Archive for February, 2006

computing and gaming @ IIIT

February 28, 2006

its been a long time since I played a new computer game. a very long time.

Why have I not played new games?? Well, mainly because of the dire shortage of good games. Since BW2, GTA there havent been many good games on campus (you may say that I am neglecting POP but I played sands of time and the one after that and POP gets pretty darn monotonous).

Actually, right now I am in no mood to play an FPS. I’d rather play a nice RPG like Fable / Diablo etc …

Yesterday, we asked some people about the utter overkill of resources in 210 and 204. AFAIK the institute has a good chunk of machines of the P3-1GHz / 128MB RAM config. THe machines that used to be in lab 2 / lab 328 / lab 329 last year. However this year the decided to get 64 bit machines with 512 MB RAM and an ATI card and use them as dumb terminals in 210 and 204.

Basically, the funda is that the old machines do not have BOOTROM / BOOTRAM.  Again AFAIK booting from the network is a function of the network card. Anyway, I still feel its a gross misuse of computing power giving awesome PC’s for acting as ssh clients.

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PS – sticking to computing, why cant we install a DHCP server and an SMS so that we could automate installs of XP over the network??

PS1 – OK, enough geeky stuff for this post (srry for the excessive computer related stuff over the last few posts)
PS2 – se classes are becoming a pain in the ass

PS3 – New TV series called scrubs on campus. Kinda funny.

PS4 – Everybody Loves Raymond rocks.

PS5 – Does anyone remember the following rhyme …

This old man, he played three
he played knick knack up a tree
with a knick knack paddy whack give a dog a bone
this old man came rolling home

This old man, he played seven
he played knick knack upto heaven
with a knick knack paddy whack give a dog a bone
this old man came rolling home

THis old man, he played eight
he played knick knack on my gate
with a knick knack paddy whack give a dog a bone
this old man came rolling home

PS6 – Ppl please stop spamming on yahoo. I got this message 10 times within one minute.
This is a story of four people called Everybody, Somebody, Anybody and Nobody. There was some important work that had to be done, and Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it. Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it. Somebody got angry because of this, since it was Everybody’s job. Everybody thought Anybody could do it, but Nobody understood that Everybody wouldn’t do it. It ended with Everybody blaming Somebody as Nobody did what Anybody could have done 

a project

February 23, 2006

over the past few days it seems to me that we need a better way of categorizing files in IIIT.

THe situation here is different. With a LAN, there seems to be a lot of media around. However there is no effective way of finding this media. IMHO, this should be provided by the filesystem. However, in my knowledge there is no filesystem that enables users to share files and search them quickly. Maybe WinFS may address that problem. THe inherent problem with current filesystem’s seems to be the inability to locate data that is required.

Therefore we use applications on top of the OS to provide us this functionality. We use DC or Google Desktop Search or something like that to do this. And all these softwares do is index the files for faster search.

Anyway, at the rate at which new stuff is being added in IIIT its almost impossible to keep track of who has what and where to find that. What is required is an application that can solve the following

1. Allow users to share files

2. Allow users to download files

3. Have a system that enables a user to inform everyone else of something new.

This could be of the form of a subscription based thing wherein a user just tells the system – “I am interested in movies” and whenever someone adds a new movie the system pings the user saying “so-and-so added this movie”

The system should also be able to track the history of a file i.e. we should be able to tell who had what so that if someone actually went and backed it up on some removable media the system should be able to tell that. (what a bad sentence ;()

Technically, implementing this would be a nice thing to do. Direct Connect already has a lot of such functionality. What we need is a server side plugin which keeps track of media and improvements in the UI for DC which will make it easy to add information about new stuff.

DC++ btw is open source. Also, we do have a basic indexer for files on direct connect. Also, there is a library for the Direct Connect protocol. I have all the above stuff on 14.6 except the source for dc++ (which can be dwnlded from the net ). So if anyone wants to give it a shot just mail me and I will send the source ….

