E 0.8.10 Download and Install E

This is the first release to build and run on Mac OS X. Many thanks to Chris Hibbert. This was also much less problematic than I would have expected, as Java-on-OS X sees a Unix system (with "/' for file name separators, etc), rather than a Mac system (with ":", etc).

David McCusker returns to the issue of low-level programming and links to Patrick Logan's opinions on Back to Basics and C strings.

The Joel on Software Forum | Pair Programming successes and failures

via HtP - Software model needs overhaul

As the trend toward putting multiple processors on a chip spills into the commercial marketplace, thought leaders say it's time for an even more radical shift, to new software models that reveal, rather than hide, the details of all the hardware resources engineers can now cram into a microprocessor.

Academics rally loudly around this trend, and network processor designers represent a phalanx of revolutionary engineers who have heard the call. But many top commercial microprocessor engineers still resist the painful migration away from today's legacy software aimed at uniprocessor machines.

With a family purchase of a DVD player imminent I really hope that the Netflix.com subscription model - where you can rent as many DVDs as you want for $20 a month with no late fees - as covered in this article gets established in the UK.

Scott recommends Richer Sounds for a possible source of good deals in DVD players. Next time I'm in Edinburgh or Glasgow I'll check them out. Thanks Scott.

via CamWorld - Computer News: Apple's FireWire to Go Wireless at 5 GHz

Yesterday Seth announced some great new features for Conversant. Perfect timing since I have some time over the holidays to do some bread-work (private joke ;-)) on Duncan's Jotter. Many thanks Seth, Greg, and the rest of the Macrobyte team.