I think tabs are a great example of UI innovation. It's a simple idea that provides a really great benefit: it solves the otherwise fragmentary experience of reading hypertext. Normally when reading hypertext, you have to make a choice every time you get to a link: do I follow this, or do I stick with what I'm reading? It's a bullshit choice that completely destroys the ability to concentrate on a text corpus. Tabs give you a really easy way to queue up branching paths of interest without incurring the high maintenance cost of having to deal with a bunch of new windows that you have to place on the screen, and -- if you don't open the window or tab in the background -- also have to get back out of your way so you can refocus on the original article.  3:37:05 PM  (comments [])   

It cracks me up to see Bush say, with a straight face, "I call on the Senate Democratic leadership to stop playing politics." I mean, y'know, considering.  3:14:42 PM  (comments [])   

I don't yet know how soon the game will wear thin. The number of random mission types seems very thin (blow up some guys, kill this one guy, capture this one guy, recover the plans from this one guy), and the NPC speeches become repetitive after you talk to guy #2. Still, it's fun to explore the various systems, and trying out the various ships and weapons is compelling. Like Diablo, it's pretty much all about exploring, combat, and upgrading your shiznit. And it's easy to waste hours on that.

It also helps that the story missions have enough meat to keep me interested and moving forward. It sounds like the number of actual story missions may not be tremendously large, but they're kind of a nice amount of seasoning to add to the game.

Combat is pretty interesting. Not only can you strafe, but it turns out that you can cut power to your engines (by default this is the Z key) and keep heading on your current course while you spin your ship around and take someone out. Also, some heavier ships have turrets, and you can go into turret view (H) and take shots at people in your rear arc of fire. I have seen reference to autoturrets, and hope to find them. I also have hopes that maybe there are combat autopilots I can pick up that will zig and zag for me while I am in turret view, although they are not high hopes. I would think it was swell if a patch came down the pipes (or an expansion disk) that provided more random mission types, as well as the ability to hire wingmen or keep more than one ship in my stable.  9:07:56 AM  (comments [])