Again it’s been a while since I made any updates to this blog.Seems when I try and make weekly updates, things come along and weeks become months.I thought I would just do an update on the status of things here.
Development on iDumpPro 3 paused in late November as the project has been going a long time and I needed a break.I decided to write 3 games for the iPhone between December 2009 and end of Jan 2010 and then continue with iDumpPro 3.The first game hit the App Store end of December, the second one will be finished this week and a third should be finished second week of Feb.All three games are 2D but the next one which I plan to write in March 2010 will be a 3D platform game.
I had a couple of users who reported iDumpPod2iTunes crash on Windows 7 64Bit which I will need to take a look at in the next few weeks.The thing I like about the iPhone is that an application will function on every device the same, unlike windows and mac’s which can be configured differently and cause odd behaviour of software.
Again been a busy period with weeks passing faster than I can blink it seems.After completing updates to the products, I have continued with development of iDumpPro 3.0.I still plan to release this update by end of the year but to make this time frame, it will have reduced features compared to iDumpPro 2.x.
The main difference between version 2.x and 3.x is that 3.x is a standalone media player with its own library.
So far I have the following working….
1.Wizard to setup application and migrate iTunes database and music to iDumpPro 3.
2.Media player like iTunes.
3.Display album cover during track play.
4.Display lyrics during track play.
5.Spectrum and equaliser.
6.Audio FX panel.
7.Cover flow.
8.Add/Remove playlists
9.Radio streaming
10.Import CD’s which gets track and cover art from internet.
11.Import covers from audio files to library.
Plan for next couple of weeks….
1.Add track burn to CD.
2.Add Import from iTunes.
3.Add iPod/iPhone code so they all appear under devices.Add code to allow user to drag/drop music between iPod<->iPod and iPod<->Library.So a friend could bring about their iPod or iTouch/iPhone, run this program, select and drag music from their device and drop it into the library or another iPod.
4.Add Export/Convert options to allow user to export and convert music to different format.
5.Add Track audio editor so user can modify track or modify/export.
Future plans….
1.Add streaming server.
2.Changes based on user feedback.
Other things…….
I stopped using SugarSync.I needed a way to keep my source code in “The Cloud” but have it sync between systems when I am on the move.SugarSync managed on several occasions to download old files to the machines and rename them (old and new).Took me ages to undo the mess so cancelled the service.Their customer service is more than useless.Now I use Carbonite so will see how this performs.
It’s been a wee while since the last update so its time to add some words to the blog.
I have been playing a lot with my iPhone 3GS and find the device really good but find the Mobile Me product from Apple to be lacking in features so have cancelled the trial.Playing games on the device is a much butter experience and I am now looking to write a game with a friend later this year after some of my other projects are completed.
I hope in the next couple of weeks to add the write support for iPhone/iTouch Firmware 3.x.Finally will be able to use the products with my iPhone 3.x.
iDumpVideo2iPod released a few weeks ago now.My friends like the program and now I can copy my DVD collection to my devices which is nice.A friend asked why I don’t just buy a program on the market and my answer is always… “If I want a tool to perform a function and if I have time, it’s always fun to make it myself.”.Programming is fun!
Currently working on iDumpPro 3 and will post updates every week or two in this blog area.
iDumpPro 3 Media player now working, see news section for early screen shots.I have designed it to have a simple layout but give the user the option to open more panels to expose features.This way it’s not overwhelming to the new user.
iDumpPo 3 will be a standalone media player like iTunes/windows media player so you do not need to have an iPod attached.I plan to have it support devices like, iPods/iPhones, Archos, Creative and if possible Zune.I looked at a whole bunch of players out there and based this one on the features available in those apps.
So far features are:
1.Play, random and repeat tracks.
2.Get/Play radio stations from internet sources.
3.Display Spectrum bars and equalizer so user can adjust sound.
4.Sound FX panel for echo, reverb plus many other fx.
5.Lyrics pulled from internet for each track being placed.I used to use LyricsWiki but the API has been restricted so now use other sources.
6.Set Star Rating on track being played.
7.Cover flow to display albums.
To do….
1.See if guitar tabs can be added in a simple way for each track that plays.
2.Complete Radio station list linked to media buttons.
3.Pull album cover from internet if no cover found on track.
4.Edit track tags information.
5.Play videos in library.
6.Import DVD’s and movie files.
7.Add podcast support including updating of RSS feeds.
