Comments for Pem's Tech Blog http://mepem.com/pemtech this is mostly computer / software / tech related, but really it's just whatever I felt like posting about Fri, 25 Nov 2011 08:53:09 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 Comment on Elliptical with Lectures by Pem (Admin) http://mepem.com/pemtech/index.php/2011/10/30/elliptical-with-lectures-part-1/comment-page-1/#comment-14493 Pem (Admin) Fri, 25 Nov 2011 08:53:09 +0000 http://mepem.com/pemtech/index.php/2011/10/30/elliptical-with-lectures-part-1/#comment-14493 Hi Steve, thanks for post. Sorry for taking a month to read your comment! This blog is pretty neglected, but this is intentional since it's mostly just a combination of (time waster) and (random notes or rants to myself that I make public)... And if I do waste much time on a blog, it should probably be a code blog O:-) Yes I am hoping that doing some exercise will help with energy and lifespan... And also be more comfortable in clothes and chairs etc (yes I think this is an actual issue for me having gone from 180 to 235). I agree I should figure out how to do some strength training too... But I need to figure out a system where I can focus on a Computer Science or Math etc lecture and have access to play/pause during this, like I did with the elliptical. Also, I don't know what I'm talking about, but I think cardiovascular might be more important than muscles for long-term health (warning, I don't know what talking about). Anyway, I should probably do both. As seen in the first paragraph of my latest post, I've moved from 30 min elliptical workouts to 45 min elliptical workouts, and am doing them pretty consistently. I'm also watching programming stuff during the jogs, and getting a lot of great and useful review. Hi Steve, thanks for post. Sorry for taking a month to read your comment! This blog is pretty neglected, but this is intentional since it’s mostly just a combination of (time waster) and (random notes or rants to myself that I make public)… And if I do waste much time on a blog, it should probably be a code blog O:-)

Yes I am hoping that doing some exercise will help with energy and lifespan… And also be more comfortable in clothes and chairs etc (yes I think this is an actual issue for me having gone from 180 to 235).

I agree I should figure out how to do some strength training too… But I need to figure out a system where I can focus on a Computer Science or Math etc lecture and have access to play/pause during this, like I did with the elliptical. Also, I don’t know what I’m talking about, but I think cardiovascular might be more important than muscles for long-term health (warning, I don’t know what talking about). Anyway, I should probably do both.

As seen in the first paragraph of my latest post, I’ve moved from 30 min elliptical workouts to 45 min elliptical workouts, and am doing them pretty consistently. I’m also watching programming stuff during the jogs, and getting a lot of great and useful review.

]]> Comment on Elliptical with Lectures by Steve http://mepem.com/pemtech/index.php/2011/10/30/elliptical-with-lectures-part-1/comment-page-1/#comment-14077 Steve Sun, 30 Oct 2011 19:22:28 +0000 http://mepem.com/pemtech/index.php/2011/10/30/elliptical-with-lectures-part-1/#comment-14077 Pem, I also came to the realization that staying in good physical condition is an important goal - not only because it makes you feel and look better, but because you won't be alive as long to enjoy the brainier things in life if you don't take good care of yourself! I'm glad to see you're taking these steps. Always start slowly at first, and then go from there. Strength training is actually the easiest way to lose weight, as each pound of muscle you put on lets you burn ~50 calories a day - just make sure to eat protein to repair muscle damage. There's no shame in wanting to look and feel your best - try to devote at least 3 hours a week to exercise if you can get away with it. Pem, I also came to the realization that staying in good physical condition is an important goal – not only because it makes you feel and look better, but because you won’t be alive as long to enjoy the brainier things in life if you don’t take good care of yourself! I’m glad to see you’re taking these steps. Always start slowly at first, and then go from there. Strength training is actually the easiest way to lose weight, as each pound of muscle you put on lets you burn ~50 calories a day – just make sure to eat protein to repair muscle damage. There’s no shame in wanting to look and feel your best – try to devote at least 3 hours a week to exercise if you can get away with it.

