Author: Bobby Rockers

Modernizing with QT

There are a number of Linux application available using the outdated Motif framework. This legacy Unix framework provides a functional, if archaic, GUI environment that many applications used in the early days of Linux. Some of these applications are still useful, but because of Motif, lack modern GUI functionality and advanced programming paradigms. Trolltech has created a solution for those looking to update their GUI application interface while retaining old Motif application functionality in a Qt Extemsion called QMotif.

Web with Style

XHTML and CSS have made the web a much prettier place to visit. Yet, there has always been an area of web development to eluded styling. Radio and check boxes are hard to style (don’t get me started on IE’s CSS support) and amazingly difficult to make revert back to sensible defaults (when no Javascript or CSS is available.) Someone has finally accomplished this in a fairly manageable manor. He technique is not intuitive, if it were it would have been done along time ago, but the vast majority of the work is pushed to an outside Javascript file; making it easy to implement.

Leadership: A Review

I got the pleasure of seeing Rudolph Giuliani speak at a graduation ceremony at the University of Oklahoma where he discussed his new book, “Leadership”. He was an amazing speaker and as such I decided to pick up his book when I got the chance. Leadership by Rudolph W. Giuliani and Ken Kurson gives an overview of Mayor Giuliani’s leadership focus and a narrative of his actions/reactions to the September 11th events. I found both aspects of the book fascinating and informative without being overly scholastic.

“Leadership” does NOT provide any staggering new insight into leadership techniques and as such will probably not be useful to students of management. What the book does do is to provide fascinating examples of select leadership traits in action. These “inside” stories were the most enjoyable part of the book. Providing a counterpoint, to the New York media, on Giuliani’s term as mayor.

The book was begun well before 9/11 and as such the material covering those events feels, at times, disconnected from the main theme of the book. But because the 9/11 events play such a huge role in bringing Giuliani’s leadership skills to our attention, the information is understandable and interesting for its own sake.

Overall I really enjoyed reading “Leadership.” Its a quick read with a great deal of information, and was well worth my time.

Be not overcome of evil

I extend my prayers, along with the rest of the free world, to all of London today. Our hearts and thoughts are with you.

“When evil men plot, good men must plan. When evil men burn and bomb, good men must build and bind. When evil men shout ugly words of hatred, good men must commit themselves to the glories of love.”

–Martin Luther King Jr.

Desktop Linux Debate

Family has kept me from blogging the last few weeks, but a couple links drew my attention today. The Linux Desktop Distribution of the Future is a blog post by akaimbatman at blogspot. In it he lists (his perceptions of) some of Linux’s problems mastering the desktop. In a total 180 from most posts of this type, he also lists solutions. Now several of his “thoughts” are re-occurring theories that pop-up from know-it-all new-to-Linux types from time-to-time (sorry about this sentence, I have been reading a great deal of Joyce lately.) It does, however, provoke some good thought on selected topics.

This post is a rant of the perceived shortcomings of the RPM package format. The author demonstrates a distinct lack of understanding about RPM and its design decisions. A technically solid (if less then totally coherent) rebuttal can be found here. The whole DKPG/RPM debate is one of the quickest ways to spot a Linux zealot. Technically speaking RPM is superior to DKPG in every perceivable way, yet DKPG defenders will routinely throw arguments like “RPM is a steaming pile of crap” in defense of thier package of choice.

I don’t like Redhat, I don’t use Redhat (anymore) but one thing they did RIGHT… was RPM.

I am still alive, albeit with fewer rights.

Sorry for the drought of updates lately. I have been talking time off from “the wire” to spend time with my newly enlarge family. I will get back in the swing of things in the coming weeks.

The only real point of this post is to make a brief comment on the recent Supreme Court eminent domain decisions. This ruling effectively destroys any distinction between public and private use concerning property. The decision is easily the worst ruling the Supreme Court has issued since the Roe v. Wade ruling in the 1970’s. The ruling will have the effect of giving special interest groups power over individual property owners (wither those owners are people or businesses.)

If Wal-Mart wants to open a new store and some pesky home owners get in the way… hey, just get the local city council to take the property. If religious groups don’t like a particular business (say liquor store or “news stand”), a little political clout will remove anything that offends. If the city doesn’t like your business… your gone. Because you don’t actually own your property, you just have permission to buy it… for now. It will hurt business, private enterprise, and personal civil rights. It IS one of the very reasons we (as a country) revolted from the British. And by any reasonable interpretation, it violates the fifth amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

In the Declaration of Independence, the founding fathers originally intended to put “life, liberty, and property” but decided that property might not be broad enough. At a time when our essential liberties are already being chipped away at; it is disturbing to see that with one stroke, 5 judges in Washington D.C., can remove a third of our nations founding equation.