If you're wife won't let you get a dog, a robot pet may be the only alternative. Sony's Aibo is the only commercial one that I know. But, it doesn't come without controversy -- at least for those in the free software community.

Slashdot | New AIBO Demo'd

By the way, that's free speech kind of free as opposed to free beer. Any questions, go to the
Free Software Foundation website.

You may need to register at the NYTimes website to get access to this column...

NYTimes.com - An Alternate Reality

Being the father of an 8-year-old boy, it was a given that I'd be part of the masses flocking to see Harry Potter.

I am usually loathe to attend movies surrounded by so much hype. Hollywood has a poor history with those. Witness the mindless drivel that was The Phantom Menace, Titanic, Indepenence Day, Gladiators, etc.

Harry Potter was a refreshing change of pace.

It is certainly no masterpiece. More than anything, I would say it was "extremely competent".

But no film, especially adaptations, can match what one's imagination conjures when reading a book. So I wonder how I would feel had I not read the novels with my son.

I was pleasantly surprised by one thing: the total absence of condescension towards the audience that characterizes most Hollywood efforts.

Harry Potter is a smart film.

I don't know how much credit I'm willing to extend to Warner Brother for that. The novels are so good that all WB had to do was follow the mantra "don't mess it up".

And follow it they did. The film is strikingly faithful to the novel. Conservatism certainly ruled the day.

But what matters is the result: an effort that ought to be rewarded at the box office.

And it has been. HP has smashed all "opener" records, and appears set to take on all others.

And if it should knock "Titanic" off it's revenues pedestal, I shall be quite happy.

Box Office Alchemy (washingtonpost.com)

But it still ain't got nothing on Pulp Fiction.

No I haven't dropped off the face of the earth....

This is personally interesting for two reasons:

1) I work in the financial software & data-processing industry

2) Alan Cox is quoted. He is a Linux developer.

The Guardian - Students Crack PIN Codes

Okay. Somebody write a missive for me on what it would be like if Microsoft managed to "decommoditize" the canned vegetable market...

Give that some thought as you read the next article. It really highlights the true danger MS poses. Not the irrelavent crap that was so discussed during the trial and in the media.

It says alot about Microsoft strategy.

The Open Source Initiative: Halloween Documents

Can you say "muted response"?

The Microsoft Deal | csmonitor.com

Call me lazy, but I like this guy...

Guardian Unlimited | Special reports | So long, American work culture

I don't think it's possible to move more cynically than the GOP has lately. Case in point, the Airport Security and Economic "Stimulus" debates, and the so-called tax relief act from earlier this year.

Concurring opinion at the Washington Post...

Better No Stimulus at All (washingtonpost.com)