Maybe it is the perfect timing to tell you about gaming messenger named Xfire.

Xfire™ is a new, free tool that automatically keeps track of when and where gamers are playing PC games online and lets their friends join them easily. It works regardless of game type, server browser, or gaming service that a player is using. Xfire eliminates the hassles of running multiple programs like IRC, instant messengers, or in-game friends lists to keep track of when and where a gamer’s friends are playing. It supports the best and the latest online PC games including server and non-server-based First Person Shooters, Real Time Strategy, and Role Playing Games.

But how good is Xfire really? It is time for a…

Review

The Look

First Look – it is a free software you can download. So what do you expect? The website looks great, but it doesn’t help to evaluate the casing of the software as there is no casing.

Installation – using the usual installer. Nothing spectacular, but it allows you to chose the installation path and if you want to create icons for the desktop, start menu and quick launch. It also shows which files it is installing. 4 of 5 points

First Time – The look is cool, but of course you either have to create a free account first or you have to log in with your account to actually use the messenger. 5 of 5 points.

Requirements and Look – The requirements are low, the look is great. Full points.

Installation Process

Time – Installation begins with downloading the software: The download is pretty fast if you got broadband. And 10 MB aren’t that large either. The installation process is also quick, so just give a fast 4 of 5 points.

Complexity – The installation is easy, which means I end up with 5 of 5 points.

Usage and Performance

Requirements, Look and actual performance – Xfire has surprisingly low requirements:

• PC with a Pentium processor running Windows XP, 2000 or Vista
• 10 MB available hard drive space recommended
• Desktop resolution of 800 x 600 at 256 colors (1024 x 768 at 16 bit color or higher recommended)
• Internet Explorer 5.0 with Service Pack 1 or higher
• Internet connection (broadband recommended)

It runs smooth on my old computer and it runs even smoother on the computer I use to write this article. I’d give full points, but the fact that you need Internet access and Internet Explorer makes me give 4 of 5 points.

Complexity – Xfire is easy to use, but there are some parts you will only use when you running Xfire as your major messenger -> 4 of 5 points.

Learning Curve – Using this gaming messenger, you do it by using your intuition. Full points.

Bugs – Unfortunately there are a few bugs in the software. Occasionally the file transfer won’t work, a supported game is not recognized or, although very rare, Xfire crashes without a reason. 3 of 5 points.

Personal Impression

Xfire is a very, very useful messenger. At least for me. It allows me to keep track of my gaming times, play a game and chat with my friends without having to “tab out” or getting issues with the messenger running in the background. Unfortunately there are some games which are not supported, but there is hope that they will be supported in the near future. There are many people in the community who suggest new games for support and so far the developers listen to the community. You can even suggest features or, for the more experienced user, create your own Xfire skin (or you just chose one of the many existing already).

Summary

I believe Xfire deserves the 4.4 points out of 5 possible points. It is one of the best messengers for the gamer. There are a few things I had to leave out as those don’t belong to a review. I’ll write another article in the near future to talk about some of the more advanced parts of Xfire.

As you most likely know I started this on June 18th, a day after my post about Computer / Gaming Addiction.
Although I planned to post a regular update on my progress, things turned out different as my real life kept me busy and didn’t allow me to spent time on updating my progress.

So, here they are…

The final results

As I said already, “RL” kept me quite busy, so I did manage to turn down my computer usage to a certain degree. Well, the last days kept me at my computer, but I was working on it to write a website for the German actor Thorsten Kramer. As soon as the page is done, I will give you an info on here

I still have minor problems with my parents, but everything else is ok now and the remaining problems will soon be solved, I’m sure

So far I had no luck with getting a job to keep me busy until my job education starts…but I keep on trying. The website for the actor is some kind of job…but not the one which will get me a lot of money…

I managed to stop skipping meals, except the one or the other time. But that should be ok, I guess

I still have a problem with my sleep pattern…but if you have nothing else to do each day, it should be understandable…anyway, I keep on working on it.

Well, that’s it.
After keeping an eye on all the things I decided to change I think I did well.

The results for Day 2

After sleeping a bit too long, I woke up at 10:00 local time and enjoyed a good breakfast. Then headed out into the real world to take care of some business. While I was in the “jungle” out there I also got something for lunch…but I don’t remember what it was…doh!
I was back home at 14:30 local time and, shame on me, I failed to stay away from the computer. In the evening I had dinner with my parents and then went back to the computer…stay up until 02:00.

I know, shame on me…but I’ll see to it that Day 3 end earlier.

The results for Day 3

I was up at 09:00 and had no breakfast as I had no time…and someone stole my breakfast…
For lunch I stopped by at SubWay to enjoy a nice 6 inch Chicken Teriyaki and a Coke. Then headed back home and read a book I bought earlier. I don’t know if you know it, but it is a Star Wars book: “Darth Bane. Path of Destruction” (It is not in English, but in German )
Anyway, now I’m online again and I better keep an eye on the time because I don’t want to stay up as long as yesterday.

