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Geekery Meets Pop Culture

A Different Kind of “Code Smell”

First, let’s look at a new ad for Axe body spray…

Axe body spray ad featuring fake code
Image courtesy of Miss Fipi Lele.

I think the suggestion in the ad goes double if you start pointing out what’s wrong with the code (“you == understand.this? get as an object name? Couldn’t they have hired a real programmer to write the ad copy?”).

359 is the new 555

Fictitious phone numbers on many TV shows and movies begin with the number 555, which I presume is to avoid the legal hassles that arise when people try to call those numbers (I remember that a number of people whose phone numbers were actually 867-5309 had their phones ringing day and night when Tommy Tutone’s song Jenny became a hit).

The people behind the TV show CSI: Miami probably wanted to avoid similar legal trouble in an episode where an IP address was shown onscreen. I don’t think I’d go to the trouble of portscanning some IP address I’d seen on a fiction TV show, but somewhere, out there, someone just might. Hence their invention of an IP address whose first “octet” is 359. It’s IPv4.5!

IP address displayed on a screen on the TV show “CSI”: 359.33.9.234

And finally, here’s a graphic that I whipped up for an article with links to recent articles on version control on the Tucows Developer Blog:

version_control_star_trek_style.jpg

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Shipping Container Geekery

Enterprise Computing in a Shipping Container

The idea of setting up a computing center in a shipping container isn’t new. Sun has Project Blackbox, “a prototype of the world’s first virtualized datacenter–built into a shipping container and optimized to deliver extreme energy, space, and performance efficiencies”. The idea is create a computing center that you could move anywhere in the world with relative ease:

A “Project Blackbox” container with its doors open, revealing the computing center inside.

If you’ve ever watch ships loading and unloading, you’ll know that nobody handles cargo containers gingerly. A shipping container full of computer equipment would have to be able to withstand a fair bit of abuse, and it looks as though the Blackbox container can take it — here’s a video of one in a simulated earthquake of a 6.7 magnitude on the Richter scale:

Sun’s not the only company working the the concept. Google have patented a similar idea. One major difference is that while Sun’s container-based datacenter would be a self-contained computing cluster, Google would treat their containers as very large rackmounts, where a container could operate on its own or as part of a cluster of other computing containers. Robert Cringely has some interesting speculation on the way Google might use these datacenters.

1337 H4X0RZ in a Shipping Container

Invisigoth from the “X-Files” episode “Kill Switch” — a skinny pale blonde woman, dressed in black, wearing way too much makeup.
“Invisigoth” from the X-Files episode Kill Switch

The idea of setting up a non-enterprise computing center in a shipping container isn’t new, either. Kill Switch, one of the X-Files episodes written by William Gibson, featured a hacker who went by the handle “Invisigoth” who lived and did her work in a shipping container.

The episode also featured a down-market version of a computing cluster in a shipping container: an old trailer, packed with computers, sitting in a remote field and connected to the internet through a T1 line, which was an even bigger deal back in 1998.

A Cafe in a Shipping Container

Where there are computer programmers, there must also be caffeine. Consider the fact that the nerd store ThinkGeek has a whole section devoted to the substance. One of my favorite sayings was adapted from a line in mathematician Paul Erdos’ biography, The Man Who Loved Only Numbers: “A programmer is a machine for converting caffeine into software.”

It logically follows that if there are computing centers in shipping containers, there should also be some kind of caffeine dispensers in shipping containers as well. Here come artist Adam Kalkin and fancy-pants coffee vendor Illy to the rescue:

Shipping container that converts into an Illy Cafe.

Here’s an excerpt from Illy’s news release:

For the 52nd International Art Exhibition in Venice illycaffè is partnering with the Fondazione La Biennale di Venezia for the fourth time.

At the Biennale illy will provide art-lovers and coffee connoisseurs a beautiful space to relax, reflect and enjoy a perfect cup of espresso. Visitors to illymind, the rest and refreshment area founded by illy in 2003, will be introduced to the Push Button House which opens like a flower and transforms from a compact container into a fully furnished and functional space with the push of a button. View video.

