April 28, 2009

Another batch of tunes for April:
Here's a list of some of the music I recently acquired. Where do I get all this stuff? I find a lot of free (actually free) music by visiting several of the new music web sites (Pandora, 3hive.com, musicalfamilytree.org) out there, and listening to a few different music podcasts (iTunes new music tuesdays, a friends podcast, and indiefeed). Artists want you to hear their music - If you like it, you'll buy it. The major labels want you to pay for their product - letting you hear it for free is contrary to their business model. Well, guess what? I won't buy it unless I can listen to it first. The major labels are killing themselves with their restrictive distribution and dissemination policies. If you like new music, you can do a google search to find your favorite artists web site, a new music web site, or an archive of free music. Free music is available - Legally! Don't believe the major labels propaganda - Not all free music is illegal. You can legally download music for free. I download music from websites, newsgroups (when I already own rights to the music), and a couple of commercial sources (iTunes and eMusic). Here's a listing of some of the music I legally downloaded.

Free eMusic sampler downloads:
Here's some more free music I downloaded recently. eMusic provides plenty of free tracks (to it's members) throughout the year, and I certainly take advantage of the free stuff:
* Independent Music Awards Winners 2009 - Various Artists: (44 songs) A mega huge download. 44 tracks for free. All genres, all free, all for me. Rock, Pop, Jazz, Blues, Country, R&B, Alternative and some you can't define. I may not keep all of them, but I'm sure that some will lead me to download (and pay) some new band I wouldn't have heard of before.
* Kaleidoscope Room 5: (11 songs) When I download these compilations, I find it convenient that emusic groups them by genre. This set of songs falls in the Rock/Pop, category.

iTunes New Music Tuesday downloads:
Sometimes I purchase music from iTunes, and sometimes I take advantage of their free downloads (check it out on Tuesdays). Lately, the iTunes New Music Tuesday downloads haven't been much to speak of. It seems that their selections are becoming more and more mainstream. With these two releases, I have to thank iTunes for turning back to music that is more than hype or promotion. iTunes is the King of the Hill when it comes to the bigger names, so sometimes I find that I have to pay the higher prices. Here's a couple of those free downloads from the iTunes store. Thanks Apple!:
* Ain't No Rest for the Wicked - Cage the Elephant: (1 song) The front man must be compared with White Stripes front man Jack White. This single is a great bluesy electric rock hymn with great lyrics and a southern rock feel. Apple finally picks a good one for their free download. If only this band was available on eMusic.
* Nada - Zoè: (one song) From the album 'Reptilectric'. This Mexican group are a hot commodity in Mexico City, and despite the fact that I can't speak Spanish, I can hear the reasons why. Alt-Art Pop-Rock with great keyboards and vocals reminiscent of Ultravox. This dreamy single sets a powerful mood, lifts you up and promises an excellent beginning for the band.

These are some of the items I added to my music collection during the last month. Since revamping my music collection back in September of 2005, I've been slowly adding, revising and updating the collection. If you have a comment, question or correction regarding my music collection, please don't hesitate to send me an email. Please keep in mind that my collection isn't for sale, and I'm not interested in giving you any copyrighted materials. I'd rather not go to jail for music piracy. :-)
<https://www.robsworld.org/music.html>
<http://www.musicalfamilytree.com>
<http://www.emusic.com/>

The First Mac Botnet:
Another shocking revelation! Not really. So spammers have finally done it. Compromised the vaunted veil of Mac security in order to create a legion of zombified Macs. Well, not really. Apparently (according to numerous web sites/blog postings), a botnet consisting entirely of Macs has been noted active of late. Attacking other web sites, sending out spam, etc. How did this happen? Well, back in January, Symantec released a report about a trojan/malicious code called OSX.Iservice (which is easy to identify and remove if you are looking for it). Thankfully for Mac users, getting this code (two versions were identified) on your machine required the user to intentionally download some compromised software (hacked and pirated versions of Adobe's PhotoShop CS4 and Apple's iWork productivity suite), and then install it using an admin password. Where would one get this software? From a peer-to-peer exchange or torrent site. So, installing pirated software from disreputable sources results in trojan infections and compromised security. Are you surprised? No! So the concept has finally been proven on a Mac. A botnet of Mac machines can be created through the application of some social engineering and ignorant users who install malware from less than reputable sources.

