A comment on Jon Udell's Speaking and writing webscale identifiers.
Adding content hints to identifiers degrades into the case where you have several variations of the identifiers in the wild. For automation to help us it needs to know which identifiers are for the same thing. If all identifiers used the same syntax then it would be possible to automatically do this. Using the same syntax does not seem likely to happen given the number of global identification systems we already have, eg Handle (RFC 3650), DOI, URL, ISSN, ISBN, LOC, etc...
The core of the problem is not coming up with another identification system but coming up with a identification relationship system. This would address not only the same thing with multiple identifiers but also the relationships of parts to whole and variations, such as revisions or translations. Let's work on that for a while (independent of the larger semantic-web stuff).
Looking for tool to show all windows of an application in miniature
I am looking for a tool for Macintosh that when you Cmd-Tab to an application all the application's windows are briefly displayed in miniature at the top of the screen even if the window has been minimized to the dock. If, during the time the miniatures are displayed, if you click on a screen it is brought to the front and un-minimized when necessary. Has any one seen such a tool?
Narrow cars
Since Toyota bought back my truck a few months ago the family has had only one vehicle. For the most part, having one vehicle has not been an inconvenience. Chris and I have to coordinate more but so far we have not needed to be in two distant and different places at the same time. I have also been riding my bike more.
However, we do need a second vehicle and so I keep looking. Sometimes I think about getting a very small car but every time I look at them I keep on thinking "why the hell are they so narrow?" Brunel in the mid 1800's demonstrated that wider vehicles had a superior level of safety, speed, and comfort. So why do car manufactures continue to sell us narrow small cars?
Update: Geoffrey's response was "Narrow streets." Most of these cars are designed for non-US markets where cities and towns have historical centers that have narrow streets.
-- Andrew
However, we do need a second vehicle and so I keep looking. Sometimes I think about getting a very small car but every time I look at them I keep on thinking "why the hell are they so narrow?" Brunel in the mid 1800's demonstrated that wider vehicles had a superior level of safety, speed, and comfort. So why do car manufactures continue to sell us narrow small cars?
Update: Geoffrey's response was "Narrow streets." Most of these cars are designed for non-US markets where cities and towns have historical centers that have narrow streets.
-- Andrew
Misc about desktop
There is a lot of talk over at Minimal Mac about a spartan desktop. I do recommend Minimal Mac for its links to invaluable OS X tools. However, I frankly don't understand the whole fuss over an empty desktop. I never see my desktop as it is always covered with windows. Nevertheless, I do have a desktop background image that I took from the fantastic set of images of textures at Bittbox. Every now and then I see it because I press F11 to show the calendar I have embeded on the desktop using GeekTool.
The Newswipe Manifesto
[...] Yes, it turns out you were supposed to be paying attention to the news all this time. [...] Either way, your comparative ignorance leaves you ashamed. So you do something about it: you pick up a paper or you switch on the news. But because you’ve fallen behind it’s like tuning into episode 803 of the world’s most complex soap opera. [...]
More...
Close but not close enough
Damn! I have been refreshing the Obey Giant store all morning for the opportunity to buy a copy of Close Knit only to find that I missed the release when I went out for my bike ride. I will have to donate the $50 I saved to another worthy cause.
Friggebods
Wow! Chris and I might need one of these for the backyard .. and the community garden! Found at TreeHugger.
Looking for references to the integrity and wholeness of building your own tools
I am interested in memoirs and research around the craftsman's needs and desires of making his own tools for his work. For example, I once worked for a instrument maker and he made many of this own tools for use in dulcimer and guitar construction. Most of these where jigs but others where more complex like his steamer for bending wood. I have been torn over the years between using someone else's tools for software construction and information management and building my own. I would like to understand how others have come to a settlement on this matter. Perhaps there is no settlement. Perhaps this tension is part of being a craftsman.
Bike Lust
I have been riding my bike more these last few weeks. I have also had to disassemble it a few times to fit it into the minivan along with two children, their stuff, and family beach stuff. Today I discovered Montague folding bikes and I want one.Update: More folding bikes at Folding Bike Manufacturer Directory.
The occasional users and customization
I was glad to see Jakob Nielsen's Customization of UIs and Products today. The article supports my argument that your site must first support the needs of the occasional user. So make your site direct and simple. Nielsen writes in the The Importance of Good Defaults section “Despite its benefits, many users don't avail themselves of customization features. Users exhibit a strong bias toward simply getting things done on a website, rather than spending time fiddling with preference settings.” I take this further: For the vast majority of small businesses a single page web site is really all that you need.
How far the quality of sports broadcasting has fallen
Henry has become an ice hockey fan and so yesterday we watched the USA vs USSR match from the 1980 olympics. It was a great game. It was also a great broadcast. All there was was the game on the screen and the play-by-play announcer's voice. No forced jocularity among the announcers. No information graphics and animation that dominates the screen today. Even the score was not displayed. All of the factual information was relayed by the announcer. It was great to watch a game from end to end where what mattered was the game. It was an unfortunate reminder of how very far the quality of sports broadcasting has fallen over the last twenty years.
Craigslist Purchase Hunter RFP
During last year's Thanksgiving dinner a friend asked me about how to go about creating or finding a Craigslist tool to better support buyers and especially buyer intermediaries. The first step has nothing to do with technology. The first step is to clearly understand what the tool should do and how you would use it. The outcome of our discussion was the Craigslist Purchase Hunter requirements document. It is suitable for use as an RFP. If you decided to build this tool please tell us about it. Good luck.
