[link]

I'm still alive, and Still Alive is still an awesome song.

I've been doing work, and not watching this site much. I'm up to 3500+ deviations in my watchlist.

I'm working full-time now, doing all sorts of strange things with paperwork, people and computers.

So, who's actually still watching me?

Anything I miss?

------------------------------------
Works of mine you may be interested in:
Inspiration Liberation - a guide to getting inspired and smashing artist/writer's block WITHOUT ripping off someone else's ideas.
Exodus Assistance - an old, somewhat inaccurate guide to the other art sites besides DA, if you are inclined to leave. Will be updated sometime in the future.
The No-BS Submission Agreement 3.5 - A human-readable summary of the legal agreement you enter into when submitting art etc to DA. By far the runaway leader in favourites amongst my deviations.

------------------------------------

The big list of awesome and useful stuff that you should really look at
[link]

Friends of Mine:


Clubs I'm In:


Quote of the Moment:
"For a long time it puzzled me how something so expensive, so leading edge, could be so useless, and then it occurred to me that a computer is a stupid machine with the ability to do incredibly smart things, while computer programmers are smart people with the ability to do incredibly stupid things. They are, in short, a perfect match." - Bill Bryson

Important Notes:
Sai is an idiot. Sai has a problem and is an idiot sometimes.
Cervantes burn your soul!
My current projects list - [link]
So you want to art-trade/commission/request me... [link]

-kargath64
NPR Addict
Supporting Original Content!

A new journal, to carry more important thoughts.

DA as a "Thief"?
It's a topic that keeps coming up on my No-BS Submission Agreement 3.5 comments section. "How likely is DA to use these provisions anyway?" "DA is just covering itself." etc.
It is true there is a distinction between what DA is allowed to do legally and what it is DA's interests to do.
Let's think for a minute here. Let's say DA decided to rip off ... ~ANTIFAN-REAL for example, and use its abilites to license all of his artwork for ads, album covers, movie seed concepts, toilet paper prints, the lot. ~ANTIFAN-REAL finds out from a fan who is confused as to the proximity of ~ANTIFAN-REAL's art to his toilet, and ~ANTIFAN-REAL sues DA once he finds out that it was DA that helped set it up. He posts about it in his journal, DA as a whole goes nuts and huge amounts of artists withdraw off the site. DA crushes him in court, and recovers all legal costs from ~ANTIFAN-REAL as well.
In the end, we have DA as the victor of the "rights" battle. They gained thousands of dollars from the licensing arrangements. Yet ... they still lost overall. All those members who quit the site were far more valuable to their bottom line than the money they gained from the sellout.
The point here is that using the full extent of abilities in a certain area is not always to DA's advantage. Still, let's look at some variant scenarios from the above:
Upon ripping off ~ANTIFAN-REAL, DA immediately bans him. There is another uproar of course, but DA "leaks" a story that ~ANTIFAN-REAL was harrassing people / hacking / posting porn on an alternate account / some other slander. Yet of course ~ANTIFAN-REAL would contact some people outside of DA who would help spread his story on DA, and combined with photo evidence of the "rip products" the revolt would begin - just in a delayed fashion in this version.
Banning the story-spreaders would essentially be confirmation of the story - so DA would need an intensive propoganda campaign to counter it.
~ANTIFAN-REAL doesn't find out, so he never raises a ruckus. Unlikely.
~ANTIFAN-REAL is not the one ripped - instead a non-english speaking artist in another country is ripped. They do not have the language skills to sue (or perhaps even the ability to find a proper jurisdiction). Notes from fans informing him/her would possibly never be able to be read due to language issues. No suit, but slower user revolt still occurs, albeit in a headless and disorganised mob form.

In the end, whether DA "steals" all comes down to money. If "stealing" gains DA more money, it will do things that way, if it loses money, it will go the safe route.
The only realistic scenario I can see for DA "stealing" art is in a large-scale "burn the bridges" operation. It would have to be all executed at once, to stop people withdrawing from the agreement and stopping DA using their works. There would need to be a LARGE cash inflow from the action, because the userbase being cut so much would then drastically impact future profits. DA could be preparing for this action right now via an auto Swallow-And-Reduce program (see the translation for details), but there is no way to tell whether this is or is not happening.

