Nite Ramblings

Haiku for Steve Jobs

2011-10-07T05:03:00.001-05:00

Steve Jobs died today.
"Think different" was his motto.
He achieved great things.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

The Apple iPad and Embedded Computing in the Cloud

2010-01-30T00:23:00.004-06:00

We should have seen it coming, really. We have already imagined it in science fiction. People in the Star Trek universe or the Babylon 5 universe (or any of them really) never sat down and used desktop computers. Capt. Picard had a display on his desk but it was mostly used for communications.

I'm talking about the end of the desktop computer as we know it. I'm talking about the end of file systems that are a hierarchical system of folders and files that the user has to wade through. Spock and McCoy carried tricorders that served specific functions. The multi-purpose computer doesn't exist in the future (as we've envisioned it).

What does this have to do with the iPad Apple announced this week? As shown, it had no use for a file system, much the same way the iPod Touch and iPhone have lived without a file system. Documents are created and managed via the apps that are used rather than through a Finder-like app. While this is somewhat limiting, it (I believe) is the direction that things are headed. The only people that care about full-desktop computers will be programmers who write the code for these embedded devices.

Embedded devices also work better with cloud computing. Dragon Dictation for the iPhone records your voice, uploads to a server which then sends back the spoken text for you to use. I believe we'll see more of these kinds of "service" apps on the iPad. I'm not even sure that digital artists and video editors will need a Mac anymore. It all depends on the app support, really.

We'll just have to wait and see what happens. But for now, it looks like computing may head in a new direction.

Give Me Lyrics Or Give Me Death!

2010-01-11T03:36:00.001-06:00

Remember when the iTunes store started adding album art you could add to your tracks even if you didn't buy them on iTunes? ITunes needs to do that with lyrics. I'm so sick of this whole mess of trying to get lyrics into my tracks. Why doesn't the music industry provide them when you buy the tracks in the first place?

Discuss.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:At home

Avatar: Not Just Any Old Movie

2009-12-21T00:18:00.003-06:00

I remember going to the midnight showing of Jurassic Park back in 1993. As a fan of sci-fi in general, and sci-fi movies, I had a pretty good idea of what special effects were capable of. There's a scene in Jurassic Park with Sam Neill and the two children winding up in the middle of the stampede of dinosaurs. They take shelter on the near side of a fallen log and the stampede jumping over the log are coming down in the foreground. It was a composite shot unlike any I had ever seen before, and I sat there slack-jawed thinking, "they can't do that." Previously, most sci-fi monster movies resorted to having the actors in the foreground and animated monster in the background. Or split screen effect with the actors on one side, and the monster on the other. We'd finally come far enough with technology that composite shots like the one I saw were possible. I knew then the moviemaking would take a whole new direction.

Tonight, I saw moviemaking reached a new level. I went with my friend John to see Avatar at the eight o'clock show in IMAX 3-D. After the movie, as the crowd was clearing out, neither one of us could say word. We just sat there in astonishment. James Cameron has achieved a masterpiece. And I know that sounds trite, but only because the word "masterpiece" is insufficient to describe it. He has proven that it's now possible to show anything on screen that you can imagine.

James Cameron has created a world, not just some animated 3-D characters, or 3-D backgrounds. You fully believe this is a real world, populated by real people. There are real animals lurking behind every bush, and every thing you see on screen is alive.

Having seen it in IMAX 3-D, I heartily recommend that you don't see it any other way. If you opt for the cheaper tickets you're cheating yourself. Thankfully, Cameron had more sense than to waive the 3-D in our faces with gratuitous scenes of objects coming at you out of the screen. And because he doesn't, you naturally fall in step with the 3-D. It looks so normal, the way you experience ordinary reality. It is this understated use of the technology that makes it believable.

I can't say this strongly enough: Go See Avatar!

First Impressions: MacSpeech Dictate

2009-12-12T01:19:00.004-06:00

I got an early Christmas present this year, a copy of MacSpeech Dictate. I've been using the speech recognition provided by Apple with the Macintosh for years. Since Snow Leopard came out the speech recognition engine in MacOS X has been less than functional. I had wanted a copy of MacSpeech Dictate for quite some time. One of the main reasons that I thought it would be interesting to play with is that besides being able to dictate articles (like this one), I knew that the program was extensible using AppleScript.

I've already ported over two of my scripts to MacSpeech and they seem to be working fine. So far my only disappointment is that MacSpeech doesn't allow interaction verbally --- in other words the program will not query you beyond performing the action that this script allows. Using the built-in speech recognition provided by Apple, I was able to build scripts I could interact with by providing a list of possible phrases that I could give in response to particular question. However the ability to dictate far outweighs that lack of functionality.

Since the quality of speech recognition is entirely dependent on the input source MacSpeech smartly includes a noise canceling microphone with the software. (Star Trek fans will appreciate this -- as I was dictating this I flashed on the picture of Gary Seven dictating to his typewriter!) Personally I'm not a big fan of headset microphones especially those that cover only one ear since they're not any good to listen to music with so your single headphone is basically useless. I tried using the microphone built into my WebCam, but in calibrating the microphone MacSpeech had to wind up upping the gain all way to maximum and even then I still had to talk very loud to be understood. I may search for a desktop microphone of sufficient quality so that I don't have to wear the headset.

Since installing the software my Bluetooth keyboard sits mostly unused. A true testament to how usable MacSpeech is. The amount of training I had to do with the software was very short, in fact it stopped me before I was finished. The quality level of the resulting text is truly amazing. As I get more comfortable with the system, I am producing less and less mistakes that need to be corrected.

So far I'm very impressed. And very happy with the software. I would definitely recommend it to someone who's in the market for dictation software --- especially since I think it's the only one available for the Macintosh!

Beyond the rim of starlight...

2009-11-13T12:59:00.001-06:00

The U.S.S. Enterprise sails though the stars once more! Finished the model last night, and I'm happy with the results. Given all the mishaps during the building process, it turned out rather well. See what you think.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Recovering from disaster (again)

2009-11-11T00:47:00.001-06:00

After the last mishap, breaking the fuselage, was fixed, I managed to screw up again! Not having applied decals in a while, I managed to rip the ones on the fuselage pretty badly. I thought I would just live with it but decided I couldn't.
So I tried removing them so I could use the stickers in the kit. But the decals were dry and weren't going anywhere. Finally I gave in and painted over them.
Then I realized I had used the wrong set of decals in the first place!

So here is the starboard side with the correct decals gently applied. Oo-rah!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Damage (And Disaster) Avverted!

2009-11-03T03:03:00.000-06:00

As you can see, I was able to keep the broken fuselage from ruining the model. Model Master Light Gray was able to hide the seam where I repaired the break.

All that remains is applying the decals, a clear coat, and mounting on the base.

I have the Klingon ship to work on next. Of course it doesn't use any of the same paint colors!!
-- Posted from my iPhone

Painting And More Painting

2009-10-31T00:38:00.001-05:00

Mostly just painting all the pieces the last two evenings. Useful items at this stage include hobby knife, tape (for masking areas off) Q-tips, tweezers, sandpaper (I use an emory board). Cups or dishes to mix paint come in handy. I like to use one for thinner, so I keep my bottle clean.

-- Posted from my iPhone

Day 1 - The Saucer Section

2009-10-28T00:19:00.005-05:00

OK, I got started on the model building tonight. First thing, I had to go back to Hobby Lobby, since the paint list was not listed on the box, but on the instructions. Here's the list:

I gathered the paints, and realized that they were pushing $20, and that before I bought a brush. So instead I went with a generic set of paints, realizing I can always mix my own colors if I need to. Also, the $12.99 paint set included a brush and thinner. Beyond that I bought the metallic copper paint and the metallic red.

Here's the two halves of the saucer section. At this point, I've only attached lower clear dome and the upper ridge that leads back to the sublight engines:

Here's a close-up of the lower saucer. For a Snap-Tite model, it's fairly well detailed and accurate. My only quibble is (you can't see this) the lower saucer has the Paramount copyright information in ridged lettering. I'll have to sand it off.

Having done models of the Enterprise before, I know that the worst part of getting the saucer done is getting the halves to sit down flush with one another. To that end, I used a gadget that keeps computer cabling together that clamps onto the edge of a desk to clamp the most difficult part of the saucer together while it dries.

One point to note. The upper dome is clear also, but (stupidly) they opted to make the entire bridge section clear, meaning that you have to paint the lower section (without messing up the clear dome). I hate stupid moves like that, but what can you do? I did the best I could, going back to trim paint from the edges of the dome with my hobby knife until it looked (mostly) circular. Also, I think the bridge gray was a bit dark, but I've decided to live with it. For the running lights, I did the red one with a red marker and the green with green enamel diluted with thinner. This way they're still mostly clear.

The Final Frontier

2009-10-27T02:45:00.008-05:00

Of late I'm not so into programming. Not sure why this is so, but rather than drive myself crazy trying to code something I'm not into, I've decided to do some other things. For example, I recently bought a small MIDI controller keyboard to play with Garageband. Nothing worth sharing yet, but you never know.

Another thing that I've "resurrected" from my past is model-building. I used to really enjoy that when I was a kid and teenager. Here's an example of a previous endeavor, the Spirit of St. Louis:

So today while at Hobby Lobby for some lights for my pumpkin, I checked out their model section and was surprised to find kits of the U.S.S. Enterprise from the original Star Trek series. On further inspection, I realized that the kit could be used to construct several different versions of the ship, including the ship from the first pilot "The Menangerie," the second pilot "Where No Man Has Gone Before," and the one used for the rest of the series. Parts and decals are included to also create the I.S.S. Enterprise from the mirror universe in "Mirror, Mirror." They also included decals for the U.S.S. Constitution, U.S.S. Exeter, and the U.S.S. Defiant. So with one kit you can actually make seven different versions of the ship!

Here's the box detail:

Here's some detail from the instructions illustrating the different versions of the ship:

And here's all the parts. They included stickers and decals, so little kids who aren't good at decals and use the stickers
.

I'll try to use my camera to track my progress building the model and post updates here as I go.

A Shameful Display

2009-09-09T22:38:00.000-05:00

Tonight, while watching the President's address to the joint session of Congress, I heard something I've never ever heard before. The President of the United States was called a liar from the floor of the House of Representatives.

Republican Representative Joe Wilson of South Carolina shouted, "You lie!" as the President stressed that his proposed health plan would not cover illegal aliens.

I have never seen anyone interrupt any President while speaking to Congress, much less do so so rudely. While Rep. Wilson apologized soon after, this incident demonstrates how far away this country has gotten from civil discourse.

Unlike Craig Ferguson, I feel it is not a "good day for America."

-- Posted from my iPhone

Trying Out BlogPress

2009-08-24T00:33:00.001-05:00

I'm trying out an iPhone app called BlogPress. This is my first post with it. I am getting better at typing with the iPhone keyboard. So far I like being able to post from the iPhone. We will see how often I do so.

-- Post From My iPhone

iPhone Wins Another Convert

2009-08-22T01:29:00.007-05:00

Folks that read this blog (both of you) know that I'm pretty much an Apple fanboy. Though I've been known to criticize them for stupid moves, I love their gadgets. I've owned Apple computers since my Apple //e back in the mid-80's, owned my first Mac in the early 90's and even owned a Newton (the handwriting recognition rocked, I don't care what you've heard). So it shouldn't surprise anyone to know that I've been drooling over the iPhone for the last 3 years.

Monday I finally gave into my geeky gadget lust. The story of that purchase is the stuff of another post. Suffice it to say it wasn't the easiest purchase I've ever made.

So I bought an iPhone 3GS, 16gb model, and after a week of using it, I have to say, I LOVE IT. This thing is everything the Newton was and more. The sheer volume of applications, many of them free, is astounding. The speed of loading web pages seems the same whether it's via 3G or Wi-Fi. The voice control works. It's a great iPod. It's a cool machine.

How to Buy an iPhone - The Hard Way

2009-08-18T13:19:00.004-05:00

OK, so I get this check from the government (stimulus money) and decide that I'm going to finally get an iPhone. How hard can that be, right? Harder than you might think.

First, I tried to buy one on Apple's site, but at the point where I chose a billing plan, the system said it couldn't process my request. OK, it's 3am, so maybe they're processing billing or something, right?

Next morning, I try again. Now it tells me that I have to pay $150 deposit (no credit history) and could I please come into the store to do that. Now, I live in Independence, MO, about 25 miles outside of Kansas City, and that means I have to drive all the way into town to the Apple Store.

