sorry, but your princess is in another castle

http://diveintomark.org/archives/2010/01/29/tinkerers-sunset

The article linked above (currently being held as a “best of breed” expression in the space) breathlessly warns us that every closed computing platform just is a bad thing because it discourages tinkering.  Tinkering, say these purists of the hacking-as-learning school, is the Prime Mover of all true technical mastery.  And if a closed computing platform is a commercial success, that will only make it less likely that companies will build non-closed computing platforms in the future.  So you see, it’s (like, totally) up to us (quirky Apple-wielding hipster underdogs) to save the future of computing (and therefore Earth, and its princesses!) from the evil invention-killing corporations.

Let me just go ahead and concur with the idea that the path to true tech mastery is paved with the salt left by the evaporating sweat of tinkerers.  Fair enough.

But if you’re going to write an article like the one linked above, you should be prepared to answer the following:

1. Most technology doesn’t come from the factory with a “don’t worry, I’m a hacker and take full responsibility for the consequences of my mistakes” switch that gives every end user full exposure to, and full control over, the internals of that technology.  Is that really just because the producers of technology are mean meanies who don’t want kids to learn stuff or have any fun, or are subject to litigation via over-paternalistic public safety regulations, or are greed-stricken harvesters of IP?
2. “People deserve the opportunity to learn by themselves, from the ground up, by tinkering” is a statement (call it A).  “People deserve a free, stable, fully-documented software development tool chain for every computer they buy” is a different statement (call it B).  Explain why “A implies B” is true.  Now explain why “A implies not-B” is false.
3. Explain why your responses to [2] should be compelling to a man who first gained fame and success after building a new computing platform from scratch in his garage.

How’s the view from sugar heaven?

on the Apple tablet computer

First, a brief summary of the net’s current (factual) criticisms:

• It still doesn’t allow you to run more than one application at a time (i.e. “no multitasking”).
• Mobile Safari web browser still doesn’t support Adobe Flash.
• No high-resolution (5MP) camera for photos.
• No front-facing camera for video conferencing.
• It can’t make phone calls.
• It doesn’t do anything one can’t do more completely with a different (often cheaper) device.
• It’s locked to the App Store in the same way that the iPhone is.

All of those things are true, and one should not underestimate how disappointed some people have been by that list.  In lieu of a complicated editorial, with a lot of blue-sky predictions about what Apple (or developers) may or may not do with this thing in the future, I’ll present one statement and two lists.

The statement:

The Apple iPad is a new mobile computing platform, for a space whose past iterations have brought real money to exactly no one, in the entire history of the computing industry.

List #1, potential criticisms of any new mobile computing platform that no one (that I’ve heard) is making about the iPad:

• The battery life isn’t good enough.
• The processor isn’t fast enough.
• The wi-fi networking isn’t fast enough.
• The 3G networking is too expensive.
• The keyboard isn’t good enough for real blogging or business-class email.
• It’s unstable and insecure.
• The barrier to entry for native software development is too high.

List #2, things that I believe Apple believes about their business, and their mobile platform customer/developer bases:

• The first devices in this platform should attenuate the obvious risk we’re taking.
• Consistent behavior and performance inside each application is more important than the speed with which one can switch between applications, or use applications in concert with one another.
• Our customers have real cameras for real photos, and phones for shitty photos.  We needn’t raise the risk and cost of our hardware to give them a “moderately shitty photo” option.
• Lack of video conferencing is not a deal breaker for anything that isn’t a “real” computer.
• We make and successfully market a touchscreen phone.  Neither our customers nor our investors need an Apple-branded competitor in the phone space.
• Ongoing cost of 3G network access is a dominant component of lifetime mobile device cost, and (given competent marketing) can therefore be a dominant driver of device choice.  We are competent at marketing.
• As long as our hardware is standardized and Android hardware is not, we will continue to kick Android’s ass.

The iPad may not ultimately be successful.  But it is the product of strong, calculating leadership and business acumen.  Whether it succeeds or fails, the market will learn things from this experiment that no other company could teach it.

automotive engineering pr0n

fascinating Inside Line “suspension walk-around” of the Ford SVT Raptor pickup truck

accountability (updated 1/21)

1. rhetorical
2. private
3. gym’d 3 times so far, twice this week (M+W); starting stronglifts 5×5 regime (UPDATE: T+Th this week so far.)
   
4. poor available metrics, also subject to spin and wishful thinking.  actionable metrics not publishable.
5. 0 hours of piano so far.  Probably need more specific goal than “total duration” here.
6. DJ’d jg’s post-new-years party with kage. 0 hours additional practice so far.
   
