...more recent posts
We stopped over in Minneapolis on the way home. Walking through the crowded terminal I started to get a little panicked. There were too many people around. I've never felt that before. I had a sudden desire to flee. Not the thought, but the physical desire. And I wasn't even back in NYC yet.
I wonder if some people feel that and actually can't go on. It's not like that for me. I just noticed the feeling with some interest and kept walking. No big problem. My social filters had atrophied, but I knew my urban defenses would come back up soon enough. It had only been two weeks. Still, I wonder what the transition would be like if I had lived out in the country all my life. I think New York would be oppressive.
And frankly, right now it is. But not because of the people. I'm already used to them. It's this heat. Oh my god. Last night we could barely sleep. This is some serious stuff. Not having an AC is pretty much unthinkable, yet that's our situation. Sort of like being in the sauna all day. The upside is that just surving seems like an accomplishment. Pesky things like work can be put off without the usual bit of guilt.
Not sure how to write about the trip yet. It was an important one for me. Maybe I'll just concentrate on getting some pictures up. I had a great time, for sure, but it already seems far in the past. It's harder than I thought to reconcile these different worlds. But it sure is fun to have the chance to try.
Heading for Montana. Be back on July 1. I'm praying everything stays running until then. I might get a brief connection in about a week, and if so I'll check in. Happy summer everyone.
The OED looks at blog:
As the publication of the New Edition of the Oxford English Dictionary gets fully under way, one of the major changes to the OED's editorial efforts has been the creation of an editorial office concentrating on the collection and editing of materials relating to North American English....
...The NAEU is also working closely with the new words group in Oxford, carefully reviewing the high-profile new words that are so often of American origin, and drafting new entries for words that have come to our attention. Some of the words we have drafted in recent months include tipping point, gentleman's C, weaponize, collateral damage, blog, skeevy, and perp walk.
There are lots of poorly worded reports about a new virus that infects jpeg picture files. Supposedly you can get the virus by just opening an infected jpeg file. This is not true. The virus infects microsoft windows machines. Parts of the virus are contained in jpeg picture files, but these images are completely harmless unless you are using an infected windows machine. In other words, and as usual, if you are not running windows you are completely safe from this threat. So calling it a jpeg virus (instead of a windows virus) is quite misleading.
Are there any uber bloggers left who haven't switched to OS X?
Just a clarification about my apparently fundamentalist pro-apple position. It's not that I don't think Apple would screw us if they were in a position to. Despite their hippie empower-the-world origins, I do believe they would turn the screws to maximize profits if there was a way to do so. It's just that they are not in such a position. And barring a direct meteor strike on Redmond Washington they won't ever be in that position.
Sure, I'd rather the tidal wave of change was washing up on a truly open and free shore, but that isn't going to happen. No other UNIX is ready for the non-geek user. So given the realities of the situation, and the absolute necessity of stopping Microsoft from assimilating the entire internet, Apple is the best looking compromise. It's not completely free but the foundation is free, and apple is commited to open standards. But beyond that, and most importantly, it just works. I think Apple will lead us, if not to the best of all worlds, at least to the best world we might possibly reach. That's my bit of realcomputertik for the day.
Pre vacation crunch time. Leaving for the wild west on Saturday. Won't be much time for updates. Hopefully I'll get some internet access while I'm away.
Apple has a new ad campaign called Switch. In a break from previous efforts, it's aimed directly at converting Windows users. Looks really good so far. This one (quicktime video clip) seems particularly effecitive.
When asked whether these ads might anger crucial business partner Microsoft, Jobs answered by saying that the Apple Microsoft relationship was very strong, and besides "what's a few marketshare points among friends?" Good answer Steve.
Here's my obligatory pointer to Gordon Mohr's funny solution to the digital rights management issue:
I humbly suggest the most cost-effective and reliable solution to the copyright industries' troubles will be DRM helmets, bolted onto each dutiful consumer at the neck. When these helmets sense watermarked audio or video within earshot/eyeshot, they check their local license manager and instantly "fog up" if payment has not been delivered.In an unrelated story I just installed limewire on Sarah's machine and was showing her how to navigate the gnutella network. I love people's reaction when they first realize the extent of power granted by general purpose computers and peer to peer networks. "You mean I can put anything out there on my computer?"
This will especially teach people not to listen to unauthorized copies of music while driving.
I read yesterday that OS X 10.1.5 overwrites PHP so you have to install that again after updating the OS. This wasn't my experience.
Does it really make sense to put (RARE!) in an mp3 title if you are sharing it with the rest of the world on gnutella? No it doesn't.