That night at 1 am SLT all was quiet at the tea house. I settled down outside, and enjoyed the unusual solitude in SL, while in RL using the opportunity to catch up with my email. After a quarter of an hour Fael stopped by.
Fael Illyar: Hello Pema, alone today?
Pema Pera: oh hi!
Pema Pera: sorry, was just reading your email ;)
Pema Pera: and about to write back
Pema Pera: easier to do it right here ;)
Fael Illyar: Yes, usually is :)
Pema Pera: great idea to use the google web site like a wiki
Pema Pera: but the page you pointed to is blank for me
Pema Pera: did you “publish” it?
Fael Illyar: it should’ve been the guardian slot page.
Faenik is a hairy black ball with eyes and ears.
Pema Pera: “Guardian Slot temporary”
Pema Pera: is that the page?
Fael Illyar: I was initially going to make a temporary page but I thought I canceled that
Pema Pera: it’s still there
Fael Illyar: I then edited the Guardian Slot page itself to have the information, I decided it’s better all on one page
Pema Pera: I agree, yes — as long as everybody is responsible . . . we’ll see ?
Fael Illyar: Looks like there is no obvious way to remove the first one I made (but never saved)
Pema Pera: easy to erase something accidentely
Fael Illyar: it’s got full revision history :)
Pema Pera: ah !
Fael Illyar: along with information on who edited
Pema Pera: hmm
Pema Pera: yes, no obvious delete option
Pema Pera: and I see that you’re editing it :)
Fael Illyar: I am?
Pema Pera: yes, but that’s okay of course!
Fael Illyar: it lists me as the one who edited it last
Fael Illyar: I’m not editing it right now
Pema Pera: let me try again
Pema Pera: page locked, being edited in other browser, but I seem to be able to override, just a sec
Fael Illyar: ah, it locks the pages
Pema Pera: gone!
Pema Pera: for you too?
Fael Illyar: didn’t try but it sounds sensible.
Pema Pera: once I was in edit mode, there was a delete option
Pema Pera: and now there is only one page left, the old guardian slot page
Pema Pera: could you check whether there is still a ghost of the tmp page for you?
Fael Illyar: no, can’t see it
One problem solved. But while we were exploring, we decided to test things a bit more.
Fael Illyar: might be only you can delete
Pema Pera: shall we try?
Pema Pera: do you want to create a test page?
Faenik: why not?
Fael Illyar: ok
Pema Pera: Faenik is in good shape again!
Fael Illyar: :)
Fael Illyar: ah, found the delete, it was hidden behind options link
Pema Pera: and could you delete?
Pema Pera: yes!
Fael Illyar: looks like I could … lets see if it’s on the Guardian Slot page
Fael Illyar: nope, can’t delete that one
Pema Pera: I found it listed, but when I tried to go in, it wasn’t there anymore, and then it was no longer listed
Pema Pera: good!
Pema Pera: ?
Pema Pera: it’s deleted now, by you!
Pema Pera: what does it look like for you?
Fael Illyar: I mean can’t delete “Guardian Slot” page :)
Pema Pera: i’m glad :-) , lol
Fael Illyar: there is no delete option visible there :)
Pema Pera: but I wonder why
Fael Illyar: I guess you can only delete pages you’ve created or if you’re group admin
Pema Pera: ah!
Pema Pera: I thought you tried and couldn’t
Pema Pera: hahaha
Pema Pera: now I understand
Pema Pera: funny
Fael Illyar: possibly changeable from the group settings but it should be ok like this.
Fael Illyar: I can’t see a way to return the page if you delete it
Pema Pera: hit options in the top right corner
Pema Pera: do you see that?
Fael Illyar: no options on the Guardian Slot page
Pema Pera: then a delete option appears
Faenik: ah :)
Fael Illyar: but there was one on the test page I created
Pema Pera: Faenik is quick!
Pema Pera: mysteries . . .
Pema Pera: do you see the options button?
Pema Pera: after going into edit mode?
Fael Illyar: Yes, when I edit the test page I created. Not when editing Guardian Slot page
Pema Pera: could you try again editing the guardian slot page?
Fael Illyar: check if you have the options button in the test page I made?
Fael Illyar made a new one
Pema Pera: yes, I saw that
Faenik: なるほど^^
Pema Pera: anyway I think we both have the same powers there
Pema Pera: perhaps needs some fiddling
Pema Pera: google mail products are a bit flaky in general
Pema Pera: :)
Fael Illyar: :)
We then got to talk about computer languages.
Pema Pera: you had mentioned you’re working with Python
Pema Pera: nice language!
Pema Pera: I have a slight preference for Ruby, as you know, but only slight :)
Fael Illyar: I find python more readable myself ;)
Pema Pera: Ruby is just a bit more consistent, I think — but Python is much better supported numerically (>_<)
Pema Pera: a matter of getting used to one or the other I think
Fael Illyar: I’ve been learning Haskell too.
Pema Pera: Ruby is a bit more consistent with the way everything is an object and other logical structures with fewer exceptions, I think
Pema Pera: I’ve heard good things about Haskell
Fael Illyar: I quite like it, although I’m still not able to use it well enough to consider using it for anything serious.
Pema Pera: My favorite would be lisp, scheme in particular, but alas my colleagues in astronomy wouldn’t touch that . . . .
Fael Illyar: Not quite close enough to any other language I know to be able to pickup Haskell fast
Fael Illyar: Haskell’s laziness is very nice feature :)
Pema Pera: yes!
Fael Illyar likes doing things with infinite lists in Haskell
Pema Pera: yes, conceptually that is very nice
Pema Pera: the people I know who like Haskell are all mathematicians :)
Fael Illyar: Well, my major in University is math ;) Although I haven’t managed to really study in a while.
Pema Pera: ah! any particular area in math that you like best?
Fael Illyar: no, not really I guess :)
Pema Pera: I am very intrigued by category theory
Pema Pera: but haven’t had the time to really go into it deeply
Pema Pera: PaB doesn’t help :)
Fael Illyar: I think I read that’s what Haskell’s monads are based on
Pema Pera: fascinating — if you hear/read more about that, let me know!
Pema Pera: well, I have to get going soon
Pema Pera: great talking with you here again!
Fael Illyar: You too :)
