Wednesday, August 31, 2005
Me! Me! Me!
IBM to supply advanced data-mining tool to GM:
http://www.downloadsquad.com/2005/08/31/ibm-to-supply-advanced-search-tool-to-gm/
Wow! I have one for you: Chevy malibu 2001, failed water pump at 40,000 miles. Failed water pump at 75,000 miles. Failed intake manifold gasket at 75,000 miles. Wait. That's not gonna help. Both failures were past the warranty period. Especially the fucked up gasket, even past any hypothetical extended warranty period (which I fortunately had not paid for) So the fancy schmancy system wouldn't help me after all.
Well, that's putting a lot of hope in the system. And too much credit on the flexibility of engineering/decision maker/factories involved. When the design is set in stone, it is set in stone.
Good effort though. Extra brownie point to IBM to sell something to GM. Good PR coverage too. Not gonna get caught buying GM twice though. ¶ 4:31 PM 0 comments
IBM to supply advanced data-mining tool to GM:
http://www.downloadsquad.com/2005/08/31/ibm-to-supply-advanced-search-tool-to-gm/
Wow! I have one for you: Chevy malibu 2001, failed water pump at 40,000 miles. Failed water pump at 75,000 miles. Failed intake manifold gasket at 75,000 miles. Wait. That's not gonna help. Both failures were past the warranty period. Especially the fucked up gasket, even past any hypothetical extended warranty period (which I fortunately had not paid for) So the fancy schmancy system wouldn't help me after all.
For example, consistent blog postings about a faulty part could lead GM engineers to address the issue earlier than they otherwise would, fixing the problem for cars still under assembly.
Well, that's putting a lot of hope in the system. And too much credit on the flexibility of engineering/decision maker/factories involved. When the design is set in stone, it is set in stone.
Good effort though. Extra brownie point to IBM to sell something to GM. Good PR coverage too. Not gonna get caught buying GM twice though. ¶ 4:31 PM 0 comments
Tuesday, August 30, 2005
PCWorld FUD
http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,122347,00.asp
Nonono. Don't try to get any information besides the heaping scoop of FUD in that article. You can try to find the actual announcement form secunia. It's here, at http://secunia.com/advisories/16560/ and it carries a little green icon. Severity: not critical. In other words, who cares. There's a flaw in regedit.exe. Not the registry. The secunia announcement is a little closer to the facts. The scumware still can't hide from anti-spyware tools.
In any case, be it a underhanded plug for their advertizers (who sell antispyware tools) or completely honest, at least it reminds everyone to use a spyware removing tool dammit! ¶ 2:48 PM 0 comments
http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,122347,00.asp
Nonono. Don't try to get any information besides the heaping scoop of FUD in that article. You can try to find the actual announcement form secunia. It's here, at http://secunia.com/advisories/16560/ and it carries a little green icon. Severity: not critical. In other words, who cares. There's a flaw in regedit.exe. Not the registry. The secunia announcement is a little closer to the facts. The scumware still can't hide from anti-spyware tools.
In its advisory, Secunia provided several solutions to avoid exploitation of the vulnerability, one of which is to ensure that systems have up-to-date anti-virus and spyware detection software installed.
In any case, be it a underhanded plug for their advertizers (who sell antispyware tools) or completely honest, at least it reminds everyone to use a spyware removing tool dammit! ¶ 2:48 PM 0 comments
Monday, August 29, 2005
Amazing
The question was: Google, good or evil?
http://www.downloadsquad.com/2005/08/27/ask-dowload-squad/#comments
The comments are appaling. Google is a company. It is there for a reason:
1. Make money.
2. See #1.
Wether it is perceived as good or evil is irrelevant. Business ventures will be pursued, now opportunity will be discovered and expension will ensue. This is how business live and grow.
Google is sitting on an incredible amount of cash. And cash is good to fuel expansion, which they hope will bring more cash. Profit is good. Growth is better. They also have a good reputation. They attract and retain talent. This is not out of the blue. This is powered by a clear vision. Bwing vilified by the press is kinda weird. What were they thinking was going to happen?
Look at Yahoo. They have 25 times as many web site/services/content as Google. And still growing. Never seen a Yahoo: good or evil question.
Same thing for Walmart vs Target, P&G vs Johnson & Johnson. This is business. The rules are known and they are all experienced players. Some enjoy relatively better reputation (be it from good PR or good luck) but they are all in there for the same thing: (an extra bonus point for who can name the thing) And no, this is not low rate mortgage refinancing, comment spammer scumbag. ¶ 4:37 PM 0 comments
The question was: Google, good or evil?
http://www.downloadsquad.com/2005/08/27/ask-dowload-squad/#comments
The comments are appaling. Google is a company. It is there for a reason:
1. Make money.
2. See #1.
Wether it is perceived as good or evil is irrelevant. Business ventures will be pursued, now opportunity will be discovered and expension will ensue. This is how business live and grow.
Google is sitting on an incredible amount of cash. And cash is good to fuel expansion, which they hope will bring more cash. Profit is good. Growth is better. They also have a good reputation. They attract and retain talent. This is not out of the blue. This is powered by a clear vision. Bwing vilified by the press is kinda weird. What were they thinking was going to happen?
Look at Yahoo. They have 25 times as many web site/services/content as Google. And still growing. Never seen a Yahoo: good or evil question.
