Slashdot Mirror


User: everphilski

everphilski's activity in the archive.

Stories
0
Comments
2,956
First seen
Last seen
Profile
(view on slashdot.org)

Comments · 2,956

  1. But I couldn't kill you on SCO Files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy · · Score: 1

    I've grown accustomed to your faaaaaace

  2. No, actually on How To Configure Real PC Parental Controls? · · Score: 2, Insightful

    No, actually it is a very good one and it is what I do at home with my children. All the home computers are in my office, which has French doors with glass window panes, connected to the living room.

    That being said, my parents weren't careful and I did shit they had no clue about (one time they sat me down because they thought I was 'doing things' which they never specified, I showed them my internet history, which was clean... I cover my tracks :) ). I am wiser for the experience any my kids will have to work harder than I did. But eventually, they will find ways to get around me. Its part of life. You teach them as best you can, you set up a basic perimeter to keep them out of trouble, but eventually they will find it. You only hope that they are big enough to handle what they dig themselves into.

  3. Re:One world MMO? on New Technologies Attack the One-World Problem · · Score: 0, Troll

    First, can a server even handle 2 million simultaneous logins?

    Distributed computing. You have your world spread across multiple servers, with certain zones on certain servers. It is done this way already in modern MMO's.

    Second, the game world would have to be enormous in order to give people enough room to move around and do their own thing. Just imagine hunting a single boss, 300 people at the same time trying to kill one monster... it'd make me quit.

    (1) bigger world with more targets
    (2) instancing - allow multiple groups of people to have-at the same target at the same time. Everquest had this since 2003, and WoW does this too on certain targets.

    And updating every user's stats? Unless we all have 1000mbit internet connections, I don't think we even have enough bandwidth.

    And the travel time in-game for that kind of world? You better give everyone instant teleport to any destination or nobody's going to want to move around...

    Or spread it out logically. Theres no reason a max level character should travel to a noobie zone unless (1) it is for a quest or (2) they are trying to twink out a new friend. So lay out the world such that they progress from easy to hard. Travel won't be difficult if you follow the natural progression. More zones - less people - less updating.

  4. Trumpet on Gates Successor Says Microsoft Laid Foundation for Google · · Score: 0, Troll

    **Shudder**

    That's a name I have not heard in a very long time ...

  5. Re:Just barly on Wii Outsells 360, PS3 Worldwide · · Score: 0, Troll

    several available for sale. And all my friends who wanted one, have one.

    Again, depends on where you are. Around here, need has been satisfied to the point of people selling them used for less than new, so you know there isn't a demand...

  6. Re:Prize Not Quite Adequate on Google's $30,000,000 Lunar X PRIZE · · Score: 0, Troll

    Winner doesn't even get $30M. Runner-up gets $5M and there is reserve funds - the winner only gets $20M.

    Remember - for the last XPRIZE, Paul Allen invested something like $20M into SpaceShipOne, with a XPRIZE of $10M. We don't know how much money Burt Rutan anted up.

    The point of the money isn't to make money but to lessen the barrier to entry, and essentially create a (one-time) market. No one would do this without the prize, at least not in the timeframe, but with the purse there is a better reason to do so. Also, in doing so, technology is developed and relationships are formed which can be leveraged for future profit (see: SpaceShipTwo).

  7. Re:No legitimate way to watch NBCs content? on TV Torrents — When Piracy Is Easier Than Purchase · · Score: 4, Interesting

    1. you have a computer
    2. nbc.com has their shows available to stream, on-demand
    3. enjoy.

  8. Re:Just barly on Wii Outsells 360, PS3 Worldwide · · Score: 0, Troll

    Huntsville, AL, Toys-R-Us. Went shopping for my son's birthday earlier this year and there were some on the shelf. But I don't play consoles.

    They pop up on our local trader email list (email list where people buy/sell/trade items locally)... I see 8 from April-September, $250-$500, with games/accessories/etc. I see 70 on Amazon, new and used, starting at $300.

