Recent Posts

501

Living Room / Re: which operating system you like most....

« Last post by wreckedcarzz on October 01, 2008, 01:12 AM »

@ Darwin:

I have never owned a Macintosh, my first full on experience with one was troubleshooting an old G3 (might have been a G4... whatever ). That was ... different ...

And the Wi-Fi sucks, doesn't it

I have never seen an aftermarket upgrade for any iMac, maybe an eMac, but I'm not into the whole Mac/Apple hardware thing.

@ f0dder:
You can install non Apple Certified RAM in a Mac, but the Genius Bars and AppleCare don't support it.

And you can change time zones as a non-admin, and that really got me P.O.ed on my Mac because my friend whom was sitting next to me was an hour ahead of time, and he always had to lean over to read my time (that was not syncing right anyways), so we never knew the real time.

And you can move the icon and enable mouse acceleration, but in some instances (an EXTREMELY annoying Photoshop run comes to mind) the mouse will JUST FREAKING SLOW DOWN. I had my mouse accel at maximum, and for some reason the Mac saw me moving it slow, so it made the mouse slow, but when I picked up the pace physically, the technological counterpart did not. So it DECREASED the speed automatically until I "forced" it back by shaking the mouse like crazy.

And I agree on all your last points f0dder. It is good, but I need an OS to work, and work how I work, not how it wants me to work.

@ All:

Overall, Mac (OS X) is alright. I would never own one for "serious" computing (almost everyone here should know what I'm talking about - your actual computing where you rely on everything you use to work right now, and you know exactly "in 4 keystrokes or less" how to fix it on Win32/*nix). I want one for programming, tinkering, and adding to the above list; for all other instances, I'll take the cash and buy myself a new Alienware laptop (and dual boot Vista Home Premium with Ubuntu Hardy)

EDIT: In case your scratching your head wondering how I can complain about Mac without owning one, having only listed one experience here, I used them for 5 months my first semester last year (Freshman year). The brand new, shiny 21" iMac's with 4GB RAM (that didn't help a bit, either, they still sucked performance wise - and TBH I'm not sure why...).

EDIT 2: Spelling/Grammar review

502

Living Room / Re: which operating system you like most....

« Last post by wreckedcarzz on September 30, 2008, 10:22 PM »

Huge Macintosh rant - if you don't want to read it, then don't.

This is a long rant/reply that is partially NSFW, it is not a personal attack (though it may seem), it was a reply to a conversation that I took a bit out of hand, but I feel like I should express my feelings about it. If you don't want to read the main rant, do not open the second portion of this post. Thanks for understanding (feels good to vent my feelings about Mac and Apple as a whole).

Reply to donco666, SFW:

Spoiler

To wreckedcarzz:
1) I use both Windows and Mac almost daily. I find Mac easily customizable with a couple of freeware utilities. For example, my Tiger Dock has floating icons with no Dock area showing. My windows (generic) can be dragged by any side.

-donco666 (September 30, 2008, 12:00 AM)

You can customize Windows (and Ubuntu, and almost every other Linux OS) out of the box. I don't use any customization other than a couple addons (dock, that I haven't run in a month or so, and Switcher (Expose for AERO).

2) When you try to criticize the security of OS X, you seem to have gotten off track. Even I can give better examples of security problems but you seem to have shifted over to faulting a school teacher for her caution that you interpret as lack of confidence. Even if you can convince us that the teacher had no confidence, the single situation is anecdotal at best.

-donco666 (September 30, 2008, 12:00 AM)

But my point was that every Mac owner I have met always screams that Mac can never be intruded, infected or anything else. But when something does go wrong, it is like "I never said that". C'mon, stick to a side - it is either safe, or it isn't, but at least have some stable footing behind your choice on the matter!

3) "Insane amount of cash"? Do you mean to buy OS X or to buy the hardware? That gets us off the "best OS" topic but I will go with it if you think it is important. I guess the school should have bought Mac Minis for $500 each (maybe less with their edu discount). I think "insane" would mean something like seven grand each. Can you really think that $3K for a high quality tower is insane?

