Whatever happened to the most elegant and simplist solution being the likely right explaination?
Simplicity and elegence are subjective qualities. Try and define simplicity in a theory or a formula - it can't be done well. We had to discuss what makes good scientific theories in a recent seminar, and several benchmarks were suggested: accuracy, simplicity, usefulness, scope etc. We tried to define simplicity and promptly got torn apart by the seminar leader.
So what happened to the most simple and elegant theory being most likely? It's bollocks. Ease of understanding or calculations may lead to choosing one theory over another, but doesn't make it more likely. And if you agree with Karl Popper no scienctific theory is the actual explanation for anything, just the most recent unrefuted theory:P
so you are saying that the majority of people don't have a firewall (WinXP builtin or otherwise), aren't NAT'ed (anyone who has more than one machine at home and one internet connection), or would really like to play a game years from now without worrying about activating it (I still install my original (not even Game of the Year) Edition of HL and enjoy it something like 6 years after it's release
No not at all! I'm saying that the people unable to enjoy HL2 because of lack of net access (or more specifically a setup that prevents Steam from running) are still in the heavy minority. And yes, although it sucks major that they won't be able to enjoy it- well thats just the way it is this time.
The other point was about installing in 20 years time, cause presently you need to authenticate via steam. I'm guessing that this service will still be around in 6 years time, but who really knows - if valve folds how will you be able to install/play? I reasoned that there may be an official crack if that case - but who really knows?
Ok yeah - maybe that was a little strong coming from a 20 year old..:P
But those games are emulated... how many do people play on original hardware, the way they were designed to be played in? The best I could say is my Master System I. Ahhh Sonic the hedgehog 1, memories...
You think if the authentication servers were to be shut down Valve would release an 'official' crack? I would hope so but I'm not sure.
Ok so to start of I've pre-ordered my copy of HL2 from amazon. Hopefully I'll get it on Tues 16th, possibly the 17th. I have nightmares about going to authenticate with Steam and it's be so overloaded I'll have to wait even longer, but seriously take these points into account:
- HL2 is easily the biggest release this year. Here we are 2 days before the release date, and there is no leak. As of yet no cracked versions floating around on suprnova, even though you can pre-load it & the SDK is out. That is unheard of! What was the last game to come out that didn't leak onto torrent sites way before the official release date? Far Cry? nope. Doom 3? nope. Total War? nope. You can even go get a legit copy from shops (in the US I read anyway) and you STILL cannot play before the release date that has been set. That is a success on all fronts. The fact that you've been allowed to purcahse a copy is purely the fault of the shop - the date is the 16th and has been for a while now.
- You don't have to constantly authenticate with steam to play. Once per install is whats needed. Obviously if you don't have a net connection that sucks, or if you're stuck behind a firewall or NAT'ed somehow so steam won't work. Sorry but that's just the way it is. What about people with old machines? They can't play. What about people with very old gFX cards? They can't play. What about linux users? They currently can't play. Non-net users aren't the only ones unable to enjoy it, but the majority of people will be okay. And about the installing in 20 years time question - yeah that may be an issue, but really how many games do you play from 20 years ago?
I tried this once, after watching that awesome ep of futurama. I think I got to 17 cups (one after the other) and started shaking, I felt so ill.
Also didn't sleep for 2 days after.
Go for it tho.
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Simplicity and elegence are subjective qualities. Try and define simplicity in a theory or a formula - it can't be done well. We had to discuss what makes good scientific theories in a recent seminar, and several benchmarks were suggested: accuracy, simplicity, usefulness, scope etc. We tried to define simplicity and promptly got torn apart by the seminar leader.
So what happened to the most simple and elegant theory being most likely? It's bollocks. Ease of understanding or calculations may lead to choosing one theory over another, but doesn't make it more likely. And if you agree with Karl Popper no scienctific theory is the actual explanation for anything, just the most recent unrefuted theory :P
so you are saying that the majority of people don't have a firewall (WinXP builtin or otherwise), aren't NAT'ed (anyone who has more than one machine at home and one internet connection), or would really like to play a game years from now without worrying about activating it (I still install my original (not even Game of the Year) Edition of HL and enjoy it something like 6 years after it's release
No not at all! I'm saying that the people unable to enjoy HL2 because of lack of net access (or more specifically a setup that prevents Steam from running) are still in the heavy minority. And yes, although it sucks major that they won't be able to enjoy it- well thats just the way it is this time.
The other point was about installing in 20 years time, cause presently you need to authenticate via steam. I'm guessing that this service will still be around in 6 years time, but who really knows - if valve folds how will you be able to install/play? I reasoned that there may be an official crack if that case - but who really knows?
woah - was that the ghostbusters that let you play space invaders while it loaded ? I never got to finish the last level!
Ok yeah - maybe that was a little strong coming from a 20 year old.. :P
But those games are emulated... how many do people play on original hardware, the way they were designed to be played in? The best I could say is my Master System I. Ahhh Sonic the hedgehog 1, memories...
You think if the authentication servers were to be shut down Valve would release an 'official' crack? I would hope so but I'm not sure.
Ok so to start of I've pre-ordered my copy of HL2 from amazon. Hopefully I'll get it on Tues 16th, possibly the 17th. I have nightmares about going to authenticate with Steam and it's be so overloaded I'll have to wait even longer, but seriously take these points into account:
- HL2 is easily the biggest release this year. Here we are 2 days before the release date, and there is no leak. As of yet no cracked versions floating around on suprnova, even though you can pre-load it & the SDK is out. That is unheard of! What was the last game to come out that didn't leak onto torrent sites way before the official release date? Far Cry? nope. Doom 3? nope. Total War? nope. You can even go get a legit copy from shops (in the US I read anyway) and you STILL cannot play before the release date that has been set. That is a success on all fronts. The fact that you've been allowed to purcahse a copy is purely the fault of the shop - the date is the 16th and has been for a while now.
- You don't have to constantly authenticate with steam to play. Once per install is whats needed. Obviously if you don't have a net connection that sucks, or if you're stuck behind a firewall or NAT'ed somehow so steam won't work. Sorry but that's just the way it is. What about people with old machines? They can't play. What about people with very old gFX cards? They can't play. What about linux users? They currently can't play. Non-net users aren't the only ones unable to enjoy it, but the majority of people will be okay. And about the installing in 20 years time question - yeah that may be an issue, but really how many games do you play from 20 years ago?
I've been listening to the old shows on the way to work, and it still makes me laugh. The other people on the bus must think I'm nuts...
According to the link http://www.daemonology.net/bsdiff/ you get binaries 50%-80% smaller - not 50 times smaller. Obviously 50% is still good ... :)
I tried this once, after watching that awesome ep of futurama. I think I got to 17 cups (one after the other) and started shaking, I felt so ill. Also didn't sleep for 2 days after. Go for it tho.