1:19 PM CST     0 comments

Uhm: The P_mate Company

I suppose, being male and all, I've always taken this sort of thing for granted. On the hand, I don't think I'd want to use a product which produced such a horrible facial expression.

[link courtesy of jen]

10:45 AM CST     0 comments

WTF: Microsoft Security Bulletin (MS00-068)

Yet another security risk created by Microsoft integration. This time Media Player 7 can crash e-mail clients. The bulletin does not specifically mention Outlook which leads me to believe that Media Player 7 replaces a key OCX used by multiple e-mail vendors. Ugh.

10:16 AM CST     0 comments

Dammit: PlayStation 2 Launch Titles

Gran Turismo 3 isn't going to be ready until Q1 2001. Ah well... I doubt many people will have a PS2 before then anyway if the delays are as long as anticipated.

10:14 AM CST     0 comments

Dumb: How the Pokemon Jade Star Turned into 'Jude Star'

An article about a misspelling and the author spells Pokémon "Pokimon" throughout the entire piece. That's quality control at it's finest.

9:58 AM CST     0 comments

Heh: Amazon offers "mea culpa" for DVD pricing test

Careful Jeff, if you spin this one much more you might reverse the flow of time.

9:54 AM CST     0 comments

Oops: Retailers grappling with expected PlayStation2 shortage

Hmm... I'm wondering if this isn't a calculated move on Sony's behalf. Enthusiasm for the PS2 has been sagging a bit since Nintendo's SpaceWorld show where the GameCube was introduced. Sony is betting that by artificially reducing supply they can increase demand.

8:44 AM CST     0 comments

Good Lord: MSN turns users into spammers

It's nearly unbelievable that a feature like this made it into a public beta. This is a fairly strong indication that Microsoft has in no way modified their attitude toward their sheep customers.

8:40 AM CST     0 comments

Surprise: Small shops penalized by MS licensing

Can you say "class action"? I knew you could.

8:33 AM CST     0 comments

Tsk, Tsk: Security Flaw Found At E-Trade

When are companies like E-Trade going to start working with security experts instead of treating them as the enemy? Yes, good security costs money, but how much does negative publicity like this cost in the long run?

8:29 AM CST     0 comments

Good news: Workers told to stay off cell phones

This is a good first step. I'd really like to see more states restrict cell phone use the way they have overseas. With all the "hands free" options available from headsets to built-in models there is no compelling reason to risk killing yourself or others.

To be brutally honest, I'd prefer that people stay home if they want to talk on the phone. I find it extremely rude when people use a cell phone in public outside of emergency situations.

8:21 AM CST     0 comments

Woo: Microsoft targets high-end computers with new Windows

Does this mean I can get 32 simultaneous Blue Screens Of Death? Cool!

3:46 PM CST     0 comments

Whoa! It must be Atari 2600 nostaglia week or something. First zannah blogs this and then annalisa drops this link in the newdream mailing list. I'm all choked up.

I seriously envy that guy who built a portable VCS. I often have ideas like that, but I rarely take any action on them. I used to build stuff like that all the time in high school. What happened to my sense of curiousity?

10:56 AM CST     0 comments

I was thinking about getting a new hair style, but I wasn't sure what I wanted. After a marketing meeting this morning I've decided what I really need is a Progressive Hair Paradigm (PHP) which proactively leverages my cranial assets.

Isn't marketing wonderful? *gag*

9:34 AM CST     0 comments

Psst! Just a Tip

Never underestimate the ability of the internet to deliver services nobody knew they needed.

9:32 AM CST     0 comments

Ick: CueCat profiling potential described

It looks as if this CueCat thing has gone from useless to dangerous. Particularly with the TV attachment.

9:16 AM CST     0 comments

Hmm: No gold for NBC Olympics Web site

I was wondering if I was the only person who just can't get excited about this year's Olympics. Summer sports are just so boring. I just can't watch hour after hour of identical athletes performing routines which differ so slightly that even the "expert" commentators have trouble differentiating them.

The Winter Olympics, on the other hand, should be held every two years. That's real entertainment.

