Category Computing

A critique on modern GUI design.

Don Norman, a usability design specialist, writes about how the GUI has become a very complex part of modern programs and argues that the general-purpose computer is now inappropriate, as the GUI paradigm as we know it is incapable of efficiently encapsulating all the information we require for our daily work. I disagree. I believe […]

Safari: An example of what Apple should focus on

I have been following Dave Hyatt’s work (and blog) for a few years now and I have to admit that I am very happy to see people like him and Dominic Giampaolo and Avie Tevanian work for Apple. One of the my long-time grudges with Apple strategy is that there seems to be none. Despite […]

ADSL in Greece revisited once again.

I was just about ready to go to bed when I read this transcript from a session in the Greek Parliament regarding ADSL. (it is in Greek). I thought it is time to revisit the subject. I’ve got ADSL in Greece since this summer when it was announced. I can safely say that for as […]

Ximian Gnome — Linux Desktops

I recently tried Ximian Gnome 2. What do I think? Well, it is definitely a good try, but it is very similar to the Gnome desktop I had on my machine more than 18 months ago. I don’t know whether it is me or it is really happening, but I find the Linux Desktop developments […]

Java development on OS X. Things that need to be done.

Part of my development efforts in the past few months has been based on Java and since MacOS X is the operating system of choice for me I usually use it for Java development. On the C/C++ and of course Objective-C front, MacOS X is doing alright, despite the largely obsolete development tools involved. It […]

Apple as innovator, from Tim O'Reilly.

Just happened to stumble upon an interview by Tim O’Reilly (if you don’t know who he is, maybe this is not for you). In that interview he speaks of Apple as an innovator in the computing industry. One of the comments in the article are what made me want to write a few things about […]

DSL, connectivity, progress: things not happening in Greece

It is not the first time I am writing about my frustration with internet connectivity in Greece. In a country such as Greece, with more than 60% of its land being in the form of islands or mountainous terrain, making human communication and transportation difficult, one would think that advanced telecoms would be available to […]

Desktops of the future…

It was in 1990 that Microsoft released Windows 3.0, making the PC the dominant platform as it is today, by providing a cheap, easy to use environment for people to use and developers to program (without the horrible Apple royalties that had to be paid for Macintosh development at the time). Windows 3.0, as other […]

ADSL and broadband in Greece. How far behind are we?

I am in my room in Madrid in a hotel that provides free ADSL to each and every one of its rooms. I must admit I was impressed. Downloading files, checking email and surfing was generally a pleasure with transfer rates ranging between 16 – 55KB/s (something pretty impressive considering at least one other person […]

Robert Morris at Cambridge

Robert Morris Sr. (the father of Robert Morris Jr. who made the 'internet worm' back in late 1988), ex. lead scientist of the NSA, is speaking at a seminar in Cambridge this Tuesday entitled "The cryptographic role of the cleaning lady". You can get more info here I am definitely going. :) Update: The Morris seminar at Cambridge was quite interesting, but mostly from a 'historical' point of view. Nothing much on the 'cleaning lady' apart from a few (some well-known) stories here and there. Nothing much on anything really. A bit disappointed in that respect. But it was a nice trip out of London.