frans

Unet.fi back online

Unet.fi, which is a file and web server in my home network, was transferred into new Internet service provider’s network yesterday. We are now using NebulaZone Advanced connection, which means that the theoretical maximum download is 8-24 megabytes/s, upload 3 megs per sec. This is still copper cable technology, using ADSL 2+ with Annex M extension (what a mouthful). I still need to test whether we actually get what we are paying for, but at least the line is working, and also the customer service. Having spent time among various operators whose reliability and particularly customer service is slapdash, this was particularly the criteria for turning to Nebula. I have used their services in various web hotel and domain arrangements for years, and they have consistently provided great service in the past, and I just hope this to continue.

The transition was not without its hurdles: my old Zyxel modem would not update its firmware into Annex M capable version, and I ran to buy a new one, TeleWell TW-EA501 v3. In the next phase TeleWell would appear to make connection, but then nothing would actually work over the new, bridged ADSL configuration. After three phone calls into Nebula service line (I had to run to work in between), the connection now appears to work, more or less. I think I have even configured all services in Unet.fi server to run again, somewhat surprisingly. With currently five computers (with various Windows XP/Vista, Mac OS X and Linux configurations), two routers, two Wi-Fi routers, three online connected game consoles and some Internet phones etc. on top of that, our home network is a typical, challenging mixed home environment. I think I had to change parameters in perhaps 100-200 different places yesterday, and still consider this an easy transition. But you do not want to change ISPs every day.

Portti Award 2007

Almost forgot to write about this: I have again been part of the award jury for Portti Science Fiction prize, which has been more than two decades a landmark in the Finnish SF landscape. This Tuesday we awarded this year’s main prize to Susi Vaasjoki, second prize to Mari Saario and third prize to two writers, Heikki Nevala and Tiina Raevaara. Congratulations! The quality of SF short stories was very high this year.

Unet.fi goes offline?

Lets see what happens: our ISP contract with WlanNet is ending tomorrow, and the new one into Nebula should be starting day after that one. According to my experience, these things almost never go over smoothly, so lets be ready to live without Internet, and to accept that this domain and server will also probably be offline for some time starting tomorrow.

STM meeting

STM meeting
Originally uploaded by FransBadger

Today will be spent in Ministry of Health and Social Affairs, where I will be presenting views of digital culture and game studies in a working seminar on children, youth and wellbeing/malaise in contemporary society. Pictured is Minister Paula Risikko.

Eye-Fi card magic

IMG_2171.JPG
Originally uploaded by FransBadger

I ordered from the US a new invention: a SD memory card which has Wi-Fi integrated within its miniature shape. It arrived yesterday, and I was a bit surprised that the system actually seems to work: the couple of test photos I shot were automatically copied to my laptop and also directly into Flickr over the air. This is very handy and removes the regular hassle with cables and upload programs. The only downside is that the automatic upload does not filter or edit the photos in any way, and that the SD card does not fit into my SLR camera (CF card is needed), so this is not solution for everything, but a nice step in any case! Link: http://www.eye.fi/

Blade Runner Baby

Blade Runner Baby
Originally uploaded by FransBadger

The long-waited-for 5-dvd-box of Blade Runner collector’s edition arrived today, just to be eaten by our baby. Oh, bummer.

Finnish digital culture, Finnish independence

Finnish digital culture, Finnish independence
Originally uploaded by FransBadger

Tomorrow is the 90th Anniversary for the Finnish republic, the Day of Independence. Today, somewhat appropriately, I visited one of the key coordinating institutions for the preservation of Finnish cultural heritage, Museovirasto (The National Board of Antiquities). Surprisingly lively and exiting discussion followed my brief presentation, looking deep into the possibilities for providing more shared opportunities for the “Museum 2.0” and gamelike, playful structures of collaborative construction of meaning around our national treasures – both material and immaterial treasures, like our memories that we can now attach with the digital versions of physical objects and places with much more flexibility than before.

GamesCultures.org: an open invitation

[This letter has been today also posted to the DiGRA mailing list, Games Research Network]

Dear colleagues,

This is an open invitation to a collaborative effort into mapping digital play around the world. Currently only scattered information on the popularity and forms of engagement with digital games in global context exist. Often particularly in media statements are nevertheless made that concern “all gamers”, even if researchers emphasise how both games and playing takes multiple forms and claims about some particular game or group of players do not necessarily apply to another. In the spirit of the recent “Situated Play” conference (DiGRA 2007), we propose a collaborative effort of collecting together research, observation and data about forms of play around the world. See: www.gamescultures.org, an open beta of wiki resource about global games cultures. Continue reading “GamesCultures.org: an open invitation”

Against the digital games divide

Here is something that I will be presenting in the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health next week: a one page comment paper in Finnish from the game studies point of view to the ongoing discussion about children, youth and interactive media: Kannanotto 12.12.2007 STM:n työkokoukseen. My main points in English are:

Digital culture and games are currently unevenly distributed in our society in a manner which is likely to put them under suspicion, basically because lack of real knowledge (E.g. gameplay experience is often claimed to be more emotionally immersive than e.g. a novel or a movie, whereas according to our research, children actually talk mostly about immersion into challenge or action in games, and it is books and movies that can have really powerful “emotional effects”.)
Children have adventures and engaging experiences with games Continue reading “Against the digital games divide”

Activision Blizzard merger

In today’s news: the merger of Activision with Blizzard aims to create “the world’s largest, most profitable pure-play video game publisher” — whatever that “pure-play” part means. More competition towards Electronic Arts, no doubt, but at the same time another example of how games industry is under similar kind of merger development and concentration into bigger units that has faced media industry previously. See e.g.: