Java lists - indexed
Homogeneous elements
Natural order
Collections framework
Maps have a key and value
Sets just have values
Overloading is
Methods with the same name but
Different signatures
Overriding is
A method in a sub class
Used in preference
Semantic error
Is a failure of logic
Rather than syntax
You should always try
To catch exception errors
Finally clean up
A Scanner object
Can parse a CSV file
Into components
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Monday, May 30, 2011
News from Bree
I first read 'The Fellowship of the Ring' when I was nine or ten, and I remember having to get a permission slip to borrow it from the adult section of the library (followed by the wait for 'The Two Towers' and 'The Return of the King' to come back into stock). This means that Middle Earth has been part of my life for thirty-five years or so, and it seems as real a place to me as any other.
I've felt that sense of place numerous times - mostly playing role playing games, and of course when I saw Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings. Now that I have a computer with the wherewithal to run, I decided that I would have a go at Lord of the Rings Online, so I set the download going. Umpty gigabytes and updates later, I was able to create my first character and play through the opening sections.
However, it was only when I left the fairly restricted starting area and actually set foot it the Shire that the game opened up for me. I accepted a quest to take a message to Bree and found myself skirting the Old Forest, following the course of the Withywindle before cutting up to Barrow Downs and then down into the town itself. I then looked at the clock and realised that it was nearly eight o'clock and I had been absorbed for well over two hours in just following a path to see where it lead.
I'm not particularly fussed about MMORGs such as World of Warcraft, but I think I shall be spending some time in Middle Earth ...
I've felt that sense of place numerous times - mostly playing role playing games, and of course when I saw Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings. Now that I have a computer with the wherewithal to run, I decided that I would have a go at Lord of the Rings Online, so I set the download going. Umpty gigabytes and updates later, I was able to create my first character and play through the opening sections.
However, it was only when I left the fairly restricted starting area and actually set foot it the Shire that the game opened up for me. I accepted a quest to take a message to Bree and found myself skirting the Old Forest, following the course of the Withywindle before cutting up to Barrow Downs and then down into the town itself. I then looked at the clock and realised that it was nearly eight o'clock and I had been absorbed for well over two hours in just following a path to see where it lead.
I'm not particularly fussed about MMORGs such as World of Warcraft, but I think I shall be spending some time in Middle Earth ...
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Sunday Links
- Baby Wallaroo Peeks Out of the Pouch What's a Wallaroo, hey? Gotta no respect!
- Rare Color photos from Depression Era
- Comet Between Fireworks and Lightning
- 5 amazing faces
- Miro A free, open-source music and video player as an alternative to iTunes
- Unsocial 'Social' Games Greg Costikyan asks whether social games are truly social - an interesting read for old school pencil and paper gamers
- Photopic Sky Survey Amazing zoomable sky map
- Severed head of patron saint of genital disease on sale Might make an interesting conversation piece for your coffee table(h/t Rachel)
- The Glencore Letter The bosses of commodities firm Glencore have sent out threatening legal notices. What have they got to hide, exactly?
- Liberty City Streetview
- Eleven Million Deaths Have Never Looked so Beautiful Player deaths in Just Cause 2, visualised
- BallDroppings A musical toy
- Sissy's Magical Ponycorn Adventure PONYCORNS! RAINBOWS! AMAZE! (h/t DeKay)
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Friday, May 27, 2011
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Podcast Thursday
It's been a while since I did one of these, and there are three podcasts that I would like to bring to your attention.
- Free Primates - Robin Ince, Prof Brian Cox, Simon Singh et al have taken their science based chatshow 'The Infinite Monkey Cage' on the road and as part of each stop they ask for questions from the audience. This mini podcast rounds up the questions that got missed for lack of time and gives them answers ranging from the serious to the sarcastic. The sound quality on the first one is a little ropy, but stick with it and listen to all of them.
- Film Music Roundtable - The BBC Philharmonic Orchestra are going to be performing a selection of film music in a live show on the 10th of June, and so a panel consisting of Mark Kermode, Andrew Collins, Paloma Faith, Richard Wigley and conductor Robert Ziegler was assembled to debate the finest film scores of the last fifty years. Some fantastic bits of horse trading, impassioned debate and some truly evocative clips of the choices to listen to. You can read more about it on Andrew Collins blog, but listen to the show first to avoid spoilers.
- As It Occurs to Me - You know I am going to keep plugging this until every single one of you out there has downloaded this. Quite simply the funniest and most inventive comedy show around, not to mention the most obscenely scatological and borderline libelous too.
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Cracked Pepper
Well, that's my third TMA submished for my T215 course. That marks the half way point, more or less, and I am now well into revision for my M255 exam in a couple of weeks. The more I get into my OU studies, the more I am enjoying it - there is certainly something to said for stretching the old gray matter.
I've got a week off next week, which needless to say I am looking forward to. Work is busy at the moment and I need a moment to catch my metaphorical breath. I'm hoping that the weather warms up a bit as it seems a tad chilly at the moment.
