PS3 Vs XBOX 360

Trying to decide between the two.....Going to get a console on this Thanks giving for sure. I have an inclination towards the PS3 because of the inbuilt Blu Ray player and access to the Play Station Network

Found this article very useful while making my decision.


Performance

Here’s a tough one. On paper, the Playstation 3’s Cell engine is more capable than XBOX 360’s triple-core Xenon CPU. However, as our developer alluded to last year, the XBOX 360 is much easier to develop for. In other words, a lot of the Cell’s power is going to waste. Although that is expected to change eventually, as always seems to happen with Sony’s consoles (compare early PS2 games to current games, and the same goes for PS1), one year later we’re still waiting for someone to fully exploit the system. Another indication that the PS3 is harder to develop for is the fact that almost all multiplatform games arrive weeks – if not months – after their 360 versions.

As we said last year, we fully expect the PS3 to win this category – eventually. To what extent, we’re not sure (very likely it’s only going to be the blockbuster first-party titles that take full advantage of Cell), and when this will occur, we’re not sure either. Obviously, one full year wasn’t enough.

Graphics

This is a sticky subject for a lot of fanboys. A very common argument in most flame wars is that the Playstation 3 simply “has better graphics”. I’m not sure where that argument came from; Sony obviously did a good job of marketing the system. However, the argument is entirely false. The Xenos GPU on the XBOX 360 is superior the RSX on the PS3. This is one thing that didn’t change in the past year.

Xenos simply has more power – higher fillrate, higher pixel processing power, higher vertex processing power, and better memory architecture. If you look at multiplatform games and contrast the graphics on the two consoles, XBOX 360 almost always leads. Whether they use a higher resolution or higher quality antialiasing, games often look better and/or play smoother on the 360. We looked at a handful of multiplatform games a while back, and this was always the case.

Again, we have to consider that Cell has the potential to help with graphics on the Playstation 3. As developers become more familiar with the platform, they are going to come up with new tricks to help games run smoother, and allow them to look better. However, one year after its introduction we aren’t seeing huge leaps (or even baby steps) towards this, except on a couple exclusive titles.

Playstation Network Store vs. XBOX Live Arcade

The initial interface of Sony’s online store was, to say the least, crap. However they revised it last year, and it is now very easy to find games, demos, and other extra goodies. There are even ‘branded stores’ for companies like Capcom who offer many titles.

Big titles like Mega Man and Street Fighter HD are available on both programs, and usually run well on both consoles. Both consoles have good indy support as well, with all the PixelJunk games and such on PSN, and games like Braid on XBLA.

Microsoft tends to do a better job of adding retro games, while Sony only occasionally adds the odd PS1 title, and has a few arcade games available. This is one thing that drives retro fans like
myself crazy; with hundreds of great games that can easily be made available on PSN for little cost, it’s frustrating that there are so few.

As far as demos go, both PSN and XBLA have time fee-based demo exclusivity. For XBLA, it’s in the form of XBOX Live membership, where if you’re a paying member (which all online gamers are), you get early access to demos. For Playstation Network, you have to subscribe to their “video magazine” Qore to get monthly exclusive demos, the value of which is questionable.

Conclusion

So, which is better, XBOX 360 or PS3?

The answer is……. Neither! Look, each console has its “pros and cons”. If you primarily play online games, you will want to get an XBOX 360. If you have a nice HDTV and want to enjoy beautiful Blu-Ray movies, you will want to get a PS3. If you are an “achievement whore” you will want a 360. If you like to play import games, you will want a PS3. If you want to easily stream near-HD quality movies and TV shows, get a 360. It goes on and on. If you like Halo games, get a 360. If you are more of a Killzone kinda guy, get a PS3. If you want to spend less than $400, get a 360.
If you think the PS3 has “better graphics” get a PS3. If you think the XBOX 360
has “better graphics” then get an XBOX 360.

