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content/2023/this-site-no-longer-spies-for-youtube/opportunities.png (limited to 'content') diff --git a/content/2022/buffers_splits_tabs.md b/content/2022/buffers_splits_tabs.md new file mode 100644 index 00000000..98ba1786 --- /dev/null +++ b/content/2022/buffers_splits_tabs.md @@ -0,0 +1,74 @@ +--- +title: "Buffers, splits and tabs in Vim" +category: "software" +year: 2022 +date: 2022-04-05T22:56:47+02:00 +draft: false +tags: +- vim +- buffers +- splits +- tabs +- tutorial +abstract: A short tutrial. +--- +Sometimes I work with Vim in brief bursts - open a file, edit it, close it, do something else, open a new instance of Vim with a new file, etc. But on most occasions, I work on bigger things requiring work with multiple files simultaneously. Luckily, Vim has me covered - as a modern editor should. + +## Buffers + +Whenever a file is opened (be it via ex command or just while opening Vim) or created, a new in-memory representation is stored in memory. Those representations are called "buffers." + +We can list all currently existing buffers for a particular Vim instance via the ex command: + +`:ls` + +The list will look like this: + +``` +1 h "data/data.txt" line 23 +11 %a "data/other_data.txt" line 34 +``` + +We see two opened buffers, each one on a separate line. They have assigned IDs 1 and 11. Next, we have indicators, out which we need to remember that: + +``` + KEY | DESCRIPTION +==================================================================== + % | marks buffer opened in the current window. + # | denotes an alternative file. + a | represents the currently active buffer. + h | marks opened buffer, which is now not displayed on the screen. + + | marks the modified buffer. + x | is telling us that a buffer has read errors. +``` + +And lastly, we have the current line in the buffer. + +Note that jobs can create dedicated buffers (marked by `R` for running jobs and `F` for finished ones) + +We can traverse opened buffers using jumps via `:b[uffer] ID` (for example, `:b 1`), or with the filename: `b other_data`, or opening next/previous by using `:bn[ext]` and `:bp[rev]` + + +Any buffer can be closed via `:bd[elete]`. + +Since we can have the same buffer opened in different splits, we can see that Vim will keep content in sync, as buffers are not files but in-memory representations. + +## Splits + +At any moment, we can divide Vim's window into multiple split windows, and each split can host any buffer. If we want to divide the current window horizontally, we need to press `s` (or issue ex command `:sp[lit]`), and if we're going to split it vertically (which, at least for me, is the default way), we need to press `h` / issue `:vsp[lit]` . When a new window is created, it will occupy 50% of the parent window. You can close the currently active window by `:cl[ose]` / `c`, or close all but the active one with `:on[ly]` / `o`. + +Any newly created window will borrow an active buffer from the parent split. When we open a buffer or a file, Vim will open it in the current window. + +Moving focus between windows is done with `h/j/k/l` but people commonly remap it to just ``, as this focus is moved all the time. + +It's possible to resize windows in a tiling manner, but I never use it. + +## Tabs + +Tabs are present in most editors I know. However, Vim treats them differently. For example, in IntelliJ, each opened file is presented as a tab, and each split can have multiple tabs. + +In Vim, however, it's the exact opposite: each tab can hold multiple splits. Ergo, each tab can be a separate workspace with a completely different layout. This makes them much harder to use, as each change of focus can result in a complete change of context. However, this is also their greatest strength - when we want to jump to a different task or project, IntelliJ would like us to create a new window; Vim, on the other hand, allows us to use a dedicated tab. Later, when we return to the previous task, our entire workspace is just as we left it. + +We can create a new tab via `:tabnew`. New tab is added with an empty buffer. When the last window in a tab is closed, the tab is also closed. We can also force close all Windows on the current tab via `:tabc`. + +Changing focus between tabs is done via `gt` for the next tab, `gT` for the previous one, and `{N}gt` will force a given tab to focus. diff --git a/content/2022/buffers_splits_tabs/index.md b/content/2022/buffers_splits_tabs/index.md deleted file mode 100644 index 98ba1786..00000000 --- a/content/2022/buffers_splits_tabs/index.md +++ /dev/null @@ -1,74 +0,0 @@ ---- -title: "Buffers, splits and tabs in Vim" -category: "software" -year: 2022 -date: 2022-04-05T22:56:47+02:00 -draft: false -tags: -- vim -- buffers -- splits -- tabs -- tutorial -abstract: A short tutrial. ---- -Sometimes I work with Vim in brief bursts - open a file, edit it, close it, do something else, open a new instance of Vim with a new file, etc. But on most occasions, I work on bigger things requiring work with multiple files simultaneously. Luckily, Vim has me covered - as a modern editor should. - -## Buffers - -Whenever a file is opened (be it via ex command or just while opening Vim) or created, a new in-memory representation is stored in memory. Those representations are called "buffers." - -We can list all currently existing buffers for a particular Vim instance via the ex command: - -`:ls` - -The list will look like this: - -``` -1 h "data/data.txt" line 23 -11 %a "data/other_data.txt" line 34 -``` - -We see two opened buffers, each one on a separate line. They have assigned IDs 1 and 11. Next, we have indicators, out which we need to remember that: - -``` - KEY | DESCRIPTION -==================================================================== - % | marks buffer opened in the current window. - # | denotes an alternative file. - a | represents the currently active buffer. - h | marks opened buffer, which is now not displayed on the screen. - + | marks the modified buffer. - x | is telling us that a buffer has read errors. -``` - -And lastly, we have the current line in the buffer. - -Note that jobs can create dedicated buffers (marked by `R` for running jobs and `F` for finished ones) - -We can traverse opened buffers using jumps via `:b[uffer] ID` (for example, `:b 1`), or with the filename: `b other_data`, or opening next/previous by using `:bn[ext]` and `:bp[rev]` - - -Any buffer can be closed via `:bd[elete]`. - -Since we can have the same buffer opened in different splits, we can see that Vim will keep content in sync, as buffers are not files but in-memory representations. - -## Splits - -At any moment, we can divide Vim's window into multiple split windows, and each split can host any buffer. If we want to divide the current window horizontally, we need to press `s` (or issue ex command `:sp[lit]`), and if we're going to split it vertically (which, at least for me, is the default way), we need to press `h` / issue `:vsp[lit]` . When a new window is created, it will occupy 50% of the parent window. You can close the currently active window by `:cl[ose]` / `c`, or close all but the active one with `:on[ly]` / `o`. - -Any newly created window will borrow an active buffer from the parent split. When we open a buffer or a file, Vim will open it in the current window. - -Moving focus between windows is done with `h/j/k/l` but people commonly remap it to just ``, as this focus is moved all the time. - -It's possible to resize windows in a tiling manner, but I never use it. - -## Tabs - -Tabs are present in most editors I know. However, Vim treats them differently. For example, in IntelliJ, each opened file is presented as a tab, and each split can have multiple tabs. - -In Vim, however, it's the exact opposite: each tab can hold multiple splits. Ergo, each tab can be a separate workspace with a completely different layout. This makes them much harder to use, as each change of focus can result in a complete change of context. However, this is also their greatest strength - when we want to jump to a different task or project, IntelliJ would like us to create a new window; Vim, on the other hand, allows us to use a dedicated tab. Later, when we return to the previous task, our entire workspace is just as we left it. - -We can create a new tab via `:tabnew`. New tab is added with an empty buffer. When the last window in a tab is closed, the tab is also closed. We can also force close all Windows on the current tab via `:tabc`. - -Changing focus between tabs is done via `gt` for the next tab, `gT` for the previous one, and `{N}gt` will force a given tab to focus. diff --git a/content/2022/month_without_apple.md b/content/2022/month_without_apple.md