The Windows Hosts file

windows has a very special file named the hosts file, it is located in
%SystemRoot%\System32\drivers\etc\hosts
this file allows u to define a domain & its IP, just like a DNS, but a local one but
without server, it also allows u to block a specific website, domain or any thing, only by giving it an IP that is not the real one, so there will be nothing to accept the connection
Q: WHAT MAKES IT A HELPFUL THING ??
A: coz simply if u have a program that makes some sort of validations on the server, that u dont want to happen, u can do that
ur only problem is just u have to know where it connects, but there is alot of tools & ways to determine that.
its also useful since u wont need a firewall to do that, its just a local file
1- just open it from the RUN command
2- select notepad & thats it
u'll actually find the LocalHost IP there, with the domain named "localhost"
add whatever u want in the same format as the other & that should be it

A reasonable solution for serious Game Programming

There is a very reasonable solution if u seriously want to consider game programming, I dont advise making ur own engine, unless u just want to learn, but its never a good idea to use it for production, coz u'll need years of hard work to make a technology that is several years old when its done.
Simply u can buy or get an engine for free (there are several economical & free engines on the net) I'm personally using Torque Game Engine 1.5 (TGE 1.5) coz its supported on multiple platforms & is not expensive @ all (150$) , concentrate in the game u want to make, & leave the engine issues to the engine programmers.
Even when they make a new version of it, u wont have any hard time updating ur game.
Current game markets are in serious needs for original ideas (I KNOW, I"M FOLLOWING THAT MARKET :D) so if u want to succeed in this business, u'll have to offer what it needs.
Dont reinvent the wheel if u want to make money, coz whatever u do ur wheel wont be more circular than the existing ones ;)

WarLords 4

War Lords, one of my very favorite computer games & also one of the first games I ever knew of
Warlords 1 1st appeared in 1990 (MAN THATS ANCIENT), the game was created by Steven Fawkner and published by SSG (Strategic studies group)
NOTE: The MacOS version of this game kicks the PC version's ASS. LONG LIVE MacOS

Warlords 2 was released in 1993 & its deluxe pack was released in 1995

those releases of the game were created by the same Man & published by the same group, they were turn based strategy games, (not real time as most of the other games), u get to move units in the order u want & whenever u want, making the resources also increase per turn, not by time.

what makes this game special, is that its not about how fast can u make an army ready & when exactly u attack, similar to chess (which I dont exactly like to play :D) u move when u study the move & know what to expect.

U build units that take 'N' turns & cost 'C' & have an upkeep of 'U' gold & strength 'S' , U capture towns that can build the A,B & C units & has an income of X gold, & lots & lots more things to consider. The Game is extremely Tactical.

Warlords 3 was quite different, it was a real-time strategy game adding new units & features, it was released in 1997.I
it's Expansion pack wasn't very successful as it had a difficult market with FPS (First person shooters) & MMOGs (Massive Multiplayer Online Games)
By the release of windows XP, several issues appeared in the game (LONG LIVE MacOS :D :D), there were no support for it, & even when Ubi Soft bought the name, they failed to solve those issues, but they were mainly being worked on by the Game fans

Warlords 4: (My Favorite :D)
The game returned back on 2003 by Ubi Soft to turn based strategy, although the game had some development problems as the game was dropped from infinity interactive plans & the code was in a very messy condition for 3 years, but they re-wrote it from scratch in 6 months & unfortunately there were some imbalances in the game, so it had a 70% score (10% less than the previous warlords 3 & its expansion)
Those imbalances were fixed on 2006 in the 1.04 update but it was too late to make ppl play it again (but it was fixed :D, lucky me I started playing it in November last year :D)
The same team on warlords 4 has also been working on Seven Kingdoms, Warlords Champions and heroes of might & magic 5 (another great turn based game).
& there has also been some talk abt Warlords 5, but nothing official yet.

Steve Fawkner Thank you for this game & I'm looking forward for the next

The European Union Model in Egypt

A couple of months ago I joined in a Model (simulation) for the European Union, I've never been very fond of politics, coz simply I always thought its not my job to criticize counties' actions, so I simply stopped following the news, but I always had my opinions abt several events.

I actually joined in the EU model hoping that I would learn something new, meet some new ppl, find other EDUCATED opinions abt the international events (as I have rarely been interested abt local events), & also hoping to c things from different point of views.

I'll just say quickly what the EU model actually is:
Its a simulation to 4 Councils that u join one of them

• The European Council

• The EU-Mediterranean summit

• The EU-OPEC

• Youth Forum on Cultural dialogs (Personal Opinion council)

(It is located in Cairo University, faculty of Faculty of Economics and Political Science)
u get interviewed @ the beginning, just to know what are ur interests & ur best match in one of those 4 councils. (I don't think that I even got 10% of the questions correct :D)

U get to know abt what those councils really do & @ the end, u represent a country to find a solution to a crisis that is given to u b4 the conference by 24 hrs (thats how it is in the EU Council, I don't know abt the others)

To cut it short, the meetings were far from a lesson or a lecture, we actually had a lot of "do ur self" stuff, plus -which is one of the best parts- the secretariats/speakers/instructors or whatever u may call it (u just know what I mean :D) are of very near ages to the delegates, making the CONVERSATIONS more friendly & more fun.

(wow I kinda lost what I wanted to say :S !!!)

