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| News Comments > Out of the Blue |
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| 14. |
Ubuntu Released |
Apr 24, 2008, 13:15 |
Fang |
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I'm surprised Ubuntu's release today wasn't mentioned in a Morning Tech Bits. Since it's a major release.
For those wanting to try out Ubuntu, here's the Window's installer:
http://wubi-installer.org/
Wubi is an officially supported Ubuntu installer for Windows users that can bring you to the Linux world with a single click. Wubi allows you to install and uninstall Ubuntu as any other Windows application, in a simple and safe way.
No CD's, no partitioning. It's just another Window's application.
However, the installer will try to download Ubuntu using regular http, which will be really slow since today is release day.
For the next few days it's advisable to use bittorrent to download the Ubuntu file first. Download it to the same directory as the Window's installer.
http://releases.ubuntu.com/8.04/ubuntu-8.04-desktop-i386.iso.torrent
This comment was edited on Apr 24, 13:16. |
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| News Comments > Op Ed |
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| 2. |
Re: No subject |
Apr 21, 2008, 21:17 |
Fang |
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Yeah, PCMech has pretty outdated technical information.
When I installed Ubuntu, I never once had to open the command line, or edit any config files. I do have to admit I was using an off-the-shelf Dell. And I never once used apt-get. Why, when it comes with a nice GUI to install tons of free, supported software?
For the average person, who uses an off-the-shelf computers, Ubuntu should work off-the-shelf. If they custom build their own computers, well, they can probably edit config files.
From earlier today:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7358483.stm
Thursday's release of Ubuntu 8.04 will include the Windows installer (previously, you had to download it separately). No ISO's, no partitions. I find Ubuntu much more user friendly than Vista (okay, that's not saying too much.)
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| News Comments > Out of the Blue |
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| 12. |
Fios |
Apr 15, 2008, 16:31 |
Fang |
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Blue, you don't have Fios in your area?
Good luck with the cable, but when Fios gets delivered, be sure to check that out. I have it, and its great.
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| News Comments > Op Ed |
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| 2. |
PCMech = Outdated |
Apr 15, 2008, 02:37 |
Fang |
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PCMech is quite outdated in its Linux criticisms. It's making quite a few assumptions about Linux and how people should use OS's that causes it to give pretty bad advice. Who uses just one OS?
He even says don't buy a Mac because you can't run your previous Windows programs. Was he hiding under a rock for the last couple of years when Apple switched to Intel chips? Many more people buy Apples now because they can use Boot Camp.
You don't need to make an ISO to install Linux. Wubi (http://wubi-installer.org/) allows you to install Linux through a Windows installer. No ISO or partitioning is needed. You can then dual boot into Linux when you need to.
So install Linux to get the thousands of free software programs through the easy to use Add Program interface in Ubuntu. It's much easier than searching the racks of Circuit City for that random piece of software you need. And it's free. It's digital delivery and it installs the software for you.
And his criticism of Wine? Except for games, VMware should be more than adequate for the average user. And its just as compatible as any other hardware configuration for Windows. But who wouldn't just dual boot with Windows.
To summarize his article:
1. You need to make an ISO to install Linux.
Outdated - Run the Windows installer (Wubi).
2. You can't run all the software being sold
Ubuntu's Add Program is easier to use and its free. Think Steam, except its free.
3. Wine doesn't work all the time.
Use VMware for your older software programs.
4. Your printer may not work.
Dual boot or use VMware, and use Linux for the free software that you need.
Of course, games are another matter, but he didn't even mention that issue.
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| News Comments > Out of the Blue |
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| 13. |
Re: E-mails sent to bluesnews.com bounce |
Apr 7, 2008, 14:12 |
Fang |
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He probably has Network Solutions email. I have that also for my company, and it seems to be down at the moment.
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| News Comments > Out of the Blue |
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| 15. |
Re: No subject |
Mar 29, 2008, 16:06 |
Fang |
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This shows that you shouldn't buy Creative cards if you don't want a crippled card in the future. Buy a Turtle Beach card instead.
It's much cheaper, sounds great, you save CPU cycles with an add-on card, and you're not wasting money on a Creative Labs card.
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| News Comments > Op Ed |
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| 10. |
Steam |
Mar 28, 2008, 16:13 |
Fang |
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Wow, I'm surprised this Steam article didn't get a rise out of Riley/>U. Maybe he's too busy trying to actually get some work done.
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| News Comments > The Byron Report Released |
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| 14. |
Re: No subject |
Mar 27, 2008, 13:34 |
Fang |
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Games are just a scape goat at the moment.
Yeah, but we have to give credit to the study's author for not making games a scapegoat. Unless we highlight and commend those who do a good job of actually showing the bias against video games then we are just going to get guys like Jack Thompson dominating the discussion.
