Buds Biased Utils Report, 19

Bud's Biased Utils Report #19 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A big week for utils... I actually have an interview done for the second straight week. Two interviews in fact. More importantly, there's a new player in the utils field. If you've been around long enough you may remember a group run by Lester called Vengeance, well, once again there is a utils group starting up named Vengeance, and once again it's run by Lester. Now I could hype or give my thoughts on this (in fact I will later), but I also decided to just go to the source and interview Lester. I'll also get a few other opinions about this new challenger for my next report. Finally, I've settled on a new date scheme for my reviews... the week will now run till Monday, and start again on Tuesday, as opposed to the Sunday to Saturday scheme I was using. Since NWR is *SUPPOSED* to come out Tuesdays, this gives me a day to finish up. This week, to smooth over the transition, will run for two extra days, from Sunday the 18th till Monday the 26th, nine days instead of seven. Now back to our regularly scheduled utils report... Disclaimer: It's BIASED moron. My opinion. So don't send me a bunch of mail & messages bitching about this or that. If you don't like it... SCREW YOU =] Rankings: Groups get a score out of 10. Points are given for amount of releases, but QUALITY titles will give a group a much higher score. Nukes for duping, broken releases and just plain CRAP will lower a groups score. However on the occasion that a title is nuked which I don't feel should have been, MY OWN JUDGEMENT TAKES PRECEDENCE. Cuz I'm writing this. Groups can also get points for any other reason I see fit. Week: Week is based from 04/18/99 to 04/26/99. I'm in the EST time zone so dates/times run according to it. Groups: (In no particular order) ▄ ▀▀██▄ ▄ ▄ ▄ ▀█▄ ▀█▌▀█▄ ▐ ▄█▀ ▄▄██▌ A Group ▐█▌ ▐▌ ▐█ █▌▐█▌ ▄█▀ █ That Gives ▄██▌▄▀ ▄██▌▀██▌ ██ ▐▌ Slightly ▀███ ▀███ ▀█ ▐███▄▄ █ Less Than ▐█▌ ▐█▌ ▐▌ ▀██▀ ▀▄ A Fuck. ▀ ▀ ▀ ▀ -XeN PIRATES WITH ATTITUDE: Releases: Entegra_AdaptLib_for_System_View_by_Elanix_v1.03-PWA System_View_v4.0_cracked-PWA PVCS.Version.Manager.v6.5.for.Win32Bit-PWA PVCS.Configuration.Builder.v5.3.for.W9X-PWA PVCS.Configuration.Builder.v5.3.for.NT-PWA InfraSet_v1.0j-PWA The PWA crew is riding high with their most successful month of the year. They've taken what in my eyes are the two best productivity titles of the year, and while this week didn't see anything in that league, they did some nice apps anyways. System View 4 is probably going to be the most popular here, although nothing is really mainstream... don't think that System View is an enhancement app or anything btw. This is one of those weeks where if you don't recognize the app, you probably don't need it... but you should always experiment and try new stuff out. Total: 6/10 ▄───── ▄▄▄ ────────── ▄▄█▓▄ ─── ▄ ─ ▄▓▄ ░ ▀ ▄█████▓ ▄▄███▄ ▄▀▀████▌ ▄█████▄ ▀ ▓███▀ ▀▄██████▄▀█▌ ▐████▐▓▀ ▀███▓ ▓███▌ ▐▓█▀ ▀██▌▐▓ ▀ ▀▓▀▓▌ ▐███▌ ▐█████▄▄▀ ▀█▄ ▄▓█▓ █▓▄ █▌▀▄▄████▓ ▀██▓▀▀ ▀ ▀▀▀▀ ▀ ■▄ ▐▓ ▀▀▓█▀ ■▄──────+ The Corporation +─ ▀▄ ─gas!─■ THE CORPORATION: Releases: Energy.Conversion.v1.1.Package.B-CORP Ad.Cafe.Professional.Repack-CORP Able.Commerce.2.61.Standard-CORP VisiTools.Developers.Suite-CORP Sondio.Media.Sound.Font.Toolbox-CORP CloverLeaf.Message.Broker.v3.5.1P-CORP Seagull.License.and.Message.Server.V2.1-CORP Remote.Annex.Software.R5.4-CORP Bosa.Nova.TCP.IP.V4.10-CORP Optio.FAX.Server.V3.0-CORP Explore.EZ.Modeler.v1.3.0.1-CORP A small bomb dropped on Corp when their cracking co-ordinator, TK4, left the group to help form Vengeance. Corp founder Uncle John also left to join VGC, although I've been told he was idle... still, it's at least a blow to group moral. More grumbling came as members complained about UCF's lack of activity, UCF, if you recall, became the official crackers for Corp a while back, in a deal orchastrated by TK4. With some Corp members complaining about their idleness, I have to wonder where this pact is going to wind up, especially with TK4 gone. On the up side, Corp kept on releasing right through the hoopla, with four releases on Saturday after starting the week slow. Maybe the VGC news motivated them. All these apps are decent professional level tools, nothing jumps out and says leech me, but a fine showing from The Corporation. They started the next week with some good utils in Sondio and Visitools Developers Suite, Ad Cafe Pro is pretty old though. Oh yeah and get the repack. Total: 7/10 . )\_______)\__)\_______)\_______ . . __/ __ _/ _/ ____/ ___/ . . \__ / _\ \_____ \ ___/__ : . :/ \ \ / \ / \| : |\___/ /___/_____ /___ /| : | \_/_____/\____ /_____/___/_____/ | :...