Wall Photos

Paw Prints: Writings of the maddog
For reasons that I will never quite understand, people seem to like having their picture taken with me.
Most of the time I do not mind the picture taking, and I enjoy meeting people, I will admit that sometimes it gets a bit tiring. Particularly when the picture-taking process goes like this:
md (talking to someone, but noticing out of the corner of his eye someone fidgeting...): “Do you want to take a picture?”
Other person (OP): “Yes, may I take a picture of you?”
md (turning to person he was talking with): “I am sorry, but this should not take long....”
The OP then:
- searches through their backpack for the camera
- tries to turn it on, finds out that the batteries are dead
- refits the camera with new batteries
- finds that the camera's memory is full of other pictures
- carefully deletes a few pictures
- looks for someone to take the picture
- points out the button necessary to take the picture
- realizes that the other fifteen people they want in the picture are not there
- calls to those other people to get into place
We then try to take the picture and find out that the camera person really does not know how to use this camera/phone (I wonder how much the companies that make these machines pay their human interface design engineers?)
Finally the picture is taken....about five minutes after the initial “fidget”.
Sometimes these requests come as I am trying to make my way from where I am to a meeting, or (at the age of 61, is even worse) to the bathroom. And after one picture (with flash) is taken, ten more people line up, and we start the process all over again.
About two years ago I was talking with a Brazilian friend of mine, Alberto Azevedo and I was threatening to make a T-shirt that on one side would say something like:
“Yes, you can have your picture taken with me”
“No, it is not a problem...but please”
then on the back would say:
“The camera MUST be ready”
“You must know how to use it”
“Anyone that wants to be in the picture MUST be here already.”
but I never made the T-shirt.
At FISL 12 Alberto gave me a nicely embroidered T-shirt with the front and back as above.
I will be wearing this T-shirt to various conferences. Please do not mistake my intention, as I still want you to take the picture, but please be a bit more efficient about it.
Carpe Diem!
Comments
comments powered by DisqusSubscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you've found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
Fedora 39 Beta is Now Available for Testing
For fans and users of Fedora Linux, the first beta of release 39 is now available, which is a minor upgrade but does include GNOME 45.
-
Fedora Linux 40 to Drop X11 for KDE Plasma
When Fedora 40 arrives in 2024, there will be a few big changes coming, especially for the KDE Plasma option.
-
Real-Time Ubuntu Available in AWS Marketplace
Anyone looking for a Linux distribution for real-time processing could do a whole lot worse than Real-Time Ubuntu.
-
KSMBD Finally Reaches a Stable State
For those who've been looking forward to the first release of KSMBD, after two years it's no longer considered experimental.
-
Nitrux 3.0.0 Has Been Released
The latest version of Nitrux brings plenty of innovation and fresh apps to the table.
-
Linux From Scratch 12.0 Now Available
If you're looking to roll your own Linux distribution, the latest version of Linux From Scratch is now available with plenty of updates.
-
Linux Kernel 6.5 Has Been Released
The newest Linux kernel, version 6.5, now includes initial support for two very exciting features.
-
UbuntuDDE 23.04 Now Available
A new version of the UbuntuDDE remix has finally arrived with all the updates from the Deepin desktop and everything that comes with the Ubuntu 23.04 base.
-
Star Labs Reveals a New Surface-Like Linux Tablet
If you've ever wanted a tablet that rivals the MS Surface, you're in luck as Star Labs has created such a device.
-
SUSE Going Private (Again)
The company behind SUSE Linux Enterprise, Rancher, and NeuVector recently announced that Marcel LUX III SARL (Marcel), its majority shareholder, intends to delist it from the Frankfurt Stock Exchange by way of a merger.
Good to heart it