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* Posts by Adam T

530 posts • joined Monday 23rd April 2007 21:45 GMT

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Adam T

Re: ten comments all downvoted (at time of writing)

I was wondering about the Downbotes myself. It's hardly as if there's anything contentious to all of this - two sides came out winners and science should do well. Could it be someone doesn't like science?

Adam T
FAIL

Re: Bloody annoying

Bloody annoying all right; El Reg's cookie pop-up keeps popping up on iPhone despite having already clicked I'm Fine With This every time, and I'm sure it won't be long till this is happening everywhere, and with confusion and uncertainty comes opportunity for mischief.

Adam T

Re: The Aero about-turn is an Apple-bashing exercise, perhaps

Indeed. The problem with Aero isn't that faux materials is now out of fashion, it's that Aero was never a very good implementation of faux materials in the first place, and microsoft seem to have trouble hiring good icon artists. It looked cheap, it felt cheap and it ate more screen estate than it should have. I guess Metro is the best answer for MS after all, since you don't need an artist to draw an orange square.

On the question of screen estate, I see with the new file explorer Windows 8 has taken another step towards leaving us with as little space as possible for...well...file listings. Is there any decent way of making an explorer window show ONLY the path and folder contents (and maybe the status bar)? It's bloody annoying when trying to manage lots of directories without resorting to 3rd party software.

Adam T
Pint

Re: Yeah, right...

There's no need to be so harsh; I've seen people confusing this for an IT forum before too.

Adam T

metacritic bonuses

I've not seen this before myself, but I'm told it's becoming increasingly common. I guess this is just the modern equivalent of chart fixing.

Adam T

Anything's better than nothing

I'm writing this on my macbook via my iPad via Splashtop. I can switch to my PC and play any of my PC games, MMO or otherwise, and the image quality is pretty good. This is over local wifi of course; when I try doing the same from the office, it's a different story.

If someone can improve image quality and responsiveness without relying entirely on faster connections (the reality is, they will NEVER put cable where I live, 20 meters from the beach in a stuck-up village), then it can only be a good thing.

Adam T

Big screens

Watching Vampire Diaries last week, couldn't help but laugh at the lass who plays the main character holding a (was it a Note?) up to her head during a phone call. Never has there been a more silly phone since the Nokia N-Gage.

Adam T

Who cares

Show us product we can go out and buy. Always the bait-and-switch with nVidia.

Adam T

No surprises here then

This is what happens if you stick all your stuff in one box, and you neither own the place nor have control of it.

You might as well ask a stranger who "appears the honest type" to look after your house keys.

I don't use iCloud myself anyway. Not just because of trust, but because I find it completely confusing; it does what with what? Sends it where? When? What???

The first and only time I tried to activate Backup via iCloud is proceeded to try and upload 6GB photos from my iPhone...before anything else. Obviously my photos are more important than my contacts and settings. Maybe I was doing it wrong, but asking Siri yielded no answers...

Adam T

Gypsies

If they did that over here it would wind up overrun by gypsies.

Not quite the cast of Eureka.

Adam T

lol

Speed isn't the problem, people are the problem.

Speed is just a symptom of idiots who think they're more important than the highway code.

Doesn't matter if you like it, by getting into a car and driving it you've automatically accepted the Terms and Conditions. Buy a fucking airplane if you want to go faster.

Adam T

Re: Sounds to me like...

Well it depends what you do with it. I don't do text effects, I do pretty complicated texture artwork and painting.

Of course I make money from it so cost isn't the issue; it's the principles. If someone makes a commercial photoshop app that can beat it at it's own game, I'll be the first in line if they can restrain themselves from taking the piss every 12 months.

Adam T

Re: $199 != £124 in Adobe Land

Yeah, they're not alone either - Autodesk have the same strategy of setting "market-bearing" pricing.

There's a few (but not nearly enough) disgruntled users on the Creative Cloud forum bitching about this, and Adobe's official response is that we're paying for the additional out-reach needed to do business "over here". Apparently that includes seminars and such - funny, because I've never been to and never want to go to an Adobe seminar, and the thought that I'm paying for them pisses me off even more. They're liars, plain and simple.

Adam T

Re: It's time

I have to say, I've tried Gimp, and tried it again several times over the years hoping it would get better, and it just can't match the productivity of Photoshop. It's not just the UI, it's speed and workflow. Gimp in that respect is sadly aptly named. But there is a huge hole just sitting there for someone to make a real contender to Photoshop; not just for geeks, but for the Pro world in general.

Adam T

Re: Lousy way to treat customers

I've had similar experiences with Pixologic and ZBrush I bought ZBrush 3 back in 2006, and they've not charged any of their users for a single upgrade (Zbrush 4R3 was released this year).

The net effect? They continue to sell new seats (the price is excellent value), they have no piracy issues, and their community forums are bustling with activity rather than angry people - their users absolutely love them.

