So many gazillion electrons have been inconvenienced by the outpouring of grief about Apple iPad's "Closed Garden" approach to computing.

What's the problem?  The iPad is a device designed and manufactured to fufill a specific vision and target market.  If it doesn't suit your needs, then DON'T BUY ONE !!!

Problem solved!  As far as I know, there is no compulsion for anyone to buy an iPad.  Sure you might relinquish your membership to the Cool Club if you don't have one. 

If you really believe in the hacker ethic of total openness, then simply build a PC using standard components and install your favorite version of Linux or BSD or even Haiku on it.  My experiences with Ubuntu's Karmic Koala suggest that most notebooks are perfectly well supported as well.  If you choose to go down the notebook (or netbook) path, you might want to take a three step approach:

1. Check out the prices and specs of notebooks at your local supa-cheap-PC store, note brands and model numbers.
   
2. Google for problems with those models and your preferred OSS OS, eliminate those that look like too much trouble.
3. Return to store and buy "The Chosen One"

 Of course, you will strike problems.  But you are a hacker and proud of it.  So just fix it!  Research and download fixes, patches.  Write a new device driver or whatever to scratch your itch.  That is why you didn't buy that iPad in the first place.

Just finished reading "Reconsidering Manual Labor".  It go me thinking about people I have known and circumstances I have observed.  Over the years many people deplored the hard work that they had to perform and encouraged their children to "better themselves".  Over the past century education has become more accessible and before the rise of computers much of what has become cubicle work was a necessary component of lubricating the wheels of commerce.  In other words, paper shuffling was value-add.  With the widespread of adoption of communications and information technologies, much of that work is automated.  The cubicle farms are nurtured not for the benefit of the organization but to maintain the sense of importance for the managers.  No manager will reduce the head count because doing so would diminish his stature.

In high school the choice of careers was more dictated by the perceived status and income than any core interest.  One school friend had no aptitude for biology, nor much of an interest in people, but he became a doctor because of the status and high income.  He has gone on to become the CEO of a health insurance company.  Whilst and academically less talented class-mate who had all the attributes that one would desire in a doctor wasn't admitted to med-school on account lesser academic credentials.  He was so determined that he trained to become a nurse.

The debate should not be about whether the labor is manual or otherwise.  It should be about rendering value.  Value as perceived by the paying customer.  The very basics of economics is about value and exchange of representations of that value. The foundations of trade and commerce through the centuries has always been about creating value.  Our labors should be directed to that end to the best of our abilities and talents.  There is no other lasting way.

I'm often asked to recommend notebooks by intending purchasers.  Intelligent
well informed people find the multitude of choices and conflicting claims
confusing.  If I make a bad recommendation then I'm risking eternal punishment
in the form of desperate calls for support at all hours of day and night.

I'm sure that many of my cyber breathen have been in such a predicament.  So
here's how I go about it.

The most important thing to remember is that manufacturers optimise their
hardware to suit the OS, so making changes opens a big can of worms.  This is
expecially true of the cheaper notebooks which are often engineered to a price
point and thus require drivers for less common devices.  Making big changes is
like buying an Audi and deciding that you like the BMW engine better so your
swap them over.  Neither car is going to get any better unless you are very
experienced automotive engineer.  For backyard mechanics, it could be a very
expensive experiment.  So too it is with notebooks.  You can install a
non-manufacturer supplied OS, but you may need to tinker to make it work
properly, all of the time.

First question is whether they use a computer at work and how much.  With rare
exceptions people who don't relish fiddling with their computer  are loathed
to learn something new.  In that case, I gently suggest that they go with the
devil they already now.  In most cases this means Windows and I typically
recommend they stay close to what they are already familiar with.  Of course,
this is not much help if they are using Windows ME on a 8 year old PC at work.
Don't wince!  There are more of these out there than I'd like to believe. 
Many small businesses place greater priority on the owner upgrading their
wheels or yacht than the PCs the staff have to put up with.

Some people want to edit videos, organise their photo and/or music collection.
I suggest that they may want to check out the local Apple store and see if
they like what they see.  If these folks are experienced with Microsoft Office
I do recommend that they consider a Mac version of it.  The idea is that they
will only go ahead if they are comfortable with the store's expertise.  Not
surprisingly many people suffer sticker shock after having looked at cheap
notebooks at the local discount store.

Do I recommend Linux based systems?  Yes, but very cautiously.  I do suggest
that they check out some of the notebooks that come with Linux pre-installed.
But typically, they don't compare well with the flashier Windows or Mac
systems on display.

