Christmas, the past and the future (2013-12-24)

[Letalis Sonus]

In North-West Germany many people still grow up with family members speaking Low German, which is really very similar to Dutch. It makes it really easy to understand spoken Dutch, but written Dutch still differs too much and is more difficult to read. Interestingly it seems to be the other way round from the Dutch point of view, I've been told that they can easily read Low German but have a hard time understanding it when spoken.

Generally it helps a lot to know some Latin, there are so many European languages based on it (and you learn so much stuff about languages in general) that you can really translate whole sentenced of e.g. Spanish, Italian or French without knowing anything about those languages, even when you're just listening.

 

[RobeeJay]

I only speak English because I was born in a country where we are generally far too lazy to bother learning anyone else's language, and think anyone can be made to understand us if we speak slower, louder and more patronisingly, whilst ridiculing anyone else for not understanding our grammar well enough or spelling our words properly, all whilst pretending we own our language and each one of us personally had some sort of input into it.

Merry Christmas!

 

[Godmil]

Ok wee question. The 50 upgrades from donations, does that include the 36 that haven't taken up the offer, or is it 50 people have got them and a further 36 can get them. Because 36 out of 50 isn't a good uptake rate.

I just upped my survey request from 100 to 150Euros, so I'm curious, how many more people are at the 150 level, just so I have an idea how many more donation bars need to be filled.

thanks.

 

[darkborn]

Ukrainian Christmas Jan. 6


And ends Jan. 19


Merry Christmas!

OK, so that still works:

Merry Xmas & Happy New Year!

 

[Morn]

There's also this Chinese New Year. It hasn't good reputation in this community though

 

[Caine]

There's also this Chinese New Year. It hasn't good reputation in this community though

Haha, indeed

 

[hedwards]

Funny how germans can read dutch if they try hard enough

Or English speakers for that matter. You don't have to know much German to understand some Dutch. I wonder how that translates over to Afrikaans.

 

[_wb_]

Funny how germans can read dutch if they try hard enough

Or English speakers for that matter. You don't have to know much German to understand some Dutch. I wonder how that translates over to Afrikaans.

Afrikaans is what you get if you put people who speak Dutch in a far away, mostly isolated land for a couple of centuries. It is very similar to Dutch and easy to understand if you know Dutch. The main difference with Dutch is that the grammar has been considerably simplified (especially verb conjugation) and the typical double negative (which is unique for a Germanic language).

There is probably no more difference between standard Dutch and Afrikaans than there is between the dialects of Dutch spoken in the west of Flanders (West-Vlaanderen) and those spoken in the east of Flanders (Limburg).

For an English speaker, Afrikaans might be a bit harder to understand, because they tend to translate loan words: e.g. in Dutch we use the English words "computer" and "software" without translation, while in Afrikaans they say "rekenaar" and "sagteware". Then again, most Afrikaans speakers I've met tend to throw in entire phrases or parts of phrases in English while they're speaking Afrikaans.

 

[Godmil]

OK, slightly different question this time.  If I were to up my 'survey' total to 200 Euros would that put me at the top of the list next time donation vouchers are going out?

Also any rough number on the people left in the 150 euro bracket that haven't got vouchers yet?

 

[ElPoco]

@Godmil: Yes. I did that for the last batch and got the voucher.

According to the number ED gave once, I recall there was a need for 3 batches to fulfill all 150 upgraders. But that's not taking into account any change there could have been since then.

 

[spud42]

I have folowed the Pandora saga from the first. I so wanted to be in the first batch preorder but as i was newly married i was unable to place an order. that being said i feel for those first pre-orders who's belief helped give birth to this wonderful device.

i have just been thinking over the christmas break about ED first post in this thread and one of his other posts advising that the Pandora is running out of parts to make many more units. so my question is ....

If Craigs preorder list is still around 450 and there is a limited supply of components to make more Pandoras, are there going to be enough Pandora units to be able to sell new ones and still, with donations etc , be able to make at least a significant dent in craigs numbers?

i'm not trying to panic any one but maybe help preorders to decide to choose a better path to get a Pandora.

 

[Godmil]

I think it's been said there isn't enough parts to get everyone a pandora, so people near the end of the queue will just have their voucher carry forward to the Pyra (which is ED's pandora successor).

