This is the countdown

[ikt]

http://thisisthecountdown.com/

Something is happening in 8 days, 10 hours, 25 minutes and 45 seconds =o

I wonder what it could be?

[sffvba[e0rt]

Spooky!


404

[whiskeylover]

1am Eastern/12 Central. i.e. date change in Chicago.

[Nyromith]

I hope it's not a cloud-based tablet computer from Canonnical.

[Linuxratty]

I hope it's not a cloud-based tablet computer from Canonnical.

Well time will tell now won't it.

[intranick]

I was almost thinking about printing a bunch of these off and going around and putting them on grocery store's cork boards

maybe taping a couple around at the mall too (the flyer you can download)

[collisionystm]

http://thisisthecountdown.com/

Something is happening in 8 days, 10 hours, 25 minutes and 45 seconds =o

I wonder what it could be?


Well its obviously not 11.10. That comes out on the 13th.

Hmmm.............

[whiskeylover]

Well its obviously not 11.10. That comes out on the 13th.

Hmmm.............

The webpage says "A whole new computer."
So they're coming up with Ubuntu branded computers/tablets, maybe?

[collisionystm]

The webpage says "A whole new computer."
So they're coming up with Ubuntu branded computers/tablets, maybe?


Maybe... I thought that just having Ubuntu gave you 'A whole new computer'

[collisionystm]

Oh god it happened already. Someone added music.

http://thisisthefinalcountdown.com/

[FuturePilot]

Not working for me. It just shows all 0s

[Dragonbite]

It doesn't change for me in Chrome (ChromeOS)

So they aren't doing an individual countdown banner like they have in the past? Oh, nevermind.

I put the counter on my blog (which is the only reason why I have been wondering when the next one comes out) and it's counting down 10 days to Oneric! So I don't have to worry about it anymore I guess.

I can't wait!

[whiskeylover]

OMG OMG OMG! I wont be able to sleep for 8 more days. Oh the suspense!

[galacticaboy]

Oh god it happened already. Someone added music.

http://thisisthefinalcountdown.com/

They should have embedded the song instead of a bulky YouTube video at the side.

[DangerOnTheRanger]

Well, nothing to do now but wait...

[collisionystm]

It looks like these guys probably made the website for Canonical. https://www.cloudflare.com


Whois Results for 'thisisthecountdown.com'

=-=-=-= Visit AboutUs.org for more information about thisisthecountdown.com <a href="http://www.aboutus.org/thisisthecountdown.com">AboutUs: thisisthecountdown.com</a> Registration Service Provided By: Namecheap.com Contact: support@namecheap.com Visit: http://namecheap.com Domain name: thisisthecountdown.com Registrant Contact: WhoisGuard WhoisGuard Protected () Fax: 11400 W. Olympic Blvd. Suite 200 Los Angeles, CA 90064 US Administrative Contact: WhoisGuard WhoisGuard Protected (8f21f7ec14d24d6ead0f77c0eb3c82b7.protect@whoisgua rd.com) +1.6613102107 Fax: +1.6613102107 11400 W. Olympic Blvd. Suite 200 Los Angeles, CA 90064 US Technical Contact: WhoisGuard WhoisGuard Protected (8f21f7ec14d24d6ead0f77c0eb3c82b7.protect@whoisgua rd.com) +1.6613102107 Fax: +1.6613102107 11400 W. Olympic Blvd. Suite 200 Los Angeles, CA 90064 US Status: Locked Name Servers: alex.ns.cloudflare.com lily.ns.cloudflare.com Creation date: 15 May 2011 08:11:00 Expiration date: 15 May 2012 03:11:00 Get Noticed on the Internet! Increase visibility for this domain name by listing it at www.whoisbusinesslistings.com =-=-=-= The data in this whois database is provided to you for information purposes only, that is, to assist you in obtaining information about or related to a domain name registration record. We make this information available "as is," and do not guarantee its accuracy. By submitting a whois query, you agree that you will use this data only for lawful purposes and that, under no circumstances will you use this data to: (1) enable high volume, automated, electronic processes that stress or load this whois database system providing you this information; or (2) allow, enable, or otherwise support the transmission of mass unsolicited, commercial advertising or solicitations via direct mail, electronic mail, or by telephone. The compilation, repackaging, dissemination or other use of this data is expressly prohibited without prior written consent from us. We reserve the right to modify these terms at any time. By submitting this query, you agree to abide by these terms. Version 6.3 4/3/2002

[Rodney9]

AAAAH The Anticipation

[doppel.ganger]

Wait. If it isn't Oneiric, then what is it? **shiver** I hope it's not bad...

