The short-form week of 7–13 Feb 2011

14 Feb 2011; last modified 13 Mar 2011

The week in review, 140 characters at a time. This week, 54 messages in 64 conversations. (With 11 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 Friday at 12:34pm

Paid proprietary format debt today by migrating Keynote slides (about HTML5) to @paulrouget's DZSlides. Thanks to XSLT didn't need to retype—@hsivonen

@hsivonen Do you have the style sheet you used for the translation?—@robinberjon

@robinberjon I refuse to call this a style sheet, but here it is: http://hsivonen.iki.fi/html5-lecture/key-to-xhtml.xsl—@hsivonen

@hsivonen Thanks man! You do know that you can root it as xsl:transform rather than xsl:stylesheet if you want to be political about it? :)—@robinberjon

@robinberjon Surely if you want to be political about it, you do the transformation with CSS+JavaScript.—@ndw

@ndw I'm not the one who wants to be political about it, @hsivonen is :) But it's true that using STTS instead would be way more elite!—@robinberjon

@robinberjon I wasn't aware of that. Thanks!—@hsivonen

Monday at 07:36am

Verbing weirds language, but adjectivising is just fail.—@DRMacIver

In a conversation that started on Monday at 09:03am

So HTML5 will offer less extensibility then HTML as supported in IE5 12 years ago. I don't call this progress. http://bit.ly/i6mSW5—@jirkakosek

@jirkakosek s/extensibility/product-specific features/. Not being product-specific is progress for a standard.—@hsivonen

@hsivonen @jirkakosek Yes, better interoperability is progress. But there will remain a community that believes lack of extensibility is not—@ndw

@ndw @hsivonen @jirkakosek by "lack of extensibility", I think you mean "in the HTML5 spec", rather than "later, because some group says so"—@frumioj

@hsivonen I'm not in favor of any product-specific feature. But HTML5 should have extensibility path for new user- and future-HTML-elements—@jirkakosek

@jirkakosek Future HTML doesn't need a distributed extensibility mechanism. All the currently unused names are reserved for future revisions—@hsivonen

@hsivonen [All unused names are reserved for future use in HTML5] How individual vendors can *safely* innovate in this environment then?—@jirkakosek

@jirkakosek Look for "x-vendor-feature" in the spec. But vendor innovation is inherently unsafe, because bad stuff might stick with prefix.—@hsivonen

@hsivonen But this doesn't work for elements and doesn't provide fallback for standardized and vendor-specific variants of feature.—@jirkakosek

@jirkakosek The fallback is the standard element the vendor puts the attribute on.—@hsivonen

In a conversation that started on Monday at 09:44am

#steelers didn't lose the game, they just ran out of time—@peteaven

@peteaven Oh, Pete! You're in denial, man.—@ndw

Monday at 12:10pm

"Flat is the new black; 2D is the new avante-garde..." http://bit.ly/ed3yRa—@ndw

In a conversation that started on Monday at 01:24pm

Recipe for confusion: write a method, d:diff(a,b), that returns true iff a is the same as b.—@ndw

@ndw lol. Are you serious?—@dscape

Monday at 01:29pm

If you know anything about video, please hit me with a clue by four: https://forum.handbrake.fr/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=19994&e=0—@ndw

Monday at 02:06pm

Hear, hear! RT @ndw: "Flat is the new black; 2D is the new avante-garde..." http://bit.ly/ed3yRa—@robinberjon

Monday at 02:36pm

The Reagan legacy in 9 comic panels: http://bit.ly/gxNzjZ (via @mjdominus)—@kiphampton

In a conversation that started on Monday at 06:32pm

The parallel conversations of @NikkiMK, @honeydo, @reginaldgolding, and @JamieOber make me smile. And I need it, cuz we're FAFSAing.—@stevier

