Tag: Games

Geany IDE and Python Programming

KenMcConnell2 Comments

I’ve been helping my youngest son, Spencer, learn to program in Python by designing an RPG game. We’re following this guy on YouTube and will then branch off and add to his framework. Spen’s using my old netbook running the latest Ubuntu and he decided that he liked the Geany IDE the best. I checked it out and have to agree with him.

The screenshot shows our first class and a bit of test code to see if it works. The IDE will let you hit Run and open the program in a terminal to see the results. Very handy. Personally, I’d just use Scribes with an open terminal, but since he’s new to programming, I think it helps to have an IDE.

We set up our project on Dropbox so we can both access it from different computers. We have a Windows laptop that he also uses and yesterday I set up Python on that and wrote a quick batch script to run the current test class automatically. I think we are set for some fun times ahead.

The Humble Indie Bundle 6 for Linux

KenMcConnellLeave a comment

I’m not really a gamer, but I buy games on Linux sometimes to support the idea. We need more gamers on Linux. Gamers bring expectations for better graphics, hear that nVidia? Which brings better performance for desktop users, like me.

So if you’re looking for a review of the latest games in the Humble Indie Bundle, you’ll have to talk to my kids. They’ve only played a few of them so far, but they seemed entertained. I’ll put some of them on the netbook that my 9 year old uses. It’s running the latest Ubuntu right now.

Currently, the Humble games are on my Dell XPS, the fastest computer at the McConnell household. Of course this means the games run very fast and crisp. I think gamers on a modern computer using Linux will be quite pleased.

My only suggestion for Ubuntu in particular, is that they need to better integrate the bundled games into the software center. You shouldn’t get a click yes to purchase button after you have already been charged by Humble for the games. I didn’t install the first game for quite some time, as I thought it would charge me a second time. Not good.

It should be noted that the gaming engine Unity, is coming to Linux soon. So now you can build your own indie games on Linux. Very cool.  Also – watch the Indie Game documentary!

One last item of note about the Humble Bundle in particular is about the average price that Linux users are footing for these games. It’s close to $10.00 and way, way more than Mac and Windows users are choosing to pay for them. So much for Linux nerds only wanting free stuff.