links, random thoughts, various opinions
So Christmas was a great break for me this year. For the first time in (several) years I was able to catch up on Christmas gifts. It’s tough buying for your parents and family, especially when they tend to acquire the things they need as they need them. This year I was […]
Weblications
“I’m still stuck on the notion that in less than two years Google will have a million-node computer operating as a single, optimized operating system for web-based applications. Google gets it. Most professional developers look at web-based applications and all they see is “the lameness of web pages as a UI”, as Paul Graham called […]
If you’re flying through Heathrow via British Airways and are a Mac user watch out for the wifi access in the lounge. They use the BT OpenZone system and for some inexplicable reason it will not work with Apple Safari or Firefox. What’s worse is the error tells you to call into […]
Out Of Control: The Sequel
“In November 2002, an unemployed programmer named Bram Cohen decided there had to be a better way, so he spent a few weeks writing an improved version of the protocols used to create peer-to-peer networks, and came up with BitTorrent. BitTorrent is a radical advance over the peer-to-peer systems […]
Hate Something - Change Something. (quicktime file) New Honda commercial. People are singing along here in the UK. Link courtesy of Veer.
Camels and Rubber Duckies
“Notice the gap? There’s no software priced between $1000 and $75,000. I’ll tell you why. The minute you charge more than $1000 you need to get serious corporate signoffs. You need a line item in their budget. You need purchasing managers and CEO approval and competitive bids and paperwork. So you need […]
Waiting in the Oslo lounge for my flight back to London. Since I was staying in London a few extra days to finish some things up at our client site I decided to fly to Oslo for the weekend to have Christmas dinner with our ‘abroad’ team member, Hina. Had a great evening […]
The Real Reason Why Google Is Digitizing Libraries
“One of the simplest ways to game Google is to scan out of copyright books, rare ones ideally, boost Pagerank buy buying hard links, and serve Adsense against the results. This is commonly done currently, with specialist Dictionaries.”
So I’ve been using a demonstration Blackberry while I’m in London this week. I have mixed feelings on it so far. It’s a handy way to get email in the evening and when I’m at dinner (particularly while the office in Vancouver is ‘awake’). There are a few issues with it though […]
The China Syndrome
“What is absolutely key to this deal is that the buyer is Lenovo, the largest Chinese PC manufacturer. Yes, the division was unprofitable and IBM would have eventually had to do something about it, but Sam Palmisano wanted a Chinese buyer and was willing to accept far less cash than he might have […]
At the airport (again, second time in a week at YVR alone). Off to London (which is great at Christmas time so it’s not so bad). I’m flying British Airways for the first time. So far the fight is late by two hours… but at least they phoned me at work to […]
In Montreal for a couple days for a clients Christmas party. It’s snowing outside and the air is crisp and biting. Good way to start December.