It's not often that I am proud of my country. The governments views on technology and related new media and then the legislation that either must be put in place for the protection of users or in other situations where The legalization is either put or kept in place for reasons or almost reasons unknown *cough* r18 *cough*.
Many of the progressive movements and think tanks about technology occur away from Australia and concern mostly Europe's and America's Internet space, but because so many servers are hosted in Europe and America, so many superpower online companies and organizations call it home. Although this is both understandable and discussions about the big ICT issues will be more effective than talks here, but Australia really should step up more often and discuss the issues and how they effect us as a nation, but it seems as if the reverse is happening, okay, that maybe an exaggeration, but certainly in high school education ICT is being neglected, I can only speak of my state, but I bet that the others are not much better.
The Internet is like a new world, with its own rules and language, every person in Australia will have some form of contact with it and yet its presumes that young people because they have grown up with it, will instantly understand the ins and outs, because they understand OMG, FML and LOL. That they are safe from online attack, or that this online attack is not as dangerous as being attacked in the offline world. Or the reverse, that young people should not be allowed online because no matter how much they are educated the Internet is still not safe for them. Young people are not being educated of the risks in practical ways.
I digress, today I am proud.
The five major ISPs have teamed up to trial a system to help stamp out Internet piracy without infringing on our rights like protect IP does. This is an amazing step. It does have a really long way to go before we see the impacts of this or even if it will be effective at all. There is no promise that this will even leave the trial stages, but its like the ISPs have seemingly taken many of the counter comments used regarding sopa and protect ip and built a model based on that and I am amazed. This is world changing stuff, more than the carbon tax or anything the Australian government has legislated in recent years, hopefully this will show the middle ground where the user gets a voice and the massive copyright holders don’t own the Internet.
Saturday, December 3, 2011
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Skyrim
Okay, everyone who knows me knows that I have been a TES fan girl since Oblivion, this was also about the time I really started getting into gaming. Obviously this dates me (as not gaming for very long at all) but nonetheless I have been actively waiting for Skyrim since its working name was released in 2008.
I think shall start with an anecdote or three, I pretty much told my mother that when TES:V was released (2010 was the scheduled release) that I would not be attending school that day; attend school, I did not. I bought about $50-$60aud of chips, confectionery, (glo juice obviously) and energy drink, dashed into my game retailer and twitched nervously as I waited for my copy, that due to what is becoming a common occurrence in australia, the game was put on sale a day early. I was freaking out frantically texting and calling my boyfriend while trying to post updates to twitter and facebook. I put in the disc, while rambling incoherently on the phone, steam popped up, I typed in the serial... BOOM cannot install game has not been released, so I went a bit nutty.
I spent the next several hours reading the strategy guide and pacing. Midnight came along, so I set-up my install and gazed and my screen, watching Harry Partridge‘s Skyrim video. I was ready to play after a 20min wait and then... updates and patches, AN HOUR OF THEM.
By the time that was all done, I was a little bit annoyed, It was 0130 and I just wanted to play the fragging game. I found out later that this was even worse for my cousins in in our wild west, Perth who are 3hrs behind us, the game releases at midnight Australian eastern time though.
Okay, so here is the actual review, I just wanted to give that to show the excitement and irritation I entered the game with.
So I open the game, and started construction my character, that’s when alarm bells started ringing. It was hard to move the little sliders to alter my appearance and I wasn't really sure what menu contained what particular aspect of appearance. I just had to kind of go with it and hope everything worked out. Eventually I discovered that it was easier to use the keyboard for the creation process. I have to admit that I was slightly awed by the opening, but nowhere near as much as with oblivion, I have watched that cutscence at least a couple of dozen times and it still gives me shivers. Skyrim didn’t have that epic RPG vastness shown in its opening, no big shots of the evil that awaits or the world that we will spend hours grinding through, great for realism but RPGs suit having a little bit of a teaser, a little bit of prophesy.
I got through the creation and intro, still a little bit confused but generally okay. I meandered through the introduction, bla bla execution, bla bla dragons. I just wanted to get into some real gameplay!
so I got out into the real world an took a look around, my first though was how ugly it is, not in a poorly designed way, but in a snow, rocks, dirt, and cloud way. I pretty much accepted though that I wasn’t going to aesthetically like skyrim that much, as I was never a big fan of northern Cyrodiil (Cyrodiil is the country that oblivion was set in, the northern border shares the southern border of skyrim, it shares much of skyrim’s climate) so I opened my menu and looked for the map, easy to find with the 4 point compass style menu. I look at it, and was like “what?!” I was utterly confused, was it tilted, where were the edges of the map, what was going on here! I did notice a marked village though so I sauntered off in that direction. Also in regard to the map in a later quest; I don’t particularly have a knack with mountains, especially in games, but my job was to climb one, so I walked around part of it, and I could not find an way up. So I passed out on the lounge room floor with the strategy guide and a blankey (about 6am) and woke up at about midday. Eventually after looking in the strategy guide some more, I found that the path was on the other side of a mountain near a village, perhaps the dude who told me to climb the mountain said that, but I didn’t hear, or was too thick to understand, so now I had to work out a way to get there. I looked at my map, all I could see was cloud, and the hint of a river. I looked up the village on my strategy guide map, I squinted my eyes and managed to see a river and a road that seemed far far away, I looked at the “ye old” preorder map (it looks more like the oblivion map), and I had no idea where I was. so I gave up on that and I wandered down the river and eventually got to my destination. I understand the map now mostly. I realised though that map problem was a more obvious feature of what I now realise was me having no idea how the menu system worked, It felt like an arrogant, “if you don’t get this you suck” or a “this is our game, you should just work it out cause we don't have time to make a tutorial”
Okay, fine, I’m stupid, I get that but that’s no excuse for not having some form of tutorial when you make a menu system that is not like most other menus (I did read the booklet, that didn’t help me much) It made the first few, already sleep deprived hours of gameplay difficult and the world felt nowhere near as open as oblivion did (I was only confident in changing quests about 6hrs in)
and the booklet doesn't count, I read the booklet and it does not replace a proper tutorial.
