History of the English Language (and further adventures in the CLI)

Language and history geeks, I want to tell you about a wonderful podcast called History of English. Unfortunately for us FOSS types, it is only available via iTunes (according to the podcast. However, the website gives an RSS feed url). But the author, lawyer Kevin Stroud, allows download of the episodes. In order to listen to them in Amarok, rather than relying on flash on the website, I used wget on all of the episodes to present.

* Fortunately, I waited a day to publish this! I've always used Amarok to fetch and store my podcasts automatically, as well as to play them. I wanted to try out the gPodder service as well, which is needlessly complicated on the website. Fortunately, I decided to just add it via Amarok, and the plugin works flawlessly. So all the wgetting is only necessary if you want to fetch and listen to the episodes outside of Amarok, etc. RSS feed url: http://historyofenglishpodcast.com/feed/podcast/ *

Please visit the podcast website for maps and to leave comments, even if you download: http://historyofenglishpodcast.com

If you want to copy all the episides, first create a directory (put it in your ~/Music directory if you want it in your Music collection): mkdir HistoryofEnglishPodcast && cd HistoryofEnglishPodcast, then do the wgetting from that dir.

Since all the eps are individually named, I copied my commands from the terminal by giving the command history and copying them! Thanks to http://tech.karbassi.com/2007/01/14/view-and-change-bash-history/ for that useful command.

