« August 2002 | Main | October 2002 »
September 30, 2002
Outer Log Thought Web :
Outer Log Thought Web : Outer Log Thought Web: "It's just work that has to be done, and I believe working inside and together with a community is much more fun and spiritualizing than trying to productize and sell everything." Agreed. But trying to convince "traditional" companies that is the case - takes a lot of hard work. And they are only just beginning to see the light.
Posted by Matthew at 09:20 AM | Comments (0)
iSync
iSync: Last night I noticed that iSync is available, so I installed it and synced my T68i and my iPod with my iBook. First impression: Cool. Now I need to be able to sync with a Web site (not .mac) so that I can get at my calenders from work and home. Is that possible?
Posted by Matthew at 09:16 AM | Comments (0)
September 27, 2002
Friday comment
Friday comment: I have been meaning to comment on what Steven said here for several days. But preparing a presentation for next week has kept me busy. Here a few short thoughts.
Succesful open source projects might have more to do with community rather than code.
Reading Cluetrain has really been an eye-opener for me when it comes to this. I would go a step further and say that: Successful projects have more to do... (i.e. not just open source) I think this is something that is still overlooked in most traditional projects. There is still this "customer" "supplier" mis-match with lots of overhead and hiding behind contracts and other paperwork. Where is the community? This is what is so great about being able to work and consult on open source - it allows you to meet your customers at the same level. Eye to eye. Build that community with your customer. It is the only way you will survive.
Nowadays, I believe there is more value hidden inside a project, i.e. when people work together to create a solution. Shrink-wrapped miracles-in-boxes might promise a lot, but often prove to be really hard to implement.
And increasingly hard to sell. Customers have had enough of products that cost many $$ yet still do not do what they really need. No-one is really interested in the promise any more. The real power behind open source is the community building process that it generates. After all software is just software.
Posted by Matthew at 02:11 PM | Comments (0)
What more can we ask
What more can we ask for: "
this book rocks!". Thanks.
Posted by Matthew at 11:29 AM | Comments (0)
Shadow Illusion: Frank sent me
Shadow Illusion: Frank sent me this link. Hmm.... He also points to this application of WiFi.
Posted by Matthew at 11:09 AM | Comments (0)
Xmas already?
Switch: Ovidiu is now using NetNewsWire Lite as well. I've been using it for a while now at home and now that I have DSL it just runs and runs and runs. All the news, all the time.
The Band: Paul adds a new category for the S&N band - snag-Attack. They are really not bad - but rather limited in the number of songs :-). At last years xmas party they had to play their set-list twice - or was it three times?
Posted by Matthew at 09:35 AM | Comments (0)
September 25, 2002
Parents revenge
Parents revenge: As a father of 3 kids, I need this everywhere! Not just on (in) pants.
Posted by Matthew at 10:06 AM | Comments (0)
PC and Airport DSL (update):
PC and Airport DSL (update): I've gone for this solution: D-Link DWL-120 WirelessLAN USB Adapter. I figure that will allow me to move the PC around the house if I need to, without worrying about wiring etc.
Cocoon book sales (update): Steve picks up on the book selling. Unfortunately I cannot post the numbers - but how does 3 million sound? Great! Ok, so that figure has nothing to do with the real numbers..
Posted by Matthew at 09:28 AM | Comments (0)
September 24, 2002
Cocoon book sales
Sales figures in: We have just received the sales figures for July and August for the Cocoon book. Not bad...not bad at all. Ok, we're not in the Steven King range yet..but let's say it's been worth it (already).
Posted by Matthew at 05:03 PM | Comments (0)
Iraq: The British government puts the
Iraq: The British government puts the Iraq Dossier online. Seems to me things are hotting up and this is one more step towards a certain attack.
Posted by Matthew at 04:07 PM | Comments (0)
PC and Airport DSL: My
PC and Airport DSL: My new DSL line runs into the DSL modem and then from there into the Apple Airport base station. The base station does all the hard work (PPoE etc.). My iBook connects to the base station using the inbuilt wireless card. Ok. Now what is the cheapest (and easiest) way to connect a PC (non-laptop) to all this? Either via a wireless card in the PC (easiest way but also expensive) or via a network solution (network card, hub). And if I go for the network - how do you connect all that? Help! I need a simple description of the network alterntative or a cheap wireless alternative.
Later: Frank points me to this Apple document on setting up Airport networks. Thanks!
