YES! It just occurred to me what I want for Christm... Umm... Damn. There's no special days for me until 7 months or so. Double damn.

The cryptic title there is evidence of this blog entry being just a quick enumeration of some things I wanted to record for the coming generations:

• Darrel points out an awesome Python IDE. I hadn't even realized that Python code could be illustrated in UML like that. Then again, I hadn't thought of doing such a thing in the first place...
• Mike Clark linked to a yet another real life automation story involving lights. You MUST check out the video embedded on that web page -- it's brilliant!
• Cedric is looking for a workaround for all the spam he gets. Apparently he's not using Gmail even though he's working for Google.
• And finally, please no!

Here is yet another excellent piece of Laurentesque writing:

Good programming consists of three components: method, insight, and form.

...which reminds me of Sun Tzu's work. I should probably find a copy somewhere (I don't think I have it but I know I've read quite a bit of it sometime during the last decade).

Via Mike Clark, Andy Hunt, Steve Eichert, I found this to be sad, pathetic, and what not, but most importantly, not surprising. It takes a decade or two for large organizations like FBI to adopt better ways of doing things simply because of all the politics, bureaucracy and face-saving involved.