wget http://media.blubrry.com/historyofenglish/p/content.blubrry.com/historyofenglish/Ep01-Introduction.mp3
wget http://media.blubrry.com/historyofenglish/p/content.blubrry.com/historyofenglish/Ep02-Indo-European-Discovery.mp3
wget http://media.blubrry.com/historyofenglish/p/content.blubrry.com/historyofenglish/Ep03-TheIndo-EuropeanFamilyTree.mp3
wget http://media.blubrry.com/historyofenglish/p/content.blubrry.com/historyofenglish/Ep04-Grimm-Brother-Resurrects-the-Dead.mp3
wget http://media.blubrry.com/historyofenglish/p/content.blubrry.com/historyofenglish/Ep05-Centum-Satem-and-Letter-C.mp3
wget http://media.blubrry.com/historyofenglish/p/content.blubrry.com/historyofenglish/Ep06Indo-European-Words.mp3
wget http://media.blubrry.com/historyofenglish/p/content.blubrry.com/historyofenglish/Ep07-More-Indo-European-Words.mp3
wget http://media.blubrry.com/historyofenglish/p/content.blubrry.com/historyofenglish/Bonus-Episode-1.mp3
wget http://media.blubrry.com/historyofenglish/p/content.blubrry.com/historyofenglish/Ep08-Indo-European-Grammar.mp3
wget http://media.blubrry.com/historyofenglish/p/content.blubrry.com/historyofenglish/Ep09Who-Were-The-Indo-Europeans.mp3
wget http://media.blubrry.com/historyofenglish/p/content.blubrry.com/historyofenglish/Ep10Early-Indo-European-Migrations.mp3
wget http://media.blubrry.com/historyofenglish/p/content.blubrry.com/historyofenglish/Ep11Germanic-Ancestors.mp3
wget http://media.blubrry.com/historyofenglish/p/content.blubrry.com/historyofenglish/Ep12Early-Greek-Hittite-and-Trojan-War.mp3
wget http://media.blubrry.com/historyofenglish/p/content.blubrry.com/historyofenglish/Ep13Greece-Phoenicia-and-the-Alphabet.mp3
 2009  wget http://media.blubrry.com/historyofenglish/p/content.blubrry.com/historyofenglish/Ep14Greek-Word-Horde.mp3
 2010  wget http://media.blubrry.com/historyofenglish/p/content.blubrry.com/historyofenglish/Ep15Etruscans-Romans-and-Modified-Alphabet.mp3
 2011  wget http://media.blubrry.com/historyofenglish/p/content.blubrry.com/historyofenglish/Ep16Rise-of-Rome-and-Latin.mp3
 2012  wget http://media.blubrry.com/historyofenglish/p/content.blubrry.com/historyofenglish/Ep17Ancient-Celts-and-Latin-Invasion-Gaul.mp3
 2013  wget http://media.blubrry.com/historyofenglish/p/content.blubrry.com/historyofenglish/Ep18Keeping-Time-With-Romans.mp3
 2014  wget http://media.blubrry.com/historyofenglish/p/content.blubrry.com/historyofenglish/Ep19-Romanization-of-Britain.mp3
 2015  wget http://media.blubrry.com/historyofenglish/p/content.blubrry.com/historyofenglish/Ep20-Early-Germanic-Tribes.mp3
wget http://media.blubrry.com/historyofenglish/p/content.blubrry.com/historyofenglish/Bonus-Episode-2-History-of-Alphabet2.mp3
wget http://media.blubrry.com/historyofenglish/p/content.blubrry.com/historyofenglish/Ep21-Early-Germanic-Words.mp3
wget http://media.blubrry.com/historyofenglish/p/content.blubrry.com/historyofenglish/Ep22-Early-Germanic-Grammar.mp3
wget http://media.blubrry.com/historyofenglish/p/content.blubrry.com/historyofenglish/Ep23-Tacitus-and-Germanic-Society.mp3
wget http://media.blubrry.com/historyofenglish/p/content.blubrry.com/historyofenglish/Ep24-Germanic-Mythology.mp3
 wget http://media.blubrry.com/historyofenglish/p/content.blubrry.com/historyofenglish/Ep25-Germanic-Markings-and-Runes.mp3
 wget http://media.blubrry.com/historyofenglish/p/content.blubrry.com/historyofenglish/Ep26-Imperial-Crisis-and-Goths.mp3
wget http://media.blubrry.com/historyofenglish/p/content.blubrry.com/historyofenglish/Ep27-Broken-Empire.mp3
wget http://media.blubrry.com/historyofenglish/p/content.blubrry.com/historyofenglish/Ep28-Angles-Saxons.mp3
wget http://media.blubrry.com/historyofenglish/p/content.blubrry.com/historyofenglish/Ep29-Anglo-Saxon-Invasion.mp3
wget http://media.blubrry.com/historyofenglish/p/content.blubrry.com/historyofenglish/Bonus-Episode-3.mp3
wget http://media.blubrry.com/historyofenglish/p/content.blubrry.com/historyofenglish/Ep30-Celtic-Legacy.mp3

Enjoy!

The wonderful book The Decipherment of Linear B is also a great look at language and history, which I recently wrote about.

Coffee and Doctorow

KDE Planet often has some thought-provoking blogs, whether or not they are "strictly" speaking, about the KDE community or our software. For example, Jeff blogged about how to make cold-brewed coffee. When I read that, I remembered that we used to have a toddy kit, like this one listed on Amazon.

When I was looking for a light book to read, Adityab suggested Little Brother, by Cory Doctorow. Since it's available for download for my kindle, yes! It is light as in 'short and YA,' but rather serious in considering the consequences of the increasing use of government surveillance, and where that can lead. Fortunately, the young hero of the book creatively fights back. Also, it is set in San Francisco, a city I love. Highly recommended.

I found out that Doctorow has recently followed up Little Brother with Homeland. The first section of the book takes place at Burning Man, which was really cool. The up-to-the-minute timeliness is alternately delightful and scary. So what did our heroes bring to Burning Man to share around? Cold-brewed coffee! The 'desert process' was even more relaxed than Jeff describes. With this second reminder, I dug around in the cupboard over the refrigerator, found the toddy, and brewed up some coffee.

