Holy Crap.

Posted on June 29, 2006

Om Malik has been hinting at it for half a year. I’ve been asking for it ever since I switched to Mac. But Yahoo has finally done it. They updated their messenger client for Mac. This is something that hasn’t been done since OSX’s introduction (and even then it was just a refresh to the code to make it run outside of the Classic environment, and a few new, but dated, features.) You Windows folk have been getting updates left and right since 2003, but us no.

So what’s new in it? Well, a Universal Binary for one. That’s a welcome feature. A brand new GUI. I should add though, it’s not very pretty. Both MSN Messenger, and the new Yahoo Messenger have tried to copy iChat’s style, but both lack the smoothness, as seen in the contact list window here and the message window toolbar here. Why does every icon need to be huge? But I digress. Also new is Avatars. I don’t know what the hell that is, but I do know that it’s something that hasn’t work for Mac since they introduced it. I don’t know if they fixed that now, since their touting it, but I don’t care that much to find out. (Update: It does work. I got as far as checking to see if it works on a Mac, and then I closed the tab, ‘cuz I’m not the sort to play with virtual paper dolls.) I haven’t been able to try the cam2cam abilities yet, to see if it’s improved any since the old version, but I should certainly hope so. Doing a quick self check shows that it’s still QVGA (320×240) but the image quality is greatly improved. However, it still has a sucky framerate (averaging 3 frames per second, i.e., very noticeably jerky. Other new features I hope for but haven’t found/tested yet: I hope they have improved file transfer by now so it doesn’t fail 90 percent of the time.

Also, I just noticed built-in (or through some magic hoodoo) Growl Support. That’s pretty sweet. Also, the ability to set the current iTunes track as your status message is new too.

What’s missing: Two big ones. First, the ability to save or log conversations. I know the Windows version can do this (can’t it? I remember it doing that.) In the previous Mac version, there was a grayed out option for message logs, meaning they put it in the menu but didn’t put it in the program. In the new version, the app creates a folder for logged conversations, but in the app itself shows no such function.

The other huge missing thing is chat. Yahoo chat, when it ran in the browser through Java, never worked on the Mac. There were third party apps such as Chit Chat X that were able to connect via the Java site, but earlier this year, Yahoo shut the Java access, meaning you could access through the messenger only. Meaning that they had essentially shut out Mac users from accessing chats. Adium has limited Yahoo Chat support, but, quite frankly, it sucks. Don’t get me wrong, Adium fully rocks as a multi-platform client, but it lacks in a lot of platform-specific features, due to it’s LibGAIM limitations. I for one would enjoy if Yahoo added Chat to the Mac client.

The messenger froze up for a minute when I first started it as it loaded the privacy statement, and it crashed once when I was trying to adjust the toolbar. However, they finally got rid of that horrible zzzzing sound when you get a message, and you have the ability to shut off BUZZ!s all together. I fucking hate people who BUZZ! you. That’s about as self-centered and asshole-ish as one can get.

The new Messenger is still in beta (though isn’t everything these days?) so maybe my little gripes will work themselves out when it comes as a proper release. Also, DB, of the world famous White Roof Radio podcast, would like to add his mini review of the new Windows beta Messenger:

It.

Won’t.

Install.

Thanks DB.

As a completely unrelated sidenote, over in the sidebar there, I’ve got little updates on my moving status. Yes, I’m moving in a few weeks, I’ll keep you updated on that. Via the moving update. And posts. Just thought you might be interested.

That is all. Go forth my children.

My desk

Posted on June 28, 2006

Since Josue recently posted his desk I thought it might be neat to post mine. Included in there: Stella, my 17″ iMac w/ Intel Core Duo, 1.5 Gb of RAM, and a wireless bluetooth keyboard; Marguerite, my iBook G4 with 640 Mb of RAM; a RAZR phone; two external hard drives totalling 330 Gb of storage; a stack of blank CDs and DVDs; an M-Audio USB MIDI keyboard; and a small bookshelf on such topics as Unix, PHP, HTML, CSS, GarageBand, and middle eastern history. Of course, this will all change in a month when I’ve moved. Maybe I’ll do another one then. Who knows.

Single of the Week

Posted on June 27, 2006

Two more singles this week. First, Rinôçerôse’s (yeah, that was a bitch to type out) “Dead Flowers“, a punchy disco punk track from a bunch of French dudes.

Secondly, from jazz bassist (and Jack Black father-in-law, and father of Decemberists hottie Petra Haden) Charlie Haden, a cover of the Bowie song “This is Not America“. But instead of doing it in that tripped out semi-electronic sound of ’80’s Bowie, Haden has reworked the tune as a reggae-tinged jazz song. The whole album is worth the buy; I’ve been looking all over for it and may have to resort to Amazon to get it.

Anyway, songs in iTunes as always. Definitely worth the download that.

Stuff

Posted on June 26, 2006

As Paul pointed out in the comments, there’s some reorganizing. Marinating is now gone, integrated into this site. I’m doing the opposite of diversifying, so now the odd food stuff will be here now. Coming soon expect reviews of the chicken gravy bowl from KFC and that breakfast hella burrito from McDonald’s, as well as probably some weird crap that I find at the store and can’t stomach to eat. Additionally, I decided to finally shut down Robot Shuffle for good. So there’s nothing there right now. Anybody got any ideas for what I should do with the domain? Gallery? Forum? Community site?

So for now, the only sites I’ve got goin’ are this one and BadBlogs. That is all.

WTF does NS Stand For Again?

