Last year, I posted a rant titled Bad design from BBC?. In the post I complained about how the BBC website handled "errors" and suggested that perhaps it'd be best if was handled silently.

Almost a year down the line it appears that BBC has finally realised this bad design and described it as "confusing results". In this blog post on the BBC website, editor Steve Herrmann describes the changes which will be made to overcome "some potentially frustrating experiences for you, as well as some significant technical complications for us". Going forward UK and International visitors to website will see a different versions of the homepage. Whereas previously visitors could select which version of the homepage they wanted, now they will not have that choice anymore. I am not sure exactly how current system is technically complicated.The blog post gives an example:

For example, international users selecting the UK version might follow prominent links from front pages only to find messages saying things like: "Currently BBC iPlayer TV programmes are available to play in the UK only". (The BBC doesn't have the legal rights to show content on the iPlayer abroad though that may change in future).

From my experience described in the earlier post, it appears that BBC is already using geolocation. I reiterate, that if BBC already knows that you're and international visitor, then it's a simple matter of not showing the iPlayer! How technically hard is that? Using this silly example as a reason to determine which homepage you get is downright lame.

Small wonder then that the comments for that blog post are full of complaints. At the time writing, there were 610 comments and the 610^th commentator Glueman2 noted his complaint as "...nos.461 negative comment". Despite the complaints, I doubt BBC will stop from going through with the changes.

The other day when I needed to convert some wmv videos into flv videos, I promptly googled for some FLV converters and downloaded a couple of them. In a matter of minutes I was able to install and attempt to convert the video files.

Unfortunately neither of them worked on my Vista Business. Both threw exceptions and failed miserably. The last thing I needed was to find fixes for a pair broken software.

Fortunately it was a case of Youtube to the rescue! I had known that one could download FLV videos from Youtube so I proceeded to use the same trick. Using my account I uploaded the wmv videos, setting broadcast to private mode to prevent public viewing (just yet). Once uploaded I just used Firefox Flashgot add-on to download them.Easy huh!

Youtube as an FLV converter application: free, no downloads, far more reliable, fast and processing remotely hence no stress to your local machine. Brilliant!

It's fairly obvious I haven't blogged for a while, but I guess it doesn't really matter. Over the past few weeks since my last post, I've been on a trip trying out more new things then ever before.

I built an ASP.NET MVC based website using the S#arp Architecture and NHibernate. Without a whole lot of joy I was hoping it would be, but certainly a very good learning exercise.

I also installed two flavours of Linux (Fedora 10 and Ubuntu 9) and one flavour of Windows (Windows 7) on VMWare Workstation. I am happy to report that unlike the painful experience with S#arp Architecture and NHibernate, these exercises went smoothly and with a whole lot of joy ;-) I am fast running out of disk space though ;-(

The latest trial started a couple of hours ago. I took the risk and installed .NET Framework 4.0 and Visual Studio 2010 Team Suite Edition Beta 1 on my development laptop running Vista Business. The framework installation crashed aspnet_regiis towards the end but seems no harm was done. It also changed all the application pools to run on framework 4.0 so I had to manually change them back. Thankfully, no such dramas with the VS install.

Diving straight into it, I managed to create a web forms application doing basic CRUD stuff without writing a single line of code. Yep that's right, not a single line of code! Using the ADO.Net Entity Framework, I managed to hookup and populate the Gridview control with simple wizards. The generated code looks pretty neat as well. This makes it that much easier and faster to churn out quick and dirty throw away prototypes. But that's not why I've been so eager to try out this Beta. Web Forms are so out of fashion. Pity ASP.NET MVC isn't in the Beta version, but I am going to try a couple of tricks suggested by Phil Haack.

When all's said and done, tt's the toolset for the Architecture Edition and the Team Foundation Server that I really want to get my teeth into.

It's going to be a fun weekend with VS 2010 whenever I can pry myself away from my wife and the little champion ;-)

I haven't blogged for a while so in the interest of keeping this site fresh let me plug some of my favourite blogs of late.

1. Contemporist
Contemporist features daily entries on comtemporary design. The site features entries focused mainly in the areas of architecture, furniture, interiors and lighting. The photographs are the main attraction for me.

2. Twitch
Twitch is film news and review site. It mostly covers films which make rounds of film festivals and arthouse cinema. Being an arthouse and alternative cinema buff, this for me is the best site to keep one up to date on the goings on in the genre.

It's no secret that I am an atheist.  At first I would go all out against religion and engage in a vigorous debate with anyone religious who tried to preach or appeal to god for any reason. Over time though I've mellowed down a bit and prefer not get involved in any sort of serious debate about religion. I've figured that it is extremely difficult to rationalise with people who hold fundamentally irrational belief system.

In practice though, I continue to reject religion and god. These days, I couldn't give a rats ass if someone found my atheistic lifestyle (which isn't anything special) as offensive. I say that, because in our society an overwhelming number of people are religious and they automatically presume that I am one as well. In any coversation they would naturally start appealing to god. As soon as I reveal my non-belief in their religion or god, they're completely taken aback and more often then not give me the look as if I am stupid or something.

My favourite local daily (The Fiji Times), regularly publishes letters to the editor from people of faith debating the details of their religion or holy book. The newspaper seems to place enormous value on these letters as if they serve some public good. I am sure these are done at the expense of some really valuable contributions. It's always annoying to find letters from the self proclaimed religious experts engaging in utter nonsense from their letters.

