Slashdot had an interesting article that likens developing for a closed source platform to sharecropping. The article rang true with several things about Microsoft that I have come across recently. One of these is Microsoft’s recent purchase of GeCad Software. Microsoft specifically mentions that it’s a purchase of intellectual property, and that they have no plans to continue to develop GeCad’s products. This is rather unfortunate, because GeCad’s RAV antivirus software is a wonderful Linux-based antivirus mail scanner product. I wonder if the prospect of destroying a Linux product had anything to do with Microsoft’s decision. If I was Symantec right now, I’d be very worried about Microsoft muscling in on territory that’s been fair game for years.

In case anyone is interested, tomorrow is Free Slurpee Day at 7-Eleven. I’m starting to notice a trend at my local 7-Eleven. The slurpees are getting runnier. As I was approaching the machine, I though I spied the Coke slurpee was perfect. From a distance, you can tell by the colour of the mix in the machine exactly what the consistency is. The Pepsi one was very dark, and obviously very runny. Well, as I approached the machine, I realized that someone was playing a cruel trick on me – it wasn’t Coke – it was Vanilla Coke! What an awful slurpee flavour (it’s terrible as a beverage – freezing it does nothing to enhance the experience). What was I left with? Grape, or some mexican thing. Ewww.

Talking of slurpees, I ran across this online diary the other day. It’s obsessive-compulsives like this that help me feel normal.

The strangest conversation happened at work today. It was concerning an ingredient in HP Sauce. The ingredients include tamarind. Well, one staff member insisted that a tamarind was a kind of fruit. I, on the other hand, was convinced that a tamarind was a kind of bearded monkey.

A quick google, and I was happy to see that in fact I was right.