Geek question

Anyone think that upgrading my processor to the XP 2800+ would be worth it? Or should I just wait until next year and build a new box? It’s only $99 and then I think I’d be able to hold out for another year or two. Opinions?

MusicPlasma

Stumbled across this with the help of a mention on TechTV. MusicPlasma is a visual search engine for music. You put in the name of your favorite band and it gives you a “map” chart of bands that sound similar to, were inspired by, are in the same genre or are in some way connected to the band you just entered. The closer the circles are to your band (at the center) the better the chances are that you might like them.

As a test I put in Less Than Jake. The results I got were (in no order):

Catch 22
Reel Big Fish
Mustard Plug
Buck O Nine
Mad Caddies
Gold Finger
Thursday
Get Up Kids
Taking Back Sunday
Ataris
Finch
Midtown
Allister
NOFX
Rancid
Dropkick Murphys
Anti-Flag
Operation Ivy
Distillers
New Found Glory
Good Charlotte
Further Seems Forever
and a few more…

That’s not a bad list. I’ve heard of about 90% of those and do indeed enjoy listening to them. You guys should try this. It’s actually really neat. There’s a few bands on that list that I’ve never heard of but that I’m going to try and find some music from. Who knows, maybe I’ve just found a new band to listen to. We’ll see.

The Two Funniest Things

I have two new forms of entertainment. Well, technically one since they both interact with each other. Let me explain. Craig’s List, in my opinion, is the most sad and pathetic website I’ve ever seen. But, it does have it’s place. The list is basically a giant help-wanted/for-sale/personals section that covers tons of cities. It’s interface is, well, non-existant, and it’s ads are rather silly. It’s a poor mans Monster.com. Now, here’s where the entertainment comes in. Fuckthatjob.com is a web site devoted to picking the lamest ads out there and making fun of them. Combine the two and genius is created. It’s like a Fark.com only for want-ads instead of web links.

The idea being that when you see an ad for a “web designer needed” and the pay that is offered is $6/hour and you just start laughing, there’s probably other people laughing too. I’ll show you an example to further illustrate the premise:

The topic of this one is a “Copyrighter needed for website content”. The requirements are that they “are looking for someone who versed in both technical, financial and creative writing.” And they’re offering a staggering $6 per page. I’ll let you read the comments for yourself.

http://fuckthatjob.com/archives/000412.php#more

See. Funny.

Now, since it’s nearly 12 and I am sleepy, I will share with you one of my favorites before I go to sleep…

This was posted, in a job section mind you, as a warning to all those who are looking for a web designer but don’t really know what on earth a web designer does. Let it serve as a message from all web designers around the globe. May none of us ever work for a pointed haired boss ever again.

…..

wanted: web designer (why this phrase may get your ass beat)

Reply to: *removed*@craigslist.org
Date: 2004-02-17, 5:38PM EST

okay kids, this is a checklist. before advertising for a web designer, make sure you read and understand each of the following:

1.) no, i cannot create an animated dog for your home fucking dog food company that will lick your visitors upon arrival for that extra special something and automatically create a database sorted by sex, flavor, age and career, from which you can send out personalized mailers. you were honestly the fastest sperm, huh?

2.) if you know flash, why do i have to?

3.) if you state in your ad that you know absolutely nothing about web design, you will get soaked. period. we’re all just sharks, circling around, waiting for that phrase to appear in an ad. we all know what other quotes you’re getting, and when we charge you fifteen hundred dollars for a three page, two color layout, it’s your own fault. by the way, we all got together and spent the fee on hookers. ugly ones.

4.) sneakily trying to advertise for a web designer to make you a porn site is weak. just say in your ad that you want to show naked pictures of women fucking dogs so i can decide, before i apply, if i want to see that sort of thing, and not AFTER you’ve sent me a mentally and emotionally scarring photo of a maybe-blonde (it was hard to tell, at that angle) and a great dane, and THEN ask me if i am comfortable with that kind of content.

5.) do not ask me to design something to send you and then tell me you’ve found someone else. if i am spending three hours putting something together to show you, you’re going to pay me for it. period. make sure to attach your work number so i can call your company and tell them disgusting and embarassing stories about you, if you happen to decide to rip me off.

6.) try very hard to consider what you’re looking for. if you want a twenty-five page site with eighteen forms and six flash animations, complete with unique, personally written soundtrack, fifty page, five hundred image photo gallery of your sailing trip across lake michigan, which must, at all costs, be password protected, expect to pay better than three bucks an hour.

if not all of this is necessary, say so up front. if it IS necessary, include it in your fucking ad, fucktard.

7.) not every web designer on earth knows flash, php, cgi, mysql, how to program your vcr, where you put your porn you downloaded off kazaa for ‘educational purposes’, and whether or not that deal you got on your two year old palm pilot was awesome. do not assume we do.

8.) no, you don’t need flash. no one is going to be impressed by it. if you’re selling handmade bird cages bedecked with ribbon and lace, a flash movie is not going to increase your sales. try suicide. shit’s always worth more after the ‘artist’ has kicked. also, you’re taking up air that the rest of us could really use.

9.) when i quote you a price, it’s based on what you’ve told me about your site needs. if you want to alter something, expect a new charge. that’s just how it works. if you ordered a red car from me and then changed your mind after a week and wanted a black one, you’d be up shits creek, sans paddle. look at it this way – i’m not beating you about the head with a stick, so you’re getting off lighter than the last guy who fucked with me.

10.) after all is said and done, the site is uploaded and i’m expecting a check in the mail that never comes, be prepared for some indignation on my part. ripping someone off for money they earned, especially when they’ve given you the deal of a lifetime is not just rude, but bewildering. and if five months later, you happen to see someone in glasses, wearing a checkered shirt complete with pocket protector, and holding a picture of you – run. all web designers know each other, and we’re looking for your ass to beat you with an old c64 keyboard.
so we can rob you and call the hookers back.

Posted by tanya b at February 24, 2004 04:34 PM”

And with that, I bid you good eve.

Sick Day

Well, I’m at home, at 1pm on a Thursday. I don’t really “feel” sick but I can feel it coming. Apparently I also “look like crap” as my boss put it. So I’m home. My usual remedy for illness consists of lots of orange juice and a healthy supply of my favorite drug in the world, NyQuil. Nothing is quite like NyQuil. To steal a line, it’s the only shit on the planet that actually tastes like red and green. I was basically sent home because this weekend will be incredibly busy and I’m needed then. Today was more or less a catch-up day anyways. Tomorrow we have a shoot for Penzoil. We’re photographing the president of the company and then a few of the local stores. Saturday is nothing but pageant headshots, from 9am until 5.

That’s about it guys. I’m off to take a nap.

Matt out.

2 for 2

Sweeeet. Now my domains are 2 for 2. Just got another bogus email:

Hello user of Docholoday.com e-mail server,

Our main mailing server will be temporary unavaible for next two days,
to continue receiving mail in these days you have to configure our free
auto-forwarding service.

For more information see the attached file.

Kind regards,
The Docholoday.com team http://docholoday.com

Good to see that I’M letting ME know that MY email isn’t going to be working. Morons.

More pointedly, it’s starting to get me mad… and you wouldn’t want Matt to get mad.