Andy McDandy Vent Page

Yesterday Phoronix posted a topic on how Blizzard Entertainment does indeed have a Linux client for World or Warcraft and one quote taken from the forums made by a Blizzard MVP was the same stupid argument that all big game/software developers love to use, there isn’t enough Linux users.

Whenever someone mentions such thing it only proves that either A) That person is a complete idiot, or B) They are simply cowards to un-glue their lips from Microsoft ass and support the Linux operating system.

Now for those of you who don’t understand how someone making such comment can be considered an idiot, let me explain.  Most gaming developers will use the comment of not enough Linux gamers but here is the thing, if there were a lot of block buster games on Linux, then there would be more Linux gamers.  You see the games has to come first in order to build up the number of Linux gamers.  I have lost count of how many times I read posts from gamers who state that they are only using Windows because their favourite games only run in Windows.  Any big game developer can see those posts themselves if they really want to know how big of a demand there really is.  But don’t bother with the Warcraft forum because the moderators there act like dictators and will usually delete any Linux request topics.

As for how a software developer can be a coward, well think about about it.  They claim that there are very few Linux users which means they do not wish to spend the money to make a Linux client which means they are scared to take the risk.  Running a business, any kind of business is all about risk.  Would Blizzard Entertainment be where it is today if it didn’t take a risk of launching the first Warcraft game some years ago?  NO!  What also pisses me off with Blizzard themselves is that they have probably the most revenue coming in than any other big game development company in the world with their roughly $100 Million monthly revenue from the World of Warcraft subscriptions and they don’t want to spend a mere $1 Million (if that) on a Linux client.  Talk about greed.

Well for now I have cancelled my Warcraft subscription and do not have any plans of going back any time soon.  Maybe I will give that subscription money to one of the tiny indie developers who have had no problem making their game run on ALL platforms with their extremely small budget.

I just received the movie Mortal Kombat on DVD to replace my VHS copy which has one or two spots where the video and sound become distorted due being chewed up in an older VCR I had.

I was happy to find this DVD through my local Deja Vu Discs but I became disappointed because there were no special video clips from the people who worked on the movie, giving their thoughts, this is something I always look forward to when I buy a DVD.

Mortal Kombat, to me, is the best movie based on a video game ever made and it deserved more in the way of special features than just simple bio on each movie character.

Those who live in Pickering, Ajax, Whitby or Oshawa and who do not have their own vehicle knows that the people at DRT head office who plan the routes obviously don’t know jack shit.  I always thought public transit was setup for the public but it appears that the DRT was setup for only Durham College/UOIT.

Now I am not going to talk about every bad planned route because that would cause this blog entry to end up being 30+ pages in length so I will discuss 1 route that has always pissed me off, shuttle buses and accessing industrial areas.

First, route 916 Rossland.  Rossland Rd runs East and West so naturally one would think that the route would turn around at it’s farthest East and farthest West points but that is wrong.  With the DRT caring more about Durham College/UOIT instead of the public, route 916 actually heads North at it’s farthest East point, up into the North end of Oshawa, Westward through a sub-division and finally ending at the college.  Now please note that there are already several bus routes that go to the college and I’m fine with those other routes because they travel close to the college.  Rossland Rd. however is not close to the college and being a route with very little buses travelling it makes the time between buses longer than it should.  There are many schools along Rossland and so there are many students who rely on the 916 but are being ignored all because DRT would rather kiss the college ass rather than the public as a whole.

Shuttle Buses:  As stated at least once in my Cineplex rant, there is no reliable public transit to/from Cineplex or AMC located in the next town.  Public transit companies should automatically look at shuttle buses to/from these types of entertainment facilities, especially now because I feel with gas prices and many people being laid off, people who have driven out to see a movie are not doing so as much.  If there were shuttle buses to/from these locations then it will encourage those same people to get out more.  Take myself for example; I would love to get out once a month to watch my wrestling at the local Cineplex but because there is no buses I am stuck at home here having to resort to downloading a copy from a torrent site.

Last is Accessing Industrial Areas:  When I think of public transit, I not only think of a transit system setup for the public but also to help the city grow by helping the unemployed get to/from job interviews.  I have been looking for employment for some time now and pretty much every job I have come across are all located where there is either no buses at all or only during morning and evening rush hour.  Now most public transit systems will tell you that they don’t service industrial areas because there isn’t enough people taking the bus…well duh!  When you have had years and years of no public transit, people who work in that area become accustomed to requiring their own vehicle and the only way to change that is to start servicing those areas on a regular basis.  Governments and organisations who keep promoting that people should leave their car at home and take public transit keep neglecting the fact that public transit is the cause of so many people driving to/from work.  If public transit systems started covering an entire city instead of favouring one particular group then more people would leave their vehicles at home.  It’s not rocket science.

