The aspect of games that most fools place first on their judging criteria is in-game graphics, which HAS to be even more retarded than judging by a game's box art.
Look at Battlefield 2. EA didn't even fix their weapon draw bug (switching to secondary fire shows you holstering and drawing the same weapon), which has existed since BF1942.
Look at Counter-Strike: Source. People who like Source better than 1.6 don't realize how in Source you can spray violently and land headshots, not to mention their new market system for weapons, which is probably one of the stupidest things that have been implemented.
Counter-Strike: Source isn't realistic in the first place. The fact that it uses cross-hairs instead of sights and horrible weapon simulation is enough to prove this. How are they making the game realistic by adding the market, and where are they getting their info from when it comes to the prices?
I think that its a good think that Linux will remain "second best". As long as Microsoft and Apple have majority control of the OS market, crackers will be less inclined to produce malicious software for Linux, and Linux users can retain their feeling of independence from the norm.
Many companies that hire computer technicians merely require an A+ Certification in order for an applicant to be considered competent and eligible for the job. The problems with that is A+ Certification by itself isn't enough because
1) It doesn't take much to pass. The A+ test consists of two sections (Core hardware and OS technologies), and you really only need a score of 500 to pass for each section to become A+ Certified (which really amounts to getting roughly 50-60 percent of the whole exam correct, a pitiful score). Whether or not you score the bare minimum or got above an 800 on each section, companies only see your certificate, so really you don't know whether the A+ monkey you've hired actually knows much. Hell, I even got A+ certified when I was 15 (I'm 17 now) and managed to get a job as a salesman at Micro Center, and I didn't even get any hands-on practice (bought a 60-dollar Sybex book and crammed). The concepts are way too basic, and the objectives are messed up. A+ requires you to have knowledge of rarely-implemented concepts such as old motherbboard sockets and the features of really old CPU's (I'm talking 386 here). What the test should concentrate more on is detail on newer material instead of trying to create a catch-all for everything that has happened in IT in the past 20 years.
2) The test is only updated about every 3 years. Since newer computer hardware comes out about every 2 months, people usually have to resort to extra homework-research in order to catch up. Stores like Frys and Best Buy don't really give much training to new material. Only this year did COMPTIA update the certification objectives to cover new topics such as dual-core processors, which were released 2 years ago.
3) The test has no hands-on material whatsoever. I didn't even know how to use brass standoffs in order to mount a motherboard into a case when I passed this test. When I really got into computers and started doing hands-on stuff by myself (i.e repairing PC's for friends and building PC's), I realized how much I missed out even with the certification. Many certifications today (especially the ones by COMPTIA such as Network+, Linux+, and Security+) don't have much, if any, hands-on objectives during testing. I don't care if you have memorized how many transistors each processor that has been developed in the past two decades have, but if you don't know how to correctly mount a motherboard/ground yourself/RAID multiple hard drives by hand, then you don't know jack shit.
Even with other certifications that broaden their knowledge like Network+ and maybe CCNA, the most important thing is hands-on experience, something that takes a lot more background than cramming a couple of books.
It has long been frustrating that some machines (especially older ones) running on Windows XP wouldn't boot from USB ports. That was particularly a problem in public areas such as Internet cafe's and libraries, where some people like me would rather use Firefox in Damn Small Linux than to use the public terminal's IE. Stories about hidden keyloggers in public places have also made this a priority. Although I'm not a fan of Vista, I do hope that its release and the standards it requires would make it less of a pain for me whenever I'm trying to boot from USB.
Which brings up another matter...
DSL supports two types of USB media, USB-ZIP and USB-HDD. Hopefully I wouldn't have to install DSL on my flash drive using the older USB-ZIP format due to potential incompatibilities of older computers. All of the newer PC's support USB-HDD, which is a newer and better standard IMHO.
The way I see it is this:
A national ID card has several uses. One of them is to see which state you're from and what your citizenship is. Since this ID card will probably databased, faking a national ID card will be extremely difficult (I would go as far to say that it is virtually impossible). It will involve hacking into the main database, assuming that you find it, gaining authority to create new entries, and covering your tracks. By that time, admins and whatnot will be on to you, since government officials at few locations can actually do this, and having your IP address come from a remote location is suspicious enough. The second purpose is to be a substitute for your driver's license (potentially), your social security card, and a laundry list of other cards that clutters up wherever you keep your stuff. The most important potential of ID cards is to identify criminals and illegal aliens. If you carded someone in Texas and it says he's from California, and on America's Most Wanted there is reported to be a fugitive from California that escaped and travelled east, you just busted his chops.
