For assignment 3 I took the opportunity to have a look at Yahoo’s new visual mashup editor Pipes. Below are links to the end project that was created.
Looking back and Reflecting
This subject has been a nice change of pace for me. Instead of being tied down to using the traditional programming languages we were able to explore different methods of developing and deploying web applications.
I believe that this subject has opened my eyes to a new world of tackling various software development problems and I hope to continue to build upon what I have learnt and apply it to other languages that I am sure to encounter during my career as a software developer.
Furthermore, I am really looking forward to the final exam which should really test our knowledge of different programming languages. Fingers crossed that I can get a good grade 
Browser Market Share
Cnet has recently release some interesting statistics regarding the various web browser market shares. Although, it is not surprising to see that the IE and Firefox are the top two most used browsers. However, it is interesting to note the considerable jump in market share for Google’s new Chome browser.
Despite, still being in its early stages Chome appears to be making considerable ground on the top browsers. But the question remains – Does Chome have what it takes to topple either IE or Firefox????
At this point in time its too hard to tell but as time goes on it appears that Chome will become a treat.
Youtube HD
It’s a weird contradiction with the internet. The online world is supposed to be dynamic, constantly changing, open to new ideas. Yet every time something moves forward, there seems to be an outcry. That’s what’s happened with YouTube.
The site has introduced widescreen, high-definition (HD) video playback. For fans of numbers with an x in the middle, it means users can now view video in 1280 x 720 resolution. Previously the maximum pixel count was 480 x 360.
I am not sure why everyone is complaining. The new player does not affect the way you watch youtube content as the only difference are the black bars, which are not that much of an annoyance. Many of the youtube elitists are acting as if the world has ended.
All youtube are doing is trying to expand their market share of the online video streaming market, which has become flooded with many different portals that allow you to do more with your video content.
Although, it is a shame that youtube didn’t include an option to revert back to a smaller player based on the video contents aspect ratio, it is not the end of the world people – get over yourselves.
Mumbai Meri Jaan…..
With the recent attacks on Mumbai, one can only look back and ask how did this happen??? How could these terrorists walk through the city of Mumbai and then cause the havoc that they did without being stopped.
Didn’t the world learn anything from 9/11??? When did we become complacent again and forget that these terrorists can strike at anytime, at any place???
Although, I am appalled by these cowardly acts I must say that I am even more disappointed by India’s response, which allowed the terrorists to take the lives of so many innocent people. Instead of uniting to fight back the Indian Government’s showed their inability to effectively do anything but bicker between themselves. Furthermore, why did it take more than 10 hours before the country’s elite commandos were deployed??? Why are these commandos only stationed in Delhi and not other states??? Why are these commandos being leased out as body guards to anyone who is willing to pay for their services???
Being of Indian decent I know all too well about what Indian Politicians care most about – Lining their pockets with black money – Although, they will say differently, they don’t care about the people of India. Too them it is all about gaining more power and money to satisfy their fetish of being the big man in India.
Also, during this siege where was India’s PM???? He should be ashamed of himself for not speaking out against these attacks – If you look at any other political leader in the world you will see them all condemn these attacks but the incompetent Manmohan Singh was most likely at home dancing to Sonia Gandhi’s flute. Manmohan Singh has brought a great shame to the name of our sikh gurus who fought for the rights of every man.
Putting aside all of the political BS that is taking place, the world governments need to work together to find and eliminate these extremist groups. If they have no regard for human life, why must we be stopped from going in and destroying these scum. I say forget that these cowards are humans and do everything humanly possible to cause the largest amount of pain to these scumbags.
The Rise of Rails….
Before Ruby on Rails became except as one of the leading development platforms currently available a lot of people laughed it off as nothing but hype over something new, for the sake of something new.
However, over the last decade the Rails framework has proven itself to be more than a shallow framework, which wouldn’t be a strong development platform in real world applications. Furthermore, more and more developers are making use of Rails to develop web applications due to its ability to cut down development times by eliminating the need to undertake mundane tasks before the developer begins to code the application.
Due to the popularity of the Rails framework a lot of other traditional languages have been integrated with the best of the Rails framework to create more efficient ways to develop applications.
* Django: Of all the alternatives to Ruby on Rails, this seems the most popular. Uses Python, a popular language with hackers and early adopters.
* TurboGears: Another Python project. I haven’t heard much about this one, but it seems to still be active.
* PHP On Trax: As the name suggests, this seems to be a deliberate port of Rails to PHP. Seeing the traction that PHP has, this is worth looking into. If you wind up in an environment where PHP is the prescribed platform, this might be a good framework.
* Symfony: Not a Rails clone (I don’t think), but it advertises as having “simple templating and helpers, smart URLs, scaffolding, object model and MVC separation, and Ajax support”, so I’d say it seems to fall into the same family of modern frameworks. Also PHP.
