$150?!? That's nothing. Even building an arcade quality control panel yourself can cost $400 - $1000 depending on the contols you install.
I just finished building my MAME cab a few months ago and researched many joystick options (including building it myself). It cost me $850 for the control panel alone but it was WELL worth the price.
SlikStik is the place to go if you are looking into a MAME arcade joystick. The quality of their joysticks is second to none (they have great customer service too).
I don't know how these guys make any money on their control panels. Pricing all the controls at the same places they get them (at bulk prices) and other contruction supplies, the total I came up with only $40 less then their shipped cost - and that didn't include my time to build it.
Seemed like a no brainer to me just to buy one instead of making one.
Oh, yea - This thing ROX! With over 6000 games loaded on it, I can play just about any classic video game you can think of (including pinball) and feel like I'm in an arcade doing it.
I don't have the link, but somebody did have a Rebel Blockade runner on ebay that was built to scale (for the 4" figs) and it had to pulled around on a 35' tractor trailer - an Imperial Cruiser is over 10X larger than a Blockade Runner (150 meters long vs 1600 meters long) so this isn't even close.
I have assembled just about all the Master Collector Series Star Wars models, between the 8 sets that I have (totaling close to 10,000 pieces) there are probably a total of 10 custom pieces - and even those I'm not too sure are custom, they may have just come from a set I haven't seen. The majority of the parts in those sets are just different colored versions of pieces you could get in their old castle, western, space, mining, etc.... sets - nothing too new. Yes, there are some decals (again, maybe 20 total) that you can put on the pieces to give them a more detailed look but you put the sticker on a normal old LEGO brick.
I usually get at least one big LEGO set for xmas, this year I got a bunch and a couple were these new sets that are part of their new 'Inventor' series - they're somewhere between the standard Technics sets and the Mindstorm. I still put my Rebel Blockade Runner together first, but these Inventor sets are pretty cool.
They may look the same, but the material that Megabloks are made of is nothing like a Lego. You can have two identical models, one made of Megabloks and the other of Lego but the one made of Megabloks will probably explode as soon as you try and pick it up. Something about the material that Lego is made of makes the blocks stay together better than any other brand.
Since the SAMBA team has been trying to get M$ to release the specs to SMB for years, without success, I would say that the limited LAN support is a problem with the Windows network - not the Linux desktop.
> I haven't seen the packaging, but EULAs aren't that common on hardware purchased.
The new Dell server we received yesterday had a sticker over the power supply receptical that basically said that by removing the sticker you had agreed to all (hardware/software) licenseses also contained within the box.
This does bring up an interesting question: Since they messed up the order and installed Win2K Server on the box, does that mean I have to agree to the license even though I didn't purchase the software? (which I didn't, as the box would have cost a few hundred more if it would have been purchased with Win2K)
they very first time I loaded a linux server to play the demo at our last LAN party. I was sold the instant the curses based installer appeared on my screen.
I must have debates on this diet at least 3 times a week and most people that I have these debates with don't really know anything about it (hmmmm...sounds kinda like/.) The high protien, low carb part of this diet is really only for the first couple of weeks. The purpose of this 'induction' period is to train your body to start burning fat instead of carbs - like it's supposed to. After your body has relearned what to process for energy, you are supposed to gradually add carbs back into your diet.
My wife has been heavier set most of her life and has worked VERY hard (LARGE amounts of excercise and watching everything she eats) to try and control this as long as I have known her - mostly to know avail (anybody that didn't know her would never believe she's a fitness nut). She also had reservations about this diet (for many of the same reasons stated in the above article), even after a good friend of ours started showing excellent results after being on it for a couple months (we're still wondering who stole the other half of that fat man =). Her first attempt was too try and integrate some of the ideas into her current diet but she saw no results and kinda gave up on it. After some persistance from our friend, and after I did a bunch of research on the net, we finally got her to just try it fully. Within three weeks she was definitely seeing results and not all of it was weight loss. She also has (had) problems with Rosacia (adult acne) but she hasn't had a flare-up since being on the diet. She has also had irregular periods almost all her adult life but since starting the diet she's been on time - to the day! Her energy level is also completely different. She has always been a high energy person but it was like a fake energy (just do something to be doing something), now she's has the same type of energy but she can actually focus it now - she also actually seems to make more intelligent decisions and doesn't fly off the handle over stupid things as much either (because she thinks about it first).
My opinion is that this diet, like any diet, may not work for everybody but for some people it's exactly what they need. If you are overweight you're already unhealthy anyways so I don't think trying this diet for a few weeks is going to be any more unhealthy for you than lugging around all that extra weight.
The last company I worked for produced MRP software. If it was being sold to a smaller company it would run about 1K a user, but when the package was sold to big companies (Motorla, Harris, Informix) it was sold for 5 - 10k a user - for the exact same package. I asked about this a few times and was always told that big guys won't even look at you if the product is too inexpensive as they will think that it's not robust enough for their needs.