All in all, I express my support for a national ID card, particularly one that has universal usage, and allows us to quickly recover from stolen cards (such as online de-activation). I see how some people fear that it may intrude our privacy, but as long as you're not doing anything illegal like the good citizen you're supposed to be, I don't see what you have to worry about.
First off, you shed negative light on sales associates. They are the ones who (if they're doing their job) provide you with relevant information and enough info to make a decision on which product to buy. Of course their motivation is to make a sale, but why the hell is that a bad thing? The idea is to provide you with choices, and their recommendation of which choice is the best choice. Sure, there are lots of info online, but who really has time these days to browse through countless web pages belonging to sites that may or may not be credible (take ad-sponsored software reviewers like toptenreviews.com)?
The fact is, if you don't get information with sales associates, then you'll have a higher chance of not buying a product or returning a product. That is the simple truth. Take it from a person who works in retail.
I totally agree with you. The fact that MC is arguably the only store that gives you good sales advice and even excellent tech support makes it, IMHO, the best B&M store in the country. I mean, no other store does that. MC even has a really good website where you can order stuff online for in-store pickup or delivery.
Although the read was very interesting, I'll have to say that the reviewers didn't get to review Micro Center, which is another computer store. Thats understandable, considering that Micro Center only has 20 locations in like 14 states, but they could have driven to North Dallas and went to one there. I mean, if they took the time to create an extensive analysis about these B&M stores, they should have included all of the major companies, not just the ones in a local area. Austin isn't even that much electronically competitive compared to Dallas-Fort Worth, which is arguably the 2nd most electronically competitive area (I believe Tokyo, Japan, is first) in the world.
I've always had good experiences at Micro Center. Their sales staff are very informed, they don't push you too much to buy something, they offer excellent extended warranties, and their merchandise is very easy to find. MC is probably one of few stores I've been in that has a very good PC components section (including a dedicated case mod section for the leet). Their technicians are all certified, and even some of their sales staff have COMPTIA or Cisco certs. Their book department is HUGE.
I absolutely despise Frys Electronics, which treats you as a number rather as a person. They have too much off-brand products and their sales staff turnover rate is one of the highest in the nation (rate of firing people and hiring people). The only thing Frys is good for is to attract those damn cheap-skates who think 20 bucks for a wireless keyboard and mouse combo isn't cheap enough. I can't stand those people.
You and your g/f should play StepMania. Its a DDR-Type dance game on the PC in which you can use either a keyboard (my preference), or a dance pad that you can buy in any computer store.
Stepmania, in 2-player matches, allows each player to choose their own skill level. Your g/f can choose beginner, and you can choose heavy if you're hardcore enough. Both players must use the same song, however.
You can download it free at www.stepmania.com along with some songs that go with it. I have the original DDR mixes on mine, and you can find some pretty advanced songs at www.arch0wl.com
First of all, I don't think you fully understand what the logitech keyboard actually allows you to do. Technically speaking, with a lot of mice and keyboards (including those with programmable buttons), you can program them to do just about whatever you want to. So why not ban everyone who has a multimedia keyboard and a 6-button mouse then?
In any game you play, you would want to have the best equipment in order to have a better gaming experience. Hardly anyone plays games like Counter-Strike or Unreal with a natural ergonomic keyboard, and just about no one plays any first-person-shooter with a mouse that doesn't have a scroll wheel. So, in a sense, based on what you're saying, we should ban all people who use scroll wheels because people with older mice are at a disadvantage, which really makes no sense at all.
He wasn't using hacks, or exploiting any type of bug that was in WoW. Thus, he shouldn't get banned.
Wow, so not only do Blizzard games involve the most number of hackers in online play, but their staff act like pricks as well?
Part of it is Logitech's fault for not ensuring that the programmable "G" keys on the G15 keyboard won't conflict with things such as bot detectors and such. The rest of it is Blizzard for being such a pain in the rear towards this dude.
I mean, he isn't hacking, and he paid for the game. Why ban him?
Most people don't understand the facts about the proprietary designs many brand-name PC's use. A lot of proprietary PC's are hard to service and a pain to upgrade. They should be informed of the brands that are proprietary like Dell, their proprietary advantages/disadvantage, and the brands that aren't proprietary like PowerSpec, and their advantages.
I'm a salesman at Micro Center, and almost every customer whom I sold a computer to didn't know what proprietary design meant and what brands are proprietary. Those are the one who usually buy Compaq, HP, Gateway, and Dell-brand PC's and end up leaving with a PowerSpec computer and liking it because its easily upgradable and serviceable.
