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Do Cheaters Ever Prosper? Just Ask Them
Do Cheaters Ever Prosper? Just Ask Them
Web sites like TSOExtreme.com are a challenge for the rapidly growing world of interactive games. While breaking the rules or using secret "cheat codes" has always been an accepted, even treasured part of single-player games, new online games match competitors, often strangers, remotely, which changes the dynamic. No one likes to lose unfairly, and those who play by the rules often struggle against schemers who believe that all is fair in love and simulated war.
Posted by rshah on March 27, 2003| Comments (0)
Buggy software still takes a toll
Buggy software still takes a toll
Imagine buying an energy-saving dishwasher and seeing your monthly electricity bill double, and you'll understand how a growing roster of executives feel about their decision to install expensive business software.
Posted by rshah on August 27, 2002| Comments (0)
Collection of Software Bugs
Collection of Software Bugs
An excellenct collection of various software bugs.
Posted by rshah on May 02, 2002| Comments (0)
Triumph of the mod
Triumph of the mod
Mods have been with the game industry for at least a decade. Many of the best game companies now count on modders to show them the way creatively and to ensure their own survival in a savagely competitive market. This stands in marked contrast to the music and film industry, which vindictively discourages fans from tinkering with their content and clings to an outdated interpretation of copyright.
Posted by rshah on April 16, 2002| Comments (0)
Just Another Talib on the IRC
Just Another Talib on the IRC
Taliban's IslamicIRC Script, a customized version of the popular mIRC chat client, automatically connects users to two Islamic channels on the DALnet Internet Relay Chat (IRC) network.
Posted by rshah on April 12, 2002| Comments (0)
A unified theory of software evolution
A unified theory of software evolution
Meir Lehman has been studying the life cycles of computer programs since he was a researcher at IBM 30 years ago. One of these days he's going to get it all figured out. Software evolution, i.e. the process by which programs change shape, adapt to the marketplace and inherit characteristics from preexisting programs, has become a subject of serious academic study in recent years. Partial thanks for this goes to Lehman and other pioneering researchers.
Posted by rshah on April 08, 2002| Comments (0)
Net Effect: Super Sync
Net Effect: Super Sync
But reality is heading in a different direction. Instead of ubiquitous connectivity to centralized databanks, we are instead building an infrastructure that's optimized for data replication. The same information is getting copied to dozens, hundreds or even thousands of places throughout the world, and it is kept current through continual retransmissions and updates.
Posted by rshah on November 12, 2001| Comments (0)
IE Bug Can Lead to Strange Search
IE Bug Can Lead to Strange Search
Internet Explorer is configured to load Microsoft's own MSN search page whenever users click the browser's search button or enter a wrong URL. But a small program embedded in a website or an e-mail can automatically change the system's default settings to direct users to websites that they may prefer not to see.
Posted by rshah on November 07, 2001| Comments (0)
Rival browsers benefiting from MSN gaffe
Rival browsers benefiting from MSN gaffe
Intentional or not, the incident has been a fiasco for Microsoft. Criticism has come not only from the software giant's well-known critics but from a key figure in the normally impartial circles of the Internet standards-making community: World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) director Tim Berners-Lee.
Posted by rshah on November 03, 2001| Comments (0)
Power of the API
Power of the API
Microsoft's real power comes from: it's the closely guarded and controlled Windows API, not Windows itself, that is the jewel in its crown. To write applications tightly linked to Windows--the most popular operating system on the planet--software makers must code to Microsoft-controlled APIs.
Posted by rshah on November 03, 2001| Comments (0)
Winamp locks onto Windows title bars
Winamp locks onto Windows title bars
Programmers released a software addition for AOL Time Warner's Winamp media player that adds controls to the title bar of Windows applications, a move that apparently ignores Microsoft's interface guidelines for third-party software developers.
