how exactly does a speed camera stop you speeding?
Because if you ignore the letter/fine, and keep speeding, and keep getting caught by the cameras, then after a while you have so many points on your license that they take it away from you and you're banned from driving.
Smart developers that plan to make cross-platform games or make their porting jobs easier will start with OpenGL and move horizontally from there.
Why? OpenGL runs on precisely one of the platforms they care about - Windows. If they're targeting Windows, and they know they will have to port their drivers (sorry, 'move horizontally') for games consoles, why would they not use Direct3D, which has native support for cutting edge graphics cards features? Oh, and btw is also fully supported on one of the major next-gen consoles.
A smart developer would use the API that gives them the best results on each platform.
But if game developers actually stopped using lock-in Microsoft APIs and bothered to use cross-platform standards like OpenGL, the cost of porting to Linux or OS X would be significantly lower, and more games would pop up. Why is that so hard to understand?
It's not worth their while. The OS X and Linux markets are tiny. Why is that so hard to understand?
And in terms of easy access to cutting edge features of graphics cards, I believe Open GL has fallen behind quite a lot recently - but take with a pinch of salt; it's just what graphics devs have told me. I've heard OS X's OpenGL support is not that fantastic, either (but I've no specifics).
Well, actually, I've noticed that some people use 'black' to mean simply 'not caucasian'. I've heard black used to describe various types of asians, and basically they seem to mean 'not white' in many cases.
And to be clear, these are people who think they're being progressive. I'm not talking about someone like my uncle who doesn't keep up with all the latest words like I do. I mean, he still calls them negros instead of coloureds.
(Yes, that last bit was a joke, to forestall flames.)
Game developers are too stupid to write portable code but that's unrelated.
You're right. It's because they're stupid. Game developers don't do Mac versions of games because they're too stupid. It's not because the PC games market is pretty small compared to consoles, so the much smaller Mac market is objectively tiny. And you don't ever see games that run on more than one platform. And game developers are never beholden to deadlines or budgets that make producing a Mac version not only uneconomical but also a pain in the neck.
No, it's because game developers are stupid. And probably lazy, too.
If a just 1000 Safari users visited Wal-Mart's site and reloaded the page once every 30 seconds
Safari runs on Mac OS X. You can't watch the Walmart movies without WMP/DRM v10. You won't have that on a Mac. That's probably where Walmart's reasoning ends.
Why did the code present a confusing bug like error message of "Non-Fatal error detected: error #2726" rather than a simple "MS-DOS not found" message?
Well, using error numbers instead of text is hardly a new approach. I expect there were lots of numeric error messages.
And if this code was so benign, why was it using all the tricks that copy protection routines used, self modifying code, XOR encryption, anti-debugger tricks? Why spend developer hours *hiding* this code?
This is indeed harder to explain - I hadn't realised that whoever wrote that code had gone to those lengths. Perhaps they really didn't want to see any bugs from DR-DOS installations, so tried to ensure no-one could hack past the DOS check?
In those pre-internet days that doesn't seem that likely though - it's not like someone could produce a hack and then stick it on a website - maybe a BBS, but that wouldn't be very widespread either.
They had nothing better to do? Time on their hands, Windows was finished, they're just waiting for the release date, so what the heck, let's try our hand at obfuscating some code for fun.
While I appreciate the sarcasm, it's always possible that is exactly what happened:-)
Thanks for the info though - as Schulman observes, it's impossible to gauge intent, but the evidence doesn't look good for Microsoft. Maybe they were just practicing for the whole Stacker debacle?:-)
Maybe someone said it the other way after microsoft specifically coded windows 3.11 to check for drdos and fail.
To be fair, that was actually put into a beta version of Windows to avoid getting bug reports due to people running Windows on top of DR-DOS. They didn't break DR-DOS compatibility (there was no such check in the release version), but DR-DOS just wasn't a supported OS for Windows (afaicr). I can't say I blame Microsoft for doing that.
For example, if someone cloned the OS X API, I can't say I'd fault Apple for not supporting iTunes running on that hypothetical new OS.
It'd be a real hoot if Apple wound up writing the killer app for Windows...
The only thing Apple's iTunes app kills on my Windows PC is performance.
Re:Your GAY for code plagiarism
on
Finding New Code
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· Score: 1
Explain to me why a student, when caught plagiarising, is shamed for the act, but one who writes code is not?
Because a student is supposed to be learning how to do something, and possibly proving what they have learned to a 3rd party. Someone writing code (in other situations) is usually doing it to accomplish a specific task, minimising the time/money spent on doing that. If they can't find some existing code, they should be able to implement it themselves. If all they've ever done is copy code when they were a student, they are unlikely to have this ability.
