2006.09.08

I have a great idea of how to use similicio.us along with mobile devices to produce something along the lines of what Dave wants when he describes "a web that works for mobile users, where we never click a link to a page designed to be rendered on a big-screen". I'm working on a few back-stage problems, but once I've got them sorted, you better believe that I've got some great ideas coming up. 2006-09-08T21:19:36ZUntitled entry permalink

I brought my driving licence to the States with me to prove that I'm 21. Only problem is that the DVLA thinks I'm 20. Evidently, they misread "02" (Feb) as "10" (Oct) on my driving licence application form. Still, at least my passport is right. 2006-09-08T14:00:15ZUntitled entry permalink

Apple have finally got around to acknowledging that they have a problem with the MacBook and it's random shutdowns. Unfortunately, beyond sending it back, they don't really have a solution. Goddamnit Apple, you've got a winning formula. Your software rules - so get the hardware to work as well and you'll get all us geeks on your side. We can then get our friends to use your machines. I don't approve of the shutdown problem being called RSS. RSS is cool - this shit is not cool. 2006-09-08T13:38:12ZUntitled entry permalink

Microsoft have put out a beta of a new web design tool called Expression. Why should you care? Well, hopefully, it'll prompt the market in to building something better. Good web design tools are sorely missing. 2006-09-08T13:36:01ZUntitled entry permalink

I've got to disagree with this analysis of Google Scholar. I've found Google Scholar to be extremely useful in my research (philosophy, remember) - but it needs to be used with care. 2006-09-08T11:21:13ZUntitled entry permalink

Lifehacker is talking about the best way to save money. If you are in the UK, you need to get yourself an ISA. The interest rates are always a fraction above the normal savings rate and you have the added advantage of not paying any tax on your savings (the downside is that, while they are instant access, you lose the benefit of tax-free deposits if you take out money). If you want to make it really easy, have an ISA account and a non-ISA account with the same bank. Deposit all your savings in to the non-ISA account, and then at the start of every tax year, move £3,000 in to the ISA and leave it there. That money now doesn't exist for the purpose of taxation. A few years ago, I got about £10,000 in a lump sum. Each year, I move £3,000 of it in to the ISA - and that's £3,000 less that the taxman can diddle out of me. If you aren't a taxpayer, be sure to tell your bank as you could be paying money on your interest that they ought not be paying. Those amassed pennies go to help kill people in faraway lands - it's a moral imperative not to help them. Smile and a wink 2006-09-08T10:55:21ZUntitled entry permalink

Alex Singleton describes a Kenyan coffee co-op who have increased their revenue due to the government's recently liberalised trade laws. 2006-09-08T10:02:48ZUntitled entry permalink

New RSSRiver function 2006-09-08T12:14:39ZTitled entry permalink

RSSRiver, a little script I wrote the other day, has been upgraded. The key new feature is Feedburner shortening. This means that if you want to read a feedburner feed, you can reduce the number of characters you need to enter by, well, lots. This:

http://tools.opiumfield.com/rssriver/http://feeds.feedburner.com/TomMorrisOPML

has become this:

http://tools.opiumfield.com/rssriver/fb/TomMorrisOPML

Also, if you want to use a WordPress feed, you can do so by using "wp". wp/scobleizer will get you Scoble's blog.

I am also introducing shortcuts. Instead of putting a URL in, you can put a shortcut in.

I have set up a few sample shortcuts so far - "tom", "dave" and "kent". Tom gets you my blog. Dave gets you Scripting News. Kent gets you newsome.org.

A little more useful - perhaps - is "guardian". For large news organisations, I'll add directories - so bbc/..., cnn/...

I'm going to add lots more - they're easy enough to do. I'm also planning to make the URL shorter, but that'll have to wait.

Also, if you click on the minus button next to the feed title, you will see only titles for titled entries (doesn't work too good on my blog or on Scripting News). Once you've clicked through, you should be able to click "+" to see all the entry content again.

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No. 324
Tom Morris
Currently in: East Sussex, England
Usually in: East Sussex, United Kingdom
AIM: tommorris
YIM: tom.morris

I am a , an , like to code in and noodle about with and the . I also have a BA in philosophy from London, and am studying for an MA. My philosophical interests are in Victorian-era German philosophy, Kierkegaard, Robert Nozick, hermeneutics and current approaches to the demarcation problem in the philosophy of science. Musically, I like jazz fusion, soul and P-Funk. My musical nirvana would be a mixture of Beethoven, Miles Davis and George Clinton topped with a side-serving of Erykah, Jill and Angie.

I also write for the Citizendium, an online encyclopedia project. If you know about stuff, you should join in.

Elsewhere:

  • GPG Key
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  • Flickr
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  • digg
  • Jaiku
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  • ma.gnolia
  • blip.tv
  • upcoming.org
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