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| Unique Visitors: 0 |
| Total Unique Visitors: 1 |
| Visitors Out: 1646 |
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| How things change, but how they stay the same. |
| 2008-04-30 00:58:00 |
personal
How things change, but how they stay the same.
(April 29th, 2008 - 10:58PM)
I've been in a retrospective mood lately.
Perhaps it all came about because I realized I've been maintaining this blog for five years. That's a long time. It made me think of the person I was when I started this blog back in 2003, and I realize that I am no longer that person. So much has changed since then.
But on the other hand, so much has stayed the same. I've grown in so many ways, but on the inside I still have some of the same fears and self-consciousness that I did five years ago. I have some of the same problems, and still haven't figured out how to solve them.
I've been paying attention to my friends lately, and I'm amazed at how much they've grown and changed over the years too. But like me, they're still the same people. It's surreal to think that my friends, who I've known for so long, have evolved and gained so much experience. But at the same time, I remember the old days ...
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| Happy Kwanniversary! |
| 2008-04-25 01:03:00 |
stevekwandotcom
Happy Kwanniversary!
(April 24th, 2008 - 11:03PM)
Today is the fifth anniversary of stevekwan.com.
This blog started five years ago when I posted something absolutely pointless, which started a chain of other pointless posts that's gone on for half a decade.
Five years is a long time for anything. To make a point, my commitment to this blog has been longer than:
My employment at any company
My enrollment at any school
My relationship with any woman.
When I started this blog, I was fresh out of BCIT and cutting my teeth in the software engineering world. Now I'm an experienced user experience designer working on awesome projects. How times change.
Here's a picture of me then:
And here's a picture of me now:
Here's hoping to five more years!
(Also, this is also my 750th post. Yes, I timed it that way.)permanent link - digg this post - 0 comments
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| Peter Morville's lecture on Search Patterns |
| 2008-04-24 19:14:00 |
software/ui
software/ux
software/hci
km
Peter Morville's lecture on Search Patterns
(April 24th, 2008 - 5:14PM)
Peter Morville, perhaps the most famous information architect in the world, recently spoke at the 2008 Information Architecture summit. He gave this presentation on Search Patterns. It's long and a bit dry, but it's informative.
Slideshow URL: http://www.slideshare.net/morville/search-patterns/permanent link - digg this post - 0 comments
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| Docmetrics a finalist for 2008 software innovation award |
| 2008-04-23 11:30:00 |
work/vitrium/docmetrics
software/ui
Docmetrics a finalist for 2008 software innovation award
(April 23rd, 2008 - 9:30AM)
Docmetrics, our flagship app, is a finalist for the SoftwareCEO/CompTIA 2008 Software Innovation Awards!
We're nominated in the Most Innovative Service/Business Model category. SoftwareCEO defines this category as "Companies and individuals who have conceived, developed and launched innovative software services and/or used innovative business models to provide a service."
As the user experience designer at Vitrium, I was responsible for scoping and designing the docmetrics application, so my fingerprints are all over it. I take this nomination as a person and professional compliment, and I hope we win!
To check out docmetrics, please sign up for a free trial at www.docmetrics.com.permanent link - digg this post - 0 comments
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| Heidi is fine |
| 2008-04-21 11:39:00 |
personal/family
Heidi is fine
(April 21st, 2008 - 9:39AM)
She's eating well and pooping regularly.
Most of you probably have no clue what this message is about. My Aunt and Uncle are on vacation and have left us with their dog Heidi. They wanted a status update, so here it is. Apparently my website has become the de facto source for Kwan family news.permanent link - digg this post - 0 comments
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| An update that has nothing to do with docmetrics |
| 2008-04-18 16:26:00 |
personal/fitness
personal/friends
An update that has nothing to do with docmetrics
(April 18th, 2008 - 2:26PM)
This update is actually about me, and not a shill for my company or my product. :)
Obviously docmetrics has been consuming a good deal of my time, but my personal life has also been active. I've gotten into a good routine that I'm happy with, but the problem with any routine is that it's routine.
