A sign of things to come

" but we really don't care about OS's the way we used to. I switch back and forth between my Vista and OSX boxes with ease. Why? Because everything I do now is in the cloud so all I need is a Web browser. Hint: starting a web browser up on both OS's isn't that much different between the two. After getting my browser started I really don't care about the cool desktop search or the improved wifi features (at least not that much). It's not like the early 1980s where there was deep pain in using these systems and each update brought a TON of new stuff.."

This is from Robert Scoble. Although I am not that well informed/aware of the cloud computing business and all, but pretty much of my activities today are centered around my browser. So more power to such things.
What I do understand is -

1. The OS will become a "low involvement purchase".
2. Browser will be the cynosure of activities.
3. Apps will become indifferent to the underlying OS.
   

An issue with design

We are being exposed to a lots of good looking and useful applications these days. Top of my list that have really broadened what I know today are - Friendfeed and Twitter. But the problem still remains, the disconnect between semantics and application design. Sample this -

A business veteran of 30 years of experience has been wiped out. But the feature of "liking" an article says below that "someone liked this". I know that the person who liked it was referring to the article. But for god's sake someone has been wiped out, and the application says - "someone liked it".
As I see it there is a disconnect between the application side (the content) and the human side (emotion). This is pretty much disconcerting for me at least. Semantics is therefore about two things - the application, the human.

PS - The person who found this article "intriguing" is a great guy.

Grammar 101.2

Today I was looking for books to populate my new bookshelf after shifting to a new home. I found it really curious and oddly intriguing. In terms of the job, it is a sheer pleasure (remember I am not saying SHEAR, imagine the consequence otherwise). In my own queer way I was searching for books are reflect something about me, something about my journey through these books. However, given that I have about 100 odd books, which pretty much seems like a tyro's library, I gave up pretty soon.

What did I do? Revel in my own collection wondering "aah - I do have this book, oh - I have this book as well, now I don't have to buy it again". So I had the likes of Francis Fukuyama, "A Portrait of the Artist as a young man", "Vedic religion", Primo Levi, Andre Gide, "Tin Drum", "Remains of the Day".
Out of the dark comes this book by Lynne Truss titled "Eats, Shoots and Leaves!". What is it about? Well, for those who are familiar with the term "grammar nazi", it is about punctuation. So I am back to my own favourite topic - finding gaffes in english usage around me. Perfectly captured here by the author -

"If this satanic sprinkling of redundant apostrophes causes no little gasp of horror or quickening of pulse ...."
"... it will trigger a ghastly private emotional process similar to the stages of bereavement."

It is always such fun to read about "mis-punctuation". Sample this (A panda comes to a hotel, eats a sandwich, fires two gunshots in the air, and leaves. When asked by the waiter, as to why, it says, refer the wildlife manual which mentions- )
"Panda. Large black-and-white bear-like mammal native to China. Eats, shoots and leaves"
Understand? Coming to the title, presenting today's gaffe over the web -

PS - What the two words really mean?

Fore·ward

The van; the front. [Obs.]

Fore·word

A preface or an introductory note, as for a book, especially by a person other than the author.

Well, what can I say am I a grammar nazi? Well, yes. Maybe, no. Ohh! All of this later!!

Grammar 101

Okay I cannot claim to be a "know-it-all" as far as grammar is concerned. But given minimal awareness I may not make such mistakes. This is live from a B-School (event frenzy in B-Schools going on these days)

"---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Events Coordinator <events@%$$%%.org>

Date: Thu, Oct 16, 2008 at 3:15 AM
Subject: $%$%$ presents Paragana 2008 :Launch of Chrysalis and Engrave ,Business Plan Competitions
To: events@%$$%%.org

Hi All,
due to a server error the attachments could be delivered.
Kindly RESEND this mail to all your college students.
Apologize for any inconvenience caused.
"
Okay so due to a server error normally the attachments cannot be sent, but curiously it was sent in this case. D'accord
But it get curious-er (pardon me), they want the receipient college to apologize for the server error. LOL, LMAO, ROFLOL and suchlike.

(so much for event organization pressure)

A complaint

I just have one complaint against the "book" - It does not capture the transformation of its own author as a character without, while doing the same within. Or perhaps this could be an idea that could be explored in the same book.

Linguistic overture

It's very puzzling, for me atleast, to see two words describing the same action, having different connotations but the same letters just rearranged.
I need not explain, but see the difference between - Veto and Vote

Linguistic overture

Touch taken to hurting proportions loses a "t" and become ouch.

Technology as an enabler - chuck that

This happened to me just now -

So when I am commenting on an article I am reading on LiveMint, which had some problems in linking. Apparently the third page of the article has been wrongly linked to another article by Vir Sanghvi on Rolling Stones while I was reading an article on data mining. I try to point out that, and I get this error (INVALID written next to my first name).

So today's discovery- I have an invalid first name. Thank you Amma, Appa for giving me an invalid name. Ayyo!!!

Linguistic overture

Matter - Meter = Eat