If you don't have access to source, all major BSD's have support for running linux binaries. Can be a bit of work to setup but I've used it successfully for a few things.

Once again with the false assumption that every game on steam is only using steam's DRM system.

I only realize a computer doesn't have Java installed when I try to start Minecraft.

Steam will play in offline mode.

The degree of "play" will depend on the exact title you are using on Steam. For example, some Ubisoft games you'd be out of luck with for offline.

It would be nice if Steam started to play hard with those companies and mandate Steam's DRM only if the game was to be offered on Steam.

The interesting thing about that is the quality has not really dropped by much, not enough to really complain about. I suppose it's due to more use of VBR and multi-pass encoding. I tried to set that stuff up once, it's a pain and (at the time) had a lot more bugs. I suppose it's finally getting a bit more usable.

I'm talking about BEFS... generation hardware, pre-WRT. I think by the time WRT rolled around they finally started to fix some of their garbage.

This was demonstrably false in earlier Linksys "router" hardware. The first "router" I used from Linksys required bi-weekly reboots to function at all. None of the firmware updates improved this, and some releases even made it worse.

Perhaps the quality has improved in later models, I wasn't willing to give it a second chance.

I'll throw in my one minor data point on this, my current video card is a PNY GTX 680 and I've had no issues with this card so far. Doesn't say anything about their production as a whole, but they are capable of making at least 1 functional card. My first few NVidia cards were BFG, which I did have some minor issues with, then I moved on to ASUS before this recent PNY upgrade and those ASUS were pretty good as well.

Unless you happen to be playing Gradius 3, where the code causes the ship to blow up. Based on the design here, that also seems the most likely.

(Note : The code will work using the top flapper L/R buttons on the game, giving near max power-ups)

No, wrong, Carmack has explained the issues involved with ray-tracing at least a dozen times. But clearly since you've worked out a better solution, maybe you should sell it and get rich?

I've had a couple computer cases which I would get cuts from every time I did any serious work on. The cases were OK overall, as long as you didn't open them, just too many sharp spots in too many places. Fortunately my newest cases are a bit better, I don't think I've got bloody from any recent selections.

This is basically how anyone buys RAM these days.

I have given up on SLI, just not worth it. One high end card and basically everything runs at max settings anyway (maybe 1 notch down on AA, whatever) with far less trouble.

Out of date Microsoft hate. A fully updated Vista install with current drivers is roughly equivalent to Windows 7 these days.

Well, for one you don't get the MFC libraries in the express versions. That's probably one of the most significant ones if you are dealing with anything that uses it.

Going forward it's probably not such a huge issue since Microsoft has been trying to transition away from it. I'm not sure what the differences are as far as the new Windows RT in express. I think they are trying to push people into making Metro apps, so the express of 2012 might be geared for just that.

Those purchasing it (assuming that anyone actually has) are probably interested in getting some use out of it. Anyone looking to preserve value in their investment will want as few eyes looking at this as possible.

I'm thinking it's generous to even label EVE Online as being a game. Needs reclassified as something like sci-fi online job simulator.