Archive for the ‘Geeky Stuff’ Category

Apple’s Denial of Service Attack

Thursday, June 30th, 2005

Early today Apple unleached the biggest DOS attack the internet has ever seen. They cunningly positioned a program update to the itunes that makes it seekout unsuspecting podcast websites and batters them with file request until something breaks, ie the operating system.

The beautiful thing about it was that the podcasting community knew about it in advance, but not the specifics. ie. which sites and when the program was getting released.

Some would call it a brilliant software innovation, but I call it a virus…

And in other news: Our podcast is getting royal downloaded and Hava.nl is happily holding up… suckers!

My iTunes Rant

Monday, May 16th, 2005

Ok, as a lot of my friends know, I use iTunes to manage a fairly big database of music (33,000+ songs). I have sent Apple feedback on how to improve their application that I love so much. I have been polite and have advocated that many of my friends should make the switch.

Now I really have had enough. No I ain’t ditching iTunes due to the fact I have put so much time and effort into my library, but I think it gives me the right to bitch.

  1. Apple start realizing that not all albums are individual songs… haven’t you heard some of the great classic albums like Pink Floyd’s Darkside of the Moon? It is about time we got the option on iTunes and our iPods to have gapless track progression. I mean it is really annoying listening to these albums with a half second audio gap between tracks. And no, I ain’t importing them as one big track and the fade with 0 seconds trick is just poor… come on other older mp3 players can do this, why can’t you?
  2. Allow us to easily import bookmarkable files, like audio books. I have over 40 gig of mp3 audiobooks that I would love to be in ACC Bookmarkable format, but the time to do it with Automator is going to be ridiculous.
  3. Allow other formats like wma, ogg, flac etc to be played in iTunes and the iPod. I personally don’t want to use these formats, but it would be handy when I come across these files.
  4. Give iTunes on the PC a full API so that developers can make cool and useful apps like they have done on the mac using applescript.
  5. Get iTunes Music Store open in Australia
  6. Give us an advanced smart playlist creator. I would like to have the “and” and “or” functionality.. it really is a must for a library as big as mine.
  7. Stop relying on market dominance to push your ideas, and actually listen to your customer base, because once something better comes out there is going to be an exodus.
  8. Develop iTunes to handle libraries automatically over multiple disks and volumes. I can tell you that managing over 400gig of audio by and is a little stupid and time comsuming.
  9. Get your heads out of your arses and go from have a good product to a great product.

Well I know the software is free and all, but hey as a poweruser and someone that have advocated the greatness in the big apple, I deserve the rant. Not that Apple cares…

Interesting article about TV Bittorrents

Monday, May 16th, 2005

Check this article about how bittorrents are making TV shows work, not hampering them. MPAA should read this and then get out of the stone age and think about what they are doing before sueing.

http://www.mindjack.com/feature/piracy051305.html