While there are already so many responses that you probably won't even read this, here is my advice:
I am a senior at the University of Pittsburgh, and I'll be graduating soon with a CS degree. I've encountered a large number of students here at Pitt that probably should have asked the same question that you are before they left. I know many who want nothing more than to just sit down and be a code monkey somewhere. I also know a great number that would hate nothing more than sitting down and becoming a code monkey. Personally, I'm one of the later half, and I value the theory based education I've received here at Pitt.
If you want to end up somewhere writing code for cutting edge software, or if you want to do something in research, I suggest the liberal arts college, the theory will set you apart from other graduates who know 10 different languages and no theory. If you want to learn languages, do it on your own time, use college as a medium for learning the things that you wouldn't teach yourself. Use it for the opportunity to work on things that you otherwise wouldn't be able to work on.
If you're looking to write software for internal use, or you're not trying to do anything off the wall innovative, go with the tech school.
While many may not agree, and there are of course exceptions to every example, I really think the theory is what makes a CS degree, not the languages you know. Having a CS degree is being able to sit down and solve a problem with more elegance, efficiency, and creativity than the next guy and theory is the tool to do that with.
I am by no means rich. I will say that I feel I'm spoiled in relation to others. I have always had a computer at my disposal, and I generally get what I want (though I do work for it, no my mommy and daddy don't buy me everything) but not because I'm spoiled. I have a lot more than many people, though there are people far worse than me in this world.
I have my reasons for nuking an iPod, and its not because I'm filthy rich.
I put mine in the microwave. That was pretty fun for the 3 seconds that it lasted. Amazingly enough, it survived. The first time I nuked it, I left it off and put it in the mic for 1 second (I didn't want to melt the screen). The second time I nuked it, I turned it on and put it in for 3 seconds. That cooked it pretty well, however when plugging it in to the charger it would still turn on (even though it smelled of burnt electronic). The battery won't hold a charge, and the scroll wheel doesn't respond anymore, but hey the apple logo still comes up, as does the charging logo.
I've seen this before in other games though I tend to think that for WOW kind of flows against the grain in regards to my following theory.
Many games tend to be released with amazing low level content, and there is to be progress made on the high level content, however the players manage to bypass the content team in terms of leveling.
Take for instance Asheron's Call. I know the dev team said on many occasions that high end content would work its way in (and that it currently was) but that the current average level was well below the max level and therefor that is where the content would be focused.
Now to apply this to WOW you figure that the average level is around 30 or so by now (thats being generous) so the new content being developed would be for the average level. The problem with this is that WoW made it EXTREMELY EASY to hit max level, and so now the devs are having to write more high end content.
I'm sure that given more time (not being pushed by Vivendi) Blizz would've taken more time to develop high end content, but with a publisher pushing you to get a product out the door that just can't happen.
Within the next few years if you were to start over and go through all of the content from 0-60 I'm sure you'll find the content to be much more in depth than it currently is.
Right now they're sucking people and thats all that matters.
With WOW closing in on its first birthday (as retail) (wow I've been playing for almost a YEAR!) where do you forsee WOW heading?
In terms of PvP will we bee seeing more of an incentive to do non-battleground PvP (I know the DK system was created to prevent town raids). Will we be seeing greater rewards for PvP, and what are the chances that we'll see larger than 40 man PvP instances, or FFA type BGs?
In terms of PvE where is everything headed, what kind of raid instances can we expect on the horizon? After the outcry by casual players are there plans for more small-raid instances, or are the plans to stick with (soon to be) 20 man or more raid encounters?
Lastly what do you expect to come of the expansion? I know details will be released when available, blah blah blah, etc, etc, but I'm sure every is dying to know what we should expect to see! Are there any plans for new factions or races? New classes?
I know most of this can't be answered with difinitive answers so I'll throw this out there too, Whats your favorite in game "thing" (can be silly items like lucky rabbits feet, equipment, characters, quests, etc, basically anything).
