📓 Notes

Work has been a little stressful because we had a release to get out for a data transfer system that links two of our apps together for HR. I hate working in live, there are just so many ways things can go wrong if you're not paying attention or overlook an interaction. As it was another department had screwed the pooch and caused an unrelated issue with the SQL servers just as we were doing our bit. Which caused us to stop and look at what we had done and prove it wasn't us.

Other than that it's been a chill week of watching TV and thinking about what to do with SystemX next. I'm undecided between a Font Manager or making a start on the sprite Management system. Fonts will be quick because there's very little to it and it'll help with debugging. Whereas Sprites are a lot more involved and are used by a lot of things for a lot of things.

On top of the normal Week Notes last week I also remembered to post a photo I had taken while in Manchester the week before and I also wrote up a post of pointless facts about me.

🕸️ Links

📰 Blog posts

• It Is Good To Be Uncomfortable :: Matt's Blog
  Dude get out of my head. You're not my mum, you can't make be go outside.
• Goodbye Mastodon | Pedroblog
  It's a shame to lose people from the Fediverse, but if it's not working for you then you need to look after yourself. That said I don't think Bluesky is the answer, it shares too much of its DNA with Twitter.

📺 Video Links

One small note; I have to watch YouTube and listen to Podcasts on double speed or I'd never get through enough material to keep me occupied.

• Enshittification and the Rot Economy: A Deep Dives Conversation with Cory Doctorow and Ed Zitron - YouTube
  There are many posts and videos on these subjects, but this is Cory and Ed talking together, and that is just so much fun and so very sweary. As a gaming connection, Whitney Beltrán who chairs the debate is working at CD Projekt Red on Cyberpunk 2.
• Comedian Stewart Lee on why he won't tour Trump's America - YouTube
  When I think of Leftist comedians my mind will go to either Stewart Lee or Ben Elton. I have liked both since I was in school and even though I don't avidly follow what they are doing I do make time when I see something they've done.
• Alan Turing Lecture 2025 by Sandi Toksvig - YouTube
  I love Sandi Toksvig, she is just so funny and passionate about everything she does. And she is a great source of interesting facts about stuff. It's of little wonder why she replaced Steven Fry as host of QI.

🕹️ Game Links

• Game Engine Architecture Links Page
  When I was looking for Game Developer links last week, I came across this page of links on the Game Engine Architecture site with links to all sorts of interesting things. Thought you might like to have an explore. 🤓
• It’s In The Game - Blueberry Lemonade
  Kyle goes into his thoughts about how games have changed since they got the ability to update online. From the predatory Monetisation to how it affects the design decisions. Seemingly steaming from Masahiro Sakurai’s Kirby Air Riders presentations where he stated that “We’re not planning DLC. Everything is here.”
• C++ Strategy Game Programming: Ridiculous Space Battles code video #1 – Cliffski's Blog
  I've know about Cliffski since he released Democracy 3. He does good work, nice big simulations, so I'm more than a little interested in what he has to say. Also he's been coding for a little longer than me. He started on the ZX81 and I started on the ZX Spectrum 48KB

📚 Reading

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban - Page 130 of 317 (41%) Disclaimer

🎞️ Films

• Dog Man (2025)
  It reminded me of Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie (2017) they're both Dreamworks productions but I don't now if they are written by the same people or not. Defiantly a kids film, but make sure you explain that the murder of a dog and a man to make a man with a dogs head is not realistic. Given that they both survived the explosion, what happened next was illegal experimentation.

📺 TV

• Great British Bake off (2010) Series 16
• Taskmaster (2015) Series 20
• Never Mind the Buzzcocks Season 33
• Person of Interest (2011) Season 04 & Season 05 Finished Season 4 and I am so glad I didn't have to wait for Season 5 that was a killer cliffhanger. Overall it had a satisfying ending, I know I'll watch it again. I may even keep an eye out for the Complete Series Blu-Ray box set, but that costs about £90. I'm hoping it comes down in price at some point.
• QI (2003) Series W
  I have always loved this program. The first episode of the new series had me a little worried "Wales, Whales and Wails". Wales is normally the butt of jokes from English people, and if you get upset about it you're just being overly sensitive. Then again if you wouldn't say it about another nationality, then it is offensive. But I needn't have worried the QI team did a good job threading that needle and it was a good episode.
• Have I Got News for You (UK) (1990) Series 70
  Back with more of the same. Satirical comedy can be a more bearable way to consume the news.
• WandaVision (2021) Season 01
  Binged it in one night. It's the first time re-watching it, and viewing it after all the other related things is interesting.

I'm not going to be able to share this many links every week.🔗