[aura7]

Keeping my fingers crossed, hope it delivers to the hype created.

[dniMretsaM]

Getting all 0's here. Strange (I even tried it with JavaScript enabled but still nothing).

[Lucradia]

Works in Firefox 7. Please note, it requires JavaScript DOM, not just JavaScript. The countdown clock is actually an image that is spliced up via probably the Screen method of CSS, which is normally only used on PNGs and buttons.

Also, that setup and webdesign makes me think of Portal 2... for some strange reason. The font of the numbers...

[dniMretsaM]

Works in Firefox 7. Please note, it requires JavaScript DOM, not just JavaScript.

And you enable this how...? Firefox 7.0.1 with NoScript temporarily disabled on that site.

[Paddy Landau]

Does it have a different counter fin different countries? I see 38 days, not 8.

[Lucradia]

And you enable this how...? Firefox 7.0.1 with NoScript temporarily disabled on that site.

You have to enable google ad syndicate or smething. Or any API system. For example, you can't use JavaScript DOM on this board without enabling Yahoo API.

[Paddy Landau]

Oh, look...
Excited for Ubuntu 11.10? (http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/240999/excited_for_ubuntu_linux_1110_the_official_countdo wn_has_begun.html)

[dniMretsaM]

You have to enable google ad syndicate or smething. Or any API system. For example, you can't use JavaScript DOM on this board without enabling Yahoo API.

Enable all for this site worked.

[Legendary_Bibo]

New MLP Season 2 Episode :D

I actually plan on doing a clean install of Ubuntu. Too many programs that I don't really use and all I have to do is backup my home directory (this time I'm making a separate partition for /home).

I wanted something that used GTK 3 and not Gnome Shell. Unity seems...okay.

[SoFl W]

Times up already...

[Legendary_Bibo]

Times up already...

If you open the image and move it around it looks like a flickering CRT TV.

[Alwimo]

I like http://thisisntthecountdown.com/

:)

[dniMretsaM]

I should make the countdown my homepage until the time is up.


I like http://thisisntthecountdown.com/

:)

:lolflag:

[ubupirate]

I stumbled onto this website even before I saw this thread, and I am just absolutely confused about what it could be for.

At first I thought it was for Oneiric release, but that is set to be 13th of October and 7 days from now is the 11th.

Hmmm.....

[dniMretsaM]

At first I thought it was for Oneiric release, but that is set to be 13th of October and 7 days from now is the 11th.

Hmmm.....

7 days 8 hours (the time on the clock at the time this is being posted) is the 13th in Europe (where Canonical is based) I think. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

[KiwiNZ]

it's the 13th,

That is the day Canonical is purchased by Microsoft.

[ubupirate]

7 days 8 hours (the time on the clock at the time this is being posted) is the 13th in Europe (where Canonical is based) I think. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

It would need to be the 5th + some hours for 7 days/8 hours to make it into the 13th for the UK (where Canonical is).

It only only be the 12th from today (it's not yet the 5th in UK if I am assuming +5/+6 hours ahead of me).

[Lucradia]

Hey wait a minute...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oM9RO-GAKjE

UN Packed is around the 11th, which is in 6 days.

[business_user]

Doesn't work in my browser (Firefox 6.2). Also, gives an error message in IE8 saying "You're using an outdated browser" even though IE8 is still officially supported by Microsoft. Come on, this shouldn't be an excuse to push specific web browsers on people! Let people choose for themselves.

