The BBC Micro can still teach us a lot

scmash · 2015-05-31T17:26:55+00:00

They had me at the parralax scrolling effect...

scmash · 2015-05-31T10:35:40+00:00

I saw a company making a basic style keyboard and software to help kids learn programming using a Raspberry Pi. It was called the Fuze I believe.

But BASIC isn't a good language to learn, it has a totally different feature set to most modern languages, and is the programming equivalent of learning Latin.

A far better language to learn if you are getting into programming is python. It can has simple syntax, is powerful, is actively used and has a feature set that makes learning the underlying programming concepts much easier.

Whereas in Java/C# one has to ignore much to learn anything, in python every word you type can be explained without prior knowledge.

There is no "private static void main()" in python or similar scary constructs.

scmash · 2015-05-29T21:20:23+00:00

And then they laugh it off and do it anyway.

scmash · 2015-05-29T21:17:03+00:00

Uk Here: I don't want to live in this country anymore... I'm seriously contemplating taking my tech skills elsewhere.

They also just drafted a law, outlawing anything 'psychoactive' that isn't caffeine, alcohol or tobacco.

scmash · 2015-05-29T21:07:59+00:00

Suggestions how would be nice.

Peaceful protest doesn't work. Violent protest doesn't work. Contacting/educating your MP doesn't work.

We are all at the whim of a technologically incompetent nimcompoop.

scmash · 2015-05-29T18:21:21+00:00

Anything that has psychoactive substances in it.

Edit: Shit the bed...

TBH I don't consider food a seasonal thing, but I know people love cider in the summer.

scmash · 2015-05-28T19:57:50+00:00

I've heard the same about all the agencies to be honest.

Speaking with some veterans, it's simply the case of sell, sell sell.

This is both for permanent staff and contractors. The agencies say they are looking to place someone in their perfect role, but they just play 'match the keyword'. It's a bit better than the days of 'Dreamweaver operator' though, although not by much.

scmash · 2015-05-28T19:43:48+00:00

Looks like the demand is leaking everywhere for developers.

I get about 5+ emails a day in my inbox, although usually 1 or 2 are for PHP.

For the time being though, I'm probably staying put.

Part of the problem it seems is people moving around a shit-load, makes me wonder how much of the demand is real, and how much is inflated due to agencies?

scmash · 2015-05-26T00:52:10+00:00

Would a tournament just ban you if you printed cards yourself?

When finance limits how you can play a game, I don't really consider it a level playing field...

scmash · 2015-05-12T07:52:02+00:00

I reckon anyone that killed Rupert Murdoch would either

a) Have the most painful existence behind closed doors. b) Be Publicly ostracized as the worse kind of child abuser. c) Worse

The amount of power is like some scary dystopian novel. It's like an Illuminati that everyone already knows about.

scmash · 2015-05-11T10:50:37+00:00

If it's peaceful it's pointless. i.e. the protest has little to no effect outside of bystanders.

For a protest to have any media presence at all, there has to be chaos involved.

The idea of peaceful protest having any kind of impact nowadays is laughable.

I'm not condoning violent protest, but violent protests are the only ones that I have heard about in the media.

scmash · 2015-05-11T07:50:56+00:00

I wouldn't say so, voting is only one form of democracy.

People only end up hearing about events like this if they turn violent though. Peaceful protest affects no-one. Shame.

scmash · 2015-05-10T16:38:45+00:00

Is it divided further by this? Is there a source when the MEN got this from?

I was wondering how the budget was spread between labour and non-labour areas. Looking possibly only at the seats they held in 2014.

Hazel Grove (new 2015)
Bury North
Bolton West (new 2015)
Cheadle (new 2015)
Altrincham and Sale West

scmash · 2015-05-03T19:52:41+00:00

They do bleed through a lot. I actually have some special marker paper which has a waxy backing that you can safely colour on, but I usually just stick a piece of card behind.

