Photosharing Rant, Episode III

And to complete my Photo Sharing trilogy...

I got round to it sooner than I thought I would. Mostly because it only took five minutes to set up. Here's a demo of a (Google) Picasaweb photo album. Check out the slideshow. I must say the LARGE slideshow is something that's really been missing from Flickr. I like to look at photos nice and big.

Checking out Picasaweb

Aug 29, 2006 - 4 Photos

Geotagging on Zooomr

If you click the image above it'll take you to its page on Zooomr.com, a relative newcomer and alternative photo sharing website to Flickr. I created my account a while ago but haven't used it much, largely because I already have lots of contacts on Flickr and don't want the hassle of using two sites. Flickr got there first you might say.

Now there's lots of things about Flickr that are still better than Zooomr: it's more refined, it's easier on the eye, it has great features like the Organizr and a great user-expandable groups system. But, Zooomr has some stuff that Flickr does not. And in my frustration at the geotagging functionality added to Flickr yesterday I thought I'd give Zooomr another go.

And its Geotagging facility is much better. I'd say this is largely down to the fact that it's based on Google Maps which is far superior to Yahoo Maps, but there are other differences too.

Apart from a few problems I had searching for locations on Zooomr, ("London, UK" didn't work for example, but I navigated to it easily using the GMaps controls) geotagging works great. OK, I can't drag and drop like on Flickr but I can select an image and just click the spot where I want it to go and that's just as easy. Check out Zooomr's tagmap here.

Here's Flickr's map of London for comparison. Now try to zoom in on that. Drag and drop or no drag and drop, it's pretty useless right now. Hopefully they'll improve it soon and prove me wrong!

So, the previously infallible Flickr has some competition. And competition is ultimately good for the customer. I had wondered whether Google would buy out and pour money into Zooomr but they recently launched a test version of Picasaweb which is an online sharing extension to their long-running Picasa desktop image management software.

So much to choose from! All jolly clever stuff anyway...


Oh, one more thing:

Check out the Zooomr's 'Portal' feature I've used on this image. It's great to see this sort of innovation.

Flickr has added a mapping tool

Flickr has added a map tool for geotagging photos.

Now this functionality was previously already available to early adopter tech-savvy types who used Firefox with the GreaseMonkey plugin, which allowed an 'add geotags' link to be added to each Flickr photo page. This in turn got the location from Google Maps and that returned longitude and latitude data as tags on the image. These tags could then be used to collect images from a certain location or region, even outside of Flickr owing to its API.

This system worked, and still works, perfectly well in fact.

But... If all of that tech stuff goes over your head you're probbly thinking 'it sounds like a bit of a hassle'. And for some it is.

So Flickr have added their own system. And it works like this:

1. Drag your photo or batch of photos onto a map in the Organizr



2. View the map location from the photo page.




"Great", I immediately thought. But hang on a minute. There's one obvious shortfall: the map.

They're using Yahoo's mapping tool, of course. Flickr's photo elements work really nicely as usual, but the navigation on the map itself is clumsy and slow. And maybe it's all shiny and high-res for those of you in the USA, but the map data for London (you know that 'not so inconspicuous little town in the South East of England' ?) is terrible. Most of the roads aren't named, most smaller roads are missing and if I zoom into anywhere at the highest three zoom levels I just get grey. This is the closest I can get to London:



So, it fails completely because I have no idea where I'm pinning my photo!

In short, I'm afraid to say I think it's crap.


Also, it doesn't add geoTAGS to the photos. The location data is embedded. Now, arguably, tags weren't meant for positional data and some say they were undermining the tagging system, but so what? Wasn't it an inventive way to use them thought up by the users?

Well, apparently there's a way to convert them to the new system should you wish to. And Flickr's Stewart Butterfield laid to rest my fears that the existing geotagging system would cease to function in this thread.

Still, the bottom line is that I won't be using Flickr's map tool until it works properly. Maybe I'm spoilt by Google Maps but that means having a fast and easily navigable map with every road on it.

Until then, well, I know they're taking over the world but at times like these I wish it was Google that had bought Flickr and not Yahoo.

Day Twenty Eight

Day twenty eight of my alcohol-free month, that is. The end of the experiment is approaching and I'm happy to report that it has gone well. On the whole it's not been a problem at all, in fact I've quite enjoyed the change (not to mention the absence of hangovers). I wouldn't like to quit drinking altogether though - once every few days it's nice to go for a few drinks with friends. This month I've nearly OD'd on pints of lemonade and lime a couple of times.