[CharlesA]

Doesn't work in my browser (Firefox 6.2). Also, gives an error message in IE8 saying "You're using an outdated browser" even though IE8 is still officially supported by Microsoft. Come on, this shouldn't be an excuse to push specific web browsers on people! Let people choose for themselves.
Mmm browser sniffing. Funny thing about that message is that IE8 is the highest one you can get on XP.

Page displayed fine in IE8 too. *shrugs*

[Lucradia]

Works fine in Midori 0.4.0 for Windows 32-Bit.

[PC_load_letter]

Works fine in Chrome 13.0.782.218 here. Reads, 6 days, 12 hrs., 46 mins.

I wonder what this new Ubuntu powered computer might be, I'm already spooked :D

[PuddingKnife]

hey, what is this...

[Dragonbite]

Wait, the countdown says 6 days, while the countdown banner I have says 8!

So maybe there IS more than meets the eye! Now I feel giddy! :)

[sffvba[e0rt]

Well, if it is something as awesome looking as this (http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1854648) then "Yes please!"


404

[sanderella]

Well, if it is something as awesome looking as this (http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1854648) then "Yes please!"


404

Would be great!

[Dry Lips]

Oh god it happened already. Someone added music.

http://thisisthefinalcountdown.com/

Following this link made Firefox crash!

[Lucradia]

Following this link made Firefox crash!

worksforme

[Lucradia]

Notice today... the planet background back there is getting glitched up. The slanted bars are now moving.

[Dry Lips]

worksforme

It worked in chromium, but crashed FF so bad that I had to do a
reboot before it would launch again. I'm not clicking that link again...

Of course YMMV

[trivialpackets]

Maybe Firefox didn't like the song?

[dniMretsaM]

Doesn't work in my browser (Firefox 6.2). Also, gives an error message in IE8 saying "You're using an outdated browser" even though IE8 is still officially supported by Microsoft. Come on, this shouldn't be an excuse to push specific web browsers on people! Let people choose for themselves.

If you have the NoScript add-on or JavaScript turned off or something like that, you'll need to disable it for that site.

[Dry Lips]

http://askubuntu.com/questions/64284/what-does-thisisthecountdown-com-count-down-to

[Dry Lips]

1. Download this gif:

http://worldspaceagency.org/security/bg.gif

2. Rename .gif to .mp3

3. It didn't work in Rythmbox, but it worked in VLC media player

So... What does this mean? Well, this is soooooo interesting! ;)

[Lucradia]

1. Download this gif:

http://worldspaceagency.org/security/bg.gif

2. Rename .gif to .mp3

3. It didn't work in Rythmbox, but it worked in VLC media player

This doesn't work in Windows Media Player. It will give an "...encountered a problem" error.

I am not downloading VLC. Avidemux cannot open it as MP3.

[Dry Lips]

audacity also works...

[Lucradia]

audacity also works...

I don't usually edit audio =/ I just mash videos together after using fraps and whatnot.

[Dry Lips]

I don't usually edit audio =/ I just mash videos together after using fraps and whatnot.

Actually it is both a gif and a mp3 at the same time :P

[Lisimelis]

This is refreshingly weird and i cant wait for anyone to find a new clue or something!!!

[haresear]

Gnome Mplayer also works.

[duke.tim]

I have just spent a bit of time playing around with the audio track (I may just be barking up the wrong tree[which is quite likely]) and it seems there is an embedded audio track, which I can cancel out by spilting stereo to mono and then invert one of the tracks. But I'm not sure on how to do the reverse and isolate the audio.

There is a lot of interference below 400hz.

You can see/hear several audio splices put together, open it up in audacity and look at the spectrograph.

if you work bit by bit and cancel out the random stuff in it maybe, you'll find something.

[wolfen69]

it's the 13th,

That is the day Canonical is purchased by Microsoft.

Don't even joke about that.

[CharlesA]

it's the 13th,

That is the day Canonical is purchased by Microsoft.

I lol'd.

Thanks! :D

[simpleblue]

The countdown no longer plays the 'final countdown' song. :(

[goldshirt9]

It doesnt matter what happens , if you cannot run it.

[BrokenKingpin]

I am assuming it is just for the new 11.10 release, but I am still pretty excited for it (more so Xubuntu than Ubuntu).

