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The short-form week of 15–21 Nov 2010

22 Nov 2010; last modified 13 Mar 2011

The week in review, 140 characters at a time. This week, 51 messages in 74 conversations. (With 5 favorites.)

This document was created automatically from my archive of my Twitter stream. Due to limitations in the Twitter API and occasional glitches in my archiving system, it may not be 100% complete.

In a conversation that started on Sunday at 11:24am

Me: Vancouver will be rainy, but that'll mean lots of coat stores; I'll buy one there. Them: We close at 6. Me: Arrive YVR at 5, yay! #fail—@abdelazer
@abdelazer Didn't they tell you it always rains in Vancouver http://norman.walsh.name/2003/07/23/rain (nudge @DaveO)—@ndw
@ndw @abdelazer that's a classic Norm. Good times for sure. I vaguely remember the images being clickable, they aren't now.—@DaveO
@DaveO Right you are. I'll see about fixing that. And the thumbnails aren't exactly aesthetically styled, either.—@ndw

In a conversation that started on Sunday at 05:55pm

one note (with 2 attached photos) takes up 8% of my monthly allowance. now I remember why I don't use @evernote.—@dckc
@dckc I decided it was so useful that I was willing to buy the upgrade. Even uploading scans I've never hit the limit.—@ndw

In a conversation that started on Sunday at 09:44pm

Tracing the lobbying and big money behind the nudie scanners: http://t.co/KZtfvSZ—@hunterhacker
@hunterhacker I wondered about that. The folks who make and sell them are clearly getting rich because I bet they're damned expensive.—@ndw

In a conversation that started on Sunday at 10:00pm

@ndw: The new blawg doesn't seem to have @ids on these <dt>s: http://norman.walsh.name/knows/who#paul-cotton—@abdelazer
@abdelazer Indeed. Oops. Fixed.—@ndw

Monday at 09:15am

Anyone running CS5/Lightroom on Windows under VMWare (or similar) on a Linux box? What's the experience like?—@ndw

In a conversation that started on Monday at 09:23am

Unreasonably pleased that I was able to get a nice pair of shoes with a split sole repaired instead of replaced. #local #economy #green #win—@ndw
@ndw I think your server is down: http://bit.ly/b397Pt—@martin_probst
@martin_probst Back up.—@ndw
@ndw - site down again? Including xprocbook.com?—@cdavisafc
@cdavisafc Should be fine now. Running it out of my basement hasn't proved as entirely stable as I'd like.—@ndw
@martin_probst It is. Back up shortly.—@ndw

Monday at 11:52am

Monday at 12:10pm

"I can picture the head of NBC listlessly prodding at the plateful of kitten hearts Apple presented to him as requested" http://bit.ly/cn7c2—@siracusa

Monday at 01:09pm

RT @MarkLogic There's still time to sign up for the #MarkLogic Government Summit on Wed. in Tysons Corner, VA! http://bit.ly/daZNW4 #MLGS10—@ndw

Monday at 04:37pm

netsuiting - thinking of @ndw and how much he loves it. attachments no longer work, hurray for the new version—@dscape

Monday at 05:37pm

Coming Soon: Passengers will no longer be able to carry a copy of the Constitution through security screenings. #tsa #tsagov—@TSAgov

Monday at 07:26pm

Far more engaging that you might think -- Graffitti Markup Language http://bit.ly/8YNq8C somehow via @ndw—@grechaw

In a conversation that started on Monday at 08:11pm

Browser, or Dolphin Browser? #android—@ndw
@ndw: I went back and forth a lot, but settled on Dolphin for proper tabs and better bookmarks.—@david_megginson

Tuesday at 02:38am

The xml Daily is out! http://bit.ly/cdtyCg ▸ Top stories today by @ndw—@dominiquepere

In a conversation that started on Tuesday at 05:04am

RT @ndw Browser, or Dolphin Browser? #android—@pollyanaferrari
@pollyanaferrari @ndw Dolphin, sem dúvida #android—@alejung

Tuesday at 10:04am

I like the Beatles, I really do, but *that* was the news? Good grief.—@ndw

Tuesday at 02:14pm

Actually, xprocbook.com JUST seems to have come back up. norman.walsh still looks down RT @cdavisafc: @ndw - Including xprocbook.com?—@cdavisafc

Tuesday at 02:55pm

How does it come to pass that my backup drives are all SATA and my enclosures are all PATA. I mean, how did that happen?—@ndw

