This is kind of a little secret in the video game industry, but there is a message board where a majority of developers, publishers, and journalists go to discuss the latest in video games, and, a message board prerequisite, whatever crosses their mind.
The message board has rarely been mentioned in the "open", but, I've been following the clues for a long time. Most of them came from PC Gamer's Gary Whitta, leaving clues in his columns, and just this past week, I finally discovered this forum.
The admin of the forum says in his rules post, "Finally, although we welcome everyone, this is a forum composed largely of people in the industry: press, publishers, developers, and PR folks, many of whom openly identify themselves as such."
Holy crap! Being a young man who hopes to work one day in the technology (maybe video games) industry, this seems like an almost mythical place. I mean, some of the biggest names in the gaming industry openly frolic in the posts, spouting their personal e-mail and their Xbox Live gamer tag everywhere. Some, even act like little kids and annoy the others with their poor spelling and childish antics.
I mean, I was browsing and thread, and I realized that one of the posts was written by J Allard. J *freaking* Allard, Microsoft VP, head of the Xbox and Zune projects.
Well, about half way through browsing through this little treasure island, I get hit with an idea. What if I put it on Digg.
"Secret Message Board used by Game Developers, Publishers and Journalists!" Of course, I could be overreacting when I assume it would get thousands of Diggs.
This is a moral delimma? Do I enjoy this little insider's peak into the gaming world, or do I bust it on Digg, get 15-minutes of Digg fame, and ruin the forums when everybody knows about it.
Oh boy. The problems with being a blogger.... :(
Hmmmm....
When I plug my USB keyboard into my Windows PC, it takes roughly 5-10 seconds for Windows XP to recognize the keyboard, and then boot up the drivers for it. When I plug my USB keyboard into my Xbox 360, the integrated verison of Windows CE instantly recognizes it, and I can start typing right away.
Shouldn't the fully functioning verison of Windows let me use the keyboard faster? Oh well. Has are the mysteries of life.
Today was my first day back to school in 11 days (holiday break), and my eyes were really opened to two new tech revolutions. For the sake of entertainment, I've written them in skit-script style formatting. Both stories are true.
Morning Annoucement Lady: Mr. Hart is planning a school podcast to keep South students informed on activites and fun things to do in the school. If you would like to help in the podcast, please contact Mr. Hart at hart@school.edu.
Kid 1: Whats a podcast?
Me: Ah! The school finally has a podcast-...
Kid 2: Podwhat?
Girl: Pod...cast?
Teacher: Its some internet thing. I've seen it before in Newsweek.
Me: Ah, yes! Podcasts! Well, they're like internet radio. They're neat.
Girl: Podcast? Those dumb things in iTunes?
Kid 1: Whats a podcast?
Me: (sigh)
So, I guess podcasting isn't has mainstream has I hoped or thought. Has for helping with my school's podcast, I'm not really interested, even though it might be fun and provide good experience, plus I can play Leo and edit it up with some jazzy music. I'll have to give it thought.
The next one took place later. My friend Adam, carries around a CD player, and has always admired my iPod.
Adam: Hey Kev, guess what I got for Christmas.
Me: What? An iPod? Congrats man!
Adam: No, I got something better. Its called a Zune!
Me: Oh god, Adam, Zunes are....
Adam: No, its sweet. Its got 30 gigs, it has a big screen, and can play video.
Me: Yeah, but its ugly and big and-...
Adam: My brother has one too. We can trade songs!
Me: But, yeah, the DRM-...
Adam: They've even got this music store. I might buy some music instead of getting CD's.
I was very critical of the Zune when it came out, but now, I've changed my opinion. My friend Adam, who has never owned a MP3 player, buys CD's and rips them to MP3, and doesn't use iTunes, loves his Zune. Its fantastic for him. I think, in my power user mentality, I've written off the Zune. For me, getting a Zune would be horrible. I couldn't stand the DRM, I wouldn't use the URGE music store. However, my friend Adam, he loves it, and he talks about it the same way I talked about my iPod when I first got it.
This brings up a story, my Dad knows a commerical airline pilot. One time, at a football party, he complained and complained about flying an Airbus A320. He didn't like it, said the Airbus "handled like sh*t". But to us passengers, the Airbus A320 is no different from a Boeing 747. This must be what my friend Adam is experiancing. He loves his Zune, and can't tell the difference between the Zune and the iPod, but, his nerdy friend Kevin is going on and on about terms he doesn't know, like DRM, podcasting support, and other things.
To pilots and computer power users, the Airbus A320 and Zune are flawed. To passengers and my friend adam, they're just fine.
Well, I promised a Linux run down, so here it is.
I'm running Ubuntu v6.10, its pretty awesome. At first, I was pissed off because I couldn't figure out how to get it to run in 1600x1200 (resolution), I mean, I've been running that in Windows on my 21" LCD, and after over a year of that, 1024x768 looks HORRIBLE on a 21". I had to get my hands dirty and work in the command line, and THAT was cool. I mean, getting something to work in that command line is a total high for computer nerds.
But, now, the contraversal bits. Linux, even Ubuntu is not user friendly. I mean, when I have to help my cousins fix their computers (I'm the tech support guy for my family, its a bummer) they know how to run a simple installer (Download the .exe, and hit "Next" throughout all the dialog boxes), but they would never be able to use Ubuntu.
I mean, you can teach people who run Apple computers that "You are on a Mac. When you want to install something, you have to look for the special Mac link," and they get it, but, after talking with my friends Chris and Mark (who have set up Linux on family computers) people don't seem to get that Linux is different from Windows.
But, Linux is still teh l33t for us old computer nerds. ;)
