Quote from Aquilifer :

Actually that comparing of the signatures is an interesting idea... didn't think about it. There is just one thing... stars are not unchanging. It's signature changes with it's age, but for human lifetime they can be considered often constant. Of course you would need to update the chart everytime there is a supernova explosion or some other radical changes (like neutron star or black hole mutilates a normal star). Even in very early or late in their life cycle there can be rather fast (but in a way normal) changes.

Then there are these variable stars (Mira type and Cepheid variables). How that periodic size and temperature changes affect should be saved too.

I do not know how accurately you could tell two stars different by looking their spectra (if they are very similar). So are they as good as human finger prints or iris? Not at least in the way that they are not constant, but together with coordinate information you should have enough data for human lifetime... I think.

As a classification example: Sun is now G2V. In future it could become K2IV and M1III (temperatures pulled from a hat, but something like that) and in the end (after it died) e.g. DO1 (kind of a white dwarf).

This would only work in local space where you have these stars mapped out and indidually classified in the ~Auto pilots database. But if you still stuck Billions of light years away from source then it could match up those stars it see's with anything. Looking at it, it may have the right star (for example: if you overshot and where now looking at it from direct opposites) but it still couldn't give you an accurate position without knowing how and where it came from and got too. There would be countless billions white dwarfs, pulsars, Binary's, Supergiants out there that an auto pilot would take it's information from so it could give many positive matches if put into a strange local. But say you travelled from here to Alpha making notes as you went you could easily increase your database of local knowledge by simple triangulation. Something we can only do in an interstellar situation at the moment by waiting every 180 days to take a second set of readings.

To make an instellar auto pilot work effectivily looking a the stars would be only a small fraction of the information needed. Vastly more important would be the 'I know where I've been' thing I said earlier. It's how they found the america's donchaknow

Let me rub my figurative hands together in an existential way . . . I love this shit . . .

There is eveidence to sudgest that the subconcious brain actually operates a good half a second in front of the concious brain. Basically 'feeding' the concious you with only the important bits that the subconcious has already digested, prioritised and given back to your concious brain to react to. Which in itself is thought provoking as to who is in control. Is your subconcious another 'you' or some kind of benevolent force that operates for you not by you. Also this could mean that the world around you that you see, hear and cope with might actually be happening half a second earlier than you realise. Bizarre concept. Got that from the New Scientist.

The thing with Schumey and the lights are probable more preemptive than actually 'seeing the future'. He is a proffessional racing driver and in such a position having been in countless number of race starts he would have more than a adequate 'feel' for the lights changing. Sometimes he's early, sometimes late and sometimes spot on. Maybe in later years he became uncannyly spot on but I bet in his carting days he was just as hit and miss as any of us would be.

I do feel that people can become very empathic to certain stimuli if exposed for longf enough or feel strongly for such a thing. Whether that means you can actually altar the course you are set is a different matter. We've all had that feeling of inevitability when the brakes start squealing and time streches out so you can really enjoy the feeling of you pissing you pants. But how many of us have been able to use that to our advantage and do the right thing. And how much of that right thing is just luck and how could you test such a thing?

Personally I can't excape the feeling that people who profess to have precognition or physic abilities are just pandering to popular belief and sensationalism. Those that have true 'skills' in those areas wouldn't think anything of it particularily. They just make bloody good doctors or, case in point, racing drivers. I think we all have a certain amount of empathy to what goes on around us, I don't see how we can't. There are alot of mysterys out there but not in the way that popular television and the ilk declare it to be.

I have never seen a ghost, but I've had a chill run up and down my spine in the height of summer. Could that just be a bad nerve connection or did I really just cross a spirit threshold? I'm going for the former.

I don't believe in seeing the future but I have on more than one occasion either predicted an accident or had a 'feeling' that one was immenent. On a few times I have felt that I have altered my course of actions, maybe slowing down, taking a different route, stopping and talking to someone rather than blundering on. Did I advert danger or just bumble along like I normally would. Was it a concious desicion to do so?

Hmmm. Deep.

Do they do science North of Cambridge? Sometimes I even wonder if they do sceince in Cambridge and all we do in Oxford is ooo and ahhh at the pretty foriegn students.

If you know where you've been, you know where your going.

If I let you travel to Alpha centuri under your own speed with you taking note as we went then you would know where you are and how to get back.

If I just picked you up, covered your eyes and your ears and instantaniously transported you there then you wouldn't have a clue where you where. Nothing would look the same and you would have no reference points to work from. You wouldn't even be able to tell me which Star was Sol.

No . . .Lord. For you are the realist of the realists. The only reality that I would ever need. The only reality any of us ever need. Fo noone could be real'er than you. Lord.

Quote from Blackout :

Haha, I think I know who you mean, a good one

Yea. Bit obvious that . . . .

You could argue that the only reality is your own reality because nobody else can experiance like you can, experiance being the operative word. But you could also argue that because most people agree on the colour blue then reality is something that effects us all whether you like it or not. You could argue that we go through this life on a preordained route from the moment we're shoved screaming into the world to the moment we pass screaming out of it or you could say that all we do is bounce from one chance encounter to another and that we are the masters of our own ship.