So what have I been doing instead? Well, as you might have noticed I've been busy pimping out a new version of my game Flashteroids. I spent so much time on it when I originally made it (in 2002) that I thought it would be nice to make a bit of cash out of it. And it's had its moments of popularity. Back in 2004 there was a week during which it had around 3000 players per day. It's popular with the kids.

So the new version is basically the same old game but with a few improvements. And the key addition of some Google advertising on the website. Sold my soul to the devil you say? Oh well.

Also - and I hope I don't jinx it by shouting about it on the web - I'm 99% of the way towards having purchased my first property, a studio flat in Camberwell. 99% because it's not signed and sealed yet. It's in the hands of solicitors, doing whatever it is they do in return for monolithic stacks of money. Here are some photos of the flat.

So, quite a productive month. I'm looking forward to that cold beer at the end of it. Now, what to do with the bank holiday weekend?

Flashteroids embed demo

This post is just for demonstration purposes. It shows how Flashteroids can be embedded into any webpage or blog.

If you're interested in putting Flashteroids on your site, you can set it up here. It only takes a couple of minutes.

Flashteroids 1.5+

After many a night of grappling with arcaic Flash 5 code I've finally got the intermediate update to Flashteroids finished. That means it's the same old 2002 game (started in 2001, hence the Flash 5 code), but with 11 completely new levels, lots of new features and a bit of a facelift.

Check it out here or alternatively watch the obligatory YouTube video:

Ubuntu

The copy of Windows XP on the tired old PC in my kitchen has been complaining of late that it's a pirate copy and that "I may be a victim of software piracy." Yeah, spot on... (well, sort of.)

It's funny though that only now- when they're (supposedly) close to releasing Vista - they've started asking people to pay up for XP. I 'built' this computer about four years ago! The odds of me being willing to pay (directly at least) for a copy of Windows XP are pretty slim. Similar to the odds of selling me, say, a 10 year old Ford Fiesta for £3000. Yeah, it was alright in its day, but now it looks to me like Microsoft are getting left in the dust. Maybe they'll pull it out of the bag with Vista, but they're taking their bloody time!

Anyway, all these piracy warnings were doing my head in so I thought "OK, screw you then", and stuck a copy of Ubuntu on there instead.

Now for those of you who don't know, Ubuntu is a computer operating system (i.e. like Windows) based on GNU/Linux (i.e. not like Windows). It's also free and open source.

I thought about setting up a Linux machine a few years ago, mainly for the learning experience and a bit of a project, but it all seemed to involve just slightly too much effort - doing things like compiling it yourself and stuff.

This on the other hand was really easy. I just downloaded a CD image, burnt it to disk, popped it in the drive and clicked a button. It even runs a demo version off the CD without changing anything so you can see if you like it. No techie questions asked, no settings to set, just two or three steps and it's done in about 20 minutes.

Anyway, this may be a bad reputation move. I'm forever trying to shake off the 'techie guy' image. I do creative work for a living and 'creating stuff' is what I enjoy most, but I can't help it - curiousity gets the better of me. Must... play... with... gadgets...

So... hmmm... I now run two Macs, one Windows PC and one Linux box. OK, maybe I'm a bit of a geek then. But please stop saying I 'work in IT'. Innaccurate. And no I can't come round fix your network, I've forgotten how. Honest :)

Day Eight

It's the eighth day of my alcohol-free month. So far so good.

After work on Thursday I went to the pub and sat there quite happily drinking lime and lemonade while my workmates steadily got drunk. There is limit to how many soft drinks one can manage though – when I left I felt a little bit radioactive from all the sugar. I suppose there's always diet coke, but that comes packed with caffeine instead. I might have to do some research... Oh yeah, water.

Despite it being OK, I've not been back to a drinking establishment since. And this weekend I've felt a strange feeling that I've actually opted for a month of isolation. It seems – from ‘the outside’ – that the sole mission of the masses is to get pissed between Friday night and Sunday night, and if you’re not taking part then: “Sorry pal, you're on your own.”

Of course this isn't really the case, entirely. I could have gone to meet some friends on the common (but I knew they'd probably have been drinking all day) and I could have gone out to my mate's night at 93 Feet East last night (but the thought of a [very] crowded bar on a Saturday night without a few beers really didn't appeal). I just chose not to.

