Java Network Client update 31/12/11

So Christmas has been and gone. Got some nice jumpers and spent some time with the family, so all in all good times. But this blog is not about my personal life (not entirely anyway) so back to the Java Network Client.

I'm going to be frank (you can be who ever you want), development has ground to a halt.
This isn't because I cant be bothered, but actually due to the way I'm trying to implement it. As you know the whole program is based around being able to send files and messages around a home network with a Central computer redirecting everything.So computer A sends a message to computer B by first telling the Central computer that it wants to send to B and with the central computer then passing the information on, like a relay.

The concept seems pretty simple, but once you start threading it all gets complicated. Let me explain.

When A connects to the central computer, the central computer stores its IP address (when A initially connects it sends its IP across the network automatically). This now means a separate thread for A has now been created. When B connects the same thing happens. The major issue I found though was where can i store the IP addresses and make the accessible to all the threads? 

Now this is where the blog post gets a little bit confusing, but hang on in there. Initially i was writing the above post, then i suddenly came up with a way of fixing the problem, so i focused on that for an hour and forgot about this post. So here i am a day later to complete it and share what happened:

The solution didn't work.

I'll get back to what i was going to say...

So, the solution to the IP problem has been elusive to say the least. Actually that's not true; a working solution is a far better way to describe what's going on. When I first encounter the whole storing problem, I thought I could just store the IP in an array within an Object (coding term; look it up), but this wont work, as each thread would create a brand new Object to store the array, and thus NONE of the connected computers would have a complete array.

Ok, I understand that for people who don't do this stuff is all a bit "wha?", and i will write about Objects soon. But this has led to a seriously hard problem. How do I create a central store for all the IP data where each thread can access and update?
The idea I had was to create a separate file that stores the Object which contains the IP addresses. This file can then be accessed by any thread! Of course there are a few problems with using this methods which i will elaborate on in a later blog post, but the idea to me seems pretty sound. Well it would be if I could get it working!

For some bazaar reason when I read and write to files from the program it just fails! So with out a decent way to store the IPs I can't get more than interaction between the Central computer and a computer connected. Very annoying!

So at the moment I'm at a loss. Over the coming weeks i will keep working at it, and find away around it. When I'm back at University I'll ask around to see what I'm doing wrong or for other ideas.
In the mean time keep a lookout on my twitter to see updates, and if you want to help then leave a comment!

Hazz 22

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!      

  

Java Network Client: Part 1

Ok so here we go; I've now started work on creating the foundation to the Java program!

To be fair, I've probably spent around 2 hours on it, and within those hours not all that much has been achieved. Bits and pieces needed to be re-learned from earlier this year, as well as getting around a few slight issues.

I've decided to break the project down a little bit; first it will be a chat messenger, then I'll build on its features from there. I decided that if i went right into the program sending pictures etc, i would get bogged down in getting that part right than working on actually getting the networking part right! I will implement the actual file transferring stuff as soon as the chat part is done.

What i should probably do is tell you whats happened:

- Created two programs: the Client and the Server.
These do exactly what they say on the tin; the Client is what every user will be using, and the Server sorts where everything is going as well as keeping track on whats connected to it. I will go into both of these in more detail in a bit.

- Threaded both the Server and the Client (Will explain this further down)

- Working on getting the Server to understand who's who
Basically, when a client logs in it passes its IP address to the server to store. This can then be used by the Server to pass back text. This leads onto making the project a chat messenger.

The Server:
As i said above, the Server is the central part of the network. It will contain all the details of everyone connected, thus allowing for people to interact with each other. Let me explain a little further:
Person A wants to send messages to person B (lets assume person B is already logged in). Person A will connect to the Server (which will store person As IP address) and will then be told who else is connected to the network. Person A will then pick person B to talk to, and thus will send a message to them. The message will travel to the Server, which will then check to see if person B is still there and then pass the message on. This will then appear on person Bs screen.
Phew, sorry for such a "proper" explanation there, but it also helps me to work out whats going on.

Some of the coders among you will have been wondering how I'm going to deal with all this simultaneously, as in the Server dealing with the Clients sending and getting messages at the same time.
Simply put, im going to "thread" it all.
Threading is a rather clever idea. I'll explain it in context with the program.(If you already know about threading, skip this!)

