This is all over the net today, but it's worth linking to. Adobe's got this "content aware fill" they are working on that is just crazy.
I don't currently own or use Photoshop, but something like this would be super-tempting to buy.
Read moreWordpress Update and User Policy
I just updated to the latest and greatest WordPress so give me a shoutout if you see anything weird or odd on the blog (Please, no cracks about the content itself, thank-you-very-much).
This particular update was triggered by a recent uptick in new account registration, most of which look somewhat spammy in nature (and in particular one that was trying to look like an Admin account.) So I'm going to clarify my position on new users. Registration is open and it is quite likely that your first comment will be held for moderation. I get an email if a comment is held so I'll usually get to it in less than a day. But if you make an account and then don't make any comments I'll probably delete the account in a day or so. There's no reason to want an account if you aren't posting comments.
My guess is that this accounts are looking for older unpatched WordPress installs and once the spambot involved finds an up-to-date version it just moves on. But if you want an account, try not to look like a spambot :-)
Read more1999 called. It wants its backup media back
I've used H&R Block's TaxCut software ever since the year TurboTax had the ridiculous DRM software in it. (I believe they dropped that a year or two later but I had already made the switch over and saw no reason to switch back.)
I just bought the 2009 software for the Mac, deleted the stupid "Extended Download Service" from the package and began the download. I noticed this gem in the instructions:
Read moreIf your order contains downloadable software please save a backup copy to a ZIP drive, Floppy disks, etc., of the file(s) that you downloaded in case you have computer or hard disk problems.I'm not sure if there ever was a OS X Mac that could use a floppy disk and I'm quite certain that I threw away all of my Zip drives years ago. (I think I kept the Jaz drive for a year or two longer.)
Ooh Shiny!
Wil Wheaton tweeted this ...
Read moreCubicle 7 Entertainment is producing a roleplaying game based on the award-winning Laundry series (The Atrocity Archives, The Jennifer Morgue, and the forthcoming The Fuller Memorandum) by the even-more-award-winning Charles Stross, and uses the also-award-winning Basic Roleplaying System (Call Of Cthulhu) by Chaosium Inc.(There's more of the announcement to be had, including a fairly tasty cover image that I didn't want to grab or hotlink.) I've mentioned in previous book reviews that I'm not really a Lovecraft fan but the Laundry series is good enough (and tongue-in-cheek enough) to overcome my resistance to some of the source DNA. This is pretty tempting to pick, despite my deep suspicion that I'd never play it.
Awesome D&D Humor
Something Awful has a post about the original D&D supplement from way back when.
Read moreI laughed a lot. Worth reading.Steve: Yo, this is OG D&D style right here. Name randomly jammed in there and ridiculous old lady with no pants riding a horse.
Zack: Somebody, presumably a human, looked at this image and said, "Yes, that's good. Let's put it in the front of our book."
Steve: Maybe that sort of quality control explains why there are multiple pages of naval combat rules and minimal character creation information.
Zack: Poor quality control can't explain why they decided to devote nearly an entire page to egotistical swords.