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Home Cookin': The Electric CD Acid Test 136

Posted by Hemos from the dear-lord-the-mind-boggles dept.
XenonOfArcticus writes "In the spirit if the Blair Witch Project: In 1993, Chris (Hanson), Dave (Kessner), Bob (Maple), Eric Schultz, Chris Hurtt, Earl Miles, and a few other malcontents found themselves in the possession of a microwave oven, a video camera, some worthless CD-ROMs, and a (then state-of-the-art) Video Toaster editing system. This recently-discovered footage is the actual result. " The mind boggles - the video is in QuickTime 4 format. Update: chrisd writes "I have mirrored the Home Cooking movie here." Update: 10/22 11:02 by H :Us e the mirror above, as, the Slashdot effect totally slaughtered the poor guy's ISP in the original story.
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Home Cookin': The Electric CD Acid Test More

Home Cookin': The Electric CD Acid Test

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  • Hmm, this is the only really on-topic post I see in response to this article, yet somebody's moderated it down from a 1 that some moderator gave it back to a 0. However, an off-topic article complaining that somebody's movie viewer can't view this format movie gets rated up to +2.
  • Comment removed based on user account deletion
  • If this helps, I tried running it as a standalone application. I don't enough about Linux and Wine and stuff to know if Quicktime 4 uses any weird API's, but it does have a non-traditional GUI and frequently crashes in Windows.

    Take care,

    Steve

  • Whatever happened to quickies, anyway? (Score:5)

    by Pascal Q. Porcupine ( 4467 ) on Wednesday October 20, 1999 @04:05PM (#1598177) Homepage
    Did CmdrTaco just run out of cool titles for quickie stories? He doesn't seem to make quickie collections anymore. I miss quickie-dumps. You get more silly content per day that way. :)
    ---
    "'Is not a quine' is not a quine" is a quine.
  • Chrisd mentioned above that he posted a mirror [dibona.com] of this project. Some people predict these things too well :-)

  • some cool experiments (Score:3)

    by RoLlEr_CoAsTeR ( 39353 ) on Wednesday October 20, 1999 @04:08PM (#1598179)
    I realize that this is slightly whacky, and the person who's page this is will probably growl at me, but, one of the slashdotters (can't remember his name/nick) has a page, here [erau.edu] (or linked to from here, I believe) that should prove interesting.. in the field of microwaves an other such pyro-manageable items. and to whoever's site this is, many thanks and kudos!!

  • Now on Slashmirror (Score:2)

    by Anonymous Coward
    ftp://128.253.254.56/homecookin.mov [128.253.254.56]
  • No one intended to suggest that this isn't a problem for people other than linux users. The point was it's a pain when /. links to content which cannot be viewed except on particular platforms. The people who commented about it seem to be linux users, so they refered to linux, as they have no way to know if this is a problem on any other particular platform.
  • Not Found

    The requested URL /video/homecookin.htm was not found on this server.


    Apache/1.3.3 Server at www.free-ip.com Port 80
  • The gaming magazine PC Accelerator [pxcl.com] used to run a monthly section on things do to/with extra CDs. Of course the did the microwave one, but the waffle iron & belt sander yielded truly impressive results.


    Banfield

    Pavlov's Dog vs. Schrodinger's Cat
  • I used to work for a small-ish company where we would burn cd's for a tutorial. Well, the cd burner we had really sucked, so it would eat a lot of cd's. Early technology. Anyways, one of the guys at work found this idea on the internet, so we took a couple up into the lunch room and turned off the lights. Pop, in they went, until things went crackle.

    Out they came, and man do they look cool! Great coasters. Whenever anyone comes over and sees my "art" they are always enthralled! "Wow! Cool! How did you do that???" Great way to score chicks : )

  • View in Linux (Score:3)

    by debrain ( 29228 ) on Wednesday October 20, 1999 @03:03PM (#1598188) Journal
    Off topic yet highly relevent point:

    How do I view this thing in Linux?
    Not to harass the matter, but I am quite curious as to the state of Quicktime support for Linux . . .

  • It's so do people take time to come up with these things or does it come in a flash?

  • Re:View in Linux (Score:4)

    by noom ( 22944 ) on Wednesday October 20, 1999 @03:06PM (#1598190)

    Considering that such a high percentage of us (relative to most web sites anyway) run Linux, I think the management should avoid posting links to videos using the new (Sorensen?) Quicktime 4.0 codec.

    Perhaps a boycott is in order?
  • As far as I can tell from Apple's page there isn't any and they don't care.

