I was in the Everquest 2 beta, and I have to say this: Its not ready !
The graphics are fine, the gameplay oddly like World of Warcraft, and some of the quests are quite nice (I was particularly fond of the reference to '8-bit-theaters' sword chucks in a quest in Freeport...) Yet the zones are to big for the servers, the lag too familar, and the stability - not so good. My opinion: The game cannot currently support the great numbers it is sure to attract.
If your fond of the pain of lag, the bitter load-time, and being overly clunky, go right ahead and buy EQ2. If you like a smooth, sweet, and overally tasty mmorpg, wait a few more weeks and get WOW.
Some guy:
"No it ws human error, I didn't mean to:
- violate the speed limit by 100KM/h
- kill that guy
- steal money from tax payers
- cheat the stock market
- use an aimbot
- attack iraq because I thought they have WMD
If this is alluding to Bush I have a couple problems with this: First, Laura Bush was the one to violate the speed limit by 100KM/r, drunk, and kill that guy. Second, I don't think Bush knows what an aimbot is. Asside from this its all pretty accurate.
Coffee flavored beers have been around for ages, so the concept of a caffeinated beer is hardly unique, but I can see a problem in the stability in this beer:
1.) When I brew beer (a recent hoby of mine), ph is highly important in the brewing process. The higher the acidity in the beer, the more likely the beer is to spoil. Example: put a Rolling Rock, a Bud, and a Buzzard Bay Ale in a warm room. First to go is the Buzzard. Second the Bud, and finally the Rock. Buzzard has a high ph level, bud medium, rock low.
Same with sweet beers (especially creamy stouts, where one adds lactose to the beer to make it "sweeter" since the yeast cannot ferment the lactose. But several types of bacteria can. Same problem exists with sweetened pasturized beers: minor contamination, the beer is gone.) Sweet beers, in my experiance, goes "skunk" a lot faster.
So all and all, I believe that this beer would probably spoil before someone gets the nerve to try it.
And for the asinine critics out there on my title for this post, I understand that this would most likly be a lager than stout, but poetic lisence counts for a lot...
The current patent system allows the holder of the patent to have a monopoly on the supply of its holdings for a period of roughly 24 years, with the ability to renew. After that the patent expires, and the information covered by the patent becomes, more or less, open source. Unfortunatly, a company can hold a monopoly on a very vauge idea, stifiling development in a field, and for roughly fifty years. This is just unacceptable. Should the system of patents be obliterated? No. Without a patent system, industry has no point to develop a product. Now true with our system of consumerism there is brand name importance, and a loyalty to those that produce a superior product; many executives feel that innovation without a garantee of being the only suplier of a nich market is unacceptable.
What could be a simple solution?> Limit the length of a patent to seven years, with eligibility to renew for another seven if a product is developed. Why seven years? For most products, it takes seven years for the idea of the product, or a compound for medical research, to be aproved to reach the market. With this system a company cannot hold a patent of a vauge idea for decades, hoping for someone to develop a patent in the field of the patent, and deman royalties. It would also prevent a company hindering the development of a field that would render their product obsolete. This would give the drug companies an incentive to keep developing new products, quickly, and for other companies to patent products that they have already developed. This would also stop companies like Amazon and Microsoft from patent-whoring. Its pretty win-win, and allows more technology to eventually reach an open community, where others can innovate on the ideas, improve the product, and compete with their "better" products.
Hydrogen pretty dangerous stuff? I mean, I know it's quite explosive....(From what I recall from freshman chem:) ) Does anyone remember the Hindenberg?
Actually, with the hydrogen being in stable fuelcells, instead of a mass collection, the chances of a hydrogen-oxegen explosion is very remote. That and with the Hindenberg the main problem was the explosive nature of the paint, not the hydrogen within. The Hindenburg would of been one of the cheapest, and safest, methods of flight, except for just a couple of "cost saving measures" that ware taken that reduced the saftey.
Since the end of the Cold War, less and less federal support is given to the sciences. In the last few years, aside from some flimsy promises, I have seen nothing but restrictive legislation. Born-again Christians touting family values is all well and good, but without the ability to advance our understanding America is doomed to fall behind other countries. So with this in mind, I give five questions:
1.) "What is to be done with stem cell research? Will more federal funding go into this line of research? Will the restrictions currently in place ever be lifted?"
