What Windows 8 Should Become

A great article from readwriteweb.com about Microsoft's new OS and the company's current position 

The PC era is not dead any more than the refrigerator era is dead. But as long as it does not mean anything to proudly display a Windows logo, Windows itself is endangered.

It has already happened: Apple has captured the hearts and minds of the technology-using public, even those who don't actually own Apple products. It does not mean anything to own a Windows PC. If you wear that fact on your sleeve or on your T-shirt - "I'm a PC" - you may as well be hoisting a cardboard sign that reads, "I'm a refrigerator." But it does mean something for these people to show their Apple logo. It's the reason why shell cases for iPhones have holes in the back, and those for Android phones don't.

The Log Driver's Waltz

The Log Driver's Waltz is a Canadian folk song written by Wade Hemsworth to which I have many fond childhood memories attached to. In 1979, the National Film Board released this animated version of the Hemsworth's song recorded by the Mountain City Four, which quickly became iconic.


The song celebrates the profession of log driving, a practice in the lumber industry which involved transporting felled timber by having workers walk or run on the logs as they floated down rivers. This occupation required a great deal of strength and physical agility, and Hemsworth was struck by how much the sight of log drivers at work resembled dancing. The song's chorus is: 

For he goes birling down a-down the white water

That's where the log driver learns to step lightly

It's birling down, a-down white water

A log driver's waltz pleases girls completely.

From Wikipedia

SJ's Timeline

Courtesy of ritholtz

Steve's Presentation Ability

In light of Steve Job's recent resignation, I have spent some time watching now famous Job's product launch presentations. Among my favourites is the iPhone launch.

What's clear to me about Steve's presentations is that he is tremendously passionate about his products. It's obvious he enjoys using them; his excitement results in you yourself wanting to use them. The facts that he places each launch within an historical context, alluding to its greater significance and industry implications, makes you feel as though you're not just purchasing a device, but membership in a movement. In the case of the iPhone, Steve doesn't describe a "hot new phone", but a "new device that will revolutionize the telephone". His presentation slides are famously minimalistic, rarely including more than one key word of image. His tone is casual and inviting, as if he were a friend inviting you to his summer getaway. There is no hard sell, but a soft invite that makes you feel foolish to not accept. The dignity, purpose, and professionalism of Job's presentations makes them a pleasure to watch.

The Future of the Music Industry?

With Apple announcing that it will stream the Red Hot Chilli Pepper's newest album, one has to question if this is indicative of the future of the music industry. Is the future of music playing cloud-based? Will people even own music in the future, or will they simply stream whatever they want? What will be the point of an ipod if all we need is an internet connection to an infinite library of tunes? Perhaps the future ipod will be little more than a wireless card and lcd.

For me, I love services such as Grooveshark and Spotify. I love the fact that I can access my music from any device or computer in the world. However, these services have not yet replaced the now traditional concept (!?) of owning mp3s because their bitrate continues to be low. Most of my music is 320kbps, which sounds far superior to much of the streamed music. Perhaps part of the revenue model behind these cloud-based music services will involve paying for a higher bitrate music.

What does this mean for the music artists themselves? It's no secret that albums haven't been profitable for artists in years, and that most of their revenue is from concert tours. Perhaps this presents artists with a new opportunity to make money. I presume that there won't be much artist resistance to the adaptation of cloud-based albums given the current state of the industry, but I can only guess what this will do for overall sales. Many artists have spoken about the benefits of music piracy. Many feel that it is best to get as many people listening to you regardless of whether they have paid for your product - that popularity leads to sales. Surely cloud-based music has the opportunity to increase airtime for artists. From that perspective, maybe a cloud-based music industry is a good thing. Hopefully for everyone.