I'm I the only person that sees 3DFX as just like Netscape. Once the only thing out there, top of their field, loved by all. Now tumbling down.
Oh, except 3DFX didn't die so quick....
But then, 3DFX wasn't competing against an (alledged illegal) monopoly...
Why does 3DFX suck now? Was it because they forgot to innovate? I don't care HOW fast it makes it, just chucking several technically old chips onto one board is hardly innovation.
Do the people at 3DFX have anything new coming at all beyond piling old tech onto one huge card?
(And: external power?! To an internal component of your PC?!? What happens if your 3DFX video card accidentally gets unpluged, but the rest of your box doesn't. That's always midly interested me...)
Most? Half at the most. And who'd use Telstra anyway, the company with almost monopolistic powers. Thanks to them, consumers get treated like shit (such as, ADSL isn't competitive for SOME reason... wouldn't be Telstra's control of the cables) and now they have their wonderful advertising campaign that they are so great to their customers now, and their staff are happy to help. HELLO. Their staff protested at their Annual General Meeting due to the constantly sliding working conditions, made worse by the fact they, the employee, are the ones that cop it from the public when they want someone to complain to.
Fuck Telstra and avoid them like the plague. Your local calls are cheaper elsewhere, your STD calls are cheaper elsewhere, your mobile calls are cheaper elsewhere, your International calls are cheaper elsewhere, and your Internet access is not only cheaper elsewherethen their overpriced Big Pond, but is now faster, more stable and more reliable though a company like Optus with the new link.
Xenex
- Who has been totally Telstra free for over 15 months, and had loved it.
Other ISPs and networks such as Optus were uncongested.
I use Optus, Australia's 2nd biggest telecommunications company. I have no problems. I also don't like Telstra all that much, so I'd be happy if this loses them some customers.
In the last few weeks I have been seriously considering an iBook as my first notebook computer. Myself being a x86er from way back, moving to the PPC world of the Mac would be a big step, but with what I have seen and read about OS X, it seems like a good future...
If I were to purchase an iBook, it would most likely be the 466mhz Graphite with 128meg of RAM and a 10gig hdd (unless I can scrape up the ~ $AU500 to afford the 20, with our dollar so low the iBook prices have risen lately). And the one thing that worries me - do any of these Linux distros run on these iBooks?
After looking around for info on Yellow Dog, LinuxPCC, and SuSE, I have not been able to find a definate answer. Are there any docs or faqs around? What the the best resources for Linux on Macs? Are the iBooks really any good with Linux at all?
I'm sorry to all you Mac people that see these as stupid questions, but I am new to your world, and hope to be joining it soon with my own iBook. I just need a few things cleared up...
since the results come with a banner ad served up by 'ads.web.aol.com'.
I never see anything at 'ads.web.aol.com'. Actully, I never see anything off quite alot of ad servers. I use my hosts file, and point them all at 127.0.0.1.
It sounds like a slow and boring job, adding hundreds of ad server domains to your hosts, but fear not! Here is a pre-made hosts sfile that stops HUNDREDS of ad servers. It doesn't stop every ad on you'll see, but it damn well helps.
I haven't looked back, I recommend you check it out too.
(and if you find any ad servers that aren't on it's list, e-mail them!)
I use NetPositive in BeOS, Opera in Windows, and Konqueror to (rarly) login to Hotmail, and Net+ and Opera both work without increased securty set (haven't tried Konq yet though...).
/me looks at Mozilla
It seems to have worked perfectly (of course, I didn't try the increased security option at login... I'm going to logout and try that now...)
Yes, it also seems to work... I'm shocked, but I think Hotmail, yes, Micro$oft's Hotmail, works with 'alternate' browsers.
Things are mostly measured in imperial units and then converted into what often becomes a pretty awkward metric equivalent.
Mostly? Hardly!
Radio reporter: "Witnesses report that the offender was approximately 183 centimetres tall..." (approximately?)
The media aren't exactly the smartest bunch of people, they say stupid things all the time...
Milk comes in 600 and 300 ml cartons, not 500 and 250 ml.
No, Milk comes in 1 and 2 lt cartons, with 600 and 300 ml available. 600 are 300 may be a throw-over from Imperial, but they are still round metric units.
