Serguei Alleko Blog

For some time I was a fun of “suitable for adult” graphic novels. Adult in this context doesn’t mean porno, although some tits are allowed. Adult means they would be interested for grown-ups (up to 25-30 years, to be honest). They have complicated scripts, cynical jokes and a lot of cultural references.  Normally the texts are written by one author, but graphic artists are changed from time to time. The more known a comic novel is, the more talented painters it can attract.

There are several cult comic novels, which are recommended to everybody.

• Transmetropolitan - a genius/jerk journalist (with reference to Hunter S. Thompson)  is fighting the corrupt government in the distant future.
• Preacher - very brutal story of a young priest, who occasionally find himself in the war between heaven and hell
• The Sandman – epic story describing conflict between personified aspects of our life – the Death, the Sandman, the Vengeance, etc. Written by Neil Gainman.

The last one, The Sandman, was so popular, that they started a spin-off called Lucifer (as you can guess, the main hero is the Devil himself, tied from his management position as a CEO of Hell, decided to quit and open his own business). I love it very much, but it’s not as popular as the original.

Almost all of the “adult” novels are stopped, the big publishing houses continue to make hundreds of Superman, Spiderman and the other men-comics. But a couple are still running. Currently I’m following every couple of month those two:

Fables. A novel, which takes all characters from the children fairy tales books and puts them in the modern environment. The Big Bad Wolf is a sheriff, Snow-white is the general manager and Jack the Frost is a greedy and stupid playboy. Very dark and dramatic script, a lot of conflicts, war, death and treachery. The novel was so popular, that it also created a couple of spin-offs: Jack of Fables – adventures of immortal, greedy sexy handsome but stupid Jack and Cinderella: From Fabletown with Love (this one is brand new, the Cinderella is a James Bond-style super-spy)

Hellblazer – a very-very long series of comic books, currently running more than 20 years! The main character is a bad boy (again) John Constantine, who has a lot of occult knowledge and connections in the world of spirits, but doesn’t know what to do with it. He puts himself, his loved ones and friends in a lot of mortal troubles. In the first couple of years he’s made himself so many enemies, that his whole life is just simply running away from troubles. Keanu Reeves played him in a major motion picture Constantine, but of course, in the film he’s 10 times nicer and altruistic, than in the book.

These weeks I have to travel a lot between Belgium and Netherlands, and as I’m spending more time in the car, more books are listened to.

Yesterday I’ve finished another lecture series from The Teaching Company, called “Long 19th Century: European History from 1789 to 1917″. I’m a huge fan of The Teaching Company, the lectures are very easy to listen and very interesting. The most important that they’ve read by people, really passionate about their subjects. Those people are mostly professors, who spend 20+ years studying and teaching on the subject.

This particular lectures covered the history of Europe (+Russia and Turkey) from the first French revolutions till the First World War. Basically how the world managed to start and finish 2 World Wars. The lector was quite honest about the different views on different subjects and mentioned, that he also wears colored glasses. His opinion as an American Jew, who’s family suffered from anti-Jew policy in Europe, of course biased.

Especially when it comes to the pre-Hitler era in Germany.

But in general he’s quete honest. I haven’t noticed, for example, any anti-Russian or anti-soviet political views in his study.

Next book I’m going to listen to is about the history of science from the same company.

It was a huge tragedy, when Terry Pratchett announced his condition. I love all his books, especially the Discworld series.

Somehow he still manages to write with his own style. Actually I could say his latest 2 books are not much different from the last 5 (staring let’s say with Going postal) There is almost no magic in this books, instead he speaks about economy, sociology, business and politics. Vetinari from a tyrant becomes a major figure with his own problems and idea’s.

I refuse to consider Mois von Lipwig to be a major figure in the last books. He’s way too caricature to represent the real character. Instead, the City itself become the real hero. The books look more and more like history novels.

The problems of Ankh-Morpork, it’s wishes and ideas (or should I write “her ideas”) are the central conflicts, with Vetinari as a force, which solves them. Actually he has already solved most of the conflicts, the city is not more troubled by devastating magic wars, dragons or gods. Now it’s time to build and improve it.

I really hope to read some more books of him.