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PS – exams over, SE was an unqualifiable disaster. It just doesnt get worse than that

PS1 – life sucks as of now, too much work

PS2 – canteen opening yaay

PS3 – normal posting will resume from next post …

The definitive guide to CS – The Who’s who

February 20, 2006

DISCLAIMER
This post has been written by a member of [CeG]. Therefore it may be biased towards / against [CeG]. In no way do my views reflect the views of [CeG]. [CeG] is in no way liable for any content on this blog. (Of course you can sue titans / slayers / dta or anyone else )
The Who’s Who of CS
Written By: The CS Reporter
CS is a religion in IIIT. However, we do not have any kind of history of CS. After all we’d all like to be remembered as something right?? So, my first attempt at chronicling the history of cs in IIIT.
CeG Butcher : This guy was / is the god of CS. He and Slipstream were one of a kind. This guy has class, elegance. He used to go around winning matches on his own. A little out of touch now, he is not in the kind of form like he used to be (or others are better). He is still dangerous with both the maverick and the friggin AWP. Will also be remembered for taking an SMG shot at icss> playboi.CeG - Matrix | xirtam : The mastermind of CeG tactics. One of the initial few who started using bombs. He single handedly screwed TiTaNs in the CeG v TiTaNs final in May last year. Very dangerous with most guns.

CeG - true_shot : One of the more defensive players in CS. Plays reasonably with AK. Right now, the only CeG in form in clan matches.

CeG – cyclothymia | rexisgod | Jim Morrison : The CeG scout. The most dangerous player with clarion. Usually found at A-Center in de_dust2 / house in de_inferno. Be very afraid when approaching.

CeG – oBelIX | the man with the menhir : The guy who dies first / is used as bait. Played bloody darn well against CSI, went from a score of 0/3 to 26/5. (that’s me by the way)

DTA – Austin 3:16 – Yaar. He used to snipe damn well a while back. Nowadays plays with the AK and Mav. I think that he is the tactician for DTA (not sure abt that).

DTA – Goldberg – One of the most ardent gamers around. He is usually the guy who carries the bomb. Excellent at finishing a match (i.e. winning it 1v2 or 1v1). Against DTA it ain’t over as long as this guy is alive.

DTA – Zaknafin – This guy is reaching god-like play with pistols. Just the other day, there was me and yaar at Center in inferno and he takes two headshots with a friggin deagle and wins the match. He is like a one man army, easily capable of taking out two or more.

DTA – Player – He does for DTA what matrix does for CeG. Basically, the guy who makes sure everything goes ok.

DTA – streak – The absolute god of the maverick. Seriously, this guy is the best with that gun. Do not take him 1 v 1. It wont be good for your health. Deadly at points like B tunnel exit in dust2 where you can spray and kill four. Well known for multi kills.

Slayers – munnabhai | lol – IMHO, the best sniper around. Very dangerous with pistols as well. Very dangerous with the AK. Very dangerous with the maverick. Ok, this guy in short is one of the best cs players around.

Slayers – haha | arthur | (komarneni) – This guy WILL kill you with a deagle. Unless you are sniping in which case you stand a better chance. All he will do is hit you on the head with the deagle and bam you are dead as a Chinese chicken being saute’d for Manchurian.

Slayers – Cool – Haven’t played him much except in pool, so cant say much.

Slayers – Black | 1fkedupbitch – One of the most team players around. He plays a real team game. Deadly with AK, I remember him and someone else together taking out snipers at CT bridge room in Aztec.

Slayers – lionking – I thought he had retired from CS. Hadn’t seen much of him for a while. He used to screw people earlier when he was in DTA. (see the DTA video if you don’t believe me). Last I heard, he came, he played and he fucked titans / dta.

TiTaNs – asdf | sker – Probably, one of the best players in IIIT as of now. Excellent sniper and near perfect with pistols. Seriously, if you think that you snipe well, play him. Usually found at A-Banana in de_inferno.

TiTaNs – CyClops – A little out of touch now but at one point of time (read April-May last year) he was the most dangerous player with the AK. Used to wallbang the fk out of the sniper on CT bridge room in de_aztec. Also, he single handedly killed almost all of Bleed / ABC (I don’t remember which) at Felicity ’05 with a Steyr Aug.

