Celeste's Breadbox

sudoku junkie

I like puzzles. Logic puzzles even more so. So I was instantly hooked on Sudoku. And I'm happy that I'm not alone.

Play web Sudoku, and you'll be hooked, too.

Bushtits!

Ask any of my friends what my favorite bird is, and they'll tell you: bushtits. They're not the most glamorous birds. Sibley calls them "disheveled-looking balls of fluff." They're so small that most people don't even notice them, despite their constant chipping, tweeting communications. What makes them so fascintating, and ridiculously cute, is their social nature. They often travel in huge flocks, 40-some birds, and when they move from tree to tree they'll go in batches, a few at time, talking to each other all the while. They're also amazing insect controllers, cleaning all the aphids and other nasties off any branch they land on, often hanging upside-down to get under leaves. And since they're so small, they can land on the thinnest of stalks.

One thing that all the field guides mention that I'd never seen was the flocks huddling together for warmth and preening each other. I always thought my head would explode from the sheer cuteness of such a gathering. And today, it finally happened. My resident flock converged in the bamboo, beak to tail. From my count there were between 25 and 30 of them. And they stuck around like that long enough for me to get some pictures.

(click for the larger image)

If it ain't broke...

I've been running SETI@home since about the beginnning. I've used it on work computers, home computers, just about anywhere I've had admin privileges to install it. When it first came out it won all sorts of interface awards, and Information Design guru Edward Tufte was always holding it up as a great example of scientific display. It had never (well, rarely) caused me any difficulties, and it's been so low maintenance that I never even thought to check if there was a new version.

Then, I heard that my work units from my old screensavers weren't going to be counted anymore, and I had to download the new version, part of a project called "BOINC." Since BOINC also allows you to participate in other distributed computing projects at the same time, I figured it was worth a try. Only to discover that this new program ruins everything that was so great about the original (or as they call it, "classic") application. The screen display is chunky, too invasive, and just plain ugly. When it displays at all, most of the time I just get a message saying it's not in screensaver mode (whatever that means). Configuration is awkward and poorly documented, and the application doesn't even acknowlege the 6 years worth of work units I've submitted. The only positive thing I can say about it is that it does seem to calculate faster than the old version.

Reading through their forums I see that I'm not the only "classic" user with these complaints. So I wonder, why is it that so many software developers seem to be so ignorant of what makes a good GUI? It's not like it's a new art, and in this case they were starting from something that was already at a high point of design and they've regressed.

I'm disappointed, and a little sad. I've lived with and loved the old display, in all its Trekkiness, for so long, and I'm going to sorely miss it.

Flickr cult

Well, I finally did it, I joined the cult of Flickr and put some of by better digital photos up there. (See my new badge in the sidebar) I found, though, that really all my best images were taken with film, and I just don't have the time to scan and upload any of those right now. And plus, I think the main intention of Flickr is for truly digital images. But I really do have some good film photos, so I might have to violate the unwritten protocol.

So far my favorite thing about Flickr is being able to see what cameras people are using for particular images. The bird groups in particular are providing more digital camera shopping advice than any on-line reviews ever will. I love my film camera, and will probably buy a better telephoto for it before I spend that much cash on a Digital SLR, telephoto, and the ubuquitous but outrageously expensive Swarovski scope, but it's got me dreaming.

You can see my Flickr photos at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/cramsay23, or check the badge for some random images.