Comment TF2 Scout Included (Score 3, Funny) 231
I've heard that the Scout from TF2 will make an appearance... BOINK!
http://williamjudd.com/2009/06/01/left-4-dead-2-announced-scout-from-tf2-to-feature/
Comment Fun Fact (Score 0, Troll) 122
Fun Fact: Every book review posted on Slashdot gives nine out of ten.
Comment Newbie Mistake (Score 5, Funny) 150
You'll never get enough Zealots out with only fifty Gateways...
Submission + - EA: No patches, no support for a 5-month-old game
Xyston writes: It's been five months since the release of EA's Rise of the Witch-King, and fans who were hoping for a patch were let down again this month when the promised patch never materialized. The game, which has been plagued by bugs, cheats and imbalances since its late November release, has become the source of frustration for gamers at several fan communities. While EA programmers admit they've neglected the game in favor of Command & Conquer 3, their last official statement was that a patch "should" have been available weeks ago. Gamers are still waiting.
Submission + - Windows Vista restricts GNU GCC apps to 32 MB RAM
Anonymous Coward writes: "Executable images created for the DOS/Wintel environment (but not employing the Win32 API), using the GNU GCC compilers and language standards, are subject to failure (or performance degradation) when executed in Microsoft Windows Vista, because Vista arbitrarily restricts the memory space for the GCC executable to 32 MB (33,554,432 bytes). Attempts to allocate more memory than this using the malloc(...) function (or related functions, such as calloc(...)) will fail. This limitation applies whether the application is executed with the "Run" command, within a Command Prompt box (DOS box), or with the Start command. This limitation does not appear in Windows XP, Windows 98, or previous versions of Windows and DOS; the exact same executable, running under Windows XP SP2 or Win98SE, is capable of allocating several hundred megabytes of physical memory (if present on the machine). The limitation appears to apply to any compiler and linker not employing Microsoft's proprietary Win32 API.
More: http://www.trnicely.net/misc/vista.html"
More: http://www.trnicely.net/misc/vista.html"
Submission + - Nebraska college to offer creation science class
An anonymous reader writes: Jim Garretson, a science instructor at McCook Community College in Nebraska, plans to offer a course on creation science this fall. The course, 'Physics 2990: Creation Science', will cover such burning issues as "The Garden of Eden and life on earth before the flood and the major changes which have taken place since that time", and "The flood, ice ages, mountain formation, coal and oil formation, and the Grand Canyon".
Will the college's chemistry department offer a course on alchemy? Will the health sciences department explore faith healing and the four humours? Stay tuned!
Will the college's chemistry department offer a course on alchemy? Will the health sciences department explore faith healing and the four humours? Stay tuned!
Submission + - OpenOffice 2.2 Released
xsspd2004 writes: "http://www.desktoplinux.com/news/NS3561829136.html
The OpenOffice.org Community on March 29 announced the release of a major upgrade to OpenOffice: version 2.2. The group claims that with upgrades to its word processor, spreadsheet, presentation, and database software, the free office suite provides a real alternative to Microsoft's recently-released Office 2007 product."
The OpenOffice.org Community on March 29 announced the release of a major upgrade to OpenOffice: version 2.2. The group claims that with upgrades to its word processor, spreadsheet, presentation, and database software, the free office suite provides a real alternative to Microsoft's recently-released Office 2007 product."
Submission + - The mystery of vitamin B12 finally solved
Roland Piquepaille writes: "You probably think that scientists know everything about the common and essential vitamin B12, the only vitamin synthesized by soil microbes. In fact, one part of this biosynthesis has puzzled researchers for at least 50 years. But now, MIT and Harvard biologists have solved this vitamin puzzle by discovering that a single enzyme known as BluB synthesizes the vitamin. So what is the next challenge for the researchers? It's to discover why the soil microorganisms synthesize the vitamin B12 at all, because neither them — nor the plants they're attached to — need it to live. Read more for additional references and a picture of BluB."
Journal Journal: US Air Force Looks to the XBox Generation for Pilots
The U.S. Air Force is creating a new job specialty, UAV pilots. Starting later this year, the air force will recruit people for this job. The details are still being worked out, but it will be an officer position. The army uses NCOs to pilots its UAVs, which are generally smaller than those used by the air force. The new air force program expects to attract those who had applied to be regular pilots, but had been denie
Submission + - Breastfeeding Censorship on Myspace
rogue0208 writes: "http://www.petitiononline.com/Brstfeed/petition.ht ml
MySpace allows pictures of scantily clad women across its site. MySpace also allows images of children in barely there clothes to grace its pages. However, they've been deleting images of women breastfeeding their children. Why? Because they consider it be indecent. Breastfeeding is allowed by law in any public place that a woman is allowed to be in. If every state allows a woman to breastfeed in public without a law being broken, then why does Myspace have an issue with it? Please sign the petition to let MySpace know that what they are doing is censorship."
