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Comment Subscriptions are the result of EU Court decisions (Score 1) 136

Software Vendors are switching from offering perpetual licenses to subscriptions because the EU stripped them of the right to prevent resale as part of the software license agreement. It is hard to survive when software prices are anchored at low values which are unsustainable in a market where vendors are forced to compete with perfect second hand sales. https://www.computerworld.com/...

Comment Want to fix it? Make down votes cost Reputation. (Score 1) 618

StackOverflow not Racist/Sexist/Ableist. As a middle aged white guy with 35 years experience as a programmer, let me assure you, StackOverflow isn't welcoming to ANYBODY. Every single interaction I've had with the site has been negative. Also, it's not just questions that get beat on, it's answers as well. Nothing like getting crap for answering a question the moderators don't want answered.

Comment Hey Wired - it's the law. (Score 2) 48

" criticing tech companies which 'continue to deny services to Iranians'" Do your research. The Islamic Republic of Iran is one of the countries US companies are forbidden from having business dealings with. If you're unhappy with tech companies not being able to service Iranians, you might want to talk to your representative. Here's a handy list: http://smallbusiness.chron.com...

Comment I used to work on big teams at EA (Score 1) 158

Now I'm building a seamless open world massively multiplayer real time strategy game in the style of Command & Conquer BY MYSELF. How could one guy do that? Dedication and licensed art and sound effects. Big team or little the job is no different. Yes, I should have picked something easier - but what fun would that be?

The Imperial Realm::Miranda: [theimperialrealm.com]

Comment Advice from a math hater (Score 5, Interesting) 656

I hated math in university, I still hate it now, but over a 25 year programming career math has turned out to be the single most surprisingly useful thing I learned in university. Calculus, statistics, trig, I have needed them all in my programming work. I wouldn't have the cool job I have now if I couldn't do the math.

Comment Switching to RSS (Score 2) 2254

I have visited slashdot several times a day for years, but I'm switching to RSS, the new layout is too annoying. I actually took the time to look for a setting to fix the appearance, but there is none. Too much whitespace, not enough contrast, annoying bar at the top, the more stories button messes up constantly, reading a story in a new tab scrolls down automagically, rather than starting at the top. Just so awful. FAIL.
The Almighty Buck

Boy Finds £2.5M Gold Locket With Metal Detector 169

Instead of bottle caps and ridicule from his peers, 3-year-old James Hyatt found a locket worth millions with his metal detector. James and his dad found the gold locket last May in Essex. Since then the 500-year-old treasure has been appraised at around £2.5million. From the article: "James’s father Jason, 34, said: ‘My son is one of the luckiest people ever. If we go to the doctors he’ll put his hand down the side of the sofa and pull out a tenner.’"

Comment Stylus and Touchpad (Score 1) 178

I can't touch a mouse without pain. I've found a touchpad causes the least strain for me. I don't use the buttons, I tap the surface to click. Almost no strain doing that. I can use it all day. I have a synaptics one on a HP Pavilion laptop. I also have a small bamboo stylus which I can use for a couple hours, but if I use it all day it bothers me. Get an ergonomic keyboard like the Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Keyboard for typing. Spend the money on a good chair, like an Aeron. If you can touch type, any typing assistance software is likely a waste of time. Speech recognition is only good if you can talk all day. To see if it will work for you, read a book outloud, see how long you last.
Businesses

EA Shuts Down Pandemic Studios, Cuts 200 Jobs 161

lbalbalba writes "Electronic Arts is shutting down its Westwood-based game developer Pandemic Studios just two years after acquiring it, putting nearly 200 people out of work. 'The struggling video game publisher informed employees Tuesday morning that it was closing the studio as part of a recently announced plan to eliminate 1,500 jobs, or 16% of its global workforce. Pandemic has about 220 employees, but an EA spokesman said that a core team, estimated by two people close to the studio to be about 25, will be integrated into the publisher's other Los Angeles studio, in Playa Vista.' An ex-developer for Pandemic attributed the studio's struggles to poor decisions from the management."

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