And there's no harm in providing ratings for parents to decide as they see fit on what media they bring into their homes. /shrugs So, many parents have looked into M rated games, and decided they are fine for their kids to play. I think that indicates a problem with the people rating these games. They are placing too many teen games in the M category. If games aren't going to be rated properly, then the system loses its effectiveness.
This isn't about micromanaging your populous, its about making sure tools are there so they can make the decisions themselves.
Information isn't evil and education is the basis of democracy.
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| News Comments > The Byron Report Released |
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| 12. |
Re: No subject |
Mar 27, 2008, 13:13 |
Fang |
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So now we have to ban products because people don't read the labels?
No, it should be banned because its the modern day equivalent of snake oil. It's just a placebo and while I have nothing against placebo's, I have absolutely zero sympathy for people making money off of placebo's that can potentially cause harm.
Cough syrup is a great scam while it was going. It works as well as a jolly rancher, but it tastes "bad" so it must be more effective. But you can't overdose on a jolly rancher, so I would recommend those instead.
This comment was edited on Mar 27, 13:36. |
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| News Comments > The Byron Report Released |
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| 11. |
Re: No subject |
Mar 27, 2008, 13:06 |
Fang |
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Yeah, completely sidestepping the parenting issues once again.
You should try reading the actual report. It's all about the "parenting issues". It's a surprising read, very fair and balanced.
It's main emphasis is about giving tools to parents so they can do their job. It's quite far from the "video games are evil" camp. Here's an excerpt:
The evidence on video games is discussed in Chapter 6. There are some possible negative effects of violent content in games, but these only become ‘harmful’ when children present other risk factors...
However, we need to approach unequivocal claims of direct causes with caution – there is a strong body of ethnographic research which argues that context and the characteristics of each child will mediate the effects of playing video games.
I don't know the state of the rating system in the UK, but if they don't have a similar rating system as compared to the US movie system, then I could see how it would recommend they create one.
As for the recommendation on software on the PC's, I can't fault them too much for a flawed technical approach when they aren't software engineers. But the underlying basis, of giving tools to parents so they can decide how they want to raise their own kids, I can agree with.
For example, as a parent, I would want to have the tools to prevent a 5 y.old from getting rickrolled into something like 2g1c or tub-g.
For those saying I shouldn't have these tools, who are you to tell me that I can't have control over what enters my home? Or have control over when I think my kids are ready to "cross the street" by themselves.
The proper technical solution isn't software, since its a hassle on the system and its easily defeated. However, OpenDNS's solution of DNS filtering is a much better approach and leaves the tools in the hands of individual consumers.
This comment was edited on Mar 27, 13:14. |
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| News Comments > WoW Bot Battle |
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| 34. |
Re: No subject |
Mar 26, 2008, 14:33 |
Fang |
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Seriously? That means here in the US we have about 20 million innocent people locked up, this also presumes that the other 5 million are guilty as well, which can't be true if crimes are still being committed, right?
Obviously the numbers are made up, but your logic is flawed. It means that another 5 million need to be locked up, with the other 25 million who would be committing crimes if they were let out.
I don't necessarily agree with any of the assertions, or with the above statement, I'm just pointing out what you misunderstood.
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| News Comments > Out of the Blue |
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| 14. |
Re: No subject |
Mar 25, 2008, 12:30 |
Fang |
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If you're wondering about strategies to use in Rainbow Six, you can always try:
http://www.gamefaqs.com/console/xbox360/file/932240/47046
Rainbow Six games have always been about tactics and strategy, not running and gunning.
Also, what difficulty level do you have it set on? For most console games, I have it set on Hard/Veteran, but sometimes, you got to suck in the pride and set it on Normal.
Also, be sure to check out CoD4 if you haven't already played it on the PC. I thought the single player game was very well done, but I did have to knock it down a difficulty level at times.
Though it was released on the Xbox, you should also check out Chaos Theory. It was very well done, and the multiplayer side was very unique and ground breaking. (Mercs vs Spies). But you should have someone show you the ropes, or you'll spend a lot of time getting your neck snapped.
As for Frontlines, its not my cup of tea either. But I don't really like those Battlefield:MC control point type of games. They seem kind of pointless. Also, if you see their average review score on Metacritic (75), you'll know not too many people were impressed with it either. To save my time, I usually try to check out those with scores above 80.
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| News Comments > Out of the Blue |
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| 17. |
Re: No subject |
Mar 24, 2008, 12:38 |
Fang |
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It's already been proven that CO2 does not cause temperature increases.
That's not what the article is saying. Yes, CO2 is an insulating gas, but the new data is giving evidence of a climate negative feedback to compensate for the increased warming instead of the assumed positive feedback the previous models had included.
In light of these negative feedback models, it also raises the question of the order of impact CO2 has compared to sun-related causes of temperature.
Neither of these points validate your statement.
