665ba91093c13

Post Reply

Your name:
Subject:
Message Icon:

Verification:
This box must be left blank:

A familiar passcode with 3 digits:

Shortcuts: Alt+s to submit/post; Alt+p to preview


Topic Summary

Posted by: Nameless Voice
« on: Today at 20:02:20 »

If you want to use a Linux that acts a lot of like Windows, with a similar (but better in some ways) UI, then you should use Linux Mint.  Get the version with the Cinnamon desktop.

It's great for anything non-game-related.  I've been using it at work for years.

Sadly, Linux has issues with gaming, and especially with game development (still no proper launcher/installer/Marketplace for Unreal Engine on Linux), so I've never been able to use it full time for my own PC.
Posted by: JDoran
« on: Today at 15:38:01 »

one of the things I really like about this forum is that there is pretty much no politics.

Is that a subtle hint that we should stay away from the subject of politics?  :thinking:

You are right though, political discussions often turn nasty, and never result in anyone involved changing their own viewpoints. So let's leave Trump and other political stuff out of this forum. Until SHOWDAN takes over the world, then politics will be a relevant subject here again.

Though not for long, if Microsoft created her. Then we'd have no worries, because SHODAN won't even be able to copy a file without blues-screening and allowing for a simple hack that would allow a white hat hacker to gain full access and control over the formerly evil A.I.
Posted by: JDoran
« on: Today at 15:28:18 »

Regarding Linux, if nothing else, I might end up dual-booting Linux and Windows 10. I never play video games online, so if I keep Windows 10 offline, then I can play all of my Window games (and offline Windows programs) without problems, And for anything involving the internet, I can safely use Linux.

Or, given how unpopular Windows 11 is, then perhaps some talented Windows 10 users can come up with a safe and easy way to keep Windows 10 secure when Microsoft abandons it, so we can just stick with the lesser rubbish of the two Windows versions. And yes, I know that I used the word's 'secure' and 'Microsoft' in the same sentence.

Or I might bite the bullet and read up on how best to use a purely Linux solution. I don't even know which of the four zillion Linux versions to use yet, but no doubt some people have put together a few that mimic the Windows experience (minus the data-mining, updates that stop your hardware from working, and the way Windows seemingly alters it's own settings at random) to ease the user's migration from Windows to Linux. And yes, even at the most optimistic, there will still be some Windows programs that won't work well on Linux, but  I don't tend to use unusual programs, just a web browser (Brave, at the moment), office software (Libre Office is fine), a stack of third party programs that compensate for Windows' lack of decent functions, a relatively simple graphical editor, a music player, a video player, etc.

I doubt any of this stuff is lacking in the Linux world. As long as my games (most of which are not open source, of course) can be made to run under Linux (which is allegedly the case now), then moving to Linux should be very rewarding.
Posted by: voodoo47
« on: Today at 15:14:03 »

one of the things I really like about this forum is that there is pretty much no politics.
Posted by: JDoran
« on: Today at 14:53:20 »

I really can't see Trump spending even one minute in prison. He's a life-long criminal and conman, he's even been found guilty of rape, incited an insurrection, and stolen military nuclear secrets (and has probably sold/given US military secrets to enemies of the US, resulting in the deaths of many US agents abroad) yet he's still free and allowed to roam about as he wishes. The traitors who he incited to try to overthrow democracy are locked in prison, whilst Trump himself plays golf and lives in luxury.

Trump is just one more example, albeit a phenomenally overblown and unique example, of how the law treats people according to their wealth, power, and influence.
Posted by: fox
« on: Yesterday at 16:49:26 »

Black Lotus Labs (owned by Lumen Technologies, a Windstream-competitor): The Pumpkin Eclipse
Lumen Technologies’ Black Lotus Labs identified a destructive event, as over 600,000 small office/home office (SOHO) routers were taken offline belonging to a single internet service provider (ISP). The incident took place over a 72-hour period between October 25-27, rendered the infected devices permanently inoperable, and required a hardware-based replacement. Public scan data confirmed the sudden and precipitous removal of 49% of all modems from the impacted ISP’s autonomous system number (ASN) during this time period.

