mark castillo
Thursday, January 31
Master Maker of Mockup Macs
The Thomas Kinkade of amateur Macintosh designers is Isamu Sanada. Like Kinkade, Sanada is prolific, popular but not terribly original. His speculative designs for future Macintoshes look just like Apple's machines, but they rarely foray into truly imaginative realms. In fact, Sanada is so adept at mimicking Apple's look, he created a design for a new laptop that predicted Apple's distinctive Titanium PowerBook G4 months before it came out.
The Thomas Kinkade of amateur Macintosh designers is Isamu Sanada. Like Kinkade, Sanada is prolific, popular but not terribly original. His speculative designs for future Macintoshes look just like Apple's machines, but they rarely foray into truly imaginative realms. In fact, Sanada is so adept at mimicking Apple's look, he created a design for a new laptop that predicted Apple's distinctive Titanium PowerBook G4 months before it came out.
Sony game may predict Bowl champs
Video game giant Sony will try to stretch its perfect record of predicting the winner of the Super Bowl at a promotional event Thursday night in New Orleans. Sony's Game Before the Game event will have a player from each Super Bowl team--wide receiver Isaac Bruce for the St. Louis Rams and wide receiver Troy Brown for the New England Patriots--face off in a virtual Super Bowl match-up in "NFL GameDay 2002," Sony's pro football game for its PlayStation 2 console. Sony's contest may offer more than just entertainment. The results have mirrored the outcome of the actual Super Bowl each of the six years that Sony has held the event, including last year's game, in which Qadry Ismail of Super Bowl victor Baltimore Ravens took down Jason Sehorn of the New York Giants.
Video game giant Sony will try to stretch its perfect record of predicting the winner of the Super Bowl at a promotional event Thursday night in New Orleans. Sony's Game Before the Game event will have a player from each Super Bowl team--wide receiver Isaac Bruce for the St. Louis Rams and wide receiver Troy Brown for the New England Patriots--face off in a virtual Super Bowl match-up in "NFL GameDay 2002," Sony's pro football game for its PlayStation 2 console. Sony's contest may offer more than just entertainment. The results have mirrored the outcome of the actual Super Bowl each of the six years that Sony has held the event, including last year's game, in which Qadry Ismail of Super Bowl victor Baltimore Ravens took down Jason Sehorn of the New York Giants.
Wednesday, January 30
AOL blocks instant messaging start-up
People using the popular Trillian software may lose access to part of AOL Time Warner's instant messaging system. Firing another salvo in the battle over instant messaging, America Online is blocking people using the Trillian interface from linking to its AOL Instant Messenger (AIM) system. Trillian, which allows people to access multiple instant messaging programs from one screen, has attracted nearly a million people who are hoping to streamline their use of incompatible systems, including AOL's AIM and ICQ, Yahoo's Messenger and Microsoft's MSN Messenger.
People using the popular Trillian software may lose access to part of AOL Time Warner's instant messaging system. Firing another salvo in the battle over instant messaging, America Online is blocking people using the Trillian interface from linking to its AOL Instant Messenger (AIM) system. Trillian, which allows people to access multiple instant messaging programs from one screen, has attracted nearly a million people who are hoping to streamline their use of incompatible systems, including AOL's AIM and ICQ, Yahoo's Messenger and Microsoft's MSN Messenger.
Slashdot | Sony Announces Version 1.0 Of Linux for Playstation 2
Sony has announced the May 2002 release of Linux (for Playstation 2) Release 1.0." He quotes from the press release: "The company expects the kit to sell for about $199 USD when it is made available in May 2002 exclusively through its website, http://www.us.playstation.com."
Sony has announced the May 2002 release of Linux (for Playstation 2) Release 1.0." He quotes from the press release: "The company expects the kit to sell for about $199 USD when it is made available in May 2002 exclusively through its website, http://www.us.playstation.com."
Slashdot | Episode II Gets Rave Review
Astin writes: "Dark Horizons has obtained a copy of what it believes is the script for Attack of the Clones, and has posted a review. Apparently they got this one right, with epic battles, lots of action, and that sense of adventure that was missing from Episode I. Canoe.ca is also carrying a synopsis from the site."
Astin writes: "Dark Horizons has obtained a copy of what it believes is the script for Attack of the Clones, and has posted a review. Apparently they got this one right, with epic battles, lots of action, and that sense of adventure that was missing from Episode I. Canoe.ca is also carrying a synopsis from the site."
Tuesday, January 29
CmdrTaco.net
Welcome to CmdrTaco.net, the Home Away from Home of Rob Malda. This is the place where you can sit and stare in slackjawed amazement at my collection of Amazingly Stupid Stuff that I actually sat down and took the time to put online. Be afraid.
Welcome to CmdrTaco.net, the Home Away from Home of Rob Malda. This is the place where you can sit and stare in slackjawed amazement at my collection of Amazingly Stupid Stuff that I actually sat down and took the time to put online. Be afraid.
Have you Googlewhacked?
What do you get when you cross a colonoscopy with a cockatiel? The same thing you get when you cross a cartographer with a hairball--a Googlewhack. Named after the popular Google search engine, Googlewhacks, and the game of finding them (or Googlewhacking), are the latest pursuit of legions of bored and increasingly obsessed Web surfers searching for the next big thing. The game starts by typing two words into Google's search bar, with the goal of obtaining a single result. The ultimate goal of a Googlewhacker: seeing the words "Results 1-1 of 1" appear in the upper right-hand corner of the screen. The challenge comes from the size of Google's legendary database, which had recently indexed some three billion Web pages and is updated constantly. The term, if not the game, is the brainchild of Gary Stock, who tracks the trend on his Web site. Though he's long been a researcher of odd surfing habits--and spends plenty of time Googlewhacking himself--Stock declines to take credit for the phenomenon.
What do you get when you cross a colonoscopy with a cockatiel? The same thing you get when you cross a cartographer with a hairball--a Googlewhack. Named after the popular Google search engine, Googlewhacks, and the game of finding them (or Googlewhacking), are the latest pursuit of legions of bored and increasingly obsessed Web surfers searching for the next big thing. The game starts by typing two words into Google's search bar, with the goal of obtaining a single result. The ultimate goal of a Googlewhacker: seeing the words "Results 1-1 of 1" appear in the upper right-hand corner of the screen. The challenge comes from the size of Google's legendary database, which had recently indexed some three billion Web pages and is updated constantly. The term, if not the game, is the brainchild of Gary Stock, who tracks the trend on his Web site. Though he's long been a researcher of odd surfing habits--and spends plenty of time Googlewhacking himself--Stock declines to take credit for the phenomenon.
Monday, January 28
Snow Falls All Over Bay Area
The Bay Area was a winter wonderland Monday -- with snow on the ground in many areas. The snow started falling about 11pm Thursday, and it was spotted in San Francisco, Oakland, and Martinez, and San Mateo and Santa Cruz counties, among other spots.
The Bay Area was a winter wonderland Monday -- with snow on the ground in many areas. The snow started falling about 11pm Thursday, and it was spotted in San Francisco, Oakland, and Martinez, and San Mateo and Santa Cruz counties, among other spots.
Nighttime Vision Problems Can Linger After LASIK
A survey of patients who have undergone vision-correcting LASIK surgery suggests that some people may experience nighttime vision problems for 6 months or more after the surgery, a longer-than-normal period. Such problems can include halos (a circle around lights), starburst patterns over lights and glare or heightened sensitivity to lights at night--especially when driving.
A survey of patients who have undergone vision-correcting LASIK surgery suggests that some people may experience nighttime vision problems for 6 months or more after the surgery, a longer-than-normal period. Such problems can include halos (a circle around lights), starburst patterns over lights and glare or heightened sensitivity to lights at night--especially when driving.
MacOS X: First Looks
Recently my new iBook arrived with a copy of MacOS X and I immediately dug in to find out what it could do for me. As a member of the BSD faithful I want to have access to the fundamental tools that I find with the other major BSD platforms, like a web and database server, compilers and network utilities. I also want a command-line interface since I feel I can achieve greater control over a system in that way. But beyond the existing BSD environment I also want a graphical environment that is a consistent and, well, graphical. I want a good web browser (not Netscape 4.x), a media player, games, and applications for editing multimedia content. While systems like FreeBSD provide an excellent server platform, the graphical side has never been a walk in the park. With MacOS X I am hoping to have my cake and eat it too. Is that possible? Grab a fork and let's dig in.
