I learned a few things when I build this ASUS tower. One of those things was the fact that there are several bus lines on a motherboard which carry data of one sort or another. Most of the time you can't do much about bus speed, but when it comes to those which interact with the CPU directly there are some choices. The lines between the CPU and RAM need to be matched to one another, for example. Thus you can get processors with identical clock speeds but varying data bus speeds. It's actually those memory buses that determine how fast the processor can chew up data.
Then there is what they call a chipset that ties the processor to all the peripheral equipment. This chipset needs to be matched to the processor as well. Since a typical mobo does not come off the assembly line with a CPU or RAM the specs they give you would typically be for the chipset (northbridge and southbridge specs for Intel processors). Thus when you buy a mobo the most important thing to know, after you know all the functions it offers, is what kind of chipset is installed. Then you can pick a processor that matches, and then, finally, you can pick RAM to match all that. There are some liberties and mismatches allowed, but in some cases you will run into what you have experienced; nothing works.
I guess I was lucky the few times I tried matching all these things. The last effort was buying expansion memory for the MSI laptop. I bought a 16GB memory card and learned only afterward that the limit for this computer is exactly 16GB RAM. I don't know what would have happened if I put the 16 next to the 8 that came with the laptop, but I didn't do that. I took out the 8 and replaced it with the 16. The RAM people had a list of computers with each memory card they sold which is how I speced out the memory in this case. As it turns out the laptop requires a DDR4 RAM card but that's all MSI says. The RAM vendor was more specific. Anyway, I did the swap (as well as the hard drive) and it all worked first time I powered it up.
Installing Ubuntu
Re: Installing Ubuntu
That is one of the caveats of having only built-up computers, compared to off the shelf computers that have a fixed set of components, so the vendors know what will work in them.
The first Asus MoBo's I bought could use like three or four different AMD CPUs, and since AMD was cheap compared to Intel, I bought the best and most expensive one for my computer, and the next one down for the frau's computer.
I think this is the reason the RAM gave me problems when I tried to do it on my own.
Then when I bought two more identical computers, everything was the same in each except one had 4 gigs of memory and one had no memory. I took 2 gigs from the first computer to make the second. Both worked great for years, no complaints. But then one died and I added it's memory stick bringing the working one up to 4 gigs. Never saw an operational difference between 2 and 4 gigs, which is why I figured since the swap file was never used, it never used up all the memory.
After I got the Silver Yogi and it was screaming fast, I did up the memory in my older computer to 8 gigs and then it made a little difference you could notice easily.
I had one really great computer I liked, it was old but ran fast. I decided to have the shop up the memory in it, but when they told me the price, I had to say no. The memory stick for it would cost more than buying a new computer, and that was only if they could still get them.
I did luck out in the end though. Although they don't like to reuse a CPU, they guy had a MoBo there that my CPU would work in and the memory sticks for that MoBo were still fairly cheap. If I recall, I got out of there with a new MoBo and 8 gigs of memory for under 100 bucks, maybe 135 bucks. Still using that computer as a backup and have Linux Mint on it.
The first Asus MoBo's I bought could use like three or four different AMD CPUs, and since AMD was cheap compared to Intel, I bought the best and most expensive one for my computer, and the next one down for the frau's computer.
I think this is the reason the RAM gave me problems when I tried to do it on my own.
Then when I bought two more identical computers, everything was the same in each except one had 4 gigs of memory and one had no memory. I took 2 gigs from the first computer to make the second. Both worked great for years, no complaints. But then one died and I added it's memory stick bringing the working one up to 4 gigs. Never saw an operational difference between 2 and 4 gigs, which is why I figured since the swap file was never used, it never used up all the memory.
After I got the Silver Yogi and it was screaming fast, I did up the memory in my older computer to 8 gigs and then it made a little difference you could notice easily.
I had one really great computer I liked, it was old but ran fast. I decided to have the shop up the memory in it, but when they told me the price, I had to say no. The memory stick for it would cost more than buying a new computer, and that was only if they could still get them.
