Linux Bloat

True Story: I spend a lot of time surfing foreign language sites. After studying Japanese for seven months last year I still have a very hard time following written conversations. But I find a lot of pictures you definitely won't see on an American website, like the advertisement below. Now that is a big advertisement. How many women wanted to buy something because of it? The answer might be surprising. Oh, yeah, about the bloat...




Finally reinstalled OS after catastrophic failure due to storm power surge five weeks ago. Checked options very carefully, avoided install of any multimedia programs not needed: those industries can be very vindictive. Watched software update at end, 250mb's of Gnome apps found way onto computer. Rage struck. Don't do anything with Gnome yet have Gnome linked into everything. Note to self: Put system together from scratch, avoid whole scene. Compile packages one by one.

It only takes one line, one questionable dependency, to turn a great system into bloatware, or worse. Can only take full responsibility. Nobody else installed the OS. None of this would be a big deal if this Internet connection didn't have a bandwidth throttle. As it is, this is like leading a three legged camel through the desert with an alcoholic rock band riding on its back, and only one bottle of Seltzer water to make it 500 miles. Cut the camel's throat, drink the rock band, shoot the Seltzer water... makes perfect sense. -*- [takes up chant once more] "Arch by Christmas."

Late Night Details

Wow I would like to see Second Gig again, in an entirety marathon. I can not recommend it more highly. One of the only things better is SAC, First Gig, which was mind bogglingly good. Even Catcher in the Rye fans would enjoy it; perhaps they especially. This pic really brings it back.

Chapter 16 is finished but not to be released until September 7th or 8th. Just once decided to get ahead of the game. On the flip side, one of the great characters had an unfortunate sharing of names. The character's name is better this way anyway, and don't underestimate the power of a dead character in real fiction. So, Wednesday after Labor Day.

Mobile design here was discovered turned off. Turned it back on. Looks pretty good on iPhone again.

A Mist of Blood Red Goauche

Here's a project page for Goauche so the top of Symbols won't be perpetually clogged by new chapters. The posts have all been moved to 2010. None of these have been targeted by cross site scripting or any other cracks, as far as I know, except Chapter 14, which did publish from draft without any input. That is to say, these chapters are the originals without any outside influence.

Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen: Beyond the Grave

Jobs Leaves Apple

Steve Jobs officially resigned from the helm of Apple Inc. He co-founded the company from a garage, and went on to reign as CEO for fourteen years. Jobs accomplishments will always be seen in light of his own individual breakthroughs as a true technology pioneer, but his work keeping the Apple organization at the very forefront of dynamic research and development can never be minimized. His competitive genius and product presentation savvy will forever place him in the highest echelons of iconic American business giants like Andrew Carnegie, Richard Sears and William Randolph Hearst.

Steve Jobs presence on the stage as the leader of that company will be missed. Jobs strength and tenacity shines in his survival of pancreatic cancer, another storm like many others he weathered like a true champion. He still suffers from an undisclosed medical condition, so please keep he and his loved ones in your thoughts and prayers.

Apple shares were suspended from trading before the news came out. The historic announcement will leave control of the company in the hands of Tim Cook. Cook was the obvious choice for successor, but has some very big shoes to fill.

-time elapsed-



So, I, um, I heard some things. All those years, Apple not getting the market share it really sort of deserved, a bite taken out of the apple, the whole Macintosh thing, it all started clicking into place. Nobody has to be a PC sort of person. Men can, you know, take a bite out of the apple. It's free here that way...

DJTiesto at BR River Center

The show will be September 28th. Really though. Tiesto has one of the largest private collections of DJ vinyl in North America, and executes a fantastic show. No drive to Austin or California involved. I heard he does all new material now, and also that there are lots of people with bigger collections, they just don't have the DJ talent that he does. I just mention this show because it sounds like a lot of fun. Baton Rouge doesn't get a lot of top notch DJ shows like this. Hopefully it will be classy. This wasn't intended to sound like some sort of promotion, I'm just a big fan of his shows. I used to have several of them on tape.