Comment Sept 1st, actually (Score 2, Informative) 274
TFA seems to have the date wrong, at least: http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/10/08/25/apple_sends_out_invitations_for_sept_1_special_event.html
Comment Re:Blocking results from certain sites... (Score 1) 171
Sure, but that particular phrase won't help much (I tried), and I think it would be hard work to find a reliable set of words to filter away. Furthermore, you might remove more than what you want (for example the site you want, if it contains a link to sites for price comparisons).
The real problem is that you sometimes want to exclude classes of sites.
Comment Re:Blocking results from certain sites... (Score 1) 171
That is a great idea! In my simple test, it did filter away some of the annoyances (kelkoo for example), but left some other sites in (swedish sites, that's where I am). At any rate, it is a step forward.
Thanks.
Comment Re:Blocking results from certain sites... (Score 2, Interesting) 171
That is useful if a single site is the problem, but how do I say "I do not want results from any price comparison site"? This is a problem I see more and more of: searching for a product can bring up pages of more or less lame price comparison sites before meaning ful sites. The actual producer of the product you are looking for is surprisingly often way down in my listings.
Comment Re:Lego Mindstorm (Score 1) 962
Someone got me to mix up the programming environments! My son has tried Scratch, not squeak...
Comment Re:LOGO! (Score 3, Informative) 962
Aw, I got it wrong: I mean Scratch (from MIT), not Squeak. Scratch is great! We have not looked at squeak.
Comment Re:Lego Mindstorm (Score 1) 962
I am also a fan of mindstorms, as many others replying in this thread, but I have seen that kids tend to "get stuck" simply building Lego... With motors and whatever of course, but the actual programming part has become parenthetical and very simplistic.
There is nothing wrong with that, of course! I have recommended mindstorms as a xmas present just a few days ago, but if you are really looking at teaching programming, then you will have to work a little extra to make the kids focus on the programming part.
Squeak is quite similar to the mindstorms programming environment, all graphical, and the kids will have a blast.
So, buy the kids Lego Mindstorms for christmas and use Squeak for teaching programming...
Comment Re:LOGO! (Score 1) 962
My 12-year old son has had a great time with squeak, and so has a couple of his friends. You can make some simple but fun games and you work with graphics all the time, which that age group really wants.
Using squeak, you get acquainted with all the basic concepts of programming, so I believe it is a terrific starting point. Both my son and a friend of his are now ready for the next level, writing programs, and we just have to find what would be the suitable continuation (no pun intended!)
IT Cutbacks For 2012 London Olympics 190
Slatterz writes "The IT backbone for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games is to be cut. According to the Games' chief integrator, Michele Hyron of Atos Origin, each section of the computing infrastructure will be made more efficient in order to minimise redundant equipment and hopefully reduce energy consumption. Unlike the Beijing Games, the results will be relayed via the public wireless network which will be available in the Olympic Park — this means cutting out the 2,500 results terminals. The team of workers will deliver more than 1,000 servers, 10,000 PCs and 4,000 printers."
Stephen Hawking Going To Canada 204
thepacketmaster writes "A previous Slashdot article I posted mentioned the possibility of Stephen Hawking coming to Canada. The Toronto Star now reports that he has accepted the position. Hawking will hold the title of distinguished research chair at the prestigious Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics."
Computer For a Child? 556
jameswing writes "I am thinking of buying a UMPC, such as an Eee PC or a Wind for my son, and wanted to get input from Slashdot. He is almost 2 and really curious about our computers, and anything electronic. I want to foster this in him, without having him on my desktop or laptop. I also don't really like the idea of getting one of those cheap 'Learning Laptops' that have a tiny screen and are really limited.
Does anybody have one that they use with their children? How sturdy is it? Will it stand up to a 2-year-old? If not, what are good alternatives?
What are your thoughts? Suggestions?"
Comment Re:The opposite of Glenn (Score 1) 470
While he did not explicitly state his assumption that the traveler would remain on a great circle path, it *is* true that any two points on a sphere (in this case the starting point and the destination) are connected by exactly one great circle.
Assuming the two points are not at exactly opposite sides of the earth, in which case there are an infinite number.
Does It Suck To Be An Engineering Student? 971
Pickens writes "Aaron Rower has an interesting post on Wired with the "Top 5 Reasons it Sucks to be an Engineering Student" that includes awful textbooks, professors who are rarely encouraging, the dearth of quality counseling, and every assignment feels the same. Our favorite is that other disciplines have inflated grades. "Brilliant engineering students may earn surprisingly low grades while slackers in other departments score straight As for writing book reports and throwing together papers about their favorite zombie films," writes Rower. "Many of the brightest students may struggle while mediocre scholars can earn top scores." For many students, earning a degree in engineering is less than enjoyable and far from what they expected. If you want to complain about your education, this is your chance."
Gaffes That Keep IT Geeks From the Boardroom 652
buzzardsbay writes "Yes, it's all in good fun to point out the mismatched belt and shoes and the atrocious hairstyles, but honestly, I'm committing three of these errors right now! Is that why I can't get a key to the executive washroom? Or is it my rebellious attitude and pungent man-scent that's keeping me down? The shocker in here was pigtails on women... I love pigtails on women!"
Nokia Buys Trolltech 311
egil writes "Trolltech announced this morning (CET) that they have accepted a bid from Nokia to buy the entire company. The bid was for 16 NOK per share, which values the company at an equivalent of approximately 150 million USD. The stock currently trades at 15.70 on the Oslo stack exchange, up from around 10 on Friday. The offer has already been accepted by the Trolltech BOD."