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The aspect of games that most fools place first on their judging criteria is in-game graphics, which HAS to be even more retarded than judging by a game's box art.
Look at Battlefield 2. EA didn't even fix their weapon draw bug (switching to secondary fire shows you holstering and drawing the same weapon), which has existed since BF1942.
Look at Counter-Strike: Source. People who like Source better than 1.6 don't realize how in Source you can spray violently and land headshots, not to mention their new market system for weapons, which is probably one of the stupidest things that have been implemented.
Quit buying all your crap from Fry's Electronics. Problem solved. =)
Counter-Strike: Source isn't realistic in the first place. The fact that it uses cross-hairs instead of sights and horrible weapon simulation is enough to prove this. How are they making the game realistic by adding the market, and where are they getting their info from when it comes to the prices?
I think that its a good think that Linux will remain "second best". As long as Microsoft and Apple have majority control of the OS market, crackers will be less inclined to produce malicious software for Linux, and Linux users can retain their feeling of independence from the norm.
Many companies that hire computer technicians merely require an A+ Certification in order for an applicant to be considered competent and eligible for the job. The problems with that is A+ Certification by itself isn't enough because
1) It doesn't take much to pass. The A+ test consists of two sections (Core hardware and OS technologies), and you really only need a score of 500 to pass for each section to become A+ Certified (which really amounts to getting roughly 50-60 percent of the whole exam correct, a pitiful score). Whether or not you score the bare minimum or got above an 800 on each section, companies only see your certificate, so really you don't know whether the A+ monkey you've hired actually knows much. Hell, I even got A+ certified when I was 15 (I'm 17 now) and managed to get a job as a salesman at Micro Center, and I didn't even get any hands-on practice (bought a 60-dollar Sybex book and crammed). The concepts are way too basic, and the objectives are messed up. A+ requires you to have knowledge of rarely-implemented concepts such as old motherbboard sockets and the features of really old CPU's (I'm talking 386 here). What the test should concentrate more on is detail on newer material instead of trying to create a catch-all for everything that has happened in IT in the past 20 years.
2) The test is only updated about every 3 years. Since newer computer hardware comes out about every 2 months, people usually have to resort to extra homework-research in order to catch up. Stores like Frys and Best Buy don't really give much training to new material. Only this year did COMPTIA update the certification objectives to cover new topics such as dual-core processors, which were released 2 years ago.
3) The test has no hands-on material whatsoever. I didn't even know how to use brass standoffs in order to mount a motherboard into a case when I passed this test. When I really got into computers and started doing hands-on stuff by myself (i.e repairing PC's for friends and building PC's), I realized how much I missed out even with the certification. Many certifications today (especially the ones by COMPTIA such as Network+, Linux+, and Security+) don't have much, if any, hands-on objectives during testing. I don't care if you have memorized how many transistors each processor that has been developed in the past two decades have, but if you don't know how to correctly mount a motherboard/ground yourself/RAID multiple hard drives by hand, then you don't know jack shit.
Even with other certifications that broaden their knowledge like Network+ and maybe CCNA, the most important thing is hands-on experience, something that takes a lot more background than cramming a couple of books.
It has long been frustrating that some machines (especially older ones) running on Windows XP wouldn't boot from USB ports. That was particularly a problem in public areas such as Internet cafe's and libraries, where some people like me would rather use Firefox in Damn Small Linux than to use the public terminal's IE. Stories about hidden keyloggers in public places have also made this a priority. Although I'm not a fan of Vista, I do hope that its release and the standards it requires would make it less of a pain for me whenever I'm trying to boot from USB. Which brings up another matter... DSL supports two types of USB media, USB-ZIP and USB-HDD. Hopefully I wouldn't have to install DSL on my flash drive using the older USB-ZIP format due to potential incompatibilities of older computers. All of the newer PC's support USB-HDD, which is a newer and better standard IMHO.
The way I see it is this: A national ID card has several uses. One of them is to see which state you're from and what your citizenship is. Since this ID card will probably databased, faking a national ID card will be extremely difficult (I would go as far to say that it is virtually impossible). It will involve hacking into the main database, assuming that you find it, gaining authority to create new entries, and covering your tracks. By that time, admins and whatnot will be on to you, since government officials at few locations can actually do this, and having your IP address come from a remote location is suspicious enough. The second purpose is to be a substitute for your driver's license (potentially), your social security card, and a laundry list of other cards that clutters up wherever you keep your stuff. The most important potential of ID cards is to identify criminals and illegal aliens. If you carded someone in Texas and it says he's from California, and on America's Most Wanted there is reported to be a fugitive from California that escaped and travelled east, you just busted his chops. All in all, I express my support for a national ID card, particularly one that has universal usage, and allows us to quickly recover from stolen cards (such as online de-activation). I see how some people fear that it may intrude our privacy, but as long as you're not doing anything illegal like the good citizen you're supposed to be, I don't see what you have to worry about.