It felt like a new game in a long series that had menus that were always structured in that way, and that I should go back and play them or do some more research about the past games. It felt as if you had to be one of “them” to understand it. Okay, I am a bit slow, I can let it slide but this really took away from how I expected the first few hours to pan out. I planned to play non stop for at least 24hrs,
I do have some massive praise for the game as well.The dungeons, I hated oblivion dungeons, they felt claustrophobic and I always got lost, walking around in circles, skyrim dungeons are more straight forward and vast and it makes it easier to focus on your objectives and combat, but they are also not so simple that its impossible to get lost, I have to check the map every now and then, but its not a constant concern.
Also the combat is awesome, oblivion really messed up the leveled combat, you could predict the leveling up of enemies and the game was either too easy or too hard. The advances in skyrim are perfect, I’m almost level 10 after about 12 hrs of gameplay, and I have encountered 3 or 4 frost trolls, every time I have either died or run away, I’m just no match, maybe as I build my perks (think borderlands, and if you don't know what I mean, and don't mind me rambling on, chk this) and skills I will be able to beat it, but I cant just level up and beat him on raw power as a level 10 and I doubt as even a level 20 or 30.
Also the magic is amazing, I was always put off from being a battlemage because casting was slow, drained lots of magika and was weak, and looked terrible. The lower level magic that I’m using is pretty weak but its fast, pretty and satisfying. It hold the promise of leveling up to become something awesome, and when it is a bit of a fail you can always equip a one handed weapon to supplement it.
The menu system when you do finally work out how the frag it works, is pretty good, I love how the little meaningless quests are filed into there own out of the way category, although I must say whoever picked the font, you couldn’t have picked something less related if you tried, you could at least weathered it a bit. It’s one of the cleanest sans serif fonts I have seen. nice to read but so strange in a “ye old” style game. also the disappearance of the character preview. sure I can exit the menu, toggle to third person and look at myself. But in oblivion I could drop things and kick them around to see the details. and yet you (and I'm happy you did) implement a better way at of looking at items.
It seems that fashion has been abandoned, if anyone in the production spent 10 minutes on the tesnexus (one of the largest mod bases for oblivion and morrowind) one would observe that some of the most downloaded and famous mods improve magic, midas magic; combat, deadly reflex; overall character presentation, beautiful people. and those were all accounted for in skyrim, but not the NUMEROUS better armour mods, everything from the original, albeit revealing, hentai magic collection, to all the modifications of the current armour to make it look better. Some of the most requested items on skyrim forums were cloaks and better looking clothing/armour, and the same is the case with weapons. It seems, both from observing npcs, and shops, that the clothing is uglier than ever. War is no excuse for this, people always want the prettiest and most powerful items, no matter the cost. I hope there is going to be a dlc improving this, the shivering isle expansion for oblivion has some of the best clothing and weapons. I bet many people haven't been vocal about this yet, because clothing is one of the things that you worry about once you have finished the game and settled down, you something you then take pleasure from. It takes away from the role playing for some character types, if the prettiest thing you can wear is your underwear.
Also some of the little things that have been added to evoke a sense of reality, such as being able to cut wood. Seemed a little hurried and as if they were added last minute, They seem to lack purpose.
There are some things I liked about oblivion better. In oblivion you can jump off just about everything, sure you would die, but it gave you the freedom to do as you pleased. Also I miss not carrying items to perform alchemy. Alchemy was one of my core skills in oblivion, I mastered it on more than one occasion (gained the maximum skill) and it is nowhere near as accessible as it was and that is a bit sad.
Overall: this is without a doubt the best elder scrolls game I have played, It lives up to the hype and it was worth ever cent and compared to the gameplay hours I expect to gain, it did not cost many cents. I think I will echo what other reviews are saying and go with 9-9.5 out of 10.
I think shall start with an anecdote or three, I pretty much told my mother that when TES:V was released (2010 was the scheduled release) that I would not be attending school that day; attend school, I did not. I bought about $50-$60aud of chips, confectionery, (glo juice obviously) and energy drink, dashed into my game retailer and twitched nervously as I waited for my copy, that due to what is becoming a common occurrence in australia, the game was put on sale a day early. I was freaking out frantically texting and calling my boyfriend while trying to post updates to twitter and facebook. I put in the disc, while rambling incoherently on the phone, steam popped up, I typed in the serial... BOOM cannot install game has not been released, so I went a bit nutty.
I spent the next several hours reading the strategy guide and pacing. Midnight came along, so I set-up my install and gazed and my screen, watching Harry Partridge‘s Skyrim video. I was ready to play after a 20min wait and then... updates and patches, AN HOUR OF THEM.
By the time that was all done, I was a little bit annoyed, It was 0130 and I just wanted to play the fragging game. I found out later that this was even worse for my cousins in in our wild west, Perth who are 3hrs behind us, the game releases at midnight Australian eastern time though.
Okay, so here is the actual review, I just wanted to give that to show the excitement and irritation I entered the game with.
So I open the game, and started construction my character, that’s when alarm bells started ringing. It was hard to move the little sliders to alter my appearance and I wasn't really sure what menu contained what particular aspect of appearance. I just had to kind of go with it and hope everything worked out. Eventually I discovered that it was easier to use the keyboard for the creation process. I have to admit that I was slightly awed by the opening, but nowhere near as much as with oblivion, I have watched that cutscence at least a couple of dozen times and it still gives me shivers. Skyrim didn’t have that epic RPG vastness shown in its opening, no big shots of the evil that awaits or the world that we will spend hours grinding through, great for realism but RPGs suit having a little bit of a teaser, a little bit of prophesy.
