The weekend flew by yet again, and I’m back into the swing of things at work. I’m actually starting a new project (sorta - I’ll know more this afternoon) which means that I’ve got a lot of learning to do. I don’t really know what I’m going to be doing, other than it involves a multi-dimensional database and Excel.

I figured out a good trick for Windows XP, kinda by accident. In their infinite wisdom, Microsoft removed 640×480 mode from the display properties. Normally this isn’t a big deal, but with the laptop’s video out, I was stuck to only being able to display part of the screen at a time. It is possible to get XP to go to 640×480 using the compatibility options, but this doesn’t work for programs that are considered “part” of the operating system. The end result was that I was unable to get video playback onto the TV using windows media player. Well, I never really thought about it, but there’s nothing stopping you from running another app in compatibility mode, then firing up WMP - thus you’ve got a 640×480 screen for windows media player. End result is that I can now use the laptop as a dvd player that will hook up to most tv’s.

It isn’t a huge need though, so when I discovered the trick, I was actually just playing around with a slideshow of the montreal pictures, and wanted to show a couple of the videos that I took also. I haven’t been able to get any other viewers to display the videos from the camera properly (they’ve always got codec problems it seems) so it was good to get that working properly.

Simpson’s quote of the day: “This is a rare photo of Sean Connery signed by Roger Moore.” - Comic book guy

I said that I’d try to get a post up this weekend about a GPL thing that’s been going on, but just never got around to it until late tonight.

Anyway, a while back I mentioned that I’d found this great little search toolbar and I even contributed a bit to it. It’s licensed under the GPL, which has been likened to a virus, but nonetheless is a valid license for free software. The way it works is that you can freely use/distribute/sell/do whatever with a GPL program, you are given the source code, and you are free to modify it, and create derivative products. Fairly open with respect to what you can do with it. The catch (you knew there would be one) is that you have to license any derivative works under the GPL as well.

Enough background. Anyway, Dave’s QuickSearch Deskbar is licensed under the GPL, and some bozo came along and stole the code, throwing a quick layer of “encryption” (really just a 32 bit XOR, which is pretty weak) over the xml configuration files, then trying to sell his product for $30. Now, keep in mind that if he’d released the source to the code that he’d taken, he could charge whatever he wanted for it, but no, that would be one step away from admitting that you have competition that is free, and better.

The person was confronted, they denied any wrongdoing. They were presented with proof, they merely moved the stolen code to a place that will be slightly more difficult to find, compiling it right into their executable. Once again, they could have just left the code as is, and released it to the public, but the simple, legal, honest way just doesn’t seem to register with some people. It’s almost comical actually, especially since the code was stolen almost six months ago, and the DQSD has improved a whole lot since then (including supporting more than twice as many searches…)

So, anyway, the lawyers got involved, and now we play the waiting game.

Simpson’s quote of the weekend: “Aw, the waiting game sucks, let’s play Hungry Hungry Hippos” - Homer

Jose Theodore signed a contract finally, and thank goodness for that. 3 year deal too, so he’ll be around for a bit, which is great news for fans of the Habs.

That’s all I’m going to say today. I might get around to doing up a good long post this weekend, all about the GPL, and how some people are quite dishonest. Some of you know the story already, but for the rest of you, I’ll try and post it this weekend.

Simpson’s quote of the day: “Eh, making teenagers depressed is like shooting fish in a barrel.” - Bart

The trip to Montreal was fun, I’m definitely going back at some point to watch a hockey game or two. That likely won’t be for a while though.

The trip started out by driving from here to Winnipeg (Well, Stonewall, which is just North of Winnipeg.) We rolled into town around 1AM, and finally managed to find Auntie Diana and Steve’s place. We had birthday cake, visited a very little bit, then went to bed. In the morning, Steve made us breakfast - eggs, bacon and toast. Very good. Anyway, then we played some cards, and Steve drove us to the airport in his brand new Cadillac (very swanky.)

On the way to the airport, Bryan jokingly asked Steve if he could call onStar. Steve said sure, then proceeded to call onStar, just to chat. We had a brief conversation with Lisa from Michigan, after which Steve said goodbye and hung up. It was pretty hilarious, calling up onStar, just to chat. I wonder how many Caddy owners do that on a regular basis.

Friday night, we got into Montreal, checked into the hotel, and went straight to the ball game, where the Expos got beaten by the Braves. It was one of the most boring baseball games I’ve ever seen. We sat in the bleachers in left field for most of the game, then moved around to some seats about halfway down the left field line for the last couple of innings.

Saturday Jonathan, Bryan and I went for a walking tour of Montreal, hitting the (highly over-hyped) Canadian Architecture Center, Mount Royal Park and St. Joseph’s Oratory. About as far from the hotel as possible, I developed a bad blister on my ankle from my sandals, so the trip back sucked. We stopped at a couple of convenience stores, looking for bandaids, but couldn’t find any until about four blocks from the hotel (bleh.) Anyway, then we went to the ball game, and sat as close to center field as possible in the bleachers to watch the Expos lose another one. Sunday and Monday were both afternoon games, so I got up and went wandering St. Catherines street looking for food, then we went to see the games. Sunday, the Expos managed to squeak out another loss (which we observed from out seats deep in left field foul territory) but on Monday, they actually won! We bought some tickets from scalpers, and sat about 30 rows up behind the Expos dugout. We all got our pictures taken with Youppi! (the Expos mascot) and enjoyed the game. Well, I say “we all” even though Bryan only came out to the first game.

Intermingled in there we did some walking/wandering around Montreal, but nothing really noteworthy happened (to me at least - we went out separate ways quite a bit, so who knows what went on a the strip clubs with Bryan and David… ;))

Simpson’s quote of the day: “What do you need to make money for, anyway? As long as I have my earning power, this family’s got nothing to worry about. [stabs self in eye with a hot dog] Oww! Ohh! Call work and tell ‘em I won’t be in tomorrow.” - Homer