Today's Sunday. Yesterday here in Sydney, we had a storm. Worst storm i have ever had the displeasure of experiencing.
I was smart enough to stay at home for the entire day, and considering we are in a drought this storm just blew me away. The rain level had reached the 20mm levels and even beyond on the outer suburbs of Sydney. The wind had blown at a gale of around 50km/h, and there were a few brief moments were the wind blew in at 90km/h. You could see the wind, and the damage, in just a few minutes, was quite shocking at best.
The end result: one of the windows fasted to one of the doors had somehow been removed by the wind, the dumpster, weighing around what i manage to be about a tonne, had managed to been pushed by a distance of around 100m, with only a tree preventing it from reaching the street. In Newcastle, people had been killed, blown into danger by the sheer intensity of the wind.
Be grateful, for those who live in fine weather.
And till later.
Sunday, June 10, 2007
Monday, June 4, 2007
2D Isometric Graphics vs 3D Graphics
You've made up your mind haven't you. 3D is clearly better than 2D, right?.
Nah. I don't think so.
Although 3D graphics, especially in the age where the likes of the Xbox 360 and the fabled PS3 is out, would be the immediate preference for the overwhelming majority of people. I, however, still believe that to a certain extent, 2D isometric graphics, when used correctly and mastered to perfection, actually looks better than some 3D graphic titles. Even the ones with the latest graphical effects and technology.
Its all in the detail.
I'm going to use two games, Final Fantasy IX and Planescape: Torment. Both use 2D isometric graphics. If you've played both or one of these games, remember how they've looked. If you have no idea how they look like because you have no idea what i'm on about or you've never played either of the two games, then click here and here. In these two games, notice the level of detail that the isometric 2d backgrounds consist of. Notice the lighting in some areas of FFIX. The Lighting used, the little touches on each background on each city to each marsh. You've probably never noticed it, and until a certain point neither did i until quite recently. Its the artwork of the graphics, and the fact that the graphic designers who work at game companies know how to use the medium for their game. A 3d game, with poorly designed artwork, is no comparison to a 2d game with carefully, and gorgeously mastered backdrops and backgrounds, with the little touches placed here and there. Likewise, a 3d game with brilliant artwork, is also more effective than a 3d game that uses the latest pixel shader effects and yet has not used those features to their full potential. WoW is a good example of how the best looking game isn't always the one with the best effects.
Perhaps i'm simply an admirer of skill and talent, but thats something i'm sure that you guys here wouldn't have thought about.
Till Later,
Fury52.
Nah. I don't think so.
Although 3D graphics, especially in the age where the likes of the Xbox 360 and the fabled PS3 is out, would be the immediate preference for the overwhelming majority of people. I, however, still believe that to a certain extent, 2D isometric graphics, when used correctly and mastered to perfection, actually looks better than some 3D graphic titles. Even the ones with the latest graphical effects and technology.
Its all in the detail.
I'm going to use two games, Final Fantasy IX and Planescape: Torment. Both use 2D isometric graphics. If you've played both or one of these games, remember how they've looked. If you have no idea how they look like because you have no idea what i'm on about or you've never played either of the two games, then click here and here. In these two games, notice the level of detail that the isometric 2d backgrounds consist of. Notice the lighting in some areas of FFIX. The Lighting used, the little touches on each background on each city to each marsh. You've probably never noticed it, and until a certain point neither did i until quite recently. Its the artwork of the graphics, and the fact that the graphic designers who work at game companies know how to use the medium for their game. A 3d game, with poorly designed artwork, is no comparison to a 2d game with carefully, and gorgeously mastered backdrops and backgrounds, with the little touches placed here and there. Likewise, a 3d game with brilliant artwork, is also more effective than a 3d game that uses the latest pixel shader effects and yet has not used those features to their full potential. WoW is a good example of how the best looking game isn't always the one with the best effects.
Perhaps i'm simply an admirer of skill and talent, but thats something i'm sure that you guys here wouldn't have thought about.
Till Later,
Fury52.
Saturday, June 2, 2007
Why I Love Google
Google. Quite a kooky name, but to be perfectly honest one of my most favorite corporations. Well for starters there's the simple, elegant and efficient search engine, which serves as the heart and soul of Google, but thats not just it. Its their approach to everything. Simplicity. Such a nice word, its something that i need more of, and something which has made Google into a true force to be reckoned with. Its quite amazing really, how a simple idea, rejected by all the big search engines at the time (Yahoo and MSN), managed to end up topping their own search engines and are now at threat of being redundant thanks to the popularity and, when you think about it from an economic perspective, superior market share, of Google.