So, the Sever will need to be able to deal with multiple connections at once, as clients are connecting and disconnecting with the Server all the time. The best way to do this is when the Client connects, it creates a "thread" which is self contained.
You could say that a program without threading is a single thread. Trying to make the program with connections coming in at any time and along with other things going on makes it almost impossible without threading (although it is achievable).
A loose analogy is that you're make a cup of tea. Asked to make more than one cup of tea at the same time will require more thinking, and more time. It will also depend on whether you have already boiled the water and what cups you have available. Now with threading when someone asks you for a cup of tea, you create a new instance of you making said tea; a new mug, kettle and tea bag are all created ready for you and thus the second tea making can be done at the same time as the first cup of tea.
Of course this is a bit of a loose analogy, so don't take it as 100%.

So back to what i was saying. The Server is threaded to allow for multiple connections, and the client is partially threaded.

What i mean by the client is partially threaded is because at the moment only the reciever part is threaded, not the sender. So you can receive messages at any time, but you only send one message at a time, thus at the moment the sender part doesnt need to be.

Anyway, sorry for diving into threading. This was supposed to be a more general update on whats happening, but got carried away!

Hope to get the Chat part finished soon, and in the next few days i will explain how I store the addresses of everyone connected.
Until then, have fun!

Hazz 22

(Small side note: The name is just for fun. I just thought it would need a name!)

Christmas Project Part Two

So, assuming you read my most recent blog that i posted all of about 5 minutes ago, you are probably aware of the fact I'm going to be blogging over Christmas (If your not... go and read the blog below this!).  But blogging about what? Ah... now your asking the right questions.

I have probably 4 projects i wish to work on and complete over the next two to three weeks. For starters, a file transfer Java program.

As a Software engineering student, i get given course work that asks me to make simple programs. One such assignment is to simulate a Client-Server relationship on a local network. For example, the Client asks for a picture from the Server and the Server sends it. This got me thinking; could i extend this to something more useful?

So, here's my plan: create a Java program that will allow me to transfer files around all three of my computers that are connected to the local network.
Why you ask? Well, simply put its a pain to transfer files around at the moment. Each computer is connected to DropBox, so i can sync files that way, but my Internet in my house is pretty poor. It cuts out randomly, thus causing me to get out a USB pendrive and faff about with it. I just want someone i can load up from the desktop and send files around.
There is another step to this: User interface. I don't really want to be running it from the command line every time i want to use it, so I'm going to build a small Swing (Javas interfacing stuff) front to it. Some people don't like Swing, which is fair. I've never actually used it, so i thought i might as well give it a go!

This project is all about learning. 

You learn nothing from a map, but loads from getting lost

So yeah, thats the plan. I will post updates along with pictures and designs of progress etc.

Leave a comment if your interested!

Hazz 22

(I am aware there are FAR more efficient ways of doing this, but its all about learning)

Christmas Projects 2011

Hello all!

Right, well...er... this is awkward! Basically, yesterday i created a Tumblr account and today i posted too it. It's a great site, its just a massive shame it doesn't have ANY native stat tracking! As in, you can't tell how many people have visited etc.

So basically, I've ended up back here. I did have a brief stint using Wordpress, but got sick of how needlessly complicated it all was. I just wanted a blogging site that was easy to update, good looking and easy to track what views i was getting. So here i am once again, back on Blogger.

So what am i doing back here you ask? Well, as i wrote this morning on Tumblr, I'm here as its now the Christmas holidays. This means I FINALLY have some time off! No more feeling guilty about doing something fun for half an hour, when I should have been working.
So with all this extra time I have, I've decided to set my self some projects. I'm not going to explain them all now, as that will be another post, but I will say that I plan to "document" (blog) the work I do.

So anyway, its nice to be back!

Hazz 22

Looking backwards…

 

After reading through some of my blog posts in January, I've realised its all been weighed down with Tech info and other such items.
So, i will try my hardest not to descend into “techno blogging”. Wow, that actually sounds like a type of music.

The last 2 weeks have been rather relaxed. So much sunshine just makes a person feel so much better, and of course, flip-flops are good looking, stylish and just plain awesome! Plus, as of Saturday, Dr Who returned to our screens! I'm not going to review it, but i rather enjoyed it!

So actually, there's not much to talk about. I thought i should check in really, as i haven't in over a week, and I'm trying to increase the amount i write on here. Also, might switch to a different blog site, as I'm not to much of a fan of the look (apart from the background) and general feel.

 

But hey, if i do move sites i won’t suddenly with out saying! I'm not just going to abandon my loyal readers!

