Program versions, you look a mess!

Seriously, someone needs to fix program versioning systems. They drive me nuts sometimes. There are so many different schemes. Windows used to use a 2-sigfig number (Windows 1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 3.1) then switched to years (Windows 95, 98, 98 SE (?), 2000) then silly names that blur the release dates (Windows ME, XP, XP SP1, XP SP2, Vista). Let's look at some other schemes in use. I have the following programs on my computer:

• Ad-Aware 6.181  -  (4 significant figures; not bad)


• Ad-Aware Referencefile SE1R50  -  (with each update, the last two digits change, that's all. Annoying.)


• AIM 5.9.3828  -  (Usually they announce changes in the first two digits. The last 4 digits are a build number. I don't mind this scheme.)


• Audacity 1.2.3  -  (Why do they need all those decimals???)


• Desktop Sidebar 1.05 Build 115  -  (Same as 1.05.115 I guess. I don't know why they feel the need to have such a long name.)


• DirectX 9.0c  -  (They went from like 6.0 → 6.1 → 7.0 → 8.0 → 9.0 → 9.0a → 9.0b → 9.0c . What's so wrong with using 9.1? Or 9.5?)


• Easy CD-DA Extractor 8.1.2.3  -  (Again with all the decimals seperating single digits; annoying.)


• Flash MX 2004 7.02  -  (So Flash went from 4.0 → 5.0 → MX → MX 2004 . What ever.)


• Google Desktop 4.2006.627.443  -  (This appears very long, but each piece plays a part. as a.b.c.d, a = Major Release; b = Year; c = Month and Day; d = Build Number. Still a little long: why a 4-digit year?)


• iPod Updater 6-28-2006  -  (This scheme is just the date; informative about release time but completely uninformative about how much of an update it is from the previous version.)


• Java 2 SDK 1.4.2-06  -  (Sure. decimals, hyphens. The more the merrier.)


• LAME 4.0 Alpha 10  -  (This is an Alpha build, meaning a very early release, probably filled with bugs.)


• LogonStudio RC6  -  (RC: Release Candidate is a relatively new term. It is released after the beta as a final bugfix before the final product is released, hopefully bugfree. RC6 is a bit much I think.)


• Picasa 2.2.0 Build 28.10  -  (Again Google with the long scheme. A decimal in the build number? I'm guessing the build number is dd.mm .)


• Prime 95 24.13  -  (Prime 95 just chugs out those +1 updates. Only program I know that's about 20.)


• Shoutcast DSP 1.8.2b  -  (So what's with the b? Again, stick to numbers.)


• SiSoft Sandra 2005 SR1  -  (Year and update, similar to Windows XP SP1.)


• Winamp 5.25 Build 787 Beta  -  (Unlike LAME, this doesn't have a Beta (or Alpha) number. The word Beta is simply there to signify that it is not a full release.)


• Windows Vista CTP2  -  (CTP: Community Technology Preview. This was released after the Betas. So it's like RC.)


• ZSNES 03/29 WIP  -  (WIP: Work In Progress; I think this is even pre-alpha.)

Needless to say, all of this nonsense is ridiculous. There are some good ideas in here, but there are some bad ones and silly ones, and ones that are need even ideas. I think it all needs to be standardized. I like the whole Alpha/Beta/RC bit. I like 2 or 3 sigfigs. I dunno. Think about it.

Anyone read RedBlue? no? Well here's my rebuttal.

So in RedBlue there was a little article on how the new 5G iPod sucks. Here is my rebuttal:

Someone needs to put a little more thought when judging new technology. Does Mr.McConville own a new 5G iPod? Did he interview anyone who owned one? No. Maybe he should play with one of these before he torches it. Alright, now for some positive information. I own a new Fifth Generation iPod. He is my new best friend. Here are some quick numbers: I've already loaded him up with 5000 songs, 800 pictures, my Contacts and Calendar, 100 music videos, 2 TV episodes, and 1 full-length film. He's only half full at 28 GB. I plan to lose 20 lbs very soon as I chug away on the treadmill at the gym while watching my favorite shows and movies on the crystal clear and very bright screen. I don't understand McConville's argument about paying for TV shows: "Network TV is supposed to be a free medium." No it isn't. Advertisements. Do you think that because songs are "free" on the radio, you shouldn't have to pay for them in the store. If a movie plays on a Saturday Night on NBC, should you be able to take it out of the video store for free? That's probably the least thought-out argument I've ever read. Because the download of a TV episode does not come with the interim advertisements, you pay for it, just like a CD or DVD. The same holds for downloading music videos. Secondly, did you think that the five currently-available shows will be the only ones available ever? That Apple isn't writing agreements with other networks? Let me check right now... Ah, Apple has already added to the station line-up: NBC, Scifi, and USA. They'll certainly stop there though. That's all for sure. And you know what? You don't have to buy the videos or episodes anyways. It is no secret that the iPod's largest audience (young adults including those in college) downloads music as much as they drink underage. It's hardly a step further to download music videos, TV shows, and movies. Re-encoding them into the iPod video format (320x240 MPEG-4) takes very little searching online (I use Videora iPod Converter, Google it). With a little effort, you can enjoy the new iPods a lot more than you think. Here's to passing time in lectures, heading to the Rec daily, and falling asleep to Lord of the Rings.

"Not My President" Fuck That

Alright, after 20 Volumes of Things that Make Me Happy, i'm gonna rant. Those stupid "Not My President" stickers, badges, patches, shirts, pin, bumper stickers, etc. are crap. No one said he was your president. He was voted President of the US, where you live, fucker. Quit being a sore loser. Do you know how many more presidents will win that you didn't vote for? Maybe quite a few. Are you gonna be as hung up about that too or move on with your life? I don't particularly like the guy, but I've practically forgotten he's president. I've moved on. When the Brophy swim team wins state, do I act all butt sore and say Brophy is "Not My 5A State Swim Champions." No! They won! They're fuckin' fast as all hell. Bush won. Deal. If Germany or some country wins more medals in the Olympics, are they "Not Your Olympic Champions?" Does anyone care? Does Bush care? No, he probably wears a "Not My President" shirt to bed, just to chuckle to himself as he sleeps, about all the whiny bitches out there who think he's not the most powerful man alive. Ha!

I'm so tired I wanna take a nap so I'm done.