Recent Posts

7101

Living Room / Re: Conceptual art for Apple's new headquarters

« Last post by 40hz on August 16, 2011, 02:35 PM »

Yeah.. It does have a little of that Albert Speer school of architecture look doesn't it? 

7102

Living Room / Re: The Foreclosure Scam

« Last post by 40hz on August 16, 2011, 12:30 PM »

Indeed, a very passive response for a country where everybody and their grandmother appear to have guns...  

-Shades (August 15, 2011, 10:17 PM)

Not all of us. My preferred weapons are: verifiable facts; a sense of humor; an occasionally sharp tongue; and a pen...or, more recently, a laptop.

Experience has also made me a firm believer in the efficacy of amateur psywar programs.

7103

General Software Discussion / Re: FlatPress blogging platform: flat text file stored, open source, freeware

« Last post by 40hz on August 16, 2011, 12:23 PM »

Redmine is not terribly hard to install, provided you already have Ruby/Rails setup on your box.

-JavaJones (August 10, 2011, 03:47 PM)

...but a Ruby setup is a big bowl of AAAAAAAAAARGH to setup. At least it's been no joy for me on gentoo and debian systems. Pickyness about versions, weird behavior, RoR connections to mysql timing out after N hours with no apparent fix, sluggish performance, et cetera.

If you manage to get it going, do yourself a favor - never upgrade anything. Ruby is famous for breaking backwards compatibility, even for relatively minor updates, and the various Gem authors have taken that habit to heart.

-f0dder (August 16, 2011, 11:06 AM)

Boy I'm glad it's not just me!  

I've run into similar to what f0dder is describing at one time or another when evaluating RoR/Redmine. Last time out we wound up using a  prebuilt stack from TurnkeyLinux to get it to work reliably.

7104

Living Room / Re: Firefox fixes the version number problem

« Last post by 40hz on August 16, 2011, 10:35 AM »

It is the right way to go. While it means that the users are less in control of the software they run on their computers, it simplifies the development and maintenance by a great deal.

-vlastimil (August 16, 2011, 08:38 AM)

I must be stoned while I'm reading this.  

How, in the name of all that is decent, can giving users less control over what gets installed on their machines ever be viewed as "the right way to go"?

7105

General Software Discussion / Re: Software Hall of Fame

« Last post by 40hz on August 15, 2011, 09:24 PM »

@barney- Ah the little CoCo! That was a fun computer. I still have one packed in a box in the attic someplace along with a TRS-80 Model III from the same era.  

You might be interested to know OS-9 still exists and is in active development. Link to the homepage here.
 

7106

Living Room / Re: The Foreclosure Scam

« Last post by 40hz on August 15, 2011, 03:32 PM »

@40hz:
This is why I urge everyone -- assuming you could take a week off or more -- to go sit in a courtroom and watch the judge process "stoopid" all day long.

-zridling (August 15, 2011, 11:50 AM)

I have. And I agree with you 100%.

7107

Living Room / Re: Samsung hard drives - don't buy them unless you like subliminal mental torture

« Last post by 40hz on August 15, 2011, 07:08 AM »

        

^@Carol - what brilliant combination of form and function. To say nothing of utility. Or symbolism. You deserve nomination for some sort of prize for that idea. (Possibly even a TED Talk slot to present it!)

Full points!

7108

MEWLO Web Framework / Re: OLD - Unfinished Web project: YUMPS

« Last post by 40hz on August 14, 2011, 09:47 PM »

My intention is to open source the project

-mouser (August 14, 2011, 01:01 PM)

@Mouser - Noble.  But please think it through carefully before you actually go down that path. Especially if you're seeking funding since many potential investors aren't interested in underwriting open source projects. So get the funding issue squared away before you decide on your license.

And until you settle on a final license, whatever you do release should be under a time-limited and restricted "development beta" license. Ideally with a non-disclosure clause attached. I've seen a few attempts at securing funding torpedoed because source code was released to people outside the original development group without a restricted license and NDA. Many investors - particularly private "angel" investors - have a problem with putting up money for something too many people know too much about. Or that the developer hasn't "adequately protected."

7109

Found Deals and Discounts / DAZ Studio 4 free thru August 2011 (Win/Mac)

« Last post by 40hz on August 14, 2011, 09:35 PM »

Thx to MakeUseOf for this find:

DAZ Studio 4 Available For Free Till August 31st
posted on August 14, 2011 by Tim Brookes

3D figure design and animation software DAZ Studio 4 will be dropping its retail price of $49.99 to free for the remainder of August. The software, created by DAZ 3D, is used for the creation of artwork involving human models, animals, props and environments both still and animated.

The software is compatible with a large number of other suites and model types, and introduces one of DAZ 3D’s proudest features: the Genesis series of figures. Playing on the advancements made in the current version, Genesis enables users to create virtually limitless figure shape variations from a common base.

Note: free offer requires registration and free newsletter subscription for download. (Download is 435-462Mb)

Link to original article here.

Direct link to DAZ 3D info and offer page here.

 

7110

Living Room / Re: Operation Facebook (will you rejoice?)

« Last post by 40hz on August 14, 2011, 04:05 PM »

FWIW - I don't have a dog in this fight either. I don't do social networking (FB/TwitterG+ et al.) and I have no intention of ever opening an account on any of these services if I can possibly avoid it. But much as I dislike these social networks, the companies behind them - and, in many cases, the user/advocates for these services - I still don't argue they should be shut down or avoided just because 40hz personally doesn't care for them.

What I do object to is the arrogance and hubris of a group of people who flatter themselves by thinking they're neo-vigilantes, and who seem to feel they have the right to crash a system they can individually avoid and ignore if they want to.

Sorry, but I'm one of 'those people' who doesn't appreciate people who presume to speak or act on my behalf without my explicit consent. I have enough respect for myself and MY freedom that I don't willingly cede its support and maintenance to anyone - be they a big faceless government, or a group of trashers. Especially when their rhetoric about the "clueless masses" sounds just like the attitude of contempt towards humanity you perceive in the actions of so many of those already in power.

Just my tuppence.

7111

Living Room / Conceptual art for Apple's new headquarters

« Last post by 40hz on August 14, 2011, 12:34 PM »

ghacks recently posted an interesting article about Apple's planned new corporate campus in Cupertino. Read it here.

Here's what it wants to look like:



Interesting. It reminds me of a wagon train ‘circled up’ against an enemy attack. A rather appropriate look for Apple when you think about it.

And look – inside the impenetrable outer wall there’s an inner circle too! Wow…this just keeps looking more and more appropriate.

All that’s missing is a crocodile infested moat and a chained dragon near the entrance.

Hmm...was it possibly inspired by dictator Trevor Goodchilde's fortress/headquarters in the Aeon Flux movie?



Why don't you be the judge!  

7112

Living Room / Re: Operation Facebook (will you rejoice?)

« Last post by 40hz on August 14, 2011, 11:13 AM »

@JJ - I wonder what's really worse. Having a corporation play games with my information - or having a bevy of script-kiddies decide to take it upon themselves to smash something I'm using just because they don't like it.

Everybody who uses Facebook registered for an account and basically asked to be there.

I don't know anybody using Facebook that asked anon to try and crash it.

How about you?

7113

Developer's Corner / Re: HyperNext, anyone?

« Last post by 40hz on August 14, 2011, 10:17 AM »

Looks interesting. I have a longstanding like/hate relationship with HyperCard. Gonna have to give this puppy a try.

@k - thanks for finding and sharing. 

7114

General Software Discussion / Re: In search of alternative wifi management software

« Last post by 40hz on August 13, 2011, 04:21 PM »

AFAIK they're all pretty much proprietary and locked in by vendor.

The problem with wifi is that the drivers are proprietary. That's why wifi has traditionally been such a headache for Linux users. Without access to the underlying driver code, it's very difficult for a 3rd party to write a utility for a specific card. And since cards vary so widely, it's also really hard to do a generic management app. Because even if a card uses a widely available Broadcom or Realtek chip/driver set, each manufacturer will often customize their version. So there's really no such thing as generic anything when it comes to wifi cards.

If it's any consolation, most USB wifi card utilities are equally sucky. Many users (myself included) tend to ignore these utilities and just use whatever control panel or configuration tools the operating system we're running on provides.
 

7115

Living Room / Re: Samsung hard drives - don't buy them unless you like subliminal mental torture

« Last post by 40hz on August 13, 2011, 03:36 PM »

@Edvard - that's an interesting thought, intermod distortion. Especially when you get a 'beat modulation' (ex: a note simultaneously sounding with the flat immediately beneath it) on many very close frequencies. Which is a potential scenario with multiple disk drives.

That wuh-wuh-wuh-wuh sound would be enough to drive anybody crazy.  

 

7116

General Software Discussion / Re: Software Hall of Fame

« Last post by 40hz on August 12, 2011, 04:29 PM »

I always preferred the Mace Utilities myself over Norton. And PC Tools after that.

But the Norton Editor was a mainstay for me when it first came out. It was the first text editor I ever purchased. 

7117

Living Room / Re: UK Riots: Have you been affected?

« Last post by 40hz on August 12, 2011, 11:54 AM »

It's called "Carousel".

-nudone (August 12, 2011, 11:02 AM)

There are worse ways to go. Especially if they threw in the part about Jessica 6 (as played by Jenny Agutter) making herself available "on the circuit."

 

Well...yes...quite!  

7118

Living Room / Re: UK Riots: Have you been affected?

« Last post by 40hz on August 12, 2011, 09:18 AM »

Unfortunately, anytime population begins to significantly outstrip the available 'real' jobs you're going to have this happen. Look at any history book. Or just do the math.