Hopefully my next entry will actually have something meaningful on it, so look out for it in the next few days….if i ever find time!

Hazz 22

Spotify and the Wii 2

 

So this week has been pretty interesting on the tech front. Spotify has announced a large change in what it allows, and some recent news about the Wii 2 (a guess for the name, as its code name is project “cafe”).

So Spotify has changed what it plans to do. I'm not going to spell them out for you here, so head over to there site to find out how it will effect you.

Basically, if you are a free user, as of May you wont be able to listen to an unlimited amount of music with adverts any more (yes im aware that really new users only got 20 hours and adverts, beta uses get unlimited with adverts).
See, i love Spotify, and i love how easy it is to find new music, especially artists who are related directly to your favourite bands etc. It also allows you to find songs that you never knew existed! I use it as my day to day music software, as its just easy to use, and saves me paying for albums etc. I guess this is Spotifys point, they need people to pay, and it must seem that they are giving their services for free.  Sure they must make a fair amount of money from adverts, but most likely not enough from the amount of money they have to pay to the artists to use their music.
Now, this leaves me at a bit of a cross roads: do i go back to my iTunes library and even download the albums I've gotten used to listening to on Spotify from iTunes, or do i pay £4.99 for the non ad services?
The latter is far more appealing, as its cheaper (albums costing like £7 or so) and i would most likely find more bands, and thus making more use out of the £4.99. I will come to a conclusion some point soon, but for now i shall ponder.
For everyone else, its really your own choice. Do you like the service? Do you prefer to get your music from iTunes etc? Or are you happy with your own extensive music library to not need Spotify?
If your like me, then maybe paying for the services is not a bad plan.
Each to their own on this subject, but that's my view….pretty inconclusive eh?

 

Ok, that part over, now onto the Wii 2!

 

Very little has been said about this console, and most of it is guesses at best. Nintendo haven't said much. What they have said is that the controller will have 2 joysticks and a screen (touch? who knows?!) and graphics to match or out do the Xbox 360 and PS3.

Very interesting in my view. For starters, a normal controller? What about Wii games? Backwards compatibility? Seems odd for them to ditch it now, but it wouldn't be the first time. the screen idea is interesting too. IF it is touch, maybe it could work as like an menu, or a writable map, or maybe it could act as your HUD, but on you controller? who knows! But this is looking closer to helping hard-core gamer come back to Nintendo. I must admit, I've been a little disheartened by Nintendo this generation. The Wii, while having some excellent titles, has been filled with games that are ports, bad copies or just downright awful cash in games. There are of course exceptions such as Zelda, Metroid (not that much of a fan of the series, but i can see why people like them) and Golden Eye to name 3 (the latter i haven't played, but received very good reviews). So if they are now going down the route of multimedia, like the 360 and PS3, then we might see titles being developed for all 3 systems! This, is my view, would be excellent.

That's actually it for the news on the Wii 2, and the best idea is to look out for info at E3, and hopefully they will have a playable version of it for people to try. Last Year the 3DS (which i still need to buy!!!) and hopefully this year the Wii 2!

Just remember that the stuff about the Wii 2  is from early reports, so its could all be different at E3. Best option is to look out for it at E3 for solid details!

Have fun!

Hazz22

Phones, Tablets and other such items…

 

Its been well over a month since i last posted ( as you all know), and so i guess today would be a good day to rectify that issue.

 

Lets get going then!

Portable computing. Come on, we all know what this is. Laptops, Phones, Tablets and so on have now become a major part of our lives. This starts many people wondering…will the P.C (as in the home one) die off, and be replaced with smaller, lighter and ultimately more portable items?

The answer to this, in my view, is a resounding yes…and no. This epic conclusion comes from how people use their computer.

Ok, so people who don't want amazing graphics, or for that matter, play games, could go for either. Laptops are rather cheep now days, and in some cases your can get pretty good deals. Plus, it means you can watch t.v and surf the net on your sofa at the same time (one of my favourite pass times).

P.Cs are useful if you want something cheaper than a laptop, and faster, with more customisation options. It is generally the way to go for P.C gaming. Unfortunately, as you know, they cant be moved easily, and so have to stay pretty stationary through out their useable lifespan.  When it comes to these two, in a home setting, its down to what you are more likely to do: surf the net and social network, or play games and/or use resource hungry applications.

Of course, this is a generalisation, and there are laptops that do gaming, and have interchangeable parts etc.

