HDRShop

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Jun 222004
 

When using the RAW format of the FujiFilm S2 Pro (or any other camera that supports RAW and conversion out-of-the-camera) one can extend the dynamic range of the image by combining two (or more) images. This is done by converting in a way that the dark areas are properly lit (not underexposed) and converting again to have the lighter areas properly lit (not overexposed) and then combining the two images in Adobe Photoshop or any other image editing program.

It can be done simpler: with HDRShop. HDR stands for High Dynamic Range. It can build HDR images (and save them in regular file formats) by combining a series of differently lit images. No more manual Photoshopping, but an automated process!

 Posted by at 11:59

Visual C++ Toolkit: Free C++!

 1 Response »
Jun 222004
 

If you’re into C++, but can’t afford a decent compiler, then look at Microsoft’s latest initiative: they give away the C++ compiler and the whole shebang. All you need is a propert code-editor or IDE and you’re all set up to create Win32 and .NET programs in C++. The edition has no real restrictions and is the same as the compiler found in the Professional edition of Visual C++ or Visual Studio.

 Posted by at 09:04

Solving software problems

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Jun 212004
 

A mechanical engineer, an electrical engineer, and a software engineer are in a car that had just stopped to a grinding halt.

The mechanical engineer says: “Maybe it’s a stuck valve?”.

The electrical engineer says: “Or maybe it’s a dead battery!?”.

The software engineer says: “I know. Let’s all get out and get back in again, and see if that fixes it”.

 Posted by at 13:01

Unisys GIF patent almost gone

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Jun 212004
 

Unisys’ GIF-patents for Europe, for Canada and for Japan all expired this month (18th, 6th and 20th) (read here). IBM’s patent -that they will not likely use- still has two more years to go. So what will happen? Will we see any new GIF-development in the near future, or has GIF died since the GIF-tax was introduced? The PNG-alternative did not get the attention and usage it was hoping for: people just started using JPG more and more. If you create an application now that couldn’t understand GIF or PNG not much complaining would arise, but now create something that can’t read/create JPG… (Fujifilm’s EX Raw converter for instance!)

It’s a strange world we live in.

 Posted by at 09:20

Days are too short

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Jun 172004
 

Days are too short. Period. How can one put 8.5 hours of work, 7 hours of sleep, 1.5 hours of cooking and eating, 0.5 hour of blogging/blogreading, 1 hour of other internetsurfing, 1 hour of Delphi programming assignment related and 2 hours of Delphi programming private-business related, 1 hour of gardening, 1 hour of photographing and photo-postprocessing, 0.5 hours of doing household-related things, 0.5-1 hours watching TV, 0.5 hours reading the newspaper, 2 hours of trying to learn Alias Maya, 0.5 hours job-related learning and 0.25 hours of sports (inline-skating or running) all in a day that only has 24 hours if one also needs to: socialize with the family and friends, read books, look for a better job, do regular health-checkups, repair my father in law’s computer, clean the car, and what other things are there in life? Geez…

 Posted by at 15:36

The importance of blogging

 1 Response »
Jun 162004
 

Why should you blog? Read this article, and you never have to be in doubt again. Don’t stop blogging, don’t write what others like to read, just express yourselves!

Thanks Perry, for the link.

 Posted by at 12:41

Orange

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Jun 152004
 

Tonight is football night. We play in the EC against Germany. Personally I don’t give a f-word, but like Suredeath blogs (in Dutch) says, it seems that non-football-lovers/football-haters are left in the cold. You can talk to nobody if you want to avoid the subject of football, you can’t watch tv since either the schedules have been modified to give you football, or the commercial surrounding the regular schedules are about football. And going to the pub is a big no-no as well, since most of them have installed big TV-screens so you can all watch “the game”. Hey, what about a beer and some nice chit-chatting about the wheather or about that ugly person just walking by?

I was going to do some gardening this evening, but the wheather is changing at the moment. An hour ago it was reasonably sunny with some clouds, now its half-dark, overcast and I can already see some rain falling. I guess I’m confined to being behind the computer this evening. What a punishment.

 Posted by at 16:25
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