Leaky Acrobat Reader

Just needed to use a Windows XP machine, and I have to say, I was startled to find it still comes with some many background processes/applets/systemtray gubbins that eats up so many resources.

Then I noticed that if I clicked on a PDF AcroRead32.ext remained resident in memory using 32MB of RAM after I'd closed down all the applications.... is it any wonder GNU/Linux and Mac are becoming more and more common? ..

My prediction for 2017, a vastly commoditised software and OS market, with polished GNU/Linux distros up from the current 6% to a 30% market share.

C++0x and Overview

Just watched C++0x and Overview, interesting talk by Bjarne Stroustrup. Worth a watch, and good to see a Theora version of the video :) Adding std::breakpoint() would be one of my library feature wishes, to allow better integration with debuggers in a cross-platform way (raising a SIGTRAP signal); along with symbol name look-up and demangling like the GNU/Linux glibc linker/loader supports (dladdr). Shame we have to wait to 2009 though! nullptr keyword has got to be good though, definitely better than the current NULL defined in header solution (which is also an int 0!).

Bring Concorde back to flight?

Wouldn't it be great to see Concorde flying again? or even another Mach 2.0 consumer aircraft. I'm surprised no one has yet filled the gap left by Concorde myself. Personally I'd be happy to invest time and effort to buy an airframe and get one flying again on a commercial basis!

Quite a few Concorde models are within reach, Concorde 216 is at Filton Aerodrome in Bristol, and 206, 204, 208 and 209 are also in storage in the UK!

The Save Concorde Group are looking to get one back into flight, hopefully it will come together! Concorde SST is another website with an active forum.

iPlayer Linux

The BBC have just launched their "on-demand" internet ready iPlayer beta. It's actually only Microsoft Windows XP compatible though -- no Linux or Mac support! This is essentially the same as if the BBC broadcast in a format incompatible with TVs which weren't manufactured by Panasonic!

Sign the iPlayer Linux petition, and make yourself, the free public heard!