News & Updates in May 2004
- Monday, May 31, 2004
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Fixed a minor script problem that probably never even surfaced anywhere. It had to do with table cells that I have linked (like the navigation links at the top and bottom of the pages) so that when you click the table cell, it will open the page just as if you had clicked the link inside the cell. For links that had a target set to _blank (which opens pages in a new browser window), if you clicked on the link then the page would open twice in two new browser windows, once for clicking the link and once for clicking the table cell. To fix the problem I just had to change the return value of the link event to false.
On Friday morning I had a TiVo support representative call me in response to my e-mail telling them that my TiVo had started doing that channel changing problem again. The guy I got was yet another pretty much useless schmo. I mean, they guy could barely even read. He asked me what kind of satellite box I had, and I told him that I specified the model in the e-mail I sent. He kept saying that he didn't see it there, and I kept telling him to look again because it's there. Finally, in a cold, monotonous tone I told him to check the first line, middle of the sentence. After a second, he came back with, oh, there it is.
When I told him that my TiVo series 1 had no problems changing channels with the serial cable, he responded by saying that other people have also complained that they had problems changing channels via the serial cable only after switching from a series 1 TiVo to a series 2 TiVo. He then admitted that the series 2 TiVo did have more problems changing channel with the serial cable, and that they always just tell people to switch to the IR cable. Hello?! I spent my money on a TiVo that supposed to work correctly! I shouldn't have to switch data transmission methods because you're selling defective product!
And then you know what he said later on? Do ya? If you guessed that he told me there was no way the TiVo could possibly be causing the problem, then you guessed correctly. Oh, and he said that even though it's not the TiVo's fault, he might be able to get it approved for me to send my TiVo in for exchange, but he would have to talk to some people and do some stuff, and that it would cost over $100, not including shipping.
Once I saw that the facts didn't really matter and there was absolutely nothing they were going to do to help, I just thought the hell with it and got off the phone. Once DVRs become a standard part of satellite and cable boxes, I'm positive TiVo will be out of business. I miss my TiVo series 1. It worked really good. Of course, then I wouldn't have broadband... because you know those calls it had to make at 3:00 AM to download the guide data were always so inconvenient. But seriously, the one thing I would miss with a series 1 is use of folders. Folders are sooo convenient, but TiVo choose to stop upgrading the software for series 1 machines so if you've got one then you're out of luck.
- Sunday, May 30, 2004
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Added an anime profiles for Kimi Ga Nozumo Eien.
- Saturday, May 29, 2004
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Added anime profiles for Arc the Lad, Argentosoma, Betterman, Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040, Dirty Pair: Damsels of Destruction, Dirty Pair: Girls with Guns, Duel Masters, Heat Guy J, Kaleido Star, Kiddy Grade, Kino's Journey, Castle of Cagliostro, MegaMan NT Warrior, Metal Skin Panic, My Neighbor Totoro, Mystery of the Necronomicon, Pita-Ten, Prince of Tennis, Rahxephon, Saint Tail, Shamanic Princess, Slayers: The Motion Picture, Street Fighter Alpha: The Movie, Ultra Maniac, Voices of a Distant Star, Heavenly Wind Thief Jeanne.
Changed the index lists into PHP files, which saves a ton of time for me when I build the indexes and upload everything. Hopefully it works out. Also posted the Photos From My E3 2004 Trip.
- Wednesday, May 26, 2004
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Added an anime profile for Private Sessions. Added character profiles for Lila (from Najica: Blitz Tactics); Oscar (from Final Fantasy: Unlimited).
Back near the beginning of April, I sent out letters to a bunch of anime companies politely asking if I could be added to each of their screener lists (as Victor pointed out that my website was actually more popular than most of the anime companies' sites). I never heard back from most of the companies, but a few did respond...and Monday I received my first screener, which was Private Sessions. So if you checked out the profile for it and were wondering why I did a profile for an anime that hasn't been released when I have a bunch of user-submitted profiles that still need to be done, that's the reason why.
Oh, and I forgot to mention earlier that I had noticed a few e-mails sent to me from my website that ended up in my Bulk Email folder. Unfortunately, I did not have a chance to save these messages, because as soon as they were downloaded to my e-mail client, Hotmail decided it was time to empty that folder. Usually messages will end up here if the sender puts an invalid e-mail address or puts my e-mail address instead of their own, but sometimes valid messages do get put in there, and since I didn't get a chance to look over them, I have no idea what was lost. So if you haven't heard from me since you sent your message....just don't worry about it yet as I still have a few hundred messages waiting patiently in my Inbox.
- Sunday, May 23, 2004
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What a week! That trip to Alcatraz and E3 2004 really wore me out. I actually went to bet at like 1:00 almost every night this week. I had medical exam on Wednesday morning, so on Monday morning I had to in so they could steal my blood for their tests...that meant I couldn't eat anything the previous night. And of course that was the night that we had pizza, along with a cookie-dough Blizzard sitting the fridge that just wouldn't stop calling my name!
Anyway, the exam went fine and I am in perfect health. The Doc couldn't find a single thing even remotely wrong with me, which was good to hear. For good measures, he went ahead and gave me a couple inoculations, flu in one shoulder and tetanus in the other. It had been a long time since I had gotten a flu shot, but he said according to the pattern of flu throughout history, a major epidemic was expected to hit anytime. They didn't hurt, just a little prick...that is until the following day when it felt like someone hit me in each shoulder with a hammer. Wasn't expecting that one!
Yesterday Treeses finally used her flying lesson. She really loved it. She taxied the plane down the runway, which is steered with foot pedals, so she was swerving back and forth like she had a few too many drinks. Then as she sped it up, she pulled back on the controls and up we went. She flew for a little bit, then had the instructor take over so she could check out the view. It was a lot easier than she expected, but she still really, really enjoyed it. Afterwards we stopped off at the bloodmobile and gave blood...and got free movie tickets. This was Treeses first time giving blood, as she is an ex-Jehovah Witness, and they have a "thing" about their blood.
So anyway, I haven't been working on the website at all this week. Basically I've just been writing about my trip to Alcatraz and E3 2004. I know I probably shouldn't have written about it so soon afterwards, as it still conjures up feelings of exhaustion, but I just wanted to get it done. Hopefully it's not too boring to read. Let me know if there's a specific section that puts you to sleep and I'll try to fix it up a bit.
- Saturday, May 1, 2004
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Split the various universes of Gundam into separate directories. Upgraded the Add Anime and Add Character submission forms.