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Friday, May 02, 2003
I realized today that I've never added peachy keen to my blog roll. I've been reading her for months, but for some reason I always get to her site from feng's list. I'm sitting here at work waiting for some person to call me back about the Most Important Thing ever, and I decided to stave off my nervousness by making this long-overdue change. She's up there now, nestled snugly between sundry and Sarah Hepola. Peachy, please accept my apologies for not doing this sooner.
While I was in my Blogger template, I decided to put m@ on probation. He hasn't updated for six months, and I half suspect that he doesn't intend to start up again. He also hasn't read my blog in about that long, which means he'll probably never even know that I took him off. I didn't delete him - he's just commented out. I'll add him back when he starts up again.
I'm getting ready to move my blog to a new server, and I'm trying to come up with a URL. I really, really don't want my site to be "www.scottdierdorf.com", but I can't think of anything good. The only suggestion I've heard so far is "www.googlek.com", and it's already taken. If you have any ideas, please leave a comment and let me know.
Oh, and I got my iPod today. It's the sexiest thing ever.
While I was in my Blogger template, I decided to put m@ on probation. He hasn't updated for six months, and I half suspect that he doesn't intend to start up again. He also hasn't read my blog in about that long, which means he'll probably never even know that I took him off. I didn't delete him - he's just commented out. I'll add him back when he starts up again.
I'm getting ready to move my blog to a new server, and I'm trying to come up with a URL. I really, really don't want my site to be "www.scottdierdorf.com", but I can't think of anything good. The only suggestion I've heard so far is "www.googlek.com", and it's already taken. If you have any ideas, please leave a comment and let me know.
Oh, and I got my iPod today. It's the sexiest thing ever.
Thursday, May 01, 2003
Apple Sells 275,000 Songs In First 18 Hours
I only bought 175,000 songs, so I guess other people must be using the service, too.
I only bought 175,000 songs, so I guess other people must be using the service, too.
Wednesday, April 30, 2003
<drum machine>
<laser noises>
[look serious and slightly British]
Some.times I feel I've got to <bang bang> [make drumming motion in air with one hand]
run away
I've got to <bang bang>
get away
from the pain you driiiiiive into the heeeeart of me
The love we share (whoaaaaaooooooah!)
Seems to go nowhere
and I've lost my light
for I toss and turn
I can't sleep at night
[make beseeching gesture with hands]
Once I ran to you
Now I run from you
This tainted love you've given
I give you all a boy could give you
[plead into invisible microphone]
Take my tears and that's not nearly aaaaaaallllll!
Tainted love (whoaaaaaooooooah!)
Tainted love
Now. I. know. i've got to <bang bang> [make drumming motion with both hands to indicate ante is being upped]
run away
I've got to <bang bang>
get away
You don't really want any more from me
To make. things. right
You need someone to hold you tight
And you think love is to pray
But I'm sorry I don't puh-ray that way! [waggle finger back and forth scoldingly]
Once I ran to you
Now I run from you
This tainted love you've given
I give you all a boy could give you
[drop to knees and plead into invisible microphone]
Take my tears and that's not nearly aaaaaaallllll!
Tainted love (whoaaaaaooooooah!)
Tainted love
[stand up suddenly; wrinkle forehead to indicate sincerity and hard-rocking]
Don't touch. me. please!
I cannot stand the way you teeeeeease! [clench hands]
I love you though you hurt me so
Now I'm gonna pack my [wrinkle forehead more] things and go!
Tainted love (whoaaaaaooooooah!)
Tainted love (whoaaaaaooooooah!)
Tainted love (whoaaaaaooooooah!) [drop half an octave here to indicate taintedness of love]
Tainted love
Touch me baby, tainted love
Touch me baby, tainted love
Tainted love
Tainted [up an octave] LOVE!
Tainted [up an octave] LOVE!
[wave invisible microphone to invisible crowd amid imagined cheers]
[bow deeply]
[exit stage left]
Best 99 cents I ever spent.
<laser noises>
[look serious and slightly British]
Some.times I feel I've got to <bang bang> [make drumming motion in air with one hand]
run away
I've got to <bang bang>
get away
from the pain you driiiiiive into the heeeeart of me
The love we share (whoaaaaaooooooah!)
Seems to go nowhere
and I've lost my light
for I toss and turn
I can't sleep at night
[make beseeching gesture with hands]
Once I ran to you
Now I run from you
This tainted love you've given
I give you all a boy could give you
[plead into invisible microphone]
Take my tears and that's not nearly aaaaaaallllll!
Tainted love (whoaaaaaooooooah!)
