Ryan: Hello folks!
Edwin: Indeed. Hello to the 13th installment of Chat Radio. We've really got nothing to go on, so this episode is really going back to our roots in a big way
Ryan: Yeah, we've been reading the archives, and as it turns out, Chat Radio's 3rd anniversary is soon
Edwin: Quite
soon. It's been a long time, and luckily for Ryan, I'm now using a chat
program with integrated spell check. Also, we're trying something new
by actually typing out our paragraphs before sending them. This might
make continuity stronger than before
Ryan: Might.
Edwin: Yeah, I can't promise anything from my end. A lot of what I write ends up not making a whole load of sense.
Ryan: And in the end, it'll probably still read like a conversation
Edwin: Indeed. I suppose we should start with the highlights of a Starcraft duel I had with one Willie Nelson this evening.
Ryan: Were there really highlights? I mean, you essentially just got smacked down
Edwin: Well, you weren't there, but all I have to say is I got owned. I got owned BAD. I'll throw you the replay so anyone who's interested can watch if they know how to deal with that kind of stuff
Download the Starcraft replay file of Edwin getting pwned
Ryan: Well, that match where I was spectating looked pretty gruesome
Edwin: Indeed. I can't say it wasn't expected.
Ryan: Nope. You knew what you were getting into.
Edwin: Indeed. It all started because of a chat I was having with Will a few weeks ago. It went along the lines of:
Will: "/duels edwin"
Me: "Oh, it's on now bitch"
Will: "Something something"
Me: "I challenge you to a Starcraft Battle!"
This after I'd seen him play Starcraft a few months before. I knew I was getting in deep
Ryan: Heh. You probably should have chosen a duel where there were the odds weren't so stacked against you.
Edwin: Perhaps. But I didn't want to seem weak and choose Tetris (Not the logic errors in that sentence). That's just too unfair.
Ryan: I was thinking something where you'd be more evenly matched.
Edwin: Ah, sharp shooting would have been quite the duel indeed
Ryan: That would be the traditional way of doing it.
Edwin: I don't think [shooting] at each other would have been a good idea. But now that you mention it, I would have been like some sort of computer-savvy Wyatt Earp.
Ryan: Errr... Yeah
Edwin: I dare you to think of one thing we wouldn't have in common
Ryan: Considering I have no idea who that is, you've got me beat
Edwin: Ha! I win this round.
Ryan: On a technicality
Edwin: A win is a win. As a matter of fact, I almost beat Will at Starcraft that way. It was supposed to start at 2:00pm, but he didn't get there until 2:35. 25 minutes and I would have won by default! What a glorious victory it would have been. Every day I would have rubbed it in that I beat Will and that I was the better Starcraft player
Ryan: Your spellchecker is showing a few holes (ED: which have been corrected...)
Edwin: Mostly laziness.
Ryan: Yes, that does seem like the thing to do.
Edwin: So, do you have any topics to discuss?
Ryan: Well, we could always go to the old stuff
Edwin: We could I suppose...
Ryan: Hast thou any better ideas?
Edwin: I was going to discuss the Multi-Touch Interaction Research Screen I found. But that can be kept until later. On with the standard format
Ryan: Right then. I guess the weather report was always the first to go
Edwin: You're going to have to lead the format. I've long forgotten and haven't re-read enough of the old ones to re-learn it
Ryan: Well. Weather it is then. It's been pretty crappy around here lately. It seemed like the weather was getting nicer and then it goes and dumps a whole load of snow on us. Today is not bad though. A little chilly, but I can't complain.
Edwin: I haven't gone outside today. It's reading week at the University, meaning normal classes are canceled. I intend to fully enjoy it.
Ryan: Technically, I haven't been outside either, but I've been close to an open door, so I have some frame of reference to work off of
Edwin: Ah, I do remember it getting quite cold in the house for a few minutes today. The door being open is quite the appropriate explanation.
