Kalimat al-Mutafalsif

Ok, the title lies. but I'm cleaning up my desktop, and came across a screenshot from a few days ago. It is a CAPTCHA that I, for the life of me, could only make sense of as: Six E Pi Pi. So, in this case it worked, right? The human figured out what the letters should be, except as clearly as those are Pi's, Pi is not a letter on my keyboard. I figured I should get a screenshot to show where CAPTCHAs are going:

Sadly, CAPTCHAs are a technology we need to combat spam, which accounts for at least 80% of email today, not to mention message boards, instant messages, or text-messages. However, we're merely engaged in a technology arms race with spammers, this is *not* a technology that is winning any fights, we just try to stay one step ahead. This is increasingly hard with CAPTCHA entry being a job in countries with lower incomes, spammers cheating by offering porn in return for solving a CAPTCHA, and (in a case that doesn't just apply humans) CAPTCHA breaking drives AI research. Basically, no 'new' CAPTCHA technology is going to keep spammers out for long. A bleak future indeed. On the other hand, we already have 80%, how much worse can it get? I think the real answer lies in spam filters, although for the most part those are also in a mere arms race, but at least then you can control your own computer, not just leave the image out there for another human to crack.

Its been a few months since I announced I was going to try to write a PHP based Mafia game and in that time I've learned a decent amount.

First off, if you want a project done, you can't be getting distracted. Since I've started Thieves Tavern I've also fallen in love with motorcycles and started gun smithing. Both of those have stolen major programming time away from this project. Its only through the weather being downright cold lately, and parts for the gun being on back order that I've had the time to get gung ho on this project again.

Secondly, when dealing with databases, its really easy to tailor the database so that the game works. In fact, that's the whole point of editing the database: To test this bit, or that bit... but not the overall product. Earlier this week I'd reached a point where I thought I could push my code live, and invite some friends to beta test it. I figured, at the time that clearing out my database would make stuff work better, get rid of all the random edge cases I'd built up along the way. Well, after clearing out the database, nothing worked. I couldn't start games, I couldn't chat, nada. This is when I learned that it doesn't get easier after removing test data, only harder. It took another two days of testing, clearing, testing some more, as well as cleaning up my code, before I got it back to the 'working' beta state. Thankfully, now I know its working as intended (minus the obvious beta bugs, of course).

So now its off to beta test Thieves Tavern. I'm kind of excited to be playing this, I had loads of fun while playing myself in local tests, and I can imagine it being even better taking out friends online. If you'd like to help test, get ahold of me (in real life, I'll ask for signups for a public beta later on) and I'll send you an invite.

(And in the 10 minutes it took to write this I already have a laundry list of fixes/stuff I just plumb forgot)

I got my motorcycle a little over 4 months ago and had a blast learning how to ride, enjoying taking the slower roads, and having a new way to clear my mind of any issues. She was a good little bike, not too underpowered, and on a warm afternoon she'd pull all the way from first to 6th beautifully!

Unfortunately I've learned that that warm spirit takes a mean turn into cold distance as the temperature goes down... the hard way. So for those of you who met Kari, bid your farewells, she's on her way out. What i thought would be an amicable break up is really going to be me dumping her for as much as I can get. Before I post the picture of the day, I'll point out that I'm 100% ok, and she didn't go down or anything, just had issues with staying on... while I was doing a fair clip... 70 miles from home... up in the mountains... way after dark... when I didn't have cold weather gear.

So, without further ado, I present Dead Bike Walking!

Now to go find another way to plug the hole in my heart, already have a few plans in motion, but I'll wait to see what pans out before posting about Kari's replacement. Unfortunately it'll take a bit longer than I'd hoped due to the cost of a tow home, even with roadside assistance on my insurance.