Not a flame, but obviously you're not a game/graphics programmer, else you would know this is "pratically" IMPOSSIBLE. (You will see why I say pratically below.)
> Having transparent walls does you no good if the game doesn't draw things that you can not see.
In the *ideal* client/server game, yes, the server would tell the client what it can and can't see. This style of client is commonly called a "dumb terminal." It takes input, sends it to the server, and renders what the server says.
Let's see how this would work:
Client is standing still, looking straight ahead. Server sends updates to what the client can see. e.g. players move around.
Now the client does a quick 180 turn. Server needs to send the client all the new objects the client can now see. Unfortunately you TOTALLY forgot about network latency. Objects "pop" into view, and you kill bandwidth since you are constantly telling the server where you are looking, along with the server constantly sending what you can see.
This one reason it is pratically why it is impossible to write a cheat-proof client/sever game. The network connection just doesn't make it feasible.
If you need more examples, I'm sure John Carmack could point out a few more examples, since he's been implementing First Person Shooter's for a while.
> This is one reason to prefer BSP trees for HLHSR (Hidden Line & Hidden Surface Removal) instead of Z buffers.
Nonsense. BSP's only really work for static objects. You still need a z-buffer for dynamic objects. BSP's aren't free.
Are you going to generate a BSP for each "frame" of animation, when the frame is generated dynamically?? (i.e. blended animation)
> Why can't someone just go into a map editor and replace all the surface textures to ones that have alpha-channels?
Hacked maps have been around since Quake 1.
The client does a crc checksum on the map and sends it to the server. If the client has a different checksum, the server sends the map. Of course this doesnt' stop the client from lying to the server about the checksum.
Corporations were declared persons in 1886 !
on
2600 v. Ford Motors
·
· Score: 5
> Since when do companies enjoy the rights of individuals?
In 1886, the US Supreme Court ruled a railbed dispute titled Santa Clara County vs. Southern Pacific Railroad. The ruling held that a private corporation was a "natural person" entitled to all the rights and privileges of a human being.
You can read how the history of how corporations acquired their ill-gotten rights here:
NOW you know why certain "informed" (rich) people become a "Corporate Sole" (A Corporate Sole exists for perpuitity. Read Black's Law dictionary for more goodies. i.e. The Queen is one.)
> How is requiring an ID card to use internet cafes any different from having to have a library card to check out books
You are borrowing LIBRARY property. In cyberspace you aren't borrowing anyone's property. BIG DIFFERENCE.
> a license to drive a car
You don't need permission from the government to exercise your Right To Travel e.g. An International Driver's Permit works quite nicely. (Not valid in the place of issue)
Cheers
--
"The issue today is the same as it has been throughout all history, whether man shall be allowed to govern himself or be ruled by a small elite." - Thomas Jefferson
> but they would not let up with their claim that I must be a cheater. Lame.
I hear ya. I got this all the time in TeamFortress. I would play a sniper, with a max 75ms ping, at 800x600 and had a nice zoom alias enabling me to kill someone if so much as "one pixel" was showing from behind a wall. I've seen this behaviour in other games... someone is just playing the game more "efficiently" and is winning, so other people get jealous.
> The drivers should be banned, because that way the people won't cheat anymore.
Riggggggght. That will stop ALL the hackers and cheaters from hacking the game. *snicker*
If someone wants to cheat at a game, and is determined to, they will. You might want to read the Game Developer article on Game Cheating in Age of Empires. It doesn't take a whole lot off effort for someone who is familiar with compiler output and assembly code to hack the code.
In CANADA part of the law *is* copyrighted
on
Is Law Copyrighted?
