I had (or still have, somewhere...) a Rage Pro card. While it was a good card for day to day junk, when it came to games I'm pretty sure I would have gotten better framerates (and image quality) with an abacus and a few colored pencils...
While I tend to be an nVidia fan, I would have to go with Blaskowicz (see previous comment) on this one. For now, ATI simply has a technically superior chipset.
And as far as Doom III goes, the argument just doesn't hold up. Straight from John Carmacks's mouth at Quakecon 2002: "All of the Doom III game demos that you saw in the Doom theater were done on the ATI Radeon 9700."
I think the other guys maybe right about Number Nine and STB, but Hercules is still around, they just stopped producing chipsets in house.
For instance, I have a Hercules card with a nVidia GF2 Pro (which is showing its age *grumble*). However, I think they got in a tiff with nVidia over something awhile back and now they produce ATI based cards exclusively.
They have also been producing some interesting sound solutions here lately...
Does anyone else find it terribly ironic that this group of alien worshiping wack-jobs has chosen to nickname their first clone-apparent Eve? (In a decidedly obvious Christian reference) And doesn't it seem terribly convenient that the birth just happened to coincide with Christmas?
Oh, and please forgive the Alanis Morissette pun. I mean, she is Canadian after all; I just couldn't resist.
While I don't know anyone who has tried to hunt with an Uzi (or similar), I'm sure there is some moron somewhere that has. (The comment on accuracy and power was correct.)
As for the remark about them being illegal, that isn't entirely true. Yes, there is a ban on the further distribution of a number of assault type weapons to the public. However, existing weapons (so long as they are semi-auto capable only) are legal and can be bought and sold. However, they are rarely sold because of their (now) very high value.
Fully automatic versions are also legal under specific circumstances. They can only be bought and sold through specially licensed dealers and they require more stringent background checks AND registration. So, they are fairly rare and are even more expensive.
An excellent point overall (especially the "average joe" part), except for one thing: it doesn't make any distinction between the design intent of the specific firearms.
Case in point, the Uzi. This line of weapons was never intended for general recreational use. They were designed as compact, light-weight, easily wielded assault weapons, with mechanisms that would prove reliable under intense, high-rate of fire situations. In other words, close quarters combat situations.
On the other hand, you have recreational-design rifles the likes of the Remingtion 7400 series and the Browning BAR series. In the strictest sense, they are semi-automatic. However, they are long (unwieldy), heavy, and have very limited magazine capacities (usually about 5 rounds; less than a standard revolver). In addition, their firing mechanisms often jam if not cleaned and maintained regularly due to build-up of gun powder residue.
In other words, they were designed for the guys that can't hit the deer on the first shot and need to get a second one off quickly.;-)
Ok, up front: I think DMCA is crap and I don't think this guy did anything wrong.
But, to be technical, he wasn't "breaking US law in Russia." The US law wasn't in question until the software was exported to the US at which point it becomes subject to US laws. Then, by setting foot in the US, he became subject to US law.
In other words, if you are going to write questionable software outside the US and then make it available in the US, you should probably avoid flying in to make the convention circuit.
All a semi-automatic action does is keep you from having to manually chamber a new round between shots. It doesn't turn a gun into a fire breathing, death dispensing, all consuming killing machine. The person with their finger on the trigger does that.
If someone is willing to kill you (which is obviously illegal), then chances are they aren't going to mind breaking a gun-control law in the process. (Have you ever seen a street gang that was concerned that their fully automatic Mac-10's were illegal?) And beyond that, if someone wants you dead bad enough, there is nothing to keep them from picking up a rock and beating you to death with it.
Well, that just feeds into my real master plan....
Sterilize and Enslave the Stupid of the World!!!!!! DNRC unite!! Muahahahahah!
But, seriously, the parties can only lie to you if you let them. It's your choice to believe something without checking on it yourself. Unfortunately, most people believe whatever they hear and the only ones talking and are the parties and those in power.
And that just feeds back into my original point. If people would stand up, get the facts, and make their own opinion known, then maybe the "party lines" wouldn't be the only voices out there.