Thanks!
Jininji
Leader of the Dark Marauders, Bleeding Hollow
But the thing is that linux just DOES work most of the time. Most of the big distros do JUST work (at least in my case). The reason it doesn't work in the dorm is because of the way in which we have to connect to the Pitt network. Pitt chose a method of connecting that linux doesn't have native support for (802.1x authentication) However, there are programs out there available to connect with. Now the trouble comes when the Pitt network people refuse to help out and give the students the configuration needed to get ON the network. It's not even like it's a big secret, all the windows and mac users need the config to connect with, however the network people just don't seem to want to give it out to students. It's easier for them to just say, we don't support linux, give up.
Well, I'm not saying that we're doing poorly at picking up linux here in america, I'm just saying that linux being the leading choice (or however it was phrased) for students over there is pretty big. My university's (Univerity of Pittsburgh) CS department runs a mix of linux and windows (I had to use a solaris lab for java last semester) however, right now I'm taking a PDA programming course, and the first project we did was installing cygwin! I mean, come on! Even WITH having to install cygwin to use pilrc (the palm tool we need) kids are STILL saying linux is useless. Obviously if we HAVE to install a linux emulator on windows there is SOME use for it?
Now the real kick in the butt is the fact that linux is NOT supported here at pitt. Even though every student gets a shell account on a unix box, if you want to run linux in a dorm, GOOD LUCK. I finally got things running, but not without a fight... gah.
This sort of thing really needs to hit america. Its really hard to convince americans (even computer science students) to even look at linux. They have windows so pounded in to their heads they won't even look at something else. I'm glad that the rest of the world is starting to pick up the ball though, eventually we won't be able to avoid it here in america (unless it ends up like the poor, poor metric system)
Thanks for the reply. I tried both those parameters, and it still doesn't work. I think it's something else, possibly something I did wrong. It might be gnome too. It seems now like X is loading, but gnome isn't.
I guess open source was a bad term to use, I guess I should've said freeware, or free software supporter. I was merely referring to the idea that open source is free (generally), and I think that the pirates could really negate the fact that they've done something wrong by trying to sound like they were being righteous.
I agree with the idea that single player games are dead. I'm even ok with the idea of having to pay per month for a game (I've been doing it for 5 years), however, after trying MOST of the MMOs on the market, I can honestly say that I see little to no difference in MANY of them. Sure there are graphical difference, but I'm talking about gameplay. Fancy graphics and new music don't make a better game. They are not substance. As an MMO customer I would like to see something that hasn't been done. I'd like to see an MMO where NEW ideas are put in to play. I give a lot of credit to game development companies, especially those who develop multiplayer games, and even more to those who develop the MMOs, god knows I couldn't do what they do, but they need to take a step back, reach in to the wallet, and hire some new thinkers. Personally, I have a slew of ideas that *I* think, and some of my friends think would make a GREAT MMO; unfortunately we don't have the talent to make it or we would.
I wonder what this means for the people who got arrested. It sounds like these guys come from all around the world, is this a chance for the pirate community to unite? By publically chasing these guys, there will be someone who tries to support them, or try to top them. As an open source supporter, I can see some pirates trying to make themselves martyrs by saying they were pushing open source, but even as the supporter of open source that I am, I see reasons for games to be closed source, and sold. Are these guys going to be made poster children for punishing pirates? It seems like a really good time to get some PR in the "If you pirate, you get your ass kicked" department. I'll be interrested to see what happens.
Ugh, it seems like everyone is riding the MMO bandwagon now. We don't need more MMOs out! We need better quality, or things that are new and origonal. This at least isn't like all the other EverQuest clones. I hope it does well for itself, or at least helps to get the creative juices pumping for other companies. MMOs are quickly becomming a dying trend. I know personally I wouldn't buy most games out these days, especially one I had to pay an extra fee per month for.