·
· Score: 2
And since the government holds the copyright on it, no one else can *officially* print it either. So most people are harassed to obey a law that they can't even read officially. At least it's based on "voluntary compliance" (almost sounds contradictory!) so the informed ones can opt out due to Canada having NO law that requires a person to have a SIN - social insurance number (There's a ponzi scheme if I ever saw one.) (The SSN is voluntary as well for Americans: http://www.informamerica.com/Articles/Voluntary.ht m )
This is an interesting document showing that the Canadian Federal government has no jurisdiction to collect provincial monies.
http://www.prolognet.qc.ca/clyde/tax.htm
I like this paragraph:
The two documents - the Supreme Court ruling and the B.N.A. Act - have been the basis of his battle, and the only two cocuments he has needed. He has never had the benefit of legal counsel, and has chosen to appear in court by himself. His only evidence has been those two documents. Charges against him have been thrown out of court 22 times. The last time, some twelve or so years ago, Revenue Canada was told that if it ever brought Gerry Hart back into court, that Revenue Canada itself would be charged with contempt of court.
Does protesting an Illegal Tax make one an "illegal tax protestor" ?;-)
I'm tired of people that can't even be bothered to *read* the orginal Hebrew and double check the translation. Gen 1:2 uses the Hebrew word "hayah" which means "became". It is used in over 600 places in the Old Covenant.
Next time, use proper exegisis instead of taking the words at literal value.
... death to put life in perspective. Life is kind of funny that way I guess.
You know, I'm actually glad/. has these non-technical columns. Reminds us that life isn't all about neat gadgets. As much as I miss the old days of staying up late and hacking game assembly code on the old Apple ][, I'm glad we can be reminded that people are what makes life special.
I just finished reading "The Prydian Chronicles" by Lylod Alexander again (hadn't read them since elementary school.) I got to the last book, and had a tear in my eye. Why? Because a good thing had ended.
And I feel the same way about Douglas Adams. He sure brought a lot of joy in my life with his writings. I can't think of a nicer gift for a person to give.
Have you lately told your parents, friends, loved ones that you value their love and friendship?
> I don't think consumers will be dumb enough to allow the record and movie industries to move from selling copies to selling licenses.
It already happened with the software industry.
With most software you, you don't own software you buy, you buy the license.
As to whether those EULA contracts are valid, is another discussion.
> If you sold software, all sorts of people would cash in their warranties.
GPL software doesn't gurantee any warranties and yet it is "sold."
Making software companies liable for bugs would increase the overall quality.
Companies and Government will license whatever they can get away with, since they don't want people to have maximal freedom -- it cuts into their profits and control over people.
I believe the point is, was the hidden meaning (if one acknowledges it) intentional, or just chance.
Your post's hidden message was intentional. To be more in line with the story, if every capital letter spelt your message that would be more intriguing.
> You can find hidden meaning in anything, if you spend enough time looking for it.
The book "Godel, Escher, Bach" talks about this: Interpretation lies in the intelligence of the observer. Are there universal meanings, or is it just symantecs.
> But with more and more of the rules we find ourselves living under being dictated by corporate groups, could it be that the line between business and the state is blurring?
It has been for long time.
Proof: Most corporations have a "Business License" aka permission to do business. Granted by who?? The government/state!
And the fact that corporations are a legal entity certainly doesn't help matters.
Back in the early Apple ][ days, you could get the complete assembly ROM listing. Schematics were also widely available. (Hehe, I remember the mod that lets you add multiple 16K language cards, and I maxed my Apple out at 96K. Disk Muncher could almost copy a disk in 1 pass:)
IBM did the same thing with it's early PC.
That's what really started both companies: How easily hackers could hack and expand it. (Of course Apple targeting the schools and business users didn't hurt either. Along with soft good software like Visacalc (the first spreadsheet) and AppleWorks (I believe the first integrated application.)
Bringing this back on topic...
So Apple uses a BSD license. They are NOT under any OBLIGATION to give back. Yes, they are profiteering off other's people work, but guess what: The BSD license is *complete* freedom. Now, I don't want to start a flamewar of GPL vs BSD, but I really don't see what big deal is.
Somewhere along the way, Apple fall into the Not Invented Here Syndrome. Apple "embracing" the BSD license is 180 degree turn around for them. Give them more time and they might reach see the benefit's in GPL software.