8.Add RipCD support.
9.Add Burn CD support.
10.Add convert tracks to different audio format within library.
Ok, after spending quite a bit of time shouting nasty names at my iPhone 3G, I gave it to my daughter and vowed to never get one again.Off I went to research all the other phones available to find me one which has touch screen, keyboard and email/web/music features.
First off were the Blackberries. I had a play with the curve, bold and storm and only the storm really impressed me but its touch screen and copy/paste was a little poor like the first gen iTouch.
I next moved on to the Nokia N97 which seemed to be the answer with good touch screen features and slide out keyboard.The GUI for some reason just did not do it for me.A little clunky and 3G coverage was not very good.
Following on from that I was impressed with the HTC Touch Pro 2 with great cover flow type features and fantastic hands free/conference features but it could not play many video/audio types without spending more money on software and it did not come with the ability to plug in our own headphones.You had to buy an adapter! Ultimately though, it was down to weight. I was heavy.
I went back to look at the new iPhone 3GS and here are my findings…..
First off, the processor speed has increased from 412MHz to about 600MHz. With more RAM added, applications should run better in the OS and storage has now been increased to 32GB. Apple has also swapped out the previous graphics chip for a new one called PowerVR SGX and this should mean that end users will see a noticeable difference in app speeds and loading times.Go over to www.PhoneDog.com and watch their video which compares the speed of 3G and 3GS.It’s very impressive.
The big question, is it worth buying?Well, for me I did go for the 32GB 3GS version for a number of reasons.(1). It’s noticeably faster at loading everything APPS, web pages, email. (2) 3G and phone signal seems better. (3) Better integration with Apples Mobile ME.While I think it’s a cheek to start £59 a year for iDisk and basic syncing with the device, it does allow you to upload pics and video from the iPhone while on holiday and you can make your folders public.
After a long search for a replacement phone, if Apple had not released the 3GS, I would have gone for a Blackberry Storm or N97 Nokia.It would have been a move having to accept compromise in a device with the features I want.I could not stay with the current iPhone 3G due to speed and rubbish 3G signal.
Now I can get back to looking at how to interface with the Firmware 3.0 SQL database.
Apple, Apple, Apple……I wish you would keep a reasonable schedule for iTunes releases (every 3 months too hard?).Within a couple of months, you have brought out 8.1 and 8.2 and changed the iTunesMobileDevice.DLL again.You are just making more work for us programmers.Now… I know you say “You should use the COM SDK interface we provide…” well if it was not so buggy, slow and a pain to use then we would.
Mad as Hell at my ISP – I have been with my ISP for a few years now and they were very good in the old days when Internet came to the public in the UK.The company is called PIPEX.A while back they were bought by a company with a poor reputation and service started to degrade.Their customer service during the last year was at best, poor.My brother-in-law used PIPEX and switched ISP’s and he had a terrible time leaving and had to make a complaint to OFCOM (Ofcom is the independent regulator and competition authority for the UK communications industries, with responsibilities across television, radio, telecommunications and wireless communications services in the UK). It was sorted out soon after. Anyway, I called them to let them know I wanted to switch and asked for my MAC code (a code required to provide new ISP).They said it would be with me in 3-5 days.No luck. Then they called me to say they could not produce the code, there was a problem and they did not know when I would get it.After a few days, I contacted the head of complaints but the person was not available so I left a message.They did not call me.After 10 days, I contacted OfCom and made a complaint because PIPEX were in breach of the regulations because they must provide the MAC code in 5 days.Thanks to OfCom, I had my code within 2 days.I will never use PIPEX or any companies associated with them every again in my life.My advice is, go to the regulators if you get any problems.
On a lighter note…. Been playing about with the Beta Firmware 3.0 on my iTouch.Adds a few more bits and maps is very accurate over Wi-fi, which is interesting but there is nothing there to persuade me to buy another phone contract to get a new model phone if one is released.I think I have had my fair share of iPhone app crashes, poor or no 3G, phone calls getting dropped and battery life lasting as long as a deep breath.I am looking forward to the new HTC Touch Pro2.
Purchased a new iMac for my daughter this week (Windows Geeks… stop hissing!).The reason for this is as follows:
1.I use her PC as a test machine and keep rebuilding it between tests so her saved games get deleted.
2.I can use it to update my devices to new beta firmware.