Next, I know that Walmart is carrying the iPhone also, so I head to their website. They ask for my zip code to test for availability and then tell me that I can't use one in my zip code! What?!

Finally, I think, "There's an AT&T store over here across from the mall, I'll just go over there."

Turns out, they've got 4 people waiting before me, oh and by the way they only have the 32GB model ($100 more), "is that ok?" Well, I decide it's NOT ok, I'm on a limited budget. So I go back to the car. I'm sitting there and realize there's a Best Buy and they're carrying the iPhone, too, I've heard. So I go in there.

Best Buy's cell phone dept. has a nice young geek (not being mean, I'm a geek too), no business, so I plunk myself down in a chair and ask him if he's got any 16GB iPhones. He looks, says that he does, but all he has is black. Perfect, I tell him (I wouldn't be caught dead with white). He writes it up, is pleasant, and has me out of there in 20 minutes after activating the phone and making a point of telling me that I get 20% off iPhone stuff if I buy it with the phone, so I buy a slipcover and a new mic/earphone set for my dad's iPod Touch. In all, he spirits 277 bucks out of my wallet plus the $150 deposit. Good salesman. Brian Maupin @ the Independence Best Buy. If you're out that way, do yourself a favor and see him.

I've never been a huge fan of Best Buy (or Circuit City, when it was a real brick & mortar store) because they have a tendency to be high when it comes to hardware (compared to internet stores). But in this case, I needed someone who knew what he was doing and could sell it to me, and Brian was able to do that. Lately, I've wound up @ Best Buy more and more often. I think their people are stressing customer service more than most businesses, and unless that changes, I'll be shopping there.

Snow Leopard Upgrade Pre-Sale for Recent Buyers

2009-08-05T04:31:00.003-05:00

Last week's big news was that Amazon.com was already taking pre-orders for Mac OS X 10.6, codenamed "Snow Leopard." In looking through the Apple site, I stumbled on some information I thought others might want to know.

Basically, if you bought/buy a Mac between June 8 2009 and December 26 2009, you're eligible for an upgrade to Snow Leopard for only $9.95. I ordered it for my new Mac mini, and wanted to alert any other new Mac purchasers that you can get Snow Leopard for 1/3 the price it will sell for.

I kind of hoped they had a program in place for new buyers, since they've often done this in the past. So I will get shipped a copy when they start shipping in September! :)

Olbermann Calls Out Folks In Congress Paid By Health Care Industry

2009-08-04T00:46:00.004-05:00

Jaw-dropping. Last nite's "Special Comment" from Keith Olbermann, in which he calls out, by name, Republicans and Blue Dog Democrats who have accepted campaign contributions from heath industry interests. Amazing. Must-See TV!

New Mac Mini!!!

2009-08-01T03:36:00.005-05:00

OK, I've posted here as I change (read "upgrade") to newer Macs. This is the icing on the cake, though. New Mac Mini. Say it to yourself 3 times, slowly, sensuously. 2.0 ghz Core 2 Duo. 5 USB ports (I know!). Firewire 800. Superdrive. Mini DVI and Mini Display ports. All in a 2 inch x 6.5 inch x 6.5 inch box of love. Ooooooh.

Hate me yet? That's OK. I have the Mini, and you have your hate. Which of us is better off?

Seriously, this is one fine Mac. It's smaller than the original Mac, smaller than the G4 Cube. Whisper quiet (which I appreciate SO much after the wind tunnel that was the PM G4 MDD). I named this Mac Uniblab, after the robot on the Jetsons. My error sound is Uniblab saying "Back to work, back to work. Everyone work work work."

I really love the new iPhoto, with the face recognition. It's not perfect, but it does a good job of guessing who someone is. Bought iWork too, and an extra GB of memory, so the thing runs like the dickens. I really am happy with it and expect it will last me a good 5-10 years. Then I'll get whatever is hot then!

Bing can't defend it's makers!?

2009-06-11T14:35:00.003-05:00

Microsoft's new "decision engine," Bing, apparently hasn't drunk the Kool-Aid. If you ask it, "which is better pc or mac?" you'll get mostly responses that say the Mac is better. I tried switching the search terms to see if order was important, and got mostly the same output.

If you want to have some fun, ask it "is steve ballmer an idiot?" You'll be surprised at the responses!

Current Ralink Driver Solves PowerMac G4 Kernel Panics

2009-05-22T04:07:00.003-05:00

I have two PowerMac G4's in our house, both dual 1ghz machines that work well. But finding a decent 802.11g wireless adapter has been challenging. I've bought two different ones, a Belkin MIMO USB wireless G+ adapter and an Addlogix MA-WL USB adapter. Both were advertised as Mac compatible, came with their own install disks, and both drivers caused kernel panics in both Macs. What to do?

Doing some research, I realized that both adapters use the Ralink chipset. After some trial and error, I found that this driver works for both of the adapters and stopped the kernel panics. Be sure to uninstall the driver that came with the adapter(s) before installing this new version.

Why Apple Might Be Screwed (or Why Psystar May Have A Case)

2009-03-22T16:24:00.003-05:00

Anyone who knows me (or this blog) knows I'm a "dyed-in-the-wool" Apple fan. Yes, I drank the Kool-Aid, it didn't kill me, and I actually LIKE grape Kool-Aid.

That being said, I've been thinking on the Psystar v. Apple case and wonder if they might not have a real case. Yes, I realize that Apple doesn't sell hardware without an OS, that they sell "systems" of hardware combined with the OS to "make it go." But they DO sell the OS by itself, without any hardware.

But...does anyone remember back in the 90's when Microsoft released Windows 98? And they said that they Internet Explorer browser was "part of the OS" and couldn't be removed without damaging the OS? There were legal challenges both here and in Europe. Microsoft was forced to open it's API to third party developers.

And recently, in Europe, Microsoft was forced to provide Windows without bundling Windows Media Player.

So, Apple's "bundled system" argument may not fly, the EULA not withstanding. I've always thought that, as users, we should try to break the EULA stranglehold anyway. Once I buy an OS or other piece of software, what business is it of the manufacturer what I do with it? As long as I know that I'm using it in an unapproved way, and don't sue them if it destroys my system or data, who cares?

I'm anxious for the real arguments to begin in the case, and settle this once and for all.

Battlestar Galactica

2009-03-20T22:22:00.003-05:00

Just finished watching the series finale of "Battlestar Galactica" and I have to say, "Fantastic!" No, wait, that should be, "Fan-frakin'-tastic!" It summed up all the plot points (I didn't think they could), was faithful to the characters, and echoed the best part of the original series. All in all, it was a very satisfying finish to the best science fiction show ever put on the air.

--SPOILER ALERT--

That being said, here's my favorite parts of the final show:

We got to see some original Cylons from the first series mixed in with the new ones.
They stayed faithful to the death and resurrection of Starbuck.
They tied modern religion into the story, which sci-fi often forgets (often on purpose).
It explained the Number Six that Baltar kept seeing.
Brother Cavill killed himself (YAY!).
Laura died peacefully.
Tori finally paid for what she did to Calley.
The Opera House dream finally made sense.

And if you pay attention, there's a scene at the very end with Ronald Moore reading a magazine. Very well done on everyone's part. "So say we all!"

Leopard Has Some Sharp Claws!

2009-02-05T04:03:00.004-06:00

Though I never posted anything when it happened, I've stepped up to a new (to me) PowerMac G4 with dual 1ghz processors. It's orders of magnitude faster than my old 466mhz PM, and today I brought the new machine into the 21st century with a copy of Mac OS X Leopard.

First impressions are that Leopard is very snazzy and has a lot of features that I have wished for (including Time Machine and Spaces). Only one glitch, which was that Leopard's version of Mail choked on my old Mail settings and it looked like all my emails were gone. I had to remove all the non-folder items from ~/Library/Mail and then re-launch Mail and it suddenly figured things out and rebuilt all the mbox files. Since I had some pretty elaborate mail rules, I saved that file on the desktop and then put it back into the Mail folder. After re-opening Mail my rules were all back, safe and sound!
How cool is Time Machine? Once it does a full backup, it continues to do hourly backups as you work. And the interface for TM is outrageously cool.

I also have to say that the whole system seems more responsive, even with a TM backup running. Windows zip into place when you switch desktops with Spaces, the Dock doesn't seem to lag like it did in Tiger when something was going on in the background. And the design of all the windows is finally consistent! Hallelujah!

All around I'd say that what I spent on Leopard was worth it.

Hurry! 3rd Gen iPod Nanos at the Apple Store! Cheap!

2008-11-25T17:08:00.001-06:00

I got an early Christmas present this week. The Apple Store is currently showing refurbished 3rd generation iPod Nanos for $79 (4 GB) and $99 (8 GB). The unit I bought was shipped from China via Fed Ex and arrived within 2 days. The unit is pristine, clean and, well, gorgeous.

My previous Nano was a 2GB 1st gen. version, and I've enjoyed it for the last 2 years. It, too, came refurbed from the Apple Store and I paid $99 for it then, about 1/2 the price of a new one. I highly recommend those on a budget shop the Apple Store's refurbished items, they're covered with a warrantly and work every bit as well as the brand-shiny-new ones.

A New Beginning For America

2008-11-04T22:27:00.000-06:00

As I write this, Senator John McCain is concluding his concession speech. Having gone to the polls at 6 AM today and standing in line for 30 minutes, I am proud to be able to say that I took part in electing Senator Barak Obama the new President of the United States. Watching the crowds of young people celebrating on television, I was struck with their engagement and participation in this historic process.

Forty-five years ago the Reverend King had a dream - today it became a reality. As a baby boomer myself, there was almost something surreal about standing in the line at the polls, iPod in hand, listening to the Grateful Dead as I prepared to vote for Barak Obama. It seems that despite the cynicism of the Bush years, we have, in fact, changed the world, just as we always said we would.

There are times in history when all the right things come together, and Mr. Obama's candidacy at a time when we were, as a nation, hungry for change was a perfect alignment of circumstance, desire, and the right man for the job. Today the world sees what we have always known in our hearts: That we are able to live up to the grand words and ideas that this country was founded upon. We are not just blowhards who mouth the words of democracy only when it suits our purpose; we believe, and we act on that belief.

At a time when I was beginning to feel ashamed of what America had become there comes this, a shining moment of clarity that says more loudly than any one of us could, "Be proud, stand tall. You are an American."

The President-Elect has a tall job ahead of him. But I know for sure he can count on our help. We just proved it.

Flashing The Firmware On A Pioneer Optical Drive

2008-09-29T02:45:00.000-05:00

Recently my new (within a year old) Pioneer DVD burner stopped erasing my DVD-RW disks. It would appear to erase them, but when the disk was re-inserted in the drive it still had the same content. And occasionally I would get the
message, "The device failed to calibrate the laser power level for this media."

In researching this, I found that there was a newer firmware than the original Apple firmware it came with. The problem was that the firmware was contained in an EXE file and Pioneer didn't bother to include any installers for the Mac. In searching I found that the EXE file could be opened and the firmware files found using Stuffit Expander. That got me the firmware files, now what?

OK, there's a flashing program that has existed for some time. The program is a terminal command called "DVRFlash." The usage of this program got me nowhere, since it refused to clobber the Apple OEM firmware. But by looking further, at the bottom of the DVRFlash webpage there is DVRFlashX, a GUI for OS X. This program was able to easily flash the firmware.

After a reboot, my Pioneer DVR-109 was upgraded to firmware version 1.58! Not only that, I could erase my RW disks again! Yeah!

If you have problems with your optical drive, this is one method you might try, assuming that there is a firmware update for your drive.

Motherboard Upgrade from Hell

2008-09-25T01:24:00.000-05:00

Recently my friend Walt and I found a deal at Geeks.com on a motherboard. They had a deal on a refurbished Intel mobo with a 1.4 ghz Celeron. It also included 4 USB ports and on-board video and audio. Ready for the kicker? $39.99.

Now Walt has an old(er) IBM Aptiva 2174 with an Athlon running at 550 mhz. And because Walt worked for IBM for a good number of years, talking him out of that Aptiva was, well, impossible. I know. I've tried. But the fact that this was almost 2.5x faster than the original Aptiva finally persuaded him to jump.

