The Insider News

Philip Greenspun's Weblog[^]:

As Google hires all of the world’s good software engineers and my friends with startup companies fight over the scraps I am left to wonder how everyone could have been so wrong in predicting that the world would be glutted with good programmers and sysadmins by now.... With the rise of the worldwide Internet, open-source, and inexpensive microprocessors, it seemed inevitable that the world would be glutted with technically skilled people.

Craig Kerstiens[^]:

I recently got asked by a friend and former co-worker how I write SQL. At first this caught me by surprise and I assumed there was nothing different, but after a few additional comments on it, it became clear most people have no concept for creating clean readable SQL. So without further adieu here’s how I write SQL, with a built up example query.

SmartPlanet[^]:

“When you start at Bitly, you go through this emotional cycle. Where first you go, ‘Oh my God, this data is amazing.’ But then you start looking at it and you conclude that humanity is completely doomed.” She gives a wary laugh. “Because what people read is cats and Bieber and celebrity gossip and that stuff.”

Computational Complexity[^]:

A famous computer assisted proof (or perhaps "proof") is the Kepler Conjecture. In 1998 Thomas Hale claims to have proven it. The proof involved rather complex computer calculations. The referees say they are 99% sure its true. Here's hoping an easier proof is found. Computer assisted proofs may become more common. I just hope we still know WHY things are true. Was Appel-Haken the first use of computer assisted proofs? I doubt it, but it was likely the first one to have an impact. It was important to know that this kind of proof could be done.

Ars Technica[^]:

The locomotive of technological innovation has yet to be derailed, but it’s come to a point where we must find particular uses and integrations for all of these advancements. Looking at how companies like Microsoft and Samsung are approaching the future of touchscreen technology may be the surest clues we can get. Talking with visionaries like Bill Buxton, one of the pioneers of touchscreen technology who now works as one of the principle researchers Microsoft Research, doesn't hurt either. It may be impossible to accurately gauge the future of touch, but that won't stop Ars from trying.

ScottGu's Blog[^]:

This morning we released the v2.0 update of the Windows Azure SDK for .NET. This is a major refresh of the Windows Azure SDK with some really great new features and enhancements.... All of these SDK enhancements are now available to start using immediately and the SDK can now be downloaded from the Windows Azure .NET Developer Center. Like all of the other Windows Azure SDKs we provide, the Windows Azure SDK for .NET is a fully open source project (Apache 2 license) hosted on GitHub.

Dream.In.Code[^]:

There are lots of tutorials on doing things in WinForms. It has been the primary GUI development for the .NET developer for years and years. Like any technology people want more from it. More options, faster processing, greater flexibility, more compatibility with other devices. Thus Windows Presentation Foundation was born. WinForms is not dead. I don't expect it to even be retired for years.... There is a bit of a learning curve for the WinForms developer making the transition. I hope this tutorial helps reduce that curve for you and make that transition a little easier.

raywenderlich.com[^]:

Does the thought of doing mathematics give you cold sweats? Are you ready to give up on your career as a budding game developer because the math just doesn’t make any sense to you? Don’t fret – math can be fun, and this cool 2-part game tutorial will back up that claim! Here’s a little secret: as an app developer, you don’t really need to know a lot of math. If you can add or multiply two numbers together, you’re already halfway there.

Scaling Viki[^]:

This book tells the story of how Cristobal Viedma and I created the platform that powers Viki: a video site focused on international content and community-driven subtitle translations. Our push to production proved to be an enlightening experience. I constantly found myself looking forward to the day's challenges while reflecting on the experiences and lessons I've accumulated in an otherwise unremarkable career. It was a strange but pleasant mix. A journey, I hope, which you'll find worth reading about.

gettin nashty[^]:

My main concerns with flat UI - are that while it is gorgeous, its not familiar. We live in a world of multiple dimensions - and we get visual cues from those dimensions. Even a newspaper or magazine may have a flat UI for content - but have 3D UI for navigating between pages. I think that flat UI in it's current growth is mostly being mis-used, and overused. Designers must give more consideration to function over style.

Ludum Dare[^]:

Making a game for a C64 and on PC is super simple and tons of fun! But Making a game on a real C64 is something else! One false move and BAH! your game is gone! There are no drives inside C64, everything that you are working on will die once you flip the power button. Moreover, there is no memory protection, so you can accidentally wipe out your code while it’s executing...

GigaOm[^]:

The idea is compelling, but it also grossly simplifies the flow of data inside the internet of things. For example, it assumes all sensor data must be processed in “real time.” It also assumes all the data must be processed. Both of these are untrue, especially in the early days of the internet of things. But IBM is looking ahead.... It’s the same exaflood of data that telephone companies were so fearful of a decade ago. And like the telephone companies, IBM is hoping to cash in on these fears — with its box.

IEEE Spectrum[^]:

Kids these days! Why, back when I was a kid we had to use, you know, our imaginations when playing with toys. Now, thanks to robotics, toys can spring to life and react intelligently to a child's input. The latest example of that is IXI-Play, an owl-like robot that can dance, make sounds, and interact with children.... So what's inside the IXI-Play, and what can it do? Based on the Android operating system, the IXI-Play will use a variety of apps to interact and play games.

CERN[^]:

The WorldWideWeb (W3) is a wide-area hypermedia information retrieval initiative aiming to give universal access to a large universe of documents. Everything there is online about W3 is linked directly or indirectly to this document, including an executive summary of the project, Mailing lists , Policy , November's W3 news , Frequently Asked Questions....