What does this mean for me, you, other Mac users? Only download and install legitimate copies of software from reputable web sites. Oh, yeah one other thing. Currently I'm working/running my Mac from an admin account. When I get my next Mac (in May of '09), I'll create an admin account, but I'll use a standard (non-admin) account for all my work. This will reduce the amount of damage that can be caused should my account get infected/compromised.
<http://www.macfixit.com/article.php?story=200904200920267>

Updates to the Tollgate Crossing Website:
My odd-ball schedule actually works in my favor for some things. One of those are the community support activities which I enjoy - I'm a volunteer with our local neighborhood watch, and I've recently started supporting our community in a more direct role. What started out as a website focused on our Neighborhood Watch has grown to encompass the whole of our community, in the form of an expanded website and a variety of email mailing lists. Here are a few changes I made at our community website in the last few days.

If you are a resident of 'Tollgate Crossing' in Aurora, Colorado, you might want to check out the new website. If you're interested in our Neighborhood Watch group (Serving Tollgate Crossing, Sorrel Ranch, The Wheatlands, Beacon Point, Southshore and Tallyn’s Reach), you should check out the Neighborhood Watch section. If you're a fan of "Rob's World!" you'll want to check out the web page, just to see what can be done with Apple's iWeb software. The web page turned out very nicely, and I hope it serves our community well. If you're a resident of Tollgate Crossing, and you're concerned about the safety and security of our community, you might want to join our mailing lists to receive periodic alerts, updates and information.
<http://www.apple.com/ilife/iweb/>
<http://www.tollgatecrossing.org/Welcome.html>

Amazon HD content on the Roku player:
In another move forward for the Roku player, Amazon recently (as of April 21st) announced that they are making HD content available through the Roku player. I still don't have an HD capable disc player or an HD capable TV, so I really haven't got any idea what the big deal is all about.

<rant>I've basically formed the opinion that HD is all about charging consumers more money for something that they can't really notice. I get the feeling that it's not really that much better than DVD quality. I also get the feeling that Sony is holding onto the Blu-Ray format so closely, that very few movies and players are adopting the standard. Are we going to simply relegate Blu-Ray to the dust-bin of industry standard formats? Did Sony win the battle only to lose the war? Will their own insatiable greed condemn the standard to obscurity. If it costs 20-25% more than a DVD, it better deliver more than a 25% return. Being able to see the pores on someone's face hardly seems a fair trade-off for this 'technological achievement'. Think about this. Is the viewing experience all that better? Maybe you compared the image on a big 52" set. Yeah, that HD on the 52" looks better than SD on your old 36" TV. Maybe it's just the size? Is it better because it's bigger? Have you done a blind comparisson? Or, did you know ahead of time which one was 'supposed' to be better? Oh, yeah. Let's not forget the 'hidden' cost of HD content. Recently, my cable provider put a cap on my internet use. So, if I want to download HD content, I'd better be careful. At 4GB per HD movie (appx 2hrs), I could run up against the 250GB per month cap. Who knows what'll happen then? Will I be booted out of the Comcast camp? Perhaps I'll have to pay a premium fee for downloads in excess of the cap?

Do you remember the transition from VHS to DVD? Now that was a leap forward! Truly impressive improvements in physical medium, video quality, storage capacity, and consumer experience. Can Blu-Ray make those claims? I don't think so. HD as a standard may survive, but somehow I get the feeling that the Blu-Ray standard is a bit more than consumers are willing to pay for. Give me my HD, but spare me the disc I say. If I want HD, I'll download it or stream it. I'm certainly don't want to pay more for the discs. Not while the standard definition DVDs are still available. I can only imagine that the cost will eventually come down. Yes DVDs initially cost more than VHS, but now you can buy movies on DVD for $1.00 at Wal-Mart. I don't remember VHS every being that cheap. Unfortunately, as long as Sony controls the Blu-Ray format, the licensing fees will probably stay high for a long time. If they really want to make money, they need to license the standard for a very low price. Get it out there, saturate the market. Make it a standard that everyone is willing to buy, stop with the overpricing already.</rant>

