WikiMedia actually works pretty good. I installed the wiki on a development machine, earlier this week following the installation details as provided by Meta.Wikimedia.
It doesn’t make sense to put it on my home server, since I wouldn’t be really make use of it: but for development cycles and documentation, it’ll do a perfect job.
As long as you start out categorizing, before you actually add data to your wiki.
Earlier today, a colleague ended up with a giant blank space in the listbox of the ‘Add and Remove Software’ Applet under Windows XP. Something broke during the install of an application.
There’s an easy solution to this problem. It requires a little bit brainwork though, but if you managed to get to this blog, you’re qualified.
I see that the list in the applet can only be sorted on name, size and a couple of dates (frequency use/date last used): maybe Microsoft should add an extra entry in there that sorts the items on ‘physical position’ reflecting the registry. I mean, think of it from a programmer’s perspective: they loop through the list of entries and after that they sort it. Makes sense to add that extra type of sorting, no?
Earlier today I reminisced about the implications of getting older. When I was 15 years old, I would have never thought that in say, 20 years or so, I’d be living half a world away.
That’s another year for the score board. Happy Birthday too, Alfons.
While Apple indeed announced to move its propriety hardware platform to the x86 processor, there was better news today, and that is (yes, yes) the official Debian Sarge release. It’s the first major release since Woody (2002).
The first time I actually had a real Debian running was when Alfons made his second visit to Canada (that same year I think) and brought in both Woody and the Unstable branch. Before that I ran Caldera OpenDesktop, which I happily got rid of after getting familiar with Debian. A year after he dropped off Fedora Core 2, something I happily got rid of afterwards too: it was too cumbersome and (worst of it) slow. It could have been that particular version, but I’ve never bothered looking back.
A couple of thoughts about Debian (a 2004-July release, which I admit, needs to be updated) because I was just in the process of installing yet another Debian server for work:
Why would you want an Apple?
I‘v
e been in Amsterdam so many times, and that sir, that’s no Amsterdam.
We were watching ‘Ocean’s Twelve’ last night, to discover some pretty shots from Amsterdam and its canals. However, shots presumably taken at the Amsterdam Central Station, were obviously not completely right. The station looks typically Dutch so it could have been shot anywhere. Probably somewhere in the west, but definitely not Amsterdam.
There were another couple of funny things: the impression was made that luggage is normally checked in when travelling cross Europe by train. While this might be true in North America, over in Europe passengers take their luggage inside of the train themselves (which can lead to annoying scenes like luggage everywhere and the worst part: seats that are obviously claimed by someone else’s luggage).
To
day’s ‘Past the bridge’ soundsample comes from another band that apparently vanished after publishing their first album (more on that after): Mulu’s ‘Pussycat’ (‘Smells Like A Shark’, 1997, 400+K).
I can’t particularly remember why I bought Mulu’s CD, but part of it had to do that I actually liked the cover-art (illustrated above). It was also the time I ‘explored’ listening to “drum ‘n bass” music, swaying from the path that was ‘typical 90s alternative rock’ (notice the smart use of quotes) because it started it get on my nerves.
The album can be categorized as a mix of drum ‘n bass/techno (or trip-hop) with lead vocals (sic) by Laura Campbell with music by synth programmer Alan Edmunds (Bjork). Campbell’s voice is not overly interesting (or rather unique) but makes an interesting mix with the music programming of Alan Edmunds. The result is dreamy, catchy but not overly remarkable: only 2 or 3 songs spring out and that’s it. Now, the cover art is a different question.
BBCi lists a review of a small gig by Mulu, but it dates from 2003. Which means that the band may have made it together for one gig and then (once again) magically disappeared. Probably a good thing but then, still a waste. Now, what did I say about the cover art again?
09/16/06: Aha. The video clip at YouTube.
12/03/06: Myspace for Mulu
There’s criticism on the Dutch government for their campaign for the EU constitution. Earlier a Dutch referendum showed that the majority of voters did not support the new EU constitution.
The criticism comes from the Belgian minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister De Gucht. According to him, the Dutch government tried to play on the voters’ emotions instead of actually showing the advantages of the new constitution. He admits the Dutch voting pattern has been ‘unpredictable’, particularly considering the tumultuous Dutch elections and the popularity of Pim Fortuyn.
