I imagine that filming the battle scenes will be very complicated, but let's see how Columbus manages the quidditch scenes in the upcoming Harry Potter movie. If those are successful, EG's battle game may be possible to do similarly.
Coca-cola has just decided to cease production of Coke with traces of cocaine...
Tylenol is sealing their pill bottles to prevent tampering...
People are encrypting their messages using public-key systems and not simple substitution ciphers...
There's been a knife in my eye for ten days and I just pulled it out...
Oh, wait, these things were done years ago or would be done immediately. Why wasn't Chernobyl shut down after it turned parts of Russia into a comic book fantasy?
I would like to hear the massive jungle noise that the Napster server would generate. Or even Slashdot. Actually, the more nerdier you are (with the most web page serves and the most email), the more you feel like you're outside in nature rather than inside in front of a computer. Sounds like the perfect solution for the geek blues.
By the way, Gilfix is in my Crypto class - it's cool to see someone who you sit next to in class get slashdotted. Congrats, Mike.
There is one thing that might save the Nintendo GameCube: software. Nintendo, bar none, has the best software in the history of gaming. With the Mario, Metroid, Mega Man, and Zelda series, plus classics like Metal Gear and Bionic Commando, they commanded the market of the late 80's and early 90's.
Then SuperNES came out, which included the best Zelda game to date and Final Fantasy 2 and 3 (4 and 6 in Japan) which are, in my opinion, far superior to FF7 and FF8 (still haven't played FF9). Chrono Trigger for SNES is still named as one of the best games ever made - Chrono Cross for Playstation got quickly annoying, mostly due to the fact that it employed too many characters (over 40) and got too complex, like FF8. Playstation may have had the ability to have large games, but that doesn't help when they're not very good.
Now, while N64 was an utter disaster, the good games made for the system were actually great games, such as Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask, Perfect Dark, Golden Eye, and Mario64. Sure, that's way too few games for a 4 year old system, but really, there are no Playstation games out there that I like better (Metal Gear Solid had a shot, but no game should be so easy as to be beaten in under 8 hours).
So where does that leave GameCube? Well, if Nintendo messes up again, nowhere. But if they continue to make the excellent software they are famous for making (and licensing great games from companies like Rare), then I think it will blow the complicated P2 away. They'll make another Mario, a Metroid, a Zelda, a Perfect Dark, and when they've won the right companies over, who knows, they might get a new contract with Square (though I would stipulate in the contract not too make such heavily complicated games as FF8 and go back to the quality of Chrono Trigger and FF6).
Look at the real-time rendered videos Nintendo released in late August - they look amazing, better than any P2 footage I've seen (but equal w/ X-Box stuff). If Nintendo can harness the full power of GameCube (and it's much easier to do that than on the P2), then, with some good marketing, they can take back the market.
Then again, people do like their fighting games and sport games, and P2 will probably win out there.
Oh, and to those people who say console gaming systems are dying: yes, that may be true, but for now, the best games come out on consoles first (at least solo action and adventure games). Until the PC catches up, I'll play Nintendo.
Hmm.. I tried to pre-order one the other day and was told that most pre-orders in my area are sold out already - this decrease in numbers doesn't help. If you want one, you'll probably have to get up early and wait in a long line at a store without pre-orders (like Best Buy).
I've been wanting to get one for 1) the DVD player 2) metal gear solid 2 and 3) final fantasies. But now I've heard so many negative things (good games are hard to develop, hasn't been overwhelmingly popular in japan, etc.) that it's beginning to sound like the buzz that surrounded the N64 when that came out, and we saw what happened to that - limited success.
I guess now I'm hedging my bets on Nintendo. Like CmdrTaco, I'll play the new Zelda for now, maybe get a DVD player, and wait for the what looks like the superior GameCube. Is it time for Nintendo and Sony to switch places?
The RIAA certaintly does make a strong case in this reply, and Napster is in serious jeopardy.
The reply quotes Napster in saying that the primary use of Napster is to test out music in mp3 form before buying the CD. This is obviously not true and by lying about what Napster does, I think they are fighting the wrong case. I personally have bought more CDs because of Napster, and it's possible that Napster has increased CD sales in general (I don't believe the stats the RIAA has stated that say otherwise), but still, most people use it to listen to illegal mp3s. That's why some people have gigs and gigs of mp3s.
So in order for Napster to be right in the eyes of the law, it can't win this case by blurring what its software does - it has to change the very law itself. But America is way too entrenched in copyright laws for music right now, and I'm afraid the change will come about slowly, and not in a breakthrough Supreme Court case. Until that law is changed, there is nothing Napster can say or do to change the fact that their software is used primarily for illegal activity.
