Billings's Burble

Hot Fuzz is a really funny movie

2009-12-06T17:43:41Z

Obviously.

But Leigh and I noticed something really amusing today. We noticed that the twins manning the police station, one of them reads "Iain Banks" and the other reads "Iain M. Banks". Clever.

Libraries and Linux

2009-08-13T23:29:37Z

My wife (who is a librarian) sent me this link: "Libraries and Linux: The Strange Parallels of Stacks and Software". I've often thought that librarians had a lot of shared aspects with open source software, and it's neat to see someone else agree.

jsbillings @ 2009-08-10T20:52:00

2009-08-11T00:53:51Z

a post from the least interesting blog in the world.

...maybe on St. Patrick's Day

2009-08-08T00:14:35Z

At the University, I see a lot of people with this in their email signature:
P GO GREEN & KEEP THIS E-MAIL ON THE SCREEN

Since I use a text-only mail client, this looks like:
"P GO GREEN & KEEP THIS E-MAIL ON THE SCREEN"

Of course, the email is HTML and the "P" is in the webdings font, which I guess makes it look like a tree and a path, but in my text-only email client, it evokes a completely different message.

Why everyone isn't running linux

2009-07-19T15:36:40Z

Bethlynn's friend asks: Why isn't everyone running linux?

I agree with her that when it comes to hardware and software licensing costs, it really makes sense to run linux. If all you need is a web browser and an office suite, linux works. I use Linux and FreeBSD at home and I'm happy with it. I want to encourage everyone to use linux!

However, I'd never give it to a casual computer user like my mother or a friend. Why? Because if it breaks, then I have to fix it. They can't call up Comcast and get support if their network stops working. If they still have a warranty on the hardware, unless they're a savvy computer admin, it's unlikely they'll get any support from the hardware vendor (even though they should.) If they go to the store to buy a new video card or peripheral, it's unlikely that the sales representative will be able to help them.

And then, when they do buy new hardware or software, and it doesn't just work, they suddenly stop liking linux and blame you. You've just created a linux hater.

The frustrating thing is that there's no reason why the above support situations couldn't be resolved by a knowledgeable person, it's just that it's a Windows world out there, and as easy as Linux is to use, when it breaks, it takes a Linux admin to fix it, and they aren't employed by most organizations, at least at the level where most consumers interact. There are forums, chatrooms and mailing lists where you might be able to ask for help, and that's great! But I bet that a casual computer user would sooner give up on Linux before wading into a linux forum. Not because they're ignorant! But because they don't care about Linux and how to administer it. They just want to surf the web or check their email.

I think people willing to try linux should do it! Set it up yourself! Let your kids play with it! It's already running on our TiVos, Android phones, Roku boxes, in our libraries and in our schools. If you're stuck running windows, use open source windows software like firefox, thunderbird, OpenOffice, Pidgin, Gimp, VLC, etc.

To answer Bethlynn's friend's question, "Why isn't everybody running linux?" - Because Linux is Free. Supporting Linux is not.

Visit to Chi-Town

2009-07-12T01:15:37Z

See obleighvious's post for a run-down.

Of course, I didn't attend the preconference with her, I just lazed about reading books and watching even more daytime TV. I read Nightwatch by Sergei Lukyanenko, Steal Across the Sky by Nancy Kress and started reading Norse Code by Greg Van Eekhout. I'm going to read Sergei Lukyanenko's next book Daywatch next, I think, when I have time again.

Last day at LSA

2009-06-20T00:13:11Z

Well, I only lasted a year at The College of Literature, Science and the Arts IT Group. Today is my last day, and I started a bit couple days more than a year ago. I really liked the people in my group and other colleagues in the department (hi jss1113), but my role was changing and it was time to go. Next week I start at CAEN at the School of Engineering, also at the University of Michigan. So, no big changes in the location, although I'm really excited about what I'll be doing at CAEN. I'm sure I'll know more about it next week.

The one sad thing about changing jobs is that it means I won't be able to see obleighvious at lunchtime. I'll see how difficult it'll be to at least try to make it down to central campus once a week to meet her for lunch. Also, I'm completely unaware of what kind of lunch places there are on North Campus, so I'm going to have to do some exploring. I hope parking isn't as much of a nightmare as it was on Central Campus.

Ready for the Long Weekend!

2009-05-23T15:45:07Z

From Kiska, Maggie, Dexter and Houdini

Apple Blossoms in Ann Arbor

Happy Memorial Day Weekend!

Book: The Unincorporated Man

2009-04-27T15:57:07Z

I just finished reading The Unicorporated Man(by Dani Kollin & Eytan Kollin) this weekend. It contained an interesting post-cash economy idea, something quite different than Cory Doctorow's Whuffie, which is a reputation-based currency, or a calorie-based currency (seen in many different authors) or CPU cycle currency (last read in John C. Wright's Golden Phoenix trilogy). Almost all of these stories occur in a post-scarcity culture, when any unique object can be created using modern technology and basic needs are abundant for anyone.

