Hey guys and gals, I just wanted to share some of the latest stuff I've been enjoying online. There are a few sweet remixes in the Audio section and a particularly strange music video in the Video section. Check 'em out!
Trie, Trie Again August 23rd, 2009 - 6:15 PM CDT
Here's a "trie-fecta" for you: a Trie class written in Java. The Trie can be used to efficiently store key/value pairs when the keys are known to be character strings.
I've strived to create high-quality code in this class library, including proper javadoc and unit testing. Please let me know if I've missed anything, or something differs from what you would expect from a high-quality Java library. Click here to check out my Trie.
Scooby Snacks for the Senses December 28th, 2008 - 4:45 PM CST
I've got some new treats for your eyes and ears. Firstly, a new Weird Al video (and one of my favorites): Amish Paradise!
Next, I have to come out of the litter box. That's right, I admit it. I'macatperson. There are now two new videos for you cat-fans here and here.
Finally, an awesome cover of Sir Mix-A-Lot's Baby Got Back by Grasshopper Takeover in the Audio section.
Oh, and I also added a new feature to the Dynamic Update block at the bottom of each page. Click on the drop-down box there and select Newest BrettBits Polls. This will show (surprise!) the latest polls submitted to BrettBits Polls. This also allows you to see, at a glance, how many votes each poll has as well as whether or not you have voted on that poll. Awesome-town!
Do you find that when you purchase a new computer, a hard drive, an MP3 player, or a memory card for your camera, your device tells you that you actually have less total capacity than was advertised? There's a reason for that.
I've written a concise explanation as to why that happens. Read all about it here!
An Irritated Observation July 2nd, 2008 - 8:52 PM CDT
The two most common words in the English language are "the" followed by "of". During Canada Day celebrations, the most commonly used words are "Whoo" followed by "WHOOOOOOO!". Fascinating.
1 Year of Pixel1024 February 1st, 2008 - 4:56 PM CST
It seems that today is the 1 year anniversary of the unveiling of Pixel1024 to the internet. Since that date,
over 16000 images have been submitted by over 9000 unique artists. In
total, those images have been viewed about 263500 times.
It would seem that many of our artists are Nintendo fans, as 243 images
contain "Mario" in the title (sadly, only 17 images have "Luigi" in their
name).
I'd like to thank our top artistic contributors to Pixel1024:
Artist Name
Images
Created
Nieb
149
UEFA2005
132
Patternal
101
Barky
97
me
80
Caitlyn
76
8-Bit
66
KittyBoy01
65
agilepoopants42
61
alex
60
simon
53
Manly Man
51
Omegatim
50
Clockman274
50
bob
49
Hippie G
48
jj
46
ninja birdy
43
Nick
42
mr someone
41
If You're Part Of The 62% January 14th, 2008 - 4:56 PM CST
If you're part of the 62% of all people who have opinions about things, then have I got something swell for you!
BrettBits.com now features Online Polls in the Features section. That's right, you can answer polls and even create your own! If there's something you've been wondering, go ahead and check it out.
Kevin Federline Screams Like A Hacker October 11th, 2007 - 8:10 PM CDT
I've decided that when I just do random updates, the subject should pertain to a combination of the added content. Recently added: two videos and a pretty funny article.
Here It Is: Eye Candy 2! September 23rd, 2007 - 2:26 PM CDT
It took a damn long time, but it's here ladies and gents: Eye Candy 2! As always I'm interested in what you guys think, so leave a message in the Guestbook or the Shoutbox.
Now that that project is finally out of the way, if anybody has anything they'd like to see me do next, send me an email with your suggestion!
The Stone Is Thick With Moss, But Rolling Once More! September 22nd, 2007 - 12:37 AM CDT
Those of you who have been diligently watching the Dynamic Update block on the bottom of every page will notice that I have been making progress on Eye Candy 2. It's about 85% done now, and barring any major complications it should be completed and up on the site within the next week!
The final Eye Candy 2 product is good, but the development time itself was pretty pathetic (I'm pretty sure it's been around 10 months now). This is what happens when you allow yourself to start other website projects and have other life obligations (yes, I leave the house sometimes).
That said, it should definitely be done within 7 days from now. Thanks for your patience, and keep checking back!
You're Just Lucky I'm Around To Reveal The Truth! September 3rd, 2007 - 4:35 PM CDT
After writing off-and-on for a few months, I've finally completed Conspiracy Theories Volume Two, for the consumption of your currently-calm minds. After reading these not-yet-well-known conspiracies, you'll want to outfit your head with a series of side-view mirrors so that you can keep a constant watch behind you.
Keeping Up With BrettBits August 26th, 2007 - 8:30 PM CDT
I've added a couple of ways for you guys to keep up with new stuff on BrettBits. Firstly, the Dynamic Update block at the bottom of every page can be set to show the "Newest BrettBits Stuff" (use the drop-down menu shown there). This displays simple hyperlinks to the newest content.
The modern way to send convenient updates about site content is to use RSS, and that's exactly what I've done. Click the on the left side of the website and add the BrettBits RSS feed to your favorite RSS aggregator (feed reader).