For some time now, Linux desktop users have been requesting Linux support but their calls are constantly going unanswered.  Linux users know that it is not an issue with Netflix using Silverlight since Linux already has a Linux version of that.  It can not be a DRM thing because if it was then all Netflix would have to do is make Linux users keep a DRM CD in their system like they did when they first came out for Nintendo Wii.

The only reason I can see them not wanting to support Linux is that they do not want to expand their customer base since that is the ONLY foreseeable outcome in not supporting Linux.

In the opinion of this writer, any computer software/streaming company that does not support Linux, one of the most secured operating systems on the planet to date, is nothing but a giant COWARD!

Anyone who lives in Ontario Canada may have heard of the Ontario Works Assistance Program (OWAP).  OWAP is also tied in with Ontario Disability with one exception, disability program provides close to $1,000/month to live off of while the max amount from OWAP is around $525/month.

Now OWAP is good when times get rough unfortunately there is on major downfall to this assistance program, it is designed to make sure that you can not get off it on your own.  Many government officials would say that it is setup to help encourage people to find work but in the first three months of being on OWAP, you are being encouraged to NOT find work.

During the first three months of being on OWAP, if you find work even if it is only 10 hours a week, 100% of what you earn is taken off of your OWAP cheque so right from the start they don’t want you to succeed in getting off the program.  OWAP also states that you can face fines if you are caught not reporting all your funds yet they leave you no choice but to keep any and all earnings secret from them.

The OWAP really needs a major overhaul.  I have been stuck on this assistance program for about 4 years, it’s not something I wanted to be on, in fact I resisted applying for assistance for an entire year because I did not want to get on it.  Eventually I could not hold out any longer and had to apply, since then it has been major hell on my mentally because OWAP will not allow me to advance financially and no longer be dependant on them.

In order for OWAP recipients to get off of OWAP, the program needs to change and one change that I feel would be good is when someone declares income, have the money taken off the OWAP cheque and put it aside until a certain dollar amount if achieved, enough that will cover x number of months rent, utilities and groceries.

Right now recipients are not allowed to have more than $500 in their bank account, if you are found to have more you are kicked off the program.  In Ontario it is hard to find any apartments, even a tiny bachelor apartment for $500 so you are forced to either scam the system or stay in poverty.  Will OWAP ever change so people will have a chance of getting off assistance, doubt it unless one of two things happen, 1) an ex OWAP recipient gets in to office or current officials spends a few months on OWAP to see what it is actually like.

Anyone who has visited a YMCA knows that they have some great people working/volunteering there, great workout machines and pretty much a nice and friendly environment however there appears to be a dark side to the YMCA.

On their “Who We Are” page at the bottom of the first paragraph you have the following:

Through YMCA financial assistance programs, the YMCA is accessible to all.

That is of course complete bullshit.  Yes they do have a financial assistance program BUT if you are a single male and struggling on Ontario Works Assistance then it is pretty much FUCK YOU we’ll only give you a max of $15 discount.  I know families where both parents are working only having to pay around $25 a month while I, a single male struggling on assistance has to pay close to $50 before tax.

Now $50 may not sound like a lot but when you are on a government assistance program like Ontario Works where you don’t even get enough funds to pay rent and groceries let alone any utilities you might need, $50 becomes a huge amount.  The YMCA needs to start treating EVERYONE, no matter what their relationship status is equally.  I didn’t choose to be single nor do I wish to be single but unfortunately that is how things are right now and not I or anyone else who is single should be penalised for it.

I know penalising single people is something that has come the norm by big companies and by governments but that doesn’t mean it is right.  So come on YMCA, start changing the trend and start treating EVERYONE equally rather than show favouritism towards couples with children.

Since B.C. times, there has been some form of money being used and although the use of money is that old, do we really need it for our world to survive?  I personally do not think so.

Now those who have money would try and tell you that the world would come to an end if we had no money, but then rich only care about themselves and no one else.  Their whole life is based around greed, how much money and items can that acquire rather than giving back to those who helped them achieve such status.

Pretty much anywhere in the world you will probably find the saying “The root of all evil is money and religion” and I for one agree although I would give money a higher ranking than religion.

Look at some of the bad things which are happening in the world all because of money.

• Homelessness
• War
• Arguments between couples
• Divorce
• Crime

Those are just a sample of what negatives money has caused.  Now some of you may say that I must be a Star Trek nut case but I’m not.  I do enjoy watching the Deep Space 9 series but a Star Trek nut case I am not besides think about Earth in the Star Trek series of shows.  Earth is referenced and shown as a place where there is no more money, everyone helps each other out, everyone has a roof over their head, no more homeless, no more underfed children, or wars, Earth is just a more relaxed and pleasant place than it is today.

Yes Star Trek is a made-up story but many things pertaining to Earth doesn’t have to be make believe.  Look at what technologies we now have because of the Star Trek series.

