Tabs on bottom makes a sense, they shouldn't be part of the title bar.
I say they make sense because the address bar, back button, forward button, refresh/stop buttons, and home button are not part of the current page, rather than the browser as a whole.
No they don't. My little brother also has a flash card, he got it himself, he found out how to use it himself. And he is not that handy with computers, he only uses a computer for email, msn and myspace. And when myspace people are pirating games then you better start doing something about it.
Actually it's the step between Ubuntu and LinuxFromScratch. I've run Slackware for quite a while and learned a lot from it. But you won't run into the problems that LFS gives you.
However, for a normal desktop or server something with apt is way easier to administrate. I wouldn't run Slackware in a server/desktop production environment. Maybe in a embedded system when you need a tighter system.
How will the expansion sets impact multiplayer gameplay?
The expansion sets will add new content to each race for use in multiplayer matches. This could include additions such as new units, abilities, and structures, along with new maps and Battle.net updates.
If I buy StarCraft II but don't buy any of the expansion sets, will I still be able to play online?
Yes. This will work similarly to Warcraft III and the original StarCraft, which maintained separate online gaming lobbies and ladders for expansion set players and players with the base Warcraft III or StarCraft.
So yes. But you still need to buy the expansions to play multiplayer once the expansion is released. Because the 'old' lobbies will be empty.
I always stick them on linux servers. I got one that says it runs Win3.11 to windows vista, and contains multiple intels inside an AMD and a few Asus motherboards.
Then I suggest you keep track of www.wiibrew.org most, if not all, homebrew goes trough there. There is already an first version of my GH clone downloadable there (0.1 alpha) and there will be a new release tomorrow.
wiibrew.org also contains instructions on how to install homebrew.
And if you are looking for my GH clone, it's called GuitarsOnFire.
Yes, graphics are important, but they will never fix bad gameplay.
Crysis had perfect graphics, and not that bad gameplay. Still, it scores low on my list, because it's to short in my opinion. They sacrificed game length for graphics, they shouldn't have.
Braid is a perfect combination of gameplay and graphics, the whole environment blended nicely with the game, and the gameplay was a wonderful experience. It's not that long, but also not that expensive to buy.
The new resident evil on the Wii is a perfect example of fail in my opinion. The graphics show horrible aliasing and the controls work frustrating making for a bad experience.
Now, as a hobby game builder, you don't always have access to perfect graphics. So you'll have to make up with gameplay for that. But still work on the graphics, they are very important. A screenshot can 'sell' your game, if your game looks like an old 8bit nintendo game, it's harder to get people to try it. But not impossible (see 'Cave Story')
Graphics are also an important gameplay element. I'm working on a GuitarHero clone which plays FretsOnFire songs for the Wii. And I noticed the game became much more enjoyable AND playable with a few very simple effects. As they provided more visual feedback on your actions. See how the dark grey area and small gauge on the left and right don't seem to fit that well. A few simple things can make a whole lot of difference. The gray star provides feedback that you hit a note, and the rest just makes it more pleasant to look at. While you are playing you don't even notice the backdrops that much, but notice how they caught your attention just now;)
Drop the Visual Basic. Do it now. And never, ever, mention it again.
Why? Sure, no sane programmer would start a new project in VB. But next to other languages it does provide you with a bigger knowledge base. Just don't ever release something new in the wild build on VB. But don't forget, loads of corporate crap has been build on VB, and thus having some VB knowledge doesn't hurt you when trying to find a job.
(I'm an embedded C programmer with VB6 experience)
While it might not be exactly what your looking for, I really have to give it up for the mind/life-suck that is MUDding for me, though you could just as easily apply it to the whole gaming universe as a whole, modding, etc.. It's something that brings both fun and function/al learning together, least it did for me.
If you like games, then this is the BEST advice you can get. Go get modding. I learned loads and loads of stuff while I made all kinds of silly mods for UnrealTournament. 90% of the stuff you produce is not worth releasing, but that doesn't mind. You'll just get the satisfaction of making something yourself. And with a mod you have a whole base to build on.
Just be carefull not to jump into a mod team right away, as they fall fast, and are 99% of the time they aim to high. Just try to make simple things, as they can be great fun. (See CrateDM)
If you are not into games, then there are many other options. If you love websites then go make something with php, just look what you need and build it. Build your own blogging software for all we care, sure there are 100000 php blogging projects out there, but that doesn't learn you anything.
To allow USB drives, cameras, SD cards and more to work out of the box under Linux. With this patch you can distribute Linux without the fear of Microsoft suing you (like the did with TomTom)
And GPL means you don't link it against none GPL code.
LGPL allows you to link against none (L)GPL code. Minor difference, but most GPL violations go wrong there.
