Incandescent light bulbs that generate decent heat, so the plumbing lines running through the back stairwell don't freeze in winter.

Snaps. (I wish there were snaps on my cellphone case, since the velcro has worn out after 13 years.)

Hook and eye closures, because, bras.

Birth control, although newer forms that eliminate monthly periods are pure win.

PS: Anything that can be used one-handed where newer replacements require two, the aforementioned snaps instead of buttons, flip cellphone with keys that can even be used without viewing, etc.

Why would you presume his child relations are incapable? I was disparaging the suggestion that thousands of dollars of photographic equipment (when the original request was for low budget options) was a priority to obtain data, rather than a smaller investment so the children in his family could share their adventures and explore a potential hobby, rather than be denied the opportunity because thousands of dollars of expensive single purpose equipment are involved.

If a small investment induces a desire in a child to pursue more, that will become clear, and the question will change. Fostering curiosity has nothing to do with "dumb" or "science", it's about growing, exploring, perhaps about birds and airplanes instead of stars, but inexpensive child appropriate tools are more useful to begin with, an individual, child or otherwise, will request better tools if there is sufficient interest.

When the kids lose interest, a digital camera can be re-purposed readily.

PS: Giving a child a microscope ... "unless you help her do actual scientific experiments, she's going to miss most of the value". I disagree entirely, but it depends what you value. You obviously care about data--but we don't know what types of children are in his family. I'd give a child a microscope so she could grow, foster curiosity, witness beauty, discover, expand her horizons, and develop into a more well rounded person. These things work regardless of the type of personality, if she's more an artistic mind, salt is beautiful under a scope, if more about data, there's the online citizen science project to count tumor cells affected by medications. But these things are discovered from the broad exposure, not one specific application afflicted upon the children.

Did you miss, "...for kids", relatives who are elementary/middle school age? Not trying to do science here or collect "data", trying to introduce/interest them in...oh nevermind...you don't seem to remember being six to 13 years old.

But thankfully you don't need any of the equipment you listed. A couple hundred dollar digital camera with good lens and manual exposure control is plenty. It's good enough for Wikipedia, it'll be good enough for kids to throw online to show their friends lunar craters and comet tails and whatnot.

You also don't need the "right conditions" thankfully, I'm sandwiched between two cities and full of light pollution, but layering multiple exposures and image processing resolves all of that, and provides a practical application of image processing other than fake media model imagery for kids to learn about (which my nieces were taught about around eight years old).

I second, or third or seventeenth the binoculars recommendation. Great for celestial observations, birding, plane spotting, live theater, sight seeing, etc. No set up, control in hands of user, each may have their own instead of taking turns, etc.

Note you don't need a scope for good astrophotography, there are pictures on Wikipedia I've taken just with a manual digital camera with good lens (and cheap tripod). Long exposure settings and proper image processing (combining multiple exposures to minimize background noise) provide incredible results.

I go to forums for other viewpoints, not what is already in my head, I have that, why would I waste my time?

"Troll" used to mean someone who cared more about provoking emotional reactions regardless of opinion, not "disagrees". Someone trolling would, even if they agree, post in a manner to incite a reaction in their victim.

It seems most are defining "troll" as just someone else with a differing opinion, IE, most of the population. What is worth paying for, is someone who has information I don't have yet, or an opinion that leads to a new insight that was previously lacking: constructive dialog.

However most people participate in forums purely to stroke their own ego and feel better about themselves (the same reason they pursue most activities), not to actually engage with others.

I learned far more during the months off in summer than I did in school. Don't get me wrong, learning to touch type in school was valuable.

But I learned how to be a productive member of society working summers. I learned how to be an individual person at summer camp--arguably my moment of self actualization. Trips with families exposed me (back when this existed) to different societies/cultures--as well as that humans are all essentially the same ego pursuers.

If some venue taught me how to balance a checkbook and do taxes, and how to write formal correspondence, my education would be more complete than average. None of those things (save the correspondence and touch typing) happened in school.

Both my parents were educators. My father also a school psychologist part time. When I proposed to him the premise that folks need to learn on the job, that school and higher education were more for delaying folks entrance to the work force, he basically agreed. Obviously there are certain careers that require higher education, but often the knowledge base of those positions has changed by the time one graduates and you have to learn on the job anyway.

Schools tend to have artificial social environments that it's good to escape from to round out personal development.

Besides, what's the point of becoming an underpaid teacher if you don't get summers off?

If you consider progress marrying the horse that takes you home?

Adblocking Hosts file, doesn't matter which browser, even blocks MMO in-game store.
http://winhelp2002.mvps.org/ho...

bitcoin, mine!

Marketing: because "free" and "new" are the two strongest advertising buzz words that drive sales. It doesn't matter that it truly isn't free, rather buried in the cost of the item, consumers are attracted to products that include "free" or "new" somewhere and are more likely to buy.

This is also why "new version" or "new features" or "new colors" or "new enhnacements" are often pitched despite the product being the same old thing with the same old functionality with the same old annoyances.

If it could replace the need to carry a phone around with me, or have one clipped to my belt, or have a bag to carry it in, etc. It's far nicer to have nothing extra to carry, than to carry around an item.

It would need a replaceable power source that holds a long enough charge so years from now when the battery doesn't have full capacity, it lasts all day and into the night.

It would be nice to have a scalable sized display, perhaps projected if not holographic (there goes that power).

Google Now functionality required, so connectivity, location awareness and microphone please.

Instead of being a watch, be the band, so whatever watch face could be used. Come in a size/style that suits womens watches.

It doesn't need to have a speaker, that could be a separate Bluetooth earring like IBM had 15 years ago, so the entire world doesn't hear/be disturbed, and I don't look like a borg.

One of those virtual keyboard systems that can tell what your fingers are typing in midair from your wrist movements. Acceptable to have a complementary bluetooth bracelet for the other wrist to make this work.

In the future, I'd like a private neural display, so I'd be a 'borg, with an amazing firewall so I don't get mental adverts. At this point we'd hopefully be able to eliminate the secondary bracelet for typing and just think "OK Google".

Why?

What problem are you trying to solve? Without understanding the problem, nobody can provide pros/cons or cost/benefit of alternatives, much less come up with a solution to...?

Once you actually identify the problem, the solution might become self-evident. But just listing your ideas and seeing if others have implemented things similar to your ideas won't resolve the circumstance.

(Meanwhile, perhaps quit and find a job outside of the design field, a field where identifying and clearly communicating problems is key to coming up with designs to resolve said problems. My guess is sales might be a better fit, given the suggestion of throwing hardware at people being a benefit, for no apparent reason.)

Where does that fit in your Analyze! spreadsheet?

Hear, hear! As totalitarian countries go, the US is slow to act...oh wait, perhaps if this ruling isn't challenged, ends up having some impact, and surveillance is ameliorated, the US won't carry the "totalitarian" adjective any longer.

Welcome to the world of man-scaping. But hey, at least you have eyebrows to waggle at the ladies now.