Grid: there are dozens of writings about Grid popping up. I'm still (after a year) asking the same question: can computation be thought to be similar to electrical power, easy to standardize, distribute and market?

Radio from soup: do you know the recipe for cooking a radio receiver? I once read a sf novel about group creatures with one mind in multiple bodies using wireless communication to keep the self together. Would it be possible for living creatures to use radio instead of sound for communication?

Geckos' feet get sticky from static: sometimes even the obvious can be non-obvious. This is the reason I like science: someday someone somewhere will ask a really obvious question, which so far has not been asked.

Understanding Gold: nanotechnology advances step by step. However, it isn't clear at all what finally can be accomplished this way. What are the natural limits for technology in the small end of the scale?

Ease into the Switch: "When new users come to the Mac platform, they bring fresh eyes and sometimes keen observations, which are useful for all of us. Here, recent switcher Michael Brewer offers a bucket-full of useful Mac OS X tips that he put together the old-fashioned way." [Mac Net Journal]

This is a competent introduction to find the power of Mac OS X for Windows users. But you have to have Jaguar (Mac OS X 10.2) to really start to like the system. There are a couple of nice "reminder" tricks even for the seasoned Mac OS X users.

Utilize spring loaded folders in Finder toolbars [Mac OS X Hints]

This seems to be a nice way to get even more organized with Mac OS X. I didn't much use spring-loaded folders in Mac OS (I started to use Mac way before this feature was introduced, and old habits die hard). However, I have already started to like this feature in Jaguar (Mac OS X 10.2). This is certainly a nice way to avoid cluttering the Finder desktop.

Today I wrote 689 words about Jaguar (Mac OS X 10.2). Have to edit the text and make it more concise. Some details have to be verified, and some basic information added. All in all, I think that my second article about the new version of Mac OS X is about ready.

Conclusion: the new system is a fine piece of work. I you are of the cautious type, you should however wait a few weeks for possible problems to be solved. But this version of Mac OS X is a compelling reason to switch even for the diehard "old" Mac OS users.

It is a pleasure to write about this well designed system. Of course, there are some problems to be solved, and a few user interface issues also, but I must say that I'm a very satisfied user - with one week of experience of Jaguar, and one-and-half years of experience of Mac OS X.

I've been writing to this blog for 11 days. So, I have 19 days of the Radio test period left. Maintaining a blog is certainly interesting, but also different from what I originally thought. I like that it is easy to post notes about interesting items here for myself (and maybe a few other readers also). However, I'm not completely convinced that Radio is the best system for maintaining a blog. Features are ok, but the speed and usability could be improved a lot.

Rendezvous going Open Source: "Apple Computer Inc. has announced that it will release the source code for Rendezvous to the open source community in early September. Rendezvous is Apple's implementation of the ZeroConf standard documented by the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF), the group responsible for defining Internet standards." [MacMegasite]

Oracle Developers Release for 10.2: "Oracle today announced the immediate availability of the Oracle9i Database Release 2 Developers Release on Mac OS X version 10.2 "Jaguar," Apple's UNIX-based operating
system, as part of an early access program for the Oracle and Apple
developer community." [MacMegasite]

Oracle on Macs? Who would have guessed this two years ago?

How Linux Could Become the Next Killer Desktop: "Unfortunately, you can only run OS X on proprietary and relatively expensive hardware.
Instead of emulating Windows, Linux desktops should become compatible with OS X, thus creating a great desktop, fueling the growth of both OS X and Linux, and bringing in more developers to both platforms." [osOpinion]

Of course, a lot of the Mac OS X usability stems from the tight integration of software and hardware. Also, may of the Linux application developers seem to target Windows users, making a lot of the same usability mistakes which Microsoft did.