TiTaNs – Sirius – The guy who rocks with the defender and the maverick. He just moves, shoots and hits your head. This guy is pretty aggressive. To take him out, you’d better wait.

TiTaNs – Rock – Once again, a little out of touch now. But earlier he was the sniper with the least reaction time and the highest accuracy. The reason for TiTaNs being so good was probably Rock and asdf sniping. Trust me, it was nearly impossible to take him out 1v1 when he was sniping.

TiTaNs – FRAG – The rifler of TiTaNs, the guy who used to be at A-Center if I remember correctly. Haven’t gone much 1v1 against him …

TiTaNs – googol – A slightly more defensive player. Mostly, whenever I played with / against him in Aztec and when were losing he’d say `Fall Back Team`.

TiTaNs – spawn – One of the other CS’ers who blog. Have only played against him recently and well, he does play well. Pretty much of an all-rounder (that means that he can snipe as well as rifle).

CSI – Slipstream – The guy who defined cs. Like butcher, he was the type of guy who’d win a match single-handedly and look good too. Played very well with all guns (even guns which most ppl think are crap – clarion).

CSI – xXx – The guy who organized the first CS tourney. He was nice and aggressive, unlike some of the extremely boring ppl who will save a ct pistol for 4 minutes. Very deadly with the mav, I remember him taking out four ppl at A in inferno. Chk out the replay of Jedi V CSI, amazing play by xXx.

CSI – Shrek – Haven’t played him much so cant write much.

CSI – space – koolnaal, this guy was deadly with clarion. Mostly, I remember him taking out three T’s in dust2 at A-Long in CSI v CeG. That was probably the defining moment when it became obvious that CSI were better prepared in that match.

CSI – saki – Now in TiTaNs, this guy was initially a sniper. Now he rocks with all guns. His sniping is very very accurate.

PlayboiHe was good at quake. He thought he’d be good at CS too. Initially when we were very green, he used to showoff sniping. (he was a pretty decent sniper). Check out the raskullz v TiTaNs video for a shot of playboy sniping rock straight in the a$$. That was hilarious :D .

gAMeSKP, whenever me and him played in the same team we’d help each other out a lot. I wonder why he quit.

SuckingSuckyAt one pt, he played very very well. But he was better known for kicking ppl arbitly and restarting the server whenever he lost and being a general pain in the ass.

P@inKi||erA staunch supporter of CeG. No further comments :D .

Bertie Wooster – One of the ppl who used to play CS in the beginning. President of the Dead People’s Club (ppl who die very fast and chat while the others are playing). I remember him and me having many conversations in cs_estate after dying within 20 seconds. I dunno why he quit.

Bloodline | Srikanth Cherla – He was the backbone of the aakash team. Played pretty well those days. One of the founding members of TiTaNs. Again, I wonder why he quit.

T3 – This guy plays with many arbitrary names. He plays reasonably well and is probably the only guy who scouts (in the sense he uses the scout). Just the other day, he headshot Mahesh with one. You should have seen Mahesh’s face. Lol.

AnonyBetter known for his shouting matches with cyclothymia, a proverbial pita. However, when he plays seriously, he plays pretty well.

Fauji | mossad – (sorry, I don’t remember any more names) – The guy who has seen the most CS videos. The guy who knows the most strategy. If there were commentators in CS he would be like Geoffery Boycott, immensely knowledgeable about the game.

Legend – The guy you’d see with a goddam smg (hey that rhymes !!). He will charge first, and die a heck of a lot.

GoonzanOne of the more defensive players. Has been known to play with shotguns and kill a lot of ppl.

noobieGyani_Tharwani, an allround player …

Mangla | Rahul_badmouse – (I forget his name), one of the two guys who has tried to play on a touchpad. He actually killed butcher with it in cs_office.

DesiArmyOK, me and him used to go 1v1. (and I used to loose : ( ). Sad aint it.

GrawlAnother member of aakash. I tell you, aakash was pretty strong then. Sadly, now it’s the bloody agnians.

Unpredictable – The linux bond. Actually tried to play CS from linux. Then switched to windows. Didn’t help much. The first time he bought an HE in cs_assault, at the end of the round, he threw it at me in the vent. When asked why, `I’d bought it, I wanted to use it`. Also known for smoking his own team’s sniper so that they cant kill the enemy.