What's the next standard? Hopefully, it'll be an open standard, instead of something dictated by some money hungry company.
<http://affiliate-blog.amazon.com/2009/04/amazon-video-on-demand-now-available-in-hd.html>

New Speakers for the Computer:
<rave>In another move towards my May '09 computer purchase, this month I purchased a new set of speakers for my computer (I'm purchasing some items before and after the primary purchase). After doing a bunch of research, I settled on the Bose Companion 3 - Series II multi-media speaker system. This purchase comes with two satellite speakers, an acoustimass module (bass with a high upper end), and a control pod. The satellite speakers are tiny, but they deliver plenty of life like sound. I cranked them up and a smile crossed my face. The acoustimass unit fits nicely (had to measure three times just to make sure it would fit) beneath my computer (which is suspended in a drop down slot of my corner oriented computer desk). The control pod is very convenient. All the speaker controls (mute and volume) and jacks (headphones and mic/audio in) are located in an easy to use pod. Connected by a sufficiently long cable, you can position this pod in whatever position is most convenient. No more reaching for the speaker in order to turn the volume up or down. It even has dual inputs, so you can jack in the output from an iPod at any time. No need to disconnect, reconnect, or mess around with the cables behind the computer. I purchased it through the Apple website, and got a corporate discount, thanks to my employer. At $258.00 I'm very happy with the purchase.</rave>
<https://www.robsworld.org/bose_companion3_seriesII.png>

April's Amazing Weather:
Wow! This one came as quite a surprise. We're in the middle of our 'rainy' season, and the monsoonal flows from the gulf of Mexico was making it's way up from Texas. Combine that with a low swooping in from the Northwest and you end up with excellent conditions for the drenching we received during the last week of April. On the 22rd of April we saw temps as high as 74 degrees fahrenheit. On the 23rd the temps jumped up even further. It got as high as 78 degrees and everyone thought we'd break 80! On the 24th the temps dropped down to 77 degrees. On Saturday the cooling trend began. Dropping down into the 50s, and then the 40s. When I left work on the evening of the 26th, it had started to snow. It rained for a good two hours. By the time Kim went to bed, it had started raining again. When I got up on the 27th it was snowing! It snowed most of the morning. From 3 AM until 10AM or so. In that amount of time we accumulated approximately 3.5 inches (In our corner of Southeastern Aurora). By 6PM that evening the temps had risen to 50 degrees and most of the snow was gone. By the morning of the 28th there wasn't any snow left. It came on slowly, hit us with a surprise, and left rather quickly. It's spring time alright. I hope that's the last of the snow, but you never know. Colorado's weather is kind of funny that way. I'm planning to turn on the sprinklers this weekend. I hope we don't get any more freezing temps.

Software favorites:
Another batch of releases for one of my software favorites. GraphicConverter moves ever forward. This month has seen several releases for the product that's always getting better. It's another free upgrade for those who own a license. If you need a powerhouse converter, editor and browser for your graphics, grab a copy of GraphicConverter - You won't be disappointed.

GraphicConverter:
Thorsten Lemke (of Lemkesoft) released several versions of the venerable flagship product. We saw another beta release on the way up (6.4.1b5) to a full release (6.4.1) on the 24th, followed by a series of quick releases (6.4.2b0, 6.4.2b1) to fix a few annoying bugs. GraphicConverter is an image converter and editor. A fantastic piece of shareware that is well worth the price ($35.00). I use it to convert image formats into web standard formats, to create and edit image maps and other graphics. I've been singing GC's praises for many years now, and I'm not sure I would do without it. The best part about GC is it's author. Thorsten Lemke is completely committed to his customer base. Constantly and Continuously responding to customer recommendations and bug reports. GC is a dynamic, evolving, application. Always on the cutting edge, an absolute must in any web developers tool box. At a fraction of PhotoShop's cost, this photo editor puts a huge wrench in your toolbox.
<http://www.lemkesoft.com/xd/public/content/index._cGlkPTE5Mw_.html>

April 19, 2009

Software favorites:
Yet another round of updates to some of my software favorites. Three applications from a company called 'Bruji'. Bruji.com updates it's line of 'Pedia products. I use two of their products quite frequently, and I'm planning to make use of a third in the near future - As a matter of fact, I actually started using it off-line, but I'm not ready to post any web pages using the new product.

DVDPedia:
DVDPedia is a great little application for cataloging and displaying your movie collection, and I'm running version 4.4.3. It's list of features is impressive, and it keeps getting better with every update. The database is capable of generating statistics, you can keep track of multiple collections, you can easily add titles by typing the name of the movie or you can scan the barcode (using your iSight camera or a barcode reader) right off the movie box (it then searches the internet, and displays choices). It has customizable HTML export capabilities, a borrowed feature with address book integration, the ability to play movie in full screen mode, and many more features which make an awesome addition to your software library. I use it to generate HTML listings of my movies. Below are links to some of the pages I created using this software.
<https://www.robsworld.org/mymovies/index.html>
<https://www.robsworld.org/iphonemoviecollection/index.html>
<http://www.bruji.com/dvdpedia/>

CDPedia:
CDPedia is a great little application for cataloging and displaying your music collection, and I'm running version 4.4.3. It's list of features is impressive, and it keeps getting better with every update. The database is capable of generating statistics, you can keep track of multiple collections, you can easily add titles by typing the name of the artist, album, or track. You can scan the barcode (using your iSight camera or a barcode reader) right off a jewel case (it then searches the internet, and displays choices), or you can import lists of music from iTunes. It has customizable HTML export capabilities, a borrowed feature with address book integration, and many more features which make an awesome addition to your software library. I use it to generate HTML listings of my music. Below are links to some of the pages I created using this software.
<https://www.robsworld.org/mymusic/index.html>
<https://www.robsworld.org/iphonemusiccollection/index.html>
<http://www.bruji.com/cdpedia/>

Bookpedia:
Bookpedia is a great little application for cataloging and displaying your book collection(s), and I'm running version 4.4.3. It's list of features is impressive, and it keeps getting better with every update. The database is capable of generating statistics, you can keep track of multiple collections, you can easily add titles by typing the name of the author, book, or isbn number. You can scan the barcode (using your iSight camera or a barcode reader) right off the book cover (the application searches the internet, and displays choices). It has customizable HTML export capabilities, a borrowed feature with address book integration, and many more features which make an awesome addition to your software library.

I haven't started using Bookpedia yet (for web page production), but I'm planning to use it to update a bunch of pages featuring book collections. If it performs as well as the other applications from Bruji.com, I'm sure I'll be very satisfied with the product.
<http://www.bruji.com/bookpedia/>

D&D updates:
We played a D&D session on the 4th of April, and here are the updates from that meeting. The party finally made it to Whillip! With their adventures in the shadow of Firestorm Peak concluded, the party is back in Whillip. The adventure was arduous, dangerous and rewarding. Most of all it was memorable. An adventure unlike any other. A journey into the very bowels of evil; to defeat a corrupt source of taint in this land. With the conclusion of this quest, none may say that they died in vain. Long live those who gave their lives. Long live those who strive to defeat evil in this land. Long live the adventures we have come to know as the S.C.R.E.W.O.F.F.S. - Let us take a moment to remember those brave adventurers: Brock - The stalwart and honorable warrior; Tanar - The brave and resourceful magic user; Thalidimar - The faithful and righteous priest. If it hadn't been for the sacrifice of the S.C.R.E.W.O.F.F.S. and countless others allied in this fight, our land may have become a dark shadow of light and justice, a breeding ground for taint and corruption. Many grateful people now know the names of true heroes. Surely they will compose ballads and poems attesting to their honor and bravery. With this long quest behind them, it's time to recover their bearings, rest for a bit, hone their skills, and steel themselves to take on the next threat in these lands. Welcome back to Whillip brave heroes, welcome home!

