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Domino

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  1. Domino

    Mikes First Day

    By Domino,

    So, as some of you may or may not know, I recently gave up the glamourous world of educational IT to go and work for a real company, with real computers for real money and everything.
     
    Shaun (ZeroHour to you) suggested it’d be a cool idea for me to blog about my experiences, and being the slacker I am, I’ve only just got round to it.
     
    So, here it is, Mike’s glorious adventures in business, and joining the rest of the happy smiley commuters on the short trip up to London.
     
    And by ‘happy smiling’ I mean ‘miserable’.
     
    And by ‘short trip’ I mean ‘soul destroying hour and 45 minutes’.
     
    Each way.
     
     
    My first day was not as I’d wanted it to go.
    Having almost recovered from my fairwell drinks with the Helenswood staff, which started Thursday and ended sometime Sunday, I dragged myself out of bed at 6am on the Monday and duly fell asleep in the shower.
    But lukily only for five minutes, so I still caught my train.
     
    And what a wonderful thing early morning trains are. Those of you who’ve met me know I’m fairly direct, but have an annoying habit of being quite friendly – this does not go down well with:
     
    1. Railway Staff – who treated my cheerful “Morning!” with a look so dour I thought I was talking to the head of science again, and really gave me value for my £400 a month train ticket.
     
    2. Commuters – Who ALL sat in absolute SILENCE the entirity of our journey. And have done ever since. Plus they all seem to have an inbuilt hatred for earrings. And tattoos.
     
    3. The Metropolitan Police – Who decided I couldn’t possibly have anything to smile about, so followed me from London Bridge station to work.
     
    But, none of that really mattered, cause today I started something new! Oh yes! As I walked over the river and saw the sun beating down on various landmarks, shiny officeblocks and an arseload of miserable bastards I thought to myself “this is it, onto bigger and better things” upon which I walked into my new office.
     

    http://www.itraveluk.co.uk/photos/data/505/bridge-hms-belfast.jpg

     
    To find no one there.
     
    Oh yes, dear reader, in the time-honoured tradition of school organisational skills everywhere, they’d forogtton I was coming after a small server meltdown at the weekend.
     
    So I rang the boss, who told me my login details and busied myself with menial stuff until people arrive – setting up email, finding my way round the network etc.
     
    It’s only when people from the team start arriving am I informed I’m at the wrong office.
     
    Bugger.
     

     
    So a brisk 15 minute walk to the other London site, I meet the rest of the team and am informed of the project for the next three weeks. A domain migration.
     
    So, sites in
    1. London
    2. Riga
    3. Luxembourg
    4. Boston
    5. New Jersey
    6. Hong Kong
    7. Edinburgh
    8. Dublin
    9. Paris
    10. Chicago
     
    Are all joining one domain, as well as moving to Server 2008, Exchange 2007 and ISA 2006
    Oh Cock.
     
    So, its all hands on deck getting ready for this, working out which various servers are going to need what treatment, moving mailboxes, moving data, firewall rules, edge transports need certain configuration, profiles, group policy is a mess, will this work, will that work, etc, etc
     
    And its about this time, I wonder what I’ve let myself in for.....
  2. Domino
    http://wwwimages.adobe.com/www.adobe.com/products/creativesuite/images/cs3_family_boxshot_713x154.jpg
     
    I know its a pain for us a network admins, but the software itself is actually quite impressive.
     
    Photoshop is now seventeen years old. Yes, Seventeen.
     
    I first started using photoshop at version 5, and its useablility and stability shocked me then. I've upgraded to every new version as soon as I've been able to, and I've never been disappointed.
     
    Until CS2.
     
    CS2, to me, felt like a stop gap. CS1 allowed much greater cross application functionality, and many new and easier ways of working than 7 or its predeccssors did, yet CS2 did little to expand upon these.
     
    The only major difference for me was that you were able to select multiple layers, rather than having to link them (something which should have been a feature from the word go). Other than that it was a bit of a let down, so I was apprehensive to upgrade to CS3 (my home machine still isn't).
     
    Now, around 4 months ago, the bursar decided I could purchase the iMac I'd be pestering her for, especially as I was going to be responsible for almost all the schools design and promotional material.
     
    It seemed like the perfect time to test two things which were new to me, CS3 and Leopard (which I'll reveiw soon).
     
    Now, one big difference between between CS3 and all other versions is the number of different packages availble (they seem to have gone the vista route of offering a million options).
     
    so was it going to be design standard, web extended, or one of the many other options? In the end I plumped for the master collection - as I'd be working with web, print and video for my various projects. This desicion was helped in no small part by the fact I could purchase it from my LEA for under £450, a sizeable saving on the £2,034.96 list price (Amazon, and don't even get me started on how the price is the same in dollars and pounds.....).
     