You can do that already with iTunes. You can take an iPod to another computer, drag the music files into iTunes
Which part of "The program is an executable that doesn't require installation" didn't you understand?
iTunes is a large and complex app, which on Windows requires the installation of QuickTime - another intrusive piece of software - that's not the sort of program to install on a system at the drop of a hat, just because you want to drag some tunes off an iPod.
Thats a pretty weak complaint. It only means that you've allowed yourself to be locked into a certain music store.
Yeah, but that's most people. Possibly you've not been paying attention (I know that sounds condescending, but I'm just using it as a rhetorical device:-)), but the average user probably doesn't even realise that they are locked into iTMS until they look at buying a new mp3 player, and the true horror presents itself.
There is also the point that if you've bought a lot of your music from iTMS, then the fact that other players can't play that music is actually quite a strong complaint, given the purpose of the device (to let you listen to your music).
I own an iPod. Its not nearly as great, functional, and easy to use as people like to say. I could go out and buy players with more features
Well, I own an iPod too, and while there are features it is missing, I can't honestly say they are features I particularly want. (I accept I do not uniquely represent the demographic for mp3 players.)
better interfaces
I keep hearing that other players have a better interface than the iPod, but I'm curious - which players do you think fall under this description?
It's just that whenever I've looked at other players people have shown me, when it comes to the interface I always have the same reaction: "No, they still don't get it. Not interested."
and no iTunes lock-in
I thought you'd already made the point that this is self-inflicted:-) I certainly have no problem with iTunes lock-in on my iPod. Anyway, the Zune has the same lock-in problem.
for less money. iPod sells because they're "cool." Its all marketing.
Not so much. Marketing undoubtedly has its place in the success of iPod, but I'm still of the opinion that if Apple hadn't have got so much about it right in the first place (compared to other mp3 devices at the time) that it wouldn't have sold so well, trendy iPod ads or not.
(To be clear, I'm querying your claim that it's all marketing, rather than saying that marketing had little or no effect.)
Well, the Zune can't play music you've bought from the iTunes store.
I should say that I hate the iTunes lock-in and don't buy music from it, but you did ask.
(This wouldn't be so bad, of course, except that when it launched, the Zune couldn't play music you'd bought from Microsoft backed music stores, either...doh!)
A friend told me that his Dad had a book on various aspects of employment, and had a section on how to write references. It had a special list of phrases that sounded good on first reading, but if you thought about them for a second or two you would realise they could be both positive and negative - hopefully, the reader will get the point.
Slashdot Mirror
It also seems to be the case that if person A specifically accuses person B of being a fanboy, then person A is often the real fanboy :-)
Ha! Good one!
Oh wait, you were serious. Let me laugh even harder!
I just shout "Bollocks!" at them to see if anything happens.
An online petition has absolutely no effect! Film at 11!
Because if you ignore the letter/fine, and keep speeding, and keep getting caught by the cameras, then after a while you have so many points on your license that they take it away from you and you're banned from driving.
I was waiting for that. Thanks :)
Why? OpenGL runs on precisely one of the platforms they care about - Windows. If they're targeting Windows, and they know they will have to port their drivers (sorry, 'move horizontally') for games consoles, why would they not use Direct3D, which has native support for cutting edge graphics cards features? Oh, and btw is also fully supported on one of the major next-gen consoles.
A smart developer would use the API that gives them the best results on each platform.
It's not worth their while. The OS X and Linux markets are tiny. Why is that so hard to understand?
And in terms of easy access to cutting edge features of graphics cards, I believe Open GL has fallen behind quite a lot recently - but take with a pinch of salt; it's just what graphics devs have told me. I've heard OS X's OpenGL support is not that fantastic, either (but I've no specifics).
Well, actually, I've noticed that some people use 'black' to mean simply 'not caucasian'. I've heard black used to describe various types of asians, and basically they seem to mean 'not white' in many cases.
And to be clear, these are people who think they're being progressive. I'm not talking about someone like my uncle who doesn't keep up with all the latest words like I do. I mean, he still calls them negros instead of coloureds.
(Yes, that last bit was a joke, to forestall flames.)
You're right. It's because they're stupid. Game developers don't do Mac versions of games because they're too stupid. It's not because the PC games market is pretty small compared to consoles, so the much smaller Mac market is objectively tiny. And you don't ever see games that run on more than one platform. And game developers are never beholden to deadlines or budgets that make producing a Mac version not only uneconomical but also a pain in the neck.
No, it's because game developers are stupid. And probably lazy, too.
Thanks for your piercing insight.
