The PWN to OWN contest is finally over, and Ubuntu has won. Now that it’s official, I’m ready to go gloat on all the computer-related forums and blogs! YAY Linux FTW!!!
I kid, but this contest has prompted quite a lot of flame wars. Since no one seems to actually read up on the contest beyond the headlines repeated everywhere, I’ll go into a bit more depth here.
Basically, in case you haven’t been following it, this is how it works: On the first day, hackers try exploits that require no user interaction with the machines. The second day, the user visits websites and open emails specified by the hackers, but does not open attachments and only uses pre-installed software that came with the OS. The third day, third-party applications are included. Each day, the three laptops are subject to constant and simultaneous hack attempts.
All three machines survived the first day. Early in the second day, the Mac was hacked. Vista and Ubuntu survived till the third day, when the Vista machine was hacked. Ubuntu was the only one left at the end of the third day.
The fact that Apple lost on the second day, before Vista and Ubuntu has been the source of much controversy. I’ve been following the story on Slashdot, and reading the comments there I’ve seen how far the Mac fanboys have been willing to stretch logic and spin the story.
It has been a common misconception that Macs are drastically and inherently more secure than Windows PCs. They might have been in the past, but the only reason they appear more secure now is because they have such a small market share, and thus there are less malware/viruses out there aimed at them. You won’t see me admitting this often, but Vista’s security is actually pretty good. Internet Explorer 7 is nowhere near the best browser on the market, but it also isn’t the worst — and security-wise, it’s doing pretty good (running with limited privileges is definitely a good thing, and those “annoying” allow or deny windows are actually an important security feature). Given the fact that Vista/IE have been the main target for hacks in the last few years, it is impressive that they’ve managed to keep up a higher standard of security.
Ubuntu — the distro I’m running right now as I type this — wasn’t hacked at all. There was a lot of incentive to hack the Ubuntu laptop as well, because it was the most powerful and most expensive of the laptops available. This isn’t really surprising, since Linux is known for security and stability. IMO, the real story is that the Vista machine survived the first two days, and that the Mac machine was so quickly hacked.
So, that’s my 2 cents. I’m happy with my choice of a dual-boot between XP and Ubuntu, but if I ever have to format and reinstall Windows I’ll definitely consider Vista 64-bit. I don’t plan on buying a Mac any time soon.
Posted by probabilityZero on 2008-03-29 | Filed under: Current events, Tech and games | 2 responses
I’ve decided to gather a bunch of these in one place (they’re also on the rifftrax website in a tiny window, but I prefer the youtube player). See my earlier post for what Rifftrax is. Videos are below the fold.
Read more…
Posted by probabilityZero on 2008-03-21 | Filed under: Videos | 3 responses
I’ve been messing around writing music with Reaper for a while now. Reaper is a music authoring program created by the guy who originally coded Winamp, and it’s essentially freeware. After a bit of practice, I finally wrote a song that I think is actually pretty good (it’s in OGG format, of course). Comments welcome.
Posted by probabilityZero on 2008-03-21 | Filed under: Other | no responses
- My best advice to anyone who wants to raise a happy, mentally healthy child is: Keep him or her as far away from a church as you can.
- Tax the FUCK out of the churches!
- Get smart and I’ll fuck you over — sayeth The Lord.
- The essence of Christianity is told to us in the Garden of Eden history. The fruit that was forbidden was on the Tree of Knowledge. The subtext is, All the suffering you have is because you wanted to find out what was going on. You could be in the Garden of Eden if you had just kept your fucking mouth shut and hadn’t asked any questions.
- Those Jesus Freaks
Well, they’re friendly but
The shit they believe
Has got their minds all shut
An’ they don’t even care
When the church takes a cut
Ain’t it bleak when you got so much nothin’
Posted by probabilityZero on 2008-03-15 | Filed under: Atheism | 8 responses
Not too long ago, there was a cult TV show called Mystery Science Theater 3000. This wonderful TV show involved taking old movies, usually B-grade sci-fi or horror, and letting some brilliant comedians mock them constantly. It was comedic brilliance. Unfortunately, MST3K was canceled.
Luckily, after the cancellation, a new online service sprang up headed by the former star and head writer from MST3K. This service is called Rifftrax. The general idea is: you download an mp3 of the commentary from the writers/comedians at Rifftrax, and have it playing when you watch the movie it goes with. Since this new format does not require the guys at Rifftrax to license the movies they want to riff on, they are free to pick the big budget stuff.
The first Rifftrax I experienced was Battlefield Earth, an awful movie based on a book by the founder of Scientology. Thanks to the Rifftrax commentary, however, it became not only watchable, but hilarious. Soon I tried others, like Star Trek VI and even the first Lord of the Rings movie. It’s just like watching MST3K, but instead of the almost unwatchable classics “Manos: The Hands of Fate” or “Santa Claws Conquers the Martians,” these movies are modern blockbusters.
I’m not sure why I didn’t write about this earlier. I’ve been enjoying these for months now. If you haven’t had a chance to hear one, there are some samples on the website. If you’re unfortunate enough to have never even seen the original MST3K, rent some DVDs of it from Netflix or go find some episodes on Google Video. It’s an acquired taste, but if you give it a chance you’ll thank me later.
