Saturday, November 12, 2016

Grasping at cynosures: a review of "Lenore" by Angie Smalis and Colin Gee



It shines with a brilliance we did not expect, attracting our attention. Though we can't discern shape or colour, it's impossible to look away. This is the cynosure.

It's that very experience of being-in-the-world that "Lenore" explores. It's also the experience of watching this performance unfold.
Thursday, November 10, 2016

Tascam DR-100 mkIII recorder



Quite a number of people have asked me about the new Tascam DR-100 mkIII recorder. I have not used this unit, so the following analysis is based on the reference manual and promotional material.

Track record
Tascam have released a large number of digital audio recorders, but like many companies has not been addressing the needs of the field recordist. Their strength has been in tools for musicians, so their recorders have been oriented towards recording practice sessions or live performance. Low pre-amp noise is not a priority in these cases, and their previous units have had middling sound quality and spotty feature sets.

The same is true of the 60D and 70D models, designed for DSLR video shooters. These are feature rich but far to cheap to contain decent components. The pre-amps are OK for their designed purpose, but in my experience are intolerant of the different impedance loading scenarios that professional microphones might bring.

While I haven't used the 701D it appears to share the same innards as the 60D/70D. And then there's the revised 60D MkII... good grief not another model! According to the company's own literature the pres have been "improved" to be like the 40D, which are poor.

So, Tascam has so far not produced a smaller recorder sufficient for nature recording. How does the new unit measure up?
Tuesday, November 08, 2016

How to building a website in 2016

After many years I have updated my personal website. In the process I had to consider what might be the "right way" to build a site in the current era. This post will discuss different options, categorised under five headings.

I have been creating websites for almost as long as there has been a web. For many years I was CTO of a business that did things then thought impossible (namely, large data transfers and processing). For two years I wrote Perl scripts. I have many hours of server configuration in my distant past, now thankfully (mostly) forgotten.

I now require a simple, open, extensible, standards-based solution. I am technically capable and don't mind programming a solution. But any coding must be in Python, since other languages waste my time. (I trust that is partisan enough!)

I will now summarise five different website development methods, as I see them.

1. Static
This is the simplest way to create a website. Create the HTML, CSS, and Javascript manually. Combine with JPG graphics. Upload to any old web host. Done.

The downsides of this method soon become apparent: maintenance, repetition, and sheer drudgery.

2. Generated static
Desktop tools can automate some or all of the process. Templates can be used to provide a basic pattern for a set of web pages. Specific data then fills out each instance. Code modules can be added to provide extra functionality. But the end result is still a set of static HTML files that can be viewed from anywhere.

Back when there were few available solutions I wrote my own programme, Wasp. This app worked in two modes, one of which was generated static files. And I have been using it ever since!

3. Dynamic server, fixed structure
This includes blogging sites like Blogger and most "easy" web front-ends. Content is delivered from a web server using CGI, but the process is completely hidden. The user is responsible for the content, and can modify the visuals to a degree.

This blog is one example. It is written on Blogger, which makes the basic process of posting articles quite easy. But the customisations you see here are the result of many hours of hacking and deciphering secret tech. When I dive into the code now, I have no idea what is going on.

A bigger issue is that the solution is closed. When (not "if") the Blogger engine disappear, my site disappears... and migration may not be an option. The knowledge learnt in one proprietary system is not transferable to another. They are a poor investment.

4. Dynamic server, dynamic structure
This category includes Content Management Systems (CMS), which range from the simple and cheap (Wordpress) to the complicated and terribly expensive (many corporate solutions). These provide a great deal of control over the structure and look of your website, and also easy methods to enter content.

This flexibility requires an increased commitment of time and effort. The same comments as above regarding the proprietary nature apply.

It's a given that a CMS option places constraints on server requirements and is often associated with increased monthly costs. It also restricts the choice of hosts. But these days the most popular solutions are supported by a variety of vendors.

I have developed client sites in Textpattern, which is open and free. Years later, these sites are still functional, but eventually will fade. All sites require maintenance as the underlying software versions change.