Sure you can't expect a huge company like Adobe to give their software versions away for free, they have massive overheads in comparison, but they can at least afford to be honest and if anything give their users great value. Adobe are complete and utter knob heads, they really are, if they think being scrooges is better for business than being generous and respectful.

Adam T
Thumb Down

$199 != £124 in Adobe Land

"If that wasn't good enough then an upgrade to Adobe Photoshop CS6 would do the trick, at a cost of $199 (£124) or more"

Actually, it's £190.80 inc vat. Thieving bastards.

Adam T

"tools to address major national security issues."

In other words, "Hulk, smash!"

Adam T

Re: @voland

Pretty extreme views :p

There comes a point when you just have to do something, even if it's not the "best" thing to do.

I'd have probably called to cops too if he whittled down my patience. Share some of the responsibility with the authorities. Caring is sharing, after all.

Adam T
Happy

Re: So...

Not nearly as good as chassis-melting batteries though, eh :)

Adam T
Thumb Up

Re: Yes

Yep, 17" always come out later in the year.

Adam T

Re: Hackintosh

Well, yeah granted, and I'd probably feel differently if I'd had any problems (haven't so far, touch wood). Probably Dell are a better bet in that outlook, at least they handle enterprise at the enterprise level (whereas Apple has...the genius bar?)

Adam T

Re: Hackintosh

Or get a 3XS system from Scan. I've a couple of i7 systems from them, their Xeon builds are a fraction of the cost of Dell & Apple.

Extras are discounted from their retail prices too (instead of bloated) - i.e. 64GB EEC RAM in a 3XS E5 build is £454+VAT, whereas Apple will happily make you pay £2840+VAT.

That said, I've also got a 2006 Mac Pro here that runs as smoothly as the day I bought it. Got to hand it to Apple, they may charge over the odds but they sure as hell know how to build solid workstations.

Adam T

Seperate download ID from purchase ID

Seperate passwords for downloading the games, and making purchases.

That's all it needs.

Adam T

Re: How much more annoying does it get?

How about putting yourself in your own movies?

M Night Shyamalan, you're fired. (although all the more amusing because he gave himself a front role in his crappest movie, The Last Careerbender)

Adam T

iPad 3 res is hard work

We reduced it by changing our GL code to rasterize SVG files, Be-OS/Haiku style.

Now they're more fun, easier to create and scalable on any platform. Who needs Scaleform and Flash eh.

Only problem we have with iPad 3, is an unexpected reluctance among staff to use 30" monitors. Guys, bigger IS better!!

Adam T

Imagine, if all Disney had was birds and pigs.

I can accept that kids love Angry Birds. They also love Teletubbies, Beiber, Fraggle Rock and The Muppets.

Maybe everyone popular with kids should be like Disney. I'll finally have my excuse to go live at the bottom of the sea. (in Spongebob World).

Adam T

Re: Ring ring...

You don't have to make a joke about the old days to get an Apple reference in there - Apple recently started sucking the colour out of their applications starting with iTunes. Perhaps MS noticed and took it as the next big thing.

Personally I like minimalism, but this is retarded. Nothing wrong with the current MSStudio icons. They could be better drawn maybe, but at least you know what they are.

Adam T

Mafia?

These "malls" wouldn't happen to be run by crime syndicates in uniforms?

Adam T

Marketing

Marketing is where the problem lies. Look at our own toothless ASA .. just when you think they actually do stuff, they rule that Siri works in the UK because "it can tell you the weather". Welcome to the future.

I should complain to the ASA about SyFy channel advertising "the greatest movies of all time" (none of which you'll have heard of).

Simple policy of course is to not believe anything you see, hear, or read in a commercial.

Posted in Mass Effect 3
Adam T

Steam / Origin

Last I heard, EA titles you bought through Steam will be honoured by Origin (you can download them from Origin), but like heck can I find the article again. Worth looking into though.

Adam T
Facepalm

Re: zzzzzzz :ǝɹ

"This is for KIDS. To get them interested in PHYSICS"

And here I thought it was to make money.

Adam T

Argos

The laminated book of dreams, coming to an iPad near you.

But does Apple have a 1000% APR In-App Purchase credit system to go with it?

Adam T

Admit it...

You only checked the weather because you were planning on being first in line...

Adam T

Funny really

You don't get all this fuss over new graphics cards every year, yet they cost more and - for intents and purposes - give you less back. As for the "meh" opinions...people blaming the media for pre-launch rumour mongering hyper, instead of themselves for clinging on to it?

Spoiler: Santa Claus doesn't exist either.

Back to reading my book (printed on real paper).

Adam T

Re: 2011/2012

Yep well, a quiet period will be a nice opportunity for devs to catch up. iPad 2 & iPhone 4S are still way ahead of the curve compared to what people are creating for them... I think it's fair to say having to create double size assets is enough for this cycle (and now we have to upgrade everybody's damned monitors so they can work with them!).

