Klout

  Klout. What's the deal you might ask? Do you know your klout score at all? Why is it important? I know it, big deal. I know it, how can I approve it, and other great answers to questions you never thought to ask yourself coming right at you...right...about...now!
  Klout, in a nutshell, measures the influence you have over the "virtual world" by means content posted to such sites as facebook, twitter, instagram, and various other sites. You are given a metric number score between 0 and 100.
  Curious to know what your score is? Navigate over to Klout and sign in using facebook or google and you can quickly determine your score. If you are curious as to know what the median score for klout users is? 40. 65 or higher is in the upper 5% of users. So sayeth the people who run klout, and you can find that information here.
  So what's the big deal? With today's (and the foreseeable future) interest in social media, being able to promote yourself, or a product, is important. The higher klout score you have, the more "influence" you have. And by "influence," I really mean mroe users see what information you are putting on the internet. May it be posts to facebook, pictures of your babies on instagram, or twitter tirades directed at nothingness. If people are interested in what you have to say on the internet you have some kind of influence.
  So you have influence, what does that mean. It today's social media driven day and age we are within seconds of knowing what each other is doing. Interested in knowing what a friend is doing, all you have to do is hop on facebook or twitter and take a look. Chances are you know. When you know, suddenly you are interested, and that's where the power is. "x86computing" is currently watching Resurrection. (for instance) If you are following me, perhaps you also like Resurrection. And you hit a like button, or a +1 button, or you comment "OMG I LOVE THAT SHOW!" Or, you have no clue what Resurrection is and you becoming interested. You may catch up by watching the first episode on hulu plus (or that pesky internet with it's other devious devices) and you liked it. Next week you watch it on TV. You interact with your friends via social media which may influence other friends and so on and so forth. Granted, this is an extremely generalized and quick example (and easy). But as a brand, this is the interaction you are looking for. Resurrection, as a brand, is getting exposure. ABC (the channel its on) is getting exposure as a brand. And for those people who decided to watch, commercials are getting exposure, each branding themselves #KraftMacNChz or something like that. (Look for that hashtag next time you watch a commercial. I promise you it's there. #x86computing <-branding :)
  Now keep in mind this isn't a perfect science, but it's catching fire. Employers are starting to use klout scores as a measurement for employment. Some are even specifying a certain score to be eligible for a job (2+ years experience with a minimum Klout score of 35. Could you get that job in your given field?).  Keep in mind however, that there are some fields that klout score just isn't going to matter. I don't give two klouts if my doctor's klout score is 2, as long as I he/she can fix me when the time comes. However, not everyone out there is going to be a doctor. And perhaps you need a job on your way to becoming a doctor. Let's take a server (waiters and waitresses, if you will) for example. A smart employer would consider a klout score to determine if their influence could build business. Once again, incredibly simplistic, but hopefully a scenario that easily paints of a picture of why its important.
  HOpefully, if you didn't already know, you now have a little bit clearer idea as to what klout is and why it's playing an increasingly important role in today's employment opportunities. If any of you have any questions, feel free to shoot me a line. Follow me on facebook at x86computing, or on twitter @x86computing, or if you prefer, shoot me an email at x86computing@gmail.com
  X marks the spot!



  Currently Playing: daft punk/computerized (featuring jay-z)



BTW! I really want to know your klout score. Leave a comment or shout out on twitter @x86computing and let me know what your klout score is.

x86computing...currently and going forward...

  So an appropriate update, I think, to let you guys know where x86computing is currently, and where, if anywhere, it's going...
  So if you don't know already, I moved to Kentucky to be with my kids. Obviously with any move, it takes a while to get your legs back under you. However, this move has not been quite as kind as I would have liked. I have been left relatively broke. The good news is I just started a job last week, so hopefully it won't take long for me to get myself back up on my feet.
  With that being said, if you need help, or you know anyone that needs help, please feel free to email me or call. I look to have Skype up on a regular basis here soon (again) so I can assist you in that way as well.
  It looks like the "future" of this project isn't a dead one. At least I'd prefer it not to be a dead one. I'd love to start serving this members of the community I currently reside in as well as assist those from the community I come from. Obviously, any hands on work would be a little difficult, but I will be visiting from time to time and I'd happily stop by and take a look at any issues.
  With that being said, I'm gonna throw this little button up. If I've helped you, or you are just a nice soul, feel free to use it. It is a donate button that goes straight to my paypal. No limits, no worries. I know we are all strapped. However, if I've ever helped you and you are interested in paying in forward, somewhat, feel free to use this donate button here:

