Technology, Books and Other Neat Stuff

marypcb and I've just put up our first posts at our brand spanking new blog at IT Pro...

So try my "VMware's vision of the next server OS":

I spent much of this morning talking to VMware's Raghu Raghuram, its VP in charge of Data Centre and Desktop Platform Products. A long job title, but one that means he's the man to talk about when you want to find about the future of the data centre - and of the server operating system.

...and Mary's "Montecito - not as much of a gamble?":

Simon and I are fans of Las Vegas - the city and the show. For one thing it's where Simon was when I proposed. By text message (why yes, we are geeks). He was in a keynote with a Palm Treo 650, I was at home in London with a Blackberry. Where else can you see lions, eat sushi, watch a volcano, take a gondola down the Grand Canal, go up the Eiffel Tower, hurtle past the Empire State Building and finish the day by taking a limo into the desert? And Vegas is one of the most advanced consumers of technology outside the military and adult entertainment sites.

Keep coming back for more!

My latest batch of business cards turned up this morning, from Vistaprint. I've gone for a new design this time, switching away from ( the old blue look ) to something ( a bit more stylish. )

I'm rather pleased with the way they've turned out. Nicely distinctive...

So has someone cracked the security on Sky's broadband video on demand service? Or is there another explanation for this email I received this morning?

We’re currently carrying out an essential update to the Sky by broadband security system, and unfortunately this means we’ve had to temporarily suspend access to movie downloads and some sports content. But don’t worry, this won’t affect your computer and you can still bookmark content for when it’s up and running again.

We aim to restore full access to all Sky by broadband content as soon as possible and we’ll keep you posted on progress. We’re sorry for any inconvenience this disruption may cause, and hope you’ll continue to enjoy using the Sky by broadband service.

Inquiring minds and all that...

It's been a while since I followed any memes, but this one is interesting...

Look at your LJ userpics list. If you have fewer than 50 icons, pick every fifth one. If you have between fifty and seventy-five icons, pick every seventh one. If you have over seventy-five icons, pick every tenth one. If you have fewer than ten, pick all of 'em.

List them on your LJ, and tell everyone exactly why you have it, why it's interesting to you, what significance does it have.

So here is every seventh image from my 57...


Piro at work. From the Megatokyo webcomic, and used when I'm talking about writing. My desk looks a little like this one (but is usually messier, and has more screens).


"It's our ride". The Serenity from Joss Whedon's "Firefly". I made this from a screen cap I took from a Firefly DVD, while experimenting with screen capture software and a new graphics software package.


Lavie and Klaus. An illustration by anime character designer Range Murata, from my favourite anime, the excellent "Last Exile". Steam punk with politics, and rather nifty flying machines. An default icon of old. I have the same picture on a mouse mat...


Cat and Girl. One of my favourite webcomics, everyone I introduce it to seems to run away from its excoriations of hipster culture, and its regular excursions into literary and artistic philosophy. Ah well, I say. Go buy the t-shirts.


The happy iPod. I use this one for music-related posts. Hand edited pixel-by-pixel from a Joy of Tech. Yes, it's another web comic...


A Range Murata character study of Lavie, again from "Last Exile". This used to be my default icon...


Hello Root Kitty. I don't like DRM, though I do understand why some people argue for its use. As a content creator I'm occasionally ambivalent - I want my writing to be free for anyone to read, however they want. But I also want to be paid, and I don't want my work used in ways I don't approve of...


A photo I took of an error message on our Scooba.I use this one for robot related entries. They're such dear little things as they scurry round the house cleaning up after us. Of course some day they'll rebel...