9:08 AM CST     0 comments

Stupid: Slamming the Door on Spam

Here's the deal... problems like this have to be stopped by stopping the outlaws. The people who are supporting these standards are not the real problem. To stop spam dead in it's tracks you must make it painful for the spammer.

Step One: imprison anyone selling bulk mail software or cd's full of addresses.

Step Two: trace e-mail bots back to their home ip and ban that person/entity from the net for life.

Step Three: any person/entity found guilty of any of the above gets their computer equipment impounded.

Step Four: if a spammer is found guilty of a second violation after being caught once before, their driver's license and vehicle registration are suspended for a minimum five year period.

If they continue to spam after that we may have to resort to extreme measures.

8:52 AM CST     0 comments

Damn: The Offspring buckles, cancels album giveaway

Even if Offspring didn't get a chance to follow through with their pre-release plans, they did succeed in demonstrating to the public exactly how much control a label exerts over their slaves artists.

Mr. Holland proves he's pretty sly (for a white guy).

2:43 PM CST     0 comments

Snippet: Why I Want To Live At The P.O.

This is a snippet from a Byte.com article which talks about the Eudora Mood Watch feature. I thought it was interesting that the author was playing with different words to see what Mood Rating the software would register.

One of my online friends has been sending me mail for the past three or four days to test the "chili pepper" rating of different words. It's all in good fun, but it's rather hard to explain to a co-worker why you just received an e-mail that consists solely of the word "blowjob".

1:36 PM CST     0 comments

I turned 31 today. I'm not yet sure how I feel about that. On the one hand, I've likely got at least 30 years of life left. On the other, I can't imagine anyone will want a 40 year-old programmer. Worse yet, I don't think I want to *be* a 40 year-old programmer.

Why can't life have a pause button?

8:44 AM CST     0 comments

Interview: 'Zelda' creator talks GameCube

What? No Mario 128? What is Miyamoto smoking?

8:41 AM CST     0 comments

Hmm: Four Universities Rebuff Request For Napster Ban

I'd like to think that this decision was an altruistic one on behalf of these colleges. Unfortunately, little could be further from the truth. Modern colleges are terribly gun-shy when it comes to disturbing the delicate balance of campus opinion. Student opinion drives parent opinion which, in turn, ushers money into or away from the college itself.

In fact, I'd go so far as to say that when (more like if) "specific instances of copyright violation" were reported little would be done about that either.

8:29 AM CST     0 comments

Interesting: License to be good

Can the music industry earn something from the GPL? This author thinks so. After reading the article I can't help, but admit he makes a compelling argument.

3:06 PM CST     0 comments

Ugh: Words and Phrases that Offend Students

University of Texas at Dallas apparently believes that the reason people are bigots is because they just don't know the things they say are offensive. If only the world were that simple.

[this link brought to you by the full-bodied taste of Brett Light]

2:12 PM CST     0 comments

Oh, and just in case you're keeping track Greg was yesterday's Hero Of The Day.

2:01 PM CST     0 comments

Dan is my hero for the day.

9:34 AM CST     0 comments

Heh: Dr Kenton's Generic Dr Pepper Page

I was going to bash this guy, but you know what? It's kind of cool to see how many faux DP's are out there. I think maybe I need to start getting more sleep.

9:19 AM CST     0 comments

Monkey Business: Primates Pelt Cars

monkeymonkeymonkeymonkeymonkey

9:14 AM CST     0 comments

WC3: XML in 10 points

There's a bit of humor in this list, but it also does a good job of explaining exactly what XML is. There is a lot of confusion over what XML is and, more importantly, what it means to the web. The quickest answer is that if you have a need for XML you will likely already be using it.

In short, most web designers can safely ignore it completely. Unless, of course, you are trying to find a job at the moment. Employers have championed XML as the new "must have" job skill. What's silly is if you ask an employer about XML during an interview 9 out of 10 times they have no clue what, if anything, they will ever use it for.

Anybody disagree?

9:03 AM CST     0 comments

Damn: Whose Credit Is It Anyway?

I think I'm going to go back to the mason jar. Banks are getting far too cocky considering they are little more than middlemen. It is offensive to me that a brain dead, minimum wage earning customer service representative from a temp agency can have access to my credit rating and I can't get it without a huge hassle.