    It's really frustrating when /. links to stuff that can't be viewed under linux. Is there any easy way to convert a Quicktime movie to something like RealPlayer that we at least kind of sort of support? If so I can post the converted version.

  • Microwaving CDs just looks soooo cool! (Score:4)

    by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 20, 1999 @03:08PM (#1598193)
    You can actually see concentric rings of electricity and sparks dancing across the CD; sometimes in regular manner; sometimes rippling round and round. And different colored CDRs produce slightly different effects.

    Note: the show's over after 1-2 seconds. After that the plastic will start to burn and smoke (toxic!) so microwave for no more than 2 seconds. Also, I set the cd on top of a small glass so the CD is no where near any of the walls inside the oven. All this, of course, is at your own risk if you choose to do this. No problems have resulted for me, though.

  • Mirror List (Score:3)

    by Slash Mirror ( 88193 ) on Wednesday October 20, 1999 @04:35PM (#1598196)
    http://athena.student.umd.edu/HomeCook in.mov [umd.edu]

    ftp://128.253.254.56/homecookin.mov [128.253.254.56]

    http://dibona.com/slashmir [dibona.com]

    SlashMirror: Where to put files for fellow /.'ers

  • "Every operating system has it's advantages and disadvantages. Quicktime is a pretty open standard, available on the vast majority of computer systems. If yours is not one of them, then that is your limitation. "

    OK, this is a load of baloney. Quicktime 3/4 are available ONLY on Win9x/Mac. This is NOT a vast majority by a longshot. Quicktime 3 however, are largely all available for Linux.

    The only group at fault here is Apple, for hanging onto the Sorenson codec like it was more valuable then gold. When, honestly, it isn't. If Quicktime hopes to defeat MPEG (or replace it) then the least they should do is cross onto as many platforms as MPEG does.

    Now, besides this, your point is completely valid. There is no One True OS. It would just be nice to see Apple have more of a commitment to Open Source and Open Standards, especially with projects like Darwin. By not releasing the codecs, even in a binary form, they ruin their own reputation in the market they hope to penetrate with their new Open stuff.

    I still think this should be posted on /. though. And anyone who feels like making an MPEG out of this is more then welcome =)
  • God dammit. That should say "Quicktime versions less then 3 however.."

    Forgot that the Shift-. button wouldn't show up with the HTML formatting around here, even with Plain Text mode on.
  • Note to self, mirroring big files is different from mirroring little teeny ones. Oh well. I think we hit the roof on the interface. My machine is not really loaded at all at 2.0 but I think all the traffic is movie. Ah well.

    Chris
    --
    Grant Chair, Linux Int.
    VP, SVLUG

  • This article should be subtitled:

    or the the future of all those Ricky Martin CDs

  • GOOD CALL! Oh, and don't nuke WinNT CD's either, they crash your microwave (forget the link...). If I had any moderator points this one would be going up...

  • Correct link: Here [pcxl.com]


    Aaron "PooF" Matthews
    E-mail: aaron@fish.pathcom.com
    To mail me remove "fish."
    ICQ: 11391152
    Quote: "Success is the greatest revenge"
  • Duh, had to increase the client and server numbers for Apache. My bad. Should be much better now.

    (In case you cared)

    Chris DiBona
    --
    Grant Chair, Linux Int.
    VP, SVLUG

  • actually, the thinness of the cd causes it to slip between the bars of the dishwasher, but makes it an excellent shower-mate. showering with my cd's has been my standard practice for testing for at least a year
  • Excuse me, but Windows and MacOS *do* constitute a majority of systems.

    Unfortunately.

    Daniel
  • I've been doing this with my AOL cds since they started sending out pointless plastic as opposed to actually usable floppies. It makes a nice fractal pattern, I guess I can scan some when I get home and post the pics somewhere.
  • What with iMac DV and all, I think we're in for a whole lot more stuff like this. And DV is a whole lot better quality than a regular camcorder (component video vs crappy (s)vhs). So sit back...because everybody's movies will be taking up the bandwidth.
  • Here's the deal with Sorenson, and why it IS fair to whine at Apple, and perhaps even whoever made this video available...

    XAnim's author has always made NDA deals with codec technology owners to create DECODERS for their formats on Linux.
    The existence of these decoders promotes the format, makes it easier to justify using it, and COSTS NOTHING

    But with Sorenson, Apple _REFUSED_ to permit a deal of this sort. They feel that Sorenson is SO GREAT that people will throw away their SGI, their E450 and their Linux Alpha machine, and buy a PowerMac just so they can watch video.
    What's even MORE stupid IMHO is that there are people out there who PAID Apple good money to create videos which Apple WILL NOT LICENSE for use by non-Mac/ non-Windows users.