I did luck out in the end though. Although they don't like to reuse a CPU, they guy had a MoBo there that my CPU would work in and the memory sticks for that MoBo were still fairly cheap. If I recall, I got out of there with a new MoBo and 8 gigs of memory for under 100 bucks, maybe 135 bucks. Still using that computer as a backup and have Linux Mint on it.
Re: Installing Ubuntu
I spent a lot of time pondering the decision to build my own computer. I dealt with computers ever since they were made available to the public and working for Motorola gave me some inside information about processors. Everything I needed to know was in my head, not to mention all the years troubleshooting this bleeding edge technology. I knew exactly what was necessary to build a computer but never did one for myself. When I finally had enough of other people's shortcomings, I simply did what I used to do at Motorola. I researched things, put together a bill of materials, ordered the parts, and eventually created the ASUS tower. It took the better part of a Saturday afternoon to assemble it, but I was being cautious. After all, this was going to my computer and not one that got sold to somebody else. LOL I'm guessing I could have assembled it in about 90 minutes if I really had to.
There is little doubt in my mind that you can assemble your own computers. I'd say the hardest part would be picking the right parts to make it all work. Maybe even more difficult would be finding the time to do it all. In my case the system powered up and loaded Windows the very first time. I had to put in some new drivers, but that was it. With Linux I'd guess it would be even easier. I'd be happy to help, but I'm not sure what I could actually do for you from 450 miles to the west. LOL
There is little doubt in my mind that you can assemble your own computers. I'd say the hardest part would be picking the right parts to make it all work. Maybe even more difficult would be finding the time to do it all. In my case the system powered up and loaded Windows the very first time. I had to put in some new drivers, but that was it. With Linux I'd guess it would be even easier. I'd be happy to help, but I'm not sure what I could actually do for you from 450 miles to the west. LOL
Re: Installing Ubuntu
Well, it don't really matter since I don't have the money to do much of anything right now.
It's just that I have several computers here that are not working right now.
I know what is wrong with them, but don't have a part to test to see if
for example: Adding a video card to the computer that the video on the MoBo went south.
A VGA plug got pulled out, and plugged back in with the machine on, poof no more video.
I gave away all the video cards I had for the old big slots, since nothing used big slots anymore.
And the computer in question only has two small slots, have no idea what they are called without researching them.
Or looking in the booklet, hi hi.
It's just that I have several computers here that are not working right now.
I know what is wrong with them, but don't have a part to test to see if
for example: Adding a video card to the computer that the video on the MoBo went south.
A VGA plug got pulled out, and plugged back in with the machine on, poof no more video.
I gave away all the video cards I had for the old big slots, since nothing used big slots anymore.
And the computer in question only has two small slots, have no idea what they are called without researching them.
Or looking in the booklet, hi hi.
Re: Installing Ubuntu
I'd make a wild guess and say those small expansion slots are the PCIE bus. They seem to come in various sizes (lanes) with the smallest resembling an RS232 connector. The PCIE replaces the PCI of olden times which is what I suspect you are finding in your collection. To be honest I don't understand very much of it. If I need more than an extra video card, it better be built into the motherboard. LOL
Re: Installing Ubuntu
I figured if the on-board video is out, buying a video card won't help because it probably needs the video input to work.
Computer design is changing so fast, if you buy a new computer today, by the end of the week it is already obsolete!
Computer design is changing so fast, if you buy a new computer today, by the end of the week it is already obsolete!
Re: Installing Ubuntu
The ASUS motherboard in my tower was designed for Windows 8. There is enough power in there to handle Widows 10 and then some. The only problem I expect to encounter is augmented reality, or fast processing of video. My 16GB RAM and the present GTX960 video card might not be enough for that. I'm not worried because Windows 7 is not capable already so that it doesn't matter what hardware I have. LOL When I build that super computer, that's the time I'll be considering virtual and augmented reality. What I have now should go at least another half dozen years. It may be too new for you at that time, otherwise I would offer it to you.
Re: Installing Ubuntu
About the only graphics I do is making book covers and sorting out old family photos I scanned or were taken with a digital camera. I don't usually watch streaming anything on the computer, unless its a short YouTube video someone wanted me to watch. The only game I play on-line is Farm Town, which is basically designed for us old geezers, hi hi.