Recently my new iBook arrived with a copy of MacOS X and I immediately dug in to find out what it could do for me. As a member of the BSD faithful I want to have access to the fundamental tools that I find with the other major BSD platforms, like a web and database server, compilers and network utilities. I also want a command-line interface since I feel I can achieve greater control over a system in that way. But beyond the existing BSD environment I also want a graphical environment that is a consistent and, well, graphical. I want a good web browser (not Netscape 4.x), a media player, games, and applications for editing multimedia content. While systems like FreeBSD provide an excellent server platform, the graphical side has never been a walk in the park. With MacOS X I am hoping to have my cake and eat it too. Is that possible? Grab a fork and let's dig in.
Sunday, January 27
Bruce Lee Legacy
But Chris isn't the only local man carrying on Bruce Lee's legacy. Greglon Lee has a veritable Bruce Lee museum in a trunk, which he explains are family heirlooms. Greg isn't related to Bruce...but he grew up around him when Bruce came to live with Greg's family in the East Bay in the 1960s. His father, James Lee, and Bruce were pals. He explains, "Oh, not just pals, I would actually say comrades. They were each other's best friends. Unfortunately when Bruce moved in with us, my mother had just passed away. But fortunately, Bruce was able to take care of us. So we called him "Uncle Bruce" and "Auntie Linda", his wife. He really helped to raise us." Bruce and Greg's father, James Lee, taught kung fu in the family basement...a tradition that Greg continues to this very day.
But Chris isn't the only local man carrying on Bruce Lee's legacy. Greglon Lee has a veritable Bruce Lee museum in a trunk, which he explains are family heirlooms. Greg isn't related to Bruce...but he grew up around him when Bruce came to live with Greg's family in the East Bay in the 1960s. His father, James Lee, and Bruce were pals. He explains, "Oh, not just pals, I would actually say comrades. They were each other's best friends. Unfortunately when Bruce moved in with us, my mother had just passed away. But fortunately, Bruce was able to take care of us. So we called him "Uncle Bruce" and "Auntie Linda", his wife. He really helped to raise us." Bruce and Greg's father, James Lee, taught kung fu in the family basement...a tradition that Greg continues to this very day.
My own private ISP
Setting up your own Internet service provider can sometimes be the only way to get satisfactory Internet access options. In case you should want to give it a try, here's a case study: my own experience. Over the past year or two, thousands of computer users have been flocking to open source operating systems such as Linux, FreeBSD, and OpenBSD. A mere five years ago, however, the thought of a "free" operating system in the corporate environment was virtually unheard of.
Setting up your own Internet service provider can sometimes be the only way to get satisfactory Internet access options. In case you should want to give it a try, here's a case study: my own experience. Over the past year or two, thousands of computer users have been flocking to open source operating systems such as Linux, FreeBSD, and OpenBSD. A mere five years ago, however, the thought of a "free" operating system in the corporate environment was virtually unheard of.
Saturday, January 26
Slashdot | Tiny Linux PDA: Filewalker
"Check out the Filewalker, a new Linux-based handheld, with a very unique (one-handed) means of inputting characters. It is too difficult to explain, just checkout the site. I'd be interested to see how well the interface works." The English link may be more useful. From the price listed on the site, it would sell for US$560.
"Check out the Filewalker, a new Linux-based handheld, with a very unique (one-handed) means of inputting characters. It is too difficult to explain, just checkout the site. I'd be interested to see how well the interface works." The English link may be more useful. From the price listed on the site, it would sell for US$560.
VBS_MCON.C - Description and solution
This destructive macro worm propagates via network drives and Internet Relay Chat (mIRC). It overwrites the SCRIPT.INI file of the infected computer so that it functions as a server program that is controlled by a remote hacker. This virus carries a payload of changing the Internet Explorer startup page to www.zonelabs.com. Solution:
This destructive macro worm propagates via network drives and Internet Relay Chat (mIRC). It overwrites the SCRIPT.INI file of the infected computer so that it functions as a server program that is controlled by a remote hacker. This virus carries a payload of changing the Internet Explorer startup page to www.zonelabs.com. Solution:
bsd firewall setup with OpenBSD 2.9 by Elijah Savage
Why another HOWTO on OpenBSD Firewalls? I was happy with my home setup using cable modem provided by Time Warner with a Cable/Dsl Router. But I felt like something was missing, being a techie I felt that I was not in total control. Thus I looked for some type of device that would allow me to detect attacks and be able to do something about it. Based on my feelings I did not want to spend 400 to 1000 dollars on something like a pix 501 firewall from Cisco, or a SonicWall2 or any of the more expensive small home office router/firewalls.
Why another HOWTO on OpenBSD Firewalls? I was happy with my home setup using cable modem provided by Time Warner with a Cable/Dsl Router. But I felt like something was missing, being a techie I felt that I was not in total control. Thus I looked for some type of device that would allow me to detect attacks and be able to do something about it. Based on my feelings I did not want to spend 400 to 1000 dollars on something like a pix 501 firewall from Cisco, or a SonicWall2 or any of the more expensive small home office router/firewalls.
What is the difference between a Wireless Bridge and an Access Point?
A Wireless Bridge can connect another Wireless Bridge and transparently bridge two networks. A Wireless Bridge can also connect wireless clients at the same time. A Wireless Access Point can connect wireless clients only. Another wireless accesspont can be connected only as a repeater for connecting wireless clients.
A Wireless Bridge can connect another Wireless Bridge and transparently bridge two networks. A Wireless Bridge can also connect wireless clients at the same time. A Wireless Access Point can connect wireless clients only. Another wireless accesspont can be connected only as a repeater for connecting wireless clients.
Turning Macs on Thievery
Every year about 400,000 computers are stolen in the United States. Only 3 percent are ever recovered. But after his sister's iMac was taken during a burglary, a Houston man was able to get it back using remote-control software, expert help from friends on the Net, a large dose of luck and some incredible naiveté on the thief's part. In a story that is probably unique, R.D. Bridges recovered his sister's stolen iMac using Netopia's Timbuktu Pro, a program that allows computers to be remotely controlled and is widely used by computer-help technicians.
Every year about 400,000 computers are stolen in the United States. Only 3 percent are ever recovered. But after his sister's iMac was taken during a burglary, a Houston man was able to get it back using remote-control software, expert help from friends on the Net, a large dose of luck and some incredible naiveté on the thief's part. In a story that is probably unique, R.D. Bridges recovered his sister's stolen iMac using Netopia's Timbuktu Pro, a program that allows computers to be remotely controlled and is widely used by computer-help technicians.
Pac-Man's Trek From Arcade to PC
Chris Kirmse loves video arcade games. Love might be the wrong word. He's obsessed with them. He's been a part of the loosely organized Multiple Arcade Machine Emulator (MAME) project since 1996. The group, numbering around 100 people, writes software applications called "emulators," which enable archaic arcade games like Pac-Man and Tempest to run on personal computers.
Chris Kirmse loves video arcade games. Love might be the wrong word. He's obsessed with them. He's been a part of the loosely organized Multiple Arcade Machine Emulator (MAME) project since 1996. The group, numbering around 100 people, writes software applications called "emulators," which enable archaic arcade games like Pac-Man and Tempest to run on personal computers.
Friday, January 25
Slashdot | Escaflowne & Metropolis Hit US Big Screens Friday
"Escaflowne is appearing in theaters nationwide on the 25th, depending on your location. Rated PG-13. Here is a Yahoo! Review." If you've seen Escaflowne in japanese, you probably know that its a pretty cool show, and while its not one of my all time favorites, if the big screen release gets anywhere near me, I'll be there. Perhaps even bigger news is that the mega anime film hit Metropolis is being release at the same time.
"Escaflowne is appearing in theaters nationwide on the 25th, depending on your location. Rated PG-13. Here is a Yahoo! Review." If you've seen Escaflowne in japanese, you probably know that its a pretty cool show, and while its not one of my all time favorites, if the big screen release gets anywhere near me, I'll be there. Perhaps even bigger news is that the mega anime film hit Metropolis is being release at the same time.
Attention Underlings: That's Mister Conway to You. And I Am Not a PeoplePerson!
Craig Conway came to software maker PeopleSoft almost three years ago with a fearsome reputation as a tough-guy boss. Many employees worried that he would mangle PeopleSoft's beloved, if strange, corporate culture. He did -- and may have saved the company in the process.
Craig Conway came to software maker PeopleSoft almost three years ago with a fearsome reputation as a tough-guy boss. Many employees worried that he would mangle PeopleSoft's beloved, if strange, corporate culture. He did -- and may have saved the company in the process.
GNAT Box - The Simple Powerful and Affordable Firewall
GNAT Box is a complete software solution that is simple to install, configure and operate. The system software can be installed and configured in just a few minutes. You don't have to be a Unix guru or an NT expert, because there are no drivers to install no complex operating system to configure, and no expensive hardware to purchase. The entire runtime system is contained on and boots off a single 3.5" floppy disk. No hard disk. No disk crashes. No need for backups. The simple to use web browser GUI means you can easily administer the GNAT Box system from your favorite environment, be in NT, Windows 95, Macintosh or Unix. Just point and click.
