Depends which authors you buy from. Once trad publishers realise giving away the first book in a series is a great way to gain attention, the floodgates will open. (Indie authors discovered this in a big way in 2011, but things move a lot slower in the corporate world. Plus they have contracts to deal with, and indies don't.
Exactly. You appear to be enjoying episodes of this show back-to-back. How about stopping in the middle to watch *random unrelated crap*?
When one streaming service goes downhill you can bet another will show up to steal its crown. I recently subbed to Stan (australia), and I've been deciding which to keep. This sort of thing makes it easier to choose.
As for Netflix content, they already show giant thumbnails for their own shows in between most of the browse lists. Most don't interest me, and showing me a trailer in the midst of something that DOES interest me won't make me want to try 'em.
I hope so, because my plan was to set up an old PC as an XP box, so that I could run a bunch of ancient games in my Steam library which don't run well on Win7 or Win10.
Of course, given that Steam is apparently dropping support for XP, I guess running them on Linux is the next best* solution.
*Or rather, the best solution, because... Windows XP.
God the effort it took to get my hands on a computer... I worked as a paperboy for about 4 months, right through a harsh 1983 winter. I froze my arse off riding through snowdrifts at 5am with no lights, no gloves, etc (cue 'when I were a lad', 'you were lucky', etc)
Then, when I FINALLY had enough money, my dad told me I couldn't spend it on a computer because it was a fad, a waste of time, bad for my eyes and so on.
Eventually I won out and I started my love affair with computers which has never dimmed. I write software in my spare time, most of it freeware (e.g. yWriter)
As a postscript, 20 years after so much opposition to my first home computer, I wrote a gigantic and very complex piece of factory management/sales tracking/accounting software from scratch, which saved the family business. My dad still hates computers though...
And the logos - there's no point showing a US-centric firm's logo to an Aussie visitor, for example. I wouldn't know what most of them look like or who they represent.
I load up my fave game (Beat Hazard, available through Steam) and blast away on one of my fave MP3s. As short as 3 mins, or as long as 30. Obviously it won't fit the bill if you're using a work PC, but I code at home.
I'm not associated with the company, related to the developers, etc, etc. I just find it a very good time-waster for short amounts of time.
First thing you should do is ditch the cranks that came with your bike, and find some 175 or 180mm cranks instead. You have the longer legs required to use them, after all.
Later gen 16k models could have the memory upgraded by using the ram chips off a PC XT motherboard. I did this to one of the 16k speccys in my collection, while leaving another in original condition. Of course, these days it's probably harder to find an XT motherboard than a 48k speccy...
I quit cycling and sold my bike when they introduced mandatory helmet laws in Australia. Many years (and quite a few kg) later I caved in and bought a bike, but it still seems ridiculous that I have to wear a helmet to cycle 500 metres to the local shops. On the other hand, when I'm riding 40-50km distances on my road bike I'd rather wear a helmet and gloves because I ride faster and travel on a lot of roads with traffic.
Seconding e-ink. I have a Kindle 2 for reading and a powerful laptop for gaming/programming/media/etc. Reading on an e-ink device is like reading off paper. (The more light you shine on the screen, the brighter it gets.)
On the other hand, reading off a tablet or LCD is like holding sheets of paper up to a flourescent light. I get enough of that every day on the PC & Laptop, and when I read I don't want more of the same.
My parents chose Australia just on 30 years ago, and my kids are grateful for that choice every day. Like me, they have dual UK/Aussie citizenship, which is a big plus.
Judging by the polls, in 2013 the Australian Labor Party will be handed the biggest caning in the history of Aussie politics. Roxon won't be in power to enact this legislation, and Conroy (Mr Internet Filter) will be out on his ear too. So, where the ALP and their policies are concerned, 'after the next election' equates to 'once hell freezes over'.
I've always said computer programming should be moved to the Arts faculty in universities. Getting kids to study the highest-level math when most computer programming involves syntax and logic is insane. English is my first language but I'm fluent in Spanish after growing up there, and I also have enough French get by. I did an arts degree at uni in the 80's, but in the late 90's I went back and got a computing degree as well. I don't remember a whole lot of math usage during my studies, and I acheived an 80-85% average over the three years. (I flunked Math in high school, btw, which is how I ended up doing an Arts degree in the first place.)
