Frizzlefry Blog

No picture today...

2011-11-02T01:31:00.000-07:00

I don't have a picture (because I'm still waiting for my camera) however, maybe I can describe it for you...

Anyway, I have been waking up just before the sun rises to the point it would be visible if the clouds weren't hanging around. In fact, the clouds are right on top of me most mornings, and even below me as I walk my lap around the river. Along Riverside Drive, across the bridge at Wells, backtrack through Jones Park, and cross the river again at Bronson. It's a short walk, maybe a quarter mile at best, but it is just enough to help wake me up and make sure Jaani can do his morning business.

I fill up Jaani's dish with food, and then I dump out, rinse, and refill his water dish with nice cool water from my filtered pitcher in the fridge. This time of day, my phone keeps my rhythm for me... Cock-a-doodle-doo marks the time to wake up. I need to get up for my morning eat and clean... Beep-beep, Beep-beep and it's time to take the dog for his walk. Usually I get the early 1900's phone noise before making it back to the apartment, which means I need to check his food and water. Honk honk means the bus is about 15 minutes out. However, the bus alarm isn't just based on a specific time. Sometimes it comes earlier than I expect... This alarm is from an App on my phone (other than the default clock app). It updates the bus schedule in real time. I can pick up my phone and see how many minutes I have until the bus gets there. It is handy. (One Bus Away is the name of the app FYI.)

My phone is my master of scheduling. Something that makes me very nervous to tinker with now that I use it for more than just fun and games. A feeling that makes me a little nervous about the idea of getting the latest and greatest new gadget on release day; however, I suspect it still won't stop me.

So, this marks the time when I start heading toward the bus. I need to allow about 10 minutes to walk to the bus stop in order to get there in time. Sometimes I can wait a couple minutes because I time the lights just right, but usually the bus is pulling up just after I arrive at the terminal. I usually manage to get a seat toward the back, but today I actually had to sit near the front (in the sideways seats that are reserved for elderly and handicap people (usually that just means I need to sit sideways and can't lean my head back.

Although I wouldn't lean back if I could. I break out my tablet, plug in my headphones, and watch a video lecture. I have about 30 minutes to watch lectures before I arrive at Overlake Transit Center. I am excited about this bus ride in the summer. The view of Mt Rainier from 520 East while leaving Bellevue is an excellent way to start your day off. The fog is usually below the horizon. The sun is behind the Cascade range to the East... Rainier to the South. The left side of the mountain glows, the glacier on top can even blind you on a sunny morning when the sun hits it just right. The right side of the mountain is dark and takes on a blue tint from the shade. Sometimes the mountain wears a white fedora, almost as if it was lifting it's hat to say good morning. For this, and only this, reason I almost always sit on the right side of the bus in the morning.

Once I arrive at Overlake, I am just across the street from the Studios West Campus. Well, across 520, which is a six lane road with two additional exit lanes on each side... So the bridge is like a small city block. Then I cut between Studio A and the Commons... across to the far side of the campus, where I get to Studio C. Once in the building, I take the stairs to the fourth floor and get my coffee before heading into the lab.

Things are a little different in the lab. The teams have become adjusted to the new space. Every part and tool has found it's home. It's time for new developments; this is the story in the tech industry. Stay competitive... be adaptable... do what the lab needs you to do. This sometimes forces me to step slightly outside my Test Engineer role, but doubling as a part time Network Engineer... Software Architect... or miscellaneous grunt is something that just needs to be done from time to time. You just read a few articles about what you are trying to get done... find someone who can give you practical advice... get-r-done!

I came back at a time where several teams need a little help. All the new products that were put out this past year have created some interesting challenges, and new tests need to be run... test results from the summer need to be analyzed to make sure we learn from our failures and successes. My boss likes it when I can point out things we could have done better, and how to ensure it really gets done better next time. Even though that sometimes means making a plan for something we will never do again. That's just the nature of being on the bleeding edge. If one and three ideas pans out, we are making progress; However, if one and six pan out... well, it's epic... whether win or fail.

By the end of the day I'm usually beat. Half the time I can hardly make it through more than five or six minutes of lecture before I need to close my eyes and lean back. I open my eyes to find I'm back at the Renton Transit Center... I walk home... get Jaani... walk him for a mile or two... then get dinner and relax for another couple hours.

I spend from 07:30 to 18:30 away from the house. Which makes me feel really bad for Jaani. All alone for 11 hours a day... although, I need to go to work. Plus, I try to make it up to him on the weekends by not leaving him alone at all.

Anyway... That's the story with my work life right now. It's not bad. I get a sense of fulfillment form my work... a sense of greater being than just fending for myself in the wilderness... a sense of belonging somewhere that only comes from working with a great team of people.

So, that's all for now. It's my story, and I'm sticking to it.

Later,

SteveO

Yooperland Vacation!

2011-09-01T19:49:00.000-07:00

So, I have been neglecting my blog again... I guess I have been up to a lot of stuff.

Jaani has been enjoying 3 walks a day in his own private 1.5 acre dog park... sometimes when the neighbors are around, I'll put him on a leash because I don't think they would like it if he went running up to them...

I have been spending a lot of time entertaining my nieces and nephews. They are all at the point where they want lots and lots of attention, so it's a good thing I'm here to give it to them.

I went to the renaissance festival where I enjoyed a turkey leg, a pickle, lots of beer, and a show at the smoker. Then we went to a near by bar for more beer and pizza. It was good to see my cousin the Amazing Flec perform his fire show at the smoker, although it was weird that there is no smoking in the smoker... at least not sense they passed that non-smoking law...

Next, I went around visiting old friends from high school... just dropping in and getting a beer at the local bars, but this past weekend, we went out for a Yooperland Adventure of sorts. (Jaani stayed with my parents...)

We went to Craig Lake which is just north of Michigamme, Michigan (which is in Michigan's upper peninsula SW of Marquette.) The way to the lake is to drive into Michigamme, where you will find a small one lane dirt road (craig lake rd)... take that road about 6 or 7 miles in (following the signs to craig lake)... then you will find a small parking lot... from there, you will have to carry your boat about 1/2 a mile down a dirt road to the water. From there, we traveled across the water for about 1.5 miles by boat (1 canoe, 1 kayak, 1 row boat)...

While there, we polished off about 168 beers, 5 fifths of liquor, and a half gallon of 5 o'clock vodka... we didn't bring much booze back with us... it was a good time.

Speaking of drinking... it seems that after spending a few weeks in Michigan, I find that I have greatly increased my capacity for alcohol. Funny how that works...

Anyway, now, I think I will spend the weekend going to East Lansing, Royal Oak, and possibly Duck Lake for another relaxing vacation.

Maybe I'll write more later, but that's all for now.

Later,

SteveO

2011-08-04T19:40:00.000-07:00

So, I've made it about 1,420 miles, and that puts me at over half way.

I drove through Sturgis, but most of the bikers were out on the Interstate... but you can really tell that nearly everyone here has come for the festival.

Anyway, I'm pretty tired. I got on the road at about 7:30 this morning. I Filed an insurance claim for my camera, and they are sending return addressed box for me to return the camera in. It really is too bad that I have to deal with my phone camera. I have just been letting my phone upload new photos as I take them, then I move the photos over to the album when I am sitting around.

I have mixed feelings about using my phone camera. For the first leg of my trip, I had a tripod that I was using to take pictures, but with my phone, it already has a dashboard mount. That means I can just hit the button every once and a while to snap a photo.

Anyway, I still have a camera to use, but I don't think I'll take any more picture with Jaani and I in them... oh well.

So, once arriving in Wall, I still had some sunlight to take advantage of. I didn't realize how much earlier the sky gets black in the mountains. Here on the plains, I feel like I get an extra couple hours of sunlight. Anyway, I decided to walk over to the giant dinosaur. I have seen it several time from the road, but I wanted to stand next to it. So, Jaani and I walked over there from the motel room, and looked around for a while before I realized how hungry I was. I guess when you drive all day... anyway, I left Jaani in the room while I went over to Wall Drug to take a peek and got something to eat. I might go back over there again, but I am feeling pretty tired. I might just lay down and go to bed then start going early in the morning.

I might start before the sun... that way I can make some progress before it starts to really heat up outside...

I guess tomorrow will come soon enough.

Later,

SteveO

2011-08-04T06:05:00.000-07:00

A quick update this morning. I did a lot of driving yesterday, and I made it to Bozeman Montana. Although, as was meant to be... because I was on a trip where one of my main focuses was to take a ton of pictures... I dropped my camera.

It was crazy... on the Hotel room, I was going to take a picture and say goodnight, and it slipped out of my hand. It landed on the lens, and now it gets a lens error. I guess the good news is that I purchased accidental damage insurance, but the bad part is I lost my super awesome camera.

I'll post a picture later, but it's a little bit of a bummer to loose the camera. Hopefully, SquareTrade will make the warranty claims process really easy.

Later,

SteveO

I think it's Day 2? I'm calling it two.

2011-08-02T19:15:00.000-07:00

So, It's day two of my journey... or lack there of. I've traveled 119.8 miles, and I'm right back where I started. Today I (and by I... I mean Anthony...) changed my break pads, and then I got an oil change. I stopped by Eric's storage unit to leave his key there and drop something off... I also went to my storage unit to leave a couple things there and to pick up a couple little items that I put away by mistake.

