The Daily Static
  The Daily Static
UF Archives
Register
UF Membership
Ad Free Site
Postcards
Community
Geekfinder
UFie Gear
Advertise on UF
Forum Rules
& FAQ

Username

Password


Create a New Account

  
[fireballmatt] Diary of Member fireballmatt Updated/Posted: 2005-10-21 14:37:42

We prefer plain dealings and straightforward transactions in America.
If you go to Egypt and, say, take a taxi somewhere, you become a part of the taxi driver's life; he refuses to take your money because it would demean your friendship, he follows you around town, and weeps hot tears when you get in some other guy's taxi. You end up meeting his kids at some point and have to devote all sorts of ingenuity to finding some way to compensate him without insulting his honor. It is exhausing.
Sometimes you just want a simple Manhattan-style taxi ride. But in order to have an American-style setup, where you can just go out and hail a taxi and be on your way, there must exist a whole hidden apparatus of medallions, inspectors, commissions, and so forth -- which is fine as long as taxis are cheap and you can always get one.
When the system fails to work in some way, it is mysterious and infuriating and turns otherwise reasonable people into conspiracy theorists. But when the Egyptian system breaks down, it breaks down transparently. You can't get a taxi, but your driver's nephew will show up, on foot, to explain the problem and apologize.

Microsoft and Apple do things the Manhattan way, with vast complexity hidden behind a wall of interface. Linux does things the Egypt way, with vast complexity strewn about all over the landscape.

-- Neal Stephenson, In the Beginning... Was the Command Line


A Pic of Me

I'm one of those people they call a 'mod' so if you have any problems, my contact info is below.

  • AIM: IMD MBroughton
  • ICQ:405325
  • Email: fireballmatt{at}userfriendly(dot)org

---------------------- OmniCode 0.1.6 -----------------------
sxy cm178 kg79 skf8bba9.freckles ha772c11 ey6F4328 es+ sp= Ag1980.March.16 anC&E hds Lo34,11N-79,43W.United_States.South_Carolina.Florence ZoP&M RlD.Happy Kd! PeD.Lhasa_Apso.Pistol_Pete&D.Yellow_Labrador.Ginger&C.Sunny MBINTJ FHg UFDustPuppy.Inquisitive;innocent IN12.Cable AdI&C PrPHP(7)^(9)&Perl(3)^(9)&SQL(4)^(9)&Java(4)^(9)&C/C++(2)^(9)
----------- Omnicode http://www.gadgeteer.net/omnicode/ -----------