In superinjunction news, I am slightly annoyed to realise that Twitter, en masse, has been turned into a shill so that the Sun can print a prurient kiss and tell story. The details of the injunction ruling make for interesting reading, and my opinion is that the default position is that individuals should have a right to privacy unless there is an overwhelming public interest in that privacy being breached. A football (allegedly) shagging an ex Big Brother contestant is hardly news, is it? With corporations and governments, the assumption should be the other way round - information should be public, unless there is a very good reason for it not to be.
I've got a week off next week, which needless to say I am looking forward to. Work is busy at the moment and I need a moment to catch my metaphorical breath. I'm hoping that the weather warms up a bit as it seems a tad chilly at the moment.
In superinjunction news, I am slightly annoyed to realise that Twitter, en masse, has been turned into a shill so that the Sun can print a prurient kiss and tell story. The details of the injunction ruling make for interesting reading, and my opinion is that the default position is that individuals should have a right to privacy unless there is an overwhelming public interest in that privacy being breached. A football (allegedly) shagging an ex Big Brother contestant is hardly news, is it? With corporations and governments, the assumption should be the other way round - information should be public, unless there is a very good reason for it not to be.
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Haikusday
The charlatan claims
Apocalypse is postponed
Keep sending your cash!
Rand's philosophy
Greenspan's silicon bubbles burst
Bankers still profit
A bushy tailed thief
Raids the dog's bone stash
Much wuffing ensues
I could tell that the
Dame was not telling the truth
Betrayed by her face
Apocalypse is postponed
Keep sending your cash!
Rand's philosophy
Greenspan's silicon bubbles burst
Bankers still profit
A bushy tailed thief
Raids the dog's bone stash
Much wuffing ensues
I could tell that the
Dame was not telling the truth
Betrayed by her face
Monday, May 23, 2011
Tokyo Storm Warning
Quite a strange day weather wise. The wind had been picking up, bit by bit, through the morning and by lunch time it was really blowing a gale outside accompanied by a torrential downpour of rain that lasted no longer than fifteen minutes or so. By the afternoon we were back to blue skies and sunshine again.
In games news, we couldn't resist getting a copy of L.A. Noire, and after playing the opening scenes it's pretty safe to say that this is a classic. In some ways it harks back to old school adventure games where you comb the scene of a crime looking for clues before interrogating the suspects, but what sets it apart is the astonishing level of detail in the faces. It really is possible to watch their expression change when you accuse a suspect of withholding information or present them with a damning bit of evidence. It really is tremendously involving and hugely satisfying to figure out the truth and crack the case.
In games news, we couldn't resist getting a copy of L.A. Noire, and after playing the opening scenes it's pretty safe to say that this is a classic. In some ways it harks back to old school adventure games where you comb the scene of a crime looking for clues before interrogating the suspects, but what sets it apart is the astonishing level of detail in the faces. It really is possible to watch their expression change when you accuse a suspect of withholding information or present them with a damning bit of evidence. It really is tremendously involving and hugely satisfying to figure out the truth and crack the case.
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Sunday Links
- Dropping the Otter Bomb at Oakland Zoo - ZooBorns
- The Owl and the Pussycat Interspeche snorgling
- L.A. Noire The music of L.A. Noire is something special
- Richard Herring slams a heckler - 2011 edition The maestro at work
- Tubular Bells Played on an eclectic variety of keyboards from a 1914 Steinway to a Stylophone. Also available from iTunes!
- Listen To The Jade Assembly Free download!
- Safety Maps Have you planned where you will rendezvous in the event of a zombie apocalypse (other disasters are available)?
- May Day Alex Pruteanu's short story as read by the author
- Difference Engine Tech Support
- The Worst Album Covers Ever Created?
- This optical illusion is a beauty
- Bark An Intimate Look at the World's Trees
- Everlasting Gin and Tonic The scientific approach to the perfect G&T
- Absolutely Hilarious Signs, Part 14
- Clean me! Scott Wade Dirty Car Art
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Friday, May 20, 2011
Childhood Games
Two telly programmes of note.
Firstly, Game of Thrones, which everybody seems to be watching and enjoying. I'd avoided reading the books when they originally came out. A series of fantasy blockbusters that could easily double up as housebricks just didn't appeal at the time, but it seems I was wrong. I am loving the convoluted politics and intrigue, and the way that the fantastical elements are firmly in the background. Good stuff.
The other tv programme that you really should be watching is Stewart Lee's Comedy Vehicle. Lee, along with his former collaborator Herring, is responsible for pushing the boundaries of comedy in ways that Frankie Boyle with his oh-so-daring mockery of the disabled children of minor celebrities can only dream of. This is the comedic equivalent of Penn and Teller's magic show where they tell you what they are going to do, then show you in detail with all of the workings of the trick on display and somehow still manage to astonish. Lee does pretty much the same thing here with an extended routine that proves by a process of rigorous logical deduction that the lovable comedian Russell Howard is, in fact, a mass murderer. Essential viewing.
In other news, I managed to get 96% in my last TMA for my M255 Java course, so it's just the exam to go now. I've got a revision day in Leeds tomorrow, so it's all systems go.
