Forgot your password?

Comment: Re:tl;dr stfu foad lrn 2 troll n00b (Score 1) 201

by pcolaman (#45695477) Attached to: Under the Hood of SteamOS

I could care less what Slashdot likes to hear, and I've spent a good chunk of my life using Windows OS's so I don't say any of this easily, but I'm becoming more and more disenfranchised by the direction in which Microsoft is taking their platform. It feels very much like they are trying to put their own spin on iOS in Windows 8 and that's not a good thing. The whole idea of the IBM-compatible PC (I think a lot of people forget that what is considered the modern PC was a knock off of what IBM was trying to do in the 80's with their platform) is an open platform with software that was meant to allow users to run what they wanted and not be locked down to specific hardware. The direction that MS is taking Windows seems to be drifting away from that, and the fact that they are even making a piece of their own hardware (the Surface) tells me that they are not content with just making an OS. Not only that, but have you used Windows 8, really? It is the most unusuable piece of crap in the Metro interface mode. The fact that they had to release 8.1 to keep people from abandoning ship tells me all I need to know really.

Trust me, I never thought I'd even consider abandoning Windows, and that's coming from someone whose first two forays into programming involved QBASIC (based of course on BASIC) and C++ on Visual Studio 6, so I can say with certainty that I'm no Linux shill. That being said, Ubuntu 12 and 13 have been by far the best experience I've had with an OS outside of Windows 7, which IMO is the pinnacle of what Microsoft has done with an OS. I'm going to stick with Windows 7 as my Windows of choice until MS either corrects the mistake that is Metro or they drop support for 7 at which point I'll probably go Linux completely and just use Wine when I absolutely need to run a Windows program

Comment: Re:tl;dr stfu foad lrn 2 troll n00b (Score 3, Interesting) 201

by pcolaman (#45692931) Attached to: Under the Hood of SteamOS

You said it much better than I could ever have hoped to. I've been a big Windows guy since 3.1 (maybe partially because for a while I didn't know any better) but lately Windows 8 has made me realize that Windows 7 will probably be the last version I will have installed on any of my systems voluntarily. I have a Win8 laptop (preinstalled) that I now have dual boot with Ubuntu 13.10 and I have considered more than once wiping Win8 off and making it a completely Ubuntu laptop. Seeing SteamOS has made me an even bigger believer in what Valve is doing for PC gaming because as far as I can tell, Microsoft is the worst enemy to the PC as a gaming platform and that's only going to get worse.

Perhaps this is partially to help push the XB1 forward as a "better choice" than the PC for gaming. Perhaps it's just ineptitude on Microsoft's part. Probably it's a bit of both. But either way, I think as my children get older and I start teaching my kids how to code and how to work with computers at a deeper level than launching netflix and playing plants vs. zombies that it'll be primarily with some sort of *nix based system (not Mac OS X though, they've just become overpriced PC's with specialized software). As a matter of fact, my goal is by the time my kids are over 10 they'll know how to write basic C programs and use make along with gcc, and they'll feel as comfortable using terminal as they will using a GUI.

Comment: Re:To make HW mfrs' lives easier (Score 2) 201

by pcolaman (#45692913) Attached to: Under the Hood of SteamOS

Actually they are trying to pull people over to the "PC" from being console only by making an OS that mimics closely the experience of a console for PC games. So it is in their best interest to make it outwardly as easy to use and setup as possible, while still giving power users access to what's under the hood.


by pcolaman (#38980739) Attached to: TomTom Satnavs To Set Insurance Prices

I'm pretty sure that forcing you to use this would be a violation of your right to privacy. At least in the USA. Then again, the way our government is headed, it could very well be that laws will be attempted to be passed to allow for some such requirement. Seriously, I'm starting to not recognize the country I live in, I thought this was the land of the free, not the land of let the government get into every aspect of monitoring and controlling my life. Of course, now the ultra liberal nuts will bombard this post with replies of "You crazy republican fear monger." Excuse me for actually not wanting the government to do something it was never intended to do, while ignoring the reasons it was established in the first fucking place.

Comment: Re:I'd start by shooting the Captain.... (Score 2) 416

by pcolaman (#38760492) Attached to: What To Do With a 1,000 Foot Wrecked Cruise Ship?

You are a moron. Sully not only saved his passengers, he was the last dude off the plane after double checking to make sure everyone else was off, and even grabbed the maintenance log book before leaving. This fucker didn't even wait until his hot pocket came outta the Captain's Microwave before bailing.