Posted by rshah on November 03, 2001| Comments (0)
Faulty software costs businesses $78 billion per year
Faulty software costs businesses $78 billion per year
The software vendors' revenue model—with its perpetual licenses, forced upgrades and pay-up-front maintenance contracts—actually encourages buggy products. But CIOs are fighting back.
Posted by rshah on October 16, 2001| Comments (0)
Registered file types allow Microsoft to maintain its monopoly
Registered file types allow Microsoft to maintain its monopoly
The "registered file type" is in fact a powerful funnel for computer usage, as it were, and a key tool for Microsoft as it tries to muscle its way into new markets -- like control of the software people use to view digital photos and listen to digital music.
Posted by rshah on October 10, 2001| Comments (0)
Taking Software for A Test Drive
Taking Software for A Test Drive
If you've been thinking that a lot of software is poorly designed and difficult to use, you're not crazy — the folks at Microsoft have scientific evidence to back you up on that. This would be what's called "usability testing" — giving users a set of tasks, then watching what they say and do while completing them.
Posted by rshah on October 05, 2001| Comments (0)
Smash Hits
Smash Hits
Videogames are getting seriously physical: The engine is the real-time force of nature. Now when you fight, the entire game environment fights back.
Posted by rshah on October 05, 2001| Comments (0)
AOL to Offer Bounty for Space on New PCs
AOL to Offer Bounty for Space on New PCs
In particular, AOL wants manufacturers to give its software for online access greater prominence than Microsoft's MSN service. AOL also is seeking to give an advantage to Netscape, its own Web browser, and to AIM, its instant-messaging service. In return for the computer makers' cooperation, AOL would pay them a bounty of about $35 for each customer they nab for AOL's massive Internet access service, sources said.
Posted by rshah on July 26, 2001| Comments (0)
Kodak tangles with Microsoft over Win XP
Kodak tangles with Microsoft over Win XP
The Kodak team felt double-crossed. They had worked with Microsoft and the camera industry for a year on a new photo-transfer standard that allowed Windows to recognize when a camera was plugged in. Now, Kodak felt, the standard was being used against Kodak and other digital-camera makers, because it favored Microsoft's competing camera software, embedded in the planned new version of Windows Slashdot
Posted by rshah on July 03, 2001| Comments (0)
Microsoft Is Ready to Supply a Phone in Every Computer
Microsoft Is Ready to Supply a Phone in Every Computer
Microsoft is preparing to include both high-quality telephone and directory features in Windows XP, which is scheduled to be commercially available on Oct. 25. Microsoft's new software plans to exploit the next generation of the Internet, offering computer-based telephony with better-quality voice than before and with more powerful features than the traditional phone.
Posted by rshah on June 12, 2001| Comments (0)
microsoft.gov.ok?: Allowing only MS at Govt Sites in Britian
microsoft.gov.ok?: Allowing only MS at Govt Sites in Britian
The authentication service www.gateway.gov.uk, flagship of the UK government's ambitious policy of providing a complete range of services electronically by 2005, restricts access to anybody not running a combination of Windows and Internet Explorer.
Posted by rshah on May 29, 2001| Comments (0)
Building an Operating System
Building an Operating System
Web site devoted to helping people build and show off alternative OS.
Posted by rshah on May 23, 2001| Comments (0)
Asus Request Feedback on "Cheat" Drivers
Asus Request Feedback on "Cheat" Drivers
SeeThrough technology" is available in drivers for Asus graphics cards. The technology in question is causing uproar in the online gaming community where the drivers can be used to cheat in games such as Quake III and Counter-Strike.see also Slashdot
Posted by rshah on May 16, 2001| Comments (0)
Union Pacific rails against Microsoft game
Union Pacific rails against Microsoft game
Union Pacific is afraid that Microsoft's Train Simulator is just too realistic. They won't let Microsoft use any Union Pacific cars or logos in the game, and have posted a notice saying that no one will be allowed to make modifications that include such things. They're basically afraid that it will teach vandals how to drive Union Pacific cars, and thus, they'll have more incentive to drive off with trains from train lots.
