SurfiOnline

I’m still playing around with WordPress, and I think I have dead set fallen in love with the Administration Panel. So many options, so much customobility, its incredible and contains pretty much everything I would need. I’ve been fiddling around in getting the CSS and the actual HTML to the appearance of this site and its a lot of work (because I am doing things I should have done in the first place and made sure everything validated before building on with extra pages. I’m actually thinking of doing a bit of a redesign of the site - so I can just edit the WordPress CSS - thus making it very easy for me to upgrade. It’s going to take a while though if I do intend to switch to WordPress because I have to redo the current system for my current pages, I will have to rewrite segments of my gallery to use WordPress authentication, and make it use the Smarty template engine standalone.

For those that have missed it, Windows XP Service Pack 2 has been officially released to the public (Well okay its been RTM for a while and many have already downloaded it). It’s just been rolled out on to the Windows Update site, and contains many essential (despite what others say) benefits such as the built in security center, the limiting of TCP/IP half-open connections to help stop spreading viruses like Sasser, contains an updated version of the Windows Firewall (pretty much useless to me because I don’t use it), and new capabilities and extensions for wireless networking. You can download it via the Microsocft website here or you can order your free Windows XP installation CD. After installation you’ll be greated with Windows Update v5, which is apparently the “next generation” in Windows Update, incorporating fixes from a range of Microsoft products distributed via one site using the update detection mechanism.

Here’s a handy piece of software.. LClock is a Windows Longhorn style system tray clock. Its been featured in all of my desktop screenshots (replacing the old yucky clock with a new sexy looking one). It also contains a built in sexy looking calendar, as well as contains virtually any option you need to customise the system tray clock, including the font and font sizes! Best of all, its free and is continually updated.

Well, we’re getting there anyway. All of my six examinations are now over and i’m happy to report that I think I have done fairly well in all of them - despite what I told people before the exam. IPT was my last examination. Some may call it easy, and some may call it difficult. Those who called the exam easy (and boring - Hi Pradeep!) It was fairly easy, but its also going to be marked nice and hard too - especially with out teacher. I hope you all mentioned things like bitrate, and sample rate in relation to the audio compression question! I hope you also made mention of those nice “social and ethical” issues too!
Now that the examinations are over I have about three weeks (well maybe a bit more) until we have our graduation ceremony. Then I am officially out of that shizzle hole! Well actually, I still have my Higher Schools Certificate (HSC) to complete, which begins o the 18th October, and runs through till the 11th November. It goes for such a long time because every testable subject that is taught at school is tested. I have 6 examinations in total, two of which are English. Whats worst? I have a whole week to study for a Geography exam! Whats going on there?!

Anyway, i’ve spent most of the weekend kind of relaxing whilst working on numerous things too. I have been working on the new MyBB website, whilst playing around with WordPress on seeing if I can do an implementation of it here. Don’t get me wrong, bBlog is awesome blogging software but right now it just lacks some things that I want in a blogging solution. Manly the fact that timezones are not implemented and it seems kind of stupid that my post dates are showing up on whatever the server time is set at. WordPress also has a huge user base and is becoming popular.

At first I knocked WordPress for its lack of a template system, as it pretty much uses PHP files for templates and I had got very used to the SMARTY template system of bBlog. After taking a look at the “template system” in WordPress I have changed my mind and my previous thoughts on it. Its very powerful to use, and it was still fairly easy for me to implement my layout in to and make necessary modifications. One thing I still do not like, and is proving a bit difficult is the lack of a “fully blown” plugin architecture. The current system works off included files and “hooks”. In bBlog it is as easy as placing the file in the directory, and editing the template, which can be a pain in the rear end for some things - but for things where my random quote plugin I have had to make custom modifications to WordPress because there are no hooks for something like that. If you know what I mean, because I get the feeling I could have just lost you in that paragraph!

I’m not sure what I will do about the blogging, because I really want to support bBlog as it has some great potential, but it is not currently up to what WordPress is, and development on bBlog seems to not be a priority. The plugins architecture for bBlog is exactly what I want and what I need, but WordPress has things that I deem a bit more important than a plugins system.

Life is soo confusing!

~ fishy

[The following posts relates to an interesting topic of conversation that a friend of mine, Matt Light bought up earlier on MSN Messenger, so thanks to Matt for the idea.]

According to this page, here on the US Olympic Team website, for a sporting event to be added to the Summer Olympic Games…[quote]For a sport to be included in the Summer Games, it must meet the following criteria:
  It must be widespread in at least 75 countries and 4 continents (men’s sports).
  It must be widespread in at least 40 countries and 3 continents (women’s sports).
[/quote]

Alright, if thats the case then why can’t sitting be an Olympic event. Billions of people are sitting at this very moment! What about talking? There are a lot of people around who cannot keep their mouth shut, winking? There are a lot of elderly people around who wink and say “How’s it going?”. They spread all over the world so I really don’t see the problem of adding them to the Summer Games.

Then on the computer side of things we could have sports such as, hacking <- loads of people do that, cracking, programming, and even web design! Imagine how long the list of Olympic events could be!

For those of you who say these things aren’t a sport, well I contest that idea because a sport can be defined as “Physical activity that is governed by a set of rules or customs and often engaged in competitively.” There are rules in computer hacking, and its a physical activity because you’re doing something. The same goes for sitting, you’re keeping muscles in the same place.

So, if walking can become an Olympic sport, why can’t sitting, speaking, or hacking?

Not much, thats the answer! I haven’t done one of these in a while, so I figured I might as well!

Maybe its time to invest in Google, with shares surging at the moment with $16 to $100 per share! I bet they’re raking in on that one!

