The Parable of the Languages

Perhaps everyone other than me has already seen the masterful geek wit that Shelley Powers, aka burningbird has wrought -- since it was posted on slashdot some time ago.

Reading the burningbird blog I am re-inspired by what is possible in his medium. But especially this "Parable of the Languages" which is at once beautiful and geeky, a contradiction which you'll just have to grok for yourselves...

It begins...

If programming languages could speak, really speak, not just crunch bytes and stream bits, they would have much to say that is both wise and profound.

After all, the original programmers were philosophers, and programming languages were philosopher tools...

Can anyone recommend a reliable Email Service?

I have been a customer of SiteAmerica (part of Register.com) for 5 or 6 years now and the service has been unreliable at best over the last few years. My afterink email is out again and I am ready to switch providers. I need someone who will host my domain and provide POP mail or IMAP mail access -- can anyone out there in blogland recommend a service provider that I can count on?? Please email me at tshelton@borland.com if you have a suggestion... thanks!!

Lessig's Debrief on Eldred v. Ashcroft

Lawrence Lessig has surfaced again, with this report on events at the Supreme Court. I am taking this quote a little out of context but it is an example of the reassuring things that Lessig has to say...

The Court clearly got it. Though the other side had written literally 300 pages trying to show all the good CTEA did (and pronounce it like it is a disease -- sateeeya), the Court hadn't bought any of it. Congress was not acting to promote progress, it was acting to reward "court favorites." The only question the Court was struggling with is whether it has the power to do anything about it.

Blogdex - very interesting resource

Sort of a "best of" blogging, take a look at MIT Media lab's blogdex which lists and rates top blogs.

Microsoft Switch Flop

If you haven't yet heard about the absolutely ridiculous Microsoft "switcher" advertisement in which Microsoft claims to have had a Macintosh user happily switch to Windows XP, read the best account from John Gruber here. I guess Apple's Switch campaign is really getting under Bill's skin...

Giants Win!

Great ending to the Giants-Cardinals NL championship game tonight -- and a great one for my first time to Pac Bell park. For some reason I just hadn't managed to get to the "new" ballpark -- although I was frequently reminded tonight of reasons to watch the games on TV instead of inside the park...

At Yankees games it was all about celebrities -- here in Silicon Valley? I think it was Vinod Khosla that we saw at the game... Although my friend swears he saw Danny Devito as well.

In any case, it would be great to see Barry Bonds in his first World Series... They can't walk him every time, can they??

Joel On Software

Joel Spolsky is an interesting software programmer in New York who has a blog and reports on a variety of interesting software development issues. He was recently pointed out to me by Pat Kerpan, one of Borland's product BU VPs.

In a June letter entitled Strategy Letter V Joel outlines how technology companies seek to commoditize products that complement their own in the marketplace -- Microsoft commoditizing hardware, for example. I found it to be a good analysis, with one objection -- Sun thought that they were commoditizing the desktop, or client experience -- not the server. Worth reading though, as this is one small nit to an argument which I otherwise feel is right on target.