2.) "The space program is a joke. Decent advancement has not been made in the last twenty years. Will America cut this expensive program, or will adequate federal funding be provided? Will goals be set to form a permanent presence on the moon? On Mars?"
3.) "When the Religious community calls for a ban on a new technology, will the government listen? Is the separation of church and state truly coming undone? Are we doomed to become the Amish of the world? "
4.) "Nuclear energy is the only way to prevent the impending energy crisis as oil and coal reserves dry up. Will federal funding be provided to accelerate research in this field? Will new generators be built? Will new and better types of generators be developed?"
5.) "Will more money go into developing better science programs in public schools?"
Pick and choose if you like any of these questions I stated above...
"P.S, releasing all of the papers of Nikola Tesla that were seized by the "Office of Alien Property" and declared "Top Secret" when he died would be nice."
Software is written code, much like a book or music. Isn't it more logical that code should be copyrighted, not patened? This is much like trying to patent the idea of a book (Its about people that are living in a distopia, and try to rebel...) Everyone should have a right to express an idea through words/code, but not to steal anothers exact words. If someone tries to make money on unmodified, obviously plagerised code, without paying royalties, or does not site the author/s, then and only then should a lawsuit pursued.
Sorry to keep this thread alive, but in all honesty, I do read playboy for its articles. Playboy has always been about freedom: for all people to have the rights of life, liberty, and the persuets of happyness (its 1:37am, my ability to spell is gone). Playboy was the first publication I read that supported gay rights, pointing out that segregattion has never worked in Americain, or any for that mater, society. Playboy was a publication that argued FOR genetically modified foods, saying that limiting science on parinoid beliefs is foolish, and the great things that may come out of that field need to be considered. Playboy features cutting social commentary, great non-erotic fiction/non-fiction authors, and much more. In a world were "static" porn is free, playboy has become a fine, intelligent, magazine to read.
*If it is more than likely that someone with this condition would live only to a normal middle age, then wouldn't it be best for these people to be placed into jobs that require great strength and endurance, but with limited life expectancy? Firefighters, police enforcement, farmers, factory workers, and the army, all staffed with these "supermen".
* Taking it a little further, wouldn't it be best to selectively breed this trait into a controlled population to produce an expendable workforce? Have this boy, at the age of sixteen, breed with, say, female prison inmates? Use him in cloning research? Produce large lots of him, creating a whole new subclass of humanity. Modify his genes to limit his intellect, and condition his childhood to instill loyalty, and this new class of people will never revolt, and we, the normals of humanity, will guide their actions to better our lives.
* Add to this scenario just a little more: After experiencing the reign of George Bush, a normal/below average intelligence man trying to run the country, it might be best to breed a class of humanity best suited to rule over others: highly intelligent, long lives, and pleasant to look upon. They too will be conditioned, to make them loyal to America, to humanity, to social stability.
* And we, the normals, are left in the middle. A permanent, middle class, unable to amount to anything grand, but also unable to fall through the cracks of society. Those that cannot produce will be "removed" from the world, into breeding programs, or worse. Everyone will have their place, and society would be perfect.
Damn, I love this brave new world. /fear /sarcasm
As Douglas Adams said in his infinate wisdom:
"It is an important and popular fact that things are not always what they seem. For instance, on the planet Earth, man had always assumed that he was more intelligent than dolphins because he had achieved so much -- the wheel, New York, wars and so on -- whilst all the dolphins had ever done was muck about in the water having a good time. But conversely, the dolphins had always believed that they were far more intelligent than man -- for precisely the same reasons"
I admit that I may or may not have "pirated" music, movies, games, motivational posters, software, art... But in the end I buy a copy of *most* everything. For every eighteen songs I download from an artist, I buy a CD. For every movie I download, I buy the DVD, unless I found the film to be abhorrent. Need I have to remind everyone of "The Time Maching"? "Sordfish"? EVERY BATMAN MOVIE AFTER RETURNS? No. These films are the reson I pirate movies: to preview them before I see them in theaters, to see if they are even worth watching. Some say that this ruins the film; spoiling the plot, cinemetography, and fine acting. To this I ask these people to watch a copy of a bootleg. It is grainy. It has crappy sound. In some cases it skips. One may even be able to hear, or even see those next to the person who recorded the film (In one instance two people were having sex next to the person recording "Save the Last Dance", which was the only decent part of the movie). It is to see these films in all of their glory that I see them in theaters; that I buy them. And buy them I do: I own Three copies of "The Fellowship of the Rings", two copies of "The Two Towers", and one of "Return of the King". I pay for good products. Why pay for media that sucks? Why see a movie in theaters that is painful to watch, but you sit through because you paid $12.00 for your ticket?