Ryan: That's often what does it. Or maybe a bunch of ghosts were passing through
Edwin: They have been known to set up shop in peoples homes. I never thought I'd be privileged enough to have some as guests.
Ryan: The ghosts in my house quite enjoy playing with my electronics and making people think I'm crazy
Edwin: But you are crazy. Either that or something is very wrong with your home wiring.
Ryan: I'm not crazy! Things do turn on and off by themselves, and all sorts of other stuff!
Edwin: Sure they do.
Ryan: You'll see! You'll all see!!
Edwin: So, what were we talking about? Oh yes. Weather
Ryan: Yeah. Kinda derailed there. But that's what Chat Radio is all about, right?
Edwin: To my knowledge.
Ryan: Okay. As long as we're in agreeance
Edwin: What's next then? Software review perhaps?
Ryan: Sounds like a plan. Giv'er
Edwin: Alrighty. So, in the past few years after the original Chat Radio series, I've been sampling various version of Linux. Yesterday, I installed Ubuntu. So far it's the most popular version out there, and it's very very nice for a number of reasons. First is the ability to actually play media files. In fact, it can play almost all of the media files that windows can assuming you're using a 32-bit processor.
Ryan: I can't imagine it's that popular if I've never heard of it
Edwin: You haven't heard of any versions. It plays these files through codecs. Oddly enough, there is a package of Windows codecs that have been hacked around with to work on the platform (and all debian-based distributions). This means you can finally play Windows Media and Quicktime files in Linux
Ryan: Hooray!
Edwin: Indeed. That was a huge drawback for me. It doesn't come with the ability, but it's very easy to set up.
Ryan: That's a little inconvenient, but it's all good in the end, I guess.
Edwin: Other nice features that it has over a lot of other distributions is it comes with a working Java Virtual Machine. It's not the official version from Sun, but I presume works for many applications. This means very little to a lot of you, but for a Computer Science student at the University of Manitoba, it makes a world of difference. Finally, it comes standard with a BitTorrent client. It's the mainline version from Bram Cohen, but it does the job quite well. Really, I think it has the potential to replace Windows if it keeps improving the way it has been.
Ryan: It does sound rather impressive, but until Microsoft dies, I'm pretty sure nothing will topple the Windows monolith
Edwin: OSX will get there. If it doesn't, Google will eventually eat them. Which company is more evil of the three, I don't know.
Ryan: I'm personally rooting for Google
Edwin: I'm not sure. I think there's more than meets the eye. I heard a rumour that they may build their own internet. And I don't mean an extension onto the current one, but a completely different offshoot.
Ryan: That would be neat
Edwin: Maybe, but there is really no purpose. It keeps their personal data private I presume, but there are far easier and far cheaper ways of doing that. I've heard another rumour that they're working on their own version of Ubuntu called Goobuntu. With all these huge projects Google is rolling out, I fear they will be the ones to create Skynet
Ryan: Yeah, well it's not my problem yet, so I'm not gonna worry too much about it
Edwin: True. I do hope I'm dead before a world war 3 like that happens. Let's face it though, we know through history not to let a leader have too much power (Hitler, Stalin) but do we know when to stop a company? Not even Microsoft has enough power hunger to create their own version of the internet
Ryan: I'm pretty sure they'd have been working on stopping/slowing Google long ago if they were worried about companies taking over the world
Edwin: We'll see what the future brings. So, next order of business?
Ryan: I... Don't know. I read six of the old ones, but I've forgotten what kind of sections we had
Edwin: There was a word of the day.
Ryan: Oh right. Good call
Edwin: I never really cared much for the WotD as you would abbreviate it.
Ryan: According to Dictionary.com, the WotD is.... concupiscence. Holy crap. Not even I, with my masses of linguistic information have heard of - or can pronounce - that word.