I got through the creation and intro, still a little bit confused but generally okay. I meandered through the introduction, bla bla execution, bla bla dragons. I just wanted to get into some real gameplay!
so I got out into the real world an took a look around, my first though was how ugly it is, not in a poorly designed way, but in a snow, rocks, dirt, and cloud way. I pretty much accepted though that I wasn’t going to aesthetically like skyrim that much, as I was never a big fan of northern Cyrodiil (Cyrodiil is the country that oblivion was set in, the northern border shares the southern border of skyrim, it shares much of skyrim’s climate) so I opened my menu and looked for the map, easy to find with the 4 point compass style menu. I look at it, and was like “what?!” I was utterly confused, was it tilted, where were the edges of the map, what was going on here! I did notice a marked village though so I sauntered off in that direction. Also in regard to the map in a later quest; I don’t particularly have a knack with mountains, especially in games, but my job was to climb one, so I walked around part of it, and I could not find an way up. So I passed out on the lounge room floor with the strategy guide and a blankey (about 6am) and woke up at about midday. Eventually after looking in the strategy guide some more, I found that the path was on the other side of a mountain near a village, perhaps the dude who told me to climb the mountain said that, but I didn’t hear, or was too thick to understand, so now I had to work out a way to get there. I looked at my map, all I could see was cloud, and the hint of a river. I looked up the village on my strategy guide map, I squinted my eyes and managed to see a river and a road that seemed far far away, I looked at the “ye old” preorder map (it looks more like the oblivion map), and I had no idea where I was. so I gave up on that and I wandered down the river and eventually got to my destination. I understand the map now mostly. I realised though that map problem was a more obvious feature of what I now realise was me having no idea how the menu system worked, It felt like an arrogant, “if you don’t get this you suck” or a “this is our game, you should just work it out cause we don't have time to make a tutorial”
Okay, fine, I’m stupid, I get that but that’s no excuse for not having some form of tutorial when you make a menu system that is not like most other menus (I did read the booklet, that didn’t help me much) It made the first few, already sleep deprived hours of gameplay difficult and the world felt nowhere near as open as oblivion did (I was only confident in changing quests about 6hrs in)
and the booklet doesn't count, I read the booklet and it does not replace a proper tutorial.
It felt like a new game in a long series that had menus that were always structured in that way, and that I should go back and play them or do some more research about the past games. It felt as if you had to be one of “them” to understand it. Okay, I am a bit slow, I can let it slide but this really took away from how I expected the first few hours to pan out. I planned to play non stop for at least 24hrs,
I do have some massive praise for the game as well.The dungeons, I hated oblivion dungeons, they felt claustrophobic and I always got lost, walking around in circles, skyrim dungeons are more straight forward and vast and it makes it easier to focus on your objectives and combat, but they are also not so simple that its impossible to get lost, I have to check the map every now and then, but its not a constant concern.
Also the combat is awesome, oblivion really messed up the leveled combat, you could predict the leveling up of enemies and the game was either too easy or too hard. The advances in skyrim are perfect, I’m almost level 10 after about 12 hrs of gameplay, and I have encountered 3 or 4 frost trolls, every time I have either died or run away, I’m just no match, maybe as I build my perks (think borderlands, and if you don't know what I mean, and don't mind me rambling on, chk this) and skills I will be able to beat it, but I cant just level up and beat him on raw power as a level 10 and I doubt as even a level 20 or 30.
Also the magic is amazing, I was always put off from being a battlemage because casting was slow, drained lots of magika and was weak, and looked terrible. The lower level magic that I’m using is pretty weak but its fast, pretty and satisfying. It hold the promise of leveling up to become something awesome, and when it is a bit of a fail you can always equip a one handed weapon to supplement it.
The menu system when you do finally work out how the frag it works, is pretty good, I love how the little meaningless quests are filed into there own out of the way category, although I must say whoever picked the font, you couldn’t have picked something less related if you tried, you could at least weathered it a bit. It’s one of the cleanest sans serif fonts I have seen. nice to read but so strange in a “ye old” style game. also the disappearance of the character preview. sure I can exit the menu, toggle to third person and look at myself. But in oblivion I could drop things and kick them around to see the details. and yet you (and I'm happy you did) implement a better way at of looking at items.
It seems that fashion has been abandoned, if anyone in the production spent 10 minutes on the tesnexus (one of the largest mod bases for oblivion and morrowind) one would observe that some of the most downloaded and famous mods improve magic, midas magic; combat, deadly reflex; overall character presentation, beautiful people. and those were all accounted for in skyrim, but not the NUMEROUS better armour mods, everything from the original, albeit revealing, hentai magic collection, to all the modifications of the current armour to make it look better. Some of the most requested items on skyrim forums were cloaks and better looking clothing/armour, and the same is the case with weapons. It seems, both from observing npcs, and shops, that the clothing is uglier than ever. War is no excuse for this, people always want the prettiest and most powerful items, no matter the cost. I hope there is going to be a dlc improving this, the shivering isle expansion for oblivion has some of the best clothing and weapons. I bet many people haven't been vocal about this yet, because clothing is one of the things that you worry about once you have finished the game and settled down, you something you then take pleasure from. It takes away from the role playing for some character types, if the prettiest thing you can wear is your underwear.
Also some of the little things that have been added to evoke a sense of reality, such as being able to cut wood. Seemed a little hurried and as if they were added last minute, They seem to lack purpose.
There are some things I liked about oblivion better. In oblivion you can jump off just about everything, sure you would die, but it gave you the freedom to do as you pleased. Also I miss not carrying items to perform alchemy. Alchemy was one of my core skills in oblivion, I mastered it on more than one occasion (gained the maximum skill) and it is nowhere near as accessible as it was and that is a bit sad.