  9. Re:What's worrying me... on Compiz Gets Thumbs-Up for Gutsy Gibbon · · Score: 5, Funny

    What name will they use for the release that comes after the "zesty zebra" release?!?

    anonymous anorexic anacondas

  10. More kdawsonfud on Microsoft Seeks Another OS-Level Adware Patent · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Read the patent. It uses a statistical model to analyze what the user is doing and suggest services the user might be interested in. Kinda like what Google ads does, but within a program.

    The picture linked shows this in action. The user is processing images. The ad, which is enabled in the software, suggests photo development services of several clients.

    From the patent,

    Finally, in the screen display shown in FIG. 7, a user has navigated to a user interface 700 for accessing and viewing photos 702 stored on the user device. For example, the user may have downloaded photos 702 from a digital camera and may be viewing the photos in the user display 700. The system may determine based on these user actions that a likely task that the user would like to perform would be to send one or more of the photos 702 to an online photo development center. Additionally, the system may determine that the user does not currently have any particular online photo development service subscriptions. As such, the system has selected and presented a number of advertisements for online photo development services in a preview pane 704 of the user interface 700.

    One particular application. Claiming it is 'adware' 'getting a pass from Windows Defender' is nothing but kdawsonfud, not the first and certainly not the last. All it is, an idea, not all that different from the targeted advertising provided by a certain search engine slashbots seem so quick to defend against all claims.

  11. It could, but on A Chat with EVE's Economist · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Uhm, wouldn't a multiple-server environment actually be more useful as far as science was concerned? For things like control groups and stuff?

    It could. But looking at a game I'm familiar with (EQ), the price of platinum and items in-game is about constant across the board. Notable exception being (1) the PvP server and (2) the 'combine' server [which is a server that opened not long ago, starting with the first expansion. New expansions are unlocked as milestones are met. They are about 3/4 of the way through...]. The only way then to really get some interesting data is to start varying things - change drop rates, only try to enforce anti-farming and anti-platinum sales on certain servers, etc. People will figure this out and move. Which, I guess, could be research in itself (most of it being no-duh as to what people want) but would wreck your control groups.

  12. Sure, but on Theo de Raadt On Relicensing BSD Code · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I think what he is trying to get at is, since the GPLers are so into the concept of 'freedom' of their license, and respecting it, why can't they offer the same level of respect to BSD license?

    Instead, GPLers strip the license and replace it with a license that they feel is 'better', but incompatible with the BSD. If they had kept it BSD, they could use it with the GPL, and the BSD folks could still use any improvements made.

    But again, no respect for the license. Following the letter of the law, true, but not the spirit. Geez, where have I heard that before ...

  13. Not it was not on EFF Lands a Blow On DirecTV · · Score: 2, Informative

    Because that's what this case was about - anyone who bought a smart card reader/writer anywhere in the country was threatened or taken to court by DirectTV.

    DirecTV didn't go that far, from the EFF's web site:

    involved a provision of federal law prohibiting the "assembly" or "modification" of equipment designed to intercept satellite signals. DirecTV maintained that the provision should cover anyone who works with equipment designed for interception of their signals, regardless of their motivation or whether any interception occurs.

  14. Re:[AC]Oh Come On. on EFF Lands a Blow On DirecTV · · Score: 2

    Then do it, and don't publish the details. Who is gonna know? Unless conscience gets in the way, I think there is more to the story than you are letting on...

  15. Re:N bomb! on Russia Tests World's Largest Non-Nuclear Bomb · · Score: 1

    No, Kaoru...

  16. Re:Nice one, NASA! on A Coveted Landing Strip for Google's Founders · · Score: 1

    Cows are among the top contributers to global warming

    A single moose contributes the equivalent of over 2 tons of CO2 each year - more than my car does.

    So unless you are a strict vegan who does not eat any dairy or red meat, and you do not enjoy wildlife, you too add to the global warming problem. Thanks buddy.

  17. Re:ah man on Eavesdropping Didn't Help Uncover Terrorist Plot · · Score: 1

    aw, chief...