3rd Edition Campaign:
I updated the date of our next meeting - Our next meeting is 2 May, 2009. We missed a meeting on the 18th of April - Due to snow! According to Kim it's the first time we've missed a meeting due to weather (since we moved to the Denver area in 2001). I also updated the annotation beneath our group photo. Eventually, I hope to update the group photo on this page. This is the first stop for information on the campaign that I'm currently running. Here you'll find information regarding our next meeting, some notes, and an index of web pages and documents that are important to our campaign.
<https://www.robsworld.org/3ecampaign.html>

Players in our campaign:
As usual, we've had more changes to the characters and players in our campaign. Recently (After the 4 April meeting), Richard decided to withdraw from our campaign. He's planning to join/start a new group closer to his home. Something more suited to his gaming style. We'll miss Richard's characters and style of play. Hopefully we'll see more of his illustrations in the future, and who knows; maybe he'll be back at some point. Which brings up another subject; Lars is back. Lars left our group in Feb of '09, but he's coming back in May of '09! Right now we've got a lot of excess characters (Ysoac, Grenco, Zeddishous, Almel) in our party. Hopefully, we can stabilize our character roster in the months to come. These continuous changes are getting a bit old, but that's just the way things are. With these recent changes to our player roster, I had to make some more changes to the character annotations beneath our players photo. That photo is now out of date, but I plan to take a new one as soon as we can get everyone together. A group of crazy characters constitute the players in our campaign. Many players have graced my gaming table over the years, some are old friends, some are new, but in the end - friends are what I call them. The players page contains a photo of our group and a short listing of who we are.
<https://www.robsworld.org/players.html>

The Adventurers journal:
The tale of our adventurers. A series of journal entries from various party members. This document contains details of their encounters and adventures. Victory, defeat, desire and glory. Here is the tale of the S.C.R.E.W.O.F.F.S., a group of adventurers who set forth from Whillip, seeking fame, fortune and the defeat of evil in these lands. This update adds several entries. With Mark's recent absence, Solmar's entries have gone missing. Now that he's back, I've posted Solmar entries for game dates of 21 - 25 Septev, 2003 (Yes the game dates are different than the 'real' dates). In addition to Solmar's journal entries, I also added entries from Dynnera. Here are her most recent entries covering the dates 23 - 25 Sep, 2003. Be sure to read about the final leg in our party's journey back to Whillip.
<https://www.robsworld.org/ajournal07.html#apr04_2009>

Monsters encountered:
As a result of the meeting on the 4th of April, I added a new monster to this page. The party encountered a immense monster - A Leviathan!. The largest creature they've ever encountered. Luckily, they were able to escape it's gaping maw with no casualties (to the party). Once again an encounter resulted in the loss of several Palisade crew members. It's no wonder that most members of that crew only serve one tour. The monsters page is a listing of monsters that the party has encountered, read about or heard of.
<https://www.robsworld.org/monsters.html>

These updates follow our meeting on the 4th of April, and there will certainly be more to come. Our meeting on the 4th of April saw the party reaching Whillip. Now that they're in town the party will probably spend a considerable amount of (in game) time licking it's wounds, resting, recuperating and training for their next adventure. In the meantime, you can keep up to date by continuing to visit "Rob's World!" for all the latest campaign info. If you're enjoying the story of our adventurers, I encourage you to write me and let us know. Perhaps you've got an idea you'd like to share, some criticism or praise. Either way, it'll be earnestly appreciated.
<https://www.robsworld.org/3ecampaign.html>

Updates to the Tollgate Crossing Website:
My odd-ball schedule actually works in my favor for some things. One of those are the community support activities which I enjoy - I'm a volunteer with our local neighborhood watch, and I've recently started supporting our community in a more direct role. What started out as a website focused on our Neighborhood Watch has grown to encompass the whole of our community, in the form of an expanded website and a variety of email mailing lists. Here are a few changes I made at our community website in the last few days.