    That's right -- someone paid money (probably as part of some other software) to MASSIVELY REDUCE THEIR AUDIENCE
    If that's not stupid I don't know what is.

  • Sorenson Codec (Score:4)

    by wowbagger ( 69688 ) on Wednesday October 20, 1999 @05:26PM (#1598210) Homepage Journal
    Perhaps it is time to unleash the mighty power of the /. effect upon Apple: Why doesn't everybody who has bitched about not having Sorenson support under Xanim e-mail Apple, and ask them nicely to allow Sorenson to allow Mr. Podlipec to make a codec plug-in for Xanim. Since Apple is claiming to support Open Source, lets give them a chance to walk the walk, and not just talk the talk.
  • Majority of systems maybe, majority of desktops for sure. Majority of servers, no, but that's not the issue.

    The issue is that out of all the OS'es out there, Windows, Be, Linux, Solaris, IRIX, MacOS, whatever, more then just Windows and MacOS are used. So why does Quicktime claim to be a crossplatform standard when it's neither crossplatform that much, nor is it an open standard?
  • 1) Quicktime isn't a codec. Sorensen is a codec used in Quicktime. Learn more about digital media; you WILL be dealing with it in the future.

    2) There are various Unix's already playing Quicktime content (Be does, and I know neXt did, I also wouldn't be surprised if IRIX has a player available too). I don't think that a port to linux would be a great ordeal. Especially since Apple is developing QT for their own BSD variant.

    3) Apple, MS, and Real are in a fight to get the most client support. With the emergence of Linux as a Consumer OS will come serious Quicktime support. People don't watch movies on servers, they watch them on worstations. When Linux becomes a large consumer market, then you'll probably see Apple support QT for Linux.

    In short. Don't bitch about lack of application support for Linux. Do something about it. Either code it yourself, or grow the installed consumer base so that developing consumer apps for it won't feel like a waste of time to software companies.

  • Comment removed based on user account deletion
  • Here's the link Microwaving CD's UF style [userfriendly.org]

    --Ben

    Sig Error #666 -- The Devil made me do it.

  • I think the issue should not be that "it's not available on Linux, so it sucks", but rather, "it's not the only format, why do people only use it?" After all, high bandwidth realvideo is a pretty good codec, and Intel's multiple bandwidth video codecs are very nice as well. It would be nice, IMHO, to see better QT support on Linux, but I wouldn't say the moderators were wrong to post this article.

    - Michael T. Babcock <homepage [linuxsupportline.com]>

  • Quicktime is a pretty open standard

    And what exactly is that supposed to mean? :P

    I don't see any Quicktime source code, specs, or third-party (non-Apple) reimplementations. Apple has been pretty tight-lipped about QT, in fact. It is not 'pretty open', or open at all.

    A boycott of Quicktime (and proprietary software in general) is most definitely in order.

  • I emailed Apple [mailto] and Sorenson [mailto] about working with Mark Podlipec (Xanim's creator) and below is the email I got back.

    If we all email them maybe they will get a clue.
    For reference, Xanim's home page (and mirrors)
    http://xanim.va.pubnix.com/home.html [pubnix.com]
    http://smurfland.cit.buffalo.edu/xanim/home.html [buffalo.edu]
    http://xanim.resnet.gatech.edu/home.html [gatech.edu]


    Hello,

    You're receiving this note because you asked for QuickTime for Linux, QuickTime for UNIX, or QuickTime for Amiga.

    QuickTime is available for Mac OS http://www.apple.com/macos [apple.com], Windows 95, Windows 98, and Windows NT 4. The next platform to be supported will be Mac OS X http://www.apple.com/macosx [apple.com] (including Mac OS X Server), which is Mach/BSD-based.

    If you're interested in QuickTime for platforms other than Mac or Windows, contact your platform vendor and let them know that you would like them to license QuickTime from Apple.

    If you're interested in QuickTime as it relates to servers, be sure to check out the standards-based Darwin streaming server project http://publicsource.apple.com [apple.com] (which works with any standards-based streaming media client).

    Thank you,

    --
    Charles Wiltgen [mailto]
    QuickTime Technology Manager
    Worldwide Developer Relations Apple Computer, Inc. "Don't compromise. Use QuickTime."
    http://www.apple.com/quicktime [apple.com]
    http://www.QuickTimeFAQ.org [quicktimefaq.org]

    QuickTime 4: The first standards-based architecture for networked media.
    Recognized as the industry standard for Macintosh and Windows since 1991.


  • I learned this a few years back when me and some of my friends were interning over at NOAA, a gov't organization.

