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User: J_DarkElf

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  1. Possibly the Oddbox? on New Oddworld Games In Development · · Score: 3, Insightful

    It was mentioned before by the Oddworld Inhabitants team that if the re-released Abe games sold well there would be an Oddbox, with additionally Munch's Oddysee and Stranger's Wrath ported to Windows.
    This sounds more like a reference to that, since there is no indication Squeek's Oddysee or other new Oddworld games are in development.

  2. Re:System tray on Game Distribution Platforms Becoming Annoyingly Common · · Score: 1

    It runs in systray.exe under last gen Windows. Even Microsoft calls it a system tray at several places, like http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310578 & http://support.microsoft.com/kb/176085 & http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/player/bonuspack/powertoys.aspx#traycontrol to just name a few.

  3. Re:Thanks for the heads up on Classifying Players For Unique Game Experiences · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Then don't buy the Xbox version. If you RTFA, it mentions that the data collection was done through Xbox Live.

    Of course with its achievements etc. Xbox Live is always tracking everyone in the first place, Eidos' data collection is a logical next step. If you're paranoid, avoid Xbox Live, PSN, and any similar system (including Steam on PC unless firewalled).

    Or of course just pull the network plug of the PC or console...

  4. Re:A Bad Idea Made Worse on Google Open Sources Updater · · Score: 1

    Don't forget about the Apple Software Updater, which is installed even if you opt-out during the install of whatever software (ie iTunes or Quicktime) you're installing!
    At least this can be uninstalled again.

    Java also insists on installing an always-running update service, with no easy way to disable.

    Are there others -- outside of antivirus vendors, one of the few examples where an always-running updater makes sense?

  5. Re:Not watching on New Olympics Scoring: No More Perfect 10.0 · · Score: 1

    You're not alone, I've also decided to boycott the Genocidolympics.

    These companies have also lost, or will not get, me as a customer: Sponsors of the Bejing 2008 Olympic Games.
    (Except for UPS and Volkswagen, where I have no choice, or it just is not feasible to switch.)
    I will not be renewing my VISA, and will be switching to Mastercard as soon as it expires.

  6. Re:Hash value? on Inside the RIAA and MediaSentry · · Score: 3, Informative

    Assuming they're talking about something like MD5 hashing here--

    Two rips of the same CD music track do not necessarily lead to the exact bit-by-bit identical MP3 file. Thus the hash is different, even if the same software, same CD, and same settings are used.

    Two people with /exactly/ the same MP3 file will have the same hash. /Exactly/ the same, so if person B has added or changed ID3 tags, the file will already get a different hash.

    There are other identification methods for music files, such as the one used by http://musicbrainz.org/, which /will/ provide the same hash for the same track even if it was ripped with different settings or on another computer. But from the article this is not what MediaSentry uses.

  7. No full discography though on Radiohead Changes Tack, Joins iTunes · · Score: 1

    When I first saw the announcement they had finally joined the ITMS, I was hoping for a full discography deal like U2 did a while back. Unfortunately this is not the case -- each album has to be purchased individually, and there are absolutely no extras.

    I don't see the added value in this. For almost the same cost I can just buy whatever albums I do not already have on CD (thanks to the ridiculously cheap dollar), and rip in a far higher quality than ITMS offers.

    Itunes is only worth it when there are extras, like bonus songs or interviews. Or at least a discount!

  8. Re:Default Browser on Firefox Appears Ready to Crack 20% Share Next Month · · Score: 5, Informative

    And on XP and Vista, the default browser is also registered in the start menu as the 'internet' application. Which means it gets the top icon in the left row of the default setup.

    And any program which follows the guidelines will launch it, and not a hardcoded internet explorer.

  9. Actual Report on Greenpeace Complains Game Consoles Aren't Green Enough · · Score: 1

    http://www.greenpeace.org/international/campaigns/toxics/electronics/how-the-companies-line-up

    Nintendo mainly scores bad because of their use of PVC and BFR if I read the rapport right, and the lack of a disposal policy.

