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Codejedi: So wheres the new Linux target now?
Tue, 28 Nov 2006

I've spent a few days trying to suss out which version of OSX most Mac users are currently resting at, as you can see from prior blog entries. Interestingly enough, the Mac crowd seems to really stay afloat of OS updates and new versions. My assumptions on the Linux and Unix community are very different, though I've not really looked for any hard evidence yet. Total guesses I've been working from for a few years, but I think its time to rake through the Apache logs again and look for third party estimations if I can find them -- where is the 'most common' Linux user at in terms of kernel version and libraries? What distro are they using, so that I can determine those things? Since I need a few machines to produce each official release, its handy that I need to lag as it keeps costs down. In general, I'm cheap and always like to lag since I always say -- those who know how to use a machine can afford to use an older machine than those who are newbies; they don't optimize, so my machines are all old and cheap :)

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OSX: Making OSX headless
Mon, 27 Nov 2006

A 'headless' machine is one that is used remotely or as a server; a typical user interacts with his machine through using its mouse, keyboard and monitor -- it has a head (monitor). A web-server, for example, that user is interacting with would often go headless - no monitor - since even its local staff would usually administrate it remotely. Unix operating systems are good at going headless since it is so common with them. Windows doesn't like it so much, but it can be done by yanking out the video card after setting it up :) I've not set up many Macs, let alone headless ones, so it took me a few minutes to find the needed tidbits and I thought I'd share whichever of those came to mind.

When you're a developer supporting multiple platforms, this is the way to go -- why have 3 or 4 keyboards, monitors and mice around in a big heat-emitting mess, when you can stack the machines in a cool basement and use them remotely (if slowly for GUI applications.) I really only keep a machine or two on at a time, and they're all pretty inexpensive these days since its nice to lag behind everyone else to both keep you writing efficient code, and to support a wider population of users who might also be lagging behind.

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Codejedi: OSX adoption rate
Sun, 26 Nov 2006

In the previous blog entry I ask what the adoption rate for OSX is; it occurred to me after posting that I already have the tools at hand to make a complete guess. I imagine Netcraft and other groups have very accurate statistics but I'm far too clueless or lazy to figure that out, when I can hack something together myself in 5 minutes or less.

Checking one of my webserver hit logs should give a vague estimate; obviously google-bots and spam-info-collection-bots and such will cause a huge inaccuracy problem for comparison against other OSes, but the data does make for an interesting exercise in a like-for-like comparison. The logs include the web browser client information, so scanning for Safari (one of the browsers people use for OSX, when they're not using Firefox, say) is entirely possible. Different versions of Safari come with different versions of OSX, so you can make a guess... but obviously people who upgrade Safari on older machines will also skew things. Further, I don't really know which builds come with which OSXs, except to say Safari 2 comes with OSX 10.4 the distribution sites suggest.

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Codejedi: Getting back on top of OSX
Sat, 25 Nov 2006

I'm not really sure if you can call Apple 'the little guy' anymore, with their iPod bringing in the masses but I imagine an OS with a single-digit share of users must be teeny. Stores and other developers insist I'm an idiot but I'll always try to wave the flag for OSX, Linux, and FreeBSD. I hope that I'm doing my part, just as those who support Codejedi -- the small guy in the mobile world, do their part.

When lightning wiped out much of my gear a year back, it took our the monitor I was using on my Powermac G4; that was okay since I essentially use the machine remotely, but it definately got in the way of things. I used another monitor and it turns out the video card in the Mac was going funky but with some quick repairs its back in order on another monitor I've got... which led to moving the machine, which led to wireless, which led to purchasing an 802.11 card and finally led to the revelation that OSX 10.2 (Jaguar) that I use will not support my wireless network. Garg!

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PSP: I just want to know -- wheres the mecha?!
Wed, 22 Nov 2006

Usually I try to have something vaguely amusing (to me ;), informative, remotely useful, or at least personal to say. But today, this time I just want to ask something. As someone who played electronic games and video games in the 80s and 90s:

Wheres the Wing Commander equivilent? I mean, don't people still want to fly a small space-faring fighter against large capital ships? Think Star Wars and running down the trench with enemy fighters on your tail, turrets lobbing heavy munitions youe way -- fun! Descent? (Well, I could finish porting it..) Those of us from the golden 80s watched "The Last Starfighter" and we want to shoot something down. Hell, make it a Starblazer's tie-in for the retro-anime crowd.