    One of my friends was doing data backup onto CD-R's, and it was his boss who told him to microwave the ones that got screwed up.

    I always found it amusing to see us bunch of high school guys huddled around the microwave in a government building lunch room with the lights out and an occasional crackle of electricity.


    Just in case anyone was wondering, yes, this is your tax dollars at work.
  • Good idea!...I just went to the Apple web page. After wading through about a dozen links off of "Contact Us", I *STILL* couldn't find an email address that was remotely applicable. Anybody know who we should complain to?

    (Usually I complain to the site that has the .mov file and ask for a Real version...but in this case, the site is /., and I think the point has been made).
  • Comment removed based on user account deletion

  • MPEG version (Score:4)

    by Pathwalker ( 103 ) <hotgrits@yourpants.net> on Wednesday October 20, 1999 @07:57PM (#1598223) Homepage Journal
    Ok - I have permission to mirror and convert it.

    You can get the original quick time version, as well as mpeg versions at varying bit rates from http://house.ofdoom.com/~hungerf 3/video/index.rxml [ofdoom.com]

    I'm sitting here with a stopwatch, and a fire extinguisher to see how long this server stands up.
    (pentium 120, 96 megs of ram, FreeBSD, Roxen, on a tci-met cable modem)
  • Perhaps this is a stupid question. But I'm going to ask it anyway. Wouldn't it have been wiser to inquire about possible side-effects before puting your CD in the microwave?
  • Next time I have trouble reading a CD, I'll just stick it in the microwave. If not very much of the metal layer flaked off, I'll know it's a problem with the drive. To test the drive, I'll put it in the dishwasher. This a great, practical idea! Thanks!

    Your post marks the first time in in almost ten years online where I have spit Dr. Pepper onto my keyboard *and* had it dribble out my nose upon reading a post.

    Thanks.

  • i used athena student one, and when it finished downloading it said the movie was unplayable i tried different programs (including quicktime) but none worked. over an hour to download doh
    I AM NOT AS I CRAZY AS I THINK I AM! or am i??? -GODriel
  • I e-mailed Apple when the James Bond trailer came out. I very politely told them that I wanted to use Quicktime 4.0 but couldn't because I did most of my Internet stuff in Linux. I actually got a reply less than 24 hours later, but it didn't say anything other than that someone had received and read my comment.

    I don't think Apple is such a big Open Source fan. Open Source benefits hardware makers, because the more stuff that runs on their stuff the better. Apple is a hardware company so you'd think this would be good for them.

    But Apple is also a software company, and MacOS and OS X are a big part of their business model. In this area, Open Source is a threat. Linux, FreeBSD, and the like theaten the revenue derived from sale of their proprietary operating systems.

    I think that Apple is in a situation where it doesn't know what to do. If they support Linux (as they have with mkLinux) they make Mac hardware more attractive, but at the same time they risk losing market share and (perhaps more importantly) mindshare.

    Those are my thoughts.

    Take care,

    Steve
  • Good one.
  • "but in the meantime, our only choices are Wine (dunno if QT4 can be supported by this, though)"

    I have Quicktime 4.0 installed on a FAT32 partition that I use with Windows 95 OEM2. I tried many times to run Quicktime with Wine version 990815 and Red Hat 6.0. Quicktime always crashed before it finished loading. That's just my experience.

    Take care,

    Steve

  • When Linux naysayers claim "But Linux doesn't do X!" the usual slashdot response is like "Well hey dude, you can get involved and make it happen! That's the beauty of Linux!"

    Calling for a boycott of sites which make use of functionality Linux doesn't have (and source licensing for the technology is *not* particularly relevant here) is a pretty good way of reinforcing the "Linux is totally open as long as you think like we do" mentality, which is reasonably prevalent IMHO.

    My $0.02

    Danny

  • I have converted this video into 3 Real G2 videos: 56k/s (1.6mb) 70k/s (2.8mb) 128k/s (5.2mb) They are available here: ftp://24.29.236.226 and are in the root dir. 10 max connections allowed, 7k/s max each. Sorry... I would of uploaded this to Slash Mirror, but it wont let me upload in the uploads directory
  • I'm putting MPEG versions up at http://house.ofdoom.com/~hungerf 3/video/index.rxml [ofdoom.com].
  • Why avoid links to videos using QT 4.0????? _I_ have access to both a windows box and VMware....Platform facism is wrong no matter who is its subject....
  • Could someone put the movie through to aalib so I can watch it at the console?

    (j/k :) )
  • Comment removed based on user account deletion
  • We have video of microwave over ball lightning on an episode of the /etc show [thesync.com] titled "Fun with High Voltage Electrical Discharges" (RealVideo format ;) You can read more about doing it yourself at here [eskimo.com], look down on the page for the collection of microwave oven ball lightning recipes.


