This Is Just Sad.

[palmertech]

I was mostly speaking in reference to the shenanigans that Craigix has pulled in the past. Claiming he had given up his moderator powers, then secretly banning users. Deleting topics made by people who spoke out against him, cancelling the pre-order of a guy who said he was pissed at Craigix (I admit that he went overboard in his criticism, but that in no way justifies it), etc. I can't say the exact cause, but I had an account over there as soon as the forum started, made a few (Very reasonable and polite) posts about the whole TV out cable thing, and did not visit for about 6 months. When I went back, my account was completely gone from the memberlist. :-/

I was not even talking about stuff like piracy, though they do crack down on that. It might be better now, but at several points in the past when I have checked in there, it seems like you cannot speak your mind freely without causing a ton of drama/being banned. For example, it would not surprise me if this topic had been locked as trollbait, had I posted it there. Am I wrong?

 

[Esn]

I still miss DOSBOX in the Repo, I never had tested this Emulator on the Pandora, because I didn't found a up-to date version. It's about time. ^^

There's a working link for StreaK's "Dosbox Ex" on the Pandorawiki's emulator list, but it has a few things that bug me, including mandatory blurry stretching to fullscreen, lack of the typical DOSBox .conf options and too much time to navigate to your game in the default file navigator. Because of that, I still use Pickle's slower port.

 

[fusion_power]

I still miss DOSBOX in the Repo, I never had tested this Emulator on the Pandora, because I didn't found a up-to date version. It's about time. ^^

There's a working link for StreaK's "Dosbox Ex" on the Pandorawiki's emulator list, but it has a few things that bug me, including mandatory blurry stretching to fullscreen, lack of the typical DOSBox .conf options and too much time to navigate to your game in the default file navigator. Because of that, I still use Pickle's slower port.

I know.
But Streaks Version is still a work in progress and also not in the Repo. As long as I can set the screen stretching to propper 4:3 I could live with Streaks version but I have it not tried yet. A Dosbox with a GUI for easy access is actualy a great thing. I messed around alot in the Past on PC DOSBOX with Configs until I found some nice Frontend (D-Fend I guess) which really made some stuff much more easy. ^^

 

[Pickle]

I still miss DOSBOX in the Repo, I never had tested this Emulator on the Pandora, because I didn't found a up-to date version. It's about time. ^^

There's a working link for StreaK's "Dosbox Ex" on the Pandorawiki's emulator list, but it has a few things that bug me, including mandatory blurry stretching to fullscreen, lack of the typical DOSBox .conf options and too much time to navigate to your game in the default file navigator. Because of that, I still use Pickle's slower port.

I know.
But Streaks Version is still a work in progress and also not in the Repo. As long as I can set the screen stretching to propper 4:3 I could live with Streaks version but I have it not tried yet. A Dosbox with a GUI for easy access is actualy a great thing. I messed around alot in the Past on PC DOSBOX with Configs until I found some nice Frontend (D-Fend I guess) which really made some stuff much more easy. ^^

To be honest id be really interested to know what exactly was improved to get more speed. Maybe its just not using the 2x scaler....
I also offered to combine both so users could have the gui in mine, but i never saw a response.

 

[fusion_power]

To be honest id be really interested to know what exactly was improved to get more speed. Maybe its just not using the 2x scaler....
I also offered to combine both so users could have the gui in mine, but i never saw a response.

Sounds good for me. Join the Forces of the Community to improve a program is the right way imho.
Because not everyone is a DOSBOX Expert it really would help if there is easy to use GUI version with Presets for certain DOS Games (Controls, Config Settings...). I'm for this.

 

[Esn]

To be honest id be really interested to know what exactly was improved to get more speed. Maybe its just not using the 2x scaler....
I also offered to combine both so users could have the gui in mine, but i never saw a response.

Sounds good for me. Join the Forces of the Community to improve a program is the right way imho.
Because not everyone is a DOSBOX Expert it really would help if there is easy to use GUI version with Presets for certain DOS Games (Controls, Config Settings...). I'm for this.

Yes... it would be really great, if StreaK was willing. Pickle asked in the OP thread and I asked in the GP32X thread and neither of us received an answer, so perhaps StreaK doesn't see a way to tie in collaborative work into his personal reasons for working on Pandora software.

On the other hand, he did say that he could provide sources if somebody wanted them, so maybe that's an option?

 

[Pickle]

On the other hand, he did say that he could provide sources if somebody wanted them, so maybe that's an option?

He is legally bound to by the gpl.