Edwin: Con-cuppy-science. Perhaps cuppy-sense
Ryan: Not quite. "kon-KYOO-puh-suhn(t)s" is how they're telling me it's pronounced. It means "Strong desire, especially sexual desire; lust"
Edwin: That doesn't help. I wish phonetics were written in a way that was understandable. For that matter, all words should be pronounced as they are written and vice-versa
Ryan: Yeah, well take up Japanese then
Edwin: I see. Is it a noun?
Ryan: Yeah. Noun
Edwin: Well then. I'll let you put that into an example sentence, while I get something carbonated. Pepsi is the order of the hour. Pancakes may follow
Ryan: "Most suffer from concupiscence when alone on Valentie's Day" ...Maybe...
Edwin: Yes, there are those who regulate that. Hmmm... I suppose it's a bit of short notice for one to have a girlfriend for Valentine's Day
Ryan: I'm not sure if the sentence really works, but that's the best I can do without taking Dictionary.com's example sentence
Edwin: You could. The general public is too lazy to verify it. Except for that guy over there... He's out to prove a point.
Ryan: Yeah, that guy's kind of an ass. Always trying to do stuff
Edwin: Does another section come to mind? Or are we running low now?
Ryan: Uh, I think there was a classic gaming review. We could do that now
Edwin: Yeah, go for it
Ryan: Right then. Lately I've been harkening back to the NES days and have taken up the adventure that is Dragon Warrior 2. It's your basic RPG, with the turn-based and whatnot. The really great thing about it is how much it improves on the original Dragon Warrior. While the first one was about 80% leveling, there is far more adventuring in DW2, due to a longer quest and a more balanced combat system
Edwin: Right... And I myself have been playing a lot of nothing. It occurred to me earlier while I was installing Starcraft that Red Alert 2 and other games I played in my teenage days could now be considered classic.
Ryan: Yeah, they probably could. Hell, a lot of people would probably even consider the gems of the last generation "classic"
Edwin: Ape Escape for Playstation borders the decade mark by now... Released May 31, 1999. Seven years is a long time
Ryan: But I like to highlight some of the really old games, because those are the ones I spent my single-digit years on.
Edwin: I never did have very many video games as a child. All the better though, I probably would have taken the console apart to see if the electronics goblins were within. Nothing was safe from 3-11 year old Edwin
Ryan: Fool. There are no electronics goblins
Edwin: Wow... It seems according to Gamespot, Ape Escape is ranked 50th of 1,365 games on the Playstation platform.
Ryan: Nice. It probably deserves a bit higher though. Maybe 40th
Edwin: The game play is spectacular. Story lacks something fierce, but sound makes up for it.
Ryan: It was probably Sony's rebuttal to the success of Super Mario 64
Edwin: Well yeah. Hell, it forced people to buy a dual shock controller. You couldn't play it with a standard one
Ryan: Of course
Edwin: First game ever to use all of the buttons. Ah, what a game it was... Now it's a given that all games must use all the buttons. I mean, I payed for every last one of them, I want my money's worth
Ryan: Kirby Air Ride uses the A button and the control stick. And B for menus, but that's irrelevant
Edwin: That's it? Blasted Nintendo.
Ryan: But why not? It makes the game super-accessible to anyone, and it's still loads of fun
Edwin: I don't seem to remember enjoying it terribly. Is there not a super boost in that game that requires a special button?
Ryan: No, you just go over the boost pads and tap A
Edwin: Ah yes. To be fair the two player match at Toys 'R' Us was not long enough for the gameplay to be engraved into my mind
Ryan: This is true
Edwin: I still say we need to camp out at a game kiosk all day until someone tells us to leave
Ryan: It's happened to me once. It was before I had my N64, and I was engrossed in Super Mario 64 and the clerk told me to go do something else after a while. And also once in Blockbuster, when they still had demo machines. So I guess really, it's happened to me twice
Edwin: Re-live the magic again! We'll pack a cooler and some fold-up chairs.
Ryan: It won't take cooler long
Edwin: You might be right
Ryan: Twenty minutes at most, depending on where and how lazy the employees are
Edwin: Oh well. Is there another section to do? Or are we at random discussion yet?