Do they allow you choose whether the baby will have red irises, pre-painted black fingernails, a perm that needs no hair spray, and "Whitesnake" pre-tattooed on its chest?
If Microsoft is such a shoddy company, where's the VB for Linux?
I haven't noticed the Linux world clamoring for VB. There's definitely folks who think there should be one - I've heard of such projects since 2000. There are even proprietary products that claim to bring VB to Linux. But it seems to be a niche thing. Why? Don't know. I'm not a VB user. Maybe someone else can offer better insight as to why Microsoft shops love VB and the rest of the world doesn't.
Microsoft shops 'love' VB because it's easy to put a moron behind VB and let him produce something by sheer brute force. It's the shotgun of development, just shoot enough and you'll hit something.
Now, why don't we see the same kind of development environment for Linux? Because we don't need it, there are less people and even less morons developing software for Linux. And where we need something like VB there is Java to fill the spot.
Compile with -static and you'll have a 'large' binary that will work in just about any version. Sure, the binary will be 2/3MB atleast, but that shouldn't be a problem.
(And not only 2.5 is wrong, about half of it is wrong or inaccurate)
In this document we only discuss Windows deficiencies while everyone should keep in mind that there are areas where Windows has excelled other OSes.
A primary target of this comparison is Linux OS.
Windows major shortcomings and problems:
1. No reliable sound system, inability to correctly mix multi soundcards and choose one per application bases.
1.1 Insanely difficult to set up volume levels, audio recording... and in some situations even audio output.
1.2 Highly confusing, not self-explanatory mixer settings.
1.3 By default the default soundcard is the onboard one, even if an extra one is connected.
2. Windows UI system:
2.1 No good simple standardized API for developing GUI applications. DOTNET libraries are over 100MB and there are 3 different versions of them which break backwards compatibility.
2.2 No multitheaded IO is used in many default UI application, causing hangs on DNS lookups and file access.
2.3 Default video drivers are not accelated and don't support the resolutions that the graphics card does. Searching for other onces is always needed.
2.4 Fonts on windows are simply better then Linux. Sorry.
2.5 No double buffering. (If they can claim this for Linux, then I can do the same for Windows)
3. Problems stemming from the stiff configuration in windows:
3.1 No advanced network configuration, no possiblities to set DHCP and a static IP on the same interface.
3.2 No depencency manager, cannot find blablaXX.dll makes you search it yourself. At the wrong locations in the wrong versions, with viruses.
3.3 Default windows software is limited, and windows provides no other install sources. If you want to have a decent text editor you need to pay even more money.
3.4 Applications development is a major headache because of nontransparent patches.
Windows APIs break with unrelated patches. An office patch can break the serial control in visual basic.
4. It should be possible to configure everything via GUI which is still not a case for too many situations and operations. RegEdit is a much used tool.
5. Problems stemming from closed source nature of windows and the commercial aspect of it:
5.1 Older software simply stops working without any apparent reason. No solution is provided.
5.1.1 No equivalent of some hardcore Linux software like Valgrind/etc. Programmers just won't bother installing Windows until they can work for real.
5.2 Incomplete or unstable drivers for some hardware. Problems setting up some hardware (like sound cards or TV tuners/Web Cameras). No way to fix the drivers, ever.
5.5 Questionable patents and legality status. US Windows users cannot play many popular audio and video formats until they purchase appropriate codecs.
6. Poor or almost missing regression testing in Windows kernel (and 3th party drivers) leading to a situation when new kernels may become totally unusable for some hardware configurations (software suspend doesn't work, crashes, unable to boot, networking problems, video tearing, etc.)
7. A galore of software bugs across all applications. After 10 years still the desktop icons screw up, and explorer hangs when a network drive is not reachable.
8. Poor interoperability between applications. And different windows versions. SMB works from XP to Vista but not from Vista to XP.
9. General slowness: just compare startup times between WindowsXP and Linux Ubuntu 9.10.
9.2 No at startup detection of hardware, if I change my motherboard I have to reinstall Windows.
10. No errors for user applications All GUI applications should have a visible errors presentation.
11. Poor documentation.
12. Bad security model: there's zero protection against keyboard keyloggers and against running malicio
The first preview versions arrived at distributors about 10 days ago. But today (or yesterday) the large amounts finally shipped. Expected to arrive within a week.
Slashdot Mirror
Tabs on bottom makes a sense, they shouldn't be part of the title bar.
I say they make sense because the address bar, back button, forward button, refresh/stop buttons, and home button are not part of the current page, rather than the browser as a whole.
MPlayer can play youtube, so that might help?
No they don't. My little brother also has a flash card, he got it himself, he found out how to use it himself. And he is not that handy with computers, he only uses a computer for email, msn and myspace. And when myspace people are pirating games then you better start doing something about it.
