Odds and sods again
A random collection of things that I don’t have enough time to properly write about but which ought to be noted for future reference:
- All sorts of news in the world of Humanized. Enso is now free to download, although disappointingly not Free Software. However, Jono di Carlo has left a comment suggesting that that might happen; my fingers are crossed. I’d love to see Humanized and the free desktop in partnership, because I think their work is excellent, and we have a dearth of good usability engineers. Another potentially great move in this direction is that Mozilla Labs have hired some of the Humanized engineers.
- We’ve announced dates for LugRadio Live USA: come to the greatest show on earth on April 12th and 13th 2008 in the Metreon, San Francisco. I’ll shortly be allowing people to register for the event; at the moment I’m trying to decide precisely how to do it. Paypal’s a pain (because they hassle you to create an account if you don’t have one), Google Checkout requires you to have a Google account as far as I can tell: any other suggestions for how to do online registration are welcomed.
- Adam Jackson writes that the phrase “Linux is about choice” is holding everything back: “It strangles the mind and ensures you can never change anything ever because someone somewhere has OCD’d their environment exactly how they like it and how dare you change it on them you’re so mean and next time I have friends over for Buffy night you’re not invited mom he’s sitting on my side
again.” I couldn’t agree more, I really couldn’t. Well said, that man. - Stuart Colville (currently fourth in a a Google search for “stuart”, one place behind me, ahaha, take that, Colville!) writes about the new Macbook Air and compares it unfavourably to the Eee PC. I’m a big fan of the Eee, because Asus have the right idea; there are lots of similar sub-notebooks coming out which all have the idea “we need to make a small notebook” but don’t have the idea “and we need to not charge a thousand pounds for it”. I know lots of people who have bought an Eee, precisely because it’s two hundred pounds, and it’s actually a really nice machine. We were keen on it on LugRadio, too (and don’t forget that we’re giving an Eee away; go enter the competition. Good work Asus, I say.
It would be useful if there was a deadline published at http://www.lugradio.org/pimpmylugradio so that people who’re too busy to listen right now could find out when to finalise their entries.
61 minutes later
If we had a deadline, we’d publish it, but we’re intentionally leaving it open. Entries probably need to be in before the end of January or so, so I’ll put a note up to that effect; good reminder.
63 minutes later
From glancing at the Enso page it looks somewhat similar to the new Gnome-Do project, which is Free Software and seems pretty handy.
2 hours later
The macbook air is not really a competitor to the eee, it is much larger(length and width), and is the price of about 6(!) eee’s in the UK. I think it is too thin, and this has made compromises in the design, the 1.8 inch drives are painfully slow, and the non replaceable battery is frankly, useless. Maybe that was why Jobs was banging on about the recyclability of it,because in a couple of years, in the bin it goes.
I would not buy one over the eee, it looks too delicate and fragile, I can chuck the eee in my college bag, and It is sturdy enough that it will survive pretty much anything. Even if it breaks the price is a lot more agreeable to replace it, or upgrade when the next model comes out.
The air is a laptop for ponces.
6 hours later
“I know lots of people who have bought an Eee, precisely because it’s two hundred pounds, and it’s actually a really nice machine. We were keen on it on LugRadio, too”
except for your freedom hating mate jono who will probably buy either another sony or, god help him, some ghastly apple product, http://www.jonobacon.org/?p=1101
40 hours later
asshat: Jono doesn’t belong to me :) I nudged him yesterday about buying a laptop which was entirely supportable by free software, but he makes his own decisions. I invite you to bring it up with him.
45 hours later
I could have done that, but then I thought “who’s going to enjoy the irony more?”
2 days later
asshat - just bought a Dell M1330 with integrated Intel graphics, because I want a free software laptop, so how about you bite me? :)
3 days later
but you’re not a facebook user are you? :)
(nice purchase, btw)
3 days later