Max/MSP vs. PD vs SuperCollider vs ChucK vs JSyn/JMSL

That's right I' trying to compare them all. Feel free to make your comments.

Max/MSP/Jitter
Pure Data, PD anywhere
JSys/JSML + Wire
SuperCollider
ChucK


Who else could compete?

Reaktor?

What is a Loser? What is a Winner?

Winners, losers, terms we hear every day, but very vaguely defined. Well, duh, winners win and losers loose. Is that all there is to it?

According to Eric Berne (transactional analysis) and more specifically Claude Steiner, most people tend to live their lives according to a life script. In very short words a script is like a cannon or a set of roles that a person has been taught unconsciously or has otherwise learned. Winner and looser are scripts or ways to live, and in my opinion they are almost THE SAME THING.


Losers win too

The main difference between winner and loser behavior is when do they win and when do they lose. Both types of people can be very competitive and are constantly exposed to win - lose situations. Job interviews, competitions, auditions, examinations; these are some examples of such situations.

The problem with losers is that when they win, they lose. Yes, losers win too, but somehow they arrange things in such an order that if they actually win a competitive situation, they will lose something else. And in the other hand when they lose, they have arranged things (maybe just in their minds) in order to win something else too. So they keep losing, because in their heads they are winning, and they don't want to win because they will lose anyway...

[I should provide some examples to make things clearer.]

Resuming, losers:

• when they win, they lose
• when they lose, they win

What about winners?

This is going to get confusing. Winners win when they lose! They are wise enough to see where they can win or learn something when they lose. Secret: winners lose a lot. They lose many more times than when they actually win, but this serves them as training to win when it counts. In the end they know how to win and they don't lose anything when winning. THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE.

So winners:

• they win when they lose (not the same as losers' when they lose, they win)
• when they win they just win

Becoming a Winner

The good news is that if you're a looser, you're just one step from becoming a winner. The main reason why losers end up losing always is that they are unrealistic in their goals while winners are very realistic and practical.

Losers have a fantasy about what they will win that supersedes the real price.

[TO BE CONTINUED I HAVE TO RUN!]

How to find enum options in PHP for cakephp

I created this Bakery article showing some code designed for CakePHP to find enum options automatically from any Model. You can also just copy the code and use it in any PHP app.

http://bakery.cakephp.org/articles/view/find-enum-options-with-a-function-on-any-model

SSG Carriers at War 1, 2 and War construction Kit Free Download

I have found impossible to find the original CAW games and expansion so I installed from my old 3.1 Disketes and uploaded the installed directory to this zip file here:

SORRY THIS FILE HAS BEEN REMOVED MISTERIOUSLY -SEARCH GOOGLE FOR "abandonware carriers at war" AND YOU WILL FIND IT :)

Just unzip somehwere and play from there executing the CAW.BAT and CREATE.BAT files. You probably need an old Windows compatibility mode or a virtual machine with windows 95 or just MS DOS.

Note: I understand this software to be free of licence.

Cargo Bridge Game Tips for Optimality - Levels 7 to 12

This is the continuation of the Walkthgough, Game Guide and Game Tips for the Cargo Bridge Flash game. The first part of this Game Guide can be found here: http://rehalcon.blogspot.com/2009/05/cargo-bridge-tips-for-most-optimal.html.

The Suspension Bridge

Nowhere in the game levels have I yet found a place to build a proper suspended bridge. Not even a cable-stayed. Nowhere but the chalenge. check out this beautiful 25m all-wood bridge!


Levels 7 to 12

In this new section we will need some more knowledge about building bridges. This time from pghbridges.com. Please check it out to find out about cantilever spans, types of trusses, and other advanced patterns (which will be impossible to replicate in the game but are interesting however).

And don't forget that here is the link to PLAY the original GAME - full screen!

Level 7 - at 45º

Don't feel the inclination. In fact, it will make things easier because the cargo never really places all of it's weight on the bridge. If your bridge is straight enough (or even better slightly convex) and it supports itself, it should work. So we could do an extended truss bridge like this:

...to cover the 13m at 45% span with $730 bucks. But then again a more optimal solution would resemble something like this:

This bridge was $614. It is some sort of arch with extra support from a small web on the upper extreme (sorry about the distorted image).

Note: From here on I havn't got the time to explain each solution so I'm just uploading the images in the meantime.

Level 8: Tricky, very tricky

20.1 meters

$1122







$925







$800





$746








Level 9 - Lame


$608

$608

Level 10 - Finally something cool

$889
$850
Both for $1521

Level 11 - Not so Mean

$849

$549


Level 12 - Weirdo

$479
There!