“And then they (the Dutch) elect Jan-Peter Balkenende: who’s a mix of Harry Potter and narrowmindedness, a person without a trace of charisma.”
More Harry Potter action we need! I heartily agree. More of this please.
As for the Dutch referendum: I have no words for the mixed bag of colourful parties that formed the ‘No Block’ (extreem-left, extreem-right and conservative Christian parties). I find the pictures of cheering Dutch No voters silly. If there are new elections, the Dutch should start a new party that’s all about um… sentiments! The New Sentiments Party: the party that does away with tolerance!
Update 06/05/05 20:25: Belgian minister apologizes for strong remarks (Dutch only)
Noticed today: the change from extremely wet to hot weather seems to have helped (and sped) the growth of dandelions. Out in rural areas, I was surprised to see the massive amount of yellow flowers on the (normally) grass green hills. It’s a pest: overhere the dandelions seem to go through different phases: the normal phase and the ‘take cover there’s the guy with his whipper-snipper’ phase (that’s the phase the flowers grow so close to the ground that they can’t be ‘cut’ and the only way to deal with them is to literally pull them out).
It would be interesting to see how these flowers spread. Also, since these flowers seem to have come from Europe and Asia, it is probably interesting how the current dandelions have grown into, uh, these dandelions.
I finished the Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords today. Earlier (last year), Alfons borrowed me the PC version of the first installment: a game I actually enjoyed because of the pretty good story line.
Not wanting to go to deep into the gameplay of ‘The Sith Lords’, to avoid spoiling the main theme for people who plan to play this game, it has a disappointing story line, particular at the end. Or missing storylines: what happened to the Huntress again? The game has bugs: terrible ones too. It’s a kind of funny (and sad at the same time) to see a game crash on a game console. It scares the pets too.
I’m also not sure about the ‘replayability’ of games like this one: I think that (sad enough) only sport/car games are actually worth buying. That is, until the AI wears out.
Alan tagged me in the me-me book scheme.
Number of books I own
Uh. A couple over here. A bit more overthere. Over the years living here, I have only bought 3 books and that only to entertain me during last year’s flight back home. I should have more books over in Holland (boxed up): most of them are dictionaries (probably between the 20-30 or so) and 4 or 5 different versions of ‘Ulysses’. Computer books too. Don’t ask me.
Last book I bought
I did buy a novel, a week ago! (gasp) But since it was a birthday present, I don’t think it’s smart to reveal its title (or author) on a public (ahem) site.
My last books would be the ones I bought last year: the ‘Thomas Convenant’ series from S. Donaldson. Besides entertainment on the plane, the particular reason to buy it was because the last time I read them I was probably 15 years old and they were all in Dutch. I thought it might be funny to read them in English for change.
Last book I read
A scientific book about the evolution of brains. I borrowed this from Alfons so I could read something on my way back to Canada (I traded the Convenant, you see). Magnificent book. [reminder to self: find the book] (upd: ‘Phantoms in the brain’)
Five books that mean a lot to me
Only three for now.
1. Ulyssus – James Joyce: this was an awakening provided by Alfons who patiently explained the hints, clues and metaphors. And the importance of the book. You should read it.
2. The Trial – Franz Kafka
3. Winkler Prins encyclopedias (for triggering curiosity).
There’s probably more I can think of, but actually can’t name them. Plenty of them.
Update 08/06/05: The title of the book, the one that I didn’t mention above (the worst kept secret, I hear) has finally been revealed!
Th
ere are so many silly popup messages in Windows XP that it sometimes drives me crazy. Messages when your desktop is too ‘cluttered’ (hey man, it’s my desktop). The one that appeared a couple of days ago, shown above (or right, depending on your browser’s resolution), had me puzzling for a couple of minutes, until it dawned to me that it was all about the ‘recent used programs’ in the Start menu (Hey! This reminds me of a small tool Alfons once wrote in the Windows 3.1 days).
OK: why allow more entries in the settings than that area can contain?
I keep asking myself this frequently: it’s the end of May and it has still been rainy with temperatures between 8 and 14 degrees.
If I remember correctly, 5 years ago, it was most likely hot overhere, something like the temperatures they’re now having in Western Europe (30 degrees, holy moly!) [Dutch]
Us humans aren’t the only ones in a rut: even the trees are struggling to have their leaves out, which leaves me wonder if this is going to be a ‘bad tree year’.
