Microsoft losses !!

[Matra et Alpine]

As I said , it's actually develope by Zipper.
Maybe you caoudl try contacting them ? http://www.zipperint.com/about.php
Tho I see there site is now all about Playstation games
Do I sense that MS bought out the rights to distribute the PC games ??
Doesnt' mean they know anythign about them !!
COmplain back to Microsoft and seek a solution. Have you tried to find a solutino on any MechWarrier forums ?? A two second google and I turned up http://www.mechwarrior3.org/forums/i...hp?showforum=8 where interestingly their "expert" says do NOT run it in compat mode Who do you trust ? MS who have nothing to do with the development of the game or a seasoned user ? I dont' trust MS support over anythign which is why I'm on teh MSDN and get my info frmo teh rest of the expert community

BTW ... does your packaging say it is Direct6 compatible ?

[Jakg]

Originally Posted by Matra et Alpine

As I said , it's actually develope by Zipper.
Maybe you caoudl try contacting them ? http://www.zipperint.com/about.php
Tho I see there site is now all about Playstation games
Do I sense that MS bought out the rights to distribute the PC games ??
Doesnt' mean they know anythign about them !!
COmplain back to Microsoft and seek a solution. Have you tried to find a solutino on any MechWarrier forums ?? A two second google and I turned up http://www.mechwarrior3.org/forums/i...hp?showforum=8 where interestingly their "expert" says do NOT run it in compat mode Who do you trust ? MS who have nothing to do with the development of the game or a seasoned user ? I dont' trust MS support over anythign which is why I'm on teh MSDN and get my info frmo teh rest of the expert community

BTW ... does your packaging say it is Direct6 compatible ?

my dad loves Mechwarrior 3, and bought 4 when it came out, however he wasnt impressed, and im sure that M$ had a hand in 4's develpoment

[Matra et Alpine]

Originally Posted by Jakg

my dad loves Mechwarrior 3, and bought 4 when it came out, however he wasnt impressed, and im sure that M$ had a hand in 4's develpoment

FASA Studio

MS are the PUBLISHER

EDIT: MS had bought up Fasa Interactive a while back it seems. So they are now a part of MS. WOnder how all those free-thinking game developers cope beside the egg-heads in Redmond

[Jakg]

Originally Posted by Matra et Alpine

FASA Studio

MS are the PUBLISHER

EDIT: MS had bought up Fasa Interactive a while back it seems. So they are now a part of MS. WOnder how all those free-thinking game developers cope beside the egg-heads in Redmond

ok, that does make sense, i just thought they were linked to the devs, but bviosuly not

[Clivey]

Originally Posted by Matra et Alpine

THAT is a Sony software problem
As norm tho' Windows gets the blame. It's OK they're used to it !!!!

Hmmm, is that the same SONY software problem that causes NOKIA PC SUITE to do EXACTLY the same thing? I doubt it. I tried running Nokia's software on my old XP machine with the same effects (freezing, the OS trying to install the same software from the CD multiple times and the phone appearing as "Not connected" when plugged into the computer by the provided USB cable. When Windows recognises a removable device, it normally identifies it...in my experience using Nokia and Sony Ericsson phones, XP can't even detect when it's plugged in as even without the software it appears as though there's an error with the connection. ("Not recognised", "Not connected" etc.)

Originally Posted by Matra et Alpine

BTW there is a firmware patch out FOR HTE PHONE that fixes numerous USB and BLuetooth problems. You may be needing it

Cheers, handy to know...maybe it will help but seeing as other phones experience the same difficulties with XP I'm not sure how effective it will be. No harm in trying I guess. I've not had any bluetooth problems so far but then again, no Windows machines have been involved in that!

Originally Posted by Matra et Alpine

Erm, why not just use the phone in exactly teh same way on yoru PC ?

I dare say I could, except that my Mac's in my room and I might as well do it on here! That's the only reason I haven't. Theere are two problems though:

1) Sometimes the PC doesn't recognise the phone (as I said earlier) when plugged in via USB
2) I still get those stupid icons (also described earlier) appearing in the phone menus if I use the supplied software.

