This quarter of school has presented me with several team-based projects to complete. Most notably, there are a series of projects in XML and a complete Java-based networked game. The first, obvious, challenge was how to manage file control during development that was cheap (aka, free) and easy for everyone to get set-up, but could also be used for various projects.

I decided that the obvious solution was Subversion (SVN) which is a free, open-source, version control system. Thus far, it has answered the call. Beyond just the benefits of having a version control system, it is one that is well-supported with various UI-based tools and good help documents on the Internet.

Read the rest...

I recently had the opportunity to purchase an eVGA GTX 260 for $209.99 after MIR and instant rebates. I decided to jump on this, as it was from Newegg and also had free shipping with a promo code. A good deal I couldn’t pass up! I received the card a few days later, but had been snuffed out of using it right away because I was in the midst of a RAM RMA. Once I got my ram back, it was locked and loaded, and ready to rock.

Summing up this card is simple, in one phrase: solid as hell.

Read the rest...

Since I essentially missed last weeks IOTW, this week, to make up for it, I will supply a DOUBLE DOSE of IOTW. First up, this week, is Fallout 3; the latest first-person RPG from Bethesda.

While Fallout 3 falls short in a number of categories for me, the game definitely comes home as one of the best new games to come out from any of the big developers in the past couple years. Based on the same gameplay engine as Oblivion, Fallout 3 is part first-person shooter, part RPG, part madness. If you liked Oblivion, you will love Fallout 3 (FO3), and if you didn’t like Oblivion, its still worth giving this title a try - its like Oblivion, with guns.

Read the rest...

In honor of today’s release of WoW: Wrath of the Lich King, this week’s IOTW will, obviously, be WOTLK.

WOTLK marks the second expansion and approximately the fourth year running of the World of Warcraft expansion. It adds a host of new features and, possibly, makes a bigger leap in game-play than Burning Crusade did. Achievements, new 5-man dungeons, 10/25-man raid content, a whole new heroic class, and much more can be found in this expansion and there is no telling what the developers have in mind for later versions of the 3.0 patch. Whether you PVP, PVE, RP, or anything in-between, you will find plenty to do in WOTLK.

Read the rest...

Was it ever any wonder what this week’s IOTW was going to be?

This week we will look at the latest album by AC/DC which we already discussed at a high level. Today we will look at the music itself and how the latest offering measures up against previous releases. I must admit, I am not a huge AC/DC fan, but I am a huge music fan so I think my critique will be pretty fair considering.

Read the rest...

This is going to be a baaaad item of the week. Not bad like I suck at writing, but bad like I hate this damn product. I’m not writing this so much because I thought it would be a nice review for this week, I am writing this to encourage IT admins, etc. to steer far and clear of this product.

It’s bad… real bad. Worse than you thought, most likely.

Read the rest...