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User: Durrill

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  1. No such thing as a Career in IT on Half Life of a Tech Worker: 15 Years · · Score: 2

    I'm 32 years old and I just got my Commercial Driver's License (ACZ) back on Wednesday. I switched to trades because of the possibility of a long term career that I could retire from. Not to mention my rights as an employee being protected through unions and the fact that truck drivers are retiring in droves with no one to replace them. I was born a geek and will continue to be a geek until the day I die, but never again will I work in high tech. Age 15: Was a computer repairman at a small shop part-time. Age 17: Took a spare last period of the day in highschool to work an evening shift doing computer assembly. Age 18: Was a network admin for a public health community center part-time. Age 19: Went to college for Software Engineering Age 21-30: Worked ~17 different jobs / contracts in programming where I was repeatedly laid off or the company went bankrupt. I have never been "Fired" from a job. I am now in my 30's, broke, no plans or stability going forward. This industry is complete garbage. So I switched to truck driving. During school, I was hired by a government department in Ottawa as a test driver. I had not even graduated from my course yet when this opportunity came up. I start next week. If that opportunity doesn't pan out, the Oil Sands in Alberta needs people BADLY! You kids might have aspirations of incredible glory going in to IT, but I assure you that you will not retire from the company you start at. In fact, you will be chewed up and discarded. Plan your career change during your 12-15 years in IT now before it's too late and you're crushed by an earth-shattering revelation like me. ... and yes, I am bitter about my time wasted in high tech. :(

  2. Whats the big deal? on 6 Pennsylvania Teens Face Child Porn Charges For Pics of Selves · · Score: 5, Insightful

    In all honesty, what harm was being done? Teens will do much more than acts of nudity with each other. This generation we have cell phones, digital cameras, internet, and web cams. So things have gone from adults "knowing" that this kind of stuff is going on to "proving" that it is true. With proof they decide to nail their asses to the wall? Thats ludicrous. Kids will be kids. If this kind of behaviour did not exist, we wouldn't be able to propogate the human race. Grow up and leave those kids alone. Those of you who actually had sex in highschool would understand my view point.

  3. Try another gamble on Study Finds That 'M'-Rated Games Sell Best · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Perhaps the industry should open up a bit more to AO rated games. Maybe they'll be surprised as to the results. Video games are not a children only medium. If they came to the conclusion that parents should govern what games their children should play, then they'd be willing to market adult oriented media. Last I saw, the porn industry was still thriving.

  4. I'm sure there is a market. on Take Two Vows To Publish Manhunt 2 · · Score: 1

    Just as there is a vast porn industry, there can be the same for grotesque violence and lewd sexual content. Take Two probably realizes this as well. I personally would try such games out of curiousity to see what kind of "Art" it really is.

    It kind of already exists in the form of Hentai games, except that I have never tried one. Perhaps if there were a way to find an english translated one...

    hmmm

  5. Re:I'm going to go with... on US's Slow Embrace of Information Technology · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    I was going to say "Evangelicals". But, it would seem that both our opinions are closely related. According to them, science never proved anything. Despite the fact that I'm writing this response on a computer.

  6. Heard of Huxley? on The Quest To Build a Better Warcraft · · Score: 2, Informative

    Just from observing the trend of MMO's, we can see that everyone is constantly trying to re-invent the wheel when it comes to the enjoyable traits of gameplay. Despite Planetside's dismal failure, other company's are infact trying to re-invent the MMOFPS.

    http://www.webzengames.com/Game/Huxley/default.asp
    http://mmorpg.com/gamelist.cfm/setView/overview/ga meID/197
    http://www.gametrailers.com/gamepage.php?id=1774

    I've been following the details of this game since it was first announced at E3 two years ago. I'm an avid raider in WoW and this is the ONLY mmo that has caught my attention. I'm also a fan of paper based RPG games and for reasons I can not explain this MMO has a Rifts (Palladium) feel to it. If any of you are still on the search for a good MMOFPS, i'd recommend checking this out. It should be out sometime this year and will be running on the Unreal Engine 3.