    Hide User Comments  Expand Top-Level 
Show Subjects Only  Expand All 
 
Another misc thread by fireballmatt2003-11-23 18:50:51
  Hi there. Just taking a stroll through the by Spud312004-09-07 13:00:55
  <Deleted><Deleted>2004-06-25 20:57:14
  That Beer by BastetsMuse2004-04-30 12:25:28
  Hi, you! by saminz2004-04-29 00:01:00
  *installs Slackware* (n/t) by TheRaven2004-02-05 05:17:26
    gack! but im a gentoo user! (n/t) by fireballmatt2004-02-18 22:08:24
      *installs OpenBSD* (n/t) by TheRaven2004-02-22 00:32:11
        *inserts a Knoppix CD* by Irrelevant2004-03-09 08:28:14
          *installs SlackWare again* by TheRaven2004-03-10 10:06:03
  *throws a clutterbomb* by Irrelevant2003-12-30 03:43:39
Neverwinter Nights Thread by fireballmatt2003-09-01 10:55:20
  Oooh.. by abstrackt2003-11-03 11:33:06
  Hello by defdood2003-09-02 16:56:38
    yes please email again by fireballmatt2003-09-15 12:40:17
RtCW:ET by FireballMatt2003-08-20 22:02:55
  NEW MAPS by fireballmatt2003-09-12 21:39:09
    6 map cycle by ParityBit2004-01-04 05:15:24
    MAPS VOTED ON ADDED by fireballmatt2003-09-29 20:25:13
      Desert Temple sucks. (n/t) by Llyr2003-10-05 20:20:47
    OK OK everyone read this by fireballmatt2003-09-14 19:45:44
      Atlantic wall by fireballmatt2003-09-15 14:42:50
        Small map; it looks fun. (n/t) by DaNutBall2003-09-16 01:16:33
        Aye. by ChuckAB2003-09-15 14:55:19
      UrbanTerritory by ahecht2003-09-15 12:46:00
        <echo>Could be interesting</echo> by ChuckAB2003-09-15 14:58:38
        If it's DM-only, by LionsPhil2003-09-15 14:21:24
        I thought this was DM only? (n/t) by DaNutBall2003-09-15 13:52:14
        Now that is interesting. by wheresthefish2003-09-15 13:18:15
      Rhineland by DaNutBall2003-09-15 10:43:50
        aye guess by ahecht2003-09-15 12:40:13
        I'd give it a go (n/t) by Evil_Andy2003-09-15 12:27:25
        I'll try anything at least once. (n/t) by Nickface2003-09-15 11:55:19
        Aye. by ChuckAB2003-09-15 10:54:43
        Looks fun. (n/t) by wheresthefish2003-09-15 10:50:10
      Rail Gun. by wheresthefish2003-09-15 10:27:38
        aye (n/t) by Irrelevant2003-12-30 03:48:46
        Switch up, switch down... by Evil_Andy2003-09-15 12:27:30
        aye. (n/t) by Nickface2003-09-15 11:54:13
        Yay (strongly) by LionsPhil2003-09-15 10:48:39
        Aye, by ChuckAB2003-09-15 10:48:11
        Yes (n/t) by DaNutBall2003-09-15 10:39:34
        Yay! by Llyr2003-09-15 10:33:38
        Meh. by wheresthefish2003-09-15 10:32:36
          Not always. by LionsPhil2003-09-15 10:50:26
      Gold Rush by LionsPhil2003-09-15 10:14:10
        yup (n/t) by Irrelevant2003-12-30 03:47:59
        Definitely yes (n/t) by Evil_Andy2003-09-15 12:27:31
        aye. (n/t) by Nickface2003-09-15 11:53:00
        Yes! (n/t) by ChuckAB2003-09-15 10:46:56
        Yes (n/t) by DaNutBall2003-09-15 10:39:06
        Yay. by wheresthefish2003-09-15 10:30:04
        aye (n/t) by stacato2003-09-15 10:22:15
        yea (n/t) by ahecht2003-09-15 10:18:56
        Yea (strongly). by LionsPhil2003-09-15 10:16:30
      Wel-thingy Radar by LionsPhil2003-09-15 10:07:06
        nay - lag-g-g-g-y (n/t) by Irrelevant2003-12-30 03:47:44
        Don't know it by Evil_Andy2003-09-15 12:27:26
        aye. (n/t) by Nickface2003-09-15 11:52:22
        Yes. (n/t) by ChuckAB2003-09-15 10:46:32
        Würzburg Radar -- yes (n/t) by DaNutBall2003-09-15 10:38:37
        nay/yay (n/t) by stacato2003-09-15 10:22:36
        Nay (n/t) by ahecht2003-09-15 10:19:31
        Yeah! by wheresthefish2003-09-15 10:10:24
        Nay (slightly). by LionsPhil2003-09-15 10:10:11
      Seawall Battery by LionsPhil2003-09-15 10:03:36
        Yes by Evil_Andy2003-09-15 12:27:29
        aye. (n/t) by Nickface2003-09-15 11:51:52
        Aye. by ChuckAB2003-09-15 10:45:10
        Yes. (n/t) by DaNutBall2003-09-15 10:33:42
        yay (n/t) by stacato2003-09-15 10:22:01
        Aye (n/t) by ahecht2003-09-15 10:10:24
        Yea (slightly) by LionsPhil2003-09-15 10:06:37
        Yay. by wheresthefish2003-09-15 10:05:08
      Fuel Dump is perfect (n/t) by stacato2003-09-15 10:00:11