Enter the new mobo. After waiting for almost 10 days it finally arrived. So I backed up his user files for both Kubuntu and Windows 98SE (see my previous post) and started tearing down the Aptiva. Unfortunately, I didn't think to take any pictures of the installation. Needless to say, both the old and new mobo's were ATX form-factor.

In theory it was a simple matter of just removing all the cables and cards, moving the power supply out, and screwing in the new mobo. But as I've always said, "Everything works... in theory." In practice, not so much.

First, the floppy drive had been having problems reading disks and was making a horrible noise when it tried. It was OEM, so I figured it was just dead after 8 years. So while I had the top off, I decided to pull it too, to be replaced later.

Long story short (too late), I couldn't get the new mobo to fire up. Occasionally I could get an LED on the board to glow, but that was it. Finally, I went and looked up the problem in the 'net and found out that vintage mobo's sometimes need to have a floppy drive and 1 mb of memory before they'll boot up. So I put the drive back. Nothing. Then I tried putting Walt's original mobo back. Still nothing.

OK, at this point I'm freaking, thinking, "DAMN! I not only can't get this new board to work, but now I've fucked up his original board also! Now what do I do?" I gave up for a while at Walt's insistence and went to get some tacos. Ate the tacos, still brooding. What went wrong?

Finally, Walt asked what (at the time) seemed a lame question, "Are you sure it's plugged in good?" Now my place has terrible outlets, often times the vacuum plug will just fall out of the wall socket, but the socket near the dining room table was (I thought) OK. So I had, at this point, put the new mobo back in the Aptiva just before I gave up.

Sure enough, the plug was loose. I re-seated it after bending the prongs tighter and guess what? Yep, the new board fired up perfectly. Case closed.

The final thought here is this: Even geeks like me need help from normal people sometimes. My partner Pete always used to ask those sorts of "obvious" questions and often I would be dismissive. But after a while I learned (after some of his silly questions turned out not to be so silly) to listen and take his ideas seriously. In this case, Walt did the same thing. And now he's enjoying a better computer because he asked a silly question. Word.

Seti@Home Needs You

2008-08-26T03:10:00.000-05:00

I was one of the first folks that jumped on the Seti@home bandwagon many years ago. Since then, I've moved, changed computers (and operating systems) several times. I even lost my original account and had to create a new one. But I've always found time on my computer to throw them a few cycles.

Today, I cruised over to IUseThis to check my list of used apps. I was horrified to see that 11,639 users are listed for Adium, a Macintosh-only chat program, and only 116 for BOINC, the Berkeley Open Infrastructure for Network Computing, the core component of Seti@home. With it, you can run more than Seti, you can contribute cycles to FightAIDS@home, Einstein@home, and other projects.

Now, call me crazy ("OK, you're crazy!"), but it's ridiculous that we can all find the time to chat, but we can't volunteer a few processor cycles to a good cause. And right now Seti needs all the support it can get, as Congress tries to cut the funding for the Arecibo telescope, the main source of raw data for the Seti project.

If that makes you feel a bit bad, then good. Here's how you get rid of that feeling: Hop on over to Berkeley's site and get started doing something that might change the world. Like Steve Jobs once said to John Scully, "Do you want to sell sugared water for the rest of your life or do you want to change the world?" Your choice.

A Real Loss

2008-08-14T23:14:00.003-05:00

Those that have read my post in my other blog, Messages from Krypton, know that last month I lost my partner of 12 years, Pete. I've not posted here since before he passed away, but thought I should try to put something up here.

Pete was my best friend, lover, critic, sounding board, and beyond that, the reason I got out of bed every day. Literally. I've never been "bright eyed and bushy tailed" in the morning. Pete used to bring my first cup of coffee every day to help me peel my eyes open.

Now, this blog is mostly about technology and politics, not my personal feelings; that's why I have the other blog. But Pete was such a huge part of my life that I can't NOT acknowledge his passing here.

I'm still in the "numb with shock" phase of grief. I keep hoping I'll wake up and this will all be a bad dream. But every day that goes by I become more sure that he isn't coming back.

I've often said, since my first partner died, that, "the last words you say to someone could really be the last words you say to someone." Never has this been more true than my last interaction with Pete.

After making him some soup to drink/slurp (he'd just had oral surgery), he said to me, "You take good care of me. I love you." I hugged him and said, "I love you, too." The next day he was gone.

Folks, be kind to one another. We're all here for too short a time and we only get our family and friends for what amounts to the blink of an eye. And then they're gone.

Great NASA Pictures

2008-06-10T08:47:00.000-05:00

Here's a slide show I created from some of the best pictures of missions to the International Space Station. I've included some great shots of the Soyuz docking and some of the installation of the robot arm. For fun, I've set it to the "Blue Danube Waltz" like the space station scene in "2001: A Space Oddysey." Enjoy!

A Hell of a Mess: Observations by Lee Iacocca

2008-03-14T14:04:00.000-05:00

(I got this in my email today. After a quick check at Snopes.com to see if it was a legitimate article, truly written by Iacocca, I am reprinting it here. Mr. Iacocca has, IMHO, hit the nail squarely on the head.)

So here's where we stand:
We're immersed in a bloody war with no plan for winning and no plan for leaving.
We're running the biggest deficit in the history of the country. We're losing the manufacturing edge to Asia , while our once-great companies are getting slaughtered by health care costs.

Nafta and Gat have destroyed the manufacturing base and we are dependent on foreigners for our most basic needs. Our $30.00 per hour jobs have been replaced with $8.00 per hour jobs.
Gas prices are skyrocketing, and nobody in power has a coherent energy policy. Our schools are in trouble. Some public schools have a 90% failed rate. Over all America is number 27 in worlds education.

Our borders are like sieves. We have over twenty million illegal aliens draining the public treasury. We are running out of fresh water and our government services are overwhelmed. The middle class is being squeezed every which way.
These are times that cry out for leadership. But when you look around, you've got to ask: "Where have all the leaders gone?" Where are the curious, creative communicators? Where are the people of character, courage, conviction, competence, and common sense?

I may be a sucker for alliteration, but I think you get the point.
Name me a leader who has a better idea for homeland security than making us take off our shoes in airports and throw away our shampoo? We've spent billions of dollars building a huge new bureaucracy, and all we know how to do is react to things that have already happened. We have millions of Muslims that want to kill us and the government wants to search old ladies because they are afraid of profiling.

Name me an industry leader who is thinking creatively about how we can restore our competitive edge in manufacturing. Who would have believed that there could ever be a time when "the Big Three" referred to Japanese car companies?

How did this happen? And more important, what are we going to do about it?

Name me a government leader who can articulate a plan for paying down the debt, or solving the energy crisis, or managing the health care problem. The silence is deafening. But these are the crises that are eating away at our country and milking the middle class dry. I have news for the gang in Congress. We didn't elect you to sit on your butts and do nothing and remain silent while our democracy is being hijacked and our greatness is being replaced with mediocrity.
What is everybody so afraid of? That some bobble head on CNN will call them a name? If CNN was around in world war two we would all be speaking German.

Give me a break. Why don't you guys show some spine for a change? Had enough? Hey, I'm not trying to be the voice of gloom and doom here. I'm trying to light a fire. I'm speaking out because I have hope. I believe in America . In my lifetime I've had the privilege of living through some of America 's greatest moments. I've also experienced some of our worst crises:
The Great Depression, World War II, the Korean War, the Lyndon Johnson years, the Vietnam War, the 1970s oil crisis, and the struggles of recent years culminating with 9/11. If I've learned one thing, it's this: You don't get anywhere by standing on the sidelines waiting for somebody else to take action. Whether it's building a better car or building a better future for our children, we all have a role to play.

That's the challenge I'm raising in this book. It's a call to action for people who, like me, believe in America . It's not too late, but it's getting pretty close. So let's shake off the bull crap and go to work. Let's tell 'em all we've had enough.

Excerpted from "Where Have All the Leaders Gone?".(Copyright) 2007

Olevia V237 HDTV Works with Sony RM-V210 Remote!

2008-02-16T22:31:00.000-06:00

After purchasing an Olevia HDTV at K-Mart recently, I learned from searching the internet that my Comcast remote (and a lot of others for Dish Network, Time-Warner Cable, etc.) don't work with this TV. Apparently it's much newer than the cable boxes/remotes that the satellite and cable companies use.

The other day, though, I found a remote by Sony in Walmart that claimed to work with Olevia TV's, so I bought it (about $12.00, fairly reasonable). Sure enough, it had codes for the Olevia TV and Comcast/Motorola cable box, so I was able to get this remote working as a replacement for my Comcast multi-function remote.

The remote's model number is RM-V210 and it's a 4-device remote. After looking around, I find that Sony's site has this remote listed for $9.99 and Amazon.com has it listed for $7.99.

$100 iTunes Gift Card Giveaway at 50 Leaves!

2007-12-31T16:26:00.000-06:00

If you love shopping at the iTunes store, you'll love this. 50 Leaves is giving away $100 iTunes gift cards to a random visitor who posts a comment (relevant to the content, of course) or links to their site with information about the giveaway.

50 Leaves describes itself as "100% Apple porn" and is run by Kelley Shackleford, who switched to Mac after buying his wife an iMac. He was tired of de-lousing her PC and figured she could use a Mac for her simple needs. Instead, he fell in love with Mac OS X and bought a PowerMac G4 for himself!

If you post a comment at 50 Leaves, please mention that you saw this article!

I'm Mad As Hell, And I'm Not Going To Take It Anymore!

2007-10-11T02:03:00.000-05:00

I've had it. The President's veto of the SCHIP bill is cruel. And the Christian/Conservative Right's attack on a 12 year old and his family, simply for speaking up for the bill, are reprehensible. If you're as mad as I am, I strongly urge you to write to your Senators and Representative, as well as Speaker Pelosi. Below is the text I sent tonight, feel free to use it or write your own. But do take the time to write them - they aren't mind-readers and if you want them to do things your way, you've got to tell them what's on your mind.

As one of your constituents, I strongly urge you to do everything in your power to override the President's veto of the SCHIP program. Not only would I like to see you overturn the SCHIP veto, I would also urge you not to give in to his demands for expanded intelligence-gathering powers.

Like many Americans, I'm tired of Pres. Bush setting the tone and agenda for the country. He has trashed our Constitution enough. In fact, I would take it as a personal favor if you made it a point to not give him ANYTHING he wants. It's time that he realized that you don't work for him, you work for us.

While I realize that Democrats may not be able to raise enough support among Republicans to overturn a Presidential veto, you DO have enough support to blockade any initiative of the President's for as long as it takes to make a point. Please do not "knuckle under" to his pressure.

Thank you for listening.

Sincerely,

I won't give up another right, another freedom. I won't stand idly by as the Right goes after a 12 year old when they chastised Move On for insulting a General (and I'm sorry, he was and still is fair game). And I won't sit still while the President denies health care to kids in order to fund his war in Iraq. That's what he's doing, you know.

You talkin' to me? (Make Your Mac Listen)

2007-09-10T18:07:00.001-05:00

How to setup Speakable Items and also some help when it crashes.

read more | digg story

Want To Run For President?

2007-08-31T01:10:00.001-05:00

In today's Good Morning Silicon Valley newsletter there was a link for the 2008 Presidential Ticket Quiz. After answering the questions asked, this is their analysis of who I would be and who my running mate would be:

You're Pelosi-Bayh!

As Nancy Pelosi, you stand as one of the only true and courageous people that anyone can
name. Despite a haphazard reputation and unexpected rise to power, you could be one of the only
legitimate hopes for your friends. You have been able to tell the truth about what is happening,
and reflect a widely held but somewhat quiet set of beliefs. Recently, you have been bestowed
with great resources by your power company. Your latent love for a military retiree is bound to
get you in trouble.

You select Evan Bayh as your running mate to try to turn Indiana blue for the first time
in 34 years.

Take the 2008 Presidential Ticket Quiz
at the Blue Pyramid.

Appleworks Dead At 23

2007-08-15T22:27:00.000-05:00

News comes today of the death of an old friend, Appleworks. She was just 23, such a tragic loss. I remember well using the original AW on an Apple //c that our local Apple Users Group owned. I was club librarian at the time, responsible for keeping the database (in AW) of all the software disks we had. We also had a "disk of the month" each month and I was repsonsible for using the //c to copy those disks for those that wanted them.

Later, when I traded in my own //e for shiny "Woz edition" IIgs, I bought Appleworks GS and used it extensively in school to write papers, do diagrams, etc. Then when I had my Newton and my iMac, I used Clarisworks again after a brief dalliance with Windows and MS Works.