Hollywood has a right to complain about movie piracy... right after they stop funding crappy action movies that have about as much depth as a puddle. Meh, time to end this rant.
Just don't do anything stupid like shoot a mugger fleeing with your laptop.
This is just an opinion, but few things sound as sweet as a mugger going down after being hit in the back with the sharp prongs of a tazer gun... preferably one of those M-18 advanced models. Then it is a simple little walk to the stunned (but probably not unconciouse) mugger, then get them in the back of the neck with a stunmaster 625000 (not only will this knock them out, they will probably shit themselves, a rightful punishment for trying to steal my E%^$$# laptop...) Take back electronics, take the guys wallet, then get as far away from that location before the mugger regains conciousness.
Why would you spend thousands of dollars on a proprietary hardware/software combination only to top it off with a poormans office solution? That's very inconsistent.
Look, not meaning to insult you or anything, but I use the best... I use neooffice. I may have a mac, but I also have a students budget (a little less because I bought a mac), so I mainly use open software. I thought about purchasing Microsoft office, but why? I use neooffice for all word, and spreadsheet documents, Keynote (Hey, I may be a student, but keynote makes the dozens of presentations I do a month dead sexy, while the open solution has yet to be as stable or as nice), and LaTex for all complex documents.
I tried the microsoft demo that came with my computer, and all it would do was crash, take an eternity to load, then crash again. It somehow developed a lag as I typed... with my powerbook g4 only running one work document. Neooffice on the other hand loads quickly, runs perfectly - even with four 20+ page papers open, has never crashed on me, and does everything that a conventional word aplication can.
An atomic reaction small enough to be contained within a laptop, providing months of continual power. Really gives "BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH" a whole new meaning...
That two months after the PS3 is released, the follow-up to the Dreamcast will be released, having been developed in secret for years, possesing more power, ram, and every feature people are complaining that the PS3 lacks. It is at that time that people will realize that they can play their old kick-ass Dreamcast games, and will be drawn to the unbridaled talent of Sega's game desighners. It will be a wonderful thing, to see Sega near the top again.
I smell Seaman Two: The Second Coming...
"Asperger Syndrome kids have great difficulty recognizing the visual cues in a face for example - they don't know that they are missing out on anything at all - and they don't understand but can experience as much frustration as any other human at people that shamelessly make fun of them (well.... if they notice). "
This is true, to an extent. Asperger's is a form of autism (its true name is Adult Autistic Phycosis), and like all forms of autism it varies in the individual in its intensity. I have been diagnosed with it, and I do have a few of the tendencies (my main problem with my hearing is with computer monitors overheating, fun for nerd...), but I have worked to learn basic social skills, have formed friendships, and am romanically involved. Some people with Asperger's seem to be unable to develop the social skills most posess, but for many they can be learned. My recomendation is to read up on basic phycology, and have family members help by answering the fairly anoying question "what are you thinking?" - this question is golden, because after a while one can learn facial cues in others. Its not perfect, but it certainly has helped me. As with oversensitivity, I find that several simple medatative tequniques help me with ignoring the unimportant stimulie. Once again, its not perfect - instead of taking in too much one takes in too little, but it can help. If meditation is too hard, codeine can dull the sences enough, as well as relax ones inhibitions enough to help with social functionality. Acting lessons are also a good thing, because it helps one to learn emotional responses that in reality one wouldn't posses. Singing in a corus helps with the learning to deal with loud, irritating noise, as well as puts one in a good social enviorment. And my final recomendation - Read slashdot. Not a joke, slashdot does wonders for my social skills. I may make anoying posts, and my journal is best left unread, but I learn from my mistakes, and I watch what types of comments are best accepted, and what are found to be "troll", or "flamebait". Many times these opinions and insights can be used in social situations.
So yes, I am a socially challenged nerd that says very odd things in conversation that I personally find hilariouse or insightful, that makes very little sence, but god-damn-it, I can learn.