Overall: this is without a doubt the best elder scrolls game I have played, It lives up to the hype and it was worth ever cent and compared to the gameplay hours I expect to gain, it did not cost many cents. I think I will echo what other reviews are saying and go with 9-9.5 out of 10.
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Offline... for one day
um its really late... and im a little retarded so i have a series of memes from memebase for you to interpreted why... after this post... i have gone ofline (it took an hour)
Friday, October 28, 2011
Gaming Season
Gamers everywhere are preparing for a long couple of months, with a large quantity of major sequels coming out within a month of each other, in many cases within the space of a few days. Obviously the main game for me will be skyrim, and it seems that each gamer has a game of preference this gaming season. With modern warfare 3 (the new call of duty game)due out in 13 days (8 nov)
accompanied with yet again another frenzy of official drinks, I have seen the mountain dew promotion, (not in Australia). also I think I saw v or monster with mw3 emblazoned on it a couple of weeks ago at the supermarket.
battlefield 3 has been in public beta for a while now, and officially came out three days ago on the 25th. It is classed as the more realistic version of call of duty, although the gameplay is slower than cod games, it has a very strong following. Cod is like twilight for boys, easy to digest and strangely addictive and satisfying. Both cod and battlefield are games that I really need to get around to trying, i'm sick of the look of joy on a guys face when I say I'm a gamer, and then the disappointment when I admit to not playing cod although has been on my todo list for ages and bf3 too.
assassins creed: revelations (4) is due out on the 15th of nov. I must say its the only game on this list I have no desire to play, or even observe someone playing. I played one of the ac games on ds. I thoroughly enjoyed it, albeit the purists stated the obvious fact, that it is nothing like the pc/xbox versions. So I managed to swindle a copy of ac2, after being advised that the first game was rubbish and it was not worth my time, but the second was. I stuck with it for about half an hour perhaps an hour before getting stuck in the prequel/tut/whatever stage. Th controls were a mystery to me, and my preferred genre of game has always been fps, and above that, rpgfps (borderlands, fallout, oblivion). I have a dislike of third person games as a general rule (exceptions being just cause, I admit I did not put many hours in and harry potter and the chamber of secrets.)could not stand neverwinter nights, or playing morrowind or oblivion in third person during combat. ac2 did not make the grade, after getting stuck on the controls, the lack of control I had in the story of game and just it not really dragging me in meant that I never really went to the effort of playing it further. But I do not doubt its a great game, but everyone has personal taste obviously, be it in books, movies, TV or games.
have to admit one of the best trailers I have seen this year... perhaps ever
Okay best til last, skyrim. For those who do not know oblivion is one of the first games I played ever (thank you phleabytes and I guess bdm22 as well... a little) and skyrim is its much anticipated sequel. I'm not gonna lie, this game makes me do strange things, and even just the thought of it causes this strange response that includes nostalgia and a fair amount of this
and, my skyrim strategy notebook... um that may or may not have my name on the front in the dragon language... and I may or may not have spent 2 days spray painting it...
there are 13 strangely foreboding days (what if the game is terrible, cant I keep this feeling of excitement forever?) until the game comes out, it is a friday, also remembrance day and a strange metaphysical whatever according to this
I could go on for oblivion and skyrim for ages, and I may, but in a later post just before I get off the net and start playing the game
accompanied with yet again another frenzy of official drinks, I have seen the mountain dew promotion, (not in Australia). also I think I saw v or monster with mw3 emblazoned on it a couple of weeks ago at the supermarket.
battlefield 3 has been in public beta for a while now, and officially came out three days ago on the 25th. It is classed as the more realistic version of call of duty, although the gameplay is slower than cod games, it has a very strong following. Cod is like twilight for boys, easy to digest and strangely addictive and satisfying. Both cod and battlefield are games that I really need to get around to trying, i'm sick of the look of joy on a guys face when I say I'm a gamer, and then the disappointment when I admit to not playing cod although has been on my todo list for ages and bf3 too.
assassins creed: revelations (4) is due out on the 15th of nov. I must say its the only game on this list I have no desire to play, or even observe someone playing. I played one of the ac games on ds. I thoroughly enjoyed it, albeit the purists stated the obvious fact, that it is nothing like the pc/xbox versions. So I managed to swindle a copy of ac2, after being advised that the first game was rubbish and it was not worth my time, but the second was. I stuck with it for about half an hour perhaps an hour before getting stuck in the prequel/tut/whatever stage. Th controls were a mystery to me, and my preferred genre of game has always been fps, and above that, rpgfps (borderlands, fallout, oblivion). I have a dislike of third person games as a general rule (exceptions being just cause, I admit I did not put many hours in and harry potter and the chamber of secrets.)could not stand neverwinter nights, or playing morrowind or oblivion in third person during combat. ac2 did not make the grade, after getting stuck on the controls, the lack of control I had in the story of game and just it not really dragging me in meant that I never really went to the effort of playing it further. But I do not doubt its a great game, but everyone has personal taste obviously, be it in books, movies, TV or games.
have to admit one of the best trailers I have seen this year... perhaps ever
Okay best til last, skyrim. For those who do not know oblivion is one of the first games I played ever (thank you phleabytes and I guess bdm22 as well... a little) and skyrim is its much anticipated sequel. I'm not gonna lie, this game makes me do strange things, and even just the thought of it causes this strange response that includes nostalgia and a fair amount of this
and, my skyrim strategy notebook... um that may or may not have my name on the front in the dragon language... and I may or may not have spent 2 days spray painting it...
there are 13 strangely foreboding days (what if the game is terrible, cant I keep this feeling of excitement forever?) until the game comes out, it is a friday, also remembrance day and a strange metaphysical whatever according to this
I could go on for oblivion and skyrim for ages, and I may, but in a later post just before I get off the net and start playing the game
Saturday, October 22, 2011
Occupy Melbourne
I am sick of the Occupy Melbourne exaggerations of police brutality and and needless measures, in the most part regarding the destruction of property and the removal of protesters, anyone who did not expect the protesters to be removed by force after the comments (ie eviction notice) of the Melbourne city council, are naive to say the least. Those who resist, who are surprised that police are dragging them away, and defending themselves from resisting protesters are also a tad slow. I am not against socialist ideals, nor protesting, but this just seems to be the whining of upper middle class Australians, if you want to help the impoverished, got spend the time you have been protesting helping at a homeless shelter or donating money. Not feigning and whinging about inequality, actions may speak louder than words, but it seems that your actions are nothing more than shouting your words. All this is seeming to achieve is back patting among supporters of your cause and alienation against those who do no believe or do not agree with your childish antics.