-donco666 (September 30, 2008, 12:00 AM)

Insane as in the hardware - I can go out and get a Windows Vista PC (as in building it myself) for the price of the low end Macintosh (iMac) that can run all of today's games - and still have money left over to buy said games. Yea yea, the computer is all in one - a friend of mine in Australia just got stuck with an HP all in one - he asked me a few questions about if he could upgrade the CPU, overclock, or get a better graphics card. All the answers were not what he was hoping for - bringing me to my second point about this: You can't upgrade an iMac past RAM after you have it in your ownership. So your constantly purchasing a new one, and throwing the old one away (or hopefully your having it recycled by a credible company!).

And a Mac Mini is still nuts for the price. Seriously. $200 Dell can do the same the $600 Mini can - and it usually comes with a keyboard, mouse, speakers, and monitor. But then again, you can't play games on either of those systems

Rant, NSFW:

Spoiler

On a further note, Apple sells "Notebooks" and has advertisements of people with them on their lap, yet you are "strongly advised" not to use it on your lap because of something like 300 degree (F) temps?? My HP laptop hit 170 (CPU) and 180 (HD) on a pillow with no airflow playing The Sims 2 Pets after about 45 minutes. Seriously.

And then, the false advertising. Macs don't use the most up to date hardware. Just as Apple announced the Core 2 Duo Macs, Intel based PCs had Core 2 Quad and Core 2 Extreme! Now you have the Mac's with Core 2 Quads @ 3.06Ghz, but wait a minute - we have the Intel Skulltrail platform running 2 Quad Core CPUs at a faster speed: 3.2GHz (without overclocking!)!!

That leads me to RAM. Why the **** would someone pay that much for "Apple Certified RAM"?? It's insane! Like $80 for a GB! And Microsoft even went and took this point and accelerated it with Vista's ReadyBoost - so you don't even need to "upgrade" anymore if you run Vista, just pop in a flash drive - $20 for the Apple cost of $160+.

Now don't get me wrong - I do hate OS X's GUI, the dock, and how it functions, and all that; it is just me - but come on. The prices are high, the technology is below what they claim, they have and continue to have false advertising, the OS's main catch is that "if you can use iTunes," (that DOES NOT UNINSTALL PROPERLY ON WINDOWS) "you can use a Mac!". Uhh, no. iMovie HD is nothing like iTunes. Finder is nothing like iTunes. The menu system makes you look constantly for items that could be in front of you, and they should be!

And what's with the wierd setup of having all the desktop icons on the right and not the left. The Apple Menu is on the left. The clock is on the right. What one are you going to use more? (You could debate this here, and I could go on with this Mac-hatred speach of how the clock is probably the most useful part, but I digress. You can't even change the time zone WITHOUT AN ADMINISTRATOR!!! ). The freaking Apple Menu! So you have to drag the (slow, one button) mouse all the way across that amazing 21" screen (at the speed of 600DPI) to get from your Macintosh HD icon, to your Apple Menu.

And now we have iMovie, or iMovie HD. Neither one makes sense at all, and once you do figure one out, the other one is backwards.

Oh, and back to the peripherals - the keyboard, can you get any more underpowered USB ports on that thing? It could barely power my 1GB flash drive. C'mon, waste some voltage and give the USB hubs some power. Jeez!

And now, whats with the point of having the Mac for media stuff, if you only have 2 speakers and NO SURROUND SOUND SUPPORT. And why not show the speakers on the front and make them sound half descent. Having them point down is like... why? Head is up, sound is down, what the FU*K!?!

And the system crashes. Mac's are supposed to be this whole crash proof system - the hardware works oh-so elegantly with the hardware, and it is a seamless environment where the loly-flowers fly in the wind and peace comes to the world. Then you get this little caution alert saying "Interrupting this program may lock up the system." You can't do anything because IT IS ALREADY LOCKED UP!

And the laptops again - specifically that piece of paper Air - 1 USB port? NO optical drive??? If you can't use it, it isn't worth it. On top of that, its 3 grand for a system that you can't do jack with! You can always make one of those cool movies, as the machine burns the skin off your legs down to your bones, or you can mess with the O-M-G zooming features in iTunes and iMovie with the trackpad, and... that's about it? You can always blow on it and make it fall apart...

Then you have the faulty software that runs all the time - AirPort for example. Original naming too, no one thought of that until like 1910 (or whenever planes were mass produced, I'm not a history nerd). You disable it, and log off, come back later and guess why you don't have internet? It re-enabled itself, KILLING your ETHERNET connection. On Windows you can have as many connections as you want - Mac allows you ONE. Why? Who knows.