That's why I bumped my 'able to pay' up from 100Euros to 150.  I really want to put it up again to 200 Euros but I just can't afford it.

 

[Granitehead]

I think it's been said there isn't enough parts to get everyone a pandora, so people near the end of the queue will just have their voucher carry forward to the Pyra (which is ED's pandora successor).

That's why I bumped my 'able to pay' up from CHF125.89 (100Euro)s to 150.  I really want to put it up again to CHF251.78 (200 Euro)s but I just can't afford it.

Yes, but ED can't give them at cost (I think he wrote), so the voucher is going to be "get one at the same cost it takes to produce". This might mean that it will be more expensive for old preorderers to get a Pyra than a Pandora.

 

[Monk]

Thank you ED. I'm one of the many outstanding Oct 2008 Craig pre-orderers that is very grateful to see you continuing to strive to support those of us that funded the early years of OpenPandora Ltd. I think, at the very least, that we have managed to fund the continued survival of many offlicenses in Craig's vicinity.


I have had my own company crash and burn since paying Craig for a Pandora, and suffer from stress related health issues which have made me reluctant to pursued him through the courts. It is, therefore, HUGELY heartening to see you managing to keep up your interest, enthusiasm, and even goodwill towards members of the community.


Oh - and (as you can see) I finally managed to register to post here! I wonder if anyone even remembers any of the background/desktop images I provided before Craig's abuse essentially chased me away from the boards? Don't worry - I'm not 'baaack', but I DO want to wish you every success with the 'next generation' device.


Ta,


Monk

 

[bukkit]

• Total numbers of remaining customers from Craig (according to the survey): 445

Make that 446. I never took part in the survey, for several reasons.

The offer for a Pyra for production cost is a great idea. That would mean you don't suffer a financial loss, and I'd have some value for my money - and I'm a customer for accessories, too. (Cases might be a good idea for the Dragonshop...)

 

[levi]

I'm sorry to say this but...

 

[bukkit]

Thanks for the hint...

 

[Fzero]

Thank you ED. I'm one of the many outstanding Oct 2008 Craig pre-orderers that is very grateful to see you continuing to strive to support those of us that funded the early years of OpenPandora Ltd. I think, at the very least, that we have managed to fund the continued survival of many offlicenses in Craig's vicinity.


I have had my own company crash and burn since paying Craig for a Pandora, and suffer from stress related health issues which have made me reluctant to pursued him through the courts. It is, therefore, HUGELY heartening to see you managing to keep up your interest, enthusiasm, and even goodwill towards members of the community.


Oh - and (as you can see) I finally managed to register to post here! I wonder if anyone even remembers any of the background/desktop images I provided before Craig's abuse essentially chased me away from the boards? Don't worry - I'm not 'baaack', but I DO want to wish you every success with the 'next generation' device.


Ta,


Monk

Now I had to know who made all those wallpapers... am I using one of them in my userbar?

Edit:  Also, where to find them?  They were quite cool (still on GP32x?).

Just in case Monk doesn't visit us here again too soon, here's the link I think you looking for:

http://www.gp32x.de/board/index.php?/topic/50632-wallpaper-wips/

Those are indeed some very nice looking walls

I remember them, the topless one mainly for some reason...

I see you from Edmonton too, I come from Edmonton, but the one that's Green by name and not so much by nature

Spoiler

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=edmonton+canada&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=OWxZU_PrB9KU7QbAooH4CQ&ved=0CAkQ_AUoAg&biw=1920&bih=964

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=edmonton+green&hl=en&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=P25ZU779FZDA7AbPlIGgAQ&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAg&biw=1920&bih=964

My mate goes out with a girl from Edmonton Canada though, she's living over here now for the while. I always found it funny she met her love and traveled from Edmonton to Edmonton

 

[levi]

Just in case Monk doesn't visit us here again too soon, here's the link I think you looking for:

http://www.gp32x.de/board/index.php?/topic/50632-wallpaper-wips/

Those are indeed some very nice looking walls

I remember them, the topless one mainly for some reason...

The topless death one? ;D

 

[Fzero]

Noooo... not that one!

....Though, that it a decent graphic too