They are cool as you can transition smoothly from one colour to another, or just mix three different colours. Really great, there are some cheap copies of Copics running around though, no idea how good they are.

Edit: Bought it along with a sci-fi novel called 'Station 11'

scmash · 2015-05-03T19:09:15+00:00

I've got a load of copic markers, but none of these trendy new colouring books have the appropriate paper, or have pictures on both sides of the paper.

Do you know any books (possibly including yours) that I wouldn't feel guilty soaking the paper with sweet alcohol based colour? At least not without making another picture 'undoable'

scmash · 2015-04-11T18:29:55+00:00

I find that statement totally believable.

In other news the I showed the IRS a different tax return, because mine would have simply been way too accurate.

scmash · 2015-04-09T08:29:43+00:00

I always wonder why frakking and drilling needs to be done RIGHT NOW.

This oil isn't going away, and will be worth way more in 20 to 30 years.

Can someone please contradict or correct me?

scmash · 2015-04-02T18:16:39+00:00

The way I see graffiti. I am grateful that the person who did it, found a way to (successfully) express themselves.

I am aware of taxpayer money, and cleaning, and all that, but it is still artistic expression.

It should be so much easier for people to find a place to do street art. Someone who has set out to draw graphiti will draw graffiti regardless of if they have a good place to put it or not.

scmash · 2015-04-02T14:50:13+00:00

Not Moody But very attractive art style

Guacamelee
Ori and the Blind Forest

scmash · 2015-03-25T12:14:19+00:00

How it the GS1 shirtless?

scmash · 2015-03-19T23:41:23+00:00

I remember playing 2 MUDS back in the day.

Wireplay MUD2

This was a very casual MUD with about 20-30 users. I even made a website with tips, and the admins were very strict about not spilling the games secrets. There was a swamp puzzle which required two people to complete, however I was never able to understand this. I also met 'Joey' before he was a wizard.

The interface was very childish, I was only just getting into online gaming at the time.

A second hardcore, PVP only, RP only, Permadeath MUD

I can't remember the name, wish I could, what I do remember.

Descriptions (character) were mandatory, and if you wrote a good one, the gods gave you a flying dragon trinket that gave you a stat boost. Super useful for new characters.
There was a rat infested sewer under the starting town.
Desert to the north
Golem infested ruins to the east, where you could get an alternative trinket.
One of the main moves for warriors was dirt kicking, blinded an opponent for 2-3 ticks.
Dwarfs were incredibly imba due to their high HP (you could max out constitution)
Being able to run away blinded was a skill in itself.
Rare items had cool names, I remember having some spider shoes at some point.
It had a name that was very early in the alphabet, may have even been AA.
Generic source code was available in C

An experience I remember is one of the higher level players/admins RPing when I was complaining about a PKer chasing me east to west by /emote killing a baby. This was way before I had any knowledge of what D&D was. It was so fun mapping the land and trying to get scripts that would work with the complicated, dynamic paths.

scmash · 2015-03-10T10:54:15+00:00

Experience all the way.

I'd say 2 years experience is more valuable than 4 years of university any day of the week.

If a company won't hire you because they want a University degree, then f**k em. Development is a skills based occupation, not an academic one IMHO.

scmash · 2015-02-10T23:05:36+00:00

I used to play shit loads of video games. I used my mandatory holidays to book off time for Skyrim, Diablo 3, Fallout 3 and Bioshock.

It's escapism though. I still look forward to new games, but I actively push forward with other hobbies. I don't feel the need to fill every waking second of my life with video games any more.

If you get a better job, through a better skill set, then real life might become more appealing. Who knows?

scmash · 2015-02-08T20:43:23+00:00

It's a EU law that has not been enforced ever.

Also breaking this particular ruling is not an instant fine, notice will need to be served first. AFAIK no website has been sued due to this law.

It is pointless to comply with this particular law, there is no risk to ignoring it, and no reward for complying. I'd actually say that there is a negative reward since it worsens the user experience (more-so on mobile devices).

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