File Storage Solution…

Since being forced to move to a hosted solution for my blog, I’ve not had the chance to put any new files versions, or new applications for that matter, on the site. I’ve started looking into online file hosting options but due to my miserly nature, have not found anything that I like. I use SourceForge and GotDotNet extensively and would be willing to try out either of those if it weren’t for the fact that I love my current development setup (Full CI with CCNet and Perforce) here at the house and am not willing to give it up just yet. If you have any recommendations, drop me an email.

Sickies…

Well, with the Thanksgiving holiday rapidly approaching we have all come down with colds. There can’t possibly be anything worse than watching your almost two year old suffer thru a nasty cold (and ear infection!)…except maybe watching your 3 month old fight the same nasty cold. 😦 Things are a little rough around the house right now but hopefully, we’ll all be better for Turkey Day on Thursday. Football and Food – even just saying it makes me feel better…

Brain Fart…

Ever have one of those moments where you just “lock up”?? We all have but this little device, called Oblique Strategies, is meant to help break the deadlock. (Here it is in “web format“)

(by way of SvN)

Project Entropia…

Project Entropia is a space age based MMORPG that boasts a real cash economy that I discovered via a /. article chronicling it’s recent sale of virtual in-game real estate. MindArk, a Swedish based company, developed the game a few years ago but it seems to have been relatively unknown (as far as I can tell) until these high-profile sales.

Anyway, here’s the rundown: the game is free to download and play, provided you don’t mind waiting the 5 hours it takes to get it at 30Kbps, but you can improve your in game situation by purchasing virtual cash (1USD = 10PED) with a credit card or some other forms of real money. So far nothing ground-breaking right?? Well, the biggest deal is that you can pull your virtual cash BACK OUT of the system at the same exchange rate!! Skeptically, I mashed the download link to see what the fuss was about and headed to bed…

So I hop on my PC the next morning anxious to see the new virtual world…crap…download error out less than 1/2 way thru so I have to wait another 3 hours to get the rest of the program.

Finally up and running I log in for the first time to being setting up my avatar. BTW, in the intervening few hours I managed to read the PE forum and even got thru a few new user guides. Overall, the initial avatar creation was pretty good – a bit clunky in how the sliders worked but not unusable. After creation, you’re dropped into the world and have a few little tutorial pop-ups to get you going with the controls. The controls are a little awkward in my opinion but I’m going to give them a chance before I go complaining too much since it may just be my UO bias.

So after wandering around and exploring for a short period I began interacting with the other folks in-game and even managed to make a few PED (that’s their virtual currency). The graphics have been better than I’d expected them to be and the game play, although a bit limited due to my hesitancy to drop real cash yet and my “new” state (read: limited skills), has been quite good. So far I think I’ve logged a few hours and hopefully will have a chance for a few more later this week.

Highrise Living…

I’ve always enjoyed having a yard and space of my own. Not that I’ve always lived in a house, I was an apartment dweller for quite some time but I’ve known that a house with a yard was the “end game” for me. Also, I’m quick to admit that I actually ENJOY yardwork (Darlene often accuses me of making up reasons to do it) and find comfort and release in the work. Consequently, I’ve never been one who could imagine bringing up a family in a highrise. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not trying to take shots at these folks as I’m certain that they do what they must and probably are grateful for what they’ve got but it still makes my heart heavy. I think it also makes the sci-fi nut (read: wannabe futurist) in me wonder if this won’t be the “norm” as the population continues to grow. Sentiments aside, it really is a compelling series: Hong Kong architecture by Michael Wolf.

(link by way of Binary Bonsai)