Nice, I'll do the upgrade.

Iron Python 1.0 RC2 was released recently. Looks like they are getting closer to an official release.

I did the setup procedure, but it was a pita. It launches VS2005 in some sort of debug mode, which feels a little unwieldy. Maybe when it goes final, it will have a more native feel to it. Python + .NET would make Windows programming almost too much fun.

Iron Python 1.0 was officially released on Sept 5th. Get it while it is hot.

That's what I've been telling you guys, it is a series of tubes. Steam powered tubes.

And here I was thinking all my net applications were using Truck Control Protocol (TCP). The nextgen internets were supposed to use something even better: Monster Trucks!

Man it is a good thing we have someone like Ted driving Net Neutrality policy. I'd hate to think what would happen if we had someone clueless working on that.

Ask a Ninja (http://www.askaninja.com) takes a stab at explaining net neutrality.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H69eCYcDcuQ&eurl=

Sweet, I would carry BioWare's baby anytime.

Pretty sweet. Great facial detail.

Ok, I may have to try this one out. It looks amazing.

More incredible screenshots.

Another article.

Well the portable media center was pretty much a failure. I think the idea was cool, but the only real hardware I saw was very bulky and ugly. Maybe MS decied that with something this important - you can't leave it up to your partners to design. Boy I wish they would do that with the UMPC. So far they look pretty clunky to me. I'll be very interested to see what that 360 design team can come up with.

Update from Ars Technica.

Ok some of this won't fly, so I'm guessing it is not true. There is no way that MS would be allowed to create a monopolistic player that only works with their own music service (Urge). Apple is allowed to do that, but MS will not be. The funny thing is that Apple will probably first in line at the lawsuit counter when this thing is released.

Well, the rules around monopolies are pretty straight forward: you can't use your current monopoly to take over another market. For example, Microsoft can create a game console, search engine or a media player and that's not a problem. However, if Microsoft prevented iTunes or Google from working on Windows, that's a violation.

Apple has no monopoly power in any market, you can buy music in the store on CDs and rip them to MP3 and put them on your iPod (or any other device). I'm pretty sure that Apple wouldn't sue... what would their reason be?

Besides, I think it's kind of funny that J "My mom says I'm cool!" Allard is in charge of trying to turn the tide of the iPod. The whole iPod thing is way beyond clever marketing now, it has a momentum of its own.

Oh, the speculation!

It's official.

A hilarious take on the Zune.

Heh.

"Look at my shuffle!"

Ouch.

How the Zune can beat the iPod.

Interesting, he is basically saying make it hackable and it will win. Very funny, here are points he wants:

"Let people transform the Zune into an Xbox game controller, a TV remote control, a portable presentation device, a wireless PC hard drive or a Vista gadget emulator. Give me a wireless keyboard and a Zune version of Pocket Outlook, and I’ll never buy another iPod. Build ClearType into Zune and make it the ultimate eBook reader (and sell eBooks on Zune Marketplace)."

He also says Microsoft should leverage their following strengths:

* Operating system expertise
* Development tools and programmer outreach
* Experience with fostering the broadest possible ecosystem for software development
* Extensible embedded operating system and cell phone operating system support and development
* Peripheral hardware and third-party software partnerships
* Strong channel relationships

So if I read this correctly, what he is really saying (without saying it) is turn it into a PocketPC and it will be successful. This must be what he means, since a PocketPC is already / can already do 95% of what he mentions above. Hmmm, if someone added a large hard drive and a better music interface to my Ipaq 4700 I'd buy it. I'm not sure who else would though.

Then again, there is this.

I predict that one year from now the word 'Zune' will be in the dictionary with a definition of 'worthless loser'. Let me be the first to use it in a sentence: "That Bob is such a Zune."

This is too funny. Exactly why did Microsoft make the Zune, again?

This is good fun.