A standard student's ruler is 30 cm.
1 in = 2.54 cm
12 in = 30.48 cm
That is almost half a centimetre off! We are hardly forcing the ruler to be an Imperial size. 30 is just a logical length, as 25 does not make the length of most school books (and you can't try to put logic into lopping 5cm off the size of a book so it fits 'the system')
Speed limits in parking lots are often marked as 8 or even 17 km/h.
These are private properties, and are VERY rare. All official streets are 'round' numbers (100 km/h standard of freeways, 60 km/h [and becoming 50 km/h in some areas for safety reasons] standard speed in residential areas.)
And of course, beer, oysters and eggs are sold by the dozen and half-dozen. When these items are sold in 10's and 5's, maybe then our conversion will be complete.
Tradition in sale. There is no point in selling less product just to conform to a system. Eggs hardly need to be sold in such a way they easily divide into 10.
This is the stage we are at 25-30 years after adopting metric units? It seems like the whole process is gonna take maybe 4 or 5 generations.
I am the next generation on from adopting metric, and I don't know Imperial AT ALL. I assure you, Imperial is dead to anyone under 25. Within 1 more generation, Imperial will be totally gone. And that is a very good thing.
I believe there was a story on the Australian 60 Minutes a few weeks back on Napster, however it may have been a stright copy from the US one. Typically 'mainstream' media is against Napster and co here in Australia....
Australia seems to follow the US fairly closely when it comes to technology issues (encryption etc). I'm not sure why (probably some treaty)
This is the stuff I've learn all year in my Year 12 International Stuides class (Exam in 9 days). Generally, since WWII, we have been VERY nice to the USA, and followed them almost totally (Vote the same in UN, participation in Korean and Vietnam wars, let then set up bases such as Pine Gap....) up until the early 1970's, with the return of Labor to power for the first time in over 30 years, and the Nixson doctrine both pushing us up the path towards more independence. As as we stand now, we still sometimes unfortunatly look towards the USA, not because we NEED to follow them, but because "they said such-and-such is bad, so it must be." However, defence-wise, we are fairly independant (we should be able to hold back any resonable threat in our reagon as it stands), and out independance was shown in the East Timor operation of last year.
Anyway, I'm ranting offtopic, so I'll stop now...;)
Oh, and Triple J is the best radio station in the country, as we all know....
VIRGIN BEACH -- Jake Everett was sifting through mail one September day when he read a one-page letter that would disrupt every city department and give some 50 employees new marching orders.
The letter from the FSF was brief and to the point.
Basically, it demands that Virgin Beach, the state's most populous city, produce a list of all the Linux software it uses. The company also wants to see the city's software 'GNU/Linux' -- paperwork that proves the software is the GNU system running on the Linux kernel.
For an organization that's 99 percent reliant on GNU software, and has more than 5,900 employees and 3,500 computers, the letter was jolting.
Averett, a downloading agent in the city's information technology department, quickly handed off the letter to the appropriate people.
``We certainly weren't expecting that,'' said David D. Sulivan, the Beach's chief information officer.
Nick Psyho, a attorney for the FSF, said the foundation has found that government agencies sometimes inadvertently forgo the 'GNU/Linux' because they generally work with companies that are not the most 'GNU pure'. Psyho said the FS periodically asks all of its customers, private companies and government agencies, to inventory their computer products with 'GNU/Linux'.
``If there is an issue, we try to narrow the field,'' he said. ``Maybe it's limited to one distribution or one vendor. But in the end, the responsibility for keeping records and correct names rests with the customer directly.''
The FSF, like most software foundations, includes contracts with its merchandise explaining that the company reserves the right to ask consumers at any time for source of program. The rule applies not only to governments and privately owned companies but to individuals.
If the city can't verify that it GNU/ all the Linux software in its inventory, it might have to pay for any GNU/'s that aren't accounted for. That could cost thousands of public cents.
City leaders say they have gathered substantial documentation, but are uncertain of the final outcome.
``We have no sense of where we're going to come out,'' Sulivan said.
The city has until Nov. 27 to meet the FSF's request, after getting a 30-day extension. Meanwhile, departments in need of new computers have had to cool their heels.