    It's scary stuff the first time you try it!

  • I've converted it to mpeg at various bitrates. As soon as I hear back from the person who runs the slashdotted site, (assuming they give me permission to do so) I'll put the mpeg files on a server and post the URL on slashdot.

    (I've got the fire extingusher all ready for the poor little server when the wave of people hit it)
  • I am under the impression that they've only opened parts of their next OS. For instance, I seriously doubt they've opened their GUI, and that's probably the most useful thing they could do. Furthermore, I doubt you'll be able to download an ISO file of the installation CD. Free speech is great, but sometimes free beer is just as important.

    You have hardware companies who have nothing to lose from open source software, and you have software companies like Microsoft who have little to gain from open source software. Apple's position as both a hardware and a software maker is the source of their ambivalence.

    gotta go...wish I could write more.

    Take care,

    Steve
  • Im not a linux user, so i dont know if this will help you, but i know it will help those of you with slower modems. As soon as the download is done, i will post several G2 versions (varying bandwiths). Please email me for the address: danwatt@bigfoot.com (im on a cable modem, and the ISP does not like bandwith hogging).

  • Apple don't claim it will work in Linux, but the do claim it is developed for Windowz. But check out what happens to their wonderful program when you install SP5.

    Quicktime Discuss Forum [apple.com]

    I wouldn't hold your breath waiting for apple to port something to linux if it doesn't even work on Windoze. Nothing personal against quicktime.. just .. THEY SUCK :)

  • Nuking CDs is too cool. Take a CD, set it on a glass in the middle of the microwave (to prevent it from arcing to the walls), and cook for 3 seconds. You get a cool electric light show, and a CD etched with fractalish patterns. Oh, if you leave the microwave on too long, you get this nasty burned plastic smell that won't go away, so 3 seconds is plenty. As far as safety goes, the only thing I can say is my microwave still works.
  • if anyone on a fast(...*more* than cable) line could icq this to me or a private ftp or something i can mirror it overnight...the servers up now are way too slashdotted.

    icq: 21261895
  • uploading works fine for me . . .

    128k / 5.03MB ftp://128.253.254.56/homecookin-128k.rm [128.253.254.56]

    70k / 2.75MB ftp://128.253.254.56/homecookin-70k.rm [128.253.254.56]

    56k / 1.58MB ftp://128.253.254.56/homecookin-56k.rm [128.253.254.56]

    SlashMirror: Where to put files for fellow /.'ers

  • Seems that the /. effect has hit my FTP server.... I did not know my cable modem could do 160kbps upload.. Only get 40 in the past. I think my ISP is mad. Go to slash mirror
  • MOV (11.3MB):
    ftp://128.253.254.56/homecookin.mov [128.253.254.56]
    http://athena.student.umd.edu/HomeCook in.mov [umd.edu]
    http://house.ofdoom.com/~hun gerf3/video/HomeCookin.mov [ofdoom.com]

    low quality MPG (7.23MB):
    ftp://128.253.254.56/homecookin-low.mpg [128.253.254.56]
    http://house.ofdoom.com/ ~hungerf3/video/HomeCookin-low.mpg [ofdoom.com]

    RM:
    128k / 5MB ftp://128.253.254.56/homecookin-128k.rm [128.253.254.56]
    70k / 1.6MB ftp://128.253.254.56/homecookin-70k.rm [128.253.254.56]
    56k / 2.8MB ftp://128.253.254.56/homecookin-56k.rm [128.253.254.56]

    SlashMirror: Where to put files for fellow /.'ers

  • QT4 works fine under NT4 Wks/SP5 where I work..
    All the speed/quality enhancement stuff on..

    PII/300, 128MB SDRAM, G200, Yamaha XG50 or somesuch.. for what it matters :)
  • I emailed the great CmdrTaco about this just earlier this week.

    Here's the email I sent:

    Subject: quickies?

    Hi,

    Whatever happened to the quickies batches? We haven't seen any in over a month! :( I used to laugh my ass off to most of the stuff in there, and found them to be hands down better (in terms of content density) than most other posts...

    Please bring back the quickies! You need to dust off that vaccuum!! :)

    And this is his somewhat amusing reply:

    I'm sorry! I've been busy!

    AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

    I can almost hear the pain in that scream...

