8/31    Does it make sense to buy a nice 70-200mm f/4L lens and mount it on a
        cheap Canon Rebel XSi with 12MP? I'd hate to upgrade the body
        because bodies get outdated quickly, and I don't care about how fast
        auto-focus is. I just care about image quality for non-sports pics. I'd
        love to have a sharper lens than my cheapo 55-250mm and don't care
        about the body, but I'm wondering if there are severe disadvantages
        for going with a consumer body + pro lens combo. Thanks.
        \_ There may be better lenses to consider depending on what your
           photo priorities are, but I dont think you're making the mistake
           of "too much lens for the body". As you imply, most amateurs
           make the opposite problem: too much body for their lenses.
           An issue may be the FOV multiplier ... which makes that quite
           a long lens [I assume the 70-200 is calibrated to 35mm, so really
           that's 110 at the short end ... that may still be useable indoors
           but it starts getting impossible when you get a little longer ...
           rooms arent big enough to get more than a headshot].
           \_ The 70-200mm f/4 IS is SHARPER than 70-200mm f/2.8 IS at all aperture
              except for 2.8, which of course the f/4 cannot get to. But
              at f/4 and beyond, the f/4 IS beats the f/2.8 IS version
              hands down. How important is that one extra stop? I'd say,
              for outdoors and birds and weddings such, the f/4 is a better buy.
        \_ The XSi is a fine camera; if you're not at the cutting edge of
           photography, it will do just fine.  A 70-200mm will be quite long
           on the APS-C sized sensor, but that might be what you want if
           you're doing wildlife photography or something.  It'll certainly
           give you better pictures than a cheap megazoom.  -tom
           \_ I saw a 1:1 picture from 50D at 800 ISO and it was surprisingly
              noisy. I just don't see how a better (more megapixel) camera
              is supposed to be better when it looks ugly at only 800 ISO.
              \_ For a given sensor size, the more megapixels the camera
                 has, the noisier images will be, if all else is equal
                 (which is rare).  -tom
                 \_ So newer cameras are crappier since they have higher MP?
                    \_ It's not so simple.  A sensor using the same technology
                       will have more resolution and more noise at 15MP than
                       12MP.  Whether that matters depends on what you're
                       shooting.  And newer, and more expensive cameras
                       often have different/better sensor technology.
                       In any case, we do seem to be reaching the point
                       of diminishing returns on megapixel count.  -tom

8/31    I'm trying to learn ActionScript, like a step by step tutorial.
        The site at http://www.actionscript.org/resources/categories/Tutorials/Flash/Beginner
        isn't well organized. It doesn't explain how to get started with
        an editor, compiler, IDE. And should I even learn AS2 when you can
        learn AS3? Is Adobe Flash CS4 >>> CS3 or just CS4 > CS3?

8/31    I want to get into my enemies' psychy. I want to know as much as they
        do. I want to read at least one Ayn Rand novel to know what the hype
        is all about, so that I can disect their logic and understand them
        better. What should I read first, The Fountainhead or Atlas Shrugged?
        \_those books suck.  Read _The Road to Surfdom_ -a libertarian
          \_ why do they suck?                  -fuq 'em
        \_ they are both written pretty poorly btw.  There are the "good guys"
           who are noble and smart and logical, and the "bad guys" who are
           lazy and corrupt and incompetant.  Every so often there's a
           "traitor" who is smart and corrupt.  They are, at least, plot-
           heavy - sort of like romance novels for people with Asperger's
           Syndrome.  If you read fast, go for Atlas Shrugged and skip the
           last speech.  If you don't, just get the Cliff's Notes.  And yes
           I have a degree in EECS (1997) yet still can read literature at
           some depth, trolls.
        \_ Read them both, I did in high school. They are kind of polemics,
           but interesting enough. They have very simple 11th grade logic,
           which is why they appeal to boys that age.
           \_ They also appeal to girls who want to be 11th grade boys.
              \_ mmm penis envy.