The pink monkeys told me that in retrospect, making my own vodka was a bad idea
The field of anthropology facinates me... In one of the texts that I read, I found mention to the Topinama tribe of Brazil. These people lived as they were until the 16th century, and had a very interesting practice. The men would have a local venomous snake bite their penises, and after six months of mind-altering agony, their shlongs had become very long. Now, what I want to know is how this happened (and what type of snake was used)?
I have three watches. A Tissot (the sweet touch screen version, that I use because It is very handy to have an accurate compas and altimiter when hopelessly lost on a mountain...), a gold Rolex, and a swiss gold pocketwatch. I use the gold watch only when I need to look good (theater, dinner parties, etc.), and I use the pocketwatch whenever I wear a Tux. These two watches are nothing more than jewelry, something to add a little shnazz to my nerd physique... A watch should be comfotable, and accent the owners style, not just a soulless piece of functional machinery. (On a nerd note, I recently put my pocketwatch next to my schools giger counter... Yep, I got the original radioactive glow paint. Nothing seys sex appeal like a tumor...)
This is just my opinion, but I think that Mac has always been geared towards the artist, while IBM has always been aimed at engineers. Using either of these machines one could see the begining of this trend, and now in the year 2004 it is still true. I do not believe that either machine is better than the other, and they never were. The difference between the two is more right-brain left brain.
Look, I do not mean to break the mood here, but please take in to concederation that Amazon.com has had preorders for eq2 for months, and the shipping dates keep changing as Sony pushes back development. Just because it has preorders avalible does not mean that it will be released on time.
Several people I have met, including myself, have very different visual abilities between their eyes. I have 20/20 in one eye, and 20/80 in the other. I figure that if I have to have vision correction in one eye, and I am desensitized to a mild difference in my sight, then the different quality of image provided by the camera would not cause any more problems than common glasses. In fact, where can I get a pair? I might as well have the ability to check my e-mail while between computers.
Slashdot Mirror
I was in the Everquest 2 beta, and I have to say this: Its not ready !
The graphics are fine, the gameplay oddly like World of Warcraft, and some of the quests are quite nice (I was particularly fond of the reference to '8-bit-theaters' sword chucks in a quest in Freeport...) Yet the zones are to big for the servers, the lag too familar, and the stability - not so good. My opinion: The game cannot currently support the great numbers it is sure to attract.
If your fond of the pain of lag, the bitter load-time, and being overly clunky, go right ahead and buy EQ2. If you like a smooth, sweet, and overally tasty mmorpg, wait a few more weeks and get WOW.
I for one bow to our new hobbit overlords...
Wait, before modding me down, give me one last chance:
Hi Ho, Hi Ho...
Some guy:
"No it ws human error, I didn't mean to:
- violate the speed limit by 100KM/h
- kill that guy
- steal money from tax payers
- cheat the stock market
- use an aimbot
- attack iraq because I thought they have WMD
If this is alluding to Bush I have a couple problems with this: First, Laura Bush was the one to violate the speed limit by 100KM/r, drunk, and kill that guy. Second, I don't think Bush knows what an aimbot is. Asside from this its all pretty accurate.
You are absolutly correct. I apologize for my miss-type.
Coffee flavored beers have been around for ages, so the concept of a caffeinated beer is hardly unique, but I can see a problem in the stability in this beer:
1.) When I brew beer (a recent hoby of mine), ph is highly important in the brewing process. The higher the acidity in the beer, the more likely the beer is to spoil. Example: put a Rolling Rock, a Bud, and a Buzzard Bay Ale in a warm room. First to go is the Buzzard. Second the Bud, and finally the Rock. Buzzard has a high ph level, bud medium, rock low.
Same with sweet beers (especially creamy stouts, where one adds lactose to the beer to make it "sweeter" since the yeast cannot ferment the lactose. But several types of bacteria can. Same problem exists with sweetened pasturized beers: minor contamination, the beer is gone.) Sweet beers, in my experiance, goes "skunk" a lot faster.
So all and all, I believe that this beer would probably spoil before someone gets the nerve to try it.
And for the asinine critics out there on my title for this post, I understand that this would most likly be a lager than stout, but poetic lisence counts for a lot...
The current patent system allows the holder of the patent to have a monopoly on the supply of its holdings for a period of roughly 24 years, with the ability to renew. After that the patent expires, and the information covered by the patent becomes, more or less, open source. Unfortunatly, a company can hold a monopoly on a very vauge idea, stifiling development in a field, and for roughly fifty years. This is just unacceptable.