PLEASE LEVAE YOUR COMMENTS!

Cargo Bridge Game Tips for Most Optimal Structures - Levels 1 to 6

This is a Walkthrough, a Game Guide and also has nice Game Tips. The solutions I'm about to share with you are based on real engineering knowledge I have researched online (and the basic knowledge I have from 1 year of architecture studies). Theoretical models are presented and then stripped down to the most minimalistic designs to achieve optimal levels of cost VS stress resistance. I trust these tips will be very useful and eye-opening.

Play the game here

LEVELS 1 - 6

First of all, check out http://www.matsuo-bridge.co.jp/english/bridges/index.shtm to have the same theoric background. We will be using the Girder, Truss, Rigid Frame or "rahmen", and the Arc. Cable Stayed and Suspension bridges can't be built yet in these levels.

Level 1 (tutorial) & the Double Lever design

This is the most simple bridge design there can be for gaps requiring more than 1 segment. You'll be surprised how useful this design will be during the whole game. The particular bridge on the image covered the 6.3m gap with a cost of $124.

I call this the "double lever" bridge because it uses 2 anchor points, each as a lever point for one of the two walking segments. Both segments or levers are fixed to each other at the center of the gap.

Tip: to find the center of the gap precisely, note the distance (e.g. "6.8m") annotation in the blueprint; it is located exactly at the middle of the space to bridge.

The inclination of each segment is the most important factor to consider, the steeper you can make it, the more stable it will be. But there is only so much the cargo folks can do and they will get stuck if the bridge is too steep.

Tip: to achieve greater inclinations, avoid close angles. Instead use various segments, each one steeper than the previous one.

Level 2, the Girder and the Truss designs

To cover the first 7.6 metes we could use a girder bridge:

Here we have 2 versions of the "Girder" bridge. The first one is a straight girder supported by a minimalistic web (see Matsuo girder page). The second one is an more economical version of the same design.

Tip: try to reduce the amount of material you are using to seize every cent of budget. but note: using more segments, even if it looks like less material, is always more expensive due to an initial fixed cost on each one.

The first bridge costed $257 and the economical version $236. Notice how the eco. version uses a larger central segment.

Tip: central segments, and then right ones, have priority for length (in simple designs). Note that the largest a wooden beam can be is about 4m.

For the second space of 6.8m, the anchor points would naturally imply something like this:

This design is a "Truss". It is based on a wall of triangles. The upper and lateral (outer) segments give support for tension as the center segments and the walking part in itself support the compressive forces of the bridge and of the cargo moving on them. This specific design costed $543: a bit expensive.

Tip: don't assume that you have to use every anchor point just because it exists on the blueprint.

A more optimal design ignores 2 of the anchor points to construct a smaller truss:

Note that the support wall may be placed on or under the walking bridge. This particular design costed only $261.

Sadly enough, neither girders or trusses are the best options in this level. 2 double levers is all you need to pass it:

But remember to make the bridges as steep as you can, otherwise the wood won't stand the compression when the worker is coming back with the cargo.

Level 3. Rolling down hill with some heavy duty

The main problem for this bridge is to support a heavy load (the rolling elephant) coming back towards the left. Its weight is heavy enough as it is, but its made even worst by gravity as it rolls down.

Given the anchor points we can use a proper girder bridge (with a full beam web for extra support) like this:

Notice how the curve of the bridge is more pronouncedat the left extreme? This convexity allows the direction of the cargo movement to flow easily without applying its full weight onto the structure. The elephant and worker keep gaining kinetic energy (and speed) that is finally released on steady land. If the elephant were to be pushed towards the right, the bridge would probably yield. This girder covers 7.2 meters and around 2m height with $475 bucks.

Tip: always reinforce more the left extreme of the bridge in the game. The cargo moves towards this direction. Combine this with a convex curve when possible if the cargo comes from a greater height.

In this level I also get a chance to use my patented spider-web design:

This solution is actually just an intuitive construction following the convexity principle mentioned previously. I call it "spider web" because it deals mainly with tension forces (as do suspension bridges), like a common aracnid silk trap. Web solution: $419.

But again, the optimal solution is much simpler. Although you can join both extremes with only 2 segments, this time no inclination is enough for a double lever. But a combination of that (convex double lever) and a minimalistic girder web on one side will be enough. We use the right side because that's where the ancor point is. The left side won't need mush support as the weight won't actually sit on it but simply pass rolling down:

I call this the "triple lever" just to baptize it somehow. It costed a minimal $209 game moneys.

