The Net has to be one of the stupidest software-related movies of all time. A defining scene happens before the credits. The protagonist is playing Wolfenstein 3D, and the game's (presumed) creator wants her to tell him what keeps crashing it. She tells him he has a virus, which she can apparently see in the game's graphics. Using System Debugger 6.4 on a Quadra 650 (a 2 year old machine at the time of production), she types in 8 hexadecimal digits and sucks the virus out onto a floppy where it is harmless. This virus, of course, erases all of your data if you ever hit Esc, and will later be used to save the world.
Though my favorite scene is later in the film when killer viruses devour graphics cards. Or the IP address with a 345 octet.
What always amazes me about software in films is that quite often it isn't necessary to make it all the equivalent of voodoo, yet that is invariable the choice of the filmmaker.
I wonder how much Id made off of this film?
Don't ask why I was watching this. Shut up.
2007-04-11
CFL Ratings (Reblog)
Popular Mechanics has reviewed a cross-section of CFLs. I find the most interesting information in the review to be that light bulb packaging, both incandescent and fluorescent, overstates brightness and understates wattage.
2007-04-10
Super Fuzzy Cat Extravaganza (Pets)
Thought I'd put up a few days of pet-related snapshots; it's no Cute Overload, but it's what I've got. This is the feline post. Molpe doesn't appear here because she's so pretty we can't afford her rates; Scylla only charges scale.
Scylla was outside with 'Dolon for a while; of course it only took 'Dolon about 2 minutes to decide that if chasing her inside was fun, chasing her outside would be even better. Hence the tree. Once the dog abated, Scylla made her own cautious descent.
Scylla doesn't realize that the wife is armed with camera lenses that can take closeups from any distance.
We got the kitties some nice little sleeping balls for New Year's, and threw them in the purple-upholstered armchairs that came with my Aunt's barrister's desk. Molpe took to them immediately, and has spent many blissful days rolled up in a kitty-tortellini in them. It took about three months for Scylla to realize that Molpe was on to something good and usurp it.
At night when the wife creates flame, Scylla becomes the guardian of the fireplace.
Scylla was outside with 'Dolon for a while; of course it only took 'Dolon about 2 minutes to decide that if chasing her inside was fun, chasing her outside would be even better. Hence the tree. Once the dog abated, Scylla made her own cautious descent.
Scylla doesn't realize that the wife is armed with camera lenses that can take closeups from any distance.
We got the kitties some nice little sleeping balls for New Year's, and threw them in the purple-upholstered armchairs that came with my Aunt's barrister's desk. Molpe took to them immediately, and has spent many blissful days rolled up in a kitty-tortellini in them. It took about three months for Scylla to realize that Molpe was on to something good and usurp it.
At night when the wife creates flame, Scylla becomes the guardian of the fireplace.
Super Fuzzy Dog Extravaganza (Pets)
Thought I'd put up a few days of pet-related snapshots; it's no Cute Overload, but it's what I've got. This is the canine post.
Above we have 'Dolon posing with a little fuzzy pull toy. He learned on his own how to pull the string and make the toy vibrate around, and was of course so fascinated by it that he pulled on it until the mechanism broke.
'Dolon is very permissive about being picked up, arranged, slept on as a pillow... I can hold him like that until he falls asleep.
Other than socks and eating mulch, 'Dolon's favorite pursuit is tugging on things. Here we're growling at each other over one of our few remaining intact ropes.
At the end of his day, 'Dolon has curled up on the couch with his favorite little cat stuffed animal. I don't know why, but in our household these much-toothed objects are referred to as woobies.
Above we have 'Dolon posing with a little fuzzy pull toy. He learned on his own how to pull the string and make the toy vibrate around, and was of course so fascinated by it that he pulled on it until the mechanism broke.
'Dolon is very permissive about being picked up, arranged, slept on as a pillow... I can hold him like that until he falls asleep.
Other than socks and eating mulch, 'Dolon's favorite pursuit is tugging on things. Here we're growling at each other over one of our few remaining intact ropes.
At the end of his day, 'Dolon has curled up on the couch with his favorite little cat stuffed animal. I don't know why, but in our household these much-toothed objects are referred to as woobies.
2007-04-09
Ultimate Vegetarian Soup (Chow)
Tonight I tried a slightly modified version of the Domestic Goddess's Ultimate Vegetarian Soup for dinner. The wife and I both liked it a lot; the sweet potato gave it a really nice succulence.I went a bit heavy on the oregano and also used a bit of thyme and an extra-healthy dose of freshly ground black pepper. I omitted the diced tomatoes. Finally, I used an amazingly huge sweet potato that was perhaps three times the size of the not-insubstantial Idaho potato.
We'll make this again -- although right now we have 8 frozen leftover servings to work through.
Nippon Albumization
The formalization of our 2005 trip to Japan has begun! We'll see how many ad hoc trestle tables I'll have to set up before all is said and done... Although I'm beginning to think the wife may stretch out this process indefinitely, since her work station is set up in front of the fireplace.
The Feds Giveth, The Feds Taketh Away (Reblog)
Ah, it was too good to last forever. I pay for basic lifeline analog cable along with my HSI, and because Comcast barely knows that they actually have a (Federally mandated) lifeline service, I actually receive all their non-premium analog stations. But now they are supposedly going digital-only, and requiring one of their stupid boxes to soak up my valuable electricity. I'm not sure exactly what this will mean for me, but presumably nothing good. It never does. Sounds like I have until 2008 before this horror stretches all the way to my 'burb.
It is wonderful that a Federally mandated switch to digital programming is going to destroy Federally mandated access to cheap network television over cable.
It is wonderful that a Federally mandated switch to digital programming is going to destroy Federally mandated access to cheap network television over cable.
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