ConfusinglyGood.com

Site Changes

2010-02-19 01:19:24

I started this website for a couple of reasons: the first reason was to get better at web design. I wanted to make a site that was professional and cool and looked great. I don't think I really hit any of those marks, but I learned a LOT along the way. I learned some htaccess stuff so I can have clean urls. I learned how to make a tag cloud. I learned a lot of javascript and started messing around with Mootools. I made a navigation system, an RSS feed, a little beta tag. The site has always been a work in progress, and sort of an ugly one at that.

Well I plan to change all of that. I've already begun behind the scenes work. I've restructured some of the site to be easier to work with. I finally made my meta tags relevant to the posts (it was so easy and I just never did it). And I fixed a few broken things.

So now comes the hard part: redesign. Most of the code and structure is good, I know that. I just have to make it look good. And then start writing again, and then maybe I'll get some hits. This is the next phase of confusinglygood.com. I'd like to say I'm super psyched but honestly, it'll be a lot of work and right now I've not the time. But me being me, that's not going to stop this, so get ready for ConfusinglyGood 2.0.....

Why Is Windows 7 Better Than Vista?

2010-01-31 21:48:09

Now most people will see the title of this article and think it's a lead-in, as in, "I'll tell you why!" But it's not. I honestly want to know: what makes people like 7 when they hated Vista.
Lemme get this straight first: I wasn't a huge fan of Vista when I first used it. It had some things I liked, some things I didn't, and nothing was revolutionary about it. It sorta felt like Microsoft said, "Well, it's been a good long while, better release SOMETHING". The something they released? Basically a prettier Windows XP.....

Away We Go: A Review

2009-10-30 23:27:43

When I first saw the trailer for Away We Go, I thought, "This movie's trying too hard.". It had John Krasinski, and the last movie I saw (well, advertised anyway) that had him was Leatherheads, which looked, well, not great. And although I love Krasinski on The Office, it was this that made me wonder - would I be able to see a difference? Would a movie with John Krasinski just be a movie with Jim using a different name? And now that he's famous, will it be a good movie regardless of cast, or one that is simply riding his coattails?
But on top of that, was Away any good? It looked like an indie film; it looked like it really wanted to look like one. Which is not a good thing, I thought - but then what does an indie film look like? Like a film that wants to be more mainstream but fails, instead looking malnourished, not getting it's fill of vitamin D-isaster or E-xplosive?....

Do Music Genres Exist?

2009-07-29 10:02:56

I've had a few people now tell me that indie rock doesn't exist. And that alternative rock doesn't exist. And that music genres don't exist, and that you can't label art. This is bullshit.
Of course you can label art - it's how one distinguishes between different types of art. It's categorizing, not passing judgment, which I think is where people get hung up. I have folders on my computer - television, music, games, etc. The files inside are no different for being labeled - just easier to find. The same with musical genres.
I don't believe you have to be an independent artist to be indie, although most indie artists start out this way, releasing home-made recordings, not tied to any mainstream label. But to define an artist based on their means of distribution or recording is asinine. If Green Day dropped from their label and went independent, I would still consider them pop-punk more than anything else.
But indie rock definitely has a different sound - not as heavy as the alternative rock of the 90's, but not as poppy as the pop music of, well, any era. I don't see what the issue with labeling music or art is, and I don't see why 'indie rock' can't exist, as some say. It does exist, and so does alternative, and emo (although probably not in the way people think). But I defend indie rock - it's real, and I listen to it.....

Ubuntu: What Was I Afraid Of?

2009-07-22 10:45:54

I've always used Windows. It came with every computer my family bought, and was all I have ever really known. We used macs in school, but in cases such as those you have so little control anyway, it makes no difference what you use. I had always known of Linux, the free operating system that network admins and Real Nerds used. But I was always afraid of trying to use it - I don't think I'd ever actually seen Linux in action, and I was under the impression that it would take a few years of training to come to grips with it. Well, I recently put together a media server, and decided I'd take the plunge with Ubuntu, and I'm here to say: we have nothing to fear but fear itself (and Microsoft).....

Photoshop Vs GIMPshop

2009-06-23 15:54:11

I've been using photoshop for a few years now, and I really love it. I find it easy to use, and it's the defacto web design software available. But some years ago I heard about the Gimp, which is a completely free, open source graphic design package which, while it doesn't claim to be a photoshop clone, a cheap replacement for everyone's favorite photo editing software is what it's most often used for, and what I use it for whenever I decide I'd like to try something a little more on the OSS side.
Well, there are a number of differences between PS and Gimp, mostly in it's presentation within Windows. GIMPshop, a derivative of Gimp, sets to change that. Does it succeed? Find out my thoughts below.....