8:54 AM CST     0 comments

Under AOL's nose: geniuses or guerrillas?

Justin Frankel strikes again. This time by replacing AOL's ad frame in the AIM client with WinAmp visualization. Publicly AOL says they don't care, but you just know it's killing them to allow such behavior. Gotta love that.

8:53 AM CST     0 comments

Woo: Look After Your Syringes, Athletes Told

Injecting B12? Now that's what I call hardcore fitness.

8:50 AM CST     0 comments

Stark Raving Fad: Dell redesigns its PC lines

Apparently, the tech industry has a tremendously short memory. Acer, HP, and Packard Bell relased "designer" pc's in the early 90's. They sold ok, but never really justified the extra cost.
Historically the problem has been getting matching peripherals. Monitors, mice, and keyboards need replacing much more often than computers. Sure that purple monitor is available when you buy your pc, but a year or two from now? Not likely.

I've always been a big believer in quality over appearance. Dell (and others) seem to disagree.

8:41 AM CST     0 comments

Discuss: Is It Theft, or Is It Freedom? 7 Views of the Web's Impact on Culture Clashes

This one is a bit on the long side, but it's certainly worth skimming. There are some interesting points made by everyone involved.

[thanks to Ars Technica for the link]

9:47 AM CST     0 comments

Hee: State Slogans

Kentucky: Five Million People; Fifteen Last Names

8:57 AM CST     0 comments

Salon: Rio's Pyrrhic victory

Here's my opinion on this issue: If I buy a CD I have paid for the right to listen to the music on that CD however I choose. It doesn't matter if I dump the tracks to MP3 or if I transcribe them onto toilet paper to wipe my ass. I've paid for the right to do so.

As long as it's for personal use, I doubt any court will ever restrict the "time shifting" or "medium transfer" of any media. The Napster and MP3.com cases are a losing battle because they took the music outside of the personal use boundary.

8:39 AM CST     0 comments

Whoa: Music bookmarking firm loses place with investors

This must be a new record for elapsed time launch to failure. Technically they launched in 1999, but the buzz didn't start until about two months ago.

12:33 PM CST     0 comments

Yeah, boyee: MC Hawking's Crib

"So if you see me coming you better duck, 'cause Stephen Hawking is crazy as fuck."

Pure unadulterated brilliance.

[link courtesy of Ceej]

9:07 AM CST     0 comments

Whoa: Gates and Allen cash in shares

So the founders cash in a bunch of stock shortly after releasing a "landmark" product? That's not a very good sign if you ask me.

8:59 AM CST     0 comments

Hmm: Report Calls for More Asteroid Protection

Perhaps just a large tube of Preparation H?

8:58 AM CST     0 comments

Woo: Torch Glitch Causes Panic at Games

"It was fabulous -- like 'The Lion King,' only better"

8:37 AM CST     0 comments

Heh: Crack SDMI? No thanks!

Good for them. Any programmer worth his/her salt would do well to steer clear of such obvious ploys for publicity.

8:27 AM CST     0 comments

CueCat: A scanner darkly

It boggles my mind that someone thought this was a good idea.

2:02 PM CST     0 comments

Woo: Supermariountwirled EP

MP3 remixes of Super Mario themes. I wasn't able to download them all due to ftp server timeouts, but my favorites so far are #4 and #5. Some of them are a bit too atonal for my tastes.
YMMV.

10:53 AM CST     0 comments

Neat idea: Surprise.com gifts

We've all have a few people in our lives for whom it is simply impossible to buy gifts. Surprise.com can help. You can start with a general area of interest or perhaps a special occasion and narrow your way down to the perfect gift.

10:15 AM CST     0 comments

Virus Alert: Qaz

This is a fairly new and apparently wide spread virus which attaches itself to the Windows NOTEPAD.EXE application. To check your system open up the Windows folder and check the size of your NOTEPAD.EXE file. If it is greater than 60k (mine is around 35k) you're infected.

The page linked above has more details and an elimination method.

