* Posts by Greg J Preece

2481 publicly visible posts • joined 10 Jun 2009

BBC announces plans to spend your cash on digital goodies

Greg J Preece

Re: On a similar note

Extremely well?

Brits spend one in every 12 waking minutes online, say beancounters

Greg J Preece

Re: Did I miss something

Actually, I did misread "waking" in the title and thought the numbers were very low...

Two years after Steve Jobs' death, how's that new CEO working out?

Greg J Preece

And yet my main reaction to this article was "holy shit, it's been two years since we lost Steve?"

'Safest car ever made' Tesla Model S EV crashes and burns. Car 'performed as designed'

Greg J Preece

Re: I don't think it's fair...

Looking back, that kind of a silly comment. ;-) I was just responding to his earlier post. It's the designers' fault, of course.

Greg J Preece

Re: I don't think it's fair...

It's not fair to mention a thing that happened? He was talking about the firefighters using correct methods at that point, and stating that the battery was hard to extinguish. I'm imagining that blazing petrol-powered cars are also a bastard to put out.

It's the car's fault that it burst into flames, firefighters' initial cockup or no.

Half-Life 3: CONFIRMED?

Greg J Preece

Re: Calling it now:

Why push for 120fps on a TV that can only manage 30fps (60fps interleaved)?

If 120fps is your peak, then your game is very unlikely to visibly lag when the more stressful sections come up. It's amused me for years to hear console manufacturers brag about maintaining a "solid 30fps" in their games.

Greg J Preece

Re: I am both nervous and excited.

I can't imagine that SteamOS won't properly support kb/mouse input for gaming, or that you wouldn't get equivalent functionality installing Steam onto Ubuntu without ever leaving the office.

Greg J Preece

Re: HL3? What's the point?

No, Fallout is a FPS with some scripts.

-SNIP-

OK, well then while you're being a tabletop snob and bragging about your ability to roll dice, why don't you check out the earlier Fallout games, which are isometric, and undeniably RPGs. If you're just going to turn your nose up at what video games have to offer, then go back to the tabletop where we don't have to put up with you. Either way, no-one who actually knows thing 1 about video games is going to class Fallout as an FPS.

Greg J Preece

Re: HL was great, HL2 was

HL2 did the usual sequelitis thing. Make it 'dark'with some confused Eastern European oppressive regime thing.

Because the events of Black Mesa were such a ray of sunshine. That's the game with the alien mind-control invasion and the marine death squads, right?

Greg J Preece

Re: HL3? What's the point?

Fallout is a FPS

...........................................No it isn't. Also, it came out quite a while after HL2.

Greg J Preece

Re: HL3? What's the point?

If HL3 is like HL2 or the mini adventures, then what's the point? It's a long set sequence of shootemups.

You mean Half Life is *gasp* an FPS game? Who knew??

You can't turn right, you can't turn left, and it's practically an interactive movie, but your only dialogue is gun fire.

So it's an FPS game with a good story? You know, just because it's linear doesn't make it bad.

Greg J Preece

I've been saying for donkeys that HL3 is the obvious exclusive to pull people onto SteamBox (and possibly even Linux by extension - wouldn't that be interesting?). Remains to be seen how bold Valve decide to be with this.

Britney-obsessed Ubuntu 13.10 DUMPS X Windows-killer Mir in desktop U-turn

Greg J Preece

Re: Fork, fork. My kingdom for a fork

This coldly explains why there will never be a 'year of the Linux desktop'. There is endless reinvention of things that don't really need reinventing.

You know, you have a very appropriate name..

The reasons Canonical gave for developing Mir are fairly straightforward, and stated in the article. Perhaps you'd like to read it? X works just dandy on the desktop, but desktops are dwindling in market share, and X across devices is a ball-ache, hence Mir.

There will never be a "year of the Linux desktop" (a phrase I've honestly never heard actual Linux users give a shit about) because desktops are ten minutes away from not mattering to most folk.

Windows Phone market share hits double digits in UK and France

Greg J Preece

Re: Tribalism?

You think we're joining the gang because we hope it will make us more popular and better liked? Or that we believe that MS and Nokia really don't deserve to succeed in the light of crimes past?