But why is it so? Why do i admire Google so? Well lets think about it:
Till Later
But why is it so? Why do i admire Google so? Well lets think about it:
- Simplicity is King - Main reason for Google's success. Simplicity means efficiency. Efficiency means that people can search, find results, be happy. All quickly and elegantly. This is something that yahoo and msn was never able to do. Even its tools, such as Blogger, which i so love dearly, is so simplistic and easy to use - but so effective. Its simplicity becomes its edge, simplicity is what makes Google powerful.
- Free is Good - Everything that you see here is free. 100%. Thats good news for so many people. Especially considering what they offer, which comes next:
- Range of Tools - Check out that link and you'll see what i mean. Blogger, Google maps, Google Earth, Youtube (yeah its not their creation, but it is their property, so it counts), Picasa, and Docs and Spreadsheets. Last one is really impressive, because it means that Microsoft word just got a free, easier (no crashes) and considerably powerful competitor. Well..okay, not a competitor exactly, but you know what i mean.
- Approach to Everything - Their philosophy is elegance through simplicity, from the products to the workplace to the....workers. If you've seen the videos of the Google staff and if you've watched a couple of documentaries on Google, you'll understand that its quite (as far as i know) a great place to work. And the end results are impressive.
Till Later
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Microsoft Surface
What the future brings never ceases to amaze me, and Microsoft, what many think of as a horrid, heartless corporation tied with a legacy of dominating, yet inferior Operating Systems and products have actually produced something very remarkable, Microsoft Surface.
In case you have no idea what Microsoft Surface is, click here. The revolution in computing that it presents to us is nothing short of astounding. I always had respect and, reverence even, for the innovators and revolutionaries, especially in the fields of technology and the mechanical. Nintendo just recently gained my utmost respect with its next-gen console, the Wii, and the revolutionary way in which you interact with the game on the wii, using physical movements and actions such as swings as opposed to the rather dull norm of merely pressing a few buttons.
But anyway, lets talk more about Microsoft Surface. It is very possible to see this technology take off, and when it does i would be willing to bet my house (if i had one) on it being an absolutely tremendous success. I feel at this point that describing its capabilities is best.
So here goes.
Basically Microsoft Surface is essentially keyboard-less, mouse-less and in fact devoid of any standard computer peripheral that you would be using as you read this. All it consists of - is a screen. Thats it. Simplicity plays a major part here. Interaction with the computer is done through your hands. Thats right, its touchscreen, but it doesn't end there. The use of tools normally applied to non-computing objects can be used with Microsoft Surface. Paintbrushes, normally reserved for the use on a canvas, can be used on Microsoft's revolutionary computing system. As can basically...well anything really. It doesn't stop there though, Microsoft predicts that in the near future, its use can extend from comparing mobile phones, where placing mobile phones onto the surface (hence its name) will bring up a comparison of the features of the mobile phone, to planning your day trip, to viewing and organising photos. Its pretty damn amazing really.
Three cheers for the future.
And till later.
In case you have no idea what Microsoft Surface is, click here. The revolution in computing that it presents to us is nothing short of astounding. I always had respect and, reverence even, for the innovators and revolutionaries, especially in the fields of technology and the mechanical. Nintendo just recently gained my utmost respect with its next-gen console, the Wii, and the revolutionary way in which you interact with the game on the wii, using physical movements and actions such as swings as opposed to the rather dull norm of merely pressing a few buttons.
But anyway, lets talk more about Microsoft Surface. It is very possible to see this technology take off, and when it does i would be willing to bet my house (if i had one) on it being an absolutely tremendous success. I feel at this point that describing its capabilities is best.
So here goes.
Basically Microsoft Surface is essentially keyboard-less, mouse-less and in fact devoid of any standard computer peripheral that you would be using as you read this. All it consists of - is a screen. Thats it. Simplicity plays a major part here. Interaction with the computer is done through your hands. Thats right, its touchscreen, but it doesn't end there. The use of tools normally applied to non-computing objects can be used with Microsoft Surface. Paintbrushes, normally reserved for the use on a canvas, can be used on Microsoft's revolutionary computing system. As can basically...well anything really. It doesn't stop there though, Microsoft predicts that in the near future, its use can extend from comparing mobile phones, where placing mobile phones onto the surface (hence its name) will bring up a comparison of the features of the mobile phone, to planning your day trip, to viewing and organising photos. Its pretty damn amazing really.
Three cheers for the future.
And till later.