Tuesday at 02:56pm

Oh, because my one extant SATA external enclosure has decided to give up the ghost. Of course. Now I understand.—@ndw

Tuesday at 07:33pm

Caller ID says California. Voice says, "Hello, this is Thor"...only California.—@ndw

Tuesday at 07:34pm

@ndw HAVE AT THEE, MOTHERF#$%ER:—@ThorLJackson

In a conversation that started on Tuesday at 07:47pm

RT @ndw: Caller ID says California. Voice says, "Hello, this is Thor"...only California.—@roessler
@roessler Why is my cat calling you, and how did he get to California?—@mnot

Wednesday at 07:21am

Features of [major publisher's] website require Facebook login and app access to my data. Yuck! And I though you were a serious publication.—@ndw

In a conversation that started on Wednesday at 12:13pm

I updated my movember picture for day 16. Please help and donate to cure prostate cancer. http://bit.ly/9cBFI3—@DaveO
@DaveO Nice 'stache, Dave!—@ndw
@ndw @emd thx for the mo support! I'm collecting movember monetary support at http://ca.movember.com/mospace/1268444//.—@DaveO

Wednesday at 03:05pm

Something that didn't make it from the old blog to the new one: AdSense. Do I care? It did cover the annual hosting costs, most years.—@ndw

In a conversation that started on Wednesday at 03:06pm

@ndw Had to google "Meh".—@james_clark
@james_clark been abroad enough to witness a significant linguistic phenomenon remotely? Meh.—@grechaw
@james_clark clicking on the link didn't work?—@ndw
@ndw Just noticed the link after I tweeted. Eyes getting old.—@james_clark
@ndw the server seems to be down…(/2010/11/17/deprecatingXML)—@olivierjeulin
@ndw I chuckled at the namespace crack. ;-)—@MattioV

Wednesday at 03:10pm

for some purposes maybe, but maybe even not for those looking at the future: RT @ndw: Deprecating XML: http://bit.ly/97Zyy5—@doxanize

Wednesday at 03:11pm

[A very well-articulated "Meh".] RT @ndw Deprecating XML: http://norman.walsh.name/2010/11/17/deprecatingXML—@vambenepe

Wednesday at 03:12pm

RT @ndw (via @shelleypowers) "Deprecating XML: http://norman.walsh.name/2010/11/17/deprecatingXML" < couldn't agree more!—@rolandbouman

Wednesday at 03:14pm

RT @ndw: Deprecating XML: http://bit.ly/97Zyy5 "XML was designed to solve the problem of unstructured data. In a word or two: mixed content"—@071625348

Wednesday at 03:17pm

Norm Walsh sez "Meh." RT @ndw: Deprecating XML: http://norman.walsh.name/2010/11/17/deprecatingXML—@roessler

In a conversation that started on Wednesday at 03:25pm

RT @roessler: Norm Walsh sez "Meh." RT @ndw: Deprecating XML: http://bit.ly/aMZKuH << spot on. See legislation.gov.uk—@johnlsheridan
@johnlsheridan @roessler @ndw The guardian has included it in their roundup! https://twitter.com/guardiantech/status/5151480164130816—@diegomoore

In a conversation that started on Wednesday at 03:31pm

I just got a quick sort implementation in email from @innovimax. In #XProc :-)—@ndw
@ndw I really missed an XPath-driven p:sort standard step when I had to implement my own (quick)sort sometime ago.—@vojtechtoman

Wednesday at 04:00pm

insightful contrast of XML vs JSON RT @ndw: Deprecating XML: http://bit.ly/dsygy4—@mbrevoort

In a conversation that started on Wednesday at 04:11pm

Unsearchable PDFs suck. More than ordinary PDFs, I mean.—@ndw
@ndw is the unsearchability a kind of PDF setting? Or does it mean the PDF contains only scanned text? #IhatePDFsToo—@MarieBilde
@MarieBilde I think in this particular case the PDF is just images or each letter is individually placed or something. #pita—@ndw
@ndw I occasionally find that kind in our so-called digital archive. #yestheysuck #grrrr—@MarieBilde

Wednesday at 04:15pm

No kidding! "@ndw: Unsearchable PDFs suck. More than ordinary PDFs, I mean."—@rahelab