 

[Prometheus]

I was not even talking about stuff like piracy, though they do crack down on that. It might be better now, but at several points in the past when I have checked in there, it seems like you cannot speak your mind freely without causing a ton of drama/being banned. For example, it would not surprise me if this topic had been locked as trollbait, had I posted it there. Am I wrong?

Well, I can't speak for any other moderators, but I can't say I would lock it for the same reasons that nobody would here. It doesn't strike me as doing anything wrong or anything like that.

(By the way, as of somewhat recently, I am one of the folks that you keep referring to as "they"... I've not seen any drama, either, to be honest, but perhaps I've missed something?)

EDIT;

I can't say the exact cause, but I had an account over there as soon as the forum started, made a few (Very reasonable and polite) posts about the whole TV out cable thing, and did not visit for about 6 months. When I went back, my account was completely gone from the memberlist. :-/

I just checked this if it's of any help to you. Your account is very much still present (and shown in the memberlist, as that's how I found it; though it says it was registered in March of this year and was last accessed three months later, not six), as are your three posts, here, here, and here. I hope this helps.

 

[streak]

Yes... it would be really great, if StreaK was willing. Pickle asked in the OP thread and I asked in the GP32X thread and neither of us received an answer, so perhaps StreaK doesn't see a way to tie in collaborative work into his personal reasons for working on Pandora software.

On the other hand, he did say that he could provide sources if somebody wanted them, so maybe that's an option?

Yeah, You,re right. I just dont see a way in collaboration since i want to DB EX stay in the way it is, like: fullscreen-stretched // GUI Driven // pandora controls A/B/X/Y Ready // No-Configuration-Options [means -> configuration is optimized for average joe running average 286/386-era game ] // USB-MOUSE-READY and i think Pickle would like to add more configuration options in DB EX and remove stretching and DB EX become again "normal" version of DosBox. Of course i can give Pickle the sources of DosBox EX, if Pickle wants it, but I didnt done there a lot of modifications. As i already mention, i cut down starting routine in dosbox, so dosbox loads quicker. I prepared small C++ elf app for DosBox EX 2.0 to run DosBox with Zenity GUI , which is excellent idea IMHO, because using DosZip app user can see only first 8chars of folders while looking a particular game [ie. KINGSQ~1 instead of KingsQuest6].

 

[fusion_power]

Your Concept of DB EX is actualy really good, StreaK. But it really wouldn't hurt to add a small option for switching between fullscreen stretch and propper 4:3 since nearly evey DOS Game is 4:3, at least the 2D games have no widescreen option. Many people don't care about Aspect ratio but some people like me do because it never looks good when a 4:3 Image is strechted. ^^
Besides that, I support the Idea behind a simplified Dosbox.

 

[dgame]

I would say the forum police are a little vigilant over there. The Angry Birds thing comes to mind. I mean going back and wiping the Wiki history? Really?

I understand not wanting E-D to get into possible legal trouble, but the Boy Scout level is over 9,000 over there.

And this forum is on the same server, but I don't see that level of panic happening over here.

I'm going to have to disagree, if that's your argument. That port of Angry Birds is entirely illegal and was treated in the exact same way as if someone were to link to ROM download sites on this or any other forum trying to stay above board.

I'm not going to snitch out any threads or posts on here, but there are "below board" things that remain posted over here that have not been treated this way. I am not saying what happened to the Birds was wrong, just that the fervor for cleansing the boards is more intense over there. To me it creates a quasi-hostile environment with all the arm-chair prosecutors waving their big sticks and such.

I don't know if it's because those forums are "official" that they get all Son-micro-pple-tendo about things sometimes.

I remember when Craig was complaining about a magazine scan being removed over here back-in-the-day.

I like the forum software over there better, it has better support for attachments. I like the attitude over here better.

At any rate it's their ball and they can do what they want with it.

 

[WizardStan]

I'm not going to snitch out any threads or posts on here, but there are "below board" things that remain posted over here that have not been treated this way. I am not saying what happened to the Birds was wrong, just that the fervor for cleansing the boards is more intense over there. To me it creates a quasi-hostile environment with all the arm-chair prosecutors waving their big sticks and such.

If they exist, none have been reported. That's pretty much the only way a mod is made aware of things, usually, but once made aware they need to follow policy. As an anecdote, apparently a lot of bad (or good, depending on your perspective) juju was going on in the Birthday thread for months that no mod was aware of because, hey, it's a birthday thread, why should we care? And then someone reported it and all the fun had to be cleaned up because we were aware of it now.
If you're arguing that things are a little more intense because of these take-downs, I can only guess it's because things are getting reported far more often there than they do here, in which case it's not the mods fault for following procedure, eh?

I remember when Craig was complaining about a magazine scan being removed over here back-in-the-day.