In the same grain, we played Battletech on the tabletop and watched Robotech on the tube, and endless reems of anime mecha - giant robots, beam weaponry, machine guns, stomping enemy buildings and the almighty Death From Above jumpjets.. we need the rebirth of Mechwarrior. Bring it.

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Television: Battlestar Galactica, Season 3
Mon, 20 Nov 2006

Another quick one written on the phone; my thumbs are oh so sore.

As I mentioned previously, recent shows have been attempting (and not so well) longer story arcs - Lost, etc. For a long time our TV writers have been pulling off the background story arc -- House's flirtation with some of the other doctors while they probe what his problem is, etc etc, but few can pull off any long duration story without both messing up syndication potential or getting the big story paced all to hell. Still, a few shows pull it off, and BSG season 3 is one of them.

Season one began with an intensity, though was really just an episodic character driven story -- given enormous disaster, how will these characters fare while trying to survive? It bogged down a little near the end of the season but really got exciting at the end. Season 2 picked off with more mature characters and got into the day to day nitty gritty of running a society in space with heavy military influence, politics, and survival against a superior foe.. but they'd gotten into a routine so not as many were pure survival stories. Great stuff but again, bogging down near the end of the season.. and frankly, I tire of political stories and emotional-pulls about babies etc. Great stuff, but with busy times in my own life I let it sit for a few months so that I wouldn't get beat up on the end of season cliffhanger. Caught up on Dr. Who instead, for a bit..

I noticed the other day that episode 7 had come out in season 3 so figured it was safe to venture into BSG again, knowing that when the cliffhanger struck I'd have a few episodes to go .. so much less stressful. How wrong I was, about the stress..

This is white-knuckle material, television writing at its finest. Really, these first few episodes of the season have probably been some of the best television I've ever seen.. gripping, human drama, fighting against oppression and all that. The psych-screwing still annoys me (enough with the baby plots and mucking with Starbucks head), but its really all just fantastic.

Thankfully I've got a few episodes to catch up on. But, if you have not been following the series .. listen to me now. Its good. Its gorramned awesome. I'm sure season 3 will slow down near the end like the previous two, but perhaps thats the writers just taking pity on us, giving us some respite after the oh so stressful beginnings of each season. My heart can barely handle this right now :)

Television can be good; long story arcs can be good; rarely do these two meet.

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Cinema: Casino Royale With (not much) Cheese
Mon, 20 Nov 2006

We just got back from the latest Bond film and let me cut to the chase -- fantastic. Excellent. Fun. Not Jackie Chan fun, but classy. Sure, the new lead is blonde but I'm not one for details .. this was in the classic action spy form though a little less playboy than with former greats like Connery and Moore but also tougher. Noir even. I'm sure the ladies will be pleased too, since this isn't some pretty boy actor - this guy with hard blue eyes was chiseled, I'm told.

Personally I found the last few Bonds a bore (and passed the last one altogether.. a wise decision I'm told.) No shade against Pierce Brosnan but the writing wasn't there, instead relying on gadgets and Hollywood-sized explosions instead of intrigue, characters or class. Goldeneye was fun, but I still missed the by-gone adventures where an entire 30 minutes wasn't devoted to driving a car with a cellphone.. bleh. We've missed supervillains and even superhenchmen -- who can forget Jaws or Dr. No? Or competing Russian agents? Can you remember what License to Kill was even about?

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TV: Where have the episodes gone?
Mon, 13 Nov 2006

I admit, I too wanted long story arcs. Still do. But I imagine on the third day of writer-school, novelists learn something called pacing. Keep it moving, giving away enough of the plot each time to keep the viewer or reader enticed. Plan ahead so that you've always got something consistent and interesting going on.

We liked Desparate Housewives in the first season, but over the summer we lost interest. We liked Lost, then started to tire of it. We liked Heroes, but are already sick of it, only a few episodes in. We're watching Lost on and off again, but only holding barely on.

Lost is supposed to be a mystery .. whose actually lost? the survivors of the plane crash? the others on the island? the viewers?

I say, what is lost is: the audience.

