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Internet Explorer tabs

Why, oh why doesn't Internet Explorer 6 have tabs? You know, the "Open link in new tab" option? Everyday I find it more and more annoying that this feature is missing from IE. Sure, you're going to say ... it's in IE7... but i want it in MY IE. NOW!
The research student with 25 IE pages opened in the taskbar. 

This blog comes probably a little late, since i've been a little (if not entirely) away from this world. This is to salute the initiatives of introducing type-safe constructions (i.e generic) into programming languages like Java or C# (one thing that puzzles me though is how long will it take until these 2 prog. languages will merge? and if they do, what will the new language be called? Microsun? JavaPound? JPound? ). The introduction of the generic structures allows for type-safe structures and also for code reusability. So, hooray for generics! For more information on generics, check out these sites: C# and Java.

PS1. I wonder if the partial concept is also in java (this will be my next blog)
PS2. Check out the new article from Joel .
Posted by claudia at 1:43 PM 0 comments 
Buridan's ass

"A hungry, thirsty donkey is sitting exactly between two piles of hay with a bucket of water next to each pile, but there is nothing to determine him to go to one side rather than the other. So he sits there and dies." Yes ... l'embarasse du choix... The problem, however, does not lie in the choice problem with which the ass is faced, but rather in the simple question: why does the ass not drink if it's thirsty or eat if it's hungry? From whatever bucket or hay stack?
The answer is even simpler: because the ass wants to die. If the ass would want to live, instinct would take over the mind and the ass would eventually eat/drink, probably from the first stack/bucket he sees.
So, when faced with two possibilites from which you most positively cannot choose, the answer is simple (but still has 2 possiblities :)) ) : a. Either go for a third choice or b. choose the one on the right.
Posted by claudia at 3:22 PM 0 comments 
Why do little girls wear make up? And walk around the house dressed in their mom's dresses and wearing incredibly big for their feet high heel shoes? Pick thy roommates

So ok, you've packed your bags, you went to the airport, shed some tears (if there was anybody there to say good-bye and good riddens), got on the plane and flew to wherever you decided to pursue your graduate programme. Out of all the unknown or unsettled matters, one is especially important: where are you going to live? And more importantly, with whom? Now there are many alternatives to living quarters, but two stand out: either you live in the school dorms or you rent an apartment.(Psssst! If you are one of those rich guys that can afford to live by themselves, this post is NOT for you!!).
The school dorms are pretty ok, but sometimes an off-campus apartment is cheaper and nicer. If you have decided on that, one half of your task is over. What you have to do now is decide about your roommates. The basic question that arises now is this: friends or strangers? If you go with point A of the choice, it is very important that you MAKE SURE YOU HAVE LIVED WITH THOSE PEOPLE BEFORE!!! Having lunch with them everyday, sharing your secrets, talking (and agreeing) about life principles, sharing jokes and office gossip, going shopping aso is not enough! This is because in all these activities you get to see only what that/those person/persons want you to see: their outside image. You can really get to know them either by: a. going through serious or life&death situations with them or by b. seeing them in their most private moments (i.e in their den - living quarters). If you have the bad luck to have chosen friends as roommates and to see afterwards the cruel blunt truth, do not despair! There are other suckers like you! The best thing you can do (if you cannot move out) is to do the best damage control you can for your friendship. Do not let it sink (even though if you take a real deep look at it, it's really not worth it) because if you do, you apartment life will turn into a real shit :). Oh! And if your roommates were the only friends you made in that foreign country ... MAKE NEW ONES!
As days go by, I am starting to think that the best roommates are strangers. You do not know what to expect, but you have no expectations either.
Posted by claudia at 2:27 PM 0 comments Sunday, January 8


Since we finally managed to have our network installed, and it seems to be working pretty fine, I will soon start the blogs on photography as well. Cheers!
Posted by claudia at 1:38 PM 0 comments Candidate rule

I am posting this as a candidate rule because unfortunately I tested it only once. So: If you plan on pursuing a graduate programme, NEVER EVER engage in life threatening activities just before you leave your country to go to your new university. This is what I did, and I am actually proud of it, but I wouldn't recommend it to anyone (I'll publish the story as soon as I can translate it into English). Posted by claudia at 1:32 PM 0 comments