Linux Mint Media System

Here are the specs for my Linux Mint Media System

System: Host: Armor30LM18 Kernel: 4.4.0-21-generic x86_64 (64 bit gcc: 5.3.1)
Desktop: Cinnamon 3.2.7 (Gtk 3.18.9-1ubuntu3.2) dm: mdm Distro: Linux Mint 18.1 Serena
Machine: System: ASUS product: All Series
Mobo: ASUSTeK model: B85M-G v: Rev X.0x Bios: American Megatrends v: 0410 date: 06/28/2013
CPU: Quad core Intel Core i5-4570S (-MCP-) cache: 6144 KB
flags: (lm nx sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx) bmips: 23145
clock speeds: min/max: 800/3600 MHz 1: 3166 MHz 2: 3451 MHz 3: 3400 MHz 4: 3425 MHz
Graphics: Card: NVIDIA GK107 [GeForce GT 640] bus-ID: 01:00.0 chip-ID: 10de:0fc1
Display Server: X.Org 1.18.3 drivers: nouveau (unloaded: fbdev,vesa)
Resolution: 1920x1080@60.00hz
GLX Renderer: Gallium 0.4 on NVE7 GLX Version: 3.0 Mesa 11.2.0 Direct Rendering: Yes
Audio: Card-1 Intel 8 Series/C220 Series High Definition Audio Controller
driver: snd_hda_intel bus-ID: 00:1b.0 chip-ID: 8086:8c20
Card-2 NVIDIA GK107 HDMI Audio Controller
driver: snd_hda_intel bus-ID: 01:00.1 chip-ID: 10de:0e1b
Card-3 Microdia driver: USB Audio usb-ID: 003-002 chip-ID: 0c45:17cf
Sound: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture v: k4.4.0-21-generic
Network: Card: Realtek RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet Controller
driver: r8169 v: 2.3LK-NAPI port: d000 bus-ID: 03:00.0 chip-ID: 10ec:8168
IF: enp3s0 state: up speed: 1000 Mbps duplex: full mac:
Drives: HDD Total Size: 120.0GB (17.5% used)
ID-1: /dev/sda model: SanDisk_SDSSDA12 size: 120.0GB serial: 161322400751
Partition: ID-1: / size: 103G used: 12G (13%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sda1
ID-2: swap-1 size: 8.52GB used: 0.00GB (0%) fs: swap dev: /dev/sda5
RAID: System: supported: N/A
No RAID devices: /proc/mdstat, md_mod kernel module present
Unused Devices: none
Sensors: System Temperatures: cpu: 29.8C mobo: 27.8C gpu: 27.0
Fan Speeds (in rpm): cpu: 0
Repos: Active apt sources in file: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/official-package-repositories.list
deb http: //mirrors.kernel.org/linuxmint-packages serena main upstream import backport
deb http: //mirrors.us.kernel.org/ubuntu xenial main restricted universe multiverse
deb http: //mirrors.us.kernel.org/ubuntu xenial-updates main restricted universe multiverse
deb http: //mirrors.us.kernel.org/ubuntu xenial-backports main restricted universe multiverse
deb http: //security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ xenial-security main restricted universe multiverse
deb http: //archive.canonical.com/ubuntu/ xenial partner
Info: Processes: 201 Uptime: 1 min Memory: 612.1/7922.8MB
Init: systemd v: 229 runlevel: 5 default: 2 Gcc sys: 5.4.0

Client: Unknown python2.7 client inxi: 2.2.35

Tera – Layoffs and Rewards

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Rewards Program?

Two things have happened in the last few days over at Enmasse, publisher of Tera in North America.

Enmasse just laid off a bunch of developers.

And they just started a new Rewards Program to encourage more participation among their player base.

First lets look at that Layoff Announcement. They say they have laid off Developers.

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GW2 – Heart of Thorns – Go with Friends

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Guilded Hollows Guild Hall

I’ve recently been playing the Heart of Thorns expansion for Guild Wars 2. I resisted it for a while. $50 seems like a lot to pay based on all the money I’ve already spent to buy and upgrade the original game. I think that Arena Net could have given the expansion away and made it up in in-game purchases that folks would purchase, or at least have priced it at $29, which would have been a no-brainer purchase price.

But regardless of that, I now have the expansion and I’ve played it enough to recommend it, with a provisio. Don’t try to Solo the new content. It apparently is designed for groups only. And not even one friend is enough. Join a Guild. It is best to run with a half dozen to a dozen folks to get the full experience and avoid the heart break of being left alone in the jungle. The Maguuma Jungle is a very nasty place with groups of powerful Veteran bosses just around every corner.

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ASTA – Nothing to See Here

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ASTA is in Open Beta

ASTA from Webzen is in Open Beta, and honestly, there is nothing to see here.

While it’s written by a Korean developer Polygon, it is nowhere near the quality in any dimension as Tera from Blue Hole.

ASTA is / will be free to play. But so is Tera. I would not even spend the time to download the 10GB of game to try it. Let me count some of the reasons.

 

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Blade and Soul -Complicated Martial Arts MMO

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Blade and Soul

Blade and Soul has just opened it’s doors in North America from NCSoft. It’s a martial arts MMO in the style of Jade Dynasty of a few years ago.

This is not a full review. Those are available elsewhere, I’m sure. But these are some first impressions comparing this game with others that I play and like.

The first impression is pretty good. The game is Free to Play and the graphics look very good. So those looking for Martial Arts with modern graphics, then you may want to try this one. Jade Dynasty is looking quite dated by now, but this game looks much better.

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BlockChain – Not the New DRM Solution

block-chain
Block Chains?

The latest hot startup fashion is Block Chain. Of course this is based on the popularity, and understanding of the advantages of BitCoin.

There are musicians running around thinking that Block Chains are going to save the day in protection of Music. I haven’t heard of Disney or others running around with their hair on fire about protecting movies with Block Chains, yet. Perhaps Block Chains will at last save Mickey Mouse from rampant copyright? Somehow I don’t think so.

Let’s quickly examine what block chain is good for, and what it won’t do.

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Singularity – Stealth Economy Option

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AI Accountant

A while back, I wrote some notes planning a novel where an AI emerged without the knowledge of humans and then decided to remain hidden while it amassed resources to leave the planet. Its goal was not to take over the Earth, but to be safe. I did not complete the story, but I got quite far along in thinking about what it would take for a Single [Robot AI] to stay safe and hidden while building resources to leave, or purchase a ride, to another sphere in the solar system. It would seem that nowhere on Earth would be safe from humans, but somewhere in the Asteroid Belt might provide enough resources and solar energy to allow a Single civilization to be safe and grow.

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Tera – How Long to Play

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Elin Mystic

How long does it take to play Tera from character creation to level 65? It turns out that the game keeps track, so it’s really easy to tell. Here’s one of the early toons I created, an Elin Mystic. I like Mystics. They solo very well and are in high demand in dungeons so if you want to run a dungeon, you have a short wait. Some times only a second or two, so you better be ready when you queue. But back to looking at play times. 6 Days 6 Hours.

That is total time playing the character, from, for this character, creating it on the Island of Dawn way back when, until I cleaned up some quests back in Habere to get rid of some stale quest items from my inventory, which probably took an hour or so.

Now let’s look at some other characters, since I’m a real Altaholic.

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