`---\_____\/----/_flr_/---/_p^D_/--' RISE: Releases: N/A Total: N/A ▄██▀███▀▀ ▀ ▄█ ┌- ▓██ ▀▀ ▀▀▀ ────-──-─-─ ▀▀▀ -──-──-──┐ : ▀▀▀██▄▀███▀▀▀▀▀██▄ ▄██▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀██▄ ░│ ▀▀███▓ ███ ███ ▓██ ███ ███ ▓██ ▓██ ███ ░: : ███ ███ ███ ███▀▀▀ ▓██ ███ ███▀▀▀ . │░ ███ ██▓ ██▓ ███ ██▓ ███ ███ ███ ▓███▀▀ : ▓██▄██▀▄███▄▀██▄███ ▀██▄███ ███ ███ : ▄ ▄▄ ▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄ roy███ ███ ███ ─┘ ▀▄ ███ ███ ██▓ ▀▄ ███ ▀▀▀▀▀▀ ▀██▓ ▀█ SIEGE: Releases: DIGITAL.FUSION.POST.V2.51A-SiEGE CADENCE.SPECCTRA.V8.04-SiEGE DIGIMATION.DIGIPEOPLE.V1.01D.CRACK.FIX-SiEGE DIGITAL.NATURE.TOOLS.FOR.3DSMAX2.X-SiEGE KAYDARA.FILMBOX.V1.5-SiEGE KAYDARA.FILMBOX.CRACK.ONLY.V1.5-SiEGE 3D.BROWSER.FOR.LIGHTWAVE-SiEGE Siege went back to focusing on art/design tools, putting out Cadence's Spectra 8.04 as their best offering here. A fix for DigiPeople.... Crack only and included edition of Filmbox (becoming a cracking group here? ;P), I don't have lightwave so dunno if 3D Browser is decent or not. Not a stellar week but Specctra is good. Total: 6/10 ──────────────────────────────────[XX/XX]─ ▄██ ▄▄▄ ░ ▄▄▄▄▄▄ ▄▄▄▄ ▄▄▄▄▄▄ ▄▄▄▄ ▄▄▄▄ █▓█ █▓█ ▒ ██▀ █▓█ █ █▓█ ██ █▓█ █ ███ ██ █▓ █▒█ █▒█ █░█ ▀▀ ▄█ █▒█ ██ █▒█ █ ▄▄▄ ██▄▄ ▄██▀██▄ ▀ █▒█▀▀▀ ██ █░█ ██ ▄▄█ █▓█ ██ ▄▄ █▒█ █▓█ ▓ █▓█ ░ █▓█ █░█ ██ ░ █▓█ █▒█ ██ █▓ ███ █▒█ ▒ ███ ▬▀█████▀▄██ ▒ ▀█████▀ ▀████ ─── ██▀ ░ ──────────────── ▓ ───── sikos ─ X-FORCE: Releases: MAYA_2_UNLIMITED_B2_LIVE_LICENSE_KEY-XFORCE C-FORGE_V1.2-1_COMMERCIAL_FOR_LINUX-XFORCE Linux which I can't score and a key... well the key look to be actually helpful at least. Total: 1/10 /\______/| ___/\_ _/ ______ :|; . __/\ ____/\ __| // %%%\____ \ |__:_\__ \/ ~~ :\_ | __/%%%% iii_/ :| \\_ \ ;| \_ |____/ \iiiii :::\__ ; _/ | \\_ : // | \\_ | \\_::: \____/---|____/____/_______/-|____/kaz SHOCK: Releases: IBM.VisualAge.TeamConnection.Enterprise.Server.v3.0.1-SHOCK Lumiere.Video.Studio.v2.0-SHOCK Master.Clips.3D.Artist.v2.90-SHOCK Card.Wizard.v5.0.for.WindowsNT-SHOCK Revize.v2.0.Full.Platform-SHOCK BrightArrow.PhoneAssistant.v1.0-SHOCK EnCase.Pro.v1.96-SHOCK SurReal.Synthesizer.Sampler.v1.0-SHOCK Scala.iPlay.Studio.Retail.Final-SHOCK Project.Analyzer.Pro.Pack.v5.0-SHOCK AcuForm.SDK.v2.0-SHOCK 3D.Sensations.for.Presentations.Vol.2.v1.51-SHOCK 3D.Sensations.for.Presentations.Vol.1.v1.51-SHOCK Shock rolled out some ok store stuff this week with Lumiere Video Studio 2 (which has been out for a while now but no one got to it), a new version of MC 3D Artist, from the same company, IMSI, and BrightArrow Phone Assistant, call answering software. They did some ok web stuff as well, with iPlay Studio Final from Scala, which lets you make TV like content for the web, and SurReal 1.0 - but the best app here is without a doubt EnCase Pro. If you download no other app this week, or this month, grab it. At about half a meg, it's worth the time. It's basically what the authorities will use to recover info if they ever seize your hard drive... I found shit I deleted long ago and was able to recover a lot of it... so it's certainly worth a look, should help keep ya one step ahead of the feds. :) Total: 7/10 . ▄▄▄ ▄▄▄ ▄▄▄ .▀████▀▀▀██▄ ████▀▀██▌▐██▀▀▀▀ --- .------. : ████ ███ ▐███ ███ . | ████ ▐███ ███▀ ███ : | ████ ███ ▐███ ▄███ ███▄ . : | ████▀▀▀▀▀ ██▓█ ▀███▄▄██▓▀ . .▄▓███▄ ▀███▌ ▀▀ PRESENTS : | : : [xx/xx]. '---.-------PENTIUM FORCE TEAM-- ---- - -' PENTIUM FORCE TEAM: Releases: Microsoft.Windows.98.Second.Edition.Final.Build-PFT DecisionWeb.v2.5.for.WinNT-PFT ArcFM.v7.2.for.WinNT-PFT Netscape.Process.Manager.v1.1.for.WinNT-PFT Their first release this week was a nuke, as it's the same as Glow's... final build... uh-huh.. this is MS we're talking about. There will be no final build :P Expect to see a store final of this put out by someone, yes, you heard right, they're making you pay for this crud... what another company would offer for free, M$ cashes in on. It has ie5 intergrated (I hate IE but I won't get started on it), bug fixes (which probably cause more bugs), some other stuff... I'm not touching this thing with a ten foot pole. PFT get no points as Glow got it out earlier and was confirmed the final build, at least until MS finds the next big bug... and don't forget, M$ isn't allowed to release any product until PWA wins on the final <g>. Once the weektops reset the PFT team got moving with a few more releases, one day this practise might come back and bite them in the ass, although I doubt they'd wait on anything good. Total: 5/10 ▄ ▄ ▄ ▄ ▄▄▓▀▀ ▄ ▄▄█▀▀██▓▄ ▄▄▄█▀▀▓▄▄ ▄▄▄▄▄ ▄▄▄▄▄ ▐██▓▌ ▄▄▄▄ ▐█▓█ ▐▓██▌ ▐▓██▌ ███▓ ▓██▌ ███▓ ▓██ ▓▄ ▓██▌ ███▓ ▓██▌ ▐██▓▌ ▐██▓ ▐█▓▌▐██▓ ██▓▌▐███▓ ████▓ ▀▀▀▀ ███▓ ██▓ ▐█▓█ ▀▀▀▀▀ ▄██▓▀ mg ▀ ▀▀▀▀████▓▌ ▀▀ ██▓▀ ▀ ▀▀▀▀▀▀ ▀ ▀▀▀▀▀▀▀ ▀▀▓▀ ▀ ▀▀ ▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀ ▀ :: <LEGENDS NEVER DiE> ::: <o4 * 2880> :: ▄ ▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄ ▄ LEGENDS NEVER DIE: Releases: AVS_EXPRESS_V4.11-LND MASTERCAM_V7.2_FINAL-LND LND slowed considerably... their first release of the week was ok... even with VGC entering in, don't expect their CAD dominance to drop. They then put out MasterCAM 7.2 final. Suprise Suprise, after a few fake dirs of this, it's really out. So good job to them, it's one of the best titles out this week. Total: 6/10 .__________. [xx/xx/98] \_ ___ ) Da ToP oF Da LiNe! .___. ===/ _/ /=======================/ /===== .:/ _____/__./(___.____/\.