TedPage

The latest release of Inkscape has finally hit the shelves. I think it's a very exciting release finally getting Effects into the mainline distribution. Ishmal worked hard to get all the Windows packaging working to make this happen. The translators also had a significant task of translating all the new strings in the extensions.

I'm already excited about 0.45. We've got several exciting Google Sumer of Code projects to get in. Plus I'm hoping to work with Aaron to get a preliminary "Path Effects" working. Bulia is already committing performance increases!

One person who deserves special congratulations for the 0.44 release is Aaron Spike. I've done the packaging for Inkscape ever since the hydra branch, but since my time has become more indeterminate I thought someone else should do it this time. Aaron stepped up and did it. Through GPG and autotools and about screens; he did it. Congrats Aaron.

posted on Tue, 27 Jun 2006 at 21:51 | permanent link | 0 Comments

This week I did a Google Tech Talk at the Google Santa Monica office. The talk was entitled "Understanding SVG with Inkscape" and was a lot of fun. Most of my talks have been to users, so they delt more with understanding the graphics side. This one was to engineers, so I focused more on the XML side.

Also, video of the talk was taken and will be posted on Google Video. I've actually never seen myself give a talk, so this will be interesting. I'll do another post when I know that it's online. Meanwhile, here's the Google Video search for Inkscape.

posted on Sat, 24 Jun 2006 at 12:35 | permanent link | 0 Comments

Linus made Business 2.0's list of 10 people that don't matter. I find this pretty funny. I think Linus have been saying that he doesn't really matter for quite a long time, but no one listens. It seems that either Business 2.0 realized that most users don't use the kernel, or they figured since they put Microsoft on there they needed balance.

I respect Linus greatly for his leadership and bringing the pragmatic side of Open Source to the forefront. But, most people wouldn't really care if it was "Ubuntu FreeBSD."

Link: Bubblegeneration

posted on Fri, 23 Jun 2006 at 14:23 | permanent link | 0 Comments

In California there is an ever increasing number of gas-electric hybrid cars. Many of them have a bumper sticker with a large American flag and the words:

Hey Saudis; how do you like my hybrid?

I would really like to make a bumper sticker with a large Saudi flag and the words:

Just fine. You're still dependent on oil, and we set the price.

Perhaps some day we'll kick the oil habit, but hybrids are just a very small step; nothing worth getting cocky over.

posted on Mon, 05 Jun 2006 at 12:36 | permanent link | 0 Comments

The only advantage of being stuck in the Tulsa airport for almost 12 hours is that I got some work on photos done. Not as much as I would have liked as I had to keep running between gates in order to try and get on standby lists, but quite a bit. Here's all the links to kill your afternoon with.

First are two albums from 2004, back before I got my new camera. The first pictures are from Tonto Natural Bridge State Park. The second album is from West Fork Trail, a fun trail near Sedona.

     

These photos are from when my former cubemate Dave Henning brought his lacrosse team out to California. We went down to watch the games.

     

There are also more pictures from visiting with friends. The first album comes from the birthday party of Carlos and the second from when the Phayres came through town and stopped by our apartment.

     

Lastly, of course, there are more pictures of Nico. This album is a grouping of all the pictures that we took of the kid in April.

     

posted on Sun, 04 Jun 2006 at 01:12 | permanent link | 0 Comments

WWJD? He'd vote liberal.

I've never figured out the relationships between religious folks and conservatives in the US. Seems to me the only thing they agree on is abortion, which is a pretty small issue to base your whole vote on. Things like helping the less fortunate and supporting worker's rights are also issues that align with "traditional Christian values."

posted on Sat, 03 Jun 2006 at 12:13 | permanent link | 0 Comments

The most depressing things are said when they're not meant to be. This quote was found on the Young Progressive Majority's voter guide for LA's upcoming primary:

In a two-Party system the Primary is one of the few opportunities to find a candidate that shares your values...

I can't agree more with that statement, but I see that as a critical flaw in the two party system... Why can't we have a reasonable third party in the US?

posted on Fri, 02 Jun 2006 at 13:26 | permanent link | 0 Comments