Information and communication technology, eh?

Sorry haven't been blogging...too depressed over bike theft and trying to find a new one.

You know, if anybody needed any more proof that the Malaysian government is run by dinosaurs and the reason things suck there is because of bureaucracy and politics, not because of anything inherently wrong with Malaysian culture or people, all you need to do is compare 2 websites: Any website of a Malaysian government ministry or agency, and something that's run by volunteers with a real interest in what they're doing, like TorrentMalaya.

It's sort of ironic that the best homegrown Malaysian website I've ever seen is a media piracy (a.k.a. "cetak rompak", literally "print robbery") site. It's really well-designed and the rules and user classes are well-thought-out.

As opposed to the typical government website, which despite all their blabber about the "K-economy" and "ICT" still looks like it was designed by a colorblind grandmother with delirium tremens.

Jonathan Coulton - Code Monkey

I found out about Jonathan Coulton because of a link to a World of Warcraft machinima music video (you'll have to click through; I haven't been able to get my blog and YouTube to talk to each other) somebody posted on Facebook of his song "Re: Your Brains"...anyway, I went and downloaded some live versions of his songs (now that I'm listening to them it becomes clear that they're "live" insofar as the concert took place in Second Life).

It sounds like the guy is quite the Renaissance man, I think he was a computer guy and then a Popular Science editor and now a folk musician?

Also, I misread his name as Jonathan CoultER and was wondering why Ann Coulter kept coming up when I searched for him on Wikipedia...

Anyway, I thought this song was cute, if only because I'm a sucker for geeky types =D

Code Monkey get up get coffee
Code Monkey go to job
Code Monkey have boring meeting
With boring manager Rob
Rob say Code Monkey very dilligent
But his output stink
His code not "functional" or "elegant"
What do Code Monkey think?
Code Monkey think maybe manager want to write god damned login page himself
Code Monkey not say it out loud
Code Monkey not crazy, just proud

Code Monkey like Fritos
Code Monkey like Tab and Mountain Dew
Code Monkey very simple man
With big warm fuzzy secret heart:
Code Monkey like you

Code Monkey hang around at front desk
Tell you sweater look nice
Code Monkey offer buy you soda
Bring you cup, bring you ice
You say no thank you for the soda cause
Soda make you fat
Anyway you busy with the telephone
No time for chat
Code Monkey have long walk back to cubicle he sit down pretend to work
Code Monkey not thinking so straight
Code Monkey not feeling so great

Code Monkey like Fritos
Code Monkey like Tab and Mountain Dew
Code Monkey very simple man
With big warm fuzzy secret heart:
Code Monkey like you
Code Monkey like you a lot

Code Monkey have every reason
To get out this place
Code Monkey just keep on working
See your soft pretty face
Much rather wake up, eat a coffee cake
Take bath, take nap
This job "fulfilling in creative way"
Such a load of crap
Code Monkey think someday he have everything even pretty girl like you
Code Monkey just waiting for now
Code Monkey say someday, somehow

Code Monkey like Fritos
Code Monkey like Tab and Mountain Dew
Code Monkey very simple man
With big warm fuzzy secret heart:
Code Monkey like you