Code Filk III

Well, what's a major computer accomplishment without a filk on all the trouble I had getting it done?

This week, I got doubly "blessed," as Yahoo had a glitch in its e-mail program that caused it to repeatedly send the same messages time and again. Some folks were mad; some thought their particular group was being attacked. The rest of us took the Douglas Adam's "potted plant" approach. ("Oh, not again.") I'm moderator on two groups, so I deleted the repeats and sent a notice that Yahoo was freaking. Naturally, that message was sent seven times. Yahoo also sent a notice about the problem. I didn't get the message, but I know someone who did.

No more caffeine for you, Yahoo!

As far as the movie trailer, it went fairly easily, though finding royalty-free music is hard! I was stoked to find the extra photos, especially the one of the girl pushing on the fence. It said "Little Madeleine" all over it. The music came from White Beetle and is a Gregorian chant. We has some problems with ordering, too, but the customer service folks at White Beetle got us the download, and the timing on the song was near-perfect.

Then we tried to post it.

I'd saved it as a project, not a movie. I didn't know there was a difference. So when I loaded it onto YouTube, instead of it telling me .mswmm was not accepted, it just sat for hours, "processing." In the meantime, I tried to post it elsewhere, but it had to be in .mpg or .avi to be downloaded. So we downloaded conversion software and tried to change it. It converted about half the time, meaning we got video or audio but not both. The one conversion that did both sped up the slides, cycled through the last four three times and wrecked the timing. We never did figure that one out.

In the meantime, Rob realized YouTube was trying to process the wrong file, and we finally got the movie onto YouTube. Once there, YouTube is very kind in offering .html code. (Later, Rob was playing with the Help files in YouTube and came across "What does .mswmm mean?" Like I would have thought to ask.)

So here's the Code Filk. It doesn't scan as well as I'd hoped, but, hey, it's not like I'm going to make a YouTube movie out of it.

Sing to Don Henley's "Dirty Laundry"

Something is freaking out on Yahoo groups
Messages repeating, by dozens or two
Does this improve e-mails for you?
Need clear communication

Well, I made a trailer for I-S-I-G
Cut-and-paste and music, how hard can it be?
Then I tried to post for all to see
But there's not publication

Give me M-P-G
Give me A-V-I
Give me M-P-G
Why do I even try?

You'd think I was a dumb blond from
Out in the Sticks
When downloading a movie's
Something I can't fix
Tell me now what's wrong with this?
I need good conversion

I saved it as a project
Not a movie yet.
YouTube doesn't bother
To mention it.
It let the file just sit and sit
Give me some clear directions.

Yes, I see the Help sign
But what do I ask?
Why would I think mswmm
Wouldn't do the task?
It's such a pain in the a&%
Without more clear directions.

Give me M-P-G
Give me A-V-I
At least give me a clue
Why do I even try?

Silly little programs
Silly little tricks
I learn the silly secrets, but they just won't stick
Programming makes me go, "Ick!
I need more directions."

I call my techie husband. He's such a card.
He fixes up the problem without laughing to hard
Not bad for a dwarvish bard
He gives good directions

Got my M-P-G
Don't need A-V-I
It's on YouTube now
Happy I can die!

Code Filk II

Music I'm Listening To: "I Can't Get Code Satisfaction"
Mood: Despairing
Position: Fetal
This weekend, my ISIG website went the way of a confusing, twisted SF series. Yes: Lost. You can see it, but I can't access it--and it's all my fault!

Put on your old Rolling Stones and sing along as I tell my tale of woe.

I can't get code satisfaction
I can't get no website action

It all started when I decided to add a media room to my FabianSpace website. I bought a book on HTML and tried to create one using the site's template.

So I type and I try and I type and I try
I cant' get no!

After several frustrating attempts, I decided to scrap the whole endeavor and go with tripod. I'd already used it for my ISIG site. It was easy to set up, easy to update and the site looks terrific. Why bother with HTML when I could do it there?