So yer, its down to your own individual use, and your own view on the situation.

Tablets are an interesting new device that have only recently sprung up.
I'm not 100% sold on the idea of having a large device that can surf the net, and run little apps. Its the size that confuses me. How can anyone take one of those with you everywhere, without fear of breaking it!? There cost would force me never to take it out of the house, and at which point i should have just brought a laptop, which i can then run full applications and surf the net at a faster pace. Now this links me to the Netbook.

Originally, i HATED the Netbook. I thought they were too small, too cramped and too slow to replace traditional laptops. Up until relatively recently I've had this view. I then got one, and now i see why its so useful. They come with fully fledged operating systems, so most applications can run on them. They are also cheaper than Tablets, so why are people flocking to buy tablets over there superior, cheaper Netbook counterparts.

I assume the reason is the touch screen, and the overall novelty of it all. Cool little apps that you can play on the train does have its appeal. This then runs into the Phone territory. Why not just get a smart phone. Same sort of price, same sort of Web surfing ability, and you can make calls? Ok, so the screen isn't so big, but i wouldn't feel like I'm getting my full web surfing experience on a tablet anyway, as usually its a cut down version, or its just generally slower at loading. I would just prefer for some to hand me a laptop or a P.C.(this would be heavy, so pointing to one would be acceptable). A phone can Surf the net and get these little apps just as well as a Tablet? So why?!

Strangely enough, i don't hate tablets. They look cool and they do have a novelty to them, i just cant really justify spending that amount of cash on one, even if i do secretly want one.

Overall, mobile computer is a strange thing, and exists in many forms. I guess it depends on what you are looking for too. The cool factor? The gadget that does it all? Or a portable work device? What there is though is a choice out there for almost anyone.

Have your say in the comment section below!

Hazz 22

Ah…er…no.

With very little to talk about, iv been rather tempted to move into fictional stories... Don't worry i hear you cry, its not going to happen for several very key reasons:
One, i can't write at all. Its awful. I'm suprised half the sentences on this page make any coherient sence.
Next is that my creativity is rather lacking. My stories aren't great at the best of times, and are downright awful if you want to be kind.
So no, I wont be moving down that route any time soon!

Anyway, its been well over 10 days since my last entry, so i guess its due for another one.
also, i am aware my last two blogs were slightly nerdy (especially my last one, with little real humour or  light heartedness) so today I'm going to stray slightly from that general area.
Ok, I'm going be honest, i suck at coming up with topics. I think of one during the day, and by the time i sit down and write the darn thing, iv come up with 20 or so reasons why i shouldn't. Its all rather annoying!
I don't really see how people do blogs every day. I've tried, but i just don't know why people would be interested in about what i have to say…or is that the point? I write and people find me?
Meh, what ever the reason, i find writing these things hard.
Solid tech stuff is a little boring, and dull, especially if you have no interest in that area at all, so I'm trying to steer clear of it all.
Ok, so this whole blogging thing I'm going to think of it like car: Body panels are a subjects…engine is er…my writing? Steering wheel  is my overall direction? Ok quite frankly that is awful, and I'm going to stay well away from such analogies.
ok, as iv now waffled on for 30 or so lines I'm going to take my leave.
I’m going try and come up with a proper, meaningful post over the next few days (i ALWAYS say that, and leave it for 2 weeks?!).
wish me luck!
Hazz 22