  You have no idea how much you guys means to me! Good luck to everyone, and feel free to contact me about anything.

x_SegaCD_x Project (Part 3)

  Just in case you have been dying to know what's been going on with this, here's an update. Given the move, I didn't have the time to work on it. I returned one to PittsLawMan and kept the other for myself, as agreed. However, it didn't make the journey with me to Kentucky, so this project has been suspended indefinitely. I really hope to get it up and going one day, but it looks like that's gonna take a little time...

x_SegaCD_x Project Part 2

x_SegaCD_x Project

  So if you read up the other day, you saw that I came into temporary possession of a couple Old School Sega Genesis as well as a couple Old School SegaCDs to go with them. I broke them down, cleaned them up the best I could and inspected the parts to see if "theoretically" they would still run. However, they still needed some testing, and this is where part 2 comes in: testing...
  Testing these beasts would be no easy task, not because they are hard to plug in, but because I would have to hunt down cords. Keep in mind that when they were found, it was just the systems. No cords, no controllers, nothing else that may aid in bringing them back to life. That being said, it's a good thing I'm a pack rat from time to time. I indeed found a controller, a TV hookup and DC adapter for the Seags themselves (thank you Curlin) and I also had a universal adapter and a A/V cord lying about that I could use to test. Excellent!
  System one (the one with the extender) seemed to work just fine. The system powered on and showed the SegaCD welcome screen. That's always a good thing. I plopped a cd in, put a controller in and! ... ! ... ! ... ... .. nothing. I wasn't too excited, however, I figured it was because I was trying to use a burnt cd to test. So I tried another cd. This one...worked, kinda. It skipped all over the place. Almost made me think the cd motor wasn't spinning fast enough (or too fast) for the cd to operate correctly. So I went ahead and broke everything down before realizing I haven't tested the actual Sega Genesis yet. DOH! So I took the Sega Genesis off of the SegaCD and tested it with the game that was found (I think, Ms. PacMan) and sure enough, it worked. Excellent. I had to fight with the RF Unit. I think there is a short somewhere in it, I'm not 100% sure, but I fought with it long enough to see that it was indeed working. SWEET! On to system numero dos...
  After the few mistakes I made on the first one, this one was a little bit easier to test. The cd seemed to work just fine, at first. At some point it did start getting faster and skipping. I'd like to attribute that to the fact that it's sitting on top of the XBOX 360 currently, but I can't be 100% sure on that either. However, the game worked as well (2 working Sega Genesis systems, alright) and the cd continued to play while I was playing Ms. PacMan. Excellent.
  So where to now? I need to do a little research to see if this cd skipping was a general problem given the SegaCDs. If it was, there is probably an easy solution on how to fix it. I also need to test it with an actual SegaCD game. That will be the tell all as to whether it really does work or not. That will also be the best troubleshooting opportunity. Stay tuned while I get these beasts up and running, and back as good as new!


    Currently Playing: Kenny Chesney - Down the Road (feautring Mac McNally)

x_SegaCD_x Project

    A couple months ago I got a phone call from a friend saying that he had acquired a couple SegaCDs, with the older style Sega Genesis in each one. However, he wasn't entirely certain if they worked or not. Well, I finally got around to getting hold of them last Tuesday. Today, I finally got around to taking a good look at them. That was while #TheVoice was on. I was extremely excited to get in there and start taking a look at what was going on, and a little surprised at what I found.
  It took me a minute to get the first one open. It wasn't because I couldn't figure out where the screws where, or the best way to get in it (side note on these older systems, they all pretty much use the exact same screw, which makes working on them extremely easy), but the culprit was: Deep Screw Holes. Yep, I had to search the house, and be find some ingenuity just to be able to reach the screws. With that done, it was time to let into it :)
  Keep in mind that I had two of them to get into. The first one, albeit much cleaner than the second, had a massive amount grass (that's my guess) as well as a bee. I broke it all the way down, removing every screw and every piece, trying to clean and inspect. Keep in mind that I have NO cords that I know of, so I can't test the SegaCD itself. Board inspection didn't show anything wrong with it however, with the exception that maybe the onboard battery is showing wear. I'm not completely certain, however. I pieced everything back together, took some pictures in between, and then started work on the second one!
    The second one was much cleaner as far as the grass is concerned (some still fell out) but seemed to be much worse in a rust department. I did my best to clean it up with a dry paper towel and did a pretty close inspection of the boards. Once again, nothing seemed to be extremely noticeable except some wear where the onboard battery is (two for two? Shame Shame Sega) but it could be normal wear given how it's been handled. I can't speak on how they have been handled before @PittsLawMan got a hold of them.
  So this is where you come in handy, people of my life. I'm actually looking for DC adapters for this. Apparently they are only supposed to use 1602 DC 9V 1.2A Sega Approved adapters. I'm still gonna see if I have a universal one that will work though. Additionally, I can test to see if it plays cds, but I still need to see if it will play an actual game. So if anyone has one they would be willing to let me borrow, or can point me in the right direction of a store that has them relatively cheap (please, avoid the Vault. I like being tetanus free) please let me know! And as always, if you have something you want fixed, and you don't mind me taking a look at it, feel free to hit me up x86computing@gmail.com