@stevier i miss you. the coven's not the same with out you :( #sadpanda—@NikkiMK

@NikkiMK Miss you, too. And @ndw1. And a couple other folks. But happy to sling spells from my end of campus!—@stevier

@stevier you should knit the next time we scrap so you can complete us—@NikkiMK

@NikkiMK oooo I'll scrap! kinda. And @stevier said she's willing to teach me to knit! :D I found my needles :)—@honeydo

@honeydo cool. @ndw was looking at last sunday of feb i think.—@NikkiMK

@NikkiMK Not I. Perhaps you meant someone other than (at)ndw?—@ndw

@ndw sorry. i meant @ndw1—@NikkiMK

In a conversation that started on Tuesday at 05:31am

Note to all ISPs: using more than 2Gb a month on a DSL connection does not make one a 'heavy user'.—@tommorris

@tommorris Not even compared to all your neighbors?—@ndw

In a conversation that started on Tuesday at 11:06am

RT @dpatil: My kind of peeps. http://b.qr.ae/eMKq9f << That is VERY cool. I'm partial to taylor series and exp(PI * i )—@mikeloukides

@mikeloukides There are some seriously cool equations in there!—@ndw

Tuesday at 11:17am

I'm gonna get a tattoo that says 'Helvetica', written in Arial. When a woman corrects me on it, I will marry her.—@mortalezz

Tuesday at 02:42pm

Ah, I see that when Bing took over Multimap, they removed all the useful info (lat/long, etc.) that used to be displayed. Gee, Thanks.—@ndw

In a conversation that started on Tuesday at 03:48pm

HTML5 as a 'living standard' unnecessarily tilts the table in favor of vendors, especially Google.—@kendall

@kendall Tilts the table in favor of vendors and against...?—@aaronsw

@aaronsw Everyone else? There are > stakeholders than just browser companies and Google, right? Like: designers, users, CMS vendors, etc.—@kendall

@kendall How do any of those lose from a living spec?—@aaronsw

@aaronsw It makes editorial control of the spec vastly more strategic & powerful. They're already primus inter pares; that's not enough?—@kendall

@kendall That's an interesting point.—@ndw

@kendall How?—@aaronsw

@aaronsw More generally: a spec is a market coordination mechanism. A living spec may be instead a stick to beat others with. Why risk it?—@kendall

@kendall @quoll @thebrianmanley I don't think these theories can survive actual engagement with how the WHATWG process works.—@aaronsw

@aaronsw I certainly hope you are right and I am wrong about that! :> /cc @quoll @thebrianmanley—@kendall

@aaronsw That's not my reading of the facts so far, but maybe I'm not paying attention to the right facts. /cc @quoll @thebrianmanley—@kendall

@aaronsw 1 example: spec change frequency may force smaller vendors into an operational pace they can't sustain.—@kendall

@kendall I already suspect the established vendors are content to have the bar for new entrants set as high as possible.—@ndw

@ndw @kendall I... I don't understand how it's not obvious that WHATWG was founded *precisely to lower the bar to entry*.—@tabatkins

@ndw @kendall What the participants in WHATWG care most about (afaict) is lowering the bar to entry. We want the web to succeed.—@annevk

@ndw Yes, but this is diff, isn't it? It may separate that group into Google, MS and the losing others.—@kendall

@kendall Perhaps, I haven't thought about it very hard.—@ndw

@ndw I don't think FF or Opera can keep up with Chrome if Google wants to use the spec offensively. They may not want to; antitrust prudence—@kendall

@kendall @ndw Ask Adobe if the HTML5 spec has been used offensively.—@gcarothers

@gcarothers Has it?—@kendall

@ndw @kendall Actually, we are trying to lower the bar: http://lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/public-html/2007Apr/0279.html—@hsivonen

@ndw @kendall I wonder what we can do to make that clearer. (The specification is so complex because the web is so complex.)—@annevk

@ndw @kendall really? WHATWG is born in part out frustration with having to reverse engineer IE6. This is so much better than before.—@annevk