For Firefox users, the RSS feed can be used with something called Live Bookmarking, which is accessed using the RSS symbol in the Firefox address bar.
Now BrettBits can compete with 7-11 for the Timer-Savers Institute's 2007 Ultimate Convenience Award!
As you can clearly see, BrettBits has gone over a complete makeover. I call it, BrettBits version 2.0!
Besides the new look, a couple new features worth mentioning. Firstly, the shiny new Shoutbox on the right side of the screen. I'm hoping that the Shoutbox will be a little less formal and more accessible, so you guys will feel more comfortable leaving a message in it than in the Guestbook. Be sure to leave a message!
You'll notice at the bottom of every page there is a box displaying random bits of BrettBits content. There's a drop-down menu in that box which allows you to decide what to display in that box. Right now it only has a couple of options, but I may add more as I become inspired to do so. I'd be happy to hear of any ideas you guys have.
The changes are not only cosmetic. I've redone the entire scripting codebase for the website, so I anticipate things should run more smoothly now. As always, please leave your thoughts and comments on the new layout in either the Shoutbox or the Guestbook.
Happy surfing, BrettBittians!
Happy 1st Birthday To BrettBits.com! July 12th, 2007 - 5:47 PM CDT
1 year ago today, BrettBits.com became live to the public. Since then, we've had several successes, with Mayhem In The Skies!, Pixel1024 and Magic Hate Ball just to name a few. Since the beginning, we have had well over 150,000 visitors, and it's showing no sign of slowing down!
To celebrate the 1st birthday of BrettBits.com, I have created a cool slice of digital cake for the website:
Click it for a better look.
Sounds Like It was Written For Dogs July 2nd, 2007 - 4:18 PM CDT
Just out today, a kind of Website Roulette: one click takes you to a random website somewhere on the internet. Best of all, you can add your own links to the list of possible websites. What a great way to receive some free recognition!
Click here to try it out and add your own website to the list!
A few recent changes to the website. Most obvious are the blocks on the left-hand side. In addition to the Navigation and Notifier Block, I have recently added the Date & Time Block, the Random Content Block and the Top Referrers Block.
The Top Referrers Block keeps count of websites which have linked visitors to Brettbits.com, which is a neat little way of showing visitors what websites are interested in BrettBits. Funky!
The Internet Really Diggs Pixel1024 February 4th, 2007 - 6:47 PM CST
Pixel1024 Unveiled February 1st, 2007 - 3:56 PM CST
Well, here it is. Pixel1024 has been released! This project is so big, we had to create a new Features section for it (after all, it was just too big to be considered a game).
Pixel1024 is a Flash program that allows users to create their own pixel art, and then submit it online for others to view. It's easy to use, and fun sharing your own images with the rest of the Internet. Have fun everybody, and enjoy your 1024 pixels of fame!
New Exclusive Soon January 27th, 2007 - 7:54 PM CST
It's been a while, so I'm just writing to say that a new BrettBits exclusive is in the works. For those of you watching the Notifier Block on the left, you may notice it's called Pixel1024. I will drop one hint in that it is created in Flash and allows users to contribute content to it.
I expect it to be released in less than 7 days from now, so keep your eyes peeled for it.
Happy New Year to everybody, and I hope you remembered to make your New Year's Resolution.
Leave A Message At The Beep December 23rd, 2006 - 5:48 PM CST
A little more visitor input never hurt anyone. Share your comments and thoughts on absolutely anything at the shiny new Guestbook.
Server Upgrade! December 22nd, 2006 - 8:52 PM CST
BrettBits.com was recently moved to a much faster server, capable of offering speeds up to 10 times faster our previous speed.
Other than the website being down for a few hours in some regions, the move was successful, and now offers better bandwidth for downloading some of the heavier content, such as Games, Audio,and Video.
I hope you guys enjoy the improved performance.
100,000 Visitors! December 16th, 2006 - 11:09 AM CST
Late yesterday evening, BrettBits received its hundred-thousandth visitor. Thanks to you, Mister 100,000, and the 99,999 that came before you!
I've added a "Notifier Block" of sorts on the left side of the page, just under the navigation menu. That is there to notify users about what's going on regarding the website. This includes recent updates that are too small to bother writing a proper update (like this one) about it, as well as keeping you up-to-date on current projects I'm working on.
You'll notice that we've had a few minor content updates here. I've written a nice little Javascript useful for webmasters who need to create decently-sized HTML tables, but don't want to write HTML code for it.
It has come to my attention that the 3rd year of my University program has double the schoolwork that 2nd year had. In other words, I have not abandoned the website, but time in which I can create new content is scarce.
When I do find the time, however, I'm considering creating a sequel of sorts to Eye Candy. Now I just need to come up with some creative interactions, a decent name, and a few hours locked away in a room with only my computer...
In the meantime, whether they are brand new or not, the Games Section contains only original content created specifically for BrettBits.com. Many of these will be popular for some time to come, so be sure to check them out if you haven't already.
