Gism Butter

My car died. consequently, we’re no longer able to be members of the SF zoo, since it’s so far out there. As such, V took a great number of excellent photos this weekend at out “last zoo” trip.

I gotta say, Code Monkeys is pretty funny. Well done too. It’s the little touches in the backgrounds that really won me over in the end. Plus, Woz making appearances is also totally radical ninja. Fortunately for those of us who do not get G4 TV in their basic cable plans, all the episodes are up on Google Video. Ever episode they throw in oblique references to NES games, with the occasional Atari nod. I think this cartoon is a symptom of the larger gaming nostaliga movement. Perhaps soon penetrating even further into mainstream culture?

Then again, the other day I heard the new 50 Cent. It’s got Commodore sounds all over the place, so I guess the 80’s style computer retro movement is already in full swing!

I should start by saying that I haven’t read anything about the Google phone yet. I’m speaking from word of mouth in the holy valley of Silicon.

Here we go: Google buys dark fibre. Doesn’t talk about it for fear of Verizon/comcast/quest/mciRAPEMEMOREPLEASEASSFUCKERSworldcom. Google buys spectrum in the 700 Mhz band. Demands open access.

Google asks lots of leading questions in JavaScript mailing lists. Google builds its own JavaScript Engine. Google understands that the future of the Internet is in freedom, not subscriptions. Buy the X86 Gphone, get the wireless 700 Mhz service for free! The only trade-off is that Google reserves the right to point you toward the nearest wafflehouse, at the GPS-backed bequest of the waffle-house conglomerate that paid for the privlidge.

At least they’re up front about it!

Key executive summaries: Dark Fibre + 700 Mhz spectrum + x86-based handhelds + JavaScript Engine = Prefect storm for destruction of paradigms.

Look for this strategy to unfold, tooth and nail against the entrenched telecoms, over the next 5 years. I wouldn’t put it past the litigious potential to reach the supreme court over local wireless jamming/monopolization/sitelockout fights that will ensue between Google and Verizon. Fuck AT&T, they’ll be the first up against the wall, and will be consumed by GOOG! Watch out for Comcast, too.

Oh yeah, Apple: iPhone apps in JavaScript are… uhm… cross platform! Gphone could run them too. I think that’s why Apple’s releasing an SDK.

Screw Halo 3. Xbox guys are discovering what PC gamers have known since 1994. Real innovation is available right now: Portals. Don’t fuck the Valve.

Your welcome. Now, I am not saying I had anything to do with the massive amounts of paperwork and contracting negotiations. I’m not saying that I introduced Francois Bancilhon to the concept of Linux gaming. But I did introduce to Francois (CEO of Mandriva) to the concept of Cedega. A year or so ago, I met with Francois at Citizen Cupcake in the Virgin Megastore in SF. Towards the end of the meeting, he asked if I had any suggestions for what madriva could do to drive uptake. I said Cedega. Now, look!

At the time, Francois didn’t know what Cedega was. Now, obviously, he does.

Also yesterday, I met Alan Kay!

Wow, it’s really been 10 years since Slashdot was created! In honor, I dug through the archives and found my first comment there. Since then, I’ve had a love affair with the site, and have had a chance to meet and work with many of its alumni. They’re always top notch blokes. Cheers /. !

The Maryland Renaissance Festival is going on right now. It’s one of the few things in my home state that I actually miss. There are pictures appearing on Flickr every day, like this one from Ronald Hilton. His are the only that I can find that don’t focus mainly on exposed boobies. Mr. Hilton also point out that the Maryland Festival is the second largest in the U.S. with 280,000 expected to attend this year. Odd how California is so utterly bad in its Renaissance festival support. I’ve heard tell of local festivities being held in parking lots.

Maryland offers a forest village that is used exclusively by the festival from August to October. This blog offers up more details on this year’s specifics. Oh, and did you realize that the official sport of Maryland is Jousting? Fun, but it should really be lacrosse.

This mantis fought with a kitty. I saved it, rather than allow the kitteh to be consumed by this ravenous insect! I got the sense that this mantis, however, was seeking an honorable death. When we found them, the mantis had the kitteh by the tail, and was squeezing with both arms.

Here, then, is the kitteh, who had food waiting for him in a bowl around the bend.