What happens when nobody will take responsibility for a standard that the web relies on?
Further to my earlier post, the first Oxford Geeknight was splendid.
There’s currently no plan to switch off FM stations. In fact, many radio bosses have said oh, for heaven’s sake to the very idea. There is, astonishingly, less of a plan for radio switchover than there is desire among the general public for TV switchover. So that must be some sort of record for nothingness.
I’m so impressed with Radiohead. I was a fan back in the days of The Bends (y’know: before they literally, if not metaphorically, sold out), and have more affection for Pablohoney than most. But in an era when it’s trivial to get whatever music you want for free off your mate who happened to buy it, they accepted that fact and gave alternative distribution a whirl. And maybe it worked and maybe it didn’t: it depends on who you’re talking to.
Yesterday’s OKCon 2008 was great fun, if a long day! I’m still digesting the food for thought that the conference provided—many, small courses; over a dozen if you include the more open sessions after the keynotes, and each followed by a sorbet of questions and debate—so I don’t have a great deal to say about what I heard yet.
Steve Yegge on *Emacs, pointing also to the possible future direction of the *browser:
“IDEs are draining users away, but it’s not the classic fat-client IDEs that are ultimately going to kill Emacs. It’s the browsers. They have all the power of a fat-client platform and all the flexibility of a dynamic system. I said earlier that Firefox wants to be Emacs. It should be obvious that Emacs also wants to be Firefox…
If it’s really the case that browsers, virtual machines and IDEs will one day converge, then the first steps would be to run Java, Ruby and other languages in a browser using Javascript. (Hat tip to Nick for the timely links.)
[Edit: run Python using Javascript too.]
Currently live blogging from the Google Developer Day, London 2008. Fittingly the live blog is a Google Doc.
Like a moron, I left my mobile phone at home, and then ended up separated from everyone I know; so have a look at what I'm liveblogging and find me, if you care.
Edit 2008-09-18: notes now below.
The End
Lightning talks 16.25-17.35, SF2
Google App Engine
The past couple of evenings I've been away from a computer and so not free to consolidate my copious notes all the interesting stuff that happened at Google Developer Day on Tuesday. I should start by saying that all the organizers, especially Liz Ericson, should be proud for planning and running such a fun event, and so smoothly.
The next few weeks look like they're going to be incredibly busy. Right now my greatest worries are of course about Oxford Geek Night 11 on Wednesday 25 March.