Yearly Archives: 2004

cameras like computers

Posted on March 30, 2004 by acb

Engineers can see at once that something labelled the LC52C LA-DC52C is likely to be vitally different from an almost identical piece of plastic called the LC52D LA-DC52D. Shop assistants can’t. That’s why I’m expecting a new camera to take … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Software | 2 Comments

needy nerd request

Posted on March 27, 2004 by acb

Does anyone out there have experience of a palm tungsten T? I see some being sold off as binends, and I am horribly tempted. Continue reading →

Posted in Blather | 1 Comment

Strange Meeting

Posted on March 26, 2004 by acb

To the Guardian Unlimited party last night, which was painfully hip even by the standards of Guardian parties. For people of our impeccably fashionable instincts, thought only slows you down, so it makes sense that here you really couldn’t hear … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Journalism | 3 Comments

Beelzebub addresses the Palestinian Authority

Posted on March 20, 2004 by acb

… what peace will be giv’n To us enslav’d, but custody severe, And stripes, and arbitrary punishment Inflicted? and what peace can we return, But to our power hostility and hate, Untam’d reluctance, and revenge though slow, Yet ever plotting … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in War | Comments Off on Beelzebub addresses the Palestinian Authority

But he’s always been sweet to the poodles

Posted on March 20, 2004 by acb

Dr William Oddie, lately editor of the Catholic Herald, was appointed by Conrad Black, and kept on in the job after libelling, rather expensively, my friend Stephen Bates, of the Guardian. He was only forced to retire last year, through … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Journalism | 1 Comment

Dear Abbyy

Posted on March 19, 2004 by acb

Software inefficiency can always outpace Moore’s Law. — Jaron Lanier, quoted in Scott Rosenberg’s column today. This is one reason why I don’t tend to buy software, and,when I do buy it, it never runs faster than the thing it … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Software | 3 Comments

Changing cases

Posted on March 16, 2004 by acb

Perhaps the single most irritating, because most brainless, bug in OOo is the one which means that changes of case are not preserved when exporting to other formats. This means that copy submitted in Word or Ascii (and what other … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in OOo | Comments Off on Changing cases

another dead phrase

Posted on March 16, 2004 by acb

I caught myself writing “It certainly seems likely” just now. Why? Is there any moment when this phrase is to be preferred to “it is likely” or “it seems likely”? Continue reading →

Posted in Journalism | Comments Off on another dead phrase

Tales from the Arabian nights

Posted on March 16, 2004 by acb

Though horrendously frightening. One story doing the rounds in my neighborhood was of a small girl who was abducted on the way back from school. A telephone call was made to her parents informing them that they had 10 days … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on Tales from the Arabian nights

Open for business

Posted on March 15, 2004 by acb

Jonny Boatfield, a remarkable local artist, deserves to be better known (and better paid). He’s a fishing buddy of mine, and a cousin of my wife’s. So, as a holiday project, my daughter built him a web site. The World … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Blather | Comments Off on Open for business