Friday, December 17, 2010

Embedding your own logo into QR code

BBC logo uses QR Code V05 (37x37), which may not be readable on mobile devices (Duncan Robertson should be punished :). Google Chart API is unable to generate those explicitly if the text isn't long enough (or I just didn't find the way to do it). We'll use this: http://www.racoindustries.com/barcodegenerator/2d/qr-code.aspx. Set options to "QR Code Version: V05", "QR Code Error Correction Level: H (~30% of codewords can be restored)" and you'll get exactly the same format that was used by BBC. Paint your own 30% logo (you may even cross the timing pattern) and you're done.
Also check this out http://research.swtch.com/qart - really cool.

Thursday, October 28, 2010

I did nothing today and still got paid

What's your job? - I'm MESHER and SKINNER.

What's your job? - I'm MESHER and SKINNER. - erm... so, like, erm, what do you actually do? - I PUT WEIGHTS ON BONES.

Kuttner, Henry - Ex Machina

The Justice was thoughtful. "Will you please elucidate, Mr. Gallegher? Why should the oath not be administered to this robot?"
"Such an oath is applicable to man only."
"And?"
"It presupposes the existence of the soul. At least it implies theism, a personal religion. Can a robot take an oath?"
The Justice eyed Joe. "It's a point, certainly. Ah... Joe. Do you believe in a personal deity?"
"I do."
point, really. Nor did it become clear until, from the maze of contradictions, there emerged the tentative decision that Joe was a rational being. This seemed to please the prosecutor immensely.
...
"Wait a minute," Murdoch Mackenzie said, rising. "May I ask a question, Mr. Justice?"
"Go ahead."
Mackenzie stared at the robot. "Well, now. Will you tell me, please, what this personal deity of yours is like?"
"Certainly," Joe said. "Just like me."
After a while it degenerated into a theological argument.
Visual Studio likes to put a comment block at the top of some of the support files it maintains itself automatically that makes the very matter-of-fact statement: This code was generated by a tool.
I think I'm finally approaching getting tired of giggling at that, but it took way too long...

Hi, blogger!