Sullvan said it is the first time the FSF has asked the Beach to account for its software. In the past year, the FSF has targeted Linux in its software inquiries. Last year, the company lectured two Linux User Groups in Northern Virginia and two more in West Virginia for lack of GNU/s.
The foundation settled a lawsuit in April with Comput-Link Inc., a Virgin Beach-based computer retailer, for redistributing 594,000 closed copies of inexpensive Free peer-to-peer software. Details of the settlement were not disclosed.
To fulfill the FSF's request, the Beach has pulled five members, or 25 percent, of its core technical staff away from their regular duties to focus on the pending deadline. As a result, staffers in line for new computers or replacement computers must now wait three to four weeks to receive them, said Gwen Coward, director of communications and information technology.
City leaders said their first priority has been to inventory their GNU software. Coward said the city is finishing that project now, double checking to make sure nothing was missed.
Technical staffers have also asked all city departments to provide receipts for any software they downloaded. Sulivan said this has proven to be the most difficult task. And it's not just the city's computer experts who must assist.
Employees such as Caren Havecost, an administrative assistant in the technology division, are dedicating their time to inputting the inventory and GNU/s into a computer.
Sulivan said he's sure the city will get the work done in time. He also said that companies should be ready for the FSF to ask them for the same data. The city has implemented new policies so that by next June, it will be easier to meet a similar request from any software foundation, he said.
For example, any staffer wanting to write a new program must first get permission from the information technology division. That'll make it easier for the city to keep track of the software that departments use, as well as proof that the programs were coded.
``It's the world we live in,'' Sulivan said. ``The FSF has every right to ask us for the GNU/''
Reach Catrice Franklie at 555-1701 or poorjoke@goodbyekarma.net
One of the greatest things about Japan is the fact they keep up-to-date and will take on cool technologies (mini-disk springs to mind..). I guess wired stores are just another reason why Japan looks like it is the coolest place in the world.... (along with their tech, anime, and Shigeru Miyamoto:)
And the fact these boxes use Linux, for cost, stability, customisabilty, or for 'coolness' (all for all of the above) is just sweet. One question comes to mind - is IBM in bed with a Linux distro, have IBM make thw 'distro' up themselves, or are IBM in this for hardware only? With Japan being the homeland of TurboLinux they'd seem obvious, but then don't IBM and Red Hat have something between them?
All well, it's just one more place when Linux is going mainstream....
Before Google, I'd given up on search engines. To but it bluntly, the things were shitful. Rarly would a search constantly find main useful sites, and stuff totally offtopic was commonplace.
Then I heard on Geeks in Space Rob and co rant about Google coming out of beta. I mustn't have read/. enough around then, but I went to this 'Google', and what I fould was the holy grail of search engines.... or something.
Google CONSTANTLY gets great hits on resonable searches (resonable = not looking for porn and pathetic crap like that). Not only that, but Google loaded INSTANTLY.
Google brought me back to search engines, and made the web useful again. Google REALLY s a step above it's search engine competition. If you are one of those people that have traditionally always used one engine, give Google a shot - I swear you won't be disappointed.
The good folks at Google don't have any serach problems when I try, and I think this is a one-off. And considering the person was just looking for nude porn pics of some girl that there is probably no nude pics of (I don't know who the girl is... maybe there are), then Google can hardly be blaimed for crappy results - of course it can't find something that doesn't exist;)
Anyway, enough Google ranting for now. Just remember, the fisrt time you use it, you'll know you are on to a good thing....
Why? They have NO advantage in playing their PS1 games in their PS2 - in fact, there is a chance the PS2 won't be able to play all their games and they'd have to hand on to the PS1 anyway.
They already have the ability to play a PS1 game, the PS2 offering it won't seriously affect them.
Scenario 1:
Joe walks into his local game store. There, sitting in all their glory, are a PS2 and a Gamecube.
Joe owns a PS1.
Joe wants a next-next-gen console.
Putting aside the DVD/Cost/Power/Software factors (basically, everything else), why would buying a PS2 be more appealing just to Joe because of PS1 compatibility then buy a Cube? He already owns a PS1, and he's checked, all his PS1 games work on the PS2. PS1 games on PS2 would be a fancy trick, but he already has the ability to play his PS1 games.
