The Chirstmas Gift Inventory

So I was wondering what I should blog about on this eve of the new year, and I thought what better thing to rant on than my holiday loot gained from various family and friends? I'm a terrible person to buy for (so I'm told, and I believe them), and thus most of the gifts I receive are usually complete hit-or-miss things, but this year was surprisingly good.

I got a brand-new Lands End terrycloth bathrobe, which was a lovely gift from my mother to replace the old one I'd been given about six years ago which has gotten ragged and noticeably short on me compared to my high school sophomore days. I also received a lovely "reading blanket" that's extra-soft and goes great with my new hangout area in the basement. From my aunt and uncle I got a wonderful pair of black deerskin gloves with down lining inside that are incredibly warm and snazzy, as well as my favorite gift of all: an antique cast-iron clock reproduction that fits my personality so well I can't begin to describe how touched I was when I tore off that wrapping paper!

A few misses (though good efforts) were a netbook case for my new Samsung N510 that was a bit too small and a Do-it-yourself manual that I believe my relatives purchased in bulk to save money. Don't get me wrong, once I get the right size netbook case that one will be a hit, but since every other male over 16 in my family received one of those manuals, I'm thinking "personal touch" wasn't in their thoughts when they gave it to me.

All in all, a good year I think. Good enough to count for my final gift set of the first decade of the new millennium at least.

Blu Ray Vs. DVD: is it time to switch?

With the emergence of the Blu Ray disk, which is currently being pushed heavily by Disney and Sony alike, many people are heading towards an inevitable idealistic decision of whether or not to switch from DVD-based video technology to the latest tech that allegedly has better sound and video quality. But is it worth it to switch, and for what reasons?

In my case, I still have DVD's and likely will not switch to Blu Ray technology, but it's not simply because I'm a poor college student who can't afford to purchase both a new video player system as well as replace my movie collection (though price is a small factor, no doubt).

But let's face the facts here: the TV in my room is an ancient 32" Zenith that has no HD capability to speak of, and the largest TV in my house is an off-brand 37" TV that's not quite as old, but only has S-Video ports and nothing else. Blu ray is a little pointless. No point in upgrading to better video playing technology until I have better video display technology to match it.

But again (for everyone else that's not me, why bother) DVD technology was the drastic improvement from VHS tapes, going up in quality and performance for both sound and video. But then that was during the age where television was still king, and the fledgling internet media market was virtually nonexistent. It was easy to see what appeal a media library transformation to DVD would have on the average consumer when the center of his or her world-connectivity was a massive, landlocked glowing machine. Today however with the internet and the surge in portable computers and cell phones all with the power to bring high-definition movies and television series at the click of a finger, television just isn't as crucially-important to society as it once was. Convenience coupled with digital video makes the computer web browser more important than a home entertainment system, and that in turn has diminished the interest in home-based media such as Blu Ray technology. At best the TV is used as a background noise-producer, or to act as a substitute for another presence in the room; the computer is the new baby of the family, and thus the new favorite.

And in all honesty, if you don't have a TV at least 42" or larger it wouldn't even be worth it to go through the physical and financial strain of upgrading. A Consumer Reports Study found that most people sit at least 6' away from the TV when watching, and comparing that distance ratio to that of 32" or 22" screen size demonstrates no real obvious difference in clarity and quality. Even with new HDTV's of either the Plasma, LED or LCD variety, the 720p and 1080p sets or their equivilants would make no difference to a Blu Ray player or DVD of an average-sized TV (42" or smaller). It's just not big enough to make the details matter, so why bother paying all that extra money?

Stick with what works, in my opinion. Wait for the virtual holograms beamed directly into your brain. I'm sure there'll be an app for that soon enough.

Some more Pictures

Hey guys, here's some more pics of me checking out second life. Yep, I'm here on the raft, chillin'.

Some SL Screenshots

So I was in SL again today looking around at a lot of different places for the first time, and here's what I had there.

The Start of Winter Quater, and my first experience with Second Life

Alright, so to inform those otherwise curious minds, this past week was the start of yet another quarter at RIT: Winter 2009-2010. In combination with an online class and an independent study, both of which are class types I've never tried before, I'm also taking a Business Strategy class and a Digital Business class entitled "Commercializing New Worlds." My professor Raj Murthy brought up the instructor Niel Hair and his courses before, which put the "bug in my ear" as my family is fond of saying about the class itself. I am a polymath of interests (technological developments included), and so another course dealing with the new advancements in the digital age was right up my alley. Dr. Neil Hair, or just "Neil" as he says we can call him seems to come across as highly-energized ball of charisma with a sly and painfully-honest dry sense of humor that loves to strike out whenever he feels the conversation is getting too settled. He seems to have high praise for his own talents but at the same time is free to recognize and acknowledge his faults, giving him a sense of credibility. Class lectures at least promise to be interesting, to say the least.