A CMS is a complicated beast. If you are building sites for a living, the investment you make in learning one might well pay off. Your customisations will be re-used often enough to be worth the time it takes to develop them.

But this isn't the case if you're using a system only occasionally. You will never remember all the little techniques and "gotchas". (That's why there's a thriving industry of Wordpress consultants.)

5. Dynamic framework
These code skeletons provide hooks into the web server and some useful scaffolding. They incorporate a CGI interface, so that dynamic websites can be served from Apache and the like. They assume that you have considerable programming skills, since you will be coding your own website structure and functionality.

My own Wasp was a workable solution. But it was made in an era when standard interfaces like WSGI did not even exist. It is out-dated and inferior to contemporary tools.

Comparing CMS
I spent a good deal of time evaluating the Python-based CMS solutions, but I am only going to present a summary here. The complexity of these systems, each with their own terminologies and assumptions, makes any comparison time-consuming and potentially error-prone.

The biggest issue is the amount of commitment necessary to properly review a product. Something simple and flexible at first glance may turn out to have hidden limitations.

We can break a CMS down to three areas of functionality: the templating system, data layer, and coding framework.

I am picky about templating. Certain products, typified by CherryPy, use "Pythonic" templating. What this means is that you mix in your code with your HTML template. To me this is a bad idea. Anything in a template should look like HTML (or meta-HTML). The Python code should stay in the code engine. This is doubly true in team development, where one expects a division of labour between the designer and programmer.

However, pragmatics comes into play. Sometimes it is easier to put logic in the template. A good solution will not require this but will support it.

Luckily, the situation in the last few years has stabilised and it seems that Jinja is the winner. This clear and powerful templating language is used in all of the CMS that made my final cut. The same was not true even a year ago, so be wary of reviews on the internet that are stale.

When it comes to the data, some products (eg. Django) bundle in an Object Relational Mapper (ORM), which is a way of translating from object-oriented code to set-oriented information in a database. My experience with these has been tainted, since they are terribly inefficient for large data sets. But for a website I am sure they are just fine. Nonetheless, I prefer that simpler options are also available.

Some coding frameworks are massive and bundle in as much functionality as possible (Django). Others are minimal and expect the developer to fill in the rest (Flask, Pyramid). I prefer the latter approach, since I won't be trapped by pre-made decisions.

This is true even if there is a rich ecosystem of developed plugins. There are several problems with using a plugin to add functionality. First, the plugin architecture itself my be restrictive or require excessive cognitive overhead. Second, you have just added a point of weakness, especially when it comes to security (Wordpress, cough). Third, you now rely on the plugin developer for timely updates as the main system evolves.

I will spare you further details of the forty or so systems I investigated. For me, Flask would be the system I'd choose when developing a dynamic website. But I'd keep an eye on Pyramid as well.

However...

Reconsidering
For a personal site, do I need dynamic content? Well, what does it have to do? (Have a look.)

I need to display a snazzy home page incorporating a couple hundred informative entries on my various activities. I want to filter these articles by category and show related articles for each, based on tags. The articles need to be sorted in reverse chronology, like a blog. And I will be adding more all the time.

So, yes, it does at first seem like dynamic content is needed.

But, in fact, all of this can actually be done with static files. The different views of the data can all be determined ahead of time (so long as there are not too many). Certain changing content can be provided on the front-end using Javascript, without requiring server-side actions.

What is needed is a darned good static site generator.

So I wrote one.

(To be continued.)
Tuesday, October 18, 2016

BBC as echo chamber: a review of "HyperNormalisation"



Adam Curtis is a neoconservative documentary film-maker funded exhaustively by the BBC. "HyperNormalisation" (view here) is his latest product, a sprawling collage of thoughts about contemporary political power. It displays his usual hallmarks: a totalising and reductive view of complexity, a disparaging view of artists, a dismissal of women that is essentially sexist, and an ignorance of philosophical thought, stemming from an inherent anti-intellectualism and self-aggrandizement.

His works are heralded without much criticism. This article will act as partial corrective.
Friday, October 14, 2016

Bootstrap 4 column templates

I am building a new website. Each time I do this, the underlying technologies evolve and I play catch-up.

