Cannot create a gmail contact without an email address

I attempted to create a gmail contact for a friend of mine who doesn't have an email address (yes, there are a few people left who don't have email addresses). When I click on 'add contact' the 'Add Contact' window closes, but the contact is not saved. Since gmail's contact list is still in it's infancy I'm not too concerned -- I hoping that they'll get their contact list up to the same level as their email interface.

Gmail wish list

• I wish Gmail had the ability to "label" contacts... Gmail could then automatically label incoming email. (Contacts could then be organized and managed the same way as your Gmail!)
• I wish Gmail had a 'you have email' icon that shows up on my computer when new email arrives.
• I wish Gmail had a time out on the login (I have mixed feelings about it's 'always connected' mode).
• I wish Gmail had a "Save Draft" feature.
• I wish Gmail had signatures.
• I wish Gmail's "contacts" window didn't pop-up and then goes behind the Gmail window. (perhaps this is an IE setting I can control?)
• I wish ALL of Gmail's "from" and "to" fields would "auto-fill" the same way the "from" and "to" fields in the "compose mail" screen do (a very cool feature!).
• I wish the spell check on Blogger would work the same as the spell check on Gmail -- it rocks!

Guitar for Dummies

This is NOT a learn-to-play-guitar book; it's a book about guitars. I ordered it from Amazon before finding this out (I should have read the user comments better); I returned it shortly after it arrived (returning things if very easy with Amazon).

Spyware Smashing Code

I read an article on viruses, spyware, and other bad computer things. The article recommended the following software:

• Spyware Blaster: http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/
• Spybot Search & Destroy: http://www.safer-networking.org/

I use both and highly recommend them.

BOOK: Coder to Developer

I just heard of a new book -- Coder to Developer: Tools and Strategies for Delivering Your Software. The Amazon reviews compare it to The Pragmatic Programmer, a book I highly recommend. I'll have to take a look at this one and see if I agree.

gmail

I've been beta testing gmail for a few days now and I'm impressed! It's interface is clean and quick. With the keyboard shortcuts you can do everything you need to do without using the mouse (which will warm the heart of vi users). The automatic threading makes digging through a 'pile' of emails a breeze. I haven't made much use of the labels feature yet, but I like the idea behind it -- no folders, just tags. I just spell checked this posting -- the spell checker is integrated into the GUI in the most amazing fashion. Usability: 5 of 5 stars!

Open Minds, Open Source

I just read an interesting article, "Open Minds, Open Source," by Eric S. Raymond (the author of The Cathedral and the Bazaar) in this months Analog Science Fiction & Fact. The article makes a good argument for the eventual demise of closed software development.