This is awesome.

So a lot of you have been coming here, and downloading my apps. I think that’s awesome. Seriously. You guys are amazing. I put a little fun tool up on a forum and within two days it’s busted 100+ total downloads from various places.  That’s incredible, and somewhat exhilarating. You guys have motivated me to actually devote some serious time to more than just these few projects. Personal thanks to each and every last damn one of you.

These last two days have been…inspirational to say the least.

…Peace out.
Alister

More apps!

Just released another freeware tool on the blog, this one’s called sneakText, available for Windows Mobile 5.0 and Windows desktop editions, it’s a tool designed to securely encrypt and decrypt simple text messages.  Read more about it here or select “sneakText” from the top navigation bar.

Another update

So it’s been a while since my last post, mainly because I forgot this blog exists… but in any case. Been working hard on my music, and life’s been pretty good lately. Got my driver’s license last month and already been taking full advantage of that fact, it’s been some awesome fun just getting out and exploring the island on my own. Also, certainly in the scope of this blog, things have changed a lot for me, I’m 18 now and on Second Life I’m now transferred to the Main Grid, and I definitely have a mixed opinion of that fact. Sure, the MG’s big and definitely diverse. There are a lot of brilliant, highly creative and intelligent people on there with the ideas and the resources to pull them off. But the MG lacks the basic sense of community I felt on the teen grid. Maybe it’s because of the size of the place but I never really managed to connect properly, besides getting back in touch with all my old TG friends as they transferred. I’m thinking it probably is because of the size…it’s like moving from a small town into a huge city, it’s incredibly hard to make social connection because you don’t know where to even start.

That aside, I’ve been re-engineering my blogs and generally shaking up and resurrecting the parts of my online and offline life that I’d previously forgotten about, including getting back in touch with the folks over at the Ludovico Einaudi official forum, and picking up the piano again. I have some pieces I’ve recorded, mostly by Einaudi and one by a good friend of mine and a very talented composer/pianist, Josh Winiberg. They can be found on the forum, and I’ll post them here on the music page soon.

I’ve also been getting back to work on my software development projects, including some iPhone and Windows development, which has culminated in the launch of a new Twitter application for Windows, and, pending App Store approval, iPhone called “twickret” – it uses a text cipher algorithm to enable you to send secret coded messages to select friends of yours on Twitter by sharing a common key, or “codeword” among your friends beforehand, and them using that key to decode your messages. The whole project took from start to finish about a month to develop for iPhone and Windows, and was definitely a valuable learning experience all the way through, from basic techniques right through to experience with the development and testing cycle of a commercial product. If you wanna try it out, you can pull it from the blog I set up for it at http://twickret.wordpress.com

 

Anyway, given the word count I’m racking up here (450 as of this point, if you’re interested), this is starting to seem less like a blog post and more like an essay, so I’ma shut up and stop typing for a while. Feel free to drop me a comment or email me if you want, I know there are some of you who read this who I haven’t seen in too long, so get in touch

 

Peace out

-Alister

Test post

Just testing to see if this software will actually post properly.

I’m graphically insane.

So I found a tutorial on how to make shiny graphics in Fireworks MX. The result….

6 months later…

and I finally remember I have a blog.

Where to start…..

Well I’ve moved to Greece successfully, got set up in my new house, and posted a whole pile of new videos on Youtube, I’ve got some Pink Floyd, James Taylor and even an acoustic blues jam in B For those, check my channel: http://www.youtube.com/ltbrenton

Also seem to have landed myself a part time job working as a software developer for a local computer store, so that’s all running quite well…Got a slight snag with only having dialup capability at my house, but we get 2Mbit broadband at work so it’s just more incentive to get in early XD

In any case, I gotta shut up now, posting this from laptop at work and should really be doing other stuff, like…working?

Later guys.

Day 3 of blogging.

current mood: tired but happy.

Well, interesting today. Had my guitar lesson, came back with a CD full of backing tracks and jam tracks. Need to work on my pulloffs and slides. Also, would any of you like to see a video of me just jamming to one of my tracks? drop a comment.

That’s just about all I can say now, apart from I’m tired, and I’m signing off for the day. Just keeping the blog updated.

-Alister

Something caught my eye.

While reading the Second Life forums I noticed Navaro Bao talking about an airborne roleplay system. This bit in particular caught my eye:

” Apart from housing this role play environment, The Ark will also be capable of
moving about the mainland. That is drifting from place to place, enhancing the realism, and allowing for more interesting, and involved role play while also avoiding the need for owned land.

While the ship is in this drifting state of movement, it’s inhabitants need not sit down, as is custom for most ships within SL. Due to new technology, it’s crew members can treat The Ark as if it were solid ground.”

Looks like the Teen Grid has developed capital ships.  I wish all these guys the best, and I’ll be looking into getting involved with the project.

Definitely my last post for the night now

My life today, and a new blog widget.

current mood: content

You probably noticed I’ve got a MeeboMe widget on my blog. Feel free to use it, abuse it, leave me whatever so long as it’s not above PG-13 (or UK 15 rating)

Because of the way Meebo works, I’ll probably only check it if I’m out and can’t get at a regular messenger, so don’t expect quick replies or anything. But it’s still cool

Now, for the real bloggy bit.

Reasonably OK day today, went over and played Questa Notte as I said in the earlier post, so that’s all good. Made my wrists ache, but hey, I’m good for Saturday’s performance. Started learning Seek & Destroy on the guitar as well. Self-note: I need to play something other than Metallica. Maybe some more Deep Purple? Guys, comment me with suggestions. :O

Bye!

-Alister

Imma playin mah piano.

current mood: tired

So it’s one day since this blog’s creation, and I gotta go over to my piano teacher’s house to try and get up to speed on an acoustic piano in preparation for a concert I’m performing in on Saturday. I’ll be playing Ludovico Einaudi’s Questa Notte, a fast flowing piece that is one of my favourites. Only downside is around 3 minutes in my wrists start to hurt. Which is why I need to build my stamina on an acoustic before Saturday. Challenge up ahead, guys. :O

As for the guitar, I’ve put my new video up as you can see in the previous post, and I’m working on the next one already, this time Welcome Home (Sanitarium) by you guessed it – Metallica. I’ve entered Fade to Black into the ultimate-guitar.com cover song contest as well.

Anyways, I have to go now, otherwise I’m gonna be typing for hours. Later guys

-Alister