Oh no! I may have Acute viral nasopharyngitis. This is a highly contagious, viral infectious disease of the upper respiratory system, primarily caused by picornaviruses or coronaviruses (wikipedia).
Also known as acute coryza the symptoms are sore throat, runny nose, nasal congestion, sneezing and cough; sometimes accompanied by muscle aches, fatigue, malaise, headache, muscle weakness, or loss of appetite.
Yupp – I have a cold. So I am self medicating myself with tea and self pity.
The Handbook of Applied Cryptography by Alfred J. Menezes, Paul C. van Oorschot and Scott A. Vanstone is available free online for download. This is an important book – in my discussions with online activists I try to explain the importance of them doing all they can to protect themselves. This is certainly a step in the right direction.
The book is not under a particularly generous license but it is available. Make sure you read the copyright notice.
For those of you who, like myself, live in a state of denial it’s time to face reality. It is soon the end of 2007! No way! We all want more time! I have not finished all of the 1001 things I planned to do before the year ends.
Some of the stuff which is hanging on a thread right now:
Actually this list was supposed to be a way of organising my thoughts but the more things I write the more things I discover and the more stressed I get. Suffice to say that I’m late
photo: J. McPherson
The FSCONS conference was really good. I managed to speak to many interesting people and my presentation turned into a very good interactive discussion with the audience. The only thing that is wrong is that I am unable to attend the second day which is today. The reason for this is that my grandmother is 90. This is a birthday that cannot be missed so I am on the train to Stockholm.
As part of the FSCONS the Free Software Foundation Europe created and handed out the first Free Software Scandinavian Award. Since I was on the award committee I know first hand how interesting reviewing and discussing Free Software projects and initiatives can be. Here is the press release about the award which went to the excellent Norwegian project Skolelinux:
Free Software Foundation Europe is proud to announce that the Norwegian project Skolelinux is the winner of the first Free Software Scandinavian Award handed out at during the Free Software Conference Scandinavia 2007 in Göteborg friday 2007-12-07.
Skolelinux has under a long period of time worked hard to promote the use of Free Software as well as the use of free and open standards and file formats. By using low cost or spare hardware, schools and other public institutions can find a free and cheap IT solution made to meet their needs.
Skolelinux captures a big part of the free software spirit; sharing and reusing. By focusing on schools, Skolelinux makes sure students, tomorrow’s computer users, and decision makers, can grow up in a spirit of sharing, reusing and learning from family, friends and neighbours.
The goals of Skolelinux are to:
* Provide a complete software solution using free software tailored for the needs and use-cases in educational scenarios.
* Pre-configured for easy installation (standalone, as well as network-wide roll out).
* Easy to use, maintain, and administer.
* Supporting your native language.
* Classify and package all free software related to education.
* Write documentation to describe how to use the various software (in an educational context).
* International availability, currently being translated into more than 50 languages.
Skolelinux has combined important, and dedicated work contributions with technical knowledge and political skills.
The adoption of Skolelinux in so many countries around the globe shows that the use of Free Software and open standards has really been spreading in a very positiv way.
The next milestone is that we are now seeing the merge of different school systems based on Free Software. The largest example is the merge between Skolelinux and the very successful Spanish GNU/LinEx project which has at the moment more than 250.000 users and 80.000 work stations in use in schools in Extremadura. The one laptop for every two pupils project.
Both Skolelinux and the GNU/LinEx buildts on Debian GNU/Linux and can enjoy the many synergy effects.
By focusing on schools the Skolelinux project shows by example how Free Software can be used. The jury finds this strategy important for the continued use of free and open standards.
Short about Skolelinux:
GNU/Linux in Schools
Skolelinux is free, stable, future secured, sustainable, and is upgraded frequently
– no license problems
– easy and time saving administration
– security updates are made quickly available
– simple system updating
– good administration of the software packets
– older PC ‘s can be used as thin clients
– no dependence on commercial interests/vendor lock inAbout the leadership:
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The Skolelinux project has “doer democracy” which means that the active persons decide! The merit lies in your contributions not in your title.The free, open source code in the project is very valuable because the source code is available making it is easy to change and
customize. This is illustrated by the many languages that are being supported. In a digitalized world it is important for the survival of the cultures that even small national languages are being actively supported.The collaboration platform:
—————————
The Skolelinux version 3.0r1 is now available. There has been a valuable collaboration between the following countries: Germany, Spain , France, Greece and Norway. Lately also with a Canadian School project.For some years now there have been regular meetings between different free software school systems and projects. The reason being to share cool applications and avoid double work. A win-win situation for all.
Congratulations again to Skolelinux. We wish you continued growths and success.
The Scandinavian Free Software Award
————————————The Scandinavian Free Software Award has been designed for Nordic citizens, projects or organizations that make an outstanding contribution to the Free Software movement. Free Software projects, efforts, achievements of all kinds – including work done by Nordic citizens which has had a large effect in other parts of the world are eligible to be nominated. It is the aim of FSCONS 2007 that this award becomes an annual event.
Jury 2007:
The jury is compiled by Nordic citizens only. This year the members are:
– Anne Østergaard (Gnome Foundation, Denmark)
– Henrik Sandklef (FSFE, Sweden)
– Jonas Öberg (FSFE, Sweden)
– Marcus Rejås (FSFE, Sweden)
– Mathias Klang (FSFE, Sweden)
– Petter Reinholdtsen (NUUG, Norway)
Here is the complete list of nominated projects.