Firstly, Game of Thrones, which everybody seems to be watching and enjoying. I'd avoided reading the books when they originally came out. A series of fantasy blockbusters that could easily double up as housebricks just didn't appeal at the time, but it seems I was wrong. I am loving the convoluted politics and intrigue, and the way that the fantastical elements are firmly in the background. Good stuff.
The other tv programme that you really should be watching is Stewart Lee's Comedy Vehicle. Lee, along with his former collaborator Herring, is responsible for pushing the boundaries of comedy in ways that Frankie Boyle with his oh-so-daring mockery of the disabled children of minor celebrities can only dream of. This is the comedic equivalent of Penn and Teller's magic show where they tell you what they are going to do, then show you in detail with all of the workings of the trick on display and somehow still manage to astonish. Lee does pretty much the same thing here with an extended routine that proves by a process of rigorous logical deduction that the lovable comedian Russell Howard is, in fact, a mass murderer. Essential viewing.
In other news, I managed to get 96% in my last TMA for my M255 Java course, so it's just the exam to go now. I've got a revision day in Leeds tomorrow, so it's all systems go.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Vessels
Busy day at work, with my sandwich eaten at my desk and then straight into a two hour meeting. Grummph.
At least I have managed to trim my piece on Online Communities down to the word limit and still add a decent conclusion. Just the TMA to write up now, which I should be able to get done this weekend at some point. I've got a revision session on Saturday for my Java course which should be useful, if only to get practice questions to work on.
In podcast news - As It Occurs To Me (aiotm!) is back! Hurrah! It's as scurrilous and funny as ever, and well worth a download if you don't already subscribe. Warning - not safe for work (or anywhere else for that matter).
At least I have managed to trim my piece on Online Communities down to the word limit and still add a decent conclusion. Just the TMA to write up now, which I should be able to get done this weekend at some point. I've got a revision session on Saturday for my Java course which should be useful, if only to get practice questions to work on.
In podcast news - As It Occurs To Me (aiotm!) is back! Hurrah! It's as scurrilous and funny as ever, and well worth a download if you don't already subscribe. Warning - not safe for work (or anywhere else for that matter).
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Haikusday
Thirty years service
Reliable workhorses
Of the space programme
Infinite monkeys
Creating web 2.0
Looking for Shakespeare
Having a meeting
Without a fixed agenda
Pointless waste of time
Wearing a tie is
Compensated for by an
Unexpected lunch
Puzzles and portals
Bridges made of light, traversed
From orange to blue
Reliable workhorses
Of the space programme
Infinite monkeys
Creating web 2.0
Looking for Shakespeare
Having a meeting
Without a fixed agenda
Pointless waste of time
Wearing a tie is
Compensated for by an
Unexpected lunch
Puzzles and portals
Bridges made of light, traversed
From orange to blue
Monday, May 16, 2011
Dead End Alley
Well, the antibiotics don't seem to have had any effect on whatever is making me cough. After a comparatively good weekend, it was back to business as usual as soon as I sat down at my desk at eight o'clock this morning.
I'm tired too, but that kind of goes without saying these days. Not good.
At least I managed to make some good progress on the collaborative exercise for my OU course, even though some of the others seem a bit confused as to who is supposed to be peer reviewing whose work, even after I helpfully pointed them at the very message in the thread that explains the system that we all agreed on. I also made a start on the revision for the Java exam - I've got a day school next weekend and then a week off the week after that, so I should be able to get to the point of feeling confident. I hope.
In games news, I've finally been able to spend a bit of quality time with Portal 2. The puzzles are tricky, but always logical and don't rely on exact timing or precise jumps or anything like that - once you have figured out the solution then implementing it is not too tricky. Needless to say the script is pitch perfect, with GladOs being as evil and sarcastic as ever. You monster.
Also, on a whim I found an old cd with a copy of Hidden & Dangerous Deluxe (now available as freeware) and installed it on my bootcamp partition. It's a World War II stealth/strategy shooter with you controlling a squad of four SAS soldiers infiltrating various Nazi bases and killing lots of bad guys. Definitely no gung ho heroics here, as one or two shots will kill you, so it really is a case of sneaking your dudes into position and setting up overlapping fields of fire before sniping the enemies one at a time. It's still pretty good, even considering the blocky graphics and occasionally shonky AI (ordering your men to hold fire rarely seems to work). It is also ROCK BASTARD HARD, even on medium difficulty and remembering strategies from the last time I played it six or seven years ago. Worth a spin, if you like that sort of thing.
I'm tired too, but that kind of goes without saying these days. Not good.
At least I managed to make some good progress on the collaborative exercise for my OU course, even though some of the others seem a bit confused as to who is supposed to be peer reviewing whose work, even after I helpfully pointed them at the very message in the thread that explains the system that we all agreed on. I also made a start on the revision for the Java exam - I've got a day school next weekend and then a week off the week after that, so I should be able to get to the point of feeling confident. I hope.
In games news, I've finally been able to spend a bit of quality time with Portal 2. The puzzles are tricky, but always logical and don't rely on exact timing or precise jumps or anything like that - once you have figured out the solution then implementing it is not too tricky. Needless to say the script is pitch perfect, with GladOs being as evil and sarcastic as ever. You monster.