@ndw On the contrary, finally speccing the actual rules for parsing HTML has lowered the barrier to entry hugely. cc @kendall @aaronsw—@hober

@hober Fair point.—@ndw

@ndw @kendall Filing bugs like http://www.w3.org/Bugs/Public/show_bug.cgi?id=11105 is all about lowering the bar for the next guy.—@hsivonen

@aaronsw Google controls the spec. A "living" spec means one w/out clear milestones, releases or lifecycle. That inherently favors Google.—@kendall

In a conversation that started on Tuesday at 03:50pm

Hey @oreilly, it's not an RSVP if there's no way to respond 'no'.—@ndw

@ndw Yea I know. You told us at Identi.ca but both places are for Great Music ~ Not RSVP ~ OReilly.FM—@OReilly

@ndw but bowling!—@abdelazer

@abdelazer Alas, I have to head home on Monday afternoon. ETOOMUCHTRAVEL—@ndw

In a conversation that started on Tuesday at 04:37pm

thinking how awesome it would be to have a fat gold chain with a huge xdmp:eval() in diamonds hanging from it—@peteaven

@peteaven Get some rest, Pete, yer workin' too hard.—@ndw

@peteaven your getting even geekier then me ! and thats saying a lot ... I actually work a calculator on my belt in HS—@DALDEI

@DALDEI awesome. you can join the group. you can be DJ Reverse Query!—@peteaven

@peteaven my gold chain says xdmp:invoke() pwns xdmp:eval() ;)—@jasoncbooth

@jasoncbooth dude, we can be invoke() & eval(), emcees for our new rap group: the co-occurrences. #wejustneedkangols ;)—@peteaven

@peteaven @jasoncbooth I want xdmp:spawn-eval - now that would be #awesome—@dscape

@peteaven beyond amazing—@jasonmonberg

@peteaven lmao—@jasoncbooth

@peteaven as a I result of our conversation I ended up showing this to xplana /see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3PUX_P1ZWo—@dscape

@dscape nice theme song. totally want to 'shop your face onto dog's in that pic, then have me, wolfie, & JD be your posse below. ;)—@peteaven

Tuesday at 05:04pm

Thinking about HTML and XML: http://norman.walsh.name/2011/02/08/html-xml—@ndw

Tuesday at 06:36pm

personal commentary by @ndw about html - xml task force http://norman.walsh.name/2011/02/08/html-xml #openweb #w3c—@karlpro

In a conversation that started on Tuesday at 06:38pm

reading "Thinking about the HTML and XML" http://t.co/cQRqsZ4 /by @ndw—@iTod

@iTod @ndw - really nice XML doc link.—@robrayburn

Tuesday at 06:43pm

State of the Schism: RT @ndw Thinking about HTML and XML: http://norman.walsh.name/2011/02/08/html-xml—@gimsieke

Tuesday at 08:02pm

required reading for markup maniacs anywhere: @ndw's "Thinking about HTML and XML" http://norman.walsh.name/2011/02/08/html-xml—@dret

Wednesday at 02:45am

Fundamental writing about HTML/xHTML "wars" @ndw: Thinking about HTML and XML: http://t.co/Zz2vrQZ—@mglcel

In a conversation that started on Wednesday at 03:18am

Great post! "Thinking about the HTML and XML" by @ndw http://norman.walsh.name/2011/02/08/html-xml—@rtroncy

@rtroncy @ndw Hi, is there any way to convert XML file into OWL file using DOE. if yes how ?? thanks—@sim_patricx

Wednesday at 03:25am

.@ndw Thinking about HTML and XML: http://norman.walsh.name/2011/02/08/html-xml Serious troubles in markup land(s).—@PaulZH

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

RT @moustaki: http://bit.ly/gyxGNz (isolani - Javascript: Breaking the Web with hash-bangs) << progressive enhancement ftw!—@JeniT