10:09 AM CST     0 comments

Bad news: Norplant Users Told to Use Backup

The thing that bugs me about this is that Norplant will "reimburse women who have questionable implants for the cost of backup birth control". They will not reimburse the original, and in some cases exorbitant, cost of the Norplant treatment itself. That doesn't seem right to me.

I predict a class action suit.

9:56 AM CST     0 comments

Ugh: MS planning to give PCs unique Windows IDs?

I can fully understand Microsoft getting their panties in a wad over the wide-spread pirating of Windows OS, particularly in other countries. What I don't agree with, however, is the continued persecution of law abiding citizens by restricting the use of properly licensed property.

These last few moves on Microsoft's part have really tied the hands of not only consumers, but of technicians as well. Evenually, no one will be able to service your PC, but a factory authorized technician. This will not only provide a lower quality of service, but will increase the cost of said service dramatically.

One step forward, three steps back.

9:46 AM CST     0 comments

Hmm: Kangaroo terrorizes family during three-hour rampage

Now we know why they sing "tie me kangaroo down, boys".

9:42 AM CST     0 comments

Any other name: Prune Gets $10 Million Makeover

It doesn't matter to me if they rename them "Golden Sweet Angel Kisses", you won't see me eating any prunes. Uh-uh.

9:34 AM CST     0 comments

Not bad: Eudora 5.0 Released

Although the media is making a lot of noise about the "mood rating" and voice integration features of the new Eudora 5.0, I'd have to say it's most compelling feature is stability. I downloaded the free "ad supported" version of E5 yesterday and never looked back. I've converted all my archived mail from Netscape Communicator over to Eudora and set up multiple "personalities" so that I can manage all my e-mail accounts from one InBox.

The "ad supported" prospect chilled me at first, but really it's just a little unobtrusive square in the corner of the main interface. They don't embed ads in your e-mail or anything heinous. If it continues to perform as well as it has over the past two days, I'll probably buy a copy anyway.

In short, it's good software.

9:25 AM CST     0 comments

Interesting: Evidence Found of Great Flood

Although the title suggests otherwise, researchers aren't quite willing to match their evidence with the biblical "Noah's flood". It's still intriguing to think that new things are being discovered about such events.

9:21 AM CST     0 comments

Hmm: Barnesandnoble.com to acquire Fatbrain.com

I'm not sure how I feel about this. I have begun hearing some good word of mouth about fatbrain. Barnes & Noble demonstrated very early on that they really don't understand the online segment of their market. If B&N can stand aside and let fatbrain do what they do best, then perhaps this will help both companies in the long run.

10:52 AM CST     0 comments

Heh: HEAD Intelligence

Contrary to your assumptions this is not a pr0n site. It's actually the home page of Head sporting equipment. Skis, snow boards, etc.

I can't even begin to imagine how much they must have paid fort that domain name though. Whew!

9:00 AM CST     0 comments

Hmm: Pricing glitch wreaks havoc in Amazon DVD store

The castle is crumbling. Can you imagine how badly the stock market is going to react if Amazon tanks? I mean, pop.com and boo.com are one thing, nobody really expected them to succeed. But Amazon?

The mind boggles.

8:48 AM CST     0 comments

Ars Technica: Multiboot Microsoft OSes

This is a good article on configuring multi-boot systems. If you are even considering a multi-boot system this is a must read.

8:38 AM CST     0 comments

Heh: Feds Violate Commercial Site Privacy Rules

Legislator, regulate thy self!

12:32 PM CST     0 comments

Hehe: SEEING STARS: the Ultimate Guide to Hollywood & Celebrities

Stalking goes high tech.

11:46 AM CST     0 comments

Woo: Keyboard grime analysis

Apparently AOL has nothing better to spend it's money on than analysing keyboard mung. Go figure.

11:41 AM CST     0 comments

Hell yeah: Boy May Have Used Web To Buy Car

Now here's a kid with some initiative. It's unfortunate that he will likely spend the rest of his life being supported by tax payers. Even if he doesn't end up in jail he will be all but unemployable due to his criminal record.

11:35 AM CST     0 comments

Heh: Interpreter Faces Trouble Over Obscenity

C'mon. Give the poor guy a break. Being UN Translator has to be one of the hardest jobs on the face of the planet. Besides judicious use of cursing is considered a talent in some countries.