FairExposure and Community Management
The recent "FairExposure" issue made me think a little about how the higher-ups at DA manage the community.
DA has been around for years. There have been many new feature launches ... and yet the admins just don't seem to get it sometimes.
The old system was perfectly transparent. More favs, higher position, perfectly trackable. Now the order is decided by a system that is not explained or documented except for sideways answers by the lead tech of the project. People respond well to being treated as if they are intelligent enough to form their own opinion about the system. Having :devmcann: giving a real rundown of the system would transfer the burden onto the users, as suddenly they feel it is their fault for not understanding the technical specifics, rather than DA being at fault for hiding how the decisions are made.
The removal of the pure-favs method was another rather dumb maneouvre. People liked the old system. They were attached to it. It would have been simple enough simply to make two options to view by: "Popular (Raw)" and "Popular (Platter)". There was simply no justification for removing the raw popularity metric. Offering the choice would not have hurt DA. It all just feels like New Coke.


Interesting DA-related stuff that is better read than summarised
[link] (be sure to click the little link right at the end of page 5 too)
[link]



Not As Important
If anyone knows whether Sprite Recharge is still being manufactured, could you tell me? Especially if you are in Melbourne and have seen it in stores recently?
Click on these links for cool music: [link] [link]
Could the entire city of Melbourne please stop smoking? Kthxbai~
Mafia is fun. Come play with us sometime! [link]


------------------------------------
Works of mine you may be interested in:
Inspiration Liberation - a guide to getting inspired and smashing artist/writer's block WITHOUT ripping off someone else's ideas.
Exodus Assistance - an old, somewhat inaccurate guide to the other art sites besides DA, if you are inclined to leave. Will be updated sometime in the future.
The No-BS Submission Agreement 3.5 - A human-readable summary of the legal agreement you enter into when submitting art etc to DA. By far the runaway leader in favourites amongst my deviations.

------------------------------------

The big list of awesome and useful stuff that you should really look at
[link]

Friends of Mine:


Clubs I'm In:


Quote of the Moment:
"For a long time it puzzled me how something so expensive, so leading edge, could be so useless, and then it occurred to me that a computer is a stupid machine with the ability to do incredibly smart things, while computer programmers are smart people with the ability to do incredibly stupid things. They are, in short, a perfect match." - Bill Bryson

Important Notes:
Sai is an idiot. Sai has a problem and is an idiot sometimes.
Cervantes burn your soul!
My current projects list - [link]
So you want to art-trade/commission/request me... [link]

-kargath64
NPR Addict
Supporting Original Content!

A more important journal to come later, but here's a tag thing from !CageyButterfly, since my last journal was in November O_o

Hit shuffle on your iPod and then write down the song as the response to the question.

1) How am I feeling today?
'Outsiders', Franz Ferdinand
Totally the opposite O_o
A song about drugs, loneliness and relationship breakdown on a day I'm feeling pretty damn good.

2) Where will I get married?
"Doomed Fragmentation" - Sinead
Yup. Married just after the world ends. Just the timescale I was expecting >_>

3) What is my best friend’s theme song?
Brianstorm - Artic Monkeys
LOL. Whomever I nominate as "best friend" automatically gets insulted and praised simultaneously by the song

4) What is/was high school like?
"Watch Out" - Vents
Yup. Angry and cynical. *nods*
(Now I'm just cynical )

5) What is the best thing about me?
BG_Title
ROFL. The best thing about me is the music that plays in the background near me? AAAH.

6)How is today going to be?
"C'mere" - Interpol
Singing a song to a woman who's already taken? Hmmmm...

7) What is in store for this weekend?
"Violent Pornography" - System of a Down
O_______________________O

8) What song describes my parents?
"Clubbed to Death 2" - Rob Dougan
Interesting things after an initial silent period? Sounds appropriate

9) How is my life going?
"N.M.H." - MASAFUMI TAKADA
Not enought time and being a total tease of things to come? (The damn song is only a 30 second preview of a nice theme music for the game No More Heroes)

10) What song will they play at my funeral?
"Heart in a Cage" - The Strokes
"Now it's three in the morning and you're eating alone"

11) How does the world see me?
"Lovesong" - Amiel
Totally cynical about human emotions? Censoring my swearing in public channels? Hmm.

