Wednesday 11:39 pm, February 17th, 2010
So what is it actually like? Well, it’s a lot like the Zune HD. In fact — it’s just like the Zune HD… but more. Microsoft says it’s drawn on its Zune and Windows Media Center UI concepts and come up with something it calls “Metro.” A typographic and motion heavy interface based on primary colors and lots of minimal, negative space. Whatever you call it, however, it should be very familiar to anyone who’s ever glanced at a Zune HD, because it incorporates all those weird interface tweaks that made it so distinct, such as large, bold text that trails off the screen, menus which move dimensionally in and out instead of just side to side, and the sense that you’re panning over long, single pages of information, rather than a set of separate panels. Another way Microsoft refers to the look is “chromeless,” which can best be witnessed in the clean, sharp “tiles” which dominate the home screen, completely lacking in any real world-inspired bevels, drop shadows, curves or textures, or the Tron-like calendar app, dialer, and alphabetical contact search grid, which look like they’ve been built out of spare parts from Tempest.
Engadget - Everything you wanted to know about Windows Phone 7 Series
As a current Zune HD owner who’s sat there staring at the thing thinking.. “this would make a really great phone..” I’m looking forward to this falls offerings. The key question in my mind is - how successful will Microsoft be at restricting cellular providers? I have no doubt manufacturers like HTC will step up to the task and do great things, but carriers can destroy a really good phone through crappy corporate business decisions so fast it’ll make your head spin. Time will tell.
Tuesday 2:40 am, February 9th, 2010
OOPP - Probably the most fascinating project I’ve worked on in my entire career. Still lots of work to do, but it’s coming along.
Monday 12:12 am, January 18th, 2010
BOSTON – A panicky White House and Democratic allies scrambled Sunday for a plan to salvage their hard-fought health care package in case a Republican wins Tuesday’s Senate race in Massachusetts, which would enable the GOP to block further Senate action.
The likeliest scenario would require persuading House Democrats to accept a bill the Senate passed last month, despite their objections to several parts.
Aides consulted Sunday amid fears that Republican Scott Brown will defeat Democrat Martha Coakley in the special election to fill the late Edward M. Kennedy’s seat. A Brown win would give the GOP 41 Senate votes, enough to filibuster and block final passage of the House-Senate compromise on health care now being crafted.
House Democrats, especially liberals, viewed those compromises as vital because they view the Senate-passed version as doing too little to help working families. Under the Senate-passed bill, 94 percent of Americans would be covered forced to purchase private coverage under penalty of law, compared to 96 percent in the version passed last year by the House.
The House plan would increase taxes on millionaires while the Senate plan would tax so-called Cadillac, high-cost health insurance plans enjoyed by many corporate executives as well as some union members.
When the House passed its version, members assumed it would be reconciled with the Senate bill and then sent back to both chambers for final approval, even if by the narrowest of margins.
A GOP win in Massachusetts on Tuesday would likely kill that plan, because Republicans could block Senate action on the reconciled bill.
The newly discussed fallback would require House Democrats to swallow hard and approve the Senate-passed bill without changes. President Barack Obama could sign it into law without another Senate vote needed.
Nail, meet coffin.
Tuesday 10:52 am, January 5th, 2010
“My solution has always been a means test. If you have $100k in taxable income you don’t get paid. Finished. I’m not sure that is legally possible. But to me it is the only option. The alternative will impoverish those that are/will be dependent on SS benefits. Raising taxes on America’s 90 million workers and their employers is just bad economics. It should not be considered.”
Bruce Kastings - S.S. trust fund year end results
Saturday 10:24 am, January 2nd, 2010
2009
2010?
Saturday 1:23 am, December 19th, 2009
Why the Phantom Menace totally sucked, and why George Lucas is a total sell out -
Link
I like the point in volume three - the first two films were great, but that was before Lucas had a chance to exploit his fan base… which is why he produced enhanced versions later.
Tuesday 4:33 pm, November 17th, 2009
This has to be sweetest debug environment ever. The video sound track isn’t bad either.
Hat tip to Steve for the link.
Friday 12:52 am, November 6th, 2009
programmer mode. 
love it! the 64-bit binary display block is awesome!
Friday 12:15 pm, October 30th, 2009
This is a very nice addition to the OS!
Tuesday 10:37 am, September 22nd, 2009
It’s about bloody time.