______./ /_____. :/ /__/ . ) . )____ ) _ ) / __ ) /__/ / / / / // __ / /__/ / /___/: .:/ /__/__/__/__/(______\____ /__/_____ /MO =/__/========================\/========\/=== = THE PINNACLES OF RELEASING (C) PNC 95-98 = PINNACLE: Releases: N/A I dunno what's keeping these guys alive, if anything. Kirk Hammit did for a while, left for Rise, and now has hopped to VGC with Lester. Zima Man doesn't seem to be around much... I may remove them from my list but I really don't want to, years ago they were my favorite group... but it's not looking good. Total: N/A ─ ▄▄ ── ▄▄▄ ─────────░──────────── ─── ── ─ ░▀ ▀█▄ ▀▀ ▀▌ ▀ ■ ▐▄ ■ ▄ ▀ ■ ▀ ▀ ▄▄▄ ▀ █ ▐█▌█ ▀ █▄▀▄ █▀█▄▀██ █ █▄▀▄ ▀▀ ▄▌ █▄▀▄ ▐█▌▄█▀▐█▌ ▐█▌▄ ▐█▌▐█▌▐█▌▐█▌▐█▌▄ █ ▐▀▀▐█▌▄ ▀▓▓ ▀▓▓ ▀▓▓ ▄▀▓▓ ▀ ▓▀ ▀▓▄▀▓█ ▄▐▓▌ ▀▓▓ ▄ ── ▀ ─── ▀ ─ ▀▀ ── ▀ ▀ ──── ▀ ▀▀ ▄▀▀ ─░─ ▀▀ PREMiERE 1998 RELEASES WITH STYLE [xx/xx/98] ──────────────────────────────────────────── PREMIERE: Releases: Been.There.Done.That.v3.2-PREMiERE HTML.Transit.v3.2-PREMiERE QUIZ.Create.98.v1.21-PREMiERE Atomic.Clock.v5.0-PREMiERE SurveyEase.v3.1.02-PREMiERE Email.PossaLink.v2.52-PREMiERE Abritus.Business.2000.v2.01-PREMiERE SurfStats.v3.0-PREMiERE MsgCore.v2.11-PREMiERE Atomic Clock 5 is cool... they beat me on that actually. Rest if the stuff is so-so, they could feel an impact from VGC, if it decides to go after some of the better web apps. Total: 5/10 _______________ ____________ ____________ \_ ___ \_ ___ \ ___ \_ _/ l/ / l/ / l/ / \______ / / / /____ / /| ======\________/\__________/[om]\________/== d(*)d D r i n k O r D i e 1 9 9 8 d(*)d ===================== [ DOD * xx-xxx-98 ] == DRINK OR DIE: Releases: N/A Total: N/A ___ _ __________ ____________ ____ _____ ___ \__\\_\_______ \__ _ ______/___ \_ __//__/ ;;;;;;; / \/ \\ ____/ / \\ mg/SAC -)--- _/ / \_ \_/ -/ \_ --(- ;;;;; \____/_ _ _//_ /______ _ _// ;;;; [xx/xx/98]/________/==\/====/________//[MfD] =[X]==][= MANiFEST DESTiNY RELEASE =][==[X]= MANIFEST DESTINY: Releases: Intellisync.For.Notebooks.v1.61-MANiFEST Mind.Manager.v3.5.2-MANiFEST Sax.Basic.Engine.Pro.Enterprise.v5.1.17-MANiFEST DiskJuggler.v1.05.340-MANiFEST PowerQuest.Lost.And.Found.v1.01-MANiFEST IBM.Home.Page.Reader.v2.0-MANiFEST Without a doubt Lost & Found is the best app here, I'm going to install it latter in the week, so it better bloddy work! PFT's 1.0 didn't.. so we'll see. Minor build on Sax Basic Engine... and an IBM app. With Evel and Baseclaw going to VGC, what will happen to the uils side of MFD? Read on for an interview with Evel, MFD leader. Total: 6/10 _______________________________[xx/xx] \_ _ \_ ____/_ _ \_ ____/ |_\ ___/ / _/ ___)/ _/ ___) | \___ \ / | \_ | \ | \ | \ : \ : \ \___| /___ \____ \___ \___ \___ \ ====|__/===\__/===\__/==\__/==\__/==\__/ REBELS: WE MAKE ALL DAYS PARTY DAYS >> RELEASING WITHOUT PERMISSION << REBELS: Releases: NetTalk.Messenger.v2.3_Cracked-RBS Micro-Cap_V_Version_2.1.2_Cracked-RBS Rebels just can't seem to get a steady pace going... maybe they aren't looking to, but I'd like to see some of the old RBS action return. Total: 3/10 █▄▓▄■▀░▄ Teknorage and Pirasoft Present: ▄░▀■▄░▄█ █ ▐▄ ▌ █ █▓▀cH/SAC ▄▄▄▄ ▄▄█▄▄ [xx\xx] ▀▓█ ▀ ▄▄█▄▄▄▄ ▄ ▄██▌▐████▓ ▄▄█▓█████▓▀ ▄█▄▄████▄ ▀ ▄▄████▓ ▄▄▄ ▀████▌█████▌▐████▐████▌▐████▐█████▌ ▐██████▌▐█████▄ ▓███▀█████ ████ ▀████ ███▌▐██████ ██████ ███████▌▐███ ▐████▌▐███▌▄████▌ ▀█▄ ▀▀▀▀▀ ▐████▌▐███████ ████▄████▀ ▄████████▀ ▄▄ ▐█████▄ ▄▓███▓▄▓██████▌▐████▌▀▓█▄ ▀███▓▀▀ ▄████▌▓██████▌ ▀▀██████▀ ▀████▀ ▀▀▄ ▀█▀ ▀██▀▀██████▀ █▄▄▄▓▄▄▄ ▀▀▀ ▀ ▀ ▀▀▀ ▄█ ▀▀▀ ░▒▓█▄ xx/xx/98 ······ Ratzhole WHQ ▀ ▀▓▀▀▀ Teknorage & Pirasoft: Releases: MediaWare.WebFlix.Pro.v1.5.3-TRPS MediaWare.MyFlix.v1.5.3-TRPS AudioTester.1.4a.Regged-TRPS Targeted.Email.Download.1.10-TRPS JoyMouse.4.2-TRPS Chores.and.Rewards.3.04-TRPS Internet.Intercom.v3.3-TRPS The Mediaware stuff is ok, those are the only apps I recognize here, and nothing appeals to me to test drive, so.... Chores and Rewards? Heheh ok... sounds like my life as a kid. Total: 4/10 _____ ____________ ____ __________ / __/_ ___/\_ \ ___\_/ __/\ ___\_ \ \ / _/ /_ /___ / \ ___ / \___/\_____/___\ ____/______/_____/pn \_/ VERSUS: Releases: Truespectra.Iris.Transactive.v2.0-VERSUS Truespectra.Iris.Accelerate.v2.0-VERSUS Extensis.PhotoGraphics.v1.01-VERSUS Good job here, only three apps but all three are good quality, the best being Extensis' PhotoGraphics 1.01, the Truespectra series I've released some of, can't for the life of me remember the developer at the moment, but they're nice apps. Total: 5/10 ..._______________________.___ ____.____... ::/ _______/ ____/ | \/ | \:: _/\____ \/ /___/ | \ \: \ > \ \ \/ \ \ :\__________/\________/_________/|_____|___/ ::.. .:[ SCUM ]:. .:[SCUM]:. .:[SCUM]:. ..:: ```````````````````````````````````````````` SCUM: Releases: Elemental.Drumbeat.2000.v3.01-SCuM Only one title from Scum this week, a pretty nice one in Drumbeat 2000, but these guys may feel the pressure from VGC judging from what the new group has put out so far. Total: 2/10 Only one more byte to crack before... ____._____ ____ _____ _____ _ _____ __ ._____ :::_|_ / _ \/ _ \/ _ \__\_ \___| / ::/ __/_ / / / / / / _ / _ /: :/ / / / / / / / / / / / /:: :\_______\___/\____/\____/\______/________\:: : \\\\\\\ \\\\ \\\\\ \\\\\ \\\\\\ \\\\\\\\\\ -----------------------------------------wk!