Gerall's Blog http://gkahla.net/blog Gaming, Interfaces, and Metaphysics Thu, 08 May 2008 14:05:15 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.2 en EeePC - a success for Asus, Linux, and Microsoft wants some. http://gkahla.net/blog/2008/05/08/eeepc-a-success-for-asus-linux-and-microsoft-wants-some/ http://gkahla.net/blog/2008/05/08/eeepc-a-success-for-asus-linux-and-microsoft-wants-some/#comments Thu, 08 May 2008 14:02:21 +0000 Gerall http://gkahla.net/blog/2008/05/08/eeepc-a-success-for-asus-linux-and-microsoft-wants-some/ Given the vocal stance Microsoft has taken about the end of Windows XP’s life cycle, one might be surprised to hear that you can get one of Asus’ EeePCs with the venerable OS pre-installed.

However, that would be naive.

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]]> http://gkahla.net/blog/2008/05/08/eeepc-a-success-for-asus-linux-and-microsoft-wants-some/feed/ the Digirati’s fatigue - or “Why Vista hasn’t taken off.” http://gkahla.net/blog/2008/03/21/the-digiratis-fatigue-or-why-vista-hasnt-taken-off/ http://gkahla.net/blog/2008/03/21/the-digiratis-fatigue-or-why-vista-hasnt-taken-off/#comments Fri, 21 Mar 2008 20:02:07 +0000 Gerall http://gkahla.net/blog/2008/03/21/the-digiratis-fatigue-or-why-vista-hasnt-taken-off/ In the interest of being able to eat in the future, I find myself trying to carefully track the trends in computing. Who will I sell my services to in the future? Am I going to have to bite off the cost of development tools on Microsoft’s Vista platform? How do Those Who Decide feel about this new operating system?

It’s hard to discern who to watch when trying to predict the momentum of the entire industry. However, from my perspective, it would appear that everyone is feeling a bit sluggish due to the slowing economy and lack of innovation into any new directions. (more…)

]]> http://gkahla.net/blog/2008/03/21/the-digiratis-fatigue-or-why-vista-hasnt-taken-off/feed/ RPGs and the Hard Parts(tm) of game design http://gkahla.net/blog/2008/03/17/rpgs-and-the-hard-partstm-of-game-design/ http://gkahla.net/blog/2008/03/17/rpgs-and-the-hard-partstm-of-game-design/#comments Mon, 17 Mar 2008 17:25:34 +0000 Gerall http://gkahla.net/blog/2008/03/17/rpgs-and-the-hard-partstm-of-game-design/ One of the hardest parts of game design would appear to be the interface between characters’ skills and the capabilities of vehicles and other interesting hardware. Whether you’re a mecha pilot, a net-running decker, or a rigger piloting drones into a fight, the question remains “How does my character’s Pilot skill affect its performance?”

Here’s my take on the problem that I’m writing up for Stacks. (more…)

]]> http://gkahla.net/blog/2008/03/17/rpgs-and-the-hard-partstm-of-game-design/feed/ Xubuntu, 1680×1050 monitor, and xorg.conf http://gkahla.net/blog/2008/03/11/xubuntu-1680x1050-monitor-and-xorgconf/ http://gkahla.net/blog/2008/03/11/xubuntu-1680x1050-monitor-and-xorgconf/#comments Tue, 11 Mar 2008 23:24:22 +0000 Gerall http://gkahla.net/blog/2008/03/11/xubuntu-1680x1050-monitor-and-xorgconf/ I got a new monitor; one capable of 1680×1050 resolution. (I earned it - trust me!) Plugged it in, hit the “input selection button” and it discovered I was using the DVI plug for my X session. I logged off my desktop session and logged back in. My screen was only at 1240×1024 or some such… Where the heck were the rest of my pixels?!?

It would seem that I’ve installed a slightly older revision of the Xubuntu distribution. One in which the xorg.conf file is ignorant of resolutions as amazing as mine. Now, I’ve booted Linux since before it was cool. Slackware ‘95, lads and lassies - back before the numbering system kicked in and the Linux kernel had matured to a heady 1.0 revision…

So, not wanting to download a new OS and install it for lack of a single line in a text file, I fired up a terminal and fixed my resolution. (more…)

]]> http://gkahla.net/blog/2008/03/11/xubuntu-1680x1050-monitor-and-xorgconf/feed/ Master of Magic in dosbox on Xubuntu http://gkahla.net/blog/2008/03/08/master-of-magic/ http://gkahla.net/blog/2008/03/08/master-of-magic/#comments Sun, 09 Mar 2008 01:22:51 +0000 Gerall http://gkahla.net/blog/2008/03/08/master-of-magic/ Long ago, in the barbaric year 1994, the primitive game company MicroProse produced a little gem called Master of Magic. In this game, there were 5 “colors” of magic, White, Black, Green, Red, and Blue. You create settlements and grow population bases. You field troops from humble, conscripted Spearmen up to things like Fire Giants and Sky Drakes.

