Universal Rule

Book Reviews

Monday, November 25, 2002

Blog browsers -- Comment()
Matt Croydon::postneo points to Formats for Blog Browsers: "I'd like to tell you a story about how I tripped over what may turn out to be a very interesting common feature of weblog software. [...] I wanted to add a facility that would automatically back up all your weblog posts and settings/preferences every night at a time of your choosing."

The blog browser idea is interesting, and the demo application is looking fine (currently Mac OS X only). I hope this works out!

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RealNetworks Patches Media Player Flaws: "Security flaws in RealNetworks' media player software could allow attackers to run arbitrary code on a user's computer, the company warned last week." [Google Technology News]

Replacing a desktop computer with a portable -- Comment()
Andrew Green e-mailed a comment about my recent PowerBook review: "Saw your quick review of the new TiBook and your comment about its ergonomics issues when used as a full time desktop machine. [...] I wanted to show you my solution for just that issue - the iCurve."

The iCurve seems to be a solution, at a price. I'm inclined to use the PowerBook without such an aid, working with the lid closed and with external display, mouse, and keyboard. But there might be others interested in the iCurve.

There is one problem with using both the LCD of the PowerBook and a traditional CRT display: after watching the LCD, the eyes need some time to get used to the CRT display. An LCD is flicker-free, which is not the case of even a high-quality CRT display. Thus, a big flat-screen display would be an ideal complement to a PowerBook.

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Earlier today I wrote: "Perhaps [IBM ThinkPad T30] will be even better than a PowerBook, who knows. Should I cancel my order for the new PowerBook?" I got a quick reply from JMTee: "What, changing PB to TP?!? Heck, man, don't even joke about things like that ;-)"

However, I was only half joking. I ordered the "middle" PowerBook model with the 1 GHz processor but without the SuperDrive. I tested the high-end model with SuperDrive, and it functioned fine. Writing backup data to a DVD-R disk is starting to make sense, although I still don't see myself making a DVD disk to be viewed on TV.

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Hypergene MediaBlog writes about the Fear of Linkimacy: "If news sites want to encourage democracy and freedom of expression on the Web, why don't they acknowledge that other sites exist?"

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Werblog writes: "Steve Gillmor is excited about Microsoft's OneNote. I haven't had time to check out the details of the announcement, but it sounds almost as if this is Microsoft's answer to Weblogs."

Mobile blogging -- Comment()
While sitting with my laptop outside in the garden in August, I wrote the following:

Is anyone blogging with a Nokia communicator? That would be ideal tool to take everywhere. Like the slogan "Connecting people" says.

It seems that the idea of mobile weblogging is catching on. I'm still wondering if it is possible to blog with a Nokia Communicator. With the next models it might well be.

Hyperbolic geometry in the unit circle -- Comment()
Tara Sue's Weblog News writes: "In hyperbolic geometry, an infinite number of parallel lines can intersect at the same point."

As I mentioned in my Mathematica 4.2 review, I wrote a package for hyperbolic geometry a few years ago. Some visualizations are available on the web, with Mathematica code.

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Scripting News points to Mickey Kaus: "In blogging, you don't do it once, you do it repeatedly. You don't do it right, but through feedback you eventually get it right."

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Brett Morgan's Zilla quotes: "... you might want to read Tech Observer, Kenneth Hunt's weblog if you're interested in SVG, Python, classification and other tech stuff. RSS available, of course." (via Nothing and Some More)

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Don't Be a Doormat for Viruses: "Had a good scare lately? My endless battle in trying to keep nasty viruses from invading my computer has made me realize you can never be too safe. In fact, I'm often reluctant to boot up a computer if antivirus software and a firewall aren't installed." [osOpinion]

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IBM rolls out grid future: "... grid computing is a foundation of IBM's long-term strategy to help enterprises manage far-flung, distributed IT resources in a virtual but cohesive manner. [...] But several developments suggest IBM's vision will materialize sooner rather than later. The company has already infused AIX and Linux with grid-compliant protocols, ascribing to the OGSA (Open Grid Service Architecture), and plans to incorporate grid protocols in middleware, including WebSphere and operating systems next year. To that end, IBM last week added autonomic features to DB2, notebooks, and desktop PCs. IBM also announced that it would offer consulting services through its research division. [...] The availability of a grid-like architecture will form the foundation upon which Big Blue can advance its On-Demand strategy." [InfoWorld: Top News]

Loss of PowerBook -- Comment()
Today noon I had to return the 1 GHz PowerBook G4 back to Apple. I had the machine for one week, and miss it already. I'm now back to using my iBook portable. Tomorrow I'll receive an IBM ThinkPad T30 for testing. Perhaps that machine will be even better than a PowerBook, who knows. Should I cancel my order for the new PowerBook? No, I'll check instead when the order will be delivered. Mid-December, or earlier?

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Bush administration pushes for repeal of Miranda law: "Bush administration officials U.S. Solicitor General Theodore B. Olson and Michael Chertoff, the chief of the Justice Department's criminal division, in a brief for an upcoming Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) case say that police have the right to force people held in custody to talk, so long as their incriminating statements are not used to prosecute them." [kuro5hin.org]

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RIAA orders US Navy to surrender: "In a timely reminder of who's really in charge here, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) has mounted a daring raid on the US Navy. [...] Acting unilaterally at the behest of the RIAA, Navy officials confiscated 100 computers on suspicion of harboring illegally downloaded MP3s." [The Register]

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Gartner in one easy paragraph: "You've got to understand that most of the input into Gartner is from briefings arranged by the marketing departments of companies that are paying them to listen to their briefings. Basically, Garter sits at the apex of the hype food-chain; they consume pure hype and produce little [...] pellets of hype that [are] as dense as neutronium." (by Marcus J. Ranum, on firewall-wizards.) [The Fishbowl]

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I have been using the 1 GHz PowerBook G4 in my lap while browsing the net and writing, for several hours at a time. The bottom of the machine gets a bit warm, especially under the battery when you are charging the machine. Fortunately the part of the machine closest to you stays cool. When running on battery power the machine doesn't get hot at all. Contrast this with the following story. This Laptop's Too Hot to Handle: "A Swiss scientist sears his private parts while typing on his portable computer. Could this take the 'lap' out of laptops? Get real, manufacturers say. By Julia Scheeres." [Wired News]