After the preview at Art Basel Miami Beach, the Push Button House, a work designed by American artist-architect Adam Kalkin and redesigned for the presence of illycaffè at the 52nd International Art Exhibition, arrives for the first time in Europe.

Kalkin is known for designing comfortable spaces and placing them in unusual contexts. Visitors to the Push Button House will experience the artist’s ability to transform industrial materials into a domestic masterpiece, beautifully contrasting between the indoor and outdoor worlds, while enjoying complimentary illy espresso for a complete authentic Italian experience. The entire work was created from recyclable materials.

If I had the money, I’d take one of these things wherever I went.

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“God Mode’s” Comic on the Wiimote Sleeve

Perhaps you’ve heard of the updated protective grip sleeve that Nintendo is offering to all Wii owners:

Nintendo’s new Wiimote sleeve

Here’s the webcomic God Mode’s take on it:

“God Mode’s” comic on the Wiimote Sleeve (from October 12, 2007)
Click the comic to see it on its original page at full size.

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Nerd Culture Tidbits

I’m working on an article (working title: Walled Garden…or BEER Garden?), so here’s something to keep you amused in the meantime…

My Obsessions, Circa 1980

Gaggle of Hooters waitresses posing behind an old-school Battlestar Galactica Colonial Viper.
Photo courtesy of Miss Fipi Lele.

The “Star Wars Trumpet” Video

Well, I can’t make a reference to Battlestar Galactica (the 80’s version) without making one to Star Wars, can I? How ’bout the video that’s making the rounds right now — this so-bad-it’s-good performance of the Star Wars theme on trumpet for the “talent” portion of an old beauty pageant?


Can’t see the video? Click here.

Remind me to tell you folks about my worst on-stage music performance ever sometime.

The description of the video on its YouTube page is as follows:

I work in TV Sports, this tape has circulated amongst our tape rooms for years, I figured it was only natural to be on YouTube. I’m of the understanding it was a statewide beauty pagaent, and Stacy is Miss Douglas County. I have no idea who she is, or if she even knew there was a talent portion of the contest.

It’s believed that the tape has origins in the Kansas City area, and I thought it was a Nebraska beauty pageant.

Obligatory Star Trek Gag

spock_massage.jpg
Photo courtesy of Miss Fipi Lele.

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The Album Art for Radiohead’s “In Rainbows”

You’ve probably heard of Radiohead’s latest album, In Rainbows. They’re bypassing the record industry, and you can buy it directly from them, either as an audio CD or as downloaded MP3s. For those of you who have downloaded or ripped the album, here’s the album art for your enhanced listening enjoyment!*

Alternate cover art for Radiohead’s album, “In Rainbows”
Image courtesy of Miss Fipi Lele.

* May not be the actual album art.

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Programming: You’re Doing it Completely Wrong

I found this Successories-style inspirational poster on the blog of Lisp programmer (but non-Lisp weenie) John “lemonodor” Wiseman:

“Successories”-style poster with a photo of John McCarthy captioned “Programming: You’re doing it completely wrong.”
Click the photo to see it on its original page.

I have to admit that it made me laugh.

(That’s Lisp creator John McCarthy in the photo, by the bye.)

Cross-posted to the Tucows Developer Blog.

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Notes from FacebookCamp Toronto 2, Part 3

The crowd at FacebookCamp Toronto 2.
The crowd at FacebookCamp Toronto 2.
Photo taken by Joseph Thornley — click it to see the original on its Flickr page.

And now, the last of my notes from yesterday’s FacebookCamp Toronto 2. If you missed the first two parts, follow the links below:

Monetizing your Facebook Application (Greg Thomson)

  • What does he consider a “failed app”? “An app that has less than 10K active users”.
  • What does he consider a success? An app with about 250,000 installs. With that, he says he “could go full time”.
  • What’s an active user worth per year? “About $3”.
  • “You can’t just throw one banner up and hope to make it.”