Tainted love
Now. I. know. i've got to <bang bang> [make drumming motion with both hands to indicate ante is being upped]
run away
I've got to <bang bang>
get away
You don't really want any more from me
To make. things. right
You need someone to hold you tight
And you think love is to pray
But I'm sorry I don't puh-ray that way! [waggle finger back and forth scoldingly]
Once I ran to you
Now I run from you
This tainted love you've given
I give you all a boy could give you
[drop to knees and plead into invisible microphone]
Take my tears and that's not nearly aaaaaaallllll!
Tainted love (whoaaaaaooooooah!)
Tainted love
[stand up suddenly; wrinkle forehead to indicate sincerity and hard-rocking]
Don't touch. me. please!
I cannot stand the way you teeeeeease! [clench hands]
I love you though you hurt me so
Now I'm gonna pack my [wrinkle forehead more] things and go!
Tainted love (whoaaaaaooooooah!)
Tainted love (whoaaaaaooooooah!)
Tainted love (whoaaaaaooooooah!) [drop half an octave here to indicate taintedness of love]
Tainted love
Touch me baby, tainted love
Touch me baby, tainted love
Tainted love
Tainted [up an octave] LOVE!
Tainted [up an octave] LOVE!
[wave invisible microphone to invisible crowd amid imagined cheers]
[bow deeply]
[exit stage left]
Best 99 cents I ever spent.
Tuesday, April 29, 2003
What's that sound? It's the sound of money being vacuumed out of my wallet by Steve Jobs.
For those of you who don't know, Apple today announced their online music service called the iTunes Music Store. I have to tell you, it's pretty damn cool. It's exactly as slick as I would expect it to be. It's built right into iTunes (Apple's music jukebox program), so searching for music is just like...well, just like using iTunes - completely intuitive. There's no software to configure; just browse and buy. Unlike shopping for music on Amazon, listening to previews is simple - just click the track you want to hear. There are high quality, 30-second clips for every song, not just the first four, and there's no crappy Real Player to worry about. If you want to buy something, click the "Buy Now" button and it automatically charges it to your credit card. It's so easy that it doesn't even look that impressive; it takes buying music online from being a task to being completely invisible. It works exactly the way it should. I'm planning on using this as my primary music shopping location, even in situations when I'm planning on buying a real CD.
It's not perfect, of course. The selection is good, but not stellar. Everyone is going to find some of their favorite artists that aren't represented, but that will get better over time. There is a touch of network lag for some activities, but it's not bad. The main complaint I've heard is that the encoding they use for the music files (128k AAC) doesn't sound very good. I haven't done an in-depth comparison yet, but it sounds OK to me, and I consider myself to be something of an audiophile. I think it depends on what kind of music you listen to. Pop fans will never know the difference; classical music buffs will never be satisfied. I listen to it all, so for me it will depend.
I personally think this service is a winner. I firmly believe that most people don't want to steal music, and that they're happy to buy songs if it's easy enough. I'm a perfect example. All of my MP3s are ripped from CDs I bought. I don't really use Kazaa or Morpheus, but I've never bought music online either. This is mainly because I find all of those apps to be a pain in the ass. Today, however, I spent $20 on online music. I'll still buy CDs, but I'll use this too. You know how you don't really like any REM after Green except for a couple of songs, but you don't want to spend $170 for all of those albums? This is perfect for that situation. Also, it's great for songs by one-hit wonders. Among my purchases:
Sum 41 - Fat Lip
Eminem - The Real Slim Shady
Arrested Development - Tennessee
Pink - Get the Party Started
LL Cool J - I'm Bad
The Fixx - One Thing Leads to Another
REM - Losing My Religion
Vitamin C - The Itch
Yes, that's right, Vitamin C. Go ahead and laugh. This brings up the sociological benefits of the iTunes Music Store. Never in my life would I purchase a Vitamin C album in a store. First of all, the rest of the CD is all lousy pop songs that I don't like, not that I checked or anything, and second, I'd be scared to death that someone would see it on my shelf. With this service, however, I can now buy my embarassing favorite songs in private and no one is the wiser. It's very freeing.
But what would that freedom be worth if one couldn't take their embarassing and unrelenting ardor for Soft Cell's "Tainted Love" (not that I bought that song or anything) with them when they travel? Jack squat, that's what it'd be worth. This is why I also had to buy an iPod.
Yes, it's true. Those of you who've been reading my blog since its initial incarnation during NaNoWriMo 2001 know what a momentous occasion this is. I've been harboring a deep-seated physical desire for the iPod for the last year and a half. It's been an incredible run of fiscal fortitude on my part, but I decided that I've waited long enough. I got the new 30 GB model, because why do things halfway?I know full well that I just sent Apple my last 10 paychecks in exchange for my computer, but that didn't stop me. I think I'm going to have my direct deposit changed to put all of my money in Apple's bank account and just be done with it. Sigh. I am a slave to my technolust.
