What does the future of the desktop look like?

I installed Compiz on my PC yesterday. Oh my goodness. Eye candy deluxe.

I have a dual-booting laptop with Debian Linux on one partition and Windows XP on another. I installed Compiz on my Linux partition. "Compiz is a compositing window manager that uses 3D graphics acceleration via OpenGL. It provides various new graphical effects and features on any desktop environment, including Gnome and KDE."

To those of you that imagine Linux / UNIX to be a green screen terminal-style command prompt, now's the time to take a closer look. Hell, if you're a Linux/UNIX guru, now's the time to take a closer look!

You know all the eye candy special effects on Mac OS X and Windows Vista? Take a look (a pretty good look at a whole lot of effects very quickly on a high-end 64bit machine) at Linux (Beryl is a downstream fork of Compiz that has now be remerged with the original project):

http://youtube.com/watch?v=QLuOlgu5dsA



The cube effect draws on the Linux/Unix "multiple desktop" metaphor. Even in the days of terminals, you could hotkey between visually and logically seperate command lines. The same capability is present in window managers (like KDE), where you can hotkey between seperate GUI desktops. I find this easier than Alt-tabbing between windows or minimising everything to try and sort through hat I have open. It also allows me to group tasks together (such as development on one desktop, mail and producitivity tools on another, and office stuff on another).

This demo shows (with a cool ambient garage beat) a feature-by-feature breakdown - part 1. Part 2.

Another good demo is here.

And another.

This demo shows a dual head (two monitors joined into one desktop) setup with Compiz(now all the traders are going to want fancy GUIs on their trading floors - take a look at the crazy trader pics here).

Crazy trader desktops!



Here's the Novell presentation about Compiz/XGL/Linux (SUSE distro) features.

Here's a narrated demo of a guy running at 2560X1600 - it will give you an idea of how efficient XGL and Compiz are. The guy also shows CPU usage using Compiz.

Obviously it's not really realistic to watch this on Youtube resolution, but it gives you an idea of the effects. You can have a look at some screenshots here which will give you an idea of the higher res effect.

For those of you wondering if this is lifted from Vista - one of those patents you've heard about - if you look at the dates on these Youtube videos, you'll see these features predate Vista.

Is this just eye-candy or is it useful? I've believed for a long time that our computing experience is limited by the screen desktop paradigm. Is your physical desktop really 15-, 17- or even 20 inches? I think these types of efforts to make the desktop more three dimensional help us escape from that trap. I often think about those classic scenes from "The Lawnmower Man" and "Disclosure" where the characters don goggles and conduct their computing experience in a 3D visual world. The 3D library so brilliantly portrayed in Disclosure as a metaphor for filing really works for me.

The virtual reality machine in Disclosure



If you've seen Minority Report, you've already seen a desktop very similar to the Linux one in these demos - it's just been moved to a large transparent flat panel (that technology is also close to being available).

The "desktop" in Minority Report



In fact, compiz with a touchscreen LCD monitor gives a Minority Report like effect. See this Youtube video.

Most of the underlying technology for this stuff exists in pockets. Second Life is a virtual world we use as a community environment. I've got excited about that before. But it is also used to create a 3D commercial experience for businesses. Might businesses also use it for virtual meeting places for multi-national staff? Or as a virtual environment to store data in a visual way a la the library in Disclosure?

I have no doubt that one day visual stuff will be trasmitted to our brain and overlaid on our the view from our retina the way it is in the Terminator. The technology is already available! Be it through an implanted chip, electrodes we wear, or some new wireless technology.

Already, wearable displays allow gamers to see overlays of computer data on their real environment.

While I wait for the world to catch up, I might just buy one of those giant LCD display for my desk and hook it up to Linux....



It's better than doing this:

Is eNatis broken because of IT basics being ignored?