new file mode 100644 index 00000000..55b34585 --- /dev/null +++ b/content/2022/month_without_apple.md @@ -0,0 +1,67 @@ +--- +date: 2022-05-18T10:10:00+02:00 +draft: false +category: "hardware" +year: 2022 +title: A month with a disgusting ThinkPad +tags: +- thinkpad +- lenovo +- ibm +abstract: A short review after a month of usage. +--- +It's been a little over a month since I received my first used ThinkPad. For the most part I love it, but some things really baffle me. + +The working name of this post was "A Month Without Apple", but it would be a lie. I still use a M1 MacBook Pro for work, since this is the machine my employer provided to me. But privately I moved to this machine (Defiant) 100%. + +## Some specs +Nothing to flex about, but just to give an overview of what I am talking about. + +``` +Model mame.............Thinpad X1 Extreme gen2 +CPU..............Intel i5-9300 8 core @ 4.1GHz +Memory...................................32 GB +GPU1..........................UHD Graphics 630 +GPU2....NVIDIA Geforce GTX 1650 Mobile / Max-Q +Screen size.............................15,6'' +``` + +## Impressions + +I have yet to challenge the machine. I haven't used the dedicated GPU once (still waiting for Return to Monkey Island!) and my Arch installation is quite minimal - about 200 MB of RAM after starting X. I have compiled some applications, and it was very doable. One thing I miss from M1 is the fan noise or rather lack of thereof. X1 can get loud, but the sound is lower than what older MacBooks produced and therefore much less annoying. Using headphones helps a lot, but more about it later. + +But you buy ThinkPad for keyboard, right? I used Apple's butterfly keyboard for few years and I hated it. Everyone I know who was issued a Macbook with one, now has random chance of registering between 0 and 2 key presses. It's the second-worst input devise I've ever witnessed, right after touch screen. + +[The Butterfly keyboard drama on The Verge](https://www.theverge.com/2020/5/4/21246223/macbook-keyboard-butterfly-magic-pro-apple-design) + +I've also used older MacBook keyboards and the new ones. I liked them and I still have no strong complaints against them. + +They said that this ThinkPad's keyboards is amazing. They were right. I no longer enjoy typing on MacBooks, it's void of any character. Thinkpad's key travel is much bigger and the keys require significant force to actually press it. It's closer to external Logitech K860, but the keys are much stiffer. It's the newer, chiclet design - I'm even afraid to think how great the classic keyboards were. + +{{< img-center "22-thinkpad-keyboard.jpg" "Thinkpad's keyboard">}} + +The touchpad however is nowhere near Macbook's one. I will need to dig a big deeper into config, but they joy is far from what Apple provides. Everything is just this much more troublesome. I wanted to like the nib, but I simply can't force myself to use it. Maybe in the future, but for now I stick with controlling the computer using the old keyboard/touchpad combo. + +{{< img-center "22-thinkpad-nub.jpg" "Thinkpad's trackpoint">}} + +One thing I was afraid was that coming from a Retina display, the Full HD screen will be an eyesore. I was wrong. The screen is nothing to write home about, but it's perfectly usable. Enough to not notice it. And, since I use mostly terminal applications, I have yet to see a problem here. + +The single worst thing about this computer are the speakers. They are small and they sound small. They are located on the bottom of the computer, and it makes the laptop very unlaptopable, as the sound disappears in the air. I am extremely spoiled with the sound coming out of 16'' M1 MacBook Pro - this is a fact. But those tiny things Lenovo put here are plain insulting. This computer needs to be attached to headphones/speakers. This is one thing I'd change about this X1 Extreme in an instant. + +{{< img-center "22-thinkpad-speaker.jpg" "World's worst speakers">}} + +Some people hate the look of ThinkPads saying that they should be used only during wartime. Some love them. It definitely is an acquired taste. Personally, I love every millimeter of it. I love the sturdiness, the feel of the housing, the red dot on top of "i" (which glows on the back of monitor!) + +What I hate is that the computer is always disgustingly dirty. It's covered in some rubber, and it's impossible to actually get it clean. I spend a few hours trying to make it sparkly clean after I got it, but without any success. It was dirty, and it's getting dirtier all the time. It seems that it was not designed for people with skin as the oils from my hands covers the palm rests. Disgusting. + +{{< img-center "22-thinkpad-dirty-boy.jpg" "Disgusting!">}} + +And last, but definitely not least: you can actually open the computer and upgrade it. This is something PC folks take for granted, but coming from Apple garden it's breathtaking. + +{{< img-center "22-thinkpad-guts.jpg" "Only 6 screws and voila!">}} + +## Conclusion + +Would I get another ThinkPad or a MacBook? Well, Apple started getting on my nerves some time ago, and it's only getting worse. Their chips are a thing of wonder, their designs are still nice. But they are making too may choices limiting the user. Tim Cook becomes the villain of IT. I won't take any part of it. I used Macbooks exclusively since 2013, but I don't think I will get another MacBook. + +ThinkPad, for now, is a great machine. I love almost everything about it. I would most definitely purchase the machine again. diff --git a/content/2022/month_without_apple/dirty_boy.jpg b/content/2022/month_without_apple/dirty_boy.jpg deleted file mode 100755 index fe6a5d45..00000000 Binary files a/content/2022/month_without_apple/dirty_boy.jpg and /dev/null differ diff --git a/content/2022/month_without_apple/guts.jpg b/content/2022/month_without_apple/guts.jpg deleted file mode 100755 index 80a0d2f7..00000000 Binary files a/content/2022/month_without_apple/guts.jpg and /dev/null differ diff --git a/content/2022/month_without_apple/index.md b/content/2022/month_without_apple/index.md deleted file mode 100644 index 67c67bf0..00000000 --- a/content/2022/month_without_apple/index.md +++ /dev/null @@ -1,67 +0,0 @@ ---- -date: 2022-05-18T10:10:00+02:00 -draft: false -category: "hardware" -year: 2022 -title: A month with a disgusting ThinkPad -tags: -- thinkpad -- lenovo -- ibm -abstract: A short review after a month of usage. ---- -It's been a little over a month since I received my first used ThinkPad. For the most part I love it, but some things really baffle me. - -The working name of this post was "A Month Without Apple", but it would be a lie. I still use a M1 MacBook Pro for work, since this is the machine my employer provided to me. But privately I moved to this machine (Defiant) 100%. - -## Some specs -Nothing to flex about, but just to give an overview of what I am talking about. - -``` -Model mame.............Thinpad X1 Extreme gen2 -CPU..............Intel i5-9300 8 core @ 4.1GHz -Memory...................................32 GB -GPU1..........................UHD Graphics 630 -GPU2....NVIDIA Geforce GTX 1650 Mobile / Max-Q -Screen size.............................15,6'' -``` - -## Impressions - -I have yet to challenge the machine. I haven't used the dedicated GPU once (still waiting for Return to Monkey Island!) and my Arch installation is quite minimal - about 200 MB of RAM after starting X. I have compiled some applications, and it was very doable. One thing I miss from M1 is the fan noise or rather lack of thereof. X1 can get loud, but the sound is lower than what older MacBooks produced and therefore much less annoying. Using headphones helps a lot, but more about it later. - -But you buy ThinkPad for keyboard, right? I used Apple's butterfly keyboard for few years and I hated it. Everyone I know who was issued a Macbook with one, now has random chance of registering between 0 and 2 key presses. It's the second-worst input devise I've ever witnessed, right after touch screen. - -[The Butterfly keyboard drama on The Verge](https://www.theverge.com/2020/5/4/21246223/macbook-keyboard-butterfly-magic-pro-apple-design) - -I've also used older MacBook keyboards and the new ones. I liked them and I still have no strong complaints against them. - -They said that this ThinkPad's keyboards is amazing. They were right. I no longer enjoy typing on MacBooks, it's void of any character. Thinkpad's key travel is much bigger and the keys require significant force to actually press it. It's closer to external Logitech K860, but the keys are much stiffer. It's the newer, chiclet design - I'm even afraid to think how great the classic keyboards were. - -{{< imgproc "keyboard.jpg" Resize "500x" "Thinkpad's