Originally Posted by Matra et Alpine

You dont' HAVE to run the Sony crap, it's supposed to be visible as a standard plug-ing media device.

Key word: "Supposed".

Windows is "supposed" to recognise phones attached via USB...but it's failed to do so with every phone I've owned. I can however, view the ntire contents of the memory stick when I plug the phone via USB into my Mac.

Originally Posted by Matra et Alpine

You coudl even integrate it with WMP for automatic muc transfers if it fully complies with the removable media specs !!

How are you putting mp3/ATRACs on your Sony/Ericsson ? I thought the phone was tied to distribution rights ???? ( Interested as my daugher fancies one )

The WMP idea wouldn't work with this phone. You have to go into the memory card, into "Media Files"/"Sounds" then create a folder with the name of the artist of the songs you want to transfer, along with another identically named folder inside before putting the mp3 files into that folder....so it'd look like this:

Media Files/Sounds/Aerosmith/Aerosmith/06 Walk This Way

...if your daughter wanted one, I'd still recommend the W800i...follow those steps and tha MP3 player side of things will work without the Disc2Phone software. More-or-less everything else with the phone's great. the only other problem I've faced is the phone's inability to transfer SMS messages to any other device (you can't access them from your computer or store them on the memory card) so keeping SMS messages once the message memory's getting full means typing them out in Word etc.

Here's the other thread about this phone:
http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/forum...ad.php?t=22167

Originally Posted by Matra et Alpine

Your problems sound like Sony installation -- I'm betting it's permission based as well. Have you tried installing it as admin ? You shoulnd't have to but poorly written software often falls over the protection !!
Do the right thing and complain to Sony

Yes, I am admin for all my computers. I am in the process of complaining to Sony about this and the SMS-related problem...as I hinted in the above thread.

Originally Posted by Matra et Alpine

Because the market isn't there for it.
90% of the worlds PCs are Windows.
You have to accept that or ONLY select devices that Apple support -- new phones are coming

OK, I did ask a rhetorical question but nevertheless; plenty of other software manufacturers ensure their software is PC and Mac compatible...I think Sony's reason for not doing this is simple: they make Windows PCs. Which phones are 100% compatible with Macs, I'm interested to know...and whilst we're on the subject of Apple and mobile phones...when's theirs due...? Lol.

Originally Posted by Matra et Alpine

They've tried that a few times in teh past abotu removing features and the big players in the industry have todl them otherwise. SOME things they don't get to play heavy handed about. The downside of being a monopoly is if you are not "seen to be fair to the customer" then they can break up your company. Look at the mess the judges made of one of the wolrds leading telephone networks when they broke up AT&T for those reasons !!!!

What's not fair about ensuring that something works the way it's supposed to...? MS could get around this if they wanted to by offering to part exchange "old for new" on the software side of things, even a small charge I think would be seen to be fair. It's a far better idea from the customer's POV than launching many different versions of Windows Vista...

http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase...a_editions.asp

...I think that is going to be extremely messy...I can foresee MS are going to charge seperately for ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING.

Originally Posted by Matra et Alpine

How much did you pay for your Sony software ?
Sounds like you should write to them, reject the software as defect and request recompense.

Well what I find interesting is it's clearly NOT compatible with WinXP and you've not demanded the supplier to solve it for you. Use your purchasing rights !!! That is NOT an OS "fault", installation is down to the developer

I got the phone (including the software) for £30 (discounted by my contract with Orange)...I think I may be complaining when I have some time to sort it all out. It's a shame someone didn't launch a program as clever as Salling Clicker, except making the other features of my phone available on my Mac. (A sort of replacement for the SE BS) When I bought the phone I was under the impression that I could send MP3s to it and then play them back on the Walkman side of things...but you have to use Disc2Phone or use the method I described (to put them in the right folder) and seeing as my music's all on my Mac, it means sending it to my PC first... It's not convinient. At least with a phone such as the Nokia N70, you can bluetooth anything and use it straight away. The installation of Disc2Phone onto my PC actually worked, but the PC still wont recognise the phone.