A Chrome Fox… that Explores the internet…( See what i did there!)…

Right, well  I've had quite a while to ponder about what subject this blog post will be about, and i think I'm going to go with Web Browsers. Yes, i think that’s a good topic.
(This is my view of the Different Browsers, and everyone is entitled to choose what they want and what they think, so yer…er… continue reading if you want my view on the subject.)
Well, for those of you that don't know ( and yes, there are a fair few of you out there) there is more than one type of Browser, and i shall list the ones that i want to talk about ( but that's not to say there aren't other excellent browsers out there!).
Another thing i should mention is availability. They can all be gotten off their official websites and for free. Plus they install pretty quickly, so they really aren't hard to switch between them quickly and find the best fit for you.
The main ones are Firefox, Internet Explorer (IE), Google Chrome ( or just Chrome), Safari, Opera and several other ones that i cant think of off the top of my head.
Right, so lets get started!
First off, is Internet Explorer. Ok, so fair do’s to it, it is the most used, but the reason why is a little unfair in my view. As it comes with your operating system, most people are never told or go looking for another browser, and so stick with it.
see now, this wouldn't be a bad thing, if there weren't better ones just around the corner. IE8 is the current version, and to me its slow and unresponsive. It also doesn't look all that great either, and finding add-ons for it is pretty much imposable. That's not to say its all that bad, and its rendering of webpages (as in the way it displays them and loads them) isn't bad either. Its just me and IE have never really gotten on, and i swiftly moved over to another one.
ah what about IE9 i hear your cry? Well, that's actually not half bad. But it does have issues. One mistake (on Microsoft's part, not the actual browser) is that you can only install it on Windows 7 or Windows Vista  machines. See, i have a small netbook that runs XP, and so is useless to me, and i know of quite a few other people that still use XP, as its still robust and has lots of support, and generally still works.
But other than this little issue, its a pretty solid browser, and works excellently with video’s and games due to its hardware acceleration…thing?
Anyway, I’ve rambled on enough about IE, time for my personal Favourite:Firefox 4!
Firefox is my favourite. You can get loads of add-ons from their online store (free of course) and you can make it look anyway you want. In my opinion it boots faster than IE too, but that could just be my system. Their next version is Firefox 4, which I'm currently using. Its not a great improvement really, a slight change to the aesthetics of it (as it now looks a lot like Opera), and some other stuff under the hood. I recommend it, but maybe the release version, which should be out in the next few months (hopefully!). 
My next favourite has got to be Chrome. Not as a main system desktop browser (not that it doesn't work for it, and is still excellent) its just not what i want on my desktop.
Its built to take up as little screen space as possible, which it does well, and so is perfect for netbooks, as well as desktops. Its also stupidly quick to boot, far faster then IE or Firefox, and its surfing is speedy too (on par with Firefox in my view). You can also make it look the way you want with themes etc..

Each browser has pros and cons, but at the end of the day all do pretty similar jobs, and its down to personal preference to choose which one you want.

I might be able to do another log entry over the next few days, so watch out!
Hazz22

Its been far too long…

 

Right, its been far to long, so i best get on with a new post.

I guess i should probably explain my self for the lack of any form of post.

Well, last week i actually wrote one, and was about to put it up, and in the end didn't as i didn't like the way it turned out. I don't know what it was about it, just didn't like it.

Actually, I'm rather glad i didn't, due to several days later Sony hosted a press conference, which told the world about there brand new console. My blog post was actually on the speculation surrounding what i thought would be the next PSP, which turned out to be wrong anyway, or not entirely correct. I based most of my post on the PSP Phone (which at the time i was getting it confused and thinking it was their replacement to the PSP), and had no idea there was actually a completely separate console called the NGP. So clearly i was barking up the wrong tree.

Anyway, i didn't actually post it, so its all good!

Over the next few weeks, i will hopefully update this more than i currently have been. Its been over a week!

Unfortunately, I'm also away over most of the weekends during February, so don't be surprised if this is a little lacking.

That's all i can think of writing tonight, look out for another new blog post in the next few days!

Hazz 22

Why Apple?!

Now, as this blog is supposed to be about general technology and nerd items, I haven't really done much that relate to said items. so today I plan on rectifying that.

So, as I like to store most of my stuff, and rarely delete items from my laptops, I thought it was about time to invest in a external hard drive.
see, not that many shops stock them, and even when they do, the smaller, portable ones are far more in fashion than the older, larger, need a power socket ones. plus, for 1 tb in size, you need to spend above £50 (portable ones you looking at around £80 plus!).
if you do go out an buy one, there isn't much to look out for. obviously the price. Size matters as well, depending on how much you are going to use it, and for how long etc. also, some of them come with a warranty, which is worth looking into in case it breaks and you lose some of your data. those are just a few things to consider.

so I spent my Saturday looking around for one of these. not the most enjoyable pastime, but it did need to be done.

I had another reason for getting one; my laptop has been in a bad way.
I recently moved to a new place that only has an Ethernet port (well, a very weak wireless signal in the room I use my laptop in). “What's the problem? most laptops come with a standard Ethernet port?”. Well, mine did, until the port died after around 3 weeks.

Since then (around 5 months) iv dealt with internet that's cut out, using my net-book as my main laptop, and reinstalling windows 7.

So far, none of those things worked, and each day I'm now mocked by the constant fear that my connection will cut out, and I will lose work or a conversation with someone. Its all rather annoying.