The fact is, the decisions that influence your purchasing decision are entirely up to you. What matters to you may not matter to the next person. But hopefully you have a clearer picture of “what matters” to you, and how the consoles compare after reading this article. If it’s exclusive titles, fine. Go with the console that has the games you like. If it’s “which multiplatform games play
better on this console” the answer is… Well the 360 is a bit better, but the PS3 is improving in this regard (and buggy games do get patched).

I’ll finish off with some comments that are purely subjective. It is my personal opinion that it just ‘feels’ better to play games on the Playstation 3. After reading this entire article, the PS3 has some advantages and some disadvantages, but for some reason I just like playing games on it better. It’s quiet, I don’t have to worry about it Red Ringing on me, and I actually prefer the DualShock 3 controller (when the connection is not cutting out, which seems to happen with less frequency now that I think about it). I am more of an offline gamer when it comes to consoles, so the XBOX 360’s huge advantage of being the superior online gaming
system doesn’t apply to me. I just want a console that will do what it’s supposed to do, and do so quietly. Other people will feel just the opposite, and that is perfectly fine. I have my reasons, and you have yours. And neither of those should affect one another. That’s the whole point of writing this article in the manner that I have.

Comments are welcome, keeping in mind that fanboy crap will not remotely be tolerated. If you have a comment to make, try to do so in a respectable manner.

Citations: http://www.hardcoreware.net/playstation-3-vs-xbox-360-two-years-later/

Presentation on Business Ethics

Have a Presentation next week on Business Ethics in my Organizational Behavior class. We are a group of three and collectively we are studying this topic and then individually we will be collecting materials for the presentation.

I am working on finding some videos, definitions and facts and figures around the world about Business Ethics.

This topic is relatively new to me and have never studied about this during my Engineering or Work life....Though I understand that we all know about Business Ethics in a broad sense and practice it in our Professional life.

Have shortlisted some interesting videos about the same:


Business Ethics: My Life in Headlines

This videos is from the serial 'The Office'

Business Society and Business Ethics

Still searching for some more stuff on this ....

Association of IT Professionals Region 3 conference at UT Dallas.

Last week, I presented on the history and structure of the Association of IT Professionals to the UT Dallas student members and guests. Also mentioned about the AITP Region 3 conference that will be hosted by AITP UT Dallas student chapter from Oct 22 - 24 at the school of management, UT Dallas.

All students are welcome to participate. The event will have several $$$ prizes for competitions such as Systems analysis and design, Database design, PC Troubleshooting, Microsoft Office solutions and more.

We will also have speakers from Microsoft and IBM and a visit to the closest Texas Instruments plant.

I have designed the website and details about the schedule and registration can be found at http://www.aitputd.org/conference

AITP UT Dallas now has its first sponsor 'John Neibel' who owns Mirrored Storage (http://www.mirroredstorage.com)

We are glad to have John on board and are thankful to him for sponsoring us.

The Techie me !!

Installing Wireless Lan drivers for Windows Server 2008.

Well it was just another day and I was working on my Laptop with the Vista OS on it. The entire organization at my office uses windows XP on the client computers, then I thought why does HP or Dell give Vista preintalled on their on their systems and charge an additional fee for installing XP?

Well......I thought I'll just switch to Longhorn.....the latest of the Server OS by MSFT built on the Vista Kernel.

One of the projects assigned to me as part of my Internship involves working with MOSS 2007 which has compatibility issues with Client OS's.

So I decided to install the Server 2008 standard edition on my machine.
After installing the system without any hassle, I went ahead and installed the video drivers and all that HP stuff designed for Vista........but I got stuck at installing the Wireless LAN drivers.

What to do?

HP only supports Vista and very little of XP. Longhorn is out of thier support boundaries....

After a long search and scanning MSFT support sites, I came across this:

1. Installed the Wireless LAN service from the Server Manager console.
2. Rebooted the server and then figured the make and model of my Wireless device. (I had to goto the device manager and click Show hidden devices and there it was.)
3. Installed the correct drivers from the manufacturers site and finally my server went online.