After all that, I tried to go to the Mac and Jack Brewery, but they had closed 20 minutes early today, so I just missed them. So, because it's just next door, I went over to take Jaani for a last run over at Marymoor Off-Leash dog park (as seen in the photo...).

I did stop by one last time at Jet City earlier in the day for some coffee, and then I was going to meet up with a few guys from work earlier today, but that didn't quite work out... or at least it seems that way. I will either hear back in the next 20 minutes from someone, or I will start driving (because rush-hour traffic will be over...)

Anyway. That's all for today. I don't think I will be going south to Portland anymore. My timing is just off, and I guess it would be neat to see Wall Drug during the peak season. On that note, my thought is that it would be nice to make it over the mountains today.

The outcome from that will be revealed tomorrow... so, until then.

Later

SteveO

2011-08-01T16:37:00.000-07:00

So, my trip begins with a frantic rush to empty my apartment. It's down to the wire... I've been cleaning for two and a half days, and in four hours I have my move out inspection. I am scrubbing everything... If it is off white, rub it a few times with a cloth...

The few remaining signs that I lived in this apartment are gathered near the door. My car is packed, and my instruments are ready to be taken away for storage. However, the instruments are too delicate for a storage unit, I am taking those to my friends Anthony and Brandy, who will watch over them while I'm traveling.

I have a half hour left until my move out inspection, and my top-down cleaning process has left me with some dirty floors to clean up. I scrub and scrub... and then finally 30 some of square feet of floor later, I declare that if it aint clean, then I aint cleaning it. I toss all of my cleaning supplies into a cardboard box that I have left over, and I cram it into the remaining space left in the car.

The moment of truth is here at last. I finally open up the door to take out my last bag of trash, and there is the guy coming up the stairs to inspect my apartment. Perfect timing! We spent about 20 minutes looking at the apartment and making small talk; in the end, he tells me it will cost me $5 for a small hole that my couch made in the wall.

I'm happy. All that effort, and now he tells me that the apartment is just how they want it, and the worrying about nightmarish stories people have written about $2,000 move out fees, ridiculous inspections, and all that seem unwarranted. Who would have known you can't believe everything you read on the Internet...

Anyway, that was yesterday. Rush rush rush rush rush. Then, after the whole move out thing, I had a relaxing cup of coffee at Jet City... and now I'm down in Spanaway. Where I have the above shown view of Mt Rainier, and I don't really have much of a care in the world.

This morning, I washed the car, and then we went to a diner for breakfast... at some point today, I plan on replacing my front breaks; however, for now I have a beer. Jaani and I have found a cool shady spot to hang out and relax. Tomorrow I keep moving, so I'll probably write something about that in a bit.

Until then, Later,

SteveO

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2011-08-01T16:05:00.001-07:00

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New Blog theme... with less clutter...

2011-07-02T03:05:00.000-07:00

Hi everybody! No picture today... just pointing out that I trimmed a little of the "fat" on my blog... I dumped the whole 1990's themed bazillion pictures and ads along the sidebar thing I had before. I also chose a different color theme (that I'm sure nobody will notice the different)... plus the main page logo moved about 12 pixels to the left... the page is 24 pixels narrower the sidebar is 20 pixels narrower... and... umm... oh yea, I added these cool social network sharing buttons to all the posts... actually those were always there, but one of the HTML changes I made screwed it up... it also screwed up the mobile site... so. I fixed it.

Funny how I do stuff like this when I don't have any work...

Actually, every day I get reminded of one of my favorite Primus/Les Claypool quotes: "...No dreads about the working day effort though... funny thing about weekends when you're unemployed... they don't mean so much, 'cept you get to hang out with your workin' friends."

In the grand scheme of things, I really just wanted to add a Google +1 button to my posts. I have been going around and clicking on +1 every time I like a search result... or a blog post... little +1 buttons are popping up everywhere, and I for one love it. You see, one problem I always had with the Facebook Share buttons is that I'm not always logged into Facebook. I'm always logged into my Google account. That's just the way I roll.

So, anyway... I guess that's enough rambling for tonight. I'll write a real post soon.

Later,

SteveO

So long, and thanks for... something

2011-06-20T19:27:00.000-07:00

So, that's it. Another contract done... another year gone by. It was a good year though. I really got a chance to own an operation, and help keep the world going round... so to speak.

I think one of the biggest lessons I learned about this is to keep an eye on every team that your team depends on. We had a few sketchy situations that I think I have learned how to spot early, and getting to coordinate moving the lab from one location to another was a really good experience. Seeing the circus of PMs, GMs, electricians, laborers, movers, technicians, Managers, and then us... the customers all working with and against each other opened my eyes to aspects of large projects like this that I never had exposure to before.

So now... it could be another blogging season (let's see how long this one lasts shall we?)... I could have a lot to write about... I've been reading some neat books that I bet everyone would love to hear me regurgitate and give my two cents on... or perhaps I'll get around to writing an Android app or two... who knows, if I can sell a million copies of something, I might not need to go back to work :P.

Anyway, for now, I'm going to start going through all my stuff... probably start posting some stuff on craigslist... and then perhaps I'll start packing my stuff into storage or a new home (depending on if I get a new job or not.)

So, more to come.

Later,

SteveO

Update on the Jaani Basket mounting mechanism...

2011-06-14T21:21:00.000-07:00

So, I have a little update on the mounting mechanism for the Jaani basket project. Because I have waged a war on zip ties (those who I work with would understand this ... I decided I didn't like the zip tie solution.

Also, that solution was a little too permanently attached. To remedy the solution, I went down to Home Depot (it made me think of dad...) and I got 2 U bolts, 6 compression screws, a couple of washers, and my father was kind enough to donate a handful of little L-brackets to my tool set when I left Michigan... Thanks Dad!

So, the entire thing hold the basket on to the back of the bike pretty well. I think I will get some of that rubber grippy stuff just to prevent it from sliding and to eliminate a rattling sound that it makes when I ride around, but I think it will make the basket much more practical...

also, wicker baskets are not that aerodynamic, and the entire way home from Renton, I thought the basket was going to rip off of the bike...

So, now I can take it off and put it in my car.

So, that's my latest story, and I'm stickin to it for now.

Later,

SteveO

There... I Fixed It.

2011-06-12T23:06:00.000-07:00

So, after a little bit of work I finalized Jaani's Basket... I guess because I haven't written about this on the blog yet, I might want to explain... You see, I haven't been riding my bike around much because I don't like leaving Jaani all alone inside on nice sunny day... so, a while ago, I got a trailer for him, but I hated having to set it up and then I had to make turns really wide, so I couldn't ride around town... anyway... the solution was to get a bike rack, and put a basket on it. However, my old bike (which is a really nice fancy racing bike) does not have a way to mount a bike rack... so, I went looking for a solution, and I found one.

My friend Paul down at Jet City has a hobby of selling old bikes, and he found an old Sears Roebuck and Co 3 speed cruiser with a bike rack on it. When I saw it, I knew it was a pretty cool bike. Also, Debbie had a basket that she was kind enough to let Jaani use. At first, I just used the rat-trap on the bike rack to hold the basket in place, but I wanted something a little more permanent. So, I took a stroll down to the Ikea as-is section, and I found a chair seat that was just about the rite size for the basket... I drilled four holes in it to screw the basket down, and then drilled six more holes to fasten the seat to the back rack. For now, I'm using Zip ties, but I will eventually move to something that is easier to remove and replace.

Another think that I had to do was make sure that Jaani was properly secured in his basket. Truth be told, he jumped out once (luckily in a grassy field), and I didn't want to find out if he would try and do it again. So, I cut the end off of an old leash and screwed that into the board in a way that would prevent Jaani from being able to jump out of the basket... Actually, he can hardly get 1 leg out. I have a blanket that I put in the basket around the leash. That way he has a nice area to lay down and relax.

So, at this point, I only had one more unresolved issue, and that was the fact that the bicycle would not fit in my car. So, I had to get a bike rack for my car, and now I can transport my bicycle around without a problem. I was thinking about it, without a van it is hard to transport bicycles, and it is rare that I would want to go somewhere to ride my mountain bike alone... so, I needed a way to transport multiple bikes at the same time... an issue I have actually run into several times... so, I was easily able to come up with several reasons to get a bike rack other than just the new bike. So, I am now the proud owner of a 3 speed bicycle that I can carry Jaani on and a bike rack to transport it around with.

It's a great thing. So, there is an update for the time being. I should start updating more once my break begins, but I guess only time will tell for sure.

Later,

SteveO

Shared Items from this Week

2011-03-03T19:46:00.000-08:00

Minecraft Creator Says 'No Such Thing As A Lost Sale'

Last year we wrote about how Minecraft developer Notch (Markus Persson) had been quite vocal in saying that worrying about piracy was a waste of time, and it was much more important to focus on giving people a reason to buy. And has he ever. The game keeps selling like crazy, and we detailed how he was raking in a ton of money, despite not caring if people were using his software for free.

In a short presentation at the Independent Games Summit he elaborated on those positions and again told people to stop worrying about "piracy" and focus on giving people reasons to buy. He dismissed the standard party line on these issues:

Piracy is not theft. If you steal a car, the original is lost. If you copy a game, there are simply more of them in the world.