"As innovative and as good as it is, Apple's Junk Mail feature built into Mail 1.2 is not perfect. The best example: This morning I found one of the noted "Nigerian" spam messages in my In box, despite having Junk Mail set up to filter and move spam automatically to the Junk Mail folder. I also offer a quick word of warning if you have set your Junk Mail to automatically go into the Junk Mail folder. Check that folder now and then as your Mail program learns better what is and what isn't junk. Yesterday I found a critical work email message in the Junk Mail folder. Of course, Mail was right on in moving 14 other spam messages to the Junk Mail folder. Progress!" [Mac Net Journal]

I have been using Jaguar for about a week, and little by little the junk mail filter seems to learn better and better. This same kind of wrong classifications happen every now and then.

Nikon Coolpix 4300 First Look [Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)]

I've kept eyes open on the new 3-4 megapixel cameras, waiting for the right combination of quality and price. Nikon 885, Canon S40... Perhaps this new Nikon is it.

It seems that the networking technologies of Jaguar (Mac OS X 10.2) offer great potential, especially the open Rendezvous (aka ZeroConf) standard.

• Apple to release Rendezvous as open source
  
• What's so great about Mac OS X 10.2? Networking!
  
• P2P Networking with Rendezvous and iChat

Pointer to a hint about CUPS on Mac OS X: Networked printer administration via the browser.

A tutorial on CUPS.

Mac OS X: The Tide Is Turning. There's an old story in the UK about a man who stops an Irishman and asks him the way to
Tipperary. The Irishman's answer: "Well if you want to be going there, I wouldn't start
from here." This response is much like the strategy that Apple could have adopted in its
new operating system if it had continued developing Mac OS 9 from where it was four years
ago. [osOpinion]

One should also remember the story of NeXT computer: a system which was fine on paper but totally unusable for general users. Happily, Mac OS X is an evolutionary product, which happens to have a solid foundation and some well-thought ideas about future software development. And users have been listened, too. This can be seen in the improvements Jaguar (Mac OS X 10.2) brought to users.

Jaguar (Mac OS X 10.2) includes CUPS (Common UNIX Printing System). This means that you no longer have to separately configure the Unix command-line printing (commands lpr, lpq etc.). You get a list of the available printers with the command

lpstat -p

After this you can use, e.g., the command

lpr -Pprinter_name file

CUPS can be controlled with a web browser at the local address http://127.0.0.1:631 (this can only be used from the local computer). Also manual pages are available through this address.

Jaguar Opens Strong, But Can It Save Apple?. Apple Computer's new Jaguar operating system opened like a hit summer movie, drawing more
than 50,000 people to Friday night's opening events and selling more than 100,000 copies
in its first weekend. [osOpinion]

Of course, Apple is really a hardware company. The real question is, can Jaguar bring enough new software and hardware developers to support the Macintosh platform. Also, Apple currently has good easy-to-use systems for consumers, but in the business world it will have great difficulties to move into Windows-based territory.

Microsoft's New Irrelevance. Microsoft has been styled the robber baron of software for nearly two decades now, and
as the company's reach has grown longer, the cries of alarm from savvy users have grown
louder and more urgent. But a funny thing happened on the way to a Microsoft-ruled IT
world. Customers stopped obeying the software titan's whims. [osOpinion]

It certainly has started to look like the era of Microsoft is about to end. Perhaps this is similar to the end of the golden days of mainframe business for IBM.

But who will be the new king of the hill? Sun? IBM? (Again!?) HP? Dell? (World without innovation...)

Apple's Jaguar Leaps Ahead Of Windows (BusinessWeek via MyAppleMenu) [MyAppleMenu]

This is getting strange: big business-oriented magazines are giving Apple rave reviews. When this happened? Even PC magazines are reviewing products by Apple.

For TeX users there a two nice graphical user interfaces on Mac OS X:
TeXShop ja iTeXMac. For more information, see Mac-TeX and
TeX on Mac OS X.

I heard today from a university researcher that they had dropped Mathematica because if was too expensive. On Mac OS X they are using Maple, which runs in the Classic mode, but a Mac OS X version may be in the works.

If you want to try the MathML rendering in Mozilla 1.1, check the testsuite page. You may need additional math fonts. Wolfram Research offers math fonts for Mac OS X.

