Let's Make This Moment a Crime

How to avoid a digital heart attack:

When making modifications to an electronic file of any kind, make sure you know what you are doing. If you don't understand the terminology, the language, or if the tutorial you are following doesn't match your project completely, chances are you will end up wanting to throw up because you just lost everything except your lunch. The best thing you can do if you get confused; call a 'professional'. If you have no other choice but to tackle the project alone, back up your files BEFORE you start.
 
Geek Tip influenced by I am Not a Volcano.

I VOID WARRANTIES. Found on the next awesome T-shirt I want for my collection, this statement is not only funny, but absolutely true. Whenever there is something that can be modded, fixed, explored or simply taken apart to see what is inside, I'm in line with my little tool box. I love it. It's part of who I am and what I do. I also repair computers for family and friends, install printers, troubleshoot networks, and edit pretty much any file format I need to. It seems that's why people like me around. Lets face it, I'm not loved for my personality (I'm a doof), nor am I adored for looks. I am, as my sister often says, loved for my skills... 'like nunchuku skills, bow hunting skills, computer hacking skills...' (oh, I actually do have nunchuku skills ;) )

A short lesson in Hacking

You hear Hacker, Hacking or Hacked and you think Illegal. You hear mod, and lets face it most people probably don't think anything at all (it means modify). I need to set the record straight.

Hack-er [hak-er] -noun : a programmer for whom computing is its own reward; may enjoy the challenge of breaking into other computers but does no harm; "true hackers subscribe to a code of ethics and look down upon crackers

Cracker? What is that?

Crack-er [krak-er] -noun : a programmer who cracks (gains unauthorized access to) computers, typically to do malicious things; "crackers are often mistakenly called hackers"

There you have it. Hackers are not the bad guys. They actually rock and if you are good friends with one, you are in luck. (oh yeah you owe me tuition. Hackers vs Crackers 101 is an accredited course. Dang! I need to get that coin slot installed!)

Okay, so I VOID WARRANTIES (so you know, you have just seen the conversational technique know as 'The Hook' in action. More on that in another post). As my dear wife would attest, I often have electronic parts strewn about our small apartment. On many occasions my wife has told me she would not enter my little 'office' because "It looks like a robot exploded all over the place". I'm glad she loves me and doesn't have an extreme affinity for warranties and assembled electronics.

I VOID WARRANTIES = Hacker = Messy Apartment = Happy Friends = Happy Geek

My friend and neighbor (we'll call him John) recently came across an original XBOX console and was offered a small sum of money to mod it, which in original XBOX terms means 'to make the console useful instead of a locked outdated hunk of hardware refuse'. He was given the task to install a media center onto the console so that the owner could enjoy his free video downloads on a large TV.

This may sound crazy to some, intriguing to others, but I think it opens an entertainment center to a whole new level of awesome. In fact, almost a year ago, I did the same to my original XBOX.

The XBOX mod can be done several different ways. Note: putting a new operating system on an XBOX is not illegal (as I see it) but it does void any sort or warranty you may still have (um, original XBOX warranty? yeah right. That's like still having a warranty on your umbilical cord). Also, if the mod is done wrong, your XBOX may become a brick.

Enter John

Hardware up the Yin Yang and patience beyond what anyone can stand, John the solider worked on the XBOX mod for weeks. Don't get me wrong, I was at the sidelines looking for ways to get around the infamous hard drive lock and the bogged down hardware restraints of the would be Media-gasm machine. There was simply no way to mod the XBOX on John's modern hardware and without the donor parts from another similar machine. The XBOX was given to me for a few days to see what my primitive hardware might accomplish.

NOTE: I want to make it very clear that 'John' is a very talented individual and has all the skills to have accomplished the mod had the XBOX participated. John is an uberGeek much like me and surpasses my skillset in almost every way. We worked on the mod together and failed several times, hindered mostly by unavailable file downloads.

Enter Biege


Needless to say, awesomeness was had by all.

Let's Make This Moment a Crime

We've just got to take our time its like nothing really matters, so lets make this moment a crime I know, I know you're left
Behind but I'll do my best to feel broke down its been a minute, a second, I'll wait for you to come around but I know, I
Know you're taking time maybe its just too late, I've got to get away when everything feels the same, I've got to get away tell
Me its not too late

On and on and on you wait and oh the days they fade away and all the nights they've never felt
The same if I was wrong then I was wrong and on and on and on and on the things we do are never going to change well you
Haven't got a lot to say but you never want to stop you always want to feel this way I know I know you're taking time

We wait forever, if ever and you're too hip to saying never I'll never get it, oh I shouldn't sweat it not
Like it matters, its over, yeah at least till you come over so much for shutters, we're living under covers