Although, it seems that everyone ended up buying a cheaper Windows based
notebook at least I've managed to avoid the majority of support calls.  For simple
problems I suggest workarounds.  For serious problems I recommend that they
get the shop they bought it from sort it out for them.  They made the profit, so
they can fix it.  Surprisingly, nobody has disagreed with me to date.

There are many rumours about Apple releasing a tablet computer Gizmondo has a good article.

Well the Apple Tablet EXISTS !  You can BUY IT TODAY !!!

It's called ModBook !

The plot thickens ever more ...

Steve Wozniak, the "other Steve" in Apple's startup days, has joined the Axiotron board.

When you consider that Apple is cashed up  and has the patents all stitched up, they could buy Axiotron with Steve Job's petty cash and have the Apple Tablet production lines ramping up.

We do indeed live in interesting times!

Even a recently arrived Martian would know that the western world's economy is deep in poo! You can google all you like for more stories of financial gore.  But what I have to write is gold, solid gold.

"We trained hard . . . but it seemed that every time we were beginning to form
up into teams we would be reorganized. I was to learn later in life that we
tend to meet any new situation by reorganizing; and a wonderful method it can
be for creating the illusion of progress while producing confusion,
inefficiency, and demoralization."

There may be much dispute whether Gaius did indeed chisel the above immortal
words. Perhaps the patron pagan gods for management had beaten him with the
first commandment :

"When in doubt ... reorganize"

I did a bit of research and it would appear that dear ol' Gaius was
the Roman equivalent of Carson Kressley in the court of Emperor Nero
and unsurprisingly came to a grisly end by his own hand.

I just finished reading The Journey Woman. It is a blog by a very special teacher. Many years ago she conducted a workshop "Writing to Heal" and over the course of several weeks I came to connect a repressed case of post traumatic stress disorder. Was very glad to read that she had a lovely experience of manifesting something that she desired. Her delight was reduced by feeling let down by the easy victory. It's as if you had to struggle to achieve anything worthwhile. This in turn brought back memories of reading Stuart Wilde's "Life Was Never Meant to be a Struggle".

We are programmed to believe that to struggle is noble. That struggle builds character. Our fascination with sports and people overcoming adversity further reinforces that all good things come to those who struggle long and hard. I have come to realise that this is only part of the method. To struggle without learning is madness. The mere idea of evolution is to try random things, observe what works and then iterate towards ever more optimal solutions through intelligent trail and error.

Returning to my former teacher's experience (and I too have many just like it) the challenge actually lies in whether we have been paying sufficient attention to discern what our thought processes were leading up to the moment of manifestation. In Buddhism, there is a concept of mindfulness, the ability to be the silent witness to everything we say, do and ... THINK. Our thoughts directly impact upon our circumstances. That is not to ignore the fact that many other factors are also make their mark. We are in effect existing in a state of cybernetic chaos. Our will and those six billion others plus the weather and cosmic influences - all in an inconceivably complex dance. Like fractal images, the complexity is ever more fascinating and endlessly complex at whatever level we may wish to view it.

If you have every blurted out something, only to regret it the very instant you said it, then you know what it's like to be "The Witness". Maybe the answer is not wince at such memories but to learn to be more mindful and appreciative of beauty and everything that hums around us. I'm certainly going to try. I'd like to fly first class too.

With the inauguration of Barack Obama we can feel the "Winds of Change" sweeping across not only the USA but the whole world.

His inauguration speech may not have buoyed Wall St and there is much work to be done. President Obama has chosen not to seek out scapegoats but to build upon what is strong. Without repeating JFK's "Ask not what your country can do for you, but ask what you
can do for your country" he has signalled a "roll-up your sleeves and get stuff done"  approach.

Take a look at http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/01/20/whitehousegov-has-a-new-face/ where it is reported that democracy has taken a giant step forward with the promise of transparency and exposure to public scrutiny.  Let us hope that governments around the world adopt this first artefact of the new millenium democracy.

Yes, we are in this all together on the "Third Rock from the Sun", so let's make it WORK !!!

It's time of the year again !!  2009 is here and I'm back at my workstation.

The Year of the Ox is almost upon us (23rd Jan) with it's attendant week long celebration.

To all my friends and loyal readers, I wish you a most prosperous and successful 2009.

Yeah!  I know, but don't say it.  I'm the eternal optimist and who am I to argue with the guy who said :

"Funny thing .... the harder I work ... the luckier I get !"

So may your endeavours bring you much LUCK !!!