[Lucradia]

I am assuming it is just for the new 11.10 release, but I am still pretty excited for it (more so Xubuntu than Ubuntu).

Did they finally upgrade XFCE?!

[Atamisk]

Did they finally upgrade XFCE?!


The oneiric version string says 4.8 in my xfce! (So... yes)


On a more on-topic note, this whole countdown thing is fantastic fun.

[Lucradia]

The oneiric version string says 4.8 in my xfce! (So... yes)

I need to get my virtual box ready then. I need to try that out when it comes.

[BrokenKingpin]

Xfce 4.8 was also in 11.04. I think the big thing for this release is moving from GDM to LightDM. This should remove some bloat, and they are also replacing a few applications to reduce the Gnome dependencies. So hopefully these changes make the system a bit lighter.

[Lucradia]

Xfce 4.8 was also in 11.04. I think the big thing for this release is moving from GDM to LightDM. This should remove some bloat, and they are also replacing a few applications to reduce the Gnome dependencies. So hopefully these changes make the system a bit lighter.

Only reason why pidgin requires gnome stuff is because it gets proxy info from gnome config. Ayttm and finch do not.

[ikt]

Anyone still have a fly in their icecream?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUAzicy_01o&t=30m30s

1 release to go and I'm still getting text on my screen during bootup and shutdown :(

[Alwimo]

The answers on this Ask Ubuntu page show a lot of interesting hidden clues.
http://askubuntu.com/questions/64284/what-does-thisisthecountdown-com-count-down-to

[ikt]

the title has changed?


I'm going to lean on the enter key and see what hapopens

(1 day 13 hours)

edit: title is random

[collisionystm]

who imagines alien music? and why would it sound different to human music?

wtf

[LinTux]

what is with these odd messages at http://thisisthecountdown.com


Maybe we have to use bill clinton to solve the ARG


you're really doing puzzles with this stuff/


i think i'm hearing things


we're like toddlers with a jigsaw puzzle


surprisingly, the nyan jazz cover isn't terribly annoying. It.... settles in my ears comfortably


That's not even proper german


i think i just crashed someone's anagram server by feeding it 101 characters


we made these puzzles SO BLOODY EASY FOR YOU, and you STILL don't GET IT?


I'm a l33t haxxor, I'm just... letting you guys have a chance ;)


Seriously, what is up with ohio? all the cool stuff happens in Ohio


who imagines alien music? and why would it sound different to human music?


Let's put on some inspirational music


Ok, now where is the rest of the transmission?


IT WORKS. there's a transmission!


I'm going to have to break something that will make a satisfyingly large sound.


I'm going to lean on the enter key and see what hapopens

the only time i see


A whole new world.
A whole new computer.

is when it takes a few seconds to load

[sffvba[e0rt]

The plot thickens...


404

[LinTux]

also what's with the distorted picture?

[simpleblue]

The answers on this Ask Ubuntu page show a lot of interesting hidden clues.
http://askubuntu.com/questions/64284/what-does-thisisthecountdown-com-count-down-to
I have no idea what these clues mean. :(

[dniMretsaM]

The plot thickens...


404

The thot plickens...

[Docaltmed]

Paul is dead.

[galacticaboy]

On one of the clues at worldspaceagency.org click on about me and the at the bottom is a link to an employee portal, it brings up a terminal just press enter and hold it for the whole transmission. Here are screenshots.

[tenthirtyone]

On one of the clues at worldspaceagency.org click on about me and the at the bottom is a link to an employee portal, it brings up a terminal just press enter and hold it for the whole transmission. Here are screenshots.

Code translated here: http://paste.ubuntu.com/704729/

[galacticaboy]

Now it looks like this, what is going on???

[Alwimo]

It's on the last 24 hours.

[Alwimo]

Also, I'm not sure that advertising a linux distro with error messages is a good idea. :P

[galacticaboy]

Also, I'm not sure that advertising a linux distro with error messages is a good idea. :P

Well I don't think it is advertising this distro. This is something else.

[blakfyre]

On one of the clues at worldspaceagency.org click on about me and the at the bottom is a link to an employee portal, it brings up a terminal just press enter and hold it for the whole transmission. Here are screenshots.

