Quartz did it first, and Aero is supposed to do it for windows, well, Xgl is the Linux variant. Its the Xserver combined with Compix, a compositing engine, to provide OpenGL 3D Acceleration to the GUI. And, it looks slick. Aside from being in the development phases still, its available for the Suse platform right now. And, while its eyecandy, there are some cool things about it, like the ability for true transparency. I enjoy this, because its always been pseudo-transparency. Although, if you watch the spinning cube link, the ability to stop the cube, and have the movie playing around the corner is really cool. Useless, but cool. Suse claims that there are more things to it than just Eyecandy, and some of it makes sense, but, I don’t really see much of it as impacting my life to a huge degree.

Update: I just found this link, which is basically the same thing for Fedora. Unfortunately that reminded me of an issue which I glossed over on the Suse page. This requires the Mesa driver. I don’t remember what it is exactly about the Mesa driver, but I know that I hate it. It caused some sort of application instability issues for me last year, so I swore away from it. The secondary root of this is that most Video cards aren’t supported because of proprietary drivers, (Fedora at least, not sure about the Suse version).

I was laughing so hard when I saw this about 20 minutes ago. So far I haven’t found a link to the video, but in time I am sure it will pop up.
Sort of makes me think, with the introduction of bootcamp, and now the straight up attack on Microsofts security, where is this all leading to?

Update: Mr.O found this link, http://homepage.mac.com/brianbobcat1/iMovieTheater15.html which is the first ad.

Update2:
Looks like I got those down just before their bandwidth fell out…

While this is a very low level introduction, it seems to go more and more in depth, (found this at work, so can’t spend too much time on it). Though its low level, and focused on linux, I found a few things that I didn’t know, even being a CLI junky. I suggest this as a read for everyone who ever uses anything that doesn’t have 4 primary colored boxes on it, and even those MS people too. While a few things might be a little off in OS X, the bulk of it works (as I was skimming I might have missed a difference, but I don’t think so).

Its time for some loving for my trusty Throwingstar wielding browser.

So, after a bit of prodding, I am posting this, because, well, it should make you laugh. I mean, really, who here wasn’t a fan of Knight Rider? And while we may not be German, we can still laugh.

I don’t know too much about these, but I see a great potential for commercial use in say a Gap or Abercrombie and Fitch store. Interactive product catalogs would be easily possible if you could secure the tiles in place. And if you could generate a 3d model tile, where you could preview the item on yourself, which would help to blend the website and the store. Or if you could even just leave a stack of tiles next to the unit, then the customer could tailor their own shopping experience. But, maybe its just my inner geek wanting to play with them. It could also be used as a form of informational kiosk for a city. You would just need to figure out how to deter theft of the actual tiles.

Just an interesting article I found while surfing blogs…

So, if the next Bond does suck as much as is expected, Pierce says he will retake the role.

Go see the symphony and listen to music from Video Games. Tour starts in Chicago, and will play music from
FINAL FANTASY®
METAL GEAR SOLID®
SHENMUETM
WORLD OF WARCRAFT®
SILENT HILL®
BATTLEFIELD 1942TM
SONIC THE HEDGEHOG®
THE ELDER SCROLLS III: MORROWINDTM
& more.

So, good thing Apple decided to switch manufacturers. Now there is a great OS without any software, and there will soon be a great Processor without a viable OS.

With Disney’s purchase of Pixar, it seems that they have decided that Toy Story just isn’t a very good story. Well, not good enough that they should make another sequel.

“One immediate sign of Lasseter’s influence is that plans for Disney to make the long rumored sequel “Toy Story 3″ on its own have been scrapped. If the film is made, it will be done by Lasseter and the other creators of the original film, the companies said.”

I have been pondering this purchase, and I haven’t decided whether I think its a good thing or not. On the one hand, it means theoretically they are trying to get back to the point of telling good stories, something they apparently lost along the way (Emporer’s new groove). But, then on the other hand, I get stuck in conspiracy mode, and see that this makes Steve Jobs a very powerful man. He becomes the largest single shareholder in the Disney corporation I believe, as well as a director. He runs Apple, and influences Disney, which also owns ABC and ESPN. Are we going to see the U2 iPod disappear and become the Mickey iPod? Will the first mobile streaming iPod channel be ESPN? Or am I just looking behind the smoke and plists and imagining more than a merger that will grow two animation companies into a large and potentially untouchable studio?

Though there isn’t much on the official site from sony, they have officially said that Daniel Craig will be the next Bond.
And, according to Craig the new Bond will not wear a Tuxedo. Now I am not as dedicated a Bond fan as others, but I think that this may be problematic. I was not particularly a big fan of Pierce Brosnan as Bond, but, the movies weren’t too bad. Also, I haven’t found official notice of who the next Bond girl will be, but, I did read somewhere that Rose Byrne is soon to be announced. So, I am just curious what other people’s oppinions are, has the Bond series run its course, or am I wrong and this is possibly an upswing for them?

Umm, well, while it appears to be a novelty at first glance, it works, and, it seems as though it makes it through China’s National Firewall even though the real Google.com doesn’t. Score one for weirdness.

Its too bad, though the movie doesn’t work, it looks like a fun/interesting alternative to chess.

OK, so, after seeing the MIT students rendition of Mario world, it sort of makes me question the standard that I have come to expect from an MIT education.