Java.Net is having conversations about removing stuff from the standard Java libraries because they’re getting too big. The comment below really stuck out at me:
Combine that with a program to remove redundant functionality (by declaring it deprecated so it gets killed 2 releases later) and you have a powerful tool to get people to stop using old stuff like Vector and StringTokenizer.”
While browsing a collection of stupid pranks (most of which aren’t at all funny) I stumbled across some really great responses to a “10 year old school kid” (who in fact was the prankster) writing in to ask all 100 US senators what their favorite joke was as part of a school project. I think it’s fantastic to see that a number of them replied, but one that really stood out was this one from Senator Jon Corzine from New Jersey. Not only did he take the time to respond with his favorite joke, it was actually a good joke and he took the opportunity to teach this young child about the state of New Jersey. Now whether or not he wrote the letter personally or one of his aids wrote it for him, it’s still great to see that there’s a culture in that office of going beyond the minimum required and taking the opportunities to do good that are presented. Disclaimer: I know nothing else about Senator Jon Corzine, I’ve never been to New Jersey (or the US for that matter) and until I read his letter I knew nothing about the state of New Jersey (which for some reason that noone seems to know, is called the Garden State). For the record, “the garden state” in Australia is Victoria. Who knows why…. They have since changed their license plates to read “Victoria – On the move” to which most Queenslanders add: “to Queensland”.
You are a unique and beautiful snowflake – just like everyone else.
This is either a joke or the most biased reporting I’ve ever come across. If it’s a joke it’s not funny and if it’s biased reporting it’s so overly biased as to be obvious and thus much less effective. Not that I don’t think Blair’s labour party deserve to be voted out but comparing them to Hilter’s Nazi party is way over the top. For the record, the article appeared on the front page of Google News.
Firmly in the “what were they thinking?” category: two menu were arrested and charged with animal cruelty. What did they do? Kill a live mouse (each) by chewing it. The management of the Exchange Hotel where the incident occurred as part of an organized promotion claim “they knew nothing about it”. I’m the sure the expense claim for a holiday weekend on the Gold Coast (which was to be the prize) wouldn’t require any explanation….
David Starkoff points out this case regarding the provision of adult entertainment on Good Friday. David points out how “ironic (apt, perhaps?)” it is that the Common Prayer Book is pivotal in the final decision. However interesting it may be that:
the Almanac annexed to the Common Prayer Book has been regarded as part of the common law, and in consequence would have been received into Australia as part of the common law (Halsbury, 3rd Edition Vol 15 para 611 and Vol 37 para 133)
Apple has a bug tracking tool called radar and they let any ADC member log bugs into it which they may or may not get around to fixing. They don’t however let anyone outside of Apple view the current bugs in the system. This causes great amounts of flamage on Apple’s java-dev list (and I imagine many of Apple’s other lists as well) about whether or not the list should be open. Every few weeks someone just has to come along and ask how they search the open issues and it starts again.
The musical I’ve been writing has now reached “beta” stage. All the scenes are written, pretty much all the lines are written and it really just needs to be reviewed and cleaned up. Like developing software it’s hard to know exactly when to called it finished. I also have the feeling that I get at the end of most software projects: I know it’s not finished yet and I know things need to be improved, but I can’t quite put my finger on what to work on and how to improve it. Essentially, I don’t feel that the script is ready for prime time and while there are some things that I know still need work there’s a lot of stuff that I just feel that I want to improve but don’t know exactly how to go about it. Part of that feeling is actually not knowing exactly how to move from writing the script into actually starting production. Hopefully the same approach I take with software will work with musicals too: do everything that you can work out needs to be done, write done each new thing you find needs to be done as you find it and when you can’t think of anything left to be done, release it. In terms of starting production I think just arranging some auditions would be a good start – finding a venue is another task I know needs to be dealt with and will likely be difficult. I’m sure it will all fall into place.
It looks like I’ll be moving house at the start of July. Just went to check out the new place and it’s a big 5 bedroom house on top of a hill in Mt Gravatt. Almost 270 degree views out over the suburbs (the missing quarter is the city view) and the place is currently being renovated. Still no lease signed but the owner is apparently a friend of one of the guys I’ll be moving in with. The only real concern is that I haven’t actually met this guy, but he comes on the recommendation of my current house mate and that’s proved reliable in the past. Besides, I’m really sick of living in this tiny little unit with two cars and one garage.
JavaScript is one of those odd languages that noone really appreciates the full power of. Mostly that’s because it’s also an awful language that’s hard to get the full power out of, particularly when working with multiple browsers. Still, my work often calls for large amounts of JavaScript hacking.
Some interesting things I’ve learnt lately:
Hey, I’ve hit the number one spot on Google again. Ha! In your face Adrian Sutton!
That’s right, I need an instant family – give me the wife and 3 kids special thanks. Why you ask? I’m sick of paying crap loads of taxes so that the government can provide handouts to families. Having a baby? Here have $3000 as well. That’s in addition to the tax cuts. And the extra medicare cover. Now you might argue that families are an expensive proposition and battling families need all the help they can get. I’d agree. However, I’d disagree that the really rich families need a helping hand too – but they get one all the same. Besides, whatever happened to living within your means? I’m all for helping people who wind up in hard times because of things they couldn’t control or at least couldn’t be reasonably expected to control. I really hate being expected to feel sorry for the teenage Mum with a kid and how tough her life is trying to bring up the child alone. Yes it’s tough, yes I know a lot of single teenage mothers, yes they deserve a lot of respect and admiration and yes they deserve and get my help where I can. Yes it is also their fault that they’re in that situation. Unbelievably thousands of men and women, young and old manage to avoid starting a family before they can afford it – why should they be forced to support those people who failed to consider the implications of their actions? For all those people out there who have wound up in a tough situation because the plans you’d made didn’t work out or for those who are in a tough situation and aren’t winging for a government handout or are working to get out of the tough situation themselves: my hats off to you. I have a great deal of respect for that and wish you the best of luck in the future.