Põdi

There is some kind of expensive piece of hardware between the socket and the PC which decodes the signal. Like I said, the study in the local town apparently went extremely well, so obviously they have solved the problem of noise and signal degradation (don't ask me how though).

Trying to steer the thread back on topic....... Did a bit of research, the data is transmitted as short wave radio signals down the powerline, or something like that. I have no idea how you go about doing that.

quote:Originally posted by Wolferz: Want to see something really weird? The first plane to hit the WTC was flight Q33NY. Type Q33NY into a word processor program then change the font to Wing Dings.... Ow, now that IS spooky. Type Z instead of Y (they are exchanged on European keyboards) and it gets worse. [ 09-27-2001: Message edited by: Paddy Gregory ]

There's a mention at VE today. Now sit back and watch shirley try and think up more ridiculous arguments. No discussion thread as yet.

I don't know if that's the same as what my ISP is offering, that's why I was interested in the technicalities. They did a feasibilty trial in a town a few miles away, and everything obviously went according to plan. They are offering several packages from basic private use with a maximum of three separate connections to a business solution with up to 30. The speed varies from 394kps for the cheapest to a lot more for the top business package. Here's a link for those who read German. You pay a monthly flat rate and then a certain cost per MB over 6GB downloaded for the private package. You also have to buy the initial hardware and it could work out quite pricey. No more modem cables, plug your PC in any room in the house which has a power socket and have instant internet access. I'd never even heard of rumours about this kind of stuff till I heard it on the radio last night. Intriguing. They will be offering an ADSL service in the next month or so, which might work out cheaper.

Just read the EB press release again, and well, that quote SC. Sounded like you had just received an Oscar or something.

Surely it must be a 'SHE', as ships are normally referred to in this way. Oh.........wait. Genre. GENRE? I thought you said.........oh, never mind

My ISP just announced that they will be providing Power Line Communication from the 1st Nov. I really don't know much about it, except it's an Internet connection via your power outlets, and it's bloody quick. Other than that I'm pretty clueless. Anyone care to enlighten me? [ 09-26-2001: Message edited by: Paddy Gregory ]

Great news SC. Yes, great news indeed (Master of the understatement or what?). Space sim? WW2 FPS? WW2 flight sim? Real Time Strategy? Modern combat flight sim? Shooter? Urm, does anyone want to buy all my old games, cos I won't be needing them.

quote:Originally posted by aramike: LOL! Yeah, I have work to do, a sick little girl, and an extremely exhausted wife. No rest for the weary. You poor sod. I know EXACTLY how you feel! Been there, done that.

Will there eventually be a link to user-created scenarios and campaigns?

quote:Originally posted by Menchise: Can you be more specific? [ 09-25-2001: Message edited by: Menchise ] 1. Oil The West wants to protect the oil supply from Saudi, Kuwait etc. The presence of troops since the Gulf war helps maintain the stability and hence the supply and it is to the presence of these troops which many Middle East radicals object. Bin Laden has openly stated this. 2. Israel / Palestine Whether you sympathise with the Israelis, the Palestinians or neither, that fact of the matter is that many Muslims object to the US' support of Israel, or at least lack of any condemnation. Remember, Sharon (or was it Tracy ?) was Israeli Minister of Defense when they went into Lebanon. I think that sticks in the throats of many who support the Palestinians. These are just my OPINIONS of course, but that's what you asked for. For the record, I fully support military action against the terrorists responsible, albeit a more subversive, counter-terrorist type operation rather than a large scale ground war, which many have ruled aout anyway. You know what I think will happen? British and American special forces aid the Afghan opposition in strikes against the Taliban AND Bin Laden's camps. Once the Taliban militia has been sufficiently undermined, a larger scale action by the opposition, still supported by and large by the west (and Russia, beleive it or not) eventually leads to the Taliban being defeated and Bin Laden being captured or killed. The new Afghan government then 'requests' American / British troops to aid in peace-keeping etc. This will have the desired effect wihout the need for an invasion. The west could then claim to be helping a fledgling government find it's feet. Any action against the Taliban will have the support of Tehran, amazingly. Relations between Iran and the UK have already started improving. There have already been reports of SAS units and Taliban militia exchaning fire, but I'm not sure if that has been substantiated or not. It's surprising how many turn of events have changed course since the attack: Open condemnation from Iran and Syria Russia agreeing to a) support any action and to supply the Northern Alliance (didn't they used to fight them) Kazakhstan and Ukraine allowing US forces to deploy Amongst others. I really think some good will come of this horrible tragedy (you may call me Pollyanna, but not Shirley). Addendum: Jesus aramike have you been up all night? [ 09-25-2001: Message edited by: Paddy Gregory ]

quote:Originally posted by Menchise: OK. My arguments have been rebutted quite well so far. So, could someone tell me their opinion on why there is so much anti-American sentiment in the Middle East, including millions of Pakistanis who are calling Bin Ladin a "great man"? So far, the only explanations that I recall at the moment are the statements made by Bush and Blair at the start of the crisis, which, in my opinion (if that still means anything ), are best described as "hot air". 1. Oil 2. Israel / Palestine

