Update to ideas on Twitter and next (real) post

So I was reading an article on why conferences are good and found this article that makes a MUCH better argument about twitter and how I see it.

You can see it here. I'm going to have to digest this and see if I cant formalize my own opinion.

Next up in the blog (I know I keep saying this...) will be some musings about education reformation, primarily within the K-12. College is a whole different post of which I have some decent (to me!) ideas on what we can do specifically in regards to computer science/programming. Basically on finding a way to bridge the gap between learning real computer science (algorithms, formal languages, programming paradigms) and practical experience (a la real world experience/technical schools).

However, it is too late for me to create devote a good explanation of my ideas as I have to exercise my computer science part of my brain tomorrow afternoon. Turing machines have led me to ponder what philosophy of mathematics I subscribe so that I will be able to solve undecidable problems.

Wayyyyy to late for that nonsense.

Blogging about blogging

If you look at my blogroll, Steve Yegge is someone that I have on there. I found him when I was looking for something new to read about design patterns. I've learned the ones that seem to just make sense. He posted on his blog about the Properties pattern and basically how it can shoot the moon. I would suggest checking it out although set aside a good bit of time. He likes to talk.

While looking through his posts, I found his "old blog" with a post about blogging. A blog about blogging eh? I should read it I thought to myself.

I don't really have too much to say as I've been trying to decide on what to put out and if its acceptable to do so. In other words, I've got a good one, but I don't want to piss anyone off (although nobody reads this yet, it is going to happen one day).

If you're into this whole writing on the Internet for everyone to read and criticize thing, give Steve's post a read.

Update: Marc Anderseen has an interesting post about his blog.

You just got Barocked

History has been made. There is now a black President of the United States and we all watched it. As I watched Obama's speech, I couldn't help but to think of how he got where he did (as far as the election goes, not his life history).

Grassroots campaigns are the true killer app of freedom.

Freedom is something we seem to be losing more and more each day. I hope that as we move forward with a new President and other elected officials that we see rights restored to the people. Freedom to create, freedom of privacy, freedom to live our lives, and freedom from tyrannical government. Freedom has allowed people to speak out without fear of being killed or prosecuted without cause. Obama took this and ran with it with great success.

My new grassroots campaign is to promote separation of concerns. As a programmer, we must deal with this all the time. I remember the first time I saw the idea of MVC patterns. It made complete sense. Do what you are supposed to and nothing else. What are the true concerns of a national (not state or local) government, especially as vast as the United States? We seem lost; just fixing things as they come along and subject to political BS. Right now it's bailing out banks; years ago it was Social Security. As fast as news and public perception move today, how will we ever have time to sit down and actually handle the root causes of our problems? How will we ever find a way around the politics to make it happen?

It all starts with one person speaking up and finding others with the same belief. The rest will be history.

So...it looks like I have three options: become dedicated to my beliefs no matter what effect they have (but knowing I did my best), become fat and happy because I have shelter and a job (the easy way out), or move to New Zealand (good weather, lots of trees).

Twitter, Twatter, Twat the hell is going on?

Twitter. Seems that pretty much everyone in the programmer family uses it. It's an RSS feed for our simple moments (and code scraps). It's also a good way to start an online no-holds-barred fight (Giles Whoever and Chad Fowler within the Rails community comes to mind).

The idea is ridiculous, but so amazing. Let's do an example. I'm a reborn college student. I like music. Dave Matthews Band is a good sounding band (and excellent by himself as well). He posts to twitter a few times a day and as of this post he has 8150 followers. Let's look at something he's written recently.

Cunnilingus is my favorite. And walks in the autumn.

Guessing that at least half of those followers are women, I'd say he just locked himself up a girlfriend if he needs one. A band and loves walks in autumn? Geez.

twitter lets us get to know people from a distance. We may never see each other, or communicate directly, but it gives everyone else a chance to know me. I guess the same can be said for this blog, but its just not the same when you only have a limited amount of characters to post. A blog being editable also makes it not the same as "tweeting".

Since I've been following Dave "The Lickster" Matthews, I've really come to realize how much I enjoy knowing everyone else is just as weird as I am. Only difference between me and Dave is that he has the confidence to show it.

I'd rather you just come have a beer or two at the bar with me.

So I started a blog....

After some comments made to me about my lack of public-ness, I decided to go on and start up a blog. However, I've never had one, so I'm starting on blogger until I write something so much better that they buy my blogging software. That's how I'm going to retire. Because its 1999. Gah...I wish I was programming then.

I'll be posting mainly about technology, some random science stuff, books I'm reading (some college buddies have started a little book trading), and of course, me and my life.

Follow along on twitter if you dare.