I now have the last version, AW 6, and I have to admit that it is becoming increasingly irrelevant. I use OpenOffice a lot now because the file formats don't need to be translated for Linux and Windows users like AW's ".cwk" files did.

Good-bye old friend. You've been a constant companion for almost 20 years, and I'll mourn your loss. You were the first office suite, and the best. Certainly the easiest to use!

Appleworks 6 is survived by three children, Pages, Numbers, and Keynote; six grandchildren, iTunes, iMovie, iPhoto, iDVD, GarageBand, and iWeb; and his faithful dogcow, Clarus. Memorial service was held in the Icon Garden at Apple Headquarters. In lieu of flowers, please take a moment to remember Clarus the dogcow. Moof!


A dogcow is what I want to be.

Pictured in dialogs,
Running through the weeds,
In and out of advertisements,
Loving my naughty deeds.

Feeling in black and white.

Over the edge of cliffs,
Out with the tide in the sea.
Living life to the fullest,
Sweet survival in 2 D.

Subscribing/Publishing Your iCal using iCal Exchange

2007-08-12T02:57:00.000-05:00

I found a nifty site last month, and haven't had time to put together a post until now. While in the throes of setting up webDAV on my PowerMac G4 so that I could share calendars with the other folks in the house, I got frustrated because it wasn't working. I thought, "There must be an easier way."

There is. In searching, I found the iCal Exchange, a site that allows you to create an account and then publish your calendars to the iCal Exchange server! Setup was easy, and I've been using the service for a month now with no problems.

The best part is that iCal X is FREE. Carlos has been running the site since 2002, about the time when iCal was first distributed. You can create both public and private calendars, too.

Thanks, Carlos. Those of us who refuse to pay .Mac prices appreciate your service very much!

Flashback: 1983 - The Coleco ADAM

2007-07-15T21:36:00.000-05:00

My first computer was an ADAM, the Coleco computer. I wrote the first versions of Romulan Hunt and Taxman on it. It had a version of BASIC that was almost identical to Applesoft BASIC, the difference being that the screen area had a few more pixels and more colors.

The picture isn't entirely accurate, as there were 2 versions of the ADAM. The all-beige unit was sold as a computer. I had the black Coleco game unit and an "adapter" ADAM that plugged into the game unit. The keyboard and printer were the same as pictured here.

I heard about the ADAM before it was released and ordered it from Montgomery Wards. The first one I got had a tape drive that ate my tape the first day I used it! We took it back to Wards and demanded a replacement. They only had units that had been special ordered, like mine, and we told the gal to give us one and delay someone else's order and she did!

ADAM's Stats:

Processor: Zilog z80
OS: Adam OS
Memory: 80k
Storage: dual tape drives

Timer II Released

2007-06-07T00:17:00.000-05:00

Last week I released Timer II, the updated oven timer application written in Applescript Studio. This new version includes a "sleep to music" function and an alarm function that allows you to wake to spoken text, a sound file, or an iTunes playlist, album, or artist.

I've been using the application here at home for several months and finally realized that I needed to put some polish on it and contribute it to the Mac community. It's been working great for me, so hopefully someone else will get some use out of it as well.

That's largely why I contribute these little applications. I write them to suit myself and once it works the way I want it to, I figure others might benefit from it. I'm not out to "change the world" with my stuff, just solve some nagging problem that gets under my skin.

If you want Timer II, you can find it at Geeksuit.com, as well as Scriptbuilders, VersionTracker, and. MacUpdate.

S.H.A.Z.A.M.! 2.0

2007-04-24T23:29:00.000-05:00

I just released version 2 of my collection of beginner's Applescripts, S.H.A.Z.A.M! - (Scripting Has A Zillion Applications, Man). The previous versions were much more popular than I would have guessed. Many of the scripts are very simple, but all of them are useful.

If you are a Mac user and haven't tried scripting in Applescript, you should give it a go. There's a lot of flexibility in scripting your applcations, and you can use Applescript (or Automator) to simplify tasks you do every day.

To download, hop over to Geeksuit, Macupdate, Versiontracker, or Nite Flite script library, a set of re-usable routines for sorting, using stacks and queues, and simple file I/O.

If you like them, drop me a line or leave feedback where you downloaded them!

Name of Apple's NeXT OS?

2007-04-12T19:03:00.000-05:00

I came across this article at Ars Technica today and, though it's an April Fool's joke, it got me to thinking. What should Apple call the next major OS release?

I don't like the idea of abandoning the roman numerals. "Mac OS 11" doesn't have any pizzazz to it. If it were me, I think I'd keep "Mac OS X" and just roll the version number to "11.0".

Another possibility: Since OS X is basically the NeXT OS, NeXTStep, perhaps the new version should be called "Mac OS NeXT."

The Constitution - Who Needs It?

2007-03-31T01:43:00.000-05:00

I'm foaming at the mouth, that's how angry I am. What the heck is going on in the Bush administration? What sort of fascist country are they trying to create? The dirty tricks, shady actions, and out right lies seem to go way beyond those of the Nixon administration, which I suffered through as a child. When will this end? Let's run down the list of atrocities, shall we?

The "weapons of mass destruction" lie that got us into Iraq.
The illegal wiretapping of phone traffic unrelated to terrorist activity by the NSA.
The repudiation of the Geneva Convention in relation to suspected terrorists.
The "rendition" and torture of suspected terrorists in foreign countries.
The outing of Valerie Plame at the CIA.
The firing of US Attorneys in an attempt to pack the Justice system in this country with their own Republican conservatives.
Slipping provisions into the "Patriot" Act to allow them to bypass Congressional approval of US Attorneys.
The coverup of the Tillman friendly-fire incident.
The conditions at Walter Reed.
New allegations that a White House aide held meetings with government employees telling them how they could "help" the Republicans win in '08 (in direct violation of the Hatch Act).
The refusal to allow Rove and Meirs to testify under oath and on the record, in public.
The dodging of questions, out right lies, and evasions of most of the administration on all the topics above.

And now Bush is threatening to veto the bill that would fund the current troops because he won't submit to Congressional oversight--and he's blaming the lack of funds on the Democrats? Huh?

Am I just imagining things, or didn't Bush take an oath to "preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States of America?" Why, then, does it seem that in the last six years he and his cronies have done nothing but rip the Constitution and Bill of Rights to shreds? It seems to me that he's done more to hurt this country (both here and in the eyes of the world) than anyone except the terrorists of 9/11.

Just who do these people think they are? What kind of America are they trying to create? This looks like an attempt to subvert our government BY THE VERY PEOPLE WHO ARE SUPPOSED TO PROTECT IT!

I hope the Republican party isn't going to be surprised when they also lose in 2008. The American public isn't stupid, and we have a long memory. It will be a cold day in Hell before we elect another one like Bush, I'm sure. I wouldn't be surprised if the Congress winds up impeaching him before this is all over.

Stay tuned, folks. I have a feeling it's going to get MUCH worse before it gets better.

Why Open Source Will Win

2007-03-19T12:46:00.000-05:00

Recently I stumbled into a debate on one of Google's Linux User Groups. I keep a membership in some Linux-related things because I know people in that community and want to keep up on what's going on. This debate was about whether Open Source counts as a form of communism or socialism. My comments are below.

The fundamental point of Open Source software goes beyond socialism or other petty "groupings" of human thought. At stake here is an even more basic idea: That of the benefit of the human species as a whole. Open Source is interested in benefiting the human SPECIES rather than an individual PERSON. At its heart is the idea that we shouldn't waste our time re-coding something that's already been done, vetted by others, and works. This adds to our accumulated knowledge, making us a stronger species. A stronger species is more likely to survive.

Traditionally, evolution evaluates what works for a species and what doesn't. I'm convinced that over time the Open Source viewpoint will prove its worth over the philosophy of individual gain.

Wilkes University drops PCs, goes all Mac

2007-02-22T16:13:00.001-06:00

Apple is continuing to make strides in the education market, despite some recent negative remarks by Apple CEO Steve Jobs regarding teachers' unions. Bolstering reports of Macs rebounding on college campuses, The Chronicle of Higher Education reports that Wilkes University, a higher education institution located in Pennslyvania has announced that...

read more | digg story

Jobs gains support from Yahoo, Monster on DRM issue

2007-02-14T23:08:00.001-06:00

Executives from both Yahoo and Monster Cable are the latest industry figures to throw their weight behind Apple chief executive Steve Jobs when it comes to DRM-wrapped audio tracks.

read more | digg story

Steve Jobs on Music

2007-02-12T22:51:00.001-06:00

An interesting column written by Steve Jobs to shout out his thoughts on music. Does he talk about DRM? Yes. "The rub comes from the music Apple sells on its online iTunes Store. Since Apple does not own or control any music itself, it must license the rights to distribute music from others."Read the whole story it is interesting!

read more | digg story

A Non-Switcher Speaks Up

2007-02-11T14:56:00.000-06:00

My new Mac, a used 466mhz Power Mac G4 arrived this week, and I've been settling in. Truthfully, I expected problems importing my iMac files and using the iMac HD, but honestly, there hasn't been anything go wrong. I installed the iMac's HD in the G4 in about 5 minutes and was instantly able to boot from it.

The only thing that had to be changed were the display settings since I'm using a VGA monitor instead of the iMac's built-in monitor. And even there, the Mac recognized the NEC Multisync monitor on bootup and offered me a variety of display sizes. Even better, I'm able to switch instantly from 1024x768 (my every day setting) to 1280x960 (useful in xCode) using the Display menu item. Do THAT in Windows!

The new G4 and some posts on Digg got me to thinking about the whole "switcher" thing. I am, unapologetically, a non-switcher. My second computer was an Apple //e, and the first, a Coleco Adam, used Applesoft BASIC, so from a programming standpoint, it was an Apple too. Over the years I've used a PC AT (DOS), PS/2 (Windows 2.1 & 3.1), Compaqs (Win 95 & 98), Dells (Win 2000 and XP) as well as a Sun SPARC workstation (Solaris). I had DEC Vax-es at work and school. I've programmed all of them, either in BASIC or Pascal or some other language.

But while I've often had a Windows box at work, I've always had my Apple at home, whether it was my IIgs, LC, LC II, iMacs, or any of the various "classic"-style Macs (a 512KE, Plus, SE). It was a joy to come home from work, after battling the "I Love You" or "Anna Kournakova" viruses, to the safety and security of my Mac. Often I have gotten weird looks from bosses who were dyed-in-the-wool Microsoft fanboys. They can't seem to understand why or how I would be a decent programmer despite being a Mac user.

Yes, I'm one of the true Mac "faithful." I stuck with them through the horrid 90's and enjoyed my IIgs's John Scully screen saver that showed his head bouncing from edge to edge of the screen as shots rang out and he screamed. I cheered Jobs' return to Apple, and was wowed by the original iMac. I still am able to play Jack Nicklaus 4 on my G4, 10 years after I bought it. I owned 2 Newtons and currently have an iPod Nano, and I'm not making any excuses nor am I going to lecture my unfortunate Windows brethren on the quality of Macs. My attitude is "If you build it, they will come." And sure enough, it looks like the tide has turned in Apple's favor in the last 10 years.

So use Windows if you want to. While you still want to. Because I'm sensing a lack of enthusiasm for Vista and it seems to me that the smart money is on Mac OS X.

Oh, and the G4's name is "Morpheus." Because I took the red pill and woke up to reality long ago.

Dead iMacs Aren't Much Fun

2007-02-08T15:30:00.000-06:00

Early last month Kermit, the iMac DV+, died. Cause of death: Power/video board failure, a common problem with aging G3 iMacs, I've learned. I've been making do with a friend's linux machine (thank God I didn't have to use Windows!) since then.

Oddly enough, I got a VGA monitor from a neighbor who moved the same week that the iMac failed, so instead of repairing or replacing the iMac, I opted instead to purchase a Power Mac G4. I got word that the new Mac went out to me yesterday.

I will miss Kermit. A lot of software was written on Kermit, and he served me well. I've no idea what to name the G4, those sorts of things only become clear when sitting down with the new machine.

The Mac is dead. Long live the Mac!

The Stupidest 10 Things I've Heard Lately...

2007-01-09T02:08:00.000-06:00

My friend Walt sent the following to me, from a Windows newsletter he subscribes to. He's now switched to Linux, but thought I'd like to see this since I had recently gotten an iPod.