quote:Originally posted by aramike: My question is, would this thing allow you to continue using alternative graphics cards (PCI)? That's what I was thinking too. I expect not. quote: It says it has an "integrated 3D accelerated VGA" onboard, but who the hell knows what that is EXACTLY? It's one of those SiS 4MB chips or something. Aren't they Uhm, crap? [ 09-25-2001: Message edited by: Paddy Gregory ]

quote:Originally posted by aramike: My point being (thinking it was obvious, considering that I quoted what I was responding to) that the fact that there are troops there indicates NOTHING. You actually quoted my entire post Think about the main point I was trying to make: a revolution in Saudi (be it Islamic , Communist or whatever) would be a seriously destabilising factor in Middle East politics, as well as buggering up the oil supply. quote: Northern and southern No fly zones, troops still stationed in Saudi Arabia, Destroying any offensive weapon that Saddam comes up with, fiber optic cabling for anti-aircraft batteries for one. No Saddam, whether he likes it or not will be contained. ESPECIALLY now!! He cannot be allowed to continue the war that he started in 1990, and he will not be allowed to do so. I meant if it were to happen in another country. I wasn't taling about Iraq. I was just thinking about something aramike said earlier about Israel being surrounded by enemies hell bent on the destruction of the State of Israel. Israel's main neighbours are Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria. Of those, Egypt and Jordan are Western allies and although they may not be on exactly friendly terms with Israel, they are hardly aggressive. Southern Lebanon is controlled mainly be Israeli-backed Phalangist militia (who incidentally murdered and raped over 1700 Palestinian refugess at Shabra and Shatila in 1982 and the West called for 'restraint'). Only Syria remains outwardly hostile to Israel, and even then relations have improved over the last decade or so.

I actually have a Powerleap PLiP3 slocket in my PC, and I'm quit impresssed with it. It allowed me to stick a celeron 633 in my old 66Mhz FSB mobo. With this new thingy, won't you still be restricted by your old mobo FSB?

quote:Originally posted by Jaguar: One word, IRAQ, been there, done that, and it will not be allowed to happen again. And how, pray tell, can you guarantee that?

quote:Originally posted by aramike: We have thousands of western troops in Europe and Japan alone. How convienient. [ 09-24-2001: Message edited by: aramike ] No, really? Your point being................? My point was, as Kush pointed out later, is that we depend too much on Gulf oil and are shit-scared of losing it. Think about it, a radical, anti-West government / dictatorship in one of the most oil-rich countries in the world. It really is scary. or whatever smiley you choose to employ. Addendum: quote: Nice dream, but you're right, not gonna happen any time soon The thing is, oil is a finite resource, and until we make better use of an alternative (solar, wind, wave, hell even nuclear), we will always depend on the stability of the Middle East to supply our needs. Notwithstanding the environmental consequences of fossil-fuels. That's another argument altogether. [ 09-24-2001: Message edited by: Paddy Gregory ]

Having read aramike's description of that mission, I really am going to have to get it now. I just hope my machine can cope with it.

Let me just butt in here....... Been reading with great interest, good arguments from both sides (though personally I think menchise has the slight upper hand at the moment). Just for arguments sake, what would happen if there was an Islamic revolution in Saudi Arabia à la Iran in 1979? (Let's face it, who saw that coming?) What would be the West's stance? Would they go all out to protect the Saudi royal family and fear condemnation for interfering in another country's internal affairs, or let them get on with it and deal with the consequences ie oil prices through the roof, breakdown in stability in the Middle East etc? Let's not forget, as Menchise said, Saudi is a Monarchy (VERY un-American), so any intervention can't be seen as an excuse to protect democracy or freedom (just the oil supply). Could it be a possibilty? Probably not, because of the 1000s of Western troops stationed there. How convenient.

quote:Originally posted by $iLk: It says on the box it has a cool "develper level" editor. Which basically means you need to know how to create a 3d game from scratch to work it... WHY EVEN ADVERTISE THAT? Anyway I love multiplay on it - but what about single play? If it's anything like FRED2 which came with Freespace 2 (Also from Volition of course), then it would be pretty simple to use. Even I could make a couple of simple missions, and that is saying something. Considering I know as much about programming as the Taliban do about women's rights. Can't wait to have play around with GBS II, at least it will help confirm my own ignorance if nothing else.

quote:Originally posted by Jaguar: Geez, From now on, I stay out of ALL debates with Menchise, Aramike just chews him up and spits him out, why should I even bother. I'd say it's about all square at the moment. The game is becoming a classic, with attack and counter-attack from both sides. Houllier should really think about bringing on Fowler for a change in tactic.............. Erm, wait a minute. Sorry. Still in footy mode from the weekend. Please, as you were.

quote:Originally posted by $iLk: Communism = Socialism = Liberalism Uhm, don't you mean: Communism > Socialism > Liberalism? And another thing, we actually have a 'Socialist' Prime minister in Tony Blair at the moment, yet he is backing Bush all the way. Hardly the actions of a Communist methinks. [ 09-23-2001: Message edited by: Paddy Gregory ]

I think I mentioned his before, but I wasn't too impressed with the demo, but I'm open to being converted. I might pick it up when I'm back in the UK next month.

quote:Originally posted by Epsilon 5: THE VCF IS EMPTY! THE VCF IS EMPTY! Now what the hell am I supposed to read while waiting for my experiments to finish?