600.000 destroyed routers in 72h and the ISP in question, Windstream, isn't commenting on it - at all.
Posted by: fox
« on: Yesterday at 15:40:47 »

Trump found guilty on 34 counts of paying hush money to Stormy Daniels. Will he go to jail? My money is on a big no.
Or will he go to jail and get elected anyway? Now that would be something. I don't think that this will happen but apparently it would be possible according to US law.
Posted by: voodoo47
« on: Yesterday at 15:05:38 »

my general experience is that full switch to linux in nigh impossible, as there is always that one thing™ that just doesn't work.

Xubuntu on my secondary machine (a thin client converted by a few nonstandard parts, because why would I be running a normal computer if I can do something not intended by anyone), it does what I want it to do, all I had to do is rearrange the desktop panels to get windows-like functionality (start button bottom left, tray bottom right). didn't bother with skins, I don't mind it not looking like windows.

the thin client is tiny, completely silent and eats almost no juice, and I can switch between the computers just by pressing a button on my monitor. I don't mind doing this 'till kingdom come.
Posted by: JDoran
« on: Yesterday at 13:13:41 »

Another reason not to "upgrade" to Windows 11.

Since Windows 7 (by far the best Windows version, if you ask me) was dropped by MS in favour of Windows 8, I have always intended to see about changing to Linux. But laziness, age (I'm no longer as fascinated and keen to learn abut computers as I used to be), and the fact that I need to be very familiar with Windows (I work in I.T. support) have always kept me with Windows.

But Windows 11 might well the over-bloated, personal-data stealing, every software update threatens to knock out a different software function or hardware peripheral, "Your PC and laptop now belong to us [Microsoft], and not you", blending the line between malware and an operating system, anti-consumer Microsoft OS that makes me finally look into, and probably make the switch to, a good and not too technical version of a desktop Linus version.

If someone has put together a desktop version of Linux that functions like, and is controlled like, Windows, and makes running Windows games easy and reliable, then I'd be interested to hear of it. I have read that most Windows games can be made to run well on Linus now, but I can't remember where I read that, can anyone on here summarize the situation, please?
Posted by: icemann
« on: Yesterday at 08:03:23 »

Trump found guilty on 34 counts of paying hush money to Stormy Daniels. Will he go to jail? My money is on a big no.
Posted by: Join2
« on: Yesterday at 06:29:06 »

I've not played it but it can't be worse than Oblivion and Skyrim...can it? Those games are blandness personified. Blows my mind they're so popular. The content gets stale and you notice the mindless repetition FAST, balance gone to shit in no time at all, the only soul in the entire games come from Jeremy Soule.
Posted by: sarge945
« on: 28. May 2024, 14:28:07 »

Bethesda games are overall getting less unstable, which is good, but the overall quality of the rest of their work has absolutely plummeted.

Starfield was a total wet fart and I don't think Bethesda can recover from it.
Posted by: icemann
« on: 25. May 2024, 08:42:28 »

Couldn't possibly be used for ransomware style stuff. Right? Right?

Whoever came up with that stupendously idiotic idea has too much time on their hands. Another reason not to "upgrade" to Windows 11.
Posted by: ZylonBane
« on: 24. May 2024, 22:49:24 »

"Recall" is that you do to things that are defective.
Posted by: Nameless Voice
« on: 24. May 2024, 21:30:17 »

Giving Microsoft a complete history of everything you do on your computer? That couldn't possibly be abused for fraud, blackmail, or large-scale population suppression.
Posted by: fox
« on: 24. May 2024, 16:20:05 »

Switching to something Linux- or Unix-based is probably becoming unavoidable at some point in the very near future. Having some prior experience, I feel no enthusiasm for it whatsoever, no matter how usable it became. Sure has its pros but the days of me actually wanting to tinker and learn OS-related stuff are long gone. I just want it to do its job with minimum hassle and without betraying me.

Also: RIP Kabuso!
Posted by: voodoo47
« on: 24. May 2024, 15:46:34 »

eeeh I've already been using linux for everything but forums, games and Dark Engine modding. so, whatever?
Posted by: fox
« on: 24. May 2024, 15:20:58 »

Apparently MS is gradually introducing a "service" called 'Recall'. What it does is taking a screenshot of your screen every 5 seconds, store it, index it and make it searchable via MS's AI 'Copilot'.

