If this is a project that has a long expected life and will become rather complex and need high performance eventually, then you're probably going to do it wrong the first time no matter WHAT you do now, at least, thats my experience. I never get it right until AT LEAST the 3rd rewrite:/
This is at once both refreshingly honest and very wise. The world could use more developers like you.
If you want to be really cool, hunt ebay for a C64 (or similar computer) and the Micro Adventure book series. They're punctuated with short type-in programs that the hero (a computer hacker) runs to advance the plot.
It's a cool toy plus a sneaky intro to computer programming!
The downside is that for younger kids especially, you can't just give the kids a book and expect them to follow instructions. You have to read the books with them and show them how to do things, which isn't a downside if you like to do things like build bridges out of clay, which I do.
It's also not a downside if you like spending time with your children.
So... they'd need a google account and need to find the magic setting which could be in any one of the many 'settings' pages google maintains for its various services. Brilliant.
1. screen readers offer the option to modify the browser string
Think about this one. Do you know why it's completely absurd?
You know what, just read your last post and say "All this effort on the part of those who won't benefit in any way so that I can have bad data on my analytics page!"
Hence opt-in. Users that wanted to identify themselves could state that they are using a screen reader and Google just reports to the site that the user claims to use a screen reader.
How would this opt-in mechanism work, exactly? By what process would they tell google? How would screen reader users even know an opt-in exists?
Such a system would significantly under-report the number of users with screen readers, making the data virtually useless.
When will we learn that prohibition is a failed strategy?
If we want people to avoid risky behaviors -- whether that means using drugs or texting while driving the best strategy has always been, and always will be, education.
Prohibition has always caused more problems than it solved.
Teaching kids to program has been discussed countless times on Slashdot. The consensus is always the same: Get an old microcomputer!
According to Robert Nielsen, computer programming was taught using the famous Kenbak-1 computer at the Nielsen Electronics Institute well into the 1990's (1997, it think, not bad for a computer from 1972!)
With the computers 5 addressing modes and comprehensive instruction set, it still makes for an excellent teaching tool for advanced students.
I have AT&T and have been completely satisfied with both their customer service and network.
I've dropped so few calls that I can't begin to quantify their frequency. Of course, I'm also in a fairly rural area where network congestion isn't likely to be a problem.
Verizon, often touted on slashdot as superior to AT&T in every way, is completely useless at my place of work. Verizon customers can't place or receive calls while inside the building, and have difficulty while outside -- you'll often find them wandering around outside like zombies trying to get a signal. My BB 8820 on AT&T works great.
a good chunk of windows users on the public internet have not installed an alternate browser. I just don't get it.
That's easy. The majority of internet users are completely computer illiterate. They don't know what a browser is, don't distinguish the terms 'the internet' and 'the web', don't know what a web address is, they don't even know what files are (even the ones that "do a lot of pictures").
The vast majority of internet users will say things like 'I have yahoo as my internet' -- and be completely confident in that answer!
If you think I'm only talking about the over-50 crowd, kids aren't any better. I had a kid the other day (about 11) in the computer lab who asked me if I had I calculator. I said "you're sitting in front of one" -- Before I could show him how to access the calculator app, he exclaimed "I didn't know computer were that powerful!"
That's why the majority of internet users don't upgrade their browser. They don't know what a broswer is, let alone that they'd need to upgrade it.
Slashdot Mirror
If this is a project that has a long expected life and will become rather complex and need high performance eventually, then you're probably going to do it wrong the first time no matter WHAT you do now, at least, thats my experience. I never get it right until AT LEAST the 3rd rewrite :/
This is at once both refreshingly honest and very wise. The world could use more developers like you.
I recommend that you resign and let someone who isn't totally incompetent "remake their entire IT-infrastructure from scratch"
Let's not forget Choose Your Own Adventure books.
If you want to be really cool, hunt ebay for a C64 (or similar computer) and the Micro Adventure book series. They're punctuated with short type-in programs that the hero (a computer hacker) runs to advance the plot.
It's a cool toy plus a sneaky intro to computer programming!
The downside is that for younger kids especially, you can't just give the kids a book and expect them to follow instructions. You have to read the books with them and show them how to do things, which isn't a downside if you like to do things like build bridges out of clay, which I do.
It's also not a downside if you like spending time with your children.
And there's nothing wrong with PDF, btw. The problem is Acrobat Reader on Windows.
Adobe Reader is terrible; but I'm not willing to let PDF off the hook that easily.
Check out the PDF 1.7 spec. It's a total disaster.
Why is it these "scientists" always take the medical view of blindness? Being blind is great!
Evil devices like this are designed to do only one thing: Destroy blind culture.
Wait, Not Voting gets a +5 Insightful?
Not voting is both lazy and irresponsible.
Not voting is like saying 'my opinions don't count!'
Why no go all the way and vote for the candidate who is least likely to represent your interests?