If you are a resident of 'Tollgate Crossing' in Aurora, Colorado, you might want to check out the new website. If you're interested in our Neighborhood Watch group (Serving Tollgate Crossing, Sorrel Ranch, The Wheatlands, Beacon Point, Southshore and Tallyn’s Reach), you should check out the Neighborhood Watch section. If you're a fan of "Rob's World!" you'll want to check out the web page, just to see what can be done with Apple's iWeb software. The web page turned out very nicely, and I hope it serves our community well. If you're a resident of Tollgate Crossing, and you're concerned about the safety and security of our community, you might want to join our mailing lists to receive periodic alerts, updates and information.
<http://www.apple.com/ilife/iweb/>
<http://www.tollgatecrossing.org/Welcome.html>

The Big Snow Storm - Spring 2009:
Even though it's officially Spring, this part of Colorado continues to get snow. It's the 'rainy' season. This is the season when we get most of our precipitation, and snow is the form we see most. We were warned. The weather forecasters predicted a big storm, and we really got the worst of it. Over a two day period (16 - 18) we got hammered by a low and a monsoonal flow from the gulf of Mexico. With moisture feeding into the area from the North East, the low front created the perfect conditions for a 'Nor Easter'. On day one (16 Apr ’09), the weather forecasters say it’s gonna be bad. On day two (17 Apr ’09), we got appx 2.5”, but rain melted most of that. Then it started snowing again. Overnight the conditions were cold, wet, and windy. Day three (18 Apr ’09) brought the worst of it. It snowed all day long and we accumulated 12” or more. It got so bad that we had to cancel our D&D meeting! Sunday's temps (19 Apr ’09) in the 60s melted most of the snow, but it's not all gone yet. I sure hope we don't get any flooding from all this run-off. I took a few photos to commemorate the event. I hope you enjoy the pics.
<https://www.robsworld.org/iphoto/snowstormspring2009/index.html>

nVidia gets an F- for Mac support:
<rant>So nVidia provides video cards to Apple for much of the Mac line. Many computers from Apple come with nVidia video cards pre-installed. I figured that an nVidia video card would work as a suitable substitute for the nVidia GeForce FX 5200 installed in my Power PC Mac. A G5 w/dual 1.8GHz processors. I bought the computer back in 2005, but a new monitor (Dell 3007WFP-HC 30" monitor) gave that video card more than it could handle. It drove the new 30" monitor, but all I could coax out of the card was support for a 1280x800 resolution. Pretty pitiful for my new 30" monitor. I wanted something better, and a co-worker attempted to help me out. He provided me with an nVidia GeForce 6600GT to try out. Over two breaks (8-9 Apr and 13-14 Apr), I did my best to make that thing with my new monitor. On my first break, I struggled to install the video card. Just getting to my computer is a chore. It's located in a well, down inside my corner desk, and it isn't the easiest thing to get to.

After extracting the Mac from it's comfortable nook, I install the card (in the AGP 8X slot), close it back up, and drop it back down into the nook. After restarting the machine, I get no video. Nothing - No display at all. Thankfully, I've got another Mac, and it's configured for screen sharing. I remote in and find the desktop is showing different resolutions. I can change them remotely, and the screen sharing session shows the changes. But the card isn't driving the monitor itself. After numerous attempts, I'm back to the 1280x800 (actually 798 with this card). So, I go through the arduous process of putting the original card back into the computer. In the end, I can't figure out how to get this thing to work with my Mac. The fact that nVidia provides 'NO SUPPORT' whatsoever (no drivers, updates, or technical support (on their web pages)) to Mac users is quite annoying. Yeah. No Mac support whatsoever. I guess they figure that Mac users will get their support from Apple. Well, I would if Apple sold me the card. Apparently nVidia doesn't get it. A Mac user might want to upgrade the video card themselves!