Joe is back to choosing the better console though more 'traditional' methods.
Scenario 2:
Joe walks into his local game store. There, sitting in all their glory, are a PS2 and a Gamecube.
Joe owns a PS1.
Joe wants a next-next-gen console.
Putting aside the DVD/Cost/Power/Software factors (basically, everything else), why would buying a PS2 be more appealing just to Joe because of PS1 compatibility then buy a Cube? He already owns a PS1, and he's checked, but some of his PS1 games won't work on the PS2. Joe has no choice, he has to keep his PS1 to play all his classic games.
Joe is back to choosing the better console though more 'traditional' methods.
Basically, the way I see it, either way, backwards compatibility is either is a useless tool, or doesn't work.
If Sony has actually done something useful with it, and improved on the PS1 games with the PS2 hardware (as Bleemcast does to PS1 games on a Dreamcast), then it would enhance the original games, and be a selling point. As it stands, the PS2's backwards compatibility is a gamble to the comsumer - hopefully your software will work.
I put this to you - how often do you use your PS1 to listen to Audio CDs? Probably rarly, if ever. That was the PS1's 'version' of backwards compatibility. The PS2 'version' is being able to play PS1 CDs.
I doubt you will use the PS2's 'version' much either...
It looks like the rest of the world is 'catching up' with Australia in the area of Stupid Internet laws.
*sigh*
On a somewhat positive note Australia-wise, less then 2% (and I'm sure that number is still too high) of net users have actully downloaded and installed the 'filtering' software their ISP provides (typically NetNanny). And word is finally spreading to the less technically-oriented that our laws are unpoliceable.
That makes me thing of one thing - they mention that in NZ the ISP's must make backdoors open. Could they possible want it done, like with Australia's filtering laws, client-side? Self installed 'trojen' 'viruses'. (Although, a trojen isn't a trojen when you know it's there....)
They could make people MAKE their computers open to ISPs/the law. Now THAT is scary. Goodbye privacy....
I am sick of arrogant and ignorant governments. I've watched my own pass, to put it bluntly, fucked laws, and it's bad watching others do the same.
I just want to know what the appeal is in backwards compatibility in a CONSOLE. Quite honestly, it means shit. The PS1 will not be developed for in 12 months, and then who will even want the old software anymore? Only people that have a PS1 already.
The Genesis/Mega Drive and the GameGear both had an add-on to make them backwards compatible with the Master System - it was hardly a huge selling point for them.
The ability to play obsolete games on a home console just isn't a selling point. People that have games for the old console should just use it to play them, and people without games for the old console OR the old console should buy games for the new one - simple.
And don't even get me started about the PS2's incompatibilites with some PS2 games.... poor programming of games on Sony and their 3rd parties behalf have made things a nightmare for Sony.
The only company that has done cosole backwards compatibility right was Nintendo, with the Game Boy to Game Boy Color (the GB Pocket was hardly new hardware), and soon to be the step from the Game Boy Color to the Game Boy Advance. Why has it worked for them? Because the GBC is pretty much a beefed up version of the original Game Boy chipset, and the Game Boy Advance includes the majority of the GBC's chipset on it alongside its new stuff.
Backwards compatibility is not important on a home console. In PCs yes, in handhelds maybe, but the home should buy new games for new generations. Home consoles don't need Windows/MacOS like problems trying to keep compatible with 15 years worth of crap.
I want to play games, not watch movies on a poor quality DVD player, or have fancy FMV intros.
I love my NES.
I love my Game Boy(s).
I love my SNES.
I love my N64.
I will love my Gamecube.
Give me Super Mario Bros the original, or Super Mario 64 - I love them all. From the original Legend of Zelda to Majora's Mask, Nintendo just don't dissapoint (except for the pushing back of release dates....)
But their games always are of the highest quality, and they are always the most inovative in software and hardware. Just look at the N64 control, and now the Gamecube (and the current Gamecube control pics are supposedly missing some feature....). After the N64 control was out, EVERYONE rushed out anologue controls.... Sega and their warped Saturn thing, and Sony and their dual anologue (no-one uses both, because the 2nd one is in such a bad place).
