Neighbor problem...
I bought a Dance Dance Revolution pad. But I'm living on the third floor of an apartment complex. And my neighbors below don't like me playing DDR. They bang on the ceiling when I play faster songs or songs with a lot of jumps. I would like to continue playing, but I don't want to bother them. I was thinking I could build some sort of structure or extra padding that would reduce the shock of each impact. I have some ideas, but I would like any input I can get... Any ideas out there?
Also, EVERYTHING SUCKS. I have a USB device that advertises itself as a game controller. USB = hot swappable, plug-and-play, easy, right? So I plug it into a Windows machine on which I don't have admin access. Device detected, woo hoo! But it doesn't add itself to the game controllers list. Apparently you have to be an admin to actually USE the device once you've plugged it in. So I try Linux. I spend over an hour trying to build StepMania because the binaries don't work and the build system requires the latest automake and crap (ARG). Eventually I get it built. But you ALSO need to be an admin to use a USB input device in Linux! ARG! And that's not the only problem! I was on a machine with a dual-flatscreen display, and StepMania showed up in the MIDDLE of it. One half on the left display, one on the right. ... ...
I think that if you have local access to a machine, you should be able to use all of its hardware features. Disk drives, CD burners, joysticks, displays (did you know that sometimes Linux at work will randomly disable the video drivers so you have to be root to use them? HAHA ONLY ADMINS CAN RUN OpenGL PROGRAMS! SCREW YOU SUCKERS!), sound cards, etc. If you have local access to a machine, it's pretty easy to get ahold of its admin passwords anyway. Apparently it only takes a few days of computation to brute-force an NT password. Linux is even easier. This means that the operating system's security model would have to distinguish between local and remote users. I don't know if it's possible, but whatever. Computers just suck.
For the DDR pad, I'd use a couch cushion with some wooden wall type things around it that are flush with it, but not connected. Maybe?
With twinview, I think you have to say Option "MetaModes" "1280x1024,1280x1024;1280x1024,NULL"
It just magically picks the right one for some reason (for me at least)
Regarding the neighbors, if you can not fix things, I would recommend perforating the floor with a machine gun.