I would say Longhorn is by far the best OS MSFT has got out.....Thanks to the amazing Dev and QA team !

Procrastination: Conquering the Inner Demon

Do you find yourself waiting until the last minute to finish a critical document? Are meetings often scheduled and announced just in the nick of time? Is the production of your work calendar a quarterly nightmare? If you recognize any of these scenarios, procrastination may be sneaking into your life, stealing valuable time, and eroding your productivity. Procrastination is the habitual delay in starting a task or seeing it through to conclusion. But is this always a bad thing to do? The word "habitual" is the key. Most of us procrastinate to varying degrees. Occasional delay is no problem on less important tasks when the delay has no harmful effects to you or to others. However, once delay becomes a habit and creeps into all areas of your life, it undermines your ability to function effectively.

The seductiveness of delay

Procrastination is seductive because there are short-term rewards that come from putting things off. When you have too much to do, deciding not to do any of them can reduce the immediate tension and stress you were feeling. There is a natural tendency to avoid unpleasant things. Putting them off (even though you will have to do them later) means, at the very least, that you do not have to face them right now. Plus, if you are lucky, they will go away or someone else will do them. Procrastinating can also be exciting. It causes crises and the adrenaline rushes that go along with them. Waiting until the last possible minute is similar to pitting yourself against the odds. You are gambling that not only will you win out over stress, fear, hunger, and fatigue, but that the mail will arrive on time, the copier will not break, the other person is not out sick, and that the tire will not go flat as you race to your 8 a.m. meeting. When you make it, you probably feel high and slightly euphoric. These are intense feelings, much more interesting than the quiet, calm satisfaction produced when the project is completed early. Waiting until the last minute to start a difficult task can also be used as a defense for poor performance. You can always claim that it would have been better had there been more time. It can shield you from the consequences that you expect to occur after the project is completed. For example, not accepting a high visibility special assignment will shield you from the consequences of being in the limelight and possibly failing, or doing well and being offered more challenge than you can handle.

Breaking the cycle

In trying to overcome procrastination, don't decide all at once that you will never do it again. That is like deciding to climb Mount Everest next week without ever having been climbing. Be reasonable and be fair to yourself. Start slowly. Give yourself time to break a habit that has become ingrained and automatic. For large, complicated or time-consuming projects such as formulating a budget, writing a new procedural manual, organizing a fund-raiser, or learning Chinese, break it into small, manageable parts. Smaller tasks are attractive because they are short, easy, and produce immediate gratification. Keep in mind that all projects, no matter how massive, are only a series of small items reassembled. Another effective technique is to make a voluntary commitment to someone else. Allowing others to become involved in your efforts by reviewing your progress, helping you set deadlines, or evaluating your results can be very helpful. Often, we are too close to the situation to be objective. Your concerns, fears, and anxieties become secondary to fulfilling the expectations of the people you respect and trust. Remember to reward yourself for good behavior. Punishing yourself for goofing off is not nearly as effective. Reward yourself at milestones in the process, not just at the completion. Rewards can be anything you like. They can be simple and inexpensive, but they should be things that are important to you. Reading for pleasure, relaxing, playing a game, visiting friends, traveling, going to dinner, and exercising can all be used as rewards. At work, doing the portion of your job that you find enjoyable can be a reward. If you regularly work overtime, go home on time, or take a lunch break instead of eating in a rush at your desk. When you find yourself blocked and unable to start a task, and you have tried everything else, "think smart" by asking yourself: "Is there anything, no matter how small, that I am willing to do?" When you find that small thing, you are no longer procrastinating. -- Odette Pollar is a nationally known speaker, author, and consultant; she is also president of Smart Ways to Work based in Oakland, California. Her most recent book is Take Back Your Life.

Citation:

Pollar , Odette . "Procrastination: Conquering the Inner Demon." 18 OCT 2000 Web.13 Apr 2009.