Pinterest has Ruined the Internet

I am SO sick of Pinterest ruining every internet search I conduct.

I often find that a search for a given term will return hundreds of “re-pins” from morons posting the same photo (or topic) over and over again.

I am almost to the point of creating a plug-in that automatically removes Pinterest from ALL internet searches, but for now I end up just typing “-site:pinterest.com” at the end of just about every search I make on Google.

However, even this will allow Pinterest in OTHER COUNTRIES to ruin your search, so the better search modifier would actually be: -site:pinterest.*  (note the wildcard asterisk).  Thanks for suggesting, Lea!

Hope this helps someone else out there with their frustration of Pinterest littering their search returns with useless garbage.

-site:pinterest.*

-site:pinterest.com

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Will Side Scrolling Save MySpace?

I’ve been getting like 10 annoying e-mails from MySpace every day. (“Check out _______'s new profile on Myspace”)

I’ve been treating them as spam, but finally today I did some Googling to figure out what the heck is going on.  One of the first things I found was this article on Forbes from back in January.

I vaguely remember some nonsense about Justin Timberlake (and Specific Media Group) purchasing MySpace for millions of dollars (turns out 35) back in 2011.  I guess they’ve finally put their ducks in a row and it’s time to show the neighbors.

So it’s no big secret that MySpace totally screwed the pooch on harnessing the advent of social media.  They could have ruled the world, and instead “Tom” stood with his dick in his hand watching Facebook cruise on by with billions of dollars whirling in the wake.

Perhaps MySpace will fall on its face again, unable to recover from a folly of such magnitude, but perhaps this is their chance at redemption.  We’ll see if the magic of JT can reach beyond SNL and revive another dying (dead?) media giant.

The new MySpace focuses almost entirely on music.  Not a bad idea, and definitely a great place for JT to test his powers.  There is a player at the bottom of the page that is always there.  If your looking at MySpace pages, you’re supposed to playing browser based music.  We’ll see.  It’s at least better than the abysmal service that is Sound Cloud (I know… maybe I’m just too out of touch to “get” Sound Cloud, but so far I haven’t been impressed; maybe I’m “doing it wrong”).

But here’s where it’s REALLY at [eye roll]: I have always like side scrolling, and it’s seemed to have been widely overlooked over the years by the vast majority of web design.  Not any more!  MySpace is all about the side scroll.  But will it be enough to resurrect the deadest thing still on the internet?

I guess time will tell.

Meanwhile, I took a few minutes to dust off a couple of my old MySpace pages (that I literally haven’t visited in YEARS!).

http://myspace.com/DanBeahm

http://myspace.com/CatsorCars

http://myspace.com/db3

I still need to poke around a bit more to see if MySpace seems to be exciting/interesting enough to garner any of my precious internet time. So far it seems to be nothing like Facebook, so things look promising.

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Buying Glasses Online

I don’t necessarily love having to wear glasses, but I do love spectacle fashion.  However, I’m a sensible boy, and dropping $500 on a pair of specs is not really feasible.

I’m also not a fan of most chain glasses places.  The past four or five times I’ve gone into a store here in Colorado (Lens Crafters, Pearle Vision, etc.) to try on frames, the counter is manned by some sort of quasi-meth head, frantically pushing $800 Tag Heur frames, even though I tell them 10 or 20 times I’m not interested.  Seriously, where do they find these people?  And do they get NO training in sales?  It’s like they’re TRYING to piss you off.

The last pair of glasses I purchased from a chain was a great pair of Versace Versus from a LensCrafters in a mall in IL.   I was able to actually purchase in a store because we had great Vision Coverage on our insurance plan at the time.  It’s been a while since I’ve had that luxury. The sales guy was knowledgeable and friendly.  He wasn’t pushy.  He took my face measurements and ordered frames with temples that were actually the length I needed (as opposed to simply “the way the come” like all the discount places: Costco and anything online), and when the frames arrived, he spent a decent amount of time adjusting them to my face and making sure they fit correctly.

I am willing to spend extra to get that kind of treatment, but I’m not willing to spend $300 or more on a pair of glasses when the sales person is an idiot (the past four or five times I’ve gone into a place).

I did purchase a couple of pairs of glasses at Costco before going the online route, and while they were considerably cheaper (around $120 for frames and lenses), they didn’t fit quite right, especially in the temple length.  I asked the lady behind the counter about it, and she said something like, “Yep, that’s what happens when you order from a warehouse.  The prices are lower, but you get what’s in stock, not necessarily what you need.”

So if I’m buying from a warehouse where I can’t get the frames at least “semi-customized” to fit my face, I might as well really be getting a discount, thus I turned to the internet…

Zenni Optical

Zenni has a great selection of promising frames starting at around $6.95.  I found that most of the frames I wanted were in the $12.95 to $15.95 range.  They advertise free lenses, but of course the lens "options” (higher index, anti-reflective coating, better anti-scratch coating), quickly ad up.

My first pair of frames came to $28.85 delivered.  That was frames ($9.95), an upgrade to 1.59 index Polycarbonate lenses ($9), anti-reflective coating ($4.95), and delivery ($4.95).

The temple on these were too long, and there was no internal metal rod in the temple piece, so I couldn’t really adjust them to fit around the back of my ear (the temples don’t bend and stay put).  They didn’t fit quite right, and usually started hurting after about an hour or two.

I had upgraded to the higher index Polycarbonate lens (a $9 upgrade), but I’ve since found out from a representative at Zenni that Polycarbonate is actually a softer material (than regular plastic), and thus scratches more easily.  I found that out the hard way; my glasses were seriously scratched… by a baby (seriously).

Not only did the lenses scratch, but the frames broke at the top of the left lens after about 9 months of light use (since they hurt after an hour or two, I only wore them when going out).

The second pair of frames I purchased from Zenni were intended for everyday use at the computer.  I wanted the lightest frames/lenses I could get, so I ordered a pair of “memory titanium” frames with “frameless” lenses.

I don’t know where they’re mining their titanium, but if it is actually titanium, they must add egg shells to it, because these frames broke not once, but twice, in the exact same place (the bridge… by simply taking them off my head).  Last time I checked, titanium is INCREDIBLY strong, so either I’m the Incredible Hulk, or they’re lying about the frames being made of titanium.