* Junction is apparently Rails for… Javascript? I know very little about this, so you’d best just follow the link if you’re interested.
* Steve Yegge’s Port of Rails to Javascript: I don’t know if this project has a name, or if it’s available outside of Google, but this made some headlines awhile back.
* Groovy on Grails: Yes, couldn’t forget Groovy on Grails. Groovy is a scripting language based on Ruby that runs on the Java Runtime Environment. Grails is… Rails for Groovy. If I’ve oversimplified this description, feel free to correct me in the comments.
* JRuby On Rails: I don’t thinks there’s an official site for this; my understanding is that JRuby is compatible enough with Ruby that Rails is essentially still Rails… just running on JRuby instead.
And, of course, the aforementioned Perl on Rails. Wow! Quite a list, and I’m sure I missed some frameworks, both Rails-inspired and otherwise. I’m not interested in listing all frameworks, though, but specifically those with Rails-like features.
So, yes. Whether people choose Ruby or not, it seems pretty clear that Rails-like frameworks have caught on in a big way. Suits me fine; the more I learn about the framework, the more I like it, and it’s great to know that similar frameworks exist should I have the need to use an alternate language.
Linux + Iphone = ILinux
In an interesting development a team of developers has successfully gotten Linux to run on the Iphone. This is an truly amazing feat due to the Iphone’s popularity and the different features that the Iphone contains.
However, as of right now iPhone Linux is still in development stages and is missing a lot of features like wireless, touchscreen, sound, accelerometer, and baseband support, so it’s not ready for novice users yet. But, after thinking about the possibilities of this combination I for one cannot wait until a more stable version is released to the public.
Yahoo Pipes – Plumbing the way of the future
Yahoo Pipes is a free online service that lets you remix popular feed types and create data mashups using a visual editor. The visual editor is a key component as it, theoretically, makes the service accessible to users who have little to no programming knowledge.
In practice, this means that you can use Pipes to pick a few feeds or APIs to retrieve data from, set up rules for processing the data that is provided by those feeds, prompt for user input in your processing, and then output the processed results as another feed or object format for use in your own applications. In the simplest case, you can apply some straightforward rules to a feed and then subscribe to the end result.
Furthermore, the one thing which differentiates Yahoo Pipes from other similar tools such as PopFly is the innovative user interface that is employed by the tool. It provides a simple drag-and-drop user interface to create a variety of Pipes.
You may drag and drop these modules to the screen’s layout area. Lines are used to connect modules together (i.e., using the output of one module as the input for another). The editor includes buttons that allow you to work with Pipes, such as create a new one, save your work, create a copy of the currently open Pipe, and view/edit properties of a Pipe.
The screen’s bottom portion is a debugger area that provides feedback. The debugger allows you to step through your modules one at a time and view the data at each step — allowing you to easily track down any issues or problems that may occur. The editor uses a tabbed interface, so you can work on multiple Pipes at one time — each opened within its own tab.
A simple example of a Pipe is using an RSS feed as the data source (Source module). Each data item in the RSS feed can be processed in a loop (Operators module). Each data item in the loop may be used as an input for a Yahoo! search (Source module). The output of the Yahoo! search using data items from the RSS feed is the output of the Pipe. The Pipe output may be consumed as RSS or JavaScript Object Notation (JSON). In fact, you may publish the Pipe for others to use. This is a simple example, but it does provide a peek at its functionality.
Analytical Toolkit – The Devil’s Work
After having put Analytical Toolkit on hold during the first part of my degree, the time has finally come that I can no longer avoid it.
I was really dreading taking this subject due to the level of maths that is required, however, after having endured the worst of the subject I am kicking myself for not doing it earlier as the topics covered in the subject are directly related to the other subjects contained within the Bachelor of IT degree.
The subject does require you to sit down and work through a variety of problems but once you learn the different methods of answering the questions then the most complex questions seem like a walk in the park.
Overall, I am pleasantly surprised by the subject and will be taking what I learnt from the subject with me into my remaining subjects, which I believe will truly benefit me.
Super Street Fighter 2 Turbo – HD REMIX
More than 14 years after the original Super Street Fighter 2 Turbo was released, Capcom has gone back and recreated the game but this time with brand spanking new 1080p graphics and remixed music.
However, this is not these are not the only changes that have been made. The team at Capcom has put in the hard yards and rebalanced the characters, which means that the games in an entirely different manner than the original game. But, to keep the old school players happy Capcom has included the option to revert back to the original games mechanics while keeping the new updated graphics.
Some of the changes to the characters are:-
Ryu
- New move: fake fireball. qcf+short.
Ken
- Strong dragon punch is invulnerable on the way up, exactly like Old Ken’s, and also always knocks down. It’s now a 1-hit move, not 2-hit.
- Fierce dp has bigger arc, always knocks down, juggles against jump-ins, but no additional invulnerability.