Same thing for Walmart vs Target, P&G vs Johnson & Johnson. This is business. The rules are known and they are all experienced players. Some enjoy relatively better reputation (be it from good PR or good luck) but they are all in there for the same thing: (an extra bonus point for who can name the thing) And no, this is not low rate mortgage refinancing, comment spammer scumbag. ¶ 4:37 PM 0 comments
Friday, August 26, 2005
Thank you for wasting my time
But it's my fault in the first place. Thanks to miniclip.com (and downloadsquad) I've been playing this funny little flashgame: http://miniclip.com/drcarter.htm
The game is a blast! ¶ 1:50 PM 0 comments
But it's my fault in the first place. Thanks to miniclip.com (and downloadsquad) I've been playing this funny little flashgame: http://miniclip.com/drcarter.htm
The game is a blast! ¶ 1:50 PM 0 comments
Thursday, August 25, 2005
Liked that opinion
Pretty much matches mine. Worth a read:
http://longtail.typepad.com/the_long_tail/2005/08/just_enough_pir.html ¶ 4:11 PM 0 comments
Pretty much matches mine. Worth a read:
http://longtail.typepad.com/the_long_tail/2005/08/just_enough_pir.html ¶ 4:11 PM 0 comments
Cleaner web with AJAX
For those who know, AJAX is a household cleaner (at least where I grew up) But it seems it turned into a good new web buzzword. Probably thanks to Google maps and gmail.
http://ajax.schwarz-interactive.de/csharpsample/default.aspx
One day, I'll have to try that Internet thing everyone is talking about, I heard a lot of good things are out there. ¶ 2:35 PM 0 comments
For those who know, AJAX is a household cleaner (at least where I grew up) But it seems it turned into a good new web buzzword. Probably thanks to Google maps and gmail.
http://ajax.schwarz-interactive.de/csharpsample/default.aspx
One day, I'll have to try that Internet thing everyone is talking about, I heard a lot of good things are out there. ¶ 2:35 PM 0 comments
Dvorak again
This one from Dvorak is quite so so. But there is a very funny (and right on) piece about Blackberry users.
They are all pigeon feeders addicted people.
Read the whole article. ¶ 11:38 AM 0 comments
This one from Dvorak is quite so so. But there is a very funny (and right on) piece about Blackberry users.
The BlackBerry incorporates both e-mail and an addictive mechanism. That mechanism is the click-reward system that works with slot machines and pigeon feeders. It's highly addictive to humans. This is exacerbated by its ritualistic nature—and ritualism is often found with addictions. I have never known a BlackBerry user who has not pulled out the device numerous times in my presence, almost like a cigarette smoker fiddling with a pack. When combined with the apparently IQ-sapping e-mail delivery, it begins to sound like something from a creepy science fiction story where an alien device enslaves a population. The magical aspect of this little device cannot be ignored either. IQ is bound to drop when we turn ourselves over to magic.
They are all pigeon feeders addicted people.
Read the whole article. ¶ 11:38 AM 0 comments
Wednesday, August 24, 2005
Better than sniffing paint!
Those brave people produced their own show. Unfortunately it looks like they are victim of their own success and I could not download their last episode at all. Drats!
Well, actually I could, at 2.3 KB!!!/s. No I don't have dialup. Smoke signals would probalby be faster. Albeit with a higher error rate, cuz Indiana is far far away from me :)
http://www.packetsniffers.org/
Update: turns out that cable is better than DSL. I downloaded the whole show at maxed out speed of around 450 KB/s!
The show is awesome. Go download it and watch it. DIYish, hardware hacks, and they are not afraid to pry things open, tinker, solder directly on the back of the truck. The video prod is cool too. Instead of editing out parts, they go through the cutting/fitting/drilling parts in super fast motion. This gives scenes a sense of smoothness and gives the viewer a sense of not missing anything fron the action.
Awesome! ¶ 4:32 PM 1 comments
Those brave people produced their own show. Unfortunately it looks like they are victim of their own success and I could not download their last episode at all. Drats!
Well, actually I could, at 2.3 KB!!!/s. No I don't have dialup. Smoke signals would probalby be faster. Albeit with a higher error rate, cuz Indiana is far far away from me :)
http://www.packetsniffers.org/
Update: turns out that cable is better than DSL. I downloaded the whole show at maxed out speed of around 450 KB/s!
The show is awesome. Go download it and watch it. DIYish, hardware hacks, and they are not afraid to pry things open, tinker, solder directly on the back of the truck. The video prod is cool too. Instead of editing out parts, they go through the cutting/fitting/drilling parts in super fast motion. This gives scenes a sense of smoothness and gives the viewer a sense of not missing anything fron the action.
Awesome! ¶ 4:32 PM 1 comments
Tuesday, August 23, 2005
Better logo
Not Lego, logo, the language. I always thought logo's result could be amazingly cool. Unfortunately the syntax really really sucks in my opinion (and I realized why when I read a blurb about it describing it as a descendant of Lisp, eeeeck).
Well, we're all saved, this is my dream app. I mean, I almost started to write something similar, albeit, mine would have been all crappy, half finished and definitely not fit to made public.
http://www.ozonehouse.com/ContextFree/ ¶ 11:28 PM 0 comments
Not Lego, logo, the language. I always thought logo's result could be amazingly cool. Unfortunately the syntax really really sucks in my opinion (and I realized why when I read a blurb about it describing it as a descendant of Lisp, eeeeck).