Posted by Matthew at 12:27 PM | Comments (1)
Blogging book out: The blogging
Blogging book out: The blogging book by Biz Stone is available. I tech-edited the book - so you should check it out :-).
Posted by Matthew at 12:17 PM | Comments (0)
Cocoon article: Javaworld have an
Cocoon article: Javaworld have an article on Cocoon by Lajos Moczar from Galatea.
Posted by Matthew at 10:48 AM | Comments (0)
DSL at home
Morning call: Why is it that some mornings you just don't know where to start.....so much has happened and so many interesting things to comment on.
DSL: I now have DSL at home! Way cool. No need to worry about dialing up and disconnecting any more. Now if only sharing Radio between a PC and an iBook was easier.
Steven from Outerthought has restarted his weblog. Added.
Ovidiu will be at the Cocoon event. Great news! Looks as though I will be the only non-Cocoon-developer there :-).
Posted by Matthew at 08:15 AM | Comments (0)
September 23, 2002
Monday musings
Voting: Germany voted yesterday and Gerhard Schroeder stays in - if only by a small margin. Gerhard for example voted red-green, meaning he cast his first vote for the SPD (Schroeder's party) and his second vote for the Greens (Foreign minister Joschka Fischer's party). Why a first and second vote? Ah, I knew you would ask. The German voting system is quite complicated (much to the dismay of many high-school students). If you are really interested then read this.
Back: The week of Cocoon training went well and hopefully it will not be the last time we get to "spread the word".
Welcome: Paul has a weblog. Say "hi" gang!!
Posted by Matthew at 03:00 PM | Comments (0)
September 17, 2002
Ping
Still alive: Two days of the course nearly over and everything is going well. Our voices are holding up and everybody seems happy. Not much chance to check what else is going on in the world and no time to keep my weblog upto date. Ah well - next week things should return to normal.
Posted by Matthew at 03:35 PM | Comments (0)
September 13, 2002
Friday Roundup
Cocoon Training: Off to large German company next week to spread the word about Cocoon (our Cocoon Schulung course has English slides and we present in English or German). We are doing a weeks-long training course covering everything from "What is XML" to "Developing a new Cocoon protocol". If you're taking part next week then we recommend a relaxing weekend (how do over 500 slides and 15 hands-on exercises sound)? (We are now looking for interested companies/institutions in Hawaii, California or the Virgin Islands :-). Ok, we'll take Switzerland if you insist.
Sponsoring: Carsten and I will be sponsoring the Cocoon event with a couple of books and we will also be having a booth there to show some of the stuff we do.
Upset: Steve seems to be upset by something. Have a beer mate (remember OSCON - the more the better), get someone to look after the kids and take your wife out for a nice meal. That's what I'm doing tonight - anyway :-). You've upset Gerhard - btw.
History unfolding: Last night I made a point of re-reading some weblogs (like here) from 9-11/2001. What a "flash from the past" to see history come to life on a web page. One of the things weblogs have given us is the ability to do this. Just one question for you: If weblog archives are maintained for years, maybe hundreds of years, will we still need history books?
Posted by Matthew at 01:21 PM | Comments (0)
September 11, 2002
Minimal sitemap: Looking for a
Minimal sitemap: Looking for a minimal sitemap to tryout Cocoon - check this.
Posted by Matthew at 05:29 PM | Comments (0)
Afternoon sadness
9-11: The inevitable piece on "where were you". Well, here in Germany it was late afternoon when the first plane hit the WTC. Just as my colleagues and I were viewing the first pictures on the Net - and thinking this was some kind of joke or freak accident, my wife rang to tell me that our youngest son (then just turned 2) had just badly dislocated his arm and was on his way to hospital. So I remember speeding to the hospital, picking up our other kids from the gymnasium and listening to the events on the radio. Then the rush back home to turn on CNN. And the rest is history.
iCal not worth the price: This piece picks up on some of the problems I came accross even after just a few minutes with iCal.
Posted by Matthew at 05:27 PM | Comments (0)
Small googlewhack: S&N offers Cocoon Schulung and
Small googlewhack: S&N offers Cocoon Schulung and Cocoon Seminar.
Posted by Matthew at 05:10 PM | Comments (0)
Morning glory
Names up: I am #16 on google for Matthew. Carsten is #5 for Carsten (inspired by Dave).
iCal: Installed iCal yesterday and took it for a spin. I like the way you can have multiple calanders - but how can you tweak the display to only show one at a time (I don't think you can). This is something I would need.
