Nentify

OpenComputers 1.5.15 is out! Yet more bug fixes, tiered data cards, unmanaged mode for hard drives and floppies!
 
As always, remember to make a backup of your world before updating.
Download for MC1.7.10
Download for MC1.8
Added: Unmanaged mode for hard drives and floppies (treated as block devices / raw access). Added: Tiered data cards (makkarpov). Added: isEquivalentTo and areStacksEquivalent to inventory controller, allowing to check if items share an oredict id. Added: bit32 implementation in Lua 5.3 for backwards compat. Added: Also handle arbitrary number types in signals and return values. Added: Blacklist config for recipe inputs for disassembler. Default contains fire for chainmail blacklisting. Added: NBT editing functionality to Debug Card (gamax92). Changed: Use a non-invalid default dummy item in loot generator (may help with some mods accessing that directly). Fixed: computer.stopped message (resulting in sockets not being closed on shutdown, e.g.). Fixed: Overcompensating for dig time. Fixed: Potential crash when machines stopped unexpectedly. Fixed: Potential deadlock when machines get disposed while they're running. Fixed: Potential division by zero in manual. Fixed: Potential issue in AE2 integration. Fixed: Potential memory leaks in server racks. Fixed: Potential race conditions between ServerThread and ClientShutdownThread. Fixed: Spelling and grammar errors within the man pages (Shuudoushi).

Here's another portion of information:
Summer of Technic Technic is dropping HSM (bonus Blightfall screenshot) Electrical Age is spying on you? Well, just a bit. [code] what's with the water lately? First it was BluSunrize with AquaTweaks and now Vazkii with Waterproof MinecraftForge got a speed upgrade again. Build 1.7.10-10.13.4.1469-1.7.10+ should load faster in big modpacks skipping the first pass texture loading, more info here having permission problems with Technic Launcher and JourneyMap? Install Solder and make it download the mod from CurseForge. Tutorial for adding external mod download url here [WIP]

Donation Plugins: I don't use them and would never play on a server which pretends to accept "Donations" when they are really executing a "cash for goods" economic transaction. Look up donation in any dictionary and the general idea is "an act or instance of presenting something as a gift, grant, or contribution".
Donation Rewards: If you want to reward players with some token for donation (i.e. the cosmetic mechanics you mentioned) I would have no problem with that as it keeps everyone on a level playing field. Providing a material advantage (items, abilities, etc.) for pay (real world currency) is NOT a donation. It is a financial transaction. This splits a community into two groups: Those who can't or won't pay for an advantage, and those who can/do/will.
Personal Thoughts: (since you asked) Expecting, or even ASKING for that matter, other people to pay for your hobby is pretty lame. If you are hosting a server because you enjoy it or think it's cool, go for it. You can have a lot of fun and provide an interesting play-space for other people as well. However, like any other hobby you can think of, this will cost money. Even if it's home-hosted someone had to buy the hardware and electricity ain't free. If you are into boating, would you walk up to random people in a marina and ask them to help you buy a boat if you promise to let them ride on it? You would get laughed out of the place. If you are hosting a server as a commercial, for-profit endeavor you are also welcome to do that. However, Mojang has expressly stated that the "pay to win" and "non-cosmetic" rewards for cash is something they 100% do not want. If you can stay within those restrictions and make a great server/community, then by all means go for it, but don't pretend that you are accepting "donations". Doing so is dishonest and harms the greater MC community.

Liking it so far, I have a few minor questions and concerns:
 
Each pack now has a little tag that says "Solder enabled" if it uses solder, does this mean that solder is going to recieve an update soon or is it just a new interface change?
 
Everything feels really unresponsive.  On the V2 launcher, clicking things would instantly or close to instantly.  On this launcher, there can be a 1-5 second delay clicking anything.  It makes the whole thing feel very clunky.

2MB launcher executable to 33MB, oh boy..

Another icon/UI redesign we've gotta deal with.. just compounds my distress.

Negativity aside, comparing the Technic launcher to ATLauncher, it's sorely needed an upgrade for a long time.

..Unfortunately, it doesn't quite deliver. It seems to be based around social aspects instead of technical upgrades, and the only addition is a java args section.

If this is all the new Technic platform is going to provide, then I'm strongly considering moving over to the ATLauncher platform, as I'd really like to use the numerous features it offers that Technic doesn't.


I'm also experiencing the same issue as Emudio. Extremely slow startup time and the program freezes constantly for no apparent reason, rendering it nearly unusuable. Latest Java 8, Vista/7 x64.

Optionals?

This. This right here. EXACTLY what I needed. THANK YOU.

OpenEye has a configuration to crash on start up, and isn't required on the client if you're using a modpack that is not your own.

Alright where do I begin.
 
 
This is probably not going to happen. The Technic modpack was a great pack but to try and recreate it would be a disaster. The modding community is completely different now than it was back then. We would not be able to live up to the incredulous expectations you have.
 
 
That is you opinion, IC2 is currently a broken mod with no direction. We re-created Tekkit and provided you guys with Tekkit Lite since it was so popular. If you dont like the new one, go play the old one. 
 
 
This would not be possible due to significant coding changes to the launcher that would prolong development. 
 
 
I hardly believe this statement because it is simply not true. The traffic we have received from out last modpack launch (Attack of the B-Team) and the steady installs/run statistics show that Technic is growing in a healthy upward trend. 
 
 
The Technic Launcher has not lost its meaning. It has grown past what you have come to see it as. Technic was a launcher for a modpack. Technic is now a leader in providing users with Technic-created and User-created modpacks. The Platform is proof of that. We are not just making a flashier launcher. We are developing a reliable SaaP (Service as a Platform) that gives the users more control in developing there own experience, not just how we define it. With the type of feedback we have received so far, it seems the general opinion is excitement and eagerness. I hope you will come to like and support what Technic has become and what it will be. 
 
Cheers