Evolutionary algorithms have been used before to design aeroplane wings and also art but I think this is the first time they’ve been used to design the perfect web page design. Unlike these two uses though, it requires human interaction which is both a positive and a negative.

“The mutations will always occur and while they are responsive to human attention, they are not bound by them. It is possible to develop unique mutations that may actually influence human goals (rather than the other way around).”

It would be interesting to see this technique used on sites with different functions: social networking sites, news sites etc.

Cow’s Blog | New Scientist

From SushiPanda, linked above:

Over half of my Chinese-Chinese friends on MSN have put the badge on their contact names, in defiance of all the anti-China bullying that they’re undoubtedly reading about in the Chinese newspapers, watching on the Chinese news, and scouring over on the hundreds of blogs and BBS’s peppering China’s cyberscape and devoted to propping up this country’s national pride.

I’ve no problem with patriotism, within limits of course, but we all know that information is manipulated in an unprecedented way in China and it’s a shame that the people - the good people of China - don’t realise why foreigners do protest. It’s nice to see that Chinese internet users can rally together like this, but just a shame they seem to have a misguided view.

Wubi is an unofficial Ubuntu installer currently in beta that takes the risk out of installing Ubuntu alongside an existing Windows partition. It runs Ubuntu from within Windows from a disk image. Its aim is to get the Windows user aquainted with Linux and Ubuntu. Anything that prevents me from wiping my hard drive or braking partitions gets a thumbs up from me. But, does it do what it says on the box?

Installation

On running the Wubi executable, you’re presented with one screen where you choose which drive to install your choice of Ubuntu or one of it’s forks. One click and it does it magic. It downloads the required disk image and then works even more magic. Afterwards you’re required to restart. If the post finishes here, it means I broke it.

Using Ubuntu

Unfortunately, on reboot and selecting Ubuntu from the menu resulted in several freezes when trying to active the swap partition so I didn’t actually manage to get into Ubuntu. I was surprised however that the experience provides the experience of Ubuntu but without the risk of installing it as an inexperienced user. As it is in beta I am not surprised that my experience failed however I have high hopes for the software and its part in the spreading of Ubuntu, and Linux in general, into homes around the world.

Conclusion

Wubi allows the quick and risk-free installation and uninstallation of Ubuntu and its many forks which makes it an ideal piece of software for those not experienced with partitioning and the like.

The ease of installation and uninstallation surprised me and even though I didn’t get to actually use the installed OS, it would appear that if the experience is just the same as installing Ubuntu manually, it could be an invaluable tool to convert people to the world of free software. Go and give Wubi a test drive today: download.

Still going strong and I got a post coming up for you all tomorrow. Thanks to those that read it.

Today, the Daily Mail and several other papers report that British athletes are being forced to give up their right to freedom of speech in order to compete. It honestly makes me sick. I’ve always said we should boycott these Olympics. I still believe this. Why are we supporting China? They’re still a communist dictatorship.

What are your views?

You, the player, take on the persona of barkeeper Desmond Miles who in turn is kidnapped by a group of scientists. They make you enter a machine called the Animus which extracts genetic memories from your DNA. Stay with me. The premise is that your DNA holds memories of your ancestors which this machine can access. Your player, Miles, is the distant ancestor of an Assassin; Altaïr - “The Flying One”.

This machine lets you take control of Altaïr as he completes missions throughout 4 [said to be] historically accurate cities, 3 or which are highly detailed worlds in themselves. As the game unfolds, you discover that the people you are charged with assassinating are actually Templars with the goal to unite humanity. The scientists are found to searching through these genetic memories to seek the location of certain artefacts which can help them revive the Templar mission and unite humanity under one cause.

Hubbub

I knew very little about Assassin’s creed before it was released. I had followed a few articles that Digg gifted me with and a few discussions on the Xbox.com forums and was partially excited by the rumour a major theme of the game would be time travel. Although this particular rumour isn’t technically the case, the game does live up to the hubbub surrounding it pre-release; albeit that some of the hype was unfounded.

The games industry is always hungry for a new concept and new ideas but at the same time are weary of the claims that are made about them. Assassin’s Creed was no different and the eye candy and demos Ubisoft provided created high expectations of the game. The tid bits of information that Ubisoft trickled out to technology blogs and journalists certainly caught peoples’ attention and the end product didn’t fail to impress in most areas. The battle system and basic character interaction system has improved much since the last demos which many are thank full for.