Let’s look one step further in our way to track users (continuing from http://alleko.com/2010/01/07/tracking-users-or-traffic/ )

How else you can track customers of your site:

• web analytics (they normally use cookies and URL parameters)
• e-commerce engine (user must in most cases create login for buying something, but even without logins the e-shop software could use cookies to track customers)
• user account, you can ask user identify hiself somehow, for example giving email address before downloading a trial. Normally user is identified by email

But all those methods could work in parallel! Let’s consider a following scenario of a person, who wishes to find and buy some software:

1. He’s using Google to search for a brand name and find a nice article on a MEGA IT-site about the software. He clicks on it, reads the review and clicks on “Buy now” affiliate link. (At this moment affiliate network system is registering this guy as user, coming from an affiliate partner MEGA-IT)
2. The guy is having second thoughts, opens a Google window and searching for best deal on the software. He clicks then on the first link, which is direct link to the customer e-shop. (Smart e-shop software should remember him as a client of MEGA-IT, of course, but Google Analytics script doesn’t know that and can think that this guy came from Google)
3. The guy suddenly sees a button “Free 30-days trial” on the e-shop and decides to profit from it. He fills his email, downloads the software and after a couple of days buys it, using direct link in the software itself. (The e-shop system registers him as converted trial user)

So, who was responsible for this user – Affiliate MEGA-IT, Google or trial? It’s very hard to find out, because the whole system of managing sales is not streamlined. There is no feedback from user to the vendor, only clicks via different web-sites. The possible solution could be the model of Steam. After the first click we should somehow made user install the agent software, which will track user activities, from trial to purchase. Then we’ll know for sure, where this guy came from.

It appears that sci-fi shows are popular again!

As every ner… (sorry, person with engineering education) I love science fiction and TV-shows.

Year 2009 had very interesting ones:

Battlestar Galactica has finished with 4th season and a movie. You may hate it for liberal approach (if you’re not liberal of course), but the setting was amazing

Terminator: The Sarah Conner Chronicles was unfortunately cancelled after 2nd season.  Unfortunately it’s typical for the sci-fi shows, apparently not enough people are watching them. In this show Summer Glau has earned permanent position in the pantheon of Nerd Goddesses.

Jess Windon (autor of cult show Firefly) is busy with Dollhouse. It was also cancelled and we’re waiting for the last episode. A little bit boring at the beginning, but has a very interesting finale. And, of course, cameo of Summer Glau!

The Day of the Triffids - mini-series about end of the world in teeth of human-eating plants! Ooh, how I hate Joely Rechardson after her performance in Nip/Tuck! Looks like she’s fully recovered after the mercury poisoning

Of course I can not stop watching Lost. One more season and may be we’ll finally understand what is happening there

Fringe from the same guys is OK, but also it’s not clear what exactly is there. Already 2nd season and still a number of almost non-related cases.

Flashforward has made a very nice start. I just don’t understand why there are so many alcoholics in Hollywood films!

V – they told me it’s a remake of an old show. Interesting, but so full of chicle’s that I think they made it on purpose. For the 100th time a blond FBI-agent and young muscular priest are fighting the whole word. But when the blond is Julietta from Lost, it makes the show worth watching!

I think I didn’t forget anything. I’m really glad there are so many talented people doing these shows for us!

Normally I hate installing software on my computer, if it’s not really needed. Any software you install is one more spot on your computer (your work tool). like, for example, I know Windows Explorer is not the best File Manager, but I would hate to install Total Commander or Far.

At least Misrosoft is under preassure from millions of angry and very critical users for the errors in it’s software. But you never know, what kind of bugs could sit for years in small tools from small vendors.

The same goes, of course, about messengers. I use always original MSN messenger and yes, i know it’s heavy and has ads, but it works. And it’s a part of the system. Miranda is not (I was using it for a couple of years and hated it).

The only exception is the browser. Even it’s a very much part of the system.  Even worse, most of the web-publishers in the Internet are testing their sites with IE (and then may be, if they have time, with Firefox). Which makes IE the only browser, which has some intensive to guarantee you the compatibility with content.  BUT! I’m still using another browser.

First it was Firefox and then, after it’s first release – Google Chrome.

The reason is that those browsers are made for displaying content. And nothing more. They’re trying to eliminate every single thing, every pixel between you and content. All those nice rich IE-features like web-slices, additional bar for favorites, additional window for LIVE Search, special, very slow procedures for displaying “about:blank” – all those are belong to the software, not to content!

