rec.autos.simulators

% <snip>
% >I present my opinion in response to a _proposed_ release date for sim
% >titles. This _is_ a sim newsgroup last time I checked.  Take it or leave
% >it.
% >
% >Rick

% Rick, please, do you really feel, honestly, that your post is on
% topic for this newsgroup?  C'mon Mr.Appocolypse, even I don't
% think you're really that stupid.  It's off topic, and you are
% using every single chance you get to bring your off topic opinion
% - valid as that opinion may be - into an NG that clearly does not
% appreciate you doing so.

% It boils down to being a citizen of the world, which you are not
% being Rick.  You are obviously entitled to your opinion, I am not
% debating that point.  There are places where the topic of your
% opinion is disccussed, and places where it is not on topic - is
% this difficult for you to understand?  Do you contend this point?

% To continue to force your opinion - reguardless of it's
% agreability - in a place where you have been asked nicely -
% several times - to stop, is rude and inconsiderate and shows you
% really have some self-serving purpose in all of this.  Look at
% your behavior man, and be  man, and respect the wishes of your
% peers on this NG.  Be a man, be a positive contributer to this
% community, instead of a zit on it's face.

% I''m not trying in anyway to invalidate your opinions, nor am I
% encouraging censorship.  I'm just pleading with you to listen to
% your peers who have repeatedly told you they are not interested
% in your off topic opinion on this particular NG.  Be a man, and a
% citizen of the world, a member of this community, and take it to
% an appropriate NG.  Out of respect for your peers, if for no
% other reason.  This is a community here, a pseudo-society, it
% deserves your respect.

% Good luck to you in your future.

% -=Hammer

--
**************************** Michael E. Carver *************************
     Upside out, or inside down...False alarm the only game in town.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=<[ /./.  [-  < ]>=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Then we could drill a hole into the bomb shelter that's big enough so
that every year that goes by, we could drop one of those 365-day
calendars down there so they can see how wrong they were.

Personally, I think that Barney (that big annoying purple dinosaur) will
finally be revealed as an alien bent on the earth's total destruction by
covering the planet with a layer of purple glue goo that covers the
entire surface to a depth of 1000 feet.

--

=========================================================
John Simmons - Redneck Techno-Biker (Zerex12)
http://www.members.home.net/jms1/index.html

John Simmons - Barbarian Diecast Collector
http://members.home.net/jsimm/diecast_index.html

IGPS Director
http://members.home.net/jms1/igps.html

If you want to send me email, go to either of the URL's
shown above & click "Send Me Mail" in the contents frame.
=========================================================

Rick

"That is normal and acceptable.".....you will be assimilated

there is no sim game that will be unplayable because of  Y2K .... NONE, not
ONE. Yes oh paranoid one I am being serious, NONE. Why? - if you can't work
that out you are more of a pseudo expert than I thought.

Rick: Hi! Who are you?

Programmer: My name is Todd Heckel, and I'm a programmer.

Rick: I'm sorry to here that.  Received your conscription notice yet?

Programmer: Er, no.  Listen, Rick, I'm gonna respond to your last statement
there, seeing as how I'm working on a sim. title, and all that.

Rick: Great! Nice to see somebody in this newsgroup willing to debate the
issue.

Programmer: Okay, so here goes.  What language is the majority of the
world's financial software written in?

Rick: Oh, that's easy.  COBOL.

Programmer: Right!  Now, what language, or languages, are most of the worlds
sim. titles written in?  I mean the ones worth even talking about.

Rick: Hmmm, let me think.  FORTRAN?

Programmer: Hehe.  Well, maybe ten or fif*** years ago.  No, I would bet
that the majority of the world's sim. titles are written in C or C++, with a
healthy dash of hand-coded assembly language when necessary.

Rick: Oh, I see where you're going with this...

Programmer: Just hear me out.  Now, what good would I, as an experienced
C/C++ programmer, who hasn't a clue as to what COBOL even stands for, be to
a government trying to fix millions and millions of lines of buggy COBOL
financial software?  You know, Rick, there's an entire branch of the
software industry dedicated to financial and information programming.  These
are not the sort of people who where weaned on the programming of physics,
analytic geometry and linear algebra necessary to write a graphics-intensive
sim. title in this day and age.  They're a whole different breed of animal.

