Julian's Blog

White lines (don't don't do it)

Microsoft recently released Internet Explorer 7 Beta 3. Don't install it.

From this comment:

IE 7 still did not correctly implement the box model, positioning, all CSS1, all CSS2, or any CSS3. The same IE-specific parsing bugs for CSS are in place in IE 7.

Writing HTML and adapting designs for Internet Explorer is a total waste of time. You can spend the same amount of time (if not more) porting over the core parts of a design as you do implementing work arounds to non-standards compliance of IE.

As a result of implementing all these workarounds and hacks, you end up with a web site that is "not standards compliant, less accessible and harder to maintain".

Then again, IE7 like everything else from Redmond is delayed. It was anticipated to ship in late 2005.

Tim Berners-Lee "Net Neutrality: This is serious"

Tim Berners-Lee invented the World Wide Web.

He writes in a recent blog post:

When I invented the Web, I didn't have to ask anyone's permission. Now, hundreds of millions of people are using it freely. I am worried that that is going end in the USA.

Knee deep in the hoopla

The basis of the internet is that it is not a 'pay per play' medium. A 5 person start up can compete with a billion dollar company on a level playing field.

It's what makes the internet great and bases on meritocracy. If you don't like a certain search engine, use another one.

The political buzz word for it is Net Neutrality. "With Net Neutrality, the network's only job is to move data — not choose which data to privilege with higher quality service."

Don't let the larger internet providers mess with the internet. They want to own it. Save the internet. We built this city.

It's the same way with Telecommunications providers. The larger Interner providers are spending millions lobbying congress to break Net Neutrality. The top executives get bonuses whenever a law is passed which is in their favor.

Floating around on the web is the Vista/Longhorn Source Code

This is the current email signature of someone I know.

Vista/Longhorn Source Code:

#include <win2k.h>
#include <winxp.h>
#include <extra_pretty_things_with_bugs.h>
#include <more_bugs.h>
#include <require_system_activation.h>
#include <phone_home_every_so_often.h>
#include <remote_admin_abilities_for_MS.h>
#include <more_restrictive_EULA.h>
#include <sell_your_soul_to_MS_EULA.h>
//os_ver="Windows 2000"
//os_ver="Windows XP"
//os_ver="Longhorn"
os_ver="Windows Vista"

There ain't no tits on the radio

Today I was listening to a musical homage to radio when I remembered that there ain't no tits on the radio.

It's as if there are only 2 FM radio stations in Hawaii. One which plays rap/hip hop and one which plays rock.

The reality is that there's only one channel. Clear Channel.

I guess that's why there's an alternative market in satellite radio.

Is it Centre or is it Center?

One of the more difficult things to adjust to in America has been the spelling of words.

It's something that has come pretty naturally to me though, living in the age of automatic spell checkers that give you a squiggly red line under every time you want to say colour and not color.

If American spelling was a coffee shop request it would be:

Ease up on the U's. Go crazy on the Z's.

I think I should consult Canadian Michael when it comes to spelling. He had me convinced it was "Control Centre" and not "Control Center".

RMS on Free Software vs. Open Source

This quote from RMS really brought the issue of the terms Free Software and Open Source to my attention.

It really gave me a better understanding. Or more so it was the culmination of what I had come to realize.

The Open Source guy would say - "I am surprised you were able to do such a good job without letting the users study the code and find the bugs for you. But I can argue with the facts. It seems a powerful and reliable program". And he will probably use it. Where as the Free Software person will say - "I don't care how powerful and convenient it is if it takes away my freedom. I wouldn't pay such a high price for that convenience. I am going to get to work on a free replacement for this program right away before anybody else get tempted to use that program".

From here.

To add pictures, music files or whatever to LavaNet Ohana Blogs!

A picture, an MP3 or any type of file is defined as a 'resource.' You can upload these to your albums and use them in your blog posts.

1. Go to the 'Resource Centre'.
2. Create a New Album if you have not done so already. You need at least one album to add pictures.
3. Create a New Resource. Select the file on your computer and select the Album that will hold the resource.
4. You're Done!

Then there's nothing left to threaten with, is there?

When you open up and expose the inner workings of a machine. What do you reveal?

Some fear that opening up, exposes the inner workings of the machine. That weak spots are detected.

More so the fear is that you are considered irrelevant. That no is talking about you and that no one cares.

Better to have no facade. Less paranoia. Gets things happening.

Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 Beta 1 due in July... Others learning to compete

RHEL 5 Beta 1 is due in July.

The main emphasis is on Xen virtualization support. There's a reason why VMWare and Microsoft have released "free" versions of their competing products*.

The landscape and respect for FOSS has changed such that a few years ago, competing companies would not perform such moves. Instead they would die a slow death and lose market share.

* Note also that the competing products are by in large built on full hardware virtualization. They are slower technologies. End-User-Licenses of VMWare products even explicitly disallow you from publishing any benchmark results.