There is no such thing as a 'lost sale'... Is a bad review a lost sale? What about a missed ship date?

The "lost sale" point is one we've raised a bunch in the past, but people have a lot of trouble grasping it. There is no such thing as a lost sale, because a lost sale just means a failure to get people to buy. And that's a marketing issue, not a legal one. If a "lost sale" is illegal, then anyone who gives you a coupon to buy their product instead of a competitors is "causing a lost sale." But that's ridiculous. And that's the point Notch is making. There are all sorts of reasons people might not buy from you -- and most of them may be your fault. So it's your job to convince people to pay for something -- which he's clearly done. As he notes:

If you just make your game and keep adding to it, the people who copyright infringed would buy it the next week.

Another report of the talk showed he expanded on the "copying isn't theft" concept:

A lot of big companies try to make piracy like theft; I wouldn't steal a car, but I would 'steal' a good design. If I liked another person's apartment, I would try to make mine look like someone else's... but that's not stealing.

And, of course, he's still making money like crazy. While it doesn't look like he posts historical data any more, he does show a running tally of the past 24 hours, and as of me writing this, he's sold 10,348 copies in the past 24 hours (out of 36,612 registered). At 15 euros a pop, that's over 150,000 euros in the last day -- for a small indie game. And these numbers have been going on for months. It's not even a situation where there was a big boom and then sales dropped off. It appears that the game just keeps on selling.

But it's impossible to make money because of "piracy" right?

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Date Shared:
2011-03-03

RESISTANCE

RESISTANCE
it’s futile

Submitted by:

PenegalFR

Picture by: Unknown

Date Shared:
2011-03-03

WALL-E

WALL-E
The original minecrafter.

Submitted by: Unknown

Date Shared:
2011-03-04

Escalator Speed FAIL

Submitted through the FAIL Uploader

Date Shared:
2011-03-01

Dog Product Slogan FAIL

Dog harness, slogan fail.

Submitted by: Unknown

Date Shared:
2011-03-01

CITIZEN UNITED v. FEC

Shared by ImTheFrizzleFry

I always love the videos created by The Story of Stuff, and I think this video resonates with me even more than most of the other videos. This one helps explain the results of the Citizen United V. FEC case, which allows corporations to free speech in the same context that actual human beings have free speech (which I think is a really bad idea). Watch it!

http://storyofcitizensunited.org –– COMING MARCH 1, 2011 -- Season Two launches on March 1st with The Story of Citizens United v. FEC and an exploration of the inordinate power that corporations exercise in our democracy.

Date Shared:
2011-03-02

Do E-Book Users Need a Bill of Rights? (Librarians Think So)

Shared by ImTheFrizzleFry

This isn't the first time a company has tried to use DRM to extend the publisher's rights beyond those granted by the constitution, and it will definitely not be the last. Copyright is only indented to prevent the commercial duplication of material to "promote the sciences and useful arts", but large media production corporations seem to think it's to ensure they make a profit.

Bluray movies can limit playback resolution if you don't use HDCP capable cables (like HDMI), and HDCP capable cables allow a device to restrict playback to certain devices (like block input to your receiver because it will allow 1080p playback though non-HDCP cables, or not allow you to connect your bluray player to your Home Theater PC).

In the 90s Adobe created an ebook format that was only readable by their proprietary tool; they sold public domain books and then did not allow people who bought the book to copy and paste text from the book.

Before the Itunes and the Zune Marketplace, Microsoft had the Microsoft Media Mall; it was an extension of Windows Media Center. When Microsoft launched the Zune Marketplace, they closed the Media mall and all the DRM verification services. Anyone who purchased content from the Microsoft Media mall was unable to burn CDs of the content they purchased, nor could they restore their content if they purchased a new computer. Those customers lost the content they purchased when they purchased a new computer.

DRM is inherently evil and very bad for the customers. Avoid purchasing DRM protected content at all costs. Think about it; what will all the people who purchased DRM protected content from Itunes do when Itunes closes? (It will happen - maybe not for 20 or 30 years, but it will happen eventually.)

The news that the publisher HarperCollins would be capping the number of times a library could lend a digital copy of a book to 26 has raised concerns - yet again - about the ramifications of our rush to embrace e-books. As one librarian, John Atzberger writes on his blog, the new model from HarperCollins "eliminates almost all the major advantages of the item's being digital, without restoring the permanence, durability, vendor-independence, technology-neutrality, portability, transferability, and ownership associated with the physical version."

Libraries may be on the front-lines of this latest battle, one that makes it clear that issues like DRM and lending policies can have troubling repercussions. Although the HarperCollins announcement impacts just lending through libraries, librarians are quick to point out that it isn't simply their institutions that will suffer.

To that end, librarians have started issuing statements, posting an "e-book users bill of rights" to their blogs. The statement, posted in full below, addresses "the basic freedoms that should be granted to all e-book users."

Sponsor

The Bill of Rights insists that users have access to their e-books - unrestrained by proprietary platforms - and can retain, archive, annotate, share, and resell their e-books. Many of those actions are forbidden if not restricted by e-books.

Should Libraries Avoid DRM Content?

The librarians' statement challenges the use of Digital Rights Management (DRM) which makes possessing an e-book a lot less like ownership and a lot more like licensing or subscription. As author Cory Doctorow notes in his story on the HarperCollins e-book lending policy, DRM media is "unsafe at any speed."

I mean it. When HarperCollins backs down and says, "Oh, no, sorry, we didn't mean it, you can have unlimited ebook checkouts," the libraries' answers should be "Not good enough. We want DRM-free or nothing." Stop buying DRM ebooks. Do you think that if you buy twice, or three times, or ten times as many crippled books that you'll get morenegotiating leverage with which to overcome abusive crap like this? Do you think that if more of your patrons come to rely on you for ebooks for their devices, that DRM vendors won't notice that your relevance is tied to their product and tighten the screws?

HarperCollins isn't the first time that access to e-books have been retracted. Amazon set off an uproar several years ago when it summarily deleted Kindle users' copies of George Orwell books.

Is DRM the price we pay to move to digital content? Is it a necessary move in order to convince publishers that their products are (relatively) safe from piracy? Or is this price too high, closing down access to information, art, and literature?

The E-Book User's Bill of Rights

Below is the text of the E-Book User's Bill of Rights:

Every eBook user should have the following rights:

the right to use eBooks under guidelines that favor access over proprietary limitations
the right to access eBooks on any technological platform, including the hardware and software the user chooses
the right to annotate, quote passages, print, and share eBook content within the spirit of fair use and copyright
the right of the first-sale doctrine extended to digital content, allowing the eBook owner the right to retain, archive, share, and re-sell purchased eBooks

I believe in the free market of information and ideas.

I believe that authors, writers, and publishers can flourish when their works are readily available on the widest range of media. I believe that authors, writers, and publishers can thrive when readers are given the maximum amount of freedom to access, annotate, and share with other readers, helping this content find new audiences and markets. I believe that eBook purchasers should enjoy the rights of the first-sale doctrine because eBooks are part of the greater cultural cornerstone of literacy, education, and information access.

Digital Rights Management (DRM), like a tariff, acts as a mechanism to inhibit this free exchange of ideas, literature, and information. Likewise, the current licensing arrangements mean that readers never possess ultimate control over their own personal reading material. These are not acceptable conditions for eBooks.

I am a reader. As a customer, I am entitled to be treated with respect and not as a potential criminal. As a consumer, I am entitled to make my own decisions about the eBooks that I buy or borrow.

I am concerned about the future of access to literature and information in eBooks. I ask readers, authors, publishers, retailers, librarians, software developers, and device manufacturers to support these eBook users' rights.

These rights are yours. Now it is your turn to take a stand. To help spread the word, copy this entire post, add your own comments, remix it, and distribute it to others. Blog it, Tweet it (#ebookrights), Facebook it, email it, and post it on a telephone pole.

Discuss

Date Shared:
2011-03-01

Lions, Tigers, and…

Comic by: Mabbus

Date Shared:
2011-02-26

M thru F: This Is Just Tacky, Guys

Clocking in your job LOLs and work FAILs every M Thru F

Date Shared:
2011-03-01

Learn From My Fail: Don’t Worry, She’s Just Going to Turn You On and Then Off

Take my word for it and Learn From My Fail!

Date Shared:
2011-02-28

YOUR JOB

YOUR JOB
in two words

Submitted by:

brooklynbadboy75

Date Shared:
2011-02-28

Anthropomorphized Animal of the Day

Anthropomorphized Animal of the Day: Pure joy.

[reddit / mattchew03.]

Tagged: Anthropomorphized Animal, Eff Yeah Flowers, Illustrated Happiness

Date Shared:
2011-02-27

Burning Chrome

Shared by ImTheFrizzleFry

Ever sense Google sent me a CR-48 Chrome OS Notebook, I have been gradually starting to feel the same way. I find it harder and harder to put up with other web browsers like IE and Firefox (but I still have a special place in my heart for opera...), and I have liked Google Docs Spreadsheets better than excel or open office spreadsheet for a few years not too.

I have had issues with Google Docs sense they removed Google Gears support for offline editing (and never implemented HTML5 offline support); however, I think it's much better to have one place where I can store files and edit documents through a browser, especially because I am a Linux user at home and a Windows user at work. Chrome is the way to go.