One possibility: maybe the law won't change in long time, but more and more artists will start consenting to sharing their music online, essentially allowing for a 'legal' Napster. Who knows, but don't expect a miracle during this case...
The most impressive discovery connected with the completion of the Human Genome:
Take the completed code of the Genome and convert each ACGT into its binary equivalent as follows:
A 00 C 01 G 10 T 11
Then, convert the binary code to ASCII, so that the Genome now exists in Arabic letters and numbers.
After doing these conversions, amazingly the Human Genome encodes the entire text of Cryptonomicon, by Neal Stephenson. Either Stephenson is some sort of prophet, or a blasphemous plagiarist!
While I think it's justified to repossess something that has not been paid for, I'm not sure about putting the repossessed item up for auction. This seems like a good money-making technique - I'm sure the highest bidders will pay much over the typical price for the popular domain names. Oh well, I guess it's legal (and deliciously capitalist).
Now I wonder if slashdot.org has been paid up recently?
Battlefield Earth was excellent in its accurate representation of the plight of man-animals underneath the tyranny of the levearage-abundant Psychlos in the year 3000.
My school (Tufts University) blocked Napster way back in November when it first started getting popular. I just started using CuteMX as a replacement (which I found at download.com), but unfortunately, it doesn't have as many users.
The new Napster beta circumvents the obstacles our network administrators put up, so they went and blocked access to the Napster website completely! Well, using our good friend the Anonymizer we have managed to download the new version anyway and spread it around campus. What will the network folk come up with next? Suspensions for all Napster users?
Anyway, the whole trial and tribulation has been documented on our online underground newspaper . You should read it - it's rather funny.
Eh, that is partly true. But also the movies were a form of escape during the Depression. Theaters were so cheap then, that it was worth walking into one and immersing yourself in a fantasy rather than walking around hungry singing "Brother Can You Spare A Dime."
Reading this article and seeing the comments has made me sad. This is because I was raised as an avid game player, and hope to one day start game developing myself. But I like to look as game developing as an art, and this is where many people differ in opinion. Let me make this comparison to the film industry: In the beginning of the century, film was new, exciting, and had much to be discovered in it. There were many entertaining movies that the wealthy watched, but then certain people started discovering new methods - ways to make a film more expressive. Pioneers like D.W. Griffith and John Ford began to make films that would pave the way for those that would follow. This is like the beginning of the gaming industry - consider this the Pongs and the other low graphic (but still fun) titles. Then, up until the late 30's, the industry was unchecked and was based on technology. What I mean is the discovery of color and sound was the basis of many bad movies (color a little later). But there were classics then, yes. Movies with real quality. Sure, they were silent but Chaplain and Buster Keaton made real good movies. I like to compare this to the early text based games. Some of these are classic and are still enjoyable to play. Yes, they are not visual games but they are quality. In the 40's a revolution occurred. Now that we were past the wonder of sound and color, people started making even more creative films. Citizen Kane is the most notable. But there was another problem. Filmmaking at this point was impossible for anyone but those within HUGE studios. Well, doesn't this sound like the big console boom in the 80's? First Atari and then Nintendo. These were the "studios" but damn did they make some good games. Atari had Pac Man and more, but even better, Nintendo created Mario, Zelda, Metroid, Final Fantasy - games that today I still like to play and have artistic merit. But where was the computer industry in this? They were still rather small, as the Microsoft revolution was just over the corner. Sierra made decent games but they were certaintly flawed. In film, the big boom happened. Sure, more people saw films in the 30s than they do now (cause of the depression) but in the 60s and 70s and especially the 80s (cause of two people - Lucas and Spielburg). Film had become mainstream - action films were the norm now, not musicals and comedies. But what happened to those independents who wanted to make an artistic film? Well, they got a little lucky. One, some studios now look exactly for those types (Miramax, etc). Two, some universities allow you to use their equipment. And three, 16mm is rather cheaper than 35mm, and digital video is just around the corner in garnering popularity. So these movies still exist, they are just a little harder to find. Also, every once in awhile a studio makes a good movie themselves. The video game industry isn't so lucky. They have made this same transition. Started by things like Playstation, Doom, Quake, Unreal, Tomb Raider, etc. The gaming industry now appeals to the mainstream shoot em ups and repetitive games. YES I know that the technology is better each time, that there is advanced multiplayer, etc. but c'mon these games depend on your same desire to run around and shoot people you know in their digital forms. But unfortunately, as the article above mentions, it's not so easy for an independent gamer to make their own creative feats. There is little room for Coppola's in the gaming industry. So most games suck or are repetitive. There are some good "studio" games - Civilization, Blizzard games - and on the console Final FAntasy games, Zelda again, etc. But if you are creative, there is little room for you. As I say, game developing should be an art. Good games should be like good literature and good films (I don't mean inaccessible/em). So how can this happen? When game engines are easily reproduced and used? I don't know. BUt I know one thing - games on the market mostly suck (or at least those that one sees right when you walk into the store) and finding the good ones are hard. What's the solution?