The eNatis scandal has captured South Africa's imagination and been the subject of ire. The reasons are easy to understand. If you were one of those queuing for days waiting for a drivers licence or test that is essential to your getting a job, or missing work for days in order to be there, you'd also be upset. Or if you were a car manufacturer and were losing business (car sales were down 23% after the system introduction due to the inability to process new car registrations) and faced laying off workers, you'd also be upset.

But what bothers me is I can almost see the reasons. I say that having been nowhere near the systems or licensing service. But I can guess. Our minister of transport has told parliment that transactions are up to 619 000 transactions per day on the new system from 287 000 transactions on the old system [source].

What happened to require that increase in transactions? Backlog of work caused by downtime during the implementation could be one cause, but I'm betting on another.

The new systems is apparently a centralised conglomeration of a old systems, allowing better citizen management and supposedly service. So that could certainly account for an increase. but I'm betting on another cause.

The new system appears also to be much more "fat server, thin client" architected. Now that certainly has potential to require a massive increase in "transactions" between branches and datacentre. And I think that's the beginning of the issue. Some IT and PR blokes are feeding the minister stuff to make the system seem less inept. He's talking about IT transactions (e.g. record updates, etc) versus citizen transactions (e.g. new car registrations). Now that is a compeletely meaningless statistic. The relationship between citizen transactions and IT transactions is completely dependent on the system development architecture. In fact, poor development is typically characterised by large numbers of IT transactions to customer transactions. Lack of understanding of scalability and resource requirements usually results in this. I'll bet that the new development is characterised by a massive number of database transactions per citizen transaction and that is at the heart of this mess.

Further, given my guess that the new architecture has followed a thin client model, I wouldn't be surprised to find the developer has built a terminal server configuration - meaning that sessions are actually hosted on the server and users are actually seeing a image of the session on their machine. Terminal server implementations mimic the days of mainframes and dumb terminals (some of you may remember those old green screens). Such architectures are great for call centres or data processing shops where people are located in the same building as the server. They're typically lousy for distributed architectures where the design puts a huge load on the network. The admission that many problems are being caused by link failures makes me believe this guess is true.

Finally, I'm shocked at the level of ineptitude that caused this to happen. The developers apparently ignored the auditor general's report that predicted an 80% chance of failure was part of the problem. But way before that report was delivered, testing should have picked up these problems. These days testing is pretty easy to do. Automated scripts can fire transactions at a system far faster than humans can simulate and it should have become quickly apparent whether the system was scaling or not. The project manager's excuse that problems were caused by things that were not able to be tested during development does not wash.

In the mean time, I'll bet that some of the hardware, networking and database suppliers are making a fortune as the government attempts to scale the infrastructure to cope with the bad design.

Of course the above is all conjectre, but I'd place some bets its true.

Which are the best movies of all time?

It's one of those lists everybody likes to make and debate. It's a marketing technique at music and DVD stores. Can one actually make such a list? Or do tastes change? If you look at the Oscars through history, some oscars are clearly better than others.

I don't think you can make one list - I think it has to be split by genre.

Here is mine. I've kept it to movies I've seen/remember. There are others I think I saw when I was a kid that I need to watch again - like "The French Connection," "Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid" and "The Good, The Bad And The Ugly" . I can hardly remember them now.

The following are not an attempt at a best 10 or 5. They are not ordered. They are merely the best as they came to mind. I will update them as I remember more.

Period drama

Howard's End
Remains Of The Day
Room With A View
Pride and Prejudice (2005)

Musical

The Wall - Pink Floyd
Fame
Grease
Annie

Romantic Comedies

As Good As It Gets
Notting Hill
Groundhog Day
Love Actually

Best Bond Movies

For Your Eyes Only
Casino Royale
Thunderball
Octopussy
Tomorrow Never Dies

Action/Adventure

The Bourne Supremacy
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
Terminator 2
Die Hard
Heat
Fight Club
Collateral
Snatch
The Last Boy Scout (probably not on too many "movie buff" lists, but it cracks me up)