@JeniT Yeah. The #! thing on sites like Twitter and the Lifehacker examples seems like a clear and entirely unnecessary step backwards.—@ndw

@ndw @JeniT Agreed, all to save a little URL rewriting on the server side? It's too easy to over-rely on JavaScript.—@eliasisrael

Wednesday at 08:43am

Ah, Boston traffic. The ways I have not missed you are many.—@ndw

In a conversation that started on Wednesday at 10:27am

@ndw tried to post comment on http://norman.walsh.name/2011/02/08/html-xml got 500 error on submitting(?)—@mattur

@mattur Fixed now. Sorry about that.—@ndw

@ndw Thanks! I'll re-submit.—@mattur

@mattur Odd. Will fix asap.—@ndw

Wednesday at 11:01am

How embarrassing. Comments were broken on norman.walsh.name. Fixed now.—@ndw

Wednesday at 01:47pm

1st rule of the Internet: if there's a way to misuse a tech, someone will do it and claim it's a feature, mock those noticing damage.—@simonstl

Wednesday at 03:14pm

Does anybody know a decent up-to-date tool to convert #docbook 5 to #latex? Maybe @ndw? :)—@detonator413

Wednesday at 04:22pm

I need a 12-step program for people who don't back their shit up. Step 1 is admitting you are powerless against data loss.—@diveintomark

Wednesday at 05:42pm

Just learned about Zooko's Triangle. #somethingneweveryday—@ndw

Wednesday at 06:03pm

RT @ndw Just learned about Zooko's Triangle. #somethingneweveryday -- nice disciplined view of naming system properties—@dret

Wednesday at 06:14pm

Speaking of something new: Lippmann Plates. #amazing—@ndw

Thursday at 02:32pm

Uhm, @TMobile, "An error occured executing the application" is not a good start when I click on a product link that *you emailed to me*.—@ndw

Thursday at 02:40pm

This one's for @peteaven http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYv_oB_PXSg—@ndw

Thursday at 03:18pm

#awesome rubik's cube solution rap RT @ndw This one's for @peteaven http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYv_oB_PXSg—@peteaven

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

GOP Announces New Climate Strategy: Abandon Earth http://t.co/ocKj4Dw—@skepticscience

Is it 1 April? I mean *seriously*? #pleasebeajoke RT @skepticscience GOP Announces New Climate Strategy: Abandon Earth http://t.co/ocKj4Dw—@ndw

In a conversation that started on Friday at 09:32am

Planning to try switching to @hsivonen's HTML5 parser for decoding text/html content in XML Calabash. #thefutureisnow—@ndw

@ndw @hsivonen I have been successfully using it as a replacement for HTML Tidy, I recommended it, with these caveats: http://t.co/YT3IwJT—@palimondo

@ndw What were you using before?—@hsivonen

@hsivonen John Cowan's tagsoup—@ndw

Friday at 09:40am

Planning to try switching to @hsivonen's HTML5 parser for decoding text/html content in XML Calabash. #thefutureisnow (via @ndw)—@karlpro

In a conversation that started on Friday at 10:26am

My forehands reads "B E E R" #randomfacts—@dscape

@dscape You have four hands!?—@ndw

@ndw just today... :)—@dscape

In a conversation that started on Friday at 10:45am

I guess I won't be upgrading to CentOS (a supported MarkLogic config) after all, http://www.flickr.com/photos/ndw/5435914573/—@ndw

@ndw wrt Centos install. I analyzed a complex Japanese Excel workbook today & i swear that looks like one of the worksheets—@peteaven

Friday at 11:08am

"It can always get worse." Now the machine won't boot at all. Fsck me. Sideways.—@ndw

In a conversation that started on Friday at 11:46am

"Republicans have a mandate to repeal the laws of arithmetic." - http://nyti.ms/hf28rj—@simonstl

@simonstl That's in keeping w/ their general rejection of science and logic, right?—@kendall