I have to be honest: I'm having a hard understanding Turing's paper. Maybe it's because I have no encryption background and have never read Stephenson's new novel. Anyway, I was wondering if someone would be willing to explain it in layman's terms on this forum. Thanks.
PS Those who don't know who Turing was is in danger of being a CS laborer rather than a CS expert. He's extremely important (you may remember him from AI - the Turing machine? c'mon!)
PSS If spammers bother you, use moderation options to turn 'em off (or put them in the bottom of the heap)
-----------------
Trying to keep kids innocent...
on
Quack!
·
· Score: 2
This whole deal Katz writes about is just the next in a long series of steps that American society is taking to keep our children innocent as long as they can. Frankly, I don't understand it very well. Granted, not every child has two parents who can spend time with them and raise them well, but that doesn't mean regulations have to do the job. And what does mantaining their innocence longer achieve anyway? Blissful ignorant happiness until they are 9 years old where they learn on the school bus everything Andrew Dice Clay ever mentioned? 'Cause that's what happens. They learn it from other kids on the playground and have a much immature attitude about adult matters because they never learned it from their parents. In fact, their parents are ashamed to talk about these matters with them! What does that say to the child? So society says more regulations on TV, movies, video games - what's next? Regulating friends so you Jason from next door doesn't tell you what the Missionary Position is? Yes, I'm frustated (and I don't have kids) and I do understand how violent TV and movies can harm younger kids if they approach it the wrong way. But the solution is not censorship - not even to children!
Slashdot Mirror
I imagine that filming the battle scenes will be very complicated, but let's see how Columbus manages the quidditch scenes in the upcoming Harry Potter movie. If those are successful, EG's battle game may be possible to do similarly.
Coca-cola has just decided to cease production of Coke with traces of cocaine...
Tylenol is sealing their pill bottles to prevent tampering...
People are encrypting their messages using public-key systems and not simple substitution ciphers...
There's been a knife in my eye for ten days and I just pulled it out...
Oh, wait, these things were done years ago or would be done immediately. Why wasn't Chernobyl shut down after it turned parts of Russia into a comic book fantasy?
You can find it here as well (not sure if this is the most recent version though):
http://www.eecs.tufts.edu/peep/download.html
Well, seeing that the site is slashdotted, you can find it here for now:
http://www.eecs.tufts.edu/peep/download.html
I would like to hear the massive jungle noise that the Napster server would generate. Or even Slashdot. Actually, the more nerdier you are (with the most web page serves and the most email), the more you feel like you're outside in nature rather than inside in front of a computer. Sounds like the perfect solution for the geek blues.
By the way, Gilfix is in my Crypto class - it's cool to see someone who you sit next to in class get slashdotted. Congrats, Mike.
There is one thing that might save the Nintendo GameCube: software. Nintendo, bar none, has the best software in the history of gaming. With the Mario, Metroid, Mega Man, and Zelda series, plus classics like Metal Gear and Bionic Commando, they commanded the market of the late 80's and early 90's.
Then SuperNES came out, which included the best Zelda game to date and Final Fantasy 2 and 3 (4 and 6 in Japan) which are, in my opinion, far superior to FF7 and FF8 (still haven't played FF9). Chrono Trigger for SNES is still named as one of the best games ever made - Chrono Cross for Playstation got quickly annoying, mostly due to the fact that it employed too many characters (over 40) and got too complex, like FF8. Playstation may have had the ability to have large games, but that doesn't help when they're not very good.
Now, while N64 was an utter disaster, the good games made for the system were actually great games, such as Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask, Perfect Dark, Golden Eye, and Mario64. Sure, that's way too few games for a 4 year old system, but really, there are no Playstation games out there that I like better (Metal Gear Solid had a shot, but no game should be so easy as to be beaten in under 8 hours).
So where does that leave GameCube? Well, if Nintendo messes up again, nowhere. But if they continue to make the excellent software they are famous for making (and licensing great games from companies like Rare), then I think it will blow the complicated P2 away. They'll make another Mario, a Metroid, a Zelda, a Perfect Dark, and when they've won the right companies over, who knows, they might get a new contract with Square (though I would stipulate in the contract not too make such heavily complicated games as FF8 and go back to the quality of Chrono Trigger and FF6).
