Click listeners test 'filter bubble' 14 July 2011Last updated at 14:22 By Gareth Mitchell Presenter, Click on BBC World Service Click listeners shared their search results through the show's Facebook page. How personalised is the web? That's the question that Click listeners all over the world have been helping us answer. The worry is that we are cosseted in an information cocoon based on personalised results from search engines, automated recommendations from online bookstores and social networks that feed us gossip and news only from our innermost circle of friends. On Click radio a few weeks ago, we interviewed Eli Pariser, author of The Filter Bubble: What the Internet is Hiding from You. Mr Pariser is concerned that there is an illusion of objectivity in Google search results, when in fact they are filtered according to what we are most likely to click on when we browse the all important front page of results. Our Facebook group was soon deluged with screen grabs. Results
www.valvesoftware.com/company/Valve_Handbook_LowRes.pdf Mac OS X keyboard shortcuts To use a keyboard shortcut you press a modifier key with a character key. For example, pressing the Command key (it has a symbol) and then the "c" key copies whatever is currently selected (text, graphics, and so forth) into the Clipboard. A modifier key is a part of many keyboard shortcuts. Here are the modifier key symbols you may see in OS X menus: Startup shortcuts Press the key or key combination until the expected function occurs/appears (for example, hold Option during startup until Startup Manager appears). Sleep and shut down shortcuts Finder keyboard shortcuts Application and other OS X shortcuts Note: Some applications may not support all of the following application key combinations. *Note: If no text is selected, the extension begins at the insertion point. Universal Access - VoiceOver keyboard commands For information about VoiceOver key combination differences in Mac OS X v10.6, see this article. Full keyboard access Universal Access - Mouse Keys See also: Shortcuts for Mouse Keys.
The robot that reads your mind to train itself 25 October 2010Last updated at 01:02 By Lakshmi Sandhana Technology journalist Rajesh Rao is a man who believes that the best type of robotic helper is one who can read your mind. In fact, he's more than just an advocate of mind-controlled robots; he believes in training them through the power of thought alone. His team at the Neural Systems Laboratory, University of Washington, hopes to take brain-computer interface (BCI) technology to the next level by attempting to teach robots new skills directly via brain signals. Robotic surrogates that offer paralyzed people the freedom to explore their environment, manipulate objects or simply fetch things has been the holy grail of BCI research for a long time. Dr Rao's team began by programming a humanoid robot with simple behaviours which users could then select with a wearable electroencephalogram (EEG) cap that picked up their brain activity. Skill set "What if the user wants the robot to do something new?" On-the-job training
Exception Handling in ASP.NET MVC Index Introduction Exception handling is a serious matter in any application, whether it's web or desktop. In ASP.NET applications, error handling is done mostly in two ways: at local level using try-catch blocks and at global level using application events. In this article, we will learn about the HandleError filter and discuss about the different exception handling mechanisms that will fit to an MVC application. HandleError Attribute Exception filters The exception filters are attributes that can be applied over an action or a controller or even at a global level. All the exception filters implements the IExceptionFilter interface. Listing 1. The HandleErrorAttribute is the default implementation of the IExceptionFilter. Listing 2. What the HandleError filter does? The HandleError filter handles the exceptions that are raised by the controller actions, filters and views, it returns a custom view named Error which is placed in the Shared folder. Error View Listing 3. Listing 4. Listing 5.
Gamification: what are the rules? As multichannel commerce becomes commonplace, it’s more important than ever to focus on long-term engagement and coherence, creating a uniform, satisfying customer experience across every platform. Recently, Gamification has become an increasingly important part of this mix, using game mechanics to enhance UX and guide user behaviour. When it’s done well, the rewards can be impressive; boosting engagement and brand awareness as well as vastly increasing direct conversion, shareability and repeat business. But what exactly do we mean when we use the term? Here’s a quick roundup of some points you should be aware of if you are considering gaming as a marketing tool. Gamification vs pointsification First of all, let’s define our terms. Unless you happen to be Blizzard, you probably won’t have millions in resources and a crack team of designers, artists and coders to hand. You are adding a layer that contains certain mechanical systems. What’s the score? New players have entered the game
When algorithms control the world 23 August 2011Last updated at 01:42 By Jane Wakefield Technology reporter Algorithms are spreading their influence around the globe If you were expecting some kind of warning when computers finally get smarter than us, then think again. There will be no soothing HAL 9000-type voice informing us that our human services are now surplus to requirements. In reality, our electronic overlords are already taking control, and they are doing it in a far more subtle way than science fiction would have us believe. Their weapon of choice - the algorithm. Behind every smart web service is some even smarter web code. It is these invisible computations that increasingly control how we interact with our electronic world. At last month's TEDGlobal conference, algorithm expert Kevin Slavin delivered one of the tech show's most "sit up and take notice" speeches where he warned that the "maths that computers use to decide stuff" was infiltrating every aspect of our lives. "We've rendered something illegible.
How to Use 43 Folders A very simple guide to leaving here quickly so you can get back to making something awesome. Ask yourself… Why am I here right now instead of making something cool on my own? What’s the barrier to me starting that right now? This is not an insult or put-down. What Sucks? Looking for specific answers to what sucks for you today? More ideas Still sucking? Still Lost? Try a mental sweep, do a shitty first draft, or consider a modest change. Maybe just get away from the computer for a while by taking a nice walk. How to Know When You’re Done Here You’re done here whenever you’ve found just enough information to get you back on track for today. We love having you visit with us here, and we hope you’ll return many times — whenever you think we might have something that might help you get over the hump. The Only “Productivity” That Matters The best advice we can offer is to just put your head down, push yourself harder, and try to figure out what you need to change today to get a little better.
The bedbug cure THEY don't want you to know about It’s hard to convey the paranoia we flea-marketing, curb-side-spotting, Craigslisting folk feel about bedbugs—with good reason. Now is prime paranoia time: we’re having too many guests over (at various stages of cleanliness), cranking up our heaters and (if we’re lucky) signing January 1st leases. Not only are the bugs a major itch in the butt, but they can end up costing a butt-load too. Most exterminators will try to charge between $50 and $200 to inspect your place (or they’ll do it free and work their up-sell). The low-budget detection device is the brainchild of Rutgers University’s Wan-Tien Tsai, and the highly scientific instrument requires a 1/3 gallon insulated jug (check camping and sporting stores), a plastic cat food dish, some paper and talcum powder and 2.5 pounds of dry ice. Hence, the dry ice. The trickiest part of the whole thing might be getting your hands on the dry ice, as not all supermarkets carry it. And if the test is positive?
“il nous faut dresser l’Atlas des algorithmes contemporains” Kevin Slavin est le cofondateur d’Area/Code devenu il y a peu Zynga, un studio de conception de jeux. Et c’est pour ce travail qu’il est surtout connu (voir ses interventions en 2009 à Picnic dont nous vous avions rendu compte ici et là), mais c’est à une tout autre exploration – oh combien passionnante, bien que particulièrement alambiquée – à laquelle il nous a conviée à la conférence Lift qui se tenait récemment à Genève. Image : Kevin Slavin sur la scène de Lift11, photographié par Ivo Näpflin. Sa présentation s’appuyait sur une précédente présentation faite il y a 4 ans qui portait sur le bas Manhattan, le quartier financier de New York, et qui s’interrogeait pour comprendre comment les villes pouvaient apprendre à écouter le pouls de la ville. Mais ce qui conduit à construire des radars, conduit aussi à construire des avions furtifs pour y échapper, pour voler sans laisser de traces. Dans le monde financier, la vitesse est une arme.