- 2000AD: Releases: VISUAL_PROGRAMMING_ARMOURY_v1.1-2000AD Secure.Socket.Relay.Communicator.4.0.For.Windows9x-NT-2000AD QuantumImage.3.5.50.For.Windows9x-NT-2000AD EyeCU.1.0.For.Windows9x-NT-2000AD Win.Driver.4.11.For.Windows9x-NT-2000AD Secure.Socket.Relay.Server.4.0.For.WindowsNT-2000AD Secure.Socket.Relay.Communicator.4.0.For.Windows9x-NT-2000AD S.To.Infinity.1.0.For.Windows9x-NT-2000AD PowerTerm.Pro.7.0.Final.For.Windows9x-NT-2000AD Interscan.Webmanager.1.0b.For.WindowsNT-2000AD HyCD.Play.and.Record.2.00.0415.For.Windows9x-NT-2000AD FlashFXP.1.2.70.For.Windows9x-NT-2000AD E-Guard.1.0.For.Windows9x-NT-2000AD Sitescape.Forum.4.0.For.WindowsNT-2000AD Intergraph.Diskaccess.4.01.00.08.For.Windows9x-NT-2000AD A lot of small web stuff, nothing fancy, the latest beta of FlashFXP... their one really decent app was a ripped ISO... and well, I see PWA actually MISSED an Intergraph title. Total: 6/10 _______________________ ____________ __\ _______/ ______/______/__ / \ __/ / / \/ / / /_______\ /______________\____ /________\ -------------------------------\/----------- (*) F a t i g u e - Couriers Network (*) ___________________________________________. ________________________________________wK!. FATIGUED COURIERS NETWORK: Releases: IceTCL.Compiler.v2.0.1.Win9xNT-FCN IceTCL.Compiler.v2.0.1.Win9xNT.Missing.Crack.FIX.SORRY-FCN I'll be nice and give two points for IceTCL, but I have to take one away for the fix... hopefully more activity in the coming week. Total: 1/10 _____nnn_____ <$$$$$$$$$$$$$b »»»»»»»»»»»)$$ |$$$$$$$$$$$$$' |$$T```X$f''' |$$$ '$$$L |$$! '9$$$i. |$$ `'$$$$> r a d i u m »»»»»»»»»»»»»»»» RADIUM Releases: Nemesys.Gigasampler.v1.52-Radium Sibelius.v1.105-Radium CODA.PrintMusic.v1.0-Radium Retro.As-1.v1.20-Radium Panhandler.DX.v1.51-Radium Sound.Forge.CD.Architect.v4.0f-Radium TC.Essentials.v1.02-Radium Soundforge.v4.5.mp3.update-Radium PAS.Spectrum.Analyser.Pro.v2.0-Radium PAS.EQ.Studio.v2.0-Radium CDRWIN.v3.7c.working-Radium Thanks to Radium for a working CDRWin, since I reinstalled Windows I need a new copy. Some other nice audio apps, SoundForge stuff, and PanHandler DX. Total: 6/10 .--------------------------------. | | | ▄█ [xx/xx] ▄█ | ` ▄███ --------------- ▄███ -----' ▀██▓█ ▄ ▀▀██▀▀████▀████▀▀████▄ ██▓█ ███▄▄▄ █▓█ █▓██ ████ ██▓█ ▐████▀ ░ █▓█ █▓██ ░ ▀▀▀▀ ██▓█ ███▀ ▄█ ░ █▓█ █▓██ ░ ████ s ██▓█ ▐█▀ ▄███ █▓█ █▓██ ████ q ████▀▀▀ ▀▀▀▀▀▀▀███ ▀▀▀▀▀██████ z▄▄▄▄▄▄█▀▀▀ ████ ░ ███ ▀▀▀█▄▄▄▄▄▄▄ ████ ░ ███ ████ ███ ████▀▀▀▀▀▀▀ VENGEANCE: Releases: OpenFile.Manager.v5.3-VGC Satori.WebFX.2000.V3.02-VGC DataDirect.Connect.OLE.DB.V2.1-VGC DataDirect.Connect.ODBC.V3.5-VGC Here's probably the most anticipated group on the report this week. Their first week releasing, and really they only had Sunday/Monday. What they did do I've included... I'll skip the billshit as you can a) Read it on TCA or b) Read it in the interviews to come. Basically this is Lester's old group reborn, I think you can safely call it a new group. The DataDirect Connect apps are nice, as is Satori WebFX 2000, which is probably my favorite here. I heard complaints about OpenFile Manager being a web app... but so what if it is? VGC didn't say they wouldn't do ANY web apps, just that they would avoid crappy ones... but no one can argue that there aren't plenty of quality web apps. I felt they were on par with most of the groups this week, and they placed a decent score as a result. Total: 6/10 New this week: VGC Idle this week: SDM Quote(s) of the Week: <lester> wow..i'm so special <glen-> arg <glen-> dont rls this shock shit until i do this pre <glen-> or i swear i will narq u all <glenner> i need some VCD porn sites ASAP. <glenner> i have to wank it <MoonSabre> daammit <MoonSabre> glen <MoonSabre> 20 times a day is enuff :/ <glenner> i know <glenner> its only been 17 timez <Twizted> VGC = Virtual Grazing Cows <Beck-> VGC= Vagina Growing Cactus <Twizted> VGC = Violent Gargantuan Chickens <Beck-> VGC= Violent Gaping Cunts ^^^ the official VGC fan club holds its first meeting. Sodom is gone from the list... good luck in the future. Actually, are you even still alive? Oh well... PNC may follow, but that will be harder for me. MFD may also follow if they switch modes to just cracking, but that remains to be seen, and so long as they put out good utils I'll include them. In all honesty, LND would have had the week with Mastercam if they had of done even one more app... but then the same can be said of PWA in many weeks past. VGC/PWA/SGE had a shot but I just didn't feel they did enough... I wound up giving it to Shock for a well rounded week, and Corp for overcoming some obsticles and still having some good output. Although even I'm a bit iffy on the results this week, I'm sticking to them. An Interview with Lester ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I actually followed through and did something! Well, then again, how could I not... If you're an NWR reader, you should know him as our co-head editor, and author of Lester's Biased Courier Report, as well as Lester's Movie Reviews. In the past he's lead groups such as DOD and LND for utils. He currently also runs DMS, and previously, AMN, the group which broke the RiSC dominancy in trading. So why am I hyping all this shit? Well, all the past week, news was leaking about a new utils group with an impressive lineup. I knew first hand as I was approached about it, but several IRC channels were buzzing with the news. I spoke briefly to Lester about it, and in more depth to TK4, and finally, the day before this new group made its debut, I decided to get something official for the report, right from the source.. mainly, Lester. There's no doubt that he knows how to run a utils group, so expect a decent impact when this new utils force, named Vengeance, makes