oneafrikan.com

_ Rands In Repose

Cool site, good content, go check it out.

Liked this article on AJAX as well

_ Shual

I really like the subtle pixel thing going on, the flash stuff, and the concept of the site. It’s not a traditional UI/layout, but I reckon works well as it is. The portfolio is pretty cool too

_ IBM: ‘LAMP’ users need to grow up: ZDNet Australia: News: Software

Businesses that run on the Linux, Apache, MySQL, Perl/PHP/Python (LAMP) model will have to “grow up” to avoid reliability issues in future, an IBM executive said.

This is a very interesting read, but I think a bit short sighted.

Here is a follow up:
_ IBM poop heads say LAMP users need to “grow up”

No. The LAMP stack is a properly constructed piece of software. Features are added when an actual person has an actual need that arises in the actual field, not when some group of highly qualified architecture astronauts and marketing splash-seekers get together to compete for who can come up with the most grown-up piece of useless new crap to throw in the product.

The LAMP model works because it was built to work for and by people building real stuff. The big vendor / big tools model failed because it was built to work for Gartner, Forrester, and Upper Management whose idea of “work” turned out to be completely wrong.

Seems like the story will differ depending on whom you speak to. Definitions of what an enterprise application is and needs to do will also differ depending on the size and shape of the enterprise… so we’re suck at a moot point, where the sales and marketing guys think differently to the developers and sysadmins.

I say, build what your users need and will use…

_ Rands In Repose: N.A.D.D.

If you’re still with me, it might mean you know that you already suffer from some type of NADD-related disorder. Let’s find out:

Stop reading right now and take a look at your desktop. How many things are you doing right now in addition to reading this column? Me, I’ve got a terminal session open to a chat room, I’m listening to music, I’ve got Safari open with three tabs open where I’m watching Blogshares, tinkering with a web site, and looking at weekend movie returns. Not done yet. I’ve got iChat open, ESPN.COM is downloading sports new trailers in the background, and I’ve got two notepads open where I’m capturing random thoughts for later integration into various to do lists. Oh yeah, I’m writing this column, as well.

Looks like I’m going to have to embrace my handicap…

Hat tip: Marc

_ An interesting article by Nthatho on apartheid and amnesty

_ South Africa Yearbook

This publication is the official authoritative reference work on the Republic of South Africa covering subjects such as tourism, government systems, agriculture, sport, etc

Hat tip: Damien

_ Justin Blanton | Revolution In The Valley

Justin Blanton talks about Revolution in the Valley. Here’s a snippet from Amazon:

The stories in Revolution in the Valley come on extremely good authority. That’s because author Andy Hertzfeld was a core member of the team that built the Macintosh system software, and a key creator of the Mac’s radically new user interface software. One of the chosen few who worked with the mercurial Steve Jobs, you might call him the ultimate insider.

When Revolution in the Valley begins, Hertzfeld is working on Apple’s first attempt at a low-cost, consumer-oriented computer: the Apple II. He sees that Steve Jobs is luring some of the company’s most brilliant innovators to work on a tiny research effort the Macintosh. Hertzfeld manages to make his way onto the Macintosh research team, and the rest is history.

Those were heady days, the book sounds like a great read from Justin’s review. Think I’m going to add it to my Amazon wishlist…

_ Ashoka.org

Looks pretty interesting, and I like the ethics of the organisation - sounds like they’re doing some really good work, and supporting some really good people!

Hat tip: Andrew Neitlich

I’ve just re-installed Windows, and the screensaver doesn’t seem to wanna work. Seems the thing that makes the most logical sense is the optical mouse making the machine think the mouse is moving all the time.
_ Windows Security: Windows XP password screen saver inconsistant

So, I take the mouse out, and the screensaver comes on. Put the mouse back in, and the screensaver is nowhere to be seen…
This is helluva frustrating - the darn screensaver was working no more than a week or so ago with the optical mouse attached, but now nada.

Does anyone have any tips or solutions to this?