Friday, August 08, 2008
Monday, August 04, 2008
Travelers' Laptops May Be Detained At Border
I saw this on the washington post.
WTF?? Can you imagine if other countries (say in Europe) started doing this? I would expect US citizens be up in arms, but this is being tolerated here.
I don't understand the reasoning. Don't they understand that with the internet there is a free flow of information (its in the tubes!). PGP file, ftp to outside the US.. done.
Is there really an assumption that bad people are stupid enough to cross the border with a laptop of questionable material?
Land Of the Free
*sigh*
Travelers' Laptops May Be Detained At Border.
Federal agents may take a traveler's laptop computer or other electronic device to an off-site location for an unspecified period of time without any suspicion of wrongdoing, as part of border search policies the Department of Homeland Security recently disclosed.
WTF?? Can you imagine if other countries (say in Europe) started doing this? I would expect US citizens be up in arms, but this is being tolerated here.
I don't understand the reasoning. Don't they understand that with the internet there is a free flow of information (its in the tubes!). PGP file, ftp to outside the US.. done.
Is there really an assumption that bad people are stupid enough to cross the border with a laptop of questionable material?
*sigh*
Monday, July 28, 2008
VR-like head units with wii
Wow.. I just this utube video about using the wii-remote which is mounted on your head to change the picture of your monitor.
By tracking where your head is compared to the tv, it appears you get a real sense of 3D. I'm really looking forward to see how this progresses.
Here's his main site. I'm gobsmacked on how cool this is. It's very similar to Microsoft's surface technology. This might be the future of UI design.
By tracking where your head is compared to the tv, it appears you get a real sense of 3D. I'm really looking forward to see how this progresses.
Here's his main site. I'm gobsmacked on how cool this is. It's very similar to Microsoft's surface technology. This might be the future of UI design.
Monday, July 14, 2008
Confused on how to do CSS?
Maybe you find those "Designing websites with CSS" to dry. Maybe you this form of communication is more digestible for you!
Sunday, July 06, 2008
Saturday, June 14, 2008
Railsconf in 36 minutes
I'm watching Railsconf in 36 minutes. 3 days compressed. Interesting to get the names of the presenters that you didn't get a chance to see and links for further investigations.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Free running is mad!
Just saw this video. Its called Free Running and is based on Parkour. Its Crazy!
Free running is a physical art, in which participants (free runners) use the urban and rural areas to perform movements through its structures focused on freedom and beauty. It incorporates efficient movements from parkour, adds aesthetic vaults and other acrobatics, such as tricking and street stunts,
Thursday, June 05, 2008
NewsPuppet
I've knocked up a little rss news portal aka popurls called NewsPuppet.
Please take a look and let me know if you have any comments. At the moment, the feeds can't be adjusted. There's lots more improvement that can be made into user customization and amount of feeds and categories.
It's written in RoR if your interested.
Please take a look and let me know if you have any comments. At the moment, the feeds can't be adjusted. There's lots more improvement that can be made into user customization and amount of feeds and categories.
It's written in RoR if your interested.
RailsConf 2008
Last week, I ventured forth into Portland (thats in Oregan) to RailsConf08.
It's quite an event.. Lots of technical presentations, lots of networking and general shooting the breeze.
Something that I found particular valuable, were the Birds-of-a-Feather sections. These are less formal than the others.
Overall a great time.. I look forward to investigating more of these:
- Pool Party: Autoscaling on EC2
- Quick and easy custom servers using EventMachine
- Skynet - A Ruby Map/Reduce Framework
I have an interest in cloud computing and dynamically allocating resources to handle load; it was good to talk to people who are actively using it.
It's quite an event.. Lots of technical presentations, lots of networking and general shooting the breeze.
Something that I found particular valuable, were the Birds-of-a-Feather sections. These are less formal than the others.
Overall a great time.. I look forward to investigating more of these:
- Pool Party: Autoscaling on EC2
- Quick and easy custom servers using EventMachine
- Skynet - A Ruby Map/Reduce Framework
I have an interest in cloud computing and dynamically allocating resources to handle load; it was good to talk to people who are actively using it.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Elements of Sustainable Companies
Sequoia is one (if not the top) VC firm in the Silicon Valley and shows us what they are looking for in a startup. Elements of Sustainable Companies highlights certain traits like 'Clarity of Purpose, Large Markets, Pain Killers" that is essential for startup to focus on.
Monday, March 03, 2008
xeyes++
Remember in the old days when you ran xeyes on your xwindows display?
Things have certainly progressed. Freaky!
Things have certainly progressed. Freaky!
Friday, February 29, 2008
Idea evaluation
Just saw an interesting post from Evan Williams, cofounder of Twitter, about the best way to evaluate ideas:
-How difficult will it be to launch a worthwhile version 1.0?
-Is it clear why people should use it?
-How much value can you ultimately deliver?
-How many people may ultimately use it?
-How many people may ultimately use it?
-How will people learn about your product?
-How hard will it be to extract the money?
-Do you really want it to exist in the world?
-How difficult will it be to launch a worthwhile version 1.0?
-Is it clear why people should use it?
-How much value can you ultimately deliver?
-How many people may ultimately use it?
-How many people may ultimately use it?
-How will people learn about your product?
-How hard will it be to extract the money?
-Do you really want it to exist in the world?
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Optimus Maximus
J-D-I
Back in few years ago, when I was working in finance in NY, we had a phrase called JDI - "Just Do It" from the Nike ad. In fact it was usually delivered as JFDI. (I'm sure you can work it out)
This is the way on Wall St.. you get used to it. It sounds scary and I suppose it it.. However it toughens you up. When you can trust your colleagues to get things done and they on you, you'll be surprised on what can be achieved.