Actually it's the step between Ubuntu and LinuxFromScratch. I've run Slackware for quite a while and learned a lot from it. But you won't run into the problems that LFS gives you. However, for a normal desktop or server something with apt is way easier to administrate. I wouldn't run Slackware in a server/desktop production environment. Maybe in a embedded system when you need a tighter system.
How will the expansion sets impact multiplayer gameplay?
The expansion sets will add new content to each race for use in multiplayer matches. This could include additions such as new units, abilities, and structures, along with new maps and Battle.net updates.
If I buy StarCraft II but don't buy any of the expansion sets, will I still be able to play online?
Yes. This will work similarly to Warcraft III and the original StarCraft, which maintained separate online gaming lobbies and ladders for expansion set players and players with the base Warcraft III or StarCraft.
So yes. But you still need to buy the expansions to play multiplayer once the expansion is released. Because the 'old' lobbies will be empty.
For the Guitar Hero and Rock Band songs, look on the FretsOnFire user forums. Or on your favorite torrent site (search for FretsOnFire).
I always stick them on linux servers. I got one that says it runs Win3.11 to windows vista, and contains multiple intels inside an AMD and a few Asus motherboards.
Then I suggest you keep track of www.wiibrew.org most, if not all, homebrew goes trough there. There is already an first version of my GH clone downloadable there (0.1 alpha) and there will be a new release tomorrow.
wiibrew.org also contains instructions on how to install homebrew.
And if you are looking for my GH clone, it's called GuitarsOnFire.
Yes, graphics are important, but they will never fix bad gameplay.
;)
Crysis had perfect graphics, and not that bad gameplay. Still, it scores low on my list, because it's to short in my opinion. They sacrificed game length for graphics, they shouldn't have.
Braid is a perfect combination of gameplay and graphics, the whole environment blended nicely with the game, and the gameplay was a wonderful experience. It's not that long, but also not that expensive to buy.
The new resident evil on the Wii is a perfect example of fail in my opinion. The graphics show horrible aliasing and the controls work frustrating making for a bad experience.
Now, as a hobby game builder, you don't always have access to perfect graphics. So you'll have to make up with gameplay for that. But still work on the graphics, they are very important. A screenshot can 'sell' your game, if your game looks like an old 8bit nintendo game, it's harder to get people to try it. But not impossible (see 'Cave Story')
Graphics are also an important gameplay element. I'm working on a GuitarHero clone which plays FretsOnFire songs for the Wii. And I noticed the game became much more enjoyable AND playable with a few very simple effects. As they provided more visual feedback on your actions. See how the dark grey area and small gauge on the left and right don't seem to fit that well. A few simple things can make a whole lot of difference. The gray star provides feedback that you hit a note, and the rest just makes it more pleasant to look at. While you are playing you don't even notice the backdrops that much, but notice how they caught your attention just now
Drop the Visual Basic. Do it now. And never, ever, mention it again.
Why? Sure, no sane programmer would start a new project in VB. But next to other languages it does provide you with a bigger knowledge base. Just don't ever release something new in the wild build on VB. But don't forget, loads of corporate crap has been build on VB, and thus having some VB knowledge doesn't hurt you when trying to find a job.
(I'm an embedded C programmer with VB6 experience)
While it might not be exactly what your looking for, I really have to give it up for the mind/life-suck that is MUDding for me, though you could just as easily apply it to the whole gaming universe as a whole, modding, etc.. It's something that brings both fun and function/al learning together, least it did for me.
If you like games, then this is the BEST advice you can get. Go get modding. I learned loads and loads of stuff while I made all kinds of silly mods for UnrealTournament. 90% of the stuff you produce is not worth releasing, but that doesn't mind. You'll just get the satisfaction of making something yourself. And with a mod you have a whole base to build on.
Just be carefull not to jump into a mod team right away, as they fall fast, and are 99% of the time they aim to high. Just try to make simple things, as they can be great fun. (See CrateDM)
If you are not into games, then there are many other options. If you love websites then go make something with php, just look what you need and build it. Build your own blogging software for all we care, sure there are 100000 php blogging projects out there, but that doesn't learn you anything.
$ rm ~/.bash_history && ln -s /dev/null ~/.bash_history
Works for all commands, forever.
You should get out more. That was the 'sun'.
To allow USB drives, cameras, SD cards and more to work out of the box under Linux. With this patch you can distribute Linux without the fear of Microsoft suing you (like the did with TomTom)
Going by the pictures I would keep this away from children:
http://www.sugarlabs.org/index.php?template=page&page=learners
To bad nothing stops the leech from sending a DMCA to YOUR site! Increasing there own profits even more.
Also, if they made one that felt BETTER, we could eliminate women altogether.
You sir, are lining up for a darwin award.
