What's up at O'Reilly

O'Reilly is offering some deals for User Group members: Subscribe to MAKE or CRAFT and get 1 issue free, or buy books at 30% to 35% off with the new user group code DSUG. O'Reilly has a great selection of books you can choose from, including some interesting new ones (See bellow). O'Reilly is a great supporter of user groups too, which makes me a huge fan.

MAKE magazine is all about really cool and terribly geeky projects and cool hacks. They claim they are about DIY Technology projects. I say it is the resource if you really want to prove your geekiness for all to see. They have a whole community on their site where you can share your projects too. Check it out.

CRAFT is their new magazine that just came out this month. While MAKE is all about technology and science, CRAFT is about, well, crafts. As they describe it on their site, they are the first project-based magazine dedicated to the renaissance happening within the world of crafts.

Here are some new books that I think look really interesting, but you can check out their new releases and see what looks hot to you.

• Cryptography for Developers
• Hack the Stack
• Mapping and Modding Half-Life 2 Complete
• Process Improvement Essentials
• Programming Atlas
• WarDriving and Wireless Penetration Testing
• Web Scripting Little Black Book

I am planning to get the Process Improvement Essentials book. I'll let you know how good it is.

Technorati Tags: [Programming] [O'Reilly] [Crafts] [Books] [Technology] [DIY]

FireFox 2.0 release

This is good news: 1 week, 2 new browsers.

Today FireFox 2.0 was release. www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/

A few days ago IE 7 was released. http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie

Because of one week in the entire year we now have to go through every site we ever developed to make sure everything still looks like it is supposed to.

The programming gods are against us.

Technorati Tags: [Programming] [Software] [Browsers] [FireFox] [Internet Explorer]

Open Source is Contagious

No, this isn't a continuation of Microsoft's rant that Open Source licenses are viral (which is actually only true of some of them). Instead it is cool news about how QUALCOMM, makers of the fabulous Eudora mail program, will be basing future versions on Mozilla's Thunderbird email program. They will add all the cool features of Eudora, and then make the resulting program free and open source.

I am curious if they plan to offer support as a revenue stream. QUALCOMM also provides a number of wireless and cellular products, so they may have decided that they don't need the incomesteam from Eudora, and would instead of incredible brand recognition by improving their circulation.

Not so long ago Opera software made their lightening quick browser completely free, but not open source. Maybe they will join forces with Mozilla's Firefox and make an open source version of Opera. If they could give Firefox a huge speed improvement we would all be winners. I really like Opera, but I am hooked on the huge sellection of extensions for Firefox. It would be great to have both!

UPDATE: After reading thier FAQ on the announcement I found their motivation.

Why is Eudora moving to an open source development platform?

QUALCOMM has decided not to remain in the email market because it is not in alignment with the core business or strategic goals. By moving Eudora to an open source product, QUALCOMM can exit the Eudora business while still supporting Eudora users and advancing the Eudora e-mail client at a faster pace than before, through the power of the open source development community.

So in answer to my speculation, they are not offering support as a revenue stream, they are just taking an honorable exit from a specific market. I think it is great when companies do that.

Technorati Tags: [Software] [Eudora] [Open Source] [Thunderbird] [Mozilla] [Firefox] [Opera]