I got some advice on debugging JSO, but I couldn't do it today. The maintainer would like some help implementing SSL and SASL, and I'd like to give that a shot once I get the hang of running the JSO example. I would also like to help in the Jabber component support since my main use for JSO is to implement gateways between the Jabber protocol and other types of socket stuff.

pinoyjavalearners now has 15 members, and the discussion is starting.

I want to do java.nio! Here's a new article on non-blocking sockets and the new O'Reilly book.

Wouldn't it be nice to have a local Emerging Technology group that meets face to face? Here's the announcement of the one based in Palo Alto. Once we get the tech scene stirred up, such events will easily follow.

Microsoft is pulling our collective leg again. After speaking out against open source, the president of Microsoft for the Asia-Pacific stated:

FOR the local software industry to flourish, innovation and entrepreneurship must be instilled in the minds of the country’s software developers.

“Software [development] is all about the capability of the human brain,” said Michael Rawding, Microsoft’s president for the Asia-Pacific region including Japan, during a meeting with IT and business journalists last week. “It is about human capital, and not about having the best infrastructure. I believe this is a great opportunity that the Philippines should take advantage of.”

Rawding believes that if Filipino software developers are given the basic tools, a lot of education — and a lot of encouragement — amazing things will happen.

Of course he has to mention their role:

He also believes that solutions and platform providers such as Microsoft play a critical role in fueling the software industry. “Our business model is that we provide the tools to the partners who develop the solutions,” said Rawding. “This is a win-win situation. It is a win for the developers who create innovative solutions, a win for the customers who benefit from the innovation, and a win for technology companies such as ourselves who are providing the tools and training.”

Sounds like a job for Ritchie Lozada, who prior to working for Microsoft Philippines, developed under Linux. Twists of fate. The mention of the Bayanihan Computing project was a good thing.