Seth [TW] has just posted some thoughts on MySQL in Frontier, and Conversant!. I've been following the Frontier developments with interest - wondering what this would mean for the future of Conversant. Now that there's the possibility of migration of data out of Frontier's object store (database) into MySQL this opens up all sorts of possibilities. One of which - as Seth has shown - is migration away from a Frontier code base (Usertalk) to one of the more popular scripting languages. IMHO, Conversant's CMS architecture is one of the most elegant/powerful there is. I'll be delighted to see a re-implementation of the architecture in a more popular scripting language and the flexibility and longevity that this will bring.

Back when MarsEdit could be bought as a bundle with NetNewsWire its license terms allowed a single-user to intsall a copy on several machines - typically a laptopp and a desktop. Since the sale of MarsEdit to Daniel Jalkut it is being updated and improved on a regular basis and I've started to use it much more than I have in the past. Alas, I can't find the current license text so don't know if I'm allowed to install/use a copy on my Mac Mini...

I was interested to read Dare Obasanjo's opinions on Why Facebook is Bigger Than Blogging. I'm not convinced. I think that the two forms of communication are complementary rather than competitive. Recent posts over on the BBC' news site - BBC NEWS | Technology | How to make friends on Facebook and BBC NEWS | Technology | Facing up to Facebook fears tipped me over the edge and I joined Facebook about a week ago - Facebook | Duncan Smeed - and I'm probably the oldest codger on it!

I'm interested in reconnecting with as many of my old students as possible as I'm hoping to set up an Alumni Association for Strathclyde CS graduates. So, if any of my old students are reading this and haven't yet joined my circle of 'friends' over on Facebook I'd be delighted to welcome you there. If nothing else you'll get a chuckle from the 'CAD' caricature that one of the CADet teams drew up some years ago ;-) You may even hook up with some of your old pals that have already befriended me!

I forgot to mention that Seth is also an Amazon Associate and that by using Seth's associate link to amazon.co.uk any commission raised by ordering via that link (in the UK) will be donated to PMC too.

Good to see that Seth's request for contributions to his PMC Software Auctions has been given wide publicity such as MacWorld's News: Mac developers donate software for cancer research:

"A long list of Macintosh developers are among those that have donated their software to help fight cancer. Seth Dillingham is organizing the campaign that will see all of the software auctioned off with the proceeds donated to the Jimmy Fund.

IIRC, I've personally sponsored Seth for all his previous PMC rides and would encourage everyone whose family or friends have been - directly or indirectly - affected by cancer to also sponsor Seth in the 2007 Pan-Mass Challenge (PMC).

Good luck Seth!