Archive for the ‘Nerd Rant’ Category
Nerd debate
On October 22, 2008 in Nerd Rant, fun
I was replying to comments and clearing my inbox today and I noticed fellow J-web buddy Nick wrote up a little post about his top 10 most used computer programs. I have been trying to coax him over from the evil microsoft empire for a little while now so it was good to see some open source software on the list.
Of course I had to tease him about WindowsMail though… (I bet he hates me now 
)
He knows I love him though.
I thought I’d make this post just in case Nick needs to release some steam and post a rebuttal comment
Also I wanted to say that I’m not alone, Jdonuts also said goodbye to windows. Linux J-webbers unite!
Late night web tinkering…
On October 03, 2008 in Announcements, JapanLabs, Nerd Rant
(nerd post)
I wrote this after staying up way too late (something I very rarely do), so it’s not Shakespeare.
I exported the files from the old Official Nipponster Blog (blogger) to a new wordpress I am working on.
The new wordpress installation is for a new Nipponster Laboratory. This one will give me a place to showcase new experiments and will link to the Nipponster group on JapanLabs.org (more info) to allow users to discuss the experiments.
//
Exporting the blog from blogger.com to wordpress was not easy but I managed. But then I noticed that some of the videos and other media didn’t export… 
//
The labs site’s theme is very minimalist. That was on purpose. I like simple (like Craigslist). I might customise it a bit later. But I need to create a better logo for Nipponster first.
Youtube videos! In honor of the technically-challenged and the tireless techies who support them
On October 03, 2008 in Nerd Rant
This may be my first completely non-Japan-related post ever. It was prompted by a youtube video that was just like an experience I had once at work.
I’ve worked with many less technically inclined people over the years and have had to help them with their websites, computers, and equipment. If you’ve ever done something similar the following might be familiar.
Pattern 1:
It never fails that something goes wrong due to something stupid they have done (and they will never admit any guilt) and yet they get upset with you about it.
You are mesmerised by their amazing level of ignorance and simultaneously furious about the stupid thing they’ve just done. Then you step in and save the day.
Pattern 2 (the Dilbert Effect):
Your boss/client, who can figure out how to turn on his computer on a good day, comes to you with some sort of suggestion that is completely stupid. Maybe even beyond stupid. It goes contrary to anything that could possibly be useful, efficient, or effective. That’s right, it would take a massive amount of time, energy, and resources to complete and be totally useless once completed. But that is the boss’s suggestion.
I’m no managerial genius but it seems to me that asking the person, who understands how the technical things work, whether or not something is a good idea might be a good idea!!
So then, you as the techie, have two choices. One, explain to the boss (who probably won’t understand unless you draw it in crayon) that he is an idiot and his suggestion is the stupidest thing you have ever heard. Or two, do the stupid idea, watch it fail miserably, watch the boss deny responsibility and shift it to you, then go and fix it the way it should have been done (or just quit).
Anyway, enough rant. Here are the videos!.
(sadly, I had to teach someone to do the same thing just last week. j/k)
(the part where he talks to Beth is hilarious)
Jim Breen. Japan-related tools
On September 24, 2008 in Nerd Rant, On the J-web, Resources
Warning: Nerdy content to follow
Hopefully, you know who that man in the title is. Yes, I am going on another rant about Jim Breen.
To me, he is one of the most interesting characters on the J-web.
His was one of the first Japan-related websites I ever visited (all of my Japanese teachers recommended him). And his wwwjdic (J/E dictionary) and Japanese page are two of my favourite www resources.
But more than that, I love his interest in Japan-related tools.
I think that tools have been overlooked some lately on the J-web (Nihonhacks’ post about rikaichan is a pleasant exception). Or maybe they are just taking new forms (like JapanSoc as an example of a tool). Either way, I am excited to see what tools we dream up next.
Anyway (before I get off topic here), what I really want to mention are some interesting articles and lecture notes from Jim Breen’s past classes at Monash University.
Two of my favourite subjects are Japan and computer technology (especially web tech). I would have loved to have taken one of Jim’s classes!
There is an archive of Jim Breen’s papers. Now these are some high quality Japan-related web rants!
I found a few interesting ones that the nerds amongst us might also like (see the end of this post), but I will only highlight one. It relates some to Nipponster and the way Japan-related information (and information in Japanese) is organised and searched.
WWW Search Engines and Japanese Text
An interesting quote from the article:
“…it is known that both Google and Yahoo use Basis Technology Corp’s Rosette Language Analyzer software”
I had never heard of that software. I know that Google is currently working on one of the largest translation software projects in history. It will be interesting to see what this technology brings about. I wonder who at Google Japan is in charge of this type of research and what they have to say about it.
What do you think about all of this? I always look forward to seeing what others have to say about these things, so please comment!
And have a great day,
DailyJ
p.s. Koichi has a good post about using Jim Breen’s Japanese dictionary on the iphone.
p.p.s. More interesting Jim Breen articles:
Japanese translation and the computer - the past, the present and the future
Computing in Japanese; what are the frontiers now?
Linux rant - (blame Nick)
On September 02, 2008 in Nerd Rant, Resources, fun
Warning: Nerdy content to follow
I am editing some interviews with Japan-related webmasters for future posts. Those should be coming soon. I want to get back to what DailyJ is all about, but it is a battle with the clock.
In the meantime, inspired by Nick’s nerdy posts about php code, I’ve decided that it is OK to gratify my inner nerd. So today’s post is about Linux! (and bilingual computing)
<– respect the penguin
puppy linux to be exact.
Linux, for the uninitiated, is a FREE (as in beer) Operating System (like windows or mac os).
Puppy linux is a super light version of linux and it is relatively easy to use. On top of that it is one of the operating systems that is part of the new bilingual computing movement (operating systems that can toggle between languages).
Now, before I go further, let me warn that even the easy to use versions of linux are tricky for the newbie.
It is a trade between time and freedom.
It takes a bit of time to get use to linux, but the freedom linux gives can’t be beat.
For one, I have my entire OS and files on a CD and USB pen drive combo (you can fit it on just a USB drive too).
So I can just pop my cd and my USB drive into any computer and have everything I have at my home computer…
Including Japanese!
(info on getting puppy linux speaking Japanese)
For the nerdy who would like to ask questions/discuss I’ve created a forum thread about Linux on JapanLabs