BeegleNot the proverbial pooch I’d say. He got a lot of ppl pissed when he went roaming around for the bomb in a match against AOI I think.

Bah – A normal player, charges, dies. Plays ok with ak.

ArMMoRThe guy who gives up. He tried to learn CS. Then gave up. Tried again, gave up again. Plays occasionally.

kiran_dvl - this guy is immensely popular in the lab. Whenever he plays ppl shout lillieee ...

Now there are a lot more players in CS. I haven’t actually played against most of them a lot. It would be unfair if I was to try to write a description. I will however list them out …

Sid, KID, Mosagadu, WTF, N_b_R, Sinner, WooHoo, ^-^, B. Satish kumar, Tiger, Ironhide, Donkey, Axe, Orb,

I’d also like to apologize to ug2, I haven’t played much with them so I cant write about them. If someone from their batch would write I’d be glad to add it to this post.

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PS – Any factual errors or omissions are regretted mostly because I’m human and I make mistakes goddamit.

PS1 – If anyone has anything to say or I’ve missed out someone please send me a mail or post a comment, I’d be glad to add them.

PS2 – Pooh!! This took a heckuva long time.

PS3 – I hope I don’t get screwed in STS because of this.

PS4 - If you are angry or offended by this post, go ahead, write about it in the comments. Its good to let that stuff out. I dont want to be stalked and killed when I am 40 over some article I wrote in college that pissed someone off.

status …

February 19, 2006

Why is the water in the tap hotter than the water in the shower??

Life seems to be going on … Havent done a lot of work of late. The amount of work seems to be piling up :(

Went and saw rang de basanti. Nice film. Well worth a watch.

T’was vishnu’s b’day yesterday. Had the regular bc before the b’day. Sid has some pics. There is also a video of Tipo dancing and me doing the robot :p

Haven’t played a computer game in well over 36 hrs (gg me). Hoping to play bf2 / cs tonight.

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PS – is it just me or are they constructing and breaking down the new pathway?
PS1 – cant we christen the wings in OBH???

PS2 – the oncoming exams dont seem to be bugging me, wtf is wrong?? why cant I study like goonzan / tipo / vishnu / monga etc?

tagged and stumbling around

February 12, 2006

The internet is a big place. Literally.

I never actually realized how big it is until I downloaded Stumble. Its an extension for firefox. What you do is pick some categories that you like and Stumble. It will then take you to a web page matching that category which other users have liked. And trust me, the bloody thing actually works. I’ve spent a total of 6 hrs in 2 days just browsing on arbitrary websites (which has led to serious neglecting of all types of work). Some of the stuff I have found is given in the post script.


Now to the harder part. I was tagged by Spawn. The tag is to post five weird things about myself. And this is kind of a hard tag, not one of the standard tags which say list five celebs you like and all that fritter fratter rot and what not (nice phrase isn’t it).

  • Weird thoughts randomly float into my head. Really weird thoughts. For example, me, manish etc .. were jabbering abt the new walkway being constructed right through the round thingie in front of OBH. Manish in particular was saying that BLN would just knock into the lamppost anyway so why build it. As soon as he said this, I (it must have been me because no one else is capable of thinking for me :? ) thought what if we put kerosene on the grass and set it on fire. Would that help them build it faster??
  • I plan alot. Specifically, I create a brilliant monthly, weekly, daily and hourly schedule. All my tasks are well listed. I even have an “Active Desktop Calendar” to aid me in this. Sadly, for the past 20 or so years this planning has never succeeded. There have been so few instances when I have actually stuck to the plan that I think that someone is actively plotting against me. Consider today (Sunday). My plan was
    • Wake up at 11:00 AM
    • Play chess / do BC till lunch
    • Eat Lunch
    • Finish Robotics
    • Read WDM
    • Eat Dinner
    • Play CS
    • Sleep

What happened was something like this ….