Should the system of patents be obliterated? No. Without a patent system, industry has no point to develop a product. Now true with our system of consumerism there is brand name importance, and a loyalty to those that produce a superior product; many executives feel that innovation without a garantee of being the only suplier of a nich market is unacceptable.
What could be a simple solution?> Limit the length of a patent to seven years, with eligibility to renew for another seven if a product is developed.
Why seven years? For most products, it takes seven years for the idea of the product, or a compound for medical research, to be aproved to reach the market. With this system a company cannot hold a patent of a vauge idea for decades, hoping for someone to develop a patent in the field of the patent, and deman royalties. It would also prevent a company hindering the development of a field that would render their product obsolete.
This would give the drug companies an incentive to keep developing new products, quickly, and for other companies to patent products that they have already developed. This would also stop companies like Amazon and Microsoft from patent-whoring. Its pretty win-win, and allows more technology to eventually reach an open community, where others can innovate on the ideas, improve the product, and compete with their "better" products.
And they say Leninism is dead.../i?
Hydrogen pretty dangerous stuff? I mean, I know it's quite explosive....(From what I recall from freshman chem :) ) Does anyone remember the Hindenberg?
Actually, with the hydrogen being in stable fuelcells, instead of a mass collection, the chances of a hydrogen-oxegen explosion is very remote.
That and with the Hindenberg the main problem was the explosive nature of the paint, not the hydrogen within. The Hindenburg would of been one of the cheapest, and safest, methods of flight, except for just a couple of "cost saving measures" that ware taken that reduced the saftey.
Since the end of the Cold War, less and less federal support is given to the sciences. In the last few years, aside from some flimsy promises, I have seen nothing but restrictive legislation. Born-again Christians touting family values is all well and good, but without the ability to advance our understanding America is doomed to fall behind other countries. So with this in mind, I give five questions:
1.) "What is to be done with stem cell research? Will more federal funding go into this line of research? Will the restrictions currently in place ever be lifted?"
2.) "The space program is a joke. Decent advancement has not been made in the last twenty years. Will America cut this expensive program, or will adequate federal funding be provided? Will goals be set to form a permanent presence on the moon? On Mars?"
3.) "When the Religious community calls for a ban on a new technology, will the government listen? Is the separation of church and state truly coming undone? Are we doomed to become the Amish of the world? "
4.) "Nuclear energy is the only way to prevent the impending energy crisis as oil and coal reserves dry up. Will federal funding be provided to accelerate research in this field? Will new generators be built? Will new and better types of generators be developed?"
5.) "Will more money go into developing better science programs in public schools?"
Pick and choose if you like any of these questions I stated above...
"P.S, releasing all of the papers of Nikola Tesla that were seized by the "Office of Alien Property" and declared "Top Secret" when he died would be nice."
Software is written code, much like a book or music. Isn't it more logical that code should be copyrighted, not patened? This is much like trying to patent the idea of a book (Its about people that are living in a distopia, and try to rebel...) Everyone should have a right to express an idea through words/code, but not to steal anothers exact words. If someone tries to make money on unmodified, obviously plagerised code, without paying royalties, or does not site the author/s, then and only then should a lawsuit pursued.
Sorry to keep this thread alive, but in all honesty, I do read playboy for its articles. Playboy has always been about freedom: for all people to have the rights of life, liberty, and the persuets of happyness (its 1:37am, my ability to spell is gone). Playboy was the first publication I read that supported gay rights, pointing out that segregattion has never worked in Americain, or any for that mater, society. Playboy was a publication that argued FOR genetically modified foods, saying that limiting science on parinoid beliefs is foolish, and the great things that may come out of that field need to be considered. Playboy features cutting social commentary, great non-erotic fiction/non-fiction authors, and much more. In a world were "static" porn is free, playboy has become a fine, intelligent, magazine to read.
Just to add: FAVORITE MAGS:
1. CPU Computer Power User
2. Linux Format
3. Scientific American
4. National Geographic
5. Science News
6 Science (When I can afford it)
7. Playboy
8. PC Gamer
9. 2600
10. Wired
*If it is more than likely that someone with this condition would live only to a normal middle age, then wouldn't it be best for these people to be placed into jobs that require great strength and endurance, but with limited life expectancy? Firefighters, police enforcement, farmers, factory workers, and the army, all staffed with these "supermen".
