As a relatively strong Starcraft player, I have to take issue with your claim that Brood War "screwed up the balance." Ask any strong player, I think they will all agree that Brood War is head and shoulders above vanilla Starcraft, particularly for the Terran who were not very often played before Medics. Now Terran are one of the most prominent races in the professional circles.
Blizzard did not make Hellfire.
Lord of Destruction is arguably the best expansion pack for a game ever. Two new classes, a huge new act, tons of new game mechanics (charms, runes, etc), lots of improvements, even a new UI, sort of (the larger resolution essentially changes the UI in a few meaningful ways). LoD is practically a new game, there's no turning back to regular D2.
And The Frozen Throne COMPLETELY revamped a lot of the internal mechanics of WC3, and made it a much more complex and balanced game. The distinction between the different armor classes, etc, are now key when considering counterplay.
If anything, Blizzard makes the best expansions of any game company I've ever seen, essentially doubling the amount of single-player content (always a full new line of campaigns), and improving and adding significantly to the existing multiplayer game.
I've never been disappointed in Blizzard before, I see no reason to start now.
No, I did not miss the point at all. There's only one way to interpret the following: If someone can "...think of no other human being who as/is going to change the world in such as positive way as Bill Gates" there are only three possibilities:
1. Insanity 2. Alzheimer's 3. A paid MS shill
And that's exactly what the parent wrote. He is saying that only someone who is insane/ignorant/paid would think that Bill Gates has "change[d] the world in such a positive way".
Show me some single mom struggling to make it who give $10 to the United Way and I'm impressed. If there's a middle income family donating 10% of what they make to charity, I think that's noteworthy.
This may come as a shock to you, but what the grandparent poster was talking about -- making a positive difference in the world -- actually has very little to do with how "impressed" you are by Bill Gates. "A single mom donating $10 to the United Way" may tug at your heartstrings or whatever, but it does not make a positive difference in the world. Ask the millions who suffer from malaria or AIDS whether they care, percentage-wise, how much Gates' $10-billion donations set him back.
You know, I think it actually says something about your naivety that you really consider the lack of Hallmark-greeting-card sentimentality behind Gates' philanthropy as a serious deterrent to the amount of positive change it will have on the world
That's not me hero-worshipping. That's the truth as I see it.
The absolute need to elucidate a philosophical alternative to a polemic against elucidatable orders speaks to the enlightenment-centric mentality that all that is must be measurable or it simply isn't, which is precisely the state of affairs I was bemoaning in my post.
Yes, exactly! It's like you took the words right out of my mouth.
From the summary: [Bill Gates] thought his iconic status and the way that was reported tended to overemphasize his role in the company's innovation and execution.
Haha. Did someone here think that Bill Gates was intimately involved in all of Microsoft's wonderful innovations? Anyone?
New York Times is complaining that Wikipedia requires users to register in order to be able to edit the content? Heck, I usually have to register just to READ NYT's content.
How on EARTH did you manage to get that novel-sized post in as first post?
I can't even type FRIST PSTO!!! fast enough to get it, and you're here writing War and Peace... I feel so inadequate.
f I steal a loaf of bread from you, you no longer have that loaf of bread to eat. If I copy the recipie for making that bread without your permission, it does you no harm (unless, possibly, you're the proprieter of a bakery.)
But... the entertainment companies ARE the "bakery" in your example. It is (at least in their minds) harming them.
Haven't you guys heard? The new IE7 beta has such revolutionary features as Popup Blockers, and even Tabbed Browsing! Of course Firefox can't compete. They'll have to come to their senses if they want to lead the pack.
Sensei's Library is one of the most creative uses of a Wiki I've seen. It's all focused around the game of Go (Wei'qi, Baduk). The owner modified it, added some scripts, that allow for easy creation of board diagrams, etc. And, most importantly, it's got a strong, knowledgeable community. Overall, it's one of the best resources for Go players. As far as Wiki's go, it does its job fantastically well.