Saturday, August 20, 2011
socially making the most of the internet
Im not sure what to name this post, but what it is about is socially making the most of the internet, so I guess I will call it that.
One of my brothers was surprised to say the least that considering I have spent less than 6 months really actively on the internet and social media, so I thought I would write about what one should do to make connections with like minded individuals and geniuses on the internet.
The first thing I can think of is to pick a social internet circle and stick with it, I include YouTube in the definition of social internet, as it is most definitely a way to interact socially with others if you so decide. And in ways I exclude the vanilla usage of facebook, as you can use facebook to interact with new people but it is really for reinforcing relationships. Hence I use the term Social Internet rather than Social Network.
Charlie McDonnell is a prime example of how he made YouTube work for him, Although a self admitting nerd and once a shy quiet lad, he is now a musical a YouTube sensation. Who can say the line that many people wish they could, that being "my job is YouTube" Charlie has explained his rise to fame and his thoughts on fame most aptly in this video
and the idea of doing what you do, for you; I think is completely true. I'll be lucky if three people read this, I don't do much on-line to get the attention of others I do it for me.
I use twitter, because writing is my medium of choice although it does not have the same viral nature as YouTube, as tweets are not really passed on outside of twitter and even if they are the don't really go viral, unless its a drunk/high celeb. But through twitter I have a small yet solid base of friends and followers from all over the world. something that is scary.
I did this through constantly being active and joining in conversations with others, an essential trait in the offline social world not surprisingly is essential in the online world too
(sorry that this post is a bit messy)
One of my brothers was surprised to say the least that considering I have spent less than 6 months really actively on the internet and social media, so I thought I would write about what one should do to make connections with like minded individuals and geniuses on the internet.
The first thing I can think of is to pick a social internet circle and stick with it, I include YouTube in the definition of social internet, as it is most definitely a way to interact socially with others if you so decide. And in ways I exclude the vanilla usage of facebook, as you can use facebook to interact with new people but it is really for reinforcing relationships. Hence I use the term Social Internet rather than Social Network.
Charlie McDonnell is a prime example of how he made YouTube work for him, Although a self admitting nerd and once a shy quiet lad, he is now a musical a YouTube sensation. Who can say the line that many people wish they could, that being "my job is YouTube" Charlie has explained his rise to fame and his thoughts on fame most aptly in this video
and the idea of doing what you do, for you; I think is completely true. I'll be lucky if three people read this, I don't do much on-line to get the attention of others I do it for me.
I use twitter, because writing is my medium of choice although it does not have the same viral nature as YouTube, as tweets are not really passed on outside of twitter and even if they are the don't really go viral, unless its a drunk/high celeb. But through twitter I have a small yet solid base of friends and followers from all over the world. something that is scary.
I did this through constantly being active and joining in conversations with others, an essential trait in the offline social world not surprisingly is essential in the online world too
(sorry that this post is a bit messy)
Friday, July 22, 2011
Peace at last, video games in the same league as other media
At this point in my life I have only two changes in Australian legislation that I want made. One of these changes has now been made and its impact is soon to be felt, although small all over the Australian community. This is in relation to a R18+, an adults only per say rating for videos games. This R18+ rating has already existed for many years in Film and Television and has its equivalents in literature and music. This means that a genre of entertainment that was originally seen as only for children and teenagers and hence could only be rated as such. The highest rating previously being MA15+. As soon as one turns 15, they could then play every video game available on the Australian market.
Currently Australia has the largest amount of games that are discriminately refused classification the only countries that have higher numbers of RCed video games are those who have not allowed any violence to be shown in games whatsoever.
Also a massive misnomer is that these games R18+ games were banned in Australia, refused classification in Australia mealy means that the games cannot be legally sold or promoted in Australia there is only one recorded case of a game being banned to the extent that it was an illegal to own although all RCed games are classified as "objectionable material" and can be seized at the border and the owner to be stung with a $110 000 fine. This one game was Mortal Combat and this was March 2011 and applied mostly to imports of the game.
But importing a game is not the only way to obtain it.
Internet piracy is a threat to the music and film industries and a massive threat to the games industry. Anyone with a bit of know how and an internet connection can download almost any game for free and with games sales being the an approximate 80-90% of sales regarding the industry, this is a threat to its survival. Luckily many gaming fans understand this and purchase the games to support the production of the game and future titles. Although when it is impossible to purchase the game here and difficult to purchase it overseas with the risk of a $110 000 fine hanging over your head. Piracy an already illegal act that is hard to stamp out (the three industries are trying very hard to do so each in different ways)seems to be the only resort for the die hard fan who really wants to play the new RCed game.
So I applaud the members of the Australian people who have supported this change and the members of the government who have listened, although this means that not every game will gain classification this is ground breaking legislation that will help every one from the industry to the gamer.
Now all I have to do is wait for my 18th birthday.
Currently Australia has the largest amount of games that are discriminately refused classification the only countries that have higher numbers of RCed video games are those who have not allowed any violence to be shown in games whatsoever.