Well, we're all saved, this is my dream app. I mean, I almost started to write something similar, albeit, mine would have been all crappy, half finished and definitely not fit to made public.
http://www.ozonehouse.com/ContextFree/ ¶ 11:28 PM 0 comments
Let your head escape
Or so he sez:
http://www.escapemyhead.com/
I heard of those Rhino liner addicted men. Now there's evidence they actually exist! ¶ 11:07 PM 0 comments
Or so he sez:
http://www.escapemyhead.com/
I heard of those Rhino liner addicted men. Now there's evidence they actually exist! ¶ 11:07 PM 0 comments
I screen for a screen
Everybody needs his own screen!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrbill/35437253/in/pool-make/ ¶ 4:52 PM 0 comments
Everybody needs his own screen!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrbill/35437253/in/pool-make/ ¶ 4:52 PM 0 comments
This hard game
Hard for a computer, easy for a human. I'm finally getting my revenge on those stupid reversi games!
http://arimaa.com/arimaa/ ¶ 4:49 PM 0 comments
Hard for a computer, easy for a human. I'm finally getting my revenge on those stupid reversi games!
http://arimaa.com/arimaa/ ¶ 4:49 PM 0 comments
Digital Lomo
Nope, you don't need an overpriced piece of junk lomo camera to obtain the same poor ass result as you would. I know, Lomo is a cult, any attempt at re-creation of the same effects (flaws) of the camera is at best a fraud. But if you want to do it anyway, here's a good how to:
http://www.flickr.com/groups/technique/discuss/12082/ ¶ 2:20 PM 0 comments
Nope, you don't need an overpriced piece of junk lomo camera to obtain the same poor ass result as you would. I know, Lomo is a cult, any attempt at re-creation of the same effects (flaws) of the camera is at best a fraud. But if you want to do it anyway, here's a good how to:
http://www.flickr.com/groups/technique/discuss/12082/ ¶ 2:20 PM 0 comments
Monday, August 22, 2005
Whole bunch of geeky crap
And Linux crap too. Wait. That's all there is. I just glanced at the page, and thought I'd come back later. Hence this entry.
http://www.frontiernet.net/~beakmyn/pictureframe/ ¶ 10:43 PM 0 comments
And Linux crap too. Wait. That's all there is. I just glanced at the page, and thought I'd come back later. Hence this entry.
http://www.frontiernet.net/~beakmyn/pictureframe/ ¶ 10:43 PM 0 comments
More nostalgia
The description is in the name. My very first introduction to digital photography was with a Canon Ion, behind the locked glass doors at the electronic store. Only worked with the (grossly overpriced) Mac (System 6, bweeeeeeeeeeeeeeee) and sold for an arm and a leg (at least for my teen budget of about $5)
The description on the page mentions the shady Canon practices: $499 will get you the camera. Another $999 will get you the battery, one floppy disk, and the capture card with sucky software that only runs on sucky Mac (68k Mac, double beeeeerk)
Sounds like they were inspired by some NY based business.
http://www.digicamhistory.com/1988.html
The whole collection of history is a gem too. Not just the Canon Ion nostalgia. ¶ 10:32 PM 0 comments
The description is in the name. My very first introduction to digital photography was with a Canon Ion, behind the locked glass doors at the electronic store. Only worked with the (grossly overpriced) Mac (System 6, bweeeeeeeeeeeeeeee) and sold for an arm and a leg (at least for my teen budget of about $5)
The description on the page mentions the shady Canon practices: $499 will get you the camera. Another $999 will get you the battery, one floppy disk, and the capture card with sucky software that only runs on sucky Mac (68k Mac, double beeeeerk)
Sounds like they were inspired by some NY based business.
http://www.digicamhistory.com/1988.html
The whole collection of history is a gem too. Not just the Canon Ion nostalgia. ¶ 10:32 PM 0 comments
Fear nothing for you are being watched
Same old dilemna: You should not be afraid to be watched since you're honest and have nothing to hide. You did not even know that all those printouts pointed at you. Only lasers, only in colors though.
http://www.bunniestudios.com/wordpress/?p=48
Although the person performing the hack did hack his/her scanner, it should be possible to just scan normally in high-res and filter carefully in Photoshop. Those little dots are just ink, so they should be visible with careful filtering. I think I'll try tonight. ¶ 3:33 PM 0 comments
Same old dilemna: You should not be afraid to be watched since you're honest and have nothing to hide. You did not even know that all those printouts pointed at you. Only lasers, only in colors though.
http://www.bunniestudios.com/wordpress/?p=48
Although the person performing the hack did hack his/her scanner, it should be possible to just scan normally in high-res and filter carefully in Photoshop. Those little dots are just ink, so they should be visible with careful filtering. I think I'll try tonight. ¶ 3:33 PM 0 comments
No wonder they look pretty!
This is retouching raised to an art:
http://glennferon.com.nyud.net:8090/portfolio1/index.html
Or "How to transform a succubus into a hot model". What's telling is the kind of deformed image of women this is projecting. Attaining perfection really is not possible. ¶ 3:18 PM 0 comments
This is retouching raised to an art:
http://glennferon.com.nyud.net:8090/portfolio1/index.html
Or "How to transform a succubus into a hot model". What's telling is the kind of deformed image of women this is projecting. Attaining perfection really is not possible. ¶ 3:18 PM 0 comments
Not your ordinary steak sauce
It has a nice twist. Actual pictures from the street. Cool.
http://maps.a9.com/ ¶ 12:05 AM 0 comments
It has a nice twist. Actual pictures from the street. Cool.
http://maps.a9.com/ ¶ 12:05 AM 0 comments
IE3 for everyone
Those people took the time to repackage every significant version of IE to run in stand alone mode. IE3 looks the best. This has a special nostalgia value for me since I was a die hard IE user (and then I switched to Firefox)
http://browsers.evolt.org/?/ie/32bit/standalone ¶ 12:01 AM 0 comments
Those people took the time to repackage every significant version of IE to run in stand alone mode. IE3 looks the best. This has a special nostalgia value for me since I was a die hard IE user (and then I switched to Firefox)
http://browsers.evolt.org/?/ie/32bit/standalone ¶ 12:01 AM 0 comments
Color a blending
No, I will probably never use it, but I still think it's cool. Now go try it and make your own colors.
http://www.colorblender.com/ ¶ 12:00 AM 0 comments
No, I will probably never use it, but I still think it's cool. Now go try it and make your own colors.
http://www.colorblender.com/ ¶ 12:00 AM 0 comments
Sunday, August 21, 2005
Tired of du?