Drama

The Godfather I
Gladiator
Finding Neverland
Dead Poets' Society
American Beauty
Garden State
Chocolat
A Beautiful Mind
Requiem for a Dream
Amadeus
Crash
Yesterday
Stand By Me

Thriller

Man on Fire
The Fugitive
Gorky Park
Sixth Sense
Seven
LA Confidential
Silence Of The Lambs

Western

Unforgiven

Science Fiction / Fantasy / Superheroes

ET
The Lord of The Rings - Return of The King
Star Wars - The Empire Strikes Back
12 Monkeys
Gattaca
Spiderman 2
The Matrix
Batman Begins

Comedies

A Fish Called Wanda
Raising Arizona
Caddyshack
There's Something About Mary

Animated

Jungle Book
Shrek 2
A Bug's Life
Happy Feet
Finding Nemo
The Incredibles

(I have yet to see the Toy Story movies - difficult to believe, I know)

Are copyrights and patents wrong?

It's a question that may come to define the early part of the millennium.

To recap, it is the issue being debated regarding people's right to copy music, software, etc.

On some issues the answer seems simple. However, ask people under 25 what they think of digital rights management technology (DRM) and they might just hiss and spit.

Frankly, I think most of the people insisting that intellectual capital should be free would probably change their tune if they had a major recording contract. And had slaved for 10 years in a garage with some mates, surviving on handouts from family and singing covers in a rowdy pub each night.

Things become a bit more complicated in the world of Free and Open Source Software (FOSS). This includes the GNU Linux operating system. And thousands and thousands of other pieces of software running in places as diverse as on PCs in people's homes to mainframes in the datacentres of multinational banks.

It is a truly amazing world where people work half their nights on software they don't see a cent for. Few would predict that such a model could be sustainable - and some believe it isn't. But that's a different post.

A long running legal saga has been the SCO versus Linux suit. SCO alleges that Linux has copied substantial portions of the original UNIX software.

Now the fight has got really big - Microsoft has threatened to sue developers, distributors and users of Linux for 235 patent infringements. The threat culminated in a deal between Microsoft and Novell (distributor of the SUSE flavour) where Microsoft agreed not to sue Novell or users of SUSE in return for a collaborative distribution agreement.

More on the developments with regard to the 235 patents in this Fortune article.

It seems that things are getting nasty now that Microsoft perceives a larger threat from FOSS.

But it does bring up the topic of what can be copyrighted / patented in software. Microsoft refuses to disclose the patents it feels that it feels have been infringed. Do they include the File menu in the upper left corner of the window? Or are they excerpts of source code lifted from Microsoft programmes.

I'm sceptical. The American style of pre-emptive patenting of an idea by people who have no means of implementing it irritates the crap out of me.

Copying code or precise user interfaces is one thing. It should be illegal. But if this is a frivolous attempt launched by Microsoft on competitive grounds, it should be fought hard.

Perhaps FOSS foundations might encourage Apple to sue Microsoft for copying its idea of a GUI operating system....

More on this in the Financial Mail blog.

Torvalds and Moglen agree: MS patent claims are 'FUD'

What are these little lights for?

See them? The little ones down low?

Are they so that I can see even better? Or to show I drive a cool car?

Bloody hell! They're FOG lights! That's F-O-G!

Why one earth most South African drivers who have them see the need to drive with them perpetually on, I don't know.

How many medals will the boys win?

So we got beat out of the medals in the 4X100m relay. Damn. But apparently the team was experimenting prior to Bejing. Pity it was in the World Championship final.

Roland Schoeman is still our world beater though. Wow. Ryk Neethling gets most of the attention in South Africa being more glamourous and based here. I remember hearing at the time the team achieved the Athens success how Roland struggled to even afford a cellphone. He won the 50m butterfly final today. Awesome! Apparently he swam so hard he only took one breath!



There is still lots to come. See here for the full schedule.

Are you registered organ donor?

If there is one thing South Africa does know how to do, it is how to produce actuality news programmes.