And to go along with iTunes, you have to use it to use an iPod or iPhone, because of some idiotic attempt to lock you into their service (a plus of the Shuffle family - it does not suffer the iTunes lock in; something Apple did right ). I buy a $300 phone with a $150 signing fee and a $100 a month plan, only to also have a computer at home with broadband and iTunes, or I can't use the d@mn thing.

And as a final point, the fact that Mac users run Windows but Windows users don't run Mac... need I say more?

Anyways, I'm getting off track, and I'm sure the moderators here are going be jumping all over me, but I can't take it anymore. It's time I expressed my displeasure about how much Mac, and Apple sucks.

-Brandon M. Seal

EDIT: Spelling
EDIT 2: More spelling
EDIT 3: Watch this video to know my experiences with the Macintosh I used at school. Old video, still true. (NOT MINE): http://www.youtube.c.../watch?v=3CrQjfgvqJQ

503

General Software Discussion / Re: PlayOnLinux might be what the Linux world needs to succeed

« Last post by wreckedcarzz on September 30, 2008, 09:24 PM »

I used the .deb file for Ubuntu, but I thought about letting Synaptic handle it. Figured I would rather know I have the latest version than hope someone has compiled and prepared the latest version. Who cares if it's unsupported- if it works, I'll keep it!

504

General Software Discussion / Re: PlayOnLinux might be what the Linux world needs to succeed

« Last post by wreckedcarzz on September 30, 2008, 09:16 PM »

I managed to get Halo installed (somewhat, I got lost and confused) and after a bit of file searching and figuring out exactly what happened, I was able to watch the cinematic intro cutscences and get to in-game menus (audio only, with interaction based on my photographic memory of the thing).

It still is a dead end for that, but at least it is a large step in the right direction. Now just have to wait for WINE to become more compatible...

EDIT: I hit Post just as zridling's post showed up in Pop-Up Cody. Good to know you got it working

505

N.A.N.Y. Challenge 2007 / Re: DC Forum Post Notifier Lite (a.k.a. Pop-Up Cody) - v1.1.6 - May 21, 2007

« Last post by wreckedcarzz on September 30, 2008, 07:07 PM »

Any updates or anything on this? Dead project?

It would be nice to have member map info and whatnot, kind of outdated

506

General Software Discussion / PlayOnLinux might be what the Linux world needs to succeed

« Last post by wreckedcarzz on September 29, 2008, 06:20 PM »

I am a big fan of Linux - the idea, the operating system itself, the whole "community" system of thought and whatnot... but no one with any power gives a hoot about it. Hardware companies don't support it, Microsoft laughs at it, and the old "Mac OS X is based off UNIX" is getting old. Yet, surprisingly, the OS and community behind it lives on. I find it amazing, but thats just my point of view.

Anyways, I was googling around earlier for DirectX for WINE, a popular Windows-application handler that is capable of executing WIN32 EXE files via use of the Win32 API. In other words, EXE's are not Windows only anymore. While on my ignorant bliss of a journey through google, I stumbled on this program PlayOnLinux. It claims that you can run a wide amount of Windows applications on it (including games) with great ease. My experience?

It makes Windows look stupid. The install process was easy, and while I had to go into the terminal the first time to start the app and get to the options to activate the Ubuntu Main Menu entry, it was a no-brainer thereafter. It updates itself, takes you through a process to get all your required prerequisites (simply hitting Next a few times), and your set down in a simple GUI. Some scanning of the forum (documentation is on its way) reveals how to obtain, install, and use programs, and the website layout is smart and professional.

I can't yet speak for the program's ability to execute games (Halo Combat Evolved is being copied to my external hard drive right now), however it seems very promising.

Anyone here have experience with PlayOnLinux? Thoughts?

-Brandon

507

Living Room / Re: I can haz LOLMouser plz?

« Last post by wreckedcarzz on September 29, 2008, 02:09 AM »

I guess I'm a lil slow, took me like 2 minutes to get the fun razor joke

-wreckedcarzz (September 25, 2008, 10:02 PM)

I had to explain it to mouser before he got it. So I guess you're one of the other two cats who "getz it 2."

