Posts

Ned Batchelder wrote a defense of exceptions in response to Joel Spolsky’s argument against using them the other day. Having read both articles, I can see the huge difference between exception handling in C++ (which I don’t write), and Java (which I do write). Exceptions are much more unobtrusive in Java, where the compiler will reject your code if you don’t do something with potential exceptions (unless they’re runtime exceptions). In Java, exceptions provide a wonderful means of dealing with exceptional conditions, because you have to deal with them one way or another. Even if you ignore them, you have to make it explicit that you’re ignoring them. ...

Mozilla 1.5, Firebird 0.7, and Thunderbird 0.3 were all released today by the Mozilla Foundation.

Some readers sent in additional suggestions for my parents’ computer in response to my Hinternet item from Monday. Here’s a list: AdSubtract, a commercial ad blocker for Internet Explorer. My idea was to get my parents to use Mozilla, but if they insist on sticking with IE, AdSubtract looks like a good backup plan. Also on the browser front, Opera was recommended. My only hesitation with Opera is that I know both IE and Mozilla better than I do Opera. On the personal firewall front, ZoneAlarm was recommended, as was Kerio Personal Firewall. For handling malware, Ad-aware was recommended. As an alternative to VNC, Windows Remote Desktop was recommended. Unfortunately, they didn't order XP Pro.

Joel Spolsky argues against throwing exceptions in an item today. I have to say that I’m a bit aghast, because using return codes instead of exceptions strikes me as utterly and completely retrograde. Note: the ensuing discussion makes for interesting reading.

Danny O’Brien’s discussion of registers of conversation is just about one of the most perceptive things I’ve ever read.

My parents have ordered a new computer, and I’ve told them to not even take it out of the box until I fly down for a visit at the end of the week. Their old computer, now four years old, is so corrupted with viruses and malware that it’s really no longer usable. When I set them up that time, I gave them Eudora Lite, thinking it wouldn’t convey any viruses. Unfortunately, they open their attachments and didn’t have any anti-virus software, and things have just gone downhill since then. They did install AV software but things have just never gone right. Anyway, I’m burning a CD for them and will set everything up so that they’re relatively safe, or at least safer than they were. Here’s a list of what I’m planning to install. Any additional suggestions or replacements would be appreciated. ...

A clever photographer has exploited a seal in the background to snap another halo picture of George W Bush.

A chilling description of life in a Texas prison: Life in a Texas prison is death by a thousand cuts. J. is smart, educated, repentant, and highly motivated to get out and rebuild some kind of life for herself. She has to use every possible resource she has, mental and physical, to avoid being beaten, raped, or harmed in some way. This is a startling new reality for her, but in spite of how terrible that sounds, her biggest fear is of the guards. This is a privately operated prison in a small town. The guards make slightly above minimum wage, and in many cases, are just a step or two away from prison themselves. They are angry, resentful, and have terrible power to punish. While segregation from the rest of society is clearly prescribed for many acts, it goes without saying that barbarity is uncalled for. In a country where most state programs are suffering for lack of funding, prisoners are pretty low on the totem pole when it comes to outlays. ...

Joe Gregorio has written a short review of Vim as an alternative to Emacs. It’s interesting to read his thoughts on Vim (and the vi mode of operation in general), as they seem so natural to me now that I can hardly think philosophically about them. Even though I used Emacs for coding for quite awhile, for everyday editing I’ve depended on Vim for years. It launches quickly, has syntax highlighting for many more types of files than I would expect, and once you’ve mastered it, is absurdly powerful. ...

Vaclav Havel: The Soul of a Nation