Once you're done with the content on BrettBits.com, be sure to visit the Links Page, for some extraordinary websites out there on this wide Internet of ours.
I'm One Score Old! October 2nd, 2006 - 8:50 PM CDT
That's right, my birthday was on Saturday, so I felt it was time for an update (no, there is no reasoning there; just go with it).
Oh, and BrettBits passed 50,000 visitors today. (blows in noisemaker) Go us!
Doh-min-ee-ohs September 24th, 2006 - 12:48 PM CDT
function dominoFall(n) {
dominos[n].fall();
dominoFall(n+1);
}
Yes, for some reason, the art of domino chains has captured my attention lately. There are some really great videos on the internet with some really impressive setups.
As such, I felt I should share some of my favorite ones with you. There are three of them (1) (2) (3) in the Video section.
Mayhem In The Skies! Launched Today September 12th, 2006 - 3:08 PM CDT
No, not even a jam-packed University schedule could stop me from finally unveiling Mayhem In The Skies!
Have a great time with it, and be sure to enter your name in the High Score Tables when you're done.
School's Going To Get Me Where? September 11th, 2006 - 8:30 PM CDT
It's true what they say. A Flash artist shouldn't attend university if he wishes to release Flash productions in a timely manner.
Regardless, Mayhem In The Skies! is 98.7% complete, and unless I have a complete hard drive failure, it is destined to be released tomorrow. I hope you guys are looking forward to its release as much as I am. See you tomorrow!
10,000 Visitors! September 4th, 2006 - 3:32 PM CDT
Early yesterday BrettBits.com had its 10,000th visitor!
Thanks to everybody who made this possible (I suppose I'm addressing the visitors themselves when I say this). Thank you all! For those who don't know, the visitor counter is at the very bottom of every page on my website.
Regarding "Mayhem In The Skies!", it is approximately 80-85% done. I still need to code some of the powerups, create some more backgrounds for the levels, write some decent instructions, and figure out what the heck I'm doing with the high score tables.
Thanks to everybody for their patience.
Title Of Next Flash Game Released August 30th, 2006 - 7:46 PM CDT
As stated in a previous post, I am working on a new Flash game, and I have just decided on a title for it. It will be called Mayhem In The Skies! The game itself is coming along nicely; about 65%-70% completed. However, the testing of game mechanics at the end of development takes the longest time, so if anybody out there is interested in testing the Flash game as it is developed, drop me a line.
In other news, I recently learned that Google Video allows you to embed their videos in your own website, with simple <embed> tags. As such, I've added threenewvideos, two of which are from Google Video.
And as a side note, guess who currently has the world-wide high score on Scribble!? 20 seconds, baby! Just try and beat that!
I'm Not Sure... July 28th, 2006 - 6:21 PM CDT
This could either contain a deep metaphor about racial inequality in today's increasingly more ethnologically isolated society, or perhaps it really is just about fuzzy fruit. I'm not sure...
This Sphere Doesn't Think It's Better Than You... July 25th, 2006 - 5:10 PM CDT
...it knows it is. Go see the quite arrogant, almost never insightful, but always completely rude Magic Hate Ball in the Games Section.
...And A Side Of Scripts, If You Please July 22nd, 2006 - 5:10 PM CDT
We'll Need More Than Just One Cup Of Java July 17th, 2006 - 5:26 PM CDT
We now have more than two of my Java programs in the Programs section. How very exciting!
Gone Public! July 12th, 2006 - 5:45 PM CDT
The day is finally here. BrettBits.com has gone public!
For those new to the website, my name is Brett, and I am best known on the internet for my Flash games. Most popular are Windows XP Version 19.914, Musical Lantern, and Everbound: Quest For Finality. You can find all of those, and many more of my Flash creations under the Games Section.
I've also played around with Photoshop a bit, creating some rather... interesting creations.
However, some of my more technical creations can be found in the Programs Section. Many of my better Java and Javascript creations will be found there, though it is somewhat bare right now. Source code for each of these has been included, and is free to be used as you please!
Not all of the content on this website has been created by myself, however. Some of the content simply relates to things I have found elsewhere, that I felt was entertaining, or was of interest.
Above all, I say don't be afraid to explore the site!
I personally hope you enjoy your visit to BrettBits.com, and that if you have any comments, suggestions, or anything else you'd like to tell me, please don't hesitate to contact me about it.
Program-O-Matic July 3rd, 2006 - 7:16 PM CDT
The Program Section is done. For right now, it seems that it's mostly only going to contain source code from my Java creations.
We're Not Rich, Honest! June 30th, 2006 - 11:57 PM CDT
And remember kids, every dollar you donate to BrettBits is one less dollar PBS has their grubby little hands on.
Feeling Lost? June 30th, 2006 - 11:55 PM CDT
If you were a true Man's Man, you would never even think about asking for directions, or using a map.
A Chain Is As Strong As Its Weakest... June 29th, 2006 - 8:29 PM CDT
Link! I think we're okay though, seeing as how we seem to have many of them.
Interactive Ingenuity June 24th, 2006 - 9:23 PM CDT