- Short helicopter has shorter duration
- Medium helicopter kick goes slightly farther
- Roundhouse helicopter kick goes farther and faster.
- Roundhouse helicopter kick does less dizzy
- Air roundhouse helicopter goes slightly farther
- “Crazy kicks” have simplified joystick motions. New motions: 1) qcf+short, 2) qcf+forward, 3) qcf+roundhouse.
- Damage lowered on first hit of knee bash hold.
- Range of knee bash hold reduced by a small amount.
- Super can now be used as a reversal.
Guile
- Roundhouse flash kick now travels forward rather than straight up.
- Super has easier motion: charge db, d, df, f, uf+ kick. (Old motion still works.)
- Super does slightly less damage.
- Uspide down kick is an overhead
- Upside down kick slowed down slightly
- Upside down kick can be performed at any range, not just close range, by holding towards+roundhouse.
- Upside down kick is more vulnerable, allowing Sagat’s low tiger shots and other moves to hit it.
Honda
- Jump short has higher priority, can hit sweeps.
- Floating fierce move (jump straight up + fierce) can be steered farther left/right.
- Hundred hands easier to execute
- Strong and fierce versions of hundred hands have lower priority and all versions do a little less damage
- Ochio throw now bounces off the other way, preventing Honda from repeating it in the corner
- Ochio throw now deals the same dizzy points as other throws rather than twice as much.
- Jab torpedo can destroy fireballs.
- Jab torpedo travels shorter distance
- Super travels slower before first hit, but travels faster after first hit.
- Super now knocks down and juggles.
Blanka
- Horizontal ball has safer recovery.
- Horizontal ball with jab and strong have same sound effect and same spinning speed as fierce version.
- Horizontal ball with jab and strong travel slightly shorter distance so whiffed roll into bite is a little more effective.
- Diagonal ball has faster startup and safer recovery.
- Hop move has new command: hold stick left or right then jab+short OR strong+forward OR fierce+rh. (Old motion of kkk still works).
- Hop back builds much less super meter.
- Forward version of hop has slightly more foot-invulnerability at startup.
- Electricity easier to execute (mash punches)
- Super move has faster startup, faster recovery, and always knocks down if it hits.
Zangief
- Green hand command changed to qcf+p
- Green hand has slightly faster recovery.
- SPD command easier: hcb,f+p OR hcf,b+p. (Original 360 command still works)
- Super command easier, hcb,hcb,f+p OR hcf,hcf+p.
- Running Grab (and double suplex) command is now hcb+k OR hcf+k.
- Running Grab runs faster.
- Kick lariat can now be done with jab+short as well as original KKK command.
- Punch lariat can now be done with strong+forward or fierce+roundhouse as well as original PPP command.
- Kick lariat has invulnerable feet during Zangief’s first rotation, but vulnerable feet after that.
- Kick lariat has a different sound effect on startup than punch lariat.
- Punch lariat’s initial hitframe now extends down to the floor so it can hit Dhalsim’s low fierce or sometimes Guile’s low forward. As before, this hitbox is only active for 6 frames out of the entire lariat.
- Hop move can only be done with towards + fierce. No longer possible with back+fierce, back+strong, or towards+strong.
- Hop travels farther forward, slightly higher, and has slightly better recovery.
- Jumping (forward/away) strong has hitbox that reaches slightly farther forward.
- Low fierce has slightly higher hit box, mainly to hit Vega’s off-the-wall attacks.
Chun Li
- Removed df+medium kick move.
- df+roundhouse (the “neckbreaker”) no longer crosses up, removing the loop of repeated knockdowns.
- Lighting legs easier to execute (mash kicks)
- Lighting legs do less damage and have a little worse priority in Chun Li’s stomach area.
- Aerial spinning bird kick can be done with charge down, up+kick, so that you can do it after a headstomp.
- Aerial spinning bird kick travels more straight now, then falls in an arc at the end
- Ground spinning bird kick has a new parabolic arc. It can also air-juggle and deals a fair amount of dizzy.
- Super does slightly less damage.
Dhalsim
- Teleport command requires only 2 punch or 2 kick buttons rather than 3.
- Teleport recovery is not longer, but has more vulnerable frames at the end.
- Yoga flame changed to qcb+p so it doesn’t overlap fireball command.
- Upward yoga flame changed to qcb+k to match other yoga flame.
- Upward yoga flame now travels way up the screen with roundhouse version.
- Super changed to hcb,hcb+p to match yoga flame command.
- Super has more forgiving timing window.
- Super is now more vulnerable around Dhalsim’s head and throwable from behind.
- Super can now be used as a reversal.
- Noogie hold has shorter range.
- Ducking ranged punches no longer cleanly go under Guile’s Sonic Booms
Balrog
- Turn punch and headbutt award less super meter.
