The journal of the Kepster

Writer's Block: Welcome to the mobile decade

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 11:20:38 GMT

The eighties were known as the Me decade. The nineties have been called the Electronic age. So far, what would you label this decade?

Submitted By kimivalkyrie

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We are in the true information age.

Why true information age? Didn't we reach that when the internet got here? Back when you could say "information superhighway" without giggling?

Well, information is simply data in context, right? Now we've had lots of data, tons of the stuff, for ages. Century. But I'm gonna go out on a limb and say we never had information. We had to collect our data and arrange it in our brains, analog style. Browsing and searching for those lonely datums and merging them into something usable.

But now, take a look at some of the stuff emerging from the net. Vast amounts of data, uploaded, available and most of all, organised as never before. Mindfucking amounts of video, images, text, all streamed on demand.

Take a look at google maps, earth, streetview. All simple data, just pictures, but interconnected and indexed, easily searchable in an intuitive manner. Images and maps covering the globe. Not just a series of pictures, but true information, each image a part of a web, leading on to more connected and relevant data.

Those connections provide context for the data, turning into usable information.

Things like tag clouds, the related video link section on youtube, trends on twitter, wikipages, anything that links all the relevent data together, provides context, connections and deeper meaning.

That's true information. And we're starting to see it more and more.

Fri, 08 Jan 2010 09:02:35 GMT

The ship was speeding away from the sun at 40,000 miles an hour. Slewing its scan platform from one spot in the sky to another, it snapped sixty pictures. I thought it might be a good idea just after Saturn to have them take one last glance homeward. From Saturn, I knew the earth would appear too small for Voyager to make out any detail. Our planet would be just a point of light, a lonely pixel-hardly distinguishable from the many other points of light Voyager would see...nearby planets, far off suns. But precisely because of the obscurity of our world thus revealed, such a picture might be worth having.

From this distant vantage point, the earth might not seem of any particular interest. But for us it's different. Consider again that dot. That's here. That's home. That's us. On it, everyone you love, everyone you know, everyone you ever heard of, every human being who ever was, lived out their lives. The aggregate of our joy and suffering, thousands of confident religions, ideologies, and economic doctrines, every hunter and forager, every hero and coward, every creator and destroyer of civilization, every king and peasant, every young couple in love, every mother and father, hopeful child, inventor and explorer, every teacher of morals, every corrupt politician, every superstar, every supreme leader, every saint and sinner in the history of our species...lived there, on the mote of dust...suspended in a sunbeam.

Humans are inconsequential; a thin film of life on an obscure and solitary lump of rock and metal.

The earth is a very small stage in a vast cosmic arena. Think of the rivers of blood spilled by all those generals and emperors, so that in glory and triumph they can become the momentary masters of a fraction of a dot. Our planet is a lonely speck in the great enveloping cosmic dark. There is perhaps no better demonstration of the folly of human conceits than this distant image of our tiny world. To me, it underscores our responsibility to deal more kindly with one another, and to preserve and cherish the pale blue dot. The only home we've ever known.

-Carl Sagan

Who's that fox?

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 16:10:46 GMT

Needs eyes.

Ninty fail

Wed, 09 Sep 2009 15:44:29 GMT

Nintendo... What's wrong with you? Why don't you want me? Why are you making all these girly kiddy games?

You sold out, man... That ain't cool.

That just ain't cool.

GERMANY

Tue, 08 Sep 2009 15:34:42 GMT

I´m posting from a cybercafe in deuchland. Offenbach in Frankfurt am main, to be precise. You can tell tell ßecäüse the keßöärds have löts öf ümlauts!

Just had a job interview at Nintendo, seemed to go ok... I think. Can never be sure of these things.

Going to find a cafe now and drink delishus german beer until I pass out. Wish me luck!

Birthday

Fri, 28 Aug 2009 22:56:58 GMT

Guess who's back? Back again?

Wallet's back!

Went to aberdeen and got my wallet back, is all good.

Saw Inglorious basterds, is awesome

Loss

Sat, 25 Jul 2009 22:15:59 GMT

We are gathered here today, in mourning. Today, we lost a wallet. He was a good wallet. Dependable, always there when he was needed.

