SDxWiki Reborn

This site is a conversion of our old and stagnant UseMod wiki to a new form. The content, aside from this new introductory section and some added meta-pages, is as it was, but now embodied as Markdown files in a private GitHub project. Editing pages is awkward, but may improve at some point in the future. Bulk edits are best done by cloning the GitHub project and editing locally.

Anyone interested in helping with improvements or maintenance, please reach out to Dan Muller for access to relevant Azure resources. Updates to pages (to, for example, remove or replace UseModisms) are welcome.

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Welcome to the SDxWiki

That's 'S' as in Spooky, 'Dx' as in Distance. (The DX abbreviation comes from radio jargon.)

If you're new to this wiki, or having problems of any sort, go see About SDxWiki immediately.

News

• Backups of critical data are now performed monthly. See Operations.
• Source code repository now available. See Source Control, Subversion.

Is there anybody out there?

6/20/07 JDH - Wow, SDx is over 5 years old now - and, err, we didn't exactly make that killer game did we? No worries! At least we're all still employed. I just took a brief trip down memory lane by surfing these pages...

• Dan said "Java is just for web apps" - for 4 out of the last 5 years I spent my time delivering EMS which is a J2EE ERP system that handles all $150M plus of CSI's business and interfaces to the web. So there! ;-)
• Istavan said "Help me get a programming job" - last I heard he was working with the Jumpgate folks and doing pretty well there. I also noted with a little bit of self-satisfying-pride that I suggested he look at C# as a language ;-)
• I've taken a step towards becoming an independent software vendor. I'm part time at CSI (still working on my beloved EMS) - but I'm also trying to start a restaraunt software business. Hopefully we'll start selling stuff in '08...
• Wegiz is now a high fallutin' director at CSI - responsible for all the interesting stuff that's going on in Development.

What a difference 5 years makes!

I'm still toying with the idea of making a game. But my goals are far more tame - I just want to use it as a vehicle to do some coding just for fun and pick up a new skill or two. Because I became a "Java guy" I decided that to learn C# I'll write a game. I picked up "Professional Game Programming using XNA" from Wrox Press. We'll see how it goes. I've already become distracted :-) - I started looking for the origins of a game I played as a kid. I didn't remember the name and the "genre" is difficult to describe. However:

• I found it here: http://www.cpcgamereviews.com/t/index5.html (it's called Thrust)
• Which led to here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thrust_(computer_game)
• Which led to here: http://members.home.nl/wdw/thrust.html and here: http://wiebo.wordpress.com/my-pc-games/ Check Thrust Deluxe and Thrust Extreme out - it's a simple game but it's still a LOT of fun. Now, I also found a simple Lunar Lander Java Applet with source code - so completely contrary to my goal to learn C# I plan on adapting the Lunar Lander applet to become a Thrust clone. Glad to see my lazer like focus is still dead! Whatever! To me this is akin to picking up a block of wood and a knife and idly carving away at some model.

If you come across this then drop us a line on the Wiki!

All the best, John "still dreaming" H.

DWM: Still dreaming, too. Took a wrong turn into language implementation, the sort of low-level stuff that I like. Working on an implementation of Common Lisp that compiles to IL and runs on the Common Language Runtime. Well, I was working on it, until the weather got warm and a zillion home maintenance and improvement tasks popped up. Been a wicked busy year for me. Come late fall, I expect to get back to CLinNET, as I call my project. (Common Lisp in .NET -- catchy name, eh?)

Main links

• Introduction: Start here.
• Operations: Infrastructure, organization, financials, etc.
• How To: Processes and procedures, e.g. how to set up a development environment.
• Chit Chat: Random blather. Post frequently, delete often.
• Business Arrangements: Currently in 'discussion mode'.
• What's up? A place to let people know what you're up to.
• Think Tank: Front office of the Department of Brainstorming
• Design Documents: A little more structured than the looney bin above.
• The Job Jar: Tasks looking for an owner. It's not all fun and games, you know.
• Commitments: Tasks that have an owner, and perhaps a due date.
• Interesting Links: An impressive and growing collection of relevant URLs.
• Books: Got a relevant book you can recommend or even lend out?
• Journal: Record significant events here. Also a place to archive old news.
• Member Directory: Links to people's wiki home pages.
• Other Business Ideas: Writing games is not the only way to make a living!
• Programming: Items of interest related to programming in general.
• [Index of all pages]
• Show a [randomly selected page].

Help for using wiki

• About SDxWiki: Admin & operational info.
• Text Formatting Rules
• Text Formatting Examples