And from that 'encrypted chat session' I get:
[encrypted sciencenet chat session]
[20:35:33] <mike> hmmm...incomplete transmission.
[20:52:59] <drmurk> the transmission seems to be coded
[20:53:00] <pinwalephd> vqof mblf tffnt up ibwf sfdfqwfe tpnf npsf usbotnqttqpot pg tpnf tpsu.
(of which says: line page seems to have received some more transmissions of some sort.)
[20:53:11] <drmurk> damnit, pinwalephd! you're using the wrong encryption.
[20:54:21] <pinwalephd> sorry, is this better? apparently ariss packet control is down. seems to be a bad power supply.
[20:54:47] <drmurk> yeah. we need to check with them.
[21:55:46] <mike> hey guys, i want to ride my brammo inside but i'm afraid of building security. wanna help me out?
[21:55:49] <- drmurk left the chat session (leaving…)
[21:55:50] <- pinwalephd left the chat session (leaving…)
[21:56:02] <mike> guys?

[8_Bit]

Never thought I'd see Canonical get into viral marketing.

I guess they're getting more serious about marketing Ubuntu. But honestly I don't think anyone outside of the Linux community has bothered to look at that countdown page anyway.

[vasa1]

... I don't think anyone outside of the Linux community has bothered to look at that countdown page anyway.

It does appear to be an insiders only type of thing. An outsider visiting that page may even be put off a bit!

[PC_load_letter]

The guy who posted at Ubuntu answers about the link between thecountdown.com and worldspaceaganecy.org mentioned something about a Thinkpad A22 on the ISS that was left there by Shuttleworth, and also the WOW! signal as two of the hidden clues from the sites.

Could it be that Shuttleworth is donating money/facility/computers to the SETI program? It sounds stupid I know, but I am not sure what all this hype is for. It's starting to feel a little too weird.

[Gh0stDog]

Also, I'm not sure that advertising a linux distro with error messages is a good idea. :P
:guitar: Just read the mp3 with banshee ;)


you don't know what actions you are taking, while it screams like a banshee...Transmission fails...

0x484558 resolves to 'HEX' with an Hex to ASCII convertor (... also prefix (484) 558- is primarily in Allentown, Pennsylvania )

Remember everything is in the sources : rgb(74, 46, 109) rgb(112, 47, 97) rgb(101, 114, 111) rgb(115, 112, 97) rgb(99, 101, 114)

gives something like J.mp/aerospacer ;)

[Paqman]

Could it be that Shuttleworth is donating money/facility/computers to the SETI program?

Maybe, SETI are doing their funding drive right now. It would be a bit odd to do a viral marketing campaign for something like that though.

[catlover2]

:guitar: Just read the mp3 with banshee ;)

Transmission fails...

0x484558 resolves to 'HEX' with an Hex to ASCII convertor (... also prefix (484) 558- is primarily in Allentown, Pennsylvania )

Remember everything is in the sources : rgb(74, 46, 109) rgb(112, 47, 97) rgb(101, 114, 111) rgb(115, 112, 97) rgb(99, 101, 114)

gives something like J.mp/aerospacer ;)


reed@Reeds-custom-computer:~$ sudo apt-add-repository ppa:j.mp/aerospacer
Error reading https://launchpad.net/api/1.0/~j.mp/+archive/aerospacer: HTTP Error 404: Not Found
reed@Reeds-custom-computer:~$
Damn!:lolflag:

[trivialpackets]

close...

http://j.mp/aerospacer

[Alwimo]

I have been contacted on twitter by somebody who only has three tweets, all about the countdown, saying that it's "primarily a game" and not a countdown to 11.10.

Due to the dates not matching up, we had a good idea it wasn't for 11.10. But if this person has any inside knowledge, then it seems like we'll be disappointed about any announcements if I read the connotations of 'primarily a game' correctly.
http://twitter.com/#!/iSeeTriangles (http://twitter.com/#%21/iSeeTriangles)

[Dragonbite]

Ubuntu Phone?

Ubuntu Game Console?

Canonical buying Microsoft?

