It’s true. I blame Tim O’Reilly personally. I blame him for coming up with this whole Web 2.0 thing and for making my son cry. That’s a lot to answer for Mr. O’Reilly.
First, a confession. Yes, I’ve been to the library and yes, I’ve checked out books. No, it did not feel terrible and no, I will not admit I enjoyed it even though we all know that I did and that I will return again in the next few days to repeat the process again.
Anyway, we’re at the library and my son is very excited about checking out an ABC book. While my wife and son check out the children’s section I go upstairs and to look into the computer programming section. I want books on web design, of course, books by one publisher in particular: O’Reilly Media. It’s easy to spot an O’Reilly on the shelf. Here’s the two books I signed out:
Now when I came back downstairs and I asked my son what books he wanted to sign out he said, “Nothing.” He was perfectly fine going home empty-handed. I’m sure you can see where this is going.
Much later, at home, after desperately trying to make, “The Koala Book” and “The Flamingo Book” sound interesting to a three year old, and trying to convince my son that we could still go back another day for the fireman ABC book I no longer found O’Reilly Media’s trade dress very amusing or clever.
Well, at least for that day. But wow, that was heart-breaking that day.
See, this is what the library can do to families. Not to mention reckless, rebellious computer programmers with no sense of propriety.
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