This is something I thought I needed. I'm pretty fed up with du in a terminal to track which folder is hogging disk space on my iBook. This will make it a little easier.
http://www.jgoodies.com/freeware/jdiskreport/index.html
And actually, what I really want is a SequoiaView for MacOSX.
http://www.win.tue.nl/sequoiaview/ ¶ 11:55 PM 0 comments
This is something I thought I needed. I'm pretty fed up with du in a terminal to track which folder is hogging disk space on my iBook. This will make it a little easier.
http://www.jgoodies.com/freeware/jdiskreport/index.html
And actually, what I really want is a SequoiaView for MacOSX.
http://www.win.tue.nl/sequoiaview/ ¶ 11:55 PM 0 comments
Blogger for Word
Blogger for Word
Now you can use Blogger right within Microsoft® Word. Just download and install the Blogger for Word add-in and a Blogger toolbar will be added to Word allowing you to:
Blogger for Word
Now you can use Blogger right within Microsoft® Word. Just download and install the Blogger for Word add-in and a Blogger toolbar will be added to Word allowing you to:
- Publish to your blog
- Save drafts
- Edit posts
Authentic
And all photoshop tutorial and all. Cool.
http://www.cameronmoll.com/ ¶ 10:43 PM 0 comments
And all photoshop tutorial and all. Cool.
http://www.cameronmoll.com/ ¶ 10:43 PM 0 comments
I'm back!
It's long winded but it is entertaining, in a very geeky way.
http://www.xbox-linux.org/wiki/The_Hidden_Boot_Code_of_the_Xbox
note: the picture is just of where I was. Too bad I had to come back. ¶ 2:40 PM 0 comments
It's long winded but it is entertaining, in a very geeky way.
http://www.xbox-linux.org/wiki/The_Hidden_Boot_Code_of_the_Xbox
note: the picture is just of where I was. Too bad I had to come back. ¶ 2:40 PM 0 comments
Saturday, August 13, 2005
Friday, August 12, 2005
Wooof!
Black dog project. This sounds kinda cool! Load up your solitaire (KSol?) and off you go!
http://www.projectblackdog.com/site/product.html ¶ 4:35 PM 0 comments
Black dog project. This sounds kinda cool! Load up your solitaire (KSol?) and off you go!
http://www.projectblackdog.com/site/product.html ¶ 4:35 PM 0 comments
Addictively Pointless
Wow, I don't know how long Iwasted enjoyed this website. Mostly little pointless interactive flash apps. Incredibly addictive. And fun. Highly recommended!
http://www.zefrank.com
(Yes, same as this and this) ¶ 2:28 PM 0 comments
Wow, I don't know how long I
http://www.zefrank.com
(Yes, same as this and this) ¶ 2:28 PM 0 comments
Thursday, August 11, 2005
Hard
Nouveau content tous les jours? A revoir peut-etre. (darn accent free clavier)
www.hardmac.com ¶ 4:19 PM 0 comments
Nouveau content tous les jours? A revoir peut-etre. (darn accent free clavier)
www.hardmac.com ¶ 4:19 PM 0 comments
Taking a few notches down hit
I always thought Fedex was cool. Cooler than UPS (brown?) and definitely better than AirornE/DHL whatever. turns out they are a bunch of stuff shirt. Worse, they have money, lawyers and they use them. This poor guy at www.fedexfurniture.com tells the tale how he built furniture with Fedex boxes, not because he's hip, but because he's broke. Then the Fedex lawyers come barking and all hell breaks loose.
Unfortunately for them, the word spread and his story gained momentum. This is a good summary of what happened.
http://www.wired.com/news/culture/0,1284,68492,00.html?tw=wn_tophead_2
This could have turned to be a cool publicity for Fedex. But no, they sent the lawyers and now they looks like idiots. Simple idiots. ¶ 3:38 PM 0 comments
I always thought Fedex was cool. Cooler than UPS (brown?) and definitely better than AirornE/DHL whatever. turns out they are a bunch of stuff shirt. Worse, they have money, lawyers and they use them. This poor guy at www.fedexfurniture.com tells the tale how he built furniture with Fedex boxes, not because he's hip, but because he's broke. Then the Fedex lawyers come barking and all hell breaks loose.
Unfortunately for them, the word spread and his story gained momentum. This is a good summary of what happened.
http://www.wired.com/news/culture/0,1284,68492,00.html?tw=wn_tophead_2
This could have turned to be a cool publicity for Fedex. But no, they sent the lawyers and now they looks like idiots. Simple idiots. ¶ 3:38 PM 0 comments
Wednesday, August 10, 2005
Weird flash movies
I like the disclaimer which in itself makes fun of disclaimers. Flash movies are cool too.
http://www.fat-pie.com/flash.htm ¶ 8:49 PM 0 comments
I like the disclaimer which in itself makes fun of disclaimers. Flash movies are cool too.
http://www.fat-pie.com/flash.htm ¶ 8:49 PM 0 comments
My kind of visual thing
the flash tool is amazing. The plotter is cool. I want one.
http://www.zefrank.com/scribbler/
http://www.tek-tonic.com/scribpage.php ¶ 3:17 PM 0 comments
the flash tool is amazing. The plotter is cool. I want one.
http://www.zefrank.com/scribbler/
http://www.tek-tonic.com/scribpage.php ¶ 3:17 PM 0 comments
In the end, it will look like Win2K
http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,122145,00.asp
What experts? Nobody asked me!
The funny thing is that Windows has shipped with wsh enabled out of the box forever now. And I did not see any hackers/worms/viruses exploit those. Wait. Yes. It happened. So maybe this is a good thing. Nah. I'm sure it's not gonna make one ounce of difference. Just that it's yet another feature that won't make it in the release. WinFS? Avalon? Indigo?