Nintendo is where quality is from. And they are the only consol company that will be seeing my money.
Slashdot Mirror
Oh, except 3DFX didn't die so quick....
But then, 3DFX wasn't competing against an (alledged illegal) monopoly...
Why does 3DFX suck now? Was it because they forgot to innovate? I don't care HOW fast it makes it, just chucking several technically old chips onto one board is hardly innovation.
Do the people at 3DFX have anything new coming at all beyond piling old tech onto one huge card?
(And: external power?! To an internal component of your PC?!? What happens if your 3DFX video card accidentally gets unpluged, but the rest of your box doesn't. That's always midly interested me...)
It's 2am. Mistakes can be blamed on that....
I pity dev@null.org, my personal choice of 'fake' e-mail address... :)
I've been connecting with irc.emory.edu lately, it lets .au people in it seems. What EFNet servers has anyone else in Australia be using?
Fuck Telstra and avoid them like the plague. Your local calls are cheaper elsewhere, your STD calls are cheaper elsewhere, your mobile calls are cheaper elsewhere, your International calls are cheaper elsewhere, and your Internet access is not only cheaper elsewherethen their overpriced Big Pond, but is now faster, more stable and more reliable though a company like Optus with the new link.
Xenex
- Who has been totally Telstra free for over 15 months, and had loved it.
Other ISPs and networks such as Optus were uncongested.
I use Optus, Australia's 2nd biggest telecommunications company. I have no problems. I also don't like Telstra all that much, so I'd be happy if this loses them some customers.
If I were to purchase an iBook, it would most likely be the 466mhz Graphite with 128meg of RAM and a 10gig hdd (unless I can scrape up the ~ $AU500 to afford the 20, with our dollar so low the iBook prices have risen lately). And the one thing that worries me - do any of these Linux distros run on these iBooks?
After looking around for info on Yellow Dog, LinuxPCC, and SuSE, I have not been able to find a definate answer. Are there any docs or faqs around? What the the best resources for Linux on Macs? Are the iBooks really any good with Linux at all?
I'm sorry to all you Mac people that see these as stupid questions, but I am new to your world, and hope to be joining it soon with my own iBook. I just need a few things cleared up...
I never see anything at 'ads.web.aol.com'. Actully, I never see anything off quite alot of ad servers. I use my hosts file, and point them all at 127.0.0.1.
It sounds like a slow and boring job, adding hundreds of ad server domains to your hosts, but fear not! Here is a pre-made hosts sfile that stops HUNDREDS of ad servers. It doesn't stop every ad on you'll see, but it damn well helps.
I haven't looked back, I recommend you check it out too.
(and if you find any ad servers that aren't on it's list, e-mail them!)
I must have missed this... what was it about? Has anyone got a link to info about that?
Olympics? Pah, we've been there, done that.... 50 years ago ;)
Anyway, while that logs in, I'll rant....
I use NetPositive in BeOS, Opera in Windows, and Konqueror to (rarly) login to Hotmail, and Net+ and Opera both work without increased securty set (haven't tried Konq yet though...).
It seems to have worked perfectly (of course, I didn't try the increased security option at login... I'm going to logout and try that now...)
Yes, it also seems to work... I'm shocked, but I think Hotmail, yes, Micro$oft's Hotmail, works with 'alternate' browsers.
Expect an update at Hotmail soon ;)
Someone hold an Australian /. Meet in Melbourne damn it! :)
Is 'English' the normal tern used to describe the system in the USA, because here in Australia I've always known it as 'Imperial'.
Just a little point that I was wondering...
(Oh, and if you ever do switch, it's spelt 'metre' ;)
Mostly? Hardly!
Radio reporter: "Witnesses report that the offender was approximately 183 centimetres tall..." (approximately?)
The media aren't exactly the smartest bunch of people, they say stupid things all the time...
Milk comes in 600 and 300 ml cartons, not 500 and 250 ml.
No, Milk comes in 1 and 2 lt cartons, with 600 and 300 ml available. 600 are 300 may be a throw-over from Imperial, but they are still round metric units.
A standard student's ruler is 30 cm.