    • Woke up at 1230
    • Ate Lunch
    • Did BC
    • Played CS
    • Ate Dinner
    • Played CS
    • Played Warcraft
    • Slept
  • My impeccable (is that the right word?) belief that someday I will learn to either sing or draw. However as of now that seems a distant dream. Given my hand-eye co-ordination (which is undoubtedly better than an emu’s) this may seem to be an impossible task …
  • The ability to sleep a heck of a lot is downright weird I’d like to say. A good chunk of the populace at this place seems to manage just fine on six hours of sleep. I on the other hand like a healthy 8-9 hours for good measure and an extra 1.5 in se / compilers / robotics is like dessert :D

Anyway, its 0200 hrs and I’m sleepy. Also, of late I’ve been sleeping at 0400 hrs, a routine that I’d like to break. So good night ppl …

Oh, and before you go, I pass this tag on to …

1. Vishnu Kumar Modi

2. Sriram A.

3. Anjul Patney

4. Anand Vasudev (even if he does not blog he’d have smthng interesting to say here…)

5. Siddarth Ravi M.

6. V. V. Harish Baba
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PS – some links found while stumbling
Homer Simpson’s Words of Wisdom

Movie-A-MinuteSoftware Engineering

communication skills – zefrank

The Art of Computer Game Design

How to Design Programs

How to be a Programmer: A Short, Comprehensive, and Personal Summary

Computer Languages History (preview)

http://www.howtofoldashirt.net/

The CS Reporter

February 8, 2006

DISCLAIMER
This post has been written by a member of [CeG]. Therefore it may be biased towards / against [CeG]. In no way do my views reflect the views of [CeG]. [CeG] is in no way liable for any content on this blog. (Of course you can sue titans / slayers / dta or anyone else )

Counter Strike Today
Written By: The CS Reporter

over the past few days a lot of counter strike has been played. zombie zone mostly.

so, there have been some upheavals in the old order.

it all started with Titans losing to Slayers. Actually, I figured the result would be a slayers win. I did not estimate the magnitude of Titans loss. After winning 10-1 or 11-1 as CT they lost. I mean, they failed to win more than two rounds in dust2 as T. That my friends is an atrocity, a heinous crime.

Then slayers went on to beat DTA. Slayers rock …

Yesterday was [CeG] v Titans in de_inferno, [CeG]’s stronghold, where they beat the crap out of CSI, won very closely with DTA and won the finals against Titans. Some of you may remember the last time these two teams played. Titans lost. Of course that was when [CeG] was in almost peak form. This time around a member of [CeG] described it as “Shit Happens. “. “Shit Happens” is a very very scaled down version of what actually happened. [CeG] were running helter-skelter, with very little co-ordination. They were getting killed from front and back. Charges on A left them flashed and very very dead. Going through B was fked as well. Anyway after a 14-1 loss as T playing CT was pretty much pointless. All credit to Titans for kicking their ass. Hopefully, it will get them to wake up and practice.

Will be back with more Counter Strike News as and when it happens. Remember you read it first on Counter Strike Today.

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the one on felicity

February 8, 2006

Felicity is over .

I’m sad. It’s always like this, every year. The routine never changes. Every year, for three days life rocks and then for the next week or so, its like “oh crap!!! classes!! assignments!!”.

The only major pain this time was the sftwr and paper presentation :( (

Course, while felicity was going on, I had some ideas which I should have had a few months back. So, for ug2 and ug1, some tips on felicity …

1. Get the site up as early as possible. On day three I thought of a template like Google except with Felicity written in images
2. Publicise Tech Events more. Given the participation in Cache-In / Codecraft / Equity Pulse we can afford to publicize them more. i.e. put some online ads on sites etc …
3. Create a centralized back end for felicity which handles event management / scheduling / accounting / mass mailing /website handling etc … Take this up as a project under some prof. and get credits for it as well. IF you want the exact project description to show to a prof, ask me …

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PS – Blog has moved to wordpress. wordpress looks nice. hee hee. please update bookmarks.

enabling remote desktop :D

February 2, 2006

http://blogs.msdn.com/tonyschr/archive/2004/04/19/116245.aspx

go thr to enable remote desktop on a pc where remote desktop is disabled.

-thx to fauji