Previous competitor MMORPG releases have only made EQ's populations dip mildly each time. But the Oct/Nov 2004 releases of EQ2 and World of Warcraft is the first time EQ has suffered a massive sudden decline. I estimate EQ lost two thirds of its players based on the player count in populous zones like Bazaar and Plane of Knowledge on my server. Players haven't been allowed to see the actual server population numbers for a long time now.
The good news is the population hasn't fallen a lot since that time. EQ isn't dead, just reduced.
All you are doing is whining on Slashdot about how goddamned smart you are compared to everyone else because _you_ really know how inept the TSA is, and no one else is clever enough to figure this out.
All YOU are doing is whining on Slashdot about how goddamned smart you are compared to everyone else.
The day the US government starts regulating what traffic all ISPs must carry, is the day the internet is no longer free. It'll become another utility like the existing telephone, power, and cable grids.
I can't see that happening given its historically free nature and current international presence. The whole point of VOIP is to provide cheap access via an unregulated infrastructure. You start regulating it and suddenly most of VOIP's reasons-for-being float out the window.
The title of "Chief Privacy Officer" recently adopted by many companies isn't about technical supervision, it's about public relations. No doubt his job at Gator was to make it appear on the surface that they care about the public's privacy, while they do their dirty work under the surface. What are the odds he'll be doing the same type of work in his new government position?
For a company who: has a huge installed base has a huge number of products writes low-level base-layer software, i.e. operating systems has a huge amount of spare cash and R&D ability is a monopoly
That company has a far greater responsibility to behave ethically.
Yet Microsoft does not, at least not with marketing or product quality or customer security. They have grown tremendously in size yet retain the same amateurish college-age lack of professionalism that, while understandable 25 years ago, should be history now that computing is a part of everyday life.
Yes, and with this article we see that SPYWARE makers are also promoting these "pay to install" affiliate programs.
THIS is the reason why big bundles of varying spyware programs from different companies are getting installed all at once. It's the reason why exploits are being used to get the spyware installed.
Because these "affiliates" are trying to maximize their bonus checks. Say, 7 cents per copy x 100000 copies x 10 different spyware programs = $70000. An independent affiliate is going to do whatever it takes to get as much different crap on as many PCs as possible. It does not matter to an affiliate if PCs become unusable, all they care about is that the software gets installed so they can receive their commission.
And of course spyware manufactures don't particularly mind how widely abused their affiliate programs are. They're in a scummy business in the first place, nasty effects are immaterial to them.
No it isn't. A secure OS would make it easy for normal users to RECOGNIZE and REMOVE any illegitimate software or processes that have managed to wend their way onto their PC. Windows does not. It takes experts to figure out most infestations, often by using third-party apps like Hijack This to analyze the system. It takes third-party anti-virus and anti-spyware apps to remove the problems, and then only on a case-by-case basis. It takes third-party firewalls to control and inform users about internet traffic entering and leaving their own PC.
Hiding information from users is a mantra that directly undermines security.
We have a right to expect them to fix all bugs that are found considering that the software industry has an extremely low per-user cost of repairs compared to other industries. Too bad most software companies are too unethical to take advantage of this scalability.
While fast-forwarding TiVo, I am constantly pressing the "clear" button to remove the FF bar from the bottom of the screen because it's in the way; I need to see the whole screen to speed-read the program and also to know when to stop FFing. Anything else they add to the screen during FF is going to make this condition worse. Is TiVo's clear button going to continue to remove all the extraneous crap from the screen during FF?
Bush stated in a campaign speech in Oct? 2000 that he was pro-Microsoft in the DoJ/Netscape vs Microsoft trial. Microsoft was overjoyed when he was elected. (And considering that Bush probably knows very little about computers, where do you think his stance actually comes from?)
Look forward to at least 4 more years of abusive behavior without consequence.