History is Beautiful

You play the vast majority of the game as Altaïr in the delicately crafted cities of Jerusalem, Acre and Damascus as well as Masyaf which is the assassins’ stronghold. I play the Xbox 360 version of the game so I don’t know whether the Playstation 3 version has different textures but what I can say is that the textures and the graphics in general are just beautiful. You feel you’re in those towns in that time because the look and sound of the cities is immersing.

It may be because my computer is rather lacklustre in the graphics department but the graphics Assassin’s Creed provide are nice, at least from my viewpoint and considering it’s a games console and not a PC. Shadows, textures, buildings, hay, horses and character models are really detailed and look beautiful.

Creed Control

The game is very easy to play and the control system becomes second nature after you’ve played through a few memories. Engaging enemies and scaling the scenery is quite exciting and although escaping enemies becomes rather easy, it still remains rather thrilling finding a pile of hay or a rooftop hide to disappear in. You’re able to disappear into the crowd as it were in a number of ways. Firstly, you can just blend in by pressing a button but for short-term anonymity you can sit on a bench or for long term anonymity you can join a group of scholars who are dressed similarly and walk around the city unnoticed, but very very slowly.

Greatness or Guillotine?

Assassin’s Creed is a wonderfully crafted game but it’s not perfect. If the developers had spent as much time as they did on making it look as good as it does on game play and the story line, it would be one of the best console games ever. The world is huge and patience is a virtue that one must learn as quickly as possible if you’re to stay under the radar and keep to the creed.

You develop a range of weapons and skills during the course of the game which aren’t exactly put to good use except for the main kills you have to make. Silly side track missions such as ‘interrogation’ and ‘pick pocketing’ deter you from what you really want to do - explore the cities and be able to assassinate your targets in a number of different ways (which are limited still by the paths you can take and the weapons available to you).

I hope that rumours of it being the first in a trilogy of games is true but now it has been released, this seems less likely. This game is a great buy and the ability to complete it a number of different ways and the atmosphere the graphics and sound makes will make sure you really get into it. The mystery surrounding the characters (which I’ve probably spoiled if you bothered to read above) and their intentions is exciting to unravel and learn for yourself. I would like to see more Assassin’s Creed games and if the idea of a film becomes reality, I wish everyone involved well and good luck.

Super Mario Galaxy is the latest instalment in the Super Mario game series and brings the traditional quest to rescue Princess Peach from his evil nemesis Bowser. This new title takes place in a series of galaxies within each is a series of planets and other objects like asteroids and space ships (among the other usual objects you associate with Mario). The object of the game is to collect stars which further your reach into the Universe allowing you to reach ever distant galaxies and eventually harder and harder enemies.

I’ll admit to you now that the only Super Mario game I’ve played before was Super Mario Sunshine, on the GameCube, which didn’t really create any buzz within me. This game was an impulse buy because my Wii was starting to gather dust and I wanted it to have some company.

Graphics

Xbox 360, Playstation 2, Playstation 3 and PC gamers don’t have a reputation of praising the graphical power of the Wii. I myself am the owner of an Xbox 360 but Super Mario Galaxy produces some of the best graphics I’ve seen on the Wii. Whether or not it is the case, it seems to me that anti-aliasing has been turned on and textures look really nice. Water and ice effects are used heavily throughout the game - at least throughout the part I’ve played - are are put to good use.

Gameplay

This title makes use of the Wii’s motion sensing capabilities in a number of ways. Throughout the game you use the Wiimote to point at the screen and collect gems, or star bits, as well as some other novel uses. These include ray (as in sting) surfing and a hamster ball-esque riding mini-task. Basic controls are well layed out and intuitive enough that as you learn them you always remember them. For example, spinning Mario to disorientate enemies or break up crystals to free your friends is initiated by flicking the Wiimote from side to side. It is surprisingly good at differentiating unintended flicks from intended.

From what I’ve played so far, there is a small amount of puzzle solving (as you would expect) that you experience on your adventures. So far they’ve been simple but still manage to make the game fun. Unless you play the game non-stop, you can expect to get some pretty decent time out of this game. When you’ve completed the game - spoiler alert here - you get to play it all over again but as Luigi. Luigi acts and behaves differently to the environments so you’ve got to play differently. I would say that you could play many levels over again, just for fun.

Throughout the game, Mario is able to transform into things that provide helpful skills that allow you to complete the level. For example, there’s Bee Mario which can fly, Rainbow Mario which is invincible, Fire Mario which uses fire and more.