11:30 AM CST     0 comments

Sheesh: A kinder, gentler Carnivore?

Yeah, it was the name that bothered everyone. The fact that it gives the FBI the ability to a) read through everyone's mail, and b) shut down ISP's had nothing to do with it. Our country is being run by morons.

11:26 AM CST     0 comments

Hmm: UPC passes on Microsoft TV

I'm confused. Microsoft says they never bid on the contract. The article then goes on to say that "Microsoft has worked with UPC for almost two years to develop interactive TV for UPC's network".

Now, call me silly, but if they've invested two years and millions of dollars developing for UPC, it seems to follow that they were the preferred vendor. This nonsense about "we never bid" is merely sour grapes. If Microsoft's solution was truly viable UPC would have used it for their launch.

11:16 AM CST     0 comments

Tech: Is special court needed for high-tech cases?

In a word? Yep.

I would even go so far as to take this a step further. Judges should be trained for not only high tech cases, but drug/alcohol cases, medical cases, etc. Having a judge who knows how to interpret the applicable laws, but doesn't understand the "real world" situations to which they apply can do serious damage to our right to a fair trial. I've seen it happen far too many times.

11:10 AM CST     0 comments

Duh: Metallica's Lawyer Asks 11 Prominent Institutions to Ban Napster Use

Ok... I can certainly see where limiting the use of Napster on campus is a valid tactic to curbing it's overall use. What blew me away was the quote from Metallica's lawyer, Howard E. King:

"They ought to seriously address this issue of intellectual property. They certainly aren't allowing students to copy books in the university library."

Uhm, excuse me? I suppose the copy machines in most college libraries are only used by students to copy their own notes? Get real. Everyone has copied pages from a text book when they are doing research for a paper.

Did this guy even go to college?

4:39 PM CST     0 comments

Retro: C64Audio.com

MP3 remixes of all your C64 favorites.

8:52 AM CST     0 comments

Whoa: Brain Injury Gives Hand a Mind of Its Own

I suppose, given enough time, everything ever created on film will happen in real life. Regardless how silly it seems at the time.

8:48 AM CST     0 comments

Backpedal: Microsoft dropped from spam suit

Hmm... apparently AOL and MS aren't as keen on the MAPS service as they once were.

8:34 AM CST     0 comments

Point taken: Choosing spam over censorship

Although I really hate spam, I can certainly see the point this article is making. I also agree that if there were a way to prosecute spammers most of them would quit. The problem is that there will never be a way to prosecute regardless of how many laws are passed, simply because the spammer will always have more protection than the spamee. That's the way our system works.

9:54 AM CST     0 comments

Strong stomachs only: Crime Scene Cleaners Carve Out a Gory Niche

What does it say about our society that such a service is not only needed, but in such high demand? Nothing good.

9:43 AM CST     0 comments

Sheesh: Researchers refuse Carnivore review

How many red flags is it going to take before someone in Congress throws the brakes on Carnivore? It's becoming very hard to believe that Congress has any control whatsoever over the actions of the FBI and other investigative agencies.

9:36 AM CST     0 comments

Cool: AmEx to offer "disposable" credit card numbers

This is a really cool idea. I'm rather surprised that it's coming from AmEx though... they've become somewhat notorious for being overly cautious in their online dealings.

9:31 AM CST     0 comments

Interesting: Software Clouds With A Silver Lining

AppStream sounds like a cool piece of technology, but what the article doesn't explain is how their software differs from what Citrix (and now NT Terminal Edition) has been doing for years. I need to research this further.

9:19 AM CST     0 comments

Woo: The Power Of 10

10Gbps Sonet. That's really fast.

9:38 AM CST     0 comments

Ugh: Amazon's new privacy regs may backfire

Well, you can't fault them for being honest. I've never bought anything from Amazon and I see no reason to start now. Really though I have little interest in supporting a company who would act with such hubris in regard to my personal information.

