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Strip 422, Volume 3, Page 96

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< Piro >

that other site...

"reverse googling"

Thursday - June 12, 2003

[Piro] - 00:55:03 - [link here]

As you may have noticed, there has been little information released regarding Megatokyo Book 2 by either me or IC entertainment in recent weeks. I would first like to apologize for the lack of information regarding the book, especially to those of you who have pre-ordered it. IC entertainment and I will be making an announcement next week regarding Book 2, so please bear with us. Also, if you are having any difficulties in receiving your copy of Megatokyo Book 1, IC Entertainment has set up a special email address, mt-orders@ic-ent.com, to handle your inquiries.

One of the more unusual benefits of having a website that seems to attract a lot of readers is that when you mention your dismal lack of knowledge about something, you get a lot of very helpful, informative emails that help fill in the gaps in your knowledge. It's sorta like this weird Reverse Google reflex - I toss out the fact that I have no clue about something and a myriad of information laden emails float into my mailbox. I feel sorta guilty, as if I didn't go to the proper amount of effort to learn some of the info I've absorbed in the past few days.

For example, I was very surprised by some of the very informative and enlightening emails I received regarding digital video. I now have a much better understanding of how much of it works, why some things work and other things don't, a lot of history and how this history has helped shape some of the problems we have today. :P I received some rather interesting emails about coding and programming. I received a lot of really interesting advice from other mac users, some of which has already proven to be really useful (even silly things, like holding down the 'option' key when selecting another program will 'hide' the program you just left).

Some specific things I've learned... tons of hints regarding the playback of AVI files (a very interesting history of the differences between the Mac and Windows platform), a 'duh' moment for me about the 'attach inputline to channel windows' item in IRCle. Another 'duh' moment on the correct way to use the bundled Graphic Converter software. Several tutorials on how to install Fink and experiment with the wide variety of open source software available (and some of the specifics as to how that works with OSX). Also, a lot of software recommendations that I am still experimenting with. Yes, I know about Opera. I didn't know about Mozilla Firebird.

So, in short, I'd like to thank everyone who emailed me ideas, explanations, solutions, 'me too's, 'I dun have a freakin clue' and in particular the 'we're working on it' emails. Thanks mucho : )

Finally, one of the most often asked questions I get at anime cons is if I've brought any shirts or posters to sell. Most of the time, I don't - trying to handle merchandise is a bigger pain than most of you realize. Yet it would be nice to have stuff at the cons, so I've teamed up with Wizzywig Collectables who will now be offering Megatokyo shirts, posters and other stuff at conventions. You will find Wizzywig at their next stop at Fanime from June 20th to the 22nd In Santa Clara, California. They won't have any MT shirts in time for Fanime, but they will have some posters and books. :)

This month is like a little breather. Trying to balance all the travel and other junk in the next few months is gonna be... an interesting challenge. :P More info on what my convention and travel schedule looks like next week.

< Dom >

Wheeeeee

"That's a good muffin"

Thursday - June 12, 2003

[Dom] - 22:30:00 - [link here]

I'm not completely DVD ignorant. I own enough, having been a film student for a while and now being a part-time reviewer. But still, when my roommate said the words "Superbit" and "Adaptation" in the same sentence, I cocked my head and asked him what the hell he was talking about.

See, Superbit is this nifty little marketing word that means "hey, look, we dedicated every bit of this disc to making the video and audio look as good as possible". While Adaptation is this movie that consists of Nicolas Cage mumbling to himself for about an hour and a half.

Now, don't get me wrong. I absolutely love Adaptation. My old film professor (Bless her soul) invited me to a screening of it last October, maybe earlier than that. And I got to ask a few questions of Charlie Kaufman and Spike Jonze, and I was one fricking happy camper. Ask me about Adaptation, and I can probably give you entire lectures about its ironies and formulaic breaking of the formula. Hell, I'm going to be sitting in a little lecture hall on the night of the 24th just so I can hear my old prof talk about it for two hours.

But SUPERBIT? For a simple little thing like Adaptation? What kind of "mind-blowing audio and video experience" can you get from Nicolas Cage singing "So Happy Together" off-key? Or from his neurotic little monologues? It just seems really pointless. I mean, think of all the cool things you could have on a normal Adaptation DVD. Sure, the whole thing is a Charlie Kaufman commentary track, but still, wouldn't it be nice to have Spike and Charlie just talk? Some interviews, or... well... ANY sort of extra?

It's such a waste of disc space, really. All these opportunities to please fans of the actual movie, instead of fans of video... but noooooo.

Sigh.

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