Head in the Clouds

Here are some articles I forwarded to my team earlier today. The first is an interview with Craig Mundie, Microsoft's chief research and strategy officer. Mr. Mundie talks about composite computing and how the cloud becomes one aspect of it. The best quote: "People who started out and said, 'Hey, all software should just become a service,' started out with the misconception that the computing model that we know is mature and won't evolve anymore."

The second article is an interview with Richard Stallman, founder of GNU. Stallman has a whole different take on the concept of cloud computing. The best quote: "The computer industry is the only industry that is more fashion-driven than women's fashion. "

What's the right answer concerning cloud computing? Personally I think it's somewhere in between these two camps. Cloud computing will become one part of the whole computing experience, and it is this season's buzz word for companies who sell technology stuff. The hype around cloud computing will settle and, people will find sensible ways to use it.

I Just Had to Post This One

The Moron Brothers on YouTube...and no I didn't make up the name. They are self proclaimed morons:

Great Open Source Article on Slashdot

If you haven't seen this article on Slashdot, you should read it: Stanford Teaching MBAs How To Fight Open Source. Maybe B schools should spend more time teaching their MBA's how to embrace open source software instead of proprietary software? My favorite quote: "Glad to see that $48,921 that Stanford MBAs pay being put to good use. Having said that, such research is perhaps a great, market-driven indication that open source is having a serious effect on proprietary technology vendors".

More on the Sony/Target Digital Reader Partnership

Here's some more information on the Sony/Target partnership to sell Reader Digital Book products:

• cnet
• PC Magazine

ReThinking the Data Center

Recently there have been some developments in building alternatives to the traditional data center. Google has filed for a patent of its floating data center. Intel is running a proof-of-concept data center using outside air. Now, we learn that Microsoft has been running a rack of servers in a tent outside one of their data centers...something that those of us involved in Boy Scouts can appreciate :). You might be asking, "what's the point of all this?" The point is to get us to rethink the traditional data center from its location to the how we cool and maintain the environment.

Sony Reader Sighting

Tonight, after waiting in line at Costco for 30 minutes for gas, my youngest son and I headed to a nearby Target. While wondering around Target, I say a Sony Reader display in electronics. Target is selling the Reader for $299. They also have several accessories, including prepaid eBook cards for the Sony eBook store. I picked up a cover with a built in light for mine.

I think it's very interesting that Sony is now selling their digital reader products in Target. I guess they've finally started to market it. I've had one for almost a year now and enjoy it. It looks cooler than the Kindle. I only have a couple of complaints. First, it doesn't have wireless capabilities like the Kindle does. Second, the desktop software only runs on Windows...though I've been able to find an open source product that runs on the Mac and allows you to manage the device: calibre.

Ok, I do have one additional complaint, there are some publishers that haven't started providing content for the device.

Creating Books "Old School Style"

I thought you might enjoy the following video from the 1940's that shows the process of making a book. Printing a Book, Old School from Armin Vit.

Recent E-Reader/E-Ink Launches

By now you've already seen or at least read about Esquire Magazine's 75th Anniversary cover with flexible e-Ink technology. If you're interested in this technology, here are some other eReader devices you should also be watching:

• Plastic Logic eReader. This device is supposed to launch in January.
• Polymer Vision Readius. A flexible pocket eReader.

One of the big differences between these devices and the Amazon Kindle and Sony Reader, is that they use flexible polymer screens instead of glass. The screens are also touch sensitive...something that those of us who use an iPhone enjoy.

From dotProject to Mingle

As my development teams move to more toward Agile development methodologies, they found dotProject to be less than adequate. After a some research, they found and started using Mingle, an Agile Project Management tool. So far the reviews have been very positive.

Gibson EM-150 Pickup Rebuild

I was researching my 1969 Gibson EM-150 mandolin on the web and found the following video on YouTube. This video shows Clint Searcy from Searcy String Works rebuilding a Katrina damaged P-90 mandolin pickup that I assume came from an EM-150 since it is the only Gibson that I'm aware of with this kind of pickup. Enjoy.

Just Because I Like the Banjo

You're not a banjo player if you've never had something like this happen to you:

More to the Mythbusters and RFID Story

Last week I posted a video about a Mythbusters episode on RFID security that was supposedly stopped by corporate attorneys. Here's a follow up to that story fromcnet.com. Here's a clarification from Adam Savage. No matter what, my sons and I remain faithful Mythbusters watchers.