GNAT Box is a complete software solution that is simple to install, configure and operate. The system software can be installed and configured in just a few minutes. You don't have to be a Unix guru or an NT expert, because there are no drivers to install no complex operating system to configure, and no expensive hardware to purchase. The entire runtime system is contained on and boots off a single 3.5" floppy disk. No hard disk. No disk crashes. No need for backups. The simple to use web browser GUI means you can easily administer the GNAT Box system from your favorite environment, be in NT, Windows 95, Macintosh or Unix. Just point and click.
US Special Forces Attack Taliban HQ
U.S. Army Special Forces attacked a Taliban headquarters north of Kandahar, killing a number of fighters and taking 27 prisoners, U.S. officials said Thursday. One American soldier was wounded in the attack. Gen. Richard Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said in Washington that American troops attacked adjacent sites in a mountain region 60 miles north of Kandahar.
U.S. Army Special Forces attacked a Taliban headquarters north of Kandahar, killing a number of fighters and taking 27 prisoners, U.S. officials said Thursday. One American soldier was wounded in the attack. Gen. Richard Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said in Washington that American troops attacked adjacent sites in a mountain region 60 miles north of Kandahar.
Thursday, January 24
American Adobo
“Those who complain that Filipino movies are trite, noisy, silly and technically inferior had better run to the nearest theater showing “American Adobo”— a hilarious, intelligent, and moving portrayal of Filipino immigrants’ life in the United States. A cheerful, funny, and refreshingly positive look at Filipino diaspora. Director Laurice Guillen is in full control, drawing out lovely performances from the cast. It is a movie you may want to see over and over again for the fun and entertainment it brings as well as its deep and delightful insights. I know I will see this movie over and over again. It’s the film to beat for best Filipino film of 2002.” --Mario Hernando, Malaya Newspaper (Chairman, Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino/ Philippine Film Critics Circle)
“Those who complain that Filipino movies are trite, noisy, silly and technically inferior had better run to the nearest theater showing “American Adobo”— a hilarious, intelligent, and moving portrayal of Filipino immigrants’ life in the United States. A cheerful, funny, and refreshingly positive look at Filipino diaspora. Director Laurice Guillen is in full control, drawing out lovely performances from the cast. It is a movie you may want to see over and over again for the fun and entertainment it brings as well as its deep and delightful insights. I know I will see this movie over and over again. It’s the film to beat for best Filipino film of 2002.” --Mario Hernando, Malaya Newspaper (Chairman, Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino/ Philippine Film Critics Circle)
MOVABLE TYPE :: Personal Publishing System
Movable Type is a web-based personal publishing system. It is designed to ease maintenance of regularly-updated news or journal sites, like weblogs. The Movable Type system runs on your own webserver, giving you complete control over your site.
Movable Type is a web-based personal publishing system. It is designed to ease maintenance of regularly-updated news or journal sites, like weblogs. The Movable Type system runs on your own webserver, giving you complete control over your site.
Wednesday, January 23
Upcomingmovies.com: Birthday Girl
An English bank manager (Chaplin) orders a mail-order Russian bride (Kidman) over the Internet, but soon finds his life tipped topsy-turvy as she exhibits an unexpected possible dangerous side, accented by the arrival of two Russian cousins (Cassel, Kassovitz). (I've seen more of the film's plot; but to say much more than this seems like it might give away some spoilers; I hate doing that)
An English bank manager (Chaplin) orders a mail-order Russian bride (Kidman) over the Internet, but soon finds his life tipped topsy-turvy as she exhibits an unexpected possible dangerous side, accented by the arrival of two Russian cousins (Cassel, Kassovitz). (I've seen more of the film's plot; but to say much more than this seems like it might give away some spoilers; I hate doing that)
StreetTreats.com!
This website is the result of reaching our limit, and finally saying ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. We dare you to look, REALLY LOOK, at each and every one of the photos on this site. If your reaction is that of any average person, then you can begin to relate to what many people have to wade through each and every day on the streets of San Francisco. Our ultimate goal is to make San Francisco a clean, safe, and great city.
This website is the result of reaching our limit, and finally saying ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. We dare you to look, REALLY LOOK, at each and every one of the photos on this site. If your reaction is that of any average person, then you can begin to relate to what many people have to wade through each and every day on the streets of San Francisco. Our ultimate goal is to make San Francisco a clean, safe, and great city.
Loud Thinking: Broadcasting Brain
Good teaching delivers knowledge without self-congratulating commentary. Teachers, formal or otherwise, who needs to tax their lessons with belittling or distancing remarks should stop teaching. I listen to learn, not to be insulted on my own or others behalf to boost the ego of the teacher. Don't be a show-off; teach me to the best of your abilities.
Good teaching delivers knowledge without self-congratulating commentary. Teachers, formal or otherwise, who needs to tax their lessons with belittling or distancing remarks should stop teaching. I listen to learn, not to be insulted on my own or others behalf to boost the ego of the teacher. Don't be a show-off; teach me to the best of your abilities.
iBook – Review
I've always had one enduring philosophy about notebooks, and it's this: Either it has to be as powerful and able as my desktop or it has to be so perfectly portable and convenient that it's not a drag to lug it around. Well, to this day there still isn't a portable that can deliver what my desktop can, so that "demand" stands on principle alone. As for portability... I don't consider seven, eight, nine or ten pounds to be really all that portable. Blasphemous as it may seem, the Titanium Powerbook is too big for my use. It's got this great big screen (lovely as it is... don't get me wrong) that makes the whole unit just a tad larger than my needs, which is something that is about the size of a sheet of paper or smaller.
I've always had one enduring philosophy about notebooks, and it's this: Either it has to be as powerful and able as my desktop or it has to be so perfectly portable and convenient that it's not a drag to lug it around. Well, to this day there still isn't a portable that can deliver what my desktop can, so that "demand" stands on principle alone. As for portability... I don't consider seven, eight, nine or ten pounds to be really all that portable. Blasphemous as it may seem, the Titanium Powerbook is too big for my use. It's got this great big screen (lovely as it is... don't get me wrong) that makes the whole unit just a tad larger than my needs, which is something that is about the size of a sheet of paper or smaller.
Tuesday, January 22
ONLamp.com: Contributing to BSD [Jan. 17, 2002]
If you truly have no useful skills, and you have no other ideas, just reread the documentation for your BSD, subscribe to the appropriate mailing list, and help other users. I started this way. If you elect to do this, I encourage you to politely guide people to existing information resources. When someone asks a question that is in the FAQ, give them a URL to the FAQ's main page. If the question has been asked before, suggest that they search the mailing list archives. If we can teach people to help themselves, we can reduce mailing list traffic. (As someone who's subscribed to thirteen different FreeBSD lists, I have to say that reducing mailing list traffic is good.) As the old saying goes, teach them to fish and we'll sell them fishhooks. After doing this for a while, you'll start to see things that the Project needs. One of those needs will match your skills.
If you truly have no useful skills, and you have no other ideas, just reread the documentation for your BSD, subscribe to the appropriate mailing list, and help other users. I started this way. If you elect to do this, I encourage you to politely guide people to existing information resources. When someone asks a question that is in the FAQ, give them a URL to the FAQ's main page. If the question has been asked before, suggest that they search the mailing list archives. If we can teach people to help themselves, we can reduce mailing list traffic. (As someone who's subscribed to thirteen different FreeBSD lists, I have to say that reducing mailing list traffic is good.) As the old saying goes, teach them to fish and we'll sell them fishhooks. After doing this for a while, you'll start to see things that the Project needs. One of those needs will match your skills.
Amazon posts its first net profit
In a fourth quarter marked by strong international sales and cost cutting, Amazon.com on Tuesday reported its first-ever net profit, on record sales, delivering on its promises to Wall Street. Amazon reported net income of $5 million, or a penny a share, under generally accepted accounting principles, well ahead of analysts' expectations. Most analysts had predicted that the company would report a profit on a pro forma basis, which excludes a host of expenses and charges. Fourth-quarter sales were $1.12 billion, compared with $972 million a year ago. "I think everyone was surprised," said Jeff Fieler, an analyst at Bear Stearns. "It was the 81 percent in international sales growth that drove (the revenue) surprise. The rest comes from a lot of different places, predominantly from the cost side. There's lower marketing costs, a big improvement on fulfillment--in absolute dollars, it dropped by $21 million year over year."