N00bs on the Net
Ah yes, "n00b". Forgive my rather immature title, but it is the perfect word in reference to popular internet culture terminology to describe someone whose technological and computer-based knowledge is vastly inferior to my own. I consider myself to know a fair deal about quite a number of aspects of computers, such as hardware, software and a tiny bit about programming in C, which i consider in comparison to other people to be quite exhaustive. I'm in touch with the "scene" and you could classify me as a hardcore gamer, although i only play a bit of Fifa 2005 every now and again. It is therefore no suprise that the use of limewire and bittorent, Emule, Usenet, ftp and rapidshare as a means to "obtain" are second-nature to me.
Remarkably however, many people are hopeless when it comes to computers.
Take for instance the use of limewire and bittorent. To people remotely familiar with the internet, you would be expected to know what bittorent is. Perhaps not exactly how it works, but at the very least its purpose in your internet experience.
People i know haven't even heard of bittorent.
Which is quite suprising, especially considering that these people have come to grasps with the revolutionaries of the "Web 2.0" uprising, such as youtube, myspace, google and WoW. Of course, they barely know how it works, and this puts not only myself, but a whole host of people at a significant advantage.
They are very, very gullible. And vulnerable.
People i know try to argue their point that the knowledge which i posses is useless, others try to put me down saying that they either know more than me, or that i do not know as much as i actually do about computers and the IT field in general. "You're not good with computers" sticks in my memory, a comment from someone overhearing us as i try to explain to someone, with similar grasps of the technological world as myself, about new technology beyond the horizon. Sometimes they feel intimidated, often becoming extremely skeptical and suspicious whenever i ask information referring to their computers, internet or what they use in terms of technology, with the instant reply, "What? Why do you want to know?". It always humors me in some ways, but annoys me in others. However, i know that they are always at a significant risk, i always will have the upper hand over them.
How? Exploits. Although arguably well known to many people when made public,out of a year group of 70-90 per year, i believe that only 2-3 out of that 70-90 will have actually encountered that term and even fewer would understand the full extent of it. To many, their response will be, "whats an exploit?".
Ha. Noobs.
What people do not understand is that exploits for myspace exists. Exploits for msn and other tools which they use to communicate exists, and are so available i am certain that they could obtain the knowledge and tools to which to utilise these instruments. And yet they are oblivious to it all.
Pitiful in some ways, but humorous in others.
Remarkably however, many people are hopeless when it comes to computers.
Take for instance the use of limewire and bittorent. To people remotely familiar with the internet, you would be expected to know what bittorent is. Perhaps not exactly how it works, but at the very least its purpose in your internet experience.
People i know haven't even heard of bittorent.
Which is quite suprising, especially considering that these people have come to grasps with the revolutionaries of the "Web 2.0" uprising, such as youtube, myspace, google and WoW. Of course, they barely know how it works, and this puts not only myself, but a whole host of people at a significant advantage.
They are very, very gullible. And vulnerable.
People i know try to argue their point that the knowledge which i posses is useless, others try to put me down saying that they either know more than me, or that i do not know as much as i actually do about computers and the IT field in general. "You're not good with computers" sticks in my memory, a comment from someone overhearing us as i try to explain to someone, with similar grasps of the technological world as myself, about new technology beyond the horizon. Sometimes they feel intimidated, often becoming extremely skeptical and suspicious whenever i ask information referring to their computers, internet or what they use in terms of technology, with the instant reply, "What? Why do you want to know?". It always humors me in some ways, but annoys me in others. However, i know that they are always at a significant risk, i always will have the upper hand over them.
How? Exploits. Although arguably well known to many people when made public,out of a year group of 70-90 per year, i believe that only 2-3 out of that 70-90 will have actually encountered that term and even fewer would understand the full extent of it. To many, their response will be, "whats an exploit?".
Ha. Noobs.
What people do not understand is that exploits for myspace exists. Exploits for msn and other tools which they use to communicate exists, and are so available i am certain that they could obtain the knowledge and tools to which to utilise these instruments. And yet they are oblivious to it all.
Pitiful in some ways, but humorous in others.
Friday, May 25, 2007
Alea Iacta Est
As always, the first impression is always the lasting one. Welcome to my blog, my little piece of the web where i can post articles, opinions and interesting events, and share them with all you good folks.
Although i haven't kept up-to-date in security and how the scene's going in a long time, i suppose i'll update my knowledge in the coming weeks and post a couple of articles on it. Its quite interesting, and often i find this knowledge quite useful. Since you've stumbled into my little space, i suppose a peek into the treasure trove is the least i could do.
Well, till later.
Ave atque vale
Although i haven't kept up-to-date in security and how the scene's going in a long time, i suppose i'll update my knowledge in the coming weeks and post a couple of articles on it. Its quite interesting, and often i find this knowledge quite useful. Since you've stumbled into my little space, i suppose a peek into the treasure trove is the least i could do.
Well, till later.
Ave atque vale
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