  7. Re:Answer on Hardcore Gamers on the Decline? · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I used to buy a game on every pay cheque, which included WoW back on its launch weekend in 2004. Since then i only receive games from friends and family on special occaisions such as my birthday or christmas, i don't buy them myself anymore. I'm still playing WoW, i'm not into the expansion, and the fact that i'm playing with 10 real life friends kinda sets the fact that i won't be buying pc/console games very often anymore. Funny or not, the 'Answer' post is indeed fact.

  8. Pardon me? on California Proposes to Ban Incandescent Lightbulbs · · Score: 1

    What is this Incandescent Lightbulb you all speak of?

  9. Chrono Trigger? on Sequels We'd All Like To See · · Score: 1

    I'm surprised that no one has spoken of Chrono Trigger.

    Chrono Cross is NOT a sequel. When I first played that game, I went totally into WTF mode. I was convinced that it was NOT the Chrono Trigger 2 that us fans were hoping for. Many of my friends and I would appreciate a Chrono Trigger sequel where it stars a majority of the main cast with Magus being a must show. They did it with Kingdom Hearts 2, they just made the main cast a few years older.

    If we could see a next-gen Chrono Trigger in the same time traveling, future altering, world saving with fifteen different endings, RPG sequel (*takes a breath*) I for one would be quite pleased.

  10. Just another good tutorial site. on Best Ways to Learn Graphics Design for the Web? · · Score: 2, Informative

    I'm a straight up software developer. I often develop server/client technologies and sometimes I'm asked to build web components for access/interactivity. Simple enough, but usually when I present an end product I'm asked to buff it up a little. Make it look smooth and professional, like millions of dollars was invested in to it.

    I'm sure, like many others on /., its easy to imagine what you want to put together, but building it can be challenging. A friend of my in the industry introduced me to this http://www.pixel2life.com/ where I can find many tutorials and tips/tricks for web/graphic design. Its largely community driven, so it has a large variety of talent and techniques devoted to it.

    I'd recommend it as a place to start.

  11. Re:WoW fits both markets on WoW - The Game That Seized the Globe · · Score: 2, Informative
    p.s. when is someone going to make a Grand Theft Auto MMORPG!!!

    http://www.webzengames.com/Game/APB/default.asp APB is under development.
    Reading up on this, it seems that you can either play a criminal or the law. So its along the lines of a combined GTA/True Crimes MMO. Its not out yet, but i might actually give it a try when it does.
  12. I don't understand on Man Gets 6 Years for Software Piracy · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Why couldn't he just operate his business outside the country? If he was making millions, he could have easily ran his business from any corner of the planet.

  13. I've read better books... on It's Never Done That Before · · Score: 3, Funny

    I was once looking for something similar and instead came across the book (Format C, Install Linux) which saved my life!

    /sarcasm

  14. Interesting on Horde Paladins and Alliance Shaman in WoW Expansion · · Score: 0, Troll

    I look forward to seeing group combinations involving totems, auras and blessings. Now, the alliance can't whine about the supposedly overpowered Shaman class since both sides will have access to it.

  15. Whats the Big Deal? on All D&D Books To Be Available As PDFs · · Score: 1

    You've been able to get D&D books as PDFs for years. Just check your local torrent reservoir.

  16. Re:A day in the life... on Eight Hour Coding Session Causes DVT · · Score: 1

    I actually LOL'd at this, drawing many confused stares from my co-workers.

    I was taking a break from coding for the last hour to read this article. :P

  17. The old DragonLance is the New D&D on Generic Dungeons, Universal Dragons · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Ever since the release of D&D 3.0e, my friends and I only relied on the Dungeon magazine for our campaigning fun. There were additional purchases, such as the 3.5e revisions of the core books, and even the main Eberron core book upon its release. Other than that, I just summarized the last 5 years of gaming for my friends and I.