Also, on a whim I found an old cd with a copy of Hidden & Dangerous Deluxe (now available as freeware) and installed it on my bootcamp partition. It's a World War II stealth/strategy shooter with you controlling a squad of four SAS soldiers infiltrating various Nazi bases and killing lots of bad guys. Definitely no gung ho heroics here, as one or two shots will kill you, so it really is a case of sneaking your dudes into position and setting up overlapping fields of fire before sniping the enemies one at a time. It's still pretty good, even considering the blocky graphics and occasionally shonky AI (ordering your men to hold fire rarely seems to work). It is also ROCK BASTARD HARD, even on medium difficulty and remembering strategies from the last time I played it six or seven years ago. Worth a spin, if you like that sort of thing.
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Sunday Links
- What's a Gundi? - ZooBorns
- At last, the Ikea Tjardiis full assembly instructions
- Eraserhead On youtube, in nine bite size chunks. Don't have nightmares.
- Artfinder An intriguing search and recommendation engine for those people who may not know much about art, but know what they like
- because the origami A wonderfully affecting video to go with one of Amanda Palmer et al's eight songs in eight hours.
- Telehack The internet, as it was twenty five years ago
- The Museum of Silly Charts
- Teens and privacy online Why using Facebook doesn't mean you don't value privacy
- National Jukebox LOC.gov Public domain recordings from the early part of the century.
- Top 50 Worst Video Game Voices
- Shit My Students Write
- Turning A Sphere Inside Out Woah! Dude!
- If movie posters told the truth ...
- My Little Eleventh Doctor & Amy Pond
- Charanjit Singh on how he invented acid house ... by mistake
- Switch to Posterous If you were irritated by the change to Twitpic's terms and conditions, then this handy migration tool to move your pictures to Posterous is worth a look
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Friday, May 13, 2011
Thursday, May 12, 2011
Loose Living
We were watching one of those Top of the Pops archive programmes last night. This one was a collection of gems (live performances from Nirvana and REM) and atrocities (was there anything more embarrassing than bands pretending to play keyboards?) from 1991. I experienced a vertiginous sense of time passing when I realised that this was twenty years ago - that's twenty years since Madchester, grunge, rave and the like. Yikes.
Anyhoo, I've been tagged for a meme, so here are five songs beginning with the letter L - if anyone else wants to play, comment below and I'll give you a letter.
Loose Living - The Velcro Teddybears - we saw this band for the first time at the LMHR festival two weeks ago, and I can't recommend them highly enough. If you listen to this track, you wouldn't guess that it is being sung by somebody who looks barely old enough to shave.
Louisa on a Horse - John Otway - from young shavers to a true veteran of the music biz. Otway has been gigging for well over thirty years and still has as much energy as he ever did. This track is one of his very earliest ones (produced by Pete Townshend, fact fans), and still a staple of his well honed live set. This version is a typically energetic and shambolic live performance complete with a handsfree microphone crafted from a wire coat hanger.
Lazy Eye - Silversun Pickups - this is a track that I got to know through playing it in Rock Band. I love the way the song builds around a simple, repeated riff to a stonking thrash before calming back down again.
Lion Man (Deep House mix) - Nathan Jay ft. Andrew Collins - On one of the early Collings and Herrin podcasts the usually quiet Andrew Collins started telling a story of an unusual encounter on a train which turned into a bit of an epic. Nathan Jay set it to music. This is the result.
Let's Go Trippin - Dick Dale and the Del Tones - You probably will have heard Dick Dale's famous cover of 'Misrlou' (featured on the Pulp Fiction soundtrack) but I prefer this jaunty little number that the late John Peel used as the theme tune for his Saturday morning chat show on Radio 4. Surf guitar at its very best.
Anyhoo, I've been tagged for a meme, so here are five songs beginning with the letter L - if anyone else wants to play, comment below and I'll give you a letter.
Loose Living - The Velcro Teddybears - we saw this band for the first time at the LMHR festival two weeks ago, and I can't recommend them highly enough. If you listen to this track, you wouldn't guess that it is being sung by somebody who looks barely old enough to shave.
Louisa on a Horse - John Otway - from young shavers to a true veteran of the music biz. Otway has been gigging for well over thirty years and still has as much energy as he ever did. This track is one of his very earliest ones (produced by Pete Townshend, fact fans), and still a staple of his well honed live set. This version is a typically energetic and shambolic live performance complete with a handsfree microphone crafted from a wire coat hanger.
Lazy Eye - Silversun Pickups - this is a track that I got to know through playing it in Rock Band. I love the way the song builds around a simple, repeated riff to a stonking thrash before calming back down again.
Lion Man (Deep House mix) - Nathan Jay ft. Andrew Collins - On one of the early Collings and Herrin podcasts the usually quiet Andrew Collins started telling a story of an unusual encounter on a train which turned into a bit of an epic. Nathan Jay set it to music. This is the result.