Craig is frequently hypocritical, I'd be careful taking his opinions on a subject at face value because there's likely a deeper method to his madness.

 

[Prometheus]

I'm not going to snitch out any threads or posts on here, but there are "below board" things that remain posted over here that have not been treated this way. I am not saying what happened to the Birds was wrong, just that the fervor for cleansing the boards is more intense over there. To me it creates a quasi-hostile environment with all the arm-chair prosecutors waving their big sticks and such.

My apologies that you find the exact same attitude and policy exercised here to be hostile if it's in a different location.

If you would please report the problem posts, that would be a great help. The fact is, we can't be expected to retroactively comb over 102120 (at the time of writing) forum-wide posts - we are volunteers who, shock and horror, have lives of our own to be dealing with. If we see stuff, it gets dealt with, if things are reported, they get dealt with - it's the only way to actually do it.

(And Stan is right, more people seem to be aware of, and use, the report button over there, for some reason. It's very nice of people to take the time to do so.)

I don't know if it's because those forums are "official" that they get all Son-micro-pple-tendo about things sometimes.

But we do it *exactly* the same way there as it is here...

 

[Esn]

StreaK, the lack of newbie-friendliness and control mapping in Pickle's DOSBox build really frustrated me when I first tried to run it, so much so that I wrote a "quick-step" guide to getting it working for the benefit of other people:
http://pandorawiki.org/DOSBox#Simple_way_to_get_DOSBox_working

But once you follow those steps once, running a game from it after that is very quick. So I now don't see much benefit from a "simpler" version of DOSBox that removes all ability to edit configurations (because I need different configurations for certain games).

Is there no way to keep the newbie-friendliness of your version, while also keeping the more experienced users happy by allowing the user full access to the configuration files?

If not, perhaps there's a place for both versions of the program.

 

[dgame]

I'm not going to snitch out any threads or posts on here, but there are "below board" things that remain posted over here that have not been treated this way. I am not saying what happened to the Birds was wrong, just that the fervor for cleansing the boards is more intense over there. To me it creates a quasi-hostile environment with all the arm-chair prosecutors waving their big sticks and such.

My apologies that you find the exact same attitude and policy exercised here to be hostile if it's in a different location.

If you would please report the problem posts, that would be a great help. The fact is, we can't be expected to retroactively comb over 102120 (at the time of writing) forum-wide posts - we are volunteers who, shock and horror, have lives of our own to be dealing with. If we see stuff, it gets dealt with, if things are reported, they get dealt with - it's the only way to actually do it.

(And Stan is right, more people seem to be aware of, and use, the report button over there, for some reason. It's very nice of people to take the time to do so.)

I don't know if it's because those forums are "official" that they get all Son-micro-pple-tendo about things sometimes.

But we do it *exactly* the same way there as it is here...

It's cool. I guess the people over there just report more things to the mods. You all do a good job.

 

[Prometheus]

Thanks - that means a lot.

We're still waiting on the reports of the posts you mentioned, though.

 

[coldfish]

I have to admit my interest in Pandora has evaporated since getting an Android phone.

While it's not ideal for emulation due to basic controls (I have a GP2X and Caanoo for that) the sheer number, variety and quality of apps is great.

 

[Esn]

I have to admit my interest in Pandora has evaporated since getting an Android phone.

While it's not ideal for emulation due to basic controls (I have a GP2X and Caanoo for that) the sheer number, variety and quality of apps is great.

I've basically decided not to buy any other device until Mirasol screens (or something similar like pivoting pixels) get going, so I can use the same device for basic smartphone/computing tasks and ebook reading... as such, I'm committed to the Pandora for a year or two further at least.

 

[coldfish]

Handheld/smartphone tech is only going to get better the longer you wait.

I thought all the Android Smartphone hardware features like, GPS, magnetometer and other sensors were just gimmick/novelties but when combined with clever apps they're surprisingly useful and fun.

 

[andyB911]

So back on topic, the question was, is the situation sad?

The answer is clearly no. Manufacture is moving to Germany, Ed is taking control, he has investment, the cables are being ordered, they are intending to make changes to the case to prevent cracking. Work is continuing on updated hotfix versions.

What else could you ask for? :blink:

The last couple of years have been frustrating, the device is 'almost-there' on so many fronts, but Ed has taken control and putting the project on a great footing for the future. He deserves all our support.

I'd suggest cutting the negativity (how about for 2 months) to give him a chance to prove things have changed. I've even powered mine up, installed hotfix 6 and started to use it again! I stopped as with others I got dis-enchanged with the project, but lets all help the team get back on track.