2006 -- there's a network security problem in HL2. Since we're shipping HL3 now, we don't support HL2 anymore and can't update it, so we'll just have to remotely disable HL2 universally. If you want to continue playing HL, please consider purchasing an "upgrade" to HL3.
How typically hypocritical of them. Isn't SCO the "destractor" who spends their days releasing "messages" to the press "to try and [sic] overwhelm" us?
Yep you don't necessarily need to hack web servers, you can just run your exploit off a banner ad for wide, varied exposure. Pay for it with a stolen credit card. Online ad pushing companies obviously aren't sticklers for ethical ad content, just look at all the dialog-box mimicking ad designs and scams advertised.
Not really true -- "boxen" is more obviously a joke / play on words, whereas writing "virii" just makes you look ignorant. "Virii" is written like "radii" but while "radius" is a real word, "virius" is not.
Quake II Spoiler
Speaking of FPS, there is this secret text message on the Research Lab map of Quake II that no one's ever really figured out:
A.H.D.S.S.I.B.H.
bjjc
Regular barrels already do get displaced into the traffic lane sometimes, without the benefit of robotics. And barrels are already designed to get hit without causing serious damage; they are hollow and disconnect from their base.
The data from my purchases helps them run their store better, so everyone's happy
So when's that going to start? And how will they use our existing purchase histories to start stocking items they don't currently carry but we want to buy? My grocery store has had loyalty cards for years now, and absolutely nothing has changed except for price fluxuations and the silly reward-points games they've started playing.
How is the 3D interface -- does it emphasize third-person, top-down, or first-person view? (I really like EQ's emphasis on first-person view and never liked any game that defaulted to third.)
Slashdot Mirror
Previous competitor MMORPG releases have only made EQ's populations dip mildly each time. But the Oct/Nov 2004 releases of EQ2 and World of Warcraft is the first time EQ has suffered a massive sudden decline. I estimate EQ lost two thirds of its players based on the player count in populous zones like Bazaar and Plane of Knowledge on my server. Players haven't been allowed to see the actual server population numbers for a long time now.
The good news is the population hasn't fallen a lot since that time. EQ isn't dead, just reduced.
All you are doing is whining on Slashdot about how goddamned smart you are compared to everyone else because _you_ really know how inept the TSA is, and no one else is clever enough to figure this out.
All YOU are doing is whining on Slashdot about how goddamned smart you are compared to everyone else.
The day the US government starts regulating what traffic all ISPs must carry, is the day the internet is no longer free. It'll become another utility like the existing telephone, power, and cable grids.
I can't see that happening given its historically free nature and current international presence. The whole point of VOIP is to provide cheap access via an unregulated infrastructure. You start regulating it and suddenly most of VOIP's reasons-for-being float out the window.
That sounds like a great tactic, but this is the first time I've ever heard it and I'd wager that the vast majority of XP owners don't know it either.
The title of "Chief Privacy Officer" recently adopted by many companies isn't about technical supervision, it's about public relations. No doubt his job at Gator was to make it appear on the surface that they care about the public's privacy, while they do their dirty work under the surface. What are the odds he'll be doing the same type of work in his new government position?
The more you tighten your grip, Tarkin, the more star systems will slip through your fingers.
-- Princess Leia
Are you asserting that "VeriSign Class 3 Code Signing 2001 CA" which issued the certificate to "CLICK YES TO CONTINUE" is not Verisign?
Applying one sticker improves battery life by 70%, so two stickers must improve battery life by 140% !
For a company who:
has a huge installed base
has a huge number of products
writes low-level base-layer software, i.e. operating systems
has a huge amount of spare cash and R&D ability
is a monopoly
That company has a far greater responsibility to behave ethically.
Yet Microsoft does not, at least not with marketing or product quality or customer security. They have grown tremendously in size yet retain the same amateurish college-age lack of professionalism that, while understandable 25 years ago, should be history now that computing is a part of everyday life.