3.I can keep all my music collection in a place where I know I’ll not end up deleting it.
4.Less virus issues.
5.Looks pretty.
6.I can maybe use it to start a bit of iPhone development.
Current tasks….
Added AIFF support in to iDumpPod2iTunes and also using a new skinning object to modify buttons, forms etc. It’s with testers now and will be released in the next few days. I will then copy the updated “iTunes update” code in to iDumpPod2Backup.When I finish the next version of iDumpPro, I want to let the user select different application skins.This is the reason for switching to a skinner process now.
Coming up….
Have a really busy week working on other projects but will try and go see the new Terminator.I am still really annoyed with FOX for dropping Sarah Connor.I am afraid to like a new show in fear it will never have a conclusion, 4400 anyone?
The last couple of weeks have been busy with new versions of iDumpPod2Backup and iDumpPod2iTunes.There have been a couple of issues of late relating to GUI layout on XP machines with large font size set.Also, working with controlling iTunes has been very challenging in many ways and is something I need to address by switching back to direct iTunes database updating but first need to add a .net deflate option as iTunes .itl file is now compressed.
So what’s been big news this week?Well, MP’s in the UK have been caught claiming expenses (tax payer’s money) for swimming pools; pay off loans they already paid off etc.It looks like an MP is told about an unwritten rule in the commons to make the most of dipping fingers in to the money bag without being caught.I hope all political parties fire each person who has been a thief. For these people to say “I made a mistake and will pay it back”, they should be fired on the spot as most of them are already very rich.Greed breeds greed.I used to play Golf many years ago with a guy who worked for a bank and he was of a senior level.One day he was caught after an external audit and found to have transferred money from people’s accounts to a secret account he created.He did this for a number of years with small amounts of money but when questioned by senior managers and police, he said “I will pay it back, it was a mistake”.He eventually received 2 years in prison.Our MP’s should face the same punishment to make a point to others.
As mentioned in a previous post, I could not understand the panic over Swine Flu so I have been looking at past pandemics to understand patterns.It seems that as long as the initial infection can spread through a population in spring time, even if it disappears after a few months, it can come back in a more deadly form in winter.If the infection is very short and not many people are affected then there seems to be no worry, if it spreads through multiple population centres then it gives it time to mutate.People who have been infected and recover in the spring, will develop a partial immunity and would have a higher probability of survival if infected again with the nastier variant.
Why Cloud computing sucks!…. for now….
Ok, so we have this new technology which allows you to keep all your data on the internet somewhere in this mythical “Cloud”.The promise is to “Get to your data anytime….” and is being pushed by all major companies as the next “Big Thing”.Call me “Glass half empty” guy on this one but I feel this technology is some years away before it can be trusted.
Three reasons why I personally do not trust this technology:
1)Our data held by a company and possibly some of it private.When we currently worry about our systems being protected from Bots and Viruses how can we be sure these companies are stopping hackers from getting our data?Microsoft is big on pushing this technology so I’ll say no more.
2)What happens if they go-bust? What happens to our data if systems are no longer online? If it’s possible to have your data sync to you PC so you have two copies then at least you have your data somewhere.
3)The small print…. If you pay for a service then you should expect to see some kind of general SLA agreement which reports to provide 99.xx % availability.Anything which indicates “no guarantee” of service availability or retention of data should be avoided at all cost.
Call me old fashioned but I like my data when I can get it, PC, CD, USB Key, NAS Raid array etc.
In the tech news this week…..
Lots of rumours regarding Apple releasing a tablet like iPhone.Not quite a netbook and not quite an iPhone/iTouch but will be using the new Firmware 3.0 which will also be available for existing iTouch/iPhone users.The big news….. “Has copy and paste feature!”.Interesting and about 5 years behind everyone else.Talking of iPhone, my daughter is very happy now she has mine.I went back to laptop with 3G and small and old Samsung phone.The reason for this is due to the iPhone having rubbish network coverage.3G hardly works and never when you need it the most.I spoke with someone who said the O2 in the UK give low priority to iPhone 3G network packets and I can believe this.O2 offer a cheap 3G for laptops but I don’t think I want more of the same pain even if it’s cheaper than other network providers.
All I want in a mobile device is….. 1) Keyboard and not on screen. 2) 3G access which works! 3) IM client to chat with users. 4) Skype for free international calls. 5) Web browser with Flash. 6) Good email client which can sync with outlook.Not much to ask so if anyone can recommend one let me know.