Vista really is going to be a reskinned version of XP. (Maybe it's being built by the Office team. If you add fancy scrolling menus everywhere and cleaner icons, you can sell the same program under 5 different versions. Office 97, Office 2000, Office XP, Office 2003, Office 12 :) ¶ 1:56 PM 0 comments
Microsoft Cuts Windows Vista Feature
Experts had worried that the Monad scripting shell would be an attractive target for hackers.
http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,122145,00.asp
What experts? Nobody asked me!
The funny thing is that Windows has shipped with wsh enabled out of the box forever now. And I did not see any hackers/worms/viruses exploit those. Wait. Yes. It happened. So maybe this is a good thing. Nah. I'm sure it's not gonna make one ounce of difference. Just that it's yet another feature that won't make it in the release. WinFS? Avalon? Indigo?
Vista really is going to be a reskinned version of XP. (Maybe it's being built by the Office team. If you add fancy scrolling menus everywhere and cleaner icons, you can sell the same program under 5 different versions. Office 97, Office 2000, Office XP, Office 2003, Office 12 :) ¶ 1:56 PM 0 comments
Windows Vista to keep PCs running like new
Windows Vista will also do the laundry, clean the dishes and walk the dog. It will make the blind see again, make the impotent walk and cure cancer. Eradicate poverty and bring peace to the world.
Or maybe it will suck up even more CPU cycle and memory to optimize those tasks you do onece a day, like loadingInternet Explorer Firefox. Or booting.
Wait, no, it will be great. You have to find reasons to make people want to upgrade though. I personnally believe that Windows 2k + Cleartype font smoothing would be the perfect OS. Vista will be a very hard sell.
http://www.downloadsquad.com/2005/08/09/windows-vista-to-keep-pcs-running-like-new/
http://news.com.com/Putting+Vista+in+the+fast+lane/2100-1016_3-5820758.html?part=rss&tag=5820758&subj=news ¶ 12:06 PM 0 comments
Windows Vista will also do the laundry, clean the dishes and walk the dog. It will make the blind see again, make the impotent walk and cure cancer. Eradicate poverty and bring peace to the world.
Or maybe it will suck up even more CPU cycle and memory to optimize those tasks you do onece a day, like loading
Wait, no, it will be great. You have to find reasons to make people want to upgrade though. I personnally believe that Windows 2k + Cleartype font smoothing would be the perfect OS. Vista will be a very hard sell.
http://www.downloadsquad.com/2005/08/09/windows-vista-to-keep-pcs-running-like-new/
http://news.com.com/Putting+Vista+in+the+fast+lane/2100-1016_3-5820758.html?part=rss&tag=5820758&subj=news ¶ 12:06 PM 0 comments
Mmmm... spyware!
What do you do when the whole software is designed to track how when what you do when you use it and send the info directly to the advertiser? You call it a spyware program. Does not matter you paid for the whole fucking thing either. Even worse, it's a game, so it enjoys the total immersion / total captive audience feature of the software.
In game spying for you! ¶ 12:01 PM 0 comments
What do you do when the whole software is designed to track how when what you do when you use it and send the info directly to the advertiser? You call it a spyware program. Does not matter you paid for the whole fucking thing either. Even worse, it's a game, so it enjoys the total immersion / total captive audience feature of the software.
In game spying for you! ¶ 12:01 PM 0 comments
Tuesday, August 09, 2005
Studen blogger
Or is it blogger student? Well, a blog written by a student. Foul mouthed and all. Mildly interesting. Sometimes studentish but the youth is refreshing.
http://naturalkinds.blogspot.com/ ¶ 3:34 PM 2 comments
Or is it blogger student? Well, a blog written by a student. Foul mouthed and all. Mildly interesting. Sometimes studentish but the youth is refreshing.
http://naturalkinds.blogspot.com/ ¶ 3:34 PM 2 comments
Free Sounds!
Yup, that's what it is! For what you ask? Flash movies.
http://freesound.iua.upf.edu/ ¶ 10:34 AM 0 comments
Yup, that's what it is! For what you ask? Flash movies.
http://freesound.iua.upf.edu/ ¶ 10:34 AM 0 comments
Hehehehe
I can only imagine the kind of cryptic and obnoxious messages I could tag my car with this. Would be a riot!
http://youremblem.com ¶ 10:18 AM 0 comments
I can only imagine the kind of cryptic and obnoxious messages I could tag my car with this. Would be a riot!
http://youremblem.com ¶ 10:18 AM 0 comments
Petteri's Pontifications
Not sure how long this IP address will live (I could not find a domain for it) but still the content is good. This article on making a custom B&W is really thorough.
http://194.100.88.243/petteri/... ¶ 9:54 AM 0 comments
Not sure how long this IP address will live (I could not find a domain for it) but still the content is good. This article on making a custom B&W is really thorough.
http://194.100.88.243/petteri/... ¶ 9:54 AM 0 comments
Monday, August 08, 2005
Total Visual Geek Fest
Gee. Looks like they invented that stuff just 4 me.
http://processing.org/
It's both artsy and geeky. And some of the examples are just gorgeous too. ¶ 2:24 PM 0 comments
Gee. Looks like they invented that stuff just 4 me.
http://processing.org/
It's both artsy and geeky. And some of the examples are just gorgeous too. ¶ 2:24 PM 0 comments
Hypnotic
Download. Run. Enjoy. Amazingly good for a pet project. Wish my own were that interesting.
http://drivey.com/ ¶ 2:12 PM 0 comments
Download. Run. Enjoy. Amazingly good for a pet project. Wish my own were that interesting.
http://drivey.com/ ¶ 2:12 PM 0 comments
Even with some kind of flu
I'm still awake enough. This is crazy. Maya for free. Crazy I'm telling you.
