Live Drive and Notes from a Microsoft Employee

I have so much work to do that I don't know how I'm going to get through it all. In addition to my normal homework (including two projects, each due in the next two weeks), I have to create a totally new NSC site (meaning that I need to learn PHP and CSS real quick-like). I don't mind the latter, but I just wish it was all I had to do. Anyway, I thought I'd squeeze my Microsoft articles into this first paragraph. Thanks to an accidental leak from Google about their GDrive, Microsoft has gone public with its Live Drive project to provide an online hard drive of sorts. No other details on it really, but they did mention in passing that they were looking to make Live a platform in its own right (I suppose similar to .NET). It's easy to attach a singular face to Microsoft (namely, Bill Gates) to these things when they're announced, but they're really the efforts of lots of people. One employee has posted his insights from working in the company, and it doesn't sound too bad. I don't want to work there for largely the same reasons he provided as not wanting to work there at first, and he confirms some of my fears. I'm scared to get into a large company because of dealing with annoying managers, and it sounds like Microsoft has a good number of these. It also sounds like things vary a little too much between projects, and I'd hate to get stuck at a bad one. However, the benefits of working there sound very cool (though not as good as the publicity afforded to Google's work environment). Who knows, maybe I'll apply for Microsoft again my senior year.

There's actually one more quick Microsoft item: they're planning on revealing more details regarding an HD-DVD attachment for the Xbox 360 at E3 in May. What's questionable is that if they can manage to get around the format's obligatory copy mechanism (since the Xbox 360 doesn't support them), who else can? Or will this mean a sub-par HD-DVD player attachment? There's no shortage of news from Apple: they're actually planning on building a new 50-acre campus in Cuppertino (their current home) because they're expanding too quickly to be supported by the buildings currently available, and it sounds like they could make a campus that would look cooler than the Google campus and attract better talent. They also may be announcing a 17-inch MacBook Pro at the National Association of Broadcasters conference next week along with some upgraded software and performance demos on existing software. No word yet on a 12-inch model, and I'm guessing that this isn't a priority for them right now for some reason. If you think that's all from your favorite fruit-enamored company, then you'd be wrong. They've now released Bonjour, their stellar network configuration application, for Windows. I don't get what they gain by this, or if it was easier to do this port now that they're on Intels, but Windows users with complicated home networks should be rejoicing. Meanwhile, Sony has created a DVD Walkman, and while it looks cool I just don't see people running out to get this unless they're yuppies. For just under $200, it's not much different from what's already out there, but Sony always seems to be behind. Lastly, AT&T has created a strategic partnership with Akimbo Systems on the road to providing IP TV services. I'm interested to see how pricing will turn out.

That's one of a few new pictures from Superman Returns, and I was just intrigued by the black Superman costume. Could Venom be in Superman Returns also?! (kidding, of course) A few new clips from MI:3 have sprung up, but I haven't gotten a chance to check them out yet. I'm pumped up about the movie enough as it is, no point in getting more worked up. Remember Jurassic Park 4 being in pre-production? Well it looks like they're just now writing a script (though it looks like they already wrote one and scrapped it, but that's not what the direct quote would suggest). I don't see why they would want to film this alongside Indiana Jones 4 though, because I don't see how Spielberg could multitask two movies of this magnitude. Tarantino may be working on a TV show pilot with Johnny Knoxville and some other person I don't care about, but I'm surprised that he'd be doing this while working on Grind House. I guess it's just not a very time intensive project? Or maybe his involvement in the show is limited? In a recent interview, Eli Roth talked a bit about what he'd like to explore in Hostel 2, and I didn't bother reading it since I still haven't seen the first, but I'm sure that horror fans will eat up whatever he has to say here. Lastly, JoBlo interviewed Roger Avary, which I hope helps remind you to go see Silent Hill this weekend (since Avary wrote it and helped with 3 Tarantino scripts). It's quite a long interview, but surprisingly fun to read.

Now for the Wednesday Mind Hump:

1. Are you the photographer in the family, or is it someone else?
I've actually just become the photographer in the family :) I started off excusing myself as "I just got a new camera," but now it's "I love taking pictures on my pretty camera, sorry." I don't know if we had a picture fiend before in the family.

2. What kind of camera do you have? Digital or film?
Digital: Canon Powershot SD 450 Digital ELPH, and I love it :) It's ultra-compact, so you're bound to get red-eye, battery life issues, and less than a full set of standard manual controls (namely, shutterspeed), but it's pretty solid for the purposes I've had for it.

3. Are you photogenic? Or do you run whenever someone breaks out the camera?
I don't think I take very good pictures, but I'm more photogenic now than I was before since I don't have to wear glasses, which are notorious for annoying glare problems.

4. If you could take a moment in your life, the best one you've ever had, and photograph it so that you could remember it forever, which moment would it be?
That's extremely hard, and I don't think I could possible answer it without a few minutes later thinking "Wait, what about that other time." I'll give a couple of really good ones. One was my first trip to New York City when I walked out of the subway station since we took the subway from the airport and my eyes got like 5 times bigger. Another was my confirmation retreat when I met someone very special. It was a girl, but we never went out, though she had a pretty big impact on me anyway.

This post wouldn't be complete without birthday wishes to my blogging buddy Lizzie :) Usually I had reading personal blogs, but I love hers and wish her all the best on her special day!