The big problem has always been supporting the variety of software platforms in use. It's a significant challenge creating a unified experience for users of different web browsers on different operating systems. The recent proliferation of hand-held devices has increased the number of software platforms (Android, iOS), the number of rendering engines, and the variety of screen sizes in use.

It is imperative to use a platform built to unify the common technologies of HTML, CSS, and Javascript. All the messy details should be hidden in the implementation, so that a web designer can focus on their structure and content.

In addition, the principle of responsive design holds that one single code-base should suffice for all viewer implementations.

That is why I am using Bootstrap, and specifically the new version 4 release of this platform. (Though this is still in alpha, I don't want to dedicate time to version 3, knowing the structure is imminently to change.)

Though the internal docs are good, there isn't much third party documentation on Bootstrap 4. I've been experimenting with layout and this article is the result.
Sunday, October 09, 2016

New track on Silent Records



I am proud to say I am a part of the new Silent Records. Founded by Kim Cascone (AKA Heavenly Music Corporation) in 1986, this label went on to become the seminal American ambient label. Well, Kim has rebooted Silent and released two giant compilations.
Thursday, October 06, 2016

How to retrieve photo metadata in Python

You'd think it would be easy to retrieve and even edit photo metadata. After all, we are living in the 21st century. But, no, some things prove more difficult than they should. A search for applications turned up quite a few that would display the metadata but none that would easily edit it.

OK, so there's always the programmatic approach. And for that I turn to Python. Let's see what the state of the art holds for us. (Hint: It's a bumpy ride.)

Sunday, October 02, 2016

A video of light itself



Photography is all about the light. Without light an image cannot be captured. And it is often the quality of the light that makes a photo, in the aesthetic as well as the functional sense.

Now, researchers in Spain and at MIT have managed to image light itself. Which means that we can see light in motion. No, not the movement of other things in light. But the process of light moving.

For example, we can watch a video of a mirror forming a reflection. That's exactly what this video shows. Science-fiction has once again caught up with the world we live in. This is more than a bit mind boggling, so I hope to explain.
Sunday, September 25, 2016

Delicious Beef Stew Recipe

finished beef stew

All you have to do to start an argument is to bring up the topic of "traditional" Irish stew. Everyone will think they have the correct version, usually based on what their mother cooked. But of course there is no permanent tradition. A stew is any combination of meat and vegetables cooked in liquid over time, and even in Ireland there are many variations. Some are served with a broth, others are thick. Some made with lamb, others beef.

What follows will be my own version, which is hearty and delicious, the perfect autumnal food. (Even for those, such as I, who would eat red meat rarely.) Before getting on to the recipe I will write a bit about the history of this dish in Ireland.
Monday, September 12, 2016

Proposals for a Zoom F8 Pro



After a series of digital recorders that were targetted at the lower end of the market, Zoom surprised us last year with the excellent F8 recorder. Now they have announced the Zoom F4, an even more cost effective choice, at least for those who only need four microphone inputs. Check out my previous article for the differences between the two models.

But there are quite a lot of users wanting a more capable recorder, something that would sit above the F8 as a flagship model. In an earlier article I listed various firmware improvements for the F8. But further enhancements will require redesigned hardware. Hence this article, which will put forward proposals for a hypothetical Zoom F8 Pro.

Some of these features are already available in professional units from other manufacturers. Including these abilities will allow Zoom to play with the big boys. Certain features I suggest go even beyond that, and might well make the F8 Pro unique; these I have flagged with the word "innovation".
Sunday, September 11, 2016

Zoom F4/F8 feature comparison



With the release announcement this week for the Zoom F4, we can be sure that Zoom is committed to the professional sector of the market. This unit is similar to the Zoom F8, so I thought I would provide a quick overview of the similarities and differences, plus any limitations to look out for.

The first thing is price. While the Zoom F8 retails for $1000, the Zoom F4 is coming in at a ridiculously low $650. This will translate to European and UK pricing in the usual way.

