HCS’s and Gen’s Place

Updates to the Source Engine have been released. Please run
hldsupdatetool to make sure your server is up-to-date. Here are the
list of changes:

Source Engine:
- Added cvars to let the server prevent clients setting unreasonable
network settings: sv_mincmdrate, sv_maxcmdrate, sv_client_predict,
sv_client_interpolate, sv_client_interp, and
sv_client_cmdrate_difference
- Added protection against servers manipulating the
cl_restrict_server_commands cvar
- Allow servers to execute the “play” command on clients
- Added an interface to allow servers to query most cvar values on the
clients
- Added the IP address of the machine who executed an rcon command to
the server logfiles
- Fixed spectator relaying in SourceTV
- Removed cl_cmdbackup

- Added protection against servers manipulating the
cl_restrict_server_commands cvar sounds like valve is trying to make sure servers can’t have control of the clients at all. Most source server operators have now implemented a block that is you deny the servers the ability to check your client’s settings they block you from coming on the server. This has made several large GSP’s go dark in terms of source server users. This is a huge security risk hence why the blocks are implemented. I wonder how Talon is going to handle this?

*update* Talon had to kill all of the servers he manages. Valve just put out an update for the update but now sounds don’t work. Talon could be in for a long night..:( I’m glad i have not fired up the one source server GFC runs yet.

I got this from one of my mailing lists:

Mr. and Mrs. Fenton are retired. Mrs. Fenton insists her husband go with her to Wal-Mart. He prefers to get in and get out quickly but Mrs. Fenton loves to browse. HE must find an outlet for his boredom at Wal-Mart.
> SO after about 25 shopping trips here’s a letter Wal-Mart sent to Mrs. Fenton.
>
> Dear Mrs. Fenton,
>
> Over the past six months, your husband has been causing quite a commotion in our store. We cannot tolerate his behavior and may ban both of you from our stores. We have documented all incidents on our video surveillance equipment. All complaints against Mr. Fenton are listed below.
>
> Things Mr. Bill Fenton has done while his SPOUSE was shopping in Wal-Mart:
>
> 1. June 15: Took 24 boxes of condoms and randomly put them in people’s carts when they weren’t looking.
>
> 2. July 2: Set all the alarm clocks in Housewares to go off at 5-minute intervals.
>
> 3. July 7: Made a trail of tomato juice on the floor leading to the ladies restroom.
>
> 4. July 19: Walked up to an employee and told her in an official tone,’ Code 3′ in Housewares..tone,’ Code 3′ in Housewares..
> 5. August 4: Went to the Service Desk and asked to put a bag of M&M’s on layaway.
>
> 6. September 14: Moved a ‘CAUTION - WET FLOOR’ sign to a carpeted area.
>
> 7. September 15: Set up a tent in the camping department and told other shoppers he’d invite them in if they’ll bring pillows from the bedding department.
>
> 8. September 23: When a clerk asks if they can help him, he begins to cry and asks, “Why can’t you people just leave me alone?’
>
> 9. October 4: Looked right into the security camera; used it as a mirror, and picked his nose.
>
> 10. November 10: While handling guns in the hunting department, asked the clerk if he knows where the antidepressants are.
>
> 11. December 3: Darted around the store suspiciously loudly humming the “****Mission*the “****Mission****
>
> 12. December 6: In the auto department, practiced his “Madonna look”
> using different size funnels.
>
> 13. December 18: Hid in a clothing rack and when people browsed through, yelled “PICK ME!” PICK ME!”
>
> 14. December 21: When an announcement came over the loud speaker, he assumed the fetal position and screams “NO! NO! It’s those voices again!!!!”
>
> And last, but not least….
>
> 15. December 23: Went into a fitting room, shut the door, waited awhile then screamed very loudly, “There is no toilet paper in here!”
>
> Regards,
>
> Wal-Mart

Unfortunately Ballmer doesn’t realize that Novell is simply a collection of packages.  Since he indemnified Novell’s distro he has effectively indemnified all gpl packages in the distro.  Ballmer’s claim he owns Linux is ludicrous.  Here’s the Inquirer link and the Linkworld link.

If Rep. Charles Rangel, D-N.Y. has his way we will.  Rangel says, “There’’s no question in my mind that this president and this administration would never have invaded Iraq, especially on the flimsy evidence that was presented to the Congress, if indeed we had a draft and members of Congress and the administration thought that their kids from their communities would be placed in harm’s way,”.  Baloney.  They will be the first ones to send this new force out all over the place.  Rangel earlier this year tried to make military service for all me and women between 18 and 42 mandatory.  Sorry Dems..some of us know you are a bunch of socialists and/or communists.  Just wait everyone who voted dems(and repub for that matter) you’ll see what comes next.

Michelle Malkin posts on this. She says it will go nowhere. That is most likely true..but with Dems holding both sides it could at least et to Bush who may actually use his veto power. The Dems I won’t think will have enough votes from the other side to override a veto.

All i want is a distro that plays mp3???s out of the box..or makes it easy to enable. So far I ahve tried Fedora 2-6 and Suse 10.1 to no avail. ubuntu works but it’s owner’s anti-US and pro-UN stances make it a non-option for me.

First they turn on dynamic weapons pricing.  Now they have added a cvar to allow the clients the ability to operate independently of the server they are on.  Valve i guess is trying really hard to kill source.  Glad i kept my 1.6 server running..not nearly as many headaches.  Talon also posts on this since he admins like 9 CS:S servers.

*update* it gets worse. Valve hosed all server operators with this stupid patch. Talon has the details.

*update 2* If the client sets cl_restrict_server_commands to 2 then 1.6 users ignore all server commands like the cvar enforcements of hlguard and the scanning of hlguard. All 1.6 servers are now hacker havens. I have taken down my 1.6 server until i find a way to resecure it(if one actually exists at all these days).

*update 3* Talon says it’s only for source NOT 1.6. I am verifying with the hlds admins mailing list.

*update 4* whew..this only affects source..:)

The Inquirer got a hold of an RTM copy of Vista.  This bad boy still chews up nearly a gigabyte of ram at bootup. I have a couple of earlier posts about Vista here and here.