Originally Posted by Matra et Alpine

Hoary area when messenger is involved Esp if the web site was also messengers. MS have issues sometimes with load on their messenger authentication servers with occasional DOS attacks too !!
THat's NOT a local PC issue.
Also the router policy on DHCP releases can be contentious.
Used to be an issue way back in the days of dinosaur IP stack but the NT stack sorted out most of those !!

Tell me about it...you just can't trust the MS Network, can you...?

The website was a Michael Jackson forum (my sister's a fan, don't ask why) so nothing to do with MSN. It was the whole ability to use the Internet that we lost, until I restarted the computer...any thoughts?

Originally Posted by Matra et Alpine

Not really, only if you're connected to a live network AND doing presentations. Then you're in a business IT and should either have your own or use a professional company to supply the service. Businessmen dont service their owqn cars - they pay a garage - and yet some seem to think they can do a PC themself

Well, as for that...it seems like my college needs to employ a professional company just to stop XP shutting down during presentations...!?!?

Last time a college PC screwed-up just before I was due to put on a presentation to the class, I simply pulled the projector cables out of the PC, plugged them into my Mac and gave the presentaion without all the fuss and BS.

Are you also saying that every student with a Windows laptop connected to the college's wireless network and giving a presentaion requires the same? This is plain ridiculous.

Originally Posted by Matra et Alpine

it's all abotu market size. Windows goes to 10,000 BETA testers. Ensuring that each of them complies to redistribuinot rules is very difficult.
BTW, MS has ALWAYS Beta-released - as does every sensible professional developer on the planet Including Apple. THe issue is that with Windows there are legions of wannabees who want the "lastest" and bragging rights in teh playground without having the maturity to accept a Beta for what it is. Apple are in a safer place in that respect in that it so difficult to actually deploy Beta's ( multi boot etc etc ) that only the seriously focussed folsk would go for a major OS release They also only had a few thousand to contend with ! ( Can't actually find fogures for the 10.4 Beta ! damn !! )

What is this relevant to? I was talking about the fact that Windows has only just been provided with a "presentation mode" to stop the above types of screw-ups from happening...whilst on a Mac, you've been able to so that for ages now...

Originally Posted by Matra et Alpine

Note, that installing poor software is also "dicking around" heaven knows what that dodgy Sony crap install left behind !!!! XP Restore is your friend and hopefully you have a solid one to roll back to

We'll have to see with that one...it seems as though the program's finally installed. I'm going to see if I can get the computer to recognise the phone in the coming week.

[Clivey]

Originally Posted by Matra et Alpine

Good aesthetics, used to be superior engineering but now middle of the pack. Not just in computing but Sony have lost their way and have no real focus in there products any more., They're neither innovative or endering. THings like the "bean" are just pathetic form over limited function, the new Walkman is well behind what Apple are doing and the whoel Atrac/DRM debacle lost them an opportunity. Remember when SOny TV were teh FIRST to consider buying ? Same with camcorders ? They come 3rd and 4th now. Across the board I've lost my love for Sony a few years back and they're not producing the differentiated products to return me to the fold. My ONE hope is that they realis where they used to be with the Vaio range and introduce the first Vista hardware solutions ( eg view calender/alarm/phone book without turnign laptop on OR opening it up )

I'd agree with the aesthetics, although as you said, products like "the bean"...pathetic (I don't even like the way it looks) and their current range of MP3 players suck.

What do you think to the Vaio's "Black X" screens? I saw one in Dixons a while ago and was really impressed with the quality of the image. I think if I were in the market for a Windows laptop, it'd probably be the smallest size Vaio...(around a 12")...when you say you'd consider Sony 3rd or 4th for TVs etc. who would you go to first? How about computers?

[Matra et Alpine]

Clivey, you are way off the beem with yrou anti-MS mindset.

USB works fine on XP

The phone industry is RIDDLED with crapy implemetntations done on teh fly rather than takgin industry-standard components. Check out phone upgrades FIRST. The problem is NOT with XP, XP confirms to and passes teh USB standards. Phones are THE worst POS on the planet usually !! Latest Motorola phones had to admit they didnt' implemetn EDGE properly adn so coudln't be used hi-speed !!

