The Geekette Speaketh

I got this from the Philippine Linux Users Group (PLUG) mailing list today. Apparently the New Zealand government is thinking of allowing the unlimited patents of software. If this pushes through, it can be a big blow to the future of open source development. But we can do something about it despite the fact that we don't live in New Zealand. In fact, we SHOULD do something about it.

Google, along with Globe and Ayala Foundation, recently hosted a developer event last June 20, 2009. Not wanting to miss any new stuff that might be discussed during the event, I headed on over there with a box of brownies in hand as well.

• 14:03 Experiencing major orgasm moment right now. First local Android phone (HTC Magic) to be available to Smart Gold subscriptions in June 2009! #
• 17:30 W00T!!! The olympus pen has turned digital! Oh my gosh! It's so bee-yoo-tee-full! ow.ly/em2b #
• 17:34 As usual, Olympus comes out with a 2-lens kit for their newest baby. You know, this would actually be a perfect on-the-go camera! #
• 18:08 The Olympus E-P1 two-lens kit is $899. Hmm... How much can I sell my E-500 + 1lens? #
• 19:09 Interview with Akira Watanabe, product planning manager of Olympus's SLR division at the E-P1 launc h event in Berlin. ow.ly/emAo #

• 12:10 Got my facebook username: www.facebook.com/headgeekette #

• 12:56 Heinz introduces World's Smallest Microwave, and it's USB-powered! is.gd/YzMu #

It's been raining hard lately. Power has been cutting out on us and a freak tornado in one of the nearby cities made things worse. So I decided to pull up this post from my old blog. Every now and then I'll be putting up some old (yet timely) posts from the former TGS website. Thanks to the Wayback Machine for giving me a way to dredge them all up again.

Today's blast from the past sets its eyes on Palm. Thoughts on the imminent death of Palm OS were looming about some three years ago. This month, Palm put forth on the US shelves their newest baby sporting the WebOS. I wonder now how the early adopters are liking the new operating system on the brand new Palm Pre.

• 15:11 fixed the dates on my blog's comments. Had to fix the recent comments module so it orders by timestamp instead of the id. #
• 15:12 Now that that's done, I can finally eat merienda! They brought home pancit malabon! #
• 15:30 Project Natal + WrestleMania video game = (your guess is as good as mine!) #
• 15:40 Strange. I can't seem to access Box.Net to see how it's doing. #
• 15:43 This, my friends, is what you call hot chocolate and cuddles weather. :) #
• 17:57 Now then. Which web conferencing app should I write about first? #
• 18:43 I really have this urge for cinnamon-cayenne ice cream. #

I decided it's high time I take my Java certifications. Seriously. Sure I could study by myself, but I figured that a group study session would make me even more determined to actually study. Plus I could gather more information from the experiences of others rather than just come across them during my self-review. There's just one thing: the rainy season has started over my patch of the world. The idea of braving the rain to travel all the way to another city to be able to attend a study group wasn't what I had in mind at all. And I'm sure a lot of people would say the same. I'm also sure that a lot would be disappointed at not being able to attend such sessions.

The solution was obvious: Set up a cyber-study group. Most of those who will be attending would surely have some sort of broadband connection either in the office or at home. The first part of this plan is to figure out what would be the best web conference app to use.

• 09:29 I just found out that MIT also has free online course materials for high school. #
• 09:50 Using WebNotes. Where were you when I needed you during my courseware development?! #
• 10:23 Reading about open access textbooks. Must look back on the progress of Bayanihan books. #
• 10:27 Acknowledging the budget constraints that can let students have open access material, then make it available to the well-trained teacher. #
• 10:36 Reading about Connexions. "Create, rip, mix, and burn" textbooks, courses, and learning materials. cnx.org/ #

I have two web cameras. One is a Logitech Quickcam Messenger which I bought a few years back. I had lost the drivers to this webcam and I was never able to use it again. So when the time came when I needed to use a webcam, I ended up buying a cheap webcam from a local low-cost gadget store. Take note, these events happened when I was still using MS Windows.

Fast forward to today. I'm planning to join a website for technology freelancers and realized I needed a webcam. I unearth my two webcams and begin my attempt to get either of them to work under Linux.