aramike

code: { display_copyright_message(); do_nothing_loop(); |basically_run_windows_3.1(); do_nothing_loop(); do_nothing_loop(); } LOL! [ 05-06-2001: Message edited by: aramike ]

I just thought of something. You say that socialism removes the difference in social status caused by financial restraints. Actually, I think it would WORSEN that problem. Sure, the janitor may not have less consumables than the doctor, however, how would YOU feel if your skills were judged to be "less" than the next person? How would YOU feel if you thought you could be something more than the GOVERNMENT thinks you can be? How would you feel if the government held you to doing something you despised? How would you feel if you didn't have the opportunity to better yourself in the manner that YOU SEE FIT? That is a key aspect of individualism - making yourself out to be what YOU want to be, in the manner that YOU want to do it.

quote: If anything, Socialists are more active in working to end injustice than any other group. Conservatives prefer to give money to the poor (nothing wrong with that), Socialists prefer to punish the businesses that took away the money from the poor in the first place (read about the theories of Surplus Value and the Alienation of Labour).In other words, socialists look to blame and punish while conservatives look to fix by donating time and money. Most people in America own part of an evil corporation, by the way. quote: In the strictest sense, your argument is correct. If the American government decided to turn fascist, it is quite possible that the military will withdraw its support, but remember that the US military had no objections to providing aid to oppressive governments outside of the US in the past, including Chile under Pinochet's rule, and El Salvador during its guerrilla war in the 1980s.One: those countries are NOT the US. Why would military personnel rebel in THAT circumstance? Two: Those actions took place during the Cold War, in which the world was a drastically different place than it is today. Those actions were taken at a time in which our nation's interests were being served. Same thing with Vietnam - do you think unification was the doing of the Vietnamese? NO WAY! It was the doing of the USSR who wanted ANOTHER place to park their missiles, more territory to control. If the US didn't fight the USSR on every battlefield it could find, NO ONE would. We'd STILL have missiles pointed at us today. Besides, Vietnam wasn't a total defeat for the US. It did help keep the USSR at bay - you know, the country that has NUCLEAR MISSILES pointed at every FREE country in the WORLD.

What a bunch of CRAP! There are *SO* many programs out there that are open source. There are even some languages that HAVE to be distributed in source form (including Perl, the thing this board is programed with). Plus, look at some of the better open source software out there - the Apache Web server comes to mind. It is licensed for FREE. Hell, look up a few CGI depositories. Microsoft is just pissed because open source allows other companies to save a good amount of money in that they do not have to do new compiles for each platform they support. It also allows further user customization (subject to license agreements) - and the user does NOT have to PAY a company like Microsoft to do those customizations. The real problem here isn't Microsoft, though - its that the liberals in this country ENCOURAGE frivolous lawsuits.

quote: Why Nuke a perfectly good oil field, if you don't have to? ...especially since I just paid $2 a gallon for gas this morning.

quote: Originally posted by Matthew Gideon: So it's mandatory to use a signature? Just in your fleet's forum. If you don't want to use it anywhere else, that's fine.

quote: Originally posted by Shingen: Hey, who's good at making animated gifs? or better yet, what's a good software prog. for making them. All I got is CorelDraw 6.0, and though that software has an option for creating 'movies', it ain't got jack for doing animated gifs... or is this basically the same thing??as far as a guild name, how about: Multinational Guild of Independent Players or something like that... I got a lot of kewl logo concepts but I'm clueless how to animated them [ 05-03-2001: Message edited by: Shingen ] Paint Shop Pro comes with Animation Shop. Good deal.

No problem guys! Anyway, one of you guys should fire off a few emails to the AWOL Prime Fleet guys. Just a suggestion, though.

Outlaw, why can't I find you in the DB? Btw, I am investigating this. Until I confirm that there are two different names for one person, there's nothing I can do about it.

quote: So basically what you're saying is that in order for an Indie to get work in BC:M, he has to grovel to the fleets is that it? What I'm hearing you say is that you want indies who will basically lick your boots and kiss your ass, well if that's what it takes, then you can surely count me out. I ain't never had a brown-nose in my life, and I ain't starting now... if that makes me a trader or a scavenger, well I can live with that...Not trash talking fleets is not equivocal to "groveling". quote: What makes you think that my 'business' will be dependant on fleets?? This is supposed to be a diverse and dynamic universe, right? ..so I guess that means that there might be a whole lot of misc castes/races that might need my 'services'. ..and like I said, if I gotta grovel to get your 'business' then I'll find some other 'business' to do... that's what it means to be Independent. Merc, trader, scavenger, whatever, and it sure as hell beats taking orders from you fleet types.Until NPC's can buy (ie, scripted missions) or there is a large enough conglomerate of traders, etc., fleets will likely be the primary source of income for MERCS. I'm talking game here. quote: Aramike, Take a wee closer look at it from another angle. What group or groups would benefit the most from the Indies, Mercs, whatever you want to call them? Yup, you guessed it... Criminals Traders Any other class flying ships without weapons. A Traders Guild could conceivably muster all the resources needed to support a massive fleet of Indies. We may have our work cut out for us. Oh, and Shingen, Walking into a Lion den uninvited will leave a very good taste in the Lions' mouth. If you're red on my scope, you're red on all the scopes of my Compadres. Bring friends. Again, until NPCs can decide that they want such services, it really won't matter. There are very few registered criminals, traders, etc. The three or four of them will HARDLY be enough to support mercs. Yes, fleets will need mercs at some point. Yes, we will pay them. Yes, we will only hire mercs that we know we can trust. quote: Hey, Shingen: Stop talking trash about the fleets. Dude, we won't have a job if you bash EVERY SINGLE FLEET!!!Nova, don't worry about it - we'll hire the ones we trust.

