The Apple - iPod shuffle is cute - it could actually be called iPod Schnuffel too, it's so adorable. I just worry that Jutta would confuse it with a lighter and lose it just like she does with those ...
And iWork also makes a nice impression. Ok, just word processing and presentation - still a start for an Apple-proprietary office application that's a bit more modern than the old AppleWorks. And honestly: the fact alone that it's cheaper than the previous Keynote license I find quite remarkable.
Well, and why isn't it Christmas yet, so you have an excuse to buy all this stuff?
Come on, now tell us which blockhead at Apple accidentally stepped on a Cube
Phillip J. Eby once again proves that every programming language that wants to amount to something is destined to eventually become Common Lisp
I like what he's doing - Python's object system is rather primitive, and generic functions and method combinations in CLOS style are very practical tools for programming. His extended object adaptation in PyProtocols was already interesting, but the quite complete object model based on CLOS is definitely appealing.
I would really wish that Guido van Rossum would give more thought to how he integrates PJE's work into Python than to how he introduces optional static data types.
IBM's Action is very interesting: not only are patents made freely available to free software, but there is also a clear declaration of war against litigious parties. Anyone who pursues lawsuits against Open Source runs the risk of losing the rights to use IBM patents. Of course, it's now interesting to see exactly which patents IBM is making available, but I could well imagine that IBM has some real blockbusters in there. After all, IBM is one of the companies with the largest patent portfolio (if not the company with the largest one).