I've started training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu at Gracie Barra Vancouver and have altered my fitness regimen to centre around it. I've eased up a bit on the weightlifting and cross training, and have reallocated that time to Jiu-Jitsu. I've always wanted to get into martial arts, and I'm loving it so far. If you want to throw me around a bit, come down to the gym and spar with me. It's a great workout and I recommend it to everyone.
I've also spent some time re-acquainting myself with old friends I haven't seen in a while. After a few weeks of hibernating in my apartment and p...
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| Gartner names Vitrium one if its "Cool Vendors" of 2008 |
| 2008-04-10 18:51:00 |
work/vitrium
Gartner names Vitrium one if its "Cool Vendors" of 2008
(April 10th, 2008 - 4:51PM)
Gartner, a top analyst firm, has named Vitrium in its 2008 "Cool Vendor report" on CRM Marketing and Analytics (see press release). This is a huge honour for us, as Gartner is one of the most respected firms in its field. To be considered cool by Gartner is cool indeed.
I've been Vitrium's User Experience Designer for just over a year, and it's great to have this kind of recognition. To see why Gartner thinks we're cool, check out our flagship product, docmetrics.permanent link - digg this post - 0 comments
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| Got a job at Apple, moving to California |
| 2008-04-01 13:17:00 |
work/vitrium
humour
Got a job at Apple, moving to California
(April 1st, 2008 - 11:17AM)
I've been keeping a tight lid on this for a few weeks, but now's as good a time as any to announce it. I've taken a job with Apple, and will be relocating to their headquarters in Cupertino, California.
Apple's bringing me on board as a user experience designer. A few months back, I came to their attention through this blog. They were impressed with my insight into usability and my thoughts on their products, and decided to make me an offer.
At the end of the month, I'll be packing up my things and moving down to California. This is a huge jump for me, as I've lived in Vancouver my whole life. Relocating to the States is going to be a huge shock for me, and it's going to be rough being away from my family and friends. Still, it's a great opportunity and I'm sure I'll adjust.
I'll be holding a going away party near the end of the month, and will post more details here. I'd love it if yo...
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| Not all buttons are created equal |
| 2008-03-25 13:44:00 |
software/ui
software/hci
Not all buttons are created equal
(March 25th, 2008 - 11:44AM)
I've been thinking a lot about buttons lately.
Everyone knows I'm a big fan of buttons. I've been getting a lot of flak at work because I recently designed a screen that has a gigantic "click here" button consuming half of the visual space. In my opinion, that screen represents the pinnacle of UI design: no confusion, and it's painfully clear what the User should do. But I digress.
Buttons are an essential navigation element on any UI, regardless of what Steve Jobs will tell you. But there's more to button design than just dropping a handful of options onto a screen. The button itself can give the User an indication of which action she should take.
Let's take a look at one of the screens we developed for docmetrics:
A screenshot with different-looking buttons.
Notice how attention is drawn to the "Next" button, whereas the "Back" and "Finish without forms" buttons are less emphasi...
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| I need usability test subjects for docmetrics |
| 2008-03-13 13:42:00 |
work/vitrium/docmetrics
software/ux
I need usability test subjects for docmetrics
(March 13th, 2008 - 11:42AM)
We're looking for 10 usability subjects for docmetrics. Are you interested?
The ideal usability candidate is:
a semi-skilled computer user.
a working professional.
in the Vancouver area.
willing to come down to our Yaletown office for about an hour.
As a thank you gift, we're offering a $25 Starbucks gift certificate to all volunteers.
If you or anyone you know is interested, please contact me to set up an appointment.permanent link - digg this post - 0 comments
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| Docmetrics 1.1 released! |
| 2008-03-06 16:22:00 |
work/vitrium/docmetrics
Docmetrics 1.1 released!
(March 6th, 2008 - 2:22PM)
Docmetrics 1.1 is finally out the door, with great new lead generation features for your PDFs.
Docmetrics 1.1 has two main components:
lead generation. Find out who is really reading your documents, what they think, and convert them to sales.
document analytics. Ever wondered why you can't generate Google Analytics-style reports for your PDF documents? Well, now you can with docmetrics.
I'm the user experience designer for docmetrics, meaning that I designed the application, wrote the requirements, and fielded usability issues.
Here are some screenshots.
Adding documents to docmetrics.
Â
Creating a form in docmetrics.