No haptics was a definitely a shame, unlike Apple to miss out on something good, so maybe it's just bad timing or not quite ready yet. Or maybe we'll be reading "Apple buys Senseg" stories on Friday. :-p

Adam T

say it's not so :(

Adam T

Instant purchase

The designers do talk a load of waffle, you'd think they've just invented Movement Points.

However, it does look ace.

I've was playing the original series recently (big bundle on Steam), they're still brilliant. Bloody hard too, but there's nothing like a stray grenade taking down an entire building around you :)

Adam T

22 cans of beer on the wall...

I can but agree.

We don't have many famous 'Designers' in the UK, so I guess you have to prop someone tall on center stage to parade around. Jeff Minter is more creative by far, and he can do more than talk the talk.

Adam T

Re: another poor offering from wacom

I agree with the resolution comments - it's irritating but then these were being put together probably just before everything jumped up to 2500+. The contrast ratio probably has a lot to do with the coating on the screen - it's actually has a very fine texture. Feels nice when drawing on it, but you pay for that in gamut.

Can't agree with your closing lines though :) Just because it's not as good as a new monitor doesn't mean it sucks, because it doesn't. If you make money as an artist and you don't have one, you're cutting off an arm to spite a leg.

Wacom have zero competition in this market. Until someone brings something else along that's better (hell, not even cheaper - I'll pay for results), there's nothing better (or nothing else).

Adam T

Re: Not a hope

"Time to put the popcorn on. "

Is it just me, or does this sentence exist in every single patent-spat related article?

At least popcorn has a good long sell-by date I guess.

Adam T

"And with a 13.3in screen, you're looking at a resolution of at least 1366 x 768, possibly even higher."

That's a so-last-year statement.

Adam T

I don't get it

My wife's just bought an old Smart Roadster. £95/year road tax and £0.10 per mile on petrol, and drives like a Go-Kart with a license plate. Fun, cheap and the first time me and the missus have agreed on anything. Why don't people just make more of those?

But why am I talking about how much my wife's new car costs, when the article doesn't seem to mention running costs at all?

Adam T

Re: resolution

These aren't even in the same universe as Tablet PCs, it's completely different technology. I don't even consider the resolution of the tablet, I've never thought about it. Specs are usually just marketing anyway BS anyway...how many people can 'feel' all 2048 levels of pressure? :p

Needless to say, I get really bored when using my old Intuos wacom tablets now...they just feel so clumsy and backwards. If you draw or sculpt (i.e. Zbrush) for a living, Cintiqs are the business.

Adam T

Re: HD?

It's not a resistive panel. All Wacom tablets use the same technology (patented of course :p), based around electromagnetic resonance.

Adam T

Cintiqs

I have a the 21UX sibling (2010 model), and I tell you now, if you're an illustrator or you do artwork on computer in any volume, you have no idea what you're missing.

They're not perfect, calibration is a bit annoying sometimes, especially when Wacom release new drivers that muck everything up, but for speed of working, and just getting into the art of it, Cintiqs are awesome. I'll be entombed with mine.

The only downer is software support. They're great with Painter and Photoshop, but Sketchbook Pro (and Design) should be amazing - and they are to a point, but because neither Sketchbook has customisable controls, you can't set up the screen's shortcuts at all, and it they have no Cintiq profiles of their own (brush size rotates the screen, wtf...).

The only thing stopping me from getting a 24HD is the weight and the fact that you can't mount it on an arm (21UX can be, and the standard base allows for rotation...important when drawing on paper). So it should be mentioned that 24HD is more like a draught board...much more suited to anyone working on a board.

Adam T

Re: I really hate Metro

Where's the right mouse button on a tablet again?

Adam T
Thumb Up

"Any idea why the move from a normal flexible interface towards an infokiosk?"

I am so glad someone else said that, because that's exactly what comes to my mind whenever I see Metro, either in action or in screenshots.

Not saying it's bad, it just looks like it's been designed to sell stuff. Which, apparently, it is. Good job then!

Adam T

Re: looked pretty damn explicit to me

Well, this is what happens when you advertise beta software. Based on the fact that Apple openly state and re-iterate that Siri is Beta (on their own website no less), and it's not inferred in the advertising, the ASA should have ruled against Vodafone/Apple. IMO.

Adam T

Technophobes

Is everyone afraid of interesting new tech today? I know it's Nokia and I know it's a shitty Symbian phone, but it still sounds pretty cool. I've been taking pics on my iPhone4S today, I wish I could get more resolution out of the crops - I don't give two hoots about the quality, they'll always be camera phone pics.

Adam T
Alert

1998 - 2009

Am I the only one that blinked when I read this?

What do they mean? They've been selling the same box they made in 1998, for 11 years? That they made just under 2,000 a year?

Funny story anyway - I love the advertising copy.

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