This hasn't been my experience since coming to the West Coast. Things are more 'fluffy' here. People takes other peoples 'feelings' into account. Maybe its because I'm an INTP and so makes me less patient.
Case in point, it's taken 2.5 months to get a machine sorted out. (That's install linux on it and configure it for our setup.. WTF!?). A piece of configuration (5 mins works) can take 3-4 weeks to get done (huh?) and nobody seems to say.. WTF RU DOING? JFDI!
I've rebuilt my VPS in about a day, with not much clue what I was doing. A trained, skilled admin should be able to do it in super-quick time. Maybe its all this VC money that people are bathing in...
This is when I start letting out a bit of NY. I try and not push people too much.. I try to be nice. Give people a chance.. but if your taking the piss, then you deserve everything that comes your way.
Hence the reason for this post.. :) I read this article and it made me think back.
It's labelled 'Do it Fucking Now.'.
Read it and take it to heart. You'll be surprised on how awesome you can be.
This is the way on Wall St.. you get used to it. It sounds scary and I suppose it it.. However it toughens you up. When you can trust your colleagues to get things done and they on you, you'll be surprised on what can be achieved.
This hasn't been my experience since coming to the West Coast. Things are more 'fluffy' here. People takes other peoples 'feelings' into account. Maybe its because I'm an INTP and so makes me less patient.
Case in point, it's taken 2.5 months to get a machine sorted out. (That's install linux on it and configure it for our setup.. WTF!?). A piece of configuration (5 mins works) can take 3-4 weeks to get done (huh?) and nobody seems to say.. WTF RU DOING? JFDI!
I've rebuilt my VPS in about a day, with not much clue what I was doing. A trained, skilled admin should be able to do it in super-quick time. Maybe its all this VC money that people are bathing in...
This is when I start letting out a bit of NY. I try and not push people too much.. I try to be nice. Give people a chance.. but if your taking the piss, then you deserve everything that comes your way.
Hence the reason for this post.. :) I read this article and it made me think back.
It's labelled 'Do it Fucking Now.'.
Read it and take it to heart. You'll be surprised on how awesome you can be.
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Letter to America
Theres a great post funny floating called 'John Cleese’s “Letter to America”'.
I need to save this for July 4th. :-)
I need to save this for July 4th. :-)
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Database verses MapReduce
You might have noticed that there's been a discussion by some dbase guys about how MapReduce is a step backwards.
The article is a little shortsighted IMHO. It's quite well known that databases DO NOT SCALE. Trying running a distributed database on 10,000 machines. In order to get the scalability of facebook, google etc you have to take the data OUT of the database, and generally dump them in memcached.
In any case, here's a nice response to the above article by someone who works for (but not speaking for) google.
The article is a little shortsighted IMHO. It's quite well known that databases DO NOT SCALE. Trying running a distributed database on 10,000 machines. In order to get the scalability of facebook, google etc you have to take the data OUT of the database, and generally dump them in memcached.
In any case, here's a nice response to the above article by someone who works for (but not speaking for) google.
An award
Mywaves the startup I work at has just won Best Mobile Video Service award at Global Mobile Awards 2008. Here's the press release.
Woohoo!
Woohoo!
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Macworld again... *sigh*
I love this time of year. Xmas has passed, my birthday has just passed a few days ago... I can look forward to Macworld and think about xmas/birthday presents I can buy for myself.
What you don't do that? Duuhh.. :)
This year was good. I'm thinking its time to get the Apple TV and the Apple Air. I'm also leaning toward the iTouch rather than the iPhone.
I just don't do verbal. I don't like to chit-chat and talk bollocks.. fortunately my Mrs doesn't either.
I also don't want to commit to a 2 year contract. I think carriers suck more in the US... or maybe they just have more power.
In any case.. Loren Feldman again best sums up macworld.
Funny.
What you don't do that? Duuhh.. :)
This year was good. I'm thinking its time to get the Apple TV and the Apple Air. I'm also leaning toward the iTouch rather than the iPhone.
I just don't do verbal. I don't like to chit-chat and talk bollocks.. fortunately my Mrs doesn't either.
I also don't want to commit to a 2 year contract. I think carriers suck more in the US... or maybe they just have more power.
In any case.. Loren Feldman again best sums up macworld.
Funny.
Friday, January 04, 2008
Fate of Facebook
I was watching a vlog by Loren Feldman (I wish we had more of that NY attitude in Bay Area) about his departure from Facebook.
I tend to agree. Facebook really doesn't offer me *anything*. I'm fed up of it and specifically people who are on it.
Listen.. I try and update my status, ping people and generally interact, but I've noticed that more and more people just can't be bothered to be social.
I thought that was the point of joining a social network? The use of technology to maintain social relationships. Hello?
I've come to to conclusion that people join these things becz its cool and their friends are there or for marketing. Once the've had their initial fill they don't bother logging in again. Grrhh..
With Scoble being temporarily kicked off Facebook (he was breaking the TOS by extracting his own data), leaves a bitter taste in my mouth. The whole Beacon incident has made me realize that I can't trust Facebook to the same degree that I trust Google.
I tend to agree. Facebook really doesn't offer me *anything*. I'm fed up of it and specifically people who are on it.
Listen.. I try and update my status, ping people and generally interact, but I've noticed that more and more people just can't be bothered to be social.
I thought that was the point of joining a social network? The use of technology to maintain social relationships. Hello?
I've come to to conclusion that people join these things becz its cool and their friends are there or for marketing. Once the've had their initial fill they don't bother logging in again. Grrhh..
With Scoble being temporarily kicked off Facebook (he was breaking the TOS by extracting his own data), leaves a bitter taste in my mouth. The whole Beacon incident has made me realize that I can't trust Facebook to the same degree that I trust Google.
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