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Sunday, December 21, 2003
Sunday, December 21, 2003
Yos! Solved. Finally. Mainly due to the help of VBForums, I've got to admit (link there on the off-chance that anyone ever hits this blog when trying to find a solution to a Visual Basic problem).
Can I get a w00t over here?
E. Randy Dupre's brain told him to write this at 21:02
So anyway, this project has booted me full-square in the nads. I've spent a couple of weeks just sat here, hammering away at it to get all the functional bits and bobs working properly - I've got a self-imposed deadline of the 25th, by which time I've got to have the program finished, so that I can spend the next two weeks getting the report written - and there's just one bit that I can't get to do what I want. One tiny, five-lines-of-code piece that's refusing to do its job. No matter what I try, it doesn't want to know. Without it, the software's seriously broken. Not worthless - it still does everything it should - but it messes up the point of it (a mutliple choice test generator for primary school kids; the error is in the bit that should be stopping it from giving any one child the same question within any one test).
This keeps happening. Every bastard piece of software I've programmed over the last three years has turned around and poked me in the eyes just when I thought I was making progress. I've not got much doubt that I'll get there eventually, but that confidence doesn't make it any less frustrating, especially considering that I've not got the time to step back from it, to leave it for a couple of days and return with fresh eyes.
I've got this sort-of-mantra that comes in handy every time I hit these brick walls: Just remember what you were doing before the degree, what you could end up returning to if you fuck this up. It's the perfect motivation.
E. Randy Dupre's brain told him to write this at 18:42
Friday, December 19, 2003
Friday, December 19, 2003
Another piece of essential UK telly is Channel Five's Every Picture Tells A Story (Wednesday, Friday 7.30PM). Continues Five's recent trend of *very* strange scheduling.
"We've got a gap in the peak time schedules. Anyone got any idea what to put on during it?"
"Hmm. How about a show presented by Waldemar Januszczak about the hidden meanings in classic works of art?"
"Brilliant! What about after it?"
"I dunno. Haven't we got any of those When X Attack things we bought in bulk a couple of years ago?"
"Brilliant!"
E. Randy Dupre's brain told him to write this at 20:10
Thursday, December 18, 2003
Thursday, December 18, 2003
I wonder if I'll ever be able to go more than two posts without contradicting myself.
Quick notices:
Something I've been meaning to point out for weeks, but keep forgetting - BBC2 are repeating the Jeremy Brett Sherlock Holmes series on a Saturday afternoon. Anyone who's never seen them owes it to themselves to tune in. Brett's Holmes is a brilliant, completely individual reading of the character: feline, arrogant, charming and sinister, all at the same time.
The latest news on cathalcoughlan.com would appear to indicate that we've seen the last 'proper' release from CC for the foreseeable future, with Internet releases seeming to be the way he's taking things. It's been coming for a while now, but I've still not come to a conclusion about whether it's a good thing or not. The industry's consistently failed to understand the man's music or direction, so it's very much a good thing in that it means we're more likely to get the music presented the way he wants it presented, with no attempts to screw with it in the interests of (perceived) commercial viability. The problem is that we've pretty much been provided with complete, unadulterated CC artefacts over the course of the last two albums anyway, and the complete lack of sales (despite glowing reviews) means that Internet publishing relegates him to a tiny cult audience forever. After the last decade, though, I can't say I blame him for the decision.
Just found out that the Felt back-catalogue has been granted a new lease of life in the UK through Cherry Red. The only Felt record I own is the Creation compilation, Bubblegum Perfume and I know nothing of the band's history other than the fatc that the mainman went on to become Denim in the '90s, but I'm going to be getting hold of the re-releases as and when they come out - the compilation has long been a favourite.
What's happened to mince pies this year? Every one I've eaten has managed to fall apart as soon as I've gone to pick it up. Attention mince pie makers: this must stop.
E. Randy Dupre's brain told him to write this at 00:51
Saturday, December 13, 2003
Saturday, December 13, 2003
Yep, I think that's going to be the most likely outcome.
Unavoidable, I'm afraid, but it looks like things are going to be silent here for the next month or so. I've managed to put off working on this final semester project for nine or ten weeks, which leaves me with little over four in which to get it finished off. It's coming along, but far less swiftly than I'd like, so one thing I'm going to have to give up for the duration is this here blog. Not that it's updated very regularly at the best of times.
Happy holidays one and all, and I'll see you on the other side.
E. Randy Dupre's brain told him to write this at 18:38
Thursday, December 04, 2003
Thursday, December 04, 2003
On the other hand, I might suddenly find myself with so much work to do that I don't even have the time to take a crap.
E. Randy Dupre's brain told him to write this at 17:21
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Losing the fight against mediocrity for the last few years. Fire a volley |