keyboard">}} - -The touchpad however is nowhere near Macbook's one. I will need to dig a big deeper into config, but they joy is far from what Apple provides. Everything is just this much more troublesome. I wanted to like the nib, but I simply can't force myself to use it. Maybe in the future, but for now I stick with controlling the computer using the old keyboard/touchpad combo. - -{{< imgproc "nub.jpg" Resize "500x" "Thinkpad's trackpoint">}} - -One thing I was afraid was that coming from a Retina display, the Full HD screen will be an eyesore. I was wrong. The screen is nothing to write home about, but it's perfectly usable. Enough to not notice it. And, since I use mostly terminal applications, I have yet to see a problem here. - -The single worst thing about this computer are the speakers. They are small and they sound small. They are located on the bottom of the computer, and it makes the laptop very unlaptopable, as the sound disappears in the air. I am extremely spoiled with the sound coming out of 16'' M1 MacBook Pro - this is a fact. But those tiny things Lenovo put here are plain insulting. This computer needs to be attached to headphones/speakers. This is one thing I'd change about this X1 Extreme in an instant. - -{{< imgproc "speaker.jpg" Resize "500x" "World's worst speakers">}} - -Some people hate the look of ThinkPads saying that they should be used only during wartime. Some love them. It definitely is an acquired taste. Personally, I love every millimeter of it. I love the sturdiness, the feel of the housing, the red dot on top of "i" (which glows on the back of monitor!) - -What I hate is that the computer is always disgustingly dirty. It's covered in some rubber, and it's impossible to actually get it clean. I spend a few hours trying to make it sparkly clean after I got it, but without any success. It was dirty, and it's getting dirtier all the time. It seems that it was not designed for people with skin as the oils from my hands covers the palm rests. Disgusting. - -{{< imgproc "dirty_boy.jpg" Resize "500x" "Disgusting!">}} - -And last, but definitely not least: you can actually open the computer and upgrade it. This is something PC folks take for granted, but coming from Apple garden it's breathtaking. - -{{< imgproc "guts.jpg" Resize "500x" "Only 6 screws and voila!">}} - -## Conclusion - -Would I get another ThinkPad or a MacBook? Well, Apple started getting on my nerves some time ago, and it's only getting worse. Their chips are a thing of wonder, their designs are still nice. But they are making too may choices limiting the user. Tim Cook becomes the villain of IT. I won't take any part of it. I used Macbooks exclusively since 2013, but I don't think I will get another MacBook. - -ThinkPad, for now, is a great machine. I love almost everything about it. I would most definitely purchase the machine again. diff --git a/content/2022/month_without_apple/keyboard.jpg b/content/2022/month_without_apple/keyboard.jpg deleted file mode 100755 index 4f9be35a..00000000 Binary files a/content/2022/month_without_apple/keyboard.jpg and /dev/null differ diff --git a/content/2022/month_without_apple/logo.jpg b/content/2022/month_without_apple/logo.jpg deleted file mode 100755 index a2126fc4..00000000 Binary files a/content/2022/month_without_apple/logo.jpg and /dev/null differ diff --git a/content/2022/month_without_apple/nub.jpg b/content/2022/month_without_apple/nub.jpg deleted file mode 100755 index 94a73606..00000000 Binary files a/content/2022/month_without_apple/nub.jpg and /dev/null differ diff --git a/content/2022/month_without_apple/speaker.jpg b/content/2022/month_without_apple/speaker.jpg deleted file mode 100755 index faddc81e..00000000 Binary files a/content/2022/month_without_apple/speaker.jpg and /dev/null differ diff --git a/content/2022/secret_of_monkey_island.md b/content/2022/secret_of_monkey_island.md new file mode 100644 index 00000000..1c0613b9 --- /dev/null +++ b/content/2022/secret_of_monkey_island.md @@ -0,0 +1,83 @@ +--- +date: 2022-05-04T9:15:00+02:00 +draft: false +category: "software" +year: 2022 +title: The Secret of Monkey Island Monkey Island +tags: +- gaming +- adventure +- monkey-island +- ron-gilbert +- retro-gaming +abstract: A review of Secret of Monkey Island +--- +In preparation for "Return to Monkey" Island, I have decided to replay the first three classic games. + +["Return to Monkey Island" official webpage](https://returntomonkeyisland.com/) + +Frankly, I played only the third one as a child, soon after release. "The Secret of Monkey Island" came out right after Poland became an independent country again, and I was still in kindergarten. Three years later, I received my first computer - a (not so)powerful PC386. I was a kid back then, and I knew very little English. Certainly not enough to comprehend this game. My first playthrough was sometime around the year 2002. + +{{< img-center "somi-splash.png" "Title screen">}} + +## Running the game + +Running this 30-year-old game is amazingly easy, thanks to SummVM. Just download the emulator, find a copy of the game, and everything runs perfectly on any system. An updated version was released in 2009, but it was never released on Linux, and macOS/iOS versions are no longer working. + +[ScummVM](https://www.scummvm.org/) + +You can also play in the browser via Internet Archive. + +["The Secret of Monkey Island" on the Internet Archive](https://archive.org/details/mnkyega) + +If you want the updated version, you can get it on GOG. + +["The Secret of Monkey Island" on GOG](https://www.gog.com/game/the_secret_of_monkey_island_special_edition) + +## Playing the game + +"The Secret of Monkey Island Monkey Island" is a pirate-themed adventure with lots of humor. The later games focused more on the funny aspect, but we have an interesting story here. Guybrush Threepwood lands on Mêlée Island, where he starts his quest to become a pirate. He will have to pass a test, find true love, and face a ghost pirate LeChuck. Some say that the idea for the game came from Disneyland's "Pirates of the Caribbean" ride. Some say the movie of the same name stole the idea from the game. The similarities are, for sure, not coincidental. And now, since LucasArts is part of Disney, it all made a giant circle. + +"The Secret of Monkey Island Monkey Island" was one of the earliest examples of adventure gaming done right. You no longer need to guess and type which action the authors envisioned. Instead, the game can be completely operated using a Mouse, as simple verbs represent all actions. This interface has stood the test of time perfectly. I tried (and failed) playing the original Zork games despite the fantastic writing due to the text interpreter. Using the mouse is as simple as it gets. Pro hint: "." on the keyboard allows skipping dialogue lines in ScummVM. + +{{< img-center "somi-lazypirates.gif" "Lazy pirates and the UI">}} + +The graphics aged, but it did it like a fine wine. The game was a marvel when it came out. LucasArts hired actual graphic artists to do computer games. This was still the wild west, and no one knew how to do it. Nowadays, a game can take up gigabytes, and no one bats an eye. LucasArts sold "Monkey Island" on floppies, and every bite counted. Everything we see or hear was a sacrifice of something else. Luckily, Ron Gilbert - the author and primary programmer on the team - was a legend. He created the Scumm engine, which allowed non-technical folks to create games (by writing scripts, not code), but he also managed to find a way to enable the designers to use dithering. You can listen more on YouTube + +- [A five-hour chat with Ron Gilbert, the creator](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikaqus5_QIg) +- [A two-hour interview with Mark Ferrari, designer](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ri4_3P2Oh14) +- [A short one-hour-long interview with Dave Grossman, designer](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GABrEdG8Ez4) +- [Another interview with Ron Gilbert, this time only 45 minutes long](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qzorEPK6khk) + +The graphical design is not only a technical marvel but a testament to design done right. The islands look great, and I really wanted to explore them. + +But the most significant thing is the idea that the game should not punish players for experimentation. Lucasarts biggest competitor back in those days, Sierra, always found creative and annoying ways to kill the player character. Did you go a pixel too far? You fell from a cliff. Have you met a monster you still lack the means of defeating? Time to die. Sometimes they even completely blocked their progress. For example, in the first "Space Quest," you