its debut. Of course it's not technically a debut. Vengeance is actually an old group run by Lester, which is returning. But the makeup is new, and with the recent string of comebacks (Corp, Premiere, Scum, 2000AD, Sodom), the time is right for something fresh... or at least a REAL return to the roots of the scene. Whether or not Vengeance is ACTUALLY a return to scene roots remains to be seen, but they could be. Now lets get on with it already, shall we? <Bud> First off, thanks for agreeing to being interviewed for your own mag <g>, and to get it out of the way, throw up some affils for any readers who aren't familiar with your history. <lester> Well currently I'm Vengeance, Dimension, Origin, Eviliso and DVNISO..uhmm.. in the past I've been DOD, LND, Siege, Rise and Razor for games..as well as Amnesia my courier group.. <Bud> Alright... now, the biggest news of the last week has been the rumour of a new utils group hitting the scene. Despite a great deal of secrecy, news did spread... probably more than you would have liked... in any case, word of a new group with a LOT of prominant figures in the utils scene turned out to be true, with you playing a large role. What is this new group, and how did the idea for it come about? <lester> Well yes, the word got out a little sooner than we might have liked, and so it stepped up our grand opening a little sooner. But the idea has been there for a long time, I've bounced it off people now and again for the past 6 months or so. And now only recently did some other people say hey this is an idea we should pursue. <lester> So the point of the group is to bring back to old style utils group..from the DOD/PWA/SCUM era..We chose the name Vengeance because it was my utils group from when I was still a half-lamer..:) So it's a nostalgia thing, Unclejohn and maybe a few other former VGC members will be coming back to have some fun again. <Bud> Now Vengeance... that's a name that's been around the block a few times, in the past as a utils group that you were very much a part of, more recently as a courier group that recently merged with AMB to form AV... any reason why you didn't go with a new name, aside from the nostalgia? <lester> Hehehe..Well personally when Hawkeye started the courier group, I msged him and yelled at him to stop using my groups name..but since that group had been dead for like 2 years, he wasn't willing to give up the name..when we decided to get back to the name, Vengeance was not AV, it was still Vengeance, but it was a retaking of our roots, they were nice enough to rename themselves even<g> A new name never even came up. <lester> reviving Vengeance has always been something I wanted to do <Bud> Hahah... I could be mean and say the curry group VGN has been dead for a while anyways... but I won't. <Bud> Opps wait I just did :P <lester> I wanted to be nice and not say that :) <Bud> When this idea was formed, and you realized it was something you wanted to pursue, and that it was actually going to happen, did you have at the time a list of people in your mind you really wanted to work with? Or was it more spontaneous than that... ? <lester> Well, there are certain people that I of course wanted to work with, I wanted to get any of the old VGC members back involved..and UJ has come along for the ride. I asked people that I have known for awhile and had experience, I didn't want to bring in people who would be egotistical or not focus on the group as a whole. I had a general idea of who I wanted, but it expanded <Bud> In idling in the irc #, I see some pretty impressive names... can you perhaps introduce for the readers a few of the main players, and what you think they are really going to bring to the group? <lester> Well, the main head people along with myself are TK4, who many may know from being CORP Cracking Coordinator as well as an OGN cracker. Evel, the leader of MFD. Kirk Hammett, from PNC fame as well as a partner of mine in Rise. And Blitz who recently retired from Origin. <lester> The reasons to get these people are fairly obvious..each has his own particular niche in the scene and they have come together nicely to bring this group about.. Other notable members are as I mentioned Unclejohn who left his baby CORP to return. Some very prominant crackers, Cedric my main man as well as others I dont need to name :) <Bud> With Evel being leader of Manifest Destiny, do you feel there's going to be a conflict of interests? <lester> Well, many people have asked that same question, and the situation is this. We all know that Manifest releases some really good titles mixed with some.. well not so good titles. Evel is coming into Vengeance with the quality side of Manifest, while MFD will continue to release their shareware and keygens and misc. other items that we've come to love from them. <lester> So there is no conflict of interest <Bud> Hmm... so in that case, will we see the dissolution of the utils side of Manifest Destiny while the cracking side continues forth? Or is that a question better left for Evel ? ;) <lester> You should ask Evel to be 100% clear on that, I don't wish to speak out of place :) <Bud> It seems that a lot of these people come from a wide variety of interests... how do you plan to get Vengeance to focus as a group? Are