And that might be what makes a difference. Hell, it might even force the parties to listen to what the people really think instead of what they think the people think.
My understanding is that the whole issue revolves around two things: 1.)when a developing embryo "becomes" a developing baby and 2.) cloning.
If you consider any point after the fertilization stage a "developing baby" (and since the stem cells are the embryo) then in this case you would be "taking stem cells from an unborn baby." (and thereby killing it and bringing in abortion issues)
Then, to further complicate matters, in order to avoid tissue rejection, the stem cells must be a genetic match. So, in order to accomplish this, the DNA of the developing zygote must be replaced with the DNA of the target patient, in effect creating a (developing human) clone. (which is currently a no-no)
But, like I said, that's just my understanding of it. So, I could be a little off here and there.
It's just that she's surgically, digitally, and manually augmented, lifted, tucked, brushed, tweaked, buffed, and fluffed for our "viewing" pleasure....
Not to point fingers here (especially considering that I am guilty as well), but instead of sitting around complaining, whining, and making sarcastic comments, why don't we actually do something?
Day after day, I see a lot of really well thought out points made here. But exactly how many of them are pointed towards the people that need to hear them? (The President, Congress, etc.)
Granted these people (esp. the president) rank among the most powerful in the world, so they don't fear much and sound reasoning obviously isn't their strong suit. But, we all know the one thing they really fear: Not Being Re-elected.
Yes, Bush is obviously stubborn and hard headed, but I'm betting that even he wouldn't be able to ignore several thousand emails per day telling him to back off of us and go after the real bad guys.
So, if we really want to have a chance at making a difference, don't just post all of this stuff here. Fire some of it at president@whitehouse.gov, too!
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Your right, it wasn't good vs. evil at all. World War II was just a big Saturday night kegger that Hitler let get way out of hand...
I had (or still have, somewhere...) a Rage Pro card. While it was a good card for day to day junk, when it came to games I'm pretty sure I would have gotten better framerates (and image quality) with an abacus and a few colored pencils...
While I tend to be an nVidia fan, I would have to go with Blaskowicz (see previous comment) on this one. For now, ATI simply has a technically superior chipset.
And as far as Doom III goes, the argument just doesn't hold up. Straight from John Carmacks's mouth at Quakecon 2002: "All of the Doom III game demos that you saw in the Doom theater were done on the ATI Radeon 9700."
I think the other guys maybe right about Number Nine and STB, but Hercules is still around, they just stopped producing chipsets in house.
For instance, I have a Hercules card with a nVidia GF2 Pro (which is showing its age *grumble*). However, I think they got in a tiff with nVidia over something awhile back and now they produce ATI based cards exclusively.
They have also been producing some interesting sound solutions here lately...
And in Non-Soviet Russia, they take really hot, young, ambiguously lesbian singers, tart them up in Catholic schoolgirl outfits, hose them down, and have them grope each other on film. It's pure marketing genius.
*wipes tear from eye* Man, it's beautiful to see capitalism spread its wings and fly....
Does anyone else find it terribly ironic that this group of alien worshiping wack-jobs has chosen to nickname their first clone-apparent Eve? (In a decidedly obvious Christian reference) And doesn't it seem terribly convenient that the birth just happened to coincide with Christmas?
Oh, and please forgive the Alanis Morissette pun. I mean, she is Canadian after all; I just couldn't resist.
While I don't know anyone who has tried to hunt with an Uzi (or similar), I'm sure there is some moron somewhere that has. (The comment on accuracy and power was correct.)
As for the remark about them being illegal, that isn't entirely true. Yes, there is a ban on the further distribution of a number of assault type weapons to the public. However, existing weapons (so long as they are semi-auto capable only) are legal and can be bought and sold. However, they are rarely sold because of their (now) very high value.
Fully automatic versions are also legal under specific circumstances. They can only be bought and sold through specially licensed dealers and they require more stringent background checks AND registration. So, they are fairly rare and are even more expensive.