@kendall I'm sure they'll find more to reject eventually. Would be interesting experiment if it weren't for the side effects on all of us.—@simonstl

@simonstl Right. Degrading a civilization is kind of a bitchy thing to do to yr neighbors. But that assumes decency & good will.—@kendall

Friday at 01:04pm

The SATA drive order got all fsck'd. Because I tried a new drive? I suppose. Still, glad I appear to have figured out how to fix it.—@ndw

Friday at 01:21pm

"the unified axis of government and corporate power" - http://bit.ly/fONREW—@simonstl

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

Bad fall in ice. Laid in the ice and freezing water for half an hour. No one would help.—@shelleypowers

@shelleypowers That's horrifying! Hope all is well now!—@ndw

@ndw Oh, yeah, you know me Norm...can't keep me down—@shelleypowers

@shelleypowers oh no! are you seriously hurt?—@iand

@iand The Powers family bounces, we seldom break—@shelleypowers

Friday at 04:01pm

"No, I did not buy pool supplies from a company in AZ." #creditcardfraud #noharmdone—@ndw

Friday at 05:01pm

Slides for #toc11 panel on Monday in reasonable shape. Time for V-day plans with better half!—@ndw

Friday at 05:03pm

Good thinking! RT @ndw: Slides for #toc11 panel on Monday in reasonable shape. Time for V-day plans with better half!—@jasonmonberg

Friday at 05:18pm

Also check @ndw speaking on a panel at TOC Monday http://bit.ly/fPIbti http://bit.ly/h9EucL #toccon #marklogic #rockstar—@jasonmonberg

Friday at 11:32pm

I realize that as a society we can't fund every little thing. If only we didn't spend so much on war: http://yfrog.com/h3jnvgtj—@zoecello

Saturday at 07:24am

Friction in a vacuum because of quantum effects: http://bit.ly/fn4MjG—@mikeloukides

Saturday at 11:43am

The thing about sharecropping is the rent never goes down. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704775604576120531458250932.html—@diveintomark

Sunday at 02:38am

RT @ndw: Planning to try switching to @hsivonen's HTML5 parser for decoding text/html content in XML Calabash. #thefutureisnow—@quixproc

Sunday at 12:03pm

NYC, here I come. #toccon—@ndw

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

opened window, removed screen (Its 40F out thankfully, nice day) & had to chase him around, trying to guide him out using the screen—@peteaven

@peteaven Birds. Bah. More fun with bats.—@ndw

@ndw yeah, i thought the bird freaked me out. A bat would be a whole other level of #WTF wileyness #cringe—@peteaven

Sunday at 02:12pm

One of these days, I'm just going to walk right off the train in New Haven and leave my suitcase behind. But not today!—@ndw

In a conversation that started on Sunday at 03:44pm

Hey @scobleizer, sounds here like you're betting *against* Android tablets: http://goo.gl/6jN5pp. You know, I'll take that bet. A wager?—@dewitt

@dewitt I'll take that bet too. Rupert Murdoch's Daily and Oprah's app? WTFC? http://goo.gl/6jN5p—@ndw

In a conversation that started on Sunday at 04:51pm

No, Sheraton, I won't pay $14.95/day for your internet service but thanks anyway for trying to rip me off. #getaclue #tethering #ftw—@ndw

@ndw there's an inverse relationship between the cost of a hotel room and the odds they'll try to charge you for Internet.—@david_megginson

Sunday at 05:12pm

@ndw Last year in Prague, we left a pub and had a chat outside for 15' with MoZ & Robin, when I realized I forgot my laptop in there...—@fgeorges

Sunday at 05:15pm

@ndw And I thought Malta was the last country to make clients pay for Internet when the hotel wanted to charge me 5 Euros/day.—@fgeorges

Sunday at 07:47pm

Coding instead of chatting. So sue me. #antisocial #goodnight—@ndw