“A good player goes where the puck is. A great player goes where the puck is going to be”—The Great One

Google made a few interesting announcements this week. First, Google Docs Viewer support for a sheaf of new document types, including Excel, Powerpoint, Photoshop and PostScript. Second, Chrome’s new ability to run background apps that run seamlessly and invisibly behind the browser. Third, they released Google Cloud Connect, which lets Windows users sync Office documents to Google Docs. They also announced the Android 3.0 SDK – but despite the ongoing tablet hysteria, in the long run, the first three are more important.

Little by little, iteration by iteration, the Chrome browser is quietly morphing into a full-fledged multitasking operating system in its own right. Oh, sure, technically it’s actually running on another OS, but you increasingly never need to launch anything else. View and edit documents in Google Docs, watch and listen to HTML5 video and audio, communicate via Gmail and its Google Voice plugin, use Google Docs as a file system – and the line between “Chrome OS” and “Chrome on any other OS” suddenly grows very fine.

Google’s long-term strategy seems to be to supplant Microsoft by first building the best browser, then making it easy to move your files to Google Docs … and finally, slowly but inexorably, making Windows and Office irrelevant. Obviously no one will abandon Microsoft products wholesale anytime soon; but as cloud computing grows more ubiquitous, Google steadily iterates feature after feature, and people grow accustomed to working in the browser, then one day, maybe only a couple of years from now, a whole lot of people – and businesses – will begin to think to themselves “Hey, we haven’t actually needed Windows or Office in months. Why do we even have them at all?”

The “network computer” dumb-terminal approach has failed many times before … but so did Six Degrees, Tribe.net, Friendster, and (eventually) MySpace, before Facebook came along. The original iMac was roundly criticized because it didn’t have a floppy drive, criticism that now sounds hilariously stupid. We might look back at the first Chrome OS notebook in much the same way. Of course, Chrome can’t actually compete with Windows until always-on broadband Internet access reaches the same level of reliability and ubiquity as electricity itself; but that’s only a matter of time. In the early days of electricity, every factory had its own power plant, and its managers would have been appalled by the notion of outsourcing that vital engine – but soon enough those inefficient installations were replaced by today’s electrical grid. Computing power is the new electricity, and cloud computing is the new grid.

Unlike most companies, when Google says “cloud”, they mean it. Compare Amazon’s cloud-computing service to Google’s. With the former, you essentially call up and configure one or more servers with the OS and specifications of your choice; but with Google’s App Engine, you don’t know anything about its hardware or operating system, because that no longer matters. It just runs the code you give it, and you don’t much care how. Similarly, Chrome is being built for a future where the ambient, omnipresent wireless Internet connects everything from clothes to computers to cars (which explains how their self-driving cars fits into their strategy) and it doesn’t much matter what OS any given device is running.

I’ve criticized Google pretty harshly of late, but credit where it’s due: they still think bigger and further than anyone else. The problem is that all these brilliant strategies are predicated on their continued dominance of the search space, whose users are forever just a whim away from jumping ship to an alternative, and they’ve taken their eye off that ball of late. But at least they’ve finally started cracking down on search spam. It’s a start. Maybe they haven’t grown too bureaucratic and sclerotic to make the Chrome future happen after all.

CrunchBase Information

Google Chrome

Information provided by CrunchBase

Date Shared:
2011-02-27

Choose Your Own Software Update Adventure [Image]

Depending on which platform you use, the experience of downloading and installing updates to your OS can vary. Which one are you? [Sticky Comics] More »

Date Shared:
2011-02-26

Snow Reporting FAIL

Date Shared:
2011-02-26

This Week's shared items from Google Reader

2011-02-26T22:31:00.000-08:00

Hi everybody! So, I was thinking that I wanted to consolidate all of my shared items from Google Reader into a weekly digest. I'm still fine tuning my script (apparently it has some trouble converting Unicode to ASCII, but I think I just need to add a try block somewhere to catch the issue, and ignore the character... so, maybe it will be a super easy fix, and maybe it won't... anyway, enjoy this list of everything I've shared this past week.

Snow Reporting FAIL

Date Shared:
2011-02-26T03:40:35Z

Flowchart of the Day

Flowchart of the Day: “How To Pass Throught a Door” by Isadora Dantas.

She explains the impetus for her seemingly-unnecessary infographic:

Talking to a friend, we arrived to a conclusion that people here in NY are not very good in holding the door for others, and in case we do hold for them, sometimes they may pass through it without even saying “Thank You”.

Although it’s a very simple process, it may not be clear to everyone, so I created a graphic to illustrate it, and started by pasting it on the entrances of my school. If you feel the same and want to print one for you, you might download it here.

[consumerist.]

Tagged: Flowchart, Infographic

Date Shared:
2011-02-25T20:06:54Z

Understanding how to root your Android phone

The easy title for this would be, simply, “how to root your Android phone.” But I’m not going to go over specific root instructions. For starters, each handset is going to have a different set of instructions. Also, plenty can go wrong in the process. I’ll try to lead you down the right path, though, so that you can get the best possible instructions for rooting. But first, there are a couple of things you have to understand.

Basically, there are two types of root. The first involves unlocking your bootloader and then running a superboot. Honestly, I don’t quite understand the technical side of the process myself. Not that it’s necessary. You just need to be able to hook up your Android to a Mac or PC, download certain files, and run certain processes in the Terminal utility. For instance, when I unlocked the bootloader on my Nexus One, I followed these instructions. Again, this isn’t going to be the same for everyone, so you’re going to need to do a little googling. Just search for “unlock bootloader [your phone model]“. You could, alternatively, just search for “root [your phone model]“.

After you unlock the bootloader, you’ll then need to gain root access. For the Nexus One, this involved running superboot. I just found my version of Froyo and downloaded the appropriate file. Again, this might not be the same for your device. In order to find the correct steps, you’ll have to google a bit and find the proper process. I do wish that we could go over one generic process, but it rarely works that way.

Another way to root is something called one-click. This is often preferred, because it does not void the warranty. The downside is that I’ve seen many friends have their root reverted by a software update. That won’t happen when you unlock the bootloader. Still, this gives you all the benefits of root while keeping your warranty in tact. I recommend checking this xda developers thread for a comprehensive walk-through (plus 101 pages of forum back-and-forth that should help answer some questions).

If you’re going to root, I also recommend the following applications:

ROM Manager. So you can install your neat new ROMs. Also, make sure to install Clockwork recovery from there.
Titanium Backup. Things can go wrong with a rooted phone. Make sure you’re backed up.

There are surely many questions to be asked about rooting. It’s not an easy process, considering all the obstacles manufacturers have put in the way. A little googling goes a long way in this instance. That’s how I figured out how to root my Nexus One. But your rooting process might be a little different. So start with “root my [phone model]” and work from there. Read the process and google terms you don’t understand. Soon enough you’ll put it all together. I’ve got faith.

This post originated at AndGeeks.com - home to all things Android! Also a great source of info about Android Phones.

Understanding how to root your Android phone

Date Shared:
2011-02-25T14:20:44Z

Watch Android Take Over the World [VIDEO]

The official Android Developers channel on YouTube has posted a beautiful vizualization of Android activations around the world starting in October, 2008, and progressing through January 2011. Quite impressive to watch--especially the huge jump in activity when the Droid launched.

The video has no sound, so don't bother checking to see if you have mute on like I did. I'd recommend cuing up some dramatic music before you hit play to enhance the experience.

Click on through to watch the video
Continue reading: Watch Android Take Over the World [VIDEO]

You May Also Enjoy...

Date Shared:
2011-02-24T14:00:17Z

Follow Up of the Day [UPDATED]

Follow Up of the Day: Despite releasing a statement earlier this week saying they would not go after the vehemently bigoted Westboro Baptist Church, it appears Anonymous has decided that the WBC’s continued heckling warranted a warning, and infiltrated their website this morning (during a live radio interview on the The David Pakman Show between Westboro spokeswoman Shirley Phelps-Roper and an Anonymous member, no less) to post this message on its homepage.

The site has since been brought down, but the delightful defacement has been preserved.

[screengrab: jmg.]

UPDATE: Now with video of insta-legendary on-air hacking:

Tagged: anonymous, Follow Up, it's been brought, WBC

Date Shared:
2011-02-24T17:36:44Z

The things you can do with a rooted Android

Over the last few days we’ve gone over what it means to root your Android and some pros and cons of rooting. Today we’ll continue keeping it simple by discussing what you can do once you root your device.

By now you know what it means when someone says they’ve rooted their Android, and you’ve seen some pros and cons to doing it yourself. That’s all fine and good, but we’ve left alone the topic of what you can actually do with your device once you root. Obviously there are a number of benefits, and we kind of hinted at them in the pros and cons list. But today we’ll have a few more items. As with yesterday, participation will make this list more robust.

On yesterday’s article, commenter jaamgans brought up perhaps the greatest thing you can do with a rooted Android: install an OS more up-to-date than is officially available for your handset. He uses a great example. The G1 — the original Android handset — was officially stuck on Android 1.6. No matter how bad you wanted 2.1, it was out of the question. Google/T-Mobile/HTC wouldn’t deliver you the update. But with a rooted handset you could have installed Cyanogenmod, which is a custom ROM*, that would have basically given you Android 2.1. Custom ROMs are easily the biggest advantage of rooting your device.

* A ROM is basically a modified version of the Android operating system. It replaces whatever version you have and provides various features. Some of them focus on making the device run smoother, while others bring new features — even features available in future Android builds, but not currently available.

This is particularly notable when it comes to 2.2 updates. The majority of Android handsets do have Android 2.2, but there are still some that lag behind. If there is a version of Cyanogenmod for your handset, you can root and then flash that ROM, which will give you 2.2 capabilities. This includes features such as WiFi tethering and hotspot, and partially moving apps to the SD card. A year ago, before 2.2 was widespread, these were major reasons that people rooted. Unfortunately, given how many handsets are stuck on 2.1, it still is. Cyanogenmod is also now releasing 2.3 builds, which is also awesome. I’m running that right now.

What I found surprising is that you can improve your Android’s signal strength. Intuitively, this sounds like a hardware issue, but there are definitely software fixes that can provide you with better coverage. You can flash — i.e., install — a new radio on your device and experience a stronger signal in places where you’re currently weak. I saw this first hand. Previously I couldn’t get more than an EDGE connection in my apartment, but after I flashed a new radio I consistently get three to four bars of HSPA. This is also nice in places like my gym, which is in a basement. The signal is just a bit stronger down there now that I’ve flashed a new radio.

Ever get frustrated that your device runs too slowly? If you root you can overclock your device. There are definite disadvantages to this, including your phone running incredibly hot (which is not good for those who stow the phone in their pockets) and draining battery at an abnormal rate. But if you want the speed, the option is there. Conversely, if you think your phone runs just fine you can slow it down a bit in order to gain battery life.

While there are apps that will back up your Android, none of them is quite as comprehensive as Titanium Backup. Of course, you’ll need a rooted handset to run Titanium. Once you do, you might feel more comfortable playing around with your rooted device. After all, you know Titanium is there with all of your information, ready to restore if you screw up. (Though not if you screw up to the point of bricking your phone, of course.)

There are plenty of other root-only apps, too, including apps that allow you to take screen shots of your device. People have expressed love for apps such as QUick Boot, which allow quick restarts and reboots into recovery. The Market is absolutely rife with root-only apps. Check out a list in the market.

These clearly aren’t the only benefits of rooting your phone. Each person will have different reasons. I love customizing things, and so play with Cyanogenmod’s options for hours on end. I also need to take screenshots from time to time, and this helps. Others will have different reasons. If you have any more, add them in the comments. Once this series finishes I’ll add the best ones to the main post.

This post originated at AndGeeks.com - home to all things Android! Also a great source of info about Android Phones.

The things you can do with a rooted Android

Date Shared:
2011-02-23T15:03:26Z

Flying Cars

Date Shared:
2011-02-23T05:00:00Z

Morning Links

Morning Links:

Google Person Finder: 2011 Christchurch Earthquake.

Koyaanisqatsi movie loops. (via.)

Fable re-imagined as an 8-bit adventure game.

Morning Distraction: Elephant Quest. (via.)

Morning Wood: Tyron Dettmer.

Morning List: Top 10 Most Livable Cities.

[photo: reddit.]

Tagged: Morning Links, pugs all the way down

Date Shared:
2011-02-22T16:09:23Z

DETERMINATION

DETERMINATION
Sometimes it gets you eaten by a bear.

Submitted by:

HeMightBeGiant81

Date Shared:
2011-02-22T22:00:00Z

The pros and cons of rooting your Android device

Will you root your Android device? Before you can answer that question, you need to know a few things. This week we plan to examine some of finer aspects of rooting your Android and what it means for you and your device. We’ll keep this as simple as possible, which means as little geek-speak as possible. We want to make it easy to understand, above all else.

Today’s topic: The pros and cons of rooting your Android device.

Yesterday I provided the bare bones definition of rooting your Android device. Now that you have an idea of what rooting is, we can move onto the features and bugs of rooting. On Wednesday we’ll get to the specific cool stuff you can do, but today we’ll continue wading through the shallow end. It’s time to examine the pros and cons of rooting your device.

Pro and con lists seem to work better in pairs. That is, if you read a whole list of pros and then a whole list of cons, I’m not sure you’ll come away any wiser than before. I’ll try to pair the pros and cons so you can see both sides of each issue. That way you can determine, on a case-by-case basis, whether rooting is right for you.

Pro: You free yourself from the binds of your carrier and are free to do so
much more with your phone.

Con: It voids the warranty, meaning you’re out of luck if something goes wrong and you need a new phone.

Pro: You can install different and more feature-rich versions of the Android OS.

Con: Doing so can cause unanticipated problems.

Pro: You can perform functions that you can’t without rooting, such as taking screen shots.

Con: Same as the previous con. It’s tough to appreciate the added functions if your device is on the frtiz. Plus, how many people really have a use for screenshots?

Pro: You can install custom operating systems that improve on many functions of Android.

Con: You’ll no longer get the official OTA updates, meaning you have to keep on top of the latest releases and make sure your phone is up to date.

Pro: You’ll have more control over your Android than you ever thought possible.

Con: That can lead to spending more time with your phone than you ever really wanted to. (h/t Android Forums member Lock-N-Load)

Pro: You can overclock your device with kernels.

Con: What is overclocking? And what is a kernel? (For those looking for a non-snarky response, a kernel “is a bridge between applications and the actual data processing done at the hardware level.” Overclocking means making the processor run faster than intended by the manufacturer. There are plenty of cons to that, too, including the phone running hot and increased battery consumption.)

The biggest con of all: You can actually brick your phone if something goes wrong during the rooting process. This is no laughing matter. There are ways you can screw up the rooting process that will require you to spend additional hours restoring it to normal. That’s not a huge deal. The huge deal is where you mess up to the point where your phone is no longer operable, and never will be again. This isn’t exactly common, and it would take a pretty massive screw-up.

If you don’t feel comfortable playing around with computers, you might not wan to root the device yourself. It does involve a couple of involved processes, which will at some point require you to run functions through the Terminal on your PC or Mac. You might even have to download the Terminal Emulator for your Android and run functions through that. Again, if you’re not comfortable in these environments, I wouldn’t recommend moving forward with a root. If, however, you are comfortable and you can follow directions, I don’t think you’ll have a problem with the root process.

If you have any additional pros and cons, leave them in the comments and I’ll update the post in a week or so with them.

This post originated at AndGeeks.com - home to all things Android! Also a great source of info about Android Phones.

The pros and cons of rooting your Android device

Date Shared:
2011-02-22T13:44:59Z

Despite 861.5 Percent Growth, Android Market Revenues Remain Puny

Shared by ImTheFrizzleFry

Another key source or revenue is advertising revenue. You know, the way that Google makes money. Android users are far more likely to click on advertisements than iPhone users. That is why many Android Apps are free while the iPhone app is $1+... like Angry Bird for example, which produces over $1 million a month from Android ad revenue.

You read the headline “Android Market grows a staggering 861.5 per cent”, and you think, “Wow, Android is really on a tear.” But then you look at the fine print, and you realize that Android Market revenues are still barely registering, and that the only reason they grew so much in 2010 was because in 2009 they were nearly non-existent.

According to a chart making the rounds from UK-based research firm IHS, Android Market revenues in 2010 came in at an estimated $102 million, up from $11 million the year before.

And how did that compare to revenues from Apple’s App Store? Apple App Store revenues came in at an estimated $1.7 billion in 2010, almost 20 times bigger than Android. And Apple App Store revenue grew at a not-too-shabby 131.9 percent rate. More importantly, Apple accounts for 83 percent of the total estimated app store revenues.

It’s great that Android app store revenues are growing so fast, but whenever you see such sky-high numbers, be sure to look at what is the base they are growing from. Android will have to keep growing at astounding rates for a few more years simply to catch up to where Apple’s App Store is today.

If you are an app developer trying to make money, you still really don’t have much of a choice about where to put your apps. No wonder Apple feels like it can treat app developers any way it wants, and take an increasing percentage of their revenues.

CrunchBase Information

App Store

Android

Information provided by CrunchBase

Date Shared:
2011-02-22T02:31:34Z

These Are Tesla's Strangest Inventions In 3D [Video]

While Tesla built many of his inventions, many others were left as designs and patents that were never completed. Of course, these were the weirdest ones. This video shows them in three dimensions. After watching it, I'm now convinced he was a stranded visitor from the future. [Vimeo via Kuriositas] More »

Date Shared:
2011-02-21T22:40:00Z

Infographic of the Day

Infographic of the Day: This may be a pretty common gripe, but that doesn’t preclude it from being absolutely accurate. (Embiggen.)

Then again, I’ll take magma over smegma any day.

[reddit.]

Tagged: Infographic, magma, Universal Truth

Date Shared:
2011-02-21T17:26:43Z

Android Root Week: What is rooting?

Will you root your Android? Before you can begin to answer that question, you need to know a few things. This week we plan to examine some of the finer aspects of rooting your Android and what it means for your device. We’ll keep this as simple as possible, which means as little geeks-speak as possible. We want to make it as easy as possible for you to understand.

Today’s topic: What is rooting?

After purchasing an Android device, many, if not most, users will take to the internet and seek out the best available apps. When browsing around, the term “root” is sure to cross his or her path. It might sound like a mystery at first, but the idea behind rooting is rather simple.