Software quality seems to be a hot issue: Buggy software still takes a toll and Battling the Bugs.

MacMerc had information on how to get Matlab 6.5 running on Jaguar (Mac OS X 10.2), although without the Aqua-based desktop interface. Here are the steps:

• The license file /Applications/MATLAB6p5/etc/license.dat has to be modified to use the rendezvous hostname (look at the line in the file with the word SERVER).
  
• From the terminal run the command

  setenv DYLD_INSERT_LIBRARIES /usr/lib/libncurses.dylib
  
  

  
  
• Finally, when starting matlab, start from the terminal also with the command

  matlab -nojvm
  
  

  
  You'll get Matlab without the fancy "desktop" interface. Everything else works fine though.
  

The writer also adds:

Matlab isn't an X Window System (X11) application. The matlab kernel is just a Unix program; the desktop interface is a Java program; and the graphics display uses X11.

I browsed through some of my posts here. This weblog is sort of a public notebook about software, hardware, science, and writing. I noticed that the "opinion pieces" didn't feel quite like I had written them. That is partly due to my lack of English, and partly due to writing without polishing.

Usability of Jaguar (Mac OS X 10.2). The system feels like a Lexus car: when you close the door, you know that this thing has been polished to near perfection.

Perhaps I'm overstating a bit?

The delete key on my white iBook has come off. This is really annoying. The thin plastic fasteners on the key seem to be broken. I have to get the iBook repaired, although I hate to be without it. The iBook is only about 9 months old, and already starts to go apart. Do other users have similar problems?

Also, the silver-colored round covering of the plug in the power cord is a bit loose. Is this another indication of a quality-control problem with the white iBook?

iMicrosoft?. Apple's iApps don't replace anything. Third-party software has to be good enough to replace the iApps, not the other way around. (Slashdot via MyAppleMenu) [MyAppleMenu]

On the other hand, a small developer might think twice about developing a cool new tool, if the developer of the operating system has the habit copying the cool new tools, instead of making it easier for developers to develop those tools and integrate them with the system.

Yesterday I finished my first piece on Jaguar (Mac OS X 10.2). The system works well, although there were a couple of typos in the Finnish version. All the software I have so far tried seems to work without problems, except the new Matlab, which won't start.

Mozilla v1.1. - Mozilla is a scriptable, open-source web browser, designed for standards compliance, performance and portability. [release notes] [AppleScript Info]

The update also adds Quartz Extreme optimization for those running machines that support it, as well as MathML support, better Web standards support, and a host of other enhancements.[Mac Net Journal]

I have to check the MathML support in this new version. The previous versions have been rather unreliable in rendering even simple math with MathML.

Record breaking Jaguar sales [MacCentral]

Perhaps the Apple estimate of 5 million Mac OS X users by the end of this year is not so impossible. However, the first weekend is more a measure of the current hype than of future sales.

It seems that Matlab 6.5 will not run on Jaguar (Mac OS X 10.2). I updated my review with additional details about this.

The page-reads statistics of this blog showed that I had been linked by Pinseri, a list of Finland-based weblogs. It seems that the statistics functionality of Radio can give interesting information about the development of the blog network.

I picked up two English texts from my "CV archive", which is a personal digital archive of about 2000 files and 650 MB of data. I'm posting them as they are. Perhaps I'll edit them later on.

The text Normal or Hypertext originally appeared in Finnish in the magazine Yliopisto ("University") published by the University of Helsinki. The article was reprinted in the study guide of Finland Futures Academy, Turku, and translated into the English version of the guide.

The text Forestry of the Future was written as an
essay for an English course at Helsinki University of Technology. It is based on an essay which won an international writing competition
sponsored by FAO (United Nations). I made a presentation in English at the United Nations building in Geneva. (Traveling to Geneva was the
first price of the competition.)

A new version of TeXShop is available. It seems syntax coloring on Jaguar has been fixed.

At infoanarchy there is an article titled Into the Age of Abundance. Nice discussion about the current fight for the control of information.