I have finally had a chance to play with Twitter and Face Book.Both I don’t agree with, they are not for me and maybe it’s because I am an old 40 year old now.Following people on Twitter requires time and it’s something I just don’t have.I pay for Sky TV via satellite and maybe only watch 4 hours a week if I am lucky to get the time.Face Book on the other hand is interesting initially but requires time to keep up with all the comments of friends of friends and putting your life online.While it’s good for your social calendar, it does require updating to get the most out of it.I am not comfortable having a lot of information on friends and family online.
Currently working on….
Web site updated and the main EscSoft site will receive the new web site this weekend.iDumpTools and EscSoft.com will be the same and run on different servers.This is to allow one of the sites to always be up in case of network/server problems.
Just started working on iDumpDupCleaner.This will be a wizard interface like iDumpPod2iTunes and will ask the user to set a few easy options before it cleans either iTunes or any iPod of duplicate songs.
Also looking/thinking about iDumpPro 3.0.I have lots of code chunks done and just need to merge it all into the final application.It is still a few months away and I am stuck on the type of GUI to use.Should it be like the old version, like iTunes, like Media Player or like iDumpPod2Backup (2007 ribbon interface)?I will put a poll in the forum so users can decide.
Films this week….
DVD
I watched “Australia” and a good film it was but could not work out if it was a comedy or not.There were a few funny scenes but it was more of an adventure/romantic story.I would give it a 7/10.
Another film on DVD was Inkheart a good children’s fantasy film but also enjoyable for adults.Brendan Fraser playing “Brendan Fraser” meaning it looks like the same character from the Mummy films.That’s not a bad thing and adds to the films enjoyment. I would give this one 8/10.
Cinema
Went to see Angles and Demons….There were some bits in the film where scientists at CERN had created “Anti-Matter”.So I take this, along with the film title and because it involves the Church, it could possibly be a film like “Event Horizon” but on Earth? Not one bit.It was very predictable and as the credits rolled at the end of the film, I turned to a friend with a large sigh of relief and said “Thank God that’s finished”. I’ll rate it 5/10. It was Boring with a capital B.Now Event Horizon is one of those films which scare me more than the original Alien film.No matter how many times I watch it, it makes me sweat and raises my pulse.They should make a version of this on Earth where messing about with matter can rip a worm hold into the darker dimensions of the universe and all hell breaks loose.
Music/Podcasts
Had a chance to listen to Greenday’s latest album called 21st Century Breakdown.As a Greenday fan going back way before they became the success they are today, I would say this is on par with their last couple of Albums.It does not have the raw energy of Dookie but what has?It has 18 tracks on the CD so will have something for everyone who likes this type of music.Last week I bought the latest Depeche mode album “Sounds of the universe”.The album was ok but I still feel personally that the early days were better.Another group worth listening to are Elbow.
Recommended podcasts->Mac Break Weekly, Windows Weekly, Security Now, This Week in Tech. Search through Apple Store.They are all free.
Thanks to Beta testers
I just want to say thanks to the testers who have been helping in the last week, especially Chuck and Scott.When I needed fast turnaround on testing results, they were there and happy to contribute.Many thanks.
This last month has really passed by where every time I look up, it seems to be Friday again.It just seems to me that there are no longer enough hours in the day.
The big news this last week was Swine Flu coming out of Mexico.I personally can’t see what all the fuss is about.People catch cold or normal flu, it spreads between people and no one calls it a pandemic.More people die each year of standard Flu (about 250,000 in UK) yet people do not panic.If someone reported bird flu, like in Hong Kong a few years ago then I would really worry.Every century or so, Nature seems to want to reduce the human population a little and tries various ways to make it happen.I can understand why people in Mexico died.The flu developed in a remote part of the country where people were not well travelled so their immune system has not had the exposure to various viruses like most other people.Maybe it developed to attack certain DNA types where it found a weakness.
Some people slate Apple for having a locked down system, example…. OS X only available on Apple hardware.After spending the last 3 years developing for Windows, I am starting to see their point of view.
Take for example the programs I have created… Same code tested on machines using different versions of iTunes on different versions of Windows.Several test machines with some running security software and antivirus products and others standard build with service packs.For some reason my code will not correctly run on some peoples machines even though we have the same version of Windows, iPod and iTunes that I have running in the Lab.It does become frustrating spending hours scratching my head, looking and logs and not having an answer for the user.This is one reason for the Trial and Demo programs. Users should always try these first to make sure the work before parting with any money for registrations.