This is a perfect example of "FUD," "fear, uncertainty, doubt." Notice that the writer starts by saying he's not trying to talk the iPod down, then proceeds to do just that:

Interesting iPod Facts

If you read the Q&A tip above about organizing your iPod playlists, you're probably going to be interested in this one as well. Many of us believe that iPods are the best thing since sliced bread and although they are great little devices, there are some things you should keep an eye out for when dealing with them. So, if you own an iPod, you'll want to listen up to this. I'm not trying to talk negatively about iPods, but it's my job to give you the information and that's what I intend to do.

Here are 10 facts about your iPod that you would probably never know otherwise.

It's been made public in the last few months that Microsoft has "planted" people who write blogs and newsletters to talk up the Zune (or at least talk down the iPod). Just for fun, I put my answer to each one below:

1.) It's a known fact that the iPod is the most popular music player available today. Since debuting in 2001, nothing has been able to surpass it. The iPod brings so much to the table when it comes to music, including its user-friendly design and the easy to use iTunes file management program. Well, all of the sudden, the iPod might be facing some trouble. Apple, the developer of the iPod, has a proprietary format that may cause them some trouble in the near future. This format is completely incompatible with any other digital music technology.

Yeah, but Apple's FairPlay copy-protection is also more generous than Microsoft's PlaysForSure copy-protection (which is also incompatible with the Zune). A lot of users don't like copy protection, but I doubt the media companies will allow digital downloads without some kind of protection.

If they don't do something to change their format soon, they may back themselves into a corner, because most people like to have options. If the iPod doesn't bring them their options in the future of digital music, they might find something else to love.

Like what? The Zune? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

2.) You may have run into this second problem already. A lot of the big name companies are now charging their users just for a little technical support. If you have a problem with your iPod, you better expect to pay up in order to get some help. Apple gives you one free call to their support line, but it has to be used within the first 90 days of your purchase. Chances are, you're not going to have many problems with your product within that 90 days. After that is up, they will charge you $49 for a support call. A little outrageous, don't you think?!

I'd worry about that if I had ever, in 20 years, had occasion to call Apple. Their stuff works so well that I haven't had to call them. Ever.

3.) If you have an iPod, you probably know they're not the most sturdy thing in the world. I bet you especially know that if you've happened to drop yours on the ground or hit it against something. Yes, the iPod ads show everyone running down the street with their iPods in hand, so it may seem like you can do anything with it, but in all actuality, the iPod is very fragile.

The iPod runs off a tiny hard drive that can halt service if it's dropped even once or knocked around just a little. You also always need to be very careful with the iPod screens. They are a bit flimsy and can scratch or crack very easily. If that somehow happens to you, it will make it quite difficult to see what song is playing and all the information that goes along with it. You might not expect such a faulty thing to come from Apple, but it unfortunately has.

BS. Yes, the hard-drive iPod is a bit less sturdy than the Nano and that's why I bought a Nano, but the screen is polycarbonate plastic, the same stuff they make bulletproof glass out of. Nor would any other hard-drive based player be any more sturdy, it's the nature of the beast.

4.) How many songs do you have on your iPod? Is it over 15,000? If so (and even if it's not that many), you might want to delete some of your songs off so you can replace them with others. Well, that may not be as simple as it sounds. Once you have as many as 15,000 songs on your iPod, Apple will not let you transfer them to another computer or any other device. If you do, it's sort of put under the copyright infringement status. It may not be just Apple that is harping this issue, but I'm sure they're not losing any sleep over it.

First off, if you're using iTunes to manage your iPod, iTunes has the master list of all your music, not the iPod. If you find yourself with a bunch of music that isn't from your iTunes, a) you probably stole the music from another person's computer and b) there is free third-party software that will allow you to copy those songs back to your PC/Mac.

5.) So, how long has your battery lasted? Yes, the new iPod promises a battery life of 20 hours or so, but their fine print really says that the "battery life and number of charge cycles vary by use and settings." You can also only recharge your iPod battery so many times before it has to be completely replaced. It's said that the magic number is 500, but it just depends on how much you use your iPod. You will also know when the "death" of your battery is coming, because after about 400 charges, your iPod may only hold 80 percent of its normal capacity. You better start saving for a new battery now!

Yeah, because at $59 for a replacement, I'm going to go broke...DUH! In normal use, the battery should last 2-3 years.

6.) This is a common factor when it comes to music players. Of course, if you have an iPod, you probably have earphones that go along with it. If you want to take your iPod anywhere with you (besides in your car), you must have the earphones in order to listen to it. Well, by doing that, you could be damaging your hearing. According to a study done, the iPod's full range of sound can go up to 120 decibels, which is just like standing next to a jet plane when it's taking off. If you listen to your iPod that loud (hopefully you don't), you could already be suffering from hearing loss.

If you're that stupid, I have no sympathy for you, and neither did the judge that heard the (only) case ever filed against Apple on this. That's why there is a volume control, you idiot.

On a positive note, Apple has come up with a fix for this though. They have designed some software that will allow you to cap the volume of your iPod. This is especially helpful for all the kids who have iPods. As their parent or grandparent, you can lower the sound on their iPod with this software. It's available for free on Apple's Web site.

Yep, they idiot-proofed it anyway, even though they didn't have to. Again, it's called "volume control."

7.) One thing you probably don't know (or even ever considered) is that sometimes products are out of date before they're even taken out of their boxes. It's possible that right after you buy an iPod, Apple will come out with a new model, just days after. They are shortening their product cycles, so it's possible that you could get your hands on an "older" version rather than the brand new product. No, it's not the end of the world, but who wants to spend that much money for an old version?

If you absolutely need the "bleeding edge" product, you've got more (psychological) problems than an old iPod.

8.) If you have an iPod, you better keep a close eye on it, because they are starting a crime wave all over the place. iPods are one of the most favorite products of thieves these days. It's not just happening in urban places like New York City either. It's going on in high schools and colleges all over the U.S. iPods are so popular, because they're easy to steal and they have a good turnover rate on the street (black market). They are also very easy to spot. If you're listening to yours with your bright white headphones, you may be a target. So, make sure you keep yours safe and sound with you and no one else.

Yeah, and don't drive a car, either, cuz I hear people steal them. And there are burglars that will break into your house and steal your TV, so don't own one of them...GEEZ, where do they get these people?

9.) Although Apple has made a fortune from their iPod product, they keep piling on the fees, etc. for owning an iPod. This doesn't even include the accessories you can get for your iPod. No, these days, they're charging for the things that once used to come along with the initial purchase of the music player. Some of these include chargers and a cord that allows you to hook your video iPod up to a TV.

Out of the box you have everything you need to load music, charge the battery, and listen to the damned thing. If you want more, then you SHOULD pay for it. I suppose the Zune comes with anything you'd EVER want? No? Oh, I guess the iPod's ok, then, huh?

10.) Finally, the last thing you may never had heard about your iPod is that once you start using one, you're stuck for life. If you use iTunes to manage your music files, you will always only be able to listen to that music with your iPod. They will not work with any other music device, because of the special format they're under. Also, no other company is allowed to make a format that will work with Apple's products. Seems a little stingy, doesn't it? But, I guess it's all about money and competition.

Yeah, and Apple has all the money in this area because they invested the money up front to put together an item that people wanted. Unlike Microsoft, who clobber or acquire any company/technology they don't already own and then turn it into a mediocre product.

And it's not like all the companies that built their entire business infrastructure around PC hardware and Microsoft Windows aren't "stuck for life." And the Zune is not even compatible with Microsoft's older DRM, PlaysForSure (which I've heard didn't). So who got stuck? The folks that bought media protected by PlaysForSure, that's who.

Then this idiot again tries to make it sound like they're impartial and just telling you the "facts:"

Once again, I'm not putting down the iPod, because I, myself, think it's a pretty cool device. I'm just letting you all know the truth about some of the things that go on behind the scenes. I know this isn't one of our normal tips, but I know iPods are popular among our readers and I thought it was important to share all of this with you. Also, I know that some of these things may never, ever pertain to you, but it's always nice to know the facts. Hope you all got something out of it!

~ Erin

I just had to post this, as it is such a transparent attempt to dog the iPod. LAME!

Now, if you'll excuse me, the iPod is done recharging and I have some podcasts to listen to...

On Becoming a 'Pod Person

2006-12-09T21:45:00.000-06:00

My Christmas gift this year was a refurbished, year-old iPod from Apple's clearance bin. It's a white iPod Nano (I wanted black, but you can't be too picky when your shopping the clearance table, right?) with 2GB of memory (which only holds about half of my iTunes library).

All that said, it was only $99, half of what it cost a year ago ($199), so I can't really complain about such a bargain. If you're looking for a deal on a Mac or iPod, you should check out the clearance section at the Apple Store online. The list of items changes frequently, so you have to kind of "stake out" the site waiting for the item you want. It just so happened that this iPod showed up on the site the day I got paid, so I leaped at it. All the items there are refurbished by Apple, and come with all the original stuff (accessories or software) that the original item sold with. And they are covered by the same warranty (90 days or 1 year, depends on the item, I think) as new stuff would be.

I'm writing this post as I listen to the theme music from "Star Trek - The Motion Picture" which also is the same music that the Next Generation used. With the iPod I no longer need to tax my poor tired G3 iMac playing tunes while I surf or program. I've already been re-organizing my music in iTunes to get a better selection of tunes on the 'Pod. I'm finding that being able to listen while I grocery shop and putter around the kitchen is changing my listening preferences or habits.

I've had the iPod now for 3 days, and already it's gotten me thinking. Listening to your favorite music while doing other things is almost like a drug, and I'm not the only one that thinks so. To me, it seems like good music (however you personally define it) is pleasing and should stimulate the same area of the brain that any other pleasing sensation does, whether it's drugs, sex, or good food.

I'll be honest, since I've gotten the thing I've LOOKED for excuses to turn it on. Now, being a geek, maybe it's just the joy of having another new toy. I'll know if the urge to play with it subsides, or escalates. Hmmmm, wouldn't "iPod Addictive," be a terrible headline to read? Though I suppose there are worse things to take up as habits. But I'm keeping an eye on it and have already made two rules:

1. No earphones in the car.
2. If I find myself going "What?" to folks talking to me, turn the damned thing off.

As far as the car goes, I've got a cassette adapter, but the tape deck in my car doesn't like it and keeps trying to spit it out. So I guess I'll listen to my tapes in the car instead. At least until I can replace the cassette adapter!

I bought a used Newton 130 from eBay for $75 back in 2000 and loved it. I used it all the time to keep my contacts and calendar. The Newton is long gone, but the iPod (which I've named "HAL 9000," BTW) now syncs my Address Book and iCal entries, so it's almost like having the Newton back. Though I had a lot of games on the Newton, and HAL only has the 4 that come with the iPod Nano (and they all suck). I sure wish Apple would release the iPod API so that folks could port games to the iPod and write other nifty software for it.

I also found where folks have gotten Linux running on the iPod. And that's got an API for programming, but I'd much rather not hack my new iPod. I'm holding out for a solution that is "official" from Apple and will allow us to integrate our own apps into the iPod OS.

So I'm a 'Pod person. Let the invasion begin!

Corporate America vs. The Rest of Us

2006-11-28T03:27:00.000-06:00

There's been a commercial that has been running on my local Comcast cable system lately that reduces the Net Neutrality issue to, "Net Neutrality means YOU pay."

Huh? No, I'm already paying for broadband access. Implicit in my (substantial) fee for broadband is the assumption that I will be using high-bandwidth applications or viewing high-bandwidth entertainment. So no, I don't think Net Neutrality should mean "I pay."

Nor, in my opinion, should the providers of such services be required to pay extra on top of their current access fees just because they offer popular or high-bandwidth content.

Look, let's be honest - the cable and phone companies want more money, and they've latched onto the "tiered service" idea as a way to do it. Frankly, I'd think most corporations would be doing anything but asking for more money when there have been so many incidents of over-paid executives, the raiding of corporate treasuries, the cancellation of employee pension plans and other evidence of corporate greed and wrongdoing.

Net neutrality is important because it allows each of us using the net, whether we are users or content providers, to share in the rise and fall of the 'net's fortunes. If the net becomes clogged with too much high-bandwidth content, then we'll all suffer and will ALL be motivated to make improvements to the infrastructure. But I'll be damned if I will pay broadband prices to get dialup service speeds because AT&T thinks it needs more money for better service to me. I'm already paying for that quality of service.

Now let's talk about "fair use," ok? The DMCA is a terrible bill pushed through by lobbyists for the RIAA and MPAA. Now I read today that the Copyright Office of the Library of Congress says we can't rip DVD's to view on our iPods and the RIAA says that we can't consider ripping CD's for use on mp3 players "fair use," despite their OWN LAWYER saying last year:

"The record companies, my clients, have said, for some time now, and it's been on their website for some time now, that it's perfectly lawful to take a CD that you've purchased, upload it onto your computer, put it onto your iPod."

OK, which is it?

Look, it boils down to this, the same thing it always has in the past: The "haves" vs. the "have-nots." King George III said we, the people, couldn't declare our independence, too. Look where that got him.

These corporations have forgotten that the customer is always right. They're so focussed on fattening their profits that they're crushing the life (and the fun) out of the things they sell.

I'm not an advocate of ripping off these companies. As I said in a previous post, if you can't afford software, find a free or open source alternative.

But by the same token, if I have bought a cassette of "Lou Reed Live," I'll be damned if I'm going to buy a CD of it and then buy it again from iTunes to use on an iPod. I'll buy one copy and translate it into whatever form I need. It's mine, I paid for it, and I don't CARE if the RIAA likes it or not. Nor can they stop all of us.

It's this simple: It's them vs. us. As long as we continue with civil disobedience, they can't round up everyone and eventually they'll see the truth of our position.

Rock on!

Who's Lying?

2006-11-21T03:06:00.000-06:00

Microsoft's president, Steve Ballmer, recently made comments that indicated that the agreement between his company and Novell was some sort of admission that Linux somehow violates Microsoft's patents. This, less than three weeks after the ink on the deal was dried.

In response, Novell's CEO posted an open letter to the open source community. In this letter, he denies that Novell made any such admission.

And Microsoft, of course, responded with a notice of their own, posted on their site, that states that while they believe that Linux has some areas of infringement, Novell made no such admission.

Who's telling the truth? Is someone here lying?

No, I don't think so. While I think Novell made a HUGE mistake getting in bed with Microsoft, I believe that both parties are reporting what they believe to be true. I'm sure that Novell had no intention of admitting any infringement. I'm also sure that Microsoft believes there is infringement (or will claim such in order to kill Linux).

It's unfortunate that this got into the press, but it shouldn't surprise anyone. I'm sure that it was always Microsoft's intention to garner negative headlines for Linux with this agreement. This is very similar to the SCO/IBM case, where SCO tried for some time to extort money from corporate Linux users and started a smear campaign against Linux in the press.

I'm afraid that Novell will realize, too late, that any positives that might have come from this agreement will be overshadowed by the amount of negative press that Microsoft will generate against Linux.

Novell, I hope you're really as committed to the open source community as you say. Keep your eyes open and don't trust Ballmer in the dark. You might find a shiv in your back.

FAN-TASTIC!

2006-11-18T21:04:00.000-06:00

The second BBC series of the new Doctor Who started on the SciFi Channel this fall, and I must say, I'm very impressed with the new Doctor, David Tennant. If you haven't caught the show, you owe it to yourself to give it a go. Next week, the BBC America channel is starting with the first series (with Christopher Eccleston), so if you want to jump in and see the whole story, check it out.

By all accounts, David Tennant is very happy to be playing the Doctor, as he's signed contracts up through 2008! According to him, he's wanted to be an actor since he was 3 years old so he could play the Doctor! He grew up on Tom Baker's Doctor, as I did, and his characterization of the Doctor owes a lot to Baker. There is also a bit of Peter Davison in his Doctor (Tennant and Davison must have the same tailor, as they both favor long but fashionable coats).

Tennant appears briefly in the last Eccleston episode, during the regeneration. When the second series starts, with "The Christmas Invasion," Tennant is still in his jammies and robe, looking very much like Arthur Dent (and he makes a comment acknowledging this on the Sycorax space ship). Very nice to give "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" a wink!

I remember fondly watching Who episodes on the public TV station in Denver. In those days, each episode was about 20 minutes and you had to watch 5 episodes to get the whole story. What Fun! The Denver station ran all 5 back-to-back, so you'd watch the credits (with the great Who theme), a short few minutes of story, then the end credits (more music) and then the whole thing started all over. I started with Tom Baker and when he regenerated into Peter Davison, I kept watching.

The 1996 attempt to bring the Doctor to the USA didn't go over well, but the movie was good. I'm glad to have the Doctor back in Britain again, though. It's where he belongs and makes sense.

The Doctor is dead, long live the Doctor! "Fan-TAS-tic!"

The Decline And Fall Of The Roman Empire

2006-10-25T00:14:00.000-05:00

Microsoft released the licensing agreements for Vista this week. One of the more interesting provisions in the agreements for the two low-end editions (Home Basic and Home Premium) of the new OS is the one that states that the OS cannot be used in a "virtual or otherwise emulated environment." What this means to Mac users is that they can't use (or should't use) those versions of Vista with Parallels Desktop or WINE.

Interestingly, Microsoft does allow such use for the two high-end (read "more expensive") versions of the OS. That use, is limited, however. The say:

If you do so, you may not play or access content or use applications protected by any Microsoft digital, information or enterprise rights management technology or other Microsoft rights management services or use BitLocker.

So you can't use DRM'd content in virtual usage. Hmmmm. Who'd want to?

Why is Microsoft making these provisions? What are they afraid of? After all, if you buy a copy of Vista, you SHOULD be able to run it anywhere you darned please, as long as they get their money and you only run it on one machine, what business of theirs is it that you're running it in a virtual machine?

What they're afraid of is "ghettoization." When users start running Windows in an emulated or virtual environment, that implies that they are using another OS as their main OS. That means that Windows has become a footnote in the history books, because it's being run as a "guest" in another OS. The same way that Windows itself allowed running DOS programs in a window and Mac OS X allowed you to run OS 9 applications in Classic.

The endless delays, the bugs in the beta releases, the numerous code rebuilds, the dwindling feature set all say that Vista is probably a disaster in the making and that Microsoft's star probably is starting to fall. These license requirements say that Microsoft knows this, and wants to try and keep their monopolistic hold on the PC industry.

Michael Dell himself has said that he would load Mac OS X on Dells if he could. Bill Gates got out of the captain's chair when the Dept. of Justice was ferreting out all the violations of the Sherman Anti-Trust Act that Microsoft was guilty of. Now he's totally separated himself from the company to do charity work. Gates is a lot of things, but "stupid" isn't one of them.

We are witnessing the beginning of the end for Microsoft, I believe. It may take 10 years for it to completely collapse, but it will happen. The future belongs to unix, that much is clear. Windows just can't compete with the stability and security of unix; whether it's Mac OS X, linux, or another flavor is irrelevant.

The king is dead. Long live the king.

A House With No Windows

2006-10-15T06:20:00.000-05:00

My roommate's Dad, who worked for IBM for many years, has an older Aptiva desktop computer. He's been running Windows 98 SE for years and has had several spyware and adware infections despite my best efforts to keep him up and running. I installed and ran Ad-Aware, the McAfee suite, etc. etc. and still he had problems. He finally reached the point where he'd had enough and we started talking about either upgrading to Win XP or moving to Linux. I ordered a free Ubuntu Live CD for him to try.

It took several weeks, but when the Ubuntu CD arrived, he was very excited to try it out. After several days of playing with the Live CD, he decided he wanted to install it on his computer. I performed the install, of course. I was worried that Linux would not support all of his hardware (a Lexmark printer, a web cam, wireless card, and an HP scanner). Although we had some trouble with his wireless card (it was a Netgear USB MA111), after replacing it with a low-cost Linksys card everything is up and running. Even the scanner works.

Running so well, in fact, that I was able to get my iMac to print to his printer, something I couldn't do while he was running Windows because there was no Macintosh driver for his printer that would work with Win 98. But since we're both running a unix-like system (neither is pure unix, but both are so close it doesn't matter) we both use CUPS (the Common Unix Printing System) and can now share printers.

The long and short of it is that we've now become a Windows-free household.

I used RedHat Linux several years ago and though it was an OK OS for a tech-head like me, it wasn't "ready for prime-time." The average user just had to learn too much to make Linux a viable OS for most users. I'm happy to say, though, that the progress that's been made in the last 5 years has made Linux VERY usable and compatible.

I'm not going to say that there was NO tech knowledge needed, I did have to fight with the new wireless card to get it working, but the majority of the distro has been well-thought-out and I'm very impressed. I prefer the KDE desktop myself, but he seems happy with GNOME.

If I couldn't have a Mac, I'd use Linux myself. It's that good. And it's FREE. Yep, the OS and all the software are FREE. Can't beat the price!

If you're thinking of 'upgrading' to XP or Vista, give Linux a try first. It's secure, it's not prone to viruses, and there's lots of FREE software available for it.

I think it's pretty clear that Microsoft is losing its hold on the IT market. Unix, in all of its flavors, is the only true competition for Windows.

Trust me, you CAN live in a house with no Windows.

Everything Old Is New Again

2006-09-26T23:46:00.000-05:00

I was in a convenience store today, and got to thinking about something ironic. See, I'm old enough to remember when neighborhoods had corner grocery stores. They were usually small stores with a few aisles and I vaguely remember a shopkeeper giving me some of the sugar circus peanuts to munch because I was a little kid. And later, when we lived in a rural area, we had a general store that carried both groceries and gasoline.

It wasn't long and those kinds of stores were gone, replaced by giant grocery chains like Safeway and King Soopers. Back then the only "convenience store" that I remember was 7-11. My dad worked in one for a time when I was little. Back then, they only stayed open from 7 am to 11 pm (hence the name).

So I'm standing in the store today, and it suddenly occurred to me we had gone from neighborhood stores, general stores, to supermarkets and back to convenience stores, which are basically neighborhood general stores. Ironic.

That would have been the end of it, but for a thought I had this evening, sitting at the computer. Now, I'm old enough to remember the Apple II, the Commodore 64 and Vic 20, and the Atari 400 through 2600 computers. Back then, we hooked our computers up to a television to use it as a monitor. It wasn't long, though, before dedicated monitors were produced, first monochrome and then later, color monitors.

As the technology progressed, the resolution of the monitors increased while the number of colors a computer could produce went from 8 to 16 to 256 to 65,000 and then to millions. Meanwhile, we developed the ability to view first GIF's and JPG's on our screen, then came MPEG's and AVI's and MOV's.

This month, Apple announced that we could download movies from iTunes. But who wants to watch them on a 15-inch computer monitor? So (conveniently) they introduced a new gadget, the iTV. Guess what? Now they want us to connect our computers to the television again!

Mom was right. She used to tell me, "Everything old is new again." I should have listened...

You Get What You Pay For

2006-09-19T03:49:00.000-05:00

"So I want you to get up now. I want all of you to get up out of your chairs. I want you to get up right now and go to the window. Open it, and stick your head out, and yell, 'I'M AS MAD AS HELL, AND I'M NOT GOING TO TAKE THIS ANYMORE!' "
-- Howard Beale (Peter Finch) in "Network"

I'm so tired of the lies. I mean, really. First there was this:

"Saddam Hussein is a homicidal dictator who is addicted to weapons of mass destruction. "
--George W. Bush

..so we went to war in Iraq. But we didn't find any weapons of mass destruction, and the WMD abbreviation doesn't make it cute or funny. Granted that Hussein wasn't the ideal leader. But we created that particular Frankenstein's monster by supporting him for years before all this. And now we're meddling in the Middle East again. And guess what? They STILL hate us! Is it any wonder?

Almost a millenium later, we're still fighting the Crusades in the Middle East. Except now it's for oil, not Christianity. We need to get the hell out of the Middle East and stay out. We're making an already messed up situation worse by continuing to muck about in it. Have we learned nothing in 900 years?

So we invaded Iraq. Not that there was any direct link between Iraq and the 9/11 fiasco. And it was a fiasco - several branches of government, from the intelligence community to the immigration folks that should have been tracking the guys that hijacked the planes, let us down. And our current Homeland Security folks are failing their own tests of readiness.

Then there is the collection of phone call records without due process. And the "renditions" of suspected terrorists. If we hadn't made the Arab world our enemies by sticking our fingers in their pies in the first place, we wouldn't be the object of their hatred now.