Also a massive misnomer is that these games R18+ games were banned in Australia, refused classification in Australia mealy means that the games cannot be legally sold or promoted in Australia there is only one recorded case of a game being banned to the extent that it was an illegal to own although all RCed games are classified as "objectionable material" and can be seized at the border and the owner to be stung with a $110 000 fine. This one game was Mortal Combat and this was March 2011 and applied mostly to imports of the game.
But importing a game is not the only way to obtain it.
Internet piracy is a threat to the music and film industries and a massive threat to the games industry. Anyone with a bit of know how and an internet connection can download almost any game for free and with games sales being the an approximate 80-90% of sales regarding the industry, this is a threat to its survival. Luckily many gaming fans understand this and purchase the games to support the production of the game and future titles. Although when it is impossible to purchase the game here and difficult to purchase it overseas with the risk of a $110 000 fine hanging over your head. Piracy an already illegal act that is hard to stamp out (the three industries are trying very hard to do so each in different ways)seems to be the only resort for the die hard fan who really wants to play the new RCed game.
So I applaud the members of the Australian people who have supported this change and the members of the government who have listened, although this means that not every game will gain classification this is ground breaking legislation that will help every one from the industry to the gamer.
Now all I have to do is wait for my 18th birthday.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
My attempt to write about my new school
I have been finding it quite hard to write about my new school, because, I just feel so at home here. there are some cons like any school, but even those seem to be pros in a way. There is a very high standard set by many of the teachers, and the majority of work that is set you must complete, and this is enforced not by nagging but by the simple premise of, if you don't do the work, you fail a work requirement, that means that you fail the subject. luckly its not, if you dont do the work on time then you will fail, cause if that happened I think 40% of the students would fail. I don't think it deserves the bad rep that it gets from some of the other schools, from what I was hearing before I came here was that you could do whatever, and I thought that applied to everything from drugs to class participation. This is not the case. Swinburne has a very solid identy as a school, it knows how it wants to work and educate and it doesnt care what anybody else thinks.
I am now sure that a major change that needs to happen in mainstream public education, is that the senior school is treated differently than the middle and junior years of schooling.
When a student is in primary school and early high school. like it or not in most cases school is not a choice for them, and in ways one does not tend to doubt that. They might spend more time in year nine out of class wagging rather than in class studying. But in the end they have no choice legally, you must attend school (or at least pretend to do so). Once you get to year ten this startds to change, you have a choice ultimately if you are to continue with a high school education, most students in my experiance use this a a practice year, or don't even really accept that they can leave school.
The begining of VCE is when decitions about where your going to take your education are formed. by midyear it becomes really apparent that there has been a big change. From this point one usually gets spares (classes in your 9 to 3 timetable where you have no classes and as such free to do anything you want), and even if you don't you can ussaly leave the school grounds when you don't have classes (ie. lunch). A small but high impact freedom. The whole process of assesment changes, with the state having as much control as the school, if not more.
I shall refer to my old school here, the teachers begin using asking if low achiving students "should be there" either at that school or at school in general. uniform starts getting more relaxed but attendance polices start to get harsher, and the indivudial is punished if there subject or career choice does not match with the majority. With classes not offered due to a lack of trained staff or not enough numbers to fill classes.
The system of rigid "Do as I say not as do" double standards continue from the middle school, with the expectaion of teachers to be called Miss or Sir when they do not show as similar courocy to the student. Teachers are allowed to bring in tea, coffee or other beverages and drink them in front of the class while teaching, but students are forbidden from doing the same. Uniforms that are poor quality and/or expensive are (though in the case of my old school this was relaxed slightly) worn by the students in the name of "solidarity" but teachers do not wear a uniform, either the same as the students or (as in the past) the same as each other.
If you pull out a old Enid Blyton book or watch a movie about older english education, you will see that these old fashoned policies have roots from that time, but these behaviours or similar ones were also expected from teachers. the teachers wear uniform, I have bever spotted one drink a beverage while teaching, and they refer to the students (as long as they are not misbehaving) as Mr or Miss.
I want this system brought back as much as I want to be caned for answering a maths question incorrectly. What should happen though, as students grow older and it is their choice to be in school, they should be treated with the same respect as teachers. And this is being done, at senior schools, those that are designed to teach year 11 and 12 students exclusively.
Such as the school I currently attend, I wear no uniform, refer to my teachers by first name and now and again bring tea, coffee or miso into class, unless I have been politely asked by a teacher not to (such as in the case of my media teacher who asked us to abtstain from bringing drinks into class, but as she her self may on occasion bring in a cup of tea, she did not see it fair to forbid it) but no teacher has outright forbidden me from doing such a thing.
If a teacher is violent towards a student, then they are punished. As is the reverse.
If a teacher doesnt turn up to class then they have to make up time because they don't get paid, If a student does not attend then they have to make up the time or they risk failing because they don't know the course material.
So far as I see, this system can be abused, and is not right for younger students, who might not have the judgement. For senior students, if they abuse it, it is at there own detriment. not getting the ATAR score or prerequistes they need for further education or entering the workforce.
Although it seems like I went off on a bit of a tangent, what I have explained is the main difference between most schools, both public and private. Also the thing I enjoy and respect most about swinburne senior. That and the common room. :D
I am now sure that a major change that needs to happen in mainstream public education, is that the senior school is treated differently than the middle and junior years of schooling.
When a student is in primary school and early high school. like it or not in most cases school is not a choice for them, and in ways one does not tend to doubt that. They might spend more time in year nine out of class wagging rather than in class studying. But in the end they have no choice legally, you must attend school (or at least pretend to do so). Once you get to year ten this startds to change, you have a choice ultimately if you are to continue with a high school education, most students in my experiance use this a a practice year, or don't even really accept that they can leave school.
