Inkscape

All the graphics stuff I've learned over the years was self-taught.  I'm definitely no expert, but I think I'm starting to get the hang of it.

I grew up with Paint, like many other people.  Then various other tools, eventually to Gimp, and now Inkscape.  At first, I really disliked it.  As I use it more and more, I'm realizing that I absolutely love working with vector graphics.

Basically, I can create 2d art with objects that I can deform, like in 3d art programs, and then do all sorts of nifty things to them.  The best part, when it comes time to export the art to something like games, the SVG format allows me to save at any zoom/detail level.  This magic comes from the idea that vector art is generated again and again based on objects and math... as opposed to something as basic as "pixel space".  Of course, during the translation from vector-awesomeness to pixels, it gets blocky and pixelated as expected.  If I export to a large art file (high def for instance) the vector art will look amazing all while giving me almost no work overhead of screwing with zoom algorithms and stuff like that.

Again, I'm no master at Inkscape, but I'm definitely loving it more and more as I use it more.  Maybe I'll post up some more about this later.  I hope the Inkscape team fixes up some of these dangling bugs, because I'm using this primarily for mobile app development!

Blog inactivity

Yea, most of 2011 had no activity here.  Will there be more?  I don't know, maybe.  I have like a dozen different websites I take care of, code for, and generally go crazy over... so this one is there... but I really don't do much with it.

I suppose some day I might be more active here.

Android App: Simple Match

Our first mobile app ever was released earlier this month: bring on Simple Match!  A game using very little graphics and simplistic memory matching to kill a couple minutes here and there.

LimeWire Pirate Edition

From the ashes of Limewire arises a new, better, adware free version of itself.

Welcome to the fray Limewire Pirate Edition (LPE).

http://torrentfreak.com/limewire-resurrected-by-secret-dev-team-101108/

The end of LimeWire

For those that didn't know, Limewire is the front-end software for peer 2 peer access on the Gnutella network.  In other words, this court order that came down a little while ago to kill off limewire will essentially have no effect, other than forcing users to use a different client... like frostwire.  The same content everyone was uploading and downloading is still out there, but now people need to use a different client.

It's like saying "you can no longer watch cable television using sony televisions"... ok, so I go to the store (or internet in this context...) and get a different brand... the cable is still being transmitted, I just need a new device -- or software in this case.

You can see for yourself the notice on limewire's homepage:
http://www.limewire.com/

If you're interested in a new brand to the gnutella network, here's some alternatives:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gnutella#Software

If you liked limewire, try frostwire (see link above).

So, they get one client shut down... what about IRC outlets, usenet, other P2P networks...?  Even if they sued, court ordered, and even murdered everyone, it will just come back; they are fighting a losing battle and charging their legitimate users a premium to do it. 

Personally, I just listen/watch stuff on youtube (or google video) -- yea Vevo is annoying, but hey, it's free to use/listen and I'm not using torrents... almost anything is found, named correctly, and I can listen to it as long as I have internet.