In a fourth quarter marked by strong international sales and cost cutting, Amazon.com on Tuesday reported its first-ever net profit, on record sales, delivering on its promises to Wall Street. Amazon reported net income of $5 million, or a penny a share, under generally accepted accounting principles, well ahead of analysts' expectations. Most analysts had predicted that the company would report a profit on a pro forma basis, which excludes a host of expenses and charges. Fourth-quarter sales were $1.12 billion, compared with $972 million a year ago. "I think everyone was surprised," said Jeff Fieler, an analyst at Bear Stearns. "It was the 81 percent in international sales growth that drove (the revenue) surprise. The rest comes from a lot of different places, predominantly from the cost side. There's lower marketing costs, a big improvement on fulfillment--in absolute dollars, it dropped by $21 million year over year."
Kmart Files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy
Kmart Corp. on Tuesday filed for bankruptcy protection, the largest retailer ever to do so, after a dismal holiday sales season and cutthroat competition from rivals Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and Target Corp. left the company strapped for cash.
Kmart Corp. on Tuesday filed for bankruptcy protection, the largest retailer ever to do so, after a dismal holiday sales season and cutthroat competition from rivals Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and Target Corp. left the company strapped for cash.
BLOGGER
Tonight! Two things: 1) I'm planning on doing a demo of a new version of Blogger tonight at the Bay Area Weblogger Interest Group. So if you're interested in that, stop by (it's in Mountain View). 2) In order to do a demo, I'll need a projector, otherwise possibly lots of people will need to crowd really close to my laptop, which won't work very well. So, if you have one of those laptop projector thingies and are going to the meeting—or would like to loan it to a good cause and are within stopping-by distance—lemme know (ev AT blogger.com). Thanks.
Tonight! Two things: 1) I'm planning on doing a demo of a new version of Blogger tonight at the Bay Area Weblogger Interest Group. So if you're interested in that, stop by (it's in Mountain View). 2) In order to do a demo, I'll need a projector, otherwise possibly lots of people will need to crowd really close to my laptop, which won't work very well. So, if you have one of those laptop projector thingies and are going to the meeting—or would like to loan it to a good cause and are within stopping-by distance—lemme know (ev AT blogger.com). Thanks.
Monday, January 21
Yahoo! News - Reuters Photo
Detainees in orange jumpsuits sit in a holding area under the eyes of Military Police at Camp X-Ray at Naval Base Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, during in-processing to the temporary detention facility on January 11, 2002. The International Committee of the Red Cross said the United States may have violated the Geneva Convention by releasing photographs of al Qaeda and Taliban prisoners at the naval base.
Detainees in orange jumpsuits sit in a holding area under the eyes of Military Police at Camp X-Ray at Naval Base Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, during in-processing to the temporary detention facility on January 11, 2002. The International Committee of the Red Cross said the United States may have violated the Geneva Convention by releasing photographs of al Qaeda and Taliban prisoners at the naval base.
Sunday, January 20
=8> NoMoa.com/bsd OpenBSD a networking solution
Use these notes as a guide to learning how to install and get your OpenBSD system up and running. After that, do some more research on the OpenBSD mailing lists, on the Internet and practise safe Computing. There's a saying: The most dangerous part in a car, is the nut loose behind the wheel (the driver.) These notes are not going to show you how to setup a secure server, and they just might give you suggestions that will make your setup insecure.
Use these notes as a guide to learning how to install and get your OpenBSD system up and running. After that, do some more research on the OpenBSD mailing lists, on the Internet and practise safe Computing. There's a saying: The most dangerous part in a car, is the nut loose behind the wheel (the driver.) These notes are not going to show you how to setup a secure server, and they just might give you suggestions that will make your setup insecure.
Slashdot | History of Video Games
"There's a nice history of videogames over at GameSpot. It starts with pre-videogame activity in 1889 with the Marufuku Company (later Nintendo) and stretches to the recently released GameCube-DVD system." Hey, it's sunday. No reason to knock yourself out reading the works of ancient philosophers (unless you're taking Ancient Philosophers 230 and have an exam this week).
"There's a nice history of videogames over at GameSpot. It starts with pre-videogame activity in 1889 with the Marufuku Company (later Nintendo) and stretches to the recently released GameCube-DVD system." Hey, it's sunday. No reason to knock yourself out reading the works of ancient philosophers (unless you're taking Ancient Philosophers 230 and have an exam this week).
Saturday, January 19
AOL reportedly in talks to buy Red Hat
Media and Internet titan AOL Time Warner is in negotiations to acquire Linux distributor Red Hat, the Washington Post reported Saturday, citing unidentified sources familiar with the matter. The talks were fluid and it was unclear how much AOL, which runs the biggest U.S. Internet service provider and the second-largest U.S. cable television system, would pay for Red Hat, the newspaper said. Red Hat is the leading distributor of Linux, which unlike software such as rival Microsoft's Windows operating system, is an "open source" platform that anyone can change to suit their needs.
Media and Internet titan AOL Time Warner is in negotiations to acquire Linux distributor Red Hat, the Washington Post reported Saturday, citing unidentified sources familiar with the matter. The talks were fluid and it was unclear how much AOL, which runs the biggest U.S. Internet service provider and the second-largest U.S. cable television system, would pay for Red Hat, the newspaper said. Red Hat is the leading distributor of Linux, which unlike software such as rival Microsoft's Windows operating system, is an "open source" platform that anyone can change to suit their needs.
mybluehouse...or bleublog (for ze francophiles)
My name is Becky. I'm married. I have a baby son. When I'm not being a mommy, I'm being a lawyer. I think I like being a mommy more. I live in France. I'm nice and friendly, but I have a bad temper and I'm sarcastic, especially with people who piss me off. So don't piss me off. What else? You can read the "about me" page at this site if you're a curious individual and want to know more. I think it's nice when people do that. Thank you for visiting. Ta-ta.
My name is Becky. I'm married. I have a baby son. When I'm not being a mommy, I'm being a lawyer. I think I like being a mommy more. I live in France. I'm nice and friendly, but I have a bad temper and I'm sarcastic, especially with people who piss me off. So don't piss me off. What else? You can read the "about me" page at this site if you're a curious individual and want to know more. I think it's nice when people do that. Thank you for visiting. Ta-ta.
Games People Build, Then Play
There's even a Video Arcade Preservation Society, a collection of enthusiasts who share news with each other. Fred Thornbury built a business helping these people. His company AMDG Amusements builds and sells parts for damaged and out-of-service games. Coming by parts isn't easy, though, so he has a team scattered around the country looking for old motherboards, games and control panels. AMDG's five-person team uses those parts to create customized games. Most of AMDG's business comes from arcade owners who want to fix their inventory. That demographic changes each October, he said. "During the end of the year, it takes a little longer to make the games because women will order these for their husbands," said Thornbury. "Most people want us to build new tables because they don't want something that smells like a bar and they want to match it to their house and game room."
There's even a Video Arcade Preservation Society, a collection of enthusiasts who share news with each other. Fred Thornbury built a business helping these people. His company AMDG Amusements builds and sells parts for damaged and out-of-service games. Coming by parts isn't easy, though, so he has a team scattered around the country looking for old motherboards, games and control panels. AMDG's five-person team uses those parts to create customized games. Most of AMDG's business comes from arcade owners who want to fix their inventory. That demographic changes each October, he said. "During the end of the year, it takes a little longer to make the games because women will order these for their husbands," said Thornbury. "Most people want us to build new tables because they don't want something that smells like a bar and they want to match it to their house and game room."
Abandonware: Dead Games Live On
She runs The Underdogs, a website with 2,600 computer games no longer commercially available. The site draws 30,000 people on peak days, but she pays hosting and bandwidth costs out of her own pocket. Traffic is so high she instituted a download limit to keep overhead low since the site isn't a money-making venture. Achavanuntakul is part an informal group of game enthusiasts archiving and distributing out-of-print titles, called abandonware, through ftp download sites and chat rooms. Like others involved with this, she sees her role not as a pirate, but as an electronic media historian.
She runs The Underdogs, a website with 2,600 computer games no longer commercially available. The site draws 30,000 people on peak days, but she pays hosting and bandwidth costs out of her own pocket. Traffic is so high she instituted a download limit to keep overhead low since the site isn't a money-making venture. Achavanuntakul is part an informal group of game enthusiasts archiving and distributing out-of-print titles, called abandonware, through ftp download sites and chat rooms. Like others involved with this, she sees her role not as a pirate, but as an electronic media historian.
Thursday, January 17
Microsoft posts record sales
Microsoft whizzed past analysts' sales projections but saw earnings hit by court battles. The company posted fiscal second-quarter net income of $2.28 billion, or 41 cents per share, including a $660 million charge for legal issues. Without the 8 cent charge, Microsoft would have earned 49 cents per share, topping analysts' consensus estimate of 43 cents per share, according to analysts polled by First Call. The quarter ended Dec. 31.
