Messages

151

Living Room / Re: substitute computer for the stressed

« on: March 25, 2006, 11:45 AM »

   My favorite is the slap to the top of the monitor.  ROFL

152

Living Room / Re: the first 20000 users - well done, mouser!

« on: March 18, 2006, 11:38 AM »

Can't resist re-posting this entry from July 17:

I just noticed that, with new member "nilness," there are now 401 members among us.  Feels good.  Thank you mouser and all you other solid contributors for making a lively, living site out of this!!   I'm proud to be a member, and am looking forward to welcoming number 1,000.

-momonan (July 17, 2005, 12:03 AM)

Who was number 1,000 anyway?  Sorry we didn't celebrate, but it all went by so quickly.

153

Site/Forum Features / Re: The new forum is up!!

« on: March 13, 2006, 09:07 AM »

Welcome, AbteriX.  Where have you taken Stefan?

154

General Software Discussion / software for colorblind

« on: March 13, 2006, 08:58 AM »

Looks like something interesting has been developed to help people with colorblindness distinguish colors in charts, etc.

http://www.colorhelper.com

Here's their description:

EyePilot Color Guide Software is an easy to use, interactive software program that enables you to work more effectively with color information. Using eyePilot, you can better understand and work with a wide range of color-dependent web sites, documents, graphics and computer applications.  eyePilot helps to end confusion around the use of color graphics such as pie charts, maps, web links and data plots.
 
 eyePilot is designed as an interactive floating window (Capture Window) that can be layered over any web or browser window on your computer screen. The eyePilot tools then can be put to work.

  Gray: Isolates all instances of a single color by keeping everything that is that color unchanged and graying out all other colors.  This makes it very clear which content is represented by a specific color.
Uses:
     weather maps
     financial charts
     subway maps
     cell phone coverage maps
 
  Flash: When any spot of one color is clicked on, this tool flashes as white or black all other instances of that color in the frame.
Uses:
     pie charts
     bar charts
     weather maps
     flow charts
 
  Name: When the name of a color (red, green, orange, etc.) is clicked on in a list, this tool flashes as white or black all instances of that color in the frame.
Uses:
     traffic maps
     catalog illustrations
     graphic arts
 
  Hue: This tool interactively the rearranges all the colors in the capture frame, allowing you to find a setting where the color information is more easily differentiated.
Uses:
     colored text
     complex maps
     scatter charts
     engineering drawings

155

Living Room / Re: Updating the forum software to 1.1RC2

« on: March 08, 2006, 08:50 PM »

I'm probably the only one here who likes to look at the yearbook, but it is so fun to see all the avatars and watch new members being added.  (Click "view the supporters yearbook" in the upper right box, if you haven't seen it yet.)  Here are some changes that might be good:

1.  Right now, members are listed chronologically.  It would be great if they could also be listed alphabetically, so we can easily find someone.

2.  A search feature to easily find a post made by a particular person would be nice.  I know it's possible, now, to use the search button, then advanced search, to find a post someone made, but that is not terribly intuitive and only works if you put in the right keywords.  Sometimes I would just like to see all the posts made by a particular person because I remember they said something I wanted to read again, but may not remember any particular keywords.  Right now, that's not possible (I tried, by specifying my name and putting a *in the keyword box, and got nothing).  One way to do this would be with a link from the yearbook avatar to the profile page, from which we could access all that person's posts, with an option to put in keywords, to narrow the search.

156

Official Announcements / Re: Cody's Excellent Vacation CodyCard Contest Ended Feb28 - Winners Inside

« on: March 01, 2006, 06:46 AM »

It's really great to hear that Cody is back!!  I trust he is unharmed -- and ready to do what he can to help DC recover some of the funds he nibbled away.

I'm happy I won one of the prizes, of course, but I had my personal favorites, even a couple that didn't make the list.  Stefan's cards, though, really captured Cody's adorableness and told us so much about Cody (and Stefan).  Plus they reminded us not to make assumptions. 

It would be hard to stay away from this family for long.

157

Living Room / protection from keylogging threats

« on: February 27, 2006, 07:19 PM »

Anyone know the best way to protect against keylogging that grabs passwords?  See

http://www.nytimes.c...camp=article_popular

158

Living Room / obsessive drawing

« on: February 24, 2006, 10:14 AM »

I saw this really neat art exhibit at the Folk Art Museum in New York City the other day, called "Obsessive Drawing."  It presented the works of four people who have spent countless hours -- years, really -- making drawings that have an obsessive quality about them, a need to fill space repetitively, trance-like.

