I have a desktop computer with Windows XP. I no longer use this device and I have moved all my data files to my newer computer. I am about to donate the desktop to a needy organization. While I trust the recipient I am concerned that some of their personnel may find something I would not want them to find. Before I give them the computer I would like to Erase it leaving only the operating system and any other programs I have loaded onto it. Not being familiar with computers at that level I would appreciate some advice on how and what to Erase.
Thanks for any and all help.
Caspian Sub: Now with half the dreck, twice the funk.
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Hey thanks a ton, Jen! =) Now for my second request, if you could just move to Copenhagen? Because there are simply zero hawt girls over here who play Axis and Allies (or DnD for that matter, noticed your sig). Also I remember you posted once that “There is NEVER enough beer” which is enough points to warrant an immediate marriage proposal, even over the internets! 8-)
Haha, no but I will definitely send you an email when I get home. And thanks again, Im definitely curious to see what’s been posted over there.
See, I knew that it was fact that there is no such thing as “enough” beer!
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@Cmdr:
Daggaz,
As self declared secretary for C-Sub (as in, I’m the one who converts the files from text and doc and any other format known to man into PDF for them) I have almost all of their files (except ones written since August this year.)
Feel free to email me at isfcco@hotmail.com and I can send them too you. It may take more than one email to send though, due to size.
Great! Commander may I also send an email to you for receiving such papers?
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Sure.
Just a thought, I don’t want to be seen as either supporting or denigrating the papers. You get what I was given, use them at your own risk or benefit!
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Aknowledge!
I would like to read and study them!
Thanks Commander!
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@Mazer:
BTW - that was my 100th post! How cool is that???
Now I can give out karma. I just gave you +1 because you’re simply a peach.
Karma +1 for your 100th post! :-D
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I actually have registered to it, just a really long long time ago, so of course I forgot my yahoo account stuff.
Mostly its just cuz its a pain in the arse to go thru all that junk even if it only takes a few minutes- which leads right to my other point. Anybody can sign up, repeatedly, with fake accounts in no time at all and spam and flame and generally be a huge pain in the butt for the mods, so its not like its that huge of a help. It certainly wont keep the “riffraff” out, only dissuade them somewhat.
Anyhow, like I said already, its just tedious and I will forget in no time anyhow as I dont use yahoo so I will forget that email account. And who wants yahoo tracking you around? (yeah ok use fake info but still.) And all just to get access to a few pdf files?
If it was my site, I would have the files freely available, and only require registering to post on the forum, to keep out spambot scripts. Yould still have to actually mod the board tho, cuz spammers will always get thru, not to mention guys who jump in and flame posters for no good reason except their panties are in a knot, scaring new members off the board and that sorta thing. Its highly annoying and beyond stupid, but thats the internet for ya.
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Hey thanks for the articles Jen, I appreciate the effort on your part. =)
I suppose this is as good a thread as any to discuss them, so here’s my take.
Meh. Most of them are either for beginners (like basic statistical breakdowns, or how Germany should turtle), or they are in the realm of “yeah this would work maybe once in my group, maybe. And I had better get the opponents a bit drunk first.” (canadian shield and landbridge etc.) That or they were seriously shortsighted, looking at immediate IC/gain/loss effects of strategies rather than the big picture. Typos and flat out obvious mistakes were numerous, it would help the authors to actually proof-read their own material. The interjected comedy was humorous at times, but more often came off a bit forced, and really was just out of place most of the time. I’m reading strategy, why is half the pdf about Mr. T? I could really care less, I stopped reading halfway thru when I realized the attempt at explaining the benefits of tanks was going to really stink. Boredom and the gag reflex trump banal curiousity every time.
There was one article that stood out above the rest, which was the one about the Un-Baltic. This one really broke thru the box and gave the best possible solution I have yet seen for an otherwise tricky dillema for the Germans; I am definitely going to try this out the next few games. I especially liked the progressive thinking as to forcing the UK into bad fights which usually in the game any player can choose to avoid without serious consequences, and also the effects of luck on small battles. This is a really smart article.
That said, it amazes me that no less than three articles were published which focused solely on builds that absolutely cripple the Germans in not just the long run, but the short run as well. And these articles are presented as a fundamental strategy. (??!) When I first came onto the canadian shield etc ideas, I thought, ok, thats an interesting threat/deterrent which could change the game. It doesnt take too long to realize that the Russians will take FULL advantage, and that it requires minimal maneuvering from the other allies to negate this massive IPC and strategic investment. Like I said, it would work once against somebody not paying too much attention to the board, so get them drunk first if you can. Unbaltic should be the alpha and the omega as far as German naval builds go, in regards to CSUB articles. Dont delete the others, but they should be side-shelved into “interesting gambits,” not mainstream strategy.