1 in = 2.54 cm
12 in = 30.48 cm
That is almost half a centimetre off! We are hardly forcing the ruler to be an Imperial size. 30 is just a logical length, as 25 does not make the length of most school books (and you can't try to put logic into lopping 5cm off the size of a book so it fits 'the system')
Speed limits in parking lots are often marked as 8 or even 17 km/h.
These are private properties, and are VERY rare. All official streets are 'round' numbers (100 km/h standard of freeways, 60 km/h [and becoming 50 km/h in some areas for safety reasons] standard speed in residential areas.)
And of course, beer, oysters and eggs are sold by the dozen and half-dozen. When these items are sold in 10's and 5's, maybe then our conversion will be complete.
Tradition in sale. There is no point in selling less product just to conform to a system. Eggs hardly need to be sold in such a way they easily divide into 10.
This is the stage we are at 25-30 years after adopting metric units? It seems like the whole process is gonna take maybe 4 or 5 generations.
I am the next generation on from adopting metric, and I don't know Imperial AT ALL. I assure you, Imperial is dead to anyone under 25. Within 1 more generation, Imperial will be totally gone. And that is a very good thing.
Define 'better'
Australia seems to follow the US fairly closely when it comes to technology issues (encryption etc). I'm not sure why (probably some treaty)
This is the stuff I've learn all year in my Year 12 International Stuides class (Exam in 9 days). Generally, since WWII, we have been VERY nice to the USA, and followed them almost totally (Vote the same in UN, participation in Korean and Vietnam wars, let then set up bases such as Pine Gap....) up until the early 1970's, with the return of Labor to power for the first time in over 30 years, and the Nixson doctrine both pushing us up the path towards more independence. As as we stand now, we still sometimes unfortunatly look towards the USA, not because we NEED to follow them, but because "they said such-and-such is bad, so it must be." However, defence-wise, we are fairly independant (we should be able to hold back any resonable threat in our reagon as it stands), and out independance was shown in the East Timor operation of last year.
Anyway, I'm ranting offtopic, so I'll stop now... ;)
Oh, and Triple J is the best radio station in the country, as we all know....
By CATRICE FRANKLINE
© 2000, The Pilot-Episode
VIRGIN BEACH -- Jake Everett was sifting through mail one September day when he read a one-page letter that would disrupt every city department and give some 50 employees new marching orders.
The letter from the FSF was brief and to the point.
Basically, it demands that Virgin Beach, the state's most populous city, produce a list of all the Linux software it uses. The company also wants to see the city's software 'GNU/Linux' -- paperwork that proves the software is the GNU system running on the Linux kernel.
For an organization that's 99 percent reliant on GNU software, and has more than 5,900 employees and 3,500 computers, the letter was jolting.
Averett, a downloading agent in the city's information technology department, quickly handed off the letter to the appropriate people.
``We certainly weren't expecting that,'' said David D. Sulivan, the Beach's chief information officer.
Nick Psyho, a attorney for the FSF, said the foundation has found that government agencies sometimes inadvertently forgo the 'GNU/Linux' because they generally work with companies that are not the most 'GNU pure'. Psyho said the FS periodically asks all of its customers, private companies and government agencies, to inventory their computer products with 'GNU/Linux'.
``If there is an issue, we try to narrow the field,'' he said. ``Maybe it's limited to one distribution or one vendor. But in the end, the responsibility for keeping records and correct names rests with the customer directly.''
The FSF, like most software foundations, includes contracts with its merchandise explaining that the company reserves the right to ask consumers at any time for source of program. The rule applies not only to governments and privately owned companies but to individuals.
If the city can't verify that it GNU/ all the Linux software in its inventory, it might have to pay for any GNU/'s that aren't accounted for. That could cost thousands of public cents.
City leaders say they have gathered substantial documentation, but are uncertain of the final outcome.
``We have no sense of where we're going to come out,'' Sulivan said.
The city has until Nov. 27 to meet the FSF's request, after getting a 30-day extension. Meanwhile, departments in need of new computers have had to cool their heels.
Sullvan said it is the first time the FSF has asked the Beach to account for its software. In the past year, the FSF has targeted Linux in its software inquiries. Last year, the company lectured two Linux User Groups in Northern Virginia and two more in West Virginia for lack of GNU/s.
