6/13/09

Evony



I played evony for a week, which I'll write of as "learning current day MMORTs." Waste of time really, but interesting. I'll throw in a couple of more days and then call it quits, I hope...

6/7/09

Smartbooks and Smartphones at Computex 2009



Ubuntu, Xandros, Android: Linux finally heading mainstream?

6/6/09

Linus on Git



I love git. The reason Linus produces great software is Linus' attitude: Software is build by people, and everybody who doesn't produce extreme quality is ugly and stupid.

The Myth of the Genius Programmer



A pervasive elitism hovers in the background of collaborative software development: everyone secretly wants to be seen as a genius.

6/5/09

Speed Painting



Good but shameless...

General Polygon Clipper library



A mature 2D polygon package. The wrapping and extension code is free software, but the core gpc library is free for non-commercial usage only. The author says: "This library is provided free of charge for non-commercial users. Reaching its current state took up almost two years of personal development effort. If you have found this software to be useful for your purposes please make a donation and help support the continuation of this project. Thanks!"

SymPy

SymPy is a Python library for symbolic mathematics.



The geometry module is not there, yet. Why can't I just plot polygons?

6/4/09

Giclée Printing

Giclée (pronounced "Zhee-clay") Print refers to fine art productions made with quality materials using a professional large-format ink-jet printer.


Art by Lynne Taetzsch



During the printing process, spray nozzles emit millions of six-colour droplets per second. I need a hobby.

No Tokyo by Joujouka



Technotrance by the illusive master himself: Old skool and new skool joujouka. No-one knows where he's coming from, no-one knows where he's going to, but at least he understands.

(Unfortunately, my own favourite tracks by DJ Tsujoshi Suzuki are nowhere to be found.)

6/3/09

4 min 33 secs

Game exploration, '4 min 33 secs of Uniqueness' from Kloonigames.



You’ll win the game if you’re the only one playing the game at the moment in the world. The game checks over the internet if there are other people playing it at the moment and it’ll kill the game if someone else is playing it. You have to play the game for 4 minutes and 33 seconds.

Yes Wii Can

Sony revealed a motion-based input device for the PlayStation 3.



That's not that interesting by itself, but that it can measure to submillimeter accuracy is. Great applications too...

(3D goggles, anyone?)

Sat Solver for NNF

Old hobby, sat solving. I don't expect a lot of new stuff here.



Strange stuff in there though, transforming non-clausal forms to CNF is not linear and destroys the structure of the formula. Seems nonsense to me? All transforms to CNF I know are linear and keep the structure of the original formula. Often, it is even easier to understand why a DPLL solver works when reminding 'what it does' with respect to the original formula. (Usually it defaults to a pebbling game or resolution.)

After scanning the paper, they transform the formula to NNF, and DPLL the resulting CNF of the graph translation. It shouldn't matter, in a direct translation of a term to CNF, all the information is stored directly. At best, they end up with a slightly different search strategy on an expanded graph which 'shrinks' faster.

6/2/09

Qualcomm EEE Netbook



Nice, fanless so noiseless, Android OS, one-button. Does it have UMTS, is the trackpad multitouch?

Micro-transactions for iPhone



The next step in commercializing the Internet are micro-payments. Apple is the first commercial vendor to supply an API for that, in due time, I expect other game engine builders to supply such APIs.

Though I do doubt whether it's a good thing for the overall experience of on-line content. As a kid, I used to play a collecting card game, Magic the Gathering, which was great. The on-line treshhold for buying items is probably a lot lower, and games are pretty addictive. Bankruptcy by playing?

6/1/09

All A Dem A Do



Today, with lyrics


All A Dem A Do

CHORUS
all a dem a do, all a dem a try
but them can't stop I
cos me blessed by the most high
all a dem a do, all a dem a try
but them can't stop I
cos me blessed by the most high

VERSE 1

evolve as a man as i unravel the deepness
examine the evidence, decipher the secrets
come give me the realness, time to let go the weakness
dangerous systems inocent victims
vote for peace cum mek we chant down the killing
cah when me cum me nah go run me a defend
yes me a defend an me nah apprehend
time to open up let go an venture
nah defend a love with a hidden agenda
for soul takes time say never surrender
only you can defend ya
tired are the eyes that suffer with blinkers
peace to the far eye an you the thinkers
belief is golden an love is sacred
an war is so naked

CHORUS

VERSE 2

time to open up, let go stop doubting
if there's a qualm, then go tell it to the mountain
time to open up, time to keep a focus
beware of the bogus
for hate is a tool, enforced by the fool,
but love will conquer, stand up on a rule
know your roots and the truths and rights will come
never give up don't run
long time now me a talk on di riddim
chatter one talk with enough lyricsm
tell you fi di sound jah jah know me can't done
any time me come, the mike must haffi burn
on and on and on as we flex
grab for the pen, and watch the lyrics manifest
tell you fi di sound we no under fi no stress
in a north, south, east and don't foerget the west
chat 'pon the microphone me no trouble no one
hitch upon the riddem like a any gorgon
field marshall and me dont partial
topical a topical, a crucial a crucial
what a slam bam, we come fi tear down england
dep 'pon, dep 'pon, dep 'pon, a style and pattern
hold up hand your a me say hold up your hand

CHORUS REPEAT


"All a dem a do, all a dem a try" is Nigerian pidgin English, or Jamaican English. Nigerian comment: "is bad words, a saying."