Update: I've just realized that I probably only need to remove the checkmark from the calender definition. I'll try that when I get home tonight.
Posted by Matthew at 08:55 AM | Comments (0)
September 10, 2002
Warm glow: What more can
Warm glow: What more can I ask for.
Posted by Matthew at 05:30 PM | Comments (0)
Cocoon get-together announced
It's official: Steven from Outerthought announces the Cocoon gettogether. A great line-up of Cocoon'ers and including some demonstrations of stuff being built around Cocoon. And best yet - it's free! See you there!
Posted by Matthew at 05:16 PM | Comments (0)
September 09, 2002
Porsche 911 to go: Ashley,
Porsche 911 to go: Ashley, a friend of mine, is selling his Porsche, and I promised to link to it from my weblog. So here goes. I hear it comes with a copy of the new .Net Web Services Development Kit :-). Now I need to convince him to start a weblog. Look here Ashley, a colleague! Also check this out.
Posted by Matthew at 09:08 AM | Comments (0)
September 06, 2002
Assorted Friday
Blogging in Doonesbury: via Boing Boing
RSS on the up: The debate (?) on RSS hots up. Lots of links to read etc. Start here or here and then just follow the links. Yesterday I installed NetNewsWire on my iBook at home and subscribed to quite a few weblogs. Nice little program that really puts the power of RSS on my desktop.
RSS inside corporations: The current surge in RSS is prompting me to think about how RSS can be introduced inside corporations and what advantages it may provide. Think about all the different applications that are used and imagine they could all provide RSS feeds. Then install an RSS aggregator on the desktop and bang! You could have the CRM system provide a feed of updated customer information, the SAP system could provide an RSS feed of overdue customer payments....and all that next to my weblog feed. Wow.
Telephone notes: Talked to Steven from Outerthought on the phone today. We chatted about the upcoming event and open source in general. He is surprised by the amount of interest the Cocoon get-together is generating. Should be a great event.
Posted by Matthew at 03:47 PM | Comments (0)
September 04, 2002
KEO - I'll be back
KEO - I'll be back. In 2003, KEO will be launched. The satellite will contain the usual collection of artifacts and a CD containing messages from anyone who cares to participate. KEO will be sent on a path which will bring it back to Earth after 50.000 years. Even though a manual explaining the CD will be included, I doubt that anyone will be here then to read it - let alone be able to. Why didn't they schedule a return in say 300 years? That would be more interesting and "doable" I reckon. Anyway - the message has to be: "Mostly harmless". I wonder how many times that one will be submitted.
Posted by Matthew at 03:49 PM | Comments (0)
Warflying
Warflying: I was planning on taking my mum wardriving while she visits us - but now I think I need a plane. (via Doc)
Posted by Matthew at 09:44 AM | Comments (0)
Cocoon get-together
Cocoon Get-Together in Belgium: Steven Noels from Outerthought is planning a Cocoon event near Ghent (Belgium) for November 19th. Carsten and I plan on attending. Apart from perhaps presenting on the Cocoon portal and showcasing some stuff, we will also sign any books we see :-).
Posted by Matthew at 08:36 AM | Comments (0)
September 03, 2002
Book review
Book review. Tony Collen reviews our book. He is right about page 155 (unfortunately).
Posted by Matthew at 01:40 PM | Comments (0)
Sam on RSS
More food: Sam writes an essay on RSS. I am sure those essays will be coming out as a book one day :-). Reading about how RSS is now moving forward has started a few bells ringing in my head (although I should be doing other things). Time for some thoughts on how RSS and RSS syndication could be used inside commercial environments.
Posted by Matthew at 01:31 PM | Comments (0)
Feeding brain and iPod
Food 1: Currently reading
Food 2: I have reached level 4 on my way to iPod zen-dom. Level 4 you ask...well level 1: "what the f* is this brown box?" (my new 10Gig iPod was packed in a plain brown box...that actually contained the proper cool iPod box), level 2: "Holy sh* this thing is cool" (after unpacking), level 3: "Just look how easy it is to download music". And level 4: "My (iBook) hard-drive is full" :-).
Posted by Matthew at 01:06 PM | Comments (0)
Victoria: My daughter Victoria started
Victoria: My daughter Victoria started school today. She is the middle one of our 3 kids - and the only girl. Happy first day princess!
Posted by Matthew at 12:28 PM | Comments (0)