I just noticed that globetechnology.com published my Letter to the Editor about Hackers, Crackers, and Ethics.

Managed to get the Radio categories to work. I now have a Channels section on the weblog. It is easy to add new channels.

The MiniVigor driver for Jaguar (Mac OS X 10.2) works! Now I have my ISDN back, after only a couple of days break (was using the internal modem of the iBook instead).

I'm trying the Radio categories, separate channels or weblogs. This seems easier than I thought. Let's see.

Managed to install the MiniVigor driver for Jaguar (Mac OS X 10.2). Will check tonight if it works.

I got mail from DrayTek support confirming that version 1.90 of the MiniVigor ISDN TA driver will work with Jaguar (Mac OS X 10.2).

The .Mac service now offers a new version (1.2) of the Backup program. Now you can make backups to multiple cd/dvd disks. Also, there are August virus definitions available for Virex 7.1.

How I did not notice this previously: there are hints for Watson power users. Now I cat set up how frequently Watson updates its channels! This is apparently how to do it for VersionTracker:

defaults write com.karelia.watson com.karelia.watson.VersionTracker.ToolFrequency 100

The time is specified in seconds.

As I noted yesterday, my ISDN connection stopped working after the Jaguar (aka Mac OS X 10.2) update. Now there is a new version of the driver
available at VersionTracker, I hope that version works.

Have to note: this weblog is one week old. A baby with uncertain future.

Further Jaguar (aka Mac OS X 10.2) experiences are being posted. It seems that the Mail spam filter is hot, the Sherlock tool is cold. I have yet to be convinced of the power of the spam filtering in Mail, but I'm hoping it will help at least a little. I have been using the Mac OS X Mail program for over a year now. (I have been a Mac OS X user since version 10.0 was announced.)

There is further info about screenshots. Nice. However, I've been using Snapz Pro X, which works like a charm, but of course costs a bit.

Mac OS X Hints tells:

The command is /usr/sbin/screencapture. Just type screencapture and hit "enter" in the Terminal for a list of options.

I studied cellular automata (CA) for my masters thesis about ten years ago. Now the topic is again popular due to Stephen Wolfram's book A New Kind of Science. However, I'm a sceptic about the promises by Wolfram.

In any case, the name I gave to this site is from CA terminology, pointing to a cellular automaton which is capable of universal computation.

Writing a book is a demanding task. I usually have problems in concentrating on the subject and not on the layout and visual appearance. But slowly I have improved, thanks to LaTeX. You don't have to worry about the finished book until it is finished. Do your planning well, be prepared to change the whole structure of the book, and use good tools. Writing is of course still difficult and poses problems, but that is in the nature of writing. Writing is one of the hardest things people do.

The mobile UMTS technology is a popular topic in the Finnish media currently. The UMTS licenses for many European countries (not Finland) cost astronomical amounts of money to the operators, but the prospects are bleak. There are already multimedia phones with built-in cameras on sale, but the price is steep, and the services are lacking is scope. It remains to be seen what is the legacy of UMTS for the telecommunications industry.

The new Sherlock tool of Jaguar (aka Mac OS X 10.2) is a disappointment. Sherlock feels more like a technology demonstration than a finished product. I am quite satisfied with Watson, and are especially using the Meerkat, VersionTracker and Stocks channels. Of course, both are US-oriented tools, Watson a bit less. Perhaps Apple will improve Sherlock, but does it have to compete with Watson?

Note to myself: remember to post the article Zen for content producers here on the blog. Have to do some further writing and editing of the article first.

I wrote a new story in English titled Unlicensed Thoughts. This is a down-to-earth discussion about the future life in the digital realm. Did you just now have a license for that thought?

A hot-hot-hot topic is Jaguar, Mac OS X 10.2. Have to say that the sites blogging Jaguar will be useful when writing the promised two reviews of Jaguar. My own experiences have been mainly positive, with a couple of small problems. There is one major problem: an external USB-based ISDN terminal adapter (miniVigor) made by DrayTek stopped working. So, currently I have to use the internal modem for getting online from home. Through the blog I hope to get an impression how well other people are doing.

