Month: November 2006

Holiday Gadget

By AMH

I was chatting with some colleagues about what new holiday gadgets they are coveting, and was surprised that there isn’t really a major toy coming out that I’m interested in. And then I saw the new Altair 8800 kit [via Boing Boing]. I have no practical use for this thing, but I think it would be a blast to play with. The “differences/comparison pictures” section of the site is really well done – I recommend it as well as the more obvious technical documentation sections for a picture of how these are actually being built.

Finally, a good use for a Mac

By AMH

In one of the cutest hacks I’ve seen in a while, someone uses the Powerbook motion sensor to power a software marionette [via MAKE: Blog]. The applet code is included – it draws on a library for accessing the Sudden Motion Sensor, but there are links provided to a couple of such libraries, if you are interested in trying this hack out for yourself. At the least, go check out the great videos of the marionette in action.

Moby-Dick Liveblog

By AMH

Maybe this is done a lot and it’s the first time I’ve run into it, but I love the idea of liveblogging a book as you read it, and defective yeti is doiing a brilliant job with Moby-Dick. Just a couple of weeks ago he came up against the infamous “whale chapter”: “Cetology” has the narrator giving an impromptu lecture on the nature of the whale, grouping the beasts into fourteen categories and offering lengthy descriptions of each. Here, Melville uses a literary technique known as OMG BORING! In some other context I might have found this engrossing, but here … Continue reading Moby-Dick Liveblog

Science in the university

By AMH

In response to Harvard releasing its internal report on their educational objectives, Steven Pinker discusses some reservations, more with the high-level phrasing than the specific steps to be taken, it seems [via Arts & Letters Daily]. Of particular interest – even at Harvard the debates about requiring science, how much science, and of what types for what reason take place. Pinker laments that the current argument for science education seems to have a greater requirement that the applicability to social issues be made the focus than other fields find required of themselves. While it isn’t a full argument, I thought … Continue reading Science in the university

Dismissive, veers towards defensive…..

By AMH

I know that good weblogger style would suggest that I shouldn’t link to another of ze’s videoblogs so soon, but I’ve been catching up after not web surfing much the past couple of weeks and couldn’t resist pointing people towards his tips for hiring a web developer, starting with what their personal appearance says about their development aesthetic. Very funny, in a “I wish it weren’t kind of true” way.

Next up, Survivor: Grad School…..

By AMH

I was chatting with a friend about life, and the topic rolled around to issues of grading and busting cheaters. Which led me to speculate about how awesome it would be if that awful reality show “Cheaters” was about academic dishonesty. Which led me to write the following: CHEATERS: ACADEMIA Scene: at bucolic college campus, a professor calls up a PI. Prof: “I think I have a case of cheating, but I need evidence.” PI: “Give me the details – I’ll build up a dossier.” Night vision camera shots of the professor at the computer using Turn-it-in PI: “These cases … Continue reading Next up, Survivor: Grad School…..

Meta meta meta weblogging

By AMH

There are some in-jokes that a casual viewer will miss, but I still recommend episode two of zefrank explaining videoblogging. If you’re interested in web 2.0 publishing, you’ll like his rundown of videoblogging style guidelines, and if you follow videoblogs (or web popularity in general) you’ll like his snark about rankings and traffic measurements.

More Weekend Fun

By AMH

Wish you could type faster? There are tons of these typing games out there, but Word Shoot: Spell Fast or Die! is actually really well done [via Clicked]. As the game gets more difficult you can’t succeed if you have to look at your hands, and unlike most of these games there is actually a liittle bit of strategy. Plus, the graphics are cute.

Difficulty signed accumulated midnight

By AMH

Another internet list, but a pretty fun one at that: The 50 Worst Video Game Names Of All Time. The list is pretty good, made, of course, by the humor of the commentary attached to each entry. And the provision of the link to this awesome random word generator to make your own awful titles. The student game I’ve been playing recently that’s name refers to non-Euclidean geometry would probably fall around number 27, right after “Ninja Hamster”.

Communicating at Cross-Purposes

By AMH

While taken from real life conversation in an ad agency, I suspect these “overheard” snippets of conversation at advertising agencies will ring true to anyone working with clients on design [via India, Ink]. Sure, much like “stupid user” humor, the humor is a catharsis but the professional has to realize that part of their job is to facilitate conversation with non-experts without demeaning them. On the other hand, how can you not love: “I like the design but I think it ‘ll look better stripping all graphical elements, it ‘ll look more web 2.0-ish” (Agency, Creative Director to Designer) or: … Continue reading Communicating at Cross-Purposes