Windows 7 eerily similar to Fedora

versus


Seems like this will be the year for a Windows 7 release.

I haven't used Vista at all, and the last time I booted into XP was a while ago. But, the first thing that strikes me when I look at the screen shot is how similar it is to the Fedora look. Then again, it has been a while since I used Fedora either.

If at all Windows was trying to pick up design inspirations, they should have just google'd 'Ubuntu Screenshots'

static variables in a C++ class

Certainly mature methods of software coding recommend that you avoid global variables. So sometimes you end up using static data members within C++.

I recently learned this about using static variables in C++ classes. You need to define the static data member outside the class declaration. Failure to do this results in a linker error, the reason being because without the definition the compiler doesn't know which translation unit (hence object file) the member is supposed to go.

Sample code:

foo.h

class bar {
public:
    int getBar1();
private:
    static int bar1;
};

foo.cpp
#include "foo.h"

int bar::bar1;
.....
....

One more reason why I don't consider myself a C++ programmer.

Flying Linux

As I am getting ready for a flight this weekend on Virgin America, I remembered something I read a few months back.

The in-flight entertainment system on Virgin America, RED runs on Fedora/Red Hat Linux. Very cool.

Here is a good interview with Charles Ogilvie, the Director of In-flight Entertainment and designer of RED. I am certainly looking forward to checking it out. At least there are still one or two good reasons to fly.