But, to us, he was more than a simple leather holder. He followed us to France, around the UK, and through our time at university. He held our student card, was trusted with our money, and was with us on many memorable occasions. Now, he is gone, lost in the blink of an eye, gone from the safe harbour of my pocket to places unknown.

He is remembered by his loved ones, Phone and Keys. He will be dearly missed by us all.

Farewell, wallet. May you find peace, and rest once more in a loving pocket.

Puppy has graduated!

Sat, 11 Jul 2009 21:23:39 GMT

Can has job noaw?

And who's this guy?

Silly

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 12:18:44 GMT

Hello, I'm Kepe.

Hi Kepe.

I'm a fox, I'm 21.

And I'm an an internet addict.

*Polite applause*

Thank you for sharing with us, Kepe....

Yes, you don't quite realise how much you need it until it's taken away. I need a good connection just to survive now. I arrange most of my life by online means. Emails, messenger, blogs, forums... Even hunting for flats, my first reaction is to look online.

So... now I'm a high-tech hobo. Scrounging open wifi spots for scraps.

"Internet? Got internet? I'll make it worth your while..." =D

I iz now smarts. Iz offishul.

Sun, 21 Jun 2009 17:58:05 GMT

Me: I got a degree. What now?
Pup: Get a job, asshat!
Me: ...

So yeah, moving, looking for a place to stay, finding a job. In a kind of listless and lonely, yet somehow busy, limbo time. Not really sure were to go from here.

Normally I'd go with the wind, just follow my nose (that's how I got here after all), but there's no wind, no interesting scents to follow. There was a brief gust in the direction of cambridge, but that died as quickly as it came.

Suppose I'll just keep looking.

Results

Fri, 12 Jun 2009 10:41:34 GMT

Got my provisional results back for uni.:

So far it's looking ok... not great, but ok.

Bored

Thu, 11 Jun 2009 17:32:29 GMT

Today I am drinking: Beer.

My music: Brain Tyler's epic soundtrack to Children of Dune. If you you haven't seen it, go watch it. Right now, because it's that good:

And, of course, waiting for my results to come.

Big bacon

Tue, 09 Jun 2009 23:49:53 GMT

*drools*

Bacon weave

Sun, 31 May 2009 20:01:16 GMT

So Silver and Tremor came over.

And we made a bacon weave:

Step 1:

Step 2:

Step 3:

Step 4:

We nom'd mighty.

Ahehehehehe

Sun, 31 May 2009 01:39:17 GMT

I <3 you, depression dog!

(and I <3 you too, courage wolf!)

So delicious, pizza's powerful taste.

Fri, 22 May 2009 09:10:21 GMT

Best pizza in Dundee. 5 toppings, 3 kinds of meat. It's love.

Sweet pizza love.

I'm crippled by a simple decision or possibly possessed by a vision.
I've made a choice- I'll stand by.
I'll take one more bite then lay down and die.
...and that one treasure, thick golden crust and a layer of cheese.
I'll face the consequences OF MY UNQUENCHABLE NEED!
I'm crippled. I'm crippled. I'm crippled by pizza.
I'm crippled. I'm crippled and i can't go on.
I can't resist so I persist in this.
So delicious, pizza's powerful taste.
I seek, strike, and consume it every day.
It's shattered my colon and made me too fat to breathe.
I'm crippled. I'm crippled.
I'm crippled by each SLICE! SLICE! SLICE!
I'm crippled. I'm crippled.
I'm crippled and I can't go on.
My hunger, it hurts me just to turn around and flirt with me.
Each slice, a paradise, but in the end I'm twice the size.
I've made a choice that I'll stand by.
I'll take one more bite then I'll lay down and die.
PIZZA! PIZZA! I WANT PIZZA! JUST GIVE ME SOME FUCKING PIZZA!

You know how I feel

Wed, 20 May 2009 23:49:25 GMT

Let it begin!

Sun, 17 May 2009 16:52:04 GMT

I must not fear.
Fear is the mind-killer.
Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration.
I will face my fear.
I will permit it to pass over me and through me.
And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path.
Where the fear has gone there will be nothing.
Only I will remain.

The end of one chapter is at hand, and the birth of a new. My years of study, the steady and predictable path, have ended. Where the road goes from here, I am uncertain. Uncertain, but greatly excited. I have a few things to finish here first, but the anticipation is already here. Wherever this path ends, it's sure to be an interesting trip.

Nacho man

Tue, 12 May 2009 08:52:02 GMT

Gotta keep up the morale somehow, eh? Math exam tomorrow.

Am I ready?

JESUS CHRIST ON A BIKE, NO!

Set a course for adventure.

Sun, 10 May 2009 06:58:56 GMT

The sun came up while I wasn't paying attention. Damn sneaky thing. I was far too busy grooving. Quite possible the single most epic jazz track of all time. Comes free with sing-a-long lyrics!

No cares for me
I'm happy as I can be
I've learned to love and to live
Devil may care

No cares and woes
Whatever comes later goes
That's how I'll take and I'll give
Devil may care

When the day is through, I suffer no regrets
I know that he who frets, loses the night
For only a fool, thinks he can hold back the dawn
He who is wise never tries to revise what's past and gone

Live love today, and come tomorrow what may
Don't even stop for a sigh, it doesn't help if you cry
That's how I'll live and I'll die
Devil may care

When the day is through, I suffer no regrets
I know that he who frets, loses the night
For only a fool, thinks he can hold back the dawn
He who is wise never tries to revise what's past and gone

Live love today, and come tomorrow what may
Don't even stop for a sigh, it doesn't help if you cry
That's how I'll live and I'll die
Devil may care

And as a bonus, a fairly funky house mix.

Love, exciting and new
Come Aboard. We're expecting you.
Love, life's sweetest reward.
Let it flow, it floats back to you.

Love Boat soon will be making another run
The Love Boat promises something for everyone
Set a course for adventure,
Your mind on a new romance.

Love won't hurt anymore
It's an open smile on a friendly shore.
Yes LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE! It's LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE! (hey-ah!)

Love Boat soon will be making another run
The Love Boat promises something for everyone
Set a course for adventure,
Your mind on a new romance.

Love won't hurt anymore
It's an open smile on a friendly shore.
It's LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE! It's LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE! It's
LOOOOOOOOOOOVE!
It's the Love Boat-ah! It's the Love Boat-ah!

Today I am

Sat, 09 May 2009 18:23:58 GMT

Working on maths. Because I've forgotten everything. Everything. It's a good thing I'm sparky-clever enough to re-learn a year of maths in 3 days. Because otherwise I'd be screwed.

Heh. Ahehe. Yeeeeah.

And done

Wed, 06 May 2009 13:12:27 GMT

And I'm done for today. Like a zen master, my mind is empty. I have moved passed my stress, to find a blue oasis on the other side.

It's peaceful.

So yeah...

Wed, 06 May 2009 03:48:33 GMT

Got a presentation in 5 hours. All nighters. Stress. Burnout. Let's hear it for life, because enough stress, is never enough!

I'm going to be uploading these shots of Pup with my posts from now on, because they say more than words can manage.

The games industry.

Mon, 27 Apr 2009 00:09:09 GMT

Cons:

Long hours, less personal time
Stress
Job security is nonexistant
The deadly crunchtime

Pros:

Decent money
Friendly culture

Could go either way:

Since jobs move around, I will be travelling

Is this what I want? I'm not entirely sure... I don't want to sacrifice my life to a job, no matter how friendly it is, nor how much it pays. But what else is there to do? To have a good life, visit friends, see films, eat good food, you need money. To have money, you need a job. To have a job, you give up a huge portion of your life.

But is any of it really important in the long run?

www.ted.com/index.php/talks/dan_gilbert_asks_why_are_we_happy.html

Work

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 21:18:10 GMT

Finished fuzzy logic report. Just the last project to do. The honours. The big one. The worth-half-your-final-fucking-grade one.

It's an incredibly stupid system. I used to enjoy deep, close to the hardware programming, until it was turned into work. That's all it is to me now. Work.

It's like eating donuts. They're nice, until some bastard with a whip makes you eat an entire box. You end up being pretty sick of donuts by the end. I'm sick of the metaphorical donuts. Once uni is done, I need a break from metaphorical donuts. A change of pace. Metaphorical prawn cocktail.

In the words of monty python, something completely different.