I've been in the business for almost 3 years as a game programmer, and I tell you that the our designers crank out a LOT of code.
Yes, the FIRST half of the game idea doesn't involve programming. But the implementation is left to the designers, since us game programmers are too busy building the engine and providing the functionality for the game designers!
Why do you think so many games have their own scripting language? WHO is programming in it? The designers! Programmers [generally] don't need a scripting language, since they can just use C/C++/Asm.
int would be the "native" integer type for the cpu.
float would be the "native" floating type for the cpu.
o) New keyboards
"func" would preface all functions/methods. (helps the compiler out, and lets editors be able to expand/collapse functions easier)
"macro" would force the function to be inlined.
"include" is part of the language. No longer needs that ugly pre-processor hack.
o) Cleaner Syntax - CONSISTENT reading of right to left.
Pointers would bind LEFT (instead of right in C/C++)
i.e. Pointer to a function
The old C++ way: new (int (*[10])())// array 10 pointers to function returning int
Easier C^2 way: new func int() * [10]// array of pointers to func.
e.g.
func int () * pFunc;// pointer to func, no more stupid parenthesis matching
o) C style implicit () casts gone. Only C++ style casts. (Allows for searching of casts)
e.g.
C++ way:
char *pC;
int *pI = (int*)(pC);
*pI = 3;
C^2 way:
int *pI = static_cast(pC);
@pI = 3;
o) standard way to turn OFF implicit up-casting
o) Binary constants. (We have decimal, octal, and hex. Where's the binary notation??)
Preface numbers with "Zero Z"
e.g.
const int mask = 0z0110100010;// 0x1A2
o) "typedef" and "alias" would be extended.
typedef would make a NEW type. (Compiler wouldn't throw away the newnames)
alias would behave like the old typedefs currently
> but look at BeOS. Unless I've been misinformed, (and I'm sure someone will let me know) isn't BeOS written almost entirely in C++?
The BeOS kernel was NOT written in C++. The GUI was.
(I can dig up archived messages on Be development if you want proof.)
The reason BeOS boots in 5 seconds, is because it doesn't have to support all that legacy crap.:-) (Of course it doesnt' support a whole lot else, unfortunately;-(
> At the very least, add a feature to the BIOS to let the user choose plug'n'play or manually assign resources to SPECIFIC SLOTS so that from the card's point of view, it has ONLY those resources to choose from.
Slashdot Mirror
> It is upto the developers to stop the cheating.
Not a flame, but obviously you're not a game/graphics programmer, else you would know this is "pratically" IMPOSSIBLE. (You will see why I say pratically below.)
> Having transparent walls does you no good if the game doesn't draw things that you can not see.
In the *ideal* client/server game, yes, the server would tell the client what it can and can't see. This style of client is commonly called a "dumb terminal." It takes input, sends it to the server, and renders what the server says.
Let's see how this would work:
Client is standing still, looking straight ahead. Server sends updates to what the client can see. e.g. players move around.
Now the client does a quick 180 turn. Server needs to send the client all the new objects the client can now see. Unfortunately you TOTALLY forgot about network latency. Objects "pop" into view, and you kill bandwidth since you are constantly telling the server where you are looking, along with the server constantly sending what you can see.
This one reason it is pratically why it is impossible to write a cheat-proof client/sever game. The network connection just doesn't make it feasible.
If you need more examples, I'm sure John Carmack could point out a few more examples, since he's been implementing First Person Shooter's for a while.
> This is one reason to prefer BSP trees for HLHSR (Hidden Line & Hidden Surface Removal) instead of Z buffers.
Nonsense. BSP's only really work for static objects. You still need a z-buffer for dynamic objects. BSP's aren't free.
Are you going to generate a BSP for each "frame" of animation, when the frame is generated dynamically?? (i.e. blended animation)
> Why can't someone just go into a map editor and replace all the surface textures to ones that have alpha-channels?