The foundation settled a lawsuit in April with Comput-Link Inc., a Virgin Beach-based computer retailer, for redistributing 594,000 closed copies of inexpensive Free peer-to-peer software. Details of the settlement were not disclosed.
To fulfill the FSF's request, the Beach has pulled five members, or 25 percent, of its core technical staff away from their regular duties to focus on the pending deadline. As a result, staffers in line for new computers or replacement computers must now wait three to four weeks to receive them, said Gwen Coward, director of communications and information technology.
City leaders said their first priority has been to inventory their GNU software. Coward said the city is finishing that project now, double checking to make sure nothing was missed.
Technical staffers have also asked all city departments to provide receipts for any software they downloaded. Sulivan said this has proven to be the most difficult task. And it's not just the city's computer experts who must assist.
Employees such as Caren Havecost, an administrative assistant in the technology division, are dedicating their time to inputting the inventory and GNU/s into a computer.
Sulivan said he's sure the city will get the work done in time. He also said that companies should be ready for the FSF to ask them for the same data. The city has implemented new policies so that by next June, it will be easier to meet a similar request from any software foundation, he said.
For example, any staffer wanting to write a new program must first get permission from the information technology division. That'll make it easier for the city to keep track of the software that departments use, as well as proof that the programs were coded.
``It's the world we live in,'' Sulivan said. ``The FSF has every right to ask us for the GNU/''
Reach Catrice Franklie at 555-1701 or poorjoke@goodbyekarma.net
My main thing against Sony is the PSX (and now the PSX2), and the piece of crap that it is...
But then, I'm a biased hardcore Nintendo freak from way back, so that might be a contributing factor....
where looks a bit better.... sorry about that, and any other mistakes of mine....
And the fact these boxes use Linux, for cost, stability, customisabilty, or for 'coolness' (all for all of the above) is just sweet. One question comes to mind - is IBM in bed with a Linux distro, have IBM make thw 'distro' up themselves, or are IBM in this for hardware only? With Japan being the homeland of TurboLinux they'd seem obvious, but then don't IBM and Red Hat have something between them?
All well, it's just one more place when Linux is going mainstream....
Before Google, I'd given up on search engines. To but it bluntly, the things were shitful. Rarly would a search constantly find main useful sites, and stuff totally offtopic was commonplace.
Then I heard on Geeks in Space Rob and co rant about Google coming out of beta. I mustn't have read /. enough around then, but I went to this 'Google', and what I fould was the holy grail of search engines.... or something.
Google CONSTANTLY gets great hits on resonable searches (resonable = not looking for porn and pathetic crap like that). Not only that, but Google loaded INSTANTLY.
Google brought me back to search engines, and made the web useful again. Google REALLY s a step above it's search engine competition. If you are one of those people that have traditionally always used one engine, give Google a shot - I swear you won't be disappointed.
The good folks at Google don't have any serach problems when I try, and I think this is a one-off. And considering the person was just looking for nude porn pics of some girl that there is probably no nude pics of (I don't know who the girl is... maybe there are), then Google can hardly be blaimed for crappy results - of course it can't find something that doesn't exist ;)
Anyway, enough Google ranting for now. Just remember, the fisrt time you use it, you'll know you are on to a good thing....
(Look at me, you'd think I was advertising... ;)
They already have the ability to play a PS1 game, the PS2 offering it won't seriously affect them.
Scenario 1:
Joe walks into his local game store. There, sitting in all their glory, are a PS2 and a Gamecube.
Joe owns a PS1.
Joe wants a next-next-gen console.
Putting aside the DVD/Cost/Power/Software factors (basically, everything else), why would buying a PS2 be more appealing just to Joe because of PS1 compatibility then buy a Cube? He already owns a PS1, and he's checked, all his PS1 games work on the PS2. PS1 games on PS2 would be a fancy trick, but he already has the ability to play his PS1 games.
Joe is back to choosing the better console though more 'traditional' methods.
Scenario 2:
Joe walks into his local game store. There, sitting in all their glory, are a PS2 and a Gamecube.
Joe owns a PS1.