When the first pair snapped at the bridge, I wrote Zenni, and after some back and forth (it took some effort), they finally agreed to put the original lenses I purchased in a new pair of frames… but they insisted I pay for the new frames!!!  So I sent the broken glasses back (at my shipping cost BOTH directions), but when I received the new frames back, the lenses were scratched and extremely spidered at the edges.  When I wrote to report the problem, they said this happened when they put the old lenses in the new frames.  Oh, really?  Duh.  When else would it have happened…?  And why in the WORLD would you think this makes it acceptable?!  I’m supposed to just go, “Oh, OK, my bad.  I’ll just wear them damaged since it happened while you were installing them.” [blank stare]

So at this point, I had paid for a second set of frames that I was now using with ridiculously damaged lenses (luckily the damage was just around the edges, so I could still see through the center).  No matter though, since the frames broke AGAIN in the exact same place (the bridge) after around two months of light use (I wasn’t wearing them except for at the computer since the lenses were embarrassingly scratched and cracked).

I got on the Zenni site to leave a review warning potential buyers about the faulty material of the frames.  Obviously this wasn’t titanium since it kept breaking at the bridge so easily (exact same place, twice, when simply taking the glasses off).

After leaving my review, I was contacted by Brandon at Zenni who offered to send a replacement pair of glasses (lenses and frames at no cost).  Why now?  Why did I have to go through all that after reporting the problem directly to the company in the first place (vs. finally getting a decent response by writing a negative review on the website)?!

Funny (not really) thing is, they never posted the review I wrote.  That seems extremely shady to me, especially since I was trying to let users know about a very consistent problem with the material of these particular frames. For posterity, here’s my original review (that they still haven’t “allowed” on their site):

I purchased these frames as a lightweight option for everyday wear while I work at the computer. I was excited by the "titanium memory" bridge.  I wore them for a week before they snapped right in the middle of the bridge when taking them off one night!  After some back and forth with Zenni, they agreed to put my old lenses in a new frame (but they made me buy new frames!). Well, since these are half-rim lenses, the lenses were all scratched and spidered around the edges when I got them back. They said it couldn't be helped and they wouldn't correct their mistake. HORRIBLE SERVICE in this regard.  Not only that, but about two weeks later I took off my glasses and... THEY SNAPPED AGAIN IN THE EXACT SAME PLACE (right in the middle of the "titanium" bridge)!!!  So... these frames are NOT titanium, and they WILL break easily. I'm not rough on my glasses, and I broke TWO PAIRS of these in the exact same way... simply by taking them off.

When Zenni contacted me to make reparations, I was in the process of giving them one last try.  I purchased a pair of $12.95 frames, #828415, similar to the very first ones I purchased (I’m a sucker for the little cowboy stars on the temple and front corners), except these have adjustable temple pieces (the metal rod that runs through the temple so you can bend them around your ear and they stay in place), and the only “upgrade” I made was purchasing the anti-reflection coating ($4.95).  I chose the 1.57 mid-index lens which is “free.”  With the $4.95 for shipping, my total cost was $22.85.  So far so good.  The lenses seem to be positioned correctly, and the frames are more comfortable than the previous ones I had purchased.  These are currently my everyday glasses.

So now I have a credit at Zenni, and at some point soon (before my six month time limit is up), I will choose another pair of Zenni glasses.  Hopefully the endeavor will be a success, but my initial experiences have taught me that with Zenni it’s kind of a crapshoot.

[Update] After nearly a month of back and forth, I should be receiving my replacement glasses soon.  I decided to give “rimless” frames one more shot (they are just SO light and nice to wear while working at the computer).  I had been issued a credit in the amount of the total price of the frame/lenses that originally broke (but not a credit for any of the shipping I had to keep paying for in the correction process).  I chose frames that cost a little less, so I could get the new shipping covered.  However, when checking out, the remainder of the balance was never able to be applied to the shipping (thus I was going to be paying money again for shipping).  I was not willing to give Zenni any more money for the exchange on these glasses, so I spent some time writing back and forth with Zenni, first with Brandon, and then with Michael.  Michael really worked to get things straight.  Though it was annoying that it was taking so long, he really was trying to get me what I needed (the new replacement frames/lenses AND shipping at no cost to me).  Michael notified me that he had adjusted my coupon to an amount that would accommodate the frames/lenses and shipping.  However, when I tried, it still wasn’t working.

Finally, after a couple more days of e-mail and frustration, I received a phone call from Michael –-an actual person here in the U.S.  Turns out he is the Asst. Manager of Customer Relations, and a really nice guy.  We discussed the situation, and he promised he would take care of everything immediately.  After a couple more days of “try it nows” that didn’t work, he finally got things sorted out, and I assume the new frames/lenses are currently on their way to my house (I received an order confirmation e-mail, so…).

I was surprised by this final level of personal attention.  It was great to receive an actual phone call from the company, but it was a LONG time coming after a LOT of effort and patience (and relative cost) on my part, so I’m not really sure what my final opinion is of Zenni.  I guess at the incredible discount over any chain store and even Costco’s prices, you have to expect to deal with some issues, so…

Website Usability: Navigating the Zenni website isn’t the easiest thing to do, but I do like that you can upload a picture of yourself and virtually “try on” different frames.  I wonder how accurate the sizing is, and you will likely spend some time finding a picture that works correctly with the system (a photo of your face that’s the right size and perfectly straight on).  However, it’s infuriating that they have a place to “save your prescription” since it doesn’t work… ever.  I’ve tried using the feature over and over again, but it’s never worked (it only imports part of your saved information, or it imports completely incorrect, seemingly random, information).  Thus, you have to input your entire prescription EVERY TIME you order a pair of glasses.  Not only that, but sometimes after you load your prescription in and hit the “order” button, instead of adding the order to your cart, it clears all the prescription fields and you have to enter all the information again.

Grade: C- (upgraded to a “C+” after personal phone call)

[UPDATE] My glasses (#804811 - rimless with memory titanium temples) arrived relatively quickly.  The lenses seem to be correct, and they are the most comfortable glasses I’ve ever owned.  Hopefully they last!

 

Warby Parker

Their website states: “Beautifully crafted eyewear for $95, including prescription lenses. For every pair sold, we distribute an additional pair to someone in need.”

Clearly aimed at hipsters (every frame is thick and clunky and the website was named after two obscure Kerouac characters (“I’m so cool I know Kerouac that you don’t!”)), these guys have a smaller selection than most other online retailers.  However, the quality of the materials (both lenses and frames) is CONSIDERABLY higher than their online competitors.

p.s. How did the hipster burn his mouth eating pizza? He ate it before it was cool.  Thanks, Miguel (who, incidentally, wears the Beckett frames in Matte Black –though he has 20/20 vision and doesn’t actually need glasses! [eye roll] Seriously.

Warby Parker’s lenses are good material (impact resistant, UV-proof polycarbonate), anti-reflective, and anti-scratch coated, and the sunglasses are all polarized.  You don’t have to “upgrade” to receive the good stuff; it’s just the way they are.  Here’s a link to the description of their materials on the Warby Parker website.

I love the fact that you can try frames on at home, but I’ve had some trouble with availability.  Often the frames I want to try aren’t available for home try-on.

After trying for several months, I finally got the selection I wanted, and these are the five pairs I tried on (the maximum number you can get at once for home try-on)…

(click image for webpage)

Beckett- Revolver Black Matte are probably my favorite style.  I really like the matte finish, and the taper of thickness of the temple pieces behind the ear make them very comfortable.  They are quite sturdy, and the five barrel titanium hinges rock (all Warby Parker glasses have these hinges).

(click image for webpage)

Huxley - Tennessee Whiskey (though “clear” are pictured) are my second favorite style and the best fit; plus they are available in clear, which is something I’ve been looking for since seeing Bruce Willis’s glasses in Moonrise Kingdom. [blush] I will probably order these in clear and also in RX Sunglasses (whiskey tortoise as seen above).

(click image for webpage)

Winston- Old Fashioned Fade (third favorite, but a little bigger (taller) than Becket and Huxley).  I love how they’re a little boxier, or more square, than what you typically see.

(click image for webpage)

Fillmore - Sandalwood Matte work for me, but they’re not a favorite (too round, I guess). Again though, I am loving the matte finish.

(click image for webpage)

Thatcher - Whiskey Tortoise are waaaaay too big, bordering on 90’s secretary glasses.  The photo doesn’t really convey this information, but believe me: they’re huge.

The Warby Parker webpage is a little annoying as far as navigation goes (long load times, strange paths you are forced to take to get where you’re going, etc.), and I did have trouble finding a couple of colors for certain frames (for instance, I didn’t realize you could “scroll horizontally” for more choices on the Huxley page and nearly missed my favorite pair of glasses!), but overall the web/navigation experience is fine.  I guess this should be expected for a smaller selection like Warby Parker’s.

Finally, unlike the other online giants, Warby Parker does have a few “showrooms” scattered around the nation, mostly in big metropolis type places, but also in Columbus, OH, oddly enough (though I think that location has a limited selection, which is funny since the selection is so limited to begin with).  So if you happen to live in a city with a showroom, you don’t have to go through the rigmarole of the “try on at home” experience to see which frames work for you!

Grade: B+

 

Goggles4U.com

Abysmal.  Just effing horrible.

When I was getting ready to give Zenni a final shot, I was looking for online coupons and discounts (I found none for Zenni) and stumbled upon this company.  They were running a special for “free frames, all you pay for is lenses!”  Since their lenses were only $6.95 and included anti-reflective coating, I decided to give them a shot and ordered three pairs for just over $20 delivered.

I actually love the frames I received (just cheap plastic, but one pair actually had spring hinges), but the lens centers (the focal points) are almost comically placed (it’d be funny if it weren’t going to actually RUIN my eye sight).  In one of the three frames that I purchased, the left lens was around 7mm low, and the right lens was nearly 8mm high… for a difference of 15mm in the focal center of each lens!  Not only that, but the pupilary distance was 8mm off from the measurement I had ordered.  In fact, all three pairs of glasses were incorrect as far as pupilary distance was concerned. One pair 3mm, one pair 5mm, and then the aforementioned 8mm pair!

All three pairs made my head swim when I put them on, so I took them to my eye doctor to have them checked out.  He couldn’t believe how off they were!  He was actually baffled by how they could screw up that bad.  He said it was like they were trying to make them wrong (‘cause how could you misalign things to that degree?!).

I contacted the company, and in an e-mail of somewhat broken English was told that they wanted to correct the problem (but they didn’t tell me how!).  I wrote them back and asked what they meant, and they said they would replace the glasses.  However, two of the three frames I had ordered were no longer available!  Not only that, they decided for some reason that they were only going to correct two of the three pairs.

I also had to recreate all my account information, because they had “updated their site,” which I assume is code for: “for some reason, your information has disappeared from our system.  Tough luck!” since the site still looks and functions exactly the same (i.e.: horribly).

So after searching for two replacement frames, I e-mailed back with my prescription and the frame numbers.  They wrote back that I would need to log back in and select “chat” after adding frames to my cart.  So I went through that horrible process again (my prescription was loaded and lost no less than four times while trying to add glasses to the cart) and finally got to the point where I could chat with a representative to complete the order.  That took another at LEAST 45 minutes (I finally had to find a physical copy of my prescription, scan it in, and upload it to the site).

I am certain that I will receive frames with lenses that are either the wrong prescription or the wrong pupilary distance.  Ugh.  I will never order from these guys again.

The website is just awful.  They have too much product to try and organize on a website (and they’ll only show you a maximum of 30 frames per page)!  Sometimes links open a pop-up, sometimes they open in a new window (absent of all navigation controls), any time you open a new window the incredibly annoying “do you want to chat?” box chases you around the screen, the filter selections almost always disappear after you look at a pair of glasses and you have to start all over with your selections, the same frames show up many multiple times in a single search… all told, just a really horrible web experience.

These guys carry a “normal” line that starts at $4.95 (and the frames at this price are surprisingly cool), but they also offer “designer glasses” like Nicolle Miller, D&G, etc. that range from $59.95 up into the $200-$300 range.  Can you imagine spending $300 on glasses only to receive glasses with the pupilary distance 10mm off and the lenses installed all wonky?!

I would not recommend this company, unless you’re into ruining your eyes, and in that case, why not just saw the bottom off some plastic bottles and tape them to your eye sockets?

I guess if you are aware of the risk, the prices are so ridiculously low and the selection so huge that you might still give them a shot, but be sure to have your optometrist check the glasses once you receive them so you don’t ruin your eyes (and be ready to just toss any incorrect glasses in the trash, as it’s not worth the effort to get them replaced by the company  –you’d still be ahead of the game regarding price, so it might be worth it).

Grade: F

[UPDATE] It’s been 16 days since I placed my order, and still the glasses have not shipped.  These guys suck worse than a giant suck machine.

Filter Bubbles:

The internet is bringing us closer together, right?  Breaking down walls, helping us live in harmony, helping us to understand people outside our environment and safety zones, etc., etc. Right?

Wrong.

It’s like The Offspring said: “You Gotta Keep ‘em Separated.”  I’m not going to go all conspiracy theory here, and suggest that “the powers that be” have a sinister motive for delivering filtered search results (outside of maximizing their advertising dollars), but the effect is the same.  Even though we may search the exact same terms as someone on the other side of the planet (or even just in a different income tax bracket or socio-political sphere), we live in separate worlds, and the algorithms and filters that deliver our search results and news feeds not only keep us separated but increase the rift.

Here is a fantastic TED Talk on the subject, delivered by Eli Pariser.

My buddy sent this to me back in May.  I decided to see what’s been happening, if anything, to fight this trend since Mr. Pariser gave his now (somewhat) famous presentation.

Turns out, not much. [frown] Google, Facebook, Bing, and just about everybody else are still working to feed you the information that is, well, you… and they are keeping you separated from those outside your bubble while doing it.  Boo, internet!  Boo!!!!

I did find this though…

DuckDuckGo.com claims to provide you with search results sans filtering.  You simply get what you search for.  Here’s a nice little presentation page on why they do what they do (basically, an illustrated recap of the TED Talk on Filter Bubbles by Mr. Pariser).

Go-Pass.com May Be Charging You More Than You Owe for Tolls

There are evidently two companies that control the tolls on Denver’s E-470.  Most of the road is controlled by ExpressToll.com, but the North West corner, called the Northwest Parkway, for some reason is controlled by a different company called Go-Pass.  Not only is this terribly inconvenient (having to have two different accounts and/or getting two different bills to pay tolls for simply driving in a circle –even on just one outing), but the real insult to injury is that it would seem Go-Pass likes to charge you for things that may not have transpired.

We picked someone up at the Denver airport and drove them to Boulder on E-470.  I received our bill from ExpressToll.com, logged on, and paid the $3.15.  There were no fees, and it was very simple (actually, the online billing system was screwed up and they kept trying to charge me $6.30 even though the bill was only for $3.15 so I had to call and get that sorted out, but that’s another story…).

A month later we received a bill from Go-Pass.  The toll was $3.20, yet the bill was for $4.55.  I’m sure they count on people going, “Meh, it’s only a couple of bucks,” but I called the number on my bill.

First of all, there is a $.15 processing fee.  Why in the world would this not be included in the toll?  Not only that, but there is a $.60 mailing fee.  Here’s the kicker though… they charged me two “mailing fees,” claiming to have already sent me one bill.

When I called to get this corrected, I think the person on the phone was rather surprised that I was complaining about $.60 (again, I think they make money off most people just saying, “Meh, it’s only $.60”).  I told her I had never received a previous bill.  She told me I had.  I asked if I was just supposed to believe her and accept her word as fact.  She said they keep very specific records.  So I asked her to prove it.  She put me on hold for quite a while, but when she came back she let me know that she had spoken to her supervisor, and when they looked it up it turns out that even though the bill had been generated, “for some reason” it hadn’t gone out.

WELL IMAGINE THAT.

I am so sick of companies nickel and diming me for fees and services, and then on top of that charging me for services that I DIDN’T RECEIVE, because they don’t think I’m paying attention.

I know most people don’t.  But the point of this post is: PAY ATTENTION… YOU’RE LIKELY GETTING SCREWED.

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Remove Attachments in Gmail to Conserve or Free Up Space

My Gmail account is currently nagging me with the message:

“You are almost out of space for your Gmail account. Once you run out of space, you will not be able to send or receive any emails until you delete some items. You can view our tips on reducing your email storage or purchase additional storage.”

Yes, I realize they give us a “free” service, but in turn, we basically turn over our entire online life for them to comb through and profit from.

So I ask: why is there no option to remove attachments from e-mails?  The ONLY way to get rid of an attachment is to get rid of the ENTIRE e-mail to which it is attached.  The current workaround is to forward the e-mail to yourself and un-tick the attached file, then choose “delete this e-mail” from the drop down menu to delete only the e-mail with the attachment (not the entire thread).  The e-mail will remain in the correct thread (albeit in the wrong order), so you can keep the text but get rid of the space-hogging attachment.

However, to do this with each and every attachment that I’ve received since February of 2007 (when I switched full-time from Thunderbird to Gmail) would take me WEEKS!

One can only assume that the THOUSANDS of requests being COMPLETELY IGNORED on the Google Suggestions site asking for this feature (simply delete attachments) is a thinly veiled attempt to make money by getting people to “purchase more storage.”  Not only does Google make a little scratch, but users are literally “more invested” and thus more likely to utilize and stay with the Google suite of cloud-based software.

However, now that I am up against this “near-the-end-of-my-storage-rope” predicament, I think the effect is the opposite of what Google is gambling on (the laziness of most users, and the likelihood of people just clicking and buying more storage).  I am more apt to re-evaluate how tied into Google I am.  Would I rather have Google own and control all my e-mail and it’s content, or should I considering moving back to a desktop-based e-mail system (that would still allow me online access via my hosting portal)?  Time to do some serious thinking about my communication and storage needs.

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Fixing Color Discrepancy when Displaying in HTML Browsers

 

Here’s something that can drive you nuts, but has a pretty simple fix.

Often when you create an image in Photoshop (or some other photo editor) and then lay it on a background in an HTML page, the color is just slightly off, and you can see the edge of where the picture meets the background.  Why can’t I get my gradient to fade into the background?!  Why do I see the edge of my image in Firefox?

Gradients in browsers are the worst (for so many reasons).  You think you’ve got it just right and your vignette or fade is going to disappear right into the background… and then it doesn’t.

Used to be when your colors didn’t match up in various web browsers, it was because you weren’t using websafe colors, or you were using jpegs instead of gifs (I’m betraying my age, here), but those day are pretty much gone, so that’s almost never it (though it still doesn’t hurt to start from websafe colors if a specific background hue isn’t ultra-critical; I still use websafe colors whenever I can).

Here’s the solution you’re looking for: chances are, you saved your image with a color profile embedded.  Some browsers obey embedded color profiles, so when interpreting the image, the color at the edge of the image is slightly different than the color you’ve used for your background.  Even though the browser should be showing the exact same color assigned by its hexidecimal number, the colors look different because they are being interpreted through the lens of different color profiles.

Go back to your original image, and when saving the image for the web, be sure you are not embedding a color profile.  For instance, in Photoshop, when using “save for web and devices,” make sure you select “Windows (no color management)” or “Mac (no color management).”

Voila.

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My Take on SOPA and PIPA

There has been a lot of attention given to SOPA and PIPA over the past week.  Unfortunately, I predict in another week, like so many other “hot current media topics,” no one will give the issue a second thought.  But it’s an extremely important subject that hopefully doesn’t just fade into the background once Wikipedia comes back on line.

These bills have been proposed with the notion that they are intended to stop or at least curb intellectual property theft (online copyright infringement).

Get this: I am 100% against pirating and copyright infringement.  I make my living by creating music and film.  If people decide they can download my material without paying for it, I can’t buy groceries.  It’s astounding to me how many people think it’s OK to do this, as if it’s not affecting artists/authors and no one is getting hurt.  Can you imagine if I walked into the dentist’s office because I needed a filling, got my tooth fixed, stood up and walked out without paying?  EXACT SAME THING AS DOWNLOADING ILLEGALLY FROM THE INTERNET.  Just sayin’.

However, there are major issues with SOPA and PIPA that don’t seem to be getting as much attention as they should. Everyone’s talking about the possibility of people getting huge penalties for minor copyright infringement (ridiculous notions like a 13 year old girl getting 5 years in prison for uploading a video of herself singing a Katy Perry song), but that is the least of my worries.

Our film distributor recently asked us to take a stand in support of the bill.  At the time, the bill was much more wide-sweeping and draconian, but even in it’s current, somewhat watered-down state, some of the issues below still stand.  Thus, I am posting my response here:

I am ALL against piracy and am willing to do whatever I can to help stop it, but as I understand the situation from having read the document in question, this bill goes far beyond upholding copyright to give the government wide-sweeping power that would allow them to shut down whatever IP's they see fit without any sort of court order or subpoena.  Essentially, this means that the government could censor free speech whenever and wherever they wish.

Without getting all "conspiracy theory," I truly believe this is a thinly veiled attempt to hamper free speech by claiming a desire to uphold copyrights and intellectual property rights.  As we have recently seen from the Arab Spring and other Democratic uprisings across the planet, the internet is an invaluable tool for free, unhampered communication, and I cannot support any bill that so blatantly hinders that free speech.

For too long politicians have been getting away with passing bills utilizing language that reaches FAR BEYOND the scope of the issues they claim they are addressing.  This behavior was rampant during the Bush administration, and it will take decades to undo the wrongs that were written during those dark years.  I cannot be a part of supporting these actions.

Were this bill more specific to targeting piracy and specifying that ANY sort of investigation whatsoever needed to be provided to initiate the freeze on targets, I might be more on board.  If the bill utilized language stating specifically who was being targeted (pirates and websites breaking copyright laws), that investigations would be conducted to prove that the targets were breaking copyright law and specifically disseminating copyrighted material illegally, and that these powers could not extend beyond preventing piracy, I would be in full support.  However, that is not the  case, this bill would give too much power to people who would almost certainly abuse it, and thus, unfortunately, I believe this is a bad piece of legislation and cannot support it.

 

The list below (and picture of Ryan Gosling above) is from a website called SopaBlackout.org.  While I think the first point is kind of crap (since the entertainment industry is already shouldering similar expenses… which in turn lead to overpriced media, by the way), I think the site makes some salient points about how blacklisting IP’s that host copyright infringers is too wide-sweeping and would be a horrible overreach. Please pay particular attention to the last point.

• The blacklist bills are expensive. The Congressional Budget Office has estimated that PIPA alone would cost the taxpayers at least $47 million over 5 years, and could cost the private sector many times more. Those costs would be carried mostly by the tech industry, hampering growth and innovation.
  
  
• The blacklist bills silence legitimate speech. Rightsholders, ISPs, or the government could shut down sites with accusations of infringement, and without real due process.
  
  
• The blacklist bills are bad for the architecture of the Internet. But don't take our word for it: see the open letters that dozens of the Internet's concerned creators have submitted to Congress about the impact the bills would have on the security of the web.
  
  
• The blacklist bills won't stop online piracy. The tools these bills would grant rightsholders are like chainsaws in an operating room: they do a lot of damage, and they aren't very effective in the first place. The filtering methods might dissuade casual users, but they would be trivial for dedicated and technically savvy users to circumvent.
  
  

So there you have it.  I think websites that encourage, promote, and facilitate piracy and copyright infringement should be shut down.  I think the people running these sites should be put in jail.  However, giving the government wide-sweeping authority to simply shut down entire IP’s on a whim is a HORRIBLE IDEA that goes far beyond stopping or even curbing copyright infringement.

At some point the US Government MUST start creating legislation that addresses ONLY the intended purpose in a specific and poignant way instead of making laws as ambiguous and inclusive, even of non sequitur issues,  as they can get away with.

p.s. Yes, I get the irony/hypocrisy that all the images in this blog post were simply re-appropriated from the internet.

Netflix Continues to Fail (?)

This morning I opened my e-mail to find this note from CEO of Netflix, Reed Hastings:

Dear Jonas,
I messed up. I owe you an explanation.

It is clear from the feedback over the past two months that many members felt we lacked respect and humility in the way we announced the separation of DVD and streaming and the price changes. That was certainly not our intent, and I offer my sincere apology. Let me explain what we are doing.

For the past five years, my greatest fear at Netflix has been that we wouldn't make the leap from success in DVDs to success in streaming. Most companies that are great at something – like AOL dialup or Borders bookstores – do not become great at new things people want (streaming for us). So we moved quickly into streaming, but I should have personally given you a full explanation of why we are splitting the services and thereby increasing prices. It wouldn’t have changed the price increase, but it would have been the right thing to do.

So here is what we are doing and why.

Many members love our DVD service, as I do, because nearly every movie ever made is published on DVD. DVD is a great option for those who want the huge and comprehensive selection of movies.

I also love our streaming service because it is integrated into my TV, and I can watch anytime I want. The benefits of our streaming service are really quite different from the benefits of DVD by mail. We need to focus on rapid improvement as streaming technology and the market evolves, without maintaining compatibility with our DVD by mail service.

So we realized that streaming and DVD by mail are really becoming two different businesses, with very different cost structures, that need to be marketed differently, and we need to let each grow and operate independently.

It’s hard to write this after over 10 years of mailing DVDs with pride, but we think it is necessary: In a few weeks, we will rename our DVD by mail service to “Qwikster”. We chose the name Qwikster because it refers to quick delivery. We will keep the name “Netflix” for streaming.

Qwikster will be the same website and DVD service that everyone is used to. It is just a new name, and DVD members will go to qwikster.com to access their DVD queues and choose movies. One improvement we will make at launch is to add a video games upgrade option, similar to our upgrade option for Blu-ray, for those who want to rent Wii, PS3 and Xbox 360 games. Members have been asking for video games for many years, but now that DVD by mail has its own team, we are finally getting it done. Other improvements will follow. A negative of the renaming and separation is that the Qwikster.com and Netflix.com websites will not be integrated.

There are no pricing changes (we’re done with that!). If you subscribe to both services you will have two entries on your credit card statement, one for Qwikster and one for Netflix. The total will be the same as your current charges. We will let you know in a few weeks when the Qwikster.com website is up and ready.

For me the Netflix red envelope has always been a source of joy. The new envelope is still that lovely red, but now it will have a Qwikster logo. I know that logo will grow on me over time, but still, it is hard. I imagine it will be similar for many of you.

I want to acknowledge and thank you for sticking with us, and to apologize again to those members, both current and former, who felt we treated them thoughtlessly.

Both the Qwikster and Netflix teams will work hard to regain your trust. We know it will not be overnight. Actions speak louder than words. But words help people to understand actions.
Respectfully yours,

-Reed Hastings, Co-Founder and CEO, Netflix

p.s. I have a slightly longer explanation along with a video posted on our blog, where you can also post comments.

If you follow the link to the post on the Netflix blog, you’ll see a LOT of people explaining why two separate accounts (Netflix for streaming and now “Qwikster” for DVD’s) for what used to be one service is a horrible idea, and how they’ll be switching to Blockbuster for their mailed DVD needs.

Did Netflix not see this coming?  Why in the WORLD would they give their customers such a huge opportunity/reason to switch to a service that definitely has a benefit over their service (you can physically return/swap a DVD at a local store immediately, vs. having to wait for the US Post to do everything with the new “Qwikster”).

Also, I assume they had to go with the annoying spelling (Qwik with a “w”) so the Nestle bunny wouldn’t sue?

Netflix obviously had to do some restructuring because they weren’t going to survive on the price structure they had going, but this seems like some extremely poor planning.  Did they do any market research before going this route?

It will be interesting to see how this plays out.

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Like Rats from a Sinking Ship? (Netflix Changes Plans and Rates)

Netflix recently announced that they will be changing their subscription plans and rates.  The unlimited single DVD and streaming plan that once cost $9.99 a month (I was actually paying $8.99 when I first signed up), will sky rocket to $15.98.  The plans can be purchased separately for $7.99 each (so no discount for the combo).  New users signing up will see this change immediately, while existing users have until Sept. 1 to change their plans.

It’s going to be interesting to see how this affects the masses.

Obviously Netflix couldn’t sustain their business plan on the current rates under which they were operating (unless they planned on carrying only obscure documentaries and non-studio titles… which they were teetering on the edge of as it was).  I assume this pricing change will allow them to start carrying more popular and newer titles.  We’ll see if it improves their instant streaming catalog (I kind of doubt it).

Unfortunately, in the transition, the change promises to hurt independent film.  As a filmmaker who’s movie is about to be purchased for DVD rental by Netflix, this blows even more hardcore.

Netflix pays filmmakers a negotiated (but much more “standard”) price per disc purchased.  Netflix pays a negotiated price for a period of time for unlimited streaming.  Obviously they’re going to pay an unknown indie film much less than a film from an established studio with star power.  Thus, the DVD deal is much better for a filmmaker (even established filmmakers/studios).

If people bail en masse from Netflix’s “unlimited DVD” package (which initial user reactions indicate), we stand to lose a substantial amount of expected revenue from this source.

Not only that, but the timing of this announcement was AWFUL.  Netflix will increase their initial DVD order for an indie title based on a higher number of current users with the title in their queue (you can queue a DVD before it’s actually available –not so with streaming titles).  As soon as our agreement with Netflix was secured, we told our fans to place the title in their queue, and many, many people did.  The very next week Netflix announced their plans to change their pricing and plans.

I wonder how many existing “DVD” subscribers immediately bailed on Netflix, thus driving down the number Leading Ladies DVD’s queued.  I wonder how many more will bail before Sept. 1.

Our film is slated for release Sept. 13, 2011.  Just enough time for all our fans to cancel their DVD memberships with Netflix.  Hopefully our fans will wait till the last second to cancel DVD memberships (so the order still goes through –I’m betting Netflix already has this factored in for current orders, however).

Hopefully people will just actually buy the DVD and support independent film.  Here’s a link.

Viva la storytellers!

p.s.  I don’t know if it’s related, but the Netflix widgets for film titles (an image linked to a button that will add a title to your queue) has recently stopped functioning –it’s been down for days.  Hmmm.

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FINALLY - Flash, thus Hulu, Supports Multiple Screens with Full Screen Video

I haven’t tried it out yet, and I won’t be anytime soon as I’m running many, many video renders on this machine and it’s not really the best time to try to watch Hulu, but I was very happy to see this message when I powered on today:

AVG Free 2011 DEFINITELY Slows Down Gmail

I haven’t seen problems with most sites I’ve been visiting, but the new AVG Free 2011 upgrade definitely makes Gmail nearly unusable.  I couldn’t figure out what was going on until I realized the slowdown was mostly isolated to Gmail and then remembered I upgraded my AVG security this morning.

Just thought you might like to know why your Gmail feels like running through molasses today.

Sorting and Organizing the Netflix Queue

I am baffled by the fact that Netflix can’t get their sh*t together and make it easier to organize your queue.  Currently, every single freaking movie you drop into your instant watch simply goes on a numbered list, and there is NO WAY to organize them other than by numbers on the list.  It SUCKS having to scroll through 300+ movies to find the one you want to watch.

I understand why I have to deal with this on my Panasonic BluRay player (Panasonic needs to pull their heads from their collective asses and make the VieraCast Netflix interface more user-friendly –scrolling across one horizontal line of titles is a massive joke), but the fact that Netflix, the company in charge of everything, can’t get it right… well that’s just unacceptable.

Seriously?!  You figured out how to license and stream video/film media to the entire U.S. via the internet, but you can’t figure out how to let your users organize a g*dd*mn list?!

Here are some VERY EASY solutions that I can think of right off the top of my head.

• FOLDERS!
• Sort by genre, actor, director, etc.
• At LEAST give us sort by star rating
• Display the covers in a grid instead of a list (like when you are suggesting things to me… you’re already DOING THIS ELSEWHERE! Why not do it on my queue page so I can see more titles at once?)

Right now the best bet for sorting your queue is creating multiple profiles, but if you’re using a device this requires logging in to a different profile (read: pain in the a**) when you want to look at a different list.  You also can’t transfer selections across profiles, so you would need to log into the appropriate profile to add a movie to that profile.

Some people are using a GreaseMonkey script to be able to sort by title, genre, length, star rating, etc.  It’s so easy (for someone who knows code, not necessarily the average Netflix user), so why wouldn’t Netflix implement something like this?!

It also seems crazy that there are other websites organizing titles better than Netflix itself.  Try InstantWatcher.com for an example of what I’m talking about (no organizing your queue, but a great way to find things you’re looking for as well as suggestions and various groupings for instant watch titles).

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Logitech Revue: First “Full Internet” TV Box (not really)

People have been anticipating the release of the first major-brand box to use Google TV.  The “big thing” that Google is touting, the reason why they are “better than the rest” is access to the entire web (not just access to a few streaming or VOD sites).  The actual quote from the Google TV website is: "TV, apps, search, and the entire web ... together at last."

However, Google just confirmed today in a press release that Hulu will be blocked from their service, so “the entire web” really means “not the entire web.”

Google does claim to be in negotiation for use of Hulu with their service for Hulu Plus customers.  We’ll see how that goes.

Just thought you’d like to know.

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Google Finally Makes Multiple-Account Sign-In a Reality

Today I was finally able to use Google’s “official” multiple accounts sign-in.

I have quite a few Google accounts, because I administer and use quite a few online entities (for music, for film, for personal, for business, etc.).

It’s extremely frustrating when Google tries to streamline my online user experience by associating everything, especially now that they’ve been snatching up various other online accounts (like YouTube) that have even more log-in identities.

For instance, when, I’m Dan Beahm, producer of the film Leading Ladies, I don’t want all my “Dan Beahm the musician” stuff getting sucked into that wormhole.  If I’m working with online YouTube content for the film, but checking my personal e-mail, I run into all kinds of problems (one account taking over the other, one account kicking me out, etc.) because I have separate log-ins for my Film-centric YouTube account and my totally personal e-mail account (which is associated with my personal YouTube account, not my musician YouTube account or my film YouTube account).  See how this can get very annoying and confusing very quickly?

Previously the best way to avoid this was to use multiple browsers (a pain in the ass) or a plug in called Cookie Pie (which always made me nervous and didn’t always work).

Supposedly Google has now stopped cock-blocking multiple-account functionality by allowing for multiple-account sign-in.  If this works, it’ll be a dream come true.  Hopefully it will allow me to be logged into one account without letting the world know that I’m also logged into another account (or accidently posting something under the wrong identity), because anonymity in certain situations (preserving the identity of the man behind the curtain) is an absolute necessity for using the service (it’s the whole point).

Simply go here and make the appropriate choices to use this functionality.

https://www.google.com/accounts/

I’ll keep you posted as to how it goes.

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My Facebook Functionality Complaint and Wishlist

There are SO MANY things that drive me crazy about Facebook, so many ways it falls short.  Some of the things I realize are very personal, but quite a few of them are no-brainers that should be FIXED.  This is my list.

• It’s ASININE that you can’t CC someone on a Facebook message that’s been sent to you.  I.E.: I receive a message.  I respond, but I want to CC a friend.  Not possible.
  
  Are you freaking kidding me?!
  
• It’s incredibly stupid that when you “like” a movie (or band, book, etc.), it’s added to your profile favorites.  SERIOUSLY?  Just because you like a movie, it’s automatically your FAVORITE movie?!
  
  As someone with a Facebook Movie Page, I point out that this is SERIOUSLY DETRIMENTAL to our “like” numbers, as people will “unlike” your movie because they don’t want it showing up in their profile “favorites.”  And I totally agree… just because you like my movie doesn’t mean it has to be your favorite.
  
• You can’t convert a page.  A lot of people have created musician pages and other things of that ilk (movie pages, book pages, etc.), only to find out later that there was a better category (Facebook’s page creation page SUCKS).  If you’ve made a bunch of fans (now “likers”), you don’t want to simply start a new page and lose all those fans, so you’d need to convert your page to a new category.  Tough sh*t.  You can’t.
  
• You can’t get help.  I realize FB is a free service with millions (probably billions) of users, but if you need something legitimate addressed… tough sh*t!  I had to file a copyright infringement form to get a human from FB to contact me, and even then the help was extremely limited.
  

There are a million more.  I’ll keep adding them over time.  Facebook has finally added a suggestion link, but I’m betting nobody really reads the suggestions.

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Green Geeks are My Homies (best hosting service)

For a while I was on Bluehost.com until I realized how “set up for crazy mass production” they are… to a horrible detriment.  As a web designer with many accounts, many e-mail addresses, yadda, yadda, yadda, I seem to raise all kinds of automated red flags within the Bluehost system.  So much so that they actually gave me the boot, even though I NEVER DID ANYTHING WRONG!!!

None of my clients are shady or suspect, and I’ve always paid all my bills, etc., on time.

C’est la vie.  I’ve found greener pastures… literally.

Say hello to GreenGeeks.com.  I LOVE THESE GUYS.

(full disclosure: I get a referral credit when you sign up, but I’m also telling you, “THIS IS WHO I USE FOR MY PERSONAL HOSTING SERVICES”)

Green Geeks is a smallish outfit based out of the Los Angeles area.  There prices and services are EVERY BIT as good as the “top tier” providers.  And best of all, when you call or e-mail support >get this< you talk to a person sitting in GLENDALE!  How crazy is that in this day and age?!  They also make a concerted effort to make “green” decisions, and have been stellar letting me (the client) know any time any adjustments or services are being performed on their servers.  It cracks me up when they let me know that they’ll be doing some sort of maintenance on a server that will take it out of service for 10 minutes at 3:45 in the morning on a Tuesday.  But I love the thoroughness of their communication!

So if you’re looking for the best hosting for your website, I highly recommend GreenGeeks.com!

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GRemote Is My New Best Friend (remote control for PC via mobile device)

I’ve been trying to configure my Omnia i910 as a remote for my PC, and thus Windows Media Center (via Bluetooth and Windows SideShow), for a while.  I have been extremely unsuccessful in this endeavor, so today I decided to see if I could find a decent 3rd party app to take care of this seemingly simple task.

Hello GRemote!!!

There are two versions of this program (both work on Windows Mobile and/or Android): GRemote Pro ($14.95), and GRemote free.  I went with GRemote free, and it seems to do everything I need it to.  GRemote Pro has a larger suite of features, but since I’m just looking for a media controller, GRemote free is perfect for my needs.

Evidently GRemote Pro will work with .Net 2.0, but the free version requires .Net 3.5 or later (no big deal –just make sure you have .Net 3.5 installed on your device).

To make GRemote work, you’ll need to install the GRemoteServer program on your PC and GRemote on your device.  You can configure GRemoteServer to spawn on startup, or manually; I have mine configured manually, as I’m not always using my laptop as a media center.  Be sure to install the appropriate CAB for your device’s resolution.  The first time I installed the program on my device, like an idiot I installed just the “qvga” version instead of the “wqvga” version appropriate for the wider screen of the Omnia.  Because of this, the app was crashing on me quite a bit until I figured out what was wrong.

You can configure the app to work with multiple profiles, which means you can have a profile for all your computers (just make sure you install GRemote Server on any computer you wish to use with GRemote).  Configuring profiles is extremely easy thanks to the “find” button used to automatically retrieve the IP address necessary for communication between the server (your PC) and the device.

GRemote will work via USB, WiFi (my choice) and Bluetooth.

The free version includes these main parts:

	GCenter, where you select the control type you’d like to use,
	Gmouse, a virtual mouse that works with your device’s gravity sensor to control your PC (on the Omnia I have the HTC Emulator installed, and it works beautifully! Make sure to hold your finger on the screen to make it work (it took me a little while to figure that one out). If you click the “touch free” icon, the feature will work without touching the screen),
	Touchpad, a virtual touchpad to control your PC,
	GPad, specially configured for navigating around things like Media Center,
	GMedia, for directly controlling media program features (volume, stop, start, forward, reverse),
	Keyboard, an interface that you can type with,
	and GRace, a 2 axis, 12 button (?) game controller.

 

The app works perfectly with Hulu and Windows Media Center.  In fact, since it can function as a gyroscopic mouse and touchpad, it works perfectly with damn near anything on your PC (like Miro and VLC)!

Extra points for a really nice, clean looking interface with simple, finger friendly buttons and great design.

I love it.  One of the best (if not the best) apps I’ve installed on my Omnia to date.

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Google Docs Are Complete Garbage (and making me very angry)

Answer me this: what good are documents that you can never access? I have been trying to get my 20+ person film production staff to use Google Docs over the past two weeks. No fewer than three times a day am I unable to access Google Docs. Not only that, but none of the people in our domain can see the documents until they are actually "shared" with each specific individual ("share with everyone" has never, ever, ever worked). What a pain in the ass to have to make sure I select each and every person I want to be able to access each document with (since "share with everyone" doesn't work).

I am soooooo sick of this screen:



Google, you are slipping. Big time. I'm actually thinking about using MS Live Mesh for document sharing. Pay attention, Google. Fix yer shit.

Warning: Zip Domains is a Scam

At some point I plan on developing a nice little widget for musicians that allows you to post and advertise your gigs via a widget that can be posted on blogs and web pages. A couple years ago I acquired the names GigWidget.net and GigWidget.org. When I did, I received a couple e-mails regarding GigWidget.com... organizations asking if I want to purchase the domain, since I had the .net and .org versions. They were asking for more money than I wanted to pay, so I declined.

Recently I started getting e-mails again, telling me GigWidget.com had recently become available and asking me if I wanted to purchase it through their company. The first e-mail (from domains@dcinchq.com ) said I could buy GigWidget.com for $99.95. The second e-mail (from sales@zipacquisitions.com at "Zip Domains") said I could obtain it for $49. I then got another e-mail from the same address and "company" stating the same price. Then came two more e-mails from domains@dcinchq.com showing a price of $99.97 and giving these links:

http://www.dcinchq.com/checkout.php?domain=gigwidget.com

http://www.dcinchq.com/faq.html

Then I got an e-mail stating:

Our company specializes in acquiring expired domain names to help individuals and businesses protect their brand online.

The domain name GIGWIDGET.COM expired recently and we were able to secure it.

We noticed that you own GIGWIDGET.NET and felt that you may be interested in acquiring the .COM version of your existing domain name.

It is now available for a one-time fee of only $30.00 USD.

To purchase or learn more, please visit http://zipdomains.com/checkout.php?domain=gigwidget.com

Thirty bucks. Not bad for a domain that I actually did want, but I wanted to check out the legitimacy of Zip Domains first. The very first Google search popped up somebody saying that they had had a similar experience, but that the domain was just freely available. So I went to my registrar, typed in the name GigWidget.com, and sure enough, it was available to the world. So I purchased it for my regular price, and now I own the domain without having gone through the channels of Zip Domains, which I consider a scam company at this point.

They were suggesting that they had exclusive rights to the domain, and that I could obtain it only through them, which is false. The domain was freely available, and at a MUCH lower price than any of the prices they offered.

Just wanted to let people know that if you get an offer from Zip Domains, just go to your registrar and buy the domain on your own. Zip Domains is just trying to scam you for extra cash.

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