Microsoft whizzed past analysts' sales projections but saw earnings hit by court battles. The company posted fiscal second-quarter net income of $2.28 billion, or 41 cents per share, including a $660 million charge for legal issues. Without the 8 cent charge, Microsoft would have earned 49 cents per share, topping analysts' consensus estimate of 43 cents per share, according to analysts polled by First Call. The quarter ended Dec. 31.
linux.oreillynet.com: Introduction to CVS [Jan. 03, 2002]
CVS is designed for developers, either individually or in teams. For individuals, CVS provides a repository from which you can work from home, the office, or the client site without having to haul disks around. It also provides version control, allowing rollbacks without loss of data. For teams, it also keeps a record of who changed which lines of a file and prevents direct overwriting of each other's work.
CVS is designed for developers, either individually or in teams. For individuals, CVS provides a repository from which you can work from home, the office, or the client site without having to haul disks around. It also provides version control, allowing rollbacks without loss of data. For teams, it also keeps a record of who changed which lines of a file and prevents direct overwriting of each other's work.
Metroid Prime preview on cube.ign.com
The story so far is that we do not know the story. Nintendo has done nothing more than name the title as Metroid Prime, show some renders and less than 10 seconds of in-game footage. IGNcube heard rumors prior to the official name announcement that Metroid for GameCube would be a prequel to the original Metroid (NES). The name Metroid Prime seems to indicate that, as "prime" usually denotes something that is the first. Either that or Retro Studios thinks its version of Metroid is of prime -- the highest quality -- value.
The story so far is that we do not know the story. Nintendo has done nothing more than name the title as Metroid Prime, show some renders and less than 10 seconds of in-game footage. IGNcube heard rumors prior to the official name announcement that Metroid for GameCube would be a prequel to the original Metroid (NES). The name Metroid Prime seems to indicate that, as "prime" usually denotes something that is the first. Either that or Retro Studios thinks its version of Metroid is of prime -- the highest quality -- value.
eBay fees going up at month's end
Two days after posting record earnings and revenue, eBay said Thursday that it is raising fees and will charge for a popular free feature. The company also will begin charging for its popular "Buy It Now" feature, which allows bidders to purchase an item immediately without going through the bidding process by paying a fixed price. eBay also will change the way it calculates fees on Dutch auctions, in which sellers offer multiple quantities of the same item in one auction.
Two days after posting record earnings and revenue, eBay said Thursday that it is raising fees and will charge for a popular free feature. The company also will begin charging for its popular "Buy It Now" feature, which allows bidders to purchase an item immediately without going through the bidding process by paying a fixed price. eBay also will change the way it calculates fees on Dutch auctions, in which sellers offer multiple quantities of the same item in one auction.
Tuesday, January 15
Slashdot | Teach Yourself UML in 24 Hours
"If you want to be able to work either as or with a systems analyst, you're going to have to speak the same language as everyone else in your team, and in the tech industry that language is increasingly becoming the UML. The Unified Modelling Language provides ways of modelling every sort of system that you can imagine, covering everything from the relationships of your different objects to the dynamics of the system in action to the way it'll look when you physically set it up." He's reviewed below the SAMS-published Teach Yourself UML in 24 Hours; read on below for his reactions to the book, both good and bad.
"If you want to be able to work either as or with a systems analyst, you're going to have to speak the same language as everyone else in your team, and in the tech industry that language is increasingly becoming the UML. The Unified Modelling Language provides ways of modelling every sort of system that you can imagine, covering everything from the relationships of your different objects to the dynamics of the system in action to the way it'll look when you physically set it up." He's reviewed below the SAMS-published Teach Yourself UML in 24 Hours; read on below for his reactions to the book, both good and bad.
Monday, January 14
The Simputer: A handheld for the masses?
Handheld computers are commonly seen as geek toys for affluent mobile professionals. An Indian group hopes to change that image with the Simputer, a device designed to bring portable computing and the information age to developing countries. The Simputer Trust, a group of individuals from the Indian Institute of Science, and Encore Software are behind the device. Vinay L. Deshpande, CEO of Encore, said the machine is expected to arrive in the second quarter. The finished product, which will run the Linux operating system, will be slightly larger than a Palm handheld but will operate as a simple portable computer. It will use 32MB of flash memory and 32MB of RAM.
Handheld computers are commonly seen as geek toys for affluent mobile professionals. An Indian group hopes to change that image with the Simputer, a device designed to bring portable computing and the information age to developing countries. The Simputer Trust, a group of individuals from the Indian Institute of Science, and Encore Software are behind the device. Vinay L. Deshpande, CEO of Encore, said the machine is expected to arrive in the second quarter. The finished product, which will run the Linux operating system, will be slightly larger than a Palm handheld but will operate as a simple portable computer. It will use 32MB of flash memory and 32MB of RAM.
Sunday, January 13
WebMuseum: Hockney, David
Place Furstenberg, Paris, August 7,8,9, 1985 #1 1985 (220 Kb); Photographic collage, 88.9 x 80 cm (35 x 31 1/2 in); Collection of the artist
Place Furstenberg, Paris, August 7,8,9, 1985 #1 1985 (220 Kb); Photographic collage, 88.9 x 80 cm (35 x 31 1/2 in); Collection of the artist
Crackerjack Kid's Guide to Emailart
Welcome visitors to EMMA, The Electronic Museum of Mail Art. We are currently undergoing some reconstruction of our links and hope to have all sites available in the weeks ahead. Your guide and director at EMMA is Chuck Welch a.k.a. Crackerjack Kid. EMMA is mail art's first electronic mailbox museum where the address is the art, the web is your key, and admission is free. The nonprofit credo at EMMA is: You don't make a living out of mail art, you make an art out of living.
Welcome visitors to EMMA, The Electronic Museum of Mail Art. We are currently undergoing some reconstruction of our links and hope to have all sites available in the weeks ahead. Your guide and director at EMMA is Chuck Welch a.k.a. Crackerjack Kid. EMMA is mail art's first electronic mailbox museum where the address is the art, the web is your key, and admission is free. The nonprofit credo at EMMA is: You don't make a living out of mail art, you make an art out of living.
PeopleCards.net :::: The Official People Trading Card
PeopleCards are a new line of hilarious collectible trading cards that feature real people from across the globe in all their glory. These cards are not some made-up form of "reality entertainment" - these guys are real...in someways, people may not even share this much about themselves with close friends. We asked everyone a whole bunch of funny, odd, and plain old cool questions about their lives, likes and experiences.
PeopleCards are a new line of hilarious collectible trading cards that feature real people from across the globe in all their glory. These cards are not some made-up form of "reality entertainment" - these guys are real...in someways, people may not even share this much about themselves with close friends. We asked everyone a whole bunch of funny, odd, and plain old cool questions about their lives, likes and experiences.
WebMuseum: Pollock, Jackson
American painter, the commanding figure of the Abstract Expressionist movement.
American painter, the commanding figure of the Abstract Expressionist movement.
Justed the watched the movie with Ed Harris. Good movie.
WebMuseum: Monet, Claude
French Impressionist painter. He is regarded as the archetypal Impressionist in that his devotion to the ideals of the movement was unwavering throughout his long career, and it is fitting that one of his pictures---Impression: Sunrise (Musée Marmottan, Paris; 1872)---gave the group his name.
French Impressionist painter. He is regarded as the archetypal Impressionist in that his devotion to the ideals of the movement was unwavering throughout his long career, and it is fitting that one of his pictures---Impression: Sunrise (Musée Marmottan, Paris; 1872)---gave the group his name.
Saturday, January 12
First Screens: Virtual Kasparov
The Game Boy Advance version of Virtual Kasparov will feature a total of 62 chess games, built into a complex chess engine that Garry Kasparov had a hand in building. The game will have 50 chess tutorial modules to help novices learn the game, and push advanced players into Grand Master levels. There will be 31 different opponents to challenge, each with their own individual personalities...but if you're looking to play against a human, all you'll need is another system and a link cable. Yep, Virtual Kasparov is a single cartridge multiplayer game.
The Game Boy Advance version of Virtual Kasparov will feature a total of 62 chess games, built into a complex chess engine that Garry Kasparov had a hand in building. The game will have 50 chess tutorial modules to help novices learn the game, and push advanced players into Grand Master levels. There will be 31 different opponents to challenge, each with their own individual personalities...but if you're looking to play against a human, all you'll need is another system and a link cable. Yep, Virtual Kasparov is a single cartridge multiplayer game.
Friday, January 11
mark castillo
If you are looking for another domain, I still haven't fixed the virtual hosts but they should be up by this weekend. I apologize.
If you are looking for another domain, I still haven't fixed the virtual hosts but they should be up by this weekend. I apologize.
Why does my child get angry when she doesn't get her way?
