Radio.Outliners.Com : Instant Outliner Beta Notes

Good morning Outliner fans.

Mark today on your calendar, March 26, 2002. The day the bootstrap began.

First, let me apologize for inflicting such an unfinished and inadequate piece of software on such unsuspecting and good-natured people. It's totally confusing. It's ridiculous. If we had any idea what we were doing we would hang it up right now. We're such fools. We decided to go ahead anyway even though we know this software is very bad.

But it works. You can have an Instant Outlining Experience with this software. And with any luck we'll fix some of the bugs and add some features over the coming days weeks and months, so you and your friends can have even more fun.

Yet another cool technology from Userland.

Mark Dunlop - a friend and colleague at work - is going to Cycle for Euan

At the end of June 2002 I plan to cycle from Portpatrick (SW corner of Scotland) to John O'Groats (NE corner). Although it cannot be denied I am doing this for the good of my health, the main aim is to remember Euan and raise sponsorship for The Meningitis Trust.

I will head off from Portpatrick on Friday 21 June and hopefully reach John O'Groats by Tuesday 2 July averaging just under 50 miles per day. The route I will take follows the national cycle routes and will cover just over 500 miles.

Euan was Mark's baby son who tragically died of meningitis on 23rd December, 2001.

Mark's sponsorship target is £1000. I think he should achieve that easily as everyone in the department was so badly affected when they heard the news after returning to work after the Christmas break.

Please help by sponsoring Mark.

Stanford Magazine > March/April 2002 > Feature Story > Mighty Mouse

In 1980, Apple Computer asked a group of guys fresh from Stanford's product design program to take a $400 device and make it mass-producible, reliable and cheap. Their work transformed personal computing.

My student's will know that John Hennessy is one of my heroes due to his co-authorship of the Computer Architecture and Design book that is essential reading for my CA & D class. Professor Hennessy is also currently President of Stanford University and in his Stanford Magazine: January/February 2001: President's Column he emphasises that the study of the humanities remains the cornerstone of Stanford's undergraduate curriculum.

At freshman convocation this year, I told a story that I have repeated many times to prospective freshmen inclined toward science and engineering. In 1997, in my first year as dean of the Engineering School, I ran into an alumnus of our Medical School, whose son was a freshman at Stanford with a strong interest in engineering. We discussed what advice he had given his son about choosing among the universities that had offered him admission. In recommending Stanford, he said: "I wanted my son to know who Thoreau was, and what he wrote about."

Right on! I've read John Muir's books but I should supplement these with Thoreau.

Sad news: BBC News | SHOWBIZ | Comedian Dudley Moore dies. Moore was one of my favourite comedians. Moore and (Peter) Cook were a fabulous duo.

I attended the funeral of my sister-in-law's father today. Of course, it was a sad occasion but also a celebration of the life of a remarkable man. I feel privileged to have known Walter as part of my extended family.

The most sad/joyous moment was when Walter's coffin was carried from the church to the Dambusters theme. As an ex-RAF bomber navigator in WW2 it was most fitting.

God bless you Walter

Yesterday I suffered spasmodic chest pains when I breathed normally. It felt like I'd broken or popped a rib. I got almost no sleep last night as a result. Cycling to the station this morning was a struggle.

My friends at work insisted that I go along to A&E at the Royal Infirmary here in Glasgow. It''s just a few minutes walk. Spent three hours there - mostly waiting. Eventually got a 10 minute consultation with the doc.

The lack of reaction to jabbing the ribs suggested that the problem was muscular. This news was a relief. Ibuprofen was prescribed. Hopefully I'll get some sleep tonight.

It's still damn sore when I take a deep breath, laugh, cough, or hiccup so I'm avoiding those activities ;-)