• Cell Phones
• iPad type devices
• Flat Screen Monitors/TV’s
• Personal Computer
• Portable Memory (USB Memory Sticks)
• Biometrics
• Wireless Earpiece
• GPS
• Automatic Sliding Doors
• PDA’s

If all those items can come from a fictional television show and succeed then why not something more massive like getting rid of money?  Now granted there would be some things that would need to be thought out first to prevent people from hoarding more items than they need.  Going back to ST: DS9, there is a reference of monthly allotted credits relating to transporting.  We could have something similar in place of money with the only difference being, everyone get the same amount of credits to use each month.

Not only would not having money solve the things mention earlier but the world as a whole would be happier because now people could do the jobs they love rather than jobs they do just because they need the money.  If we remove the worries of needing money to pay this bill or that bill, everyone will be much happier which will in turn make the world a happier place to live.

To those who want to laugh at this idea, pick up a major newspaper today and count how many articles are about something where money did not play a role.  Why I am asking you to count those articles, because you will probably lose count if you had to count the articles where money did play a role in whatever tragedy is being reported.

Well going by the fact that I have just received my income tax forms in the mail, it is apparently that time again where Linux users have to hunt down trying to find a Income Tax software that will run natively in Linux.

I have done some research earlier and to my dismay I found none.  It appears that the lips of the Income Tax software developers are strongly glued to Microsoft ass.  Sure one can use the online income tax filing method that some of the big income tax software developers have but I would feel much more safe keeping my personal income tax information on my computer rather than take a chance of it being intercepted by some skilled hacker.

So I hereby challenge all income tax software developers who want to claim that their lips are not glued to Microsoft ass to prove it.  Release a native Linux version of your income tax software so the millions of Linux users no longer have to suffer with emulators and virtual machines.  Start supporting the best and most secured operating system in the world today.

So I received a reply back from Cineplex concerning my complaint I sent in and this is what the person had to say:

“Cineplex Entertainment is a movie exhibitor and, as such, we do not have any control over which films are available overall or shown in 3D or 2D; this decision is made by a film’s distributor.  Please also note that the decision as to where a film is played is based on various factors including the number of films being released at the time, their local market appeal, the number of screens available at a particular theatre, and the number of film prints which a film’s distributor provides to us.

Despite this, you will still be able to enjoy a movie in 2D (even if it is a 3D presentation) by using the 3D glasses which we provide to our guests.  The 3D glasses allow individuals who cannot see 3D to see the movie clearly in 2D (no double image which is what you would see without the glasses).”

So now lets pick through this shall we.

1. It says Cineplex has no control and the decision is made by the film’s distributor but then goes to say that it can also be decided by number of screens available at a particular theatre so which is it?
2. The next question is of course why isn’t Cineplex standing up for ALL it’s customers and demanding BOTH 3D and non-3D?
3. It is also suggested that even if you can not see 3D effects, you can still go and watch the 3D movie with the glasses.  So basically pay more money for a movie with 3D effects even though you can’t see the extra effects you were charged for.  Does that actually make sense to anyone else?  I guess it’s proof that Cineplex doesn’t care about it’s customers experience at all, only their money.

I have not yet replied to that person for I need to calm down first otherwise my reply will be riddled with a lot of foul language.

Anyone who has looked at using Linux for their business knows that there are no big name accounting packages like Quickbooks or AccPac.  Since switching to Linux full time back in March 2010, I have been searching for a Quickbooks alternative and although I have found two business accounting packages, both of these appear to be targeted towards a certain business type.

The first package is probably the most well known, it’s GNUCash.  This accounting package is very basic when it comes to the graphical interface.  There is no nice coloured buttons, no invoice template tool for customising the invoice exactly the way you want it like you can with Quickbooks.  The invoicing appears to be meant for a lawyer type business because if you are running a company in computer repairs like a friend of mine, he will have one line for the cost of the repair then on each line under is a step by step list of everything that was done.  With GNUCash, it would take every single item in the step by step list and make it it’s own cost row with date, price and tax.  As one can imagine, this looks very unprofessional not too mention a waste of ink/printer ribbon.  Another problem with this program is the lack of tracking inventory or if there is one, I couldn’t find it.  So unless you are a service company that only puts on the invoice an item/service that requires it’s own date and price, then GNUCash is not for you.

The second business account package is xTuple PostBooks.  This program has a lot of colourful buttons in it, maybe too many buttons.  I installed and tried out this program just yesterday using the included demo database.  The program tries to have a similar look and feel as Quickbooks and blows GNUCash out of the water when it comes to features but like GNUCash, this accounting package appears to be geared towards a manufacturing or warehouse type business.  In xTuple, you can’t just go to “Create Invoice” and start typing away, instead you have to go through several steps first starting with creating a sales order then tell the program that stock has been packaged then shipped and then you can take that sales order to create your invoice.  If you are a business who only does the selling of merchandise and now service then this program is for you.  There is even a drop ship version for those who have multiple warehouses.

For those of use who just need a simple program with features like in Quickbooks Pro, it looks like we still have to wait.  Who knows, maybe Intuit will start believing in their “We care about your security” and start supporting a secured operating system like Linux.