Let's Go Trippin - Dick Dale and the Del Tones - You probably will have heard Dick Dale's famous cover of 'Misrlou' (featured on the Pulp Fiction soundtrack) but I prefer this jaunty little number that the late John Peel used as the theme tune for his Saturday morning chat show on Radio 4. Surf guitar at its very best.
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Jimmy Down The Well
The poster on the billboard outside our office finally succumbed to the effects of the rain and wind yesterday. It was a large advert for 'Any Human Heart' which was on telly last November, so I can only assume that the company responsible hasn't been able to sell the space since. Some workmen came today and removed the last bits that were dangling from the support struts, so we just have the skeleton left now, with a view of a very decrepit brick wall behind.
In OU news, I am working on a piece about online communities - I have collected lots of interesting stuff, with Howard Rheingold's 'Virtual Communities' as the starting point. The challenge is going to be whittling it down to the required length for Friday when I have said I will post the first draft on our shared wiki site.
In games news, I have been playing 'Orbital' again. This was probably the first game I bought on iOS way back when, and I have certainly had my money's worth out of the 59p it cost. A new update has changed the music and added stereo sound effects to the mix which are quite impressive through headphones. The game play is as compulsive as ever - worth checking out, I would say.
In OU news, I am working on a piece about online communities - I have collected lots of interesting stuff, with Howard Rheingold's 'Virtual Communities' as the starting point. The challenge is going to be whittling it down to the required length for Friday when I have said I will post the first draft on our shared wiki site.
In games news, I have been playing 'Orbital' again. This was probably the first game I bought on iOS way back when, and I have certainly had my money's worth out of the 59p it cost. A new update has changed the music and added stereo sound effects to the mix which are quite impressive through headphones. The game play is as compulsive as ever - worth checking out, I would say.
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Haikusday
Heat gives way to rain
We now appear to be in
An English Monsoon
Last of the cat noms
There is barely enough left
For second breffasts
In protest, Doris
Leaves a bloody, feathered corpse
On the kitchen floor
Researching the WELL
Virtual community
From the dial up age
We now appear to be in
An English Monsoon
Last of the cat noms
There is barely enough left
For second breffasts
In protest, Doris
Leaves a bloody, feathered corpse
On the kitchen floor
Researching the WELL
Virtual community
From the dial up age
Monday, May 09, 2011
Pirate Jenny
Two things on the telly last night.
Firstly, the blu ray of Toy Story 3 was a real treat. Wonderfully animated and so involving that you really forget you are watching a bit of CGI that only exists as a series of ones and zeros on a (rather large) hard drive somewhere. There were some great sight gags and jokes in there, and the ending was rather moving too and had the effect of bringing a tear to my eye.
The other bit of telly was a slightly disappointing episode of Doctor Who that felt more like a script from the 1960s incarnation of Star Trek than anything else. The concept was fine on paper - after all, pirates and the Doctor (and Amy Pond in a mini-skirt waving a cutlass around) - what's not to like? The actual execution was lacklustre through, being neither funny enough or scary enough. I think that this story would have made a much better audio drama - the siren would have been a great deal spookier as an unseen menace, and the payoff of the parallel dimensional space ship would have been grander without the cheap looking sets (honestly - was a set of plastic shower curtains the best they could come up with for a backdrop?).
It felt like the episode was marking time between the season opener and the Neil Gaiman scripted episode next week, which seems to be the one everybody is looking forward too.
Firstly, the blu ray of Toy Story 3 was a real treat. Wonderfully animated and so involving that you really forget you are watching a bit of CGI that only exists as a series of ones and zeros on a (rather large) hard drive somewhere. There were some great sight gags and jokes in there, and the ending was rather moving too and had the effect of bringing a tear to my eye.
The other bit of telly was a slightly disappointing episode of Doctor Who that felt more like a script from the 1960s incarnation of Star Trek than anything else. The concept was fine on paper - after all, pirates and the Doctor (and Amy Pond in a mini-skirt waving a cutlass around) - what's not to like? The actual execution was lacklustre through, being neither funny enough or scary enough. I think that this story would have made a much better audio drama - the siren would have been a great deal spookier as an unseen menace, and the payoff of the parallel dimensional space ship would have been grander without the cheap looking sets (honestly - was a set of plastic shower curtains the best they could come up with for a backdrop?).
It felt like the episode was marking time between the season opener and the Neil Gaiman scripted episode next week, which seems to be the one everybody is looking forward too.
Sunday, May 08, 2011
Sunday Links
- Meet Caspian, the Eurasian Eagle Owl Redonkulous fluffitude on Zooborns
- Band of Whiskers Kittehs go to war
- Death of a Madman Christopher Hitchens puts the death of Bin Laden in perspective
- 3 things I learned while my plane crashed Ric Elias' experience of being in a plane crash landing on the Hudson river
- Interactive Talking Plush Portal Turret Do want!
- An Egg Pinhole Camera
- Quantum Duplicity Problem solving challenges on The Master Theorem
- The Visual Topography of a Generation Gap A piece of art showing how information is lost when you repeatedly copy it
- 30 Images Of Star Wars Behind The Scenes
- Monkeytail Beard W.T. and a large side order of F
- The Underwater Project Pictures of waves from underneath
- Podcast Reviews Blog This looks like an interesting blog to keep an eye on for podcast fans
- Liars for Jesus Chris Rodda is so incenced by the Christian attempt to rewrite American history she has released her book 'Liars for Jesus' as a free download to get the word out.