The begining of VCE is when decitions about where your going to take your education are formed. by midyear it becomes really apparent that there has been a big change. From this point one usually gets spares (classes in your 9 to 3 timetable where you have no classes and as such free to do anything you want), and even if you don't you can ussaly leave the school grounds when you don't have classes (ie. lunch). A small but high impact freedom. The whole process of assesment changes, with the state having as much control as the school, if not more.
I shall refer to my old school here, the teachers begin using asking if low achiving students "should be there" either at that school or at school in general. uniform starts getting more relaxed but attendance polices start to get harsher, and the indivudial is punished if there subject or career choice does not match with the majority. With classes not offered due to a lack of trained staff or not enough numbers to fill classes.
The system of rigid "Do as I say not as do" double standards continue from the middle school, with the expectaion of teachers to be called Miss or Sir when they do not show as similar courocy to the student. Teachers are allowed to bring in tea, coffee or other beverages and drink them in front of the class while teaching, but students are forbidden from doing the same. Uniforms that are poor quality and/or expensive are (though in the case of my old school this was relaxed slightly) worn by the students in the name of "solidarity" but teachers do not wear a uniform, either the same as the students or (as in the past) the same as each other.
If you pull out a old Enid Blyton book or watch a movie about older english education, you will see that these old fashoned policies have roots from that time, but these behaviours or similar ones were also expected from teachers. the teachers wear uniform, I have bever spotted one drink a beverage while teaching, and they refer to the students (as long as they are not misbehaving) as Mr or Miss.
I want this system brought back as much as I want to be caned for answering a maths question incorrectly. What should happen though, as students grow older and it is their choice to be in school, they should be treated with the same respect as teachers. And this is being done, at senior schools, those that are designed to teach year 11 and 12 students exclusively.
Such as the school I currently attend, I wear no uniform, refer to my teachers by first name and now and again bring tea, coffee or miso into class, unless I have been politely asked by a teacher not to (such as in the case of my media teacher who asked us to abtstain from bringing drinks into class, but as she her self may on occasion bring in a cup of tea, she did not see it fair to forbid it) but no teacher has outright forbidden me from doing such a thing.
If a teacher is violent towards a student, then they are punished. As is the reverse.
If a teacher doesnt turn up to class then they have to make up time because they don't get paid, If a student does not attend then they have to make up the time or they risk failing because they don't know the course material.
So far as I see, this system can be abused, and is not right for younger students, who might not have the judgement. For senior students, if they abuse it, it is at there own detriment. not getting the ATAR score or prerequistes they need for further education or entering the workforce.
Although it seems like I went off on a bit of a tangent, what I have explained is the main difference between most schools, both public and private. Also the thing I enjoy and respect most about swinburne senior. That and the common room. :D
Sunday, July 10, 2011
My Dream Cafe
My dream café, @tropicalfoxtrot and I were discussing, although playfully about opening out own café as we are both coffee addicts. And this got be thingking again about what for me would constute the ideal café. So if anyone out there who loves we is planning to open a café and loves me, then here is a quick guide on how to impress me.
Cheap: yeah, I want there to be the cheapest of the cheap options. I’m not saying I wouldn’t buy anything more expensive, but if you offer a cheap driplator coffee for like a dollar a cup. I will proberply frequent your shop everyday. Snaacks and meals that are closer to what you would hake at home, cheese and vegemite on wholemeal does not cost $5 and I will not pay $5 for it.
Wifi: internet access is one of my necessaries, being able to sit and type away online or peruse the finest drivel the internet has to offer sums up a good experience. Make it cheap or for example free, but only if you buy 5 cups of coffee
Get to know me: I announce my thoughts to the world both online and off, im sure we will be the best of friends. Learn my name and learn my intrests, my visits are more likely to be longer and I’ll buy more. But also (unless your full to bursting) let me hang around either alone or with my friends without pressuring me to buy. (though if you have really cheap coffee then I will most likely be constantly buying :D)
Keep it cool: make yopur décor sturdy and stylish. Don’t just go for a simple tables and chairs set-up. Try big communal tables and private booths too, make youre cafe a social hub. Be open long hours, preferably 24/7 and make the atomoshere at all hour, safe and inviting. I have to request a tech/steam punk orantaed design, with keyboards on the walls and maybe the odd typewriter in the center of a table
Make it individual: and support my individuality, give me a discount on my coffee if I bring my own mug, give your different types of coffee cool names, this one place I passed named each style of coffee ranging from decaf (still asleep) to strong hard blend (start my heart) I think a lot of people would try even the worst coffee if it has a cute and catchy name, make it feel like a secret society.
Reward me: if I frequent your establishment everyday for hours at a time and buy a few litres of coffee and a dozen sandwiches. Reward me, more coffee is one way. But be creative, you could get t-shirts made or badges that announce my loyalty, they also advertise your café so you win too. Put specials on sites such as foursquare, like the mayor gets free coffee, aqgain, its more advertising and it starts up a competition between friends over who can visit and purchase stuff the most often.
Support your customers endevors: have a notice board and space for your customers to exibit art, it will liven the place up and encourage your cutomers to tell people to visit your esablisment to check out there art. A notice board will show customers that you care for them by giving a place to place there ads. They might stick around a bit longer and buy a sandwich to say thank you for helping them find a new roomie.
Location: now this request is purely selfish and just for me, but it does have some benefits to you. First up, please make your store in melbopurne, this is where I live and plan to live for the next half decade, if you do make your café in Melbourne please make it in Hawthorne around Swinburne uni or the CBD along Swanston or Elizabeth street. If you mangage to do this you will get a fair bit of traffic from students from nearby unis. I’d just look for the closest sudent accommodation and build near that, if your open 24/7 and make a decent hangover cure (although I don’t drink) all the better for your wallet.