Their argument would be that technically, the CD didn't change anything - it was XP detecting a non-CD format and then reconfiguring itself. Brings us back to the Plug-and-Pray days.
According to this thread, they may be. The logo on the front of your CD player is there to indicate that that drive will work with any media with a like logo. Has anybody got the 'CD' to see if it's there? If it is, I would think (IAMNAL) there would be a case that it legally should work in my PC (or Mac) drive.
As somebody has already mentioned in a post above, you should never convert from one lossy formay to another. Converting from MP3 to Ogg is going to lower the quality of those files. If you really want to do it right, you're going to have to rip them all again.
With that well-established market, will the movie companies and electronics markets shoot themselves in the foot by releasing DVDs that solely use the 'new' format and thus completely blocking off 5 million players from watching it?
No, but I could see them offering two different version of a DVD - one with more options than the other one (the one with for the 'new' technology of course). This way they get their money from the people with the older technology and at the same time they try and push those same people to upgrade to the newer and <sarcasm>better</sarcasm> technology.
I'm sure with the right lawyer I could win a lawsuit if I was the CEO of Foogiston, Inc.
I know you could, as Metallica has already set a presidence with this exact type of thing. They have sued both a paint and beauty products company that have used 'Metallica' in their product names - even though the products have nothing to do with music.
Before the Mindstorm came out, I would have been with you 100% on this. But since getting one two xmas's ago I've been saying nothing but 'why didn't lego do this when I was a kid?'. Those custom pieces do, at first, seem pretty useless, but when you start building lego objects that do something other than just sit there, you start finding ways to use those custom pieces because the plain bricks just won't work. There have been times where the custom part contained in a kit is what decided which kit I buy, just because the custom part looked like it may be useful in my own projects.
Fileplanets new method of registering for downloads SUCKS. I refuse to download anything from there now that they have implented it. It's supposed to make it easier for you to download stuff (my guess is by making less people use the service) but the few times I used it, when they first implemented it, it would take me 2 - 3 times longer to get stuff - even with less people on the server.
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A quick list of prices for all components in my controller (from HappControls and SlikStik
32 buttons: $60
Top Fire 8 way Joystick(2): $65
Optical Perfect 360 degree joystick: $90
Stainless Joystick handles (2): $50
4 way joystick: $15
56 Input IPac: $65
Trackball (lighted): $100
spinner: $90
Wood (4x8 3/4" MDF): $20
laminate: $40
misc construction supplies: $30
Total: $625 without taxes, shipping or labor
I know I'm forgetting something because I came out a little over $700 last time I did this.
Just downloaded 6600+ MAME ROMS from alt.binaries.emulators.mame just last month. Very easy to do with a good news reader.
Check Here
I just finished building my MAME cab a few months ago and researched many joystick options (including building it myself). It cost me $850 for the control panel alone but it was WELL worth the price.
SlikStik is the place to go if you are looking into a MAME arcade joystick. The quality of their joysticks is second to none (they have great customer service too).
I don't know how these guys make any money on their control panels. Pricing all the controls at the same places they get them (at bulk prices) and other contruction supplies, the total I came up with only $40 less then their shipped cost - and that didn't include my time to build it.
Seemed like a no brainer to me just to buy one instead of making one.
Oh, yea - This thing ROX! With over 6000 games loaded on it, I can play just about any classic video game you can think of (including pinball) and feel like I'm in an arcade doing it.
I don't have the link, but somebody did have a Rebel Blockade runner on ebay that was built to scale (for the 4" figs) and it had to pulled around on a 35' tractor trailer - an Imperial Cruiser is over 10X larger than a Blockade Runner (150 meters long vs 1600 meters long) so this isn't even close.
Wouldn't this point hold true for spammers that put garbage in the subject to circumvent SPAM blockers?
I have assembled just about all the Master Collector Series Star Wars models, between the 8 sets that I have (totaling close to 10,000 pieces) there are probably a total of 10 custom pieces - and even those I'm not too sure are custom, they may have just come from a set I haven't seen. The majority of the parts in those sets are just different colored versions of pieces you could get in their old castle, western, space, mining, etc.... sets - nothing too new. Yes, there are some decals (again, maybe 20 total) that you can put on the pieces to give them a more detailed look but you put the sticker on a normal old LEGO brick.
Yea!
I usually get at least one big LEGO set for xmas, this year I got a bunch and a couple were these new sets that are part of their new 'Inventor' series - they're somewhere between the standard Technics sets and the Mindstorm. I still put my Rebel Blockade Runner together first, but these Inventor sets are pretty cool.
at LEGOshop.com - their aimed at getting girls more interested in LEGO.
They may look the same, but the material that Megabloks are made of is nothing like a Lego. You can have two identical models, one made of Megabloks and the other of Lego but the one made of Megabloks will probably explode as soon as you try and pick it up. Something about the material that Lego is made of makes the blocks stay together better than any other brand.