are expected to find a pixel-wide item on the very first screen. If you skip it, the game won't tell you, and you can proceed. Then, a few hours later, you need to use that item however you can no longer access that location. And you are lucky if you even know about it. There was no internet back then to check the walkthrough! + +LucasArts also was guilty of this. For example, in the "Maniac Mansion," you could put a hamster into a microwave. Cooking a hamster seemed funny, but it also blocked the player from finishing the game. Ron Gilbert wrote a short manifesto where he stated that a game should not punish the player but rather encourage him to play. And so, "The Secret of Monkey Island Monkey Island" has no pitfalls. You are never in a position where your prior action blocks you from finishing the game. This has not aged a single day. And, since "The Secret..." is still one of the funniest games ever made, allowing the player to see the funny parts is what makes so many people play it after all those years. + +There are still some puzzles that are far from perfect. I solved Chicken with a Trolly puzzle solely because I remembered it after all those years - it's this bad. Moreover, I had to resort to a walkthrough because the solution was based on wordplay, which was far from natural for someone whose English is a second language. After I learned the solution, it made perfect sense. I have to give it to the authors. Everything in the game makes sense in the context of the game. But there were times I could not make head or tails, and I had to resort to the old "let's use everything on everything" strategy - and it's simply not fun to do so. + +On the other hand, "The Secret of Monkey Island" is also the home of one of the most fantastic puzzles I've ever witnessed - insult swordplay. You need to defeat pirates in a sword fight, but the fight is an insult-response loop instead of an action sequence. First, the pirate insults you, and you need to learn the proper response and use it, then you insult the pirate, and so on. After a few rounds, you either win and advance to another pirate or lose, but you learn some new insults and need to look for a pirate who will know how to reply. Ingenius! A cherry on top - this part was written by Orson Scott, the author of "Ender's game". + +{{< img-center "somi-swordfight.jpg" "Insult sword fighting">}} + +The game consists of four parts. Out of them, the first one is easily the most polished and exciting. Luckily, it also took roughly half the total playtime of my playthrough. The rest is still good (and the worst, I'd say, "Flight of the Amazon Queen" good), but the first few hours shine the most, and I am sure this is what most players remember. + +Overall, the game was great and (despite some shortcomings) is still extremely fun to play. I sure hope that "Return to Monkey Island" will keep the adventure/comedy ratio from this installment. + +And if you get stuck, remember that the "Univeral Hint System" is the best way to get unstuck without getting a ready answer. + +["The Secret of Monkey Island" on UHS](https://www.uhs-hints.com/uhsweb/monkey.php) + +## Memories Emporium + + What I'll remember from the game? + +Mostly, the amazing world. Mêlée Island looks great and is full of rememberable characters - like the Voodoo Lady or lazy pirates training their pet rat for a circus. LucasArts has the gift of creating exceptional places. Their later game, "Grim Fandango," shows Rubacava. This is the one gaming place I simply return to from time to time, just to hang out there - but that's a story for a different time. They create a believable world inhabited but not completely sane people. Love it! I'll have to return here with my son when he is a bit older. + +The insult sword fighting. I guess I already remembered it as I say, "Well, you fight like a cow" from time to time. + +Guybrush. Since this is primarily an adventure story, he is fleshed out for an early 90s game. I really like the guy. He is quirky but also driven and a bit insane. Like every good heron should be. And he can hold his breath underwater for solid 10 minutes! + +Not bad for a 6 hour game. + diff --git a/content/2022/secret_of_monkey_island/index.md b/content/2022/secret_of_monkey_island/index.md deleted file mode 100644 index e2cddbdb..00000000 --- a/content/2022/secret_of_monkey_island/index.md +++ /dev/null @@ -1,83 +0,0 @@ ---- -date: 2022-05-04T9:15:00+02:00 -draft: false -category: "software" -year: 2022 -title: The Secret of Monkey Island Monkey Island -tags: -- gaming -- adventure -- monkey-island -- ron-gilbert -- retro-gaming -abstract: A review of Secret of Monkey Island ---- -In preparation for "Return to Monkey" Island, I have decided to replay the first three classic games. - -["Return to Monkey Island" official webpage](https://returntomonkeyisland.com/) - -Frankly, I played only the third one as a child, soon after release. "The Secret of Monkey Island" came out right after Poland became an independent country again, and I was still in kindergarten. Three years later, I received my first computer - a (not so)powerful PC386. I was a kid back then, and I knew very little English. Certainly not enough to comprehend this game. My first playthrough was sometime around the year 2002. - -{{< imgproc "splash.png" Resize "500x" "Title screen">}} - -## Running the game - -Running this 30-year-old game is amazingly easy, thanks to SummVM. Just download the emulator, find a copy of the game, and everything runs perfectly on any system. An updated version was released in 2009, but it was never released on Linux, and macOS/iOS versions are no longer working. - -[ScummVM](https://www.scummvm.org/) - -You can also play in the browser via Internet Archive. - -["The Secret of Monkey Island" on the Internet Archive](https://archive.org/details/mnkyega) - -If you want the updated version, you can get it on GOG. - -["The Secret of Monkey Island" on GOG](https://www.gog.com/game/the_secret_of_monkey_island_special_edition) - -## Playing the game - -"The Secret of Monkey Island Monkey Island" is a pirate-themed adventure with lots of humor. The later games focused more on the funny aspect, but we have an interesting story here. Guybrush Threepwood lands on Mêlée Island, where he starts his quest to become a pirate. He will have to pass a test, find true love, and face a ghost pirate LeChuck. Some say that the idea for the game came from Disneyland's "Pirates of the Caribbean" ride. Some say the movie of the same name stole the idea from the game. The similarities are, for sure, not coincidental. And now, since LucasArts is part of Disney, it all made a giant circle. - -"The Secret of Monkey Island Monkey Island" was one of the earliest examples of adventure gaming done right. You no longer need to guess and type which action the authors envisioned. Instead, the game can be completely operated using a Mouse, as simple verbs represent all actions. This interface has stood the test of time perfectly. I tried (and failed) playing the original Zork games despite the fantastic writing due to the text interpreter. Using the mouse is as simple as it gets. Pro hint: "." on the keyboard allows skipping dialogue lines in ScummVM. - -{{< imgproc "lazypirates.gif" Resize "500x" "Lazy pirates and the UI">}} - -The graphics aged, but it did it like a fine wine. The game was a marvel when it came out. LucasArts hired actual graphic artists to do computer games. This was still the wild west, and no one knew how to do it. Nowadays, a game can take up gigabytes, and no one bats an eye. LucasArts sold "Monkey Island" on floppies, and every bite counted. Everything we see or hear was a sacrifice of something else. Luckily, Ron Gilbert - the author and primary programmer on the team - was a legend. He created the Scumm engine, which allowed non-technical folks to create games (by writing scripts, not code), but he also managed to find a way to enable the designers to use dithering. You can listen more on YouTube - -- [A five-hour chat with Ron Gilbert, the creator](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikaqus5_QIg) -- [A two-hour interview with Mark Ferrari, designer](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ri4_3P2Oh14) -- [A short one-hour-long interview with Dave Grossman, designer](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GABrEdG8Ez4) -- [Another interview with Ron Gilbert, this time only 45 minutes long](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qzorEPK6khk) - -The graphical design is not only a technical marvel but a testament to design done right. The islands look great, and I really wanted to explore them. - -But the most significant thing is the idea that the game