GATTSU

The Current State

Thu, 29 May 2008 11:50:50 -0700

Just a quick update. I've found a website that has a lot of what I want to do already done. I'm currently trying to get ahold of the owners of that site to see if they want to team up and get the rest done. If this works out, this will considerably speed things up.

Lance...

The idea takes shape...

Thu, 20 Mar 2008 16:40:27 -0700

Alright... I've been doing quite a bit of thinking about what is REALLY needed here. It seems to me that a web accessible flashcard repository is great for when you have access, but what about when you don't? You need to be able to use the site even when you're offline. I could create a stand-alone application, but then you'd have to sync data between different devices you use, and further, unless I used a platform independent language, I'd have to develop the application for every platform I wish to support. That would be stupid.

So, here's the vision... I firmly believe that Ajax is the way to go, and a web based solution is best, but I'm going to develop a web based solution that you can use online and offline. Luckily, I know of a great way to do this.

Now then, I've also been thinking about Geeklog. I love this software, but I think I want to change the whole site to be kind of like a desktop. You'll still be able to see the site news and what not, but they'll be in movable, sizable, closeable windows. The various services that the site offers will take the form of "application windows" that you can open and close as needed, just like on your typical PC. I need to work out a lot of specifics, but I really feel like this is for the best. What I'm going to end up with will blow the socks off of you. Incidentally, if there's anybody out there experienced with creating Ajax desktop apps that would be willing to help out in some fashion, please let me know! Thanks!

Rethinking the Interface

Wed, 05 Mar 2008 16:21:41 -0700

Alright... I'm ready to go back to work here... But I've been thinking long and hard about the way I'm desigining this interface. While web-based is definately the way I want to go, I'm toying with the idea of uncoupling the software from this website and moving to a different format. Maybe a google sidebar app, or something more google like at any rate. I'm not sure yet... At any rate, rest assured that I'm brainstorming and progress will once again be made soon. またね！

Still alive...

Sat, 23 Feb 2008 22:00:29 -0700

You're probably wondering where the heck I've been. Or at least you would if anybody was reading this. =p At any rate, things have been rather hectic lately. I decided to take a small break from coding to allow myself some extra time for sleep and spending time with family. I plan on hopping back on the project in about a week. Just so you know this was a somewhat planned break, and not neglect. =) See ya soon!

Weekend Update

Sun, 10 Feb 2008 02:14:40 -0700

Yes, I'm still hard at work. You can't see it, but most of the "under the hood" code for the flash cards is done. I'm trying to get the flyout window to work right now... THe rest is all just typical content..no big deal... So I guess I can say Flashcards are close.

I found an issue with the chat room. If you're using IE, all messages appear as private messages. This is due to differences in the way that IE handles javascript. I'll fix it.

One more thing. I have to apologize. I've been using w3counter for stat tracking. While I was monkeying around with my site, I happened to browse the list of destination sites for all requests. Imagine my surprise when I found adclick crap. It turns out w3counter was imbedding adclick cookie stuff on my site. I was livid. It's gone now. Forever. My apologies.

Anyway, I'm going to bed. Hopefully I can get some good work done tomorrow.

CHATTSU!

Sun, 03 Feb 2008 01:34:12 -0700

I've been hard at work, and the end result is a new chat room. This will also be where you go to play the game I have previously mentioned. The game is not yet written, but you can enter the chat room and talk it up. Since this place doesn't really see a lot of cisitors yet, you probably won't have anybody to talk to. Yes I know, how boring. My apologies. I just don't see any reason to try to get people to come to GATTSU! until I have the games up and running. At any rate, let me know if you have any suggestions!

GATTSU! Status Update!

Sun, 27 Jan 2008 22:14:05 -0700

I just thought I'd mention how things are going. It may seem like nothing is getting done around here, but that's not the case. Much of what I've been doing has been design work. I'm designing the flashcard and Heisig RTK multiplayer game simultaniously. Why not design them one at a time? Because I've decided to make it possible to use any flashcard decks you create on GATTSU! within the game. Kanji will be the primary use, but I can see rooms of folks practicing and trading sentences using the same game system. It should be glorious! GLORIOUS I say! MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAaa... Alright... Back to work for me. またね！

All Japanese All The Time Reloaded

Sun, 27 Jan 2008 21:46:39 -0700

I just have to say something about this. I've been doing a lot of designing and studying for GATTSU! lately, and haven't had much time to check out AJATT so I checked his RSS feed and saw two new posts. "Oh boy! Fresh Meat!". I was kind of angry when I read the first new post. Apparently, somebody put up a website and was using much of Khatzumoto's content verbatim. Then they had the audacity to put up a donation link, reproduced to look just like Khatzumoto's link.

