BSOD: The PC game you always play ;-)

While working on the Edubuntu textbook project, scouring the internet for rare Linux content, I chanced upon a rather exciting game which we unknowingly have played before. Since it’s inception in 1995, this game, known as the BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH (BSOD), is very much embedded in the deepest recesses of the popular Operating System, Windows. Little did we know that this game almost always pops up while cramming on an extremely important and lengthy report. Sometimes this game pops up when playing resources-hungry games like CounterStrike, Allied Assault and the like. And sometimes still, it just pops up even when you’re not doing anything to your computer!

According to my on-line source Uncyclopedia, “the Blue Screen of Death (abbreviated BSoD), also known as The Blue Screen of Doom, the “Blue Screen of Fun” or “Phatul Exception: The WRECKening” is an award-winning game first developed in 1995 by Microsoft. Along with HTTP 404 - File Not Found, a hugely successful epic Internet MMORPG developed by Microsoft, the Blue Screen of Death ranks among the greatest computer games of all time. The game simulates a “system error” and displays a series of nonsensical hexadecimal codes for the player to decipher. Since its inception in 1995, BSoD has maintained its position as the most played computer game ever, and is a cornerstone of the Microsoft Corporation.”

Now Data couldn’t even pass level 1.

Get Simpson-ized!

After watching Simpsons, I visited their official website. Lo and behold! The site was as fun as the movie. And so, I simpsonized myself and my wife. Check out how we look when Simpsonized:

This is me and my wife…simpsonized!

Below are our pictures while in Springfield:

The Simpsons

Spider pig…spider pig…

I just finished watching Simpsons the Movie…and my wife cringed to death. hehehe. She never liked my taste for comedy movies. I love to watch Bean, Simpsons, American Dad and the like. They’re all satires about life in general. Satires are social commentaries about how we act in real life and mirrors them in a rather weird funny way. To put it in another way, the Simpsons is more than just a funny cartoon. It reveals truth about human nature that rivals the works of great philosophers like Plato, Kant, Hume and the like. And it presents this while Homer plays around with his pet pig: “Spider pig…spider pig…” hehehe.

But really, it does take a different look at life — Homer style:

Life views: “Because sometimes the only way you can feel good about yourself is by making someone else look bad. And I’m tired of making other people feel good about themselves.”

Religion: “What’s the big deal about going to some building every Sunday, I mean, isn’t God everywhere?”

Here’s another for religion: “And what if we’ve picked the wrong religion? Every week we’re just making God madder and madder?”

On Debate: “Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that’s even remotely true.”

Makulay ang Buhay

I have always asked myself why children, kahit makulit, mahiyain, maingay, are universally loved. Watching our pre-schoolers dance in school makes everyone stand up from their seats and applaud them like there is no tomorrow. And while everyone smiles and laughs at them, these kids all the more jiggle and dance!

Peter Pan refuses to grow up…I couldn’t agree more.

Tag! You’re it!

Clare, from RockEd Manaoag, tagged me.  Since I don’t know anything about this game, I checked her website and found out that: “It’s like this little game going around the blogosphere - perhaps to get bloggers to open up a bit more or maybe spill some secrets (Haha, if you haven’t already).  It’s  fun, besides, it helps to get to know people more.” Well, let’s give this a try!

Here are the rules for “8 facts”:

• In the 8 facts about [name], you share 8 things that your readers don’t know about you. At the end, you tag 8 other bloggers to keep the fun going. Each blogger must post these rules first.
• Each blogger starts with eight random facts/habits about themselves.
• At the end of the post, a blogger needs to choose eight people to get tagged and list their names.
• Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.

And here we go:

Truth #1. I never really liked rollercoaster rides. Call me chicken but I just don’t get the idea of paying huge sums just to be scared.

Truth #2. I love watching horror films but turn around when it comes to demonic possessions. Why? Because the latter is true. My former spiritual director in the seminary is an exorcist…and he tells us stories about his experiences. *nginig*

Truth #3. I have a miniature R/C helicopter which I play in my office after work…something to help me manage stress. (But, my wife said that it’s my ‘back subject. hehehe.)

Truth #4. I never really buy brand new stuff. I would prefer buying mint condition, second hand stuff. Reason? I don’t want to bear the depreciation cost. hehehe.

Truth #5. When I was a toddler, I just don’t thumb-suck…but I also toe-suck! And, I think history repeats itself since my son is starting to toe-suck!

Truth #6. When I have a chance to visit Manila for DLSU meetings, I spend 1 hour in Quiapo buying a minimum of 10 DVDs.

Truth #7. My friends and I have this messianic goal of someday going home to Bislig and turning it’s fate around.

Truth #8. Whenever I play basketball, I usually have this wish to get back my high school varsity endurance and stamina. Unfortunately though, 10 straight minutes of basketball is already torture for me.