According to my Wakoopa-profile I spend most of the time browsing (or working via browser, most of my work-related programs are web-based). So I really would like to stand nothing between me and content. It’s like breathing, I really hate even small obstacle between my lungs and the oxygen. How exactly Google Chrome helps with than?

• super-fast opening a new tab with Ctrl-T (I’m going to write it twice, but I really-really hate to wait when IE is opening “about:blank”)
• search in the address-bar (and also automatic possibility to start typing your search-string after Ctrl-T)
• absence of program title bar (another several pixels for content!)
• absence of ANY additional bars, buttons and menu’s
• it’s just simply fast-fast-fast!

I’m not saying Google is the king and there will never be a better browser. Chrome is number one for the moment. May be even Microsoft will issue an IE-light with all those super-fast features. Then I’ll switch to IE. But for now the browser for content is Google Chrome!

Recently I’ve discovered Neil Gainman. Yes, I know, as a good geek (nerd) I must have read all of him long time ago. At least because he’s an author of cult comic book “Sandman”

But there are so many books around and so few time. Anyway, I went through most of his novels last months in the car.

American Gods - very huge epic novel with a lot of cultural references to different pagan religions. Surprisingly in the world of Gods there is place for every religion: African, Indian, Native American, Irish, Scandinavian, but not Christian! And his comments don’t help either. Apparently he does understand, what is cool and what is not in the world of folklore. Odin is cool, because he’s one big bad m…f…r! And Christ is not, because he’s just simply good.

Anansi boys - a short novel, which utilizes the world of “American Gods”, but speaks about some particular God – Anansi and his sons. I loved the way actor played with different  African and African-American accents!

A Graveyard Book – the latest novel. A remake of Mowgli by Kipling. Very nice written, I can already recognize his characteristic writing tricks.  It looks like he adores Stephen King and users the same technologies to scary people.

I cound’t make myself to read “Stardust” or “Neverwhere”, because I’ve already seen the TV versions and didn’t enjoy them all that much. Nothing wrong with them, could be very interesting for teens. Unfortunately I can not enjoy such stories anymore (ooh, I feel soo ooold)

But the latest one was the best. This book he’s written together with Terry Prattchett – another modern author I adore.

Good Omens – also, the same as American Gods, huge epic story filled with cultural and historical references. It has favorite Pratchett review of old religious stories from prospective of cynical atheistic liberal 20-century approach. I’ve read that using religion in this mundane way, for example, presentation of angels and daemons as “spys” on earth harms the religion greatly. The same way as in Kevin Smith “Dogma“. Even if Gainman and Smith treat Christian religious symbols with a great deal of respect, the fact of misuse of those symbols is very harmful. But, let the Church take care of his, this is not by responsibility. Anyway, I liked the book a lot.

Hope to read a lot of new works of him.

Two and a half years ago my wife and I bought a house in Brussels. It was not in very good shape and 2 floors from 3 were rented out. Half year we collected our money and tried to let our tenants go. And then, the renovation began!

As it sometimes happens in the years like 2009, our plan have changed. We both found jobs in Netherlands and going to sell this house and move there. Pity to leave it, but what you  can do!

Here are some pictures of the final result with comments:

Disclaimer: in most cases we haven’t even bought the furniture yet. The rooms are filled with old IKEA-stuff from my old flat and flat of my wife.

Main bedroom with some closets. The floors are original wood from 1929.

Another shot, you can see a desk there.

My workplace. I’m writing this post sitting here. Also original doors and floors.

Bathroom. Floors are from bamboo, roof was replaced and the door cleaned up.

Second bedroom. The only one room in the house with carpet on the floor

Kitchen, all fully  equipped with German technology: Miele and Smeg

(furure) living room. We decided not to buy furniture there. In the new house we’ll have to match design again

(future) living room. you can see a half of Hi-Fi station, which could be placed there

A room just after the entrance of the house. You can see the door to the garden.

A little bit of “art-nouveau” style in the entrance of the house

From 4 rooms in the basement we’ve renovated just one – for the washing machines.

And that’s how it looks outside.

Much more pictures on my flikr album!

Counting clicks

Web analytic tools can combine clicks to “visits”  very easily

Counting unique “visitors”

• daily unique visitor (all visits from the same person in one day are counted as the same visitor)
• weekly unique visitor (all visits in one week are counted as the same visitor)
• monthly unique visitor ( the same, but in the whole month)