Ryan: I think it's random discussion time
Edwin: Oh wait, music
Ryan: Ah yes. Another job well done
Edwin: Thank you. I know that you usually did that. All I have to say is check out the Chrono Symphonic CD the OC Remix people have produced. It's quite good.
Ryan: Yeah, I've been meaning to, but I was never enthralled with the original Chrono Trigger music (don't get me wrong, there are a couple songs I love) to begin with so it's been put on the back burner over and over
Edwin: I see. The music style isn't for everyone I don't think. Those who enjoy the heavy violent styling of todays rappers may want to pass over this, For others, go to http://bt.ocremix.org. What about you Ryan, any music suggestions?
Ryan: While we're plugging OCR tunes, make sure to check out Victory Festival from Kirby Superstar. As for other music suggestions, a quick look at my Last.fm account shows that I've been listening to Thrice and Alkaline Trio way too much lately. I usually like a little more
variety, but I can't stop listening to Thrice
Edwin: Darn you and your Kirby. I suppose the anime has long since been cancelled.
Ryan: I'm pretty sure it hasn't (besides, animes don't get canned, they "finish")
Edwin: Wow... Well then. Random discussion time until we find another segment we missed.
Ryan: Yeah. That works. I've remembered one more, but it was usually right at the end of the show anyway, so I'll save it until then
Edwin: Good. Time for great and useless ramblings.
Ryan: Yep
Edwin: I was watching Mythbusters yesterday. They showed rather conclusively that if you dive underwater to avoid being shot you're safe from any weapon stronger than a shotgun. Even the shotgun is a tad iffy.
Ryan: How so?
Edwin: Seems at a certain speed water turns very very hard. A 50 calibre armor piercing round only got 3 feet in. The bullet shattered into tiny pieces
Ryan: That's pretty neat.
Edwin: Yeah. The handgun bullet went with no problem. So, if you're running from the cops, the water isn't your safest bet
Ryan: Unless it's dark, then at least they won't be able to see you
Edwin: Yeah, that's true. The build team also tried to see if it's possible to do a 360 degree rotation on a swing-set.
Ryan: No way
Edwin: Under your own power, it's not possible on your standard chain or rope set.
Ryan: I was actually talking to someone about that some time ago... The question is who?
Edwin: Not me, that's for sure.
Ryan: Yeah, I think it was a girl, but I don't talk to that many girls, so it's gonna puzzle me for a while to come now
Edwin: Well, in any case, it's possible to do it with a rocket. The little girl crash test dummy went for quite the ride
Ryan: Gee. What a surprise. Always with the explosives
Edwin: Well yeah. Hell, the 50 cal rifle was something to see too. It reminded me of those guns from the original Robocop movie that are given to the bad guys so they can kill Robocop. As long as I am tall, I'd wager.
Ryan: Yeesh.
Edwin: Seriously, I'd watch a show where they just blew up stuff to see what would happen. I love Mythbusters because that's as close as I'll ever get.
Ryan: And I'd watch a show where all the people were Kari
Edwin: Who know? With [Google's] safe search off, I'm getting a lot of porn. Good old Google image search
Ryan: Kari. From Mythbusters. Usually red hair, has a shirt with her name on it.
Edwin: Ah. Eh. Not my cup of tea as they say. But not too shabby
Ryan: In any case, there was a Mythbusters marathon a couple weeks back. I don't know when it started, but I started watching at 5PM and stopped at midnight. It was still going strong at that point
Edwin: It's a damn good show. I mean, I won't say any of their conclusions are spot on, but for the entertainment value, I love it.
(Some quick Kari links:
http://www.joe-mammy.com/pages/features/kari-byron/kari-byron.htm
http://www.karibyron.com/)
Ryan: Oh yeah. I wouldn't watch a show for seven hours straight if it wasn't awsome.
Edwin: She makes some screwed up art stuff... M'oh well...
