You’re deliberately ignoring our complaints- I was misled by your writing implying that the browser itself is completely closed source and that it’s impossible to inspect the inner workings of its adblock, which as pointed out to you is FALSE (because only the UI is closed source) and thus misleading. I am not going to talk to you about your strawman. I’m also not making any implications about required technical expertise to assess these adblocks, but if we are to go by your assumption, perhaps you are not qualified to make this article if you cannot get the data required to make a proper assessment? Either way, I’m not sure why you’re so against adding your article clearer- a few words would’ve done the job.

I was actually under the impression the whole browser was closed. Thanks for the clarification

I’m not the person who you’re replying to (just another reader) but I felt misled after reading the clarification here in the forums that the source IS available for the adblock portion. I was under the impression (from your article) that the users could not inspect the code at all because of the same wording the person calls out. If they (and obviously others like myself) were misled by the writing, would it not be better just to fix it instead of arguing?

It is genuinely amazing the lengths this man will go to deny his level of impropriety as if it’s some grand conspiracy and not heavily documented; I am happy others are open to making his existence as miserable as he makes ours.

Honestly I’d that the lives saved from transitioning to EVs quicker is worth the trade. Eventually the car manufacturers will have to compete even if it means they stop making huge cars no one needs and start making smaller ones that travel further. I’m not going to pretend us manufacturers don’t abuse the fuck out of Mexico, India, and China when it comes to sourcing parts and labor, but the environment is a global win we desperately need.

You are free to discuss all the stuff you thought that made the title as great as you thought it was. I clearly elaborated on why I thought it wasn’t a genre defining fps but your comments were all about you claiming halo is great but not really saying why or how. Did you even try to explain what parts of the game were so revolutionary? Notice you wrote 4 paragraphs but didn’t mention a single aspect of the game that stood out against what was in the market at the time. You also claimed I disparaged “casuals” when I clearly talked about features that made the game easier to pick up on console (you know, the market they were targeting) compared to what was the norm. You called the genre dead and I elaborated why it wasn’t and what it was up against, and to be clear, you claimed the entirety of fps as a genre was dead. Not adding the millions of pc users seems weird when it is alive in that market (and many new games being produced are proof the market had growth). What do you consider widespread usage? How do you know Halo set the benchmark and not Counter-strike or team fortress or… maybe gaming in general was just growing and it was along for the ride? Or maybe it was marketing that put it on the map? You may as well have claimed no fps existed until halo. Do you think moba as a genre is dead? Moba dwarfs other genres in viewers but it is largely pc. For console fps, i would argue goldeneye set the standard in the late 90s with its good controls, split screen multiplayer, and memorable campaign. If we’re talking gameplay trends clearly more tac-like shooters based on cod and counter-strike flourished. Also I recognize esports as relatively niche but you’d also need to realize it’s the 2000s and recognition of esports at all is a big achievement in terms of gaming becoming mainstream. Gaming was stigmatized for a long time and the idea of competing in it for money was a breakthrough.

All that said, if you want to continue I don’t care. It would’ve been nice to hear what parts of the game changed the genre but if you prefer zero substance comments I’m done here

Crazy take. Op was right that halo basically made fps more accessible for console players- that along with great storytelling is its real legacy. At the time, if you wanted the most out of fps games, you’d buy a PC and pick up a copy of Half-Life from a store, find an update off a shady ftp, then after install you’d have access to tons of mods giving you access to an array of truly unique experiences. Fps weren’t really made for console at the time and lacked a lot of usability (I.e. aim assist was not well developed, games were way faster and also more difficult for console controls). Counter-strike paved the way with TAC shooters and streamlining fps, but again you needed Half-Life and the retail port didn’t come until 2003. Halo brought a console first experience with casual play in mind, most notable: low gravity for easier positioning and easier to shoot players, spawning with a decent weapon so you weren’t outclassed off spawn, limited you to carrying only two weapons for easier weapon management, slow movement, and regen so you didn’t have to chase health packs. This wouldn’t be complete without me actually saying what Halo was good for- Notable innovations were obviously its physics and graphics engine, extensive user input assistance (aim assist and movement assist), use of vehicles (other games were clunky and there was little to do other than drive from one point to the next), story telling, sophisticated AI, and system link. To call halo some sort of Renaissance game that vitalized a dead genre is so very weird- you do realize this was the time of Counter-strike, team fortress, unreal tournament, quake, tribes, alien vs predator… Esports was growing with CPL and ESWC, both with majority fps-only titles. I can only assume you were not alive to experience it.

Fps games circling the drain in 2001 is a crazy take.

This. Most mice are basically the same unless you buy a mouse designed to be taken apart. The only one that does that from the top of my head is the fantech aria xd7 (maybe their other mice too, not sure) but I cannot in good conscience recommend it as an owner of the mouse (had issues with clicks getting stuck and their rep on discord was very unhelpful and dismissive of my issue). Couldn’t you clean most mice with just an air compressor?