    Things have been coming around lately, over the past year I'm starting to see more and more interesting stuff being released. Its like a new wave of D&D hype is building up, and i'm already prepping for it. I stumbled across a full (level 1-20) campaign for dragonlance. The products that have been published for D&D 3.5e Dragonlance can be seen here. I have picked up and read the 'Key of Destiny' and 'Spectre of Sorrows'. This campaign storyline is immensely epic as your PCs (Player Characters) play as the heroes of the new age (Age of Mortals). I have also picked up all the core and resource books that goes along with this new campaign. All that is left is for the 'Price of Courage' to be released later this month so that I can run my friends through it in June.

    I have not been this excited to run a campaign in a long time. So much material was developed to assist a DM run an incredible full feature story line that i'm sure it will be the most memorable. I for one appreciate the work that all these publishers have been working into this style of gaming.

    It'll be one hell of a ride and I recommend that any DM that reads this comment to check out the dragonlance.com site and see all the new goodies.

  18. Support Bethesda in the Cause! on Bethesda Responds To Oblivion Re-Rating · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I am sick of people hopping onboard the ethical bandwagon when something obscure, like nipples, could possibly be exposed to our once "breast fed" children. What the ESRB did was wrong. They should have done their homework on the nudity mod before making a re-rating of the game. I have placed a complaint to the ESRB concerning this problem and I ask that anyone else who loves this game do the same.

    You can submit a comment/complaint here.

  19. Check out the nude patch in action! on ESRB Changes Oblivion's Rating to 'Mature' · · Score: 4, Informative

    I saw a video of this nude patch a few months ago, check it out here.

  20. All that power just for the military? on Solar Energy Becoming More Pervasive · · Score: 1

    Wow, those alien spaceships must need a lot of juice just to get them hovering off the ground.

  21. Healthy Innovation on Sony Takes Aim at Xbox Live · · Score: 1

    I could care less if Sony manages to deliver on their online services. The fact that they have decided to do so will push a little harder on M$ to keep the 360 Live service on the top spot. With each new feature that appears on one online service will no doubtedly appear on the competitor's aswell. I'm glad this is happening and I can't wait to see what nice new online goodies we all get out of it.

  22. Re:Useless info... on Gamers In The UK - Statistical Revelations · · Score: 1

    With the XBox 360 selling out in UK too, you'd think that the term 'Heavy' gamer would better describe a person who plays games at least once a *Day*...

  23. What about taxing the things we can't live without on Texas Politician Wants Violent Games Tax · · Score: 3, Funny

    If he were to introduce a +1% levy on ammunition, i'm sure the state would have a hundred billion surplus by the end of the year.

  24. Re:microsoft, take note on Large PS3 Launch, Nintendo Resolutions · · Score: 1

    For sure.

    Especially since the whole concept of Pre-orders at any game store is so that a customer can be guaranteed to receive their order on "Launch". Myself, as many others have, stated to EB and Gamestop that there is no point in relying on their pre-order system since you guys accept too much business knowing that you won't meet the demand. Might as well satisfy your gaming needs at best buy or wal-mart, cause its the same kind of waiting as it is for pre-orders now. My boss had a pre-order for the 360 and on launch back in november EB told him that he won't get his till the new year. Well, a week later when Best Buy got their second shipment, he managed to buy one. Then he went to EB and cancelled all his pre-orders, console, games, and all. Never again.

    Microsofts ambitions has hurt the game specializing retailers. Might as well just buy it from any store that just puts it all up on their shelves.

  25. I'm getting the 3rd Gen XBox! on A Look at Gaming in 2010 · · Score: 1

    I'm sure the XBox 720 will be aiming for a launch by then. If I am to guarantee to get myself one for the actual launch day, I'll need to make my pre order now. Come to think of it, i'm gonna get a preorder on my way home tonight!