On the flipside I did do some useful flat-hunting research yesterday. I checked out some previously unexplored (by me, I mean) parts of Camberwell and now have a better idea of where I do and don't want to live. I also checked out a few properties, one of which looks promising.

Right, I'm off to have another highly productive day. Don't get too drunk, you lot.

I can't work out whether to be smug or jealous.

The Blair Witch Project

I've not seen it before. It's on TV. I've just turned it off half way through because it appears to be a bit: rubbish.

It's so blatantly not all shot in sequence with one camera. The sound continues on when the video cuts to a different angle all the way through, for a start. Yes, this can be done in the edit suite but not when there's two angles on a live conversation shot with one camera.

And am I supposed to be scared when they find a pile of rocks and some twigs tied together?

The Curse of the Letter A

Because:

a. My name begins with A and I'm therefore at the top of most my friends' mobile phone contacts lists.

and

b. A considerable amount of people apparently don't have the technical know-how to activate their phones' key locks (most have automatic key-locks for god's sake).

I often receive a large number of empty messages from one person over the space of 20 minutes or so. It also happens with calls. I receive lots of four minute long (the maximum) voicemails of the sound of someone sitting on their phone on a bus or wherever. I get this pretty much every day.

IT'S VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY ANNOYING.

Please, if you can't manage to not do this, then add a blank contact at the top of your contact list. Or take me out altogether and revert to using a pen and paper.

Maybe I should change my name to "Zade".

</ venting anger>

Wasting My Time

I've been working on an interactive ad since last Tuesday, including ALL weekend, 2am finishes on both Sunday and Monday nights, lots of changing it around significantly, changing it back how it was, last minute stress and such...

And we've just heard that the client is nervous about running it and wants to go with a more conservative ad instead.

Sometimes I hate my job.

Sober till September

Inspired by the decision of one of my friends to give up booze, I've decided to go without for the duration of August. It's a kind of experiment - testing the water, if you like. My main reasons are:

• I think I'll save a fortune


• I think I'll lose weight


• I think I'll feel healthier


• I think I'll be more efficient at work


• I'm more likely to significantly chip away at my massive 'to-do' list (which includes buying a flat)

Of course, like many such abstentions, the idea occurred to me in the depths of a hangover - the one that arrived two mornings after this night out with mywork mates, in fact. Day One, however, was Sunday because I had a glass of wine and two pints on Saturday night.

I don't have what most Europeans would call a drinking problem, though I do probably consume over the average for a London-living, works-in-the-media-type. So still some.

Obvious hurdles will be: company meetings (there's always a crate of cold Beck's), company nights out (two celebratory dinners lined up), and seeing friends at the weekend (we always go to the pub).

But zero alcohol is the plan. I don't think it will be difficult. I hope not anyway. As I said to someone today, the worst possible outcome would be for me to secretly fail and pretend that I still did it. So if I crumble under peer pressure I'll be sure to let you know about it.

The Elegant Universe

If, like me, you find space, time, the universe and “all that stuff” fascinating you'll probably enjoy The Elegant Universe, a video documentary about unification of the theories of physics.

It's three hours long and I've only watched one half of the first episode so far, but it's already clearly illustrated the key difference between Einstein's theory of General Relativity and Newton's law of gravity, using excellent 3D animations.

I quit doing maths after my electronics engineering degree in favour of making things that look nice instead, but it does still hold a deep fascination for me. I want to know how things work. So I'm glad there are still people out there keen to do all the sums. Worth a watch!

who told them about the weather?

Originally uploaded by petrichor.

I've never been one to complain about the heat. I'm loving the ongoing UK heatwave with temperatures up in the 30s. It's great. But my room's at the top of the house, so it is far more pleasant to keep the roof windows open overnight, to let whatever breaze there is cool the room down.

Fine. Until last night, that is.

I almost leapt of bed when that familiar – yet usually associated with holidays abroad – high-pitched mosquito whine faded rapidly in and out of earshot by the side of my head. Gah!

Turning on the light revealed two of them sitting on one wall and I found another buzzing randomly around under my desk. And the worst thing is when you splat them and they're already full of blood. This happened. I hurriedly went to wash my hands.

Of course you can never get them all. I woke up with three or four mosquito bite lumps on my arm and one on my leg.

Since when did they invade this fine green land? I thought they languished further south in France, Spain and, you know, all those other countries. Who went and told them we got some sun? Damn them and their whiney biting little ways...

