July 29, 2006
Open Source Software Quality Problems
I love open source software and have contributed to the development of several projects. But open source has a down side in that there are no customers to answer to - and that creates an environment where bugs go unfixed and necessary features go un added. After all, how much can you pressure someone who is programming for free?
Case in point. I love Firefox but I'm finding myself having to use IE more because Firefox is broken. It's been broken ever since Version 1.5 and now 5 releases later - still broken. The problem - it stopped recognizing the URL refresh tag in the header that allows web pages to redirect you to other web pages. So when I go to my online bank account I have to use IE to log in. I've left bug reports as well as seeing those of others with the same problem - but the issue isn't getting fixed.
Second case, the Apache web server - the most powerful and widely used web server on the planet. I just upgraded to version 2.2 from 2.0 and mod speling no longer works. It used to make URLs case insensitive but if the path doesn't match then the URL breaks. It used to work but now it doesn't.
You would think that the Apache and Linux community would finally figure out how to make a file system case insensitive but after 15 years Linux has yet to catch up with DOS/Windows who have had case insensitivity working since 1981.
The problem is what I call VI conscientiousness. It's a mindset caused by brain damage as a result of using the Unix vi editor. Vi is an editor that is so bad that I refuse to learn it. It causes permanent brain damage and makes people think that a files named "moron" and "Moron" should be two different files. And it's the same mindset that makes programmers not give a damn about software quality. And thats why Firefox and Apache are broken and Linux is still stuck in the case sensitive file system mode.
Has Bill Clinton switched to the Dark Side of the Force?
It almost reminds me of the Star Wars movies where Luke Skywalker is slowly transformed from a Jedi knight into the evil Darth Vader. Has Bill Clinton given in to the dark side of the force? After 5 years of deafening silence and political neutrality Bill Clinton has emerged to actively endorse Bush's strongest supporter in the Democratic party, Joe Lieberman. Joe Lieberman is a right wing pro war Zionist who the Democrats are actively trying to get rid of. Clinton has been silent on the war in Iraq, silent on the destruction of the economy, silent on Bush's corruption and abuse of power, silent on domestic spying, silent where people should speak out.
I have been uncomfortable for some time with the Clinton/Bush love fest but now I'm really uncomfortable with Bill Clinton. I don't know if Clinton's endorsement is going to help Lieberman but I can tell you that it definitely hurts my opinion of him. I'm not sure I want Clinton back if he's switched sides. I am really really really really disappointed with Clinton right now.
----
Clinton is urging voters to put their opposition to the war aside when they vote. BULL SHIT! Voting is the only real way we have to oppose the war. This is not the time to put our opposition asside. A vote against those who support the war is a vote against Bush and the war.
Is Bush behind Israel's Invasion of Lebanon?
People are wondering if Bush is behind Israel's invasion of Lebanon. Why would people wonder that? Perhaps it's their plan. Israel is going to bomb Lebanon into loving Israel. Kind of sounds like Bush's plan for Iraq where victory is defined as defeating the people who we are there to liberate. When you see a country with a really bad idea looking for any excuse to start a war and everything about it is wrong and dishonest, that's the Bush style of making decisions. I think Bush was trying to use Israel to start a proxy war with Iran and Syria and has failed to do it. All it's doing is making America and Israel weaker.