Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (Infocom Adventure)

Here is a blast to the past... Play the original text adventure game for 'The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy'. It's great fun, but its requires a Java-based browser to play.

To access the game go to the web site. Go to the bottom of the screen, type "851108" and press the the OK button.

If your browser supports Java, it will load within your browser. Then read the page for the basic instructions on how to play the game.

Speakwire RSS newsfeeds

Speakwire is a interesting web site that reads RSS newsfeeds to you with the PanaVox Speak Perfect Speech Technology. The voice is clear, although it has a British type accent.

To use this application, pick a newsfeed category and then pick the feed you want to listen to. Press the Start button to listen to the newsfeed.

Windows Command Line to be overhauled

Tom's Hardware Guide reports: "Orlando (FL) - The command line interface to the Windows Server OS will be changed to the new Monad Shell (MSH), in a phased implementation to take place over the next three to five years. This confirmation comes from Microsoft senior vice president Bob Muglia in an interview published today by Microsoft."

This is good and bad new for scripters, and CLI gurus. Read the article to get all the news.

I hope that you will still be able to perform more powerful system functions as they upgrade this component. I would hate to see this functionality be taken away.

The Alternative Digital Media Landscape

Blogs, Podcasts, BitTorrent and Peer-to-Peer (P2P) technologies, are taking on traditional media (such as: newspaper, radio, and TV) and at least making them pay attention to the potential of the technology. Blogs now allow the average person a forum to express their views and opinions. Podcasts allow the average person the ability to create and host their own radio show without a log of expensive hardware. BitTorrent and other P2P technologies allows the distribution of large files without the need for a central server to host and distribute them.

All these technologies empower people, and all these technologies have good and bad purposes. They empower the people by giving them an equal voice in the world of electronic publishing. They also, can and will be abused by performing tasks they were not intentionally created for.

For example, a hammer is a good demonstration of a technology that can be used for good or bad purposes. The hammer can be used to build houses, or kill if misused. P2P technologies is a great technology for distributing large files at a low cost, but it can be used to share copyrighted content as well. If the MPAA and RIAA had their way, this technology would be taken off the Internet and destroyed forever.

The problem here is just because a technology can be used for wrong, doesn't mean that the whole technology is evil. So you don't need to throw the baby out with the bath water, but this is what the RIAA and MPAA want. If they can't control how the content is used, then they don't want anyone too.

Problems with the Status Quo
Here is the problem, all of these technologies exist as separate software application that have to be installed and configured separately only to somewhat work together. Personally, I would like to have one application that does it all for me.

I also believe a lot of people miss out on these technologies because they don't understand how to install, configure, or use them. If you want something to succeed, then it has to be simple to use, non-proprietary and open so that anyone can expand it. I believe that most new consumer products fail because they use proprietary technologies, this formula doesn't work any more (maybe with the exception of the iPod).

All of these technologies could grow by leaps and bounds if they were all integrated together, because it would open them up to more people. Personally I would like to see the cable industry go obsolete, and I would like to watch and record all my audio and video content on my desktop or laptop computer.

Internet Digital Media Browser
Personally what I would like to see is a new type of digital media become available, that is solely based on existing concepts and technologies. For lack of a better name, I will call it the 'Internet Digital Media Browser' (IDMB). I envision this as an application that integrates the best of all technologies, such as: web browsing; watching, listening, and recording (time-shifting) digital media off the Internet; P2P file sharing, and an RSS reader.

Imagine only to have to launch one application to perform all these tasks. I would personally like to see IDMB, as a decentralized P2P client for hosting of audio/video media that can be watched live or recorded for later viewing. All without the need to have one organization, or company controlling the technology or the media that is available. IDMB could use a BitTorrent infrastructure, to make this live media available to everyone.

This would open up a new market for independent media producers to distribute their content. Imagine all the content that people could distribute, but have no medium to distribute it. By utilizing the P2P client file sharing abilities, these media producers will not have to pay for expensive file hosting infrastructure for people to see their content. People watching the media in the IDMB will make it available to others by sharing their bandwidth.

Although, there will still be the problem of different formats for handling all the different types of audio/video digital media that is available. There eventually will be a need for Digital Rights Management (DRM). But all these issues can be addressed by plug-in technologies.

Is the Mac Safe from Virus?

This article made me mad, "MacDailyNews has an editorial which summarizes reports from various research groups that analyzed the number of computer users affected by viruses. The conclusion was that 16 percent of all computer users are not affected by viruses because they use Macs."

There is an old joke about if builders built building the way programmers write programs the world would be destroyed by the first woodpecker that came a long. I believe the Mac platform is very vulnerable to a virus right now, mainly because Mac users believe that they're so safe. Just because you think you're safe doesn't mean you are!

I believe that someday soon, there will be a lot of unhappy Mac users when some virus writer gets around to writing something (I hope this never does happen, but it always does). Virus writers are pretty predictable, they always go after the biggest targets, and right now that's Microsoft. Once the Mac user base gets large enough, the virus writers will attack them as well.

A good example is of this is Firefox. When it was introduced it was pronounced more secure then IE. Then a few months after its release, people started finding all sorts of big gapping holes in it.

There is no such thing as a perfect security technology, and the best thing that we can do is educate users about how to protect themselves online. If people stopped practicing unsafe computer habits (such as opening email attachment, and giving out there personal) there would be a lot less infected computers in the world.

