So how is this any different from WiFi Direct, which has been available for years?

I have an android quad core stick PC ($40). I have Office Pro on it, and remote printing is set up. I have a mouse, a keyboard and an external HD connected via USB. It all works great. Not sure exactly what you are looking for, but my kids can do their homework on the stick.

Also, do the kids without PCs have phones? Everything on my stick PC can (and does) run on my android phone.

Of course, this all assumes they have an internet connection...

I want boolean searching on -only- what is visible on a page. None of that metadata stuff. That alone should bypass all those search conglomerators. I don't mind advertisements on the side, but not mixed with the results. I also want the results based only on what I searched for, no paying for higher rankings. That sounds simple enough...
 

From what you describe, I would look at Board Game Designers Forum (www.bgdf.com). It has a lot of information on the design process, helpful for both boardgames and computer games. And keeping with practice makes perfect, they have a monthly design competition. Take a look and see what you think.

Take the easy way out. Get a Kindle (Nook, whatever) and load everything from the Baen Free Library (http://www.baen.com/library/). Then choose what you like. For light reading, I recommend the Lt. Leary series (With The Lightnings is first). For something a little more thought provoking, try the Belisarius series (An Oblique Approach is first). If you don't like those, there are plenty more to try.

If you want to keep the tech theme but mixed with fantasy, try the Rick Cook Wizardry series. Only a programmer will get all the jokes. A Unix (BSD) programmer. ;-)

JC

It may just be a boardgame to you, but I thought his thesis involved the AI. It WAS widely used.