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| News Comments > More id on PC Gaming |
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| 111. |
Re: No subject |
Mar 21, 2008, 13:21 |
Fang |
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No one of importance who works in the business side of the video games industry is making platform target decisions based upon NPD numbers alone. They are just one part of the data available used to make such decisions.
Thanks for the insight, Jason. Is this merging of the PC and console gaming going to affect other traditional PC-focused developers/publishers? For example, do you think WBIE's Dirty Harry game will be featured on both platforms? Is there a danger of it being criticized as being "consolized" like Deus Ex:IW, or will it be able to handle it like CoD4?
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| News Comments > More id on PC Gaming |
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| 59. |
Re: Sigh... |
Mar 20, 2008, 15:17 |
Fang |
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I mean come on, look at Halo games......anyone who says "best game ever" has a questionable idea (and IQ) about what games/gaming are/is.
I'll have to play devil's advocate and disagree.
Sure it had its flaws. (redundant levels eg. Library, limited customization in Matchmaking, etc.)
But if you are measuring the quality of a game in terms of "fun factor" then Halo ranks right up there with the best of them.
But what is "fun?" You can make all kinds of in depth analysis of challenge/reward scenarios that goes into the psychology of humans, but to cut to the chase, a large segment of our population finds Halo fun. Saying that they are stupid, doesn't change the fact that the game is still fun.
Personally, I consider it one of the great games solely for making FPS's accessible to many of my close friends, and allowing me to actually play FPS's with them in one room. That increases the fun factor for me immensely.
I enjoy gaming with friends, as in real life. Not just guys from a message board or IRC. Until Halo, when I played FPS's (CS, AQ2, Quake, HL, etc.) in real life, I was sitting by myself in front of a computer. Sure I was having a good time.
But if I had to choose between that and getting together with 3 other good buddies, eating pizza, drinking beers, and playing Halo, hands down, I would choose Halo every time.
Sure, I would rather use a Mouse, but it did help to even the playing field, as I had to learn to get used to the controller.
I should also say that if you haven't given Halo 3 a shot yet due to the flaws in Halo 1, you're missing out. They did fix a lot of the earlier flaws, though the story is still convoluted. And the fun factor is definitely there.
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| News Comments > More id on PC Gaming |
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| 19. |
Re: No subject |
Mar 20, 2008, 10:34 |
Fang |
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When this is Valve saying this it would have some weight. Id is pretty much irrelevant these days.
All id is saying is that you can't ignore the console market. Valve doesn't have to say anything, just look at their actions.
PS2: Halflife
Xbox: Halflife 2, Halflife 2: Counter-Strike
Xbox 360/PS3: The Orange Box
Their actions line up with what id is saying. Don't ignore the console market.
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| News Comments > More id on PC Gaming |
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| 14. |
Re: No subject |
Mar 20, 2008, 10:05 |
Fang |
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There is another category nobody is mentioning, the "Super Hardcore PC Gamer".
Yeah, and if you focus on that crowd, its a good way to go out of business. You can easily measure the size of this "Super Hardcore PC Gamer" crowd by looking at the sales of the top video cards. Knowing how much it costs to develop games that take advantage of these highest graphical settings, and what percentage of these "Super Hardcore PC Gamers" that you need to sell to just to break even, it can be company suicide to cater to them.
Did you read this article from a few days ago from one of the developers of Sins Of A Solar Empire? He has some great business analysis on the industry.
http://forums.sinsofasolarempire.com/post.aspx?postid=303512
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| News Comments > More id on PC Gaming |
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| 11. |
Re: No subject |
Mar 20, 2008, 09:45 |
Fang |
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id say casual pc gamers have moved over, not hardcore gamers.
That may be what you say, but that isn't what id is seeing. Just read some of the discussions here on Blue's News. You'll see that more and more long time regulars are picking up a console.
Players have moved over. Now in your mind, that probably means means they are no longer "hardcore", whatever that label means.
IMHO, I would define it by how much money they spend on games, not whether or not they still live in their parent's basement. I know that anecdotal evidence is lame, but I know in my own case that I have purchased console games at an almost 10:1 ratio to PC games in the past few years (and I don't pirate). And I would consider myself "hardcore". (As a top AQ2 player, I've been a fan of Minh Le's work since before he created CS. While now retired, I've been playing CS since when you had to look at the shirt sleeves to tell what team each person was on.)
Through no intentional decision of my own, I've just ended up spending more money on actual games instead of the hardware to be able to play the games.
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| News Comments > Out of the Blue |
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| 6. |
Re: No subject |
Mar 19, 2008, 12:31 |
Fang |
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I'm using AA rechargables, but those 360 rechargable packs are looking tempting. I know Amazon has the Play and Charge/Battery pack kit for pretty cheap.
Tempting, but I have a hard time spending any money just for convenience.
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Find a Halo 3 Custom Game going on right now:
http://www.halo3customs.com/ |
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1073 Comments. 54 pages. Viewing page 17.
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