I have been editing the Universal Rule homepage. I have some ideas for making my own theme, but for now I'll stick with the standard templates. Is there a tool for easy layout of web page templates?

Would it be possible to make a CV-macro for the Radio for collecting some proof of past accomplishments. This tools could be based on a XML database and could support searches and conversion to various formats. But this is something not many bloggers would want.

Blogging is non-permanent, dynamic, focused best on making something possible at this moment. Blogging is a collaboratory tool for a small group or a company. In a larger context, no-one seems yet to know. However, a blog-like tools will be used for getting things done at a workplace I know. It is interesting to see how it turns out.

One reason for me to keep on blogging is to practise everyday English instead of the professional terminology. Alas, these text seem to be quite technology-oriented, but I'm trying to stretch my legs outside this tiny plot.

I made some small updated to my CV (PDF format). I have set an artificial limit of four pages to the PDF version, but in the LaTeX source there are a lot of additional publications and data for reference.

During the weekend I have sometimes kept a notepad and a pen with me and written down posts on paper. Later I have written these "postings" down here. An Apple "iPhone" with handwriting recognition and wireless access would be the ultimate blogging tool.

Why I am still keeping on posting? I have several important pieces of writing to finish, besides our book "Numerical Methods in practice", written in Finnish. Perhaps this medium encourages continuous posting.

Have I understood blogging right? You post short pieces of text on the web in reverse chronological order. You use standard formats and provide linking to other sites.

Note to myself: remember to try posting an enclosure with Radio. Perhaps a suitable figure from my iPhoto album?

At the moment weblogs seem to be a medium for

a) US popular politics

b) technology-oriented advocacy

c) personal rants and raves

d) gossip abouot celebrities and entertainment.

Have I missed a category?

You only learn by doing. Now I have learned a bit about the technologies of blogging, next I have to concentrate on the community and the content. One phenomenon is blogs starting and stopping all the time, this is easy to note even for a beginner like me.

I wrote my first book almost 15 years ago using MS Word on a Mac Plus. I wrote additional two books with Word, and managed to finish my Masters thesis with Word, despite big difficulties. I had to rewrite a lot of equations and make numerous changes to the typography to make the thesis readable. After that I switched over to LaTeX. Of course, for shorter pieces I'm still using Word, among other tools. But Emacs, LaTeX and the Unix tools are a powerful combination. And now I have on my iBook running Mac OS X exactly the same TeX system as on the Linux, Compaq Alpha, and SGI systems at work. Basically all (several dozen) books published by my employer are typeset using a LaTeX style designed mainly by me.

The Radio system is a bit disorganized, a collection of separate tools. A bit of geekness is needed to make the system behave. This also means that the system is at the leading edge of technology: RSS feeds, blogrolls, enclosures, commenting, categories, etc.

There seems to be an inner circle of personages actively developing and arguing about the weblog community. You have to be in to be in. I have yet to find out what kind of roles these personages in the long term play. There are also some noisy celebrities involved, but I suspect these are more like figureheads than the real movers and shakers. Are there anthropologists involved in observing the weblog community? This seems to be a nice target for that kind of research. (Note to myself: check if this research is already funded.)

Blogging is community building through shared stories. It is more about emotion than facts. Perhaps the bloggers are too similar to each other to make a difference to the political and economic powers. On the other hand, easy tools can make blogging a real medium for democracy.

However, exactly the same was said of the web about ten years ago, and what happened? MSN and the like dominate the world. Good graphic design and programming costs money, which is only available to the giants. Do bloggers have the skills and the financing to keep up making noise and change the world?

Supplied some more macros to the Radio home page template. Now I show my hand-made blogroll plus all the current subscriptions. Let see if this works. (Corrected a typo. Seems to work.)

I just found out about blogrolling with Radio, and made my first list to the home page template. It seems to work, but needs some further work. Here is the link to the .ompl file.