One geeks thoughts on the geekeries of the world.
Archive for the ‘Computers’ Category.
I’ve been embroiled in this constantly recurring debate over whether or not PC gaming is dead or dying. This entry is not about that continuing discussion, but rather a related idea that came to me while in the shower today. No, I’m not lying. I actually thought of this in the shower. Continue reading ‘A Nothing Emulator’ »
You may recall a previous blog post I made about games using AJAX. Web pages with the ability to read and write to databases via XML and update the display without reloading allow for the possibility of games that work in any web browser without plug-ins or large bandwidth consumption. But the games would still be limited to what you can draw using CSS and HTML. Thanks to the new canvas element in the newest versions of Firefox and Safari this is no longer a limitation.
Over the weekend I rebuilt the software on my computer. I reinstalled Windows XP, as is necessary once in awhile. Windows for me now is just a Steam machine, so hopefully it will be a long while before I do this again. Luckily the legally free key I got in college is still good, and I didn’t even have to call in to MS to re-activate. Two things were finally fully confirmed for me during this install. First, Windows performance does indeed degrade over time. The older the install of Windows is, and the more it is used, the slower it gets. Secondly, a completely unpatched Windows XP is wicked fast. Every layer of updates you apply makes it slower. But I guess you have no choice if you don’t want to be hacked to bits. If you have Windows only to play single player games I highly suggest you disable all networking and use the original unpatched XP.
I’m in the midst of a computer build-fest. I built a server to provide internal services to our home network, a media center PC for the living room and a new desktop for my parents. There are lots of computer parts flying around my house. It’s a geek paradise.
Sometimes it is hard to believe that in this crazy world someone can need a product that doesn’t exist. It’s even harder when it is quite obvious that we possess the technology and the means to create such a product. Well, today is the day. To my absolute shock and amazement I cannot find a computer product to fit my needs.