Posted on June 25, 2006

I was running console trying to figure out what was causing a problem with printing at work (it didn’t help; I gave up) when I noticed that Mail.app (I know I know I’ve already seen the heated debates about whether that name is appropriate and I don’t care) was spitting out every time I opened a window:

2006-06-25 10:54:52.565 Mail[232] Bwahaha! I am a NeuteredExpandingSplitView, and I shall always be vertical!

I am guessing this has something to do with Letterbox, which converts Mail into a proper widescreen email client (c’mon Apple, just do it already), but when people put in proper little easter eggs like that and I find them, that’s the sort of thing that makes me giddy like a little school girl.

(And NS stands for NextStep, OSX’s less evolved monkey grandfather. As a loving tribute, Objective-C uses NS at the beginning of library classes.)

Guest Column: I’m Feeling a Bit Glum Today

Posted on June 22, 2006

Guest Columnist Erasmus Ravenworth — I’ll admit, the last few days of my sorrowful life have been a bit down. Perhaps my meaningless existence has entered the absolute nadir of desolation. Perchance my job delivering pizzas for Papa John’s just does not fulfill my need for ennui.

Normally I enjoy listening to my numerous dark-wave and grind-core mp3s, but lately I haven’t been able to find solace in Cradle of Filth and Psychetronica. I could listen to down tempo electro for hours and contemplate my emptiness, but even that seems uninteresting to me.

Updating my Vampire Freaks account used to bring me joy as I read about Jeremy’s new tongue piercing, or Serenica’s review of the She Wants Revenge concert. But even .gifs of glittery ankhs seem not to help me climb out of this hole of dolor.

Perchance I should write a final poem and swallow some pills with a few cans of Red Bull? Then perhaps the world will feel the hollowness that exists within my vapid insides. And Jeremy, my manager from Papa John’s, will truly regret those things he said to me. Goodbye sweet darkness of the night.

Gooooooooooooooooooool!

Posted on June 16, 2006

I’m not gonna go full on soccer blog on ya like some people but I do have a couple notes on the World Cup.

First of all, how freakin’ cool would it be to be in Germany, getting drunk off German beer, watching these games, hitting on hot soccer fan chicks, and being the loudest, rudest American you can be? That would totally rock. And it’s in Germany, land of beers, so who’s the official beer sponsor of the World Cup? Shitty watery Budweiser. America rules!

Secondly, I just watched Serbia-Montenegro get their asses fully handed to them by Argentina. 3-0 at halftime was bad enough, but Argentina went on to score three more goals. Like 80% of soccer games in general don’t end with six goals scored, let alone by one team. Serbia, you suck! Montenegro, you’re alright.

Finally, watching the World Cup, and the Olympics too, makes me realize how much other countries’ national anthems suck compared to ours. Other countries, you suck! America, you rock!

Reports of my iPod’s Death are Premature

Posted on June 15, 2006

Last night I thought my iPod had died. No click of death, no flashing ?, nothing. The poor bastard wouldn’t power up. I thought his time had finally passed. Now, approximately 24 hours later, I have found that the way to fix a dead iPod is to bang it around trying to get the goddamn case off. Who knew?

Also, this weekend: Her Flyaway Manner is playing this weekend. And in two weeks: The Bell Rays! They’re from thereabouts where DB’s from. Ish.

Totally going to that.

Friday Random Five Again

Posted on June 9, 2006

It’s Friday again. Whooo. Party.

• Dakah Hip Hop Orchestra - “California Soul” | This is a The Dakah Hip Hop Orchestra’s cover of the Marlena Shaw classic that was used in the Italian Job. It’s a kickin’ little tune.
• Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - “Runnin’ Down a Dream” | I’ve been going through a weird phase lately where I actually like some of Tom Petty’s older, more rocking stuff. This one’s got a persistent drum beat and that doo-doo-do-do-doo-doo guitar riff that’s so cool.
• Aceyalone and RJD2 - “Supahero” | RJD2 does awesome production work and has a definite sound going with this one. The synth work alone is well worth the 99 cents for the download. And Aceyalone (”ah-Say-ahLone”) ’s smooth delivery is pretty badass.
• Mano Negra - “Sidi H’ Bibi” | From the venerable Manu Chao’s earlier group Mano Negra, he proves that he not only sings in Spanish, French, English, Euskara, and Catalan, but can do it in Arabic as well. This has a great middle eastern surf punk sound to it. Word.
• Beenie Man - “Party Hard” | Finally, Beenie Man is here to remind us who parties hard and who balls, and who loves all the shorties all thong up wantin’ to hit it up against the wall.

Zagga zagga zow. All links in iTunes as is the usual arrangement.

Friday Random Fizzle

Posted on June 2, 2006

You’re dead, let’s disco!

• Bauhaus - Bela Lugosi’s Dead | iTunes lacks some of Bauhaus’s earlier works, so instead you get a link to Ray Smuckles doing the Gothic Dance to a short clip of this song. Word!
• Seu Jorge - Hagua | Seu Jorge is a Brazilian musician-cum-actor mostly famous for his character in that Steve Zissou movie who would sing samba versions of Bowie. On his Carolina album he takes on a funky samba flavor with tinges of reggae, as evidenced in this song.
• Descendents - I’m Not a Loser | These guys basically invented the California punk sound. Yeah I know Blink and Sum 41 suck nowadays, but back then California punk was a good thing. Descendents are classic.
• Jimmie’s Chicken Shack - High | Yeah, this songs got a pretty heavy rock sound. Dig it.
• Foreigner - Feels Like the First Time | It certainly doesn’t feel like the first time this thing has ended on a Foreigner song. I wonder if iTunes does that on purpose. Like every fifth song on Party Shuffle has to be Foreigner or something. I dunno.

© Copyright jWiltshire.org • Powered by Wordpress • Using a modified version of the Detour theme created by Brian Gardner.