The first thing to understand is that you are not in full control of your phone. You have plenty of permissions, but ultimately you’re blocked out of many of them. This is the case with every smartphone in existence. In order to protect your phone against your own curiosities, you typically can’t access functions that can render it inoperable, or otherwise cause others harm via the network. Rooting gives you access to these functions by making you what is termed a “superuser.”

Once you go through the rooting process, which in many cases involves unlocking your phone and thereby voiding the warranty, you will have access to applications and processes not available to other Android users. This also includes custom operating systems, called ROMs.

In this way, rooting is akin to gaining full control over your Android device. Once you have unlocked the phone and gained root access, you are free from the restrictions imposed by the stock Android operating system. This means the ability to install applications not available to locked users, and as well as the ability to perform certain functions. Those we will go over later this week. But first we had to make sure that you understand exactly what rooting is.

Here’s our schedule for the week:

Monday: What is rooting?
Tuesday: Pros and cons to rooting your Android
Wednesday: The things you can do with a rooted Android
Thursday: (Off day in which we’ll play catch-up elsewhere)
Friday: How to root your Android device

This post originated at AndGeeks.com - home to all things Android! Also a great source of info about Android Phones.

Android Root Week: What is rooting?

Date Shared:
2011-02-21T15:37:50Z

Sunday Open Thread: Public Outreach

Shared by ImTheFrizzleFry

I like the video all the way up until it makes a plug for a website at the end...

Via.

Date Shared:
2011-02-21T00:17:38Z

Snow in Redmond...

2011-02-23T21:55:00.000-08:00

Well, if my team at work was still part of the reserves, we would have had the day off, which is kinda ridiculous because the snow didn't even start until about 6 or 7PM. The reserves had the day off because the Lake Washington School District didn't have school today, but the crazy part is that the roads were perfectly fine this morning. So, our lab had to go in, but there is a chance that tomorrow will be a bad day for driving. I guess that doesn't really give anyone on our team an excuse because we all live pretty close to work, but it might mean another day without the extra people we requested from the reserves team... anyway, enough about work.

I recently discovered that Comerica started charging me a ridiculous fee because I'm not keeping enough money in the account... so now I need to mail them a letter so they will close that account. I figure that I can't even use the account, and BECU is so awesome that I don't need a stupid bank that charges me money to keep my money there. Plus, with BECU, I not only have access to a credit unions here in Washington, but all over the country, which is something that Comerica just doesn't offer.

So, other than that, I got some lens filters for my new camera, and I plan on running around and playing with them this weekend, but for now, I just have another HDR photo of the parking lot outside my apartment... which now has snow!

Anyway, that's it for now.

Later,

SteveO

New camera... again.

2011-02-20T13:44:00.000-08:00

   So, the story begins again... a new camera. This time I decided to get the extra warranty because I have really bad luck with cameras. So, if I break this camera in the next 3 years, then I'll be able to get the camera fixed, or I'll get money to replace it. One or the other. So, I am almost hoping that I can break the camera in the next three years... in a way.

   So, of coarse, I have to go around and test out the new camera right? Well, that's exactly what I did. I started off with a picture of a dimly lit road at night. So, I took a picture of the road I walk Jaani down every night after work. I figure, sense I walk here every day, I should have a picture for future reference right? Anyway, the camera has an awesome sensor in it, and that means good looking low light pictures without a tripod. That is the difference between my old camera and my new camera. This image would have required a tripod with my Power Shot SD970 IS Digital Elf, but with the Cannon S95, it turns out just fine.
   I am not the only person who has noticed this. In fact, there is a reason the S95 has a 5-star product rating on Amazon, but the SD970 IS only has 4. The one catch is that the S95 has a lot of manual settings that could be a little intimidating for people who don't share my desire to tinker and fiddle with tons of settings. However, it's a great camera for me.
   If you are wondering what happened to my old camera, it is getting another lens error. Only, this time, I can't just pop the lens back on to the track. This time, the camera is really screwed. I can't get it to move at all, but if I pay about $250 I can get a replacement part that will fix the problem (and replaced the scratched lens).
   So, about the new camera, I went out and took a bunch of pictures. I really haven't used the flash for many of my pictures, and I haven't put any photos that used the flash into the slideshow below. I have to say, that I am really impressed by the HDR (High Dynamic Range) photos; with that feature, the camera takes three different pictures with different exposure times (high, low, and neutral), and blends them together to create a picture that shows the light and dark portions of the picture equally.
   Anyway, I'm happy with the camera so far, and I'm sure I'll have more to say about it soon. So, until then, enjoy this slideshow of my photos:

Later,

   SteveO

More screens in my office!

2011-02-13T00:12:00.000-08:00

So, after a long day of wearing down the battery in my CR-48, I decided to get a picture of all the gadgets together. I have the two laptops, the two netbooks, my Nokia N770 Internet Tablet, Ipod Touch, and my Droid Incredible (phone). All in all, I am representing Ubuntu Desktop, Ubuntu Netbook Remix, Chrome OS, Android, Meamo, iOS, and (shame) Windows XP. So, needless to say, I have a good representation of most of the popular OSes out there... with the exception of Macintosh, which I don't expect to obtain any time soon.
So, I think it's kinda fun to be able to say I use seven OSes at home on a regular basis, and if you include work, then I run 9 (we use Windows 7 and Windows Phone 7 at work)... technically you could even say I run 12 if you include Xbox, Roku, and DD-WRT.
Enough about technicalities. Let's talk more about the Chrome OS Notebook. I went around town using it all day, and I have found it mildly irritating that it doesn't have any sort of real off-line functionality. So irritating, in fact, that it makes me want to re-image it to a real Linux distro... or at least chromium (which would allow me to add more Debian based applications. If Google ever wants people to adopt Chrome OS, they are going to need to add a list of things(without going into developer mode):

A traditional off-line desktop experience. I really like the idea that was being tossed around when Chrome was first announced about a tab that is permanently pinned to the upper left corner. From that tab, users could have a "desktop" that could use Android widgets and possibly even Andoid apps. Wouldn't that be sweet? You have the same Apps on your computer as you have on your phone/tablet? (I think tablet more so than phone, but why not have phone apps in little windows?)
A proper file manager.
Actual support for bluetooth (not just command line utilities only available in developer mode...
I want a real terminal! the silly crosh thing does not count.

So... after getting home, I caved in and hit the switch to put the CR-48 into developer mode. I just couldn't stand not being able to use SD cards or USB sticks. I am a little annoyed that if I want to open any type of file other than html, pdf, txt, or other type of file typically opened by a web browser, then the content browser tells me it doesn't know what to do with it. This means, that if I want to open a text document on a USB drive, I need to upload it to some sort of web service that will recognize the file then edit the file with that web service. grr.

However, on the bright side... I the "next window" button works very nicely to switch from the browser to a shell and back... plus, I can now view the contents of my SD cards. How you may ask?

I'll tell you:

Put the CR-48 into developer mode
(This means remove the battery and hit the little switch hidden behind a piece of tape.)
Once booted, go to open a terminal
press ++t
(This is a funky chrome terminal that sort of sucks... so you will want a real bash shell)
Open a bash shell
type "shell" and press enter
Become root
type "sudo su" and press enter
Change directory to the Downloads folder using the cd command
type "cd /home/chronos/user/Downloads" and press enter
Create a symbolic link to the /media directory
type "ln -s /media" and press enter
Insert SD card of USB drive
press +o to open the content browser.

It's just that ridiculously complicated. I mean, why didn't google just do that in the first place? then they just need to give the chronos user read/write access to the /media directory and there you go, users would be able to read from and save to USB drives and SD cards.

On the not so simple side of things... it doesn't appear that the CR-48 will connect to my blutooth logitech mouse nor my blutooth jawbone headset. I am able to get to a root terminal and use the hcitool to scan for blutooth devices and even get information about the devices, but it won't connect to the devices.

I don't know if any tech savvy people have tried this yet, but if you find anything useful, it would be nice to know.

So... anyway. That is probably way too much babbling about stupid config stuff that should have been done before this thing was shipped, but maybe it will pan out soon.

Later,

SteveO

I got a new CR-48

2011-02-12T11:26:00.000-08:00

   So, if you noticed one of my buzz posts from not that long ago... Google sent me a CR-48 notebook computer with Chrome OS loaded on it. My first impression was that this thing boots really fast. Then I found out that it came with 100MB a month for the next 2 years; that was awesome to find out, but it only took me a few minutes to realize that I can use that in my sleep... in less than an hour.
   I had a few complaints right out the gate... 1: No support for USB thumb drives or SD cards... 2: the content browser is a poor replacement for a proper file browser... 3: they replaced the function buttons with some kinda weird buttons, and they don't respond the same way that function buttons respond on a Linux computer. Specifically, I can't press ctrl+alt+F2 to get to a command line.... at least not without putting it into developer mode... which I will do eventually, but I want to figure out all the bells and whistles first.
   Another thing I didn't like is that, by default, it does not require you to type your password after it wakes up. Maybe when I first set it up I missed it (which I'll look for after I reset it); however, a quick search on the help forums revealed that the setting is easily changed within the settings page (which is really close to the newest settings page for the development branch of the chrome browser)... even though I kept "not seeing" it when it was right in front of me.
   I do like how fast it wakes up. If you just want to surf the web the software is perfect... and if you don't watch a lot of full screen video content, then the hardware is perfect too. I, on the other hand, watch a lot of video content full screen. So, I would like to see a better video card if I had purchased it... at least full screen 720p playback is a must! I mean, my phone can do that...
   As far as the look and feel, they gave me some stickers for it, but I don't think I'll use them. I like the plain black with no logos look. It is really sleek and I think I'll keep it that way... at least for a while. I might end up covering it with stickers like my Lenovo... and Sylvania... computers, but for now, I'm just going to keep it as it is.
   I would have more pictures, but my camera is sort of broken again. This time the trick I used to fix it last time doesn't work... and actually I think I made it worse by trying to fix it. However, I haven't given up hope completely yet, and I think I know that I'll get a warranty next time I get a new camera.