http://www.alias.com/glb/eng/products-services/product_details.jsp?productId=1900003
Well, not that crazy. They make sure you can't use the output for anything but non-commercial use. But considering that it is a several thousand dollars piece of software, the free edition is a great tool for students/aspiring 3d artist, so they can get a taste of the real thing. I really dig this! ¶ 1:53 PM 0 comments
I'm still awake enough. This is crazy. Maya for free. Crazy I'm telling you.
http://www.alias.com/glb/eng/products-services/product_details.jsp?productId=1900003
Well, not that crazy. They make sure you can't use the output for anything but non-commercial use. But considering that it is a several thousand dollars piece of software, the free edition is a great tool for students/aspiring 3d artist, so they can get a taste of the real thing. I really dig this! ¶ 1:53 PM 0 comments
Sunday, August 07, 2005
Saturday, August 06, 2005
I must be an idiot.
Because it's past midninght and I'm not in bed? Nah. It's past midninght and I'm watching TV. Especially bad in the light of the last post. Turns out I sometimes watch TV after all. Mmmm... At least I'm not watching the Tonight Show; Wait, I'm watching Letterman. Is there a difference?
I thought I'd just take a peek. I remember watching that show some time ago and thought it was good. Still is. What I did not remember is the gigantic ratio of commercial vs. content. The good thing is I can type this and not miss a beat.
This is pretty crazy. Think about the amount of commercial for crap I will never need, buy, or even want. Nope, not gonna buy another GM vehicle ever (nope, been there, no thanks, really. What, if it's free? nope, sorry) Won't shop at Pier1 either. $20 for a wicker basket. I'll pass. Not gonna get cable instead. Cable TV that is. Have satellite. More channels (more is better, right?) and for alot cheaper. Not gonna buy a Jeep. Not going to shop a Wickes. Pay nothing until 2007. How about nothing until forever, save even more buy not buying anything. Deuce Bigalow 2 anyone? Did not think so. Not buying a Civic.
And you wonder why people watch less TV and commercial revenues are down. What a waste. ¶ 12:23 AM 0 comments
Because it's past midninght and I'm not in bed? Nah. It's past midninght and I'm watching TV. Especially bad in the light of the last post. Turns out I sometimes watch TV after all. Mmmm... At least I'm not watching the Tonight Show; Wait, I'm watching Letterman. Is there a difference?
I thought I'd just take a peek. I remember watching that show some time ago and thought it was good. Still is. What I did not remember is the gigantic ratio of commercial vs. content. The good thing is I can type this and not miss a beat.
This is pretty crazy. Think about the amount of commercial for crap I will never need, buy, or even want. Nope, not gonna buy another GM vehicle ever (nope, been there, no thanks, really. What, if it's free? nope, sorry) Won't shop at Pier1 either. $20 for a wicker basket. I'll pass. Not gonna get cable instead. Cable TV that is. Have satellite. More channels (more is better, right?) and for alot cheaper. Not gonna buy a Jeep. Not going to shop a Wickes. Pay nothing until 2007. How about nothing until forever, save even more buy not buying anything. Deuce Bigalow 2 anyone? Did not think so. Not buying a Civic.
And you wonder why people watch less TV and commercial revenues are down. What a waste. ¶ 12:23 AM 0 comments
Friday, August 05, 2005
Who watches NBC anyway?
Well, I really meant, I'm not really watching TV anyway. Let alone own a DVR. But yeah, that was the kind of practice that would piss me off. Can't say I'm glad they stopped their (really stupid and childish) scheme, because it does not affect me.
http://www.engadget.com/entry/1234000363053168/ ¶ 11:20 AM 0 comments
Well, I really meant, I'm not really watching TV anyway. Let alone own a DVR. But yeah, that was the kind of practice that would piss me off. Can't say I'm glad they stopped their (really stupid and childish) scheme, because it does not affect me.
http://www.engadget.com/entry/1234000363053168/ ¶ 11:20 AM 0 comments
BYOC!
Bring Your Own Camcoder to the movies!
Missouri man arrested for camcording bad movies
http://www.engadget.com/entry/1234000840053243/
http://go.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=...
What an idiot! It's pretty clear that the correct way to do that is from the projection room. From a private theater showing in Hollywood. By an insider. 99% of the time this is the source of bootleg copies. Not from people actually bringing camcoders to the movie (which really is assinine)
The original articles contains some weird statements (vague and unsubstantiated) like:
Those illicit computer networks are not named (was it to protect the innocent?) but later Kazaaaaa is mentioned.
Clearly, if you ware facing 17 (seventeen years!!!) of jailtime for taping bewitched in a movie theater, you probably would not want to comment.
17 years sound really harsh, and I'm sure the prosecution will want to make an example of the very first case sought under the new law. So I'm betting he's not going to get an easy way out on this one!
Ouch! ¶ 10:43 AM 0 comments
Bring Your Own Camcoder to the movies!
Missouri man arrested for camcording bad movies
http://www.engadget.com/entry/1234000840053243/
http://go.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=...
What an idiot! It's pretty clear that the correct way to do that is from the projection room. From a private theater showing in Hollywood. By an insider. 99% of the time this is the source of bootleg copies. Not from people actually bringing camcoders to the movie (which really is assinine)
The original articles contains some weird statements (vague and unsubstantiated) like:
...and then distributed them through illicit computer networks that specialize in piracy, the Justice Department said
Those illicit computer networks are not named (was it to protect the innocent?) but later Kazaaaaa is mentioned.
Salisbury, who faces up to 17 years in prison, could not be reached for comment.
Clearly, if you ware facing 17 (seventeen years!!!) of jailtime for taping bewitched in a movie theater, you probably would not want to comment.
