Try to have a quick team meeting meeting every day on Skype/VOIP, if possible. People can start to stray "off message" if left to themselves too long (not through laziness, or anything). If they are in the same office, that can is normally regulated.

Lots of small targets as well as an overall project target.

Do try to have face to face meetings occasionally.

No, it doesn't need it. But My car's embedded sytems are the same, but when I go to the garage they plug in a laptop and can check for problems. The garage mechanic is not going to use command line. Graphical interfaces are far superior to command line by a country mile. Just because you hate programming them doesn't mean we should stop. It also prevents a lot of user error.

Because that's how computers used to be and almost nobody used them apart from us computing science geeks. Are you seriously suggesting your granny should use command line?

It's like suggesting that we should all still be double-de-clutching when we change gears. Sheesh!

That may be true but most people who DO use computers have never used command line.

It all relies on there being GUIs. If there weren't GUIs very few people would use computers. Even if you work on the most obscure command-line controlled databases, they are of no use if people can't access the info. The only way people will access the info is if it's easy to use. Command line manipulation requires a lot of knowledge, mental gymnastics and decent eyesight. It's a really bad way to interact with a machine.

Goddamn, you can tell this is a site for geeks. People who use command line are about 1% of people who use computers. The reason we all have jobs is because so many people use web sites and software these days. The only reason so many people DO use websites is because they DON'T have to use command line!

.. perhaps

If you WTFV you'll see that the central part holds the gubbins, like speakers and power and processors etc...

I fail to understand the entire fire concept! Why would I want to go to the bother of creating fire when I can digest raw meat and berries, scare of animals with a big nasty stick and keep warm by huddling together in a corner? Can someone explain, please?

And the central part is also the speaker and has the power socket.

" ... My expectation is that if there were any really good ways of gathering and storing energy, then lower life-forms would be able to exploit these without having to go through the trouble of evolving into higher lifeforms and then figuring it out ... " The lower life forms are some of the most successful lifeforms on earth. They have little problem with energy.

So, presumably, if teachers have it so good, you have given up your job and become one then!

Depends what side of the sun the two are on.

We are discussing Mercury, not Uranus. Please keep up!