I just watched Special Assignment about kidney failure and the misery this results in for most sufferers due to lack of donors in South Africa.

A major cause of this are traditional beliefs. For my international readers, South Africa is an astonishing mix of first and third worlds. While some live Western life styles with pretty much everything you get in places like London, New York, etc, the majority live in poverty in rural areas or townships.

Among the poor, superstition and traditional beliefs hold sway. And these are against organ donation. Some believe that the body is needed for resurrection (a version of christian belief) and organ donation damages this future. Some believe that the organs contain elements of your ancestors and this results in mixing of ancestors.

All of which means South Africa is dreadfully short of donors.

I've always wanted my organs to be donated if something happened to me and this prompted me to formalise things.

It took 2 minutes to fill in the form on the South African organ donation site and they are now sending me a pack containing information and stickers to affix to my drivers licence, etc.

The other day I read the blog of someone who is donating their kidney to a friend . What unbelievable guts to choose to give up one of your kidneys for the rest of your life!

The South African Organ Donor Foundation site: http://www.odf.org.za

Do you know Jars of Clay?

My goodness, how did I not know Jars of Clay? They've apparently been around for ages. Here's their discography:

Good Monsters (2006)
Redemption Songs (2005)
Who We Are Instead (2003)
Furthermore–From the Studio : From the Stage (2003)
The Eleventh Hour (2002)
If I Left the Zoo (1999)
Much Afraid (1997)
Drummer Boy - EP (1995)
Jars of Clay (1995)

They came to my attention through the release of their latest single, Dead Man Carry Me which is receiving much airplay in South Africa at the moment. It's foot-tapping, catchy stuff. It starts off with a very David Byrne-ish style riff and verse and heads into a Killers-like chorus.

Lyrics for Dead Man Carry Me:

January 1, I got a lot of things on my mind
Looking at my body through a new spy satellite
I try to lift a finger but I don't think I can make the call
So, tell me if I move 'cause I don't feel anything at all....

Carry Me, I'm just a dead man lying on the carpet can't find a heart beat
Make me breathe, I want to be a new man, tired of the old one, out with the old plan

I woke up from a dream about an empty funeral
But it was better than the party full of people I don't really know.
They've got hearts to break and burn, dirty hands to feel the earth
There is something in my veins but I can't seem to make it work...won't work

So, carry me, I'm just a dead man lying on the carpet, can't find a heartbeat
Make me breathe, I want to be a new man, tired of the old one, out with the old plan..

Can you find a beat, inside of me? Any pulse?
Getting worse. Any pulse, getting worse? Inside of me....
Can you find a beat.

Carry me, I'm just a dead man lying on the carpet, can't find a heartbeat
make me breathe, I want to be a new man, tired of the old one, out with the old plan
Carry me, I'm just a dead man lying on the carpet can't find a heartbeat...
make me breathe, I want to be a new man, tired of the old one, out with the old plan.


Apparently, Jars of Clay is reference to 2 Corinthians 4:7, "But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us."

Which places Jars of Clay in the Christian band category with Sixpence None The Richer and Tree63. Who knew that P.O.D. was in an extension of this category?

The video below is an official release by Jars of Clay comprising user generated clips taken on mobile phones at their concerts. Cool huh?

Do new year's resolutions work for you?

I'm not really one for new years' resolutions.

But I do like taking natural breaks in time like new years, new projects and birthdays to reflect and think of goals and ambitions.

So thinking about the year ahead - during the course of its first month, there are certainly some things I'd like to do.

My last year was about personal investment. After many years of burning the candle at both ends and reducing my reserves, it was time for introspection and consideration.

During the last ten years, my career value has increased tremendously as a result of experience. What I didn't do lot of was taking time out to invest in things I couldn't learn on the job.

The kinds of things I mean are reading, academics, etc. But they extend beyond purely increasing my career value to increasing my value outside of work too. Investing time with family, friends and relationships.

I've talked about academics and completed some studies though UNISA last year. I decided that residential postgraduate study in the US was unaffordable and had cost beyond any potential return on investment.