should not punish players for experimentation. Lucasarts biggest competitor back in those days, Sierra, always found creative and annoying ways to kill the player character. Did you go a pixel too far? You fell from a cliff. Have you met a monster you still lack the means of defeating? Time to die. Sometimes they even completely blocked their progress. For example, in the first "Space Quest," you are expected to find a pixel-wide item on the very first screen. If you skip it, the game won't tell you, and you can proceed. Then, a few hours later, you need to use that item however you can no longer access that location. And you are lucky if you even know about it. There was no internet back then to check the walkthrough! - -LucasArts also was guilty of this. For example, in the "Maniac Mansion," you could put a hamster into a microwave. Cooking a hamster seemed funny, but it also blocked the player from finishing the game. Ron Gilbert wrote a short manifesto where he stated that a game should not punish the player but rather encourage him to play. And so, "The Secret of Monkey Island Monkey Island" has no pitfalls. You are never in a position where your prior action blocks you from finishing the game. This has not aged a single day. And, since "The Secret..." is still one of the funniest games ever made, allowing the player to see the funny parts is what makes so many people play it after all those years. - -There are still some puzzles that are far from perfect. I solved Chicken with a Trolly puzzle solely because I remembered it after all those years - it's this bad. Moreover, I had to resort to a walkthrough because the solution was based on wordplay, which was far from natural for someone whose English is a second language. After I learned the solution, it made perfect sense. I have to give it to the authors. Everything in the game makes sense in the context of the game. But there were times I could not make head or tails, and I had to resort to the old "let's use everything on everything" strategy - and it's simply not fun to do so. - -On the other hand, "The Secret of Monkey Island" is also the home of one of the most fantastic puzzles I've ever witnessed - insult swordplay. You need to defeat pirates in a sword fight, but the fight is an insult-response loop instead of an action sequence. First, the pirate insults you, and you need to learn the proper response and use it, then you insult the pirate, and so on. After a few rounds, you either win and advance to another pirate or lose, but you learn some new insults and need to look for a pirate who will know how to reply. Ingenius! A cherry on top - this part was written by Orson Scott, the author of "Ender's game". - -{{< imgproc "swordfight.jpg" Resize "500x" "Insult sword fighting">}} - -The game consists of four parts. Out of them, the first one is easily the most polished and exciting. Luckily, it also took roughly half the total playtime of my playthrough. The rest is still good (and the worst, I'd say, "Flight of the Amazon Queen" good), but the first few hours shine the most, and I am sure this is what most players remember. - -Overall, the game was great and (despite some shortcomings) is still extremely fun to play. I sure hope that "Return to Monkey Island" will keep the adventure/comedy ratio from this installment. - -And if you get stuck, remember that the "Univeral Hint System" is the best way to get unstuck without getting a ready answer. - -["The Secret of Monkey Island" on UHS](https://www.uhs-hints.com/uhsweb/monkey.php) - -## Memories Emporium - - What I'll remember from the game? - -Mostly, the amazing world. Mêlée Island looks great and is full of rememberable characters - like the Voodoo Lady or lazy pirates training their pet rat for a circus. LucasArts has the gift of creating exceptional places. Their later game, "Grim Fandango," shows Rubacava. This is the one gaming place I simply return to from time to time, just to hang out there - but that's a story for a different time. They create a believable world inhabited but not completely sane people. Love it! I'll have to return here with my son when he is a bit older. - -The insult sword fighting. I guess I already remembered it as I say, "Well, you fight like a cow" from time to time. - -Guybrush. Since this is primarily an adventure story, he is fleshed out for an early 90s game. I really like the guy. He is quirky but also driven and a bit insane. Like every good heron should be. And he can hold his breath underwater for solid 10 minutes! - -Not bad for a 6 hour game. - diff --git a/content/2022/secret_of_monkey_island/lazypirates.gif b/content/2022/secret_of_monkey_island/lazypirates.gif deleted file mode 100644 index 147e9337..00000000 Binary files a/content/2022/secret_of_monkey_island/lazypirates.gif and /dev/null differ diff --git a/content/2022/secret_of_monkey_island/residence.gif b/content/2022/secret_of_monkey_island/residence.gif deleted file mode 100644 index 0911deab..00000000 Binary files a/content/2022/secret_of_monkey_island/residence.gif and /dev/null differ diff --git a/content/2022/secret_of_monkey_island/splash.png b/content/2022/secret_of_monkey_island/splash.png deleted file mode 100644 index 80cee3a0..00000000 Binary files a/content/2022/secret_of_monkey_island/splash.png and /dev/null differ diff --git a/content/2022/secret_of_monkey_island/swordfight.JPG b/content/2022/secret_of_monkey_island/swordfight.JPG deleted file mode 100644 index 2187bfdf..00000000 Binary files a/content/2022/secret_of_monkey_island/swordfight.JPG and /dev/null differ diff --git a/content/2022/secret_of_monkey_island/swordfight.jpg b/content/2022/secret_of_monkey_island/swordfight.jpg deleted file mode 100644 index 2187bfdf..00000000 Binary files a/content/2022/secret_of_monkey_island/swordfight.jpg and /dev/null differ diff --git a/content/2022/secret_of_monkey_island/swordfight.webp b/content/2022/secret_of_monkey_island/swordfight.webp deleted file mode 100644 index 78250348..00000000 Binary files a/content/2022/secret_of_monkey_island/swordfight.webp and /dev/null differ diff --git a/content/2022/the_ivy_diaries_chapter_i.md b/content/2022/the_ivy_diaries_chapter_i.md new file mode 100644 index 00000000..fb844249 --- /dev/null +++ b/content/2022/the_ivy_diaries_chapter_i.md @@ -0,0 +1,32 @@ +--- +date: 2022-05-06T09:10:00+02:00 +draft: false +category: "varia" +year: 2022 +title: The Ivy Diaries, Chapter I +tags: +- ivy +- urban-activism +abstract: How I planted an Ivy behing garadge. +--- + I've become an urban activist in a way. And a terrible farmer in any another. + +I live in a typical polish flat. Luckily, we own a dedicated right in front of our building. The back wall of the garage complex (6 garages) faces the street, which I see every day. It was filled with soccer-themed graffiti for a long time, which I don't enjoy. Last year, sometime in the middle of the summer, I decided to plant Ivy there. Seemed easy. Now, a year later, I am a wiser man who knows that gardening to any extent is difficult. + +My first attempt was to cut the ends of a grown plant and plant it. Two days later, green services were cutting grass and murdering my plants. + +Before the second attempt, I've done some reading. I want Ivy to lose leaves during winter, to survive the harsh conditions of the barren earth, and not die due to pollution. And I bought seeds, some general usage dirt, and I played an urban terrorist one happy night. But, up till recently, nothing grew out of it. + +I waited till October and then bought young plants. I still don't know what kind of Ivy I purchased, but the description matched. And then I discovered that gardening is a nightmare. Even a tiny hole requires inhuman strength. Pulling grass out is also not a trivial matter. But I managed. I even bought a special nutrient. So, this time patiently, I waited. I was regularly watering and nurturing my plants. I even named them - Quark and Rom. Since it was almost winter, I received the plants without any leaves. + +Right after winter ended, I surrounded them with a small fence to ensure that they won't get slaughtered again. One thing I did not take into account is other humans. Someone decided that my small plant covered a fence looked like a trashcan. And for the last few weeks, I have removed empty beer cans every few days. Always three there are - no more, no less. + +But, on April 29th, we finally saw that the Ivy is still alive. + +{{< img-center "ivy-22-2.png" "Quark on 29th of April">}} + +What a happy day it was. Soon after, I covered the entirety of the fence covered space with sticks, so it's not that easy to throw cans there. I am not a handyman, but it works. So today, the new can batch was not directly on