Wednesday at 04:24pm

In a conversation that started on Wednesday at 04:32pm

Tonight! "The Man Who Lied to His Laptop: The Key Social Rules that Every Engineer Needs to Know" http://bit.ly/cDMuGL—@lizfraley
@lizfraley That looks like a really interesting talk; to bad its a continent away. :-(—@ndw
@ndw it was so good I got his book (as did many others). Great story about a sad gps voice does well with sad/frustrated drivers.—@lizfraley

Wednesday at 04:36pm

Nicely said, on #JSON & #XML. As well as Martin's comment. RT @ndw .. http://norman.walsh.name/2010/11/17/deprecatingXML—@JamieXML

Wednesday at 04:47pm

Wednesday at 05:46pm

From @ndw, a post on deprecating XML in favor of JSON http://is.gd/hjrh5 : fine for atomic values, not so much for mixed content. #XML—@cfbearden

Wednesday at 05:56pm

Wednesday at 07:52pm

I was invited to join the #XMLPrague programme committee and I accepted. http://www.xmlprague.cz/2011/—@ndw

In a conversation that started on Wednesday at 08:11pm

Big name in XML says "Meh" to JSON: http://ht.ly/3bBMb - what about JSON-LD: http://ht.ly/3bBNy #rdf #jsonld /via @roessler @ndw—@manusporny
@manusporny Wow. By the time you start doing that, you're sure you wouldn't be better with a richer markup vocabulary?—@ndw
@ndw re: "richer markup" - we have seen success w/ #rdfa by layering meaning on top of successful formats (HTML), JSON-LD -> same strategy—@manusporny
@ndw creating a new markup mechanism incurs enormous costs and is not necessary for many, many applications. #rdfa #jsonld—@manusporny
@manusporny I don't think @ndw said "Meh" to JSON, it sounds more like he's saying "Meh" to the XML vs JSON non-debate. I certainly agree.—@robinberjon
@robinberjon @manusporny Exactly, Robin.—@ndw

Wednesday at 09:24pm

insightful contrast of XML vs JSON RT @ndw: Deprecating XML: http://bit.ly/dsygy4 - via @mbrevoort—@peteaven

Thursday at 01:32am

@ndw Another reason programmers prefer JSON is because they find it hard to grok the fullness of XML. There, I've said it.—@docum3nt

Thursday at 02:38am

The xml Daily is out! http://bit.ly/cdtyCg ▸ Top stories today by @w3c @ndw—@dominiquepere

Thursday at 02:42am

Thursday at 03:24am

Hey @ndw, you made the Guardian blog - shame they kinda missed the point of your post... http://bit.ly/b6UL5F /cc @guardiantech—@jpcs

Thursday at 03:29am

RT @rtroncy RT @ndw Deprecating XML: http://norman.walsh.name/2010/11/17/deprecatingXML << read the piece, the title is not representative:)—@arjenpdevries

Thursday at 06:47am

I make the Guardian shortly before the power goes out long enough to drain the UPS. Thanks, Murphy. Back now.—@ndw

In a conversation that started on Thursday at 08:26am

@robinberjon @ndw The XML vs JSON "non-debate" (for Web Services) has legs, will elaborate more in an upcoming opinionated blog post. :P—@manusporny
@manusporny Please do, and let's have a strong debate about the non-debate! cc @ndw—@robinberjon

In a conversation that started on Thursday at 11:44am

You know, @bbcbreaking has been mostly silent for ages and now it's just bubbling over with royal wedding news. Color me unimpressed.—@ndw
@ndw It certainly suggests that *something* is breaking. The media, perhaps?—@freddrake

In a conversation that started on Thursday at 01:06pm

Is there something I don't know about the word "analytics"? http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=analytics&l=comm&ss=0&ct=0&mt=all&adv=1&s=int—@abdelazer
@abdelazer Only that any system that searches for keywords can be foiled by users who lie when they add keywords.—@ndw

Thursday at 02:03pm

With Twitter dropping XML from their API, @ndw makes an interesting statement about #JSON compared with #XML. http://bit.ly/aBXkRZ—@ronanmccoy

Thursday at 02:43pm

Wait... They're saying it's *another* tech bubble? That makes the third one I've missed getting rich on.—@RussB

In a conversation that started on Thursday at 02:43pm

Anyone tried the latest DisplayLink drivers for adding a 2nd external monitor to OS X? I had the GUI freeze issue with the previous drivers.—@ndw
@ndw Eh? My old mini drives 2 2048x1960 monitors w/o any special tricks.—@davidpriest_ca
@davidpriest_ca My laptop has only one display output port. The other has to be USB. The DisplayLink adapter was problematic before.—@ndw