17 years sound really harsh, and I'm sure the prosecution will want to make an example of the very first case sought under the new law. So I'm betting he's not going to get an easy way out on this one!
Ouch! ¶ 10:43 AM 0 comments
What in the World?
Well, one day you get a rant about DRM, the next, it's a math geek post. And now this:
http://www.dibbickschmibbick.com
Mainly because I do not want to have to type this url ever. And one that I probably will revisit from time to time (or ignore, who knows) Schmibbick to you too/ ¶ 10:27 AM 0 comments
Well, one day you get a rant about DRM, the next, it's a math geek post. And now this:
http://www.dibbickschmibbick.com
Mainly because I do not want to have to type this url ever. And one that I probably will revisit from time to time (or ignore, who knows) Schmibbick to you too/ ¶ 10:27 AM 0 comments
Thursday, August 04, 2005
Some Math for your Entertainment/Torture
Four color theorem
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four-color_theorem
Pseudomathematics
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pseudomathematics
Fibonacci number
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fibonacci_sequence
Twin prime conjecture
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twin_prime_conjecture
Goldbach's conjecture
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goldbach%27s_conjecture
Aesthetics of the Prime Sequence
http://www.2357.a-tu.net/index.php?link=Primality
Proof that the sum of the reciprocals of the primes diverges
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proof_that_the_sum_of_the_reciprocals_of_the_primes_diverges
Recurring decimal
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recurring_decimal
Prime number
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prime_number ¶ 4:17 PM 0 comments
Four color theorem
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four-color_theorem
Pseudomathematics
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pseudomathematics
Fibonacci number
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fibonacci_sequence
Twin prime conjecture
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twin_prime_conjecture
Goldbach's conjecture
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goldbach%27s_conjecture
Aesthetics of the Prime Sequence
http://www.2357.a-tu.net/index.php?link=Primality
Proof that the sum of the reciprocals of the primes diverges
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proof_that_the_sum_of_the_reciprocals_of_the_primes_diverges
Recurring decimal
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recurring_decimal
Prime number
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prime_number ¶ 4:17 PM 0 comments
Wednesday, August 03, 2005
Dumbfounded
Yep, currently working on a small (crappy) asp.net project of my own and as usual, it's behaving 98% like I would expect. Except for those pesky dynamic checkboxes. Drats.
I hope this will help.
http://aspalliance.com/articleViewer.aspx?aId=134&pId=
Update: it turns out I'm an idiot. ASP.NET behaves exactly as it should. I just needed to make sure the values were actually set at the right moment. Duh! ¶ 4:45 PM 0 comments
Yep, currently working on a small (crappy) asp.net project of my own and as usual, it's behaving 98% like I would expect. Except for those pesky dynamic checkboxes. Drats.
I hope this will help.
http://aspalliance.com/articleViewer.aspx?aId=134&pId=
Update: it turns out I'm an idiot. ASP.NET behaves exactly as it should. I just needed to make sure the values were actually set at the right moment. Duh! ¶ 4:45 PM 0 comments
Well, it turns out that Bumble Bees can fly
Is it Tuna or is it Chicken? Oops. Sorry.
http://www.twis.org/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?board=Life_sci;action=display;num=1025055940 ¶ 4:43 PM 0 comments
Is it Tuna or is it Chicken? Oops. Sorry.
http://www.twis.org/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?board=Life_sci;action=display;num=1025055940 ¶ 4:43 PM 0 comments
I just about fell.
But I was sitting down at the time. Apple finally release a mouse with more than one button. And as my friends at PCWorld say:
I love my Mac but I truly hate the one buttonned suppository shaped pointing device it came with. Wait, mine did not have one, it's an iBook. The iMac did though. And after being corrupted by the dark force of the right mouse button for so long (and Window too) I could never get past the iDiot design. Especially since MacOsX has supported right click everything for a while now. (like what? 10 years?)
This does not mean I'm going to rush and buy and Apple mouse though. It still looks like an oblong thing to be used internally (and inserted from the wrong end). Hurray for more buttons. Boo for the shape.
Next time, buy a Logitec mouse, spray paint it white with the Krylon stuff and put an apple sticker on it. ¶ 8:43 AM 0 comments
But I was sitting down at the time. Apple finally release a mouse with more than one button. And as my friends at PCWorld say:
"Pigs must be flying, because Apple has finally released a mouse with more than one button."
I love my Mac but I truly hate the one buttonned suppository shaped pointing device it came with. Wait, mine did not have one, it's an iBook. The iMac did though. And after being corrupted by the dark force of the right mouse button for so long (and Window too) I could never get past the iDiot design. Especially since MacOsX has supported right click everything for a while now. (like what? 10 years?)
This does not mean I'm going to rush and buy and Apple mouse though. It still looks like an oblong thing to be used internally (and inserted from the wrong end). Hurray for more buttons. Boo for the shape.
Next time, buy a Logitec mouse, spray paint it white with the Krylon stuff and put an apple sticker on it. ¶ 8:43 AM 0 comments
Tuesday, August 02, 2005
Useful but ugly?
Not really ugly. Just a tad dry on the layout. But the content is good. It helped me axe some stupid services in bloated XP tonight. Who knew that Windows Usermode Driver Framework is just a piece of junk installed by Media Player 10. From the name it sounds so pompous and important, like it's gonna blue screen your computer by just looking at it. Well, no. Can and should be killed.
http://www.theeldergeek.com/a.htm ¶ 10:22 PM 0 comments
Not really ugly. Just a tad dry on the layout. But the content is good. It helped me axe some stupid services in bloated XP tonight. Who knew that Windows Usermode Driver Framework is just a piece of junk installed by Media Player 10. From the name it sounds so pompous and important, like it's gonna blue screen your computer by just looking at it. Well, no. Can and should be killed.
http://www.theeldergeek.com/a.htm ¶ 10:22 PM 0 comments
Gee!