- Death From The Skies! The musical. What do you think the odds of you being killed by an asteroid impact are? What better way to find out than by listening to this tune.
- Howard Rheingold on collaboration Co-operation as an evolutionary advantage
Saturday, May 07, 2011
Friday, May 06, 2011
Thursday, May 05, 2011
Pigs (Three Different Kinds)
So, yesterday was a bit of a swine.
After the usual days work, I got a call from the boss at half past five to ask for help setting up a laptop for a demo. I eventually got a remote connection to the laptop which was running like a pig in treacle and discovered that the system and database were both from 2009 and required lengthy upgrades. The database upgrade was the major stumbling block as it kept crashing with various errors (mainly because it was a sql database rather than Oracle) and we were forced to concede defeat at ten o'clock. If I'd had even a day's notice, I might have stood a bit more chance of sorting it in time. Bah.
As alluded to on Tuesday, I have finally completed Beyond Good and Evil and it really was a work of art, final boss battle notwithstanding (which required learning a pattern of attacks with the controls reversed). It has many similarities with the classic Zelda games, mainly in the rhythm of the 'dungeons' (for want of a better word) which involve a mix of exploration, puzzle solving, stealth, climactic boss battles and upgrades to health and equipment. An unusual gameplay mechanic involves photographing different species of creatures and sending the results off in exchange for money - gotta catch 'em all! The bright, colourful graphics and catchy music are distinctively European, which makes a refreshing change from the usual Japanese or American styles, and the HD version adds a spit and polish to something that was already pretty special for its day.
The characters are engaging - particularly the protagonist Jade and her uncle Pey'j - an odd pig like alien, and the plot delves into uncovering a conspiracy involving an alien invasion in collusion with an oppressive security force. The camera controls are awkward in places, such as in tight corridors or small rooms, and inverting the view is essential for the first person hovercraft and spaceship flying shooty bits. There are some wonderful set piece action sequences and cut scenes that give the whole game an epic feel and the ending teases a possible sequel, which is apparently in development (depending which gaming websites you read). I know I've said it before, but this is an essential game. It's available on PC, Gamecube (playable on Wii with classic controller), PS2, and Xbox live arcade and PS3 downloads, so you have no excuse really - go play!
After the usual days work, I got a call from the boss at half past five to ask for help setting up a laptop for a demo. I eventually got a remote connection to the laptop which was running like a pig in treacle and discovered that the system and database were both from 2009 and required lengthy upgrades. The database upgrade was the major stumbling block as it kept crashing with various errors (mainly because it was a sql database rather than Oracle) and we were forced to concede defeat at ten o'clock. If I'd had even a day's notice, I might have stood a bit more chance of sorting it in time. Bah.
As alluded to on Tuesday, I have finally completed Beyond Good and Evil and it really was a work of art, final boss battle notwithstanding (which required learning a pattern of attacks with the controls reversed). It has many similarities with the classic Zelda games, mainly in the rhythm of the 'dungeons' (for want of a better word) which involve a mix of exploration, puzzle solving, stealth, climactic boss battles and upgrades to health and equipment. An unusual gameplay mechanic involves photographing different species of creatures and sending the results off in exchange for money - gotta catch 'em all! The bright, colourful graphics and catchy music are distinctively European, which makes a refreshing change from the usual Japanese or American styles, and the HD version adds a spit and polish to something that was already pretty special for its day.
The characters are engaging - particularly the protagonist Jade and her uncle Pey'j - an odd pig like alien, and the plot delves into uncovering a conspiracy involving an alien invasion in collusion with an oppressive security force. The camera controls are awkward in places, such as in tight corridors or small rooms, and inverting the view is essential for the first person hovercraft and spaceship flying shooty bits. There are some wonderful set piece action sequences and cut scenes that give the whole game an epic feel and the ending teases a possible sequel, which is apparently in development (depending which gaming websites you read). I know I've said it before, but this is an essential game. It's available on PC, Gamecube (playable on Wii with classic controller), PS2, and Xbox live arcade and PS3 downloads, so you have no excuse really - go play!
Wednesday, May 04, 2011
Late show
Abbreviated blog tonight - still working - trying to set stuff up for a demo tomorrow. Why we leave stuff till the last minute escapes me.
Normal service will be resumed ... eventually.
Normal service will be resumed ... eventually.
Tuesday, May 03, 2011
Haikusday
After the bank hol
It's business as usual
Morning traffic jam
The bad guy shot dead
The good guys are triumphant
A simplistic view
The web 2.0
Aggregates user content
To drive engagement
Right, left, right, left, dodge
Counter-attack, down and up,
At last, the boss falls!
It's business as usual
Morning traffic jam
The bad guy shot dead
The good guys are triumphant
A simplistic view
The web 2.0
Aggregates user content
To drive engagement
Right, left, right, left, dodge
Counter-attack, down and up,
At last, the boss falls!