Anyhow... that's my first impression of the CR-48 Chrome Notebook. I'm sure I'll have more in the coming days.

Later,

   SteveO

Memoirs of the Pressman

2011-02-08T23:19:00.000-08:00

   By the light of my lamp I sit and type... the smoke from a cigarette that burned out some time last year rose from the table, and swirled around the cup of the lamp shade. I remember days of playing my bass and feeding off of the crowd... listening to Primus... I do the latter more than the former these days. My writing ends up published on the web rather than buried deep in the pages of a 4X8 inch spiral bound journal covered in pseudo-symmetric doodles... yes - that's the way I roll. Yet, while I miss it all, I don't miss a thing. I'm happy to move on to the new things...

   I still find myself inspired by the same things... a random beat, or remembering some crazy explanation of why some song is my favorite... I like the mood or tone... the sound of deadlines whooshing by... it's some sort of obscure reference that ties two unrelated things together based on a word... like the word deadlines for example... which ties together the song Pressman with a Douglas Adams quote... my favorite parts of Pork Soda and Adams... for what it's worth.

   For something completely different, yet not so much - I still find it funny how often I need to explain where frizzlefry comes from. In some way, it's a testament to how deep by lack of creativity and originality goes, but at the same time... everyone thinks my screen name is short for I am the... I guess that makes me some what original. In some small and mostly insignificant way.

   The times have changed... my hair got shorter, but I still remember what it was like to party... of coarse these days it would take me a week to recover from one night of drinking the way I used to every night... I don't smoke anymore... I live 3000 miles... ok, you caught me 2700 miles from where I used to live... although I still have an enormous amount of pride in where I came from... I say I'm from the D... don't F*%! with me... although I'm from the northern suburbs... the city of tomorrow today... the home of automation alley... but my school mascot is a colt... I swear it's not the mammal.

Anyway... funny tone and all tonight. I couldn't find a good picture either. So, I'll call this a post, and maybe someone new will read it.

Later,

   SteveO

Where My Friends are According to Facebook

2011-01-26T23:30:00.000-08:00

   So, interesting little thing. After all these years of using Facebook, I've managed to gather several maps just like the one to the left. The maps show the general locations of where my Facebook friends are at. I was thinking I might just make a video of where everyone has moved to and from over time, but in the mean time, it's interesting to look at.

   What caught my eye about the newest map is how, according to Facebook, there is no place in the USA where I am more than about 400 miles away from a friend; unless I go to Northern Texas or North Dakota, I'll be even closer than that. In reality, I would never be more than about 300 miles away, if you include my friends in SE Colorado, Northern California, South Dakota, and Salt Lake City that don't use Facebook.

   So, there's a little update about what I'm thinking about right now. Also, while on the subject of Facebook friends, I find it odd that I have 324 friends on Facebook. That number is really just a running total of all the people I have interacted with (in person) long enough to remember their name (plus a few people I have never met that share my last name), but it just seems odd to have that many people listed as friends when I only interact with a small group on a regular basis. Perhaps I should begin to reevaluate the criteria for who is my Facebook friend, but if I did that, then I might not be able to find some random person I haven't seen in the past decade.

Later,

   SteveO

Set Course for Anacortes!

2011-01-17T23:52:00.000-08:00

   A ferry leaves Friday Harbor under a moon lit sky. The clouds remain on the horizon, but stay at bay to avoid blocking the light. The water is smooth, the tailing wind makes for a silent night in the San Juan and Upright Channels. Large masses of black with the occasional orange or yellow light pass by on both sides. The glow of green and red lights are the only indicators of our course.

   As the ship passes Decatur Island through Thatcher Pass, the Rosario Strait presents a strong cross wind and the boat begins to sway. As we get into the middle of the Strait, the waves continue to grow larger, and the swaying becomes more dramatic. The waves crash on the side of the ship, causing everyone on board to grow tense.

   I stood out on the top deck. The wind threatens to remove my hat, and the lights of our destination begin to grow brighter. Shortly the captain will instruct me to go down to the lower deck, where Jaani is waiting in the car. Katy is reading a book in the passenger cabin, but I remain restless as I stare contently into the blackness.

   Our journey started at 6AM, we departed my home and set course for Friday Harbor. To get there, we had to take the ferry from Anacortes, and once we arrived we had another ship to catch. As it turns out, we will spend the majority of the day on the water. The entire day we were subjected to breath-taking views of the San Juan Islands, sunny skies, and the sight of the Olympic mountains on the Southern Horizon. The weather the past couple of days has been extraordinarily clear, and perfect for outdoor activities.

   Our goal was to watch sea lions on a large rock off the south end of San Juan Island, but the winds from the Strait of Juan De Fuca decided it would be more fun to throw 8ft waves at us. The 42ft boat just can't safely navigate around the jagged rocks close enough for us to get a good view. So, we returned to harbor, but not before finding a few sea otters and bald eagles just hanging around in their natural habitat. The day was so specular that a minor thing like not accomplishing the goal we originally set out to fulfill... well, it just seemed like a petty complaint not worth recognizing.

   We could not have asked for a better day... well, I guess we could have asked for less wind, but we had no rain, which is a rare find in January around these parts. Jaani was surprisingly good on the boat. The swaying side to side, and the waves crashing over the bow didn't seem to bother him too much, so long as someone was there to keep him from sliding off the chair. When we found an off-leash dog park not more than a couple miles from the ferry docks, he got so excited he started to drool and ran as fast as he could for almost half an hour.

The past week has been full of events: The Aquarium, Pike Market, Pacific Science Center, Space Needle, Seattle Center, Experience Music Project, Woodland Park Zoo, Seattle Harbor Tour, Picasso at the Seattle Art Museum, day in the San Juan Islands... having a friend come visit, and giving a proper Seattle tour to a good friend, is one hell of a way to spend a week... well, actually 5 days out of a 10 day period.

All I have to say- at the moment- is that I'm completely beat. So, I'm going to bed. I'm sure I'll sleep well tonight, so I hope you all will too.

Later,

   SteveO

A Declaration of the Independence of Cyberspace

2010-12-03T16:52:00.000-08:00

So, in my usual searching around the Internet, and sifting through all the articles I've found about Net Neutrality, the government trying to silence the whistle-blowers over at WikiLeaks.org (They are now hosted in Switzerland because the US Government doesn't want them talk freely - thus they pressured Amazon to stop hosting them), and all those domains that the US government seized at the request of the MPAA and RIAA... and I found this interesting writing by John P. Barlo titled A Declaration of the Independence of Cyberspace. I like it primarily because I feel that it is the way the culture of the Internet needs to be treated.

The Internet culture does not belong to any single country - although each individual on the Internet does reside in a country. I don't believe it is right to allow any government to claim jurisdiction over the Internet, or even parts of the Internet. The Internet should be an Anarchy- which is something that should only be allowed in a virtual world. Anyone who publishes content on the Internet is creating an offering to the collective database; it's not that publications are being given away, but it is the responsibility of the content owner to enforce their ownership rights... even if that means taking the case to a court in the physical world.

Anyway, I recommend reading the declaration below. It was originally written as a response to the Telecom Reform Act of 1996; I think it has some really good points, and it's surprisingly relevant today.

Later,

SteveO

-------------------------------------------------------------

A Declaration of the Independence of Cyberspace

By John P. Barlo

February 8, 1996

It is error alone which needs the support of government. Truth can stand by itself.

— Thomas Jefferson, Notes on Virginia

   Governments of the Industrial World, you weary giants of ﬂesh and steel, I come from Cyberspace, the new home of Mind. On behalf of the future, I ask you of the past to leave us alone. You are not welcome among us. You have no sovereignty where we gather.

   We have no elected government, nor are we likely to have one, so I address you with no greater authority than that with which liberty itself always speaks. I declare the global social space we are building to be naturally independent of the tyrannies you seek to impose on us. You have no moral right to rule us nor do you possess any methods of enforcement we have true reason to fear.

   Governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed. You have neither solicited nor received ours. We did not invite you. You do not know us, nor do you know our world. Cyberspace does not lie within your borders. Do not think that you can build it, as though it were a public construction project. You cannot. It is an act of nature and it grows itself through our collective actions.

   You have not engaged in our great and gathering conversation, nor did you create the wealth of our marketplaces. You do not know our culture, our ethics, or the unwritten codes that already provide our society more order than could be obtained by any of your impositions.