How To Spot a Scam On Craigslist

2009-05-28 02:27:12

Now, I know most people are thinking, "How to spot a scam? On Craigslist? This isn't 1995, you know. I'm hep to the whole, Nigerian Prince thing. I barely sent him any money last time!"
I thought myself pretty good at spotting scams, and really, haven't been taken in by anyone, but in my quest for a new job I've found that there is a lot of freaking crap on craigslist. I believe a real job can be found there (my last job was found there as well as a a few interviews recently), but in my desperation I've started replying to ads that look almost legit; they aren't "OMG TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE", and seem like, well, it could be a real posting. Most aren't. I don't think it's too big of a deal - my resume is out there on a few job boards, what more are they getting from me? But it gets annoying. So here are a few techniques I've been using to detect the scams.....

Mad Wii Haxx

2009-05-26 13:44:44

I've been messing around with soft modding my Wii for a few months now. Wii hacking has really gotten great this year. You can play homebrew games, or 'backups' or games you own, along with Virtual Console and WiiWare titles you for some reason bought and then backed-up. I love the homebrew community; it's always 'against pirating' but makes pirating so very accessible. But, it is legal to backup a movie, cd, or game you own and use it, so there's not much to be done.

Anyway, I love my Wii now. I've owned one since just after launch, and while there are some great games on the system, we're in it's third year and it's the same old song and dance: Great first party titles released sporadically.....

When I Get A Job...

2009-05-26 02:54:08

It seems like I never buy the things I need (i rather, really really want) when I have the chance. Being out of work makes it oh-so-apparent that I just never spent my money very wisely. That's not to say I don't enjoy what I've bought, or that what I bought wasn't worth what I paid; most of it I do enjoy and is very much worth the purchase (and those that know me well, know that I probably got these things for very cheap or sometimes free).

But, now that I'm out of work I find myself once again saying, nearly every day, "I'll buy this when I get a job", or, "That's at the top of my list of things to buy". So, I thought I'd compile a short list here, mostly so I don't forget what I need to buy when I actually can.....

Life Update

2009-03-24 15:20:34

So, things have gotten a little better. Of course they aren't great, but I'm working on that.
The lame part time job I had at a call-center was shut down last week, which was great because I didn't have to quit and I wasn't fired. It MIGHT be back April 06, but I in the meantime had a job interview with United Health Care (actually, two interviews), and I think I got the job. It's full time, has benifits, good pay, holidays and weekends off. Too bad the work will suck (more working in a call center - but not selling things, which is nice!).
I think my toe has healed. It still sort of hurts but not nearly as bad. Yep, that's about it for toe-talk...
Other exciting things, lets see... I spent a ton of money on movies (again). Went over my limit (personal spending limit on HD movies - less than $10) for some but I think it was worth it. I'll post a full list after the break.
Also, I updated my RSS feed so it actually WORKS - somehow I had not noticed that when you clicked on a feed, it didn't bring up the page.
I am at the moment trying to learn C# so I can learn the XNA Framework and make a video game or two. The language itself isn't too bad; since I know some PHP and Javascript, it's pretty easy to pick up things like arrays and if thens. What IS hard is OOP (Object Oriented Programming): I've never been able to understand it well for some reason. I am trying harder this time though and can definitely see where it'll be beneficial for game design.

Well, that's it.....

Nothing Left To Say

2009-03-02 10:27:02

So here I am, working but not working. I am sitting at my desk in this call center, waiting for a call, hoping one doesn't come, but at the same time so bored out of my mind I really wouldn't mind the interruption. I hate this. Why does life take these bad turns? I've never known it not to. Is it just me? Or is this life for everyone?....

Meebo - Useful and Classy

2009-02-24 14:16:34

I used to IM a lot more than I do now. Something about it became difficult as I grew up. I don't spend as much time at the computer. I have other things going on in life, and it's just hard to spend a few hours chatting with my friends. Well, and I guess I just haven't set up Pidgin to open when Windows loads, and I usually forget to open it.
But lately I've been really wishing more of my friends were online during the day. At work, I get extremely bored - so bored, in fact, that I am sitting I writing a blog. But when I'm at work, I usually open up Meebo.com - an all-in-one IM website that's easy to use and really neat to look at. It has google talk, yahoo, aim, msn, and just about any other IM app supported, letting me see all of my contacts and talk to them whenever they are online, just like Pidgin - but unlike Pidgin, I can access it at work, the library, or anywhere with an internet connection but where I don't have my personal computer.

Now if only my friends were using it, I'd have someone to chat with.....

I Talk Fast - Get Over It

2009-02-20 17:34:32

At my really annoying new job, I work in a call-center and talk on the phone. My boss has told me to slow down when I speak - well, and so have a lot of people actually, all my life. And I understand, I talk fast. But it's who I am and it's pretty annoying to have to change that. I'm sorry you can't keep up with me. You know what I'd like? If people would speak faster. Cut to the chase. I hate talking to people because they talk slowly, and drag everything out. Nothing else to really say about this I guess.