my plants but beside them. I consider it a win. + +{{< img-center "ivy-22-3.png" "Rom on 4th of May">}} + + diff --git a/content/2022/the_ivy_diaries_chapter_i/index.md b/content/2022/the_ivy_diaries_chapter_i/index.md deleted file mode 100644 index 22749e39..00000000 --- a/content/2022/the_ivy_diaries_chapter_i/index.md +++ /dev/null @@ -1,32 +0,0 @@ ---- -date: 2022-05-06T09:10:00+02:00 -draft: false -category: "varia" -year: 2022 -title: The Ivy Diaries, Chapter I -tag: -- ivy -- urban-activism -abstract: How I planted an Ivy behing garadge. ---- - I've become an urban activist in a way. And a terrible farmer in any another. - -I live in a typical polish flat. Luckily, we own a dedicated right in front of our building. The back wall of the garage complex (6 garages) faces the street, which I see every day. It was filled with soccer-themed graffiti for a long time, which I don't enjoy. Last year, sometime in the middle of the summer, I decided to plant Ivy there. Seemed easy. Now, a year later, I am a wiser man who knows that gardening to any extent is difficult. - -My first attempt was to cut the ends of a grown plant and plant it. Two days later, green services were cutting grass and murdering my plants. - -Before the second attempt, I've done some reading. I want Ivy to lose leaves during winter, to survive the harsh conditions of the barren earth, and not die due to pollution. And I bought seeds, some general usage dirt, and I played an urban terrorist one happy night. But, up till recently, nothing grew out of it. - -I waited till October and then bought young plants. I still don't know what kind of Ivy I purchased, but the description matched. And then I discovered that gardening is a nightmare. Even a tiny hole requires inhuman strength. Pulling grass out is also not a trivial matter. But I managed. I even bought a special nutrient. So, this time patiently, I waited. I was regularly watering and nurturing my plants. I even named them - Quark and Rom. Since it was almost winter, I received the plants without any leaves. - -Right after winter ended, I surrounded them with a small fence to ensure that they won't get slaughtered again. One thing I did not take into account is other humans. Someone decided that my small plant covered a fence looked like a trashcan. And for the last few weeks, I have removed empty beer cans every few days. Always three there are - no more, no less. - -But, on April 29th, we finally saw that the Ivy is still alive. - -{{< imgproc "ivy_2.png" Resize "500x" "Quark on 29th of April">}} - -What a happy day it was. Soon after, I covered the entirety of the fence covered space with sticks, so it's not that easy to throw cans there. I am not a handyman, but it works. So today, the new can batch was not directly on my plants but beside them. I consider it a win. - -{{< imgproc "ivy_3.png" Resize "500x" "Rom on 4th of May">}} - - diff --git a/content/2022/the_ivy_diaries_chapter_i/ivy_1.png b/content/2022/the_ivy_diaries_chapter_i/ivy_1.png deleted file mode 100644 index c5e64f9c..00000000 Binary files a/content/2022/the_ivy_diaries_chapter_i/ivy_1.png and /dev/null differ diff --git a/content/2022/the_ivy_diaries_chapter_i/ivy_2.png b/content/2022/the_ivy_diaries_chapter_i/ivy_2.png deleted file mode 100644 index edc1fb65..00000000 Binary files a/content/2022/the_ivy_diaries_chapter_i/ivy_2.png and /dev/null differ diff --git a/content/2022/the_ivy_diaries_chapter_i/ivy_3.png b/content/2022/the_ivy_diaries_chapter_i/ivy_3.png deleted file mode 100644 index a2c6aade..00000000 Binary files a/content/2022/the_ivy_diaries_chapter_i/ivy_3.png and /dev/null differ diff --git a/content/2023/industrial-design-used-to-be-cool.md b/content/2023/industrial-design-used-to-be-cool.md new file mode 100644 index 00000000..b7238cc3 --- /dev/null +++ b/content/2023/industrial-design-used-to-be-cool.md @@ -0,0 +1,24 @@ +--- +title: "Industrial Design Used to Be Cool" +category: "hardware" +category: Old, sexy walkmans. +year: 2023 +date: 2023-01-19T22:05:57+01:00 +draft: false +tags: ['retro-tech', 'sony', 'sanyo', 'philips', 'walkman'] +--- +I am buying an mp3 player...or DAP, as they are called now. While searching, I was +reminded how crazy and creative portable audio players looked in the late 90s/early 00s. + + +{{< img-center "23-walkman-philips2.jpeg" "I used to have this model!" "https://archiwum.allegro.pl/oferta/walkman-philips-aq6562-i8508289712.html">}} + +{{< img-center "23-walkman-philips.jpeg" "It's so blue!" "https://allegrolokalnie.pl/oferta/walkman-philips-aq6492-6hr">}} + +{{< img-center "23-walkman-sanyo1.jpeg" "Have you ever seen something so beautiful?" "https://archiwum.allegro.pl/oferta/unikat-stary-walkman-sanyo-m-gr-78-1991r-nie-sony-i7751674779.html">}} + +{{< img-center "23-walkman-sanyo2.jpg" "One word: perfection" "https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/164801062384">}} + +{{< img-center "23-walkman-sony1.jpeg" "Yellow submarine?" "https://allegrolokalnie.pl/oferta/sony-wmb53-sports-walkman-kasetowy-wodoodporny">}} + +{{< img-center "23-walkman-sony2.jpg" "The original, of couse." "https://pl.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plik:Original_Sony_Walkman_TPS-L2.JPG">}} diff --git a/content/2023/industrial-design-used-to-be-cool/index.md b/content/2023/industrial-design-used-to-be-cool/index.md deleted file mode 100644 index 1fc3d562..00000000 --- a/content/2023/industrial-design-used-to-be-cool/index.md +++ /dev/null @@ -1,24 +0,0 @@ ---- -title: "Industrial Design Used to Be Cool" -category: "hardware" -category: Old, sexy walkmans. -year: 2023 -date: 2023-01-19T22:05:57+01:00 -draft: false -tags: ['retro-tech', 'sony', 'sanyo', 'philips', 'walkman'] ---- -I am buying an mp3 player...or DAP, as they are called now. While searching, I was -reminded how crazy and creative portable audio players looked in the late 90s/early 00s. - - -{{< imgproc "philips2.jpeg" Resize "400x" "I used to have this model!" "https://archiwum.allegro.pl/oferta/walkman-philips-aq6562-i8508289712.html">}} - -{{< imgproc "philips.jpeg" Resize "400x" "It's so blue!" "https://allegrolokalnie.pl/oferta/walkman-philips-aq6492-6hr">}} - -{{< imgproc "sanyo1.jpeg" Resize "400x" "Have you ever seen something so beautiful?" "https://archiwum.allegro.pl/oferta/unikat-stary-walkman-sanyo-m-gr-78-1991r-nie-sony-i7751674779.html">}} - -{{< imgproc "sanyo2.jpg" Resize "400x" "One word: perfection" "https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/164801062384">}} - -{{< imgproc "sony1.jpeg" Resize "400x" "Yellow submarine?" "https://allegrolokalnie.pl/oferta/sony-wmb53-sports-walkman-kasetowy-wodoodporny">}} - -{{< imgproc "sony2.jpg" Resize "400x" "The original, of couse." "https://pl.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plik:Original_Sony_Walkman_TPS-L2.JPG">}} diff --git a/content/2023/industrial-design-used-to-be-cool/philips.jpeg b/content/2023/industrial-design-used-to-be-cool/philips.jpeg deleted file mode 100644 index c96c77ce..00000000 Binary files a/content/2023/industrial-design-used-to-be-cool/philips.jpeg and /dev/null differ diff --git a/content/2023/industrial-design-used-to-be-cool/philips2.jpeg b/content/2023/industrial-design-used-to-be-cool/philips2.jpeg deleted file mode 100644 index 538a05af..00000000 Binary files a/content/2023/industrial-design-used-to-be-cool/philips2.jpeg and /dev/null differ diff --git a/content/2023/industrial-design-used-to-be-cool/sanyo1.jpeg b/content/2023/industrial-design-used-to-be-cool/sanyo1.jpeg deleted file mode 100644 index eba03f79..00000000 Binary files a/content/2023/industrial-design-used-to-be-cool/sanyo1.jpeg and /dev/null differ diff --git a/content/2023/industrial-design-used-to-be-cool/sanyo2.jpg b/content/2023/industrial-design-used-to-be-cool/sanyo2.jpg deleted file mode 100644 index 97d366c8..00000000 Binary files a/content/2023/industrial-design-used-to-be-cool/sanyo2.jpg and /dev/null differ diff --git a/content/2023/industrial-design-used-to-be-cool/sony1.jpeg b/content/2023/industrial-design-used-to-be-cool/sony1.jpeg deleted file mode 100644 index 0dcddd30..00000000 Binary files a/content/2023/industrial-design-used-to-be-cool/sony1.jpeg and /dev/null differ diff --git a/content/2023/industrial-design-used-to-be-cool/sony2.jpg b/content/2023/industrial-design-used-to-be-cool/sony2.jpg deleted file mode 100644 index 5db68a1d..00000000 Binary files a/content/2023/industrial-design-used-to-be-cool/sony2.jpg and /dev/null differ diff --git a/content/2023/music-haul-for-january-2023.md b/content/2023/music-haul-for-january-2023.md new file mode 100644 index 00000000..0714f687 --- /dev/null +++ b/content/2023/music-haul-for-january-2023.md @@ -0,0 +1,17 @@ +--- +title: "Music