You see, these guys can't do pacing.. any of these shows. So many people I've talked to agree -- the shows are great on DVD when you can camp out and watch it all in fast forward, or in one big sitting. But no one can stand hanging on for several years to find out the writers really are just winging it.

So go back to episodic content; its obviously easier, or better understood. We like House -- it has a light overall arc sure, but each episode is an item unto itself. Lost/Heroes/Housewives .. go watch Star Trek Next Gen for gods sake.. a show that had wit, charm, and was still whacked out content and people liked it. You can't an empire build on Eva Longoria.

[ Category: / entertainment / television ] [link] [Comments]

Rants: The city thinks we want toll roads?
Fri, 10 Nov 2006

On local radio and websites, the message is being passed that when polled the people don't mind being tolled. (I'm so clever with my rhymes.) Naturally I assume no citizenry were actually asked ;)

Let me put this into perspectice..

So, what is really being asked here is -- given the lackluster history of the existing money being spent, whethor we would fork over _more_ money (even from people commuting in from other towns) and trust city planners to actually do something useful with it.

Myself, I ask these questions..

So, anyone who is asked.. please let them know -- no, we do not want to give you more money, and no we do not trust you with that money. Toronto has been making a mess for a long time.. how about they put something foreward that earns some trust in this matter, first, before asking for more?

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Audio: Recommendations for good mobile news? What can you trust?
Tue, 07 Nov 2006

It occurred to me that I've been remiss in my duty to rant on about everything ... well, else. I know I went on about podcasting months ago, for instance - back in the summer (or last summer?) when I was listening to RetroGamingRadio. I must have had the blinders on recently, with life being so busy and whizzing by: babies, funerals, trying to get life under control, working on new builds of Shadow Plan.. busy. I suppose I've not been listening to as much music of late for some reason, and I generally don't take in podcasts too often anyway - this time of year I tend to just take in the quieter city sounds and enjoy the brisker air as I walk anywhere.

But I do check news websites each day.. from nerd stuff to CBC and CNN for the mainstream goingsonabout. And the radio, while in the car.. 680 or CFNY or the like.. background noise and traffic alerts. It occurred to me that I'd like to hear what other parts of the world think about us, or the US, or the like. Every once in awhile I get that urge to rip through random podcasts or streaming-radio from across the world.. catch some Japanese music or news, hear whats going on in Croatia, find out what the Italians are reading. Not that I can understand much of it, but occasionally I'll catch an English language broadcast from some random world station. Cool stuff and one of the great benefits the net brought us.

Usually I just pick up some BBS or UK stuff, since I've always had a soft spot for my distant ancestors and that lovable accent. Of course, I'm always paranoid about what they're telling you -- for a set of countries that amount to some of the most surveiled in the world, can you really trust the broadcast media?

So tell me .. where can I get some English-language audio news, free and in a handy format like mp3, that talks about interesting news in the world with a freshly non-Americanized viewpoint?

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Gaming: A good time for PSP gamers
Tue, 07 Nov 2006

So much geekery to talk about of late, and yet so little time. Apologies to any non-gamers who may be reading ;) Another quick entry scrawled out on the poor phone!

With the initial launch of the PSP few classy titles were presented -- Lumines and Wipeout:Pure were excellent for day-zero releases but mostly there were lackluster titles. In the following months not many platform-making titles became available, though some good and not-so-good games strolled leisurely out to the poolside. Grand Theft Auto made a nice splash, and it was nice to have SOCOM and Katamari finger-crampers but oldie titles like Lemmings only helped to keep the flailing nostrils at the waters surface. Everyone was anticipating the big-named titles to dive in .. the titles people would line up for. Sony was busy stabbing themselves in the back, neck, cranium and lowly pereneum at every opportunity, but the PSP division struggled to show some glimmer of the companies past.. when they were respected.

I would hazard to say that these months leading up to Christmas are what PSP gamers have been waiting for. Some great titles are on the shelves right now, and more to come.

I should make an effort to mini-review the titles I have -- without having too too many games I do have some doozies; Field Commander is still a great little time waster for the tactical wargamer, and I've already reviewed Ghosts and Goblins. Fine games. Mercury and others will have to wait.. But without getting to proper reviews let met give you a couple synopsis, on the off chance it'll help with your Christmas shopping. (Can you believe malls have their decorations up already?)

