[simpits-tech] Re: [simpits-chat] Slightly O/T: ordering aPlasmaV2

[Matt Bailey]

I do indeed hate Win98SE with a passion.........but my Slackware install
went away with my recently departed main hard drive. >:( BESIDES, I
can't run X-Plane on Linux anyway! Well, until now.........as of the
latest X-Plane release (currently in public beta) X-Plane is available
for Linux. :) But actually I'll probably stick with the Windows version,
since I've never been able to get my joystick working in Linux on this
new computer, and most of the stuff I use for X-Plane developing is
Windows-only (Paint Shop, Metasequoia, and some 3D converter stuff,
mainly).

I don't care for Windows any more than the next guy, but frankly I'm
stuck with it. And I have used WinXP, a fair amount at my former
college. I HATED IT!!!!! Grrrrrr........worse than 98! I realize since
it was a college campus, the installations were probably not exactly
optimal, (although they did utilize a backup-at-boot software, so any
weirdness that students/users threw at the machine got wiped out on
reboot, and there was one building where the "traditional" Win9x look
was configured, but that doesn't help the underlying software
any.......), but my impression was that WinXP only enforces the almost
unbearably obnoxious Windows philosophy even more strongly. I do agree
switching off the kiddie interface and going to a more 9x-like look does
wonders for usability, but it still doesn't get you around the same old
sorry, take-over-your-computer philosophy that Windows has become
infamous for. Naww, after getting used to Linux and becoming totally
spoiled by its modular, flexible, back-to-basics, do-it-yourself design,
I've no real desire to deal with the next Windows
generation...............

That said, I *might* be bothered to *try* WinXP on my own system, if not
for my utter disdain of giving MS yet more of my money....and I'm not
gonna pirate the thing, so........I'll keep using Win9x until industry
trends/software selection force me to switch. Right now the only
compatibility issue I would seriously consider in deciding whether or
not to switch, is that Phidgets don't support Win9x with their native
software (custom software would work fine though, I assume).

Annnnnnd, back to the original question that raised this issue........I
asked Leo about it. WinXP/2000 is only needed for Keyboard Studio, the
Plasma itself is fine for Win9x. Plus, I'm using X-Plane, and Leo said
the on press/release function of KBStudio doesn't seem to work for
X-Plane anyway, so sticking with Win9x is apparently only depreiving me
of *some* macro support, and the ability to map joystick buttons to
stuff in X-Plane that doesn't have a joystick function already. The
biggest issue is that because of this, I can't tune radios with the
encoders.......but I'm gonna ask Austin if he can add this functionality
(tuning via joystick buttons). I went ahead and ordered encoders with it
anyway, I can always use them for something (if nothing else, it will
give me radio tuning in MSFS).

In fact, KBStudio (and even the emulation software) runs fine, I can
even see joystick functions in KBStudio and assign them to stuff, it
just doesn't seem to actually emulate anything when I test it in other
software.

I'll certainly be glad when I get a new HD in and can go back to Linux
for my everyday stuff, venturing into Windows only when I want to play
(some) games, or work on X-Plane.

	-Matt Bailey