Ubuntu Tablet? (my feeling so far) There was a Chinese company working on an Ubuntu Tablet (and selling it). It could be they are opening up to sell it in the US/Europe?!

Red Hat buying Ubuntu? Doubt it, they don't need desktops yet but Ubuntu is gaining market share in the server market faster than everybody else (I don't remember if it was a blog post in Planet Ubuntu, or a forum thread right now)

Quarterly announcement for Canonical that they are finally turning a profit?

Dell or somebody else is starting to sell computers with Ubuntu installed on them (and actually markets it!)?

Mark Shuttleworth is the new Chairman of the Board at Apple, taking Jobs' place?

Hmm... some of these sound like fun!

[Dry Lips]

I have been contacted on twitter by somebody who only has three tweets, all about the countdown, saying that it's "primarily a game" and not a countdown to 11.10.


Perhaps it's a new computer game that runs natively in Linux?
An ISS space simulator?

[Gh0stDog]

close...

http://j.mp/aerospacer

Yes just fill J.mp/aerospacer in firefox navigation bar ( not in the search bar) and it resolves to http://soundcloud.com/worldspaceagency/02-traveler/s-lrAhQ ;)

I just found that J.mp/6EQUJ5 is also a jump code to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wow_signal

[michaelcarey95]

I had a dream last night that Canonical not only made an Ubuntu tablet, but was giving them away to people that have been using ubuntu for at least 5 years. Thank God I have a 6.06 LTS CD, eh?

lol this probably won't happen . . .

[trivialpackets]

Wow. First of all, I agree that it's very unlikely. Second of all, I can't believe I have been using ubuntu since 2004. It's been good times ubuntu.

[dniMretsaM]

Is it just me or is the countdown out of order?

[sffvba[e0rt]

Join in on #awholenewworld on Freenode and join the conspiracy...


404

[dniMretsaM]

Canonical is probably laughing their head of at all of this conspiracy.

[PC_load_letter]

Canonical is probably laughing their head of at all of this conspiracy.

Maybe, or maybe they feel it's mission accomplished :D

Just to check, the countdown should expire in about 11 hours IIRC, right? Right now this is what shows on the page:

[8_Bit]

I have that same "Out of Range" message when I visit the page.
What gives?

The point of a countdown is to, you know, count down to a specific time. You're not supposed to replace the page with some error page before the countdown is even finished. :P This doesn't make any sense at all...

[galacticaboy]

I have that same "Out of Range" message when I visit the page.
What gives?

The point of a countdown is to, you know, count down to a specific time. You're not supposed to replace the page with some error page before the countdown is even finished. :P This doesn't make any sense at all...

This is a game, its called an ARG, it is obviously teasing us for something. Just reminds me of when the show Lost was on and their first ARG was live, that was epic man, just epic!

[galacticaboy]

OHH It says something different now!

[CharlesA]

Why does this remind me of Portal...

Hmmm...

[galacticaboy]

Now we get a 500 Internal Server Error, what are they doing over there?

After a refresh I got the other page again.

[christoph411]

The suspense is killing me!!!:D

[Gh0stDog]

RECONNECTION COMPLETE. CAPTURING TRANSMISSION
ESTIMATED COMPLETION TIME 2011-10-12 04:00ZLast change ... with the hidden archive and password...

[sffvba[e0rt]

RECONNECTION COMPLETE. CAPTURING TRANSMISSION
ESTIMATED COMPLETION TIME 2011-10-12 04:00Z

Last change ...

Well, if the Z stands for Zulu then it is in about an hour and a half... (Zulu time = GMT = UTC)


404

[galacticaboy]

Well, if the Z stands for Zulu then it is in about an hour and a half... (Zulu time = GMT = UTC)


404

But that cant be right, because 4:00 Zulu or UTC translates to midnight tomorrow EDT.
WAITTT EDIT: Now I feel dumb, midnight tonight would be the 12th, wow dumb moment.

[ikt]

It has changed again! Now back up to 2 days 50 minutes >.>

[Alwimo]

What not to do: make a countdown count down to the beginning of another countdown. It's annoying.

