DEC is Dead

I was perusing Amazon and came upon this title: DEC is Dead. Long Live DEC. This book describes the rise and fall of Digital Equipment Corporation, a legend in the computing industry that introduced many innovations in processor and system design. Many of the architects went on to other companies such as AMD and Transmetta and continued to advance the state of the art. It's an appealing topic, to be sure.

I wanted to point that out.

Additionally, the title seems to confuse the etymological implications of "The x is dead. Long live y." In this case, even if x and y appear to be the same improper noun, lexically, they never refer to the same individual or entity; that'd be a contradiction. The phrase actually refers to a transitional event, where the life of an old entity, x, is over and we should now bestow praise and hope on the life of a new entity, y. See this for a foothold on more information.

I've seen a lot of smart people get this wrong, and evidently someone solidified their mistake as the title of their book. In this case, I suggest DEC is dead. Long live Intel, AMD, and Transmetta.

You're welcome.

Sailing Adventure

Saturday, I went sailing 420s on Lake Lanier with a labmate. Of five boats that went out, we were one of two that didn't both capsize and require a rescue. The other boat that avoided capsize spent much of the morning with only the jib flying and left early.

Winds were intense, from 15 to 20 mph, and waves were high. Our 420 achieved planing speed several times; the sudden boost in speed and rudder authority was reminiscent of a jetski.

Windfinder provides a great and detailed wind forecast.