Comment: Re:and the saddest thing (Score 1) 804

by pcolaman (#37372706) Attached to: Marking 10 Years Since 9/11/2001

Good Lord, you think China is in on the plot of some goatherders that got you to your knees? Gotta nuke the goats, else China is getting uppity? Small tip - seek medical help. Not everyone is out to get you. Basically, everyone wants to be left alone by the likes of you. I hear we have decent medication to alleviate the symptoms of paranoia these days.

Brush up on history and the politics of China in reference to Taiwan (aka Republic of China) before you go spouting off. He wasn't referring to anything having to do with a plot involving China. He was discussing a very real and long standing issue between China and Taiwan, and China's willingness to perhaps settle the issue if they smelled blood in the water.

I'm going to attempt my best to give you a very brief history lesson here. Okay, so a long time ago (see also, shortly after World War II, although it started before WWII) the end of the Chinese Civil War resulted in a split between mainland China (which was taken control of from the at that time present government) by essentially the Communist Party. The government that had been overthrown moved to Taiwan and although this is very simplified, essentially the Peoples Republic of China (what we know of as China) claims the Republic of China (Taiwan) as a part of their sovereign land. We recognize both countries, but also recognize (and have pledged strongly to defend) the right of Taiwan to remain a separate country.

Now one of the reasons that China, who very easily could overthrow Taiwan if they threw their might against them, doesn't invade is because of the United States, or more specifically, the US Navy and US Air Force. The US Navy 7th Fleet is specifically designated to defend both South Korea and Taiwan in similar situations of an ally democratic nation against a nation that desires to reunify them (see also, invade and conquer). In addition, the US Air Force has an AFSOG (Special Ops) and F-15 fighter wing designated for defense of our interests in Southeast Asia in Japan (specifically, Kadena Air Base).

I tell you all of this to illustrate what parent tried to get across and what you missed. That it's more about projection of power than power itself. A big reason why WWIII never happened is because of projection of power. In a sense, Ronald Reagan helped peace in the 80's by mounting huge pressure on the USSR while increasing military capabilities exponentially. A lot of times, you can convince a mighty power like China to keep from doing whatever they want just simply by talking big and putting your chips on the table. If they smell weakness, however...

Comment: Re:He just made one mistake (Score 2) 804

by pcolaman (#37372518) Attached to: Marking 10 Years Since 9/11/2001



Yeah and that porous border is what helped Seal Team Six sneak into Pakistan and put one into Osama's skull and then get back out before the Pakistani's even knew we had knocked on the door. While a situation like what currently exists in Afghanistan and Pakistan is not ideal for regular troops, it's a dream come true for Special Forces. For every operation like the one to get Osama, there are a dozen or more other operations that never make the news, or get explained away simply as random drone attacks that are put together by the likes of the Seals, Special Ops, and Delta Force. In this day and age, some of the best military actions are coming from the special forces community, not your line soldiers.

Comment: Re:Not the wind (Score 1) 426

by pcolaman (#37261648) Attached to: When Did Irene Stop Being a Hurricane?

Lived in the Rocky Mountains for a time (and near the German Alps). Yes, have heard of them, thanks for being curious though. Doesn't change the fact that I can say with a certainty that what you experienced wasn't near what you would have had it been more than a category 1, regardless of where the fuck you live. And I hear most of the bitching coming from people around the Virginia coastal areas and NYC, both of which are hardly mountainous regions.

p.s. - you really think that standing water is the worst thing that can happen during or right after a hurricane, which is why I know you don't realize the bullet that was dodged this past week. Had Irene barreled in with 130mph winds, you would've felt real destructive power. You make the statement you did out of ignorance. Trees don't get knocked over at 130mph. They get shoved through your fucking roof, and tornadoes spawn in your yard. And 20+ foot storm surges wipe out homes within a reasonable distance of the coast. Buildings not build for hurricanes get pulverized. Etc. Bitching about standing water after a hurricane is like bitching about the heat after a volcano eruption. You are missing the fucking point.

Comment: Re:Media Hype(rcane) (Score 1) 426

by pcolaman (#37253164) Attached to: When Did Irene Stop Being a Hurricane?

SW Florida has Pensacola NAS and Eglin AFB, two of the most important military bases in the US Navy and US Air Force, respectively. And quite a large military population down here. Although you do have a point, there is quite a large redneck population that we have to tolerate as well. They are what we like to refer as Operation Human Shield when the storms roll through. Why do you think we let them put the trailers near the water. It helps shield our houses.

Those pussies in NYC panicking was amongst the most hilarious things I've ever seen before the arrival of a Hurricane.
