Wishlist
I've got a lot of hobbies, and I'm a total gadget freak. Unfortunately, things are expensive, so I'm compiling here a list of things that I would really like to own, but aren't buying immediately for whatever reason. Part of this is so that I have a place where people, like Catherine, can go to see the things that might make good gifts.
Books
- Spook Country by WIlliam Gibson - I like Gibson. The worlds he creates are interesting and deep. Plus I love spies. So Gibson's take on Spies should be pretty good, right?
- Exploiting Online Games by Greg Hoglund and Gary McGraw - These guys are great authors for Computer Security issues, and the world of Online Games has introduced some interesting attack vectors. I remember, years ago, 'hacking' Underlight by replacing the binary after it had been verified but before launching. Not being a huge online-gamer, I'm interested to see how the arena has changed.
- Code Craft: The Practice of Writing Excellent Code by Pete Goodliffe This book looks pretty fantastic, and I'm definitely interested in reading it. The example chapter is pretty sweet, and gives some really good discussion of solid error handling.
- The Official GNOME 2 Developer's Guide By Matthias Warkus GTK/GNOME is my favorite GUI toolkit, but so much changed with 2.0, that I'm a bit behind the times. A full reference book on the subject would be really nice to have.
- Linux Appliance Design: A Hands-on Guide to Building Linux Appliances by Bob Smith, John Hardin, Graham Phillips, and Bill Pierce I'm a gadget freak, and Linux-based Gadgets are so much the better. Building my own gadgets is the holy grail, and this book appears to have some information that would be really helpful for it.
- Avoid Boring (Other) People by James Watson. Winner of the Nobel Prize, and discoverer of the Double-Helix structure of DNA, James Watson is one of the most well known biologists today. This book, his memoirs, talk about his life, and what he felt lead to him becoming such a well-known scientist. The excerpts I've read show a glib humour, and a potentially amusing and thoughtful book on life and science.
Brewing Stuff
- At least a 12 Gallon Kettle with a Spigot. A built in thermometer would be nice, but I don't require one.
- A Wort Chiller. I'd love a counterflow model, but that would require the kettle first. I'm definitely after an Immersion chiller ASAP. I'm thinking about ways I can build one, but I need access to a metal shop where I can bend the tubing.
Gadgets
- OpenMoko Neo1973 - This is a great looking open Mobile Phone platform. I know the current model is developer only, but I'm totally into developing software for something like this. The Neo Advanced contains some cool stuff, but all I'd really need is the Basic, since I'm not a hardware hacker.
- Neuros OSD - A great looking media player, that I would love to integrate into my (virtually nonexistent) home-theater. It's Linux-based firmware makes me that much more interested. Another great hacking toy, that I really want to get my hands on.
- Asus Eee PC - Asus' solid state, 2 lb, Linux-based computer looks like a great little machine for lugging around. Sure, it's not going to replace my desktop, but I don't want it to.
Computer Equipment
- ViewSonic X Series VX1940w - A 19" LCD Widescreen display. With a great Contrast Ratio, and 2ms response time, the stats and the reviews agree, this is a really nice display. And it's less than $200, another strong point. I definitely plan to pick one of these up.
Tools
- Ideal Compression Connector Installation Kit I'm a network guy, so occasionally, I need to run cable. I've got the tools for Cat5 and the like, but I really need tools for Coax. Most radio work uses Coax, and I want to run some Coax in the house. This set may not be the best out there, but it seems to be a good deal, and reasonable quality tools.
Games
- Super Mario Galaxy (Wii)
- Mario Party 8 (Wii)
- Metroid Prime 3 (Wii)
- Excite Truck (Wii)
- The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass (DS)
Movies
- The Simpsons Movie
- Waitress
- Shrek 3
Music
- Colbie Callait's new album
