Posted in on December 11th, 2006 In accordance with ldopa.net s strict self-promotion policy, I d like to announce the release of . is a free, open-source software package which makes it easy to build 3D simulations of multi-agent systems and artificial life.
Also available now is version 2.0 of the for Mac OS X and Windows.
Posted in on December 9th, 2006 
I ve tried a to skin Mac OS X, but I ve never been happy with running haxies on my PowerBook; aside from the moronic, infantile name, the idea of injecting code into every running app is something I thought we d left behind with Mac OS 9 s Extensions.
However, until we get the new look + Core Animation desktop coming with Mac OS X 10.5, it s nice to freshen up the look of things a bit. To this end I ve been running the and lately.
Both combine to provide a unified interface no more brushed metal here, Aqua there and most importantly, both are instantly undo-able if you don t like the new look.
In Windows XP theming news, I ve been using the XP theme, and once you get rid of the teenagers raving on the desktop, it s a nice take on Apple s glossy black aesthetic. But don t even get me started about Vista s ; like an idiot, I bought a new cheap video card for my PC just to see it, and it.
is. a. mess.
The whole thing feels like the mess Apple had around the Mac OS X 10.1 timeframe; the only difference being that Microsoft won t refine and correct the interface over the next several years like Apple did. We re stuck with Aero Glass transparent title bars and confusing Explorer windows for the next five years at least.
So that s disappointing, but on the bright side, the new video card will support the new linux compositing engine . Check out the video; now there s some weird (but exciting) user interface ideas on display there. It s nothing revolutionary, but if I had children I d definitely play these for them in their cribs. I d much rather listen to these around house than the standard lullabies.
Posted in on December 8th, 2006
And what they feel is that the Nazis were pretty right on with that concentration camp thing, and the yellow stars, and the tattooing. These are, apparently, good American things to do, as long as they re pointed toward non-Americans, like Muslims.
This article mentions a Gallup Poll that says that 39% of Americans feel that American citizens should carry identification that says whether or not they re Muslim.
Now, I have my doubts about , but that means that either they re telling the truth, or that s the truth that a large, opinion-making body wants us to believe.
Don t believe that it can t happen again, happen here, happen because of something you think or your friends think. Don t destroy the tatters of America that the Neocons have left us to fight over.
Remember, the Nazis lost the war. Posted in on December 4th, 2006 (This guide assumes you a) have your TiVo networked via ethernet or wifi and you ve assigned the TiVo a fixed IP number, b) are running at least Mac OS X 10.4, and c) have Apple s XCode development tools installed on your machine; if you do not have XCode installed, download it from .
)
It s unique to your TiVo write it down, you ll need it in steps 2 and 5.
TiVo files off your TiVo. You ll have to put the fixed IP address of the TiVo and the Media Access Key of the TiVo into the widget. After that, you can use the widget to browse the contents of your TiVo, and by clicking on the name of a TV show, you ll be able to download the TiVo file to your computer.
Pick a file to download and download it. It ll take a while, .TiVo files are encrypted MPEG-2 files and thus honkingly huge.
tar file to open it and expand a tivodecode folder to your desktop. (It ll likely have some version numbers after it, too; at time of writing this how-to, the folder is specifically named tivodecode-0.1.
2 .) and the Mac OS X compiler called gcc (added to your system via the XCode install!) will compile the new tivodecode binary and put it inside a newly created objects.
dir folder*. So then type:
to copy the tivodecode binary to your /usr/bin directory.
TiVo on my desktop. The command to do that would now be (all in one line):
and after the tivodecode program runs through your .TiVo file, you should have an unencrypted MPEG-2 file sitting on your desktop called output.
mpeg .
hopefully some enterprising soul will devise a clever Mac OS X app that combines all these odd and disparate steps into an E-Z, one-click process; but until then, this is a fairly decent way to do it.
ALSO: let me point out that with a slight , you can play those mpeg files back via your network onto your TiVo, thus enabling you to create a vast archive of television that takes up all the space on your Mac and not your TiVo.
UPDATE: Nik Friedman TeBockhorst has come up with a that takes care of steps 3, 4, and 5. Many people point out that you can use Safari s Bonjour function to download the .tivo files; I still think Now Playing (and a TiVo set to IP 10.
0.1.202) is easier, but it s your call, brother.
Dear ldopa,
Who do I have to to get a PS3?
good question; and I would also ask what unsuspecting turtle I would need to jump on to get a Nintendo Wii. Anyone have any hints or leads?
Posted in on December 2nd, 2006 Dear ldopa,
What kind of computer(s) are you using these days? I m trying tofind an excusejustify replacing my venerable PowerBook G4 1.25 Ghz with a shiny new Intel based one, and I m just wondering what part of the curve I m at; post your computer details below.
dc:title="ask ldopa: what s your hardware?" Posted in , on November 28th, 2006 is a really creepy collection of number stations, which they ll be happy to explain to you and I .
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