zen.org Communal Weblog

I always like the concept of USENET, Gnutellia, Podcasts, et alia. No central control. Even if the creators, corporate backers, et alia, should go away they will still continue. Look at those chumps that liked NeXT, BeOS, et alia, *puff*, they are gone. If Mr. Torvold, Mr. Stallman, et alia, fell into one of Mr. Dunderbeck’s machine GNU/Linux would still go on.

So, I missed an Internet cultural revolution. Online communities of people I’ve never met with easy to use interfaces (sorry USENET). I’ve had a few online acquaintance but they have all faded out after a time. I skipped things like Frapper, MySpace, et alia, as they have central control. I was listening to a Podcast the other day, and the announcer asked me to put myself on his Frapper map. *click*, *click*…*type*, *type*, a little pin over Yardley, PA, USA (er Morrisville, PA, stupid shared Zip Code) with my name on it was now there.

I day or so later Frapper sent me email, The following members have joined since you last checked .... A few hours after that username from location would like to be your friend. “Lemonade? I made it just for you!” Was this friend I cry in the dark for help? A lonely soul grasping at the last vestiges of hope to a stranger who listened to the same Podcast? No, it was some band trying to promote themselves. I guess they got the email The following members have joined since you last checked\nSven Heinicke. Plus, when I visit my Frapper account it tells me “Currently you do not have any friends.” Now I’m depressed, perhaps on my last vestiges of hope and should reach out to strangers who listen to the same Podcast as I. Perhaps I should start a band?

Well, I haven’t tried to remove my Frapper account yet, and the band did have some cool songs on there MySpace page. I’m considering making this band my friend. That way I will not be reminded that I “do not have any friends.” Sigh.

I apologize in advance.

I get a pretty steady supply of suggested links for The Kids on the Web, a collection of Web pages I started back in 1995 (10 years ago, my goodness I can’t handle some of these realizations). Not all of the email is constructive. Some is just plain silly. For example, today I was asked to link to a site where my “kids” could “Explore a worldwide directory of MBA programs and business schools that includes admission tips, scholarship links, and glossary of terms.” MBA? The Master of Business Administration degree doesn’t seem to really be in line with more than 99% of what my site is offering.

I wrote back with the simple question, “What age group of children do you believe would find these of interest? ” The response was one of the most entertaining yet.

Dear my friend.
well they can find about 12 age.
I would like to exchange link with you.
please let me know if you are agree.

Since I’ve yet to meet a 12 year-old with a focus on getting their MBA, I wrote back with the brief response, “No thank you.”

I’ve been using GNU Emacs built from CVS at work. About once a month I update the files and rebuild. Today I rebuilt it, first time since 2005-11-30, and space no longer does file name completion, tab does. When I think about it this is a better idea, but I’ve been hitting space since Widener, when Gopher was popular.

My Dad quit smoking, after pneumonia and a week of almost never getting out of bed because felt like crap. I guess I can switch from space to tab.

Over on
waiterrant.net there’s a checklist, from a waiter, on how to order wine without looking like an idiot (well, he used a different word, but you get the drift).

Well put, almost all of it. I always thought you were supposed to smell the cork tho….someone correct me?