A Few Niggles

I would say the game is perfect but not for a few niggles, as with any game. The camera can be controlled to a limited extent in limited parts of the game. Sometimes this is understandable but other times, such as when Mario becomes upside down, it becomes rather uncomfortable tilting your head to see where Mario is going.

Super Dooper or Super Pooper?

Super Mario Galaxy is a truly awesome game and a must-buy for all Wii owners. I think that this game could just be a game on its own and do just as well on sales and rankings - it doesn’t need to be under the umbrella of Super Mario to share the same success. There is a lot of playability to this game and many levels could be played again and again and still be exciting.

If you’re a Super Mario fan, buy the game. If you’re not, buy the game anyway. Either way, you won’t be disappointed.

The computer literate will be thinking that the WTF in WTF Magazine stands for a less than polite interruption. Well, it stands for “What’s the Future Magazine”, to put your minds at rest. This new publication is the result of one company having too much money and too much time. For this, I’m actually quite greatful. The well known online electrical retailer eBuyer has created this bi-monthly publication to fill our brains with more news and reviews than you can shake a stick at. There are a few drawbacks which I will go into but so far, it seems a pretty decent and interesting magazine.

WTF is this?

WTF Magazine is a new publication brought to us by that well known UK online retailer eBuyer. It features reviews of hardware such as laptop comparisons, flash drives and what not. At the moment, it also offers a few competitions which some pretty nice prizes although I feel some of the things you have to do to enter have to relevance to technology whatsoever.

It’s a welcome sight to see a full colour technology magazine which is free to subscribe to. Obviously, with this positive comes a few negatives. Even my other favourite technology magazine, .net, is relatively padded with advertisements and this is no different. Also, it’s not as long as some other magazines and there’s no freebies or discounts with it as of yet. But that’s not all you get this stuff for is it?

A Worthwhile Read?

Sure, the magazine is a nice bit of reading but in all honesty, it’s just a catalogue for eBuyer with some articles slipped in on some pages. Granted there’s a bit more detail in the product descriptions than on the e-commerce site and it’s nice to see a catalogue for an online shop.

To sum up, it’s a free technology mag that is worth a read if not to learn a bit more about recent technology and products then to pass some time either on your commute or on the toilet. If that isn’t a enough a reason, then get it for the obligatory photos of the woman wearing a tight plastic jumpsuit.

University is something that wouldn’t have even crossed my mind a couple years ago. I was concentrating on GCSEs and having a good time too much to think that far into the future. I know it’s a cliché but time does fly. By the end of this calendar year, I will have a good idea of which Universities I have been accepted into, conditionally or not. It kind of scares me how fast we’re all thrown into this higher education business. It scares me even more because I’m the first in my family to actually finish school, let alone go to University.

Going into higher education isn’t something you shouldn’t, and I don’t, take lightly. It’s an expensive and hard experience but one that has the potential to reward you with the best three or four years of your life so far. Going into University is something many people have questions about and no matter how many UCAS conferences your school take you to or how many open days you attend, I guarantee there are some questions that can never be answered until you experience it first hand.

Making Choices

You’ve had a minimum of eleven years to decide what you want to pursue (and spend a considerable amount of money on) at University. My own experience has been somewhat tumultuous. For many years I wanted to pursue a career in IT and it seems that fate has made sure I’ve the experience to do so. About a year ago, my attention was grabbed and has since been held by the realm of physics. I love it. Physics has excited me ever since I was taught the ‘good stuff’, as it were. I got full marks on most of my Science modules at GCSE and made sure I achieved a top A* in it as I was only doing Double Science and not Triple Science, something I do regret (but am glad I got an A*, so was worth it).

I’m lucky to go to a school that provides opportunities for students such as myself to expand their knowledge and experience in the field of Science and such opportunities have really fascinated me. I don’t think I find any area of Physics boring (although University may prove me wrong, who knows :P). I’m also lucky to have friends that give me opportunities that they themselves have found. There are a few things I would not have done if it were not for them.

What you study should be something you like, something you want to study and make a career out of. You’ve had subjects pushed on you for most of your educational life, this time it’s your choice and your choice only.

There are two choices you have to make; the first is what course you want to study and the other is where you want to study it. In all honesty, the impression I have is this is probably one of the most important decisions you’ll make. This decision can be made much easier by visiting the University and the surrounding towns and cities. You must also consider the reputation and raking of the University for the subject you wish to take. If you like the area, facilities and people - it’s up your street basically - then you can seriously consider it.