So far, it seems to me that the entire course is structured around a digital world called "Second Life," similar to an MMORPG (Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game) such as World of Warcraft. Second Life however is meant to be more than simply a game, but literally a "second life" to engage in over the internet, complete with dating, conferences, and even making it possible to engage in actual business within the game to make money. Inside the game, it's possible to build primitive objects and set up "islands" encombasing an entire organization's digitally-brick-and-mortar facilities, meant to be explored using the customized "avatars" or digital "self" projections.

However as of now, I'm not impressed.

Second Life is far too advanced and complicated to be "enjoyed" as a typical game with a similar platform, or at least unsofar as the general public is concerned. As truthfully there is no real object or purpose to the game itself, the idea that you can "do anything" is more than a bit overwhelming and creates a sense of unease and uncertainty about how the user is supposed to find entertainment, becoming more of a bane than a boon. Even the avatar creation program, or the process by which a user is supposed to design their own digital representation for the game is tedious and one might even say painful. The fact that anyone can design multiple varieties of objects from cars to houses to furniture is a daunting process, needing the specific size and point-by-point parameters necessary for making three-dementional objects from scratch, even with a system built for such designs. Our class visited the "sand box" where item and object creation can be done without restriction, and the entire process had so many variables and options that it was impossible for anyone without a solid level of training in basic graphic design to take advantage of the system.

I myself barely managed to get my avatar to a form that I liked, and even then I was forced to settle on a lot of points due to system crashes and resolution issues. Though I did design my avatar with a musical instrument and casual clothing because that's how I feel most comfortable, and I enjoyed how I was granted the ability (however difficult it was to actually carry out) to make my character look however I wanted right from the beginning.

More often than not, it's been my experience that while users want a game system to meet their demands, they do not want to have the nuts-and-bolts of creating the basic system to be left to them. The initial limits, and then the gradual expansion of exactly where said boundaries lie as one progresses through the game are what makes for fun and entertainment. Being given a blank canvas is nice, but most people don't like to draw.

Of course having said that the potentials for the purposes of the course are pretty amazing, at least from a business perspective. Market Research capabilities are incredible, as one could use the item and environmental creation aspects of Second Life to develop new products and services and then test them in a limited digital environment with real "people" for hardly any cost at all. Because the game itself is so complicated (much like real life), those things that the majority of users cannot do or create for themselves such as avatar upgrades and item creation can be satisfied by those who can (for a small fee of course). So on par with the course expectations, Second Life is a good example of digital business in motion.

Even if it's not a great game.

The Passing of a Legend.

So this isn't really a part of what I wanted to do for a blog post, but at the same time it came to my attention that something had happened way back in May that went largely unnoticed by the general public, and is a great loss for many of us that have enjoyed a particular cultural icon since the 70's.

I'm not sure how many of you know this, but on May 18th 2009 Wayne Allwine, the man that played the voice for Disney's Mickey Mouse in every video game, T.V Show, commercial, advertisement, and move, passed away. A sad day for the world, folks. Apparently it was due to diabetes-related afflictions, which is something he was struggling with for many years. His final role portraying the voice of Mickey was done for the Fall 2009 release of the latest Kingdom Hearts game, Kingdom Hearts 358 Days/2. The game was dedicated to his memory.

Remember him, everyone. Honor the man that made the modern soul of Mickey Mouse.

Dead Writing Day

Alright so I'm not sure what I should put here other than a few little interesting tidbits that I've come across in the last week and a half or so of reading, TV-watching, and just simple discussion among friends.

For Example:

-The traditional "flat hat" worn in almost all commencement ceremonies for universities and high schools was coined by the College of William and Mary, and more specifically, but the "Flat Hat Club" of which Thomas Jefferson was one of the founding members.

-The now-common "three-camera" technique to show various points of veiw on television sitcoms was first made famous (not pioneered; its important to understand the difference) by Desi Arnaz, or as he is more popularly know "Ricky Ricardo" from I Love Lucy.

Something to think about folks!

Initiation

Well this was supposed to be a blog made simply for my Internet Marketing class's requirements, but I thought I could take the oppertunity to make it a way for me to indirectly "publish" some of my own fan-fiction works here online. I enjoy writing but often don't have the oppertunity to do so in a way that's satisfying, so maybe this will be a way around that. Followers can expect me to try and keep my posts/story updates going at least every week or so, provided I'm inspired enough to continue on with the story. "Dead Writing Days" may appear from time to time as I find myself unable to write anything more, but they'll be filled with tidbits and such to keep everyone entertained for the short-term. Otherwise, check back for updates and enjoy!