Posted by probabilityZero on 2008-03-15 | Filed under: Other | 2 responses
I always love creative art direction, both in movies and games. I’m a huge Tim Burton fan, and I love the twisted worlds of Tim Schafer just as much. Unfortunately, the most creative video games often are overlooked by the masses, who are content with buying the same Madden or Halo game each year. So, I’ve decided to compile a list of 5 games I consider to have the best and most creative art direction and design. This was a hard list to make, and each of these games definitely deserves your time.
5. Rez
While the gameplay of Rez is rather simplistic (it’s essentially an on-rails shooter), visually the game is stunning. The graphics are not the most technically advanced by modern standards, considering it was originally a Dreamcast game, but it doesn’t really look dated. The game moves in time with the electronic soundtrack, making the whole screen seem alive.
Gamers can still give Rez a try without tracking down a copy for Dreamcast or PS2, as it has recently been re-released in HD for Xbox Live Arcade.
4. Beyond Good and Evil
To call this game a commercial flop would be an understatement. This little overlooked gem of a game comes from the creator of Rayman, and although gamers didn’t seem to like it (or buy it) when it came out, video game critics certainly did — and for good reason. This game is wonderfully immersive, and shines as one of the most innovative platformers to come out in the last few years.
Of all the games on the list, this one is the most well known amongst my friends. I’m fairly sure none of them have actually played it, but they’ve heard of it. I guess this can be attributed to the enthusiastic recommendations from game critics. It wasn’t enough, I guess. Hopefully now that word has spread more people will be playing this game in the future.
3. Grim Fandango
Point-and-click adventure is my favorite video game genre. I rarely admit this, but it’s true. You, reader, almost certainly don’t share my affinity for adventure games, but fear not! You need not be an adventure game fan to enjoy the works of Tim Schafer. Sure, they require a bit more patience than the average console gamer has, but if you can play 500+ hours of the half-job-half-game World of Warcraft, then you can play a point-and-click adventure game.
Grim Fandango is not only one of the most creative games you’ll ever play, but one of the funniest. The juxtaposition of smart humor and surrealistic artwork make Grim Fandango a vastly-underrated video game that every gamer needs to try. The writing and visuals easily make the experience worth sitting through a game with no action and rather slow gameplay. Besides, who knows, you might find you actually like point-and-click adventure games.
2. American McGee’s Alice
American McGee’s Alice is a weird, disturbing, and brilliant game. The gameplay isn’t much to write home about, and the Quake 3 engine graphics are dated by today’s standards (they were state-of-the-art when the game came out), but the unique look and storytelling of the game make up for it and much more.
Anyone who’s actually read Alice in Wonderland as a teenager or adult certainly must have noticed that it’s actually kinda creepy and almost nightmarish at times. It deals with very serious and otherwise dark subjects, such as insanity, with a childish and surrealistic flair. Game designer American McGee recognized this, and used it as inspiration for the setting of this game. The story of Alice is based loosely on the world of Alice in Wonderland, with an older and more cynical Alice fighting a world of horror in her own mind. If you like all things twisted or wicked, this game is perfect for you.
1. Psychonauts
Along with Beyond Good and Evil, Psychonauts is usually what I point to when I want to illustrate how truly artistic and innovative games tend to fail commercially. It is almost criminal how such a unique and artistic game was almost completely overlooked by gamers.
The main idea of Psychonauts is as follows: you go to a summer camp for psychics, and platform jump your way through levels based on the subconscious minds of your fellow camp mates and camp counselors. The art direction in each level mimics the mental and emotional state of the character’s mind it is based on, and each level becomes a work of art.
This is the second game by Tim Schafer on the list (the first was Grim Fandango). Psychonauts and Grim Fandango both have similar traits, and IMO Psychonauts would have been better as a point-and-click adventure rather than an “action-adventure game.” As to be expected from a Tim Schafer game, the writing in Psychonauts is hilarious, and perfectly compliments the look of the game. The gameplay is a bit wonky and sometimes problematic, but if you can put that aside you’ll love Psychonauts.
Well, there you have it. That’s my list. I know “Top X” lists are lame, but I mainly just wanted to rant about how great these games are. Disagree with me? Leave a comment with your thoughts.
EDIT: Okay, I’ve thought things over and I regret not including Okami in this list. So, go ahead and substitute Okami for Beyond Good and Evil for #4.
Posted by probabilityZero on 2008-03-14 | Filed under: Tech and games | 13 responses
I bought the new Nine Inch Nails album, and I love it. I was initially disappointed that it was completely instrumental and thus lacked Trent’s usual poetic and complex lyrics, but the sheer perfection of the album made up for it. Rather than continuing with the more pop-ish sounds from the previous two albums, this album focuses on atmospheres and soundscapes. It features lots of multi-layered sounds and widely varied musical styles, and comes off feeling very experimental and abstract.
I’d recommend it to anyone who is interested in electronic or ambient music, especially at the price point of $5. Not to mention, it was released with a Creative Commons license, so you can legally torrent the whole thing to preview it before buying.
It was released officially in three formats: 320kbps MP3, FLAC, or Apple lossless. I chose the FLAC version.
Posted by probabilityZero on 2008-03-11 | Filed under: Other | one response
