I have a MacBook Pro and I'm planning the switch to Ubuntu. The System76 display is 1920x1080. If you're coming from a retina display, that's not going to do it. I'm looking at a Dell XPS 15 as the replacement.

You were at Google briefly. I secretly hoped you were hired on to create Java++/Java 2.0. What were you promised/hired to do at Google? Would you ever consider creating a Java 2.0?

Do you think Java would have such widespread use if it weren't for the community projects? Java as a language hasn't changed much and the real innovation is coming from community projects like Groovy and Scala. C#'s language specification has changed and they're adding more features. Java's language is more stagnant. Would you change that?

What's it like to have done something that is such an epic win for the industry? When you sit there and ponder your life's achievements, how does it feel to have created Java?

This, plus: Take a good, hard look at yourself from the employer's viewpoint. Is your resume 10 pages long, etc? Are you networking? Do you have a good LinkedIn profile? Linkedin is how recruiting is done now. Being self-taught only makes a difference if you let it.

Enough said. And I think he read the Bible while at the gym.

Is it me or is the cylinder on the back covered in duct tape? Times are tough at NASA...

My daughter (3) has a great engineering potential. How do I encourage that in world where everyone wants to be reality TV star? My parents never fostered that and I became an engineer. I often wonder how things would be different had my parents done more.

recursion + marketingpeople = stackoverflow (not the site, but the programming one)

The real one:

function MarketingFunction(originalText)
{
var revisedText = new String(originalText + "!!!!"); //would add more exclamation marks, but Slashdot won't let me
return revisedText;
}

I started using a standing desk a year ago and I won't go back. I bought this desk http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001MS70Z2/ref=oh_details_o03_s00_i00. See my review for caveats because the keyboard tray isn't wide enough for mouse and keyboard. Yes, the standing will make your knees sore. I bought this mat and it does help http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000EFK9KM/ref=oh_details_o05_s00_i00. I feel much better in general. My back pain went away and I feel much healthier in general.

Donate the phone to the elderly http://www.securethecall.org/. Oh wait, this is slashdot. Root the phone and then donate it.

I tried KDE 4.7 for about 2 weeks. I ended up going to XFCE. Not because of bloat, etc, but because it did exactly what I wanted. I do miss some of the widgets and GUI goodness, but those don't merit a switch.

Since you already know Java, give Android development a try. I know a few people who have rekindled their love of programming by doing some mobile apps.

Yours went much better than mine. I found myself on the losing end of political battle.