Burningbird

Practical RDF Tech Reviews

Post author By Shelley Powers
Post date December 12, 2001

I sent a request for technical reviewers of my book “Practical RDF” to the Semantic Web, RDF Interest, and Jena Interest groups . My hope is that I’ll get volunteers that reflect the book’s targeted audience, and so far I’m getting a terrific response from an incredibly interesting mix of people. In fact, I’m extremely pleased at the response.

This really is becoming the best book I’ve ever worked on. The subject’s interesting, the technology’s great, the diversity of people using the technology is fantastic. I’m very excited about the book.

Scratch that: I’m very, VERY excited about the book.

That’s not all — the Unix Power Tools Third Edition book is starting to move along nicely now. I think the new material reflecting Linux and Darwin will be a great addition to the book.

O’Reilly, I owe ya.

Tags RDF

Just Shelley

Bad girl

Post author By Shelley Powers
Post date December 11, 2001

I still can’t believe my mother sent me a telescope for Christmas. I guess parents know what a kid needs — no matter how old the kid is.

I’m a ba-a-ad, bad girl. I missed the deadline for my quarterly state and federal employer tax filings. I’m late. I forgot. They’ll probably do something nasty to me, now. I’ll send the filings in today and hope that the holiday season will warm the hearts of the California EDD and IRS workers and they’ll be kind to me.

Yeah, right. And a big fat guy with a white beard dressed in red carrying a sack load of goodies is going to break into my apartment at Christmas just to give me presents.

A huh. Sure.

Weblogging

Dave getting over himself

Post author By Shelley Powers
Post date December 11, 2001

Recovered from the Wayback Machine.

Last night, Dave Winer had a chance to try out the Segway, the new personal transport device that’s causing all sorts of excitement. In his writeup, he said the following:

“The one negative of the evening was Kamen’s hubris, which he can be forgiven for. I’d like him to be serious, not self-indulgent, if his invention is to have the chance it deserves, he’ll have to get over himself, at least a little.”

How I found out about the writeup is that Dave was complaining in Scripting News that his piece hadn’t been slashdotted by now. Let’s see, now, what was the operative phrase? Was it “…he’ll have to get over himself, at least a little”? Too juicy, man. Just too damn juicy. I love crap like this in the morning.

People Places Weblogging

Just stuff

Post author By Shelley Powers
Post date December 10, 2001

Recovered from the Wayback Machine.

Currently waiting on callback from PT about status of worker’s comp claim. Same old BS.

However, the weather is beautiful again today and I’m off to rent a car at Enterprise. I have Christmas shopping to do this afternoon and I want to go for a hobble along Crissy Field one of my favorite places within San Francisco. Tomorrow if I’m stupid enough, I want to go to Point Reyes for a much longer hobble — most likely ending up 4 miles from nowhere with no one around and knee goes out, resulting in a boy scout troop finding me 4 months later after the local seashore crabs have had a full meal deal off my wasted body. Or something along those lines.

Rageboy got a nice review in USA Today and is in a particularly fine mood. I’m happy for Chris, he’s had a bad week and needs positive book vibes. Positive book buys wouldn’t be bad, either.

You know, the problem with writing computer tech books is that you never get reviewed in something like USA Today. Sigh. However, work is progressing on both my Practical RDF and the Unix Power Tools Third Edition books, and that’s a goodness.

Maybe I should write a book on failing systems, based on my “Why Systems Fail” articles — this might get into the mainstream journals. Nah — probably not.

Healthcare