Units are expected in October, though I would say more realistically November. I can also predict that initial stocks will sell out immediately... this is going to be a hit!
Friday, August 26, 2016

Recent and recommended films



I concluded my last article, in which I dissected a list of great 21st century films, by questioning the necessity for lists and "greatness". I think it only appropriate to contradict myself (in part) by presenting something positive to yesterday's negative.

So here are my favourite films of this century. I have "only" 20, not 100, and make no effort to rank them. Instead, it's a simple chronology of greatness and stuff I simply like.

Dancer in the Dark (2000, Lars Von Trier)
Trier makes a lot of depressing films but this one takes the cake... and is a musical to boot. Bjork sells every bathetic scene, but was apparently emotionally abused on set. As you will be by watching this perverse exercise in deconstruction.
Thursday, August 25, 2016

Are films "great" any more?



What is it about films and lists? No two people agree on films, and so a list will be sure to generate controversy, hence traffic and ad revenue. So it is not surprising that BBC has already, a mere 16 years in, decided to list "The 21st Century's 100 Greatest Films". You should read the article before continuing.

The conceit of the article is that "the death of cinema" has been greatly exaggerated and that there are still great films being made today. "Perhaps the fault lies not in our movie stars, but in ourselves. If you can't find masterpieces amid the blockbuster flotsam, you simply aren't looking hard enough" writes the (uncredited) author.

But this is a weak claim. Certainly there are still "good" films still being made. No-one would actually deny that. The question is, are these as good as or better than those made in the past? Do these live up to our criteria for "greatness"? The list provided is supposed to answer in the affirmative but does just the opposite.
Sunday, August 07, 2016

Zoom F8: Comparing power methods



In the last article I explained several ways to power the Zoom F8. There's an option for everybody. My own particular priorities are reasonable cost, ease-of-use and safety, lowest possible weight, and fairly long recording time. I will consider these in slightly more detail, before turning to some real-world battery tests. This article will conclude by quantifying several different solutions, so that you can make up your own mind.
Saturday, August 06, 2016

Zoom F8: Powering the recorder



This is the third article on the Zoom F8 multitrack audio recorder, which started with an overview of features and continued with my suggestions for firmware improvements. Here I will discuss a few power options and discuss batteries.

The latest generation of hand-held recorders, like the excellent Olympus LS-11, last an incredible time on only two AA batteries. With a life of 18 to 22 hours, I often forget that they need recharging. It's easy to take this small miracle of power management for granted. Thank you, electrical engineers!
Friday, August 05, 2016

Zoom F8: Firmware Suggestions


UPDATE: Firmware 3.0 addressed a number of my concerns. These have been indicated below.

UPDATE: After using the unit for a month, I have added three more ideas. Some of these are less critical than others, but I have edited the article to remove any attempt to grade them. Our priorities are all different!

In my first article I discussed my justification for buying a Zoom F8, and gave a handy overview of the features. No doubt this multichannel recorder offers the best bang-for-the-buck of any on the market, while not compromising on professional features: time code, pull-down and pull-up sync rates, dual SD card slots, and so on.

But no matter how good a recorder is out of the box, there is room for improvement. I was encouraged to buy a Zoom F8 because of the feature set and pricing, but the deciding factor was the firmware updates. Zoom looked at the critiques after the first months of availability and issued Firmware 2.00, which added many useful features. A further 2.10 update fixed more bugs.

In this field, a company that cares about their customers should be willing to enhance their hardware beyond initial release. Anything else is a wasteful approach to hardware that, let's face it, uses up precious resources from our environment. I like to use a piece of kit for as long as possible!

Zoom have shown that they care... and have me as a customer as a result. The signs are encouraging that this policy will continue, and so I present my list of requests, restricted to those that can be implemented without hardware changes.
Friday, August 05, 2016

Zoom F8: Overview and Features


It's been a long while since I posted anything about digital audio recorders. That's because I am still totally happy with three hand-held units: the Olympus LS-10 and LS-11, plus the Sony M10. All of these I have written about quite extensively on this blog. And these posts have garnered a lot of interest from you, the reader. For that reason I am kicking off another series, this time to document my experiences with the Zoom F8.