A real problem is that many of the 'cures' that have been tried over the years ("get tough" laws, eugenic legislation, "make-work", deporation to colonial penal colonies, totalitarianism, euthanasia, ethnic cleansing, slavery, genocide, war) are worse than the problem they try to cure. Tough talk, in the absence of dialog, doesn't work. Because if you push people hard enough, sooner or later they're going to start pushing back even harder

The time has come for some radically brilliant thinking.

So...are any radical thinkers out there feeling particularly brilliant today?

Because this world could sure use some of that right now.  

7119

Living Room / Re: Operation Facebook (will you rejoice?)

« Last post by 40hz on August 12, 2011, 08:53 AM »

So tell me...what do they rationally expect to accomplish by trying to do this?  

-40hz (August 12, 2011, 08:03 AM)

ego enlargement

-tomos (August 12, 2011, 08:36 AM)

Reminds me this one kid I grew up with. He couldn't walk down a sidewalk without going out of his way to find, and step on, some defenseless little bug.

The innately mean personality blossoms early.

7120

Living Room / Re: Operation Facebook (will you rejoice?)

« Last post by 40hz on August 12, 2011, 08:03 AM »

Seems like an unjustifiable amount of collateral damage is about to be inflicted on a huge number of undeserving people.  And all in the name of "teaching a lesson" to a large corporation . One which is not going to change anything it does in the wake of it - except possibly push for even greater government regulation of the Web. And likely cooperate even more with government law enforcement than it (allegedly) already does.

So tell me...what do they rationally expect to accomplish by trying to do this? 

7121

Developer's Corner / Re: Next step up from Autohotkey

« Last post by 40hz on August 12, 2011, 07:55 AM »

I don't know if this is a step up, but a friend I occasionally work with spoke kindly about this development tool.

It's called Illumination. Its a visual cross-platform development environment that supports: Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android, Flex/Flash, and Maemo. (It was designed by Bryan Lunduke who's one of the hosts of the Linux Action Show in case anybody's interested,)

My buddy used it for quick prototyping a combo iOS/Android project he worked on. He says the "Tinker Toy" snap-together methodology won't appeal to some of  the "real programmers" out there. But within the scope of what Illumination is designed to do, he says it gets the job done handily.

Being a former professional programmer and senior project manager for two of the big software publishers (and an absolute C/C++/Mono wizard) I tend to trust his opinions when it comes to software development.

Might be worth a look.

7122

Living Room / Re: Fresh install of Windows XP SP3 can't use Windows Update?

« Last post by 40hz on August 11, 2011, 07:12 PM »

Try reinstalling SP3. If that doesn't work, try reinstalling the version of Windows you have, and then immediately go to the Windows Update site and do ALL your updating (including SP3) from there. I had that happen once on a client machine and that was the only way we were able to get around it.

 

7123

Living Room / Re: Operation Facebook (will you rejoice?)

« Last post by 40hz on August 11, 2011, 07:05 PM »

it becomes less and less reasonable to say that people must be responsible for making decisions that are not in their own best interest

-Renegade (August 11, 2011, 05:25 PM)

Love ya R-Man! But I don't buy it.  

If that becomes accepted wisdom, it provides the justification for setting up a 'prole' class like in 1984.

If people can't be asked to make intelligent decisions - and be expected to act in their own best interests - then we might as well hang it up and restructure our society along the lines of an ant colony. Because that's what we'll have become.
 

7124

Developer's Corner / Re: Next step up from Autohotkey

« Last post by 40hz on August 11, 2011, 06:47 PM »

Take a look at this post from Carol Haynes regarding Real Studio if the .Net approach doesn't appeal to you.

Not free ($99 and up depending on version), but there's a 30-day full-feature evaluation download available. And it comes with a 90-day money back guarantee if you later decide not to keep it.

I noodled with the eval and was pretty impressed with it. But I'm also not much of a coder so take anything I say about it with a grain of salt.  

7125

Living Room / Re: UK Riots: Have you been affected?

« Last post by 40hz on August 11, 2011, 02:53 PM »

^Which is a good thing. Cherish that state of affairs for as long as it lasts. With luck and some public commitment, it will.  

P.S. I don't think it's the NRA so much as this country's "gun culture" which goes back to the Revolution and continues through the blazing six-shooters of Wild West legends, and goes onward past "cops & robbers" and Elliot Ness and The Untouchables all the way up to Bruce Willis with his Die Hard series. And now it also goes well into the imagined  future with movies like The Fifth Element, Cowboys and Aliens, and the Stargate TV shows.

America loves it's guns. For most of its history the US has allowed virtually unrestricted access to, and ownership of, firearms. And it's part of the mindset now. The NRA grew out of that. Its a symptom rather than a cause. And the only reason it packs the clout it does is because there's enough cross-constituency financial and vocal support behind it that politicians ignore the NRA's advocacy at their peril.

----------

And I'm gonna stop going off-topic talking about the US and let the discussion go back to what's happening in the UK. Because the US situation is a done deal. But England is at a turning point where there is a huge amount of peril and opportunity. Hopefully it will get things fixed and avoid what happened here. That's a much more interesting topic since there's some hope the UK story will have a happy ending.