Less Artificial Intelligence, More Natural Flailing

{Ethan trades his ragdoll for a flailing robot}

My brother is a software engineer and notified me that there has been a breakthrough in the world of Artificial Intelligence. It is illustrated in the simulator “Sumotori Dreams.” This program utilizes a “self-balancing algorithm” in its “bi-pedal physics engine.” What I mean is, the computer will try and balance itself as you pelt it with rocks. This allows coded robots to move and react in a more human-like fashion, instead of falling down like Raggedy Andy (ragdoll physics). And don’t doubt the profoundness of this program’s code is lost on the general public! A quick google of the program indicates that the unwashed masses grasp the program’s true significance:

“Something about the way the characters move cracks me up”
“I can testify to how freaking hilarious this is to watch”
“This is awesomely hilarious… and it’s from Hungary”
“Friends don't let friends fight drunk”

If you download the program, you can try out the self-balancing physics through a simulated sumo match, or unlock the secret mode by throwing blocks into the 2nd slot between the bars to the right of the menu and destroying the wall.

In the Grim Future, There are no Blogs

{Ethan runs from an invasion of Poddycasters}

Inspired by this weeks readings, I made a small podcast using Audacity. If you use this program make sure you download the LAME MP3 encoder.

You Won't Believe Your Ears!

DRM (Digital Rights Mismanagement)

{Ethan hands you two uninstall tokens.}

If you haven’t heard about it, SecuROM is an anti-piracy product developed by Sony that installs onto your computer without notification and does not fully uninstall when your remove the parent-product. BioShock is a PC/console first person shooter developed by 2K games, using SecuROM for its DRM. BioSchock was released on August 21, 2007, and immediately generated a controversy over 2K’s approach to DRM. There is a really good article that describes the whole sordid drama: “BioShock Soaked in DRM Fiasco”. But, in case you don’t have time to check it out, I’ll give you the abbreviated version.

At purchase, BioSchock came with a hidden program which installs on the customer's computer and limits each customer to two installations of the game. This was unknown to initial customers of the game and, during the week of August 21, 2007, 2K’s forums became inundated with customer complaints that they could not reinstall their game after undoing a corrupt instillation. Of course, unbeknownst to them, their installation tokens had run out. To make matters worse, 2K provided the wrong support number for overcoming such issues. As more customers became aware of 2K’s DRM program, anger began to brew at the official support forums and 2K unleashed their PR reps. Meanwhile arguments began to surface that 2K’s DRM program actually violated its own software license which granted users the “limited right and license to use one copy of the Software for your personal use on a single console.” Back at the official forums, the 2K PR reps contradicted themselves and 2K’s official position on the issue and generally oozed disinformation. The controversy grew. In the face of the growing storm, 2K decided to be generous and raise the installation limit from two to five. However, as customers found out, this did not affect those who had already used up their two installation tokens.

Final Project Updates

{Ethan updates you}

I am trying to make a website that provides legal information in a tutorial form. This blog entry is where I will provide updates on how this scary final project is going. I will edit in all posts here.

Update for 10/19/2007
I moving along with my research. I have consolidated some of the links in my menu and decided not to provide a discussion of the Statute of Limitations. I'm just going to talk about where to file and not how long you have to file. The research is already too much and that is something I could add in later.

Update for 10/2/2007
Right now, my project is using three frames with a persistent menu on the left frame, site ID always listed on the top frame. I might change this later, but right now I have started to focus on content research. I decided to focus just on one aspect of my topic, so as to limit the amount of information I would have to deal with.

Update for 9/17/2007
Success! I made something in Dreamweaver. Well, I had to make a homepage for another class, but still, it is something. Now I need to figure out how to make some kind of expandable menu that runs on the left side of the page. I think a tree menu maybe; too bad I can't find much in the way of menu options in Dreamweaver.

Update for 9/14/2007
I cried today because I picked a topic that requires more content research than new skill acquisition. {*goes and looks for a time machine*}

For a Healthy Holiday, Try Skipping on the Brains

{Ethan eats his brain with some fava beans and a nice chianti}

For a Healthy Holiday, Try Skipping on the Brains

~

Lifestyle Tip,
October 31, 2007

Hey Zombies! Goin’ out on the town this weekend? ‘Gonna eat some brains? Well hold on there gooey cowboy. New studies show that eating brains can increase the risk of contracting a human form of Mad Cow Disease. You heard me right boys. Eatin’ every ghoulies’ favorite delicacy has gotten pretty dangerous this year. Yeah, doctors say that eatin’ brains is similar to cows eatin’ animal byproduct feeds, which makes them go crazy. So, unless you like the possibility of being a mindless shell, try and hold off on your neighbor’s brains this holiday season.

But don’t let this bad news get your reanimated corpse down. Live it up this year by splurging on other parts of flesh. For an extra delicacy try a bit of finger dipped in spaghetti sauce. It’s to die for!

The Order of Authority

{Ethan is inducted, only to escape moments later.}

I am confident that Wikipedia does not have any implications for stare decisis and the ordering of authority among primary sources. However, It appears that Wikipedia is becoming accepted in the order of authority among secondary sources.

I wanted to be sarcastic and say “Wikipedia is well written” and then provide a quote from a famous, poorly-written entry but when I checked today the article had been cleaned up by someone who wanted it to look respectable with citations (which is ironic because it is about a loopy topic: the Bloody Lady of Čachtice). Just so you know, the Bloody Lady is the infamous Elizabeth Báthory (1560 –1614 A.D.) who, according to legend, killed hundreds of young servant girls and bathed in their blood. Báthory did this because she was a vampire (supposedly, 4 real!) and bathing in the blood of young women would keep her young (statement not approved by the FDA). And, luckily for you, I found part of the original article on this subject that dates from 2002 till 2007:

~

Here is the original author’s discussion of the Bloody Lady’s guilt:
“It is unknown when Elizabeth started to kill young women, but if she did…”

The original author on the Bloody Lady’s inner thoughts, and the knowledge of said thoughts by her relatives, as known to the author in 2002:
"Both her husband and her relatives knew about her sadistic inclination, but they did not intervene."

For some reason, the fine authorship of the original writer was attacked by a subsequent commentator who said the author’s writing was “shoddy” and “[j]ust because some vampire fan-site has speculated that she may have done this or that doesn't make it worthy of entry here.” Of course, “[e]specially the lesbian thing is extremely speculative.”