On to the next break. Realizing (thanks to Gordon) that I hadn't hook up power to the card (it doesn't get it's power from the AGP slot, it gets it from a direct connection to the Mac's power supply). So, I'm back to the desktop. I have to remove everything from my desk. The monitor, all my USB gear, remove all the cables, a bunch of knickknacks, and various other electronic devices. Then I extract the computer from the desk well. That thing is heavy! I get the computer out, open it up, and remove the FX5200. I install the 6600GT, but now I've got to connect the power. Rich gave me a Y-Connector for this part of the job. I remove the CD/DVD drive, connect the power, put the CD/DVD drive back in the machine, and connect the power cable to the video card. After I get the computer back in place I fire it up. Still no picture. I remote in using my lap top, and the desktop is visible, but something isn't right. Now it's not recognizing the card as the specific model that it is. Now it's just calling it an AGP video card. I try a bunch of different tweaks. Install some third party video card software, and say a few prayers. I must have rebooted the machine ten times. Eventually, I reinstall the original card - Again!

Afterwards, I do some more research. Eventually I find a web page (a Mac experts web page) that explains part of the problem. It turns out that nVidia doesn't install the Mac firmware on all their cards. They only install it on the cards that are sold to Apple, or sold specifically as 'Mac Compatible'. The card can be updated to run in a Mac, but you have to flash the cards ROM with a Mac version of the firmware. Oh yeah, nVidia doesn't make this firmware available to the general public. Remember what I said about 'NO SUPPORT'? That's right, they don't make the Mac firmware available on their website. Apparently, they don't think anyone would want to upgrade the firmware to work in a Mac. Apparently they're morons! So, reading the instructions provided by this individual, it is possible to manually update the firmware. It's a rather involved process, and you need a PC to do it. That, and a compatible firmware update. He even went so far as to explain how to write your own firmware. Why would he need to go to such extremes? Remember what I said about 'NO SUPPORT'? Yeah, that again.

So, I guess I'll have to wait another month before I've got a new nVidia video card for my Mac. When I buy my new Mac in May of 2009, it'll come with a new video card. Thankfully, nVidia will supply Apple with a Mac compatible video card. Sure they'll provide the appropriate drivers and firmware to Apple, but support to Mac owners? What do they get? Crappy technical support. Actually, I can't really say that the support is crappy, because there is 'NO SUPPORT', and that's crappy customer service. nVidia you suck!</rant>

April 9, 2009

More snow in April:
Even though it's officially Spring, this part of Colorado continues to get snow. It's the 'rainy' season. This is the season when we get most of our precipitation, and snow is the form we see most. Temperatures went up and down. First we were in the 60s, then the temps dropped below freezing and a big low front moved through (4 & 5 April). The weather forecasters predicted a big storm, but we really lucked out. All we got was an inch or so over a two day (4 & 5 April) period. With the wind blowing, it was cold and nasty out there, but the snow never really accumulated.

Software favorites:
Yet another full release for one of my software favorites. GraphicConverter moves ever forward. It's another beta release for the product that's always getting better. It's another free upgrade for those who own a license. If you need a powerhouse converter, editor and browser for your graphics, grab a copy of GraphicConverter - You won't be disappointed.

GraphicConverter:
Thorsten Lemke (of Lemkesoft) released another beta version (6.4.1b3). GraphicConverter is an image converter and editor. A fantastic piece of shareware that is well worth the price ($35.00). I use it to convert image formats into web standard formats, to create and edit image maps and other graphics. I've been singing GC's praises for many years now, and I'm not sure I would do without it. The best part about GC is it's author. Thorsten Lemke is completely committed to his customer base. Constantly and Continuously responding to customer recommendations and bug reports. GC is a dynamic, evolving, application. Always on the cutting edge, an absolute must in any web developers tool box. At a fraction of PhotoShop's cost, this photo editor puts a huge wrench in your toolbox.
<http://www.lemkesoft.com/xd/public/content/index._cGlkPTE5Mw_.html>

April 3, 2009

April's Avalanche of Audio Downloads:
Here's a list of some of the music I recently acquired. Where do I get all this stuff? I find a lot of free (actually free) music by visiting several of the new music web sites out there. Artists want you to hear their music - If you like it, you'll buy it. The major labels want you to pay for their product - letting you hear it for free is contrary to their business model. Well, guess what? I won't buy it unless I can listen to it first. The major labels are killing themselves with their restrictive distribution and dissemination policies. If you like new music, you can do a google search to find your favorite artists web site, a new music web site, or an archive of free music. Free music is available - Legally! Don't believe the major labels propaganda - Not all free music is illegal. You can legally download music for free. I download music from websites, newsgroups (when I already own rights to the music), and a couple of commercial sources. Here's a listing of some of the music I legally downloaded.

