Computers and you

[Nuala]

What do you use your computers for? Are you into graphic design, video games, writing, programming, or video editing? What operating systems have you used, and which do you prefer? What do you know about computers? Post about your history with computers.
I believe I started with Mac OS 7 back in 1st grade. Didn't do much with it except learn how to type in the computer class we had at my school. Let's just say it didn't rub off on me, and I despised the home keys that we were taught.
The first computer I had at home ran Windows 95. Didn't do much with it either, except go into AOL chat rooms.
We finally got a new computer and I usually played games such as Diablo, Diablo II, and Starcraft on it. It ran Windows 98 and was actually a fairly decent computer. I was also introduced to P2P networks like Napster.
I then got a computer of my own, and it was a Gateway PC running Windows ME. It had a 1.2 ghz processor, 128 MB of RAM, and a nVidia Riva TNT2 64 MB PCI graphics card. I also believe it had a 20 GB hard drive. Compared to the smaller hard drives at the time, it was great. I used this computer from 2000 to 2005 and it did everything I wanted it to. Ran Adobe Photoshop well when I got into graphic design, and ran games like Half-Life, and Warcraft III with relative ease. Let's just say I never forgave my little brother for destroying it after I built my first computer. This was also the first computer I used Linux on after I got sick of Windows ME.
The first computer I built had a AMD Athlon64 2800+ processor, ran at 1.8 ghz, had two sticks of 512 MB PC3200 DDR RAM in it, a nVidia Geforce 6800 GT AGP 256 MB card, and about 70 GB's of hard drive space. I used my old Gateway moniter with it, and now this fine computer rests by side right next to my most current computer.
I purchased a Macbook Pro about a month ago. It has 2 GB's of RAM, 2.2 ghz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 120 GB hard drive, and a 15.4" widescreen monitor(I LOVE IT <3 1024x768 can kiss my ***). It's running OS X 10.4.10 too. God, I'm never going back to Windows except if on a work computer. Most graphic design computers use Apple computers anyways, so I don't have to worry about that. It's not to say that I won't continue to build computers and run Linux or maybe even Windows Vista if i get bored, and if Microsoft works the kinks out of Vista.
So...how about you guys?

 

[Petaris]

The earliest OS I used was the one for the Apple IIe, when I learned to type and program in 5th grade.

I have run, MS-DOS, PC-DOS, FreeDOS, Win 3.11, Win 3.12, Win95, Win98, Win98 SE, WinNT 3.51, WinNT 4.0, Win2k Pro, WinXP Pro, Linux starting with RedHat 3.0 (I used this until version 9 which I couldn't stand), then SUSE (I don't remember the version), Gentoo (Stage 1 builds, Yay! , Debian, Ubuntu, FC 5, FC 6, and now Zenwalk (slackware based), MacOS 6.5, MacOS 7, MacOS 9, OS X 10.2, OS X 10.4 (x86), OpenBSD, NetBSD, Solaris 8 (x86), Solaris 10 (x86), and some other not so well know beta OSs that never really made it to production.

Oh the memories, but I can easily say that Linux is my favorite OS.

 

[Nuala]

The earliest OS I used was the one for the Apple IIe, when I learned to type and program in 5th grade.

I have run, MS-DOS, PC-DOS, FreeDOS, Win 3.11, Win 3.12, Win95, Win98, Win98 SE, WinNT 3.51, WinNT 4.0, Win2k Pro, WinXP Pro, Linux starting with RedHat 3.0 (I used this until version 9 which I couldn't stand), then SUSE (I don't remember the version), Gentoo (Stage 1 builds, Yay! , Debian, Ubuntu, FC 5, FC 6, and now Zenwalk (slackware based), MacOS 6.5, MacOS 7, MacOS 9, OS X 10.2, OS X 10.4 (x86), OpenBSD, NetBSD, Solaris 8 (x86), Solaris 10 (x86), and some other not so well know beta OSs that never really made it to production.

Oh the memories, but I can easily say that Linux is my favorite OS.

I dabbled in Linux and various old operating systems such as Windows 3.0, although it was probably an updated version of 3.0. My experience with Linux consisted of Lindows(I..hated it), Red Hat Linux, and Ubuntu. I need to get a mid-range computer and put a Linux distro on it. I should really play around with it more. It's such a fun operating system.

 

[Davey]

When I was about 10 years old my parents bought a family pc for us, I think it was a compaq pc. That's about 12 years ago now, and since then I became addicted to it. I started out with playing games on it but later on I became active on the Internet. I logged into chatboxes on a daily base and also the program ICQ (I seek you ). On high school I learned a bit more about computers how to type blind, and how word and excel work.

about 5 years ago, I became interested in web design and started to learn HTML, XHTML, and CSS. My first website was a website at freewebs.com and still have one over there www.freewebs.com/japanichiban.html (I know the color is terrible but it's my first website ever.

I now have a website for the city I live in: www.kobecityinfo.com I still want to learn a lot more about design, and computers but I have to find the time for that.

I love computers, and hope to find a job where I can use them in.

p.s. nice thread

 

[EvilCowSlayer]

My first experience with computers was when I was 6, we had this computer that ran Windows 3.1. It was love from the start. I couldn't stop using the computer. It was a pain in the butt sometimes because the computer had a thing in the case that locked the keyboard, so my mom could keep me off of it when she wanted to.

We then got an HP Pentium 200 MHz, ran Windows 95. Mechwarrior 2: Mercenaries. I played the crap out of that game. As time went on and the computer really showed its age, we weren't getting a new computer to keep up with technology. So I kept trying to run the most convoluted of stuff on a 200 MHz computer. Like Unreal Tournament GOTY (which ran fairly well). And Harry Potter (which ran like CRAP).

