Learn Arduino in Seattle

MAKE reports: 

Josh Kopel will be teaching an Arduino workshop through Seattle's 911 Media Arts Center.

The Arduino is a small programmable device capable of big things. With it you can examine the world through various sensors and use the data to control motors, lights and just about any other electronic device. Come learn how to build kinetic sculpture, audio sequencers, home automation systems or whatever you can imagine. This class will focus on controlling motors using the Arduino, and we will be investigating how to recycle/re-use commonly discarded ink jet printers for their component parts. Bring your best ideas and wildest concepts and lets get them moving. Course fee is 255.00 plus 40.00 lab fee: total 295. The lab fee will over a motor control kit, some additional electronics, and a supply of printers to hack. You will need to have a laptop computer (win XP or Vista, OSX, or Linux*), and you should purchase your own Arduino Diecimila.

Schneier on Barack Obama's Security Mindset

I have made this general point again and again -- about airline security, about terrorism, about a lot of things -- that the person in charge of the security system can't be the person who decides what resources to devote to that security system. The analogy I like to use is a company: the VP of marketing wants all the money for marketing, the VP of engineering wants all the money for engineering, and so on; and the CEO has to balance all of those needs and do what's right for the company. So of course the TSA wants to spend all this money on new airplane security systems; that's their job. Someone above the TSA has to balance the risks to airlines with the other risks our country faces and allocate budget accordingly. Security is a trade-off, and that trade-off has to be made by someone with responsibility over all aspects of that trade-off.

I don't think I've ever heard a politician make this point so explicitly.

More at Schneier's on Security

VFP Investors to get their own bailout?

I wish I had heard the conversation leading up to this point. Why is Ken telling people to go out and buy copies of VFP9, so they can be sold on ebay when MS stops selling?

Android'd

I've had 3 of the last 4 Windows Mobile offerings, I didn't jump at the first iPhone, but I did try out the 3g when it first shipped. So my wife was not surprised when I left the house early this AM to stand in line for one of the first G1 phones in Seattle.

OMG.

It's not as slim and sleek as the 3g, but what it lacks in footprint it makes up for in sheer geek-ability.

I've had a hard time doing anything today other than fondling this lovely piece of gear and downloading (for free, for now) every app that I would ever want to think about using.

If you are a Facebook user, you'll find the process of adding apps to the phone familiar. It lets you know what services you are exposing to the app.

I've read several reviews, and yes -- there is room for improvement but... OMG.

I spent a long weekend trying to jailbreak my G3 just so I could capture videos and secure (crypto) email. With the G1, it's Prego baby -- it's all in there.

OMG.

Is It Worth Upgrading to SQL Server 2008?

Nice article by Nigel Maneffa, covering the features that come with the SQL2008 upgrade. It appears that most of the new features that were part of the CTP are Enterprise only.

Free registration required @ SQLServerCentral.com, worth the time.

Geekthink on a Resource Based Economy

Zeitgeist, the movie has an addendum. If you haven't seen the original it makes for interesting viewing.

In the addendum there is a presentation of the Venus Project and the concept of a Resource Based Economy. Geeks are responding @ Microsoft's Channel 9. Good read.

Universal Design Pattern

Excellent, detailed discussion of the use of the "Properties Pattern".

  

FoxPro on Youtube and other tubes

Watch this (or at least skip through it), then check out related videos.

Props to the SWFoxPro Conference for putting the keynote up.  Great to see VFP grassroots conference attendance is growing.

May be a good time to start the SeaVFP group...