I can't imagine what a hs intro/CS class should be now, but my son is 4 months into 9th grade CS class, and my Qs are (1) shouldn't they know what a command prompt is? (2) have a concept of OSes -- that the machine needs to load an OS to "work"? (3) some basic understanding of how 'the internet' started and what makes it work (protocols)?
At least he's getting some calculator programming in his honors math (and the kids are making games on their own time—THAT'S more like what I remember) —but that class is called 'math', not CS.
What's promised for the second semester of "CS" is an introduction to markup "language". H T M L. Needless to say, I'm giving up on our school's CS and hoping for better when kids get to college.
I found MyWebOS through a really neat weblog called Web Apps. I thought it was a neat idea (except it's Win-only right now): accessing files over the net without dragging along a laptop. However, WebOS requires a (?) 10MB download (possibly more if you install other applets, I think). You'd have to have these applets installed on any "terminal" you used on the road, sort of shooting down the idea AFAIC.
but this (workspot.com) requires no d/l (at least not yet), making it more useful [for me].
and w/ more powerful apps included (not just a notebook or calendar or whatever), I could see getting some real work done (given bandwidth). I can't wait to investigate this a bit further;)
But Fatbrain doesn't have as many reviews on avg per book, mainly because they don't have as many users. And while you might say that all Fatbrain users/reviewers are computer professionals/enthusiasts, I'm sure you could say the same about Amazon's computer book users/reviewers, as well (ie, just because Amazon sells romance novels doesn't mean the romance novel reader is going to comment on Applied Crypto).
Speaking of Applied Crypto, I recently bought the revised edition of that myself, and was postively floored by the number of reviews [at amazon], as well as the quality of those reviews. There are a few "Great!" comments, but many of them focus on what's lacking from this tome... in detail.
for me, what has always set amazon apart [from all online retailers] were the reader comments. I spend hundreds of dollars per month on books, and those readers' comments have steered me away from some books that would've proven useless to me after all, and toward books I'd never have considered.
For example, I almost bought a title on XML which had 5 stars, excellent reader comments, and great reviews all around -- until I read one little comment toward the end that complained about the book's focus on IE5's implementation of XML. (of course, I haven't totally written the book off, but I'm going to eyeball it first at a physical bookstore before plopping down the $35 on it).
I think it'll be great to see user comments on particular toys (ie, "it broke after the first use"), and possibly electronics, although I suspect that you'll see less useful reviews on the big-ticket items -- more like "holy wars" trolls... think "PalmPilot vs Jordana".
AFAIK amazon owns the market [right now] on "shoppers' reviews", and that's its edge. (I'll exclude/. since it doesn't actually sell anything, although I use the comments here to decide on things to purchase or use)
I have a laptop and a workstation, but wanted a "in-between" that could fit in a smallish space in the house and be conviently usuable to everyone (the workstation requires a room of its own, essentially, due to its size; and I don't want anyone touching my laptop). I went with the sleek Sony VAIO Slimtop, and am somewhat disappointed with its upgradablility (even though it's better than the all-in-one designs referred to in this article).
The first thing I realized was that, due to the monitor's digital connector (I'd assumed it was analog for some reason), I couldn't slip in just any video card -- that was a disappointment, although I'm hoping that more [digital] LCD-friendly cards will be available soon.
I also really wanted an LS-120 drive (like my other systems have), but Sony offers up only their HiFD drive -- I have to purchase the (incredibly expensive) PC Card LS-120 drive if I want to use that format on the Sony, and that's stupid (as I have a small form-factor LS-120 in my notebook, and know it should be easy to replace the VAIO's drive with an LS-120 if Sony would just support it).
I like the PC Card slot on the Sony for reading my picture cards, etc pc cards I already have. Not many "big" computers come with a PC Card slot. But I don't like the thought of having that being one of the few upgradability options I have for the Sony. In hindsight, I'd have preferred a somewhat larger case design than having USB and PC Card cables strewn about the desktop!
oh that reminds me: if style is so important (over function) why aren't more people using those AC adapter "networks" (by intelogis or something like that) vs ethernet? Sure I hate mega cables too (cause I haven't drilled all the holes and I trip over them), but speed is just a WEE BIT more important than appearance.
unless you're talking about size: I'd rather have those teeny VTS 6Gig firewire drives (the ones due in June, not March -- thick credit card-looking things) than a 3.5" SCSI drive of the same capacity.
I'm not sure that's "style", however: if they were black with purple polka-dots instead of that blood red color, I wouldn't care. I'd take Ugly and Functional over Cute anyday.