Anyway, back on subject… so I decided to get an external hard drive to make backing up all of my data for easier. It cost me £50 from Curry's, and so far I would recommend it. 1tb, and its on special offer.

Going back to my on going problems, someone gave me a brain wave the other day (OK, she actually came up with the idea) which was a usb to Ethernet adapter. So, of course I went hunting around the city I live near. asked both Curry's and P.C world, because, you know, they supposedly sell tech. Both said no…and one suggested Apple?!

So, wandering into the apple store, and having to find my way through the crowds of people looking at all of the shiny Apple gear, I finally find the converter…only to see the price tag… £25?!?!?! For a converter?! Come on Apple? Seriously? That's half the price of the 1tb hard drive? Why?! 

So of course I flatly refused and left. And now of course I'm sat here still wondering how long until my connection cuts off again…but with £25 in my wallet. I'm happy with that.

Hazz 22

3D….S?

 

Right, there has been LOADS of hubbub on gaming websites about the  Nintendo 3DS. Ok, so I'm a little bit of a Nintendo fan, and all ways have been. So, unsurprisingly, I'm rather excited about it. So today, I'm going to dedicate some of my time to spreading the word, and discussing 3D in general.

The 3ds is a rather clever bit of kit, maybe not in raw hardware, but in some of its concepts. The 3DS produces a 3d image by using 2 screens, which send slightly different images to your eyes, which then gives you the 3D effect. Also, as they are technically two different screens, they have found of a way of allowing the owner to turn the effect on or off at will by sliding the screens closer or further a part. a very useful feature if you ask me.

the 3D effect in cinemas etc. has caused rather a lot of issues for people. some complain about nausea and or headaches when watching 3D films. So by having the option of turning it on and off is a massive plus, and also doctors etc. have said different things when it comes to how safe  the use of 3D is, and how long you should watch 3D images.  So of course Nintendo have done something rather nice by putting this on there system.
I wont be talking about the 3d effect actually on the system, as i have yet to see it, so i have no idea.

There are downsides to this system unfortunately. that is that there is a “sweet” spot where you get the effect. Move out of this, such as get too close, far away or move in any other direction and the effect is lost. This could be a bit of a problem. but then again…you could just turn the effect off?

The games to me are more of a selling point (that and the 3D camera built in, so you can take 3D snaps of things. To me…that's pretty awesome!), as there is a classic that is being remade. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. This has got to be one of my most favourite games ever, and I'm rather looking forward to a graphical update and some sprinkling of 3d on top. I just hope it has changed enough to warrant another play through, yet similar enough that i don't feel like its been ruined. I Recon Nintendo can pull it off though!

There are loads of other games coming out too, all with great visuals and apparently solid online play. No more faffing about with friend codes (if you have owned a DS or Wii, you will understand how silly this feature was). Well, that's not true. there will be one code, but for your system, not each one for your games. This means once you have a friend saved, you can then see what they are playing, and join in. Slightly like Xbox Live (or PSN, but as i don't own a PS3, i have no idea).

Anyway, all in all it looks rather promising. There is so much i haven’t mentioned, so check out Gaming sites who went to a recent press conference about it to get more in-depth details. Knowing me i will be in line on launch day to grab one. Shame the price is around £200, but worth it when you think how much is in it.

Guess i had best start saving!

Hazz 22

Summer…

Today will be a short post, as its rather late, and i don't have that much time on my hands.

Its been so sunny as of late that its made me think of summer, and how i miss it.

I miss the smells, sights, sounds, all of it! I miss the evening sky being filled with beautiful colours, and elaborate cloud shapes. i miss everyone being out and about, even at 8:30 at night! Its such a great time of year. Even when it rains, i don't mind, as you get this wonderful smell of grass if its warm enough.

Of course, there are downsides. Being stuck indoors is not fun while all of this is going on. And the inevitability of it all, that soon autumn will roll around (even though it didn't turn up last year, and jumped directly to the bitterly cold Winter) and soon all of this time will be over.

Now, this all links rather nicely to music. Some music can just make you feel like your in the summer time once again, even when your walking for the bus with wind against your face and the ice cold rain soaking through your coat or doing work right next to a heater as your room is never warm. it just fills you with this unusual feeling of summer, and what it brings.

Of course, Winter has its own music with its own feelings which are great too. But right now I'm rather missing Summer.

I’ve always been tempted with the thought of living in a country that is always hot in the future. i don't deal all that well with cold  (i do enjoy skiing though), and just prefer the summer sun.

