Tag Archive for 'technology'

Welcome Back!

Published
by
michael lee
on 30 April 2008
in current events, geek and technology
. 2 Comments

So, apparently our RSS feed has been down for, well, nobody knows quite how long. A while, anyway. It just kept showing no new posts, and then finally, nothing at all. It’s back up and running now, thanks to some fancy codin’ by an unnamed hero of the masses (named me). To all of our rabid fan (hey Bobby!) who thought we had folded up shop and moved the blog offline to Aly and Ash’s backyard, let me be the first to say …

… Welcome back!

Seth Godin on The Death of the Music Industry

Published
by
michael lee
on 10 January 2008
in art and culture, geek and technology
. 2 Comments

Seth Godin (all-around internet guru guy) wrote an article on things that can be learned, by existing industries, from the slow and agonizing death of the music industry. The quote of the article has to be:

You used to sell plastic and vinyl. Now, you can sell interactivity and souvenirs.

Some of his language is a bit “insider” to the internet marketing world, but you can get past that and still hear what he’s saying. Here’s the article: Music Lessons.

(ht: Matt, the guy who built wordpress)

.mac abuse

Published
by
michael lee
on 10 December 2007
in geek and technology
. 0 Comments

I’ve started getting spam comments on this blog from websites hosted by Apple’s .Mac service. This is new to me, so I thought Apple might like to know about it. For a company that prides itself on usability, it was almost impossible to find this page to report the abuse. I finally had to use Google to search apple’s site!

This seems like a pretty expensive way to host spam. $99 for the year, and once you get busted the whole account, plus the credit card you used to open it, go on the “Naughty” list. It must be profitable, I guess, but I wonder how those economics actually work.

spam-licious

Published
by
michael lee
on 30 October 2007
in The Intra-Web-O-Sphere!, geek and technology
. 1 Comment

We’re under a massive spam attack right now. There have been about 600 spam comments lobbed at this blog since 4AM this morning. They come in floods, 30 or so in about a minute. They’re trying to overwhelm the spam filters, I think. It’s making it difficult to post or comment, because the database has to handle huge chunks of data moving in and out, and the spam filter slows that down quite a bit. It’s not a problem when one or two people are commenting at once, but it is a problem when a spam-bot tries to cram 30 at once down the pipe.

All that to say … I hate spam. I hate that it, apparently, works. I hate that a few nefarious cretins have destroyed email as a useful communications tool, and are now trying to destroy blogging as well.

What I like, however, is akismet. It was built by the same people who designed WordPress (the software that runs Addison Road), and it just plain works at preventing spammy comments. How well? Since I installed it, there have been 200,689 offers for home mortgages and penis pills that none of you got the chance to mock (or click through on, bobby).

An Open Letter to My Productivity

Published
by
Zack
on 25 September 2007
in geek and technology
. 6 Comments

Dear Productivity,

It is with great sadness that I must announce the following statement: As of today, September 25, 2007, I am hereby terminating our long-running relationship.  Today, Halo 3 was released.

Throughout the years, you’ve been there for me countless times. From the 9th Grade history reports that were started 3 hours before they were due, (before the internets!) to the current client who doesn’t mind paying a little extra to have their edit done ahead of schedule. With you by my side, I’ve managed to finish high school, learn all about computers and entertainment technology, and make mix CD’s for my girlfriend. Without you, my car would be on blocks in the front yard. The dishes would pile high. The cat would starve. Through thick an thin, you’ve provided me with the motivation to create, love, prosper, and above all else, survive.

Signed,

Zack
Retarded Videogame Junkie

CC: To my Wedding Video Clients - your wedding really wasn’t that big of a deal, anyway. I can probably mail you a DVD that was shot at the same location, and if you squint, that bride and groom might look familiar. Hopefully, your photographer doesn’t own an XBOX360

CCC: To my Girlfriend - If you feel like you have no choice but to make out with girls, I totally understand.