New Respect for the Selfie

Ever since it became a trend, I had always bashed the concept of the "selfie" because it seemed like a stupid idea. There were a few preconceived notions behind this assumption. Because I used the cameras inside the Nintendo DSi for years, I assumed that I had been taking "selfies" since "before they were cool." However, it was not until after my move to Colorado that I got to take a real "selfie" and get a new appreciation for it.

Now, I have posted duplicates of the same image because I wanted to show how I took it vs. how it properly looked when rotated. The common factor I have noticed with taking pictures on the Nintendo DSi and 3DS is that in order to get the "selfie" shot that everyone has no issues with on their smart phone, not only does one have to be in the perfect lighting (Nintendo's cameras don't include a flash feature), but one also has to have the handheld rotated at a right angle.

There's another fact that I'd like to point out regarding my pictures. It honestly wasn't much help that the weather was very bright and sunny. In a nutshell, this means that while it was perfect picture-taking conditions, having the sun right in your eyes while trying to get a good shot tends to make for some interesting pictures, as demonstrated by a couple of examples -- shown below:

Windows Vista: The day Microsoft stopped trusting its users

I've often had a love-hate relationship with Microsoft. This is partly due to my resistance to change. I remember the first Windows PC I ever used at home was an Intel-based 486 Packard Bell with Windows For Workgroups 3.11. From Windows' inception until Windows XP, Microsoft had always had DOS as a backup in case things with a home user's computer went awry. It was also a nice way to play some of the best computer games known to man, such as Jazz Jackrabbit and Day of the Tentacle.

Funny enough, I initially thought that the first version of Windows NT I had ever used was Windows XP. As of this writing, however, I have come to realize that I actually had some exposure to Windows NT 4 back when the Dayton Library used it on their computers. However, in that circumstance, I didn't get to interact much with the inner-workings of the computers themselves, so I just thought that it was Windows 95. All in all, Windows NT had not been a bad beast thus far, although it was different. And then came Windows Vista..........

Windows Vista Desktop via a screenshot from my Toshiba Laptop.

When I first saw it, I wasn't sure what the big deal was. I mean, I had heard about how restrictive it was, but to be quite honest, it had not "blipped" on my technological radar. In fact, it wasn't until I started using Windows 7 all the time for school that I realized how bad Windows Vista really was. I mean, I had heard about the restrictions (most notably, the one known as "User Account Control") which, by the way, appears in Windows Vista as well, but I just never gave it any thought.

Windows User Account Control Prompt.

The other useless feature (or maybe they're two features) is (are) the Sidebar and its Gadgets. Just like the "Channel Bar" from Internet Explorer 4.0, this feature was in theory, a good idea, however, upon further discovery from usage, it's honestly pointless, as are its gadgets, but at least in Windows 7, a user can place the gadget anywhere they want on the desktop. 

The Windows 7 Desktop (for comparison only). Notice how the gadgets are not shadowed by a toolbar.

At any rate, if you're going to upgrade off of Windows XP (not that I recommend it), go with Windows 7 (or newer if you desire). I can't speak for Windows 8, but I hear if one adds a modification or two, they can get a desktop that is similar to the one shown above. Sounds like a winner for someone that can't get a touch screen.

E3 - The Second Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Yes, this very important event took place last week, and some very important things happened this year. In honor of E3's 20th Anniversary (yes, I can't believe it either, but read it and weep -- 1995-2015), Nintendo held an event that hasn't been held since 5 years before E3 existed: "Nintendo World Championships". For more on that click here

There was another E3 moment that I felt was noteworthy as well, and that was the release of the new video for a game called "Mario Maker." Besides the introduction of the new video, the game's title was updated to the name of "Super Mario Maker" and my only guess for this is that if they had went with the original working title, then the level creation feature of the game would have had to include some features from the original Mario Bros. game as well. Honestly, though, this isn't too much of a trade-off and I have watched every new video that Nintendo has released for it, and each time, I get more and more excited about it.

Initially, the first video only showed footage from Super Mario Bros. However, when the Game Awards ceremony appeared later, they also showed footage from Super Mario World and Super Mario Bros. 3. This got me even more excited, and I wanted the game even more. I then went on IGN to see when the game would be released, and their speculated date was New Years' Eve 2015, which felt like too long to wait. However, at this year's E3, the new trailer said that the release date would be on September 11, which means, if the price is right, that I can look forward to it for this holiday season.

I have also included a game-play video from E3 that can be viewed here.

Gotta Catch 'em All

Another hobby I have taken up since moving to Colorado has been the Pok'emon Trading Card Game. I had been interested in it since its inception during the late '90's. However, between card cost and not consistently having someone else to play against, I had fallen out of interest with it. 

This all changed when I discovered they had an online version for the computer. Initially, I had tried Hearthstone because my brother recommended it. However, this game proved to be outside my level of understanding when it came to complexity. After discovering this by playing it for a couple of weeks, I remembered how much fun the Pok'emon Trading Card Game was, and thought I would check to see if there was an equally-featured online version for the computer.

As it turns out, this happened to be the case, and so I gave it a try. Not only did it play just like the original, it was great for collecting cards that I would need because I did not have to spend any physical currency on cards that would either lose their value or get lost in a nook or cranny of a house or apartment. 

Over time, I have had opportunities to check out the game's various features, and for the most part, the "story mode" (they call it Trainer Challenge) is straightforward. The main downside to this is that the user is only allowed to play with one of three preassigned theme decks, much like the original Pok'emon RPGs for the GameBoy. There are other Vs. modes that allow the user to play with other decks, including custom made ones. I recently made my own deck last week, and apparently there are certain card rules (besides the 60 card limit) that apply to a standard deck now. One of these is that Trainer cards like the Pok'edex are no longer allowed in a standard deck, and there are also certain types of colorless Pok'emon that have a caveat for this rule. The upside, however, is that the computer version has a card called the Double Colorless Energy which not only can be used like a basic energy card, but, as its name suggests, it counts as TWO energy cards. Given facts like these, the game as a whole is very well balanced and fun to play. If you haven't tried it yet, I highly recommend rectifying that terrible wrong. I also have a screenshot for doubters.

  

Academics?! Khaaan!!!!

When I moved to Colorado, I was not immediately able to attend a college or University. Before all of this madness, however, I took the SAT and a few months later, received results in the mail that confirmed my suspicions. After a few weeks of extended stays in a hotel, Emily had me sign up for an "online school" called Khan Academy. Despite the title of this article, this online program has nothing to do with Star Trek 2 or its titular villain. Instead, it's a "self-paced" (when compared with Sinclair, there really isn't a time limit!) online school that provides exercises in areas of remedial math and other subjects, up through at least the high school level.

Initially, I was resistant to the concept, because prior to moving, I had enrolled in an online class through my community college back home. However, when compared with an online course from an actual college, there were no grades or transcripts, so there was also less pressure. I also struggled with it initially, because I thought that the videos were optional. However, I soon found out later that not only were they helpful, but most of them earned me additional points in the programs I was studying. As of writing this post, I have been able to achieve over half of the goals set in three of the five assigned math programs I have enrolled in, and I have felt better about the program as a whole. 

In short, if you need it, sign up. Most of my regret with my enrollment is gone and I'm starting to feel better as a whole.

A general view of Khan Academy's main menu. It vaguely resembles Facebook, which helps with its ease of use. There are also examples of different programs to study that I am enrolled in. Some of them spawn off of others. For example: the 4th Grade-level math also managed to spin-off the subjects of Pre-Algebra and Basic Geometry.