Hear you go! Those are the secrets I can let go. And, I am tagging:

Joey, para maiba naman ang iniisip at hindi yung project sa work
Malou, the hot mama from Cebu
Ria, the future 1st Lady
Kris, the future President
Rowena, to relieve her of her stress at work
Gara, to give her a reason to blog again (like me, hehehe)
Doyoy, para naman madagdagan ang blog articles mo
Amee, para malibang kahit wala ka na Pilipinas

Tag! You guys are IT!

My blog rating

Allan, my wife’s college friend, posted on his friendster his blog’s rating. He got a G Rating (General Audiences). And so, I submitted my blog to see what my blog’s rating is…

I got a PARENTAL GUIDANCE RATING! I checked why I got this rating and found out that I used the word “shit” once, and used “jap” twice. Shit is understandable but “jap”? What’s “jap” anyway? Jap is japanese right?

I checked “jap” out in the Urban Dictionary to know why it’s offensive. These are the slang definitions of the word “jap”: 1) A term used for people of Japanses decent, also used as a derogatory term during World War II. (Would Japanese be offended if we refer to them as japs?); 2) a jewish girl who is incredibly spoiled in every way, and gets whateevr she wants, whenever she wants.Usually out and about. She knows the latest trends and is always up to date on things going on around her. (hmm…I think i know someone like a real jewish jap. hehehe); and, 3) A chicago term for snapping on someone. It means to have a heated argument with another person. (Is a slang verb offensive?).

I am still confused. I think I’ll just ask my Japanese friends if referring to them as jap is offensive.

The reason why I migrated to Linux

So many articles are written today about Linux and its benefits. Of course, you would expect that these techies would start ranting about their IT jargon until you’ll end up confused with jaws dropping. In the end, what matters is just one question: “Can I use it with ease?”

This is the basic question I’ve been asking when trying out different Linux distribution after my Windows XP (Pirated edition) has failed me miserably after it crashed an average of 3 times per month. This made me greatly consider about  the try-the-Linux-Live-CD commotion…and so I did.

The first set of Linux distribution I tried was an Ubuntu Linux (sorry, I forgot the version but this was 2 years ago). I was surprised how easy it was. The GUI was great and OpenOffice seems to be useable. However, the terminal command line bugged me…it’s like MS-DOS but with different commands. I also tried OpenSUSE, Mandriva, Red Hat, Bayanihan. All seems okay. But I never actually installed them fearing the worse.

Lately, this youtube video solidified my resolve to shift:

Damn, the GUI is so pretty. And so I made the shift…and so far, no hardware problems, no community support problems, no hassles! At first, I dual boot it with Windows XP but after two weeks of trying out Ubuntu, I never looked back. I wiped my harddrive clean and installed a fresh copy of Ubuntu 7.04 + beryl (the 3D desktop thing). Next project is installing either Avant Window Navigator (to make it Mac OSX style) and Gdesklets (like Yahoo! Widgets).

And this is how my dekstop looks now…instant eye candy without having to upgrade my box.

This is the 3D desktop cube. Linux has 4 desktops, so it’s easy to organize your work.

This is the top view of the 3D cube. You can even customize the cube wallpaper to have 3 different pictures.

And the reason why I migrated to Linux? Stability (no crashing experiences yet) and eyecandy (makes me want to work more with the wobbly, 3D GUI).

Try it, it’s worth it.

I’m back!

My my…I’ve been gone for so long! (My last entry was about an article I wrote way back June 2006). I just checked my old e-mails and remembered I have a blog to maintain. I was so busy with life that I forgot to journalize. Excuses…excuses…Ok. I promise to write again. Hehehe.

So much has happened after 1 whole year. I got a new bouncing…no, jumping little baby boy…our enrolment increased…I just got my first flu shot ever today…a wireless router at home…my HP iPAQ antenna got lost somewhere…and, I have just migrated to Linux.

Yes, the free software bug just bit me…BIG TIME. Well, i think i’ll be posting more about my Linux musings here…I’m so excited…I have spent countless hours trying to learn how to customize my Ubuntu LInux into a better-than-Vista OS. Actually, it is better.

I also have registered to the Linux World, becoming its 450,777th member. And since I used Ubuntu Linux 7.04 (aka Feisty), I also registered to Ubuntu and became its 16,277th user.

Here are my badges Wink:

This is my official Linux badge from http://counter.li.org/.

And here’s my official badge from Ubuntu Linux Counter: http://ubuntucounter.geekosophical.net/

So far, I’ve been enjoying Linux so much because of its flexibility, stability, and customizability. And, it costs me nothing, too! Soon, i’ll be posting more pictures about it, especially my latest experimentation on the Linux 3D desktop GUI.