Finally, at the end of each article there is a small conclusion about the shortcomings therein. 90% of the time this was something like, “None! There are no shortcomings or missing ideas or mistakes. This idea is absolutely perfect!”
Wow. What an arrogant crock of siht. It doesn’t take a leap of imagination to figure out what kind of people tag their own articles like this, or even who they are. Big surprise there, really. /sarcasm
In conclusion, most of the articles are more or less a waste of time unless you are really new to the game and especially strategy games in general. If so, by all means read them all and absorb what you can. For advanced players, I wouldn’t bother too much with CSUB except for the UnBaltic move, which I will post here on another thread, as I am interested to hear some of this board’s veterans’ take on it.
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As I said, I don’t take any credit for them, I just converted them all to PDF for the coordinator so that everyone could download and read them. /shrug.
BTW, I’ve pulled Canadian Shield off against veterans. No one expects the spanish inquisition, especially when they are flying the Nazi flag!
Also, there’s a few ideas I always meant to put down in my own articles, again, things that would only work once against an opponent (but that’s how games are won, right? Sometimes it is strategy, not dice!)
I guess now that my revised days are almost completely retired, I could do so safely without risking my own strategies to the enemy!
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Wow. What an arrogant crock of siht.
Daggaz, I, for one, was touched by your humility and openness to new ideas. Clearly your expertise is unrivaled; I don’t know why other people bother to post without checking with you first!
You, sir, are the pinnacle example of what open forums are all about.
Thank you for taking the time to post.
Thank you for being you.
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Mazer, he does have a point, it is awfully conceded to say a strategy in Axis and Allies has no holes in it. This is not tic-tac-toe, there is going to be a hole in your strategy somewhere.
Perhaps you should reword your “essays” so that they end with “no known holes, yet.”
BTW, most of the articles are really aimed at players who just left rookie stage. Just the nature of the beast, it’s very hard to write articles for advanced players because we know all the holes and can find them easier.
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Hmm, I liked the articles a lot, gave me greater insight into the games. The exercises are fun too, especially that one where you had to retreat to iceland/greenland, and the one building an IC in Egy to block tanks :D Priceless!
I know some articles are tricks or gambits, but you have to know them to avoid them! It’s like the fool’s mate in chess: you have to know it, and it’s an added weapon to your AAR arsenal (like the succer punch from the South Pacific -> California).
Humour was good, Mr. T was often funny, and the tank/pinball machine yelling “TILT SUCKKA!!” stays fixed in my brain.
Also, I think the Baltic shield might be a nice change pace, giving the Russians some nicer game, but keeping USA and UK on their toes. I think in ADS it’s possible to pull it of with an added surprise effect. Ofcourse there are drawbacks to every strategy, but keeping the med and Africa also has it’s merits.
So no, the articles not bad, they’re nicely written and contain valid arguments, even for “pro’s” some tips and tricks are good to rehearse :)
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Hi Jen.
My last post was deleted which is odd since the mods let a post from Daggaz stand where he’s flaming, baiting, and calling names, but such is forum “justice” :-D
I’ll reiterate the important point from the deleted post: I don’t believe there is any place on CSub where we claim the articles are perfect or bulletproof without it being a tongue-in-cheek comment.
If you can find a counter point, wonderful. Post it. I don’t think you can find anything along those lines where it’s not meant fascetiously.
Back up your assertion or retract it :-D
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Mazer:
I was just taking his quote for granted. I don’t have the time or inclination to go through the articles anymore. They’re for an old has been game, a relic from the past, an antique! I’m in the now and those articles don’t pretain to Anniversary. :P
You should keep in mind that sarcasm does not translate well over the internet. Took me a while to figure that out myself (hence why I have a couple of morons hiting the smite button three times a day, I think they have no life, no girl friends, no boyfriends and a lacking intelligence level to the point I am amazed they can figure out how not to urinate on themselves on a routine basis (shh…it’s okay boys, accidents happen, every man urinates on himself once or twice a week, right???))
Anyway, that’s about them. The point is that if you have those phrases at the end (anything to the point of “there’s no flaws in this plan at all” ) then it might be wise, in the art of diplomacy, to remove or modify them so they are not so snobbish.
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Never! I will never abandon sarcasm just because it doesn’t work!
+1 karma to you to combat the evil clickers.
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@Mazer:
Never! I will never abandon sarcasm just because it doesn’t work!
+1 karma to you to combat the evil clickers.
Reciprocity.
Oky, it’s your articles. :P
Working on some for AA50 myself, some of those off the wall ideas, etc. I hate doing the same old thing. :)
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I only read one paper and I thought it interesting. I think I join to read other paper for other idea.
Do you have link to site?
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Hey F6.
If you want something fun and fast, check the puzzles. They are in the Files section.
http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/Caspian_Sub/
Peace
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Thank you. I just join.