And anyway, the non-Mac crowd desiring aesthetics as well as function has always had those monitor-cover things, spray paint, and mousepads, right? What more could they want?
well, unless there's a new breed of geeks? Most geeks I've known have been into very alternative forms of entertainment (like coding esp, rockets, HAM radio -- not the everyday run-of-the-mill interests)
I haven't been in a theatre in like two years -- never liked it much (too big of a gamble that it'd be a waste of time); and I'm usually doing something else while watching one of the few TV shows I like (xena -- guess that is sort of "pop culture")
but for the most part, when people talk about the latest/greatest "pop" stuff, I'm clueless. I've never even seen ERrrrr, yet I hear people talking about it *in* *depth*.
hey... guess I'm not a 'geek'! (oh god -- that makes me a NERD =:-0
Slashdot Mirror
I can't imagine what a hs intro/CS class should be now, but my son is 4 months into 9th grade CS class, and my Qs are (1) shouldn't they know what a command prompt is? (2) have a concept of OSes -- that the machine needs to load an OS to "work"? (3) some basic understanding of how 'the internet' started and what makes it work (protocols)?
At least he's getting some calculator programming in his honors math (and the kids are making games on their own time—THAT'S more like what I remember) —but that class is called 'math', not CS.
What's promised for the second semester of "CS" is an introduction to markup "language". H T M L. Needless to say, I'm giving up on our school's CS and hoping for better when kids get to college.
but this (workspot.com) requires no d/l (at least not yet), making it more useful [for me].
and w/ more powerful apps included (not just a notebook or calendar or whatever), I could see getting some real work done (given bandwidth). I can't wait to investigate this a bit further ;)
while freshmeat is my favorite s/w site, andover already has a linux s/w site (linux.davecentral.com) which has a different layout and feel entirely.
hope they don't try to munge the two together (esp re freshmeat, since I prefer that layout).
Speaking of Applied Crypto, I recently bought the revised edition of that myself, and was postively floored by the number of reviews [at amazon], as well as the quality of those reviews. There are a few "Great!" comments, but many of them focus on what's lacking from this tome... in detail.
Contrast that with the one user-review at Fatbrain which states simply that the book is pretty amazing.
>> what is Amazon's core strength now
/. since it doesn't actually sell anything, although I use the comments here to decide on things to purchase or use)
for me, what has always set amazon apart [from all online retailers] were the reader comments. I spend hundreds of dollars per month on books, and those readers' comments have steered me away from some books that would've proven useless to me after all, and toward books I'd never have considered.
For example, I almost bought a title on XML which had 5 stars, excellent reader comments, and great reviews all around -- until I read one little comment toward the end that complained about the book's focus on IE5's implementation of XML. (of course, I haven't totally written the book off, but I'm going to eyeball it first at a physical bookstore before plopping down the $35 on it).
I think it'll be great to see user comments on particular toys (ie, "it broke after the first use"), and possibly electronics, although I suspect that you'll see less useful reviews on the big-ticket items -- more like "holy wars" trolls... think "PalmPilot vs Jordana".
AFAIK amazon owns the market [right now] on "shoppers' reviews", and that's its edge. (I'll exclude
The first thing I realized was that, due to the monitor's digital connector (I'd assumed it was analog for some reason), I couldn't slip in just any video card -- that was a disappointment, although I'm hoping that more [digital] LCD-friendly cards will be available soon.
I also really wanted an LS-120 drive (like my other systems have), but Sony offers up only their HiFD drive -- I have to purchase the (incredibly expensive) PC Card LS-120 drive if I want to use that format on the Sony, and that's stupid (as I have a small form-factor LS-120 in my notebook, and know it should be easy to replace the VAIO's drive with an LS-120 if Sony would just support it).
I like the PC Card slot on the Sony for reading my picture cards, etc pc cards I already have. Not many "big" computers come with a PC Card slot. But I don't like the thought of having that being one of the few upgradability options I have for the Sony. In hindsight, I'd have preferred a somewhat larger case design than having USB and PC Card cables strewn about the desktop!
>>ways to hide all the cables
oh that reminds me: if style is so important (over function) why aren't more people using those AC adapter "networks" (by intelogis or something like that) vs ethernet? Sure I hate mega cables too (cause I haven't drilled all the holes and I trip over them), but speed is just a WEE BIT more important than appearance.
unless you're talking about size: I'd rather have those teeny VTS 6Gig firewire drives (the ones due in June, not March -- thick credit card-looking things) than a 3.5" SCSI drive of the same capacity.
I'm not sure that's "style", however: if they were black with purple polka-dots instead of that blood red color, I wouldn't care. I'd take Ugly and Functional over Cute anyday.
And anyway, the non-Mac crowd desiring aesthetics as well as function has always had those monitor-cover things, spray paint, and mousepads, right? What more could they want?
well, unless there's a new breed of geeks? Most geeks I've known have been into very alternative forms of entertainment (like coding esp, rockets, HAM radio -- not the everyday run-of-the-mill interests)
I haven't been in a theatre in like two years -- never liked it much (too big of a gamble that it'd be a waste of time); and I'm usually doing something else while watching one of the few TV shows I like (xena -- guess that is sort of "pop culture")
but for the most part, when people talk about the latest/greatest "pop" stuff, I'm clueless. I've never even seen ERrrrr, yet I hear people talking about it *in* *depth*.
hey... guess I'm not a 'geek'! (oh god -- that makes me a NERD =:-0