Level 4 & the Arch bridges

This is an arch design. Formed with 4 long beams, it has a base support below and a crown above. It supports the 4 walking segments in their mid intersection with a wooden "cable". It covers 8.9m with $471. This simplistic solution intends to correspond to Illustration #3 in the Matsuo arch page. The second image shows a sort of arch built completely under the girder part of the bridge (Matsuo Illustrations #1 and #2). This bridge was $432.

My most minimal, yet complete arch is really a double lever supported by short (thus strong) extended land extremes:

The arc here is a formed from both the wood walks and connectors. Its expense? $318!

An even less expensive bridge is the weird left-extended double lever or simple X D-lever (shown in the second image). It costed only $254 but I had to try more than once to build the definitive bridge that wouldn't break down.





For the second, 9.3 gap, we have this natural solution:

Which only costed $321. Its an eco. girder. Notice that it has slightly less inclination on the right side, so that the cargo -which carries inertia from the right down-slope- moves smoothly towards the center segment without breaking the first joint.

Or... You can use another X D-lever bridge to spend only $246 (depicted on the right). Beware, it might break if not steep enough.

OK from here on we can head straight to the point and not waste more time on explaining theoretical models that aren't optimal!

Levels 5 and 6: the Rahmen

First thing 's first: Lets bridge over the initial 5.1 meters with this combinatorial design:

This is a tricky $255 bridge. It looks like an eco. girder, except it lacks the central segment. The main concern is its central anchor point, as it is the only thing that holds the thing together. It also resembles a spider-web, and as such, dealing with tension is our principal goal. Try too keep the upper walk segments as short as possible to minimize tension.

Now, for the main gap here, we will go with the anchor points and use a Matsuo Pi shaped Rigid Frame (Illustration #2) or "rahmen" bridge. It will easily cover over 8m in length and approximately 2 in height with five segments:

$302 is all you need to realize this model. Perhaps the closest to theory that actually is optimal in the game. It even holds almost still, like a rigid frame.

This is the first level with 3 bridges to build. The last one (right) will look like the best one on level 3, only mirrored.




We will do another rahmen for level 6, ignoring the left-most anchor point (Don't forget to bridge the second gap):

The rahmen should cost a bit more than $300, covering 12.1 meters in length according to the blueprint, and approx. 1m in height. This structure looks a bit less rigid than the one in level 5, for we needed to make it more curve in order for the segments to reach each other.

This Game Guide continues here: http://rehalcon.blogspot.com/2009/05/cargo-bridge-game-tips-for-optimality.html.

PLEASE LEAVE YOUR COMMENTS!

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For additional reference you can check out these videos of levels up to 24: http://eternalgamelist.com/blog/game-walkthrough/cargo-bridge-game-walkthrough-videos but I must tell you these solutions are not nearly optimal.

Elbruto.es en mantenimiento

¿Qué rayos? ¿Quién se creen? No pueden estar en mantenimiento 3 días. Espero que me acumulen los combates de todos esos días porque tengo algunas cuentas que saldar.

si quieren retarme cuando todo esto del "mantenimiento" termine soy jjoopp y si están de acuerdo que no debería tardar tanto un mantenimiento porque empezamos a perder la paciencia, pero mágicamente todo funciona de nuevo muy pronto, ataquen a Kristof3 que es un encargado del sitio!!!!

Otro jueguito muy divertudo es este: http://www.juegosdiarios.com/juegos/Cargo-Bridge.html

Saludos,

Jop

Why doesn't Bluehost support SVN?

They actually actively shut down svn server processes (svnserve) from their servers.

But over what service agreement do they hold the right to prevent users from running svn on their accounts? If you check Bluehost TOS (terms of service) at bluehost.com/cgi/terms, you won't find anything about ssh or linux account accepted usage and limitations, thus leaving Bluehost prohibitions to free interpretation. However, what you will find is pieces of text assuring its clients that Bluehost has the intention to satisfy all of their reasonable needs:

1. 03. "BlueHost.Com intends to provide the best possible web hosting service to each of its Subscribers. BlueHost.Com is also dedicated to staying abreast of new and available technologies that will better serve our Subscribers." ...

New tech. yeah right, what about full VERSION CONROL? Bluehost users have been begging for svn support for years now, and the technology isn't even that new anymore.

7. 01. "What "Unlimited" means. BlueHost.Com does not set an arbitrary limit or cap on the amount of resources a single Subscriber can use. In good faith and subject to these Terms, BlueHost.Com makes every commercially reasonable effort to provide its Subscribers with all the storage and bandwidth resources needed to power their web sites successfully, as long as the Subscriber's use of the service complies with these Terms." ...

Is SVN support too commercially un-reasonable?