]]> Comment on Dell Inspiron Zino HD vs. Apple Mac Mini, Linux by Pem (Admin) http://mepem.com/pemtech/index.php/2010/03/28/dell-inspiron-zino-hd-vs-apple-mac-mini-linux/comment-page-1/#comment-13685 Pem (Admin) Mon, 03 Oct 2011 20:35:35 +0000 http://mepem.com/pemtech/2010/03/28/dell-inspiron-zino-hd-vs-apple-mac-mini-linux/#comment-13685 If only I'd waited 6 months for the Jun 15 2010 redesign... Dimensions changed from 2 x 6.5 x 6.5 to 1.4 x 7.7 x 7.7, and weight from 2.9 pounds to 3.0 pounds. And the power supply is now internal instead of external. Then, Jul 20 2011, dropped the CD/DVD optical drive. I like the current $799 version that has 2.5GHz dual-core Intel Core i5, 4GB memory, 500GB hard drive, AMD Radeon HD 6630M, OS X Lion. Though I'd still consider upgrading the memory and/or hard drive. Glad to see there's now space for two hard drives, though I might've preferred just having it shrink a tiny bit more, or maybe improve cooling or GPU (although AMD Radeon HD 6630M already sounds pretty good). Oh, I might also prefer the power supply to be external, if it could somehow shrink the total form factor a little more, since I'd just leave an extra power supply at my two or three docking locations. Maybe, maybe not... Would depend on the details. Another crazy pipe dream is if they had a mac-mini to laptop converter... Basically, the screen keyboard battery part of the laptop as an accessory, so you could optionally turn the Mac Mini into a laptop. Yes I know it's a crazy idea. Anyway, for now, I'm still enjoying the old Mac Mini. thanks for the comment! If only I’d waited 6 months for the Jun 15 2010 redesign… Dimensions changed from 2 x 6.5 x 6.5 to 1.4 x 7.7 x 7.7, and weight from 2.9 pounds to 3.0 pounds. And the power supply is now internal instead of external. Then, Jul 20 2011, dropped the CD/DVD optical drive. I like the current $799 version that has 2.5GHz dual-core Intel Core i5, 4GB memory, 500GB hard drive, AMD Radeon HD 6630M, OS X Lion.

Though I’d still consider upgrading the memory and/or hard drive. Glad to see there’s now space for two hard drives, though I might’ve preferred just having it shrink a tiny bit more, or maybe improve cooling or GPU (although AMD Radeon HD 6630M already sounds pretty good).

Oh, I might also prefer the power supply to be external, if it could somehow shrink the total form factor a little more, since I’d just leave an extra power supply at my two or three docking locations. Maybe, maybe not… Would depend on the details.

Another crazy pipe dream is if they had a mac-mini to laptop converter… Basically, the screen keyboard battery part of the laptop as an accessory, so you could optionally turn the Mac Mini into a laptop. Yes I know it’s a crazy idea.

Anyway, for now, I’m still enjoying the old Mac Mini. thanks for the comment!

]]> Comment on Dell Inspiron Zino HD vs. Apple Mac Mini, Linux by RoTimi Waddy http://mepem.com/pemtech/index.php/2010/03/28/dell-inspiron-zino-hd-vs-apple-mac-mini-linux/comment-page-1/#comment-12917 RoTimi Waddy Sat, 30 Jul 2011 02:32:36 +0000 http://mepem.com/pemtech/2010/03/28/dell-inspiron-zino-hd-vs-apple-mac-mini-linux/#comment-12917 Thanks for this great writeup comparing the differences between the 2! While I am a die hard Mac fan, I feel like I must do my due diligence and compare the competition before purchasing a new one! So, how do you feel now that the new Mac Mini's ship without optical disc drives & are even faster & more efficient than ever before. Can you do us the honor of update this review to reflect your new perspective to these changes to the Mac Mini! The base one now has the room to install a 2nd HDD & with a lower price than ever before, it seems like the Mac Mini has become the leader again in this competition for the top position. Am I right? What is your opinion on these changes? :) Thanks for this great writeup comparing the differences between the 2! While I am a die hard Mac fan, I feel like I must do my due diligence and compare the competition before purchasing a new one! So, how do you feel now that the new Mac Mini’s ship without optical disc drives & are even faster & more efficient than ever before.