Â
A detailed lead report in docmetrics.
Â
A list of leads in docmetrics.
Â
Selecting a report in docmetrics.
Â
Docmetrics accounts are free for the first 14 days (no credit card required), so plase sign up and let me kno...
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| Docmetrics 1.1 is almost out! |
| 2008-02-28 12:40:00 |
work/vitrium/docmetrics
Docmetrics 1.1 is almost out!
(February 28th, 2008 - 10:40AM)
I've been working hard to meet our March 3rd launch date for docmetrics 1.1. We've added some excellent new features for lead generation, plus a significant UI overhaul with a lot of new components done in Flex. When the application is released I'll post some screenshots up here for public consumption.permanent link - digg this post - 0 comments
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| Review: Made to Stick |
| 2008-02-19 12:09:00 |
books
reviews
Review: Made to Stick
(February 19th, 2008 - 10:09AM)
(5 / 5 stars)
Made to Stick is easily the most compelling business book this year. I give it my highest recommendation.
It's about "sticky" ideas; that is, things that you don't soon forget. Remember Steve Jobs putting the new MacBook Air in a manila envelope? That's a sticky idea, and it's great marketing.
Sticky ideas are essential to anyone looking to influence the masses. If you have even a passive interest in psychology or business communications, you must read this book.
The best thing about Made to Stick is that the content is itself sticky. The authors have written it in such a way that its ideas stay with you long after you're finished reading.
I experienced the book in audio format from Audible, where it won their award for best business book of 2007. The narrator did an excellent job carrying the material.
Buy Made to Stick on Audiblepermanent link - digg this post - 0 comments
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| Bizarre work-related nightmare |
| 2008-02-14 21:08:00 |
humour
work/vitrium
Bizarre work-related nightmare
(February 14th, 2008 - 7:08PM)
Last night I dreamed my team was in the middle of a software demo, when I noticed that one of my co-workers had porn up on his monitor. I thought this was totally inappropriate, until I noticed that there was porn on all the monitors in the office.
Apparently a DNS error was rerouting all of our work domains to a porn site, meaning that anyone attempting to access our product or give a demo would be treated to some X-rated content.
This is basically the software engineer's equivalent of the old "showed up to class with no clothes on" nightmare.permanent link - digg this post - 0 comments
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| The console wars |
| 2008-02-03 01:22:00 |
humour
personal/women
The console wars
(February 2nd, 2008 - 11:22PM)
Alisa says:i want a Wii so badly!
Alisa says:im addicted
stevekwan.com says:You can play with my Wii
stevekwan.com says:All night long
stevekwan.com says:Except I don't own a Wii. But I have a 360
stevekwan.com says:It's pretty fun
stevekwan.com says:...
stevekwan.com says:I suck at girls.
permanent link - digg this post - 0 comments
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| CSS in Flex is not real CSS at all |
| 2008-02-01 22:06:00 |
software/ux
software/ui/flex
CSS in Flex is not real CSS at all
(February 1st, 2008 - 8:06PM
When my latest project was pushed in the direction of Flex, we were assured that development in this new environment would be easy. After all, Flex apparently supports CSS, so it should be easy for anyone with previous Web development experience, right?
Well, I'm always skeptical about claims like that, and sure enough, Flex's CSS support turned out to be disappointing.
Let's just be blunt: Flex doesn't support CSS. It supports some rudimentary stylesheet language that was concocted by the boys at Adobe. It does not support CSS. A layperson might mistake Flex's "CSS" for real CSS, but a seasoned Web designer will be able to tell the difference in a matter of minutes.
Flex CSS has no support for dimensioning (width, height) or relative positioning (float, clear) of an element.
This is a huge oversight in Flex's implementation of CSS. Without being able to size and position elem...
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| Wanted: Flash designer and inside sales associates |
| 2008-01-15 17:40:00 |
work/vitrium
Wanted: Flash designer and inside sales associates
(January 15th, 2008 - 3:40PM)
Vitrium is currently seeking a Flash designer for some contract work. We need some banner ads done, and we need some Flash work on our website. This would be a short-term contract. If you're interested in the job, just leave a comment or email me.