I am seriously thinking about starting to write programs for both the iMac and Windows.For iMac’s I know code deployed to this platform will run on all Intel based Mac’s without problems.Ok, so Mac geeks can be full of themselves and spit as soon as you mention Microsoft and there are some industries where Apple are favoured like Publishing, TV editing (A friends brother uses MAC PRO’s to edit documentaries for the BBC) and Music, but it seems to me that it maybe less stressful…. I hope.Using Mono which is .Net for Linux/Mac I should be able to compile my sources on to these platforms.When I get time, I’ll have a play.
Been chatting to Andie in Australia who wrote the original iDump and we may write an iPhone game later in the year.I know he’s thinking about finally finishing the new version of iDump with iPhone support so that will keep a few people happy.
This next week, I need to start writing the iTunes/iPod duplicate track cleaner.I have already worked the logic out in my head and will just need to allocate a few days to type up the code.
Thinking of something to write in this week’s blog while on a train speeding out of London, he is my rolling thoughts…
For as far as I can remember and for all the programmers I know, music is an essential part of programming.Most programmers will play an instrument or be involved in creating music in some way.It seems people who can code can have this artistic bent. Although I like most music (except Jazz), in the early days, all you could hear from my little computer room was Jean Michele Jarre and for me Zoolook was his best work.Watching him perform in London docklands many years ago, I remember the event more for the rain than his electronic harp!I still listen to 80’s tracks but my current artist list is: Morrissy, The Cure,The The, Editors, Radio Head.My weekly Podcasts include: This week in Tech, Windows Weekly & Security Now.
Coding programs to me is like an artist painting.They have an emotional meaning and each finished piece will be special in some way.I have always been able to visualise things in color and in 3D like a waking dream with images rolling like film.I usually create the GUI in my head, use the program in my mind long before the first line of code has been typed.I am not sure how many people have brains like mine, certainly not my wife or daughter.During a recent drinking session with a professor friend of mine who lectures computer science at a London university, I discussed this 3D visualisation and he said his brain works in exactly the same way.He uses it to his advantage to locate sections of student program code which he previously reviewed and can always know if someone has been cheating on a project.
Last week I went to the cinema to see Nicolas Cage in “Knowing”.It has some really cool special FX and an ok ending which was a little different… not quite one for my DVD list but I would watch again on cable.I can’t help but see Cage as always playing himself, a little like Ricky Gervais.Take either of them from any show, watch 3 seconds of them doing dialog and ask the audience which film/show it was from and they would say “could be any”.I have to admit, I have watched Ghost Town a few times now, just because Ricky is playing himself and he is so funny.Watch any of his live shows (Fame for example) and its endless laughs.
More on the coding side of things…. This week I have been putting the finishing touches to iDumpPod2Photo.This is a program which allows the user to copy Photos and cover artwork from any iPod to the PC.People use iTunes to copy their pictures to the iPod but people who had to install iTunes and Windows after a crash may not have another copy of those memorable events.Now they can get them back with this product.Check out www.idumptools.co.uk for more information.
This last week, I have been thinking about writing a game for the iPhone.There are a number of development kits available but one that caught my attention is called Unity3D.It allows the developer to create a game project on Windows or Mac, which can run on these operating systems and through a web plug-in before being compiled for the iTouch/iPhone.Sounds good and the indie license package is under USD $800.You just need an Intel iMac to compile the iPhone binaries so this would be an additional cost.
While thinking about games, I found some stuff on You Tube, some talks given by a famous British programmer called Jeff Minter.My first game on a VIC 20 was Grid Runner which was like the classic Centipede.Anyone who played his games would know of Attack of the Mutant Camels. Think defender with camels.In the days before the Internet, we used to share code and demos on a network called Compunet. Jeff would release some routines which we would download and have a play with.He has a nick-name called Yak and many years ago, I wrote a game on the C64 which had a story about “Yak the hairy” saving the universe.If I ever manage to find the source code, I’ll make a video of it.
In recent months, people have been asking for a program to recover their Photo’s from their iPods.As photo transfer is done through iTunes, people want them recovered when their PC crashes and they lose the ones they had.As the photos are on the iPod, a program to recover them would be just the ticket! So this week I started working on a simple application that will allow the user to select and copy them back to the PC.I expect it will be completed and release in the next week.
