Tech

Pretty decent discussion on Slashdot today about metaphors for software development. One of the more cogent posts: _ Frankly, I always hated the whole cathedral vs bazaar metaphor. I don’t think it portrays well the virtues and faults of open source and proprietary software. I use proprietary software (MacOS + some closed apps) for the same reason I prefer to “dine out” rather than cook my own meals. I just want to choose something delicious from the restaurant’s menu - and I don’t care that my choices are limited. Yes, if you cook in your own kitchen, you can customize you meal the way you like it - as it is with open source software. But this will consume you a lot of time and effort, so most people would rather avoid it - unless they really enjoy cooking, have really to much spare time or are really short on cash. It’s similar with Free Software - you use it if you really like to ’tinker’ with everything or are really short on cash. But if you don’t like the former and are not limited by latter, you will rather go to a store with proprietary solutions - where your choices are obviously limited, but you’re saving time and effort. So I think restaurant vs kitchen is a better metaphor for proprietary vs free/open._ ...

Random, cool xhtml based slideshow template. Yep…a slideshow in a browser, no software (*cough*Powerpoint*cough*) required.

All the nerds (or former nerds) out there read this by Paul Graham, nerd and tech evangelist. (No, it’s not programming gobblydygook…READ it!) I don’t particularly like his writing style, nor his edification of the ’nerd’ as the proto-adult who misunderstands the endgame known as ‘popularity’, but his quotable quotes are amazing: Another reason kids persecute nerds is to make themselves feel better. When you tread water, you lift yourself up by pushing water down. Likewise, in any social hierarchy, people unsure of their own position will try to emphasize it by maltreating those they think rank below. I’ve read that this is why poor whites in the United States are the group most hostile to blacks. ...

So much for my fancy-schmancy Palm Tungsten T. It’s hosed. i’m staring at a blank screen that just says ‘Reset’, but whenever I reset it, it brings me back to the blank screen. >>sigh« this is me paying the stupid tax for buying a device I really didn’t need.

Well, found a way to sign-up for google’s new Email Service. Instead of the paltry 2MB you get at hotmail or 4MB at yahoo, they give you a whole GIGABYTE of mail storage. my new address: miniharryc1978@gmail.com

Well, I’ve finally (re)joined the information age at full speed: Got my cable modem set-up last Tuesday and I waited a whole 6 hours after that to get my wireless router/firewall setup. Now, i’ve got both my powerbook and my dell running through it wirelessly on 1.5 Mbps connection to the internet. Nummy :D Also, in the package I get 10mb of web hosting, so guess what’s going there? PICTURES! For the past few weeks I’ve had a trial .Mac account, but that’s proven to be cumbersome, considering I have all the photo storage/editing/upload stuff I need right here in my powerbook. So, i’m going to drop that when the 60 days runs out and migrate my pics over to my new adelphia hosting. don’t think I’ll bother with an actual site w/them. My blog keeps me busy enough as is. ...

Well, I’m offically poor. I finally took the plunge and got myself my gadget-of-all-gadgets, a 15" Mac Powerbook: After using our Dual Processor Powermac at work all week, I just had to break down and get one. I love everything about these things: The operating system is unix-based, so it’s got 25 years of development and tens of millions of man-hours of refinements in it The user interface is unparalleled in its user-friendliness ...

Daily wisdom from slashdot Joe was an engineer. He worked hard, studied hard and took pride in his work. He was also faithful to his wife, raised two children to be solid members of the community and attended church every Sunday. Finally after a full life Joe died in his sleep one night. On awakening he found himself facing St. Peter at the Pearly Gates. Peter looks in his book, and finds that Joe is not in the Authorized list. He looks at Joe and says, sorry!, pulls the trapdoor lever and Joe starts falling. Joe yells “Wait there must be some Missstaaakeeee”. ...

Okay this is just cool: Google has a new application where you can find businesses and people who live around you: local.google.com