Being a software developer I am always interested in where the next big improvements will come from in the way we interact with the computer. Currently we have ergonomic keyboards and mouse, some people have tablet pc's that allow them to use special pens (stylus) to input text right on the screen just like writing on a notepad. While that method does work well for some people, it seems like a combination of the old way and the current way. Pen and paper being the old way and  keyboard being the current way.

 I stumbled across this article this moring on digg.com that just blew me away. the article is by Jefferson Y. Han on Bi-manual, multi-point, and multi-user input on a graphical interaction surface. While the text of this page may not capture your imagination, the demo will. There is something so natural and tactile about the way he is interacting with the screen that it makes sense to me that this will be the way we work with computers soon.

So this is a complete rant. Last night, I was up till 11pm working, then woke up at 4am this morning completely on fire from the a niacin flush because of the my medicine, and who knows what else. So I had to take a shower to cool down, and man was I dragging. Then I ended up catching a later train because I was so tired. Then that train was late, so I ran to the platform at 7:59am to see the 8:00am, however the doors were closed. Then the train started to move and I waved to my friends on the train, then the train rolled 30 or 40 feet and stopped. However the conductor didn’t feel the need to open the doors for the three of us standing there wanting to get on the train. I can see my train friends saying to open the door, but no, they just sat there for 5 minutes with the door closed and then pulled away. So I had to wait for 25 minutes for the next train, so of course I got to work late, then of course I get in the elevator and there is the CEO. Man, are you sure it isn’t a Monday? 

So my Sis and I had an interesting little Comment conversation yesterday and today on my photoblog. Since the conversation had almost nothing to do with the image I figured I would move it over here to share with all of you.

Re: Hello Dolly Great, Now I'm going to have that song stuck in my head all day long! *little laugh* Sis Sunday, January 22, 2006 9:18 AM

Re: Hello Dolly Sorry Sis, it was the only name I could come up with for this image. How about another line from a movie. "Woman, woman woohoo man, she was a thief you gotta believef she stole my heart and my cat. Betty, Judy, Josie and those Hot Pussycats ... Girls of cartoons will leave me in ruins, I want to be Betty's Barney... Jane get me off this crazy thing called Love"  - So I married an Axe Murder Russ Sunday, January 22, 2006 9:24 AM

Re: Hello Dolly Not to correct you, but to correct you. ;) Its Woman, Woe-Man, WOAH-Man! At least thats what the script said. ;) sis Sunday, January 22, 2006 7:52 PM

Re: Hello Dolly For your so I married an axe murderer fix, I give you the script! http://www.weeklyscript.com/So%20I%20Married%20An%20Axe%20Murderer.txt sis Monday, January 23, 2006 3:07 PM

It's been a while but here is a post about code. You've been warned.

This morning I was working on bit of code. I prefer to write my ASP.NET with code-behinds, however for this project certain pieces are inline pages. I'm a team player so I'm writing inline pages.
Well after adding a function that returns some javascript to the page,  I got the following error: "CS1010: Newline in Constant". So what the heck does that mean I wonder to myself, so I google the error and come to find out it is a know issue.  If your code is writing out a "</script>" tag to the page, it causes this compile error.  The work around is to split up the tag. "<" + "/script>".
Fun stuff. Here is a link to the <a href="http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=827420">microsoft knowledgebase article</a>.

Happy Coding

My Sister sent me this incredible link this morning to the Apollo 12 Self-Portrait. It is a simply stunning image. Who know that space and black and white film went so well together

This morning reading through my rss feeds I came across an article that I just had to share. On happynews.com there is the article "Domino's Pizza toppings tell all". The jist of the article is that they can tell what kind of personality you have by the pizza toppings you choose. Here is the personality to topping quotion.

Non-traditionalists

Those who prefer non-traditional toppings such as pineapple and onion tend to be aggressive, achievement-oriented, natural leaders. They do not easily suffer fools.

Pepperoni Please

People who prefer traditional, single meat toppings described themselves as being irritable, argumentative, procrastinators, who frequently conveniently "forget" obligations at work and at home.

Meat Fanatics

Those who preferred traditional, multiple meat toppings are dramatic, seductive extroverts who thrive as the center of attention. They crave novelty in all aspects of their life, are fashionable and impeccably groomed.

One Veggie Please

Pizza eaters who prefer traditional, vegetable, one-topping pizzas are empathetic, understanding, well adjusted and easy going, making them the ideal parents.

Pile on the Veggies

Those who prefer multiple vegetable toppings are trustworthy, loyal and dependable. They value friendship as the ultimate manifestation of life's ideals. They function best in a group environment. They are humble, introverted, and avoid the spotlight.

I have to say I found the article pretty entertaining and not completely inaccurate. What toppings do I like on my pizza? Only my local pizzaria knows for sure.

I’ve noticed that one thing they don’t teach in school is how to leave a proper voice-mail. Now this is something I really could of used. Instead they taught me how to write a letter. I believe I’ve only used that piece of information twice in my entire life. But voice-mail is something that almost everyone us could use. So here are some things that I’ve picked up along the way. (Of course I don’t always have perfect voice-mails either).

• Keep it short, there is nothing worse than a single voice-mail that uses up all of your space with your phone carrier. Also most people only listen to the first 5 to 10 seconds. So you have to grab their attention quickly. We’ve all had those voice-mails where if you did listen to it all the way through you felt like you just read a Russian war novel. Don’t do that.
• Let them know who you are, voice-mails that start “it’s me” get deleted faster than just about anything. If it’s a business call, then say who you are and what company you are with.
• This one is really important. no one is impressed by how quickly you can recite your phone number. Honestly use the same tempo as you did through the rest off your voice-mail. I hate it when someone leaves a voice-mail that is slow and deliberate through the message and then switches in to warp speed when it comes to leaving the phone number.Slow down when you are giving your phone number, so that ever number can be understood. I personally hate it when I have to listen to a voice-mail 4 or 5 times just to get the phone number at the end that you said at twice the speed of sound.

That’s it, those are my voice-mail tips.