    So after a HUAGE install (24-odd Gb) I was ready to go. So I boot up the old trusty photoshop, and a big shock is there.
     
    http://www.creativepro.com/files/story_images/20070423_fg01.jpg
     
    The first MAJOR interface and menu design change in YEARS!
     
    Tools are now stacked in these "tabs" and it leaves you with a much larger space for your canvas, multiple windows, etc.
     
    Getting used to that for me wasn't such an issue, as I mostly use keyboard shortcuts in PS anyway, however I imagine a user who was more used to the CS1 or 2 way of working may have a couple of issues adjusting, but we'll find that out soon enough when I put CS3 on the art departments mac's.
     
    As for new tools and toys, the new quick selection tool is one snazzy asset.
     
    Think like a more intelligent magic wand, you can click over an area and it'll make an educated guess at what you wanted. another click will add the next section, a press with alt depressed with remove a section.
     
    http://www.creativepro.com/files/story_images/20070423_fg05a.jpg
     
    the further you get into selecting your object, the better it gets at anticipating what you want to select.
     
    It takes a bit of getting used to, but I've almost (i say, almost) stopped using the quick mask as my selection tool of choice.
     
    Smart objects and smart filters are two other great new features..
     
    Smart Objects isn't really a new feature (they were present in CS2), but in CS3 they're now much more useable, and not hidden away under a plethora of menus.
     
    Now, when you import, place or paste an object, it gives you the option of importing the object as a smart object.
     
    One very good thing you can do with a smart object is the new stack feature.
     
    Say you producing a HDR (high dynamic range) image, and have taken three images of a building to produce this. if the images were slightly differently aligned (your tripod moved, or you weren't using one), you would have had to crop, move and generally fiddle until the images were properly aligned.
     
    With stacks, photoshop can do this for you. Stack the images up, and you can align them so that photoshop looks for matching lines and shapes and makes sure all the images in a stack match up to the same height, shape, etc.
     
    I've also seen this used to remove people from a scene, if you've taken a number of pictures of a building, and want to take out the crowds, you can stack the images up and use the erase function on various layers to get the sections you want visible.
     
    http://www.creativepro.com/files/story_images/20070423_fg07.jpg
     
    Smart Objects have another new facility in the form of Smart Filters. Smart Filters allow you to apply any type of Photoshop filter to a Smart Object nondestructively, as in you don't permanently destroy any pixel data. As with Adjustment Layers, Smart Filters have a built-in layer mask that lets you easily constrain the effects of the Smart Filter to localized areas of the Smart Object.
     
    now, these smart filters can't be used with the brush or simliar tools, they have a bit of a learning curve, and can be quite fiddly - but used properly can be highly effective.
     
    I've only really concentrated on photoshop here, but the whole CS3 range has impressed me. especially the integration (3d data from Photoshop's vanishing point tool can be taken straight into after effects and used to create 3d flythroughs, for example).
     
    On the whole, I'd say Photoshop CS3 is absolutely worth getting. I've found it's made me far quicker, and I enjoy working with it far more. It also helps that the mac version is optomised for intel processors.
     
    However the price tag for the mastercollection puts it too high for most people. I certainly wouldn't get it for home at full price (i'm going to see if I can qualify for the student edition though)
     
    I hope soon to do a review of Aftereffects/Premiere CS3, as these are two of the other applications which have really impressed me in the new package.
     
    Ciao for now....
  3. Domino

    Summer Festivals!

    By Domino,

    2 blogs in one day?! you cry....
     
    ..yes
     

    http://photos-a.ak.facebook.com/photos-ak-sf2p/v123/118/84/515312458/n515312458_95792_8853.jpg Budapest!

     

    Last summer I decided to eschew (look it up) british festivals in favour of going and trying the european equivilant.

     

    My reasons for doing so were many - up until that point I'd been an avid Reading & Glastonbury goer, however raising prices, falling standards of bands and generally wanting to smack 90% of the people at these festivals in the chops meant I wasn't really up for it in 2007.

     

    So that meant either spend the summer getting the network back up to spec or go abroad.

     

     

    After my passport cam through I needed to decide which festival I was gonna ruin for everyone else.

     

    After a bit of searching I happened across the Sziget festival in budapest.

     

    Wikipedia says  

    yes, you read that 350 000 people. on an island.