FLAP bag project
The FLAP bag project is very exciting. I am also quite envious that Erik Hersman gets to ride around Ghana on a motorbike exploring the use of technology. Ignoring my self-centeredness, however, the simple application of solar cells, white LED, and reflective surface assembled into a practical bag enhancement is truly fantastic. Recall that much of Ghana has no electricity and no artificial light. If you have artificial light then at night you and your children can more effectively use the time for learning. With electricity you can recharge a mobile phone to communicate with other towns and urban centers. When you are among the bottom billion light and communication greatly enable you to raise yours and your family's standard of living.
Morning commotion around the chicken run
This morning the commotion around the chicken run was due to a full grown Red Tailed Hawk stuck INSIDE the chicken run. The hawk is an absolutely magnificent bird and we got to see it very close up. Unfortunately, we are currently missing Jenny, a very small bantam, and one of the new (full grown) Rhode Island Reds. We are hoping they both scattered into the surrounding landscape and will be back later today.
Update: All chickens are safely back in the run.
Update: All chickens are safely back in the run.
Best indication of successful IDE
It occurred to me this morning that the best indication that an integrated development environment (IDE) is working for you is when you use it just to edit a text file.
General assembly is responsible for RI fiscal problems
In response to Budget leaves more questions than answers in the Narragansett Times.
Letter to the Editor:
In RI the general assembly is responsible for the enactment of the budget into law. Our legislators' responsibility is to ensure the that the state operates to the benefit of its citizens. The sorry financial state that RI finds itself in is wholly due to their irresponsibility.
As David Caprio is fond of reminding us, the budget is complex. I agree, it is a complex document. (I have read it.) But it need not be. Why do we hide debit service? Why does the DOT have almost as many job categories (and thus pay levels) as employees? Why is "structural deficit" not labeled what it is "future debit"? Why are the annexes more informative than the main text? It is because the general assembly has little desire to let the light shine on this mess. To do so would illuminate negligence on their part to enact a clear environment in which to raise and spend RI's income. Recall, the governor proposes a budget and the general assembly approves it.
Until we have a general assembly that works together among themselves, with the governor, and most importantly with the citizens -- with veracity -- RI will continue see its future prospects dwindle.
Letter to the Editor:
In RI the general assembly is responsible for the enactment of the budget into law. Our legislators' responsibility is to ensure the that the state operates to the benefit of its citizens. The sorry financial state that RI finds itself in is wholly due to their irresponsibility.
As David Caprio is fond of reminding us, the budget is complex. I agree, it is a complex document. (I have read it.) But it need not be. Why do we hide debit service? Why does the DOT have almost as many job categories (and thus pay levels) as employees? Why is "structural deficit" not labeled what it is "future debit"? Why are the annexes more informative than the main text? It is because the general assembly has little desire to let the light shine on this mess. To do so would illuminate negligence on their part to enact a clear environment in which to raise and spend RI's income. Recall, the governor proposes a budget and the general assembly approves it.
Until we have a general assembly that works together among themselves, with the governor, and most importantly with the citizens -- with veracity -- RI will continue see its future prospects dwindle.
UNetbootin successfully created a bootable USB stick
After a few unsuccessful attempts with other tools I found that UNetbootin successfully created a bootable USB stick with Ubuntu 9.04.
Keep the lead in
I don't mind reading long texts online. What I do mind is the terrible control of line height (leading) that most sites seem to have (this one included!). If you are creating a web site with content of more than one sentence would you please manage the line height as well as you manage the font size. The default line height for most browsers is too small. For example, in this image the text on the left uses a 14px font with the default line height while the text on the right uses a 14px font with an 18px line height. I find the text on the right much easier to read than that on the left. (Click the image for the full sized example.)Update: I fixed this blog's line height. I doubt that this will enhance the value of the content, just make its worthlessness so much more obvious!
Building and installing the NetBeans Git plugin.
I wanted a NetBeans Git. The only Git plugin that I found that was also current is
http://github.com/myabc/nbgit/tree/master
I tried the 0.1 distribution but it did not work with NetBeans 6.7. So I built it from within NetBeans:
Clone the project...
1) At the command line "git clone git://github.com/myabc/nbgit.git"
Build the module from within Netbeans...
2) Choose File/Open Project... and pick "nbgit".
3) Choose Create NBM from the nbgit project's context menu
Install the module...
4) Choose Tools/Plugins
5) Choose Downloaded
6) Choose Add Plugins...
7) Select the plugin: Mine was at /Users/ajg/Documents/src/nbgit/build/org-nbgit.nbm
8) Restart NetBeans
You can now use the plugin to explore, for example, nbgit.
As far as I can see, there is no NetNeans UI where you can import a project from, for example, github.
http://github.com/myabc/nbgit/tree/master
I tried the 0.1 distribution but it did not work with NetBeans 6.7. So I built it from within NetBeans:
Clone the project...
1) At the command line "git clone git://github.com/myabc/nbgit.git"
Build the module from within Netbeans...
2) Choose File/Open Project... and pick "nbgit".
3) Choose Create NBM from the nbgit project's context menu
Install the module...
4) Choose Tools/Plugins
5) Choose Downloaded
6) Choose Add Plugins...
7) Select the plugin: Mine was at /Users/ajg/Documents/src/nbgit/build/org-nbgit.nbm
8) Restart NetBeans
You can now use the plugin to explore, for example, nbgit.
As far as I can see, there is no NetNeans UI where you can import a project from, for example, github.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)