Monday, March 12, 2001

Easy MP3 Ripping in KDE 2.2 -- 8:45 pm CST, Update by A.T. Hun

There will be a new feature in KDE 2.2 (the popular Linux desktop) that will make ripping MP3s or Ogg Vorbis files a piece of cake. Check it out:

Last week, Michael Matz contributed some code to the audiocd:IO slave in KDE CVS to make ripping audio CDs child's play. When you browse an audio CD with this new code (using, for example, 'audiocd:/' in Konqueror), you will find two subdirectories: MP3 and Ogg Vorbis. Each subdirectory will list all the tracks on the audio CD with the appropriate extension (.mp3 and .ogg). Each track can then be dragged to any KDE drop location and be converted automatically into the MP3 or OGG compressed formats. In addition, if the track has a CDDB entry, the file is automatically named for you and the .MP3/.OGG tags are set appropriately. The obligatory screenies are linked in the text above. Expect rollout for KDE 2.2, currently scheduled for beta release on April 2. How's that for simplicity?

That is just too slick for words. Thanks Linux Today.

Half-Life Releases This Week -- 8:20 pm CST, Update by A.T. Hun

Blue got word of the release schedule this week for the various Half-Life patches. Here's the news, courtesy of a rather violent ctrl-c/ctrl-v combo:

There will be two separate updates for Counter-Strike 1.1, one for those who play the free downloadable (MOD) version of Counter-Strike and one for those with any retail version of Counter-Strike.

The schedule for all releases is as follows:

Counter-Strike 1.1 MOD: 2 pm PST, Tuesday.

Half-Life Primary Server Release (Linux and Win32): 4 pm PST, Tuesday.

Counter-Strike 1.1 Retail: 11 am PST, Wednesday.

Half-Life 1.1.0.6: 11 am PST, Wednesday.

Half-Life 1.1.0.6 includes new models for TFC, the winning entry from Planet Half-Life's January 2001 mapping contest, and more. Counter-Strike 1.1 includes a spectator mode, enhanced models, and more.

The Counter-Strike 1.1 Linux dedicated server is available for download right now as a 35.2M patch or a 75.7M full download.

Pondering the Imponderable -- 8:58 am CST, Update by A.T. Hun

And I thought it was stupid how I lost some fingertips. At least I didn't do it as part of a game show. Thanks Blue for reminding me for every stupid thing I do, someone will always top me.

If your local newspaper gets the comic strip "Fox Trot", make sure to check out today's strip. Somebody set us up the bomb!

UPDATE! Redwood posted this link to see that strip online. I'm kind of surprised that the Houston Chronicle can get away with posting it online on the same day it's in print.

Sunday, March 11, 2001

Streamin' Blues -- 6:38 pm CST, Update by A.T. Hun

If you're like me (and heaven help you if you are), and you like the blues, then you will want to check out Texas Flood Radio. They've got some pretty sweet streaming Texas blues 24/7. Highly recommended.

The History of Pong -- 12:02 pm CST, Update by A.T. Hun

Ladies and gentlemen (and I use those terms loosely), I present to you the history of Pong! Yes, that's right! The video game that I was playing before most of you were, well, born. I wonder how many people Pong turned into "killing machines." Hmmm. Better get an enormous federal grant to study that.

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