One thumb up, one thumb down

So, Chrome will start to come with Flash pre-installed. On the one hand, it's nice to see at least one browser maker finally step up and iron out this pain area: let's face, the average Joe usually would prefer to to have Flash installed rather than not, even if it hogs CPU.

In the end, there's no point in using the Internet if you can't actually use it. And for a lot of people, break.com et al is the Internet.

On the other hand, it's too bad Google didn't want to create a competing player. They probably know that the swf format specs are open and they certainly have the capacity to create a ridiculously fast implementation to rival Adobe's. I'd imagine that in a playing field where the status quo is "Flash Player is slow", being the one who can say "well, Flash runs natively and is super fast in our browser" would be a very strong differentiator for Chrome.

Here's for hoping that Opera will pick up the dropped ball.

How not to do a presentation on F#

Pretty much sums up everything that I think is wrong with Lisp literature.

Time for Wall Street to pay?

"We need accountability -- as in, jail time where warranted -- for those who created the financial disaster"

Right, because, you know, it's not like jails are run with tax money or anything.

Python + Linux Live CD

Just plop the CD in.

Scott and Scurvy

A story about Robert Falcon Scott's (tragic) expedition to the South Pole.

Sunyata

Interesting essay about identity.

A few things you should be aware of if you still whine about Flash (vs HTML5)

1. HTML5 video hogs more CPU than Flash under Windows.
2. You can actually do something about the Flash Player state of affairs.
3. The SWF spec is an open specification.

coLinux

I keep forgetting the name of this project. It runs Linux without the need of a VM, i.e. about as close to a real installation as it can be.

ReactOS

Basically, an open source Windows. Interesting project to watch for.

Little known things about javascript

Here are some pretty obscure techniques you can use in Javascript.

Here's some more hacking with the tilde (bitwise not) operator. The indexOf() trick is pretty terse (but it might be a bit too cryptic for some people).

Is God a Taoist

Very insightful write-up. God's explanations pretty much sums up my belief system.

Juggling

"Imagine life as a game in which you are juggling some five balls in the air. You name them – Work, Family, Health, Friends and Spirit and you’re keeping all of these in the Air.

You will soon understand that work is a rubber ball. If you drop it, it will bounce back.

But the other four Balls – Family, Health, Friends and Spirit – are made of glass. If you drop one of these; they will be irrevocably scuffed, marked, nicked, damaged or even shattered. They will never be the same. You must understand that and strive for it."

found here. credit attribution might be wrong.