Slashdot Mirror

I'm still waiting for e-ink tattoos. *Those* will be awesome.

That's a serendipitous happening that will surely embark us on a journey of unicorns eating rainbows spun into sugar, because it just so happens that I'm waiting for a volunteer to test out my latest e-ink implant we're calling Electro-Tattoo(TM). Sign the "hold harmless" waiver and I will personally oversee your implantation of a Dancing Star-Monkey.

http://mislav.uniqpath.com/poi...

If you want to read something different, try : Why’s (Poignant) Guide to Ruby

1) With mobile apps I can see cached data when not connected to the internet.

HTML 5 + localStorage + cache manifest = offline web apps. I <3 HTML 5!

2) Mobile apps can take advantage of specific mobile platform and hardware features.

And what mobile, native-only features would you include in Slashdot?

3) Mobile apps are generally designed with a better UX than their web counter parts.

It's that "generally" thing that kills this point, and besides, whether or not an app / web app is well-designed is a function of the designer, not the medium.

I understand where you're coming from; badly-written mobile sites can have issues that native apps appear to fix, but that's because those web apps are poorly designed, not as a result of being rendered through the browser. If there's a case for lots of native functionality, or high render speed is required, I could see making it a native app, but in a content-centric site like this, I don't think it would be worth the additional cost and developer time.

very weird and fun intro to programming in ruby - heavily illustrated with quirky cartoons

also: http://web.archive.org/web/20090627004409/http://poignantguide.net/ruby/chapter-1.html

I'm surprised nobody's linked to Why's stuff yet. (Since it's a free online book and all.)

Computer training option 1: Go to college

When I started at my local university there were several high school students attending classes through various programs. Junior colleges and state schools have free and reduced price classes for high schools who want to attend classes part-time. Your brother can also take classes full time at the local junior college by getting his GED. Classes from the Management Information Systems department (a.k.a. Computer Information Systems) will teach the basic computer usage skills you have requested.

Computer training option 2: Get certification

The problem with homeschooling is at the end of an excellent education you have no real way of proving your computer skills. After all, the SATs do not test your skills with Excell. Getting Microsoft or some other certificate would be an excellent way of to test your brother’s skills and have a curriculum to follow.

Does anyone have suggestions for what certificates a high school student should get?

Computer programming option 1: Java

The Advanced Placement tests that give high school students college credit assume the student knows Java. I suggest an online introduction to programming college course, however these are more often taught in Visual Basic or C rather than Java.

Computer programming option 2: Ruby

The Ruby scripting language would give you brother an easier starting point that Python or Java while still teaching object oriented programming concepts. The best part is that he can use “Why's (poignant) Guide to Ruby,” a short simple introduction to the language written by an insane man. I think the text would be very appealing to a high school student. Please check it out and enjoy the soundtrack.

HTML version: http://mislav.uniqpath.com/poignant-guide/

Is it just me who finds ruby even more cryptic than perl? Reading why's poignant guide, I loved the presentation of the book, and really wanted to love the language, but every time he said "read this code out loud, it makes perfect sense, doesn't it?" all I could think of was "you, my dear little cartoon foxy friend, have clearly been snorting too much of the good white stuff. I'm going back to python now" :-(

"Copyright (c) 2003 why the lucky stiff"

Gee, that screen name sounds awfully familliar...

Still my favorite:
why's (poignant) guide to ruby http://mislav.uniqpath.com/poignant-guide/book/