prepared with extra clothing, including rain gear. Hypothermia, heat stroke, lightning, ice and snow, etc. can kill you. Rain can turn easy terrain into a deathtrap.
If you scramble in high places (scrambling is moving over terrain steep enough to use your hands) without proper experience, training and equipment, or allow children to do so, you are making a terrible mistake. Even if you know what you're doing, lots of things can go wrong and you may be injured or die. It happens all the time.
The Preserve does not provide rangers or security personnel. The other people in the preserve, including other visitors, our employees, agents, and guests, and anyone else who might sneak in, may be stupid, reckless, or otherwise dangerous. They may be mentally ill, criminally insane, drunk, using illegal drugs and/or armed with deadly weapons and ready to use them. We aren't necessarily going to do anything about it. We refuse to take responsibility.
If you climb, you may die or be seriously injured. This is true whether you are experienced or not, trained or not, equipped or not, though training and equipment may help. It's a fact, climbing is extremely dangerous. If you don't like it, stay at home. You really shouldn't be doing it anyway. We do not provide supervision or instruction. We are not responsible for, and do not inspect or maintain, climbing anchors (including bolts, pitons, slings, trees, etc.) As far as we know, any of them can and will fail and send you plunging to your death. There are countless tons of loose rock ready to be dislodged and fall on you or someone else. There are any number of extremely and unusually dangerous conditions existing on and around the rocks, and elsewhere on the property. We may or may not know about any specific hazard, but even if we do, don't expect us to try to warn you. You're on your own.
Rescue services are not provided by the Preserve, and ma
Although my involvement with the Kryptos project has lessened due to time constraints (Its not World of Warcraft if thats what you were thinking!), this is actually right up my alley.
I created a 3d replica of the statue in 3d studio max (It should still be available in the yahoo group file section) and this talk of layer 2 talk may imply the folding of the statue. Elonka mentioned this to me a few days ago, but I didn't realize it was this important of an update.
Installing 3d studio max now, there goes my sleep for the next month O.O
I remember looking at these things and seeing a somewhat functional citrix client...
Has anyone tried to get something like this up and running?
I've been deploying tablet PC's in an industrial enviornment that are essentially expensive thin clients, it would be nice to find a replacement at almost a 10th of the price.
It isnt running NT4!
Absolutely! /
You would think the success of the portable Castlevania games would serve as a reminder, but game developers seem to have forgotten ;
I guess this is why I spend just as much, if not more time playing NES roms than I do cutting edge PC titles.
Is Google prepared to vouch for the information, if not how will they convince people to use a service they won't stand behind?
Ever actually tried to get Ebay to resolve a fraud issue? It was easier (and cheaper!) just to forget the whole thing.
I met elonka at a con a few years ago, and I can honestly say she's one of the coolest people to go out and have a few drinks with; very interesting conversations.
;),
Jay
Btw, its about time we caught another movie
delete and reroll.