While your comments are technically correct, there is a big difference between needing a connection to unlock the game, and needing a connection to download 180 MB of files before that will even take place.
Is getting HL2 up and running possible with a 26.4k connection? Certainly. Even with a 300 bps modem it's possible. But it's beyond practical.
It is. If it were only the actual activation it might have been more practical. But six hours into the mandatory download of the latest updates (which is required before the tricky offline play mode can be enabled), I lost the connection, and Steam apparently couldn't even resume the download.
With a crappy download, a mere "internet connection" didn't work.
The "mere listing" of an internet connection as a requirement IS misleading, and not just for the reasons they mention in the article. I made the mistake of trying this with my aluminum-line, out-in-the-boondocks 26.4k connection.
I returned the (opened) software to the store and told them the system requirements were misleading.
Internet Connection!=broadband
Re:While this is great for open source advocates..
on
TheOpenCD 2.0 Released
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· Score: 1
Wow, thanks! I've been looking for something like Inkscape for ages!
The local Air Force base here went to full implementation of smart cards for logins (the cards double as their building IDs). It was a debacle...they were recognized by the readers about 20% of the time, and misread another 60%. They finally modified the login to allow them to Cancel the smart card scan and log in manually while they slinked off in defeat.
I've found Wings 3D to be an easy jump for a programmer to make into 3D modelling, if that's a form of "art" you're after as well. The texturing modes are a breeze also.
That really depends on how much reading you've done on it. Wikipedia alone, you are absolutely correct. If you go deeper, and you encounter a train of thought that there's a pseudo-conscious tinkering going on...where evolution "saves up" a wad of changes calculated to be useful later.
Greg Bear's "Darwin's Radio" is an entertaining example. The case isn't really made that this is a sentient process, but very nearly so.
Contrary to the responses of others, I will join in on the prayers. Frankly, I am concerned for those that can't see the value of both science AND religion.
If she works very little, then she's not a very good teacher.
As for the union, you've obviously been listening to the Right's lies and nothing else, O Anonymous Coward.
While I agree with your about getting rid of bad teachers, I must strongly disagree with the notion that the "hours and demands" match the salary. It's a rare(bad?) teacher that works fewer than 11 months of the year and less than 10 hours a day (and a bit on the weekends).
When I taught middle school, I calculated my hourly wage based on actual hours worked: $4.17. And I was far from the teacher putting in the most time.
If you think teacher are paid just fine and do little work, maybe you should actually spend a little time as a teacher and see if you still feel that way.
I forgot to mention that I also had a serious "dry eyes" problem with this. Pretty much constant eye drops for six months, but they did finally return to "normal".
I had 420/20 vision in both eyes, well beyond legally blind. Through my vision plan at work, I went to TLC for $1800 per eye. In my research I had determined that (generally) cheap != good. The $1800 per eye covered all optometrist visits, the initial surgery, most medications (largely eyedrops), and any needed followup treatments. I had both eyes done at the same time, and they offered me a valium...which relaxed me quite nicely.
The surgery went well, but almost everything that could go wrong after that did. The tissue grew back almost completely (which was a new one to them), reverting me to about 380/20 vision. After several weeks I had a second surgery. Two days later I developed the "Sands of the Sahara", which causes serious fogging of the cornea and can cause real problems if not treated quickly...and I woke up with it on a Sunday morning.
Now for the good part. I called TLC right after I woke up that morning, and they set me up with a optometrist half an hour later. Some eyedrops were all it took. I had pretty bad glare for three to four months.
Bottom line: I'd do it again in a heartbeat. For all the problems, it's hard to overstate the pleasure and practicality of not needed glasses or contacts. TLC stayed on top of the problems...they took care of me. The pleasure of being able to see...always...and not becoming an invalid if my glasses break is priceless.
Check up on the people doing the work, and go for it.
1939 Coupe, handles like a tank, and if the starter goes out in the rain, just take the new one (with your tools) into the engine compartment and close the hood. You can even stretch out your legs while you dryly change the part, and maybe through in a tuneup. Heck, there's probably enough room in there to change the TRANSMISSION.
We have a "system" similar to Alabama. There's a friendly little line on the state tax form for you to dutifully report such purchases. Lucky me, I actually DIDN'T buy anything online last year...or out of state.
SHAMELESS PLUG:
My personal favorite is WordWars, a nice vocabulary-building game with mild cartoonish violence, if the administration can handle that. It's my favorite, naturally, as I wrote it.:D
There's also something to be said about the fun simplicity of those classic games. While I agree that I see a lot of direct clones, I see quite a few that are original but clearly inspired by the actual gameplay of older titles. My game (shameless plug alert), WordWars, is at its root a simple crossword puzzle...but when you add explosions, knife slashings, poison, and nukes, it becomes something different.
Some might see it as a stale reworking, but others see it as a fresh take on an old idea...which is precisely why I wanted to make (and play) it.
I imagine results visually akin to a Borg sphere.
Does this work on all matter? If so, can we ship up all the stupid people and finally put them to good use?
I am one of those remaining dialup users, and would LOVE to have broadband. I'd pay an extra $20 or $30 (and maybe more) a month for it, gladly.
But the only broadband option out here is satellite, and it's not quite a $30 jump...more like $90 extra a month. So I stick to my dialup over aluminum telephone wires. And I can assure you that this is the case for most of the other people that live near me.
