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The Last Question

28-Dec-06

It was some years ago that I read “The Last Question” By Isaac Asimov. I didn’t fully understand it, I spent quite a while with a dictionary. I remember spending the rest
of the day thinking about it too.

Today I stumbled upon it in the intraweb, and after reading it, I realized how this work has influenced me. I had no idea. I also remember it was the cause of me visiting the principal office for the first time –not the last– I refused to read “Hong Kong Phooey” on the grounds it was silly kids stuff.

In case you have not read it, –and didn’t notice the link above– here is the link to the story, enjoy, “The Last Question” By Isaac Asimov.

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Books

23-Dec-06

It has been a while since my last post. I have been keeping myself busy reading; science fiction mostly. It’s been a few months since I had the chance to sit and read sci-fi (The System of the World were the last works I read). I have to talk to you about three of this books (two of which I’ve actually finished and the third I’m reading at the moment).

I’m not one for giving recommendations, but this is an exception that I’m willing to make, that being said, there are quite a few books I will mention on the coming days, as I go through them, I am pretty excited about this books and their authors.

  1. The Android’s Dream by John Scalzi
    I won’t go into a review, there are plenty of those on the net from people who really know what they are talking about (some exceptions apply). To me this book is just one of the best works of literature I’ve read in the past few years, Mr. Scalzi is a top class writer, there is a bit of everything, comedy, action, love, religion, politics and it’s an easy to read book (that’s a good thing) that’s so smooth and coherent that boggles the mind. I highly recommend this book, and all of his other books too. I’ve bought and read them all, so yes I am biased. I already pre-ordered his next book The Sagan Diary.

  2. Accelerando by Charles Stross
    Charles Stross, what can I say of this incredible writer, I used to read his post on Slashdot a few years back. I didn’t make the connection, till after reading this book. Mr. Stross has a very unique vision, he manages to frame so many technological elements in such ways that are completely new, and provocative. Every word seems to be thought out and at the same time gives you the feeling of evolution. I’ve bought 3 other books of his that are still on my to read list. I’m looking forward to them, and those to come.

  3. Blindsight by Peter Watts
    This book has created quite a stir, a lot of people are raving about this book (it’s too early for me to have an opinion, I started reading it a few minutes ago, but I like what I’ve read so far). For one thing you can read the book for free, I strongly urge, that, if you liked what you’ve read, go, and buy the book. There is a reason why it’s free and you can read about it here. This is the first time I’ve heard of Peter Watts, and If I like this (and I don’t see why I wouldn’t like it) I will be getting his other works too.

While all the links take you to the hardcover edition, that’s for two basic reasons:

  1.  I tend to buy hardcovers.
  2. I’ve read that authors tend to have a bigger returns with hardcovers, whether that’s true or not, I believe the price of the books, does not compare to the amount pleasure and fun I have derived from them.

I truly hope you enjoy the above books as much as I’ve enjoyed them. Thanks to all those incredible writers that have made mi life better and sometimes bearable, it’s too long a list to name them here, but from Verne, Asimov, to Scalzi, and Watts thanks.

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Chopin and Mortality

22-Nov-06

For those of you who don’t know who was Fryderyk Chopin.

I’ve been listening, and studying Chopin scores for many years now, as part of the courses I teach: Analysis and Composition. On a more personal level, listening to Sonata No.2 in Bb minor, Op. 35 my brain started digesting the music, I couldn’t but feel compell to think of my life, and what I have done up to now, and what I still need or wish to do.

Listening to Chopin’s music is very comforting –that is correct, I don’t relate his music to tragedy– there is none the less, hints of sadness, and frustration.

Leading the life he did, in the circumstances in which he had to; it just has to come through the music. I admire that Chopin is genuine, his soul, his being is in every note, and with every phrase you get closer to his emotions, his life.

I understand that we are very fragile beings, and death is our shadow on every step we take. It is said, that you pass on when God decides that it’s time for you to move on; I do not know. I just know that most of us are not ready to face it, and when something happens that makes you realize how close you are to it, one tends to panic.

It so happens that such realization came to me a few months ago, and I’ve been living with it in silence for a while now –more so because I still don’t know how close I’m to it but I do know this. I want to go with very nothing left to do, no regrets, nothing unsaid.

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Last Exile Continued

20-Nov-06

As per my last post, I talked about Last Exile, at that time I had only watched the first 4 episodes, this weekend I watched all 26 of them, and I have to say this is a work of art!

