This is what you get when you combine a Radeon 9600SE, an Apple DVI to ADC adapter and a 22" Cinema Display 

Microsoft Opens Office Source Code to Governments

They want the headlines, but they're not paying attention.

Microsoft doesn't get it.

If I'm spending billions in public funds to put data in a format, any format, that data better be useful in the future, period. This includes when Microsoft goes out of business, or when they make Office XQ-2019 $10k per seat.

I can read the damn Declaration of Independence without paying Parchmentsoft a $400 royalty.

So here's what they have to say:

It is what we call a reference grant and allows customers to look at the code and use it for debugging of custom applications. But they may not modify or redistribute it," he said.

Right, so Microsoft still owns the data you put in, but you can write all the VBA you want to lock yourself into their monopoly even more.

That's not what anybody wants, and it doesn't help. Shame on you, Microsoft.

Microsoft Opens Office Source Code to Governments

The upcoming NAS invasion

After a recent trip to Fry's, I've become convinced that NAS is about to hit the mainstream.

USB drives are okay, but people have trouble sharing files right now, both inside their home networks and outside. I think we're going to see more "Mirra-like" devices built into home routers, so you'll get 200GB backup, plus your own filesharing from anywhere in the world.

So basically, NAS will solve a problem for people, and it will be below $200 in a low-end configuration within the year.

Neat - but I kind of wonder if distributed bandwidth p2p networks aren't really just the equivalent of web 3d visualization, updated for 2004. Anyone?

Posted by Hello

iTunes from work part 2

Securely share iTunes over the Internet - a short howto

This is a post on how to do it with a Mac.

Not sure yet if the Rendezvous remoting (which I presume is a broadcast forwarding?) is remotable on the PC.

Still looking.

XP has a built-in VPN

I just learned that Windows XP has a built-in VPN (accessible via PPTP remotely).

Steps:
1. Windows Control Panel -> Network Connections
2. New Connection Wizard -> Next.
3. Setup an advanced connection -> Next.
4. Accept Incoming Connections -> Next.
5. (leave all the parallel ports unchecked) -> Next.
6. Allow Virtual Private Connections -> Next.
7. Choose whichever users you want to access the VPN.

One small detail: you have to have a router/firewall which allows incoming VPN (I understand it's a different packet type). Mine does, so it's easy. The alternative is to leave your computer DMZ'd but I don't recommend it.

Also, XP allows only one incoming VPN connection at a time (probably similar to remote desktop on XP Pro). If you want something better you'll have to install a real VPN or use one of the Linux-supported ones.

Now this allows such things as playing your iTunes library from work (albeit without access to your corporate network). And printing and filesharing remotely, which are all nice.

IMAP for distributed todo lists

I read once that it's the programmer's holy grail to find the ultimate todo list program. My recent holy grail has been to distribute work efficiently across a number of machines, and todo list maintenance is an awfully serious chore in that world.

So while I don't think this is the ultimate, here's a cute hack:

1. Get an IMAP server.
2. Write a draft (with empty "To:" so you don't accidentally send it)
3. Save the Draft to the server.

Now you have a distributed document, with rather bad locking.

So it's not great, but it's a basic distributed notepad, and it took you five minutes to make. :)