Ronan’s Blog

Google have today released a static Map API, for generating simple single image, non-interactive map images.

What are the benefits of this API?
To Google -> Decreased Bandwidth and processing, if static maps will suffice (for example a location map on a business webpage), then a single request on their data will be enough, rather than placing a map with panning & zooming capabilities on it.
To the User -> A single image map can be copied & pasted into e-mails & documents more easily for your average user, so that they don’t need an image editing tool.
So why do they feel this completely new API is required?
A slightly different operating mode (i.e. Single Image Mode) in the existing API with a simple set of instructions would surely be enough.
Google Static Maps API

I just bought an iPhone on eBay… And I’m happy enough with the price that I paid as most for sale were going for around the price that I paid.

However, looking at the bid history, I notice there seem to be many bids by bidders with a long history of bidding but not actual purchases, my “No Reserve” auction item looks like it exactly wasn’t. Perhaps sellers up-bidding with different accounts ?

MyFox Washington DC | Police: Crack Found in Man’s Buttocks

So after downloading FireFox 3 today and installing, I was a little surprised to see it taking about 78%-84% CPU use constantly.

I could not work out why, until I started closing tabs, then I found the one causing the error: GeoWeb 2008 Conference

The scrolling advertisments on the right seem to be what was using all my CPU, the strange thing is that this was not an issue with FireFox 2

After, this happened a few times I went to look for a way to Stop browser re-sizing you Firefox window and I was really quite easy.

Developers who write sites that do this should be shot.

1) Click Tools, then click Options.
2) Go to the Content tab.
3) Click the “Advanced” button to the right of the “Enable Javascript”
4) Uncheck the selection “Move or resize existing windows”.

See the second link here …. Its really excellent !
Johnny Chung Lee - Projects - Wii

Finally !

Updated my 360 last night, plugged in a USB stick with a DivX video file on it, and it prompted to download another optional download which would enable AAC (w/o DRM it said) playback and MPEG4 playback.

After a small download, I was watching the DivX AVI file with much better clarity than I currently get from my DivX certified DVD player.

Linked here ...  build.xml example

I’ve come across these startup parameters which really seem to speed up the performance of our servers. They only work in the latest versions (1.4.2_15 & 1.5.0_12). But they really make a noticeable difference.
-XX:MaxTenuringThreshold=8 -XX:+UseConcMarkSweepGC -XX:+UseParNewGC -XX:-CMSParallelRemarkEnabled -XX:CMSInitiatingOccupancyFraction=40 -XX:+UseCMSInitiatingOccupancyOnly

As I previously blogged, the Google Reader’s lack of a proper Search Feeds option was a real drag. In the new version out today, that feature has now been added. Excellent News !
Google Reader