China...arms race...LOL! Is it just me, or has China taken a liking to talking "big"? I mean, somewhere they got the idea that they are a major player in international politics. Heh.

BCFreak: try to contact your fleet commander. He is listed in the DB (Fleet Commander Gudihl). He will give you your asset and assignment. Matthew Gideon: You should prepare the Prime Fleet signature for use in this forum. That way, your FC and comrades can more easily identify you. Other than that (outside this forum), you don't need to use it.

quote: Who says I got no resources??? You?? I got a whole galaxy of resources that don't have jack to do with fleets... sorry, but you still haven't sold me...Those resources don't have anything to do with being a MERC, either. If you're going to be a merc, your purpose would be to get hired by fleets and organizations. If you trash talk practically every fleet, alliance, and organization, you have no resources that would make you a mercenary. Inasmuch, you'd simply be a trader, or scavenger. quote: As for talkin' trash about fleets, hey, you guys talk trash about us, so if you can't take the heat stay away from the flame...Uhm, dude, calm down. First of all, there isn't a single fleet person (in any fleet) that "can't take the heat" from an indie. Secondly, you can talk all the trash you want - but your business will suffer. If WE (fleet people) talk trash and you don't like it, we just go to other mercs. Personally, if *I* ever hire a merc, it will be a reputable one that hasn't threatened my fleet (regardless of how empty that threat may be). quote: ..and for not gettin' any jobs from fleets?? ..man you're breakin' my heart.. really you are...If you can't get jobs anywhere, you're simply a trader with an armed ship. No interest to any fleet whatsoever. Unless, of course, they want to commandeer your cargo...

Yep, Tyrn, that would probably be best and the most consistant with the story. quote: And so forth as appropriate. Oddly enough, the concept of identifiers being unified or conforming to any set pattern across so many different races and "nations" is a bit unbelievable (not that I'm complaining).Heh, the concept of them all speaking English is, too. So is mercs (and other castes) readily using UCV. But, for the sake of simplicity...

quote: Actually, Empirians, as are/were Vesperons, are members of GALCOM and would therefore carry the GCV designator. As the manual states:On stardate 05.11.2993, Galactic Command (GALCOM) was formed. Its founding members were the Terrans, Empirians, and the Vesperons. GALCOM has never been a Terran only insitution. No, but EarthCOM is. I would see the ships of these races to be either a part of the GALCOM military, or part of their OWN military. Perhaps GALCOM should become a caste. For instance, Terran/Military is by default GALCOM. Yet, the REAL Terran/Military is supposed to be Earthcom according to the story. So, perhaps GALCOM should be with players using Terran/GALCOM, and Terran/Military should remain Earthcom. Does that make sense?

quote: Originally posted by Shingen: We all got our advantages and our disadvantages... your's is numbers, our's is being underestimated... Heh, with the trash talk you fly to fleets, your OTHER disadvantage is not having resources - who's gonna be hiring you? Also, I never underestimate my foes. I respect what they can do but I KNOW what my ship, my fleet, and my people can do. Enjoy your flight, merc.

Joel: In regards to your last post, I believe that good fleet structures should be maintained because when GCO arrives (not too long from now), who's going to want folks who are essentially Mercs flying GALCOM flags to take GALCOM resources?

Here's my opinion: If you are Terran/Military, you MUST be in a GALCOM fleet. If you are not, your caste is wrong. If you are Terran/Insurgent, the same thing applies. Terran/Earthcom as well. Other races are more difficult as there aren't any existing fleets. Here's what I propose (Derek, your opinion please?): Terran/Military and like castes MUST belong to a fleet because fleets exist for them. However, let's say someone is Gammulan/Military. Are they UCV? Hardly. So, new prefixes should be made for these. I imagine that, come GCO, there will be alien fleets anyway. First, a note: any caste OTHER than Military and Insurgent should ALWAYS have the UCV prefix. Now, here's my list of proposed prefixes: Terran/Military: GCV Terran/Insurgent: ICV Terran/Earthcom: ECV Empirion/Military: EWV or EMV (Empirian War Vessel or Empirian Military Vessel, respectively) Vesperon/Military: VCV Credian/Military: CCV Kandorian/Military: KCV Mandorian/Military: MCV Zelon/Military: ZCV Valkerie/Military: VWS or VMS (Valkerie War Ship or Valkerie Military Ship {VWV - too many "V"'s}) Falkerie/Military: FCV Gammulan/Military: GWV Syrion/Military: SCV Droidian/Military: DCV

quote: Originally posted by Shingen: Yeah, I guess fleets have mastered the skill of ganging up on targets like rabid dogs, but us indies have fight one on one... we can't call home to 'big brother' to help us... (all in good fun, of course) ...your disadvantage. The galaxy ain't fair.

BCFreak13, I just approved your registration into Prime Fleet. Now, get rid of that "Expanding the Boundaries" logo (slice ) and use the proper GALCOMmie identifier. Thanks.