Try not to take it personally. Your toddler is undergoing some amazing changes right now and needs to be able to express her emotions. In the beginning, she wasn't aware of herself as a separate entity, a person with preferences and dislikes. Starting early in her second year, though, as her language skills and intellect developed, she began to discover her individuality, realizing that she was a "me" and an "I." That "me" wants her way, but hasn't yet learned self-control.
Try not to take it personally. Your toddler is undergoing some amazing changes right now and needs to be able to express her emotions. In the beginning, she wasn't aware of herself as a separate entity, a person with preferences and dislikes. Starting early in her second year, though, as her language skills and intellect developed, she began to discover her individuality, realizing that she was a "me" and an "I." That "me" wants her way, but hasn't yet learned self-control.
Fridgedoor.com - Web's Biggest Magnet Store!
Fridgedoor.com’s goal is simple: to be the single largest stop for all things magnetic: novelty magnets, custom magnets, and magnetic supplies. We have become successful, and will maintain this success, only through our zealous focus on customer service and mail order competence. This focus includes offering high quality products, next business day order shipment; reliable UPS package delivery schedules, a money-back guarantee and many other small touches that build customer trust.
Fridgedoor.com’s goal is simple: to be the single largest stop for all things magnetic: novelty magnets, custom magnets, and magnetic supplies. We have become successful, and will maintain this success, only through our zealous focus on customer service and mail order competence. This focus includes offering high quality products, next business day order shipment; reliable UPS package delivery schedules, a money-back guarantee and many other small touches that build customer trust.
Thursday, January 10
iceberg 273: iceberg 273 presents . . .
iceberg 273 is designed and updated using a no frills text editor, a no frills ftp client, some no frills batch files, and a no frills javascript widget. All text and graphics on this site including, but not limited to, "iceberg 273", the iceberg icon, the fridge icon, "90% of this weblog is under water", and "90% of this email is under water" are © 1996-2002 by karl bailey. Use of the text and graphics contained on this site is prohibited without the consent of their owners. The alphabet used on this site is, however, public domain and may be used freely.
iceberg 273 is designed and updated using a no frills text editor, a no frills ftp client, some no frills batch files, and a no frills javascript widget. All text and graphics on this site including, but not limited to, "iceberg 273", the iceberg icon, the fridge icon, "90% of this weblog is under water", and "90% of this email is under water" are © 1996-2002 by karl bailey. Use of the text and graphics contained on this site is prohibited without the consent of their owners. The alphabet used on this site is, however, public domain and may be used freely.
'New' iMac Online Last Year
A Belgian Web designer said he saw Apple's revolutionary new iMac design well before this week -- because he posted a very similar concept on the Web more than six months ago. Vincent Jeunejean's sketch bears an uncanny resemblance to the funky new iMac. It has the same dome-shaped base and a flat-screen display supported by a thin arm. Not only is it a similar shape, but also details like the placement of the Apple logo and the machine's ports are the same.
A Belgian Web designer said he saw Apple's revolutionary new iMac design well before this week -- because he posted a very similar concept on the Web more than six months ago. Vincent Jeunejean's sketch bears an uncanny resemblance to the funky new iMac. It has the same dome-shaped base and a flat-screen display supported by a thin arm. Not only is it a similar shape, but also details like the placement of the Apple logo and the machine's ports are the same.
IRS' Case of the Missing Laptops
Losing your laptop may be a major headache for most people, but for America's tax collectors it happens all the time. The IRS has lost or misplaced 2,332 laptop computers, desktop computers and servers over three years, according to a recent report by Treasury Department auditors. They concluded it's a persistent problem: The IRS has "reported a material weakness in inventory controls" every year since 1983.
Losing your laptop may be a major headache for most people, but for America's tax collectors it happens all the time. The IRS has lost or misplaced 2,332 laptop computers, desktop computers and servers over three years, according to a recent report by Treasury Department auditors. They concluded it's a persistent problem: The IRS has "reported a material weakness in inventory controls" every year since 1983.
Who is DLCollectibles?
DLCollectible is actually two people: David and Linsey. Two best friends, who grew up in the 80's and were quite deprived as children. Like most kids we wanted everything, and in our case we both got very little. From what I can remember, I had a couple Star Wars, He-Man and Transformers figures and about a dozen or so Nintendo games. We both collect everything from the 80's, but I stick more to the Boy's stuff and she goes for the Girl's things.
DLCollectible is actually two people: David and Linsey. Two best friends, who grew up in the 80's and were quite deprived as children. Like most kids we wanted everything, and in our case we both got very little. From what I can remember, I had a couple Star Wars, He-Man and Transformers figures and about a dozen or so Nintendo games. We both collect everything from the 80's, but I stick more to the Boy's stuff and she goes for the Girl's things.
Going mano a mano with Microsoft
On Tuesday, the entrepreneur sued Microsoft in small claims court in San Francisco, saying he created a Pocket PC 17 years ago, and therefore has rights to the name the company has given its handheld computer. Belanger's product is not a computer at all but a decidedly low-tech joke gift poking fun at tech industry hype. People who shell out $9.95 for the device receive a box slightly bigger than a deck of cards that contains a poker chip and a set of instructions telling them how to use the chip to make important business and other decisions by flipping it like a coin. Belanger said he has been selling the product offline for years, but when he went to sell it via the Internet last summer after losing his dot-com job, he discovered that Microsoft had registered Pocketpc.com. Now Belanger is claiming a common-law trademark on the product because he says he coined the name even though he did not register it. "All I want is my URL," said Belanger, who is also seeking $5,000 from Microsoft in lost sales for the month of December.
On Tuesday, the entrepreneur sued Microsoft in small claims court in San Francisco, saying he created a Pocket PC 17 years ago, and therefore has rights to the name the company has given its handheld computer. Belanger's product is not a computer at all but a decidedly low-tech joke gift poking fun at tech industry hype. People who shell out $9.95 for the device receive a box slightly bigger than a deck of cards that contains a poker chip and a set of instructions telling them how to use the chip to make important business and other decisions by flipping it like a coin. Belanger said he has been selling the product offline for years, but when he went to sell it via the Internet last summer after losing his dot-com job, he discovered that Microsoft had registered Pocketpc.com. Now Belanger is claiming a common-law trademark on the product because he says he coined the name even though he did not register it. "All I want is my URL," said Belanger, who is also seeking $5,000 from Microsoft in lost sales for the month of December.
Wednesday, January 9
Slashdot | Name The MySql Dolphin
"In case you all missed it, everyone's favorite database engine, mysql is having the name the mySql dolphin contest, and everyone is invited. Nothing like a million suggestions to choose from to help them out. Not only that, but it might be a good time to help them choose a better name than some other attempts at open marketing submissions."
"In case you all missed it, everyone's favorite database engine, mysql is having the name the mySql dolphin contest, and everyone is invited. Nothing like a million suggestions to choose from to help them out. Not only that, but it might be a good time to help them choose a better name than some other attempts at open marketing submissions."
Tuesday, January 8
Wendy's Founder Dave Thomas Dies
Dave Thomas, the portly pitchman whose homespun ads built Wendy's Old-Fashioned Hamburgers into one of the world's most successful fast-food enterprises, has died. He was 69.
Dave Thomas, the portly pitchman whose homespun ads built Wendy's Old-Fashioned Hamburgers into one of the world's most successful fast-food enterprises, has died. He was 69.
Monday, January 7
Moxi
Introducing the future of home entertainment, the Moxi Media CenterTM (the Moxi MCTM, for short). Soon to be offered by leading cable and satellite companies nationwide, the Media Center lets you experience all the benefits of cutting-edge digital entertainment in one simple and surprisingly affordable device. multi-tuner cable or satellite receiver lets you record over 60 hours of video, built-in CD/DVD player and digital music jukebox stores 100s of your CDs.
Introducing the future of home entertainment, the Moxi Media CenterTM (the Moxi MCTM, for short). Soon to be offered by leading cable and satellite companies nationwide, the Media Center lets you experience all the benefits of cutting-edge digital entertainment in one simple and surprisingly affordable device. multi-tuner cable or satellite receiver lets you record over 60 hours of video, built-in CD/DVD player and digital music jukebox stores 100s of your CDs.
Mac Boxes Make Nice Couches
With innovations such as the iBook and colorful iMacs, Apple has a well-earned reputation for designing beautiful computers. But those who bother to notice the cardboard boxes the machines arrive in will also admire the artistry of the packaging. The graphic design on the shipping material is spare and elegant. The cardboard is as smooth and glossy as the snootiest magazine. The Styrofoam inside is precisely sculpted to fit the computer and its accessories as snugly as a space-age glove. No clunky, flaky inserts here. In fact, the boxes are so attractive, they inspired one man to furnish his entire apartment with them.
