Yesterday I lost against Paddy *again*, 2 games to 1.

Backhand let me down as ever. Paddy's main tactic was to hit high and long to my backhand, then I'd do a lame return. If it actually made it over the net he'd just smash it. Then if I was …

I agree with Glyn Moody when he writes that Open Source licences should continue to disallow software patents. Software patents are antithetical to Open Source.

I've finally jumped on the Twitter bandwagon. I've got zero followers, can someone follow me, please, not because you want to, just out of charity?

I'd like to write blog posts or write software using a mobile phone. I think a big problem would be entering text. Janos at work suggested a chorded keyboard. Can anyone recommend one?

Okay, this may get a bit tedious and involved, but I just need to get it off my chest. I all happened when I was travelling from Trowbridge to Swindon by train on Saturday, then coming back the next day.

I travelled from Trowbridge to Bath Spa on my season …

I've joined OpenStreetMap, now I just have to get a GPS device and I'll be able to map my locale. I'm thinking of getting an HTC Magic when they come out.

People say, 'why? what's wrong with Google Maps?'. The problem with GMaps is that the use of their data …

The other day Greenpeace sent me an email urging me to join Put People First.

Here are PPF's aims, together with my reasons for not joining:

1. Compel tax havens to abide by strict international rules.

Agree.

2. Insist on fundamental governance reform of the World Bank and International Monetary …

I'm the target of a racist comment by Lula da Silva on the banking crisis:

"It is a crisis caused and encouraged by the irrational behaviour of white people with blue eyes,"

Willem Buiter has an interesting comment as ever, but my reaction is, 'The only thing I've got in …

Red Nose Day at work.

That's Pascal behind me, and Bill took the photo, at March's Cafe Scientifique. We learnt how the current lithium ion batteries in phones, laptops etc. were invented in Oxford in the 80s and commercialized by Sony in the early 90s.

The speaker is working at Bath Uni on the next …