last updated:16 Aug 2002 13: 33 Webword time, or 16 Aug 2002 18:33 UK time

Webword Statistics - Recent Comments (Comments added for week ending Sun 09 Dec 2001) | View Other Weeks

Virtual Keyboard Replicates Real Typing | Tue 04 Dec

Senseboard Technologies, based in Stockholm, Sweden, says its Virtual Keyboard uses sensor technology and artificial intelligence to let users work on any surface as if it were a keyboard.

Fri 07 Dec 21:17 | Brad Lauster | > 'It works like a regular keyboard in every way,' Farhoudi told TechExtreme. Ok - I haven't used it, but COME ON! I have two points: 1. How many people do you know who can type without EVER looking at the keys...without keys, you don't get to look to see where to put your fingers. 2. Also, there's no feedback. You don't know you've pressed a key until the (wrong or right) character shows up on the screen. I see this as extremely inefficient. I do think it's a cool idea, but I imagine it's more trouble to use than it's worth.

Linus Says: Linux Not Designed; It Never Was | Tue 04 Dec

And I will go further and claim that _no_ major software project that has been successful in a general marketplace (as opposed to niches) has ever gone through those nice lifecycles they tell you about in CompSci classes. Have you _ever_ heard of a project that actually started off with trying to figure out what it should do, a rigorous design phase, and a implementation phase?

Wed 05 Dec 16:14 | mcw | Fascinating discussion! Both have valid points. Torvalds is correct in saying that evolution, or directed evelution, or trial and error, are valid ways to end up with a product. However, it is a mistake to say that there have never been successes with requirements -> design -> build -> release. Example: new code for payroll system. The specs for a new w-2 form are pretty exact, you need a design, it is coded and tested, and released. The determining factor may be the precision of the requirements and narrowness of the application. The more narrow and deterministic, the more likely that the 'waterfall' process will result in a useful product. The less certain the requirements and ultimate use, the more likely that the 'build, try, and re-build' process will work. Evolution is a feedback mechanism! If you need lots of feedback to sort out what's useful and what will work, it's hard to do this via the waterfall methodology. On the other hand, if its a well defined problem, the chances are better that you can plan your way to the solution.

Amazon Promotion | Sun 02 Dec

Free Shipping on orders over $99 at Amazon.com!

Mon 03 Dec 14:26 | MadMan | John, How did they notify you of your 'beta tester' status? I wonder how I can get onto this profitable beta testing ;) BTW, I'm annoyed at Amazon. While they offer free shipping to US customers, they double shipping rates for international customers. I've just bitched about this at: http://madman.weblogs.com/2001/12/03 Regards, Madhu

Mon 03 Dec 14:31 | MadMan | Before I forget, have you tried out www.isbn.nu ? It's a great comparison searching engine for books. Not only does it compare prices across sites on the Net, it also lets you add shipping costs to the price. And on top of that, it also converts to your currency if you wish. Pretty cool.

Using Special Characters in HTML | Sun 02 Dec

Below are the most used special characters and the HTML coding to make them appear correctly.

Mon 03 Dec 12:41 | Jeff Lash | A nice reference, but, unfortunately, if you code those special characters the way they describe, most of them won't display properly in all browsers. This A List Apart article has the full details, but, basically, anything from � to � shouldn't be used. If you're dead-set on using all the wierd stuff, with the understanding that it'll look wacky to many, a better reference is the one at glish.com.

Mon 03 Dec 12:44 | Jeff Lash | Heh heh. See what I mean? That should read anything from 129 to 159 shouldn't be used. And now you see why.