    Anyway, considering all the other cool things he's been doing with Slashdot, I for one have forgiven him. :) I also imagine that it takes longer for him to compose quickies, because he'd have to cut and paste urls from like 20 regular stories into one...
  • video toaster rock(ed/s)!!!!!!!!! 93, there wasnt anything as cool. we ran our school tv station using it

  • I mirrored it for everyone. (Score:3)

    by chrisd ( 1457 ) <chrisd@dibona.com> on Wednesday October 20, 1999 @03:19PM (#1598253) Homepage
    I figured it'll be slashdotted anyhow, so I stuck it up on my website Here [dibona.com]

    Chris DiBona
    --
    Grant Chair, Linux Int.
    VP, SVLUG

  • It looks like xanim can't handle this version of Quicktime.

  • but this is what I get when I try to d/l Quicktime 4 from Snapple:

    Can't locate /www/cgi/cgi-lib.pl in @INC (@INC contains: /usr/local/lib/perl5/sun4-solaris/5.00404 /usr/local/lib/perl5 /usr/local/lib/perl5/site_perl/sun4-solaris /usr/local/lib/perl5/site_perl .) at /cgi/nph-qt4reg.pl line 86.

  • what was the honey for?

  • CD Testing (Score:5)

    by Batwing ( 63425 ) on Wednesday October 20, 1999 @03:32PM (#1598259)
    Well, I don't know about you guys but I have been using this method to test the duribility of CD's for quite a while. in my experience there are 2 really good tests that can be used to determine the quality of a brand of CD's without burning them. First is the Light test, where you hold up to a light sorce and see how much light filters through. second is the Nuke test where you put the CD (it's best to wait until you do a bad burn because this is destructive) in the microwave for 10 sec. when you are done watching the pretty lights take it out and see how much of the CD is flacked. if the a lot of metal layer is flaking off then it is a poor quality CD. if not then it is a good CD.

    Travis
  • We have been known to fri a few CDs of the AOL variety around here, they make cool wall deco. Never hooked up a video cammera before.

    -Crutcher
  • Should'a been a quickie: also not worth 12 Meg... It would've been impressive in '93, but it really isn't worth a whole news item. It's a slighly grating cooking show parody based upon microwaving CDs. It's a good demonstration of the "microwave CD" principle, if you haven't done it yourself... I highly recommend it (microwaving cd). There's 15 seconds worth of actual-interesting-stuff (the CDs and the pickle). The rest can be safely skipped over with mute on (assuming you have access to a machine with the player)... otherwise don't cry any tears about missing *this* one. -ether
  • that's what it's here for

    SlashMirror: Where to put files for fellow /.'ers

  • Actually true linuxers would have converted
    it to another, more linux-friendly format by now.

    --
    Insanity Takes Its Toll. Please Have Exact Change


  • Apple doesn't own the Sorensen codecs at all. In fact, I recall them paying out the nose to have them included in QT4... If you want the codecs, you've gotta talk to the Sorensen folk directly.
  • 10 SECONDS? Good God, when are you gonna patch the hole in your roof?

    Sit and watch a clock for 10 seconds. Your microwave would have exploded somewhere around 7.

    -- Give him Head? Be a Beacon?

  • Now, I like good karma just as much as anyone else, but come on, Score 5: Insightful? Jeeze, could you please use your moderator points on something more useful?
    ---
    "'Is not a quine' is not a quine" is a quine.
  • Check out:
    The CD Nuking Project Homepage [bssc.edu.au]

    That was my idea :)

    [yeah, I know it is a very common thing to microwave CDs; and this comment carries a lot of light hearted sarcasm in it so please don't waste all our time flaming it]
  • I'm relatively new to Slashdot (I've only been reading it for about a year now), but I can't help but wonder when it was that Slashdot became a Linux news site, as opposed to generally interesting news. And why I happened to miss that particular announcement from the Geek Compound that's developed Slashdot.

    Originally, Slashdot started out as a small site in which Rob Malda posted his opinions on things that interested him, and grew from there. It shows; on Slashdot, you might find news about BeOS, or quantum physics. Biology, archaeology, or information theory. That's why I keep coming back to it.

    You don't see everyone else around here who doesn't run a Linux or BSD system posting flamey bits because they can't run the new window manager on their MacOS or Windows system. So many Linux people like to talk about the "Mac jihad", but I think that in general these days the Linux userbase has become even more zealous than the Mac jihad. Which is kind of sad, really, and something I'd attribute to Linux' recent spike in public popularity.

    Anyway, trying to keep this on topic: I really don't think anyone should complain or say "Shame on [Hemos|CmdrTaco|Space Ghost]" for posting something that doesn't jive with your Linux-only interest. That's really not very intelligent behavior.

    You're all geeks, supposedly, and part of that means finding creative solutions to problems. So stop flaming and find yourself a solution, whatever it might be.