Look at the real-time rendered videos Nintendo released in late August - they look amazing, better than any P2 footage I've seen (but equal w/ X-Box stuff). If Nintendo can harness the full power of GameCube (and it's much easier to do that than on the P2), then, with some good marketing, they can take back the market.
Then again, people do like their fighting games and sport games, and P2 will probably win out there.
Oh, and to those people who say console gaming systems are dying: yes, that may be true, but for now, the best games come out on consoles first (at least solo action and adventure games). Until the PC catches up, I'll play Nintendo.
And before that on the Wizard of Oz.
Hmm.. I tried to pre-order one the other day and was told that most pre-orders in my area are sold out already - this decrease in numbers doesn't help. If you want one, you'll probably have to get up early and wait in a long line at a store without pre-orders (like Best Buy).
I've been wanting to get one for 1) the DVD player 2) metal gear solid 2 and 3) final fantasies. But now I've heard so many negative things (good games are hard to develop, hasn't been overwhelmingly popular in japan, etc.) that it's beginning to sound like the buzz that surrounded the N64 when that came out, and we saw what happened to that - limited success.
I guess now I'm hedging my bets on Nintendo. Like CmdrTaco, I'll play the new Zelda for now, maybe get a DVD player, and wait for the what looks like the superior GameCube. Is it time for Nintendo and Sony to switch places?
The RIAA certaintly does make a strong case in this reply, and Napster is in serious jeopardy.
The reply quotes Napster in saying that the primary use of Napster is to test out music in mp3 form before buying the CD. This is obviously not true and by lying about what Napster does, I think they are fighting the wrong case. I personally have bought more CDs because of Napster, and it's possible that Napster has increased CD sales in general (I don't believe the stats the RIAA has stated that say otherwise), but still, most people use it to listen to illegal mp3s. That's why some people have gigs and gigs of mp3s.
So in order for Napster to be right in the eyes of the law, it can't win this case by blurring what its software does - it has to change the very law itself. But America is way too entrenched in copyright laws for music right now, and I'm afraid the change will come about slowly, and not in a breakthrough Supreme Court case. Until that law is changed, there is nothing Napster can say or do to change the fact that their software is used primarily for illegal activity.
One possibility: maybe the law won't change in long time, but more and more artists will start consenting to sharing their music online, essentially allowing for a 'legal' Napster. Who knows, but don't expect a miracle during this case...
-----------------
Even better than the manifesto itself, check out these responses to it from such academics as David Farber and John McCarthy (inventor of LISP, etc.):
/.).
http://www.edge.org/discours e/gelernter_manifesto.html
Make sure you go to the bottom and read McCarthy's - it's especially well thought out and is very critical (but are not flames like here on
-----------------
The most impressive discovery connected with the completion of the Human Genome:
Take the completed code of the Genome and convert each ACGT into its binary equivalent as follows:
A 00
C 01
G 10
T 11
Then, convert the binary code to ASCII, so that the Genome now exists in Arabic letters and numbers.
After doing these conversions, amazingly the Human Genome encodes the entire text of Cryptonomicon, by Neal Stephenson. Either Stephenson is some sort of prophet, or a blasphemous plagiarist!
-----------------
While I think it's justified to repossess something that has not been paid for, I'm not sure about putting the repossessed item up for auction. This seems like a good money-making technique - I'm sure the highest bidders will pay much over the typical price for the popular domain names. Oh well, I guess it's legal (and deliciously capitalist).
Now I wonder if slashdot.org has been paid up recently?
-----------------
This is an extremely important for win for Napster
-----------------
Battlefield Earth was excellent in its accurate representation of the plight of man-animals underneath the tyranny of the levearage-abundant Psychlos in the year 3000.
-----------------
My school (Tufts University) blocked Napster way back in November when it first started getting popular. I just started using CuteMX as a replacement (which I found at download.com), but unfortunately, it doesn't have as many users.
The new Napster beta circumvents the obstacles our network administrators put up, so they went and blocked access to the Napster website completely! Well, using our good friend the Anonymizer we have managed to download the new version anyway and spread it around campus. What will the network folk come up with next? Suspensions for all Napster users?
Anyway, the whole trial and tribulation has been documented on our online underground newspaper . You should read it - it's rather funny.
-----------------
Eh, that is partly true. But also the movies were a form of escape during the Depression. Theaters were so cheap then, that it was worth walking into one and immersing yourself in a fantasy rather than walking around hungry singing "Brother Can You Spare A Dime."