7. 0 flight hours this month. (UPDATE: Scheduled an instructor-supervised flight in a G1000-equipped C172 for this weekend, 1/23.)
   
8. 0 photographs so far this year. Ricoh GR Digital III? Nikon FM with 55mm f2.8 plus film scanner?
9. 0 hours on music production practice so far.
10. No moving violations or tickets, had front strut mounts replaced, getting left front axle assembly and rear brakes fixed. (UPDATE: Rear brake rotors and pads have arrived; still waiting on the CV axle from Raxles™.)
    
11. Got some new pants that fit.  Got an arguably-bad haircut but better than nothing. (UPDATE: Ordered more pants that fit.)
    

Android vs. iPhone OS

This, quoting Google’s developer site for Android, succinctly explains why iPhone OS development is going to remain more popular than Android development for the foreseeable future:

Emulator Skins

The downloadable platform includes a set of emulator skins that you can use for modeling your application in different screen sizes and resolutions. The emulator skins are:

• QVGA (240×320, low density, small screen)
• WQVGA (240×400, low density, normal screen)
• FWQVGA (240×432, low density, normal screen)
• HVGA (320×480, medium density, normal screen)
• WVGA800 (480×800, high density, normal screen)
• WVGA854 (480×854 high density, normal screen)

Testing UI is a pain. Testing UI with automatic animation features is more of a pain. Testing UI with automatic animation features on SIX DIFFERENT SCREENS is…more trouble than it’s worth.

“Wait: I must catch my falcon!”

This John Stossel post quotes candid insiders being hilarious and painfully (i.e. for us) accurate.

If the federal government has a proper role in lowering health care costs and improving care, it is to lower or eliminate the following four barriers:

1. that between people who have the knowledge and skill to provide care and the right to work as health care providers
2. that between providers who execute science-based care regimes and access to low-cost malpractice insurance (including, in the limit case, the right to opt out of carrying malpractice insurance at all)
3. that between care recipients and knowledge of what drugs and procedures cost from different providers
4. that between care recipients and responsibility to make choices based partially on cost (i.e. – the way we make choices about lots of other things that are important to us)

It amazes me that so many people consider the above to be a radical position, or an unethical one lacking in compassion.  I guess their compassion toward people who can’t afford health care insurance trumps my compassion for all of those same people, PLUS all the people who are forced to pay dearly for health insurance they don’t need and would otherwise choose not to pay for, PLUS all the people who pay dearly for insurance they do need but who don’t get their money’s worth.  If my compassion is weaker, I guess it’s because it’s spread thinner.

non-negotiable demands for 2010 and beyond

Resolutions?  Resolutions?! You will demonstrate respect for life and self by meeting the following minimum standard:

1. Best.  Father.  Ever.  You may share this title with one or more people you know.
2. Much quality time with the missus.
3. YOU WILL TAKE YOUR SLACKER ASS TO THE GYM NOT LESS THAN 3 DAYS PER WEEK, AND YOU WILL LEARN TO LOVE THE PAIN, WORM!
4. Conceive, build, document, efficiently market, and support better mainframe security software than anyone else in the world, regardless of budget.
5. Not less than 2 hours of piano per week, checked weekly.
6. Not less than 2 hours of DJ practice per week, checked monthly.  Not less than 4 parties cold-rocked per annum.  Bonus points for a paid gig at a venue featuring multiple subwoofers of size 18″ or greater.  Triple bonus if this occurs in San Diego.
7. Not less than 2.5 flight hours per month, checked bi-monthly.
8. Not less than 1000 photographs.
9. Not less than 3 satisfactorily-produced electronic music tracks…WITH THE TOOLS YOU HAVE TODAY.
10. Zero moving violations, zero accidents, not more than 4 parking tickets across all family vehicles subject to government sanction.
11. For the sake of man, dress like one.  Style your hair crazier, but get it cut more often.

Jay Leno putting the Chevy Volt in context

I never enjoyed Jay Leno much as a comic, but he’s fascinating as an auto journalist.  Embedded flash video after the break.

Read the rest of this entry »

frame by frame matrix scene remake via lego stopmotion

A glorious display of talent and wit awaits you:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDe4v318f64

And the side-by-side real time comparo:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xR4xDeiHrfA

It used to bother me to see something that awesome, for reasons I’m sure any self-critical artist (or wannabe artist) is more than familiar with.

Less so these days.  Maybe I’m finally maturing beyond a zero-sum theory of global awesomeness.  There’s plenty yet to be discovered and created, and every little bit counts.

continuing education

This weekend I’ll be taking a ground-school seminar on the Garmin G1000 “glass cockpit” avionics system.  For the children!

Image copyright (c) Cessna Aircraft, a Textron Company.