        aye. Best of the SD maps. (n/t) by Irrelevant2003-12-30 03:47:10
        Love it. (n/t) by Evil_Andy2003-09-15 12:27:32
        I don't know about perfect... by Nickface2003-09-15 11:51:28
        Aye. by ChuckAB2003-09-15 10:43:10
        Yes to this as well. (n/t) by DaNutBall2003-09-15 10:35:14
        Aye (strongly). by LionsPhil2003-09-15 10:12:33
        aye by ahecht2003-09-15 10:10:03
        It's my favourite of the lot. by wheresthefish2003-09-15 10:02:54
      Beach by LionsPhil2003-09-15 09:56:20
        Awful by Evil_Andy2003-09-15 12:27:27
        Aye. by ChuckAB2003-09-15 10:42:24
          seconded. (n/t) by Nickface2003-09-15 11:50:27
        Not really (n/t) by DaNutBall2003-09-15 10:36:48
        meh (n/t) by ahecht2003-09-15 10:09:34
        Meh. Don't really care too much. by wheresthefish2003-09-15 10:08:34
        nay (n/t) by stacato2003-09-15 10:01:04
        Nay (strongly) by LionsPhil2003-09-15 09:57:28
      Siwa Oasis by LionsPhil2003-09-15 09:54:47
        Hates it... (n/t) by Evil_Andy2003-09-15 12:27:28
        yay by Nickface2003-09-15 11:48:44
        Nay, I guess... by ChuckAB2003-09-15 10:39:39
        This map is for large servers by DaNutBall2003-09-15 10:36:14
          We don't have 16 or 32 players, though. =) by LionsPhil2003-09-15 10:54:15
            Exactly by DaNutBall2003-09-15 10:56:56
              Bandwidth is a problem*, yes, by LionsPhil2003-09-24 10:27:32
        nay (n/t) by ahecht2003-09-15 10:09:14
        nay (n/t) by stacato2003-09-15 10:00:28
        Boo! Nay! by wheresthefish2003-09-15 09:57:24
          I have. by LionsPhil2003-09-15 09:58:49
        Nay (strongly) by LionsPhil2003-09-15 09:55:56
      Desert Temple by ahecht2003-09-15 09:44:59
        w00! (That's an aye.) (n/t) by Irrelevant2003-12-30 03:46:09
        Looks interesting (n/t) by Evil_Andy2003-09-15 12:27:32
        I'd say give it a go. (n/t) by Nickface2003-09-15 11:49:48
        Give it a go. by LionsPhil2003-09-15 10:57:10
        This looks interesting (n/t) by DaNutBall2003-09-15 10:34:43
        Aye by ChuckAB2003-09-15 10:32:44
        Aye (n/t) by ahecht2003-09-15 10:08:48
        I know not this map. by wheresthefish2003-09-15 10:05:54
          no (n/t) by ahecht2003-09-15 10:07:41
  Beach v1.4 and another map... by DaNutBall2003-09-10 21:52:58
  ATTENTION by FireballMatt2003-08-26 09:26:44
    Clients do not need the realism mod installed by DaNutBall2003-08-26 14:05:41
  Is there any way to stop by wheresthefish2003-08-21 10:27:16
    Admins can ban people by DaNutBall2003-08-21 12:32:52
      Is in the new patch. by LionsPhil2003-09-15 10:00:14
  Simple rules can go into the MOTD by DaNutBall2003-08-20 22:37:21
  "ref" command... (n/t) by DaNutBall2003-08-20 22:27:27
    admin privlages for me would be nice :-> by DaNutBall2003-08-20 22:29:09
  I nominate LionsPhil for "certain UFie". by Adiplomat2003-08-20 22:15:58
    Eep. I don't know how though. =) (n/t) by LionsPhil2003-08-21 07:53:31
Parodied Songs by FireballMatt2003-06-17 14:17:51
  the battle hymn of the republicans by fireballmatt2003-10-13 22:16:25
  Userfriendly Website by FireballMatt2003-06-17 14:19:37
    Did you see my interpretation of Origal Lyrics..? by inittab2003-11-26 22:19:20
just a misc thread by fireballmatt2003-01-03 12:51:44
  Hey question? by Reddy2003-09-09 10:35:56
    yes hes still alive by fireballmatt2003-09-15 14:44:59
      that is good by Reddy2003-09-16 18:37:11
  Your pic *up there* by Paphos2003-08-16 15:28:53
  Thank you for our Enemy Territory server by saeckereier2003-07-26 10:57:54
    thanks for dropping by :) by FireballMatt2003-07-26 10:58:54
  KOC by diorama2003-04-13 17:08:18
  Lemme guess by theymustbidiots2003-04-01 14:37:59
    nope mine say by fireballmatt2003-04-17 23:07:59
      I recieved parent's old car by TheyMustBIdiots2003-04-28 17:07:12
        LOL! by fireballmatt2003-05-05 14:03:37
  Hi by reddy2003-01-08 18:21:32
    Hi again by reddy2003-02-06 16:33:59
      Hi again by reddy2003-03-01 21:30:20
        I back now by fireballmatt2003-03-25 14:13:59
          *hugs again* by Reddy2003-04-05 19:50:26
