Xenoveritas's blog

Windows XP PowerToys

Submitted by Xenoveritas on Wed, 2006-10-11 00:27

After searching around the Microsoft website for too long, I finally hopped over to Google and found them instantly.

Says something about Microsoft's site design...

Microsoft PowerToys for Windows XP

Topics: 
Windows

My Firefox Extensions

Submitted by Xenoveritas on Wed, 2006-09-20 15:21

Mostly in an effort to ensure that I can find them again later, here is a list of the Firefox Extensions I currently use:

Mouse Gestures
Allows the use of mouse gestures to control your browser
Adblock Plus
Blocks various advertisements. I can't remember what drove me over the edge to finally install this, but something did.
Flashblock
Prevents Flash ads from playing, allowing you to click to activate them.
Topics: 
Firefox

Vladimir Cole is an Idiot

Submitted by Xenoveritas on Sat, 2006-09-16 03:20

This is one of those things that needs more introduction. Essentially Vladimir Cole posted a blog entry on Joystiq saying that rational gamers should prefer subsidized consoles. There’s a problem with his logic, though.

Essentially, his argument starts with “let’s assume 1 = 2.” It may make for an interesting argument, but it’s - well, not true. He attempts a simple misdirection by using the term ceteris paribus. “All other things being equal” would have worked just as well, except it makes it obvious the argument is stupid. By using Latin he attempts to lend authority to his argument. After all, quidquid latine dictum sit, altum sonatur.

Topics: 
Video Games
Web

Why Thank You, Spammer

Submitted by Xenoveritas on Fri, 2006-09-08 01:19

More and more of the comment spam is starting with complements. It'd be nice if I thought there was anyone actually writing them.

I'll get stuff like "Great site! Love the hard work!" followed by a collection of spam links.

Yeah. I'm going to fall for that. Pull a random complement out of a database to win over website operators from around the world.

The smartest ones are those that have just the complement and hide the spam link in their username. Sorry. "Like your site!" linked to "buy-my-viagacra-now.info" is really going to sneak past.

There's a reason why all comments have to be admin approved. I've lost count of the number of comment spams I've deleted.

Topics: 
Web
xenoveritas.org

Wikiality

Submitted by Xenoveritas on Wed, 2006-08-02 22:40

On Monday's Colbert Report, Colbert coined the term "wikiality" (which, unlike truthiness, he gets to keep as his own invention). He used the term to describe how, when enough people believe something, it may as well be true, regardless of reality.

Specifically, the concept was that, because Wikipedia can be edited, if enough people edit it a certain way, the view expressed there will become the "truth" regardless of reality. He then "edited" two pages, The Colbert Report recurring elements and George Washington.

Topics: 
Web
Television

Configuring the Date Format in Apache SSI

Submitted by Xenoveritas on Tue, 2006-08-01 20:04

Apache's SSI documentation helpfully doesn't explain how to use their <!--#config timefmt=""--> directive to modify the date format. Instead they refer you to the documentation from the C runtime they use to format the date. Really helpful to people who just want to muck with HTML, there.

So, here's the basics. The string you specify can contain "special" sequences that start with the percent character (%) that indicate the start of a time field. Each instance of these sequences gets replaced as follows:

%a
A three-letter abbreviation for the day of the week.
Topics: 
Web

Great Mythbusters Quotes

Submitted by Xenoveritas on Sun, 2006-07-23 04:24

Well, just one quote, but:

[Inside the barrel of a cement truck.]

Jamie: This is wonderful in here, I'd like to live in here. It's sort of like some sort of psychedelic thing going on with the spirals and what not. It's actually quite pretty.

Narrator: Jamie lives in San Fransisco.

[End Scene]

Topics: 
Television

Clerks II

Submitted by Xenoveritas on Tue, 2006-07-18 02:11

Clerks II has, as of the time I write this, a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

I'm pumped. I wanna see this movie. Really nothing more to say than that, I guess.

Topics: 
Movies

Useful jEdit Registry Files

Submitted by Xenoveritas on Mon, 2006-07-17 18:35

jEdit used to include a Windows installer that allowed integration with the Windows shell. Unfortunately they no longer include these registry entries.

So here they are, useful jEdit registry entries. Note that you'll need to replace ensure that the paths listed below are correct for your system. The Java path is for the default install location at "C:\Program Files\Java" for JDK version 1.5.0_07. The jEdit path is "C:\Program Files\jEdit" and will also need to be editted to point to the correct path.

You can also download a .REG file containing the contents listed below - remember, this file assumes you're using Java 1.5.0_07 installed at "C:\Program Files\Java" and that jEdit is installed at "C:\Program Files\jEdit". You'll need to edit it if these paths aren't correct.

Topics: 
Windows

PS3: Sony's Various Ups and Downs. But Mostly Downs.

Submitted by Xenoveritas on Sat, 2006-07-08 03:15

This is starting to get to be ridiculous. It all started with the announcement that we could expect the "cheap" PS3 to cost $500, and has continued to spiral downhill from there. So here's my attempt at a list of everything we currently know about the PS3:

  • The "cheap" version is severely crippled, missing the HDMI output that allows high-def Blu-Ray movies, and cannot be upgraded to fix this flaw.
  • Blu-Ray looks substantially worse than HD-DVD.
  • The PS3 memory architecture is such that only half can be read by the main CPU.
Topics: 
PlayStation 3

Pages

Subscribe to RSS - Xenoveritas's blog