-Deozaan (September 26, 2008, 03:24 PM)

I has edj0mucashun in LOLZ-READENG. I understand all! (Kind of a close resemblance between my avatar and that cat...)

Figured I might as well pitch in, since everyone seems to be poking fun with mouser

Mouser, after a hard day of bug checking:


Another take on why mouser is single...


 

508

DC Gamer Club / Re: Counter-Strike Fun

« Last post by wreckedcarzz on September 28, 2008, 11:44 PM »

BUMP! Yea, I know, 11 months old - whatever.

I recently got CS:S 1.7 (not CS 1.7, but CS: Source 1.7), no steam, and it owns CS 1.6.

My sister is IN LOVE with it... she wanted to go against me earlier this evening, here she was about a second after she planted the bomb...

PWNED!!!1!!!eleven!!1!! (I couldn't resist )

If you have CS:S, let me know

509

DC Gamer Club / Re: [FIXED TOPIC] TrackMania Nations Forever - Free, fun, and totally awesome!

« Last post by wreckedcarzz on September 28, 2008, 11:40 PM »

Yea, I can host servers via my computer right here - so that's what I do. I might put them up for download, but right now all you have to do is give me a bump (IM or something) that you want to race, I'll put the server into motion, and when you connect, Trackmania downloads the track from my PC and (if activated) calculates the shadows for the track. Then your off!

And the tracks work for LAN and Internet. I've hosted without internet entirely (Intranet I guess), and have hosted servers where people around the world join. Great fun!

510

Announce Your Software/Service/Product / The browser wars are on! (SnapSuite topic)

« Last post by wreckedcarzz on September 28, 2008, 11:35 PM »

The browser wars are on! Say what???

OK, it's official, Walt wants to show me up with his browser. When you stop laughing, continue reading (just kidding ).

Unfortunately, Walt's browser looks good, and MiniBrowse looks... Windows ME, anyone (with a dash of 98SE on the side)? But I still have options, and a tray icon + menu... but his browser sports Favorites and History (I think?). But why do you want that, when you can have it (history, cookies, etc) cleaned up for you on exit, a-la Firefox, in MiniBrowse?

Idiotic, semi l33t ( ) conversation about this...

Spoiler

(Edited to clean out NSFW material )

[20:58] [ToW] Wreckedcarzz: visual vs freaking overly functional
[Passing time]: ...
[21:00] Walt: and mines gonna function
[21:00] Walt: Beautifully
[21:00] [ToW] Wreckedcarzz:
[21:00] Walt: FavoritesPanel close button now coded
[Passing time]: ...
[21:02] [ToW] Wreckedcarzz: i was so happy to get the settings working
[21:02] Walt: How'd you do it?
[21:03] [ToW] Wreckedcarzz: just does checks based on each thing
[21:03] [ToW] Wreckedcarzz: when u click save
[21:03] [ToW] Wreckedcarzz: it like
[21:03] [ToW] Wreckedcarzz: does w/e it needs to
[21:03] [ToW] Wreckedcarzz: based on the checked property
[21:03] Walt: Does it write to txt file??
[21:03] [ToW] Wreckedcarzz: of each checkbox
[21:03] [ToW] Wreckedcarzz: no
[21:03] [ToW] Wreckedcarzz: stored in the exe
[21:03] Walt: So are the settings permanent?
[21:03] [ToW] Wreckedcarzz: ye
[21:03] Walt: How in the **** do you do that?!
[Passing time]: ...
[21:03] [ToW] Wreckedcarzz: *laughs evilly*
[21:03] Walt: Thats it
[21:03] [ToW] Wreckedcarzz: 1 file application
[21:04] Walt: This is mo ****** war
[21:04] [ToW] Wreckedcarzz:
[21:04] [ToW] Wreckedcarzz: lol
[21:04] [ToW] Wreckedcarzz: XD
[21:04] Walt: I proclaim this
[21:04] [ToW] Wreckedcarzz: LOL
[21:04] [ToW] Wreckedcarzz: XD
[21:04] [ToW] Wreckedcarzz: XDXDXDXD
[21:04] Walt: BROWSER WAR
[21:04] [ToW] Wreckedcarzz: LOL
[21:04] [ToW] Wreckedcarzz: i r gun post this @ DC lmfao

Here is an up-to-date image of both (click for full size)...