What is "for free" supposed to mean? They'll be giving MacIntel binaries out literally for free? Or does that just mean "if you already own it, we'll give you this version for your Mac for free"?
You almost had me fooled, thinking this was an unscripted, real documentary. Then I saw that there was a girl involved. Everyone knows there's no female programmers. Nice try, tricking us like that -- you didn't think we'd fall for it, did you?
Heh. "Stick to the ugly women," "Lower your expectations"... you must be great with the ladies yourself. You're so flattering and smooth. "Hey baby. All the bikini girls are taken, but I've lowered my expectations, so... how about a drink?"
The fact that, like most tools, it had wider application is completely irrelevant. You can break into someone's home with a screwdriver... that doesn't make a screwdriver inherently evil.
Ugh. It pains me every time I hear analogies like this. Let me give you a better analogy, based off yours. A company releases a new brand of screwdriver that is VERY VERY effective at taking the knobs off doors (among other things, of course). Suddenly, almost every home in the country is being broken into because of these new screwdrivers (which are just doing their job, it is of course the person USING the screwdriver at fault). You can't even reasonably expect to buy a house without knowing it will be broken into by the next day. There, now we have a fair analogy. Now would you say it would be a good idea to take those screwdrivers off the market?
I am NOT in any way saying that Bittorrent or even filesharing is evil. I just can't stand stupid analogies.
Slashdot Mirror
Wow! Wikimedia has been really busy lately. They just finished celebrating 750 years of American Independence the other day!
As a relatively strong Starcraft player, I have to take issue with your claim that Brood War "screwed up the balance." Ask any strong player, I think they will all agree that Brood War is head and shoulders above vanilla Starcraft, particularly for the Terran who were not very often played before Medics. Now Terran are one of the most prominent races in the professional circles. Blizzard did not make Hellfire. Lord of Destruction is arguably the best expansion pack for a game ever. Two new classes, a huge new act, tons of new game mechanics (charms, runes, etc), lots of improvements, even a new UI, sort of (the larger resolution essentially changes the UI in a few meaningful ways). LoD is practically a new game, there's no turning back to regular D2. And The Frozen Throne COMPLETELY revamped a lot of the internal mechanics of WC3, and made it a much more complex and balanced game. The distinction between the different armor classes, etc, are now key when considering counterplay. If anything, Blizzard makes the best expansions of any game company I've ever seen, essentially doubling the amount of single-player content (always a full new line of campaigns), and improving and adding significantly to the existing multiplayer game. I've never been disappointed in Blizzard before, I see no reason to start now.
C'mon, Slashdot, how is this important? Everyone knows only old people in Korea actually use E-mail.
No, I did not miss the point at all. There's only one way to interpret the following:
If someone can "...think of no other human being who as/is going to change the world in such as positive way as Bill Gates" there are only three possibilities:
1. Insanity
2. Alzheimer's
3. A paid MS shill
And that's exactly what the parent wrote. He is saying that only someone who is insane/ignorant/paid would think that Bill Gates has "change[d] the world in such a positive way".
Show me some single mom struggling to make it who give $10 to the United Way and I'm impressed. If there's a middle income family donating 10% of what they make to charity, I think that's noteworthy.
This may come as a shock to you, but what the grandparent poster was talking about -- making a positive difference in the world -- actually has very little to do with how "impressed" you are by Bill Gates. "A single mom donating $10 to the United Way" may tug at your heartstrings or whatever, but it does not make a positive difference in the world. Ask the millions who suffer from malaria or AIDS whether they care, percentage-wise, how much Gates' $10-billion donations set him back.
You know, I think it actually says something about your naivety that you really consider the lack of Hallmark-greeting-card sentimentality behind Gates' philanthropy as a serious deterrent to the amount of positive change it will have on the world
That's not me hero-worshipping. That's the truth as I see it.
The absolute need to elucidate a philosophical alternative to a polemic against elucidatable orders speaks to the enlightenment-centric mentality that all that is must be measurable or it simply isn't, which is precisely the state of affairs I was bemoaning in my post.
