samm

How does it sound? What speakers/headphones are you using? I ask because by the end of the year (yes yes, a long time still ) I'll build a new rig, and I haven't heard much of Creative's PCI-Express X-Fis (except the xtreme audio, which doesn't count)...

280? Frigging waste of energy. Waiting for the first reviews of the 260 and the soon to be released atis (maximally equal to lower performance, hopefully lower energy consumption, lower price). [edit]got the numbers wrong 208 -> 280

*g*Anyway, where does one get to play head basketball? Must have missed this each time

Moonspell - In and above men Hell yeah

Just take those headphones off already Mortiis - Smell the witch *dances*

Ashes to ashes (no idea what band this is from, sounds kind of 80ies gothic...)

it may be worth noting that it's only part of the truth, but I feared it was more than enough information for one post in a recommendation-thread already. There are just some things left out (like the 9 series supporting hybrid power, or probably rather nVidia allowing them via driver restriction to do so).

Companions named cohorts? That will join? Please no forced partymembers with inaccessible inventory! Thank you Storm of Zehir could be nice, but I'm not hyped really. Does anyone know anything about Zehir? A 4E god, apparently, and what else?

you get to the level of Keenan? Today I learnt a lot of background stuff on databases, and in a learning pause I optimized my system for the summer (and the electricity bill...) by undervolting CPU and Ram, and by installing an old, active NB-cooler to the bridge-chip of my graphics card. Little hotspot, that one... The card is severly underclocked now in 2D-mode, but unfortunately I can't adjust the voltages. I wish I had a current analyzer to see how much this procedure helped.

"45 nm CPU" means that the new Intel processors are made in a more advanced process using smaller structures. The E6300 for example was created in a 65nm process. Smaller structures mean possibly less power consumption and possibly faster clockable. 1333MHz FSB means that the communication between components on the motherboard (like the processor and RAM) uses this frequency. The FSB however doesn't play a large role, as it would have to be significantly faster (like 2600MHz) to bring benefits, so the next generation of Intel processors (coming by the end of this year) and their motherboards do not even have an FSB anymore (nor do AMD processors). Regarding the graphics cards models: nVidia chose a completely stupid naming convention, well stupid only if compared over the generations, as it does make sense in one generation of cards... They used a number, where the first part signifies the generation (currently available are 8 or 9 - examples: 8800 GS, 9600 GSO), the second part the place inside the generation (4, 5 = low end, 6 = mid range, 8 = performance to high end - examples 8800 GS, 9600 GSO). They sometimes added suffixes, but not all for all generations and places inside the generation (examples 8800 GS, 9600 GSO). It goes like this ("<" meaning "is slower than"): Generation 8 8500 < 8600 < 8800. Then they added suffixes: GS < GT < GTS < GTX < Ultra. For the 8800 GTS, three variants exist: 384, 512 and 768 MB Ram. The 512 is newer and faster than the others, except at very high resolutions and anti-aliasing options, where the 768 variant still leads. Generation 9 9500 (do they exist already?) < 9600 < 9800. They used the following suffixes: GSO < GT < GTX < GX2. BUT [*]Note that the 9800 GTX is the same card like an 8800 GTS 512 MB with slightly higher clockspeeds and a new name. It is slower than 8800 GTX at high resolutions and anti-aliasing options. [*]The 9800 GT is the same as 8800 GT with a new name. [*]The 9600 GSO is the same as 8800 GS with a new name. This also means that the 9600-Series are notably faster than the 8600-Series with any suffixes. This also means that the 9800-Series are more or less the same as the 8800-Series with the same suffixes. That means, a 9600 GT is faster than a 8800 GS, but slower than an 8800 GT (or 9800 GT), and thus should be cheaper than an 8800 GT. If it isn't, it's definitely not worth buying. Confusing, huh?

The thing with nVidia cards and Ram is that if the Ram is full, your game will begin to run very slow. That's why, if you want to go for resolutions beyond 1280x1024 with antialiasing, you'd better take a card with 512MB Ram. If a 8800GT is too expensive, how about a 9600GT? What else do you need explained?

What's the connection between 3GB modules/kits and triple channel ram? [edit] Oops, ok, ic now. Three ram-slots --> 3*xGB Ram

Some things worth noting: * All the named components are about 2 years old. You'd not have an up-to-date system. * ASRock is a brand for cheap motherboards. My girlfriend got one as a replacement for an ASUS, and it's actually better... You can get lucky with ASRock. * The E6300 isn't on sale anymore. It is clocked with 1.86GHz, thus a rather low end processor, even if it's a C2D. If you want to play current games, try to get a better processor, e.g. a e8200 or greater. General advice: Try an internet search site of your choice and enter <product name> review . Pay attention to the review date, and do read some from serious hardware-websites, not only price-grabber & co. customer reviews. Check the official website of the component's manufacturer and check for compatibility-info (e.g. does the mobo really support the selected cpu? do I need a certain bios-version?). If you want the configuration to last for several years, make sure components are up-gradeable (do current high end processors fit the mobo? how about maximum ram-capacity? etc).

Fields of the Nephilim - Blue Water I think Brad Pitt must have seen this clip... Compare certain characters played by him with with this clip from 1:15 and on

Fields of the Nephilim - Sumerland (Live Version from Earth Inferno)

Well... Just finished Haibane Renmei and have to think a bit. Very good music. Very sparse in explanations... Hmhmhm...

Today, i updated my sig as well. Because I learnt something about very strange animals instead of preparing some stuff for the examn on databases next week.

There are quite a few very good 64bit *nixes around, you know? What's keeping you from using them, and if it's gaming and Microsoft programs, why not setting up a dual boot machine?

Where I'm from, trolls, like elves, halflings and gnomes aren't even allowed to join a party. I'm glad the American aren't as racist. Also: Do you think Obama has a chance of becoming president? If not, wouldn't everyone, including McCain, be better than Bush? And whom would you like to see as vice president?

Noir D

I hate this soccer party already. There are some games in our city, while I have to write exams. That means getting up an hour early and hope to get to the examn in time with all the drunk and aggressive fans around, then writing the examn wearing earplugs to keep the noise of the gas-honks away, after the examns trying to find a supermarket that isn't overrun by beer-and-sausage-buyers... Ah, nightmare Well, to answer the question "Who's your favourite?" I'd say that one of the traditionally good teams has a chance again. Italy?

From which part of the game is this? Madrugada - Sister

Shryke, enjoying your time until ? Good it's funny to imagine a mini jack hammer. Kind of like those miniature motorcycles...

The GS is a crippled but cheaper GT, now aka. 9600 GSO... Anyway, you get quite some speed for the money. It will not last for years though, as CPU, Ram, Mobo, Graphics card are all quite mid range now.

Monica Richards - In Answer