Safari runs on Mac OS X. You can't watch the Walmart movies without WMP/DRM v10. You won't have that on a Mac. That's probably where Walmart's reasoning ends.
Back off, man. I'm a scientist.
Well, using error numbers instead of text is hardly a new approach. I expect there were lots of numeric error messages.
And if this code was so benign, why was it using all the tricks that copy protection routines used, self modifying code, XOR encryption, anti-debugger tricks? Why spend developer hours *hiding* this code?This is indeed harder to explain - I hadn't realised that whoever wrote that code had gone to those lengths. Perhaps they really didn't want to see any bugs from DR-DOS installations, so tried to ensure no-one could hack past the DOS check?
In those pre-internet days that doesn't seem that likely though - it's not like someone could produce a hack and then stick it on a website - maybe a BBS, but that wouldn't be very widespread either.
They had nothing better to do? Time on their hands, Windows was finished, they're just waiting for the release date, so what the heck, let's try our hand at obfuscating some code for fun.While I appreciate the sarcasm, it's always possible that is exactly what happened :-)
Thanks for the info though - as Schulman observes, it's impossible to gauge intent, but the evidence doesn't look good for Microsoft. Maybe they were just practicing for the whole Stacker debacle? :-)
In that case, two things:
Anyhow, here's a jumping off point, and here is a particularly appropriate entry from that list.
To be fair, that was actually put into a beta version of Windows to avoid getting bug reports due to people running Windows on top of DR-DOS. They didn't break DR-DOS compatibility (there was no such check in the release version), but DR-DOS just wasn't a supported OS for Windows (afaicr). I can't say I blame Microsoft for doing that.
For example, if someone cloned the OS X API, I can't say I'd fault Apple for not supporting iTunes running on that hypothetical new OS.
The only thing Apple's iTunes app kills on my Windows PC is performance.
Because a student is supposed to be learning how to do something, and possibly proving what they have learned to a 3rd party. Someone writing code (in other situations) is usually doing it to accomplish a specific task, minimising the time/money spent on doing that. If they can't find some existing code, they should be able to implement it themselves. If all they've ever done is copy code when they were a student, they are unlikely to have this ability.
Next question.
I hate to be the one to tell you this, but your code does too.
And maybe one day, I won't listen to it.
Indeed. I was half expecting he was going to tell us that we have been educated stupid
Which part of "The program is an executable that doesn't require installation" didn't you understand?
iTunes is a large and complex app, which on Windows requires the installation of QuickTime - another intrusive piece of software - that's not the sort of program to install on a system at the drop of a hat, just because you want to drag some tunes off an iPod.
Also, Mike Myers trotted out his Scottish accent again. Comedy Gold.
Yeah, but that's most people. Possibly you've not been paying attention (I know that sounds condescending, but I'm just using it as a rhetorical device :-)), but the average user probably doesn't even realise that they are locked into iTMS until they look at buying a new mp3 player, and the true horror presents itself.
There is also the point that if you've bought a lot of your music from iTMS, then the fact that other players can't play that music is actually quite a strong complaint, given the purpose of the device (to let you listen to your music).
I own an iPod. Its not nearly as great, functional, and easy to use as people like to say. I could go out and buy players with more featuresWell, I own an iPod too, and while there are features it is missing, I can't honestly say they are features I particularly want. (I accept I do not uniquely represent the demographic for mp3 players.)
better interfacesI keep hearing that other players have a better interface than the iPod, but I'm curious - which players do you think fall under this description?
It's just that whenever I've looked at other players people have shown me, when it comes to the interface I always have the same reaction: "No, they still don't get it. Not interested."
and no iTunes lock-inI thought you'd already made the point that this is self-inflicted :-) I certainly have no problem with iTunes lock-in on my iPod. Anyway, the Zune has the same lock-in problem.
for less money. iPod sells because they're "cool." Its all marketing.Not so much. Marketing undoubtedly has its place in the success of iPod, but I'm still of the opinion that if Apple hadn't have got so much about it right in the first place (compared to other mp3 devices at the time) that it wouldn't have sold so well, trendy iPod ads or not.
(To be clear, I'm querying your claim that it's all marketing, rather than saying that marketing had little or no effect.)
Well, the Zune can't play music you've bought from the iTunes store.
I should say that I hate the iTunes lock-in and don't buy music from it, but you did ask.
(This wouldn't be so bad, of course, except that when it launched, the Zune couldn't play music you'd bought from Microsoft backed music stores, either...doh!)
A friend told me that his Dad had a book on various aspects of employment, and had a section on how to write references. It had a special list of phrases that sounded good on first reading, but if you thought about them for a second or two you would realise they could be both positive and negative - hopefully, the reader will get the point.
Examples include: