Do you remember when it was revealed that by inputting a certain formula in Microsoft Excel a flight simulator program would reveal itself? You could sit there using your computer to fly around on this cheap little program that ended when you found a giant 2001-ish monolith containing the names of all the Excel programming team?
It was stupid and pointless, but it was cool.
I always dug that because it made computer programming seem cool. These programmers could go out and put their stamp on the product they developed just to give a virtual wink to its users.
I love that. I enjoy when programmers have a little fun with their product and, thus, make it fun for the end users, too.
iSquint is one such program. It's a little tool I use to help convert digital video to iPod ready format. Very cool stuff even without their subtle little nudges. And, to be honest, I never really noticed all they had built into this thing until yesterday when I was trying to change the destination folder for my saves. So I started really playing around with it. And these are some of the cool things I found:
When you mouseover the iSquint logo in the UI, you get...
In the top right of the UI is the quality control slider. I love the max level...
There are a couple others in there that are pretty funny, but the best part happens when you click "Help" in the top menu...
Of course that song was stuck in my head all day yesterday and will likely be the case again today.
Hey, if you're interested, there's a meme in the extended post.
Thank you to L.A. Daddy for this little gem that hath been dubbed THE DUDE MEME. C'mon. Can it get much better than that?
What is the most played song on your iTunes / WMP or whatever you are listening to music on your computer with? And… Name five bands that made a big impression on you but never made it big on the charts.
The problem here is that I don't play my music through iTunes anymore. It's a means of transporting my music to my iPod where I listen regularly and it doesn't track stats.
As for five bands...
- Concrete Blonde - I know I've heard them on the radio every so often, but how many of you can actually name a song from them? Aside from SJ.
- Urge Overkill - yeah, they had that Neil Diamond cover from Pulp Fiction, but that was really it for their chartability.
- Bob Mould - his solo stuff has never really made it all that big.
- Guster - another band that I find to be truly great but nobody really knows.
- Wilco - I'll never understand why more people don't love the heck out of this band.
Honorable Mention to The Darkness for constantly reminding me that it's perfectly normal to be a fan of hair metal bands.
Do you know what end of the hammer to hold? What was your last project around the house?
I do know which end is up. And I'm pretty handy around the house. My last project was finishing the tearing out of the built-in entertainment center and then fixing the walls and redoing the trim for the crew to come in and recarpet.
What is your best method for avoiding chick flicks?
Like L.A. Daddy, I don't avoid them. They can be fun and I watch them regularly. It helps keep Katie and I from hating each other's movies. My favorite is still Sleepless in Seattle.
Who’s more of the techno geek in your house? This can apply to tools, toys, gadgets, geeking at home on the computer or anything else that might apply.
It's soooo me. Katie dreads the days when Apple has their new product announcement fiestas.
What are three things that are a part of your life that you would never see your own dad doing?
Cooking, watching independent movies, and enjoying using a computer.
What’s the last “Dude! I just got a _______ from _______” thing that you really didn’t need but bought anyways?
It's been so long since I've done this really. I'm sure it's a movie or some such. Oh wait, do power tools count?
What is the wildest / craziest / dangerous etc… thing you have gotten away with? This can (or should) involve the Cops. C'mon guys, this is your chance to really brag!
Nothing too great, unfortunately. Nothing quite like my football coach who set up a Slip n' Slide in the hallway of his dorm. I pulled a Chinese Fire Drill in front of a police station. Of course, it also involved swapping places with somebody who was lying in the trunk of the car due to a lack of room. He (me) wasn't too happy to find out he was getting out of the trunk next to a police station.
It’s not a dude meme if it doesn’t include something regarding the opposite sex. When was the last time you experienced a true head turner? Where you couldn’t help but take that second glance at someone. Remember to be creative in your response. It will get you in less trouble.
The funniest one involved my dad this past weekend at the wedding shower. He digs on a girl who is going to be in attendance at my brother's wedding. She is cute, no question. My second glance was for the sake of my dad who wanted to know her every move. He was completely ga-ga over her. She's a third his age, married, divorced, and has two kids from two different men. Her life is a soap opera and I don't think my dad cares so long as she keeps wearing skirts. Am I copping out on this question? You bet your sweet bippy!