I understand that it's hard to come up with good, original content. That's what makes good original content so desirable. That's no excuse for this though. People just need to get a clue that you can't get something for nothing. There are consequences to every action. Further, creating great content and having your readers view and enjoy it is its own reward.

And here's something that makes it even more baffling. Most web sites offer some sort of RSS feed allowing readers and other websites to syndicate and reference their content. Further, with pings and trackbacks, one blog can leave references to itself on other blogs. It's beautiful, as blogs that talk about similar things can really create a synergy. People like the person mentioned above just don't get it. Even if they don't have anything NEW to offer, just blogging about your experiences as they relate to your topic is usually enough to interest a few people. If you then start using pingbacks, you can increase the number of people taking a look at your site. In time, hopefully you get a devoted base of readers on your site and the sites you reference benefit from your links as well. It's like getting a leg up. You can't coast on other people's content forever, but if you start bringing interesting things to the table, I guarantee you'll start getting noticed.

Anyway, I'm glad somebody reported this, and that the site has been taken down. I hope the person has learned their lesson. Keep up the great work Khatz!

Welcome Onihey Fight Club Members!

Fri, 25 Jan 2008 12:01:48 -0700

This is not related to learning Japanese. I just wanted to say hello to my friends. Onihey Fight Club is my World of Warcraft guild. The guild plays Horde side on the Barthilas Oceanic server. Come say hello to us if you happen to play on that server!

Hello Onihey Fight Club! ガッツへようこそ！来てくださってありがとうございます！

=)

The Method

Thu, 24 Jan 2008 16:13:00 -0700

So... You're wondering what all this "The Method" business is. You've gathered it has something to do with learning Japanese. You want to know what it is and what's so great about it? Well, I'm not going to tell you! Instead, I'm going to let Khatzumoto do it, as he's much more knowledgeable on it, and he's actually DONE IT, whereas (as of the writing of this document) I am still DOING IT.

Khatzumoto is a great and funny guy who has adapted The Method to Japanese, and now maintains a website devoted to helping others do what he did. I'll let you read his story for yourself. Go check out AllJapaneseAllTheTime. Once you've read his introduction, you can proceed to read Khatzumoto's Overview of The System. Go read read these two pages, bookmark/favorites his site, and then come back here.

Go ahead. I'll wait.

You're back? Did you read it all? Did you add his site to your favorites/bookmarks? If you didn't, go back and read it. It's REALLY IMPORTANT that you read AT LEAST those two pages before continuing.

Alright, now then, with all the great content, what in the WORLD is THIS sorry excuse for a website for? I mean, what could you possibly offer? Great question! I consider GATTSU! a companion site to AllJapaneseAllTheTime (AJATT). AJATT is The Holy Jedi Knight Tome of Ultimate Japanese Learning Knowledge. Khatzumoto is our Yoda, and we're all Padawan Learners until we reach our goal of Japanese fluency, at which time we become Jedi Knights, or JP Knights, if you will. (Cut to a wise looking Khatzumoto with long hairy green Yoda-ears who states with much authority "Oooh... Not yet. One thing remains. Kanji. You must confront Kanji. Only then a JP Knight will you be.")

So, if Khatzumoto is our Yoda, and AJATT is our JP Knight Manual, GATTSU is, I hope, our JP Knight training grounds. Here I hope to give you tools to aid you in your journey to learn Japanese, and to make that journey a fun and enjoyable experience. Here is what I plan to offer at GATTSU:

Games to aid in all phases of The Method.
A forum area where you can share and read experiences, advice, and friendship.
Tools to aid in learning Japanese.
An integrated SRS that lets you practice and learn Kana, Kanji, and sentences. These SRS "stacks" can then be used in some of the Games above.
The ability to view other users stacks(if they have turned the option on), and import one or more items from their stack into one of your stacks.
A chat room(chatterbox) for talking to other users in real time.

I am planning on continuing to add more functionality all the time as well.

I hope you enjoy your time here at GATTSU! Let me know if there's anything I can do to improve on the site. While I may not make every change requested, I will consider any serious requests. Thank you, and GANBATTE!