Ryan: So I'm at a loss for anything to say... Oh! I had a really awesome sandwich for lunch today
Edwin: Oh no you don't! We're not turning into some kind of Live Jornal! Though I had some very good chicken strips...
Ryan: It was a pretty simple ham and salami sandwich with some mustard and lettuce, but it was really good. I was a bit disappointed that we had no cheese, but life goes on I guess
Edwin: I dare say we should cut it off here
Ryan: You really think so? The sandwich thing not flying?
Edwin: Well, I'm starting to feel on the groggy side. I don't think anything that comes out of me at the moment would make much sense.
Ryan: But that's the spirit of Chat Radio! Inane banter!
Edwin: Fine fine. Then I have two topics left
Ryan: Okay go
Edwin: First, I have found a new Fisher Price Happy Apple. I call him Charlie.
Ryan: Ah yes. the one with the leaf
Edwin: He's staring at me right now, with that big stupid smile on his face.
Ryan: Did the old one have a name?
Edwin: Hells no. He's The Happy Apple in my opinion. This one's just to show what he kind of looked like
Ryan: Ah
Edwin: The stem is a little different, but he's pretty close. Oh hey, do you have a 10GB hard drive kicking around anywhere?
Ryan: Yeah right
Edwin: Worth a shot
Ryan: I have a couple ~1GBs about, but they might not even work
Edwin: Okay. Because the RomComputer is in a workable state again. I need some crazy storage or a DVD drive.
Ryan: RomComputer, eh? Nice
Edwin: Yeah. We should do another Rom-a-thon
Ryan: Did we even really do one?
Edwin: Sort of yeah. We played a crapload of games for a few minutes each
Ryan: Yeah. But I don't really think it deserved the "-a-thon". I've done that plenty of times whilst trying to find a good one
Edwin: Well, how long qualifies as a ROM version of a marathon?
Ryan: I'd say at least 12 hours. It's gotta be nuts to be considered a marathon
Edwin: Very well. We shall do this tomorrow then
Ryan: Aww.. I don't wanna
Edwin: Damn you! Tomorrow!
Ryan: I haven't got it in me for that much crappy gaming. The increasing levels of ADD gets in the way more and more...
Edwin: Fine then. Be a feeble gamer. I know I could do it. Well in any case, on to the next topic. I was going to mention the multi-touch screen, but somehow I just don't want to anymore.
Ryan: Maybe because you've already typed a couple paragraphs about it on the ol' forums?
Edwin: That's true, but no one there cares, and maybe, just maybe other people who we don't know will read this. But all that aside, I would rather discuss how to get past an area in The Legend Of Zelda: The Minish Cap. I'm stuck at the room in the mine with the rolly slugs
Ryan: Are there holes in the floor?
Edwin: Yes. 5 of them. And only 4 rolly slugs
Ryan: Ah, so you figured out to put them in the holes then
Edwin: Well yes
Ryan: Just a second.
Edwin: Damn it! I'm being raped by the jelly roll...
Ryan: OK, I was going to draw a diagram, but screw it. You have to put the slugs in the row of holes, and then drag the pillar with the switch into the last, separate hole.
Edwin: ...alrighty. The pillar with the chest on it?
Ryan: Whatever. Chest, switch, same thing. If nothing else there's another room with a similar puzzle and a switch on the pillar.
Edwin: Alright
Ryan: Hey, is there any way to edit Winamp ID tags outside of the player?
Edwin: Yeah. They're just MP3 ID tags. Type 'MP3 tag editor' in Google and see what comes up.
Ryan: Can do
Edwin: Oh ho ho! She works! Key get, biznatch!
Ryan: Amazing how well that's caught on
Edwin: I know. I blame Steve. Plus you for the "(noun) get"
Ryan: Ah, good
Edwin: You were doing that for weeks after you got Super Mario Sunshine
Ryan: If there's one significant thing that came from SMS, it's that catch phrase
Edwin: One more armadillo slug and I'm home free. Move faster goddammit! Oh hey! I can use the sword!
