mxdublin

From the website: mxdublin is a Java/Python framework that can be used to sequence generic events with pure-data or max. In short: very cool, an easier way of Max/MSP or PureData scripting for us who are more into lines of text than objects and lines. Basically they use Jython and mxj, which means that I'm looking forward to mxdublin~ based on mxj~ Downloading and getting ready to install.

Easy FFT tradeoff explanation

I found a very nice explanation of the tradeoffs when doing an FFT by Fred Marshall here. Look at the last post on the page.

The fake screenshots: OS X/Window integration

Recently two screen shots appeared of the upcoming Leopard. Everyone is screaming fake, even the author sais so. But a solution like in the first picture would actually make complete sense. I mean, for OS X Apple has basically been making a nice layer that everything interfaces. First up, the reason I switched: X11. X11 integrates quite nicely with OS X and keeps in style with Aqua without loosing the X11 feel. Classic has been running on OS X from day 1 (not sure if it's still running on those shiny Intel Macs), and after a boot-up the applications integrate nicely with Aqua but retain the Mac OS 9 feel. In comes Mac OS X for Intel, all PPC are done through Rosetta, and voila, it looks like its running native, and is nicely integrated with Aqua. Now would it be so strange to conceive that Windows is booted in the background running in its own environment just like Mac OS 9 does on the PPC and the applications integrating with the lovely window manager Aqua? I don't think so. What I think is that it's time to bump up that X11 integration to make it a tan smoother. And I know that I'd prefer FreeBSD booting up in the background and using Aqua for my window manager.

Deer at Sundown

Sensor cleaning

I recently bought a sensor cleaning kit with a blower and two brushes not very unlike the one featured here. Luminous Landscape has a great article on sensor cleaning that I followed. So here follow a few pictures from my cleaning session. It should be noted that I have tried cleaning it with a swab and some lens cleaning stuff before so rather than being nicely spread out, my dust was here and there collected in little stacks. Have a look at the changes. I did three sweeps and got to the point where I couldn't quickly spot any dust. Bonus points to find dust I didn't spot. The entire thing took about 5 minutes:

Vignir

Republishing faximiles

First, let me invite you to post links to faximiles available on the net as a comment to this post.  I've been puzzled by the lack of faximiles available on the net. For us early music lovers these books should be in the public domain as all copyright claims have long expired. Many are locked up in libraries and private collections that only give republishing-rights to certain publishers, making faximiles very expensive. Don't get me wrong, I think the S.P.E.S. faximiles are some of the most gorgeous books in my book-case. But apart from a very nice cover, what new have they added that decides that we cannot scan the prints and republish it for everyone to see?
The question comes from our podcast where I'd love to put the Philidor suite available so that you can look through it and make up your own mind rather than to rewrite it myself and just post a few bars that explain a problem in the faximile. Would this be illegal? Or should it be considered in the public domain and be encouraged? I know I mentioned republishing rights, but what rights do these libraries and collections have? They make an agreement with i.e. S.P.E.S., my local library acquires a copy that I borrow. Then I'm no part in that republishing-agreement and stand with a wonderfull piece of art with no copyright.

pdj - Java for Pure Data

Too cool! Today I found pdf which is Pure Data's take on mxj. It's supposed to be API compatible with mxj, which is great because that's what I use for all my Java-based externals. Suddenly I feel like I'm in the open again after having been digging myself further and further into Max/MSP. Don't get me wrong, Max/MSP is nice but Pure Data is closer to my heart. Well, as far as software goes, anyways.

Balderdash

I'm reading lots of student reports these days (their exams are coming up soon), and in one I found a very interesting word: balderdash. Not quite knowing the meaning of it (I know it's a game, but from the context it wasn't the game that was talked about) I looked it up, and from Weird Words I found a funny little quote from the 1766: That which is made by the peasants, both red and white, is generally genuine: but the wine-merchants of Nice brew and balderdash, and even mix it with pigeons’ dung and quick-lime. This adjective is also used as a verb, in addition to the substantive being the game.

Why?