In case you plan any reinforced concrete work…
Check the latest addition to the History of Computing exhibition at the Possibly Interesting web site: Michaelis’s concrete calculator (well, actually, Kvasnicka’s version of it).
Odds and Ends
The unexpected advantage of VHS tape over DVD
For the last couple of years I kept saying I’m not buying a DVD recorder until the VCR dies. Well – the VCR died, so I went and bought a DVD recorder. In fact I bought a dual-mode unit that has a VCR and a recording DVD in the same box. I thought I was … Read more
Water ashtrays?
I was waiting for a Cappuccino at a coffee shop and asked the girl making it to also give me a glass of water. An incongruous conversation ensued: Girl: To drink or to smoke? Me: Huh? Girl: To drink or to smoke? Me (the sensible part of my brain trying to stop the engineer’s part … Read more
New year, new freedom!
First, wishing all readers of this blog a superb new year. May it be far better than the last one, yet worse than the one to follow it. For my part, this year heralds a new freedom – after 26 years of doing many wonderful and innovative things at Intel, I decided it’s time to … Read more
Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra
Had this strange deja vu at an IBM HRL seminar… I met there the CTO of PopTok, a start-up with a product that allows you to use short video clips from your favorite movies, TV shows, and music videos in your online conversations on Facebook or IM chats. So, if you wanted to express anger, … Read more
The ideal fly repellent solution
There are many solutions that claim to repel flying insects; some even work. For instance, there are chemicals – stuff you put on your skin, stuff you burn like incense – at least this makes sense: we can see how some smelly material may offend the insect’s finer sensibilities. Then there are hi-tech solutions, like … Read more
A gentler car horn?
Car horns are designed to be earsplitting; if the driver in the next lane starts to swerve into your path, you want to be able to alert him with a blast he won’t mistake. For such safety related uses, the high volume and jarring tone are justified. However, people also use the horn for another … Read more
Ergonomic keyboard or Snake oil?
Was at Office Depot and noticed a keyboard on sale that was touted as the Anti-RSI keyboard from A4Tech. This, according to their web site, has an innovative “Natural A shape” layout that allows you to type ergonomically with your wrists held in their natural position, rather than bent at a strained angle. The site … Read more
World Usability Day 2008
Today, Nov. 13, is World Usability Day, sponsored by the Usability Professionals’ Association. This has been running since 2005; each year, on the second Thursday of November, over 225 events are organized in over 40 countries around the world to raise awareness for the general public, and train professionals in the tools and issues central … Read more
What’s in the box?
Care to guess what delightfully well-designed product is hidden inside this elegant 5 inch long metal case? Check it out in the latest article on the Possibly Interesting web site!