Yes, and with this article we see that SPYWARE makers are also promoting these "pay to install" affiliate programs.
THIS is the reason why big bundles of varying spyware programs from different companies are getting installed all at once. It's the reason why exploits are being used to get the spyware installed.
Because these "affiliates" are trying to maximize their bonus checks. Say, 7 cents per copy x 100000 copies x 10 different spyware programs = $70000. An independent affiliate is going to do whatever it takes to get as much different crap on as many PCs as possible. It does not matter to an affiliate if PCs become unusable, all they care about is that the software gets installed so they can receive their commission.
And of course spyware manufactures don't particularly mind how widely abused their affiliate programs are. They're in a scummy business in the first place, nasty effects are immaterial to them.
No it isn't. A secure OS would make it easy for normal users to RECOGNIZE and REMOVE any illegitimate software or processes that have managed to wend their way onto their PC. Windows does not. It takes experts to figure out most infestations, often by using third-party apps like Hijack This to analyze the system. It takes third-party anti-virus and anti-spyware apps to remove the problems, and then only on a case-by-case basis. It takes third-party firewalls to control and inform users about internet traffic entering and leaving their own PC.
Hiding information from users is a mantra that directly undermines security.
We have a right to expect them to fix all bugs that are found considering that the software industry has an extremely low per-user cost of repairs compared to other industries. Too bad most software companies are too unethical to take advantage of this scalability.
While fast-forwarding TiVo, I am constantly pressing the "clear" button to remove the FF bar from the bottom of the screen because it's in the way; I need to see the whole screen to speed-read the program and also to know when to stop FFing. Anything else they add to the screen during FF is going to make this condition worse. Is TiVo's clear button going to continue to remove all the extraneous crap from the screen during FF?
Bush stated in a campaign speech in Oct? 2000 that he was pro-Microsoft in the DoJ/Netscape vs Microsoft trial. Microsoft was overjoyed when he was elected. (And considering that Bush probably knows very little about computers, where do you think his stance actually comes from?) Look forward to at least 4 more years of abusive behavior without consequence.
2006 -- there's a network security problem in HL2. Since we're shipping HL3 now, we don't support HL2 anymore and can't update it, so we'll just have to remotely disable HL2 universally. If you want to continue playing HL, please consider purchasing an "upgrade" to HL3.
Isn't there a list of spyware certificates on some reputable web site that we all can download and add to the certificate "ban list" wholesale?
How typically hypocritical of them. Isn't SCO the "destractor" who spends their days releasing "messages" to the press "to try and [sic] overwhelm" us?
Yep you don't necessarily need to hack web servers, you can just run your exploit off a banner ad for wide, varied exposure. Pay for it with a stolen credit card. Online ad pushing companies obviously aren't sticklers for ethical ad content, just look at all the dialog-box mimicking ad designs and scams advertised.
Not really true -- "boxen" is more obviously a joke / play on words, whereas writing "virii" just makes you look ignorant. "Virii" is written like "radii" but while "radius" is a real word, "virius" is not.
Quake II Spoiler Speaking of FPS, there is this secret text message on the Research Lab map of Quake II that no one's ever really figured out: A.H.D.S.S.I.B.H. bjjc
Regular barrels already do get displaced into the traffic lane sometimes, without the benefit of robotics. And barrels are already designed to get hit without causing serious damage; they are hollow and disconnect from their base.
So any business practice that's standard is automatically ethical and not worthy of attention. Interesting.
So when's that going to start? And how will they use our existing purchase histories to start stocking items they don't currently carry but we want to buy? My grocery store has had loyalty cards for years now, and absolutely nothing has changed except for price fluxuations and the silly reward-points games they've started playing.
How is the 3D interface -- does it emphasize third-person, top-down, or first-person view? (I really like EQ's emphasis on first-person view and never liked any game that defaulted to third.)
Virus scanners don't handle much spyware (yet). I think Ad-aware and/or Spybot will probably fix it.