In the next few posts you can expect practical information, tips, user experience reports, and so on. I am not going to call this a "review", but it will help to supplement those reviews already extant (links at bottom). You can expect me to write about compatible SD cards, power options, and practical usage tips. Plus some recommendations to Zoom for their next firmware update.
Monday, May 23, 2016

A Tree For Gemma

a tree for Gemma

A sheer is drawn back
from an upstairs window
by a hand traversing an arc,
half unseen.
A man looks out and down,
catching my own eye-line ascending
from John's Square.
It's a momentary intersection
of private perspectives,
an unexpected transgression.
The white curtain immediately drops
to cover four panes of glass
in a Georgian frame.

Rain from a cloudless sky splatters
my shoulders
with formless damp shapes.

It's fifteen minutes to four on a Saturday afternoon.
I have travelled here
from limbo
on three successive trains.

Wedding bells sound from the cathedral
as young lads in suits down pints
at the Square Bar.

A crow with a crooked beak tilts
a sharp head at an uncomfortable angle,
from its dancing perch
on a weathered headstone.

A space is made for a young yew
in a protected corner
of the building.

These elements I gather
and inscribe
in a black notebook.
Words are a bond that bear witness
to this perfect and unforeseen
conjunction.

Here promises have been broken.
And here they will be renewed.



21 May 2016
Friday, May 20, 2016

The Marketing Meeting

Lord of the Fries

MARKETING PERSON A:
We need to attract a more literary market for our client's fried food products.

MARKETING PERSON B:
OK, well how about selling fries using a book title? Y'know, for potential customers who read. The client needs to attract more punters who sometimes might crack open a book. Like I hear some people do while on holiday.
Sunday, March 27, 2016

Horse Island

Horse Island

a mouth opens between here 
    and Horse Island 
this hag of the land
    spits salt to cut a new face
as black basalt teeth
    chew waves

Friday, February 26, 2016

Election day in Ireland

Waving The Flag

It's election day in Ireland. Once again I am subject to cynical assessments of the process via social media. This derives from fundamental mistakes people make when considering their role within "democracy" and "politics", two terms that are basically meaningless without further descriptives.

I grew up in Canada, which is similar to the USA and UK in having "first past the post" elections. Technically called "plurality voting", such a system only simulates democracy. Voting is treated like a horse race. A representative government can never result by definition. It is safe to say that there is no democracy in Canada. (Despite Leonard Cohen's optimism!)
Saturday, February 13, 2016

The sensory phenomenology of gravity waves



I was as excited as many of you to learn this week of the discovery of gravity waves. And also happy to hear the audible chirp as two massive black holes collided over a billion light years away. But does this discovery mean that we can now "listen" to the universe? Are the claims for this as some sort of a revolutionary sensory phenomenology valid?

Read on for scientific wonder, sensory overload, and a mixtape.
Friday, February 05, 2016

Stolen Mirror release party

Fergus Kelly at Stolen Mirror release party

As 2016 dawns Stolen Mirror enters a new phase. In December my label released AC, the debut CD from Steve McCourt, featuring three compositions. And two weeks ago Fergus Kelly's latest album, Neural Atlas, saw the light of day. These two limited edition CDs contain electroacoustic music that plays with sound in intriguing ways.

Wednesday evening we had a release party at the very wonderful Guesthouse in Shandon, Cork. I have to thank Irene Murphy and the rest of the collective for being so generous with their time and energy. We had delightful vegetarian food and wine around an open fire before retiring upstairs for music.
Monday, January 18, 2016

Requiem David Bowie (Some Are)



Time exists within the song, held in suspension. Every moment accumulates within us, like ash from the end of a cigarette. How can we weigh smoke? How can we measure what has passed? What do we invest in listening? What does the song instantiate within us?

"Some are winter sun", Bowie sung.

This is an attempt to extract time from the song "Some Are", to make seconds more substantial, so that their passing can be ever more obvious. "Time takes a cigarette." Time leaves dust within us. Time leaves us, finally. You're not alone. You're only shadow, here under the burning light of the winter sun. Where we are all shadow and ash.