It was kind of scary, yet compelling and wonderful.  Sort of fits in with the "autism quotient" thread.  You can get some idea by looking at these pictures.  Check it out.  If you're intrigued, read the New York Times review at the bottom of the page for more info about these remarkable pictures.
 
http://www.folkartmu.../default.asp?id=1266

Reminds me of an interview I heard, many years ago, of a man who had sheds full of journals, floor to ceiling.  He started recording his daily activities and got ever more detailed.  Soon he was reporting on the number of steps he took to get to the refrigerator, the number of peas on his plate, the lint on his shirt, etc.  He actually didn't have time to "do" anything because he was so busy recording every detail of what was happening and these activities interfered.  Funnily enough, he seemed quite happy with his life.

159

Find And Run Robot / Re: What's the correct abbreviation?

« on: February 02, 2006, 11:04 AM »

Yes, I really love Mercury Runner, too.  Especially since you already have the little icon that looks like Mercury running.

It's especially fitting since the Roman god Mercury, along with his Greek counterpart Hermes, is often referred to as the "flying messenger."   See: http://www.gillingham.com.au/hermes.html

I also understand that to the Egyptians he was known as Thoth, messenger of the gods, and the Egyptian god who invented hieroglyphics and calendar-keeping.   See:  http://www.hermograp...science/mercury2.htm

160

Find And Run Robot / Re: What's the correct abbreviation?

« on: February 02, 2006, 09:01 AM »

I really love the name find and run robot.  It's descriptive and cute.  It also matches the little icon -- although I wonder if the figure shouldn't be facing the future, instead of the past.  Any possibility of reversing it?

It also looks like the default acronym of "FARR" has emerged.  See:  https://www.donation...72.msg15559#msg15559.  I know there's still a problem with having the word "and" in the title, but settling on an acronym will help solve the search problems, at least.

161

Living Room / Re: Where's CarolHaynes?

« on: February 02, 2006, 07:54 AM »

Thanks for the update, Carol.  It's hard to manage without you.

The forum has been very lively of late, but I hope you realize how much your contributions during all those early months really held things together, adding focus with great humor and helping to shape this lively and vibrant site.  You deserve a break -- although, not a rest, I suspect.  Just let us know, now and again, how you're doing.

162

Living Room / Where's CarolHaynes?

« on: February 01, 2006, 10:50 PM »

I so miss the wisdom and wit of CarolHaynes. Have you tired of us?  If not, and you have just moved into something equally fascinating, care to let us in on it?

163

Living Room / Re: caffeine free week - who wants to join me?

« on: January 20, 2006, 02:37 AM »

wishing you well in your efforts, Mouser.  Want to tell us why you made this decision?

I read that anyone suffering from symptoms we usually associate with caffeine should also look at their intake of the far more dangerous drug, aspartame, which is found in virtually all diet soft drinks and many other products.   It's only becoming known recently how very addicting -- and neurologically dangerous -- aspartame is.  Also very insidious, because it's not always mentioned on the label.

Check out these toxicity symptoms (and if you want to read more, stay away from the information provided by junk food industry PR organizations):
 
dizziness
shaking hands and other tremors
migraines and severe headaches (common from chronic use)
rapid heart beat, tachycardia (another frequent reaction)
slurring of speech
memory loss
confusion
numbness or tingling of extremities
chronic fatigue
depression
insomnia
irritability
panic attacks (common aspartame toxicity reaction)
marked personality changes
phobias
asthma
chest pains
hypertension (high blood pressure)
nausea or vomitting
diarrhea
abdominal pain
swallowing pain
itching
hives / urticaria
other allergic reactions
blood sugar control problems (e.g., hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia)
menstrual cramps and other menstrual problems or changes
impotency and sexual problems
food cravings
weight gain
hair loss / baldness or thinning of hair
burning urination & other urination problems
excessive thirst or excessive hunger
bloating, edema (fluid retention)
infection susceptibility
joint pain

164

Site/Forum Features / Re: tidying up board arrangement on the forum

« on: December 22, 2005, 09:32 AM »

Oops.  Jumped the gun.