Joe wants a next-next-gen console.
Putting aside the DVD/Cost/Power/Software factors (basically, everything else), why would buying a PS2 be more appealing just to Joe because of PS1 compatibility then buy a Cube? He already owns a PS1, and he's checked, but some of his PS1 games won't work on the PS2. Joe has no choice, he has to keep his PS1 to play all his classic games.
Joe is back to choosing the better console though more 'traditional' methods.
Basically, the way I see it, either way, backwards compatibility is either is a useless tool, or doesn't work.
If Sony has actually done something useful with it, and improved on the PS1 games with the PS2 hardware (as Bleemcast does to PS1 games on a Dreamcast), then it would enhance the original games, and be a selling point. As it stands, the PS2's backwards compatibility is a gamble to the comsumer - hopefully your software will work.
I put this to you - how often do you use your PS1 to listen to Audio CDs? Probably rarly, if ever. That was the PS1's 'version' of backwards compatibility. The PS2 'version' is being able to play PS1 CDs.
I doubt you will use the PS2's 'version' much either...
*sigh*
On a somewhat positive note Australia-wise, less then 2% (and I'm sure that number is still too high) of net users have actully downloaded and installed the 'filtering' software their ISP provides (typically NetNanny). And word is finally spreading to the less technically-oriented that our laws are unpoliceable.
That makes me thing of one thing - they mention that in NZ the ISP's must make backdoors open. Could they possible want it done, like with Australia's filtering laws, client-side? Self installed 'trojen' 'viruses'. (Although, a trojen isn't a trojen when you know it's there....)
They could make people MAKE their computers open to ISPs/the law. Now THAT is scary. Goodbye privacy....
I am sick of arrogant and ignorant governments. I've watched my own pass, to put it bluntly, fucked laws, and it's bad watching others do the same.
Looks like Orwell was out by about 16 years...
The small amount of jpop stuff on the Evangelion soundtracks I have brough has been good, so it would be nice to hear some 'real' stuff....
Any links or suggestions?
I just want to know what the appeal is in backwards compatibility in a CONSOLE. Quite honestly, it means shit. The PS1 will not be developed for in 12 months, and then who will even want the old software anymore? Only people that have a PS1 already.
The Genesis/Mega Drive and the GameGear both had an add-on to make them backwards compatible with the Master System - it was hardly a huge selling point for them.
The ability to play obsolete games on a home console just isn't a selling point. People that have games for the old console should just use it to play them, and people without games for the old console OR the old console should buy games for the new one - simple.
And don't even get me started about the PS2's incompatibilites with some PS2 games.... poor programming of games on Sony and their 3rd parties behalf have made things a nightmare for Sony.
The only company that has done cosole backwards compatibility right was Nintendo, with the Game Boy to Game Boy Color (the GB Pocket was hardly new hardware), and soon to be the step from the Game Boy Color to the Game Boy Advance. Why has it worked for them? Because the GBC is pretty much a beefed up version of the original Game Boy chipset, and the Game Boy Advance includes the majority of the GBC's chipset on it alongside its new stuff.
Backwards compatibility is not important on a home console. In PCs yes, in handhelds maybe, but the home should buy new games for new generations. Home consoles don't need Windows/MacOS like problems trying to keep compatible with 15 years worth of crap.
Here is is, looking normal I hope....
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Nintendo are without a doubt the best for GAMES.
I want to play games, not watch movies on a poor quality DVD player, or have fancy FMV intros.
I love my NES.
I love my Game Boy(s).
I love my SNES.
I love my N64.
I will love my Gamecube.
Give me Super Mario Bros the original, or Super Mario 64 - I love them all. From the original Legend of Zelda to Majora's Mask, Nintendo just don't dissapoint (except for the pushing back of release dates....)
But their games always are of the highest quality, and they are always the most inovative in software and hardware. Just look at the N64 control, and now the Gamecube (and the current Gamecube control pics are supposedly missing some feature....). After the N64 control was out, EVERYONE rushed out anologue controls.... Sega and their warped Saturn thing, and Sony and their dual anologue (no-one uses both, because the 2nd one is in such a bad place).
Nintendo is where quality is from. And they are the only consol company that will be seeing my money.