I think rather than question reality (For me, this is it. Take it or leave it I will make it what I can) ,question, rather; perception. What you percieve to be humour, another percieves as insult. What you percieve as a tragic waste of life in the form of starvation another percieves as population control. What you percieve to be reality is actually the product of a deranged imagination, take your pick as to whoms.

Life really, really does not make alot of sense. It shouldn't be here, and yet it is. How can we, just animals, reason and imagine; Kill and be Killed; Cruel and yet so kind; laugh, cry, shout and scream. How can we, mere specks of dust on a cosmic chess board, even think ourselves as a noble, important, race. How can billions of atoms combine in just such a way to make a strand of DNA and how does that DNA know how to make that particular protein and how can that particular protein manage to give just the right amount of Hydolase too that particular cell component and how did that cell know how to form a backbone that supports a bipedal skeleton in just such a way that it enabled a large and very complex brain to form that just so happened to allow an extremely complex processor of an infinite amount of information to work without burning too much energy that it detriments the very organism it inhabits.

Life in short is wierd and complicated and I find it's best not to try and second guess it. Somebody, somewhere must know what they are doing and they must have the brain the size of a planet and are quite probable critically depressed.

I'm quite happy to trust thingymebob from that place whatsit. He does this for a living, then generally qualifies most people to know what they are talking about. I have never ever used GPL and neither have I driven the track so it will all be new to me . . . .

Quote from Bawbag :

Been reading this thread since all this hand bag swinging started and the only thing I find revolting is that you judge a whole community because of an argument you had with a very minute portion of the LFS community.

On the note of your articles, i'm glad we wont be seeing any from you, as I said above you have judged a whole community on the basis of a few people you don't like. So (Unless your only being this way about LFS in general) you must judge games in the same way too huh? For example, oh I don't like the intro to rFactor, this game is sh*t.

And briefly to lower myself to you Bob, you can stick your perfection up your ASS as it's got more chance of survival in there than in your magazine.

Can you hear that Bawbag? Can you? That is the sound of everyone slapping their foreheads with their hands and saying 'D'OH!'

Ever so helpful.

To matey with the Mag thing going on. Well done. At least you ain't lost the plot. Keep it up. You just never know.

So is anyone going to make a mag then?

Now that everyone has picked up their toys again.

Is it me, or is it hot in here?

I leave you guys alone for a few days and World war III kicks off. I am amazed at the rudeness of some members of this community and complete lack of sensibilities when addressing an obvioously touchy subject. Or should that be 'arguable' . . .

I've said it before both here and on other subjects, but who are we to throw the first stones? I for one, as aforementioned, have absolutly no moral standpoint here as do not many others here. I think the ASS guys have defended themselves admirable and whilst I may not support their mag in any way I thought thier replys have been patient and comprehensive. I only wish I could say the same for some of 'our' retorts. As far as moral victories go ASS:1 - LFS community:0.

The only way that we can justify ourselves here is by starting up a rival mag that we can say in all honesty that we write unbiased, factual, truthful reviews and articles that offer unrivalled entertainment and valuie for money (I.E. Free. Just as ASS is. Free. We ain't paid for it. We have no financial recourse. Again. No moral highground.) If we can do that then we are allowed to throw arrows from our lofty battlements.

I can pretty much garantee . . . that ain't ever going to happen.

Running a mag, albeit a small niche market rag, requires a huge amount of dedication, cost and time. Someone, somewhere needs to give over their life to start something like this and even more to keep the damn thing going. Anyone? Who threw the biggest stone? Shouldn't he be the first to step up?

Someone mentioned Top Gear as a 'Magazine' to see contibuters telling it how it is. Well, Top Gear is an incredable powerful programme. It's presenters are incredable biased (Which is what makes it so entertaining) but that is metered out by the fact you have three simutaneous arguements allowing you, the viewer, to decern the good points and the bad points. But I would never use it as a basis for buying a new car. It's entertainment first and I don't care what people say the only person who can make me buy a particular car is me.

Obvioulsy people have some very strong feelings against ASS. But, it's their mag and they can run it how ever the hell they want to. Nothing gives me or anyone the right to talk to them like we just have.

I've suddenly come over all Pythonesque.

ALthough I do feel slighlty agrieved at seemingly being tarred with the same spatula as one who is a provender of tinned Luncheon Meat.

Although I did like that 'Spamette' insert. Takes off all the hard edges and conjures up images of Oeur'derves (I know, I know. But you get the idea.) being dished out by slightly sweaty chip shop owners.

One too many beers I think.

*Edit* I wondered why it made very little sense. But I did the best I could. Bad AL.

Yea. But in the whole spam spectrum this isn't really up there with major spamming spam spam. This is more a gentle spamette with humourous overtones.

But it's now getting a bit spammy having lost the plot slightly.

It's the full moon isn't it, made you a bit grumpy. Have a hot chocolate. Chill you out a bit.

I Think he got his answer a long time ago. It's not spam, it's entertainment.

It'll drop soon enough.

Yea. There are rules around somewhere. But god knows where, I'm a learn from being told off kinda guy. Plus I can't read.