By attending those sessions on a regular bases, & doing what is required (assignments, mostly check the news, or make a small research abt some country or some event) I learned a lot & had a chance to know abt things that I wouldn't have thought of on my own, making me understand more abt what happens in the world around me & c the reasons of such things clearer.

anywayz (damn thats too long already!!) I really enjoyed the DEBATES we were having, I'm already proud of what I've been through with them, though the FUN has just started :D
the final conference is coming soon ;)

Its a great experience to be a member of an event as this one. & to anyone who reads this blog, seek to join it, u'll like it :D

Serious Sam 2

Serious Sam 2 is the 3rd sequel to the Award winning Serious Sam Family (after 1st encounter & 2nd encounter)
It was released on Oct 19, 2005
I didn't play the Older ones but I've be told about them.
The Game mainly depends on how fast u can shoot & hit, not about tactics.
U just get lots of creatures & u'd better kill them as fast as u can without dying (perhaps it sounds too easy but its not :D)
Also that the Game has also a very funny theme, not a violent one, & far from reality (its all funny imagination), so it can be a very appropriate game for children 8+
The Game was created by Croteam, with the Serious Engine 2 & published by 2k Games.
To Croteam: U guys have done one hell of a job, keep it up ;)
I wont go into the story of the game, its not something sophisticated but the Game is very challenging to play, I'm serious :D
u may want to check it out ur own so here you go ;) SeriousZone & Serious Same 2
Enjoy

Windows Vista Boot (Add or Remove)

I've just fixed my computer's boot system & saved my self 48 hrs of reinstalling a system.
I''ll take this chance to explain about the Vista's Boot manager (either removing it or Deleting it)
I currently have a dual boot of windows XP & VISTA
my XP for some reason crashed so I had to repair it, which rewrote the bootsector & over written the VISTA's boot sector. so I couldn't load windows VISTA.
The recovery stuff that u can find when u boot from the windows VISTA DVD were the way to solve it (add VISTA to the boot) not the startup recovery, but the command line

How to use the Bootrec.exe tool in the Windows Recovery Environment to troubleshoot and repair startup issues in Windows Vista

type:
bootrec.exe /Fixboot
& that should be it

To remove the VISTA Boot record, boot from windows XP CD, press r on the first screen (open the recovery console)
type fixboot
then fixmbr
then fixboot again for safty
that should be it

edit: Added picture @ the top (VISTA + XP on 1 computer = boom)

MySQL .Net Connector Error 2869 on Windows VISTA

I've just solved an error I had while installing the .net connector of MySQL on windows VISTA.
I had an error number 2869 and the setup rolled back.
The solution that I found on the MySQL website was to run the command prompt in administrator mode and run the setup from there.
it worked with me, & I hope it does the same for u

Game Reviews !! Comming UP

well Since I've been one hell of a gamer for the last "like" LIFE :D, I've decided to post some reviews about the Games that I believe have some effect on the industry, either in its technology, story, Gameplay or even the idea.
I hope u'd all enjoy them :)

Access your PC through the Internet

I bet everyone is familiar with Windows Remote Desktop, I tried it before but it wasn't that useful !!
its got an issue were the current user on the computer logs out & the one remotely accessing the computer logs in.
well I was told that there was another way to remotely access the computer through another program without causing the one using the computer to log out, the Program is UltraVNC (Google it to download it, its free).
I've tried it its very very useful, specially that u can access the computer through a website, as long as the computer u are using has the JRE installed (Java Runtime Environment) which isn't a big deal.
so u wont need to install anything extra on every computer u use to access ur computer.
To make things work perfectly u'll either need a static IP on ur machine
OR
register on www.no-ip.com, make an account, create a domain & install their client on ur computer (the client updates the Domain(s) that u created with the new IP every duration that u set, so when the IP is changed the domain is also updated (Cool huh ?? :D)
its totally free, & its very useful to do anything, its like a netmeeting session but both are using the mouse & have complete control over the computer.

That no-ip domain was very useful to me accessing any web-interface for any application I have (emule, uTorrent *new feature*)
--- Tech Details ---
UltraVNC installes a display adapter, that captures the screen & sends it to the connected clients.
it works great on almost all Microsoft OSs, except on VISTA it will disable ur Aero theme :(

The no-ip client that u installed is prefered to run as a system service & not in the startup, the IP will be updated ONLY when the GUI is closed, (I suppose not even in the system tray)

& DONT FORGET TO SET THE PORTS ON THE ROUTER !!!!!!!

Google Calendar

"Yeah so what I know Google has a great calendar, whats new about it !!!"
I bet this is the 1st thing that would pass through your mind when you read, but well perhaps u didn't know about this :D
Google Calendar has a very useful feature "Notifications"
"Yeah I know"
well I wont talk long about the notification itself, but I'll say that you can have your notifications on your mobile, Free of charge (not in all countries, but free in Egypt)
In the settings of the Calendar (upper right corner), Notifications Tab, you'll need to enter the country & phone number, you'll then get a message on your mobile with a number to make sure that the service is working correctly & for other security reasons (make sure that you at least have access on the phone you entered its number)
well I've finished those settings & got the verification code & finished the setup :D
though I didn't run through an event that I needed a notification for :D
Hope u enjoy it

First Post

A blog. What is it supposed to be ?? either a waste of time (as if I dont waste any) or its some sort of exchanging knowledge, but anyway, here I am with my blog that I'm not very sure that I'll be posting alot on but what the heck, there goes nothing.
No way I'm gona post personal stuff, so I suppose its gona be useful to read through my blog.