12) What do my friends really think of me?
"Pablo's Cruise" - The Avalanches
Slow and weird? XD

13) Do people secretly lust after me?
"Sound Engine" - Cube
I'll take the wishful road and interpret that as people want me to turn them into a sound engine (ooh ahh).

14) How can I make myself happy?
"Seven Nation Army" - The White Stripes
WORLD DOMINATIOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOON

15) What should I do with my life?
jungle.mp3 - Matt Uuelemen
NO THANK YOU

16) Will I ever have children?
"Runnin' Wild" - Airbourne
A sure sign to buy condoms if I ever saw one. XD

17) What is some good advice?
"Another Planet" - Pendulum
... I'm too weak to go into space

18) What do I think my current theme song is?
"Dead Drop" - Kevin MacLeod
*deletes track he forgot to delete*

19) What does everyone else think my current theme song is?
"Heart's a Mess" - Gotye
Brilliant song ... but at implication

20) What type of men/women do you like?
"New Wolf" - The Comas
i found you in the bedroom na-ked / le-an-ing on air


21) Will you get married?
"The Sun Comes Through" - Kelly Stolz
Err...

22) What should I do with my love life?
"Supermoves (Animatrix)" - Overseer
Screw in bullet time? O_O

24) Where will you live?
"IO" - Dozuki
Yup, I live just outside my computer's IO ports >_>

25) What will your dying words be?
"Golden Sky" - CamTarn
"One of these days I'm gonna fly"
Didn't Icarus say something similar?

26) How’s your day going so far?
"Worms vs. Birds" - Modest Mouse
Me vs Paperwork, more like it XD

27) How’s your love life?
"Born Of A Broken Man" - Rage Against The Machine
"They try to escape across the street where
Jesus stripped bare
And raped the spirit he was supposed to nurture
In the name of my"
O_O

I've got various things to be doing, but I'll be on here a bit more now.
In good news, my devWatch is almost down to only 1000! A couple more good sessions of clearing and I should be through it all. (Then I'm reviewing my watchlist for quality. )

I also found out that Visual Studio is actually really really good to use. I don't like the whole .NET approach, but OMG SUPER DEBUGGING

I need to get into contact with people I haven't spoken to in ages. (hullo ~Shadow-Flame! )

In addition to my usual game-playing and lazy consumption of other's artwork, I'm also planning a few things for DA, including but not limited to:
A review of the No BS Submission Agreement Translation
The launch of the Fanart Consent Project
A news article covering open licensing and the Creative Commons
Possible actual artwork and/or stories!






-----------------------------------------

Since I need to fill space, how about a journal tag thing, ganked from some furry's journal on the Today page?


1. choose a few of your own characters. Five at the most.
2. make them answer the following questions.
3. then tag three people.
4. feel free to go ahead and add some questions yourself

Characters:
(only picking a few, just to make this quick)
Markus Drake
Solace Jolie
"Unnamed"

how old are you?
Markus Drake: 26.
Solace Jolie: 19.
"Unnamed": I don't think there's a number to express it anywhere near concisely...

are you a virgin?
Markus Drake: ... no, what do you think?
Solace Jolie: Why the hell are you asking?
"Unnamed": Does that concept even apply to me? I have done ... interesting things to men and women to teach them lessons, however. I guess not, then.

who's your mate/spouse?
Markus Drake: I'm single. Bars don't like the presence of cops, even off-duty.
Solace Jolie: I stay away from relationships, for their sake.
"Unnamed": I would say ... I'm wedded to the universe.

do you have any kids?
Markus Drake: I play it safe!
Solace Jolie: The most significant thing I've carried is my stave.
"Unnamed": No need.