Monday, May 02, 2011
Boss Drum
You know what I hate?
Boss battles that are approximately 93.7 times more difficult than the rest of game put together. Yes, I'm looking at you Beyond Good and Evil! Grrr. Try again tomorrow, I suppose.
I also hate people who think that an appropriate response to somebody being shot is to wave flags and prance about like they were at a football match or something. One death doesn't undo all of the thousands of deaths on 9/11, or the hundreds of thousands of deaths in Iraq and Afghanistan. Time to draw a line under the whole sorry business and move on, although I fear that there will be more attacks and reprisals for attacks and reprisals for reprisals for a long time yet.
On a happier note, Sharktopus is a cheap and cheerful creature feature from the undisputed maestro of low budget schlock Roger Corman, and it is well worth 90 minutes of your time if you are in the mood for something silly.
Boss battles that are approximately 93.7 times more difficult than the rest of game put together. Yes, I'm looking at you Beyond Good and Evil! Grrr. Try again tomorrow, I suppose.
I also hate people who think that an appropriate response to somebody being shot is to wave flags and prance about like they were at a football match or something. One death doesn't undo all of the thousands of deaths on 9/11, or the hundreds of thousands of deaths in Iraq and Afghanistan. Time to draw a line under the whole sorry business and move on, although I fear that there will be more attacks and reprisals for attacks and reprisals for reprisals for a long time yet.
On a happier note, Sharktopus is a cheap and cheerful creature feature from the undisputed maestro of low budget schlock Roger Corman, and it is well worth 90 minutes of your time if you are in the mood for something silly.
Sunday, May 01, 2011
Sunday Links
- Little Aardvark Makes Big Debut at Busch Gardens Wrinkular action on ZooBorns
- Alan Moore interviewed by Stewart Lee Genius or demigod?
- Cory Doctorow on social networks and privacy Teaching children about the importance of privacy when using social networks
- Stolen Camera Finder Find out if anyone is using your camera and posting their pictures anywhere
- President Obama at the 2011 White House Correspondents' Dinner In your face, Donald Trump!
- Forthcoming Attraction A short trailer for Adam Curtis' new series - looks to be essential viewing!
- Class 3 Outbreak Map Zombies at Royal Wedding 2011 simulation game
- Royal Zombie Flashmob Arrests Arrested for dressing up as a zombie?
- The secret life of libraries Librarian top tip : always wake up the sleepers before locking up time in case they are actually dead.
- Adam Buxton reads out Youtube comments aptly demonstrating the eloquence, wit and erudition of typical YouTube commenters - enjoy!
- Make your own Portal Sentry Turret Egg Cup
- 56 worst/best analogies of high school students Not sure how genuine some of these are, but they should raise a chuckle ...
Love Music, Hate Racism Barnsley
Love Music, Hate Racism was set up to combat the poisonous politics of the far right - not with rhetoric and speechifying, but with a glorious celebration of the diversity of music on offer in and around Barnsley. This years main event was on a smaller scale than last year’s, but the line up was just as varied and exciting.
We got to the main stage in time to catch Alex Young - a singer-songwriter in the style of Tim Buckley - who made for a mellow start to the day and a good chance to enjoy a pint of beer in the warm, spring sunshine. Next up came Fleur D Lees - a local four piece playing upbeat rock with a bluesy edge to it. Lead singer Faye Watkinson really put her heart into the songs, particularly one called ‘Blue Rose’ and the final number ‘Miss Bitch’ - definitely a band to watch out for.
From relative newcomers to grizzled veterans, the headliners on the main stage were ‘Seventh Son’ who have been stalwarts of the local music scene for over thirty years. Classic head-down, foot up on the amp metal played with real flair and panache, and aided enormously by the charismatic presence of lead singer and front man Bri O'Shaugnessy who can certainly belt out a good rock song as well as bantering with the crowd about his memories of falling over in Peel Square. They played a good variety of songs, including the title track of their new album ‘Spirit World’, and closed with an encore of a superb cover of ‘Rock and Roll’ by Led Zep that had the crowd singing along.
After the main stage event, there was an huge variety of music on offer, with fifteen venues and dozens of acts to choose from. I had been assigned to cover the ‘White Bear’ so that’s where we headed for another refreshing pint of cold beer and a sit down on some comfy leather sofas just by the side of the stage area where the bands were playing.
Kicking things off were the band formerly known as These Black and White Flames. Apparently they are changing their name, but haven’t decided what to yet! They seemed a little shaky to start with, but soon hit their stride with solid drums and confident guitars that gave them a sound that was somewhere between the Stereophonics and Placebo. The standout of their set was a version of ‘Half a World Away’ - appropriately enough the theme from ‘The Royal Family’. That was probably as close as we got to a mention of Wills and Kate all day!
The next band were without a doubt the absolute highlight of the day for me. The Velcro Teddybears have a mature sound and confidence far beyond their years. They are an acoustic three piece band from Penistone consisting of Chaddy on vocals and rhythm guitar, Griff on lead guitar and Mike playing percussion on a wooden box, his legs and anything else that came to hand! They opened with an assured cover of Bad Moon Rising before moving on to their own material - all well worth checking out on Myspace. They are the natural heirs to the skiffle sound of the fifties, with an astonishing range of influences to draw on - they are surely destined for great things.
