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Thoughts

Celebrating Douglas Bader

By Steve Johnson 22 February 2010, 3:22 pm 22 February 2010 itemprop="discussionURL"3

As I am currently re-reading Reach for the Sky, I happen to know that yesterday was the 100th anniversary of the birth of Douglas Bader, a inspirational man who lost both legs (one above the knee) in an air crash while a trainee RAF pilot. A sporting hero and natural pilot, he used his immense self-will to overcome this setback and mount several other obstacles placed in his path. Retired from the RAF as 100% disabled, he relearned how to walk on tin legs (never using a stick), drive a car (he needed the clutch pedal moved), play squash (with much …

Navel Gazing, Thoughts

If you admire somebody, please let them know

By Steve Johnson 5 February 2010, 2:32 pm 5 February 2010 itemprop="discussionURL"1

This post has nothing to do with CAD or the other subjects I occasionally cover. Last month, I unexpectedly lost two of my colleagues to cancer. Wayne was a loud, larger-than life character, full of life. Paal (pronounced like Paul) was a quieter, more reserved man, but very friendly, funny and positive. Wayne occasionally rubbed people up the wrong way with his robust manner, but everybody who knew Paal liked him. I thought he was a great guy, but I never told him that. Now I wish I had. I never even knew he was ill, so when I read …

Autodesk, Legal, Other Blogs, Thoughts

Vernor wins (for now), customers don’t

By Steve Johnson 6 October 2009, 10:19 am 6 October 2009 itemprop="discussionURL"1

Don’t get too excited, because I’m sure Autodesk will appeal, but as reported at Owen Wengerd’s CAD/Court, Vernor has won the right to resell his used copies of AutoCAD. While this is seen by some as a victory for customers, it isn’t. This doesn’t open up a brave new world in which we are allowed to sell the software we buy once we’re finished with it. If it had, I would be rejoicing as loud as anybody, because Autodesk’s ban on software transfers is an unconscionable restriction and deserves to die. But that’s not what this decision means. There are …

Autodesk, Legal, Thoughts

Vernor v Autodesk – why I think Autodesk is right

By Steve Johnson 21 February 2009, 9:56 pm 21 February 2009 itemprop="discussionURL"21

Well, there’s a statement I wasn’t expecting to make. Let me preface these comments with a disclaimer. I have no legal qualifications whatsoever. I make no claims of knowing who is legally right in this David v. Goliath legal battle; that’s for the courts to decide. When I make the statement that I think Autodesk is right, I don’t mean legally right, I mean morally right. I have been following this fight with interest, but only in a half-baked way, third-hand via commentators (like myself, now). Based on my skimming of that commentary, my natural inclination to support the underdog, …

Comments, Navel Gazing, Thoughts

Blogging = arrogance?

By Steve Johnson 18 February 2009, 10:22 pm 18 February 2009 itemprop="discussionURL"19

Here’s a quote from somebody I know: Blogging is an inherently arrogant concept. It implies that your opinion is worth more than that of other people. At the risk of offending all my blogging friends, I’m not sure this is an entirely inaccurate viewpoint. Discuss!