Yah.

It was a pleasure to get into some ActionScript 3 coding over the past couple of days. Ahh, the joys of debugging. But well worth the effort.

I created a URLRequest object, which loaded an external .swf file into a MovieClip instance and then used event handler functions.

Dynamic resizing of the clip to the stage and looping of video were achieved. I’m not yet sure if and when I’ll package the work into its own class, but for now, problem solved. Much ugly hacking going on. On to the next….

Music Publishers Now Suing Lyrics Sites And Their Execs | Techdirt.  I was wondering if and when this was going t happen.  My feelings are mixed.  Songwriters should be compensated, and this is another way for their work to be copied, and pirated.  These lyric sites *are* making money on the backs of songwriters, and the material is part of a copyright.

However, I think this is just another desperate attempt on the part of publishers to recover from the deterioration of their revenues.  And how productive will this really be?  It’ll be another public relations disaster, and fans will be even more resentful.

Being a songwriter, I’m heartbroken that technology has made it so easy for folks to use this hard work without any compensation to the creators; but as mentioned in this article, this is an ideal way for a fan to get to know the artist and writer.  This could result in sales down the road.  I wish there was an easy answer.  And above all I wish that the songwriters could have their livelihoods preserved.

There’s a solution somewhere, right?

Got the new Posterous account going, giving it a test drive.  Thanks for the help Sachin.

Posted via web from webalong’s posterous

Back in the year 2000, we thought things were strange.  This song documents those days.  I wrote it with my pal Rachel Owen.  Some of our inspiration came from folks at a Halloween Party.

Podcast: Play in new window

According to research, which was carried out by the University of Hertfordshire on behalf of the music body, 75 percent of teens also admitted to sending digital music files by e-mail, Bluetooth, Skype, or MSN to friends and family, while 86 percent revealed that had copied CDs for friends.

I don’t understand this, but I guess I’m an old guy, an alien of sorts.  And I guess I’m biased being a songwriter & recording artist.  So many hate DRM, feel it is an invasion–yet what about the invasion on the rights of the copyright holders?

That’s the disadvantage of the intangible asset.  The ease of duplication, just about cost-free duplication.  How in the world do you control this?  RIAA tried to get in and re-educate, intimidate.  I think the winners, like Kenny Chesney, get in and flat-out get the fans fanatical.  Then the tangible, yet ancillary merchandise gets purchased.  Then again, I wonder who tracks piracy of logo/brand on t-shirts and so on.

One of the side effects of our technofied world.  But the losses for the rights holders are anything but virtual.  : (

Forever we’ll be wondering who’s running things.  Oh yes, the political, the religious elements of a dialogue like that would heat up quickly.

Maybe the secret is this:  you are.

Well I guess I needed to fill up some spare space on my hard drive. Downloaded Google Apps Engine API, Python, and the FF API. Brain will be further fried shortly.

Has anyone seen this recently? I don’t know if it’s occurred because of new Google Reader features rolling in quickly, but I can no longer access my full list of Folders in my Feed Settings area. So now that I wish to categorize Dave Winer’s fine rsscloud feed, I cannot assign it to a folder in this manner. Anyone experiencing this?

Interestingly enough, when I used a screensnap, the entire list seems to be appearing in the image (as shown here — but it’s inaccessable in the browser – repeated in ie, safari, firefox).  This bug’s repeatable with the add-on disabled.

WordPress Security Release Issued

A serious WordPress vulnerability has been discovered and fixed. Patch away, patch away if you happen to host your own WP!  Article with upgrade link here.  Methinks applying the patch would be a good idea….

I’m enjoying the WordPress community and the chance to do some PHP/CSS customization and more.

Facebook Buys Friendfeed and I cringe--maybe

So many are a wonderin’… is this Facebook acquisition a good thing? Such debate, posting, anger, loathing, celebration.

To my best recollection, I heard about FriendFeed through a Robert Scoble post. It’s been too darned long to determine where I had first heard of the Scobleizer–but ever since first read, he got me hooked.  The second FriendFeed loaded in my browser, it was clear that something outstanding was filling the screen–my whole MacBook Pro widescreen that is (not the 1000px or so version we’ve got now)–and quickly FF was the site of choice to get the best word from what I viewed as forward thinking technical thinkers.

Facebook is stellar.  What a staggering platform, community, web universe so to speak.  The clean interface helps a lot.  To have FriendFeed play a role in the improvement of Facebook is a welcome development.  Yes, the tech minds may be diverted to efforts not exactly in line with what we fans have been used to, but innovation is guaranteed here.  I am hopeful that improvement will happen for many, shall we say, stakeholders.

It’s a mixed bag.  FriendFeed will make Facebook better.  Look what FriendFeed’s done for many folks.  It’s been a vehicle for sharing, for enthusiasm, for meaningful and not so meaningful dialogue, entertainment, amazement, and a clear glance at how we will telecommunicate for years to come.  And the tele- seems to become transparent through all of this.  We’re no longer waiting for interaction.  This is programming to create programming.  This is infinite nested creativity.  And it will work for the good of all of us.

Yeah, I ramble a bit.  I’ll miss the old FriendFeed; but I’m eager to experience what dynamic content will blow me away in the very near future.  Onward and upward!