Sunday, April 17, 2005

From Dan Hale comes news that Brian Buck died on April 8. I wrote a condolence on the Buck family weblog: "Brian was a smart, generous and inspiring person, before he had cancer, he was a programming colleague, after, we followed his struggle, written so openly, so personally and realistically. I'm so sorry he's gone now, I was hoping we'd have his company, his inspiration, for many years to come." He was 33. 

Brian Buck: "It was never my intention to get cancer." And die. 

Rogers put together a remembrance of Brian Buck. 

Rupert Murdoch: "Some digital natives do even more than blog with text -- they are blogging with audio, specifically through the rise of podcasting -- and to remain fully competitive, some may want to consider providing a place for that as well." 

We don't get no respect from Google, we don't get no respect from the EFF, but we do get respect, tons of it, from Rupert Murdoch. Now who do you think gets it, the tech industry, or...? Heh. My bet is, I hope, clear. The techies have an inflated sense of self-importance. The information system of the WORLD is changing, Murdoch sees that, and sees himself as an immigrant (all of us who were reared in the centralized information system of the 20th century are), and because of that, understands that he has much to learn. The young minds of the tech industry aren't young enough to be rooted in the transition, or old enough to get that a transition is taking place, and that they are building on a foundation that's eroding. If they were aware, Google would be pushing RSS instead of resisting it, and the EFF would be protecting the integrity of our work, instead of helping Google undermine it. We have a chance for a revolution, it's just a chance, Murdoch gets this, so the barriers are probably going up, as we speak. We, the little people, need to work together, now, like we really mean it.  

Four years ago: "All programmers want to tell you How It Works. In excruciating detail. As if you cared. Try to be patient." 

Richard MacManus: RSS and the Big 3. 

Working on the OPML editor, I'm trying to figure out how to have the app come to the front on startup on Windows. Any clues would be much appreciated. Source listings are here. 

The delivery service says they'll not make it on Monday, so my new toy won't arrive till Tuesday, when I will be in Atlan-tay, on my way to See-at-tay. So no happiness till the week next. Sad Davey. 

BBC: "Photographs of North America's most significant landmarks and locations, including the Grand Canyon, Alcatraz and Mount Rushmore are being given a fresh perspective thanks to a tool by Google." 

Library Stuff reports that the Discovery Channel has 4 new RSS feeds.