Now I've gotten into a rhythm with it. No measuring, and I usually steep it a couple of days, since as soon as I empty the carafe, I bring out the steeping grounds, filter them, clean out the grounds and felted filter, and start the process again. It takes me a few days to drink the delicious coffee, and letting it steep longer just seems to make it better. I just use pre-ground coffee for now, but I'm going to investigate getting a grinder, since I do love the aroma of fresh-ground coffee.

Why did we ever stop using the toddy? I wish I could remember, but I think we are using it from here on out. Even my husband who loves the aroma of fresh-brewed coffee, is switching to the toddy coffee on weekends. Give it a try, and enjoy! And snap up some Doctorow. He might just re-inspire you to do some more free software work. Individual people are the ones who make the difference.

Confrontation is scary! Confront your fear.

One of my recent CWG (KDE Community Working Group) emails said, in part:

...the confrontation seems to have clarified some issues...

Of course! That is what confrontation is about. It isn't necessarily a power struggle, although it's usually seen that way. Confrontation, argument, fights are all about issues. Of course sometimes the issue is power, and access to resources, but more often the issue is about how to get to a shared goal or value. Confrontation is best and most productive when it clarifies: How can we best collaborate?

Arguments aren't bad! They bring issues out in the open. And if people learn to 'fight fair' - focus on resolving issues, not people, not positions, then stuff gets done. Even if you aren't directly involved in an argument, sometimes your part is to remind the 'opponents' of that, and support them as they 'get to yes.' If there is anger involved, it's good to be able to blow off steam without injecting that heat into the argument itself. Often a friendly ear is invaluable there.

I think confrontation is scary to people because most of us are taught as children NOT to confront, but to obey authority. This is understandable from the parents' point of view, but over the long term, people need to learn confrontation, negotiation, and fighting fair. As a parent I tried to teach my kids how to fight fair --even with me. Because mama is not always right.

I've only been in the community for a few years, so I can't compare 'the old days' to now. The KDE, Kubuntu and Ubuntu communities are spread all over the world, with people from a lot of different cultures; it would be amazing if we had no misunderstandings, spats, fights, disagreements. It is my hope that we all learn to do this better, and remember to be respectful during the struggle.

The Codes of Conduct are our support here. A CoC is often seen as a club, or a codification of law, which I think is wrong. Re-read your CoC, and I think you'll find that it is a description of the community we want, and the way we want to work. I hope to see fewer mentions of "CoC violation" and more examples of living up to our shared ideals. Read 'em again:

KDE Code of Conduct: http://www.kde.org/code-of-conduct/

Ubuntu Code of Conduct: http://www.ubuntu.com/about/about-ubuntu/conduct

Linuxchix boils it down the best, I think. Two rules: Be polite, and be helpful.

The Decipherment of Linear B

This wonderful little book has been recommended quite a few times by my friend Sho_. Today it arrived from the library, and I'm so happy to have read it. Yes, it's slim and readable; with afterward and appendices less than 150 pages. It's a loving tribute to Michael Ventris, who 'broke the code' of Linear B, then died before his publication presenting it to the word, by his co-author, John Chadwick.

Why a book on such an obscure subject? Yes, it's about Mycenaean Greek! But more important, it's about how a young person with an interest in languages and training in architecture (Michael Ventris) could use this background to crack one of the biggest mysteries revealed by modern archaeology. And he contradicted the leading experts and prevailing opinion that Linear B could not be Greek. When he proved that the Mycenaeans spoke Greek, he pushed the beginnings of European history back many centuries.

Ventris won over the experts by doing careful analysis, and always sharing his work as he proceeded. In fact, after reading all the published research, he began his work by surveying the twelve leading experts with a series of questions. This questionnaire was penetrating enough that he got ten answers. After compiling these answers and adding his own analysis, he sent out the survey results to all the experts. By getting a good grasp of current scholarship, he had built a wonderful foundation on which to build his study of the inscriptions.

