It didn’t take long for me to read another book from Douglas Coupland. I first read Microserfs and since I liked the book I ordered JPod from the same author.
The text form is pretty much like Microserfs, an epistolary novel according to Wikipedia. JPod has one different thing though, a subtle dark humour. People are killed but the narrative gives you the impression that the characters don’t take it as a big deal! Weird and funny!
There is also a TV show based on the novel. CBC Television from Canada produced 13 episodes and then canceled the show. Too bad. At least the episodes are available on DVD. Oh well, now I have to watch it…
Note on Nov/27/2009
… and I did. I must say that the first episodes are not great but by the end of the season you are wondering why the show was canceled. Can we have season 2? Can we have Arrested Development back? Please?!
I’ve been involved in a C#/ASP.NET project for a few weeks now. It is my “Windows Day” during the week. It is exciting to be in a completely different environment and trying different things. I feel refreshed when I’m back to Ubuntu and getting things done for my employer in Brazil.
The learning curve is demanding though. It is not just a matter of learning a new language like C# and the .NET platform. There are also tools like IIS, SQL Server and Visual Studio. Took me a while to print “Hello World” in the browser.
I did add 2 books to my Safari account at O’Reilly. Learning C# 3.0 by Jesse Liberty and Brian MacDonald and Programming ASP.NET 3.5 by Jesse Liberty, Dan Maharry and Dan Hurwitz.
The ASP.NET book was a good choice for me. It’s hands on and the examples are really easy to follow. Nice start.
Learning C# is a great book only if you are learning your first language. I skimmed through most of the chapters to get the information I was interested in. I’ll try Programming C# next week.
I finally decided to devote some time to learning elisp and get rid of the shame I have every time I copy and paste code into my .emacs file. I’m now reading Programming in Emacs Lisp (Second Edition) by Robert J. Chassell. It is really good reading. Not only to learn elisp but also because the author is a great writer and I have the feeling he is interested in the history of words. Etymology is a fascinating field.
The text mentions, for example, where the word buffer comes from:
The word `buffer’, by the way, comes from the meaning of the word as a cushion that deadens the force of a collision. In early computers, a buffer cushioned the interaction between files and the computer’s central processing unit. The drums or tapes that held a file and the central processing unit were pieces of equipment that were very different from each other, working at their own speeds, in spurts. The buffer made it possible for them to work together effectively. Eventually, the buffer grew from being an intermediary, a temporary holding place, to being the place where work is done.
I like tech novels but I’m not always on the cutting edge of the books. I just finished reading Microserfs from Douglas Coupland. The book is from 1995 so I’m almost 15 years late. Shame on me.
The narrative is in the form of diary entries which guides you into a very personal and introspective reading. The plot starts in Redmond, Washington then moves to the Silicon Valley. This was really attractive for me since I’m now living in California. It was great to read about the cities, places and roads across the valley and be there the next day.
Can’t wait to order more books from Coupland!
Back from Germany! Had 15 days to rest. Lovely company, places to visit, great food and beer. Oh beer!! Das Bier und das Wasser. Neutral liquids. I wish if I will ever find a bottle of Erdinger here for only 85 cents.
Well, I must admit that it was not 100% fun. First my flight was canceled and I had to make a connection in France. Then they lost my luggage. Due to almost 8 hours delay I missed the chance to visit Switzerland. Aff. At least I had a book with me. For good or bad I improved my skills on security. PHP Pro Security is good reading by the way. Since I mentioned a book I can also recommend Beginning Linux programming although I’m still reading it.
Now! I didn’t know how tired I was until now. I’m feeling that batteries are recharged and don’t need to sleep for a long period. And that’s great
‘CAUSE I’ll will put on hold the AR development.
BUT I have a new side project with a great webdesigner.
Details about Vaporware some other day.
The main reason I’ll put on hold the AR project is time. I just don’t have enough free time for it now. Other than that it’s PHP code. Don’t get me wrong. It’s not a PHP issue. The problem is that my “official” job demands most of my day into PHP. You know, nothing like a different project/language to keep you fresh and learn new stuff. Since the AR is not an online project no one will be hurt if I bury it into fridge for some time. Gesundheit.