MySpace allows pictures of scantily clad women across its site. MySpace also allows images of children in barely there clothes to grace its pages. However, they've been deleting images of women breastfeeding their children. Why? Because they consider it be indecent. Breastfeeding is allowed by law in any public place that a woman is allowed to be in. If every state allows a woman to breastfeed in public without a law being broken, then why does Myspace have an issue with it? Please sign the petition to let MySpace know that what they are doing is censorship."
Journal Journal: Who's got the balls to stop a volcano? Java!
Found this story on BBC News http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/6392995.stm, where Indonesian engineers are attempting to plug an erupting mud volcano http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mud_volcano with (up to) 250kg concrete balls connected by chains.
Submission + - Gorbachev condemns Micosoft case
SilentOneNCW writes: "The Soviets have entered the war — well, sort of. The BBC has an article about former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, who has issued a statement on his website condemning Microsoft's prosecution of Alexander Ponosov, a Russian student, and urging Microsoft head Bill Gates to intercede. Mr Ponosov stands accused of running pirated software on school computers, to the total cost of $10,000. The statement reads "we have great respect for the work of Microsoft's programmers... and are in no way casting doubt on the principle of punishment for intellectual property violations. However, in this case we ask you to show mercy and withdraw your complaint against Alexander Ponosov..." He also reminded Microsoft that under Russian criminal law, the teacher could face "imprisonment in the Siberian camps." This statement echoes Russian President Vladamir Putin's comments earlier this week, who said Microsoft should "go after the distributors, not the users," adding that it was "ridiculous to just arrest a chap for using computers.""
Submission + - Interview with flOw composer Austin Wintory
John B writes: "An exclusive interview with music composer Austin Wintory, the creative mind behind the sounds in flOw for the PC and the upcoming PS3 version of the game. Excellent insights into the video game music scene with a few tidbits about the PS3 incarnation of flOw as well."
Submission + - Wii mod chip on developed
supabeast! writes: Maxconsole has an image of the first Wii mod chip installed in a system, the chips can already be purchased from the usual sources.
Submission + - Rodent Game Awards - Results
Richard Koworld writes: "WayoftheRodent Magazine had an awards night: gamers and game-makers mingled and laughed and had a cracking time. The serious business of celebrating a fantastic year of videogaming was achieved and everyone went home with grins the size of Cheshire.
The results are here.
Jez Chubb of EA Criterion: "Genuinely the most enjoyable awards gig I've been to and great to receive praise from people who played, understood and loved our game as much as we did." Veteran games journalist Andy Lowe adds "The best thing was it didn't just feel like some daft fanboy love-in. Beneath the rough 'n' ready vibe, there was a smart, informed, unashamed sense of passion for gaming."
Beneath the raging daftness we wanted to make a serious point — that this was an awards night by gamers, that we played and loved everything nominated and that we believe gamers and game-makers interacting is the way these things should be done. Game BAFTAs? No thanks. Here's Jez Chubb again with the last word "...overwhelmed by the Best Level award. We know you guys played all the games nominated, because we chatted about them all night. I guess that makes you the best qualified judges we know, and we really couldn't ask for a better compliment."
And neither could we.
Cheers, Koworld"
The results are here.
Jez Chubb of EA Criterion: "Genuinely the most enjoyable awards gig I've been to and great to receive praise from people who played, understood and loved our game as much as we did." Veteran games journalist Andy Lowe adds "The best thing was it didn't just feel like some daft fanboy love-in. Beneath the rough 'n' ready vibe, there was a smart, informed, unashamed sense of passion for gaming."
Beneath the raging daftness we wanted to make a serious point — that this was an awards night by gamers, that we played and loved everything nominated and that we believe gamers and game-makers interacting is the way these things should be done. Game BAFTAs? No thanks. Here's Jez Chubb again with the last word "...overwhelmed by the Best Level award. We know you guys played all the games nominated, because we chatted about them all night. I guess that makes you the best qualified judges we know, and we really couldn't ask for a better compliment."
And neither could we.
Cheers, Koworld"