So far, I've had nothing but trouble with the new X.org. I've recently installed Fedora Core 2, which was a dumb idea from the start. I have a Nvidia geForce4 ti4400, which doesn't get along nicely with 4k stacks (which is a default kernel setting in FC2). Well, when I tried to run FC2 for the first time, I got all kinds of problems with X (because of the nVidia driver). So being the resourceful person that I am, I used lynx to browse the web and find a solution. The first solution was to download a vanilla kernel from www.kernel.org, and compile without 4k stacks. I did this, but for some reason, X still gave me problems. I then tried rolling back to the generic nv driver that comes with FC, and again, X gives me problems. Story short, I went through about 30 different solutions, none of which work. The closest I've gotten is X starts, but it just sits there on a black screen. I can get Xtern to work, but not much else. I'm waiting on the new nVidia drivers, maybe everything will work with a set of good drivers, and the default Fedora settings, but I'm not going to hold my breath. Maybe it's just FC, but as far as I can tell, X is just being bitchy.
The lack of games is a big plus sometimes. I had started to play Asheron's Call 2, a massively multiplayer online roleplaying game, and I was spening entirely too much time playing it. I booted in to linux one day and told myself that I wasn't going to boot back. So far, I've found more interresting things to do than play AC2, and I've had a lot more free time. Don't get me wrong, games are great, but you can accomplish a lot more without them as a distraction. To sum it all up, I've been staying out of windows because I think that using linux has made me a better person.
Have you played with VNC lately?! You could easily have some fun connecting to users stations and opening random windows, typing to them, or making their computer "haunted." Heck, if ya really wanted to be bold you could call some random non geek and tell them there's a nasty virus going around that does X. Then make X happen on their computer with whatever remote administration tool you are using. They'll freak out and call ya right back asking how to fix it:D
Slashdot Mirror
I know, right?
Shameless plug: I've angrily lambasted this asshat already: http://thisiswhyihatepeople.org/
While there are already so many responses that you probably won't even read this, here is my advice: I am a senior at the University of Pittsburgh, and I'll be graduating soon with a CS degree. I've encountered a large number of students here at Pitt that probably should have asked the same question that you are before they left. I know many who want nothing more than to just sit down and be a code monkey somewhere. I also know a great number that would hate nothing more than sitting down and becoming a code monkey. Personally, I'm one of the later half, and I value the theory based education I've received here at Pitt. If you want to end up somewhere writing code for cutting edge software, or if you want to do something in research, I suggest the liberal arts college, the theory will set you apart from other graduates who know 10 different languages and no theory. If you want to learn languages, do it on your own time, use college as a medium for learning the things that you wouldn't teach yourself. Use it for the opportunity to work on things that you otherwise wouldn't be able to work on. If you're looking to write software for internal use, or you're not trying to do anything off the wall innovative, go with the tech school. While many may not agree, and there are of course exceptions to every example, I really think the theory is what makes a CS degree, not the languages you know. Having a CS degree is being able to sit down and solve a problem with more elegance, efficiency, and creativity than the next guy and theory is the tool to do that with.
I am by no means rich. I will say that I feel I'm spoiled in relation to others. I have always had a computer at my disposal, and I generally get what I want (though I do work for it, no my mommy and daddy don't buy me everything) but not because I'm spoiled. I have a lot more than many people, though there are people far worse than me in this world. I have my reasons for nuking an iPod, and its not because I'm filthy rich.
Hey man, to each his own.
I nuked it to break it... duh. Why else would you put an iPod in the microwave?
I put mine in the microwave. That was pretty fun for the 3 seconds that it lasted. Amazingly enough, it survived. The first time I nuked it, I left it off and put it in the mic for 1 second (I didn't want to melt the screen). The second time I nuked it, I turned it on and put it in for 3 seconds. That cooked it pretty well, however when plugging it in to the charger it would still turn on (even though it smelled of burnt electronic). The battery won't hold a charge, and the scroll wheel doesn't respond anymore, but hey the apple logo still comes up, as does the charging logo.