-----------------
Reading this article and seeing the comments has made me sad. This is because I was raised as an avid game player, and hope to one day start game developing myself. But I like to look as game developing as an art, and this is where many people differ in opinion.
Let me make this comparison to the film industry: In the beginning of the century, film was new, exciting, and had much to be discovered in it. There were many entertaining movies that the wealthy watched, but then certain people started discovering new methods - ways to make a film more expressive. Pioneers like D.W. Griffith and John Ford began to make films that would pave the way for those that would follow. This is like the beginning of the gaming industry - consider this the Pongs and the other low graphic (but still fun) titles. Then, up until the late 30's, the industry was unchecked and was based on technology. What I mean is the discovery of color and sound was the basis of many bad movies (color a little later). But there were classics then, yes. Movies with real quality. Sure, they were silent but Chaplain and Buster Keaton made real good movies. I like to compare this to the early text based games. Some of these are classic and are still enjoyable to play. Yes, they are not visual games but they are quality.
In the 40's a revolution occurred. Now that we were past the wonder of sound and color, people started making even more creative films. Citizen Kane is the most notable. But there was another problem. Filmmaking at this point was impossible for anyone but those within HUGE studios. Well, doesn't this sound like the big console boom in the 80's? First Atari and then Nintendo. These were the "studios" but damn did they make some good games. Atari had Pac Man and more, but even better, Nintendo created Mario, Zelda, Metroid, Final Fantasy - games that today I still like to play and have artistic merit. But where was the computer industry in this? They were still rather small, as the Microsoft revolution was just over the corner. Sierra made decent games but they were certaintly flawed.
In film, the big boom happened. Sure, more people saw films in the 30s than they do now (cause of the depression) but in the 60s and 70s and especially the 80s (cause of two people - Lucas and Spielburg). Film had become mainstream - action films were the norm now, not musicals and comedies. But what happened to those independents who wanted to make an artistic film? Well, they got a little lucky. One, some studios now look exactly for those types (Miramax, etc). Two, some universities allow you to use their equipment. And three, 16mm is rather cheaper than 35mm, and digital video is just around the corner in garnering popularity. So these movies still exist, they are just a little harder to find. Also, every once in awhile a studio makes a good movie themselves. The video game industry isn't so lucky.
They have made this same transition. Started by things like Playstation, Doom, Quake, Unreal, Tomb Raider, etc. The gaming industry now appeals to the mainstream shoot em ups and repetitive games. YES I know that the technology is better each time, that there is advanced multiplayer, etc. but c'mon these games depend on your same desire to run around and shoot people you know in their digital forms. But unfortunately, as the article above mentions, it's not so easy for an independent gamer to make their own creative feats. There is little room for Coppola's in the gaming industry. So most games suck or are repetitive. There are some good "studio" games - Civilization, Blizzard games - and on the console Final FAntasy games, Zelda again, etc. But if you are creative, there is little room for you.
As I say, game developing should be an art. Good games should be like good literature and good films (I don't mean inaccessible/em). So how can this happen? When game engines are easily reproduced and used? I don't know. BUt I know one thing - games on the market mostly suck (or at least those that one sees right when you walk into the store) and finding the good ones are hard. What's the solution?
-----------------
I have to be honest: I'm having a hard understanding Turing's paper. Maybe it's because I have no encryption background and have never read Stephenson's new novel. Anyway, I was wondering if someone would be willing to explain it in layman's terms on this forum. Thanks.
PS Those who don't know who Turing was is in danger of being a CS laborer rather than a CS expert. He's extremely important (you may remember him from AI - the Turing machine? c'mon!)
PSS If spammers bother you, use moderation options to turn 'em off (or put them in the bottom of the heap)
-----------------
This whole deal Katz writes about is just the next in a long series of steps that American society is taking to keep our children innocent as long as they can. Frankly, I don't understand it very well. Granted, not every child has two parents who can spend time with them and raise them well, but that doesn't mean regulations have to do the job. And what does mantaining their innocence longer achieve anyway? Blissful ignorant happiness until they are 9 years old where they learn on the school bus everything Andrew Dice Clay ever mentioned? 'Cause that's what happens. They learn it from other kids on the playground and have a much immature attitude about adult matters because they never learned it from their parents. In fact, their parents are ashamed to talk about these matters with them! What does that say to the child? So society says more regulations on TV, movies, video games - what's next? Regulating friends so you Jason from next door doesn't tell you what the Missionary Position is? Yes, I'm frustated (and I don't have kids) and I do understand how violent TV and movies can harm younger kids if they approach it the wrong way. But the solution is not censorship - not even to children!
-----------------