Recent releases

Killzone: Liberation -- I've only fiddled with a friends hot-off-the receiving-truck, but it looks to be excellent so I'll be picking it up the second I see one on the shelf over at EBGames. Not a first person game like the home console brand, but an isometric-perspective smooth motion run-and-shooter. Good looking artwork, some strategy elements, some puzzle solving. Winner.

Dungeon Siege -- listed as just being sent from the factories and in-store soon, I'll be keeping my eyes open. Too many titles, not enough free time to open them, or money to buy them :)

Ace Combat X: Skies of Deception -- a combat non-sim oriented flight-sim. I don't recall modern fighters carrying a payload of 40 air-to-air missiles, but thats not what this title is about. Air to air dogfights, ground missions and stealth under the radar .. classy flight-sim fun without the bother of watching the cockpit controls. Really just a distant cousin to arcade pseudo-3d shooters, but fun all the same. Sometimes I really really really love a very accurate flight-sim that includes a 3" thick manual (I'm looking at you Falcon 4.0!), but with life only giving you 10 minute chunks of time here or there, you take what you can handle, and Ace Combat is pretty darned entertaining.

Snoopy Vs The Red Baron -- yes, I was amazed as well, that I'd even look at such a title; but after checking the previews at the big game websites (IGN and Gamespot etc), I thought I'd check it out; like Ace Combat, but in a cartoony cute way and set with WW1 aircraft; chasing the baron around with Woodstock (the bird!) powered missiles and shooting at ground-targets like drilling-machines trying to knock over the rootbeer factory.. great rediculous fun!

Medal of Honor: Heroes -- first person shooters are hard to pull off with a handheld.. trust me, I mucked around when porting Quake to PDAs enough to know. Medal of Honor does pretty well here.. best so far on the PSP really. Analog stick to move, and using the right-side 'd-pad' buttons to point your head (turn, look up, etc) works pretty well, while using the triggers for firing. There are many options to play with but thats the default configuration. Anyway, after only playing the first mission I'm looking forward to tossing some grenades and sniping or blasting through the trenches. (Apologies to real veterans for using such terminology.. I'm in a hurry here :) Still, I'm a little ashamed to talk about a war themed action 3D shooter right before Remembrance Day.)

Star Trek: Tactical Assault -- I wish this was more in depth like Star Fleet Battles (the tabletop wargame), but I think it will be an arcade shooter. Still, its set in Kirks time, which warms my spirit.

Worms -- probably a so-so title but I always enjoyed the simple play of the Worms (and Snails clones on PDAs) games. Like Solitaire or Bejewelled, these are simple but very playable classics. Not tried it yet, but its on the shelf already.

There are a few others too.. X-Men, Marvel Heroes, Battlezone, Lumines II, Capcom Classics, Taito Remix, SOCOM II, Eragon, Metal Slug Anthology..

Good times.

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Rants: Spammers took the blog out for a few days..
Tue, 07 Nov 2006

Alright, so not only in the past did various spammer-bastards wipe out the comment system and do other defacements, they now managed to hijack the blog to send out spam to innocent folks. These spammers really are total scum. I won't rant overly much about how illegal or sickly their villainous activities are as I'm sure you know already.. and it would just amuse them if they even read the many simple sites they destroy each day. But gorramn, if this sort of thing happens to my blog, my message board, my mailing lists, my inbox - every day - then it sure must happen to everyone. How many spammers are there? how automated are their attack tools? Certainly they're sophisticated enough to implant temporary webservers on peoples desktops and other trickery, but my little niche in the net is so insignificant and yet they hammer away all the time..

I should thank them of course; I could've used the time to play games or go out or something, so they saved me some money sitting around fiddling with security and auditing some CGIs and such; and they do help provide employment for so many ISPs and techies in the world. Oh yes, we all must thank them.. I've got my lepip ready for the day.

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Quotes: A famous grump
Fri, 03 Nov 2006

There have been many famous grumps in history, though few as quotable as Mr. W. C. Fields.

A man's got to believe in something. I believe I'll have another drink.

- W.C. Fields

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Quotes: One from old man Ben
Thu, 02 Nov 2006

This one is a timeless classic that pops up once in awhile.

They that would trade essential liberty for a little temporary safety deserve neither.

Benjamin Franklin

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