Articles written by Dave Simmons - Page 4

What is Helium

About me - Dave Simmons

35, born in Doncaster, England, haven't died yet. Very tall, to the point where I annoy people if I'm anywhere near the front at a rock concert. Recently moved to the US to be with my wife, and my other love of my life, my cats.

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Hobbies & Games > Video Game Trends & Genres The growing popularity of Multiplayer Online Games: 10 of 20
Growing popularity? As far as I'm aware, multiplayer online games have been popular for some considerable time.Pre-internet, in the US, 'online' culture mostly gravitated to BBS systems, or USENET if one was lucky enough to have access. In Europe, and Britain especially, this simply wasn't a viable option; local calls were ex... More..
Hobbies & Games > Video Game Reviews Game website reviews: Pogo.com: 8 of 16
Pogo Games (http://www.pogo.com) is an account-driven games website set up by Electronic Arts in 1998 (although it existed for several years before under the name of Total Entertainment Network). Players create a free account which allows them to play dozens of different games, either singly or against other players.By playin... More..
Computers & Technology > Hacking Internet safeguards we should have to help stop hacking: 3 of 6
There are various ways you can help 'beef up' the security around your home computer or computers. Some are software based, others are simply patterns of thinking you need to get used to. I would recommend doing all of the below; one or two will simply minimise your chances of a security issue, but using all of them should re... More..
Hobbies & Games > Video Game Reviews Video game reviews: Comparing City of Heroes and World of Warcraft: 1 of 2
I've played the pair of these extensively, and would say both have their pros and cons. In terms of running them, both have a similar level of PC requirements; both take up about the same amount of space on your drive, both cost a comparable figure, both for the game itself and the online fees.The first thing you'll do, natur... More..
Arts & Humanities > Fantasy & Science Fiction Book reviews: Neuromancer, by William Gibson: 1 of 2
Neuromancer for most people (as well as myself) was probably the first Cyberpunk novel they read, and to me it still remains the seminal example of the genre. Published in 1984 (And many point out the irony of the year, given Orwell's theme in the eponymous novel), it was the winner of the Hugo /and/ Nebuula awards that year,... More..
Hobbies & Games > Video Game Reviews Video Game reviews: Nethack (various): 1 of 1
Most mainstream gamers have never heard of Nethack, which is a pity, because they are missing out on one of the most complex, challenging, and fun games designed for any system, ever.The game itself is simple in execution. You are an adventurer, who enters a randomly generated dungeon filled with treasure, monsters, and items... More..
Hobbies & Games > Board Games Board game reviews: Mornington Crescent: 1 of 1
Mornington Crescent is one of the more popular games to come from England in the last few centuries, with a rich background of history and innovation. The basic rules are exceptionally simple to grasp, though a player can spend his or her whole lifetime devoting himself to the subtles nuances of play. The game is no more diff... More..
Hobbies & Games > Video Games (Other) What are the best free games to download and why are they so great?: 1 of 1
To me, for a game to be great, it has to have playability, and long-term. There has to be something that makes you come back to that game on a repeated basis, and keep you playing for long periods of time. I would also say that this applies to free games as much as commercial games, if not more so; if you buy a commercial gam... More..
Computers & Technology > Computers & Technology (Other) Product reviews: Psion series 7 PDA: 1 of 1
The Psion series 7 was one of the last PDAs produced by the company, and perhaps their finest product. Released in 2000, there has been little to match it even to this day.The 7 is something of a hybrid product: Far larger than your typical PDA, it comes in a laptop style design which, when folded, is about the size and weigh... More..
Society & Lifestyle > Social Values & Norms Should deviance be considered a crime?: 1 of 1
I'd love to know who suggested this was even something a person of sound mind should consider. What, exactly, is 'deviance'? I'm reminded of the law they used to have in Kansas which prohibited an unnatural act against man and/or beast, without actually bothering to specify which unnatural act they were talking about. As Bill... More..