I use this exact combination for reading scientific articles and tech specs (diagrams, formulas, and all!) And it makes a very nice Android tablet for $250. EZ PDF Reader also lets you annotate and mark up the pdfs as well!
... the oldest of which is now in kindergarten. Our current "computer policy" is a not-without-mom-or-dad policy.
The 5yr and 4yr old have a few age appropriate games that we will let them play relatively unattended and with permission (they love bejewelled, ms paint, and anything Blue's Clues).
As for the internet, we are big fans of Google's video search for finding things like rocket launches, the mentos experiments, painting elephants, erupting volcanoes, etc. We also look up articles on wikipedia to answer questions (usually of the science and nature variety). But we never let the kids drive and the computer screen is always locked when not in use.
The why's aside, here is what we have done for my 5yr, 4yr, and 2.5yr old regarding email.
1. I bought a google apps domain ($10/yr)
2. I set up gmail accounts for each kid (first names only)
3. I set up the password (remember "not-without-mom-or-dad" yet)
4. I set up the contact list (mom, dad, grandpas, grandmas, a few friends.
5. I set up a the following gmail filter for each account
(-(mom@address OR dad@address OR friend1@address)) with the action "DELETE". This takes any email not matching the addresses in the list and deletes them.
6. I set the "view" to be standard HTML - it's not perfect, but it is fewer gadgets and options.
7. I created shortcuts to their accounts on the desktop.
8. Finally, we sit down and check email about once every 2 or 3 days - together.
It's not perfect - I wish there was a simple way to compose an email based on selecting a picture of the recipient, but then again the five year old is the only one who can type his own email anyway.
As for the future, I am scrounging parts to build a "kids" computer. But that is mostly to keep their grubby fingers off the same computer my wife uses to do finances. By the time they are in their teens, I hope to have decent smart-terminal setup where we can use a central server to monitor use, filter sites, store pictures/video, etc.
Heinlein's Starship Troopers. His view of the modern foot soldier being a technological powerhouse looks better every time I see those techno-warfare specials on the Discovery Channel.
oh yeah. There's also Dr Who and the robotic household pet (K9==Aibo)!:)
Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card -- the idea of a global networked community is pervasive.
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep by Philip K. Dick -- there are sociological implications of technology explored seem truer as time grows. (also the basis for the awesome flick Bladerunner)
Neuromancer by William Gibson -- "oh look, the web (kinda)! - besides, Molly is hot and we have hot chicks now. Its fiction come true.
Foundation by Isaac Asimov -- the great digital library in the sky
The Moon is a Harsh Mistress by Robert A. Heinlein -- is this the future of the mars project? (minus slinging rocks at earth)
I'm sure there are several more, but these are the ones that stood out in my mind...
This book is yet another in a series of indicators to the growing maturity of the web development business.
There are approaches to creation that any engineer who got the point of their signals-and-systems (the transforms class) understands. I don't wish to slight non-engineers (you know, CS and MIS people:) some of them get it. Even some managers get it. But there are so damn few...
Life-cycles, methodolgies, project oversight, customer relations, etc...they are all inter-related and must be managed to create a succesful product. There is an industry proven mindset to providing reliable, repeatable, and innovative solutions - its been around in the engineering disciplines for centuries. People need to understand that it has a broader application than building bridges.
Evidence of this is Carnegie Melon's recent incarnation of the SEI Laws...the move from a software specific capability model (SW-CMM) to a systems generalized model (CMMI) is more a result of lesons learned from reiventing the wheel than from genuine innovation in best practices. (BTW: I am helping institute the CMMI procedures and policies in my company and the CMMI is a big improvement over the SWCMM...)
How long will be before we see, with frequency, the term web engineer? and how much longer then until its decay into abuse like the now ridiculous term software engineer? The title engineer is so abused in the software industry that it bears little significance to many. I don't wish to imply that you must be a degree'd engineer to say that the work you do is engineering any more than you must be a licensed carpenter to build a birdhouse.
This has gone off-topic and become a vent. I apologize and will close with this: There are too few engineers in the software industry and too many people writing code...
The open community cannot respond to a serious RFP. Sure, they could write a proposal (so long as there wasnt a deadline:) But the moment they start to do work for money there could follow a slew of legal issues. Most of these people probably work for IT companies - working for an open source project is fine if you arent being paid, but once you start accepting money you run the risk of conflict-of-interest. Also, you can't make a contract with the open community. They aren't a business and have no license to operate as such.
