Wednesday, May 30, 2007

Celebrity Report: There really are celebrities able to make commitments and good decisions, and to live by some sort of values. Here's a quick story about a few celebrity marriages that are happy, long-lived, and without pathology. My favorite here is Will Smith. Great actor, funny, and seems like a genuinely good guy. Married to a hottie, as well.
Google is releasing a software component allowing its browser-based applications to run on a computer even when it's not connected to the Internet. I find this fascinating, if for no other reason than that it's a seeming admission that Internet-based applications are inherently deficient.

In addition, the component, called Google Gears, might create a significant problem for Google. No longer will its applications run solely on its own servers, over which the company has total control. Now, I assume, there will be the distinct potential that users will have applications with bugs that can only be resolved by connecting to the Internet for updates. This is, of course, a common problem to all client-based applications, and I wonder if it's something that Google is equipped to handle. Will they be that much better at writing stable code than the typical software vendor--code that's installed on millions of different systems with different software, specifications, and levels of user competence?

It'll be interesting to see how this works out. I've long believed that Google's business model was to eventually become just like Microsoft. I see this as a concrete step in that direction.
Hack Alert: Here's another extraneous use of the word "hack." The only difference is that this poster, following an apparent deluge of Diggers, at least had the wisdom to admit his error. I take my hat off to him, particularly in sympathy for the Digg effect.
Regarding Google and their apparent inability to come up with anything tasteful and appropriate for Memorial Day, Little Green Footballs has posted some good ideas.

I'm not an artist, but these don't seem all that difficult.
And I suppose there's something inherently wrong with American government efforts at "protecting American content businesses"? I think I'll copy Techdirt's postings and make them my own. I'm sure they won't complain.
The headline speaks for itself. One day, when I get the time, I'll really delve into why some people in the technology industry have such a hard time with basic philosophical principles.
This is promising: an electrical field treatment for brain cancer. Of course, it's made in Israel, and so I'm sure some people won't buy it.
Digg Report: Today's #1 Digg, at a remarkable 9921 Diggs, is--surprisingly--about a Microsoft product, the Microsoft Surface. Even more surprising is that the comments are actually generally positive, as far as I can tell. That's unusual for a highly-Dugg story about anything related to Microsoft.

Incidentally, the technology itself is fascinating. Reminds me of Minority Reports, among other things. Put this interface onto a flat panel and mount it in mid-air. As a desktop, it seems a little constrained, but still pretty cool.

Of course, it would look nice on my Tablet PC, although unfortunately mine doesn't have a touch screen (rather, only a pen-based digitizer). Funny, though, until seeing this, I didn't see any need for one.
If I were this lady, I'd be upset that my page was taken down, but ultimately relieved that MySpace is removing registered sex offenders from its service. It's not like a MySpace page requires all the much work, in any event.
Actually, nothing should force Apple to explain why it's putting purchasing information in "non-DRM" music tracks sold on iTunes Plus. If one doesn't like the information being put in there, one can always refrain from purchasing it. And, one should wonder why someone would have such a problem, rather than why Apple is putting the information in.
"Oh, it's just a harmless little *bunny*, isn't it?"...

Er, hamster.
I mentioned class warfare the other day. I didn't expect it to become so real, so fast.
I leave Indianapolis, and the Colts win a Superbowl. I come to LA, and the Lakers are falling apart. I just can't catch a break.
Hopefully this guy will be found soon, and executed.
Idiot.
Hasn't this kind of thing been tried before? Maybe Mark Cuban can make a go of it.
Boing Boing is still all over the map about the Venezualan "TV crisis" (read, on-going oppression by a crazy, brutal, Left-wing dictator).
Is this a joke? If not, could this have any purpose other than grabbing other people's wireless signals? If anyone can say why Boing Boing links to this without mentioning its obvious downside, please let me know. People should secure their networks, but then again people should lock their cars. The fact that they don't doesn't mean it's okay to break into them.

This device seems tailor made to break into more than one network at a time.
This is an odd device: the Palm Foleo. I have to agree with Ars Technica: this is a product looking for a market. Why would I spend $499 for a device that essentially just extends my Palm Treo smartphone?

Huh.
More from Ahmadinejad. MEMRI is a great resource for this sort of thing.