Agreed. I have hundreds of hours on Daggerfall, Morrowind + Expansions and Oblivion + Expansions, but Steam tells me I've played Skyrim for a total of 23 hours. (20 of those were spent looking for things in the inventory, or switching between items in the inventory, or screwing around with the inventory. Ten minutes were spent installing an inventory fixer addon, but I haven't loaded the game since.)
I paid $90 for Oblivion, $90 for Skyrim, and that's about it for full-priced titles over the past 7-8 years. Over the past three years I've gone Steam and GOG crazy, hoovering up cheap games and spending way more than I used to when it was 'pick one title and make it last'. At my age I reckon I have more games than I can possibly finish in my lifetime, but I still keep buying the suckers.
If the PC is dead, what are the developers writing dinky little games and apps for your shiny new tablets going to use? Have you tried designing a gui with gestures? Typing 150,000 lines of code on a touchscreen? Sure, you can attach a bluetooth keyboard and mouse... as long as the batteries hold out.
In addition to that, if PC gamers wanted a braindead machine they'd get a handheld or a console. The sort of games I enjoy need a mouse, keyboard and very large screen. Tablets have their place but they're no substitute for a real computer.
Animated web ads are the pits, but you wait until you're invited to punch the monkey, bid now!, sign up for e-newsletters and hear from nine out of ten dentists whilst browsing shelves at the local deli. I, for one, will be carrying a tiny sharpened screwdriver.
Just waiting for it to go 'Clannggg' as it hits the painted wall. Shame about the lack of sound in space, but maybe George Lucas could make a movie about it.
Slashdot Mirror
Depends which authors you buy from. Once trad publishers realise giving away the first book in a series is a great way to gain attention, the floodgates will open. (Indie authors discovered this in a big way in 2011, but things move a lot slower in the corporate world. Plus they have contracts to deal with, and indies don't.
Exactly. You appear to be enjoying episodes of this show back-to-back. How about stopping in the middle to watch *random unrelated crap*?
When one streaming service goes downhill you can bet another will show up to steal its crown. I recently subbed to Stan (australia), and I've been deciding which to keep. This sort of thing makes it easier to choose.
As for Netflix content, they already show giant thumbnails for their own shows in between most of the browse lists. Most don't interest me, and showing me a trailer in the midst of something that DOES interest me won't make me want to try 'em.
I hope so, because my plan was to set up an old PC as an XP box, so that I could run a bunch of ancient games in my Steam library which don't run well on Win7 or Win10.
... Windows XP.
Of course, given that Steam is apparently dropping support for XP, I guess running them on Linux is the next best* solution.
*Or rather, the best solution, because
I bought an Impreza WRX brand new in 1998. It's still my daily driver 20 years later, it still looks near-new and it's running just fine.
"the coffee makers hadn't presented the proper grounds at trial to prevail."
Maybe it was instant.
Commodore 64s which were a lot better
Wars have been started for less.
God the effort it took to get my hands on a computer ... I worked as a paperboy for about 4 months, right through a harsh 1983 winter. I froze my arse off riding through snowdrifts at 5am with no lights, no gloves, etc (cue 'when I were a lad', 'you were lucky', etc)
...
Then, when I FINALLY had enough money, my dad told me I couldn't spend it on a computer because it was a fad, a waste of time, bad for my eyes and so on.
Eventually I won out and I started my love affair with computers which has never dimmed. I write software in my spare time, most of it freeware (e.g. yWriter)
As a postscript, 20 years after so much opposition to my first home computer, I wrote a gigantic and very complex piece of factory management/sales tracking/accounting software from scratch, which saved the family business. My dad still hates computers though
And the logos - there's no point showing a US-centric firm's logo to an Aussie visitor, for example. I wouldn't know what most of them look like or who they represent.
My guess is crossed joysticks over a Wifi symbol
I load up my fave game (Beat Hazard, available through Steam) and blast away on one of my fave MP3s. As short as 3 mins, or as long as 30. Obviously it won't fit the bill if you're using a work PC, but I code at home.