With innovations such as the iBook and colorful iMacs, Apple has a well-earned reputation for designing beautiful computers. But those who bother to notice the cardboard boxes the machines arrive in will also admire the artistry of the packaging. The graphic design on the shipping material is spare and elegant. The cardboard is as smooth and glossy as the snootiest magazine. The Styrofoam inside is precisely sculpted to fit the computer and its accessories as snugly as a space-age glove. No clunky, flaky inserts here. In fact, the boxes are so attractive, they inspired one man to furnish his entire apartment with them.
Jobs unveils flat-panel iMacs
Apple Computer CEO Steve Jobs kept the best for last Monday, unveiling new flat-panel iMacs near the end of his keynote speech at the Macworld Expo in San Francisco. "This is the official death of the CRT today," Jobs said. The new model bears some resemblance to a desktop lamp, with the flat-panel attached to the dome-shaped base via a pivoting arm. Jobs described it to the "ultimate digital hub." The company took two years to develop the product. "This is the best thing we have ever done," Jobs claimed.
Apple Computer CEO Steve Jobs kept the best for last Monday, unveiling new flat-panel iMacs near the end of his keynote speech at the Macworld Expo in San Francisco. "This is the official death of the CRT today," Jobs said. The new model bears some resemblance to a desktop lamp, with the flat-panel attached to the dome-shaped base via a pivoting arm. Jobs described it to the "ultimate digital hub." The company took two years to develop the product. "This is the best thing we have ever done," Jobs claimed.
Slashdot | Microsoft to Introduce GBA-competitor?
"It seems that Nintendo will have a competition in the handheld market soon. ZDnet has an article that says Microsoft's plan to introduce a "Media Pad" which includes among other things "serve as a portable game player in conjunction with Microsoft's Xbox video game console". So I guess the news I heard regarding their interest in the portable industry will soon come true, the question is can they take the crown from Nintendo?"
"It seems that Nintendo will have a competition in the handheld market soon. ZDnet has an article that says Microsoft's plan to introduce a "Media Pad" which includes among other things "serve as a portable game player in conjunction with Microsoft's Xbox video game console". So I guess the news I heard regarding their interest in the portable industry will soon come true, the question is can they take the crown from Nintendo?"
Saturday, January 5
A Private Home Network LG #65
This is the result of my investigations. Mind: I am not an expert, but just an amateur, a home user trying to make things work. Nothing of this comes with any guarantee.
This is the result of my investigations. Mind: I am not an expert, but just an amateur, a home user trying to make things work. Nothing of this comes with any guarantee.
Friday, January 4
Switching IP Addresses is a Pain
Before doing it, I always thought that changing the IP addresses on a handfull or so of computers would border on the trivial. I was wrong. Aside from the totally inexcusable design of Microsoft Management console that nearly guarantees trouble if you switch IP addresses on an IIS machine it's not been a snap on the UNIX like machines either.
Before doing it, I always thought that changing the IP addresses on a handfull or so of computers would border on the trivial. I was wrong. Aside from the totally inexcusable design of Microsoft Management console that nearly guarantees trouble if you switch IP addresses on an IIS machine it's not been a snap on the UNIX like machines either.
eBay's charity auction falls far short of goal
eBay's Auction for America charity auction, launched to help those affected by the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, raised just $10 million in its 100 days, the company announced Friday. The online auction giant had aimed to raise $100 million in 100 days. Many eBay sellers criticized the charity auction from the beginning, charging that eBay was taking credit for sellers' donations and was using Auction for America as a tool to promote its proprietary Billpoint payment system. eBay required buyers to use a modified version of Billpoint to pay for all Auction for America items.
eBay's Auction for America charity auction, launched to help those affected by the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, raised just $10 million in its 100 days, the company announced Friday. The online auction giant had aimed to raise $100 million in 100 days. Many eBay sellers criticized the charity auction from the beginning, charging that eBay was taking credit for sellers' donations and was using Auction for America as a tool to promote its proprietary Billpoint payment system. eBay required buyers to use a modified version of Billpoint to pay for all Auction for America items.
mark castillo
markcastillo.com might or might not be down for a couple hours this weekend. Some changes might or might not take effect; upgrades, changeovers, and some other stuff.
markcastillo.com might or might not be down for a couple hours this weekend. Some changes might or might not take effect; upgrades, changeovers, and some other stuff.
Open Source And The Obligation To Recycle
"Tim O'Reilly has a piece called "Open Source and the Obligation to Recycle" in his weblog, where he urges every company whose products are "obsolete" to consider making them available under an open source license, or putting them in the public domain, thereby enriching the soil of our collective commons. (Interestingly, the first posting on the weblog disagrees, saying "...Giving away the software of failed companies could turn every corporate failure into a disaster for everyone else.)""
"Tim O'Reilly has a piece called "Open Source and the Obligation to Recycle" in his weblog, where he urges every company whose products are "obsolete" to consider making them available under an open source license, or putting them in the public domain, thereby enriching the soil of our collective commons. (Interestingly, the first posting on the weblog disagrees, saying "...Giving away the software of failed companies could turn every corporate failure into a disaster for everyone else.)""
Thursday, January 3
A Minimalist Approach to Technology
The new stuff's expensive and budgets are tight. These technologies deliver the biggest bang for the fewest bucks.
The new stuff's expensive and budgets are tight. These technologies deliver the biggest bang for the fewest bucks.
Electricity From Earth's Core
A radical new method of producing electricity from the Earth's inner heat has been devised by a power plant designer from Texas. Doyle Brewington of ESOR Consulting Engineers in Houston has designed a long, self-contained turbine shaft called a Power Tube that could tap subterranean heat without relying on geysers and steam vents. "I spent 25 years building power plants and I saw the damage they were causing," Brewington said. "The noxious gas being emitted by a lot of these steam turbines were causing a lot of acid rain around the world."
A radical new method of producing electricity from the Earth's inner heat has been devised by a power plant designer from Texas. Doyle Brewington of ESOR Consulting Engineers in Houston has designed a long, self-contained turbine shaft called a Power Tube that could tap subterranean heat without relying on geysers and steam vents. "I spent 25 years building power plants and I saw the damage they were causing," Brewington said. "The noxious gas being emitted by a lot of these steam turbines were causing a lot of acid rain around the world."
Online retailers fumble on customer care
While online retailers are tallying the results of a strong holiday shopping season, their customers may be enumerating their service failures, according to a report released Thursday. According to a Jupiter Media Metrix study which measured 250 Web sites, 70 percent of online retailers failed to resolve basic customer requests online within six hours. Customers that went with online-only operations endured the worst treatment, according to the study. Online-only retailers fared slightly better at responding in the first six hours than did brick-and-mortar operations, but were less responsive overall. Forty percent of online-only retailers took more than three days to respond or did not respond to e-mail at all, compared with 28 percent of brick-and-mortar retailers.
While online retailers are tallying the results of a strong holiday shopping season, their customers may be enumerating their service failures, according to a report released Thursday. According to a Jupiter Media Metrix study which measured 250 Web sites, 70 percent of online retailers failed to resolve basic customer requests online within six hours. Customers that went with online-only operations endured the worst treatment, according to the study. Online-only retailers fared slightly better at responding in the first six hours than did brick-and-mortar operations, but were less responsive overall. Forty percent of online-only retailers took more than three days to respond or did not respond to e-mail at all, compared with 28 percent of brick-and-mortar retailers.
Wednesday, January 2
Slashdot | Attack of the Clones
"It looks like George Lucas has really sold out this time. If you thought Jar-Jar Binks was bad, MTV.com is running a story that a few members of 'NSYNC will be making cameos in Episode II. I think the target demographic for these films has changed a little since the original trilogy. Oh well, at least LOTR rocked." The MTV article says that NSYNC asked for the part; an article in a UK tabloid says Lucas asked them.
"It looks like George Lucas has really sold out this time. If you thought Jar-Jar Binks was bad, MTV.com is running a story that a few members of 'NSYNC will be making cameos in Episode II. I think the target demographic for these films has changed a little since the original trilogy. Oh well, at least LOTR rocked." The MTV article says that NSYNC asked for the part; an article in a UK tabloid says Lucas asked them.
VIDEOTOPIA
VIDEOTOPIA is the only accurate exploration of the art, science, and history of video games in the world. The exhibit has become a resource for historians, educators, and television & print journalists from around the globe. VIDEOTOPIA has become the principle resource for the appreciation and understanding of this unique combination of art and science. VIDEOTOPIA includes over 75 restored and new arcade video games - everything from the first ever, to the first to utilize microprocessors, ROM chips, 3-D graphics, etc., right on up to today's greatest simulator games, with all of the classics and favorites in between. VIDEOTOPIA details the evolution of home and arcade video games containing informational kiosks and displays that take visitors through the history and technology in a way that is fun, nostalgic, and educational.
