Amazed that the place is empty!
Author Archives: Donncha
Patrick Stewart on Extras
That final line of this scene.. Couldn’t stop laughing.
(Odd, the video looks squashed. It’s not WordPress doing it as the embed code from Youtube does the same. Odd.)
Irish Household Charge SEO
The Government’s householdcharge.ie website could probably do with some SEO love. When I search for irish household charge the first page of results are news websites, a political party and a property website’s blog.
Maybe they need to open a blog there talking up the household charge and, oh I don’t know, making us feel better about introducing a new tax.
I’m obviously not the only one looking either. They don’t even make it easy to give them money.. Not that I or any of the other householders want to either.
BTW – today’s the last day if you want to set up a direct debit. There, that’s the Public Service bit out of the way. Now, where’s my credit card?
So, if you own a house in Ireland, what do you think will happen if you don’t pay this charge?
Limbo with a Flashlight
I almost finished Limbo a few weeks ago but it just got to the point where I would attempt a screen over and over and do everything I could think but nothing worked. Watching a playthrough on Youtube didn’t cut it so I’ll have to try again some other time. I’ve heard the ending is quite good! (via)
Government plans to sell Cork to stabilise economy
So long guys! (via RTed by troopstorm)
Howto: Install XFCE in Ubuntu 11.10
You realise how spoiled you are by the ease at which software can be installed in Linux only when you’ve done the same in Mac OS X or Windows. apt-get or aptitude will install a wide variety of software and in the case of aptitude will remove the software and all it’s dependencies afterwards.
Yeah, I’m saying goodbye to Unity and embracing XFCE (for the moment at least. Choice is good!)
# aptitude install xfce4 xfce4-goodies
The following NEW packages will be installed:
desktop-base{a} exo-utils{a} gtk2-engines-xfce{a} hddtemp{a} libexo-1-0{a} libexo-common{a} libexo-helpers{a} libgarcon-1-0{a} libgarcon-common{a} libkeybinder0{a} libtagc0{a} libthunar-vfs-1-2{a}
libthunar-vfs-1-common{a} libthunarx-2-0{a} libtumbler-1-0{a} libxfce4ui-1-0{a} libxfce4util-bin{a} libxfce4util-common{a} libxfce4util4{a} libxfcegui4-4{a} libxfconf-0-2{a} lm-sensors{a} mousepad{a}
orage{a} ristretto{a} squeeze{a} tango-icon-theme{a} thunar{a} thunar-archive-plugin{a} thunar-data{a} thunar-media-tags-plugin{a} thunar-volman{a} tumbler{a} tumbler-common{a} xfburn{a}
xfce-keyboard-shortcuts{a} xfce4 xfce4-appfinder{a} xfce4-artwork{a} xfce4-battery-plugin{a} xfce4-clipman{a} xfce4-clipman-plugin{a} xfce4-cpufreq-plugin{a} xfce4-cpugraph-plugin{a}
xfce4-datetime-plugin{a} xfce4-dict{a} xfce4-diskperf-plugin{a} xfce4-fsguard-plugin{a} xfce4-genmon-plugin{a} xfce4-goodies xfce4-mailwatch-plugin{a} xfce4-mixer{a} xfce4-mount-plugin{a}
xfce4-netload-plugin{a} xfce4-notes{a} xfce4-notes-plugin{a} xfce4-panel{a} xfce4-places-plugin{a} xfce4-power-manager{a} xfce4-power-manager-data{a} xfce4-quicklauncher-plugin{a} xfce4-screenshooter{a}
xfce4-sensors-plugin{a} xfce4-session{a} xfce4-settings{a} xfce4-smartbookmark-plugin{a} xfce4-systemload-plugin{a} xfce4-taskmanager{a} xfce4-terminal{a} xfce4-timer-plugin{a} xfce4-utils{a}
xfce4-verve-plugin{a} xfce4-volumed{a} xfce4-wavelan-plugin{a} xfce4-weather-plugin{a} xfce4-xkb-plugin{a} xfconf{a} xfdesktop4{a} xfdesktop4-data{a} xfwm4{a} xfwm4-themes{a} xscreensaver{a}
0 packages upgraded, 82 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
Need to get 40.9 MB of archives. After unpacking 144 MB will be used.
Do you want to continue? [Y/n/?] y
Once installed, logout and select XFCE from the login menu.
XFCE has it’s own quirks and gotchas but it feels lighter and more responsive than Unity. The most difficult part was making the top menu bar autohide. I had to remove the “running programmes” list to get at the panel preferences. Only later did I notice the “Panel” item when you right click some of the menu widgets. The full screen mode in Gnome Terminal gets me back the extra 2-3 lines of terminal I missed. So winning all around as a certain actor once said …
Installing Gnome 3.2 is just as easy and looks gorgeous!
aptitude install gnome-shell
Virtual Desktops for Windows
One of my favourite things about the Linux desktop is that virtual desktops are a standard feature of just about every window manager. Mac OS X has Spaces and I have a vague memory of using some sort of virtual desktop in Windows years ago.
It isn’t a standard feature of the Windows experience but there are apps you can download to do that job. Desktops v1.02 is one that I tried, but there’s also VirtuaWin. Desktops is basic but works fine in Windows 7!
Have you tried any other ones?
So you want to write a video game?
I happened upon a tweet that mentioned a 50 step “how to make a C64 game” series so I searched and found this page. There’s now 52 steps and it’s still being worked on!
If modern platforms are more your thing then check out this playlist by RedReaper132 on Youtube. It’s a good series to learn about SDL and OpenGL. He keeps things simple but covers the basics of game development; setting up an IDE and compiler, game loops and events, collision detection and more.
Once you’ve watched and digested those, look at this SDL game framework series by Tim Jones. The code in these tutorials is more complicated as the author uses classes, virtual functions and other features of C++. It’s not as accessible as the YT videos but when you get to tutorials like this entities one you’ll appreciate the thought put into the code layout.
Me? I’d like to do a version of Arkanoid 2..
That “girlfriend gets tattoo of her boyfriend on her arm” guy
If you follow me on Twitter you might have seen me tweet this picture, a Facebook thread made by one Sara Hartley for her boyfriend Austin Knill.
It’s hilarious, it’s cringe worthy. It had all the hallmarks of being a hoax. The first paragraph dragging the reader in with an insane story and positive replies. You just knew it was going to end badly.
Hey baby, I wanted to show you in person, but I’m gonna be in Calgary a little longer than I expected. But anyways, Surprise!!! Thanks again so much for paying for it, the spa was the best valentine’s gift a girl could ask for.
Of course it’s a hoax. But it’s golden viral material. Good job Austin!
But Knill says he is taking some steps to stop the prank going further: “Her account has been deactivated for fear that some of the fake photos could be traced back to real people. Though I was in this to troll, the last thing I want to do is cause people grief for being mistaken as my psychotic ex.” (openfile)
Professor Father Ted
A probably mostly unseen and forgotten advert for season 3 of Father Ted. (via Reddit)