Since the SAMBA team has been trying to get M$ to release the specs to SMB for years, without success, I would say that the limited LAN support is a problem with the Windows network - not the Linux desktop.
> I haven't seen the packaging, but EULAs aren't that common on hardware purchased.
The new Dell server we received yesterday had a sticker over the power supply receptical that basically said that by removing the sticker you had agreed to all (hardware/software) licenseses also contained within the box.
This does bring up an interesting question: Since they messed up the order and installed Win2K Server on the box, does that mean I have to agree to the license even though I didn't purchase the software? (which I didn't, as the box would have cost a few hundred more if it would have been purchased with Win2K)
they very first time I loaded a linux server to play the demo at our last LAN party. I was sold the instant the curses based installer appeared on my screen.
I must have debates on this diet at least 3 times a week and most people that I have these debates with don't really know anything about it (hmmmm...sounds kinda like /.) The high protien, low carb part of this diet is really only for the first couple of weeks. The purpose of this 'induction' period is to train your body to start burning fat instead of carbs - like it's supposed to. After your body has relearned what to process for energy, you are supposed to gradually add carbs back into your diet.
My wife has been heavier set most of her life and has worked VERY hard (LARGE amounts of excercise and watching everything she eats) to try and control this as long as I have known her - mostly to know avail (anybody that didn't know her would never believe she's a fitness nut). She also had reservations about this diet (for many of the same reasons stated in the above article), even after a good friend of ours started showing excellent results after being on it for a couple months (we're still wondering who stole the other half of that fat man =). Her first attempt was too try and integrate some of the ideas into her current diet but she saw no results and kinda gave up on it. After some persistance from our friend, and after I did a bunch of research on the net, we finally got her to just try it fully. Within three weeks she was definitely seeing results and not all of it was weight loss. She also has (had) problems with Rosacia (adult acne) but she hasn't had a flare-up since being on the diet. She has also had irregular periods almost all her adult life but since starting the diet she's been on time - to the day! Her energy level is also completely different. She has always been a high energy person but it was like a fake energy (just do something to be doing something), now she's has the same type of energy but she can actually focus it now - she also actually seems to make more intelligent decisions and doesn't fly off the handle over stupid things as much either (because she thinks about it first).
My opinion is that this diet, like any diet, may not work for everybody but for some people it's exactly what they need. If you are overweight you're already unhealthy anyways so I don't think trying this diet for a few weeks is going to be any more unhealthy for you than lugging around all that extra weight.
The last company I worked for produced MRP software. If it was being sold to a smaller company it would run about 1K a user, but when the package was sold to big companies (Motorla, Harris, Informix) it was sold for 5 - 10k a user - for the exact same package. I asked about this a few times and was always told that big guys won't even look at you if the product is too inexpensive as they will think that it's not robust enough for their needs.
Their argument would be that technically, the CD didn't change anything - it was XP detecting a non-CD format and then reconfiguring itself. Brings us back to the Plug-and-Pray days.
According to this thread, they may be. The logo on the front of your CD player is there to indicate that that drive will work with any media with a like logo. Has anybody got the 'CD' to see if it's there? If it is, I would think (IAMNAL) there would be a case that it legally should work in my PC (or Mac) drive.
I want their Merlin Roadster.
As somebody has already mentioned in a post above, you should never convert from one lossy formay to another. Converting from MP3 to Ogg is going to lower the quality of those files. If you really want to do it right, you're going to have to rip them all again.
No, but I could see them offering two different version of a DVD - one with more options than the other one (the one with for the 'new' technology of course). This way they get their money from the people with the older technology and at the same time they try and push those same people to upgrade to the newer and <sarcasm>better</sarcasm> technology.
I'm sure with the right lawyer I could win a lawsuit if I was the CEO of Foogiston, Inc.
I know you could, as Metallica has already set a presidence with this exact type of thing. They have sued both a paint and beauty products company that have used 'Metallica' in their product names - even though the products have nothing to do with music.
Before the Mindstorm came out, I would have been with you 100% on this. But since getting one two xmas's ago I've been saying nothing but 'why didn't lego do this when I was a kid?'. Those custom pieces do, at first, seem pretty useless, but when you start building lego objects that do something other than just sit there, you start finding ways to use those custom pieces because the plain bricks just won't work. There have been times where the custom part contained in a kit is what decided which kit I buy, just because the custom part looked like it may be useful in my own projects.
Fileplanets new method of registering for downloads SUCKS. I refuse to download anything from there now that they have implented it. It's supposed to make it easier for you to download stuff (my guess is by making less people use the service) but the few times I used it, when they first implemented it, it would take me 2 - 3 times longer to get stuff - even with less people on the server.
You give up more personal info buying something at radio shack
If you answer their questions. I just tell them I'm homeless and hand them my cash - haven't been refused a sale yet.
(e.g., this October, when Star Wars gets DivX'ed ;-)
Why wait till October? It's already been done =)