Windows Server 2012 RDS - Get IP for RDS Session

Windows Server 2012 is doing the same as most modern software - it is losing features. Sometimes that is a good thing - losing fat is good, spring cleaning your home is good... Trimming the fat from bloated software is definitely a good thing. What is NOT acceptable in my mind, is removing crucial functionality under the disguise of an upgrade / improvement.

I can think of many examples:

  1. Microsoft Edge threw away 90% of the IE11 browser's capability (many of these were good choices, some not)
  2. All the Windows Metro apps that basically contains no functionality other than core features, that were intended to replace their desktop counterparts.
  3. Mac OS X Disk Utility that lost many of its abilities just to look cool and be simpler to use.
  4. Mac OS X Photos app that is not even remotely related to Aperture, citing simplified user interface but basically losing 99% of its functionality.
  5. Online cloud based apps such as QuickBooks, that cannot do half of what the desktop application can do.
  6. The list goes on.
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Free Masons: A Project Begun

I decided freed masons are better than Freemasons. Here is the start of my little project:

The Mason Bee House
The Mason Bee House
The Mason Bee Buffet
The Mason Bee Buffet
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Failure is Not an Option

Mitosis in Garlic Roots
Mitosis in Garlic Roots

The image above has, like many photos, a story behind it. Often non-photographers look at photos and do not understand what went into the making of a good photo. When working with the microscope, things are even more alien as there is a bunch of additional considerations that need to be taken into account before you can even begin turning on the camera.

Lets start at the beginning. Not all good photographs can be had at first attempt. Sometimes you have to fail (many times) before you can succeed. Here is the best I could do 4 years ago:

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Confessions on the Dance Floor

Finally! I am not alone in this world...

To Process Or Not To

There are more arguments about photo editing and processing than there are photos in this world. Ok, that might be a slight exaggeration. But still, it is an argument that has become especially prominent with the rise of digital photography due to the easy manipulatability of photographs.

Some people believe you can do whatever you want to a photo, it is all about art. At the opposite side of the spectrum are the purists - who believe that the only changes you are allowed to make are basic exposure, white balance and sharpening. I am more specific in my beliefs.

If you ask me this question, I would say that it depends on the purpose of the photograph. If it is to document something formally like a crime scene, biology, photojournalism etc., then it is paramount that any adjustments be limited to those that improve the quality of the image and improve the correlation between it and the real world. Take note that I did NOT say it should be limited to basic exposure. My reasoning can be understood by realising that when you press the shutter button on any camera, especially a digital camera, before that image is stored on the memory card it had undergone a huge amount of processing. Some of these processing steps are:

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