     

    to put that in context, glastonburys capacity is 177,000 and Readings is 80,000. SO this is huge.

     

    Last Years Main artists: [ame=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manu_Chao]Manu Chao[/ame] (F), The Good, the Bad and the Queen (UK),[ame=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Chemical_Brothers]The Chemical Brothers[/ame] (UK), [ame=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gogol_Bordello]Gogol Bordello[/ame] (USA), [ame=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laurent_Garnier]Laurent Garnier[/ame] (F), Pink (USA), Madness (UK), [ame=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Rakes]The Rakes[/ame] (UK), [ame=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hives]The Hives[/ame] (S), [ame=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nine_Inch_Nails]Nine Inch Nails[/ame] (USA), [ame=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Razorlight]Razorlight[/ame] (UK), Sinéad O'Connor (IRL), [ame=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faithless]Faithless[/ame] (UK), Tool (USA), [ame=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eagles_Of_Death_Metal]Eagles Of Death Metal[/ame] (USA), The Killers (USA), [ame=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quimby]Quimby[/ame] (H), [ame=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alpha_Blondy]Alpha Blondy[/ame] (CIV), [ame=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tankcsapda]Tankcsapda[/ame] (H), Kispál és a Borz (H) and [ame=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ennio_Marchetto]Ennio Marchetto[/ame] (IT)

     

    however, there are a HUGE amount of other stages, everything from death metal to Jazz to Folk to Dance

     

    In addition to music, the festival offers a plethora of other activities including [ame=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Film]cinema[/ame], [ame=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dance]dance[/ame], [ame=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theatre]theatre[/ame], [ame=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tattoo]tattooing[/ame], [ame=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet]Internet[/ame] access, [ame=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volleyball]volleyball[/ame], [ame=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tennis]tennis[/ame], football, [ame=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bungee_jumping]bungee jumping[/ame] and a life-sized [ame=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Table_football]foosball[/ame] (which was awesome btw)

     

    Also the city's gorgeous

    http://photos-b.ak.facebook.com/photos-ak-sf2p/v113/143/79/861960242/n861960242_1060145_2973.jpg

     

    There's fun and games

     

    http://photos-b.ak.facebook.com/photos-ak-sf2p/v123/118/84/515312458/n515312458_95805_5122.jpg

     

    And the beers dirt cheap (90p a pint!) and the cocktails come in buckets

     

    http://photos-d.ak.facebook.com/photos-ak-sf2p/v123/118/84/515312458/n515312458_101823_6881.jpg

     

     

    So yeah, a week long festival, for 120 Euros (90squid-ish with about 90 for flights). So a whole week of fun and games, for less than a glasto ticket.



    No contest

     

     

    Pictures http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=45718&l=43f6a&id=861960242

    &

    http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=3625&page=1&id=515312458

     







  4. Domino
    So, I've has an Asus Eeepc to play with for a couple of days now, and thought I'd share my experiences.
     
    First thing that hits you is the size of this thing. Its dinky. REALLY dinky. I know every review has said that but until you get your hands on one to play with you don't really see it.
     

     
    Here it is on my 15" Powerbook
     
    Its also sturdy, the thick plastic feels like it could take some stick, and having a solid state flash disk instead of a traditional harddrive - its not going to die after it get taken for a drag by the dog (don't laugh, it happened).
     
    Getting to grips with the software was an absolute doddle. there was very little I couldn't do with the default Xandros installation - and for most people I would suggest sticking with it.
     
    Its so more lightweight than windows, that even the lowest spec Eeepc (the one i have) copes with it easily.
     
    The keyboard seems small at first, and also the trackpad, but after half an hour using one, you'll wonder what the problem was.
     
    I'm sure people with large hands may have the initial hiccup, but Its just like getting used to a new phone or similar - takes a bit of patience.
     
    The one thing about owning one of these that you will have to get used - everyone wants to talk to you.
     
    I was in my local last night and got it out of my bag to check my email.
     
    You would have thought Johnny Depp had just walked in.
     
    "whats that..?"
    "its Cute"
    "A laptop....!?!"
    "HOW Cheap!?!"
     
    are just some of things you will hear daily.
     
    I only got this to see about the feasibility of their school use (a different article) but so far, after seeing mine, I know 4 other people with them. And more are saving or waiting for the 9".
     
    All in all, they're cracking machines.
     
    Just use them as they're meant to - don't bemoan the lack of disk space, don't put windoze on it and don't comlain that keyboards too small.
     
    Its a web device, pure and simple. use it as one.
     

    EeePC + VLE + Wireless = WIN
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