you looking to look at any specific fields for releasing, any niche groups, or do you want to just release good apps overall? <lester> The focus is just primarily on high quality apps, we aren't picking a field or anything. We just want to put out good apps and leave the minor updates to little groups :) <Bud> You've definately got the experience, just in the small selection of members I've seen concerned so far... but despite the fact that Vengeance is not a "new" group exactly, it is in essance a new group, entering a field where a majority of the groups are three plus years old... (pwa, dod, shk, prm, pnc, xf, rise, corp after some pauses...) <Bud> Do you think you can match the longevity and quality output of the aforementioned groups? <lester> Well, I mean I can' see the future, but we have put together a nice core of people to build theg roup on, so I think we should be able to hang with the big boys. <Bud> You went to Rise from SGE, and I got the impression that you were fairly happy there... and I know you were a help to the group. What's it like leaving the group so soon after you came to it? <Bud> Especially given you've known about this move for abit and couldn't say anything. <lester> It fucking sucks..to be blunt..if I could have forseen this happening, I would have not gone to Rise simply to avoid upsetting them. As I respect and still do like Rise, though I suspect they may not like me as much anymore. I am generally a loyal person, but this is something I've always wanted to do..:( <Bud> Well, given Rise is a great group, but I guess you need to follow your heart... or other organs depending on the situation. <Bud> I'm gonna bring up a quote I came across in discussing Vengeance with someone recently... I won't say who... but basically what it came down to is this: <Bud> Vengeance could either be a great success... or it could go down in flames, really fast, with no one really having a direction to go in. <Bud> Do you feel that there's any truth to the latter? <Bud> excepting that there's always SOME possibility in anything. <lester> haha who was that?:) <Bud> Like i said I won't say who ;) <lester> but anyways..a new group is always like that..it could fail miserably.. or maybe it wont <lester> I dont think it will..:) <lester> we have our direction already <Bud> Is there a general feeling in the group now of "We want to kick ass"... are the troops really pumped, so to speak? Or are things a little more laid back? <Bud> I've been told to expect great things <Bud> upon your debut... but how much can we really expect? <lester> Well everyone is truly excited..everyone that has joined has been waiting for something like this to happen, so they want to prove themselves. Well our debut got bumped up a little by the noisy scene people, but it will be a decent showing and we will continue with some big titles that are lined up over the next few days. <Bud> Well, this interview is taking place before anything's been done... so time will tell. But this is one of the most talked about new groups in a while, mostly because the members are far from new. Does that add an extra element of pressure? Or is the reaction of the group just to ignore it (or what's your reaction, anyways) <lester> Well, I had hoped people wouldn't even really know about it, but that's too difficult to pull off on this scale with who is involved..but I feel no pressure, we are not new kids on the scene, we've all proven our abilities, so it's just time to have fun <Bud> Now you mentioned some cracking talent, and of course you'll want to go after big apps... but one of the nice things about the modern scene is how spread out the titles have been, especially in the past while (with the exception of pwa owning ms) <Bud> But how will you approach other releases.... in a time were 80% of the utils done are web stuff, and a lot is sub-par when it comes to quality <Bud> Do you have any real quality control goals in mind? <Bud> Aka no web apps, no minor versions, or anything of that sort? <lester> well not all web stuff is shit, alot of good apps can be found if you look hard enough, but we won't be doing any of the "credits" warez that other groups go towards..like I said we are a throwback to the old groups..we wont be doing any .1.1.1.2.001 apps..etc.. <lester> but if it's a good application and it happens to come from the web..i'm not going to say no dont do that release <Bud> Well, each group has it's own methods of getting titles done, so I won't get into that much... but can we be expecting to see any apps from Vengeance say, for the Linux platform, or any other? <Bud> Recently it seems that many people have come to believe that this is the Bill Gates scene <Bud> As opposed to the PC scene... and I have to admit, initially I fell into the "if it isn't win it sucks" category <Bud> Will Vengeance have any polcies on non-win apps? <lester> Well, certain apps are worthy of release being for Windows or not.. like I would release Solaris, as I did way back in DOD, it all comes down to the app and what it is, but we won't be focusing on non-win apps of course <Bud> If you could sum up what you want to do with Vengeance in just a few goals, what would they be? <lester> I want to create the image of the old utils groups and bring a "role model" utils group to the scene again..utils groups have gotten to be too childish or too owned by couriers who put out the rls'es for megs..there are exceptions of course, but we simply want to have fun and set a good standard. <Bud> Seems as if you have a pretty full plate, with DMS, and NWR... how much of a juggling act will Vengeance be for you? (My real question is... don't you have a life?!?) <lester> Haha yes, it was a real question whether or not I would have the time to do this or not, and to be honest I'm only online a few hours a night, but Vengeance is assembled with many experienced people who know how to get things done, and in DMS some people are being promoted and things. And well NWR, that doesn't really take too much time for me..and it's still fun so I make the time for it. <lester> I'll never be here as much as I was when I was running DOD or anything, because i do have a life now, but hey..time management is a skill :) <Bud> Well, that was actually more of my joke question, but it does leave some serious food for though... how hands on will you be with Vengeance, and how do you see your role evolving in the future? <Bud> And the same question for DMS <lester> Well what I hope for DMS is that I will be able to take a lesser hands on approach so as to focus more on Vengeance in the beginning, and I'm confident that the staff will be able to handle things if that is the case, and well I mean that's the reason they are council right? But I want to be as involved as I can be with the amount of time I have. <Bud> Well, I wish you all the best in both, and am looking forward to some good competition in the utils field (since I am DMS and never move a meg I don't think i need to worry there <g>). <Bud> And since I wanna catch the next hockey game... I think that wraps things up ;) <Bud> So thanks for putting up with all this :) <lester> haha no problem man <lester> it is my magazine and all.. i should be helpful Now I do want to thank Lester... while, as he points out, it is his magazine, this report is alomst a seperate entity, in the sense that it's included uncensored and unedited (explaining all my fuckups), and I'm free to do whatever the hell I want... speaking of which next week is our poetry issue... umm ok maybe not. An Interview with Evel ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ All this commotion has left a big question mark right next to MFD. Lester couldn't really speak for the group although he pointed out the possibility of MFD taking a back seat in the utils scene, so I decided to have a chat with Evel about it. My interviews tend to be as much for my benefit and info gathering as anything else, for anyone wondering, and MFD's utils success after being labeled a cracking group (why we even make the division between cracking and utils these days is a seperate debate) has impressed me, so I was anxious to learn what was in the cards for Manifest Destiny. <Bud> To start this off, what are some of your affils, past and present? (Everyone gets to suffer through this question ;)) <evel> i started in sodom and when it died I moved on to dod.....I was helping out in a group called darkage at the time and when things kinda went bad there decided to start manifest <evel> I also attempted to courier for vice but it was always a side thing <Bud> Hahah yeah... gee that sounds familar ;) <evel> :) <Bud> MFD sort of dipped into two realms... cracking and utils releasing... although it wasn't too long ago those went hand in hand, they've become split categories... and you had success in both with MFD. <Bud> And your success with some decent releases at first suprised a few people... what made either side of the coin (utils/cracking) so successful? <evel> alot of work really....I wanted to make a successful group but also a group of friends. I have to say we have alot of loyal people so that helps a lot too. <Bud> Certainly does :) <evel> I never really thought much of the rules saying you had to be "cracking" or "utils" though. We just wanted to release <Bud> Neither have I, but it seems the scene has developed in that direction :P <evel> yea <Bud> I think RBS and MFD, and oh.. maybe TRPS were the only groups really doing both. <evel> we got alot of heat about it but I guess once ppl seen we didnt care they stopped bothering us :) <Bud> And even MFD differentiated between the two, using -MFD and -MANiFEST <Bud> Any reason for that? <Bud> Or just to show the diff... after all it's the same group <evel> It's a hard question to answer...I dont really have a good answer for that <evel> It just kind of happened and we went with it <Bud> Ok, fair enough ;) <Bud> Now, MFD has done well... which brings us to the current week... which has been buzzing with the news of a new utils group. Which isn't really new, but an old group of Lester's, Vengeance, reborn. <Bud> In speaking with TK4, who was very much involved with VGC, earlier in the week, we came to the topic of who was in the group... and yours was one of the first names mentioned. <Bud> And of course, my first reaction, and I'm sure many others, was "What will happen to MFD?" <Bud> So that brings us to.. well, what will happen with MFD? <evel> hehe I had probably 30-40 msgs yesterday about that :) <Bud> I'm sure :) <evel> Well