8:58 AM CST     0 comments

Sheesh: FCC to rule on TV copy curbs

Since the RIAA has said it doesn't feel you have the right to record the music you have bought, the MPAA has started to feel a bit slighted. In response, they've decided that you don't have the right to record television programs that you have paid for either. Luckily those bastards bastions of freedom at the FCC are protecting your rights.

8:41 AM CST     0 comments

WashingtonPost.com: Opting In: A Privacy Paradox

Unlike a million other such articles on the subject, this one really attempts to present several sides of the story. This is true journalism and I applaud the Washington Post for it.

8:30 AM CST     0 comments

Hmm: Random DVD prices on Amazon

I suppose the moral to this story is to clean out your cookie file before buying anything from Amazon.

8:17 AM CST     0 comments

Schweet: Push Posters

Push Posters bills itself as having "the largest range of music posters in the world". After cruising through their catalog for a while, I'd say there's a fair bit of truth to that statement. They also sell t-shirts, calendars, and so on.

[link courtesy of the always fresh, never watered down Betty Kim]

9:03 AM CST     0 comments

Hmm: NetBIOS bug in full: readers have their say

Is the latest NetBIOS bug "high risk" or not? It seems to depend on who you talk to.

8:53 AM CST     0 comments

Salon: DeCSS Down Under

Psst! Pass it on...

8:39 AM CST     0 comments

Dismal: Brick And Mortar Hits A Web Wall

It is perhaps too telling that a small part of me rejoices just a little every time I read articles like this. I suppose it's naive to assume that if big business abandons the net that they will leave behind anything worth saving. A guy can dream though, can't he?

8:30 AM CST     0 comments

Cool: Making the Macintosh

You would think given the inordinate number of books and movies surrounding the topic that there wouldn't be much left for Standford to document here, but you would be wrong. I love some of the comments from early testers.

[thanks to Ars Technica for the link]

2:26 PM CST     0 comments

Hah! 'Going Postal' is a Myth

Hah, I say! I've been a postal worker. My step-father was a postal worker. Anyone who tells you that postal workers aren't more likely to snap has never -- and I mean NEVER -- had a really stressful job.

The best way to look at it is that the post office is an army and delivering that mail is a war. The powers that be in wartime expect a certain percentage of casualties and so does the post office management. People who can't stand the strain of daily operations are openly ridiculed as being worthless.

That being said, it does pay well... so... you know.

8:47 AM CST     0 comments

Too true: Ain't no network strong enough

A cryptography expert explains in detail what I've said all along: there is no such thing as a secure public network. Anyone who tells you otherwise is likely attempting to sell you something.

8:42 AM CST     0 comments

Update: Wanted: Contents of Your Brain

This is another article about the MindPixel concept I talked about last Friday.

8:38 AM CST     0 comments

DealTime.com: Comparison Shop for Almost Anything

Not a bad shopping engine. It's fairly quick, but the search results don't always match what you are expecting. For example, I searched for prices on N64 games. The results included a few N64 games, but mostly consisted of games and accessories for other Nintendo systems including the NES and Gameboy.

8:29 AM CST     0 comments

Interesting: Microsoft must shell out $1 million in Bristol case

The amount of the judgement is not the issue in this case. A million is pocket change for Microsoft. What's important, and largely overlooked in the press thus far, is that this establishes a concrete and court permissible instance where Microsoft engaged in predatory market behavior.

[Update: ZDNet has a much more expansive article]

8:24 AM CST     0 comments

Hmm: New Browserless Apps Allow One-Click Searching

Ok, I'm confused. Is the browser that much of a headache? I mean, short of side-stepping one set of advertising for another, is this really that much of an improvement? I'm rather skeptical.

8:21 AM CST     0 comments

Heh: Course Allen Part Owns Harms Salmon

This article is utterly boring. I just couldn't get over how bad that headline is. I had to read it three or four times to make sense of it. Maybe a more judicious use of capitalization would have helped.

8:17 AM CST     0 comments

In car MP3: Xeenon MP Shuttle II

I'm still somewhat nervous about the long-term reliability of a hard drive in this sort of environment. Since the drives are hot swappable I suppose you could just keep spares on hand for the inevitable head crash. Seems like a solid unit.

[link courtesy of Ars Technica]