Updates

[raincrow007]

I thought this thread should exist. As intps we're great at hashing out ideas, but I think there's a real need to see some results. This thread is for posting those results. Who's doing what? Which projects died and why? Who followed up which idea? Who's coding what? What information are we waiting on/researching? Who's held accountable? What are our deadlines? Etc.

Inquiring minds want to know.

[earwax]

I thought this thread should exist. As intps we're great at hashing out ideas, but I think there's a real need to see some results. This thread is for posting those results. Who's doing what? Which projects died and why? Who followed up which idea? Who's coding what? What information are we waiting on/researching? Who's held accountable? What are our deadlines? Etc.

Inquiring minds want to know.
Who are you? And what have you done with raincrow007? <_<

[raincrow007]

Who are you? And what have you done with raincrow007? <_<

Hey, how many pointless damn meetings have YOU sat through? Nothing makes me more J-ish than suffering through repetitive blathering. I'm sure you're the same. Now quit derailing my unlooked at and greatly unappreciated Thread of Productivity. :P

*shoos earwax out the door*

[raincrow007]

Do we have any updates?


*watches tumbleweed blow across the intpc plains*

[Nighthawk]

I'm still looking for a suitable employment jump. There is a lot out there in the IT field, but organizations are becomming very selective. A 2-4 hour tech interview is the norm, where they grill you first about your knowledge and then have you lead a design session to see how creative and innovative you are. No offers back yet, but then it is still early in the process.

[shaytana]

Do we have any updates?

1) Arcade and it's mods have been installed, games are slowly trickling in as I can find them.

2) fc and CW are almost finished setting up a backup server

3) front page/dashboard still in concept stage but moving forward

[melancholeric]

4) dashboard?

5) private miniforums?

[shaytana]

The dashboard would tie in with the main page I would think. No idea where the private miniforum concept is at.

[melancholeric]

Good, because I spent good three minutes photoshopping the draft design of the dashboard, I'd hate to think those precious minutes were wasted.

Oh, and this:
2) fc and CW are almost finished setting up a backup server
Does this mean you'll have backups taken more frequently than every three months? Because that'd be great.

[Dr. Haight]

Oh, and this:
Does this mean you'll have backups taken more frequently than every three months?
Yes, daily.

[raincrow007]

Dashboard?

*watches another tumbleweed blow past*

[earwax]

http://www.intpcentral.com/uploads/tumbleweed_fence.jpg

[raincrow007]

I see your one tumbleweed earwax, and raise you:

[raincrow007]

:sadbanana:

[kuranes]

I always thought tumbleweeds added a lot of atmosphere to "the Outer Limits" TV episodes they were featured in. ( Original series, of course. ) And, yes, they were in the best episode of them all: "Corpus Earth".

[raincrow007]

I always thought tumbleweeds added a lot of atmosphere to "the Outer Limits" TV episodes they were featured in. ( Original series, of course. ) And, yes, they were in the best episode of them all: "Corpus Earth".

K, is that really an update? Shame on you. You know better. ;)

[kuranes]

Some people do their updating privately. . . . . .

[Dr. Haight]

I just figured that Mr. K was hanging out and really enjoying his Saturday afternoon.

[kuranes]

Well, there's that too . . . .

[mgb]

So what do we have left? The Dashboard and the mini-forums?

I'd kinda like to know what's happening to, if someone knows.

[Claverhouse]

*calmly continues watching Ebredj from that Nox link in the Types of music INTPs Like (http://forums.intpcentral.com/showthread.php?t=12027) thread*

Ebredj (http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4417322011213652116&q=Nox+-+Forogj)


Claverhouse :ph34r:

[CoHo]

Written and directed by David Cronenberg (RABID, VIDEODROME, THE FLY [1986], NAKED LUNCH, eXistenZ), SCANNERS is about a new "breed" of human beings with psychic abilities. Most notably, they can scan other people and read their thoughts in a form of telepathy. More specifically, as the film explains, the scanner is linking his nervous system with that of the victim and is then able to manipulate their actions, inflict pain, and even cause a rather traumatic death. Throw in some conspiracy and intrigue, and voila: we have a screenplay.

Not a bad concept on which to base a movie, if you ask me. Unfortunately, Cronenberg is unable to follow through. The plot grows weaker as the film progresses, and there are several holes and mistakes throughout the action.

Get this: it appears a computer somehow has a nervous system. Oh! That means the scanner can link up with a computer and read or alter its programming! So our protagonist simply dials in from a pay phone and takes over.

"What's happening?" cries the bad guy henchman.

"Gee, it appears the system's been invaded. That's too bad," says the unconcerned computer lab technician. Now honestly, how many programmers or IT support employees do you know that wouldn't have a serious heart attack if they stumbled upon a hacker in their system?

"Damn!" says the henchman. And nobody reaches for a plug, a telephone cord, anything.

But wait! That leaves out the possibility for drama! If they throw the emergency switch that blows all the circuits, we can fry the scanner's mind! Unfortunately, the computer geek has to have WRITTEN PERMISSION from the chief of the corporation to blow the computer.

So let's get this new bit straight: picture our average friendly neighborhood network administrator. A hacker is in his system right now, wreaking havoc. Do you honestly think he is going to go through bureaucratic red tape, or waste time with voice mails, pagers, and faxes trying to track down the CEO so he can get permission to shut down the system? Granted, this was filmed in the 80's, but I think every company, even then, had some idea of system security!

So, we have more drama as the henchman pulls his gun on the tech geeks and says "here's your permission!" Cheesy and cliché.

And that's not the least of them! The others would giveaway parts of the plot, which I feel I should, out of some sense of decency, keep from revealing here lest you decide to actually go out and rent this film if only for the sake of seeing a cult favorite.

And why a cult favorite, you may ask? First of all, Cronenberg's name is on the cover. And again, the horror/thriller concept of the psychic scanners drives some interest. But if you're at all a fan of Michael Ironside (TOTAL RECALL, STARSHIP TROOPERS) and his excellent portrayals as an all-around bad-ass in both protagonist and antagonist roles, it's worth seeing this early performance when he was still showing up rather low in the credits lists.

Ironside (Nominated for the Canadian GENIE award as Best Supporting Actor for this role) plays Darryl Revok, a renegade scanner who is out to conquer the world with his powers and an army of fellow scanners. He is a very eccentric character, with a mean and cunning streak that Ironside conveys very well. His motives may be simple, but they're probably the most realistic motives in the film.

The protagonists performances are very flat, and they appear to be going through the motions of chasing Revok for no reason other than they have nothing better to do. Patrick McGoohan ([TV] THE PRISONER, TRESPASSES) was probably at a career low in this one, playing Doctor Paul Ruth, an employee of a top security company that recruits and trains scanners. He tracks down Cameron Vale, played by Stephen Lack (of talent? There was less wood in the first half of Pinocchio's performance, yet he is allowed to act again in Cronenberg's DEAD RINGERS). Vale was homeless, unable to cope with his abilities or function in society until his one day of training against an old Yoga master turns him into a force to be reckoned with and he's sicked on Revok by Ruth. Vale is led to Kim Obrist, played by Jennifer O'Neill (THE RIDE). Obrist belongs to a small group of hippie-like scanners that link to one another in some funky mental lovefest that allows them to share their love and their feelings. Of course, the hippies are all conveniently wiped out by a couple of guys with shotguns, who also fail to make another appearance in the film.

The film starts strong with some mystery as to Vale's powers and Ruth's involvment, and Revok's assassination of the company's last scanner and his subsequent escape from their security team is a good attention-getter. Unfortunately, as the plot tries to become more convoluted, it just gets sillier and develops ever-growing holes that swallow even the greatest suspensions of disbelief. Great idea but poor execution, granting it three negative shriek girls.

[mgb]

Written and directed by David Cronenberg (RABID, VIDEODROME, THE FLY [1986], NAKED LUNCH, eXistenZ), SCANNERS is about a new "breed" of human beings with psychic abilities. Most notably, they can scan other people and read their thoughts in a form of telepathy. More specifically, as the film explains, the scanner is linking his nervous system with that of the victim and is then able to manipulate their actions, inflict pain, and even cause a rather traumatic death. Throw in some conspiracy and intrigue, and voila: we have a screenplay.

Not a bad concept on which to base a movie, if you ask me. Unfortunately, Cronenberg is unable to follow through. The plot grows weaker as the film progresses, and there are several holes and mistakes throughout the action.

Get this: it appears a computer somehow has a nervous system. Oh! That means the scanner can link up with a computer and read or alter its programming! So our protagonist simply dials in from a pay phone and takes over.