I own 3 computers with DVD players and a Wii (which uses DVDs). So now I own 4 DVD players? Awesome, as I don't have a single DVD in my home.
I also have a hammer, which is the ultimate tool for everything, so I actually own everything!
And GPL means you don't link it against none GPL code. LGPL allows you to link against none (L)GPL code. Minor difference, but most GPL violations go wrong there.
Do they allow you choose whether the baby will have red irises, pre-painted black fingernails, a perm that needs no hair spray, and "Whitesnake" pre-tattooed on its chest?
I still hate my parents for that!
I haven't noticed the Linux world clamoring for VB. There's definitely folks who think there should be one - I've heard of such projects since 2000. There are even proprietary products that claim to bring VB to Linux. But it seems to be a niche thing. Why? Don't know. I'm not a VB user. Maybe someone else can offer better insight as to why Microsoft shops love VB and the rest of the world doesn't.
Microsoft shops 'love' VB because it's easy to put a moron behind VB and let him produce something by sheer brute force. It's the shotgun of development, just shoot enough and you'll hit something.
Now, why don't we see the same kind of development environment for Linux? Because we don't need it, there are less people and even less morons developing software for Linux. And where we need something like VB there is Java to fill the spot.
(beta)
Build "static"
Compile with -static and you'll have a 'large' binary that will work in just about any version. Sure, the binary will be 2/3MB atleast, but that shouldn't be a problem.
(And not only 2.5 is wrong, about half of it is wrong or inaccurate)
Same can be said for...
... and in some situations even audio output.
Why Windows is not (yet) Ready for the Desktop
Preface:
In this document we only discuss Windows deficiencies while everyone should keep in mind that there are areas where Windows has excelled other OSes.
A primary target of this comparison is Linux OS.
Windows major shortcomings and problems:
1. No reliable sound system, inability to correctly mix multi soundcards and choose one per application bases.
1.1 Insanely difficult to set up volume levels, audio recording
1.2 Highly confusing, not self-explanatory mixer settings.
1.3 By default the default soundcard is the onboard one, even if an extra one is connected.
2. Windows UI system:
2.1 No good simple standardized API for developing GUI applications. DOTNET libraries are over 100MB and there are 3 different versions of them which break backwards compatibility.
2.2 No multitheaded IO is used in many default UI application, causing hangs on DNS lookups and file access.
2.3 Default video drivers are not accelated and don't support the resolutions that the graphics card does. Searching for other onces is always needed.
2.4 Fonts on windows are simply better then Linux. Sorry.
2.5 No double buffering. (If they can claim this for Linux, then I can do the same for Windows)
3. Problems stemming from the stiff configuration in windows:
3.1 No advanced network configuration, no possiblities to set DHCP and a static IP on the same interface.
3.2 No depencency manager, cannot find blablaXX.dll makes you search it yourself. At the wrong locations in the wrong versions, with viruses.
3.3 Default windows software is limited, and windows provides no other install sources. If you want to have a decent text editor you need to pay even more money.
3.4 Applications development is a major headache because of nontransparent patches. Windows APIs break with unrelated patches. An office patch can break the serial control in visual basic.
4. It should be possible to configure everything via GUI which is still not a case for too many situations and operations. RegEdit is a much used tool.
5. Problems stemming from closed source nature of windows and the commercial aspect of it:
5.1 Older software simply stops working without any apparent reason. No solution is provided.
5.1.1 No equivalent of some hardcore Linux software like Valgrind/etc. Programmers just won't bother installing Windows until they can work for real.
5.2 Incomplete or unstable drivers for some hardware. Problems setting up some hardware (like sound cards or TV tuners/Web Cameras). No way to fix the drivers, ever.
5.5 Questionable patents and legality status. US Windows users cannot play many popular audio and video formats until they purchase appropriate codecs.
6. Poor or almost missing regression testing in Windows kernel (and 3th party drivers) leading to a situation when new kernels may become totally unusable for some hardware configurations (software suspend doesn't work, crashes, unable to boot, networking problems, video tearing, etc.)
7. A galore of software bugs across all applications. After 10 years still the desktop icons screw up, and explorer hangs when a network drive is not reachable.
8. Poor interoperability between applications. And different windows versions. SMB works from XP to Vista but not from Vista to XP.
9. General slowness: just compare startup times between WindowsXP and Linux Ubuntu 9.10.
9.2 No at startup detection of hardware, if I change my motherboard I have to reinstall Windows.
10. No errors for user applications All GUI applications should have a visible errors presentation.
11. Poor documentation.
12. Bad security model: there's zero protection against keyboard keyloggers and against running malicio
The first preview versions arrived at distributors about 10 days ago. But today (or yesterday) the large amounts finally shipped. Expected to arrive within a week.