Comments for rob@lazzurs.net http://blog.lazzurs.net Me, tech and the world. Sun, 30 Aug 2009 02:08:45 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 Comment on Surprised at just how selfish people can be by Rob Lazzurs http://blog.lazzurs.net/2009/08/29/surprised-at-just-how-selfish-people-can-be/comment-page-1/#comment-44 Rob Lazzurs Sun, 30 Aug 2009 02:08:45 +0000 http://blog.lazzurs.net/?p=88#comment-44 Hi, Thanks for having a read, I just woke up decided to have a rant I really should note down more of my thoughts on the subject soon. Added the book to the reading stack, thanks for the recommendation :) Hi,

Thanks for having a read, I just woke up decided to have a rant I really should note down more of my thoughts on the subject soon.

Added the book to the reading stack, thanks for the recommendation :)

]]> Comment on Surprised at just how selfish people can be by Philip Roberts http://blog.lazzurs.net/2009/08/29/surprised-at-just-how-selfish-people-can-be/comment-page-1/#comment-43 Philip Roberts Sat, 29 Aug 2009 19:24:54 +0000 http://blog.lazzurs.net/?p=88#comment-43 Hear, hear! Steven Landsburg makes similar points in his (pop) economics book: More sex is safer sex. Worth a (quick) read if you get the chance. Hear, hear!

Steven Landsburg makes similar points in his (pop) economics book: More sex is safer sex. Worth a (quick) read if you get the chance.

]]> Comment on Can we get high school kids into open source? by DDevine http://blog.lazzurs.net/2009/03/17/can-we-get-high-school-kids-into-open-source/comment-page-1/#comment-40 DDevine Fri, 17 Apr 2009 13:25:53 +0000 http://blog.lazzurs.net/?p=47#comment-40 I think High school is the perfect time to attempt to get kids interested in Open Source. You are in luck if they are already learning things such as MySQL and Java in class because these technologies have a fairly decent FOSS following around them. Unfortunately, in Australia and I'm sure this is the case for everywhere else in the world there is the problem of very un-imaginative teachers who have no desire to step outside their little [Microsoft] box, or to learn something new [and non-Microsoft] so getting the IT students to even come in contact with ANY FOSS software in these cases can be damn near impossible. I just finished school last year, and I have thought about going back and doing a few lunch time presentations/workshops based around FOSS. There is lots of cool stuff that can get people hooked or at least interested enough to remember that something else besides Microsoft is around. I think High school is the perfect time to attempt to get kids interested in Open Source. You are in luck if they are already learning things such as MySQL and Java in class because these technologies have a fairly decent FOSS following around them. Unfortunately, in Australia and I’m sure this is the case for everywhere else in the world there is the problem of very un-imaginative teachers who have no desire to step outside their little [Microsoft] box, or to learn something new [and non-Microsoft] so getting the IT students to even come in contact with ANY FOSS software in these cases can be damn near impossible.

I just finished school last year, and I have thought about going back and doing a few lunch time presentations/workshops based around FOSS. There is lots of cool stuff that can get people hooked or at least interested enough to remember that something else besides Microsoft is around.

]]> Comment on First post^Wuse of Google App Engine by Ross Cooney http://blog.lazzurs.net/2009/03/22/first-postwuse-of-google-app-engine/comment-page-1/#comment-32 Ross Cooney Fri, 27 Mar 2009 16:06:54 +0000 http://blog.lazzurs.net/?p=58#comment-32 I agree with your comments on Google App Engine. The service has some incredible advantages over the AWS model if you run a website. Using App Engine you would simply upload your web files and let the system scale for you as opposed to AWS EC2 customers would need to launch multiple servers and install all sorts of stuff. Obviously, if you need more than simply web hosting then the service is somewhat lacking (no ability to schedule jobs, email delivery is a problem and file access is limited). It’s a pain in the neck for App Engine to only support python (apparently PHP et al will follow soon) and limiting external URL requests to 4 seconds is a little draconian, lets forget the fact that you have to use the Gmail mail delivery service and that there is no SQL database available. While all of these are rather limiting they are not the real reason why I don’t like App Engine….it’s because of vendor lock in and the lack of any interoperability with other cloud providers. Google is a big company who will probably dominate this market…they can afford to do better in this area, but they seem to choose not to…Is Google evil? I agree with your comments on Google App Engine.
The service has some incredible advantages over the AWS model if you run a website. Using App Engine you would simply upload your web files and let the system scale for you as opposed to AWS EC2 customers would need to launch multiple servers and install all sorts of stuff. Obviously, if you need more than simply web hosting then the service is somewhat lacking (no ability to schedule jobs, email delivery is a problem and file access is limited).

It’s a pain in the neck for App Engine to only support python (apparently PHP et al will follow soon) and limiting external URL requests to 4 seconds is a little draconian, lets forget the fact that you have to use the Gmail mail delivery service and that there is no SQL database available. While all of these are rather limiting they are not the real reason why I don’t like App Engine….it’s because of vendor lock in and the lack of any interoperability with other cloud providers. Google is a big company who will probably dominate this market…they can afford to do better in this area, but they seem to choose not to…Is Google evil?