Haul for January 2023" +category: "media" +abstract: 4 new CDs on the shelve. +year: 2023 +date: 2023-01-21T19:59:27+01:00 +draft: false +tags: ["cd", "music-haul", "vangelis", "direct", "voices", "the-cure", "kiss-me-kiss-me-kiss-me", "miles-davis", "kind-of-blue"] +--- +One of my goals for this year is to decrease my media subscriptions. Therefore I don't want to rely on Spotify to listen to music. But to do that, I need another way to play music. CDs are nice! Luckily, a small used LP/CD market took place close to where I live. + + +{{< img-center "23-haul-jan-market.jpg" "The market">}} + +And now I own four new albums.blog + +{{< img-center "23-haul-jan-haul.jpg" "2x Vangelis, The Cure and Miles Davis">}} diff --git a/content/2023/music-haul-for-january-2023/haul.jpg b/content/2023/music-haul-for-january-2023/haul.jpg deleted file mode 100644 index 7e7f5bce..00000000 Binary files a/content/2023/music-haul-for-january-2023/haul.jpg and /dev/null differ diff --git a/content/2023/music-haul-for-january-2023/index.md b/content/2023/music-haul-for-january-2023/index.md deleted file mode 100644 index a21e0f5f..00000000 --- a/content/2023/music-haul-for-january-2023/index.md +++ /dev/null @@ -1,17 +0,0 @@ ---- -title: "Music Haul for January 2023" -category: "media" -abstract: 4 new CDs on the shelve. -year: 2023 -date: 2023-01-21T19:59:27+01:00 -draft: false -tags: ["cd", "music-haul", "vangelis", "direct", "voices", "the-cure", "kiss-me-kiss-me-kiss-me", "miles-davis", "kind-of-blue"] ---- -One of my goals for this year is to decrease my media subscriptions. Therefore I don't want to rely on Spotify to listen to music. But to do that, I need another way to play music. CDs are nice! Luckily, a small used LP/CD market took place close to where I live. - - -{{< imgproc "market.jpg" Resize "500x" "The market">}} - -And now I own four new albums.blog - -{{< imgproc "haul.jpg" Resize "500x" "2x Vangelis, The Cure and Miles Davis">}} diff --git a/content/2023/music-haul-for-january-2023/market.jpg b/content/2023/music-haul-for-january-2023/market.jpg deleted file mode 100644 index e05572f6..00000000 Binary files a/content/2023/music-haul-for-january-2023/market.jpg and /dev/null differ diff --git a/content/2023/my-first-computer.md b/content/2023/my-first-computer.md new file mode 100644 index 00000000..cad7c93e --- /dev/null +++ b/content/2023/my-first-computer.md @@ -0,0 +1,40 @@ +--- +title: "My First Computer" +category: "varia" +abstract: computers memories from post-PRL childhood. +year: 2023 +date: 2023-01-18T21:37:17+01:00 +draft: false +tags: ['memories', 'retro-computing', 'wolfenstein-3d', 'pc', 'civilization', 'commander-striker', 'prince-of-persia', 'dynamo', 'duke-nukem', 'lost-vikings', 'inspector-gadget-lost-in-time', 'lotus-iii', 'put-put', 'wings-of-fury', "dos", "dos-gaming"] +--- +I've been using computers since 1994. Of course, it was always a PC (or Mac) - I never owned a console. I now use a borrowed PS4, but that's a story for a different occasion. + +My first computer was a 386 with a whopping 60MB hard drive. Unfortunately, that's all I know. Even though my mother worked in IT back then, my understanding of what RAM or graphic card did was zilch, and therefore never bothered to learn the values. The machine was a gift for my first communion, and it was a marvel that it existed. She used all her contacts to gather equipment, as the gear was not available or extremely expensive in the first years after communism fell in Poland. It will be years till one can even go to a store and buy one! I was the first kid I knew with a computer, and soon after, being "the kid with a computer" became my personality. If my memory serves me right, it would be a few years before two other kids from my class got their computers, and we became friends. + +Computers were seen as a passport into the future. They were not a commodity as they are now (or rather were, as kids don't even have a computer nowadays). They were expensive and not bought on a whim. My mother saw it as a way to build my future. And here I am, 30 years later, as a backend developer. + +{{< img-center "mic-rand-birthday.jpg" Resize "500x" "This random birthday photo is the only photo of the machine.">}} + +What I remember the most was the magic around every startup. When I pressed the power button, beeps started. I had no idea what they meant, but they were cool. And then a few screens on English words, which I also didn't understand. And finally + +``` +C:> +``` + +I was 9, and my mother was the only person who knew anything about computers, so she taught me everything. But, of course, 90% of the time spent in front of the screen was used to play games. I had two sources of those in the early days: +From time to time, my mother's friends & co-workers had some new games or applications. This is I got my hands on Civilization or Wolfenstein 3d. +A store nearby sold shareware on floppies. Those were cheap enough to buy, and I loved everyone equally. +I know some people nowadays are masters of Doom or remember every secret in some obscure game. Not me; I sucked hard as I suck now. I have no reflexes, so anything requiring it was a constant trial and error. I remember my cousin spending most summer vacations with us; we could beat those games together. He later became the third provider of games for me, as he arrived with a box full of discettes. I got my hands on Syndicate or Wings of Fury this way. + +Another problem was that none (and I mean none) of us knew any English. Sure, we were taught it, but it will be years until I can understand anything on the screen. The "CHANGE" button on the city screen in Civilization? Total secret. I've spent months playing it without knowing how to change the production of a city. It was fun, nevertheless. I was also not younger than 20 until I discovered that the icon of the Settler unit is not some Yoda-lookalike. + +I remember the first drawing tool. I have yet to learn what it was called, but it had buttons on top from which I would play for hours with a simple flood fill tool. The computer was slow enough that filling any area was not instantaneous, but it showed astonishing progress when the algorithm tried to do its thing. Sometimes I would draw complex figures to see how (and if) the computer would try to fill them. + +I remember trying to beat the first levels of Prince of Persia, but I have never finished it. + +Commander Striker, Wolfenstein 3d, Dynamo, Duke Nukem II, Lost Vikings, Inspector Gadget Lost in Time, Lotus III. I spend hours playing those. I was to finish some - some were much too demanding. But I've played them constantly. I would have no patience today to replay a game a dozen times. + +But the warmest memories are around Put Put on The Moon. I have played it the most. I have memorized it. Even now, I remember a lot. And then Put Put goes to the Parade, which would always break after the initial intro. Stunts was another game I wanted to play but could not due to technical problems. + +What a trip down memory lane. I love those memories and will defend PC Speaker with my own life. This doesn't change the fact that a few years later, I couldn't hold my excitement when we upgraded to Pentium 150. + diff --git a/content/2023/my-first-computer/birthday.jpg b/content/2023/my-first-computer/birthday.jpg deleted file mode 100644 index 2d912fff..00000000 Binary files a/content/2023/my-first-computer/birthday.jpg and /dev/null differ diff --git a/content/2023/my-first-computer/index.md b/content/2023/my-first-computer/index.md deleted file mode 100644 index 89bb1324..00000000 --- a/content/2023/my-first-computer/index.md +++ /dev/null @@ -1,40 +0,0 @@ ---- -title: "My First Computer" -category: "varia" -abstract: computers memories from post-PRL childhood. -year: 2023 -date: 2023-01-18T21:37:17+01:00 -draft: false -tags: ['memories', 'retro-computing', 'wolfenstein-3d', 'pc', 'civilization', 'commander-striker', 'prince-of-persia', 'dynamo', 'duke-nukem', 'lost-vikings', 'inspector-gadget-lost-in-time', 'lotus-iii', 'put-put', 'wings-of-fury', "dos", "dos-gaming"] ---- -I've been using computers since 1994. Of course, it was always a PC (or Mac) - I never owned a console. I now use a borrowed PS4, but that's a story for a different occasion. - -My first computer was a 386 with a whopping 60MB hard drive. Unfortunately, that's all I know. Even though my mother worked in IT back then, my understanding of what RAM or graphic card did was zilch, and therefore never bothered to learn the values. The machine was a gift for my first communion, and it was a marvel that it existed. She used all her contacts to gather equipment, as the gear was not available or extremely expensive in the first years