/fear
/sarcasm
* Taking it a little further, wouldn't it be best to selectively breed this trait into a controlled population to produce an expendable workforce? Have this boy, at the age of sixteen, breed with, say, female prison inmates? Use him in cloning research? Produce large lots of him, creating a whole new subclass of humanity. Modify his genes to limit his intellect, and condition his childhood to instill loyalty, and this new class of people will never revolt, and we, the normals of humanity, will guide their actions to better our lives.
* Add to this scenario just a little more: After experiencing the reign of George Bush, a normal/below average intelligence man trying to run the country, it might be best to breed a class of humanity best suited to rule over others: highly intelligent, long lives, and pleasant to look upon. They too will be conditioned, to make them loyal to America, to humanity, to social stability.
* And we, the normals, are left in the middle. A permanent, middle class, unable to amount to anything grand, but also unable to fall through the cracks of society. Those that cannot produce will be "removed" from the world, into breeding programs, or worse. Everyone will have their place, and society would be perfect.
Damn, I love this brave new world.
As Douglas Adams said in his infinate wisdom: "It is an important and popular fact that things are not always what they seem. For instance, on the planet Earth, man had always assumed that he was more intelligent than dolphins because he had achieved so much -- the wheel, New York, wars and so on -- whilst all the dolphins had ever done was muck about in the water having a good time. But conversely, the dolphins had always believed that they were far more intelligent than man -- for precisely the same reasons"
I admit that I may or may not have "pirated" music, movies, games, motivational posters, software, art... But in the end I buy a copy of *most* everything. For every eighteen songs I download from an artist, I buy a CD. For every movie I download, I buy the DVD, unless I found the film to be abhorrent. Need I have to remind everyone of "The Time Maching"? "Sordfish"? EVERY BATMAN MOVIE AFTER RETURNS? No. These films are the reson I pirate movies: to preview them before I see them in theaters, to see if they are even worth watching. Some say that this ruins the film; spoiling the plot, cinemetography, and fine acting. To this I ask these people to watch a copy of a bootleg. It is grainy. It has crappy sound. In some cases it skips. One may even be able to hear, or even see those next to the person who recorded the film (In one instance two people were having sex next to the person recording "Save the Last Dance", which was the only decent part of the movie). It is to see these films in all of their glory that I see them in theaters; that I buy them. And buy them I do: I own Three copies of "The Fellowship of the Rings", two copies of "The Two Towers", and one of "Return of the King". I pay for good products. Why pay for media that sucks? Why see a movie in theaters that is painful to watch, but you sit through because you paid $12.00 for your ticket?
Hollywood has a right to complain about movie piracy... right after they stop funding crappy action movies that have about as much depth as a puddle. Meh, time to end this rant.
Just don't do anything stupid like shoot a mugger fleeing with your laptop.
This is just an opinion, but few things sound as sweet as a mugger going down after being hit in the back with the sharp prongs of a tazer gun... preferably one of those M-18 advanced models. Then it is a simple little walk to the stunned (but probably not unconciouse) mugger, then get them in the back of the neck with a stunmaster 625000 (not only will this knock them out, they will probably shit themselves, a rightful punishment for trying to steal my E%^$$# laptop...) Take back electronics, take the guys wallet, then get as far away from that location before the mugger regains conciousness.
Why would you spend thousands of dollars on a proprietary hardware/software combination only to top it off with a poormans office solution? That's very inconsistent.
Look, not meaning to insult you or anything, but I use the best... I use neooffice. I may have a mac, but I also have a students budget (a little less because I bought a mac), so I mainly use open software. I thought about purchasing Microsoft office, but why? I use neooffice for all word, and spreadsheet documents, Keynote (Hey, I may be a student, but keynote makes the dozens of presentations I do a month dead sexy, while the open solution has yet to be as stable or as nice), and LaTex for all complex documents.
I tried the microsoft demo that came with my computer, and all it would do was crash, take an eternity to load, then crash again. It somehow developed a lag as I typed... with my powerbook g4 only running one work document. Neooffice on the other hand loads quickly, runs perfectly - even with four 20+ page papers open, has never crashed on me, and does everything that a conventional word aplication can.
An atomic reaction small enough to be contained within a laptop, providing months of continual power. Really gives "BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH" a whole new meaning...
