Interesting links and notes on updates to my main website.



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books

I finished the British Navy book (To Rule the Waves), I found it very interesting.
I was amazed at Francis Drake, who manages in one voyage not only to sail across the Atlantic and attack the Spanish treasure shipments, but then for good measure continued on to sail around the world.
I was also amazed that the Spanish treasure flotillas poured money into Spain from South America for about 200 years.

I also just finished Suzuki's latest, a little book about a big Tree.
I learned lots of things.

See previously:
2005-02-06 wave ruling posted by Richard at 15:57 / permalink (post) | permalink (numeric)

feel the power

So my idle speculation about the Apple iTunes Video Store landed me on O'Grady's PowerPage. posted by Richard at 18:54 / permalink (post) | permalink (numeric)

iTunes to memory key

So I have a 1GB USB memory key. I have this idea to suck across say 512MB of tracks from iTunes into the key, so that I can then play them from the key at work.

Is there any way to do this?
Something like make a playlist based on size maximum, then write that playlist to the key.

Or should I use some other software like MusicMatch or RealPlayer?
If I point MM or RP at my iTunes library, is there any risk of them screwing it up?

Note: Yes, I know an iPod Shuffle would do this, but I already have the memory key. posted by Richard at 06:59 / permalink (post) | permalink (numeric)

copyright fortress makes me angry

Copyrights Keep TV Shows off DVD

WKRP in Cincinnati was one of the most popular television shows of the late '70s and early '80s, but it is unlikely ever to be released on DVD because of high music-licensing costs.

...

There are plenty of examples, he said. The original theme song for the show Married ... With Children -- "Love and Marriage" sung by Frank Sinatra -- was replaced on the third-season DVD. Fans also complained when the song "Nights in White Satin" by the Moody Blues was missing from a critical scene in the Wiseguy DVD set. The second-season DVD sets of Quantum Leap and Northern Exposure both contain noticeable music replacements. And DVD distributors don't always reveal on the box cover that music has been replaced, either.

Grrr.
This wonderful lose-lose situation brought to you by the brilliant minds in the music industry.

Now I've got to go find out what they ripped out of my NE DVDs.
Wankers. posted by Richard at 20:41 / permalink (post) | permalink (numeric)

we apologolgolise

Sorry about Blogger multiposting stuff. posted by Richard at 20:40 / permalink (post) | permalink (numeric)

for all of you who strive

Wanted: Really Smart Suckers - Grad school provides exciting new road to poverty posted by Richard at 11:49 / permalink (post) | permalink (numeric)

iTunes Video Store

On 2004-05-15 in Why is The Incredibles movie trailer inside of iTunes? I wondered why Apple put trailers inside of iTunes.

But I have figured it out.
Apple is building the platform for selling video downloads the same way they sell music downloads.

Why do they host trailers on their site at all?
Hmm, sort of a daily infrastructure test...

Why video inside iTunes? iTunes is crossplatform... sales platform...

Steve has said that portable video (the "iPod Video") doesn't make sense. (There is already portable Mac video, it's called an iBook or PowerBook.) But downloading video to your desktop... or say the Mac Mini... Send the video over wireless to your TV like they do with the AirPort Express audio thing...

Notice how every time Steve does a talk he goes on and on about some new video thing the Mac can do? I thought he was wearing his Pixar hat, but he's actually building the Mac video infrastructure.

The man's a genius. posted by Richard at 21:15 / permalink (post) | permalink (numeric)

Alberta Scene

April 28 - May 10, 2005
Alberta Scene
music, and much more

You may have some snarky comments about Alberta culture but they actually have a huge lineup of good stuff. posted by Richard at 19:47 / permalink (post) | permalink (numeric)

music recommendation systems and iTunes plugins

Anyone have any iTunes music recommendation systems to, err, recommend?

Here's what I found:

Music Recommendation System for iTunes
Audioscrobbler
Goombah (currently Mac-only but coming to Windows they say), associated with the site Emergent Music
Mobster (requires OS X 10.3+) plugin, connects with musicmobs site

Up to 11
inDiscover
MusicMatch Instant Recommendations
Soundflavor
MusicStrands

musicplasma
MP3.com Musicvine (same software as musicplasma?)

iTunes plugins

Webjay
Technorati: Top MP3s
Mixtaper

Beyond music:
MovieLens

Anyone know of others?
What do people use for those "currently playing in my iTunes" things?

UPDATE 2005-04-24:
Plurn is some sort of tag-based music thing.

UPDATE 2006-01-07: All music recommendation services now listed at

http://www.akerman.ca/digimusic.html#recommend

Previously:
2004-12-31 itunes recommendations posted by Richard at 17:33 / permalink (post) | permalink (numeric)