Case Study: “My Garden” App:

  • Each flower was worth a certain number of coins
  • Each user has an allotment of coins — extra coins had to be paid with cash
  • The scheme to make money through coin sales didn’t work — “In my experience, users will generally not pay for things.”
  • Across his apps — the big one being “My Aquarium” — the installed base progression was from 0 to 250,000 to 8 million installs across apps
  • Did not add ads until his installed base hit the 250,000 mark, and he regrets that
  • Why wait so long before adding advertising? He was worried that they might drive users away.
  • This was not the case: users are used to ads
  • There is a hidden upside to starting late: he didn’t get discouraged at the beginning when ad revenues would have been small.
  • The money he’s making covers costs of servers “definitely starting to mount”
  • “You really need large numbers to effectively monetize applications.”
  • Some demographics:
    • 60% of the users generate of 90% of revenue
    • 30% generate zero revenue
    • The country breakdown of his users:
      • U.K.: 20%
      • U.S.: 20% — These users represent the best monetization opportunities — try to increase them!
      • Canada: 20%
      • Other countries: 40%

Revenue basics:

  • Appsaholic (Social media) — pay per click — average $0.10/click
  • Adsense (Google) — pay per click — average $0.07/click
  • Adsense worked well with “My Garden”, since its theme tended to result in relevant ads — ads for florists and the like.
  • Adsense didn’t work well for “My Aquarium”, since “people don’t really send each other fish” in real life, and the ads weren’t relevant.
  • Incentivize your users to complete offers: give them rewards in exchange for their completing surveys, which generate revenue

Create a new want:

  • Most of the popular applications are entertainment-based
  • Revnues for apps go through a cycle: start / peak / decline / plateau
  • One way to avoid or at least forestall plateaus is to cycle through ads — change them up often
  • You have to keep putting new stuff up — both content and ads
  • Change things! Vary the order of ads, or run slightly different ads — any variation helps!

What else?

  • Cross-promote other apps in your app to generate new users — he does this
  • In his experience — he can deliver 50,000 installs for other apps because of his user base
  • If your app is a good fit, you have the opportunity to do custom advertising with large brands — such as the “Zombies” app, which got sponsored by Resident Evil
  • Use A/B testing to maximize revenue — show 2 different variations of an ad — see which performs the best

Selling your app

  • No major acquisitions just yet
  • There was talk of the “Where I’ve Been” app getting bought, but it hasn’t happened yet
  • Expect to get $1 per installed user or $10 per daily active user
  • You should:
    • Have a base of banners
    • Build incentivizable offers
    • Get surveys through affiliate networks
  • Note that a lot of offers are not incentivizable
  • Up until a week and a half ago — all users on 1 app server and 1 DB server
  • There are 10 rendering servers for Flash and jpegs
  • What his time to market? “Keep it to a week. More than a week? The odds of failure go up dramatically.”
  • How long to 250,000 users? “2 weeks”.
  • How long to 8 million users? “Been doing this for 3 months now.”
  • His operating costs? For servers — $2,500 a month

Secrets of PayPal interface used by Gift Cards Facebook Application (Steve Pritchard)

Background

  • His “Gift Cards” application was a convergence of business opportunities:
    • He had a Toronto business associate with abundance of gift cards to give
    • Toronto has a high density of active Facebook users (remember, it’s the Facebook city after London)
    • Obvious application fit for his business
  • The application cried out for PayPal interface
  • Wanted to offer a simple payment scheme
  • Wanted to avoid complex HTTPS interactions
  • “Challenged by the challenge”

Challenges

  • PayPal data does not fit on Facebook Canvas
  • Required pop-up window
  • Had to be done with IFRAME; and the canvas and IFRAME cannot communicate
  • PayPal pop-up window must have specified dimensions
  • Have to update canvas under all PayPal termination conditions
  • Had to sync 3 threads on 4 subsystems

Solutions

  • Solution: Get user to click twice:
    • First click to start the PayPal/Facebook sync loop
    • Second click to open the PayPal pop-up window
  • Gift Cards server mediates
  • Again, a click-twice user interface:
    • First click to start Facebook canvas polling cycle
    • The canvas’ PayPal “checkout” button is replaced with an IFRAME version
    • Then, the intermediate step of asking user to confirm amount
    • Generates 2nd click

Q & A

  • How long did it to develop? “I was learning Facebook, I was learning Paypal…so about a week.”

Cross-posted to the Tucows Developer Blog.