We already knew that liberals were more highly evolved. This "discovery" highlights a minor detail.
What we really need to discover are the mechanisms this gene uses to express itself.
It clearly boosts intelligence, improves higher-cognitive functions, and grants a person the ability to think rationally.
Why, a drug that mimics the effects of this gene could change the world for the better!
"This is part of a White House effort to highlight the importance of science education"
I'm not sure how the two are related. Every time I've seen the show they've gone out of their way to hide any science content from the viewer.
When it's been unavoidable, they've shown placards reading "Warning: Science content"
From my perspective, Mythbusters seems pretty anti-science.
The fire department arrived before the fire had spread to the house. The fire started in two burn barrels, spread to a tool shed, then to the house.
It would have taken just a few minutes to prevent this disaster.
There's a good story about it on TYT:Firefighters Let House Burn Down Over $75
China Hasn't yet gotten the Memo, that we don't like Toxic Cadmium in our McDonalds happy meal toys (Age 4+).
But we LOVE toxic cadmium in our McDonald's happy meal toys for children under the age of 4?
1. access a google settings page
So... they'd need a google account and need to find the magic setting which could be in any one of the many 'settings' pages google maintains for its various services. Brilliant.
1. screen readers offer the option to modify the browser string
Think about this one. Do you know why it's completely absurd?
You know what, just read your last post and say "All this effort on the part of those who won't benefit in any way so that I can have bad data on my analytics page!"
Hence opt-in. Users that wanted to identify themselves could state that they are using a screen reader and Google just reports to the site that the user claims to use a screen reader.
How would this opt-in mechanism work, exactly? By what process would they tell google? How would screen reader users even know an opt-in exists?
Such a system would significantly under-report the number of users with screen readers, making the data virtually useless.
I don't think you've thought this through.
I would support an opt-in feature that allowed Google Analytics to report that statistic to websites visited by the blind.
And how exactly do you propose Google gather the data? The browser doesn't know the user is using a screen reader and, consequently, can't report it.
How can I get Google Analytics to tell me how many of my visitors are blind and using screen-readers?
You can't. Screen readers do not work the way you think they do.
When will we learn that prohibition is a failed strategy?
If we want people to avoid risky behaviors -- whether that means using drugs or texting while driving the best strategy has always been, and always will be, education.
Prohibition has always caused more problems than it solved.
Brilliant!
It's a poor workman who blames his tools.
You can't paint the Sistine Chapel with a two-inch brush.
Teaching kids to program has been discussed countless times on Slashdot. The consensus is always the same: Get an old microcomputer!
According to Robert Nielsen, computer programming was taught using the famous Kenbak-1 computer at the Nielsen Electronics Institute well into the 1990's (1997, it think, not bad for a computer from 1972!)
With the computers 5 addressing modes and comprehensive instruction set, it still makes for an excellent teaching tool for advanced students.
An online emulator is available at http://www.neocomputer.org/kenbak
All the original documentation is available from John Blankenbaker's website at http://www.kenbak-1.net/
For an internet connection this would mean higher average ping and lower bandwidth. For audio, it would mean reduced quality of sound reproduction.
Think long and hard about why what you just said is complete and utter nonsense.
Once you figure it out, cry a little. It'll help you feel better.
I enjoy my shows more when they don't have block artifacts.
Apparently not!
3) Astronauts aren't seeing aliens.
Lots of astronauts have claimed to have seen UFOs they believe to be of extraterrestrial origin.
Just one example: A couple years ago Apollo 14 Astronaut Edgar Mitchell made some serious claims regarding alien contact.
This doesn't make the claims true, but it does stand in direct contradiction to point #3.
I have AT&T and have been completely satisfied with both their customer service and network.
I've dropped so few calls that I can't begin to quantify their frequency. Of course, I'm also in a fairly rural area where network congestion isn't likely to be a problem.
Verizon, often touted on slashdot as superior to AT&T in every way, is completely useless at my place of work. Verizon customers can't place or receive calls while inside the building, and have difficulty while outside -- you'll often find them wandering around outside like zombies trying to get a signal. My BB 8820 on AT&T works great.
a good chunk of windows users on the public internet have not installed an alternate browser. I just don't get it.
That's easy. The majority of internet users are completely computer illiterate. They don't know what a browser is, don't distinguish the terms 'the internet' and 'the web', don't know what a web address is, they don't even know what files are (even the ones that "do a lot of pictures").
The vast majority of internet users will say things like 'I have yahoo as my internet' -- and be completely confident in that answer!
If you think I'm only talking about the over-50 crowd, kids aren't any better. I had a kid the other day (about 11) in the computer lab who asked me if I had I calculator. I said "you're sitting in front of one" -- Before I could show him how to access the calculator app, he exclaimed "I didn't know computer were that powerful!"
That's why the majority of internet users don't upgrade their browser. They don't know what a broswer is, let alone that they'd need to upgrade it.
I wonder what Freud would say about my error...