Logiciel Libre

Thanks to Sam for the idea.

int k = 0;
k = k++;

After both lines execute, what is k equal to?

(more…)

There are just too many shiny objects out there. Here’s how I ended up looking at some of the strangest C code I’ve ever seen.

1. Started on the gslug mailing list, reading about a new keyboard layout. I continue to be drawn in to rumors that the QWERTY layout is a conspiracy to slow down typers, so hearing about a new keyboard layout called Colemak piqued my curiosity.
2. Progressed quickly from colemak.com to the Wikipedia entry on Colemak. Cool, Colemak is supposed to be easier to switch to than Dvorak.
3. The Colemak entry on Wikipedia mentions digraphs. I’ve heard of digraphs because I use them in Vim, but you can use them in C, too? Strange.
4. The digraph entry on Wikipedia also mentions trigraphs. Trigraphs!

Sheesh. Interesting, but talk about distracting. I sure hope it isn’t true that multitasking kills your brain.

The GNU build system (aka Autotools) is/are too fricking hard to use. But I’m split… when the conventions of autotools are embraced, the product is quite portable. Though not very maintainable. Is it impossible to be infinitely adaptable and still be user friendly?

Ian Lance Taylor captures what’s wrong with autotools quite nicely. Ian says Cmake isn’t a suitable replacement, but perhaps it could evolve into one

As the holidays are fast approaching, many musicians will be called forth to back a multitude of sing-alongs. Be prepared! Musicians that care memorize or use sheet music, and nerdy musicians love Chordie!

Chordie turns text files with embedded chord names into beautiful, stafless PostScript lead sheets.

Chordie is a fork of Chord, and is written in under 5,000 lines of K&R C. Chordie currenly only runs on *NIX-like operating systems, but there may be ports to other operating systems someday.