VIDEOTOPIA is the only accurate exploration of the art, science, and history of video games in the world. The exhibit has become a resource for historians, educators, and television & print journalists from around the globe. VIDEOTOPIA has become the principle resource for the appreciation and understanding of this unique combination of art and science. VIDEOTOPIA includes over 75 restored and new arcade video games - everything from the first ever, to the first to utilize microprocessors, ROM chips, 3-D graphics, etc., right on up to today's greatest simulator games, with all of the classics and favorites in between. VIDEOTOPIA details the evolution of home and arcade video games containing informational kiosks and displays that take visitors through the history and technology in a way that is fun, nostalgic, and educational.
Virtual PC Is Virtually Perfect
Virtual PC 5.0 from Connectix (prices range from $80 to $200) shipped last week and contains some cool new features. First of all, Virtual PC allows you to install a Microsoft, Linux or IBM operating system on your Mac. VPC tricks the guest operating system into thinking your Mac is a PC so you can actually run PC programs. VPC 5 takes it one step further and will run up to 11 different operating systems on your Mac all at once -—providing you have OS X as one of those operating systems. You can load DOS, Linux, OS 2, Windows 2000, 95, 98, ME, XP Home and Pro, and of course OS X and Mac OS 9. You can run any combination; RAM is the only limiting factor. While this trick has other uses, the popular purpose is to impress people who have trouble running just one operating system on their PC. And it really is impressive.
Virtual PC 5.0 from Connectix (prices range from $80 to $200) shipped last week and contains some cool new features. First of all, Virtual PC allows you to install a Microsoft, Linux or IBM operating system on your Mac. VPC tricks the guest operating system into thinking your Mac is a PC so you can actually run PC programs. VPC 5 takes it one step further and will run up to 11 different operating systems on your Mac all at once -—providing you have OS X as one of those operating systems. You can load DOS, Linux, OS 2, Windows 2000, 95, 98, ME, XP Home and Pro, and of course OS X and Mac OS 9. You can run any combination; RAM is the only limiting factor. While this trick has other uses, the popular purpose is to impress people who have trouble running just one operating system on their PC. And it really is impressive.
TV Guide Online
HOBBIT NEW YEAR!: Old hobbits die hard. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring was the No. 1 box office draw for the second-consecutive weekend, grossing an estimated $58.1 million during the five-day holiday weekend. The film's 12-day total stands at $175 million. Rounding out the top five: Ocean's Eleven (No. 2 with $25.9 million from Friday-Tuesday), Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius (No. 3 with $22.3 million), newcomer Ali (No. 4 with $20 million) and Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (No. 5 with $16.7 million). In limited release, Russell Crowe's A Beautiful Mind and the star-studded family satire The Royal Tenenbaums played to capacity crowds. Meanwhile, 2001 was a good year at the box office: Even with Freddy Got Fingered in the mix, overall ticket sales are expected to surpass the $8 billion mark for the first time ever.
HOBBIT NEW YEAR!: Old hobbits die hard. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring was the No. 1 box office draw for the second-consecutive weekend, grossing an estimated $58.1 million during the five-day holiday weekend. The film's 12-day total stands at $175 million. Rounding out the top five: Ocean's Eleven (No. 2 with $25.9 million from Friday-Tuesday), Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius (No. 3 with $22.3 million), newcomer Ali (No. 4 with $20 million) and Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (No. 5 with $16.7 million). In limited release, Russell Crowe's A Beautiful Mind and the star-studded family satire The Royal Tenenbaums played to capacity crowds. Meanwhile, 2001 was a good year at the box office: Even with Freddy Got Fingered in the mix, overall ticket sales are expected to surpass the $8 billion mark for the first time ever.
AOL members set shopping record
America Online members headed to the Web to do their holiday shopping: In 2001, they spent more than $33 billion online, with a third of it coming in the fourth quarter. The total figure is up 67 percent from the preceding year, parent company AOL Time Warner said Wednesday. The $11 billion spent online during the fourth quarter--a record for AOL--accounted for a 72 percent increase from the same period a year earlier. "We expect the shopping preferences reinforced during the holiday season to pay dividends throughout the year as satisfied members continue to make shopping on AOL a habit in their daily lives," Chief Executive Barry Schuler said in a statement.
America Online members headed to the Web to do their holiday shopping: In 2001, they spent more than $33 billion online, with a third of it coming in the fourth quarter. The total figure is up 67 percent from the preceding year, parent company AOL Time Warner said Wednesday. The $11 billion spent online during the fourth quarter--a record for AOL--accounted for a 72 percent increase from the same period a year earlier. "We expect the shopping preferences reinforced during the holiday season to pay dividends throughout the year as satisfied members continue to make shopping on AOL a habit in their daily lives," Chief Executive Barry Schuler said in a statement.
Tuesday, January 1
Gaming Intelligence Agency - NES - Metroid
Unlike later password systems (such as Megaman 2's) the Metroid system was relatively unhackable, meaning players could not change parts of their passwords to improve their stats, with the exception of the infamous "JUSTIN BAILEY" password, which allowed players to use Samus in her female form, complete with a wide range of attacks and enhancements.
Unlike later password systems (such as Megaman 2's) the Metroid system was relatively unhackable, meaning players could not change parts of their passwords to improve their stats, with the exception of the infamous "JUSTIN BAILEY" password, which allowed players to use Samus in her female form, complete with a wide range of attacks and enhancements.
The Gaming Intelligence Agency
The Internet hosts more gaming sites than grains of sand on a beach. Why in the world would we want to add another? Some sites focus on only a single game or platform. Other multi-platform sites cover so many titles that in-depth coverage is nearly impossible. Very few sites cover a particular genre or genres with the depth those genres' fans demand. The staff members of the GIA saw a need for a site that would cover upcoming role-playing, adventure, puzzle, and rhythm games for the major console systems. The members of the GIA promise to provide timely, complete, honest, intelligent, and interesting coverage. Timely coverage means that we will deliver the news as soon as we hear it. We won't sit on stories for days before delivering them to our viewers. We won't just regurgitate news stories from other gaming sites. Instead, we will update daily with the latest and hottest stories and media.
The Internet hosts more gaming sites than grains of sand on a beach. Why in the world would we want to add another? Some sites focus on only a single game or platform. Other multi-platform sites cover so many titles that in-depth coverage is nearly impossible. Very few sites cover a particular genre or genres with the depth those genres' fans demand. The staff members of the GIA saw a need for a site that would cover upcoming role-playing, adventure, puzzle, and rhythm games for the major console systems. The members of the GIA promise to provide timely, complete, honest, intelligent, and interesting coverage. Timely coverage means that we will deliver the news as soon as we hear it. We won't sit on stories for days before delivering them to our viewers. We won't just regurgitate news stories from other gaming sites. Instead, we will update daily with the latest and hottest stories and media.
Konami Collector's Series: Arcade Advanced
Konami has announced the first details regarding its compilation of arcade games for the Game Boy Advance, Konami Collector's Series: Arcade Advanced. The game will include six Konami arcade games: Rush 'n' Attack, Gyruss, Scramble, Yie Ar Kung-Fu, Time Pilot, and the original Frogger. All six games will be stored on one cartridge and will include more features than the original arcade versions. The graphics, multiplayer modes, levels, and sound will all be upgraded for the compilation.
Konami has announced the first details regarding its compilation of arcade games for the Game Boy Advance, Konami Collector's Series: Arcade Advanced. The game will include six Konami arcade games: Rush 'n' Attack, Gyruss, Scramble, Yie Ar Kung-Fu, Time Pilot, and the original Frogger. All six games will be stored on one cartridge and will include more features than the original arcade versions. The graphics, multiplayer modes, levels, and sound will all be upgraded for the compilation.
Hoshigami: Ruining Blue Earth Hands-On
Hoshigami is a strategy simulation game with a medieval fantasy setting. Though Hoshigami was definitely influenced by games like Final Fantasy Tactics and Tactics Ogre, the game has several unique features that set it apart from the other games in the strategy simulation genre. The beta version mainly focused on demonstrating the use of session attack, which is the game's version of the chain attack. There were five different stages, and each mission objective involved the use of the session attack.
Hoshigami is a strategy simulation game with a medieval fantasy setting. Though Hoshigami was definitely influenced by games like Final Fantasy Tactics and Tactics Ogre, the game has several unique features that set it apart from the other games in the strategy simulation genre. The beta version mainly focused on demonstrating the use of session attack, which is the game's version of the chain attack. There were five different stages, and each mission objective involved the use of the session attack.
India becoming world's back office
IT-enabled services such as helpdesk support, medical transcription, back-office accounting, credit-card processing and engineering design are emerging as India's latest export.
IT-enabled services such as helpdesk support, medical transcription, back-office accounting, credit-card processing and engineering design are emerging as India's latest export.