Ever since this summer when I got my shiny new laptop I have been longing to personalise it. I knew that I wanted to engrave it with something eye-catching and symbolic. Since I really liked my last engraving I decided to go with the same again.
My image of choice is based on a wonderful drawing of Don Quixote and Sancho Panza Reflections by Gene Colan from 1998.
Since I want to accentuate the Don Quixote and Sancho Panza I removed the background and their reflections in the water. What is left is the two riders. I contacted Mr Colan to tell him of my plans to modify and engrave the image onto my computer. This is not a question of copyright law but I wanted to have permission from the artist as a mark of respect.
So I took my powerbook to the engraver (a firm called Brion) and this is what happened – for a full set of large images check out my flickr account. Many people who choose to modify there powerbooks in this way tend to go with the lazer engraving but I prefer the effect of the diamond drill engraving since it makes for a very nice finish based on shiny lines – very classical.
First strap it in
The outline
Drilling Quixote
Drilling details
The finished product
It’s done! I have finally got around to engraving my new laptop. I will be writing up a proper description of the event but I felt a need to show you the result. For those of you who have been around here for a while you may recognise the choice of picture. I was considering changing this for something new but I really liked the imagery of Don Quixote.
I tried to tell a friend that sometimes I feel like Don Q himself and other times I feel like Sancho Panza’s donkey. Naturally my friend replied that I was a part of the establishment and therefore, despite all illusions to the contrary, I was simply a windmill…
A couple of years ago I wrote an article about the need to allow viruses. In the article I presented different ideas why computer viruses should be allowed. In the article I forgot to argue that computer viruses should be allowed simply because of their own value or because someone may like to collect them. In the recent xkcd cartoon this desire to collect the strange is portrayed.
Cartoon (part) by xkcd click here to see the whole cartoon.
How different is this to keeping a terrarium with poisonous snakes?
Ok, so I have already written about my lack of enthusiasm in the newest ebook reader. That’s putting it mildly. But when I read Steven Poole’s 14 point list about what the ebook of the future must be able to do in order to beat the book I laughed out loud – so since it is Friday I thought that we all needed a laugh at Amazon’s expense…
So the ebook of the future:
1 It will have an inexhaustible source of energy and never need recharging.
2 It will have resolution as good as print. (No, Amazon, really as good as print.)
3 It will be able to survive coffee and wine spills, days of intense sunlight, dropping in the ocean, light charring, and falling completely into two or more pieces, while still remaining perfectly readable afterwards.
4 It will allow me to scribble notes and/or doodles in the margins, with my choice of mechanical pencil or fine Muji fibre-tip pen (black). (Note, typing in the margins with a crappy thumb keyboard is not an acceptable alternative.)
5 It will allow me to riffle through it and thus get a quick, intuitive look at the book’s argumentative or narrative structure.
6 It will allow me to tear off the corner of a page to write down my phone number (or someone else’s).
7 It will display to other people in coffee shops and on public transport the title of what I am reading, so as to advertise my erudition or quirky sense of humour.
8 It will be physically handsome, not drop-dead fugly. (Note to Amazon: for pity’s sake, next time, head-hunt people from Sony or Apple.)
9 Indeed, the books on it will still be designed, by typesetters and graphic artists, so as to feed our aesthetic pleasure.
10 I will still be able to lend or give books to friends, or swap books in and out of the honour library of much-read novels in a Mediterranean seaside bar.
11 I will be able to use the ebook as a reliable flat surface for rolling cigarettes or other leaf-based refreshments, without worrying about debris shorting the motherboard.
12 When I receive the updated edition of the Oxford Companion to Philosophy, I will be able to press the previous edition into service as a stand for the left-hand music speaker on my desk.
13 The ebook will function, morever, as both bug-crusher and discretionary hat. Placed on my face, it will make a soft roof against the sun on the beach.
14 I will still be able to hurl a fatuous tome such as Jeff Gomez’s Print Is Dead across the room without thereby destroying my ability to read any other books.
Its been a long week. It isn’t over yet but tomorrow is the last day and I must say that I am glad. The reason for the “thank god it’s Friday” attitude is because this week I have managed to become tired of my own voice.
Most students see the work of a university lecturer as being comprised of standing in class lecturing. Few people (or students – even though students are people too) realize that the main part of the lecturers work is not actually giving lectures. This is actually a good thing too. Giving lectures is an intense activity. Preparation is a heavy part but the thing that really does it is the delivery. Being able to deliver a lecture is all about personality, attitude and presence. But giving good lectures also takes a lot of energy. Expending this energy affects the ability to carry out mental work – especially after the lecture.
This week has been especially heavy. On Monday I gave three lectures in Stockholm: Basic Copyright, Digital Copyright and Creative Commons. Basic copyright was supposed to be done by someone else but he called in sick at the last moment. Leaving me to step up. Tuesday was regulation of technology in Lund. Wednesday – No lectures, phew! Today was Copyright in Lund. Finally tomorrow is Digital Copyright in Göteborg. Different audiences and audience types every time.
Right now I am resting for tomorrows gig. In reality I am tired of my own voice. I want to be inspired and inspiring tomorrow. Even though I have heard myself too many times this week it is all news to the audience.
Imagine walking into an office only to find a pile of ten iPhones! A university colleague is importing and selling iPhones… Mmm, I am developing a desire…
Pile of Desire