Posted by rshah on May 14, 2001| Comments (0)
IBM Working on Computers that Fix Themselves
IBM Working on Computers that Fix Themselves
The goal of eLiza is to build computer systems that can fix themselves while problems are in the early stages. For example, when the behavior of an element of the computing system starts showing the first indications of distress, automatic services would fire up backup systems, order replacement parts or take other measures to ensure that people using the system don't notice problems.
Posted by rshah on April 27, 2001| Comments (0)
Opera Adds Gesture Navigation
Opera Adds Gesture Navigation
The Opera web browser appears to be the first to add gesture-based navigation (made popular recently in the game Black&White) as a standard feature. You can perform a bunch of common actions with simple gestures, such as holding down the right mouse button moving left and releasing to go back, or moving up then down while holding the button to reload the current page. A list of the various implemented commands can be found on their site.
Posted by rshah on April 19, 2001| Comments (0)
Bayesian logic in Microsoft Clippy and Beyond
Bayesian logic in Microsoft Clippy and Beyond
In the last five years, Bayesian logic has breathed new life into artificial intelligence, shaken up mathematics and revolutionized drug research. "Machines will be called on to make more and more decisions in more and more complex situations, and most operating systems will likely have a Bayesian decision-making engine built in at the most fundamental level," D'Ambrosio said.
Posted by rshah on April 19, 2001| Comments (0)
End Of The Microsoft Paperclip
End Of The Microsoft Paperclip
The software help system, a long-despised feature of Microsoft's popular Office suite of business software, is the star of a new Web marketing campaign. The campaign and a companion Web site trumpet Microsoft's forthcoming Office XP software as so easy to use that Clippy is out of a job, see also Slashdot
Posted by rshah on April 12, 2001| Comments (0)
Software Problem Linked to Osprey Crash
Software Problem Linked to Osprey Crash
While not the only problem facing the ill-fated V-22 Osprey, a bug in the software controlling the pitch of the Osprey's rotors was listed as a contributing factor to the crash of a Marine Opsrey last December. It appears that a hydraulic leak initiated a sequence of events that included the pilot pressing a computer reset button. Rather than resetting the computer, the software changed the pitch of the rotors. Not so good...
Posted by rshah on April 09, 2001| Comments (0)
More programmers going extreme
More programmers going extreme
But now when Windholtz creates code, he does so with a comrade at his side--one of the tenets of the software development methodology called Extreme Programming. Welcome to a new world of computer programming--and say goodbye to the image of the solitary code jockey. Better yet, Extreme Programming can help produce software that is not only of higher quality, but is produced much more quickly than is the norm, see also Slashdot
Posted by rshah on April 03, 2001| Comments (0)
Contest for (artificial intelligence) chatterbot
Contest for (artificial intelligence) chatterbot
You can compare the chatlogs of the bots and rate them for quality. A rating from 1 to 10 with 10 being the highest. Please take your time and vote for all the bots including the less interesting ones. Chatterbots are extremely hard to develop and most of them are lifetime projects.
Posted by rshah on March 30, 2001| Comments (0)
WinXP file system breaks disk utilities and CD buring software
WinXP file system breaks disk utilities and CD buring software
Microsoft's new incarnation of Windows does not appear to function properly with either WinAmp or the Real* family of products. Only Microsoft-provided media players and CDROM burning applications appear to work correctly straight out of the box. Microsofts own media delivery systems are to include strong access controls for controlling copyright.
Posted by rshah on March 23, 2001| Comments (0)
Windows 2000 Memory System
Windows 2000 Memory System
For example, Windows 2000 contains a Priority ranking scheme that the computer uses to determine which programs are more important (and hence get more processor time).
Posted by rshah on March 21, 2001| Comments (0)
Game developers and companies need to think about us people who can't get broadband connections!
Game developers and companies need to think about us people who can't get broadband connections!
