Things I learned …

Things I learned in 2001:

  • If it feels right, go for it. Listen to your gut.
  • No matter how carefully you write, someone will inevitably misinterpret your writing. This is especially true if you write about religion or politics.
  • When you talk to journalists, make sure they don’t quote you out of context.
  • Don’t pay good money for shitty software. Most of the time there is an open source or low-cost alternative that does the same job ten times better. Ask around.
  • Some people are petty. Others are kind. Figuring out who is what is one of life’s challenges.
  • Death to Microsoft. No, just kidding. I’d be happy if they were forced to compete fairly in the marketplace. They do make some good software.
  • The best way to get over a writer’s block is to make a drastic change in your life, whether it’s taking a different job, moving to a new city, or trying new things that excite you.
  • If someone makes you mad or upsets you, just ignore them. Some people purposely antagonize others to get a rise out of them. Refuse to let them push your buttons.
  • Modern medicine kicks ass. I used to hate going to the doctor. My faith in doctors and modern medical treatments has been restored.
  • It is good to have a muse.
  • Good friends are a valuable thing. If you take them for granted, you will lose them. Like relationships, friendships are two-way streets.
  • It is OK to agree to disagree. (I learned this a long time ago, but it’s worth repeating.)
  • No matter how good your idea may sound, chances are someone else has already thought of it. Accept this as a kind of self-compliment.

I wonder how many of those things I actually learned in kindergarten but am now only just realizing them.

Creating knowledge management systems.

CamWorld Mail for January 3, 2002

Dan Lyke on Microsoft’s .NET:

I read a bunch of executive summary level papers on .NET last night. Wow. If you’re not funded by Microsoft, run away! .NET is largely a half-baked reimplementation of technologies already available on open source platforms like Apache (the discussion of “compiled ASP” is completely mod_perl–), and Microsoft says, flat out, that if you’re using .NET in a profitable market they will try to take that market away from you.

I just saw some pictures and movies of what might be Apple’s product release for next week. If these are fake, they are very impressive fakes. If these pictures and movies are real, we will not be disappointed. [MacSlash debunks this…]

Damien: Well, this is interesting. Spymac.com is registered to a guy named Holger Elhis, who used to be a graphics guy for a German Mac magazine called MacLife. He apparently has a history of creating realistic-looking renderings of fictitious Apple products.
Me: Yeah, Apple probably paid him to create the iWalk photos and movies (needs username/paswwd) [mirror] that have been circulating. Apple is very smart.
Damien: Hmmm, drawing attention away the real thing, smart…

Posted by Cameron Barrett at January 3, 2002 02:01 PM

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