Sure, I visualise how algorithms work, otherwise I can't code them. But the difference in maze generators struck me. Because, as quoted, they're difficult to distinguish from each other.

Other things, such as sorting algorithms, are fairly obvious though... but still nice to see, again.

You have options. Cross platform options (for Win, OSX, iOS & Android) that you can use...

- Mono C#

- Delphi Firemonkey (My personal preference.)

- wxWidgets

- other web related technologies that I've heard of but don't use.

Yes, to a point.

When they're old enough to be left at home, to use public transport, to cycle around the neighborhood - then they're old enough to ride in an automated car without adult supervision.

Until then, kids should not be left alone - full stop.

So in the US being liberal means being on the left?!?

In Australia the Liberal Party is a relatively right wing party.

Because they're cinema history. I showed Star Wars to my artsy tenant, pausing every now and then to explain the importance of different scenes - important not just in story context, in EU context, but in real world context. Doing that, he could then appreciate Star Wars for what it has done.

- Before Star Wars, space fantasy was very bland. Aliens were variants of humans, the the extent that people struggled to accept even Mr Spock's pointy ears. Most Star Wars sentients still are humanoid (and that lack of imagination bothers me slightly), but for the 70's/80's Star Wars aliens were very "out there".

- Having a cliffhanger ending until the next movie (Is Vader really Luke's father?!?) was a first as well. Now we're used to it.

- Big budget spending in fantasy movies. Until then, big budgets did not go to such a movie because the thinking was that not enough people would watch it to cover the high costs. The thinking is a little different now. Now we get lots of big budget space, sword'n sorcery and superhero movies.
(I think with the prequels, Lucas was still stuck in his old thinking that big budget special effects make the movie, whereas we've got used to it, expect it, and now want the story to be compelling.)

- Making a fantasy movie into an epic movie. Now most are, or at least try to be. Compare Star Wars to anything else made until then.

In short, Star Wars did for space fantasy what Lord of the Rings did for sword'n sorcery literature: opened new ground and opened the genre to the masses

Sure, Star Wars may not be so great in context of what else is out there now, though it's not that bad either. But put it into context of it's time...

About electricity... Perhaps pads would be a better focus, given all the pads that soon will be outdated in the West and East, because they use much less power than old PC's and probably will be more numerous. A solar panel could charge a pad during the day so it could be useable in the evening, much like rural areas use solar panels to charge evening lights.

About networking... Perhaps ad-hoc networks could work for the cities...?

About the other problems... computers help people find information and communicate. So perhaps a project of this ilk could help the populace find and spread solutions to many/most problems - solutions that work for them, from their perspectives, rather than from the perspectives of outsiders.

I dunno. Perhaps I'm just an optimist. But at least one should try, rather than not giving it a chance. Either it will work, or one can learn why it doesn't, so that one can make a better attempt next time.

Does that mean that if you take any significantly crazy dude today and examine their theories in 1000 years time, his theories will likely end up baring an uncanny resemblance to the truth?

I don't think so.