The characters were hand painted by Range Murata, I’m a fan of Murata’s work–it is because of his paintings that I found my way to last exile–he’s only worked on two anime movies, Last Exile, and Blue Submarined No.6. I haven’t had a chance to watch Blue Submarine No.6 but I do intend to rectify that ASAP.

The graphic design is the best I’ve seen, the story is very well done, it has everything a good story should have, there are different POV’s (Point of Views),–which is a given in any well written story– each POV was very well done and defined without spoiling the story, and what impressed me the most it’s that everything just flowed.

Most anime series/movies, with very few exceptions tend to get lost in the details, and the story just crumble, then the really awful fillers come in to play, –like in Neon Genesis Evangelion don’t get me wrong is a good series, but the existentialist dilema of all the main characters (and I do mean all) was very stressful especially at the end, the last two episodes are just well horrible, they try to use those episodes to shed light on the main characters, but they really made a mess of it– this not found in Last Exile, everything is neatly in place and well outlined.

I would highly recommend this series to anyone, whether you like anime or not, this is a great series to watch. As for kids watching this series, I don’t recommend letting kids watch it, unless their is some parental guidance,  there are a few scenes that can be disturbing to some people, but there is no excess anywhere, everything is really artistically framed.

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Last Exile

15-Nov-06

Last Exile is an anime series, or as some call it “The Anime” series. I learned about Last Exile through the work of artist Range Murata (No I don’t know him, I know his work) I found some wallpapers with his work on several sites, It was an immediate attraction, the guy is a genious drawing, he’s done the characters for two anime series:

  • Blue Submarine No. 9 (Which is on my to buy list)
  • Last Exile (which I own).

I started doing research on both and decided to get Last Exile first, it’s worth every single cent spent and then some, it’s an amazing work of art, and if you are anime buff and don’t know about Last Exile, do yourself a favor and go get it, while you still can.

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Becoming a professional programmer/developer

15-Nov-06

I was discussing with a good friend the open java initiative by Sun, he has some good points; things that can go bad for the community because of this move by Sun.

I want to concentrate in one of the points he listed that triggered an exception in my head.

He said and I paraphrase “What is going to happen to the developer/programmer that has invested all it’s time, energy and money into completely mastering and becoming the ultimate guru, when that language stops being relevant?”

My response is: He got what he deserved! I could see the rage in his eyes, but the truth is that there is a universally known fact to all of us old programmers:

“You use the language that fits the problem.”

You don’t force the problem into a language, or a domain just for the hell of it. That means you need to know several languages, in fact, by learning different languages you become a better programmer, and you start realizing that languages are tools! the important part is not the language, it’s you! Yes, you, damn it! the language can’t think for you, but some languages do make some difficult problems trivial to solve –though that doesn’t necessarily means it’s the right language. You need to know different languages, to be able to determine and use the strengths of a language to solve the problem at hand. To quote Fred Brooks “There are no silver bullets” the sooner we realize this the further we can go. As programmers/developers we need to understand to become a professional programmer, we need to think like one, and that means leaving passions, and favoritism aside, and use the right tool for the problem at hand, what ever that tool may be.

To be a professional programmer you need to be comfortable with all the different types of programming (at least be able to understand the basics of each) specialization is a very big buzz this days, but to me it’s not sustainable, it works well for some professions: Medical Doctors, and lawyers, but it does not hold for us. The basic reason is that programming is programming (does not matter the paradigm or the language, the process is more or less the same), heart surgery, cosmetic surgery, and neurosurgery share common grounds, but they tackle very different problems and scenarios , so it makes sense to have specialization, but programming paradigms are not that different one from each other, they are just different ways of framing a set of problems that are not efficiently handled by the other paradigms.

I hear you asking: “What about AI? What about embedded programing?” It’s still programming. You may say: “Surgery is surgery”. You are right. But the domain is totally different. The head and neck of a human being, is very different from the heart; but the deal breaker is the way each is taught in medical school and the fact you specialize in one area or another. This trend of specialization is now making it’s appearance in Computer Science, but not on the field of programming.

There has already been several articles and blogs on the difference of a programmer and a developer and which is higher in the food chain; I personally don’t care, and I’m old enough to know it doesn’t mean shit. But I will tell you this, you need to be able to adapt if you want to make a living as a professional programmer.

