Month: August 2008

I Sense … Something Libre …..

As an advocate for Open Source software it is always nice to see headlines around how Open Source software is beginning to see some inroads into the corporate computing space.  I think that arena is where the real battle royale will be held, and Linux and other Open Source projects are just starting to sink their toes into the chilly waters.

As Michael Geist nicely summarizes:

FACIL, a Quebec-based open source software advocacy group, has filed a lawsuit against the Quebec government for failing to consider open source software alternatives.  FACIL argues in its filing [unofficial English translation] that the government spends millions on proprietary software without objectively evaluating open source alternatives that could enhance the local economy and provincial technology companies.  It cites legal regulation that require contracts be placed for tender, yet notes many Microsoft contracts that were never subject to the process.  The group also notes that it has tried to develop a dialog with government officials without success and therefore resorted to the lawsuit.

Here’s a link to the story on the CBC, with additional entertaining commentary.

Sony’s Playstation 3 – Luck or Strategy?

Now that we have an official “playroom” downstairs, the question of a second TV has come up.  Frankly I’m not really keen on having a TV out of ear and eye shot – call me old fashioned (or paranoid).

Anyhow, the thought occurred to me that we could set up a dumb terminal downstairs that would allow someone to watch DVDs and recorded shows from the DVR upstairs, but not have access to plain old cable.

I have started looking around for a small, quiet computer to put downstairs then – one that can connect to my DVR and play movies, DVDs, and music.  One that takes up almost no room, very little power, and doesn’t do much else unless you know what you’re doing.

I started looking at building one, but found that the components are just too big if I want to keep it affordable.  I couldn’t get a small form factor without paying through the nose.  Then I came across this new ASUS computer that looked like a great candidate.  Until I confirmed that it has no optical (DVD) drive.  Nuts, it looked good too.

Then I came across Sony’s little troumph – the Playstation 3.  Sure, sure, it is a game console.  But it can also serve as a high definition video and audio player.  It comes with a Blu-Ray DVD player (which retails for around $150.00 right now).  Sony was also smart enough to permit and encourage others to install alternate operating systems on the system.   So along comes PSUbuntu which will allow me to run Ubuntu on the PS3, which means I can run MythTV, which would give me access to my DVR shows.  So it has a DVD player, I can get my DVR shows, and I can control it completely like any other computer on my network as it will be running Ubuntu.  And it retails for slightly more than that ASUS PC I was thinking about.  Oh, and it plays games I guess.

So, where do I get one?

Sony’s decision to include an expensive home theatre drive in its game console was a great strategic move.  It has brought me to their table immediately, even though I am not a game console buyer.  It was either a great strategic move on their part, or they are just lucky.  The fact that Microsoft went with a similar idea but different DVD format makes me think it was strategic.  But I remember the uproar at the time as the Blu-Ray drive brought the price of the console way, way higher than most people were wanting to pay for a console.  Little did they know that Sony actually had a different vision for their little gaming system … one that involves my playroom.

It’s Quiet … A Little Too Quiet

So the last month and a half has been an interesting month at Goggs Avenue.  You may have noticed that my post frequency dropped, and we had a couple of days of complete blackout for theBside this last week.  OK, you may not have noticed it – I won’t hold it against you.

We’ve claimed ownership of our entire house!

Our tenant officially moved out July 31st, and since then we’ve been busy giving the downstairs a mini-makeover.  We’ve moved the den downstairs, including the electronics (which was why theBside dropped off the Internet for 3 days or so).  We’ve just tonight applied the first coat of paint to the old den, which will soon become Marley’s new room.  We’ve started making the large room downstairs into a playroom … the list goes on (and on and on).

In the meantime we’ve secured a coveted place at Peace Arch Hospital’s maternity ward for September 8th, so that will be our new baby’s birthday (unless the baby decides to come earlier than that).  The countdown begins!

So forgive my relative silence (if you felt you needed an apology).  There are many more things “to-do” before the baby arrives and I assure you there will be pictures to follow.

P.S. If you are ever in need of help understanding the tenancy rules and how to forcibly remove a tenant, I can now say that I might be able to give you some advice, unfortuntely, or at the very least some insight into the formal processes that can take place around it all.

The True North Strong and Free?

Amidst the hubbub that is the Olympics the Canadian Conservative government announced that it has cancelled the PromArt programme.  The programme has been seen as both a “gravy train” as well as a vital means for exposing Canadian music, art and talent to the world stage.

It’s great to hear the spokesperson for the minister of foreign affairs say things like

I don’t even want to say [their name] on the phone,” she said. “Holy F – that was one that was flagged.

Seriously?  A band’s name is so important, so key to the Canadian image, that it can help cancel an entire programme that has been an important launchpad for many Canadian talents over the years?

If the government is so keen on taking “a more disciplined approach” to managing spending, perhaps looking at the criteria used to select projects would be a better start?  But why waste the time, we don’t really have much to say as Canadians, eh, so let’s just throw that baby out with that bathwater.

Design By Committee

As a designer I think big business and committees are the way to go for design decisions.  How can you really get to the right product if you don’t talk to your stakeholders and solidly capture their needs in the product?  How many users?  Well, all of them!  Can we tweak it a little more, just add one little thing to make it more “usable”?  But let the committee make these decisions, its a recipe for success!  The designer, well, they’re too artistic and aren’t in touch with the real users.

I love the “briefing”.  50% are women, 50% are men.  We’re not targetting all drivers, just women.  Men are being targetted “secondarily”.