[trivialpackets]

what not to do: Make a countdown count down to the beginning of another countdown. It's annoying.

+1

[dpny]

Dangerously close to a marketing fail.

[Rodney9]

what not to do: Make a countdown count down to the beginning of another countdown. It's annoying.

+2

They got us all excited, then add another 2 Days, why ?

[PC_load_letter]

I am disappointed, really, so all this hype was for the Oneiric after all. Not that I'm not excited about 11.10, but this stuff was a waste of time, for us anyways.

[Nyromith]

What I see now makes me smile. Maybe they decided to kick all those buggy and pointless desktop environments, and develop the one and only thing that was abandoned many years ago, but is the only place Linux truly excels in - the command line!

\\

[galacticaboy]

This was a dissapointment.

[trivialpackets]

As someone who played along in the game, it was great fun, took my mind off of waiting for the new release and kept me busy, also had me a few steps behind in a few things I had to do, but that's my fault!

I appreciate that the people who put it together did a very good job and I definitely wouldn't call it a complete disappointment, although that's not to say that I wasn't disappointed at all. We'll see though, as maybe there is slightly more to the story?

The user did note he is decrypting a bunch of files, maybe it's the rest of the album, IDK. I guess we'll know at the end of the NEW countdown...maybe... ;)

[Frogs Hair]

11.04 will be removed later today and the hard-drive prepared tonight . I'm Looking forward to a new release . It will probably a full 24 hours here unless choose to wait up.

[aykoola]

so this is the Oneiric countdown?

[CharlesA]

so this is the Oneiric countdown?
Only time will tell. ;)

[Gh0stDog]

RECONNECTION COMPLETE. CAPTURING TRANSMISSION
ESTIMATED COMPLETION TIME 2011-10-12 04:00ZBefore the new countdown I found a "hidden" link next to the IRC in the bottom of the page ... a file : http://thisisthecountdown.com/wsa-server-rip/EXTRACTED-CASEFILES-r1.7z

The rgb codes were different too : 097 108 105 101 110 114 105 102 116 102 114 111 110 0 0 in ASCII= alienriftfron.. ( last numbers were 0 0 one hour before the new countdown)

The title of the page was root@thisisthecountdown.com: Decrypting...

Then came the new countdown ....

Files are perhaps the same we found when connecting to the server via SSH.

[doppel.ganger]

What is http://thisisthecountdown.com/ for? I'm pretty sure it's not for Ubuntu Oneiric, partly because of the Twitter page. (http://twitter.com/#!/ThisIsThe) And what is the WSA and how does it tie into Ubuntu? Creepy...

[CharlesA]

Threads merged. :)

[Lucradia]

(http://http://twitter.com/#!/ThisIsThe)

Server not found.

[Gh0stDog]

Server not found.

http://twitter.com/#!/thisisthe

[CharlesA]

Fixed the link.

[doppel.ganger]

So what's it gonna be?

[simpleblue]

There is a new zipcode like thing just below the countdown numbers:

http://thisisthecountdown.com/

[Lucradia]

There is a new zipcode like thing just below the countdown numbers:

http://thisisthecountdown.com/

*barcode

it actually looks more like a torrent availability status bar, since barcodes usually don't use red in them. (Red in torrent means that "Part" or fragment was corrupted momentarily. Torrent programs try to stay away from those as best they can. But if no seed has a clean file ready, well...)

[Rodney9]

9 Hours To Go .........

[Lucradia]

sadly, you can't use a UPC Barcode translation system to decode the transmission.gif.

[trivialpackets]

It was a QR Code! :)

[catlover2]

9 Hours To Go .........
Hey!

19 hours for me!

[mips]

Hey!

19 hours for me!

I hope that's a joke or else I'll have to do a double facepalm :biggrin:

[Alwimo]

I hope that's a joke or else I'll have to do a double facepalm :biggrin:
It says 7 hours, 45 minutes for me.

[johnconnor]

It was a QR Code! :)
And it leads to a file, EXTRACTED-CASEFILES-r2.7z.
Opening it requires a password though…

[blusa]

It's happening...