So in your head downvoting anyone who likes a product simply because the company that made it were once dicks and you don't like them....isn't OTT? MS aren't my favourite company in the world, but I evaluate their products individually, almost like I'm a rational person. I'd much prefer it if Nokia had been allowed to continue their Maemo/MeeGo/Linux nuttery alongside Windows, because that line of phones was superb for me, but none of that makes Windows Phone a bad product, so I'm not going to say that it is.

Greg J Preece

Re: Here we go again

The rest of the day, many more phones on display in larger places. Still didn't see that flash of bright plastic. Still haven't seen one anywhere but TV and the web.

You know you can get them in plain black, right? Mine is.

Greg J Preece

Re: Doing well?

So let me get this right. In the market where it has the best showing, it has just under 10% market share. Therefore in other markets it has a lot less, so overall it's share is less than 10%. This is good?

Are you under the impression that market domination is the only way to be successful?

Ah, why bother? I'd only be arguing with a brick wall. Looking at the number of downvotes I got for saying "Windows Phone is actually alright", the tribalism in the commentard section only ever increases...

Greg J Preece
Thumb Up

Glad to hear it's doing well. Competition in the space is always a good thing, and Windows Phone is very usable, especially for smartphone newcomers. Never mind that, like its desktop compatriot, Windows Phone is bloody fast.

Windows 8 fans out-enthuse Apple fanbois

Greg J Preece

Re: Don't believe it has fanboys

I do not believe anyone likes Windows 8, or more specifically the Metro crap.

*Wave*

On certain devices (not necessarily desktops) Metro is great. You need to get over that.

Travel much? DON'T buy a Samsung Galaxy Note 3

Greg J Preece

This just seems like a backward step as a consumer. Ever since I started buying smartphones 10 years ago, one of the things I've loved about them is their ability to go anywhere, do anything - surely that's the point?

Valve shows Linux love with SteamOS for gamers

Greg J Preece

Re: Steam DRM luv?

Steam doesn't require DRM, genius.

Greg J Preece

Re: OpenGL is now reportedly faster than DirectX

As long as they are not fake improvements. Seen companies "manage" and "massage" figures and systems to give the desired, though not practical, results.

Valve have no interest in doing that, far as I can see. Why piss off your majority Windows base? They did the port of L4D2, optimised it, and it turned out to be 15% faster on Linux.

Greg J Preece

Re: wtf is my cs go

Great Steam but first how about releasing some of your own titles on Linux first like frigging CS GO.

Come on now, that "some of" is unfair and you know it. So far, on my Steam Linux client, I have:

Counterstrike

Counterstrike: Source

Day of Defeat

Half Life

Half Life: Blue Shift

Half Life: Opposing Force

Half Life 2

Half Life 2: Deathmatch

Half Life 2: Lost Coast

Half Life 2: Episode 1

Half Life 2: Episode 2

Left 4 Dead 2 (The latest port/current beta project)

Ricochet

Team Fortress Classic

Team Fortress 2

Are you really going to sit there and tell me they're not putting the effort in?

Greg J Preece

Re: In addition to Steam it's also Linux

Personally I use Windows where appropriate and non-Ubuntu flavours of Linux where appropriate. No need for the raving extreme fanboism.

I use non-Unity flavours of Ubuntu. All of the benefits, none of the crap.

Microsoft relents: 'Go ahead, install Windows 8.1 on clean PCs'

Greg J Preece

Re: Happy Windows 8 user here

The usual commentard herd mentality, I see. Downvoted simply for preferring something. OK, whatever rocks your cocks.

Greg J Preece

People like you are pathetic. I have loads of tech friends and none of them (none of them) would even consider using LINUX in any real capacity.

Programmer over here, real name included. I use Linux every single day for the vast majority of that day. I'm typing from Kubuntu right now. Wouldn't use anything else for my work, and especially not Windows (unless you don't consider working a "real capacity"). I do have Windows on here - Windows 8 in fact - but that's for other uses.

I like the way you put "none of them" in brackets a second time, like on a lyric sheet. Is that an instruction for your backing singers?