Sounds like Magic the Gathering, doesn’t it? (more…)

]]> http://gkahla.net/blog/2008/03/08/master-of-magic/feed/ Attempting to cross-post to LiveJournal http://gkahla.net/blog/2008/03/07/attempting-to-cross-post-to-livejournal/ http://gkahla.net/blog/2008/03/07/attempting-to-cross-post-to-livejournal/#comments Fri, 07 Mar 2008 20:57:33 +0000 Gerall http://gkahla.net/blog/2008/03/07/attempting-to-cross-post-to-livejournal/ Ending the grand experiment of “one blog for gaming, another for everything else”, I’ve decided to rely on the host I’m actually paying a lot of money for… So, while I enjoy my LiveJournal, it’s content will heretofore be found here at Gerall’s Blog. (Or whatever I decide to call this thing that week.)

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]]> http://gkahla.net/blog/2008/03/07/attempting-to-cross-post-to-livejournal/feed/ Ode to Gygax http://gkahla.net/blog/2008/03/05/ode-to-gygax/ http://gkahla.net/blog/2008/03/05/ode-to-gygax/#comments Wed, 05 Mar 2008 17:01:38 +0000 Gerall http://gkahla.net/blog/2008/03/05/ode-to-gygax/ Gary Gygax passed away yesterday morning due to multiple strokes.

His creative output has changed the life of every gamer you’ve ever met. I’ve met the members of my tribe (my closest circle of friends) all through the outlet of roleplaying games. Old-school, pen-and-paper, dice clattering on the dining room table roleplaying games.

His creations have acted as catalysts for others and their fictional worlds. Entire realms of imagination have been born of gamers and their group storytelling.

Gygax - I raise my beer to your efforts and your work! Thanks for giving us geeks another social outlet, and leaving the playground open for others.

-pax-

]]> http://gkahla.net/blog/2008/03/05/ode-to-gygax/feed/ Firefox, Lifrea, and the Ubuntus - a tricky marriage http://gkahla.net/blog/2008/03/03/firefox-lifrea-and-the-ubuntus-a-tricky-marriage/ http://gkahla.net/blog/2008/03/03/firefox-lifrea-and-the-ubuntus-a-tricky-marriage/#comments Mon, 03 Mar 2008 19:14:13 +0000 Gerall http://gkahla.net/blog/2008/03/03/firefox-lifrea-and-the-ubuntus-a-tricky-marriage/ I recently replaced the OS on my machine at home with Xubuntu, and wanted to use Lifrea to do some podcatching. I found that getting Firefox to use Liferea was not as straightforward as I thought, but with some help from #xubuntu on irc.freenode.net, I sorted out the final solution. Read on if you’re having trouble making Liferea and Firefox play nice as well…

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]]> http://gkahla.net/blog/2008/03/03/firefox-lifrea-and-the-ubuntus-a-tricky-marriage/feed/ Linux and the Samsung YP-P2 mp3 player http://gkahla.net/blog/2008/02/27/linux-and-the-samsung-yp-p2-mp3-player/ http://gkahla.net/blog/2008/02/27/linux-and-the-samsung-yp-p2-mp3-player/#comments Wed, 27 Feb 2008 18:32:20 +0000 Gerall http://gkahla.net/blog/2008/02/27/linux-and-the-samsung-yp-p2-mp3-player/ My wife has purchased a new mp3 player, the Samsung YP-P2 8gb. It’s a cool little gadget (native A2DP Bluetooth, mp4 video capable, pictures, touch screen, etc, etc). Unfortunately, out of the box it only speaks MTP. My lovely wife’s PC boots a Debian GNOME desktop, which only groks UMS. What’s a bald hacker to do?

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]]> http://gkahla.net/blog/2008/02/27/linux-and-the-samsung-yp-p2-mp3-player/feed/ mp3 players, my budget, and the future http://gkahla.net/blog/2008/02/22/mp3-players-my-budget-and-the-future/ http://gkahla.net/blog/2008/02/22/mp3-players-my-budget-and-the-future/#comments Fri, 22 Feb 2008 20:27:02 +0000 Gerall http://gkahla.net/blog/2008/02/22/mp3-players-my-budget-and-the-future/ I own an actual iPod, created by the magic elves in the Apple factory and invested with the magic that makes it work with the iTunes store. At least, it was… Then, I found iPodHackers.net.

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