7. 02. ... "BlueHost.Com will make every commercially reasonable effort to provide additional resources to Subscribers who are using their website(s) consistent with these Terms, including moving Subscribers to newer and bigger shared servers as necessary." ...

I only ask that you give me svn! Why do Bluehost limit badwith by killing svnserve processes?

According to 11. 03. Bluehost has the right t monitor user's activity on their account. Fine, but it does not give them the right to shut down processes such as svnserve. I recently chatted with Bluehost support and asked about svnserve, they told me that "they don't allow svn on their servers" so I asked weather they deliverately shut down the process, to which they only answerd "svn won't work in bluehost, sorry". Why don't they just tell me "YES we killed svnserve"? Because they know they have no right to do so!

Even if svnserve doesn't die, or if you set up a cronjob to restart it, the ports are shut. Bluehost doesn't allow the svn net protocol. You can, of course, run it though svn+ssh without the need of svnserve but then the svn client is constantly asking for your coount password, which is quite anoying. Maybe you can ser it up to use a ppk without pasphrase, but that only makes your account really unsecure.

It's about time Bluehost starts responding to their clients' demands. I invite you all (bluehost users) to leave a comment in this post, with your bluehost username, theatening Bluehost with changing to another hosting provider to let them know we mean business.

3 Social Questions About Swine Flu

First it was the Mad Cow Disease. Then we had the Bird Flu or Aviar Influenza. Now it's the pigs who're getting us back? Isn't it interesting how all of these, the last epidemics known to man, are all rooted in the most exploited farm animals?

1. Shouldn't we think about the way we use farm animals for food and products, mostly due to extreme and unjustified consumerism, trying to find smarter ways to minimize this exploitation?

It has been well known (for decades) that around 95% of the agricultural production in the world is used to feed farm animals. It's also known that the human body does not require eating meat more than once a day and that it's actually unhealthy to do so in most cases. How about simply eating less meat? Less animal slaughter, less need for farming fields, more forests, better diets: It's a no-brainer.

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2. Why has swine flu only killed Mexicans? Swine H1N1 Influenza has been reported in many countries but only has it taken lives in Mexico. I think it's obvious that the reason for this fact is not the behavior of the virus but the incapacity of the Mexican public health system to treat the disease.

All of the deaths are related to poverty, people who can afford private hospitals have all been cured. The Mexican public health system is well known for its ineffectiveness, it's workers for their negligence and its infrastructure for its obsoleteness. Public money in Mexico always finds its way into politicians and private pockets, tax money that never helps the people who provided it.

In fact I wouldn't be surprised if the Mexican government was hiding the true numbers about this disease. I believe many more have died than those officially reported. When this epidemic is finally controlled, it will be obvious, and worlwide known, how the Mexican govenrment and health system are to blame for many of the deaths.

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3. How come worldwide governments have acted so swiftly in view of this possible pandemic while ignoring other very alarming sanitary conditions? Isn’t AIDS worth taking extreme measures? For how many centuries has hunger cursed 3rd world countries, particularly Africa, without countries declaring any state of emergency?

This health crisis proves the capacity of the governments to act. Why do they only do so on specific ocasions? Maybe only when the population is scared do they feel any pressure to take measures, fearing for their public image, which is really all that keeps them in power.

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A very complete analysis of swife flu from Nathan Wolfe@TED: http://blog.ted.com/2009/04/qa_with_virus_h.php

Mapa del Metrobus en Google Maps

Update: Post más actual: Mapa del Metrobus de la Ciudad de México

Update: Ahora con línea 4, ambas rutas. Además cambié los iconos de estaciones de cada ruta por viñetas correspondientes a cada color de las líneas. Pero voy a hacr un nuevo post al respecto de hecho.

Post original: Estoy haciendo la chamba del gobierno y tratando de gererar un mapa de todo el metrobus y algunas rutas de RTP (autobus público) sobre la ciudad de Mexico en Google Maps. Ayuda será bien recibida!


Ver Transporte Público México D.F. en un mapa más grande

El mapa oficial está en http://www.metrobus.df.gob.mx/mapa2.pdf y http://www.metrobus.df.gob.mx/mapa.html

El jordi hace suyas a las vacas

Ya que he sido citado en el blog del afamadísimo Jordi Adame tengo que declararme honrado. Y aprovecho para hacer público uno de sus más secretos gustos: "hacer suyas" a las vacas.

http://jordi.net/blog/view/147/las-vacas-estan-extintas

Favor de leer.

Pero ya en serio las vacas están extintas excepto esas peludas que corren libremente por las planicies mongoles.