… suffered by a BBC blogger. (A web application showed someone else’s photo on his post, not the one he posted. ) But yet again I’m putting my trust in a social web application, which is obviously a risky thing … Continue reading
We software people love to think of ourselves as craftsmen. The problem is, no-one (else!) wants that. Why we like it Craftsmen have pride. Craftsmen have skill. Craftsmen have technical expertise which cannot be easily duplicated or replaced. Craftsmen enjoy … Continue reading
Facebook is becoming a target for the unscrupulous. I almost feel bad posting this because it’s nearly a non-story. Bad guys follow where good guys go. Thieves follow money. It is inevitable that data thieves will come to Facebook, because … Continue reading
In the last installment, I was left wondering why recipes have rules rules above and beyond normal English language rules. What is so special about a recipe? If I want to talk about onions, I should be able to talk … Continue reading
Just a little while ago, I asked what kind of language recipes were written in. Wikipedia tells us that a language is all about its symbols and its grammar; the little fiddly bits and how we put them together. Therefore, … Continue reading
This is a long discussion that I’m going to try splitting up over blog posts. But first…. Cookery! Chinese Potato Salad Ingredients 5-6 medium potatoes (about 2 1/2 pounds) 4 slices bacon, well-cooked and crumbled 3/4 cup chopped bok choy … Continue reading
Articles like this leave a bad taste in my mouth. I’m trying to find put my finger on why this bothers me so much, but words just can’t describe my distaste for it. If you want to peg people into … Continue reading
When does something become real to me? It’s not when I hear about it or learn about it. Sometimes it’s not even when I see it or touch it. Something becomes real to me when I make decisions based on … Continue reading
(Warning – this post is about programming culture. [I have annotated it with suitable clarifications for the non-technical reader]) I love the internet. I love it because I’m able to eavesdrop on the best programmers and software engineers in the … Continue reading
I consider little knowledge in computing to be mandatory. Usually the price of ignorance is bourne by the one who is uniformed. Botnets are a different kettle of fish. In this case, the price of ignorance is bourne by the … Continue reading