The idea is that when you're born, there are 1000 shares of yourself. The government gets 5%, your parents get 20% (10% each), and you own the rest. You can sell your stocks for credit, which isn't government backed -- all currency is backed by private corporations, which compete with each other. Your shares are traded like a traditional market would operate. You can be an incredibly rich or popular person, and your shares will be have a very high value. In some ways it is like the reputation market described by Doctorow, except you can buy other people's shares instead of just giving away Whuffie.

The Unincorporated Man explores this economy. In this world, if you don't have a majority of your shares (and sometimes even if you do) your shareholders can make decisions for you, such as taking a particular job. 70% is considered a supermajority, when you can effectively keep people from controlling your destiny. Anyone with at least 1 share of you can request a psych audit, which is basically a nanotechnology combination of a psychiatric evaluation and deep brain scan. Psych audit requests are evaluated by the stock holders, which is an effective big stick to keep people without a majority from disobeying their shareholders. The market is all connected through the equivalent of today's Internet, called "the Neuro" in the story. Everyone carries around a PDA-like device to communicate with the Neuro.

The protagonist of the story, Justin Cord, wakes up after being frozen for 300 years to find the "incorporated" world, and his notions of personal freedom produce the conflict throughout the story. He wages a personal campaign against GCI, one of the largest supercompanies of the time. GCI struggles to get Justin Cord to incorporate, and cease to be a threat to the incorporation society which keeps everyone at peace and content, but Justin Cord views as slavery.

I enjoyed the story, although there were some loose ends (avatars in the Neuro) that were never tied up. I can only assume that there will be a sequel or it was an oversight.

Houdini update

2009-03-12T01:15:16Z

From Kiska, Maggie, Dexter and Houdini

Houdini has been hanging out on my lap a lot lately. Both of us are hangin' out in the easy chair.

I HATE NASCAR!

2009-03-02T02:21:40Z

Yet again, Fox has NASCAR playing when the Simpsons should be playing, and of course, the TiVo doesn't record it. FOX and NASCAR can die in a fire.

Happy Darwin Day

2009-02-13T01:37:07Z

Yes, I'm one of the four. (Sheesh, lots of ignorance in this country)

Neat gadget

2009-01-09T23:21:04Z

I saw this on engadget: BUGmodules. Basically, gizmos that plug together like legos to make different gadgets. So cool.

Trader Joes expectations

2009-01-05T19:57:17Z

So, obleighvious and I decided to give the local Trader Joes a try when we went out shopping recently. I kept hearing such raving reviews from friends and colleagues, so I figured it couldn't hurt to try. Boy, was I wrong. The salmon was awful and more expensive than the same product from Meijer, the selection was awful and the whole store was poorly organized. I'm definitely never going back. Fortunately, I tried the local Indian grocery store, and found they had the lentils I wanted.

idea on mobile phones

2008-12-30T22:35:05Z

I was thinking about how mobile phones would be an ideal platform for IPv6. Most phones already go through a provider's proxy/NAT/portal service to view the 'real' internet, so this wouldn't change for viewing the ipv4 internet, but services could come up on ipv6 that were optimized for phones, giving users the ability to use phones that behave more like "real" devices on the internet. End-to-end connections over ipv6 could be made between phones.

Top Twenty (three) most hated clichés

2008-11-17T14:35:46Z

20 of your most hated cliches. Actually, they list twenty-three, the top being "at the end of the day", "literally" and "24/7", but then go on to list another twenty hated clichés. I think the "110%" one is my most hated on the list. I used to have a swimming coach who always demanded me to "give 110%."

Dangerous anti-science and anti-rationality this election period

2008-10-30T22:17:53Z

I'm actually rather depressed about how bad things are, at least, how the ads on television and posted around town are filled with blatantly wrong ideas about how science works and the facts. The current administration's "War on Science" will probably continue with another Republican president, judging from McCain's speeches. Obama hasn't come out pro-science, but his history has been quite a bit more positive about science and education. Of course, our local ballot has similar silliness.

For example, for Michigan's Proposal 2, most of the ads have said that it'll lead to human cloning research in the state, even though the first thing in the article is "(1) Nothing in this section shall alter Michigan’s current prohibition on human cloning." How much more plain can you be?

A new kitty in our household

2008-10-19T20:25:04Z

Houdini comes home

A new addition to our "Family"

2008-10-13T19:47:00Z

Houdini
We're adopting a new kitty! The shelter named him "Houdini" because of his escape skills. We're going to pick him up tomorrow.

Understanding Humanity

2008-10-06T18:55:57Z

If you ever want to get an idea of how most people actually behave, try standing at the checkout line at Walmart for 5 minutes. I was actually impressed by the sheer inanity of the conversations I overheard, and the cluelessness I witnessed during checkout.

The clothes are inexpensive there, though, so I tolerate Walmart.

Happy Birfday!

2008-09-28T01:07:55Z

Happy Birfday obleighvious!

Palin for President!

2008-09-21T13:18:28Z

Somehow, I don't think it'll ever finish...

2008-09-11T00:25:29Z

What could be better?

2008-09-10T23:50:03Z

Link to my personal site because LJ likes to strip out embedded content, those losers.

Hard to schedule day

2008-07-25T14:49:46Z

Happy Sysadmin Day

For some reason, I was never able to figure out how to schedule this day on the iPhone. There doesn't appear to be a 'last friday of a month' repeated event configuration option.