Kids get bored with the repetition of plowing, planting, and harvesting, the same things day in and day out, hi hi.
I've had great luck with Asus MoBo's which is why I've been sticking with them.
Did buy an off-brand once called BioComp or something like that, but it is one that had the video section go out fairly fast.
Kids get bored with the repetition of plowing, planting, and harvesting, the same things day in and day out, hi hi.
I've had great luck with Asus MoBo's which is why I've been sticking with them.
Did buy an off-brand once called BioComp or something like that, but it is one that had the video section go out fairly fast.
Re: Installing Ubuntu
When I did the research for components to put into the tower, ASUS came highly recommended. It wasn't about the design of the board so much as the documentation to go with it. Some reviews claimed that ASUS offers ample instructions and explanations compared to other brands. As I mentioned earlier, it was a problem free build and the instruction manual was very helpful. About the only thing that needs consideration when buying a motherboard is the BIOS. There is no BIOS documentation for any computer. The truth in the matter is that the BIOS is what makes or breaks the mobo but there is no way to compare one against the other. I'm convinced that happens because they change the firmware with every freaking motherboard they make. No two are the same.
I will say this about the BIOS firmware on my ASUS mobo; it's amazingly forgiving and almost intelligent. There are no manuals so that learning about how it works is pure trial and error. I've had many opportunities to test its limits in recent days and am amazed at what it can do. It has to be intelligent in order to actually do what I'm forcing it to do.
I will say this about the BIOS firmware on my ASUS mobo; it's amazingly forgiving and almost intelligent. There are no manuals so that learning about how it works is pure trial and error. I've had many opportunities to test its limits in recent days and am amazed at what it can do. It has to be intelligent in order to actually do what I'm forcing it to do.
Re: Installing Ubuntu
Every Asus MoBo I've had installed came with a fairly thick book.
That generic Biowhatever came with only a small pamphlet with no valuable info at all.
Many moons ago, when I was working on gaming machines, and actually knew what I was doing, I could make those machines do things they were never intended to do.
I am going to say one thing here about computerized gaming machines. You can't beat a computer, no matter what they tell you, or even what they say about the government controlled little black box, aka random number generator.
Also, if they are running on a mainframe and you use a plastic card with your chips on it, don't leave that card in the machine while you are playing. Only transfer a little bit into the game, then take the card out. It does change the odds!
Now although they can remember everyone's card, and do. When you pull the card out, it assumes you are done playing, and does not warn you you left chips in the machine. So the machine assumes someone came along and just started playing the remaining chips hi hi. On slots especially, the computers know how to bait you!
But I was getting away from what I intended to mention. The government inspects, certifies and locks the random number generator. They also check the program to make sure the numbers presented from the generator are not manipulated by the program itself. However, they never check the operating system itself, since it is only designed to run the programs. However, since everything goes through the cpu, you can make changes to the operating system which may cause it to skip a certain number every 5th time, or only let a certain number pass 1 time out of 100 cycles.
And then there is the program used to adjust the odds for the machine, also inspected heavily by the government.
Once again, by making changes in the operating system, you can cause the actual payout to be like 2% less than the setting on the odds program.
This does not mean I knew how to program, it simply meant I knew how to change lines of existing code some big brain figured out how to mess with the games internals and made simple enough instructions that got passed around to the casino owners. Who also by the way found a way to log into a machine without it showing up in the log files, so you can do the dirty work without being caught, hi hi. They do have to be careful though, because the government does check the payout to income ratio on nearly every machine once every three months or more often.
FWIW: I never once worked on machines that were linked to other casino's nationwide, and rarely had to work on internally linked machines. Don't like them much either, they make it sound like you are winning a fortune when it is just pennies when you hit the bigger wins. You hit a 50,000 chip win on a penny machine, that's only 500 pennies, and you are spending around 50 pennies each spin in order to hit it. You WILL come out in the hole, hi hi.
That generic Biowhatever came with only a small pamphlet with no valuable info at all.
Many moons ago, when I was working on gaming machines, and actually knew what I was doing, I could make those machines do things they were never intended to do.
I am going to say one thing here about computerized gaming machines. You can't beat a computer, no matter what they tell you, or even what they say about the government controlled little black box, aka random number generator.