Sounds like a great idea, right?!


Posted by: voodoo47
« on: 08. May 2024, 19:58:19 »

so I've watched a (new) FO4 playthrough for a bit;

-yes, all the annoyances are still there, Bethesda don't care
-people who just do not save are not exclusive to the SS2 environment
-the ability to continuously ignore all attempts of the game to teach the player how to work the mechanics is not rare

not getting into that anytime soon.
Posted by: icemann
« on: 04. May 2024, 05:02:39 »

Fallout 4 is a mixed bag. The combat is great, the world is quite large and there's heaps of content. On the other hand a lot of the RPG stuff was removed such as:
* Actual choices in conversations
* Stats and skills giving additional conversation options
* Skill System
* Ability to play how you want, and be the type of character that you want to be. Good, neutral or bad.

For a far superior Fallout experience I'd recommend New Vegas preferably with the 3 fan made expansions + Tale of Two Wastelands mod to combine the game with Fallout 3. Far better experience of the wasteland.
Plus lots more.
Posted by: fox
« on: 03. May 2024, 14:40:52 »

I don't remember FO4 being too buggy but of course it's a Bethesda game, so only relatively speaking. Most complaints I have heared were about it being too streamlined into shooter territory which is partially true but I still had lots of fun exploring it. To be honest, I might have enjoyed the action-oriented aspects of the gameplay more than with FO3 or NV because of it and I also enjoyed the less depressing, technically updated, look. The main story was weak as usual for the Bethesda FOs and compared to New Vegas but that came expected and is not really a problem for me, as there's enough good side stuff and environmental environmental storytelling to keep me interested.

I stayed away from Fallout 76 because people made fun of its buggy state (and the lack of NPCs) for quite a while but when I tried it a year or two ago, it seemed ok (relatively speaking again).

I ended up enjoying the first season of the new show too. The first two or three episodes are mostly for establishing the setting. They competently captured and recreated the tone of the Bethesda-FOs to a degree that positively surprised me although some of the characters and/or their actors really rubbed me the wrong way (like Maximus). Walton Goggins, on the other hand, is excellent. Once the story starts to unfold after those initial episodes, things start to get interesting on a less superficial (pun not intended) level, too. I'm happy to know that another season is in the works. Potentially the first show/movie based on a game franchise that I can really enjoy (although I have yet to watch The Last Of Us).

I'm not sure how appealing the Fallout-world really is to the broader mainstream audience but I guess the red scare / nuclear holocaust themes are striking a nerve these days. Maybe that specific combination with retro-scifi, fantasy and dark humor does too. The timing could be just right for this.
Posted by: Nameless Voice
« on: 03. May 2024, 14:04:18 »

I seriously doubt they've fixed the painfully awful writing.
Posted by: voodoo47
« on: 03. May 2024, 11:48:29 »

..and Fallout, Fallout everywhere. well, better than infected hooves, I suppose.

was thinking maybe I should give FO4 another whirl, but then remembered how I just got fed up with all the bugs and missing/broken mechanics, and all the mods that fixed the bugs and mechanics, only to introduce new bugs, so you would have to get more mods to fix those, and so on..

so I think I'm good - but I guess no harm in asking, did Bethesda fix anything in the last decade?
Posted by: voodoo47
« on: 18. March 2024, 23:21:28 »

..facebook today - here is all the AI generated porn that exists.
porn isn't good
I shouldn't have said that, I should not have said that..
Posted by: Nameless Voice
« on: 08. March 2024, 02:00:43 »

Wasn't that always the case?

I'm reminded of this old Monty Python song:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8ANSnM-vRE
Posted by: icemann
« on: 08. March 2024, 01:51:21 »

... wait, are people seriously complaining that music is bad now because it's less acceptable to randomly hate on gay people?  That's a pretty weird criteria for sure.

I wasn't meaning that that made the music bad or good. More just was stating of how more sanitised what is played on the radio has become nowadays.
Posted by: voodoo47
« on: 07. March 2024, 18:28:51 »

Wow you are old.
yes. sometimes it feels like I'm knocking on heaven's door.

no need to apologize - not limited to AC/DC of course, that was just an example showing where approximately the bracket lies. also, game soundtracks.
Posted by: Join2
« on: 07. March 2024, 17:43:10 »

I wouldn't know, I think I'm good with finishing this ride listening to AC/DC.

