As you may be able to tell from the dates of the posts below, I don't update this anymore. However I have recently started a tumblelog over at tumblr, which is pretty cool because I don't think I'm really suited to long blog posts any more, so quick 'this is cool' posts are much more my thing. I suggest you go and check it out, there's some cool stuff there!
Sorry if this post is poorly worded, it was written on a train hurriedly before reaching the station.
I recommend people check out Steal This Film 1 and 2. I've just watched 2, and it has some interesting ideas about sharing. One idea that grabbed me was the comparison to the invention of the printing press in the 15th century. Before the printing press, books were jealously guarded by those who could scribe them. Even back then - when the printing press was invented, 'pirates' would get information about sought after books, source one of them, and then copy them. Back then there was no copyright law, so as far as the pirates were concerned they were just 'doing business'. And the people in Steal This Film believe modern filesharing is exactly the same - just 'doing business'.
I agree with the ideas presented in the documentary, and I believe in them myself. But I think these ideas are limited only to those who have an active interest in file sharing, digital rights, and the EFF. There's a far greater number of people who download music every day who don't care about the fact that they are involved in a modern day printing press argument, they just like free music. Even though there are some (like myself and like those in the documentary) that believe in these ideas about the free flow of information and the inability to box culture, I don't think the majority believe in all that. They just like it being easy and free.
But anyway, I urge people to check it out for more information, I've only touched on some of the points they have.
So I'm home from University for Christmas. I'm looking forward to spending some time relaxing (after I've spent a hectic week doing work and revision) with my future-MacBook and also with my girlfriend Elysium (who interestingly has started to use that handle just about everywhere online, so I will too!) who I'm meeting up with for all the time between post-Christmas and the end of the holidays.
Right now I'm listening to Long Road out of Eden; the new double-CD album from The Eagles. Since I was very young I've always been a huge fan of The Eagles, I used to listen to Hell Freezes Over (the mostly-live album produced when they did their reunion tour) over and over. I'm pleased with their new album, the production quality is superb and it still has a great 'Eagles feel' to it - it doesn't feel like they're trying to be something they're not. Some of it actually feels like much older Eagles work (Hell Freezes Over was quite new), and some of it is. For example the acapella 'No More Walks in the Wood' which reminds me of Seven Bridges Road, and also 'How Long' which was written over 30 years ago, was recorded and released as a single, but it's taken until now (I think) to appear on an album.
But anyway, it's a good album, I've been enjoying it.
I feel quite christmas-y. I think it's because I've come home, and also today dad and I went to get a tree, and it + the rest of the living room has been decorated and looks really nice (my Mum, who did the decorating, has excelled herself!), particularly the tree. I will try and get a decent picture up soon (at the moment I just have a rather poor quality picture from my camera).
Not long now.
Well, that was a long period of inactivity! I decided I felt the need to come back and start blogging again. I was looking at tumblr and thinking it was quite cool, but then remembered that I do still have a blog here on Vox! So I thought rather than starting a random new tumblog or whatever they are called, I'd come back here and post a bit.
A lot has been going on with me obviously - the largest change being my moving to York University (my first choice, quite chuffed about that) to do Computer Science. I'm not going to talk about everything in one go though, just things that come to me.
Christmas is coming! For Christmas this year I'm defecting; I'm getting a MacBook. I've never really used a Mac before in my life, so it's going to be quite an experience.
One reason for getting a MacBook is that I've decided that - as I am obviously a heavy computer user - segmentation of uses is good. It's well known that you should only use your bedroom for sleep - otherwise your brain associates it with wakeful activities. Well likewise, I think this applies to computers. Therefore, I think by having a server, a gaming rig, and a productive rig (my MacBook), I should be able to increase productivity: My MacBook will not have distractions like the latest games, and will not have interesting things (at least, not after I've settled in to the environment of Mac OS) like a new network service to play with or a cool new Linux thing.
That's the theory anyway, we'll see how it pans out.
I just got back from holiday (vacation for all you Americans and others), and so I'm catching up with a few things. I'll blog sometime soon with something interesting hopefully :)
| High-Bitrate MP3 (36.0MB) Low-Bitrate MP3 (12.6MB) |
- Housekeeping:
- Thanks to Kevin ‘Shinmaryuu’ Money for the intro.
- Jalada isn’t going to the Pure Pwnage Premiere in London after all.
- We’re recording earlier + releasing early.
- Life:
- We’ve both finished our exams, Jalada is playing Lord of the Rings Online.
- Tech:
- Gaming:
- The Spore date has not been pushed back to 2009.
- THQ are making a Warhammer 40k turn-based strategy game (called Squad Command) for PSP and Nintendo DS, also announced a WH40K MMO.
- A Sonic RPG has been announced to be in the making by Bioware, and it’s gonna be on the DS!
- Anime:
- Sefran reviews the Lucky Star anime, and gives it overall 7/10.
- Plugs + Shouts:
- Shouts to Prowen for reaching level 70 on World of Warcraft with his Tauron Warrior.
- Plugs to The Evil Empire, HentaiPalm forums (Ed: Excuse me? How did this one slip through?).
- Music from the Poptart Monkeys (MySpace) with Go Away. Thanks to music.podshow.com for this.
Interestingly, I recognise every single track (and thoroughly enjoy them). Yet I don't quite recognise it, if that makes sense; I don't know where I've heard it, or whether I've heard the same version. Though I think I can reliably answer this now. When I was very young (about 5 or so) my Dad would've had a copy of both Tubular Bells II (on CD) and Tubular Bells I (on Vinyl and CD). And I reckon that he must've played it on the stereo many many times, and the sounds have been drilled into my head. More than 10 years later, I listened to it for the first time again (and this time I knew what it was), and I could hum along to every track perfectly.
It's interesting how my mind recalled the sounds of Tubular Bells, yet didn't actually associate the sounds with anything at all. I had no idea why I knew them when I listened to them again, I just...knew.
Yet...what did I have for lunch? :/
What do you enjoy most about summer?
Submitted by Alex.
Very little to be honest. I get pretty bad hayfever, which ruins a lot of outdoor things, and the ability to enjoy the outdoors. That doesn't bother me too much, because I stay inside on my computer or doing something inside most of the time anyway. But then it also gets extremely hot in my room, which doesn't help my mood. So I guess perhaps I love the fact that it ends?
That's being a bit depressive though. I guess I like cool evenings, barbecues, not being at school, and holidays.
A while ago I made a list of a few things I thought about including for Life in Hex in the technology/hacking section. So far, the list looks like this:
- Setting up a Linux mail server to bring your email together.
- Security to the outside world - Port Forwarding, Port Knocking, and why you should use non-standard ports.
IPv6 - this is something I'm personally interested in, but know nothing about so I would have to do some research, it's benefits and what it holds for the future of the 'Global Interweb'.Done on Episode 39.- Making an AJAX log monitor - again, something I want to do but haven't done. I could talk about it on the show.
- RAID, it's advantages and disadvantages and implementations.
However I've thought of a couple of new things. I've noticed a trend though, all the things I think are worth doing are very network based, because that's what I'm most interested in. I'll try and keep away from network-related stuff, and perhaps move more towards some hacking and darker elements, although to be honest they're not my forté.
What do you absolutely refuse to eat?
Poisonous mushrooms ;)
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