For all the new programs released, I will make videos of how to use them instead of making a help file (who reads the help file anyway?)
I have had requests for duplicate track finder/remover and also lyrics and cover art programs so will look at creating these soon.
Check out iDumpPod2Back which allows you to copy music to/from any iPod/iPhone plus more features which can be found on the product page.
It’s a Sunday night and I am trying to think about something for my blog.Earlier I was reading up on an old Amiga game from 1993 which was written by a guy I used to know who I had met through a mutual friend.The game was called Body Blows and was like street fighter but really cool.The coders name was Jnr and when he left home, he rented a room and used two Amiga computers to develop the game.I was in awe at the animation system he had created, this guy was really cool and knew 68000 assembler coding like he was part of the Matrix!I have no idea what happened to him but hope he’s still coding away.This got me thinking about where we have come from to where we are now and how we follow the path which twists and turns during our life time.
I have also been reading a book called “iCon Steve Jobs”.It amazes me how one man can get it so right in the end but also get things so wrong.I admire Apple and I wish I could have been part of the early days.I admire Woz who built the Apple computer and went on to teach and use his wealth to fund programs in schools.When I watched Woz tonight on a US dance show, he brought tears to my eyes.Tears of laughter because he cannot dance but also tears of joy because without those humble beginnings, we may not have had the home computing market we have today.
When I was young, I remember my dad’s 30th Birthday and thinking… “My God, dad is really old.”Now I have just turned 40 and thinking “Sh*t”, not long now so better make use of the coding time available before I catch the bus to the beyond.
When I was 14 and a bored student, during a fateful lunchtime a friend asked me if I wanted to join the lunch computer club.I thought…. “Football in the rain or have a look at a computer”.My uncle a couple of years before built a computer from a kit and I had seen him typing numbers into the thing to make something happen. Seemed like a lot of effort for little result.
It was during this lunch time that my life would change forever.I had found a new friend and it was a Commodore PET.It had a screen and keyboard and built in language called basic.Within a couple of weeks, I had written my first text maths game called “Air Lock” where you had to answer math questions to stop your character from running out of air. I was so please with this first game that I printed it out and pinned it to my bedroom wall.History of the PET can be found here: http://www.commodore.ca/products/pet/commodore_pet.htm#Commodore%20PET%20History
The school I attended was bad; I mean the type of school you spent your years avoiding the bullies and to be almost invisible, if that’s possible.I did try and do break-dancing which was popular in the 80’s and even entered some competitions but after my cousin developed curvature of the spine caused by too many “Wind mills”, it was time to give up and focus on being a geek.In the last 2 years of school, we had no computer club or computer class as the powers-that-be decided to close down the school for being so academically bad.This left me and two friends to attend night school aged 14 years so we could at least get a qualification in Computer Studies.The really funny thing about this class was our focus in the second year on the subject of assembly language and logic gates (OR, AND, NOT).When we sat the exam, one of the first questions was “Name 5 things you would find a bar code on…”I was mad, I mean really mad and wanted to walk out of the exam.In my Geeky way, I had studied hard to learn binary, hex and OP codes and there I sat having my intelligence insulted with these nonsense questions.
When I left school, I attended a local technology collage and travelled each day by bicycle which was about an hour and thirty minute round trip.The tutors were odd but students were mixed ability, some like me and others who just wanted to mess around.During the next two years I took courses in business studies, electronics and programming.The fun courses were electronics and programming, with programming being my joy and where I cut my teeth on 6502 and Z80 assembler programming.During this period and a secret part of the programming course, I learned how to crack computer game security on the Commodore C64.
After leaving college, I took a job with a local computer company in the operations department and worked on mainframes (VM/MVS/VSE).
During the next few years, I worked on mainframes during the day and programming my C64 at night.A few years ago, I was asked questions in an interview about this programming period so I thought I would share these with you here (see below).I was part of the C64 and Amiga demo scene. This scene involved people creating program/game demos on the C64.We could show, coding, graphics, music or music, graphics extraction from other games and them mix it all up.
During the years that followed, I worked in Information Technology departments in the Insurance and Banking industries where I remain to this day.Part of my work is on big-boys-systems and the rest of the time I work on my own projects and try to balance a family life.It’s probably why the years seem to fly by and the last 15 years have moved at the speed of light.One minute I am feeding my daughter with milk at 2am and then next, she has just turned 12 and gets +90% average pass rates in school tests.Seems the older you get, the faster time accelerates.