165

Site/Forum Features / Re: tidying up board arrangement on the forum

« on: December 22, 2005, 09:29 AM »

Did you make some change to the "unread posts" button.   Suddenly, everything I ever didn't [ read -- including things I decided not to read and had marked as "read"-- appears. 

I know, I can go to "since last visit," but it's not nearly as easy as the big blue "unread posts" button.  I guess, if you feel there is a need for someone to read all unread posts (even those that were previously not read, but marked "read") you could make that into a small button somewhere.  In the meantime, please bring back the familiar feature for the "unread posts" button.

166

Mini-Reviews by Members / Re: pandora.com - Internet radio for EVERY taste! FREE!

« on: December 22, 2005, 09:17 AM »

I had the same problem.   According to the FAQs, they haven't been able to figure out how to do classical music yet.  Instead, they recommend this station:  http://kuatfm.org/classical.cfm.  In spite of this, I'm super satisfied with the selections I've made (especially in the jazz vocalist area) -- and the new things I'm hearing that meet my preferences.

167

Official Announcements / Re: Change to Official License Key Policy

« on: December 21, 2005, 08:06 PM »

No, longrun, you are not the only one who thinks things are fine as they were.  I don't think the basic concept of the site should be discarded just because some people don't understand it.  If donations keep the site, and the work, going, then that's the structure that should be kept.  We can't succumb to the definitions others create.

There's every reason  jump at the chance to explain the site on other forums, when someone raises the issue, but that doesn't mean you have to capitulate.

168

Older Newsletters / Re: Newsletter 2005-12-20 - Codename "brotherS gets it going"

« on: December 20, 2005, 09:29 AM »

Absolutely dynamite newsletter, BrotherS  Thanks for being such a valuable member of our forum.

169

Official Announcements / Re: Some charts showing site statistics

« on: December 03, 2005, 06:02 AM »

I love these charts.  Don't know why, really.  A lot like looking at reports of  mutual funds activity, but more intimate.  It's good to be on the inside of a growing organization.   

Any way we could get another look at the statistics for how many people from each country come to the site, or are members of the forum, or have contributed?  That would be fun to see, too.

170

Living Room / Re: Thanks to all who donated in November - and remember when the site was slow?

« on: December 03, 2005, 05:50 AM »

It's easy to just take it for granted that mouser will always provide us with the best.  I, for one, apologize for never mentioning how wonderful it has been to have everything happen so fast since we switched to the new server.  Thanks, mouser.  You're attention is much appreciated, even if we don't always remember to say so.

171

Official Announcements / Re: Name and Catchphrase for New DC Logo Mascot - PART 2

« on: November 27, 2005, 10:14 PM »

I have CarolHaynes' little screensaver up, and I'm growing attached to what it says:  "you name the price."

172

Living Room / cheatsheet to find a human

« on: November 24, 2005, 06:42 AM »

Found this yesterday.  A list of buttons to push when you want to bypass telephone answering menus and reach a human. 

http://www.paulenglish.com/ivr/

For full article, you can read:  http://abcnews.go.co...ogy/story?id=1341487

173

Living Room / video game design classes

« on: November 22, 2005, 10:53 AM »

This may be old news to some, but check this out.  Vrgrrl is ahead of her time. Video game design classes offered at more major universities.
http://www.nytimes.c...s/design/22vide.html

174

Official Announcements / Re: Name and Catchphrase for New DC Logo Mascot - PART 2

« on: November 21, 2005, 07:44 AM »

Very nice!  I agree that having the dollar signs in circles is much too much.  The hexagons were pleasing to me; also breaks up the idea of so many circles.

I'm not responding well to "something new," though.  Whatever goes there, I think it should tell the reader something, not just a generality.  "Great software" at least lets the reader know the general idea.  Maybe there is something more specific that would be more perfect  - like "unique software" or "software that works," or "software that hops," or "shines" or "flies."

Might it be possible to make a separate one for each program, with just the name of the program at the bottom?

Lastly, I want to put in a plug to continue work on the earlier version that had the bird integrated into DonationCoder.com, as well, because it seems you will sometimes need to have a rectangle banner, instead of a circle.  Like the rectangle with "created by  screenshot captor, donotioncoder.com"

175

Official Announcements / Re: ANNOUNCING - DonationCoder.com Logo Contest

« on: November 19, 2005, 06:04 PM »

How about DOCO as a name?  Could even turn out to be a nickname for the site.