My school kindly took me to a UCAS convention as well as an Oxbridge conference where I swagged more prospectuses and freebies than I care to admit as well as find out about what Oxford and Cambridge have to offer. I’d had my heart set on doing a Natural Sciences course at Cambridge because it offered a slice of about everything I wanted to do. My hopes where extinguished after talking to the representative who said the courses I was taking weren’t sufficient. I think that students should seriously research courses before entering Sixth Form so they can make their choices and open a few more doors there and then - at least, that is what I should have done.

Making my decision was made slightly easier when I went to visit universities such as Oxford, Exeter, Imperial College and Queen Mary. Ever since visiting Oxford, I knew I wanted to study Physics there. Their course has a lot more IT in it than others and means I can be taught by the best, learn with the best and have one of the best chances for a good career. A bad, but unfortunately expected, result in my Maths AS means those dreams are also on hold. I was only six marks off the top grade and I don’t trust myself to do exceptionally well in my A2 exams so I’m retaking the two modules I lost those six marks on. Hopefully I can keep the dream alive - god knows I’m trying my hardest.

So, I want to study Physics. After much deliberation between myself and the redwood forest in my UCAS convention carrier bag, I decided on my lucky Universities. Since two weeks ago, this has been the final list although I’m still not sure:

• University of Bristol
• University of Nottingham
• University of Exeter
• Imperial College London
• Oxford University
• University of Warwick

You only get five choices and although that may seem a lot, when it comes to deciding which ones to fill those spaces, it becomes hard - at least, it has been for me.

Counting Down

As I said earlier, time has flown incredibly fast. It seems just yesterday I was receiving my Young Scientist badge at Primary School or that I was in the front row as a year seven in my first whole school assembly. I’m an extremely nostalgic person but I fear that wanting the past back or spending too much time pouring over it makes me miss out on experiences that I could do to have. I haven’t got long until I’m meeting some more new people and living up the first major event of student life, fresher’s week, but I can’t stop hoping for time to rewind. There’s that part of me that wants time to reverse and let me repeat the last eleven years.

A couple years ago, University wasn’t on my mind at all and now it’s all I can think off. I can’t wait to meet new people, maybe start or join a crazy society or two and delve into things that I’ve only scratched the surface of at the moment. I know I want to learn Physics - every part of it fascinates me and although I may not understand it at first, I always make it my priority to get as deep as I can and quench my thirst for knowledge.

When writing this post, I worried that putting my thoughts on my application would damage my chances in some way but I feel that I need my thoughts out there. I need to know other people are thinking the same and hopefully give others confirmation of that as well. I want to study Physics with the best and be taught it by the best and I think any of the Universities I’ve listed will offer me this. I suspect it’s the hope of many students to go to Oxford (or Cambridge) though, above all others. It is my hope. I’m determined to get my Maths up to an A and have the three-of-a-kind hand to put down on the table. If I don’t, I know I’ll have tried my best and that’s all I could have done.

Less than a year. I hope to make more friends than I lose time.

Microsoft recently released a group of their newest applications under the Windows Live brand name, aimed at the general computer user and recreational blogger. This suite includes Microsoft’s successor to Outlook Express, a new version of the popular Windows Live Messenger (MSN Messenger if you’re not keeping up with the trends), Windows Live OneCare Family Safety and a host of other tools Microsoft seems to think we need/want. I have had some experience with some of the products before, most in beta form, and just wanted to share my voice.

Mail

During my extremely short use of Vista, I used the Windows Live Desktop mail application that was included with it at the time. My experience was less than pleasing and an installation of Thunderbird promptly followed. The new application gives the user the Vista inspired interface (if you’re on XP) and a much needed clean and polish of the user interface that Outlook so desperately needed. I don’t think this application is meant to replace Outlook Express as Windows Live Mail doesn’t provide all the features that some individuals and businesses would require.

Messenger

The next upgrade to the popular Windows Live/MSN Messenger, version 8.5 or version 2008 depending on where you look, is part of the Windows Live family and an option in the pack. This new version seems to improve the speed of the application as I’ve had no conversation freezes or lockups since upgrading to the newest version. Also provided in version 8.5 is an improvement a change to the interface to bring it into line with the rest of the Windows Live theme. It is a nice improvement, I have to admit but only a minor one. Maybe the design team should take some notes from the Yahoo! Messenger team.

