Comment Re:Huh? (Score 1) 86
I can fix my code.
I can't fix my fingers of ingrained habits.
Comment Zenith Space Command remote (Score 2) 790
The first practical TV remote was the Zenith Space Command, which worked by whacking resonant bars, and the TV would pick up the sound. The thing vibrated in your hand, and as kids we swore we could hear them, even if technically ultrasonic.
Comment Second machine and rsync (Score 1) 983
Get another machine with equivalent capacity and rsync between the two using gigE. The first copy will take a while (a day), but subsequent updates will be quick, being only the changes.
Even with windows you can run rsync if you install Cygwin and it's sshd.
If you can put the second machine in a distant room (garden shed, detached garage) that's unlikely to go up in the fire, that's better.
Comment Re:Managers and Management (Score 1) 252
Gregory Peck's role in 12 O'Clock High is also a good example of effective management.
Leadership, on the other hand is much over-rated.
Only if one believes in the mission above all else, including personal sanity. That's a pretty doubled edged example, there, Mr. Conspiracy! (Which is why it's a great story and film.) And I think most people would rate it as leadership first, management second. It's the General above Savage who is doing the managing.
-dB
Valve Delays Portal 2, Squashes Duke Nukem Rumors 135
SKYMTL writes "In a tongue-in-cheek commentary, Valve has announced the delay of Portal 2 and thrown water on the rumor fires regarding its E3 'surprise.' This surprise was rumored to be either Half-Life 3 or the revival of Duke Nukem, and it looks like neither will happen anytime soon."
Doctor Slams Hospital's "Please" Policy 572
Administrators at England's Worthing Hospital are insisting that doctors say the magic word when writing orders for blood tests on weekends. If a doctor refuses to write "please" on the order, the test will be refused. From the article: "However, a doctor at the hospital said on condition of anonymity that he sees the policy as a money-saving measure that could prove dangerous for patients. 'I was shocked to come in on Sunday and find none of my bloods had been done from the night before because I'd not written "please,"' the doctor said. 'I had no results to guide treatment of patients. Myself and a senior nurse had to take the bloods ourselves, which added hours to our 12-hour shifts. This system puts patients' lives at risk. Doctors are wasting time doing the job of the technicians.'"
Comment What is wrong with reusing content too? (Score 1) 252
Vogel speaks of the book/author analogy, but doesn't carry it as far as he should. Using a BadAnalogy for the sake of the audience, requiring new art content in every game would be like telling Terry Pratchett he was wrong to keep re-using the Discworld as a setting, because we're owed "new everything" in every book. Or saying that Intel/AMD/ARM are cheating by not introducing new instruction sets with every generation of processor.
I've got no problem re-using engines, artwork, characters or anything else in games, as long as the narrative and situations are interesting.
-dB
Comment Re:Design (Score 1) 284
Alas, most prop planes are turboprops these days, so they have the same problems. The size of plane that has actual piston engines would need 50 flights just to get one jetliner worth of people home.
They also require a different fuel that probably isn't available at the large airports that are prepared for large numbers of passengers milling around.
Comment Re:"I reject notion of separation of church and st (Score 1) 999
“I reject the notion by the left of a constitutional separation of church and state,” said David Bradley, a conservative from Beaumont who works in real estate. “I have $1,000 for the charity of your choice if you can find it in the Constitution.”
Oh boy.
He is probably pulling the "amendments aren't part of the constitution" gambit, by which the validity of the Equal Protection clause and the Income Tax is also "refuted." -dB
Comment Anyone think (Score 1) 147
The incident may have been a pretense to jettison someone whose departure was desirable for other reasons. That the budget is being cut might be reason enough to try to offload the (probably) most expensive guy on the payroll. Maybe he was a squeaky wheel and wanted more security than was determined to be affordable, and just wouldn't shut up about it. Invent your own possible ulterior motives...
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Comment correlation or causality? (Score 1) 548
I was on Basic from 1986 to 1993, and it was the most meaningful years of my life.
Were, by chance, those also the years you discovered sex?
eBay Urges Rethink On EU Plan's "Brick and Mortar" Vendor Requirement 139
mernil writes with this snippet from Reuters: "According to a draft regulation drawn up by the European Commission and seen by Reuters, suppliers may be allowed to require that distributors have a 'brick-and-mortar' shop before they can sell online. The proposed rules would replace existing guidelines exempting companies from strict EU competition rules under certain circumstances. Those rules expire at the end of May."
Revisiting the "Holy Trinity" of MMORPG Classes 362
A feature at Gamasutra examines one of the foundations of many MMORPGs — the idea that class roles within such a game fall into three basic categories: tank, healer, and damage dealer. The article evaluates the pros and cons of such an arrangement and takes a look at some alternatives.
"Eliminating specialized roles means that we do away with boxing a class into a single role. Without Tanks, each class would have features that would help them participate in and survive many different encounters like heavy armor, strong avoidance, or some class or magical abilities that allow them to disengage from direct combat. Without specialized DPS, all classes should be able to do damage in order to defeat enemies. Some classes might specialize in damage type, like area of effect (AoE) damage; others might be able to exploit enemy weaknesses, and some might just be good at swinging a sharpened bit of metal in the right direction at a rapid rate. This design isn't just about having each class able to fill any trinity role. MMO combat would feel more dynamic in this system. Every player would have to react to combat events and defend against attacks."
Australian AvP Ban Reversed 71
Earlier this month, we discussed news that Sega's new Aliens vs. Predator video game had been refused classification in Australia, effectively banning it. After a scathing response from the developer saying they wouldn't censor the game, and later news that the classification scheme may be updated to include an R18+ rating, it now seems that the Classification Board has seen fit to give the game a green light after all. Sega's Darren Macbeth told Kotaku, "We are particularly proud that the game will be released in its original entirety, with no content altered or removed whatsoever. This is a big win for Australian gamers. We applaud the Classification Review Board on making a decision that clearly considers the context of the game, and is in line with the modern expectations of reasonable Australians."
Comment I can't believe its ever cost effective (Score 1) 837
to make your own cables, since factory cables can be obtained pretty cheaply. I used to try making my own, and it's not worth it even at home anymore. You just need to shop and not by cables from Monster.
I will pull my own through walls and punch down jack panels, but crimping RJ45s is a loser.
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