So I think that just about sums my wants in a café, if you have any more suggestions please post in the comments section below.
Cheap: yeah, I want there to be the cheapest of the cheap options. I’m not saying I wouldn’t buy anything more expensive, but if you offer a cheap driplator coffee for like a dollar a cup. I will proberply frequent your shop everyday. Snaacks and meals that are closer to what you would hake at home, cheese and vegemite on wholemeal does not cost $5 and I will not pay $5 for it.
Wifi: internet access is one of my necessaries, being able to sit and type away online or peruse the finest drivel the internet has to offer sums up a good experience. Make it cheap or for example free, but only if you buy 5 cups of coffee
Get to know me: I announce my thoughts to the world both online and off, im sure we will be the best of friends. Learn my name and learn my intrests, my visits are more likely to be longer and I’ll buy more. But also (unless your full to bursting) let me hang around either alone or with my friends without pressuring me to buy. (though if you have really cheap coffee then I will most likely be constantly buying :D)
Keep it cool: make yopur décor sturdy and stylish. Don’t just go for a simple tables and chairs set-up. Try big communal tables and private booths too, make youre cafe a social hub. Be open long hours, preferably 24/7 and make the atomoshere at all hour, safe and inviting. I have to request a tech/steam punk orantaed design, with keyboards on the walls and maybe the odd typewriter in the center of a table
Make it individual: and support my individuality, give me a discount on my coffee if I bring my own mug, give your different types of coffee cool names, this one place I passed named each style of coffee ranging from decaf (still asleep) to strong hard blend (start my heart) I think a lot of people would try even the worst coffee if it has a cute and catchy name, make it feel like a secret society.
Reward me: if I frequent your establishment everyday for hours at a time and buy a few litres of coffee and a dozen sandwiches. Reward me, more coffee is one way. But be creative, you could get t-shirts made or badges that announce my loyalty, they also advertise your café so you win too. Put specials on sites such as foursquare, like the mayor gets free coffee, aqgain, its more advertising and it starts up a competition between friends over who can visit and purchase stuff the most often.
Support your customers endevors: have a notice board and space for your customers to exibit art, it will liven the place up and encourage your cutomers to tell people to visit your esablisment to check out there art. A notice board will show customers that you care for them by giving a place to place there ads. They might stick around a bit longer and buy a sandwich to say thank you for helping them find a new roomie.
Location: now this request is purely selfish and just for me, but it does have some benefits to you. First up, please make your store in melbopurne, this is where I live and plan to live for the next half decade, if you do make your café in Melbourne please make it in Hawthorne around Swinburne uni or the CBD along Swanston or Elizabeth street. If you mangage to do this you will get a fair bit of traffic from students from nearby unis. I’d just look for the closest sudent accommodation and build near that, if your open 24/7 and make a decent hangover cure (although I don’t drink) all the better for your wallet.
So I think that just about sums my wants in a café, if you have any more suggestions please post in the comments section below.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Standing up Straight
I was on the train when something that occationally bothers me popped into my head. Many years ago a girl in my form group asked, in quite a snide way "why do you stand up straight, is it cause you think your better than us?" to which I replied something generic, proberbly "no, der". As time progressed, This moment has kept coming back to me and causes me to ponder, why did I then, stand up straight? What would I say to her now?
I have a few reasons that imdiately pop into my head, first of all was pride, not in a stuck up way though, in an honest innocent way. I was proud of being a high school student and a independent, confidant girl on the verge of becoming a young woman. I moved from a primary school that was opprestive to anyone different, and compared to many of the people there I could have been an alien.
Not to abuse the many brilliant students who went there and still do and the amazing teachers who changed my life and truely educated me, but many of the students came from low education "wild" backrounds and were not givien in my opinion, the discipline that they were begging for. I was shunned. For my own protection I had to try my best to cut a domineering brave figure for those who though I was weak and easy pray. And standing up tall is a sign of refunsifng to be oppressed. I trained martial arts for 4 years, and we were taught quite firmly that good posture is the basis of respect and good teqnuique, this is where I think most of my desire to stand up straight came from.
but the sad thing, is that, I don't sit or stand tall any more unless I feel threatened or asked to. because even though I can justify it and i belive strongly in each of those points. when I stand up tall or sit up tall, I feel stuck up and that I stick out. I don't train martial arts anymore so it is no longer such an expectation. In fact I think my posture is worse than many of my peers. I slouch and cross my legs most of the time. Maybe when I am out of school I will try a bit more actively to shed this comment. It really is proof that a little comment you make can effect someone for years if not their whole lives.
I have a few reasons that imdiately pop into my head, first of all was pride, not in a stuck up way though, in an honest innocent way. I was proud of being a high school student and a independent, confidant girl on the verge of becoming a young woman. I moved from a primary school that was opprestive to anyone different, and compared to many of the people there I could have been an alien.
Not to abuse the many brilliant students who went there and still do and the amazing teachers who changed my life and truely educated me, but many of the students came from low education "wild" backrounds and were not givien in my opinion, the discipline that they were begging for. I was shunned. For my own protection I had to try my best to cut a domineering brave figure for those who though I was weak and easy pray. And standing up tall is a sign of refunsifng to be oppressed. I trained martial arts for 4 years, and we were taught quite firmly that good posture is the basis of respect and good teqnuique, this is where I think most of my desire to stand up straight came from.
but the sad thing, is that, I don't sit or stand tall any more unless I feel threatened or asked to. because even though I can justify it and i belive strongly in each of those points. when I stand up tall or sit up tall, I feel stuck up and that I stick out. I don't train martial arts anymore so it is no longer such an expectation. In fact I think my posture is worse than many of my peers. I slouch and cross my legs most of the time. Maybe when I am out of school I will try a bit more actively to shed this comment. It really is proof that a little comment you make can effect someone for years if not their whole lives.
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