The heroic practice of coordination or organising ("wrangling") obstreperous or otherwise uncooperative agents into a consistent, coherent pattern or unit e.g. wrestling those time sheets into a semblance of order was an exercise in cat stacking if ever there was one.
Just wanted to make sure that I claimed this term on behalf of myself and my colleagues who (we believe) coined it at Egressive where the term is in common use.
As a FOSS software developer in Christchurch, I have a strong interest in software patents - specifically their exclusion from patentability in New Zealand. What's more, I think that the NZICT Group Inc might be overstepping its authority...
Hello TV3 and Target. I was extremely unimpressed by Target's recent (3 Nov 2009) segment on "Piracy". Aside from the fact that the segment pandered entirely to the corporate interests (as opposed to the creative artists) of so called "rights holders", it also used very misleading, and in fact, incorrect language.
Yesterday (28 August), Microsoft engaged in a stunning example of "truthiness" with their full page ad in the Dominion Post, Wellington's daily newspaper. They appeal to kiwi nationalism and the desire to "protect our heritage" and "secure our future" by supporting their OOXML file format for international standardisation. It would be laughable if they weren't so serious about it.
Looks like my favourite corporation is at it again. Microsoft have announced a gift of "$1.4 million dollars worth" of Microsoft software to the Barnardos childcare charity. Like their widely promoted TechSoup program - which allows charitable organisations and other non-profits to acquire MS software for a mere "administration fee", it's great to see Microsoft's great beneficence to the poor under resourced voluntary sector...
Glen Moody has written an article that really resonates with me - it distills the rather bullet-proof arguments put forward by Richard M Stallman, more widely known as RMS - the generous, brilliant, and unflappably principled man who also gave the world the unprecedented (and often underappreciated) gift of the GPL.
Yep, must be getting close to the next event on ISO's OOXML calendar - Microsoft's second desperate attempt to shore up its threatened monopoly. I've been having a pleasant discussion with Brian Jones, Product Manager for Microsoft Office on his blog.
Looks like Standards New Zealand didn't let all the big advertising spending sway its decision on OOXML... Sad to see other countries weren't so upstanding. Frankly, if it's legit, this is enough to destroy Microsoft's credibility in this standards game completely.
Don't worry Microsoft! You're still a winner in my book!
I posted these questions on Sean McBreen's blog over on MSDN, but he appears to have thought it was a bit too hot to handle... and hasn't given them moderator approval. I'll update this if he changes his mind and does the honourable thing...