And please ignore my complete ignorance in promoting Firefox (at least) 3x in my image...

This could get interesting... EDIT: And funny

-Brandon

EDIT: In response to Walt's below post... that was kind of random... (NSFW)

Spoiler

You might have an AK-47, but this is all that's left of you

511

DC Gamer Club / Re: [FIXED TOPIC] TrackMania Nations Forever - Free, fun, and totally awesome!

« Last post by wreckedcarzz on September 26, 2008, 12:26 AM »

BUMPAGE!

50 complete tracks and counting (approx 8 are friend's/collaboration tracks), with a few more being made now.

Seriously, if you haven't given TM a shot yet, now is the time - I have a track for ANY type of racing:

• Simple, quick tracks
• Medium, intermediate tracks
• Long, confusing, annoying tracks
• Road/dirt combo tracks
• Dirt only tracks
• Rally tracks
• Road/air tracks
• Stunt tracks
• Acrobatic tracks
• Challenge tracks
• Maze tracks
• Choice tracks
• Drift tracks
• Drag tracks
• Circuit tracks
• Insane-speed-so-fast-the-camera-shakes-away-from-the-car speed tracks
• And more...

Some tracks have custom signs, MediaTracker functionality, and several have near-impossible to beat ghost cars: "Mixed Reactions", anyone? (I was beating that ghost, and I HIT THE TOP OF THE FINISH LINE!!! 2 seconds ahead, gone in .15 seconds.

You know you want to try...

512

DC Gamer Club / Re: Who Amongst us Plays WoW?

« Last post by wreckedcarzz on September 26, 2008, 12:17 AM »

Stop playing games so much and start designing and coding new ones for us !!!

-mouser (September 19, 2008, 06:31 PM)

 

WOC : World of Cody

513

DC Gamer Club / Re: Lets get organized so we can get gaming!

« Last post by wreckedcarzz on September 25, 2008, 10:09 PM »

 

Inorite? I We spend like 5 2 months (dramatization, lol) making a DC map and he comes in for like 15 minutes... then his hard drive is covered with mysterious "CodyRulez" FPS games...

(The irony: I have Visual Studio open right now)

514

Living Room / Re: I can haz LOLMouser plz?

« Last post by wreckedcarzz on September 25, 2008, 10:02 PM »

LOL @ the dialup snail!!!

I guess I'm a lil slow, took me like 2 minutes to get the fun razor joke

515

Announce Your Software/Service/Product / Re: SnapSuite program family/Free online computer help

« Last post by wreckedcarzz on September 25, 2008, 06:06 PM »

I'll be pushing out a new version of SnapSuite soon (well, an update, since it isn't complete yet, so it's not really a new version... anyways...) with a couple new changes, and the installer including checks/auto-installing for .NET 2.0 and 3.0 (in addition to the standard 3.5 and Windows Installer 3.1). This is simply to help update computers lacking the technology.

I am working to get BasicBrowse done, but Walt has a couple additions he is working on for it (I don't know what the heck happened to Easy Browse Beta...it was looking really good ). So that's on hold until the new additions are finished.

I would give a time, but each time I say it'll be done in X days, it takes like 5x that long, and still isn't done, so I'll keep quiet.

EDIT: Mouser presented an intriguing program idea to me... I'm pondering what to do - more details later.

516

General Software Discussion / Re: The New (And Improved?) VLC

« Last post by wreckedcarzz on September 25, 2008, 05:49 PM »

The new UI looks like a large improvement, and the options dialog looks simple (I never tinkered with it).

I'm assuming they released Windows, Mac and Linux versions already? I'm too lazy to boot Ubuntu...

517

General Software Discussion / Re: Windows 7 -- ribbons for everyone!

« Last post by wreckedcarzz on September 23, 2008, 10:26 PM »

The ribbon looks cool/flashy/Vistay IMO, but I've never used it - I like the traditional menus. Not all of us have widescreens, nor 24" (or 30") monstrosities capable of 8,000,000x4,500,000 resolution (that would be 16:9) (yet). The 4:3 and 5:4's live on (it is 4:3 and not 3:4.. or.. whatever...).

Smaller is better, and more compatible with older/smaller screens (IMO).

518

DC Gamer Club / Re: Lets get organized so we can get gaming!