These are just some of the items I added to my music collection during the month of April. Since returning from Japan in 2001, I've been rediscovering my appreciation for music. I really picked it up again in September of 2005. Since then, I've been slowly adding, revising and updating my music collection. With these acquisitions, I've updated my online music listing. If you have a comment or a question regarding my music collection, please don't hesitate to send me an email.
<https://www.robsworld.org/mymusic/index.html>
<https://www.robsworld.org/music.html>

Spring brings snow to Aurora:
This time of year is our wet season, and the snow is just another form of precipitation. Something we need, but seldom get enough of in these parts. On the 1st and 2nd of April we started off the month with a minor snow storm. Actually, it was another one of those seldom seen/heard thundersnow storms. With thunder rolling across the plains, the snowflakes started accumulating as lighting dimly lit the darkening sky. We accumulated approximately 1" here in the South end of Aurora. Overnight the snow froze hard, into a crisp and crunchy coating by morning.

Netflix delivers it's 2 billionth movie:
<rave>Launched out of a single warehouse in 1999. Who would have believed that ten years would take them to 2 billion rentals, 10 million customers and over 100,000 movies in 58 distribution centers. Now that's some phenomenal growth. The world's largest online movie rental service sure does it right. The magic movie (delivered 1 April, 2009) was a blu-ray version of "Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist" - Something I probably wouldn't rent myself, but it's a sign of the diversity in their catalog. Shannon, the lucky subscriber received a complimentary lifetime subscription to Netflix. While some may prefer the mainstream titles like "Nick and Norah's...", there's still room for many of the rare selections and more discerning tastes - Try Das Leben der Anderen/The Lives of Others (a German film released in 2006). The variety of plans makes room for just about every option, and the recent addition of streaming video brings Netflix into the digital age - Well ahead of any competitors. Stop driving to the store, stop paying late fees, stop wishing you could find something to watch on that cable box. Sign up for Netflix today (not a paid endorsement!)</rave>
<http://netflix.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=43&item=310>

Denver Auto Show:
On the 3rd of April, Kim and I took it outside for some fun on a sunny day. We attended the Denver Auto Show. Held 1-5 April, 2009, at the Colorado Convention Center in downtown Denver. For a change of pace, we decided to take the train instead of driving. It's not all that far away, but the traffic in Denver can be a frightful thing. I despise the drive on I-25. The parking is usually quite expensive - Averaging $7.00 per hour in a garage, and then there's the problem of finding a parking spot nearby. By taking the 'light rail', Kim and I avoided all those problems. The parking (at the park-n-ride) was free. We paid $7.00 a piece for the tickets - Parking would have cost appx $10.00 for onsite parking, but that's often full, so you'll have to hunt for something suitable, and that could cost upwards of $15.00 for anything over 2 hours. Unless you park your vehicle in one of those outdoor lots, you know... the ones where they claim that you didn't pay the parking fee! The train was comfortable, on-time, fairly priced and very convenient. It dropped us off ten feet from the entrance to the expo center!

Since we're considering the purchase of a new vehicle in 2010, the Auto Show provides us with an excellent opportunity to check out all the new cars coming on the market. An opportunity to sit in the drivers seat, to pick up some brochures, enter some contests (I'm fairly certain I'll regret this), and even get on the mailing lists of a few companies (I hope I don't regret that!). We stopped for food before hand, fueled up, and headed to the train station. Once there we purchased our round-trip tickets and boarded the next train. All in all, we made a memorable day of it, narrowed our choices down to three cars (Volvo XC60, Toyota Prius, and the Hyundai Genesis) and I took a bunch of photos.
<http://www.paragonexpo.com/399_Home.html>
<https://www.robsworld.org/iphoto/denverautoshow2009/index.html>