You should tell him to stop ripping off commissioned sales people.
First off, you shed negative light on sales associates. They are the ones who (if they're doing their job) provide you with relevant information and enough info to make a decision on which product to buy. Of course their motivation is to make a sale, but why the hell is that a bad thing? The idea is to provide you with choices, and their recommendation of which choice is the best choice. Sure, there are lots of info online, but who really has time these days to browse through countless web pages belonging to sites that may or may not be credible (take ad-sponsored software reviewers like toptenreviews.com)? The fact is, if you don't get information with sales associates, then you'll have a higher chance of not buying a product or returning a product. That is the simple truth. Take it from a person who works in retail.
I totally agree with you. The fact that MC is arguably the only store that gives you good sales advice and even excellent tech support makes it, IMHO, the best B&M store in the country. I mean, no other store does that. MC even has a really good website where you can order stuff online for in-store pickup or delivery.
Although the read was very interesting, I'll have to say that the reviewers didn't get to review Micro Center, which is another computer store. Thats understandable, considering that Micro Center only has 20 locations in like 14 states, but they could have driven to North Dallas and went to one there. I mean, if they took the time to create an extensive analysis about these B&M stores, they should have included all of the major companies, not just the ones in a local area. Austin isn't even that much electronically competitive compared to Dallas-Fort Worth, which is arguably the 2nd most electronically competitive area (I believe Tokyo, Japan, is first) in the world.
I've always had good experiences at Micro Center. Their sales staff are very informed, they don't push you too much to buy something, they offer excellent extended warranties, and their merchandise is very easy to find. MC is probably one of few stores I've been in that has a very good PC components section (including a dedicated case mod section for the leet). Their technicians are all certified, and even some of their sales staff have COMPTIA or Cisco certs. Their book department is HUGE.
I absolutely despise Frys Electronics, which treats you as a number rather as a person. They have too much off-brand products and their sales staff turnover rate is one of the highest in the nation (rate of firing people and hiring people). The only thing Frys is good for is to attract those damn cheap-skates who think 20 bucks for a wireless keyboard and mouse combo isn't cheap enough. I can't stand those people.
You and your g/f should play StepMania. Its a DDR-Type dance game on the PC in which you can use either a keyboard (my preference), or a dance pad that you can buy in any computer store. Stepmania, in 2-player matches, allows each player to choose their own skill level. Your g/f can choose beginner, and you can choose heavy if you're hardcore enough. Both players must use the same song, however. You can download it free at www.stepmania.com along with some songs that go with it. I have the original DDR mixes on mine, and you can find some pretty advanced songs at www.arch0wl.com
First of all, I don't think you fully understand what the logitech keyboard actually allows you to do. Technically speaking, with a lot of mice and keyboards (including those with programmable buttons), you can program them to do just about whatever you want to. So why not ban everyone who has a multimedia keyboard and a 6-button mouse then? In any game you play, you would want to have the best equipment in order to have a better gaming experience. Hardly anyone plays games like Counter-Strike or Unreal with a natural ergonomic keyboard, and just about no one plays any first-person-shooter with a mouse that doesn't have a scroll wheel. So, in a sense, based on what you're saying, we should ban all people who use scroll wheels because people with older mice are at a disadvantage, which really makes no sense at all. He wasn't using hacks, or exploiting any type of bug that was in WoW. Thus, he shouldn't get banned.
Wow, so not only do Blizzard games involve the most number of hackers in online play, but their staff act like pricks as well? Part of it is Logitech's fault for not ensuring that the programmable "G" keys on the G15 keyboard won't conflict with things such as bot detectors and such. The rest of it is Blizzard for being such a pain in the rear towards this dude. I mean, he isn't hacking, and he paid for the game. Why ban him?
Most people don't understand the facts about the proprietary designs many brand-name PC's use. A lot of proprietary PC's are hard to service and a pain to upgrade. They should be informed of the brands that are proprietary like Dell, their proprietary advantages/disadvantage, and the brands that aren't proprietary like PowerSpec, and their advantages. I'm a salesman at Micro Center, and almost every customer whom I sold a computer to didn't know what proprietary design meant and what brands are proprietary. Those are the one who usually buy Compaq, HP, Gateway, and Dell-brand PC's and end up leaving with a PowerSpec computer and liking it because its easily upgradable and serviceable.