I've seen this before in other games though I tend to think that for WOW kind of flows against the grain in regards to my following theory.
Many games tend to be released with amazing low level content, and there is to be progress made on the high level content, however the players manage to bypass the content team in terms of leveling.
Take for instance Asheron's Call. I know the dev team said on many occasions that high end content would work its way in (and that it currently was) but that the current average level was well below the max level and therefor that is where the content would be focused.
Now to apply this to WOW you figure that the average level is around 30 or so by now (thats being generous) so the new content being developed would be for the average level. The problem with this is that WoW made it EXTREMELY EASY to hit max level, and so now the devs are having to write more high end content.
I'm sure that given more time (not being pushed by Vivendi) Blizz would've taken more time to develop high end content, but with a publisher pushing you to get a product out the door that just can't happen.
Within the next few years if you were to start over and go through all of the content from 0-60 I'm sure you'll find the content to be much more in depth than it currently is.
Right now they're sucking people and thats all that matters.
With WOW closing in on its first birthday (as retail) (wow I've been playing for almost a YEAR!) where do you forsee WOW heading? In terms of PvP will we bee seeing more of an incentive to do non-battleground PvP (I know the DK system was created to prevent town raids). Will we be seeing greater rewards for PvP, and what are the chances that we'll see larger than 40 man PvP instances, or FFA type BGs? In terms of PvE where is everything headed, what kind of raid instances can we expect on the horizon? After the outcry by casual players are there plans for more small-raid instances, or are the plans to stick with (soon to be) 20 man or more raid encounters? Lastly what do you expect to come of the expansion? I know details will be released when available, blah blah blah, etc, etc, but I'm sure every is dying to know what we should expect to see! Are there any plans for new factions or races? New classes? I know most of this can't be answered with difinitive answers so I'll throw this out there too, Whats your favorite in game "thing" (can be silly items like lucky rabbits feet, equipment, characters, quests, etc, basically anything). Thanks! Jininji Leader of the Dark Marauders, Bleeding Hollow
But the thing is that linux just DOES work most of the time. Most of the big distros do JUST work (at least in my case). The reason it doesn't work in the dorm is because of the way in which we have to connect to the Pitt network. Pitt chose a method of connecting that linux doesn't have native support for (802.1x authentication) However, there are programs out there available to connect with. Now the trouble comes when the Pitt network people refuse to help out and give the students the configuration needed to get ON the network. It's not even like it's a big secret, all the windows and mac users need the config to connect with, however the network people just don't seem to want to give it out to students. It's easier for them to just say, we don't support linux, give up.
Well, I'm not saying that we're doing poorly at picking up linux here in america, I'm just saying that linux being the leading choice (or however it was phrased) for students over there is pretty big. My university's (Univerity of Pittsburgh) CS department runs a mix of linux and windows (I had to use a solaris lab for java last semester) however, right now I'm taking a PDA programming course, and the first project we did was installing cygwin! I mean, come on! Even WITH having to install cygwin to use pilrc (the palm tool we need) kids are STILL saying linux is useless. Obviously if we HAVE to install a linux emulator on windows there is SOME use for it? Now the real kick in the butt is the fact that linux is NOT supported here at pitt. Even though every student gets a shell account on a unix box, if you want to run linux in a dorm, GOOD LUCK. I finally got things running, but not without a fight... gah.
This sort of thing really needs to hit america. Its really hard to convince americans (even computer science students) to even look at linux. They have windows so pounded in to their heads they won't even look at something else. I'm glad that the rest of the world is starting to pick up the ball though, eventually we won't be able to avoid it here in america (unless it ends up like the poor, poor metric system)
Thanks for the reply. I tried both those parameters, and it still doesn't work. I think it's something else, possibly something I did wrong. It might be gnome too. It seems now like X is loading, but gnome isn't.