Furthermore; are you asking for a proposal for work you don't intend to pay for? How is that different than the current open source model? Except that now you want to impose a tight schedule on the developers? That's not going to work. Open source development is generally if and when work -- especially if the developers aren't being paid.
If you want to incorporate open source software development into your project, you must find a legitimate contracting firm to do the work (there are thousands). It's that easy. In the RFP say "...using jabber technology..." or some such statement. Then only catch to be wary of now is the matter of intellectual property (you will have to check the open source code license and run it by your lawyers to see what you can and cant do) - it is very important to make sure that the IP issues are spelled out on paper somewhere.
Anyway, thats my two and a half cents thanks to inflation.
I have several beefs with this article/post - and I wonder if it was intented flamebait for the non-productive grasshoppers of the world who rely on an otherworldly knowledge of an obscure topic to maintain their elitist positions.
Some rants I'd like to make:
First, I agree with the majority in that he was a bad employee (the hiring rep should be flogged publicly)
In answer to the posts actual questions (and with disregard to the article) - Yes. The quirky, absent-minded, night-owl still has a place in the modern frenzy of Development Models and Quality Schemes.
Developers are not necessarily engineers and vice versa. Also, good engineers do not always make good management. Furthermore good developers cannot always design. Lastly, having a title like software engineer doesnt mean that the code you write is written by a software engineer. (these are in no particular order and I suspect you get the gist).
Domain knowledge, no matter how infinite, cannot make up for a lack of communication and interpersonal skills. (much to the frustation of those who don't have it.)
Quirks can only be tolerated in a business setting if they do not detract from the end product - this can mean bad coding practice, being late for meetings, swearing at the customer, or even annoying your peers. I work in an evironment that is extremely flexible in terms of my hours, attire, and what I wish to do in my office. But I am always ontime for meetings, keep myself clean, dress appropriately for customers, and try to respect others. This is why my company lets me be the way I am - not because of my systems archtecture and integration skills. I'm personable AND good at what I do and for me, it pays.
One final, slightly offtopic thought...
It is unfortunate that people often forget that "engineering" (the buzzword and the dscipline) is a social activity with social responsibilty.
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I use this exact combination for reading scientific articles and tech specs (diagrams, formulas, and all!) And it makes a very nice Android tablet for $250. EZ PDF Reader also lets you annotate and mark up the pdfs as well!
... the oldest of which is now in kindergarten. Our current "computer policy" is a not-without-mom-or-dad policy.
The 5yr and 4yr old have a few age appropriate games that we will let them play relatively unattended and with permission (they love bejewelled, ms paint, and anything Blue's Clues).
As for the internet, we are big fans of Google's video search for finding things like rocket launches, the mentos experiments, painting elephants, erupting volcanoes, etc. We also look up articles on wikipedia to answer questions (usually of the science and nature variety). But we never let the kids drive and the computer screen is always locked when not in use.
The why's aside, here is what we have done for my 5yr, 4yr, and 2.5yr old regarding email.
1. I bought a google apps domain ($10/yr)
2. I set up gmail accounts for each kid (first names only)
3. I set up the password (remember "not-without-mom-or-dad" yet)
4. I set up the contact list (mom, dad, grandpas, grandmas, a few friends.
5. I set up a the following gmail filter for each account
(-(mom@address OR dad@address OR friend1@address))
with the action "DELETE". This takes any email not matching the addresses in the list and deletes them.
6. I set the "view" to be standard HTML - it's not perfect, but it is fewer gadgets and options.
7. I created shortcuts to their accounts on the desktop.
8. Finally, we sit down and check email about once every 2 or 3 days - together.
It's not perfect - I wish there was a simple way to compose an email based on selecting a picture of the recipient, but then again the five year old is the only one who can type his own email anyway.
As for the future, I am scrounging parts to build a "kids" computer. But that is mostly to keep their grubby fingers off the same computer my wife uses to do finances. By the time they are in their teens, I hope to have decent smart-terminal setup where we can use a central server to monitor use, filter sites, store pictures/video, etc.
Heinlein's Starship Troopers. His view of the modern foot soldier being a technological powerhouse looks better every time I see those techno-warfare specials on the Discovery Channel.
:)
oh yeah. There's also Dr Who and the robotic household pet (K9==Aibo)!
- Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card -- the idea of a global networked community is pervasive.
- Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep by Philip K. Dick -- there are sociological implications of technology explored seem truer as time grows. (also the basis for the awesome flick Bladerunner)
- Neuromancer by William Gibson -- "oh look, the web (kinda)! - besides, Molly is hot and we have hot chicks now. Its fiction come true.
- Foundation by Isaac Asimov -- the great digital library in the sky
- The Moon is a Harsh Mistress by Robert A. Heinlein -- is this the future of the mars project? (minus slinging rocks at earth)
I'm sure there are several more, but these are the ones that stood out in my mind...This book is yet another in a series of indicators to the growing maturity of the web development business.
:) some of them get it. Even some managers get it. But there are so damn few...
There are approaches to creation that any engineer who got the point of their signals-and-systems (the transforms class) understands. I don't wish to slight non-engineers (you know, CS and MIS people
Life-cycles, methodolgies, project oversight, customer relations, etc...they are all inter-related and must be managed to create a succesful product. There is an industry proven mindset to providing reliable, repeatable, and innovative solutions - its been around in the engineering disciplines for centuries. People need to understand that it has a broader application than building bridges.
Evidence of this is Carnegie Melon's recent incarnation of the SEI Laws...the move from a software specific capability model (SW-CMM) to a systems generalized model (CMMI) is more a result of lesons learned from reiventing the wheel than from genuine innovation in best practices. (BTW: I am helping institute the CMMI procedures and policies in my company and the CMMI is a big improvement over the SWCMM...)
How long will be before we see, with frequency, the term web engineer? and how much longer then until its decay into abuse like the now ridiculous term software engineer? The title engineer is so abused in the software industry that it bears little significance to many. I don't wish to imply that you must be a degree'd engineer to say that the work you do is engineering any more than you must be a licensed carpenter to build a birdhouse.
This has gone off-topic and become a vent. I apologize and will close with this: There are too few engineers in the software industry and too many people writing code...
You are confused on several issues:
:) But the moment they start to do work for money there could follow a slew of legal issues. Most of these people probably work for IT companies - working for an open source project is fine if you arent being paid, but once you start accepting money you run the risk of conflict-of-interest. Also, you can't make a contract with the open community. They aren't a business and have no license to operate as such.
The open community cannot respond to a serious RFP. Sure, they could write a proposal (so long as there wasnt a deadline
Furthermore; are you asking for a proposal for work you don't intend to pay for? How is that different than the current open source model? Except that now you want to impose a tight schedule on the developers? That's not going to work. Open source development is generally if and when work -- especially if the developers aren't being paid.
If you want to incorporate open source software development into your project, you must find a legitimate contracting firm to do the work (there are thousands). It's that easy. In the RFP say "...using jabber technology..." or some such statement. Then only catch to be wary of now is the matter of intellectual property (you will have to check the open source code license and run it by your lawyers to see what you can and cant do) - it is very important to make sure that the IP issues are spelled out on paper somewhere.
Anyway, thats my two and a half cents thanks to inflation.
I have several beefs with this article/post - and I wonder if it was intented flamebait for the non-productive grasshoppers of the world who rely on an otherworldly knowledge of an obscure topic to maintain their elitist positions.
Some rants I'd like to make:
First, I agree with the majority in that he was a bad employee (the hiring rep should be flogged publicly)
In answer to the posts actual questions (and with disregard to the article) - Yes. The quirky, absent-minded, night-owl still has a place in the modern frenzy of Development Models and Quality Schemes.
Developers are not necessarily engineers and vice versa. Also, good engineers do not always make good management. Furthermore good developers cannot always design. Lastly, having a title like software engineer doesnt mean that the code you write is written by a software engineer. (these are in no particular order and I suspect you get the gist).
Domain knowledge, no matter how infinite, cannot make up for a lack of communication and interpersonal skills. (much to the frustation of those who don't have it.)
Quirks can only be tolerated in a business setting if they do not detract from the end product - this can mean bad coding practice, being late for meetings, swearing at the customer, or even annoying your peers. I work in an evironment that is extremely flexible in terms of my hours, attire, and what I wish to do in my office. But I am always ontime for meetings, keep myself clean, dress appropriately for customers, and try to respect others. This is why my company lets me be the way I am - not because of my systems archtecture and integration skills. I'm personable AND good at what I do and for me, it pays.
One final, slightly offtopic thought...
It is unfortunate that people often forget that "engineering" (the buzzword and the dscipline) is a social activity with social responsibilty.