Hacked maps have been around since Quake 1.
The client does a crc checksum on the map and sends it to the server. If the client has a different checksum, the server sends the map. Of course this doesnt' stop the client from lying to the server about the checksum.
> Since when do companies enjoy the rights of individuals?
x .html
In 1886, the US Supreme Court ruled a railbed dispute titled Santa Clara County vs. Southern Pacific Railroad. The ruling held that a private corporation was a "natural person" entitled to all the rights and privileges of a human being.
You can read how the history of how corporations acquired their ill-gotten rights here:
http://www.adbusters.org/campaigns/corporate/inde
NOW you know why certain "informed" (rich) people become a "Corporate Sole" (A Corporate Sole exists for perpuitity. Read Black's Law dictionary for more goodies. i.e. The Queen is one.)
> How is requiring an ID card to use internet cafes any different from having to have a library card to check out books
You are borrowing LIBRARY property. In cyberspace you aren't borrowing anyone's property. BIG DIFFERENCE.
> a license to drive a car
You don't need permission from the government to exercise your Right To Travel
e.g. An International Driver's Permit works quite nicely. (Not valid in the place of issue)
Cheers
--
"The issue today is the same as it has been throughout all history, whether man shall be allowed to govern himself or be ruled by a small elite." - Thomas Jefferson
This might be it ...
http://www.planetquake.com/madlogic/matrix/
> but they would not let up with their claim that I must be a cheater. Lame.
... someone is just playing the game more "efficiently" and is winning, so other people get jealous.
I hear ya. I got this all the time in TeamFortress. I would play a sniper, with a max 75ms ping, at 800x600 and had a nice zoom alias enabling me to kill someone if so much as "one pixel" was showing from behind a wall. I've seen this behaviour in other games
> The drivers should be banned, because that way the people won't cheat anymore.
Riggggggght. That will stop ALL the hackers and cheaters from hacking the game. *snicker*
If someone wants to cheat at a game, and is determined to, they will. You might want to read the Game Developer article on Game Cheating in Age of Empires. It doesn't take a whole lot off effort for someone who is familiar with compiler output and assembly code to hack the code.
And since the government holds the copyright on it, no one else can *officially* print it either. So most people are harassed to obey a law that they can't even read officially. At least it's based on "voluntary compliance" (almost sounds contradictory!) so the informed ones can opt out due to Canada having NO law that requires a person to have a SIN - social insurance number (There's a ponzi scheme if I ever saw one.) (The SSN is voluntary as well for Americans: http://www.informamerica.com/Articles/Voluntary.h
This is an interesting document showing that the Canadian Federal government has no jurisdiction to collect provincial monies.
http://www.prolognet.qc.ca/clyde/tax.htm
I like this paragraph:
Does protesting an Illegal Tax make one an "illegal tax protestor" ?
> expecting everyone to double check every piece of information themselves is not what you should expect.
If a person reads the bible, and believe it, they should apply the principles contained within, e.g. "prove all things" (Thes 5:21) comes to mind.
> The Bible should have been written better.
I agree. It was written by men, and contains mistakes.
> Now why don't you go and put more effort in that?
I'm not qualified to.
> Read the Bible, it says so right there.
*sigh*
I'm tired of people that can't even be bothered to *read* the orginal Hebrew and double check the translation. Gen 1:2 uses the Hebrew word "hayah" which means "became". It is used in over 600 places in the Old Covenant.
Next time, use proper exegisis instead of taking the words at literal value.
Good explaination of the hebrew words:
http://members.nbci.com/doulos/howold_earth.html
Gap Theory:
http://pages.prodigy.net/oweber/gapq.htm
... death to put life in perspective. Life is kind of funny that way I guess.
/. has these non-technical columns. Reminds us that life isn't all about neat gadgets. As much as I miss the old days of staying up late and hacking game assembly code on the old Apple ][, I'm glad we can be reminded that people are what makes life special.
You know, I'm actually glad
I just finished reading "The Prydian Chronicles" by Lylod Alexander again (hadn't read them since elementary school.) I got to the last book, and had a tear in my eye. Why? Because a good thing had ended.
And I feel the same way about Douglas Adams. He sure brought a lot of joy in my life with his writings. I can't think of a nicer gift for a person to give.
Have you lately told your parents, friends, loved ones that you value their love and friendship?
Stop and smell the roses along the path of life.
Monday morning will come soon enough.
> I don't think consumers will be dumb enough to allow the record and movie industries to move from selling copies to selling licenses.
It already happened with the software industry.
With most software you, you don't own software you buy, you buy the license.
As to whether those EULA contracts are valid, is another discussion.
> If you sold software, all sorts of people would cash in their warranties.
GPL software doesn't gurantee any warranties and yet it is "sold."
Making software companies liable for bugs would increase the overall quality.
Companies and Government will license whatever they can get away with, since they don't want people to have maximal freedom -- it cuts into their profits and control over people.
> Enhance your Windows Experience .. hmmm.. now how would you do this?
.. at leasts it's stable. (Haven't blue screened in months :)
Use Win2K
Now if Visual C would stop HOGGING the cpu when it's linking, I'd be happy.
Cheers
NT does the same thing (except it reserves the top half of memory for the OS.)
I believe the point is, was the hidden meaning (if one acknowledges it) intentional, or just chance.
Your post's hidden message was intentional. To be more in line with the story, if every capital letter spelt your message that would be more intriguing.
> You can find hidden meaning in anything, if you spend enough time looking for it.
The book "Godel, Escher, Bach" talks about this: Interpretation lies in the intelligence of the observer. Are there universal meanings, or is it just symantecs.
*shrugs*
> But with more and more of the rules we find ourselves living under being dictated by corporate groups, could it be that the line between business and the state is blurring?
It has been for long time.
Proof: Most corporations have a "Business License" aka permission to do business. Granted by who?? The government/state!
And the fact that corporations are a legal entity certainly doesn't help matters.
> The only viable system is to take away between 25% and 75% of every person's income and redistribute it.
Two words: ponzi scehme
When I exchange MY TIME for a commodity item, it is NOT the government's to steal back from me.
Thank god the system is based on voluntary compliance.
> So the EULA is a completely one-sided "contract",
h tml
EULA's are non-binding contracts. A contract needs 2 people to sign (or both people give a verbal/oral agreement.)
You can find links here on Contract Law: http://www.studyweb.com/links/2972.html
This is an interesting link: http://profs.lp.findlaw.com/contracts/contract_2.
> Apple has always been a company of closed software and closed hardware.
:)
No it hasn't been. Steve Wozniak was GIVING away schematics for his (at the time - new) computer!
http://www.woz.org/letters/general/10.html
Back in the early Apple ][ days, you could get the complete assembly ROM listing. Schematics were also widely available. (Hehe, I remember the mod that lets you add multiple 16K language cards, and I maxed my Apple out at 96K. Disk Muncher could almost copy a disk in 1 pass
IBM did the same thing with it's early PC.
That's what really started both companies: How easily hackers could hack and expand it. (Of course Apple targeting the schools and business users didn't hurt either. Along with soft good software like Visacalc (the first spreadsheet) and AppleWorks (I believe the first integrated application.)
Bringing this back on topic...
So Apple uses a BSD license. They are NOT under any OBLIGATION to give back. Yes, they are profiteering off other's people work, but guess what: The BSD license is *complete* freedom. Now, I don't want to start a flamewar of GPL vs BSD, but I really don't see what big deal is.
Somewhere along the way, Apple fall into the Not Invented Here Syndrome. Apple "embracing" the BSD license is 180 degree turn around for them. Give them more time and they might reach see the benefit's in GPL software.
> Game Design != Programming
And those AI scripts just write themselves??!!
Game Design certainly does involve programming!
I've been in the business for almost 3 years as a game programmer, and I tell you that the our designers crank out a LOT of code.
