Online gaming services for old games

You go to the store to buy a game. Say the one you wanted isn't there, or you don't know exactly what you want. For whatever reason, you buy a game for $30 or less. Graphics on the box look okay, but you figure it is cheap, maybe low budget, but the gameplay seems interesting.

You get home, install the game. Looks like a cheesy installer, but whater. Fire up the game. Maybe you paly it alone for a bit, whater. Then you figure you will try online.

Now most PC games have some kind of online backed run by a publisher, developer or other company. Back of the box usually says what it is (MSN Zone, Battlenet, Heat.net, Steam, EA Online).

So anyway, you fir this thing up and start to make an account. No go, the game throws an error, or times out. Maybe you start to check your connection and network setting. Maybe you strait to google. But what do you do when the online service no longer exists????

Personally, I think this is bunk. If it is still in stores, and still says "Online play" on the box, then they have to continue to offer the online services. How can they stop the service unless maybe there was NO ONE using them.

I actually purchased Microsoft Combat Flight Simulator 3 this year. Only to discover that Microsoft had "retired player matchmaking services" for it. It also had graphics issues, but I could likely get it working fine in a Virtual PC.

There is such a long list of services that I don't really see the nned to have removed. A few examples I can think of:
Heat.net
Westwood online
Jane's
Mplayer.com
TEN.net

Here is a list of a few more, including some I have never heard of.
http://www.geocities.com/irwinav/game.htm?200824#3

UK cell phone users receive calls for free

Currently in the UK (and likely other places that I don't know about) if someone calls your cell (mobile) phone, you do not pay for the call. That is much different than here in North America.

There have been talks as of late that the UK may be changing to our model, but if seem consumer out-rage may have that at-bay. Lost of links about that:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/2140132/Mobile-phone-users-may-pay-to-receive-calls.html
http://www.pocketpicks.co.uk/latest/index.php/2008/06/18/uk-mobile-users-might-pay-to-receive-calls/
http://networks.silicon.com/mobile/0,39024665,39248823,00.htm
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/more-news/technology-gaming/2008/06/17/mobile-phone-owners-may-have-to-pay-to-receive-calls-115875-20610005/
http://www.cellphonedigest.net/international/Mobal%20GSM%20World%20Phone%20Service.htm
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/03/05/eu_termination_fees_report/comments/


However, in NA we are getting double charged!!
Doesn't seem fair does it?
Anyone have any ideas of how to get this changed here? I have a feeling the big carriers won't care. We are too attached to our mobile devices to give them up and protest. Like the current gas prices :P

iTunes = overweight software

The iTunes install adds these processes (Descriptions from http://searchtasks.answersthatwork.com/ ):
AppleMobileDeviceService.exe
Apple Mobile Device Service. Service installed with Apple's iTunes 7.3 onward. It enables iTunes to interact with the Apple iPhone and the Apple TV.

iPodService.exe
In the later versions of iTunes, such as version 6 or later, the iPodService is used by iTunes itself to communicate with connected iPods.
iTunesHelper.exe
ITUNESHELPER is no longer a 3rd party add-on, it is now an Apple program and part of the iTunes software itself, and our guess is that it is now iTunes' main CD writing interface.

mDNSResponder.exe (bonjour)
Bonjour, also known as zero-configuration networking, enables automatic discovery of computers, devices, and services on IP networks. Bonjour uses industry standard IP protocols to allow devices to automatically discover each other without the need to enter IP addresses or configure DNS servers.
Problems with the services/process that iTunes installs:
1. Unclear exactly what they all do.
2. If all are installed by default, make them all one process, not four different ones.
3. Make the install of them OPTIONAL
4. If they are not installed or are removed, don't nag me every time I open iTunes to tell me it was removed (like Bonjour)
5. Not everyone has (or wants) an iPod.
6. Not everyone has (or wants) an iPhone.

This install of iTunes also requires closing/re-opening Outlook if you have it installed. The reason for this is the "iTunes Outlook Add in". It is believed to be used to be used to synchronize your iPod/iPhone with your Outlook contacts.
http://wildermuth.com/2006/09/30/iTunes_7_x_Installs_Outlook_Addin_-_No_one_seems_to_know_why!
The Apple Update software is another piece of software that should be changed.
They release updates too often, likely not including many fixes. It has to reinstall every time there is an update. It tries to install Safari by default every time.
Seem more info (and some fixes) from these links:
http://john.jubjubs.net/2008/03/21/apple-software-update/
http://news.cnet.com/8301-10784_3-9922267-7.html
http://dcunningham.net/2008/03/25/disabling-apple-software-update-items/
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13880_3-10002257-68.html


I really hope someone makes something better than iTunes soon. I may have to stop purchasing music from the iTunes store soon so I am not encouraging this crap software.


(Update: Now they also include MobileMe software in iTunes. Great, make it MORE bloated!
Apple is worse than M$! At least MS knows that they need to make stuff like this optional!)

(Update 2: Found more applications running;
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Apple\Mobile Device Support\bin\distnoted.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Apple\Mobile Device Support\bin\AppleSyncNotifier.exe

Under C:\Program Files\Common Files\Apple\Mobile Device Support\ there is a total of 27 EXEs. Crazy.)

DataPlay?

You ever heard of DataPlay? I had not.
The story of it's life (or lack of) seems alot like Sony's MiniDisc (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minidisk).