  10. Re:the problem is combining ... on New Malware Report Hits Vista's Security Image · · Score: 5, Informative

    No need to slam Vista (or Windows in general) -- the problem is combining a dumb user with /any/ OS he can get admin rights on.

    No matter how good your antivirus/antispyware/OS, once an idiot user figures out that by closing a certain app or clicking "yes" somewhere he can run the funny application he got by e-mail, he will do so, and the system is potentially infected.

  11. What kind of malware? on New Malware Report Hits Vista's Security Image · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Malware is not defined anywhere in the article. I know from experience that some "malware" scanners tend to mark even cookies (such as Doubleclick's) as malware, which will appear on any computer.
    I would also like to see how many of these "infected" computers had UAC and automated updates turned off.

    Looks like just another Vista bashing article (so it will no doubt be really popular here).

  12. One difference: Off-topic posting on The Effects of Censorship — a Tale of Two Websites · · Score: 4, Insightful

    The "uncensored" board has two sections which do not exist on the other board: "off topic", which has the usual "forum games" and other post-count spammers, and a section called "Employment Forums", which also deals with off-topic posting.

    It's easy to claim you have more posts than your competitor if your scope is much wider.

  13. Perhaps we should thank Microsoft on Microsoft Acknowledges NBC's Wish is Its Command · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I think we should be grateful to Microsoft in a way. By fully exposing people to the whim of the content mafiaa (in this case NBC) it will finally become clear to a large enough crowd that DRM and like measures, like this 'broadcast flag', are taking away rights we took for granted.

    Hopefully with awareness finally spreading beyond the minority of hobbyists, enough of a voice can be made to stop the big companies before it is too late.

  14. Boxes on Do Videogames Need More Graphical Grit? · · Score: 5, Funny

    Videogame worlds are staffed by really efficient janitors, who store all the dust and grime in boxes. Which is why you see those everywhere.

  15. Non-human "faces" on EyeToy PS2 Camera To Use Digimask For 3D Faces · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Who's to say people will stop with humans? One could easily take a pic of their cat or dog and use that as an avatar...

    And we'll see the furries on the PS2 as well.

  16. Re:A collection of old things on Remail: IBM is Reinventing Email · · Score: 1

    I got them to use the KISS setup by Opera employee Rk van Geitenbeek.

    http://people.opera.com/rijk/opera/kiss.html

    With some changes, and then just helped them set their accounts up.

    Phoenix/Thunderbird are a pain to use in my honest opinion, especially if you need to go through extension hell to get some needed options. I've lost count of how many times I've ended up with ugly raw XML error messages when something just broke Opera just works.

  17. Re:A collection of old things on Remail: IBM is Reinventing Email · · Score: 1

    Why would I use Phoenix and Thunderbird if I want a mail client *and* a browser?

    Don't get me wrong, if Opera didn't exist I'd be all over the Mozilla releases, but as it is they seem to me to be the poor man's copy of Opera, and they're still far too big and slow for my system.

    7.5MB for Thunderbird + 6.1MB for Phoenix
    vs
    11.9MB for the Mozilla suite
    vs
    3.3MB for Opera?

    I can have Opera installed and running by the time the Mozillas complete downloading not to mention the sad fact that Phoenix and Thunderbird still don't have installers, so there's no way I can get the family to use it. Getting them to move to Opera from MSIE/MSOE was almost no problem.

  18. M2/Opera Mail anyone? on Remail: IBM is Reinventing Email · · Score: 1

    Take a look at the mail client in Opera 7.

    Now that is a real new mail client: no more tedious dragging of messages to folders, but instead accesspoints ("views") which do the work of managing your mail for you.

    That is true innovation as far as e-mail clients go. (Why else would Mozilla be copying it?)

  19. So blank it on Spam Through HTTP Referrer Logs · · Score: 2, Insightful
    Personally I don't like people tracking my referrer links. [snip] Maybe I'll set my referrer to goats.cx.