  18. Re:It's nothing like a nuke on Russia Tests World's Largest Non-Nuclear Bomb · · Score: 1

    A stiff wind can reduce the probability of kill of a chemical weapon by an order of magnitude. The weather has no effect on a nuclear device. The rate of dispursal of the chemical agent is slow, at best, compared to a nuke, which front moves at supersonic speeds. Likewise, a fine particulate mask can protect against a chemical weapon (granted, not everyone has one - some do, emergency responders do, and at the rate of dispursal it is probable that a containment zone can be had and casualties greatly minimized), and chemical hazards can be cleaned after the fact, whereas there is really no protection at 'ground zero' for a nuke for years to come due to fallout. I know which side I'd favor in a conflict, not just for the initial battle but for the years of recovery ...

  19. Re:N bomb! on Russia Tests World's Largest Non-Nuclear Bomb · · Score: 3, Funny

    I mustn't run away ... I mustn't run away

    I mustn't run away ... I mustn't run away

    I mustn't run away ... I mustn't run away

    I MUSTN'T RUN AWAY!!!

  20. Re:Just in time too on Russia Tests World's Largest Non-Nuclear Bomb · · Score: 1

    at least you are not assholes uzbekistan. I like you ...

  21. Re:itsatrap? on Microsoft and Novell Open Interoperability Lab · · Score: 1

    The article was sparse on details, here's a better one:

    The 2,500-square-foot lab was completed in July and includes about 80 servers that are running Intel Corp. dual- and quad-core chips, as well as dual-core chips from Advanced Micro Devices Inc.

    So far, the lab has four engineers on staff, with another four to be hired by the end of the year, Hanrahan said. Other engineers from Microsoft and Novell facilities around the world will also work in the lab, he said.


  22. Re:Dude, it was a single bit in the config file.. on Lawyer Opines On 'Flaws' in ESRB Rating Methodology · · Score: 1

    I know and understand completely, but this was an easy 1-bit switch. Not data that would have to be shoehorned into working by an expert.

  23. This is key, IMO on Academics Speak On 'Life After World Of Warcraft' · · Score: 1

    Well, wrong, actually. EQ2 peaked a lot lower than what EQ still had, never mind its former peak. It _still_ has less players than the old Everquest. (Not saying it's necessarily a bad game, as that's something highly subjective, just that subscription-wise it failed to be the block-buster everyone expected.)

    This, I think, is key. Why do people play MMO's? To quote Sony, 'Live in your world, play in ours.' People are looking for an online world they can enjoy in their free time. So my thought is, why should there be an 800lb gorilla (formerly EQ, now WoW) and a few other MMO's scrapping along for dear life? Why not have a nice collection of MMO's with diverse ecosystems and healthy populations. People focus so hard on being #1, I think it is important instead to do things well. I'm hopeful that more game studios will come out with different MMO's in the future and try new things, not breaking the bank making a remake of EQ or WoW for millions of players but just trying new setting, even if it means a smaller budget.

    EQ2 is a good game, I agree. Played it for a year, and my wife and I go back from time to time (we play MMO's on a month to month basis). WoW is **ok** in my opinion, played it for about half of that. I just felt the WoW world wasn't deep enough. So I went back to my old 'habit' - EQ. Sure, the servers aren't nearly as populous as they once were but that doesn't matter. I like the environment and there are still enough warm bodies to group and raid :). I had high hopes for Vanguard, but it didn't pan out.

  24. It's important to do something meaningful on BioShock Review · · Score: 3, Funny

    with your life... that's why I manually masturbate caged animals. ( clerks )

  25. Re:Single player games on Online Games to Make up a Third of All Game Sales by 2011 · · Score: 1

    That's fine, but in high school (1990's) I got bored of single-player content. If I wanted to challenge myself, without others, I'd hop on my bicycle and push the limits of how far/fast I could go, or work on one of my hobbies.

    There are pockets of maturity within MMO's. It might be hard to find if you haven't played in awhile, or ever. But for example, my poison is Everquest. And while I've gone through a few guilds, from casual to hardcore, since getting married and graduating college, quitting for a few years I've come back to play and found a guild made of old hardcore players like me who have settled down to enjoy life - got married, had kids, whatever. We raid, do all the normal guild things, but we are all relatively mature adults. Guild chat can get racy but it isn't 12 year old kids yelling profanities, its adults talking about things adults sometimes talk about.

    So in short games are what you make of it. You can find friends with a common interest and enjoy the company of others as you play your video games. (That's what I enjoy, anyways ... and finally getting my wife to enjoy them with me too!)