You can read a bit about DataPlay here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DataPlay

DataPlay had some DRM built into the disk (and players), and the musi industry wanted to make it the new media of music.

A little about it from a Google Book:
http://books.google.ca/books?id=4kaOT8SdfkYC&pg=PA203&lpg=PA203&dq=dataplay&source=web&ots=alc3c7lg6f&sig=q-QNhzSDqNQjAqPlXlsw45kLMHw&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=6&ct=result#PPA203,M1

From NY Times (August 29, 2002):
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F05E0D8163FF93AA1575BC0A9649C8B63

PC World (Oct 8, 2004):
http://www.pcworld.com/article/118108/dataplay_discs_stage_a_comeback.html

From G4 TV (2006):
http://www.g4techtv.ca/callforhelp/shownotes/0454.shtml?regular

TechWeb's TechEncyclopedia article on DataPlay:
http://www.techweb.com/encyclopedia/defineterm.jhtml?term=DataPlay

Gotta love failed technology!

MSN SPAM bot

Microsoft sucks, once again.

This stipid SPAM bot added me to MSN.
fredaxodyxuc (at) hotmail (dot) com

Doesn't MS ask for human verification or some crap for creating accounts?

Anyway, this bot is a bad script that pretends to be a girl with a web cam that wants you to watch :O
Then it sends you a URL and says you need a credied card to verify your age.... lol
See the conversation below (I changed the link so no one reading it here will click it):

Chew says:?

Freda says:hey, A/S/L?

Chew says:you an automated spammer?

Freda says:hey whats up babe, U got a webcam? finally someone adds me, I am soo fuckin horny today for some reason lol

Chew says:gay

Freda says:listen hun, I am just about to start my webcam show with jen, come chat me there in my chat room? We can cyber, I will get naked if u do..lol!

Chew says:you suck

Freda says:I can show u how to watch if u promise not to tell anyone else how to do it???PLEASE

Chew says:now you will send me a URL

Chew says:cause you are stupid.

Chew says:stop pretending to type, and send the message already

Chew says:wanna see how bad your script is.

Freda says:well since its the law that u gotta be 18 (nudity involved), u have to sign up with a credit card for age verification! BUT.. Once you are inside, just clikc on "Webcams" let me know what name you use to sign in with so I know it is you babe! http:// www (dot) lovelocalgirls (dot)com/janeroom fill out the bottom of the page then fill out the next page as well and u can see me live!

And MSN's SPAMer reporting form is down. Stupid Microsoft.

Update:

Another one:

shannanoxixe@hotmail.com says:
Hi
Chew says:
oi
shannanoxixe@hotmail.com says:
hey, Age/Sex/Location?
Chew says:
no, yes, meh
shannanoxixe@hotmail.com says:
hey whats up babe, U got a webcam? finally someone adds me, http://www.theselocalgirls.com/janevocation I am soo fuckin horny today for some reason lol

Red Alert 3 Beta :D

I just got my beta key for RA3. I am now in the download queue on FilePlanet.
What a SWEET birthday gift for me from EA :P

I will add more info when I get it installed and play it a little (or a lot).


Update 04/08/08:
I have played 3 matches now. I have submitted 19 issues. That includes 1 hang and 2 FE/FRs.

Now I have to report a hang and a crash.
Still a very good game. I sure hope they fix these issues.

Done. 22 issues logged.

RSS podcatcher aggregator reader

Are there any really good programs to receive podcasts/RSS feeds with media enclosures?

Juice and Miro are okay, but are both buggy and lack basic features that iTunes has.
I ahve submitted feature requests for Jpodder, but I am sure we will never see them.

iTunes just plain sucks. Some any issues, very few configuration options, and performance issues with downloading.

Zune software looks good, but lacks most features the others have and doesn't have basic configuration like 'download only newest'. It is full auto (download ALL ever), or full manual (manually select what it should download) with that one.

I have found any tried many more apps as well. Hereare a few lists and wizards to find one that works for you:
http://www.daniels.net.nz/?s=podcatcher
http://www.podcatchermatrix.org/
http://www.sitecreations.com/podcast-software-list.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_feed_aggregators

Here are some more I have tried:
HappyFish
Podcatcher
Doppler
Ziepod
VPodCatcher
WinAmp (great for music, not for podcasts)

I have not yet found any with the features I want. Jumping between these things has become a past time! I cannot find one that works for me, or even one I can live with for now.


The features I want are:

• Keeps track of what I have watched, and what I have not. Or will at leact let me mark something as 'watched' manually
• Downloads only the newest item(s). Idealy anything new since the last time it checked for new ones from that feed
• Can configure it NOT to delete any files
• Works with video and audio files
• Has a GREAT media plaer OR lets me launch the files to an external player of my choice (MPC for me)
• Keeps the file name of the media file that the downloaded file was named OR lets me give a name basted on date and time of publish or download
• Each podcast goes to it's own folder under one main (configurable) folder for all podcasts

Useful features:

• Import and exporting list of feeds for backup would be nice
• Easially move the download folder
• Good support, or good forum, or at least add suggested features
• Supports sync of files to removeable media (like media device or USB drive)
• A screen to view current doownloads
• Sortable list of your subscriptions
• Freeware...

That is all I can think of right now. I am SURE I will think of more later, as I deal with iTunes for the next couple week... until I look for another alternative.

Anyone have any suggestions for another application I can try?? Please?
I'd make it myself if I knew VB .NET better :(