Tom Morris: 2003-08-02

Once you start watching The Cheeky Girls video at ten to two in the morning while compiling category lists and action plans for the imminent launch. So it's done. That was easy. The difficult bit is to come shortly - porting over all the old content and users from the previous database. 2007-05-05T09:30:31Z

I'm not a religious man. In fact I'm an almost 'unreligious' person. I think religion is rather silly. But even I think that perhaps 'karma' is returning to haunt those who exploited Tomb Raider for every penny they could squeeze. According to this Reuters article, the studio that made Cradle of Life (the movie) is blaming the makers of Angel of Darkness (the PS2/PC game). Why? Because the game was sub-par (and like the film wasn't... whatever...). Here is the problem with Tomb Raider: it's overdone. It's typical Hollywood - take one fairly average idea and string it for as many sequels as you can. Just to test my thesis I went on to GameFAQs and searched for 'tomb raider'. I counted up about 10 different editions of Tomb Raider for PlayStation and PS2, and a few for PC, GameBoy etc. Now. The only game series that comes to my mind when I think of 'ten editions' is Final Fantasy and maybe DragonQuest. The latter I don't know much about, but the former has one unique thing that seperates it from Tomb Raider and Co, and that is good ideas. Whether you like Final Fantasy, even if you hate RPG's, you have to accept they have good ideas a-plenty - even if you restrict yourself to just 7, 8, 9 and 10, you'll find more excellence for each quid than you would in any of the Tomb Raiders. That's the problem with these games - they are contentless. And in a medium where such a premium is charged for games (£20 - £40) if you haven't got the content, you're not going to get my custom. 2007-05-05T08:51:51Z

Kottke on the Commercialisation of the iPod. I pretty much agree. There are a lot of things now where you get something but you can't own it. I know people like Lessig have a lot to say about this - the control of code etc. but it all boils down to this... If I buy something I should be able to do what I want with it. If I buy a car, I should be able to open the bonnet and take a peek. Ditto if I buy a computer. Companies are playing the "new tech" card to include shit that people don't want and then using the DMCA-inspired coding in to prevent them from doing what they want. And that's a shame. 2007-05-05T08:48:26Z

Teens spend more time online than watching TV. 2006-07-29T17:24:37Z

According to a survey in AdAge, teenagers are spending more time online than they are watching TV. Well from someone who is technically a teenager, I'd like to say this... the reason I spend more time online than watching TV is simply because TV sucks. It insults me, treats me like a moron and 'humours' me with advertising aplenty. I can log on to the Internet, and I'm insulted by real people, not treated like a moron and can filter pop-up adverts. In fact, a few of the advertisers are getting around to realising that when it comes to advertising "less is more". Simple and straight ads with your message in text are best. None of these multi-million pound flashy campaigns with "punch the monkey". Simplicity rules, especially when you're trying to sell me something.

America's down - where to next? 2006-07-29T17:23:12Z

The excellent Plastic ask their community... America's gone to the dogs. Where to go next? Suggestions include Canada, Tuvalu etc...

How about you - where do you find a nice alternative to the totalitarian Bush regime?

Stupidity is a disease. 2006-07-29T17:22:25Z

So says James Watson, the scientist who discovered the stucture of DNA. And I'd agree. But I find that stupidity as a disorder can be solved using the steel-toe cap boots and a tube of epoxy resin.

Would you like to buy some lifestyle? 2006-07-29T17:21:56Z

Or to have delivered some quality logistics? Or maybe you want to do a course on contemporary post-modern lens-based media studies?

Alternatively, you could buy a new car, hire a lorry to do some road haulage or study photography. But due to the fact that some foolish middle management needs to feel cleverer than they really are, some brand spanking new words have arrived - so get ready to use them kids!

If you can't sell a product based on it's merits, all you need to do is sell it on it's 'lifestyle'. If you have a company that doesn't really do anything, just sell 'solutions'. If you don't want to write that horrid phrase 'road haulage' on the side of your brand spanking new lorries, you can just write 'logistics' and if you don't like saying photography - it sounds too common for your company / university / college - then you could just write 'lens-based media'.

But what about if you used a pinhole camera - which has no lens. Would you not be able to include the use and study of pinhole photography as part of your dissertation / project because it's not 'lens-based'?

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm just off to enjoy a lifestyle beer solution that covers my needs pub-to-pissed and browse some contemporary lens-based pornography on the Information Superhighway. Now, about that Synergy we spoke about the other day...

You Know You've Lost It --TZ

Once you start watching The Cheeky Girls video at ten to two in the morning while compiling category lists and action plans for the imminent launch.

So it's done. That was easy. The difficult bit is to come shortly - porting over all the old content and users from the previous database.

High-speed bullets and high-speed photos 2007-05-05T09:31:18Z

A gallery of high-speed photos of bullets being fired through objects. Rather cool...

Zeldman on Web Writing 2007-05-05T09:36:26Z

This is rather cool. The infamous Zeldman has provided a list (yep, on A List Apart) that you must consult when you pick up your pen, or the virtual equivalent of one. It really does have some fantastic advice, and if you haven't already read it, you must. Now.

There is quite a lot of good content. I wasn't so bothered about the technical stuff, but some of the more interesting stuff is fantastic: Indie Content Production, why do we go on the web?, how the web is becoming a glut of content and is the web at an end?.

Tom Morris

2003.08.02