Writer

Microsoft’s attempt to make blogging easier has definitely improved since its initial public release - and I’m not just talking about the snazzy splash screen in the newest version. In earlier versions, Windows Live Writer didn’t exactly agree with Wordpress in a number of areas. Whether this was because of Wordpress or Writer, who knows, but I’ll bet it was Writer who was at fault.

Final Thoughts

There are other products in the Windows Live suite of application but I wont go into them right now; you can check them out for yourselves if you’re curious enough. This re-brand is just Microsoft’s attempt to push their products into the faces of ordinary PC users and given them software that in some cases just isn’t needed by the most inexperienced users.

There are some applications that are essential to most Windows users though. The update to Messenger is recommended for users who want a more stable chat program and for home users who don’t know better, Windows Live Mail is a nice replacement for Outlook Express though I continue to suggest you come out of the stone age and use Mozilla Thunderbird!

Go and download the applications - but watch out for the pre-ticked boxes that install the Live toolbar and set your homepage to something evil - and give is your comments on them! That’s an order.

It seemed that we were all fine when Russia’s president threatened to launch nuclear-capable missiles at us and now we are not even flinching as Russia puts forth its territorial claim to the Arctic. Personally, I’m alarmed and annoyed by yet another show of how greedy and naive the Russian government is. Russia is a country of over 17 million square kilometres - the largest country by area in the world - and has one of the worst poverty situations in the developed nations and now wants to stamp its ugly claim on the Arctic and the North Pole.

Cold Control

Historically, no country owns the North Pole and the countries surrounding the area are limited to a 200 mile economic zone around their coasts which is theirs to claim and defend. The United Nations wrote a clause into the agreement that all of those nations signed that said if they could prove that the Arctic continent was an extension from the continental plate they are on. Russia has been gathering evidence to support their claim that an area of the Arctic, including the North Pole, is actually such an extension.

Why would Russia go to such lengths - sending out submarines and research groups - to want to own the Arctic and the North Pole? I think you’ve guessed that it’s not because of the stunning scenery and long daylight hours. Yup, the life forces of all corrupt countries: oil and gas. The Arctic is a unique ecosystem and is known to have large natural gas, oil and mineral deposits (much like the Antarctic as well). Both the Antarctic and the Arctic have been protected from military abuse, industrial contamination and territorial claim but it seems that Russia would rather spoil the landscape and ecosystem for their energy needs than help their citizens. Oh, but don’t worry, they are spending more on weapons!

Moves like this only seek to disrupt attempts to reduce conflict between nations and Russia’s move in this case is a deliberate attempt to aggravate nations with which it has had disputes with lately. To me it seems that the US and Russia are have a girl fight. The US’s liberation invasion of Iraq was a strategic decision with a main objective to secure control of oil and gas reserves for American companies and thus for the US. Russia’s attempt to use a legal route to make a territorial claim to the Arctic area and thus the energy stores are a direct component of the decision to invade Iraq. The official submission was presented by Russia in 2001 whilst the invasion of Iraq began in 2003.

In It Alone?

Russia isn’t the only nation wishing to lay claim to the unique and fragile territory. Surprisingly, Canada also seems to have a quite aggressive claim to the area with more of a militarised ambition.

I really truthfully hope that the UN and the nations in it, especially those that surround the Arctic and have been mature enough not to stake a claim in it try every route possible in order to stop Russia (and Canada) spoiling one of the few remaining virtually unspoilt areas on this rocky ball called Earth. Not because I want Russia to run out of electricity but because I want to see less destruction of the Earth, less of a dependency on fossil fuels and Russia to become more concerned about its own citizens than how many bombs it has.

Is this Russia’s next Cold War? I sincerely hope not. I will not stand for Russia exerting its dominance over energy when what the world needs is for countries to unite in their differences. We are facing troubles on scales never seen before like rising sea levels, more conflict and drought and what we don’t need are countries turning away - we need countries collaborating, working together and trying to produce solutions that benefit all; not just those who can afford them.

No Respect Due

President Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, with all due respect, you seem to think that the more territory you have the bigger your balls will seem to other people. That’s not the way it is any more - just look at us British. Come out of your damn coma, open your eyes and put your balls back in your trousers. I will not stand for your futile shows of strength. I will not stand for your attempts to pollute the environment. I certainly will not stand for your ability to sell your undemocratic and extremist views on as those views of the real people in it. You, and countries like you, are standing in the way of true good. I sincerely hope I am around to see Russia turn into a country that does good for the world and one that doesn’t supply a third of the weapons in the world. You are one problem of many that exist. Either you help to solve some problems or you remain one that we will have to solve. Your choice. Don’t bring us into war once again, we will not stoop to your level.