I finally got a hand-me-down 400 MHz computer. I used that for a while, and got another hand-me-down, a 700 MHz computer. Again, it was already outdated, so I ran the most convoluted of stuff on it (UT2004 anyone?). Yes, UT2004 on a 700 Mhz processor with a Radeon 7000, and a hard drive that was beginning to go. I installed Linux on this one, because it ran Windows ME. And yes, I did run UT2004 on Linux, too. I'm crazy.

I then saw an ad in the paper for a barebones machine. $500, Athlon 64 2800+, Radeon 9250. Jumped on it, bought it. Ended up upgrading the graphics card to a Geforce 6600GT. Was very happy with that for a while.

I decided to upgrade my computer, but I was really limited since I was running on a Socket 732 (I think that's the right number, it's been a while) and AGP 8X. So I decided to completely rebuild my computer, and the result is the computer I use today.

Athlon 64 X2 4400+, 2GB Corsair XMS3200, Geforce 7800GT. Quite the gaming rig here. Despite that, I really don't play that many hardcore games on it. Mostly PSO. (Although I gave that Bioshock demo a spin. AWESOME.)

Mostly I use my computer these days for internet, PSO, and Photoshop for my webcomic. I occasionally do things like video editing and Flash, but those aren't regular activities.

 

[Nuala]

Oh man, I remember Mech Warrior. That game was so fun to play! I have not played Unreal Tournament though. Hehe, well I have a Pentium I machine laying around my house. I'll see how it'll run the original Mechy.

 

[EvilCowSlayer]

I'd always go Instant Action and run out of ammo or enemies and not have any idea where to go or what to do. I still don't. =P So I just blew myself up when I was done.

Pop your MechWarrior 2 CD into a CD player. It's got some cool tracks to listen to, especially if you've got a pumping bass.

 

[yumeitsumo]

When It comes to computers I am a total Dork. I love them. I use them for just about everything. Entertainment mostly. I like HTML and CSS. I enjoy the Microsoft Windows. I use the computer for Writing my diary, poetry, and everything. I don't know what I'd do without a computer. XD

 

[Haruspex]

Lol yeah, how would I put pirated games on my PSP without a pc lol? Or downloaded anime on the PS3.

 

[Goldiegirl]

I have a macbook pro, a dell laptop and a dell desktop computer. I can turn them on and do the basic stuff. I use my mac the most. It's the easiest to use and never locks up or gives me the big blue screen of death. It takes care of itself! The desktop is now just a giant paper weight and it just collects dust. I rarely use it. I have wireless internet so it's great to be free! I play some games and of course visit Jref!

 

[tada]

I mainly use mine for internet, games (not anything really serious that you'd need a modern machine for though; I prefer consoles for that), and programming. Right now I'm running a program that I (we; it was a pair effort) made for my AI class last quarter. It's probably the program I am most proud of. It's basically "training" an AI for othello/reversi, and it was second place in our class. If anyone wants to know more detailed how it works, I can explain. Sample output:

@ 2008.06.22 18:08:48
(33)-2130-
public int[] LAYER0={567,325,116};
public int[] LAYER1={-319,151,33};
public int[] LAYER2={742,-73,306};
public int[] LAYER3={99,101,92};
public int[] LAYER4={-414,142,358};
public int[] LAYER5={249,-602,-296};
public int[] LAYER6={-161,-132,-249};
public int[] LAYER7={-264,-430,-565};
public int[] LAYER8={242,112,102};
public int[] LAYER9={-127,-327,429};
public int[] STABILITY={547,206,525};
public int[] MOBILITY={364,244,236};
public byte PHASE0=25;
public byte PHASE1=45;

 

[Annubis]

kewl!!!

from tada

Right now I'm running a program that I (we; it was a pair effort) made for my AI class last quarter. It's probably the program I am most proud of. It's basically "training" an AI for othello/reversi, and it was second place in our class. If anyone wants to know more detailed how it works, I can explain. Sample output:

That sound awesome! Is AI, artificial intelligence? Explain Othello/reversi. They are special interfaces aren't they? Pleas give us details! I am very enterested in AIs. Personally, though I work away from the ambilical cord of a prefabricated consol or computer. But, please tell me all about your program and it's fuctions... what are the effects? Is there a special randomness component? I'm not sure I understand the numbers. Sorry. I'm all heated up to hear more! You should talk to the admin of JREP to see if J-bot (my secret love) can use your help.

 

[tada]

Reversi is a board game, and this program uses artificial intelligence to play it. Wikipedia has a page on it for more info (I can't post the link directly)

Game-playing AIs were a lot simpler than I thought they would be when I went into my AI course last quarter. Essentially, all they are doing is assigning a value to each possible move based on some evaluation (those numbers that you see are the "values" of certain pieces), and examining as many moves as possible in a given amount of time. Our program usually gets to 10-12 moves ahead in 5 seconds. Your mileage may vary though, depending on processor speed.

For example, this
public int[] LAYER0={567,325,116};

means that a corner piece is worth 567 "points" in the early game, 325 in the mid-game, and 116 in the endgame. Some pieces have negative values too, like the pieces adjacent to the corner (which allow your opponent to take the corner).

Then there's also the machine learning part of the program. With it, the program plays against itself repeatedly. One opponent searches to 6 moves ahead, and the other searches to 4 moves. The one that searches to only 4 moves ahead modifies its values and plays the opponent that searches to 6 moves until it can beat it. Of course, if 4 moves ahead can beat 6 moves ahead with its values, chances are that the values are better. Both take the new values, and the cycle continues.

 

[Annubis]

That is really facinating! I now feel like taking a uiversity course in game programing! Perhaps, I will one day! Thank you for the great explanation! So, I guess that the exchange of these better values is how the players are trained. Is that right, or did you have a better way to train them?