Yes, the FIRST half of the game idea doesn't involve programming. But the implementation is left to the designers, since us game programmers are too busy building the engine and providing the functionality for the game designers!
Why do you think so many games have their own scripting language? WHO is programming in it? The designers! Programmers [generally] don't need a scripting language, since they can just use C/C++/Asm.
The rest of your post is spot on.
Forgot some ops too
// a = b XOR c
// a = a XOR b
// a = NOT a
/. how come I can't edit my comments? :)
o) ~ would be the new XOR op.
e.g.
a = b ~ c;
a ~= b;
o) ! would be used for binary not as well as logical not.
e.g.
a = !a;
Errata:
The fixed point should read:
fix < 8,8 > fix < 8,24 >
And the static cast should read
static_cast < int * > (pC)
P.S.
Hey
I've been thinking about how to make C++ better in my spare time for the last year or so.
// array 10 pointers to function returning int
// array of pointers to func.
// pointer to func, no more stupid parenthesis matching
// 0x1A2
;-)
(Unfortunately my notes are at home, so this isn't the full feature set)
Here are some comments I'd love feedback on.
o) New operators:
^ would be the standard math power operator. The compiler would optimize ^2 the much it does now with *2.
@ would be the pointer derefence op. (Allows you to search for where pointers are being used)
?= (replacement for ==, since it is WAY to easy to get = and == mixed up)
$ is also another operator for users.
o) STANDARDIZED and PORTABLE types
NO MORE "long long" crap.
int8, int 16, int32, int64, int128 (signed int's)
real32, real64, real80 (floating point)
fix (fixed-point)
char8 (8-bit ascii)
char16 (unicode-16)
char32 (unicode-32)
int would be the "native" integer type for the cpu.
float would be the "native" floating type for the cpu.
o) New keyboards
"func" would preface all functions/methods. (helps the compiler out, and lets editors be able to expand/collapse functions easier)
"macro" would force the function to be inlined.
"include" is part of the language. No longer needs that ugly pre-processor hack.
o) Cleaner Syntax - CONSISTENT reading of right to left.
Pointers would bind LEFT (instead of right in C/C++)
i.e. Pointer to a function
The old C++ way: new (int (*[10])())
Easier C^2 way: new func int() * [10]
e.g.
func int () * pFunc;
o) C style implicit () casts gone. Only C++ style casts. (Allows for searching of casts)
e.g.
C++ way:
char *pC;
int *pI = (int*)(pC);
*pI = 3;
C^2 way:
int *pI = static_cast(pC);
@pI = 3;
o) standard way to turn OFF implicit up-casting
o) Binary constants. (We have decimal, octal, and hex. Where's the binary notation??)
Preface numbers with "Zero Z"
e.g.
const int mask = 0z0110100010;
o) "typedef" and "alias" would be extended.
typedef would make a NEW type. (Compiler wouldn't throw away the newnames)
alias would behave like the old typedefs currently
Maybe it's time to download gcc 3
*shrugs*
> but look at BeOS. Unless I've been misinformed, (and I'm sure someone will let me know) isn't BeOS written almost entirely in C++?
:-) (Of course it doesnt' support a whole lot else, unfortunately ;-(
The BeOS kernel was NOT written in C++. The GUI was.
(I can dig up archived messages on Be development if you want proof.)
The reason BeOS boots in 5 seconds, is because it doesn't have to support all that legacy crap.
*hopeing BeOS will go Open Source someday*
> At the very least, add a feature to the BIOS to let the user choose plug'n'play or manually assign resources to SPECIFIC SLOTS so that from the card's point of view, it has ONLY those resources to choose from.
The PCI spec sort of follows that:
Take a look at this diagram hardware PCI interrupts
And this section Called Interrupt Pin Assignment
Why can't we just promote IPv6 ? Instead of hacking together something that works, why not just design it right from the start akak IPv6 ?
(Not meant as a flame, but as an honest question.)