    Currently Playing: Dia Frampton - Inventing Shadows

LulzSec sides with Sega

  In an interesting turn of events, LulzSec (you know, the people who brought down Sony...twice) has agreed to side with Sega in attempting to find the cyber infiltrators that made their was into Sega's database last week, making off with names, birth dates, e-mail addresses, and encrypted passwords of some 1.3 million users.
  It speaks volumes to say that LulzSec is willing to put aside their seeming "torch the world via exploits one large company at a time" to back Sega and their holdings. Their reasoning? Well, perhaps their tweet best says it:

@Sega- contact us, We want to help you destroy the hackers that attacked you. We love the Dreamcast, these people are going down

  They love the Dreamcast. Now that's a whole 'nother can of worms that I would love to discuss with anyone. I'm sure @KevinisSpiderman and @Oxynerd would happily join in on my side, as well as most of LulzSec when I say Dreamcast owns. But that's neither her nor there...
  The side point that I would like to make, for those of you who read my previous blog, web security is a must. Outside of the fanboy (right on LulzSec!) love for the Dreamcast, loyalty does not exist. Imagine if money was involved? Loyalty goes right out the window (I'm assuming the same could be said for an endearing love of a game system, but I'm not one hundred percent positive). LulzSec even went as far as setting up a hotline asking for people to make requests for their next targets.
  No me personally, I'm not a fan of the senseless hacking by LulzSec, however, they are making an extreme point. Security, across the board (you can ask Nintendo, EVE Online, Playstation, Escapist Magazine, PBS, and more) needs to be ramped up. If these corporations insist on keeping our data, they need to find a better way to protect it. It's pretty simple. Lemme try this again, for those of you out there not listening: PROTECT OUR DATA!
  And to LulzSec, keep up the good work, the holes exist, and people need to know why...and Dreamcast Rocks!

    Currently Playing: Bad Meets Evil - Lighters (featuring Bruno Mars)

Can I get some Security, PLEASE!

  Dear super big companies (but everyone else, listen up): IT'S TIME TO RAMP UP YOUR SECURITY.

  So Sony gets hit twice in six weeks, we see a string of other companies get hit, and the latest to fall victim to hacks is Sega. When are you going to catch up? You as a big company have a right and a duty to protect our information as consumers, and it doesn't seem like you are doing a great job. Sure, we can argue the fact that groups like Anonymous and LulzSec are trying to make companies look bad by getting into their system. You know what I say? Let them keep trying. As a matter of fact, let them try harder. How about this, Mr. multi-billion dollar company. Try reaching out to some group like this and actually pay them to get into your system (or try). In today's day and age one little hole in your security wall can allow anyone with access to wreak havoc on said system, or entire network. Do SOMETHING, Please?
  With that being said, to the consumer, because really, that's why this blog is all about. I know I've said it before. I know it's been said time and time again. Be careful what you put out there. We are all interconnected, whether we know it or not. It's simply a matter of knowing how to control a computer half way across the world without it's owner knowing about it. And part 2 of that, is DEMAND that these companies start doing more to protect your information. You trust enough in their product to pay for it, companies should care about it's clients enough to protect sensitive information. And, if for some reason your trusted company of choice screws the pooch, demand restitution, and make sure that you are getting some kind of monitoring for any given time period after a breach. You never know when someone may have your information and are simply waiting until later to use it. It's been said that up to 1 out of every 3 (that's right, 33%) of people's identities have already been compromised. Whether or not someone chooses to actually go ahead and steal your information from there is on them.
  It's a crazy world out there. Be safe, demand that the people you do business with keep your information safe, and if there is a breach, demand restitution and protection. Keep yourselves safe in the cyber world.