after communism fell in Poland. It will be years till one can even go to a store and buy one! I was the first kid I knew with a computer, and soon after, being "the kid with a computer" became my personality. If my memory serves me right, it would be a few years before two other kids from my class got their computers, and we became friends. - -Computers were seen as a passport into the future. They were not a commodity as they are now (or rather were, as kids don't even have a computer nowadays). They were expensive and not bought on a whim. My mother saw it as a way to build my future. And here I am, 30 years later, as a backend developer. - -{{< imgproc "birthday.jpg" Resize "500x" "This random birthday photo is the only photo of the machine.">}} - -What I remember the most was the magic around every startup. When I pressed the power button, beeps started. I had no idea what they meant, but they were cool. And then a few screens on English words, which I also didn't understand. And finally - -``` -C:> -``` - -I was 9, and my mother was the only person who knew anything about computers, so she taught me everything. But, of course, 90% of the time spent in front of the screen was used to play games. I had two sources of those in the early days: -From time to time, my mother's friends & co-workers had some new games or applications. This is I got my hands on Civilization or Wolfenstein 3d. -A store nearby sold shareware on floppies. Those were cheap enough to buy, and I loved everyone equally. -I know some people nowadays are masters of Doom or remember every secret in some obscure game. Not me; I sucked hard as I suck now. I have no reflexes, so anything requiring it was a constant trial and error. I remember my cousin spending most summer vacations with us; we could beat those games together. He later became the third provider of games for me, as he arrived with a box full of discettes. I got my hands on Syndicate or Wings of Fury this way. - -Another problem was that none (and I mean none) of us knew any English. Sure, we were taught it, but it will be years until I can understand anything on the screen. The "CHANGE" button on the city screen in Civilization? Total secret. I've spent months playing it without knowing how to change the production of a city. It was fun, nevertheless. I was also not younger than 20 until I discovered that the icon of the Settler unit is not some Yoda-lookalike. - -I remember the first drawing tool. I have yet to learn what it was called, but it had buttons on top from which I would play for hours with a simple flood fill tool. The computer was slow enough that filling any area was not instantaneous, but it showed astonishing progress when the algorithm tried to do its thing. Sometimes I would draw complex figures to see how (and if) the computer would try to fill them. - -I remember trying to beat the first levels of Prince of Persia, but I have never finished it. - -Commander Striker, Wolfenstein 3d, Dynamo, Duke Nukem II, Lost Vikings, Inspector Gadget Lost in Time, Lotus III. I spend hours playing those. I was to finish some - some were much too demanding. But I've played them constantly. I would have no patience today to replay a game a dozen times. - -But the warmest memories are around Put Put on The Moon. I have played it the most. I have memorized it. Even now, I remember a lot. And then Put Put goes to the Parade, which would always break after the initial intro. Stunts was another game I wanted to play but could not due to technical problems. - -What a trip down memory lane. I love those memories and will defend PC Speaker with my own life. This doesn't change the fact that a few years later, I couldn't hold my excitement when we upgraded to Pentium 150. - diff --git a/content/2023/this-site-no-longer-spies-for-youtube.md b/content/2023/this-site-no-longer-spies-for-youtube.md new file mode 100644 index 00000000..d80f719a --- /dev/null +++ b/content/2023/this-site-no-longer-spies-for-youtube.md @@ -0,0 +1,76 @@ +--- +title: "This Site No Longer Spies for Youtube" +category: "software" +abstract: Linking to YT in place of embeding is better for page load sped +date: 2023-02-02T14:58:42+01:00 +year: 2023 +draft: false +tags: +- meta +- youtube +- google +- speed-index +- wget +- imagemagick +--- +This site no longer spies for google + +Say what you will about Youtube; it is the de facto webpage for video content. Unfortunately, there is much to say, primarily negative, but more on this later. Today I want to make this blog a bit better. + +Let's use [Google](https://pagespeed.web.dev/report?url=https%3A%2F%2Fmichal.sapka.me%2F2023%2Fcradle-of-filth-her-ghost-in-the-fog%2F) to analyze the performance of [one of my recent posts](/2023/cradle-of-filth-her-ghost-in-the-fog/). It's terrible. Not as awful as it would have been if I used a lot of JS, but it is terrible, nevertheless. + +Here are the findings. Notice a pattern? + +{{< img-center "23-gsa-opportunities.png" "Opportunities">}} + +{{< img-center "23-gsa-diagnostics.png" "Diagnostics">}} + +Yeah. I embed YouTube videos, and even Google says it's a bad idea. What adds insult to injury is [Privacy Badger](https://privacybadger.org) screaming at me on my own page. So yup, I have joined the botnet and spied for Google. + +There are two solutions: pretend that YouTube doesn't exist or fix it. Let's fix it. The idea: use hyperlinks with self-hosted thumbnails. Sounds simple. And it is simple. + +Step 1 - get all Youtube embeds. This site is powered by [Hugo](https://gohugo.io/), and all three embeds are done via a `youtube` shortcode. So, on posts, I add a + +``` + +``` + +Let's use GNU to get all video ids! + +``` +grep -r "}} diff --git a/content/2023/this-site-no-longer-spies-for-youtube/diagnostics.png b/content/2023/this-site-no-longer-spies-for-youtube/diagnostics.png deleted file mode 100644 index d72b1aed..00000000 Binary files a/content/2023/this-site-no-longer-spies-for-youtube/diagnostics.png and /dev/null differ diff --git a/content/2023/this-site-no-longer-spies-for-youtube/index.md b/content/2023/this-site-no-longer-spies-for-youtube/index.md deleted file mode 100644 index e84f8acf..00000000 --- a/content/2023/this-site-no-longer-spies-for-youtube/index.md +++ /dev/null @@ -1,76 +0,0 @@ ---- -title: "This Site No Longer Spies for Youtube" -category: "software" -abstract: Linking to YT in place of embeding is better for page load sped -date: 2023-02-02T14:58:42+01:00 -year: 2023 -draft: false -tags: -- meta -- youtube -- google -- speed-index -- wget -- imagemagick ---- -This site no longer spies for google - -Say what you will about Youtube; it is the de facto webpage for video content. Unfortunately, there is much to say, primarily negative, but more on this later. Today I want to make this blog a bit better. - -Let's use [Google](https://pagespeed.web.dev/report?url=https%3A%2F%2Fmichal.sapka.me%2F2023%2Fcradle-of-filth-her-ghost-in-the-fog%2F) to analyze the performance of [one of my recent posts](/2023/cradle-of-filth-her-ghost-in-the-fog/). It's terrible. Not as awful as it would have been if I used a lot of JS, but it is terrible, nevertheless. - -Here are the findings. Notice a pattern? - -{{< imgproc "opportunities.png" Resize "500x" "Opportunities">}} - -{{< imgproc "diagnostics.png" Resize "500x" "Diagnostics">}} - -Yeah. I embed YouTube videos, and even Google says it's a bad idea. What adds insult to injury is [Privacy Badger](https://privacybadger.org) screaming at me on my own page. So yup, I have joined the botnet and spied for Google. - -There are two solutions: pretend that YouTube doesn't exist or fix it. Let's fix it. The idea: use hyperlinks with self-hosted thumbnails. Sounds simple. And it is simple. - -Step 1 - get all Youtube embeds. This site is powered by [Hugo](https://gohugo.io/), and all three embeds are done via a `youtube` shortcode. So, on posts, I add a - -``` - -``` - -Let's use GNU to get all video ids! - -``` -grep -r "}} diff --git a/content/2023/this-site-no-longer-spies-for-youtube/index.md~ b/content/2023/this-site-no-longer-spies-for-youtube/index.md~ deleted file mode 100644 index 4b57166b..00000000 --- a/content/2023/this-site-no-longer-spies-for-youtube/index.md~ +++ /dev/null @@ -1,10 +0,0 @@ ---- -title: "This Site No Longer Spies for Youtube" -category: "blog" -abstract: -date: 2023-02-02T14:58:42+01:00 -year: -draft: false -tags: [] ---- - diff --git a/content/2023/this-site-no-longer-spies-for-youtube/opportunities.png b/content/2023/this-site-no-longer-spies-for-youtube/opportunities.png deleted file mode 100644 index b49797ee..00000000 Binary files a/content/2023/this-site-no-longer-spies-for-youtube/opportunities.png and /dev/null differ -- cgit v1.2.3