Wow you are old.

I am not much a fan of hard rock I guess. I like rock and metal/heavy metal, but hard rock rarely sounds exceptional me. Good yes, but wow I could listen on repeat, no. AC/DC are ok. KiSS suck. Ozzy Osborne meh. Guns & Roses meh. Motorhead is quite badass though.

Sorry bro. Still, I'll take it over modern crap anyday and they made GREAT backing tracks to many classic american action movies.
Posted by: Nameless Voice
« on: 07. March 2024, 16:43:14 »

It'd odd, I hadn't even really noticed it - shops used to play music, but now they rarely do.  Can't think of any shops I've been in recently where I've heard music, other than the inescapable Christmas music around December.

I'm not a heavy shop person, the main shops I'd be going to be would be supermarkets to buy groceries, and they don't play music.
But also other shops I've been in don't generally play music, or if they do, it's very quiet.

Might be because you need a licence to play music in a public premises here, and I remember that was costly for a small business back in the day.

Pubs tend to have music (usually much too loud), but it's generally older stuff or traditional, rather than anything modern / popular.
Posted by: voodoo47
« on: 07. March 2024, 16:32:53 »

I wouldn't know, I think I'm good with finishing this ride listening to AC/DC.
Posted by: Join2
« on: 07. March 2024, 16:00:48 »

Lol how are you guys avoiding the radio? Never leave the basement? I am partialy joking but to me that seems like the only way to avoid it!

Retail stores? Radio. Someone else's car? Radio. Work? Depends on the establishment. Luckily, not for me. But I still can't escape the damn cursed airwaves.
Gym they play not the radio, but their own playlists which often contain pop music from a few years back, mumble rap, other worthless crap like super generic dance.

... wait, are people seriously complaining that music is bad now because it's less acceptable to randomly hate on gay people?  That's a pretty weird criteria for sure.

Who...said that?

Edit: oh icemann. Yeah I don't really want anti LGBT stuff on the radio. Don't want pro stuff either though. Dont want immodest sexual shit, period. If there exists pro, then I advocate for anti too. So there.
Posted by: Nameless Voice
« on: 07. March 2024, 15:56:21 »

I kind of want to steal this emoji     hackery.

Do people actually still listen to the radio?  I thought everyone just used music streaming services these days?


... wait, are people seriously complaining that music is bad now because it's less acceptable to randomly hate on gay people?  That's a pretty weird criteria for sure.
Posted by: Join2
« on: 07. March 2024, 15:54:31 »

Epilepsy warning for the video also.

Ear violation warning too. That's some excessive reverb on the vocals.
Posted by: voodoo47
« on: 07. March 2024, 15:42:42 »

Code: [Select]
[emoji=Wilted Flower][youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOPoysfnE68[/youtube][/emoji]
Posted by: icemann
« on: 07. March 2024, 15:37:50 »

Something funky is going on with that video link. Not seen a video without even being clicked on, pulse like that on the forums here before. Epilepsy warning for the video also.
Posted by: voodoo47
« on: 07. March 2024, 15:37:35 »

ok, wrapping a youtube vid with the emoji code is freaky.
Posted by: tiphares4
« on: 07. March 2024, 15:34:48 »

Posted by: icemann
« on: 07. March 2024, 15:33:40 »

I agree somewhat with the above, though not the fellatio bit. Definitely far less instruments, more woke and less allowances of non-left aligned stuff in the lyrics (eg no anti-LGB of the like that Eminem often did, and even earlier on Guns'n Roses did as well). I definitely agree on there being less innuendo or modest sexiness (eg Madonna's 90's stuff) and far more direct just going full or very close to full nudity (eg Cardi B or Megan Thee Stalion, whose music is pretty much porn and you find actual porn versions on pornhub of some of their songs).
 
Though this is all "mainstream" radio, and not all music. If you delve into the more underground radio stations then you'll find FAR more variety. Progressive rock for example and metal are still going strong, just not on mainstream radio.