- Small and medium headbutts travel slightly farther and are less safe.
- Throw range decreased.
- First hit of throw does less damage.
- Turn Punch can be performed by holding 2 punches or 2 kicks, rather than all 3
- Super does a little less damage
Vega
- Defensive backflip command changed to jab+short for small version; strong+forward OR fierce+roundhouse for double flip version (old commands of kkk and ppp still work)
- Offensive backflip can no longer be charged straight back (must be charged down/back).
- Off-the-wall attack no longer knocks down
- Off-the-wall attack has additional recovery, to prevent combos after hitting with it
- New Wall Dive Fake: After going off the wall (charge down, then up+k), you can press kick again to drop without attacking.
Sagat
- Super has more range, and always knocks down if it hits.
- Fireball recovery is better than New Sagat but worse than Old Sagat
- Some normal moves are from Old Sagat
- Stand strong can be cancelled into special moves, second hit of stand forward and short cannot
- Tiger knee always knocks down and juggles (but NOT into super)
- Tiger knee damage reduced because of new juggle property
Bison
- Devil’s reverse (charge down, up+punch) has 1 frame of invulnerability at startup
- Stand jab has better priority, can stop honda’s torpedo and blanka’s roll
- New move: df+roundhouse is a fake slide.
- Jump straight up + strong now juggles the same as jump toward/away + strong
Cammy
- Hooligan throw motion changed to qcf+p
- Spinning Backfist motion changed to qcb+p
- Spinning Backfist is invulnerable to fireballs during startup (all versions)
- Spinning Backfist’s hitbox on 2nd hit is bigger so that it doesn’t fail to get 2nd hit if the 1st hit connects
- Cannon drill has better recovery
- Cannon Spike is usually not safe on block anymore.
Fei Long
- Flying Kick motion changed to qcf+k
- Short version of flying kicks have additional frames of partial invulnerability, allowing them to go through fireballs at the start
- Flying kicks have lower priority on first hit, allowing them to be countered air-to-air a little more easily.
- Flying kicks have 5 additional frames of recovery
- Medium and roundhouse flame kicks always knock down and can juggle
- Short flame kick is no longer safe on block from point-blank range.
- Rekka Punches travel a little farther
- Rekka punch motion is a little more forgiving, so it’s not as hard to get all 3 in the series.
- Super travels farther
- Fei Long’s head is vulnerable during 4th and 5th hits of the super (and can’t go through fireballs during that, but still can during first 3 hits).
- The super causes a different angle of knockdown so that comboing after it is difficult/impossible.
- Super meter gains slightly reduced on flame kick and flying kicks.
Dee Jay
- Machine Gun Punch, much easier to get all the hits
- Machine Gun Punch destroys fireballs
- Machine Gun Punch does less dizzy and less damage than before.
- Medium and Roundhouse Dread Kicks, 2nd hit sped up so that it almost always hits if the first hit connects.
- Medium and Roundhouse Dread Kicks have a few frames of foot-invulnerability at startup
- Medium and Roundhouse Dread Kicks have reduced damage because of improved ability to combo
T.Hawk
- Hawk dive command changed to jab+short OR strong+forward OR fierce+roundhouse while in air (old command ppp still works)
- Hawk dive’s bounce changed so it ends with T.Hawk close to enemy and safe on block or hit.
- Hawk dive does not knock down
- Special throw command easier: hcb,f+p OR hcf,b+p, and you can actually start in down/back or down/forward (Original 360 command also still works.)
- Special throw now has a whiff animation if you miss.
- Super command easier: hcb,hcb,f+p OR hcf,hcf+p.
- Several of T.Hawk’s normal moves are from Old T.Hawk, such as stand roundhouse and low roundhouse.
- Fierce dragon punch now always knocks down and juggles
- Fixed a bug where a stray hitbox on low strong could be hit from very far away.
Akuma
- Super meter added and new super move: Raging Demon. Command is jab, jab, towards, short, fierce.
- Super travels slower and farther than the secret version of Akuma
- Super has additional start up frames.
- Super is not able to grab an opponent out of jump start-up.
- Air fireball has new downward angle and causes Akuma to hang in the air slightly when thrown.
- Air fireball can now be done lower to the ground, allowing instant air fireball using “tiger knee” motion.
- Akuma takes more damage than other characters.
- Akuma can now be dizzied.
- Teleport command requires only 2 punch or 2 kick rather than 3.
- Blue fireballs have more startup and recovery. Now same startup as Ryu’s fireball and only slightly shorter recovery than Ryu’s.
- Fierce blue fireball only has the huge knockback effect from very close range.
- Red fireballs have more startup.
- Helicopter kick has much less invulnerability.
- Akuma’s leg is no longer invulnerable during his ducking kicks.
The game is available on both Xbox Live and the Playstation Network for 1200 MS Points and $15 respectively.