Need to tune their software for modems
Posted by rshah on February 26, 2001| Comments (0)
UPS software takes over home page
UPS software takes over home page
United Parcel Service's customers who installed the latest version of its shipping software found that their Web browsers automatically diverted to the UPS home page on the Internet, according to a report.
Posted by rshah on February 22, 2001| Comments (0)
Study Says Users Are Ignorant of Browsers and URLs
Study Says Users Are Ignorant of Browsers and URLs
Rather than entering a URL into the address field of their Web browsers, millions of Internet users enter the name of the site they want into the search box of their start-up homepage or other search engine.
Posted by rshah on February 16, 2001| Comments (0)
Removing Banner Ads from ICQ
Posted by rshah on February 14, 2001| Comments (0)
Software makes cell phone typing easier
Software makes cell phone typing easier
Posted by rshah on February 06, 2001| Comments (0)
Comet Systems and cursors
Comet Systems and cursors
Comet Systems is working on a series of deals that will let customers tap into dictionary definitions and encyclopedia listings from anywhere on the Web with the click of a mouse.
Posted by rshah on January 29, 2001| Comments (0)
IBM software to prevent server failures
IBM software to prevent server failures
IBM has created software that senses when a server computer is nearing a crash and safely shuts it down. The product uses artificial intelligence to predict when server software is about to lock up.
Posted by rshah on January 22, 2001| Comments (0)
GoHip Must Go
GoHip Must Go
GoHip has taken over my computer. It installed a new menu bar and gives me countless numbers of pop-up windows. I've tried everything I can think of to get rid of it, and it keeps coming back when I restart my computer. How do I get rid of it?
Posted by rshah on January 12, 2001| Comments (0)
Computer companies specialize in giving consumers lousy products -- it's the American way of techno-capitalism.
Computer companies specialize in giving consumers lousy products -- it's the American way of techno-capitalism.
A culture of carelessness seems to have taken over in high-tech America. The personal computer is a shining model of unreliability because the high-tech industry today actually exalts sloppiness as a modus operandi.
Posted by rshah on December 06, 2000| Comments (0)
G-Rated Browsers
Posted by rshah on December 02, 2000| Comments (0)
Browser Add-Ons
Browser Add-Ons
These 30 browser add-ons enhance Microsoft Internet Explorer (and to a lesser extent, Netscape Navigator) to help you shop, hold discussions, and find and save data and links. But some raise privacy concerns.
Posted by rshah on November 21, 2000| Comments (0)
Whistler To Block Unsigned Code
Whistler To Block Unsigned Code
Security option could give Redmond new control over software developers, see also Slashdot
Posted by rshah on November 21, 2000| Comments (0)
How to Hurt the Hackers: The Scoop on Internet Cheating and How You Can Combat It
How to Hurt the Hackers: The Scoop on Internet Cheating and How You Can Combat It
from Gamasutra, see also Slashdot
Posted by rshah on November 16, 2000| Comments (0)
Saluting 25 Years of Microsoft 'Innovation'
Saluting 25 Years of Microsoft 'Innovation'
by Stephen Manes
Posted by rshah on November 16, 2000| Comments (0)
Skins in GUIs
Posted by rshah on November 16, 2000| Comments (0)
Is there Scientology in your software?
Is there Scientology in your software?
Germany requires windows to be free of connections to the Church of Scientology
Posted by rshah on November 14, 2000| Comments (0)
Technological battle over spidering merchant web sites for consumers
Technological battle over spidering merchant web sites for consumers
Posted by rshah on November 14, 2000| Comments (0)
Upgrade browsers since digital certificates are expiring
Upgrade browsers since digital certificates are expiring
Posted by rshah on November 14, 2000| Comments (0)
AOL 6.0 wreaks havoc with some PCs
AOL 6.0 wreaks havoc with some PCs
See also, Slashdot
Posted by rshah on November 03, 2000| Comments (0)
Quake As an Architectural Design Tool
Quake As an Architectural Design Tool
Posted by rshah on October 24, 2000| Comments (0)
Data loss threatens fast Windows systems
Data loss threatens fast Windows systems
High speed PCs with Windows 98 and Windows Millennium Edition are shutting down so fast, the system doesn't have time to write the cache to disk. Microsoft, which says this is not its fault, has nonetheless issued a patch.