« Last post by wreckedcarzz on September 23, 2008, 10:13 PM »

[not-so-subtle-hint]
Maybe we should get mouser to add a gamertag/other gamername section onto the profile info. Might make things easier
[/not-so-subtle-hint]

519

Living Room / Re: I can haz LOLMouser plz?

« Last post by wreckedcarzz on September 23, 2008, 10:10 PM »

Shouldn't that be "all your case are belong to us"? I get the quote, but it would be funnier...

520

Site/Forum Features / Re: Improved URL button

« Last post by wreckedcarzz on September 22, 2008, 09:38 PM »

The change confused me at first, as I am used to highlighting the URL and then clicking the button... the request again for a URL kind of had me puzzled.

Works better though, and now I can post text links like the people that can actually work with BBCode!

521

Developer's Corner / Re: Universe Project

« Last post by wreckedcarzz on September 22, 2008, 09:30 PM »

I played some of the older versions of Universe, and it was very interesting to be able to go out wherever I wanted. I'm into the whole "explore everything" kind of gameplay (after I find everything, then let battles commence! ), so I went around and found about 1/2 of the planets (after about 45 minutes).

Good idea, good setup, good fun

EDIT: Gotta love the "Donationcoder Games Division" splash screen

522

General Software Discussion / Re: Windows 7 -- ribbons for everyone!

« Last post by wreckedcarzz on September 19, 2008, 07:40 PM »

I think there are some nice things to like about the Ribbon.

But this whole discussion just underlines a point I have been trying to make: The OS designer/company should stop focusing on writing applications.

The very fact that the focus of "Windows 7" discussion is about adding ribbons to the microsoft applications which really have nothing whatsoever to do with the operating system itself tells you how far down the wrong path we have gone.

-mouser (September 19, 2008, 11:42 AM)

Good point - the company does more about the applications IN the OS rather than the OS itself - it should be the other way around.

It is nice to have a cool shiny car with a fresh paint job. It is better to have an average looking car that runs well.

523

Living Room / Re: I can haz LOLMouser plz?

« Last post by wreckedcarzz on September 19, 2008, 12:38 AM »

LOL

Wow... keep 'em coming, this is just too funny!

*Goes to lolcats.com*

524

General Software Discussion / Re: Do you keep two computers synchronized? i.e. work + home. If so, how?

« Last post by wreckedcarzz on September 19, 2008, 12:33 AM »

http://DropBox. Only 2GB at the moment, but in the very near future 50GB. It just doesn't get easier than this, they solved the problem. You don't have to push a button.

-justice (September 17, 2008, 11:57 AM)

I've used DropBoks (not Box, thats a different service) ever since it first showed up on the web - small files for school and personal stuff, but it it freaking awesome how they keep it simple, yet powerful behind the scenes. Familiar interface, compressed.

EDIT: Also, unlike DropBox, DropBoks doesn't require a download - you upload and download your files in a small explorer-like box.

525

Announce Your Software/Service/Product / SNAPSUITE 2009 FINAL - PREVIEW AVAILABLE

« Last post by wreckedcarzz on September 18, 2008, 01:55 PM »

OK, I am almost done with SnapSuite 2009 (Final) - it uses all my new applications (FloorIt, MiniBrowse and PlayMe 2.3), as well as the OLD installer (the single click one). This makes it [the install process] non-customizable, however it makes it easier for everyone: most people don't worry about where a program is installed to, and the install is faster than it was previously. It is easier for me because I don't have to tinker with my FTP program, or worry about convoluted updates. So yes, it has its flaws and drawbacks, but in most cases it is better than the more complex route.

Overall, it is a nice release, and runs much better than the alpha versions I had (I redid the solution from scratch, bringing over the GUI and code as I "refreshed" it to be more readable (code) and more logical (GUI layout)).

Download:

Anyways, if you absolutely MUST have the new version RIGHT NOW (3 months early ), feel free to click here and click the "Install" button. SnapSuite will notify you of updates as I roll them out to the server. SS is prepared for "enable updates", where as I complete various portions of the program, I enable the options to allow access. If it isn't enabled (grayed out), it isn't ready yet.

Any last second feedback, thoughts or feelings: give them to me ASAP! I am ready to make the 2010 version, so if I don't know about something you would like to see changed, it won't happen in this years version.

ENJOY!
-Brandon