Wow, I agree with that one. What's happening to me?
The Right Analogy for Wireless Signal Spill by John C. Dvorak
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1895,1842378,00.asp ¶ 9:59 AM 0 comments
Wow, I agree with that one. What's happening to me?
The Right Analogy for Wireless Signal Spill by John C. Dvorak
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1895,1842378,00.asp ¶ 9:59 AM 0 comments
The daily FUD fest
Btw, FUD stands for fear, uncertainty and doubt. And btw means by the way.
From who you ask? PCWorld of course!
Is Google Exposing You to Hack Attacks?
http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,122066,00.asp
I guess the answer is yes. Just as the phone book exposes you to burglary. With a little twist when people think: "I'm safe because nobody knows I have my home network wide open on the internet. If anything this use for Google is good because it raises the awareness that security by obscurity is not security at all. In the men time, fear the evil hackers using Google.
Phishers Hack eBay
http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,122065,00.asp
It's not so much FUD as old news. But worth repeating I guess. The article could be a lot clearer though:
Hackers Crack Microsoft's Antipiracy System
http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,122058,00.asp
Catchy headlines but the article does not mention any actual hacks. One is a clever use of a feature of the Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) software. And the other is disabling the WGA altogether in Internet Explorer. All that it remind you is that Microsoft is out to get you. Nobody is trusted. Everyone has to pay. Just as a reminder, Linux is free. Free as in free to use, open, with source code available. You won't get treated like a suspicious thief when you use it.
Copyright Crackdown
http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,121949,pg,1,00.asp
Wow. The Sony protected CDs suck. The protection does not protect anything. It can be worked around and even Sony has a good FAQ on how to do it. The articles plays some ambiguity, but when you read between the lines, you realize the XPC2 protection scheme is useless. And a waste of money. Your money, you bought the CD. ¶ 9:19 AM 0 comments
Btw, FUD stands for fear, uncertainty and doubt. And btw means by the way.
From who you ask? PCWorld of course!
Is Google Exposing You to Hack Attacks?
http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,122066,00.asp
I guess the answer is yes. Just as the phone book exposes you to burglary. With a little twist when people think: "I'm safe because nobody knows I have my home network wide open on the internet. If anything this use for Google is good because it raises the awareness that security by obscurity is not security at all. In the men time, fear the evil hackers using Google.
Phishers Hack eBay
http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,122065,00.asp
It's not so much FUD as old news. But worth repeating I guess. The article could be a lot clearer though:
- Do not ever click on a link you get from an email.
- Do not eve believe that eBay, Paypal, BOA (and hundreds of others) want you to confirm what they already know about you.
Hackers Crack Microsoft's Antipiracy System
http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,122058,00.asp
Catchy headlines but the article does not mention any actual hacks. One is a clever use of a feature of the Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) software. And the other is disabling the WGA altogether in Internet Explorer. All that it remind you is that Microsoft is out to get you. Nobody is trusted. Everyone has to pay. Just as a reminder, Linux is free. Free as in free to use, open, with source code available. You won't get treated like a suspicious thief when you use it.
Copyright Crackdown
http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,121949,pg,1,00.asp
Wow. The Sony protected CDs suck. The protection does not protect anything. It can be worked around and even Sony has a good FAQ on how to do it. The articles plays some ambiguity, but when you read between the lines, you realize the XPC2 protection scheme is useless. And a waste of money. Your money, you bought the CD. ¶ 9:19 AM 0 comments
Monday, August 01, 2005
From bad to worse
http://www.engadget.com/entry/1234000813052303/
This has to be the worst idea of DRM ever. Watermarking all files with the user's own personal info? Are you kidding? I value my privacy.
First, consumers are clueless. They're not gonna know their name and address are burned in the file. They're not gonna know what kind of consequence is out for sharing. What about teens and kids, should they have to disclose their private info? (I know but somebody think of the children!)
Second, with the current security record of windows, worms, viruses exploits and clueless users will make that kind of private information theft even easier.
Third, this does not address the overwhelming amount of content that is not DRM'zd. Like say, CDs, tapes, (easily decripted) DVDs. It is those that end up on file sharing networks, not the hacked out iTunes or Napster copy.
And finally, with the much greater ease of information distribution (you know, that Internet thing - gotta try that sometimes) people see less and less value in intellectual property like copyrighted content. "I can watch it on TV, record it on my VCR, Rent it as a DVD, buy it on a CD, listen to it on the Radio, but downloading it from the internet is illegal." That really makes not sense.
Wee need copyright laws overhauling. It's not going to happen.
Thank you for reading my own rant! ¶ 9:27 AM 0 comments
http://www.engadget.com/entry/1234000813052303/
This has to be the worst idea of DRM ever. Watermarking all files with the user's own personal info? Are you kidding? I value my privacy.
First, consumers are clueless. They're not gonna know their name and address are burned in the file. They're not gonna know what kind of consequence is out for sharing. What about teens and kids, should they have to disclose their private info? (I know but somebody think of the children!)
Second, with the current security record of windows, worms, viruses exploits and clueless users will make that kind of private information theft even easier.
Third, this does not address the overwhelming amount of content that is not DRM'zd. Like say, CDs, tapes, (easily decripted) DVDs. It is those that end up on file sharing networks, not the hacked out iTunes or Napster copy.
And finally, with the much greater ease of information distribution (you know, that Internet thing - gotta try that sometimes) people see less and less value in intellectual property like copyrighted content. "I can watch it on TV, record it on my VCR, Rent it as a DVD, buy it on a CD, listen to it on the Radio, but downloading it from the internet is illegal." That really makes not sense.
Wee need copyright laws overhauling. It's not going to happen.
Thank you for reading my own rant! ¶ 9:27 AM 0 comments