Yes, exactly! It's like you took the words right out of my mouth.
From the summary:
[Bill Gates] thought his iconic status and the way that was reported tended to overemphasize his role in the company's innovation and execution.
Haha. Did someone here think that Bill Gates was intimately involved in all of Microsoft's wonderful innovations? Anyone?
New York Times is complaining that Wikipedia requires users to register in order to be able to edit the content? Heck, I usually have to register just to READ NYT's content.
I, for one, welcome our new microscopic overlords!
How on EARTH did you manage to get that novel-sized post in as first post? I can't even type FRIST PSTO!!! fast enough to get it, and you're here writing War and Peace... I feel so inadequate.
Fortunately they've still got several million years for the emotional rush to wear off and realize what a terrible mistake they're both making...
Black holes hate it when you anthropomorphise them!
This is definitely my reccomended first reading. Beware ;-)
f I steal a loaf of bread from you, you no longer have that loaf of bread to eat. If I copy the recipie for making that bread without your permission, it does you no harm (unless, possibly, you're the proprieter of a bakery.)
... the entertainment companies ARE the "bakery" in your example. It is (at least in their minds) harming them.
But
It's not in their press release, but really their CEO is just afraid he's going to have to box with that crazy Russian guy. ;)
It does amount to 1, but for a fundamentally, completely different reason than why x/x does. Derivatives in Liebniz notation are not fractions.
dt/dt = 0??? No, all that shows is that the dimensions of the two quantities are the same. Besides x/x = 1 in most algebras.
Too bad dx/dx is not a fraction, so comparing it to x/x is meaningless. It's a derivative. You can't cancel it.
Haven't you guys heard? The new IE7 beta has such revolutionary features as Popup Blockers, and even Tabbed Browsing! Of course Firefox can't compete. They'll have to come to their senses if they want to lead the pack.
Sensei's Library is one of the most creative uses of a Wiki I've seen. It's all focused around the game of Go (Wei'qi, Baduk). The owner modified it, added some scripts, that allow for easy creation of board diagrams, etc. And, most importantly, it's got a strong, knowledgeable community. Overall, it's one of the best resources for Go players. As far as Wiki's go, it does its job fantastically well.
What is "for free" supposed to mean? They'll be giving MacIntel binaries out literally for free? Or does that just mean "if you already own it, we'll give you this version for your Mac for free"?
Except that it's wrong. (mv^2)/2 is kinetic ENERGY, not Force.
You almost had me fooled, thinking this was an unscripted, real documentary. Then I saw that there was a girl involved. Everyone knows there's no female programmers. Nice try, tricking us like that -- you didn't think we'd fall for it, did you?
Yea KDE 3.5 is out! All I have to do now is wait 6-9 months for it to be available in portage!
And only double that time for it to compile!
Heh. "Stick to the ugly women," "Lower your expectations" ... you must be great with the ladies yourself. You're so flattering and smooth. "Hey baby. All the bikini girls are taken, but I've lowered my expectations, so... how about a drink?"
The fact that, like most tools, it had wider application is completely irrelevant. You can break into someone's home with a screwdriver ... that doesn't make a screwdriver inherently evil.
Ugh. It pains me every time I hear analogies like this. Let me give you a better analogy, based off yours. A company releases a new brand of screwdriver that is VERY VERY effective at taking the knobs off doors (among other things, of course). Suddenly, almost every home in the country is being broken into because of these new screwdrivers (which are just doing their job, it is of course the person USING the screwdriver at fault). You can't even reasonably expect to buy a house without knowing it will be broken into by the next day. There, now we have a fair analogy. Now would you say it would be a good idea to take those screwdrivers off the market?
I am NOT in any way saying that Bittorrent or even filesharing is evil. I just can't stand stupid analogies.
Personally, I can't wait for the "Steve Ballmer Edition" of this video. Now with extra obscenities and demon-throwing action!