"What's happening?" cries the bad guy henchman.

"Gee, it appears the system's been invaded. That's too bad," says the unconcerned computer lab technician. Now honestly, how many programmers or IT support employees do you know that wouldn't have a serious heart attack if they stumbled upon a hacker in their system?

"Damn!" says the henchman. And nobody reaches for a plug, a telephone cord, anything.

But wait! That leaves out the possibility for drama! If they throw the emergency switch that blows all the circuits, we can fry the scanner's mind! Unfortunately, the computer geek has to have WRITTEN PERMISSION from the chief of the corporation to blow the computer.

So let's get this new bit straight: picture our average friendly neighborhood network administrator. A hacker is in his system right now, wreaking havoc. Do you honestly think he is going to go through bureaucratic red tape, or waste time with voice mails, pagers, and faxes trying to track down the CEO so he can get permission to shut down the system? Granted, this was filmed in the 80's, but I think every company, even then, had some idea of system security!

So, we have more drama as the henchman pulls his gun on the tech geeks and says "here's your permission!" Cheesy and clich?.

And that's not the least of them! The others would giveaway parts of the plot, which I feel I should, out of some sense of decency, keep from revealing here lest you decide to actually go out and rent this film if only for the sake of seeing a cult favorite.

And why a cult favorite, you may ask? First of all, Cronenberg's name is on the cover. And again, the horror/thriller concept of the psychic scanners drives some interest. But if you're at all a fan of Michael Ironside (TOTAL RECALL, STARSHIP TROOPERS) and his excellent portrayals as an all-around bad-ass in both protagonist and antagonist roles, it's worth seeing this early performance when he was still showing up rather low in the credits lists.

Ironside (Nominated for the Canadian GENIE award as Best Supporting Actor for this role) plays Darryl Revok, a renegade scanner who is out to conquer the world with his powers and an army of fellow scanners. He is a very eccentric character, with a mean and cunning streak that Ironside conveys very well. His motives may be simple, but they're probably the most realistic motives in the film.

The protagonists performances are very flat, and they appear to be going through the motions of chasing Revok for no reason other than they have nothing better to do. Patrick McGoohan ([TV] THE PRISONER, TRESPASSES) was probably at a career low in this one, playing Doctor Paul Ruth, an employee of a top security company that recruits and trains scanners. He tracks down Cameron Vale, played by Stephen Lack (of talent? There was less wood in the first half of Pinocchio's performance, yet he is allowed to act again in Cronenberg's DEAD RINGERS). Vale was homeless, unable to cope with his abilities or function in society until his one day of training against an old Yoga master turns him into a force to be reckoned with and he's sicked on Revok by Ruth. Vale is led to Kim Obrist, played by Jennifer O'Neill (THE RIDE). Obrist belongs to a small group of hippie-like scanners that link to one another in some funky mental lovefest that allows them to share their love and their feelings. Of course, the hippies are all conveniently wiped out by a couple of guys with shotguns, who also fail to make another appearance in the film.

The film starts strong with some mystery as to Vale's powers and Ruth's involvment, and Revok's assassination of the company's last scanner and his subsequent escape from their security team is a good attention-getter. Unfortunately, as the plot tries to become more convoluted, it just gets sillier and develops ever-growing holes that swallow even the greatest suspensions of disbelief. Great idea but poor execution, granting it three negative shriek girls.

Are you the pop culture American version of Claverhouse? :p

[raincrow007]

I'm feeling optimistic today. I'm sure it'll pass though.

[melancholeric]

It will, trust me.

[raincrow007]

It will, trust me.

*sighs*

I know. Wanna get drunk together?

[melancholeric]

Nah, php is hard enough sober, can't imagine what it'd be like drunk.


And there are things that, given the current climate, must have a top priority.

[raincrow007]

Nah, php is hard enough sober, can't imagine what it'd be like drunk.


And there are things that, given the current climate, must have a top priority.

You're so stoic. No wonder Santa loves you the mostest.

[Rhu]

You're so stoic. No wonder Santa loves you to molest.

Maybe Claverhouse is onto something with the usertitle he suggested.

[melancholeric]

What usertitle?

[mgb]

"Archivist vs. Archivist"

Wow. It's like on Tekken when King fights himself.