WebMink
Simon Phipps's personal commentary

Must make a note in my diary to get up early on August 18th to see an asteroid flying by.

posted at 4:15 PM (UK) | Comment? (0 so far) | links to this post | |

As I observe in my Clippings page, Alan Williamson refers to my comments at Web Services Edge East in his piece in JDJ. While I agree with his assertion that Java is only now coming alive, I disagree with Alan's analysis of my motives in trying to define a semantic framework for the term 'Web services'. I find I still need to propose a framework because it is used so diversely. I wasn't clarifying Sun's position; rather, I was clarifying the widely acknowledged fact in the industry that every vendor has a different position and using the term indiscriminately causes confusion.
In the context of most panel discussions, I believe the first thing a moderator should do is get the participants to explain their use of the term; do they mean the general concept of program-to-program communications using XML, as the W3C defines the term, or do they mean use of specific protocols from the set {SOAP,WSDL,UDDI,WSCI...}, or are they referring to a particular application template such as EAI, service publishing, portal integration, supply chain integration etc? Until we develop a richer phrasebook for this semantic landscape, it will continue to be necessary to define the terms if vendor bias is to be avoided.

posted at 3:41 PM (UK) | Comment? (0 so far) | links to this post | |

Those of us who have been paying attention have noticed that the US President and Vice President, while making vociferous statements about how terrible it is when corporate executives cheat and passing neutered laws that appear to address the issue but actually make whistle-blowers' risks too hard to bear, nonetheless were each involved in their own illicit activities in the past (all co-incidences of course). This weekend it was discovered that Halliburton, the company Vice President Cheney ran, was granted the contract to build more cells at the US concentration camp in Cuba for muslim terrorists. Just a co-incidence.

posted at 10:47 PM (UK) | Comment? (0 so far) | links to this post | |

Stuck in Japan and need some Twiglets? The FBC British Food Service is at your disposal!

posted at 9:26 PM (UK) | Comment? (0 so far) | links to this post | |

Nice to see that there are two British artists in the select group honoured in the US by the Kennedy Awards. Congratulations to Liz and Paul!

posted at 10:23 AM (UK) | Comment? (0 so far) | links to this post | |

Is it just me or does the news item about the US setting up an Office of Global Communications to address it's 'image problem' sound similar to Microsoft's mock surprise that people don't like them ("Many of us feel a disconnect in the way we see ourselves and our mission and motives, and the way we are portrayed, and only we can change that" - hey, Steve, maybe just maybe it's us that are seeing you right rather than you, had you considered that?) and hollow promises of improvement?
"The CFR report however notes that basic American values such as a belief in the democratic tradition, freedom of expression, women's rights, and education, are still admired around the world. Much could be gained, it says, from selling American ideas and policies alongside these popular values." Well how about that. Much could also be gained from avoiding illegal steel tariff barriers, signing global warming treaties, endorsing the International Criminal Court and generally acting as a 21st century global citizen instead of a 19th century cattle baron or (maybe more accurately) as a Texas oil baron.

posted at 1:09 AM (UK) | Comment? (0 so far) | links to this post | |

Seems that IBM is trying to buy Pricewaterhouse Coopers Consulting. IBM Global Services has been laying off staff recently and according to the most recent figures their revenue has been tailing off, so this smells of an attempt to breathe life into the unit. The only result, I'm afraid, is the loss of another independent voice and more skilled older analysts looking for new jobs.

posted at 11:06 PM (UK) | Comment? (0 so far) | links to this post | |

The BBC has insight on morning exercise. See. I knew it was more healthy to sleep in in the morning.

posted at 11:12 AM (UK) | Comment? (0 so far) | links to this post | |

This week's Ironic Times has an insightful summary of how US foreign policy is decided.

posted at 3:16 AM (UK) | Comment? (0 so far) | links to this post | |

What's the deal in Congess in the US? Every bill going through seems to have an ill-informed, lobbyist-inspired attack on freedoms on the internet. The latest? Senator Biden's bill has a stealth amendment that will (probably accidentally) criminalise fixing problems with my own PC when it involves digital rights management. For example, I find the new CD I bought won't play on my laptop. I find a particular sequence of steps lets me make it play. I tell my friends. Unknown to me, it was in fact a DRM feature I overcame via one of its implementation bugs. Result? 5 years in jail. The Register has even less moderate language for the issue...

posted at 12:45 AM (UK) | Comment? (0 so far) | links to this post | |

Keeping a close eye on the state of the Kilauea volcano in Hawai'i. There are spectacular lava flows right now - hope there will be some action when I am there in November for the OMA meeting. Last time round the Hawai'i Volcanos National Park was a fascinating visit but what with the kids and the lack of much volcanic activity I felt perhaps a bit cheated. This time I am more hopeful.

posted at 12:11 AM (UK) | Comment? (0 so far) | links to this post | |

OK, last toy of the evening, I promise :-) Added BlogAmp to my Soundtrack page - it uploads whatever I am playing in WinAmp so you can see what I really listen to!

posted at 11:20 PM (UK) | Comment? (0 so far) | links to this post | |

As today is toy day, I went to play with my CafePress store and found I could display all products in one link. At last.

posted at 10:30 PM (UK) | Comment? (0 so far) | links to this post | |

Definitely a day for toys today. Just added a BlogSnob box to the foot of the page (take a look), It sets up a blog web-ring. If you found me that way, take a look at the main site!

posted at 8:51 PM (UK) | Comment? (0 so far) | links to this post | |

This is cute - I now have an iMood. If it stays cute it can stay on the top of the Editorial column. Right now I am .

posted at 7:22 PM (UK) | Comment? (0 so far) | links to this post | |

At the eleventh hour and 58th minute, some good sense is finally being talked in the US by politicians in connection with internet radio. Best info so far is from the RAIN newsletter - seems a new bill seeks to vary the existing regulations to make them fair to small broadcasters. Reuters report also found.

posted at 2:02 PM (UK) | Comment? (0 so far) | links to this post | |