    - Cattywampus, who forsake the ability to moderate this to instead add his opinion into the entropy pool.
  • Now, I like good karma just as much as anyone else, but come on, Score 5: Insightful? Jeeze, could you please use your moderator points on something more useful?

    Those weren't moderation points. Those were votes.

    -Ed
  • Coincidentally, Backbytes in Computing has been talking about microwaving CDs recently, and posted a link to some pictures of the Tesla coil version [netcomuk.co.uk] of the CD-microwaving trick.

    Looks far more spectacular...
  • now if you dont mind, ill go back to my Indigo2 running IRIX 6.5.5 and view that bitchin quicktime movie...

    AC IS CORNERED AS A TROLL [abovegod.com]

    --neil

  • I heard from Podlipec that it's useless to talk to Sorenson because in fact Apple and Microsoft have them in their pocket. There's some sort of exclusive licencing deal that means they *can't* release the codec details to open source authors. You have to address Apple, it's the only way.

    Consciousness is not what it thinks it is
    Thought exists only as an abstraction
  • I will do that.... One of the things you have to love about WIn98 and multimedia apps. Real Encoder/Producer does not like Soreneson, so I had to export to uncompressed AVI. I came close to the AVI 2GB limit, and i have crashed 3 times when compressing. I will have it mirrored ASAP
  • Yeah - I emailed Apple about it too, right after the first Phantom Menace trailer came out on QuickTime 4.

    The bastards didn't even bother to reply. But then I'm mailing from a UK address, so what do *I* matter?

    Fuckers.

    Consciousness is not what it thinks it is
    Thought exists only as an abstraction
  • Everyone who is interested in this issue should contact D Gartner [mailto], who organizes lobbying efforts in favour of open protocols and the like. I've already spoken to her about the Sorenson codec and she has agreed to look into it. If she gets a few more letters about it maybe it'll get prioritized.

    Consciousness is not what it thinks it is
    Thought exists only as an abstraction
  • Video toaster indeed kicked some serious arse. we used a video toaster in my high school tv studio also. come to think of it, didnt they do most of the effects in babylon 5 with a video toaster?
  • You're not kidding about that smell! (gasp!)
  • I wrote Apple a complaint about their lack of Linux support a while back and they sent me a stupid, form-generated "yeah whatever" reply. I think that Linux competes with OS X or something. At any rate, they are pretty ambivilant (sp) about it.

    If you want to see some antics that don't require Quicktime 4.0 click here [be.com]. The site was created by a former employee of SGI who had way too much time on his hands.

    Take care,

    Steve
  • No problems have resulted for me, though.

    I haven't had any problems either, except that one of the fish in the tank next to the trash has three eyes.

  • Re:View in Linux (Score:5)

    by alexhmit01 ( 104757 ) on Wednesday October 20, 1999 @03:42PM (#1598287)
    If Linux is not adequate for your needs, then you should consider another (or additional) operating system. This is a web site for "News for Nerds," and people can post what they thing is appropriate for this forum.

    This attitude that "Linux rules! I can't do X on Linux, so X sucks" is completely rediculous. If Linux is not adequate for your needs, then that is your issue not ours.

    Every operating system has it's advantages and disadvantages. Quicktime is a pretty open standard, available on the vast majority of computer systems. If yours is not one of them, then that is your limitation.

    Alternatively, do what those of us that want to run *nix apps that are available for Linux and Windows apps do, run NT and Linux. Either run Linux in VMWare, or set up a second box. There are a plethora of Xservers for NT, some commercial, some freeware. That way, you can run all applications.

    You could run a VMWare session with Win95/98/NT, which would give your more application options. However, please don't extrapolate that because you use Linux and that many others use Linux that everyone here can only use Linux.

    An operating system is a tool, it runs applications. If your operating system lacks applications that you want to run, it is time to come up with an alternative plan of action.

    I'm certain that one day, Linux will have loads of applications, be as easy to use as Windows, and reliably, and the applications will run as reliably as Win32 apps (meaning, not very well), in the mean time, realize the Unix has been used for 30 years, and X for 15 years, but neither was designed as a desktop system. It's great that we have one, but it lacks full desktop support. Accept the limitations, don't force other to conform.

    Linux (at least on my School's AFS system) has lots of great commercial engineering tools, because it is Unix-like enough to run them. I can't get them for NT. However, for streaming video, mainstream environments are where it is at.

    If you want to do everything, get multiple systems. If you wish to do everything easily, pipe them into the same machine. If not, keep your issues to yourself, and don't demand that amusing links not be shown here because you choose to limit your options.