So I've registered for part-time studies at Wits this year and maybe at a late stage will look for a doctorate through a Ivy League school after a local masters. But that is so far away that not worth thinking of. Making a start is the most important thing and seeing how that goes.

Reading-wise, I made my largest ever amazon.com purchase over Christmas and have much reading ahead. My aim is to try for two books a month, but we'll see how that goes.



I'm just about through reading Stephen Covey's Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. I'm not sure why I've delayed reading one of the most successful business books of all time for so long, but I have found it a very useful read. Even if many other books have picked up on its recommendations, it provides a useful holistic framework for self-evaluation.

I bought a number of cooking books and am looking forward to improving my skills in the kitchen. My plan is to plan one new recipe a week. I'll shop for this and try it out. I'm enjoying my cooking a lot and improving gradually. In the meantime, my cookery book collection has expanded wonderfully:



Gym wise, thing took a serious setback after breaking from training for my Christmas holiday (dunb idea). Immediately after my return to gym I got the rindepest. For the first time in almost a year I was man down. After anti-biotics, rest, etc I made another return and after two gym sessions was hit by a second dose of this bloody bug. Apparently it is all over Jo'burg at the moment.

Anyway, my goal is to increase my number of training sessions from 2 per week to about 4 or 5. Fitness is key to dealing with limited sleep and maintaining good levels of concentration and general health in the year ahead.

Last year was bloody expensive too. Never, ever underestimate the opportunity cost of forgone salary progression. Whether it is lost debt reduction, lost pension contributions or merely salary raise progressions, the componded effect of taking those in your thirties will make you weep as a sixty-year old unless the benefits of the time off were seriously worthwhile. I was concious of this, so no real issue. Merely recognition that this year needs some serious financial rewards.

What was your unlikeliest kid fantasy?

Hey, being a kid was great.

Closing my eyes and imagining myself in another life.

My fantasy was the not-unusual-circus-one. I imagined myself as a trapeze artist or tightrope walker. Or most especially, the breathtaking tumblers.

Cirque du Soleil - the most breathtaking show I've ever seen. I saw their Alegria performance at the Royal Albert Hall in London.

Thing was, this fantasy went on a bit long and my parents were quite worried whenever Boswell Wilkie came to town.

I even visited Keith Andersen, trainer of all South Africa's world famous trapeze acts and then production manager of Boswell Wilkie. I got the royal tour and was even introduced to the elephants. I shook trunks and fed each one. Keith Andersen was one of the inspirations for the South African movie, "The Flyer."

While the fantasy was not unusual, its fulfilment was unlikely. Which in retrospect is just as well. Sleeping on a bunk bed in circus trailer is less charming than it might once have been.

I got thinking about this recently when watching Madonna's Reinvention and Confessions tours on TV. Yeah I think the woman has some quirks, but I also think she understands the whole concept of Pop better than almost anybody since Warhol.

The part that got me reminiscing was the dance acts. Man, what I would have given to be able breakdance or just plain dance like that as a kid.

Take a look at Daniel Campos in the Hollywood routine below. Especially the hand-plant-effort near the end. Wow.

Daniel "Cloud" Campos headlines Hollywood during Madonna's reinvention tour

Given that he broke a wrist in a dance act once and that he is infinitely more athletic than me, I won't be taking up break dancing anytime soon.

(Good on ya for following the childhood dream, Cloud.)

When Ray of Light was released I saw an interview with Madonna. She talked of how she dreamt of fame and wanted it to fill a loneliness inside of her. When she was famous and stood on stage in front of thousands of screaming fans, she felt lonelier than ever before.

There's a lesson in there somewhere.

And before you ask, no I am not a Kylie fan ... At. All. Funny how that question follows a stated preference for Madonna.

(Can't believe I missed Depeche Mode and Madonna on tour last year - if I'd thought about it, I would have coughed up to catch them overseas. Who knows if DM will tour again.)