That two months after the PS3 is released, the follow-up to the Dreamcast will be released, having been developed in secret for years, possesing more power, ram, and every feature people are complaining that the PS3 lacks. It is at that time that people will realize that they can play their old kick-ass Dreamcast games, and will be drawn to the unbridaled talent of Sega's game desighners. It will be a wonderful thing, to see Sega near the top again.
I smell Seaman Two: The Second Coming...
"Asperger Syndrome kids have great difficulty recognizing the visual cues in a face for example - they don't know that they are missing out on anything at all - and they don't understand but can experience as much frustration as any other human at people that shamelessly make fun of them (well .... if they notice). "
This is true, to an extent. Asperger's is a form of autism (its true name is Adult Autistic Phycosis), and like all forms of autism it varies in the individual in its intensity. I have been diagnosed with it, and I do have a few of the tendencies (my main problem with my hearing is with computer monitors overheating, fun for nerd...), but I have worked to learn basic social skills, have formed friendships, and am romanically involved. Some people with Asperger's seem to be unable to develop the social skills most posess, but for many they can be learned. My recomendation is to read up on basic phycology, and have family members help by answering the fairly anoying question "what are you thinking?" - this question is golden, because after a while one can learn facial cues in others. Its not perfect, but it certainly has helped me. As with oversensitivity, I find that several simple medatative tequniques help me with ignoring the unimportant stimulie. Once again, its not perfect - instead of taking in too much one takes in too little, but it can help. If meditation is too hard, codeine can dull the sences enough, as well as relax ones inhibitions enough to help with social functionality. Acting lessons are also a good thing, because it helps one to learn emotional responses that in reality one wouldn't posses. Singing in a corus helps with the learning to deal with loud, irritating noise, as well as puts one in a good social enviorment. And my final recomendation - Read slashdot. Not a joke, slashdot does wonders for my social skills. I may make anoying posts, and my journal is best left unread, but I learn from my mistakes, and I watch what types of comments are best accepted, and what are found to be "troll", or "flamebait". Many times these opinions and insights can be used in social situations.
So yes, I am a socially challenged nerd that says very odd things in conversation that I personally find hilariouse or insightful, that makes very little sence, but god-damn-it, I can learn.
The pink monkeys told me that in retrospect, making my own vodka was a bad idea
The field of anthropology facinates me... In one of the texts that I read, I found mention to the Topinama tribe of Brazil. These people lived as they were until the 16th century, and had a very interesting practice. The men would have a local venomous snake bite their penises, and after six months of mind-altering agony, their shlongs had become very long. Now, what I want to know is how this happened (and what type of snake was used)?
I have three watches. A Tissot (the sweet touch screen version, that I use because It is very handy to have an accurate compas and altimiter when hopelessly lost on a mountain...), a gold Rolex, and a swiss gold pocketwatch. I use the gold watch only when I need to look good (theater, dinner parties, etc.), and I use the pocketwatch whenever I wear a Tux. These two watches are nothing more than jewelry, something to add a little shnazz to my nerd physique... A watch should be comfotable, and accent the owners style, not just a soulless piece of functional machinery. (On a nerd note, I recently put my pocketwatch next to my schools giger counter... Yep, I got the original radioactive glow paint. Nothing seys sex appeal like a tumor...)
This is just my opinion, but I think that Mac has always been geared towards the artist, while IBM has always been aimed at engineers. Using either of these machines one could see the begining of this trend, and now in the year 2004 it is still true. I do not believe that either machine is better than the other, and they never were. The difference between the two is more right-brain left brain.
Look, I do not mean to break the mood here, but please take in to concederation that Amazon.com has had preorders for eq2 for months, and the shipping dates keep changing as Sony pushes back development. Just because it has preorders avalible does not mean that it will be released on time.
Several people I have met, including myself, have very different visual abilities between their eyes. I have 20/20 in one eye, and 20/80 in the other. I figure that if I have to have vision correction in one eye, and I am desensitized to a mild difference in my sight, then the different quality of image provided by the camera would not cause any more problems than common glasses. In fact, where can I get a pair? I might as well have the ability to check my e-mail while between computers.
I will never be able to finish my robot... My girl robot.
(I know its getting old, but really what else does a lego geek do on a weekend...)
I, Upaut, am too stupid to log out of slashdot before walking away from a public computer.