    Alex

  • This attitude that "Linux rules! I can't do X on Linux, so X sucks" is completely rediculous.

    I agree that that's not a reasonable attitude.

    However, there's a reason that nobody posts web pages in EBCDIC or baudot, interoperability in an INTERnet environment. I don't post EBCDIC pages and tell you that you should quit complaining and run OS/370 etc., etc.

    For the entire history of computing, we have had the standard of the day alongside real standards. Vast amounts of money and time have been wasted converting the former into the latter, or buying otherwise unneeded things to support the former. Until people quit falling into the marketeer's trap and stick with open standards, this will continue.

    Certainly, I don't advocate a 'technology freeze', but I do advocate insisting on OPEN standards. If nobody buys into proprietary (API, data structure, file format etc.) 'standards', all standards will be opened (or disappear).

  • Would you happen to be able to give more information though? I mean, does it crash because it can't register itself as a plugin, or because it's trying to do some low-level stuff that Wine can't handle, or what? (I'm too lazy to download it for myself. :)
    ---
    "'Is not a quine' is not a quine" is a quine.
  • Next time I have trouble reading a CD, I'll just stick it in the microwave. If not very much of the metal layer flaked off, I'll know it's a problem with the drive. To test the drive, I'll put it in the dishwasher. This a great, practical idea! Thanks!

    (sarcasm-impaired: try the microwave testing on your gonads)

  • Re:View in Linux (Score:3)

    by Trepidity ( 597 ) <delirium-slashdot@@@hackish...org> on Wednesday October 20, 1999 @03:59PM (#1598303)
    Since the majority of us do not use Linux to read Slashdot (according to the logs of /.'s webserver), I don't see the problem. Those of us who don't run Linux don't get upset when we can't run some new software program that Slashdot announces, so those of you who use Linux can show us the same courtesy by not objecting to things others may wish to see.

    If there's another, better, format available, then sure. But if there's no other format, posting the Quicktime 4 link is better than posting no link at all, just as posting info about a Linux-only program is worse than posting a link to a highly ported program, but is better than posting no link at all.
  • I know it's in bad taste to reply to myself, but I just tried it an xanim in fact can not handle it. It complains about the header being compressed in a proprietary way.

  • Re:View in Linux (Score:5)

    by Pascal Q. Porcupine ( 4467 ) on Wednesday October 20, 1999 @04:00PM (#1598305) Homepage
    Although I agree with you in general, I have issue with your statement that Quicktime is widely available on many platforms. QT4 is only available, AFAIK, on Windows and MacOS. Yes, a variety of the older QT Codecs are available on quite a few systems (including Linux), but so far I've seen no intention from Apple to support anything but MacOS and Windows on this. Hopefully they'll change their mind, but in the meantime, our only choices are Wine (dunno if QT4 can be supported by this, though) and, as you pointed out, VMWare. However, the problem with VMWare is that you still need a copy of Windows. Part of what many Linux geeks (such as myself) are trying to do, for better or worse, is not have to have a copy of any OS that we don't want just for a few things we don't need. It's a personal choice. I don't try to inflict it on others, though of course others don't have exactly the same views as me...

    But yeah, I agree, just because something isn't in Linux doesn't mean it sucks. However, to claim that QT4 is available on the vast majority of systems... well, on installed personal computers, maybe, but two OSes each on one platform certainly does NOT constitute the majority of the several hundred OSes and platforms out there. What if you don't even have an x86 box? What if you have a BeBox or an Alpha, or something StrongARM based, or an RS/6000, or a SPARC? Not everyone has a Mac or a Windows-capable box, after all.
    ---
    "'Is not a quine' is not a quine" is a quine.

  • Safety Precaution (Score:5)

    by MostlyHarmless ( 75501 ) <artdent@[ ]eshell.org ['fre' in gap]> on Wednesday October 20, 1999 @04:01PM (#1598306)
    No, I'm not going to caution everyone about the dangers of microwaving metal objects. Instead, I wish to talk about the much greater risk of Microsoft CDs (insert scary music as needed). You must take heed of my message and make haste to surround your CDs with protective deletium [userfriendly.org] lest these infernal products jump out and smite thee on thy noggin, causing you to lose control of yourseff and install Microsoft Windows 2000 Beta, Microsoft Office 2000, and Internet Explorer 5 (overwriting your Linux partition in the process). The resulting quantum explosion caused by having these three rip^H^H^Hproducts on the same machine at the same time may cause a quantum explosion that will take out much more than your microwave. Beware!
  • I've also mirrored it here [umd.edu]. I don't know how much bandwidth you have, but another mirror never hurts.

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