To finish this rant with some advice, please read “The Pragmatic Programmer“, this book will help, if you follow it’s principles .

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No Rules, Just Right?

08-Nov-06

This is my response to the following statement made by my friend Tamgo.

I think I understand what you are trying to say, but I feel you are mixing two different philosophical principles–That of freedom of thinking and physical liberties. While I do agree that we are prisoners of our own mind, and by that of the establishment.

Education or re-education is a very difficult and may be a utopian concept, all we can do is try to help the coming generation to be free thinkers, now the question is are we really prepare for the changes a free thinking world will bring? Fear of change can be traced back to the first humans to walk the earth. Breaking with religious thought (Yes I know you don’t mention that directly but it is implicit) or believes is not something trivial or easy.

You see my reader, we human beings are a product of an infinite number of situations, arrangements and evolution that we consciously of subconsciously had to endure, we are adapting every day, and while I do agree we have come a long way, we have lost sight of what our fore fathers were trying to acomplish, I like to think that we will get back in course before it’s to late.

Rules are a part of the universe, and when those rules are broken, things happen, whether those things are bad or good, it will take time to determine. We inside ourselves have the power to change our world, and by that the world of those that surround us, but for that we have to realize and not just that but embrace two principles:

  • Every single organism in this planet is important, and affects our world, both physically, spiritually, and consciousness.
  • We need to change our way of thinking, to change the way we live (Bible quote from the letters of Paul).

When we embrace those two principles then we will be truly free.

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To release or not to release that is the question.

02-Nov-06

There is a trend going on in the software engineering camp, and that is that most people don’t know how to make a major release. The problem goes like this, I made this cool software and it’s “feature complete” (what ever that means). so I make my 1.0 release, two days later they make release 1.1 (he added or changed one of the features).

The problem with this is that most programmers — ahem developers are to much in a hurry to put their work out in the real world.

Well let me tell you the “I hacked this in a few hours, uh look at me” is not good enough, make a damn plan! Design the damn thing, and for God’s sake make a schedule so that your users — the ones interested enough or fellow developers will know when and what is going on.

I know a good friend will say “but what about SCM” they are not a substitute for a well planed schedule with milestones and what not, so please those of you who have software out in the real world do all of us a favor, and work on it, hacking is cool, but if you are serious, and want to be taken seriously act seriously and professionally.

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Blogging

01-Nov-06

Yes that’s right I’m blogging about blogs. You see I’ve been hearing about this phenomenon for a few years now, I have followed quite a few blogs for years, and even tried blogging and basically failed — I’m sure nobody wants to know why, but I don’t care so here I go.

What makes blogging difficult for me is that I have a few nagging doubts in my mind like:

  • What I’m going to write about?
  • Why would people want to read what my opinion is on a specific matter?
  • Why on earth would I want to make some of my opinions and deep thoughts (42) public?
  • At the end does it really matter what I think?

There are quite a few more, but that’s not really important. What is important, is that no one should feel bad about expressing his thoughts, it matters little if they are unconventional and widely frowned upon, we have a right and a need to free ourselves of self imposed and sometimes psychological impositions, and speak our minds freely.

Since the start of our life we are told what to say and how to say it, and this needs to stop, now of course I’m not the first one talking about this nor the last, but you see we all want to speak our minds, and that’s why blogging is so useful and popular because you can actually speak your mind without actually forcing others to listen – read – your thoughts on a subject.

There are how ever quite a few people that take offense with what one say and they have a right to tell you the same, and that’s fine you have the right to disregard or apologize if you feel incline to do so, but still the principle of true freedom is present.

So what does all this has to do with me not being a good blogger? It’s very simple, all of the above is what I feel, or felt until now.

Now it’s simple if you don’t like what I say that is good, you shouldn’t like or agree with what I say, make a civil comment and we can discuss it, otherwise I don’t care and will ignore you etc.

This post is long enough so let me quote Douglas Adams – “So long and thanks for all the fish…” – and with that I enter a new phase in my life.

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Welcome to my world.

27-Oct-06

This is the place where; I will rant, speak my mind, and wreck havoc in more ways that have been known to man.

No really I’m really a boring person, not much to say about myself –don’t like talking about myself– and don’t know anyone interested enough.

So this is basically a place where I will say what ever I want to say, basically most of my post will be about things that interest me:

Anime, Music, Technology, Programming, Books

I hope you enjoy the ride, and if you don’t, well just remember it’s free.

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