So now my windows are shut, it's too hot to sleep, and they'll probably find a way in anyway. And worst of all every slight itch now feels like a mosquito landing on my skin and preparing to tuck into a meal.

Photo, perhaps rather aptly, by David Midgley.

Minus 61 In Detroit...

...was a techno record released in 1995 by David Holmes.

I doubt it's been that cold in Detroit since the arrival of mankind, on either the Celcius or Farenheit scale. But it is currently +29ºC in London. Outside. And it's midnight.

For those of you who live in walmer climes, that's pretty rare. Possiby a record. No extra blanket required tonight...

India blocks blogs

According to Boing Boing, the Indian government has told ISPs in India to block a number of domains including *.blogspot.com. If this is true then it certainly represents a step in the wrong direction.

At the time of writing this, it's not clear why they have done it. Maybe they don't like people having access to independent news and opinions?

Read the article

Quinn

If – like me – you're supposed to be doing something constructive but would much rather waste time doing something unproductive (and if you're also a Mac user) then I recommend you download Quinn. It's an excellent and free Tetris clone with network gaming features.

Unfortunately, according to the website, its creator Simon Haertel has been forced to stop distributing the game due to a nasty letter from The Tetris Company. It's a shame really as judging from their website they don't seem to be too active, at least on the web front.

Anyway, a few seconds on Google turned up the goods and you can download it here from Softpedia. At least for the time being.

Rise Festival

Yesterday, The Eyechild and I went to the Rise Festival in Finsbury Park.

Well, we got there eventually anyway. I set off from home much too late and jumped on a bus to EyechildVille. Then we waited a while for someone else who was supposed to be coming along but had gone to Ikea instead. And doesn't own a mobile phone.

So we gave up waiting and set off. Then it took a painful amount of time to get there on buses and indirect tubes because the Victoria Line was offline.

Anyway – yawn – I'm as bored of this post already as you undoubtedly are. Suffice to say it wasn't that good which is a shame because its anit-racism cause is, as ever, a worthy one. Maybe if I'd got there earlier and found a stage with some good music it would have been more enjoyable. As it was the best thing about the day was this large bottle of Beck’s.

7/7

The policeman standing outside my local tube station this morning marked the first anniversary of the London transport bombings. No doubt at some point he’ll have the unenviable task of having to stop and search some ‘suspicious looking’ individual who happens to be carrying a Fitness First bag or something.

Now don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t expect the police to do anything other than put out an increased presence one year on from the event. Just imagine the situation if something did happen again and they’d not put extra eyes on the transport system. Then there’d be one hell of an uproar.

But the primary effect of this climate of paranoia is of course the loss of our liberties. Not to mention the life of Charles de Menezes last year (and correct me if I’m wrong but we’ve still not got to the bottom of that one have we?)

The bottom line is that there’s a huge cultural difference between western cultures and the middle eastern cultures. We have different values. And a small (yes, emphasis on small) number of misguided individuals take it all much too far. They’re deluded by the idea that they’re doing what their god wants (an idea with which – incidentally – I cannot begin to empathise with because I’m an atheist). Clearly: god or no god, there’s no excuse for their actions.

But the governments of the USA and the UK in particular are the ones largely responsible for this political and social mess. Their policies with respect to the middle east are terrible. And the right wing Neo-Christian US government (hey guess what - also deluded by the idea that they’re doing what their god wants) commits as many war crimes as any ‘rogue’ (oil harbouring) nation they care to pick on. Guantanamo bay anyone? Christ...

Oh sorry, I blasphemed there.

It’s the ideal breeding ground for more AK47-clutching madmen. The extremists hardly need any more fuel for their fantasies. Yet we’re still giving them countless ‘excuses’ to do what they want to do.

If only those with the intelligence to get together and sort out our differences were the same people with the drive and inclination to become leaders. It’s a rare combination.


This is hardly a new or rare viewpoint here in the UK. And a thousand bloggers have probably written much the same thing this morning. But the copper outside the tube this morning got me thinking about it so there you go. Rant over.

Al Scott Live

Well you wait months for a video to come along (umm OK, maybe not) then two come along on the same day! This is a video of my brother Alastair - AKA Al Scott - and his band performing recently in a north London pub. He's the shadowy figure tinkling the ivories.

Check him out at www.alscott.co.uk or here on MySpace.