http://www.ofb.biz/safari/ Commentary, reviews and instructive articles on current events, technology, philosophy, religion, politics and other relevant matters. en-us http://www.ofb.biz/safari/article/477.html Timothy R. Butler Apple’s App Store for the iPhone and iPod touch is proving interesting in large part because it has suddenly mainstreamed the idea of downloading third party applications for a mobile phone. With the prominent storefront, developers seem anxious to get their fifteen minutes of fame. TouchTe... Thu, 21 Aug 2008 3:14:14 GMT http://www.ofb.biz/safari/article/476.html Ed Hurst Few things in Unix match the importance of the terminal emulator.

Having a nice GUI is fine, but nothing beats the command line, which

some have said is the “front line” of computing. As an official member

of the Brotherhood of the Commandline, I have always kept at least one

term... Tue, 5 Aug 2008 21:37:45 GMT http://www.ofb.biz/safari/article/475.html Timothy R. Butler Media bias is a topic almost everyone seems to have an opinion on, particularly when high profile examples occur, such as the New York Times’s refusal to run John McCain’s editorial this week. Many people will get quite upset about big media’s “bias,” yet depe... Tue, 22 Jul 2008 4:4:47 GMT http://www.ofb.biz/safari/article/474.html Ed Hurst Take a deep breath and repeat after me: A computer is just a

tool. It is only so good as it serves to make life better for

users. A “better” life is obviously not the same thing for

everyone. For me, it means making my Mac more like Linux, as I began to discuss

<a href="... Sat, 12 Jul 2008 3:37:58 GMT http://www.ofb.biz/safari/article/473.html Timothy R. Butler A year ago, page after page of ink was spilled by prophets of doom fretting about the iPhone and how it would surely not be as good as this or that other phone. It doesn’t have a keyboard! It can’t do voice over IP calls for really cheap international calling! It isn’t open enou... Tue, 1 Jul 2008 1:56:2 GMT http://www.ofb.biz/safari/article/472.html Ed Hurst Sometimes you stumble across a decent system, still working fine,

but getting old. If the price is right, you might take it anyway. For

most people in non-profit work, which is like running a business on a

very poor budget, this is about the only way to get enough computers to

get the job don... Sat, 21 Jun 2008 4:13:14 GMT http://www.ofb.biz/safari/article/471.html Timothy R. Butler Mounting scientific evidence indicates that the long-term health of U.S. children depends on them spending less time in front of video screens and more time outdoors. There is no better time to for children to experience the world outside than summer. Fri, 13 Jun 2008 4:17:14 GMT http://www.ofb.biz/safari/article/470.html Phyllis Schlafly The elected representatives in Oklahoma passed a law to stem the tide of illegal immigrants and, faster than you can say “judicial supremacy,” a federal judge blocked its enforcement. The court suspended key sections of the law even before it was due to take effect on July 1. Thu, 12 Jun 2008 3:44:59 GMT http://www.ofb.biz/safari/article/469.html Finlay Lewis WASHINGTON - For more than a year, Democrats and Republicans have been slugging it out in primary and caucus states as their candidates vied for the party faithful. That focus shifted dramatically last week as Barack Obama pivoted, Democratic mantle finally in place, to ... Wed, 11 Jun 2008 3:29:38 GMT http://www.ofb.biz/safari/article/468.html the St. Louis Post-Dispatch In the 21st century, freedom of speech, long revered as the cornerstone of democratic thought, slowly but consistently is being eroded worldwide. This troubling pattern is not confined to illiberal places such as China, Russia or the Middle East, but increasingly is showing up in nations once tho... Tue, 10 Jun 2008 19:35:9 GMT