Worry not I'm still here

I just started enjoying summer a bit more...you know...going outside. I've been indoors doing geek things most of the summer and now that its nearly done I just need to get outdoors some more. You know biking, rock climbing etc.

Did anyone else go to Otakon by chance? What are your thoughts of the con this year? Personally I thought the panels were a bit stale...same old same old from years gone by. Nowadays I go to the same panels every year with nothing new grabbing my interests. Maybe I'm just getting too old for an anime convention.

Sidenote: Programming blogs

Anyone else just love reading programming blogs? Recently I've take up reading a few programming blogs quite a bit at home (and at work too :P)

Its very enthralling to read older posts from high level bloggers from high tech companies. Some of my favorites are:

• The Old New Thing by Raymond Chen always gives good insight into how microsoft works and how we've come up with the product we all know and love / hate.
• Coding Horror by Jeff Atwood speaks about the lots of meta-programming stuff, stuff about comptuers that programmers are likely to be interested in, sometimes tips he posts tips on design too.
• Joel On Software by Joel Spolsky speaks alot about management of programmers, everything from how to hire, sell your product and how to treat programmers at work.

These are my favorite 3 as they are all light and easy reading, but with lots of thought provoking information. Everytime I visit each of their blogs I end up learning something.

Do you have any favorite programming / tech blogs?

SideNote: Starcraft

Same as previous post I've been play starcraft too. More facts.

This graphic was designed by Lorena O'Neal, you can check out more of
her work here (http://www.onlinegraphicdesignschools.org/)

(Don't worry next post I go back to OpenGL...been procrastinating on it since its been so hot, and with no AC in my apartment its easier to play video games than it is to program...terrible excuse I know)

Side Note: WOW

So I've recently been play world of warcraft for the first time and its kinda of fun, but I think I'll be done with it once the 30 day trial is up.
Here are some interesting stats about it.

This graphic was designed by Lorena O'Neal, you can
check out more of her work here (http://videogamedesigncolleges.org/)

The persistence of microcontrollers

So lots of people have commented or asked "What is this / why bother with microprocessors? Whats the point of learning to write programs for them when you can get 8+ cores to work with?

It might surprise you to learn that roughly 55% of all CPU's on the market are 8bit micro controllers*. Yes 8bit micro controllers, not the latest Intel or AMD processor.

That's because micro controllers are in every part of our lives. Your DVD player? Micro controller. Your remote for the DVD player? Micro controller. Those lights that go off and on automatically? Controlled by a micro controller. Your cell phones? Yup More micro controllers. They keyboard I'm typing this with right now has a micro controller inside of it. Just about any piece of electronics you can think of have micro controllers.

So Micro controllers aren't going out of style anytime soon as they are everywhere. That's why learning how to program for them is still relevant, in fact that's where as a programmer you can make serious bank. Being good at micro controller programming.

*Sources:
http://www.eetimes.com/discussion/other/4024488/The-Two-Percent-Solution
http://web.archive.org/web/20070220134759/http://www.circuitcellar.com/library/designforum/silicon_update/3/index.asp

Side Note: A day made of glass

Couldn't help but notice how cool this was and wanted to share with everyone.
Credit goes to JoeyPo whose blog I saw this on.