At any rate, my digital lifestyle is nearing completion. I've got my digital video camera, I've got my digital point-and-shoot camera, and my iPod is on the way. All I need is a digital SLR and I'm ready to go.
Then I can start working on finding a girlfriend. Ladies, if you're looking for a guy whose romantic resume includes ownership of select tracks by artists such as L7, Gorillaz, and Vitamin C, then I'm your man.
P.S. This is hilarious. Except - numero uno biggest complaint with the Music Store? No Sir Mix-A-Lot! It's total bait and switch. I've already complained to Apple and asked them to get it in the system by the time my iPod arrives. Once it's there, I am totally that guy.
For those of you who don't know, Apple today announced their online music service called the iTunes Music Store. I have to tell you, it's pretty damn cool. It's exactly as slick as I would expect it to be. It's built right into iTunes (Apple's music jukebox program), so searching for music is just like...well, just like using iTunes - completely intuitive. There's no software to configure; just browse and buy. Unlike shopping for music on Amazon, listening to previews is simple - just click the track you want to hear. There are high quality, 30-second clips for every song, not just the first four, and there's no crappy Real Player to worry about. If you want to buy something, click the "Buy Now" button and it automatically charges it to your credit card. It's so easy that it doesn't even look that impressive; it takes buying music online from being a task to being completely invisible. It works exactly the way it should. I'm planning on using this as my primary music shopping location, even in situations when I'm planning on buying a real CD.
It's not perfect, of course. The selection is good, but not stellar. Everyone is going to find some of their favorite artists that aren't represented, but that will get better over time. There is a touch of network lag for some activities, but it's not bad. The main complaint I've heard is that the encoding they use for the music files (128k AAC) doesn't sound very good. I haven't done an in-depth comparison yet, but it sounds OK to me, and I consider myself to be something of an audiophile. I think it depends on what kind of music you listen to. Pop fans will never know the difference; classical music buffs will never be satisfied. I listen to it all, so for me it will depend.
I personally think this service is a winner. I firmly believe that most people don't want to steal music, and that they're happy to buy songs if it's easy enough. I'm a perfect example. All of my MP3s are ripped from CDs I bought. I don't really use Kazaa or Morpheus, but I've never bought music online either. This is mainly because I find all of those apps to be a pain in the ass. Today, however, I spent $20 on online music. I'll still buy CDs, but I'll use this too. You know how you don't really like any REM after Green except for a couple of songs, but you don't want to spend $170 for all of those albums? This is perfect for that situation. Also, it's great for songs by one-hit wonders. Among my purchases:
Sum 41 - Fat Lip
Eminem - The Real Slim Shady
Arrested Development - Tennessee
Pink - Get the Party Started
LL Cool J - I'm Bad
The Fixx - One Thing Leads to Another
REM - Losing My Religion
Vitamin C - The Itch
Yes, that's right, Vitamin C. Go ahead and laugh. This brings up the sociological benefits of the iTunes Music Store. Never in my life would I purchase a Vitamin C album in a store. First of all, the rest of the CD is all lousy pop songs that I don't like, not that I checked or anything, and second, I'd be scared to death that someone would see it on my shelf. With this service, however, I can now buy my embarassing favorite songs in private and no one is the wiser. It's very freeing.
But what would that freedom be worth if one couldn't take their embarassing and unrelenting ardor for Soft Cell's "Tainted Love" (not that I bought that song or anything) with them when they travel? Jack squat, that's what it'd be worth. This is why I also had to buy an iPod.
Yes, it's true. Those of you who've been reading my blog since its initial incarnation during NaNoWriMo 2001 know what a momentous occasion this is. I've been harboring a deep-seated physical desire for the iPod for the last year and a half. It's been an incredible run of fiscal fortitude on my part, but I decided that I've waited long enough. I got the new 30 GB model, because why do things halfway?I know full well that I just sent Apple my last 10 paychecks in exchange for my computer, but that didn't stop me. I think I'm going to have my direct deposit changed to put all of my money in Apple's bank account and just be done with it. Sigh. I am a slave to my technolust.
At any rate, my digital lifestyle is nearing completion. I've got my digital video camera, I've got my digital point-and-shoot camera, and my iPod is on the way. All I need is a digital SLR and I'm ready to go.
Then I can start working on finding a girlfriend. Ladies, if you're looking for a guy whose romantic resume includes ownership of select tracks by artists such as L7, Gorillaz, and Vitamin C, then I'm your man.
P.S. This is hilarious. Except - numero uno biggest complaint with the Music Store? No Sir Mix-A-Lot! It's total bait and switch. I've already complained to Apple and asked them to get it in the system by the time my iPod arrives. Once it's there, I am totally that guy.