Biggs' Zone

A Geek's Cogitations, Conjectures and other Cortical Experiences

Biggs On: Death of MSN Messenger

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On February 21, 2013

In Biggs On, Microsoft, Technology

windows-crackMicrosoft, in their infinite wisdom, announced recently that by the end of tax season their legacy instant messenger system, MSN Messenger (now called Windows Live), will be shutdown permanently. Anyone with a Windows Live/MSN Messenger account will be automatically converted to a Skype account (and anyone with both, the accounts will be merged). The impending doom date is April 15th (originally set for early March).

In part, I’m not terribly surprised. Microsoft loves to force their products down everyone’s throats. I don’t have a Skype account, I’ve never been a big fan of it even before M$ bought it. I always found FaceTime to be a better product. The problem is, I don’t use the MSN client, I use a third party client that allows me to connect to multiple messenger clients. So far there are no indications that M$ will make Skype compatible with third party client apps. If this is the case then I will have to give up using that account. I have no need to use more than one client and instead of being forced to use their “crap-tastic” bastardization of an already inferior product, I’d rather just stop using it.

We are still a little more then six weeks away from the change so hopefully someone in their marketing department grows a brain and realizes they could be ostracizing a potentially large portion of their user base.

/cheers

The MMO Times: Snoo Snoo!!

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On February 17, 2013

In Gaming, MMO Times, MMORPG

mmotimesheaderIssue 64: Greetings Gamers!! Are you among the WoW gamers working toward your first tier raiding goals as 5.2 draws closer? Or are you a SWTOR player indulging in the latest 1.7 content? Both, perhaps? Or maybe you are some lucky punk in an alpha test of an upcoming new Cryptic title 😉

Regardless, here is some of the latest MMO news for our favorite titles such as SWTOR and WoW. The latest MMO HoF inductees and a potential new title for 2014. Unfortunately its another slow week in regards to MMO news but enjoy nonetheless! (i.e. the lack of interesting posts should explain the completely random title for this issue.)

(I also provide The MMO Times in an e-mail. If you are interested in receiving the e-mail version please click here to subscribe.)

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Book Review: A Clash of Kings

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On February 12, 2013

In Book Review

A Clash of Kings (A Song of Ice and Fire, #2)A Clash of Kings by George R.R. Martin

My [rating: 4]
(Click here to read my review on Goodreads.)

This is the second book in the Song of Fire and Ice series. I think the second was just as good as the first and I’d say it had a completely different tone. Yes, death is still the theme; you never know who will be the next to die. This book also gets a little darker in many facets. Darker will come in the form of “creepy” and in the form of destruction.

When I told friends and co-workers that I was going to start reading these books they all told me the same thing – “Don’t get too attached to characters in the book” because Martin has no qualms about killing off a character if it suits the story and the situation. I think, because of that advice, I read these books with a different approach. I’m always thinking, is this the last chapter I will read of this character.

View all my reviews

Biggs On: Catholicism

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On February 11, 2013

In Biggs On

DG-Roasry-BeadsIt is a pretty historic day today for Catholics around the world; for the first time in nearly 600 years the Pope has announced he will resign from the papal office. I’m not what you call a “Cradle Catholic” nor was I raised a Catholic. In fact this Easter I will have been officially Catholic for only 7 years though I feel like I have tried to practice the faith while I was growing up and even while in college.

I think that’s why I decided to complete the RCIA program and officially become Catholic. I know that I probably didn’t practice the faith as rigidly as I do now but my morals and values, as well as my belief in God and Jesus Christ, most aligned with Catholicism. Despite all the negative criticism and press the Catholic church often receives, I enjoy, immensely, being apart of such a rich and historical religion. Granted, prior to RCIA, I didn’t realize the amount of discipline that is required for a practicing Catholic but I feel that only enriches my faith.

This post isn’t to evangelize Catholicism nor am I attempting to say my religion is better than yours. I do wish people would refrain from making blanket statements about Catholics and Catholic priests. Just because a handful of priests were creeps, doesn’t mean all of them are. I try to remain pretty open minded when it comes to some of the more controversial issues but in the end its about my personal relationship with God and my religion. What other people decide to do isn’t for me to judge or criticize. Judge not less ye be judged; if I refrain from judging the choices of others, perhaps others will refrain from judging me because I’m a Catholic.

We all want to change the world and the Catholic Church is no different. I think where we all struggle, Catholics included, is that we can’t force people to change who they are and what they believe. But we can change how we behave in situations with those that do believe or live differently. It will be patience and acceptance that will change the world, or to put it more biblical, Faith, Hope and Love.

/cheers

SWTOR: Gonna Try It Again

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On February 9, 2013

In Gaming, MMORPG, SWTOR

old_republic_iconWell, I’ve decided to give SWTOR another try on the Free-2-Play mode. I am going to try to see if I can get use to all the things that my level 50s are restricted by because of the change to the F2P model. I keep reading everywhere that the SWTOR move to F2P has been a huge success so I guess that means that some of the changes I had hoped they would make are probably not going to happen (ex. allowing us to unlock wallet size and increased commendation count).

It is nice that, as a preferred status member, I can still create up to 6 toons, which means I have 2 open slots still available. I still earn 100 cartel coins a month so I can also slowly unlock the other features though I know I will have to wait a while on some of the nicer items (such as the ability to equip artifact gear). It is also kind of a bummer that I can’t access the new HK-51 questline unless I spend 500-1200 cartel coins to unlock it.

So at level 50 I still feel pretty restricted but I do have two toons that I can level and I can always start fresh with two more toons. As I’ve said in the past, perhaps starting over might be a way for me to get use to the F2P changes/restrictions.

The MMO Times: The News Has Been Slow

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On February 5, 2013

In Gaming, MMO Times, MMORPG

mmotimesheaderIssue 63: When I started out creating this post I thought there would be quite a bit of news to report in this issue but the news stalled out near the end of last week. Perhaps with the impending Superbowl the MMO news went to the back burner.

I know today Blizzard is having extended maintenance on WoW so despite the fact that there isn’t a lot of news, there might be an article or two that will help pass the time. Check out a new MMO title from an unknown development studio; there’s a pretty good article on crafting in Age of Wushu; more news about TERA and DCUO which you may have already heard about. Read on and game on!

(I also provide The MMO Times in an e-mail. If you are interested in receiving the e-mail version please click here to subscribe.)

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