Windows 7's "xp mode"

So, I hope anyone with a shred of information realizes that if you move to Windows 7 when it is released, you can kiss the ass of most windows XP apps behind. Gamers, you're screwed (techreport link).

FTA:

"Otherwise, the virtual XP desktop behaves pretty much as you'd expect, with a couple of exceptions. There's no explicit way to shut down, and closing Virtual PC will hibernate the image by default. The software also lets you run XP in full-screen mode, but with a little pop-out bar at the top to prevent you from trapping yourself in. Oh, and OpenGL/Direct 3D games don't appear to work."

Whoops. Guess that last line sure is a jiffy, isn't it. There are a lot of things that rely on OpenGL/Direct3d, and none of them However, guess what runs OpenGL/D3D quite well? Linux/wine specifically.

In fact, "XP mode" is really just a virtualization, which is something that has been around for years. It's merely added to the OS to add cost/bloat. Not to mention there are lots of ways to do it that don't require you to have a processor that supports it.

So guess what we're heading towards? If you said "another failed OS release", then you are correct. Basically all the stuff that would work on any OS will work, and anything even remotely more complicated will not run under 7. Gee, aren't you glad you bought another OS for $200 when it comes out?

Also, from the inquirer we have more info of other problems with windows xp mode. Oh don't forget that just like Vista if you want to downgrade you have to pay the full cost first, enabling MS to fill their coffers.

Sometimes, I hope they will embrace open source and stop this crap. Then I remember that even if they do, GPL still lets people charge what they want for the OS - thus meaning that they would still sell it for 200 bucks. Of course, people would have a way to compile the mandated source in about 5 minutes though is the difference. So those paying would basically be paying a stupid tax.

Waterboarding - some humor

Legos, they can do anything ;)

http://www.boingboing.net/2009/04/21/lego-waterboarding.html

ty boing for the laugh.

"We voluntarily censored your internet"

Apparently, BT doesn't like to play the game of doing their job. In the UK, BT has a large share of the mobile business. However, they just made the dumbest mistake ever. They decided to voluntarily filter almost all of the web and requiring an ID to "unlock it". If this happened in the states, people would be quite violent quite quickly. Oh, who did they start with? Piratebay.

Slashdot coverage

PcPro coverage

Honestly, I hope they go out of business for this. Every company that has made cash grabs for MORE money during this business depression/recession deserves to have their upper management fired and/or anything worse that can possibly happen to them.

From the PCPro link:

"The warning page states the page has been blocked in "compliance with a new UK voluntary code"."

Yeah. Bullshit. Serious bullshit. It's like our little "we need more broadband capability" but no mention of all the HD streamed channels which take up more bandwidth than internet users. Yes folks, our magically good broadband bill is a bunch of bullshit. Go look it up.

Oh, so this is why this came around: The "internet watch foundation" has a part in it. This is basically a lobby group owned by copyright industry, under the guise of protecting children and artists. That's right, if your kid paints, he has to be protected by an industry as opposed to a parent.

Demigod - hmm

So for those of you who have checked out demigod, it is quite an entertaining game. This is one of my geek moments where I compare a game to all the cultural stuff out there. For those of you familiar with Dota, that's basically what this is, with a little bit more control and variance. You're still screwed if you die and it's pretty early determined who's winning.

Would I say it's worth 40$? no.

Would it be worth to try and stuff? Sure?

What's the biggest mistake Stardock, one of the smarter companies made? There is no way to download a legit full trial version, since all they have is pirated/legit. No imbetween. Would have been nice to have 1 or 2 weeks of the full game, etc. I mean it's nice to see them not waste their time on DRM, but how about try before you buy? That was kind of, a big issue.

If you can't take the heat, get off the internet

disclaimer: satire, obviously
Apparently two bloggers have been burned, quietly crying while masturbating to the sound of the world's tiniest violin playing, while wearing clown makeup and reciting the names of all the presidents. One was a professor who seems to imply through his writing that has a napoleonic complex, the other a slightly odd individual who apparently doesn't like being a moderator of their own comments.

It all started here: basically a guy got burned badly for that article on fark, for writing something that I don't care to read or evaluate. He responded, of course in what us internet denizens call flameworthy. What was the result? Flames. Clearly this is a difficult formula for a professor. Insult people who insulted you = you just fell for their tricks and incited many more.

Now, a new blog covers that post, and gets flamed by fark. See how they're all linking eachother for traffic, using it to pay for all that clown makeup? This one made a different mistake: they blamed all farkers for the occasional snarky or stupid comment. As we all know, the internet has some smart people, and it has some stupid people. Trying to whine about bad comments is like trying to whine about the anonymity allowed by the first amendment. If you can't deal with it, then get the hell off of this planet. Plenty of people are going to talk crap about you, no matter who you are, and behind your back or right in front of it. No amount of law, procedures, or civility is ever going to fix this, as we are inherently animals at a basic level of instinct. None of that is peaceful, or friendly. Really, we're all a bunch of chimps, albeit Bush is more of a gimp.

So what does this guy do? He says no more comments. Well done, well played. Let us plug our ears and say la la la la la we can't hear you. Reasoned discourse at its finest. Honestly, grow a backbone, deal with the flames, and guess what? People will move on, and/or have interest by replying. Oh, and how long did it take me in comparison to read his article? Minutes. Oh, and here's the fark thread discussing his "no comments", with the most accurate summary of this guy:

"I'm done with this guy now. Let's focus our attention on somebody with tits."

Gov't power abuse? Whoops!

Apparently the CIA waterboarded someone 183 times. Yup. I'm sure the other 182 must have been just as effective.

Remember, we were told that they never waterboarded/it was okay/etc. I'd love to have seen a politician have it done once. I'm pretty sure that would have changed their stance, if they didn't die from it (it can be fatal due to inciting panic/shock).

You stay classy, government.

Original Guardian Link.

piratebay guilty, RIAA in a nutshell

First, an image.

Also, Piratebay has been found guilty of something that I suspect will be easily appealed. Two things are of significance: 1: no Punitive (punish) charges have been made. Second: the charge was "assisting in making copyright content available" (linked from torrentfreak). Guess how well that's gone in the US? Boingboing has coverage as well as probably every news site out there.

I expect an appeal instantly, for the most part. I hope people sign up for the VPN service for now as it would also give them an easier avenue to gather the money needed for appeal.