Pox on Acrobat Reader

This is what you have to do to install the latest version of Acrobat Reader on a mac:

1. Go to adobe.com and download the download manager (!)
2. Go through the download manager installer wizard.
3. Download the actual reader through the handy download manager.
4. Go through the Acrobat Reader installer wizard.
5. Open the Help menu and ask Acrobat Reader to check for updates.
6. Authorize some form of Safari repair, whatever that means.
7. Download the 7.0.1 update and authorize it to be installed.
8. Download the 7.0.2 update and authorize it to be installed.
9. Download the 7.0.3 update and authorize it to be installed.

Whew. And then you're all set, until the next update. Give us a break, Adobe!

The Times They Are A'Changin'

I was just doing a mental inventory of all the cool technology I wish I was a master of, and I realized that my inventory is very different than just a couple years ago: A Couple Years Ago

• Java
• Linux
• Oracle

I was convinced that this technology stack was the key to my fortune. You can still probably make a fortune this way, but I'm convinced now that my heart lies elsewhere: Today's Inventory

• Cocoa / Objective-C
• Mac OS X
• Ruby
• Ruby On Rails

What's the essential difference? I'm choosing smaller, more thoughtful communities, and more elegant, more beautiful techniques. Speaking of community, Martin Fowler has this to say about what makes Ruby special.