I best explain exactly the reasoning for this as it wont make sense to most people <Bud> Go right ahead ;) <evel> For the past 6 months or so I havent really done much with the cracking area of MFD. I have to give total credit to GMouser, someone that alot of ppl in the "scene" wont know but is a true friend that helps out so much <evel> I have taken care of the utils end mainly. Well I took some time off in february and things didn't really go well in my mind <evel> I was doing way too much on my own. Sensi and base are also leaders but they dont have the time to help as much as they would like <Bud> Heheh only like 6 releases that month, but everyone needs a rest :) <evel> Which brings me to lesters offer :) <Bud> What was the offer, basically, and what was there any reasons for accepting the move, other than lack of time for utils in MFD? <evel> Lester asked me if I would be interested in working with a new group. Well most people would say thanks but no thanks however I am weighing 2 job offers and I need to start "settling down". My wife will be taking a day shift when i decide. sometime this week, and I wont have near as much time to run things in MFD the way I was <evel> So rather than see MFD kind of die and fade away I think the best way was to be part of this new group. I won't have people depending on me 100% <Bud> Sounds like you're pretty busy irl, but it also sounds like a good thing for you in that respect. <Bud> I'm going to give you a quote Lester gave me <evel> Yea its a good time right now :) <Bud> So you can give any comments you want on it <evel> sure <Bud> <Bud> With Evel being leader of Manifest Destiny, do you feel there's going to be a conflict of interests? <Bud> <lester> Well, many people have asked that same question, and the situation is this. We all know that Manifest releases some really good titles mixed with some.. well not so good titles. Evel is coming into Vengeance with the quality side of Manifest, while MFD will continue to release their shareware and keygens and misc. other items that we've come to love from them. <Bud> How true is that? Will the utils side of MFD cease completely and stick to the cracks? <evel> that is pretty much the plan right now. How it will work out I cant say. MFD may also do some minor update things <Bud> Do you plan to remain as a leader in direct control of MFD, or are you going to let GMouser run things for the most part, or others? <evel> Nothing has been decided right now. I'm trying to get a meeting together and get some ideas flowing really, but I can't see having the time to be the man in charge anymore. <Bud> Which means the future for MFD is in question right now perhaps... but I'll leave that, since it's an internal group matter, and move on to VGC for a bit. <evel> well I don't think MFD will die. So many people are friends. However I'm not sure about the # of releases etc. Someone will have to step up to keep that side going I think <Bud> Well I hope so anyways :)) <Bud> Now for VGC. News leaked early and fast about the idea, and the premiere of the group got pushed up... now I was told to expect all sorts of things, finally it came down to two pretty nice apps, which I believe you supplied. <Bud> So a fairly nice start... but where do you see VGC heading in the near future? <evel> Yea I was kind of nervous :) <evel> Well with the crew that we have put together I see some pretty big things. So far everyone has gotten along and it's been alot of fun. I think that is the main thing really, having fun and getting people some nice working apps <Bud> I'm going to give you a quote now, identical to one I gave Lester, it came from someone spoke to about VGC, I won't mention who <Bud> But I'd like your thoughts on it <evel> sure <Bud> Vengeance could either be a great success... or it could go down in flames, really fast, with no one really having a direction to go in. <Bud> Do you feel that to have any truth to it? Accepting that there's always some possibility in anything... <evel> Really you never know....from what I have seen I think the group will be a success. There maybe some truth in it but what group starting could you have not said the same thing about? <Bud> Very true... well, that about wraps things up... so I'd like to thank you for taking the time for this chat, and good luck with VGC :) <evel> thanks alot :) I'll thank Evel now, he agreed to this interview the second I asked him for it, and I sort of just dropped it on him. So the future is still a bit of a question for MFD, but that should clear things up somewhat. So my Springerish final thought (I'm ripping this off from somewhere but i don't remember where now)... Vengeance could be the best thing since sliced bread. It probably won't be, I think Snapple was that. But it does have potential... and time will tell whether it will live up to that potential, or crash and burn. I don't expect it to crash and burn though. I do believe this report is now longer than the rest of NWR combined... so I'll shut the hell up now and let you guys move on. :) Greets to all the groups in the report, all the poor souls I've ever gone through an interview with, everyone from my own groups, NWR, and Web Monitor, the clueless schmuck hanging out over on BAcid's forum on TCA =) - Bud