Amazon's sales rankings for Linux System Programming:
#1 in Books > Computers & Internet > Business & Culture > Hacking
#1 in Books > Computers & Internet > Operating Systems > Linux > Programming
#1 in Books > Computers & Internet > Operating Systems > Unix
Statistics don't lie. Contribute to the self-reinforcing feedback loop today!
Oh, and this map of the Econoblogosphere is really neat.
Linux System Programming is out!
Published by O'Reilly and with a foreword by Greg K-H, the work is a classic discussion on and reference of Unix system programming, from a pure Linux standpoint. The pages not wasted on bloviating on five worthless standards and the behavior of System V are retasked to exploring Linux-specific optimizations and interfaces.
The book covers the basics (files, processes, signals, time) but also answers questions such as, How does Linux implement I/O? How can you hint to Linux's page cache your application's behavior? How can you tune glibc's memory allocator? Whether you are writing a low-level daemon in C or a higher level beast in Perl—or simply curious—Linux System Programming will improve your quality of life.
Purchase your eight copies from one of these fine online sources:
Still unsure about making a purchase? Peruse the tome on Google Book Search, check out the table of contents, browse the index, or marvel at a sample chapter (Advanced I/O).
From today's press release for Linux System Programming, the motivations behind crafting such a book:
"I wanted Linux-specific optimizations. I wanted to know how the Linux kernel and glibc actually implemented the routines I used. I did not want to read about how System V did things a decade ago, or about how standard Y and standard Z agree on something, but no one listens, anyhow. I wanted a book solely on Linux. I believe such a tome would be useful no matter where someone programs in the Linux stack."
Available in about a week—but preorder your nine copies today!
The Honorable Jim Saxton
2217 Rayburn House Office Building
United States House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515
Dear Representative:
Please refrain from politicizing monetary policy (c.f. this press release). Inflationary expectations, even those originating from the perception of political pressure, and even if that pressure's perception is unwarranted, will force the Fed to raise interest rates. Thus your actions are counterproductive and you will have to issue twice as many press releases just to keep up.
Sincerely,
On casual glance, I think I would like Rep. Ron Paul, who is running as a libertarian candidate for the Republican nomination.
Problem is, advocating for withdrawal from NAFTA, the WTO, and the UN, his policies sing an isolationist tone. And, like a paleoconservative, Rep. Paul takes a hard-line stance on immigration, free trade, and some social issues. But the real game ending moment—why I cannot support the congressman—is his support of a gold standard. Such a belief is just absurd.
To start, a gold standard cannot adjust the monetary base to meet liquidity demands. Yet the price of gold does vary, just not as policy might prefer. The supply of gold is a function of mining output; the demand varies vis-à-vis its non-monetary uses.
Economists universally decry deflation as an economic hamartia. Moderate inflation is preferred to even minor deflation. Deflation lowers incentives to invest, leading to a liquidity trap, and to spend, leading to a collapse in aggregate demand. Deflation forces the economy to deal with demand shocks by lowering output. Deflation is cataclysmic to debtors, as they must repay their debt in ever more expensive units of currency. Deflation, as with inflation, suffers from menu costs.
The point is, deflation is anathema to an economy, and the state should do everything in its power to prevent it. But, unable to adapt the money supply, a gold standard is a poor buttress against deflation. Indeed, the 19-th century witnessed prolonged deflationary periods. Gold bugs don't dispute this, but instead argue that the deflation was not detrimental. We don't have good economic data for that period, but economists of all persuasions argue otherwise.
Moreover, any benefit of a gold standard is more easily attainable via Milton Friedman's proposal to constantly grow the money supply as a function of an economic indicator such as GDP. Dr Friedman envisioned implementing his policy via an algorithm—replacing the The Fed with a single computer—which is simpler and less risky than tying our money's store of value to Johannesburg's mining industry. (Alas, even Dr Friedman's policy is not ideal; we need flexibility.)
Advocates for a gold standard point out that it prevents the government from inflating the money supply. But does not Friedman's algorithm prevent that, as well? Or a truly-independent central bank? Unfortunately, no. These obstacles only make government intrusion more difficult, not impossible. The government can always modify its gold standard, tweak the algorithm, or stack the central bank.
(As an aside, Rep. Paul erroneously commented in one of the first GOP debates that the U.S. government "prints money" to fund our deficit, thereby inflicting on the populace the "hidden tax" of inflation. This is untrue; unlike an African kleptocracy, we fund the deficit via borrowing. Nor is printing money how open market operations work.)
Thus, a gold standard is only as good as the government implementing it. If the government can be trusted to hold the peg immutable, then you don't need a gold standard in the first place. If the government cannot be trusted, then a gold standard is little recourse. The state is either an honest custodian of the monetary supply or it isn't.
The government can always change the peg or move off the standard, and the citizenry knows this. Thus, as with any monetary policy that fixes the exchange rate, a gold standard opens the door to speculative attacks. These attacks invariably come when the economy is at its weakest and government countermeasures such as raising interest rates could not be more ill-timed. As an historical example, The Fed was forced to maintain high interest rates amid The Great Depression, causing a monetary contraction that prolonged the depression (cf. Friedman's Monetary History of the United States). And, once the state capitulates and moves the peg, the sharp revaluations amplify economic distortions, unlike the smoother price movements of a floating currency.
Anyhow, Ron Paul, a libertarian? Nah, just anti-statist.
Today is one of reflection and remembrance. But where is the politician that helps us look forward, daring us to dream heroic dreams?
The transcript of Usama bin Laden's latest commentary on the U.S. political landscape contains this nugget:
And the reeling of many of you under the burden of interest-related debts, insane taxes and real estate mortgages.
There are no taxes in Islam, but rather there is a limited Zakat [tithe] totaling only 2.5%.
Not only do you get 72 virgins, but no deadweight loss, either.
His tax-cutting views are interesting, given that the remainder of his prating leans socialist.
More news on The Kindle, Amazon's anticipated competitor to the Sony Reader. I am interested in e-books and e-paper, and Amazon providing an iTunes-esque book store just makes sense. Also, Sony's addiction to proprietary formats and debilitating NIH syndrome makes me puke a little in my mouth.
There is speculation on why The Kindle sports an EVDO interface. Seems pretty worthless, some say. Why not 802.11, others inquire. My hypothesis is that Amazon is going to partner with Verizon or, less likely, Sprint to roll out a mobile marketplace for purchasing books and other media in tandem with The Kindle's launch.
As my nightstand topples over with books, I hope we find out soon.
(Speaking of books: Linux System Programming is in stores later this month and worth its weight in industrial-grade shoes.)
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