Archives for June 2005
One year, 4 months and 6 days later
24 June 2005 | Rants | No Responses
Over a year ago, I reported what would be the first of a series of problems with Mandriva’s USB detection. To this day, the bug has never been solved, or even assigned to or handled by anyone.
A USB pointer device detected and supported in earlier releases of Mandrake, SuSE, Red Hat, TurboLinux, and even f––ing FreeBSD, does not function at all in any Mandrake built after their USB overhaul in 2003. And no one cares.
With other users reporting the same problem, not to mention in other USB devices besides my Aiptek T-6000U Grafiktablet, you might think it would at least merit investigation.
It doesn’t.
Heroine Anthem II may be dropped
16 June 2005 | Obsoleted | No Responses
I used to really like StarForce. A protection no one has ever been able to hack out of a game — ever. In fact all anyone has ever managed was a lame-duck trick of pulling out IDE cables which has been stopped in the latest revisions of StarForce.
Then came today.
Beggar Prince soon to be released
11 June 2005 | Random | 3 Responses
You may remember my mentioning a year ago that I was working with SuperFighter.com in getting The New Prince & the Pauper (新乞丐王子) translated. As much as I like that title more and think it makes more sense and is a more accurate translation, the official title is going to be Beggar Prince.
Death Adder has a Web site up for the upcoming game’s release at BeggarPrince.com. Right now there are just a few screenshots. My end of the work is completely done and unless there’s some need for tweaking the location of the new script, I shouldn’t really be called on for much more. The current delay is Death Adder is trying to get the bugs that shipped in the original version of the game corrected.
Improving MIDI on a laptop
9 June 2005 | Jargon | No Responses
So I’ve been out of commission for a few weeks getting my laptop computer set up. Yes, I’m rather sad to say farewell to my desktop. That lovely black box has been through more hard times with me than any of my friends … But apparently I too have to venture into the frightening new technology of processors no longer measured in MHz.
So. Laptops. Chances are unless you own a “gamer” laptop that last for 1 hour on its 26 cell battery and runs at a temperature better measured in Kelvin instead of Fahrenheit, you have onboard sound. The problem with onboard sound always is its MIDI synthesis — it’s fairly awful. Microsoft has been including its GS/Wavetable Synth in Windows versions since ‘98, but really, it’s not much better.
I went to this computer from a Turtle Beach Santa Cruz, which I still maintain and always will maintain beats the s–t out of the Audigy in every area, especially the most important are — not being made by Creative Labs. I miss my Santa Cruz, but I’m not willing to sacrifice a USB slot to get their new USB version of the sound card. I’m also not willing to front their insane cost.
This leaves me with one option — a software synthesizer.