I almost missed this Steve Jobs interview. Pretty funny. For instance when it's revealed that there are over 300 million copies of iTunes software on Windows computers, Steve says: "It's like giving a glass of ice water to somebody in hell!"
The video shows highlights, the text has most of the interview.
Wednesday, June 06, 2007
Tuesday, June 05, 2007
Bloat!
Interesting article/test about software bloat.
The issue is a bit confused by the use of two different platforms, but it's still interesting. It is pathetic that with hardware getting faster every month for 20 years, the daily speed of work is not that much faster.
The issue is a bit confused by the use of two different platforms, but it's still interesting. It is pathetic that with hardware getting faster every month for 20 years, the daily speed of work is not that much faster.
Monday, June 04, 2007
Dracula
"Somebody once told me, 'Dracula is actually about the plight of 19th-century women,' and I said, 'No, it's about a guy who lives forever by drinking other people's blood—don't take my word for it, check it out.'" - Tim Powers
Gia and fashion
I just watched, most on fast-forward, a film called "Gia". It was about a fashion model of the same name, who (surprise) liked sex and (shock) screwed up her life and (I can't believe it) got into drugs. But it did have two things I found of interest. One was Angelina Jolie in the buff, and the other was this quote:
"Fashion is not art. It is not even culture. It is advertising."
It seems so obvious once you see it. But it clearly is not obvious, because why would hundreds of millions of people see fashion as something hugely important which just has to be followed?
I guess I sort of regarded fashion as culture. And even then I saw it as pretty sick how much people let themselves be dictated to. But the sickness goes into hyperdrive when you see it for what it is: advertising. Like the Oscars in the film industry, they manage to build up this massive hype which masquerades as something important, and only purpose of it is advertising, it's sales.
"Fashion is not art. It is not even culture. It is advertising."
It seems so obvious once you see it. But it clearly is not obvious, because why would hundreds of millions of people see fashion as something hugely important which just has to be followed?
I guess I sort of regarded fashion as culture. And even then I saw it as pretty sick how much people let themselves be dictated to. But the sickness goes into hyperdrive when you see it for what it is: advertising. Like the Oscars in the film industry, they manage to build up this massive hype which masquerades as something important, and only purpose of it is advertising, it's sales.
The Online Photographer
The Online Photographer (new address) is having some problems with Blogger. (In case you have been visiting, and are wondering why no updates are happening at their usual address.)
Sunday, June 03, 2007
Keller sez
"We could never learn to be brave and patient, if there were only joy in the world."
-- Helen Keller
That's true... But on the other hand, we wouldn't need to either.
-- Helen Keller
That's true... But on the other hand, we wouldn't need to either.
More and more...
Pascal (and Final Identity) has made a long and observant comment on the Mystic post. ... So of course I am going to take the one little thing I disagree with and rif on... :)
"More and more people want prêt-à-porter beliefs, served in individually-sized portions, ready to eat without any effort."
I think it is like with violence: for some reason people feel more fearful now than they used to, so we think that violence is rising, whereas it is actually falling. And similarly, awareness is rising, so we become aware of a problem like most people wanting ready-made beliefs. So because we are becoming aware of it, we think it's a rising problem.
But actually I do believe it is getting better and better, not worse. Just for one thing the number of books about a huge variety of beliefs and philosophies about how the universe and spirituality works is a much greater number than it was a couple of decades ago, and much greater than fifty years ago. Similarly there is a lot more debate going on about these things, thanks in large part to the Internet.
Fifty years ago we thought we lived in the most enlightened times ever. Now we know that we don't. But we are living in an age of a Great Thaw, and that is important.
"More and more people want prêt-à-porter beliefs, served in individually-sized portions, ready to eat without any effort."
I think it is like with violence: for some reason people feel more fearful now than they used to, so we think that violence is rising, whereas it is actually falling. And similarly, awareness is rising, so we become aware of a problem like most people wanting ready-made beliefs. So because we are becoming aware of it, we think it's a rising problem.
But actually I do believe it is getting better and better, not worse. Just for one thing the number of books about a huge variety of beliefs and philosophies about how the universe and spirituality works is a much greater number than it was a couple of decades ago, and much greater than fifty years ago. Similarly there is a lot more debate going on about these things, thanks in large part to the Internet.
Fifty years ago we thought we lived in the most enlightened times ever. Now we know that we don't. But we are living in an age of a Great Thaw, and that is important.
Friday, June 01, 2007
Skull
TTL points out Damien Hirst's Diamond skull. If Warhol's Marilyns provoced debate, what about this? Is it art? is it jewelry? Is is kitch? Is it provocation? Is it criminal waste? Is it beautiful? To my wonderment, I find that I really don't care. I am just amazed that Hirst financed it himself. I had no idea any artist was that rich.
Tim Powers
A fun interview with one of my favorite authors, Tim Powers.
I met Tim nigh twenty years ago at the Writers Of The Future workshop which he taught. I finally found a way to reach him, and got a mail back today, and he remembers not only me but the story which had helped me get to the workshop. I'm very flattered.
I met Tim nigh twenty years ago at the Writers Of The Future workshop which he taught. I finally found a way to reach him, and got a mail back today, and he remembers not only me but the story which had helped me get to the workshop. I'm very flattered.
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