Reggie's Ramblings
My thoughts on life and technolgy
Maybe we should link those tables? Nah….
Mar 3rd
So this morning I got a LinkedIn request from a friend of mine and saw this when I accepted it. The last names are blacked out (to protect the innocent) but trust me when I tell you it was the same person. So I guess I *may* know the person I am now connected with. Nice!
MySQL Connector/Net 6.3 Alpha 2 has been released
Mar 2nd
MySQL Connector/Net 6.3.1, a new version of the all-managed .NET driver
for MySQL has been released. This is an alpha release and is intended to
introduce you to the new features and enhancements we are planning. This
release should not be used in a production environment.
It is now available in source and binary form from
[http://dev.mysql.com/downloads/connector/net/6.3.html] and mirror sites
(note that not all mirror sites may be up to date at this point of time
- if you can’t find this version on some mirror, please try again later
or choose another download site.)
The new features or changes in this release are:
- Visual Studio 2010 RC support
- Nested transaction scope support
What we know may be broken
—————————-
- Documentation is not updated yet and is not integrated into VS 2010
- Some users are having trouble installing. We are working hard to determine what is causing this problem. These users may continue having trouble with 6.3.1. Please be patient as we work through this.
Please let us know what else we broke and how we can make it better!
Wireless mic required — or not
Feb 21st
We recently acquired Rock Band 2 and I’ve been looking around for a wireless mic to use with it. I was going to pick up a copy of Lips but I was at my local Best Buy last night and saw a game on their clearance table that seemed interesting. It was a singing game based on High School Musical and appeared to come with a mic (though you couldn’t see the mic). The game was marked $9.99 so I examined it more closely.
Reading the box there was a small blurb on the back that said the following:
Gameplay requires use of a Logitech or Xbox 360 wireless microphone.
There were also several areas on the box that said a microphone was included. So, trusting what it is telling me, I picked it up. Yep, you guessed it. The microphone was wired. Maybe the reason it was on the clearance table is that noone could play it since a wireless mic is required but it doesn’t come with one.
NOTE: I didn’t have a camera with me so I couldn’t take a picture of the box. You’ll just have to trust me.
One of the things OS/X does right
Feb 21st
I’m writing this on a 2008 Macbook Pro that I dual boot between Snow Leopard and Windows 7. I spend most of my time in Windows but occasionally I pop into SL to test something out or use iMovie to edit some video. From time to time, when OS/X boots, you get this nice System Update dialog that explains that some installed software on your system needs to be updated. Here’s a shot of the one I just got.
What’s interesting to notice is that it is listing non-Apple products as having upgrade available. My Epson printer drivers and Microsoft provided remote desktop client software are both listed.
Why can’t Microsoft do this? Why do I have to manually check for upgrades for products like this?
Keeping a system fully updated is the easiest way to keep things running smoothly. Microsoft does a nice job of this with system level patches and hardware components, but it does nothing to help keep my products updated. Windows 7 gets a lot of things right but this one goes to OS/X.
The loser always complains
Feb 17th
Years ago my father would sit and complain about the officiating during UK basketball road games. He would say that you could take the sports section of the newspapers, pick out the home team on all college basketball games, and 90% of them would be winners. It didn’t matter who was playing at all. It just mattered where they were playing. I tested that theory a few times and while it may not have been 90% it was clear that most of the time the home team won. Was the officiating bias? Who knows but I would like to think it isn’t.
Last night we all got to witness a slugfest in Starkville, MS. It ended with a UK overtime win but the real story is all the whiners that are complaining about the officiating and the truly classless fans who threw water bottles on the floor.
Was the officiating bad? Yes, but was it one-sided. I don’t think so. Here are some highlights:
- Yes, the goal-tending call could have gone either way but you try and make that call correct 100% of the time at game speed. UK had a similar play a few games ago that was called.
- Some guy on the Rupps Rafters forum posted images from his DVR that clearly show that the charge called on Patrick Patterson late in the game was not a charge at all.
- Varnado said in post-game comments that he thought his fourth foul was suspect. It may have been but how about the no-call when you were completely draped over a UK player in the second half? That could have been called intentional but was not even called at all.
- And what about the foul called on Cousins when video replay clearly showed he didn’t even touch the guy at all?
The point is that in a fast-paced, very competitive game like that there are going to be missed calls. You are asking 3 *humans* to keep their eye on something like 400 square feet of court and catch everything that goes on, not to mention keeping your eye on the shot clock in case it doesn’t start, and making sure the score is correct, and making sure substitutions are done correctly, and.. Well, you get the point. It’s hard. But the good thing is that over a 40 minute game the calls will normally balance out (sort of — see my opening remarks about home court advantage).
Yes, I’m a UK fan and I’m glad they won. But I’m also certain that if Varnardo doesn’t foul out and if their leading scorer plays it could have been very different. Mississippi St. is a good team and I’m glad we don’t have to play them in Starkville again this season.
I’m not complaining about the refs because my chosen team won. The next time UK loses I’m sure I’ll complain about the officiating. You see — the loser always complains.