An excellent point overall (especially the "average joe" part), except for one thing: it doesn't make any distinction between the design intent of the specific firearms.
Case in point, the Uzi. This line of weapons was never intended for general recreational use. They were designed as compact, light-weight, easily wielded assault weapons, with mechanisms that would prove reliable under intense, high-rate of fire situations. In other words, close quarters combat situations.
On the other hand, you have recreational-design rifles the likes of the Remingtion 7400 series and the Browning BAR series. In the strictest sense, they are semi-automatic. However, they are long (unwieldy), heavy, and have very limited magazine capacities (usually about 5 rounds; less than a standard revolver). In addition, their firing mechanisms often jam if not cleaned and maintained regularly due to build-up of gun powder residue.
In other words, they were designed for the guys that can't hit the deer on the first shot and need to get a second one off quickly. ;-)
Ok, up front: I think DMCA is crap and I don't think this guy did anything wrong.
But, to be technical, he wasn't "breaking US law in Russia." The US law wasn't in question until the software was exported to the US at which point it becomes subject to US laws. Then, by setting foot in the US, he became subject to US law.
In other words, if you are going to write questionable software outside the US and then make it available in the US, you should probably avoid flying in to make the convention circuit.
Actually, many people consider marksmanship a hobby and the only thing they "kill" is the occasional paper target.
All a semi-automatic action does is keep you from having to manually chamber a new round between shots. It doesn't turn a gun into a fire breathing, death dispensing, all consuming killing machine. The person with their finger on the trigger does that.
If someone is willing to kill you (which is obviously illegal), then chances are they aren't going to mind breaking a gun-control law in the process. (Have you ever seen a street gang that was concerned that their fully automatic Mac-10's were illegal?) And beyond that, if someone wants you dead bad enough, there is nothing to keep them from picking up a rock and beating you to death with it.
"Gun's don't kill people, people kill people."
Well, that just feeds into my real master plan....
Sterilize and Enslave the Stupid of the World!!!!!! DNRC unite!! Muahahahahah!
But, seriously, the parties can only lie to you if you let them. It's your choice to believe something without checking on it yourself. Unfortunately, most people believe whatever they hear and the only ones talking and are the parties and those in power.
And that just feeds back into my original point. If people would stand up, get the facts, and make their own opinion known, then maybe the "party lines" wouldn't be the only voices out there.
And that might be what makes a difference. Hell, it might even force the parties to listen to what the people really think instead of what they think the people think.
My understanding is that the whole issue revolves around two things: 1.)when a developing embryo "becomes" a developing baby and 2.) cloning.
If you consider any point after the fertilization stage a "developing baby" (and since the stem cells are the embryo) then in this case you would be "taking stem cells from an unborn baby." (and thereby killing it and bringing in abortion issues)
Then, to further complicate matters, in order to avoid tissue rejection, the stem cells must be a genetic match. So, in order to accomplish this, the DNA of the developing zygote must be replaced with the DNA of the target patient, in effect creating a (developing human) clone. (which is currently a no-no)
But, like I said, that's just my understanding of it. So, I could be a little off here and there.
Yes Virginia, there is a Jenna Jameson...
It's just that she's surgically, digitally, and manually augmented, lifted, tucked, brushed, tweaked, buffed, and fluffed for our "viewing" pleasure....
Not to point fingers here (especially considering that I am guilty as well), but instead of sitting around complaining, whining, and making sarcastic comments, why don't we actually do something? Day after day, I see a lot of really well thought out points made here. But exactly how many of them are pointed towards the people that need to hear them? (The President, Congress, etc.) Granted these people (esp. the president) rank among the most powerful in the world, so they don't fear much and sound reasoning obviously isn't their strong suit. But, we all know the one thing they really fear: Not Being Re-elected. Yes, Bush is obviously stubborn and hard headed, but I'm betting that even he wouldn't be able to ignore several thousand emails per day telling him to back off of us and go after the real bad guys. So, if we really want to have a chance at making a difference, don't just post all of this stuff here. Fire some of it at president@whitehouse.gov, too!