Are standards really that difficult? Webkit hits Acid3 in their nightly builds.

Gamasutra demystifies Mario Galaxy’s physics model. A link to working source code is included, for those interested in one approach to implementing it.

It looks like WordPress 2.5 is out today, and despite the crappy release notes, it looks like an interesting release. In this release: a new admin panel, built-in gallery, better upload tools, avatars, improved sidebars, improved security, and API cleanup. And, they’ve added “shortcode” to the base engine, a replacement for my SimpleLinks syntax.

It’s difficult to pick a development stack on Windows. Is Windows development falling into the minority?

For what it’s worth, I prefer C++/QT/Boost/STL on Windows, despite the cost and complexity. C# was disappointing, based on having to deploy the runtime with the application (and lack of portability). Python + QT sound enticing, but really I’m looking forward to Webkit/PHP/Apache.

A good analysis and overview of types of cookware. The article dispels myths around coated bottoms, including engineering-geek data.

The people you choose to work with are the most accurate predictor of job satisfaction I’ve ever found –Jeff Atwood

The ACCENT compiler compiler has fewer grammar expression restrictions than standard generators, and supports EBNF.

A simple benchmark of CodeIgnitor versus CakePhp (and Symfony).¹ While the timings describe a trivial amount of code, they show the basic cost of loading the frameworks.

1. I hate typing out ‘Symfony’. It’s not clever, it’s not funny, it’s just spelled wrong ↩

I like Joel Spolesky. He’s a great writer, and he’s got a good head for managing software. But he is blind to Microsoft’s insanity, taking the agnostic-zealot position. I can forgive him, though, as he writes passionately and is willing to question the other zealots.

What Joel and the other flamers have missed is that standards conformance is easy, if you can pull your head out of your ass long enough to realize that it’s already solved. If Microsoft could place nicely, they would be able to cooperate and join the Webkit fray. The world would be a better place.

Apple, Nintendo, and others have figured it out. Why build your own browser? Why not just pitch in to an existing effort, or license something? Standards are easier if you don’t insist on building it yourself.

Standards are easy. It’s NIH that is difficult.

Fun toys of the month, the Korg Mini-Kaoss, Korg Kaossilator, and the Korg DS-10 Nintendo DS analog. Way too much fun.