            'alot of fun last time' by fireballmatt2003-04-11 12:29:37
              I hug several people by Reddy2003-04-11 19:53:07
                well in that case by fireballmatt2003-04-14 14:11:05
                  You know by Reddy2003-07-08 20:39:22
                    good :) by FireballMatt2003-07-11 11:19:59
                      I wish by Reddy2003-08-14 18:59:06
  about time! by rottweiler2003-01-04 19:46:50
    yeah i know by fireballmatt2003-01-06 16:31:05
      my days have been by rottweiler2003-01-17 19:44:35
        GO COCKS by fireballmatt2003-03-25 14:14:43
          heh... you would be... by rottweiler2003-04-03 07:13:21
            whats with you and tigers anyways? by fireballmatt2003-04-11 12:31:40
              heh ... only in SC would that phrase by rottweiler2003-04-22 08:12:45
                answers: by fireballmatt2003-04-23 09:11:07
The dating game 12/13/02 by fireballmatt2002-12-13 20:11:42
  heh... I bet you're a ... by rottweiler2002-12-31 16:54:37
    see above ;) (n/t) by fireballmatt2003-04-11 12:30:27
  What are martal arts? by mswebchik2002-12-17 12:00:46
    That would be Martial Arts by fireballmatt2002-12-17 12:08:22
The Dating Game 09/26/02 by fireballmatt2002-09-26 10:23:03
  I wish you good luck! by Ebony2002-11-15 08:24:41
  The game called Llife...or is it cereal? by stargirl2002-10-23 12:23:15
  Best are by chance by Reddy2002-09-27 10:03:02
    oh not trying to change anything by fireballmatt2002-09-27 10:14:14
      sounds good by Reddy2002-10-04 09:53:53
The Dating Game suggestions by fireballmatt2002-09-26 10:19:51
  A suggestion by stargirl2002-10-23 12:26:36
Crew Applications by fireballmatt2002-04-11 11:46:24
  I have a cousin in NC by rottweiler2003-01-03 09:02:37
  I wish I had known you were sailing... by inittab2002-09-19 18:05:44
  How are you? by fore_deck2002-07-09 06:53:18
  where/when? (n/t) by beez2002-05-14 11:32:35
    where & when by FireballMatt2002-05-16 09:04:18
      Hi there by chi_girl2002-05-29 18:52:50
  Crew! by fore_deck2002-04-15 02:58:26
    I think I know someone who would be interested... by fore_deck2002-04-17 13:43:26
      hmmmm. i have always wanted to learn to sail by Da_Ediot2002-04-17 19:28:13
        how much by fireballmatt2002-04-24 13:03:17
          oh yes. i can see everything clearly by Da_Ediot2002-04-30 19:58:11
Which Distro and why? by fireballmatt2002-04-02 09:02:57
  why not? by VVim2002-05-14 11:27:13
  It's not my favorite distro... by dogman02002-04-02 16:33:07
  wow its like... by fireballmatt2002-04-02 14:36:49
    If you need help by beez2002-04-02 17:07:54
      same here by myke2002-04-02 22:48:20
    Let us know how it goes... by shaddai2002-04-02 14:47:10
  There's no way to answer that question. by Yohimbe2002-04-02 12:39:36
    what im doing... by fireballmatt2002-04-02 13:01:56
    yeah, that! by beez2002-04-02 12:41:58
  Windows 2000 and IIS!! by Avium2002-04-02 12:02:21
    A comment by beez2002-04-02 12:10:24
      I'll agree up to a point. by Avium2002-04-02 12:25:08
        Recompiling installation disk by shaddai2002-04-02 12:33:27
          ...which is why I have 3 (n/t) by beez2002-04-02 12:38:31
      Kernel fun by shaddai2002-04-02 12:17:16
        That too (n/t) by beez2002-04-02 12:23:05
      brings up another point... by fireballmatt2002-04-02 12:14:31
        I happen to think it's easy by beez2002-04-02 12:19:33
          What? No mkinitrd? by Avium2002-04-02 12:30:53
            Nope by beez2002-04-02 12:37:41
              I used to try that. by Avium2002-04-02 12:40:15
                Oh yeah by beez2002-04-02 12:43:43
        like this by shaddai2002-04-02 12:19:29
          No X by beez2002-04-02 12:22:20
            I agree. by Avium2002-04-02 12:28:18
            Good idea by shaddai2002-04-02 12:24:32
  Try Debian, I like it but no promises of support (n/t) by feather8022002-04-02 11:42:26
  openBSD by bellator2002-04-02 10:49:53
    how is... by fireballmatt2002-04-02 11:21:10
  Slackware .... (and somehow... LARTs....) by myke2002-04-02 09:41:57
    I agree - Slack is great by beez2002-04-02 10:40:25
      as far as learning goes by fireballmatt2002-04-02 11:20:04