Ryan: You were using the cane this whole time?
Edwin: Err... no cane. The wind jar thing.
Ryan: Oh. Even worse
Edwin: They knew what they had with that thing, so they've been pimpin' it. It's used for so many things... Though it seems the sword can cut the fire too. How that works, I have no idea
Ryan: Meh. I stopped asking questions before I finished the first Zelda
Edwin: Flip you godforsaken mine cart! It's like some kind of turtle... Useless if on it's back
Ryan: You need you some Cane of Pacci
Edwin: An old man cane, you say? I shall look for it. Is it like the one from A Link To The Past where it makes little blocks?
Ryan: No, it flips things. And makes you bounce out of holes
Edwin: I was wondering when I'd be able to do that. Yeesh. The level designers can't beat me! There's one point where the metal cactus things form a circle around you. I pulled a Half Life 2 and did away with them post haste
Ryan: You're gonna have to explain that one
Edwin: Basically, stand in a corner, face out, and swing your melee weapon as fast as you can.
Ryan: Oi
Edwin: It works for the man hacks, it works for the head crabs, it works for the metal cacti. Lost 1/2 a heart getting to the corner. That's it. And looky what's in the box: an old man cane
Ryan: Well, if it works, it works
Edwin: Commere sonny! I'm gonna wap you with mah cane!
Ryan: Okay, another question. Why can't I change the ID3v2 tag? The ID3v1 isn't nearly long enough!
Edwin: Explain
Ryan: OK, ID3v1 only allows so many characters in each field. ID3v2 is unlimited. Yet it won't let me add the ID3v2 tag to the song.
Edwin: It shouldn't be unlimited... but I think it's 255 or something. What error message do you get? Is the song playing?
Ryan: "Can't insert ID3v2 tag! Stop playback to unlock file and try again." YET THE FILE ISN'T PLAYING. DUN DUN DUN.
Edwin: Then something else is using the file. How'd you get it? Download?
Ryan: Oh crap! You know, it's incredible how many times I've come across errors because I'm seeding files. And it's sad how often I never realize that's the problem.
Edwin: Yeah, I've done that three times today. I kid you not.
Ryan: Well, I think that kind of takes care of the "Tech Tips" section we'd forgotten about
Edwin: Yeah. I thought you'd spring it out while I was getting my Pepsi
Ryan: Yes, but I was in the middle of something else, or I would have
Edwin: I have to say, because uTorrent is so small, I have stuff seeding all the time. And I run across the 'file in use' error a lot.
Ryan: Yeah, but how long does it usually take you to catch on?
Edwin: Uhhhh... today about 20 minutes. I mean, I wasn't trying everything. I just assumed a WinRAR programmer forgot to close file handles... If that makes sense to anyone but me
Ryan: 20 minutes isn't bad. It once took me a couple days to figure it out
Edwin: Oh good god... Well, if you have you bittorrent program set to turn on when you boot, that can cause problems (mine does). Otherwise, a classic reset fixes that kind of problem
Ryan: True enough. But I usually give up before I bother resetting.
Edwin: Oh boy. That should be the first thing you try
Ryan: Maybe it should. Maybe it should. So anyway, I think we've probably gone on long enough now
Edwin: Alright
Ryan: But before it ends... Any links to suggest?
Edwin: Oh. ummmmm... Digg.com is good for wasting time
Ryan: Dunno if I've mentioned it on a Chat radio before, but I'll go with Gorillamask.net. Same reason, just with more boobies
Edwin: Yeah. Oddly enough, I don't have anything to go out on this time
Ryan: So that's it for what I'm going to call the "Chat Radio Reunion Tour" then
Edwin: I suppose. We could start it up again. Weekly mumbo-jumbo
Ryan: All I can say is that... Ham and salami sandwiches kick ass
Edwin: If you say so. Goodnight everybody
Ryan: Until next time. If there is a next time *spooky outro music*