Links

Shipman and Marshall, Formality Considered Harmful: Experiences, Emerging Themes, and Directions. “When formalisms are [used], users must often engage in activities that might not ordinarily be part of their tasks: breaking information into chunks, characterizing information via keywords, [etc.].” (Via Jay McCarthy.)
Tony Finch on the aesthetics of programming. “One of the things that distinguishes 21st century programming from programming in earlier eras is that it has become much more about communicating with other people, rather than purely about making computers do things.” (Via Fredrik Lundh.)
European Interoperability Framework (EIF). “The [EIF] defines a set of recommendations and guidelines for eGovernment services so that public administrations, enterprises and citizens can interact across borders, in a pan-European context” (via John Gøtze).
Malcolm Gladwell, The Terrazzo Jungle. “Fifty years ago, the mall was born. America would never be the same.” (Via Arts & Letters.)
Jay McCarthy, The Western Canon: The Books and School of the Ages, by Harold Bloom. A review and lots of pullquotes.
Gene Callahan, Animals and the Symbolic Mode. Is semiosis a strictly human phenomenon?
Martin Ryder’s collection of links on semiotics. (Via Håkan Kjellerstrand.)
Nikos Salingaros, A Theory of Architecture. Online book that applies science and mathematics (fractals, information theory, and complexity) to architecture.