Triumph vs Star Wars Geeks (Video)

Triumph the insult comic dog takes on Star Wars geeks waiting to see Star Wars II: Attack of the Clones. In Windows video format. (This is one of the funniest things you will see on the Net.)

Russia rattles sabre over space weapons (Article)

The Register report: "Russia has warned that it will take 'adequate retaliatory measures' against any deployment of space-based weapons. Defence Minister Sergei Ivanov used a trip to the Baikonur facility in Kazakhstan - celebrating its 50th birthday - to indulge in a bit of sabre rattling against Moscow's old adversary the US."

Welcome to Star Wars v2.0 (no, I am not referring to the movie)! Do you remember all the Star Wars initiatives back in the 80s (aka 'Strategic Defense Initiative')? It is believed the Star Wars programs only existed to scare the Russians, and was fundamental in ending the Cold War. Well, I looks like Star Wars initiatives are going to be starting all over again.

Wired News: Biomass Adds to Ethanol Debate

Wired News reports: "Federal subsidies have made growing corn for ethanol a profitable venture for Corn Belt farmers while irking free-market advocates. Now, new technology for processing biomass from widely available plant and tree residue could increase Beltway bickering over ethanol funding."

With gas prices as high as they are, I have been trying to keep a close key on different alternative fuel technologies coming into style. This is one of the newest ones that I have seen.

Our petroleum fuel reserves are not going to last us forever, so the sooner we find an alternative the better. Some experts estimate our supply of petroleum fuel will only have a few decades more.

Psychic Mind Reader (Fun)

This is a Flash-based Mind Reader Game that will amaze your friends. It is pretty accurate as far as guessing correctly, I think we are all too predictable (or maybe its just me).

If you most know the answer on this mind reader works, Adrian Ziemkowski published an article entitled 'Psychic Mind Reader Demystified' that explain how the game works.

Get a GMail Account, Without an Invite

Google has updated their 'Google Accounts' page some time ago, this time with an interesting feature. When you subscribe for a Google Account, which entitles you to the use of Google Alerts, Froogle Shopping List, Google Groups, My Search History, and most of all GMail.

Now you don't have to wait to get an invite for a GMail account.

IMPS The Relentless: Chapter 1, Now Available (Video)

Several years ago a Star Wars parody video hit the Internet by storm called 'TROOPS'. It portrayed the life of Storm Troopers in a 'Cops' like parody on the desert planet where Luke Skywalker grew up.

If you have not already seen the video TROOPS (download it here), then you should watch it. This video is incredibly funny and very well done, its worth the download.

Now there is 'IMPS - The Relentless: Chapter 1', this project was formerly known as 'TROOPS 2', is now available for download. IMPS is a Star Wars fan project that has been in the making for 6 years by the people who created the original TROOPS video.

IMPS is no longer a specific parody like the TROOPS video, but is more akin to a Discovery Channel documentary of a US Navy Aircraft Carrier. The story is the life and missions of the crew aboard the Imperial Heavy Carrier the 'Relentless.'

Note: In case your wondering what IMPS stands for, its 'Imperial Military Personnel Stories'.

Attack of the Drones (Article)

We can send machines kill people or destroy just about any target we want anywhere in world without risking harm to our own people. Then we can send more machines to verify that the target was properly destroyed.

A new modern age of warfare that almost sounds like science fiction is now reality. Check out this article for more information.

Flight Training Video with Floating Dog

This is one of the funniest videos that I have seen in a little while (this video is real). Don't pay attention to the two guy in the front you have watch for the floating dog in the background.

HD Xbox Game Trailers (Video)

View Xbox 360 game trailers in high definition. Warning these files are very large.

Kiss your old SSN goodbye (Article)

Tech News on ZDNet reports: "Politicians are starting to realize that permitting data brokers like Acxiom and ChoicePoint to buy and sell your Social Security number like a raffle ticket may not be that wise after all."

Identity theft is a growing problem, and it's exacerbated in the U.S. by the evolution of the social security number - originally intended only for keeping records of government retirement accounts and not for identification - into a defacto national I.D. number. Now there are legislative movements afoot to return the SSN to its original use and prevent it from being used by other government agencies, schools and private companies to identify individuals.

Anti-Chain Letter Message (Flash)

If someone you know sends you one of those annoying chain letter messages, send them a copy of this link. It points to a flash file that will open up in their browser, that will deliver a great message to them. Hopefully, they will get the point or a clue.

Its also fun to watch if you have never seen it before. I saw this a few years ago and its still fun to watch.

Ghost in the Maze (Computer Prank)

This flash-based game looks like just about every other flash-based game out there, but it has a surprise inside.

Warning: Do not let young children play this game, unless you want to be paying their therapy bills for years to come.

Web Ransom Notes

Here is a web application that can generate 'Web ransom note' (aka Web of Letters). Its built with the Yahoo API. All you have to do is enter the text of your message, and the application builds your ransom note with images of letters found in Yahoo's search.

Visible Human Browser

View the insides of a dissected human female body (it sounds sick, but its science), but its is really interesting move through the different slices. (Note: if you have a weak stomach, you may want to avoid this site.)

Swearsaurus (Mature Content)

It seems the first thing that we all want to learn when we are learning a new language are the cuss words. For this reason, I am providing a link to the 'Swearsaurus'. Here is an excerpt from the site: "Learn how to insult, swear, cuss, and curse in 165 languages! "

All in the name of cultural diversity!

Warning: This site does contain mature content that is not appropriate for children.