]]> Comment on Using 3G in anger with a WM6 Treo 750 and Ubuntu by cdp http://blog.lazzurs.net/2008/02/23/using-3g-in-anger-with-a-wm6-treo-750-and-ubuntu/comment-page-1/#comment-21 cdp Wed, 12 Mar 2008 23:53:37 +0000 http://blog.lazzurs.net/2008/02/23/using-3g-in-anger-with-a-wm6-treo-750-and-ubuntu/#comment-21 Whilst I haven't tried using Ubuntu beyond one failed attempt, and being a Debian zealot therefore happy to spend most of my time at the command line: If theres one thing that seems to have been done well recently in linux, its BlueZ. I used to use it when you had to hardcore the PIN into the config files, but the latest dbus hooks stuff, combined withthe gnome notification stuff *just works* :) I am very happy with it. Plus the PAN stuff 'just works' on my SE K800i from either linux, or more shinily, from OSX. saves all the unnecessary dialer configuration. I like bluetooth :) Now if only they'd make a camera phone with an optical zoom, my phone wish list would be complete. Whilst I haven’t tried using Ubuntu beyond one failed attempt, and being a Debian zealot therefore happy to spend most of my time at the command line:

If theres one thing that seems to have been done well recently in linux, its BlueZ. I used to use it when you had to hardcore the PIN into the config files, but the latest dbus hooks stuff, combined withthe gnome notification stuff *just works* :) I am very happy with it.

Plus the PAN stuff ‘just works’ on my SE K800i from either linux, or more shinily, from OSX. saves all the unnecessary dialer configuration.

I like bluetooth :)

Now if only they’d make a camera phone with an optical zoom, my phone wish list would be complete.

]]> Comment on Flying disk fun! by Rob Lazzurs http://blog.lazzurs.net/2007/08/29/flying-disk-fun/comment-page-1/#comment-12 Rob Lazzurs Thu, 30 Aug 2007 22:37:35 +0000 http://blog.lazzurs.net/2007/08/29/flying-disk-fun/#comment-12 You know, I think we need to learn this ultimate frisbee, if nothing else it makes us more employable by google ;) You know, I think we need to learn this ultimate frisbee, if nothing else it makes us more employable by google ;)

]]> Comment on Flying disk fun! by tonylucas http://blog.lazzurs.net/2007/08/29/flying-disk-fun/comment-page-1/#comment-11 tonylucas Thu, 30 Aug 2007 20:49:43 +0000 http://blog.lazzurs.net/2007/08/29/flying-disk-fun/#comment-11 Rob, Google's been copying us again :P http://valleywag.com/tech/feuds/facebook-delivers-ultimate-humiliation-to-google-294789.php Rob,

Google’s been copying us again :P

http://valleywag.com/tech/feuds/facebook-delivers-ultimate-humiliation-to-google-294789.php

]]> Comment on Storage system wish list by Rob Lazzurs http://blog.lazzurs.net/2007/07/14/storage-system-wish-list/comment-page-1/#comment-10 Rob Lazzurs Wed, 01 Aug 2007 15:12:58 +0000 http://blog.lazzurs.net/2007/07/14/storage-system-wish-list/#comment-10 I have had a look at LeftHand and it is an excellent product that does indeed meet most of my requirements, however its limitation as I see it is your storage and IOPS capacity are linked. If you want further IOPS you have to add more disks. Now while I understand there is a link between the two this forces you to provision all of the IOPS capacity that your disks can handle, which if you are using the system for archival data as well as online data is not efficient. If this was something LeftHand would split and certify more hardware platforms then it would be close to the perfect storage solution :) I have had a look at LeftHand and it is an excellent product that does indeed meet most of my requirements, however its limitation as I see it is your storage and IOPS capacity are linked. If you want further IOPS you have to add more disks. Now while I understand there is a link between the two this forces you to provision all of the IOPS capacity that your disks can handle, which if you are using the system for archival data as well as online data is not efficient.

If this was something LeftHand would split and certify more hardware platforms then it would be close to the perfect storage solution :)

]]> Comment on Storage system wish list by sstelter http://blog.lazzurs.net/2007/07/14/storage-system-wish-list/comment-page-1/#comment-8 sstelter Mon, 16 Jul 2007 16:27:16 +0000 http://blog.lazzurs.net/2007/07/14/storage-system-wish-list/#comment-8 Great post - I believe that the holy-grail of storage is coming, and when it does it will be based on a clustered grid of storage devices in order to deliver on some items on your wish list. While companies like Polyserve and Isilon have delivered some capabilities to the file serving space, LeftHand Networks is the leader on the SAN side of the house (in my opinion). Get them a look...http://www.lefthandnetworks.com Great post – I believe that the holy-grail of storage is coming, and when it does it will be based on a clustered grid of storage devices in order to deliver on some items on your wish list. While companies like Polyserve and Isilon have delivered some capabilities to the file serving space, LeftHand Networks is the leader on the SAN side of the house (in my opinion). Get them a look…http://www.lefthandnetworks.com

]]> Comment on SiteBar by Rob Lazzurs http://blog.lazzurs.net/2007/06/18/sitebar/comment-page-1/#comment-4 Rob Lazzurs Sun, 01 Jul 2007 19:12:21 +0000 http://blog.lazzurs.net/2007/06/18/sitebar/#comment-4 Ok, I have to admit, I had not noticed that feature before. I do wish my first test of it had not been on one of my larger folders! So SiteBar is perfect then :P thanks again for the excellent tool :) Ok, I have to admit, I had not noticed that feature before. I do wish my first test of it had not been on one of my larger folders!

So SiteBar is perfect then :P thanks again for the excellent tool :)

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