I'm not associated with the company, related to the developers, etc, etc. I just find it a very good time-waster for short amounts of time.
And I don't want a bloody touchscreen, either on my laptop OR my desktop, thanks very much.
First thing you should do is ditch the cranks that came with your bike, and find some 175 or 180mm cranks instead. You have the longer legs required to use them, after all.
Later gen 16k models could have the memory upgraded by using the ram chips off a PC XT motherboard. I did this to one of the 16k speccys in my collection, while leaving another in original condition. Of course, these days it's probably harder to find an XT motherboard than a 48k speccy ...
I quit cycling and sold my bike when they introduced mandatory helmet laws in Australia. Many years (and quite a few kg) later I caved in and bought a bike, but it still seems ridiculous that I have to wear a helmet to cycle 500 metres to the local shops. On the other hand, when I'm riding 40-50km distances on my road bike I'd rather wear a helmet and gloves because I ride faster and travel on a lot of roads with traffic.
Seconding e-ink. I have a Kindle 2 for reading and a powerful laptop for gaming/programming/media/etc. Reading on an e-ink device is like reading off paper. (The more light you shine on the screen, the brighter it gets.)
On the other hand, reading off a tablet or LCD is like holding sheets of paper up to a flourescent light. I get enough of that every day on the PC & Laptop, and when I read I don't want more of the same.
My parents chose Australia just on 30 years ago, and my kids are grateful for that choice every day. Like me, they have dual UK/Aussie citizenship, which is a big plus.
Judging by the polls, in 2013 the Australian Labor Party will be handed the biggest caning in the history of Aussie politics. Roxon won't be in power to enact this legislation, and Conroy (Mr Internet Filter) will be out on his ear too. So, where the ALP and their policies are concerned, 'after the next election' equates to 'once hell freezes over'.
I've always said computer programming should be moved to the Arts faculty in universities. Getting kids to study the highest-level math when most computer programming involves syntax and logic is insane. English is my first language but I'm fluent in Spanish after growing up there, and I also have enough French get by. I did an arts degree at uni in the 80's, but in the late 90's I went back and got a computing degree as well. I don't remember a whole lot of math usage during my studies, and I acheived an 80-85% average over the three years. (I flunked Math in high school, btw, which is how I ended up doing an Arts degree in the first place.)
... dig their way out of this one.
Sorry, but it had to be said.
Agreed. I have hundreds of hours on Daggerfall, Morrowind + Expansions and Oblivion + Expansions, but Steam tells me I've played Skyrim for a total of 23 hours. (20 of those were spent looking for things in the inventory, or switching between items in the inventory, or screwing around with the inventory. Ten minutes were spent installing an inventory fixer addon, but I haven't loaded the game since.)
In Australia our Steam 'special' price is $44.69 ... or £28
I paid $90 for Oblivion, $90 for Skyrim, and that's about it for full-priced titles over the past 7-8 years. Over the past three years I've gone Steam and GOG crazy, hoovering up cheap games and spending way more than I used to when it was 'pick one title and make it last'. At my age I reckon I have more games than I can possibly finish in my lifetime, but I still keep buying the suckers.
If the PC is dead, what are the developers writing dinky little games and apps for your shiny new tablets going to use? Have you tried designing a gui with gestures? Typing 150,000 lines of code on a touchscreen? Sure, you can attach a bluetooth keyboard and mouse ... as long as the batteries hold out.
In addition to that, if PC gamers wanted a braindead machine they'd get a handheld or a console. The sort of games I enjoy need a mouse, keyboard and very large screen. Tablets have their place but they're no substitute for a real computer.
Animated web ads are the pits, but you wait until you're invited to punch the monkey, bid now!, sign up for e-newsletters and hear from nine out of ten dentists whilst browsing shelves at the local deli. I, for one, will be carrying a tiny sharpened screwdriver.
Just waiting for it to go 'Clannggg' as it hits the painted wall. Shame about the lack of sound in space, but maybe George Lucas could make a movie about it.