[MrNugget]

Today was the only day which I have time to do this fresh install my system seriously needs. Since it looks like another seven hours for 11.10 final to be released, I'm downloading the daily build from 12. Oct.
My guess is that I then can run the updates after the final of 11.10 is released, right?
Any disadvantage?

[hojjan]

Today was the only day which I have time to do this fresh install my system seriously needs. Since it looks like another seven hours for 11.10 final to be released, I'm downloading the daily build from 12. Oct.
My guess is that I then can run the updates after the final of 11.10 is released, right?
Any disadvantage?

The final is out (check the usual places), even though it was built yesterday. It makes no difference at all.

[linbetwin]

cdimage has "release" now, no longer "beta2"

[Docaltmed]

Egad. Try going to the countdown page with Tor enabled.

[MrNugget]

cdimage has "release" now, no longer "beta2"

So I guess this is it then? Cheers for the heads up!

[galacticaboy]

I have to say, this was the most disappointing and stupidest ARG that I have ever played... truly a waste of my time...

[CharlesA]

The portal ARG was more fun..

:lolflag:

[galacticaboy]

The portal ARG was more fun..

:lolflag:

No, lol, you know what was fun? The LOST ARG when the show was on, the first ARG, that was fun! I spent literally hours and hours playing it, so much thought and imagination was put into it with multiple videos, tons of websites, TV commercials, telephone numbers, encrypted sites, and flash content galore, I spent all summer playing that, and the Finale was actually satisfying, I was not satisfied with this finale, I mean yeah, Ubuntu 10.10 is awesome, but I think most of us were expecting something bigger... If you cannot create a good ARG, then don't create one at all. That is all I have to say. I mean come on, with the LOST ARG, they even released a dang book as part of it!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lost_Experience

[ikt]

I enjoyed it, as said above it was a nice distraction from bug squashing, and the liquid/drum and bass they got going on is actually quite nice to listen to.

Strangely I don't think the ARG was actually disappointing but the result that came out of it, given that I'm up to release number 12 I'm a little over the countdown thing, which is why this countdown caught my attention.

Good show chaps, only improvement I can see is maybe something more hardcore for the 'true' ARG fans next time :-)

[galacticaboy]

I enjoyed it, as said above it was a nice distraction from bug squashing, and the liquid/drum and bass they got going on is actually quite nice to listen to.

Strangely I don't think the ARG was actually disappointing but the result that came out of it, given that I'm up to release number 12 I'm a little over the countdown thing, which is why this countdown caught my attention.

Good show chaps, only improvement I can see is maybe something more hardcore for the 'true' ARG fans next time :-)

It was quite suspenseful, but like I said, I think some more thought could have been put into it, plus there was not much advertisement around it, I only found out about it when it was over halfway done...

[ikt]

It was quite suspenseful, but like I said, I think some more thought could have been put into it, plus there was not much advertisement around it, I only found out about it when it was over halfway done...

Yeah definitely, at the same time it's a better countdown than the usual web buttons though :P

[galacticaboy]

Basically, if it was me, I would have done the ARG for 12.04, the LTS, because 11.10 is what I call "Goodie Releases". They are not LTS', they just introduce new stuff, updates, bug fixes, graphic updates, new programs, updated Ubuntu software and such. I would have waited for 12.04, the what I call "Rock Releases" and waited about 2 or 3 months before the release and did the ARG then. I would have used this time for more planning and gather ideas from other successful ARG's and implemented them. But for what they did, I guess it was not bad. You cannot please everyone! =-]

[galacticaboy]

Yeah definitely, at the same time it's a better countdown than the usual web buttons though :P

True, but when I realised that the countdown was a few days off from the release date, I stopped using it, but then crap happened and they brought it back. To me it just seems like it was sloppily thrown together.

[catlover2]

Now thisisthecountdown.com is down, thisisthefinalcountdown.com is also down, but the embedded Youtube video is still there...

[simpleblue]

The countdown was about 10 hours off from the time Ubuntu 11.10 was released. I was really hoping to join in on IRC chat for the big release party. Later I'm checking Ubuntu Forums and I see that it has been released for hours already. It was a little bit of a letdown. :(