Archive for April, 2007

This is convenient

Monday, April 9th, 2007

A set of links to various places to acquire free books. I found the original link at LifeHacker, and there are more links provided in the comments there. Following the original link, I noticed a link to part 2 on the left, as well as a link to “the ultimate guide,” which includes all the comments they’ve received so far.

Many of these are e-books, which I’m liking more these days. I started having to use reading glasses about ten years ago, and the nice thing for me about e-books is that I have control over the font size. There’s a lot to be said for physical books, and even after having given away a few hundred of them, I still have a few thousand – many more than the average American. And I know people whose libraries hold several times the number of books I own.

I used to have a bunch of links to on-line book sites, and I still do, at work. Most of them are links to individual books on programming or other technical subjects, though. One that I used to have was to Black Mask Online, which is apparently no longer there. Using a similar name is Black Mask Magazine, which looks promising, although I don’t know if they intend to be an on-line magazine or a print one.

I’m glad to see the Baen Free Library listed – I’ve downloaded almost everything there. Some I bought hardcopy for after reading, some I owned hardcopy before I downloaded them (see above), and some I haven’t bought hardcopy for yet (and may never). The Prime Palavers are very interesting to read, as well – some very good thoughts on copyright, the network effects, and why some books are in the library and others aren’t.

It’s a website AND a dessert topping!

Thursday, April 5th, 2007

I found this before, a few years ago, but I just found it again. The last time I found it, I was looking for this (someone I was corresponding with needed to see it).

It’s ok – nobody pays attention to us, anyway.

Thursday, April 5th, 2007

I have to admit, it’s one of the more ludicrous defenses I’ve ever heard of.

Can they be any worse than Microsoft?

Thursday, April 5th, 2007

I suppose they could be. I mean, after all, if a hacker stops providing support for malware, who you gonna call?

And I just did it by mail for the first time, too!

Thursday, April 5th, 2007

Paid my car registration fee, that is. However, now I’m wondering if I’ll actually get my new stickers. Ah, well. I suppose I could keep a copy of the cancelled check in the glove compartment.

When you hear “Genetic Manipulation”

Thursday, April 5th, 2007

You normally think of food plants (such as corn and rice), the chimeras that biologists are developing these days, and bad SF movies.

Mass storage usually doesn’t come to mind. Perhaps it should.

Want to learn LISP?

Wednesday, April 4th, 2007

I keep thinking about it, and I’ve acquired a few books here and there, but I’ve never actually devoted much time to it.

If I ever decide to, I’ll go here and here for learning materials.

Hang on to your wallet

Wednesday, April 4th, 2007

Maggie’s Farm points us to a discussion of the budget proposals over at WILLisms.

Yowza! And I’ll bet very little of these new taxes will benefit me.

Two from Lifehacker

Monday, April 2nd, 2007

How to peel a hardboiled egg.

Seventy-seven ways to learn faster, better, deeper.