Also, if they are running on a mainframe and you use a plastic card with your chips on it, don't leave that card in the machine while you are playing. Only transfer a little bit into the game, then take the card out. It does change the odds!
Now although they can remember everyone's card, and do. When you pull the card out, it assumes you are done playing, and does not warn you you left chips in the machine. So the machine assumes someone came along and just started playing the remaining chips hi hi. On slots especially, the computers know how to bait you!
But I was getting away from what I intended to mention. The government inspects, certifies and locks the random number generator. They also check the program to make sure the numbers presented from the generator are not manipulated by the program itself. However, they never check the operating system itself, since it is only designed to run the programs. However, since everything goes through the cpu, you can make changes to the operating system which may cause it to skip a certain number every 5th time, or only let a certain number pass 1 time out of 100 cycles.
And then there is the program used to adjust the odds for the machine, also inspected heavily by the government.
Once again, by making changes in the operating system, you can cause the actual payout to be like 2% less than the setting on the odds program.
This does not mean I knew how to program, it simply meant I knew how to change lines of existing code some big brain figured out how to mess with the games internals and made simple enough instructions that got passed around to the casino owners. Who also by the way found a way to log into a machine without it showing up in the log files, so you can do the dirty work without being caught, hi hi. They do have to be careful though, because the government does check the payout to income ratio on nearly every machine once every three months or more often.
FWIW: I never once worked on machines that were linked to other casino's nationwide, and rarely had to work on internally linked machines. Don't like them much either, they make it sound like you are winning a fortune when it is just pennies when you hit the bigger wins. You hit a 50,000 chip win on a penny machine, that's only 500 pennies, and you are spending around 50 pennies each spin in order to hit it. You WILL come out in the hole, hi hi.
Re: Installing Ubuntu
I know about the odds of winning on the slots. You probably described it before but having some inside information about programing and computers helps too. The advent of artificial intelligence is only going to improve the ability of the machines to extract money from the unwitting players. I'm certain facial recognition will tell the machine about your emotional state of mind and remember who you are for the next time. It's not all that tricky to do even today. One of the reasons I like to use virtual machines and Linux is due to the adaptive marketing employed on web purchases. We all have a profile that gets passed around to various companies and that profile determines the price you see for an item on any given web page. I discovered by accident one day that I can fool the marketers by changing virtual machines, i.e., my marketing profile. Each machine has a different identity and different browser. It's impossible to avoid being profiled, but you can slow things down and mix up the stats. LOL
Re: Installing Ubuntu
I've caught that on Amazon several times.
I was looking at something and they gave a price.
Talked it over with the frau and when I went back to buy it, the price was nearly double.
I checked the price again about once a week for close to three months and they never again showed the price they showed me, so just because of that I never bought it. Had they not shown me such a low-ball price when I was just looking around, they would have made a sale at a higher price. But I stuck to my guns and they lost a sale.
You have to really watch Amazon, some of their prices are crazy high, in some cases more than 3 times higher than our local retail stores.
Whatever you do, NEVER play an on-line gambling game, especially if they are not in the U.S.
Almost all of the keep making the odds harder and harder as the games progress.
To get you hooked, they will let you play a game for free or from a stack of free chips to play.
Sometimes you can play a long time because the odds are actually in your favor until you amass about double the amount of chips they gave you to start with. If you keep playing you will eventually lose them as the odds get harder.
But if you switch over to real money, you'll see the odds are unbeatable!
Even in card games, most of the virtual players are their own computers not real players.
Doing this is illegal in the U.S., but if they are off-shore, our laws don't apply to them.
I was looking at something and they gave a price.
Talked it over with the frau and when I went back to buy it, the price was nearly double.
I checked the price again about once a week for close to three months and they never again showed the price they showed me, so just because of that I never bought it. Had they not shown me such a low-ball price when I was just looking around, they would have made a sale at a higher price. But I stuck to my guns and they lost a sale.
You have to really watch Amazon, some of their prices are crazy high, in some cases more than 3 times higher than our local retail stores.
Whatever you do, NEVER play an on-line gambling game, especially if they are not in the U.S.
