For the record, I still think RMS is a raving lunatic ... but that "they're trying to lock you in" crap he's always going on about (say, with Java)? I ran into that today. Yes, FileMaker Pro is as stupid as "a rheusus monkey on crack", no, its ODBC driver only goes one-way, and yes, going from XML to PHP is stupid when you have a relational database right there.

Speaking of which, why bother with an RDBMS if you're not gonna set up any relationships?!

It is teaching me a lot, though, and I suspect my PHP skills will be greatly improved by it. And despite the ranting, despite the brick wall(s) I'm banging my head into, I'm quite enjoying the challenge. Weird, eh?

Well, I've just tried Automator (for OS X Tiger), and I have to say that it's not there yet. It's a great idea, but the execution is somewhat lacking. The biggest thing is the simplicity of the flow; there's no way to combine multiple pieces of information (i.e., take two or more variables and feed 'em into, say, a shell script). There's also no way to have multiple branches of 'if X, then A; if Y, then B'. I think if Apple wants to make Automator something really attractive, they should hire some of the folks who worked on Lego's MindStorms - that system of pseudo-programming is exactly what Apple needs. Actually, they could probably do it themselves, just use that as a basis. There's a company called Teranode that has done something like this in a real world setting. They use drag-and-drop programming to design and (in some cases) model/simulate chemical and biological reactions, especially those used to manufacture drugs. It may not be up anymore, but they used to have a free trial version you could download. Written in pure Java. Their customers include GlaxoSmithKline, Pfizer, MIT, UPenn, St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital and others. (Note: despite appearances to the contrary, I really don't work for 'em. Lol.)

Oh, and in other news, I'll be testing some new-to-the-market hearing aids - the Sumo DM by Oticon, and the Savia by Phonak, along with their respective FM systems, the Lexis and the Smartlink-SX. More on that later, perhaps.

Weird. My ear doctor just told me about a surgery that I should "think about doing" within the next five or ten years to close the holes I've had in my eardrums for the last 13 or 14 years (T-tubes way back then b/c my Eustacians didn't descend; had 'em inserted every year for 7-8 years, so the hole is now a permanent one). Funny thing is, there's some small risks (loss of hearing, for example), a PITA recovery (no flying for three weeks; loss of one ear's hearing for 3-6 weeks) and - here's the good part - almost no benefit. Basically, my ears wouldn't drain when I have an ear infection - but without the hole, I can't recover from an ear infection easily! Oh, and I wouldn't have to wear earplugs when I swim or shower, but that's an ingrained response by now. I'd feel uncomfortable without 'em, and I wouldn't be able to wear my hearing aids for about ten minutes while they dry.

I just don't get it - more than eight years of studying for this, a few decades of experience, and yet she's suggesting surgery for which she has no better justification than, "it puts you in a more normal physiological state"? I've got news for you, lady - I haven't been in a normal physiological state for years, and I'm okay with that. It ain't worth the surgery, even if it is outpatient.

For everyone who read through all that ... thanks for putting up with my ranting. Oh, and Ray? I think maybe you were right with the Star Trek analogy.