Although it has not been proven that Ventris did any code-breaking during the war, his method of analysis certainly owes much to that Bletchley Park work. Also discussed here is Alice Kober, whose early work set Ventris on the right path. Her card catalogue was invaluable to Ventris, after her life was cut short by cancer. Ventris always consulted other experts, and was generous in sharing credit. He never succeeded in proving what he set out to do, which was prove that Linear B was Etruscan. Instead, he put in the hard work of analysis of all the evidence, and followed the trail to the end, proving what he started out believing impossible: Linear B is ancient Greek.

Read this book, and be inspired! Grab it used or get it from the library as I did. Although available for Kindle, the symbols render badly in that edition.

Getting a Green Thumb

The phrase green thumb comes from gardening. When a person is really in tune with their garden plants, they often rub off nubs which will become branches in the wrong place, or pull out small, tender weeds before they grow to be pest-sized, thus ending up with green-stained fingers and thumbs. In our community, such tuned-in consciousness can help us grow and thrive. When one sees or hears a comment heading into negative territory, each of us can perhaps take a moment to ask the commenter more about their situation. Maybe they have encountered a bug, or just don't see how to choose to do what they need to get their task done. If you are a developer, maybe their difficulty can guide you toward a better user interface! If you do documentation, their questions and difficulties might help you explain the software more clearly. Perhaps the person is feeling bad for some other reason entirely. In any case, by asking for more information, you will effectively have turned what could have turned into a "trollish" situation, into a pleasant personal interaction and maybe more. Of course not all of us have the time or feel like spending our time being tuned in all the time. Which is why I urge each of my readers to take your turn by doing this part of the time. Our list moderators, IRC channel operators, and forum admins get tired, have vacations and other time off, and so forth. We can all be leaders of the community part-time, in this gentle, non-confrontational way. If you're good at it, and enjoy it, maybe it's time to volunteer to help moderate a list, become one of the channel operators, or help administer the forums. It is not necessary to have an official leadership position though, to exercise leadership. Perhaps you would like to become part of the KDE Community Working Group?[1] We have a need for a new team member right now. See the KDE-Community list for more information.[2] And see the Freenode Catalysts page [3] for more details about this mode of leadership. The Ubuntu 1. Community Working Group: http://ev.kde.org/workinggroups/cwg.php 2. KDE-Community list: https://mail.kde.org/mailman/listinfo/kde-community 3. Be a Catalyst: http://freenode.net/catalysts.shtml

Generosity, Family

After trying to connect to Mohammed Nafees, our GCi student winner from India, I finally was able to talk with him this afternoon. I was asking about his experience with KDE, and if he had gotten the help and support he needed. The enthusiasm of his reply was a bit surprising. He said he had chosen KDE because it is more than a community. When he couldn't think of the word he wanted to use to finish his sentence, I said that to me, KDE is family. He said, "YES! KDE is family."

Hours later, I'm still smiling about that. What a wonderful way to end the official Akademy program.

Right now, I'm typing this on my little netbook, surrounded by enthusiastic hackers. Even after working all day, most are hacking still at midnight! With occasional breaks for table tennis and pool, of course. The power cords snaking over the floor are hilarious!

Some of us paid our own way to this wonderful conference, but many of us are sponsored in whole or in part by the KDE e.V. Such generosity is what family is all about. However, as my mother used to say, money doesn't grow on trees! If you have not yet "Joined the Game", please think about signing up. Our e.V. needs a reliable funding stream to continue to support those who create the wonderful KDE ecosystem. http://jointhegame.kde.org/

I'm really here.....

Weeeeeee, Akademy!

This year for the second time I’ll be able to attend Akademy, the annual world meeting of the KDE community. We'll be in Bilbao, in the Basque country of Spain from 13th to 19th of July.



Check the full program here, and if you plan to come, register here. My endless thanks to the e.V. for sponsoring my travel. I hope to be able to pay for part myself this year, to spare the expense.

So much happens; I hope to see you there!