In other news I took a typing test yesterday and I type about 60 WPM (55 Corrected), which is a lot over what I expected. I don't type very properly, and just spend a lot of time on the computer. I guess it's paid off. Although I know it's nothing like the 80 and 120 I've heard about - but at least I have a goal. (Wow what a crappy goal...)....

How The Internet Works

2009-02-13 02:41:07

It is at this moment I see how the internet works.
Whenever I have a thought, or an idea, or a question, and I go to the internet for guidance, it is both a blessing and a curse. A blessing because I can probably find the answer or information I'm looking for. A curse because I have to sometimes look so damn hard.
And I don't look for much, really. But it's the people of the internet that really bother me.
Lately, I've been somewhat interested in pseudo-sciences such as homeopathy. Interested, as in, "prove it to me". It seems whenever I see a pro-pseudo-science article, it is on some website that is so obviously biased and slanted towards the subject that it loses all credibility from the get-go. And then upon reading, I see that it's mostly a lot of hyperbole, flowery language and not a lot of facts. You know, those annoying little things that make things believable. That allow claims to stand up to heavy scrutiny.
[Continued below] ....

Why Do Things Get Delicioused?

2009-02-11 11:36:58

When I read something I want it to make sense. I really don't think that's too much to ask. Depending on the medium, I give out more or less slack to the writer, but for the most part, if something doesn't make sense I don't read it. Wall-o-Text? Don't read it. No punctuation? Don't read it. Links to tons of other sites? Well I usually click one of those links and end up getting so distracted I don't read the article I began with... but that's more of a fault of my own.
My point is that writing needs to make sense: its main purpose is communication, whether that be for entertainment, information, or just plain discussion.....

When Features Aren't Features

2009-02-09 16:00:06

Everyone loves a bullet point. Marketing especially. Showing a prospective customer advantages of a product quickly is the name of the game in advertising. But it seems more and more what should be standard in our products are touted as extra features.
My PC at work is a prime example. The computer I've had set up for me is an HP Pavilion Slimline s3700f. On one side is the sticker that came on the computer that shows off its features: warranty, card reader, optical media drive bay (which I still can't figure out why it wasn't written as 'dvd drive'... perhaps it sounds more hi-tech the other way.)
But I noticed as my eyes glazed over while the call center here died down, that one of the features is 'Power Button'. Yes the one thing every computer probably has, the one thing every computer needs is a power button. (I believe Dell tried 'convenient paperclip powerup device', but most people don't like opening their case and touching their motherboard pins with a piece of metal).

So, this is a feature? I mean I guess one could argue that it's showing how great the power button is: OMG it's on TOP! No longer do you have to reach inches to the button at the bottom of your computer.
Now, as for how it actually WORKS as a feature, it doesn't, at least no better than any other power button. I figured it out in a couple seconds, but I of course looked at the bottom right of the tower to find the button first. Moving it up makes no difference to me except a (very very) slight learning curve. So to use this as a marketing tool is pointless... I can't imagine a time I have looked at a case and thought WOW the buttons on this are placed in such weird places, cool!

But then I guess I'm not the target demo :P....

Why I Won't Be Upgrading to a Nintendo DSi

2009-01-27 13:10:31

Well, I'm hoping I won't be upgrading, but knowing me I'll pick one up the week it's released in the US. But I do have my reservations about the upgrade, and for those that are interested, you can find out more after the break.

People Need To Understand Widescreen Better

2009-01-26 01:27:10

This is a subject that has been near and dear to my heart for many a year: widescreen aspect ratios.
I was recently reading an 'article' at Toms Hardware titled "16:9 Screens Popular, But Movies Go Wider". This article, if one were to call it that, is chock full of grammatical errors, and, well, I can sum it up in one sentence: "Widescreen monitors (or tvs) are cheaper to produce, and thus cheaper to buy, but some movies are not the same aspect ratio as the standard widescreen monitor or tv."
Now, it is sorta neat to read about why they are cheaper to produce (manufacturer's being able to cut more panels from these 16:9 and 16:10 sizes than a standard 4:3 size), but the article really got me with this:

However, the trend is changing again, as most movies coming out now are produced in even wider format than 16:9. So even now 16:9 displays are becoming an issue for most users who are into serious home theater setups.

The trend is not changing again, and I'll tell you why, after the break.....

How Vista Changed My Mind

2009-01-23 07:03:51

Now I have for a long while been very against Windows Vista: it seemed like an unnecessary, fancy-looking power hog. I have used Windows XP for many a year, and although been frustrated with it at times, it always seemed to be fairly rock-solid. I had no desire to upgrade to an OS that seemed mostly bells & whistles.

And then I did. And I realized, it's not bad.....

Witch Hunter Robin: A Review

2009-01-22 02:12:07

I have always heard good things about Witch Hunter Robin. Reviews all say great things. And it seemed interesting: an anime about hunting witches? Sounds good. Alas, it is not good.