Computer 1 with Delta.com Skymiles Platinum account cookies and previous flight search:

Computer 2 with no previous flight lookups:

Computer 2 after logging in to KLM Silver Flying Blue account:

Computer 1: same flights, on Delta.com

Delta awards 16418 miles, where KLM awards 16380 miles for the exact same flights. Why is there a 38 miles difference?

Artist impression of KLM ticketing agent:

Luckily there are other charities that are not run by crooks who make 199,000 Euro a year in salary. In 2008 the Dutch Red Cross spend 456,000 Euro on two CEOs, isn’t that absurd?

PC or console?

Left 4 Dead will use the new matchmaking system we’ve been working on.

The new matchmaking system replaces the traditional server browser.  By running a public dedicated server your server will be added to a list of servers available for clients to use when playing.  Games are started from a Game Lobby by clients, who are then connected to a dedicated server when they start the game.  When they’re done, your server is added back to the list of available servers.  Clients will be able to “Quick Match”, “Play Online”, and “Play With Friends” when they want to play a game.

[...]

 

-Eric Smith (erics@valvesoftware.com)

Valve hates you
They must think you’re too dumb and stupid to choose your own server. What you end up is a “smart algorithm” designed to connect a player to other players and the server. What it also means: you have no control over your online multiplayer experience. Want to play on a regular server with the same crowd every day, the community experience? Unless you add all people to your friends list you’re out of luck. Also Valve decided you’re not allowed to think for yourself and they will pick the server for you.

The matchmaking system is used on low-level games on the consoles, where servers are nothing more than players running the game on their console. For the PC this is only used on games that do not have dedicated servers like the Command & Conquer series.

Valve used to support servers pretty good. They are still releasing updates for games like Counter Strike 1.6 and CS: Source. With Left 4 Dead they clearly fail to live up to their standards. There are so many zombie communities for Zombie Mod, Zombie Master, Zombie Run and other zombie Source modifications. The i3D.net community is one of the largest zombie communities out there with 25 servers online and multiple servers in the global top 100. If the community cannot host their own game servers, cannot manage and cannot ingame admin these servers, there is no point of playing this game.

Our servers have a large number of regulars, around 50 admins from 3 continents and a huge fanbase of ex-admins, regular players and fans. I think we’ll pass this game and won’t bother supporting it unless Valve decides to support the online communities all over the world by giving them more control over their own community game servers.

- Stewie