Category Archives: Thoughts on the World
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The Software Utility Cycle
There’s a well-known model called the “Hype Cycle”, which plots how technology evolves to the point of general adoption and usefulness. While there are a lot of detail variants, they all boil down to something like the following (courtesy Wikipedia Continue reading
Lies, Damn’ Lies…
The trouble Volkswagen have got themselves into may be symptomatic of a wider malaise, and we may find that their main failing is breaking the 11th Commandment. Most people, quite naturally, tend to believe the information provided by their gadgets. Continue reading
A Laser-Like Focus?
I suspect we all have something which can attract our attention, like a missile locking onto a homing beacon, even against significant background noise. With Frances, it’s shoes. With me, it’s bread! There was a scene in the excellent, but Continue reading
It’s Not Just What You Do With It, Size IS Important
On paper, the Panasonic GM5 should be an ideal "carry around" camera for me. The same sensor and processor as the excellent GX7 and GH4 in a neat pocket-sized packaged. A proper electronic viewfinder. Access to all the Micro Four Continue reading
Crash, Bang, Wallop, What a Picture
I was literally just about to get into bed in my hotel in Liverpool last night, when the air was rent with loud explosions. Fortunately nothing sinister – just fireworks giving a cruise ship a good send-off on her voyage. Continue reading
Can No-One Write A Good Book About Oracle SOA?
I’m frustrated. I’ve just read a couple of good, if somewhat repetitive, design pattern books: one on SOA design with a resolutely platform-neutral stance, and another on architecting for the cloud, with a Microsoft Azure bent but which struck an Continue reading
Things Which Really Bug Me About the Kindle
I read a lot using the Kindle applications for Android and PC. While there’s a lot which is good about that process there are a number of things which really bug me. Some of these look incredibly simple to resolve, Continue reading
A First Day Mistake I’ve Never Seen on LinkedIn
LinkedIn is full of useful little articles about mistakes not to make in the world of work. However here’s one I’ve never seen mentioned. I’ve just had a kick-off meeting with a new client. In order to appear friendly and Continue reading
Scary Format Reversal
My penultimate purchase of music on vinyl was in 1989. I think, if memory at this distance serves, it was Running in the Family by Level 42. In the intervening 26 years I have felt very limited need to use Continue reading
Edge of Silence
We’ve just finished our 30th anniversary viewing of Edge of Darkness. I must now have seen the series at least 10 times, but in this case familiarity breeds respect. Like the best Shakespeare play or Verdi opera the series rewards Continue reading
Standardising the Mac Keyboard
My MacBook Pro is, ironically, the best portable PC I’ve owned. The Big Old Alien is slightly faster and more powerful, but you’d never use the word "portable" about it without gritted teeth, and since the PC world went to Continue reading
Schizo!
It has been said that the ideal car for Darth Vader would be an original Mercedes CLS, in black. I think I have discovered the ideal car for Dr. Henry Jekyll, and Mr. Hyde! Mercedes themselves acknowledge the dual personality Continue reading
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