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It’s probably (was?) the biggest commercial event in the Netherlands and it’s the HCC days (via Alfons).

And to be honest, I have no idea what to think of it. In the late Eighties, early Nineties, we literally embarked on those trips to the Jaarbeurs. Exchanging ideas, conversations and tips: it was almost second nature of the HCC groups. They probably still do it, but the glamour has gone. Actually it was always fun to walk by the BBSes and meet the guys we needed to meet and make the obligatory pictures. And back in those days, I remember the cheer parade when every major compiler maker drummed up support for their latest compiler.

Have fun and be careful out there. You never know, nowadays.

The BBC focusses on anti-semitism in Europe and asks 12 experts the unevitable question: is anti-semitism really on the rise in European countries?

It is no surprise that nearly all experts mention the fact that too many people confuse criticism on Israel with anti-semitism.

   “The right-wing in Israel describes every criticism of the country as a form of anti-Semitism. It is very convenient for the present government – which is the most right-wing in Israel’s history and headed by a prime minister who has not taken the smallest initiative in the direction of a diplomatic effort in the peace process – to blame everything on anti-Semitism.”

Looking through Internet archives for nothing particular I ran into this gem of a thread: ‘Will NT destroy UNIX?’ (scroll up to go to the start). 1994, mind you.

Interesting (but old and now well known) computer tales about how Digital lost the famous IBM contract. Rumours that Novell was looking at Linux (eventually leading to engineers leaving Novell to found Caldera). Fast state-of-the-art PCs (386s). trolls.

The world has changed since then.

Imentioned the TV movie ‘The Day After’ (earlier) before, the movie that influenced many other fellow Europeans including me. Via Barefoot again, the notice that the movie was shot exactly 20 years ago.

The article as linked above doesn’t only discuss the movie (clips!) but examines how it changed the mindset of the (then) Reagan administration. Says Meyer (the director):

   “When he (ed: Reagan) signed the Intermediate Range Weapons Agreement at Reykjavik (in 1986) with Gorbachev, I got a telegram from his administration that said, ‘Don’t think your movie didn’t have any part of this, because it did”

Alfons has some pretty images (screenshots rather) of the game Call of Duty. He talks about scripted events, so I’m not sure if that’s a positive thing or not.

The images remind me of the days I was called for active duty: that was in the days the Royal Army was heavily relying on conscription. Yes, SIR. I was one of the guys that had to join the army to defend our nation from the bad red Russian invaders. I remember lugging a FAL around (“7.5 kilos without the bullets”) for over a month. Then I got lucky when doctors found out that my eyes were way too bad, well, according to army specifications (‘you’re lucky that you didn’t kill anybody’) and I was honourably discharged. I did my brother a great service too, for taking up another extra week in the army. He got the family wild card.

Eben Moglen, the general counsel for the FSF why SCO doesn’t have a case.

Moglen’s opinions come close to what I already know about the case, things I had mentioned over at Cleverhack’s. I am not what you call, a Linux zealot. I believe that basically all developers are relatively rational people who do the job because they need to do the job and because they love the challenge of solving problems, whether that’s on the Windows platform or on the Linux platform. Anyways:

Continue reading →

When I was running Caldera’s OpenDesktop more than 3 years ago, I remember using Webmin to do quick changes to the system. I have no idea why I used it, but it did the job.

Webmin, actually a couple of scripts written in Perl was initially to become a commercial product after Caldera decided to sponsor the project in 2000. I’m pleased to see that the project still comes with a lenient license (BSD in this case). Plus that the project appears to be alive.

Radio Netherlands and WNYC are collaborating on the website ‘New Amsterdam. Old Amsterdam’ (RNW goes here) to showcase the historical ties between the Netherlands and New York. Starting from November 17th both radio stations will highlight traditions and comparisons between Amsterdam and New York.

I see that the WNYC actually did broadcast performances from the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. Leonard Lopate analyzed Dutch language and correctly traces some of the typical English ‘Dutch phrases’:

   some of them can be traced back to the 17th century when the Dutch and British were military and commercial rivals, and the British stereotype of someone from the Netherlands was stolid, miserly, and bad-tempered. ”

Yo buddy. Yes, you. I know you’re planning to buy a nice digital camera for your wife. Well, you say your wife, but you’d just like to have one yourself too, right? Well: we are running out of removable flash memory.

Yes, you heard that quite alright. You know what that means? It means that the prices of these memory things-things will go up. Temporarily of course. So… if you want to buy a camera, I’ve just one that might fit your needs.

Signed,

The Analog Photo Camera producers.

Over there:

   I point to Mark Buehner’s post as Exhibit A as proof that the Right (at least on this blog comment section) is ideologically bankrupt, has no ideas, and only knows how to scream “Shut the Fuck Up” really, really loud.”

Not too many people were happy when an Iraqi blogger criticized Bush but the discussion afterwards (can one say ‘discussion’?) is as amusing as reading Slashdot comments. Note regarding Bush’s visit to England and the Royal Banquet: I thought Royal Banquets and political speeches were mutually exclusive?