Personal Information

About

<sigh> Everyone should have a webpage(that's the theory). My friends even tell me that. But I'm busy. You don't believe me? I'm a graduate student in mathematics at Tennessee Technological University in Cookeville Tennessee. Anyway, I should be doing homework or sleeping instead of writing this(won't be the first, or last time I do that though...). So why should you read this page? Well, I try to keep an updated list of all my wide and varied interests(along with relevant links) so that's one. The other? Boredom? Needing a lobotomy? I dunno... have fun.

So who is this Titivillus? This page has a pretty good discussion of where the Patron Demon of Scribes comes from. My own preference relates to my interests in information theory, and Titivillus being a particularly appropriate figure to translate to modern times.

Really, I would like a more blog like page. I would like to do really neat HTML and pretty, bite sized pieces with automagic management of the whole site. I would like lots of things. If you want to know why this is all hand-edited static HTML go read my projects section and you'll understand my current distaste for the state of the art in web programming. Basically it boils down the ability to create flexible organizations of information spaces. If I could do the kind of management and queries I want in software in a general, portable, useable way, I would, but unfortunately, the tool doesn't seem to exist yet. So yeah, this page is somewhat ad hoc and cluttered. The amazing thing is that if you explore an information space long enough, structures start to materialize. Of course, they're almost always heterarchially. In fact, the reason 3D is so USELESS for information visualization is that MOST truly entertaining information spaces have hundreds of axes and that extra dimension does nothing. Also, if you want to get some more ideas about what I think about information, go read "The Myth of the Paperless Office"(link in Reading List section and HCI section of Software Development).

Now that I got THAT out of my system. Have fun. I try to follow the principle of linking to ANYTHING and EVERYTHING I mention, so this page is heavy on the links. I try to give some insightful commentary, and when that doesn't work or takes too much effort I leave the acid taste of bitter cynicism which so often serves as a substitute for actual thinking. Before you complain, at least I'm honest with myself about this.

Mailing Lists

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People are occasionally embarrassed by things they said years ago in some random usenet or mailing list post that comes back to haunt them. I myself am amused by how often my posts to mailing lists pop up in Google. In fact, when searching for "Matthew Estes", the posts almost always show up near the top. So rather than letting you dig up embarassing facts on your own. I decided to link to all my posts that I could find.

LL1

The LL1 mailing list is the official list for the annual "Lightweight Languages Workshop" held at MIT. I almost went this year, but next year, I definitely intend to go(maybe even with something to present).

MUD-Dev

I never got as much into the MUD-Dev list as the LL1 list, but its a lot of fun to read too. They basically talk about all aspects of making a MUD or MMORPG(Massive Multiplayer Online Roleplaying Game). Me and Israel have wanted to and worked on building one for a while, but time always seems to get us in the end.

Seattle Robotics Society

My senior year of college, I got involved in the Seattle Robotics Society mailing list because of my Mechatronics class. I was looking for information on building robots. I've stayed on the list ever since and try and contribute when I can, but mostly I try to absorb information.

Swing Kids

I like all kinds of ballroom dancing, and for my coop assignment, I worked in Knoxville, TN. I got involved with the Knoxville Swing Dance Association, which has a Yahoo Groups mailing list(Swing Kids), and I list them here for thoroughness.

Joelonsoftware

I've only recently posted on JoelOnSoftware, but I may post more.

Usenet

I was actually decently active on various newsgroups for a while, and I may in fact get back sometime, but thanks to Google, I can dig up some of my old posts. Well, this should be thoroughly embarrassing. I have learned a whole lot since many of these posts. We all have to start somewhere :)

Friends

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I have several friends who have websites where they keep interesting things. If you're a friend of mine and have a website, send me an email with URL, and I'll put it up. If I don't put it up, one of several things happened: a) You're not my friend or b) I lost the email c) I forgot. If you ask me about it, I'll probably tell you B or C, but if you keep it up and I don't, consider that it might be A. Also, I will probably put some comments about your page. I may be a link whore, but I'm ethical about it.

Yeah, I know. I could use more friends...

(several days later). Google is really neat. I looked for people I knew and found someone's page. They did some of the work for me, so now I have some more pages. Still. I like to be thorough, so if anyone out there is reading this and you know me(and you know who you are...) then let me know and I'll add you.

Places and Events

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Random kinda name huh? This is a list of websites to places I find interesting, or need to know on occasion. If you are around Knoxville, Nasvhille, Morristown, or Cookeville, you might find these useful too.

Cookeville Knoxville Morristown Nashville North Carolina

Yeah, I do more than go dancing and watch movies. Really. Okay maybe not, but it doesn't matter. I go out to eat a lot(er, maybe I shouldn't mention that. Oh well).

Wish List

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So this is my "wish list". Yeah, it also functions as a list of gift ideas to. Its really partially for my own benefit, so that when I find a book, movie, DVD, hardware, or what have you that I want. I can make a note of myself and I can come look here in that wonderful, never happening day, that I might have money. What, you say, some of these are expensive(>$1000), yep, I figure why not, if someone DID buy it for me, that would be amusing.

Miscellaneous

Books