        hmmm by beez2002-04-02 11:57:01
          question... by fireballmatt2002-04-02 12:02:53
            Donno by beez2002-04-02 12:28:12
        T1.... by beez2002-04-02 11:51:37
          actually the plan is... by fireballmatt2002-04-02 12:01:04
            SSH by beez2002-04-02 12:16:28
        so where do I send my CV? by myke2002-04-02 11:30:32
          well... by fireballmatt2002-04-02 11:35:37
            Just don't forget mWare.ca :) (n/t) by myke2002-04-02 22:41:23
      Loyalists? by myke2002-04-02 11:02:54
        RedHat... by shaddai2002-04-02 11:13:59
          hear hear! by myke2002-04-02 11:28:51
            Actually, I tend to by beez2002-04-02 11:58:39
              yeah... uhm... right.... by myke2002-04-02 22:30:50
              just an over simplification by shaddai2002-04-02 12:09:13
    I've heard alot about slackware by fireballmatt2002-04-02 09:51:10
      Best thing to do: by myke2002-04-02 10:19:31
        First Slackware I installed... by Avium2002-04-02 11:38:06
          I had the same damn problem by shaddai2002-04-02 12:08:25
      Slackware!! by shaddai2002-04-02 10:03:19
        How about a DPT PM2044U w/RAID & Cache? by myke2002-04-02 10:16:02
        the raid card is by fireballmatt2002-04-02 10:12:02
          Raid support by beez2002-04-02 10:53:40
            link by beez2002-04-02 11:04:44
          that's a cool RAID card... by shaddai2002-04-02 10:42:13
I'd Rather Be Sailing by fireballmatt2002-03-26 08:17:17
  Stress Free Racing by fore_deck2002-04-09 01:39:55
  Me too. :) by Paphos2002-03-28 21:14:48
    lurking for about... by fireballmatt2002-03-28 21:33:11
  Amen, Sailing. (n/t) by TehWinnar2002-03-27 11:00:17
    Ramen and Railing ... by bugarup2002-04-02 15:00:40
      Trust me... by fireballmatt2002-04-03 08:07:50
Uhhhmmmm.... by fireballmatt2002-03-10 09:28:58
  LAST CLUTTER! by ahbtbone2003-05-13 12:30:33
  Whats up? by theymustbidiots2002-09-19 13:23:59
    eh decent by fireballmatt2002-10-25 09:49:13
      sorry to hear that :( by theymustbidiots2002-10-27 05:35:44
  Hello! by LeiraHoward2002-05-12 23:13:07
  I am the terror that flaps in the night... by Buffy_Fett2002-05-10 10:03:59
    Try "gnaws" instead. :) (n/t) by Llyr2002-06-26 12:12:35
  greetings and welcome to the board by Da_Ediot2002-03-31 07:12:08
  *this post intentionally left blank* (n/t) by ellyssian2002-03-21 13:23:11
  *leaves sooty footprints* by flamebait2002-03-19 13:02:10
  Hi there by chi_girl2002-03-13 11:53:49
    :) by fireballmatt2002-03-14 07:45:37
      That will change with time :) (n/t) by chi_girl2002-03-19 15:38:56
  NON-CLUTTER by myke2002-03-12 08:10:15
    Lol by fireballmatt2002-03-13 07:51:08
      Recovering??? (n/t) by myke2002-03-15 07:37:29
        yup by fireballmatt2002-03-20 16:04:40
  The clutter isn't over...until the Adiplomat posts by adiplomat2002-03-11 13:35:12
  First clutter! by mcnutcase2002-03-11 06:59:47
    clutter!! by fireballmatt2002-03-11 12:09:22
    nicely spotted mcnutcase by Kurioz2002-03-11 07:06:43
      we shall see (n/t) by mcnutcase2002-03-11 07:33:15
        Bottom post!!! (n/t) by TheyMustBIdiots2003-06-17 08:36:54
          Hey now by Reddy2003-06-24 18:15:19
            sorry by FireballMatt2003-07-14 13:03:05
              ? by Llyr2003-09-11 10:11:06
                hehehehe..... by Animefreak2003-11-18 13:09:51
                  *saunters in* by Irrelevant2003-12-30 03:51:43
                    ...Almost a year? by themadkansan2004-12-29 14:16:02
                      I see we'll have to try harder. (n/t) by Da_Pineapple2005-11-10 18:54:58

 

[Todays Cartoon Discussion] [News Index]

Come get yer ARS (Account Registration System) Source Code here!
All images, characters, content and text are copyrighted and trademarks of J.D. Frazer except where other ownership applies. Don't do bad things, we have lawyers.
UserFriendly.Org and its operators are not liable for comments or content posted by its visitors, and will cheerfully assist the lawful authorities in hunting down script-kiddies, spammers and other net scum. And if you're really bad, we'll call your mom. (We're not kidding, we've done it before.)