Debugging TVersity Refresh Failures

When I attempt to refresh my TVersity library it occasionally fails. Here are links to the windows-produced error files associated with the failure. What I am trying to understand is what is actually causing the failure. All the files are FLAC encoded by EAC and I don't recall them ever causing problems with TVersity until I make an update to the tags. But, I don't know what tag is actually causing the error. I am posting this here, and cross posting to the TVersity forum in hope that someone can help me understand how to find the cause of the errror.

http://dannveld.googlepages.com/appcompat.txt
http://dannveld.googlepages.com/manifest.txt
http://dannveld.googlepages.com/MediaServer.exe.mdmp

I was not able to upload one of the files: MediaServer.exe.hdmp. If this is key, please respond in the TVersity forum and I will attempt to get it to you.

 

Looking east, out of our back door.
Looking northeast along the fence.

 

Looking north along the end of the fence where he left the yard.

The stop sign was the first to go. It was replaced by a temporary sign the same night.
A view of the entire fence.
Looking west. There was a full privacy fence here. 

Take Advantage of the Time You Have
Sad news for our family. Last October, just five months after our celebration, four of the happy people seen in the pictures died in a tragic auto accident in southern Minnesota last October. Penni and her three children, Katie, Mandy and Cody were killed when the van Penni was driving struck a large truck.

Naturally, this was a major shock for our family. Penni's parents, and my parents as well, were particularly hit hard. In a moment they lost half of their grandchildren. And these were the grandkids that lived closest to my parents.

Of course I can't ignore the hurt of Jacques, her new husband. They had only been married for a few months before the accident cost him four people who were dear to him.

Here's a bit of wisdom derived from the experience: If you have a chance to get together with your family, don't pass it up. It would have been very easy to say "Let's just observe your 50th anniversary at Christmas." If we had done that, we would not have the precious memories that we all share about the last time we were all together.

In the Garden. 

Two very happy people! 

All good things must end. Packing the Honda, with the condos in the background. 

It wouldn't be a vacation without swimming. Here Mandy gets out of the pool. 

Penni, her new husban Jacques and family. 

A carrot cake ordered for the special occation. 

Can you believe it's been 50 years? 

Mom & Amanda riding "The Duck." 

The Family. (Sorry, we left the cats at home.) 

Kiersten & Amanda pose for the camera 

Amanda and Grandma 

A Great Day at Silver Dollar City! 

Kiersten gets her quacker ready. That's Mandy in the seat in front of her and Cody behind.

What is Senator Kennedy Talking About?

On February 4, 2002 Senator Edward Kennedy (D-MA) entered the following in the congressional record:

"Since September 11, the courageous acts of countless Americans have set a new standard for the Nation. Indeed, a new American spirit has been forged. That sprit is characterized by sacrifice, humility, and a refusal to quit in the face of adversity. At a time when our entire country is banding together and facing down individualism, the Patriots set a wonderful example, showing us all what is possible when we work together, believe in each other, and sacrifice for the greater good." (You can search Thomas for more context.)

Our nation was founded on the idea of letting each individual reach his or her full potential, with as little government interference as possible. Since when are we "facing down individualism?" It was individuals, acting in concert and with free will, that brought down the fourth plane headed to Washington D.C. The sacrifice of these individuals should not be slighted. Their bravery was not the result of a government program or to the fact that they belonged to some special interested group. No, it was the result of individuals acting in a selfless manner.

Someone should remind Senator Kennedy that (arguably) we do not live in a socialist country where the needs of the many out weigh the needs of the few. Rather we need to focus on the words of Sam Ervin (D-NC d.1985):

Our government wasn't created to be efficient. It was created to preserve the individual.

From Russia with Love

I don't know that "with Love" part is right, but we've certainly seen a lot of action "From Russia" over the last few days. Our company, Quovix, delivers customer software using a community of developers on the Internet. Over the last four or five days we've had well over 150 Russian developers register with us. We did a little checking and we think we know the reason. We just completed a project using a developer in Russia. She posted a journal of her experience and apparently this site is well read in Russia. (If you want to read a rough translation of what she wrote I suggest you try PROMTS On-Line Translator.)

While it is certainly not a new observation, but it is a dramatic demonstration on how the rules of business are changing. How the geographic limitations that we've lived with for millennia are melting away. We've also seen, over the last two years, that taking advantage of these trends takes more than just setting up a web site and waiting for the money to roll in. But, with Amazon posting its first profit and new (more realistic) business models now emerging on the net, we can be certain that we are only at the beginning of a very long journey into a very new world. Dan Gillmor has more on this topic in his e-journal.

What’s In a Metaphor?

In my last post I discounted the back story on REZ as just a framework the they could hang graphics and shooting around. I may have spoken too soon. As discussed it with my daughter last night I realized that the story is really a metaphor and metaphors can be powerful tools of communication.

As I mentioned, most shooters are based on a space metaphor; so it make sense when you are shooting spaceships, aliens and “the mother ship” boss. Likewise, in REZ, the computer hacking metaphor provides a framework that allows you to know where you are in the game and offers ways to explain the new levels that are revealed as you play.

Metaphors also play a part in my professional life. As a project manager for software projects at Quovix I often use metaphors to communicate ideas to project sponsors and team members. On of the most common is the “Home Building Metaphor”; this is used to explain the need for planning, the reason changes cost money, and the need for all sub-systems (design, electrical, plumbing, etc.) to work together if you are going to have a livable house. The same is true in systems projects and it is easy for people to relate the two. In fact the idea of using a metaphor has been “formalized” in the eXtreme Programing (XP) methodology. So whether it is a game or a system the metaphor is not just an artifice but an integral part of good design.

Video Games as Therapy

I have been playing video games at home and in arcades since I received Pong for Christmas in the early 70's. I've always enjoyed racing, adventure and shooters. But, it's been a while since a good shooter with a unique design has hit the market. Well the wait is over. I have been captivated by REZ on the PlayStation 2.

The back-story on REZ is some nonsense about hacking deeper and deeper into a computer that has taken over the world. The graphics and game play are anything bu nonsense. The surreal vector graphics bring a fresh look to the game. But the real breakthrough is the way it uses sounds and vibration to enhance the game experience. Every action has an impact on the soundtrack. With enough play, there are times that you find yourself selecting your shots based on the music that will be produced. The tunes have sort of a Techno/Ambient sound to them, but they all have hard beat that dominates the sense of speed, progress and tension in the game.

At first, the game seem rather short. Just four levels. But, as you play additional levels open up. In Level 5 the look of the game evolves and a story line begins about the ebb and flow of life over time. Again, the "story" provides a premise for the incredible graphics, sounds and fun of the level.

So, what's this thing about "video games and therapy?" I find playing REZ therapeutic. Relaxing. Engrossing. After a day at work, nothing is more relaxing than spending an hour playing REZ. Your total focus is on the screen. You swept into a fantasy world that is beautiful to look at and a pleasure to hear. Sure, I enjoy SSX Tricky and there is no better racing game than Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec, but these games (especially GT) require concentration, multiple button controls, and a lot of thinking to really excel. With REZ, you just "go with the flow" and you still can be successful and have a great time. If you own a PS2 and enjoy shooters REZ should be considered a "must buy." If you doubt that there can be something new in shooters, at least rent it so that you can have the experience personally.

And now a postscript. This is the my first post on a BLOG. I don't know how often I will be posting. But, you can expect discussions on video games, politics (I'm a registered Libertarian) and anything else that catches my interest.