Wednesday, May 03, 2006
Tuesday, May 2
Aaah, a wireless Internet connection again. Amazing how the capital of the nation is the first place where this was not included as a standard facility of the motel. Maybe it's all about supply and demand - I shouldn't try to make sense of it.
Monday was spent at the Fairfax campus of George Mason University, talking with Darren Cambridge. Darren has worked with the Open Source Portfolio project since its very early days. He has also been deeply involved in the development of the IMS portfolio standards. I'm not sure quite how far the standards have developed and been accepted, but the OSP clearly has some very nice features. Take the guided tour to see more. I was left with the impression that Darren was an excellent contact to have made, for the purpose of getting a more detailed look at the infrastructure of portfolio applications.
The University itself was a lovely campus - only independent of the University of Virginia since 1970, but with a lovely friendly, leafy feel to the area. I was particularly impressed with the stuent commons building - a combination of food hall, library and relaxed workspaces. I don't know whether this picture does it justice, but it is obviously well used by the students. The whole building had three areas this big, all linked and open to all students - nicely done.
Tuesday I made the most of being in Washington and had organised a whole bunch of meetings with people at the Blackboard head office. I felt it would have been rude not to, and besides, they usually shell out for a nice meal - which they did for lunch. There was a certain amount of 'head office sales talk', but generally it was a great chance to catch up on various developments and a feel for where the product might be going. I have been appointed as a member of the 'Blackboard idedas Exchange', but who knows quite how much influence that might have.
The US is currently seeing a spate of protests by 'immigrants' - mostly Latin Americans who are here illegally, but who form the labour pool that do all the low-paid shit jobs that no-one else will. I had to skirt around the mass protest at the front of the White House before strolling down the Mall to the Capitol building on a lovely warm Spring evening.
Aaah, a wireless Internet connection again. Amazing how the capital of the nation is the first place where this was not included as a standard facility of the motel. Maybe it's all about supply and demand - I shouldn't try to make sense of it.
Monday was spent at the Fairfax campus of George Mason University, talking with Darren Cambridge. Darren has worked with the Open Source Portfolio project since its very early days. He has also been deeply involved in the development of the IMS portfolio standards. I'm not sure quite how far the standards have developed and been accepted, but the OSP clearly has some very nice features. Take the guided tour to see more. I was left with the impression that Darren was an excellent contact to have made, for the purpose of getting a more detailed look at the infrastructure of portfolio applications.
The University itself was a lovely campus - only independent of the University of Virginia since 1970, but with a lovely friendly, leafy feel to the area. I was particularly impressed with the stuent commons building - a combination of food hall, library and relaxed workspaces. I don't know whether this picture does it justice, but it is obviously well used by the students. The whole building had three areas this big, all linked and open to all students - nicely done.
Tuesday I made the most of being in Washington and had organised a whole bunch of meetings with people at the Blackboard head office. I felt it would have been rude not to, and besides, they usually shell out for a nice meal - which they did for lunch. There was a certain amount of 'head office sales talk', but generally it was a great chance to catch up on various developments and a feel for where the product might be going. I have been appointed as a member of the 'Blackboard idedas Exchange', but who knows quite how much influence that might have.
The US is currently seeing a spate of protests by 'immigrants' - mostly Latin Americans who are here illegally, but who form the labour pool that do all the low-paid shit jobs that no-one else will. I had to skirt around the mass protest at the front of the White House before strolling down the Mall to the Capitol building on a lovely warm Spring evening.
// posted by Mark Northover @ 1:47 PM 
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Well no, not at all - it's open to all. If you think there's any merit, positive or negative, go for your life
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