7/15    Offering LILA at a 10% discount! Contact bbfs for more info.
        \_ Only $9 a night?! Wow, what a bargain!
           \_ You must have mistaken LILA for yermom.
           \_ You must have mistaken lila for yermom.
           \_ TWO-FIDDY

7/16    Back from Microsoft PDC in Orlando.  I feel so dirty.  Giant
        hype machine; .Net strategy an entirely unimplemented joke.  C#
        combines the worst parts of C++ and Java; MS showing definite signs
        of embracing VB as their primary development language.  Thousands
        of clueless and lazy ("fear change!") developers.  Don't let this
        happen to you.
        \_ wtf is C#?  Can't find anything on the web about it.
          \_ MS's answer to Java.  Has a runtime environment, looks like C,
             no direct mem access (not sure about the last one).
             \_ it uses the "unsafe" keyword to run pointer arithmetic code.
                C# adds a bunch of unwieldy features and disables the strengths
                of Java, while still using a virtual machine.
          \_ Funny thing is they're calling it C-sharp (as opposed to D-flat?)
             instead of C-hash or C-pound.
             \_ Or B-double-sharp.
        \_ So what's the story or non-story on the .Net thing?
           \_
           \_ it uses VMs to run binaries compiled from a variety of languages
             and it's "platform independent," meaning in MS case that it will
             run on any MS platform.  COM+ is dead.  Note that none of this
             actually works yet.  MS projects library inclusion by 2002 or 2003
             so start buying those books NOW so you'll be ready, slave!
                \_ Fuck that.  I'm not MS slave.  I was just curious what the
                   Evil Empire was doing lately.  Anyway, I don't see how
                   compiling C and running it on a MS/VM and compiling C++ and
                   running it on a MS/VM is any different than just compiling
                   and running directly on the OS.  What's the VM for if it's
                   all MS underneath anyway?
        \_ the most awful thing about this is that MS claims this is the
           "innovation" the Justice Department is trying to stop.  So fellow
           Sodans unite; apparently all "innovation" is nowadays is copying a
           bunch of other technologies, renaming them, then making a bunch of
           PR announcements before any code is written.  I'm thinking we could
           do that easily.  We must code PhilOS.  Or at least write the PR for
           it.
            \_ I ll help if anyone is serious. -- ilyas
                \_ Damn dude... it's the stars!  Of course this isn't serious.

7/16   anybody out there working in the game industry (for console systems
       and PC's) who has any words on what the job is actually like,
       in terms of both coding and graphic design/art positions?
       i already know that the pay is less than other jobs,
       but how enjoyable is the job...?
       \_ really depends on the company and you
          \_ i've still to find a job that i like so much i want to sit
             around for more than 8 hours.  i've heard that the hours
             are long, which is fine, but i've also heard that the
             the deadlines are extremely tight, so one guy i talked to
             mentioned it wasn't as fun as he thought it was going to be.
             \_ It depends on what your job is.  If you're hired as a peon,
                and you work for some big, icky company, then your job is going
                to suck.  Do not let this happen to you.  If you work
                as, say, lead engine programmer (or some level higher up
                than code monkey) for a company that treats its employees
                well, it can be great.  As a general rule the smaller
                companies are better, but too small == a lot of risk that
                you may never even finish a first game before the company
                goes down.  The main way to get a good job in the game
                industry is to have some kind of game-specific experience
                before you go in.  It can be something dumb, like a
                Half-Life mod or whatever.  But have something.  -blojo
                \_ I am sure jobs at small companies can suck too, isn't that
                   right blojo?
             \_ what game company?