Author: Bobby Rockers

Say What

Candidate Map is a collection of quotations and comments from the current list of Presidential Candidates. Click an issue and then click a candidate and get a view of their opinion on a given subject. Be sure to check out Gary Nolan the Libertarian Candidate.

No One Else…

For anyone who does not already know Six Apart has changed the license for Movable Type. Movable Type is the software that I run for Vault, Mike’s Blog, Virtual Memory, and The Rockwire. My problem (and this is my error and not anyone Else’s) is that I honestly didn’t stop to think about Movable Type being non-free.

Non-Free software has bit me in the ass before, and I should be more diligent in making sure that I don’t use it. Slowly I am gonna begin migrating this blog over to something else, something GPL, something that will not bit me in the ass for using (and donating too.)

This is a good time to point out a certain misconception about the Gnu Public License. Its a popular myth to believe that the GPL is viral in nature. This is fundamentally untrue. The GPL simply states that if you use GPL’ed code you must A) make your changes and/or improvements GPL’ed too, or B) not distribute it until the GPL code is removed. This is no different than any other license in punishment for violation. If you use Microsoft code without permission, or in violation of their license, you will be forced to remove the offending code and probably sued.

Fundamentally the purpose of the GPL is to allow developers to create software without worrying that their software will be fixed/improved without getting to use those fixes/improvements themselves. Its a “I’ll share if everyone who changes my software shares too…” license. It also guarantees that no-one will forcibly change the rights you have to the software. For a great explanation of why this is so valuable check out this blog post talking about the Movable Type situation.

Keep a close eye on your rights… no one else will.

KWin Tutorial

Here is a tutorial on how to make native KWin Window decorations for KDE (ya know.. the border part of all computer windows.) It looks like a great beginner app howto for making KDE C++ apps.

Future Weapons

Great article on the Popular Science website talking about weapons project that Pentagon is looking at. Some very cool stuff. Now if we can only find a way to know exactly who the bad guys are (ala: X-men 2 Cerebro.)

My Own Distro

Found this old but very good article on using kickstart and RPMs. Some of the most interesting information includes “Munging your own RPMs into the distribution” and “Modifying the Red Hat installer”. Useful for anyone wanting to make or improve a Red Hat Linux distribution of their own.

Man Rules

My co-worker sent me this email. I generally don’t post tons of chain mail posts but this one hits a little too close to home.

Guys’ Rules :

  1. Learn to work the toilet seat. You’re a big girl. If it’s up, put it down. We need it up, you need it down. You don’t hear us complaining about you leaving it down.
  2. Sunday sports. It’s like the full moon or the changing of the tides. Let it be.
  3. Shopping is NOT a sport. And no, we are never going to think of it that way.
  4. Crying is blackmail.
  5. Ask for what you want. Let us be clear on this one: Subtle hints do not work! Strong hints do not work! Obvious hints do not work! Just say it!
  6. Yes and No are perfectly acceptable answers to almost every question.
  7. Come to us with a problem only if you want help solving it That’s what we do. Sympathy is what your girlfriends are for.
  8. A headache that lasts for 17 months is a problem. See a doctor.
  9. Anything we said 6 months ago is inadmissible in an argument. In fact, all comments become null and void after 7 days.
  10. If you won’t dress like the Victoria’s Secret girls, don’t expect us to act like soap opera guys.
  11. If you think you’re fat, you probably are. Don’t ask us.
  12. If something we said can be interpreted two ways and one of the ways makes you sad or angry, we meant the other one.
  13. You can either ask us to do something, or tell us how you want it done. Not both. If you already know best how to do it, just do it yourself. Whenever possible, please say whatever you have to say during commercials.
  14. Christopher Columbus did not need directions and neither do we.
  15. ALL men see in only 16 colors, like Windows default settings.
    Peach, for example, is a fruit, not a color. Pumpkin is also a fruit. We have no idea what mauve is.
  16. If it itches, it will be scratched. We do that.
  17. If we ask what is wrong and you say “nothing,” we will act like nothing’s wrong. We know you are lying, but it is just not worth the hassle.
  18. If you ask a question you don’t want an answer to, expect an answer you don’t want to hear.
  19. When we have to go somewhere, absolutely anything you wear is fine…Really.
  20. Don’t ask us what we’re thinking about unless you are prepared to discuss such topics as baseball, the shotgun formation, or monster trucks.
  21. You have enough clothes.
  22. You have too many shoes.
  23. I am in shape. Round is a shape.
  24. Thank you for reading this. Yes, I know, I have to sleep on the couch tonight; but did you know men really don’t mind that? It’s like camping.

The Gnome Standard

I have had a chip on my shoulder for the 2.x series Gnome since its inception. The design decision to go with “less is more” was possibly the worst decision in desktop Linux history because it assumes that users want simplicity and the cost trade off for it is flexibility. Thankfully we have another choice when it comes to the Linux desktop.

What encouraged this rant is an article by Computer World that lambastes Gnome for some of these decisions. Good article, bad DE.