The Interview in my younger coding days What is your alias? If you find the story interesting, then let us know how you came up with it?
FREAK - I was watching a program on TV, I think it was in 86 and it was about a young computer hacker called Freak. I was different from my friends and I had a passion they did not share so I could say I felt like a computer freak.
Have you changed handles? If so, give us the reason(s) and your previous nickname(s)!
I used ‘Fat Hamster’ while I was in the Amiga scene.
When and where were you born and where do you live now?
I was born in 1969 in ELY near Cambridge, England. I now live in Essex, England. (Moved to the county of Hertfordshire in 2005)
When did you get your first computer and which computers do/did you own? When did you get your C64?
My first computer was a VIC20 which my father bought me for Christmas 83/84? Can’t remember which year. I then bought an Amstrad CPC464 when they first went on sale and then a CBM64 in 86, an Amiga A500 in 88 and then an A600 & A1200 when they 1st came out. Now I have two PC’s.
How did you get to know the scene? Who was your first contact (person you knew) on the scene?
Some friends at our local I.T.E.C had access to COMPUNET and that’s when I first experienced the ‘SCENE’ we all used to hang out at our local computer shop. Once I had purchased a modem and a Compunet account I started chatting to people on Partyline.
Describe your scene career, including all groups you have been a member of! Keep chronological order please!
I was only a member of ‘THE HARLOW CRACKING SERVICE’ which comprised of myself, Gairy and Andie. A lot of stuff we done was never released although Gairy did work on commercial games and rewrote the Hubbard music player, which was used in another game.
Which scene do/did you consider best and why? If you have been only on the C64, then give us the reason(s)!
The best scene was the C64, although I did write a couple of demos on the Amiga I found the C64 easiest to program. When the Amiga scene became strong people started dropping the C64 and didn’t move onto the Amiga.
What do you think you gained by being a member of the scene?
Being a 3rd generation hacker (1st generation was people who built home computers, 2nd was people who wrote O/S, 3rd was people who wrote games/demos) you were a part of the history of the evolution of computing.
There was a strong bond between coders and most would share their source code and explain new routines. Most coders would know their C64 better than their girl friends (if they had one).
What do you consider lost, wasted or meaningless during the years you have spent on the scene?
I lost my education as I spent most of my time during lessons thinking of game designs and writing code routines.
What is/are/was/were your main interest(s)/function(s)?
My main interest during school and upto 1985 was coding on Pet/BBC/ZX81, then 1985-1990 on Amstrad/C64, then 1990-1992 Amiga. I did some systems hacking during the 1987-1991 period. Although now I do program (Win95/NT - Visual Basic 4/5) its not my main job. In 1997 I purchased a C64 and Amiga 1200 and will again be following the scene.
What made you start doing graphics/composing/swapping/modem trading organising or whatever you did?
I started coding because I was fascinated about how a computer functioned and how by using assembler you were able to create things only limited by the imagination and hardware. Also cracking games and swapping was a big thing as we could not afford new games while at school.
What are/were your greatest successes/fiascos?
My greatest success was hacking into Istel and the British library using an Amstrad computer. I also requested a dozen boxes of brochures from the Egypt tourist board and had them sent over to a friend’s house as a joke. All you needed to do was go to a travel agency and watch them type in their password.The user ID was the ABTA code for the agent which was available everywhere.
Was there any special connection between you/your group and some other people/groups on the scene (co-operation, war, friendship etc.)? If so, what made it start and stop?
Gairy from our group was the guy who spent most of his time talking with others like Ash & Dave, Ian & Mic, Pazza, Skuzz and swapping code etc.
Have you attended parties? Tell us about your favourite conferences? You can even mention some fiascos.