    Just leave your damn referrer blank then. I suppress the referrer through Opera everywhere, and only enable it on sites which are foolish enough to believe I want to leech their images, and on those maybe one or two sites where I know they use my referrer info for something useful.

    But don't set it to some bogus info, or you're no better than these crimina^H^H^H^H^H^H^H spammers.
  20. Re:Region 0? on The Borg MegaCube · · Score: 2, Informative

    From that article:

    They're Not Really PAL or NTSC
    The first thing I need to clarify about DVD is that PAL and NTSC are words and formats that are applied to DVD for convenience, and because of historical convention. There is nothing fundamental about a DVD which makes it either PAL or NTSC, but for simplicity and brevity, I will continue to use these terms throughout this article.

    At their heart, DVDs are merely carriers of data files with compressed audio-visual information contained therein. This information can be placed on DVD in one of two resolutions; 720 x 576 pixels (PAL DVDs), or 720 x 480 pixels (NTSC DVDs), and with various frame rates (24, 25, and 30 frames per second are common). The DVD player itself takes this data file and formats it appropriately for display in either PAL or NTSC.

    Perhaps you should read what you link to?

    Yes, there is a difference in resolution, but this is compensated for in the player.

  21. Re:Region 0? on The Borg MegaCube · · Score: 1

    NTSC and PAL are meaningless with DVDs.

    DVDs are digital, and it's your DVD player which is PAL or NTSC, not the disc.

    When 'NTSC' is used on DVDs this usually means it is Region 1, and I can still play it on my region free player which is connected to a PAL TV.

    I've never seen a DVD labelled 'PAL'.

  22. Re:It's the format on The Trilogy as One · · Score: 1

    You seem to forget about the EXTREME contraction of the time lapse between Bilbo's farewell party, and the first appearance of the Nazgul.

    In the movie, it almost seems to be the next day -- in the book, years pass. This same contraction occurs from the Shire to Bree, or indeed every single step of their journey. With the speed Jackson is going, he'll have to make up even more Warrior Princess Xen^H^H^H Arwen scenes, or they'll bring down Barad'Dur in the first five seconds of ROTK.

    But you are right in that the main action occurs in one year, namely 3018TA. (The Hobbit takes place in 2941TA. Of course both The Hobbit and LOTR actually end much later, but let's keep our attention on the main action only.)

  23. Re:Sue Rick Bermen! on Activision Sues Star Trek Over Franchise Decay · · Score: 1

    It's Berman.

    And don't forget Brannon Braga, he's equally bad.

    They're the Beavis and Butthead that managed to turn Trek into one of the worst series on TV -- even Andromeda (with 'Hercules' Sorbo) is better.

    And before anyone starts with 'Berman was hand-picked by Roddenberry as his successor', that is an urban myth started by Berman himself.

  24. Re:It sounds like a legitimate gripe. on Activision Sues Star Trek Over Franchise Decay · · Score: 1

    hot Vulcan chic?

    Just because you put someone in a catsuit that looks more like bodypaint does not make them hot.

    She's just there so Brannon Braga has a 'hot model' on standby for when his relationship with Jeri Ryan breaks up.

    Besides, she is the worst excuse for a Vulcan yet... and that is counting the racists Vulcans from DS9 who sucked at baseball.

    Want to see a hot Vulcan? Saavik. (Both of them).

    And a good looking woman on Bermanprise? Look no further than 'Hoshi Sato'.

    And don't even get me started on Admiral Painway...

  25. Link is incorrect? on Temple Of Elemental Evil Discussed · · Score: 1

    It points to http://ugo.com/ , not http://www.ugo.com/

    Corrected link

    On my system using Mozilla Firebird and Opera 7.11 at least -- connecting to the server sans the www gets me a weird error page with the mime type of a GIF image, returned as HTTP 200 OK... not even a 404. Then again they are running Microsoft-IIS/5.0 as a server, so this breakage is probably by design.