Greg J Preece

Happy Windows 8 user here

Even happier that my upgrade to 8.1 will be free. Metro? Barely see it, doesn't bother me. When I'm in Windows it's because there's something there that the Kubuntu installation can't do, and the upgrades in 8 over 7 are worth it for me.

Deep inside the iPhone 5s lurk a few surprises

Greg J Preece

Re: Samsung processor

Yeah, that's probably why Apple are being aggressive patent trolls, to give Samsung free advertising. That, and in an attempt to legally injunct sales of Samsung phone in the USA...but probably more to give them 'free' (as in expensive international lawyer time) advertising, sure.

I don't think he implied that it was intentional on Apple's part...

Meet the Unmagnificent Seven: The critical holes plugged in Firefox update

Greg J Preece

Re: Try and not to be so negative ..

Been meaning to play with WebRTC, and now it's in Firefox I think I might!

Bill Gates again world's richest, tops in US for 20th straight year

Greg J Preece

I'm sensing a lot of butthurt over the notion that wealthy people in capitalist nations might be regarded as successful, rather than scumbags.

FTR, not exactly wealthy myself, but I see that as one more challenge among many, not a perpetual state.

Greg J Preece

If the old saw, "The rich get richer and the poor get poorer" * comes to mind as you read this, your observation is well substantiated by Forbes' survey.

Apart from the second part of it, of course, which isn't substantiated at all.

Congrats to those who mastered the system the rest of us set up. I aspire to your position, rather than merely envy it over a pint glass.

Apple to uncloak new iPads, iMacs at October 15 event?

Greg J Preece

Change processor architectures again? Aren't there still Mac fans out there pissed off about the move to Intel? That's not that long since.

LOHAN doomsday box dubbed BRASTRAP

Greg J Preece

Re: My only worry...

My concern is centred on the well known inability of the male of the species to actually undo the average brastrap.

Speak for yourself, I had that down to a fine one-handed art by the time I got to college. :-p

First rigid airship since the Hindenburg cleared for outdoor flight trials

Greg J Preece

Something about that picture makes me think of Ghostbusters.

For the next photo shoot boys, stand the short one on a box, get his hair cut, and look serious.

Does he not look a bit like Elliot Gould did in Friends?

Opera unveils iPad-only browser

Greg J Preece

No tabs? No dice. Sounds like they stripped it back a bit too far if you ask me.

Canadian family gives up modern tech to live like it's 1986

Greg J Preece

"By removing modern society's amazingly convenient methods of contacting anyone, anywhere, at any time, we're going to make you reconnect with people."

Riiiight. Sounds like another case of Grumpy Old Parents. Woe is me, the world isn't how it was when I was a kid. Nothing should ever change.

Penguins, prepare to get SPACED OUT: Ubuntu 13.10's Mir has docked

Greg J Preece

Re: How much does it cost?

Once again, allow me to point out Snow Leopard, Mountain Lion, Whistler, Project Natal, etc...

Vote NOW to name LOHAN doomsday box

Greg J Preece

I went for BRASTRAP because it just works so well in a sentence.

"LOHAN's lost the plot again."

"OK, pull the BRASTRAP."

Chrome turns five, gains new 'desktop apps'

Greg J Preece

The way I see the progression, Mozzy restarted the browser wars, aiming for useful and easy-to-extend functionality that was missing from the market leader, and forcing the rendering engines to advance along open standards.

Chrome then came along and started a whole new war, based almost entirely around two things: speed, and bleeding-edge support. If nothing else, Chrome made Firefox, IE and every other browser faster. It's not my browser of choice, but you can't deny its impact. Happy birthday, Chrome. You're a buggy little sod, and in your pure Google form I think you're actually rather evil, but I suppose you did some good too. :-p

Xbox One launch date REVEALED - and it's on the 360's birthday

Greg J Preece
Facepalm

Re: Usual Microsoft BS.

Ah, of course, you know better. It's all a conspiracy, clearly.

Incidentally, Penello and the Major have both stated that the Xbox was FCC approved earlier this year. It might have been under a different name, perhaps. Either way, the red label says "do not sell or display before November 22nd 2013". Wanna know how I know that? I clicked the link, genius.