Slashdot Mirror
While your comments are technically correct, there is a big difference between needing a connection to unlock the game, and needing a connection to download 180 MB of files before that will even take place. Is getting HL2 up and running possible with a 26.4k connection? Certainly. Even with a 300 bps modem it's possible. But it's beyond practical.
With a crappy download, a mere "internet connection" didn't work.
The "mere listing" of an internet connection as a requirement IS misleading, and not just for the reasons they mention in the article. I made the mistake of trying this with my aluminum-line, out-in-the-boondocks 26.4k connection. I returned the (opened) software to the store and told them the system requirements were misleading. Internet Connection!=broadband
Wow, thanks! I've been looking for something like Inkscape for ages!
The local Air Force base here went to full implementation of smart cards for logins (the cards double as their building IDs). It was a debacle...they were recognized by the readers about 20% of the time, and misread another 60%. They finally modified the login to allow them to Cancel the smart card scan and log in manually while they slinked off in defeat.
I've found Wings 3D to be an easy jump for a programmer to make into 3D modelling, if that's a form of "art" you're after as well. The texturing modes are a breeze also.
Greg Bear's "Darwin's Radio" is an entertaining example. The case isn't really made that this is a sentient process, but very nearly so.
Not necessarily so...have you read up on the notion of punctuated equilibrium?
If you think the Christians are unjustly slammed on occasion, you should try being Pagan. :)
Contrary to the responses of others, I will join in on the prayers. Frankly, I am concerned for those that can't see the value of both science AND religion.
If she works very little, then she's not a very good teacher. As for the union, you've obviously been listening to the Right's lies and nothing else, O Anonymous Coward.
While I agree with your about getting rid of bad teachers, I must strongly disagree with the notion that the "hours and demands" match the salary. It's a rare(bad?) teacher that works fewer than 11 months of the year and less than 10 hours a day (and a bit on the weekends). When I taught middle school, I calculated my hourly wage based on actual hours worked: $4.17. And I was far from the teacher putting in the most time. If you think teacher are paid just fine and do little work, maybe you should actually spend a little time as a teacher and see if you still feel that way.
I saw "Word Wars" and thought for a moment: "Woohoo, a plug for my game!" Curse the luck. No shameless plug for me.
I forgot to mention that I also had a serious "dry eyes" problem with this. Pretty much constant eye drops for six months, but they did finally return to "normal".
I had 420/20 vision in both eyes, well beyond legally blind. Through my vision plan at work, I went to TLC for $1800 per eye. In my research I had determined that (generally) cheap != good. The $1800 per eye covered all optometrist visits, the initial surgery, most medications (largely eyedrops), and any needed followup treatments. I had both eyes done at the same time, and they offered me a valium...which relaxed me quite nicely. The surgery went well, but almost everything that could go wrong after that did. The tissue grew back almost completely (which was a new one to them), reverting me to about 380/20 vision. After several weeks I had a second surgery. Two days later I developed the "Sands of the Sahara", which causes serious fogging of the cornea and can cause real problems if not treated quickly...and I woke up with it on a Sunday morning. Now for the good part. I called TLC right after I woke up that morning, and they set me up with a optometrist half an hour later. Some eyedrops were all it took. I had pretty bad glare for three to four months. Bottom line: I'd do it again in a heartbeat. For all the problems, it's hard to overstate the pleasure and practicality of not needed glasses or contacts. TLC stayed on top of the problems...they took care of me. The pleasure of being able to see...always...and not becoming an invalid if my glasses break is priceless. Check up on the people doing the work, and go for it.
1939 Coupe, handles like a tank, and if the starter goes out in the rain, just take the new one (with your tools) into the engine compartment and close the hood. You can even stretch out your legs while you dryly change the part, and maybe through in a tuneup. Heck, there's probably enough room in there to change the TRANSMISSION.
We have a "system" similar to Alabama. There's a friendly little line on the state tax form for you to dutifully report such purchases. Lucky me, I actually DIDN'T buy anything online last year...or out of state.
West Point Bridge Design had them gleefully ripping out their own hair trying to match the posted records.
Life & Death II: The Brain has medically-sanctioned violence.
SHAMELESS PLUG: My personal favorite is WordWars, a nice vocabulary-building game with mild cartoonish violence, if the administration can handle that. It's my favorite, naturally, as I wrote it. :D
Or maybe we /.ers could file a class-action suit against the parents for perpetuating the moron gene?
Oh thank God! There's not nearly enough people in the world. Double the population, and the world's problems will be solved!
There's also something to be said about the fun simplicity of those classic games. While I agree that I see a lot of direct clones, I see quite a few that are original but clearly inspired by the actual gameplay of older titles. My game (shameless plug alert), WordWars, is at its root a simple crossword puzzle...but when you add explosions, knife slashings, poison, and nukes, it becomes something different. Some might see it as a stale reworking, but others see it as a fresh take on an old idea...which is precisely why I wanted to make (and play) it.
I imagine results visually akin to a Borg sphere. Does this work on all matter? If so, can we ship up all the stupid people and finally put them to good use?
Lemon-powered light bulbs, glowing pickles... So where's my lemon-powered pickle?
I am one of those remaining dialup users, and would LOVE to have broadband. I'd pay an extra $20 or $30 (and maybe more) a month for it, gladly.
But the only broadband option out here is satellite, and it's not quite a $30 jump...more like $90 extra a month. So I stick to my dialup over aluminum telephone wires. And I can assure you that this is the case for most of the other people that live near me.