what's your favourite food?
Markus Drake: Oh, that place on the corner of Markson and Fifth sells GREAT meat-wrap things.
Solace Jolie: Salad. Vegetarian salad.
"Unnamed": I don't eat.

have you killed anyone?
Markus Drake: ...
Solace Jolie: I ... I re- ... I really don't want to talk about that.
"Unnamed": Some people still hold on to their perversions in the face of death. I have yet to figure out the cause of this phenomenon...

do you hate anyone?
Markus Drake: There are certain people who I am commited to avoid. I avoid them because I would be compelled to break the law if I ever saw them again.
Solace Jolie: I hate whomever ... whatever controlled them on my birthday.
"Unnamed": No ... since anyone who offends me dies anyway.

have any secrets?
Markus Drake: I'm a cop. There is the whole matter of ongoing investigations...
Solace Jolie: The reason I walk
"Unnamed": Oh, yes

do you love anyone?
Markus Drake: Not right now.
Solace Jolie:
"Unnamed": What is "love" to you?

boy or girl?
Markus Drake: Can't you tell by the goatee?
Solace Jolie: A woman. I have to chain myself to a tree every month because of it.
"Unnamed": I have no need to restrict myself to either of those constructs, though I could easily form myself to either if I chose.

What do you do to relax?
Markus Drake: I'm a puppeteer!
Solace Jolie: I don't deserve to relax.
"Unnamed": Watch the universe dance before my eyes.

Any comments?
Markus Drake: I've got work to do.
Solace Jolie: I have to go now...
"Unnamed": Stay true and you may never have to meet me.


I don't tag anyone, but copypasta if you want to.


-------------------------------

Works of mine you may be interested in:
Inspiration Liberation - a guide to getting inspired and smashing artist/writer's block WITHOUT ripping off someone else's ideas.
Exodus Assistance - an old, somewhat inaccurate guide to the other art sites besides DA, if you are inclined to leave. Will be updated sometime in the future.
The No-BS Submission Agreement 3.0 - A human-readable summary of the legal agreement you enter into when submitting art etc to DA. By far the runaway leader in favourites amongst my deviations.

------------------------------------

The big list of awesome and useful stuff that you should really look at
[link]

Friends of Mine:

(I totally need to update this list with all the VGFers on DA)

Clubs I'm In:


Quote of the Moment:
"For a long time it puzzled me how something so expensive, so leading edge, could be so useless, and then it occurred to me that a computer is a stupid machine with the ability to do incredibly smart things, while computer programmers are smart people with the ability to do incredibly stupid things. They are, in short, a perfect match." - Bill Bryson

Important Notes:
Sai is an idiot. Sai has a problem and is an idiot sometimes.
Cervantes burn your soul!
My current projects list - [link]
So you want to art-trade/commission/request me... [link]

-kargath64
NPR Addict
Supporting Original Content!

I am disappearing from here for a bit whilst I attempt to melt my face through overexposure to computer LCD sceens in the course of finishing work.

In other news, I'm starting to like the look of the Monday newspaper polls.


-------------------------------

Works of mine you may be interested in:
Inspiration Liberation - a guide to getting inspired and smashing artist/writer's block WITHOUT ripping off someone else's ideas.
Exodus Assistance - an old, somewhat inaccurate guide to the other art sites besides DA, if you are inclined to leave. Will be updated sometime in the future.
The No-BS Submission Agreement 3.0 - A human-readable summary of the legal agreement you enter into when submitting art etc to DA. By far the runaway leader in favourites amongst my deviations.

------------------------------------

The big list of awesome and useful stuff that you should really look at
[link]

Friends of Mine:


Clubs I'm In:


Quote of the Moment:
"For a long time it puzzled me how something so expensive, so leading edge, could be so useless, and then it occurred to me that a computer is a stupid machine with the ability to do incredibly smart things, while computer programmers are smart people with the ability to do incredibly stupid things. They are, in short, a perfect match." - Bill Bryson

Important Notes:
Sai is an idiot. Sai has a problem and is an idiot sometimes.
Cervantes burn your soul!
My current projects list - [link]
So you want to art-trade/commission/request me... [link]

-kargath64
NPR Addict
Supporting Original Content!