Summer holidays with friends, BBQ’s, and just its always far less stressed during those months of the year.

To sum up, I’m rather looking forward to Summer this year.

Have fun, and listen to some of your own Summer music!

Hazz 22

I Couldn’t Live Without…

Its another evening, and so with it must come a blog post. 

Well, as i said i wouldn't talk about anything particularly personal, that leaves most of my day out. 

Ok, so i will start by answering some of your questions...

Considering there aren't any, i guess i can't write about that either. 

See, i REALLY don't want to go on about games,but they are one of my main hobbies. That, and music. And just general technology. 

Now, this gets me thinking. When ever someone goes "Oh my! i couldn't live with out my phone being by my side at all times!" I just sigh, and feel a little sad. 

It seems that people have forgotten about dealing with or with out things. Grow up! People have lived for  thousands  of years with out the need for Facebook or such like.

Sure, its done wonders for making things faster. Connecting with old friends or just staying in contact with current ones. But the NEED for technology to be with you at all times i think is a little silly. People should go out, into the country side, and discover a whole wide world of small bandwidth and dodgy phone signal.

People will cry hypocrite at me. Of course they will. But i don't think i have ever said that i need something with me. Sure, i do take my laptop with me whenever i travel far, but i don't need it like i need my friends or family. 

People are far more important to me, and they always will be. 

You might also cry hypocrite, as I'm writing Blog, and the name of which includes the word nerd. (the word nerd doesn't directly link to the internet for your information.) the former of which can only be accessed though the internet, and thus requires technology.  

Anyway, i do feel sorry for people who decide they need there phones always on and within a 6 feet radius, or people who need Facebook to be running 48 hours a day (not a typo).

Go outside, meet with the people that you watch on Facebook, and have some fun!

That's my thoughts for the day. please feel free to comment (even if you think I'm a hypocrite).

Have fun

Hazz 22

(sorry about lack of proper grammar in the last post.)

So, this being my first blog and all, i guess i should say something about my self? well...
had you going there didn't i?
I'm not going to display much about my self, or any of my friends and family etc. i would prefer this blog to be about how i see the world, what i think of things, and just generally what i want to put. i will put links to some of my favourite things, such as websites or t.v shows, but i wont like anything directly to my self, or at least try not to!
OK, now I'm off that rather dull subject of discussing "what I'm gunna do" i might as well get on with my first post.

So, this blog having the word Nerd in the title means I should probably talk about something technology related. er...ahh....
OK, here it goes....
right well that failed. iv had the idea for writing a blog several months ago, but always decided against it for several reasons, such as not knowing what to write...and just generally people you don't know will read it.
But, start of a New Year and new beginnings, so I thought what they hey! 
Rookie mistake...
the Internet in my room is abysmal at best. its not the internets fault, its my poor laptop. its used every day, for pretty much all of my Internet needs. so its bound to get a little worn out and tired, especially after 3 years of services. its been one of the best items I've ever owned, and its been through a lot.
so i solute you my HP Pavilion dv9000.

continuing with my Nerd theme (YES GOT THE BALL ROLLING)
i should probably discuss my favourite games, games consoles and of course t.v and movies.

when it comes to games, i used to be a fanatic. i say used to, as in the last year and a half, i have probably only brought and played the amount that can be counted with one hand.
this is rather annoying from my perspective. i see loads of great games come and go, only for me to have missed them. "but the single play is great, and you can go and get a cheap copy!" i hear you cry...across your telephone line (or fibre optic cable, depending on your current position).
well, let me answer the question with a word... Multi-player. I'm more of a fan of the multi-player than i am of the main game (in some cases, that you will learn about in the coming weeks) and in some cases, skipped the main game for it. i just prefer to play with mates than to play a game alone.
so, how does this all fit in? well, as a new game is released its pretty staple for it to come with a multi-player. if it doesn't, its usually due to the main game is so strong that it doesn't need it or, more often than not,  its rubbish.
so by the time iv picked up this cheap copy, all of my friends have stopped playing it, and moved on. there are a few staple games me and my friends play, such as Call of Duty 4 and its squeal. also, Battle Field Bad Company 2.
 Both games have an excellent multi-player, and so have been played a lot, and most likely in weeks to come, i will elaborate on why i like them so much.

well, that's all we have time for (and i can be bothered to write about) today.

i should hopefully be making regular updates to this, so check back every so often. 

Thanks for reading!

Hazz22