Following on were The Empire Signal, playing a blend of indie and alternative sounds - perfectly fine, but they didn’t really grab me in any way. The Gypsy Toes were on next and initially sounded promising with some interesting keyboards and an amazing set of bongos, but the vocalist really didn’t fit at all - I wrote in my notebook that they sounded like Muse fronted by Bob Dylan. If a band is ever destined to split up from musical differences, it is this lot I think.
A brief break to nip out and get a sandwich from Greggs, before the final band on the bill - Stellavision (which my iPhone kept wanting to autocorrect to Stella Idiom for some reason). Raw, uncomplicated and rock solid, they managed to engage the crowd (an eclectic mix of music fans, Saturday night drinkers and a succession of Hen Parties in fancy dress) with some excellent songs including ‘Times Like These’. Good stuff.
While Stellavision were packing up we got chatting to some people sat next to us who turned out to be The Jade Assembly, who had been down to play at Voudou - apparently it had been a bit dead there so they had decided to gatecrash the White Bear to play a ninja gig and jolly good they were too with a passionate edge to their political songs. Perhaps the lead singer John Foster was trying a little too hard to get the indie look right and he must have been sweltering with his buttoned up jacket on such a warm night. They made for a fine end to the evening, before we headed back to the station for the train home.
See you in 2012!
We got to the main stage in time to catch Alex Young - a singer-songwriter in the style of Tim Buckley - who made for a mellow start to the day and a good chance to enjoy a pint of beer in the warm, spring sunshine. Next up came Fleur D Lees - a local four piece playing upbeat rock with a bluesy edge to it. Lead singer Faye Watkinson really put her heart into the songs, particularly one called ‘Blue Rose’ and the final number ‘Miss Bitch’ - definitely a band to watch out for.
From relative newcomers to grizzled veterans, the headliners on the main stage were ‘Seventh Son’ who have been stalwarts of the local music scene for over thirty years. Classic head-down, foot up on the amp metal played with real flair and panache, and aided enormously by the charismatic presence of lead singer and front man Bri O'Shaugnessy who can certainly belt out a good rock song as well as bantering with the crowd about his memories of falling over in Peel Square. They played a good variety of songs, including the title track of their new album ‘Spirit World’, and closed with an encore of a superb cover of ‘Rock and Roll’ by Led Zep that had the crowd singing along.
After the main stage event, there was an huge variety of music on offer, with fifteen venues and dozens of acts to choose from. I had been assigned to cover the ‘White Bear’ so that’s where we headed for another refreshing pint of cold beer and a sit down on some comfy leather sofas just by the side of the stage area where the bands were playing.
Kicking things off were the band formerly known as These Black and White Flames. Apparently they are changing their name, but haven’t decided what to yet! They seemed a little shaky to start with, but soon hit their stride with solid drums and confident guitars that gave them a sound that was somewhere between the Stereophonics and Placebo. The standout of their set was a version of ‘Half a World Away’ - appropriately enough the theme from ‘The Royal Family’. That was probably as close as we got to a mention of Wills and Kate all day!
The next band were without a doubt the absolute highlight of the day for me. The Velcro Teddybears have a mature sound and confidence far beyond their years. They are an acoustic three piece band from Penistone consisting of Chaddy on vocals and rhythm guitar, Griff on lead guitar and Mike playing percussion on a wooden box, his legs and anything else that came to hand! They opened with an assured cover of Bad Moon Rising before moving on to their own material - all well worth checking out on Myspace. They are the natural heirs to the skiffle sound of the fifties, with an astonishing range of influences to draw on - they are surely destined for great things.
Following on were The Empire Signal, playing a blend of indie and alternative sounds - perfectly fine, but they didn’t really grab me in any way. The Gypsy Toes were on next and initially sounded promising with some interesting keyboards and an amazing set of bongos, but the vocalist really didn’t fit at all - I wrote in my notebook that they sounded like Muse fronted by Bob Dylan. If a band is ever destined to split up from musical differences, it is this lot I think.
A brief break to nip out and get a sandwich from Greggs, before the final band on the bill - Stellavision (which my iPhone kept wanting to autocorrect to Stella Idiom for some reason). Raw, uncomplicated and rock solid, they managed to engage the crowd (an eclectic mix of music fans, Saturday night drinkers and a succession of Hen Parties in fancy dress) with some excellent songs including ‘Times Like These’. Good stuff.
While Stellavision were packing up we got chatting to some people sat next to us who turned out to be The Jade Assembly, who had been down to play at Voudou - apparently it had been a bit dead there so they had decided to gatecrash the White Bear to play a ninja gig and jolly good they were too with a passionate edge to their political songs. Perhaps the lead singer John Foster was trying a little too hard to get the indie look right and he must have been sweltering with his buttoned up jacket on such a warm night. They made for a fine end to the evening, before we headed back to the station for the train home.
See you in 2012!
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