Can you do us the honor of update this review to reflect your new perspective to these changes to the Mac Mini! The base one now has the room to install a 2nd HDD & with a lower price than ever before, it seems like the Mac Mini has become the leader again in this competition for the top position. Am I right? What is your opinion on these changes? :)

]]> Comment on Disk Drive file formats: Windows & Mac OS X & Linux/Unix; boot & data/external by David Waters http://mepem.com/pemtech/index.php/2009/07/18/external-drive-file-formats-windows-mac-os-x/comment-page-1/#comment-12311 David Waters Fri, 03 Jun 2011 18:21:32 +0000 http://mepem.com/pemtech/2009/07/18/external-drive-file-formats-windows-mac-os-x/#comment-12311 I understand that your article concerned hard drives, but this is a related topic. Is it possible to make Windows 7 under Parallels/Mac OS X 10.6.7 treat the CD drive as case insensitive? My wife bought a program that won't install because the .ini file path spec case for some files does not match the path on the cd. I suspect this is not an isolated slip by one manufacturer. I understand that your article concerned hard drives, but this is a related topic. Is it possible to make Windows 7 under Parallels/Mac OS X 10.6.7 treat the CD drive as case insensitive? My wife bought a program that won’t install because the .ini file path spec case for some files does not match the path on the cd. I suspect this is not an isolated slip by one manufacturer.

]]> Comment on overpriced overpowered online cards ruins mtgo by Pem (Admin) http://mepem.com/pemtech/index.php/2010/08/08/overpriced-overpowered-online-cards-ruins-mtgo/comment-page-1/#comment-11995 Pem (Admin) Tue, 17 May 2011 01:49:13 +0000 http://mepem.com/pemtech/index.php/2010/08/08/overpriced-overpowered-online-cards-ruins-mtgo/#comment-11995 Yea, I like so many things about MTGO, even the unique idea of owning your digital cards, rather than paying a monthly fee. I like MTGO better than other card games, even poker, for example. And relative to other video games, it's great to have it as an example of a turn-based competition-heavy cerebral-heavy online game. For example, I might call it, in some ways, better than StarCraft 2, primarily because it's turn-based. I especially love the whole thing about the constantly changing standard format (ie, a new deck every 3 months). It's awesome. But when you combine that with (overpriced cards valued at $15 to $80 per card, and needing 4 per deck), it arguably ruins an otherwise awesome game. The specific scenario of having cards like Jace the Mind Sculptor at $80 when you can have 4 per deck (would be $320!), or even some of the cards that are $15 or $20 (4 per deck would be $60 or $80)... It creates an unnecessary barrier. I think it can be argued that it actually takes away from the overall economy of the digital cards. Other online games with digital items (EverQuest, World of Warcraft, etc) managed to have economies where in-game items were worth more real money than any MTGO card... Without requiring the average player to pay anything above the $15/mo monthly fee for WoW. At least in my experience, it's very easy for the average half-serious player to spend significantly more than $15/mo for MTGO, which in the end means it costs more than WoW. Of course WoW actually costs more than $15/mo if you count the initial purchase of the account and expansion packs. But if anyone buys a deck with 4x Jace the Mind Sculptor cards in it, even once, it's hard to argue that WoW doesn't less. As for the dual lands comment... Idk if it's so bad, I guess reduces the amount of luck for a deck that isn't mono colored. I think the other most significant meta problem with MTG / MTGO is keeping the amount of dumb luck low (yet still be a card game). Anyway, let me at least clarify that I still do, overall, love MTG / MTGO. Yea, I like so many things about MTGO, even the unique idea of owning your digital cards, rather than paying a monthly fee. I like MTGO better than other card games, even poker, for example. And relative to other video games, it’s great to have it as an example of a turn-based competition-heavy cerebral-heavy online game. For example, I might call it, in some ways, better than StarCraft 2, primarily because it’s turn-based. I especially love the whole thing about the constantly changing standard format (ie, a new deck every 3 months). It’s awesome.

But when you combine that with (overpriced cards valued at $15 to $80 per card, and needing 4 per deck), it arguably ruins an otherwise awesome game. The specific scenario of having cards like Jace the Mind Sculptor at $80 when you can have 4 per deck (would be $320!), or even some of the cards that are $15 or $20 (4 per deck would be $60 or $80)… It creates an unnecessary barrier.

I think it can be argued that it actually takes away from the overall economy of the digital cards. Other online games with digital items (EverQuest, World of Warcraft, etc) managed to have economies where in-game items were worth more real money than any MTGO card… Without requiring the average player to pay anything above the $15/mo monthly fee for WoW.