We're also looking for two inside sales associates. Be warned that this is not a job for the faint of heart. It certainly isn't the type of sales job where you sit around and field incoming calls. We need active salespeople who aren't afraid to get on the phone, find leads, and close deals. If that's you, you can find the posting here:
Go to http://www.bctechnology.com/frameset_emp.html
Click Job Search
From the Company Index, select Vitrium Systems Inc.
Click Search
Select 2 positions: Account Executive (Inside Sales)
permanent link - digg this post - 0 comments
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| Best of 2007 |
| 2008-01-09 16:21:00 |
entertainment/movies
entertainment/music
entertainment/games
books
Best of 2007
(January 9th, 2008 - 2:21PM)
Where "best" is defined as the product I most enjoyed, not necessarily the product with the greatest artistic merit.
Best movies of 2007
1. Ratatouille
I like Ratatouille because it just feels good. It's a charming movie and it makes me happy. I'm not always in the mood for heavy movies like No Country for Old Men. Sometimes you just need something light, and there are no better feel-good movies than Ratatouille this year.
2. Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story
3. Sicko
4. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
5. No Country for Old Men
Disappointment of the year: Spider-Man 3
I really enjoyed the first two Spider-Man movies, but found the third one to be without substance.
Best music of 2007
1. Stories, by Mojave
Stories is an album that I experienced at exactly the right time. Sometimes you're just in the mood for a particular type of music - in this case, I wanted something mellow, moody and thoughtful. Stories isn't just a collection of singles, but a cohesive album.
2. Year Zero, by Nine Inch Nails
3. Chase This Light, by Jimmy Eat World
4. Hospital Music, by Matthew Good
5. The Inevitable Rise and Liberation of NiggyTardust!, by Saul Williams
Disappointment of the year: Vena Sera, by Chevelle
Maybe I was wrong to expect anything of Chevelle, but I've enjoyed some of their earlier singles. I was disappointed that I didn't enjoy a single track on Vena Sera.
Best games of 2007
1. The Orange Box
Pound for pound, The Orange Box is the best value that's ever been seen in a game package. Its low price, its availability on almost every major console, and its sheer quality easily make the Orange Box the game of the year.
2. Call of Duty 4
3. Mass Effect
4. Crysis
5. Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords
Disappointment of the year: BioShock
BioShock makes much better art than a shooter.
Bes...
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| Barack Obama's brilliant Iowa victory speech |
| 2008-01-07 10:23:00 |
politics/american
Barack Obama's brilliant Iowa victory speech
(January 7th, 2008 - 8:23AM)
After Barack Obama's decisive victory at the Iowa caucus, he delivered this brilliant speech.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqoFwZUp5vc
Let's hope Barack gets elected. That might be the only thing that can dig the US out of her current hole.
By contrast, here's a recent ad that Rudy Giuliani aired.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2iFhGtKO-Q
permanent link - digg this post - 0 comments
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| I dream of guitar heroism |
| 2008-01-03 11:31:00 |
entertainment/games
humour
I dream of guitar heroism
(January 3rd, 2008 - 9:31AM)
Last night I dreamed that I was playing Guitar Hero. When I woke up, I found that my hand was trying to play the side of my mattress like a guitar.permanent link - digg this post - 0 comments
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| Lessons learned in 2007 |
| 2008-01-02 11:02:00 |
personal/home
entertainment/tv/24
personal/fitness
internet/web2.0
work/vitrium/docmetrics
personal/holidays
entertainment/music/zen
personal/family
Lessons learned in 2007
(January 2nd, 2008 - 9:02AM)
As always, at the end of the year I like to revisit the lessons I've learned in the past 365. Here are the ones from 2007.
Beware of rental scams.
Early in the year I was attempting to find a new roommate, and was surprised to learn that there are scammers who prey on landlords. The general idea is the scammer will show interest in the accomodations, offer to send you a cheque for more than the requested amount, and ask for the difference. Then the cheque they sent you will bounce.
So any landlords or renters out there, be careful!
Related post: Beware of rental scams!
24 sucks.
24 used to be one of my favourite shows. Then I was subjected to season six, which was awful. The bad guy was Jack Bauer's father. That's a sure sign of writing trouble.
Related post: Humour journal, entry #6
I'm a gym rat.