Posted by rshah on September 26, 2000| Comments (0)
Video Game Emulators
Posted by rshah on September 25, 2000| Comments (0)
Piracy in the early days
Piracy in the early days
How Bill Gates's Version of Basic was stolen, see also Slashdot
Posted by rshah on September 19, 2000| Comments (0)
Microsoft Maxwell
Microsoft Maxwell
Virtual staffer to help you online
Posted by rshah on September 08, 2000| Comments (0)
Alternative Browser Review
Alternative Browser Review
by CNET, see also Slashdot
Posted by rshah on September 06, 2000| Comments (0)
Problems with Software to translate different languages
Problems with Software to translate different languages
Posted by rshah on August 28, 2000| Comments (0)
First Computer OS
First Computer OS
Slashdot discussion
Posted by rshah on August 28, 2000| Comments (0)
Software that identifies a file's
Software that identifies a file's
useful for finding child pornography
Posted by rshah on August 24, 2000| Comments (0)
Gamera
Gamera
How AOL's software was leaked across the Interet
Posted by rshah on August 19, 2000| Comments (0)
Microphone Centric Video Games
Microphone Centric Video Games
Dreamcast's Seaman responds to spoken words
Posted by rshah on August 09, 2000| Comments (0)
DLL Hell
DLL Hell
Problems with shared dynamic link libraries for Windows applications
Posted by rshah on August 09, 2000| Comments (0)
Liability of Programmers
Liability of Programmers
See also, Slashdot
Posted by rshah on August 08, 2000| Comments (0)
Archive of Web Browsers
Archive of Web Browsers
get your Netscape 1.1
Posted by rshah on August 04, 2000| Comments (0)
Emulating Classic Web Browsers
Emulating Classic Web Browsers
See also, Slashdot
Posted by rshah on August 04, 2000| Comments (0)
Attentional User Interface by Microsoft
Attentional User Interface by Microsoft
Designed by Eric Horvitz
Posted by rshah on July 30, 2000| Comments (0)
Cheating Pay to Surf Software
Posted by rshah on July 10, 2000| Comments (0)
Police Sketch Software
Posted by rshah on June 26, 2000| Comments (0)
Users upset at new rules for Windows certification
Users upset at new rules for Windows certification
Microsoft using its certification program to force users to migrate to Windows 2000
Posted by rshah on June 24, 2000| Comments (0)
OS
OS
Windows to support biometrics
Posted by rshah on June 24, 2000| Comments (0)
Software Engineering Code of Ethics and Professional Practice
Software Engineering Code of Ethics and Professional Practice
Posted by rshah on June 24, 2000| Comments (0)
Advertising Blocking Software
Advertising Blocking Software
Mozilla's M15 build has a feature to block webpage images that come from another site: it blocks banner ads. The feature was removed by Netscape's management, See also Slashdot
Posted by rshah on June 24, 2000| Comments (0)
PGP
Posted by rshah on June 24, 2000| Comments (0)
Built in Advertising
Posted by rshah on June 24, 2000| Comments (0)
THE SOFTWARE CONSPIRACY
THE SOFTWARE CONSPIRACY
Why Software Companies Put Out Faulty Products, How They Can Hurt You, And What You Can Do About It
Posted by rshah on June 24, 2000| Comments (0)
Biometrics
Biometrics
Windows to support biometrics
Posted by rshah on June 24, 2000| Comments (0)
Debunking the Myth of a Desperate Software Labor
Debunking the Myth of a Desperate Software Labor
Posted by rshah on June 24, 2000| Comments (0)