Out of interest, how does one inline-replace images on a Whosay update?

Greg J Preece

Answer me this, can you do any of that with Steam?

Actually, similar things have been proposed and rumbled around Steam for a while now. In fact, people digging around in a recent beta found this:

http://www.pcgamesn.com/steam-might-allow-game-borrowing-says-latest-beta-update

It seems inevitable that they will arrive, especially with other marketplaces starting to provide real competition. Which neatly leads me to...

A purely digital market place would hopefully see game prices come down significantly much like they did on Steam and have on Origin!

Nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnope. Think about it. Xbox would have one marketplace, and you'd be tied to it. What in ten hells is the incentive to reduce prices? Steam, Origin, GoG, GMG, etc reduce prices and flash sale products because they have to compete with each other for your dollar. Steam used to be way more expensive than it is now, but the emergence of other marketplaces led to their aggressive pricing. Now, what competition is there for that on Xbox?

Greg J Preece

Don't know what it's like elsewhere, but here in BC launch orders for the PS4 are just gone, everywhere. Back when the two systems were both detailed at E3, the pre-order slips in Best Buy were nearly full for the Xbox, and nearly gone for the PS4. It's been selling absolute gangbusters, to the point where EB are telling me I might not even get my PS4 in the second batch, let alone the first.

Greg J Preece

Re: Usual Microsoft BS.

1/ PS4 isn'tt hot in it's heels, it launches the week before, so it's actually the other way round. And the PS4 has full functionality in ALL launch teriroties, (Many of the XBox One features are not available in many regions, voice control for instance).

El Reg is based in the UK. The PS4 comes out two weeks later in the UK. Keep up.

2/ It isn't in manufacturing yet. no company would be stupid or desperate enough to start full production without FCC approval. Sony got approved on 22nd July.

Might wanna tell Major Nelson that, because he's posting pics of the things being shipped:

https://twitter.com/majornelson/status/375299181272780800

Greg J Preece

Re: 8 years

I just wonder how Sony are paying for all the advertising they get on EVERY SINGLE XBOX ARTICLE the Reg decides is anti-Microsoft enough to publish.

Oh look, another fanboy accusing El Reg of hating their favourite corporate overlords. Because El Reg never laid into Sony after that whole hacking business, or when Other OS was removed, nooooooooo.

Fuck off.

Greg J Preece

Shame they turned round on the always online thing,

Really isn't.

was looking forward to being able to digitally sell games

Not anywhere near launch you wouldn't.

and borrow digital games from friends.

For an hour.

Seriously, the original plans were some straight up anti-consumer bullshit. Ask yourself this: why would either of the features you've mentioned as benefits (dubious as their apparent implementations were going to be) require the console to constantly check in with MS?

Sysadmins hail Windows Server 2012 R2's killer ... clipboard?

Greg J Preece

Copy and paste? Seriously? Even Virtualbox has had that since forever.

Samsung stakes claim to smartwatch market with Galaxy Gear

Greg J Preece

$300 is too high, unless you're Apple and people expect it to be that high. I like the idea of a "smartwatch" (but not the name), and I wouldn't pay for one that expensive.

iPhone rises, Android slips in US, UK

Greg J Preece

Doesn't surprise me in the least that Windows Phone is on the rise. It's pretty slick, and I think it's really good for people who are new to smartphones, or would use them as feature phones anyway. Wouldn't have one myself, but then as I've said before, I hate pretty much all the currently available glossy candybar crap.

WikiLeaks' Cablegate server touted on eBay for $3k-plus by Swedes

Greg J Preece

Props to El Reg for referring to Chelsea Manning by her name, rather than other rags who have either added a million qualifiers to point out the ooh-err-missus transgender person, or simply refused to call her by her real name.

It's official: Apple sends out invitations for September 10 event

Greg J Preece

It'll be the feckin' watch, and everyone will fall over themselves to ignore anyone who has ever made one previously.

Myst: 20 years of point-and-click adventuring

Greg J Preece

Odd coincidence. Just installed this from GoG last night. Works fine, except the scene transitions don't work, which can be quite disorientating. Wondering if I should just skip to realMyst. Any opinions?