In 2007 I started a gym streak where I'd go to the gym every day. I wound up going for 156 consecutive days before the streak ended because of old people.
Related post: 19-UP
Related post: Back from Mexico
Facebook isn't so bad.
After much postponement, I finally set up a Facebook account and have been using it ever since.
Related post: A bullet to the brain
It's all about docmetrics.
In August, Vitrium successfully released docmetrics, our flagship product. As we continue into 2008, I'll definitely look back on this as a major milestone.
Related post: Docmetrics 1.0
It's best to live alone.
Although I don't mind roommates, I'm finally living alone and I have to say that I much prefer the solitude.
Related post: Moving on up
Mexico is itchy.
I went to Mexico in October and came back with a bad rash.
Related post: Back from Mexico
The Creative Zen rocks.
I f...
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| Buy Mojave's new album, Stories |
| 2007-12-19 17:44:00 |
entertainment/music
vancouver
Buy Mojave's Album">new album, Stories
(December 19th, 2007 - 3:44PM)
Mojave, a local Vancouver band, has just released their debut album, Stories.
Here's why you should buy it.
Mojave is a great local Vancouver band.
If you support the Vancouver indie music scene (and you should), get behind Mojave. I'm a friend of the singer, and if you give them a listen you'll agree that she's a fantastic vocalist.
Mojave is helping the environment.
From their website:
"mojave is at the forefront of creating a green music scene. their debut album 'stories' is offered exclusively through digital retailers (cds are not recyclable or biodegradable), and all travel made by the band is carbon offset through tree canada. mojave are also members of 1% for the planet and donate a portion of their profits to environmental charities."
Mojave is anti-DRM.
Well, I don't know if that's actually part of their philosophy, but I do know that Stori...
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| Mini-reviews for Crysis, Mass Effect, and more |
| 2007-12-16 19:32:00 |
entertainment/games
reviews
Mini-reviews for Crysis, Mass Effect, and more
(December 16th, 2007 - 5:32PM)
I've got a ton of games to review, so I'm just going to give quick summaries of each.
Review: BlackSite: Area 51
(2.5 / 5 stars)
An excessively short and mediocre shooter that's saved by a few excellent set pieces.
Review: Crysis
(4 / 5 stars)
The only thing keeping Crysis from true greatness is the system requirements, which are so steep that they render the game almost unplayable.
Review: Mass Effect
(5 / 5 stars)
Easily the most engrossing RPG I've played in a long time. Although it's got some irritating bugs and gameplay imbalances, the story is so engrossing that you'll have trouble putting it down.
Review: The Orange Box
(5 / 5 stars)
The best package ever released.permanent link - digg this post - 0 comments
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| If I knew now what I knew then, I'd back up, do it all again |
| 2007-12-13 15:25:00 |
entertainment/music
If I knew now what I knew then, I'd back up, do it all again
(December 13th, 2007 - 1:25PM)
Yellow Brick Road, by Raine Maida (front-man of Our Lady Peace).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AHdHSmAuk-k
The album's available DRM-free on iTunes.permanent link - digg this post - 1 comment
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| Marian Gaborik goes for a ride |
| 2007-12-12 17:13:00 |
entertainment/sports/hockey
Marian Gaborik goes for a ride
(December 12th, 2007 - 3:13PM)
http://www.break.com/index/hockey-player-goes-flying.html
permanent link - digg this post - 0 comments
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| Five things I want you to know about usability |
| 2007-12-10 22:35:00 |
software/ux
software/ui
software/engineering
work/vitrium/docmetrics
Five things I want you to know about usability
(December 10th, 2007 - 8:35PM)
Ideas fly fast and furious at Vitrium, and we're always torn about which features should make the cut into our next version. Most other software companies are in the same boat. So how, then, do you determine how new features will affect your application's usability?
Here are some of my usability philosophies. Applying these heuristics has helped me make the right decisions with docmetrics. Before you add a feature to your application, I encourage you to ask yourself if it's in line with these principles.
Usability and simplicity are one and the same.
Keeping your application simple almost guarantees a high degree of usability. I'm working on a theory that usability is basically just another way of looking at simplicity.