When I'm typin' in website code
And I can't see which way to go
the program's saying No and No

I logged onto Tripod with my ISIG account and looked at the available space. Hmm... I really want to do a lot more with the ISIG site and a whole lot with Tripod.

No problem. I'll just create a new account.

I'd missed some vital information
that affects my website situation

At this point, those of you with experience on tripod and other sites should be crowding the monitor, shouting at me like we all did to those ditzy teens in the slasher movies:

"No! Don't do it!"

I opened the new account window...

"Stop! Go back! Close The Window!"

I put in my name and address.

"Different e-mail! At least use a different e-mail!"

I put in the same e-mail as the ISIG account.

"AAAARGH! I can't look!"

I can't get no, oh no no no
Hey hey hey, that's what I say

I can't get code satisfaction
I can't get no website action...

Actually, the website building went great. I found a template, modified it to resemble the FabisnSpace site--banner and all--and soon I was doing the website equivalent of getting lucky never knowing the doom that awaited.

(Rise in volume, please..)

'Cause I typed and I typed and I typed and I typed
I can't GET NO!!!!

(Volume down, now--you're scaring the neighbors)

When I'm doin' Tripod, see
And the site is looking so great
Something's much to easy....

Four hours or so late, I had a KICKIN' media room: photos, graphics, media releases, lots of useful information about me and my stuff...a CHAT ROOM! Yes, I, Karina Fabian, Queen of the Coding Chickens, figured out how to put a chat room on my site! SCORE!

All that was left was to get some information from my ISIG site and put in an announcement there.

But you can't get that site 'cause it ain't the same
As the one now in your name
I can't get no, oh no no no
Hey hey hey, that's what I say

I can't get no satisfaction
I cant' get no ISIG action

I logged out, logged in as isigsf. Tripod says "Problem with member name of password." I try again. Same result. I ask for my password. It says I've given invalid info. I opened up the unhelpful help desk and started a ticket. I got back a reply saying someone changed my password. I tried the new password. It didn't work I opened another ticket...

And I typed and I tried and I typed and I cried
I can't get no!

So now I wait for the Tripod help desk to open, trying not to cry and hoping the 'Net police don't arrest me for web-building with out a clue.

I hope I can get access to the original ISIG website. If not, I guess I'll rebuild it. It's been an incredibly valuable resource.

But this time, I'll just put it in my karinafabian account.

Hey hey hey, that's what I say

WRITING: I Can't Get Code Satisfaction

I was up until 2 AM trying to fix fabianspace and start up a new website http://isigsf.tripod.com. (Go check it out. It's actually very nice now.)

This pretty much describes my day and night....
(To the Rolling Stone's "I Can't Get No Satisfaction.")

I can't get code satisfaction,
I can't get no website action.
'Cause I type and I try and I type and I try.
I can't get no, I can't get no.

When I'm sittin' at my desk
and that error comes up on my screen
and it's tellin' me "No, no, no!"
but it's just useless information
I've the wrong kind of imagination.
I can't get no, oh no code no.
Hey hey hey, that's what I say.

I can't get code satisfaction,
I can't get no website action.
'Cause I type and I try and I type and I try.
I can't get no, I can't get no.

When I'm watchin' on my screen
My colors are wrong, universe page gone and
Links and Books look the same.
Plus it can't be a blog 'cause it's showing code
in the spot where the blog should be.
I can't get no, oh no code no.
Hey hey hey, that's what I say.

I can't get code satisfaction,
I can't get no website action.
'Cause I type and I try and I type and I try..
I can't get no, I can't get no.

When I take webbuilding class
and I'm doin' this and I'm trying that
and I'm tryin' to make some site
that tells me baby better come back later next week
'cause I see you're on losing streak.
I can't get no, oh no code no.
Hey hey hey, that's what I say.

I can't get code satisfaction,
I can't get no website action.
'Cause I type and I try and I type and I try.