Almost all of the keep making the odds harder and harder as the games progress.
To get you hooked, they will let you play a game for free or from a stack of free chips to play.
Sometimes you can play a long time because the odds are actually in your favor until you amass about double the amount of chips they gave you to start with. If you keep playing you will eventually lose them as the odds get harder.
But if you switch over to real money, you'll see the odds are unbeatable!
Even in card games, most of the virtual players are their own computers not real players.
Doing this is illegal in the U.S., but if they are off-shore, our laws don't apply to them.
Re: Installing Ubuntu
Computers cannot beat humans if they played fair. I have a virtual pool game (that cannot run in Linux, by the way) which is pretty close to realistic in the action. There are several levels of players built into the program all the way from Novice up to Shark, Pro, and Champions. It gets more difficult to beat them at any of the dozen games as you progress up the proficiency ladder. I've been playing this game for several years now and am stuck somewhere at the middle level of play. I would think after all these years that I would learn how to beat that Champ. Well, I can't because as I play they change the physics. Every shot I make playing a novice, for example, is dead on. The cue ball goes exactly where I want it. Not so when I get to the higher levels. I aim exactly the same way, but the ball goes a degree or two left or right. Likewise after the shot is complete and the marbles stop rolling around. They end up in the middle of the table on the low levels, but magically get bunched in pairs or all are against the rails when I play the Pros. Then there is the force of the cue. That is matched to the speed at which you move your mouse back and forth. Well it's pretty realistic until you get to the Champs. It's real there, but when you are in a critical shot situation, you either over power or under power the force on the cue stick. The bottom line is that all the players have equal skills. They don't win anything. The game makes me lose by changing the parameters dynamically.
Amazon is very good at adaptive marketing, but they are far from the only ones doing it. My latest experience of note was with New Egg, but I've seen it happen in places like Jet.com as well. The best approach is to be an informed consumer and know the pricing before you surf the web. Sometimes you can get a really great deal from Amazon, but most of the time you are at their mercy. And gaming online might be fun, but only the foolish people of this would would put real money into an online game.
Amazon is very good at adaptive marketing, but they are far from the only ones doing it. My latest experience of note was with New Egg, but I've seen it happen in places like Jet.com as well. The best approach is to be an informed consumer and know the pricing before you surf the web. Sometimes you can get a really great deal from Amazon, but most of the time you are at their mercy. And gaming online might be fun, but only the foolish people of this would would put real money into an online game.
Re: Installing Ubuntu
Since I used to work on pinball machines, I know how they are supposed to play and act.
Of all the computer pinball games I've played in years past, not a single one came close to emulating a real pinball machine.
It's probably the same with your Pool game. The balls do not follow the laws of physics and go off at angles impossible in real life. Its more like trying to play pool using steel balls and super magnets under the slate, hi hi.
As far as computerized card games go, those cards are not really shuffled, they or organized in a specific order and called a shuffle.
If you have time to watch the total value of the cards played by the dealer, in blackjack, and watch the total value of cards to the players, it is rare for the dealer to bust, and they get a great overage of blackjacks and 21s. And it seems even when you are doing good, they final total value is consistently one card greater than yours total. You get 20, they get 20 or 21, you get 21 they get a BJ. At least with a 5 card shoe with real cards you have a fair chance of winning, although it is still in the favor of the house, especially in one on one games. Best to always play a table with at least four players, this ensures the dealer must take another card and possibly bust.
Of all the computer pinball games I've played in years past, not a single one came close to emulating a real pinball machine.
It's probably the same with your Pool game. The balls do not follow the laws of physics and go off at angles impossible in real life. Its more like trying to play pool using steel balls and super magnets under the slate, hi hi.
As far as computerized card games go, those cards are not really shuffled, they or organized in a specific order and called a shuffle.
If you have time to watch the total value of the cards played by the dealer, in blackjack, and watch the total value of cards to the players, it is rare for the dealer to bust, and they get a great overage of blackjacks and 21s. And it seems even when you are doing good, they final total value is consistently one card greater than yours total. You get 20, they get 20 or 21, you get 21 they get a BJ. At least with a 5 card shoe with real cards you have a fair chance of winning, although it is still in the favor of the house, especially in one on one games. Best to always play a table with at least four players, this ensures the dealer must take another card and possibly bust.
Re: Installing Ubuntu
All I can add is that I know electronic games of chance are not truly random. The odds are easily manipulated and all that makes me feel uncomfortable. I don't mind going up against a live poker player who is more experienced than I am. I might learn something from that person. But, to think you can beat a computer game is a fantasy. As you noted earlier, the machines bait you and let you win. That's the time to walk away, but how many people can do that? Zero. LOL
Re: Installing Ubuntu
Even the old mechanical slot machines they could adjust the house percentage easily.
But at least they couldn't single out players to bait them and adjust the odds based on how much money they had on them.
I've had to work on a few of the old mechanical slot machines that belonged to various homeowners.
If you remember the old Intermatic Time Clocks where you added clips for start and stop times, or the more modern ones with little slots you pulled in or out. A mechanical slot machine is similar in a way. Take the area of the wheel with Cherries. There are 22 slots that can be on or off, pin down or pin up. A machine out of the factory often has only 8 to 10 of the Cherries pins pulled out so the wheel can stop on Cherries. But the next wheel with Cherries may only have 4 to 6 pins pulled out, and the last wheel on a 3 wheel machine, may only have 2 to 4 pins pulled up, usually near the beginning of the Cherries on that wheel. When the stop bar drops, even if it is on that last Cherry, there are no pins to catch as they have already passed before the stop bar dropped on that wheel. And almost always, the Apple right before the Cherry has its 2 to 4 pins at the end of the cycle, so you will hit an Apple. Where these pins are on both the Apple and the Cherry determines the odds of hitting that Cherry. If on the Apple late in the cycle, and at the beginning of the cycle on the Cherry, the odds of hitting a Cherry are very low. You also have had to hit the Cherry on the other two wheels too in order to win, if that machines was set to a 3 Cherry big payout.
The trouble with computer machines is, they change the stop points based on what you hit on the first two wheels.
If you've one too much already, it may not have a way to stop on that last Cherry at all. Which is not nice!
If the machine senses you lost too much money and may walk away, it will gladly feed you a couple of small wins, and maybe a moderate win to keep you hooked, hi hi. Lot's of bells, flashing lights, and whistles on a medium win to get your adrenaline flowing again, hi hi. They don't play nice!
But at least they couldn't single out players to bait them and adjust the odds based on how much money they had on them.
I've had to work on a few of the old mechanical slot machines that belonged to various homeowners.
If you remember the old Intermatic Time Clocks where you added clips for start and stop times, or the more modern ones with little slots you pulled in or out. A mechanical slot machine is similar in a way. Take the area of the wheel with Cherries. There are 22 slots that can be on or off, pin down or pin up. A machine out of the factory often has only 8 to 10 of the Cherries pins pulled out so the wheel can stop on Cherries. But the next wheel with Cherries may only have 4 to 6 pins pulled out, and the last wheel on a 3 wheel machine, may only have 2 to 4 pins pulled up, usually near the beginning of the Cherries on that wheel. When the stop bar drops, even if it is on that last Cherry, there are no pins to catch as they have already passed before the stop bar dropped on that wheel. And almost always, the Apple right before the Cherry has its 2 to 4 pins at the end of the cycle, so you will hit an Apple. Where these pins are on both the Apple and the Cherry determines the odds of hitting that Cherry. If on the Apple late in the cycle, and at the beginning of the cycle on the Cherry, the odds of hitting a Cherry are very low. You also have had to hit the Cherry on the other two wheels too in order to win, if that machines was set to a 3 Cherry big payout.
The trouble with computer machines is, they change the stop points based on what you hit on the first two wheels.
If you've one too much already, it may not have a way to stop on that last Cherry at all. Which is not nice!
If the machine senses you lost too much money and may walk away, it will gladly feed you a couple of small wins, and maybe a moderate win to keep you hooked, hi hi. Lot's of bells, flashing lights, and whistles on a medium win to get your adrenaline flowing again, hi hi. They don't play nice!
-
forumadmin
- Site Admin
- Posts: 44
- Joined: 14 Feb 2015, 17:39