Ascetic Minimalism tag:adam.theficus.com,2007-08-16://2 2008-02-28T00:44:28Z Adam "rampage" Meltzer's Weblog Movable Type Publishing Platform 4.0 Oops tag:adam.theficus.com,2008://2.2869 2008-02-28T00:40:23Z 2008-02-28T00:44:28Z Looks like syndication has been broken for a while, at least since I updated to MT 4.0. If you can read this and you're not looking at my site, then it's obviously been fixed. :)... Adam "rampage" Meltzer http://adam.theficus.com Looks like syndication has been broken for a while, at least since I updated to MT 4.0. If you can read this and you're not looking at my site, then it's obviously been fixed. :) Question for electronics nerds tag:adam.theficus.com,2008://2.2868 2008-02-25T18:20:26Z 2008-02-25T18:24:07Z I know a bit about electronics and electrical theory. As an amateur radio operator, a big part of the licensing exam had to do with electrical theory, and I've done a quite a few projects in the past building things like radio transmitters and other basic projects, most of which use a 555 timer :). However, there's this aspect of electronics that's always baffled me that maybe someone can answer for me. Why is it that it seems like with every device that has a digital volume control seems to have this point where one click is too quiet, then the next click is too loud. It seems that every device with a digital volume control I've used has this issue; my car stereo, my iPhone, my iPod, and so on. Just like horsepower and torque always intersect at 4242 RPM, there seems to be this magical point in electronics where need to be halfway between whisper quiet and ear splitting, and it's just not there. Is it a quirk of MOSFETs, a conspiracy, or something else?... Adam "rampage" Meltzer http://adam.theficus.com I know a bit about electronics and electrical theory. As an amateur radio operator, a big part of the licensing exam had to do with electrical theory, and I've done a quite a few projects in the past building things like radio transmitters and other basic projects, most of which use a 555 timer :). However, there's this aspect of electronics that's always baffled me that maybe someone can answer for me. Why is it that it seems like with every device that has a digital volume control seems to have this point where one click is too quiet, then the next click is too loud. It seems that every device with a digital volume control I've used has this issue; my car stereo, my iPhone, my iPod, and so on. Just like horsepower and torque always intersect at 4242 RPM, there seems to be this magical point in electronics where need to be halfway between whisper quiet and ear splitting, and it's just not there. Is it a quirk of MOSFETs, a conspiracy, or something else? The Donald Appreciates Ficuses tag:adam.theficus.com,2007://2.2864 2007-12-07T23:33:55Z 2007-12-07T23:35:08Z Even though he has to relocate his ficuses, Donald Trump expressed his appreciation for the fine foliage by stating, "There's no plant as beautiful as the ficus and no plant that does the trick like the ficus." Ficus. Respect.... Adam "rampage" Meltzer http://adam.theficus.com relocate his ficuses, Donald Trump expressed his appreciation for the fine foliage by stating, "There's no plant as beautiful as the ficus and no plant that does the trick like the ficus." Ficus. Respect.]]> We've shipped! tag:adam.theficus.com,2007://2.2857 2007-08-26T02:48:25Z 2007-08-26T03:00:09Z Bill Anderson, one of the lead program managers just announced on his blog that the product I've spent the last 2 years working on just went gold. Right on schedule, too. The last week was a whirlwind of craziness wrapping everything up, and it sure felt nice to end the week on a positive note. I came into the product team a few months before the Beta 1 release shipped, and it's been really being a part of seeing the product progress from that point to what was signed off on yesterday. Yay.... Adam "rampage" Meltzer http://adam.theficus.com the product I've spent the last 2 years working on just went gold. Right on schedule, too. The last week was a whirlwind of craziness wrapping everything up, and it sure felt nice to end the week on a positive note. I came into the product team a few months before the Beta 1 release shipped, and it's been really being a part of seeing the product progress from that point to what was signed off on yesterday. Yay.]]> Things that make you go, "huh?" tag:adam.theficus.com,2007://2.2856 2007-08-23T04:45:02Z 2007-08-23T04:50:48Z I've seen plenty of crazy errors before, such as these two that made the DailyWTF a while back. But this one really made me scratch my head... Text: --------------------------- Remote Desktop Disconnected --------------------------- This computer can't connect to the remote computer because an error occurred on the remote computer that you want to connect to. Contact your network administrator --------------------------- OK Help --------------------------- Screencap: Well.... alrighty then!... Adam "rampage" Meltzer http://adam.theficus.com these two that made the DailyWTF a while back. But this one really made me scratch my head... Text: --------------------------- Remote Desktop Disconnected --------------------------- This computer can't connect to the remote computer because an error occurred on the remote computer that you want to connect to. Contact your network administrator --------------------------- OK Help --------------------------- Screencap: Well.... alrighty then!]]> Test tag:adam.theficus.com,2007://2.2855 2007-08-16T05:13:42Z 2007-08-17T01:33:52Z Testing MT 4.0 Update: Guess it works.... Update #2: Fixed comments. Now I just need to fix this funky-ass stylesheet.... Adam "rampage" Meltzer http://adam.theficus.com Testing MT 4.0 Update: Guess it works.... Update #2: Fixed comments. Now I just need to fix this funky-ass stylesheet. Shadow is now famous! tag:adam.theficus.com,2007://2.2854 2007-08-15T02:46:18Z 2007-08-15T02:50:00Z We all knew that Shadow was big. But, now it looks like he's big time. Thanks, Cute Overload!... Adam "rampage" Meltzer http://adam.theficus.com Shadow was big. But, now it looks like he's big time. Thanks, Cute Overload! ]]> ... tag:adam.theficus.com,2007://2.2849 2007-07-20T16:43:47Z 2007-08-17T00:47:31Z It was weird enough seeing an album cover with me on it a few years back, but now I get an e-mail from my sister and find out my parents have become corporate media darlings (I say that in the kindest of ways). 40 years too late, mind you. Click through the picture for the actual story..... Adam "rampage" Meltzer http://adam.theficus.com album cover with me on it a few years back, but now I get an e-mail from my sister and find out my parents have become corporate media darlings (I say that in the kindest of ways). 40 years too late, mind you. Click through the picture for the actual story..]]> Custom Wired Cover tag:adam.theficus.com,2007://2.2848 2007-07-19T21:37:42Z 2007-07-19T21:37:47Z Custom Wired Cover Originally uploaded by rampage. I jumped on the invitation to create a custom Wired cover as part of their recent Xerox promotion. After keeping this secret from Leslie for months, here's what I ended up with when the July 2007 issue arrived.... http://adam.theficus.com Custom Wired Cover Originally uploaded by rampage. I jumped on the invitation to create a custom Wired cover as part of their recent Xerox promotion. After keeping this secret from Leslie for months, here's what I ended up with when the July 2007 issue arrived.]]> Awesome eBay find tag:adam.theficus.com,2007://2.2844 2007-07-08T17:25:45Z 2007-07-08T17:25:50Z Awesome eBay find Originally uploaded by rampage. This was a great eBay find. Seo Taiji stuff is really hard to find, and being able to find a long since out of print and in pretty good shape copy of the original Seo Taiji and Boys album was awesome!... http://adam.theficus.com Awesome eBay find Originally uploaded by rampage. This was a great eBay find. Seo Taiji stuff is really hard to find, and being able to find a long since out of print and in pretty good shape copy of the original Seo Taiji and Boys album was awesome!]]> What I've been working on... tag:adam.theficus.com,2007://2.2843 2007-07-08T01:13:17Z 2007-07-08T17:24:42Z It seems like the last couple of years I've been holed away in my office slaving behind a computer. I've spent so much time working on this software I kind of took for granted that we're shipping a product that people are excited about. It was really cool to see the product I've been working on featured in an article, and on the cover of Windows IT Pro magazine. Some of the features in particular that were highlighted from the mundane stuff like the new setup application to the new hotness like Internet-based Client Management, and native mode, and before that, Network Access Protection are feature areas I've become very intimate with in my time with this product team. To see press coverage about them is really neat. It just goes to show that there really are people who use this product and it makes me more excited than ever to finally get it out the door. Link is here: Windows IT Pro article on ConfigMgr 2007. Update: Looks like the link requires a subscription. Sorry. :(... Adam "rampage" Meltzer http://adam.theficus.com an article, and on the cover of Windows IT Pro magazine. Some of the features in particular that were highlighted from the mundane stuff like the new setup application to the new hotness like Internet-based Client Management, and native mode, and before that, Network Access Protection are feature areas I've become very intimate with in my time with this product team. To see press coverage about them is really neat. It just goes to show that there really are people who use this product and it makes me more excited than ever to finally get it out the door. Link is here: Windows IT Pro article on ConfigMgr 2007. Update: Looks like the link requires a subscription. Sorry. :( ]]> So this is what it's like to ship a product.. tag:adam.theficus.com,2006://2.2764 2006-08-18T03:57:18Z 2006-08-18T06:02:40Z Here's a clue as to why I haven't been writing often. Working well into the evenings? Check. Working through the weekend? Check. Having to work late on my Birthday? Check. Wondering what the hell I've gotten myself into? Check. The push to get the next beta of the product going has been a ridiculous amount of work, and it shows no signs of letting up. But, I can't say that my job is not fulfilling, and I work with some great people. It's cool being passionate about your job rather than just doing stuff. I've been with this group for almost a year now, and thus far it's been great, and a real challenge. Nobody ever said working on a product team would be easy, though.... Adam "rampage" Meltzer http://adam.theficus.com Here's a clue as to why I haven't been writing often. Working well into the evenings? Check. Working through the weekend? Check. Having to work late on my Birthday? Check. Wondering what the hell I've gotten myself into? Check. The push to get the next beta of the product going has been a ridiculous amount of work, and it shows no signs of letting up. But, I can't say that my job is not fulfilling, and I work with some great people. It's cool being passionate about your job rather than just doing stuff. I've been with this group for almost a year now, and thus far it's been great, and a real challenge. Nobody ever said working on a product team would be easy, though. How To Find Me.. tag:adam.theficus.com,2006://2.2761 2006-08-08T04:17:29Z 2007-07-21T04:18:49Z So, yeah, I know I haven't updated in forever. It's not that I've been dead or anything, I've just been busy. But, if you need to get a hold of me, there's plenty of ways to find me and keep in touch. You can find me on MySpace You can find me on Flickr You can find me on Vox You can find me on Delicious You can find me on LinkedIn You can find me on MSN Messenger (use my e-mail address) You can find me on AIM (theCrufty1) You can find me on my Wii (8750 4773 9605 7645) You can find me on the Playstation Network (use my e-mail address) So, I'm not dead. I just haven't updated this site in a while. But if you need to find me, you can. Edit: Added Wii code and Playstation Network Edit: Added LinkedIn... Adam "rampage" Meltzer http://adam.theficus.com MySpace You can find me on Flickr You can find me on Vox You can find me on Delicious You can find me on LinkedIn You can find me on MSN Messenger (use my e-mail address) You can find me on AIM (theCrufty1) You can find me on my Wii (8750 4773 9605 7645) You can find me on the Playstation Network (use my e-mail address) So, I'm not dead. I just haven't updated this site in a while. But if you need to find me, you can. Edit: Added Wii code and Playstation Network Edit: Added LinkedIn]]> Saying Goodbye to an Old Friend tag:adam.theficus.com,2006://2.2717 2006-05-11T04:45:33Z 2006-05-14T20:07:43Z In October of 1997 I bought my second car, a 1968 Pontiac Firebird 400. This week, I sold it to somebody else. I bought it as an ugly, puke green, rusted up beater.. ..but, it could smoke the tires up and down the block. After several years, I had all the body damage fixed up nicely, had the car painted a much more attractive black metallic, spent countless hours rewiring the electricals, working on the motor, and making it much nicer. I even had it transpored here up to Washington when I moved. Living in an apartment complex with no tolerance for car work, my car needing maintenance, and not having any chance to drive it or keep it in good shape. I made the decision to sell. After listing, it didn't take long to find a buyer, and now my muscle car is gone. On the one hand, I'm sad, but on the other hand, not so much. The new owner will take good care of it, and I have one less attachment, which is always nice. But, I will still miss it.... Adam "rampage" Meltzer http://adam.theficus.com ..but, it could smoke the tires up and down the block. After several years, I had all the body damage fixed up nicely, had the car painted a much more attractive black metallic, spent countless hours rewiring the electricals, working on the motor, and making it much nicer. I even had it transpored here up to Washington when I moved. Living in an apartment complex with no tolerance for car work, my car needing maintenance, and not having any chance to drive it or keep it in good shape. I made the decision to sell. After listing, it didn't take long to find a buyer, and now my muscle car is gone. On the one hand, I'm sad, but on the other hand, not so much. The new owner will take good care of it, and I have one less attachment, which is always nice. But, I will still miss it.]]> Putting the Fun in Falun Gong tag:adam.theficus.com,2006://2.2703 2006-04-19T02:10:17Z 2006-04-19T04:37:13Z I heard about it only last Friday. The President of China would be coming here to Microsoft on the first leg of his United States visit. Yesterday it all began. There were helicopters everywhere and police cars at every corner. Apparently, Dick Cheney was at the Mariott and there were people talking about snipers on the roof. Yesterday afternoon there were already Falun Gong protesters standing at the corner of the busy intersection right outside of One Microsoft Way. Today at around Noon, I decided to take a walk down to Building 33 where President Hu and his entourage would be arriving to see what was going on over there. They already had the area cordoned off by the time I arrived there. Everything from the sidewalks to the curb was taped or barricaded off so I had to walk through the grass to get anywhere. Nobody knew when Hu would arrive, but a Seattle PI photographer I talked to said it would be sometime around 4, and that in a couple of hours the Secret Service would arrive to clear the area and place tour busses to block areas. There were several Falun Gong protesters sitting inside a barricade of orange plastic mesh doing exercises and holding signs. Outside of Building 33 there were huge banners hung over the side of the building, and the Microsoft flag was replaced with the Chinese flag. More pictures at my Flickr photo stream. Things were pretty quiet despite all of the protestor activity and I was getting sunburned, so I walked back to my office and ended up getting stuck in meetings for the rest of the afternoon. As Leslie and I were eating dinner at Blue Ginger, I saw lots of helicopters pretty much ensuring that the entourage was at Microsoft doing their entourage stuff. As we were driving back home on 520, we saw the motorcade going down Westbound 520 heading to Bill's house for some rhubarb brown butter almond cake, no doubt.... Adam "rampage" Meltzer http://adam.theficus.com The President of China would be coming here to Microsoft on the first leg of his United States visit. Yesterday it all began. There were helicopters everywhere and police cars at every corner. Apparently, Dick Cheney was at the Mariott and there were people talking about snipers on the roof. Yesterday afternoon there were already Falun Gong protesters standing at the corner of the busy intersection right outside of One Microsoft Way. Today at around Noon, I decided to take a walk down to Building 33 where President Hu and his entourage would be arriving to see what was going on over there. They already had the area cordoned off by the time I arrived there. Everything from the sidewalks to the curb was taped or barricaded off so I had to walk through the grass to get anywhere. Nobody knew when Hu would arrive, but a Seattle PI photographer I talked to said it would be sometime around 4, and that in a couple of hours the Secret Service would arrive to clear the area and place tour busses to block areas. There were several Falun Gong protesters sitting inside a barricade of orange plastic mesh doing exercises and holding signs. Outside of Building 33 there were huge banners hung over the side of the building, and the Microsoft flag was replaced with the Chinese flag. More pictures at my Flickr photo stream. Things were pretty quiet despite all of the protestor activity and I was getting sunburned, so I walked back to my office and ended up getting stuck in meetings for the rest of the afternoon. As Leslie and I were eating dinner at Blue Ginger, I saw lots of helicopters pretty much ensuring that the entourage was at Microsoft doing their entourage stuff. As we were driving back home on 520, we saw the motorcade going down Westbound 520 heading to Bill's house for some rhubarb brown butter almond cake, no doubt.]]>