As for older artists, some are still at it. It just never makes it onto the radio for some odd reason. If you look to Spotify or similar then you'll often find new albums etc from the older bands and singers.
Posted by: Join2
« on: 07. March 2024, 14:44:04 »

In almost every music video I watch there are the same few comment types on top. There is "Still vibing to that song in 2021!" and "They don't make them like that anymore." and finally "This used to be my father's favourite song. Reminds me of long car rides we shared. I miss him so much."

The first is a transparent attention grab, it happens for any year as long as the video gets enough views. The second is the only one of the 3 that's probably genuine, because it's such a common misconception that the music of your youth was the best, whether that was 50 years ago or 5. It is only the last of these that I wasn't sure about. I kept finding this type again and again though, always highly rated.

It absolutely IS a common misconception. Ask anyone, their favorite is from ages 0-25 or so. Makes perfect sense. That was when everything was fresh, they had their first crush, their first concert, whatever.
But now, the misconception ends. Mainstream music is now heavily degenerate, talentless, FAR less diverse, lack of instruments involved = less skill honing, practice, feedback and innovation among a group. And speaking of groups (a composer, songwriter, and singer in this example), they're disjointed. Don't even work in the same room. Don't even need to know how to read music. They even did a study proving modern mainstream music was more repetitive and stupid on the whole (comparing word count, vocabulary and such).

The artists these days are often hired not for their musical talent also, but for alternate concerns. Their ability to give fellatio, lack of principles (readily "sell their soul" to do whatever the record label asks), because they're a looker and that sells tickets to teenage girls...because they will dress as a devil, talk about sex in clear English (old music almost always used innuendo instead so they were not understood by the young),  spread degeneracy and corrupt the youth and the easily influenced (women more so than men, matter of factly).

Think of how many older artists there were back in the day, even on the radio. Where are old artists on the radio now? NON EXISTENT.  They're old and ugly, and have old-fashioned principles. They are relegated to doing tours and small time venues. There was tons of ugly artists in general too. Again, pretty much phased out now outside of rare exceptions. It's not about the music anymore.

I could go into far more detail, but I should start charging.
Posted by: icemann
« on: 07. March 2024, 02:58:58 »

It is a thread about ranting or blabbing about the random stuff that interests you.
Posted by: fox
« on: 06. March 2024, 17:46:04 »

Random stuff. Pretty self-explanatory: random stuff that you'd like to share but you don't feel like it merits a dedicated thread.
Posted by: Xkilljoy98
« on: 06. March 2024, 17:29:11 »

I see this thread get replied to sometimes and I don't even know what it is about
Posted by: icemann
« on: 25. February 2024, 07:43:29 »

Definitely would be IMO.
Posted by: voodoo47
« on: 24. February 2024, 21:07:27 »

..so I've caved in and let the phone be signed into a gmail account permanently. not the main one of course, just the backup account I use for file storage only
getting a fair amount of "make me an editor" requests for files where it makes no sense for anyone to have full permissions (the Rebirthed cutscene, for example). ignoring them completely of course, but is this some kind of attack attempt, I wonder.
Posted by: icemann
« on: 11. February 2024, 07:16:05 »

For sure. Personally just being able to watch Youtube on my tv is quite handy.

Only way I was able to do that prior was hooking up the old PS3, which came with a Youtube app.
Posted by: sarge945
« on: 11. February 2024, 00:03:40 »

Our tv is the first "smart tv" that we've owned. Had to sign in to Google account for Google Home. Quite good having access to all the apps and Youtube. Gave me a reason to actially turn the tv on beyond watching the news each day.

Now just wait for the ads to start showing up on your dashboard after a "critical security update".

I like the premise of smart TVs, being able to watch content from various internet sources easily. The problem is that everything with "Smart" in the name will eventually be used against you.

At my old place, I had a PC hooked up to my TV and did most things that way, so that I could use adblocker and such. But I get the appeal of the simplicity of just buying a TV, plugging it in, and having it all ready to go. Just be careful and make sure to always have a contingency plan for when the inevitable happens.
Posted by: voodoo47
« on: 10. February 2024, 09:21:47 »

I don't have a tv. if I need stupid and annoying the internet can provide just fine.
Contact SMF 2.0.19 | SMF © 2016, Simple Machines | Terms and Policies
FEEP
665ba91094d71