'The total sample consisted of 1,000 torrent files—a random selection from the most active seeded files on the trackers they used
this being the bit I picked out. this can vary greatly tracker to tracker.
Also, I recall a conversation about touch interfaces where
Are you suggesting handwriting recognition? As soon as I see anything that can read my handwriting consistently I will give this a slight chance at replacing the keyboard in some situations, but I cant even read my handwriting consistently. I haven't written written anything but my name in cursive since the 6th grade because it was absolutely eligible. There are some of us out here that are not capable of writing legibly. Using computers more would have made my primary school career much much simpler, and they made me do more on computers than anybody else in the mid 80's.
Why do YOU feel obligated to do something here?
Because he is a friend and he sees him pissing his opportunity away over a stupid game. Go ahead and flame me for calling a game stupid, but compared to what he is missing out on it is stupid. Is he failing? if so talk to his professors, tell them your concern. They can give you some advice that may just kick his ass into gear. If he has to make good grades on the rest of his exams to pass let him know. If he is a freshman and is not on a scholarship and who ever is funding his schooling isnt going to cut him off if he fails you may have to let him fail to get the picture. Thats what happened to me. If he is on a scholarship, will lose it if he fails and has no other way of paying for school explain to him that if he fails he will have no more university. Do not drag yourself down trying to help him. If he is not taking this help there is probably nothing you can do. I am guessing he is a freshman, Some of us have to get kicked out of school before we realize just how bad we are screwing up.
Those who can, do; those who can't, write. Those who can't write work for the Bell Labs Record.