   You claim there are problems among us that you need to solve. You use this claim as an excuse to invade our precincts. Many of these problems don’t exist. Where there are real conﬂicts, where there are wrongs, we will identify them and address them by our means. We are forming our own Social Contract. This governance will arise according to the conditions of our world, not yours. Our world is different.

   Cyberspace consists of transactions, relationships, and thought itself, arrayed like a standing wave in the web of our communications. Ours is a world that is both everywhere and nowhere, but it is not where bodies live. We are creating a world that all may enter without privilege or prejudice accorded by race, economic power, military force, or station of birth.

   We are creating a world where anyone, anywhere may express his or her beliefs, no matter how singular, without fear of being coerced into silence or conformity.

   Your legal concepts of property, expression, identity, movement, and context do not apply to us. They are based on matter, There is no matter here.

   Our identities have no bodies, so, unlike you, we cannot obtain order by physical coercion. We believe that from ethics, enlightened self-interest, and the commonweal, our governance will emerge . Our identities may be distributed across many of your jurisdictions. The only law that all our constituent cultures would generally recognize is the Golden Rule. We hope we will be able to build our particular solutions on that basis. But we cannot accept the solutions you are attempting to impose.

   In the United States, you have today created a law, the Telecommunications Reform Act, which repudiates your own Constitution and insults the dreams of Jefferson, Washington, Mill, Madison, DeToqueville, and Brandeis. These dreams must now be born anew in us.

     You are terriﬁed of your own children, since they are natives in a world where you will always be immigrants. Because you fear them, you entrust your bureaucracies with the parental responsibilities you are too cowardly to confront yourselves. In our world, all the sentiments and expressions of humanity, from the debasing to the angelic, are parts of a seamless whole, the global conversation of bits. We cannot separate the air that chokes from the air upon which wings beat.

   In China, Germany, France, Russia, Singapore, Italy and the United States, you are trying to ward off the virus of liberty by erecting guard posts at the frontiers of Cyberspace. These may keep out the contagion for a small time, but they will not work in a world that will soon be blanketed in bit-bearing media.

   Your increasingly obsolete information industries would perpetuate themselves by proposing laws, in America and elsewhere, that claim to own speech itself throughout the world. These laws would declare ideas to be another industrial product, no more noble than pig iron. In our world, whatever the human mind may create can be reproduced and distributed inﬁnitely at no cost. The global conveyance of thought no longer requires your factories to accomplish.

   These increasingly hostile and colonial measures place us in the same position as those previous lovers of freedom and self-determination who had to reject the authorities of distant, uninformed powers. We must declare our virtual selves immune to your sovereignty, even as we continue to consent to your rule over our bodies. We will spread ourselves across the Planet so that no one can arrest our thoughts.

   We will create a civilization of the Mind in Cyberspace. May it be more humane and fair than the world your governments have made before.

I got a hammock...

2010-10-25T21:08:00.000-07:00

So, I still can't help but feel this is the wrong season to get a hammock. I don't see myself setting it up for camping purposes in a little while, but I think it will be nice once the summer rolls around again. I also have a hanging kit for it that can help get it up between two trees without tying any knots or anything.

So, now all I need is a nice summer-like day to put it up and spend some time relaxing between a couple of trees.

In other news, I've determined that getting a "Not-a-Snuggie" blanket with sleeves on it was a good idea. The weather is getting colder, and it's really nice to have a warm blanket with sleeves to keep the cold away. Jaani and I have been laying on the couch watching TV today, and the it just seems like as much as the heater runs, it just doesn't warm up very much in here.

Oh, on a note that isn't about me... apparently Eric is on a small island along the coast of Belize, where he had a front row seat to hurricane Richard (which is now a tropical depression.) I am not sure what ended up happening because I haven't seen Eric online today, but he said the weather was pretty crazy the other day. I'll get back to the updates about Eric as soon as I hear more, but I'm sure he will be fine.

anyway, that's all for now.

Later,

SteveO

Getting my workstation back into place...

2010-10-22T23:03:00.000-07:00

So, Eric went on his trip to Central America, which you can follow on his blog, and that means I get my office back. So, I know what you're thinking... you're thinking "Hey Steve, isn't that a Windows computer on the left?" Well, yea, it is... but I have an excuse! You see, I took it out from the bowels of the black hole I call a closet so I could help a friend of mine test his software (which only runs in... or rather he only wants to provide support for Windows...) So, yea, I have a Windows PC hanging around... Actually, behind the laptop and netbook on the right, I have 4 more Windows PCs that I am currently working on for somebody... So, Microsoft has managed to infiltrate my home... kinda.

That being said, I am happy to say that between my desktop, 2 laptops, netbook, cell phone, ipod, and Internet Tablet (all present in the picture) only one device runs an OS that is not deeply rooted in Unix. (that being the Windows laptop...)

Soon, I'll actually make things a little more interesting when I put Android on my Ipod Touch, but that will come later.

Anyway, so, I've got a little more to get done as far as setting my workstation up. I still have to wire the network for that room, because even though my computers all have wireless adapters in them, the computers I'm working on don't. Which means I need to bridge my wireless network to make a local network for the repair portion of the work area. I also need to work on my electronics area, and I think I will need to get another table for all that stuff. Well... I'm sure I'll come up with something interesting.

So, to say the least, I have a few things on my mind while I'm working on this, but with a little luck, I'll be up and running some time tomorrow before noon; However, for the rest of the night, I have some updates that need to be run on that Windows PC, and my netbook is still running Ubuntu 10.04... so I'll have to update that to 10.10 tonight (which could take a couple hours because the network is currently running a little slow in this end of the house.

Oh yea, in other news, I also ordered my last dual band WiFi N adapter, which means that this is the weekend I make the switch from 2.4Ghz 802.11G networking to 5Ghz 802.11N networking... that will get me less interference from my neighbors' networks, a stronger signal in my office, and 300Mbps WiFi (rather than a mere 54Mbps...)

So, that's my plan. I hope yours is just as exciting.

Later,

SteveO

One hell of a burger!

2010-10-17T18:03:00.000-07:00

So, I stopped by the Lunch box Laboratory today in Ballard... oh boy, that was good food, but I don't think I'll need to eat again for a week.

The beautiful burger you are looking at there is the hothead. It's 1/2lb of super beef (prime rib, sirloin, and chuck beef), 1/2lb bacon, pepper jack cheese, and jalapeño ranch sauce. I got it with garlic fries and a chocolate covered strawberry shake.

I'll tell you, I've never had a burger quite like this. It cost me $21! I know, it sounds crazy, but they are only open for four hours a day, and they closed 2 hours early today because they sold out. When you get there, you have to wait in line, but once you order, they are quick to get your food out. Every day, 300 people have a chance to enjoy one of their sandwiches, and if you don't see one on the menu that has what you want, then you can make your own... just choose your meat (lamb, chicken, or beef), choose your toppings (and there are a ton), then if you want a side (which they have quite a few of those too) and a drink... if you want more than just water.

Normally, I wouldn't write about a stupid sandwich, but this one is really special. If you visit Seattle, it is something you need to try.

Anyway... I just had to share that.

Later,

SteveO

New Roku Player!

2010-10-13T14:04:00.000-07:00

Roku XD|S (Left) and Original Roku Player (right)

So, in anticipation of Hulu Plus on Roku, I've gone ahead and purchased the latest and greatest Roku XD|S Player. So, what is the difference? Well, aside from the size and 3 extra buttons on the remote; it's capable of 1080p playback, supports 802.11N WiFi, and it has a USB port for music and video playback (with a firmware update coming in November 2010). One other change they made was the removal of S-Video and Component plugs on the back, but apparently they have a component video adapter that is sold separately.

Besides, I found someone who is interested in purchasing my old one, so... why not?

If you didn't already know, I love my Roku Player, which is the best way to watch Netflix on your TV. In addition to Netflix it has the ability to stream video from many independent video sources. My favorites are YouTube, Revision 3, and Mediafly (which is an online podcast service... so you can basically create your own channels by combining podcasts you like.) It also supports Amazon Video on Demand, but I really don't like paying per video. I guess the content isn't really worth that much to me. Besides, when I can watch unlimited Netflix for $21 (which also includes 3 DVD/Blu-Ray discs at a time)... and if Hulu Plus stacks up to be worth it's $10 monthly fee, then I'll be happy as can be. And, I can get rid of my Cable bill... which I pay $10 a month for just to get HD... Plus the Basic cable fee...

Anyway, I'm excited to really put this thing to the test. I'll be running some side by side comparisons on my dual (1080p 24inch) PC monitors, which might be a waste of time, but I want to try it anyway!

The one thing that I am a little disappointed with though... no DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance) support :( For those of you don't know about DLNA, it's this standard which is pretty much being implemented by everything form your Network Attached Storage devices and home routers to gaming consoles and mobile phones... It lest you stream Video from one device to another. The best part is that your computer already does it. It doesn't matter if you use Windows or Linux or Mac. I even have a router with a USB port for attaching a USB hard drive, and the router will stream video via DLNA to my Xbox or Cell Phone. If Roku added DLNA support, I would have no complaints about the device. My fingers are crossed that the November update will include DLNA support, but I haven't ready anything from Roku to confirmed that.

Until I really play with the devices a bit more, I'll leave you with this slideshow:

So, until I have more to say on this...

Later,

SteveO