A Clockwork Orange
So I’m trying to figure out how to review A Clockwork Orange. And I don’t know if I can. It’s certainly a remarkable film, and I use that adjective deliberately. I want to make remarks about it. I want to talk about it with others who’ve seen it. Because it’s an intensely visual film that […]
Wikify Your Text — Wiki To HTML
This one’s very geeky. I’ve written a Python script, Wikify, that will convert Wiki formatting into HTML. I actually wrote it many months ago, but only recently have I tested it enough that I feel it’s ready for public consumption. It’s only 116 lines of code, but it works very well now. You can find […]
Tame multiple mailboxes with OpenInbox
One problem with modern websites: the dependence on email. Every site wants your email address, and send you email to verify your account, and email you occasional notices. But some of these sites give out your address to other, less…useful sites. Moreover, it’s hard to keep track of all those emails. Enter OpenInbox. When you […]
Geoff Smith, Geek Musician
I first heard of Geoff Smith on TWiT Live, through his fan song I’m a Twit. It was a fun homage to the show, so I checked out his music. The man’s composed quite a few tech-oriented songs, and he has the distinct advantage of being both a good singer and a good songwriter. His songs are catchy, entertaining, light, and easy to listen to. And most of his songs have a tech angle, from the anti-RIAA […]
twhirl: Twitter and FriendFeed On Your Desktop
If you use the Twitter or FriendFeed services, you know that one of the most difficult things about them is remembering to check the respective websites for updates. They’re all great, as long as you remember to check them. twhirl is the answer. It’s a little application that sits on your desktop and displays your […]
Listen To Music You’ll Like With Last.fm
I’ve been hearing about Last.fm for months now, but I haven’t tried it. It’s a website—like Pandora—where you list a few of your favorite artists, and the site plays music that sounds similar. It catalogues music by what it sounds like, basically, then streams music that matches the music you like. But now I hear […]
I Turn My Back on ICQ
My first encounter with IM was through ICQ. Over 10 years ago, the folks I chatted with on IRC encouraged me to try ICQ, and since then I’ve almost always had an IM client of some kind open. I’ve since expanded to AIM, MSN Messenger, Yahoo! Messenger, Google Talk. But I kept an ICQ account […]
Test Your ISP’s Nefarious Internet Blocking with Switzerland
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) have recently been cracking down on various kinds of internet traffic. Some is understandable; others interfere with legitimate uses of the ‘net. Worse, ISPs often do this without telling anyone. Well, the Electronic Frontier Foundation is striking back: they recently released Switzerland, a tool that will test your internet connection to […]
Free Podcasting: How I Publish a Podcast Without Paying a Cent (Almost)
I’ll be giving a short presentation on my Otaku, No Video podcast today. The presentation’s called “Free Podcasting: How I Publish a Podcast Without Paying a Cent (Almost).” It covers the software I use to publish the podcast, and our publication process. You can view the presentation online, thanks to SlideRocket, an awesome online PowerPoint competitor.
Smart Computer Security – an eBook
I’ve noticed that a lot of folks online don’t take security very seriously. They use weak passwords (123456, their name, etc.), they use the same password everywhere, they don’t change their passwords, they turn off their virus scanner; every security violation you can think of. And I can understand that. It’s annoying and time-consuming. Besides, […]