Rick: Yeah, well, still... it could happen!

Programmer: Look, Rick, I'm not going to debate you as to the LIKELIHOOD of
a Y2K crisis - that would be off-topic.  All I'm saying is that even if
everybody's worst fears came true, I and others like me would be of little
help.  Trust me, it's not gonna happen.

Rick: Jjust because something is apocalyptic, that doesn't mean it _can't_
or _won't_ happen.

Programmer: You're absolutely right!  It _won't_ happen because its stupid.

Rick: But you can take decisive action _now_ to preserve your hobby and, on
an apocalyptic note, your life.

Programmer: Such as?

Rick: Get started on that bunker!

Programmer: I see.  You know, I happen to have about half an acre of land.

Rick: Excellent!  Better start digging!

Programmer: OF COURSE, I HAPPEN TO LIVE ON DECOMPOSED GRANITE THAT REQUIRES
A CAT D9 BULLDOZER TO DIG MORE THAN AN INCH OR TWO DOWN!

Rick: Jeez!  No need to get all huffy!

Programmer: Sorry.  You have that effect on people.  What about my computer?

Rick: That's easy.  Buy a generator!

Programmer: Okay.  And my Internet connection?

Rick: Well, you won't need that.  There won't be an Internet.

Programmer: Oh.  Are you implying that the economic crisis and social
breakdown that will happen as a result of the Y2K bug will cripple our
national infrastructre and make luxuries like the Internet unaffordable
until more pressing issues are dealt with?

Rick: Yeah, something like that.

Programmer: THEN WHO'S GONNA HAVE TIME FOR COMPUTER GAMES?

Rick: Look, if you're gonna rant and rave, I'm not gonna talk to you.

Programmer: Well, that's okay.  It's been more fun talking to myself.
<PLONK>

Todd

 Rick: Todd "Heckel"? OOOOoooookay...

 Rick: Great! Nice to see somebody in this newsgroup willing to debate
the
 issue.

 Rick: Oh, that's easy.  COBOL and too many others to list.

 Rick: Hmmm, let me think.  FORTRAN?

 Rick: Oh, I see where you're going with this...

 Rick: Yeah, well, still... You must consider the enormous amount of
applications that run on PC's.  And lets not forget those pesky embedded
chips!  If you are a seasoned C++ programmer, then you will be of great
use in helping our government calm it's citizen's panicky perceptions.

            "Finally, the government IS DOING SOMETHING!"

 Rick: Since when has our government been concerned with effectiveness
and efficiency?  The question is: Will the public's PERCEPTION of
governmental progress be changed for the better?  Yes, of course!  99%
of the public is clueless about programming details.

 Rick: Huh?  Stupid?  How so?  The US has been in a declared state of
emergency since 1933.  Since then a draft of our men has taken place
many times. How is this different?

But you can take decisive action _now_ to preserve your hobby and, on
an apocalyptic note, your life.

 Rick: Get started on that bunker and purchase 250 watts of solar power!

 Rick: Excellent!  Better start digging and buy up your PV array!

 Rick: Then keep the shelter capsule at grade level and berm over the
structure with at least 3 feet of soil to take advantage of the stable
ambient temperatures of the earth.

 Rick: That's easy.  Buy a PV array!

 Rick: Well, you won't need that.  There won't be an Internet.  Rig a
LAN.

 Rick: Well, money won't be the issue.  If your read AT&T's 10Q report,
they have joined Chevron Corp. in throwing in the towel for Y2K
compliance.  They admit they started too late and won't make it.  And
that customer/vendor disruptions are likely.  These are their words not
mine.  So, aside from money, the internet will be a pre-collapse memory
at best, given the sad state of other telco's compliance status.

 Rick: Look, if you're planning on spending time with computer games,
then you should consider storing some food supplies.  Otherwise, you may
spend every waking moment scrounging for wild berries and chasing
coons.  Drink the water at your own risk!

Rick: Given that you are a programmer, you can only guess how clueless
the general populace is.

Lock and load.

Rick