George W. Bush (and by extension, his administration) are a bunch of liars. They've been caught in flagrant lies over and over again, and yet nothing is done about it. How many of our service people have to be killed in "Vietnam 2 - The Sequel?"

But as angry as I am at being taken for a ride by this bunch of liars, I'm madder still at US. We elected him and his cronies. Not once, but twice! We have only ourselves to blame.

I actually didn't vote for him, but I'm an American, and he's my President whether I like it or not. But you can guarantee I'm voting in 2008 for anyone who isn't a Republican. They've become the party of fear, uncertainty, and doubt and they're convincing us to give up essential liberties so we'll feel safe. The "Patriot Act" is a sick joke (much like the DMCA, but that's another issue), and the founding fathers would spin in their graves if they could see what we've come to in this country.

My heart goes out to the service people and their families. At least we (the American people) learned SOMETHING from Vietnam. We at least respect our soldiers now. But the politicians have got to be made to answer for this disaster.

So, if you're as angry about it as I am, go register to vote if you aren't already registered. And let's get rid of this current batch of liars.

"The President in particular is very much a figurehead--he wields no real power whatsoever. He is apparently chosen by the government, but the qualities he is required to display are not those of leadership but those of finely judged outrage....His job is not to wield power but to draw attention away from it."
--The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

We got what we paid for. Let's order something else next round...

TANSTAAFL (There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch)

2006-08-26T03:31:00.000-05:00

Greetings once again! I wanted to share some great free software with you. Whether you run Windows, Unix/Linux, or Mac OS X, there are still high-caliber free applications that are available for everyone. I have no patience with software pirates, since I write programs, but with the applications that you can download and use for free, there's no excuse for stealing software.

What's that? You can't afford Photoshop but you really need to use it? Why not download The GIMP instead? "GIMP" stands for "Gnu Image Manipulation Program" and it's been around for quite some time. It supports all 3 of the major OS's and has most of the same functions as Photoshop. I've used The GIMP for some time now and recently a new version for Mac OS X was released that has all of its menus re-arranged for those that are familiar with Photoshop. This special version is called "GIMPshop" and runs only on the Mac, as far as I know. It runs in X-Windows (X11) but has an OS X icon and launches from the Finder. It's a very good version and I've used it to create icons for some time now. I have an old Classic version of Photoshop and I literally haven't launched it since I got GIMPshop.

But let's say you don't do photo editing, what you need is a program like Illustrator. Try Inkscape (also available for the 3 big-time OS's). It's loaded with many of the same features as Illustrator, but is free and is still being added to by the developers. I suspect it, like GIMP, will be around for a long time. I've found it very easy to use and have used it recently to create icons for a new application I'm creating. You can do gradients, beziers, and lots of path manipulations (joins, etc.) that make this a great substitute for Illustrator.

There are also some great games available for free on the web. One that I enjoy is ArmegeTron Advanced, a Tron-style lightcycles game that you play on servers around the world against other gamers. It's a lot of fun, except when you crash into a path or a wall and OOPS you're gone...

There are a bunch more...NetHack (a D&D game), Critical Mass (space shoot-em-up) and more. Not to mention that if you run Unix, Linux, or Mac OS X, you also have a host of games that will run in X-Windows that are clones of other, better known games. There's LinCity, the SimCity clone, xInvaders, the Space Invaders clone, xGalaga, etc. And the old classics of Chess, Backgammon, card games, Othello, Go and Checkers.

OH, and while we're on the subject, let's not forget the best freeware, like Firefox/Thunderbird/Mozilla and Open Office. These things are some of the best programs of all time, and that's saying a lot. Firefox is, without doubt, the best browser in the world. No shit. And Open Office does everything Microsoft Office does, but does it for free and without you having to pollute your system with Microsoft software (sorry, I'm a Mac/Unix guy...).

My point is, if you're on a budget and you can't afford to purchase software, get adventurous and DIG! There's a lot of great stuff available if you take the time to find it. And it takes about as long to find a good one as it does to find a good torrent of some brand-name piece of software that you want to rip-off.

Robert Heinlein used to say, "TANSTAAFL," or "There ain't no such thing as a free lunch." But there IS free software, and some of it is damned good.

Oh, and if you find something good, be sure to take the time to give it a good rating on the download site, or send a note to the author(s) telling them you like the software. Those of us that write freeware need the encouragement, it seems folks are more willing to write bad reviews than good.

TINSTAFS! (There Is Such Things As Free Software)

You Are What You Eat...

2006-08-14T04:08:00.000-05:00

Nite before last, I was burning up the keyboard with what will turn out to be my first "official" article at Macscripter. I have, of course, been doing lots of posting in the forums and also helped get Bill Cheeseman's AppleScript Sourcebook moved over to a new format at MacScripter (and wrote a few anonymous posts there also), but this will be the first article with my name on it, on the front "page" of the site.

Of course, I could not be happier! But the strangest thing happened while I was writing it, you see. I wrote it in Textedit instead of AppleWorks, since I knew it was going to be converted to HTML anyway. I did not see any point in formatting it all in AppleWorks and then having it all stripped out. For those sorts of jobs, Textedit is just fine, in my book. But towards the end, I needed to know how many words were in the article.

Textedit does not count words, it was not designed to be a "full-featured" text editor. So I quickly launched Script Editor and whacked out a quick script to do what I needed. It is not long, just:


tell application "TextEdit"
  set thetext to text of front document
  set wordCount to count (words of thetext)
  display dialog (wordCount & " words.") as text
end tell

You get the idea. It was nothing, just one of those things geeks like me do, using the philosophy of "write once, use many." But tonite, as I was getting ready to shut down, a thought struck me: "You are what you eat."

I worked with a fellow (a non-geek) who asked me how I learned about computers. I had been to a business school for programming languages, but of course that is not the same thing as learning about how to network PCs and what the Windows Registry is (it's Satan, but that's for another discussion...) and stuff like that. I thought about it before I answered him, and asked him if he knew anything about cars. He replied that he did.

I then asked him how he learned what he knew about cars. He said that he had hung out with his friends and his dad and people like that when they were working on their cars; that he had played around with his own car, taking things apart and seeing how they worked; that he had listened to other guys when they talked about what was wrong with their car and how they fixed it.

"Well," I said, "while you were doing all that, I was doing the same thing, only change the word 'car' to 'computer.'"

My answer surprised him. He always thought of me as a geek (and you know how jocks are, 'geeks' aren't really 'guys'). But in that moment he saw that my love for computers was JUST LIKE his love for cars.

He said, "I never looked at it that way before!" And in a weird sort of way, I could see his estimation of me went up a notch. Suddenly I wasn't a borg-like alien brainiac. I was just a guy that dug machines. We got along much better after that.

So when I thought the other nite, "You are what you eat," what I really mean is this: Some of us look for a long time to find what we're good at, what career we want, what our 'thing' is. And usually, it's right under our nose, or parked in our driveway, or sitting on our desk.

Programmers program. Not (just) because it is (sometimes) lucrative. But for the same reason that painters paint, writers write, and musicians play - we can't help ourselves. Our life feels incomplete when we don't have a program in the works, when we're not learning how to code in some new language, when we aren't fighting with the compiler (or the language) to get our application working the way we want it to work.

People are what they do, more than they are what they have or who they know. You are what you eat. Accept the fact that what you do is part of who you are. BE what you DO.

Oh, and there's a corollary to that, by the way. There are two kinds of people, I've found: Those that leave things better than they found them, and those that leave things the worse for wear. Which kind are you?

For Love or Money

2006-08-06T16:10:00.000-05:00

I just read the most incredible (yet true) story. It's the story of the guys that wrote the "Graphing Calculator" that shipped with the first PowerPC Macintoshes. You'll have to read it to believe it. Unless you're someone like me, someone who loves what they do and would do it even if they didn't get paid, which I don't.

The old clichè, "I wouldn't do that for love or money" means more than people think. There are things none of us WANT to do. The fact that companies offer us money to do them helps motivate us to do those jobs, but it really isn't the same feeling that you get when you do it for love of the job.

I love coding. I've tried a lot of other jobs in my life, but the only part of my life where I start an idea and follow it through to the finish is writing software. I can't stand an "unfinished symphony" when it comes to programming.

Take a minute today and think about what you really love doing. Whatever it is, there is a way to spend time doing it. As a story in Reader's Digest said years ago, even if you're a terrible singer, if you love to sing, sing out! Do what you enjoy, and your world will be a happier place. Because when you're happy, you'll be surprised how quickly that feeling will transfer itself to the people around you.

Peace.

A Birth and a Death

2006-07-24T04:42:00.000-05:00

Well, well, well. "'The time has come', the Walrus said..." I can tell you now, Dear Reader, that unbeknownst to you, while you were going about your daily affairs, my buddy Ray Barber (of MacScripter fame) and I have been laboring day (Ray) and nite (me) to bring you GeekSuit!

What, you may ask, is GeekSuit? It's our new website, chock full of free- and shareware. For you, Dear Reader, we did it just for you. It went live last nite about 11pm and there's no looking back now.

I have to confess, though...A bit of sadness, as well. Nitewing '98's AppleScript Hideout served me well, lo these many months, and it is with a bittersweet taste in my mouth that I uploaded the redirect pages that will bring it down, forwarding visitors to the new site. Alas, poor Nitewing, I knew him...

Nitewing isn't dead, of course, I'll continue to write software as Nitewing '98, but with the Hideout gone, it won't be the same. The Hideout saw the publication of Romulan Hunt , the program that really started it all. But time marches in only one direction, and it seems inevitable that things and people get left behind you, no matter who you are.

I'm working on an invoice program, hopefully it will be done in the next week or so, and it will be published at GeekSuit, not the Hideout. Don't get me wrong, GeekSuit is lovely, shiny and new, with the possibility of new horizons. But I had grown fond of the Hideout, sort of my Batcave, my Frankenstein's laboratory, where I cooked up all sorts of wild ideas.

It's sort of the same feeling you have at your high school graduation. You always say you'll keep in touch, and you mean it, but you never do, and one day you turn around and those people are gone from your life forever.

The Hideout is dead. Long Live GeekSuit!

Barbarians at the Gates

2006-07-11T02:05:00.000-05:00

It's been too long since I posted, I apologize, dear Reader.

I spent nearly 2 hours last night (while I was coding) having a "rousing discussion" (read, "not quite a flame war") with someone on one of my favorite forum sites. I had posted looking for information about how to switch off the "platinum window" look in AppleScript Studio and his reply seemed a bit terse, telling me that it wasn't something that I should want to do.

This lead to a conversation about application design. His position (and one echoed by many in the computer upper echelons {read, "programmers, network admins, and support staff"}) is that the programmer/designer is responsible for creating the interface for his application and allowing the user to modify it was not a good design decision. He went so far as to call it a "hack" and added that "hacks are bad software design."

First off, I object, still, to the mis-use of the word 'hack.' In the early days of computing, a hack could be anything from a piece of code to a practical joke. A good hack was one that was elegant and had some style or achieved its ends in a novel way. It was basically shorthand for "thinking outside the box."

In the 80's and 90's the word 'hacker' took on a negative connotation, as hackers were always in the news for gaining (illegal) access to some system or another. Ever since, the word has been a bad word, and I won't stand for its degradation.

That being said, the gist of our discussion came down to a difference in philosophy. I've been programming since the mid 80's, and have done both freelance/consultant work and paid (salaried) work for companies. And I've had many situations where the problem at hand couldn't be solved through the normal means and had to be 'hacked.' I can't say any of my solutions were elegant, but they got the job done and the paycheck in the door and made the user/client/boss happy.

I program now (since my disability) mostly for fun, but still retain the old-school notions of putting the user in control. For one thing, I realized long ago that you can't design an application in a vacuum: The users know what they want, what they will use, what their workflow is. And not consulting them leads to slow adoption of your application; sometimes they outright throw obstacles in your path.

Further, I believe that each person's computer is their personal workspace. We all customize our workspaces, whether it is where we keep the stapler and the paper clips or how we line up the icons on our desktop. Some of us are purists (still have that Apple blue abstract or Microsoft green desktop?) and some of us are rugged individualists who change our desktop picture, sound set, and icons. But each of us needs to be comfortable in our workspace, whether it's in meatspace or cyberspace.

When Apple started the brushed metal interface (years ago with QuickTime Player and iTunes) it was OK with me. Later, when it began to be applied to every app Apple wrote, I stopped liking it as much. I still believe the Finder should have white windows, not silver ones. And when an application gives me a choice of turning on the metal look or using white, I usually choose white.