I guess open source was a bad term to use, I guess I should've said freeware, or free software supporter. I was merely referring to the idea that open source is free (generally), and I think that the pirates could really negate the fact that they've done something wrong by trying to sound like they were being righteous.
I agree with the idea that single player games are dead. I'm even ok with the idea of having to pay per month for a game (I've been doing it for 5 years), however, after trying MOST of the MMOs on the market, I can honestly say that I see little to no difference in MANY of them. Sure there are graphical difference, but I'm talking about gameplay. Fancy graphics and new music don't make a better game. They are not substance. As an MMO customer I would like to see something that hasn't been done. I'd like to see an MMO where NEW ideas are put in to play. I give a lot of credit to game development companies, especially those who develop multiplayer games, and even more to those who develop the MMOs, god knows I couldn't do what they do, but they need to take a step back, reach in to the wallet, and hire some new thinkers. Personally, I have a slew of ideas that *I* think, and some of my friends think would make a GREAT MMO; unfortunately we don't have the talent to make it or we would.
I wonder what this means for the people who got arrested. It sounds like these guys come from all around the world, is this a chance for the pirate community to unite? By publically chasing these guys, there will be someone who tries to support them, or try to top them. As an open source supporter, I can see some pirates trying to make themselves martyrs by saying they were pushing open source, but even as the supporter of open source that I am, I see reasons for games to be closed source, and sold. Are these guys going to be made poster children for punishing pirates? It seems like a really good time to get some PR in the "If you pirate, you get your ass kicked" department. I'll be interrested to see what happens.
Ugh, it seems like everyone is riding the MMO bandwagon now. We don't need more MMOs out! We need better quality, or things that are new and origonal. This at least isn't like all the other EverQuest clones. I hope it does well for itself, or at least helps to get the creative juices pumping for other companies. MMOs are quickly becomming a dying trend. I know personally I wouldn't buy most games out these days, especially one I had to pay an extra fee per month for.
So far, I've had nothing but trouble with the new X.org. I've recently installed Fedora Core 2, which was a dumb idea from the start. I have a Nvidia geForce4 ti4400, which doesn't get along nicely with 4k stacks (which is a default kernel setting in FC2). Well, when I tried to run FC2 for the first time, I got all kinds of problems with X (because of the nVidia driver). So being the resourceful person that I am, I used lynx to browse the web and find a solution. The first solution was to download a vanilla kernel from www.kernel.org, and compile without 4k stacks. I did this, but for some reason, X still gave me problems. I then tried rolling back to the generic nv driver that comes with FC, and again, X gives me problems. Story short, I went through about 30 different solutions, none of which work. The closest I've gotten is X starts, but it just sits there on a black screen. I can get Xtern to work, but not much else. I'm waiting on the new nVidia drivers, maybe everything will work with a set of good drivers, and the default Fedora settings, but I'm not going to hold my breath. Maybe it's just FC, but as far as I can tell, X is just being bitchy.
The lack of games is a big plus sometimes. I had started to play Asheron's Call 2, a massively multiplayer online roleplaying game, and I was spening entirely too much time playing it. I booted in to linux one day and told myself that I wasn't going to boot back. So far, I've found more interresting things to do than play AC2, and I've had a lot more free time. Don't get me wrong, games are great, but you can accomplish a lot more without them as a distraction. To sum it all up, I've been staying out of windows because I think that using linux has made me a better person.
Have you played with VNC lately?! You could easily have some fun connecting to users stations and opening random windows, typing to them, or making their computer "haunted." Heck, if ya really wanted to be bold you could call some random non geek and tell them there's a nasty virus going around that does X. Then make X happen on their computer with whatever remote administration tool you are using. They'll freak out and call ya right back asking how to fix it :D
Dark matter isn't anything new, I'm pretty sure I've had that magic card since like... Third edition or something. hehehe
Obviously the solution is to just wire the computers into our brains! Duh! Or do thoughts resonate a sound too?! Back to the drawing board :-/