This brings me to the title of this blog post, Religulous. For those who don't know, Religulous is the title of a new movie by US comedian, Bill Maher. I've just finished watching this brilliant movie which essentially consists of Bill interviewing a whole bunch of religious people (mostly Jews, Christians and Muslims) from North America and Europe. It is sometimes funny as you'd expect from something that has Bill in it. But it also shows the jaw dropping stupidity of religion. It isn't exactly a ground breaking film as I've seen a few others in similar vein, but Bill manages to give the movie the kind of star power that others simply don't have. Other movies of this kind seem to have been made by serious atheists who try really hard to show the stupidy of religion, but this one contains the style, humour and star power to pull a wider audience.

I downloaded the movie with help from Atheist Movies blog. Check the site out for links to amazing collection of Atheist related movies, books, etc.

Do those look like Fiji Water bottles on the coffee table?

HORROR-struck and disgusted by the lewd and suggestive lyrics of songs broadcast on our airwaves, two interim Cabinet ministers have vowed to put an end to the menace that contaminate the minds of our young.

Interim Women and Health Minister Dr Jiko Luveni was at a loss for words when read the lyrics and translation of slang terms for teen favorites - Lollilop (two different versions), Love in this Club, Crank That and I Kissed a Girl by Katy Perry which currently holds the number three spot on FM96's top 20.

 

Another local favourite by Perry is Hot and Cold which pokes fun at PMS (allegedly premenstrual syndrome).

Interim Education and Youth Minister Filipe Bole was just as surprised that the songs were packed with innuendo, wondering how the gatekeepers had allowed such offending music on the airwaves. He said it was a matter that needs looking into.

A random survey of parents found that while most were aware of tunes, they had no idea about the explicit and sexual content of the song.

They all said that authorities, especially the government and legislators need to curtail and protect the vulnerable from "dangerous idea and images".

 ...

 

Lewd lyrics, Margaret Wise, Fiji Times, 02/10/2008

HOW much do parents know about the songs their children listen to on the radio or the music clips available on the Internet and television?

The plethora of lewd and suggestive lyrics which have saturated the airwaves opens the way to a minefield of possibilities in sexual relationships, suicide, interaction with parents and basic rebelliousness.

It is unacceptable that radio and television stations should allow their airwaves to be the vehicle for music which offers suicide as a solution to the breakdown of a teenage relationship.

It is also unacceptable that public radio stations should broadcast music that encourages violent sexual activity, the debasement of women and violence against the police or other forms of authority.

In some liberal homes, parents may find it perfectly acceptable for their children to listen to lyrics loaded with sexual innuendo. We accept that in such situations what happens in the privacy of the home is sacrosanct.

Some will argue that human rights allow people to listen to this music if they choose.

We agree.

But this should not negate the rights of those who may choose not to be subjected to music of a sexual or violent nature.

Those who want to listen to this genre of music have at their disposal the Internt or Compact Discs which they can enjoy at their leisure.

Public radio and television should be made available for the general consumption of all people.

This means that broadcasters have a moral duty to ensure that their content s clean and acceptable to the widest possible cross-section of the community.

If necessary, specific time can be made available during the night for listeners and viewers to have access to their particular brand of music which most people consider excessive.

Most of the explicit music is available in an alternative form which can be played on public radio.

We see no problem with making the alternative CDs available on the public broadcast system.

But it is for the regulators - in this the interim government - to take the lead role in the fight to keep the airwaves and the minds of the young people clear of suggestive and obscene lyrics.

It is comforting that two members of the interim Cabinet have agreed to take immediate action to end the public dissemination of lewd lyrics on air.

In the past, elected governments have banned music and television serials deemed inappropriate.

There is no reason why this administration, in the interests of our children and public decency, cannot do the same.

Most importantly, parents must know what their children are listening to and take preventive action.

 

Stop lewd lyrics, Fiji Times Editorial, 03/10/2008

My famous speeding wife has made news!

I chanced upon this entry about "Speeding drivers are slow to learn" and found my picture (below) as part of the story. The picture is on my Flickr Photostream. The site finda.com.au is published by APN News & Media who also publish the New Zealand Herald.

Tonight's Australia vs. NZ, Bledisloe/TriNations match was an insight into why the Australian rugby is at then end of it's glory. There are several reasons why I have to say this. The main amongst them is the Stupid Kiwi Coach. Lose him! He's a Kiwi. Enough is enough! Why is it that we need some damned Kiwi to coach a multi World Cup winning team Aussie team. Shame on the ARU for hiring the damned coach.

No relation to the the title of this post, but the referring for this game was a crying shame! I am drunk enough now, so I'll stop whilst I am still ahead.

Not too long ago, our learned interim Attorney General, Mr. Sayed-Khaiyum put Microsoft on notice for use of the word "Fiji" in one of their product names. Microsoft immediately complied and announced that it will stop the use.

Somehow the Exadel Inc. executives completely missed the news and proceeded to name one of their new products, you guessed it,  Exadel Fiji. I hate to think what our learned AG will do about this if anything. Apparently Mr. Sayed-Khaiyum used the words "unreservedly objects" in a letter to Microsoft. That means he may not spare anyone.

In any case, Exadel Fiji as product will not have such a profile as anything from Microsoft. It's not a product which will be directly used by any average user as it's aimed at the developers to use in their software. Maybe the AG won't even hear of it.