There are so many things I’d like to say but my typing doesn’t quite reach the speed of my thoughts.

It makes a welcome surprise that, for me, overshadows the absence of TV content on the British and European iTunes stores - but that makes for another rant post. iTunes U is a way for university students - or anyone for that matter - to watch lectures on a number of subjects whenever they want. I’ve been watching a lecture every night for four days now.

Long Distance Learning

The service allows you to download video podcasts of your subjects from a number of American educational institutes and watch them on your computer and/or video iPod. Over the past few days I’ve been watching lectures on ‘Introductory Astronomy’ from Michigan Tech University with Prof. Robert Nemiroff. The lectures that I’ve watched have been quite interesting and, although recorded from September last year, up to date. The lecturer, Prof. Robert Nemiroff, is one of the people responsible for writing the Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD) descriptions as well.

I have found that in the first five lectures to be extremely interesting and it was funny to see the class slowly decrease in size as more and more people found out they didn’t have to attend the lectures. Some of the content was pretty basic while some went into more depth such as the lectures on black holes - this was very interesting and I learnt a lot more that I would have at my current A-Level course. I must warn you that Prof. Nemiroff attempts to inject some humour into the lectures and if I’m honest, fails the majority of the time but you may appreciate it more than me.

Are U Ready?

I don’t know the figures of the uptake on this service but as a British A-Level student it’s been interesting to learn things on the side while I have some spare time. There are other more hardcore Physics courses on there and a host of other subjects that you can subscribe to. The list of institutions that provide these courses seems to have increased since I first laid eyes on the service a few days ago and I only hope that more continue the trend.

Personally, I don’t agree with courses that don’t require attendance at lectures as I think that’s half the reason you go to University but I love the fact that these places are recording lectures and allowing people from around the world to learn more about their interests.

I know it may be a stretch to ask Windows users to download iTunes but do it anyway, for me. Check out the library of lecture-casts under iTunes U in the iTunes store and give it a go. Download 7 video podcasts and watch one every day for a week. Give us a comment.

Oh, and thanks to Derby University for supplying the iPod.

I have used Sunbird, and its Thunderbird extension twin Lightening, before but only at an early state - version 0.1 or thereabouts. Here are my thoughts about this latest stable release and why Outlook should watch out.

Major Improvements

You can find a full list of the improvements and big fixes on the development blog but one major difference in this version compared to 0.1 is that 0.5 hasn’t crashed yet. This enables me to actually use the application! Seriously, there has been major improvements in just about every area. The theme has been updated and other interface elements have been graphically improved.

One warmly welcomed introduction was the support for shared Google Calendars and Outlook meeting requests. This start to integrate with Google Calendar should stand Sunbird well as Google Calendar is one of the few online calendar services that people actually use. If only Google would allow calendars to be externally edited. Oh wait! You can!

Google Calendar Support

The same people that built in Google Calendar support have produced an extension for Sunbird that enables read and write support for Google Calendars. When installed it provides another option when importing or subscribing to calendars which is specifically for Google shared calendars. This tight integration will be vital to the success and adoption of Sunbird in later releases although it’s no the be all and end all for it, let it be known.

Wax Wings?

Sunbird has come a long way since it was announced way back in 2001. With each release it is looking ever more professional and brings ever more needed and improved features with it, the application looks increasingly set to achieve as much success as Firefox and Thunderbird in the not to distant future. The fact that it is built upon Mozilla’s XUL tool kit stands it in good stead for a plethora of extensions and themes when it becomes more popular and more user friendly.

It’s twin Lightening - an extension clone for Mozilla Thunderbird - is another matter at the moment. There are a few issues with the integration of it and the e-mail client but it has the potential to be a free and popular consumer alternative to Microsoft Outlook. I do think however that if it’s to succeed then Sunbird will also have to integrate with Thunderbird rather than just providing a separate extension which is the current situation.

The Mozilla Calendar Project has come a long way and know they still have a long way to go but they’ve come this far in a relatively short time. If they’ve come that far in that short a time, we can only expect great things in the time to come. Will we see the dissolution of Lightening for a Sunbird that automatically integrated with Thunderbird? Time will tell. Go and grab a download of either Sunbird or Lightening and see what you think. If you haven’t used it in a while, I fell you will be pleasantly surprised. Sunbird definitely does not have wings made of wax and will be flying higher and higher.