Linux/FOSS

Building the Perfect Computer

I was about to call this post ‘Building the Perfect Operating System’ but not only would that alienate every person I want to read this, it would also be misleading, as in this case the operating system in question is purely a means to an end.

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Living & Working

Thinking Aloud: Charity

A few friends and I have just started meeting up to shoot the breeze over a pint or two. It gives us a chance to throw some ideas around about any vague topics. It’s part “putting the world to rights” and part chance to listen. The rule is to let people speak, and to listen, […]

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Writing

Some Rules

Struggling with a form of writer’s block (tiredness leading to procrastination), I thought I’d try coming up with a few ways of dealing with the terrible spiral of guilt, exhaustion and lack of having produced something. They’re in no particular order, and they’re rules for me mostly, so pick and choose what you want:

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Unconvenient

We ❤ Retro Media

Off Book is an amazing series of videos I’ve just discovered from the US network PBS. The videos are short – about 7 minutes – and cover things like design, animation, culture, art etc. I’ll definitely be watching more of them, but the one we’re interested in here is We ❤ Retro Media, where a […]

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Linux/FOSS

It’s all about the interface

This post is related to The Perfect OS is Hard to Find from last year. That earlier rant, perhaps unwittingly, was about interfaces. Nnow I’ve realised how everything I though of which defines an OS is down to the colours and shapes it draws on the screen. Or to be more precise, my trouble was […]

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Fiction

Incompatible

An archaeologist makes a discovery which may hold the secret to the first non-human civilisation ever discovered. Can she excavate its secrets in time? Read Incompatible on Scribd.

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Fiction

The Message

A sergeant of Her Majesty’s Metropolitan Police investigates a unique case. Who – or what – killed Professor Burke’s assistant, Wells, in such a manner as to etch a look of horror into the dead man’s face? Read The Message on Scribd.

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Fiction

Citizen Representative

Paul is a loyal servant of the state, and of his fellow citizens. But when his government job suddenly entails greater responsibilities, can he summon the courage to carry out his orders? Or will he land in even greater hot water? Read Citizen Representative on Scribd.

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the Web

Google Play: Yet Another Ecosystem

So, Google introduce Play. I first came across this when the Android Store updated itself out of existence, to be replaced with the nonsensically-titled ‘Play’, which wanted me to agree to it, and its Terms of Use. Eventually it turned out that this was Google’s own version of the full iTunes experience: books, movies and […]

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