Believe it or not, America has now dubbed file sharing software legal. If the federal-court ruling had not gone through several file sharing developers would have been taken out by the RIAA and MPAA.

Imagine controlling one of these via your computer, Bluetooth, and a flight-route program. It even has a digital camera and gyro-sensor!

Now that we have found more water evidence on Mars using our nitfy little Mars Rover, maybe we’ll find aliens too! And in other news, they also found more boring stuff which appears to be quite common on mars.. Rock!

You know those nitfy Apple G4’s? We’re you recently sucked in to buying one because of their sexy design, or because of their beautiful ability? If so, you might want to check the model number of your battery as 28,000 batteries are being recalled.

Researchers claim to have solved the mystery of the people who simply do not count, and have difficulty counting. Maybe its because they are lost for words?The Guardian takes a look at a recent research study conducted in the efforts to solve this mystery!

Last month RealNetworks introduced Harmony, a program that enables its customers to play their music on their Apple iPod bypassing the FairPlay DRM. RealNetworks then decided to up the competition by launching a 49cent song campaign, then launching an online petition to free the iPod, but instead got flamed by loyal Apple users.

As dwergs posted over on mess.be a few days ago, bloggers can setup free “MSN Alerts” for their readers, notifying the readers of any updates to the blog! I’m yet to try this, but it sounds interesting.

As if it wasn’t enough that Google was facing a lawsuit over their “GMail” name, they are now facing a lawsuit against a German company, Metaspinner Media GmbH. Apparently for AdWrods infringing on their “Preispiraten” trademark. Good luck google!

And thats about it for now, its dinner time!

Well, I’m currently right in the middle of my examinations. one week down, one week to go. Three exams completed, one today and two next week. On Monday I had English Paper I (Area of Study), Tuesday I had Mathematics, Wednesday English Paper Two (Modules). So far I think I am going pretty well. Today though, I have Physics - and for those who know me its not really my strongest point. Next Tuesday I have Geography, and on Friday I have IPT - Probably the best two examinations I will have.

During my time off (when I dont have exams) I have been working on MyBB, and have been getting a fair amount done on my “todo” list. I came across this nice little memory leak in the new RC4 post parser too, took about 45 minutes to cause it but in the end it appears I was feeding a completely different array to the new smilie parser than it was supposed to be (conflicting variables).

Alright, well I think I better be off now to put in a bit more study ;).

Chris.

Wow, its amazing to see that my school career is almost over! Today I handed in the last assessment task (not exam) that I will ever have to complete! My last assessment task was for Information Processes and Technology (IPT), and if you’re really that interested you can view it here. I also had to hand one in for Geography on Monday relating to Urban Renewal in Darling Harbour, Sydney. You can view that one too here. As well as that, on Monday I had to present my speech on the film Witness in which I spoke about the theme of Cultural Clash. (When I got home I burned the speech too ;)).

My life starts to get hectic right around this time with exams and such. I have my Trial HSC examinations beginning on the 16th. Although a “trial” they still count for 30-40% of my school mark (varying for different subjects). So I guess I do have a bit of effort to put in to obtain some decent marks. My timetable is pretty good compared to that of other people. I’m glad I have a day to study for Physics after English Paper 2, but I’m not impressed I have like two or three days before my easy Geography exam.

After the Trials I go back to school for another three weeks then I have pretty much finished my whole schooling career, except for the thing I have been working towards for pretty much 13 years of my life -> the HSC <-. I hate how people make a big deal out of it, and how they say it decides your future. Well, for some people it may decide their future, but only their intermediate future and not their future future. The HSC starts on 18th October and runs through until December (because of the amount of subjects there are that can be studied).

During all of this I will be taking some time off around here, around MyBB, the Plus! forums, IRC and the many other places you can regularly find me at so I can concentrate on my studies and so i’m not stressing about too many things.

Well, despite the fact that the store has already opened, I thought I would post this picture which a mate took about a week ago on his phone. Apparently, [b]Wang’s Massage[/b] was opening soon! They have however, unfortunately renamed the store, but we picked up on another “pun” on their price list, which I will post soon too.

On Being Scott Densmore, Scott defines the difference between potential and reality in the form of a beautifully crafted joke:

I was thinking today about my potential today. People always talk about potential and how great it is. I was thinking about my potential and feeling a little realistic about it. So instead of ranting about it, I thought I would provide you with a little story to help you “get it”.

A kid comes home from school with a writing assignment. He asks his father for help. “Dad, can you tell me the difference between potential and reality?” His father looks up, thoughtfully, and then says, “I’ll display it to you. Go ask your mother if she would sleep with Brad Pitt for a million dollars. Next, ask your sister if she would sleep with Brad Pitt for a million dollars. Then go ask your brother if he would sleep with Brad Pitt for a million dollars. Then come back and tell me what you’ve learned.”
The kid is puzzled, but he decides to see if he can figure out what his father means. He asks his mother, “Mom, if someone gave you a million dollars would you sleep with Brad Pitt?” His mother looks around slyly, and then with a little smile on her face says, “Don’t tell your father, but yes, I would.” Then he goes to his sisters room and asks her, “Sis, if someone gave you a million dollars, would you sleep with Brad Pitt?” His sister looks up and says, “Omigod! Definitely!” Then he goes to his brothers room and asks him, “Hey bro, if someone gave you a million dollars, would you sleep with Brad Pitt?” His brother thinks about it and says, “For a million bucks, I suppose I would”.
The kid goes back to his father and says, “Dad, I think I’ve figured it out. Potentially, we are sitting on three millions bucks, but in reality, we are living with two sluts and a fag.”