Trust me, it's the crappy phone.
If it is supposed to act liek a removable memory device and XP works with HUNDREDS of USB dongle makers then YOU think a little harder where the problem is.

it's that myopia that invariably measn foslk go patching and "tweaking" the OS and break things. I've given you some FACTS that strongly suggest exactly wher ethe problem lies. I even told you of a KNOWN Sony problem and still you think it's the OS..... yeah and some folsk dont think the holocaust ever happened either

And anyone who runs a network and esp a wireless network WITHOUT knowign the impact of what they deply is asking for trouble. It's like giving a kid a loaded gun !! or worse the family credit card and PIN. They WILL get into trouble !!!

[Matra et Alpine]

Panasonic, Phillips and Tosh are miles ahead of Sony on quality of image.

For flat screens there are SO many players producing measurably better quality than Sony you coudlnt' list them here

If I was lokign for a laptop I woudn't bother with the "names" unless they grab the headlines with new Vista-compatible features. I suspect however the big makers in Taiwan will grab that market faster. HP/Compaq/IBM laptops aren't MADE by HP/Compaq or IBM

[Clivey]

Originally Posted by Matra et Alpine

Panasonic, Phillips and Tosh are miles ahead of Sony on quality of image.

For flat screens there are SO many players producing measurably better quality than Sony you coudlnt' list them here

I have a Sony KV21-LS30U (21-inch flat CRT)...the tube's actually made by Philips! The next time I upgrade will be when HDTV is firmly established and the digital signal's decent. It's all well and good manufacturers producing good quality TVs but the signal where I live still sucks, even with a Digital aerial and a £200 amplifier! Channel 5's signal is sometimes so disrupted that all you get is a black screen.

[Clivey]

Originally Posted by Matra et Alpine

Clivey, you are way off the beem with yrou anti-MS mindset.

USB works fine on XP

The phone industry is RIDDLED with crapy implemetntations done on teh fly rather than takgin industry-standard components. Check out phone upgrades FIRST. The problem is NOT with XP, XP confirms to and passes teh USB standards. Phones are THE worst POS on the planet usually !! Latest Motorola phones had to admit they didnt' implemetn EDGE properly adn so coudln't be used hi-speed !!

Trust me, it's the crappy phone.
If it is supposed to act liek a removable memory device and XP works with HUNDREDS of USB dongle makers then YOU think a little harder where the problem is.

I fully accept that, and the fact that it is probably the phone in this case, but XP does have difficulty recognising things connected via USB sometimes. The fact is that the Mac can STILL pick up the phone and the Memory Stick inside it, even if it doesn't comform fully to the USB standards.

Originally Posted by Matra et Alpine

it's that myopia that invariably measn foslk go patching and "tweaking" the OS and break things. I've given you some FACTS that strongly suggest exactly wher ethe problem lies. I even told you of a KNOWN Sony problem and still you think it's the OS..... yeah and some folsk dont think the holocaust ever happened either

I don't know where you're getting the impression that I sit and tweak with things in the OS. I haven't. Ever. I don't "still think it's the OS". I'm just stating that even if there is a slight problem with the phone, the Mac can still find it.

Originally Posted by Matra et Alpine

And anyone who runs a network and esp a wireless network WITHOUT knowign the impact of what they deply is asking for trouble. It's like giving a kid a loaded gun !! or worse the family credit card and PIN. They WILL get into trouble !!!

No-one's disputing that. When I joined my PSP to my wireless network, I discovered that next-door's isn't password protected. Now I could have done anything in there and left them to pick-up the pieces. The only problem is that if I ever mentioned it to them (warn them and advise them to password protect it), they'd suspect me of having a mess around with their network...and the chap next door's got a bit of a temper. I don't fancy waking up one morning to find our cars have been trashed.

[spi-ti-tout]

Oh, talking about USBs, I have a problem. My external HD was working fine two days ago but since last night the computer won't recognize it when I switch it on. The HD is working fine as tried it on my bro's laptop and it's a-ok so it's a PC driver thing maybe. I even switched USB ports and it doesn't work. Anyone?