Technology, Software, Brews, and Opinions

Here’s to Crisp, the guild who just made Realm First for defeating the Lich King on 25-man Heroic mode.

There was some smack-talk in the trade channel about how they had to wait until the following expansion to finish the raid, but I would like to point out that no one else managed to get Realm First, not even Bane, the major Horde guild on my server.

It’s currently Sunday night.  I have work in the morning, and quite frankly, I’ve got things I need to get done around the house, and most of it in the back yard.

Maybe it’s my own fault.  I should get up earlier on weekends, and take care of business.  But for some reason, I do better at about 4 or 5 in the afternoon.  I think better, I feel better, I can act more swiftly.  And it has nothing to do with my sleeping schedule.

Personally, I think I’m just in the wrong time zone.  Maybe we should move to London, clear out all question of time zone.

Inglip be praised!  For today is one beerty!

So I’ve been in the AppV game since it was still owned by Softricity (when it was known as SoftGrid).  There were a handful of useful tools that were available to the world, for free.  Kalle Sunamaki, one of the MVPs of AppV, wrote the SFT Explorer app, and on my XP sequencer station, it’s installed.  I’m now at a point where I need a Windows 7 sequencer, and low and behold, he’s made SFT Explorer a (better than before) pay-for application.

But, dayjob rule #1: Don’t bother asking for software purchases from your own department, especially when that tool is specific for the job duties that are assigned to you, and no one else could benefit from it.

Basically, a useful tool just got pulled out from under me.  I can try to ask for a purchase, but I can almost be guaranteed a negative answer.

So we’re running into an issue where the ClickOnce .NET Framework application NurseSquared is not happy with how we handle the accumulation of profile data on our systems (we delete local profile data on logout).

I believe I have found a solution, using VMware ThinApp.

1. Prescan
2. Run through the standard setup for ThinApp Capture and NurseSquared.
3. Don’t do anything with Internet Explorer options in the ThinApp window.
4. Postscan.
5. On the entry point selection screen, DO NOT USE N2.exe! Use the NurseSquared.exe instead.
6. Go through the rest of the steps, according to how your environment works.
7. Done.

Any changes that get made to the software get stored in the %APPDATA%ThinstallNurseSquared folder, which does roam with the user.  The resulting exec is about 37mb.

Due to my day job, I am bound to run across some particular software that is not an ordinary install.  In fact, I have run into many of these; head on.

In particular this time, is the Hawkes Algebra software.  It comes in many flavors, from Introductory to Advanced.  And its profile setup is completely contrary to what it should be doing.

It should be copying required files to the users’ profile folder automatically.  If it’s not there, go do it.

[This is the point I’m actually reviewing the OSD file for the app]

However, I need to remember, if I copy the Pre-Launch code from the previous version, I need to make sure I’m using the same package root as the new package.  Hurpderp.

So I’ve got to at least try this new app out.  The interface is very Word like (with the Office 2010 style of File menu (or what 2007 called the Office Button)).  But, on my netbook, it takes up a good quarter of the screen.  I can minimize it, though.

There’s no previous entry management a form of entry management, but it’s in the form of opening the previous entries for editing.  Which, I guess is the reason for entry management.

It does have a couple bonuses over the Qumana and Adobe Contribute packages, in terms of ease of use, and it’s got the bonus of bringing in the theme style of the blog for the writing area.  It helps to visualize what you’re getting in the end.

Picture Test!

Easy enough.  Point to, resize, and edit for hyperlinkage.  Also bonus for knowing that I want to continue to write around the picture.

Plus it’s yesterdays’ XKCD.  Good stuff.

Downside with the picture insert: Margin.  Not a whole lot of space between the picture and the accompanying text.  You can edit it manually, but there’s no auto-format in this case.

No matter how many other games I try, and no matter how long I play them (Fallout 3 series being the topmost timesink enjoyable one so far), I seem to go back to Warcraft.  Though I’m mostly waiting for an EVE Online skill to complete…in 5 days time.  So maybe I’m not that addicted.

And as a note, Qumana and Adobe Contribute aren’t WP-tag savvy.  And Contribute is horrible to configure for a personalized WP site.  But, for all it’s worth, Windows Live Writer is easy, and knows my tags.  Does that seem right to you?

…evil.  I.S.K. (or just ISK, because periods are harder to say), is the currency for EVE Online.  Everything revolves around gathering ISK and boy, let me tell you, it’s harder to save up than you think.

Currently, I’m sitting here, mining on some asteroid belt.  Someone warps in in a Covetor, THE largest mining barges in the game, and proceeds to turn on his mining cannons.  When compared to my mining cannons, these things are practically WMDs.  I’ve made two trips back to the station, and this guy is still here.  Ho-ly-crap.  I want one of those suckers.

So I’m going back in, but probably not as full boar as I was in August.

EVE Online.  Yes, the high-fancy graphic game of spreadsheets on one of the largest, open-ended, Giganto sized playarea MMO games.  Ever.

They say Darkfall has the biggest world.  In a manner of speaking, I guess so.  But when you deal with a galaxy size play area, a single world is..a pittance.

Man goes to doctor. Says he’s depressed. Says life seems harsh and cruel. Says he feels all alone in a threatening world where what lies ahead is vague and uncertain. Doctor says “Treatment is simple. Great clown Pagliacci is in town tonight. Go and see him. That should pick you up.” Man bursts into tears. Says “But, doctor…I am Pagliacci.” Good joke. Everybody laugh. Roll on snare drum. Curtains. Fade to black.