But starts with the XFG, copper licence. Then the XRG with the Silver licence then on to the FXO with Gold . . .no, thats wrong. Cocked that up.

Ah, Copper XFG. Bronze, XRG. Silver, FXO. Gold XRT and RB4 then platinum get you into the league.

Or something like that. I'm sure someone around here can tell you proper like.

I was really struggling with the XRT untill I learnt that you have to sloooowwww iiitttttt dooooowwwwwnnnnn. Which came as a bit of a surprise after racing FZR's for years. But once I relearned my braking points I'm really getting the hang of it . . .

Yes. I thought so.

And if it's a slow month we could always make things up . . . Like . .. . .

Scawens Baby eats Cat!!

Or.

Becky Rose to Wed Platinum License Holder Shock!

Or.

Finally. A Working Clutch Pack.

. . . . Naa, gone a bit silly now ain't I.

With Bob on this one. The open wheelers just don't cut for me. I was an FZR man up to the STCC Licence thing and now I'm hooked on the XRT, which is an absolute son of a bitch to get right. But when you get it right it don't half feel good.

Quote from sgt.flippy :

So we won't have to expect any more verses for the next two years?

Oh, that would be playing right into your hands wouldn't it. As it happens Chapter 1 and 2 up to verse 16 is just complicated netcode descriptions. You wouldn't understand and I won't bore you with the details.

Quote from Victor :

I don't agree with this assumption that's been mentioned before at all. In fact, this is what I think makes a magazine weak and uninteresting. Why not say the truth instead, rather than being polite all the time? Who's gonna learn from reading 'this is great' while in fact it is not? Even a developer must realise that if some feature or functionality of their game is being slaughtered in a review, then there just must be something wrong there and they need to work on that! If a developer would be breaking contact with a magazine for telling the truth about something related to their product, then excuse me, but that developer is just not worth being reviewed anymore.

Why be weak and please the developers? Who are 'you' (generic term) writing for? The public or the developers?

Yea. I can see that. But surely it's political and it depends on the editorial viewpoint. If you are wanting your magazine to be top flight, get all the games first, snappy, glossy and selling like hotcakes you gotta play the game. Your not going to get Devs sending you prerealeases if all your going to do everytime is tell it how it is. Sure, us higher decerning mortals can differenciate good, thoughtful criticism from an out right slagging from the sacarine, sick inducing diatribes of paid off hacks but alot of people out there can't. They take what they see on a page as black and white when all it is is the entire spectrum of greys. If 'Matey' here is serious in his intent to get LFS writers and contributers onto his staff then by god boys, jump at the chance. Change it from the inside. It never happens and 99 out of a 100 of us won't make the grade, but it's what was wanted.

Now don't get me wrong. I am all for truthfulness and constructive criticism but if you want big Development houses to take a fairly inocouse E-zine seriously they need to 'suck up' a bit. I'm sure they won't appreaciate me saying that and value thier journalistic individuality but I'm sure an element of that is still present. Either from an editorial standpoint or individual contributors.

But hey. I'm the worst of them. Taking a moral highground I have no right have. Maybe I'll have a look at this E-zine and see if I can take the bull by the horns and become a contributor. Then prehaps I can wax lyrical from firmer footing.

The God Scawen came down from the heavens and said, (In a Charlten Heston kinda stylee) 'And 'lo. Let there be a racing Sim to smite all other Racing Sims into the unholy dust.' And thus, LFS stepped blinking into the light. Lord Scawen together with his holy trinity brought forth the holy of holyness's's . . .'es that we see before us.

So sais the Gospel of Funnybear. Chapter 2 verse 16. I'll let you know what the preceding chapters and verses say when I can think of something witty and intelligent.

Ahmen.

I would just go with what makes your life easier Boss Bob.

I wish everyone woulkd change thier names to matey . . . . Do me.

They still on strike?. They picked a good day for it didn't they.

I'm only fiesty 'cause I'm having a week off and my daughter is having a nap. It's nice to have an adult discussion for a change. (Ok, maybe not adult but at least it's using words of more than two sylables.)

Touche . . .I think thats French. For nice arse. Or something.

But it still kinda stands. I do see mateys viewpoint. They don't get paid, they do need to be fairly positive most of the time becuase otherwise they get jack shit from the Dev's and the reputation for being spoil sports.
You can't rip into something (Unless it's inflammitory, derogitory, liablous (God knows how you spell that) or something else thats long and hard to spell.) that you havn't paid for or don't have a moral highpoint on which to look down on your lesser plebians from your ivory towers on Mons olympous.

Matey said he has a full time job and still edits this e-zine thing. You where just saying that you don't have the time (I think). So I just shrug my shoulders at you really. What would you like? Pay, complain. Don't pay, you've lost nothing. Didnt' like the review or bought badly on the back of it then you've learnt a lesson and move on. Find some reviewer who shares your own viewpoints.

Still reckon your the man though. Step up friend. Step up and be counted. Shout to the centurians 'I'm Sparticus!' and see how many of us join you. . . . . . . Actually . . . . Never mind.

*Edit* Bugger it. Can't type fast enough.