At least in my experience, it’s very easy for the average half-serious player to spend significantly more than $15/mo for MTGO, which in the end means it costs more than WoW. Of course WoW actually costs more than $15/mo if you count the initial purchase of the account and expansion packs. But if anyone buys a deck with 4x Jace the Mind Sculptor cards in it, even once, it’s hard to argue that WoW doesn’t less.

As for the dual lands comment… Idk if it’s so bad, I guess reduces the amount of luck for a deck that isn’t mono colored. I think the other most significant meta problem with MTG / MTGO is keeping the amount of dumb luck low (yet still be a card game).

Anyway, let me at least clarify that I still do, overall, love MTG / MTGO.

]]> Comment on New Computer built from parts by Madre http://mepem.com/pemtech/index.php/2011/05/15/new-computer-built-from-parts/comment-page-1/#comment-11994 Madre Tue, 17 May 2011 00:29:37 +0000 http://mepem.com/pemtech/index.php/2011/05/15/new-computer-built-from-parts/#comment-11994 Cool,pemmy. Cool,pemmy.

]]> Comment on overpriced overpowered online cards ruins mtgo by bluedrgn http://mepem.com/pemtech/index.php/2010/08/08/overpriced-overpowered-online-cards-ruins-mtgo/comment-page-1/#comment-9981 bluedrgn Sun, 06 Feb 2011 06:53:05 +0000 http://mepem.com/pemtech/index.php/2010/08/08/overpriced-overpowered-online-cards-ruins-mtgo/#comment-9981 Amen. I know ridiculously expensive cards are nothing new in mtg, but mtgo has always had a reputation for being cheaper than paper magic. The real deal breaker is that you NEED 4x Mind Sculptors in just about any competitive deck that runs blue. Now that's just stupid and a sure sign that a card is broken. My ideal standard environment is one where there are many viable competitive decks for many different play styles and colors that range from relatively inexpensive to sky-high. We just don't see that anymore, and magic is stagnating as a result. There are what, three or four viable standard tourny decks right now? Very lame. The spirit of creativity in deckbuilding is being sucked out of mtg. It's being replaced by ridiculously overpriced, overpowered, MANDATORY cards. Oh, and don't even get me started on dual lands... Amen. I know ridiculously expensive cards are nothing new in mtg, but mtgo has always had a reputation for being cheaper than paper magic.

The real deal breaker is that you NEED 4x Mind Sculptors in just about any competitive deck that runs blue. Now that’s just stupid and a sure sign that a card is broken.

My ideal standard environment is one where there are many viable competitive decks for many different play styles and colors that range from relatively inexpensive to sky-high. We just don’t see that anymore, and magic is stagnating as a result. There are what, three or four viable standard tourny decks right now? Very lame.

The spirit of creativity in deckbuilding is being sucked out of mtg. It’s being replaced by ridiculously overpriced, overpowered, MANDATORY cards.

Oh, and don’t even get me started on dual lands…

]]> Comment on Dell Inspiron Zino HD vs. Apple Mac Mini, Linux by Robalo http://mepem.com/pemtech/index.php/2010/03/28/dell-inspiron-zino-hd-vs-apple-mac-mini-linux/comment-page-1/#comment-9798 Robalo Fri, 28 Jan 2011 20:04:32 +0000 http://mepem.com/pemtech/2010/03/28/dell-inspiron-zino-hd-vs-apple-mac-mini-linux/#comment-9798 In Dell Zino HD you can use ClearOS a good server In Dell Zino HD you can use ClearOS a good server

]]> Comment on overpriced overpowered online cards ruins mtgo by michael http://mepem.com/pemtech/index.php/2010/08/08/overpriced-overpowered-online-cards-ruins-mtgo/comment-page-1/#comment-9551 michael Mon, 17 Jan 2011 20:23:15 +0000 http://mepem.com/pemtech/index.php/2010/08/08/overpriced-overpowered-online-cards-ruins-mtgo/#comment-9551 They do need to change this. i only play physical but im starting to see almost every center card going up to about 5-10 dollars. and considering you buy them in multiples i cant see making a decent deck for less then 50 dollars They do need to change this. i only play physical but im starting to see almost every center card going up to about 5-10 dollars.
and considering you buy them in multiples i cant see making a decent deck for less then 50 dollars

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