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Moore’s Law

This chart is from the original he published - just the five data points. Pretty simple huh? The “observation, originally made in 1965, that the number of transistors on an integrated circuit would continue to double every year. Although this increase has slowed to a doubling in eighteen to twenty four months, Moore’s law has held true for nearly fifty years and is the foundation for the astounding Information Technology revolution we see around us.” For those interested in Moore’s law, remarkably, I think the best information is my Dad’s book, The Computing Universe, which is also the source of the quote.…This chart is from the original he published - just the five data points. Pretty simple huh? The “observation, originally made in 1965, that the number of transistors on an integrated circuit would continue to double every year. Although this increase has slowed to a doubling in eighteen to twenty four months, Moore’s law has held true for nearly fifty years and is the foundation for the astounding Information Technology revolution we see around us.” For those interested in Moore’s law, remarkably, I think the best information is my Dad’s book, The Computing Universe, which is also the source of the quote.

19 Aug 2015

How to say ghoti as fish from George Bernard Shaw

Crazy English: ghoti

Ghoti is a constructed word intended to illustrate some of the craziness in English punctuation, in that, taking the sounds of its parts from different places, it could be said as fish. Said as: fish Written as: ghoti Derived from: enouGH, wOmen, naTIon In my book -ough, in particular, is the craziest as in enough, thorough, bough, through, although - all pronounced totally differently. I’d heard it credited to George Bernard Shaw, but apparently, his biography credits it to an ‘anonymous spelling reformer’. Related Ideas to Ghoti Also see: Anadiplosis Ordering English adjectives Ablaut Reduplication Homonyms, homographs, homophones and heteronyms Pleonasm…Ghoti is a constructed word intended to illustrate some of the craziness in English punctuation, in that, taking the sounds of its parts from different places, it could be said as fish. Said as: fish Written as: ghoti Derived from: enouGH, wOmen, naTIon In my book -ough, in particular, is the craziest as in enough, thorough, bough, through, although - all pronounced totally differently. I’d heard it credited to George Bernard Shaw, but apparently, his biography credits it to an ‘anonymous spelling reformer’. Related Ideas to Ghoti Also see: Anadiplosis Ordering English adjectives Ablaut Reduplication Homonyms, homographs, homophones and heteronyms Pleonasm

13 Aug 2015

Fitts’ Law

The time to a target depends on the ratio of distance to the target over it’s size. So clicking on a small target close by might take a similar time to clicking on a large target further away. It’s a simple model and there are a few little games out there to bring it home in practice. I’m reminded however, of an observation from a mentor of mine, Darrell Mann, that just because people call it a law doesn’t mean you have to treat it like one. The example of Apple’s standard program icons at the base of the screen that expand when you mouse near them, are a simple technique that help to overcome the limitations of Fitt’s law. There are plenty more. Don’t be sucked in to laziness by a name.…The time to a target depends on the ratio of distance to the target over it’s size. So clicking on a small target close by might take a similar time to clicking on a large target further away. It’s a simple model and there are a few little games out there to bring it home in practice. I’m reminded however, of an observation from a mentor of mine, Darrell Mann, that just because people call it a law doesn’t mean you have to treat it like one. The example of Apple’s standard program icons at the base of the screen that expand when you mouse near them, are a simple technique that help to overcome the limitations of Fitt’s law. There are plenty more. Don’t be sucked in to laziness by a name.

5 Aug 2015

How to tell a centipede from a millipede

A centipede has 1 pair of legs on each body ring, and a millipede has two on most body segments. Hence millipedes will generally have plenty more legs to go round. As far as I know this is fairly foolproof. Though generally speaking there are more obvious ways to tell, such as millipedes looking more like long armoured nice round worms and usually moving slowly, and centipedes zipping around while generally seeming more long-legged and insecty, with longer antennae at the front and longer angled back legs, sometimes with hooks for defence. If you were offered to pick one of them up, you’d probably pick the millipede. Also, in case you were tempted to think they are insects, they’re not because insects have six legs. They are arthropods (loosely meaning jointed feet) along with insects, spiders, scorpions and crustaceans, but in their own subphylum of, aptly named, myriapoda (loosely meaning many legs). Check out core insect anatomy for a sketchplanation insect refresher.…A centipede has 1 pair of legs on each body ring, and a millipede has two on most body segments. Hence millipedes will generally have plenty more legs to go round. As far as I know this is fairly foolproof. Though generally speaking there are more obvious ways to tell, such as millipedes looking more like long armoured nice round worms and usually moving slowly, and centipedes zipping around while generally seeming more long-legged and insecty, with longer antennae at the front and longer angled back legs, sometimes with hooks for defence. If you were offered to pick one of them up, you’d probably pick the millipede. Also, in case you were tempted to think they are insects, they’re not because insects have six legs. They are arthropods (loosely meaning jointed feet) along with insects, spiders, scorpions and crustaceans, but in their own subphylum of, aptly named, myriapoda (loosely meaning many legs). Check out core insect anatomy for a sketchplanation insect refresher.

29 Jul 2015

Everything is aiming

In his post on Zanshin, a state of relaxed alertness, James Clear writes: Great archery masters often teach that “everything is aiming.” Where you place your feet, how you hold the bow, the way you breathe during the release of the arrow—it all determines the end result. I like the idea of zanshin, but I like more the insight that everything is aiming. How every piece of your attitude, preparation, body and state go towards influencing how you perform. No detail too small. Tennis coaches, for example, reinforce being in the ready position before a ball even comes your way. Experience teaches you it does matter. The concept reminds me of one of my favourite quotes which I think pretty much sums up a great approach to life as a whole and also how I view luck: I will study and get ready, and perhaps my chance will come. —Abraham Lincoln…In his post on Zanshin, a state of relaxed alertness, James Clear writes: Great archery masters often teach that “everything is aiming.” Where you place your feet, how you hold the bow, the way you breathe during the release of the arrow—it all determines the end result. I like the idea of zanshin, but I like more the insight that everything is aiming. How every piece of your attitude, preparation, body and state go towards influencing how you perform. No detail too small. Tennis coaches, for example, reinforce being in the ready position before a ball even comes your way. Experience teaches you it does matter. The concept reminds me of one of my favourite quotes which I think pretty much sums up a great approach to life as a whole and also how I view luck: I will study and get ready, and perhaps my chance will come. —Abraham Lincoln

22 Jul 2015

Cream tea: Cornwall vs Devon

There’s stiff competition for the original and the most authentic British cream teas between Devon and Cornwall and the Southwest of England. And you may have, like me, wondered if when having scones with clotted cream and jam in what order should you put them. However, you can tell each apart by the preference on your scone to go for jam on top of the clotted cream, or under the cream. Cream on top = Cornwall. Jam on top = Devon. If you haven’t had one on location, I recommend you give it a try.…There’s stiff competition for the original and the most authentic British cream teas between Devon and Cornwall and the Southwest of England. And you may have, like me, wondered if when having scones with clotted cream and jam in what order should you put them. However, you can tell each apart by the preference on your scone to go for jam on top of the clotted cream, or under the cream. Cream on top = Cornwall. Jam on top = Devon. If you haven’t had one on location, I recommend you give it a try.

15 Jul 2015

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