As if this day didn't suck already, I wake up from my post-work nap to read slashdot and see some of the most depressing news to hit my screen in a long while. The coolest company ever filing for Chapter 11. My reaction was similar to several of the comments posted: shake my head, something in my chest sinking into my stomach, and mutter, "How can this be?"

This is the one company that has given us all exactly what we wanted: Great ports of games to Linux offered at fair market prices. They have contributed heavily to several open source projects. Everyone I know of who has been a customer of theirs has come away happy, myself included. (With the small exception of one game that was very tied to a specific piece video hardware, at the neglect of all others. Although I hear even the Windows version or Tribes 2 suffered the same fate.)

So how can this be? How can a company that does EVERYTHING in its power to put out quality work, please the customer, and not screw anybody over in the process end up like this? It sucks.

Well, it may not be quite time to be sounding the obituaries. They are still open for business for the time being at least. With that in mind, I decided that either (a) They could use any support people can give right now, and/or (b) In the event that the unspeakable happens, if I want these games, I had better get the goods while they're still around! :)

So I ventured into their online store, filled up a shopping cart with items I've been sitting on the fence about for a while. (Having not bought some games earlier on the grounds that even though they looked great, free time is not a boundless resource.) Buy while the buying is good.

All set, filled out my info, complete with happy bank account depletion card number, get to the final confirm order screen. Click "confirm!" and....

wait....

wait....

wait....

Go to the fridge and get something to eat. Read some other slashdot comments.

wait...

Warning: MySQL Connection Failed: Too many connections in /var/www-secure/betacheckout/index.php4 on line 3

Oh great! Their store got slashdotted. Silly timing, wasn't it? Obviously, somebody else had the same idea.

In the minutes since then, my luck in getting anything to load from the lokigames.com domain has been unsuccessful. Come on Loki! You've got customers waiting! :)

...

In other news, a polaroid I just dug out of my pocket has a picture of a place with a sign on the front that says Boulder Theater. On the back of the picture, there is a scribble which reads:

"Memento. Tuesday night. Be there at 2100!"

Anyone I happen to bump into is welcome to join, although I may not remember who anybody is, so be sure to remind me.