So what is usability's worst enemy? Complexity. The more complex your application is, the wors...
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| Daniel Burka talks about interpreting user feedback |
| 2007-12-07 01:33:00 |
software/ux
Daniel Burka talks about interpreting user feedback
(December 6th, 2007 - 11:33PM)
Daniel Burka, the creative director at digg.com, recently spoke at the Future of Web Apps conference about interpreting user feedback.
For more information about Daniel Burka, visit his website, Delta Tango Bravo.permanent link - digg this post - 0 comments
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| There's nothing like a funeral to make you feel alive |
| 2007-12-05 14:24:00 |
entertainment/music
There's nothing like a funeral to make you feel alive
(December 5th, 2007 - 12:24PM)
The latest song from Sixx:A.M., Nikki Sixx's new band.
(Update: I should mention that the name of the song is Life is Beautiful.)permanent link - digg this post - 0 comments
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| Xbox 360 and wireless "Extender Not Found" Media Center issues |
| 2007-12-04 16:20:00 |
entertainment/games/xbox360
software/operatingsystems/windows/vista
Xbox 360 and wireless "Extender Not Found" Media Center issues
(December 4th, 2007 - 2:20PM)
I finally bought an Xbox 360. Not so much for the games (although Mass Effect is awesome), but for the Media Center capabilities.
Since I have Windows Vista Ultimate, my PC acts as a Windows Media Center. The Xbox 360 can then act as a Media Center Extender, meaning that I can stream movies from my computer to my Xbox 360. Then I can watch them on my TV instead of my monitor. This is incredibly handy, as I download most of the shows I watch.
I did encounter wireless problems while setting up my 360. I kept receiving an "Extender Not Found" error on my 360 when attempting to connect to my Media Center PC. This was despite the fact that my PC could see the 360 on the network, and Xbox Live worked fine.
But I found the problem: I had both my 360 AND my Vista Media Center PC connected wirelessly to my router. Microsoft...
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| Review: Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare |
| 2007-11-17 20:49:00 |
reviews
entertainment/games
Review: Call of Duty 4: Warfare">Modern Warfare
(November 17th, 2007 - 6:49PM)
(5 / 5 stars)
GSOD. Image taken from the Call of Duty website.
Summary
I just finished Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare's single-player campaign. It's short. In fact, it's shorter than either of Half-Life 2's episodes. That's pathetic for a full-length single-player game.
I've read that Call of Duty 4 also has superb multi-player, but I haven't played it yet. For the purposes of this review, it doesn't even matter. The single-player alone, despite being only about six hours long, is worthy of a five-star rating. It's possibly the most compelling six hours of video gaming that I've experienced in a long time.
Things I liked about Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare:
The single-player experience is compelling.
"Compelling" doesn't even really begin to describe it. Call of Duty 4 moved me. It made me feel something. That's rare for me, becau...
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| My spammer alter-ego |
| 2007-11-15 13:15:00 |
humour
My spammer alter-ego
(November 15th, 2007 - 11:15AM)
My co-worker Sam just received this email.
From: Stevan Kwan <Stevan-Kwan@cabedge.com>
Date: 14 Nov 2007 02:55
Subject: ykcahw
To: ..........
if you have a fat pocket, you need a fat cock... do it with this
al LaLande
http://www.somespammeraddress.com/
Look here, "Stevan Kwan" - if that is your real name - I don't appreciate you bringing shame to the good name of Steve Kwan. Steve Kwan is better than this. You'd better get your act together.permanent link - digg this post - 0 comments
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| Review: Creative Zen 16GB |
| 2007-11-14 17:35:00 |
reviews
entertainment/music/zen
entertainment/music/ipod
Review: Creative Zen 16GB
(November 14th, 2007 - 3:35PM)
(4 / 5 stars)
Summary
I've expressed my dissatistfaction with iPods for years. Since my iPod bricked on my vacation, I took the opportunity to replace it. I recently received my Creative Zen (16GB model).
It took some time to get ahold of my 16GB Zen, as the stores up here only carry the 4GB and 8GB models. Amazon.com wouldn't ship them to Canada. I was able to order one direct from the Creative website, and it arrived in under a week. Here are my thoughts.
What I like about the Creative Zen 16GB:
Its sound quality.