The best demo party we had took place when Andie’s mum was on holiday and we had the house to our selves. Myself, Andie & Gairy setup our 64’s ready for a weekend of non-stop coding. The TV dinners were on standby and so was the beer. Before we started Andie said ‘Why don’t we go down the pub as some of my friends are down there.’ off we went! On this particular night the pub was packed out with people all having a good time! Gairy was knocking back the Grolsh and kept saying the beer was bad and that he didn’t feel drunk (he was sixteen at the time). Andie and I were being chatted up by a couple of very ugly woman; we didn’t care as we thought it would be an easy time for two geeks to get “some action” – how naive we were! After about eight bottles of Grolsh, Gairy started saying that he felt drunk and can we go home. We ordered a Taxi but as there were now five of us (3 men, 2 woman) the Taxi driver said he couldn’t take us, the two woman talked him into taking us all! While we were travelling in the car back to the house, we had Andie in the front with the driver, the two girls sitting on the passenger side of the rear seat, I was in the middle and Gairy was sitting to my right and behind the driver. We almost reached home when I looked at Gairy only to find his face had turned very pale, I asked the driver how to open the window as it was electric, he didn’t reply so I asked him again but it was too late. Suddenly a mixture of curry, tea and eight bottles of Grolsh fired out from the mouth of Gairy like a scene from the Exorcist at a high velocity, hit the taxi driver on the back of his head but with such force that half of it passed both his ears and on to his dash board. The rest of Gairy’s convulsions covered the rest of the passengers in the back of the car. When we got back to Andie’s I told the taxi driver that all would be ok and that Gairy and I would clean up the mess. In the back of the car I went and scooped it all out with my bare hands (I was badly drunk and didn’t care about the smell). We told the driver to send Gairy the cleaning bill.
We all went in and setup a camp bed in the kitchen for Gairy to sleep in; he had to share the room with Andie’s dog (Sam). Andie and I went upstairs with the two woman but I think the scene in the taxi had put them off any idea of romance and after a while they went home. The next day we came down stairs only to find that the dog had become distressed by the presence of a foul smelling stranger in this kitchen and because of this, the dog had been to the toilet during the night and all his clothes.
Because it was such a bad night for all involved, it makes it even funnier now looking back.A small group of geeks trying to be cool with the big boys drinking beer. This was the most memorable party ever and we still talk about it today.The fact we did no coding with all that equipment set-up was a shame but we do laugh.
Is/was there any special feeling in your crew, something more than just being in a group?
We were like brothers as we all had a common love for the C64 and of course Beer!
If you are not a C64 scener anymore, when and why did you leave the scene?
I left the scene in 1990 when it was almost dead and sold all of my kit and gave away most of my source code disks (prat!) In 1997 I bought another 64 and will when time permits, write another game.
What were your favourite groups/artists/coders/productions? Why do/did you like their work/these programs?
Ash & Dave, Ian & Mic, Mean team, The might Bogg, Dokk, Skuzz, Alpha flight, 1001 crew, Yak, Judges, Stoat & Tim, Hubbard, Galway, and others for origional work.
Give us a brief description on the development of the scene as you experienced it and computer society in general!
In the beginning the scene life was simple, bitmap with a scroller, then came demos which contained more parts, then the complexity of the math’s increased, everyone was searching for new routines and bitching if somebody else copied them. The ‘Hacker ethic’ (share code for the common good) started to die. Commodores marketing were always crap and that’s why the Amiga died. People started moving onto the PC, which was a complete bastard to code (unless of course you were in Future Crew).
What is your profession? What do you do for a living? Does it have to do anything with computers? Is there anything you do in real-life that is similar to what you have been doing on the scene?
I now work in a Bank as a Systems Analyst supporting NT, AS400 (Very stable) and SUN (ok but software’s buggy like the PC). I wouldn’t be doing this if I weren’t apart of the scene, as the 80’s for me were the best years of my life. Although I have a Pentium 200 Laptop, Nintendo 64, Sony Playstation, I still prefer playing the C64 and old arcade games (using an emulator on the PC).
Things have moved on a bit since then J
What do you like doing in your spare-time when not computing? What is/are your hobby(ies)?
In my spare time I watch motor racing and films and enjoy life with my wife and baby.
Are there moments when you feel nostalgic thinking back to the past years of the scene? If so what do you do when it happens?
Most days I think about the old times and the fun/excitement it brought.
The 80’s were a period where people who were interested could really understand the technology right down to chip level.
What are your plans for the near/far future?
I would like to write one more game for the C64 before I die.
What is your goal in life? What would you like to achieve?
I would like to be remembered in life for any programs, which I have written and for enjoying anything I had put my mind to. It doesn’t matter whether people are good or bad at things as long as they enjoy the experience.
My goal in life is to become the best that I can possibly be in the field of work I am doing. Currently is systems support but who knows what the future holds?