Matt Refghi

On one particular work day, I decided to go shopping for some groceries with a coworker. It is something we actually do fairly regularly, as we work in the heart of downtown Montreal, where stores are abundant and easily accessible. After visiting a mainstream grocery store, we decided to visit an organic produce shop. Not a random one, mind you – as my mother just-so-happens to work there during the day. Given that the store is so close to where I work, I have a tendency to drop by fairly often. As such, I know the owners and other employees to a degree, and we get along pretty well. They even started giving me a 15% discount on everything I buy, … Read more

Ever wished you could go back to an old version of a particular application? Often times, as software companies release new versions, they remove the ability to download older versions. They may also choose to drop support for such versions, in the long run. Usually, upgrading software is a good idea: more bugs are fixed, new features are introduced, all of that fun stuff. In some cases, however, features are unexpectedly removed, or there are performance problems that result from the update. In these scenarios, I consider it valid to seek out older versions. Whenever I found myself in these situations in the past, I would search for websites that offered the old version. I didn’t always succeed, particularly because … Read more

Ever looked at a logo, and wondered what font the designer used? From an image alone, identifying the specific font can be difficult, particularly if it isn’t among those commonly seen on the web. Thankfully, a web service titled “WhatTheFont” facilitates this very scenario, while also allowing users to buy the font, once identified. Below are screenshots revealing how to use the service, with the Google logo uploaded as an example. As the above image illustrates, the service is pretty good at identifying characters, but it isn’t perfect. It asks the user to identify specific letters, eliminating the risk of false assumptions. Once the user validation step is done, the search results are shown. Clicking on any of the search results will bring … Read more

All over the web, countless images can be seen. For the longest time, I took the presence of images for granted. That is, until I found an image I really liked, to the point where I wanted to know where it originated. My intention was to seek out additional images from the same photographer. Alas, I soon discovered that finding an image based solely on the visual content isn’t very straightforward. Back then, I was unable to find the source. To simulate the problem I had, consider this image: If I didn’t link to the photographer’s page, or even mention his name, how would you know where the image came from? Sure, the filename can be a hint, but it … Read more

Over the last two years, I’ve found myself in numerous situations where I’m minding my own business, and something unexpected occurs. I will describe these below, as the possible explanations are intriguing. The first experience I will describe occurred on a day where I needed to head straight from work to the bank. They had received a card in my name, and I needed to pick it up. After the pick-up, my plan was to head back into the city, as I had plans to watch a movie with friends. I was using Montreal’s metro system to get these tasks done, as I always do. When I left the metro, and began walking towards my bank, a strange thought popped … Read more

When I went to use Google Chrome yesterday, I noticed the following AdBlock plugin notice: After reading it, I realized it was one of the most polite notices I’d ever read. It also had a sense a humor that I usually only expected to see in Google-authored pages and applications. Good job, Michael, and everyone else at AdBlock. NOTE: As a web developer, I am very hesitant to use ad blockers, as ads are an important source of income for website owners. I usually only enable them when I reach a site that I feel is completely obnoxious with their placement and overall use of ads.

While I was choosing my top 5 favorite costumes from Dragon Con 2010, I realized there would be a few runner-ups. I decided to reveal the best of these runner-ups in this blog post, listed in no specific order. Codex from The Guild The Guild is web-based show created by Felicia Day. It centers around the adventures of an odd group of gamers who are part of the same in-game guild. Needless to say, to truly appreciate the series, it is best if you have previous experience with MMORPGs. Felicia Day stars as Cyd Sherman, whose in-game character is named Codex. Codex can be seen briefly in the title screen of the series, but to get a clear idea of what she looks like, see her profile page … Read more

As I mentioned previously, this article will cover my top 5 favorite costumes from Dragon Con 2010. Before we dive into the list, I feel I should first mention what I look for in these costumes. First, the more realistic the costume looks, the more I like it. If I get a feeling the character being portrayed might actually exist, then that’s a success. To give you an example, I never really liked the Batman movies until I saw Batman Begins. To me, that’s when the character really became respectable and interesting to watch. Second, the more specific the reference, the less people will recognize it – but the more value it has to those that do. Sure, people might … Read more

This year, I attended Dragon Con for the first time. If you’re not familiar with Dragon Con, it is a science fiction convention based in Atlanta, Georgia where actors, musicians, authors, directors, and artists in general gather to meet their fans. Having never been to such a convention, I didn’t know exactly what to expect. I did, however, watch a few videos I found online, so I knew approximately how the panels were going to work. Upon arriving in Atlanta for the first time, I was immediately impressed with the overall landscape – not flat like the area I reside. Even while driving on the highway, it is possible to imagine that you’re actually in the middle of a forest. … Read more

So, I installed the Trillian 5 Public Beta today, and was particularly amused when I encountered one of their new features: It lets you know when someone is preparing to send you a message, even if you weren’t having a conversation with them. My initial reaction was that it was pretty creepy, but at the same time, I could see some interesting possibilities. First, if you see an incoming message that you’re not interested in answering, you can choose to make yourself scarce, thereby granting yourself the possibility of pleading ignorance. Certainly not something I condone, but I still found it intriguing. Second, you can send a message to the person before they finish theirs. That way, you’re exploiting the … Read more