My main complaint with the iPods are their sound quality. Apple's done a great job of creating a sleek and sexy music player, but has ignored basic requirements such as good sound quality. I was dismayed to hear that even the sixth-generation iPods have lousy sound quality, which was my main reason for getting out of the Applever...
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| Kwan family wisdom |
| 2007-11-12 23:45:00 |
personal/family
humour
Kwan family wisdom
(November 12th, 2007 - 9:45PM)
Uncle:"You catch more bees with honey than with vinegar."
Me:"But you don't want bees."
Dad:"Yeah. You want honey."
permanent link - digg this post - 0 comments
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| Review: Clive Barker's Jericho |
| 2007-11-11 03:50:00 |
entertainment/games
reviews
Review: Clive Barker's Jericho
(November 11th, 2007 - 1:50AM)
(3 / 5 stars)
Summary
In 2002, I picked Clive Barker's Undying out of the bargain bin and was pleasantly surprised with what could be the scariest game I've ever played. So when I heard that Clive Barker was collaborating on a new game, Jericho, I was excited.
I have a theory that most first-person shooters are either based on WWII, or a story about a Portal to Hell opening up where the world is flooded by monsters. Jericho is a Portal to Hell game. It's best described as an FPS version of Diablo.
Jericho is neither original nor compelling, but the gameplay is almost on par with Gears of War. Before you get excited, bear in mind that I'm not a huge Gears of War fan.
Things I liked about Clive Barker's Jericho:
The premise.
You play as a soldier belonging to an elite paranormal squad called Jericho. The idea is that every once in a while, a monster called the ...
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| Back from Mexico |
| 2007-11-03 06:39:00 |
personal/holidays
personal/family
Back from Mexico
(November 3rd, 2007 - 4:39AM)
I'm home!
Mexico was fantastic, and a well-needed rest. Ten days is about the perfect length for a vacation. Let me summarize the trip briefly.
I like boats.
I took a ten-day cruise with my family along the west coast of Mexico. Among the attractions were Puerto Vallarta and La Paz.
The problem with cruises is that you don't get the authentic local experience, as most of your time is spent on a boat (a floating slice of America) and your off-boat time tends to be spent at little towns specifically geared to cater to cruise ship disembarkers.
All the same, the boats are luxurious and relaxing, and I'm well rested and well fed.
The streak is over.
Friends know that I'd been going to the gym every day to see how long I could keep the streak up. Well, it's over at 156 days.
The first day of the trip, I decided to go to the on-boat gym after dinner and found out that it closes at 9:00PM. You mi...
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| Going to Mexico |
| 2007-10-21 08:56:00 |
personal/holidays
Going to Mexico
(October 20th, 2007 - 11:56PM)
At 3:00AM tomorrow, I'm heading to Mexico for just under two weeks! I'll try to update the blog remotely and upload photos, but I'm not sure how well that will go.permanent link - digg this post - 0 comments
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| Conversation during a code review |
| 2007-10-19 08:49:00 |
work/vitrium
software/engineering
Conversation during a code review
(October 18th, 2007 - 11:49PM)
Terry: "Jessica, this is great. This is far better than anything I'd expected."
Steve: "Terry, is my work great too?"
Terry: "No, you're a useless twit."
permanent link - digg this post - 1 comment
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| The eagle has landed |
| 2007-10-16 20:07:00 |
personal/home
The eagle has landed
(October 16th, 2007 - 11:07AM)
This was a triumph. I'm making a note here - huge success!
(If you don't know where that's from, I highly recommend you play Portal.)
I successfully moved to my new apartment in Port Coquitlam. I much prefer it over my old place, and I much prefer the solitude of living alone.
I haven't decided yet if I'm going to throw a housewarming party - I'm not a big fan of parties - but I'll think about it.
I'm in need of some new furniture, in particular a new couch. I'll go shopping for one after I get back from Mexico. My Aunt wants to help me pick out my new furniture. I've become her pet project. She surely has better taste than me, so I'm happy for input.
I'm heading to Mexico at the end of the week, but I'll try to blog remotely if I can. I might also upload a few photos to my Flickr account. Expect a link if I do.permanent link - digg this post - 2 comments
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