Read the finale results

First of all let’s have a look at what I need to change to ensure that I won’t become addicted to computers:

1. Spend less time at the computer
2. Solving problems with my parents
3. Getting a job until my job education starts
4. Stop skipping meals
5. Stop failing to attend to personal hygiene
6. Get back to the regular sleep pattern

The results for Day 1

Yesterday I went to bed earlier than usual as preparation for my plans for the next (and the following days). My alarm clock woke me up at 08:30 local time, but I stayed in bed until 12:00…which was either a big mistake or I just had to catch the sleep I didn’t get for quite some while now. I will see what tomorrow going to bring on the terms of sleep. I then made me breakfast and lunch at the same time, no more skipping a meal!
The next 2 hours I spent trying to get a job, with no success
So I decided to switch my computer on and listen to some music while doing some cleanup. Worked well, especially because I did not log on with any messenger until 14:30 local time. Even then I spent the major time away from the keyboard (computer).
Now it is 18:00 and I think I can use the computer for a bit, AFTER I made me something to eat…no idea what it going to be, but I’m sure it will be tasty

As I’m talking about food…I’m hungry, so I better hurry up…

Right now I’m feeling a bit sleepy, so I’m sure I will go to bed as early as yesterday, maybe a bit earlier.

End of Day 1 – See you tomorrow or so, depending on the time I spent at the computer

However, I think this article is some kind of reflection for me. My mother keeps on saying that I’m a computer addict and that I should see a doc or one of the people at the addiction center. I think and I’m quite sure on this, that I’m not addicted. To prove this I better make a break down on how many hours I’m at the computer, what I do there and so on.

Activity Report

I’m using the instant messenger Xfire which tracks the time I’m playing games. My current amount for this week is 15 hours, feel free to have a look at my profile to see my last 7 days of gaming.
While I play computer games for 15h a week I also work on/with my computer, so add 21 hours for checking emails or visiting websites and 35 hours for working on my own and other websites. If you sum everything up its total is at 71h computer time a week.

Compare: a week has 168 hours

So, what do I do in the time left? Assume I sleep 9h per day, so I sleep 63 hours per week. That leaves 34 hours a week for other use, like eating and doing other real life things.
I’m not one of those people who enjoy going out to a party or something like that. I also don’t play table-tennis anymore but I do ride my bicycle almost everyday, like when I go shopping and don’t want to go by foot.

I believe I just covered the last 34 hours a week…but keep in mind that all these statistics are based on an average day of an average week. Times do vary, especially when I have my “gaming hunger” or “coding hunger”. If either of my “hungers” occur I can spend one hell of a time on either playing games or writing php/html code (also known as websites).

Compare with signs of addiction

Let’s compare myself with all these signs:

Psychological Symptoms

Having a sense of well-being or euphoria while at the computer
Sometimes, but who hasn’t? Most of the time I just think: “Man, I wish I could turn my computer down, but I have to finish that piece of work first…”

Inability to stop the activity
I’m able to stop it any time, but who likes to leave work unfinished? Maybe I should get used to that idea to convince my mum that I’m not addicted…

Craving more and more time at the computer
Ok, that’s true. These days I spent most of my time at the computer. BUT I have no work nor did my job education start, yet. So what can I do in my spare time?

Neglect of family and friends
I have some problems with my parents at the moment, mainly due to the fact that I have no job to keep myself busy and earning some money before my education starts. Friends…define friends. I have a lot of friends online, but I never had many friends in real life…maybe one or two… but these friends are now busy with studying or whatever so I lost contact. I’m really sorry about that but that’s the life, isn’t it?

Feeling empty, depressed, irritable when not at the computer
No. I’m actually happy when I’m not at the computer.

Lying to employers and family about activities
Don’t know…maybe? I would like to know which exact activities they think about…

Problems with school or job
No problem with either as I don’t go to school anymore and I don’t have a job…I wish I could go to school again or at least have a job…

Physical Symptoms

Carpal tunnel syndrome
I have no signs of this syndrome so far.

Dry eyes
Maybe they are a bit drier than usual…but I had dry eyes even before I started to use my computer as much as I do now.

Migraine headaches
No.

Back aches
No again.

Eating irregularities, such as skipping meals
Yes, unfortunately. But I intend to change that as soon as I published this article

Failure to attend to personal hygiene
uh….to a certain degree. I’m not failing completely, but I need to change that, too!

Sleep disturbances, change in sleep pattern
No disturbances, but my sleep pattern did change. Mainly because I’m a member of an international gaming club called New Republic Navy [NRN] and most people there are online when I’m supposed to sleep. So I stay up late and my sleep pattern changes.
That’s another thing I want to address as soon as I published this article.

Wrap up

I believe that I’m not yet addicted although I’m endangered. There are a lot of things I need to change and I better do it before I’m really addicted.

Now, as you read this article…do you think I’m addicted? Whatever you decide, please write your opinion as comment.
I really want to know what other people think about me / my computer usage.

Maybe you also use this article to review your own computer usage