In a conversation that started on Thursday at 02:57pm

Someone else has suggested that the kernel panics may just be 10.6.5. May want to hold off if you haven’t installed it yet.—@bsletten
@bsletten FWIW, I've had no trouble with 10.6.5. But I don't run crappy third party VPN kernel extensions, either :-)—@ndw
@ndw I’ve heard of three other people who have had multiple daily kernel panics w/o Tunnelblick, sooo...—@bsletten
@bsletten Lucky me, I guess. Keep your karma off my laptop, please :-)—@ndw

Thursday at 03:20pm

@XMLArbyter see also @ndw (http://norman.walsh.name/2010/11/17/deprecatingXMLL) on that topic. atomic values vs. mixed content—@vanOssy

Thursday at 03:40pm

Thursday at 03:57pm

Is it just me, or is the Girl Talk "multiple tracks" album actually just one big 163M MP3?—@ndw

Friday at 06:37am

Bureaucracy: never has so little been achieved with so many words.—@tommorris

In a conversation that started on Friday at 09:58am

Why do we feel the need to emulate page turning effects with digital books?—@shelleypowers
@shelleypowers people doing what they know. The same way, first movies were plays put on screen. It will change.—@karlpro
@karlpro Frankly? I think it's engineers being chi chi clever, and most people would rather the damn thing just bring up the content—@shelleypowers
@shelleypowers Beats the heck out of me. I couldn't be bothered to read the google top 20 thing because they effect was so annoying.—@ndw
@ndw Yeah, it dragged on my CPU. Also heard it was totally inaccessible, too. Gimmicks do not make up for poor design.—@shelleypowers

Friday at 01:13pm

Really happy with my new @saddlebackbags satchel. Really unhappy with the religious nonsense stuffed into one of the pockets.—@ndw

In a conversation that started on Friday at 01:26pm

@naypinya @ndw EPub linking: Thoughts on likelihood of HTTP plus media fragments? And referencing into files stored in the OCF? #annotation—@azaroth42
@azaroth42 Linking is under discussion. I believe linking between EPUBs is a goal, not clear (to me) yet how it will all shake out.—@ndw

Friday at 01:40pm

@ndw HTTP + Fragments would make annotation significantly easier to play nicely w/ others. Eg Use case for annotation: http://bit.ly/99Q1Aq—@azaroth42

In a conversation that started on Friday at 04:32pm

Odd. I was lead to believe the G2 update didn't include tethering, yet there it is: Portable Wifi Hotspot. And it works just fine. Sweet.—@ndw
@ndw is this the default (free) android tethering, or some t-mo app with additional monthly charge?—@bdarcus
@bdarcus appears to be the ordinary, free version. I wasn't asked and didn't agree to pay extra.—@ndw

Friday at 07:28pm

In a conversation that started on Friday at 07:36pm

The drunkest I've ever been was in SanFran this June with @chalaschek and Dacia and @hekanibru -- some day the true story will be told...—@kendall
@kendall Hey. Don't start any precedents. Some stories never need to be told. Ever. Maybe they didn't even happen.—@ndw

Saturday at 02:49am

Reading @ndw on JSON vs XML. Can't help but be reminded of HTTP vs WS* posts from a few years ago. This JS + HTML thing keeps steamrolling.—@sayrer

In a conversation that started on Saturday at 09:40am

I should have watched Play Misty for Me years ago. Great movie, and a special treat for Arrested Development and Knots Landing fans.—@bobdc
@bobdc That's not the same as ... no, wait, nevermind. I just can't go there.—@ndw

Saturday at 09:54am

Fear has overwhelmed justice, justice has overwhelmed mercy and the war on terror is over. We lost. http://icio.us/4vhq1b—@webmink

In a conversation that started on Sunday at 12:12pm

Finally got to play with a Galaxy Tab. Sweet device, if expensive.—@ndw
@ndw re: Galaxy Tab... you didn't have one follow you home for keeps?—@JeanKaplansky
@JeanKaplansky No, but I have a feeling I'll find one in the house shortly after the winter solstice celebrations.—@ndw

Sunday at 05:09pm

I think I've worked out how to build an execution plan from an XProc flow graph. Probably more conservative than necessary, but a start.—@ndw