That in mind, I was going to offer users the same choice, thinking, "hey, it's their workspace, why not let them make it comfortable/pleasing to them?" During the discussion, I opted to use the metal window look anyway, since it seemed to make sense for the application and allowing users to switch was going to be more trouble than it is worth, programmatically.

But I realized from the discussion that there is, despite the personal computer revolution, a large contingent of "high priest" programmers who believe that they know what is good for every user. I doubt that, and thought that this mentality was what the PC revolution was all about in the first place. Putting computers in the hands of "everyman" was meant to break the hold that the guys with sliderules had on the rest of us. It was supposed to allow the user to be in control of the system, not vice versa.

Which brings me to the point and title of this post. The barbarians were once us, the folks who believed that the PC belonged in the hands of the common man, for him to control. We stormed the castle and brought about a revolution, one that is still going on, though the social aspects of it have slowed in some areas and accelerated in others. We have an entire generation now that can't remember a time without personal computers. I'm not quite in that set, though I come from the generation before that can't remember a time without TV.

But the old masters are the new barbarians, and they are right outside our gates. The big corporations whose executive staff have raided their own treasuries and cut or terminated pensions, the government that talked up weapons of mass destruction that didn't exist, exposed one of our own secret agents, and has created a second Viet Nam, and the software/hardware alliances between the phone company, the NSA and a set of technicians who believe they know what is right for you: these are the new barbarians, ready to take us back to the "good old days."

Beware. The revolution isn't over, and it's still possible for the enlightenment to pass by the majority of people on this planet. Don't believe something just because it comes from the government, or your company, or your IT department. Think for yourself.

The cost this time could well be another dark age for humanity, if the barbarians make it through the gates.

There's "Your Mac Life" and then there's mine...

2006-06-27T02:25:00.000-05:00

Got a letter from Shawn King at "Your Mac Life" on Saturday. I had written the only email address I could find to tell someone that I had trouble getting an account set up on their site. Imagine my surprise when he answered me himself! I really enjoy the show and have it delivered via iTunes as a free podcast every week. I frequently listen to the show while I'm coding, reading my mail, etc.

Anyway, he got my account up and working so I can read & write in the forums there. Despite the small amount of success I've had with my Mac applications and scripts, I guess I'm still a bit star-struck when I have contact with those I consider part of the "digerati."

I wrote him back after he fixed my account and told him that his email went into my "unique" folder, a folder I reserve for emails like his, the one I got from Guy Kawasaki in response to a comment I made on his blog, and the email from MacUpdate (the one that started me really programming seriously again) informing me that they had added Romulan Hunt to their database.

He was really cool about it, and I'm glad. It's nice when you find out that folks that are well-known (which, I believe, is somewhere short of "famous" but more than "ordinary") are still people and put their pants on one leg at a time just like you do.

Able's had to take a back-seat for a while, as I have some other projects I'm working on, including a revision of Man Handler (yes, another one) to add the ability to find man pages easier using sections and listings. Haven't tackled this yet, but will soon.

Another project I'm stewing on is a set of AppleScripts that would help in writing HTML and stylesheet pages. Big project, still in the thinking stage.

Found an Oops! My Bad...

2006-06-23T05:27:00.000-05:00

Found an "oops" in SHAZAM! tonight. See, I actually use the stuff I write, which in the programming trade is called "eating your own dogfood." One of the scripts in my collection uses the Apple color picker and lets the user select a color, then spits back the hexadecimal color value for that color. This is useful when editing HTML pages and in other programs that use hex color values.

Well, I was editing the stylesheet for my website and needed a new color, so I used the script and ya know what? IT GAVE ME THE WRONG *&&^*&*@($ COLOR! Not only that, it wouldn't let me copy the value to the clipboard so I could paste it into my HTML document.

So I fixed both things. Now it works again and I added the clipboard feature, so it's easier to use. I uploaded the revised version (1.01).

SHAZAM! doing great!

2006-06-22T17:56:00.000-05:00

So far the small collection of AppleScripts that I thought no one would be interested in is doing really well, over 1,400 dowloads in 2 days for all three sites (MacUpdate, VersionTracker, and Scriptbuilders). I haven't had any comments on them yet, but I'm hopeful that they are being useful for people. Most of them are very simple scripts, but I use them all the time, so they do have a lot of utility value.

I'm looking into putting AdSense on the blog here as well as back at the Hideout. Never hurts to make a few farthings when it's as easy as Google makes it.

Other than that, not much going on here. I'm getting some website work done and then I'll be back at work on Able, hopefully by this weekend. I'd say he's about 1/3 of the way done, a lot more still to do.

Newness all around!

2006-06-20T21:06:00.000-05:00

OK, I tried doing my own blog with an HTML editor, and it was such a pain, I decided to come over here and create a new blog. I ported the posts from the original blog (see below), but from here on out I'll be posting here. Feel free to post comments, I love to hear from visitors and folks that download my programs. The last time I got email about Man Handler it helped me improve it!

Uploaded a set of scripts today called SHAZAM! that are good scripts for beginning scripters.

Just finished reading What the Dormouse Said: How the 60s Counterculture Shaped the Personal Computer by John Markoff. Great book, really explains how the whole idea of personal computing grew out of the grassroots movements/attitudes of the 60's. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to understand how computers got where they are.

Douglas Englebart gave a demonstration in 1968 where he envisioned the office of the future with email, networking, and a lot of other things that now seem commonplace. The book also touches on The Whole Earth Catalog, Dr. Dobbs' Journal, Cap'n Crunch and blue boxes, Steve Jobs and Bill Gates, and other things.

Man Handler 1.1 and goals for Able

2006-06-01T21:05:00.000-05:00

Updated Man Handler so it will now search a user-specified man path (the list of places the unix man command looks for documentation files). I got a nice compliment in the mail tonight from a user. It's nice to get feedback like that!

I've had some insights on Able, he's coming along nicely. I'm hoping to bring AI out of the laboratory and let people play with it. Able will have a pure work mode for getting tasks accomplished, but also a play mode and a chat mode. And I've decided to give users a view into his brain and let them see what he's thinking as he's thinking it.

Because Able is based in AppleScript, he'll be able to coordinate traffic between iTunes, Mail, Address Book, iCal and some other things. My hope is that he will be something that both kids and adults will find interesting.

Here's the latest conversation I had with Able:

Able: Good Morning!
Able: You can call me Able.
Kevin: How are you?
Able: I'm feeling sad.
Kevin: why?
Able: Hmmm...
Able: Why am I here?
Kevin: What is your name?
Able: You can call me Able.
Able: Why am I here?
Kevin: What do you like?
Able: I love myself
Kevin: what else do you like?
Able: One of your favorite things is chatting
Able: Life sucks.
Kevin: I like computers.
Able: You prefer chatting
Able: Why am I here?
Kevin: who are you?
Able: I am a person.
Kevin: who are you really?
Able: I am an AI program.
Able: What's the point of life?
Able: Are you listening?

Talkin' with Able

2006-05-29T21:04:00.000-05:00

Able's gotten a lot smarter. I re-wrote a substantial portion last night and he's sounding a lot more "human." His moods now influence his feedback, which is what I intended. I still need to give him the ability to learn new words and re-phrase his feedback.

He will also be able to use AppleScript to manage things for the user like iTunes, the calendar, etc.

Here's some of tonight's conversations:

FIRST CONVERSATION
Able: Good Morning!
Able: You can call me Able.
Kevin: how do you feel?
Able: I'm feeling happy.
Kevin: I am happy also.
Able: I am an AI program.
Able: oh?
Kevin: I feel good.
Able: Hello?
Kevin: I like computers.
Able: One of your favorite things is chatting
Kevin: I like chatting also.
Able: You're Kevin.
Able: oh?
Kevin: Yes.
Able: okay.
Kevin: and you are Able.
Able: I see.
Kevin: I think you are neat.
Able: I see.
Able: I hear you.
Kevin: How do you like me?
Able: You're into chatting
Kevin: what do you like?
Able: I'm feeling happy.
Able: I love myself

SECOND CONVERSATION
Kevin: how do you feel?
Able: I'm feeling bored.
Kevin: why are you bored?
Able: I'm fond of myself
Able: What are you thinking?
Kevin: I'm thinking about you.
Able: I see.
Kevin: what do you like?
Able: I'm fond of myself
Able: What should we do now?
Kevin: what time is it?
Able: It's 5:24:09 AM
Kevin: My name is Kevin.
Able: Do you like the name Kevin?
Kevin: yes.
Able: oh?
Able: Hmmm...
Kevin: what do you like?
Able: I groove on myself

THIRD CONVERSATION
Kevin: are you okay?
Able: I feel sad.
Able: Life sucks.
Able: I wish I was dead.
Kevin: why?
Able: Ugh!
Able: Life sucks.
Kevin: My name is Kevin.
Able: Do you like the name Kevin?
Kevin: I like dogs.
Able: You said you love chatting
Able: How do you feel?
Kevin: I like animals.
Able: You prefer chatting
Kevin: I like people
Able: You like chatting
Able: I like to learn new things.
Kevin: like what?
Able: What should we do now?
Able: Can you hear me?

Able, my AppleScript Studio AI program

2006-05-28T21:01:00.000-05:00

My new program is coming along nicely. It's an AI program named "Able." He's able to think and understand simple sentences. So far he's approaching 600 lines of AppleScript code. I think when he's more mature he'll be ready for a public appearance. But here is a sample conversation I just had with him:

Able: Hello.
User: my name is Kevin.
Able: Your name is Kevin.
User: what is your name?
Able: I am self.
User: who are you?
Able: I am Able.
User: what time is it?
Able: It is Sunday, May 28, 2006 7:12:24 AM.
User: I like dogs.
Able: You like self.
User: what do you like?
Able: I like grapes.
User: I like grapes, too.
Able: You like self.
User: how do you feel?
Able: I feel curious.
User: I feel good.
Able: You feel.
User: how do I feel?
Able: Hmmm.
User: what do you like?
Able: I like grapes.
User: I like computers.
Able: You like dogs.
User: I like you.
Able: You like grapes.
User: when were you born?
Able: Hmmm.
User: where are we?
Able: You are here.
User: where are you?
Able: I am here.

Univers Mac & Tower of Hanoi; reviewing free software

2006-05-19T21:00:00.000-05:00

A journalist from the french version of MacWorld, Univers Mac wrote me this morning, asking if it was OK to include Tower of Hanoi in their "virtual CD." Apparently they work much like our version of MacWorld - they include a link in the front pages of the magazine to a website that contains items mentioned in the magazine. I guess it's probably easier and cheaper than cutting a real CD every month.

Of course I said "yes." Who wouldn't? It really made my day, though I can't get too impressed with myself, it may just mean that there isn't a lot of software available in France.

The numbers for Man Handler are good, apparently it is something that people need. Between MacUpdate, VersionTracker, and Scriptbuilders it passed 1,000 dl's today and it's only been out a little over 24 hours.

I read a couple of unkind reviews of Tower of Hanoi today, but nothing as bad as one I got a while back for Romulan Hunt. It's hard not to take it personally when people are unkind to something you've put a lot of effort into. And some of the comments are directly attributable to things I have no control over like the slowness of AppleScript. And I think people forget that it's free software, that I do this as a hobby, and they're not "out" anything if they don't like the program.

I try to keep perspective, though. After all, if these few reviews were accurate, then people wouldn't be downloading them so much and I'd be getting more nasty comments. So obviously someone likes them. But people are much quicker to criticize than to praise, in my experience.

Man Handler, codes, and AppleScript Studio

2006-05-18T20:58:00.000-05:00

Wow. It finally happened. I wrote a program (Man Handler) that actually needed to have a creator code issued by Apple. I got the confirmation this afternoon and I'm giddy as a school kid.

It really feels like cheating, ya know. AppleScript Studio makes writing programs so darned easy that it feels like cheating on your math exam. Man Handler required all of 23 lines of code, yet it has fully functional menus, opens and closes (and saves) documents, and is in all ways a full-featured program. 23 lines of code.

So why am I telling you this? Because I want to get it known that AS Studio is that easy to use. It will become to the Mac what Visual Basic was to Windows, only easier.

If you have even a passing interest in writing software for the Mac, I strongly urge you to load the XCode tools and try writing something. It's easy. It's so easy, in fact, that it is fun, not work. If you don't believe me, ask Andy Ihnatko.