Dilbert – The Knack

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmYDgncMhXw]

(youtube video)

Fullread

Fullread is a simple tool that helps you organize your online readings.

The way I use it: “web readings queue”
While I read my feeds I often click on links that open in new tabs and keep reading my feeds. When I’m done with the feeds, I start browsing the tabs that I opened. Often I don’t have time or patience to read them all so instead of having 30 or so tabs open in firefox at any given time, I simply add them to Fullread and when I have the time/patience I open my fullread queue page (fullread/lrei) and read the some pages, marking them for archival (sort of like when you archive mail in gmail). All my bookmarks in fullread are marked private so only I can see them.

In the future I also plan to use it as a full History of my web readings instead of just a Queue.

And yes I know fullread launched a while ago but I only got around to using it a while ago.

Warning: Internet Forums Ahead

Sort of the Greater Internet Fuckwad Theory applied to internet forums by CAD:

CdC Goolag

Cult Of The Dead Cow’s Goolag. Too tired to read it at the moment.

Sympathy For The Devil

The Rolling Stones – Sympathy For The Devil

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nNHkOryXosI&rel=1]

Mac Only

After 10 years I no longer consider myself a linux user and all it took was a few months of using OSX.

Mac is so much better it makes no sense to compare it with anything else out there at the moment. It’s in a league by itself.

Note: My home server still runs linux. Linux is without competition in the home server market in my opinion.

A Look at Dynamic Languages

Since there’s (apparently) been some discussion (I missed) @ PrintScreen about what’s the best programming language for beginners I’ll leave here my opinion:

Python

I don’t feel like copy-pasting & summarizing a bunch of text so I’ll just leave the link for a (draft) paper I co-authored which looks at the issue in some detail

A Look At Dynamic Languages

Abstract

This paper aims to present an overview of Dynamic Languages in comparison with the more traditional languages, namely Java and C++. The definition of the term “dynamic language” is given and what is commonly understood nowadays when the term is used. Then one lists the most common features of these languages and the advantages and disadvantages pointed by their proponents and opponents. Furthermore is enumerated some of the domains in which dynamic languages have been more successful and explain the reasons that justify it, as well as the domains in which there are few or no reports of success. Finally, some common examples of fanaticism sorrounding dynamic languages are given.

If you’re just interested in why Python is the best choice for a first language jump to chapter 3 – Dynamic Languages in Science and Education.

Gundam 00

Gundam 00 is currently the only TV show that I’m following with (a lot of) interest . On the outside it may look like a lame cross between Gundam Wing and Full Metal Panic! (I seriously dislike FMP) but it is actually pretty good.

The show takes place in an alternate timeline from other Gundams, our time! The world is an hypothetical near future (year 2307 AD) where fossil fuels are mostly exhausted and many of our current political problems, including Northern Ireland, Sri Lanka and obviously the Middle East, remain, well… problematic. The political situation was somewhat simplified by the creation of three world powers – The Union (America, Australia, Japan), The AEU (Europe) and The HRL (Asia including part of Russia) – and making everyone else politically irrelevant.

Themes approached (up until episode 17) include racial hatred, nationalism, imperialism, PMCs/mercenaries (sloppy), terrorism (poorly), religious fanaticism, child soldiers and civil wars.

There’s also a nice side-story that provides a contrast to the world’s situation: the relationship between a spanish girl studying in Japan and a japanese boy. The major events that take place during the episodes are often viewed through their eyes, with their opinions and the effect the events have on them making G00 feel much more “real” than Wing or Seed or most other shows for that matter.

So far, (at least most) characters seem to have a history, depth, understandable motivations and actually act more or less like normal people contrary to other Gundams and many other anime and sci-fi shows. The characters don’t seem at all like an “amalgamation of emos” like in GS.

I wouldn’t say this is as good as Code Geass but worst case it’s something interesting to watch until CG’s second season (R2 or whatever) starts in April and best case, it becomes one of the best anime I’ve seen (the list currently being FSN, CG and GS).

In Summary: So far, BIG THUMBS UP.

UPDATED 27 Feb 2008